Cabazon, CA – February 2009… One of the largest tribal gaming facilities in the nation, the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa grew from a modest bingo hall that was first started in 1983. From this building evolved one of the oldest and most successful Indian gaming facilities in California—generating more than $2.8 billion into the regional economy by 2008. Managing an operation of this magnitude is no small task, and to make that process easier, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians recently completed construction of their new Morongo Administrative Complex. The new Tribal Council Chamber (where the Tribal council and Tribal members meet to conduct business) is a state-of-the-art meeting facility, and contributing to the pristine audio quality in this room is none other than a pair of digital audio processors by Lectrosonics.
Nearby the opulent Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, the new Morongo Administrative Complex bristles with the latest A/V technological offerings. Riverside, CA-based Muzak Systems Division—part of the Fort Mill, SC-based Muzak custom music programming and delivery services organization—was contracted to install the A/V system that was designed by Neal Shaw of Topanga, CA-based Menlo Scientific Acoustics, Inc. While the main house sound reinforcement system features line array technology from Renkus-Heinz, the automated mixing and signal processing that takes place in the background is largely responsible for making the room’s audio so impressive, as Daryl Ballou, Manager-Muzak Systems Division, explained.
“Tribal meetings are conducted by the seven members of the Tribal Council and five staffers—all of whom are positioned at a large Dais (table/podium fixture) at the forefront of the room,� notes Ballou. “Each person has their own microphone, computer display, and personal monitor speaker that enables them to address the audience, keep track of information being displayed during presentations, and monitor all conversations or music. Within the Dais, we have a Lectrosonics DM84 digital matrix processor along with a DMPA12 DSP and power amplifier mounted into an equipment rack that pivots out of the cabinet for easy access. These two pieces of equipment do all the work in the background.�
“The DM84’s auto mixing capabilities are configured so that when a person speaks, their particular microphone is recognized as the main input,� continued Ballou. “Hence, as various people speak into their microphones, the system automatically follows each microphone’s input. In tandem with this, the DMPA12’s automixing facilities mute the monitor associated with the person currently speaking and attenuates the level of the monitors on either side to minimize the possibility of feedback, while the remainder of the monitors retain the pre-programmed full monitor level. As the DMPA12 is a 12-channel system with 12 independent outputs, each person has their own channel. The system provides full Auto Mix and Mix Minus functionality—all while being completely unattended. Of equal importance, this setup is controlled by an AMX control system, so the entire process is transparent.�
As sophisticated as this system is, Ballou was quick to point out that not once did we require technical support to configure the Lectrosonics equipment. “I don’t think we have had to call them for technical support,� said Ballou. “The documentation is that good. We have called them for product inquiries and, on every occasion, the help was great.�
With the installation completed, Ballou reports that the next phase of this project is end user training. “This project was just completed,� said Ballou, “so the next step is to train everyone and get them comfortable with the equipment. With that said, the IT staff has seen the system and are happy with all of the features and the system’s performance. The DSP included in the system provides all of the processing we required. The combination of the DM1624 and DMPA12 provide the best Auto Mixer and Mix Minus system we have ever used.�
About Lectrosonics DM Series Digital Audio Processors
The DM Series is a family of powerful digital audio processing, mixing and routing systems. Their primary applications are sound reinforcement and conferencing in boardrooms, courtrooms, worship centers, distance learning systems, hotels and other applications with multiple microphones and loudspeakers. Easily configurable using a computer system with WIndows® 2000 or Windows® XP operating systems, the DM Series design represents a milestone in DSP technology in its basic architecture and in its processing speed, efficiency, and flexibility.
For additional information about the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, visit them online at www.morongonation.org. To learn more about Muzak, visit the company website at www.muzak.com. For information about Menlo Scientific Acoustics, Inc., visit the company at www.menlozone.com.
About Lectrosonics
Well respected within the film, broadcast, and theater technical communities since 1971, Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems and audio processing products are used daily in mission-critical applications by audio engineers familiar with the company’s dedication to quality, customer service, and innovation. Lectrosonics is a US manufacturer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
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