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JLab Hear OTC vs. Widex MOMENT

Check out our comparison of the JLab Hear OTC vs Widex MOMENT. 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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Score
4.4
Widex MOMENT SHEER 440
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Widex

MOMENT SHEER 440

SoundScore 4.3/5
$3,398 per pair
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Hear OTC
$99.99 per pair
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MOMENT
$3,398 per pair
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Product Overview

Hear OTC
MOMENT
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
Score
4.4
User Rating
3.01 reviews
2.914 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
RechargeableAndroidIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Hear OTC
MOMENT

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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MOMENT
4.4ABOVE AVERAGE

The Widex MOMENT is a flagship hearing aid line known for its superior sound quality and advanced AI-driven personalization features, including ZeroDelay™ and PureSound™ technologies that offer natural sound processing. Suitable for a wide range of hearing losses, these hearing aids are available in various styles, including rechargeable options, and are highly rated for music streaming and listening in noisy environments.

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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.

MOMENT
4.3ABOVE AVERAGE

Widex Moment achieved a SoundScore of 4.32/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #10 of 35 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.91/5.

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.

MOMENT
5.0EXCELLENT

Widex Moment hearing aids have an impressive build quality, featuring a top-of-the-line IP68 ingress rating and an robust portable charging case.

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.

MOMENT
4.5EXCELLENT

Moment Sheer sRic offer an all-day 29 hour rechargeable battery life, with a slightly longer 4 hour recharge time.

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.

MOMENT
5.0EXCELLENT

Widex Moment Sheer sRIC hearing aids are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling.

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.

MOMENT
5.0EXCELLENT

The Widex Moment app is all around impressive with its modern, high-contrast appearance and comprehensive features, including sound customization options like a multi-band equalizer. The app also offers dedicated tinnitus features which can be optimized with your hearing care provider.

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.

MOMENT
5.0EXCELLENT

I found Sheer sRIC very comfortable due to their smaller size and ergonomic design. Your hearing care provider should help fit them with optimal comfort and hearing benefit.

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.

MOMENT
5.0EXCELLENT

Sheer sRIC have a modern design and are available in a range of colors from discrete to bold. Personally, I appreciate how Widex hearing aids have a smoother shape and a subtly textured feel.

Value

Hear OTC
5.0EXCELLENT

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

MOMENT
3.3BELOW AVERAGE

Widex Moment has a value score of 3.3/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

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.

MOMENT
5.0EXCELLENT

I did not run into any issues while using Widex Moment Sheer hearing aids. They are very easy to use once setup by your hearing care provider. First-time users may need some practice to get accustomed to inserting the receiver-in-ear style properly.

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.

MOMENT
5.0EXCELLENT

You should receive quality hearing care and support from your provider. Telehealth, or remote care options, are also available though this requires some extra setup with a separate app and necklace dongle.

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

Hear OTC
MOMENT
Busy CafeBusy CafeSpeech intelligibility improvement in loud environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Hear OTC
MOMENT
Quiet OfficeQuiet OfficeSpeech intelligibility improvement in quiet and moderate environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Hear OTC
MOMENT
Streaming MusicStreaming MusicStreaming music provides a full range of bass and treble
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Hear OTC
MOMENT

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
MOMENT
Battery Charger
None

Charger

The Widex charger comes with brushed anodized aluminum casing, drop-in charging wells, and LED-indicators for charging status.

Bluetooth Streamer
None

SoundConnect

Widex SoundConnect streams audio from your computer directly to your hearing aids.

FM System
None

FM+DEX+2

Remote Control
None

RC-DEX

RC-DEX allows you to adjust the volume and switch between programs without directly touching your hearing aids. It features three simple buttons and is small enough to fit on a keychain, making it convenient to carry and use. As you activate its functions, verbal or tone cues in your hearing aids confirm your selections, and an LED indicator on the remote lights up during operation.

COM-DEX App+1

TONELINK App+1

MOMENT App

The WIDEX MOMENT App allows you to personalize your listening experience by adjusting the volume, pitch, and directional focus of your hearing aids. The app allows you to create custom programs and use SoundSense Learn AI technology.

