⭐️⭐️⭐️ Read more Go Hearing customer reviews here.
Until the last several years, a good pair of hearing aids cost between $4,000 - $6,000. There just wasn't much way around it.
Just 10 years ago, people with hearing loss had had three options:
- Get a cheap PSAP (originally designed to help hunters hear better).
- Go all in on a professionally programmed pair of hearing aids for $3,500-$8,000.
- Go without hearing aids.
Today, hearing aid wearers have a more comprehensive range of options. The change is primarily due to a rare moment of political unity in the U.S. that led to the FDA's creation of a new class of over-the-counter hearing aids.
In before OTC hearing aids went on sale, the news that they might, created a shuffle of innovation in the category.
Today, consumer options look more like this:
- Get a customizable OTC hearing aid like this one from a brand lik Bose for $600-$1,200
- Purchase professionally programmed hearing aids remotely through a service like Jabra Enhance for $1,200 - $2,000
- Work with a local or in-home audiologist to purchase and program prescription-level hearing aids $3,000 - $8,000
But what if you only want to spend a few hundred dollars to try a pair of quality hearing aids? Is that possible?
In this review, I'm trying to Go OTC hearing aids from hearX. I'll break down the pros, cons, and surprises with these $199-$299 OTC devices.
Let's start with some quick facts about Go hearing aids:
- Style: Go hearing aids sit inside the ear. They are not fully invisible but will be out of the way of masks and glasses.
- Technology: Go hearing aids come in two technology levels. Prime for $299/pair and Lite for $199/pair.
- Features: Go hearing aids are not Bluetooth enabled but do come with rechargeable batteries.
- Customization: Go hearing aids do not allow full customization based on your hearing loss. They offer a few pre-set programs meant to match various hearing loss types.
- Lite vs Prime: Go Lite offers less background noise reduction and requires a tool to adjust the volume (instead of the push button on Prime). I’ll share more below but I recommend Prime over Lite by a wide margin.
- Support: Go hearing aids are made by one of the most trusted names in hearing health, hearX. Every pair comes with a 1 year warranty and lifetime support from their experts.
Unboxing Go Hearing Aids
For this review I tried both the Go Lite ($199) and Go Prime ($299).
Both products came in a simple, well designed box with some key information on the outside.
Inside each box was a charge case, two hearing aids, charge cable and wall mount, a cleaning brush, four wax filters.
The hearing aids came with some charge already in the devices so I was able to put them in my ears right away.
Each box comes with three tip sizes that can be easily changed to match the size of your ear canal.
Go hearing aids are small but not tiny. Each devices sits inside the ear with a button and pull wire at the entrance of the ear canal.
I was not able to get the devices quite as far into my ear as the model on the box but I have fairly narrow ear canals so you may have more success.
For most people I’ll guess that Go hearing aids will be out of the way of masks and glasses but not invisible.
Each hearing aid has an onboard button that is used to change modes and volume. The Go Lite hearing aid requires a separate tool for volume changes.
Volume updates:
Prime: Tap the button to increase the volume of your hearing aids. When you reach volume 10, the next tap will bring you down to volume 1. You will need to do this for each hearing aid individually. I recommend counting taps to ensure that both devices are at a similar volume.
Lite: Use the included tool to turn the volume knob up and down on each device. This process might be tricky for those with dexterity challenges.
Program updates:
Only prime offers multiple listening programs. To change the program, push and hold down the button on each hearing aid for 3 seconds. The device will beep 1, 2, or 3 times to indicate which program you are in.
- Program 1 is the “normal” setting,
- Program 2 is the “high-frequency” setting and gives more amplification to high-pitched sounds.
- Program 3 is the “low-frequency” setting for those who struggle to hear bass sounds.
Every time you turn on the hearing aids, they will start in the last program you had them in.
Let’s Talk Sound Quality
Go hearing aids won't compete with traditional hearing aids or even leading OTC products like Bose but the product performed better than I expected in some contexts. I wore the product throughout my home, office, and commute.
The Prime hearing aid did a good job clearly amplifying voices but couldn't handle any significant background noise.
Traffic sounds, my shoes on the sidewalk, and even a bird's wings flapping nearby were getting as much attention as voices.
Lite had even less ability to handle background noise.
Will Go hearing aids compete with traditional products?
For the price, I do think some people can benefit from this product.
Don't buy Go hearing aids and expect them to meet your needs for all-day wear or background noise situations. If you are looking for a budget option but want more features, I recommend Bose or Lexie.
After a couple of days of wear, I think Go could be a good starter product for someone looking to boost TV volume, listening in quiet conversations at home, or 1-1 doctor's appointments.
Go hearing aids come with easy returns and excellent service.
Unlike other low-cost hearing aids you can buy online for a few hundred dollars, Go comes from a credible company with a strong background in customer care. Go hearing aids come with a 45-day return policy and unlimited customer service. That means if you are curious you can really give this a try without much risk.
Final Thoughts
If you have mild-to-moderate hearing loss and are looking for a boost in front of the TV or in quiet 1-1 conversations, Go could be a viable option. If you can afford just a bit more, I think Lexie, Bose, or Lucid Engage are a big step up.
If you have hearing loss and have been waiting for your moment, remember that you'll get free returns on any of the products mentioned here, so the important thing is to try something.
As Mark Twain once said, "The secret to getting ahead is getting started."
