Situated in Purmerend near Amsterdam, the new venue, P3, was commissioned to host a variety of international and national cultural events, including music concerts, theatre, and dance performances, as well as provide facilities for rehearsals.
"P3's modern architecture and advanced technical facilities qualify it as one of the leading venues in Holland; as such, it required audio equipment to match," says TM Audio's project manager, Jaap Pronk. "The fact that Allen & Heath's product portfolio is so varied, meant we were able to exclusively install A&H kit. P3 can provide high quality and flexible mixers for amateur musicians in practice room one, top bands in the main hall, as well as install sophisticated audio distribution around the complex, only using Allen & Heath."
P3 comprises three halls - the Main Hall, Small Hall, and Theatre Hall - and five rehearsal suites, complemented by a two-level bar and cafe. A 40-channel ML4000 live sound VCA console has been installed in the Main Hall for FOH mixing, with a 32-channel GL4800 multi-purpose console on monitor duties. A 32-channel ML4000 has been installed in the Small Hall to manage dual-function FOH and monitors, and a 16-channel GL2800 dual-function mixer has been installed in the Theatre Hall. Xone:92 MIDI-enabled DJ mixers are installed in the Main Hall and Small Hall to cater for any visiting DJ's, the five rehearsal suites are equipped with PA12-CP powered mixers, whilst a GR05 analogue zone mixer is installed in the bar to provide audio for playback sources, and zoning control for the split-level bar.
For overall audio management and control, TM Audio installed Allen & Heath's iDR DSP system, selecting an iDR-8 16x16 matrix mixer and an iDR-Out expander unit for installation in the Main Hall, a second iDR-8 installed in the Small Hall, and an iDR-4 installed in the Theatre Hall. iDR's flexible matrix allows the venue to programme a host of different configurations for the diverse range of performances that take place, distributing signals to areas around the hall, in the balconies, as well as to other rooms, the bar, foyer, and backstage area.
The dedicated crossover filters ensure accurate feeds to the venue's new Crest amps and Martin Audio speakers, whilst the input settings can easily be switched on the front of the iDR unit allowing the operator to switch between the DJ and FOH mixers without having to re-programme settings. Finally, an Allen & Heath PL-8 logic control panel allows the audio system to interface with the fire alarm system, enabling automated emergency announcements.
"iDR was the obvious choice for the P3 installation project, as we required a system that offers numerous ins/outs, flexible routing, and a large amount of processing power," explains Pronk. "The networked iDR units, output expander, and PL-8 switch allowed us to build an intelligent, versatile, and easy-to-use system."
(Chris Henry)
