Converting an industrial building has given Holland a new three-room live music venue in Leiden. Originally a blanket factory, the premises were later taken over by the Nobel Brothers, who traded rags, tatters and ‘old metals’.

Abandoned in 1987, it was later repurposed several times before assuming in its current guise following a new infrastructure created by EHA Architects.

Key to its appeal are the Martin Audio/Powersoft sound systems installed in each rom.

The sound system installation at de Nobel was carried out by TM Audio, after winning a European public tender in 2013. The company’s reading of the outline specification issued by PB Theateradviseurs secured the contract, based on its catalogue of premium brands – including Martin Audio, whom they represent in The Netherlands.

‘We were up against three or four competitors, and were able to meet or exceed the specifications quoted,’ says TM Audio Sales & Marketing Manager, Rudolf Nagtzaam, who co-project managed the contract with colleague Jaap Pronk.

The location features two main live rooms – respectively holding 700 and 300 people – along with a small café stage for acoustic singer songwriters. main room’s sound reinforcement features ten W8LCi Compact line array elements and six S218+ subwoofers – recommended as offering the best combination of price and specification. The system is driven by Powersoft amps.

In Hall 2, flown Martin Audio Blackline H3+ tops are again complemented by S218+ subs – with Martin Audio WT2 compact theatre system enclosures providing infill duties for both halls. According to Nagtzaam, a more powerful, close-field solution was required in this location, which would cater not only for the needs of DJs and musicians, but also speech and other applications.

In the Café, Martin Audio’s Blackline range was the system of choice. This set-up comprises F15+ and S18+ sub, while Powersoft amps and Allen & Heath mixer will be designated as part of the portable system within the complex.

The installation has seen TM Audio become one of the first companies in Europe to deploy Powersoft’s new X series of Dante-supporting four- and eight-channel (X4 and X8) amplifiers. Originally, the Ottocanali and Duecanali modules had been written into the spec but this was quickly upgraded when the X Series were released. ‘I told the consultant [PB theateradviseurs] that I was planning to change the spec as the other amps didn’t have the DSP built in,’ Nagtzaam explains. ‘Without the X Series the rack would have been completely filled with amplifiers. These are really powerful – they support Dante and we can do full system monitoring via Armonía.’

‘Armonía enables you set up a dedicated private network and once the settings are good you just lock it off,’ he adds.

An X8 is assigned to each of the two speaker clusters and an X4 for fill. The Synco floor monitors deployed will also be powered by these devices, although their own dedicated controller will handle the processing.

With a wide-ranging entertainment programme ahead, presets are required for conventional auditorium concert and dance nights, when the stage becomes the dancefloor. Settings will be locked away within the Powersoft environment but a separate X8 will be made available for visiting sound engineers.

To provide visiting productions with the maximum flexibility, there is a large patchbay and multiple tie-lines, with provision for analogue multi cabling (for use by visiting production teams), and tie-lines between the two rooms.