In another chapter of its fabled history, Popejoy Hall at the University of New Mexico recently implemented a comprehensive upgrade to its sound reinforcement system, which now boasts JBL VERTEC® DP Series line arrays and VP Series powered monitors.
Located on the main campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Popejoy Hall opened in 1966 and is home to both the Popejoy Presents concert series and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. It also hosts University of New Mexico music department concerts, as well as regional and local events promoted by others. In a typical year, there are as many as 170 performances held from September through June and the number of total use days typically averages over 230. On May 1, 2009, a new system began serving those events.
The new sound system complements Popejoy Hall’s earlier major renovation which included a new lighting system, a fully renovated fly system, a new orchestra shell and improved room acoustics and aesthetics. The updated interior design features a variable acoustic drapery system reflecting the needs of the varied programming of the venue. Budget limitations in 1996 dictated that the updated audio system be primarily suited for voice and music playback. In 1999, Popejoy Hall’s Director Thomas Tkach and Technical Director Billy Tubb began an initiative to upgrade the theater with modern, high-quality production systems, improve the facility’s equipment inventory and, as a result, production quality.
To date, over $1.6 million has been invested in facility improvements and equipment purchases. Over the years, Popejoy Hall has added new lighting equipment (automated and conventional), a 52×20 Soundcraft stage monitor console, Crown amplifiers, and BSS Audio processing. All of this equipment has been used extensively in-house and rented to local production companies, movie productions being shot in the area and to other venues. “The criteria for our purchases are always threefold: reduce outside rental equipment costs for our productions; increase the quality of the shows; and increase facilities rental income,â€? Tubb said. “I have always felt that we could serve ourselves, our patrons and the local community of production companies by leveraging the same investments.â€?
For the sound system upgrade, Tubb researched and auditioned different manufacturers and loudspeaker systems for the main PA over a 3-year period. “When the time came to finally improve the house sound system, I knew from my 18 years of management experience at the venue that we should invest in a true, rider-friendly, concert-level system,� Tubb said.
Particular emphasis was placed on flexibility in Tubb’s design approach. “I wanted the system to be a left-center-right configuration with distributed front fills, but also have the ability to create a 5.1 surround system in the room,� Tubb said. “I also required the system to be easily set up or broken down depending on what show we had that particular day, meaning it had to be very flexible and not permanently installed.�
The decision to purchase and install JBL VERTEC was made after extensive competitive auditions and listening tests. “I was very impressed with the new V4 DSP presets and the fidelity of the system, but also how well the compact VT4887 worked as a front fill and matched the voicing of the midsize VT4888’s,â€? Tubb said. “I was equally impressed with the DrivePack integration–having used Crown amplifiers for over 25 years and specifying them as a consultant, I knew how reliable they were. I was also impressed to see the capabilities of HiQnetâ„¢ System Architectâ„¢ software for configuration and control of the overall system.â€?
The reconfigurable system features 24 VERTEC VT4888DPAN powered, midsize powered line array elements, 10 VT4887DPAN powered, compact line array elements, and eight VT4882DPAN powered, midsize arrayable subwoofers, all equipped with JBL DrivePack technology. Two dbx DriveRack 4800TI Loudspeaker Management Systems are in place to control the system’s multiple loudspeaker output zones.
The new system at Popejoy Hall includes two identical stage racks that provide power, signal and network distribution and some additional cabling, enabling the full system to be split into two separate packages. This allows Tubb to set up (or rent out) a complete VT4888 system and a VT4887 system at the same time. “When we are not utilizing the system in Popejoy Hall, we are able to provide services to other University departments and rent to local production companies,� Tubb said. “We started receiving phone calls from other JBL VERTEC rental houses in the region even before we had the system out of the packaging. I basically designed the package to tour by specifying dolly boards, covers for all of the speakers, portable cabling and road cases.�
With the replicating power, signal and network distribution racks and cable systems, the system can also be arranged in various configurations in the theater. “We can do a left-center-right arrangement, or just left-right, or fewer boxes as required,� Tubb added. “We can just fly a center cluster or vary the subwoofer deployment. Some days we want maximum subwoofer energy for a contemporary music event, or we can set up the subs in cardioid arrays as well when we want to keep the onstage energy down to accommodate a symphony event.�
Additionally, Tubb required the stage monitors to double as surrounds for the 5.1 system. For this, Tubb added 16 JBL VP71212DP powered loudspeakers, 10 of which include custom fly points. “We were even more pleased when JBL engineers were able to add a pole mount to the box as well,� Tubb noted. “We have pole-mounted the monitors with tripods for corporate settings and we are very happy with the results.�
The state-of-the art sound system comes as a result of the continuing tradition of support for Popejoy Hall that extends back to before the Hall was built, with arts patron Mrs. Rufus Poole making the single largest personal gift to the Hall in its 41-year history. Her gift of $555,000 for the new JBL concert sound system along with acoustical upgrades to the hall in coordination with SIA Acoustics, Inc. continues a legacy of community support for the Hall that began in 1962 when her late husband, Rufus Poole, a prominent Albuquerque attorney, first led a citizens group in support of the Hall’s original construction.
At the re-opening of Popejoy Hall after its significant upgrades, Director Thomas Tkach praised Mrs. Poole for again providing leadership in funding Popejoy Hall. “Mrs. Poole’s very generous gift continues her family’s history with Popejoy Hall and their commitment to making this a place of which all New Mexicans can be proud,� Tkach said. “Her contribution allows us to fulfill another commitment we have made for upgrading our Hall. Now, because of Mrs. Poole’s generosity, we are able to modernize our audio equipment and make the Hall’s acoustics even better.�

