The Corn Exchange auditorium can house nearly 750 people theatre-style, although its flexible seating clears away to reveal a large open space which can accommodate 1200 standing, Such versatility lends itself to a wide range of events, from classical concerts to conferences and stand-up comedy, so the system spec needed to be equally flexible.
"The EVA cabinet runs down to around 50Hz, so, when the theatre has a comedian on stage, the subs can be left in the stockroom," explains Shuttlesound's Neal Allen, who worked closely on the system design. He also describes the way in which the highly compact dimensions of the EVA modules helped overcome the technical challenges of installation in a vintage theatre.
"With two trusses which could not be moved under any circumstances, there was just 900mm of space (from front to back) for the line array. We thought it was impossible but the EVA-2082S slotted right in there. Using the optional attenuation modules, we have tailored the sound so that there is only a 1dB variation from front to back. The mix position is in a cubbyhole at the back of the theatre, yet the engineer can hear exactly what the audience is hearing in the third row."
OneBigStar flew left/right arrays of five EVA cabinets per side of the Corn Exchange stage, using four of the 906 units (with 90 degrees horizontal dispersion and 6 degrees vertical dispersion) and a single 920 module (90° x 20°) in each array, The front-of-house system was powered by TG7 2x3500W amplifiers, with TG5s for the QRX218 subs.
Simon Taylor of OneBigStar guided the Electro-Voice proposal through the theatre's tendering process. "We were able to offer excellent references in the shape of the Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in Belfast, which is a huge EV site, and the Nottingham Arena, which we installed earlier this year. Those, together with the warranty and back-up on offer, the LAPs design for the theatre, and the expert advice of Neal Allen from Shuttlesound, were enough to secure the project."
(Jim Evans)
