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.
“Intellivox is not only a more effective solution but a cost-saver in the long run.”
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 meters, the sleek Intellivox-DSX280 HD units 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) range is known for its even coverage, delivering clear and consistent audio across a variety of room sizes and acoustic conditions.
“Once we heard the difference with the JBL column array speakers, we knew immediately that we had found the right solution.”
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.”
