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Multi-Zone Audio System Design

Multi-Zone Audio System Design

What is a multi-zone audio system?

A multi-zone audio system is a commercial audio installation where different areas of a building each have independent audio control — their own music source, their own volume level, and their own schedule — all managed from a single controller.

In a restaurant, that might mean the bar plays upbeat background music at a higher volume while the dining room runs a quieter, more relaxed playlist simultaneously.

In a hotel, the lobby, spa, gym and restaurant each have their own atmosphere, each adjustable from a single interface at the front desk.

In a gym, the main floor and the group exercise studio each need different music at different volumes, while the changing rooms run quietly in the background.

The alternative — a single audio system playing the same thing at the same level everywhere — is a compromise that serves no space particularly well.

Multi-zone audio is the professional standard for any commercial venue with more than one distinct space or customer-facing area.

Do you need a multi-zone system?

Not every venue does. A single-room café with one space and one atmosphere can be served perfectly well by a single-zone system — one controller, one set of speakers, one volume level. Simpler is better when simpler is sufficient. A multi-zone system becomes the right choice when any of the following apply:

  • Your venue has spaces that serve different purposes — a bar and a restaurant, a gym floor and a studio, a lobby and a spa. Each space has a different customer, a different mood, and different audio requirements. Playing the same thing everywhere means one space is always wrong. 
  • Your venue has spaces that operate on different schedules — breakfast service in the restaurant, conference use in the meeting room, evening events in the bar. A multi-zone system lets each space run on its own timed routine, starting and stopping automatically without staff involvement.
  • You want different staff to control different areas independently — the bar manager adjusting their own zone without affecting the restaurant, or a fitness instructor controlling their studio without touching the main gym floor system. 
  • You operate multiple locations and want consistent audio across all of them — the same brand sound, the same presets, the same scheduling logic replicable from one site to the next.

The three components of a multi-zone system

Every multi-zone commercial audio installation has the same three building blocks, regardless of venue size.

Planning your zones

The most important step in designing a multi-zone system is mapping your venue into its natural zones before choosing any equipment. A zone is any space that needs independent audio control.

The question to ask for each area is: would there ever be a reason for this space to play different music, at a different volume, from a different source, than the space next to it? If yes, it is a zone. If no, it can share a zone with adjacent spaces. For a typical café-bar-restaurant the zones might be: bar area, dining room, terrace, and toilets — four zones, served by a Zone 4 or Zone 4P.

For a hotel covering lobby, restaurant, spa, gym, bar and conference room: six zones, served by a Zone 8 or Zone 8P with spare capacity for growth. For a gym with a main floor, two studios, changing rooms and reception: five zones, served again by a Zone 8 or Zone 8P.

Practical advice

Two common zone planning mistakes to avoid. Over-zoning — creating separate zones for spaces that will always run identically, adding cost and complexity without benefit. Under-zoning — combining spaces with meaningfully different acoustic needs or schedules into one zone and then trying to compromise. A practical rule: plan for one more zone than you think you need. Venues evolve, spaces get repurposed, and adding a zone after installation is significantly more disruptive than planning for it from the start.

Sources and inputs

A multi-zone system can distribute audio from multiple sources simultaneously. Typical sources for a commercial installation include: A streaming service accessed via a network-connected media player or directly through the Zone controller’s WebApp interface.

This is the most common primary source for background music in hospitality and retail venues. Local inputs at individual zones — allowing a DJ, live band, or microphone to connect directly at zone level without affecting the rest of the venue.

HDMI inputs for video and audio from a PC or media player — used in museums and visitor attractions to synchronise the soundtrack of a video installation with the Zone controller, or in hotels to route screen audio to the room’s speakers.

Paging and announcements — Talk 8

For venues that need to make live announcements or broadcast pre-recorded messages across specific zones — hotels, gyms, retail chains, museums — Optimal Audio’s Talk 8 is a dedicated eight-zone digital paging station that integrates directly with the Zone controller ecosystem.

Talk 8 sits on a desk or counter and connects to the Zone controller via the dedicated paging port. Staff use it to page individual zones, groups of zones, or the whole venue simultaneously.

It comes supplied with the Mic 1 gooseneck microphone for live voice announcements, and includes six instant message playback buttons that can be loaded with pre-recorded clips — opening time reminders, safety announcements, promotional messages — each assignable to any zone.

