In the past few years, we’ve seen a number of earbud manufacturers use their audio expertise to create over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids that you can calibrate using a companion app, saving you from having to book a visit to the audiologist. Some of them even pull double duty as true wireless earbuds, allowing you to amplify your hearing capabilities using the same device you use to listen to Britney Spears’ greatest hits. The Sennheiser All-Day Clear is the consumer audio outfit’s first foray into the category.
In case you didn’t know, Sennheiser actually sold its consumer audio business last year to hearing aid specialists Sonova, so that the outfit can focus their attention on their pro-grade lineup. That means, this device benefits not just from Sennheiser’s audio expertise, but also Sonova’s hearing aids experience, making it a genuinely interesting option in the pretty nascent OTC hearing aid category.
The Sennheiser All-Day Clear is actually a two-in-one, as it can serve both as a hearing aid and as true wireless (TWS) earbuds, so you can use it to hear the world better one moment and tune it out the next. However, this is a pair of hearing aids first and foremost, as it’s not designed to lodge in your ear the way hearing aids and TWS earbuds combos like the Jabra Enhance Plus does. instead, it’s meant to wear like a traditional hearing aid, with a housing that secures right behind the ear and an earpiece attached to it via a transparent cable, making it mostly inconspicuous to wear on your ears.
It uses Sonova’s tech for the hearing aid, which promises to deliver clear and vibrant sound, complete with an intelligent scene detection feature that can monitor the environment constantly and adjust its optimization of sounds accordingly. Basically, it will look to optimize the volume and clarity of spoken dialogue, while tuning out as much of the noise.
The Sennheiser All-Day Clear can be customized for optimal function to your own hearing levels using the companion app, a process that, the outfit claims, only takes around five minutes. Yes, that’s significantly shorter than the customizations we’ve seen from other OTC hearing aids, which can take as long as 30 minutes. For those who feel more comfortable actually getting professional advice, though, the outfit is also offering an In-Clinic Care Package for extra cost, which you can use to set up an actual consultation to help you tailor the hearing aids to your specific needs.
As for music listening, we doubt this will sound as good as your favorite Sennheiser earbuds. We mean… those things are optimized for music playback, while this does its best work amplifying ambient voices, so you can hear them clearly. Still, you should be able to use it to enjoy your favorite tracks and podcasts whenever you feel like it. According to the outfit, the hearing aids are rated to run for 16 hours between charges, with the included charging case probably holding one or two full charges (it’s not listed yet).
The Sennheiser All-Day Clear comes out mid-July, priced at $1,399.95.