Working closely with Addkison and Big House Sound, a local audio contractor that fabricated and installed the audio system, Fontana developed a playback configuration that includes a hard-disc system to hold the pre-recorded sound elements, linked to a bank of Lab.gruppen CX20:8X modular amplifiers powering an array of Meyer Sound MM4 miniature wide-range loudspeakers mounted along the River Walk.
“The result is a natural sounding experience in a surreal atmosphere,” said Zack Edwards of Big House Sound. “The loudspeakers mounted around visitors are divided into three distinct zones: The Canal Area, The Primary Walking Area and a Secondary Walking Area. The sound is fully synchronized to provide an enveloping sequence of sound within each of these zones.”
“I personally selected the Meyer Sound loudspeakers,” Fontana added, “because of previous experience while designing my soundscape for the Champs-Élysées in Paris.” The original MM-4 miniature loudspeaker was designed specifically for an earlier project in Lyon, France. “In several of my works, I’ve come to rely on the accuracy of Meyer Sound loudspeakers. My medium is sound; I could create the most interesting piece, but if it doesn’t translate to the space, it’s worthless.”
The installer chose a pair of CX Series 20:8X 8-channel amplifiers, which deliver 250 W into 4-ohm loads from a 2U chassis.
“The C Series is absolutely bulletproof,” Edwards said. “And the amps runs happily in high ambient temperatures without air conditioning, particularly during summer months. We needed a design that can handle wide temperature swings – that was a key selection criterion. Plus the fact that the CX Series’ built-in thermal-protection mode protects the systems against major failures.”
The system has been in continual use since it was installed in the spring of 2009, with no loss of operation, the installer reports. “We had a warm summer here in San Antonio, with ambient temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit; because of the forced cooling – and shielding from direct sunlight – the inside of the enclosure was maintained consistently at around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.”
Lab.gruppen’s CX Series amplifiers employ a proprietary Class D output design, with a selectable 35 Hz high-pass filter and built-in GPIO control facilities. “The C 20:8X is capable of adapting to a wide variety of demanding load conditions,” stated Edwards.
Each channel features an individually configurable Voltage Peak Limiter (VPL) that enables the output to be optimized for any loudspeaker load. The system is fully compatible with the firm’s NomadLink network, which allows key amplifier parameters to be displayed via DeviceControl software, with remote control of channel mutes and power on/off under network control.