The Opportunity

Opened in 2021, UBS Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Long Island, New York. Home to the NHL’s New York Islanders, UBS Arena has a capacity of 19,000 and hosts basketball games, concerts, corporate events and professional wrestling broadcasts in addition to Islanders’ home games. To provide world-class audio experiences for fans and attendees of a wide range of events, the newly constructed facility required a state-of-the-art arena audio solution.

The Solution

Designed by consultant group Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams, Inc. and installed by integrators Diversified—consists of over 950 JBL loudspeakers, including eight main bowl arrays of JBL VTX A12 speakers and S28 subwoofers, and a variety of PD Series, AWC Series, VRX Series, Series loudspeakers in balcony, concourse, back-of-house and delay positions. The entire system is powered by Crown I-Tech Series and DCi Series amplifiers, with network control and signal processing provided by BSS Soundweb London devices.

System Features

• 96 JBL VTX A12 loudspeakers
• 32 JBL VTX S28 subwoofers
• 8 JBL PD764i loudspeakers
• 270 JBL Control 47C/T loudspeakers
• 138 JBL Control 24CT loudspeakers
• 43 JBL Control 25-1 loudspeakers
• 75 JBL Control 65P/T loudspeakers
• 18 JBL Control 328CT loudspeakers
• 17 JBL Control 16 C/T loudspeakers
• 2 JBL Control 26CT loudspeakers
• 12 JBL Control 47HC loudspeakers
• 9 JBL PD566 loudspeakers
• 24 JBL AWC82 loudspeakers
• 10 JBL CBT1000 loudspeakers
• 24 JBL Control126WT loudspeakers
• 31 JBL PD595 loudspeakers
• 72 JBL Control 226C/T loudspeakers
• 18 JBL AM7212/64 loudspeakers
• 8 JBL VRX932LA-1 loudspeakers
• 9 JBL Control 47LP loudspeakers
• 6 JBL Control 328C loudspeakers
• 2 JBL Control 128WT loudspeakers
• 4 JBL Control SB2210 loudspeakers
• 11 JBL Control 28-1 loudspeakers
• 8 JBL PRX818XLFW subwoofers
• 6 JBL PRX812W loudspeakers
• 2 JBL 306P MKII loudspeakers

• 56 Crown I-Tech 4X3500HD amplifiers
• 12 Crown DCi 8|600N amplifiers
• 41 Crown DCi 4|600N amplifiers
• 10 Crown DCi 4|1250N amplifiers

• 13 BSS BLU-806 signal processors
• 15 BSS BLU-BIB break-in boxes
• 5 BSS BLU-120 I/O expanders
• 33 BSS BLUCARD-IN mic/line cards
• 10 BSS BLUCARD-OUT output cards
• 20 BSS EC-8BV-BLK-US ethernet controllers

The Impact

“We are the multifunction arena here on Long Island, New York—hosting everything from hockey to basketball, large concerts, corporate events, meetings,” said Brian Jones, AV Systems Engineer In Charge, UBS Arena. “We’re trying to provide the top level experience for all those, whether its thousands of fans here for a concert, making a memorable night, or a small group of people having a meeting here in one of our great spaces. In the bowl, we have our line arrays filled out with VTX Series speakers which is filling the arena with amazing sound for sporting events, pumping up the crowd, and delivering crisp and clear PA announcements.”

“One great thing about this system is its all in one family of products,” said Jones. “Everything talks to each other well and integrates well. We have all our JBL speakers powered by Crown amplifiers with signals driven by BSS products. They all work together really well—using the HARMAN Audio Architect system, we’re able to orchestrate all of that.”

“When good sound hits you it’s a physical experience,” said Jones. “The JBL system here can really drive that sound to our fans, and give them that experience. It’s not just loud. Loud can be painful and uncomfortable. This system delivers volume along with clarity. You can still hear it and understand it, and you can still feel it.”

“We specified the A12s for a variety of reasons,” said Scott Bray, Consultant, Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams, Inc. “It met a size mark, because scoreboards are getting bigger all the time. They’re getting taller and wider. We had a limited amount of space we had to fit into the rigging grid. The versatility of the JBL system met the requirements in terms of budget, SPL, performance and fitting into the grid.”

“The ownership group wanted the sound quality to be as good as Madison Square Garden,” said Bray. “We went above and beyond that. The main array system is in stereo. We have eight clusters so we can do left-right configuration all the around the scoreboard. Delays are individually powered so that concert crews can come in and tie into those delays and have a completely time-aligned system all the way back to their main stage arrays.”

The Opportunity

The redeveloped O’Connells Pavilion Shopping Mall was recently opened in the resort city of Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island after five years of planning and construction.

The developer has leased two floors of the four-level building to global luxury travel retailer DFS Group for its “Resort Galleria” concept. The area includes a food hall named Eatspace that can accommodate 230 people.

AV systems integrator Strawberry Sound was tasked to outfit the audio and visual requirements of the venue which included a wireless microphone system. “We experienced a challenge in relation to where the customer mostly wanted to use their wireless microphone system,” says Reuben Pearce, Director at Strawberry Sound Queenstown. “The electronics cabinet is located in the opposite corner of the building, behind a concrete wall, and that could result in significant RF dropouts.”

The Solution

Reuben explained that with Queenstown being one of New Zealand’s top travel destinations and the renovated mall a major shopping destination, all of the technology had to fit the facility’s visual aesthetic. “We needed an architecturally appropriate product to use on an exposed ceiling,” he adds. “We had recently been introduced to the new Diversity Architectural Antenna by RF Venue distributor JPRO and it became clear that this would become an essential part of providing reliable wireless audio in an aesthetically pleasing format.”

System Features

RF Venue is a leading global manufacturer of wireless audio essential accessories. The Diversity Architectural Antenna is a high-performance antenna system for wireless microphones that features a slim profile enclosure, can be installed in any position on a wall or ceiling and can be painted to match any interior. Using a unique patent-pending dual-feed antenna design, both A and B diversity connections are provided, so there’s no need to install two separately spaced antennas, resulting in a more professional look that room designers and architects appreciate.

The Diversity Architectural Antenna was supplied through New Zealand distributor JPRO, one of New Zealand’s leading and most experienced professional audio and AV distribution companies.

“At JPRO, we understand that RF dropouts can ruin the most perfect production,” observes Andrew Sorrill, Marketing Specialist at JPRO. “We recommend the use of RF Venue products to our customers for any small, medium or large-scale wireless project because they perform reliably with all wireless audio brands, ensuring no dropouts.”

The Impact

Reuben Pearce says the result was what was expected: “Reliable wireless coverage from day one,” he says, with exceptional RF connectivity with zero dropouts throughout the space. “Our technicians were able to get in and out efficiently and deliver exactly what the client needed.” Expected, he says, because “we’ve used RF Venue products in prior projects, so we know we can rely on a good result. They simply do as they say they do on the box. RF Venue have a direct and reliable solution to what could have been a very real wireless problem.”

The Opportunity

Aucklanders were among the first to view the vibrant astro-turf colours of the football Unity Pitch at Te Komititanga Square in the Commercial Bay precinct.

The colourful futsal-sized mobile pop-up pitch was commissioned for the Women’s World Cup. Vibrant and unique, it represents a patchwork of the tournament brand colours symbolising unity in diversity and the progressiveness of the game. The Unity Pitch will tour New Zealand and be used in all host cities for various fun activities and events building up to the World Cup shared by New Zealand and Australia.

The Solution

Specialist event agency Spur, who are experts at connecting fans to brands by bringing them closer to the sport, required a robust, dependable portable battery powered sound system that could run for at least 10 hours a day on battery power. After testing numerous systems, JBL EON ONE Compacts were chosen for their reliable battery powered operation and exceptional audio performance.

The Eon One Compact is a self-powered two-way loudspeaker with built-in digital mixer, audio processing, Bluetooth streaming and app control, capable of producing an impressive 112dB SPL. Importantly for the organisers, the EON ONE Compact includes a rechargeable, reliable battery with the ability to provide external power to a diversity wireless microphone system providing up to 12 hours of run time.

