Hearing Assist FAQ

What is a hearing assist device?  
A hearing assist is a personal FM listening system that is connected to our theatre’s sound system through FM signals. The device plays through headphones – we have single earbud headphones that can be borrowed, or you can use your own (3.5 mm size).

How many hearing assist units do you have? 
We have 6 hearing assists for the Mainstage Theatre and 4 hearing assists for the HFS Tent. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We also have 5 T-Coil Loops that can pair with hearing aids.

What do you do to keep them clean and safe to share? 
All hearing assistive devices are disinfected by our staff on a regular basis, in addition to being disinfected after they’ve been used. The foam covers over the ear bud are also replaced after the assist has been used.

How does the T-Coil work?  
The T-Coil neckloop is a miniature audio induction loop worn around a user’s neck. It transfers the electrical signal from a sound source directly into a hearing aid equipped with a telephone coil.
When the audio signal from an earphone or loudspeaker jack is fed into the neckloop, a magnetic field is created around the neckloop wire and user’s head. As the audio signal varies, the magnetic field also varies. The varying magnetic field induces a small electrical current in the hearing aid T-coil corresponding to the original audio signal. The T-coil’s signal is then amplified and converted to sound by the hearing aid.