Message routines can also be scheduled via WebApp for fully automatic playback at set times throughout the day, with an optional pre-announcement chime to signal that a message is coming.

Control — how staff actually use the system

The most technically excellent audio system is worthless if the staff who operate it day-to-day cannot use it confidently. This is where Optimal Audio’s design approach is meaningfully different from many commercial audio systems.

Getting a system designed and installed

A multi-zone commercial audio installation is a designed system that requires a site survey, specification, installation and commissioning by a trained professional.

The process typically follows four stages. A site survey establishes the zone plan, acoustic characteristics of each space, installation constraints, and any integration requirements with existing infrastructure.

A system specification documents the recommended Zone controller, amplifiers, loudspeakers and cabling for each zone, along with a system diagram and cost estimate. Installation fits the physical components — cabling, speaker mounting, controller and ZonePad placement.

Commissioning configures WebApp with the zone routing, DSP settings, source inputs, staff presets and scheduled routines, and trains the venue staff on day-to-day operation.

Bloodline Gym Audio

High-energy audio for Bloodline Gym, London's East End

The Venue

Bloodline Gym in London’s East End is one of the UK’s leading Muay Thai and kickboxing centres. Owner Paul Marut built the Bloodline reputation over twenty years, starting in a smaller space in Clapton before the gym’s growth demanded a new purpose-built venue.

Marut’s background as a doorman at some of London’s most respected clubs and bars gave him a direct understanding of how music shapes an environment — he knew exactly what he wanted the system to do before the installer arrived.

The open-plan venue divides naturally into four functional areas: a reception with coffee bar at the entrance, the main workout floor on the ground level, a mezzanine chill-out zone above, and the wider space that hosts regular social events including interclub meets, fight nights and screenings.

The spaces serve different purposes simultaneously — members warming up at reception, training on the main floor, recovering on the mezzanine — each needing a different audio environment at the same time.

System at a glance

Controller

Zone 4

Manages all 3 zones —
reception, main floor, mezzanine

Loudspeakers — reception

Up with pendant housing and bezel-less grilles

Pendant format for high-ceiling entrance space

Loudspeakers — main floor

6x Cuboid 8

Ground floor gym area — full-range, no subwoofer required

Loudspeakers — mezzanine

3x Cuboid 6

Chill-out zone — lower volume, relaxed atmosphere

Amplifiers

SmartAmp 30

Drives all zones

Control

WebApp

Reception computer and owner’s iPad

Installer

Essex Sound and Light

MD: Mike Glover · Completed in 4 days

The challenge

Two challenges defined the specification, one acoustic and one operational — and they pulled in different directions.

The acoustic challenge was specific and unusual. Before the new system was installed, the gym had received noise complaints from office suites located above the building.

The problem was not simply volume — it was frequency. A system generating significant sub-bass was transmitting vibration through the building structure into the offices above.

The new system had to deliver the high-energy, punchy sound that Muay Thai training demands while eliminating the structural bass transmission that had caused the complaints. The conventional solution — a system with dedicated subwoofers — would have made the structural transmission problem worse, not better.

The specification had to find a different answer. The operational challenge was that Paul Marut needed to run a busy gym without audio becoming a management overhead.

With a reception team and training staff focused on members, the system had to run largely automatically through the day and give Marut remote control when he needed it — from anywhere in the building.

The system

Essex Sound and Light’s Mike Glover specified a solution built around a Zone 4 controller with SmartAmp 30 amplification.

The speaker selection was the critical design decision and addressed the noise issue directly. For the main workout floor, Glover specified six Cuboid 8 loudspeakers distributed across the ground floor area.

The choice was deliberate: the Cuboid 8’s wooden cabinet delivers a complete frequency response with genuine low-end presence — enough to create the energy a combat sports gym demands — without requiring a dedicated subwoofer.

By keeping all the bass reproduction within the speaker cabinet rather than from a floor-mounted sub, the system avoids the structural transmission that had generated the complaints.

Six units across the main floor provide even energy distribution throughout the training space. On the mezzanine chill-out zone, three Cuboid 6 loudspeakers create a markedly different atmosphere — the same audio quality at volumes appropriate for the recovery area’s character.

