L-Acoustics certified partner Solotech chose an L-Acoustics K Series concert sound system for the global concerts of Dutch violinist André Rieu. Solotech has partnered Rieu throughout his career, but this is the first time they have chosen the K Series for the artist’s concerts.
“The K Series weighs half of what our previous system weighed, it’s available worldwide, and L-Acoustics Soundvision software, with its wide venue database, is a real time-saver when I get into my advance and designs tasks,’’ said Alexandre Dugas, audio crew chief, Solotech. “We also definitely get the most natural, transparent, warm, evenly distributed, and in-your-face sound of any sound system available today… period.”
Dugas notes that the rigging department was behind the wish for a lighter professional sound system. “They wanted to get rid of those monster two-ton motors and some of the mandatory ‘safety steels’ in venues with stricter rigging standards. We now use three 1T with a delta plate, making the rigger’s life a lot easier, which is good for us, too.”
He added: “The K2 is such a versatile speaker. Using Panflex, we can configure a main and side PA using the same enclosures, which gives me great flexibility. As a classical orchestra, we don’t need extensive low-end, and the full-range K2 saves us from hanging subs and frees up floor space.
“It also properly covers the last seats in those long venues. We used to need delay hangs, but with the long-throw capability of K2, we can cover those seats with just the main PA, which is a great logistical advantage on a tight one-nighter schedule.
Solotech deployed a main left/right system of 16 K2 per side, with side-fill of 12 K2 per side. Eleven Kiva II provide front-fills, four X12 are used for out-fills, and two KS28 subs are ground-stacked per side for low-end extension. Onstage, musicians hear themselves through 14 X8 and four X12 monitors. The entire system is driven by LA12X amplified controllers via Milan-AVB.
Dugas and his team designed the system using L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D modelling software. “Soundvision allows me to be much more confident about the result I’ll get. So much time is saved, and the results are always as predicted.”
