The largest hotel chain in Italy, the Jolly Hotels, tested Biamp’s Audia Digital Audio Platform and decided that they liked what they heard. In October 2001, an Audia system was installed in a five-room conference section within the Jolly Hotel Conference Center complex on the outskirts of Milan, Italy. This system was to serve as a beta test for Audia and was installed by Professional Show SRL and Prase Engineering, one of Biamp’s top export distributors worldwide. Biamp’s Engineering staff assisted in the installation as well.

The Jolly Hotel pilot consists of seven Biamp VRAM automatic mixers with five additional radio mics feeding the inputs of two CobraNet Audia units, each with 8 inputs and 8 outputs (8X8 CM). In each of the five conference rooms there is an output as well as five recording outputs and a monitor output. Audio control is through a PC via Ethernet in a remote control room as well as through Crestron wall panels in each of the conference rooms. The Audia units are being used for both input and output equalization as well as matrixing and distributing audio into any combination of the five linked conference rooms.

During the beta test, Jolly Hotel management discovered several noticeable advantages with Audia over the previously installed Gentner equipment. One distinct characteristic is the ease and degree of flexibility Audia offers users so they can configure the audio to fit ever changing conference room needs. Another advantage is the seamless integrated and remote control via Audia’s IP addressable feature that allows access over the in-house computer network. An unexpected bonus was a marked improvement in the audio quality.

At the end of the beta test, Jolly Hotel management was so enthralled with the performance of Audia, they purchased the beta test units and ordered four additional units for other areas within the conference center complex. The hotel chain is in the process of building an additional conference center near Milan and has specified Audia as the primary audio system for the new center. Hotel management is also very interested to test the additional components of the Audia Digital Audio Platform, which are scheduled to include a variety of I/O configurations, an amplifier and a controller.

Biamp Systems is an acknowledged international leader in the field of professional audio electronics. The company is recognized for delivering high quality and innovative electronic products to meet the audio requirements of corporate boardrooms, conference centers, theater complexes, courtrooms, churches, educational centers, public venues and other installed audio applications.

(Lee Baldock)


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