Due to the unpredictable nature of the weather in New Zealand, the EON ONE Compacts were set up in weatherproof bags, just in case of the odd downpour.

With a full battery charge lasting throughout the days activities, the speakers were easily taken from their stands without the need of removing countless cables and recharged for the following day.

The Impact

“We reached out to colleagues in the industry who immediately recommended the JBL EON ONE range of battery powered portable PA systems,” says event organiser Kristen Tingley. “After careful consideration, it became clear that JBL and the EON ONE Compact was the sound system of choice in terms of battery reliability, portability and feature set – not to mention that the audio quality was exceptional, easily covering the futsal pitch with clear audio.”

“We were able to link two loudspeakers together for greater audio coverage, with our AKG WMS470 wireless microphone system being powered by the battery on the EON ONE Compact via the USB charge port. The MC’s music and the audio quality helped to create an awesome atmosphere heard by all – we especially appreciated the music ducking feature that automatically lowered the music whenever the MC used the microphone. A very big thank you to the team at JPRO for training and helping to make the FIFA Unity Pitch the success that it was.”

The Opportunity

Wellington based integrator Audio Workshop recently installed a networked audio system and turnkey HARMAN Professional solution at the Australian High Commission facility in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Australian High Commission (AHC) acts as the Australian government’s official agency in New Zealand. In addition to providing a range of diplomatic services to the public, including passport, immigration, citizenship and cultural relations. In addition, the AHC represents Australia’s interests to government and business organisations in New Zealand.

A dedicated event space in the facility allows the AHC to host numerous events and meetings throughout the year. The AHC event space consists of four individual rooms that can accommodate multiple events simultaneously or be combined for large events.

The Solution

To ensure maximum intelligibility, versatility and ease-of-use during a wide range of events, the AHC hired Audio Workshop to upgrade their aging sound system with a complete HARMAN Professional Solutions networked audio system consisting of JBL, BSS and AKG solutions.

Audio Workshop relied on a selection of JBL speakers to ensure optimum coverage and clarity in the AHC event space. JBL CBT 70J-1 column speakers provide consistent coverage while minimising room reflections and reverberation from the atrium’s high ceilings. JBL Control 16CT in-ceiling loudspeakers deliver premium speech intelligibility and high quality music playback in four meeting rooms, while Control 29AV-1 speakers offer additional power and directivity for film and video presentations.

The venue required wireless microphones to cover all areas to ensure maximum coverage with speech intelligibility. Audio Workshop specified a multi-channel AKG WMS470 wireless microphone system with distributed antennas to ensure no signal dropout during events.

The entire system is controlled by a BSS Soundweb London BLU-100 signal processor, which can be configured to function independently in each room, or as a single time-aligned system when the rooms are combined. Finally, BSS Contrio EC-8BV wall controllers enable intuitive source selection and volume control in each room, while HARMAN’s HiQnet protocol allows the entire system to be controlled with any WiFi-equipped device.

System Features

• BSS SOUNDWEB BLU-100
• BSS CONTRIO EC-8BV wall controllers
• JBL CBT-70J loudspeakers
• JBL CONTROL 16CT ceiling speakers
• JBL CONTROL29AV speakers
• AKG WMS470 Wireless Microphones and antenna distribution system

The Impact

“We asked Matt Chapman of Audio Workshop to provide a full analysis of our previous system and recommend solutions to optimise the audio quality with a true world-class system,” said Jonathan Pawley, AV & IT Manager, Australian High Commission. “We’re very happy with the new HARMAN system, expertly installed to Matt’s specifications – it certainly exceeded all of our expectations.”

“We’re pleased to be involved with the audio installation in Australian High Commission’s event space,” said Matt Chapman, Managing Director, Audio Workshop. “We strive to understand our clients’ needs and provide them with robust solutions that satisfy their current requirements and leave plenty of room for future expansion. We’re thrilled to see the HARMAN system has accomplished the AHC’s goals and surpassed their expectations.”

Thanks to Bartons Sound Systems, the venue now has a networked digital signal processing and distribution system with 80 output channels (or zones), providing superior audio quality just about everywhere in the stadium.  State-of-the-art IP-based technology includes NETGEAR AV Line switches supplied by local audio, video and control specialists and NETGEAR partner JPRO.

Eden Park has been the home for the country’s national rugby and cricket games and has hosted some magnificent moments in sporting history over the last hundred years. Located in central Auckland, the country’s largest city, it has a capacity of just under 50,000 seats and is also used for conferences, live events, and other functions.

In 1992, Auckland-based Bartons Sound Systems installed Eden Park’s first site-wide PA system to coincide with the inaugural Cricket World Cup and continues to service the venue’s audio needs with various upgrades over the years. Bartons has experience designing, supplying, installing, and supporting audio for over fifty years, with an impressive array of completed projects and clients.

The Opportunity

In 2021, it became clear that Eden Park’s existing sound system was reaching the end of its useful life. Says Tony Wehner, managing director of Bartons Sound Systems, “This presented an ideal opportunity for us to help our customer improve the sound quality and system resilience. Having everything network-based — which is the way of the future — enables us to get the channel count up really high. With so many extra sound channels to work with, we could offer some innovations, such as immersive multichannel surround-sound, to provide superior quality audio almost anywhere in the stadium.”

There were a few additional factors to address. For instance, Eden Park is subject to a strict noise level requirement of 60dB LA10 (10 minutes) at the nearest residential boundary. So sound volume had to be managed, but without impacting on quality. Second, ‘bring your own device’ needed to be provided, enabling anyone hiring the venue to connect to the PA system easily. Finally, replacing the old sound system with the new one had to take place without impacting the stadium’s availability.

The Solution

Bartons recommended and designed an 80-channel sound system based on hardware using the QSYS ecosystem, with components including: redundant QSYS Core for control and audio processing, Junger AES67 Limiter with web-based monitoring for mobile devices, and Touch OSC for 2D sound panning from mobile devices. The new hardware improves the signal-to-noise ratio and fidelity by providing a digital audio path all the way from the sound source to the amplifiers.

Critical to efficient audio distribution was finding the right network switches. Says Tony Wehner, “We carried out some research, and the word was spreading about the NETGEAR switches designed for AV, so we decided to find out more. We like that there is a wide choice of models in the range, from small to huge high-density switches, and professional build quality supported by a lifetime guarantee. It’s also important to use a reputable brand, and NETGEAR seems to be more agile in this marketplace than other players. We value that they have put some effort into creating network switches specifically for AV.”

Tony continues, “It is so easy to set up multiple VLANs with the NETGEAR switches. We have one for the primary event audio, another for control, and the third for external third parties, who can walk up to any AV switch and patch in their equipment.”

The Impact

The selected switches are NETGEAR GSM4212PXs, designed for 1Gb AV-over-IP applications and preconfigured out of the box with a variety of settings and compatibility with leading audio and visual products. The switches were sourced and delivered fast and efficiently by local NETGEAR distributor JPRO, one of the country’s leading professional audio and AVC distribution companies, with a track record spanning more than 30 years.

Due to the need to minimise any downtime, the speed of installation was of the essence. Fortunately, as Tony explains, “We were able to get the NETGEAR switches up and running fast because everything was preconfigured. Instead of our engineers having to do all that work, they just used the easy-to-use graphic user interface, and NETGEAR presets, meaning they could spend more time on other tasks.”

Installation occurred in early January 2022, with Bartons providing on-site support through on-site staff and a remote management solution. As a result, the stadium now enjoys high-quality audio throughout the entire space, across gameday commentary, background music, public announcements, and hirers’ own third-party systems. Plus, sound operators can monitor audio levels and limits throughout the venue, whether from a PC or smartphone. Consequently, if there are any issues, muting or gaining control of individual zones is possible from anywhere in the stadium.

