The Geraldton Turf Club is the oldest provincial race club in Western Australia’s vibrant racing community and offers a premier experience for horse racing enthusiasts. The Turf Club hosts numerous events throughout the racing season, drawing crowds who expect not only thrilling races but also high-quality amenities, not least of which is a clear audio system for announcements, race commentary, and overall event management.
Despite its rich history and status, the Geraldton Turf Club faced significant challenges with its aging sound system. The primary issue was the lack of speech intelligibility, which is vital during horse races when clear communication can enhance the spectator experience. Additionally, the old system was cumbersome for staff to operate, requiring manual adjustments depending on the race’s progress and location.
David Wrensted, Manager of Geraldton Turf Club, puts it plainly: “The sound system at the Geraldton Turf Club was an embarrassment, an ad hoc system added to over many decades that was the source of constant complaints.”
The Turf Club needed a modern solution that not only improved sound quality but was also intuitive for staff to use. The Club turned to Geraldton-based business 65Thirty Events to design and implement an upgraded audio and control system.
Lane Place, owner of 65Thirty Events, spearheaded the project with a clear goal: “Geraldton Turf Club came to us to essentially update and future proof their system,” he explained. “The install took around four months because we had to work around horse training and their race days. We kept their system operational until we were ready to do a full cutover, so for a few months the two systems ran simultaneously. When we fully transitioned to the new system everyone was very impressed.”
The heart of the new system is the MediaMatrix NION N3 audio-over-IP solution, operating over Dante. “MediaMatrix is a new product to me,” Lane admitted. “NAS was amazing with their knowledge of the product. They put us onto a subcontractor who helped us with the programming and he was incredible.”
The MediaMatrix NION system controls all audio zones, inputs, outputs, volumes, and ducking, essentially acting as a fader-less mixer across the entire venue. This comprehensive control ensures that all audio is balanced and appropriated for each space, no matter where you are on the grounds.
Intuitive control is another area the MediaMatrix solution excels in. Staff can access necessary controls via wall-mounted MediaMatrix sTOUCH-55 touch panels with a clear user interface. “User friendliness was a key requirement in the updated system,” said Lane. “In the past, Geraldton Turf Club staff had to turn things up and down depending on where a race is or whether a race is happening. The new setup is completely dummy proof. When the commentator comes on to talk it ducks everything out underneath. So as long as the areas are turned on, the operators don’t have to worry about it.”
David Wrensted describes the advantages of the thoughtful system design. “The streamlined system and dedicated areas has made for incredibly easy monitoring and control. With the different crowd sizes and people moving to different areas, we are now able to quickly adjust to give patrons what they want; a sound system that is listenable and not overpowering.”
The installation included an array of inDESIGN loudspeakers tailored to different areas of the Turf Club. “We installed about 42 speakers in total, comprised of the ID-MH1512 music horns in the outdoor areas, some iD-BGM8s under eaves in the bar and picnic areas and where in-fill was needed, iD-BGM6s in the Tab area, and iD-PCS8 premium in-ceiling speakers in the members areas,” Lane detailed. The members and sponsors, who have high expectations due to their significant contributions, were particularly pleased with the results. Powering the loudspeakers are Cloud CA2250EK and InterM DPA-600S amplifiers.
The inDESIGN iD-MH1512 music horns are a standout in the project where ease of installation is of equal importance to speech intelligibility. The 12-inch horns provide a surprisingly full-range sound and are capable of throwing crystal clear audio over long distances – perfect for a racetrack. “Being 100V line, it’s a single cable run and the labour attached to it is nearly non-existent,” Lane notes. “We recently used the music horns at the ANZAC Day service with 4,000 people in attendance and everyone raved about the sound. That’s why we use inDESIGN; the sound, the price point, the warranty – it all makes sense to us.”
The flexibility of the MediaMatrix system also offers future-proofing for the Turf Club. “The choice of MediaMatrix really came down to the cost effectiveness of future expandability. If you want to expand the system, you simply add another Cat6 cable going into a Dante receiver and we can do as many as we want. The simplicity of the user interface was a huge selling point as well,” Lane added.
Overall, the project was a resounding success. “I talked to the members to make sure they’re happy and they’ve been very impressed with the system, along with the whole committee at Geraldton Turf Club,” Lane reported.
Instead of fielding endless complaints, David Wrensted now receives a deluge of positive remarks. “Without exception the feed back from the public and stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive: ‘Finally we can hear the races clearly’; ‘Thank God that high pitch screech is gone’; ‘It’s so good to be able to hear the race call and know where the horses are’; ‘My ears will finally survive a day at the races.’”
“An important factor in the upgrade of the PA system was to future-proof the sound system going forward,” reflects David. “We believe 65Thirty Events has delivered that and more. It has almost overnight given the Club a professional edge, and the confidence that the long-running issues of a failed PA system are behind us.”
Thanks to the hard work of 65Thirty Events, and the suitability of MediaMatrix and inDESIGN products for the task, Geraldton Turf Club is well-equipped to provide an exceptional experience for its patrons and members for many years to come.
