Another contractor had recommended marquee Audio to the project. "In addition, we had heard good reports about the company from a number of other sources, including representatives from the award-winning installation at Cheltenham Racecourse's Centaur conference centre," stated Sharp.
In designing the system, Marquee Audio offered two PA alternatives, clearly explaining the pros and cons of each system. "We took a view based on the inadequacies of the old system, which had been systematically adapted over a number of years," Sharp reports. "Particularly poor were the facilities for the hard-of-hearing. The induction loop was subject to a lot of interference - and a Sennheiser infra-red system was recommended."
Marquee Audio's project manager Scott Wakelin needed to provide evenly-distributed coverage for a hall with a ground floor maximum capacity of 1,100, with a further 1,100 filling the raked seating on the balcony. Once Meyer had been given the nod, his solution was to complement the flown cluster with four UPM-1P three-way active loudspeakers at front of stage, treating the under-balconies with a pair of Meyer MM-4's.
Four Turbosound TXD12M floor monitors are provided for the musicians (and choir), and a highly-specified processing rack at the front-of-house position supports the main mixing desk - a 24-channel, eight-bus Allen & Heath ML3000-824. Audio system control is via the Biamp Nexia series DSP and Meyer's dedicated MM4 processor and authorized personnel can source select different inputs via the easy-to-operate CUE Guide-SRF integrated colour wireless remote control (operated via RF).
Both the CUE and Nexia systems have been programmed to allow operation in a basic stereo or mono mode, with projectors and four direct mics from stage ... all via the CUE touch screen; this would be applicable for Sunday service and basic conferencing requirements. However, a second level of control allows 24 mic channels to be mixed, and the individual mixes sent to eight individual speakers in the event of more comprehensive orchestral and theatre applications.
The Central Hall also found a use for its two white-wall surfaces flanking the pipe organ, and asked Marquee to provide projection with sufficient resolution to magnify hymn and prayer texts for the Sunday morning services. The solution was a pair of Elki LC-X70 projectors, fitted with a 7:1 long throw lens.
The audio refit is part of a £7m refurbishment project (including a new box office) at the Methodist Central Hall, which is funded by a trading company (of which Michael Sharp is MD), operating on a lease from the building's trustees. As a result of this refit, Central Hall's director believes they can now increase their scope for conferences, banquets, exhibitions, concerts, graduation ceremonies - and of course provide better facilities for the church services.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
