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Sontro Soundwave Expert Review

Mid-Priced OTCReleased 2022

HearAdvisor's independent lab evaluation of the Sontro Soundwave measures this behind-the-ear OTC hearing aid across five performance metrics. Our electroacoustic testing reveals how this mid-priced device performs in both Initial and Tuned fit conditions.

Dr. Steve TaddeiDr. Steve Taddei, Au.D. — Lab Director & Reviewer
Dr. Abram BaileyDr. Abram Bailey, Au.D. — Fact Checker / Editor
How We Test
Sontro Soundwave Hero
HearAdvisor
Sontro Soundwave
3.0HearAdvisor SoundScoreGrade B
As it sounds out of the box
Bottom Line

The Sontro Soundwave is a mid-priced behind-the-ear OTC aid with notably natural own-voice quality, best suited for users prioritizing comfortable self-perception over streaming features.

Top 92% of OTC Hearing Aid
Strengths
  • Strong own-voice naturalness+1.09 vs category
  • Simple disposable battery design
  • Tuned mode improves overall clarity
Drawbacks
  • No music streaming capability
  • Below-average feedback handling2.04 vs category
  • Low speech-in-noise performance
Performance Metrics

SoundScore: 5 Acoustic Dimensions

The card below displays results for speech in quiet, speech in noise, own-voice comfort, music streaming, and feedback handling. The purple SoundScore graph is the overall result, and the five graphs after it break it into individual measurements for the selected fit. Each curve shows how scores are spread across all tested hearing aids, and the dot and number mark the score for Sontro Soundwave.

SoundScore
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  • 1 product scored from 6.00 to 6.05
6.0
Choose your fit

Every hearing aid is lab-tested in two states — as it sounds out of the box, and after professional tuning. Switch fits to update the five metric graphs below.

As it sounds out of the box
Speech in quiet
New
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  • 1 product scored from 5.25 to 5.40
5.4

How clearly speech comes through in calm, one-on-one surroundings.

Speech in noise
New
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6.4

Speech understanding against loud background noise — the toughest everyday test.

Own voice
0
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4.8

How natural your own voice sounds while wearing the aids, without a boomy, plugged-up quality.

Music streaming
0
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  • 1 product scored from 4.75 to 5.00
5.0

Sound quality of music streamed to the hearing aids over Bluetooth.

Feedback handling
0
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  • 17 products scored from 4.50 to 4.75
  • 64 products scored from 4.75 to 5.00
5.0

Resistance to the whistling and squealing caused by acoustic feedback.

Lab Assessment

Where the Sontro Soundwave Lands in Independent Testing

The Sontro Soundwave is a mid-priced OTC hearing aid that earns a B grade with a SoundScore of 3.0/5 in our lab testing. At $849, this behind-the-ear device uses disposable batteries and sits in the lower tier of OTC performance, ranking #61 of 65 devices in its category.

The Soundwave's strongest attribute is own-voice comfort, scoring 3.6/5—a solid result that sits 1.09 points above the OTC category average. This makes it relatively comfortable for wearers who are sensitive to hearing their own voice sound unnatural or boomy. However, other performance areas present significant limitations.

Speech clarity scores are below average in both quiet and noisy environments. Speech in quiet scores 2.7/5 (0.12 points below average), while speech in noise drops to 1.2/5 (0.28 points below average). Feedback handling is a notable weakness at 2.5/5, falling 2.04 points below the category average of 4.54/5. Perhaps most limiting is the music streaming score of 0.0/5, indicating this device does not support phone audio streaming—a feature many competitors in this price range offer.

Consumers prioritizing own-voice comfort on a moderate budget may find the Soundwave acceptable, but those seeking strong speech clarity or streaming capability should consider alternatives. Several higher-performing OTC devices are available at similar or lower price points, including options like the Lexie Lumen or HearingAssist Control that deliver comparable or better overall sound quality.

Sontro Soundwave Hero
Sontro Soundwave
VerdictListening TestGraphAudioLab NotesSpecsMore
Reliable & Repeatable Lab Results

Quality data starts with quality recordings. HearAdvisor worked with GRAS to build a no-compromise front end so every test is repeatable and reliable.

Learn more
Steve in HearAdvisor Lab

Blind Comparison

Hear the Sontro Soundwave Against Other Tested Devices

Compare the Sontro Soundwave to other hearing aids through recordings captured under identical acoustic conditions. Products are revealed only after you complete your assessment, and anonymized responses contribute to ongoing research.

Loading listening test...

Amplification Data

Sontro Soundwave Insertion Gain Measurements

The graph below shows measured insertion gain across frequencies for the Sontro Soundwave. These curves indicate how closely the device's amplification aligns with prescriptive fitting targets for different hearing loss configurations.

Graph

Audio Samples

Manikin Recordings of the Sontro Soundwave

These audio samples were captured through an acoustic manikin fitted with the Sontro Soundwave under controlled lab conditions. A reference recording without amplification is included for direct comparison.

Sontro Soundwave Audio Samples

How this hearing aid sounds in our lab scenes. Compare it out of the box and after professional tuning.

Before you listen

  1. Use good-quality headphones.
  2. Take out your hearing aids while you compare.
  3. Play the to set a comfortable level, then leave it.
  4. Switch recordings while it plays. You won't lose your place.
Scene type

Scene type: Conversation

Scene: Cafe 1

As tested out of the box
0:00
–:––

154 lab recordings of this product. They demonstrate relative processing in our lab and cannot predict an individual fitting outcome.

Test Documentation

Sontro Soundwave Fit Observations and Configuration Details

Our technicians documented observations during both Initial and Tuned fit testing of the Sontro Soundwave. The notes below include the specific test configuration and any relevant fitting observations recorded during measurement.

Lab Notes

Initial fit observations

In our initial fit testing with an open dome coupling, the Sontro Soundwave showed limited speech benefit, scoring just 1.0/5 for both speech in quiet and speech in noise. However, the open fitting delivered excellent own-voice comfort at 4.6/5 and strong feedback handling at 4.7/5. Music streaming scored 0.0/5, as the device lacks this functionality. The normalized Initial Score of 3.0/5 reflects a device that prioritizes wearer comfort over speech audibility in its out-of-box configuration.

Tuned fit observations

With professional tuning and a tulip dome coupling, the Soundwave improved its normalized score to 3.2/5. Speech in quiet rose substantially to 2.7/5, and speech in noise improved to 1.2/5, though both remain below category averages. The more occluding coupling reduced own-voice comfort to 3.6/5 and feedback handling dropped to 2.5/5. Music streaming remained at 0.0/5. The tuned configuration shows modest speech gains but introduces feedback management challenges.

Test configuration

Initial Fitting
Tuned Fitting
Ear Coupling
Open Dome
Tulip Dome
Specs
Behind Ear
Behind Ear
Disposable Batteries
Disposable Batteries

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