d&b system takes VEGA into the future
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A popular stop-off for countless international touring acts, VEGA in Copenhagen incorporates three performance spaces: Store VEGA, with a capacity of 1,550; Lille VEGA, with space for 500; and Ideal Bar Live, with a capacity of 250.
Led by head of production Anders Mortensen in late 2016, the overhaul of the loudspeaker systems in Store VEGA and Lille VEGA intended to furnish both rooms with more responsive systems, capable of accommodating speech and a wide variety of live music genres.
Three leading PA systems were considered, but the decision was made to continue VEGA's long-running association with the d&b audiotechnik brand that had seen the venue make extensive use of its Q-Series system.
“We have been using d&b successfully for 10 years, and after a process of consideration we realised that the latest generation d&b systems – including the V8s and V-GSUBs – were exactly what we required to meet our requirements in the future,” explained Mortensen.
Denmark’s d&b distributor, Alfa Audio A/S, was enlisted to provide the new systems and install them. Work was carried out during October and November 2016 by a team featuring Alfa Audio managing director Lars Baun Frederiksen.
He explained: “One of the most notable aspects of the installation was the move from the two-way Q-Series cabinets to the three-way V8s. The result is increased headroom, with the improvement in the vocals being particularly noticeable. The extended LF pattern control in the V really does help the vocals sit on top of the mix.”
In the large room, the new design is based around four V8s per side, along with four V8s in a mono configuration for balcony.
A high performance cardioid subwoofer powered by a single amplifier channel, the V-GSUB houses two long excursion neodymium drivers: an 18” driver in a bass-reflex design facing to the front, and a 12” driver in a two-chamber bandpass design radiating to the rear.
The core system is accompanied by four 10S and two 8S loudspeakers to provide in-fill at stage, under-balcony-fill and balcony near-fill. The entire specification is powered by a quintet of D80 high power density amplifiers. Suitable for both mobile and installation environments, the 2RU, four channel units incorporate a LoadMatch function that enables the electrical compensation of loudspeaker cable properties – without the need for an additional conductor.
The result is an increased accuracy of audio reproduction over a bandwidth of up to 20kHz.
In the smaller space, a pair of V7P 3-way passive loudspeakers per side provide the primary reinforcement, while near-fill is courtesy of two 8S units. Once again, there is a sub array of five V-GSUBs, while the amplification section revolves around a single D80 and one D20. Alfa Audio has also provided four MAX2 monitors, which can be deployed to handle a host of onstage duties.
Since installation work was completed, the new systems have been put through their paces on more than 50 shows, including appearances by both national and international acts, with Mortensen noting that the response to the new equipment has been “extremely positive.
"We are delighted with the results and the improvement it has brought to the overall quality of audio. In particular, we notice that getting a good sound during the setup for each show is now considerably easier.”
In conjunction with the venue's 20th anniversary, The Tuborg Foundation provided a donation that enabled the upgrade to take place.
(Jim Evans)
