Baker Audio recently selected JBL Professional VLA and PD series loudspeakers for the new audio system at Bobby Dodd Stadium, home to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team.
Renovations to the Boddy Dodd Stadium audio/visual system began two years ago with the upgrade of the stadium’s 10-year-old video setup. Although most of the budget focused on the video system, Baker Audio was charged with providing an audio system that could mirror the new scoreboard’s quality.
The company developed a solution that included two arrays of four JBL VLA601H and two JBL VLA601 line array loudspeakers in the stadium scoreboard on either side of the video board.
The VLA series loudspeaker arrays cover approximately 80 percent of the stadium. There are also four JBL PD5212 boxes for downfill in front of a Panasonic video board in the south end zone, and four JBL PD764 loudspeakers used for side fill.
Baker Audio mounted the PD764 loudspeakers on custom mounts, which allowed them to rotate left to right on a yoke arm. The entire system is rounded off with an array of Harman Professional products—including Crown IT4000 amplifiers, BSS BLU-32 Network I/O Expander, and a Soundcraft GB4 mixing console – all of which is configured with HiQnet System Architect.
“We knew that we would need something compact but powerful enough to cover the entire stadium,” said Joe Schuch, Owner of Baker Audio. “We also wanted something that would have name recognition; something that the administration at the stadium would be familiar with.
“In researching different loudspeakers, and having extensive experience with JBL, we knew that the VLA series would be able to handle most of it, and once we added the PD series on top of it, everyone was very happy with the power and clarity we got.”
“With System Architect monitoring and configuration, we are able to turn the entire system on and off from the front of house position, and we have maximum control over the entire audio system,” Schuch continued. “The customer couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out, and neither could we.”
