Baycourt Community & Arts Centre Adopts Dual Assistive Listening Strategy

For more than four decades, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre has been a cornerstone of the performing arts community in Tauranga, New Zealand. At the heart of the facility is the Addison Theatre, a 582-seat, tiered space that hosts a wide range of productions and welcomes both touring performers and local arts organizations.

Delivering a high-quality experience for audiences and visiting productions has long been a priority. Technical & Operations Manager Dale Henderson, who has worked at Baycourt for many years, has guided ongoing upgrades to the theatre’s production and AV systems with a focus on improving the audience experience. 

The Challenge

Baycourt has long supported accessibility through an induction loop (T-coil) assistive listening system. While it continues to serve patrons
using compatible hearing devices, performance has become less consistent over time, with some guests reporting signal dropouts and
uneven coverage.

At the same time, Dale and his team recognized that assistive listening technology is evolving. A growing number of hearing aids, smartphones, and personal listening devices now support Auracast™—a Bluetooth broadcast audio technology. Unlike traditional Bluetooth, which is designed for one-to-one connections over limited distances, Auracast enables one-to-many audio delivery, making it well-suited for larger spaces such as performance venues.

Rather than replacing the existing loop system, Baycourt explored how adding Auracast could expand access while continuing to support
patrons who rely on traditional assistive listening—an approach aligned with the venue’s commitment to keeping its technology relevant.

Technology Selection & Deployment

Baycourt was introduced to Auracast™ broadcast audio during an onsite demonstration conducted by NSL Group LTD, the New Zealand distributor and installation partner for Williams AV.

According to Dale, the demonstration highlighted several Auracast advantages, including growing adoption across
the AV industry, the increasing number of compatible consumer devices, and the ease with which users can connect to audio streams using their own compatible smartphones, headphones, or hearing aids. During the meeting, NSL Group worked with Dale to understand the theatre’s goals for assistive listening and how new technology could enhance the patron experience.

“Baycourt was looking for a way to expand accessible audio while still supporting the technologies some patrons already rely on,” said Carla Thornton, Market Development Manager at NSL Group Ltd. Together, they explored how an Auracast broadcast
audio solution could deliver high-quality, low-latency audio—typically under 40 ms—directly to compatible devices, ensuring no perceptible delay. Beyond audio performance, the solution needed to meet New Zealand disability standards, be easy to deploy, and integrate with the existing AV infrastructure.

Thornton knew an Infinium Auracast system would meet the theatre's needs and partnered with Dale to evaluate the product in the space. “Infinium’s separate controller and transmitter system made it easy for Dale’s team to connect to their existing AV technology. With the controller located in their AV room, the team was able to easily monitor audio performance at the rack or using the web interface. And the transmitter only required a single CAT5 cable to operate, which reduced install time.”

Following evaluation, Baycourt selected the Williams AV Infinium system, which integrates with the theatre’s audio workflow using Dante networking, with the audio source connected directly via Dante. Installation was straightforward, with the transmitter centrally ceiling-mounted to support consistent coverage and seamless integration with the theatre’s AV system. The result expands access for guests using Auracast-compatible devices, with dedicated receivers and neckloops available for others.

The Results 

Although the system had only recently been installed at the time of the interview, Baycourt’s technical team expressed strong confidence in its performance. By adding Auracast alongside its hearing loop, the theatre has expanded the ways audiences can access audio during performances, helping to meet accessibility requirements while improving the overall experience.

The deployment provides several benefits:

• Expanded access for patrons using different hearing technologies

• Direct audio streaming to Auracast-compatible hearing aids and personal devices

• Consistent audio coverage throughout the theatre

• Reduced maintenance compared with legacy assistive listening systems

For Dale, the decision to improve accessibility was clear: “Do it. Improving the experience for this segment of our audience is a no-brainer and should be prioritised.”

By combining Infinium with its existing hearing loop, Baycourt has created a flexible assistive listening environment that meets guests where they are today while continuing to invest in technologies that keep the theatre accessible and relevant.