[ATTACH=CONFIG]200615.vB5-legacyid=12525[/ATTACH]Erie, PA – May 2015… Opened on August 29, 2014, the new Gannon Recreation and Wellness Center features nearly 52,000 square feet of subdivided indoor space for year-round athletic, intramural, open recreation, and fitness activities, an 80-yard indoor field house, a Human Performance Laboratory, three full-size basketball courts, an indoor track, three regulation-size racquetball courts, an expansive cardio room, three massive aerobics suites, and more. The $14.5 million project is state-of-the-art in every way and, to ensure world-class audio throughout the facility, the venue is equipped with loudspeaker systems drawn from the catalog of Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio.
Erie, PA-based Grisé Audio Visual Center, Inc., a design / build AV integration firm that also has a live events division, was contracted to design and install the new sound system at The Gannon Recreation and Wellness Center. Greg Hardner, the company’s Sales & Production Manager, designed the sound reinforcement system, which included 69 D.A.S. Audio CL-6TB ceiling speakers, 22 Factor 8T surface mount loudspeakers, and 10 Arco 4T point source loudspeakers. He discussed the project and his fondness for D.A.S. Audio.
“The decision to install a sound system throughout the facility was approved with only six weeks of construction remaining before the grand opening/ribbon cutting deadline,” Hardner recalls. “After winning the initial bid, there was a design revision that added weeks of delay. The grand opening occurred in August, but we found ourselves working after hours to avoid an interruption of services. Our installation commenced in late October and the new system was first used in mid-November. The various D.A.S. Audio loudspeakers were deployed in exercise areas such as the gymnasium, the weight rooms, the wrestling mat room, as well as the dance and movement spaces.”
When asked about the single most pressing challenge of the project, Hardner discussed the issue of convincing his client that D.A.S. Audio was the best choice for the job. “Our customer had definitely developed a strong preference for certain brands,” Hardner said, “and here we were, asking him to consider products he had never heard of. Ultimately, this led to a very pleasant surprise when he first auditioned the D.A.S. equipment.”
Hardner was quick to point out that his client was particularly impressed with the music reproduction capabilities of the D.A.S. Audio Factor 8T surface mount loudspeakers. “Upon hearing a demo of the D.A.S. Factor 8T for the first time, our customer was very impressed with the musicality of the loudspeaker,” he reports. “The performance of the Factor 8T during that demo convinced him we had the right manufacturer. With the Factor 8T, music reproduction is very balanced and remained so even at higher levels. The Factor 8T speakers were even more impressive once installed in the very difficult acoustical environment of the large gymnasium, where vocal clarity in the reverberant space could have posed challenges.”
In addition to the D.A.S. Factor 8T, Hardner and his team placed 69 D.A.S. Audio CL-6TB ceiling speakers throughout the lobby, the dance areas, the cardio workout area, and the facility’s Fresh Café, as well as some class and laboratory spaces. The CL-6TB is equipped with a multi-tap line transformer—making the speaker ideally suited for 70-volt distributed systems. Similarly, the Arco 4T loudspeakers also include a multi-tap line transformer, making them well suited for use in those locations where ceiling speakers were impractical.
When queried about D.A.S. Audio’s customer and technical support services, Hardner was very complimentary. “Everyone at D.A.S. has been very responsive,” Hardner said. They delivered everything exactly as planned. In fact, they over-delivered—on all that they promised.”
With the new Gannon Recreation and Wellness Center fully operational, everything is working out even better than originally envisioned. “Our experience with Grisé Audio Visual has been wonderful,” says Sam Hyman, Technical Director at Gannon University. “The sound system is exactly what we needed, it was installed beautifully, and it functions perfectly. The D.A.S. Audio loudspeakers deliver an elegant quality of sound throughout the facility. Being a 25+ year veteran of sound reinforcement, I’d like to think my standards are pretty high. I am amazed at the clarity and coverage of the D.A.S. equipment. As we move forward, I am certain we’ll be looking to Grisé Audio Visual and D.A.S. Audio for assistance with future projects.”
To learn more about The Gannon Recreation and Wellness Center, go to [URL]http://www.gannon.edu/Student-Life/Recreation-and-Wellness-Center/[/URL]. For additional information about Grisé Audio Visual Center, Inc., contact Greg Hardner at [EMAIL=”[email protected]”][email protected][/EMAIL].
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About D.A.S. Audio
Celebrating 40 years of innovation, Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of loudspeaker systems, power amplification, signal processing, and related components. D.A.S. Audio products are found on tour with the world’s greatest performing artists and installed in many of the most prestigious facilities. For additional information about D.A.S. Audio, visit the company online at [URL=”http://www.dasaudio.com”]www.dasaudio.com[/URL].
