The Catholic Church in Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon, South Korea was built in November 2018. Its exterior mirrors the deck of a ship, like Noah’s Ark sailing toward the sky. Its minimalist interior has tall stained-glass windows and is 91-feet long and 55-feet wide, with 26-foot-high ceilings. The church has approximately 2,800 members participating in worship services each week.
The Problem
Church leaders wanted an audio system to enable all congregants to clearly hear the priest’s message and the choir’s songs during services. The church’s size and marble finishes make it vulnerable to sound absorption and reverberation. Church administrators, however, did not want to add any acoustic improvements to the space that would detract from the interior aesthetic. In addition to an effective, discreet sound system, the church needed an assistive listening system to support members of the congregation who have hearing loss.
The Solution
To create an inclusive hearing experience, church administrators sought help from YNC Solution, a systems integrator with experience designing and constructing audio systems for use in venues and language translation throughout South Korea. YNC selected Listen Technologies’ LT-800-072KR RF transmitter for its outstanding audio clarity, digital signal strength, and 21 channels. The transmitter is connected to the church’s primary audio system and broadcasts robust and reliable audio to Listen Technologies’ iDSP receivers.
The Result
Congregants with hearing loss or hearing impairment can easily and discreetly use Listen Technologies’ RF receivers
to hear clearly regardless of where they are in the building. This results in increased engagement. All congregants,
including those with hearing loss, can hear clearly and fully participate in the services. In addition, the ListenRF system has no impact on the aesthetic of the building. It aligns seamlessly with the church’s audio system and does not detract from the beauty of the space—it’s practically invisible.
Users can choose to wear a compact receiver unit on a neck lanyard or carry one discreetly in their pocket. Each receiver is equipped with a micro USB connection that church administrators use with free iDSP software to program and charge the receivers.
The receivers can be used with hearing aids for a truly universal solution. If the user has T-coil-enabled hearing aids or cochlear implants, they can use Listen Technologies’ LA-430 neck loop lanyard with this system for an improved listening experience.
The church also has over-the-ear speakers available for congregants. The speakers’ open design allows the wearer to hear outside sounds as well as transmitted audio.
