The grand opening of On Air West on December 24, 2003, showcased anew JBL VERTEC line array system. Installed in December 2003 during anextensive remodeling, the new sound system will provide concert audiosupport for a wide range of shows in the 1,200-person-capacity facilitylocated in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. The JBL system was specified byOsaka’s Knuckle Port, a design and installation firm specializing insound, lighting and video facilities for entertainment venues.
“We selected JBL VERTEC after carefully reviewing the performancecapabilities of several different, competitive line array systemsduring a controlled listening session,” explained Atsushi Kubota,managing director for Knuckle Port. “At On Air West, both establishedand emerging new concert artists are featured on a well-equippedproscenium stage. The venue is fitted with a fly gallery, TV-gradelighting and everything required to present a full concert performanceexperience that can be broadcast with a live audience. It was importantto us that the sound system we selected for our client be clean,powerful and have world-class credentials in the touring industry.VERTEC meets those requirements without question.”
The new system at On Air West features two VERTEC line arrays, eachfeaturing six VT4889 full-size enclosures and flanked by a large videoprojection screen. Four VT4880 subwoofers support each array. YasunobuTsunezawa, Knuckle Port’s lead designer for the On Air West project,created a custom overhead suspension grid for the main left and rightVERTEC VT4889 arrays. It combines cable-management facilities for thearrays with a swivel platform that enables horizontal rotationaladjustments. Additionally, two JBL AM6215/64 enclosures per sideprovide auxiliary fill coverage to the extreme sides of the broadaudience area.
“In this type of architectural design, the crowd area is relativelyshallow. This way, everyone feels close enough to the stage so as to bereally drawn into the show,” concluded Kubota. “It gives the videodirector and show producers an enthusiastic audience that looks greaton camera, it provides high crowd energy for the performers to workwit, and everything really comes together very well.”
JBL products and technical support for On Air West’s new soundsystem were provided by Hibino AVC Sales, distributor for JBLProfessional products in Japan. More information on the Knuckle Portdesign team can be found via the firm’s Website, www.knuckleport.com. For more information on theVERTEC system, click here.
