Contact’s theatre in Manchester is one of the first in the country to have installed an Auracast system, offering theatregoers all the benefits that the Bluetooth LE Audio system can bring.
Located off Oxford Road in Manchester’s university quarter, the venue now puts Auracast at the centre of every performance.
Auracast provides an audio stream that users can access, separate from the sound coming from the theatre’s speakers. For those who need help with understanding dialogue or want to focus on the play in front of them over and above the ambient noise around them, the technology is a blessing.
Auracast isn’t just for people who are hard of hearing – anyone with enabled headphones, earbuds or compatible hearing aids can tune in. Being user-neutral means no one should feel awkward about tuning in to a broadcast.
This is something that the team at Contact are hoping for. It aims to be an inclusive venue and goes above and beyond to be welcoming to all. The installation has been supported by The Ewing Foundation for deaf children, which has provided valuable assistance to this project.
MORE AURAHEAR: The ReSound Multi-Mic+ and Auracast – love at first listen for this wonder gadget
Adam Steed, Contact’s Production Manager, oversaw the installation earlier this year. Ampetronic’s Auri system is Auracasting across the 300-seater theatre, thanks to its integration into the sound mixer.
A transmitter sits in the middle of the auditorium, with others placed around the theatre. The signal is strong enough to reach the foyer café, even through thick concrete walls. Ampetronic says a clear Auri signal will travel for 100m, and here is the audio clearly coming through a similar distance despite the walls in the way.
This means that for some who may find parts of a play overwhelming, such as bangs and flashes in a pantomime, could leave the auditorium and still carry on listening to the action, ready to return when they are ready and without missing a moment.
And because the listener is in control of the Auracast they are receiving, they can turn the volume up and down – or off – accordingly.
Like all Auri installs, those using an Auri receiver (we liken it to a pebble) will be able to plug in either wired headphones or a Telecoil wire, to ensure backwards compatibility for those hearing aids that have a loop built in, but not Auracast.
“We are confident that in the theatre, no one will have an issue with connecting to our Auracast stream,” Adam says.
He is not wrong, and the advantages and flexibility that Auracast brings to any environment cannot be underestimated.
How Contact creates the perfect blend
While Adam is impressed with the raw sound mix that the Auri can transmit to Contact’s patrons, he does more to ensure that the Auracast gives people the best possible theatre experience.
The AV team can just take the sound from the mixer desk and send it straight to the Auri – and that might be good enough for many – but Adam knows a better user experience awaits.
As part of the soundcheck procedure, his team set up the best possible configuration so that, for example, speech can be boosted over the music. In our demo, Adam feeds the music being played in the neighbouring cafe into the auditorium, and then goes to the stage and reads out a football report. While anyone else in the auditorium only heard the music, those on the Auracast received the match stats loud and clear.
It’s a good demonstration of the versatility of the technology.
“We are really excited in terms of what we can offer due to Auracast,” Adam says.
“When a new show comes in, part of our setup procedures will be to test the sound mix so it is the best it can be for those watching the show.”
“We will set up the microphones depending on the type of show we are staging.”
For example, he cites the venue’s pantomime, which has six principal roles, each of whom requires a microphone. Their words will be Auracasted over and above what else is on stage.
A similar approach can be taken with school concerts: on-stage microphones can be set up so parents, grandparents, and guardians can hear the children clearly, no matter what the music is.
“There has always been sound articulation; we can focus on what people want to hear, and Auracast enables us to add that to the sound mix.
“That includes the microphones over the ambient sound.”
A real community project
The way Auracast has been implemented in Contact’s theatre is a real community effort, starting from one question: by asking audiences what they needed for sound design, they received vital feedback that helped shape the way they are implementing the new technology.
Audiences still need to learn how to connect – either through an Auracast Assistant or via compatible headphones or hearing aids.
To help, staff at the Contact will be receiving training sessions over the coming weeks as they prepare for a special gala night in November – see below.
As more and more venues come on stream with Auracast, following the footsteps of Contact, more and more touring shows will come with suggestions for the sound desk about that perfect blend.
It is also possible to set up the Auracast with a Dante system.
Adam is also looking to the future, when Auracast systems have settled down. At the moment, there are myriad ways to connect to a broadcast, but simplifying that process will make things easier all round.
Android 16 includes the ability to create QR codes that can be used as a way of linking up to a broadcast, while further down the line, an NFC setup will be possible, and this has potential for patrons to tap their phone to be connected to the Auracast. A much simpler process, and it could aid the adoption of the new technology.
Auracast also avoids some of the problems that plagued telecoil systems. Adam recalls one incident where the stage sound caused weeks of feedback issues.
In the end, the answer was simple.
“Someone had turned the gain up on the Telecoil. It was this that led to the feedback on the main sound system, it was being amplified again by the inductive loop,” Adam explains.
“It was a problem for weeks, and we weren’t sure where the feedback was coming from. The minute we switched the telecoil off, it stopped.
“Auracast will solve that problem as its systems circumnavigate the main sound system.”
And if they do need to make tweaks, well, that is possible too.
“We will use the Auri management software; all it takes is the push of a button. It’s an incredibly simple system.”
Contact’s gala show to celebrate Auracast
This November, Contact will host A Perfect Show For Rachel.
The touring production celebrates a 35-year-old woman who loves theatre, Kylie, heckling her sister, and seeing people fall over. She just happens to have learning disabilities.
All of which forms the set-up for a unique look into her often hilarious and very unique world.
At the touch of a button, Rachel commands the action with each scene brought to life by a skilled cast ready for whatever they are asked to do: from barroom brawls to a bourbon biscuit cabaret.
This is Rachel’s perfect show: combining physical theatre with live music, family memories, fights and flatulence. It is described as an electric, moving and triumphant tapestry.
All performances are relaxed as standard and have a run time of 75 minutes, with no interval. There will be a mixture of creative captioning and British Sign Language for the scripted moments, while the unscripted bits will be BSL interpreted. And, of course, every moment Auracast through the auditorium.
It’s suitable for ages 14 upwards due to some strong language in places.
There are performances nightly from Wednesday, November 19, through to Saturday, November 22, with that final show being the gala event with special guests.
For more details, or to book, log on to contactmcr.com
Other Articles
