Audio consultant Trevan Johns of Trevan Johns and Associates was employed to design a new audio system with a level of protection and performance to allow for intuitive operation in a simple user mode, or full access to a digital mixer in concert mode.
The lower level ceilings in the gallery areas shade the central cluster and so required time delayed loudspeakers to provide acceptable performance. This is of particular importance on the northern side of the hall, where an extension to the hall has increased the low-ceilinged area to more that 5m wide.
Trevan specified a front of house loudspeaker array consisting of six Electro-Voice XLD 281 compact line-array elements with dual EVA XCS-312 cardioid subs, all with an EVA EG grid suspending them. Two Dynacord VL262 loudspeakers are installed on the proscenium wall for side-fill, located beneath the 3800mm high bulkhead. Two delay arrays are located either side of the hall and each of those consists of two groups of four Dynacord VL62 delay loudspeakers. Spaced equally, they are configured in two delay groups, front and rear.
"I worked closely with Bosch's Bryan Davidson when designing the system," commented Johns. "We ran a few predictions and it looked like the E-V XLD281 cabinets would do the job the best. The result is that it sounds unbelievably good and the client is absolutely delighted."
The FOH array is powered by two Dynacord H5000 amplifiers (with two more driving the subs) as well as an H2500 amplifier. Delay and side-fill loudspeakers are powered by a single four channel EV CPS4.5 amplifier whilst monitor wedges are driven by an H2500.
"Sound on Stage was the successful contractor for this project and they did a very professional job," concluded Trevan.
(Jim Evans)
