Given a challenging acoustic space to work with, integrator Ace Acoustics & AV Solutions and distributor Alphatec Audio Video devise an AV solution that exceeds Don Bosco University’s expectations.
Education institutes require technology to function. At Don Bosco University’s facility in Tepesia, Sonapur, Assam, India the task
of delivering the requisite AV
systems fell to integrator Ace
Acoustics & AV Solutions and
distributor Alphatec Audio Video.
Ramanuj Sarmah, director at
Ace Acoustics & AV Solutions,
talks about how the integrator
came onboard for the project:
“We have been working with Don
Bosco University for the past seven
to eight years and have previously
worked on delivering AV systems
for their classrooms so there is
a certain level of trust in our
business relationship. This
project came to us through a
referral based on our past work
for the university. We were
responsible for the entire design
and delivery of the AV works.”
The project scope included
fitting out the main atrium with
appropriate audio and video
systems as well as doing the same
for two smaller atriums and two
seminar rooms. Sarmah provides
further details: “The atrium serves
as the main area in the academic
complex and the client wanted to
get maximum utilisation out of the
space. It is primarily a function
area and the atrium can seat
around 5,000 people as well as
accommodate people standing
on the balcony.”
He continues: “The basic
requirement was good quality
audio and video. There was an
echo problem in the atrium and
Don Bosco University wanted to
make sure that the audio could
be heard by everyone in the
space with the same level of
clarity. On the video side, they
don’t do many presentations but
since this is a big area they wanted
to make sure that when the need
arises, say for a convocation, the
image should be seen by everyone,
even the people in the back seats
should have a good view.”
With regards to the display
solution for the atrium Sarmah
says: “We thought about LED at
the initial stages, but the cost was
a factor. It was a very expensive
proposition at the size that we
were looking for. Eventually we
settled on Panasonic projectors.
We have been working with
Panasonic for a long time so there
is a certain level of comfort we
have when working with their
products and in the past we have
always gotten fantastic support
from them.”
Video signals are transmitted
over Cat6 with the help of a
Kramer transmitter and receiver.
Wireless connectivity is provided
with a Barco WePresent wireless
presenter. Sarmah says: “We have
integrated the Barco WePresent
solution with their existing WiFi
network, which means that if
someone seated in the audience
wanted to present they can
connect to the projection system
by just logging in to the WiFi
network. The video system for the
atrium is not complex, but it is
something that meets all of Don
Bosco University’s requirements.”
While the video component of
the project was straightforward
the audio portion was more
challenging. The architecture
and acoustic properties of the
space made the task of the AV
professionals difficult as Mayank
Gaurav, director of sales at
Alphatec Audio Video, details:
“The RT [reverberation time] was
very challenging for the space,
it was between 3.5s and 4s.
The architecture and makeup
of the space were challenging
with regards to providing sound
reinforcement, the atrium is
circular and there is no acoustic
treatment for the ceiling and
the height of the ceiling is
approximately 70ft.”
He continues: “Originally, the
audio in the atrium was only
going to be speech but as the
project progressed the client
expressed interest in maybe
having musical performances
in the area and maybe holding
presentations. As this feedback
came to us from Ace Acoustics,
our design for the audio system
had to change. And of course,
there were budgetary
considerations to take into
account as well. But the end goal
of ensuring that the we should
provide quality audio for the
whole space never changed.”
How were these challenges
overcome? Gaurav explains: “We
received some 3D pictures along
with a plan layout of the atrium at
the start and the first thing that
popped into our heads was that
the Tannoy Qflex speakers would
be perfect for this atrium. The
speaker has really been designed
for delivering high performance
in these challenging acoustic
spaces. Once we had selected the
Tannoy Qflex 48 we then looked
at the results of its performance in
the space using EASE modelling.
We found that while the results
might not be optimal at first,
when the space fills up and
the audience enters then the
RT level decreases. Then we
were able to hit the standards
the client was expecting with
regards to the clarity and
coverage of the sound.”
The final audio system at
Don Bosco University’s atrium
comprises two Tannoy Qflex 48
columns at the front, on the left
and right, mounted onto columns.
These are augmented with four
Tannoy VX 8.2 speakers acting as
front fills and four dual 18-in subs.
Turbosound IQ12 speakers serve
as stage monitors. The speakers
are powered by Lab.gruppen IPD
and FP series amplifiers and
managed by a Klarkteknik DM800
DSP. A Behringer X32 mixing
console is also provided. Audio
pickup is managed with the
help of Sennheiser 5000 series
microphones.
AV systems in the seminar
rooms follow the same design
template as those found in
the atrium with a few crucial
changes. Panasonic 5,000 lumens
projectors serve as the main
display but each seminar room
also sports four Panasonic 65-in
flat panel displays. Two FPDs are
meant to provide visuals for
people seated on the dais while the
other two provide visuals for those
situated in the balcony. Much like
the atrium, video transmission is
via Kramer transmitters and
receivers and a Barco WePresent
wireless presenter is also provided.
However, a Kramer matrix
switcher is also pressed into
service at the backend for the
seminar rooms. Ramanuj says:
“We went with a matrix switch for
the seminar rooms because the
client wanted to support a range
of inputs and outputs along with
scalability and flexibility.”
Audio is handled by Tannoy
ceiling speakers and amplification
is provided by Behringer
amplifiers. Klarkteknik DM8000
DSPs are also used.
Looking back at the project and
its delivery, Sarmah says: “This
was the first project where we used
the Qflex speakers so Alphatec’s
support when it came to the
design part of the project with the
speakers was greatly appreciated.
There were a number of acoustic
challenges that we had to
overcome and the programming
and tuning of the audio system
was a crucial aspect.”
Gaurav says: “Challenges are
faced by the execution team. Our
job was simple, we had to design it
correctly and we are glad that we
designed it correctly at the start.
To do this we worked hard, we had
a discussion with Music Tribe, we
consulted with the technical team
about what the right Qflex model
would be for our project while
still fitting within our client’s
budget and we drew on our past
experience with the Qflex. We just
believed in the product, in such
challenging spaces you really need
to know your product, know its
capabilities and its limits and what
you can expect from it and what it
will deliver.”
He continues: “One of the
possible upgrades we can suggest
is deploying a delay fill so that
we have more headroom for the
atrium and we can play the audio
louder. Everything else, I think
we hit the brief that was given to
us especially when it comes to
selection of the speakers. I don’t
think that down the road we will
be getting a new speaker that
will drastically improve the
performance for Don Bosco’s
atrium.”
Sarmah concludes: “Don Bosco
University is very happy with
the results, so much so that they
have standardised their audio
with Tannoy speakers. After the
successful completion of this
project, Tannoy speakers were
deployed at five more institutes.
On our side, this was our first time
working with Qflex and now we
are actually very confident with
the product and its deployment.
We have been specifying it for
more of our projects.”