Reaching millions of people each year through publications, research groups and lectures, the UK’s Royal Geographical Society (RGS) also organises events at London’s 750-seat Ondaatje Theatre. The Society recently decided to upgrade the location with an improved audio system with assistance of integrator, Plus4 Audio.

‘When we voted to invest in the theatre revamp, the sound system became our first priority,’ says RGS Business Development Manager, Luciano Figueira. ‘Most of the events we host are conferences, speeches and lectures, so we needed a system that would help the speakers deliver their insights and bring the best in audio clarity, regardless of where the audience is seated in the theatre.

‘While some speakers are gifted or trained orators, others are more comfortable in the middle of the arctic wilderness than in front of an audience, so we needed something that would be flexible and efficient enough to help them share their stories, and grab the audience from their seat. The audio element of the refurbishment became of paramount importance.’

The structure of the theatre itself also presented a number of challenges. It features a balcony and large wooden panels across the theatre walls. The RGS called upon the expertise of Plus 4 Audio: ‘We are close to a number of iconic music halls and auditoria in London, so we asked them who in their opinion would be the best integrator, and Plus4Audio stood out,’ Figueira explains.

Understanding the Society’s needs for sound quality and reliability, Plus4 Audio opted for APG’s Uniline Compact range – a new compact system from the the French manufacturer based on the Modular Line Array.

‘The sound system had to meet a number of requirements,’ Plus4Audio MD Stewart Chaney explains. ‘The Royal Geographical Society theatre welcomes presenters that aren’t always professionally trained and, as a result, their speech output can be quite low. The historical dimension of the theatre and its layout were also major considerations. So we needed a sound system that would not only be compact and powerful, but precise and flexible enough to perform flawlessly regardless of the circumstances. We needed speakers that could reach every single person in the room’.

Plus4Audio specified 18 APG Uniline Compact loudspeakers equally split in an LR flown line array configuration. Each line array comprises eight UC206N for the medium/long throw requirements, coupled with a UC206W dedicated to the front rows and two UC115B bass speakers. Fourteen DX5 coaxial loudspeakers complete the installation, two as onstage monitors, three for front fill, with the remainder distributed across the room both beneath and above the balcony. Both the line array boxes as well as the DX5 situated below and above the balcony were customised in white in order to blend into the environment.

The system is powered by two APG DA:50 and four DA:15 DSP amplifiers, allowing for various cabling configurations depending on speakers and impedance load. For front of house, Plus4Audio specified aDiGiCo SD9 console and two DiGiCo 32:16 D Racks, along with a Tascam SS CDR 200 audio recorder. Ten Sennheiser 2000 series radio mics are available for speakers and the audience alike.

Plus4Audio involved the RGS in selecting the system, and organised A/B tests onsite. ‘We listened to different loudspeaker brands, but when APG demonstrated its Uniline Compact range, we were immediately sold,’ Figueira reports. ‘The performance was fantastic, and we were most impressed with the bass levels. We first tested the system without any subwoofers and the result was already amazing. A senior representative from APG also took the time to come over, which gave us further confidence that we were making the right choice.’

‘It is easy for integrators to take a safe approach and recommend the big brands everyone knows about, but we pride ourselves in choosing the right solution for the right application, and APG ticked all the boxes with its Uniline Compact,’ Chaney says. ‘I don’t think we would have achieved the same results with other speakers, and we’re proud to be the first company to install the Uniline Compact range in the UK.’

‘It took a few weeks for us to learn to drive this Formula 1 car, but now we are simply flying with it,’ Figueira adds. ‘The sound is perfect; it is exactly what we wanted it to be.’

More: www.plus4audio.co.uk
More: www.apg.audio