Low-buck hearing assist

[curtis73]

When I say low-buck, it's because of two primary reasons: 1, we're a non-profit community theater and 2, the black box in question only does about two shows per season that have any amplification at all. Factor in the reality that we rarely have a patron who needs hearing assistance, and I think this is a system that will get used very infrequently.

Still, we do get the occasional customer who could benefit from it and I would like to offer it.

The only time I ever did it I clipped a shotgun on the front of the booth, ran it through the board, and ran a cord under the risers to the gentleman's seat and gave him some headphones. He appreciated it, but I'm sure the shotgun didn't do well picking up the audio.

Thoughts on a small system? It could be an inexpensive package that I purchase, or I'm also a big fan of grassroots DIY stuff if it's something I could cobble together.

Keep in mind, this is a black box with portable risers and a tech booth on wheels. I configure seating/tech based on the scenic design, so hard-wiring audio isn't really an option. Wireless would be nice, but I could run a headphone cable to a person's seat in about 5 minutes.... crawling around under the seating risers in a suit

Thoughts?

 

[RonHebbard]

When I say low-buck, it's because of two primary reasons: 1, we're a non-profit community theater and 2, the black box in question only does about two shows per season that have any amplification at all. Factor in the reality that we rarely have a patron who needs hearing assistance, and I think this is a system that will get used very infrequently.

Still, we do get the occasional customer who could benefit from it and I would like to offer it.

The only time I ever did it I clipped a shotgun on the front of the booth, ran it through the board, and ran a cord under the risers to the gentleman's seat and gave him some headphones. He appreciated it, but I'm sure the shotgun didn't do well picking up the audio.

Thoughts on a small system? It could be an inexpensive package that I purchase, or I'm also a big fan of grassroots DIY stuff if it's something I could cobble together.

Keep in mind, this is a black box with portable risers and a tech booth on wheels. I configure seating/tech based on the scenic design, so hard-wiring audio isn't really an option. Wireless would be nice, but I could run a headphone cable to a person's seat in about 5 minutes.... crawling around under the seating risers in a suit

Thoughts?

@curtis73 Why do you suspect: "the shotgun didn't do well picking up the audio." ?
Granted, budget is often a consideration. That said, using a decent quality shotgun mic can be capable of achieving better than desirable sound.
In the days when Ontario, Canada's Stratford Shakespearean Festival's thrust stage wrapped 220 degrees, we used 2 AKG CK9's in front + a pair of CK8's from USR & USL.
These were used for stereo monitoring in the sound booth, mono monitoring back stage and in all the other booths, late-comers audio in the lobby and recording.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[StradivariusBone]

Are you looking for a hearing assist system recommendation or recommendations on how/what to send to said system? For the latter I usually just pull an aux bus that mostly mirrors the main out, and season it as required to get it sounding acceptable in the ears.

As far as the system itself? I've seen a bunch of low cost FM transmitter style versions, Telex makes a nice one that I have in the two venues I work at. If you are really adventurous, you could set up a Mumble server, route the board audio there and have everyone download a mumble client and use their smart phones. Most hearing aids have bluetooth connectivity these days, so that would be functional solution but tech support would probably be hell getting that set up for your audience.

 

[MRW Lights]

Are you looking for a hearing assist system recommendation or recommendations on how/what to send to said system? For the latter I usually just pull an aux bus that mostly mirrors the main out, and season it as required to get it sounding acceptable in the ears.

As far as the system itself? I've seen a bunch of low cost FM transmitter style versions, Telex makes a nice one that I have in the two venues I work at. If you are really adventurous, you could set up a Mumble server, route the board audio there and have everyone download a mumble client and use their smart phones. Most hearing aids have bluetooth connectivity these days, so that would be functional solution but tech support would probably be hell getting that set up for your audience.

If I'm not mistaken from my time reviewing various ADA code compliance statutes... I believe in most cases hearing assist systems must be standalone and readily available upon request.. unfortunately eliminating the phone option up to the minimum number of devices covered by code unless you're providing the mobile device. The FCC also defines the acceptable TX power, frequency range and type of receiver including inductive loop specified for use for ADA compliant hearing assist systems.

