We have gathered frequently received inquiries and have put them together in the form of Frequently Asked Questions.

Click on the question that you are interested in to find out the answer. If you still have additional questions not answered in this section, please contact us and we would be happy to respond to you in a timely manner.

-No, the Enersound R-120 is an FM receiver that works as follows: There is a speaker and an audience (or part of an audience) that speaks another language. The goal is for the audience to understand the speaker while he is speaking, without him having to stop so that his words can be translated. An interpreter, who is usually in a soundproof booth, listens to the speaker through the sound system in the room and carries out the simultaneous interpretation, or as it is sometimes called, the simultaneous translation. He/she does this using a microphone and a transmitter or a more complete simultaneous interpretation system.

-No. There is a physical characteristic of FM transmission that limits the number of channels that can be used in the same place. This phenomenon is called inter-modulation and it takes place when the signal from a transmitter interferes with the signal from other transmitters. The nearer the transmitters are to one another, the stronger this effect. In order to avoid this, it is recommended that the frequencies of each transmitter be separated (leaving at least 0.4 Mhz between them). Therefore, for the 72-76 Mhz band in the United States, we recommend using no more than 6 channels (languages) in the same room.

The fact that multiple channels are available on one receiver makes it less likely that there will be interference between one or more channels. In addition, if you are working in different rooms, it is possible to work with more channels as long as there is a certain distance between the rooms. This distance varies according to how powerful the transmitters are and the material the walls are made of, among other factors.

Yes, the Enersound R-120 can be used with both alkaline and rechargeable batteries.

The maximum distance received from is determined by the transmitters and not the receiver. Due to the restrictions established by the FCC, a portable transmitter transmits up to approximately 150 feet (50 meters). A stationary transmitter transmits up to approximately 450 to 600 feet (150 to 200 meters) with a normal antenna, and up to 1200 feet (400 meters) with an expanded antenna.

The Enersound R-120 has stereophonic (stereo) headphones and can also be used with monophonic (mono) headphones, so the original Enersound R-120 headphones can be replaced with almost any other headphones available on the market that have a 3.5 mm. mini plug.

Other receivers on the market only use mono headphones, which are much more expensive than the stereo ones and must be specially ordered.

That depends on whether there will be more than one speaker, and if so, if the speakers will speak more than one language.

For example, let’s consider a church of 200 people, of whom 15 speak only Spanish. If the preacher will always be speaking in English, just 15 receivers will be needed for the people who speak Spanish. The other people present will not need translation at any time.

Now let’s consider the case of a conference attended by 200 people where there will be speakers speaking in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In this case, 200 receivers will be needed unless part of the audience speaks all three languages.

Two-way interpretation is used when the language spoken in the room changes and interpretation must be carried out to and from a language. If the audience is made up of both English and Spanish speakers, the Spanish speakers will need translation when a speaker speaks in English, and the English speakers will need translation when a speaker speaks in Spanish. There can be just one interpreter, but it is advisable to use two transmitters, one for each language

Why? Isn’t it possible to use just one transmitter and have the interpreter change the channel when the speaker changes languages?

It is technically possible to do that, but it is not advisable. When a transmission on one channel is interrupted, there is a lot of noise, just like there is when one tunes in a radio station that is not transmitting. This sound is extremely unpleasant.

It’s possible, although it’s not advisable. To do so, the interpreter must always transmit through the same channel and the audience must use their receivers with the appropriate headphones when the speaker speaks in the language they do not understand. When a speaker speaks in their language, they must take off the headphones, as the interpreter will be transmitting the translation on that same channel for the rest of the audience.

When a professional transmission is made, each language is always transmitted on a separate channel and the audience has the option of taking off their headphones or leaving them on while the speaker speaks in their own language. Remember, too, that as well as providing the translation, the receiver also serves the purpose of producing a clear sound of what is said in the room. This is very useful for people with hearing problems.

The difference between a stationary and a portable transmitter is that the portable transmitter uses batteries while the stationary transmitter is plugged into an electrical outlet. Both can be transported easily, but the portable transmitter allows you to work in environments where the interpreter must move around, for example, guided tours of a facility, sightseeing tours, etc.

A stationary transmitter has a greater range than a portable transmitter, and in general, the tuning is more precise. That means that with a stationary transmitter more channels can be used in one room than with a portable transmitter.

It depends on the transmitter. With some transmitters, the microphone can be connected directly and with others, there has to be an interpreter console or a pre-amplifier.

The interpreter booths provide acoustic separation between the interpreters and the conference participants, which makes for a comfortable work environment. This allows the interpreters to maintain the intense concentration necessary to do their job and decreases the sound of their voices outside the booth to avoid disturbing the audience and the other interpreters in the other booths.

• It is cheaper

• It works out in the open without the sunlight affecting its performance

• It is easier to install

• It requires fewer components and is easier to transport

• It provides easier coverage for large or uneven areas

• There is a greater variety of portable systems and a greater number of channels can be used

It is the control center. The interpreter uses it to adjust the volume and tone of the sound he/she hears, as well as to control the audio of the outgoing channel. The interpreter console has controls that allow the interpreter to activate or deactivate the output from his or her microphone and select the input and output channels. On professional systems, the interpreter console also interacts with the central control unit to allow the use of the relay function between different booths and the routing of the floor signals when the interpreter’s microphone is deactivated.

A double console allows two interpreters to work in the same booth. Due to the fact that simultaneous interpreting normally requires great concentration on the part of the interpreter, he or she must take a break every 20 to 30 minutes. To do this, the interpreter hands over to the other interpreter while the speaker is speaking. A dual interpreter console is very useful for transferring control from one interpreter to the other. In these cases, each interpreter must have a headset with a microphone.

No. This is not possible as both interpreters would be speaking at the same time and the voice of one interpreter would transmit into the other interpreter’s microphone.

Two.

One.