Category Archives: OTC Hearing Aids

OTC vs. Prescription Hearing Aids – Why the Price Gap Is So Big

Posted on 17 February 2026 by Stewart Wolpin

Why do prescription (Rx) hearing aids from an audiologist cost three to 30 times as much as their OTC counterparts? And why aren’t there OTC solutions for those with severe hearing loss? Read the rest of this report here at … Continue reading →

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Audien Atom X OTC Hearing Aids – Smart Case Controls, So-So Sound

Posted on 17 February 2026 by Stewart Wolpin

At first, I thought the on-case touch remote controls on Audien’s new Atom X OTC hearing aids ($389) were just a gimmick to differentiate them from other non-self-fitting budget over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. Read the rest of this review here at Techlicious.com.

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Horizon Go 7 IX Review: Why Prescription Hearing Aids Still Matter

Posted on 21 January 2026 by Stewart Wolpin

Normally, we wouldn’t review prescription hearing aids, the $4,000-plus models you’d be tested and fitted for and by an audiologist. But this is less a review of the Horizon Go 7 IX over-the-ear (what hear.com calls BTE, or behind-the-ear, aka … Continue reading →

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Reviewed: AirPods Pro 3 Are Still Flawed as Hearing Aids

Posted on 13 October 2025 by Stewart Wolpin

Apple asserts it has improved the hearing aid functionality in its new AirPods Pro 3 earbuds ($249) over the Pro 2. That’s true – just not by much. And the Pro 3’s marginal hearing aid improvements are mostly logistical and ergonomic: longer … Continue reading →

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Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 Claim World’s Best Noise Cancellation

Posted on 10 September 2025 by Stewart Wolpin

When Apple released AirPods Pro 2 three years ago, they changed what people expected from earbuds. They weren’t just for listening to music anymore – they became more useful in everyday life as hearing aids. With the AirPods Pro 3, … Continue reading →

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Elehear Beyond Review: A Solid Value for Bluetooth OTC Hearing Aids

Posted on 29 April 2025 by Stewart Wolpin

Elehear’s Beyond over-the-ear receiver-in-canal (RIC) OTC hearing aids present a relatively affordable compromise between the good conversation and good Bluetooth music poles. Read the rest of this review here at Techlicious.com.

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JLab Hear Review: What You Can Expect From $100 OTC Hearing Aids

Posted on 14 April 2025 by Stewart Wolpin

You are reading correctly. JLab’s Hear OTC hearing aid-slash-Bluetooth buds are just $100 – $99.99, to be precise. And they don’t suck. Well, they kinda do.  Read the rest of this review here at Techlicious.com.

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AirPods Pro 2 as Hearing Aids Review: Revolutionary, but Flawed

Posted on 19 November 2024 by Stewart Wolpin

Apple has just proven what I’ve asserted for years: there is no reason why hearing aids, OTC or prescription, have to cost $1,000 or more. For just $250, AirPods Pro 2 now perform as self-fitting hearing aids that provide crystal … Continue reading →

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The Right Way to Set up Your AirPods Pro 2 as Hearing Aids

Posted on 19 November 2024 by Stewart Wolpin

With the iOS 18.1 update, Apple has redefined what its AirPods Pro 2 ($250) can do, officially transforming them into FDA-approved over-the-counter (OTC) self-fitting hearing aids. For iPhone users with mild to moderate hearing loss, this upgrade provides an easy way to … Continue reading →

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Will the AirPods Pro 2 Make Good Hearing Aids?

Posted on 23 September 2024 by Stewart Wolpin

Sometime in the next few weeks – or sooner – Apple will release a software update that will transform its popular AirPods Pro 2 into official FDA-authorized over-the-counter (OTC) self-fitting hearing aids. So, if you think you need hearing aids, … Continue reading →

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