Category: LEA Professional

The John A. McCarthy, Jr. Gymnasium is an important facility for the school’s athletic programs and events. It is also a focal point for fostering school spirit and community engagement. It hosts events that bring together students, faculty, parents, and alumni, reinforcing the sense of camaraderie and pride within the Benedictine Military School community. Over the years, the gym has undergone renovations and upgrades to maintain modern standards and improve the experience for athletes and spectators. Enhancements have included updated flooring, improved lighting, and better seating arrangements. Sound intelligibility was not adequate for many of the activities taking place in the gym, so staff reached out to Daniel Hunt, Director of Business Development of JSC Systems, to design and deploy an AV system with better intelligibility. 

“Gyms are never built with acoustics in mind. Everything in there is a hard surface, so they’re basically echo chambers,” said Hunt. “Intelligibility is usually pretty low, so we decided to implement LEA amplifiers with a new speaker layout for better directivity.”

The system utilized Crestron DSPs — one courtside to interface with event mics and another in the sound booth rack. Danley Sound Labs subwoofers were flown in the center of the gym, and multipurpose horns were mounted around the court. Hunt’s team also installed acoustic treatments to further reduce reverberation.

Hunt deployed multiple Connect Series 702 amplifiers to power the subwoofers and horns installed around the gymnasium. The IoT-enabled 2-channel 702 provides 700 watts per channel, supports Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and features Smart Power Bridge technology. With three ways to connect, the school can engage the built-in Wi-Fi access point, connect to the center’s Wi-Fi, or connect to the local area network via Cat5 or Cat6 cable.

“I really like LEA amplifiers because of the smart bridging feature,” exclaimed Hunt. “In Benedictine’s case, powering a subwoofer with 1400 watts and having the remaining channels for loudspeakers was definitely a plus.”

Early in the construction process, the Las Vegas resort staff contacted Richard Reisig, Owner of Technology West Group, to design and install the AV throughout the massive property. With successful collaborations in and around Las Vegas spanning over 20 years, Reisig’s team was the natural choice to provide audio solutions that aligned with the experiential goals the resort was seeking.

“It was a struggle during the pandemic to get products from anyone,” said Reisig. “We were far down the installation path when we discovered the originally specified amps couldn’t be delivered on time. Everything was on the network already, so we needed network-based amplifiers. There was no going back, so we pivoted to LEA. It was our first time working with LEA amps, which was very exciting for us, and the project turned out great.”

Technology West installed 297 Dante Connect Series amplifiers, utilizing a mixture of Connect Series 354D and Connect Series 704D amplifiers to power the property’s audio. With 96kHz-capable Dante and AES67 connectivity options, the IoT-enabled 4-channel 354D provides 350 watts per channel, supports Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and features Smart Power Bridge technology. The 354Ds power over 1500 Sonance in-ceiling, surface mount, and hanging loudspeakers throughout the resort. Similar in features, the 704D offers 700 watts per channel across four channels for higher wattage needs across the property. 

Technology West utilized LEA’s free SharkWare software to configure a base profile and push it out to all the pre-staged LEA amplifiers. SharkWare includes amplifier grouping, offline design, granular user access control levels, locked speaker tunings, and a graphical EQ. SharkWare also allows users to monitor the status of every amplifier connected to the network and the status and performance of individual channels. In addition, the software gives users the ability to view and adjust channel settings such as input settings, signal generator, crossover, equalizer, limiter, and load monitoring for all LEA Professional Connect Series amplifiers.

voco The Cadence is a stylish and modern hotel in Niagara Falls, New York. Situated close to the famous Niagara Falls, it provides easy access to the natural wonder and various attractions in the area, making it a convenient base for tourists. The design of voco The Cadence combines contemporary elements with a warm and inviting ambiance. The decor features a mix of modern and classic styles, creating a unique and sophisticated environment.

Sēvā Kitchen and Bar is the culinary heart of the hotel. The name “Sēvā” is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “selfless service,” reflecting the restaurant’s commitment to hospitality and community. Known for its vibrant atmosphere, creative cuisine, and exceptional service, the restaurant offers a unique culinary experience that blends modern flavors with a touch of local inspiration. The previously installed amplifier wasn’t meeting the restaurant’s needs, so they turned to amplifiers from LEA Professional to fulfill the performance requirements for the upscale dining experience.

Gambino installed the Connect Series 354 to power the system. Two channels drive the low-impedance main speakers, while a third channel powers a subwoofer. The fourth channel powers 70-volt outdoor speakers covering the patio dining area. A Connect Series Touch handles the source selection, volume adjustments, and mute status for the indoor and outdoor areas. The controller is PoE-powered for easy installation and allows for group control of source, volume, and mute. 

“After an initial phone call with LEA Tech Support we quickly got up to speed,” said Gambino. “Once we got used to the Connect Series Touch, it was smooth sailing—and our client is thrilled with the results!

