Erie, PA-based Grisé Audio Visual Center, Inc., a design / build AV integration firm that also has a live events division, was contracted to design and install the new sound system at The Gannon Recreation and Wellness Centre. Greg Hardner, the company's sales & production manager, designed the sound reinforcement system, which included 69 D.A.S. Audio CL-6TB ceiling speakers, 22 Factor 8T loudspeakers, and 10 Arco 4T loudspeakers. He discussed the project and his fondness for D.A.S. Audio.
"The decision to install a sound system throughout the facility was approved with only six weeks of construction remaining before the grand opening/ribbon cutting deadline. After winning the initial bid, there was a design revision that added weeks of delay. The various D.A.S. Audio loudspeakers were deployed in exercise areas such as the gymnasium, the weight rooms, the wrestling mat room, as well as the dance and movement spaces."
When asked about the single most pressing challenge of the project, Hardner discussed the issue of convincing his client that D.A.S. Audio was the best choice for the job. "Our customer had definitely developed a strong preference for certain brands and here we were, asking him to consider products he had never heard of. Ultimately, this led to a very pleasant surprise when he first auditioned the D.A.S. equipment."
Hardner was quick to point out that his client was particularly impressed with the music reproduction capabilities of the D.A.S. Audio Factor 8T surface mount loudspeakers. "The Factor 8T speakers were even more impressive once installed in the very difficult acoustical environment of the large gymnasium, where vocal clarity in the reverberant space could have posed challenges."
In addition to the D.A.S. Factor 8T, Hardner and his team placed 69 D.A.S. Audio CL-6TB ceiling speakers throughout the lobby, the dance areas, the cardio workout area, and the facility's Fresh Café, as well as some class and laboratory spaces. The CL-6TB is equipped with a multi-tap line transformer - making the speaker suited for 70-volt distributed systems. Similarly, the Arco 4T loudspeakers also include a multi-tap line transformer, making them well suited for use in those locations where ceiling speakers were impractical.
(Jim Evans)
