USA Hearing Loop Installers
Download a guide (2-pages, PDF) to purchasing a hearing loop for your facility authored by national loop advocate/educator, Dr. Juliëtte Sterkens.
Good Practice Guide Hearing Loop Systems: A guide to best practice for Service Providers (International Hearing Loop Manufacturers Association, 10 pages, pdf)
International Hearing Loop Standard, IEC 60118-4
All hearing loops (installed and portable) should meet the international standard for hearing loop systems. Compliance with IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) 60118-4 delivers strong, even coverage, and the absence of interference, in any environment. This gives a quality experience to users. This will prevent dissatisfaction with uneven, poor-quality installations and will delight users with clear, strong input wherever they sit.
- Why Meet the IEC Standard for Hearing Loop System Installation? HLAA-Hearing Loss Association of America, (2 pages, pdf)
- Summary of IEC 60118-4, Univox (website)
- This IEC standard is also found in the 2017 International Building Code (IBC) (webpage)
Steps to Help Ensure Quality Hearing Loops Installations
Obtain at least two bids for comparison of price, terms, and standards.
To ensure a quality result, ask installers if they will:
- Issue a “certificate of conformity” for meeting IEC 60118-4.
- With reasonable exceptions, come for an on-site visit to customize the bid. Often done at no charge or with a nominal charge. Hearing loop systems are venue-specific and usually require an on-site visit to provide an accurate estimate of your installation cost. While a computer design can be a starting point, the hearing loop should never be installed purely based on the simulation. Your installer should be able to explain the on-site test results; what type of loop (e.g., perimeter, figure 8, or phased array) will be needed in your facility to meet the IEC standard; and what is involved to aesthetically hide the loop wire.
- Be willing to work with floor contractors. It is less expensive to install a hearing loop during a remodel, new build, or when replacing tile, carpet, or other flooring.
- Provide Commissioning of the hearing loop. The IEC hearing loop standard requires, as the final test, that a hearing aid user familiar with hearing loops verifies, while the hearing loop installer is still on the premises, that the loop signal is even, sounds clear, experiences minimal magnetic background noise, and that the subjective results are consistent with the IEC standard. Note: While you or someone from your staff can verify that a hearing loop is actively working, you will not have the same listening experience as a person with a cochlear implant or telecoil-enabled hearing aid.
- Provide qualifications
- Provide a work portfolio with their specialized hearing loop training, expertise, and problem-solving ability.
- Show all pertinent licenses, for individuals and/or businesses.
- Share a list of references that will attest to the quality of their hearing loop work.
- After installation
- Include staff training after installation on a “regular basis.” (see resources below for an outline)
- Provide documentation: warranties, maintenance agreements, user guides, and support.
- Provide a hearing loop design diagram.
Once you’ve decided to invest in a hearing loop system:
- Choose a designer/installer with loop experience and a portfolio of satisfied customers.
- Confirm adherence to IEC 60118-4 standards for compliance.
- Confirm the type and frequency of staff training offered after installation.
- Request a certificate of insurance (COI) that names your organization/business before starting the project. COI resources 1) Everything You Need to Know About Certificates of Insurance for Contractors “COI” and 2) What Is a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for Contractors — and When Do You Need One?
Resources
- Loop Training Outline. Essential components of hearing loop training (Courtesy Audio Directions, 1 page, pdf)
- Site Planning SURVEY: Hearing Loop Project. DIY to describe your project to an installer (Courtesy Audio Directions, 2 pages, pdf)
- Sample Request for Proposal for Hearing Loop System (HLAA, 4 pages, pdf)
- General Architectural Specifications document. Other specifications can be found on the hearing loop driver manufacturer websites (Courtesy Assist2Hear, 7 pages, pdf)
- Best Practices to Install a Hearing Loop System that Meets the IEC Standard (HLAA/McKinley, 2 pages, pdf)
- Checklist-Buried Hearing Loop Wire at the Job Site. Responsibilities of customer and installer (Courtesy Audio Directions, 2 pages, pdf)
We offer an incomplete directory of U.S. local and regional hearing loop installation firms. Most firms are willing to work regionally or nationally beyond their city.
