The facilities management team at Loughborough University had often hired a sound system for occasions when they needed to deliver speeches or make announcements in the hall. This year the decision was made to install a permanent system that would perform on Graduation Day, but was dual purpose and could also become the audio system for general sports hall activities and events throughout the year.
In-store media provider and Bose Pro Partner, Mood Media, was brought in to assist with specifying and installing the system.
Following a full day of audio measurements and reverberation tests in the sports hall, Bose engineers used Bose Modeler software to create an audio design using the most appropriate loudspeakers for the project. It required products that would perform equally well when the hall was carpeted and full of people on Graduation Day, as on days when hard surfaces were exposed during sporting events.
Bose Panaray LT 9403 full range long throw loudspeakers were recommended for their speech clarity, coverage and full range audio response for music. The Modeler software enabled the audio designers to dramatically reduce the reverberation issues in such a large space.
Combined with a Bose ControlSpace ESP-88 audio management system, the result is a flexible, easy to control high performance solution. For Graduation Day and other audience events, all six LT loudspeakers are in use, whilst for sporting events, the facilities management team can select a combination of speakers from left, centre and right sections.
All six loudspeakers are flown from the main roof structural girdars, offering the university significant cost savings when compared with a multi-speaker option. The ESP-88 system electronics allow for future expansion to accommodate additional audio zones if required.
The facilities management engineer in charge of the project for Loughborough University is delighted with the result. "The installed system has greatly enhanced the graduation ceremonies, and the other events that take place at the University. Performance is excellent, whilst still providing value for money against a challenging programme of installation."
(Jim Evans)