With a growing number of stadiums and arenas upgrading their audio/video systems, systems integrators are increasingly turning to JBL VLA Series loudspeakers to achieve line array performance in fixed-install applications. Designed specifically for permanent installation applications where even coverage, high intelligibility, and very high sound-pressure levels are required, the JBL VLA Series line arrays are based on the same advanced engineering used in JBL’s VERTEC® Series line array systems.
The VLA more

In a demonstration of how high-quality, innovative audio components can help integrators deliver premium sound coupled with energy savings, Teer Engineering recently completed the installation of high-performance, networked audio systems from Harman Professional for the conference room facilities at the redesigned Reliable Plaza building in Orlando, Florida. The systems for four discrete, networked conference rooms, comprise components from BSS, Crown, and JBL in addition to playback, video and control technologies from other providers such as AMX. Considered to be the greenest commercial building in downtown Orlando, Reliable Plaza is designed to meet Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and houses municipal and commercial offices including the Orlando Utilities Commission customer service center.
Reliable Plaza is designed to use 28 percent less energy than a typical similarly-sized facility of its kind so the audio systems for the conference rooms needed to be highly automated and energy-efficient while providing uncompromising audio quality to enhance communication and collaboration. BSS Soundweb BLU-160 and BLU-120 processors were deployed in each conference room. “With BSS you get outstanding control and the versatility to handle all streaming audio. We consistently select BSS London because it is easy to program, highly reliable and competitively priced,� explained John Teer, President of Teer Engineering.
All Soundweb London units offer configurable I/O, configurable signal processing and CobraNet audio and has open architecture which is fully configurable through HiQnet™ London Architect. “With HiQnet you have a greater ability to control the audio system, which means you only run components when you need to,� Teer added.
Two Crown CTs series amplifiers power 10 JBL Control 26 loudspeakers in each of the conference rooms. “Crown amplifiers make increasing sense in a world where customers are looking to manage their energy costs and their carbon footprint,� Teer notes. “This is because — unlike many other amplifiers in the field, they perform to spec’ all the time. I know that I’ll go back and check on this project in a few months and the CTs amplifiers will be performing quietly, effectively and energy efficiently! It’s also easy to network the amplifiers through HiQnet System Architect™, which was another major benefit of going with Crown. As an integrator I have great confidence in these amplifiers!�
The JBL Control 26 loudspeakers were also installed in multiple locations throughout the building including hallways, reception areas and lobbies. “There are two reasons that the Control® Contractor Series have become a standard among leading integrators: coverage and sound quality!� Teer explains. “As a result, you need less speakers to deliver better sound than the commoditized imports. The byproducts here are less materials, less waste and less energy consumption! Since this was going to be a green building we had a lot of restrictions with what could be installed overhead. The JBL speakers were a non-issue in terms of the boundaries within which we had to work.�
Commenting on the installation, Michael MacDonald, Harman Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales, noted, “Between our consumer, automotive and pro divisions, Harman invests more in audio R&D than almost all of our competitors combined, but at the same time we recognize that we will never stop learning from the experience and expertise of our integration customers like Teer Engineering. Harman is deeply committed to helping customers reduce their energy costs and lower their carbon footprint and I am confident that with the combined inventiveness and ingenuity between our team and the integrator community, you’ll see more success stories just like Reliable Plaza!�

Harman International Industries (NYSE: HAR), a leading provider of branded audio and infotainment electronics for the home, the car, and sound professionals, today announced an agreement between its BSS division, and NETGEAR®, Inc. (NASDAQGM: NTGR), a worldwide provider of technologically innovative, branded networking solutions, to launch the world’s first AVB (IEEE Audio Video Bridge) switches for networking multichannel audio and video over standardized Ethernet. Today’s announcement, made at InfoComm more

