When it comes to the elderly, there’s no skimping out. You have to make sure they have the most accessible, durable, and comfortable devices on hand.
As such, wireless TV headphones are no exception, and these devices need to offer the best in terms of convenience, sound quality, and ergonomics.
Thankfully, there are tons of TV headphones for seniors in the market. These can be in-ear headphones, on-ears, or regular over-the-ear headphones. However, finding the right products that match different budgets, use cases, specs, and extra features can be a daunting task so, this is why I’ve gone over some of the top tv headphones in the market and listed them out as follows.
So, let’s check out these devices.
The TV Ears Digital 11741 wireless tv headphones might not be the most modern-looking, but they are designed for seniors who are hard of hearing and need something that’s lightweight and comfortable.
Specs
What’s so satisfying about these wireless earbuds is that they go for long-term wear with minimal discomfort. Sure, they won’t provide a level of audio fidelity to the likes of over-ear headphones, but these don’t weigh you down and won’t warm up your ears. Also, the earbuds only weigh two ounces.
These TV ears wireless earbuds are one of the true classics and one of the brands to introduce specialized TV headphones for the elderly and hard of hearing. As such, they include extensive options to adjust the volume, along with better passive noise isolation and a frequency response that helps emphasize vocals. (A definite must-have for when you’re watching Mexican telenovelas.)
The transmitter/dock isn’t the most sophisticated, but they get the job done (you can watch tv without any issues). Although they had to make some compromises in certain aspects, such as the battery life and the infrared network, these wireless tv headphones are a decent find.
Avantree Ensemble headphones are one of the best in the business when it comes to assisting seniors with their entertainment needs. Apart from offering up top-notch features for watching tv, unlike many other over-ear headphones in this niche, these devices support Bluetooth 5.0, making them very versatile.
Specs
Thanks to Bluetooth support, you can easily move away from the tv and connect these headphones to a smartphone or laptop. Its plug-and-play connectivity is seamless, and you don’t need to have Smart TVs to take full advantage of these.
Another thing that many seniors (and juniors alike) will find incredibly useful is the charging dock. Apart from easily charging your headphones, without having to plug in any cables, the charging dock takes in analog, and digital audio inputs from your TV (or audio receiver) and transmits the audio data via Bluetooth 5.0 technology.
As such, there is minimal latency, and there’s no way you’re going to suffer through audio delays. (Provided you don’t stray more than 100ft from the charging dock.)
One thing that I’m slightly concerned about is the lack of a separate DC jack or USB port. So in the event, your charging dock breaks down, you won’t be able to recharge these headphones — rendering them useless, despite offering Bluetooth connectivity.
When it comes to wireless TV headphones, the AudioRange OTE-1000 over-ears are a solid option. It’s not the best out there, but it could hold its own when it comes to sound quality, ease of use, and comfort.
Specs
If there’s one thing you don’t have to worry about with these headphones, it’s the loudness. These wireless TV headphones are specifically designed with a higher volume threshold, making them a (sort of) ideal choice for seniors and people with hearing disabilities.
These over-ear headphones aren’t the most elegant-looking pair, and they may not be the most comfortable for extended periods. However, thanks to the wireless charging dock, impressive battery life, and built-in controls on the ear cups, these headphones are convenient and persistent, and they get the job done.
The charging dock accepts RCA, optical, and 3.5mm TRS (aux) audio outputs from the TV and transmits this data to the audio device (headphones) via a dedicated radio frequency channel. So, unfortunately, you won’t have the luxury of Bluetooth and the opportunity to plug the headphones into different devices without the help of the dock.
These wireless headphones can feel limiting because they don’t offer Bluetooth connectivity, but thankfully, you can do more than just watch tv by connecting the dock to other audio output devices via the aux. (Such as a laptop or PC.)
