IN BRIEF

A new JBL solution helps The Science Museum of Virginia reach for the stars

The Science Museum of Virginia recently finalised upgrades to the projection, lighting and audio systems at both its Richmond and Danville planetariums, marking a significant enhancement in the overall audience experience.

Among the museum’s prominent features is The Dome, a planetarium theatre that transports guests through a myriad of immersive experiences.

As part of its renovations, the Science Museum of Virginia sought to modernise The Dome to offer visitors enhanced immersive audio experiences.

Collaborating closely with HARMAN Professional Solutions, Jamie Gorman, Principal, Acuity Audiovisual, spearheaded the installation of a cutting-edge planetarium audio solution, leveraging JBL Professional CBT Series loudspeakers.

The challenge of creating an immersive experience within a planetarium necessitated speaker devices capable of reaching the maximum percentage of seated patrons.

Gorman identified JBL CBT loudspeakers as the ideal choice due to their wide horizontal coverage, linear frequency response, and high SPL output. In the case of side surround locations, Gorman utilised horizontally angled CBT columns to ensure perpendicular coverage to the audience seating. Additionally, Gorman integrated CBT1000E low-frequency extensions for the front L-C-R channels, yielding enhanced vertical directivity and improved volume consistency.

Further, Gorman equipped the facility with AE Series subwoofers renowned for their capacity to reproduce very low frequencies. He also placed JBL SCS surround speakers at overhead locations in both planetariums, enhancing the enveloping effect and creating an immersive auditory environment.

By routing the audio tracks directly from the audio servers’ Dante outputs to Crown DCi Series amplifiers, Gorman’s signal chain remains in the digital format from start to finish, ensuring minimal loss of signal integrity.

The results of these upgrades were met with enthusiasm. The JBL systems ensure that each guest can immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the cosmos.

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