Symetrix and ProSound Go the Distance at Greyville Racecourse

At Greyville Racecourse — home of the famous Durban July Event and horse racing— the entire audio chain is built around a Symetrix Prism 16x16, tying together Public Address and distributed audio for centralized Control and hybrid flexibility.

When Greyville Racecourse looked to modernize its audio infrastructure, their brief was straightforward: they wanted a single, centralized control solution that could be operated from just two secure locations on-site. At the same time, they needed a system powerful enough to handle the unique requirements of a venue that regularly transitions between day-to-day events and major race days, each with very different audio demands.

To deliver on that vision, ProSound installed the Symetrix Prism 16x16 — a compact, 1RU DSP platform that brings the functionality of an entire rack of processors into one unit. Despite its size, the Prism became the engine at the core of the installation, tying together every input, output, and distributed zone across the racecourse. 

Custom GUI for Tailored Control

One of the key requests from the client was ease of use. They didn’t want multiple wall panels scattered across the venue or a complicated array of controllers. Instead, the solution had to be clean, centralized, and intuitive. ProSound designed and deployed a custom Graphical User Interface (GUI) for Symetrix, accessible only from the two authorized control PCs. This GUI gives the operators full oversight of every audio zone — allowing them to manage source selection, volume adjustments, and routing from a single, straightforward screen.

To meet the demands of a multipurpose venue, ProSound also built in a unique feature: mode switching. At the click of a button, the system can transition between Race Mode and Event Mode. Each mode has its own set of processing tweaks, routing preferences, and delay adjustments, ensuring the audio system is always optimized for the occasion.

Inputs, Mobility, and Flexibility 

Greyville’s layout required ProSound to think beyond fixed infrastructure. They integrated numerous analog input patch points throughout the racecourse, strategically placed for flexibility. These connect seamlessly into the Prism’s architecture, allowing the client to plug in mobile racks ProSound supplied — complete with mixers, microphones, and wireless equipment — wherever they are needed. 

This approach means the system isn’t just fixed in place but can adapt to the scale of the event. Whether it’s a small function in one zone or a high-capacity race day spanning the entire venue, the infrastructure scales effortlessly.

Hybrid Dante and Analog Workflow 

One of the standout advantages of the Symetrix Prism 16x16 is its ability to handle both analog I/O and Dante networking without compromise. Alongside its 16 physical inputs and outputs, the Prism provides an impressive 64×64 Dante channel matrix.

At Greyville, this feature proved invaluable. The installation required a hybrid amplifier setup — some line-level amplifiers and others fully Dante-enabled. By leveraging both Dante and analog simultaneously, ProSound was were able to integrate all amplifiers into a single cohesive system, without adding unnecessary complexity or additional hardware. 

Power in a Compact Package

The real brilliance of the Prism 16x16 lies in its efficiency. In just one rack unit, it replaced what would traditionally require multiple processors, routers, and interfaces. Its DSP power and routing flexibility gave ProSound the tools to meet every challenge of the project — from ensuring speech intelligibility for commentators, to synchronizing distributed zones with IPTV systems in restaurants, to handling the dynamic needs of different event modes.

A Scalable Foundation for the Future

Greyville now has a future-ready control system that not only meets today’s needs but can also scale as the venue evolves. By centralizing all processing within the Symetrix Prism and pairing it with custom control interfaces, the racecourse benefits from simplicity of operation, reliability of performance, and flexibility for expansion.

For ProSound, Symetrix represents the ideal balance of power, versatility, and user-focused design. At Greyville, it has proven to be more than just a DSP — it’s the foundation that makes the entire audio ecosystem work seamlessly.