JBL Professional Loudspeakers Perform Swimmingly For 2008 Summer Olympics At National Aquatic Centre In Beijing

Anyone who has ever witnessed or participated in an indoor swimming competition knows that acoustics play a significant part in the experience. Too reverberant and announcements become unintelligible; too sterile and the excitement and sense of place is diminished. JBL Professional Precision Directivity™ (PD) Series and Application Engineered™ (AE) Series loudspeakers are on the job at the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in the National Aquatic Centre in Beijing, to make certain that the sound will be exactly what it needs to be for the array of Olympic games taking place there August 8-24 this summer.

The National Aquatic Centre, also known as the “Water Cube,” features 52 PD5212/64 12-inch 2-way full-range loudspeakers, eight PD5122 dual 12-inch low-frequency loudspeakers, 12 AC2212/95, and 12 each 2380A 90- x 40-degree horns matched with 2446J 2-inch exit (4-inch voice coil) compression drivers. JBL's PD Series uses a full range, full bandwidth total system approach that allows contractors and consultants to design a fully integrated sound system that solves the audio challenges inherent to large installations. The AE Series loudspeakers provide a wide variety of building blocks for system design, stair-stepped to give the right solution for any installation. The "AC” models are compact loudspeakers that fit in areas where a smaller profile is required.

Designed by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation with a steel space frame clad with ETFE pillows, the National Aquatic Centre was purpose-built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and is one of the best-designed examples of an aquatic competition venue, with its acoustics specially tempered for the occasion. But with literally hundreds of microphones from scores of broadcasters globally relying on the sound system for both information and background sound, the performance of the venue’s PA system is critical. The JBL loudspeakers are joined at the National Aquatic Centre by other industry-leading products from Harman including Crown CTs600, CTs1200, CTs2000, and CTs3000 amplifiers, Soundcraft consoles and BSS DSP utilizing HiQnet™ London Architect™ platform for control.

“The National Aquatic Centre is among the most impressive architectural projects of the decade: it is a true monument to the Olympic spirit and the imagination of China,” said Jon Sager, Director of Market Development, Installed Sound, JBL Professional. “At JBL Professional, we’re naturally honored that our audio systems enable the designers to marry form with function and that, with the help of our technologies, the stunning design in no way limits the
spectacular sound!”

JBL is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Harman HiQnet™ is the world's first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. Harman HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across the Harman Pro Group and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah.