MaxHear
One of the few genuinely well-regarded devices in this comparison series
Pocketalker 2.0: Reviews & Alternative
Williams Sound has made the Pocketalker since January 1976 — just short of 50 years — and we found no BBB complaints against the company at all; its profile shows "Not Rated" for lack of information, not a bad grade. It's FDA-classified as an assistive listening device, backed by a 5-year warranty. This is a genuinely solid, well-established product. It's also a corded, handheld device built for close-range listening, not something you wear all day.
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 — no separate handheld unit or cord required.
Free to try with no account, no email and no card. Headphones required.
"My husband used to joke that the TV was getting louder every month. He finally had a point."
Carol W., 71 — Jacksonville, FL · MaxHear userA genuinely well-regarded device — for a narrower job than you might expect
Checked 23 August 2026: Williams Sound's BBB profile, its own product materials, and current retailer listings.
Unlike most of the budget devices in this series, Williams Sound checks out cleanly on every measure we could verify: a real company with a nearly 50-year history, no BBB complaint record, an FDA assistive-listening-device classification (not a vague marketing claim), and a genuinely long warranty. Owner reviews are largely positive, with several describing it as more useful than a prescription hearing aid for specific close-range situations.
What it isn't is a wearable, self-fit hearing aid. The Pocketalker is a handheld unit with a microphone you place near a sound source, connected by a cord to headphones or earbuds — the same basic design Williams Sound has refined for decades. Some reviewers report the sound cutting out with movement of the unit or noise at the microphone jack, and there's no self-adjusting tone control beyond the device's own settings.
The finding worth knowing before you buy: it's built for a moment, not a day
The Pocketalker's real strength is close-range, one-on-one situations — a doctor's appointment, a quiet conversation across a table, watching TV with the unit's mic near the speaker. It's not designed for all-day wear the way a hearing aid or a phone-based amplifier is, and the cord itself is a real practical limitation reviewers mention.
What it costs
Per Williams Sound's own materials and current retailer listings.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pocketalker 2.0, base unit | $169.50 | retailer listing |
| Bundled configurations | up to $214 | retailer listings |
| Warranty | 5 years | Williams Sound |
| MaxHear | free to find out, then the plan is shown in the app | — |
Original Medicare covers neither hearing aids nor assistive listening devices, nor the exams used to fit them.
Pocketalker 2.0 vs MaxHear
A solid device for one specific moment vs. an app for all of them.
| What matters | MaxHear Sound amplifier app | Pocketalker 2.0 Assistive listening device |
|---|---|---|
| Built for all-day use | Yes Works through your existing headphones anywhere | No Designed for close-range, one-on-one moments |
| Cord required | No Bluetooth or wired, your choice | Yes Corded headphones connect to the handheld unit |
| Extra hardware to carry | None Uses the phone and headphones you own | Yes A separate handheld unit |
| Try before you own anything | Yes — free mode, permanently No account, no email, no card | Depends on retailer Return policy varies |
| Cost | 3 days free to try, then the plan is shown in the app Nothing to buy to find out | $169.50–$214 Medicare pays nothing |
This isn't a case against the Pocketalker — its track record is one of the strongest in this comparison series. It's a case for matching the tool to the situation: a corded device for specific close-range moments, or an app that works anywhere you already have headphones. If you want to know whether amplification helps you at all before buying either, MaxHear answers that for free.
Why people check MaxHear alongside the Pocketalker
Chosen from what actually distinguishes the two, not a generic list.
Amplification wherever you already are
No need to carry a separate unit for the moments you didn't plan for.
Bluetooth or wired, your choice
Use whatever headphones you already own, wired or wireless, with nothing extra to plug in.
Free to test first
Find out whether amplification helps you at all before spending on either option.
Nothing extra to own
MaxHear runs on the phone already in your pocket.
Which one is actually right for you
Two genuinely different answers here.
Your hearing loss needs professional care
Severe or profound loss, one-ear loss, or conductive or mixed loss needs a licensed provider, regardless of the device. Go promptly if loss came on suddenly or you have ear pain, discharge, dizziness or ringing.
You need it for specific, close-range moments
Doctor visits, one-on-one conversations, watching TV with the mic nearby — and you don't mind a cord and a handheld unit.
A ten-minute check before you buy either one
Do this before spending $169.50 or more. 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, 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 — before deciding if you need a dedicated device too.
FAQ: Pocketalker 2.0 reviews and alternatives
Is the Pocketalker 2.0 a hearing aid?
No. It's FDA-classified as an assistive listening device (Class 2, regulation 874.3320), a different category from OTC or prescription hearing aids, and Williams Sound itself describes it as a personal sound amplifier, not a hearing aid.
Is Williams Sound a legitimate, established company?
Yes. Williams Sound, LLC has operated since January 1, 1976 — nearly 50 years — and carries no complaints we could find on its BBB profile, which shows "Not Rated" (insufficient information for a rating) rather than a poor grade.
How much does the Pocketalker 2.0 cost?
Listings we checked ranged from about $169.50 for the base unit to $214 for bundled configurations, backed by a 5-year warranty per Williams Sound's own materials.
What's the actual downside of the Pocketalker?
It's a wired, handheld device, not a self-fit hearing aid: you point its microphone at a sound source and listen through corded headphones or earbuds. Some reviewers report the sound cutting out with movement or noise from the microphone connection. It's built for close-range, one-on-one situations — a doctor's appointment, a quiet conversation — not all-day wear.
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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Another well-regarded, narrow-purpose deviceTV Ears reviews & alternative
Also genuinely well-reviewed, also built for one specific situation.
Compare other brands
TV Ears sits in a similarly narrow, well-regarded category.
Stop asking people to repeat themselves
Install MaxHear, connect the headphones you already own, and hear the next conversation clearly.