Liberty Collective, an 18,000-square-foot entertainment complex in Ohio, elevated its audio experience by deploying AtlasIED’s Atmosphere platform to overcome the acoustic challenges of its large, open design. The two-floor venue combines a vibrant atmosphere with local pride, offering five restaurant concepts, a coffee and breakfast bar, an ice cream shop and three bars, including a 30-tap self-pour beer wall.
Key Things to Know
- Liberty Collective spans 18,000 square feet across two floors, with indoor and outdoor seating and five sand volleyball courts.
- Ohio-based integration firm iCOMM Communications deployed AtlasIED’s Atmosphere platform, built around the AZM8 eight-zone digital signal processor.
- High ceilings, a large open area between floors and garage doors that open to wind made audio intelligibility difficult.
- Surface-mount SM82T loudspeakers, outdoor AS-8T speakers and ALA20T column line-array speakers cover the space.
- A mix of AtlasIED DPA and HPA amplifiers powers the loudspeakers throughout the venue.
- The venue is open and has become a community hit, aided by even, reliable sound coverage.
Who Worked on the Liberty Collective Audio Project?
Ken Sargent, owner of iCOMM Communications, led the audio design after being brought in by Tom Kaper, owner of TECServices. Kaper was working with the owners to design and deploy the video displays throughout the building and contacted iCOMM Communications to handle the audio system. iCOMM then contacted Andy Black, McFadden Sales‘ territory sales manager for Southwest Ohio and Kentucky, to assist with the installation. McFadden Sales has represented professional AV and audio brands since 1938, building long-term partnerships with manufacturers such as AtlasIED.
“I’m an AtlasIED fan, and I’ve been working with their products for about 15 years,” says Sargent. “Liberty Collective’s system is almost entirely used for background music, so AtlasIED’s Atmosphere platform came to mind immediately.”
What Made the Venue Acoustically Challenging?
The building’s size and open layout made audio intelligibility difficult. Liberty Collective is roughly 160 feet long and 100 feet wide, with a very high ceiling and a large open area between its two floors. Garage doors that open during warm weather add another problem, since wind inside the building can be considerable.
“While the Cincinnati market has a few other venues with food courts, this one stands out as a true food hall-style destination,” says Black. “However, it’s larger than similar concepts and incorporates outdoor space. The inside design was gorgeous, but very acoustically challenging. A lot of work went into the design phase to come up with an audio solution that would suit the architecture.”
Why Did iCOMM Choose the AtlasIED Atmosphere Platform?
iCOMM chose the Atmosphere platform because the system is almost entirely used for background music, a job the platform handles well. Atmosphere is an audio control system that combines digital audio processors, amplifiers, graphical user interfaces, programming software and controls into one package. It’s simple to deploy and use but powerful in capabilities, setting an operational and performance standard for digital audio systems.
How Does the AZM8 Processor Anchor the System?
The AtlasIED Atmosphere AZM8 anchors the system as an eight-zone digital signal processor at the heart of the setup. A built-in message player, virtual wall controllers, learning ambient noise sensing, Tilter Filter, auto-gain, GPIO and room combine make the AZM8 a processing powerhouse. iCOMM configured two zones, east and west, on each floor, while separate outdoor zones cover each side of the building.
Programming runs through an on-board web interface optimized for common use cases. The control interface is device-agnostic and responsive. Beyond Ethernet, built-in Wi-Fi lets tablets and other control devices connect directly to the AZM8 through rights-based access.
Which Amplifiers Power the Loudspeakers?
A combination of AtlasIED amplifiers powers the loudspeakers throughout the venue. The lineup includes the 800-watt DPA804, the 1,200-watt DPA1202, the 2,400-watt DPA2402 and the 4,800-watt HPA4202. These multiple-channel amplifiers support 25V, 70V and 100V distributed systems as well as low-impedance systems, making them versatile across a wide range of installations.
How Did iCOMM Solve the Indoor Sound Problem?
iCOMM solved the indoor sound problem by installing surface-mount loudspeakers closer to listeners instead of pendant models. Because the garage doors expose the interior to wind, pendant loudspeakers were problematic. Sargent chose the AtlasIED SM82T 2-way loudspeaker for its sound quality and commercial-grade durability. The largest of the SM Series at 16½ inches tall, the 30-watt loudspeaker features a high-efficiency woofer and 1-inch high-frequency compression drivers. Mounting the SM82T loudspeakers at the proper intervals and locations overcame the venue’s acoustic challenges.
What Audio Covers the Outdoor Spaces?
Twelve AtlasIED AS-8T loudspeakers cover the outdoor spaces, mounted on light poles surrounding the volleyball courts. The AS-8T is a two-way, compact surface-mount loudspeaker that delivers consistent, accurate broadband frequency response on- and off-axis. A low-insertion-loss 60W transformer supports 70V or 100V distributed applications, and the durable, scuff-resistant ABS enclosure with UV inhibitor is weather-resistant (IP55) for adverse conditions.
What Handles Audio at the LED Videowall?
ALA20T column line-array loudspeakers handle audio at the venue’s 25-foot-wide LED video screen, flanking the screen on the wall behind one of the bars. The 66-inch-tall loudspeakers combine 20 3-inch full-range drivers and six 3/4-inch high-frequency tweeters. That design delivers maximum pattern control in a minimum footprint, making the speakers ideal for applications that require exceptional speech intelligibility.
What Were the Results?
The newly completed venue has become a community hit, aided by the sound Atmosphere delivers. Even coverage throughout the space means staff don’t have to overdrive the loudspeakers to fill the room.
“The coverage feels really even as you walk through the space, which means you’re not having to overdrive the loudspeakers to fill the room,” says Black. “That’s especially hard to pull off in a large, reverberant space like this, so I was genuinely impressed by how good it sounded.”
“With a product catalog as extensive as AtlasIED’s, it’s fantastic to have a wide selection of high-quality indoor and outdoor loudspeakers. The audio experience is exceptional both inside and out,” says Sargent. “AtlasIED’s products are reliable, and their team is very knowledgeable. If someone doesn’t know the answer to a question, they will find it out quickly. I truly enjoy working with them.”
