A/V integration firm Xtreme Installations of Sanford, Florida recently installed an Ashly Audio DSP, user-control, and amplification system at Wild Florida.
The new system gives animal show presenters sound reinforcement, allows the gift shop to call visitors when their boat ride is ready, and pipes in background music.
“The entire park-wide system is integrated so that pages can be heard anywhere,” said Travis Bilskie, president of Xtreme Installations. “However, we had to build in a pretty sophisticated hierarchy of priority to get the ducking right in different zones in different circumstances. For example, they have an event room that can be rented out for field trips, weddings, and the like. When that space isn’t being used for any special purpose, pages need to go through there. But when it’s rented, pages shouldn’t interrupt. Similarly, when an exotic animal show is happening, pages shouldn’t interrupt, and nor should background music peek through if the presenter stops talking for a minute (say, to feed an alligator!). The restaurant needs its own paging facility to call orders when they’re ready. All in all, it’s pretty involved.”
“Ashly’s support is outstanding,” he added. “I can talk to a live human right away who really knows the gear inside and out. Jim Schwenzer, Ashly tech support guru, helped us design the system at Wild Florida. And any time we have an issue during an installation, we can count on the Ashly support staff to give us real, professional-level help. If we’re calling, it’s because we’ve already tried the ten obvious troubleshooting solutions. Ashly tech support will gladly pick up with number eleven without making us slog through the first ten again (is it plugged in to a working outlet?).”
Inputs to the system include Shure gooseneck mics, Shure BLX14R wireless mics, and input plates for external and custom music sources. The system also includes a primary Ashly ne24.24M Protea™ Digital Matrix Processor, two Ashly nXp1504 four-channel 150W Multi-Mode Amplifiers with built-in Protea DSP, one Ashly nXp4002 two-channel 400W Multi-Mode Amplifier with integrated DSP, 21 JBL Control 25 loudspeakers, and two JBL Control 28 loudspeakers. Wild Florida staff are able to control the system presets from two Ashly WR-1.5 remote controls.
“We have a lot of Ashly amplifiers and DSPs in the field,” Bilskie said. “And the frequency with which we have to go repair them is almost zero, which is great because we do installations across the entire state of Florida and southern Georgia. We’re very happy not to be making four-hour drive service calls!”
