LEA Professional Connect Series amplifiers have been installed throughout Steven D. Bell Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), powering audio systems across classrooms, lecture halls, divisible rooms and public areas. AV design and integration company ClarkPowell was responsible for the AV infrastructure.
The installation includes multiple Connect Series 352, 702 and 704 amplifiers, supporting both Hi-Z and Lo-Z speaker configurations. The network-enabled amplifiers also feature 96kHz DSP and can be remotely monitored and controlled using LEA Cloud.
Richard Kessinger, pre-sales engineer at ClarkPowell, said the Connect Series offered lower power waste and heat output than comparable 70V amplifiers. He also highlighted the six-year warranty and the ability to use LEA loudspeaker profiles to reduce processing requirements for standalone DSP hardware.
Bell Hall opened in 2026 as a new academic facility for UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, providing classrooms, meeting rooms and event spaces. ClarkPowell expects to use LEA amplifiers on a further project when the university renovates classrooms in its existing McColl Building.
You can subscribe to Installation magazine for free here and the daily newsletter here.
