Sound amplifier vs TV listener: which one for the television?
By Jamal — SEO & partnerships at Ovara
A note on what this site is. Ovara sells a personal sound amplifier. It is not a hearing aid, it does not treat hearing loss, and nothing here is medical advice. If you notice a change in your hearing, book an appointment with a hearing-care professional first.
Two very different products get sold to the same person: someone who has started turning the television up. One is a TV listener, wireless headphones or a neck loop with a transmitter that plugs into the television. The other is a personal sound amplifier like ours, worn behind the ear, which lifts everything around you, television included. They solve overlapping problems in different ways, and the honest answer to "which one?" depends on one question: is the television the only situation that is difficult?
What a TV listener does
A TV listener takes the sound straight from the television and sends it to headphones or a small receiver on the listener's chest. The watcher gets their own volume, everyone else keeps the room at a normal level, and dialogue is clear because it never has to cross the room. UK brands such as Sarabec and Geemarc have made these for decades and they are widely sold by RNID-recommended retailers. Typical prices run from about £40 for a basic wired set to £150 or more for a wireless system with a charging dock.
Strengths: the clearest possible television sound, no strain on anyone else, nothing worn during the day. Limits: it does nothing outside the living room, it needs setting up with the television's audio output, and the person has to remember to put the headset on for every programme.
What a personal sound amplifier does
A personal sound amplifier is a small microphone, amplifier and ear tip worn behind the ear. It raises the volume of whatever is around you: the television at a normal setting, a conversation across the table, a grandchild in the back seat, birdsong on a walk. It is a general-purpose volume lift, not a television accessory. Ours, the Ovara Sound Amplifier, is rechargeable, sits behind either ear, and costs £73 with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Strengths: one device for the whole day, nothing to plug into the television, works anywhere. Limits: it lifts background noise as well as speech, so it is at its best in quiet rooms, and it is not a medical device: it does not treat anything, and it is the wrong purchase for anyone who has not yet had a hearing check.
Side by side
| TV listener | Personal sound amplifier | |
|---|---|---|
| Television dialogue | Excellent, direct feed | Good in a quiet room |
| Conversation, phone, outdoors | No | Yes |
| Set-up | Cable or optical into the TV, pairing | Charge, fit, switch on |
| Worn all day | No, only while watching | Yes, if wanted |
| Noisy rooms | Not affected | Weak point |
| Typical UK price | £40 to £150+ | £30 to £100 (Ovara £73) |
Which one, honestly
- The television is the only problem: buy a TV listener. It will do that one job better than any amplifier, and nobody has to wear anything at lunch.
- The television is one of several quiet situations: a personal sound amplifier covers all of them with one device. Try it for a fortnight under a real returns policy.
- Both problems are severe, or the change was sudden: neither. See a hearing-care professional first. An NHS hearing test is free.
- Loud, busy rooms are the main struggle: neither product fixes that. Be wary of anyone who says otherwise.
Try the free fix first
Before buying either, spend five minutes in the television's audio menu. Most modern sets have a dialogue or "clear voice" setting, and turning off surround or cinema modes often makes speech clearer on built-in speakers. A soundbar helps more than any setting. Our guide hear the TV better without turning it up walks through all three options in order of cost.