USCB Center for the Arts now offers Auracast™ broadcast audio, sending the sound from the stage straight to compatible hearing aids, earbuds, and headphones. Kalady Audiology is here to help you get connected for your next show.
Think of Auracast like a radio station for your ears. The theater sends out a Bluetooth® broadcast of the performance audio, and anyone in the room with a compatible device can tune in. Because the sound comes straight from the venue’s audio system, it skips the echo, crowd noise, and distance that can make dialogue hard to follow, even with well-fit hearing aids.
You still hear the room around you, too. Many hearing aid apps let you blend the broadcast with your natural surroundings, so you won’t miss the laughter, the applause, or the person sitting next to you whispering, “Did you catch that?”
A little preparation makes connecting quick and stress free. Before your performance:
The exact steps depend on your hearing aids and phone, but most people connect using one of the three options below. Once you’re inside the auditorium, look for the theater’s broadcast in your list of available options.
This is the most common method.
Some newer Android phones include Auracast directly in the Bluetooth menu.
If your hearing aids connect to a separate streaming accessory or Auracast assistant, select the broadcast through that device. Each accessory works a little differently, so we’re happy to show you how yours works before your show.
Done for the night? Simply leave the broadcast in your app, or turn Bluetooth off and back on. Your hearing aids will return to their normal program.
Auracast is built on Bluetooth LE Audio, which is included in many of today’s newest hearing aids. Several models we fit at Kalady Audiology support it, including:
Other brands, including Signia, offer new models with Auracast hardware built in, with the feature expected to switch on through a software update (Signia estimates by March 2027). Compatibility can change as manufacturers release updates, so the easiest way to know for sure is to bring your hearing aids in or give us a call.
Most connection hiccups take only a moment to fix. Here are answers to the questions we hear most often, and if yours isn’t listed, give us a call and we’ll be glad to help.
Make sure you’re inside the auditorium, Bluetooth is on, and your hearing aids are connected to your phone. If it still doesn’t appear, close the app completely, reopen it, and search again.
Your phone may be too far from your hearing aids. Keep it on you, in a shirt or pants pocket rather than a purse or coat hung on the seat. Low batteries can also cause interruptions.
Adjust the streaming volume in your app. If you’d like more of the stage and less of the room, shift the balance toward the broadcast.
Your hearing aids may need a software update. Bring them to our office and we’ll take care of it, usually in a single visit.
Your hearing aid settings may benefit from fine tuning for streamed audio. Schedule a visit and Dr. Meg will make adjustments to verify how your hearing aids perform.
You still have options. We may be able to install a firmware update that turns on Auracast, pair your hearing aids with an accessory that receives the broadcast, or talk through whether newer hearing technology fits your lifestyle and budget. There’s never any pressure, and Dr. Meg Kalady will recommend only what makes sense for you.
Dr. Meg Kalady is from the Philadelphia suburbs and has been practicing audiology for the last 30 years. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, and she received her doctorate in audiology in 2012 from AT Still University.
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While our focus is on finding solutions, we want you to enjoy the time we are spending together. We’re not all business, all the time. We want to make you feel as comfortable as possible and want to know more about you than just the numbers on your audiogram. If you feel you are having a problem, let us be part of the solution.
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