The Glenn Massay Theatre in Matanuska-Susitna College (MSC) has installed Alaska’s first Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system.
The 523-seat facility was purpose built for Constellation and hosts a range of educational activities and arts performances. The Constellation system provides optimal acoustics for orchestral and choral concerts, lectures, and amplified music.
“We’re blown away by how great the room sounds,” said theatre director Matt Sale. “It’s hard to tell what is the room’s own acoustical response and what is due to Constellation. If you walk in not knowing Constellation is on, you wouldn’t think there was any enhancement. But when you turn it off, it’s like when you have to pop your ears when going up in elevation.”
A Constellation system was specified for the venue following intensive discussions involving college representatives, Anchorage-based architects Kumin Associates, and acoustic and media systems consultant McKay Conant Hoover (MCH).
“We started with the thought of using passive acoustics only, but we soon realised the reverberation times desired for some music performances would require room volumes that would get us into a cost-prohibitive situation,” said Kyle Ridenour, senior consultant at MCH. “Constellation makes more sense financially, and has operational benefits as well.”
The system centres around a D-Mitri digital audio platform which hosts the VRAS algorithms. Ambient acoustics are captured by 22 miniature condenser microphones, and early reflections and reverberation are delivered by 35 MM-4XP self-powered loudspeakers, 19 Stella-8C installation loudspeakers, and 12 UMS-1XP subwoofers.
Anchorage-based Pyramid Audio & Video was system integrator, with engineering supervision and technical support from Stephen Weeks of Morgan Sound.
