JLab Hear OTC vs. Phonak Audéo Infinio Ultra

Check out our comparison of the JLab Hear OTC vs Phonak Audéo Infinio Ultra. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.

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JLab Hear OTC
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Hear OTC

$99.99 per pair
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Phonak Audéo Infinio Sphere I90
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Audéo Infinio Sphere I90

$4,598 per pair
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Product Overview

Form Factor
EarbudForm FactorNon-custom earbud style device.
Receiver In The EarForm FactorThis type of hearing aid sits behind the ear. A wire runs along the top of the ear and down to a speaker sitting inside the ear canal. An custom-fitted mold may be required.
Expert Rating
Score
0.0
Score
0.0
User Rating
3.7
1 reviews
3.7
6 reviews
Hearing Loss LevelHearing Loss LevelThis represents HearingTracker's best guess on suitability. Please consult a licensed audiologist to confirm your own candidacy for this device.
MildModerateSevereProfound
MildModerateSevereProfound
Product Features
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidTelecoil
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidTelecoilIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Hear OTC
Audéo Infinio Ultra
Hear OTC
3.9ABOVE AVERAGE

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.

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Audéo Infinio Ultra
4.4ABOVE AVERAGE

Phonak’s Infinio Sphere delivers genuinely standout speech clarity in loud, noisy places thanks to its DEEPSONIC “Sphere mode,” but you’ll trade some discretion and may wrestle with fit or Bluetooth pairing to get that top-tier performance.

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Hear OTC
3.6AVERAGE

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.

Audéo Infinio Ultra
4.6EXCELLENT

Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra achieved a SoundScore of 4.58/5 in HearAdvisor lab testing. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.91/5.

Hear OTC
3.8BELOW AVERAGE

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.

Audéo Infinio Ultra
5.0EXCELLENT

Phonak Audéo Sphere Ultra have an excellent build quality with a robust, portable charging case and a high ingress rating of IP68.

Hear OTC
3.0BELOW AVERAGE

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.

Audéo Infinio Ultra
4.6EXCELLENT

Audéo Infinio Ultra offer around 17 hours of use per charge under normal use and streaming conditions. When using the new Sphere mode, battery life is around 10 hours which is an improvement over the original Sphere Infinio model. They take 3 to 4 hours to recharge, and a 30-minute quick charge can provide an additional 6 hours of use.

Hear OTC
5.0EXCELLENT

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

Audéo Infinio Ultra
5.0EXCELLENT

Phonak Infinio Ultra are compatible with both iOS and Android, offering wireless audio streaming and hands-free calls. Pairing is now easier directly from your phone's Bluetooth menu.

Hear OTC
3.3BELOW AVERAGE

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.

Audéo Infinio Ultra
5.0EXCELLENT

I found the MyPhonak Hearing Aid app easy to use with many useful features, including health and fitness tracking.

Hear OTC
4.5EXCELLENT

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.

Audéo Infinio Ultra
5.0EXCELLENT

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio Ultra were extremely comfortable and lightweight in my ears. In general, hearing care providers can make numerous physical changes to prescription hearing aids to improve comfort.

Hear OTC
4.0BELOW AVERAGE

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

Audéo Infinio Ultra
4.1AVERAGE

Phonak's new Audéo Sphere Infinio Ultra model shares the same notably larger size as the original Phonak Infinio Sphere. This is needed for its increased AI processing. While the larger size may be more noticeable, Sphere Ultra remains comfortable, and your provider should have no trouble adjusting the fit to your preference.

Hear OTC
5.0EXCELLENT

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

Audéo Infinio Ultra
3.4AVERAGE

Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra has a value score of 3.4/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Hear OTC
4.0AVERAGE

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

Audéo Infinio Ultra
4.8EXCELLENT

Infinio Ultra are easy to use and adjust using either the large multi-function button or MyPhonak app. I had no issues making adjustments with either.

