Starkey Omega AI vs. Yeasound RIC700

Starkey Omega AI is a top-tier prescription hearing aid with excellent speech-in-noise performance, a best-in-class app and wellness features, and standout durability and battery life—though its high price and feature-heavy setup won’t suit everyone.

Starkey Omega AI achieved a SoundScore of 4.5/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #13 of 39 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 4.19/5.

Yeasound RIC700 achieved a SoundScore of 4.3/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #10 of 65 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.68/5.

Starkey has improved the overall build quality with Omega, as evidenced by the enhanced IP68 ingress rating. The new portable charging case also feels well built.

Yeasound RIC700 Plus have an ingress protection rating of IPX8. They appear well-built and approach the feel of a prescription hearing aid.

Omega AI offers an impressive 51 hour battery life per charge, just like the previous Edge AI model., with a quick 3.5 recharge time.

RIC700 Plus 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.

Omega AI hearing aids are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling.

RIC700 Plus 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.

The new My Starkey app features an updated look and adds additional useful features for sound customization, health tracking, balance, and more.

RIC700 Plus 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.

Omega AI RIC are capable of excellent comfort which can be personalized by your hearing care provider.

I found RIC700 Plus very comfortable thanks to their small design and lightweight.

Omega hearing aids are nearly identical to Starkeys previous Edge AI model. They are sleek, available in various colors, and can be adjusted to meet your needs.

Yeasound RIC700 Plus look like modern receiver-in-canal hearing aids and could easily be mistaken for prescription devices.

Starkey Omega AI has a value score of 3.4/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Yeasound RIC700 has a value score of 4.8/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Omega AI and the associated app are very easy to use, though the receiver-in-ear style may require some initial practice.

I experienced a few hiccups using the iYeasound mobile app. Otherwise, RIC700 Plus 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.

You should receive quality hearing care and support from your provider. Starkey also offers technical support and provides a Telehear remote services app, connecting your with your provider for remote care.

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