April 05, 2021 DUSHANBE, Tajikistan-To provide clear, intelligible sound reinforcement for worship and events at Dushanbe Central Mosque, A&T Trade designed and installed a state-of-the-art HARMAN Professional networked audio system featuring 170 JBL loudspeakers powered by AXYS, BSS and Soundcraft solutions.Constructed over ten years at a cost of $93 million, Dushanbe Central Mosque is the largest mosque in Tajikistan and one of the largest in Central Asia. The Mosque and surrounding areas boast a maximum capacity of 120,000 for large events, with the Mosque itself able to accommodate around 25,000. The complex features several prayer halls, a library, a museum, an outdoor courtyard and four minarets towering nearly 250 feet high. Located in one of the warmest climates on the planet-where temperatures have been known to peak at 108 Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) during summer months-Dushanbe Central Mosque needed a sound system that could not only deliver crystal-clear speech intelligibility, but also withstand the environmental conditions. To meet these requirements, A&T Trade deployed a sophisticated audio solution featuring 170 JBL Intellivox column loudspeaker arrays, including customized enclosures in the outdoor areas to protect the equipment. The speakers are powered and controlled by AXYS IndustryAmp amplifiers, BSS signal processors and a Soundcraft mixing console.
The mosque challenged us to calculate all of the performance parameters for the acoustical system to ensure it could achieve the desired speech intelligibility and SPL levels, said Janis Zaneribs, Project Manager, A&T Trade. Once we proved it would, they gave us the green light for the project. As for the sound, our goal was to go above and beyond and give them the best possible speech intelligibility in this type of building with such specific conditions.
To deliver pristine audio throughout the complex, A&T Trade deployed 170 JBL Intellivox active beam-shaping column loudspeakers. With precise directivity and built-in delay adjustment, Intellivox loudspeakers ensure clear, consistent sound in large, reflective spaces that would normally present acoustical problems. DS115 and DSX500 loudspeakers serve the two main prayer halls, while DS180, DS280 and DS380 models serve the smaller prayer halls and two floors of galleries. In the outdoor courtyard, A&T Trade modified the IP55-rated HP-DS370 and HP-DS170 loudspeakers by removing the electronics and placing them inside the building to protect them from the heat. JBL CSS-15VA loudspeakers provide supplemental coverage for announcements.
In addition to providing unmatched sonic performance, A&T Trade chose Intellivox loudspeakers to blend in seamlessly with the mosque's architecture and d cor. The columns feature a slim, low-profile design, and A&T Trade took advantage of their paintable enclosures to match the color of the mosque's interior. A variety of fixed and hinged mounting brackets allow the loudspeakers to be mounted discretely, further helping them blend in.
I don't know any other loudspeaker that lets you guide its directivity as tightly as the Intellivox, Zaneribs said. You can direct the sound exactly where you need it. The fact that you can adjust the delay on the loudspeaker itself was a life-saver in this project, because the mosque's structure created a very complicated delay matrix. With Intellivox, we were able to create a uniform sound that was consistent as you walked through the halls. I can't imagine any other loudspeaker being able to do this job.
To power and control the expansive audio system, A&T Trade equipped the complex with BSS Soundweb London signal processors, AXYS and Crown amplifiers, and a Soundcraft mixer. The early decision to use a Dante networked audio distribution system was a key driver in the product selection. AXYS IndustryAmp PB-800-DN and Crown DCi Series amplifiers provide pristine sound and plenty of power for the system with Dante connectivity for seamless control. BSS Soundweb London BLU-806DA signal processors provide a high-bandwidth, fault-tolerant digital audio bus that provides advanced matrixing and routing capabilities via an easy-to-use interface. To ensure high-quality sound reinforcement in the main prayer hall, A&T Trade supplied a Soundcraft Si Impact mixing console. An AXYS WinControl server provides central supervision and control of the entire network.
From the very start, we knew that this system would be extraordinary, Zaneribs said. We used HARMAN Professional's top-of-the-line products because they provide exceptional speech intelligibility and background sound reinforcement, even in difficult acoustic conditions. We were constantly pushing ourselves forward, and the JBL Intellivox loudspeakers helped us hit all of our targets. This is the largest showcase of Intellivox products that I know of.