Unlike many other headphones on this list, the Brookstone Airphones are a pair of modern-looking and budget-friendly over-ear headphones. The sound profile might not be the most ideal, but it’s got a charging dock and performs exceptionally well for tv listening.
Specs
The Brookstone AirPhones is a pair of sleek-looking over-ear headphones. They are closed-backs with a ratcheted headband, protein leather ear cushions, and controls on the left ear cup.
These headphones boast 40mm drivers, and although they don’t necessarily contain a vocal-heavy frequency response, the extra bass, and sufficient volume control options more than make up for it. Therefore, it won’t be too much of a problem for seniors or others who watch tv with hearing aids.
The passive noise cancellation capabilities of these closed-backs are decent, but due to the lack of a specialized frequency response that emphasizes voices, people will have a hard time keeping up with the Kardashians — if they are watching tv with a lot of background noise.
The dock is a very handy piece of equipment. Apart from hanging your headphones and recharging them, using a wireless charging interface, it can handle optical, RCA, and 3.5mm aux. On top of that, the dock also supports passthrough via optical and aux. So if you ever need to maintain the TV sound on your speakers while also listening via headphones, you can do that.
According to many audiophiles, your headphones are only as good as your DAC, so if you want crystal-clear sound with minimal audio lag, you need a high-end wireless receiver for your TV system. Thankfully, the Sennheiser Flex 5000 is such a device, offering you a compact and portable DAC.
Specs
The Sennheiser Flex 5000 comes with three items: the TV dock, the Wireless Receiver, and the in-ear headphones. The TV dock doubles as a charging base for the receiver, and the receiver includes a 3.5mm aux port for connecting headphones.
Don’t get me wrong, although they advertise the TV dock and receiver, the stock earbuds (MX 475) offered by Sennheiser are not bad. They are light, easy to use, and coupled with the wireless headset receiver you won’t have trouble with the aux cable twisting and tangling.
However, if you don’t prefer the earbuds, you can always switch it up with any pair of headphones that support analog 3.5mm aux, even Sennheiser’s own HD600.
The dock supports controls for adjusting left/right balance along with a button that switches between three distinct sound profiles (one of which includes vocal emphasis). The wireless receiver includes buttons for volume control along with another button to switch between the sound profiles.
The Avantree Opera is a solid all-rounder. So if you’re looking for a pair of headphones that are great for TV watching, listening to casual music, gaming, and doing stuff on the computer, you’ve come to the right place.
Specs
We’ve got several Avantree Headphones on this list, and although they all have their use cases, none cover the extensive versatility and ease of use provided by the Avantree Opera Universal.
The headphones are a neat-looking pair, with comfortable protein leather ear cups and a ratcheted adjustable headband, nothing out of the ordinary. On top of that, there’s an extensive control panel on the ear cups themselves, allowing for functions such as volume control, muting, switching between EQs (vocals and music), answering calls, and playing/pausing.
The headphones also include a 3.5mm aux port and a USB-C charging interface, along with the proprietary charging pins on the underside of the headband.
The dock is also very stylish and despite missing out on RCA audio, offers 3.5mm aux and optical for audio in, 3.5mm mic input, and another 3.5mm and optical for loudspeaker passthrough/bypass.
Thankfully, even if you prefer to use RCA input cables, you can still use an RCA to 3.5mm adapter and plug in your TV or audio receiver without any issues.
So as you can see, unlike many other headphones on this list, the Avantree Opera is a highly versatile jack-of-all-trades which is very much worth it, especially if you want one pair of over-ears to handle the responsibilities of all your headphones.
The Bellman Maxi Pro system might not be the most affordable one out there, but if you’re looking for a high-end wireless TV headphones system with minimal lip-sync delay and higher sound quality, this is what you need.
Specs
The Bellman Maxi Pro TV listening system comes with three different components: the Bluetooth transmitter, Bluetooth receiver/controller, and a listening device, usually a pair of regular earbuds with an inline microphone.
