Designed to accommodate functions ranging from fine arts performances to training sessions/presentations, boxing events and parties, the new Cendera Center in Fort Worth, Texas, required a particularly flexible sound reinforcement system. The venue required both music reproduction ad a high level of speech intelligibility, leading it to install an active set-up from the DAS Audio’s Aero Series 2 line.
Together with acoustics and entertainment technologies consultancy Sowden & Associates, design/build firm American Audio Visual pooled its efforts to design a suitable system for the centre. Christopher ‘Topper’ Sowden, Principal Consultant of Sowden & Associates, and Mike Horn, President of American Audio Visual demonstrated a DAS Audio Aero 8A and Aero 12A line array elements, accompanied by Aero LX-215RA sub bass enclosures to Cendera Center personnel.
‘Cendera Center was designed to accommodate a broad assortment of activities and it was critical for the system to not only provide first-class sound quality, it also needed to be relatively compact so as to facilitate the resulting three stage positions,’ Horn explains, ‘Cendera Hall is the primary entertainment space at Cendera Center. Since the loudspeakers get moved to best accommodate the nature of the event, their compact footprint was a huge consideration. Similarly, the system’s self-powered design was equally important, as it virtually eliminates the necessity of housing separate power amplifiers.’
‘Since the power amplification is integrated right into the loudspeaker enclosures, this also streamlines system cabling.’ Sowden says, ‘This approach resulted in a reduction in overall system cost while maintaining the quality of the system, which Cendera representatives indicated was most important.’
The main sound reinforcement system at Cendera Center consists of two primary clusters of five Aero 12A mid-high line array elements. These flown clusters are augmented by two DAS Aero LX-215RA band-pass subwoofers per side, which are located behind the Aero 12As. Additionally, a pair of Aero 12As is used for side fill.
Along with the Aero 12A and Aero LX-215RA enclosures, six Aero 8A line array elements complete the system. These loudspeakers are used in side fill, front fill, and delay capacities. Single Aero 8As are s placed to the extreme left and right sides of the house mains to provide coverage for the far sides of the hall. Another two Aero 8As are used for front fill, and the remaining two enclosures are roughly 35 feet out into the room – one each left and right – for delay.
‘This combination of loudspeakers gives Cendera Center a truly versatile set-up that can be tailored to the nature of the event,’ says Horn. ‘The sound quality is consistent from front to rear and side to side and the system’s rigging hardware facilitates re-positioning the loudspeakers easily. I honestly don’t believe there’s another loudspeaker system available that offers the performance and functionality of the Aero 12A.
‘I’ve been working with DAS for several years and the company consistently provides a high level of customer service,’ he adds. ‘Carlos Henao, US Accounts Manager, worked closely with us throughout the project and was a pleasure to deal with. DAS is extremely responsive to its customers.’
Since its completion in July, the Cendera Center sound system is winning praise from visitors and the staff: ‘We’ve been very pleased with the new sound system’s performance,’ says Brian Collins, Cendera Center’s President. ‘The audio quality is everything I had envisioned for the room and the versatility of the system is quite impressive. We’ve received numerous positive comments from our clients. The combined efforts of Topper Sowden and Mike Horn have resulted in a system that delivers upon the promise of superior sound quality for all the events that take place here.’
More: http://cenderacenter.com
More: www.sowdenassoc.com
More: www.dasaudio.com
