AV Case Study: Kinross Woolshed
Kinross Hotel in Albury reinvents its AV backbone with a future-ready, staff-friendly system.
16 September 2025
The Kinross Woolshed Hotel isn’t just another pub on the Albury-Wodonga border. It’s a sprawling hospitality hub that morphs with the clock: a relaxed dining destination, a bustling sports bar, a family-friendly function venue, and now, thanks to a major refurbishment, home to its own bowling alley, no less.
With that kind of versatility comes a challenge. How do you give every space the right atmosphere – be it background music, live sports feeds, or late-night DJ sets – without saddling staff with a tangle of remotes and rack gear?
The Kinross team turned to Amber Technology and installer Jeff Tickell to re-engineer the AV from the ground up. Amber’s own Technical Sales and Support specialist Scott Riley worked side-by-side with Jewel Audio Visual’s Tickell to blueprint a system that would not only deliver punchy, reliable sound but also be dead simple to control.
MULTI-ZONING MADE EASY
Top of the brief was flexibility. Each key area – the multiple bar zones, function rooms, outdoor decks, and the shiny new bowling alley – needed its own audio persona. The hotel also wanted to juggle a mix of sources: Foxtel, Sky Racing, in-house playlists, paging, even the odd roving DJ.
The solution: a multi-zone design with the brains of the system driven by an RTI control platform, ensuring staff could flick between sources and set levels via sleek wall panels or remote devices. In practice, it means a manager can have Sky Racing going hard in the sports bar while a private function next door is enjoying background music without anyone fumbling for cables or battling a confusing matrix.
WOOLLY SOUND? NOT SO MUCH
Amber Technology cherry-picked from its portfolio to match budget, aesthetics, and technical chops. Among the key players:
- LEA Professional Connect Series amplifier – a Dante-enabled four-channel power amp handling both low-Z and 70/100V speaker lines.
- JTS wireless mic system – complete with wideband directional antennas and boosters, giving staff reliable paging and events proper coverage.
- Australian Monitor Bluetooth wall panel – a neat drop-in for guest DJs or staff who want to stream a playlist straight into the system.
- Australian Monitor PS-S53T MKII surface-mount speakers – scattered inside and out for consistent music coverage.
- Sonance in-ceiling and surface-mount loudspeakers – the in-ceiling units keeping dining zones discreet, while the beefier 8-inch surface-mount models pump more low-end into the bowling alley and function rooms.
- WyreStorm AV distribution – ensuring Foxtel and Sky Racing feeds travel cleanly to wherever they’re needed.
The mix of brands ensured no single area was over- or under-specced: each product was chosen for a balance of performance, reliability, and visual fit.
“”
You don’t need an AV background, anyone behind the bar can walk up and take charge
STAFF TAKE CONTROL
For the staff, the biggest shift has been the simplicity. Where once switching zones or juggling inputs was a recipe for confusion, the new RTI touchscreens give clear, intuitive access. A few taps and the whole venue responds.
“It’s made day-to-day operation a breeze,” notes installer Jeff Tickell. “You don’t need an AV background, anyone behind the bar can walk up and take charge.”
READY FOR THE NEXT DECADE
The refurbishment has set the Kinross Woolshed up for the long haul. With multi-zone flexibility, scalable infrastructure, and a system that supports everything from low-key lunches to late-night gigs, the venue has future-proofed itself against changing audience demands.
For patrons, it means better sound, better vision, and a more immersive experience, whether they’re knocking down pins, tucking into dinner, or cheering on their team. For the hotel, it means staff can focus on what they do best: hospitality, not troubleshooting.
Amber Technology: www.ambertech.com.au
Jewel Audio Visual: www.jewel.net.au
RESPONSES