In an introduction that radically simplifies professional audio networking, delivers greater design and integration capabilities to audio professionals and improves system performance and efficiency, Harman Professional today debuted HiQnet System Architectâ„¢ version 2.0. A highly intuitive, highly functional audio configuration and control interface for designing specialized audio networks for a wide array of applications, HiQnet System Architect 2.0 takes a newer approach to system design than the previous generation by providing users with intelligent choices based on job function, system application and system sophistication.
System Architect 2.0 features a new system design philosophy centered on workflow and the use of a diagrammatic representation of the installed or live sound venue. Devices are arranged by both their physical and logical placement allowing the designer to ‘educate’ System Architect about how they are to be used. In return the software is able to provide automation of many of the laborious system design tasks for free. For example, once the user has defined the layout of the venue and informed the software about which areas of it the amplifier outputs logically serve, System Architect provides embedded control panels which are automatically tied to the correct devices and provide source-selection, level, mute and metering, instantly accessible for each user-defined space, directly from the main Venue View. The factory-supplied panels can also be edited or completely replaced with fully-customized user control panels. The use of the user-defined spaces also provides feedback to the user by informing of any errors or warnings of the devices contained within by turning yellow or red, depending on the level of the condition. Combining this functionality with control panels for each space within the venue is the beginning of a long-term plan to merge the boundaries of system design with system control and monitoring.
According to Rick Kreifeldt, Harman Professional SDIG Vice President, System Architect Version 2.0 is a significantly more intelligent application than any professional audio industry application that has come before. “System Architect Version 2.0 is powerful because it seeks to combine the intelligence, experience and objectives of its users, and it’s been designed in close cooperation with the world’s leading practitioners in AV integration,� Kreifeldt explained. “The workflow oriented interface readdresses the interaction between designers and system design by framing his or her input not simply in terms of technology components but also on how the system is used. Couple this with a new informed approach that provides each participant with a tool suited to their needs and permissions, and you’ll quickly appreciate how System Architect makes the design process more efficient�
System Architect 2.0 also provides tour sound professionals and fixed installation system designers with considerable additional organizational benefits: adding the ability to create racks and arrays directly in the workspace, further enhancing the mechanisms of grouping devices. And by understanding more about the responsibilities of a certain device and its physical location within a rack, an array or a room, finding a specific device is made easy with new comprehensive list filtering techniques.
“System Architect Version 2 improves the system design experience for all users of the application, enabling significantly more efficient workflows,� Kreifeldt continued. “Designers can start with their end-goal — more often than not the loudspeaker configuration — and very quickly and intuitively work backwards because System Architect essentially connects the dots in an intelligent, logical way to evolve the speaker configuration into an AV system.�
In interviews with industry professionals, several complicated or time-consuming system design elements became common threads of conversation. The philosophy behind System Architect 2.0 is to speed up system design by tackling the organization of devices, the grouping of devices for control, system-wide routing of networked audio and creation of custom control panels. Importantly for the future, the underlying mechanisms by which these common issues have been addressed in version 2.0 also provide the foundations for several more considerable time-saving system design tasks to come.
At InfoComm this year, SDIG will also demonstrate Harman HiQnetâ„¢ products streaming Ethernet AVB in a technology preview. The company will showcase several new Ethernet AVB products including a dbx SC 32 Digital Matrix Processor, an Ethernet AVB architectural wall-plate from BSS Audio and a Crown CTs amplifier. The demonstration system will be connected together with an Ethernet AVB switch. The demonstration brings to fruition over three years of research and development as well as comprehensive participation and leadership in the IEEE AVB 802.1 Audio/Video Bridging (AVB) Task Group initiative.
A preview of System Architect will demonstrate how it will use the new venue design concepts to provide Ethernet AVB routing not just on a device-by-device level, but also to entire physical and logical spaces within a system, with one simple drag of the relevant signal.

