| TOKYO,
JAPAN - January 5, 2004 - The grand opening of Shibuya O-East
on December
24th
showcased a new JBL VERTEC® line array
system. Installed in December 2003 last month during an extensive
remodeling, the new sound system will provide concert audio support
for a wide range of shows in the 1,200-person capacity facility
located in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. The JBL system was
specified by Osaka’s Knuckle Port, an innovative design
and installation firm specializing in sound, lighting and video
facilities for entertainment venues.

Shibuya O-East Team
“We
selected JBL VERTEC after carefully reviewing the performance
capabilities of several different, competitive line
array systems during a controlled listening session,” explained
Atsushi Kubota, Managing Director for Knuckle Port. “At
Shibuya O-East, both established and emerging new concert artists
are featured on a well-equipped proscenium stage. The venue is
fitted with a fly gallery, TV-grade lighting, and everything
required to present a full concert performance experience that
can be broadcast with a live audience. It was important to us
that the sound system we selected for our client be clean, powerful
and have world-class credentials in the touring industry. VERTEC
meets those requirements without question.”
The new system
at Shibuya O-East features two VERTEC line arrays, each featuring
six VT4889 full-size enclosures and flanked by
a large video projection screen. Four VT4880 subwoofers support
each array. Yasunobu Tsunezawa, Knuckle Port’s lead designer
for the Shibuya O-East project, created a custom overhead suspension
grid for the main leftand right VERTEC VT4889 arrays. It combines
cable management facilities for the arrays with a swivel platform
that enables horizontal rotational adjustments. Additionally,
two JBL AM6215/64 enclosures per side provide auxiliary fill
coverage to the extreme sides of the broad audience area.

Shibuya O-East Installation Crew
Tokyo’s
live music scene is booming, and modern, professionally equipped
venues like Shibuya O-East provide an ideal place for audiences
to have a large-scale concert experience in an intimate setting. “In
this type of architectural design, the crowd area is relatively
shallow. This way, everyone feels close enough to the stage so
as to be really drawn into the show,” concludes Kubota. “It
gives the video director and show producers an enthusiastic audience
that looks great on camera, it provides high crowd energy for
the performers to work with, and everything really comes together
very well.”
JBL products
and technical support for Shibuya O-East’s new
sound system were provided by Hibino AVC Sales, distributor for
JBL Professional products in Japan. More information on the Knuckle
Port design team can be found via the firm’s website, www.knuckleport.com.
Headquartered
in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is the world’s
leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of professional
loudspeakers for
recording and broadcast, musician,
cinema, touring sound, commercial sound and contracting applications.
JBL Professional is part of the Harman International network
of professional and consumer audio companies. For complete product
and company information, go to the JBL Pro website at www.jblpro.com.
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