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» Ship of Fools   »   » Oblivion   » Portable or temporary T-loop?

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Source: (consider it) Thread: Portable or temporary T-loop?
Panda
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# 2951

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I have no expertise whatsoever with sound systems; I can change the battery in my radio mike and that's about it. So if this question is just laughable please be kind!

I'm celebrating my first Eucharist in a country church that has no sound system, and no particular acoustic. I know of at least one friend, and probably others, who will be coming, who rely heavily on the T-loop to hear a service well.

I'm not too fussed about miking the service for everyone else, because I can speak up for them, and there really isn't the space to go bringing in speakers and the like.

But is there any such thing as a receiver, or broadcaster of a signal that could be brought into a place, so that if I'm wearing a radio mike, people with hearing aids can tune in? Or does the whole building have to be properly wired up?

Please excuse the ignorance! Many thanks.

Posts: 1637 | From: North Wales | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
Ad Orientem
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# 17574

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My advice? Don't have a sound system. They don't belong in church.
Posts: 2606 | From: Finland | Registered: Feb 2013  |  IP: Logged
lily pad
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# 11456

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Okay, it seemed to me like this should be easy and it looks like it is. You will need to borrow the loop amplifier and microphone from another system but you shouldn't have to buy anything except maybe the wire for the loop.

From this website:
Setting up a portable loop at a meeting or gathering is easy. Just string the loop of wire around the room and tape it down with masking tape or duct tape wherever people may walk so they won't trip over it. Attach both ends of the loop wire to the loop amplifier. Plug a microphone into the loop amplifier and clip it on the speaker. Turn the amplifier on. Now anything the speaker says will be transmitted through the loop to anyone wearing hearing aids equipped with telecoils.

Informational Brochure

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Posts: 2468 | From: Truly Canadian | Registered: May 2006  |  IP: Logged
Adeodatus
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# 4992

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There's a difference between a sound system and a T-loop. A T-loop on its own doesn't amplify sound and put it out through speakers; it merely transmits to hearing aids via induction. It's very important that if you have hearing aid users in church, you have a T-loop. Hearing aid users will be expecting one, and rely on them. And yes, there are small portable ones - many hospitals use them on reception desks. I'm not sure about their range.

Amplifying sound systems are a completely different matter. They are a vile creation, invariably producing a quality of sound as if from Satan's own arse.

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"What is broken, repair with gold."

Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003  |  IP: Logged
Angloid
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# 159

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My only experience of these is speaking to a class of schoolchildren with several hearing-impaired pupils among them. I was given a portable mike and the children had their own receivers (I think they were separate from actual hearing aids). The range was that of a normal classroom, so in a small church (especially if the people concerned sit near the front) there shouldn't be a problem.

Similar systems are used by tour guides, but designed for people with normal hearing. I presume they will work with hearing aids.

As for AO's blanket dismissal of sound systems in church, surely it depends on the church and how you use it. They certainly can cause problems, and people (especially untrained readers) need to learn to project their voices. But even for someone with reasonable hearing like me, they can be a boon. Churches are not always designed with audibility in mind.

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Posts: 12927 | From: The Pool of Life | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
The Silent Acolyte

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# 1158

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quote:
Originally posted by Ad Orientem:
My advice? Don't have a sound system. They don't belong in church.

My advice? Hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the opening post before popping off a comment.

Especially the part that goes like this:
quote:
I'm not too fussed about miking the service for everyone else, because I can speak up for them, and there really isn't the space to go bringing in speakers and the like.

But is there any such thing as a receiver, or broadcaster of a signal that could be brought into a place, so that if I'm wearing a radio mike, people with hearing aids can tune in?


Posts: 7462 | From: The New World | Registered: Aug 2001  |  IP: Logged
Olaf
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# 11804

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quote:
Originally posted by Angloid:
My only experience of these is speaking to a class of schoolchildren with several hearing-impaired pupils among them. I was given a portable mike and the children had their own receivers

I use these FM transmitters such as these regularly. To be honest, Panda, FM transmitters are probably a better solution for your purposes, if you are not going to be at that church permanently. No coil needs to be run. You would wear the transmitter as a mic.

It would be best to check with your friends to see if they can receive from such transmitters, but many seem to be able to do so. With the transmitters I have used, one has to use a certain channel, but this has not been trouble for me so far.

The T-loop would be a more permanent solution for the church. It would be a good long-term investment, but it would require a cash expense of a couple hundred dollars, mostly for the amplifier, and the running of wire.