Venue staff contacted Benum Norway A/S to design the audio system for the cultural hall. Based in Oslo, Benum is one of the leading AV integrators in Norway and is well-versed in the challenges associated with performance venues like Kultursalen Kipo. “Norway has stringent acoustic requirements for performance and rehearsal halls,” explained Kyrre Fledsberg, Project Manager at Benum. “For example, the natural reverberation time of the space must be 0.9 seconds but also allow for the implementation of an audio system that could increase reverberation up to 3 seconds. LEA Professional’s technology was the ideal solution for making the audio sound amazing in the hall.” 

The hall is a flat-floor auditorium in which the audience and the stage area have the same acoustic volume. There is no separate stage house or fly tower. The audience is seated in front of the stage on telescopically retractable raked platforms (amphitheater style) to provide good sight lines and strong direct sound, with seating for over 300 people. A Dante-enabled SIAP Mark V DSP drives the audio system and is acoustically adjustable to all types of performances by simply selecting the appropriate preset (theatrical performance, orchestra, choir, and more). 

Benum installed multiple Connect Series 168D amplifiers to power the 48 loudspeakers mounted throughout the venue. The 8-channel CS168D provides 160 watts per channel, Dante and AES67 connectivity, and easily works together with the SIAP DSP to accommodate the specific system requirements of the cultural hall. All Connect Series amplifiers are professional-grade, support Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and feature Smart Power Bridge technology. With three ways to connect, the venue can engage the built-in Wi-Fi access point, connect to the Wi-Fi, or connect to the local area network via Cat5 or Cat6 cable. 

“In reviewing the specific requirements for our installation, LEA Professional amps checked all of the boxes perfectly,” said Sandford. “It was a breeze setting them up, we basically set them up once and forgot it. Once the system was tuned, I was floored by how great it sounded! The system performs flawlessly and sounds fabulous.”

Like many others in the music industry, Sandford’s quest to enjoy music at its highest level brought him to NAMM, where he served on a panel for Creating Your Own Atmos Studio. The panel was facilitated by Dave Malekpour, President of The PAD Group (Professional Audio Design), who used Secret Sound to explain why Dolby Atmos could benefit Sandford and how to implement it effectively. Sandford was hooked and worked with Malekpour to make it a reality using the studio’s preexisting gear, including Augspurger monitors.

“Sandford wanted to use his existing isolation rack, which had limited space available,” said Malekpour. “We chose LEA amps primarily because of the Dante connectivity and the ability to fit into one rack space with four channels of great specifications and super low noise. An added benefit was that the amplifiers themselves don’t make a lot of noise or generate a lot of heat — they were just really efficient and effective in this installation.”

Malekpour installed a combination of multiple Connect Series 702Ds and 704Ds in the studio to power the PMC speakers. Both 1U amplifiers are well-suited for installations requiring high flexibility, making them the perfect choice for Secret Sound. With 96kHz-capable Dante and AES67 connectivity options, the IoT-enabled 2-channel 702D and the 4-channel 704D provide 700 watts per channel, support Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and feature Smart Power Bridge technology. With three ways to connect, the studio can engage the built-in Wi-Fi access point, connect to the building’s Wi-Fi, or connect to the local area network via Cat5 or Cat6 cable.

Staff at Stanford Baptist Church contacted Alex Peake, an integration specialist at JCA Media, to design a new audio system for the sanctuary. Peake recommended LEA’s Connect Series amplifiers to meet the church’s goal of high intelligibility. The Connect Series of two-, four-, and eight-channel amplifiers are the most full-featured in the industry, and their Smart Power Bridge technology made them the best choice for a venue like Stanford Baptist.

“The biggest thing that excited us about LEA amplifiers was the Smart Power Bridge function,” said Peake. “I can’t count how many times we’ve been able to save an amp channel or not have to install another amplifier because we could use Smart Power Bridge and feed a small sub rather than taking up two channels. That has been a big financial saver in projects, not having to install another amplifier but still having enough power for everything.”

The main loudspeakers are a flown left-right configuration with a Martin SXCF118 cardioid subwoofer. A unique feature of the subwoofer is that it features a forward-facing driver and a rear-facing driver and requires two amplifier channels, which is where LEA’s Smart Power Bridge comes into play. Smart Power Bridge allows an integrator to double the power on a single channel without sacrificing other amp channels.

JCA Media used the LEA Connect Series 1504 to power the main loudspeakers in the sanctuary. The IoT-enabled 4-channel 1504 provides 1500 watts per channel into 2, 4, and 8 ohms, and 70Vrms and 100Vrms. It also supports Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel and features Smart Power Bridge technology. JCA’s team doubled the output on one amplifier channel to power the front-facing subwoofer driver while another channel powered the rear-facing driver. The remaining two channels fed the left and right loudspeakers. 

Two balcony delays and six wedge loudspeakers were used for the musical worship service, so JCA deployed the LEA Connect Series 168 to power them. The 168 is a 1U, 8-channel amplifier offering 160 watts per channel, which was an excellent fit for the wedges, as well as two delay speakers mounted midway along the sides of the sanctuary. JCA utilized LEA’s free SharkWare software to fine-tune the system while walking around the sanctuary.