MaxHear
Built for reading past the star count
Audien Reviews & Alternative, Checked Against the Source
Audien's ratings look almost too good: 4.98 out of 5 on Target from nearly 10,000 reviews, A+ and 4.47 out of 5 with the Better Business Bureau. We read the actual review text behind those numbers, and it tells a more complicated story than the star count alone.
An independent acoustics lab, testing the same device, gives it a C. MaxHear is a sound amplifier app for iPhone and Android that lets you judge the sound for yourself, for free, using headphones you already own, before you buy anything from anyone.
Free to try with no account, no email and no card. Headphones required.
"I'm not saying this fixed everything, but it has made certain situations easier. I mainly notice the difference when the TV is on or when several people are talking at once."
Bill J., 73 — St. Louis, MO · MaxHear userWhat Audien owners actually say — and what the stars don't tell you
Audien's Atom Pro 2 holds 4.98 out of 5 from just over 10,000 reviews on Target, the large majority five stars. Its Better Business Bureau profile, A+ and accredited since December 2021 (the business itself started in 2019), shows 4.47 out of 5 from 1,544 reviews. We read the Target reviews carrying full text, checked 19 August 2026.
Read the text behind the five-star average and a pattern appears fast: several reviewers are rating the support experience, not the device. That is a real and reasonable thing to reward, but it is a different question than "does this help you hear."
"Unfortunately these did not work for me. The Audien assistant was so helpful in trying to help get the right fit… was very kind, patient, and respectful even though I did not buy the hearing aids."
"Great service and product", Target — 5 stars, 17 August 2026"The jury is still out. Not 100% pleased. I'm still experiencing feedback & takes a lot of repositioning to quiet it. Still waiting on the smaller domes."
"Whistling hearing aids", Target — 5 stars, 17 August 2026A third five-star review, titled "Love them but have to replace them," confirms the same pattern in its title alone even where the visible text only covers a positive support interaction.
None of that means the five stars are fake — support really does sound good in these accounts. It means a near-perfect average, on its own, answers "how was the return process" more reliably than it answers "will this help me hear better," which is a different question entirely.
The finding worth knowing before you buy: the lab and the reviews disagree, for a reason
Independent testing at HearAdvisor gives the Atom Pro 2 an overall grade of C, with speech-in-quiet at 0.7 out of 5 and speech-in-noise at 0.5 out of 5 — weak numbers, not a rounding error. That is measuring one specific thing: how clearly the device renders speech under controlled conditions. Target's star average is measuring something else: whether nearly 10,000 individual buyers, most rating right after a purchase or a support interaction, felt good about their experience. Both numbers are real. Neither one, by itself, tells you whether it will work for your ears in your rooms.
What it costs, and how the trial actually works
Audien's lineup runs from a genuinely cheap entry point to a mid-tier touchscreen model.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Atom, per pair | $99 | Audien / retail listings |
| Atom Pro, per pair | $242 | industry pricing guides |
| Atom Pro 2, per pair | $289–$290 | Target / Audien |
| Atom X (touchscreen), per pair | $389 | Audien, launched Sep 2025 |
| Trial | 45 days, requires a call or video appointment to start a return | Audien refund policy |
| Warranty | 1 year; optional $4/month plan covers loss and damage | Audien limited warranty |
| Return shipping | buyer pays | Audien refund policy |
| MaxHear | free to find out, then the plan is shown in the app | — |
The 45-day window is longer than many OTC brands offer, and it's a real point in Audien's favor — but starting a return requires talking to someone first, not a self-serve click. Original Medicare covers neither hearing aids nor the exams used to fit them.
Audien vs MaxHear
Both are self-fit. Compared on what's actually different once that's equal.
| What matters | MaxHear Sound amplifier app | Audien OTC self-fit hearing aid |
|---|---|---|
| Try before you own anything | Yes — free mode, permanently No account, no email, no card | Only after buying 45-day window, needs a call to start a return |
| Independently measured sound quality | Not lab-tested A general-purpose amplifier, not a clinical device | Grade C HearAdvisor: 0.7/5 speech in quiet, 0.5/5 in noise |
| Rating you can actually trust | None claimed We don't publish a star count for MaxHear on this site | Read the text, not the average A recurring pattern of five-star reviews describing a failed device |
| Hardware required | None Uses the phone and headphones you own | Yes A physical device that can fail, need repair, or get lost |
| Adjustable by you | Yes, live Four-band equalizer, changes as you listen | Limited Basic presets at the lower price tiers |
| Cost | 3 days free to try, then the plan is shown in the app Nothing to buy to find out | $99–$389 a pair Medicare pays nothing |
If you've read the reviews closely, understand what the lab grade is actually measuring, and still want cheap hardware, Audien is a real, accredited option. If you just want to know whether amplification helps before any of that, that's the question MaxHear answers first.
