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 DERBY, ENGLAND, December 2006 — The Derby Branch of the Rolls-Royce Company specializes in manufacturing engines for the company’s aeronautics division. Established as one of the world’s top two aero engine makers, the Derby Branch serves as the headquarters for Rolls-Royce PLC and will oversee manufacturing of engines for the new Airbus A350 and A380 jetliners, as well as Boeing’s new 787 Series.
More than an engineering and manufacturing plant, this impressive facility also serves as an event site for various Rolls-Royce functions, including company presentations, company events and engineer training. The main room has been appropriately nicknamed “The Street” for its street like design – 15 meters wide by 200 meters long. The Street is made even more striking by its arching atrium ceiling that gives the interior an outdoors feel and provides a eye-catching backdrop for important presentations and press conferences, as well as a refreshing cafeteria area for employees working inside all day. The Street also has a dedicated training room at one end that is separated by sliding glass doors and is used exclusively for trainings and meetings.
To provide clean, even sound reinforcement throughout The Street's unique layout, Rolls-Royce turned to integration firm Saville AV who with the UK distributor for Biamp Systems, POLARaudio, were able to design and install a new, flexible audio system. In addition to providing a superior acoustic environment, the system needed to be easily customizable to minimize feedback and reverberation as well as provide zoning capabilities to keep ambient noise from The Street separate from the training room and vice versa.
Completed in August 2006, the two companies succeeded in doing just that by using an AudiaFLEX processor at the heart of the system. Using the logic and processing power of the AudiaFLEX, operators can use a tablet controller, running a customized GUI and connect via Wi-Fi, to select from any of the eight speakers along The Street – four on each wall – to act as a reference point. When a speaker is selected, the AudiaFLEX then accesses various presets programmed into the system’s matrix that mute the reference speaker, to prevent feedback, and reduce volume levels on the surrounding speakers to provide an even audio field with minimal reverb.
Utilizing wireless microphones, the system comprises five radio mics, a CD player and an MP3 player that feed into the AudiaFLEX chassis. The AudiaFLEX also has an additional input source that allows operators to plug in a computer and control the system using a custom Biamp daVinci control screen. The daVinci control screen provides a finer level of system control than the AMX GUI, allowing users to adjust levels manually rather than switching between presets. The AudiaFLEX then processes all incoming signals and feeds it to a Bittner multi-channel amplifier so that each of the speakers has its own dedicated amp channel.
The training facility can be run independently to the Street, or encompassed as part of a larger layout giving a breakout area for participant overspill that gives Rolls Royce full flexibility for presentations and background music designs.
Such was the success of this installation, Saville AV installed another Audia FLEX system into a neighbouring conference room, which runs a much simpler room configuration but still has the full flexibility for the users by way of a DaVinci style mixing desk.
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