ALLEN & HEATH INSTALLED IN HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), one of the largest horse racing organisations in the world, has recently undergone an overhaul of the audio system in its plush executive suites. The extensive new system comprises 7 Allen & Heath iDR-8 digital processing mixers, an iDR-switch, iDR-Out, and from the accompanying range of PL remote control units, 6 PL-10 rotary fader panels, 4 PL-9 connection hubs, and 40 PL-4 wall plates. Horse racing is the most popular spectator sport in Hong Kong, and the Club is the only authorised operator of horse racing. The government-run organisation also offers betting on football matches held outside of Hong Kong. The HKJC also provides dining, social and recreation facilities to approximately 20,000 members. Designed and installed by Eastern Acoustic Development (EAD), the new system has been installed to manage three executive floors at the Happy Valley racecourse, which house the offices of the Chairman, Vice-chairman, and board members, as well as various meeting rooms. Each floor has two iDR-8 digital mixers with PL-10 LED display rotary fader panels to easily manage the audio distribution to different zones.

A total of 40 PL-4 remote control wall plates have been installed in all the steward boxes and executive rooms for commentary selection from one of 4 different languages sourced from a language transmission programme, and for easy access to the output level control. The PL-9 units provide up to 7 connections to chains of PL devices, simplifying wiring, and eliminating the need for complex daisy-chaining. “This is the most ambitious and technically extensive system we have designed and installed in Hong Kong,” comments EAD’s technical director, Mr. W. H. Chan. “Allen & Heath’s iDR DSP system was selected because its flexible, open architecture enabled us to custom-build the system, which can be expanded if necessary in the future, and the numerous remote control capabilities greatly increase the ease of use for the client in this huge complex. Consequently, it is a very cost effective, high performance system, which also provides powerful digital processing and fantastic sonic quality.” The system is accompanied by Lab.gruppen C16:4 amplification, which includes an Ethernet interface to the NomadLink network.