What Are The Best Wireless Headphones For Older TVs?

As you get older, the speakers on your older TV might simply not cut it anymore. After all, the majority of people end up losing their hearing as they age. It’s one of the most common consequences of aging with over 1 in 3 between the ages of 65 and 74 experiencing hearing loss.

As a senior, change can be difficult and unwelcome. Technology has come along way since the days of RCA jacks and 3.5 mm audio-out ports. Now, you have smart TV’s with built-in Bluetooth and other fancy connectivity options that can make using various accessories a breeze. This doesn’t really become a problem until you need one of them.

If you simply don’t want to upgrade your current TV, want to avoid change or want to avoid the significant outlay of cash required to make the upgrade, you luckily have some options available to you. By adding TV headphones with the connectivity options you require, you should be able to get more life out of your older TV without being forced to upgrade anytime soon.

Common Outputs Of Older Televisions

Before you can even begin shopping for TV headphones, you will need to ensure that you are looking for one that can deliver the right connectivity you require. Knowing the outputs that may exist on your TV can do a lot to help with this.

Look at your TV for one of the following connections. You will need one of these to plug in a wireless transmitter that will send the signal to your headphones.

RCA Audio Connectors

This output is becoming increasingly uncommon but it was once the most common audio video connection for TVs. It is also one of the most reliable options if you want to pair TV headphones with it.

You can recognize these output by their shape and color. You’ll see two circular ports – one red, one white – next to each other. There is often a yellow port near it but that is for a video connection. See the photo below for comparison.

3.5 mm Audio Out Ports

TV’s that have this port is another one that is going to be easy to find solutions for if you want to attach wired or wireless headphones to make your TV easier to hear.

This port is also a circular port in which a small pin style plug will fit. It is smaller than the RCA jacks and there is no consistent color. But, there is often a small headphone symbol next to these.

Here is a photo that shows you these two options for you to compare with your current TV:

Top Features and Things To Consider When Buying TV Headphones

To help you find the best TV headphones, here are some general features and options you should look for:

1. Accessibility

Perhaps one of the most important considerations you should be making when choosing would be ease of use. After all, if you are purchasing this type of device to avoid change, you are likely not someone who wants to have to mess around with a product with a high learning curve. The easier the headphones are to use, the more likely you will be able to get substantial value out of them.

2. Comfort

The comfort the headphones offer is another consideration that you should be thinking about. After all, if you will be using the headphones every time you sit down to watch TV, you will want to be able to put them on knowing they aren’t going to cause you too much discomfort over the course of your favorite TV show.

3. Sound Quality

As someone who is already hard of hearing as it is, you want to be certain the headphones you purchase will deliver a satisfactory listening experience. Ensure that the headphones are not only going to be loud enough but that they are going to provide good sound quality at the distance you intend on using them and at the volume that you will require. Some headphones may not offer a significant distance nor high volume without distortion becoming an issue.

4. Battery Life

As a senior, you don’t want to have to worry about constantly having to remind yourself to charge the headphones every time you finish using them. Having headphones that maintain a consistent and steady battery life is likely a key priority. Otherwise, you could find yourself having to live with your TV’s subpar speakers when you realize you forgot to charge your headphones the night before.

The Best Wireless Headphones For Older TVs

So, if you have an older TV with one of the older audio outputs discussed above, here are several TV headphone models that should work for you.

Any seniors dealing with substantial hearing loss will benefit from using these Avantree Wireless headphones for the TV. First, they offer plug and play functionality making them one of the easier wireless TV headphone solutions available. These headphones work with 3.5 mm audio out ports and RCA audio output ports.

However, they offer further functionality because they come equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity which means you can connect it to and use it with other devices you may own including your mobile phone.

One of the standout features of these headphones has to be the long advertised battery life. While other headphones on the market may struggle to give you 20 hours of run-time, these headphones are capable of getting up to 40 hours of use on a single charge. For a senior, this can be extremely advantageous as you don’t want to constantly have to worry about remembering to charge your headphones just to enjoy your favorite TV shows.

