The Békéscsaba Jókai Theatre in Hungary has put the Roland M-480 48 channel live digital mixing console at the heart of a two-year sound reinforcement project. With help from ES Audio, the aim was to meet growing audience expectation for sight and sound, while preserving 130 years of tradition and architectural integrity.
The Békéscsaba Jókai Theatre has developed a system that combines cinema and theatre sound with an 8.1 channel surround sound system. The sound comes from eight different locations in the theatre with the addition of a subwoofer for sound that is not detected by the human ear but adds to the overall audio experience.
Imre Kohári, head of sound and lighting at the theatre, explained: “The voice comes from eight different locations and the system is unique in that you are getting a true surround sound experience.”
For applications such as the theatre where audio time alignment settings are crucial, the M-480 is equipped with delays on all mixing channels and outputs busses. High quality and precise sound adjustments can be accomplished by using the built-in real time analyzer. The M-480 also offers 24 DCA groups increasing mixing effectiveness in larger and more complex applications. The 24 DCAs can all be easily edited and controlled through a new, easy to use DCA management interface.
Director of the theatre, Peter Fekete commented: “In a world of multimedia and multiplex cinemas the public are entitled to expect that modern technology is also displayed in the field of theatrical arts. People are used to ‘feeling the sound’ when they go to the cinema and many have surround sound systems in their own homes. Our task is to introduce these technical enhancements to the theatre without destroying the direct impact that theatre delivers.”
Manager of Roland East Europe, Janos Kozma added: “The M-480 is a popular console for theatre and we feel proud that it has played its part in such an interesting project and putting Hungary ‘on the map’ for innovation in sound design’.
