An amplified telephone is designed to raise the volume of normal telephone conversations.  Depending on the degree of hearing loss the conversation may need to be raised just a little to a fairly strong level.  The proper volume level will help a person with a hearing loss to understand speech on the telephone more clearly.  the following are some things to consider when choosing a amplified telephone.

Amplification

First is both two little or to much amplification can cause a loss of speech clarity. 

The amplification level must be loud enough for the person to hear comfortable without straining to either hear or understand the spoken speech.

Two much amplification for some people and hearing losses will result in a loss of clarity as the the sound is over amplified, think of this as overdriving a speaker and the loss of clarity that happens when the speaker starts to rattle.  

Gain Levels of Phones

 The phones we carry provide amplified gain of between 12dB and 55dB.  People with mild hearing losses or with normal hearing in the lower frequencies but with a high-frequency drop may need just a mild gain telephone while someone with a severe hearing loss may need the maximum amount of gain available.  Those with a profound hearing loss may need to use both ears on the telephone to hear decently.

Volume controls on the telephone should be thought of as a loudness adjustment to being sound up to a level that is comfortable to listen to without straining.  This level should not be thought of as the volume that gives the best clarity but the most comfortable level to listen at.

Tone Control

Fine tuning clarity on a telephone is generally done with the tone control.  Most telephones manufactured for the hard-of-hearing come with a tone control.  This control allows you to adjust or enhance parts of the speech spectrum over other parts of the speech spectrum (higher frequencies verse lower frequencies).    This allows for adjustment for softer speech consonants or women's and children's voices. 

Word recognition scores will also effect speech clarity on the telephone.  People with lower scores may need to use both ears on the telephone to follow speech while others may require the use of relay services and a visual readout display to understand what is being said. 

Hearing-Aid Compatibly

Hearing aid wearers with telecoils built into their hearing need telephones that are "Hearing Aid Compatible".  With both the hearing aid and the telephone "hearing aid compatible" the sound from the from telephone is transferred to the hearing aid through magnetic induction.  this allows the person's own hearing aid, designed to provide them with the best clarity, to be the telephone amplifier. 

Flexibility

Some amplified phones are designed to meet a specific type of hearing loss. In many cases, however, your individual hearing abilities will be unique. Your hearing needs may even change over time (or change on a day to day basis!) We recommend you consider the flexibility of an amplified phone, making sure that it can be fine-tuned to your individual hearing level and that it can accommodate your specific hearing needs as they change over time.

Earlink, LLC 's amplified telephones are chosen to provide you with the options you need.  Please keep the above factors in mind when selecting a telephone for yourself or a loved one.  If you are in doubt please email us or call and we will be happy to answer your questions.

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