SPAT REVOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS

Flyover in Chicago Takes Off With Help From FLUX:: SPAT Revolution and JBL Professional

Mala Ancestral Story Wintjiri Wiru Brought to Life Through Flux:: SPAT Revolution and JBL Professional

The upgrade emphasises the company’s continued commitment to excellence in audio, providing the best professional audio solutions to their customers.

Strawberry Sound provide full production services to top performers and promoters in the entertainment industry and celebrate 40 years in business this year. From concerts and festivals to award shows and gala dinners, the company has built a strong reputation for delivering outstanding audio visual experiences.

A proud JBL user since day one, Strawberry Sound continue to invest in cutting-edge technology to enhance its services. The addition of the JBL VTX A8 Series brings greater scalability and high-performance sound, ensuring every event—no matter the size—sounds its best.

One of the first events for their new system was the Miharo Central Lakes Polyfest in Queenstown, where the A8’s versatility was on full display. A ground-stacked system featuring six brand-new VTX A8 mid-highs and three B18 subwoofers per side was deployed, delivering outstanding results.

General Manager Mark O’Neill emphasised the importance of this upgrade, saying, “Adding the JBL VTX A8 Series to Strawberry Sound represents a significant step forward in our capabilities as a production company. The scalability of the system gives us the scope to deliver high-quality audio for a wide range of events and venues. The system can be split into several smaller systems for intimate gatherings or combined into a bigger system for large-scale productions, all while maintaining the versatility and reliability our clients have come to expect.”

The VTX A Series is designed to meet the demands of any event, providing well-engineered rigging, exceptional sound transparency and intuitive 3D acoustic simulation software using JBL Venue Synthesis.

“One of the standout features is its excellent sound clarity. The top end is incredibly smooth, with remarkable detail, ensuring that every note, word and sound is heard exactly as intended—without the harshness that some other systems may produce. Whether it’s a live performance, corporate event or outdoor festival, we’re proud to offer our clients the very best in professional audio solutions,” Mark O’Neill added.

Soon after the addition of their new A8 system, the Strawberry Team received JBL VTX training with Tim Robertson, JPRO’s JBL accredited VTX Trainer. The training equips users with the knowledge to maximise the capabilities of the VTX system safely, covering system design principles, hands-on rigging, configuration and software optimisation.

“We’re proud to be a part of Strawberry’s journey as they expand their inventory with the world-class JBL VTX A8 line array,” says Tim Robertson. “We’re committed to providing the best solutions and support to help our customers succeed.”

The system is powered by two Crown VRACK touring amplifier racks, each equipped with three of the most advanced professional touring amplifiers: the 4-channel Crown i-Tech HD 4×3500. Each amplifier channel features comprehensive OMNIDRIVE HD™ processing, including the acclaimed LevelMAX™ Limiter Suite and support for linear phase FIR filters, as utilised in the latest JBL V5 loudspeaker tunings.

Configuration and control of the entire system is managed by the latest JBL Performance Manager and Line Array Calculator software, with the Array Link mobile companion app helping technicians deploy systems on-site.

While the upgrade was not only about acquiring new equipment but also enhancing the overall experience for both clients and audiences, Strawberry Sound recognised the importance of collaboration. “We also want to take a moment to thank JPRO for being a fantastic partner and distributor,” says Mark O’Neill. “Their support and expertise have been invaluable throughout this process and we deeply value our long-standing relationship with the JPRO team. Collaborating with such a trusted partner has made this addition to our inventory seamless and rewarding, and we’re excited about the possibilities it opens up for the future.”

JPRO Interactive Showroom  |  JBL Synthesis Luxury Home Theatre Demo

Visit the interactive JPRO Showroom to experience cutting-edge audio, video and control solutions from JBL Professional, BSS Audio, AMX and more. We also feature the only JBL Synthesis-certified luxury custom cinema demo room in New Zealand, where you’ll experience sound so rich and immersive it feels as though the film is unfolding around you!

