What speakers

[vogie]

My hearing is pretty poor and still getting worse by the year. The problem I have is that I am struggling to hear the TV satisfactory. So my question is, would speakers help and if so what speakers would be best for the hard of hearing.

[Thorgal]

Depends on how many dB your hear loss is and wich tones you have difficulties. This feedback can easily be done by random tests in a hospital.

I've relatives who could make it better with a dolby receiver and a suround system. Taken in count that family members could also enjoy without excessive loudness. Different dolby systems (5.1, 7.1,...) can be tested in sound studio's here in Thailand. Yamaha, Onkyo and Bose are available in Thailand. Models with sound filtering is advisable.

If too loud an IR headphones can also help. Some models are able to filter the over-tones which you should avoid. Bose and Sennheiser are available in Thailand.

Personally I use a basic Luxmann receiver, but the loadspeakers are from Bose, direct reflecting 401 series. Which I can hear some tones/sounds very vlear and sharp whereas I couldn't hear directly from my HD-TV.

My headphones are also Bose, covering the whole ear. Used for traveling and music.

[dddave]

Most TV sets have a headphone port. Before spending a lot of money, I would try a simple, inexpensive pair of headphones that have an inline volume control. OKER is one brand found in most IT stores for B200-500.

They wont last for a long time but you will be able to determine if headphones are the answer. If it seems they are, then invest in a higher quality set; perhaps wireless so you aren't tied to a cord.

[vogie]

Thanks for the reply Thorgal, I've actually had my ears tested a few times, but can't remember the reading they obtained, suffice to say they said at low tones my hearing is quite good, but I struggle to hear high pitched sounds. I have read reports that the new flat screen TV's are so thin that the built-in speakers are pretty useless anyway. I sometimes watch a movie and realise half way through that I haven't a clue what the movie is about. So I just wondered as to whether a couple of speakers placed at the side might help or maybe the surround sound would be better for us hard of hearing?

[vogie]

Most TV sets have a headphone port. Before spending a lot of money, I would try a simple, inexpensive pair of headphones that have an inline volume control. OKER is one brand found in most IT stores for B200-500.

They wont last for a long time but you will be able to determine if headphones are the answer. If it seems they are, then invest in a higher quality set; perhaps wireless so you aren't tied to a cord.

I have some headphones somewhere, I'll see if I can dig them out, but if I remember if I plug the earphones into the tv the sound mutes.

[Thorgal]

Vogie,

Well for me it helped with the (simple) configuration from above. I've no dolby function and separate sound filters on my receiver. The quality of the loudspeakers is OK to hear almost eveything I need.

Have to say that for instance I had previously a better receiver and sound experience of Onkyo in combination with the Bose loudspeakers.

The good news is that my hear loss is stabilised for the last 10 years.

Try or experience, like I've did, with your favourite CD to go to a local Thai sound studio shop. They have separate closed rooms where you can try their products.

I had previously Polk Audio loudspeakers. High tone reflecting was sharper than my actual warm bass woofer of Bose in combination with the sharp and balanced tweeters. The Bose 401 serie are just a left and a right speaker.

The Polk Audio were also 2 speakers, but they had multiple tweeters.

Just to tell you that the sound experience can differ from brand to brand. It's surely not the price card who will provide you the best outcome for your hearing.

My purchase was back in the 90's in Europe and I've visited at least 5 dealers before conclusion. I was surprised to see similar sound studio's here in Thailand to sell Onkyo, Bose, Yamaha, for sure here in CM. NAD and Harmann Kardon and B&W are also available I think.

From what you've told me it's I would advise multiple tweeters and the system which is the best distance configuration of your tweeters to where you sit.

Documentation should provide the sound range/frequency in Hz to KHz of your tweeter sets which is already an indicative to eliminate 'scrap'.

[Thorgal]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

Just to visualise the difference.

[vogie]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597339.477596.jpg

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597389.843422.jpg

Just to visualise the difference.

Thanks for the info, just looking on lazada at the moment, but its not crystal clear what speakers do what. The tall ones look very impressive though.

[Thorgal]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597339.477596.jpg

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597389.843422.jpg

Just to visualise the difference.

Thanks for the info, just looking on lazada at the moment, but its not crystal clear what speakers do what. The tall ones look very impressive though.

No thanks !

Depends where you live and your budget : Khorat, Pattaya and BKK...:

http://www.piyanas.com/?page_id=698

Got it from here :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/244358-looking-for-bw-speakers/

To be honest, I've bought them the time I had a NATO card and could buy them tax free.

Still have the Bose here in LOS, but the Polk Audio I've made someone happy.

Cheers !

[vogie]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597339.477596.jpg

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597389.843422.jpg

Just to visualise the difference.

Thanks for the info, just looking on lazada at the moment, but its not crystal clear what speakers do what. The tall ones look very impressive though.

No thanks !

Depends where you live and your budget : Khorat, Pattaya and BKK...:

http://www.piyanas.com/?page_id=698

Got it from here :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/244358-looking-for-bw-speakers/

To be honest, I've bought them the time I had a NATO card and could buy them tax free.

Still have the Bose here in LOS, but the Polk Audio I've made someone happy.

Cheers !

Hi, after a lot of investigation including looking at the Piyanas website I've decided to get some bookshelf speakers for around 7500 baht. Just hope it will make my veiwing more enjoyable by being to hear the programme a little clearer.

Thanks again.

[IMHO]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597339.477596.jpg

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597389.843422.jpg

Just to visualise the difference.

Thanks for the info, just looking on lazada at the moment, but its not crystal clear what speakers do what. The tall ones look very impressive though.

No thanks !

