MaxHear
Built for reading the lab data, not just the letter grade
MDHearing Reviews & Alternative, Score Below Zero
MDHearing is A+ and accredited with the Better Business Bureau, and the company answered all 5 complaints filed against it in the past year. Independent lab testing of its Neo XS model tells a different story: a SoundScore of 2.5 out of 5, grade C, ranked #47 of 63 OTC devices — and a speech-in-noise score of −0.2 out of 5 out of the box, one of the only negative scores in the entire test set. Professional tuning closes that gap completely, to a perfect 5.0 in both speech in quiet and speech in noise — but that means the out-of-the-box, self-fit experience most buyers actually get is the negative-scoring one.
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.
"My granddaughter finally said, 'Grandma, I just told you that.' That was my wake-up call. I really wasn't ignoring her. I just wasn't catching everything. I wanted something simple and not crazy expensive. MaxHear has made talking with the grandkids much easier."
Carol B., 69 — Raleigh, NC · MaxHear userWhat MDHearing owners actually say — and what "responded" means in practice
MDHearing's BBB profile looks clean at a glance: A+, accredited, and all 5 complaints filed in the past year received a company response, checked 19 August 2026. Read the complaints themselves and a different picture appears — how long it took to get that response.
"Responded to" and "resolved quickly" aren't the same thing. Two of the recent complaints, in the filers' own words:
"I recently purchased hearing aids from MDHearing and they plainly stated that if I wasn't satisfied with the product I could return it within 45 days for a refund. I have tried 4 emails and 2 phone calls to make arrangements for my refund and as of now have heard absolutely NOTHING back from MDHearing."
BBB complaint — 9 October 2025"Ordered hearing aids 11/17/2024 with 45 day refund. Called on December 17th for a return packet…Haven't received it as of 12/28/2024. This company is unreliable. Have contacted them repeatedly with no help in sight."
BBB complaint — 28 December 2024A separate hands-on tester, reviewing the Neo XS directly for HearingTracker, described the acoustic side of the same trial period: "I experienced regular feedback while using Neo XS which limited speech clarity as the higher-volume settings were unusable," adding a "constant 'hissing' in the background regardless of the program or volume setting selected."
The finding worth knowing before you buy: a 100% response rate on paper, and multiple emails before it arrives
BBB's topline number for MDHearing is genuinely good: every complaint filed in the past year got a company response, and the letter grade is A+. Both complaints above did eventually resolve. What the BBB summary number doesn't show is the gap between filing and resolution — one complainant describes four emails and two calls before anything happened; the other describes calling for a return packet and still not having it eleven days later. Separately, HearAdvisor's lab data shows the Neo XS badly needs that professional calibration: out of the box it scores a negative −0.2 for speech in noise, but a full professional tuning brings both speech-in-quiet and speech-in-noise up to a perfect 5.0. A self-fit buyer who never gets it properly tuned is using the negative-scoring version.
What it costs
MDHearing positions itself as a budget option among OTC brands.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Neo XS, per pair | $397 | HearingTracker |
| Trial | 45 days | MDHearing's own policy |
| Warranty | 1 year | HearingTracker |
| Return process (per BBB complaints) | reportedly requires repeated follow-up | BBB complaint filings |
| 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. Keep every return-request email and call log dated — per the complaints above, that's what eventually moved things forward.
MDHearing vs MaxHear
Both are self-fit. Compared on what's actually different once that's equal.
| What matters | MaxHear Sound amplifier app | MDHearing Neo XS 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; complaints describe slow returns |
| Independently measured speech in noise | Not lab-tested A general-purpose amplifier, not a clinical device | −0.2/5 HearAdvisor, unchanged after tuning |
| Adjustable by you | Yes, live Four-band equalizer, changes as you listen | Self-fit only Lab data shows it needs professional tuning to score well |
| Hardware required | None Uses the phone and headphones you own | Yes A physical device, reported feedback/hissing at higher volumes |
| Getting help if something's wrong | Nothing to request No purchase, no return process | Eventually, per BBB Complaints describe multiple follow-ups before a response |
| Cost | 3 days free to try, then the plan is shown in the app Nothing to buy to find out | $397 a pair Medicare pays nothing |
If you want a budget, instant-fit device and accept the documented feedback and speech-in-noise limitations, MDHearing is a real, accredited option. If you first want to know whether amplification helps you at all, that's a cheaper, faster question, and MaxHear answers it before you're relying on anyone's return process.
Why people check MaxHear before ordering an MDHearing device
Chosen from what actually recurs in the lab data and complaints above — not a generic list.
Judge the sound with your own ears
Lab data measures one specific device under controlled conditions. MaxHear lets you test amplification in your own rooms, with your own hearing, in minutes.
Nothing to request a return on
No purchase, no return packet to wait for. MaxHear's free mode is simply there, indefinitely.
Live adjustment, with a reset if it's off
MaxHear's four-band equalizer — bass, voice, clarity, treble — is meant to be tuned by ear, in the moment.
Adjustment that actually responds
MaxHear's sliders change what you hear immediately, so you can tell right away whether a setting is helping — no professional appointment required to get there.
Which one is actually right for you
Three honest positions, not two.
Your loss is beyond what a budget OTC device covers
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 an instant-fit budget device and accept the lab data
The 45-day trial and A+ BBB rating are real, if you're prepared to follow up in writing if a return doesn't move quickly.
You want to judge the sound yourself first
Your struggle is situational, or you'd rather test amplification with your own ears than rely on a device whose own lab scores don't improve with tuning. Test it free first.
A ten-minute check before you order
Do this before adding anything to a cart. It costs nothing and gives you your own answer, not a lab'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.
FAQ: MDHearing reviews and alternatives
Is MDHearing a good hearing aid brand?
It's A+ and accredited with the Better Business Bureau, and answered all 5 complaints filed against it in the past year. Independent lab testing of its Neo XS model gives it a C grade with a below-zero speech-in-noise score, so the BBB rating and the acoustic performance measure two different things.
Does MDHearing's 45-day return actually work?
BBB records show every recent complaint eventually received a response. Reading the complaints themselves, more than one describes multiple emails and calls before that happened. Start any return request in writing early rather than near the deadline.
Does tuning actually fix the Neo XS's negative score?
Yes, dramatically, per HearAdvisor's testing: a full professional tuning takes both speech-in-quiet and speech-in-noise from their untuned scores (1.0 and −0.2) up to a perfect 5.0 each. The catch is that this is a self-fit device most buyers set up themselves at home, without that professional step — so the untuned, negative-scoring version is closer to what a typical buyer actually experiences.
How much does MDHearing cost?
The Neo XS runs about $397 a pair, with a 45-day trial and a 1-year warranty, per HearingTracker.
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.
Related reading
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Another star-count vs. lab-score gapAudien reviews & alternative
A different budget brand with its own separate lab-vs-reviews split.
Compare other brands
Audien sits in the same budget OTC category with its own star-vs-lab-score story, and Sony's now-discontinued CRE line topped this same lab's rankings. 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.