Full Review
Sennheiser is unarguably one of the elite names in audio. Musicians and audiophiles love the brand's purist approach to sound, and Sennheiser's $60K headphones have made a habit of going viral on YouTube for invoking big feelings (even tears) in audiophile listeners.
So when hearing aid giant Sonova purchased Sennheiser in 2022, I got excited. A little over a year later, Sennheiser (under new ownership) officially joined the OTC hearing aid market. The brand released a conversation boost product called Conversation Clear Plus earlier in 2023. That first product was a headphone, hearing aid hybrid but didn't really compete with traditional hearing aids. All-Day Clear is Sennheiser's first bonafide hearing aid, and it's pretty great.
For this review, I got my hands on both the Slim and non-Slim versions of the product and put them through the paces. Here's my full review. 👇
Sennheiser All Day Clear
Blake Cadwell is a hearing aid wearer and co-founder at Soundly. Soundly began as a passion project after Blake’s frustrating search for hearing aids. Blake regularly tests and reviews hearing technology to share his experience with Soundly’s readers.
Soundly conducts in-depth research to guide prospective hearing aid wearers. Our work is funded through reader support. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
Sennheiser All-Day Clear Unboxing
Sennheiser offers two models of their All-Day Clear hearing aids. One is called All-Day Clear and the other is called All-Day Clear Slim. I got both pairs to compare them side by side.
The only meaningful difference between the two models is form factor. Slim is skinnier and longer while the non slim version is smaller overall.
Interestingly, the Slim version of the product has a chunky rubber earpiece, while the non-slim version has a standard open-fit ear tip.
I reached out to Sennheiser to learn more about the larger design on the Slim version, and they shared that some customers might enjoy a more sealed-off earpiece for sound-quality reasons.
Personally, I prefer the smaller ear tip for comfort and appearance.
Below is an image of both products in my ears. You'll note the larger black piece and the slightly longer body on the left.
After unboxing the product took some time to try each of the extra dome tips and find the one that is most comfortable for me. Note that dome tip changes are only possible on the All-Day Clear (non-slim) version.
Both devices come with a recharge case that must be plugged into the wall while in use. The recharge case is simple to use but I did notice that Sennheiser opted for contact-based charging instead of induction charging. Not a big deal to me, but slightly less premium than top prescription devices on the market.
Programming and App Controls
Once I had my new Sennheiser hearing aids out of the box, it was time to connect them to my smartphone and program them to my hearing loss.
Step 1: Download The App
The first step was simply to download the All-Day Clear app. Just search "Sennheiser All-Day Clear" in you Apple or Google app store and hit download.
Step 2: Bluetooth Pairing
Open your newly download app, choose the version of the product you purchased and follow the instructions to connect your hearing aids and phone via Bluetooth.
Step 3: Create a Sound Profile
All-Day Clear is an over-the-counter hearing aid. That means you'll program your devices from home through the smartphone app.
Sennheiser guides you through this process in a few simple steps. First, you'll listen to a recorded track and choose the volume and clarity that is most comfortable to you.
There's no secret here, just pick the settings that sound best. You'll have more opportunities to customize things in the next step.
Step 4: Control Your Hearing Aids
Once your hearing profile is set you'll have access to the main app controls. Some of the key key features include:
- Volume control
- Split volume control (left and right)
- Equalizer control (bass, treble, mids)
The app is pretty minimal. You can turn on wind-noise reduction or opt for a music setting which makes live music sound more natural. Otherwise, there's not a whole lot more to it.
It's worth noting that you can control your hearing volume and programs using onboard buttons on the device as well. I regularly use those buttons throughout the day when I need additional volume or want to turn down a loud environment.
Final Thoughts
So the big question: is All-Day Clear worth a try?
I'd say yes if you have mild-moderate hearing loss and don't mind a DIY programming approach.
All-Day Clear has the best sound quality I've heard in a self-fitting, over-the-counter hearing aid. I've spent time wearing Sonova's flagship Phonak Lumity, and while the bells and whistles of Lumity are undeniable (better customization, charger, and app), All-Day Clear is cut from the same technological cloth - at 1/3 the price.
Is All-Day Clear perfect? No. But it might be the strongest mid-priced, OTC product on the market as of 2024.
Blake Cadwell is a hearing aid wearer and co-founder at Soundly. Soundly began as a passion project after Blake’s frustrating search for hearing aids. Blake regularly tests and reviews hearing technology to share his experience with Soundly’s readers.
Soundly conducts in-depth research to guide prospective hearing aid wearers. Our work is funded through reader support. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.