How to Plan Simultaneous Interpretation Equipment for Your Event
Updated October 27, 20266 min read
Key points
- Per language, per room: one booth, two consoles, and one transmitter channel.
- Per listener: one receiver and headset, plus about 10 percent spares.
- Infrared stays inside the room, so it is the standard for confidential meetings; FM reaches farther and works outdoors.
- The system takes its feed from the house sound system, so bring in your A/V team early.
- Small groups and tours can use portable tour-guide kits, with no booth.
Planning an event? See our Simultaneous interpretation equipment rental.
To plan simultaneous interpretation equipment, count three things: languages, rooms, and listeners. Each language needs a soundproof booth, two interpreter consoles, and a transmitter channel in every room where it is interpreted. Each listener needs a pocket receiver and headset, plus about 10 percent spares. Then choose infrared or FM for the venue, and book a technician to run the system. Here is how to plan it, step by step, and what to ask your provider.
Example: one room, three languages, 150 listeners
| Item | Quantity | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 4043 booths | 3 | One per language |
| Interpreter consoles | 6 | Two per booth, one for each interpreter |
| Transmitter channels | 4 | Three languages plus the floor language; a 4-channel transmitter fits |
| Receivers and headsets | 165 | 150 listeners plus 10 percent spares |
| Radiators or antennas | Set by the venue survey | Sized to the room so every seat gets a clean signal |
| Technician | 1 | Sets up, runs, and tears down the system |
| Interpreters | 6 | Two per language, taking turns |
Add a second room with the same three languages, and the booths, consoles, and channels double.
How the system works
Interpreters sit in soundproof booths, listen to the speaker through headphones, and interpret into a microphone at an interpreter console. A transmitter carries each language on its own channel. Radiators (for infrared) or antennas (for FM) spread the signal across the room. Each listener wears a pocket receiver with a headset and picks the channel for their language. A technician runs the system from setup to teardown.
Step 1: Count your languages and rooms
Languages and rooms drive most of the equipment list.
- Booths: one per language, in every room where interpretation happens. Three languages in a main hall and two breakout rooms means up to nine booths.
- Interpreter consoles: two per booth. Simultaneous interpreters work in pairs and take turns, so each needs a console.
- Transmitter channels: one per language, plus the floor language. Systems like Bosch Integrus come in 4, 8, 16, or 32 channels, so match the transmitter to your language count.
Booths should meet the ISO 4043 standard for mobile interpretation booths, so interpreters can hear clearly and the room cannot hear them.
Step 2: Count your listeners, and add spares
Every attendee who needs interpretation gets a pocket receiver and a headset. Add spares for batteries, late registrations, and the occasional lost unit: our kit builder adds 10 percent, so 150 listeners means 165 receivers and headsets.
Count only the people who need interpretation. At a conference where most attendees speak the floor language, ask registrants in advance which language they need.
Step 3: Choose infrared or FM
- Infrared (IR) signals do not pass through walls. That makes IR the standard for board meetings, government hearings, legal proceedings, and anything confidential, and it prevents interference between neighboring rooms.
- FM and radio systems reach farther and work outdoors and in very large or irregular spaces, but the signal can travel beyond the room.
A good provider surveys the venue first and sizes the radiators or antennas to the room, so every seat gets a clean signal.
Step 4: Plan for the venue
Share the floor plan and your A/V provider’s contact early. The interpretation system takes its feed from the house sound system, so the two teams have to work together. Plan for:
- Booth placement with a clear view of the stage and screens. Interpreters need to see the speakers and the slides.
- Space and power for the booths, and time to build them before doors open.
- Accessibility. Interpretation systems can also serve as assistive listening for attendees who are hard of hearing.
At US-Brazil Connect’s two-day conference across three Denver venues, our technician worked with each venue’s sound system to keep the interpretation running smoothly for 150 guests. Every venue is different; the technician is what makes them all work.
Step 5: Decide on interpreters and equipment, together or separately
You can rent equipment alone if you already have interpreters, or book interpreters and equipment under one contract so a single team owns the result. Either way, the equipment provider’s technicians should deliver, set up, and run the system.
For events where some speakers or interpreters join remotely, ask about remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI), which delivers interpretation through a platform instead of, or alongside, booths in the room.
Step 6: Small groups and tours
Not every event needs booths. For factory tours, site inspections, and small groups on the move, portable tour kits with lightweight tour-guide transmitters and whisper systems do the job with no booth required.
What drives the cost
Five factors set the price of an equipment rental:
- Languages: each one needs a booth, two consoles, and a channel.
- Listeners: one receiver and headset each, plus spares.
- Rooms: each room needs its own booths and coverage.
- Days: how long you need the equipment. There is no minimum rental period with us, so a single session costs only what it uses.
- Venue size and layout: these set how many radiators or antennas the room needs.
Shipping and technician time complete the quote. The fastest way to an accurate price is to send the details in the checklist below.
Your booking checklist
- Event dates, start and end times, and setup access
- Venue name, room list, and floor plans
- Languages, and how many listeners need each one
- Number of rooms with interpretation
- Whether you have interpreters, or need them too
- Your A/V provider’s contact
- Any confidentiality requirements (they point to infrared)
Book as early as you can, especially for large conferences, several languages, or several rooms, because booths and receivers are reserved per date. Short-notice requests are often possible; ask.
What this looks like at scale
A few of the events we have equipped:
- Defense Security Cooperation Agency: a 10-day conference on combating terrorism in Dari, Arabic, and Russian, with 12 full-size booths and 66 discussion microphones.
- U.S. Department of Energy: the 14th U.S.–China Oil and Gas Industry Forum in Denver, with equipment and an audio technician for 200 participants.
- Ricoh: a one-day business conference with Japanese interpretation and equipment for 500 participants.
“The Translation Excellence team provided support services to the 14th U.S. – China Oil and Gas Industry Forum and proved to be reliable, flexible and crucial to the success of the event,” said Andrew Palmateer, then Acting Deputy Director of the U.S.–East Africa Geothermal Partnership at the United States Energy Association.
Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment do I need for simultaneous interpretation?
Soundproof booths for the interpreters, interpreter consoles, a transmitter with one channel per language plus the floor, radiators or antennas to cover the room, and a receiver and headset for each listener. A technician connects it all to the house sound system and runs it during the event.
How many booths do I need?
One booth per language, in every room where interpretation happens. Two interpreters share each booth and take turns.
Infrared or FM: which is better?
Infrared for indoor meetings, especially confidential ones, because the signal does not pass through walls and neighboring rooms do not interfere. FM for outdoor events, very large or irregular spaces, and tours, where range matters more than containment.
Can I rent equipment without interpreters?
Yes. If you already have interpreters, you can rent the equipment and a technician alone. Booking both under one contract puts a single team in charge of the result.
Do I need booths for remote simultaneous interpretation?
No. With remote simultaneous interpretation (RSI), interpreters work from a remote hub and participants choose a language channel on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, or an event platform. Hybrid events can combine booths in the room with remote interpreters.
How far in advance should I book?
As early as possible, especially for large conferences, several languages, or several rooms, because booths and receivers are reserved by date. Short-notice requests are often possible.
