RNID: For deaf and hard of hearing people.

After completing all of our technical and user tests, our experts now summarise the features of each model and give you their verdicts.
  • A picture of the silver and blue COMMidt Blue neckloop.

    COMMidt Blues

    £264

    The Blues has a built-in amplifier and outgoing voice amplification but there is no volume control. A tone is heard briefly when the Blues is switched on or off. It has a built-in microphone to pick up your voice and it can be used with other microphones. It can also be connected to audio equipment through an optional lead that is sold separately. The loop wire is the thickest of all the neckloops on test.

    Chunky design with good sound quality, but some found it too loud.

  • A picture of the black Ferrosound neckloop.

    Ferrosound MPL-06 Mobile Phone Loop-set

    £46

    This can be used directly with certain phones while with others you need to use an adapter. It doesn’t have a built-in amplifier or volume control so it's loudness is controlled by the volume level of the mobile phone. It has a built-in microphone that takes the place of the microphone inside the mobile phone.

    Easy to use but some volunteers thought the performance was poor.

  • A picture of the black and silver Geemarc neckloop on a white background.

    Geemarc CLA7

    £40

    This neckloop was designed to be used with Geemarc’s range of corded telephones but we found that it also worked with all the mobile phones we tested it with. It has a built-in amplifier with volume control and is powered by two AAA batteries.

    Recommended. Works well but the volume control takes away from good overall ease of use.

  • A picture of the silver Nokia neckloop on a white background.

    Nokia LPS-4

    £56

    This has a 'Pop-Port™' connector so it can only be used with Nokia mobile phones that have this connector. The LPS-4 can  be connected with a cochlear implant but you need to check with your hearing therapist and the cochlear implant manufacturer before trying to do this.

    Recommended. Good performance, easy to use, looks good and it was liked by our volunteers – but it can only be used with Nokia mobile phones.

  • A picture of the silver and green Sarabec neckloop on a white background.

    Sarabec PL100 Mobile Phone Amplifier

    £58

    A wired neckloop with built-in amplifier, volume control and microphone. It is fitted with a 2.5mm jack and so will work with all mobile phones that have the same connection. We found the battery cover tricky to open.

    Some users though the sound quality was poor.

  • A picture of the blue and silver Starkey neckloop on a white background.

    Starkey Laboratories EM-101

    £234

    What makes this neckloop different is the small Bluetooth device called an Ear Level Instrument (ELI) that clips onto it. The ELI can be connected to any Bluetooth mobile phone to  give you a wireless link between the two. It can also be attached onto any hearing aid that has a three-pin Europlug connector, converting it to a Bluetooth hearing aid. The loop wire on this neckloop can then be unplugged, making it easy to put on and take off. You can also change the size of the loop.

    Works well and easy to use but our volunteers didn't like how it looked.