Bosch Plena Matrix proves ‘exactly the right fit’ for Hard Rock Café Sydney
Published: ASIA
AUSTRALIA: Offering a spectacular vista across Darling Harbour, the Hard Rock Café Sydney has quickly established itself as a favourite waterfront destination for entertainment and dining. Having reopened in July 2011 at this new location, the 500+ capacity venue includes a lounge bar, outdoor balcony dining area and a live performance area. Famed for its memorabilia, burgers, merchandise and cocktails, the Hard Rock Café chain continues to depend on reinforced BGM, foreground and live PA systems to ensure its patrons remain in an upbeat mood.
The original PA system was deemed unsatisfactory to the needs of the Sydney outlet and so VisionX was called upon to install a digital solution designed by principal ICT consultant Mal Barnes from
Umow Lai. ‘I’ve designed many venues such as hotels and clubs using EV Netmax systems as the DSP backbone in recent years,’ Mr Barnes offered. ‘They’re reliable, easy to use and cost effective,
However, I attended a seminar on the new Bosch Plena Matrix system recently, and was suitably enough impressed to realise that it was exactly the right fit for the Hard Rock Café project. The venue required eight zones of sound distribution and control, which was ideal as the Plena Matrix comes with an 8x8 DSP mixer and loudspeaker processor with fixed DSP architecture, making it easier for the contractor to achieve a consistent result.'
Owing to the venue’s long operation hours, the VisionX team were restricted to refitting the resultant Bosch/EV sound system within one week during nights once the final patrons had departed. Fortunately, with its single-cable approach, Plena Matrix provided efficient and quick system set-up, for which the ‘amp link’ feature and the daisy-chaining of a call station and wall panels also reduced time on site.
‘It really is an easy intuitive DSP set up owing to its employment of S/FTP twisted pair cabling,’ furthered Mr Barnes. ‘The RJ45 plugs into the amplifiers and that’s it – no further cabling.’ Bosch Communications' senior engineer Bryan Davidson oversaw the entire installation advising the consultant, systems integrator and client on the features, functions and use of the system. Following installation, Mr Davidson tuned and EQd the entire system. ‘Overall, it really was a simple, pleasurable task and now the Hard Rock really does rock,’ added Mr Davidson.
A PC software graphic user interface has been designed so that it is easy to navigate and understand, for which pre-stored scene settings can be easily uploaded. Furthermore, the GUI searches the network, automatically bypassing the need to recall IP addresses. Wireless remote control is also offered via an app downloadable to IOS mobile devices including an iPad and iPhone, providing the facility manager with the simple task of selecting a particular zone or channel in which to adjust the mix levels and master volume. Both options provide the facility manager with the ability to select the BGM source and mix any microphone/line input without affecting the other seven zones in the system.
Input controls include multi-band equalising, gain control and dynamic range compression on each input. Output control also includes multi-band equalising and dynamic range in addition to filtering, compression, delay and limiting plus mixing several inputs for the eight outputs in real time. In a venue that boasts a Save the World mural, intelligent energy management boosts its credentials in which Bosch motion detectors enhance amplifiers with auto-standby mode when zones are inactive.
Elsewhere a total of 24 EV ZX1-i two-way 8-inch loudspeakers now serve the venue’s eight zones, installed both horizontally and vertically according to the needs of each zone, courtesy of the rotatable horn. The 200W polypropylene cabinets operate within a 60Hz to 20 kHz frequency response (-3dB) to provide even dispersion throughout each of the eight zones. The installation of the 8.4kg speakers was also accelerated by virtue of the integrated QuickSAM (Strong-Arm Mounting) brackets included in their design. Powered by five 4-channel, bridgeable class-D, DSP 220W per-channel amplifiers. The addition of four EV ELX118 subwoofers has further boosted the lower frequencies in two zones that required more bass punch.
‘Until recently, such a refit would have been very challenging - but not anymore,’ concluded Mr Barnes. ‘In addition, the Plena Matrix system is fully programmable and the staff here can be flexible with the zones. For price conscious installations, the savings in long-term power consumption and initial installation costs are attractive benefits to any owner or manager.’