We’ve been following the development of low-cost hearing aids closely over the last 18 months to see what manufacturers come up with, so we’ve been excited to test the newly-released Jabra Enhance Plus and assess all it could mean for our patients.
This lifestyle device looks like an earbud, but it has hearing aid technology built in – one of the first devices to come on the market that meets all the FDA requirements for a non-prescription over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid.
Before Jabra even started building this device, they did a lot of research on what future users really wanted in a non-prescription hearing aid, and the biggest things responders said was that they wanted:
- Low cost
- Easy to use
- Hearing support
Jabra has achieved this, and they call the Enhance Plus ‘miniaturized 3-in-1 earbuds for hearing enhancement, music, and calls’.
This hearing earbud is perfect for active, tech-loving people who need a hearing boost but are not yet ready for prescription hearing aids.
Are Jabra’s Claims True? We’ve Tested Them Out for our Jabra Enhance Review
As Abilene’s most trusted hearing care experts for over 18 years, we will never recommend a hearing device we haven’t tested ourselves first.
Jabra claims the following of their device:
- Compact, discreet, and easy to use
- Powerful, world-class hearing enhancement
- Ultra-discreet and comfortable
- State-of-the-art signal processing for incredible audio clarity
We wanted to see if our patients thought the same, and our first volunteer to wear them was David Clement, who works in the radio business.
David’s day mostly consists of working with clients, sales staff, and on-air staff on the phone, so he has to use a headset frequently. He has really struggled in finding something that would work as an earpiece for phone calls.
David wore the Jabra Enhance Plus for most of the workday for about two weeks. His Jabra Enhance review was as follows:
Pros:
- He could hear speech well on a phone call.
- People on the other end of the call could hear him clearly – better than they’d heard him using any other device.
- It forms a seal in the ear canal after a while, blocking out extraneous noise.
- It was great to work out with.
- The ten-hour battery charge lasted during working hours.
- The earbud was small and discreet.
- It picked up other quieter sounds he hadn’t noticed as much before, such as typing sounds.
Cons:
- He couldn’t wear it for long periods of time, as it became uncomfortable.
Overall, David was very happy with the Jabra Enhance Plus, and he says it alerted him to exactly what he was missing by not having prescription-based hearing treatment.
Other comments from our patients after trying the Jabra Enhance Plus for a few days are both positive and negative, and we’ve put together a summary of everything they’ve said so you can come to your own conclusions.
Favorite Things About The Lifestyle Devices
Hearing:
- You can get a hearing boost when it’s needed without having to wear hearing aids all day.
- The hearing test is straightforward and quick.
- You can hear your loved ones’ speech clearly.
- You can hear better in group conversations.
Design:
- It doesn’t look like a hearing aid. People assume you’re just wearing regular earbuds.
- A mask doesn’t catch on them.
- They are more comfortable than most streaming earbuds.
Setup:
- Setup through the iPhone app and use of it is easy.
- The app controls are very easy to use.
- Streaming:Streaming music, calls, audiobooks, and more directly to your ears is easy.
- It’s very easy to switch from music to a phone call.
- You can hear the TV at your preferred volume.
Price:
- The price is good ($799).
Some clinics may offer or even require a service package in addition to these devices. This can be anywhere from $150-300. These packages are designed to help maintain the life of the device, replace wearing components, and ensure wax production or progressive loss is not affecting performance.
Charging:
- It’s easy to charge.
- The charging case holds a small charge without needing to be plugged in, and it’s small enough to carry with you.
Disliked Aspects Of The Earbuds
Hearing:
- Some users could hear every body sound — swallowing, coughing, body movements — too loudly.
- Some users with a very mild hearing loss said their own voice sounded hollow and other sounds seemed muffled.
- The automatic adjustment to match the sound environment didn’t always work well.
- The amplification isn’t enough for a moderate hearing loss.
Design and fit:
- It didn’t fit well for many of our users with unique shaped ear canals, and it would fall out or get uncomfortable after a few hours of wear.
- None of the three domes fit properly in their ears.
Setup:
- There is no Android app available yet.
Streaming:
- The earbuds only stream from a phone.
Charging:
- Ten hours isn’t enough of a charge for people out all day.
Our Conclusion At Holland Hearing Center
We think the Jabra Enhance Plus will be very useful for our patients who either have no hearing loss but find it hard to hear amid background noise, and for those with a mild to moderate hearing loss who are not ready to wear prescription hearing aids yet.
Holland Hearing Center is a Certified Jabra Enhance Center, and we are armed with knowledge and ready to help you with any questions you might have about this exciting treatment option.
We make sure to keep up to date on the latest and greatest in hearing aid technology, making sure that our patients get the most from your hearing healthcare with us.
We review lots of different types of technology; take a look at my review of the ReSound OMNIA hearing aids here!
Contact us to see if you might be a good candidate for the Jabra Enhance Plus earbuds. Helping people hear is our passion, and we’ll do whatever we can to help you hear well.
