Lectrosonics, Inc.
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
United States
Louisville,
KY – August, 2014…
Churchill Downs, the thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the annual
Kentucky Derby, represents the epitome of professional horse racing. In
preparation for the 140th running of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby,
facility management wanted a new sound reinforcement system installed covering
all outdoor areas of the facility. To ensure the new system met the highest
expectations, the design services of Dallas, TX-based Marsh/PMK International,
LLC were retained. And to assist with the many considerations that go into the
commissioning of a new sound system, a TM400 Wireless System for Test and
Measurement from Rio Rancho, NM-based Lectrosonics was utilized.
Marsh/PMK International is the successor firm
to Pelton Marsh Kinsella, a well-known consulting firm in the A/V marketplace.
Marsh/PMK International provides acoustical and audio-video consulting,
primarily for the built environment, with projects encompassing everything from
hotels/resorts, and convention centers to sports, education, government
facilities and themed attractions. David Marsh, the firm’s President, discussed
the Churchill Downs project and his experience with the Lectrosonics TM400.
“In October 2013, we
were brought in to design a new sound system for Churchill Downs,” Marsh
explained. “The new system had to be fully implemented and ready for use by the
weekend of May 2nd and 3rd 2014. The scale of this project and the tight
schedule presented significant logistical challenges. These included having to
work around horse training and a host of other activities at Churchill Downs
during the four weeks or so leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Use of a wireless
system was the only practical way to measure in the many different outdoor
areas covered by the sound reinforcement system as part of testing, adjusting
and final commissioning.”
“We used the Lectrosonics
wireless link with an instrumentation quality microphone, the iSEMcon model
EMX-7150,” Marsh continued. “The TM400 wirelessly connected the microphone to
our Smaart 7 measurement platform, which was used for area-by-area delay
setting and system equalization. For equalization, we had to move the
microphone around in a given area and average the measurements before moving to
another area. One only needs to picture the size and layout of Churchill Downs
to appreciate why we had to use a wireless test link.”
Marsh discussed the
key considerations that went into his choice of the TM400 over other available
options. “Because the wireless system would be used strictly for acoustic and
sound system testing, it was of paramount importance that signal integrity be
maintained from the input of the transmitter to the output of the receiver,”
Marsh said. “It hardly makes sense to use a microphone meeting the tight
tolerances of ANSI Type 1 / IEC Class 1 unless the wireless system has a flat
frequency response and low noise. Likewise, it was critical that the original
signal dynamics be preserved. Any type of dynamics processing—such as
companding, commonly found in other wireless systems—would be out of the
question. The robustness of the TM400’s RF front-end was important for
measurement reliability as was the distance over which the system could
reliably transmit. Use of standard XLR
connectors at both ends and provision of 48 volt phantom power were icing on
the cake.”
“Beyond the TM400
satisfying all of these requirements,” Marsh added, “there is much to say about
the Lectrosonics HM transmitter and R400A receiver that constitute the system.
The transmitter is solidly made and includes an ‘input coupler’ that is
spring-loaded to maintain a noise-free connection to the microphone. It also
locks so the microphone cannot accidentally become disconnected. The R400A
receiver provides 256 transmission frequencies and an RF scanning utility that
quickly finds and sets a clear channel. At Churchill Downs, the transmitter was
placed in the stands in a partially covered area near the sound room door. In
case of rain, we covered it with a plastic bag leaving just the front panel
exposed. Despite this, the receiver got quite wet a few times from rain drops
splashing in front of it and yet it kept on working.”
As Marsh needed to
get acclimated to the TM400 system quickly, he commented on Lectrosonics’
customer support services, “Soon after receiving the TM400, I wanted a crash
course through all the buttons and features with someone guiding me. I called
the factory and received one-on-one training. I was up and running in no time!”
Before turning his
attention back to upcoming projects, Marsh offered these final thoughts on his
experience with the Lectrosonics TM400, “We recently used the TM400 on an
acoustic/electroacoustic study we are doing for the Arizona Cardinals at the
University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Again, the equipment worked
without a glitch. I am very happy with the Lectrosonics TM400 system and plan
to purchase several more so we can be entirely wireless in a multi-channel
measurement set-up.”
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