Located 20 minutes from Keflavik International Airport, Icelandair’s headquarters has recently undergone a major expansion with the addition of a new flight simulator with additional facilities for pilot and cabin crew training, along with new office facilities including an impressive atrium and multi-purpose spaces for the hosting of meetings, presentations and events.
The project’s electrical contractor Verkhönnun issued a tender for the design and installation of cutting-edge audiovisual systems with the contract ultimately awarded to local event production and AV technology specialists Exton.
“The initial brief included line arrays for the main atrium, but our modeling of a NEXO point-source system using NS-1 performance prediction software proved that a NEXO ePS system was perfectly adequate for the space, while making a much lower visual impact in such a highly designed interior” reports Exton Sound Consultant/Technician Asaf Tzur. “And, of course, the cost saving was considerable.”
A total of 6 x ePS10s are mounted under two balconies firing into the main space, with 2 x NEXO L15 subs providing LF extension and a single NEXO NXAMPMk2 Powered TD Controller deployed for amplification and processing.
As in the atrium, a main dining area and multi-purpose space features a camera, large screen and microphones for meetings and presentations. Here the sound system comprises 20 of NEXO’s ultra-compact ID14 speakers, flush-mounted into the suspended, slatted wood ceiling, with bass extension from three entirely hidden IDS108 subs.
“I was really impressed with the performance of the ID14 in this application” comments Exton Solutions Division Technician Björgvin Ingi Jonsson, taking up the story.
“The spoken word sound is very open with excellent speech intelligibility. And we were able to work with Verkhönnun to develop a mounting solution that satisfied the architect without compromising the audio performance.”
Amplification and processing for the cafeteria / multi-purpose meeting and presentation space come from just 4 of NEXO’s new nanoNXAMP powered TD Controllers. Launched last year, this compact, half-rack power and processing solution combines excellent sound quality with intuitive operational features and a price tag that significantly lowers the overall cost of NEXO system installations of this scale.
A cafeteria area features 6 x ID14s, also ceiling mounted, supplemented by a single IDS108 sub and powered by 2 x nanoNXAMPs.
“Even at low levels, the IDS subs provide a wonderful extra depth to the sound and complement the ID14s really well” comments Asaf.
ID14s are again the speaker of choice in a training room also equipped with a screen, camera and ceiling-mounted microphone arrays for video conferencing and course capture. A total of 8 x ID14s are supplemented by a single IDS108.
“Uncompromised quality and flexibility were two of the key aims in the design and installation of these system” says Asaf. “Our client is already using the atrium for larger and more varied events than they had originally envisaged, confident that the sound system has plenty of headroom. I always believe it’s best to over specify – they can always turn it down!”
Asked if the client is happy with the result, Asaf says: “I’m a relatively new arrival in Iceland and my Icelandic is not that good. But everyone who hears the new systems immediately breaks into a smile, and that’s a universal language.”
For further information on Exton, visit: exton.is
