HearingAssist Eaze vs ReSound OMNIA RIE

The HearingAssist Eaze is a budget-priced OTC hearing aid released in 2023, earning a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.4/5 in our lab testing. At $399, it sits in the most affordable price tier of the OTC market, though it ranks #43 of 65 devices in its category. In our standardized testing, the Eaze demonstrates excellent feedback handling, scoring a perfect 5.0/5—0.46 points above the category average. This means users can expect stable performance without whistling during typical daily activities. However, the device shows limitations in other areas: speech clarity scores are mixed at 2.6/5 in quiet and low at 1.3/5 in noisy environments, both falling slightly below category averages. The most significant limitation is music streaming, which scored 0.0/5—nearly 2 points below the category average. Buyers who prioritize phone streaming for music or media should consider alternatives. Own-voice comfort is also mixed at 2.2/5, approximately 0.31 points below average for OTC devices. At this price point, shoppers have several higher-scoring alternatives to consider, including the Elehear Beyond and Apple AirPods Pro 2, which offer stronger overall performance. The HearingAssist Eaze may suit budget-conscious buyers who prioritize feedback stability over streaming capabilities and can accept modest speech performance in challenging listening situations.

The ReSound OMNIA RIE is a premium prescription behind-the-ear hearing aid released in 2022, currently priced at $4,498. In HearAdvisor's lab testing, it earned a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.9/5, ranking #29 of 36 devices in the Prescription Hearing Aid category. This device shows a mixed performance profile in our testing. Its standout strength is speech clarity in quiet environments, scoring 3.7/5—a solid result that sits 0.42 points above the category average. Own-voice comfort also performs above average at 3.0/5, which may appeal to users concerned about how their own voice sounds while wearing hearing aids. However, the OMNIA RIE struggles significantly in challenging listening situations. Speech-in-noise performance scored just 1.0/5, falling 0.96 points below the category average—a notable limitation for users who frequently encounter noisy restaurants, gatherings, or other difficult acoustic environments. Feedback handling, while strong in absolute terms at 4.1/5, also trails the category average by 0.61 points. Music streaming delivers mixed results at 2.7/5, essentially matching the category average. The OMNIA RIE offers versatile connectivity with both iPhone and Android streaming, hands-free calling capability, and the flexibility of both rechargeable and disposable battery options. At its premium price point, however, several competitors in the same price range—including the Phonak Sphere Infinio and Oticon Intent—deliver substantially higher overall scores. This device may suit users who prioritize quiet conversation clarity and own-voice comfort over challenging noise performance.