Having completed an extensive audio renovation, the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, California, is now equipped with an STX loudspeaker system from Ambisonic Sound Technologies, using the company’s Coaxial Line Array loudspeakers and subwoofers.

Built in 1926, the 360-seats theatre has hosted to a long list of entertainers, including musical acts as wide ranging as Debbie Reynolds, Smokey Robinson and American Idol semi-finalist Todrick Hall.

With its parallel concrete walls and lack of significant absorption, however, the room was a very challenging one for audio. The challenge faced by Theatre Manager Jay Irwin was to tame the hall’s reverb without compromising the art deco architecture. Without acoustic treatment, it seemed impossible to get focused, full-range sound in every seat.

This was also a concern for Godspeed producer Sammy Oriti, who was concerned about the intelligibility of his scripture-based rock musical. Oriti introduced Irwin to Ambisonic Sound Technologies. ‘Our line array products are uniquely suited for these types of highly reverberant spaces,’ says Ambisonic Sound Technologies CTO, Tom Harrison. ‘The fixed-curve single-cabinet arrays produce high-output levels with audiophile sound quality and tightly controlled vertical directivity for more direct versus reflected sound and superior speech intelligibility.’

To provide the clarity and coverage needed for a theatre of this shape and size, the system comprises STX6620 and STX4625 ribbon-loaded line array hangs.

Using Ambisonic Sound Technologies’ Array Optimization System (AOS) software to model the system and seating indicated that the system needed an additional STX4625 array cabinet to cover the front audience area. This additional cabinet was needed at the bottom of the array to increase the vertical coverage required for even sound pressure level from the first row to the last row. A DRM212 woofer was added to each array to increase low frequency output and overall system dynamics.

‘The sound is amazingly even – every audience member hears the same exact thing from the front row to the back row,’ Irwin says. ‘The speakers have punch and excitement, but never seem harsh or brittle. They have a wonderfully organic and natural sound.’

More: http://ambisonicst.com