The ReSound Key 2 88-DWH in review
Diese Technik ist nicht mehr ganz aktuell. Wir nehmen daher eine Abwertung in der Gesamtnote vor.
Once again, we turn our attention to a hearing aid from the company ReSound. This time, it is a conventional behind-the-ear hearing aid called the Key 2 88-DWH. It is a discreet hearing aid, and in terms of price, it is at the lowest price level. It can be used for moderate, severe, and fluctuating hearing losses. Let’s take a look at what the interior has to offer:
Hearing comfort
The comfort features determine how pleasant hearing is perceived in everyday life. In this hearing aid, we find only the bare essentials when it comes to hearing comfort. A classic noise suppression aims to reduce annoying background noises to a tolerable level. In the Key 2 88-DWH, we have to settle for a minimum level of noise suppression. This hearing aid can detect wind noise, but the reduction is hardly noticeable.
Unfortunately, we did not find any impact filter that reacts to short, loud sounds. There is no support for spatial hearing, and the Key 2 88-DWH does not excel in that regard. One last word about the equalizer: with 6, the number of adjustable bands is quite low. Those who are satisfied with the basic character of the hearing aid might find it sufficient. But for music lovers, we would rather recommend a higher number of channels.
Sometimes we encounter hearing aids that successfully process data with the help of artificial intelligence, but this device still lacks that capability.
Rating Hearing comfort: 5,2
ReSound Key 2 88-DWH:
Operation & connectivity
Almost every one of us owns a smartphone, so it raises the question of whether it can be connected to the new hearing aid as well. Let's take a look at the connectivity and usability of the Key 2 88-DWH. There is a button directly on the hearing aid. With this, you can adjust the volume or activate additional hearing programs. It can be programmed according to the customer's wishes. Of course, its use is optional. Those who prefer not to touch their ear to turn up the volume will appreciate the optional remote control. This allows you to make adjustments to the hearing aid conveniently and discreetly.
We always enjoy being surprised by a hearing aid with a great added function. For example, we would have liked to see voice control here. But that is not currently available in the Key 2 88-DWH. Tap Control would also have been an interesting feature. This would allow you to change the function with a quick tap on the ear. However, that is not yet available in the Key 2 88-DWH.
An app is the perfect companion for hearing aids. The app for the Key 2 88-DWH is absolutely commendable. It is a sensible addition because, in critical hearing situations, it can make life significantly easier with the various adjustment options. We really enjoyed direct, wireless streaming. This means that calls from the smartphone can be transmitted to the hearing aids without any additional accessories. This transforms the hearing aid into a perfect hands-free device or wireless headphones. Listening to music or watching and hearing videos is incredibly comfortable as well.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 1,8
The best alternatives to the Key 2 88-DWH
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 312 | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Hansaton Beat FS 9 R T 13 | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Philips HearLink 9040 MNB T | Rating: 4.5 / 5 |
Simplicity & security
How do you manage with the hearing aid in everyday life? This is the next aspect we need to assess. Because only when such a device works easily and uncomplicatedly can one get used to it. We don't necessarily experience simple, comfortable hearing with the Key 2 88-DWH. In a quieter everyday life, one can certainly cope, but as soon as you have a varied hearing experience, manual adjustments become unavoidable. Normally, an automatic acclimatization manager supports us in the first weeks with the new hearing aid. However, this model does not have such a feature, and we must take care of regular readjustments ourselves.
The Key 2 88-DWH relies on battery power rather than rechargeable batteries. Advantage: Very long runtime with one battery. Unlike rechargeable solutions, you rarely have to worry about the power supply. Disadvantage: Waste is generated in the form of used batteries. This hearing aid uses a hearing aid battery of size 13.
We also take a look at the robustness of the housing and discover the protection class IP 68 in the data sheet. This keeps dust from entering, and water only becomes dangerous after prolonged immersion. Protection against contact is also included.
Rating Simplicity & security: 3,3
ReSound Key 2 88-DWH:
Extras
At the end of our test report, there is a bit of space for the extra features: ReSound has integrated a sound generator that plays some soothing sounds for those suffering from tinnitus. This can distract from the tinnitus and provide a bit more relaxation.
A clever tool is the built-in remote maintenance service. Almost everyone has a smartphone, and time is a precious commodity. Therefore, such a remote maintenance service is absolutely appropriate. If someone needs a new programming of their hearing aids, they can easily contact the audiologist through the app and describe their hearing preferences. Through a cloud service, the professional can then send a personalized setting as a data package to the app. From there, it gets loaded onto the hearing aid and can be tried out immediately. This definitely deserves extra points in our test.
A new trend in the hearing aid industry is integrated sensors that can track a few personal health data, for example. However, the Key 2 88-DWH does not offer this. Some other hearing aids already have a few advanced options like a fall alarm or reminder functions. We do not find this here, and that is not so dramatic, because the normal hearing functions are still the most important.
Rating Extras: 2,5
Conclusion: ReSound Key 2 88-DWH
This test device ranks in the lower positions overall and is missing some features. We award a grade of 3.51. This is acceptable for less demanding listeners, but for a very active lifestyle, we recommend a hearing aid with more comprehensive 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 flow+ 10 IIC | Rating: 3 / 5 |
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Hansaton flow+ 10 CIC | Rating: 3 / 5 |
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Unitron T Insera 600 10 W | Rating: 3 / 5 |
Our ReSound Key 2 88-DWH review was created on September 8, 2021 and lastly updated on August 7, 2025. The overall rating of 4,21 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 1 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 4.5 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 3 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 3.5 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..
FAQ
Is the ReSound Key 2 88-DWH suitable for me?
The fitting range of this hearing aid is "mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss." A hearing care professional can quickly assess whether your hearing deficit falls within this range.
What does the ReSound Key 2 88-DWH cost?
The rough price range in which the ReSound Key 2 88-DWH is currently offered in Germany is approximately between €1.00 and €700. When considering the price, one should also look at the overall rating: The overall test score in the HörShop test is 3.5 (sufficient). Details are also important for contextualizing the hearing aid price: The star rating for "noise suppression" in the test shows only 1 out of 5 stars.
What size is the ReSound Key 2 88-DWH?
We have classified this behind-the-ear hearing aid in size class S. This means it is medium-sized. You can compare it with other hearing aids in this size category: Hearing Aids Comparison.
How well can you hear with the ReSound Key 2 88-DWH?
The Key 2 88-DWH from manufacturer ReSound is equipped with 6 separately adjustable equalizer bands (for context: current top devices have 25 bands). The rating for noise suppression for this device achieves only 1 out of 5 stars. The designation 'fair' (only 1 out of 5 stars) is given for the wind noise suppression of the Key 2 88-DWH. Summarizing the entire category of "hearing comfort," the overall test score is 5.2 (poor).
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