Get ALL audio sources from your TV to Headphones

Initial Impressions

When I first received the box for the "Vitasound PAE-200, TV Hearing Helper",  I was impressed with the packaging.  The little box for the headphones, for example, has a space for each earbud and allowed the cords to be wrapped underneath.  The package also contained several ear tips in different sizes to ensure a comfortable fit for everyone.  The instruction manual is also very good (including colored pages).  My only minor complaint about the packaging is that they did not include an optical or coax cable, so if your TV doesn't have RCA outputs, you are left trying to find your own cable.

Note:  I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

The Setup

Once I got it out of the box, I hooked the base up to the RCA outputs of my TV.  My Samsung TV is wall mounted, but I have a power outlet behind it that made it easy to put everything out of site.  Unfortunately, I realized later that the base is also used for charging the handset, so you have to have a place to set it upright.  I was able to put it on the mount that my TV is perched on, but I am tall, so I was able to reach over the TV, but it was still a stretch.  This is my main problem with the unit.  Most people, even those with a TV stand, would rather have the charger for the handset on their side table, not on the stand across the room.  They really should have a separate charger or a way to plug the handset in directly for the price of the unit. 

Once I had it plugged in, the handset and the base immediately connected wirelessly.  They say that you can walk 33 feet from the base and I don't doubt it.  I was able to walk in the kitchen which is about 20 feet from the TV and the signal stayed strong.  Luckily, they include a strap so you can hang the handset around your neck as you walk around.

The Handset

Once I had it up and running, I decided to try out the EQ modes.  They have 4 separate modes that are for boosting different frequencies.  They don't give you EQ sliders for fine tune adjustments, but it is still better than not having any EQ options.  The unit has a volume button on the side, but it doesn't adjust down to zero (at least with my source - an older Samsung 1080p plasma).  Even my lowest volume is fairly loud, so if you have normal hearing, I would not recommend this as a method for late night listening* (assuming that this is an issue with all TVs).  Also, there is not a mute button, which I found inconvenient.

(*Note:  I have normal hearing and mainly got the unit so that I could listen to TV via headphones while others slept, although we also have visitors that I know will appreciate the volume boosting characteristics of the unit.  The way around the loud, lowest setting in my setup was to run it through a portable headphone amp with a mini cable and using the amp for volume control.  I tested it with a PA2V2 (although I would guess that any amp would do) and was able to get the audio volume to the perfect level.  The other possible option is to team it with power hungry headphones that need to be driven by an amp.)  Below is a pic of the PA2V2 amp:

Hearing Helper

For those that are planning to use this for its "hearing helper" capabilities, the unit has settings that get pretty loud.  There is also a a volume booster switch on the side to make it even louder.  As with the "*Note" I included above about lowering the volume, since it has a standard miniplug output, you can also plug it into a headphone amp to get  the volume louder, if you need it.

Other Uses

I can also see that this would be an easy way to have sports (or some other broadcast that you only need audio to enjoy) on the TV in the house and have the handset plugged into a radio with an aux input on the porch so that everyone can listen to a game while cooking out or having a meal on the patio (reminder: the base and the handset need to be within ~33 feet of each other).   

As an example, I am a big fan of the Tivoli Pal Radios.  They have an aux input that you could plug the handset into and be able to listen to the source over the speaker.  However, the Tivoli can also work as an amp since you can plug the headset into the aux input and use the Tivoli headphone output to adjust volume.  Below are a couple of pictures of the Pal.  Notice that it also has a (great) tuner so you can also just use it for radio.

Final thoughts

All in all the Vitasound does what is says it will do.  It is currently priced at nearly $200, so it isn't cheap, but it is a unique product that provides a real need to a lot of people, especially those who have issues with hearing the TV at levels that their family members listen to it.  My relatives have a Roku with a headphone output built into the remote, but it only works with that one device.  In my system, I was able to use this unit with ALL of my devices... Roku, Directv, Apple TV, etc.  because it simply takes the audio out from the television and sends it out wirelessly.  

Note:  I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

To be more detailed, my setup has a Denon receiver that feeds the TV video and my 5.1 speakers an audio signal.  However, the receiver provides an option to send audio to the TV instead, so I picked that option, and it gives me access to audio from the RCA outputs of my TV.  It works with all sources and even when I change the TVs input source from HDMI 1 to HDMI 2, for example, the audio travels with it.    


Upsides:
Wireless audio of all sources
Volume booster
EQ options
Easy Setup
Standard headphone port

Downsides:
No mute button
Handset needs to be recharged on the mount connected to the TV