Published in Pro Audio Asia Magazine September-October 2012
Review on Pro-Audio-Central.com
Tom Lee Engineering designs AV system for ASHK
CHINA: Tom Lee Engineering recently designed a comprehensive A/V and lighting system for the Asia Society Hong Kong Center (ASHK). The heritage site is a non-profit educational organisation that recently spent a reported HK$385 million in order to transform the premises.
The centre is made up of an array of facilities that showcase the conservation, rehabilitation and adaptive re-use of the former Explosives Magazine Compound (a group of four former British military buildings), two of which are deemed Grade 1 historical structures. These comprise the Asia Society Gallery for art exhibitions, the multi-purpose Miller Theater (which includes several conference rooms), and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Hall (designed for conferences and lectures).
For the Hong Kong Jockey Club Hall, Tom Lee Engineering installed four Axys Intellivox-DSX180 column speakers and two UB25 subwoofers, which were deployed over 3m high by the stage and at the back of the hall in order to eliminate reverberation from the walls and the venue’s glazed windows. Aside from a simultaneous interpretation system, an integrated AMX remote system was also installed, which controls the video, lighting and 20 groups of curtain covers, whilst the electric lighting configuration is hidden in a ceiling platform.
In order to facilitate medium-sized live performances, a Yamaha LS9/32 digital mixing console and DME24N mixing engines were selected. In the hall and theatre, several AKG DMS700 digital microphone systems were installed, including DMS700s D7s, GN30E/CK47s and GN155/CK47 gooseneck microphones.
The Miller Theatre was declared to be a Grade 1 ancient monument in 2010. ‘With these constraints – it being a declared ancient monument and with its unique architectural design – our audio design and installation had to be able to achieve optimal sound quality whilst aligning with environmental structures and the distinctive modern aesthetic,’ explained a Tom Lee Engineering company spokesperson.
‘The colour of the loudspeakers was tailor-made in matt black in order to aesthetically blend into the surroundings,’ the spokesperson added. ‘Unlike other recreational venues, a wall mounted speaker solution was ruled out in this declared heritage building, therefore speakers were installed on trusses instead.’ Two Axys Intellivox-DS808 speakers and three UB25 subwoofers were installed on the stage of the theatre to provide a wider coverage angle.
Additionally, a Yamaha M7CL/32 digital mixing console and DME24N mixing engines are linked with the PA system between the hall and the theatre via an Aviom 6416M digital snake fibre connection system. Meanwhile, two Duran Audio U14 and U 12 speakers and a Line-6 V70 digital microphone system were chosen for the conference room and the report area.
In order to ensure the stability of video transmissions between The Hong Kong Jockey Club Hall and the Miller Theater, a digital snake fibre connection system was selected to link a Barco RLM-W6 full HD projector, a Pioneer DVD player, a Kramer VS-6X6 HDMI matrix, a Klipsch KTP325-N 800w cinema speaker and a KPT-8-VB cinema subwoofer.
‘Lighting design in theatres is crucial for stage performances,’ the spokesperson commented. ‘With the limitation of the theatre’s ceiling, we took advantage of LED technology with Acme IF1200 followspots, PAR54Ps and MP90RG3s for energy saving, brightness and durability purposes.’
