Tag: Sound Contracting

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 Returns to ISE with Expanded Portfolio for International Pro Audio Market

Technomad first exhibited at ISE last year on the heels of announcing it would begin stocking products in Europe and had established an international dealer network.  The company returns to ISE this year (February 1-3, RAI Exhibition Centre, Amsterdam, Booth 2A57) with an expanded dealer network and two new professional audio products set to receive their international debuts.

Joining the Technomad international dealer network in Europe are Audiopole of Marne-La-Vallee, France; Letusa of Alcoron, Spain; and RomAudioVideo of Bucharest, Romania.  Technomad also welcomes new dealers from Latin America and Canada as the company builds its global footprint.

Bruno Bertrand, CEO of Audiopole, said the company has so far specified Technomad for installation projects at theme parks, resorts and outdoor live events around France.

“We have found that the durability of Technomad loudspeakers and PA systems, coupled with excellent sound quality and performance, has been an ideal complement to the roster of 32 professional audio brands that we exclusively distribute throughout France,” said Bertrand.

ISE 2011 marks the international debut of two new Technomad products: The OSLO subwoofer and the PowerChiton4 powered amplifier.  Both products are designed with the typical weatherproof construction, rugged durability and high-end audio quality that are hallmarks are Technomad advanced loudspeakers and audio systems.

 

Technomad Oslo subwoofer
ISE marks the debut of the powerful Technomad Oslo subwoofer - believed to be the only weatherproof subwoofer available today in the 18-inch format

 

OSLO Subwoofer

 

The OSLO is a compact, high-power, all-environment 18-inch subwoofer developed specifically for the demanding requirements of themed entertainment applications both indoors and outdoors.  It is one of the most powerful subwoofers available due to its very low frequency response (below 100Hz) and high power rating (1250 W continuous).  These specifications combined with a high SPL allow the Oslo to produce a clean and powerful bass output.

The Oslo also offers excellent performance in the mid-size subwoofer class due to its single 18-inch low-frequency driver, making it the only completely weatherproof subwoofer currently available in the 18-inch format.  Though primarily designed for fixed and permanent applications like theme parks and sports venues, the Oslo is also ideal for temporary applications including live sound, corporate audio and theatrical performances.

“Technomad is extending its product range for the sound system installation market with a subwoofer that delivers accurate, extended bass and offers outstanding efficiency in a ported design,” said Rodger von Kries, vice president of Technomad.  “The Oslo accomplishes this without the excessive port resonance and ‘one-note bass’ sounds that plague many subwoofers.  Its compact size and portable form factor also make it ideal for applications requiring maximum bass at minimal volumes.”

Technomad will also offer the Oslo in a powered configuration featuring a 1600 W weatherproof amplifier module based on the company’s PowerChiton amplifier technology.

PowerChiton4

Technomad first introduced its PowerChiton range of IP66-rated powered amplifier modules in 2008, offering three versions at power levels of 130, 250 and 500 watts.  ISE will mark the European debut of PowerChiton4 offering three times the power of 500-watt version in the same compact, NEMA-enclosed package.

The PowerChiton4 can produce 1600 watts of power for 8-ohm systems and 1800 watts for 4-ohm systems.  Its IP66 ingress protection rating for persons and equipment makes it nearly bomb-proof, delivering a powerful amplifier in a highly protective shell.  Its low-profile, modular design also gives systems designers and integrators the freedom and flexibility to place the amplifiers closer to the loudspeaker (including wall and pole-mount systems) without hassle – or to install the modules to the back of the loudspeaker with specialized hardware.

The combined power, features and design of the PowerChiton4 essentially creates new opportunities for designers and integrators to specify and install PowerChiton amplifiers within distributed audio systems covering large areas — from large stadiums to campus-wide public address and emergency announcement systems.  Ethernet/Audio-over-IP networking capabilities enable zone control and a centralized infrastructure tying multiple audio points together.