The JPRO Experience Centre is available by appointment only. Contact us or book your experience today!

Auckland, New Zealand: JPRO, a leading distributor of professional audio, video and control technology solutions, is excited to announce its appointment as the New Zealand distributor for Bettear Wi-Fi and Auracast™ Assistive Listening Solutions.

Bettear create innovative wireless assistive listening systems by using the latest advancements in Wi-Fi and Auracast™ technologies. These systems aim to transform how people with hearing difficulties experience audio in both indoor and outdoor spaces such as conference rooms, concerts, museums and houses of worship. This is achieved by offering immediate and convenient access to high-quality assistive technology through personal devices including smartphones, hearing aids and other audio technologies like receivers provided at venues.

“We are excited about our partnership with Bettear, enabling JPRO to offer an accessible and inclusive assistive listening solution in New Zealand,” says Paul Edlin, Sales Director at JPRO. “The B-Show Wi-Fi streaming solution that we have experienced has a variety of user-friendly accessible features. Bettear products integrate with existing loop systems and with more devices now featuring Auracast™ technology, we can deliver a leading solution that enhances the lives of many.”

“We are thrilled to partner with JPRO to bring Bettear’s cutting-edge assistive listening solutions to New Zealand,” said Mr. Itamar Gabbay, Bettear’s CEO. “Our Wi-Fi and Auracast™ based streaming technologies offer a seamless and personalised audio experience for people using hearing aids, cochlear implants and other hearables. JPRO’s expertise in the New Zealand market, combined with Bettear’s innovative technology, will empower users to connect their own devices and enjoy crystal-clear audio in any venue. This is an exciting step in expanding access to assistive listening technology across New Zealand, ensuring everyone can fully participate and engage in social and cultural settings, fostering a more inclusive society for all.”

JPRO has extensive experience providing assistive listening solutions and with Bettear in their product portfolio, will be able to offer cutting-edge, user-friendly accessible solutions in New Zealand, along with exceptional support, free expert advice and assistive hearing designs to its customer base. The synergy between the companies is immense, with all having a strong commitment to providing a high-quality listening experience.

Availability:

Bettear Wi-Fi Products are now available to demo and purchase in New Zealand. To discover more of the Bettear products in NZ, click here. To learn more about the manufacturer, click here.

The B-CASTER, Bettear’s feature-rich Auracast™ Streamer, will be available soon. Please use the contact form below to reach to our team of experts for your assistive listening solution.

The Opportunity

In 2023, the Springboro branch undertook a major renovation project to overhaul its technological infrastructure. The initiative included the addition of a medium-sized conference room and large meeting room, enhancing the branch’s capacity for collaboration in the community.

The in-house technology team led by Chad Morris opted to install a complete HARMAN Professional AV system, consisting of JBL Professional COL Column and ceiling speakers designed around the AMX Jetpack, which was developed for small-to-medium meeting spaces.

The Solution

The AMX Jetpack provides simple-to-operate room controls, while offering multiple video inputs and enabling voice lift for clear communication with everyone in the space.

The JPK-1300 combines 4K60 4:2:0 HDMI and USB-C video switching and distance transport, room control, wallplate accessibility and audio amplification in a kit that requires zero programming.

It includes a three-input switching wallplate transmitter, a six-button keypad with volume control, and a multi-function receiver with built-in amplifier, USB signal pass-through, RS232 control, Relay, IR, mic/line input, line out, remote mute, audio de-embedding, USB-AUDIO, ARC function and CEC control.

Jetpack supports a wide range of classroom and meeting space applications and can be controlled through panel buttons, RS-232, Telnet, SSH, a Web GUI, and the Jetpack Manager application.

The Impact

“The biggest wow factor with this project was how trouble free it was,” says Morris. “I’ve been an IT professional for 16 years and some projects present obstacles along the way. This one, for the most part was straightforward.

