A new d&b CCL compact cardioid line array has been installed at Les Salles du Carrousel, the 6,635sqm modular events space beneath the Louvre in Paris, France. The project, delivered by French AV specialist Magnum for venue operator Viparis, replaces a decade-old system with a more modern and visually discreet solution, according to d&b.
Les Salles du Carrousel, part of the Louvre complex, hosts a wide variety of corporate and cultural events. Magnum selected d&b’s new CCL (Compact Cardioid Line Array) for the installation across three main halls – Delorme and Le Nôtre, each accommodating up to 2,500 guests, and the smaller Gabriel space, which can open to form a single expansive area.
Low ceilings and reflective wooden floors had previously created acoustic challenges. To overcome these, clusters of three CCL12 loudspeakers were mounted on custom trusses that follow the ceiling curvature and also house lighting. The Delorme and Le Nôtre rooms each feature seven clusters arranged in three rows plus a central cluster, while Gabriel has four clusters in two rows. All systems are powered by d&b D40 amplifiers.
Magnum also installed 10 CCL-SUB subwoofers for low-end reinforcement, 20 44S frontfills for coverage consistency, 10 E8 loudspeakers for stage monitoring, and five custom-painted 24C column loudspeakers in the foyer for background music and announcements.
Eduard Dubus, head of the technical team at Magnum, said: “The previous system, while functional, was over 10 years old, and starting to show signs of wear and tear. After much discussion and several demos, it became clear that we didn’t need to look any further – the new CCL system from d&b was exactly what we needed.”
Boris Jaquier-Laforge, technical project lead at d&b audiotechnik, added: “The superior directivity control and cardioid design – which means very little excitation behind the loudspeaker – has made an enormous difference to the sound quality in the Salles du Carrousel.”
Jean-Michel Lenoir, deputy managing director at Magnum, said: “Working with d&b has been a real pleasure. They’ve not only fulfilled our technical requirements, but from a sustainability perspective, d&b has also shown they meet all our criteria. Sustainable development is very close to our heart at Magnum, and it’s also a driving force for Viparis.”
