JBL VERTEC Line Arrays and Control Contractor Loudspeakers on American Idol

For American Idol's 2011 season, the main house PA and dialogue system has included a total of 300 JBL Professional loudspeakers, including VERTEC line arrays and Control Contractor loudspeakers. The system has been installed in Stage 36 at CBS Television City in Hollywood. The main system has included 20 JBL VERTEC VT4889 full-size line array elements, and the dialogue system consists of 275 JBL Control 25 loudspeakers. The system was designed and installed by Patrick Baltzell and ATK/Audiotek, of Valencia, California. "The look of the set is a big part of the show, so the audio system could not be visually intrusive," notes Baltzell. "We needed speakers that could provide full-range response all in one box, without having to use separate subwoofers or high-frequency elements, because we needed to use as few boxes as possible." The VT4889 line array elements have been set up in two main groups of 10 speakers each, in locations selected to deliver even sound coverage to all 620 members of the studio audience. For the dialogue system, a compact Control 25 speaker (measuring only 9.3 x 7.4 x 5.8") was placed underneath every other seat in the audience.

"We needed a distributed audio system in addition to the main music system because during a broadcast there are sometimes up to 12 or 15 lavalier microphones open and in use at the same time," says Baltzell. "We don't want to mix all of those through the main PA system. With the separate dialogue system, it's much easier to work with all those lavalier mics, and achieve better, more articulate sound for the audience."

Baltzell adds, "Although it's a music competition, there's a ton of dialogue going on between the judges and contestants. On some shows, there's actually more dialogue than musical performances, so the dialogue support system is just as important as the main house PA."

The series' two-night grand finale will be staged in Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre L.A. live on May 24-25.