“During the installation, I had to contact the AMX engineer a few times with some basic questions, but they gave me all the information I needed. Overall, it went smoothly for a larger project. I am not an AV expert. I figure if I can do it, pretty much anybody can do it.”

Morris adds: “With Jetpack, you can get a high-end product with cost-effective solutions. Libraries don’t have the budgets big companies do. We need to deliver to the public good, top-of-the-line, cutting-edge technology – but without breaking the bank. Jetpack is the perfect solution for that.”

“The response to the Jetpack has been awesome. What staff and patrons like about it is that you just plug it in and it works. Its simplicity is what makes it great.”

The Opportunity

The All Blacks Experience allows visitors a unique opportunity to be immersed in the world of the All Blacks and Teams in Black and to discover more about their culture, legacy of success and connections with New Zealand.

A priority was to create a highly engaging experience for visitors. The visitor is immersed in this latest experience that steps through the process of what it takes to make, shape and be an All Black. Five interactive zones provide the opportunity for a visitor to face the full force of the haka, to prove their rugby knowledge, as well as getting hands-on in the skills area by testing their kicking, lineout and agility skills against some of the greatest All Blacks and Black Ferns – and each other.

Wellington-based company Toulouse were engaged to work alongside the project team at Workshop E to design, specify and install immersive AV, lighting and audio technology into this new experience.

Toulouse specialise in providing creative design and technical solutions for the visitor experience and arts presentation sectors. The company collaborates with key players in this space to provide some of the best experience-based storytelling, both within the country and internationally.

The Solution

The end-to-end audio architecture for the All Blacks Experience is delivered on a variety of hardware – Crown CDI Drivecore installation amplifiers, AVoIP audio decoders, a mixture of PC’s and Brightsign media players for source. There are three sets of 5.1 audio spaces within the experience.

Due to the unique audio requirements of each zone, Crown CDI4300BL, CDI4600BL and CDI41200BL amplifiers were selected. Crown CDi installation amplifiers feature Crown DriveCore technology, ensuring consistent power output and a range of input options. Designed for energy efficiency, these amplifiers also provide versatile networked audio capabilities and the inclusion of a BLU link digital audio bus to facilitate high-speed, high-bandwidth integration with BSS networks.

In each zone across the experience, the multi-channel (5.1) audio is delivered via an HDMI cable from a Brightsign media player to the AVoIP audio decoder. The six discrete channels of audio are then delivered into the BSS BLU-806 digital network for distribution to each of the Crown CDI amplifier channels.

The BSS BLU806 digital signal processor made this complex system possible with its BLU link and Dante connectivity. With configurable architecture and intuitive drag-and-drop design, it features a low-latency 256-channel audio bus, combining high bandwidth and power with user-friendly design for efficient and reliable audio distribution.

All other audio is again delivered by the Brightsign media players in a mix of mono and stereo sources, outputted into the BSS BLU network. The BSS BLU network then delivers the audio to a range of spaces within the site via a series of Crown CDI BLU enabled amplifiers.

The key challenge was the complexity of the experience and the range of requirements – from a bone rattling haka performance to an intimate ‘locker room’ conversation. Toulouse installed 160 loudspeakers and 138 channels of audio amplification across this experience. Some amplification was located in the field, whilst other zones of the experience were rack mounted and integrated into the audio network.

Each zone within the experience had uniquely different audio and architectural requirements – to address this the amplifiers and loudspeakers were matched to the composers and designer’s wishes. Extensive testing was undertaken in the Toulouse Wellington workshop with sample source audio provided ahead of the installation in order to achieve this. Creative leads were engaged with the tweaking process to ensure the clarity and depth of the audio experience matched the vision.

Some design elements added complexity to the functionality of the audio design. The ‘Haka Room’ – where the audience are face to face with larger-than-life All Blacks projected on a four-metre-high screen performing the haka Ka Mate Ka Mate – called for a subsonic boom, amplifying and replicating the power of being in front of the All Blacks as they perform the haka on the pitch.

