Sontro Hearing Aids Review

Prices, Sound Recordings, Models

Blake Cadwell

Updated Jan 30, 2024

Methodology

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Watch a video about this product.

Behind the Ear

Affordable

OTC

$ 849.00 / pair

7 Reviews

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Sontro Self-Fitting OTC hearing aids come from a U.S.-based startup called Soundwave Hearing. The founding team has a long history in hearing health and hopes to bring that industry experience directly to the consumer through their new product. Sontro's Self-Fitting Hearing Aids are FDA Cleared.
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Sontro hearing aids use disposable batteries and do not allow Bluetooth streaming at this time. To customize your Sontro hearing aids, you will place them in your ears and use the app to take a short hearing test. The devices then work behind the scenes to change their sound output to match the frequencies where you need amplification.
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One thing that makes Sontro unique is its partnership with the hearing care company Amptify. Each pair of hearing aids comes with a month of free onboarding care from Amptify's hearing experts.

Pros 👍

‍Experienced founding team
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Hearing test to customize the devices to your loss
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One month of expert hearing coaching included

Cons 👎

‍No Bluetooth streaming
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Uses disposable batteries

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Soundly Scorecard

Hearing Loss Level 🔊

Mild - Moderate

Sontro is an OTC product appropriate for mild-moderate hearing loss levels
If you have more significant hearing loss you might consider local or Telehealth care. Read more about prescription Vs. OTC hearing aids here

Care Type 🏥

Over-The-Counter

Available for purchase online
Does not require a prescription from a doctor
Customize your hearing aids with an onboard hearing test and app-controls

Sound Quality 🔊

Average in Background Noise, Very Comfortable Fit

Sontro is slightly less effective than leading prescription devices in background noise (although significantly more affordable)

Comfort 🦻

Very For All-Day Wear

Comfortable receiver-in-canal style is great for all day wear

Style 💫

Behind The Ear

Sits behind the ear with a receiver (speaker) that reaches into the ear canal
Sontro is among the smallest OTC devices that sit behind the ear
Available in grey and beige

Battery 🔋

Disposable Only

Sontro hearing aids are only available with disposable 312 batteries (lasts for 7-10 days)

Connection 📡

Bluetooth Not Available

Bluetooth streaming is available through Sontro hearing aids at this time

Dexterity Level 🤏

Average

Sontro is reasonably easy to handle but does require the wearer to place the hearing aid behind their ear and insert the receiver into the ear (consistent across all behind-the-ear styles)
This hearing aid requires regular battery changes

Waterproof Level 💦

N/A

These hearing aids are not advertised as waterproof. Avoid moisture if possible

App features 📱

Has An App

Take an onboard hearing test to customize your hearing aids
Manually customize treble/bass, volume and programs

What's Included

2 hearing aids with disposable batteries

Manufacturer loss and damage protection and warranty

One month free membership to Amptify

Free mobile app for easy adjustments

Support from the Sontro Care Team, M-F

Return Policy

Sontro comes with a 45-day risk-free trial

Technology

Sontro Self-Fitting OTC hearing aids are no-frills compared to premium devices on the market. They do not come with Bluetooth streaming or rechargeable batteries but they are also significantly more affordable than the national average. Sontro hearing aids do offer a smartphone hearing test that customizes the devices to match your hearing loss. Sontro hearing aids are controlled by the OtoTune app, where you can make adjustments to programs, volume, and sound quality.

How It Works

Order Sontro Self-Fitting OTC hearing aids directly through the HearSoundwave site. All orders come with free shipping, and you can return your hearing aids for any reason within the first 45 days and receive a full refund.

Your hearing aids will arrive in 4-6 business days. You'll get all the accessories you need along with step-by-step instructions on how to customize your hearing aids at home.

If you have issues you can speak to the Sontro customer service team via phone during business hours.

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"After flying airplanes for over 40 years I knew my hearing had decreased a bit. The Sontro Hearing Aids are a perfect solution. Super easy to buy, no doc visits, and they work great! I really like the simplicity of the app. It is so easy to adjust the hearing aids for the changing environments I am in, and the "auto" mode is perfect when I just waRead more about review stating Great solution to hearing problem!nt the hearing aids to change modes automatically."

— Tom L.

"I expected a cheap product for the price and when I put them on and let them program immediately to my hearing loss I was truly amazed. They are so quiet and I can hear again. You guys at Soundwave are angels. Thank you for giving me an affordable gift of hearing."

— Joseph T.

"Do not help at higher end of hearing loss. Glasses really make a lot of noise in contact with the exterior amplifier. The connection between the body and the insert seems too short and the process of figuring out and obtaining another longer one is daunting and has not yet been undertaken. Had I known the impediments prior to purchase, would have stepped up to the Phonak price."

— Robert C.

"Did not keep the aides, but really believe in the system. Online hearing test and bluetooth adjustment to program. Just did not work for me. I think all hearing aide service will go to this format."

— Ronald K.

"Can’t really tell if I like it. EarPods are not comfortable for me. A bit painful after long use."

— Claudette S.

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Overview
Unboxing Sontro Hearing Aids
Sontro Hearing Aid Size and Fit
Sontro Hearing Aid App
Follow-Up Care and Customer Service
Sound Quality And Overall Thoughts
Products
Are Sontro hearing aids worth it?
Final Thoughts

For all the buzz about OTC hearing aids, only a small number of brands managed to release an OTC product in 2022. You can see a complete list here.

