The project’s sound designer was Mark Miceli, who is technical director for sound at the University’s School of Dance. “We’re going all digital,” he observed. “I wanted to take advantage of Harman’s HiQnet System Architect, so I went with all the Crown I-Tech power amplifiers: the I-T6000 and I-T8000 amps, which are pretty hefty amplifiers.” The primary digital signal processor for the system is the BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-80 device.
A loudspeaker system design developed to resolve the previous installation’s coverage problems features eight JBL VerTec line array boxes – four per side. Effective control over the vertical coverage of the system in the dance theatre to minimise the sound splashing up into the overhead ducting and catwalk was essential, with Miceli noting that the line arrays have “allowed me to focus the sound energy into the seating area and minimise splashing into areas that did not require coverage”.
Most performances involve the playing of music tracks through the system. “That is where the quality of the system shines; when a high quality recording is played through that system it sounds like a control room. It sounds very good,” concluded Miceli.
