Two JBL systems meet Vaillant Live’s audio needs

Opened last year, Vaillant Live is a modern multi-purpose venue designed to host concerts, family events, sporting competitions and conferences, with a capacity of 3,500 people.

Part of the Becketwell Regeneration scheme and owned by Derby City Council, the venue is sponsored by Vaillant and operated by ASM Global.

As Derby's new flagship entertainment venue, Vaillant Live is designed to attract the widest possible range of artists and performances to the city. To achieve this, it has been equipped with state-of-the-art technology capable of meeting the demands of a diverse programme of events.

IPW developed an innovative, flexible and scalable layout for Vaillant Live which, in addition to the main auditorium, includes a second space with a capacity of 400 people. IPW's Neil Woodger selected a JBL VTX A8 sound system for the main auditorium and collaborated on its design with Matt Watt of Live Technology, JBL's UK distributor.

Part of the JBL VTX range, the VTX A8 is a compact line array loudspeaker featuring two 8-inch drivers and 110° coverage, designed for mid-sized rental and fixed installation applications, as well as providing auxiliary reinforcement for larger VTX systems.

Hull-based integrator NuWay Audio Visual installed the main auditorium system, comprising 26 JBL VTX A8 modules (13 per side) and 8 JBL VTX B18 subwoofers (4 per side). In addition, Vaillant Live purchased a second, smaller JBL SRX910 powered line array system for use as a portable PA system in different spaces throughout the venue.

Part of the JBL SRX900 Series, the SRX910 is a 10-inch, two-way active line array system with integrated DSP processing and amplification. Its design enables simple plug-and-play setup without compromising consistent coverage or optimal performance.

This second system at Vaillant Live comprises 8 SRX910 modules and 2 SRX928 subwoofers, allowing the venue to flexibly accommodate a wide variety of applications and event formats.

With Vaillant Live now fully operational and established as a cornerstone of Derby's ambitious plans for the future of the arts in the city, the venue's Technical Manager, Callum Jones, is highly satisfied with the performance of the JBL systems:

The VTX system in the main auditorium is performing as expected, providing excellent sound coverage throughout the space. Meanwhile, the SRX system has proved to be an ideal solution for quick and easy setups in the venue's smaller spaces.

Callum also highlights the support received from Live Technology, which he considers essential to the successful opening of the new venue:

Live Technology played a vital role in implementing the auditorium's new sound system. We couldn't have asked for better support for our installation engineers. Their team stepped in whenever necessary to ensure the system was ready and fully operational for our opening events. As a result, we have received very positive feedback on the sound quality from both audiences and visiting sound engineers.