Remote Microphones for Hearing Aids: What Are They and How Do They Work?

Modern hearing aids can provide excellent support in everyday life, but there are some listening situations that remain particularly challenging.

Restaurants.

Meetings.

Lectures.

Family gatherings.

Car journeys.

Conversations with someone across a room.

There's one thing many of these situations have in common: the person you want to hear isn't speaking directly beside you in a quiet environment.

That's exactly the problem remote microphones are designed to address.

Rather than simply making sound louder, a remote microphone changes where the voice is captured.

And that can make a significant difference.

If your hearing aids work well in quieter situations but become less effective when noise or distance is involved, our guide to why hearing aids can still struggle in background noise explains why.

What Is a Remote Microphone?

A remote microphone is a small microphone that is positioned closer to the person, or people, you want to hear.

It captures their voice and transmits the audio wirelessly to a compatible hearing aid, cochlear implant or listening receiver.

Think of it as moving the microphone from your ears to the speaker.

Instead of someone's voice travelling several metres across a noisy room before being picked up by your hearing aids, the remote microphone captures their voice close to the source.

This helps reduce two major barriers to speech understanding:

distance and background noise.

Why Does Moving the Microphone Help?

Imagine you're sitting at one end of a meeting table.

A colleague at the opposite end begins speaking.

Your hearing aids are several metres away from them. Their voice has to travel across the room, mixing with ventilation noise, other voices, chair movements and reflected sound before it reaches the microphones on your ears.

Now imagine placing a microphone directly in front of that colleague.

Their voice reaches the microphone before travelling across the room.

The microphone then sends that audio wirelessly to you.

That's the principle behind remote microphone technology.

If background noise itself is one of your biggest challenges, you can also read why conversations become harder to understand in noisy environments.

What Is Signal-to-Noise Ratio?

You'll often encounter the term signal-to-noise ratio when researching remote microphones.

The idea is straightforward.

The signal is the voice you want to hear.

The noise is everything competing with it.

Speech is generally easier to understand when the target voice is significantly clearer than the surrounding sound.

Remote microphones can improve this relationship by capturing the target speech closer to its source.

Instead of trying to eliminate every sound in the room, they help give the voice you want an advantage.

Are Remote Microphones the Same as Hearing Aids?

No.

Remote microphones and hearing aids perform different jobs.

A hearing aid is worn on or in the ear and supports hearing throughout everyday life.

A remote microphone is generally an additional listening tool used for particular situations.

You might wear your hearing aids throughout the day and introduce the remote microphone when you:

• Enter a meeting
• Go to a restaurant
• Attend a lecture
• Travel in a car
• Join a group discussion
• Need to hear someone at a distance

It's useful to think of it as adding another tool to your hearing system.

Zova's Assistive Listening Systems & Devices range brings together technology designed specifically for these more challenging listening situations.

How Can You Use a Remote Microphone?

Different microphones work in different ways.

Worn by a Speaker

The microphone can be clipped to the clothing of the person you want to hear.

This is particularly useful for:

• One-to-one conversations
• Lectures
• Presentations
• Training
• Walking with another person
• Car journeys

Because the microphone remains close to their mouth, their voice stays relatively consistent even if they move around.

Placed on a Table

Some microphones can be placed in the centre of a table and automatically capture speech from people around it.

This can be useful for:

• Restaurants
• Family meals
• Small meetings
• Group discussions
• Community groups

Pointed Towards a Speaker

Some devices offer a directional mode allowing the user to point the microphone towards the person they want to hear.

This can provide additional control in situations where several people are nearby.

Used With Multiple Microphones

Larger meetings or tables may require more than one microphone.

Certain systems allow multiple microphones to operate as a network, providing better coverage of a larger group.

What Is Phonak Roger?

Phonak Roger is a range of wireless microphone technology designed to improve access to speech in challenging listening environments.

There isn't just one Roger product.

Different microphones are designed for different applications.

Roger On

Roger On is designed to be highly versatile.

Depending on the situation, it can be worn by a speaker, placed on a table or used directionally.

That makes it particularly useful for people who encounter several different listening environments during their day.

For example, the same device might be used during a work meeting in the morning, a one-to-one conversation in the afternoon and dinner in a restaurant that evening.

Roger Table Mic

Roger Table Mic is designed more specifically around meetings and group conversations.

Placed on a table, it helps capture speech from participants around it.

Multiple microphones can also be connected for larger meeting tables.

Roger Touchscreen Mic

Roger Touchscreen Mic is widely used in education.

A teacher or presenter can wear the microphone, allowing their voice to be transmitted to compatible listening equipment used by the student.

Roger Clip-On Mic

For situations where the primary requirement is hearing one person, a wearable microphone can provide a simple way of keeping the microphone close to the speaker.

How Does the Sound Reach My Hearing Aids?

This is where compatibility becomes important.

The method varies depending on the hearing aids and remote microphone system being used.

Some hearing aids can receive particular wireless microphone signals with functionality already built into the devices.

Others require an additional receiver or accessory.

There are also options involving neckloops and other interfaces.

Because hearing-aid manufacturers use different technologies and because compatibility can vary between models from the same manufacturer, it's important to check your exact hearing-aid model before purchasing.

"Phonak hearing aids" or "Oticon hearing aids" isn't always enough information.

