12 units of TeamConnect Ceiling 2 installed in the auditorium NTU’s latest net-zero building
Singapore, Aug. 7, 2024 – Sennheiser has installed its state-of-the-art TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC 2) in the auditorium of Gaia, a net-zero building at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), one of the world’s top universities, to elevate hybrid learning experience for its students.
Gaia is home to NTU Singapore’s Nanyang Business School, one of the most established business schools in the Asia-Pacific region. At its 190-seat auditorium in Gaia, the school required a seamless communication system to support a hybrid learning experience for its diverse cohort.
A Tall Order
The auditorium is characterised by a 9-meter ceiling height at the front with varying height running throughout the rest of the room due to the cascading theatre seating arrangement. To fit this auditorium with an AV system, the Sennheiser team had to calibrate the system and adjust for more than the recommended distance, while taking into consideration the differing ceiling-to-floor distance throughout the auditorium.
AV Media was the system integrator appointed for this project and they recommended Sennheiser’s TCC 2 as the solution. “Physical microphones are a thing of the past. They are inflexible and restrict the movement of the speaker. In addition, passing around a microphone also poses a huge hygiene risk. We knew immediately a ceiling microphone was the right solution for the auditorium, and we recommended Sennheiser’s TCC 2 for its superior audio quality and TruVoicelift functionality,” shared Eileen Goh, General Manager of AV Media.
No More, No Less
Given the size of the auditorium, multiple units of TCC 2 had to be installed. Over a period of two months, the Sennheiser team worked closely with the AV Media team to install 12 units of TCC 2 with intricate planning, simulations, and calibration in order to achieve the desired outcome.
The initial design planned for 18 TCC 2s to be installed in the auditorium, and following a detailed analysis, the amount was later reduced to 12. Two units of TCC 2 were installed at the front of the auditorium to serve as the pickup for the stage area, while the 10 other units were spread across the theatre seating area for audience pickup. The team was conscious about installing just the right number of TCC 2s to cover all areas of the auditorium so that no devices were deemed redundant.
“We also had to fulfil other requirements, like minimizing unwanted sound in the auditorium and ensuring that the lecturer’s volume is prioritized when multiple persons are speaking in the room,” Goh explained.
The TruVoicelift functionality includes a noise gate that can be activated during pauses in speaking to prevent background noises from being amplified. In addition, priority zone and advanced exclusion zones can also be set via the Sennheiser Control Cockpit, so that audio at the front of the lecture hall can be prioritized and unwanted background noises from air conditioning, other operating systems, doors and movement of chairs can be minimized. This is especially useful for a theatre with many operating systems and a potentially large audience.
The TCC 2 was also chosen as it could work seamlessly with the Q-SYS auto tracking camera to track the active speaker in the auditorium, so that remote participants would not miss out on key moments during lecturers and discussions and will feel more engaged and involved.
Customization is Key
With Sennheiser TCC 2, lecturers no longer must hold a microphone, allowing them the flexibility to move around without having to worry about compromising the audio quality. “Students can now enjoy excellent audio in class, where the speaker can be heard from every corner of the room. Most importantly, the system is easy to operate, and the lecturers can do so without technical assistance. This saves time and reduces cost in the long run,” added Goh.
The Sennheiser Control Cockpit also permits the setting of different user profiles to cater to the specific needs of diverse users, purposes and environments. “The lecturers have different preferences. Some may prefer the audio to be amplified, while others might lean toward a more natural level. All these can be easily customized from the backend,” added Spring Chong, Sennheiser Business Development Manager.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
