Estonia’s Saarepeedi Cultural Center has installed an new sound reinforcement with the assistance of Heliart OÜ, who chose an EAW QX300 Series speaker system and RL18S active subwoofers.
The EAW components were chosen for the five-decade old cultural centre – which is located in southern Estonia, near Viljandi – for their high SPL, consistent coverage and exceptional vocal intelligibility. Serving as a multi-function venue for the local community, the space is used for different activities and performing arts, including theatrical and dance events, seminars, rehearsals, sports and musical acts including choirs and live bands.
The venue required a system that had broadband pattern control, as the choirs and folklore musicians performing prefer low frequency energy on the stage to be kept to a minimum.
The main PA comprises two QX364s boxes flown in a LR configuration position supplemented by four RL18S subwoofers positioned in the centre of the stage. The Heliart OÜ team was limited by the construction of the building as to where to place the subwoofers, therefore, custom frames were built around the structures inside the stage to accommodate two cardioid pairs of subwoofers.
‘The 4-inch voice coil compression driver with constant directivity horn is surrounded by two pairs of phase-aligned 10-inch low frequency drivers,’ says Heliart OÜ CEO, Priit Kivimägi. ‘This extends the pattern control to lower frequencies and therefore keeps the energy off the walls and ceiling, and in the audience area. This really helped combat the acoustical challenges of the building’s large painted concrete walls and high ceilings.’
Ease-of-use was also a consideration in selecting the PA system. ‘We knew from the start that the QX series would meet these needs with ease and the built-in cardioid functionality of the subwoofers would help to keep the system easier to operate,’ Kivimägi says. ‘All this is packed into a visually pleasing, small footprint enclosure. What I like most about the QX series, is its symmetrical design. Linear phase response and full frequency spectrum originating from a single source makes this a predictable and easy to operate system.’
From a system design point of view, the team had to consider the venue’s electrical system. Since it’s an older venue, it was outdated and did not meet the needs of modern A/V solutions, especially when digital networks are involved. ‘The last thing we needed was harmonic currents wandering around the electrical system resulting in audible hums or other unwanted noises,’ Kivimägi adds. ‘For this project, a new electrical system was designed based on the requirements of the sound and lighting equipment resulting in a dedicated audio-only distribution box with full automation.’
The systems power options (single, bi- or triamp mode) were also a benefit. ‘The triamp configuration was the key to keeping the overall impedances, speaker cable losses and amplification cost in perfect balance. The QX300 is truly a state-of-the-art system. In addition, the system’s low idling power consumption is a great feature from an energy-savings perspective. We are thrilled with the results, and so is the community.’
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