When needed, the cluster is lowered from the attic space by an electric hoist system. The loudspeaker cables are reeled and unreeled, eliminating the need for the typical large and unsightly cable-catching tub. For unamplified performances, the cluster is stored in the attic and is totally out of view to preserve the hall's visual aesthetic. The audio installation contractor was Electronic Engineers Inc of Montgomery, Alabama. "The reasons we chose the Apogee ALA-3 line array are its small size, sound quality, and choice of horizontal coverage patterns," said Laidman. "Apogee's offered line array cabinets with a choice of 60° or 90° horns, and this was important to keep reflections off of the side walls of the concert hall. Our decision was also influenced by Apogee's cost-effectiveness and our previous experiences using Apogee loudspeakers."
The Donna and Marvin Schwartz Center for Performing Arts is a multi-use complex for music, dance, and theatre. In addition to the Cherry Logan Emerson Concert Hall, which utilizes adjustable acoustical treatment to lower reverb time significantly when used with unamplified music, the Schwartz Center also features a dance performance studio, experimental black-box theater, and houses a large rehearsal hall and a number of small rehearsal and teaching spaces. In addition to the five ALA-3 enclosures, the retractable Apogee processor-based system also includes one Apogee AE2s2 wide angle loudspeaker to cover just the Choral Balcony, two FH-1 Hi-Pack loudspeaker systems to provide HF in-fill for the closer seats in the side balconies, and two ACS-118 subwoofers mounted back-to-back behind the main array.
Matt Williamson, technical coordinator for the Schwarz Center, is pleased with the performance of the Apogee system. "We do a lot of different things - jazz ensembles, the Emory wind ensemble, symphony orchestra, vocals, speech, recordings, and radio." He added: "The Apogee system helps a great deal, especially with feedback, as it's so directional."
(Lee Baldock)
