Renkus-Heinz adds a new steer to lectures
Published: ASIA
THAILAND: Thammasat University in Bangkok is one of Thailand’s oldest universities and is renowned for producing some of the country’s key political figures. As such, the university’s 557 sq-m lecture theatre, which is based at the Rangsit campus, requires an audio system that provides intelligible sound throughout. With a six-year old system not achieving the level of clarity required, the institution turned to Thai distributor and systems integrator Vichai Trading (1983) Co Ltd, which designed and installed a solution based around Renkus-Heinz’ Iconyx range.
‘The existing loudspeaker system had problems with speech clarity,’ recalled Patiyuth Gludnim from Vichai. ‘There were uneven sound pressure levels and coverage problems.’
Installed within the lecture theatre were two IC16-RN column loudspeakers mounted each side of the stage. This solution doesn’t replace the existing system, but rather complements it. ‘The primary purpose of the IC16-RN columns was for the all-important speech intelligibility during lectures,’ noted KK Tan, application engineer at Renkus-Heinz. ‘Meanwhile, the existing line array would be used for music playback.’
Even with the addition of the IC16-RN units, the venue itself proved troublesome, with its sloped seating configuration that rises from front to rear. ‘There simply wasn't enough SPL in the room for a hall of this size when we used traditional multi-beam coverage,’ explained Mr Tan. ‘So instead we decided to try our new UniBeam format.’
The manufacturer’s RHAON software was put to use, setting and steering the IC16-RN loudspeakers to UniBeam mode, which allows users to shape the ideal pattern of coverage needed. ‘We achieved an additional 6dB!’ exclaimed Mr Tan. ‘The additional power of UniBeam meant that for the first time coverage was achieved across the entire area. Most importantly, it's a solution built to last.’
‘Using UniBeam means that there's no undue stress on the system,’ concluded Mr Gludnim. ‘The lecture theatre now benefits from consistent and clear speech, right to the back of the hall.’