I forget the specific building code here in NYC, but I have in a folder here somewhere for when I need it. Granted we have some of the most strict compliance I've dealt with here, but that's how it goes.

 

[FMEng]

Despite what you see in movies, shotgun mics are not miracle devices. The mic belongs at the stage, not the booth wall. Good pickup without too much noise and reflections, is a matter of feet, not tens of feet,

 

[DrewE]

At my church, we have a lower-end Listen Technologies RF system that seems to work quite well. It appears they run around $1700 for the kit with a transmitter and four receivers. (The ADA dictates some "guidance" on how many receivers you need based on audience capacity.) I don't know if that qualifies as "low buck" for you, but it's not exactly an enormous capital expense, either. (Possibly there may also be rentals available from someplace near you.)

As for the audio source, think carefully about what exactly a hard-of-hearing patron would want amplified and limit things to that as much as possible. The main mix unmodified is rarely a good option, especially in small venues where much of the vocal sound comes directly from the performers rather than being amplified by the system. You'd end up with any sound effects and background music being overbearingly loud, and dialog nearly or wholly inaudible, which is kind of the opposite of ideal.

 

[StradivariusBone]

I believe in most cases hearing assist systems must be standalone and readily available upon request

You are correct from what I've read. The concept, like most things ADA, is to provide a reality of equal access. You probably could pick up a handful of ipod touches on eBay with some headphones if you were really motivated. Mumble would work on the WiFi, so no conflict of FCC rules there.

In OP's case, it sounds like he's trying to make it work for the one regular, so I'd wager as long as he was willing to accommodate anyone that walks in the door in that way he'd be OK. The right way would be to buy a system that has the beltpacks you can check out or install the loop.

 

[SteveB]

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[DeenT]

In our theatre we have three options of hearing assist. We have an inloop system around our seating sections which works with telecoil hearing aids. This likely wouldn't be the best for you as you wouldn't be able to have it permanently installed, though it wouldn't be the hardest thing to set up time after time. We also have a Williams Sound wireless system with wireless hearing assist packs that can either use headphones or a personal loop. Lastly, we have 3 bluetooth transmitters made for hearing assist in living rooms. Super simple set-up, but requires patrons having bluetooth hearing aids.

Our inloop system was graciously donated by our local Lions Club. We also work very closely with our area audiologist. They are extremely helpful and knowledgeable and can give you a much better insight on what you can provide your patrons. When it comes to hearing assist, there are many organizations and individuals willing to help provide for those in our communities who are in need of hearing assistance.

 

[curtis73]

These are all great options.

The shotguns I have are terrible, and in my somewhat echo-y blackbox (working on draping all the walls) the shotgun picks up as much reverb as it does original. If I were to try gathering audio, I would probably go parabolic. The only place I could put a shotgun on stage is the grid which would be even worse than the front of the booth.

Here is a pano of the space. The tech booth is that curved DSL thing under the glaring light. The space is 60' wide (left/right in the photo) and 50' deep (from where I'm standing to the downstage wall)

Since the seating is all modular and the booth is on wheels, I can configure it for any layout, but the beauty of it is, the tech booth always faces the set... except when it's configured in the round. At that point I would likely find some way to do some kind of condenser from the grid.

 

[TimMc]

Ouch. I feel for you, @curtis73. I think this comes down to the fundamentals of "sound design for radio" and how to best accomplish pickup of dialog in a venue where there can be no such thing as "set and forget"... and the kind of experience you want assisted-listening guests to have.

It's easy enough to get the "last centimeter" of delivery - IR, induction loop, RF - so it's a matter of what goes in and how those signals are acquired, managed, and mixed. Designing sound for accessibility rather than hearing accessibility being a 'venue hardware issue' is a new concept.

Next up, descriptive audio delivery to visually challenged patrons?

