Capital city of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo boasts the Hills Lounge Music Bar & Cigar Store, combining two of the region’s pleasures under a single roof. Adding to its appeal, a Symetrix SymNet Radius 12x8 DSP is brings an unprecedented level of processing flexibility to its sound system.
The installation was carried out by Symetrix distributor Del Rey Sonido SRL, a local company headed by the system’s designer, Miguel Gonzalez Del Rey – who explains that flexibility was key to the installation. First and foremost, the system had to be able to deliver stereo sound to at least seven zones. It also needed to accept up to eight audio sources: six stereo analogue, two stereo digital.
The installation team was quick to consider the Radius system: ‘Most importantly, it sounds great,’ Del Rey says. ‘Radius 12x8 is super-flexible and can be adapted to the requirements of the client. There is also the fact that it can be used by non-technical personnel, and that certain functions can be ‘locked out’ to avoid unwanted changes.’
Support for Audinate’s Dante media networking technology would also prove to be beneficial: ‘Hills has a contract with a Spanish company that supplies playlists for the lounge and cigar store. Music can be streamed via two laptops running Dante virtual soundcards, which deliver the content to the Radius DSP through a Gigabit Ethernet connection,’ Del Rey explains.
The final design relies on a single Radius 12x8, with one xOut 12 expander and – in each of the seven zones – an ARC-K1e remote control wall panel for volume control. Del Rey’s team also installed a pair of ARC-SW4 wall panels for the preset selection of basic zone configurations.
The Symetrix solution was one aspect of a far-reaching audio installation that includes Electro-Voice amplifiers and microphones, and speakers from Soundtube, Solid Drive, Work and Electro-Voice. Collectively, the new sound system has given the venue ‘a tremendous degree of flexibility and confidence,’ Del Rey reports. ‘The Symetrix components are crucial because they are very simple to use and do not require expert personnel for day-to-day operation. The processor’s ease of configuration will also mean that Hills can make changes quickly and easily in the future. It’s proven to be a great solution.’
More: www.symetrix.co
