VERTEC at Volkswagen's New Factory

JBL VERTEC® AND SOUND.COM DRIVE AHEAD FOR VOLKSWAGEN'S NEW FACTORY LAUNCH IN INDIA

NORTHRIDGE, California – While other automakers have been cutting production and slowing down expansion plans, Volkswagen India has moved to ramp up its production in that region. The recent Volkswagen (VW) factory launch at Chakan, 30km (18.6 mi) from the city of Pune, was one of India’s most prestigious corporate events of the season. The new US $766 million factory, expected to employ 2,500 workers at the plant by the end of 2010, is VW’s 61st in the world and the largest single German investment on the Indian subcontinent to date. Aman Anand and the events team of G2 Rams contracted Mumbai-based SOUND.COM to handle all technical audio services for the launch event at the new factory.

“The crew of SOUND.COM was only too happy to take on this challenge, knowing that success in this event would set a new benchmark for the sound industry to live up to,” noted SOUND.COM Managing Director Warren D’souza. “The entire industry wanted to see how well this event would be executed. This show needed to be flawless in the way it was sonically executed, and JBL loudspeakers gave us the edge we needed to achieve that."

The main event area in the factory was served by left/right main hangs of 12 VERTEC® VT4887 compact line array elements and six VERTEC VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers. SOUND.COM also used two VRX932LA center fills in the display area. A Soundcraft Vi6 digital mixing console was in use for the production.

Considering that the presentation stage set was completely white, SOUND.COM ordered white JBL Control Series 25AV-WH speakers to match the stage aesthetics. These speakers were placed in specific locations in front and at the side of the stage to ensure proper coverage of the speeches delivered by VW President Jeorg Muller, and S.C. Jamir, the State Governor, along with other VIP’s at the event. “The production had a sound level limit of 95 dB SPL, so loudness wasn’t an option,” explained D’Souza. “Hence, it was critical to be able to place speaker systems to achieve the best possible coverage in all zones, at low volumes. Apart from the main stage, our white speakers also found their way into the VIP rooms. Once installed, the speakers blended into the decor seamlessly.”

The project installation was completed at the new factory site four days before the main show, in order to conduct rehearsals and ensure that everything would run smoothly at showtime. SOUND.COM was also asked by G2 Rams to provide a tour guide sound system for the factory visit. The guide was equipped with a wireless headset on a transmitter, and all delegates had wireless bodypacks with earpieces so each person was able to clearly hear their own language in the factory environment. Conducted in two languages, SOUND.COM used 20 channels for German, and 40 channels for the English language tour. "Providing professional audiology solutions and tour guide systems increases the menu of services we have to offer our clients,” noted Gilroy Valladares, who spearheaded this project for SOUND.COM along with Fali Damania.

For more information on SOUND.COM, please visit www.online-sound.com

JBL is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International Industries, Incorporated designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. Harman International maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Pictured, from left: Paul Bauman, JBL; Bryan Olson and Mark Dittmar, Firehouse Productions; and Brian Divine, Crown Audio. 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."

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