Project Overview
Industry: Education
Location: Colorado
Client: Academy School District 20
Project:
Upgrade of the audio and video infrastructure in a large multi-purpose hall; simplifying operation, enabling Microsoft Teams integration, and supporting remote participation and presentations.
Project Stakeholders:
Audio-Technica, Lambda Audio Visual, The Farm AV, Academy School District 20
Solution:
Audio-Technica Engineered Sound® (ES) Wireless
Client
A fast-paced school district in Colorado
Academy School District 20 is one of the largest school districts in Colorado, serving 26,000 students across 40 schools. The district’s CIO, Shelley Kooser, wanted to improve the meeting technology in a large multi-purpose hall at the district office. To enhance the meeting experience for both in-person and remote participants, the district contacted Lambda Audio Visual.
Challenge
The need for better audio quality and hybrid meetings
Meetings held in the multi-purpose hall were inefficient due to poor audio quality, could not support remote presenters, and required constant assistance from two technical staff members who also had other responsibilities. The goal was to improve audio quality, simplify the user experience, and ensure seamless integration with Microsoft Teams, the district’s primary collaboration platform.
Lambda Audio Visual had long been the district’s audiovisual partner. As a result, the CIO requested a solution that worked reliably, delivered improved audio and video quality, and was easy to use through advanced control systems.
Solution
Audio-Technica Engineered Sound® (ES) Wireless
The client had previously been satisfied with the results of a conference room project that included Microsoft Teams integration. The new project involved a multi-purpose hall with a capacity of approximately 180 people, primarily used for teacher in-service training, district events, and parent meetings.
The objective was to bring this space to the same level as the conference room. Lambda Audio Visual first identified the client’s expectations, which included flexible use, Microsoft Teams integration, steerable video, full coverage through ceiling loudspeakers, and microphone coverage throughout the hall.
Following evaluation, it was determined that the space required a completely new system, and the Audio-Technica Engineered Sound® (ES) Wireless solution was recommended.
Ryan Durbin, owner of Lambda Audio Visual, expressed their confidence in Audio-Technica:
“We love Audio-Technica, and they have truly been a great partner for us. That’s why we typically turn to them first. We know their equipment always works reliably.”
Technologies
DECT-based wireless system
Although the ES Wireless solution was new to Lambda Audio Visual, it was considered an ideal fit for the project. The system allows flexible use of boundary, handheld, and lavalier microphones together, supporting mobile presenters, remote participants, audience Q&A sessions, and a wide range of collaboration scenarios.
Thanks to DECT technology, interference and RF noise issues caused by in-building security radios, the nearby Air Force Academy, and wireless systems used by local churches were eliminated.
The Audio-Technica solution provides:
Automatic frequency coordination
Up to 96 simultaneous channels
eliminating the need for time-consuming frequency scanning. Coverage-related dropouts are also avoided.
Installation was extremely straightforward. The receiver unit was easy to mount, significantly reducing integration time. Only a single cable was required to connect the antenna. If additional microphones are needed in the future, another receiver can be added to the ceiling without requiring RF or power cabling.
According to Durbin, the most impressive part of the system is the receivers:
“We’re working in a drop-ceiling environment. We’re using Dante-enabled processors. We can easily mount this receiver in the center of the room on the ceiling, and with DECT technology, we don’t worry about interference. It’s a single-cable installation, and the system just works.”
Key Features
Key features that drove the selection for this project include:
Dante integration
Wireless operation
Low-profile receiver design
Battery Life and Charging Integration
ES Wireless also minimizes user errors thanks to its long battery life:
Up to 22 hours for boundary microphones
Up to 35 hours for handheld microphones
With fast charging capability, microphones can be used even while charging via USB-C.
Impact
Improved collaboration and superior audio quality
With the new system in place, the hall is now used more effectively and requires significantly less technical support. Microsoft Teams integrates automatically with the system, providing greater flexibility for meetings.
The new solution is:
More cost-effective
Requires fewer staff
Extremely easy to use
Operates with a single cable from the network switch
Easy to pack away at the end of the day thanks to wireless operation
Offers long battery life
Charges easily
Supports remote presentations
Delivers better audio quality
Requires less rack space
Supports public events via Microsoft Teams Live
Offers a “set-and-forget” approach to frequency management
User training was also fast and simple. Microphones can be easily powered on and off, muted, and charged. Anyone who wants to speak can pick up a microphone and press a button, while bright LED indicators clearly communicate status.
The first meeting ran smoothly. Users were extremely satisfied with how easy the equipment was to use. Shelley Kooser noted that the room’s audio quality had never been better. The client was so pleased with the system that they requested the same microphones be installed in the atrium area as well.