[ATTACH=JSON]205040.vB5-nodeid=205040[/ATTACH] Cheney, WA – Design / Install firm SaviTechs Enterprises recently completed a full audio renovation for Eastern Washington University’s hockey arena. Tectonic Audio Labs Resonant Mode Audio flat panel speakers were selected to bring the space under control.
“EWU’s hockey arena offers some considerable acoustic challenges from highly reflective surfaces.” says Michael Hornsby, SaviTechs general manager. “For starters, there’s the ice itself. Surrounding that are 12’ foot plexiglass shields. Add to that parallel glass galleries up and behind the stands. Top this all off with a hanger-style roof to complete the list of sound issues: poor intelligibility, echo & slap-back and feedback problems.”
SaviTechs assessed the situation and found what would be expected. ”Nothing sounded good with the old system.” reports Hornsby. “The system was comprised of clusters of 12” 2-way boxes progressively added to the bleachers, mounted and aimed as time went on. Coverage to all seating and standing room areas – over 1,000 people in all – was never achieved. Furthermore, there was no direct coverage for the ice itself; necessary for events and public skating.”
The Tectonic Demonstration: Proof of Concept –
After a thorough review, SaviTechs suggested a demonstration for proof of concept. “We brought in a pair of lifts and raised a 2 x 2 set of Tectonic PL-12s.” explains Hornsby. “By placing the lifts in the players’ box areas, we were able to get the panels very nearly to their final location.” This panel placement not only succeeded in covering the main arena, but was a better fit to the budget. “We were planning for more speakers, but the PL-12s covered so well that we were able to proceed with adding just a couple of PL-11s for fills.”
Design and Implementation –
Fourteen existing trapezoidal enclosures were removed, along with 12 amplifiers. The main 2 x 2 PL-12 rigs were flown by aircraft cables attached in a dead-hang with Tectonic CGF Center-of-Gravity Heads. With the panels mounted so high, 0⁰ interconnect bars were used between the panels; no curve was necessary. All hardware was painted to match the Tectonic factory architectural white panels to blend in with surrounding walls and roof.
Two single PL-11s were flown over the front rows of seating to overcome the sound shadow caused by the 12-foot tall plexiglass shields. SaviTechs utilized an aiming mount provided by ATM Flyware™, flown from aircraft cable. An 85-foot time delay from the PL-12s to the PL-11 fills was set to align the system.
A single KV2 dual 15” active sub was placed above the left team box area near the left PL-12 hang. “The one sub was more than adequate for the space.” says Hornsby. “That’s how reverberant the arena is.”
A Symetrix Radius 12×8 EX processor managed cross-overs, transducer time alignment, limiting and delays to the PL-11 fills. No room EQ was necessary. Two Lab.gruppen 68:4 four-channel amplifiers power the bi-amped PL-12s and a single Lab.gruppen 48:4 four-channel amplifier powers the bi-amped PL-11s.
The Results –
The entire installation took only one long day. No additional tuning of the systems was required. “The system fills the space, it’s very intelligible and the echo is maybe 10% of what it was before.” says Hornsby. “With a system this flat and clean, flaws in the signal chain upstream were revealed and actually prompted the replacement of the existing mixing console. With the previous speaker system, no one could hear that things were wrong. Now, a sound system is finally working well in this difficult space.”
“With the ice and the high domed metal roof, the acoustics of the arena have been a problem since the building was built.” says Jamie Gwinn, University Recreation Center operations manager. “Now, with the Tectonic Plates, the acoustics are under control and intelligibility has improved ten-fold.”
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Tectonic Audio Labs is the Pro Audio division of Tectonic – global leader in the design, integration, manufacture and sales of Resonant Mode Audio (RMA) solutions. Tectonic RMA technology drives revolutionary consumer, automotive and professional audio products for brands including Bentley, Parrot, Lufthansa Business Jets, and many others.
