Marian has been unable to enjoy live music for decades. New technology just changed that
By Cindy Yin
For decades, music has sounded flat for Marian Jones.
She’s worn hearing aids for 20 years, which have significantly dulled the sound of music. But that changed with the new Bluetooth technology that launched at the Opera House this week.
The Sydney Opera House is the first venue to introduce a new Bluetooth technology that allows hearing impaired audience members to hear performances with more clarity.Credit: Janie Barrett
As the lights dimmed and crisp violin notes melded with soft vocals, Jones was left astonished by the clarity with which she could hear the performance.
“I had an emotional reaction because I felt like this was how it used to be,” she said.
“It was the full spectrum of sound and the distinction of the strings that was highlighted. Before, I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish between them, the piano, and the vocals.”
She described the performance as the “crispest and clearest experience” she has had in years.
“I love music, and I haven’t heard it in a concert or performance venue for many years, and certainly not since wearing hearing aids.”
Jones’ experience was made possible due to Auracast, which launched on Tuesday inside the Sydney Opera House’s Drama Theatre, Playhouse and Studio venues. Future installations in the biggest Opera House venues – the Concert Hall and the Joan Sutherland Theatre – are yet to be confirmed.
It is the first use of the technology at a major cultural institution globally.
Auracast enables a one-to-many connection from a single audio broadcast, allowing an unlimited number of people to listen to the same thing simultaneously without compromising on sound quality.
More than 3 million Australians have at least one long-term hearing disorder.Credit: Janie Barrett
Although Auracast is available for people of all hearing abilities, the delivery of audio streams directly to compatible receivers such as earbuds, speakers or hearing aids means those with hearing loss have a clearer listening experience than without the technology.
Jones’ experience is not rare – more than 3 million Australians are living with at least one long-term hearing disorder. It creates complications in everyday interactions and makes enjoying live music difficult.
Even assistive listening systems such as hearing loops can make music sound distorted, as they are typically optimised for speech. Listening experiences can also be dulled by poor sound quality. Sometimes audio support is restricted to certain seats due to a limited support range.
“The systems that we had in place have just been around for so long, with no substantial developments,” said Janelle Ryan, the Opera House’s senior manager for impact access and operations.
“The installation was actually very seamless … It took minutes to install Auracast, whereas it can take days for a hearing loop. It also didn’t affect the fabric of the building.”
Jones said the improved listening experience had renewed her enthusiasm for live music.
“The normal hearers who sat here today and listened to the concert probably thought, ‘Yeah, it’s pretty good’. But for someone who has hearing loss, it was just next level … live music is one of life’s greatest joys,” she said.
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