Hear OTC
1.0BELOW AVERAGE

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

Audéo Infinio Ultra
5.0EXCELLENT

Prescription hearing aids like Infinio Sphere Ultra are fit by hearing care providers so you should receive quality care. The MyPhonak app also opens the possibility for remote programming and virtual follow-up appointments.

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

Busy CafeBusy CafeSpeech intelligibility improvement in loud environments
Quiet OfficeQuiet OfficeSpeech intelligibility improvement in quiet and moderate environments
Streaming MusicStreaming MusicStreaming music provides a full range of bass and treble
HearingTracker partners with HearAdvisor to provide recordings and performance data from an acoustic laboratory that follows standard scientific procedures. All hearing aids are fitted and performance-tested for mild sloping to moderate hearing loss. All audio samples cutoff above 10kHz.

Accessories

Compatible accessories for each hearing aid

Accessory Connectivity
—
RogerDirect™

RogerDirect™

Accessory Connectivity

As a break-through in hearing technology, Marvel hearing aids feature RogerDirect™ which allows the Roger technology to stream directly to Marvel hearing aids without having to attach an external receiver. This major innovation makes Roger technology easier to use and more attractive for a broader group ranging from mild to profound hearing loss. Roger technology makes use of intelligent and adaptive algorithms that continuously measure and precisely analyze noise levels to keep the Roger signal clearly audible above the background noise.

Battery Charger
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ChargerGo RIC Sphere Infinio

ChargerGo RIC Sphere Infinio

Battery Charger+1

Charger with integrated battery

Landline to Streaming
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Roger Select™

Roger Select™

Landline to Streaming+4

Phonak Roger Select is a microphone specifically designed to help boost your hearing performance and keep you at the heart of the conversation.

Power Pack
—
ChargerGo RIC Sphere Infinio

ChargerGo RIC Sphere Infinio

Power Pack+1

Charger with integrated battery

Remote Adjustments
—
myPhonak App

myPhonak App

Remote Adjustments+2

The myPhonak app allows you to access remote support, information about their hearing aids, and a hearing diary. The app also allows you to adjust the volume and pitch of your hearing aids, and change program settings.

Remote Control
—
myPhonak App

myPhonak App

Remote Control+2

The myPhonak app allows you to access remote support, information about their hearing aids, and a hearing diary. The app also allows you to adjust the volume and pitch of your hearing aids, and change program settings.

RemoteControl

RemoteControl

Remote Control

The Phonak RemoteControl provides a discreet way to control your Phonak hearing aids.

Remote Microphone
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Roger Select™

Roger Select™

Remote Microphone+4

Phonak Roger Select is a microphone specifically designed to help boost your hearing performance and keep you at the heart of the conversation.

Roger Table Mic II

Roger Table Mic II

Remote Microphone+1

Phonak Roger Table Mic II is a microphone dedicated for working adults who participate in various meetings. It selects the person who’s talking and switches automatically between the meeting participants.

PartnerMic™

PartnerMic™

Remote Microphone

Discreet remote microphone that helps to boost your partners voice in one-to-one conversations in noise.

Roger On

Roger On

Remote Microphone+1

Phonak Roger On is an advanced remote mic accessory developed by Phonak. It is designed to improve speech understanding in noisy environments, over distance, and when many people are speaking simultaneously. Equipped with MultiBeam 2.0 Technology, it provides a boost in understanding by capturing voices from all directions. The Roger On can connect to a variety of multimedia devices and is fully compatible with almost all hearing aids and cochlear implants that have a T-coil or a Roger receiver.

Remote Microphone (Mesh)
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Roger Table Mic II

Roger Table Mic II

Remote Microphone (Mesh)+1

Phonak Roger Table Mic II is a microphone dedicated for working adults who participate in various meetings. It selects the person who’s talking and switches automatically between the meeting participants.

