When considering power and flexibility requirements, the venue's sound system design team elected to utilise Crown I-Tech and CTs Series amplifiers, controlled via Harman's HiQnet network, to amplify the various PA and ancillary loudspeaker systems. Pleased with the decision, Andy Prager, senior project engineer with Diversified Systems, the contracting firm responsible for the audio installation, notes: "the Crown systems sound remarkably good and have been 100 percent reliable."
The PA system comprises multiple JBL PD743 40x30° and PD764 60x40° MF/HF coaxial cabinets, along with PD7164 LF cabinets, plus ASM6128 dual-18 subwoofers arrayed in four large clusters that are mounted just above and outside the footprint of the centre-hung video/scoring display.
The Prudential Center officially opened in late-October with a ten-night concert series headlined by hometown favourites Bon Jovi along with special guests My Chemical Romance, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Chris Daughtry and All-American Rejects. The venue, which is managed by AEG Live and features 76 luxury suites, 2,200 club seats, and an array of amenities, drew more than 150,000 fans during its opening week.
(Jim Evans)
