With the aid of EASE, a sound system simulation and design tool, Listen Acoustics determined optimal locations for all loudspeakers, based both upon its experience as well as assist from EASE.
What resulted is a “quasi-distributed” strategy, one utilizing a few more loudspeakers than normal in order to shorten loudspeaker throw distances, thereby helping to limit excess acoustic reflections and maximize speech intelligibility.
This approach also proved to be the right solution in terms of striking the right balance between visual aesthetics and everyone being able to hear clearly,” explains Cooley. “The architectural design of the ceiling is a highlight of the room, while at the same time, coverage is focused on the audience.”
Some Tannoy Di5a compact loudspeakers were distributed along the council table to provide a bit of added vocal presence for the council members.
Following this design parameter, six V15 loudspeakers are flown via load-rated steel cabling hung from the tongue-and-groove wood ceiling at approximately nine feet above the floor.
Each V15 loudspeaker has a 15-inch Tannoy PowerDual drive unit. The increased efficiency and power handling of this driver design ensures that the V15 is capable of delivering high SPLs in even the most demanding situations.
Like all Tannoy Dual Concentric loudspeakers, the V15 exhibits true constant directivity, providing an even frequency response over the entire area of coverage, making it particularly well-suited for high-quality public address situations.
“The dual-drive design makes the V15 a tight, cohesive loudspeaker system, and for this type of an application – spoken word in a government-civic environment – the ability to deliver solid, intelligible vocal reinforcement that’s very evenly distributed is an absolute key,” states Carroll. “Just six of these loudspeakers are all that’s required to blanket the entire room, front to back and side to side.”
Five V15’s cover the audience area, with three at the front of the area supported by two more toward the rear, while the remaining unit handles the dais region.
Meeting Rooms Add To The Mix
Several meeting rooms in the facility, meanwhile, can receive audio feeds from the council chambers, with all of those rooms served by Tannoy CMS601 DC full-bandwidth, high-power ceiling monitor systems.
The CMS601 DC design uses Tannoy’s Dual Concentric transducer, with a 6.5-inch drive unit mounted in a vented, injection-molded, front baffle with spring-loaded self-aligning clamps for easy installation.