MaxHear
Built for checking before you buy from a brand that already quit once
Bose Reviews & Alternative: What Happened to the Brand
Bose stopped selling hearing aids in May 2022. It exited the category entirely — its president told staff that an independent review of the company's strategy had led her to conclude Bose should no longer be selling hearing aids — and licensed its SoundControl technology to Lexie Hearing, which has sold it since as the Lexie B1, B2, B2 Plus and, from May 2026, the B3 Powered by Bose. In July 2026, Lexie's parent company, LXE Hearing, announced it is winding down its U.S. operations, with customer support guaranteed only through 15 September 2026.
That's two shutdowns to research before you've opened a box with the Bose name on it. MaxHear is a sound amplifier app for iPhone and Android that lets you find out whether amplification helps you at all, for free, using headphones you already own — nothing to license, discontinue or wind down.
Free to try with no account, no email and no card. Headphones required.
"Yep, 52. Didn't have 'hearing problems' on my bingo card this early. 😂 Mine isn't constant. It's mostly restaurants, phone calls and people talking while they're turned away from me. I looked at regular hearing aids and thought, nope, not paying that much yet. MaxHear was a much easier decision."
Kevin D., 52 — Atlanta, GA · MaxHear userWhat owners of the Bose-descended hearing aids actually say
Bose's own SoundControl never built up a large public review base before it was discontinued in 2022. Almost everything written about the technology today is actually about its successor, the Lexie B1, B2 and B2 Plus, sold under license as "Powered by Bose." HearingTracker's own expert score for that lineup is 4.2 out of 5 — but its 5 posted customer reviews average just 2.6 out of 5. We read the full text of every customer review posted there, checked 18 August 2026.
The five HearingTracker reviews split roughly the way most OTC reviews do — a couple of genuinely happy owners, and a couple describing specific hardware or software friction.
"They have not been able to produce it so hook up decently to an Android phone and they have a hard time finding Bluetooth with almost any device and now after only 2 months one of my hearing aids decides it doesn't want to work… I really regret this purchase."
Anonymous, HearingTracker customer review — May 2025"My biggest problem is it works in normal conversations but it doesn't when watching tv. You have to boost the hearing aid volume and adjust the bass/treble mix to hear the tv. Even then the sound texture is strange, very tinny."
Anonymous, HearingTracker customer review — May 2025"I'm very happy with my purchase. Zero issues and prefer not to have to travel to the hearing clinic… I'm out in the boonies."
Anonymous, HearingTracker customer review — April 2023Customer reviews aside, Dr. Ben Thompson, AuD, of Treble Health ran the original Bose SoundControl through real-ear measurement against a mild-to-moderate hearing-loss prescription. His verdict on the out-of-the-box settings, in his own words: "the hearing aid output didn't match the targets; in other words, it didn't match the prescription." Only after maxing the app's volume, gain and treble controls, and swapping the receiver dome, did the output move closer to target — and even then, he estimated a self-tuning user in that position would get roughly 65–70% of the benefit of a professionally fitted device with comparable hardware.
The finding worth knowing before you buy anything with the Bose name on it: the box says Bose, the company doesn't
Bose's president, Lila Snyder, told employees in February 2022 that an independent review of the company's strategy led her to conclude Bose should no longer be selling hearing aids; SoundControl was discontinued that May, and Bose's health division was eliminated. The technology didn't disappear — it was licensed to Lexie Hearing, later merged with Eargo and Go Hearing into LXE Hearing behind a reported $100 million investment. In July 2026, barely two months after launching a $999 "B3 Powered by Bose" model, LXE told customers: "Our parent company, LXE Hearing, has begun a wind-down of its US operations. This decision follows extensive efforts to restructure the business and pursue strategic transactions to maintain support for our customers. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, we were unable to identify a viable path forward." HearingTracker's own verdict, checked the same week: "Because of these unresolved questions, HearingTracker cannot currently recommend purchasing Lexie, Eargo, or Go Hearing products."
What it costs, and what a "Bose" hearing aid actually is today
There's no current Bose-branded hearing aid you can buy directly from Bose — only Lexie's licensed lineup.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bose SoundControl, per pair (discontinued 2022) | $849–$900 | Bose / retail listings at discontinuation |
| Lexie B1, per pair | $649 (often $549 discounted) | HearingTracker |
| Lexie B2, per pair | $799 | HearingTracker |
| Lexie B2 Plus, per pair | $999 (often $899 discounted) | HearingTracker |
| Lexie B3 Powered by Bose, per pair | $999 | The Hearing Review, launched May 2026 |
| Support after purchase | guaranteed only through 15 Sept 2026 | LXE Hearing wind-down notice |
| MaxHear | free to find out, then the plan is shown in the app | — |
Original Medicare covers neither hearing aids nor the exams used to fit them, no matter which name is on the box. Buying one of these today also means buying into a support timeline that, by the seller's own admission, currently has a hard end date.
