An audio makeover at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Irvin L Young Auditorium has provided the setting for the first installation of a Renkus-Heinz ICL-R ‘triple’ line array loudspeaker system. To address the coverage requirements of the 1,300-seat hall, Scott Leonard (of Wauwatosa Professional Audio Designs) contacted Renkus-Heinz Senior Vice President, Ralph Heinz.
‘I called Ralph and asked him if there was a way to configure an IC Live with a third ICL-R array for increased output and low-frequency control,’ Leonard says. ‘This would also increase artist acceptance and reduce the amount of rental systems needed.
‘The balcony is steeply raked, giving it quite a bit of height to the seats at the rear wall,’ he explains. ‘We needed to design a system with a balcony delay but also provide a reference to the stage for localisation.’
Pervious use of an IC Live system meant thatLeonard knew what the system was capable of in terms of fidelity, power and control – and it didn’t take much to convince, the auditorium Technical Director, David Nees: ‘I brought David to the Namm Show in Anaheim,’ Leonard says. ‘Renkus-Heinz had an IC Live system installed on a live performance stage in the Convention Center lobby, and at an outdoor stage. David was able to listen to a variety of different bands performing through the systems in diametrically different acoustic environments. He was really impressed with the amount of sound coming from such a small system. We even were able to ride up an escalator outside and listen to the smooth vertical coverage control.’
The full university system includes two ICL-R triple stacks mounted left and right of the proscenium, with an additional dual ICL-R system mounted behind a lighting catwalk for over-balcony delay. Four PN212 subwoofers provide low-frequency coverage. The triple unit is configured to provide a localisation reference for the upper balcony system, as Leonard explains: ‘I decided to leave the high-frequency section in the top box and flip it around so that the high-frequency section would be its own controllable element at the top, and not part of the main steerable array. ‘
The IC Live’s compact size proved to be a major asset for the hall’s wide and varied programme of events. ‘The hall has quite a narrow proscenium opening and they had originally been considering a traditional line array,’ says Leonard, ‘but that would mean that any time a major touring act came through with their own system, they’d have to take down the existing arrays first. With the IC Live, they can leave the system in place. It saves a lot of time and labor, not to mention wear and tear on the system. Another advantage is that it gives them a wider stage to work with and improves sightlines for the audience’
Leonard was also particularly pleased with the opportunity to present Renkus-Heinz with an untried challenge, and the responsiveness of the company’s engineers: ‘I love the fact that Renkus-Heinz, as an American company, is so accessible,’ he says. ‘I can call them and speak directly to Ralph with an idea for a product or an improvement, and they have the passion to try and make it work. How many companies can you call and get through to one of the guys whose name is on the speakers? I like that kind of support.’
More: www.renkus-heinz.com
