A tour guide system is a portable wireless communication system that allows a guide to speak to a group of people. A system consists of a transmitter with a microphone for the guide, receivers with headphones for the audience, and (often) a charger storage case.
To get the best results from your tour guide system and ensure your audience can hear you, it is important that the most suitable earphones/headphones are used with their receivers.
Each receiver has a 3.5mm headphone socket and a volume control. A wide range of headphones are available for tour guide systems for different applications and environments. The most common types are-
Single earphone
This lightweight earphone is the most common earpiece for use with tour guide system receivers due to its compact size, hygienic design and low cost. Single earphones only deliver the sound to one ear and are therefore best suited for use in quiet areas.
The flexible strap is designed to fit all ear shapes and it can be used on either ear.
Lightweight headphones
These headphones provide clear sound to both ears. Headphones can help keep the tour group focused on the guide’s message and reduce distractions from other noises in the area. The adjustable headband and rotatable ear cushions are designed for comfort. A neckband version is available for use where head protection is required.
As the headphones are securely worn around the head they can be used for active tours such as rambling, horse riding, cycling and Segway tours.
Tip. If the tour is to take place in an area that requires hearing protection e.g. factory visit, then these headphones can be used over earplugs.
Earphones
Earphones are placed directly into the ears. The soft sleeves provide a comfortable fit and reduce background noise. Earphones are normally retained by each guest after the tour, due to hygiene concerns.
Dual-Muff noise reduction headphones
These heavy-duty headphones are designed for tours in high noise environments and provide hearing protection for the user. The enclosed ear cups provide excellent sound isolation enabling the tour guide to be heard. Versions for use with head protection e.g. hard hat, bump cap, etc, are also available.
Tip. The tour guide can also use a receiver with noise reduction headphones to enable them to hear any questions or comments from their guests during the tour. This works best with a plug-in microphone connected to the transmitter as it can be easily passed between the tour group.
Inductive neck loop
A neck loop is plugged directly into the receiver headphone socket and is used by a hearing aid wearer attending a tour. The neck loop is placed over the head similar to a necklace. The hearing aid wear switches their hearing aid to the ‘T’ telecoil setting to hear the guide’s message via their hearing aid.
Tip. It is important that the guide repeats any questions or comments from a guest when conducting the tour to enable the hearing aid wearer to hear what is said. When a hearing aid wearer has switched their aid to the ‘T’ setting, the microphone on their hearing aid is often muted. Therefore, they completely rely on the guide’s microphone to hear the message.
All the above accessories plug directly into the receiver’s headphone socket. The user can then adjust their personal volume level.
If you have any questions about which headphones would be most suitable for your application then please do not hesitate to contact us.
Reference documents can be downloaded below-
Tourtalk TT 40 tour guide system
Tourtalk TT 100 tour guide system