Historically dogged by offsite noise pollution, this led to neighbourhood complaints and the need to reduce sound levels on site - meaning that the audience couldn't hear the performances. And so new tenants AEG/Loud Sound adopted Martin Audio's Multi-Cellular Loudspeaker Array (MLA) system to help solve the problem.
Knowing that its advance level of control would be the only scientifically proven system capable of maintaining an offsite level beneath the stipulated 75dB(A) threshold, there was the equal confidence of being able to raise the levels up by as much as 6dB from previous years to around 100dB(A) within the audience area, ensuring that the entire audience was united in the experience, says the company.
These figures were verified by Ian Colville, technical manager of Capital Sound, who designed and supplied the complete audio infrastructure.
As a result, neighbourhood complaints were reduced to an absolute minimum.
Given the sensitivities of noise thresholds in the Royal Parks, a site simulation was first set up at Hatfield House in Herts for the promoters and acoustics consultants Vanguardia Ltd - who routinely carry out measurement and analysis at outdoor events such as this.
Assessed Ian Colville, "The ability to gain an extra 6dB of output, whilst keeping below the off-site maximum level of 75dB(A), provides a significant advantage. MLA is such a different system, with all of its acoustic cells individually controlled, to produce phase-coherent summation in the audience areas."
So how was the Hyde Park system conceived? Sculpted into the oak shrubbery of the concept stage's proscenium - the inspiration of set designers MDM working with Star Rigging - were left and right hangs of 16 x MLA elements (with a single MLD down-fill box at the base). Out-fills were provided by 12 MLA (and a single MLD each side) with eight pairs of the small footprint Martin Audio W8LM Mini Line Arrays for front-fills.
The subwoofer cardioid broadside array - made up of 32 MLX subs - is now a tried and trusted 'electronic arc' concept, with one back facing enclosure for every two forward-facing ones, three providing cancellation at the rear. "The beauty of this approach," says Colville, "is that you can adjust the horizontal dispersion electronically on the fly without needing moving the box."
In addition there were 10 delay masts. The front two arcs of four MLA masts each contained seven elements and a single MLD. For the larger shows, two further delay towers at the back were enabled, made up of seven MLA Compacts.
In summary, Ian Colville says, "At Hyde Park we again proved just how accurately MLA can be tailored to the environment. MLA provides the tools to allow us to increase the onsite levels without increasing offsite levels and we have been able to create hard avoid zones to contain the system whilst achieving an even SPL profile from front to rear."
Martin Audio managing director, Anthony Taylor, adds, "This is a significant jewel in the crown of worldwide events; we are thrilled that Martin Audio and our MLA technology has been chosen to tackle Hyde Park's challenging sound issues. This is a win-win for everyone involved: artists, sound engineers and the paying public get the sound performance they deserve, whilst local residents are less impacted."
In addition to system designers, Ian Colville and Martin Audio R&D director, Jason Baird, Capital Sound's support team included Al Woods (crew chief), Toby Donovan (system engineer and MLA technician) and eight other crew. Account manager was Martin Connolly and project assistant was Michele Conroy. Andy Davies and Chris Pyne, from Martin Audio's Tech Support team, also supported the event.
(Jim Evans)
