Cases

Installed Sound System

The Challenge:

A new student recreation center was being built at Rider University. The original plans called for an ambitious twelve-zone distributed sound system. A distributed sound system would include multiple systems that are linked together to one central control unit. The final plan was scaled back to include a smaller distributed system to cover the gym and fitness center, with additional sound systems in the aerobics room and game room (originally planned as a meeting room).

The distributed sound system in the gym & fitness center called for the ability to play background music, utilize a paging system, as well as use wireless microphones in the gymnasium for special events. The aerobics room needed a system capable of dynamic music as well as a wireless headset microphone for the instructor. The game room was originally intended to be a meeting room. Based on that plan, it required wireless microphones and playback for basic presentations.

How Reid Sound made the room come alive:

A four speaker hanging cluster was chosen for the gymnasium. This configuration allowed sound to be distributed evenly throughout the room, except for the area under the running track which runs along the second floor of the gymnasium. In order to make sure that the sound was projected into those areas, as well, additional speakers were hung from the underside of the track. The concept was the same as using flush-mounted ceiling speakers. However, because the ceiling under the track was open steel beams and not drop-ceiling tiles which would allow for flush-mounted speakers, small surface mounted speakers were used with a dispersion pattern similar to those found in ceiling speakers. These were then pointed straight down to achieve the same effect as one would get with ceiling speakers. The final result is that one can walk from under the track into the center of the gym and back again without noticing a change in volume. Wireless microphone antennae were mounted into the ceiling of the gymnasium, ensuring that no matter where a person with a wireless microphone stands within the room, they will have clear reception free of drop-outs or interference. An additional input plate was placed on one wall for easy interface of additional sound systems for events such as commencement.

The fitness center used a system identical to the one used under the track. Again, an open beam ceiling presented the challenge of not being able to use traditional ceiling speakers. Wanting to achieve the same effect one would get with standard ceiling speakers, this surface mounted solution allowed for an even, distributed sound field with no hot-spots. In other words, as you walk through the room, the volume stays the same. In addition to these ceiling speakers, Reid Sound provided RF wireless transmission systems for four plasma screens mounted above the exercise machines. These systems allow users of the recreation center to tune their personal radios to whatever station is posted by each TV and listen to the audio from that particular television (ex. 98.6 FM for CNN, 103.5 for ESPN, etc.).

Both the gymnasium and the fitness center were connected to one central control unit that was placed in the recreation center reception office. Simple controls allow users to select what source will be sent to what zone (i.e. gymnasium, fitness center). A paging microphone with selection buttons for each zone on it allows users to either select specific zones to page into or hit one button for an all-zone page. A simple chime alert lets guests know that an announcement is about to happen and all other sources (music, etc) are reduced in volume to ensure that the page can be heard.

The aerobics room was set up with larger speakers to provide more dynamic range and deeper bass for the high-energy music that would be played in that room. A Sennheiser wireless headset microphone was placed into the rack ensuring that instructors would be amplified while remaining hands-free. Because the wireless microphone was identical the ones used in all of the other systems, users would have instant familiarity regardless of what room they were in.

Because the game room has a standard tile drop-ceiling, a simple ceiling speaker system was installed ensuring even sound distribution throughout the room. A simple CD player was installed to allow music playback.

The system was installed with a great deal of future expandability in mind. For instance, additional zones can easily be added to the distributed sound system tying in such places as the lobby, the offices, or the existing game room and aerobics room systems.