Struggling to hear the TV? You may have even noticed your household members complaining about the TV volume being too high. Now, whether you have followed this up with an audiologist’s appointment and are looking for suitable hearing aids or have just searched for solutions on google to get here, this article is a thorough guide on affordable but effective sound enhancers for TV. From hearing aids to hearing amplifiers for TV viewing, we have gathered all of the very best TV listening aids in this one handy article to help you in making an informed decision. After all, hearing devices are expensive and nowadays the variety is endless, making it even harder to select the right one.
First of all, as far as bluetooth earphones go, there are 3 general categories which TV earbuds fall into.
Wireless TV headphones
- Designed for those who struggle to hear the TV, they are the most compatible, and work with the widest range of TVs
Ordinary bluetooth earbuds
- Easy to access, and have wide range of uses outside of being used as wireless earbuds for TV
Hearing enhancing devices
- Targeted at solving the root of the problem: hearing impairment; and create an over optimal hearing experience.
Now that you have a rough idea of what there is on offer with regards to TV hearing enhancement, let’s explore options within each of these categories; so that you can hear TV without disturbing others.
1. Put your TV Ears on
Dedicated TV earphones are specially designed devices to strengthen your relationship with your TV, through assisting ears with hearing. Overall, these devices are optimal for TV sound enhancement, but pretty much useless for anything else. We recommend you only use these if your hearing impairment is very mild and just interferes with watching TV.Â
They work by transmitting radio signals from a base station - plugged into the TV - to the headphones. There are numerous TV headphones on the market, but we have selected a few based on their excellent TV sound enhancing capabilities.
We have picked these based on the incredible sound quality they deliver. Using patented technology, they are our top pick for dedicated TV headphones.
This headset boasts a long range, and so can be used in large spaces, and is known for being easy to use and setup.
ProsÂ
- Extensive compatibility with different televisions
- straightforward to set up via bluetooth
Cons
- Use limited to the TV
- Costly, around $150, considering they can only be used for TV viewing
2. Just Use Normal Bluetooth Earphones
Chances are you already have a pair of these, they are your run-of-the-mill bluetooth compatible earbuds; and so, this is the most economical option of the bunch. Having said that, you may face some compatibility issues when trying to use them with your TV, depending on which type you use. Particularly if you don’t own a smart TV, in which case you will need a Bluetooth TV Transmitter just to connect these headphones. On the upside, investing in a transmitter, like an Amazon Fire Stick, can seriously increase the range of viewing content of your television. And, if you do own a smart TV with bluetooth connectivity, then consider the following earbuds to ramp up your TV viewing experience.
These earbuds are very widely used, and notorious for their quality and device compatibility.
Bose are responsible for manufacturing some of the highest quality sound gear, and their wireless earphones are no exception.
Pros
- They can be used with a wide range of smart devices, not just TV
Cons
- These earbuds tend to face compatibility issues with simple TVs, and investing in a bluetooth transmitter could make this option very costly
- Cannot enhance sound generated from media other than smart devices; which, chances are, you also struggle hearing
Sound amplifying Devices are the Real Deal
These are the most universal of all, and are actual hearing solutions unlike the other TV hearing products discussed. Such sound enhancing technologies are namely PSAPs, personal sound amplification products, and hearing aids. TV viewing is merely one of their many uses, they are generally used for day-to-day hearing enhancement by the hard of hearing. These can prove to be the best TV headphones for seniors, as they don’t need to remember to put them on and won’t need to connect the hearing device to bluetooth each time. Within this category, hearing aids and PSAPs differ from each other greatly; but as TV earphones, advanced PSAPs are the best option.
Advanced PSAPs combine the 8-channel DSP built-into hearing aids and the low cost of PSAPs; that’s the best of both worlds.Â
Our winners as the best TV listening aids:
Pros
- Hearing devices are designed to correct hearing discrepancies and so are an excellent investment for the hard of hearing, not to mention excellent earbuds for watching TV.
- PSAPs don’t cost much more than other hearing devices for TV, but can also be used for non-digital sounds, like real-life conversations.
Cons
- It’s safe to say for a hearing impaired individual there are no disadvantages of investing in hearing aids designed to correct their hearing problem.
So, if you find yourself using captions or disturbing others with the loudness of the TV, then you should definitely consider one of the discussed solutions. After all, who wants to watch a show when you can’t even comprehend what your favorite character is saying?
FAQs
How Can I Listen to TV When Hard of Hearing?
It may seem like watching TV is impossible without subtitles; but in the 21st century no problem is too big. There are a massive range of hearing solutions available, including digital hearing amplifiers, which can most definitely negate the need for using captions. All you need to do is explore your options.
Will a Soundbar Help Someone Who is Hard of Hearing?
Yes, but keep in mind not all soundbars. There are soundbars specially designed to aid the hearing impaired in watching TV available, just make sure the one you select is designed for this purpose.