Why people check MaxHear before trusting a star average alone
Chosen from what the reviews and the lab data actually show — not a generic list.
Processing built for the thing that actually matters
HearAdvisor's low speech-in-noise score points at exactly the problem most people are trying to solve. Voice Focus lifts the band where speech lives and trims the low rumble underneath, rather than amplifying everything, noise included.
Judge it with your own ears, not someone else's average
You don't have to guess whether "4.98 stars" means the device works for you specifically. MaxHear's free mode lets you test amplification in your own rooms, with your own hearing, in minutes.
Nothing to break, repair or replace
No unit to fail, no return call to schedule, no protection plan to consider. MaxHear runs on the phone in your pocket and any headphones — AirPods, Bluetooth, or wired.
The sliders stay in your hands
MaxHear's equalizer — bass, voice, clarity, treble — changes live while you're listening, with a reset button. No tier to upgrade to for real control.
Which one is actually right for you
Three honest positions, not two.
Your loss is beyond what a budget OTC device covers
Audien's own devices are built for mild loss at the lower tiers. Severe or profound loss, one-ear loss, or conductive/mixed loss needs a professional. Go promptly if loss came on suddenly or you have ear pain, discharge, dizziness or ringing.
You want the lowest entry price and accept the lab data
You understand the acoustic performance is modest, the 45-day trial requires a call to start, and you're comparing on price above all else. The BBB accreditation and long trial are genuine, if imperfect, safety nets.
You want to judge the sound yourself first
Your struggle is situational, or you'd rather test amplification with your own ears than trust an average built mostly from support interactions. Test it free first.
A ten-minute check before you trust a star average
Do this before adding anything to a cart. It costs nothing and gives you your own answer, not someone else's.
Write down your three hardest moments
The restaurant table, the phone call, the TV at family dinners. Specific beats "I can't hear well."
Grab headphones you already own
Wired or Bluetooth, whatever you have — no new hardware needed to test the question.
Start in a quiet room, level low
The app opens quiet on purpose — you set the level, with one person talking to you.
Then test your actual worst room
The kitchen mid-cooking, or a café at lunch. That's the situation you're really solving for.
Judge it on one thing
Are you asking people to repeat themselves less? Not whether it sounds pleasant. If yes, you've learned amplification helps — on your own evidence, not a star average.
FAQ: Audien reviews and alternatives
Is Audien's 4.98-star rating real?
The number itself appears to be genuine — it's Target's own aggregate from thousands of purchase reviews. What's worth knowing is that a meaningful share of even the five-star reviews describe a device that failed or needed replacement, with the high rating reflecting satisfaction with support rather than sound quality.
Why does an independent lab rate Audien so much lower than customers do?
They're measuring different things. HearAdvisor's lab grade (C, with weak speech-in-noise and speech-in-quiet scores) tests acoustic performance under controlled conditions. Target's star average captures overall purchase satisfaction, which is often driven by price, ease of ordering, and customer service.
Is Audien BBB accredited?
Yes, accredited since December 2021 (the business itself started in 2019), with an A+ letter grade and 4.47 out of 5 from 1,544 customer reviews as of this check.
How much does Audien cost, and can I return it?
From $99 for the base Atom up to $389 for the Atom X. There's a 45-day trial, but starting a return requires a phone or video appointment rather than a self-serve process, and you pay return shipping.
Can an app replace a hearing aid?
No, and MaxHear doesn't claim to. It's a sound amplifier app, not a medical device, and isn't authorized as a hearing aid. It exists to answer whether amplification helps you at all, for free, before you spend anything on hardware.
Related reading
See Voice Focus, the equalizer and Ear Guard inside the app
A walk through the four screens that do the work, in the order you'll meet them.
Free to tryWhat's free forever, and what Premium adds
The exact limits of the free mode, and what unlocks with the 3-day trial.
Higher-tier OTC optionJabra Enhance reviews & alternative
A pricier OTC brand with its own, different pattern of reviews.
Compare other brands
Nearly every budget OTC hearing aid brand carries a similarly high star average on the retailer that sells it. We're building an honest page for each.
Stop asking people to repeat themselves
Install MaxHear, connect the headphones you already own, and hear the next conversation clearly.