Read this factsheet to find out:

Manufacturers may use other names for listening equipment, such as:

Important safety information

Listening equipment can be very loud. When switching any listening equipment on, always start at a low volume and gradually increase it. Avoid having it louder than you really need. If you are concerned about your hearing, talk to your GP or audiologist. 

What does listening equipment do?

Listening equipment 'amplifies' sound (makes it louder) so you can hear conversations:

You can usually get listening equipment with accessories such as:

You can use listening equipment whether or not you wear a hearing aid. The type of equipment and the accessory you choose will depend on the level of your hearing loss.

What are the different levels of hearing loss?

When we refer to different levels of hearing loss in the factsheet, this is what we mean:

What does listening equipment look like?

A basic model is a box containing:

Some models have additional features, such as:

Can I get accessories for listening equipment?

Yes, there are many accessories available. Choose what you need depending on the level of your hearing loss and whether you wear a hearing aid. In this section we look at:

Over-the-ear and in-the-ear headphones, and stetoclip headsets

Most listening equipment comes with over-the-ear, in-the-ear (button style) headphones or stetoclip headsets.

In-the-ear headphones stop sound from leaking out too much, which means that other people around you cannot hear what you are listening to. In-the-ear headphones may be louder than over-the-ear ones because they fit into the ear.

Over-the-ear and in-the-ear headphones are suitable for people with normal hearing but you may also find them useful if you have a mild to moderate hearing loss.

Stetoclip headsets

These are similar to headphones but tend to produce a louder sound, so you may find them useful if you have a moderate hearing loss. The frequency range of stetoclip headsets is not usually as wide as over-the-ear or in-the-ear headphones, so their sound quality is not as good. Take extra care when you use them because they are very loud.
Price: From £10

Neckloops

If you wear a hearing aid, a neckloop may suit you better than headphones. A neckloop consists of a loop of wire that goes around your neck. It plugs into the headphone socket on most listening equipment. You need to switch your hearing aid to the 'T' position to pick up sound through the loop.
Price: £10-£20

Ear hook

An ear hook works in a similar way to a neckloop but it hooks over your ear next to your hearing aid. To pick up the sound signal from the ear hook, switch your hearing aid to the 'T' position. You can use an ear hook on either your left or right ear, depending on which side you use your hearing aid. You can also get a 'dual' ear hook, for both ears. You can use these to listen to your personal stereo if you use hearing aids in both ears.
Price: £15-£25

'Silent' headphones – headphones with a magnetic signal

If you prefer not to use neckloops or ear hooks, you may find a pair of 'silent' headphones useful. They look like headphones, but produce a magnetic signal like a neckloop or ear hook so you’ll need to switch your hearing aid to 'T' to use them. You can get different versions of 'silent' headphones. Some have sound on one side and a magnetic signal on the other. Some have a magnetic output on both sides for stereo listening.

You can use silent headphones with most personal stereos and you can also use them with your TV and stereo equipment if you have an extension lead.
Price: £15-£25

Noise-cancelling headphones

These will suit you if you have mild to moderate hearing loss and you do not wear a hearing aid. Noise-cancelling headphones reduce background noise, helping you to focus on the sound you are trying to listen to. They can be useful in very noisy environments, such as on an aeroplane.
Price: From £50

Standard headphones

Some standard over-ear headphones naturally produce a magnetic signal that your hearing aid may be able to pick up when it is switched to 'T'. You may find that you need to turn up the volume control on your equipment and/or your hearing aid to get a loud enough sound. People around you may be able to hear the sounds coming out from the headphones and this may annoy them if you turn the volume up very high.
Price: From £15

What can I use to hear conversations, the TV or stereo equipment?

If you have mild to moderate hearing loss, you can use listening equipment with a built-in microphone. This can help you hear conversation when talking to someone who is less than two metres away from you. You cannot plug an extension microphone into this type of model, or use it with a direct connection lead for your TV or stereo equipment.
Price: £20-£70

Listening equipment with an extension microphone

If you want to hear a conversation from across a room or listen to your TV or stereo system, you can use listening equipment that has a socket for an extension microphone. A microphone with a long lead is normally supplied with this kind of equipment. If you want to listen to your TV or stereo system, plug the microphone into your listening equipment and put the microphone as close as you can to your TV or stereo loudspeaker.

Some types of listening equipment can be plugged into the scart or phono socket on your TV or stereo system using a direct connection lead rather than an extension microphone. This gives the best possible sound quality.

Listening equipment that can be used with an external microphone and/or scart socket may also have a built-in microphone. One other option is to listen to your TV or stereo system using headphones, which can help if you have a mild to moderate hearing loss.
Price: £35-£75

Can I get cordless and infrared listening equipment?

Cordless listening equipment

You may find cordless listening equipment useful if you do not like wearing equipment with wires, or you want to be able to move around a room easily. Cordless listening equipment includes:

You can use cordless listening equipment in a range of situations, such as at home, during conversations, or watching your TV.

Cordless infrared headphones

You can get these from high street stores but they are not specifically designed for deaf people. However, they can be useful if you have a mild to moderate hearing loss.

Cordless infrared headphones have two parts – an infrared transmitter and cordless infrared headphones. The infrared transmitter plugs into the scart or phono socket on your TV or stereo system and you wear the cordless headphones. Most cordless infrared headphones have a volume control and are powered with rechargeable batteries. This can make them bulky and heavy to wear.

You have to use the headphones in the same room as the transmitter because infrared signals cannot go through walls.
Price: From £25

Cordless FM headphones

You can also get cordless FM (frequency modulation) headphones from high street stores, but they are not designed specifically for deaf people. However, like cordless infrared headphones, they can be useful if you have a mild to moderate hearing loss.

