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JLab Hear OTC vs. ReSound Key

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

Score
3.9
JLab Hear OTC
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JLab

Hear OTC

SoundScore 3.6/5
$99.99 per pair
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ReSound Key RIE 61 4
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ReSound

Key RIE 61 4

$2,799 per pair
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Hear OTC
$99.99 per pair
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Key
$2,799 per pair
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Product Overview

Hear OTC
Key
Form Factor
Form FactorNon-custom earbud style device.
Form 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
3.9
N/A
User Rating
3.01 reviews
4.01 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.
MildModerate
MildModerateSevere
Product Features
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroid
RechargeableAndroidIP58

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Hear OTC
Key

HearingTracker Score

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
Key

Not yet rated by our experts

HearAdvisor SoundScore

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Build Quality

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Battery

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Bluetooth

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

App Features

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Comfort

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Design

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Value

Hear OTC
5.0EXCELLENT

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

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Handling

Hear OTC
4.0AVERAGE

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

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Pro Support

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.

Key

Not yet rated by our experts

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

Hear OTC
Key
Busy CafeBusy CafeSpeech intelligibility improvement in loud environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Hear OTC
Key

Lab recordings not yet available

Quiet OfficeQuiet OfficeSpeech intelligibility improvement in quiet and moderate environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Hear OTC
Key

Lab recordings not yet available

Streaming MusicStreaming MusicStreaming music provides a full range of bass and treble
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Hear OTC
Key

Lab recordings not yet available

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

Hear OTC
Key
Battery Charger
None

Charger

Remote Control
None

Unite Remote Control 2

Gives you push-button control of volume and program settings on your hearing aids and lets you manage streaming accessories.

Unite Phone Clip++2

Small enough to clip onto your shirt collar, it streams phone calls and audio to your hearing aids from any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone or smartphone.

Control++1

Remote Microphone
None

Multi Mic+3

A flexible remote microphone that can either be clipped to clothes or used as a tabletop mic for meetings. Use the mini-jack input for streaming audio from a music player to your hearing aids.

Micro Mic

A matchbook-sized remote wireless microphone that lets you hear from a distance up to 80 feet away.

Smartphone App
None

ReSound Smart 3D app+2

Adjusts sound, volume and balance settings, tinnitus settings, and allows your provider to make remote adjustments to your hearing aid programs.

Smartwatch App
None

ReSound Smart 3D app [Watch]+1

TV Streamer
None

Unite TV Streamer 2

Streams stereo sound from the television directly to your hearing aids from up to 22 feet away.

Hardware

Hear OTC
Key
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • SBC
  • AAC
  • Made for iPhone (MFi)
  • Android (ASHA)
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.
No
13
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)
  • Accessory required
IP RatingIP RatingIP Ratings rate sealing effectiveness of hearing aids against intrusion from foreign solid matter (dirt, dust) and moisture.
IPx4
IP58
Push ButtonPush ButtonThe hearing aid features a push button which allows toggling across different sound processing programs
No
  • Program control
  • Volume 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
Lithium-ion
Tap ControlsTap ControlsThe hearing aid may be controlled by physically tapping it with your fingers.
  • Change program
  • Accept/end calls
No
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.
No
Yes
Volume RockerVolume RockerA volume rocker or wheel to allows the adjustment of volume with a finger.
No
Yes

