Equipment · ISO 4043 booth
Interpretation booths: where simultaneous interpretation happens
A booth keeps the room's noise away from the interpreters and the interpreters' voices away from the room. The audience hears clean interpretation through receivers while the event runs normally. STIB sets up soundproof ISO 4043 booths with consoles, transmitters, receivers and a technician, with or without its team of interpreters.
In short
What the booth is for
An interpretation booth is a soundproof unit where two interpreters work in turns, hearing the speaker through headphones and speaking into the console microphone; the audience receives the interpretation on a receiver, on their language's channel.
Without a booth, the interpreter's voice mixes with the speaker's and room noise reaches the interpreter's microphone. That is why booths are the professional standard in auditoriums, conferences and halls with an audience. Mobile booths, set up for the event, follow the international standard ISO 4043:2016.
The standard
What ISO 4043 requires from a booth
Sound insulation
The interpreters' voices do not leak into the room, and room sound does not reach the booth microphone.
Quiet ventilation
Fresh air without noise, essential on long days with the door closed.
View of the room
Front and side windows with a direct view of the speaker, the stage and the screens.
Room for two
Space for two interpreters side by side, each with a console, documents and water.
Lighting
Task lighting on the desk, with no glare on the glass and no light spilling into the audience.
Safe setup
Stable structure, quiet door and cable runs that are safe for people moving around.
The electronic equipment (consoles, transmitters and receivers) has its own standard, ISO 20109. Permanent booths built into a venue follow ISO 2603. Terms such as console, relay and channel are explained in our interpretation glossary.
The full setup
What comes with the booth
- Interpreter consoles: one per interpreter, with microphone, volume, output channel and relay controls.
- UHF transmitters and receivers: one channel per language, with receivers and headphones sized to the audience.
- Audio hub: direct feed from the event's sound desk, distributed to the booths and transmitters.
- LED headphones: one color per channel at bilingual and trilingual events, so you can see from afar who is on which language.
- Dedicated technician: sets up, tests, runs the system during the event and takes it down.
- Backup: redundancy for critical items.
Details on each item are on our interpretation equipment rental page.
Planning
How many booths, and where
One booth per interpreted language. A conference in Portuguese with interpretation into English and Spanish uses two booths; listeners choose between the floor and the two languages on their receivers.
Position in the room: back or side, with a direct view of the stage and screens, close to the sound desk. In large convention centers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasília, the position is set using the hall's floor plan with the venue's production team.
Space and time: reserve floor space for the booths and allow setup time before the event, alongside the sound check. STIB's technician confirms everything on the site visit.
Alternatives
When a booth is not needed
One or two listeners
Whispered interpreting works with no equipment, with the interpreter alongside.
Small groups
A portable whisper/tour-guide kit at meetings and site visits, with no booth to build.
Online events
With remote interpretation (RSI), interpreters work from a studio, with no booth on site.
FAQ
About interpretation booths
What is ISO 4043?
ISO 4043:2016 is the international standard for mobile simultaneous interpreting booths: sound insulation, quiet ventilation, lighting, working space and a clear view of the room. Permanent booths built into a venue follow a different standard, ISO 2603.
How many interpreters fit in a booth?
A standard booth seats two interpreters side by side, each with a console, because simultaneous interpreting is done in pairs that take turns. Each language at the event has its own booth.
Do I need one booth per language?
Yes. Each interpreted language takes one booth and one transmission channel. An event in Portuguese with interpretation into English and Spanish, for example, uses two booths and three channels (the floor plus two languages).
Where does the booth go in the room?
At the back or side of the room, with a direct view of the stage, the speaker and the screens, and close to the sound desk that feeds the event audio. STIB's technician sets the position on a site visit or from the venue floor plan.
Can I rent the booth without interpreters?
Yes. Production companies, agencies and organizers with their own interpreters rent booths, consoles, transmitters and receivers from STIB, with or without a technician.
When is a booth not needed?
For one or two listeners, whispered interpreting works with no equipment. For small groups at meetings and site visits, a portable whisper/tour-guide kit replaces the booth. For online events, interpreters work remotely.
Next step
Tell us the size of your event
Venue, date, number of languages and participants, and whether you already have interpreters. STIB sizes the booths, receivers and technical team and sends a quote within 24 hours.
São Paulo · WhatsApp
+55 11 91777-6227Brasília · WhatsApp
+55 61 99848-9988Phone
+55 11 2110-2548