Easy Ways to Improve TV Sound for Those With Hearing Loss

"Can you turn it up? I can't hear what they're saying!"

"It's already too loud!" replies your frustrated family member.

This nightly battle over TV volume is all too familiar for millions.

For millions of Americans listening to TV is something they wrestle with every day. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) estimates that 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing.

Prior research indicates that as we age, television audio will become less intelligible. This is mainly due to age-related hearing loss. The study shows that age-related hearing loss impacts hearing ability mainly of high-frequency sounds (2000-8000 Hz) which are extremely pertinent to speech consonants. These included useful consonants, like "s", "f", "t", and "k", that provide useful information to listeners about trying to understand speech.

Vowels have their volume and consonants have their clarity, and without the latter, speech can seem like one long blur of noises to make sense of. It’s why older adults frequently report that they are able to “hear” the TV but not always understand what they’re hearing — particularly when faced with rapid-fire dialogue, noisy scenes or background music.

Common frustrations include:

• Actors who mumble
• Variation in volume levels between dialogue and action scenes
• Music playing too loud over speech 
• Family arguments over volume

The good news? There are easy ways to do that without buying expensive gear or being a technical whiz.

Evidence-Based Solutions

Simple TV Audio Adjustments That Actually Work

Are you having difficulty comprehending every word on your TV? Try one or more of the following settings for improved dialogue clarity:

• Turn on Speech Enhancement Modes

You could use the sound options that are built in to most TVs these days, which are designed to boost frequencies that have human speech:

- Samsung: “Amplify Voice”

- LG: “AI Sound Pro”

- Sony: “Voice Zoom”

- Other brands: Check for “Speech Enhancement” or “Clear Voice” modes

These features increase over the 1000–4000 Hz frequency range, making produced speech more intelligible.

• Adjust the Equalizer (EQ) Settings

You can boost the audio of the voices by fine-tuning your TV’s EQ:

Making adjustments in sound can help customize the audio output to meet specific hearing profile.

• Utilize Additional Features

Here are some settings to improve viewing:

- Subtitles/Closed Captions: Used for the hard of hearing to read the dialogue.

- Dynamic Range Compression/Night Mode: Enjoy consistent volume levels without disturbing others.

- Volume Leveling: Helps avoid elevation in volume from one media segment to another - especially during commercials.

- Disable Surround Sound: When you disable surround sound, it can cut down on some of the background effects, which can help dialogue to come through better.

Pro-Tip: Playing with these settings to find a combination that allows you to watch comfortably.

Special Speakers That Really Make All the Difference

Standard TV speakers often fall short for people with hearing challenges, because

• Sound radiates away from listener
• Poor high-frequency response
• Unable to accommodate hearing loss patterns

It is good to use a TV speaker for hearing impaired persons—specifically built to improve speech clarity, usually far more user-friendly than other surround sound systems, and it operates in clearer sound without requiring the maximum amount of volume.

Here are some options for you:

• Wireless TV Speaker (Great for Flexibility)

Product Suggestion: Simolio SM-621D Wireless TV Speaker

• Designed to bring clearer speech delivery to the listener by putting it closer to them.
• Voice-enhancement circuitry enables better clarity for dialogue.
• Wireless and portable, wonderful for personal volume level that controls and does not disturb other people.p.

• Wired TV Speaker (Simple and Reliable)

Product Suggestion: Simolio SM-961 Wired TV Speaker

• Includes tone control knobs to boost treble to help with speech clarity.
• The sleep timer and plug-and-play means it is easy to set up for older seniors.

Other Helpful Solutions

• Wireless Headphones:

Contemporary versions can produce high volume ranges (up to 105–110 decibels), users can listen in privacy without disturbing others. And, new developments have resulted in lighter units, with some models weighing significantly

• Hearing Aids:

Many current hearing aids have such abilities as direct streaming and background noise reduction, which improve the overall listening experience.

Audiologists also suggest a few additional little adjustments:

Sitting closer to the TV or sound source also improves clarity of speech.

Tip: Sit 4-6 feet from the TV instead of 10+ feet away to improve clarity of speech, especially in large and echoey rooms.

Soft furnishings may help with echo reduction, but echo reduction depends on many factors.

Tip: Adding thick curtains, or an area rug in a room with hard flooring may help provide a couple of decibels reduction in echo.

Background noise is still relevant to work on improving speech understanding.

Tip: Turn off fans, open windows or turn off background music when watching TV.

Conclusion: Hear TV Clearly Again

TV audio systems aren't designed for aging ears - but solutions exist. Implementing the solutions mentioned above can dramatically improve the TV viewing experience for those with hearing challenges.

Take Action Today:

• Start with 5-minute TV setting adjustments
• Consider Simolio TV speakers for tv for hard of hearing if you need more help
• Combine other additional solutions for the best result

Remember - hearing TV clearly shouldn't be hard work. With the right approach, you can enjoy your favorite shows comfortably again. For immediate improvement, the Simolio TV speakers for hard of hearing offers the ideal balance of clarity, simplicity, and affordability. Let’s share these solutions with friends/family who struggle.