Temporary update: for Black Friday 2022, all Neosonic models have a 15% discount. Find out more information in my overview of Black Friday deals.
The Neosonic brand is a familiar name in the hearing amplifier industry. After a recent re-haul of their product catalogue, four main models remain (although older models are still available on Amazon). One of these newer models is the Neosonic MX hearing amplifier. These hearing amplifiers come as a pair of rechargeable hearing amplifiers in a charging station. This set-up is not exclusive to Neosonic, and people shopping for hearing amplifiers will see similar models show up in the search results.
That doesn’t mean this model is a dime a dozen. Neosonic is a reputable company with years of experience, a company website, and great customer service. The device itself also has unique benefits compared to its competitors, including patented background noise reduction technologies.
But how does the Neosonic MX hold up beyond the marketing lingo? In this review for the Neosonic MX, I’ll walk you through its key features, how it works in the real world, and explore any downsides before I give you some alternatives and a final buying recommendation.
Update: in 2021, Neosonic has come out with an upgraded version, the Neosonic MX-RIC. I don’t want to give away the entire review, but it is water resistant.
As always, I summarize my findings in a 30-second visual review at the bottom of this blog post. If you prefer to read the cliff notes and skip the reading, click here.
Links in this blog post may be affiliate links. When you end up buying a product through these links, I may earn a sales commission. This does not affect your price or our reviews.
Key features
The first key feature is that the Neosonic MX always comes as a pair. This involves some trickery on the price point, because other hearing amplifiers on this website are priced as individual models. There are, however, clear perks to buying a pair of hearing amplifiers. Because your brain needs time to adjust to the hearing amplifiers, wearing a pair helps you mimic the natural way your brain processes sound. Additionally, you don’t need to switch ears depending on the situation, and the individual amplifiers can still be adjusted according to your needs.
The rechargeable batteries are another key feature. Although rechargeable hearing amplifiers are nothing new, the charging station for the Neosonic MX is a more recent development. Instead of worrying about charging cords and finding a USB outlet, you simply put your device into the magnetic slot. A four-hour charge gives you twenty hours of usage – a decent performance.
A much more exciting and rare feature are the dual direction microphones. Hearing amplifiers with two microphones help you receive sound in a more natural way (again helping your brains adapt). This not only gives you a better sense of sound direction, but helps focus the sound on conversations instead of trying to filter a conversation from all the sound in a room.
Lastly, the Neosonic MX features the company’s patented feedback cancellation. Although most hearing amplifiers (especially in this price range) offer some form of feedback cancellation, Neosonic’s sound quality is definitely helped by its own technology.
Fun fact: the Neosonic MX is listed in my post listing the five best rechargeable hearing amplifiers and a list of the most powerful hearing amplifiers.
Who is this for?
With a 50 dB peak gain, the Neosonic MX can help people suffering from moderate to severe hearing loss. This means the model helps those who’ve ‘outgrown’ a first model, while also being a fine choice for first-time users who have been on the fence about hearing amplifiers for a while.
Does the Neosonic MX work?
Decibel count and fancy features count for nothing if the everyday experience of a hearing amplifier is dissatisfactory. Luckily, the Neosonic MX works like a charm in everyday life, too. It delivers the improvements in sound quality you expect from a hearing amplifier in this price range, and has no notable defects.
The device offers four channels and four different listening programs. You simply switch through the listening programs by pressing the program button. The number of channels indicate how sound is processed before you hear it – four channels is not particularly impressive, but meets the industry standard.
The volume wheel also has four numbers on it, but doesn’t require you to settle for only these four settings. Turning the wheel slowly allows you to precisely leave the volume where you want it – in practice, the volume has essentially infinite settings, divided in four sections.
While it’s not a direct reflection on how the hearing amplifier works, Neosonic’s customer service is worth mentioning. Their response time is excellent, and people who’ve experienced problems with their hearing amplifiers comment on the company’s care.
What’s not to like?
Although the Neosonic MX doesn’t have any clear defects, its size might scare some people off. Although it’s hardly a big device, it is larger than some competitors. If discretion is a priority to you, this model might not be the best fit. Another small downside is that the tubes are a bit on the smaller side (ironically). Neosonic recommends that people 6’ and taller order separate listening tubes. This is naturally not an insurmountable problem, but an inconvenience I didn’t want to withhold.
Alternatives for the Neosonic MX
The most obvious alternative for the Neosonic MX is the Otofonix Helix. The two hearing amplifiers are nearly identical: a pair of rechargeable hearing amplifiers with great technology and a sleek charging base. The Helix will cost slightly more than the Neosonic, but offers a telecoil function. A cheaper alternative is the Neosonic B10.
Second, let’s combat the main downside of the Neosonic MX. If discretion is a priority, the Neosonic Mini could offer a good alternative. It offers many of the same features for about the same price, but comes without the dual direction microphones and in a much smaller size.
If you’re interested in the dual microphones, the ZVOX VB20 hearing amplifier could work out well. This hearing amplifier also has two microphones and offers Bluetooth functionality, so you can adjust your hearing device from your smartphone. It doesn’t come as a rechargeable hearing amplifier, so you’ll need to buy the right batteries.
For more alternatives, you can read up on the best hearing amplifiers for 2020 or visit our page with the 30-second review for every model I have reviewed to date.
Should you buy this model?
There are no good reasons not to buy the Neosonic MX. The hearing amplifier works like a charm, has good extra features, and comes with a neat-looking recharging station. If the price range is right and you’re not set on another type of hearing amplifier, the Neosonic MX is a great buy.
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