It can now be revealed that EM Acoustics has been installed at Woodland Village, a new accommodation site at LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, in England, which opened in May. The site provides a tranquil family stay in a woodland retreat, but it also includes an entertainment and hospitality space, The Clubhouse Restaurant and Bar, which required the integration of an immersive, zoned audio system.
The Clubhouse space was split into four audio zones for the purpose of the sound design. Zone 1 comprises the bar and open entertainment area. The other three zones are defined to facilitate the immersive audio effectively and enable The Clubhouse management to extend, or reduce, the background audio during performances.
In Zone 1, the small stage area has been equipped with a pair of EMS-81Xs and an S-48 subwoofer. Stage foldback for monitoring is through a single EMS-61 loudspeaker. An Allen and Heath mixing console and Sennheiser EWDx head-worn and handheld mics provide a complete toolkit for hosting a variety of family-friendly performances at The Clubhouse.
The remainder of zones 2-4 have been installed with a total of 48 EMS-41 loudspeakers to facilitate the immersive system, with low-end reinforcement from a further three S-48 subs. Four DiQ10D amplifiers from EM Acoustics complete the system, with each loudspeaker on its own channel to allow for the independent control needed in an immersive installation.
David Shepherd of DS Audio led the sound design on the project, having worked with LEGOLAND Windsor Resort on previous areas within the park. Shepherd collaborated closely with the internal technical team and integrators, JPSL, to design and install the full EM Acoustics system.
For the immersive environment, complete with an array of birdsongs and woodland nature sounds, Shepherd created over a dozen audio stems of differing lengths and contents in both mono and multichannel formats. Each stem has its own individual mapped route of loudspeakers to travel across the space. This logic was then installed into the Q-SYS System, where 16 channels of audio playback are looped in sections throughout the day to achieve an immersive experience that sounds natural and random.
The addition of acoustic treatment in the roof also helps to minimise reverberation, resulting in a dry, realistic soundscape.
Shepherd explained: “The Clubhouse required highly intelligible, zoned audio and an entertainment system to support a small stage area that sits alongside the restaurant and bar. They wanted to bring the ‘woodland feel’ inside, so we used the sound design to produce a soundscape that could play different bird and wildlife sounds in a realistic, immersive way. The system also needed to be able to switch to a performance system for audiences to enjoy the on-stage entertainment, so versatility was key.”
One of the key requirements for the park, he said, was that the system would integrate into the existing resort-wide Q-SYS infrastructure, which EM Acoustics’ amplifier range could do.
Shepherd continued: “All loudspeakers are hidden behind foliage in the ceiling. Of course, this has benefits for the overall audience experience and helps create a sense of surprise, but it can be challenging to find products that still deliver clarity when installed in such a way. The form factor of the EMS-41 allows us to maintain that clarity of sound.”
As visitors pass through the space, the sounds of nature appear to move with them. “EM Acoustics products are fantastic for creating immersive environments,” added Shepherd. “When you’re looking for as natural a sound as possible, such as when replicating a British woodland, the accuracy of the loudspeakers has to be flawless.”
Nigel Woods, creative director at LEGOLAND Hotels, concluded: “The audio setup for the Woodland Village worked exceptionally well, seamlessly blending the sounds from inside the restaurant with the natural ambience outside. The strategic placement of loudspeakers and carefully curated audio tracks create an immersive experience for our guests, making them feel completely surrounded by the sounds of woodland birds and creatures.”