At reception, Up speakers with bezel-less grilles and pendant housing accessories deliver clear, welcoming coverage at the entrance. The pendant format allows the speakers to hang at an appropriate listening height from the high ceiling, giving the reception area good coverage without requiring surface mounting.

The bezel-less grille keeps the installation visually clean — matching the aesthetic of a professionally fitted gym environment.

Day-to-day operation

WebApp runs on the reception computer as the primary control point for staff. Paul Marut also runs WebApp on his iPad, giving him full control from anywhere in the building — adjusting zone levels while walking the gym floor without going back to the desk. Automated routines handle the opening and closing of the audio system in line with the gym’s hours. The system comes on and switches off without staff involvement — and if something is accidentally adjusted during the day, the scheduled reset restores the correct configuration automatically.

The outcome

The noise complaints stopped. The Cuboid 8 specification eliminated the structural bass transmission issue entirely by removing subwoofers from the equation while still delivering a full-range, high-energy sound fit for professional combat sports training. Essex Sound and Light completed the installation from first fix to commissioning in four days. Bloodline Gym now operates a system that runs itself through the working day, responds to manual override from anywhere in the building, and delivers the high-energy atmosphere that defines the venue’s character.

“The audio sounds great. Music is so important in a gym that we wanted to give our customers the best and Optimal Audio allows us to do that — and it's just so easy to control.”
Paul MarutOwner, Bloodline Gym
“The installation was so simple. The products are so easy to set up and configure and the complete project, from first fix to end result, took us just four days.”
Mike GloverMD, Essex Sound and Light
“For us going forward, Optimal Audio will be the go-to for commercial hospitality. We have a great relationship with the team, the products are great and importantly they're reliable. The ecosystem is simple to install and we're really enjoying working with the products.”
Mike GloverMD, Essex Sound and Light

Estadio Banorta

CASE STUDY

Estadio Azteca · Estadio Banorte · Mexico City

Every Screen Alive

Inside Mexico City’s iconic Coloso, AVPro MXNet quietly became the world’s largest single 10G AV-over-IP network — feeding more than 500 displays and over 20 video walls from one unified system.

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500+

Displays driven

20+

Large-format video walls

580

Decoder endpoints (Phase 1)

16x

Channels of 4K60 encoding

<2 ms

End-to-end latency

#1

Largest Single 10G SDVoE Network

THE PROJECT

A legendary venue, reimagined for the modern fan

AVPro worked alongside our partners to deliver this solution to the people of Mexico City and to the wider world, transforming how video moves through one of fútbol’s most legendary venues. Pop Media served as the integrator and leader, Duoson as AVPro’s distributor in Mexico, and Polaris Controls rounded out the team as the brand representative. At Estadio Banorte, which the people of Mexico have called Estadio Azteca for the last 60 years and known nationwide as El Coloso de Santa Úrsula, the team designed and deployed a single, stadium-wide video network built entirely on the AVPro MXnet 10G AV-over-IP platform. As the venue prepares to host a packed calendar of major fútbol events this summer, beginning with Mexico versus South Africa on June 11, that network delivers live action, replays, way-finding, and branded content on screen everywhere a fan looks. The result is a fan experience that feels effortless, and an engineering achievement that the AV industry will be talking about for years.

In collaboration with partners:

THE VENUE

El Coloso de Santa Úrsula

Estadio Banorte is not an ordinary building. Opened in 1966 and rising 2,200 meters above sealevel, it is the largest stadium in Latin America and one of the most storied fútbol’grounds on Earth, the only venue to have twice hosted the final of the sport’s biggest global tournament, and the stage for the most iconic moments in the game’s history. Bringing a place like this into the modern era meant solving a problem of sheer scale: how to deliver pristine, perfectly synchronized video to every concourse screen, suite, hospitality space, and giant video wall across an enormous concrete bowl, all from a single source of truth, with no stutter, no lag, and no compromise. For tens of thousands of fans in the stands and millions more watching from around the world, every one of those screens has to come alive at exactly the right instant.

