d&b audiotechnik technology is at the heart of the sound design for the world-premiere production of Paddington The Musical, now playing in London’s West End theatre district. The show uses the company’s Soundscape object-based mixing platform alongside its CCL loudspeaker system, a combination that is designed to support immersive reinforcement while addressing the challenges of a historic theatre environment.
The production’s sound design, by Gareth Owen, makes use of Soundscape’s spatial processing to position voices and effects accurately within the performance space. The system is built around two DS100 signal engines operating in main and redundant mode. Performer location data is supplied by a Zactrack SMART tracking system, allowing audio objects to follow cast movement in real time.
Sound objects, levels and positions are programmed using d&b En-Snap software, which the company says is intended to provide consistent repeatability from show to show. The approach is designed to keep reinforcement as transparent as possible, supporting intelligibility and audience immersion rather than drawing attention to the technology itself.
Loudspeaker deployment centres on d&b’s CCL (Compact Cardioid Line Array) system. At the Savoy Theatre, five CCL8 arrays are positioned across the front of the stage, with a further five arrays flown on a forward truss to cover the gallery. Low-frequency support is provided by a flown XSL-SUB array.
The cardioid behaviour and controlled directivity of the CCL system are intended to help manage reflections in the Savoy Theatre, a listed building with highly reflective surfaces and limited scope for acoustic treatment. By focusing energy towards the audience and away from walls and ceilings, the system is designed to improve clarity and consistency across the auditorium.
Gareth Owen, sound designer, Paddington The Musical, said: “Soundscape is a key part of creating that reality, in enabling us to give Paddington his voice.”
He added: “The CCL is arguably the most impressive new box I’ve heard since the T-Series. The size versus the amount of power and the fidelity are remarkable, and it behaves in a way you expect from d&b in terms of constant directivity.”
