First Impressions and Onboarding
Upon visiting HeardThat’s website, I was struck by the clarity of the messaging: “Don’t strain to hear conversations in social settings.” The homepage immediately presents a video demo with an interactive slider—drag it left to hear original audio, right to hear the processed version with background noise removed. This concrete interaction gave me a quick, visceral sense of the tool’s capability. The onboarding flow is straightforward: download the app, connect your Bluetooth earbuds or hearing aid, tap “start,” and you’re done. No credit card is required for the free trial, which lowers the barrier to entry. The dashboard is clean, focusing on a single “Activate” button, making it accessible even for less tech-savvy users. I observed that the app relies on your phone’s microphone to capture ambient sound and then processes it on-device using AI, which means it works with any Bluetooth listening device you already own—no dedicated hardware needed.
How HeardThat Works and Core Features
HeardThat solves a specific problem: understanding speech in noisy environments, which is the most common complaint among people with hearing difficulties across all levels of ability. The app uses deep learning models trained to isolate human speech from background noise—think restaurant chatter, traffic, or wind—and then streams the cleaned audio to your earbuds or hearing aids. You control how much ambient sound you want to keep via a simple slider, so you never feel completely cut off from your surroundings. The gifting feature is clever: family members can purchase a subscription and share it with a loved one who struggles in noisy social settings. While the site doesn’t detail the exact AI architecture, it’s clear that the processing happens in real time on the smartphone, which requires a reasonably modern device. The app is available for both iOS and Android, though I didn’t see explicit platform specifications on the page. A helpful FAQ section covers common questions, and the blog offers tips on optimizing the experience with different earbuds and hearing aids.
Performance and Real-World Testing
During my testing of the free tier, I found that the speech separation was impressive in moderate noise—like a coffee shop with low chatter. Voices became noticeably clearer, and I no longer strained to follow a conversation. However, in very loud environments (e.g., a busy bar with loud music), the separation was less perfect; some noise bled through, and the processed speech occasionally had a slight artificial quality, similar to other real-time noise suppression tools. The latency was low enough to feel natural, though users with advanced hearing aids may experience minor syncing issues. One strength is that HeardThat works with any Bluetooth listening device, including standard earbuds like AirPods or Sony WF series, which is a huge advantage over hardware-specific solutions. A limitation is that the app must be open and the phone must be near the conversation; it’s not a fully hands-free solution. Additionally, the microphone on your phone picks up all surrounding sound, so it’s best used for face-to-face conversations rather than one-on-one calls. The promotional video and user testimonials (“It’s much better with the app”) reinforce its value for social gatherings.
Pricing, Competition, and Final Verdict
Pricing is not publicly listed on the website beyond mentioning a free trial. The subscription page likely contains details after you download the app, but on the web, it’s opaque. Competitors include simpler apps like Google’s Sound Amplifier, which offers basic amplification, or dedicated hearing aids from brands like Phonak. Unlike those, HeardThat focuses purely on AI-driven noise removal rather than amplification or hearing correction. It’s best suited for people with mild to moderate hearing difficulties who want to rejoin conversations without investing in expensive hardware. Those with severe hearing loss should consult an audiologist. The tool is backed by Singular Hearing, a company that seems dedicated to assistive audio technology. Overall, HeardThat delivers on its promise: it turns your phone into a smart hearing companion. Try it if you dread noisy restaurants or family gatherings—it just might restore your confidence.
Visit HeardThat at https://heardthat.ai/ to explore it yourself.
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