TETIAROA, French
Polynesia — Named for the legendary actor, The Brando is truly one of the most
magnificent luxury resorts on Earth. Located in French Polynesia on the
Tetiaroa atoll, once Marlon Brando’s private island, the new eco-friendly
resort features 35 private villas located on the coast, surrounds a completely
enclosed lagoon and is accessible only by plane. Its hotel offers the finest
restaurants, spas and amenities including a HARMAN Professional audio system
installed by Total Video Distribution of Tahiti.
Total Video installed
networked audio systems in three primary locations, the biggest in the main
part of the hotel which includes the reception area, indoor and outdoor shops,
two restaurants, two bars and other sections. A large meeting room has a
separate audio system, and the spa was considered separately because of its
environmental considerations.
“We determined that
the best solution was to go with separate installations that were optimized for
each location rather than one all-encompassing system, as this would best serve
the needs of each facility and would be the simplest, most flexible and most
cost-effective way to meet the Brando’s needs,” said Jacques
Lilin, General Manager of Total Video, engineer design Jean
Jacques Canot. “That said, we standardized on all-HARMAN brands in each
installation because we knew it would be a guarantee of perfect communication
between the different system elements and compatibility between inputs and
outputs.”
The main system is
networked via two BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-800 signal processors. The
BLU-800 handles source selection, volume control and distribution for a variety
of audio sources and distributes music and announcements throughout multiple zones.
Amplification is
provided by Crown CTs 600 and CTs 280A power amps and a variety of JBL Control
24CT and 23T loudspeakers mounted in the beams, ceilings, walls and in various
other locations. An AKG D542ST-S microphone is used for announcements and each
zone is managed locally via a BSS Audio BLU-6 wall-mount controller. All the
equipment is housed in a dedicated equipment room located near the Brando’s
concierge area. The control room also has a BSS Audio BLU-10 programmable
controller for general control of all the zones.
The meeting room’s
separate audio system is managed by a BSS Audio BLU-800 signal processor, with JBL
Control 26CT in-ceiling speakers powered by Crown CTs 600 amplifiers. Four AKG WMS450PRESENTER+D5
wireless microphone systems are available, along with a DVD player and
custom-built A/V connectors near the video projector to accommodate a computer,
iPod or other device. Two AKG wireless antennas are located in the ceiling to
provide optimum reception for the wireless mic signals.
The spa system had a
very specific requirement: the equipment had to be simplified to the maximum
degree because of its exposure to salt and humidity. “We needed to install
components that have proven themselves in such conditions,” said Lilin. Because
of the harsh environment, four separate systems were installed to accommodate
four spa areas, hammams (steam rooms), tea room, shops, locker rooms, fitness
and massage rooms. The four systems each have only an iPod as a music source,
connected directly to a Crown 280MA mixer-amp with their volume operated by
either the iPod or a Crown 1-VCAP in-wall volume control.
“Now that the system
is in place, it’s apparent that having separate systems was the right approach
for this installation,” Lilin stated. “Everything operates in a manner that’s
easy for the hotel staff, and the HARMAN components provide the flexibility and
functionality the Brando needs.” It’s a perfect combination of simplicity and
functionality that complements the Brando’s beautiful surroundings.
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