Learn why the 5,000-seat venue selected the new JBL VTX A12 line array solution to power a wide range of performances
While many casinos offer live entertainment, The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino resort takes live performance to the next level. The 5,000-seat venue hosts a wide range of performances—from chart-topping artists like Pitbull, Bryan Adams and Blink 182, to acclaimed comedians like Trevor Noah. In the fall of 2017, The Colosseum became the world’s first venue to complete a permanent installation of 26 JBL VTX A12 line array loudspeakers. We recently sat down with David Cyrenne, Production Supervisor and Audio Engineer at The Colosseum, to find out more about the A12 installation and learn how they use the system to power performances by some of the world’s biggest artists.
Why did The Colosseum choose the JBL VTX A12 system?
We feel like we have a world-class venue, and we wanted to provide a world-class PA that was both reliable and versatile. We had a JBL VerTec system here before, which served us very, very well. That’s part of the reason we ended up going with JBL again—between the system integration, Line Calculator and Performance Manager software, it’s a complete package. This was the very first A12 installation in the world, so in one regard I was a little scared to be the first. I knew we’d get an improvement, but I didn’t know I would be saying that it’s a night and day difference. These boxes were built from the ground up, and everything is new. I think it’s a testament to JBL for taking the plunge and jumping into R&D like crazy to come up with a completely new box from scratch. We’re proud leaders in this type of entertainment, and we now have a world-class PA thanks to the VTX A12.
Casinos aren’t typically known for hosting world-class bands and artists. What sets The Colosseum apart?
The model for entertainment in casinos has always been kind of like milk in a grocery store. People gamble and there’s entertainment, but it’s never been the main draw of the business. Five or 10 years ago, things weren’t going so well economically in the gaming industry, but we had good music programming at The Colosseum. We became the draw in a lot of ways. Instead of everyone coming to play table games or slots, they were actually coming to the shows, which would then spill out to the gambling side of the business. We were the first Caesars property to actually turn that model around, and I think we are innovators in that regard.
What were your first impressions of the A12 system?
What impressed me the most with the A12 was the smoothness of the top end, When I first approached the system, it sounded really wide to me—like a 90-degree box. I only had two main hangs fired up at the time, The clarity in the mids was also impressive, and I noticed an intelligibility that I didn’t have before. I was a little afraid of the dual 12” drivers, because the VerTech system had dual 15” drivers and I didn’t want to lose any punch. But the A12 has all the power and punch I need, and the 12” drivers have a much more musical vibe to them.
Can you tell us more about the different performances and events you host at The Colliseum?
What’s great about our room is it’s very diverse. Since we’ve installed the A12 system, we’ve had Alessia Cara, Huey Lewis, Jeff Dunham, Jethro Tull, Penn and Teller, Megadeth, Devo, Alabama and many more. We also try to have a comedian each month. It’s really diverse programming, and we’ve done so many different things—from boxing to basketball. We have a retractable seating system that allows us to make room for conventions and other events as well. And the A12 can absolutely handle it all, no problem.
Stay tuned to the HARMAN Professional Solutions Insights blog as we welcome more partners to the JBL VTX A12 family, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and look for the hashtag #WelcomeToTheA12Family. For more information on The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino, visit https://www.caesars.com/caesars-windsor/shows.
