Olive Union Max Expert Review

The Olive Union Max is a budget-priced OTC hearing aid released in 2024, earning a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.5/5 in HearAdvisor's lab testing. At $190, it positions itself as an affordable entry point into the OTC hearing aid market.

In our testing, the Max demonstrates a distinctive performance profile with notable strengths in music streaming and feedback handling. The music streaming score of 4.0/5 is strong in absolute terms and stands out at 2.08 points above the OTC category average—making it one of the better options for users who prioritize phone audio quality. Feedback handling is excellent at 5.0/5, sitting 0.46 points above average, meaning users can expect stable performance without whistling during typical wear.

However, speech performance presents limitations. Speech in quiet scores a mixed 2.6/5, falling 0.21 points below the category average. More notably, speech in noise is low at 1.0/5, which is 0.48 points below average—a meaningful gap for users who need help understanding conversation in challenging environments. Own-voice comfort is also low at 1.6/5, trailing the category average by 0.91 points, which may result in noticeable occlusion effects.

The Olive Union Max may suit budget-conscious consumers who prioritize music and media streaming over speech clarity in difficult listening situations. Those who frequently navigate noisy environments or need stronger speech support may want to consider alternatives with better speech-in-noise performance.