# Assistive Listening in CA



## nealderidder (Sep 15, 2021)

The 2019 CBC 11B-219 requires assistive listening systems in conference and meeting rooms. What's missing is the vanilla IBC provision that says this is required only where an audio amplification system is installed. 

Are we actually required to install an audio amplification system in every conference, meeting room, huddle room in an office building? 11B-219 certainly seems to imply this. The CBC differentiates between permanent or portable. But even if it's portable it still needs a signal to *****, right?

Maybe there is an assistive listening system that includes a microphone, amplifier, transmitter, receivers all in one and you cart the whole thing back and forth between conference rooms? But then you can only use it in one room at a time...

Can anyone educated me on the CA requirement?


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## cda (Sep 15, 2021)

Did not read thru this, it says calif on it:::






						Assisted Listening Devices + California
					

I have received a correction from the City of Los Angeles requesting an "assisted listening system"  for a conference room that has an occupant load of 26 persons.  11B-219.2  Exception seems to eliminate this requirement if there is only a simple paging/background music system in place.  No...



					www.thebuildingcodeforum.com


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## nealderidder (Sep 15, 2021)

cda said:


> Did not read thru this, it says calif on it:::
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Thanks for that link, it illustrates my question. That is a "receiver" and I believe there needs to be an electrical signal (amplified speech) for it to "receive" which means there needs to be an amplification system in each room. At least it doesn't look to me like this is really a "stand alone" assistive system with it's own built in microphone and amplifier. But I'm guessing...


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## bill1952 (Sep 15, 2021)

If you follow the vendor link in cda's link, it is a receiver.


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## nealderidder (Sep 15, 2021)

bill1952 said:


> If you follow the vendor link in cda's link, it is a receiver.


Understood, but what is it "receiving"?


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## bill1952 (Sep 15, 2021)

nealderidder said:


> Understood, but what is it "receiving"?


I agree. Just clarifying Neal...


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## cda (Sep 15, 2021)

Not my area:::



Use the base station to connect dual inputs from the in-house system—or plug in microphones via its XLR inputs—and the signal is transmitted to the listener wirelessly.









						Anchor Audio AL-9000 4-User Assistive Listening System with Base Station (902 -928 MHz)
					

Buy Anchor Audio AL-9000 4-User Assistive Listening System with Base Station (902 -928 MHz) featuring Designed for the Hard-of-Hearing, 4 x Battery-Powered Belt-Pack Receivers, 4 x Headphones, 1 x Wireless Transmitter Base Station, 100 x User-Selectable UHF Channels, Expandable to Unlimited...




					www.bhphotovideo.com


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## nealderidder (Sep 16, 2021)

cda said:


> Not my area:::
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Thanks CDA, the plot thickens! So you either need an "In-house system" or if I'm handing out a portable receiver for say a guest attending a lecture, I also need to bring along the base station and a microphone. And the speaker will be speaking into a microphone that will appear to not be working because it's only transmitting to folks with the little portable receivers. This seems so odd if you don't have an in-house system in every meeting room.


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## bill1952 (Sep 16, 2021)

2 occupant meeting rooms?


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## Yikes (Sep 17, 2021)

Yes, CBC 11B-706.4 requires 110-118dB sound pressure level and 11B-706.5 requires a signal to noise ratio of 18dB minimum.  This implies that some type of input (microphone) and amplification of input is required, in addition to the receiver.
so, even if you don't have a P.A. system with speakers for everyone else, you're still going to need a mic and amplifier associated with the assistive listening system.

This is one of those areas where hearing aid technology is rapidly bypassing the prescriptive solutions offered in the code.
Most hearing aids these days are controlled by smartphone apps.  In a conference room with no PA system, a speaker could just dial into a conference line (or Zoom, etc.) with their own smart phone, and the listener could use their own smart phone and hearing aid to get all the amplification they need.  But we're not yet allowed by the code to assume that convenience.


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## ADAguy (Sep 20, 2021)

Consider it an alternate method/means in lieu of code?


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