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QSC ILA Turns on the Lights
Whilst many major towns and cities across the UK are served by local theatres, each playing a multipurpose role within the community, The Lights in Andover has raised the bar a good deal higher.
Originally built in 1972, the waterfront location was a run-down venue when it was taken over by the local Test Valley Borough Council. But this Autumn it has emerged as a vibrant regenerated facility, with its own leisure arena, dance studio and theatre, which will accommodate an ambitious programme of music, theatre, comedy, dance, education and conferencing.
Bringing the best out of these many disciplines is the theatre’s own ‘premier’ – the first UK installation of QSC’s ILA line array sound reinforcement system, which was recommended and installed by locally-based specialists Stagecraft Theatre Services Ltd (STS).
Stagecraft has been in business for three decades – and specifying QSC products for at least the last ten years. Initially they started with amplification but have worked up to modular design and acoustic design loudspeakers to BASIS DSP, operating under the company's QSControl.net platform.
But when Stagecraft Theatre Services’ director, Martin Palmer was treated to a demonstration of the new ILA at QSC’s Californian HQ in January, he knew he had heard the system that would meet all Andover’s requirements for coverage, SPL and source material – within budget.
The Lights’ operations manager Rob Sewell, who masterminded the new fit out with Test Valley Borough Council’s head of leisure Ian McKie, says it has exceeded everyone’s expectation.
“Having been given the budget by the council I was asked to specify both the theatre and the arena space. The theatre needed a traditional approach with some inherent flexibility, and we contacted Stagecraft Theatre Services.”
The technician needed little convincing of the ILA’s sonic attributes – and the overall system aesthetic and cost of ownership became the icing on the cake.
Martin Palmer praised the ease of system installation and overall programming support he received from QSC’s distributors, Shure Distribution UK.
Two cleverly-masked ILA line arrays (each comprising five WL2082-i and WL115-sw sub) are flush-mounted to the ceiling and hung directly off the main structural I-beams at either side of the stage. Harnessed by a rigging clamp and spansets they are trimmed to just 2.5m from the ceiling – presenting an elegant and discreet solution.
STS prepared EASE predictive drawings to model the system within the acoustic environment, achieving further performance optimisation by using QSC’s dedicated DSP 322ua processor. Storing up to eight signal flow design configurations with nearly unlimited snapshot parameter recall (where required), the DSP 322ua can fit any application.
It was a formula that paid immediate dividends, as Martin Palmer was quick to acknowledge. “The ILA needed minimal correction and we were amazed at the evenness of coverage it provided straight out of the box, without EQ or delay,” he said. “The system offers 140° horizontal coverage and at every seating position the SPL measured in excess of 100dB.
“It showed that it was more than capable of reproducing speech intelligibility from one man with a mic, to acoustic, unamplified sessions through to full electrified cover bands.”
The 244-seat theatre has undergone a complete £2m refurbishment package – including flexible cabling and patching options, refurbished luminaires and lighting bridge and a drop-down electric video projection screen – in marginally under a year since the funding was granted. While all the new technology (including a 48-channel dimming system and audio control) was provided by STS, the theatre also commissioned new seating and carpeting, and filled in the 3m-deep orchestra pit (since it no longer conformed to Health & Safety regulations). Project architects were Genesis Design of Romsey.
Under venue director Heather Whittam the theatre one day hopes to develop from being solely a receiving house into a repertory theatre in its own right. All of which is positive news for The Lights’ experienced Rob Sewell, who hopes to introduce DMX lines and colour scrollers – as well as develop the auditorium into a 5.1 Dolby surround screening room – in the next round of spending.
But in the meantime he is delighted that his faith in QSC’s new installation line array is being so handsomely repaid. “We have replaced a tired 400W system with an amazing 4000W PA – and everyone is delighted.”
29th November 2006
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