JLab Hear OTC vs. Signia Silk Charge&Go IX

Check out our comparison of the JLab Hear OTC vs Signia Silk Charge&Go IX. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.

Score
0.0
JLab Hear OTC
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Hear OTC

$99.99 per pair
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Signia Silk IX 7IX
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Silk IX 7IX

$3,298 per pair
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Product Overview

Form Factor
EarbudForm FactorNon-custom earbud style device.
Instant-Fit Completely in CanalForm FactorNon-custom device that typically sits completely inside the ear canal. Some of the device may be visible to the naked eye.
Expert Rating
Score
0.0
Score
0.0
User Rating
3.7
1 reviews
3.7
3 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-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidTelecoil

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Hear OTC
Silk Charge&Go IX
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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Silk Charge&Go IX
3.4AVERAGE

The Signia Silk Charge&Go IX is a groundbreaking, rechargeable completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. It offers up to 28 hours of battery life, instant fit with soft silicone ear tips, and wireless control via the Signia app, but lacks Bluetooth streaming and can be challenging to handle due to its small size.

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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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
3.7AVERAGE

Signia Silk Charge&Go IX achieved a SoundScore of 3.70/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #25 of 35 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. 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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
4.7EXCELLENT

Signia Silk C&G IX have an impressive build quality, featuring a top-of-the-line IP68 ingress rating, which is crucial for nearly invisible hearing aids. They also come with a durable portable charging case.

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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
4.4ABOVE AVERAGE

Silk IX provide up to 20 hours of use per charge which is exceptional given their extremely small size. Recharging takes up to 4 hours, which is longer than some other models, but this isn't a significant drawback given their all-day battery life.

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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
—
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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
3.4BELOW AVERAGE

While Silk IX hearing aids are not Bluetooth compatible, they still work with Signia's app using high-frequency coded signals. This is a valuable addition, although the communication is less stable than Bluetooth and the app offers fewer features compared to other Signia models.

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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
4.5EXCELLENT

I found Silk IX very comfortable for an instant-fit nearly invisible hearing aid. Your hearing care provider should ensure they are fitted for optimal comfort and hearing benefit.

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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
5.0EXCELLENT

Silk IX is another unique offering from Signia, featuring an instant fit design with silicone ear tips that is nearly invisible. Its extremely small and discreet design may, however, pose challenges for those with limited dexterity and or vision.

Hear OTC
5.0EXCELLENT

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

Silk Charge&Go IX
2.4BELOW AVERAGE

Signia Silk Charge&Go IX has a value score of 2.4/5 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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
4.0AVERAGE

I did not run into any issues while using Silk IX hearing aids. They are very easy to use once setup by your hearing care provider. Silk also have large color indicators making it easy to distinguish the left from the right hearing aids.

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.

Silk Charge&Go IX
4.0ABOVE AVERAGE

You should receive quality hearing care and support from your provider. The Signia App should further enhance your experience with AI help and remote assistance should your provider offer telehealth services.

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

Remote Adjustments
—
Signia App

Signia App

Remote Adjustments+2

The Signia App provides a remote control, directional hearing control, telecare access, and access to connectivity and streaming settings.

Remote Control
—
miniPocket

miniPocket

Remote Control

Enables push-button remote control of hearing aid functions.

Signia App

Signia App

Remote Control+2

The Signia App provides a remote control, directional hearing control, telecare access, and access to connectivity and streaming settings.

Smartphone App
—
Signia App

Signia App

Smartphone App+2

The Signia App provides a remote control, directional hearing control, telecare access, and access to connectivity and streaming settings.

Hardware

Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • SBC
  • AAC
No
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 Rating
IPx4
No
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

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
16
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
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
Yes
Echo ReductionEcho ReductionThis feature improves speech audibility by reducing the “blurring” of speech sounds that can occur in the presence of echoes.
No
Yes
Extended bandwidthExtended bandwidthHearing aid provides amplification at frequencies (pitches) higher than the typical hearing aid.
No
12kHz
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
Yes
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
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
32
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