Constructed in 1863 as part of the Royal Danish Army’s Bülow Barracks, what is now the Eksercerhuset (exercise house) has served as a temporary performance venue in recent few years, hosting concerts and events such as stand-up comedy. Being temporary, this meant bringing in sound, light and staging, as well as wardrobe and toilet facilities for each show.
In 2020, local authorities decided to make the venue a permanent performing arts centre with the necessary infrastructure and sound, with Eksercehuset team awarding the project to L-Acoustics Danish distributor, Matrix Sales, who installed Europe’s first L-Acoustics K3 system.
Owned by the Commune of Fredericia, Eksercehuset’s venue head, Sune Rasmussen, oversaw the sound installation. His goal was to give the venue the ability to host a wide variety of music programming – from EDM, to classical or heavy rock. The commune tasked consultant Martin Poulsen with the project, and invited six companies to submit designs according to his specifications. Measurements madeduring onsite demos were recorded and subsequently evaluated by a team of experts chosen by Poulsen.
Henrik Bonné, Sales Manager, Pro Audio for Matrix Sales, worked with Oskar Meijer at L-Acoustics to design a system around the newly launched compact, full-range K3 line array. ‘ The full-range bandwidth of K3 gives it the ability to reproduce any kind of music genre. During the demos, K3 was perceived as the best overall sounding solution over the complete frequency spectrum and for coverage.’
With dual 12-inch drivers in the form factor of a dual 10-inch, the K3 system allowed Matrix to specify stereo hangs with only eight speakers. Two stacks of three KS28 and a centre stack of two KS21 give the system punch without excessive low frequencies on stage. Left, right and centre fill is provided by two A10 Focus and two X8. Twelve X12 coaxials, with two KS21 subs are used as monitors and side/drum fill.
Two L-Acoustics P1 processors, which combine an EQ station with delay and dynamics processing, run in 8x8 matrix mode to handle input configurations, with six LS10 switches providing connectivity for the redundant AVB network. The system is driven by a total of seven LA12X amplified controllers for the main PA and four LA4X for wedges, drum and side fill.
‘We took advantage of the Panflex variable directivity of K3 to avoid sending sound to the side walls of the venue, which are very close to the main hangs,’ Bonné explains. ‘Soundvison and carefull system design was also useful in avoiding reflections from the side and back walls of the room.’
‘The venue’s owners are delighted with the result,’ he concludes. ‘We are hoping to be able to open Eksercerhuset’s doors in May and let audiences hear the amazing new K3 system.’
More: www.l-acoustics.com
