Sony CRE-C20 vs. Yeasound RIC800

The Sony CRE-C20 is a discreet, over-the-counter hearing aid designed for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, featuring a compact size and rechargeable battery for up to 28 hours of use. While it offers a user-friendly setup and an Auto Sound Analyzer for enhanced speech clarity, it lacks Bluetooth streaming capabilities, which may be a consideration for users seeking more advanced connectivity options.

It's streams to both both iPhone and Android, and scored in the top 5% of all OTC hearing aids tested by the independent HearAdvisor Lab.

The Sony CRE-C20 achieved a SoundGrade of B and ranked #21 out of 56 devices in the OTC Hearing Aid category, placing it in the top 36% of OTC devices tested by HearAdvisor. This positions it as an above-average performer within a competitive category.

Yeasound RIC800 achieved a SoundScore of 4.46/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #1 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

Sony CRE-C20 has an excellent IP rating of 68, which aligns with our hands-on experience as we observed an improved build quality compared to CRE-C10.

Yeasound RIC800 have an ingress protection rating of IPX8. They appear well-built and approach the feel of a prescription hearing aid.

CRE-C20 offer an impressive battery life of up to 28 hours. I also liked the portable charging case which offers you Qi wireless charging.

RIC800 last up to 31 hours per charge and take around 3 hours to recharge. You can expect shorter battery life while streaming, although the batteries should still last all day.

Not yet rated by our experts

RIC800 offer wireless control and streaming with Bluetooth. While we could not test this on Android, functionality was fairly good on iOS with a few noted drawbacks.

Sony's Hearing Control app includes good features and allows your to further personalize CRE-C20 with their on-ear hearing assessment. One downside though is that the hearing aids and app communicate with sound cues from your phone. I find this method of wireless communication less reliable that Bluetooth, and it overall makes the pairing process more complicated.

RIC800 offer fairly good sound customization for a preset-based OTC hearing aid. I liked the addition of a 3-band equalizer and access to controls over noise reduction and microphone settings.

CRE-C20 are good comfortable once you find the best tip for your ears. They are not overly plugging though it can take some time to get used to having a hearing aid so deep in your ear canal.

I found RIC800 very comfortable thanks to their small design and lightweight.

CRE-C20 are surprisingly small and sit mostly invisible in your ears. The style works well and was originally designed as an "instant-fit" prescription hearing aid from Signia.

Yeasound RIC800 look like modern receiver-in-canal hearing aids and could easily be mistaken for prescription devices.

The Sony CRE-C20 offers moderate value relative to its $999 price point, with several higher-scoring alternatives available at similar or lower prices.

Yeasound RIC800 has a value score of 4.4/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

CRE-C20's smaller size and method of wireless communication make it more difficult to manage than many other hearing aids. However, Sony has improved upon the design as CRE-C20 now uses internal rechargeable batteries, as opposed to disposable ones. It is a unique offering with many pros but be sure to consider this against your needs and abilities.

RIC800 were easy to use and get in my ears, though you may need some practice if you have not worn receiver-in-canal devices before.

Sony does not offer great support with their hearing aids. You are limited to phone and email based technical assistance which is a downside to many OTC products.

Yeasound offers remote assistance from their technical support team. To our knowledge, they are not offering audiologic support from licensed providers at this time.