Coupling apparatus for a telephone handset comprises a handset-coupling cradle having a dome at one end thereof for locating the earpiece (receiver) of the handset, and sound ports at the other end of the cradle in the region where the mouthpiece (microphone) of the handset resides. The handset-coupling cradle is shaped to accommodate a variety of different handset styles. An inductive sensor is mounted within the dome and it responds to electromagnetic fields generated by the handset receiver. Such a sensor eliminates the need to closely couple the receiver to the apparatus. A low acoustic impedance loudspeaker is mounted beneath the sound ports for acoustically coupling signals to the handset's microphone. Such a loudspeaker eliminates the need to closely couple the microphone to the apparatus.