Hughes explains: "While I was familiar with the Nexo PS range I had never installed it before. I was determined to measure all the specs alongside the brand they had been using previously. I looked at dispersion pattern and SPLs, and there was no comparison. The PS10s were ideal and I'm delighted with the results. I particularly like the size of the box measured against the output power - and the dispersion is spot on. Because it's a rotatable horn we were able to fly them horizontally to provide even coverage across all 26 lanes."
In fact, Technation ended up shopping extensively from Fuzion plc - the Nexo distributors - adding to the six PS10s and LS500 sub multiples of t&m Systems' SA800 and SA450 amplifiers, and an Australian Monitor AMIS 120P to power the small 100V line system in the service area. For Hughes, Tenpin represents much more than amplifying sound effects among the clattering of bowling balls. For at the press of a button this automated environment can switch to the highly-charged, DJ-driven 'Cosmic Bowl' feature, when full AV and FX lighting comes into play: the UV and LED colour-change effects mix it with the powerful scanner beams, cutting through smoke that billows out across the lanes as the DJs interact with the customers. To simulate the effect of a full-on dance environment the highly-specified DJ front-end can now pump up the volume through loudspeakers with a strong nightclub pedigree.
While the PS10s are powered by three t&m SA800 amplifiers, the five SA450s address the attractive ceiling speakers, which cover all the peripheral areas. DMX Music has 'personalized' the venue, supplying the audio and visual content via hard disk. The latter includes the venue's own station 'Tenpin TV' while also showing on the plasma displays and LCD monitors are Freeview and VHS sources. General manager Stafford Scally is delighted with new-look venue, which was conceived by experienced leisure industry designer, Peter Shacklady, of Bignell Shacklady Ewing. "The technology has brought us into a new era; we felt we were advanced before but the sound quality is now far better, and we have more lighting and effects."
(Lee Baldock)