dbx® Professional Products, a Salt Lake City-based manufacturer of professional audio signal processing products and a division of Harman International, has introduced the new DriveRack® PA+, a complete loudspeaker management system that provides state-of-the-art audio signal processing and an intuitive user interface.
The DriveRack PA+ is the next generation of the world’s best-selling loudspeaker management system, the DriveRack PA. The original DriveRack PA, known for setting the standard for complete speaker management, has given thousands of users an easier way to make their speaker systems sound better than they ever imagined. The new PA+ builds on this strong reputation by staying true to its predecessor while providing more great features and improved functionality.
The DriveRack PA+ includes a new, updated library of stored speaker and amplifier settings. These built-in settings are a time saving feature only found on dbx DriveRack products. Having the settings included in the DriveRack eliminates the need for users to enter their own speaker settings during setup. A convenient USB connection has also been added that will now allow users to update the preset settings. Other new features include fulltime RTA, front panel mute buttons, a faster Auto EQ® Wizard, and an enhanced Setup Wizard process, which now includes a new, industry-first Auto Level™ Wizard. Setup Wizards have set the DriveRack line of products apart for years. The DriveRack PA+ Wizards enables even less experienced users to set up a system that will sound like a seasoned audio professional tuned it.
While the new DriveRack PA+ has been updated with new features and functionality, it still has all the groundbreaking features that made the original DriveRack PA so popular. These hallmark features include an industry-standard dbx compressor/limiter module, a high-quality 6-channel output system that includes parametric EQs, and Peak Plus™ limiters, the patented dbx Advanced Feedback Suppression (AFS®) system to eliminate feedback, and the bass thumping dbx 120A subharmonic synthesizer function. It also continues to have two independent signal paths linked DPS processing power and linkable 28-Band Graphic Equalizer. These features, combined with the easy to use crossover function and alignment delay, help PA+ users deliver optimal, all-inclusive sound processing for almost any speaker system.
“The best just got even better with the new DriveRack PA+. We have managed to improve upon the incredibly successful DriveRack PA while staying true to what the PA so great,� stated Jay Woolley, marketing director for portable sound, Harman Music Group. “We are confident users will find that the PA+ is easy to use and makes their speaker systems sound better than they ever thought possible.�

dbx® Professional Products, a Salt Lake City-based manufacturer of professional signal processing products and a division of the Harman International Company (NYSE-HAR), is introducing the new SC 64 (System Core) and SC 32 Digital Matrix Processors. These flagship processors feature intuitive Wizard-driven system configuration using Harman HiQnet™ System Architect, for unprecedented DSP power and routing flexibility, making it the ideal foundation for even the most demanding systems.
The SC 64 and SC 32 host a total of 64 and 32 analog I/O respectively, configurable in banks of eight. The flexibility of eight analog input cards and eight analog output cards easily facilitates many different fully loaded configurations, accommodating a wide range of standard sources via the onboard mic/line and Phantom Power switching per input. Two high-speed option slots on the SC 64 and one high-speed option slot on the SC 32 also provide an interface for adding forthcoming high bandwidth audio transport I/O cards. The units feature dedicated DSP for common processing functions as well as insert positions for specialized processing and popular audio tools including dbx Advanced Feedback Suppressionâ„¢ (AFSâ„¢) Ambient Noise Compensation (ANC), priority ducking, parametric equalization (PEQ), delay and dynamics.
Additionally, the new SC 64 and SC 32 devices offer a diverse range of control options including HiQnetâ„¢ System Architect custom control panels, as well as Ethernet, serial, contact closure control, ZC wall controllers and even automatically scheduled events. An optional media engine facilitates delayed paging and storage of audio files for scheduled playback.

dbx Professional Products, a Harman International Company (NYSE-HAR), today introduced four new members to its acclaimed ZonePRO™ family of digital zone processors. The new 1260m, 1261m, 640m and 641m join the 1260, 1261, 640 and 641 in the series, reflecting dbx Professional Product’s commitment to applying customer feedback to strengthen its existing product lines.
The new ZonePRO devices share the same total numbers of inputs and outputs as their equivalent siblings but feature additional mic/line inputs. The 1260m and 1261m have six mic/line inputs and the 640m and 641m have four mic/line inputs. This increase in the number of available microphone inputs further extends the suitability of the ZonePRO family into applications such as conference rooms and presentation spaces.
Ambient Noise Compensation (ANC) is also introduced on the new ZonePRO Devices. This processing function allows the level of zone outputs to track the ambient noise level, monitored through a microphone and microphone input. This feature is particularly well-suited to applications such as retail environments where the volume of the audio system can be matched automatically to the number of shoppers and their associated noise level.
Iain Gregory, market manager for installed sound at Harman Music Group stated, “Since its introduction in 2004, the ZonePRO family has enjoyed global adoption and specification within many high-profile commercial environments. The ‘m’ versions were born out of an overwhelming user desire to extend the reach of ZonePRO into further applications requiring additional microphone inputs. More microphone inputs, complimented by the introduction of Ambient Noise Compensation, further solidify the ZonePRO family as the perfect set of solutions for multi-zone commercial audio applications.�
Processing offered on all eight members of the ZonePRO family includes Advanced Feedback Suppression (AFS™) and AutoWarmth®, a psychoacoustic function that maintains full frequency bandwidth even when the signal level has dropped.
Each of the new ZonePRO devices features Ethernet and RS-232 control. ZonePRO Designer provides configuration and control of all ZonePRO devices. The Configuration Wizard within ZonePRO Designer guides users through the step-by-step configuration process.
Additional system control is offered by a range of Zone Controllers and third party control. The Zone Controllers are non-technical control interfaces for functions such as source selection, volume control and preset recall.
Each of the eight family members, with optional control, represents an inexpensive and quickly deployed solution for a diverse range of commercial audio applications.

