Grieghallen Expands Accessibility with Infinium® Auracast™ Broadcast Audio

Located in Bergen, Norway, Grieghallen is one of the country’s premier cultural venues, hosting concerts, performances, and events throughout the year. The facility features two primary performance spaces—the Grieg Concert Hall and the Peer Gynt Hall—and welcomes thousands of attendees annually for orchestral performances, opera, and touring productions. 

The Grieg Concert Hall is Bergen’s largest indoor amphitheater, spanning 1,250 m² and seating 2,100 guests. Renowned for its exceptional acoustics, the hall is home to the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bergen National Opera. The Peer Gynt Hall offers a more intimate performance environment, covering 750 m² with seating for 1,500 attendees.

As a destination for world-class performances, Grieghallen prioritizes a high-quality experience for all visitors—including those who rely on assistive listening technology.

The Challenge

For many years, Grieghallen supported audience accessibility through an infrared (IR)-based assistive listening system used during concerts and events. As the system approached the end of its lifecycle, venue leadership began evaluating modern alternatives that could provide greater flexibility and scalability while maintaining a seamless listening experience.

Any new solution also needed to integrate smoothly with the existing AV infrastructure, be easy for technical staff to maintain, and deliver consistent audio coverage throughout both halls. At the same time, the system needed to remain visually discreet so as not to interfere with the venue’s architectural design, lighting, or stage equipment.

To identify the right approach, Grieghallen partnered with Scandec Systemer AS, which worked closely with its integration partner Nordlo Group Norge to design and deploy a modern assistive listening solution. 

Technology Selection & Deployment

As Grieghallen evaluated replacement options, the venue and its technology partners prioritized a platform capable of delivering high-quality audio, reliable coverage, and long-term flexibility.

Auracast™ broadcast audio emerged as a strong fit. The technology broadcasts audio wirelessly to an unlimited number of compatible devices—including hearing aids, smartphones, and dedicated receivers—while delivering clear, low-latency sound synchronized with live performances. Multiple broadcast channels also give venues the flexibility to support assistive listening alongside services such as language interpretation or audio description.

Grieghallen ultimately selected the Infinium® Auracast broadcast audio system from Williams AV to deliver coverage across both halls.

Each hall was equipped with an Infinium controller installed in the AV rack and a ceiling-mounted transmitter in the performance space, providing two broadcast audio channels per hall.

To determine optimal coverage, the installation team tested several transmitter locations before finalizing placement near the center of the hall. This position ensured consistent signal distribution across the seating area while remaining visually unobtrusive. 

“Grieghallen was looking for a solution that would improve accessibility without adding complexity to their AV infrastructure,” said Frode Øygard, Sales Manager, Project and AV, from Scandec Systemer AS. “Infinium allowed us to deliver full coverage in both halls with a straightforward deployment, and Nordlo was able to install and commission the system quickly.”

To preserve the visual integrity of the Grieg Concert Hall, the installation team painted the Infinium transmitter red to match the ceiling, so it blends seamlessly into the venue’s architecture.

The Infinium system receives its audio feed from the venue’s digital mixing console. Audio captured by stage-facing microphones and distributed through Grieghallen’s GreenGo monitoring system is routed through the mixer and broadcast through the Auracast platform.

Fast and Straightforward Installation 

For the installation team at Nordlo, the simplicity of the Infinium architecture stood out immediately.

“The Infinium system was annoyingly easy to install,” said Jan Alsaker Johannessen, Project Manager at Nordlo. “Because the controller and transmitter connect using a single Ethernet cable, the entire process was incredibly straightforward.”

The team initially estimated several hours for installation, but the system was operational in about a quarter of the expected time.

“We mounted the controller in the rack, ran the Ethernet cable to the transmitter, connected the audio feed, and the system just worked. There was very little tuning required, which significantly reduced commissioning time.”

The Results 

With the new system in place, Grieghallen now delivers clear audio coverage throughout both halls. Visitors can receive audio directly on Auracast-compatible hearing aids, smartphones, or dedicated receivers, creating a more accessible listening experience during performances and events.

For guests without Auracast-compatible devices, Grieghallen provides 30 receivers per hall, along with headphones and neck loops to ensure accessible listening options for all attendees.

Early feedback from venue staff has been positive, particularly regarding the system’s reliability and ease of use during events. 

With Infinium now deployed across its primary performance spaces, Grieghallen has introduced a modern assistive listening platform to support accessibility and meet the evolving needs of the venue and its audiences.