Need advice - hearing impaired (1 Viewer)

[joe3]

Have a hearing impaired child and want to fill the room with quality sound. Have a budget of $400. Anything would be better than TV speakers. Have a Samsung PN50A550S1F plasma TV. Room is 18 x 14, TV on short end, room open to dining area halfway down one long side. Sound bars, surround sound, HTib, don't care. Need quality sound at manageable levels, TV speakers are terrible. Can run cables under floor or at ceiling level, but not on floor. Any advice is welcome. Thanks.

 

[gene c]

The Onkyo/HT-5300 for $319 + shipping from ac4l.com would be a good starter system. It's a factory refurbished model but it comes with a one year factory warranty and ac4l.com is an Onkyo authorised dealer. Regular price is $599.


Another option would be a sound bar from partsexpress.com for $199 + sh but with the 5300 you get a real receiver to power the speakers.


Get your speaker wires and cables from either partsexpress or monoprice.com.

 

[CB750]

While improving the audio qualify of your TV is a good idea. if you have a hearing impaired child would adding a better sound system solve the problem? To make up for the hearing loss wouldn't you have to play the system louder than would be comfortable for other family members.


Many hearing aids these days come with blue tooth technology which can be connected to a variety of audio sources. Also you may look at TV ears for your child.

 

[joe3]

Adding a better sound system will provide fuller, clearer sound than the TV is able to provide. Technically speaking, my child is not hearing impaired, but deaf. He hears with cochlear implants. His hearing thru his implants is on par with mine, but background noise, etc. causes him problems, as it does for me. With clearer, better quality sound, we can run the sound at lower levels than we do now.


As regards HA options, such as bluetooth, etc., there are a number of these options available for use thru his current equipment. However, it requires changing modes, special equipment (transmitters, etc.). All of these things would/could work, but the more equipment we have to use, the more of a pain in the neck it is for him. If we simply improve the sound quality in the room, problem solved, without having to strap him with more work just to watch TV.


@Gene C: Thanks, I'll check out the Onkyo. Appreciate the help.

 

[CB750]

Joe,


Given the facts your presented, and my own experience as a person who has a hearing loss and wears hearing aids. I have to agree that a HTib would be a good option for your entire family. I think the Onkyo 5300 recommended by Gene would be a good option in your price range and given the size of your room would pick that over a sound bar.

 

[joe3]

Thanks, Bill. Haven't made any decisions yet, wanted to get as much info as I could. I'm not an audiophile myself, and I didn't want to waste money on something that wouldn't do the job.


Appreciate the advice.