BELMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE – AUGUST 2012: Last fall, Daddy’s Junky Music Store, a New England retailer of thirty-nine years, closed all twelve of its locations. One employee, John DeGange, who had risen to the position of installed sound manager, walked away and started all over again. With a client list, established industry contacts, and a working
knowledge of the industry, John decided to
start his own installation company – DeGange Sound Solutions, LLC. “The installed systems division was very different from the rest of Daddy’s Junky Music Store chain,” explained DeGange, “so, I was perfectly positioned to fill the void in the install market. Right around the same time Symetrix introduced the Jupiter series and ARC-WEB smartphone-based control, giving me the ability to provide my clients with leading edge technology at surprisingly low cost.”
For small church and educational installations, DeGange is relying on the Symetrix Jupiter processor for two recent New Hampshire installations – Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord and Boscawen Elementary School in Boscawen. Both employ the Symetrix Jupiter 12 in combination with Symetrix ARC-WEB technology, which allows users to control relevant system aspects from their smartphones.
The Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord, called on DeGange to help upgrade their sound system so that it could flexibly accommodate plays and other types of programs. “They had an old six-channel powered mixer wired up under the pulpit,” DeGange said. “So they couldn’t move the pulpit out of the way for plays!” DeGange removed the old equipment and gave the church a Symetrix Jupiter 12, which has twelve inputs – enough to accommodate a sizable dramatic production – and four outputs – enough for a stereo FOH, a stage monitor mix, and a mono record feed. A pair of self-powered QSC K10 full-range loudspeakers provide stereo coverage for the oddly shaped, octagonal room. The inputs include various wireless and wired microphones for spoken word, vocalists, and instruments.
For day-to-day sound system adjustments, DeGange gave the church Symetrix ARC-WEB control. With appropriate password protection, approved users can access customized controls that select input sources and adjust volumes from any Internet-connected computer or, more often, any smartphone. “With Symetrix ARC-WEB, I’m able to let people do things that they don’t imagine they can do,” DeGange said. “ARC-WEB is perfectly sensible. People are doing everything from their smartphones, so why not control the sound system with your smartphone too!”
For dramatic performances, DeGange handed over control of the Jupiter’s “Gainsharing App” to the audio-savvy tech crew. “It’s not something I normally do,” he said. “Best practice is to hand over only a user interface, such as ARC-WEB or SymVue. But in this case, the most cost-effective solution was to give them complete control over EQ adjustments and the like. They start from a template and save their adjustments as a new file that can be loaded whenever they are practicing or performing the play.” It is a testament to the Jupiter’s intuitive design interface that the crew can navigate without issue.
At Boscawen Elementary School, DeGange replaced an inflexible, semi-functional microphone reinforcement system with a Symetrix Jupiter 12 using ARC-WEB control in the “cafe-gymnatorium.” “The school district was an old client of mine,” DeGange said. “They wanted a flexible system that would allow them to use the two spaces – which are separated by an accordion wall – as one system or as two independent systems.” The ARC-WEB interface that DeGange designed for the school allows approved users to select any permutation on/off/combined/separate and gives them volume control over any input. A hardwired Symetrix ARC-2e wall panel remote provides redundant control. Four QSC K10 self-powered loudspeakers provide output.
“Everyone I spoke to encouraged me to continue doing what I had been doing, only under my own banner – so I did and it’s working great,” concluded DeGange.
ABOUT SYMETRIX Symetrix engineers high-end professional audio solutions, specializing in DSP hardware and software. Symetrix products are distributed worldwide, and designed and manufactured in the U.S. at the Seattle area headquarters. Since 1976, Symetrix customers have enjoyed the benefits of Symetrix’ independent ownership and management. www.symetrix.co
