Linner Nova Earbud Expert Review

The Linner Nova Earbud is a budget-priced OTC hearing aid that earned a C grade in HearAdvisor's lab testing, ranking in the bottom 16% of the OTC hearing aid category. At $299, it sits in the lowest price tier but faces stiff competition from better-performing alternatives at similar or lower price points.

In our lab testing, the Nova Earbud showed a significant disconnect between its entertainment and amplification capabilities. Music streaming quality measured well above the category average, delivering strong linear fidelity that rivals more expensive devices. Feedback handling also performed above average, maintaining stability during our standardized challenge motions. However, the device struggled considerably with its primary hearing aid function.

Speech intelligibility scores fell well below average in both quiet and noisy environments, measuring 2.22 points and 0.90 points below the OTC category averages respectively. Own-voice comfort also rated poorly, likely due to occlusion effects from the closed dome coupling. Notably, the initial and tuned fit configurations showed identical performance, suggesting limited adjustment flexibility.

Consumers seeking an affordable OTC hearing aid for meaningful speech improvement may want to consider alternatives like the JLab Hear OTC, which scored 3.65/5 at just $99.99. The Linner Nova Earbud may appeal to those prioritizing music streaming who need only minimal amplification, but it falls short as a dedicated hearing solution in our testing framework.