Officially opening its doors after several years redevelopment, the Queen Elisabeth Hall (QEH) and its accompanying congress centre in Antwerp is now home to the Royal Flemish Philharmonic. The hall is now equipped with audio, video and lighting systems from regional A/V provider and integrator Face.
For the audio, more than 70 Renkus-Heinz beam steering loudspeakers are installed throughout the venue’s multiple spaces in the complex –collectively the Elisabeth Center Antwerp. Of these, the 2,000 seat Queen Elisabeth Hall demanded the greatest attention from Face.
The multi-purpose room was the subject of a comprehensive overhaul designed to improve its acoustics, and as a result Face worked closely with design company Charcoalblue and acoustic specialists Kirkegaard Associates to ensure an optimum sound at every seat in the house. ‘QEH [wished] to be regarded as one of Europe’s leading concert halls, so it stands to reason that the loudspeaker system had to be superlative,’ says Face Project Division Manager Steven Kemland.
Careful consideration of the room’s acoustical properties and coverage issues led to the specification of a 22-box primary LR array comprising Renkus-Heinz Variai Modular Installation Array Systems. Powerful low-frequency woofers, lightweight neodymium compression drivers, and optimum ease of vertical control are among the primary benefits of the Variai boxes, which also feature advanced cabinet and waveguide designs.
The LR arrays further comprise flown VAX15 subs and conventional RHX81 speakers for the side balconies, ensuring 270° audio coverage for each cluster. ‘The Renkus-Heinz team helped us deliver the best possible result, drawing up the original Ease design and undertaking the first simulations for the placement of the speakers in cooperation with Face,’ Kemland says.
Renkus-Heinz is also well represented elsewhere in the venue. A total of 26 custom CFX41 stair step speakers – positioned in three rows – accommodate different stage configurations, while DRS218 subs, RHX101 speakers and VAX101 array modules handle mobile infill and upper balcony delay duties. There is also an integrated speech system, based around Iconyx IC24 and IC8 speakers, for the side balconies and choir wagon.
The concert hall is now anticipating a busy and diverse schedule that includes orchestral performances and dates by Kraftwerk. Easily handling the dramatic shifts in tone, the 70-box Renkus-Heinz system, is already part of the venue’s fabric: ‘As expected, the system has been performing brilliantly, and the feedback we have received from the venue has been superb,’ Kemland reports.
More: www.renkus-heinz.com
