When a new general manager started a few years ago, the venue's 1000-seat Great Hall started to receive touring shows such as Boogie Nights with Shane Ritchie, which was a huge success. And when last year the venue put on its first ever pantomime - hosting 27,000 people to see Aladdin in just four weeks - the Assembly Rooms had firmly cemented its new revenue streams. "Everything was fine except for one thing," says Palmer. "The Christmas shows exposed the weakness of the existing sound system."
The project was put out to tender and Marquee Audio were finally given the contract for the new system. "Line array systems are very much the norm and we favoured the Meyer system both because it was powered and the fact that it came within budget," said Plamer. Marquee Audio's project manager Scott Wakelin carried out a site survey, specifying an LCR system.
With minimum site time available the installers then undertook a fast-track fit-out to have the system ready within two weeks for a concert by comedian (and discerning audio professional) Jim Davidson, ironically another former customer of Marquee Audio from the days when he ran his own sound rental company. The main pros arch hangs comprise eight M1D and two M1D subs per side, the array angles optimised via Meyer's specialist software Mapp Online. Three further M1Ds are arrayed as a centre cluster.
In addition, 12 UPM-1P's augment the main system and also provide near field image shift at front of stage; four each cover the under-balcony and rear stalls and a pair each provide stage and balcony fills. Palmer and his assistant technical manager Bob Rushton, have both been exposed to the BSS Soundweb, and were insistent that a pair of 9088ii/LL Webs provided the DSP. "This is partly because we still have to update the FOH and show relay systems. While the original spec had been to install stand-alone systems we can now put the whole thing on one network."
A 9010 'Jellyfish' remote is positioned in the lighting box, close to the Soundweb units. Presently the venue is running off a universal programme that takes into account the changing LCR system imaging and for individually muting individual speakers. "It will really come into its own during Panto season however," believes Palmer.
Marquee also provided a stage monitor system, based around eight Martin Audio LE400C floor wedges and a pair of Martin Audio Backline H3 bi-amped three-way loudspeakers.
(Lee Baldock)
