Summary
A UK theatre consultancy's overview of the assistive listening options for venues (loops, infrared, radio, Wi-Fi and Auracast), with the advantages and drawbacks it sees in each.
Key findings
- Describes infrared as floodlights modulated at typically 2-3 MHz, picked up by battery-powered pendant receivers used with earphones or a neckloop, carrying several channels (for example a cinema's hard-of-hearing and audio description channels) and easily contained to one room because its transmission is line of sight.
- Says ambient infrared already gives users significant background noise, which would rise to "unsustainable levels in sunlight", so infrared should not be used in outdoor venues or venues with large windows.
- Says the signal needs line of sight, so many emitters are needed to cover every seat, and is blocked when patrons lean forward, adjust clothing or fold their arms; it adds a staffing overhead of charging, maintaining and supporting receivers, which is higher when more channels are offered.
- States that infrared audio is "much lower in quality than an induction loop's" because the system uses a subset of the audible frequency range, and that infrared is widely installed in the UK but draws nearly as many negative anecdotes as loops.
- On the other systems: loops typically cost five figures to install and carry one channel; radio systems are little used in the UK and, it says, cannot be contained or encrypted; the consultancy measured Wi-Fi latency of over 130 ms in some cases with standard phones, and puts a venue-supplied basic smartphone at about £700, about double a basic RF receiver.
- Calls Auracast new and unproven at scale, with latency less than half the typical latency of Wi-Fi systems, and expects it to spread across the sector.
- Notes that BS 8300 requires an assistive listening system to cover all audience areas, with provision for at least 4% of capacity in fixed-seat auditoria and at least 10% in flexible spaces.
Limits
A consultancy blog post without references. The Wi-Fi latency figure is given without its method, and the statements on infrared are the author's assessment, not measurements. It describes UK practice.
Read the original
theatreplan.com/news/assistive-listening-demystified
Cited in
- Which systems satisfy the ADA and building codes, and does a listener's own phone count?Disputed
- How much delay does Wi-Fi streaming add, and when does it matter?Not reliable yet
- Where does infrared assistive listening work, and where does it fall short?Partly answered
- What does each system cost to install and to run over its life?Open
- What works in theatres and cinemas, and what do the rules ask of them?Partly answered
Cite this source
Lerman K (Theatreplan). Assistive Listening - Demystified. Theatreplan (news blog). 29 April 2025. https://theatreplan.com/news/assistive-listening-demystified (accessed 9 October 2026).
Every finding here cites its source, and who funded each source is labelled. This site does not recommend products. Found an error or a missing study? Suggest a correction.