Around the Grounds with Harry the hirer Productions and JBL VTX A Series

Harry the hirer Productions have made a big investment in JBL VTX A Series PA, adding 24 A8 line array elements and 20 B18 subwoofers to their inventory, powered by four Crown VRacks fitted with three 4x3500HD amps each. The purchase expands their audio offering by adding the brand rather than replacing another, giving them more tools in their sonic toolbox.

The decision to buy came after they got to do something relatively rare: setting up a JBL VTX A system in their warehouse directly next to one of their existing line array systems they know well and doing a good old-fashioned A/B test. All of this was facilitated by JBL distributor MadisonAV and its Head of Tour Sound, Peter Kubow.

Rob Nickels, Senior Account Manager at Harry the hirer Productions, had been discussing adding a new line to the PA inventory with the audio team, who thought JBL VTX A was worth investigating.

“I called Peter, and within the space of two days, he’d arranged for MadisonAV’s VTX A demo rig to come down to our warehouse in Victoria,” relates Rob. “He flew down and tuned it with us, basically flat out of the box, so we could hear what we would be buying. We set up and tuned an existing rig next to it. We were both surprised and happy to hear the overall performance when comparing both systems.”

With the first test passed, Rob and the team decided to go to Round Two: “We agreed that if we’re going to proceed with this purchase, let’s first get it into a production environment where we can use it, hear it, and get to know it for real.”

The first opportunity was at Sydney Showground, where the global cult ‘fitness race’ phenomenon Hyrox was running a competition over five days. The event took up six halls and the Dome space, attracting over 28,000 visitors. In Halls Five and Six, Hyrox set up ‘Hyrox House’, a new festival-style fan zone, featuring live music, food, and a ‘Recovery Lounge’ offering compression, stretching, and massage. This is where Harry’s team trialled the VTX A Series PA.

The left/right system ran eight VTX A8s supplemented by one flown B18 subwoofer per side, and three B18 subwoofers on the ground per side in cardioid mode. Peter Kubow was on hand again to assist with deployment. With sonic and tonal performance already gaining Harry’s approval, the team then noted the practical advantages of VTX A Series on the job.

“The JBL design team have taken the time to ask themselves if there’s a better way to hang a PA,” observes Rob. “They’ve really thought about it and made it as simple as possible, which is a massive benefit. The rigging is next level; it’s so quick and easy to use.”

With the event a success, the decision to purchase was made. There was a lot of work coming up for the new PA, and MadisonAV stepped up to ensure prompt shipping and delivery followed by HARMAN-approved training from Peter Kubow so six Harry the hirer Productions staff became JBL VTX A certified. “The whole purchase process and service have been fabulous from start to finish,” confirms Rob.

Joining Peter Kubow to deliver the training to the Harry team is MadisonAV’s newest hire, Grant Embury, who has taken up the position of National Performance Audio Sales and Business Development. Prior to moving to Australia in December 2024, Grant was a regional rep for L-Acoustics across 15 states in the USA. It speaks to the expansion of JBL’s professional and touring PA sales in Australia that they’ve appointed a market-hardened professional of Grant’s calibre. Grant has his work laid out for him: “As BDM, it’s up to me to get more JBL into the install market, the corporate market, the house of worship market, and into theatres and performing arts centres.”

With the PA and training delivered, it was a mere week before everything Harry’s had bought was being bumped in at one of the biggest events on the Melbourne calendar, AFL Grand Final Toyota Footy Fest in the MCG surrounds for the AFL Grand Final, a fan-based activation that takes up most of Yarra Park, and on game day, hosts around 65,000 people. It’s also the start and finish point of the AFL Grand Final Parade the day before the game.

It wouldn’t be live production without some scope creep and late changes. Having provided production to Footy Fest for years, Harry’s were notified fairly late in the planning process for 2026 that they’d be providing PA for more locations than in previous years. MadisonAV once again stepped up, assisting Harry’s with a VTX A12 and A8 system to cover the Main Stage, while Harry’s own inventory covered the Parade main stage and a site along the Parade route.

The Main Stage ran eight VTX A12s per side, with four A8s as front fill and a total of 14 B18 subs. Behind the FoH ops position, there was a delay hang of eight A8s.

At the parade start at Grand Slam Oval and at a second site on nearby Birrarung Marr, Harry’s inventory of six A8s per side and three B18 subs per side provided for announcements, presentations, and a performance by none other than The Wiggles.

Rob and the crew were enjoying the unseasonably fine weather and the calm before the storm when CX visited the day before the parade. “We came in on Monday, and the Main Stage PA went in quickly and easily,” says Rob. “Within two hours, the whole thing was up. Pete Kubow then joined our team to do some testing and tuning. That was around another hour and a half, and then the whole system was up and running. We had some of the Harry the hirer Productions Account Management team down here yesterday, so everybody could have a listen to the system. It got rave reviews!”

Pushing faders on the Allen & Heath dLive at the Main Stage was Will Petts, who has handled Footy Fest before and is more than familiar with the range of top-end line arrays in the market. It was his first time in front of JBL VTX A Series, and he gave me his frank assessment.

“So far, we’ve had background music, a lot of announcements, MCs, and roaming microphones downstage right underneath the arrays,” reports Will. “We’ve had zero issues. I’ve left the system basically flat since deployment and it’s been beautiful. Straight out of the box, it’s done exactly what we hoped it would and more. It has held up extraordinarily well. I have been shockingly impressed at just how much above its weight class it punches. The biggest standout for me is that the throw is incredible. Without the delay array on, we went for a walk, and how far it carried was beautiful.”

All of us agreed that this was not the JBL of old.

“Our A8 system fits into our inventory exactly where we need it,” concludes Rob. “It’s a good-looking, neat and tight box. It’s very clean and it’s very discreet, and it’s precisely the right price point.”