An independent childcare campus on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Saint Stephen’s College recently opened a Aus$6.8m Center of Music Excellence for its students, marking a second Clair Brothers sound system installation for the institution.
‘I worked in the corporate events and entrainment industry for many years and have used Clair Brothers products many times,’ says Saint Stephen’s College Event Producer, Tony Marshall. ‘The sound quality is always outstanding. I truly believe that when you hear people take the time to comment on how great the sound is at an event, that you know you have a winner.
‘When the time came to upgrade the audio system in The Goda Firkins Auditorium, Clair Brothers was my first choice. And of course, they were my first choice for sound at our new music centre, as well. The results have already been noticed by everyone.’
The facility is used by more than 350 students, and comprises a 220-seat recital hall, rehearsal studios, classrooms, specialised instrumental teaching spaces, a percussion studio and flexible learning areas. The sound system, designed to support a wide variety of musical performances and respect the recital hall’s architecture, comprises (two per side Clair Brothers CAT115s (Curve Array Technology) along with two CB-D40 amplifiers and Wedge-Ps for stage monitors.
‘The Music Centre has a ceiling height of more than 19ft, with a large HD projection screen on the backstage wall,’ Marshall says. ‘The aesthetics and vertical system height/visual footprint were important to keep to a minimum without compromising any audio quality and coverage throughout the venue. The Clair Brothers CAT115 was the perfect system solution, delivering precise vertical and horizontal dispersion sound throughout the audience seating area and bio booth, with no site-line issues from the upper seating level to the stage and HD projection screen.’
The CAT system is a full range system (frequency response ±2dB 39Hz-20kHz) that doesn’t require subwoofers for day-to-day performances. However, with the programmed system Lake presets, it allows for the addition of CS18s for concerts, rock musicals and special effects. The CAT115 is two-way bi-amped, and to allows complete flexibility for gain shading of the bottom cabinets to suit different stage configurations. Two CB-D40 amplifiers provide each speaker component with its own amp channel, Lake processing, level control and limiting. The Wedge-P stage monitors were the right fit for the centre’s stage being very low profile, and providing the headroom required by for artists and rock concerts.
‘Wayne made sure to design and install the system to include multi-send foldback and the ability to add subs when required because our sound system must be able to handle a wide variety of performance types – from simple playback with a vocalist and a piano, to choral groups, string ensembles, orchestras and jazz, funk and rock bands,’ Marshall adds.
Following the installation, Marshall has received feedback from audiences, staff and students, and the college business manager regularly brings in visitors – including the Board of Directors – to hear the system in action. ‘Everyone is so impressed with the powerful yet clear sound,’ he concludes. ‘They love it. I love it. What more needs to be said?’
More: www.clairbrothers.com
