Lede: If your hearing aids sometimes make your voice sound hollow, your TV look out of sync, or music feel a split-second late, you’re probably bumping into latency—the tiny processing delays built into every digital hearing aid. The good news? With the right tweaks, those milliseconds can disappear from your awareness.

Latency 101: What it is and why it matters

Latency is the time it takes for sound to enter your hearing aid microphones, be processed by its digital brain, and reach your eardrum. In most modern devices, that’s a few milliseconds to a few dozen—fast, but not instantaneous.

These tiny delays become noticeable when your brain receives the same sound by two paths at slightly different times:

  • Open-fit echo: With open domes or big vents, your ear hears natural sound directly and the amplified sound a few milliseconds later. The mix can sound “hollow,” “phasey,” or like an echo.
  • Streaming or TV delay: Audio streamed to hearing aids can arrive later than the picture on screen (lip-sync mismatch) or later than unamplified room sound, creating a distracting double-hit.
  • Musician headaches: When playing or singing, even small delays can throw off timing and tone, especially with open fits on stage or in a rehearsal room.

How much delay is too much?

Our brains are surprisingly tolerant—up to a point. Here’s a practical, research-informed cheat sheet:

  • < 5–8 ms: Usually transparent for most users in speech settings.
  • ~10–20 ms: Can introduce coloration (that “cavey” or comb-filtered sound) with open fits and your own voice.
  • > 20–30+ ms: More obvious echo and timing issues, especially for musicians and during TV streaming without a low-latency pathway.
  • Lip-sync tolerance: People often notice when audio lags the video by ~60–125 ms. Smaller mismatches (20–40 ms) can still feel “off” for some.

Everyone’s sensitivity is different. If you’re noticing it, it’s real—and you’re not being picky. Your brain just likes timing to be tight.

Why hearing aids have latency (it’s not a bug—until it is)

Digital hearing aids perform a ton of helpful math. Each step can add a sliver of delay:

  • Feedback control: Prevents squealing, sometimes using predictive filters.
  • Noise reduction and speech enhancement: Analyzes the signal to boost voices and damp noise.
  • Directional microphones and binaural processing: Coordinates the two ears to focus forward and preserve spatial cues.
  • Compression: Keeps soft sounds audible and loud sounds comfortable.

Manufacturers design these features to be fast, but the sum total still adds milliseconds. Add wireless streaming layers (Bluetooth, proprietary 2.4 GHz links, smartphone processing), and the chain can get even longer.

The open-fit twist

Open domes and big vents are comfortable and reduce occlusion, but they let direct sound leak in. That creates a timing race between unprocessed sound and processed sound. If your delay is, say, 10–15 ms, your voice may sound hollow because those two versions of your voice are slightly out of sync.

Where you’ll notice latency most

Your own voice

Common clues: “boomy,” “hollow,” or “like I’m talking into a pipe.” You’re hearing a blend of fast direct sound plus delayed amplified sound. The effect can be strongest in the low and mid frequencies, where your voice has power.

TV and movie nights

If you stream TV sound to your hearing aids over a higher-latency path (for example, via standard Bluetooth from a TV), the audio can lag the picture—or lag behind the room sound. That’s when lips don’t line up, or you hear a slapback echo from the TV speakers plus the streamed audio.

Phone calls and video chat

Phone calls typically have lower latency than TV streaming, but video calls can stack streaming, software, and network delays. You might notice slight talk-over or a disjointed feel.

Playing music

Guitarists, singers, and drummers are timing detectives. A few extra milliseconds can throw off groove or make tone feel disconnected. Open fits amplify the issue; closed fittings or in-ear monitors isolate it.

Fast fixes you can try today

Try these in order. If something sounds worse, undo it. There’s no one-size-fits-all because ears, rooms, and devices vary.

1) Use the right TV pathway

  • Use the manufacturer’s TV streamer instead of general Bluetooth if possible. These accessories are designed for low-latency links to your specific hearing aids.
  • Turn off (or down) the TV speakers while streaming to hearing aids. Removing the room sound eliminates the double-hit echo.
  • Try a wired connection into the TV streamer (optical/analog) rather than Bluetooth-from-TV. Wired into the streamer is usually faster and more stable.

2) Tame the open-fit echo

  • Ask your audiologist for a dedicated “Own Voice” or “Comfort” tweak. Many hearing aids can briefly reduce low-frequency gain when your voice is detected, which softens the hollow effect.
  • Experiment with vent size: A slightly smaller vent or a more closed dome can reduce the direct-sound leak that causes comb filtering. Trade-off: more occlusion. Your audiologist can help you find a sweet spot.
  • Try an ear-specific approach: Some people prefer one ear more open for naturalness and the other more closed for clarity. It can reduce echo while preserving comfort.

3) Pick “fast” processing when it counts

  • Music programs typically minimize noise reduction and other slow-acting features. Switch to Music when playing, singing, or listening critically.
  • Ask to trial a “fast” speech program for situations where your own voice bothers you. Your clinician can dial back slower algorithms and use faster compression settings.
  • Consider disabling unnecessary features temporarily (e.g., aggressive noise reduction) in specific programs if they add audible delay for you.

