The Event Centre is a huge 2400sq.m column-free space, the biggest of its kind in Sydney. The room caters for 4000 patrons in concert mode, 3000 guests with half seated, 1200 in a banquet ballroom setting and 1300 in a conference space.
Head of audio at the Event Centre, Ian Brown, made his assessments of what audio solution The Event Centre would need early on in the process. DiGiCo quickly surfaced as the best choice and Brown was quite vocal in his reasons behind going with an SD10 and SD11 in particular.
"This was the first major purchase of audio equipment since the initial fit out of the Casino. From the beginning of this project we set a very high standard for all systems to be installed into the Event Centre, with special emphasis on the audio system. We had a huge list of special requirements the system had to meet: it had to deliver the best sound available today; and be able to mix up to four independent events on one core system while integrating with our HD vision, conferencing systems and broadcast trucks, as well as be able to link to the existing audio system within the casino. Ultimately, my brief was simple. It had to be the best in the world. Nothing else would do."
The flexibility of the console was paramount as Ian also notes: "We required a system that could easily switch from doing a concert for major International artists to a conference with the main room operating as two spaces, then go back to broadcast with MADI consoles from the truck linked to the system; and all with minimal time and minimal fuss. It also had to be a system that any sound guy (or girl) would be happy to use - and we can be a very fussy bunch. Above all, it had to be reliable. The SD series consoles were the only system that could meet all of the scenarios we could throw at them and they have exceeded all of our expectations."
(Jim Evans)
