“The venue’s original design was focused on spoken presentations, and the reverb time is fairly short,” explained the theater’s Jyrki Sandell. “The audience area itself is quite wide, but not very deep. We tested a number of different configurations, and determined that a typical line array would not be the best solution for the space.”
Sandell opted for a distributed A/B system, provided by Espoo-based Studiotech Oy, in which each main loudspeaker is doubled. One system provides the A mix of vocals, while the second system, in nearly the same position, provides the B mix of band and orchestra. The system is also useful when two singers are in close proximity, and placing them in different mixes can help avoid sonic anomalies caused by leakage between lavalier mics.
For each system, individual pairs of CQ-1 loudspeakers cover the upper and lower proscenium, with three more CQ-1 boxes covering centre, left, and right. Dual sets of eight MM-4 miniature loudspeakers along the stage lip provide frontfill, while another pair of CQ-1 units handle infill duties.
Eight UPM-1P loudspeakers provide delay coverage to the balcony seating, while low frequency is handled by two 700-HP subwoofers. Additionally, a portable system comprising two pairs of a single 700-HP subwoofer and a CQ-1 loudspeaker are available for the stage and sidefills or an effects system as necessary.
A Galileo loudspeaker management system with six Galileo 616 processors provides system drive and processing.
“We always have several different repertoire programs running simultaneously,” said Sandell. “We might have daytime rehearsals for a play, with full sound and lighting, and then a musical presentation at night. The changeover time is, at best, two and a half hours, so there’s not a lot of time to reconfigure everything. The Galileo system allows us to recall different settings quickly as needed.”
