Hear.com Horizon Go IX vs Otofonix Encore

The Hear.com Horizon Go IX is a premium prescription behind-the-ear hearing aid released in 2024, listed at $6,500. In HearAdvisor's lab testing, it earned an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.4/5, ranking #17 among 36 prescription hearing aids tested. This device demonstrates particular strength in speech clarity. Speech in quiet scored a strong 4.0/5, which is +0.72 points above the category average. Speech in noise performance also exceeded the category average by +0.61 points, though at 2.6/5 the absolute score remains mixed—meaning it handles challenging listening environments better than many competitors but still has room for improvement in demanding situations. The most notable limitation is own-voice comfort, scoring 1.8/5—a low result that falls 0.95 points below the category average. Users sensitive to how their own voice sounds may find this particularly noticeable. Feedback handling is strong in absolute terms at 4.4/5, though it sits slightly below the category average by 0.31 points. Music streaming performance is mixed at 2.7/5, essentially matching the category average. At this price point, the Horizon Go IX faces stiff competition. Same-price alternatives like the Phonak Sphere Infinio (5.0/5) and Oticon Intent (4.85/5) deliver higher overall sound performance. Budget-conscious shoppers might also consider options like the Rexton Reach R-Li T80 at Costco, which achieves a higher score at a lower price. The Horizon Go IX is best suited for those prioritizing speech clarity who can accept the own-voice trade-off and prefer the hear.com service model.

The Otofonix Encore is a behind-the-ear prescription hearing aid priced at $295, placing it in the budget tier of the prescription category. In our lab testing, it earned a C grade with a SoundScore of 2.7/5, ranking 35th out of 36 prescription hearing aids tested. Sound performance presents significant challenges across most metrics. Speech clarity scores are low in both quiet (1.0/5) and noisy environments (1.0/5), falling 2.32 and 0.96 points below category averages respectively. Music streaming capability is essentially absent at 0.0/5, and own-voice comfort is notably limited at 0.1/5 in the tuned configuration—2.65 points below the category average. The one bright spot is feedback handling, which scores an excellent 4.7/5. While this falls just 0.01 points below the category average, it represents strong absolute performance that should minimize whistling issues during daily use. This device runs on disposable batteries. At this price point, shoppers should be aware that the RxEars Rxi offers substantially better sound performance (4.09/5) in the same price range. The Otofonix Encore may suit budget-conscious consumers who prioritize feedback stability over speech clarity and streaming features, but our testing suggests most users would benefit from considering higher-performing alternatives within this price tier.