Meeting the IEC Standard ensures the technology assists as many people as possible.
International Electrotechnical Commission Standards
Hearing loops provide an amazing experience for people with hearing loss. Technology that is simple yet effective is exactly the kind society looks to incorporate into everyday life. But improper installation helps no one. Even with great equipment, a poorly designed system leaves people with hearing loss in a challenging environment where they may hear only a fraction of what is said.
Common Problems with Improper Installation
- Cause: Poor frequency response, low signal level, or too much background noise.
Effect: Users do not hear better with their T-coil on
- Cause: Uneven magnetic field settings and/or loop wires too far apart.
Effect: Varying signal strength throughout area and/or users find the system volume too low.
- Cause: Lack of uniformity, improper system design, unevenness of signal.
Effect: Users are restricted to one or two rows in the seating area.
- Cause: Loop wires are too far apart, thus too much current is used to create field.
Effect: System interferes with video or audio monitors.
- Cause: Failure to test and resolve background noise.
Effect: Hum is heard through the T-coil.
- Cause: Audio feed to the loop system amplifier has too many open microphones or an ambient feed.
Effect: The sound has an echo or is unclear.
- Cause: Improper loop design, such as perimeter loop installed when a phased array should have been used.
Effect: Signal strength changes as user moves (such as when leaning forward to pray).
- Cause: Measuring signal strength at points too near loop wires, instead of throughout the looped area including the farthest point.
Effect: Lack of uniformity in signal.
- Cause: Poor measurement during installation, outside +/- 3dB range.
Effect: Poor frequency response.
- Cause: Peak levels in the -10 to -15dB range, instead of the proper -3dB to +3dB range.
Effect: The sound is not loud or clear enough.