JLab Hear OTC vs. Signia Motion X

Check out our comparison of the JLab Hear OTC vs Signia Motion X. 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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SoundScore 3.6/5
$99.99 per pair
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Signia Motion X Charge&Go X 7X
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$4,598 per pair
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Hear OTC
$99.99 per pair
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Motion X
$4,598 per pair
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Product Overview

Hear OTC
Motion X
Form Factor
Form FactorNon-custom earbud style device.
Form 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
3.9
N/A
User Rating
3.01 reviews
2.52 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
RechargeableIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Hear OTC
Motion X

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.

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Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

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.

Motion X

Not yet rated by our experts

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

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

Lab recordings not yet available

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

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
Motion X

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
Motion X
Battery Charger
None

Inductive Charger+1

Dehumidifies, fits custom molds, and is backwards compatible with all Signia Li-ion inductive charging hearing aids

Inductive Charger E

This charging station is available for Pure Charge&Go X and Motion Charge&Go X in the performance levels 1 and 2.

Bluetooth Streamer
None

StreamLine Mic+2

A wireless clip-on mic that streams audio to hearing aids from any Bluetooth device.

CROS System
None

CROS Pure Charge&Go X

CROS Pure 312 X

TV Streamer
None

StreamLine TV

Streams television sound to hearing aids over a distance of up to 30 feet (10 meters).

Hardware

Hear OTC
Motion X
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • SBC
  • AAC
  • Made for iPhone (MFi)
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)
No
IP RatingIP RatingIP Ratings rate sealing effectiveness of hearing aids against intrusion from foreign solid matter (dirt, dust) and moisture.
IPx4
IP68
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
Motion X
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
Ultra HD e2eUltra HD e2eUltra HD e2e providers a continuous full-bandwidth audio exchange. This powers OVP, beam-forming directionality, hearing aid adjustment syncing, and more.
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
TwinPhoneTwinPhoneTwinPhone is the optimal solution for these wearers. It is automatically activated by a magnetic signal, so the wearer hears the caller in both ears for better understanding.
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
Narrow DirectionalityNarrow DirectionalityNarrow Directionality uses binaural processing of the audio signal to deliver scientifically proven speech understanding benefits in noise. Coupled with HD Spatial, the wearer will experience improved signal to noise ratio and a transparent and natural sound experience. Available only for bilateral fittings with Ultra HD e2e.Spatial SpeechFocusSpatial SpeechFocusAvailable for bilateral fittings with Ultra HD e2e.
Echo ReductionEcho ReductionThis feature improves speech audibility by reducing the “blurring” of speech sounds that can occur in the presence of echoes.
No
EchoShieldEchoShieldDedicated program for reverberant environments.
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
3D Classifier: 5/53D ClassifierUnlike conventional classification systems which rely on acoustic data, 3D Classifier analyzes multidimensional information from the wearer’s environment and communication behavior. Information on the wearer’s voice activity, motion state, and acoustic data are used to tailor the hearing aid’s response to the wearer’s needs.
Extended Dynamic RangeExtended Dynamic RangeExtended dynamic range typically makes louder sound clearer. This may help with the reproduction of loud music or loud speech in a very noisy environment.
No
Yes
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
Feedback cancellationFeedback cancellationHigh-speed monitoring and control of feedback risk in individual processing channels.
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
Frequency CompressionFrequency CompressionImproves the detection of speech sounds for wearers with reduced high frequency hearing thresholds. Frequency compression is selectively activated based on audiological criteria.
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
No
6
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
SoundSmoothing™: 3
Own Voice ComfortOwn Voice ComfortAmplification is applied differently to your own voice versus the other voices around you. This allows adequate amplification of people you want to hear and no over-amplification of your own voice.
No
OVP™OVP™Own Voice Processing (OVP™) utilizes real-time recognition of the wearer’s voice to deliver a natural own-voice impression.
Processing ChannelsProcessing ChannelsThese are all the frequency-divided sections the hearing aid is able to examine at a single time. The hearing aid uses this information to determine whether the contents of each section are noise, speech, or something else and amplify the sound in each section accordingly.
No
48
Spatial AwarenessSpatial AwarenessListening to sound through hearing aids is not a natural experience, and your ability to tell where a sound is coming from may be impacted by the way sounds are amplified with hearing aids. Some hearing aids attempt to fix this problem by preserving cues to sound localization like between-ear level differences, etc.
No
HD SpatialHD SpatialHD Spatial enhances cues which contribute to the wearer's sense of direction and depth in all environments - from quiet to very noisy.
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
Directional speech enhancement: 3Directional speech enhancementA directional noise reduction system that detects the incoming signals from several directions, and actively reduces every signal which is not coming from the front
Stereo Audio StreamingStereo Audio StreamingSome hearing aids and hearing aid accessories (including iPhones) allow streaming audio in stereo.
No
Direct Streaming: 5/5Direct StreamingSignia Nx hearing aids can be connected directly to Apple devices for phone calls and audio streaming – without additional accessories. With the StreamLine Mic accessory, direct streaming is possible also from Android devices. With the StreamLine TV accessory, high-quality stereo sound can be streamed directly to Nx hearing aids.
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
Sound Clarity: 5/5
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
eWindScreen binauraleWindScreen binauralBinaural processing of the audio signal (using Ultra HD e2e) delivers superb performance in asymmetrical wind environments.eWindScreen™eWindScreen™Suppresses general wind-noise and improves wearing comfort.