A new Meyer Sound Leopard linear sound reinforcement system has been installed in Walt Disney Concert Hall, home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and part of The Music Center complex.
Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the 2,265-seat Concert Hall opened in 2003, winning immediate acclaim as one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world. While the LA Phil relies on the hall’s natural acoustics to perform unamplified, an increasing number of contemporary performances require sound reinforcement. Leopard will support these shows, which include artists such as Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, and Jose Gonzalez in the LA Phil’s 2015-16 season.
The latest and most compact member of Meyer Sound’s award-winning Leo Family of line array loudspeakers, Leopard possesses an extraordinary power-to-size ratio and delivers unprecedented clarity with ultra-low distortion.
The new Meyer Sound configuration includes twin arrays of 14 Leopard line array loudspeakers and three 900-LFC low-frequency control elements each, aimed for optimum reach throughout the hall. A Galileo Callisto loudspeaker management system handles system drive and alignment. Leopard is self-powered, with two-way design, two 9in cone drivers and a 3in diaphragm compression driver. Its Class D amplifiers erase distortion and consume less energy.
The system was specified for the hall by Fred Vogler, principal of Sonitus Consulting and a respected sound designer and mixer. “Historically, loudspeakers focus on level and throw, but that is not necessarily what we need in Walt Disney Concert Hall,” he states. “This hall needs a speaker that delivers high performance and is low-profile. A speaker with linear response that is so natural sounding you can hardly tell the music is amplified. Leopard combines the latest technology with innovative thinking and design. The result is that it captures natural acoustics as never before, and adds no coloration to the sound. You hear what the artist on stage creates, and you hear it in every seat.”
Deborah Borda, president and chief executive officer, Los Angeles Philharmonic, said: “In whatever we do, one thing must remain constant. Whether music is traditional or new, whether or not a performance relies on amplification, the experience for artists and listeners must be of the highest quality. Meyer Sound’s Leopard enables us to realise this ideal more completely than ever.”
“Audiences discover some of the world’s most acclaimed artists inside Walt Disney Concert Hall, a performance space that has set a new standard as a place of imagination, possibility, beauty and acoustic excellence,” said Chris Christel, director of production for The Music Center. To that end, we look for partners who aim for the highest standards in quality and value. By investing in a system primarily composed of Leopard system components, we made a smart artistic and economic decision.”
To John Meyer, president and CEO of Meyer Sound, music is a lifelong love that drives his quest for perfect sound. His goal is to capture the essence of the music – so that audiences focus on the artistry, and not the technology that delivers the sound. “When we hear all the incredible musicians playing through our systems and see the audience completely enthralled by the performances, we feel the satisfaction of knowing we’ve done something good for the music and for everyone involved,” he said.