One notable new brand to join the OTC party is Sontro OTC hearing aid. Sontro hearing aids come from a U.S.-based startup called Soundwave Hearing. The founding team has a long history in hearing health and hopes to bring that industry experience directly to the consumer through their new product.

I ordered a pair of the new Sontro OTC hearing aids to see the product for myself. In this review, I’ll recap the experience from unboxing to programming and my thoughts on overall quality.

First, some quick facts:

Sontro OTC hearing aids are $999 per pair (significantly less than prescription devices and similar to other OTC leaders).
These hearing aids sit behind the ear and come in grey or beige.
The devices use disposable batteries that need to be changed every 5-7 days.
Sontro hearing aids do not allow Bluetooth streaming.
Sontro OTC Hearing Aids use the patented otoTune app to perform a hearing test to customize your hearing gaids to your specific hearing loss.

Sontro Hearing Aid Review - Prices, Features, App

November 17, 2022

Written by

Blake Cadwell

Reviewed by

Soundly Staff

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.

Unboxing Sontro Hearing Aids

Sontro hearing aids come with free shipping and a 45-day money-back guarantee. Sontro hearing aids and accessories all come in a simple box.

The hearing aids are housed in a soft carry case with extra domes and a cleaning bush. The carry case isn’t quite as premium as the one that comes with Bose hearing aids, but it certainly gets the job done and has enough room to hold some extra batteries.

I was impressed at the compact size and simple design of these hearing aids. Each device has a built-in button that individually controls the volume of that hearing aid. You can currently order Sontro hearing aids in grey or beige.

Sontro Hearing Aid Size and Fit

Sontro hearing aids size compared to other OTC devices

The size impressed me so much that I pulled out some other hearing aids for a side-by-side comparison. From the look of it, Sontro might be the smallest OTC hearing aid that sits behind the ear.

The receiver wire is almost invisible, and the body of the hearing aid sits comfortably behind the ear.

Sontro hearing aids use a size 312 battery (available on Amazon or at most retailers). You will need to replace the battery every 5-7 days. Be sure to open the battery door anytime you aren't using the hearing aids. Opening the door turns off the hearing aid and saves battery.

Sontro Hearing Aid App

My next step was to connect the Sontro hearing aids to the otoTune app. You can search otoTune in the app store or follow the instructions in the quick start guide inside the box.

After a few welcome screens, the app will prompt you to connect your hearing aids. Note that you will need to place a battery in each hearing aid and close the door for this step to work.

Sontro hearing aids connecting to the app

Once the devices are connected to your app, you will want to place them in your ears for a hearing test.

The app has a nice built-in feature that measures the background noise in your environment. If you are in a loud location, it will prompt you to move somewhere else before proceeding with the test.

Once you begin, the app will play a series of sounds through your hearing aids. When you hear the sound in your right or left ear, you will tap R or L.

Once your hearing test is complete, you can move over to the “control” tab on the app to adjust the volume or programs.

Toggle from right to left to move from “automatic” to “quiet” and “noise”. You can make even more adjustments inside the “quiet” and “noise” modes using the equalizer.

For most listening environments, I used the automatic mode.

You are now ready to wear your hearing aids. You can re-take your test or make adjustments whenever you please.

Follow-Up Care and Customer Service

Customer care is an important factor in any hearing aid purchase decision.

SoundWave provides customer care via phone between 8:30 - 4:30 CT Monday - Friday. Note that SoundWave customer service teams cannot make remote adjustments to your hearing aids. They may be able to walk you through tech challenges or facilitate returns.

Sontro hearing aids come with a one-year warranty and 45-day free returns.

Sontro hearing aids come with a free one-month membership to Amptify. The membership includes coaching and educational content.

Sound Quality And Overall Thoughts

Sontro hearing aids are impressively small. I was impressed with the Sontro app's simplicity and the sound quality in quiet and low background noise situations. When I turned up the volume, I had some issues with feedback (squealing).

I'd bet Sontro will be in the OTC space for the long haul. The founders have decades of experience in hearing health, and the product will only get better with time.

Are Sontro hearing aids worth it?

Sontro is a good option for someone who wants the smallest behind-the-ear product possible and prefers to program their own devices. If you are looking for a reference point, Sontro is very similar in price and features to Lexie's range of hearing aids.

If you want a budget option with more hands-on audiology support, I suggest Jabra Enhance.

I hope you've found this review helpful. If you have tried Sontro hearing aids or have questions about my experience, drop me an email at [email protected].

Written by

Blake Cadwell

Reviewed by

Soundly Staff

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.

The breakdown

Sontro is a good option for someone who wants the smallest behind-the-ear product possible and prefers to program their own devices.

If you are looking for a reference point, Sontro is very similar in price and features to Lexie's range of hearing aids.

Man holding a case with Bose hearing aids in it

Man using the otoTune app to program hearing aids

The tech inside

The most notable feature of Sontro hearing aids is the otoTune app which allows users to self-fit the devices to match their hearing loss. The app has a nice built-in feature that measures the background noise in your environment. If you are in a loud location, it will prompt you to move somewhere else before proceeding with the test. Once you begin, the app will play a series of sounds through your hearing aids. When you hear the sound in your right or left ear, you will tap R or L.

Once your hearing test is complete, you can move over to the “control” tab on the app to adjust the volume or programs.

Toggle from right to left to move from “automatic” to “quiet” and “noise”. You can make even more adjustments inside the “quiet” and “noise” modes using the equalizer.

Getting up close

Sontro hearing aids sit behind the ear and come in grey or beige. Our team compared Sontro to other leading OTC hearing aids and found that these are the smallest behind-the-ear style OTC devices on the market.