Concludes Tony, “There have been full-capacity sold-out events, and the network has been rock solid. In addition, Eden Park now has a future-facing audio system throughout the site, delivering flexible and high-quality audio.” So, Eden Park can be safe in the knowledge that the sound system is working hard and reliably in the background, enhancing the experience for sports fans and other visitors to this world-renowned venue.

To experience Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium is to experience a lifetime of musical legacy. It’s the birthplace of bluegrass, the home of country, the embodiment of the history and spirit of Music City.

You can practically feel the ghosts of the titans who have passed through these hallowed halls: Johnny Cash. Patsy Cline. Enrico Caruso. Theodore Roosevelt. Houdini. Elvis. Not to mention thousands of up-and-coming musicians hoping to walk in the footsteps of their heroes and claim their own place in the venue’s storied history.

Today, artists of every genre, from Taylor Swift to the Foo Fighters, are honoured to stand on the Ryman stage. A National Historic Landmark and multiple Pollstar Award winning venue as Theatre of the Year, the facility operates as both a performance venue and a living museum, holding more than 260 shows each year while hosting 1,500 visitors daily for guided tours.

“We look to create the most modern experience that we can while still holding on to the heritage that people expect,” says Sally Williams, senior VP of programming and artist relations at Ryman parent company Opry Entertainment Group. “We have to continue to add new technology. We have to continue to welcome new types of artists. We always try to make sure that what we’re doing right now will resonate in the same way in 100 years.”

The Ryman is revered as much for its acoustics as its heritage. The 2,300-seat auditorium, born as a revival hall in 1892, was designed to project the booming voices of evangelists, with curved, reflective walls and rows of century-old hardwood pews wrapping the low stage. But those same live qualities of the hall present significant challenges for amplified events, from managing stage volume to ensuring that mixes worked out in a reverberant, empty hall at soundcheck translate well to a full house. Compounding matters is a long, low under-balcony area prone to inconsistent coverage.

“Some people throw their hands up after soundcheck and say, ‘I don’t know. It’s going to be terrible,’ and they freak out,” says Grand Ole Opry audio services supervisor Mark Thomas. “They’re sitting at their consoles really carving inputs and changing the EQ. We usually tell them, ‘No, just stick with what you know works. When the room fills up with people, a lot of the energy will be tamed right away.’”

Sound reinforcement at the Ryman has been handled by JBL since 1994, with a system optimized for acoustic country, bluegrass and light theatre; that was replaced by a VerTec system in 2005. As the venue began booking more genres and louder acts, system headroom was pushed to the limit. “We couldn’t keep up with some of the louder stage volumes,” says Thomas. “We realized if we were going to keep trying to do those kinds of shows, it was time to update our system.”

After assessing system needs, the next step was defining priorities on and offstage. Ensuring a familiar artist experience was paramount: “We took it really seriously that we might be messing with that magic,’” says Thomas, who took extensive measurements to model what performers were used to hearing onstage. From the audience perspective, the goal was to provide a consistent experience in every seat, especially in under-balcony sections that suffered from limited sight lines and uneven coverage.

Then the team set about reviewing P.A. specifications from every artist who performed at the Ryman over the past five years. “Everybody has to use our P.A., so we wanted to be in 90 percent of the riders that people are asking for,” Thomas explains. “We chose the top three that people were asking for, and JBL was one of them.”

The Ryman team narrowed the field to three manufacturers, represented by three systems integrators, and invited them, along with 20 local live sound engineers, to participate in a full system shootout. “I always welcome shootouts because I think it’s so telling,” says Dan Heins, vice president of Nashville’s Clair Solutions, which facilitated the demos. “I wish it was done more often. We feel better with completely satisfied customers. You don’t want to buy a sound system of this magnitude and put it in and not be happy with it.”

“We ended up with three mono clusters hanging right off the downstage edge and the sub arrays just below,” Thomas explains. “We all walked the room and listened to all three of them over and over and over. That evening we had a bunch of members from the Opry house band come in. We got to feel it with a real band, a real drum kit and some vocalists.”

The shootout’s timing was serendipitous, as unbeknownst to the Ryman audio staff, integrators or participating engineers, JBL was getting ready to introduce the VTX A12, a compact, lightweight new double-12 loudspeaker aimed at mid- to large-scale touring applications and high-end installs.

“We got a phone call that said, ‘We have something new we want to show you. We couldn’t show you there in front of everybody else. We want to take a couple of you guys out to Northridge and show you the new product,’” says Thomas, who flew to Harman’s Los Angeles-area headquarters with Ryman production manager and audio supervisor Les Banks and Opry front-of-house engineer Kevin McGinty to audition the new JBL technology.

The audio team was won over by the A12’s clarity, cohesiveness and lack of coloration: “With a lot of our acoustic problems here, it’s all about vocal clarity and trying to get speech intelligibility up as high as possible,” says Thomas. “I feel like JBL has found that smoothness in that high midrange. We were also really impressed with the subs.”

In January 2018, teams from Harman, Clair and the Ryman took advantage of a rare break in the venue’s performance schedule to install the new system. “There was a lot of preparation with electricians coming in running conduit,” says Banks. “On that Sunday morning at 8 o’ clock, an army of people from the Clair Brothers install team and electricians came in. We had five days to get it going, and then we had a show; the first show was The Grand Ole Opry.”

The Ryman’s A12 system comprises the main P.A., subwoofers, new under-balcony P.A., front-fills and networked amplification. Stage stacks were replaced with hung arrays to clear sight lines and improve time alignment, while minimizing energy onstage.

“The under-balcony was the biggest challenge,” says Heins. “It’s a cavernous space, and it’s very steep. The geometry is unique, from what I can tell, only to the Ryman. It took several tries at it before we really developed the right solution.”

The new system takes the under-balcony from eight passive speakers with eight zones to eight micro-line arrays utilizing JBL VT4886s with time-aligned VT4883 subwoofers in an alternating left-right-left deployment. These zoned arrays have quadrupled the coverage energy for seamless sound in every seat.

“We greatly improved the under-balcony experience for clarity,” says Banks, who has mixed shows at the Ryman for nearly a quarter-century. “It’s not so much volume; it’s definitely coverage. You want everyone who bought a seat to have the same experience. That was the goal.”

The Ryman’s “new sound” is getting glowing reviews from artists, crews, staff and patrons, says Banks. And, he adds, audience compliments take on a special dimension in a town full of music professionals: “You’ve got producers, managers, agents—all critical listeners. You can’t fool them.”

Video: See how JBL VTX A12 Brings Modern Sound to Historic Ryman

Video: Hear from JBL and FOH Engineers Using VTX at the Ryman

And you don’t get much more outdoorsy than doing a gig an hour north of Newcastle, near the historic town of Stroud, in a valley called Gunns Gully, where around 500 dirt bike enthusiasts have converged to ride the Transmoto Enduro.

The Transmoto Enduros are a calendar of eight- and 12-hour endurance races for amateur riders taking place on dedicated tracks in rural areas all over Australia. Pitched as events where you can ‘Race Your Mates’, competitors descend on the sites on Saturday to pitch their tents and prep before challenging each other on the Sunday. As a gig, it’s big, it’s loud, and comes with all the logistical challenges of being remote at the same time.

“We are no strangers to outdoor events like the Transmoto Enduros,” says Marc McAvoy, Director of Be Productions. “For production on these kinds of events, if a piece of gear can have a battery or run wirelessly, it’s a plus. That’s why we carry 60 different models of battery powered lights!”

With every event on the calendar a sell-out, covering the huge sites with audio for communications, announcements, and the race call is a challenge. “We have the audio coverage in the central operations hub sorted,” elaborates Marc. “That’s all run with cabled passive speakers, and the Enduros tour a small 25kVA generator to power it all. That area includes management, sponsor tents, a stage, and the finish line. The trickier issue we had was to get audio to the camping area 300 metres away, where they’ve decided they don’t want the constant hum of generators.”

