Even with the most up-to-date technology, hearing aids and cochlear implants cannot completely separate important sounds from background noises.

Nor do they pick up all sounds from a distance such as those in a performance hall, a place of worship or even a home TV viewed from across the room. In such difficult listening settings, hearing (induction) loops are often a solution.

 

What Is A Hearing Loop System?

A hearing loop is a wire connected to an electronic sound source that transmits that sound to the telecoil in a hearing aid or cochlear implant. A hearing loop can discreetly surround a room, a chair in your home, or even be worn around the neck. Hearing loops can be connected to a public address system, a living room TV, a telephone (land line and cellular), or any source that produces sound electronically.
Hearing Looping Graphic

A hearing aid and most cochlear implants equipped with a manually controlled t-switch is needed to hear in a hearing loop. The telecoil, also called t-coil, receives the signal from the loop and turns it back into sound in the hearing aid, often eliminating much of the background noise. The listener then hears only the sounds they desire whether it is speech from a pulpit, a stage, a telephone conversation, or the television. Hearing loops can double hearing aid and cochlear implant functionality. Using the telecoil in conjunction with a hearing loop is a cost effective way to improve the usability of your hearing aid or cochlear implant. The telecoil can also be used in conjunction with a variety of wireless or hand held hearing assistive listening devices.

 

Major Advantage of a Hearing Loop System

One of the major advantages of a hearing loop is that it is truly universal technology. It does not matter what brand your hearing aid is. If you have a telecoil, you can use a hearing loop. This is why loops are so successful for public areas–because they work universally for all hearing aids with telecoils.

 

How do you know if a business, church or any other location has a hearing loop system?

Hearing Looping Logo
This sign is the international symbol that a hearing loop is installed in the area for people with hearing loss. You might see this sign at an airport, a museum, a church, or a movie theater. This sign indicates that information is being broadcast through the loop for people to pick up with their hearing technology on the t-coil setting. A majority of hearing aids sold today have a telecoil installed in them. If you are not sure if your hearing aid has a telecoil, you can ask your provider and find out.

 

Hearing Loops Installations in The New York Metropolitan Area

New York City

  • IDNYC: All IDNYC enrollment centers are equipped with hearing loops to ensure accessibility for hard of hearing applicants. View IDNYC locations
  • MTA subway system station booths: All subway information booths in stations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens are looped.Learn more about the subway system information booths.
  • MTA subway system Help Points: All Help Points are installed with hearing loops; simply set your hearing aid to the t-coil setting, press the appropriate button on the Help Point and wait for the operator to speak to you.

Bronx

  • Bronx Zoo
    2300 Southern Blvd
    Bronx, NY 10460
  • The New York Botanical Garden
    2900 Southern Boulevard
    Bronx, NY 10458
  • The New York Public Library – Bronx Library Center
    310 East Kingsbridge Road (at Briggs Avenue)
    Bronx, NY, 10458
  • Yankee Stadium
    East 161st Street and River Avenue
    Bronx, NY 10452

Brooklyn

  • Barclays Center Arena
    620 Atlantic Avenue
    Brooklyn, NY 11217

Manhattan

  • Amtrak, New York City Penn Station
    234 West 31st Street
    Eighth Avenue and West 31st to 33rd Streets
  • August Wilson Theatre
    245 W 52nd St
    New York, NY 10019
  • Broadhurst Theatre
    235 W 44th St
    New York, NY 10036
  • Carnegie Hall
    881 7th Ave.
    New York, NY 10019
  • Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM)
    The Tisch Building
    212 West 83rd Street
  • Cloisters Museum and Garden
    99 Margaret Corbin Dr
    New York, NY 10040
  • David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
    Broadway between 62nd and 63rd
    New York, NY 10023

  • Ellis Island Museum
    Ellis Island
    New York, NY 10004-1467
  • Bernard B. Jacobs Theater
    242 W 45th St
    New York, NY 10036
  • The Frick Collection
    1 East 70th Street
    New York, NY 10021
  • Gershwin Theater
    222 West 51st Street, between Broadway and Eighth
    New York, NY
  • Guggenheim Museum
    1071 Fifth Avenue at 89th Street
    New York, NY 10128-0173
  • Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
    One Intrepid Square
    Pier 86, Twelfth Avenue and West 46th Street
    New York, NY 10036-4103
  • Irish Repertory Theater
    132 West 22nd Street
    New York, NY 10011
  • Jewish Museum
    1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street
    New York, NY 10128
  • Lincoln Center Vivian Beaumont Theater
    150 W 65 Street
    New York, NY 10023
  • Lower East Side Tenement Museum
    103 Orchard Street
    New York, NY 10002
  • Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
    205 W 46th Street
    New York, NY 10036
  • Madison Square Garden
    4 Pennsylvania Plaza
    (Seventh Avenue between W 31st Street & W 33rd Street)
    New York, NY 10001
  • Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance
    548 Main St.
    Roosevelt Island
    New York, NY 10044
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
    1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
    New York, NY 10028-0198
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
    The Cloisters Museum and Gardens
    99 Margaret Corbin Drive
    Fort Tryon Park
    New York, NY 10040
  • Minskoff Theater
    200 West 45th Street
    New York, NY 10036
  • Morgan Library and Museum
    225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street
    New York, NY 10016
  • Museum of Modern Art
    11 West 53rd Street
    New York, NY 10019

  • National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center
    200 Liberty Street, 16th Floor
    New York, NY 10281
  • New York Historical Society
    170 Central Park West at Richard Gilder Way (77th Street)
    New York, NY 10024
  • The New York Public Library
    Library for the Performing Arts
    40 Lincoln Center Plaza
    New York, NY, 10023
  • The New York Public Library
    Mid-Manhattan Library
    455 Fifth Avenue (at 40th Street)
    New York, NY, 10016
  • The New York Public Library
    Muhlenberg Library
    209 West 23rd Street (near Seventh Avenue)
    New York, NY 10011-2379
  • New York Times Center
    242 W 41st St.
    New York, NY 10036
  • Richard Rodgers Theater
    226 West 46th Street
    New York, NY
  • Shubert Theatre
    225 W 44th St.
    New York, NY 10036
  • St. James Theatre
    246 W 44th St.
    New York, NY 10036
  • Vivian Beaumont Theater
    150 W 65th St.
    New York, NY 10023
  • Westside Theater
    407 West 43rd Street
    New York, NY 10036
  • Whitney Museum of American Art
    99 Gansevoort Street
    New York, NY 10014

Queens

  • Citifield Stadium
    Willets Point
    Flushing, NY 11368
  • Queens Library
    Fresh Meadows Community Library
    193-20 Horace Harding Expressway
    Fresh Meadows, NY 11365

Suffolk County

  • Parrish Museum
    279 Montauk Highway
    Water Mill, NY 11976

Westchester County

  • Jacob Burns Film Center
    364 Manville Road
    Pleasantville, NY 10570

Rockland County

  • Elmwood Playhouse
    10 Park Street
    Nyack, NY 10960

New Haven County

  • Long Wharf Theatre
    222 Sargent Dr
    New Haven, CT 06511

 
Please contact us if you have any questions about hearing loops or if you would be interested in learning how to get your business looped. For additional information on loops in other states please visit www.loopamerica.com