Orka Two Review: Sleek Hearing Aids with Underwhelming AI Noise Handling

Orka claims its latest AI-powered hearing aids are "an ultimate hearing solution at an affordable price." But coming in at $1899, Orka Two is on the higher end for direct-to-consumer hearing aids. While we like Orka's approach to hearing care, the Orka Two underperforms in noisy environments—despite the company's claims that its “AI DeNoise” technology offers industry-leading noise reduction.

Why I loved Orka Two

Drawbacks

Who is Orka?

Orka describes itself as an “innovative global hearing technology company born out of a passion and commitment to address hearing loss challenges intelligently.” Orka has multiple cofounders, three of whom are based in Shanghai: ex-Facebook and Qualcomm software engineer Chauncey Lu, ex-Siemens System Engineer Linkai Li, and Xinke Liu, whom HearingTracker recently interviewed. A fourth cofounder, Ben Sun, is based in Menlo Park, CA, and previously worked as a Product Designer at Apple.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) website, Orka Two is manufactured by Orka Health Co., Ltd, out of Shanghai, China, with U.S. operations handled by Orka Labs Inc., based in Chicago, IL.

Orka is unique in its use of general-purpose computer chips, unlike the purpose-built chips more commonly used in the hearing aid industry. Orka claims this has helped drive their development speed and supported unique features like universal Bluetooth connectivity (most hearing aids are MFi/ASHA only) and their proprietary AI DeNoise feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Orka Two

Orka Two is Orka's second AI-based hearing aid, which includes Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, automatic environmental adjustments, and AI denoising. The hearing aid sits behind the ear, and a thin wire runs down to a speaker in the ear canal.

How much does Orka Two cost?

For $1,899, you get two Orka Two hearing aids, a charging case, assorted accessories, a welcome call with a "hearing expert," and unlimited virtual consultations. Orka Two comes with a 45-day return period and a 3-year loss and damage warranty (includes one-time replacement). Orka also works with Affirm to provide 0-36% APR financing to those who qualify.

Product design and comfort

Orka Two is a glossy white hearing aid with a distinctly Apple aesthetic. Perhaps Orka's Ben Sun is simply paying homage to his time as a Product Designer at the tech giant?

Aside from their looks, the hearing aids feel well built and are on-par physically with products we've reviewed from veteran hearing aid manufacturers. The receiver wires are resilient yet moldable, which should help give users a good, comfortable fit. The overall quality also extends to the portable charging case, which offers a strong magnetic hold of each device in the charging docks.

I found Orka Two comfortable on my ears and similar to the feel of traditional hearing aids. Their slim size allowed plenty of space for my glasses and did not cause pressure points even after wearing them for several hours.

Mixed feelings about audio quality

Regarding general audio quality, Orka Two sounds relatively clear and is capable of providing very crisp high-end sound (more on this below). However, there was a very noticeable “hissing” in the background that was not from the environment.

My main complaint with sound quality was that I heard an occasional tonal artifact that would underlay certain external sounds like speech. To be fair, this was extremely subtle and likely unnoticeable to most. It is unclear what may be behind this; however, I’ve heard similar artifacts from either aliasing or strong noise-cancellation algorithms.

Streamed audio was reliable and stable though nothing to write home about. The sound quality could be described as thin but crisp, which is consistent with expectations for my fitting and a receiver-in-canal style device. I would much rather have this quality audio streaming over none at all—I have a hi-fi system when it’s time to really sit and listen anyway.

Excellent wireless connectivity

Orka Two has impressive wireless capabilities with Bluetooth 5.3 and is compatible with both iOS (14 and later) and Android (7 and later) devices. This not only lets you stream music and control Orka directly from their app, but it also brings you hands-free calling across both platforms. You can even connect to multiple devices (up to two) giving you greater flexibility in your wireless ecosystem.

