Sennheiser and K-array Create State of the Art, Immersive Sound Experience at NCSU's Hunt Library

Premium Sound Plays Foundational Role in 220,000 Square Foot, $115 Million Learning Facility, Which Serves as 'Technology Incubator' For Students and Faculty
 
RALEIGH, N.C. - June 13, 2013 - PRLog -- NC State is known around the world as a preeminent technology and research university, preparing thousands of students each year for the most demanding and creative high-tech careers on the planet. The University recently opened its pioneering, state of the art new learning facility and technology incubator, James B. Hunt Jr. Library. The new facility, which features audio solutions from Sennheiser and K-array, provides students and faculty with unmatched visualization, computing and collaboration technologies for advanced, next generation applications in engineering, computer science, textiles, design, and other disciplines.

The library, which is comprised of more than 220,000 square feet, had several dedicated spaces featuring large-scale visualization, interactive displays, 3D motion technologies and other visual elements that would be complemented by highly specialized audio componentry from Sennheiser and K-array.

There were five primary A/V environments the team focused on for the initial installation: the Game Lab, the Teaching and Visualization Lab, the Creativity Studio and the Auditorium. Each space had a completely different technology focus and design program.

The Immersion Theater:
Located on the main level of the library and just 40' inside of the main entrance, the Immersion Theater serves as a presentation space for faculty to show off their research, and a space for students to discuss and review their projects. It features a 20' curved micro-tile display wall as well as an intelligent but powerful sound system from K-array. "We originally thought of limiting the audio requirements to just voice reproduction, but after discussion we realized we needed a much richer sound environment," York recalls. "Part of the acoustic challenge was that the space was open to the main traffic throughway. We had to contain the sound inside of the space so it didn't bleed out into the reading rooms, but still provide an engaging audio experience." The solution was to deploy several of K-array's KV50 ultra slim line arrays in the ceiling, along with KU36 ultra slim subwoofers — which were mounted above the video wall. This combination created focused and powerful sound dispersion for those working in the space, without distracting students in the nearby reading rooms.  

Game Lab:
North Carolina's Research Triangle is recognized as a main center of gaming development, with one of the most dense concentrations of gaming companies in the U.S. NC State offers an undergraduate program that is focused on the entertainment side of gaming, as well as a graduate program that is focused on sophisticated applications like artificial intelligence, environmental simulations and advanced training platforms. The Game Lab, which doubles as a development lab and a place where students can take a break and play their favorite console games, features a 20' wide micro display wall, which can be augmented into 80 disparate LED cubes - each measuring 10" x 12". The multi-channel audio system features a 5.1 K-array set up with (3) KK102 line array elements, each comprised of (16) 2" neodymium magnet transducers and positioned horizontally at left, right and center of the display wall. Two K-array KK52s serve as rear left and right channels, and a 12" KMT12P ultralight subwoofer, mounted in custom cabinetry underneath the display wall, provides 600 watts of detailed sub-bass frequencies. In addition to the K-array, the Game Lab also features four channels of Sennheiser wireless comprised of SR 300 IEM G3 transmitters, EK 300 IEM G3 receivers and RS 120 wireless headphones, in addition to several Sennheiser lavalier and handheld wireless microphones.

Teaching and Visualization Lab:
The Teaching and Visualization lab is designed with similar design principles as an open, black box theater. "We wanted to create a room in the facility that was adaptable enough that we could constantly change it," York explains. The room features an open infrastructure overhead, as well as exposed walls and flooring so pipe grids, cables, electricity and other items can be easily accessed and adjusted. Surrounding the room is a 270-degree projection screen, which provides an immersive, 3-sided wrap-around visual experience. Audio is covered with a 5.1 surround system from K-array, which includes three KK102 line arrays mounted horizontally in the front (left, right and center), and two KK52s for rear left and rear right channels. The sub-bass system, a K-array KMT12P, is mounted above and suspended from the ceiling deck. In mounting the speakers, integrator AVI/SPL deployed an intelligent clamping system enabling speakers to be repositioned as needed.

Creativity Studio:
Similar in design to the Teaching and Visualization lab in its 'black box theater' approach, the Creativity Studio is a multi-collaboration environment designed for many people to use simultaneously. The space features (16) 10' x 4' whiteboard panels that can be moved, reconfigured or retracted to meet the specific needs of a project, making the room extremely flexible. Large screens on both sides of the room and two rotating walls in the middle enable it to function as separate rooms or as one large space. Two separate K-array 5.1 systems were deployed with a similar clamping solution as the Teaching and Visualization lab; once again, the KK102s were deployed for left, right and center, with the KK52s covering left rear and right rear channels. For sub-bass frequencies, two K-array KMT12Ps were mounted in the ceiling.

Auditorium:
Another key space in the new installation is the new 400-seat auditorium, which is located just below the Immersion Theater near the entrance of the library. This theater features a 30' wide screen — the largest projection screen on campus — complemented by a state-of-the-art K-array surround sound system. The auditorium is used primarily for lectures and as a classroom, but also doubles as an all purpose theater for 'movie night' and other campus activities. All of the K-array speakers are completely hidden from view, mounted in niches behind the screen and behind acoustic paneling surrounding the space. In the front of the room behind the screen are eight vertically mounted K-array KK102s positioned at left, center and right, supplemented by (4) KK102s positioned at rear left and right. Finally, (16) KK52s are positioned around the perimeter of the room, which help create an immersive and authentic sound experience.

The Hunt Library helps NC State realize its vision of becoming among the most technologically innovative universities in the world, and serves as an important vehicle for research, learning, collaboration and experimentation. By implementing a world-class sound environment, the University was able to provide a more enriching A/V experience.
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