Depends where you live and your budget : Khorat, Pattaya and BKK...:

http://www.piyanas.com/?page_id=698

Got it from here :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/244358-looking-for-bw-speakers/

To be honest, I've bought them the time I had a NATO card and could buy them tax free.

Still have the Bose here in LOS, but the Polk Audio I've made someone happy.

Cheers !

Hi, after a lot of investigation including looking at the Piyanas website I've decided to get some bookshelf speakers for around 7500 baht. Just hope it will make my veiwing more enjoyable by being to hear the programme a little clearer.

Thanks again.

Unless Piyanas have started selling powered monitor speakers, you're going to need an amplifier or AVR to make those new speakers work.

Did Piaynas confirm the equipment you already have and put together all of the components you're going to need?

[IMHO]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597339.477596.jpg

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597389.843422.jpg

Just to visualise the difference.

Those Polk speakers have only one tweeter per side. They have two midranges (configured in MTM format) and 3 woofers though

That's OK though - for speech intelligibility, the critical range is 1kHz to 4kHz - which in most speaker designs means both midrange and tweeters are needed to cover the range.

If hearing range loss is the problem, the best solution IMHO is equalization, so the upper ranges where hearing is deficient can be tweaked up.. The end result might be something that sounds overly bright and harsh to someone who still has good hearing range, but it will solve the problem for you

[vogie]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597339.477596.jpg

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597389.843422.jpg

Just to visualise the difference.

Thanks for the info, just looking on lazada at the moment, but its not crystal clear what speakers do what. The tall ones look very impressive though.

No thanks !

Depends where you live and your budget : Khorat, Pattaya and BKK...:

http://www.piyanas.com/?page_id=698

Got it from here :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/244358-looking-for-bw-speakers/

To be honest, I've bought them the time I had a NATO card and could buy them tax free.

Still have the Bose here in LOS, but the Polk Audio I've made someone happy.

Cheers !

Hi, after a lot of investigation including looking at the Piyanas website I've decided to get some bookshelf speakers for around 7500 baht. Just hope it will make my veiwing more enjoyable by being to hear the programme a little clearer.

Thanks again.

Unless Piyanas have started selling powered monitor speakers, you're going to need an amplifier or AVR to make those new speakers work.

Did Piaynas confirm the equipment you already have and put together all of the components you're going to need?

Only looked on Piyamas web site, but concluded the speakers were out of my price range. Bought a pair of bookshelf speakers from Lazada, Microlab Solo 9c, 140 watts, 7500 baht, they have a built in amp.

[IMHO]

Only looked on Piyamas web site, but concluded the speakers were out of my price range. Bought a pair of bookshelf speakers from Lazada, Microlab Solo 9c, 140 watts, 7500 baht, they have a built in amp.

OK, phew - I was worried you'd only bought half of a system

These Microlabs are OK - the only real comment I can make is they are bit light on the bottom end - I was expecting more from them given the dual woofers. For the price they're a good buy though - you need to pay double this amount to step up to powered monitors with a significantly meaningful sound quality improvement.

[vogie]

Only looked on Piyamas web site, but concluded the speakers were out of my price range. Bought a pair of bookshelf speakers from Lazada, Microlab Solo 9c, 140 watts, 7500 baht, they have a built in amp.

OK, phew - I was worried you'd only bought half of a system

These Microlabs are OK - the only real comment I can make is they are bit light on the bottom end - I was expecting more from them given the dual woofers. For the price they're a good buy though - you need to pay double this amount to step up to powered monitors with a significantly meaningful sound quality improvement.

I'm hoping by what you've said by being "light on the bottom end" that it may be benificial to my listening. When I was young I loved the bass sounds, but now my hearing has deterioted I struggle to hear the high pitched sounds, if they improve my listening to the tv I will be one happy bunny.

[Thorgal]

Example single tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Bose 401

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597339.477596.jpg

Example multiple tweeter loudspeaker pair/set : Polk Audio

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1454597389.843422.jpg

Just to visualise the difference.

Those Polk speakers have only one tweeter per side. They have two midranges (configured in MTM format) and 3 woofers though

That's OK though - for speech intelligibility, the critical range is 1kHz to 4kHz - which in most speaker designs means both midrange and tweeters are needed to cover the range.

If hearing range loss is the problem, the best solution IMHO is equalization, so the upper ranges where hearing is deficient can be tweaked up.. The end result might be something that sounds overly bright and harsh to someone who still has good hearing range, but it will solve the problem for you

After some research, I had the tapered LS series of Polk Audio purchased in Europe , but direct import from US. And you were correct. They had single tweeters. I confused with the midrange speakers.

Sound equalisation or filtering as I proposed in one of my first post is advisable.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_filter

But Vogie can still adapt his new sound system if he's not satisfied.

He can add a audio crossover and add a separate tweeter set from a higher range.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_crossover

[IMHO]

Only looked on Piyamas web site, but concluded the speakers were out of my price range. Bought a pair of bookshelf speakers from Lazada, Microlab Solo 9c, 140 watts, 7500 baht, they have a built in amp.

OK, phew - I was worried you'd only bought half of a system

These Microlabs are OK - the only real comment I can make is they are bit light on the bottom end - I was expecting more from them given the dual woofers. For the price they're a good buy though - you need to pay double this amount to step up to powered monitors with a significantly meaningful sound quality improvement.

I'm hoping by what you've said by being "light on the bottom end" that it may be benificial to my listening. When I was young I loved the bass sounds, but now my hearing has deterioted I struggle to hear the high pitched sounds, if they improve my listening to the tv I will be one happy bunny.

All I mean by that is I was expecting more bass extension from them. They seem to have a bump in response around 50-60Hz, but almost nothing below that. For this price range, they're still good performers, comparatively.