Auracast vs Hearing Loops, FM, and Infrared: Which Assistive Listening System Should You Choose - 2026 edition

Auracast, hearing loops, FM, and infrared all solve the same core problem—getting clear sound from the source into the listener’s ears—but they differ a lot in how they work, what they cost over time, and how future‑proof they are. Auri™ by Auracast is the most flexible and future‑ready option, but the “best” system still depends on your venue, users, and regulatory needs.

Quick positioning: when each shines

Environment / Need	Auracast / Auri™	Hearing loops	Digital FM	Infrared
General public venues (theatres, halls, malls)	Best long‑term: scalable, works with phones and new hearing aids.	Very strong now if many users have telecoils; highly intuitive.	Good for guided tours, ad‑hoc events, temporary setups.	Good where audio must stay inside the room (e.g., courts, confidential meetings).
Users without hearing aids	Direct listening with phone or Auracast receiver.	Needs loop receivers.	Needs FM receivers.	Needs IR receivers.
Privacy / containment	Encrypted or restricted channels possible.	Needs careful design; overspill controllable with low‑spill loops.	RF can leak; not ideal for strict confidentiality.	Excellent—signal does not pass through walls.
Transient areas (transport, counters, retail)	Very strong: simple connection, no line of sight, supports both HA users and general public.	Excellent for fixed counters and gates if users have telecoils.	Practical where issuing small number of receivers is fine.	More complex for open concourses due to line‑of‑sight.
Budget & lifecycle	Higher initial for cutting‑edge tech, strong long‑term ROI and flexibility.	Highly cost‑effective, especially in telecoil‑rich markets.	Lower install cost, but receiver logistics add ongoing overhead.	Hardware plus manpower for receivers; best justified where confidentiality is critical.

How each system works (in plain language)

Auracast (Auri™)

Auracast is a new wireless audio standard built on Bluetooth Low Energy (LE Audio) that lets one transmitter broadcast high‑quality, low‑latency audio to many devices at once—no pairing needed. Auri™ packages this into a professional assistive listening system with transmitters, receivers, docking stations, and management software.

Key points:

• Source to broadcast: Audio from a microphone or AV system feeds into an Auri TX2N transmitter (supports mic/line, PoE, optional Dante).
• Broadcast over Auracast BLE: The transmitter sends encrypted or open Auracast streams over roughly a 30 m radius; you can add more transmitters to extend coverage or add zones/languages.
• Devices that can listen:
  • Auracast‑enabled hearing aids and cochlear implants.
  • Smartphones and hearables (earbuds, headphones).
  • Auri RX1 receivers with earphones or neckloops for older telecoil hearing aids.

Practical benefits:

• Unlimited listeners—no hard cap on “how many receivers we bought.”
• Multi‑channel: one space can offer multiple language feeds or an audio description track in parallel.
• Backward compatibility for telecoil users via neckloops, while also serving people with no hearing aids using their own devices.

Hearing loops (Audio induction loops)

A hearing loop uses a loop of cable around a room or counter to create a magnetic field that telecoil‑equipped hearing aids and implants can pick up directly. The listener just switches their device to the T‑coil program and hears the venue audio without extra hardware.

Key points:

• Integrates with existing sound systems (mics, PA, TVs) via a loop amplifier driving the loop cable.
• Excellent speech clarity in defined areas and very intuitive to use for telecoil users.
• Hearing Enhancement Systems by The Listening Lab can design low‑spill multiloops to reduce overspill and preserve confidentiality where needed.

Practical benefits:

• Very simple user experience for telecoil users: “walk in, switch to T, listen.”
• No venue‑managed receivers for those users, which cuts manpower and hygiene overhead.
• Often the most cost‑effective assistive listening option where many users already have telecoil‑equipped devices.

Digital FM solutions

Digital FM systems use encrypted radio signals from a transmitter (connected to a mic or mixer) to portable receivers worn or carried by listeners. Users plug in earphones or a neckloop for hearing aids.

Key points:

• Good for flexible and temporary setups—classrooms, tours, training rooms, or spaces where permanent installation is difficult.
• Digital FM offerings are designed for secure, encrypted broadcast and can be deployed with minimal infrastructure.

