Auracast and Bluetooth LE Audio for Hearing Aids
Auracast lets a TV, a gate agent, a preacher or a theater broadcast sound directly to every compatible hearing aid in the room. Here is what it is, which hearing aids support it, where it is showing up, and why you still want a telecoil.
What is Auracast?
Auracast broadcast audio is a feature of Bluetooth LE Audio that lets one transmitter send sound to an unlimited number of receivers at once, with no pairing. Think of it as Wi-Fi for sound: your hearing aids, earbuds or phone scan for nearby broadcasts the way a laptop scans for networks, and you join the one you want, by picking it from a list, scanning a QR code or tapping an NFC tag. The Bluetooth SIG, which manages the standard, describes uses from silent TVs in gyms and airports to next-generation assistive listening in churches, theaters and airports.
For people with hearing loss, the promise is the same as a hearing loop: the sound from the microphone arrives straight in your ears without the room noise, but over a digital wireless link that can carry several streams (for example, different languages) and does not need a wire under the floor.
Sources: Bluetooth SIG: Auracast broadcast audio · HLAA: Auracast
Which hearing aids support Auracast?
HLAA reports that several hearing device manufacturers now sell Auracast-enabled models, and the list grows with each product cycle. Support depends on the specific model and sometimes on a firmware update, so check the product documentation or ask your audiologist to confirm three things: that the device uses Bluetooth LE Audio, that it can receive Auracast broadcasts, and how you join a broadcast (through the manufacturer app, a phone, or a button on the device).
A caution from HLAA: some Auracast products only broadcast a high-quality audio stream that hearing devices cannot receive. If a venue or product claims Auracast, ask whether it broadcasts the standard-quality stream hearing aids use. And if you are buying new hearing aids, HLAA recommends choosing a model that is both Auracast-enabled and has a telecoil, so you can use the loops that already exist in Florida churches, theaters and public buildings.
- Ask: Does this model support Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast reception?
- Ask: Does it also have a telecoil? (You want both.)
- Ask: How do I find and join a broadcast, and can I do it without my phone?
- Ask: Will a firmware update add Auracast later, or is it hardware-limited?
Source: HLAA: Auracast
Where Auracast is being deployed
Adoption is early. HLAA notes that some hearing devices and some venues worldwide have started using Auracast, but the timeline for widespread rollout is uncertain and existing systems such as hearing loops will coexist with it for the foreseeable future. The first places you are likely to meet Auracast are TVs and TV streamers at home, airports and transit hubs, conference rooms and lecture halls, and new performing arts venues. Some newer smartphones and earbuds can receive Auracast, which means a person without hearing aids can listen too.
HLAA-FL is tracking Florida deployments. If a Florida venue you visit offers Auracast, tell us so we can list it alongside our looped venues directory.
Report an Auracast or looped venue · Hearing loops in Florida
Auracast versus hearing loops
- Loops work with any telecoil hearing aid made in the last few decades; Auracast needs a recent LE Audio device.
- Loops need a wire installed in the room; Auracast needs a transmitter and works through walls, which can be a plus or a privacy question.
- Loops carry one channel; Auracast can carry several and can add text and metadata about the stream.
- Loops are switched on by the venue and just work; Auracast requires you to find and join a broadcast, which needs a compatible assistant (a phone or the device itself).
- Today, loops are far more common in Florida. Over time, venues will likely offer both.
Auracast questions
What is Auracast in simple terms?
Auracast is a Bluetooth LE Audio feature that lets one transmitter broadcast sound to an unlimited number of compatible receivers at once, with no pairing. Hearing aids, earbuds or phones scan for nearby broadcasts and join the one you choose, like connecting to a Wi-Fi network. It is designed for TVs in public places, transit announcements and assistive listening in venues.
Do I need new hearing aids for Auracast?
Usually yes. Auracast requires Bluetooth LE Audio hardware, which older hearing aids do not have, and manufacturers only began shipping Auracast-enabled models recently. Some models gain reception through a firmware update, so ask your audiologist. HLAA recommends that any new purchase include both Auracast support and a telecoil so you can use existing hearing loops too.
Is Auracast better than a hearing loop?
It is different, not better. Auracast can carry multiple streams, needs no wire in the floor and can reach earbuds and phones. Loops work with the telecoils already in most hearing aids, need no phone, and are already installed in hundreds of Florida venues. HLAA expects the two to coexist for the foreseeable future, so choose devices that support both.
Where can I use Auracast in Florida today?
Deployments are just beginning. The most likely places are TVs and TV streamers at home, airports and transit hubs, conference and lecture spaces, and newly built performing arts venues. HLAA-FL is compiling Florida locations that offer Auracast; if you find one, send us the venue name and city so we can add it to our directory.
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