The nigh-on 150-year-old Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock has just brought its audio spec right up to date with an installation of Yamaha equipment based around an M7CL48-ES console and three SB168-ES stage boxes.
The need to accommodate an increasing number of touring acts in the 1,300-capacity Grand Hall obliged venue officials to think about investing in a house PA system. A desire for flexibility of operation – including the ability to move the entire audio system into another performance space – led the team in the direction of a Cat 5-multicore-based digital system free of “bulky racks”.
After considering the various options, assistant technical manager Martin Vivers and colleagues purchased a Yamaha M7CL-48ES console and three SB168-ES stage boxes from local supplier Zisys Events. A permanent EtherSound network enables total flexibility.
Zisys Events also invested in a second M7CL-48ES and three more SB168-ES stage boxes, which could be rented to the Kilmarnock venues should they require additional systems.
“The M7CL is such a well-known desk, it makes it very easy for visiting engineers,” said Vivers. “We are also involved in an annual live music event at the town’s Dean Castle. Because there is very limited audience capacity there, we are bringing the headline acts to the Palace complex now, so the new system will hopefully attract bigger names for those shows as well.
“The system was extremely cost-effective and I’m really happy with it. The stage boxes are fantastic; the preamps in them sound excellent.”
Image credit: Diana Johnson