4) For video calls

  • Stream directly to your hearing aids using your phone’s native connection rather than your laptop’s generic Bluetooth, if possible. Phone-to-aid links are often optimized.
  • Use a dedicated dongle for your computer that’s designed for your hearing aids (many brands offer one). It can cut latency and improve stability.
  • Mute environmental mics during calls if your app allows it. Hearing only the streamed signal removes the delayed mix with room sound.

5) For musicians

  • Go more closed for “on instrument” sessions: Custom earmolds with smaller vents reduce the direct-path leak and help timing feel tighter.
  • Use the Music program with minimal processing and verify levels with your clinician using real-ear measures.
  • Consider a stage monitor strategy: If you use in-ear monitors, coordinate their fit and levels with your hearing aids or work with your audiologist to alternate setups (e.g., hearing aids off, musician’s in-ears on) for certain gigs.

Buying decisions that influence latency

  • TV streamers: Ask about the typical end-to-end delay. Many brand-matched streamers target low latency; generic Bluetooth from TVs can be much higher.
  • Bluetooth LE Audio (LC3 codec): Emerging products can offer lower latency and more robust links compared to older Bluetooth standards. If TV and streaming are big for you, this feature may be worth prioritizing as it becomes widely available.
  • Programmability: Choose devices that let your audiologist control feature timing (e.g., noise reduction strength, directionality modes) across different programs.
  • Fit flexibility: Being able to switch between more open and more closed options gives you a latency “dial” you can adjust with your clinician.

Simple ways to test latency at home

  • The clap test: With hearing aids on, clap once in a quiet room. If you hear a distinct echo, try switching programs (e.g., to Music) or covering vents briefly to see if it changes. That’s a clue your fit or settings are interacting with delay.
  • Lip-sync check: Open a video of a person speaking and pause/play a few times while watching their lips. If sound feels late, try streaming via a brand TV accessory or muting TV speakers to compare.
  • Two-device recording: Record yourself speaking on a phone while wearing your hearing aids. If your recorded voice sounds normal but live speech sounds echoey, the direct-vs-amplified mix is the likely culprit, not the aids “misprocessing” your voice.

When to call in a pro (and what to ask)

If you consistently notice echo, lip-sync issues, or timing weirdness, that’s a perfect time to bring your audiologist into the loop. They can measure and adjust; you don’t need to “just live with it.” Consider asking:

  • Can we create a fast-processing speech program for my voice-heavy days?
  • Would a Music program or custom mold reduce timing artifacts for the activities I do?
  • What’s the best low-latency TV option for my brand—streamer, dongle, or LE Audio?
  • Can we verify settings with real-ear measures, especially around venting and low-frequency gain?

Gentle reminder: this article can’t diagnose gear or fit problems. An audiologist or hearing care professional who can see your setup and your audiogram is the best partner to make your system feel fast, natural, and fun again.

Myths, busted

  • “Latency means my hearing aids are defective.” Not necessarily. Some delay is normal and often adjustable.
  • “Closing the ear always fixes it.” A tighter fit can help, but comfort and own-voice quality matter too. Smart programming can reduce issues even with open fits.
  • “Bluetooth is Bluetooth.” Different paths have wildly different delays. Brand TV streamers and newer LE Audio pathways can be game-changers.

Takeaway

Latency is measured in milliseconds, but it can shape every minute you spend talking, watching, or playing. If your hearing aids sometimes feel a beat behind, you have options: faster programs, smarter streaming, and small fit changes that make a big difference. Don’t settle for echoes—loop in your audiologist and tune for the way you actually live.

Further Reading

- Your Phone, a Super Mic: Cleaner Conversations with Remote Microphone Mode (Technology) - Auracast Is Coming: How Bluetooth LE Audio Will Transform Hearing in Public Places (Technology) - Lip‑Sync Your Life: Fix Hearing Aid Latency for TV, Zoom, and Games (Technology) - See the Words: Real‑Time Captions Are a Hearing Superpower (Technology)

Frequently Asked Questions

What latency numbers are typical for hearing aids?

Acoustic processing delays inside modern hearing aids are often in the single-digit to low double-digit milliseconds. Open-fit users may start noticing coloration around 10–20 ms, especially for their own voice. Streaming adds more delay, which varies widely by connection type—brand-matched TV streamers tend to be faster than generic Bluetooth from TVs or computers.

Why does my TV audio feel out of sync with the picture?

If you stream TV sound to your hearing aids through a higher-latency connection, the audio can arrive after the video or after the TV speakers. Using your hearing aid brand’s TV streamer, turning off the TV speakers while streaming, or adopting newer low-latency technologies (like LE Audio as it becomes available) usually tightens sync.

Will Bluetooth LE Audio fix latency for me?

LE Audio with the LC3 codec is designed for efficient, lower-latency audio and better power use. It can help, but your real-world experience depends on your hearing aids, your TV or phone, and whether the whole chain supports LE Audio. Ask your provider to demo a low-latency TV path with your specific model.

As a musician, how can I make timing feel natural again?

Use a Music program with minimal processing, consider custom molds with smaller vents to reduce direct-path mixing, and coordinate stage monitoring strategies with your audiologist. Some musicians alternate setups—closed molds for rehearsal, more open for daily wear—to balance timing, tone, and comfort.

References