Otofonix Groove Hero

Otofonix Groove Expert Review

Mid-Priced Rx
Released 
2021

Summary

The Otofonix Groove is a behind-the-ear prescription hearing aid priced at $795, placing it in the mid-priced tier for Rx devices. In HearAdvisor's lab testing, it earned a SoundScore of 1.70/5 and a D grade, ranking near the bottom of the prescription hearing aid category.

Performance testing revealed significant challenges across key metrics. Speech understanding in both quiet and noisy environments measured well below average, which limits the device's effectiveness in everyday listening situations. Own-voice comfort also scored poorly, with occlusion-related issues persisting across both fit conditions. The one bright spot was feedback handling, which performed above average with no stability concerns during standardized challenge testing.

The Groove's positioning in the market is difficult to justify given its performance. At $795, several lower-priced alternatives delivered better sound performance in our lab testing, including devices at a fraction of the cost. The MDHearing Volt at $397 and even the Audien Hearing Atom at $99 both achieved higher overall scores.

This device may appeal to those specifically seeking an Otofonix product with rechargeable batteries, but consumers prioritizing speech clarity and overall sound quality should explore alternatives. The limited improvement from initial to tuned fitting—with the tuned condition actually scoring slightly lower—suggests the device has fundamental gain and processing limitations that professional adjustment cannot fully overcome.

In the initial fit condition using a power dome with slits, the Otofonix Groove struggled considerably. Speech in quiet and speech in noise both measured well below the category average, indicating limited audibility benefit for the target hearing loss profile. Own-voice comfort scored 1.80/5, reflecting noticeable occlusion issues despite the vented dome. Feedback handling was a relative strength at 5.00/5, showing excellent stability. Music streaming quality also fell well below average. The overall initial fit score of 0.64/5 was well below average for prescription devices.

The tuned fit condition with a closed dome did not improve performance—in fact, the overall fit score dropped to 0.43/5. Speech metrics remained well below average, and the move to a more occluding coupling worsened own-voice comfort significantly, dropping to 0.40/5. Feedback handling maintained its strong 5.00/5 rating. The lack of improvement with professional adjustment suggests the device's amplification characteristics have inherent limitations that fitting changes cannot address, an unusual finding for a prescription hearing aid.

Lab Review Scores

D
SoundGrade
Initial Score
1.7
Tuned Score
1.5
Speech in quiet
best
5.0
Own voice
best
1.8
5.0
Speech in noise
best
-0.8
5.0
Feedback handling
best
5.0
5.0
Music streaming
best
0.0
5.0

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Lab recordings

Adjust volume to make "No hearing aids" as loud as it would be in the real world, without hearing aids. Remove hearing aids while auditioning. High-quality headphones will improve results!
Otofonix Groove Lab

Lab notes

Initial Fitting
Tuned Fitting
Ear Coupling
Initial Fitting
Power Dome with Slits
Tuned Fitting
Closed Dome

Specs

Behind Ear
Behind Ear
Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable Batteries