Starkey Omega AI Expert Review

The Starkey Omega AI is a premium behind-the-ear prescription hearing aid priced at $4,798, earning an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.29 out of 5 in HearAdvisor's lab testing. This places it among the top performers in the prescription hearing aid category, ranking #2 out of 34 devices tested.

In our lab testing, the Omega AI demonstrated exceptional speech-in-noise performance, measuring 1.38 points above the category average—a standout result that suggests strong real-world benefit in challenging listening environments like restaurants or group conversations. Speech clarity in quiet settings also impressed, scoring 0.59 points above average. These results indicate Starkey's signal processing effectively prioritizes speech intelligibility across listening conditions.

Where the Omega AI shows more modest results is in own-voice comfort and music streaming quality, both measuring slightly below category averages. Feedback handling, while still strong at 4.60/5 in the tuned condition, came in marginally below the category's high benchmark. These are relatively minor trade-offs given the device's speech performance strengths.

At this premium price point, competitors like the Oticon Intent (4.70) and Phonak Sphere Infinio (4.64) score higher overall, with the Phonak offering similar performance for $400 less. However, the Omega AI's particular strength in noisy environments may make it the better choice for users who prioritize conversational clarity in difficult acoustic situations. The device features rechargeable batteries, hands-free calling, and streaming compatibility with both iPhone and Android devices.