The new system replaces a 1970s-era paging horn system that was inadequate for modern fair events and had prompted 2013's tractor pull announcer to complain, "We're not coming back unless you fix this!"
After interviewing several integrators, the Troy Fair board chose Gelnett and Associates to provide their new system. Gelnett President, Scott Gelnett reports that the fair board was very impressed during the on-site demo and knew this was the system for them.
The new system consists of two clusters of four Community R.5HPT loudspeakers covering the fans in the grandstands and three R2-52 loudspeakers covering the left, center and right field areas. The system is powered by DSP-equipped Crown amplifiers and features a Biamp 601 mixer and Tascam CD200i CD player with iPod input.
Gelnett provided an Audix headworn announcer's mic and a handheld mic for a second announcer in the press booth. They also provided an Audix wireless headworn and a handheld wireless mic for use from the field. The press booth, which hangs below the grandstands roof, is difficult to access. For this reason, Gelnett provided a remote volume control in a utility room below the grandstands for events with field announcements. However, Scott Gelnett says the microphones seldom need adjustment and he reports that he did "very little tweaking" on the R Series loudspeakers during system commissioning.
(Jim Evans)
