Tag: outdoor audio

Technomad and Wortz Consulting Upgrade Stadium Sound at Tuskegee University

BOSTON, September 28, 2011 — Tuskegee University in Alabama is renowned for its academic and athletic excellence.  The latter includes the university’s celebrated NCAA Division II football team, the Golden Tigers, which boasts a 106-year history and 28 SIAC Conference championships.  The Golden Tigers stand with a few elite college football teams with more than 600 victories, and have won more games (630) than any of the other “Historically Black Colleges and Universities” (HBCU).

Tuskegee University installed both wide and narrow dispersion models from the Technomad Berlin loudspeaker range

The seventy-year-old, 10,000-seat Abbott Memorial Stadium is a historic treasure to Tuskegee University and its alumni.  The university, in alignment with ongoing stadium preservation, recently added a Technomad Turnkey PA system with six Technomad Berlin weatherproof loudspeakers.  The system plays out intelligible voice and high-quality music across four zones and long distances for football games, graduations and other stadium events.

Wortz Consulting, an Alabama-based IT consulting company with expertise in audio/video, network infrastructure and lighting, designed and integrated the sound system.  Chris Wortz, president, balanced perfect sound detail inside and outside the stadium.  The Technomad system substantially improves sound to the field, bleachers, press box, common outdoor spaces and a lawn section with picnic areas.

“The sound needed to extend beyond the stadium and the bleachers to an outside lawn area where fans watch the games,” said Wortz.  “The local high humidity and storm potential also required an environmentally strong, weatherproof sound system that provided great audio quality and did not need constant maintenance.  We chose Technomad because of their reputation for superior sound and environmental durability.  They exceeded our specifications for sound while meeting the environmental challenges we faced.”

The Technomad Turnkey PA system for Tuskegee University includes two Berlin loudspeakers, a pre-wired amplifier, six-channel mixer, two microphones, power equipment, loudspeaker mounts, cables and connectors — all delivered in a 6RU shock-mount equipment rack.  Wortz added four additional Berlins, including two Berlin 6040 narrow dispersion loudspeakers to enhance directional audio targeted to specific areas.  Wortz also ran new wiring and bolted the loudspeaker mounts for extra support.

“Everyone at Tuskegee is extremely pleased with the sound installation,” said Mr. Reginald Howell, director of audio visual services at Tuskegee University.  “Thanks to Technomad and its superior sound system, we can now use our beloved, historic stadium for graduations as well as football games, which we have been longing to do but could not because of the previous inadequate sound system.  Tuskegee University is delighted with Technomad’s sound quality, reach and environmental durability.”

 

Technomad Delivers Big Sound in Compact Package for Illinois Zoo

Vernal and Vienna models deliver news, exhibit information and background music across seven acres in durable, weatherproof package

BOSTON, September 14, 2011 — The bird calls, primate howls and other noises coming from the Phillips Park Zoo in Aurora, Illinois, are balanced with a new, high-quality audio system that delivers news, exhibit information, and background music to some 200,000 visitors each year.

A cluster of Vernals in a general thorofare

Chicago-based systems integration firm AST (Advanced Systems & Technologies) installed a 70-volt system with eight weatherproof Technomad advanced audio loudspeakers to provide intelligible voice and high-quality musical reproduction throughout all seven acres of the zoo.  Seven Technomad Vernal loudspeakers discreetly cover the grounds, providing audio to visitors nearby the animal exhibits.  One Technomad Vienna loudspeaker provides long-distance audio projection to patrons at the main entrance gate and visitor center.

The compact Vernal and Vienna loudspeakers, mounted on various building eves, light poles, and fences, are part of a custom turnkey installation that replaced an outdated system scarred by time and weather.  Both models are powerful, IP56 weatherproof, two-way, full-range loudspeakers built to withstand tumultuous weather conditions, including the extreme summer heat and heavy rains often experienced while the zoo is open for business.

“We needed a more efficient way to communicate with our visitors, especially in the event of a storm or if an animal were to escape,” said Randy Johnson, manager of Phillips Park Zoo.  “The weatherproof aspect drew me to Technomad, and the sound quality of the loudspeakers has exceeded our expectations.  I recorded some WAV files and have short zoo ads randomly playing in between the music segments, and everything sounds great,” Johnson said.

Johnson enlisted the help of AST for a professional installation, and AST quickly determined that Technomad was the best choice for the project.

“The Vernal and Vienna loudspeakers were chosen for their weatherproof construction, and their throw distances perfectly matched our needs,” said Terry McCarthy, partner and design engineer at AST.

McCarthy strategically placed the loudspeakers outside the animal enclosures and above the reach of visitors.  He also took advantage of Technomad’s flexible mounting options, utilizing the company’s sophisticated yoke mount anchoring system.  McCarthy installed four runs of high-quality, 12-gauge audio cable to provide the 70-volt power distribution to all the loudspeaker locations.

“We hid the cables at Randy’s request so they weren’t visible to the public,” he said.  “This took extra time but it resulted in a great payoff for the zoo.  The loudspeakers blend perfectly into the surrounding environment, and the audio sounds great.  Once you install them, you never have to worry about them.”

ABOUT AST

AST is a national audio, video and lighting systems design and installation company celebrating 30 years of industry experience.  For help in your area, e-mail info@ast-av.com or call 214.243.7652, or visit http://www.ast-av.com for more information.

Technomad Gives Flight to DragonFly at InfoComm

The DragonFly, adapted from Technomad’s rugged military technology, is ideal for mobile pro audio and staging events that require outstanding audio quality, lightweight portability, quick setup, ease of operation and durable construction for outdoor events. It is the first weatherproof, portable PA system of its kind.

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