The new Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton Resort and Club opened Thanksgiving weekend 2002 with a full compliment of audio systems designed and installed by Western Slope Pro Audio, Inc. 

The main hotel features five equipment locations feeding thirteen different areas of the building.  The main equipment location provides FSR room combining for the Ballrooms, Meeting Rooms, Boardroom, Pre-Function areas as well as Remington’s Restaurant.  

The Meeting Rooms all feature local connection panels for audio sources that are mixed via the Lectrosonics AM-16/12 matrix mixer.  BiAmp VRAMEQ automatic mixers provide local mixing for the main Ballrooms.  Both feature automatic mixing function for user-friendly operation.  Mixer outputs then feed the FSR ML-116 room combining system that includes the custom facility manager’s panel with graphic layout. 

Signal processing for each Meeting Room is provided by dedicated Peavey graphic EQ’s and Shure DFR-11 DSP processes the main Ballrooms.  

Background music is piped to all areas of the hotel (except Spa) from this location and AME music distributes from the computer hard drive.  The music service provides eight independent music mixes selectable from the FSR panels installed at each remote room location.  AME is a commercial music service that may be customized or upgrade as needed via telephone downloads.  In addition to the areas listed each music channel is distributed to the house cable system for the 40 member condo units on the 12^th floor.  There, guests may select from the music channels on bedside clock radios preset to the modulated frequencies. 

Power amplification for the speaker systems is provided by a combination of Peavey UMA-Series amplifiers with the larger areas originally powered by Crown CT series amps.  The Crowns were later damaged by a fire sprinkler failure on Dec. 26^th, more on that later.  QSC CX-Series amplifiers now provide the power for the Ballroom and Meeting Rooms. 

All in-ceiling speakers for these systems are Klipsch IC-5, 6 or CS-Series speakers.  With a number of areas providing no clearance between floors and being unable to install back boxes, the CS-series speakers were selected and fitted with 70-volt transformers for this application. 

A local talent agent in the Vail Valley commented to us on completion that we have “the best sounding hotel in the valley”, and was looking forward to bringing her talent into the facility.  

The FSR system provides music feeds to other equipment locations including the two Member’s Clubs, Deli rack and Cardio system.  Common to the Member’s Clubs ( 4^th and 8^th floors respectfully) are Harmon Kardon stereo receivers, Niles SVL series volume control/impedance protection interface and Klipsch CS-650R in-ceiling speakers operating at full-range.  Local input panels allow for meetings or presentations in each area.

Installing Main Ballroom Equipment Racks

In addition to the Deli the system distributes music to the Lobby and Lobby Bar.  A Peavey UMA mixer amp provides connection panel and BGM interface with signal processing provided by a Shure DFR-11 DSP.  In-wall volume controls for remote room locations allow individual level adjustment. 

The Cardio and Aerobics rooms both feature SoundTube CM-Series in-ceiling speakers delivering 360-degree dispersion.  Two QSC CX-Series amps provide power for each room.  The Aerobics room features a Shure UHF wireless microphone system with a Special Projects waterproof headset and a Denon CD/Tape Combo unit.  Sources are mixed through the Rolls RM-68 mic/line mixer, Ashly MQX-Series graphic EQ, and microphone processing from a Sabine SL-820 feedback eliminator.

SoundTube Speakers Installed in Aerobics Room

AHHH, The Spa!  Independent from the hotel systems the Spa features its own AME eight-channel music distribution system, an FSR BGM 1032 processor, CD players, and Crown CP-660 power.  Included in this area are 29-individual treatment rooms each equipped with a FSR control panel RDL power amp and a Klipsch full-range in-ceiling loudspeaker.  Guests may select from any of the available music channels or bring in a favorite CD for their listening pleasure. 

Men’s and Ladies steam and sauna areas have either OWI MX-Series or Technomad Vernal-15 weatherproof speakers installed for the harsher environments.  WSPA custom treated the FSR control panels to prevent steam or chlorine damage in these rooms. Each Steam or Sauna room may select an individual music feed.  Entry and common areas for the spa have Klipsch CS-650R in-ceiling speakers installed with 70-volt transformers. 

Raxxess and Middle Atlantic equipment racks were used throughout the facility and Furman or RackRider power conditioning; surge protection and/or sequencing are included in each rack. 

The 12^th floor includes 40 member units (mentioned earlier) that, in addition to the clock radio music feeds also have Master Bath audio feeds from the televisions.  Each bath vanity featured an open front design allowing an OWI weatherproof speaker to be installed out of sight and firing into the room from underneath providing exceptional quality.  Each room has a Rolls PA-71 amp receiving a line level audio out from the televisions connected to a Niles in-wall volume control in the Master Bath. 

Live music performances from the Lobby, Lobby Bar, Restaurant, or Patio are transmitted via a Listen Technologies LT-800 transmitter mounted in the portable sound rack with the LR-100 receiver mounted in the Deli equipment rack.  Musicians then have their performance piped into any area that wishes to hear the live feed.