Klotz Digital said its Varizone digital audio distribution system is in use at the new James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House.
A Varizone matrix controller is in use as a digital audio distribution solution, the company said. The system is distributed in North America by Atlas Sound, part of Mitek Corp., and became operational when the room was reopened following a year of renovation.
For readers curious about how White House audio is managed, here are details:
The system “is computer-controlled and configured to handle all analog and digital audio inputs and outputs, as well as DSP and mix functionality requirements,” Klotz stated. “It accommodates all required audio sources, including the audio feed from the presidential podium, ceiling microphones for journalist questions.”
It also includes an outdoor press location outside the West Wing, an event feed from off-site presidential events and central control at the rear of the press briefing room receiving audio feeds from around the world.
The infrastructure is designed to interface with various destinations for media and broadcasting, such as satellite uplinks, recording feeds and press booths.
“Each press control room operator can select an audio source from the Varizone eight-button wall-mounted controller to assign source destination, format and level while monitoring audio through a Varizone addressable digital amplifier module driving an Atlas Sound loudspeaker,” Klotz reported.
“Via an integrated press call, the White House spokesperson can inform journalists in the press booths when a press conference will start.” The system’s digital bus architecture allows eight channels of simultaneous 16 bit/44.1k digital audio along with power for local amplification and a data stream for system monitoring and control a Cat-5 cable infrastructure.