Learn about Auracast™ broadcast audio and how Lafayette Hearing Center is helping your hearing stay future-ready.
At Lafayette Hearing Center, we’re all about helping you hear your healthy best — not just today but well into the future. It’s why we stay atop the latest hearing technology to support your health, wellness, and connections to the people and moments you cherish.
For years, hearing loop systems have been and will continue to be an important resource for enhanced hearing in public spaces like theaters, churches, and airports — sending sound directly to hearing devices equipped with a telecoil (T-coil). They’ve helped empower many patients and will remain a crucial part of accessible hearing for many years to come.
But there’s a new innovation on the horizon: Auracast broadcast audio. Part of the next generation of Bluetooth® technology, it’s designed to make public and personal listening clearer, less expensive to install, and more flexible — for hearing aid wearers, cochlear implant users, and for those using earbuds or headphones.
How do Auracast and hearing loops compare?
| Feature | Hearing Loops (T‑Coil Systems) | Auracast (Next‑Gen Bluetooth) |
|---|---|---|
| How It Works | A wire loop installed in a venue sends sound out via an electroacoustic signal that can be picked up via a “telecoil” or T‑coil in a hearing aid, cochlear implant, or personal “loop listener.” | An Auracast transmitter broadcasts an audio signal wirelessly via Bluetooth. People with compatible Auracast technology can access the broadcast via an “Auracast assistant” — most frequently a smartphone. |
| Who Can Use It | Anyone with a hearing aid or cochlear implant that has a telecoil, and anyone with a personal “loop” listener. | Anyone with Bluetooth LE Audio‑ready hearing aids, cochlear implant, earbuds, or headphones and an appropriate smartphone with Auracast technology. |
| Where It’s Found | Public spaces like theaters, conference halls, and places of worship with hearing loops installed. | Some newer smartphones, Auracast‑enabled TVs, public spaces, and personal listening devices (more rollout over the next few years). |
| Sound Quality | Typically clear but can depend on how well the loop was installed (if it meets the international standard for the signal) and where the microphones are placed. | Typically clear but can depend on how well it was installed. Currently, there are no agreed upon international standards for delay and fidelity. |
| How to Connect | Users must activate their “loop” setting for their hearing aid or cochlear implant. | Users must activate a connection to the Auracast broadcast through their Auracast assistant (smartphone). |
| Setup Needed? | Requires physical loop installation in a building or room that meets international standards for the signal. | Needs a Bluetooth Auracast transmitter — no wiring required — and receiver with an “assistant.” Standards for Auracast sound are still under development. Users in public spaces may need to know the “code” of the broadcast they wish to access to make sure they get the correct broadcast. |
| Future‑Ready? | Still great and widely used, especially in long‑established venues. New hearing loop installations will likely reduce in number due to the less expensive option that Auracast offers. | A newer option expected to be widely adopted over the next few years for greater audio accessibility. Overall, Auracast should be less expensive for venues with public address systems to install and maintain. |
We strive to ensure all of our hearing aids from January 2025 onward are compatible with Auracast and hearing loop technology. We recommend that individuals considering cochlear implants choose processors that can receive both Auracast and T-coil signals for enhanced accessibility. For a deeper understanding of Auracast and its implications for hearing technology, check out this insightful article on the topic
All of this technology is ever-evolving, so check back often for the latest updates. Questions? Please contact our dedicated team today!
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. The Auracast™ word mark and logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Any use of such marks by Lafayette Hearing Center is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.