NEXO AND QUEST ENGINEERING GET NAUTICAL WITH OASIS

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If one were to look out from the banks of the Brisbane River this year, one might see a new feature on the water: Oasis Cruising’s new entertainment riverboat. Dubbed ‘Brisbane’s newest lifestyle vessel’, Oasis is a unique water-bound events venue. With a permanent residency on the Brisbane River, the three-level events boat offers voyages with sweeping views of the city skyline, while talented international and local DJs ignite each custom-designed space with high quality audio. Integral to this experience is an onboard PA system enabling extensive control, coverage and fidelity, courtesy of French loudspeaker manufacturer NEXO.

NEXO’s flagship point source system, the P+ Series, in combination with the compact full-range ID24 Series, were selected to supply audio to the dancefloors and all covered areas aboard Oasis, whilst weatherproof MX801s from Melbourne’s own Quest Engineering were selected as fill for areas exposed to the elements. Both NEXO and Quest’s optional white colour schemes were chosen for each system, allowing the modules to blend seamlessly into Oasis’ sweeping bright white palette.

Presenting partygoers with immersive collisions of colour, décor, lighting and sound, each of the three deck spaces within Oasis exude their own personality through individually tailored interior designs. Expertly crafted, every component aboard Oasis has been through a meticulous selection process, with the ship’s sound systems being no exception. Chief Operating Officer of Oasis, Michael Watt, explains:

“Too many times you find that sound has been an afterthought in the development of a space, but it is so essential in delivering a complete experience that will be remembered. We needed a system that could handle background music and corporate presentations through to acoustic musicians and international DJ headliners. It had to have a small footprint but be able to offer uniform coverage. It also needed to be able to handle the elements- as after all- it was going to be installed on a floating river venue.”

To help meet these requirements, Michael and the crew behind Oasis set course for Showtime Production Services, one of Sydney’s leading audio-visual production and integration teams. Showtime assembled a selection of NEXO and Quest loudspeakers that would both comprehensively cover the entire vessel, and offer detailed control over directivity to aid in minimizing noise pollution. Asher Daoud, Director of Showtime Production Services, expands on the technology installed:

“For Oasis, we needed something functional and aesthetically discreet, so we opted for white speakers throughout. NEXO is a tier-one brand, renowned for its high quality and high output, with good distribution; knowing this, we chose a suite consisting of 2 x P15, 4 x P10, 12 x ID24, 6 x L18 subs, 2 x IDS210 subs, 2 x IDS108 subs and a mix of 4×1 and 4×2 NXAMPMK2 amps. The compact ID24s have a small footprint which was perfect, and the P+ Series offers exceptional control. Quest’s MX801s carry the background beats and fill all the gaps- they are functional, IP rated and possess beyond the required output capability for the coverage areas they’re placed in.”

Impressed with the effectiveness of Showtime’s finalized system, Michael explains how solutions from NEXO and Quest help anchor the Oasis experience:

“On paper, all the speaker specs looked good – and of course reputation helps – but once we heard them in action and those first guest experiences were extremely encouraging, we knew we had achieved the perfect combination. When you are surrounded by 360-degree views in the comfort of your own private booth, the last thing you want is a giant stack of speakers getting in the way, so the look was important. The flexibility of the ID24 was fantastic: able to be mounted horizontally in the lower decks and then vertically for the VIP booth areas on the top decks allows them to almost disappear into the background. Guests through to DJs have been really impressed by the unassuming appearance of the ID24s and the sound they can produce. We are very happy with all the modules, as they have exceeded our needs and expectations. They pack a punch and deliver every time.”

A joy for patrons and ostensibly for the integration technicians in equal measure, Asher notes that working on Oasis was an exceedingly positive experience. Reflecting on the achievement, Asher summarizes:

“Oasis has been an amazing result all round. We met all the challenging demands in terms of audio quality and output, whilst complimenting the finish and colours of the vessel’s bespoke interior. The physical design of the boxes and their accessories- rigging points, size, brackets, etc- made working in a tricky marine space easier for myself and the install team. Our client absolutely loved it, and they now own the best sounding boat in Brisbane by miles!”