Martin Audio reinforces university Great Hall
- Details
The building is multi-functional and used by the university and Newcastle community for a wide variety of functions ranging from formal University graduations, public performances, sit down dinners, open days, community events as well as teaching and learning activities.
The new audio-visual Infrastructure upgrade was focused around providing a significant improvement in audio and video quality and reliability within the Great Hall. The end-result, based around a Martin Audio WPM PA, achieved that and more. It is flexible, scalable and supports the University’s teaching, learning and community outreach activities.
The consultant/project manager was InDesign Technologies, led by Peter Coman and Livia Renhe, and when it came to the audio component they were assisted by the Technical Audio Group (TAG), Martin Audio’s Australian distributor, as they set out to convert the existing analogue system to a fully digital solution built on Audio Visual over IP technology. Another key specialist was David Gilfillan (Gilfillan Soundwork), a leading electro acoustic consultancy, who was engaged to verify and assist in the design and commissioning of the system.
The room itself features total seating of 1,231 (including 448 tiered seats and 783 removable auditorium seats).
The biggest challenge the team faced was a tight timeline, exacerbated by a lack of existing architectural drawings. “The previous audio was inadequate for the room and unreliable,” recalls Coman. “It was absolutely paramount that the audio issues be overcome.”
There were a number of factors that led to InDesign specifying Martin Audio as the primary PA source. “In the first instance, the client had a previous Martin Audio installation that they were happy with, and secondly, we trust the brand. It provides a value for money solution and they were able to offer a system that was fit for purpose, and which met our budget.
“On top of that, the entire system is digital, so being able to incorporate the Martin Audio Dante foldback speakers integrated perfectly into the rest of the system.”
The main PA system consisted of six hangs. At FOH (L/R) are 14 x Martin Audio WPM per side with Left/Right hangs of four MSX per side and Left/Right delays of 10 x Martin Audio WPM per side. Front-fill consists of six Martin Audio CDD6 below the front lip of the stage and a pair of Martin Audio CDD6 as out-fills to cover the outside front corners. Four CDD-LIVE 12 were also deployed.
Amplifiers/FIR processing consisted of seven iKON iK81 advanced 8-channel amplifiers and two iK42 4-channel amps.
Peter Coman summed up the success of the project thus: “With a can-do attitude, 10 months of meticulous planning and an install period of 18 days, the University of Newcastle made a generational upgrade to the AV facilities in its Great Hall. The aging and unreliable analogue solution was transformed into a world-class, modern, digital solution befitting of the cultural significance of the Great Hall to the University and local community.”
(Jim Evans)
