Serving up the best

As a leader in experience-driven lifestyle destinations in Thailand, KE Group widened its portfolio in 2018 with the internationally acclaimed Crystal Sports tennis courts. The group’s collection of world-class venues now includes Crystal Sports G in Bangkok’s Ekkamai-Ramintra district. Designed to be more than just a sports facility, the lifestyle space demanded a quality background music system to integrate sporting, health and interactive social elements.

“Audio was as important criteria of the design package, with a high-performance BGM system stipulated at the outset,” explains System Plus Corporation managing director, Chuthintorn Bhanyotin (Mam). Commissioned to design, supply and install the audio system in 2025, Mam and her team analysed the blueprints of the vast complex. In addition to covering five full-size tennis courts, an evenly dispersed audio solution was required for the public areas and peripheral outlets including Alva Café and Beach House and Let’s Relax Spa.

Presets made in DMD’s software minimise the number of points where failures can potentially occur. In addition to simplified workloads, future loudspeaker network expansion can be easily created. “Systems integrators can bypass hardware that normally requires terminations,” explains Natthapong. “With the source selected, including the DMD, the audio can be transmitted to any outputs from the touch of an interface.”

Whether on court or relaxing, Crystal G’s members continue to be impressed by the investment in professional audio technology. In time, the accountants will also be reassured by the cost savings that the added investments are making.

Ibiza-inspired Alva is the first café and beach house to open on Pradit Manutham Road. Serving coffees, snacks and sharing plates 18 hours a day, the relaxed ambience is boosted by DJ music and a busy bar. A Bose Professional DesignMax loudspeaker design incorporates three DM8S enclosures augmented by dual DM10S-SUB subwoofers for higher SPL events and two DM6C ceiling speakers for regular BGM. A Klark Teknik DW 20BR Bluetooth audio receiver allows guests to play their own content during private events.

Let’s Relax Spa is a soothing retreat with earth-tone colours, greenery, warm lighting, gentle curves, comfortable furniture and natural materials, installed with an extensive Ecler IC6 ceiling speaker solution. “Ecler is an established brand in retail and hospitality, and the client was impressed by the demonstration and the unobtrusive aesthetic of the enclosures,” continues Mam. Let’s Relax can host Bluetooth-compatible devices with another Klark Teknik DW 20BR audio receiver and a 5.0 ES9028Q2M D-A system also supplied.

The five tennis courts, connecting walkways and public areas have been fitted with the same Ecler IC6 speakers and Bluetooth connectivity. A requirement to stream music between zones means that music played in Alma during DJ sets can be output to the tennis courts when required. Adding value and saving costs is a rare concept, but the Powersoft solution integrated into Crystal G’s audio design combines the two. “Music is broadcast to the tennis courts, public area and café via Powersoft’s Dynamic Music Distribution [DMD],” explains MI Engineering’s Natthapong.

Having assisted System Plus Corporation with some of the design and the supply of four Powersoft Mezzo 604 AD and 602 AD amplifiers, the benefits were clear. “Distinguished by its half-rack, 1U chassis, Mezzo possesses several advantages, including auto setup, a one-touch-button solution that matches the speaker’s requirements by applying a HPF, limiter and gain adjustment with a single press of the rear-panel button,” explains Powersoft business development manager, SEA, Jinfu Chen. “With the long cabling distances between the amplifiers and some of the public zone speakers, Powersoft’s active damping control technology greatly compensated for incurred signal losses. With Power Factor Correction (PFC) reducing the current draw on the mains, the amplifiers operate at a higher efficiency.”

When a Mezzo amplifier is connected to a column speaker, 100V line setup or subwoofer, power sharing technology is automatically triggered. “We previously installed more amplifiers but, with power sharing, the power from one single Mezzo 4-channel amplifier can efficiently share the balance of its 600W between all the rooms,” continues Chen. “With DMD inherent within the amplifier, the venue was able to bypass traditional DSP and zone control technology by routing various music sources to the identified zones. This represents a cost saving of around 25–30%, and the venue staff can easily operate the audio parameters.”

With an ability to route the signal directly over the Dante network to the amplifier, Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software played its part, including programming a customised GUI. “Scene selections are set within the Scheduler according to the time of day for manual selection within DMD,” says Chen. “The Powersoft DMD multisource audio distribution solution integrates a routing matrix, a network switch and DSP within the Mezzo amplifier. DMD groups speakers into zones, so that one or more sources can be assigned and managed from the wall-mounted panel in Alma or from a synchronised wireless device hosting the Sys Control app.”