After about 2 weeks with the Lexie B2 Plus powered by Bose, I’ve sent them home. If you’ve read my other hearing aid post here, you’ve heard how much I liked these hearing aids. They were great. They just weren’t as good as the Jabra Enhance Select 500, and they had one problem that was a deal-breaker for me.
Recap on Lexie B2 Plus
The B2 Plus checked all the boxes. They are comfortable to wear all day, they have a rechargeable battery that lasts more than all day and they have a case that holds an additional charge. The sound quality was very good. They have bluetooth streaming and a solid smartphone app. They helped me hear spoken words and music sounded natural, not tinny. Support was better than expected. I was able to speak to a live person via the smartphone app and get 1 on 1 support. Oh yeah, and they only cost me $699.
What Went Wrong?
Sounds like a no-brainer purchase – what happened?
Most importantly, the B2 Plus are advertised as a solution for mild to moderate hearing loss. I am pushing the boundaries of moderate and creeping into severe hearing loss at high frequencies. I needed to turn the volume up on the hearing aids and this caused feedback. When I put my ear close to anything or put my hand over my ear, there was a loud squeal. Oddly, I also heard the squeal when playing particular songs. Certain notes seemed to trigger a less loud, though annoying version of the squeal.
The B2 Plus also is not the Jabra Select 500. During extensive testing in the studio (the front seat of my BMW 530), I compared spoken word tracks and music tracks using both sets of hearing aids. I’m sure my neighbors thought I was a lunatic, sitting in my car on a hot day with the engine off and the windows closed, doing strange things with my ears. The Jabra hearing aids were superior, in my opinion. Sound is a very personal preference, so you may feel differently.
My Impressions
I found the B2 Plus to be an outstanding value. They are very capable hearing aids and at the bargain price of $699, they compare favorably to the $1,999 Jabra Enhance 500 and to the $4,299 Hear.com Horizon IX. More details here.
Bottom line was that they helped me hear spoken words more clearly and they amplified music accurately. Without the loud feedback, these likely would have been a keeper.
Return Process
Returns were fairly seamless. I called Lexie and told them I wanted to return. I was transferred to a specialist who reviewed my history and saw that I had called twice for help with the feedback problem. Since there were no other options to address my problem, the rep authorized my return.
The B2 Plus hearing aids are shipped with a USPS return label so I repacked everything, stuck the label on the box and off they went.
Refurbished?
I was somewhat surprised to find info on the Lexie site that said that they do not refurbish hearing aids after a trial.
Interesting.
I understand why they really want to ensure there is nothing else they can do before they end a trial.
Also makes me think how lucrative this business must be that hearing aid companies can afford to offer these free trials knowing they’ll need to destroy some percentage of the hearing aids when they are returned. According to most reviews I’ve read across many companies, people seem to be pretty happy with the hearing improvement, but I’m sure there are still quite a few that come back.
Update: 1/28/2024
The whole “law requires us to dispose…” didn’t seem right to me.
I’ve tried to come up with some supporting information regarding the reselling of used hearing aids. From what I’ve read, it seems legal. You can find them on ebay and you can read here for more info from verywellhealth. I am no expert, but from my reading it seems that used hearing aids can be refurbished and resold as long as they are labeled as such.
Now, Lexie’s position could be influenced by regulations in another country or it could be the company’s position based on the laws and risks in the countries in which they do business.
Update: 10/4/2024
Soundly reviewed these hearing aids. Click here for a much more coherent review.
Wrap-up
So anyway, I think I’m done with the great hearing experiment of 2024. It was fun.
For me, the Jabra Enhance 500 is the clear winner. But again, hearing is subjective so I would encourage you to try a few before deciding. I am less inclined to try more hearing aids now knowing that the used hearing aids (may?) need to be destroyed, but I still think it is important to try a couple before committing a large sum of money. Any hearing aid is likely to improve your hearing, but how do you make a decision without a comparison of some sort?
I hope you found this interesting. Let me know in the comments section.