Students Benefit from New Voice

By Stephen Maher

World business writer

WENATCHEE—Some technology just takes a while to catch on or be adapted to a particular use, such as helping children to learn.

That’s what Custom Audio Design* of Wenatchee has discovered with its classroom amplification system, which includes a wireless microphone and one central speaker cabinet. The system amplifies a teacher’s voice and spreads the sound evenly by placing the speaker cabinet on the ceiling in the center of the classroom.

Custom Audio Design*, a division of Avalon Music, Inc. 19 N. Wenatchee Ave., has sold about 300 of the amplification systems since its start up in March 1994. It expects to gross $4000,000 to $500,000 on sales this year.

The local business has five competitors nationwide but is the only one using an overhead speaker system.

By placing the 12-pound cabinet on the ceiling in the center of the room, sound is spread evenly, said Mike Sager, co-owner of Avalon Music along with Steve Clem. A teacher uses a wireless microphone to speak. They also can move around the room at will.

“The idea is old. You always see overhead distribution (of sound) in coliseums, churches and airports,” sager said. “But taking it with one enclosure that’ll cover the entire room, that’s new.

“The idea (with the overhead system) is to get the teacher’s voice to where it’s the most audible sound in the room,” he said. “This one was designed strictly for speech.”

More than 100 of the amplification systems have been sold in North Central Washington alone. The system costs $695.**

The systems, which include the plastic cabinet and five 4-inch speakers, are assembled in Avalon Music’s basement. The cabinets are manufactured by Envision of Kent.

Sager said Avalon Music got involved in producing and selling the amplification systems after local audiologist Ken Ullrich asked him to see if other systems could be lowered in cost. Sager said he determined that not only could the price be lowered but the units could be better designed.

It was then that he and Clem decided to pursue the business opportunity.

One of the problems with the other systems, Sager, said, is that the speakers are placed at ear level and in the corners of rooms. Sometimes thins get placed in front of the speakers. The result is better sound for some students than others.

Studies have shown that about 30 percent of all students have at least short-term hearing loss.

“There are more people with hearing problems than with sight problems, and we’re not addressing it,” Sager said. “When you see these kids react to it (the amplification system), it’s exciting.”

Custom Audio Design* went through six design prototypes before deciding on the pyramid-shaped cabinet.

Demand for the systems has been good to date – although both Sager and Theresa Oxos, national sales director for Custom Audio Design*, believe the market has barely been scratched. Amplification systems didn’t start appearing in classrooms until about 15 years ago, and most schools in the country have yet to catch on.

“The market is there, and it’s huge,” Sager said. “But it needs to be developed.”

Those who have learned about the systems, however, seem hungry for them.

Oxos said the Wenatchee Valley is on the cutting edge when it comes to using the systems. The Eastmont School District alone has 33 of the systems in use. The Wenatchee School District is using another 27. Classroom amplification systems also are popular in schools in Florida, California and Iowa.

“Once you saw people start to ask for it, you saw more on the market,” Oxos said of the growing demand.

Sager said he’s pleased with the pace of sales so far for the Local startup business. He said he and Clem are thinking of breaking Custom Audio Design* and Avalon Music apart and making the new business its own entity.

“From a business standpoint, I can’t think of any place I’d rather be,” he said.

*Custom Audio Design was purchased by Theresa Oxos and Ron Moe, moved to Lynnwood, Washington, and the name changed to Custom AllHear Systems, Inc.

**Prices for systems has increased since this article was written in March 1995.