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The newly installed Technomad loudspeaker system at the new Greenport, NY Outdoor Ice Rink, recently rode out the 70 MPH assaulting winds and weather of the Blizzard of 05 with flying colors. The rink, located at the edge of Greenport Harbor in the Greenport, is continually subjected to the extremely harsh winter marine environment consisting of pelting, salt-laden frozen rain, snow, and ice build-up. This little Eastern Long Island seaside village isn’t the healthiest environment for a permanently installed outdoor loudspeaker system, let alone anything else that’s susceptible to the ravages of the Atlantic’s fall and winter storms. Hence the brand new, four-acre Mitchell Park in the Incorporated Village of reason Technomad loudspeakers were selected for the project. The sound system was installed by Don Fisher’s Sound Productions, established in 1972, of Southold, New York. Specializing in sound system installations and rentals, in 33-years Don has installed sound systems in restaurants, churches, schools and public and municipal facilities, as well as providing turnkey lighting and sound for live summer events, in all of the summer resort towns and communities of Eastern Long Island. Don points out, “My business runs from all-live sound rental events during the summer, including the Montauk Marine Basin Shark Fishing Tournament all the way out east, to all-installation business during the winter months. It’s safe to say during my long career, I’ve been hands-on with most of the high school auditorium sound systems on Eastern Long Island.” Don points out that the Honorable David Kapell, Mayor of Greenport, had the foresight to require the installation of a quality weather-resistant sound system for the newly built Ice Rink. Don states, “Mayor Kapell recognized the need for a sound system that would be of true Show/FOH quality audio to attract and keep patrons entertained on the ice as well as survive the environment. My research determined that Technomad loudspeakers were the only Ironclad loudspeakers that could handle the application.” The installation took place during the first three weeks of January 2005, with Sound Productions acting as the design consultant and installation supervisor and Johnson Electrical Construction Corp. of Hauppauge, NY handling all of the electrical and wiring installation. Don again used North Fork Welding to design the custom loudspeaker rigging, (that Don considers “artwork”), which would secure the Technomad Cairo loudspeakers to the four Musco light poles. Architect Mark Ours of the New York City-based architectural firm Sharples, Holden, Pasquarelli, aka: SHOP, designed the unique cabinetry for the installation of the system’s front end, consisting of a Mackie 1202VLZ mixer, Tascam CDA500 CD/Tape player, dbx Drive Rack and two Crown MicroTech 1200 power amps that power the four bi-amplified, stereo Technomad Cairo Loudspeakers. One wired Shure 565SD microphone is plugged directly into the Mackie mixer for public address announcements and a second microphone input was installed at the base of one of the Musco light poles for ‘on ice’ performances. The only structure that is a part of the ice rink facility houses the refrigeration/pump system and Zamboni as well as a small 10-foot by 10-foot ice skate rental booth. The electronics needed to be installed in a finite area above and below the rental booth’s counter area and, Don states, “Mark designed beautiful 19″ Oak rack cabinets with splash guards and false fronts to conceal and protect the system wiring.” Following the Rink’s grand opening on January 22, the Blizzard of 2005 blew through the Northeast until it subsided late in the day on January 23. Don concludes, “On Monday, when the sun and skaters came out, the sound from the Technomad system was as rich and clear as it was on opening day and it remains that way. I’m confident that this Technomad system is going to be around for many more Blizzards to come.” For more info about Sound Productions, please contact: Don Fisher |