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Zepp Clarity Pixie Expert Review

Mid-Priced OTC
Released 
2024

Summary

The Zepp Clarity Pixie is a mid-priced OTC hearing aid featuring an invisible-in-ear design, earning a B grade in HearAdvisor's lab testing. At $999, it sits in the middle of the OTC price spectrum and ranked #17 out of 56 OTC hearing aids tested, placing it in the top 29% of its category.

In our lab testing, the Pixie demonstrated notable strengths in speech intelligibility. Its speech in quiet score measured well above average, and speech in noise performance also exceeded category norms—important metrics for everyday conversation. The invisible-in-ear form factor appeals to users prioritizing discretion, and the device supports both iPhone and Android streaming with rechargeable batteries.

However, the Pixie has significant trade-offs. Own-voice comfort scored substantially below average, with occlusion effects that may make your own voice sound boomy or unnatural. Music streaming was not available for testing on this device. Feedback handling also measured slightly below the category average, though still at a reasonable 4.30/5.

Value-conscious buyers should note that several competitors offer stronger overall performance at this price point. The Sony CRE-E10 and Elehear Beyond Pro both scored considerably higher in the same price range. For those drawn to the Pixie's invisible design but concerned about value, alternatives like the Elehear Beyond ($399) deliver better overall sound scores at a significantly lower price. The Pixie is best suited for users who prioritize cosmetic discretion and strong speech clarity over music streaming and own-voice comfort.

In the initial fit condition using a power dome with slits, the Zepp Clarity Pixie delivered above-average speech intelligibility in both quiet and noisy environments. The semi-open coupling helps preserve some natural sound quality but contributes to the device's below-average own-voice score of 1.50/5, indicating noticeable occlusion effects. Feedback handling measured at 4.30/5, slightly under the category average. Music streaming was not available for evaluation. The overall initial fit score of 2.77/5 ranked above average for the category, driven primarily by the strong speech performance metrics.

The tuned fit condition retained identical coupling (power dome with slits) and produced no measurable change in performance scores. Speech in quiet and speech in noise remained strong at 4.00/5 and 2.30/5 respectively. The unchanged own-voice score of 1.50/5 suggests the occlusion characteristics are inherent to the device's design and coupling options. This lack of improvement between initial and tuned conditions indicates the Pixie's out-of-box performance represents its full capability, with limited room for optimization through professional adjustment.

Lab Review Scores

B
SoundGrade
Initial Score
3.9
Tuned Score
3.9
Speech in quiet
best
4.0
5.0
Own voice
best
1.5
5.0
Speech in noise
best
2.3
5.0
Feedback handling
best
4.3
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!
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Lab notes

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

Specs

Invisible in Ear
Invisible in Ear
Rechargeable Batteries
Rechargeable Batteries
iPhone Streaming
iPhone Streaming
Android Streaming
Android Streaming