As part of their continuing research into a reliable battery powered sound system solution, Be Productions had their attention caught by the JBL EON ONE Compact. It’s a self-powered two-way, kicking out 112dB SPL, with onboard four channel mixer and processing, Bluetooth capability, app control, and an all-important rechargeable and hot swappable battery with up to 12 hours run time. Additionally, the Eon One Compact can be set to automatically lower background music levels during announcements.

“We thought the Enduros would be a great test of the JBL EON ONE Compact as a battery-powered audio solution,” relates Marc. “So, we bought six units and an extra six batteries so we could recharge and hot swap without interruption. We put in an FM transmitter at ops that broadcasts to the whole site, then ran a rechargeable FM radio receiver on three of the EON ONE Compacts at the campsite that charges off the EON’s USB port – a very handy capability, that. We then hardwire signal to the other EON ONE Compact in each pair using the analogue pass through.”

With the EON ONE Compacts rigged on site in weatherproof bags, the Enduro was up and running. “The charge on the battery was very reliable,” observes Marc. “The first day, we were running full whack and didn’t have to swap batteries until that evening. We had a tech looking at the on-board battery indicator every hour, and they were fine. The hot swapping was really the key to success for us, as we could do it quickly and easily without having to de-rig the units. In terms of sound, the speech intelligibility is very good, and they absolutely cut through. For full range programme, the output is very impressive for a battery powered unit. I’m very happy with their coverage, and I’d say the EON ONE Compact is the way forward for us in these applications.”

Weighing in at just 8kg and measuring 291 x 255 x 399 mm, the EON ONE Compact’s portability and flexibility will likely see it end up running in some unusual applications. Literally.

“I’ve just been designing and quoting for a running festival with a requirement for runners to be kitted out with a backpack and a speaker,” chuckles Marc. “The idea is that they look like the other competitors, but they’ll be blasting audio synced via phones, connected to the speakers via Bluetooth, with the JBL EON ONE Compact sitting in the backpack. We’ve pitched that to the event, and we just hope they don’t expect us audio techs to run the half marathon with them!”

Old St Paul’s is a historic Anglican church on Mulgrave Street, Wellington built between 1865 and 1866. Considered one of New Zealand’s greatest heritage places, it is no longer a parish church but a popular venue for weddings, funerals, concerts and services. The church is an example of Gothic Revival architecture and is now managed by Heritage New Zealand.

The church was closed between May 2019 and July 2020 for seismic strengthening work. Heritage New Zealand wanted to take the opportunity to revisit the in-house AV system while the strengthening work was taking place.

The AV system was old and unreliable and the loudspeakers did not provide the quality the customer required in terms of fidelity and coverage. AV integration company Audio Workshop was commissioned to provide a sound and video solution for the church. The objective was to provide a sound system that provided consistent coverage for background music and speech with high intelligibility. The video system needed to be easy to use and easy for the venue staff to set up.

An additional design challenge was to meet the historical architectural requirements of the space, working alongside the architect and within their vision.  The design needed to consider where the AV equipment could be attached while also factoring in the look of the design in an historical space.  While working on the design considerations, Audio Workshop ensured they were not compromising on functionality and quality while also working within the constraints of an overall architectural design.

Audio Workshop selected a BSS BLU-100 configurable networked signal processor for audio processing and control, using Audio Architect Motion Control on an iPad, fixed at the tech desk area in a Heckler wall plate. The iPad can run on a LAN connection powered via POE which keeps the iPad charged.

JBL CBT50 column speakers and Control 28-1 loudspeakers, custom-painted to blend in with the native timber interior, were selected due to their reliability and performance. The JBL CBT50s were specifically chosen for their appearance, audio properties and design, as at 500mm long and slim, they could be mounted between the timber work and not be noticeable. Due to JBL’s Constant Beamwidth Technology in the column-shaped speaker, the CBT-50s are able to provide high speech intelligibility and consistent coverage in challenging acoustic environments.

Due to its open-architecture platform, the BSS BLU-100 processor not only provided exceptional audio processing but was used to control the Kramer Matrix switcher for video.

The design by Audio Workshop for Old St Paul’s has resulted in a sound system that provides excellent audio coverage throughout the church with loudspeakers providing exceptional quality sound for speech.  The design is discreet, with the loudspeakers placed in such a way that they met the architect’s goal of a non-visible sound system.  The video system provides a reliable, easy to use platform for venue staff that is also physically manageable. The overall system design provides all the functionality required while also working within the limits of the historical building.

The Opportunity

The University of Auckland Business School, one of the country’s premier institutions for business education, has upgraded its lecture halls with cutting-edge JBL Intellivox Beam Shaping Column Array loudspeakers, dramatically improving sound quality across its facilities. The Business School’s renowned lecture spaces, housed within the award-winning Sir Owen G Glenn Building, now boast superior acoustic performance, ensuring clear, intelligible audio for every student, even in the largest and most acoustically challenging rooms.

The Sir Owen G Glenn Building, the largest teaching space in New Zealand, houses several state-of-the-art lecture theatres that are known for their design-driven approach to enhancing both teaching and learning. However, despite their modern design, the space faced some acoustic challenges that hindered speech clarity, particularly in the large 500-seat lecture halls. To address these concerns, the University sought an audio solution that would enhance voice reproduction while overcoming the difficult acoustics of the venue.

The Solution

Systems integrator Provision and the University were tasked with finding a solution that would provide excellent coverage and speech intelligibility across the venue. The primary challenge was designing a system that would focus sound where it was needed, while minimising the impact of unwanted reflections from walls, ceilings and other surfaces that could degrade audio quality.

In consultation with local distributor JPRO, it was decided that column array technology would be the ideal loudspeaker solution for the venue. The team selected JBL’s advanced Intellivox Beam Shaping Column Array loudspeakers, which feature innovative technology to direct sound precisely to the audience areas. This design minimises acoustic reflections and ensures consistent sound coverage from front to back throughout the space.

Delivering Clarity Across Large Spaces

The JBL Intellivox-DSX280 HD loudspeakers were specified for the Business School’s largest lecture halls, which have a capacity of 500 students. Capable of providing constant sound pressure levels over distances up to 35 metres, the sleek Intellivox-DSX280 HD columns deliver clear full-range audio from the front of the lecture theatre to the rear, ensuring that every student can hear the lecturer clearly.

“We needed a solution that would offer direct sound to the listeners while minimising reflections,” said Paul Edlin, Audio Designer and Sales Director at JPRO. “The Intellivox loudspeakers’ beamforming technology allowed us to focus sound precisely where it was needed. The results are excellent, particularly in terms of speech intelligibility.”

In addition to the large lecture halls, smaller theatres and the building’s foyer were equipped with JBL’s CBT 1000 series line array column speakers. The CBT (Constant Beamwidth Technology) provides exceptional coverage, delivering clear and consistent audio across a variety of room sizes and acoustic conditions.

A Sound Revolution

While the upfront cost of the JBL Intellivox system may initially appear high, Edlin emphasised its long-term value. “When you factor in the complexity of installing multiple ceiling-mounted speakers, delay lines, DSP and additional labour costs, the Intellivox is not only a more effective solution but a cost-saver in the long run,” he explained. “It’s a time and budget saver, providing excellent coverage and intelligibility while reducing installation time and costs.”

The decision to switch to JBL’s column array technology was a game-changer for the University of Auckland Business School’s AV team. “We’ve come full circle with the loudspeaker technology used in these facilities,” said a spokesperson from the University’s AV team. “Initially, we relied on rows of ceiling-mounted speakers to handle the sound coverage for the 500 seats. However, we struggled with the acoustics of the space and it was difficult to achieve consistent clarity across the room.”

“Once we heard the difference with the JBL column array speakers, we knew immediately that we had found the right solution. The Intellivox and CBT loudspeakers were the perfect fit for our needs, and they saved us significant time and money in both installation and labour costs.”

