Audien Hearing made waves last year when it launched the Atom One, one of the few hearing aids to hit the market for under $100. The only problem is one you probably figured out already: they just weren’t very effective as hearing aids. The Atom One provided a blunt amplification of every sound, whether you wanted to hear it or not—underpinned with a steady layer of hiss.
Audien has repeatedly tried again in this low-end part of the market, cranking out at least five models of low-cost hearing aids. While they have gently ratcheted up the price, most cost under $300. Its latest release is the Atom X, another spin on the same in-the-ear design but with some fancy new features and a $389 price, inching ever upward.
### Design and Comfort
The hearing aids themselves aren’t exactly striking: earplug-like and beige, each weighing just 2.20 grams. The simple devices feature a fat button on the outward-facing surface. The oblong design looks a bit odd at first, but it turns out they are fairly comfortable for longer listening sessions and reasonably discreet—only barely visible when in place in the ear.
Included in the box are three sets of differently sized ear tips in two different shapes, both unvented, allowing for a more customized fit.
### The Case: A Game-Changer
The surprising—and much bigger—news involves the case. I can safely say that the Atom X has the most advanced and useful case of any hearing aid product I’ve tested to date, more powerful than the case included with products that cost ten times as much.
The secret sauce is a touchscreen on the front, letting you easily tap to control volume, switch environmental modes, and toggle Bluetooth on and off. When streaming over Bluetooth, the touchscreen changes to control media volume and access transparency levels (adjusting noise cancellation). Another mode activates when you’re on a phone call.
Additionally, the case displays the real-time battery level for each hearing aid independently, as well as the battery level of the case itself. These estimates were reasonably accurate in my testing. To top it off, the case even includes a built-in UV sterilization system.
I really enjoyed having all this power at the ready without having to use an app—which is especially handy because Audien doesn’t have an app. Streaming functions work much like they would on a standard set of Bluetooth earbuds, and all hearing aid settings are managed through the case.
### Blunt Tools with Limited Control
That lack of control has long been the problem with Audien’s products. They act as blunt amplifiers that can’t be tuned beyond changing the volume and picking one of four environmental modes. There is no hearing test function and no way to shape the frequencies where you need the most help, meaning everything gets lifted more or less equally.
For users accustomed to more refined control, it’s a jarring experience. Audien suggests that over time “your brain will adjust” to the overload of background sounds and your own booming voice.
The four environmental modes can be somewhat helpful. In my experience, the best was the default Comfort mode, which “reduces the sharpness of high-frequency sounds and overall intensity, creating a more comfortable, balanced listening experience.” The Atom X’s Conversation mode felt too sharp for much use, while the Crowd and TV modes didn’t make a significant impact compared to Comfort mode.
### Performance and Value
I immediately noticed that there was a much lower level of hiss on the Atom X compared to previous Audien hearing aids, but the overall experience still wasn’t very effective. By blasting lower frequencies I didn’t need amplified, I often found that I heard worse with the hearing aids in than without them—and this effect worsened the louder I pushed the volume.
At very low amplification levels (10 or 20 percent at most), the hearing aids were at their most effective for me. Anything beyond that threatened to become painful.
At $389, the Atom X is a tough sell. Consider the $249 Apple AirPods Pro 3, which offer a tuning system, app control, outstanding noise cancellation, and overall better-quality hearing support. Yes, they are much larger and more visible than the Atom X, but if you never wear your hearing aids because they don’t provide a great experience, how much does discretion really matter?
https://www.wired.com/review/audien-hearing-atom-x-hearing-aids/