When Sony entered the over-the-counter listening to assist market two years in the past, it did so with a pair of merchandise: the CRE-C10 and the dearer CRE-E10. I used to be dazzled by the minuscule C10—it’s nonetheless one of many hearing aid options I like to recommend essentially the most—and assumed the E10 can be much more spectacular. Now that I’ve lastly landed a pair of E10 aids to check, I can guarantee you that the E10 isn’t a lot an improve to the C10 as it’s a wholly totally different class of product with its personal professionals and cons.
Whereas each the C10 and E10 depend on an in-ear earbud-like design conceit, their normal method is significantly totally different. Whereas the 1-gram C10 suits practically completely contained in the ear, invisible sufficient to require a small retrieval wire to take away it, the two.94-gram E10 is rather more bulbous and visual. It seems to be extra like an ordinary Bluetooth earbud than some other listening to assist I’ve examined, filling the concha with its rounded physique. Since, because the previous saying goes, all concha usually are not created equal, your consolation degree whereas sporting these listening to aids might differ significantly. In my ears, the match was cosy however not tight—snug for sporting for a couple of hours however not all day. Sony gives simply 4 pairs of eartips you may experiment with to assist enhance the match.
{Photograph}: Sony
The opposite large distinction between the C10 and E10 is that whereas the C10 makes use of replaceable listening to assist batteries, the E10 encompasses a extra frequent rechargeable battery. The additional measurement of the machine lets the E10 work for as much as 26 hours (with out streaming). The USB-C connectible and Qi-compatible charger gives sufficient juice for an extra two to a few recharges.
Regardless of their bigger measurement, the CRE-E10 aids don’t characteristic any exterior controls, which is comprehensible as a result of controls can be laborious to entry based mostly on the way in which the aids sit within the ear. As a substitute, all controls are located in Sony’s Listening to Management app (Android, iOS). This is identical app used for the CRE-C10, so I already had it put in, however I bumped into rapid issues as a result of the previous aids had been nonetheless registered to the app.
{Photograph}: Sony
To arrange new aids, you must take away the previous ones from the app. To try this, Listening to Management requires you to enter a code despatched to your registered e mail deal with. Naturally, I by no means acquired the code, so I couldn’t set up the brand new set of aids. Ultimately, Sony tech help instructed me to delete the app altogether and set it up once more with a special e mail deal with—maybe not essentially the most elegant resolution, however it labored to get me up and operating.