The Opportunity

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is now firmly established as New Zealand’s premiere meeting and events venue. Identified as one of the anchor projects for the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan after the destruction of the previous convention centre by the 2011 earthquakes, Te Pae Christchurch was officially opened in December 2021 after years of planning, construction and pandemic delays.

New Zealand’s first convention centre to meet international standards, Te Pae has capacity to host 2000 delegates and has already attracted interest for national and international business events, with more than 100 events confirmed in its first year of operation.

The precinct includes riverside banquet rooms, a large exhibition hall, flexible meeting spaces and a 1400-seat auditorium. To complement the magnificent architecture, Te Pae is outfitted with state-of-the-art audio-visual and ICT solutions to allow their clients to create memorable experiences.

The Solution

To achieve Christchurch’s vision of what an international convention centre should be in terms of technology, Audio-Visual integrators TenFour were appointed to provide a complete AV solution in three separate buildings. This integration included background music systems, outdoor advertising screens, an Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System as well as a complete digital signage system.

Planning for the centre’s digital signage included a centre-wide, fully integrated digital signage solution consisting of LED screens, projectors and LCD panels. A requirement was that the centre’s digital signage system should provide flexible content for any event, including custom content management for branding, advertising, or visual impact opportunities and the ability to broadcast live TV.

Due to its ability to manage, schedule and play content in just a few clicks, giving real time access to content in large venues, TenFour selected the Tripleplay Signage and IPTV platform to achieve the client’s objectives. Tripleplay gives the Te Pae operator the ability to easily record or stream content from the Auditorium venue-wide, simply by initiating it on the touch panels in the Auditorium spaces. Content is stored on the Tripleplay servers to be edited and distributed as required.

The Impact

Nathan Roche, TenFour’s Sales and Marketing Director says, “This was the largest roll out we’ve done in New Zealand with over forty IPTV, digital signage and wayfinding screens installed across the site. We are stoked with the result and proud to have been part of this project, contributing to Christchurch’s success.”

The Opportunity

Renowned streetwear retailer Culture Kings recently opened their first New Zealand store in Auckland. Located in Sylvia Park, Culture Kings is setting a new benchmark for retail spaces worldwide by providing an incredible user-experience.

Music, sport and fashion are the fundamentals to its success, creating an electrifying atmosphere along with sought-after exclusive streetwear providing a premium retail experience.

Because music plays such an important role, the quality of sound and volume form an integral part of the Culture Kings international brand. The client’s brief was to have high-quality sound throughout the store and a dedicated PA System in the live performance area for DJ, MC and brand activations.

The Solution

AV integration company Avid Automation provide high fidelity customised technology solutions and were called upon to provide a high-impact, exceptional audio experience for the store.

As the store was in a mall with adjacent tenancies – one of which is a movie cinema – it was imperative that the sound design not only provide exceptional sound coverage, but effective volume control, adhering to the sound limits set by the mall.

Acoustic consultants Marshall Day were engaged by the client to ensure that all walls were acoustically treated and floating walls placed in front of structural walls to prevent audio leakage.

Avid Automation worked in conjunction with JBL Professional distributor JPRO to design an audio model within Ease to calculate speaker performance, speaker location and mounting angles – the objective to focus the audio within the retail space. All speaker locations were coordinated with the acoustic consultants.

It was decided that all wall-mounted speakers would be mounted to a ‘floating bracing’ (bracing which is not secured to the studs or joists), while Avid Automation fabricated a custom suspension system for the live performance area.

JBL Control28-1 loudspeakers, known for their consistent wide coverage and rich sonic character, were selected for the main retail area. The versatile mounting options ensured that the sound was projected in the areas they were needed, assisting with the volume requirement of the venue.

JBL SRX 812P active loudspeakers powered by Crown Drivecore Amplifiers and a full suite of user controllable DSP were deployed in the performance area, while powerful JBL SRX818SP active single 18” subwoofers provide additional bass reinforcement for DJ and guest artist appearances.

The heart or ‘ears’ of the volume management was a SoundEar 3-300 noise monitor combined with a BSS BLU-806 processor, programmed to monitor and control the overall sound level produced in the store.

System Features

• BSS BLU-806 Dante Audio Processor with open architecture which is fully configurable through Audio Architect with a full range of processing and logic objects and a “drag and drop” method of configuration provided a powerful volume control system in conjunction with the SoundEar.
• SoundEar3-300 monitors the overall SPL in the store and in conjunction with the BLU-806 manages the sound system volume reduction.
• BSS EC-8BV 8-Button controller with volume control allowed precise control of various zones and source selection.
• Atterotech Dante enabled Bluetooth wallplates and interface provided seamless device connectivity for visiting DJ’s.
• 2x JBL SRX 812P active loudspeakers and 2x SRX818SP active single 18” subwoofers provided powerful sound reinforcement for the performance area.
• 12x JBL Control28-1 loudspeakers powered by a Crown Drivecore CDI2600BL installation amplifier ensured consistent audio coverage in the retail area.

The Impact

“We are very happy to have been involved with this project in what essentially was a very basic sound system configuration, thanks to JBL’s purpose-built speakers that just work as they are intended,” says Darian Sundar of Avid Automation. “The real success and smarts of this project is based around how SoundEar and the BLU-806 are integrated to perform volume reduction. The BSS open architecture platform makes virtually anything possible. The system has performed flawlessly – which is what we have come to expect from JBL, BSS and Crown.”

“Launching Culture Kings in New Zealand is a really exciting step for us so we can deliver the iconic in-store atmosphere that we’re known for to our NZ customers,” says Simon Beard, CEO of Culture Kings. “Our Sylvia Park location gives New Zealanders an immersive experience unlike anything in the market.”

Tech Talk

“SoundEar is a SPL Monitoring device that gives the client a visual indication of the current SPL,” says Darian Sundar. “With the ability to set custom limits and thresholds in the SoundEar, the volume limits imposed by the mall were loaded into the device with a threshold a few dB under the limit, so that the client would see a visual warning prior to reaching the system limit.”

An automated volume reduction was still needed and as a result, SoundEar and BSS were integrated together and programmed so that if the volume went above the set volume limit, the BSS BLU would reduce the volume and continue to do so until the incoming level was decreased by the user.

This achieved a satisfactory result better than using limiters and compression. Signal integrity was maintained so that the audio experience within the store remained clean and undistorted.

The Swansea Arena is the latest of Ambassador Theatre Group’s (ATG) 58 operator run venues. It has been equipped with a versatile JBL VTX A8 line array system, installed by Glantre Engineering following a competitive tender issued by main contractors, Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd. Consultant on the project was Neill Woodger Acoustics and Theatre Design. Glantre’s contract as system integrator was a turnkey, covering rigging, drapes, full AV (including IPTV) and lighting, as well as the audio component—not only in the main event rooms but also the meeting rooms.

However, the recommendation for JBL’s compact line array had come from ATG’s Head of Technical Operations, Stuart Graham, who had been involved in the project from the outset four years ago. “We were able to have some influence on the design and I was able to shape the technical requirement.”

He noted the transition to JBL after another premium system had originally been specified.  “What had been proposed was a ‘safe’, medium sized system typically found in a theatre.

“But I wanted to challenge it [with this installation], I just didn’t want to keep going down the same route. This was our first UK arena and I thought we should reach and test new products. “There was a more ample budget available for the system’s design and implementation, and we wanted to focus on the scalability of the system and that it would work within every conceivable application. With that in mind, we opted for something tailored very much towards versatility and broader functionality.”

At the same time Stuart Graham was mindful that the venue had been designed not only as a multipurpose space, but with a modular auditorium, that would host a wide range of events—from theatre productions, comedy, conferences and exhibitions—some of them simultaneously. He envisaged it more than a place for different production companies to plug into, and worked closely alongside Neill Woodger to fulfil this.

It had been Woodger who had first directed Graham to Eastbourne’s Congress Theatre in order to demo the VTX A8, a venue where he and fellow consultant Sam Wise had overseen the successful JBL sound system installation in 2019.  He had wanted to hear the system not only with Swansea in mind but also other venues requiring a comprehensive system.

