Outgoing voice amplification: How can I amplify my voice over a phone call?

Communication is fundamental to participation in the working world and maintaining quality of life. For individuals - like your employee - who speak in a whisper, or at low volume, amplification devices can make a big difference for staying included in conversations. While there are many options for amplification devices for in-person communication, there are fewer options for phone conversations.

Some individuals have successfully used these traditional amplification devices in conjunction with a speakerphone call. Unfortunately, the nature of the microphone and speaker placement on both devices can lead to screeching sounds from the microphone’s feedback loop. One way to avoid this is to isolate the microphone that receives the softer voice by using a headset. The positioning of a sensitive microphone close to the mouth can increase the volume without needing to employ an amplification device at all. We have listed some headsets that shelter the microphone from background noise and can be positioned close to the speaker’s mouth.

• Logitech H111 Headset with Microphone by Logitech (at Best Buy) has a noise-canceling microphone that can be adjusted to be close to the user’s mouth. The device has a four-conductor stereo jack that can be plugged directly into most smartphones. This product costs about $20 (CDN).
• Avantree Aria Pro aptX-HD Headphones with Boom Microphone (at Amazon Canada) offers noise-canellation to reduce unwanted environment noises. The boom microphone offers enhanced mic-pickup to ensure crystal clear voice quality. The product costs $130 to $150 (CDN), plus additional shipping costs.
• B450-XT Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headset by BlueParrott has a noise-canceling microphone for filtering out 96% of background noises. The microphone can be positioned close to the user’s mouth for maximum volume. The device connects to smartphones via Bluetooth for calls. This product costs between $200 and $250 (CDN), plus shipping fees.

While there are no commercially available amplification devices that work with cellular phones, there are such devices for landline telephones. We have listed a few of them here:

• Voice Magnifier by Hearsay Group (at hearinglosshelp.com) is a device that amplifies an outgoing voice by up to 25 decibels. This device sits between a handset and a landline base and is power by either batteries or A/C power. It is also available from Harris Communications. It costs about $100 (USD), plus additional shipping fees.
• HD-40P Amplified Phone by Serene Innovations (at independentliving.com) is a landline phone with amplification for outgoing calls. This device boosts the user’s voice by up to 30 decibels. This product costs between $85 to $100 (USD), plus additional shipping fees.
• Speech Amplification Phone by Hear More (at Harris Communications) is a landline phone with volume control on the handset. The user can raise the volume of their outgoing voice by up to 26 decibels. This product costs about $100 to $110 (USD), plus an additional shipping fee.