The 4 environmental modes may be of some assist right here, however the most effective in my expertise was the default Consolation mode, which “reduces the sharpness of high-frequency sounds and overall intensity, creating a more comfortable, balanced listening experience.” The Atom X’s Dialog mode was too sharp for a lot use, whereas the Crowd and TV modes didn’t make a big effect compared to the Consolation mode.
{Photograph}: Chris Null
I instantly seen that there was a a lot decrease stage of hiss on the Atom X than on earlier Audien listening to aids, however the total expertise nonetheless wasn’t all that efficient. By blasting out decrease frequencies I didn’t want amplified, I discovered I typically heard worse with the listening to aids in than with them out—and this was exacerbated the louder I pushed the amount. At very low ranges of amplification (10 or 20 % at most), the listening to aids had been at their handiest for me. Something past that threatened to get painful.
At $389, the Atom X is a tricky promote in comparison with the $249 Apple AirPods Professional 3, which have a tuning system, app management, excellent noise cancellation, and total better-quality listening to assist. Sure, they’re much bigger and extra seen than the Atom X aids, however when you by no means really put on your listening to aids as a result of they don’t present a terrific expertise, how a lot does discretion even matter?