AUBURN, AL – Wirebox Media supported Auburn University's 2011 graduation ceremony in the school's stadium with a 32-box NEXO GEO S12 line array, 14 GEO S8 speakers and NEXO 4×4 amplifiers. Tim Harrigan of Wirebox designed and simulated the audio system using NEXO's NS-1 software.
Harrigan, who also oversaw the six-person crew for the event, attended by close to 30,000, said "pristine sound quality" was a key factor in opting to go with the NEXO GEO S12 audio solution for the event, which was the first commencement held in the school's stadium in 43 years.
The main arrays flown at stage consisted of eight GEO S12 boxes per side with six ground-stacked distributed arrays of four GEO S12 and two arrays of six GEO S8 speaker boxes.
Harrigan said Wirebox carefully modeling Jordan-Hare Stadium, home of the BCS National Champion Auburn Tigers, in the NEXO NS-1 software. "We know from experience the software is very, very accurate," he said.
The crew faced challenges starting with the fact that the load-in door to stadium was only 9 feet high, so trucks could not be sent inside the stadium. The entire system came in on gators with trailers.
Harrigan added that the heat index on the field was 109 degrees F. for the two-day setup and the day-long event, so all the electronics needed shade cover and fans.
"The system performed with full bandwidth dynamics, well-balanced and with excellent coverage extending to the 250' mark and beyond," Harrigan said.
For more information, please visit www.yamahaca.com and www.wireboxmedia.com.
