Case Study
Von Braun Center: Propst Arena
One of the Largest Permanent Installs of ADAPTive in the World
The Von Braun Center, located in the heart of historic downtown Huntsville, Alabama, is a multipurpose entertainment venue equipped to accommodate concerts, Broadway performances, ballets, symphonies, and a full range of sporting events. Originally constructed in 1975, VBC has recently undergone extensive renovations. Seeking a comprehensive update for their aging audio system in their 10,000 seat Propst Arena, home to the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Huntsville Havoc, they turned to EAW Anya, Otto and QX. This is in addition to EAW ADAPTive being deployed in their 1,300-capacity Mars Music Hall and 2,000-seat Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, highlighting the flexibility and range of these products.
SUMMARY
When officials at the Von Braun Center approved a transformative renovation project at the multi-purpose facility, the task of installing a new audio system was awarded to Verta Technologies. Spearheaded by Christian Tuttle, Principal and CEO of Verta Technologies, the company selected a state-of-the-art ADAPTive audio system from EAW to deliver an unparalleled auditory experience.
CHALLENGE
The Propst Arena required an audio system suitable for a wide range of events. It presented a unique “hub-and-spoke” ceiling structure, where the primary load bearing beams meet in the center compared to the typical rectangular grid structures in most arenas, requiring meticulous planning for the audio system installation. There was also a height limitation of only 65 feet from ice to steel, which posed a significant challenge for traditional line array technologies. Achieving smooth Sound Pressure Level (SPL) throughout a space with a wide range of multi-tiered seats presented a challenge to ensuring every seat had the same audio experience. Finally, there was a tight project timeline with a looming hockey season, a rush project had to be executed.
THE SOLUTION
After extensive research, The Von Braun Center chose an EAW ADAPTive system for the arena, with Anya chosen for the main speakers to meet the venue’s specific aesthetic, as well as electro-acoustic requirements. Considering the unique ceiling structure, the installation included a range of hangs, with the shortest being three-boxes all the way up to seven-boxes – for a total of 12 clusters around the bowl. Each configuration leverages ADAPTive’s ability to easily expand horizontal coverage by simply adding another column to the array. Otto subs are centrally located in the hub providing seamless horizontal coverage of the sub band, EAW QX 566 speakers for ice fills, and a QSC Q-Sys backbone for DSP and control completed the comprehensive audio solution.
EAW ADAPTive arrays met the arena’s height limitation needs with flying colors by covering an expansive vertical geometry with short arrays. With the ability to precisely steer audio from a single rigging location, Resolution software allowed for every seat in this multi-tiered space to have the same auditory experience with smooth SPL throughout.
With a tight project completion timeline, Verta Technologies received the purchase order in July and completed the installation with a week to spare before the first hockey game in mid-October. EAW’s ability to deliver products in a very timely fashion and have a technical support member onsite to support the commissioning of the system was crucial to meet the pressing deadline.
In addition to the arena, The Mars Music Hall and Mark C. Smith Concert Hall at VBC house EAW Anna and Anya systems and Otto Subwoofers. The Concert Hall will soon feature its AC6 Column Loudspeakers.
Verta Technologies is a Commercial A/V integrator in Huntsville, AL that specializes in Audio Visual hardware, software, installation, and support services. As a versatile team of industry certified professionals, they allow their customers to innovate with confidence. Since its formulation in 2017, Verta Technologies has created a lifeline of relationships that are built on communication, organization, quality control and superior results. Verta Technologies is the preferred A/V liaison for many government contractors, banks, churches, hospitality establishments, and higher-education institutions.