What’s great about this system is that you don’t need to rely on the stock earbuds, you can always swap it out and plug in a different pair of headphones, whether that’s over-ears or in-ears.
The wireless receiver may be a bit bulky, but it is no larger than a remote and, among other things, allows you to easily control the volume and tone (for speech clarity). There’s also a microphone built-in to the remote, allowing you to answer phone calls more conveniently. (That is when you’ve connected the system to your mobile phone via Bluetooth.)
The dock is another premium-looking product but only offers a 3.5mm input and optical. It’s a sad day for RCA audio cables.
The Bellman Maxi Pro also has another option with a neck loop that can interface with hearing aids, helping you listen to voices more clearly, while drowning out background noise.
If you’re looking to spruce up your living room, but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of wireless TV headphones, the MONODEAL Over-ear headphones are the way to go. Apart from spitting out high-quality sound, these headphones look great and won’t have trouble blending in.
Specs
The MONODEAL Over-Ear wireless headset is mostly built out of plastic with decent amounts of padding on the underside of the adjustable headband and the ear cups. Although they are made out of cheap-feeling protein leather, the headphones are comfortable for long-term wear, provided it isn’t too hot outside.
The oval-shaped earcups, unique-looking yoke, and silver accents definitely bring out the stylish and modern aesthetic of these headphones. Coupled with the dock, these TV headphones look like a pair of premium over-ears dedicated to your entertainment system.
The headphones offer decent sound quality, and despite missing out on speech intelligibility equalizers, additional volume controls for users with hearing loss, and independent Bluetooth functionality, these headphones can run for 20 hours on a single charge.
The dock is a neat little device, however, please note that it doesn’t contain the usual ensemble of audio ports, only 3.5mm aux and RCA without an optical port.
For more info on the different types of audio connectors, check out this article.
The Avantree HT4189 boasts an incredible continuous playback time of around 40 hours. As such, seniors will be able to keep using it for weeks at a time without ever needing to recharge. It’s a great option for users who don’t always remember to recharge their headphones.
Specs
Similar to many other Avantree products, the HT4189 boasts an incredible collection of volume control functions and intelligent EQs, helping seniors and anybody else who might have trouble hearing.
These wireless TV headphones consist of a well-designed metal frame with plastic ear cups and stitched leather headbands. Although the ear cups tend to have that cheap protein leather lining material, they are surprisingly comfortable and stable enough for long-term wear.
There are several controls on the exterior of the cans and these include volume controls, a multifunction button (for playing/pausing and answering phone calls), a charging port, and a 3.5mm aux port.
These utilize Bluetooth 5.0 as the medium for the wireless network, making these headphones compatible with other smart devices such as mobile phones and laptops, without the use of the dock.
The dock is not the most aesthetic device but has a very straightforward approach. It’s got additional volume controls on the top panel with the option to connect another pair of compatible Bluetooth headphones.
The Golvery Wireless Headphones/Earbuds are a safe bet, as long as you’re not wearing hearing aids. These earbuds have decent sound quality, and although they might not provide complete isolation from the environment, they are very comfortable and safe to use for long periods.
Specs
The Golvery Wireless TV headphones system consists of a pair of behind-the-neck earbuds with removable ear tips. These earbuds fit inside your ear canal (similar to hearing aids) and produce high-quality audio comparable to most over-ear headphones.
What’s great about these earbud-style devices is that they are lightweight and don’t get your ears hot as much as over-ears. You can wear these for longer without major discomfort, and because these are neckband-style in-ears, you can wear these around your neck without fear of tangling the cables or losing them.
However, they don’t block out as much background noise and won’t be compatible with hearing aids.
These neckband earphones can last up to 16 hours on a single charge, and you can easily recharge them via a Micro-USB port. The transmitter also has a built-in battery and can last around 25 hours on a single charge. Both devices fully recharge in a couple of hours.
