JLab Hear OTC vs. Lucid Hearing Tala

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.

While it features customizable sound settings through the Lucid Hearing app and boasts a 16-hour battery life, it lacks ear-level controls and has subpar Bluetooth audio quality, making it a mixed bag for users.

JLab Hear OTC achieved a SoundScore of 3.65/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #26 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

Lucid Tala achieved a SoundScore of 4.64/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #3 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

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.

Tala is an impressive OTC hearing aid though it does not seem to have the best build quality. I found the plastic casing of Tala and the 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.

Tala hearing aids packs some impressive features, but the build quality isn't great. Both the hearing aids and portable charger appear to be made of thin plastic, which aligns with its lower ingress rating of IP22.

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

I was pleased to learn that Tala offer audio streaming and hands-free calls for both iOS and Android, but make sure you purchase the right version as they are mobile OS specific. While the audio quality is not great, it is still a great feature to have.

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.

Lucid's app offers many useful features, like the 7-band equalizer LucidShape, and recently received an update improving the overall appearance. You will definitely want to use the app to get the most out of Tala hearing aids.

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.

I found Tala lightweight and had no issues with them fitting and staying in my ears. They are not as occluding as some other earbud-like hearing aids so I felt less plugged, though this can hurt audio performance in various ways.

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

Tala hearing aids have an interesting earbud-like design that stands out, but it is not the most modern-looking option available. Its bright white color also makes it very noticeable in ear which can be good or bad depending on your preferences.

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

Lucid Tala has a value score of 3.7/5 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.

Tala are easy to use, but they lack physical buttons, so you'll need to use the app for adjustments. The included case also works well, but be careful to place the left and right hearing aids in the correct charging slots.

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

Lucid is a step above some other OTC companies as they offer lifetime support from licensed professionals. This is not the same as in person can but it is a great addition even for those familiar with hearing aids.