I don’t think I need a full hearing aid, but I struggle to hear the TV without turning it up too loud. Are there any budget-friendly solutions?
How budget? You can pick up TV bluetooth adaptors off of Amazon for pretty cheap and they will typically connect to any bluetooth headset, the trick is that if the products aren’t related there may or may not be an audio delay which is annoying when the audio doesn’t synch with the mouth. If you get a headset that is sold WITH a TV device, or at least brand-connected, the lag is less likely.
Here are two options. I like the Sennheiser.
P.S. get your hearing tested
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You might see it the HomeSpot headphone setup can work for you.
My better half was complaining that I was turning the TV volume too loud, and I was having difficulty understanding her. One of the least expensive ways to get your hearing tested is to go to Costco, if there’s one close to you, and pay the $65 annual membership fee. They are the second largest supplier of hearing aids in the U.S. after the VA. Their hearing aid specialists are not on commission and they will tell you if you have a hearing deficit or not. I waited a year before getting mine and it’s made a big difference. Costco sells only the top of the line hearing aids at very reduced prices compared to anyone else. They’re not cheap, but they’re reasonable.
Good luck.
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If you want, if you decide not to do business with Costco after your hearing test, you could get a full refund of the annual membership fee.
WH
I didn’t know that. But why would I or anyone else do that? In one year the membership is free if all you bought was gasoline and toilet paper. Today Costco gasoline in the DFW area is $2.77 a gallon. All the stations nearby are $2.85 or more.
None of my local-ish costcos have gas. The closest ones are more than an hour away.
WH
Too bad, but Costco will save you thousands on your hearing aids.
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VA, brother. VA. I sat with an HIS at Costco just to see if hearing aids were really all that and a bag of chips before my claim at VA was approved. I just about cried when he let me wear one of the older Philips models, 9010 maybe? I couldn’t believe it.
I’ve been using Costco for ~25 years. Buy my contacts there. Lots of other stuff too. But I recognize that it’s not for everyone. If you will never use it, get your money back! I love that they never give any trouble on returns.
WH
I wouldn’t spend 600 USD for a Sennheiser, there are great wireless Philips headphones for well under 100 USD (see link below, for example). They are not Bluetooth-based, so no audio lag and far, far better range. I can take out the garbage and keep listening to my TV.
The problem is that, sadly, few new TVs have standard audio (headphone) outputs (for some obscure reason). Others will cut off their loudspeakers as soon as you plug in another audio connection. So you may need to fiddle a bit with an optical converter (pick one with a remote control as pictured, so you can mute it- again, some TVs cannot do this). They tend to produce very weak output volume so you might even want to add a small amplifier. But those things can be bought cheaply from China at 10-20 USD.
https://www.digitec.ch/en/s1/producttype/headphones-48/brand/philips-378
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My wife uses her Air Pods Pro to watch TV. Our tv has a Bluetooth connection and it was simple to pair to.
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Obviously the VA is the way to go if you are eligible for the benefits. However, Costco is the next best alternative. As an example, I have company health insurance which covers hearing aids. First I would have to have enough medical expenses to cover my annual deductible of $1,500. Then, I would have to go to one of their listed audiologists for a hearing test which is $65 out of pocket. Then they only cover part of the cost and they don’t cover Bluetooth hearing aids. One of my colleagues used our insurance to get his hearing aids. I don’t know which provider he used. He told me the audiologist gave him three choices, least expensive, moderately expensive, and top of the line devices. He chose the middle one. He wound up paying $1,500 out of pocket. I went to Costco, and they don’t take insurance. I paid a total of $1,599 for the Jabra Enhanced Pro 20 hearing aids. All of the brands Costco has are top of the line models.
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If TV is the only thing giving you trouble, you might not need prescription hearing aids just yet. You could crank up the volume, but that might not go over well with everyone else in the house. Why not try OTC hearing aids first? I use Audien Ion Pro for everyday hearing (including watching TV) and it works great without breaking the bank. No need to overcomplicate things, sometimes the simplest fix is the best one.
Why not buy a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2 headphones. They have a built in hearing test if you have an iPhone. Or, just pair them with your TV.