Stuart Graham’s verdict on first hearing the system was unequivocal. “I absolutely loved the sound of the A8 and B18 sub, and was blown away by the quality of the box. They had much more grunt and as for the usability of the system … it was easy to put up and take down.”

Graham subsequently heard the system again on the touring version of Carole King’s Beautiful, before auditioning it thoroughly at the HQ of British and Ireland distributors, Sound Technology Ltd., in Hertfordshire. But he said it was hearing the system again on Beautiful—the Carole King Musical “that signed, sealed and delivered the deal.”

Neill Woodger was happy to sign-off on the JBL solution given the technical proposals supplied and his previous experience with JBL at Congress Theatre.

In total 38 JBL VTX A8 have been rigged in their own flying frames at the Arena.

The set-up needed to be flexible as, thanks to a partition wall which closes the balcony, multiple events can be hosted simultaneously; for example, a banquet for 750 on the auditorium floor can be complemented by a seminar ongoing within the Circle, with no risk of interference or distraction. It was vital therefore that the sound system needed to be quicky reconfigurable and effective across the board.

The standard ‘full arena’ set-up is therefore two hangs each comprising 12 x A8 and 6 x B18 subs in cardioid configuration forming a conventional pros arch system. An additional 6 x B18 subs are available for ground-stacking as required. Two delay hangs each comprise of 5 x VTX A8 and 1 x VTX B18, plus four further VTX A8 as front fills, and a VTX M20 stage monitor package.

Powering the system are 15 Crown 4x3500HD amplifiers, while routing and processing is via BSS Soundweb BLU-806 and BLU-100.

The room can then be configured into conference mode, when the front rake goes in and the box angles change and reduce to eight a side; extra enclosures are then added to the delay arrays which are lowered and angled up slightly when the acoustic partition drops to divide the hall.

Matt Watt, Head of Sound Technology’s Application Team worked with ATG and Glantre on the design proposal and acoustic modelling.

“We modelled several alternative solutions before settling on the flexible A8 design.” commented Matt. “We were limited by the curtain as to where the speakers could be positioned, and the system still needed to work as delay for front of house and as the independent conference system. A8’s ease of rigging makes the reconfiguration of these areas possible as it’s so quick and easy!”

Glantre set up and optimised the entire system using JBL LAC (Line Array Calculator) and Performance Manager software, with BSS and amp config, working closely with Matt and Danny at Sound Technology’s Applications team, who were responsible for final commissioning. Glantre’s project manager and senior engineer, Tim Davies, explained, “There are a number of operating modes, both standing and seating and set up various presets as a base, with three or four different configurations.

“Essentially it’s a converged network and runs on the IT hardware, apart from the lighting.”

In addition, Glantre dipped further into the Harman portfolio, specifying AMX video switchers to manage conference events and video distribution for 4K capability projection, as well as touch screen control in other areas, including the VIP lounge.

Keith Powles Technical and Building Manager of Swansea Arena, also added favourable comment. “Now that the arena is fully operational, I have had many different opportunities to use the system in various setups and configurations within the space

“The first thing that was apparent when using the system was just how flexible and intuitive it was for the user to set up, in a broad range of different scenarios—everything from conference, comedy all the way to large scale music events.

“Sonically the system has completely blown me away. The overall quality is outstanding and a particularly surprising element for me was just how well this system performs with spoken word style performances. The clarity and precision of vocals through the system is by far one of the best I have ever used. The system alongside the venue itself seems to be a perfect combination.“

In conclusion, Stuart Graham has no doubts about the wisdom of his preference for the JBL rig, particularly noting the speed of speaker reconfiguration during fast moving event changeovers. “JBL has a rich history and I know this was the right time and place for us to make a shift over to the brand. Longer term, once the reputation of the system comes more into play, we want to be able to offer the system competitively to certain size productions who don’t need all the investment of bringing equipment in.”

The Opportunity

Ebbett is a household name for everything automotive in the Waikato region of New Zealand. The company has built its highly respected reputation since 1928 and now represents 20 vehicle brands across 17 dealerships throughout the North Island.

The proposed construction of the Union Square development in Hamilton’s CBD prompted Ebbett’s owners to consider relocating from their home of 93 years and create a brand-new purpose-built facility, incorporating its head office in the light industrial area of Te Rapa, northwest of central Hamilton.

The new centre of operations features numerous office and meeting spaces, a reception and board room – with one of the technical requirements being that this should be a ‘cable-free’ environment. Designed using modern architecture with a desire to create a relaxed customer focused environment for its clients, the headquarters shares the facility with Ebbett Volkswagen. The dealership facilities provide for a wide range of services incorporating a customer-focused showroom including classic car displays, large workshop, pre-sales and after-sales area and a customer lounging area.

The Solution

In order to complement the world-class buying experience with exceptional audio quality and provide clear communications to staff across the large facility, a state-of-the-art AV system was required.

Audio and Visual specialist The Listening Post (Structured Technologies) were commissioned by Ebbett to supply and install a high quality AV system that included a ‘cable free’ board room, background music and paging systems providing an even coverage of sound throughout the premises.

System Features

• JBL PSB-1 commercial-grade active soundbar ensures excellent full-range sound while minimising sound transfer to neighbouring meeting rooms
• JBL 8128 8-inch full-range cost-effective commercial loudspeakers distributed throughout the premises provide a clear, high-fidelity performance.
• JBL Commercial series paging microphones allow for intelligible communication
• Crown CDI2300 DriveCore install series amplifiers ensure a faster and easier installation thanks to preset JBL speaker tunings and advanced DSP
• BSS BLU-100 networked audio processor provides a seamless integration and management of all audio signals throughout the complex

The Impact

Karl Nation, Dealer principal says “We found the experience with Listening Post (Structured Technologies) and the Team to be very proactive in what they have done. The installation is to an extremely high standard and their follow up service is second to none. We are enormously pleased with the overall quality and outcome.”

Situated in a region of the USA crowded with television broadcast stations and numerous event sites using wireless mic and in-ear monitor systems that contribute to a challenging RF environment, exceptional RF coordination and distribution is key in setting up a wireless system free of drop out.

The church live streams its services from a portable broadcast campus—where volunteers perform load-in and load-out every weekend

Robert Roy is the central production lead for Vox Church. “We have a very small paid staff for each campus, as far as production-wise. And so equipment-wise, we try to be as efficient as we can, so that we can make the job easier for each volunteer on a Sunday morning.”

One way the church speeds load-in and load-out is through its heavy reliance on wireless mics and in-ear monitors (IEMs). Using more wireless systems, for instance, reduces the time and effort involved in uncoiling and wrapping cables. It also reduces on-stage clutter—an important factor when shooting video.

In a recent effort to improve audio quality and reliability, the church’s technical leadership added technology to solidify signals for its wireless microphones and in-ear monitor systems across all of the campuses, using wireless antennas and signal combiners from RF Venue.

Geno Mulcahy, the lead audio engineer at Vox Church, says using wireless is a time-saver. “Well, that’s the big thing, being a load-in church. We’re moving in, moving out, so time is not our friend,” he says. “So, not to have to spend a half hour coordinating frequencies and doing stuff—that in itself is worth the investment in RF Venue. I have the confidence of just turning on the rack and going.”

Roy says there’s a very small learning curve for volunteers when it comes to wireless, and that RF Venue systems give them the benefit of not having to understand everything about wireless. They can just plug and play, a benefit of finding a single wireless solution that works together well regardless of the make and model of wireless mics or IEMs.

Experience Pays Off

Mulcahy previously partnered with RF Venue in a large-scale wireless RF project and has learnt how critical the antenna and its distribution is to a reliable wireless system.

“Antennas and distribution are the non-fun part of working with wireless, but they’re mission-critical to making any event happen flawlessly,” he says. “The RF Venue products do the one thing that absolutely has to happen with wireless, and that’s make sure there are no dropouts. If you lose audio during a service, especially during the streaming audio that’s going out to other campuses that depend on taking their music cues from us, it’s game over. It’s as bad as losing video.”

