May 2022 Update: the Britzgo BHA 603 is no longer available. To better serve your needs, please consider the alternatives for this hearing amplifier: the Angel BT, Eargo Neo, or Neosonic B10.
At first, the Britzgo BHA 603 looks like a gadget from a 90’s James Bond movie. It’s small, sleek, and disappears almost completely in your ear canal. People who prefer their hearing amplifier discrete will inevitably be drawn to the Britzgo BHA 603. The company refers to this model as the Britzgo Exilis, and in this review we’ll use both names interchangeably.
The Britzgo 603 was introduced around 2015 and has missed some recent years in which other hearing amplifiers have seen leaps in development. How well does the Exilis still hold up? Is it a good hearing amplifier, and if so, is it a good CIC model?
This review for the Britzgo BHA 603 will discuss the model’s key features and take a look past the marketing language. We’ll see how this model works in practice, what its drawbacks are, and give you a buying recommendation in the end.
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Key features of the Britzgo BHA 603
The first key feature for this hearing amplifier is that it’s very small. In fact, this model hearing amplifier, the completely-in-canal, is the smallest type of hearing amplifier you’ll find. This makes it attractive for first-time buyers or other people who are looking for a discrete device. It also, by nature features a minimalist design. Compared to other Britzgo models, you could argue that this is the one model that doesn’t stand out.
Who is this hearing amplifier for?
With a 25 dB peak gain, the BHA 603 is suitable for mild hearing loss. Mild hearing loss describes the first signs of hearing loss, where certain sounds become harder to distinguish and high frequency tones fall away in your hearing range.
This decibel range and the model’s design are also great features for a first-time buyer. Most people try to ease into the world of hearing amplifiers, and a completely-in-canal model definitely is the under-the-radar option when it comes to hearing amplifiers.
How well does the Britzgo BHA 603 work?
Aside from the model’s key features, the Britzgo 603 is also ambidextrous, meaning you can wear each device in either ear. The only settings on the Britzgo are the volume settings. There are four different volume settings in total.
It features entry-level noise reduction technology and a digital circuit. Although these might have been up to par when the model was first introduced, by now you can get better noise reduction technologies packaged in a more complete model. The digital circuit is the industry minimum. You’ll have a hard time finding a new hearing amplifier with an analog circuit.
The Britzgo 603 uses size 10 batteries.
What’s not to like about the Britzgo BHA 603?
A digital circuit might be on par with the industry, plenty of other features of the BHA 603 are getting dated. The battery life doesn’t hold up to the marketing promises in daily use. Another issue is the ringing noise many users report. Although the occasional ringing noise is inevitable, it’s too common with the BHA 603.
The noise reduction technologies are truly dated, and while they work at an elementary level, you can get a much better sound quality in many other models. As a rule, Britzgo doesn’t update their models once they’re on the market. In practice, it means that they have a pretty short shelf life. You could argue that the BHA 603 is well past its shelf life.
One minor drawback is typical of all CIC models, but still needs to be mentioned: you can’t adjust these hearing amplifiers while wearing them.
Hearing amplifiers that are good alternatives
If you’re absolutely set on the CIC model, your best bet is to find a newer model. With the rapid technological changes in hearing amplifiers, newer models will tackle many of the issues that make the BHA 603 a sub-par model. If you’ve got the budget, the Eargo NEO is the top of the line.
For the rest of us, the TKING is more relatable. It’s available in two versions: one with a rechargeable battery, and one with a tinnitus masker. Both beat the Britzgo, while not costing much more.
If you’re going for the best hearing amplifier in general, be sure to look at our page with 30-second reviews, where we rank every single hearing amplifier we’ve reviewed.
Should you buy the Britzgo Exilis?
No. Not because it’s the worst hearing amplifier in the world, but because it’s outdated. Your money is much better spent on nearly every other available hearing amplifier on the market. Newer competing models give you all the benefits of the Britzgo BHA 603, while tackling most of the drawbacks. Instead of buying the BHA 603, buy the alternatives.
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