Smartphone App
—
myPhonak App

myPhonak App

Smartphone App+2

The myPhonak app allows you to access remote support, information about their hearing aids, and a hearing diary. The app also allows you to adjust the volume and pitch of your hearing aids, and change program settings.

Smartphone Streamer
—
Roger Select™

Roger Select™

Smartphone Streamer+4

Phonak Roger Select is a microphone specifically designed to help boost your hearing performance and keep you at the heart of the conversation.

Smartphone Streamer + Hands Free
—
Roger Select™

Roger Select™

Smartphone Streamer + Hands Free+4

Phonak Roger Select is a microphone specifically designed to help boost your hearing performance and keep you at the heart of the conversation.

TV Streamer
—
Roger Select™

Roger Select™

TV Streamer+4

Phonak Roger Select is a microphone specifically designed to help boost your hearing performance and keep you at the heart of the conversation.

TV Connector

TV Connector

TV Streamer

The Phonak TV Connector is a wireless accessory that streams audio directly from your TV or stereo system to your Phonak hearing aids, transforming them into wireless stereo headsets. Enjoy high-quality sound, independent volume control, and a long transmission range of up to 15 meters.

Roger On

Roger On

TV Streamer+1

Phonak Roger On is an advanced remote mic accessory developed by Phonak. It is designed to improve speech understanding in noisy environments, over distance, and when many people are speaking simultaneously. Equipped with MultiBeam 2.0 Technology, it provides a boost in understanding by capturing voices from all directions. The Roger On can connect to a variety of multimedia devices and is fully compatible with almost all hearing aids and cochlear implants that have a T-coil or a Roger receiver.

Hardware

AccelerometerAccelerometerThis hearing aid is capable of measuring acceleration through an embedded sensor.
No
Yes
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • SBC
  • AAC
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)
  • Auracast™ Ready
Hands-Free CallingHands-Free CallingIt is possible to have a hands-free phone call with this hearing aid. You are not required to hold the phone up to your mouth.
  • Bluetooth® (HFP)
  • Bluetooth® (HFP)
  • Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)
IP RatingIP RatingIP Ratings rate sealing effectiveness of hearing aids against intrusion from foreign solid matter (dirt, dust) and moisture.
IPx4
IP68
Push ButtonPush ButtonThe hearing aid features a push button which allows toggling across different sound processing programs
No
  • Program control
  • Volume Control
  • Audio Stream Mix
Rechargeable BatteriesRechargeable BatteriesCharge your batteries overnight in a docking station and get a full day's use (in most cases) of battery life the following day.
Lithium-ion
Lithium-ion
Tap ControlsTap ControlsThe hearing aid may be controlled by physically tapping it with your fingers.
  • Change program
  • Accept/end calls
  • Voice assistant
  • Accept/end calls
  • Pause/Resume
  • Tinnitus program
Voice AssistantVoice AssistantCertain devices will allow you to interact with voice assistants using "Hey Siri", "Hey Google", "Hey Alexa", etc commands.
No
  • Siri
  • Google
Volume RockerVolume RockerA volume rocker or wheel to allows the adjustment of volume with a finger.
No
Yes

