Regardless of the rise of competitors within the over-the-counter listening to support area, high quality listening to aids stay stubbornly costly. Prime producers aren’t budging their premium costs, however they’ve quietly been introducing cheaper alternate options for customers on a price range. Living proof is Jabra’s Improve Choose 50R, the corporate’s entry-level mannequin.
At first look, the behind-the-ear 50R appears virtually similar to Jabra’s different listening to aids, just like the Improve Choose 300, however a more in-depth examination reveals a couple of {hardware} modifications, together with a curvier, virtually classic design and a bit larger weight. At 2.94 grams, it’s practically 0.4 grams heavier than Jabra’s flagship Improve Choose 500. A single button on the again of every listening to support controls quantity (quantity up on the correct, down on the left) and allows you to cycle via the 4 preset setting packages.
Apart from its slight weight achieve, the most important variations are all below the hood, and primarily they quantity to options out there on the 300 and/or 500 which were stripped out of this unit.
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{Photograph}: Chris Null
Sound processing tech is likely one of the largest modifications, because the 50R has a much less refined audio processor that lacks the spatial consciousness you get with the Improve Choose 300 and 500. The 50R nonetheless has background noise discount and speech prioritization options, however Jabra notes it’s extra appropriate for quieter environments than loud ones.
The distinction in audio high quality between the 50R and 300 is noticeable, although it’s hardly profound. I’ve all the time admired the way in which Jabra’s listening to aids present a mild, pure enhance to listening to high quality whereas dulling noise, and the 50R is sort of the identical, devoid of hiss and suggestions, whereas providing an natural, easygoing enchancment in all varieties of environments, even delicate crowd noise. (Jabra’s normal 4 modes—all-around, restaurant, music, and outside—are additionally out there right here.)
However the sound is a bit flatter and fewer three-dimensional than with the 300 or 500. I solely detected this nuance as a result of years of expertise testing dozens of listening to support fashions of various high quality; generally, the variations amongst them are very fine-grained. However once more, it’s not an enormous hole, and I anticipate most customers will discover the sound high quality spot-on.
I didn’t discover the 50R listening to aids to be fairly as snug to put on for prolonged intervals as Jabra’s different listening to aids, however once more, this can be a nuanced distinction and maybe a pure results of the slight improve in weight.
One other characteristic stripped: The Improve Choose 50R helps Bluetooth streaming for calls and music, however lacks hands-free calling options and help for Auracast. That is in all probability not an enormous deal-breaker, as streaming over listening to aids isn’t a deal with. The dearth of any actual bass response to talk of on the 50Rs comes as no shock, and is par for many conventional listening to aids, significantly Jabra’s.
Case Closed
{Photograph}: Chris Null
Lastly, and this can be a large one, however Jabra’s 50R listening to aids don’t embrace a battery-powered charging case. They solely cost by way of an open-top desktop charger that needs to be plugged by way of a USB-C wire to relay energy on to the items. A easy plastic clamshell case can also be included, nevertheless it has no energy options and is usable just for safety. Jabra claims the 50R listening to aids present a 24-hour working time on a full cost, which appears to be about correct based mostly on my utilization throughout testing.
Lots of the options stay the identical as you’ll discover in different Jabra fashions. The Jabra Improve Choose cell app works identically with the 50R listening to aids because it does with all of Jabra’s merchandise, and consumers who go for the $1,195 model of the product achieve 3 years of Jabra’s top-notch audiology entry and guarantee protection. (The $995 model drops physician entry and cuts the guarantee to 1 yr.) The product can also be out there in the identical 5 colours as different Jabra listening to support fashions.
Jabra’s Improve Choose 300, our prime total listening to support choose, runs $1,695, and the Jabra 500 is $1,995 (each with the three-year guarantee choice). These are vital worth differentials, and it’s tempting to recommend that it’s value saving $500 and dropping a couple of options it’s possible you’ll not miss. Whereas the 50R is a stable product, I nonetheless really feel like most customers will likely be higher served—and extra future-proofed—by upgrading to the midrange Jabra 300. The options misplaced and the marginally decrease audio high quality of the 50R might not be noticeable on day one, however I believe they may hit you ultimately.
