Results
Component Metrics
We have run 106 hearing device evaluations through this procedure and computed metrics on each of our 5-point scales.
Table 4. Average Component Scores Across 106 Devices. All metrics are on a scale from 0--5 points where higher is better. Music streaming scores are reported only for devices with streaming capability (n=61).
| Speech Benefit (Quiet/Mod) | Speech Benefit (Noisy) | Own Voice Not Boomy | Does Not Squeal | Streaming Music Quality | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Fits Avg (s.d.) | 2.9 (1.3) | 1.3 (1.1) | 2.6 (1.1) | 4.6 (0.7) | 3.4 (0.9) |
| Tuned Fits Avg (s.d.) | 3.3 (1.4) | 1.7 (1.3) | 2.3 (1.0) | 4.3 (0.9) | 3.4 (0.7) |
SoundScore Results
As of April 2026 we have run 106 devices through our procedure:
- Average SoundScore: 3.7 (s.d. 1.0)
- Expert Choice threshold: 4.0 (see Expert Choice Award)
- Devices exceeding threshold: 52 (49% of tested products)
Table 5. SoundGrade. Mapping of SoundScore to SoundGrade. Data as of April 2026.
| SoundScore | SoundGrade | N Devices |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0--5.0 | A | 52 (49%) |
| 3.0--3.9 | B | 28 (26%) |
| 2.0--2.9 | C | 15 (14%) |
| 1.0--1.9 | D | 11 (10%) |
| 0.0--0.9 | F | 0 (0%) |
Detailed per-device results, recordings, and comparisons are available at hearadvisor.com. This methodology documentation describes how the scores are generated; the website presents the scores themselves.
Acknowledgements
We'd like to thank Jim Kates Ph.D. for use of the HASPIv2 and HAAQI metrics. Bill Rabinowitz Ph.D. and Dianne Van Tasell Ph.D. provided helpful conversations. We'd also like to thank the creators of the ARTE database for publishing their data.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures
- Andrew Sabin Ph.D. is a scientific advisor to HearAdvisor LLC and is also employed by a company that participates in the hearing device market. He does not directly evaluate products associated with Bose Corporation.