Estadio Banorte, Mexico City

THE SOLUTION

One complete AVPro ecosystem

To make that happen, AVPro delivered a complete, end-to-end product ecosystem rather than a patchwork of parts. At the heart of the system are MXnet 10G SDVoE transceivers, compact encode-and-decode endpoints that sit behind each display, paired with MXnet 100G core switches, MXnet access switches, and dual CBOX-HA control systems for high-availability management of the entire network. Together, these components route live video to more than 500 televisions and over 20 large-format video walls throughout the stadium. Because every endpoint speaks the same language on the same network, any source can be sent to any screen, anywhere in the building, the moment an operator calls for it.

MXNet 10G SDVoE Transceivers
Compact endpoints behind every screen. Model AC-MXNET-10G-TCVR.
MXNet 100G Core Switches
Redundant dual VSF stacking core for the whole venue.
MXNet Access Switches
Reaching every corner across 23 distribution areas.

Dual CBOX-HA Control Systems
High-availability orchestration with built-in failover.

An Engineering Perspective: Kevin Wang

Kevin Wang on Site at Estadio Banorte

I first became involved with the Estadio Banorte project before ISE 2025 with the system design going through several major revisions as the customer’s requirements continued to evolve.

Because of cybersecurity and confidentiality requirements, I cannot share many of the technical details. However, the most important part of the project was that we recreated the entire system in our factory laboratory before deployment.

The R&D team and I spent seven full days building the complete system and carrying out the initial testing. After that, the wider AVPro team conducted another 14 days of integration testing. This allowed us to validate the design, test the network and system behavior, and identify potential problems before the equipment arrived on site.

The time and cost savings from this preparation are difficult to quantify, but they were among the main reasons the implementation went so smoothly. It also demonstrated the value of combining detailed engineering preparation with the effort of the entire AVPro team.

How It Works

Any Content, Any Screen, Instantly – With One Tap

What makes the experience so seamless is how the system moves signals to each screen. Rather than running a separate cable to every display, AVPro’s platform carries multiple independent video streams across a single shared 10-gigabit network and lets each decoder pull exactly the feeds it needs, from a single match angle on a concourse TV to several sources stitched together on a video wall. Every screen receives lossless 4K video with end-to-end latency low enough that the picture is effectively instantaneous, so a goal celebrated on the field is celebrated on every display in the same breath. For the people operating the venue, switching what plays where is as simple as a tap, even across hundreds of endpoints at once.

Conceptual Application Diagram of How MXnet 10G Routes Video

The Network

Engineered as one system, end to end

None of this works without the network underneath it, and this is where the project truly stands apart. AVPro didn’t just supply the video gear; the team designed and deployed the entire supporting infrastructure, building a resilient backbone with a dual stacking core, a 400G interconnect tying the stadium’s main distribution points together, 23 separate distribution areas reaching every corner of the venue, and redundant 100G uplinks throughout. By engineering switches, networks, encoders, and decoders into a cohesive system from a single manufacturer, AVPro removed the finger-pointing and guesswork that so often plague large installations. The infrastructure didn’t merely tolerate the demands of real-time AV; it was purpose-built for them, and it performed flawlessly under full load.

“One of the most important challenges of the project was to install everything in a surprisingly short time, as the stadium suffered a major renovation, so coordination between construction, fiber infrastructure, and hardware installation and commissioning was critical. But we managed to complete the project on time.

– Octavio Villa, Deputy General Manager at Pop Media, Technology

From Core Racks to Commissioning, AVPro Designed and Deployed the Full Network

The Scale

The Largest Single 10G SDVoE AV-over-IP Network in the World

The scale of the deployment is what sets it apart. Phase 1 alone runs 16 channels of 4K60 encoding, feeding 580 decoder endpoints, all on a single continuous network, making this the largest single-site 10G SDVoE AV-over-IP deployment in the world, a distinction AVPro has confirmed directly with Semtech, the technology’s originator. While other venues have purchased large quantities of SDVoE endpoints before, those projects were stitched together from several separate networks; Estadio Banorte runs as one. The system has already passed factory full-load testing, large-scale switching trials, co-existence testing alongside IPTV and Samsung VXT digital signage, and high-availability validation. And it is built to grow: the architecture scales beyond 2,000 nodes, with Phase 2 set to bring the venue to roughly 1,500 endpoints.