You can even purchase them in a dual package which supplies you with two pairs of wireless headphones for the TV for you and someone else to enjoy TV together whether they have hearing loss or not. These headphones come with low latency technology which means you shouldn’t notice an audio and streaming delay.

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The Artiste Wireless TV Headphones offer a good package for seniors experiencing issues hearing their TV. For one, it uses the superior 2.4 GHz RF technology which ensures maximum range for seniors with their TV far away. This will allow you to go to the bathroom, grab a snack, or do anything else without having to pause or worry about missing your show.

The sound these headphones deliver is exceptional with a digital signal that will ensure you are able to get excellent sound quality even with higher level volume which makes it the perfect option for seniors who need to crank things up to hear.

Likewise, they offer exceptional comfort because the headband itself is padded with soft material and the over-ear earpads fully seal without being too tight. This delivers minimal sound leakage and comfortable wearing experience.

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For seniors who don’t mind spending at the higher end of the price spectrum, these headphones deliver a punch. Sennheiser is one of the most well-respected brands in the audio space. These wireless RF headphones are no exception to their brand’s commitment to quality.

These headphones feature some of the best wireless range you will find in RF headphones on the entire market. In fact, they advertise a whopping 300 feet of interference-free reception even through walls, ceilings, or while outdoors.

The headphones are built using the highest quality materials without being too heavy and they feature a convenient and easy to use charging cradle. Perhaps best of all, once you install the batteries all you need to do is place it on the charging cradle and the headphones automatically turn on once they connect to an activated audio source. Meaning, you don’t have to worry about constantly reconnecting your headphones every time you want to watch something.

While you will be paying a higher price tag than you might like, you will be happy to know that you are going to get at least 2 years of practical usage out of it as Sennheiser packs in a 2-year limited warranty with your purchase.

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For seniors who much prefer earbuds as opposed to over-the-ear headphones, these are likely your best bet. This may be preferred by some seniors because they are much more compact and portable than much bulkier over-the-ear headphones. Avantree made these earbuds extremely accessible and easy to use. To connect to a device, you only need to turn on both the transmitter and the headphones and they will connect like magic.

One of the unique features of these headphones that you won’t find on a lot of other ones is the ability to leverage the pass-through feature. If you have an older TV but also a soundbar or another external speaker, you can stream to both your earbuds and the soundbar at the same time to amplify the sound even more if needed.

The earbuds feature FastStream technology which is said to minimize Bluetooth audio lag in order to ensure that you are able to watch movies and TV shows without having the sound not match up with the actors and actresses’ lips. Because of all of the outputs these earbuds support, they are compatible with 99% of the TV’s found on the market.

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No matter if you are a senior that is dealing with hearing issues or you are looking for a solution to help your caregiver watch TV without disturbing yourself, these Wireless TV Headphones are the perfect solution. These headphones feature a 2.4 RF transmitter and are capable of delivering Hi-Fi stereo sound while watching TV.

Because they connect with RCA connectors utilizing RF technology, you won’t have to worry about the audio lag or delay that is common among other connections. These headphones are specifically marketed towards seniors with difficulty hearing because they offer just about everything a senior would want in a pair of TV headphones.

The headset works with a variety of inputs. Therefore, if your TV has a common 3.5 mm audio out port or even RCA outputs, you will be able to connect the headphones with it for wireless and convenient listening. Best of all, the sound that the headphones deliver is crisp and they feature a snug fit to avoid any audio leakage which further enhances the listening experience.

Summary

Getting yourself TV headphones can make your life a lot easier. If you are experiencing trouble hearing your TV due to hearing loss or you want to be able to get a better all-around viewing experience, they can be a great investment.

They come with the added advantage of giving you private listening in case you don’t want to disturb others in your home or if you happen to be watching TV late at night. They can also be great for your caregiver to avoid disturbing you while they are taking their break.

There are plenty of solutions available to choose from. You want to find and choose the headphones or earbuds that offer the compatibility you need and the kind of features that you can see yourself getting the most value from.