I was just wondering if there was a rule of thumb for delaying Assistive Listening Systems. I need to replace an ALS in a local venue as their old one just died. It's currently just getting a feed off of the main buss but if I put it on its own buss, it can be optimized for that specific purpose. That got me thinking, the delay between mains and audience members can be anywhere from 12-50ms so I should find a compromise in there to avoid a distracting delay. At that point I reconsidered and realized the ALS users will have comb filtering no matter where they sit, but not delaying it will allow them to be in the Haas effect range almost no matter where they sit.
Thoughts?
Tackling ALS delay is definitely a bit of a balancing act. You're on the right track with your thinking. Keeping the ALS slightly ahead or in sync with the main system helps tap into the Haas effect, making everything feel more natural for ALS users.
The trick with comb filtering, though, is finding a sweet spot. I'd suggest starting with a delay around 15-20ms. It's a good middle ground - helps minimize the comb filtering weirdness and still keeps the Haas effect in play.
But you know, every venue's different, so don't be afraid to tweak it a bit. Start at 15ms and adjust from there based on what sounds best in your space and for your audience.
Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes with the new setup!