Aviom Pro64 Network at Sultan Qaboos University's New Multipurpose Hall

The new multipurpose hall at Sultan Qaboos University, located in the Sultanate of Oman, features a fully equipped sound, lighting, and video system. Included in this setup is an extensive Aviom Pro64 audio network, which is used to route audio to and from various locations in the space, namely the PA system, control room and production room.

Designed and supplied by Venuetech, LLC, the audio system supports the 5,000-seat auditorium, which hosts live performances such as plays and orchestras, movie screenings, and conferences. The facility also features an automated motorized seating system, which allows the chairs to fold back and out of the way so the hall can be converted into a large indoor sports arena.

To accommodate the ever-changing needs of the facility, the school relies on its Aviom Pro64 system, which can be reconfigured easily to meet the demands of any event. The Aviom equipment provides the engineers with the ability to distribute audio from the various vocal and instrumental performers, actors, presenters, and announcers to multiple locations throughout the facility, including the speaker system and front of house console. It can also be routed to a production room, where live audio recordings can be made. In the case of a sporting event, audio commentary can be executed from the control room where the front of house console is located. "Aviom was chosen for the audio distribution in the Multipurpose Hall because it is the only system that can respond to the flexibility required by the arena," says Elie Khairallah, technical director for Venuetech. "Since the elements of the Pro64 network are easily reconfigured and run on a single Cat-5 cable, the system is easily adapted to the architectural beauty and various functions of the facility."

Three Aviom 6416m mic input modules on stage distribute microphones and instruments to the various other points of the network. The stage audio is routed through an MH10 merger hub to MH10s in the production room, the control room and to one connected to the speaker system. The 6416m units on stage are controlled by a combination of an Aviom MCS mic control surface and an ,b>RCI remote control interface.

From the control room, audio is routed to and from three 6416o output modules and one 6416i input module connected to the front-of-house Midas Heritage 3000 console. A second 6416i on the console routes to the 6416o output module on stage that feeds the PA system consisting of Meyer Sound MICA and M'elodie speakers.

Sultan Qaboos University is set in a valley beneath the Oman Mountains and was established in 1980 under the sponsorship of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, the first and current ruler of Oman. Construction on the University began in 1982 and the first students were enrolled in 1986 and participated in programs from the colleges of medicine and engineering to agriculture, science and education. Since that time, schools of arts, commerce and education have been added. Most recent additions to the curriculum are the college of law in 2006 and the college of nursing in 2008.