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The Harmanisation of NEWI
Harman Pro UK has supplied a JBL VRX line array system and several other Harman elements to installers SES Audio for a project in the William Aston Hall on the main campus of the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI) in Wrexham.
The job was particularly exacting . . . the 1000 capacity room is part of a post-war building project dating back to the 1953. With a ‘stepped’ ceiling and vast windows, it sounded great for choral and acoustic events, but was built in an era that gave no consideration to the needs of amplified audio or any form of electronic music.
This was one of the scenarios that needed to be addressed with the new installation, which was part of a larger refurbishment within the hall including audio visual and stage and show lighting improvements. Major house lighting improvements are due to take place in shortly.
The college runs a vast array of courses, including Sound and Broadcast engineering courses – from foundation to degree level - so an exceptionally high standard of excellence is demanded of the shows they stage themselves, and it’s vital to have exactly the right gear on which to train future professional engineers. It’s also a basic requirement to be able to offer top notch facilities to any visiting productions and performers.
In addition to all those parameters, SES Audio’s Tony Pugh is singer/musician Roy Harper’s long term sound engineer – so he knows a thing or two about good audio!
The new sound system had to be capable of handling all types of performance from the softest spoken word to the most raucous rock ‘n’ roll band and everything in between . . . including choral, classical theatre, panto, cabaret and comedy as well as catering for the conferencing requirements needed in the hall.
The original new system spec was drawn up by Colin Heron, senior lecturer in Sound Technology. The overall project was managed for NEWI by Andy Cheatham, Media Resources Co-ordinator at NEWI, in conjunction with locally based Tony Pugh. Once they had decided to explore the Harman route, HPUK’s acoustician, Tom Williams also came on board.
The main aim in the William Ashton Hall was to improve the space as a live sound environment. Williams identified several challenges that needed overcoming in the room, and Heron decided on line array because its sharp and highly controlled vertical dispersion would be useful for containing reflections off the ceiling and gain-before-feedback.
Obviously the system also needed to fit the budget, and one of the beauties of JBL’s VRX is its cost-effectiveness.
Heron conducted extensive internet research before committing to the final spec and to JBL; also he talked in depth to Tony Pugh, who has worked with the college on many occasions. Pugh recommended Harman as a supplier – and one capable of bringing in all the elements they needed from one source. “It was hugely practical to have to deal with only one supplier, and Harman gave us a great service,” confirms Pugh.
They attended the Harman summer roadshow in Manchester and listened to the VRX for the first time ‘in situ’, which cemented their decision that it was the right system for the job.
Being a college active in the world of sound design and engineering, they also wanted equipment that could be utilised by the students as integral to the various courses. Crown amplifiers and the dbx Drive Rack were chosen as ideal tools in this respect.
The main FOH system comprises four VRX 900 series mid-high line array elements per side of stage and four JBL 2 x 18 inch bass bins. These are driven by Crown I-Tech 4000 amplifiers, chosen for their great quality and value-to-power ratio. “The I-Techs are really brilliant pieces of kit in all respects,” says Heron.
The VRX enclosures had to be rigged at exactly the right height and angle in the room to give optimised sound. There’s a dbx 482 Drive Rack for system control and a selection of dbx outboard gear including graphics, compressors and a vocaliser – all of which were selected to cater for the students’ educational needs in addition to being quality equipment choices. “Using the dbx for system control is an ideal way for the students to learn how to set up and operate a live system for real,” says Pugh.
The desk is a 32 channel Soundcraft GB4. It runs both FOH and monitors, the latter of which consist of four JBL SRX 712MS wedges, driven by Crown CTP 2000 amps. HPUK also supplied eight AKG 400 Series lavalier radio mic systems with distribution amps and mains power supplies, plus AKG headphones.
The new system offers NEWI sound students three levels of immediate access to professional quality audio gear – they have the course equipment that’s available in the college’s sound labs and studios, the new system in the William Ashton Hall and they are also encouraged to work ‘outside’ with local PA and audio companies on placements.
“We’re really impressed with the new system so far,” states Heron.
Andy comments that the future for the hall is looking very bright. “In the past,” he says, “most theatre and performing companies have brought their own sound/lighting systems to run during their shows. The situation has now changed dramatically, with huge praise indeed coming from all post installation users for the technical quality that is now on offer.”
24th January 2006
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