  • 16 channels of 4K60 encoding
  • Lossless 4K60 4:4:4, <2 ms latency
  • 23 distribution areas, dual 100G uplinks
  • Phase 2 grows to ~1,500 endpoints
  • 580 decoder endpoints in Phase 1
  • Dual VSF stacking core + 400G cross-MDF
  • Scales beyond 2,000 SDVoE nodes
  • Validated with Semtech as #1 worldwide
  • 16 channels of 4K60 encoding
  • Lossless 4K60 4:4:4, <2 ms latency
  • 23 distribution areas, dual 100G uplinks
  • Phase 2 grows to ~1,500 endpoints
  • 580 decoder endpoints in Phase 1
  • Dual VSF stacking core + 400G cross-MDF
  • Scales beyond 2,000 SDVoE nodes
  • Validated with Semtech as #1 worldwide

Passed factory full-load testing, large-scale switching trials, co-existence testing with IPTV and Samsung VXT digital signage, and high-availability validation.

Teatro Duse Theater

CASE STUDY

Teatro Duse Theater

Live Events Theater in Bologna, Italy

The historic Teatro Duse of Bologna raises the curtain with an ambitious and modern installation. The project was created to give new life to the scenic environment and give a more engaging theatrical experience, both to artists and users.

AVPro Edge Solution: MXNet

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Private Design Offices

CASE STUDY

Private Design Offices

Corporate Lobby in Minneapolis, MN

Creating the wow factor for visitors, this install is made up of 23 monitors that can be split into three different zones/walls or have one large image/video across the entire video wall.

AVPro Edge Solution: MXNet Mosaic Video Walls

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Alaska Airlines Terminal

CASE STUDY

Alaska Airlines Terminal

Airport in Seattle, WA

This commercial digital signage installation for Alaska Airlines features one CBOX, one AC-MXNET-SW48, 22 decoders, and six encoders. This video distribution system does the communication job for Alaska Airlines by displaying signage, flight info, and airport warnings.

AVPro Edge Solution: MXNet

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Hard Rock Café

CASE STUDY

Hard Rock Café

Live Music Venue and Restaurant in Verona, Italy

Deploying AVPro Edge’s AV-over-IP solution, MXNet, as part of the installation for a client considered one of the world’s most storied franchises. The local integrator created a rocking and rolling setting for the new Hard Rock Cafe in Verona, Italy, known romantically as “The City of Love”.

AVPro Edge Solution: MXNet

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LET IT FLY

CASE STUDY

LET IT FLY

Video & Audio Distribution At A Luxury Oceanside Residence

The Restaurant

Let It Fly, an upscale Sports Bar and Grill located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, emphasized the “Sports” in “Sports Bar” and requested live sports be visible at every angle. The restaurant space had two main seating areas with 200 seats, an outdoor patio with 100 seats, a bar, and a casino that needed AV solutions. With so much space and what would become over 80 displays, there was a need for a robust AV distribution system with secure management capabilities.

AV Design

Let It Fly tasked Dave Lawrence, L&S Video & Audio CEO, with finding a solution. L&S Video & Audio is a family-owned AV distributor and installer operating in Sioux Falls for over 20 years. Dave designed a solution to cover all seating angles with 81 TVs and 16 video sources and also had one side of the interior as one giant display. The length of the wall is 36 feet and 8 inches. A typical TV has a 16:9 aspect ratio, so the wall can comfortably fit four 110-inch displays.

A single 110-inch LCD or LED display sounds ideal, but presently they are costly and difficult to find. A projector can make a 110-inch display, but projectors aren’t very bright, and projector screens work best in dark environments not suitable for retail or restaurants. Alternatively, video walls are more affordable, and they allow both the size and the brightness of a regular TV. Video walls are multiple video displays tiled together into one more prominent display using a video wall processor. The cost of a 2×2 video wall, or four 55-inch TVs, plus a video wall processor is much cheaper and more versatile than a single 110-inch display.

They needed an audio and video system that could handle a lot of displays and video walls from one end of the restaurant to the other. Their plan would also need a control system to manage the different panels and audio routing. L&S Video & Audio had partnered with AVPro Edge on AV distribution projects before, and they were interested in AVPro Edge’s AV over IP solution for Let It Fly. After speaking with Loel Wheeler, Pro AV Business Development Manager, and John Tumbleson of Product Development and Engineering, he decided to use MXNet.

