Harman Pro Group Sound Technologies Power Olympic Dreams At 12 Venues Of Beijing 2008 Summer Games

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - As the world counts down to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Summer Games, the companies from the Harman Pro Group will consider their biggest challenges behind them with the successful sale and integration of comprehensive AV systems for 12 of the most prestigious venues for the games. Just as venues like the Beijing National Aquatics Centre, known popularly as the “Water Cube” or the remarkable Beijing National Stadium have already gained worldwide attention for their architectural design, these buildings feature Harman Pro Group components to ensure they sound as good as they look!

The Beijing National Aquatics Centre, which will host 17,000 spectators for the swimming, diving and synchronized swimming events, features JBL Professional PD Series loudspeakers and LSR Series studio monitors, a Soundcraft Vi6 console, Crown CTs amplifiers and BSS Audio Soundweb processing.

At the 10,000-seat Fengtai Softball Field, the Harman Pro Group sound system is comprised of Soundcraft GB4 consoles, JBL Professional AE Series and PD Series loudspeakers and LSR monitors, dbx DriveRack 260 EQ/Controls and Crown CTs amplifiers. Many of the same Harman companies are featured 10,000-seat Chang Ping indoor arena that will host Tae Kwon Do competitions. The arena’s audio system features JBL Professional AE Series and SRX Series loudspeakers driven by Crown CTs amplifiers, managed by dbx DriveRack 4800 processing and Soundcraft GB4/GB8 consoles.

The 33,572-seat Beijing Foreign Language University Stadium, host to the games’ football competitions, is a recipient of a comprehensive Harman Pro Group sound system comprising BSS Soundweb processing, Crown CTs amplifiers, dbx DriveRack patchbays, Lexicon MX400 processors and Soundcraft GB4 consoles. In Shanghai, the impressive 80,000-capacity Shanghai Stadium will host some preliminary group-stage football matches. It features an arsenal of JBL AE Series, Control Series, PD Series, VERTEC Series loudspeakers and LSR studio monitors. The system here also features BSS Audio BLU-16 signal processing, Crown PZM Series microphones, Lexicon MX300 processor and Soundcraft MH2/FX/FX16 consoles.

Basketball competitions will be held at 18,000-seat Wukesong Indoor Stadium, home to an AV system that features Crown CTs amplifiers and JBL Professional LSR studio monitors and Control Series loudspeakers.

In Hong Kong, the remarkable Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue, complete with JBL Professional EON Series loudspeakers and Soundcraft Compact4/Compact10 mixers, will welcome 18,000 spectators to view the world’s best equestrian competitors and their mounts. Shifting from four-leg to two-wheeled events, the 9,000-seat Laoshoan Velodrome will host cycling events at the 2008 Summer Games. The velodrome sound system features JBL AE Series loudspeakers, Crown CTs amplifiers, BSS Soundweb processing and dbx DriveRack 260 Control.

In addition to hosting the fencing events and elements of the modern pentathlon, the Olympic Green Convention Centre will also serve as the International Broadcast Centre and the Main Press Centre. It features Soundcraft Vi4 consoles, Crown CTs amplifiers, BSS BLU-80 processors and JBL AE Series, SRX Series, VRX Series and VERTEC Series loudspeakers.

Serving as the stage for the opening and closing ceremonies and for the main track and field competitions, the 90,000-seating Beijing National Stadium became one of the world’s most recognizable buildings even before its completion. Now, Crown I-Tech amplifiers will ensure that the 90,000 spectators enjoy every word and note from the ceremonies and hear and cheer every announcement from the competitions!

Commenting on the array of facilities in which the Harman Pro Group is helping ensure great sound accompanies great spectacle, Michael MacDonald, Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales noted, “Just as athletes and spectators from around the world will travel to the games, the products and IP from the Harman Pro Group shipped from Los Angeles, London, Indiana, Mexico, Salt Lake City, Regensdorf and Vienna. It is a tribute to the global community of Harman employees that whenever the world gathers to celebrate and compete, that our audio technologies are the systems of choice. The people that comprise our companies literally equip the world stage!”