Jabra Enhance Select 300 vs Sony CRE-C20

The Jabra Enhance Select 300 is a premium OTC hearing aid priced at $1,695 that earns an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.1/5 in our lab testing. This behind-the-ear device ranks #17 among 65 OTC hearing aids tested, placing it in the top 25% of its category. In our testing, the Enhance Select 300 demonstrates notable strengths in speech clarity for quiet environments, scoring 0.85 points above the OTC category average. Feedback handling is excellent at 5.0/5, and own-voice comfort scores a solid 3.5/5—nearly a full point above average for the category. Music streaming performance, while above average for OTC devices, remains mixed in absolute terms at 2.6/5. The device's main limitation appears in challenging listening environments. Speech-in-noise performance scored 1.5/5, which is low in absolute terms and essentially matches the category average. Users who frequently encounter noisy restaurants, busy offices, or crowded gatherings may find this a meaningful constraint. The Enhance Select 300 is best suited for individuals who primarily need improved hearing in quieter settings such as home conversations, one-on-one meetings, or watching television. It offers reliable streaming to both iPhone and Android devices, rechargeable batteries, and hands-free functionality. Shoppers seeking stronger noise performance at this price point may want to compare alternatives like the Lucid Tala or Audicus Omni 2, which scored higher overall in our testing.

The Sony CRE-C20 is a mid-priced OTC hearing aid with an invisible-in-ear design, available for $999. In our lab testing, it earned a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.5/5, ranking #37 of 65 OTC hearing aids tested. This device shows a notable split in performance. Speech clarity is a clear strength—speech in quiet scores 4.1/5, which is 1.33 points above the category average, and speech in noise scores 2.7/5, sitting 1.24 points above average despite being only mixed in absolute terms. These results suggest the CRE-C20 prioritizes conversational intelligibility in its tuning approach. However, the device has significant limitations. Music streaming scored 0.0/5, falling 1.92 points below the category average—a notable weakness for users who want to stream audio. Feedback handling is solid at 3.9/5, though it sits 0.64 points below the category average of 4.54/5. Own voice comfort is mixed at 2.9/5, slightly above the category average. The CRE-C20 responds well to adjustment, with the normalized score improving from 3.3/5 at initial fit to 4.2/5 when tuned—a 0.9-point gain. Buyers focused primarily on speech understanding in conversations may find value here, but those wanting music streaming or seeking the strongest overall OTC performance should note that several competitors in this price range, including the Sony CRE-E10 at 4.66/5, scored higher in our testing.