AV over IP Advantage

AVPro Edge’s MXNet is an audio-video data over internet network or AV over IP solution. MXNet has hardware components designed to coexist to create an ecosystem. The MXNet Ecosystem contains network switches, encoders, decoders, and a control box that can distribute video, audio, and control signals with unlimited sources and displays over a standard ethernet network. Using an AV over IP solution like MXNet allowed Dave to manage all of the displays securely, and he could save on installation costs by using the existing internet network.

With MXNet, the number one goal is easy deployment. All MXNet components come ready for audio-video signals out of the box. The last thing Dave needed to worry about was configuring a network switch to handle AV signals. The MXNet web interface, Mentor, gives integrators complete control to name endpoints, switch sources, analyze data rates, create video walls, and much more. Mentor comes built-in to each MXNet Ecosystem, giving integrators the upper hand to have a quick and successful installation.

Results

After the installation was complete, Dave said he was happy with how easy MXNet was to install and the overall results of the MXNet Ecosystem. He said John Tumbleson was always available during the installation to ensure the best results on all displays and video walls. Since then, he hasn’t needed John to repair or update any MXNet components at Let It Fly. The MXNet Ecosystem works well with the other equipment at the restaurant, namely, audio amplifiers and an audio controller. Dave said the installation went exceptionally well, and he would use MXNet again in other projects.

“the best thing about this solution is that I have control of the full system.”

Simplify any large-scale AV distribution with MXNet. With the MXNet Ecosystem, Dave had an easy AV deployment, and he has control and stability in the entire system. To get your hands on an MXNet AV over IP Ecosystem, visit our website at avproedge.com or give us a call at 605-274-6055.

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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

CASE STUDY

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

Revolutionizing University of Miami's Audio Video Landscape: An Inside Look

Ageless Grandeur

When Miami is mentioned, sun-splashed visions of South Beach along Ocean Drive leap to mind, with its sherbet-shaded pastel Art Deco District buildings, deeply imbued in rich pigments of cadmium, cerulean, and phthalo, their hues hearkening back to the halcyon days of the mid-20s. The legendary collection of nearly 1,000 historic buildings is the highest concentration of Art Deco structures worldwide, continuing to retell their histories almost a century later. Their existence parallels the timeline of another historic metropolitan area landmark in Coral Gables, the University of Miami, seven miles southwest of South Beach.

Orange and Green, Nothing Plain About That

In 1926, as stucco touches were being applied to future South Beach waterfront mainstays, the University of Miami opened its doors to the first enrollment class and a nascent freshman football team. Sans an official designation other than its affiliation with the school, the team tenaciously tallied a perfect 8-0 inaugural season, despite the first game being postponed nearly a month due to the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926. Devastating as the storm proved to be, it managed to provide the team with its official nickname. Also, the official school colors of orange, green, and white were selected at this time, symbolizing Florida orange trees. Orange represents the fruit, green the leaves, and white signifies the blossoms. The following season, 1927, witnessed the team compete as a varsity entity, starting the first chapter in its continuing, storied history.

Room to Play

As the program’s centennial nears, a revamp to the team training facility was merited, including an expansive area intended to provide student-athlete football players, coaches, and staff an accommodating environment to decouple from the intense pressures to win at the NCAA Division 1 level. Just as working alongside one another is essential for team success, learning to reduce stress and balance life plays a vital part in shaping the lifelong personal success of these young men. The project was designed with critical elements for socializing as a team and for the capability to immerse in some activities individually. The timing coincided with last season’s official arrival of new head coach Mario Cristobal, marking the former Hurricane’s homecoming return since his playing days at the school and his first coaching role as a graduate assistant in 1998.

Special Teams

Based in Miami and quarterbacked by Jesse Miller, Midtown Video was tasked with bringing the project over the goal line. High-profile, high-level projects are the norm for Midtown Video. The chess game began when it was decided Audio-Visual over Internet Protocol (AV-o-IP) would provide the best method for effective distribution of audio/video signaling. During the initial stages of the installation, Jesse was hampered, along with most in the A/V integration industry, by supply chain constraints. Upon learning that supply chain chicanes did not similarly plague Sioux Falls-based AVPro Edge and its unique, vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities, straightaway collaboration between the two companies enabled Midtown Video to handily beat the installation play clock and meet the project turnover date.

