BEAVERTON, Oregon — Biamp Systems, a leading provider of innovative, networked media systems, announced that the company’s Audia® digital audio platform is distributing digital signal processing (DSP) across the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier amusement park. A total of four AudiaFLEX units make up the audio platform, which allows the recently reconstructed pier to send announcements, prerecorded material, and background music to amenities such as amusement rides, restaurants, shops, and throughout the pier’s midway area.

Reopened in 2012, Texas’ storied Pleasure Pier revamped its attractions after destruction by Hurricane Ike to restore the destination’s reputation as a premier waterfront entertainment district. At 1,300 feet long and 125 feet wide, the Gulf-side pier is now the home to thrilling Ferris wheel and roller coaster rides, retail stores, and restaurants such as the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. To provide distributed DSP audio across the expansive pier, integrator Chills & Thrills, Inc. (CTI) turned to the Biamp® AudiaFLEX digital audio platform — allowing the coastal location to provide pier-wide paging, background music, prerecorded message playback, and more. 

“With its unusually long and narrow setup constraints, the pier’s audio solution needed to provide robust distribution capabilities while adding the signal processing and flexibility needed for satisfying the client’s complete list of audio requirements,” said Steve McCary, Project Manager and DSP Programmer at CTI. “By implementing Biamp’s AudiaFLEX platform, the Pleasure Pier team gains the power of DSP audio throughout the entire area, allowing reliable paging delivery, prerecorded ride procedures, and ad-hoc messaging as needed. Operated from a central location, the system enables complete control across the pier’s different zones, making it incredibly easy for staff to monitor every strand of audio.”

Using Biamp AudiaFLEX units installed with CobraNet® cards, operators at the Pleasure Pier are able to distribute audio among multiple components including speakers, microphones, and between Audia devices across the entire location. As a result, CTI was able to satisfy the installation’s full list of deliverables, including indoor and outdoor background music, TV and stage audio, location-wide paging including emergency messages in case of inclement weather, and the ability to play prerecorded messages about ride procedures and availability — while maintaining completely centralized control. 

“CTI is a talented firm that understands how to assess the client’s needs and design the system required,” said Mark Wentz, South Central Area Manager for Biamp Systems. “They took advantage of the power and flexibility of our AudiaFLEX DSP to meet the environmental and space challenges of this project and provided the client with a robust and reliable system that will serve them well into the future.”