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FM Systems and Assistive Listening Devices at Soundwave Hearing Care

Essential tool for students of all ages and adults who work, play, and socialize in noisy environments

Do you struggle to hear in noisy environments? Do you feel lost in conversations at work or school? You could benefit from an FM assistive listening device. From theatre productions and school lectures to church sermons and museum tours, FM systems can help you better understand speakers around you by using radio waves to deliver speech signals directly to your ears.

At Soundwave Hearing Care, we carry various assistive hearing devices to help you better hear the world around you. Contact us today for more information.

Innovations in Assistive Hearing Technology

Assistive listening devices are commonly referred to as FM (frequency-modulated) systems. This label was initially given to devices that used radio signals to transmit audio to the listener.
However, modern FM systems now use a more dependable and secure digital signal. Therefore, they can also be referred to as:

  • DM (digitally modulated) systems
  • RM (remote microphone) systems
  • RM-HAT (remote microphone hearing assistance technology)

What’s An FM System?

Simply put, an FM system is a wireless device that helps people hear better in noisy listening environments, such as restaurants, classrooms, lecture halls, meetings, theatres, conference venues, museums, and places of worship. These devices enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), enabling people with mild to profound hearing loss to concentrate on desired sounds and filter out background noise.  They are also often used when people with normal hearing have auditory processing difficulties.

How Do FM Systems Work?

An FM system consists of a transmitter, microphone, and receiver. The speaker wears the transmitter and microphone, while the listener wears the receiver. The receiver picks up the speaker’s voice wirelessly from a microphone and transmits it directly to the listener’s receiver. The receiver then demodulates the sound to ensure the listener can hear it loud and clear.

FM systems enable listeners to hear speakers from across the room. They can even penetrate walls and ceilings.

The Benefits of FM Systems

There are numerous advantages to using FM systems, including:

  • They’re wireless to help you better understand speech in noisy situations. FM systems are discreet and easily adjustable.
  • They can be used to enhance the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants and assist people who are hard of hearing but don’t wear hearing aids.
  • They’re an essential tool for students of all ages. They help students hear their teachers clearly and participate actively in learning, enhancing their overall engagement. They can also be connected to multiple audio sources at once for ease of use.
  • They’re ideal for working adults. FM systems improve the hearing experience and reduce listening fatigue.

FM systems can significantly enhance the listening experience for individuals with hearing difficulties, enabling them to participate more actively in social and educational settings.

Speak with one of the audiologists or hearing aid practitioners at Soundwave Hearing Care to discuss which FM system microphone and receiver would work best for your needs. We have various types of FM systems for use with or without hearing aid.

Hearing Care in Calgary, Lethbridge, High River, and Grande Prairie

If you have hearing loss and find that even with your hearing aids, you cannot hear through the background noise, an FM system may improve your auditory experience of the world. FM systems also can help you if you have normal hearing but struggle to hear in background noise or at a distance.  At Soundwave Hearing Care, we carry various assistive listening devices, including FM (frequency-modulated) systems. We can administer a hearing test and recommend a solution to suit your unique needs.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment in Calgary, Lethbridge, High River or Grande Prairie.

Ready to start hearing better?