Huddle Up

The installation was not without specific challenges. Though AVPro Edge manufactures and pre-configures its network switches, optimizing performance compounded by the excessive demands of packetized AV-o-IP and not mere network data, the University of Miami IT department standardized an alternate switch brand across the campus whose use they preferred. Undaunted, AVPro Edge Tech Support, joined by Midtown Video and the university’s IT wizards, worked tirelessly to configure this aspect of the system to operate flawlessly.

Enjoying a Bye Week

The massive video wall is the best way to keep tabs on conference rivals during a bye week. As many as four key games can be displayed simultaneously and delivered with the video precision the AVPro Edge reputation is known for. With the AVPro Edge MXnet AV-o-IP Ecosystem, a virtual matrix switcher is created for the networked video, enabling video content to be delivered effortlessly to any desired display location or to merge the video wall into a stadium-sized image to critically scrutinize next week’s opponent in a big way, albeit, surrounded by a rare hint of luxury. Some athletes may opt instead for a bit of “me time” and to stay keen with hand-eye skills by cocooning at one of the PlayStation 5 pods, going through future dreamed-of NFL game scenarios bruise-free. Yet others may elect to do reps in the state-of-the-art weight room, spiritedly motivated by the pseudo-crushing, crystal-clear sound waves of the Danley Sound Labs audio system that, almost by itself, makes blood move through the body.

Serious Business and Serious Fun

The almost business-like atmosphere of NCAA football makes impossible demands on student-athletes in nearly every human dimension. Providing an inviting environment to escape momentarily and decompress returns big rewards on Saturdays during the fall and, who knows, perhaps even on New Year’s Day. AVPro Edge and Midtown Video are proud of their synergism in making this facility a technical tour de force while creating a cutting-edge retreat from the all-consuming rigors that few outside college sports comprehend entirely.

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AV CASE STUDY: GEELONG ARTS CENTRE AUDIO UPGRADE

CASE STUDY:

Geelong Arts Centre

A massive A$140m upgrade of Geelong’s arts precinct includes a hefty audio package led by Martin Audio WPS line arrays.

Hanson Associates was initially engaged to provide the acoustic and electroacoustic design for the new Stage 3 Redevelopment of the Geelong Arts Centre (GAC). This ambitious project introduced two new theatres: The Story House, a 550-seat venue, and The Open House, a flexible 250-seat performance space. Our role extended beyond room acoustics to include the design of house loudspeaker systems, thanks to the forward-thinking approach of GAC’s technical advisor Andrew Nicol of A.E.N. Advisory and Design Services, who understood the critical synergy between room acoustics and sound reinforcement.

Alongside the Stage 3 project, we were also directly appointed to assist with technology upgrades for GAC’s existing Play House theatre. This encompassed a new sound reinforcement system, motorised flying equipment, and an extensive overhaul of the venue’s cabling infrastructure.

TACKLING AN OUTDATED SYSTEM

The Play House Theatre’s previous sound system was a relic of an earlier era, consisting of outdated, single-source cabinets mounted on the proscenium. The venue’s geometry — originally designed as a cinema — compounded coverage issues, with a deep balcony overhang and complex side seating areas presenting significant challenges. The in-house system failed to provide adequate coverage, leading to its consistent replacement with temporary loudspeakers for live events.

The centre channel posed the greatest challenge, as the existing system provided negligible audience coverage and was often left unused. A modern solution was urgently needed to meet the demands of contemporary programming.

The Play House Theatre enjoyed a full technical refit including new rigging, electroacoustics package, Riedel Bolero comms, and lighting. 

CLIENT BRIEF: PERFORMANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE

The loudspeaker system design for each venue was shaped by the final acoustic specifications, with a brief that emphasised:

  • Clarity – Intelligible speech (STI ≥ 0.6 at all listening positions)
  • Natural Reproduction – Excellent transient response and minimal distortion
  • Level – Total SPL at all listening positions: Leq 105dBC (6dB crest factor)
  • Uniformity – Minimal variation across the audience area
  • Dynamic Range – Low system noise and high headroom

A key requirement for The Story House was the ability to adapt its response to different room configurations with minimal operator intervention while maintaining consistent performance across both audience and stage areas.

