Hearing the TV Without Turning It Up for Everyone

Why louder is not the same as clearer

With many kinds of hearing loss, high-pitched speech sounds are the first to go. Raising the volume makes everything louder, including music and effects, while the words stay hard to make out. Distance, room echo and other noise make it harder still.

Captions

Captions show the words on screen, and work for everyone in the room without changing the sound. Most TVs and streaming services offer them. Live captions covers automatic captions on phones and computers.

Sound straight to the ears

Many hearing aids can receive TV sound directly, usually through a small TV adapter or through the phone or TV's Bluetooth. Others in the room keep their own comfortable volume. Connecting hearing aids to a phone explains the connection types. Without hearing aids, wireless TV headphones do a similar job.

Listening systems in the room

• Hearing loop: a wire around the room sends the sound to hearing aids with a telecoil. See telecoils and hearing loops.
• Infrared systems send sound as light to a worn receiver; they stay within the room.
• FM or radio systems send sound to a receiver over a longer range.

Simple changes that help

• Sit closer to the TV and face the screen.
• Turn off other noise sources, such as a radio or dishwasher.
• Soft furnishings reduce echo.
• Some TVs have a speech or dialogue mode that brings voices forward.

For family viewing, agreeing on captions plus a personal listening option usually works better than arguing over the volume.

Key takeaways

• Louder is not the same as clearer.
• Captions help everyone in the room.
• Streaming to hearing aids or headphones lets others keep their own volume.
• Hearing loops, infrared and FM systems are room options.
• Sitting closer and cutting other noise also help.