Tag: Sound Contracting

The Ultimate Extreme Sports Experience: Technomad @ Lake Placid’s Olympic Bobsled Run

The United States Olympic Bobsled Track at lake Placid, New York recently updated its sound system with Technomad loudspeakers.

SWM productions of Plattsburgh, New York specified and installed the 20 total loudspeakers used to cover the 1500 meter track located in one of the most harsh winter environments in America.

“The wind chill can reach 40-degrees below zero, not to mention the ice and snow,” said SWM President Tony LeClair. “We needed loudspeakers that provided sound worthy of an Olympic facility but that could also stand up to a uniquely harsh environment.”

LeClair installed two Technomad Noho C loudspeakers on the announcing booth located about halfway down the course. Loaded with a 1″/12″ coax driver, the mil-spec Noho C will be used for both music playing and voice reproduction. According to LeClair, the Noho has already exceeded expectations.

“We were testing the boxes by cranking some AC/DC for fun,” he explained. “There was a guy working in a Snow Cat at the bottom of the course who mistook the bass response for engine trouble. He turned off the machine before realizing he was hearing music coming from 1000-meters up the mountain. We were all amazed.”

Along with the Nohos, LeClair used 18 of the Technomad 70-voltVienna 16 Ts distributed along the lip of the track so as to minimize delay.

“We needed a distributed system that covered both the spectator area and the track area, “said LeClair. “They have people working on the track during races that need to be warned before a sled doing 100+ miles per hour comes flying at them.”

The loudspeakers are being driven by four QSC CV amplifiers at 400-Watts per side. They are running stereo on three different lines to every other speaker so that all of the loudspeakers can’t be lost in the event of a technical problem. A Berringer Dual Compressor31-band equalizer is also being used.

LeClair, using Technomads for the first time, had his technicians thoroughly examine the loudspeakers before installing them on the face of a frigid mountain.

“My reputation is attached to every installation we do,” said LeClair. “I have to let my guys examine the products I’m using for a given application – and boy was they impressed. We really can’t believe how well these loudspeakers are made. We will not hesitate to use them for future installations, both indoor and out.

SWM Productions, Inc. is a full service production company offering a wide variety of concert and event services ranging from consulting and planning to site coordination, stage management, and full-scale production for 10 years. In additions, SWM books and produces live entertainment throughout the greater upstate New York region.

The Technomad Noho C contains a coaxial 12″ low frequency driver and 1″ compression driver providing unparalleled musicality and voice intelligibility. The Vienna contains a horn-loaded 1″ high frequency driver and 6.5″ low frequency driver. Like all of the Technomad loudspeakers, the Noho and Vienna are fully weatherproof due to a three-layer stainless steel WeatherTech grill, military-specification rotationally molded cabinet and self-draining construction.

Boston-based Technomad users include all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, Universal Studios, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Lines, The White House, Cunard Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Rodger Williams University, ESPN Zone, Tony Gwynn Stadium, Cinergy Field and many others.

Technomad at Jillian’s

March 2, 2001 – Over ten years ago, Steven Foster, Jillian’s Founder and CEO, recognized the need for an adult and family driven destination that offers food, beverage, and socially interactive ice-breaking entertainment. – All in an exciting yet non-threatening environment. Since then, Jillian’s has developed into 35 individual clubs varying in size (15,000 and 75,000 square feet), and operating as a complete multidimensional “Eat! Drink! Play!” facility.

Each Jillian’s locations operate a variety of different entertainment and dining venues all under one roof. Most Jillian’s locations include 2 restaurants, a classic billiards lounge, an over-the-top bowling experience, the latest electronic simulation attractions, dancing, live music and the best sports and media viewing anywhere. Each Jillian location also features four nightclubs designed to entertain anyone of legal age.

Presently, Jillian’s has locations in Washington, California, Arizona, Texas, Minneapolis, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Several new Jillian locations that recently came online made use of Technomad VERNAL loudspeakers for their background and foreground sound systems. Indianapolis, Indiana, Champaign Illinois, Hanover, Maryland and Houston Texas locations installed as many as 14 Technomad Vernal 15s per location.

The low-profile Technomad Vernal 15 full range loudspeaker features a smooth, cosmetically clean design that adds to its transparent sound quality. While the Technomad Vernal 15 is a weather-resistant loudspeaker, Jillian’s selected the Vernal for its ability to project over high ambient noise levels while still delivering a smooth, articulate, full-range musical response. The Vernal 15, possibly the smallest loudspeaker on the market that features a 1″ diameter ceramic high-frequency driver, mounted on a 120¡ X 120¡ horn, is designed to deliver high-fidelity, audiophile-quality performance in such ‘sonically intense’ applications. Also impressive is the detailed and articulate low-end from the Vernal 15’s purpose-built 5.5″ bass transducer, a component that took Technomad over two years to design and perfect. The 60 watt (120 watt peak), 8 Ohm Vernal 15 features a sensitivity rating of 91 dB SPL (800 Hz to 10 kHz, 1w/1m C.W.) and can deliver maximum, long-term SPL of 96 dB (100 dB peak), at a frequency response of 100 Hz -18 kHz.

The Vernal is also available in a dual-mode version which lets the user select 8-Ohm or 70-volt operation (featuring 10, 20, 40, and an unheard-of 60 Watt power taps!), using a convenient brass switch on the back of the cabinet. Jillian’s often used the 60-watt / 70-volt setting, which delivered high SPL, excellent fidelity and great bass response with the convenience of 70-volt wiring.”

The high ambient noise level of each Jillian’s makes it difficult for many, if not all, small profile loudspeakers to project over the din of the crowds. The design criteria called for articulate, full-range music that would not get lost in the noise floor, or be reduced to mid-range, transistor radio-like delivery during peak operating hours when the facilities are at maximum capacity.

The manager’s at the aforementioned Jillian locations were quick to point out, the full-range musical response of the Technomad Vernal 15s, even down into the lower frequencies, is detailed, complete, accurate and very smooth.

One manager stated, the output is very impressive. I cannot believe that much music comes out of such a small cabinet. It’s important to have quality music enhance the environment. When an underpowered loudspeaker has to compete with the noise of the environment, it becomes a distraction when it’s pushed to the point of sounding strident. That’s when people focus on the sound and the loudspeakers for all the wrong reasons.

With the Technomads, no one notices the loudspeakers. They just deliver the quality sound so the music is an integral part of the room and the experience. The music surrounds the patron and the loudspeakers are completely transparent. That’s way we want a sound system to perform and we’re happy to say, our systems perform perfectly.

Jillian’s is headquartered at 1387 S. Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40208.
Phone: 502.638.9008. Fax: 502.638.0984.

REFERENCE LINK

http://www.jillians.com/