The particular model and generation matter.

Do Remote Microphones Work With Non-Phonak Hearing Aids?

There are remote microphone solutions for many different hearing-aid brands.

Depending on your hearing devices, suitable technology may include products from:

Phonak

• ReSound
• Oticon
• Widex
• Signia
• Starkey

Phonak Roger can also be used with a variety of hearing devices through appropriate compatible receiving options, but the exact configuration needs to be established.

Zova's Hearing Aid Wearers solutions are a useful starting point if you're looking for technology to complement your existing hearing aids.

At Zova, compatibility is one of the areas we can help with.

If you provide the make and exact model of your hearing aids, we can investigate which options are appropriate.

Remote Microphones in Restaurants

Restaurants are one of the situations where people frequently discover the limitations of relying entirely on microphones positioned at their ears.

If you're sitting opposite your partner, a suitable remote microphone can be positioned closer to them or placed on the table.

Rather than trying to process every conversation in the restaurant equally, the system helps provide better access to the conversation you're actually interested in.

For larger groups, microphone selection and positioning become particularly important because several people may be speaking from different positions.

Remote Microphones at Work

Meetings can be particularly difficult for hearing aid users because speakers can be spread around a large table.

Remote microphone systems can help by positioning microphones closer to participants rather than requiring every voice to travel to the listener.

They can be useful in:

• Board meetings
• Training sessions
• Presentations
• Conferences
• One-to-one meetings
• Hybrid working environments

If work is where you experience the greatest difficulty, explore Zova's Work & Meetings listening solutions.

You can also see how this type of technology can be used in practice in our workplace remote microphone case study.

Remote Microphones in Education

Distance is a significant factor in classrooms and lecture theatres.

A student may be several metres away from the teacher or lecturer, with other students, room noise and reverberation between them.

A teacher-worn microphone captures the voice close to the source and transmits it to the student's compatible listening equipment.

Remote microphone technology can therefore form part of listening support for students with hearing loss and, depending on individual needs and professional recommendations, some students with auditory processing or other listening difficulties.

Zova provides dedicated Education listening solutions for schools, universities, students and families.

You can also read our university listening case study to see an example of remote microphone technology being used to support listening during lectures.

Can Someone Without Hearing Aids Use a Remote Microphone?

Potentially, yes.

The concept of bringing speech closer isn't limited to people with hearing loss.

Some assistive listening systems can deliver speech through dedicated receivers rather than conventional hearing aids.

This may be relevant for people who experience substantial listening difficulty despite not wearing hearing aids.

People experiencing these difficulties may also want to explore our information and solutions around auditory processing difficulties and neurodiversity.

The appropriate setup depends on the individual's needs, so it's important to distinguish between providing situational listening support and treating a hearing condition.

Which Remote Microphone Do I Need?

Start with the listening situation rather than the product.

Ask yourself:

Who am I trying to hear?

One person? A group? A lecturer? Colleagues?

Where does the difficulty happen?

Restaurants? Meetings? School? University? At home?

Do I wear hearing aids?

If so, note the exact manufacturer and model.

Do I need one microphone or several?

A conversation with your partner is very different from a meeting involving fifteen people.

Will I use it in several environments?

If so, a versatile microphone may be more appropriate than one designed primarily for a single application.

A Remote Microphone Isn't Just About Making Things Louder

This is perhaps the most important point.

People struggling with speech often assume they need more volume.

But in many challenging environments, the real issue is clarity.

If the voice you want is competing with numerous other sounds, increasing overall volume isn't necessarily the answer.

Moving a microphone closer to the voice changes the listening problem itself.

And for some hearing aid users, that can be the missing piece between being able to hear that somebody is speaking and being able to comfortably follow what they're actually saying.

Let Zova Help You Check Compatibility

At Zova Sound Solutions, we specialise in assistive listening technology including remote microphones, Phonak Roger systems, hearing-aid accessories and workplace and education listening solutions.

If you're unsure what you need, you don't have to work it out from compatibility charts alone.

Tell us:

• Your hearing-aid manufacturer
• Your exact hearing-aid model
• Whether you wear one or two hearing aids
• The situations you're struggling with
• Who you need to hear

and our team can help identify suitable options.

Explore our Phonak Roger range and Assistive Listening Systems & Devices or contact Zova for help finding a remote microphone system for your hearing devices and listening needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a remote microphone do for hearing aids?

It captures speech closer to the person speaking and transmits that audio to compatible hearing aids or listening equipment, helping reduce the impact of distance and background noise.

Can I use a remote microphone in a restaurant?

Yes, depending on the device. Some remote microphones can be placed on a table, worn by a conversation partner or directed towards a particular speaker.

Do remote microphones work with all hearing aids?

No. Compatibility varies between products and hearing-aid models. Some combinations require additional receivers or accessories.

Is Phonak Roger only for Phonak hearing aids?

No. Roger technology can be used with a wider range of hearing devices through appropriate compatible receiving options. The required configuration depends on the exact hearing devices.

Can remote microphones help in meetings?

Yes. Table microphones and networked remote microphone systems can be particularly useful where speakers are positioned at different points around a meeting table.

Do I need a remote microphone if I already have good hearing aids?

Not everyone does. They are particularly worth exploring when hearing aids work well in many everyday situations but distance, background noise or group conversations remain difficult.