One thing I noticed while testing Orka is that adjustments to your hearing aids do not seem to influence the streamed signal. This may be a slight disappointment for those who want more than broad volume changes with your phone. The app does not provide any customization for your streamed audio either.

For reference, many other DTC hearing aids give you adjustments such as a 3-band EQ and balance controls while streaming. While I tend to like these extra controls, the audio quality was comparable to other receiver-in-canal style devices and I did not experience any connection issues. This is one area Orka has seemed to put in the work; wireless connection is always quick and reliable.

Rechargeability and somewhat limited battery life

Orka Two hearing aids offer a reported 12 hours of battery life per charge thanks to the internal lithium-ion cells. When the batteries are depleted, simply place them in the case’s respective left and right magnetic charging docks (note that only one side of the hearing aids have charging pins so they must be inserted properly).

The Qi-enabled charging case also has an internal power bank giving you approximately 3 full charges of additional battery life. You can expect up to 1.5 hours to charge both the hearing aids and charging case using a standard USB-C plug. Otherwise, a wireless charging station can also be used, though this extends the charge time up to 3 hours.

Orka Two may not carry you through the day on a single charge as the batteries last roughly 12 hours. Other traditional hearing aids by comparison can offer 30-plus hours per charge. While this may not be an issue for you, this is worth considering before pulling the trigger on Orka. Is your schedule packed and can you get by if your hearing aids need recharging at midday?

All listed charge and use times are based on data from Orka and were not verified by us.

Controlling Orka Two

You will not find any buttons, sliders, or rocker switches on Orka Two hearing aids. Orka Hearing made a bold decision to move the buttons from the devices to the portable charging case. This may cause mild annoyance if you are accustomed to them, but the omission of physical buttons on the hearing aids can actually improve their water resistance and overall lifespan. Many of us are accustomed to carrying around a case for storage and charging anyway—so the buttons should never be too far.

The charger case offers both a program button and a rocker switch for volume control. A long-press (3 seconds) of the program button activates Bluetooth pairing, allowing you to connect Orka Two to multiple devices. On the topic of Bluetooth, Orka does offer touch controls (double-tap the back of either hearing aid) to answer incoming phone calls.

The Orka Health App

The Health App is simple yet effective, providing you control over Orka without being too complicated. You have access to two main programs, the first of which is a Normal setting that uses an environmental classifier to adjust automatically for quiet, speech, or noisy situations. The second program locks Orka in its noise setting and offers you control over the directional microphones.

In-App Hearing Screening

Orka Two is a “self-fitting” hearing aid offering greater customization than preset-based devices. One way they accomplish this is by including an in-app hearing screening that, once completed, allows the devices to be adjusted more appropriately for your ears. You can find the Hearing Screening within the app’s “hamburger menu,” and the process takes roughly 5 to 10 minutes. Be sure to follow the app’s recommendations and complete the screening in a quiet space to obtain the most accurate results.

If you already have a hearing test, you can upload a picture of it instead of taking the hearing screening. Diagnostic tests or hearing screenings performed in calibrated sound booths are generally more accurate than on-ear assessments.² While we did not test this, the data from a professional hearing test should allow Orka Two to provide more appropriate amplification for your hearing loss. For this reason and more, I would recommend uploading your audiogram if you have the option.

If you don’t perform either of these, you will have access to three general volume presets (Mild, Moderate, or Severe).

Professional adjustments at home

Orka Two offers a hybrid approach being a “self-fit” hearing aid that also includes virtual consultations. These services are free with your purchase of Orka hearing aids and unlimited, meaning you receive ongoing care throughout the life of your devices. Consultations can be in the form of video calls and range from simple unboxing assistance with their technical staff to more involved fine-tuning sessions with their licensed hearing care professionals.

I was able to experience Orka’s Remote Consultations both as a customer and provider and was overall impressed with the ease and stability of their virtual support system. You can schedule a Remote Consultation from within the Orka Health App and see a list of both past and previous appointments. Once your phone is securely synced with your hearing care provider, adjustments can be made much like in-person appointments at a local clinic. Changes occur in real-time so there is no downtime or need to install updates. This is a nice workflow as you can immediately hear adjustments being made by your hearing care provider and whether they are beneficial or not.

