Venue listening guide

Auracast vs. Hearing Loop vs. Telecoil: Which Venue System Should You Count On?

Auracast, hearing loops and telecoils bring venue sound to your ears in different ways. A Westchester comparison, with venues. Book a hearing aid consult.

Read time: 7 min read

Three venue listening systems compared: Auracast, hearing loop and telecoil

Patient question

Should I count on Auracast, a hearing loop or a telecoil at theaters and houses of worship?

Key takeaways

Loops work today in venues that have one, and a telecoil picks them up. Auracast needs a venue transmitter and a compatible receiver.
Bluetooth SIG says all five of the biggest hearing aid makers sell an Auracast-supporting hearing aid. Signia MaX waits for an update due by March 2027.
Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, NY is a verified Auracast venue. We have verified no other local venue.
Ask one question before you buy: does this exact model support Auracast now, and does it have a telecoil?

Here is the short version. Hearing loops work today in venues that have installed one, and any hearing aid with a telecoil can pick them up. Auracast is newer, and it needs a venue transmitter and a hearing aid, earbud or implant that supports it. The telecoil is not a rival to either. It is the small coil inside a hearing aid that receives a loop. Count on the system you have verified, and keep both options open when you buy.

Auracast made news in October 2026. Per Aura Hear's coverage, TIME put it on its 2026 Best Inventions list, and a Florida pilot at the Asolo Repertory Theatre began the same week. This guide cuts through the headlines for a Westchester reader who wants to hear a show, a sermon or a lecture.

“Count on the system you have verified, and keep both options open when you buy.”

How do the three systems work?

A hearing loop is a wire around a room that creates a magnetic signal. A hearing aid with a telecoil, switched to its telecoil program, picks up that signal. Auracast is a Bluetooth broadcast. The Bluetooth SIG describes three parts: a transmitter sends the audio, an assistant, usually your phone's app, finds and selects the broadcast, and a receiver such as a hearing aid plays it. A telecoil is only the receiving coil in your device.

The three systems side by side

The table compares the systems on what each needs from you and from the venue. We leave out sound quality and cost to the venue because our sources do not give figures for them. Quality depends on how well a system is installed and tuned, so judge a venue by trying it.

Auracast, hearing loop and telecoil compared
Item	Auracast	Hearing loop	Telecoil
What it is	A Bluetooth broadcast to many listeners at once	A wire around a room that creates a magnetic signal	A small coil inside a hearing aid that receives a loop signal
What you need	A receiver that supports Auracast, such as a compatible hearing aid, implant or earbuds	A hearing aid with a telecoil, switched to its telecoil program	A hearing aid that includes one
Phone needed?	Usually, as the assistant that finds the broadcast, per the Bluetooth SIG	No	No
What the venue needs	An Auracast transmitter	An installed loop	Nothing. It only works with a loop
Status near Westchester	Verified at Bedford Playhouse. Not verified elsewhere by us	Call the venue. We keep no verified list	Check your model. Some current flagships have none

What does this mean for your next hearing aid?

Ask one question before you buy: does this exact model support Auracast now, and does it have a telecoil? Not every current flagship has both. Our page on Phonak EON notes that no EON model has a telecoil, and that EON works with Auracast. Signia says MaX waits for a Signia One app update due by March 2027 before Auracast activates. Bluetooth SIG says all five of the biggest hearing aid makers now sell an Auracast-supporting hearing aid. GN says its ReSound Vivia was the first hearing aid made for Auracast. That is GN's claim, and we pass it on as one.

What the Asolo pilot shows

Complete Hearing Solutions partnered with Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota for an Auracast pilot in the Cook Theatre, during FSU and Asolo Conservatory performances, per the Oct. 30, 2026 release. Patrons join with Auracast-enabled hearing aids, cochlear implants or compatible earbuds, and staff help them connect. The theater's hearing loop stays in place. That is the realistic template: Auracast added beside a loop, not instead of one.

Where can you use each system near Westchester?

Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, NY is a verified Auracast venue. It is the first theater in New York State to offer Auracast, and its system was a gift of ReSound and Audiology and Speech Solutions of Rye, NY. We have not verified Auracast at any other Westchester or New York City venue. For loops, we do not keep a verified list. Call the box office before a visit and ask two questions: is there a hearing loop, and is there Auracast? Ask which seats and which performances. Auracast listings online, especially on aggregator sites, are often unverified.

A note on wording

The Hearing Loss Association of America makes a point worth repeating. No technology is itself ADA-compliant. A deployment of a loop or of Auracast can meet the ADA's assistive listening standards. When a venue says it is compliant, ask what it installed and where.

How to get ready

Bring your hearing aids and your phone to a visit. We will check what your aids list for Auracast and whether they have a telecoil, and what software they need. Book a hearing aid consultation at our Harrison or Somers office, or call (914) 949-0034. For more background, see Auracast and hearing aids explained, our report on the first U.S. theater pilot and our guide to Bluetooth hearing aids.

Status and last update

Last updated November 2, 2026. Change note: this is the first version. We will add venues only after we confirm them with the venue, and we will update the table when a brand changes its Auracast status. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

Medical information notice

This page is for general education and is not medical advice. A hearing evaluation shows what kind of hearing device suits you. Sudden hearing loss, hearing loss in one ear, ear pain or dizziness need prompt medical care. Call (914) 949-0034 to book at our Harrison or Somers office.

Common questions

Is Auracast replacing hearing loops?

Not soon. Loops work now with any hearing aid that has a telecoil. The Asolo pilot in Sarasota added Auracast beside the theater's existing loop.

If my hearing aids support Auracast, do I still need a telecoil?

A telecoil still helps in venues that have loops, which are more common today. Ask whether your model has one, because some current flagships do not.

What do I need to use Auracast?

You need a venue with an Auracast transmitter, a receiver that supports it, such as a compatible hearing aid or earbuds, and usually your phone as the assistant that selects the broadcast.

Is there Auracast in Westchester?

Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, NY is a verified Auracast venue. We have not verified Auracast at any other local venue, so call ahead.

Is Auracast ADA-compliant?

The Hearing Loss Association of America says no technology is itself ADA-compliant. A deployment can meet the ADA's assistive listening standards, so ask the venue what it installed.

Will my current hearing aids get Auracast by firmware?

Some have, and some are waiting. Starkey says Edge AI received it by update, and Signia says MaX waits for an update due by March 2027. Ask for the status of your exact model.