KALAMAZOO, MI – Friendship Village retirement facility in Kalamazoo, MI, recently commissioned a complete overhaul of the audio-visual infrastructure at its Kiva Auditorium.
More details from Martin Audio (www.martin-audio.com):
Set on a 72-acre campus, the Auditorium is used for events, meetings, and community activities and is now also perfect to host smaller shows and concerts.
Design consultant Tim Heneveld (from HAV Design) specified Martin Audio’s award-winning O-Line micro-array solution for the sound reinforcement, installed by system integrators, Division 16 Technologies.
The design company had been selected by the Friendship Village team after intensive research into which AV design company could best meet their requirements.
Heneveld noted that the old sound system had been prone to feedback, and thus the new system would need to demonstrate extremely high intelligibility/clarity, with the sound delivered evenly to a maximum capacity of 200 seats. The venue is almost always filled to capacity and a high percentage of the attendees have hearing difficulties. With it being an elderly facility gain before feedback and a high level of intelligibility in every seat from front to back and was paramount.”
The tech also needed to be visually discreet. “The room couldn’t be about the technology,” he added, “the system needed to maintain a sleek and slim presence.”
The consultant’s interest in O-Line had been piqued when he saw it on the Martin Audio web page. And having later seen it in the flesh at an InfoComm Show, he realized it would be perfect for this application.
“It offered clean lines, minimal visual impact and yet has a progressively aesthetic appeal. I could balance the desired coverage and output with the visual impact in the room.”
O-Line was installed in two hangs of four elements each. It was designed in 2-box resolution, four amp channels per side, through Martin Audio’s dedicated DX4.0 processor. “We recognized that it is not a high SPL menu, so opted for 12in subwoofers to go along with the main speaker arrays,” he said.
Tim Heneveld is no stranger to Martin Audio technology, having mixed on one of the manufacturer’s rigs as far back as 30 years ago. “I have always experienced Martin Audio as very smooth, consistent, predictable and musical.” However, this was his first design with O-Line as it was for the AV installation contractors, Division 16 Technologies.
Summing up, the consultant says the entire AV installation upgrade—including new 16’ x 9’ video wall—has been a complete success. “The new sound system has allowed a wider variety of events to be held in the space. O-Line provides transparent support for choirs and acoustical instruments (along with fully reinforced events) that were not previously possible.”
Consequently, Friendship Village is now looking forward to years of use of their new system that will empower them to provide top level programming and content for the residents that they serve.
