“I first heard the AcousticDesign loudspeakers in a demo down in Parma three years ago, although another brand had been specified for Gardaland at the time.
“The principle reason for changing to QSC was because compared with the competition it was like day and night. The audio technical department agreed immediately and went to the management to have the original proposal overturned.”
Meanwhile, the Gardaland technician adds that he was as impressed by the aesthetic of the AcousticDesign enclosures as he was by the performance. “This, and the fact that they were weather-resistant, was crucial.”
In addition to the brand’s success at Gardaland, a further QSC installation at the new Sea Life has also caught the eye (and ear) this summer.
Gardaland Sea Life reproduces marine and lake environments with scenographic accuracy. The aquariums and lakes housing the 5,000 creatures of the deep are maintained crystal clear by high tech filters and in excess of 850,000 litres of water are stored in a vast oceanic tank, where waves are created by a special machine.
The technical design for this was undertaken by Thöne and Partner, a Merlin consultant, and a team of onsite technicians based in Gardaland, who oversaw the realisation and implementation. Music is generated by Thöne and Partner’s own specially-designed 20-channel MP3 player.
Their co-operation with Vida Studio has resulted in a QSC Audio solution that makes full use of the brand’s integrated system capability – from the Cobranet audio signal transport to the QSControl.net network for the remote control of all the BASIS DSP devices.
The NAC-100 local control panel with LCD regulates levels and signal sources at the restaurant. The system is linked to three BASIS 922uz processors and a BASIS 922az processor, providing a 32 x 32 matrix, which provides a large element of the control.
The audio system runs on two Ethernet networks, one T100 and one T10 (respectively for audio transport and control). The system is interconnected with the EN 60849 voice evacuation system, while a 16-frequency UHF system provides the radio mic capability.
Vida Studio also designed and installed the automation for the Sea Life pre-show, including the audio video and lighting control (via their own DMX player). The pre-show provides the first visitor introduction to the Gardaland Sea Life Aquarium and uses video players and lighting, connected to the opening/closing door system.
Meanwhile, multiples of QSC Audio AcousticDesign 10v/100v line speakers handle the sound distribution, in the form of 30 x AD-S32T, 19 x AD-S52T, four AD-S82T and a pair of AD-C42T ceiling speakers.
These are controlled by multiples of QSC’s CX-108V (8ch) and CX-502 (2ch) amplifiers, fitted with DataPorts. All speakers are in purposely-discreet black with the exception of a pair of white AD-S82s in the grandstand overlooking the Patagonia sea lion pool.
Media displays distributed throughout the attraction, are largely in the form of Samsung 50in plasmas, along with Projection Design EVO2SX+ DLP projectors.
Back at Gardaland everyone is delighted that the 2008 season has ended on a high note, with the installation of the QSC network. Next they plan to upgrade the cabling infrastructure by commissioning a stand-alone optical fiber system.
For more information:
QSC Audio Website