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Do T-Coils Hear in Stereo?

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

A man wrote:

I gather that silhouettes and ear links can support true stereo sound (where the left and right ears hear different channels of sound.) What about room loops and neck loops?

In order for true stereo to occur, your t-coils must not pick up each others sound channels (or you’d hear the same thing in both ears, which I call dual mono).

Therefore, by definition, room loops and neckloops are always mono devices since both t-coils pick up the same sound signals.

In order to have true stereo via your t-coils, the magnetic signal for each sound channel must have sufficiently low power that the t-coil on the opposite side of your head can’t pick it up.

At this time, the only truly stereo device that works with t-coils is the dual Music Links.

These Music Links are similar in concept to silhouettes. In fact, silhouettes could be true stereo devices if they were correctly wired to a stereo plug. However, all the silhouettes I have seen are wired to a mono plug–so you’d only hear dual mono with them.

Thus, if you really want to hear in stereo via your t-coils, get the Dual Music Links and enjoy true stereo sound. The Music Links plug into any standard stereo audio device such as your computer, MP3 player, DVD player, iPod, etc.

In case you were wondering, although the T-Links were similar to the Music Links, and look like they should be stereo devices, they actually were mono devices. This is because the second wire/pin that would normally be used for the second stereo channel is used for the microphone signal instead. The t-links were designed to plug into your cell phone’s headset jack and let you hear beautiful clear sound on your cell phone.

Note: the t-links are now obsolete as smart phones can use the Music Links to let you hear on your phone.

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Hearing Loss Research & Resources

Free Visor Cards

Download your free Visor Cards for hard of hearing or deaf people here.

Loop Systems

Loop your home or meeting room. Discover how you can hear wonderfully clear sound again when listening to the TV/radio, etc, or when listening to a speaker at a meeting.

Loop systems are one of the best-kept secrets in town. To learn more about Loop Systems and what they can do for you, click here.

Take Control of Your Tinnitus—Here’s How

If your ears ring, buzz, chirp, hiss, click or roar, you know just how annoying tinnitus can be. You do not have to put up with this racket for the rest of your life. This book teaches you many things you can do to help bring your tinnitus under your control so it no longer bothers you.

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Sounds Now Too Loud for You?

Hypersensitive to Sound front coverIf some (or all) normal sounds seem so loud they “blow the top of your head off”, or make you wince or jump, or cause you headaches or ear pain, or affect your balance, or result in fear or annoyance of sounds so you feel you have to avoid these sounds, this book is for you!

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Hearing Phantom Sounds?

When hard of hearing people begin hearing phantom voices or music, they immediately worry they are going crazy. It never crosses their minds that they are sane and are just experiencing Musical Ear syndrome.

To learn more about the strange phantom sounds of Musical Ear syndrome and what you can do about them, click here to read a comprehensive article about Musical Ear Syndrome.

Or get the book—Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

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Center for Hearing Loss Help

Neil G. Bauman, Ph.D.

1013 Ridgeway Drive, Lynden,
WA 98264-1057 USA

Email: neil@hearinglosshelp.com

Phone: 360-778-1266 (M-F 9:00 AM-5:00 PM PST)

© 2025 Center for Hearing Loss Help – Help for your hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear conditions

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life [which also includes perfect hearing] through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Romans 6:23]

"But know this, in the last days perilous times will come" [2 Timothy 3:1]. "For there will be famines, pestilences, and [severe] earthquakes in various places" [Matthew 24:7], "distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring"—tsunamis, hurricanes—Luke 21:25, but this is good news if you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads [and rejoice] because your redemption draws near" [Luke 21:28].