Do TV Soundbars Help Hard of Hearing?
"I have hearing loss. I wear hearing aids, and even then I still need to put closed captions on the TV to follow the dialogue. My family tells me the volume is too loud, but that's the only option I have to follow the story. I’ve heard of soundbars being helpful. But is that true? Do soundbars really make hearing dialogue better?"
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. One in three people in the U.S. between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss and may deal with the exact frustration. The challenge to understand TV dialogue is one of the most common complaints about hearing loss resulting in social isolation and loss of enjoyment. This article cuts through the confusion and investigates whether a TV soundbar is the answer for you or someone you love.
The Hearing Challenge: It’s About Clarity, Not Just Volume
Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, often presents as difficulty in hearing higher frequencies, which contain much of the clarity of speech. Consonants like' s,' 'f,' and 'th' are difficult to tell apart. As noted by experts, older adults do not simply need the sound to be louder; they need the sound to be clearly presented, and distinct from the background noise and music. Modern TV speakers, which tend to be down-firing and thin, are very poor at providing this clarity.
How Soundbars Help People with Hearing Loss
A decent soundbar is designed to overcome several significant limitations of almost every built-in TV speaker.
Dedicated Voice or Dialogue Enhancements: Many modern soundbars are inclusive of a specific "Voice" or "Dialogue" mode. This mode works as it raises the mid-range frequencies (where human voices fall) without raising the levels of high sound effects or other extraneous distractions.
Enhanced Sound Delivery: Rather than sending sound down or backwards as TV speakers do, a soundbar is oriented to send sound in a direct path across the room to the listener. This helps reduce echoes and muffling as the sound has a direct path to the listener.
Less Distortion: Soundbars have larger, higher-quality drivers (speakers) with dedicated amplifiers which allow them to provide a cleaner sound even at high volumes, instead of the distorted, rattled sound of small, cheap TV speakers.
If your parents have had a hard time listening to their TV, have the volume turned ALL the way UP just to hear the dialogue, but don't want to buy a new TV, a soundbar is a great and easy upgrade to look into.
The Limitations of Soundbars for Hearing Loss
However, soundbars are a one-size-fits-all solution for a room, not an individual. This is where they fall short:
They Still Disturb Others: While the sound is clearer, it still is broadcasting to the whole room. If you need to keep the volume turned high enough to hear, it will likely still be way too loud for the family or neighbors to be around.
They Don't Fix All Clarity Problems: In cases of worse hearing loss, that soundbar may not help at all. If the show has too much background noise, the actors are mumbling, or the sound mixing is just bad, it doesn't matter how great the sound bar is it won't help at all.
They Are Not Personalised: The soundbar improves hearing for the entire room. He or she does not have that level of specific, personal, finely-tuned control in consider of tone or volume that someone with hearing loss may really need.
Beyond the Soundbar: The Alternative of Personal TV Speakers
While a standard soundbar will vastly improve the sound quality in your home theater, some people need a more personalised option. For those who require fine tuning of the volume, or wish to listen without other people in the room being disturbed, a personal TV speaker for the hearing impaired might be the best alternative.
Think of it as your own personal soundbar. The Simolio Wireless TV Speaker (SM-621D Plus), for example, is designed specifically as TV speakers for the hearing impaired. They give you all the benefits of dialogue enhancement, but they transmit the sound to you directly, which gives you far more individualized control of volume and tone without affecting anyone else at the same time. That's why personal television speakers for the hard of hearing are often regarded as the best TV speakers for hard of hearing people who want ultimate clarity and consideration.
Why Choose a Personal TV Speaker Like Simolio?
Personal, Private Sound: Portable option is available. This means you can put the speaker right next to you to get clear & powerful sound at exactly the volume you want with others watching the TV at a "normal" volume.
Superior Voice Clarity: The Dialogue Enhancement mode intensifies speech frequencies while cutting through the muffling background sounds.
Freedom of Movement with a Strong Signal: The system is completely wireless and easy to install with no complex steps to pair, and has a powerful, smooth wireless connection with a wide range of up to 164 ft (50 meters), so you can move all around your home, even to the next room, without missing anything.
Click to Learn More about Simolio TV Speaker For Hearing Impaired.
Soundbar or Personal Speaker: Which is Right for You?
The best choice depends on your living situation and specific needs:
Select a Traditional Soundbar if: You spend most of your TV viewing time with other people, your hearing loss is mild/moderate, and you want an overall audio enhancement for the family while improving sincerity of dialogue for everyone in the room.
Select a Personal TV Speaker if: You need much higher volumes of sound or significantly better tonal control; you want to listen/watch TV without disturbing someone else (or being disturbed by someone). And, you have unbalanced/asymmetrical hearing loss, or you live in an apartment than can disturb others.
Conclusion: A Clear Step Forward
Soundbars present a significant improvement over your TV's built-in speakers and can certainly help with mild hearing problems, but they are more of a shared solution.
If you need more power, personalisation, and privacy while watching TV, specially designed TV speakers for the hard of hearing. They will give you the clarity of a sound bar with the same personalisation of a hearing aid to help you enjoy TV again.
Learn More About the Simolio SM-621D Plus Wireless TV Speaker.
- Voice Clarity Boost
- No Lip-Sync Delay
- 3 EQ Modes Tailored to You
- TV & Bluetooth Modes Available
And you may take this wireless speaker anywhere...