J Sound Services Scores Hole in One at Topgolf®

Global sports entertainment leader Topgolf® recently opened the doors to its new location in Nashville, and in charge of the start-of-the-art sound, video and lighting system in its first 600-seat concert hall, J Sound Services (Nashville) was assigned the task of design and installation. The system includes a NEXO GEO S12 line array, Yamaha CL5 and two Rio3224-D input/output stage boxes. The NEXO speaker system was designed using NEXO NS-1 System Configuration and Modeling Software.

The three-level, 65,000-square-foot venue is the first Topgolf location to include a dedicated music venue. The two-story, 7,900-square-foot concert hall is attached to the Topgolf structure and features an open floor space and second-level VIP deck offering balcony views and premium seating. Both local artists and national acts are already playing at the venue with shows featuring Corey Smith, Los Lobos, George Clinton, to name a few.

The sound system configuration includes ten GEO S1210s and two 1230s (6 per side), six LS18s (three box array flown and three mounted under the stage), four NEXO ID24 speakers for front fills, six monitor mixes of 45-N12s, PS15 speakers over an LS600 for drum fill, four mixes of Shure PSM300s wireless ear monitors, two Focusrite AM2 hardwired ear mixes, and Yamaha SWP1 L2 switches for the Dante network (two 16 port and one 8 port). The system is powered and processed by five NXAmp 4X4 amplifiers with NXDT104 Dante cards. Amplifier tuning and alignment was accomplished using the NEXO NeMo system management software.

"The customer's priority was that the system had to be the best-sounding room in town and suited for live recording and broadcasts," states Jason Spence, President, J Sound Services. "By all accounts, we nailed it! And, we'll soon be testing the broadcast experience with CMT recording their upcoming Crossroads Series in the venue. In choosing the PA, besides sound quality, there was a budget that we needed to adhere to. There are only a couple of PAs on the planet that hit the criteria in my opinion, and NEXO was one of them. Prior to the decision, the Topgolf team did get to hear concerts and events using NEXO systems so that helped with our recommended decision."

Yamaha MRX7-D processors handle audio distribution and integration with the rest of the facility and the matrix processor for Studio Technologies Dante intercom devices. Four Shure ULXD combo systems with four handheld SM58s and four bodypacks, all with rechargeable batteries were also installed. The concert venue's green room is fitted with a pair of Yamaha VXC5F speakers and DCP1-V4S for level and source control from a Yamaha PA2030 mixer/amplifier.

J Sound Services scope of work also included acoustic design, entertainment lighting, video production, and an integrated control system. "A significant factor to the experience in the room is the acoustic design, Spence says, using Design Technik's site-built tuned acoustic system with acoustic design by Kevin Lee Hughes. Everyone that walks into the room always says, 'It feels amazing in here!' I find that an interesting response to the ‘sound' of the room."

Lighting and video design was created by Chris Lisle and incorporated fixtures by Martin, Elation, and a GrandMA console. Chroma-Q Inspire and Inspire mini house light fixtures and control were integrated using a Crestron control system. Martin fixtures include 13 Mac Quantum washes, 13 Quantum profiles, 12 Rush Series MH1 profiles, and 20 Rush PAR1s used as truss warmers with 6 Elation Q265 crowd blinders all mounted on a custom-designed TomKat truss. 2 Altman 1000Q medium-throw spotlights, two Chauvet AM Haze 2s, Martin Ether2DMX8, and Doug Fleenor distro are utilized for DMX distribution.

A PixelFlex FLEXTour 2.8 mm video wall built on a trolley system allows the wall to move up and down stage. The wall is approximately 16' wide and 10' tall and supported by a custom TomKat triangle truss.

• For more information on J Sound Services, visit www.jss.net.

Nashville, TN, USA