How to resolve AdBlock issue? Audio-Technica & Optimal Audio for Campbell Park
The first tier of local government, Campbell Park Community Council represents the residents of seven districts – known as “grid squares” – in Milton Keynes. The Council informs and facilitates consultations on a range of issues including budgeting and planning, with meetings conducted in a Community Hub, purpose built to serve their residents, including free use by charities and other local groups.
The facility’s meeting rooms are equipped with several Audio-Technica ATND1061 Beamforming Ceiling Array Microphones, System 10 Pro wireless system and an array of Optimal Audio Cuboid speakers, with an Audio-Technica ATDM-1012 Digital Smartmixer at the heart of the system. Used primarily for conference-style events, the Hub features two main rooms divided by a partition wall, with the system providing a flexible, easy-to-operate audio solution for everything from discussion groups to meet-and-greet sessions, as CPCC Estates Manager Chris Hindson explains: “The audio system (designed and installed by hearing solutions specialists Gordon Morris) provides a loop for hearing aid users and vocal uplift for those without them,” he says, “and it operates in conjunction with the wider conferencing AV system designed and installed by our IT partners. “The system is entirely operated by the staff of the building, so it had to be incredibly simple to use – and it is. There are simply four programmed modes; partition wall open/closed and vocal uplift on/off, so there’s really nothing that any of our users can mess up and no chance of anyone being deafened by feedback. It’s been an ideal solution for us.”
Despite delivering operational simplicity, the ATND-1061 microphones offer sophisticated features including Voice Activity Detection (VAD) to discern between voices and unwanted sound and 16 Coverage Zones to enable the tracking of participants while either seated or moving around during meetings. “We have been using Audio-Technica products for over 30 years,” explains Mark Birch, Operations Manager, Gordon Morris, “but this was the first project with the ATND1061 microphones. The client’s requirements were to have no microphones on meeting tables and flexible coverage for induction loop systems and public address across the dividable rooms.
“We worked closely with the Audio-Technica team to create the system and the ATND1061 microphones were chosen due to their beamforming design, great audio pickup and priority and exclusion zone functionality. Using these digital units delivers great control and excellent, natural sound in conjunction with the Optimal Audio speakers and the Univox Superloop low spill hard of hearing systems. There is also a Univox across-the-counter hearing loop system at the reception/office desk and a Phonak Roger portable hearing loop system for use in other areas of the building.”
The use of Optimal Audio’s transformer-equipped Cuboid 3TX (six of which feature in the installation) and four Cuboid 5TX speakers eliminated the need for individual power amplifiers at each speaker location. The two-way, full-range passive 3” and 5” (respectively) speakers can be run on 70 or 100v taps or at low impedance, ensuring ease of installation and high-quality audio.
“The Audio-Technica and Optimal Audio system has been a highly effective solution for us,” says Hindson, “The vocal uplift is subtle, but really helpful for larger groups and the hearing loop really makes a difference. We’ve aimed to make the venue as accessible as possible for all our residents and building users, and having a system like this has been key to achieving that goal.”