The Leola Village Inn is a boutique hotel in a historic village near Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, that offers luxury accommodations, spa services, Italian dining, and a
sustainable lifestyle. The hotel is close to many attractions in Lancaster County, such as
theaters, shopping, antiques, and Amish culture.
The Inn recently decided to upgrade the audio system in their wedding venue, seeking
improved sound quality and simplified control for the staff. “The client expressed the
need for high levels of control at their fingertips, with the simplicity and consistency that
comes from a fully integrated, intentionally designed platform,” explained Herb Seureth,
Systems Integrator at STRAY Productions. “Naturally, we looked at Allen & Heath’s AHM
as an ideal solution. We are always aiming for the right overlap between capabilities and
cost with the solutions we provide, and the AHM platform fit those needs perfectly.”
The new AHM system feeds the primary wedding reception room, as well as the cocktail
hour space. Exterior porticos and kitchen zones were also brought under the
management of the AHM system, which allowed for granular routing of various sources
to specific locations around the facility.
STRAY also installed several Dante endpoints in the spaces to allow for mic and line
level connections wherever the DJ or musicians set up for a particular event. These
inputs, coupled with wireless microphone options and a house music server, give the
AHM plenty of sources to work with. The processor’s built-in GPIO functionality also
allows for on/off control of system amplification, by storing presets that will activate or
deactivate the relayed outlets installed in the rack.
An Allen & Heath IP8 8-fader controller is also stationed in the equipment rack, providing
simple adjustment of both inputs and outputs as they feed each zone. Wiring was
provided for deployment of future IP8s in additional locations, should the client’s needs
change over time.
“It was important to the client that they be friendly to the neighbors around the property
in how the SPL gets managed; particularly the low frequencies,” explained System
Designer Kurt Lesh. “To accomplish this, main PAs and subwoofers were fed to different
zones for both of the available reinforcement systems. This allows venue management
to stay in the driver’s seat when it comes to overall levels, rather than the DJ or the guest
band.”
Further control was added via a tailored app made with Allen & Heath’s Custom Control
platform, offering fader and mute control for various sources and zones.
This was STRAY’s first time installing AHM, and it exceeded the installers’ expectations.
“I’ve been really impressed with the robust routing options,” noted Lesh. “We have full
control in programming what goes where, making the day-to-day client experience as
simple as possible.
Lesh also appreciated the speed at which the AHM platform could be configured. “It’s
amazing how quickly we were able to go from unboxing, to integrating into our network,
then making it controllable by the included IP8 and, ultimately, ready for deployment on
site.”
The Leola Village Inn may be a historic venue with character and charm, but its audio
control system is anything but old-fashioned. The power of the AHM provides this venue
with simple, effective, and consistent sound reinforcement that further enhances the
guest experience in the venue.