Hearing Assistance Systems
Many churches are equipped with some form of hearing assistance system, also called ALS (Assisted Listening Systems).  If you are building a new facility that can cater for more than 250 people you must have an ALS and it must be checked regularly as part of the building WOF.

There are three common ways of providing hearing assistance to members of the congregation that have a hearing impairment.

Induction Loop Systems
Induction Loop systems use a single turn of wire around the room (in larger rooms this may be a figure of eight, or a series of figure of eight patterns). The wire is usually laid on or under the floor.  A special current amplifier is used to energize the system and users wearing hearing aids that have a T-coil option can detect this signal. 

Infrared Systems
Infrared systems have an Infrared panel which radiates the infrared signal around the room.  The user listens on a pair of headphones or ear buds designed to pick up this radiation.

FM Systems
FM systems transmit a low power FM radio signal. The user wears headphones or ear buds attached to small receivers that pick up the signal.

The Induction Loop is the most common and the least expensive system for most churches but in some situations one of the other types of system must be used.  Each type of Assisted Listening System must meet certain standards of performance.

For more information and help to choose a suitable solution for your building, please contact Gordon Prier.

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