SINGAPORE – JUNE 2010: Orchard Central, located in the heart of Singapore’s shopping district, is the Lion City’s first vertical mall, standing twelve stories above bustling Orchard Road. Although less than a year old, the developer, Far East Organisation, insisted on integrating a new sound system into the lower two stories of the mall and the main outside entrances to draw more shoppers in with engaging music. They hired ProAktiv Systems, with the assistance of McCauley Sound distributor, Miguel Corporate Services Pte Ltd., to make that system a reality. Systems integrator Lee Bee Huat installed the extensive new system in just four weeks in the run up to Christmas 2009. At its heart, eleven SymNet 8×8 DSP processors deliver even greater audio vitality and nuanced control (via SymVue and a touch-panel PC) than the owners had hoped for in the new system. As a result of the upgrade, Orchard Central is Singapore’s first commercial shopping mall with sound reinforcement beyond a simple BGM solution.

Two McCauley Sound iDesign IL4 speaker cabinets, hung from above, service Orchard Central’s main entrance, while slightly smaller IL2 cabinets do the same for two side entrances. Once inside, shoppers can groove while they shop courtesy of the McCauley speaker systems. Because the idea to integrate a more powerful speaker system came after the original system had been designed and installed, new locations for equipment racks closer to the sources were sought. Fortunately, several nearby recessed rooms and cabinets existed where ProAktiv could locate the new amplifiers and processors, which had the additional benefit of minimizing cable runs. A combination of Powersoft L-series four-channel amplifiers power the entire speaker system. The powerful 1-U rack-height digital amplifiers proved to be ideal for such tight fitting recesses, providing 350W and 700W of power across four ohms.

Eleven SymNet 8×8 DSP processors, linked in a CobraNet ring topology via a low latency, 64-channel SymLink Bus, form the heart of the system. The individual 8×8 DSP processors, which are also only 1-U in height, route the audio signals to the various zones where they are needed. ProAktiv originally configured the processors via RS-232 ports on the rear panel, and now they can be addressed and controlled over Ethernet. The main control room also contains BreakIn12 input and BreakOut12 output channel expanders, thus increasing the system channel count while reducing the system cost-per-channel. A CobraLink unit functions as a translator between SymLink and CobraNet bus technologies, allowing the sharing of digital audio between SymLink rings, Express units, and amplifiers. SymNet Designer software running on a rack-mounted PC screen in the main control room provides perfectly-tailored user control.

The new system also allows performers and sponsors to perform at stage locations on the ground floor without the need for additional PA equipment. Instead, they tie into the new system, and, with a few selections on the SymVue interface, output from the performance is routed to any number of zones in the lower floors.

Ten Fostex UR-2 rack-mounted stereo audio recorders, each loaded with pre-programmed music courtesy of two SD cards, serve as individual BGM sources for the individual zones. The output from each unit is routed, controlled, and monitored via SymNet Designer. In the absence of ambient microphones, the system plays at greater volume in the evening hours. Two Furman PL-Plus CE power conditioners ensure that no voltage surges or spikes affect the system, and Canare speaker cabling delivers a full-fidelity signal to the McCauley loudspeakers.

An original TOA VX-2000 system continues to serve both the below ground floors and floors three to twelve with background music. In the event of an emergency, the old system, which has an emergency power supply, overrides the new system and provides a fire fighter’s microphone for evacuation purposes.

ABOUT SYMETRIX For over three decades, sound system designers, broadcasters and sound engineers have relied upon the performance, value and reliability of the Symetrix suite of audio routing and processing products.

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www.orchardcentral.com.sg • www.proaktivsys.com

PHOTO CAPTION Orchard Central, located in the heart of Singapore’s shopping district, incorporated SymNet DSP technology to draw more shoppers into the city’s first vertical mall.