JLab Hear OTC vs. Lexie Powered by Bose

The JLab HEAR OTC Hearing Aid offers an affordable and user-friendly solution for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, featuring customizable sound settings and a sleek design. Extensive testing reveals its effective performance in various environments, making it a reliable choice for everyday use.

This rechargeable device offers iPhone and Android call streaming, a new recharging case, and an in-app hearing test for personalized sound customization.

JLab Hear OTC achieved a SoundScore of 3.5/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #36 of 65 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.68/5.

Lexie B2 Plus achieved a SoundScore of 4.4/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #7 of 65 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.68/5.

The portable charger is flimsy and HEAR have a lower egress rating of IPX4. However, with some extra care and cleaning they should hold up to regular daily use.

Lexie claims all of their products have an IP rating of 67 which is near the maximal egress protection for hearing aids. Beyond this, I found B2 well built with a good button click feel and robust portable charging case.

HEAR do not offer enough power for all-day use with a battery life of 10 hours (less with streaming). The battery life is however respectable for a wireless earbud.

Lexie B2 has a reported battery life of 18 hours so it should last all-day for most people. It takes only 3 hours to recharge in its case which also doubles as a portable charger thanks to the internal power-bank.

HEAR offer wireless connectivity for both iOS and Android users. I personally experienced stable streaming and phone calls with my iPhone 12.

B2 does offer audio streaming though it is unfortunately limited to iOS devices. I found B2’s streamed audio quality mediocre but it is a useful feature to have for those of use using Apple products.

The JLab Hearing Health app offers a nice feature set for personalization. Some elements could be more user friendly, but it makes sense after a little troubleshooting.

The phone app is one of my favorite features of B2. It is simple and visually pleasing while offering excellent personalization. Lexie has recently added an in-app hearing test making it even better.

HEAR are comfortable and had good retention in my ears. They completely seal your ear when worn properly but feel less “plugging” as they are lightweight.

B2 is a rather sleek receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid. I found its comfort similar to that of prescription hearing aids and experienced no issues wearing it long-term (even with glasses).

This is highly personalized, but HEAR look like modern earbuds and distance themselves from the negative stigma some attribute to hearing aids.

Lexie B2 offers a sleek design similar to modern prescription hearing aids from major manufacturers. One potential downside is that it is only available in Gray, with no other color options.

JLab Hear OTC has a value score of 5.0/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Lexie B2 Plus has a value score of 4.2/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

I ran into a few issues with my initial Bluetooth pairing but HEAR and the touch controls work well otherwise.

I had no issues adjusting B2 with the app or rocker switch. I found the physical buttons sufficiently large and tactile offering a good click feel when depressed.

JLab falls short on actual hearing care as help is limited to their online Help Center and or standard Customer Support.

One downside to Lexie B2 is that you are limited to phone or email based technical support. Fortunately, B2 and their phone app are fairly user-friendly and you will likely not need regular assistance.