The Old Elephant House was once home to Auckland Zoo’s elephants, today it is an iconic multi-purpose restaurant in a relaxed environment. The historical house, built in 1922, features new interiors with the restaurant suited to host a variety of events including seated dinners, wedding receptions and cocktail parties – inside as well as outside in a courtyard bar.
AV and ICT integration company Skopik was commissioned to design and install an easy-to-use multi-zone audio system to cater for the needs of the venue.
“The brief was simple,” says Jeff Sundrum, AV Service & Installations Manager at Skopik. “Our client required a high-fidelity audio solution for a number of areas at the Old Elephant House, which could be used by any staff member. We selected the JBL Control Contractor series and all-weather outdoor speakers as JBL have a broad range of products to choose from and the audio quality and coverage is pristine. This ensured that the best type of speaker was utilised in each location.”
“JBL Control Contractor and all-weather outdoor speakers have a broad range of products to choose from and the audio quality and coverage is pristine.”
Several JBL Control 25-1 two-way 5-inch compact wall-mount speakers were selected for their sonic characteristic and contemporary design that complemented the new interiors of the Old Elephant House. JBL Control 14CT two-way 4-inch ceiling speakers allowed for seamless coverage in more difficult to reach spaces, while JBL AWC 62 compact all-weather loudspeakers were installed in the outdoor sections of the venue.
With specification assistance by JPRO, Skopik was able to design and install a system where staff could utilise an iPad to control sources and audio levels in all 4 zones.
“The CDi4300 internal DSP and speaker presets meant that we did not have to rely on any external DSP, which simplified the installation process.”
“We simplified the installation process with a 4-channel Crown Drivecore CDi4300 amplifier, which gave us sufficient zones to work with,” adds Jeff Sundrum, “The CDi4300 speaker presets and internal DSP for JBL loudspeakers meant that we did not have to rely on any external DSP. Some basic programming on the Motion Control app allowed us to provide staff with a clean and simple-to-use interface to manage audio sources and volume in all four zones. Our client is enormously happy with the outcome.”
“JBL Control Contractor series has a profound heritage and is the industry leader for commercial speakers offering a massive variety of loudspeakers for any application,” says Eli Murray, AVC Sales at JPRO. “We are proud to be part of this project – Skopik has provided an amazing solution in this tranquil space.”
