The Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13 in review
Diese Technik ist nicht mehr ganz so neu, deshalb haben wir die Gesamtnote mit einem Abschlag versehen. Hier geht es zum Nachfolger: Oticon More
Once again, we focus on a hearing aid from the company Oticon. This time it is a standard hearing aid with a thick or thin plastic tube behind the ear, called Ruby 1 HDO 13. It is a discreet hearing aid, and it is priced in the lower mid-range. It can be used for moderate, more severe, and fluctuating hearing losses. Let’s take a look at what the inside has to offer:
Hearing comfort
In the section on hearing comfort, we look at how a hearing aid handles all the background noises. Comfortable noise management significantly contributes to a user liking and regularly wearing their hearing aids. For this Oticon device, we found only a few options for influencing comfort. The regular noise suppression is designed to dampen uniform, staticky background noises. In the Ruby 1 HDO 13, we shouldn't expect too much. Speech and sounds are relatively close together here. But in acoustically simple situations, that should be sufficient.
According to the manufacturer's specifications, there is impulse sound suppression integrated, but we could hardly feel it. When it comes to wind noise suppression, we are dealing with a relatively simple wind shield. We miss good spatial sound, but the automatic focus can be quite helpful in situations with multiple people. The 10 frequency channels are okay. However, it might be that programming for individual hearing needs is not quite as precise, and one may have to make some acoustic compromises.
An exciting topic in audiology is the use of artificial intelligence, but this is not yet applied in this Oticon model.
Rating Hearing comfort: 4,2
Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13: The healthy ear is capable of filtering out background noise in order to understand speech. When these hearing filters are inactive, for example due to hearing loss, there are ways to technically replace this with special hearing aid functions. This allows the hearing aid to prioritize important signals and transmit less important sounds from a distance in a muted way. This way, hearing aid users gain a pleasant, almost natural sound experience.
Operation & connectivity
“Can I adjust something on my hearing aid myself?” “Is there maybe an app?” These and similar questions are becoming increasingly important when choosing a hearing aid, which is why we will take a look at the operation and connection options. There is a button directly on the hearing aid. This allows you to change the volume or activate additional hearing programs. It can be programmed entirely according to the customer's wishes. The use is of course optional. A remote control is available for the Ruby 1 HDO 13. It is quite practical, fits in your pocket, and offers a volume up-down option as well as various hearing programs.
In the test, we found no option for voice control. This function is not absolutely necessary, but we would have appreciated it. If there are sensors in the hearing aid, tap control could be conceivable, which would trigger a specific function by tapping your fingers on your ear. However, this option is not available in the Ruby 1 HDO 13.
It is very convenient to adjust the hearing aids via the app. There is also a free app for the Ruby 1 HDO 13. In our opinion, the range of functions is mediocre, but mostly sufficient. It's best to try it out in demo mode beforehand. The Ruby 1 comes with a 2.4 GHz antenna and lets us enjoy binaural phone calls. This even gives us an advantage over normally hearing individuals. We think that’s great and would gladly give points.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 2,0
Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13: When you need to switch volume or individual programs quickly, the remote control can be useful. Once paired with the hearing aid, discreetly in your pocket, it can be taken anywhere.
The best alternatives to the Ruby 1 HDO 13
Our database contains 84 reviews of hearing aids with similar technical features to this one (i.e., in klassischer Bauform in Size "", not rechargable, geeignet für Hörverlust-Grad leicht, mittel & stark). Here are the top 3 (Redaktionsstand 02.10.2025):
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Hansaton Beat FS 9 R T 13 | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Hansaton Beat FS 9 R T 312 | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Philips HearLink 9040 MNB T | Rating: 4.5 / 5 |
Simplicity & security
Now let's take a look at how the use in everyday life is designed. Is the handling easy? Do I get a safe device? The Ruby 1 HDO 13 can independently differentiate between quiet and loud environments, but there's not much more in the program automation. One can hardly do without manual adjustment options here. We give a big plus point for the automatic acclimatization assistant. It raises the starting volume in very small steps until my hearing goal is reached. This makes adapting to the new sound considerably easier.
We regret that the Ruby 1 HDO 13 does not have a rechargeable battery, but operates with hearing aid batteries size 13. This is not a major issue, but one should remember to carry spare batteries. On the other hand, this hearing aid does not need to be charged every day; one battery lasts a longer time.
With IP 68 certification, the hearing aid can withstand a variety of adverse influences. Dust cannot penetrate, it can withstand longer submersion in water, and it is also protected against contact.
Rating Simplicity & security: 2,5
Extras
Lastly, we are interested in whether there are a few additional goodies: Oticon has integrated a sound generator that plays soothing sounds for those suffering from tinnitus. This can distract from the tinnitus and provide a bit more relaxation.
The option for remote adjustments is very convenient. It is especially helpful whenever you want to make just a small change to the hearing aid settings but do not want to drive to the audiologist. Instead, you make contact through the app, and the audiologist sends back a customized data package in the same way.
A new trend in the hearing aid industry is integrated sensors that can track some personal health data, but the Ruby 1 HDO 13 does not offer this feature. However, this Oticon device has a few small highlights. Depending on what your smartphone supports, you can set reminders for appointments, access Siri, or use other assistance systems. This definitely adds an extra point.
Rating Extras: 1,8
Conclusion: Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13
In the overall result, this test device ranks in the lower positions and lacks some features. We award a score of 4.08. For undemanding listeners, this is acceptable, but for a very active lifestyle, we recommend a hearing aid with more extensive comfort features.
Top alternatives in the same price range
Which devices in a comparable price range currently show the best technical performance? Here are the current top 3:
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Hansaton Beat FS 3 R T 13 | Rating: 4 / 5 |
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Hansaton Beat FS 3 R T 312 | Rating: 4 / 5 |
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Hansaton Beat FS 3 R T 675 | Rating: 4 / 5 |
Our Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13 review was created on November 11, 2020 and lastly updated on June 25, 2024. The overall rating of 4,08 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 2 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 4 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 3.5 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 4.5 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..
FAQ
Is the Ruby 1 HDO 13 from Oticon suitable for me?
The fitting range of this hearing aid is "hearing loss mild, moderate or severe." Whether your hearing deficit falls within this range can be quickly assessed by a local audiology specialist.
How much does the Ruby 1 HDO 13 from Oticon cost?
The rough price range for the Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13 currently offered in Germany is approximately between €1,300.00 and €2,000.00. In addition to the price, one should also look at the overall evaluation: The overall test score in the HörShop test is 4.1 (sufficient). Details are also important for classifying the hearing aid price: The star rating for "noise suppression" in the test shows 2 out of 5 stars.
What size is the Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13?
This behind-the-ear hearing aid is classified in size category S. This means it is medium-sized. You can compare it with other hearing aids in this size category: Hearing aid comparison.
How well can you hear with the Oticon Ruby 1 HDO 13?
The Ruby 1 HDO 13 from the manufacturer Oticon is equipped with 10 separately adjustable equalizer bands (for context: current top devices have 25 bands). The rating for noise suppression on this device reaches 2 out of 5 stars. A 'usable' rating (2 out of 5 stars) is given for wind noise suppression of the Ruby 1 HDO 13. Summing up the entire area of "hearing comfort," the overall grade in the test is 4.2 (sufficient).
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