SoundTube answers Habibiya Masjid’s prayers

India: 

Mumbai’s Habibiya Masjid mosque recently underwent a significant upgrade to modernise its facility, including a new audio system from SoundTube. The speakers were implemented to provide a balanced and immersive audio environment across the ground floor prayer room and outside area of the hall.

When the Mosque’s committee decided to renovate the hall with a new audio system, the primary goal was to achieve crystal clear speech and uniform coverage across the hall with minimum impact on the new aesthetics and interiors.

Chintan Shah from audiovisual company Riverboat Acoustics was engaged to provide the solution for Habibiya Masjid. Shah had previously been introduced to SoundTube by Mitul Soni, techno commercial lead – India which is where he first learnt about the company’s audio solutions.

After assessing the client's needs and the venue’s interiors, Shah chose the SoundSphere SS-110B-WH units for their unobtrusive design, compact size, 360° coverage and speech intangibility capabilities. In addition, a two-channel SoundTube amplifier was chosen for power.

One of the key challenges of the installation was providing even sound coverage across the Prayer Hall measuring 14m x 12m x 4m (WxLxH), while using minimum loudspeakers. The outside passage area measuring 14m x 3m x 4m also needed sound reinforcement. Alongside SoundTube’s technical support team, led by Soni, Shah conducted a proof of concept at the mosque, winning over the committee.

The SoundSphere omnidirectional speakers have been installed in the space to produce low, mid and high frequencies equally throughout their 180° x 360° area of coverage, maximising speech intelligibility and music quality. Just one SS-110B-WH ceiling mount speaker was integrated into the main prayer hall, at around 3.5m height, to offer clear speech and provide wall to wall coverage. For the outside passage area, SoundTube’s DS31-EZ-TS-WH tapered sleeve pendant was implemented, suspended from ceiling.

Driving the speakers is one SA502 two-channel 100w mini amplifer with individual volume control which can adjust the volume levels in both areas in the mosque. Furthermore, the amplifier's compact form-factor has also saved rack space, offering ease of access to installer and multiple source input options.

“Soundsphere speakers produce a diffuse sound field that will not sound harsh or blaring anywhere over their broad coverage area. They are light in weight and can be installed easily and quickly. Even large systems can be installed in a day or less,” noted Soni.

“When you have such unique and breakthrough technology available to you locally, as a systems designer it allows for more freedom in your approach,” remarked Shah. “The 360° tech is flawless, simple to install, maintain and most importantly – it works like a charm.”