Software Features

Hear OTC
Key
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
6
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
Synchronized push buttonSynchronized push buttonThis 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.Synchronized volume controlSynchronized volume controlThis 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.
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.
No
PhoneNow™PhoneNow™PhoneNow is a feature that automatically switches the hearing instrument to a phone program. If there is no telecoil in the hearing instrument, an acoustic phone program with a frequency response optimized for use with the phone is selected. If the hearing instrument also contains a telecoil, PhoneNow can be programmed to switch to inductive transmission of the phone signal through the telecoil. Regardless of the presence or absence of a telecoil in the hearing instrument, PhoneNow is activated through a small magnet that is affixed to the phone receiver.
Bass BoostBass BoostExtra amplification for lower tones.
No
Low Frequency Boost: BasicLow Frequency BoostUP receiver only
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
MultiScope Adaptive Directionality™MultiScope Adaptive Directionality™Allows the hearing care professional to set how wide the directional beam should be for each individual user.Natural Directionality™ IINatural Directionality™ IINatural Directionality II provides the listener with the benefits of both omnidirectional and directional modes simultaneously. This option eliminates the need for manual or automatic switching between omnidirectional and directional modes, as both modes are always available to the listener.SoftSwitching™SoftSwitching™SoftSwitching uses sound level and speech detection algorithms to decide when directionality is likely to be advantageous in a certain listening environment. It also offers the same four selections of MultiScope beamwidth settings: the default AutoScope, Narrow, Medium and Wide. The SoftSwitching mode differs from MultiScope Adaptive Directionality in that it uses slower transitions between directional settings and the omnidirectional setting, which is sometimes more comfortable and preferable among certain hearing aid users.Synchronized SoftSwitching™Synchronized SoftSwitching™SoftSwitching (synchronized between ears) uses sound level and speech detection algorithms to decide when directionality is likely to be advantageous in a certain listening environment. It also offers the same four selections of MultiScope beamwidth settings: the default AutoScope, Narrow, Medium and Wide. The SoftSwitching mode differs from MultiScope Adaptive Directionality in that it uses slower transitions between directional settings and the omnidirectional setting, which is sometimes more comfortable and preferable among certain hearing aid users.
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
Environmental ClassifierEnvironmental ClassifierThe Environmental Classifier is the basis for precise noise reduction and exceptionally comfortable transitions between listening environments. It’s the only hearing aid system that analyzes patterns of energy to distinguish speech from other sounds.
ExpansionExpansionExpansion reduces audibility for very soft sounds. This can help to remove microphone noise, which is generated by soft environmental sounds.
No
On/Off
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
Auto DFS™Auto DFS™Auto DFS also consists of two cancellation filters; one is slow-adapting the other is fast-adapting. The fast-adapting filter estimates the feedback path for a few seconds every time the hearing aid is turned on. This updates the slow-acting filter, which then continues to monitor the feedback path based on the estimation of the fast-acting filter. When the hearing aid is turned off, the slow-adapting filter stores the estimation obtained over the course of the weartime. When the hearing aid is turned on again, the slow-acting filter has a more accurate “picture” of the feedback path in that particular ear than it did in the previous use.DFS Ultra™ IIDFS Ultra™ IIDFS Ultra II analyzes and models the incoming sound and uses this information to prevent the feedback cancellation filters from attacking desired sounds. This results in excellent feedback cancellation performance without creating disturbing sound quality artifacts.Music Mode™Music Mode™The Music Mode feature in DFS Ultra II controls feedback while maintaining a more accurate representation of music. It provides excellent sound quality without tonal artifacts for hearing aid users who enjoy or play music, giving users a clearer, richer distortion-free music experience.
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
No
Fully flexible programs: 4Fully flexible programsCustom listening programs
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
Synchronized Acceptance ManagerSynchronized Acceptance ManagerSynchronized Acceptance Manager gives a gradual and automatic increase of the gain in the hearing aid over time.
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
NoiseTracker™ II: On/OffNoiseTracker™ IINoiseTracker II uses a technology called spectral subtraction. Spectral subtraction works by subtracting the short-term noise spectrum from the signal, leaving only the speech portion behind ... ReSound’s NoiseTracker II is able to use spectral subtraction successfully because the Environmental Classifier has identified speech and noise so precisely.
Phone Ear FocusPhone Ear FocusWhen on a phone call, some hearing aids can focus amplification on the phone ear and reduce amplification in the non-phone ear.
No
Comfort Phone™Comfort Phone™Comfort Phone utilizes the bilateral wireless synchronization between hearing instruments to identify the “phone ear” and the “non-phone ear.” The amplification for the non-phone ear is then attenuated by 6 dB.
Power On DelayPower On DelayWhen you close the battery door to turn on your hearing aid, the hearing aid won't start producing sound for a certain amount of time. This can alleviate whistling (feedback) sound that sometimes occurs while inserting your hearing aid.
No
SmartStart™SmartStart™The SmartStart delays the switch-on time of your hearing instrument 10 seconds after you have closed the battery compartment. As you insert the instrument in your ear, you may hear beeps at one second intervals. After the instrument beeps ten times, it will turn on.
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
Impulse Noise Reduction: On/OffImpulse Noise ReductionReduces amplification for sudden, brief noises.
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
Tinnitus Sound GeneratorTinnitus Sound GeneratorThe tinnitus sound generator administers sounds that make the disturbing noise less noticeable and draw your attention away from the tinnitus.
Unique Amplification StrategyUnique Amplification StrategyHearing aids all process sounds a little bit differently. Sometimes it varies even within one model.
No
WARP compression: 12WARP compressionFrequency Warping is a technique to map the frequency analysis directly to a logarithmic scaling. By using appropriate warping parameters, we get a scaling that is very close to models of the critical bands of the human auditory system.
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
Wind Guard: On/OffWind GuardWhen no wind noise is found, the hearing aid constantly updates and stores the sound input levels in each Warp band. Then, when wind is present, WindGuard calculates the amount of gain reduction needed to return to the stored level of the specific bands affected by wind noise.