Audiotonas recently renewed the audio system at the Juozas Miltinis Theatre in Panevezys, the fifth-largest city in Lithuania, where the 400-capacity Grand Hall has been equipped with a Martin Audio Wavefront Precision (WPM) line array.
According to Audiotonas Chief Audio Engineer (and system designer), Vytautas Stasiukaitis, the venue’s old point source PA system at more than 20 years old was no longer fit for purpose: ‘The performance was not acceptable by today’s standards, and so the theatre wanted a high-tech sound system in which performance features could be optimised according to the architecture of the room,’ he says. ‘As the most cost-efficient system which met all the requirements of the Theatre Wavefront Precision was the way to go.’
It was the facility’s first experience with Martin Audio, and the sound engineers of were impressed: ‘This was particularly the case after we installed and tuned the system with Display software,’ Stasiukaitis says. ‘The intelligibility, consistency and frequency response were outstanding throughout the entire audience area. We set the back wall as a Hard Avoid area because there was no acoustic treatment on the wall and that helped to maintain excellent audio performance with minimum reflections.’
The Grand Hall itself is single tier with raked seating. ‘We could see this as a perfect opportunity for a WPM installation,’ he says. ‘We provided 12 modules per side, which is why we did not need front fill – the location of the hangs itself and the quantity of modules ensured coverage of the front rows. Also, the size [of the enclosures] and overall performance made this the perfect choice.’
The mid-highs were underpinned by six SX118 subwoofers, with custom-made hardware enabling them to be flown near the main hangs: ‘Rear rejection was great, even in low frequencies, thanks to the cardioid set-up,’ he reports.
In addition, CDD8s (two per side and two each at the rear of the auditorium) were detailed for theatrical effects surround. Finally, four Martin Audio XE300 have been provided for reference monitoring and a stage system comprises four CDD12 and an SX118 subwoofer. The main PA is run off a pair of iKon iK42 amplifiers, set to three-box resolution.
‘Although the resolution is not particularly high, it was sufficient for this set-up,’ the designer explains. ‘A further five iK42 were used for subs, stage PA, stage monitors and surround speakers.’
The overall system upgrade also includes a new mixing desk, stageboxes, microphones and audio editing software, with all audio distribution via Dante. The amplifier racks were split into two sets in order to keep the same cable lengths running to the left and right side hangs.
This solution has met with approval from the client – theatre audio engineer Saulius Požerskas says the team is delighted with the system, ‘as it sounds very crisp and clear throughout the entire audience area, and the overall experience for audiences is great’.
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