This page provides a brief overview of Otofonix reviews that are normally scattered around this website. To help you find your perfect hearing aid, I try to review as many hearing aids and amplifiers as I can. As regular readers might have noticed, Otofonix reviews take up a good portion of this website, but I realized they were somewhat hard to find – hence, this page. Below, you’ll find a general overview for all different Otofonix models and reviews, short summaries, and links to the full reviews.
Links in this article pointing to another website might be affiliate links. If you purchase something on those websites, I could receive a small commission. This doesn’t affect your price nor my review.
What Otofonix Hearing Aids have in common
Before I move to the models, let me quickly explain why Otofonix has such a presence on the website. This company is one of a handful that offer hearing aids that rival the prescription hearing aids that are much better known.
Although the technical differences between these prescription versions and Otofonix hearing aids are small, the price difference is much greater. Otofonix’ most expensive model, the Groove, costs around $800 a pair – about 20% of the price for your average prescription hearing aids.
Otofonix started selling these direct-to-customer hearing aids after the FDA created a special hearing device category: Personal Sound Amplifier Products. According to the FDA, these devices are “intended for people with normal hearing to amplify sounds in certain situations, such as recreational activities like birdwatching or hunting”.
In practice, these PSAPs created an affordable alternative to prescription hearing aids that tackles mild to moderate hearing loss with a one-size-fits-most approach. Comparable to reading glasses at the gas station, they didn’t replace the medical hearing aids, but offered a solution for people that didn’t quite need a prescription (yet).
Evolution of Otofonix models
From the first model on, Otofonix hasn’t catered to deliver the cheapest hearing aids, but offered quality and extra features. Otofonix models still are the cheapest route to a telecoil function (that I know of). These older models were the Apex, Elite, and Encore.
In a relatively short time span after 2019, Otofonix introduced three newer models: the Helix, Sona, and Groove. These three models are an improvement over the older models and have significantly narrowed the technological gap between the more expensive prescription hearing aids and these PSAPs.
The two generations of Otofonix models are still for sale – although the first generation offers a steep discount. To me, the last generation offers a better deal, and gives you the best value for money. All models come with great conditions, such as a one year warranty and 45-day trial.
Overview of Otofonix hearing aid models
Otofonix Groove
The Otofonix Groove is this company’s flagship model. To fully understand the Groove, you need to know the Helix and Sona, too. This model combines the best of these two other hearing aids. This means you get a pair of hearing aids with rechargeable batteries and a smartphone app that helps you set up the device and adjust it to your needs as you go.
Click here for the full Otofonix Groove review.
Otofonix Sona
I chose the Otofonix Sona as the best value for money hearing aid of 2022. Although it’s not the best (the Groove offers more, and other companies put up a good fight), it gives you a ‘smart’ hearing aid for a very good price. What makes these hearing aids smart is the Bluetooth connection to your smartphone, which helps you set up the device. In contrast to the Groove, the Sona is not rechargeable, but uses old-fashioned batteries.
Click here for the full Otofonix Sona review.
Otofonix Helix
The Otofonix Helix offers no smartphone compatibility. It does, however, give you a pair of hearing aids with a lot of other bells and whistles. The sound quality is great, and the Helix comes as a pair of surprisingly small hearing aids that recharge once you pop them into the charging base.
Click here for the full Otofonix Helix review.
Otofonix Encore
I have a suspicion Otofonix regretted naming the Elite (their second model). How do you keep going after creating an elite model? You name it the Encore, evidently. Five years ago, the Encore was a marvel of technology, and arguably the single best imitation of a full-fledged hearing aid. By now, technology has caught up and new models offer more, but the Encore still holds up well.
Click here for the full Otofonix Encore review.
Otofonix Elite
The Otofonix Elite was one of the first Otofonix models and already showed a certain supremacy over the competition – name well chosen, I guess. Although it never had the status of the Encore, the Elite gave people an excellent all-round model that even in 2022 competes with similar models.
Click here for the full Otofonix Elite review.
Otofonix Apex
I still suspect that the Otofonix Apex mainly exists to make its bigger brother, the Elite, look better. In essence, the Otofonix Apex is an Elite lacking some user-friendly options. If the Elite is a decked-out Toyota, the Apex offers the same engine, but still makes you crank your windows like it’s 1989. In all fairness, the Apex is a bit outdated, but the pricing has kept pace, too. With the Apex, you can buy a good listening experience for under $250 for a pair.
Click here for the full Otofonix Apex review.