Tasked with designing a versatile AV infrastructure that would broaden its appeal to external companies, Quadrant Visual Solutions turned to a Harman Professional solution after winning the contract, supported by UK distributor Sound Technology.
With Ben Todd of Sound Technology's project team providing EASE modelling of the space, a system design was proposed to provide highly efficient coverage and to fulfil the technical requirement for the room to be used in two orientations (landscape and portrait format) for audio and visual projection.
On the side wall Quadrant installed two pairs of JBL constant beamwidth line array columns, in the shape of a JBL CBT70JE, sitting atop a CBT70J. The addition of the former is designed to extend the pattern control of the CBT 70J by doubling its height and lowering the frequency the speaker displays over consistent coverage patterns.
At the far end, where a lectern and optional stage are situated, a pair of white JBL AC28 2-way (2 x 8in LF) loudspeakers are suspended high from the vaulted ceiling on tension wires, via custom brackets - these are in keeping with those used with the giant Glulam beams which form the centrepiece of architects Shepheard Epstein Hunter's impressive eco-design. The system is powered by a pair of Crown XTi 2002 amplifiers.
Explained Quadrant project manager, Les Bell, "The three key drivers were simplicity and flexibility, with a user friendly interface. We started looking at where we could get best value and this led us to Sound Technology. We worked out the coverage/dispersion requirements and they modeled it for us. The JBL loudspeakers we specified are extremely versatile and directional."
A BSS Soundweb London DSP simplifies the control and also brings major cost benefits. By adopting the open architecture Soundweb London BLU-101 (with 12 inputs and eight outputs), extended with the addition of two BLU-BIB 8-input break-in boxes, the facility can carry out automatic mixing without the need for a third party sound mixer, recalling multiple presets.
At present, four AKG C747 shotgun mics, for use at the tables, can be plugged into the system via a 12-way XLR patchbay, while the system's parameter presets also allow for the room's sound profile to be reconfigured. The Soundweb hosts its own virtual mixing desk which can be accessed over the network, dramatically reducing the development cycle.
All environmental control is under AMX management, while each of the rooms has been acoustically deadened by the architects (since the hall is in a heavily-populated residential area), and all lighting is LED.
Also included is a bespoke Extron SMX matrix switcher and scaler, while there is a full array of playback and record devices in the equipment rack, with routing to other seminar / breakout rooms. Thus the Quadrant solution has enabled the University to support all analogue and digital formats, including HDMI.
(Jim Evans)
