01Why TV audio is so hard with hearing loss

It's not just you - and it's not just "turning it up" that you need. Television audio is genuinely one of the hardest listening situations for hearing aid wearers, and here's why:

Dialogue competes with everything. TV shows mix speech, background music, sound effects, and ambient noise together at nearly equal volume levels. A healthy ear separates these layers instinctively. With hearing loss, the layers blend into a wall of sound where voices get buried under scores and effects.

TV speakers are built for aesthetics, not clarity. Modern flat-screen TVs have tiny, downward-firing or rear-firing speakers that prioritize a thin profile over audio quality. The sound bounces off walls and furniture before reaching you, adding reverberation that makes speech even harder to follow.

Distance degrades speech intelligibility. Sitting 8–12 feet from a TV means the audio has traveled across the room, picked up reflections, and lost the crisp high-frequency consonants (s, t, f, th) that make speech understandable. Your hearing aids amplify what their microphones pick up - but what the microphones pick up is already degraded room audio.

02How TV streaming to hearing aids actually works

There are three ways to get TV audio directly into your hearing aids in 2026. Each works differently and has different trade-offs:

Method 1:
TV streaming accessory (most common today)

A small device - roughly the size of a deck of cards - plugs into your TV's audio output (optical, HDMI ARC, or 3.5mm) and wirelessly transmits the audio directly to your hearing aids. You control the volume independently through your hearing aid or phone app. The room TV volume stays wherever your family sets it. Every major hearing aid brand sells their own TV streamer, typically $299–$499.

Method 2:
Direct Bluetooth from a smart TV

Some smart TVs and streaming devices (Apple TV, Fire Stick, Roku) can connect directly to Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids without a separate accessory. This works for hearing aids that support Bluetooth LE Audio or classic Bluetooth streaming. The catch: latency (lip-sync delay) can be an issue, and not every TV supports the right Bluetooth profile. A dedicated TV streamer almost always provides a better, lag-free experience.

Method 3:
Auracast broadcast (the future)

Auracast is a new Bluetooth LE Audio standard that lets a TV broadcast audio to an unlimited number of compatible hearing aids simultaneously - each listener at their own volume. No pairing, no accessories, no limit on listeners. A few TVs are shipping with Auracast in 2026, and most premium hearing aids from ReSound, Oticon, and Phonak are already Auracast-ready. This will eventually replace dedicated TV streamers entirely - but we're not fully there yet.

03Best hearing aids for TV: brand-by-brand picks

Every premium hearing aid brand supports TV streaming - but their approaches, accessories, and streaming quality differ. Here's how each brand handles TV:

Our top pick for TV: Phonak + TV Connector

Phonak's TV Connector is consistently ranked as the easiest, most reliable TV streaming accessory in the industry. Plug it into your TV's audio output, pair it once, and it streams audio directly to your Phonak hearing aids with virtually zero latency - no lip-sync delay, no dropouts, no fuss. The range is up to 45 feet, which means it works even in large living rooms. It connects via optical, HDMI, or 3.5mm, covering virtually every TV on the market.

Paired with the Audéo Infinio Ultra or Lumity, you get Phonak's universal Bluetooth (iPhone + Android), DEEPSONIC AI processing for speech clarity, and the ability to mix TV audio with ambient room sound - so you can hear the TV clearly while still hearing someone talking to you from the couch.

Best for future-proofing: ReSound + TV Streamer+

ReSound's TV Streamer+ is the first TV accessory with full Auracast built in. Today it works as a standard Bluetooth streamer. As Auracast-compatible TVs roll out over the next 1–2 years, the Streamer+ will seamlessly transition to broadcast mode - supporting unlimited listeners, each at their own volume. If you're buying for the long term, this is the most forward-looking setup.

Best for couples: Signia + StreamLine TV

If both you and your partner wear hearing aids, Signia's StreamLine TV is the standout - it supports multiple hearing aid pairs simultaneously from a single transmitter. Both of you stream the same TV audio independently, each at your own volume, without needing two separate accessories. Auracast will eventually make this standard across brands, but Signia solves it today.

04TV streamer accessories compared

For most living rooms (TV 8–12 feet away), every streamer on this list works fine. Range only becomes a factor in large open-plan rooms or if you want to stream to a bedroom down the hall. Phonak and Oticon lead here at 45 feet.

05Auracast: the future of TV + hearing aids

Auracast is the technology that will eventually make dedicated TV streamers unnecessary - and it's closer than most people realize.

What it is: Auracast is a Bluetooth LE Audio broadcast feature that lets any audio source - a TV, a cinema, an airport PA system - broadcast sound to an unlimited number of compatible hearing aids simultaneously. Each listener controls their own volume independently. No pairing. No accessory. No limit on how many people listen.

Where it stands in 2026: ReSound Vivia and Nexia are the only hearing aids with full Auracast actively working today. Phonak Infinio, Oticon Intent, and Signia IX are Auracast-ready with firmware updates pending or rolled out. On the TV side, a small number of 2026 smart TVs from Samsung and LG ship with Auracast broadcast built in. The ecosystem is growing fast but isn't yet universal.

What this means for you now: If you're buying hearing aids today, choose a model that's at least Auracast-ready - even if you still need a TV streamer accessory today, your hearing aids will work natively as Auracast TVs become standard over the next 1-3 years. Think of the TV streamer as a bridge to the near future.

065 tips for better TV listening tonight

Even before you buy a TV streamer, these changes make an immediate difference:

• Turn on subtitles as a backup, not a replacement. Captions reinforce what you're hearing and help your brain fill in gaps. Combined with streamed audio, it's an unbeatable combination for following complex dialogue.
• Switch your TV's audio mode to "Dialogue" or "Clear Voice." Most smart TVs have a sound mode that boosts speech frequencies and reduces background music. It's usually buried in Settings → Sound → Sound Mode. It won't solve everything, but it helps.
• Sit closer and face the TV directly. Hearing aids work best when the sound source is in front of you. Moving from 12 feet to 8 feet can make a noticeable difference in speech clarity.
• Reduce competing room noise. Mute background music, close windows facing a busy street, and lower the dishwasher before pressing play. Your hearing aids can separate speech from noise, but every source of competing sound makes the job harder.
• Use your hearing aid's TV or Music program. Most hearing aid apps have a dedicated TV program that optimizes EQ for dialogue clarity - wider frequency range, reduced compression, enhanced speech frequencies. Switching to it before you start watching makes a real difference.

07TV & hearing aids - frequently asked questions