Nestled in New York’s Catskill Mountains, a distinctive hospitality destination blends a boutique hotel with elevated dining experiences and social spaces designed to bring guests together. The bar and restaurant serve as active gathering places for visitors and the local community, so the property relies on a high-quality audio experience that complements its atmosphere without adding unnecessary complexity for staff.
The Spec
🏢 Venue: Catskill Mountains | New York
👷Integrator: Colton Parrott | Mood Media FCC
🎶Audio Spaces: Luxury Mountain Resort
🦈Products Used: Connect Series 168, Connect Series Touch
When the property sought to improve the sound quality and control of its existing audio system, the project presented a familiar challenge: upgrading system performance while working within the constraints of existing infrastructure. The installation required integrating older loudspeakers and existing wiring with new amplifiers and control technology.
Photos by Gail, Dan, and Steve Ohnsman, Stadium Journey
Resort staff contacted leading integrator Mood Media FCC to architect and implement the audio system upgrades. As the team evaluated options, LEA Professional amplifiers stood out for their combination of flexibility, control, and scalability.
“The ability to future-proof the system was a major consideration,” said Colton Parrott, Installations Manager at Mood Media FCC. “The Connect Series amplifiers have a diverse set of tools that will allow us to add onto the system in the future if necessary.”
Mood Media’s team installed 8-channel Connect Series 168 amplifiers to power the resort’s loudspeakers across multiple zones, delivering 160 watts per channel. All Connect Series amplifiers are professional-grade, IoT-enabled smart amplifiers suitable for installations of any size. They support both Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z, selectable by channel, eliminating the need for separate amplifiers to handle different speaker impedances, while streamlining installations and reducing equipment costs.
The Connect Series also includes 96kHz DSP as a standard feature, providing a range of benefits that greatly enhance audio performance and system versatility.
Two Connect Series Touch PoE-powered wall controllers were also installed to provide tactile system control. The wall-mounted, touch-enabled control panel is designed for simple, intuitive control of LEA amplifiers, including source selection and volume adjustments by zone.
The Connect Series delivers industry-first professional amplifier family featuring cloud connectivity, a revolutionary advancement, and a significant benefit for anyone maintaining the systems. With LEA Cloud, AV integrators like Mood Media FCC can remotely control and monitor amps from anywhere, anytime, with no subscription model or hidden costs. It’s completely free to use.
Another feature that impressed the integration team is the amplifier’s built-in WebUI. Designed to provide access to system configuration and control through an intuitive interface, WebUI lets users check the status of every amplifier connected to the network and every channel on any given amplifier to monitor channel performance. In addition, the platform allows users to view and adjust channel settings, including input settings, signal generator, crossover, equalizer, limiter, and load monitoring.
“We really liked using WebUI to set up the amplifiers,” said Parrott. “It’s easy to use and navigate and gives full control over every input and output without feeling cumbersome.”
This installation demonstrates how a targeted technology upgrade can improve the performance and usability of an existing audio system without requiring a complete rip-and-replace of the infrastructure. By integrating new amplifiers with legacy loudspeakers and wiring, the team improved sound quality and simplified control while creating a flexible platform for future expansion. For the resort, the result is an upgraded audio system that delivers improved sound while staying largely out of the way, giving staff and guests the experience they want without requiring them to think about the technology behind it.
“We like LEA amps because they make installations simple: they’re easy to use, you can use a mixture of different types of speakers on the same amp, and their speaker tunings optimize right from the start,” said Parrott. “We already have future installations where we plan on using LEA amps.”
The Conclusion
LEA Professional provided the amplification and control technology needed to modernize the New York resort’s audio system without replacing its existing speakers and wiring. With Connect Series amplifiers, Touch wall controllers, and remote management capabilities, LEA helped deliver improved sound quality, simplified zone control, and the flexibility to support future expansion at the resort.
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