Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park Enhances Outdoor Events with Harman Professional Solutions

TechDataPS and ARNION recently performed a complete overhaul of the outdoor performance venue at Mungyeon Provincial Park, equipping it with an end-to-end Harman audio system featuring JBL loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, Soundcraft mixers, AKG microphones, and BSS direct boxes.

Mungyeong Saejae, a mountain pass located 642 meters above sea level on Mount Joryeong, is one of the oldest surviving parts of an ancient road that once connected Seoul and Busan. Three fortified stone gates dating from the Joseon dynasty still stand at the site, making it a culturally significant landmark. Declared an official provincial park in 1981, Mungyeong Saejae is now a major tourist destination featuring hiking trails, a sculpture garden and a stage for open-air performances and other events. With the venue's sound system in dire need of an upgrade, park officials hired TechDataPS and ARNION to completely overhaul the stage with a state-of-the-art Harman Professional Solutions audio system and all-new rigging. To equip the venue for a variety of events, TechDataPS and ARNION selected class-leading JBL line array loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, Soundcraft digital mixers, AKG microphones, and BSS direct boxes.

"The client wanted us to replace the existing sound system, as well as the supporting infrastructure for it," said Seok Oh, Kang, sales representative, TechDataPS Co., Ltd. "First and foremost, a high-quality audio system was required to cover multi-purpose outdoor events and performances. Secondly, the client requested an infrastructure with sufficient inputs and outputs for any situation. To meet these requests, we chose to go with the latest and most dynamic JBL VTX A8 systems, which are highly revered for their performance. The quantity and angle of the speakers were determined in the design stage through acoustical simulation."

To deliver exceptional sound reinforcement at Mungyeong Provincial Park, TechDataPS and ARNION designed a state-of-the-art JBL line array system featuring VTX A8 loudspeakers and VTX B18 subwoofers. The A8 offers JBL Professional's flagship VTX A Series technology in a compact solution for small to mid-size rental and installed applications. With two 8" woofers, four 3.5" midrange drivers, and two 2" high-frequency drivers, the A8 delivers great sound in a low-profile cabinet. The B18 subwoofers add additional low-frequency support to the line arrays, with powerful 18" Differential Drive woofers and patented Slip Stream ports to improve airflow and reduce audible turbulence.

JBL AM7215/26-WRC two-way loudspeakers provide broad, 90- by 50-degree coverage in front of the stage and feature weather-resistant construction to survive the elements. JBL Control HST paging loudspeakers were installed to provide extremely broad, hemispherical coverage for communication and all-purpose broadcasting. JBL Line Array Calculator and Performance Manager software allowed the integrators to calculate the ideal speaker placement and angles for the venue.

To power the system, TechDataPS and ARNION selected Crown I-Tech 4x3500HD, I-Tech 9000HD, and CDi DriveCore 4|1200 power amplifiers. I-Tech Series amplifiers feature onboard OMNIDRIVE HD processing, including the acclaimed LevelMAX limiter suite and support for linear phase FIR filters as used in the latest JBL V5 loudspeaker tunings. The four-channel CDi DriveCore 4|1200 represents a powerful and cost-effective solution for additional amplification at the park, powering the JBL Control HST paging speakers.

To capture clear, detailed sound on stage, the venue at Mungyeong Saejae is equipped with a range of AKG microphones. The seven-piece AKG Drum Set Concert 1 professional drum microphone kit includes the D112, D40, and C430 microphones, ideal for capturing drum sets with power and clarity. AKG PZM30D boundary microphones provide additional sound reinforcement, capturing a natural sound without reflections from the walls of the bandshell. BSS AR-133 active DI boxes allow instruments such as guitars and keyboards to be easily amplified with pure tone and clarity.

To facilitate world-class sound reinforcement and ease of operation, TechDataPS and ARNION outfitted the venue with Soundcraft Vi2000 and Vi1000 digital mixing consoles. With a Soundcraft SpiderCore integrated DSP and I/O engine based on STUDER technology, the Vi2000 and Vi1000 can handle events of any size and complexity. A unique, hands-on Vistonics interface with color-coded Faderglow technology make mixing intuitive and streamlined for any operator. Soundcraft ViSB 64:32 MO-Vi stageboxes provide plenty of microphone inputs on stage for large events.

"Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park is an admirable cultural hub that truly represents the city," says Man Jin, Kim / audio director, Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park. "As a result, our expectations for the sound system upgrades were set exceptionally high. The new systems had to deliver world-class sound for all events, and the design had to ensure maximum ease of use for the operators. Having said that, we are very happy with the cutting-edge solutions delivered to us by TechDataPS."

"The project at Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park was a momentous one, as it involved the first application of the latest JBL systems in an outdoor setting in South Korea," says Ramesh Jayaraman, VP and GM, Harman Professional Solutions, APAC. "We would like to thank our partner TechDataPS for designing and delivering a cutting-edge solution."