Lab testing with HearAdvisor™

HearAdvisor is an independent lab that provides objective comparisons of prescription, over-the-counter, and hearable devices. All products are tested in two settings which approximate what consumers experience when fit with hearing aids:

• Initial Fit: The Initial Fit programming reflects how a device performs “out of the box” when the recommended settings are used. Volume adjustments may be made depending on the device, but real-ear measurements are not performed. HearAdvisor’s Initial Fit aims to reflect the performance most people experience with their hearing aids.

• Tuned Fit: The second test setting involves professional adjustments, such as real-ear measurements and optimizing the device’s amplification. This reflects how devices perform when best practices are followed and a hearing care provider professionally fits you.

You may need more volume to benefit with hearing aids

I followed the typical consumer experience and uploaded an audiogram (hearing loss report) through the Orka Health app so my devices could be programmed by their hearing care providers. I then tested Orka Two on an acoustic manikin to assess how accurately the devices provided gain (amplification) based on the hearing loss I used (N3 configuration to be specific¹).

My testing showed Orka's programmed amplification was much lower than standards recommend—predominantly in the higher frequencies that make speech clear. This means if I needed hearing aids and had mild-to-moderate hearing loss, the settings I received from Orka would not be ideal for making speech clear. It is also unlikely that I would stumble on better settings within the app as adjustments are limited to global volume controls.

This is not the end of the world, as manufacturer-recommended settings tend to be low even among traditional hearing aids. In fact, this is well known among hearing care professionals and we perform real-ear measurements to provide you with better settings. However, real-ear measurements are not offered in Orka’s virtual fitting model so it is not possible to verify whether your settings are appropriate. Based on my testing, they could be improved and you can likely expect less-than-optimal benefit. To be fair to Orka, this is a major problem across all DTC and OTC devices.

But how would Orka Two perform if we could adjust them with objective tests? Well, I was able to get my hands on the software their hearing care providers use (thanks, Orka) and perform real-ear measurements. I was much happier with their settings afterwards and this also improved objective speech performance scores at HearAdvisor. However, this was bending the rules slightly and would not translate easily for you in the real world. This would require a rather arduous process of orchestrating an in-office appointment with a local provider, and a virtual consultation with Orka, so the two professionals could tag-team adjustments for your devices.

Collectively this makes it difficult for me to recommend Orka Two unless their recommended settings are improved. With that said, I considered one hearing loss and it is possible their settings are more accurate for others.

Should you buy the Orka Two?

I found myself expecting more given the $1899 price tag. I was unimpressed with the limited battery life, audio artifacts, and lack of telecoil and remote mic. And in my testing, I ran into trouble achieving adequate amplification through the Orka Health App, including via Orka's remote consultations. Having said that, the product is physically robust, and Orka has a well-thought-out remote care model. I also liked the generous loss and damage warranty.

What other hearing aids should I consider?

Orka Two, and its hybrid self-fit / professional model, is similar to Jabra Enhance Select 200 which has a similar price and can loosely be thought of as rebranded technology from Resound— a giant in the hearing aid market with a history of successful hearing solutions. Jabra Enhance Select 200 outperformed Orka Two in the HearAdvisor lab and received a 2023 Expert Choice Award.

Lexie B2 Powered by Bose are also worth consideration. They are more á la carte as they don’t include virtual remote consultations, though you can receive technical support from their specialists. Some benefits of B2 are their lower cost (roughly $999) and the simplicity of their overall design. The app provides only two adjustment wheels for control over either “World Volume” or “Treble and Base.” While this may seem prohibitively minimalist, Lexie B2 is a top performer among devices tested by HearAdvisor and it also received the 2023 Expert Choice Award.