Renkus-Heinz’s Varia system cracks acoustical challenges at Comedy Club Stardome in Alabama, where the room’s tiered, dinner and theatre-style seating caused a few problems. For more than 25 years, the Comedy Club Stardome in Alabama has built a reputation as one of the most respected comedy showcases in south-east USA. The club’s stage has hosted some of the biggest names in comedy, including Margaret Cho, Craig Ferguson, Lewis CK, Sinbad and Pauly Shore, as well as a regular roster of new and innovative talent. The room’s tiered, dinner and theatre-style seating offers a few interesting acoustical challenges. As Patrick Sobers of Birmingham-based Media Visions explains: “It’s a fan-shaped room, with dinner style table seating on tiered rows. But the front section is almost at orchestra pit level; you don’t get to stage height until the third or fourth row.” With a throw to the last row of around 60 feet, the problematic space called for a sound system that could be shaped to create the custom coverage the room needed. Media Visions recommended the Renkus-Heinz Varia modular point source array. The system comprises left and right arrays, each with a single VAX101-15 and VAX101-22 cabinet. Each array is topped with a VAX15S subwoofer. “The top box has a variable 60 to 90 degree coverage, and the bottom one goes from 90 to 120 degrees,” says Sobers. Additional front fill is provided by a pair of CFX41 compact coaxial speakers, with CFX81 8-inch cabinets covering rear delay and side fills. The system is powered by Lab Gruppen amps, with a Biamp Nexia handling system DSP. A PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2 digital console handles Front of House duties. “They’ve struggled for several years with systems that didn’t really meet their needs,” says Sobers. “Varia enabled us to design a system that delivers consistent, full range coverage and great intelligibility to the entire room.” Photo: Barbara Blaisdell www.renkus-heinz.com
