JLab Hear OTC vs. Phonak Bolero M

Name: Phonak Bolero M
Brand: Phonak
Price: 4598 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.1 (2 reviews)

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

Score

0.0

Bolero M M M90

$4,598 per pair

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Product Overview

Form Factor

EarbudForm FactorNon-custom earbud style device.

Behind The Ear - FusionForm FactorThis type of hearing aid is fitted behind the ear. Sound is channeled to the ear through either a thin or standard tube. A custom-fitted mold may or may not be required.

Expert Rating

Score

0.0

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User Rating

3.7

1 reviews

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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

Product Features

Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidTelecoil

Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidTelecoilIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Hear OTC

Bolero M

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.

Read full review

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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Hear OTC

5.0EXCELLENT

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

Bolero M

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Hear OTC

4.0AVERAGE

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

Bolero M

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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.

Bolero M

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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

3.5mm Line to Streaming

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Roger EasyPen

3.5mm Line to Streaming+2

An effective yet simple microphone with only two buttons for clients who desire ultimate simplicity with full Roger performance, including listening to multimedia.

Accessory Connectivity

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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.

Landline to Streaming

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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.

Remote Adjustments

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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

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myPhonak App

Remote Control+2

RemoteControl

Remote Control

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

Remote Mic Neckloop

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Roger MyLink

Remote Mic Neckloop

Remote Microphone

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Roger Pen

Remote Microphone

Handy microphone for various listening situations. Thanks to its portable design, it can be conveniently used where additional support is needed over distance and in noise. It can also transmit the sound of multimedia devices e.g. T.V. and has wideband Bluetooth for cellphone calls.

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

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.

Roger EasyPen

Remote Microphone+2

An effective yet simple microphone with only two buttons for clients who desire ultimate simplicity with full Roger performance, including listening to multimedia.

PartnerMic™

Remote Microphone

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

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

Remote Microphone (Mesh)+1

Roger EasyPen

Remote Microphone (Mesh)+2

An effective yet simple microphone with only two buttons for clients who desire ultimate simplicity with full Roger performance, including listening to multimedia.

Smartphone App

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myPhonak App

Smartphone App+2

Smartphone Streamer

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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

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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

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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 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

TV Streamer+1

Hardware

Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.

Bluetooth® (A2DP)
SBC
AAC

Bluetooth® (A2DP)

Disposable BatteriesDisposable BatteriesCommon disposable batteries last anywhere from a few days to two weeks or more. For more information Google "how long do hearing aid batteries last" and click on the Hearing Tracker link.

312

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)

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

Program control
Volume Control
Mute control

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

Tap ControlsTap ControlsThe hearing aid may be controlled by physically tapping it with your fingers.

Change program
Accept/end calls

TelecoilTelecoilThe hearing aid is able to pick up audio from landline telephones or public audio systems without using its acoustic microphones. This minimizes background noise and improves clarity and understanding, even over great distances. At performing arts venues, events, government meetings, etc., look for assistive listening systems (hearing loop, FM, and infrared systems), which must be provided at no cost under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other international regulations.

Yes

Volume RockerVolume RockerA volume rocker or wheel to allows the adjustment of volume with a finger.

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

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.

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.

Yes

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.

Yes

Automatic Phone ProgramAutomatic Phone ProgramHearing aids with this feature can detect when a phone is placed near them and automatically switch to a phone program. In this setting, the hearing aids will reduce background noise and increase the volume of the phone.

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: Standard

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.

Yes

Echo ReductionEcho ReductionThis feature improves speech audibility by reducing the “blurring” of speech sounds that can occur in the presence of echoes.

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.

AutoSense OS: 3.0

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

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.

Yes

Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yes

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Product reviews.