Toms River, NJ – For more than 40 years, Ocean County College has been a popular destination for new grads, drawing a wide range of students from across the area. The school’s notable alumni include New Jersey’s own native son, Bruce Springsteen.

OCC’s Athletics Hall and Gymnasium, a multi-use facility used for games, practices, classes, and other events, was recently treated to a new sound system to replace its aging 1970s era system. The design-build project was handled by Blackwood, NJ-based JD Sound and Video, and features Community R-Series loudspeakers and iBOX subwoofers.

“The original system, which was installed in the early 1970s, featured some of Community’s first hand-molded horns,” explains JD Sound’s Joe DiSabatino. “When the college decided to put in a new system, they went around listening to other schools’ systems and were once again convinced that Community had the best solution.”

The distributed system is comprised of 20 R.5COAX two-way loudspeakers, painted black to blend in with the venue’s dark beamed ceiling. The R.5s are hung in pairs, with one loudspeaker covering a portion of the bleachers and the other directed to the main floor. A pair of iBOX i215LVS subwoofers hung left and right along a central beam provide powerful bottom end. The system is powered by Crown CTS and CDI amplification, with a Rane RPM2 DSP unit providing system drive and processing.

“The room has a folding wall that can divide it in half,” says DiSabatino, “and the system can be configured to route any sound source to either side of the system for maximum flexibility.”

While the project itself was relatively straightforward, the time-frame was anything but, says DiSabatino. “Once they accepted our bid, we had a two week window before classes resumed to get the entire system installed. Community had just introduced the R.5 in black, and they were still manufacturing some of the cabinets as we began the installation. Then we had to evacuate one day due to a minor earthquake, and another day due to a water main break. We were literally fighting the clock, and it was then that we really appreciated how easy the system was to install and set up.”

Despite those minor obstacles, DiSabatino reports that the system has been performing even better than anticipated. “They recently hosted a formal gala in the room, completely transforming it into a nice looking ballroom. The system sounded great, and coverage was just as good at low levels as it does pumping well over 90dB for the games and pep rallies.”