Cordless FM headphones look and work like infrared cordless headphones, but instead of using infrared signals between the transmitter and headphone they use radio signals. The main advantage of cordless FM headphones is that they can pick up the signal from the transmitter anywhere in the home.
Price: From £20

Infrared listening equipment

There are two sorts of infrared listening equipment:

For people with hearing aids

Infrared listening equipment for people with hearing aids has a neckloop receiver that you use by switching your hearing to 'T'. The neckloop is part of the receiver.

You can also plug an extension microphone into the infrared transmitter. When you are listening to your TV, radio or stereo system, you can put the microphone near the loudspeaker with the transmitter close by. For the best possible sound quality, you can plug the infrared transmitter directly into the scart or phono socket on your TV or stereo system.

For people who do not use a hearing aid

You can use some infrared equipment if you do not wear hearing aids. These have a stetoclip headset receiver. The receiver needs to be in the same room as the transmitter because infrared signals cannot go through walls.
Price: £60-£300

Can I use listening equipment to listen to a loop system?

Yes. If you wear a hearing aid you can listen to sound through a loop system by switching your hearing aid to 'T'. If you don’t wear a hearing aid, you can still listen to sound through a loop system, as long as the listening equipment you are using has a 'loop listening' option. You often find loop systems in meeting rooms, cinemas, theatres, and banks. A loop system cuts down background noise and makes the sound clearer.
Some listening equipment can only be used to listen to loop systems. This kind of listening equipment does not have a microphone and may be called a 'loop listener'.
For more information, see our factsheet, Induction loops and infrared systems – a guide for deaf and hard of hearing people.

What kind of listening equipment is suitable for education and work?

You can get a range of equipment to use during lectures, meetings and interviews. In this section we look at:

Conference folder

You can use a conference folder in meetings and small groups to help you hear what people are saying. It is battery operated and has a built-in induction loop and two microphones. You can plug in an extension microphone and neckloop or headphones. You can also plug a tape recorder or a digital recorder into a conference folder to record the conversation.
Price: £300

Digital recorder

A digital recorder can record memos, messages and dictation. It has a built-in microphone and is battery powered. Most digital recorders are supplied with headphones, but if you prefer, you may be able to plug in a neckloop or ear hook instead.
Price: From £20

Portable induction loop systems

You can use a hearing aid switched to 'T', a loop listener, or any listening equipment that has a loop listening option with a portable loop system. If you have a mild to moderate hearing loss, you can use headphones with listening equipment that has a loop listening option. For more information, see our factsheet, Induction loops and infrared systems – a guide for deaf and hard of hearing people.

 
Radio microphone systems

These systems are designed for use in classrooms or lecture halls and other similar settings. Radio microphone systems work with hearing aids and some work with cochlear implants. They can help students hear the teacher, lecturer, or other students. The radio receiver can also be used with headphones or a neckloop.

Generally, these systems need to be professionally installed. However, the ‘Conversor radio microphone system’ doesn’t have to be professionally installed. It is portable and you can use it in the classroom or the home. It has a hand-held wireless microphone and body-worn neck loop receiver.
Price: £250 - £1000.

For more information about equipment used in educational settings, see our factsheet, Equipment to help deaf and hard of hearing learners.

Can I get equipment for telephone or mobile phone conversations?

Yes, there’s a range of equipment to make it easier for you to hear incoming calls on your phone or mobile phone. For more information, see our factsheets, Telephones and voice communications and Mobile phones.

Can I get equipment to help me hear conversations or the radio in the car?

Fitting loop systems in vehicles

If you wear a hearing aid, you may find it difficult to hear conversations or the radio when you are travelling in a vehicle because of traffic and road noise, and the noise of the engine itself.
You might want to install a loop system so you can listen to your car radio as well as conversations. However, the car ignition system and electrical wiring may cause interference that can be picked up by a hearing aid switched to 'T'. Before installing a loop system, check for any interference by switching your hearing aid to 'T' while the engine is running. Reducing interference can be difficult, but your local garage may be able to help you.
Price: £100 - £150. You may also need to pay someone to install it for you.

Intercom

An intercom can help you and your passengers to chat while in the car. A simple system includes a personal listener and a microphone. You listen to sound using headphones or earphones, or you can also use a neck or ear hook. Remember to check the level of interference in your vehicle by switching your hearing aid to 'T' before you buy any equipment. It is not safe to try and set up the intercom system while driving.
Price:  £50 or more plus installation.

Do you find it hard to use small, awkward or heavy equipment?

Nowadays a lot of equipment has tiny and often quite fiddly buttons and other controls. Sometimes equipment will just be an awkward shape or maybe it is too heavy for you to use. If you have these sort of difficulties it is particularly important to try out equipment before you buy. Check:

Can I get help with paying for equipment?

You may be able to get help to pay for equipment. Contact the RNID Information Line for information about the following:

If you are a student, you may be able to get help to pay for equipment or your education provider may have to provide it under the DDA. See our factsheets:

Where can I get further information?

Our Information Line offers a wide range of information on many aspects of deafness and hearing loss. Contact us for further copies of this factsheet and our full range of information factsheets and leaflets. You can also contact us if you would like information in Braille, on audiotape or large print.

RNID Information Line

19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL
Telephone 0808 808 0123 Textphone 0808 808 9000 Fax 020 7296 8199

informationline@rnid.org.uk

Buying equipment from RNID

Visit RNID Products or contact the RNID Information Line for a copy of 'Solutions', our catalogue of products for deaf and hard of hearing people.