Loudspeakers were carefully selected and deployed to achieve this truly immersive and powerful effect. Amplification within the Haka zone is through a series of Crown CDI41200BL amplifiers delivering 1200 Watts to the centre, left, right and surround speakers, with bridged 2x 1200W to each of the subwoofer enclosures.  For the loudest portions of the soundtrack, the amplifiers are maxed out on the fronts and subs – there is considerable audio being delivered into the small space, allowing the visitor to be fully surrounded in this audio experience.

The Impact

“The Crown CDI range of amplifiers offered the project the best value for the integrated audio network features and the most versatility utilising both the BSS BLU network and Dante audio together within one architecture,” says Marc Simpson of Toulouse. “The audio power and reproduction from Crown enhanced the loudspeaker performance which were also ultimately selected with value and audio performance as key drivers.

“The networking capabilities of these products afforded the Toulouse team a high degree of flexibility and responsiveness during the installation process – creative decisions were made in-situ and Toulouse needed to match the client requirements with the technical capacity within a short time frame.”

The effectiveness of the specific product and the overall impact was noted by the client:

Phil McGowan, General Manager All Blacks Experience said: “Toulouse are a trusted critical partner for us at the All Blacks Experience and their work on the delivery of audio content within the experience has been exceptional.  The finished product creates an immersive and highly emotive soundscape, delivered with crystal clear sound and high fidelity, which allows our visitors to not only hear the amazing soundtrack, but to feel it too!”

“The mighty Ka Mate haka from the All Blacks literally shakes our visitors to the bone – this kind of sound isn’t possible without reliable, professional audio equipment and a highly engaged, experienced technology partner like Toulouse who can bring their years of experience to bear to ensure the technology used is specified, installed and cared for correctly.”

The Opportunity

Founded as an audio visual installation company in 2015 by former touring musician and sound engineer Matt Chapman, the company has since expanded into a full-service equipment supplier for the event industry, contributing to some high-profile events and installation projects throughout New Zealand.

The first real run of the new line array was a solemn occasion, yet the ideal opportunity to utilise all of Audio Workshop’s JBL VTX arsenal, from its VTX F-Series through to the newly acquired VTX A8. Shortly after Matt and the Audio Workshop Team had received their JBL VTX system training by JBL distributor JPRO, the production company was contracted to be the audio visual service provider for the Queen’s Memorial Service held in New Zealand’s capital city.

Audio Workshop was tasked to provide audio visual services in three areas – the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul located opposite Parliament for the State Memorial Service and live screenings in the Parliament Grounds with a main arena and overflow for the public.

The Solution

The State Memorial Service in the Cathedral was attended by dignitaries including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Due to the sensitive acoustics of the historic church, Audio Workshop deployed their portable JBL CBT1000 high output line array column as main PA with JBL CBT100 line array columns as fills.

Members of the public were invited to gather in the grounds of Parliament where the new A8 system was put to the test for the first time. 6x JBL VTX A8 line array elements were flown on each side of the large screen with video and audio from the memorial service being broadcast to those in attendance. 4x JBL VTX B18 subwoofers for low frequency extension were included.

“We simply had to include the subs so that we could enjoy the pipe organ that can produce bass frequencies down to 20Hz,” quips Matt Chapman. “The detailed audio reproduction by the VTX A8 and B18 is remarkable!”

The Audio Workshop Team clearly appreciated the accuracy and fidelity of the JBL VTX A8 as well as the simplified patented rigging system which makes system set up and pack down quicker and easier.

The delay stack in the Parliament Gardens consisted of JBL VTX F35 loudspeakers being flown on the truss alongside the screen. The F35’s integrated mounting points allowed the system to be set up at the required angles while its high output three-way enclosure provided pristine audio coverage over the area.

