BEDFORD PARK, OHIO – MAY 2012: With increasing frequency, the administrators at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Bedford Heights, Ohio were hearing the same simple request; a request they could not properly fill. During visitation prior to a funeral, the bereaved asked to play their own music. Very often, it was the music cherished by the deceased or music that was especially grounding in such a trying time. But beyond supplying an inelegant boom box, Hillcrest had no infrastructure for music playback. The administrators called on Audio Video Interiors and Safety Technologies (AVIST) of nearby Middleburg Heights, Ohio to provide a cost-effective solution. AVIST director Gary Matthews designed a simple, robust system around the new 3-input, 1-output Ashly Audio TM-360 public address mixer/amplifier. “I have a lot of customers who are looking for very simple, very cost-effective solutions for straightforward sound reinforcement situations,” said Matthews. “They don’t need automation or zone capabilities. They need a basic amplifier with basic bass and treble adjustments.” And because those requirements are so minimal in a world awash in bells and whistles, it perhaps goes without saying that a successful basic mixer/amplifier had better be inexpensive and utterly reliable. The Ashly TM-360 public address mixer/amplifier has three input channels and one 60-watt transformer-isolated output with four ohm, eight ohm, 25-volt or 70-volt options. Its appearance and user interface is simple. The front panel includes just six knobs – input volume (with signal presence LEDs) for each of the three inputs, bass, treble, and master – and an 1/8-inch jack suitable for iPod output. However, Ashly’s clever design allows the TM-360 to accommodate a wide range of applications. Using a versatile combination of Euroblock and RCA connections, inputs include one mic/line (with optional phantom power) and two stereo inputs. Integrator-accessible dip switches allow for a 400 Hz low-cut filter, flexible muting & ducking, and output sends to a second zone. A manual or automatic power-saving mode adds to the unit’s total lifecycle economy. At Hillcrest, Matthews installed the Ashly TM-360 with just two inputs, a Toshiba CD player and an iPod dock. The output feeds seven, 70-volt SoundTube CMEZ eight-inch, two-way in-ceiling loudspeakers. “I’ve been specifying Ashly products in more sophisticated systems for years,” said Matthews. “I like the brand, I like the people, and I like their price point. Ashly consistently builds reliable equipment, and so I didn’t hesitate to specify the TM-360 – even though it’s a brand new product.” Thanks to the Ashly TM-360, Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery now has a dignified sound reinforcement system for its clients.