Amping up Downstream Casino
Mar 15, 2013 4:24 PM
With its parking lot in Kansas, its main entrance in Missouri, and its gaming facilities and guest accommodations in Oklahoma, Downstream Casino Resort is quite literally on top of the region’s historic tri-state junction.
With its parking lot in Kansas, its main entrance in Missouri, and its gaming facilities and guest accommodations in Oklahoma, Downstream Casino Resort is quite literally on top of the region’s historic tri-state junction. The Quapaw Tribe-operated facility opened in 2008 and attracts approximately 2 million visitors annually. Building on its tremendous success, Downstream Casino Resort undertook an ambitious expansion plan to add a six-story tower with 155 additional guest rooms, restaurants, event spaces, and spa services. The Tribe hired A1 Audio of nearby Branson, Mo., to design and install a comprehensive distributed audio system, and A1 Audio delivered, in part by specifying a modest rack of high-powered, low-cost Ashly Audio KLR-3200 amplifiers.
For reasons outside of A1 Audio’s control, the timeline on the new project was incredibly tight. “Massive crews from all the trades swarmed the new construction,” explains Pete Savel, vice president of A1 Audio. “At one point when we were pulling cable, they had something like 250 guys on drywall. It was a huge undertaking.” Despite the rush, the new system is elegant and refined, in consonance with the architecture and professionalism of the casino and resort staff.
In strategic locations throughout the tower, 80 Community loudspeakers from the 70V D4, D6, and D8 wide-dispersion series deliver articulate, full-frequency content. In a few locations with less than 6in. of ceiling space, low-profile Community D4LP deliver comparable performance. Yamaha DME-N series processors provide all input conditioning and matrixing, and an AMX system provides user control via an intuitive and engaging iPad interface. Five dual-channel Ashly KLR-3200 amplifiers power the entire system.
PRODUCT AT WORK: Ashly Audio KLR-3200
The front panel includes individual input attenuators, forced air inflow vents with removable dust filters, a power switch, and LEDs for power, signal, clip, and protection. The rear panel includes a three-position gain switch (1V, 32dB, or 26 dB sensitivity), a three-position mode switch (bridged, stereo, or parallel mono), a three-position high-pass filter switch (30Hz, 50Hz, or off), a limiter switch (on/off), and air outflow vents. Inputs include balanced three-pin Euroblock and a combination XLR/ 1/4in. tip-ring-sleeve. Output connections are Neutrik speakOn. The power cord is permanently attached.
