Bearcat Event Center
Designing Consistent Coverage for a Multi-Purpose Event Space
The Bearcat Event Center, opened in 2007, serves as a primary venue for the Dexter school district and the Dexter community. The large, multi-purpose venue with high ceilings is used for athletic events, graduation ceremonies, and community gatherings. Due to multiple seating orientations, coverage had to be even across the full floor plan, while maintaining minimal visual impact. After years of use, the existing audio system was reaching the end of its life. Reliability was inconsistent, and coverage was uneven.
Dexter Public Schools partnered with HD Media Systems, located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to design a new system that would prioritize sound quality, long-term durability, efficient power use, and strong output from an unobtrusive footprint. The school also wanted a system that would integrate smoothly with its existing IT infrastructure and provide ease of access and remote device control for school personnel.
HD Media Systems selected a combination of compact, high-output K-array solutions to meet the school’s needs:
This system was chosen for its balance of scale, clarity, durability, and low power consumption - important considerations for a school operating a high-use public venue. Key to the installation was designing a rigging solution that would allow twelve groups of four GH4 loudspeakers and one KU212 subwoofer to be flown in effort to cover the event center evenly.
“Getting the GH4 arrays and subs to share the same hang point took some engineering, but the custom fly solution came together cleanly. Being able to suspend the custom uni-strut skeleton with cable gliders allowed us to get the angles needed to create a near seamless wave pattern. This layout gave us the coverage we needed without adding visual weight to the room.” - Darren Jones, HD Media Systems
The system was hardwired using balanced XLR connections and integrated directly into the school’s IT network. This allows staff to access amplifiers, the console, and streaming devices remotely from tablets and other networked interfaces.
With engineering guidance and design support from the K-array team, the final layout provides consistent performance throughout the venue while keeping the focus on the activities and the people who use the space. The updated K-array audio system now supports the wide range of events held in the Bearcat Event Center.
See K‑array in action at the Bearcat Event Center. Watch HD Media’s full installation video now.
