Cutting Edge Club Sound By JK Sound: "Integration Is The Buzz"

Circus, a large dance club on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, celebrated another step in its 25-year evolution with a new sound system designed and installed by San Francisco-based JK Sound.

In a word, the most notable facet of the system is integration, notes JK Sound's Greg Knight. "We looked at areas of digital signal processing, amplifier control, tuning and analysis, and integrated it all together here to provide a fully functioning package," he explains. "To our knowledge, no one has ever done this before at a club, at least to the level achieved here."

A look at QSC Audio and other crucial system components forming a truly integrated control package loaded with flexibility. They're rack-mounted in full view of patrons. But no touching!

The motivation goes beyond sound quality and to a level of thinking where every moment of every night is mission critical. In other words, any degradation in performance - let alone failure - holds potential to ruin the dance experience. As a result, JK Sound has outfitted the Circus system with stand-alone self-diagnostics, which will eventually, after current plans are made reality, provide the ability to communicate with DJs in a rudimentary way. At the heart of this concept is a master PC outfitted with QSControl software from QSC Audio, which works in tandem, via an Ethernet link, with dedicated QSControl hardware as well as the system’s QSC PowerLight Series amplifiers. The master PC also includes SIA SmaartPro tuning and analysis software along with software that interfaces with the system's networked XTA DP226 digital processors. In a feat of programming prowess, all of these software packages will be given the ability to interface.

"Everything we're doing with these digital tools has been carefully considered, and it goes beyond simple monitoring and control of the amps," Knight says. "The technologies are being merged together with two goals. First, we want the best performance without failure, but going further, we actually believe we'll be able to anticipate and predict problems with the system before they even occur."

After 25 years, Circus can still put on a full-metal party, thanks in part to new audio technology.

JK Sound and QSC, a close collaborator on this phase of the project, both theorize that this technology will soon be able to be adapted to accurately predict, for example, the failure of a loudspeaker driver. By measuring aspects like impedance curves over a period of time, the data will accrue to the point where it can be useful in pinpointing where and when a problem is likely to occur.

The system is designed to offer some impressive automated functions. JK Sound plans to place a reference microphone in the room to supply constant input regarding levels and tuning. By interfacing this input with SIA Smaart tuning and analysis software, which in turn will interface with the QSControl and XTA software, automatic adjustments to preset system parameters can be attained. When the system exceeds preset limits on sound pressure levels, the software will activate a .wav file stored on the QSControl hardware and routed to the monitors at the DJ booth. Music programming in the monitors will be ducked 9dB and the .wav file played, containing a message politely asking the DJ to trim back levels.

From their offices in San Francisco, JK Sound will have access to all of this networking power. They'll be able to monitor what's happening on a given night, make adjustments and download data for further inspection. For example, either on-site or remotely, they’ll chart overall loudness, providing verification in case of noise complaints from neighborhood residents. In the very near future, QSControl will also be monitoring and controlling the club's HVAC system, automating its performance to meet preset parameters.

"Unfortunately," Knight adds, jokingly, "just a bit down the road, we also plan to give the system the ability to automatically page us on our cell phones if there's a problem."