The church operates a combination of Shure ULX-D wireless microphones and Sennheiser IEM G4 in ear monitor systems. “RF Venue allows us to use any brand of wireless microphone and IEM system we want, all with solid reliability” Mulcahy adds.

The Solution

Vox uses RF Venue’s Diversity Fin Antenna, a multi-purpose antenna for wireless microphones that’s less susceptible to drop outs, due to a patented cross-polarized design. It provides a diversity solution in a single package by combining one log-periodic dipole array (LPDA) and one dipole antenna in an orthogonal (right angle) configuration. One element captures vertically polarized waves, and the other horizontally polarized waves.

Unlike traditional “paddle” or “shark fin” antennas, the Diversity Fin allows receivers to see a constant signal regardless of microphone orientation, allowing the user to hold a wireless microphone in any position relative to the antenna without signal loss – typical of live performance movement when using wireless transmitters.

The Diversity Fin antennas interface with DISTRO4 and DISTRO9 distribution amplifiers, which feed RF to multiple wireless microphone receivers of any brand. The DISTRO4 has dual inputs that combine the two outputs of the Diversity Fin Antenna for distribution of up to five wireless microphone receivers, along with regulated 12-volt DC power. Six DISTRO4 units can be connected together to feed up to 25 receiver channels.

The DISTRO9 offers dual zone inputs for reception from dual Diversity Fin antennas, and its nine outputs can be used to directly feed wireless receivers or to feed the inputs of additional DISTRO9 units to in turn feed up to 81 receiver inputs.

Further, to help ensure consistent signal with in-ear monitors, COMBINE4 and COMBINE8* IEM combiners combine the outputs of four or eight wireless monitor system transmitters into a single output to feed a CP Beam circularly polarized helical antenna.

*Combine8 only available for 470mhz-608mhz systems.

The Impact

“I nicknamed RF Venue, ‘The Glue.’ They are the glue for my wireless. Antenna choice, placement, and management are the most important aspects of wireless, and RF Venue has made those aspects easy to take care of. They are that last part of the puzzle that you need to have to make sure it’s all together.” Concludes Mulcahy.

“And when my volunteers have success, it motivates them to do more – they want to be involved more when they’re successful. We’ve all but eliminated wireless problems with this solution – and never a single drop out. RF antennas aren’t the glamorous part of audio, but without them there’s no show. With RF Venue, there’s never a dropout.”

The Opportunity

The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington is an interactive, contemporary Museum and Convention Centre. With attractions for young and old, Te Papa is a must-visit for visitors to Wellington – one of the world’s leading travel sites Tripadvisor lists the facility in the Top 25 Museums of the World while Lonely Planet rates it in the Top 500 Places on Earth.

New Zealand’s National museum is more than just a museum, it is a multi-purpose facility with numerous venues spanning six levels, including multiple conference, convention and meeting spaces for hire. The facility relies on the latest technologies to enable cutting-edge interactive exhibitions, immersive short term shows and successful conferences.

A variety of Harman Professional audio solutions are deployed within the complex to provide a premium immersive experience, including JBL Professional Loudspeakers, Crown Amplifiers, BSS networked audio processors and controllers as well as Soundcraft mixing consoles.

The Solution

Te Papa’s Technology Solutions Team recently implemented a large Dante distribution network. With so many rooms and systems being used by visiting AV Technicians and commercial clients, it was essential to have a system that could manage the hardware and audio streams in an efficient and secure manner.

After consulting with JPRO’s Technical Design Team, it was recommended that with the implementation of the Dante distribution network, the entire infrastructure should be managed through Dante Domain Manager (DDM).

“We opted for Dante Domain Manager as part of a building wide venue upgrade,” says Andy Allison, Technology Solutions Systems Engineer at Te Papa. “Prior to this upgrade we had not used any Dante products. With everything being IP based, the security of our network is extremely important, and we needed to ensure the integrity of our corporate data and the data of our commercial clients and guests.”

Dante Domain Manager allows the Te Papa team to utilise IT best practices within AV, with the ability to unify its systems, easily categorise and control audio streams, while managing user access to their Dante network.

And Allison continues, “We can manage our Dante equipment throughout the entire organisation with DDM. All Dante audio runs on a dedicated VLAN, we have 802.11X authentication servers that prevent any untrusted devices accessing our various VLANs.”

The Impact

“The experience of installing and configuring DDM in our environment has been seamless, with 14 venues divided into 6 Dante Domains plus a Global Domain,” says Andy Allison. “The system design allows users to route audio to and from any of our venues and public spaces, with managed switches in all locations. No venue switch is more than 2 hops from the core. Dante Domain Manager has really made our task of managing the Dante network easier and secure.”

“Without DDM a venue is at risk of its entire audio network infrastructure crashing due to external sources connecting to the network,” says JPRO’s design experts. “We are pleased we can bring added value and ease of mind to our customers, with DDM allowing for simplified site management and a secure audio network.”

Massey University’s heritage listed Sir Geoffrey Peren Building, recently underwent a massive renovation which has brought back to life many of the building’s original features and provided seismic strengthening. The NZ Institute of Architects Heritage Award winning multipurpose venue features the Central Auditorium, a key space which has been restored to its original elegant form and now a grand function room filled with natural light and is an ideal space for events.

The University specified an audio system that would predominantly be used for speech, with occasional musical performance. The system not only had to be versatile but easy to use, meet the aesthetic requirements in keeping with the elegant building status and of come within budget.

ML Consultants were appointed to supply and install a world class sound system and worked with JPRO’s audio team to design a system that would cover all of the customer requirements.

A Soundweb BSS BLU-100 audio processor with BSS Contrio Ethernet EC-8BV wall controller was installed to control the conference events, with the wall controller also controlling the functioning of the projector. The system processor was programmed and commissioned by ProVision Technologies.

Two JBL CBT-70J column array speakers and CBT70-JE extension speakers were installed for FOH with JBL Control25AV speakers installed for delays and balcony speakers. As JBL CBT column arrays are designed to perform without additional audio signal processing, Crown XTi series amplifiers power the loudspeakers.

JPRO’s audio designer comments “The ease model showed less than 3dB variation of volume throughout the venue for speech. This model was backed up once installed as the sound throughout the venue is extremely consistent at every listening position. It is what I like to call a good day at the office!”

For musical performances, two JBL PRX715XLF powered subwoofers were installed for when extra Low Frequencies are required.

A Soundcraft Si Impact digital mixing console was selected for its simplicity. The Si Impact offers the unique FaderGlow system for an easy-to-follow workflow. “The Soundcraft digital consoles are the easiest to use digital consoles on the market,” says JPRO. “This is perfect for a venue where the console could be used by multiple users with varying levels of ability”.

To make set up easy for the venue technician a BSSBLU-SI card was installed into the console. This provides flexibility for when a production is performed in the venue and the Si-Impact is in use, the system can be switched over to the local inputs at the console. Further expandability is achieved with a Madi Controlled MSB-16 Channel Digital Stagebox, mounted in the Auditorium next to the stage area and run via CAT5.

“We are incredibly pleased with the audio system that has been expertly installed in the Sir Geoffrey Peren Building,” says a spokesperson for Massey University. “The audio fidelity is quite impressive – we are able to hear all around the room and balcony without the sound being too loud.”

JBL even won its own Oscar®! In 2002, three JBL engineers were presented with two of the most prestigious honours that the Motion Picture Academy can give for technical achievements in loudspeaker technology – a Scientific and Engineering Award “for the concept, design and engineering of the modern constant-directivity, direct radiator style motion picture loudspeaker systems,” and a Technical Achievement Award “for the engineering and design of filtered line arrays and screen spreading compensation as applied to motion picture loudspeaker systems.”