The ANSTEN Over-the-ear headphones may look a little outdated in terms of their design and performance characteristics, but mind you, these are a decent pair of TV listening devices that are easy for seniors and people suffering from hearing loss.
Specs
These over-ears are primarily made of plastic and come with a ski-band style elastic headband that automatically stretches when you put them on.
From my experience, these aren’t a significant improvement over the usual headband, and they both feel the same. However, with these elastic headbands, you don’t have to worry about adjusting the ratchet straps and torturing yourself trying to find the right fit.
The Ear cups are just as comfortable, and instead of the regular protein leather lining, we’ve got velour cushions, which are breathable and don’t get hot as much but tend to let in a lot of background noise.
The RF transmitter doubles as a charging dock where you can just let the headphones sit inside and recharge without needing to connect external wires.
The dock supports 3.5mm and RCA and has a range of almost 164ft. Unfortunately, it lacks optical ports. In that case, you might have to use a separate DAC or a good receiver.
The Sony RF400 Wireless is one of (if not) the best wireless tv headphones. These over-ears have excellent sound quality along with additional voice intelligibility modes, and distortion-free RF transmissions.
Specs
These are considered one of the top TV headphones on the market, and rightfully so. These over-ear/on-ear headphones are very comfortable to use thanks to the sturdy plastic frame, ratcheted headband, and protein leather ear cushions.
Now the Sony RF400 is not the most capable compared to its cousin, the WH-L600, but you get the basics such as a wireless dock, voice clarity functions, and a neutral sound profile at a reasonable price.
Although you might miss out on surround sound and Dolby digital, it won’t be too much of an issue for seniors.
These headphones boast a satisfying 20 hours of battery life, and the wireless transmitter can reach the headphones at a maximum distance of 150ft.
Speaking of which, the dock is a cool-looking headphone hanger that takes in RCA and 3.5mm aux (unfortunately, no optical). The hanger charges the headphones via proprietary charging pins and doubles as a safe place to store your over-ears.
Seniors don’t care that much about audiophile levels of sound quality. Instead, they prefer to keep watching tv comfortably for long periods.
When it comes to comfort, nothing beats a pair of good old pair of in-ear headphones. Earbuds are light and comfortable and don’t get your ears as hot as on-ear headphones or over-ears. (They fit inside your ear canal without covering your whole ear.)
However, some compromises must be made, and sometimes, your seniors will prefer something a bit bulkier and more immersive sound, here’s where an over-ear wireless TV headphone can outweigh the earbuds.
So if you’re prioritizing comfort over anything else, I recommend going for earbuds and if you want to add a little more cinematic features and better sound quality, it’s better to go for on-ear or over-ear headphones instead.
Want to know more about the differences? Check out this article.
Primarily, there are two wireless technologies used for watching TV via headphones: wireless RF headphones and Bluetooth.
Both have their ups and downs but simply put: RF technologies cannot put out a lot of detail in the audio while Bluetooth can be susceptible to dropouts and interference. (Particularly when there are a lot of other Bluetooth devices in the vicinity.)
Regardless, I recommend going for devices that use Bluetooth, you get better TV audio, and most often, Bluetooth wireless headphones can operate independently without the dock.
When it comes to wireless devices, you always need to be mindful of the battery. Thankfully, most of the wireless TV headphones on this list are equipped with rechargeable batteries. As such, you don’t have to hoard dozens of consumable batteries or run to the store when the headphones run out.
With that said, you need to consider the battery life of the device, charging time, and the charging interfaces. I recommend a wireless headphone with at least 8 hours of battery life and only two hours of charging time. Apart from that, I also recommend finding a pair of TV headphones with a generic charging interface such as USB-C or Micro.
Finding the right TV headphones for seniors can be a difficult task, especially if they are not very tech-savvy and have difficulty hearing. The best option for them is a pair of wireless TV headphones, with over-ears that are always paired to the dock and come with vocal clarity features and extra volume sliders.