Winchester University in in the final stages of completing its new University Centre - a flagship building set to transform the main campus. The £9 million development is a four-storey building covering 3,200 square metres. Located at the entrance to the King Alfred Campus it provides an impressive gateway for visitors, as well as social facilities for the whole university community. The Centre includes the Student Union, catering facilities, main reception, a bookshop, a mini-mart convenience store and a Learning Café.

The Student Union is state-of-the-art and includes a large bar and 'The Vault', a venue space large enough for 1,200 people, for club nights and concerts. The venue will also have a cinema screen and surround sound for movie nights.

Sound and Lighting specialists, PV Audio Visual, were contracted to design and install the audio systems for the The Vault and the bar area. PVAV's principal, Peter Varey, personally managed the design, which was based on Community's new VERIS and SONUS series loudspeakers.

In main live room, four 15-inch, 3-way Community VERIS 3564 systems and four SONUS 218S twin 18-inch subs provide the main FOH. Two VERIS 3594 loudspeakers are used for additional fill and foldback is provided by four SONUS 1296 stage monitors. A pair of Community VERIS 8 loudspeakers have also been installed, for DJ monitoring. The system is driven by KIND Audio XT, DDX and DQX amplifiers and processing is handled by a BSS Soundweb 2008i.

The bar area is much more relaxed, but maintains the same audio quality using six Community VERIS 8 loudspeakers with two VERIS 212S twin 12-inch subs. These are again driven by KIND amplifiers.

"Community was perfect for this venue", commented Peter Varey, "Aesthetically clean lines and superb audio quality are matched by impressive power and reliability. Driven by KIND amplifiers, the VERIS and SONUS loudspeakers are seriously impressive".