Contacta to manufacture HLD large area hearing loop product platform in the USA

Jun 9 2014

Contacta Inc. has today announced the HLD large area hearing loop product platform will be manufactured in the USA. Designed and developed in collaboration with Contacta's leading hearing loop installation specialists, this major investment in OEM product satisfies the requirements of this growing segment within the commercial, public, leisure and recreational markets. The product range introduces the HLD5, HLD7 and HLD9 loop drivers, and offers the flexibility and capacity for comprehensive solutions to the assistive listening market's requirements from small meeting rooms up to concerts halls and sports arenas.

The enactment of disability legislation including the Americans with Disability Act, has made it essential that users' and customers' disabilities are considered and appropriate solutions incorporated where these organizations interact with the public. This requirement is delivering new solutions to the market that is experiencing rapid expansion.

Contacta can now offer its own complete line of hearing loop systems to its growing network of installers, supplemented with its unparalleled training and full service support to ensure successful completion of projects to the highest standards. Based on expertise and experience acquired over many years, these products complement the Company's wider assisted listening technologies to offer architects, specifiers, installers and end users a complete solution to all hearing loop needs.

The initial three tiered hearing loop product platform – the HLD

• Contacta HLD5, the standalone, large area loop driver, suitable for smaller facilities including meeting rooms, classrooms and similar size venues. The HLD5 has built in phased dual drivers for perimeter or phased array configuration.
• Contacta HLD7, the large area loop driver, for medium sized facilities, meeting rooms, lecture halls, places of worship, and small theaters. The HLD7 can be used for perimeter or phased array configurations.
• Contacta HLD9, the large area loop driver, for applications including theaters, conference facilities, sports arenas, concert halls, and auditoriums. The HLD9 utilises Class D amplifier technology and offers the capability to be used in either perimeter or phased array configurations.

Richard McKinley, Managing Director, Contacta Inc., stated, "We are very proud to be establishing manufacturing in the US for our high performance product family. There are over 40 million Americans suffering hearing loss to some degree today. The advocacy groups that have campaigned for the current clarification of ADA regulations are changing the attitudes of larger public venues to become centers where anyone is welcome. Our aim is to provide hearing loop solutions that are optimized to the total life cycle cost and benefits to the user and organization, making them simple and more flexible."

Contacta has been an innovator in assistive listening technologies for over 40 years and with the introduction of the HLD platform the company has redefined the process of hearing loop specification, concentrating on total system performance over straightforward loop area. Additionally, the new products offer automatic power standby for greater energy efficiency, passive cooling to provide increased reliability, high frequency compensation to offset interference from metal in the building's infrastructure, intelligent input offering dynamic control, as well as self testing for early fault identification. The capability to remotely set up and interrogate the HLD drivers also ensures that installation times are reduced and system operation levels are maximized.

Richard concluded, "Our latest technology places the Contacta HLD products at the pinnacle of hearing loop design and able to match or better any competitive product on the market."

The Company has been instrumental in the development of hearing loop systems since 1988, when it launched the first version of its small area application equipment. Its continued investment in product development and extensive successful test installations has resulted in these latest products, as well as the continued development of its very successful line of loop systems for use at transient points such as checkouts, bank teller counters, reception desks and ticket booths world wide.

The new products will be available through Contacta's extensive network of AV installation specialists and corporate worldwide support services. The company is expanding its CPD (Continuous Professional Development) program, which certifies architects, specifiers, installers and facilities management professionals in product, specification, legal and environmental requirements. Simultaneously the Company is promoting its highly rated training scheme for its dealer and installer network to ensure the highest level of knowledge and support is delivered to the customer.

SOURCE Contacta Inc.