"Bose hearing aids" vs MaxHear
One is dedicated hardware from a company mid wind-down. The other is an app that answers a cheaper question first.
| What matters | MaxHear Sound amplifier app | "Bose" hearing aids Lexie B1/B2/B2 Plus/B3, licensed tech |
|---|---|---|
| First step | Open the app No form, no purchase | Buy a physical device From a company mid wind-down |
| Company still standing behind it | MaxHear Nothing to license or discontinue | Uncertain past 15 Sept 2026 Per the maker's own wind-down notice |
| Self-tuning accuracy | Not lab-tested A general-purpose amplifier, not a clinical device | Independently measured gap vs. prescription Treble Health: didn't match target out of the box |
| Hardware required | None Uses the phone and headphones you own | Yes Dedicated hearing-aid hardware, can fail or need parts |
| Adjustable by you | Yes, live Four-band equalizer, changes as you listen | Via app Android/Bluetooth pairing complaints in customer reviews |
| Cost | 3 days free to try, then the plan is shown in the app Nothing to buy to find out | $649–$999 a pair Medicare pays nothing; support timeline uncertain |
If you want dedicated, FDA-regulated hardware and accept the current support uncertainty, Lexie's lineup is a real, if newly risky, option. If you'd rather know whether amplification helps you at all before buying anything from anyone, that's the question MaxHear answers first.
Why people check MaxHear before buying "Bose" hearing aids
Chosen from what actually recurs in the reviews and reporting above — not a generic list.
Nothing to license, discontinue or wind down
Bose quit hearing aids in 2022; the company that licensed its tech is quitting the U.S. market in 2026. MaxHear is an app you already trust to stay on your phone, not hardware tied to one company's survival.
Judge the sound with your own ears, not an algorithm's estimate
Treble Health's real-ear measurement found the self-tuned output missed the mark before manual adjustment. MaxHear doesn't claim to hit a clinical target — it lets you tune live, by what you actually hear.
Uses the headphones you've already paired
No new hearing-aid-specific Bluetooth hardware to pair, reset or troubleshoot. MaxHear runs on the phone in your pocket and whatever headphones already connect to it.
Built for exactly that moment
One reviewer described boosting the hearing aid volume and adjusting the TV separately every time. MaxHear's live equalizer — bass, voice, clarity, treble — is made to be adjusted in the moment, with a reset button if you overshoot.
Which one is actually right for you
Three honest positions, not two.
Your loss is beyond what a self-fit device covers
Severe or profound loss, one-ear loss, or conductive/mixed loss needs a professional, regardless of brand. Go promptly if loss came on suddenly or you have ear pain, discharge, dizziness or ringing.
You want FDA-cleared hardware and accept the risk
You understand support is only guaranteed through 15 September 2026, HearingTracker currently can't recommend a purchase, and you're comfortable with that uncertainty in exchange for dedicated hardware today.
You'd rather not tie the answer to one company's survival
Your struggle is situational, or you want to know whether amplification helps before spending on hardware whose maker's own support timeline has an end date. Test it free first.
A ten-minute check before you buy anything with the Bose name on it
Do this before adding anything to a cart. It costs nothing and gives you your own answer.
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, the TV at normal volume, 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? If yes, you've learned amplification helps — and you can decide on hardware with that answer already in hand.
FAQ: Bose hearing aid reviews and alternatives
Does Bose still sell hearing aids?
No. Bose discontinued its SoundControl hearing aid in May 2022 and exited the category entirely, eliminating its health division. It licensed the underlying technology to Lexie Hearing.
What is "Lexie Powered by Bose"?
It's Lexie Hearing's OTC hearing aid lineup (B1, B2, B2 Plus, and from May 2026 the B3), built on technology licensed from Bose after Bose exited the hardware business. Bose itself does not manufacture, sell or support these devices.
Is it safe to buy a Lexie or Bose-branded hearing aid right now?
Lexie's parent company, LXE Hearing, announced in July 2026 that it is winding down its U.S. operations, guaranteeing customer support only through 15 September 2026 and with no confirmed long-term plan for apps, warranties or replacement parts. HearingTracker states it cannot currently recommend purchasing Lexie, Eargo or Go Hearing products because of this.
How much do Bose-licensed hearing aids cost?
The original Bose SoundControl sold for about $849–$900 before its 2022 discontinuation. Lexie's current lineup runs from $649 (B1) to $999 (B2 Plus and B3 Powered by Bose), per HearingTracker and manufacturer listings.
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. Its purpose is answering whether amplification helps you at all, for free, before you spend anything on hardware.
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Compare other brands
Audien and Jabra Enhance sit in the same self-fit OTC category, each with its own story once you read past the star count. 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.