The Center for Hearing Access cannot identify all firms that do hearing loop installations, nor can it evaluate whether any firm is trained to do and verify installations that meet the accepted international standard for strength and evenness of coverage.
Last updated 8/6/24
Alabama
- Audio Looping Specialists (Mobile based)
Arizona
- OTOjOY (Phoenix based, and serves multiple states)
Arkansas
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
California
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- Copper Loop (Northern California based, with service to Nevada)
- HearingNowUSA (Dana Point based)
- Kenwood Hearing Centers (Santa Rosa based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based: serves Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura)
Colorado
- Assist2Hear (Denver based, serves West and Midwest states)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
Connecticut
- Acoustic Loop Innovations (NY based: serves Southern Connecticut)
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Delaware
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Florida
- Audio Directions (Florida based)
- Complete Hearing Solutions LLC (St. Petersburg based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
Georgia
- Active Life Hearing Loops (Atlanta based)
- American Hearing Loop (North Carolina based)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
Idaho
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
Illinois
- Hearing Impaired Solutions Inc. (HIS) (Illinois based)
- Thunder Hearing and Sound (Illinois based)
Indiana
- Indiana Hearing Loops (Lafayette based)
Iowa
- Hearing Access Solutions LLC (Iowa based)
Kansas
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- Mission Electronics (Kansas based)
- MSM Systems (Kansas based)
Louisiana
- Southern Star Tech (Texas based)
Maine
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Maryland
- ATS Communications (Maryland based)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Massachusetts
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- New England Hearing Loop (Massachusetts based)
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Michigan
- Hearing Loop Systems (Michigan based)
- Roth Sound (Michigan based)
- Starling Audio (Michigan based)
Minnesota
- Midwest Hearing Loops (Minnesota based)
Mississippi
- Hearing Loops Unlimited (Mississippi based)
Missouri
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- Sense Art Solutions (Missouri based)
Montana
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
Nebraska
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- Hearing Access Solutions LLC (Iowa based, serves eastern Nebraska)
Nevada
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- Copper Loop (California based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
New Hampshire
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
New Jersey
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- Elequip (New Jersey based)
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
New Mexico
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
New York
- Acoustic Loop Innovations (NYC, Long Island, and Southern Connecticut)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- Hearing Loops Unlimited (Rochester based)
- Metro Hearing Loop (New York City based)
- North East Hearing (Long Island based)
- Pro Hearing Loops (Williamson based)
- Upstate Hearing Loops (Hamilton based)
North Carolina
- AHA Advantage Hearing & Audiology (Greensboro based)
- All Ears Hear Here (Asheville based)
- American Hearing Loop (Raleigh based)
- Audio & Light (Greensboro based)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
North Dakota
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- Modern Technology (North Dakota based)
Ohio
- Brown Audio Service (Ohio based)
- Nova Looping (Ohio based)
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Oklahoma
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- Southern Star Tech (Texas based)
Oregon
- Hearing Support Solutions (Eugene based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
Pennsylvania
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- East Coast Hearing Loops (Pennsylvania based)
- Elequip (New Jersey based)
- Induction Loop Installations (Pennsylvania based)
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Rhode Island
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
South Carolina
- American Hearing Loop (North Carolina based)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
South Dakota
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
Tennessee
- Hearing Technologies (Tennessee based)
Texas
- 32 Degree Audio (Dallas/Fort Worth based)
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- Digital Technology Solutions-AV (San Antonio based)
- HearComm (Houston based)
- Hearing Technologies (Dallas based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
- Southern Star Technology (Dallas/Fort Worth based)
Utah
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
Vermont
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Virginia
- American Hearing Loop (North Carolina based)
- Audio Directions (New Jersey based)
- Hearing Technologies, LLC (Virginia Beach based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
Washington
- HearingLoop NW (Tacoma/Seattle based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
West Virginia
- Pro Hearing Loops (New York based)
Wisconsin
- Arrow Audio AV (Appleton based)
- Audio Architects (Chippewa Falls based)
- Commercial AV Systems (Onalaska based)
- DRS Sound (Kiel based)
Wyoming
- Assist2Hear (Colorado based)
- OTOjOY (Arizona based)
We also suggest asking the equipment vendors for contact information for their loop installers in these and other local areas.
- Listing of hearing loop equipment manufacturers and distributors (this website)