TiMax SoundHub-M for Museum and Attraction AV IntegratorsTiMax SoundHub-M is the latest addition to the versatile suite of TiMax2 SoundHub matrix processors and audio show control products. Targeted towards museums, visitor attractions, rides, hospitality, retail, and other AV installations, it provides a multi-channel playback server and multi-zone processor and controller linked with directional audio localization and spatialization for a higher level of message impact and immersion to the all-important visitor experience. Out Board director Dave Haydon explains, "No other single box offers a similar combination of facilities for routing, mixing, processing, and zone control, plus music and effects playback as well as 3D spatialization and show control -- the savings on hardware and installation costs are significant. We go further by offering options for industry-standard networking such as Cobranet, Ethersound, Dante or MADI, with a new AVB interface waiting in the wings." The TiMax2 Soundhub-M is already installed in museums across Belgium, where TiMax's distributor in Belgium, FACE, says they saw the product as specifically tailored to the needs of museum and hospitality AV integrators in terms of functionality and cost. Face managing director, Karel De Piere explains the benefits, "TiMax Soundhub is the only processor combining spatial sound imaging with state of the art audio matrix and playback functions in a single product. Previously, we would set up a full rack of equipment, spend most of our time making them talk to each other in sync and making sure it is all stable." The Museum Of Original Figurines showcases highly-collectible figurines from comic strips as well as original drawings and plates, using multiple "windows" into their heroic world. The TiMax2 Soundhub was programmed by FACE's engineer, Stijn Vermeiren, to provide multiple soundtracks localized by the TiMax delay-matrix for each of the different character zones and feature exhibits of the museum -- as well as presets for music, PA, and visitor announcements. As one of the foremost AV technology install specialists in Belgium, FACE was approached by Antwerp's new €33.5m Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) Museum to provide audio processing, distribution, and playback systems. A TiMax2 SoundHub matrix server was deployed in a 7th floor space themed "Life & Death," where the soundscape's principle focus was to provide dramatic atmospheres and immersion for the visitors. In addition to its onboard sound effects playback and show control interfacing, TiMax provided parametric EQ on inputs and outputs for source sweetening and room tuning, plus assignable control groups for multi-zone level trimming and source mixing. Genk's C-Mine Museum transformed the old red brick building of the former Winterslag coal mine into a 5,000-sq-m cultural center and tourist attraction. As visitors walk down towards the main mine elevator shaft area they are accompanied by various sound files: recordings of miners talking on their way to work, the sounds of their equipment and tools, and the clank and groan of the mine elevators. Vermeiren explains, "I built a calculator macro for Excel to create the dynamic timelines between the speakers' delay times per scene and simply loaded it into TiMax Soundhub. From there the museum architect could fully control the speed and intensity of the sound files to change them as he wanted. As visitors immediately heard the new effects, tweaks were made until we saw only smiling faces! This reflected in a pre-production time of just a day with a further day of on-site commissioning. So we delivered a major difference and better results in less time!" 
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