As I write this review, Leon Bridges is piping through my IQbuds2 MAX headphones with crystal clear sound quality.
Today I’m at a local coffee shop, and the person to my right and left have no idea that my headphones double as high-powered hearing amplification devices.
A few minutes ago I went to the register to refill my coffee, a few taps on my iPhone screen allowed me switch from active noise canceling to sound amplification matched to my hearing loss.
The barista asked for my order and his voice came through the headphones as if I was having a phone conversation with him.
Are these headphones? Yes. Are they hearing aids? Kind of.
In this review I’ll break down my experience with IQbuds2 MAX and give a few pros and cons any shopper should consider.
First, some background on Nuheara.
The Australian-based company was founded by Justin Miller and David Cannington in 2015. Justin’s lifelong struggle with hearing loss inspired him to create a device that could function as a premium pair of headphones while also augmenting sound for those with hearing loss.
Seven years later, the company has raised more than $20M, and their latest generation of earbuds (IQbuds2 MAX) has won several significant awards, including three honors at CES.
Nuheara is well respected by the hearing health world and boasts legitimate technology and a good app. IQbuds2 MAX are just $399, which is one of the lowest-priced hearing aid products available.
On the flip side, the brand gets average marks for customer service across review sites like Amazon and TrustPilot, and the product is too large and not flexible enough for 8-12 hours of continuous wear.
If you think of Nuheara as headphones with special powers, you’ll likely enjoy your experience. If you think of them as hearing aids, you’ll probably be disappointed.
