Part of a complete new technical infrastructure, Helsinki’s Svenska Teatern has installed DiGiCo mixing consoles with an Optocore digital optical audio network.
The Optocore fibre loop forms a digital backbone (with Sane extensions) for audio signal distribution to the amplifier racks, TTA Stagetracker localisation system and Yamaha processing. It also includes Madi converters, and was installed to coincide with the Finnish premier of Kristina från Duvemåla – a hit musical written by former ABBA members Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.
The equipment was supplied to the Swedish-speaking theatre by Finnish distributor, msonic, who also assisted the long-serving technical manager Andreas (Stanley) Lönnquist – and the theatre’s consultants (including Santtu Sipilä) – with the design and specification of the highly complex audio networking system, as well as the tender document. Local integration company, Hedcom Oy, had the capabilities to implement this within the time frame, and was contracted to carry out the installation following their successful bid.
The digital infrastructure itself was mainly designed by Janne Sivonen and Lönnquist along with Tero Hölttä from msonic and Santtu Sipilä. Also assisting with the design was Optocore’s support engineer, Maciek Janiszewski.
Optocore devices used in the installation include quantities of DD32R-FX providing AES/EBU I/O, X6R analogue converters, DD4MR-FX and DD2MR-FX dual Madi devices, compatible with Optocore’s Cat5-based Sane platform.
The decision to renovate the theatre was made several years ago with part of the previous technical equipment infrastructure sold or decommissioned, and part redeployed. However, Lönnquist has kept faith with d&b audiotechnik loudspeakers, now upgrading to the T-series, which will be the main sound reinforcement component among the 100-plus d&b speakers specified, while the former C-series will be relocated to the second room. DiGiCo digital consoles have been installed in both the FOH and monitor positions.
‘The main aim was to keep the entire signal path in the digital domain, in order to maintain the audio quality and keep the latency as low as possible,’ Hölttä explains. Which is where the Optocore system comes in – the German manufacturer provided a number of devices in order for the network topology to be built around two independent, and fully redundant, rings.
At front-of-house is a DiGiCo SD7T console with EX-007 Sidecar and six SD-racks, while the monitor desk is a DiGiCo SD10. Three Madi units add the open standard connectivity to the DiGiCo environment in one Optocore-based loop.
The second, pure Optocore loop provides analogue, AES/EBU and Madi inputs and outputs throughout the entire building. The system is also equipped with multiple SANE-enabled Y3R-TP cards, providing digital channels to the Yamaha DME64 processors, while two DD32R-FX devices feed the amplifiers in the amp room.
The Optocore loops are connected by two DirectOut M1K2 Madi routers, each loop compatible with Optocore’s 1Gbit network. The entire system has been designed to carry almost 1,000 audio input channels.
Development of the theatre’s technical systems is ongoing, and future plans are expected to include a production/recording room within the facility.
This famous theatre was designed by Russian architect Nikolaj Benois and built in 1866. It is the national stage for the Swedish speaking minority and has hosted many concerts and repertory theatre productions during its illustrious history. The great hall seats around 600 and a second studio theatre, around 100.
Kristina från Duvemåla, meanwhile, looks set for a long run. The musical itself is based on a series of four novels, collectively known as Utvandrarna (‘The Emigrants’) by Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg, detailing a family’s poverty-driven migration from Sweden to America in the mid-19th century.
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