The Impact

“We are very excited to expand our range of JBL VTX speakers to include the A8 line array, B18 subs and M20 monitors. For us it has been a natural progression to expand our inventory with a high-end tour grade line array from JBL Professional. The demand to provide audio for larger events necessitated this,” says Matt Chapman. “We were satisfied with the performance from the F35’s and the level of support by JBL distributors JPRO, and as we already had Crown iTech HD amplifiers and many JBL loudspeakers, it made financial sense to keep it in the family as these systems can work together.”

“The VTX A Series really sounds amazing, providing smooth accurate sound reproduction and versatility. The Queen’s Memorial service was our first time flying our expanded VTX A8 Line Array along with our other systems. The set up of all the gear was simple and fast thanks to the rigging system that works exceptionally well.”

Wireless receivers typically search for the strongest matching signal, irrespective of its quality, which means that the RF signal environment should be as clean as possible. This environment is referred to as the signal noise floor, which is the amount of background RF (Radio Frequency) noise present before any required signals are received.

USING BANDPASS FILTERS

While the implementation of best wireless audio practice such as frequency coordination with effective antenna distribution and antenna placement is always encouraged, there are RF tools available that can lower the noise floor in the RF spectrum and prevent the RF receiver overloading.

Lowering the noise floor is achieved by using a bandpass filter to reduce and filter out unwanted frequencies on each side of the desired frequency range. It is simply inserted in the antenna signal path and allows a specific range of frequencies to pass, while restricting the frequencies on either side outside that range. If a diversity system is used, a bandpass filter should be inserted on each antenna line.

REDUCING INTERMODULATION WITH BANDPASS FILTERS

Using bandpass filters can effectively reduce intermodulation problems when using several IEMs and wireless microphone systems together.

RF Venue bandpass filters have been designed to work with any brand of wireless system, provided that the correct frequency band is selected.

If you need assistance in configuring your wireless microphone setup and would like to implement best practice measures using correct antenna distribution, please contact our team of experts at JPRO today!

If you have a question about using bandpass filters in your system, or need assistance with your wireless microphone setup, contact our specialist Team at JPRO today!

Written by Andrew Sorrill with information based on RF Venue blogs.

Bibliography:

• Unplugging the Mystery Behind (and Inside) Video Wall RF Interference
• Bandpass Filters Are Your New Friend
• Improve Microphone Signal-to-Noise Ratio
• Bandpass Filters

The JBL Control Contractor Series includes wall mount, ceiling and pendant loudspeakers for all types of venues. This includes theme parks, sporting venues, shopping malls, conference/meeting rooms, lecture halls, retail stores, concourses, transit spaces, fill applications, audio for video and more.

Discover the range of installed audio solutions from the resources below and download the brand new JBL Control Contractor Brochure that includes the new expanded range of high performance pendant loudspeakers, wall-mounted slimline speakers and landscape speakers with in-ground subwoofers.

JBL Control Contractor | Request More Information or Product Demo

VIDEO RESOURCES

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 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

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.”

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.

Stage & Audio’s owner Tim Buchholz first owned a pair of JBL K140s back in the 1970s and he was blown away by the A8’s high-end performance, courtesy of the A-Series’ revolutionary new drivers and waveguide. These designs are responsible for the A-Series redefining the ‘JBL Sound’ and winning over long-term JBL fans and sceptics alike. “I have never heard clarity like that or top end that accurate in all my years working in pro audio. The level of performance is ridiculous,” enthuses Tim. “I’ve simply never heard anything like it. It’s still JBL, but noticeably more ‘European’. It’s a totally new sound.”

19 elements of JBL A8 have joined Stage & Audio’s inventory. Crown iTech HD3500 power amplifiers have also been brought in to supplement their existing racks, and the rig has just been augmented by the recent acquisition of 12 x JBL B18 Subwoofers.

