Shure has supplied a number of A/V systems, microphones and automatic mixing hardware to Turkey’s Presidential Complex in Beştepe, Ankara. Supplied through local distributor Atempo, the equipment includes DCS simultaneous translation and conferencing systems, Microflex Wireless conferencing microphones and Axient and ULX-D wireless microphone systems.
The Presidential Complex (Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi) incorporates the official residence of the republic’s president, offices of state, a mosque, a public library and a cultural centre. Atempo – also the integrator on the construction project – submitted the Shure equipment as part of its tender to install the A/V systems in two sizeable multi-purpose congress halls (2,050 and 300 seats) used for concerts, conferences, opera and theatre. The tender also covered nine basement meeting rooms, the foyer and public exhibition areas.
The 2,050-seat multipurpose hall was fitted with a DCS 6000 digital conferencing, assistive hearing and translation system, providing sound reinforcement for speeches and also allowing up to 12 languages to be simultaneously translated and relayed to any of the individual seats. Axient wireless microphone systems with Spectrum Manager, full ShowLink remote control capabilities, and Wireless Workbench software were also supplied, along with handheld and lavalier mic units, headphones and supplementary ULX-D digital wireless microphone hardware. Shure wired products, including the SM58 and SM57, Beta-series mics, and KSM32s, provide further miking flexibility for sales conferences and political debates to rock concerts and opera productions. A further eight-channel Axient wireless microphone system with a networked Microflex Wireless system offering gooseneck and handheld microphone options and associated Dante-enabled SCM820E automatic mixers were installed in the basement meeting rooms, providing additional flexible sound reinforcement. The Shure systems were selected on the international reputation of the brand, and its popularity among live sound and mix engineers in Turkey.
‘We had to ensure we could deliver clear audio with no disruptions,‘ explains Atempo Project Sales Manager, Tayfun Konuralp. ‘There were three main criteria for the client – sound quality, ease of implementation of the network underpinning the system, and the physical look of the product. Shure outperformed the competition in all three areas. The fact that the Axient and Microflex microphone systems were so easy to network was fairly decisive. We didn’t even carry out any audio quality tests on the Shure equipment, as it was already clearly the first choice according to our client.’
Shure also provided support directly during the installation, as Atempo Project Coordinator, Koysuren explains: ‘With the translation system, it was the first time Atempo had handled a system for a hall of this size, involving 2,050 seats. The Shure technical team supported our installers with detailed cabling structures as well as on-site support during the installation.’
With the installation complete and the halls at the Presidential Complex now in use, Atempo have had nothing but positive feedback on the Shure systems from state officials. ‘They were up and running with the Shure systems in no time,‘ he adds.
‘One of the main requirements for this project was that the networked components should be easy to manage and control remotely, and they’ve been telling us how Wireless Workbench has made that so simple for them.’
‘Our change in distribution has provided us with numerous opportunities in the country,‘ says Shure Regional Sales Manager, Chant Utukian. Despite the current market challenges, we are confident that, together with Atempo, we will achieve more milestones like this project.‘
