Chilliwack, B.C., Canada
(August 13, 2015) — British Columbia-based Sound Solutions, Inc. recently
installed a Lectrosonics SPN1624 ASPEN Series
DSP Audio Processor at Prospera Centre, the
sports arena that is home to the British Columbia Hockey League’s
Chilliwack Chiefs. The upgrade to the ASPEN processor, in combination with
custom switching and panels also supplied by Sound Solutions, enables the staff
at the 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena to operate the installed sound system
when the venue’s audio engineer is absent.
“They
have a 16-channel Allan & Heath board at Prospera Centre that the sound tech
operates during big hockey games,” says
Curt Palme, owner and principal of Sound Solutions, who has written technical
articles on audio and is also an expert on CRT video projectors. For those events where
a mixing console operator is not required, Palme has reconfigured the installed
sound system so that it can be easily operated by the administrative staff at
the arena, which is located in
Chilliwack, approximately 70 miles east of Vancouver in British Columbia,
Canada.
“When
I look at any sound system I always think, how can I simplify this fairly
complex system so that the girl in reception can be comfortable with turning
the volume level up or down? The ASPEN helped us do this,” comments Palme. The
crosspoint matrix, auto-mixing and powerful processing capabilities of the
ASPEN SPN1624, a 2RU unit that supports up to 16 inputs and 24 outputs,
furnished Palme with the tools to fully optimize the existing installed audio
system at the venue. It also provided the necessary functionality for him to
provide simple system reconfiguration for any event at the arena through
easy-to-operate custom switching.
A
simple switch panel in the A/Vroom provides staff with the ability to
reconfigure the arena sound system to accommodate four different functions. A
row of switches control output to seven separate speaker zones, with a graphic
representation of the arena floor and seating indicating the selected
zones.
A
second switch labeled ‘Skate’ allows patrons to use a mic and music jack at ice
level to run through the sound system for figure skating without having to turn
on the main mixing console.
A
third switch, labeled “Mixer,” engages the mixing console and the speaker
system throughout the arena seating, luxury suites, concourse and restaurant.
The fourth and final switch combines the main arena with a smaller rink. “Next
to the arena they have an ice surface with about 200 seats along one side. They
keep the ice in there year round, whereas they pull the ice in and out every
six months on the main arena side. That switch combines the sound and music
sources for both rinks,” explains Palme.
“So
the push buttons totally reconfigure the system how they want it. Unless
there’s a trained sound guy running the 16-channel mix board, the office staff
or a figure skater can run the entire sound system without having to go up to
the sound room.”
Prospera
Centre, built in 2004, is a 100,000-sq.-ft. facility housing two NHL-sized ice
rinks. It offers approximately 5,000 seats for sporting events with room for
over 6,000 concert attendees, and also houses private luxury suites, food and
beverage services and a full-service pro shop.
www.lectrosonics.com.