One of the most unusual deployments of RCF’s active HDL6-A line array can be found in sound sculptor Mark Fell’s Protomusic #1 installation at the Sage Gateshead, part of the Great Exhibition of the North.
The installation of 40 of these compact elements was carried out by RCF partner Nitelites, to contour the curvilinear glass and stainless superstructure of the building. The installation was carried out in just three days and involves bespoke mounting bracketry, manufactured in-house by Nitelites, enabling each speaker to be optimised at the correct tilt angle, while remaining discreet.
Fell’s soundscape of real-world sounds that represent the North of England, have been reproduced by 60 traditional instruments from around the world by Royal Northern Sinfonia, as well as non-professional players and independent musicians, in what amounts to three hours’ worth of material, recorded over a two-month period. The soundscape plays using a non-repetitive algorithm at low-level, with each of the 40 speakers receiving its own independent feed.
Sage Gateshead enjoys a close relationship with RCF, as Nitelites previously installed flagship RCF systems in its two main rooms, making the venue exclusively an RCF house. At the end of the exhibition, Sage Gateshead will take ownership and repurpose a quantity of the boxes being used in Protomusic #1 while the remainder will return to Nitelites’ hire inventory.
‘We have a number of halls in which we stage events, and the PA is receiving positive feedback,’ says Sage Gateshead Technical Manager, Clair Willis. ‘It was based on this experience that I suggested the use of RCF within this project. With the opening of the exhibition, the organisation had wanted something to animate the concourse and Mark’s idea was selected by the programming team as the immersive experience it wanted.’
‘To convince Mark about the merits of the HDL6 we shipped him a unit to try out,’ recalls Nitelites Project Manager, Ed Gamble.
‘When I arrived on-site and considered the venue’s spatial and sonic characteristics, I could see it was a particularly complex and challenging acoustic environment, with hard surfaces that there was no point fighting against. I knew that this project needed a great deal of care and forethought, which was why finding the right speaker unit was so imperative,’ Fell says. ‘Within about 15 minutes of setting up the speaker in my studio and playing different sounds through it, I knew that it was exactly what I needed,’
In fact, the results surpassed his expectations: ‘It displayed a stunning level of controllability, clarity and detail. This allowed me to work with an exceptional level of precision within the space, turning what seemed like challenges into creative opportunities. Basically I was overjoyed with the results: the team at Nitelites were meticulous in their planning and execution and I was very impressed with the HDL-6A’s performance.
‘From the floor of Sage Gateshead it looked amazing — a super neat job,’ he adds. ‘PA companies often have an approach to cable management that I find aesthetically challenging so this was a very different experience.’
Gamble regards the speakers’ 100° x 10° vertical coverage perfect for the project, focusing the sound on the listener. ‘Because of the control pattern, HDL6-A provides a seamless audio experience from area to area along the concourse. The other benefits of using the HDL6-A are the weight and size, which are incredible.’
Fell also invited participation from the public with iPhone and Android apps enabling users could record sound, images and add text to be automatically sent to his server. ‘I’m really happy with the work, it was a new experience for me to work with so many musicians and that was a great part of the process,’ he says. ‘Without doubt the HDL6-A enclosures delivered the level of sonic quality that I had hoped for. I’m super happy because I like sonic detail and clarity, and the speakers delivered that.’
