Mentone Grammar is located in the bayside suburbs of Melbourne. They have a remarkable sporting history and are renowned as strong, powerful contenders in the AGSV program. Their impressive Coaching Academy provides specialist coaching in a broad range of sports including swimming in their excellent sports facilities.
As one of Melbourne’s leading Grammar schools with a strong swimming program, their emphasis on training is second to none, with the use of Swim Pro-Technology, they record training sessions using underwater technology which allows their students to playback and review their technique. It’s no surprise that they would want to have an equally impressive pool space.
DIB Audio Visual was referred to Mentone Grammar by their Building Consulting team, whom we’ve collaborated with on other complex projects. We are highly experienced in building design consultations with respect to complex AV projects where attention to detail is critical. During the initial stages of planning, we worked closely with the building consultant regarding the placement of control panels, input locations, building elevations, zones and the structure itself which are all important aspects to consider when developing a design in what is typically known to be a challenging space.
LED Pixel wall
As part of their pool renovation, they wanted to give their sound system an overhaul to improve the quality of the sound within the space along with the installation of a large clear Audio Visual display that could be used for events such as competitions and coaching, so that students can see the recordings of their sessions on a large high-quality screen.
Before developing a solution for the project, it was important for us to have a good, clear understanding of the desired use of the space and functionalities required. We worked closely with the school to ensure the design met all of their requirements which involved several revisions and visits. DIB Audio Visuals level of understanding and in depth analysis during the consultation period are deemed as critical elements of the design process to ensure our design hits the mark. We took a deep dive into the following factors, which users were going to plugin for what reason; How they need the sound to operate, the types of zoning required, establishing which inputs are going to be used and how they see their end-user operating within the space. All this information was invaluable when designing the solution and programming required.
Aquatic center – Av system
When designing the audio aspect of the project the acoustics in these types of spaces can be difficult and sound quality is typically very poor, usually a result of a poor design. Our objective was to achieve higher-quality sound. The DIB Audio Visual team were able to fulfill this through computer modeling using ‘EASE Modeling’ to ensure the quality of the audio was going to be good in the difficult space. We selected the Community Pro R-Series R.15 12” Compact full range Coaxial (outdoor rated) speaker elements, placed to minimise reflected audio compilations coupled with higher powered suitable Australian Monitor amplifiers to produce the quality sound required.
Av system rack – community pro speakers
In regards to the large-high-quality display, we considered a number of different technologies, there were a number of factors that we needed to consider due to the nature of the space; the lighting, visibility and also the high levels of humidity. The best solution for this environment was an LED pixel wall which we deliberately sourced from an Australian supplier. Although LED pixel wall technology has been around for some time, with many imported options on the market, their support network for clients post-installation are often quite poor. Clients can face great difficulty sourcing spare parts and getting systems repaired which can amount to trouble down the line. Via our Australian based partners, we are backed by an array of spare parts, local repair agents (and workshop), providing quicker turnaround times and piece of mind for our clients.
DIB Audio Visual strives to achieve simple to operate designs (with the end-user in mind), even for complex projects in challenging environments. The finishing touch to the design was a 7 inch Extron Control panel (TLP Pro 725M) coupled with control processors and an Extron DMP 64 audio processor to control all the elements of the audio system. We designed all the most commonly used functions of the space to the front of the control system, with simple terminology making it easier for users to drive, by simply pressing 1 or 2 buttons to achieve its intended purpose. The clever design and programming of the control was possible through a deep understanding of the desired functions and multiple revision of programming GUI. We even programmed the Sennheiser Evolution G4 wireless microphone onto the Extron panel, the microphone will automatically revert to preset levels when it’s turned off to achieve optimal sound and eliminate levels being manipulated and decreasing sound quality. The volume range was also set to certain levels to avoid feedback.
Extron control panel TLP Pro 725
Mentone Grammar Pool space has been transformed with a Simple Audio Visual design solutions that tick’s all the boxes.
For assistance with your custom audio visual requirements, contact a DIB Audio Visual Solutions Consultant today. Phone (03) 9457-4800 or email us at info@dibaustralia.com.au