Elehear Beyond vs Jabra Enhance Select 700

The Elehear Beyond is a behind-the-ear OTC hearing aid priced at $431, earning an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.3/5 in our lab testing. This places it at #6 of 63 OTC hearing aids tested—in the top 8% of its category. In speech performance, the Elehear Beyond delivers strong results for speech in quiet at 4.3/5, measuring +1.66 points above the OTC category average. Speech in noise scores 1.7/5, which is above the category average by +0.57 points, though still low in absolute terms—a common limitation across OTC devices. Music streaming stands out at 3.8/5, a solid score that measures +1.87 points above the category average, making it one of the stronger streaming performers in the budget OTC segment. Feedback handling is excellent at 4.5/5, though slightly below the category average by -0.03 points. Own-voice comfort scores 2.6/5, above average by +0.11 points but only mixed in absolute terms—users sensitive to their own voice may notice some occlusion effects. The Elehear Beyond earned our 2024 Expert's Choice Award and offers compelling value for budget-conscious consumers seeking strong speech clarity in quieter environments and quality music streaming. It outperforms same-price competitors like the JLab Hear OTC and Apple AirPods Pro 2. Those prioritizing challenging noisy environments may want to consider this limitation, but for everyday listening situations and streaming, the Beyond delivers well above typical OTC performance at its price point.

The Jabra Enhance Select 700 is a premium-priced OTC hearing aid available for $1,795, earning a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.9/5 in our lab testing. This places it in the top 24% of OTC hearing aids tested, ranking #16 of 63 devices in the category. In our testing, this behind-the-ear device demonstrated notable strengths in own-voice comfort, scoring 3.7/5—a solid result that sits 1.21 points above the category average. This suggests users may experience less of the "talking in a barrel" sensation common with some hearing aids. Feedback handling was excellent at 5.0/5, indicating strong resistance to whistling during typical daily movements. Speech clarity presents a mixed picture. Speech in quiet environments scored a solid 3.1/5, which is 0.46 points above the category average. However, speech in noise scored just 0.8/5, falling 0.33 points below average—a notable limitation for users who frequently encounter noisy environments like restaurants or social gatherings. Music streaming scored 2.5/5, above the category average but only mixed in absolute terms. At this price point, buyers should note that several alternatives in the same price range delivered higher overall scores in our testing, including the Jabra Enhance Select 300 and 500 models. The Enhance Select 700 may appeal to those prioritizing own-voice comfort and feedback-free performance, but users needing strong speech-in-noise performance should consider alternatives.