“You Can Just Turn the TV Up”
Why Louder Doesn’t Equal Clearer
Loudness Isn’t the Problem — Clarity Is
A common assumption is that if someone can’t hear well, they just need the TV louder. But volume isn’t the issue for most people with hearing loss — speech clarity is.
When certain frequencies are damaged (usually high-frequency sounds), you lose parts of speech like:
-
“f,” “s,” “th,” “t,” “ch,” and “k”
-
Consonants that give words meaning
-
Subtle cues that separate similar words (“cat” vs. “cap”)
Turning up the TV only makes the low frequencies louder — not the sounds you’re missing.
The Brain Is Filling in the Blanks
When clarity drops, your brain works overtime to guess what you’re hearing.
This creates:
-
Mental fatigue
-
Difficulty following conversations
-
Frustration or withdrawal
-
Constant “Huh?” and “What did they say?” moments
Hearing aids restore the frequencies you’re missing, so your brain doesn’t have to work so hard.
Louder TV Creates New Problems
Increasing TV volume does not help — it actually makes things worse:
-
Speech gets sharper but not clearer
-
Background sounds get louder
-
Family members are overwhelmed
-
Neighbors hear your television
-
You still miss important words
It’s the wrong tool for the problem.
Hearing Aids Target the Sounds You Can’t Hear
Modern hearing aids don’t raise the volume of everything — they only amplify the pitches and frequencies you’re missing.
They also:
-
Reduce background noise
-
Enhance speech patterns
-
Balance sudden loud sounds
-
Bring voices forward
It’s like turning up the clarity, not the noise.
TV Isn’t Real-World Listening
Television is mastered, compressed, and mixed — meaning speech is often layered with background music, sound effects, and multiple voices.
Hearing aids help your brain separate those layers so voices don’t get buried.
Turning up the TV simply makes all those layers louder at once.
💡 Did You Know?
Nearly half of new patients say “I keep turning the TV up” was their very first sign of hearing loss.