Audien Hearing made waves last year when it launched the Atom One, one of the few hearing aids to hit the market for under $100. The only problem is one you probably figured out already: They just weren’t very effective as hearing aids, providing a blunt amplification of every sound, whether you wanted to hear it or not—underpinned with a steady layer of hiss. Audien has repeatedly tried again in this low-end part of the market, cranking out at least five models of low-cost hearing aids. Its latest release is the Atom X, another spin on the same in-the-ear design but with some fancy new features and a $389 price, inching ever upward. Case StudyPhotograph: Chris NullThe hearing aids themselves aren’t exactly striking: Earplug-like and beige, with a weight of 2.20 grams each, the simple devices each have a fat button on the outward-facing surface.