I test headphones for a living, and this hearing aid made me rethink what these devices can do

The Elehear Beyond 2 Pro is the company’s latest over-the-counter hearing aid. These Bluetooth-enabled buds aren’t too different than wearing regular, wireless consumer music earbuds. In fact, that’s how I’ve been viewing them compared to what else is on the market.

I don’t have any significant hearing loss, but I spend a lot of time testing and evaluating all kinds of consumer headphones and earbuds. In 2026 alone, I tested dozens of products from Bose, Sony, and Apple for Business Insider and This Week The Trend. I’ve been covering audio technology for over a decade. 

That’s one reason I was curious about the Beyond 2 Pro. Hearing aid products and consumer wireless earbuds have been on a collision course for a while. They continue to get even closer. Both kinds of products feature software components to adjust settings and control the in-ear buds.

So, I’ve been wearing the Beyond 2 Pro. It’s been eye-opening to hear what they offer people with mild to moderate hearing loss. I’ve also been intrigued by one specific technology feature: Auracast. I think it’s a game-changer for people who need extra hearing assistance.

How this hearing aid stacks up on features

Auracast might be the headlining technology feature, but the Beyond 2 Pro buds have other notable specs. They’re IP67-rated, so they can handle sand from places like playgrounds and the beach. They also won’t give out or get ruined by sweat and rain. They’re safe to wear day in and day out.

I took them on brisk walks just to give them a fair shake in this regard, and they survived my light sweat and jolting movement.

The Beyond 2 Pro features VOCCLEAR 3.0 technology, the company's in-house sound processing system for highlighting voices and conversations you're having and de-emphasizing background noise.

The Beyond 2 Pro can do plus or minus 8dB sound customization, with 1dB steps. Compared to the previous model, the new one is 10% lighter with a smaller, redesigned housing.

The buds themselves have 20 hours of battery life. The charging case adds several more full charges. The case has a USB-C port for recharging.

These hearing aids are easier to wear than regular earbuds

The main part of the Beyond 2 Pro buds rests on the back of your ears, while just the tip goes into your ear canal. This is the Receiver-in-Canal-style. This style of hearing aid is trickier to insert than traditional earbuds, but just barely.

It took me a few attempts to figure out the best way to wear the buds, but after that it became second nature. The true benefit of this design is that the Beyond 2 Pro are comfortable to wear for long stretches. This makes them easier to wear than traditional wireless earbuds.

Even though AirPods, for example, are very lightweight, there’s still some fatigue that comes from the whole product sitting in your ear. In the case of the Beyond 2 Pro, the real weight is resting on the back of your ears, which can handle it just fine. I was surprised by how little I noticed the weight.

The mobile app is key but not a bottleneck

Auracast has been around for several years. But I would still consider it an emerging technology because it's been slow to roll out widely. It allows devices to connect and all share the same audio stream, so everything is in unison. Bluetooth speakers were among the first devices to implement it. But headphones and earbuds finally seem to be adding it more readily too.

The reason it’s so interesting in the context of the Beyond 2 Pro is that they can use Auracast to tap into a public broadcast or connect directly to a home transmitter, like on a TV. This might still be more of a future-proof feature, but it’s nice to have on an $800 product.

Turning Auracast on happens in the mobile app. You can select an available connection in the vicinity or scan a QR code to connect.

Beyond Auracast, the mobile app contains all the basic settings for the hearing device. You can raise and lower the volume per side or both sides equally at the same time. You can adjust the tone from deep to bright in the same way.

There are individual noise reduction settings available, including front-facing or 360 degrees. However, I found the “Auto” setting much better at handling noise reduction than me trying to fiddle with it.

I like that the Beyond 2 Pro will work as Bluetooth earbuds to play audio from your phone, without stopping the surrounding amplification. In other words, these still help you hear while also playing back music or podcasts, for example. Just be aware that the Bluetooth audio doesn’t have the same frequency range as traditional earbuds.

I didn’t think the Elehear app was difficult to navigate or use. And as someone who has a lot of experience with companion apps for audio gear, it's refreshing to see a decent interface. Often this area is skimped on and makes the whole experience worse.

I didn't need to use the app a lot after getting the buds set up. But I also didn't dread using the app when I needed to.

There is a hearing test available in the app that makes sure the fit is correct. If you want to dive in more, ElePro Plus is a paid option that will connect people with licensed audiologists for live remote sessions that cover device fine-tuning, real-world sound optimization, and ongoing follow-up.

This means people don’t have to travel anywhere if they think their device isn’t functioning perfectly. You’ll have to decide if the $99 per session is worth it, but that should save a lot of time.

Should you buy the Beyond 2 Pro hearing aid?

While I can't speak specifically to how well the Elehear Beyond 2 Pro helps with mild to moderate hearing loss, I can speak to the technology, fit, and software.

In those regards, this audio device is a first-rate gadget. Its connection to my phone and other wireless devices has been great. The Beyond 2 Pro has been comfortable to wear throughout the day. The software is also well-designed. The main mobile app interface isn't an afterthought.

The Beyond 2 Pro buds are the company's flagship model and feel like it. But they aren't the only ones available. If you have less demanding hearing needs, there may be cheaper options from Elehear.