Unlike many multi-purpose spaces, the Rocky Hill auditorium has good acoustics and a permanent stage designed for theatrical performances. Like many other, however, its sound system was old and suffered from poor sound quality and feedback issues…

Rocky Hill High School is a four-year public high school in Connecticut, offering a range of educational, co-curricular, and extracurricular programmes. Supporting these, its 500-capacity auditorium is used for musicals, band and choir concerts, dance recitals, faculty meetings and outside events.

In 2013, the school contacted John Pizzoferrato of CMI Sound Systems, who had done work for the school in the past. He examined the sxisting system and recommended it be replaced with Community Entasys column loudspeakers, a DSP processor and new amplifiers. The school agreed, and Pizzoferrato installed a pair of Entasys 220 loudspeakers, one on each side of the stage, and a pair of Community VLF-208LV subwoofers in recessed pockets under the stage. He added an Ashly DSP and a pair of Ashly amplifiers, while reusing the school’s existing mixer and microphones.

Pizzoferrato says the upgraded system is intelligible throughout the entire audience space and feedback has been virtually eliminated: ‘Now, they can walk across the stage with a lapel mic and not have feedback’, he confirms. The school was initially reluctant to cut holes in the stage for the subwoofers, but Pizzoferrato says, ‘The subs really enhanced the fullness of the sound and the VLF-208LVs only needed small cut-outs so the school is happy with the appearance.’ He added, ‘The school had a budget for repairs, but their upgraded system performs like a new one.’