EASE Project Examples
I have been working with EASE software since 2003. Completely self-taught on the program, I have become very proficient in the sofware over the past 12+ years, to the point where I have been able to create fairly involved models within a very short time frame. I learned and used EASE as part of my job as an Application Support Specialist for EAW, a skill which I continued to use in my position as North American Product Specialist at RCF, and currently as a level 2 AV consultant in the AV Systems Group for Acentech. Where initially I used this to design loudspeaker designs around the loudspeakers I was supporting at the time, these days I currently use the program to not only vet out loudspeaker designs for myself and my coworkers, but also to provide assistance with Acentech's acoustics department.
All models I create are closed, with the exception of open air spaces, like towns, outdoor stadiums, and outdoor transportation spaces. Larger open spaces I will typically model faces and model in 3D.
These are some 3D snapshots of EASE models I have created, posted here to show what I am able to do within the program. All of these EASE models were created using a combination of electronic AutoCAD drawings, and printed CAD drawings, and in some cases, imports from CATT Acoustic or SketchUp software.
(Project for Acentech) Performing arts theater with curved seating, a curved balcony, and arches in front of the balcony seating. This was a challenging model, in that it involved me having to continuously rotate the room to get the arches properly built. This is a closed model.
(Project for Acentech) UMass Amherst - Mullins Center. This model was created from 22 year old copies of the hand-drawn blueprints. In addition to the floor and seating areas, I also created the catwalk/grid, as it was needed for reference in the placement of the loudspeakers. This model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) California University of Pennsylvania, Convocation Center. A multi-purpose arena for sports and non-sporting events. This model is closed, materials added for acoustical analysis.
(Project for Acentech) Massachusetts State House - House of Representatives. This took me a day to build once I had imported the AutoCAD floor plans.
(Project for Acentech) Multi-purpose space, stage at one end, asymetric balcony on one side, video wall, and multi-level floor. This is a closed room with materials applied for acoustical analysis.
(Project for Acentech) Dartmouth College, Hanover NH. This model was different in that I had to re-create downtown Hanover, along with the athletic field the proposed sound system was to be used for. The college wanted good coverage of the athletic field, but they were also concerned about the sound levels surrounding the field, and the impact it would have on residents nearby. This model allowed us to look at both scenarios.
Revisited this project two years later when the college decided to completely rebuild their press box, and re-use their existing loudspeakers. Like the first exercise, we needed to make sure coverage was not causing issues with the surrounding neighborhoods, but we also needed to see whether or not the existing sound system could be utilized from the new structure. Proposed locations for loudspeakers were discovered to be problematic, and the model showed without question that the loudspeakers could not cover the audience from those proposed locations. I relocated all loudspeakers to the locations shown in the model, which eliminated the issue, and showed that the existing sound system could be re-used.
(Project for Acentech) Train Station Study - closed model, imported from CATT model, then added loudspeakers and materials for auralizations. This is a closed model.
(Project for Acentech) Metro rail train station in California. Model took a day and a half to build from physical drawings, which were drawn on top of what appeared to be a Google Earth satellite image. The goal of this project was to show four different loudspeaker design scenarios, show the direct coverage of all designs, but also show the impact of each design on the surrounding neighborhoods to the train station. The area covered is roughly 1,335 wide by 420'.
(Project for Acentech) Darling's Waterfront Pavilion on the Bangor waterfront, downtown Bangor ME. This was a project I worked on at Acentech with my collegues from our ArchMech group, to figure out the potential noise implications to the surrounding neighborhood and downtown area, when the Waterfront Pavilion permanently installs its new stage. The model was effectively the section of Bangor ME surrounding the venue, including the main road next to the venue, the neighborhood to its right, and the start of Downtown Bangor in front of the venue.
(Project for Acentech) The above project was part of a school, an open 2-story area that got a presentation system at the foot of a large staircase. At the top of the stairs is an additional seating area. Digitally steerable loudspeakers were modeled, to cover the stairs and minimize spill down the halls to each side. Standard surface mount loudspeakers were used to cover the upper seating area.
(Project for Acentech) Middle school theater, model created to verify direct coverage of space. Center loudspeaker array, 2x delay loudspeakers at catwalk, 4x front fill loudspeakers on stage lip, and a pair of program loudspeakers, left and right. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Lecture Hall, quick project to determine which model of digitally steerable line array loudspeakers to use for coverage. Creation of model from AutoCAD drawings and all mappings to determine loudspeaker performance was done within an hour.
(Project for Acentech) University Theater. Room is closed and materials applied to all surfaces for more involved acoustical modeling. Center line array cluster, left and right trap loudspeakers for program. Distributed small front fill loudspeakers, distributed under-balcony fill and delay loudspeakers. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Lecture Hall. This is an overseas project, drawings are done in metric, so the model is in metric. Had to create a model and determine whether the possible line array choice for this space was an option, so we could get an accurate budget out. I had the AutoCAD floor plan, and a section view. Received the plans at 3pm, model was built, closed, loudspeakers inserted and adjusted, and results posted within 3 hours before I left work for the day, a personal best. Model is closed.