The A8s have already been out working hard in their first two weeks, covering a Queen tribute band, the Rockhampton River Festival across two stages, and an awards night. “After these jobs, all our in-house engineers and guest techs that have mixed on them can talk about is the high-end performance. It’s such a step up,” adds Tim.

“Overall, the A8s have fantastic linearity,” concludes Tim. “There’s a newness to their sound, and you know every parameter and every frequency is being carefully watched over by advanced FIR filters, and compression and control algorithms. It creates and natural, sophisticated sound that is comparable to the best European touring systems on the market.”

The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki is New Zealand’s oldest established and largest public art gallery. Opened in February 1888, the gallery has increasingly become a focal point of Auckland’s art scene, and now lies at the heart of the New Zealand art experience for both the local community and visitors alike. Major restoration and expansion work completed in 2011, totalling $121 million, has transformed the building into a world-class cultural facility.

JPRO and Provision worked together to provide a networked audio system as part of the AV upgrade. The original specification was for an all in one AV & Fire/EVAC networked system. After much consultation it was deemed prudent to install a standalone AV system to provide better redundancy.

“This project was unique, in that two of the buildings we were cabling were Heritage Buildings over 100 years old, and not linked, while demolition and construction continued around us,” comments Stephen Ward, project manager and lead designer. “I was able to draw from my knowledge and experience from working and maintaining similar heritage sites in the UK, such as the Royal Society of Art and Tait Britain to assist with the planning and implementation of this project. It allowed me the insight and understanding as to how the client would ideally use the spaces.”

With the project being completed in stages the ability to link areas could only be completed once all construction was done.

One of the design challenges was to provide an audio network with up to 25 discrete zones and over 100 patchable inputs (4 per zone), as well as a separate BGM and Paging level control per zone. Each of the 25 Zones then needed the flexibility to be virtually patched to any combination of other zones. And then just to make life interesting, the main control for these zones was to be placed on a wireless touchscreen so that the venue technician could roam the gallery and make patching and level alterations as required.

The BSS London BLU-100 range of signal processors with built in 48 Channel Digital Bus allowed the flexibility they required to make this work within their tight budget.

Stephen continues “The audio was of high importance due to the changing nature of the open spaces in the art gallery and varying exhibitions and the use of the London Soundweb DSP in conjunction with a third party control system allowed us complete flexibility in its design and linking. This provides the ability to expand the AV systems in a modular way and meet the users ever changing needs.”

Provision went about installing 10 Soundweb BLU-100’s between the five AV plant rooms. An audio network was setup between the plant rooms using fibre optic cable which linked the forty eight channel digital audio network and Ethernet control. Every room also had Crestron wireless access points, which enabled compete network coverage of the Crestron tablet. Crestron and Soundweb London integrate extremely well together with BSS being an integrated partner.

The mammoth task of mapping the level controls from 10 different Soundweb DSP began. Logan Bent programmer for Provision with 15 years’ experience and dozens of existing projects involving BSS Audio and Crestron went about the task of integrating the two systems. Logan comments “The actual programming was relatively straight forward once a clear scope of works and client discussions in developing the interface were conducted. The most time consuming component during implementation and commissioning was the grand scale of the project. The greatest challenge with the interface was coming up with a way to overflow any of the inputs to any of the output zones. Along with that a simple way to disable a certain link was needed.”

After the cabling was complete the hardware installation commenced with JBL Speakers being a focal point of the design and a prominent yet discrete feature of the building. In keeping with the Architects vision within the context of an iconic Art Gallery, very low profile discrete speakers were required. In total over 250 JBL speakers were installed throughout this complex including Control 26CT, Control 24C, AC28-95, Control SB-210, Control50ST, Control 25AV, Control42C speakers.

The Great Hall is its centrepiece, seating up to 1,529 people in theatre-style on three levels. Designed for live performances, it includes a 17 metre stud and permanent concert platform. To ensure an exceptional audio experience for patrons with consistent, reliable sound coverage, the Great Hall received an audio upgrade to a JBL Professional high performance audio system. Auckland Live contracted Liquid Automation for the supply, programming and installation of the system.

