The Millennium Forum, a 1,000-seat theatre and conference centre in Derry, Northern Ireland, has marked its 25th anniversary with the installation of a Martin Audio WPS Wavefront Precision sound system, supplied and installed by Rea Sound. The system comprises 12 Martin Audio WPS line array elements flown per side, with a further two boxes ground-stacked above a pair of SX218 subwoofers per side, while Martin Audio FlexPoint FP6 loudspeakers act as under-balcony delays. The venue previously worked with Rea Sound on its original PA system since opening in 2001.
The installation also includes a monitor and infill system comprising six LE200 wedges and four CDD-LIVE 12 powered speakers, selected to support the high outputs required by visiting DJs, with the full system powered by 15 Martin Audio iKON series multi-channel amplifiers.
Roger McMullan, director of Rea Sound, said the venue was looking for a lot more headroom, clearer sound and better coverage to support productions ranging from amateur school shows to major touring productions.
Coverage across the venue’s two balconies and stalls was central to the design. McMullan said: “The theatre has two balconies: the lower balcony and ‘the gods,’ along with the ground floor stalls, which go quite far back underneath the balcony where the sound desk is located. That was very key to the audio engineers; they wanted to make sure that what they heard at the desk was what the audience heard. The system is able to do that.” Rea Sound modelled the system in SketchUp and Display software before installation, which was completed within a three-day window in June.
McMullan added: “When I heard the system in the venue for the first time I was blown away by the audio coverage. Every seat is covered. You’re always sceptical about what the models predict, but in Martin Audio’s case it absolutely does match.”
Chloe Harkin, technical manager at the Millennium Forum, said: “The new Martin Audio system designed and installed by Rea Sound will completely transform the Millennium Forum experience. For our audiences, it will ensure that no matter what seat you’re in, you won’t miss a single syllable of what’s happening on stage.”
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