Ryan Hocking, technical consultant and operator at Stage and Audio Event Solutions, removed their inadequate sound system and replaced in with the JBL CBT Series line array columns with Constant Beamwidth Technology.
"We installed four CBT 70J-1 and two CBT 70JE-1, spaced evenly along one side of the hall," explained Ryan. "We have quite a lot of JBL speakers in our hire stock, and they have always reliable and great sounding, so when we saw the JBL CBT range we knew they would be good. It's such a reputable brand and we've found the CBT speakers deliver great coverage and really suit the venue. The JBL CBT's provide line array coverage and clarity for a fraction of the cost of other systems. Plus, they're not big and bulky."
As soon as the CBT speakers were installed, Ryan plugged his phone into the system to play some music expecting it to sound like a horn system."It sounded like a 12" horn with an 18" sub underneath it," he enthused. "We were just blown away. The clarity was amazing."
Powering the JBL CBT system are four Crown CDi amplifiers including one to do foldback on stage. Wireless microphones consist of eight Shure BLX systems - eight handhelds, eight lapels and eight receivers - that deliver professional quality sound with simple setup and an intuitive interface.
"They're really good, we were amazed at how easy they were to set up and synchronize," commented Ryan. "They're crystal clear and although we haven't put any external aerials on them, you can still get up to forty metres out of them. They're inexpensive too! They seem to be very robust so they should survive the knocks the kids at school will give them."
Also supplied were a Jands PDS 12 power distribution system to convert three phase to single phase GPO power distribution and a Jands Vista dongle to control a wall mounted dimmer.
"We've had nothing but raves about the system from the client," added Ryan. "It's incredible how controlled and focused the energy is out of the JBL CBTs. We're hoping to put more JBL CBT speakers into venues as they are so easy to install; the brackets on them are great and despite the venue being used for volleyball and basketball, we haven't put cages around them and don't envisage having to do so. I think they'll withstand a couple of balls hitting them."
(Jim Evans)