Delivering an unprecedented sound management solution to the portable PA market, Crown Audio has introduced HiQnet™ Band Manager™ software. The free-of-charge application provides a sleek function-driven interface designed to simplify system setup and management while enabling audio professionals, musicians, and engineers to configure and control a rack of Crown XTi series amplifiers. Band Manager unlocks all loudspeaker processing capabilities of the XTi Series. Once it automatically discovers up to eight USB-connected XTi amplifiers, represented in a virtual rack, all the setup required is to load each amplifier with the JBL-provided speaker tunings and set which amplifiers are driving front-of-house. Band Manager makes smart use of browser-style navigation and the ‘Home’ screen displays monitor strips for each amplifier in the rack and front-of-house EQ and level control. EQ for stage monitors and all other processing is accessible on an individual amplifier basis. Upon starting Band Manager, all amplifier settings are transferred from the connected devices but they can also be saved to disk for quick recall if the rack is used often in multiple venues.
Band Manager is a cut-down version of its parent software, HiQnet System Architectâ„¢, a much larger application which provides full-system control of over 70 professional audio devices from across the entire Harman Pro group, including the XTi Series. Anyone who has already used System Architect with the XTi will instantly be familiar with the amplifier control layout since Band Manager makes use of the same software plug in. Directly tailoring Band Manager to the needs of portable PA market enables far quicker configuration of a rack of XTi amplifiers by bringing only the essential tools into direct focus. For those who need the more advanced control, any rack configurations saved within Band Manager can be opened in System Architect. By using the plug in concept, Band Manager is all ready to control other future portable PA HiQnet devices.
Commenting on the introduction of Band Manager, Andy Flint, Crown marketing manager for portable PA stated, “Band Manager provides users with a simple and intuitive interface capable of unlocking the vast array of system setup and management tools included in the XTi product line’s integrated processing. This is another excellent example of Harman’s experience and dedication to the portable PA market.�
While Band Manager is being introduced to operate in conjunction with Crown XTi amplifiers it is planned to take control of other complimentary Harman HiQnet products in the near future. “As a group, we envision Band Manager being used to manage an entire portable PA sound system all the way from microphone to speaker. When introducing software control, making the management of a potentially complex audio system as simple as possible is the most important goal. It is no longer enough to just provide the user with the highest quality equipment, you need to offer great, user-friendly tools to open its potential as well,� added Flint.

Further proving its ability to offer sound integrators the best available solutions for power amplifiers in fixed installation applications, Crown Audio today introduced the CDi 6000 amplifier, the fourth amplifier in the CDi series.
“The CDi 6000 provides an unmatched combination of processing, power and a competitive price that makes it the clear leader in its class. The new CDi 6000 is a reflection of our commitment to providing integrators with the greatest range of options for power and scalability for the challenges that each individual installation presents,� stated Brian Divine, director of marketing for touring and installed sound for Crown.
The CDi 6000, like the other amplifiers in the series, has the ability to run both low-impedance two-, four- and eight-ohm loads as well as 70- and 140-volt outputs. The amp also features 20 available presets that can be recalled at the touch of a button. All CDi amplifiers can be controlled and configured through Harman HiQnetâ„¢ System Architectâ„¢.
All CDi Series amplifiers feature an intuitive front panel LCD display that guides installers through their configurations. All amps in the CDi series also offer onboard DSP for loudspeaker signal processing. Other features include a switch-mode universal power supply, useful function indications, proportional-speed fan-assisted cooling, removable Phoenix-style inputs, as well as barrier strip outputs for 70V/100V/140V loads.
Equipped with Crown’s extremely light and efficient universal switch-mode power supply, each of the four CDi models weigh only 19 pounds and can be conveniently and reliably run off of a standard 15-amp outlet.
Power output ratings on the CDi 6000 are as follows:
• 3000W per channel at two ohms
• 2100W per channel at four ohms
• 1200 per channel at eight ohms
• 2500 per channel at 70V
• 6000W in bridge-mono mode at four ohms
• 5000W in bridge-mono mode at 140V