Technology and Innovation Propel JBL’s Sonic Cinematic Future

Engineered to invoke emotion and meet the demands of the moment, whether they’re reproducing a quiet, intimate scene or an aggressively loud action sequence, JBL’s cinema sound excellence continues unabated to this day, with JBL products found in 40% of movie theatres around the world, including the majority of Dolby® equipped theaters. JBL speakers also appear in Warner Brothers, Technicolor and Dolby® screening rooms, as well as The Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

JBL is always thinking about the future of how audiences will experience Oscar®-nominated films. Engineers at JBL recently worked on developing a custom Sculpted Sound solution for Samsung’s groundbreaking new Cinema LED technology called “Onyx” that are being installed in theatres around the world.

“Today, JBL is among the most trusted names in cinema sound, as our role in the 93^rd Academy Awards demonstrates,” said Dave Rogers, President of the Lifestyle Division. “After decades of collaboration with the movie industry, JBL’s expertise has grown and evolved alongside the silver screen, ensuring that generations of movie-going audiences around the world continue to experience jaw-dropping cinema sound.”

Islington’s Grade II-listed Assembly Hall has committed to an investment in its technical infrastructure, including the first UK installation of JBL’s new VTX A8 line array system at front of house.

Motivated by the experienced management team of Lucinda Brown and Technical Manager, Tom Watt, the Council-owned building, part of Islington Town Hall complex, can now build on a reputation that has seen Ed Sheeran, Rag’n’Bone Man and Snow Patrol play there in the past.

Future-proofing the installation will bring further stability to a venue which first opened back in 1929 before closing in the mid-1980s.After laying dormant for around 30 years Islington Council funded its refurbishment, and in 2010 it appeared back on the touring map.

Following a competitive tender, the Islington Assembly Hall team chose JBL’s new flagship VTX A-Series, specifically A8 and B18 elements.

The installation was undertaken by SSE Audio Group, who were also responsible for the new JBL VTX A12 installation (with VTX A8 acting as delays and front-fills) at London’s Troxy—coincidentally another Grade II-listed art deco building like the Assembly Hall. Able to use the existing infrastructure, and taking advantage of the advanced JBL rigging, they were able to hoist and align the system expediently, much to the delight of the venue.

“SSE worked hard to get the system in quickly working around events, and expedited the delivery seamlessly in the time allotted.” says Tom Watt.

They have flown L/R hangs of six VTX A8 elements per side, adding a further two as lip fills on the stage. Low frequency extension is provided by six B18 single 18” subs, with the entire system powered by four Crown I-Tech 4x3500HD four-channel amplifiers.

Ed Jackson is satisfied that the A8 concept has been proven. “My prime concerns were that we had coverage to the back of the room, which was noticeably lacking in the old PA, and achieve uniform balcony coverage. If it hadn’t worked with the shorter array we would probably have walked away.

“In terms of sound quality from the transducers this series has got the physical parts of the cabinets right to the point where we are not so reliant on DSP. The system sounds good as soon as you turn it on.”

Lucinda Brown is likewise impressed, both with the new system and the marketability it will give the venue. “We want to be the best and we can only offer that with high quality. Already people are appreciating the difference this system makes.” In addition to visiting sound engineers, this includes the venue’s own tech team, who are unanimous in their praise.

The momentum hasn’t stopped there, for Islington Assembly Hall have also just added six Martin MAC Quantum Wash lighting fixtures.

However, for now it’s all about the sound, and the last word on that goes to Tom Watt. “We now have a PA of which this fabulous building is worthy,” he declares with a smile.

Situated in the picturesque New Zealand town of Queenstown and near to its famous outdoor sporting and tourist locations, the newly built Wakatipu High School has breathtaking views of the Remarkables mountain range and Southern Alps.

Wakatipu High is one of several Kiwi schools that are embracing OECD Innovative Learning Environment principles, with flexible learning spaces and open plan learning environments, all of which encourage collaborative educational methods. The way teachers and learners engage with each other has changed significantly, which has led to changes in the way schools are designed. As a result, many new school building projects are designed with this method in mind, while older schools are being renovated to accomplish the same philosophy.

Built in a public-private partnership, the relocated state-of-the-art school was built to designing quality learning spaces (DQLS) guidelines, ensuring good lighting, acoustics and ventilation, and to meet a high standard of technology. Wakatipu has a strong focus on arts, indoor and outdoor sports and boasts facilities like a performing arts theatre, gymnasium, a café, aerobics room, dance and music recording studio.

The high technology requirement meant partnering with experts in audio and visual system integration. Leading AV integration company Strawberry Sound provided a HARMAN Professional school integration solution. JPRO NZ, one of New Zealand’s foremost specialists in Sound System design and supplier of HARMAN Professional audio equipment, was called upon because of their audio and product knowledge base, extensive support and ability to provide a unique approach to AV solutions.
The school’s intercom paging system and the sound systems for the gymnasium and auditorium run over fibre ties with Dante distribution between zones, providing a Layer 3 backbone. Audio processing is done with the open architecture platform BSS Soundweb Audio Architect. This design element creates a completely customisable platform for the end-client with an audio and paging system tailored specifically for their needs.

Future proofing was taken into consideration with the paging and PABX system that has been programmed to offer an all-page or individual-page zones. “Due to the open architecture platform, we can add customised panel settings via iPad for the paging system if required” adds Reuben Pearce of Strawberry. “The PABX has the ability to dial into the BSS BLU-103 if needed, and page school-wide through the headset.”

Audio processing and distribution is done primarily with BSS BLU-103 and BLU-100 signal processors and audio distributed throughout the school with JBL Control series and JBL CSS8006BM commercial series speakers.

“We encountered a challenge ensuring the Dante clocks synced over Layer 3,” comments JPRO NZ’s technical specialists when talking about the audio distribution via Dante. “This was ultimately achieved with the BSS BLU-DAN that adds Dante to the BSS network and has proven to be extremely solid and reliable.”

The music, dance and drama suites are purposeful, with three soundproof rooms available. A music recording studio and dance studio overlook the impressive cultural and performing arts auditorium that features a solid sound reinforcement system with JBL SRX812P powered 12” loudspeakers flown in a left-centre-right configuration. JBL SRX818SP subwoofers are flown using a customised rigging frame and take care of the lower bass frequencies.

“We are extremely satisfied with the way the SRX series is able to handle varying content, providing consistent and even distribution in the room,” adds Ryan Dougherty from Strawberry Sound. Audio is kept within the digital domain with a Soundcraft Si Impact Digital Mixer at FOH, MSB-16i Digital Stage Box with time-alignment and processing via BSS BLU-100.

With school’s embracing technology from an educational perspective, the importance of using good quality audio visual equipment and loudspeakers is critical. “Good quality speakers mean better coverage at a lower volume, often with less speakers due to the efficiency of its coverage in a professional audio design” says JPRO’s audio experts. “This in turn has a positive impact on teachers and pupils as they are not mentally fatigued due to poor sound and acoustics.”

Building project manager Blair Grier says that Wakatipu High has the best acoustic system he has installed in his 28 years in the industry.

When asked what some of his favourite features of the school were, principal Steve Hall says “The Arts Department with its new dance rehearsal rooms and a recording studio – and the Arts Theatre that can seat up to 600 people, which would be used ‘heaps’!”

The Opportunity

NZ guitarist, composer and producer Arli Liberman was given the honour to compose the opening music titles of this prestigious event.

The soundtrack combines futuristic elements, NZ culture and Kiwi flavour together to create an inspiring anthem that establishes the event firmly in New Zealand.

“This experience has been the complete opposite of anything that I have produced thus far,” says Arli. “It is indeed an honour to be involved with this unbelievable sport, combining technology with nature.”

The Solution

Arli relies on the accuracy of JBL708P Powered Master Reference Monitors and AKG Studio Headphones for his film scoring and composing projects.

“This project needed true versatility with the sonic palate that was required. When I decided to take the sound of the boat and use it as my focal point, it was essential that my production speakers have the most accurate, fast response to create the effects and imagery needed. The JBL 708P definitely meets this criteria.”