The Bose-powered behind-the-ear Lexie B2 hearing aids were considered a significant value in the market. However, Lexie ceased production of the B2 earlier this year to introduce the B2 Plus, a direct successor that features minimal upgrades, barely justifying a new product name.
The Lexie B2 Plus hearing aids are not marketed as the B3 because the amplification technology remains unchanged. The following report examines the two primary upgrades.
The most notable improvement is the redesigned case, which now includes a battery. Previously, one of the main criticisms of the original B2 model was that the case did not hold a charge. Users had to connect the case to a USB-C charger to recharge their hearing aids. The case’s lack of portability was a significant inconvenience, especially if the batteries died while users were away from an electrical source. Although the 18-hour battery life was sufficient for daily use, it was not adequate for extended trips.
The new B2 Plus case, similar in appearance to the B2’s case and still relatively bulky, now holds one extra charge, providing a total of 36 hours of use before needing to be plugged in. While this battery life is less than many competitors, it is a considerable improvement over the original.
The second upgrade is the hearing test available in the Lexie app. This test, similar to those offered by other over-the-counter hearing aids, requires users to listen for beeps of varying pitch and volume in each ear, tapping a button upon detecting sound. Typically, the results of such tests are used to adjust the frequency amplification of the hearing aids, functioning like an equalizer. However, Lexie’s hearing test does not offer that level of customization. Instead, the hearing aids provide two tuning mechanisms: world volume (adjustable between the ears) and a “bass/treble” slider that allows users to balance the sound, enhancing one side at the expense of the other.
