The sound system in the Gary W. Leake Gymnasium in the Upper School is in need of an update. Made up of several key components, each part of the system has an impact on our overall ability to deliver the music and voice presentation that typically take place in this space. School-wide gatherings in the gym include sporting events, all-school gatherings, assemblies, and graduation. All of these events depend on the delivery of clear, consistent audio.

The Mixer

The mixer is the heart of the system. Used to drive sound signals from an external source like a microphone or music from an iPhone or iPad, the mixer allows these sources to be combined, balanced, and then sent out to the speakers.

The current mixer is under-powered, complicated, and difficult to use. All adjustments have to be made directly on the board itself. The new mixer, called the Behringer X Air XR12, is digital and uses a tablet to control the settings remotely from anywhere inside the gym.

The new mixer can accommodate up to four separate microphones, offers built-in wifi, and can also be used to record audio sent through the mixer. Live events including student speakers and musical performances could soon be recorded directly from the board!

The Speakers

There are currently four self-powered 15” speakers mounted to the ceiling of the gym. Each of these top-of-the-line speakers can deliver up to 1500 watts of power per speaker and can produce up to 130 decibels of sound. That’s plenty of power and volume for even the biggest sporting events!

The current speakers are just three years old and will remain in place. We’d like to add two more comparable speakers mounted on the end walls to fill in the audio and add more directional control for events like Convocation, all-school gatherings, and graduation.

These speakers are the Electro-Voice EKX-15P. Due to the location, these speakers will require specialized wall mounting brackets, rigging supports, and wiring to connect them to the mixer. Professional installation and setup will be handled by the CPR Multimedia from Gaithersburg to make sure everything is safe, secure, and optimized for the unique requirements of the space.

The Microphones

Currently, our sound system runs off one analog wireless microphone. For this new system, we’d like to move to two digital wireless microphones. The Shure B58 wireless microphones are the industry standard for their range, sound quality, and overall durability.

We’ll still be able to hard wire additional microphones into the new mixer for special performances, but adding two new wireless microphones will offer more flexibility, redundancy, and reliability.

Conclusion

The sound system in the Gary W. Leake Gymnasium in the Upper School is in need of an update. Many of the events that take place in the gym depend on the delivery of clear, consistent audio. Help us make this important upgrade with your generous donation through IMPACT, our new crowdfunding platform!

Breakdown of Costs

Mixer: $430

Speakers: $2,000

Microphones: $1400

Miscellaneous: (iPad, mounting brackets, locking cabinet): $1360

Installation: $700

Total: $5890