Liquid Automation’s Commercial Sales Team noted that there were several important considerations when contemplating the design for this audio system, which were re-enforced by their customer Auckland Live who had very high expectations for its performance.

Firstly the heritage status – any system would need to be approved by the heritage panel so that it could not be any more obtrusive than the existing system and the Loudspeakers had to blend in with the existing colour scheme and overall look of the reflector panels.

Secondly the system must be easy to use for day to day operation as the Town Hall is a multi-use venue and the operators needed to be able to reconfigure the system to allow any combination of speaker zones to be activated, and it should be configurable as delay support for temporary PA systems when required.

The technical considerations included the redesigning and installation of new speaker brackets within the permitted loading limits, providing consistent sound coverage across the three vertical levels of seating, achieving good speech intelligibility from the audio system within a reverberant venue, fixing historical issues with noise in the audio chain caused by the mains power supply in the venue, the long cable runs between amplifiers and speakers and, the long analogue cable runs between the operating positions and amplifiers.

With a building of this heritage, three design approaches were considered: firstly a Line Array solution (JBL VTX), secondly a Steerable Array Column solution (JBL Intellivox) and thirdly a Point Source Cluster solution (JBL PD – Precision Directivity).

Careful consideration was given to each approach including in-depth modelling and system design. After a detailed review of all options the JBL Precision Directivity Point Source Cluster was considered to be a highly effective approach.

The PD6322 Full Range Three-Way Loudspeakers and the PD6212 Full Range Two-Way Loudspeakers allowed excellent vertical and horizontal pattern control and, good bandwidth response down to 40hz (PD6322) as well as the ability to precisely aim the cluster and in keeping with the aesthetic of the previous system.

Liquid Automation’s Commercial Project Manager and Shore Engineering Ltd co-designed the main central cluster array bracket to allow fine adjustment “pan/tilt” of every speaker in the cluster. The speaker angles were set in precise alignment in accordance with the computer modelling.

To complement the PD central cluster, JBL Application Engineered Series AC16 two way compact loudspeakers were installed under the balcony areas and were also used for stage fills and delays. The AC16 speakers offered high output and high fidelity which was required for the system brief of a multi-use sound system.

JBL CBT70J Constant Beamwidth Technology™ Two Way Line Array Column speakers were used for Circle delays. “The asymmetrical vertical coverage of these speakers sends more sound towards the far area of room to make front-to-back sound levels more consistent,” says Paul Edlin, Audio Designer at JPRO. “This made these speakers the perfect choice for the circle delays.”

Dante Audio was enabled using BSS BLU Processors allowing for a noise free digital backbone of up to 128 channels between the three critical locations – the control booth, the lower plant room below stage floor and the upper amplifier rack in the town hall roof.

All three were connected via fibre optic cable. The BSS Soundweb network provides complete routing options between all three locations as well as automated scenes to enable any combination of speakers to be turned on or off which allows for maximum flexibility.

Using Harman’s own HiQnet Audio Architect control software, Liquid Automation provided an elegant user interface using a touch screen PC to help the operator quickly and easily switch between the required modes to fine tune the setup. Audio Architect gives the system administrator one software platform to help manage and control the critical components in the system in real time including BSS Soundweb (routing), Crown ITech amplifiers (main cluster) and Crown DCI Amplifiers (all delay speakers).

Continuing on with a need to make the system fully digital, the Digital Mixing Console chosen was the Soundcraft Si Performer as it allowed direct connection to Soundweb (via Dante) while also allowing a fibre optic stage box to be run to the stage for additional patching (via Madi).

Auckland Live Technical Operations staff and clients have commented on the excellent audio in the Great Hall. “The versatility of the system has reduced the need to install temporary sound reinforcement systems for events. Back-up and support from JPRO through initial teething issues has been excellent.”