Ask the Expert appears each month in CHOICE Magazine. Subscribers can write to our experts with their niggling questions. We'll publish a selection of these online for members.

Will a soundbar help the hard of hearing?

I am planning to upgrade my TV. A high priority for me is sound quality, in particular in relation to the spoken word. I suffer from hearing loss in the higher sound reaches. While I wear hearing aids these are only partially successful in helping me to distinguish conversation, particularly in wordy programs or where there is background noise.

I have a TV Dex which has a TOS Link connection to the TV and relays the sound direct to my hearing aids. This helps, but only partially. I have also tried using good quality over-ear earphones plugged directly into the TV. This is much more effective but it means having a cable dragging across the floor from the TV, and the earphones also become hot and uncomfortable after wearing them for very long.

I am wondering whether the addition of a soundbar would be helpful for me?

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