 

[DrewE]

I might try experimenting with a few hanging choir microphones suspended from the grid for hearing assist pickup. I use the word experiment for a reason--I don't know whether it would work out very well in practice or not. You do have a little bit of a challenge in that space, no doubt. It might help if you also pitch it towards getting set up for quality audio for live streaming and/or recording of shows; the audio capture needs are fairly similar (although the final streaming/recording mix is very likely to be different from an ideal hearing assistance mix).

 

[RonHebbard]

I might try experimenting with a few hanging choir microphones suspended from the grid for hearing assist pickup. I use the word experiment for a reason--I don't know whether it would work out very well in practice or not. You do have a little bit of a challenge in that space, no doubt. It might help if you also pitch it towards getting set up for quality audio for live streaming and/or recording of shows; the audio capture needs are fairly similar (although the final streaming/recording mix is very likely to be different from an ideal hearing assistance mix).

@curtis73 Have you considered hanging a single mic, or a (Married) stereo pair, from your flown truss?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[curtis73]

I do have two cheap shotguns I could hang from that downstage truss in the theater. That truss is just above the first row of seating. Wouldn't be much closer than the booth, but it would still be pointing at actors faces instead of above their heads. The rare times we do musicals in this space, the actors are body mic'd so I could ditch the shotgun feed and just use some kind of board mix.

 

[curtis73]

@curtis73 Have you considered hanging a single mic, or a (Married) stereo pair, from your flown truss?
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

I've been wanting to do this for a backstage monitor anyway. Maybe just give the dressing rooms the same hearing assist feed.

 

[curtis73]

I might try experimenting with a few hanging choir microphones suspended from the grid for hearing assist pickup. I use the word experiment for a reason--I don't know whether it would work out very well in practice or not. You do have a little bit of a challenge in that space, no doubt. It might help if you also pitch it towards getting set up for quality audio for live streaming and/or recording of shows; the audio capture needs are fairly similar (although the final streaming/recording mix is very likely to be different from an ideal hearing assistance mix).

I think that's a logical thing. Worth a try anyway. I would have to be careful about sound isolation. LED fixtures don't make a ton of noise but they do have cooling fans. Maybe tie them on with tie line and put a piece of foam between the truss and the mic body for testing purposes

 

[curtis73]

Are you looking for a hearing assist system recommendation or recommendations on how/what to send to said system? For the latter I usually just pull an aux bus that mostly mirrors the main out, and season it as required to get it sounding acceptable in the ears.

The system itself.

Many of the things we do here I don't even turn on the desk for anything but sound cues or preshow music. I would need to have either some kind of complete system or make something.

The main thing I'm missing is user control. The one time I did headphones for a guy, it was ok, but he had no control over the volume. I could do a bluetooth receiver on a headphone amp, but bluetooth sucks. Lag, limited range, general suckiness.

 

[RonHebbard]

I've been wanting to do this for a backstage monitor anyway. Maybe just give the dressing rooms the same hearing assist feed.

Do your dressing room speakers have paging interrupt / over ride?
INM (Not so) HO, Your hearing assist should NOT include an orchestra mix.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[curtis73]

No dressing room speakers at all yet. I haven't given a ton of thought to paging/clearcom, simply because the tech booth is so exposed in an intimate room that clearcom isn't really feasible. Easy for someone to call a 2-minute/places while the audience is still chattery, but during a show it wouldn't work.

For backstage cueing I frequently run a signal light backstage to a button in the booth.

 

[RonHebbard]

No dressing room speakers at all yet. I haven't given a ton of thought to paging/clearcom, simply because the tech booth is so exposed in an intimate room that clearcom isn't really feasible. Easy for someone to call a 2-minute/places while the audience is still chattery, but during a show it wouldn't work.

For backstage cueing I frequently run a signal light backstage to a button in the booth.

Your mention of Cue Lights piqued my memory: You'll like my next QOTY (Question Of The Year) if / when @dvsDave ever finds time to post it, along with excellent graphics by another Control Booth member.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard