An audio induction loop is an assistive listening system that carries sound as an audio-frequency magnetic field. A telecoil (T-coil) in compatible hearing equipment picks up that field, so the listener can hear the loop’s audio. It is also commonly called a hearing loop.
How an audio induction loop works
- A sound source provides audio. This may be a microphone or another audio source.
- A loop amplifier drives current through a conductor. The conductor is arranged around a room or listening area. It can be installed permanently or temporarily, and its layout varies by site.
- The current creates an audio-frequency magnetic field. That field carries the audio across the loop’s coverage area.
- A telecoil receives the signal. A compatible hearing aid or other telecoil-equipped device converts the magnetic signal into audio for the listener.
This is magnetic induction at audio frequencies—not a generic radio, Bluetooth, or network-based wireless audio system. IEC’s code of practice describes induction-loop systems for communicating speech, music, or other signals to hearing-aid users with magnetic pick-up coils, and distinguishes them from carrier-frequency induction systems and other types of hearing-enhancement system (IEC TR 63079:2017+AMD1:2018+AMD2:2020).
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What the listener needs
A compatible telecoil
The usual way to listen is with a hearing aid that has an enabled telecoil, often marked with a T setting. Some cochlear implant processors or other equipment may also include telecoils, but compatibility depends on the particular device; the cited guidance does not establish compatibility for individual models. Ask the hearing-care provider or device manufacturer how to enable and use the telecoil.
A separate loop receiver
Someone without suitable telecoil-equipped hearing equipment may use a separate telecoil-equipped loop receiver with headphones. This lets the receiver pick up the loop audio for listening through the headphones; it does not mean every receiver will work with every venue or installation. The IHLMA Good Practice Guide discusses receiver use as part of loop-system practice.
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Why installation and performance matter
A sign saying that a loop is available does not by itself show how well it performs. Coverage, conductor layout, field strength, frequency response, and background magnetic noise can all matter to usable listening. The International Electrotechnical Commission’s IEC 60118-4:2014+A1:2017 specifies field-strength requirements intended to provide adequate signal-to-noise ratio without overloading a hearing aid, along with minimum frequency-response requirements for acceptable intelligibility. Its code of practice covers design, planning, installation, testing, operation, and maintenance.
Those standards describe system requirements and practice; they do not establish that a particular venue’s loop is installed, tested, or compliant. For venue-specific assurance, ask the venue or installer about coverage and recent testing rather than relying on the presence of a loop symbol alone.
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Why it is also called a hearing loop
“Hearing loop” is the common user-facing term for an audio-frequency induction loop. The Center for Hearing Access glossary notes that in the United States, “hearing loop” is preferred as a user-friendly term over “(audio frequency) induction loop” (Center for Hearing Access glossary). Both names refer to the same basic approach: sending audio through a magnetic field for reception by a telecoil.
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