Practical benefits:

• Portable and reconfigurable; you can move systems between rooms or sites.
• Works whether or not listeners have hearing aids, as long as they’re given receivers.
• Installation cost can be lower than loop or IR, but you must manage, charge, clean, and track receivers.

Infrared (IR) systems

Infrared systems convert audio into invisible IR light, transmit it into the room using radiators, and receivers worn by listeners convert it back into sound. Receivers can then drive earphones or a neckloop for hearing aid users.

Key points:

• Requires line‑of‑sight from radiators to receivers; strong sunlight or obstructions can affect coverage.
• Signal does not pass through walls, making IR ideal when strict room‑level confidentiality is required (e.g., courts, boardrooms, certain classrooms).

Practical benefits:

• Highly controllable coverage; you can design systems to keep audio inside a defined room.
• Less vulnerable to RF interference than many radio‑based systems.
• Like FM, requires issuing and collecting receivers for each session.

Deep comparison: strengths, limits, and best use‑cases

1. User experience and inclusivity

• Auracast / Auri™
  • Pros: Lets both hearing‑aid users and the general public connect using their own devices or the venue’s receivers, supports unlimited users, and allows easy channel selection.
  • Considerations: Requires Auracast‑capable devices to unlock the “no‑extra‑hardware” experience; we are still in a transition phase where not everyone has them yet.
• Hearing loops
  • Pros: For telecoil users, this is the smoothest experience—no app, no pairing, no receiver, just switch to T‑coil.
  • Considerations: People without telecoils or without hearing aids need loop receivers; awareness of the “blue ear with T” symbol is also key.
• Digital FM
  • Pros: Simple for end users once they have a receiver (volume and channel control); good for structured groups (classrooms, tours).
  • Considerations: Managing receivers becomes harder as group size and frequency of use grow.
• Infrared
  • Pros: Good quality audio and predictable experience in controlled rooms, as long as line‑of‑sight is maintained.
  • Considerations: Users must stay within coverage zones and not block the IR path; again, receivers must be distributed and returned.

Takeaway: If you want the most inclusive and flexible user experience for a mix of hearing‑aid users and general public, Auracast/Auri stands out, especially for venues planning for the next decade. Hearing loops remain unmatched for “walk‑in, no‑extra‑device” simplicity in telecoil‑heavy populations.

2. Installation, infrastructure, and operations

• Auracast / Auri™
  • Integrates with existing AV over analog or Dante, uses networked transmitters, and can be expanded across multiple rooms or zones by adding more TX units.
  • Central management software (Auri Manager) lets you configure channels, names, security, and firmware updates across the system.
• Hearing loops
  • Require careful design around room shape, construction, and metal structures to meet IEC 60118‑4 performance standards.
  • Once installed and tuned, operation is largely hands‑off; no daily receiver logistics for telecoil users.
• Digital FM
  • Minimal infrastructure—typically a transmitter and chargers for receivers; good for spaces where running cables or modifying floors is difficult.
  • Operational overhead is in device management more than infrastructure.
• Infrared
  • Needs strategic placement of radiators to avoid blind spots and to stay clear of excessive natural light.
  • As with FM, receiver management is ongoing.

Takeaway: For permanent public venues that want a “set and forget” backbone, loops or Auracast‑based systems designed by specialists are ideal; FM and IR are strong supplements for special rooms or where installation constraints exist.

3. Security, privacy, and compliance

• Auracast / Auri™
  • Supports encrypted and access‑controlled channels for private or ticketed events; central management helps enforce policies.
  • Bluetooth‑based broadcasts stay in the intended area of coverage, and power levels/antenna placement can be engineered to suit the venue.
• Hearing loops
  • Overspill can be managed through professional low‑spill and phased loop designs to keep audio within intended areas where needed.
• Digital FM
  • Digital FM from professional vendors can provide encrypted or coded channels, but radio propagation makes strict physical containment harder.
• Infrared
  • Naturally “room‑bound”: IR signals do not pass through walls, making IR the classic choice when audio may not leak out of specific rooms.

Takeaway: For strict room‑level confidentiality, IR and carefully designed loops are strong choices. For flexible but controlled access (multiple rooms or events with selective access), Auracast with security features is particularly compelling.

