Olive Union Max vs Resound Vivia 9 60S microRIE

The Olive Union Max is a behind-the-ear OTC hearing aid priced at $190, earning a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.4/5 in HearAdvisor's lab testing. This budget-friendly device ranks #41 of 65 OTC hearing aids tested. In our lab testing, the Max shows a distinctive performance profile with clear strengths and limitations. Music streaming stands out with a strong 4.0/5 score, measuring 2.08 points above the OTC category average—making it one of the better choices for audio entertainment. Feedback handling is excellent at 5.0/5, meaning the device maintains stability without whistling during typical daily activities. However, speech performance presents challenges. Speech in quiet scores a mixed 2.6/5, falling 0.21 points below the category average, while speech in noise is low at 1.0/5, measuring 0.48 points below average. Own-voice comfort also scores low at 1.6/5, sitting 0.91 points below the category average—users may notice their own voice sounds unnatural or hollow. The Olive Union Max is best suited for budget-conscious consumers who prioritize music and media streaming over demanding listening environments. Those who frequently need to follow conversations in noisy settings like restaurants or social gatherings may find the speech-in-noise limitations frustrating. For basic amplification in quieter environments with excellent streaming quality at an accessible price point, the Max offers reasonable value despite its speech performance trade-offs.

The ReSound Vivia 9 60S microRIE is a premium prescription behind-the-ear hearing aid released in 2025, currently available at $3,798. In our lab testing, it earned a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.9/5, ranking #29 of 39 prescription hearing aids tested. This device shows a mixed performance profile. Its standout strength is own-voice comfort, scoring 3.4/5—a solid result that sits 0.70 points above the category average. Speech clarity in quiet environments also performs at category average with a score of 3.4/5. Feedback handling is strong in absolute terms at 4.2/5, though this falls 0.52 points below the category average, reflecting the high bar set by competing prescription devices. The Vivia 9's most notable weakness is speech understanding in noisy environments, where it scored just 1.1/5—a low result that trails the category average by 0.96 points. Music streaming performance is mixed at 2.6/5, sitting slightly below average. These limitations are worth considering given the premium price positioning. For listeners who prioritize comfortable own-voice perception and primarily encounter quieter listening situations, the Vivia 9 may be suitable. However, those frequently in challenging noise environments should note that several alternatives in this price range—including the Phonak Sphere Infinio and Oticon Intent—deliver stronger overall performance in our testing. Budget-conscious shoppers may also find comparable sound quality at lower price points with options like the Jabra Enhance Pro 20 at Costco.