Henderson State University installs Technomad loudspeakers

Technomad Associates, LLC announces that Henderson State University in Arkansas has installed eight Technomad weatherproof outdoor loudspeakers at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, home of the Henderson State Reddies, a Division II football team. The new loudspeakers, first used at the September 20 home opener, replace an antiquated horn system and bring vastly improved voice and music intelligibility to the 10,000 seat stadium.

The university purchased six Technomad Berlin 15/H Install loudspeakers and two Technomad Paris 616 loudspeakers. They also purchased two PA racks filled with new mixers, amplifiers, signal processors and other equipment. Four of the Berlin 15/H Install loudspeakers were installed on the press box above the home bleachers, with the other two installed on poles next to the visitor bleachers. The Paris 616 loudspeakers are installed lengthwise on the ceiling of the press box overhang to provide a direct audio source to the expensive alumni seats underneath.

Henderson State University purchased all of the equipment and products through Troxell Communications, working exclusively with Woody Rust at Troxell’s branch office in Shreveport, Louisiana. Rust helped guide them through the complicated connections and cabling that was required for the new outdoor audio system.

“The Technomad Berlin and Paris loudspeakers blend exceptionally well, to the point that it sounds like one enormous loudspeaker covering the entire stadium,” said Jim Wilhelm, Multimedia Specialist for Henderson State University. “We positioned the four Berlins on the press box so that the middle two are pointing straight ahead and the far left and right loudspeakers are at a 45-degree angle. I wanted to ensure that those seated in the far upper corners are hearing the same quality as those at dead center. And while the Berlins are still audible from under the press box, the Paris loudspeakers provide a more personal audio source for the alumni who pay for those seats. The audio quality of each loudspeaker is truly astounding. It seems that the louder the volume, the better they sound.”

Wilhelm cited durability as the main reason for purchasing the Technomad loudspeakers. The university’s location in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, near the Louisiana border, is known for its hot and humid climate for much of the year, and a rainy spring that brings plenty of wet weather.

“The humidity here is brutal, the sun beats down constantly, and the UV Ray levels are extreme,” said Wilhelm. “We needed a loudspeaker system that could withstand these elements since they will remain outside all year. These loudspeakers will not be protected by any means; they will be in direct sunlight from sunrise to sunset, and susceptible to heavy rains. The Technomads are built very tough, and that durability factor is highly important as I have no plans to replace these before I retire 25 years from now.”

Wilhelm joined Henderson State University one year ago, and was almost immediately asked to replace the horn system that had been in place for seven years. According to Wilhelm, the horns were installed on the roof of the press box, with the signal arriving via standard phone cable. The resulting audio was either highly distorted when loud, or simply unintelligible at lower volumes. He cited Homecoming 2006 as the final nail in the coffin, when few in the stands or on the field could hear the candidates’ names as they were announced.

“Everything that was broadcast through these horns sounded horrible. Voice was indecipherable and music reproduction sounded like it was coming through a tweeter,” said Wilhelm. “Everything was very high-pitched and distorted, when you could hear the audio at all. One of the main gripes was that you couldn’t hear anything unless you were standing directly in front of the horns. The Technomad loudspeakers reproduce the lows and mids extremely well, and provide the broad audio dispersion we need to fill the stadium.”

The Berlin loudspeakers on the visitor side receive the signal from the main PA system via a wireless transmitter. A smaller PA rack in the visitor concession stand includes a wireless receiver, which feeds the signal to a delay processor before reaching the amplifier. The delay is significant because without it, the sound would reach the visitor side loudspeakers about three-quarters of a second before the sound from the press box loudspeakers. The result is a perfectly blended live broadcast for everyone in the stadium.

Technomad loudspeakers are available separately or as part of complete Turnkey PA Systems which feature an audio mixer, power amplifier, speaker cables, speaker mounting brackets, a dynamic microphone with cable, and a rack enclosure.