World-famous Darling Harbour in Sydney, Australia recently underwent an upgrade to its public address system, courtesy of Australia-based systems integration firm Rutledge Engineering. The new PA system is nothing less than state-of-the-art, featuring more the 300 outdoor speakers from JBL, distributed over 32 zones and controlled by a screen-selectable system.

Darling Harbour, owned by Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, is one of the favorite destinations in Sydney for dining, nightlife and entertainment, offering more than 40 restaurants, 30 bars, the Sydney Aquarium and numerous theaters and museums. While the Harbour offers a pleasant atmosphere for visitors, the salty air is much less forgiving towards audio equipment, where corrosion can compromise signal integrity and system reliability. As such, a conversion from an aging analog system to a modern digital PA system was in order.Rutledge Engineering designed and installed a comprehensive system drawing from several Harman brands, including JBL Control® Contractor loudspeakers, Crown CTs amplifiers, BSS processing and HiQnet™ networking and control. In total, 152 JBL Control 28T-60 and 140 Control 25T surface-mount speakers were installed, each of which is fitted with a stainless steel Weathermax grille for protection from the elements. The system was sold through Jands, JBL’s Australian distributor.

The JBL Control Contractor speakers provided an optimal combination of output and directivity, as well as a weatherproof design that was required for this application,� said Nick Orsatti of Rutledge Engineering. “They also feature a simple and effective mounting solution to deter theft and tampering by the general public.�

Rutledge Engineering opted for a BSS Soundweb London system for all distribution duties. For amplification and monitoring of the system, Rutledge installed a Crown Audio IQ system, which includes CTs amplifiers fitted with USP3-CN-PIP cards, which fed CobraNet digital audio signals directly into the amplifiers, ensuring there was no signal degradation in the distribution system.

For more information on Rutledge Engineering, please visit www.rutledge.com.au