Harman elevates audio at Tajikistan mosque
- Details
Constructed over 10 years at a cost of $93m, Dushanbe Central Mosque is the largest mosque in Tajikistan and one of the largest in Central Asia. The mosque and surrounding areas boast a maximum capacity of 120,000 for large events, with the mosque itself able to accommodate around 25,000.
The complex features several prayer halls, a library, a museum, an outdoor courtyard and four minarets towering nearly 250ft high. Located in one of the warmest climates on the planet - where temperatures have been known to peak at 42°C during summer months - Dushanbe Central Mosque needed a sound system that could not only deliver crystal-clear speech intelligibility, but also withstand the environmental conditions.
To meet these requirements, A&T Trade deployed a sophisticated audio solution featuring 170 JBL Intellivox column loudspeaker arrays, including customised enclosures in the outdoor areas to protect the equipment. The speakers are powered and controlled by AXYS IndustryAmp amplifiers, BSS signal processors and a Soundcraft mixing console.
“The mosque challenged us to calculate all of the performance parameters for the acoustical system to ensure it could achieve the desired speech intelligibility and SPL levels,” says Janis Zaneribs, project manager, A&T Trade. “Once we proved it would, they gave us the green light for the project. As for the sound, our goal was to go above and beyond and give them the best possible speech intelligibility in this type of building with such specific conditions.”
To deliver audio throughout the complex, A&T Trade deployed 170 JBL Intellivox active beam-shaping column loudspeakers. DS115 and DSX500 loudspeakers serve the two main prayer halls, while DS180, DS280 and DS380 models serve the smaller prayer halls and two floors of galleries. In the outdoor courtyard, A&T Trade modified the IP55-rated HP-DS370 and HP-DS170 loudspeakers by removing the electronics and placing them inside the building to protect them from the heat. JBL CSS-15VA loudspeakers provide supplemental coverage for announcements.
In addition to providing unmatched sonic performance, A&T Trade chose Intellivox loudspeakers to blend in seamlessly with the mosque’s architecture and décor. The columns feature a slim, low-profile design, and A&T Trade took advantage of their paintable enclosures to match the color of the mosque’s interior. A variety of fixed and hinged mounting brackets allow the loudspeakers to be mounted discretely, further helping them blend in.
To power and control the expansive audio system, A&T Trade equipped the complex with BSS Soundweb London signal processors, AXYS and Crown amplifiers, and a Soundcraft mixer.
