HARMAN Professional Solutions’ JBL VTX line arrays and Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers
were at the heart of a comprehensive sound system deployed by CTS Audio during
the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Sponsored by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, the NCYC featured
a variety of spoken word, live music and dramatic performances. Given the event’s
diverse programming, CTS Audio—which has supplied the sound reinforcement for
the biennial event for more than 15 years—needed an audio system that could
accommodate a wide variety of performances in a large stadium environment. CTS
Audio once again designed and deployed a HARMAN Professional Solutions audio
system solution tailored to fit the conference’s unique needs.

The event was configured in the round, with the main speaker system featuring a
total of 90 JBL VTX V25-II full-size line arrays (in six columns of 15 loudspeakers
each) and six hangs of six VTX S28 subwoofers, each flown behind the columns of
VTX V25-IIs. At each end of the stadium, 24 JBL VTX V20 midsize line arrays served
as delay loudspeakers. An impressive set of 132 Crown I-Tech 12000 HD amplifiers
powered the system. In addition, CTS Audio configured and monitored the audio
system with JBL HiQnet Performance Manager software.

Jon Schwarz, Lead System Designer for CTS Audio, said that the VTX V25-II
elements and the VTX S28 subs were used in X-mode (in X-mode, the VTX V25-II
operates in full range mode and down to 33 Hz). The VTX S28s are used from 80 Hz
and below, which creates an overlap between the V25-II and the subwoofers, and
provides a substantial amount of low end.

The VTX V25-II units feature a fourth-generation, high-frequency waveguide that
improves long-throw performance, control and maximum output. The new system,
coupled with newly developed V5 pre-sets for I-Tech HD amplifiers, can achieve
very
high sound pressure levels while remaining linear, with an absolute minimum of
distortion.

According to Mike Taylor, Vice President of CTS Audio, another challenge they faced
was the proper time-alignment of the loudspeakers. “We were faced with a complex
task of achieving direct sound rather than reflections in such a large stadium,’ said
Taylor. “With the VTX V25-II, the power and control is such that you get the same
in-your-face clarity 300 feet from the system as you do near-field. In addition, the
VTX V20s brought every whisper and nuance to the people sitting in the seats
farthest away from the stage.’

This is the third year CTS Audio has used VTX line array elements for the National
Catholic Youth Conference, and Taylor is pleased with the new additions to the
system. “The event was a huge success,’ said Taylor. “HARMAN Professional
Solutions knocked it out of the park with their updates to the VTX line-array
system. We’ve been working on the NCYC for more than a decade, and the VTX25-II
took the sound to a higher level.’