4. Cost, lifecycle, and future‑proofing

• Auracast / Auri™
  • Designed as “future‑proof” assistive listening, aligning with the broader industry shift to LE Audio.
  • While initial investment can be higher than basic FM, it reduces dependence on venue‑owned receivers over time as more users bring Auracast‑enabled devices.
• Hearing loops
  • Often the most cost‑effective per seat in suitable rooms and markets, especially when many users already have telecoil‑equipped devices.
  • Infrastructure (loop cable and amplifiers) has a long service life when correctly designed and installed.
• Digital FM
  • Attractive initial costs and portability, but ongoing receiver management and replacement must be budgeted in.
• Infrared
  • Hardware and manpower costs can be justified where confidentiality is a must, but may be less attractive for general‑purpose spaces.

Takeaway: If you’re planning a venue for the 2026–2035 horizon, a combination of hearing loops and Auracast (Auri) is a strong strategic pairing: loops serve today’s telecoil users, while Auri prepares you for the growing wave of Auracast‑enabled hearing aids and consumer devices. FM and IR remain excellent tactical tools for specific rooms and scenarios.

When to choose what (with examples)

• Choose Auracast / Auri™ if:
  • You’re building or upgrading theatres, lecture halls, transport hubs, or multi‑purpose venues and want scalable, flexible, multi‑channel listening that can serve both hearing‑aid users and the general public through phones and earbuds.
  • You want central management, security, and integration with modern networked AV (e.g., Dante).
• Choose hearing loops if:
  • You have fixed seating areas (worship spaces, council chambers, lecture theatres, counters) and a significant proportion of users have telecoil‑equipped hearing devices.
  • You want a highly intuitive, standards‑based, low‑maintenance system with minimal ongoing logistics.
• Choose digital FM if:
  • You run training rooms, classrooms, tours, or pop‑up events where spaces change and you need a portable, reconfigurable system.
  • You can manage a finite pool of receivers and need a quick‑to‑deploy solution.
• Choose infrared if:
  • You have courtrooms, boardrooms, secure briefing rooms, or cinemas where audio must not leave the room.
  • You can control lighting and sightlines to maintain IR coverage and are comfortable managing receivers.

In practice, many organisations end up with a hybrid: for example, loops or Auracast in large public spaces, IR in a few highly confidential rooms, and FM kits for mobile or overflow use.

Why work with us in Singapore

Hearing Enhancement Systems by The Listening Lab is a dedicated hearing enhancement specialist under The Listening Lab, focused specifically on assistive listening rather than general AV. They are the sole distributor in Singapore (and Malaysia for loops) for leading brands like Ampetronic and are an implementation partner for Listen Technologies’ solutions such as Auri.

Reasons they are a strong choice in Singapore:

• Audiology‑first expertise: comes from an audiology background, designing systems around real‑world hearing‑aid and cochlear implant use, not just theoretical AV specs.
• Proven loop and track record: They have delivered loop systems in varied environments, including complex, odd‑shaped rooms and spaces that require overspill control and IEC‑compliant performance.
• Full solution portfolio: They can design and integrate induction loops, digital FM, infrared, and Auracast/Auri in one coherent plan, instead of pushing a single technology for every space.
• Ongoing support and compliance: emphasises professional system design, testing, and after‑sales support so your system actually delivers clear, reliable sound day‑to‑day—not just on paper.

This combination is particularly valuable if you want a long‑term, multi‑space strategy rather than a one‑off hardware purchase.

Your next steps

If you are planning or upgrading venues in Singapore and want to make them genuinely inclusive and future‑ready for people with hearing loss, Hearing Enhancement Systems by The Listening Lab can help you choose and deploy the right mix of:

• Audio induction loop systems – cost‑effective, intuitive access for telecoil users in fixed spaces.
• Digital FM solutions – flexible, portable systems for classrooms, tours, and changing room layouts.
• Infra‑red solutions – room‑secure listening for courtrooms, boardrooms, cinemas, and other confidential spaces.
• Auracast / Auri™ – next‑generation, multi‑channel, device‑friendly assistive listening that can serve both hearing‑aid users and the wider public as Auracast adoption grows.

The most effective way to start is usually a brief consultation and site assessment, where we can map your different spaces and user groups to the specific technologies that will give you the best balance of accessibility, privacy, and long‑term value.