Despite the rise In the competition in the field of over-the-counter hearing aids, quality hearing aids remain stubbornly expensive. Top producers have not promoted their high-priced prices, but they quietly introduced cheaper alternatives to budget consumers. A typical one is Jabra’s Enhance SELECT 50R, the company’s entry-level model.
At first glance, the lagging 50R looks almost the same as Jabra’s other hearing aids, such as the Enhance Select 300, but a closer inspection reveals some hardware changes, including a more curved, almost old-fashioned design and higher weight. At 2.94 grams, it’s 500 enhancements to the flagship volume of Jabra’s flagship is nearly 0.4 grams. A button controlled by each hearing aid controls the volume (the volume on the right, the left down) and allows you to loop through four preset environment programs.
Apart from a slight weight gain, the main differences are under the hood, which is mainly equivalent to the stripped 300 and/or 500 functions.
Gentle enhancement
Photo: Chris Null
Sound processing technology is one of the biggest changes, as the 50R has a less complex audio processor, so it lacks the spatial awareness you gain with the Angerance Seless Select 300 and 500. The 50R still has the ability to reduce background noise and voice priority, but Jabra Nots points out that it is better suited for quieter environments than louder ones.
The audio quality difference between the 50R and 300 is obvious, although it is not profound. I’ve always appreciated Jabra’s hearing aids that provide a soft, natural way to enhance hearing quality while making noise while the 50R is nearly identical, without hissing and feedback while providing organic, easy-going improvements, even mild crowd noise in all types of environments. (Jabra’s standard four modes – all aspects, restaurants, music and outdoor activities – are also available here.)
However, compared to 300 or 500, the sound is a bit flat, three-dimensional. I found this nuance only because of years of experience testing dozens of hearing aid models of different quality. Sometimes, the differences between them are very fine-grained. But again, this is not a huge gap and I hope most users will find spots of quality quality.
I haven’t found the 50R hearing aids as comfortable as other hearing aids for a long time, but again, this is a slight difference, perhaps a natural result of a slight weight gain.
Another feature stripped off: Enhanced option 50R supports Bluetooth streaming for calls and music, but lacks handleless call functionality and support for Auracast. This may not be a huge disruptor, as streaming of hearing aids is rarely a treat. It’s no surprise that there is any real bass reaction to talk about the 50R, and for most traditional hearing aids, especially those from Jabra.
Case closed
Photo: Chris Null
Finally, it’s a big deal, but Jabra’s 50R hearing aid does not include a battery-powered charging case. They are charged only via an open desktop charger that must be plugged in via a USB-C cable to transfer power directly to the unit. A simple plastic cover housing is also included, but has no power function and is only for protection. Jabra claims that the 50R hearing aid provides 24 hours of running time, which seems to be accurate based on how I used it during the test.
Many features are the same as you’ve found in other Jabra models. Jabra enhances the selection of mobile apps with 50R hearing aids in the same amount as all of Jabra’s products, while buyers who choose the $1,195 version of this product can get Jabra’s top audiology access and warranty coverage for 3 years. (The $995 version will give doctor access and cut the warranty to 1 year.) The product is also available in five colors in the same way as other Jabra hearing aid models.
Jabra’s Enhanced Choice 300 (our overall hearing aid option) costs $1,695 and the Jabra 500 costs $1,995 (both three-year warranty options). These are huge price differences, and it’s easy to show that it’s worth saving $500 and giving up some features you might not miss. While the 50R is a reliable product, I still feel that most users can upgrade to the mid-range Jabra 300. The missing features and the 50R have a slightly lower audio quality, but I suspect they will eventually hit the 50R.
