Yeasound RIC800

The Yeasound RIC800 over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid has been recognized with a HearAdvisor 2025 Expert Choice Award. Testing by the independent HearAdvisor lab resulted in an “A” SoundGrade for the RIC800, signaling excellent overall acoustic performance—and positioning it among the best-performing OTC hearing aids available to date. Its combination of hardware quality, adaptive technology, and user-centered features reflects the higher level of industry maturity and competition that is evolving within the OTC hearing aid category.

The RIC800 is a preset, rechargeable, receiver-in-canal (RIC) style hearing aid designed for people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. It features AI-driven adaptive noise cancellation with “360° intelligent directionality,” up to 31 hours of battery life and a portable charger that carries 3 additional charges, and iOS (iPhone 11 or later) and Android compatibility for Bluetooth and smartphone audio streaming.

HearAdvisor's Expert Choice Award is meant to highlight both prescription and OTC hearing aids that combine exceptional acoustic performance in tests focusing on hearing in quiet and noise, feedback and occlusion control, and audio/music streaming. Hearing aids that meet the standards for the award would be expected to deliver noticeably better hearing in the real world.

The RIC800 follows on the heels of the Yeasound RIC700, which was reviewed in March 2025 by both HearingTracker and HearAdvisor, and also received the lab’s award. The RIC800, currently offered for $699, builds on the earlier RIC700 model with the addition of Auracast broadcast audio, wider Bluetooth device compatibility, built-in tinnitus masking, and more advanced AI-driven noise cancellation. The RIC700, available for $599, remains an exceptional-value OTC device, but the RIC800 is now positioned as Yeasound’s flagship future-ready option.

An OTC Built Similar to Prescription Hearing Aids

According to Yeasound, the RIC 800 is built with professional-grade core components typically found in prescription hearing aids. This includes onsemi semiconductors, Knowles receivers, and top-notch lithium-ion hearing aid batteries, which together reportedly enable prescription-level audio processing, sound fidelity, and battery life—at an OTC price point below $700.

Key features, according to Yeasound, include:

• Adaptive Mode with AI Noise Cancellation – The device can intelligently sense environmental changes and automatically adjusts settings for a more natural and comfortable listening experience. This is combined with advanced AI-driven noise cancellation algorithms that significantly improve speech clarity in challenging environments.
• IPX8 Durability – Built for active lifestyles, the RIC800 boasts an IPX8 waterproof rating, rigorously tested to withstand immersion in one meter of water for up to one month.
• Integrated Tinnitus Relief – Built-in masker with nature sounds designed to ease the perception of ringing.
• Strong Battery Ecosystem – 31 hours of use on single-charge, and three additional charges in the portable case (124 total hours away from an outlet).
• User-Empowering Smart App – The companion mobile app allows users to perform personalized hearing adjustments and also includes an AI Assistant ready to answer questions in real-time.
• Pro Support – For users requiring more advanced support, the app provides a pathway to connect directly with Yeasound's professional audiologist for fine-tuning services, blending OTC convenience with expert support.

In his video review (see above), HearingTracker Audiologist Matthew Allsop highlights the RIC800's lightweight design, Bluetooth streaming, and advanced app controls. While he details some limitations, he says the overall package demonstrates strong real-world usability.

In particular, as “preset” OTC hearing aids, Allsop notes that both the RIC700 and RIC800 rely on four programs that are designed to compensate for the most-common hearing losses. This differs from “self-fitting” hearing aids that use in-app hearing tests and/or an audiogram to more closely match the aid to your unique hearing loss profile (Yeasound told him they're hoping to implement an in-app hearing test system in the future). He also notes the importance of eartips/domes in hearing aids, as well as the challenge of selecting the proper receiver wire length.

Auracast and Future-Ready Streaming

One of the most forward-looking aspects of the RIC800 is its support for Auracast™ broadcast audio. This next-generation Bluetooth standard is expected to replace telecoil loop systems in public venues. With Auracast, users can connect directly to audio streams in spaces like airports, stadiums, or cafés that use Auracast transmitters—potentially transforming accessibility in public settings. The RIC800 is among the first OTC devices to integrate Auracast, putting it in line with leading prescription hearing aids.