Signia Active Mini IX vs Zepp Clarity Omni

The Signia Active Mini IX is a premium prescription hearing aid with a visible-in-ear design, priced at $4,696. In HearAdvisor's lab testing, it earned an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.5/5, ranking #14 of 39 prescription hearing aids tested—placing it in the top 33% of its category. This device demonstrates strong speech clarity performance in our testing. Speech in quiet scored 4.1/5, which is +0.71 points above the category average of 3.40/5. Speech in noise measured 2.6/5—above the category average by +0.46 points, though only mixed in absolute terms at 2.6/5. Music streaming is a notable strength at 3.6/5, outperforming the category average by +0.84 points. Own-voice comfort scored a solid 3.2/5, sitting +0.50 points above average. However, feedback handling represents a limitation for this device, scoring 2.5/5—a mixed result that falls -2.22 points below the category average of 4.72/5. Users sensitive to feedback may want to discuss this with their hearing care provider. The Signia Active Mini IX delivers excellent overall sound performance with particular strengths in speech clarity and streaming audio quality. It's best suited for users who prioritize these capabilities and can work with their provider to manage the feedback handling limitations. The earbud-style design offers a modern, discreet appearance for those who prefer visible-in-ear devices.

The Zepp Clarity Omni is a behind-the-ear OTC hearing aid priced at $399, earning a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.9/5 in HearAdvisor's lab testing. This places it in the top 37% of the 65 OTC hearing aids we've tested, offering solid overall performance in the budget price tier. The standout feature of the Omni is its music streaming quality, scoring 3.6/5—a full 1.68 points above the OTC category average. This makes it one of the stronger choices for users who prioritize phone audio streaming alongside hearing assistance. Feedback handling is excellent at 5.0/5, meaning users can expect stable performance without whistling during normal use. Speech clarity shows mixed results. Speech in quiet environments scores a solid 3.0/5, sitting 0.21 points above the category average. However, speech in noise scores 1.9/5—above the category average by 0.40 points, but still low in absolute terms. Users who frequently encounter noisy restaurants or group conversations may find performance limited in those situations. Own-voice comfort scores 2.7/5, which is above the category average but only mixed in absolute quality. The Zepp Clarity Omni is best suited for budget-conscious buyers who want reliable streaming audio and stable feedback performance, with adequate speech understanding in quieter settings. Those needing stronger speech-in-noise performance may want to explore alternatives like the higher-scoring Elehear Beyond in this price range.