Smartphone Streamer + Hands FreeSmartphone Streamer + Hands FreeStreams audio from calls to hearing aids, but also picks up your voice and sends your voice to the caller.
None

COM-DEX

A neck-worn streamer that delivers high-quality sound from any Android phone or Bluetooth device to Widex hearing aids.

TV Streamer
None

TV-DEX

TV PLAY

TV PLAY streams audio wirelessly from your TV directly to your Widex hearing aids.

Hardware

Hear OTC
MOMENT
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • SBC
  • AAC
  • Made for iPhone (MFi)
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
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)
  • Accessory required
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
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

Software Features

Hear OTC
MOMENT
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
15
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
High Definition Locator: 15High Definition LocatorAutomatic, adaptive, channel specific directionality to improve speech understanding in background noise
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
Digital PinnaDigital PinnaThe central auditory system uses input from both ears to form spatial judgment, such as spatial awareness, localization, distance estimation, etc. The use of independent fast-acting compression in each ear can disrupt the loudness and timing relationship of sounds between ears (IID and ITD cues). This may alter the spatial relationship of sounds and lead to poorer spatial performance. The use of algorithms, such as the digital pinna, are designed to preserve the front/back localization cues. Source: Hearing Review
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
Fluid Sound Analyzer: 11 (IE)Fluid Sound AnalyzerIntuitive analysis of the sound environment in order to prioritize and select the most important sound sources.
Extended Input Dynamic RangeExtended Input Dynamic RangeTechnology used to reduce peak clipping resulting from sound passing through analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
No
True-Input TechnologyTrue-Input TechnologyTrue Input technology solves increases the amount of sound you can hear through your hearing aid before clipping or distortion occurs.
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
No
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
Audibility ExtenderAudibility ExtenderRefined linear frequency transposition to hear high frequencies
High Pitch BoostHigh Pitch BoostHearing aid may increase the volume for high pitch sounds via a specific programmatic feature.
No
High-frequency boostHigh-frequency boostThe input-output (I-O) characteristics for frequencies above 4000 Hz in the new hearing aid are designed to provide extra audibility while ensuring subjective comfort. Hearing Review
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
No
5
Machine LearningMachine LearningThis hearing aid employs machine learning to bring a higher degree of computer-aided intelligence to decision making.
No
SoundSense AdaptSoundSense AdaptAdaptive learning to gradually remember the wearers preferred settings across multiple parameters for each sound class environment, resulting in better sound.SoundSense LearnSoundSense LearnMachine learning algorithm to effortlessly guide the wearer's to a better, more personalized hearing experience.
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
Soft-level noise reductionSoft-level noise reductionProviding more gain for soft sounds (low compression thresholds) is good for amplifying soft speech but it can also mean soft unwanted sounds - such as the noise from fans, refrigerators, or even hearing aid microphone noises, are audible even when in quiet environments. The Soft Level Noise Reduction Algorithm differentiates unmodulated soft sounds from modulated soft sounds and reduces their amplification. This results in an enhanced sound quality for the user.
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
Phone+Phone+Phone+ utilizes the WidexLink wireless connection to transmit the phone signal from one hearing aid to the other.
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
15
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
  • InterEar
  • Real-time
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
Hammer DetectorHammer DetectorDetects and minimizes undesirable loud transient soundsTruSound SoftenerTruSound SoftenerPreserves comfort for sudden sounds at any input level by taking the edge off impact/impulse sounds.
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
  • InterEar
Unique Amplification StrategyUnique Amplification StrategyHearing aids all process sounds a little bit differently. Sometimes it varies even within one model.
No
Enhanced Dynamic Range Compression (EDRC)Enhanced Dynamic Range Compression (EDRC)Very low compression threshold and speech loudness normalization.PureSound™ with ZeroDelay™PureSound™ with ZeroDelay™ZeroDelay™ Technology eradicates problems with delay-based distortion, which is what makes hearing aids sound artificial.TruAcoustics™TruAcoustics™TruAcoustics™ provides customized, tailor-made fitting possible for patients of all hearing losses.Variable Speed CompressionVariable Speed CompressionAutomatic gearing for smooth sound and stable audibility in each individual sound class.
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
Smartwind ManagerSmartwind ManagerKeeps speech and other important sounds audible while significantly reducing the wind annoyance.