The Play House and Story House required traditional front-left-right theatre sound reinforcement systems, supplemented by fill and delay loudspeakers. The Open House, a flexible black-box space, needed a single permanent loudspeaker system in a primary orientation, with additional infrastructure to support a pool of shared loudspeakers for alternative layouts.

The Open House black box theatre also opens out to the adjacent park for alfresco Christmas carols and the like.

MODELLING THE SOLUTION

Using Odeon, we developed detailed acoustic models for each venue, allowing us to refine room acoustics for different performance formats and evaluate the impact of various loudspeaker solutions.

In the Play House Theatre, sightlines were paramount. To optimise coverage, we modelled multiple centre loudspeaker configurations, ultimately selecting a line array solution over clustered point-source cabinets for its superior coherence and consistent audience coverage.

Finding the best location for the centre cluster wasn’t the end of the story. The existing documentation was outdated and did not accurately reflect the built environment. The P.A. People’s input here was invaluable. Not only did they supply and install new rigging for the loudspeakers but went above and beyond to ensure the arrays are tucked up and out of the way as much as possible.

Special mention also goes to MultiTek Solutions, the appointed AV contractor, which conducted extensive site investigations, to provide us with the information the 45-year-old plans couldn’t. MultiTek were also able to map new cabling access routes along with the identification of appropriate rigging locations.

Utilising independent 3D venue models, we tested several loudspeaker solutions based on manufacturer recommendations and conducted comparative simulations. A collaborative approach with GAC led to the development of a grading system, assessing each option against the venue’s requirements, available inventory, budget, and technical performance. Following this process, Martin Audio’s WPS line array system, supported by subwoofers and single-source speakers, was chosen for each space.

A standout endorsement came from Jessica Mauboy during the grand opening: ‘Wow. Aren’t the acoustics great!’

MARTIN AUDIO: MEETING THE BRIEF

Martin Audio has pioneered beam-shaping technology for over 15 years, a feature we previously leveraged in O-Line installations to precisely map direct sound coverage while rejecting unwanted areas. This same technology was deployed in the larger-format WP-series loudspeakers, allowing for adaptable audience coverage with simple preset adjustments via the control system.

The combination of Martin WPS Line Arrays and SXCF118 subwoofers delivered exceptional signal-to-noise performance on stage, reducing reflections from hard surfaces and improving on-stage rejection. The Martin Audio Display D2 software facilitated precise system optimisation, with settings uploaded to iKon amplifiers driving the WPS arrays.

SUBWOOFER STRATEGY

Both the Story House and Play House feature flown cardioid subwoofer arrays flanking the centre line array. This configuration enhances horizontal dispersion control while minimising stage spill. For high-impact performances, such as rock concerts or electronic music events, four Martin Audio SXP218 active dual subwoofers are available as ground stacks beneath the left and right arrays. These are shared between The Story House and Play House as needed.

The new Story House venue is the largest in the precinct and features 3 x 10-element Martin Audio WPS arrays at FOH along with Martin Audio CDD loudspeakers for fill. 

A RESOUNDING SUCCESS

The feedback from GAC’s technical managers and visiting audio professionals has been overwhelmingly positive. Touring artists and engineers alike have praised the system’s clarity, coverage, and ease of use. A standout endorsement came from Jessica Mauboy during the grand opening: “Wow. Aren’t the acoustics great!”

Such praise reflects the meticulous effort invested in design, installation, and system tuning. Hanson Associates collaborated closely with GAC staff to ensure that the final tuning not only met but exceeded expectations, delivering optimal audience coverage and localisation.

A TEAM EFFORT

TAG’s Tony Russo and Bryan Davidson provided invaluable support throughout the process, from design consultation to on-site implementation and post-completion assistance. The P.A. People supplied new motorised winch systems, enabling safe and flexible deployment of the centre array and subwoofers.

At Hanson Associates, we differentiate ourselves by directly commissioning and tuning the sound systems we design, ensuring that our performance specifications are fully realised. For the Play House Theatre, we executed system tuning in partnership with David Gilfillan of Gilfillan Soundwork, delivering a solution that continues to impress performers, audiences, and technical teams alike.

The transformation of Geelong Arts Centre’s audio infrastructure is a testament to the power of collaboration, precision engineering, and cutting-edge technology. It stands as a world-class example of how thoughtful acoustic and electroacoustic design can elevate the performance experience for artists and audiences alike.

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