Brex Arena Utsunomiya Scores a Slam Dunk with JBL Professional Networked Audio System

May 08, 2020

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan—To ensure detailed sound with balanced, even coverage throughout Brex Arena Utsunomiya, Hibino Corporation deployed a class-leading networked audio solution from JBL Professional.

Constructed in 1979, Brex Arena is Utsunomiya’s premier stadium and gymnasium. Home to the Utsunomiya Brex, a Japanese professional basketball team on the B.League, Brex Arena features two gyms with courts for basketball, table tennis, volleyball and badminton, as well as a dedicated space for practicing martial arts. To provide additional sound coverage for professional basketball games, Brex Arena was renting temporary loudspeakers to supplement their aging sound system for each event. Deciding it would be more cost-effective and significantly improve sound quality to upgrade the system, Brex Arena hired AV integrators Hibino Corporation to install a state-of-the-art JBL Professional networked audio solution.

“The previous sound system was as old as the arena itself, and was not delivering the desired performance,” said the salesperson for Hibino Corporation. “In the arena, people could feel the volume differences depending on their location, which made it impossible to achieve balanced sound quality throughout the stadium. This left much to be desired by both the stadium officials and the fans. Ultimately, we decided that the JBL VRX series speakers would be best suited for the task, due to their powerful and reliable sound output.”

Hibino Corporation equipped Brex Arena with JBL VRX900-Series Constant Curvature line array loudspeakers to deliver clear, intelligible sound throughout the venue. Leveraging patented JBL technology and components, VRX900-Series speakers deliver class-leading performance in a compact, affordable package. To ensure balanced, even coverage in every seat, Hibino Corporation supplemented the system with JBL AM5212 loudspeakers, which offer excellent pattern control and off-axis response. To provide powerful low-end reinforcement for pre-game music, Hibino Corporation selected JBL VRX918S subwoofers for their extended low-frequency output. The system is powered by Crown DCi 4|1250 amplifiers, and routed through BSS BLU-160 signal processors.

“We required a substantial upgrade to our existing sound system,” said the spokesperson for Brex Arena. “The system had to be powerful enough to deliver clear, balanced audio throughout the venue. It had to be dynamic too, as the requirements vary with each event. We are very satisfied with the solutions provided by Hibino. The output is incredibly powerful and the entertainment value of the games has significantly improved. In addition, the new system has reduced time and labor costs for loading and unloading temporary speakers.”

"The project at the Brex Arena required an engaging and dynamic sound setup to match the intensity of the games and the fans," said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. "We'd like to thank our partner Hibino for integrating the appropriate equipment for the project and for designing the system with future demands in mind.”

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