Older project, this is a church that was built in an existing space. The main space in front of what became the altar was a large atrium where a second-story conference room overlooked the space. The main audience area is approximately 80' long, with a ceiling height of 8'-7". Church has a full electric band on stage, so the goal was to figure out the best means for coverage without throwing sound on surfaces that ultimately would cause issues. Other goal was to obtain consistent coverage front to rear, which was done with (3) rows of delays (not shown in the model).
(Project for Acentech) Forum. This is an overseas project, drawings are done in metric, so the model is in metric. From start to final mapping, this model took me approximately 6 hours to complete, with just two floor plans in AutoCAD to go by (section drawings were not available, elevation heights were listed on the plan drawings). The room is closed, however there are no materials defined on the surfaces, as we were just looking at direct coverage. Opening between two floors is circular. The forum itself is the staircase-like area, and audio coverage needed to be contained to this area, as the immediate areas outside of the forum space are lounges, study rooms and classrooms. The presenter area is the space at the base of the stairs/seating area. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Three ice skating rinks, distributed high-output loudspeakers above. First rink has audience areas, second and third rinks are smaller in size where the system is covering just the ice area. All three models were done within 8 hours. All models are closed.
(Project for Acentech) Re-purposed church. Three views showing the main floor, stage area and shallow balcony. The main obstacle on this project was to get the beams in place, which move up and out along the wall, then criss-cross the ceiling. Model took 6 hours to complete, additional time spent tweaking the loudspeaker arrays (Nexo Geo M620s) to achieve the desired system performance. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) University Campus. This is a project through our arch mech group, to take a look at the impact of a campus-wise emergency paging system, both direct sound as well as intelligibility (STI). Model was created by the arch mech group in SketchUp, which I was able to import into EASE. The bulk of the work was to get the model so it could be used, requiring an extensive amount of clean up (face orientation, missing surfaces, cleaning out lines and odd vertices, and any other 'holes' in the model detected by EASE). Loudspeakers were then placed at predetermined locations. A large boxed area was created around the downtown campus, to allow for the model to be 'closed'.
(Project for Acentech) Lecture Hall with acoustic clouds and acoustic baffle above stage. Loudspeakers left and right will be positioned behind baffle where an acoustically transparent screen will be created. Simple model, created from AutoCAD drawings, all materials applied, completed within an hour and a half. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Lecture Hall with raked, extended seating, wrap-around side seating, full catwalk, and structural beams. Main floor seating also recesses down from main floor. Space can be reconfigured in numerous configurations, requiring many zoned loudspeakers. Space also functions for film/video projection, so a surround sound system is also needed. Projection screen shown for reference. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Multipurpose space in college dorm. Main floor presentation space, raked seating that can be retracted to create completely flat floor. Raked seating also leads up to mezzanine level at rear and house left. Room materials defined to allow for auralization. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Sometimes the model doesn't need to be complicated. Auditorium space in a university library, needed to see how a pair of sub-compact line arrays would work in this space. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Teaching theater. System has raked seating, however the room is also curved towards the rear. System is LCR up front, pair of delays mid-house. Catwalk area and drop-down projection screen are shown as well This model took approximately 6-8 hours to complete from PDF drawings and the Revit model. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Recital Hall/Classroom. The room widens out from the stage, then curves around to the rear of the space where there is raked seating. The ceiling is asymetrical, flat at one point, angled towards the middle, and front to rear, the height differs, to where at the very end there is about a 4' drop in the ceiling height. This model took me approximately 4-5 hours to complete from PDF drawings and the Revit model. System consists of L and R program loudspeakers, and I modeled a center 2x cluster for speech. Model is closed.
(Project for Acentech) Museum of Science Boston, Blue Wing, Ground level and Level 1. Sound system design. Model created from plan drawings and on-site measurements of space. 2nd level up was not modeled since no loudspeakers were being specified for that area. Model accurate reflects space between floor, and has materials applied to all surfaces, so acoustical information can be obtained from the model (specifically STI predictions). Model took approximately 2.5 days to complete and tweak. Model is closed.
Museum project, solid rendering of space from EASE model.
Museum project, solid rendering of space from EASE model.
Museum project, 3D broadband direct rendering/mapping of proposed sound system design.
(Project for Acentech) Danvers High School Athletic Field. EASE model completed within a day, full system design completed within 1.5 days. Loudspeaker system covering bleachers, loudspeakers at concession stand, loudspeakers covering practice field. There are noise concerns with the surrounding neighborhoods, so the goal aside from direct coverage was to prevent as much energy from leaving the area as possible.
(Project for Acentech) Rotunda space for Bryant College. Two screens in space, two single digitally steerable loudspeakers at each screen. 3 hours to build model from AutoCAD and PDF plans, model has full materials, is closed.
