Watching TV is one of the biggest pastimes across the globe, and if you’re not up to speed on the latest hit programme you can really feel like you’re missing out.
But, being hearing imapired does not mean that you have to miss out on such things. There are now several devices around that can enable the hearing impaired to enjoy their favorite programs with no problem at all.
We’ve been checking out some of the best of these devices that are out on the market at the moment, and, after much deliberation, we were able to hand pick our top few favorites to review for you here today.
Let’s get straight to it!
In a hurry? Check out our number one pick!
OUR TOP PICK
EDITORS CHOICE
BEST VALUE
OUR TOP PICK
Now, this particular headphone set is a prominent bestseller with the leading online retailers in the category of Wireless Audio Receivers & Adapters, and has been selling in its thousands.
And it’s been reeling in plenty of positive customer reviews, having earned a 4 and a half star rating on Amazon, even after well over 5,000 ratings.
These headphones come with a Bluetooth transmitter and a range of different cables to connect the transmitter to the TV, and you simply choose your preferred cable. Choices include an optical cable and an AUX cable. And there’s also an adapter to plug an AUX cable into an RCA port.
Once the transmitter is paired with the headphones, the wearer can adjust the volume of the headphones as they please. Meaning no-one else in the room has to hear it as loud as they have it.
It has a particularly low latency, which means that the visual and the audio will always be perfectly synchronized.
It has a very long working range, and the wearer can walk away up to 100 feet and still be able to hear every word. Perfect if you want to get up out of your seat to grab a drink without missing anything.
It’s a great choice for the hard of hearing who don’t like to wear hearing aids or anything directly inside their ear canal. This is because the headphones sit over the ear and are super comfortable to wear. Moreover the headband is adjustable for a customized fit.
The headphones also have an impressive battery life, and you don’t have to charge them up every single day like you do with smartphones. The batteries last a whopping 40 hours on a full charge, and once that time is up you simply use the USB cable to charge them up again.
Setting it up couldn’t be easier, it’s a simple case of plug in and play. And you can have up to 2 headphones running at the same time.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular item, simply click on “Check Price” to see if they have a deal on now.
If you decide to buy this product through Amazon, you are eligible for a very affordable protection plan of either 3 or 4 years.
Pros:
- Best seller with excellent ratings
- A selection of cables is provided
- Comfortable to wear for many hours
- Very easy to set up, just plug & play
- Excellent 100 feet working range
- Impressive 40 hour battery life
Cons:
- Dolby / DTS is not supported
- Not compatible with ANY RCA outputs on the back of AV receivers / amplifiers, that’s why the adapter is provided
EDITORS CHOICE
Now, this is a TV listening device designed with the hearing imparied in mind. It has proved to be very popular with customers, having earned a 4 and a half star average customer rating on Amazon, even after well over 1,000 ratings.
The principle behind how it works has a lot in common with the headphones we showed you earlier, only these feature earbuds that go into the ear canal, and you wear them under the chin rather than over your head.
You are provided with a Bluetooth transmitter which can connect to your TV by any of the cables provided, including an optical input and an audio input. Then the signal will transmit up to a range of 100 feet, and even through walls, which is really handy if you need to grab something from the next room, you won’t miss a thing.
But the real stand out feature of these headphones is just how much you can vary the sound coming through. It works to highlight voices on the screen while at the same time minimizing background noise, which means that you can hear all the dialogue crystal clear.
And that’s not all, you can tweak left and right ear volume separately as needed, and you can select your preferred target tone, whether it's normal, treble or bass.
They’re very comfortable to wear, you can adjust the chin band as required, and the eartips come in different varieties, and you simply wear the best fit for you. They’re made with super soft memory foam for ultimate comfort.
These headphones will continue to work for up to about 5 or 7 hours before they need to be recharged, which is long enough to watch 2 or 3 movies in a row. And when the batteries can no longer take a recharge, that doesn’t mark the end of your enjoyment - there’s also a spare battery to be found within the base.
If you click on “Check Price” the product page will open in a new tab, and if you scroll down you will find a handy comparison chart comparing several different TV listening devices by the same brand. We recommend that you do this so that you can see which one best suits your needs.
If you decide to buy this product through Amazon, you are eligible for a very affordable protection plan of either 2 or 3 years.
Pros:
- Designed with hearing impaired in mind
- They have a powerful range of up to 100 ft
- Highlights dialogue & minimizes background noise
- You can tweak the volume to each of your ears
- Eartips are made with super soft memory foam
- They will work continuously for up to 5-7 hours
Cons:
- Not designed for those with severe or profound hearing loss
BEST VALUE
What impressed us with these headphones is their range - they use Bluetooth version 5 technology to deliver sound up to a staggering 50 meters. Even if you need to nip to the washroom you won’t miss a thing!
The volume on them is really good too, louder than all the regular headphones on the market and suitable even for those with hearing difficulties.
The Bluetooth transmitter doubles as a charging dock, and not only can it hook up to your TV, via a range of different cables including optical, AUX and RCA, but it will also hook up to a sound bar.
And you get an enhanced listening experience, thanks to the 3 equalizer modes, which include balanced, enhanced bass or enhanced treble. Neat huh?
We were also impressed with the total continuous runtime of these headphones, which comes in at a whopping 35 hours on a full charge. So if you ever forget to charge them after watching a movie, or binging on a short series, it’s no big deal and you don’t have to wait before you can start using them again.
And they’re also super comfortable to wear too, even for extended periods. This is because they’re super lightweight at just 8 ounces, which is a whole 2 ounces lighter than it’s nearest competitors. The soft memory foam earpads seal in the audio around your ears, yet at the same time they still allow your ears to breathe.
We also love just how simple and straightforward it is to set up. All you have to do is connect the transmitter to your TV with one of the cables provided (and the sound bar if you have one), switch on the headphones, and you’re good to go straight away.
And there’s no latency to worry about, all the audio is perfectly synched to what’s on screen, whether you’re watching on a smart TV or an old fashioned one.
No wonder it’s had such good customer ratings and reviews!
If you decide to buy this product through Amazon, you are eligible for a very affordable protection plan of either 2 or 3 years.
Pros:
- Impressive range of up to 50 meters
- 3 EQ modes for enhanced listening
- Impressive 35 hour continuous runtime
- Very lightweight and comfortable to wear
- Setting the device up is quick and painless
Cons:
- Buttons on headphones can be a bit fiddly for older users or those with limited dexterity
Conclusion
There are some amazing TV listening devices out on the market at the moment. And in this article we’ve only touched the surface on what’s available. They can certainly vary in a number of different ways, including maximum volume, comfort, adjustability and value for money.
Our favorite brands, as you may have gathered from the reviews so far, are Avantree and Simolio. If you go for either of these two brands, we can assure you that you won’t go far wrong. And we would argue that both brands offer excellent value for money.