Elehear Beyond Pro vs Starkey Genesis AI

The Elehear Beyond Pro is a mid-priced OTC hearing aid that earns an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.2/5 in our lab testing, placing it in the top 15% of the OTC category. Priced at $631, this behind-the-ear device has received HearAdvisor's Expert's Choice Award in both 2024 and 2025. In our testing, the Beyond Pro demonstrates notable strengths in music streaming, scoring 3.8/5—a solid result that sits 1.88 points above the category average. This makes it one of the stronger options for users who prioritize audio entertainment alongside speech clarity. Speech performance is also above average, with speech in quiet scoring 3.3/5 (+0.46 vs category) and speech in noise at 2.5/5 (+1.00 vs category). While the speech-in-noise score is above the category average, it remains mixed in absolute terms at 2.5/5. Feedback handling is excellent at 5.0/5. The primary trade-off is own-voice comfort, which scores 1.2/5—a low result that falls 1.31 points below the category average. Users who are sensitive to how their own voice sounds may find this noticeable. The Beyond Pro is best suited for OTC shoppers who want strong streaming quality and solid speech performance without professional fitting. It competes in a price range that includes higher-scoring options like the Yeasound RIC800 and Sony CRE-E10, so prospective buyers may want to compare based on their priorities. Features include rechargeable batteries, iPhone and Android streaming, and hands-free capability.

The Starkey Genesis AI is a premium behind-the-ear prescription hearing aid released in 2023, priced at $4,798. In HearAdvisor's lab testing, it earned a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.7/5, ranking #31 of 36 prescription hearing aids tested. This device demonstrates solid speech clarity in quiet environments, scoring 3.5/5—0.13 points above the category average. Its standout feature is excellent feedback handling, achieving a perfect 5.0/5 score. Speech-in-noise performance lands at 2.3/5, which is 0.36 points above the category average but remains mixed in absolute terms. Music streaming scored 2.8/5, slightly above average (+0.16 points) though still in mixed territory. Own-voice comfort presents a notable weakness, scoring 2.2/5—0.55 points below the category average. This may be a consideration for users sensitive to how their own voice sounds while wearing hearing aids. The Genesis AI showed meaningful improvement with professional tuning, with the normalized score jumping from 3.5/5 (Initial) to 4.3/5 (Tuned), suggesting that proper fitting is particularly important for this device. At this premium price point, competitors including the Phonak Sphere Infinio (5.0/5), Oticon Intent (4.85/5), and Oticon Real (4.75/5) deliver stronger overall sound performance. The Genesis AI may suit users who prioritize Starkey's ecosystem, hands-free calling features, and robust feedback control, but those seeking top-tier sound quality in this price range have higher-scoring alternatives to consider.