Multiple Wireless Listening Solutions in Use at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

When the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels was built for the Los Angeles the Archdiocese’s investment of $189.5 million delivered a campus over 64,000 square feet and a monumental structure that can accommodate 3,000 parishioners in the main sanctuary.

It is located in the heart of Los Angeles, right off the Hollywood Freeway. Along with the potential urban noise, the interior’s limestone, wood and poured concrete surfaces created acoustic challenges.

Based on preliminary investigations, the acoustical reverberation of the untreated sanctuary would have fallen in at some 14 seconds RT60 (great for a pipe organ, but making speech almost unintelligible). This made getting a proper sound system including the assistive listening system very important.

Listen Technologies Corporation provided the answer with an installed assistive listening solution using the LT-800 Stationary FM Transmitter distributing audio to listeners using the LR-500 Programmable Display Receivers. Now worshippers simply adjust the volume on their personal receivers and enjoy the enriching service.

But the Archdiocese had other needs beyond assistive listening. A center for culture and exchange, they regularly hold conferences and meetings where language interpretation is necessary, many times in multiple languages. Listen’s 57 channels and programmable receivers make this easy for Archdiocese officials and participants alike, as the receivers can be programmed on-site to display only the channels being used. For example channel “S” can be programmed for Spanish, channel “F” for French and so on.

The receivers are then distributed to guests along with a program telling them the channel assignments for each language. Guests can easily select the appropriate channel for their languages, using the display on the LR-500 units.

The Cathedral and the surrounding campus also receive a number of visitors to experience the unique architecture and exquisite priceless artwork on display. The Listen LT-700 Portable Transmitter, used with individual receivers, makes the perfect solution for tour groups as they are led through the facility. Tours can be conducted in multiple languages thanks to a large number of channels available in the Listen systems.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is a perfect example of the flexibility and usefulness of Listen systems. Auditory assistance, language interpretation, and tour group communications, all using the same product, providing wireless audio of the highest quality with minimal effort. In a word, inspiring.