CTS and Crown Provide Sonic Presence For CHIC Youth Conference

crown-chic.jpgELKHART, Indiana — CTS Audio recently deployed more than 50 of HARMAN's Crown I-Tech HD Series and XTi Series amplifiers to power a JBL VERTEC® line array system for the for Covenant High in Christ (CHIC) youth conference earlier this summer at the University of Tennessee's 25,000-seat Thompson-Boling Arena. The 5-day event featured numerous inspirational speakers and musical performers.

“We were given the opportunity to upgrade some of our inventory this past winter, and that included the purchase of more than 150 Crown I-Tech 12000HD amplifiers,” noted Mike Taylor, Vice President at CTS Audio. “A few years ago when we purchased the original Crown I-Techs, we noticed a huge improvement in the way we could power our VERTEC enclosures. With the leap to the new amplifiers that level of improvement has happened all over again.”

The system used at CHIC included 36 Crown I-Tech 12000HD amplifiers and 16 XTi Series XTi 4001 amplifiers, connected to the front of house and monitor mix positions using an all-digital signal path. The JBL VERTEC loudspeaker system consisted of 32 VT4888 midsize, 24 VT4887 compact and 12 VT4886 subcompact line array elements along with 16 VT4880 fullsize arrayable subwoofers and 16 VT4881ADP compact subs.

“The performance improvement provided by the IT-12000HD amps really contributed to the exceptional sound we were able to achieve in the Thompson-Boling Arena,” stated Taylor. “Aside from the amplifier's sheer power capability and ‘grunt' factor, the inclusion of the VERTEC V5 DSP preset tunings made a big difference in enabling us to match and optimize the performance of the amps to the VERTEC speakers. The frequency response and smoothness of the system is noticeably better, and we were able to achieve better pattern control from the line arrays and get more consistent sound coverage throughout the arena.”

Taylor also noted the solid reliability of the amplifiers. “We have experienced zero failures. Having equipment that simply works consistently is a piece of the tour sound puzzle that not many people talk about, but it's not something to be taken for granted. We now have a system in place for our fall and winter tours that we can completely rely upon.”

“What the Crown I-Tech HD series amplifiers are capable of is astounding,” said Jon Schwarz, CTS Audio's Lead System Designer. “This amplifier just does naturally what I have been trying to emulate in the field for the past few years. It really is a game-changer.”

For more information about CTS Audio, please visit www.ctsaudio.com.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,400 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $4.4 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.