Sound Advice: TV audio transmitter and pair of headphones will help with hearing issue

Q: My wife cannot hear the TV very well. I have been able to resolve the problem by using a C.Crane FM Transmitter 2. It takes an input from the TV and turns it into an FM signal. She then uses an FM radio with headphones to listen. But sometimes it's difficult to find a clean FM frequency. Are you aware of a Bluetooth device that has an audio input and will broadcast to Bluetooth headphones?

A: Bluetooth does not work well for TV because the great majority of time the audio and the picture do not sync up, which is extremely annoying. To keep things in sync, you need to transmit the signal via radio frequency (RF) like the FM transmitter you are using. But depending on where you live, sometimes it can be tricky to find an FM setting that isn't butting up against another signal.

Sennheiser (sennheiser.com) has a perfect product for you. The Sennheiser Flex 5000 has a digital transmitter that wirelessly transmits the TV audio signal to a matching receiver that will work with headphones. It has multiple listening modes that enhance sound quality and improve the clarity of TV dialogue. You can use any conventional wired headphones you like, although you also can buy a matching pair of wired Sennheiser headphones.

The discontinuing of Oppo Blu-ray players was a shocking development announced in early April, much to the dismay of audio and video lovers the world over. Oppo said it had decided to exit the home entertainment marketplace and concentrate on its line of smartphones, which is sold overseas.

In their announcement, Oppo promised to support all their Blu-ray players well into the foreseeable future. This is a promise I have full faith in, given my experience with the company, their products and their history of industry-leading support. In my dealings with them, Oppo and its representatives have always acted in a professional manner, which is another reason audiophiles and movie lovers have adored the company.

Predictably, following the announcement the existing stock of Oppo Blu-ray players sold out quickly — despite the fact that some unscrupulous retailers raised the price from the previous $1,299 to as much as $3,250. The good news is Oppo has promised a "last batch" of their top-of-the-line UDP-205 Universal Blu-ray Player, with availability in August. Unless you are willing to deal with price-gouging opportunists who will try to snatch up as many players as they can and then resell them at outrageous prices, this likely will be your last chance to own one of the best audio and video products ever developed.

Once you have had an Oppo disc player, there is no going back, especially since current Blu-ray players are so flimsily made of cheap plastic that they feel like they belong in cereal boxes. You can register to be notified of availability under the "accessories" tab at oppodigital.com.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.