System Design Session #2
A Case Study of the Audio Systems at
Sir Digby Rutherford’s School for Wayward Musicians
Campus Overview
Like many fine institutions, the school quickly grew and now consists of
the following buildings:
Digby Street
1 – Lecture Hall (Original Building)
2 – Education Center (Classrooms)
3 – Student Center & Housing
4 – Performing Arts Center
4
Rutherford Way
2B
3B
3A
1
2A
3C
Main Street
Education Center- Project Description
 Renovation of two existing buildings (North & South)
 The North EC will have ten 45-seat flat-floor classrooms and four 60 flat-floor
classrooms.
 The South EC will have five 120-seat tiered classrooms and two 200-seat
tiered classrooms.
 A Technical Operations Center and A/V help desk will be
located in the South EC building.
 In every classroom the A/V system will have:
 A/V enabled Instructor’s Desk
 Speech & Sound reinforcement system
 Playback of program audio
 Conferencing & Recording capability
 Room Combining abilities
Education Center - System Components
 Every Classroom audio system will require:
 Instructor station with A/V connectivity for:




2 computers
Auxiliary audio I/O (stereo)
Lectern Mic
Wireless Mic
 Belt pack transmitter with lavalier mic (for recording & sound reinforcement)
 Power amplifiers
 Loudspeakers
 And the remaining gear needed:




Student microphones (wireless and/or wired)
Ceiling speakers (multiple zones for mix-minus, where needed)
Power amplifiers
Digital Signal Processor w/Acoustic Echo Cancellation
EC Type 1 Classroom – Block Diagram:
 Simple block diagram of system:
Ceiling Speakers
Instructor’s Desk
Gigabit Switch
A/V Switcher
I/O
Interface
Dante Enabled
Amplifiers
IN
IN
Pgm L Speaker
I/O
Interface
Pgm R Speaker
IN
OUT
Production Studio
Equipment Rack
Aux
DSP
Gigabit Switch
EC Type 1 Classroom – Block Diagram:
Instructor’s Desk
Gigabit Switch
A/V
Switcher
Equipment Rack
Dante Network
Gigabit Switch
Ceiling Speakers
I/O
Interface
Zone 1
IN
IN
Zone 2
I/O
Interface
IN
OUT
PGM Left Speaker
PGM Right Speaker
Aux
Wireless Mics
DSP
Gooseneck
Hand Held
Boundary
Belt Pack
Wireless
Receivers
EC Type 2 Classroom – Block Diagram:
Instructor’s Desk
Equipment Rack
Gigabit Switch
Gigabit Switch
A/V
Switcher
I/O
Interface
Dante Network
Ceiling Speakers
Zone 1
IN
IN
Zone 2
I/O
Interface
Zone 3
IN
OUT
Zone 4
PGM
Speakers
Left
Wireless
Receivers
Aux
Zone 5
DSP
Student Mics with
PTT & LED
Zone 6
Zone 7
DSP
Zone 8
Right
EC Type 2 Classroom – Block Diagram:
Equipment Rack
Instructor’s Desk
Gigabit Switch
Gigabit Switch
A/V
Switcher
I/O
Interface
Dante Network
Ceiling Speakers
Zone 1
IN
IN
Zone 2
I/O
Interface
Zone 3
IN
OUT
Zone 4
Left
Wireless
Receivers
Aux
Zone 5
Gigabit Switch
DSP
Dante Enabled
Student Mics with
PTT & LED
PGM
Speakers
Zone 6
Zone 7
DSP
Zone 8
Right
Classroom System – Dante Devices
 There are many Dante I/O devices available to choose for this type of
application, including:
Atterotech
RDL
Stewart Audio
Classroom System – Dante Devices
 Here are some of the DSP products available to use in designs such as this:
ClearOne
Lectrosonics
Xilica
Extron
Symetrix
Yamaha
Classroom System – Dante Devices
 And here are some of the Dante enabled power amplifiers that could be
used in this application:
Extron
Stewart Audio
North Building
South Building
Tech Ops Center
Type 1 Classroom System
Help Desk
DSP
Via
EC Type 1
Classroom
Systems
Gigabit Switch
Gigabit Switch
x10
EC Type 2
Classroom
Systems
Via
EC Type 2
Classroom
Systems
x4
Type 2 Classroom System
x7
Type 2 Classroom System
Student Center - Project Description
 Brand new construction of three buildings
 Building A contains the recreation center with several rooms dedicated for exercise,
pool tables, ping-pong, and vintage video games.
 Building B has a food court/cafeteria, and some flexible space for gatherings to watch
movies, presentations, and live performances.
 Building C houses the campus book store, medical center, and convenience store.
 The outdoor plaza between the buildings is used for special events several times a
year.
 Each building will have a central audio equipment location.
 Audio System requirements:
 Each space described above will operate independently (as a stand alone system) for
a majority of the time.
 A centralized background music system with multiple music sources.
 Input connectivity for local audio sources (mic & line level) for each system.
 Zone paging capability for the rooms in each building.
 The ability to combine the spaces together for special events.
Student Center – Block Diagram, Bldg. A
To Outdoor Plaza
Loudspeakers
Gigabit Switch
Gigabit Switch
Exercise Room
Food Court/Cafeteria
Flex Space A
Table Gaming Area
DSP
DSP
Flex Space B
Video Game Room
Student Center Building A
Book Store
Gigabit Switch
Student Center Building C
Student Center
Building B
Medical Center
DSP
Outdoor Plaza
Convenience Store
Net
Weather Proof
Enclosure
Via
Performing Arts Center - Project Description
 Brand new construction.
 It contains a 1,200 seat auditorium
 And a Black Box Theater
Auditorium - System Components
 The system is designed to handle both theatrical and live music
shows, and will include the following:
 Front of House Mixing Console
 Monitor Mixing Console
 Portable Stage boxes (I/O, mic & line level)
 Audio I/O in floor box enclosures and wall mounted plates. (mic & line level)
 DSP
 Power Amplifiers and/or powered loudspeakers
 Loudspeakers (mains, monitors, ancillary areas)
 Personal mixing system
 Wireless microphone system
 Wired microphones
 Intercom System
Auditorium – Block Diagram:
House
Stage
Gigabit Switch (Secondary)
Gigabit Switch (Secondary)
Gigabit Switch (Primary)
Gigabit Switch (Primary)
ALS
Monitor
Mixing
Console
Intercom
FOH
Mixing
Console
I/O
DSP
I/O
Computer
w/Dante
PCIe card
I/O
I/O
Wireless
Receivers
Floor
Monitors
Personal Mixing
System
Auditorium – Block Diagram:
House
Stage
Gigabit Switch (Secondary)
Gigabit Switch (Secondary)
Gigabit Switch (Primary)
Gigabit Switch (Primary)
ALS
Monitor
Mixing
Console
Intercom
FOH
Mixing
Console
I/O
DSP
I/O
Computer
w/Dante
PCIe card
I/O
I/O
Wireless
Receivers
Floor
Monitors
Personal Mixing
System
Black Box Theater – Block Diagram:
Theater
Gigabit Switch
Gigabit Switch
ALS
Intercom
FOH
Mixing
Console
I/O
I/O
Computer
w/DVS
DSP
Wireless
Receivers
Floor
Monitors
PAC, Ancillary Areas – Block Diagram:
Performing Arts Center
Gigabit Switch
Gigabit Switch
ALS
Intercom
FOH
Mixing
Console
I/O
I/O
Computer
w/DVS
DSP
Wireless
Receivers
Floor
Monitors