REVIEW – I have some hearing loss like a lot of people. I have to have the TV up pretty loud to actually hear what’s being said. In crowded situations, I have to concentrate on the person speaking in hopes of grabbing enough of what they’re saying to be able to hold a conversation. Most of my hearing loss was self-induced although I am 50 so that’s part of it too. Regardless, a doctor-prescribed set of hearing aids is out of my financial reach currently. When the Sony CRE-C10 self-fitting C10 over-the-counter hearing aids came up for review, I was definitely interested in trying them. They are designed for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss and sounded like they would be the answer to my problems with my hearing and wallet. Did they live up to my expectations? Scroll and read on to find out.
What is it?
The Sony CRE-C10 self-fitting C10 OTC hearing aids are an over-the-counter option that costs thousands less than doctor-prescribed options that allow you to fine-tune them to your particular hearing needs.
What’s included?
- Left and right CRE-C10 hearing aids
- 4 sizes of ear tips from XS to L
- Hard,hinged storage case
- Batteries
Tech specs
Click to expand
Mechanical
Weight – HA: 1g (including the sleeve) Hardcase: 30g
Size – HA: Hardcase: 57.0×74.7×25.4 mm
IPX – none
Types of ear sleeves can be used – XS, S, M, L Open (Vent) type
Package size – 156.7×94.9×58.7 mm
Battery – 10 (RP536)
Electric
Mic # on each – 1
Continuous usage time – 70 hr
Fitted OSPL 90 – 103 dB SPL
HFA-FOG – 45dB
Smartphone app – iOS, Android
Other Feature
Wind Noise Reduction – Wind noise reduction technology reduces the annoyance of wind noise outdoors and improves sound comfort.
Speech/Noise management – Advanced acoustic processing reduces the burden of listening.
Impact sound smoothing – Impact sound smoothing technology reduces discomfort from sudden loud impact noises, such as when handling eyeglasses.
Artifact cancellation – Artifact cancellation technology removes artifact sound and smooth overall sound experience by high-speed monitoring and control of feedback in individual processing channels.
Directionality – One Microphone Directionality Technology
App
Volume Control, Sound Balance by App – Sony | Hearing Control App
Design and features
The Sony CRE-C10 hearing aids are small, tiny in fact. They fit inside the ear canal just like “professional” hearing aids, so you don’t have anything hanging out. They’re very discreet. I wore them for a couple of days without telling my family and they didn’t notice them. They also come with 4 sizes of ear tips so you should be able to find a set to fit you. They are an FDA-cleared medical device and prescription grade if you’re concerned you’re just getting tiny earbuds.
The hearing aids work in conjunction with an app, the Sony Hearing Control app. They aren’t controlled by it, nor do you have to have the app open at all times while wearing them. The app is used to create a hearing profile based on your hearing, then the app allows you to fine-tune them. You can raise and lower the volume or let the app work its magic if things don’t sound exactly right. In creating, the CRE-C10 hearing aids Sony worked with WS Audiology, a leader in hearing aid development, to deliver the sound quality achieved.
The CRE-C10 hearing aids are battery-powered with 2 size 10 Air batteries which should provide up to 70 hours of continuous. That can be good or bad. It would be nice if they were rechargeable but I have no idea how that would affect the size of the hearing aids if they had that feature.
The CRE-C10 hearing aids also come with a hard clamshell storage case that houses the hearing aids along with 2 extra batteries. Inside the top cover of the case is a silicone pillow to keep everything in place and protected when you aren’t using them.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
There’s not much to assembling the hearing aids. Insert the batteries and try out the different ear tips to find your fit. Setup is straightforward as the app walks you through step by step. First, it tells you exactly what you need to do to install the batteries and make sure they can communicate with your phone.
You aren’t pairing them via Bluetooth, but rather the app produces high-pitched sounds to pair with them. Following the instructions in the app, you will create a hearing profile that will then be programmed into the hearing aids.
Fine-tuning the sound afterward is also in the app and there are several options to choose from, such as overall loudness, sound quality, and even your voice. If for some reason none of the options help, the app will recommend you contact Sony to schedule a free 1 on 1 virtual consultation.
Performance
I really wanted to love the Sony CRE-C10 hearing aids. I was hoping they would allow me to hear better without the need to buy uber-expensive hearing aids. I think I fall into the mild to moderate hearing loss category, although I do have tinnitus, so maybe that plays a part in the issues I have with them. When I’m at home I can fine-tune them to sound ok. They are a bit too airy for me. Maybe I’m just not used to hearing that and that’s the world I live in but it’s too distracting. Next, I found myself going back and forth in fine-tuning because things sounded too sharp but dulling them down sounded too muffled. The volume and treble/bass adjustment sliders didn’t seem to do too much. I was finally able to get a setting I could live with, but wasn’t overly thrilled, but things went awry once I left the house. I went shopping with my kids and it was like I was wearing earmuffs. The CRE-C10 did their job of noise cancellation but it was so much I couldn’t hear what anyone was saying to me unless they were right in front of me and I still had to watch their mouth to understand them. So there I was in the middle of a crowded store, fiddling with settings to be able to hear conversations. Once arriving back home, I had to fine-tune them again. On the Sony CRE-C10 website, Sony says the hearing aids adjust to the environment and even show a picture of a phone with a screenshot of presets, but I never saw that in the app.
What I like about Sony CRE-C10 OTC hearing aids
- Quality build
- Small
- Comfortable
What needs to be improved?
- Better app control when it comes to overall sound quality
- Environmental adjustment
Final thoughts
The Sony CRE-C10 hearing aids just aren’t for me. It could be I’m not the prime candidate for them. Maybe my hearing loss is more than what they are designed for. I don’t want to constantly fiddle with settings to be able to hear what’s going on depending on where I am. My kids even complained about the high-pitched sounds produced while I tried fine-tuning them. Luckily, if you decide you want to try them, you have 30 days to return them. That’s a good thing because even though they’re cheaper than prescribed hearing aids, they’re still $1000. If the money had come out of my pocket for them, I would really be disappointed. Maybe they would work for you, but be aware, they might not.
Price: $998.00
Where to buy: Sony and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Sony. Sony did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Take my word for it, but even the ones that cost four times as much as these are not much better.
Wow. I’m not sure how to feel about that. I guess I’ll just deal with cranking up the volume and saying huh a lot. Thanks Anthony. I’ll definitely save my money then.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
As my hearing deteriorated with age, I went from mild hearing loss to moderate to severe. Along the way some professionally fitted aid seemed poor, some good. I think part of the process was in me, not just the hardware. Currently my expensive Oticon aids exceed my expectations and I’m thankful for that.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
You may want to check out the Audien Atom Pro2 OTC Hearing Aids. I have the same hearing issues as you, and mainly use mine to watch TV. They do take some time to get used to, and their customer service is readily available to help. No batteries either.
I’ll check them out. Thanks!