Auracast™ LOCATION PROFILE
Saint Gilbert Catholic Church
About this location
Key stats
Location: Grayslake, IL, United States
Venue type: House of worship
Auracast™ equipment installed: Ampetronic / Listen Technologies
Installation: Professional installation
Located in the northern suburbs of Chicago, the Saint Gilbert Catholic Church serves a vibrant community of parishioners, families, friends, and visitors. With both a main church and a chapel on its campus, the parish is committed to offering meaningful, accessible worship experiences for all attendees, including those who rely on assistive listening technologies to fully participate in mass, homilies, and announcements.
The problem statement
While the church’s standard sound system worked well for many in the congregation, others struggled to clearly understand the clergy during homilies or guest presenters during announcements. Although a hearing loop system had been installed, it did not fully resolve these issues. Some listeners still reported difficulty, and the system’s performance depended heavily on the precise positioning of T‑coil hearing aids or receivers. These limitations made it clear that a more flexible, reliable, and future‑ready solution was needed.
The Auracast™ solution
Deployment
The parish had previously installed an Ampetronic hearing loop, which remains in use today. However, after consulting with Thunder Hearing and Sound in Elgin, Illinois, the team learned about Auracast™ broadcast audio — a next‑generation assistive listening technology expected to play a major role in future audio accessibility solutions. Based on this recommendation, the church chose to install Auri TX2N transmitters in both the main church and the chapel.
Thunder Hearing and Sound conducted a thorough survey of both spaces and designed the system to ensure strong coverage across each worship area. The system supplements the existing loop, allowing the parish to continue supporting current T‑coil users while preparing for the growing number of devices (hearing aids, earbuds, smartphones, etc.) that will soon include native Auracast™ support.
Benefits
The deployment process was smooth and exceeded expectations in several areas. “ I was particularly impressed with the clarity, fidelity, and propagation of the Auracast™ signal,” said Mark Meyer, Saint Gilbert Catholic Church’s sound system caretaker. “Auracast™ broadcast audio delivers even, consistent coverage across the entire worship space and even into areas beyond the loop’s reach. It also eliminates the need for precise receiver positioning, reducing a common source of frustration for T‑coil users.”
While the parish does not yet have confirmed Auracast™ users, the system is already delivering value. Its coverage quality ensures that as more members transition to Auracast™ enabled devices, the church is fully prepared. Meanwhile, the existing hearing loop continues to serve current users, creating a dual‑system environment that supports today’s needs while embracing the future.
A look ahead
The church’s early adoption of Auracast™ broadcast audio positions it well for long‑term accessibility improvements. As more hearing aids, smartphones, and consumer audio devices begin offering native Auracast™ compatibility, the parish will be ready to offer seamless assistive listening to a broader audience.
For other houses of worship considering the technology, the church’s advice is simple: “It’s very good,” said Meyers. “Try it. You’ll like it!” The combination of strong performance, future‑proof flexibility, and straightforward deployment makes Auracast™ broadcast audio an attractive option for any facility committed to accessibility, inclusivity, and improved worship engagement.
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