Al-Aziz Al-Hakim Mosque Enhances Worship and Community Spaces with JBL Professional AudioAl-Aziz Al-Hakim Mosque has completed a comprehensive AV installation featuring JBL Professional loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, Soundcraft mixers, and BSS signal processing, creating an integrated audio platform designed to support worship services, community gatherings, and broadcast applications. Delivered by Audio Technology, HARMAN Professional's distributor in Egypt, the system seeks to provide consistent speech intelligibility throughout the mosque while preserving the architectural character of one of Cairo's prominent religious landmarks. Located in Moqattam, Cairo, Al-Aziz Al-Hakim Mosque serves both as a place of worship and as a gathering space for the surrounding community. In addition to daily prayers and Friday sermons (Khutbah), the mosque regularly hosts religious events and community activities, requiring an audio system capable of supporting multiple applications while remaining discreet within the building's architecture. The project required a fully integrated approach that combined professional audio, broadcast infrastructure, and security systems into a unified platform. The scale and depth of the mosque made it essential to achieve consistent sound coverage while overcoming the long reverberation times created by the mosque's stone and marble surfaces. Architectural features also limited loudspeaker placement, requiring carefully positioned loudspeakers that preserved the visual integrity of the interior while delivering clear speech throughout the worship space. To address these challenges, Audio Technology designed the system around JBL Professional CBT Series column loudspeakers installed throughout the main prayer hall. Utilizing Constant Beamwidth Technology, the loudspeakers direct sound toward the congregation while reducing reflections from walls and ceilings, improving speech intelligibility during prayers and sermons. Outdoor areas are served by JBL Professional AWC Series all-weather loudspeakers, providing natural, intelligible coverage while replacing conventional horn loudspeakers commonly found in similar installations. The audio system also includes Soundcraft digital mixing consoles, providing operators with reliable control for daily prayers, religious events, and live productions. The complete system is powered by a combination of Crown XLS and Crown CDi DriveCore Series amplifiers and managed through a BSS Soundweb platform featuring BLU-100 signal processors and EC-8BV wall controllers. Together, the networked architecture provides centralized signal routing, precise time alignment between indoor and outdoor zones, preset management, and intuitive day-to-day operation for mosque staff. "The project was unique because it combined a complete HARMAN ecosystem across professional audio, broadcast infrastructure, and security systems while respecting the architectural identity of the mosque," says Nermeen Iskander, marketing director for Audio Technology. "The JBL CBT loudspeakers provided uniform coverage and speech intelligibility required for the main prayer hall, while the JBL AWC loudspeakers delivered natural sound outdoors. Combined with Soundcraft mixers, Crown amplifiers, and the BSS processing platform, the system gives operators the flexibility to manage different worship and community events from a centralized network." The networked architecture enables seamless signal routing between worship spaces and outdoor gathering areas while allowing operators to switch system configurations instantly for different event types. Time alignment between indoor and outdoor loudspeakers ensures consistent audio throughout the property without distracting echoes or overlapping coverage. The integrated platform also supports high-quality live broadcasts of major religious events while providing flexibility for future expansion. Since the installation was completed, mosque leadership and worshippers have reported noticeable improvements in speech intelligibility and overall system performance, particularly during multilingual events and larger religious gatherings. Audio Technology also noted positive feedback regarding the system's operational simplicity and reliability for day-to-day use. 
|