The Inn at Leola Village is a boutique hotel in a historic village near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that offers luxury accommodations, spa services, Italian dining, and a sustainable lifestyle. The hotel is close to many attractions in Lancaster County, such as theaters, shopping, antiques, and Amish culture.
The Inn recently decided to upgrade the audio system in their wedding venue, seeking improved sound quality and simplified control for the staff. “The client expressed the need for high levels of control at their fingertips, with the simplicity and consistency that comes from a fully integrated, intentionally designed platform,” explained Herb Seureth, Systems Integrator at STRAY Productions. “Naturally, we looked at Allen & Heath‘s AHM as an ideal solution. We are always aiming for the right overlap between capabilities and cost with the solutions we provide, and the AHM platform fit those needs perfectly.”
The new AHM system feeds the primary wedding reception room, as well as the cocktail hour space. Exterior porticos and kitchen zones were also brought under the management of the AHM system, which allowed for granular routing of various sources to specific locations around the facility.
STRAY also installed several Dante endpoints in the spaces to allow for mic and line level connections wherever the DJ or musicians set up for a particular event. These inputs, coupled with wireless microphone options and a house music server, give the AHM plenty of sources to work with. The processor’s built-in GPIO functionality also allows for on/off control of system amplification, by storing presets that will activate or deactivate the relayed outlets installed in the rack.
An Allen & Heath IP8 8-fader controller is also stationed in the equipment rack, providing simple adjustment of both inputs and outputs as they feed each zone. Wiring was provided for deployment of future IP8s in additional locations, should the client’s needs change over time.
“It was important to the client that they be friendly to the neighbors around the property in how the SPL gets managed; particularly the low frequencies,” explained System Designer Kurt Lesh. “To accomplish this, main PAs and subwoofers were fed to different zones for both of the available reinforcement systems. This allows venue management to stay in the driver’s seat when it comes to overall levels, rather than the DJ or the guest band.”
Further control was added via a tailored app made with Allen & Heath’s Custom Control platform, offering fader and mute control for various sources and zones.
This was STRAY’s first time installing AHM, and it exceeded the installers’ expectations. “I’ve been really impressed with the robust routing options,” noted Lesh. “We have full control in programming what goes where, making the day-to-day client experience as simple as possible.
Lesh also appreciated the speed at which the AHM platform could be configured. “It’s amazing how quickly we were able to go from unboxing, to integrating into our network, then making it controllable by the included IP8 and, ultimately, ready for deployment on site.”
The Leola Village Inn may be a historic venue with character and charm, but its audio control system is anything but old-fashioned. The power of the AHM provides this venue with simple, effective, and consistent sound reinforcement that further enhances the guest experience in the venue.
Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Controlled Chaos (Emphasis on “Controlled”)