Nuheara review: What to know

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This article looks at Nuheara as a brand, its earbuds in comparison to hearing aids, the company’s advantages and drawbacks, any alternatives, and hearing health.

Nuheara is an Australian-based company that claims its products are affordable, accessible, multifunctional, and innovative. The brand also says that it was the first consumer wearables technology company listed on the Australian stock exchange.

The company won three Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Awards in 2020 for wearables, health and wellness, and home audio and video components.

Nuheara has an average customer rating of 2.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. Positive reviews state that its products are of good quality, with one customer saying that the earbuds helped reduce their tinnitus symptoms. However, people who left negative reviews stated they experienced delivery delays and found that the earbud controls were not user-friendly.

At the time of publishing, Nuheara does not have accreditation or any customer reviews with the Better Business Bureau. The company currently has a “D+” grade with the platform.

Nuheara earbuds have normal earbud functions, such as listening to music and canceling outside noise. However, they also feature microphones and use artificial intelligence to assist hearing.

Some of Nuheara’s earbud features include:

• Bluetooth connectivity
• rechargeable battery
• music and phone call streaming
• external noise suppression
• in-home personalization through the Nuheara app
• tap touch controls
• active noise cancellation

Some hearing aids offer the same features as Nuheara’s earbuds. The company’s earbuds and hearing aids also have a directional microphone, conversation enhancement, and sound amplification. However, Nuheara only recommends its products to those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

About hearing aids

Hearing aids are suitable for a wide range of hearing loss. Hearing care professionals program them to suit each individual.

People will need a prescription to purchase hearing aids, while some hearing aid brands may only be available through an audiologist. In contrast, Nuheara products are available to buy online without a prescription. Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the manufacturing and selling of hearing aids as medical products, whereas Nuheara’s products are not regulated.

If a person believes they have hearing loss, they should contact a hearing care professional as soon as possible for a hearing test. These professionals can recommend which products are most suitable for an individual’s hearing and lifestyle requirements.

Learn more about headphones for hearing loss.

Nuheara sells earbuds and earbud accessories, offering a 30-day return policy on all its products. In addition to the below products, the company also sells replacement earbuds, tips, and charging cases through its website.

Please note, the writer has not tested these products. All information is research-based.

Earbuds

IQbuds2 Max

Nuheara launched the IQbuds2 Max in 2020. This product includes the following features:

• active noise cancellation
• directional focus
• location customization
• tap touch controls
• speech in noise control
• audio streaming
• personalized hearing
• long battery life
• sweat and rain resistant

This bundle also comes with a recharging case and recharging dock with each purchase. The company claims that these devices take 2 hours to charge fully. Spoken prompts alert the user when the battery is low.

The company also offers a compatible app available for iOS and Android that allows users to customize their hearing experience and earbud settings.

IQbuds BOOST

This model is Nuheara’s second-generation product that launched in 2018. The company states this device provides up to 20 hours of Bluetooth streaming and up to 32 hours of hearing streaming.

Individuals can blend surrounding noise and audio streams together using the earbud’s controls. People can also tap the earbud to turn it on and off.

Accessories

Nuheara also offers two accessories that are compatible with their earbuds.

IQStream TV

The IQStream TV allows a person to stream audio from their television directly into their Nuheara earbuds, meaning they can hear the audio clearly without needing to turn the sound up to a high volume.

This device features a dual antenna, which Nuheara claims ensures good audio despite how far away the user sits. It connects to the TV via cables that come with the product. The Nuheara app then connects the earbuds and the IQStream TV.

The IQStream TV is also compact. A person can set it up in multiple rooms around the house.

Bluetooth Transmitter

This transmitter can stream audio from any device with the correct size jack connector, such as an iPod, computer, or gaming device. These devices must be within 10 meters of the earbuds.

After connection, the earbuds receive wireless signals to send the audio directly into a person’s ear. An individual can also connect their earbuds to in-flight entertainment on an airplane using this Bluetooth transmitter.

The battery is rechargeable and comes with a charger.

A few alternative products to Nuheara earbuds include:

• Apple Airpods: Although not specifically designed to help with hearing loss, Apple Airpods have a Live Listen mode that allows a person to hear in noisier environments more clearly. They also have a transparency mode, which helps people listen to voices more clearly.
• Olive Smart Ear: While this product has all the standard features of an earbud, its main purpose is sound amplification. The company provides a short hearing test so a person can fully customize their experience.
• Jabra Elite Active 75t: Jabra has not designed these earbuds specifically for hearing loss. However, these products feature noise cancellation, sound profiles, and a HearThrough mode, which lets in as much or as little outside noise as a person prefers.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that 37.5 million adults in the United States have some degree of hearing loss.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that if hearing loss goes unaddressed, it may impact cognition, education and employment, and increase social isolation and stigma.

The WHO says that early identification of hearing problems is essential. It also suggests that once a hearing health professional diagnoses hearing loss, a person should seek medical help as soon as possible to prevent their condition from worsening.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that once damage to the hair cells in the ear occurs, which results in hearing loss, it is irreversible. Therefore, the CDC recommends people take the following steps to prevent hearing loss:

• avoiding noisy locations
• using protective devices, such as headphones, earplugs, and earmuffs, where possible
• keeping the volume of devices as low as possible
• receiving a regular hearing check-up

People should also contact their doctor as soon as possible if they experience any symptoms of hearing loss, including:

• difficulty hearing and understanding other people, especially in noisier environments and over the phone
• difficulty hearing music and TV and having to increase the volume higher than other people may need
• feeling tired or stressed by trying to keep up with conversations
• sudden changes in hearing
• fluctuating hearing
• vertigo

A hearing health professional can recommend the devices most suitable for a person’s level of hearing loss. They may suggest hearing aids or cochlear implants depending on an individual’s hearing needs.

Nuheara sells earbuds that may help a person with their hearing. These earbuds have all the same features as regular earbuds and come with extra hearing functions.

However, although these devices may be a cheaper alternative to hearing aids, people should contact a hearing care professional if they believe they are experiencing symptoms of hearing loss. These professionals can recommend suitable hearing aids or other hearing devices.