I'm sure you are trying to avoid asking your friends about it specifically, so they won't have to tell you not to go to the trouble, but they would be your best resource for this situation. With portable transmitters, one cannot be really sure if they will be of any use without checking with the listeners.

Posts: 8953 | From: Ad Midwestem | Registered: Sep 2006  |  IP: Logged
Jengie jon

Semper Reformanda
# 273

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Ok. I have two friends who are/were totally dependent on T-Loop systems to cope with conversations if there was a group in the room. You are really saying their participation in the service does not matter above your own personal comfort.

What is worse one of them had tinnitus, that got worse if the room was noisy so not only would your shouting not make it better but it would also mean that she hand several hours of it ringing in her ears afterwards. You up the noise level the tinnitus gets worse.

The loop system cut out extra noise as much as it amplified the system. For normal hearer there is no amplification what so ever from a pure loop. For those on the loop the sound is slightly amplified but much around the same level but is just the sound from the speaker (hence the need for a microphone).

The reason for the "were" in here is one now has cochlear implant. The other actually really only copes with in depth coversations when using a loop system if there is any background noise.

Jengie

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Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Jengie jon

Semper Reformanda
# 273

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I suggest for portable loop systems that you actually look at the RNID site. In fact they may be able to suggest someone you could borrow a portable loop off.

Jengie

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Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Panda
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# 2951

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Thanks all! I didn't really know what I was looking for, but you've used enough key words for me to do a useful google. Turns out Hearing Loss Cymru hires them out, so I'm getting in touch to see if it will be suitable for my purpose.

Mentioning it to my friends is something as well, as Olaf pointed out - in fact my mother would benefit as well, and she would definitely tell me not to bother, so all the more reason to do it.

Posts: 1637 | From: North Wales | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
Laxton's Superba
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# 228

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How interesting, Panda, I was only discussing this with a clergy friend the other day. We have several people with hearing loss in our congregation and also a lady who when giving notices refuses to use the microphone on the lectern (where everyone else goes) as "you can all hear me anyway". She has been told that no, people CAN'T hear her, if she is not speaking through the mic and therefore the T-loop, but refuses to co-operate. It's little things like that which can make all the difference.

I have little experience of church sound systems except for being cursed when using radio mikes as mine always seems to cut out or produce/invoke feedback. Without wishing to derail the thread, I would be itnerested to hear what systems work best.

Posts: 187 | From: I wish I knew | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Porridge
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# 15405

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quote:
Originally posted by Ad Orientem:
My advice? Don't have a sound system. They don't belong in church.

Surely you don't mean to suggest that the hard-of-hearing don't belong in church, either?

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PD
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# 12436

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I do not have a problem with T loops, but I am not fond of miking everything in a small or medium sized church. The lectern - for the benefit of inexperienced and untrained readers - and that would be about it. The exception to this rule is the type 1960s 'kleenex box' where every surface is designed to absorb sound.

PD

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Posts: 4431 | From: Between a Rock and a Hard Place | Registered: Mar 2007  |  IP: Logged
Carys

Ship's Celticist
# 78

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quote:
Originally posted by PD:
I do not have a problem with T loops, but I am not fond of miking everything in a small or medium sized church. The lectern - for the benefit of inexperienced and untrained readers - and that would be about it. The exception to this rule is the type 1960s 'kleenex box' where every surface is designed to absorb sound.

PD

But you need the mike to use the T-loop. However, you could just send the sound to the loop not speakers, or have speaker volume low

Carys

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Posts: 6896 | From: Bryste mwy na thebyg | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
StarlightUK
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# 4592

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quote:
Originally posted by Ad Orientem:
My advice? Don't have a sound system. They don't belong in church.

Well I guess that's me and plenty of others firmly put in our place, as though we need more reasons to exclude folk from church. I use hearing aids in both ears and am reliant on a loop system, for which there needs to be a sound system in order for it to work.

Even for those who do not use hearing aids, not everybody's hearing is perfect. Are you seriously suggesting that their needs to simply hear and understand what is being said are unimportant?

Posts: 76 | From: Brighton | Registered: Jun 2003  |  IP: Logged
Alex Cockell

Ship’s penguin
# 7487

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Had you thought you migth want to record the service as well?

Portable flightcased PA kit WILL be needed - and you feed the loop amp off an aux send...

Posts: 2146 | From: Reading, Berkshire UK | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged


 
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