Software Features

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)ANC is different than typical hearing aid noise reduction in that it reduces both steady state and dynamic background noise using sound wave inversion.
Yes
No
Adjustment BandsAdjustment BandsThese are frequency-divided sections that can be adjusted in a hearing aid in order to amplify sounds. Although there are rarely more than 10 frequencies measured in a hearing assessment, having more bands that can be adjusted may allow for improved speech understanding and user comfort.
No
20
Adjustment SynchronizationAdjustment SynchronizationThis feature allows for a more pleasant listening experience by ensuring that both hearing aids process sound the same way. If one hearing aid changes its processing in response to noise or speech, it will send a wireless signal to the other hearing aid so both process sound in the same way.
No
Yes
AI Noise RemovalAI Noise RemovalArtificial Intelligence is utilized to remove or modify background noise from the sound signal to help isolate speech for better speech understanding.
No
Spheric Speech Clarity: Medium strength
Audio Stream MixerAudio Stream MixerAllows the user to adjust the volume of the audio stream relative to the microphone input using the push button or volume control on the hearing aid unit.
No
Yes
DirectionalityDirectionalityDepending on the types and number of microphones a hearing aid has, the hearing aid may be able to boost sounds from specific directions (by reducing sounds from other directions). This can be helpful to focus on a speaker directly in front of the hearing aid user, as well as to give the user information about where different sounds are coming from.
Yes
UltraZoom: Premium
Ear SimulationEar SimulationThe outer ear, or pinna, can have a significant effect on the frequency shape of sound arriving at your inner ear. Some hearing aids mimic the "pinna effect" when producing sound, to deliver more natural sound to the listener.
No
Yes
Environmental AdaptationEnvironmental AdaptationThe hearing aid can detect different acoustical environments, like speech in noise, and adjust the sound of the hearing aid accordingly to drive comfort or speech understanding, etc.
No
AutoSense OS: 6.0
Feedback SuppressionFeedback SuppressionIf any sound amplified by the hearing aid escapes the ear canal, it may reach the hearing aid’s own microphone and cause a harsh whistling noise. Some hearing aids are able to recognize when this feedback occurs and reduce or eliminate it.
Yes
Yes
Frequency LoweringFrequency LoweringUnderstanding certain speech sounds is dependent on the high frequency parts of these sounds. For individuals with high frequency hearing loss, this feature can take high frequency speech information and move it to lower frequencies where it will be audible.
No
Yes
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
No
4
New User AdaptationNew User AdaptationProvider may set the hearing aid to gradually get louder over the first few weeks or months of a new hearing aid fitting. This can be convenient for new users who want to experience maximum benefit without making a lot of trips to the provider for tune ups.
No
Yes
Noise ReductionNoise ReductionThis feature uses modern hearing aids’ processing power to examine the incoming sound signal, determine if noise is present and reduce the volume of the troublesome sound to increase comfort.
No
Yes
Occlusion ReductionOcclusion ReductionWhen ears are plugged, or occluded, by hearing aids the low frequencies from one’s own voice are amplified and may be uncomfortable. This effect is typically reduced in hearing aids through venting or open-fit models. In some cases the perception of occlusion may also be reduced through software by adjusting the acoustic output of the hearing aid.
No
Yes
Phone in StereoPhone in StereoThis feature allows input from a phone presented to one hearing aid to be transmitted to both hearing aids at the same time, improving speech understanding.
No
Yes
Preference AdaptationPreference AdaptationIf a hearing aid user frequently adjusts the volume or program settings of their devices, some hearing aids will recognize when and where these changes are made and begin automatically making these changes in those settings.
No
Yes
Spatial Noise CancellationSpatial Noise CancellationThis feature recognizes where sounds are coming from and can reduce noise coming from behind or to the side of the listener. This helps the listener focus on the speaker, usually in front of them.
No
Yes
Sudden Loud Noise ReductionSudden Loud Noise ReductionThis feature detects loud sounds and reduces their volume to a comfortable level. Though not a replacement for hearing protection, this technology can greatly improve listener comfort.
No
Yes
Tinnitus ReliefTinnitus ReliefTinnitus, or ringing in the ears, can be addressed by hearing aids in several different ways, such as introducing a soft therapeutic signal or targeted notched noise.
No
Yes
Unique Amplification StrategyUnique Amplification StrategyHearing aids all process sounds a little bit differently. Sometimes it varies even within one model.
No
Yes
Wind Noise ReductionWind Noise ReductionAs wind blows against the microphones of hearing aids, unpleasant noise may be generated. Some hearing aids have the ability to recognize this wind noise and reduce its level. Such reductions may also affect the audibility of desired sounds, like speech.
No
Yes