The new theatre came equipped with a new loudspeaker system but, as Trevor Nash, technical co-ordinator explains, all was not rosy in the garden. "Plans on paper don't always successfully translate into real world situations. There were coverage issues in several areas of the auditorium. Although adding ground stacked subwoofers and two-way cabinets provided some acoustic improvement, sightlines were compromised as a result."
Nash had worked with a rented d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker system from APEX Sound and Lighton Jesse Cook's Canadian tour in 2010 and was in no doubt it would be the right choice for The Rose.
"Having mixed on just about every type of speaker system around the world, for me the d&b product produces the best sound of them all, this was our main criteria. However, we did obtain quotes from another manufacturer but d&b's innovative specification, the passive boxes that reduce the amplifier count; the internal processing in d&b amplifiers that reduce the need for external processors and the compatibility with our digital consoles made the d&b choice the more cost efficient option. The clear cut winner was d&b audiotechnik."
Nash and the Rose team made use of d&b's ArrayCalc simulator before opting for a combination of d&b Q-Series and E-Series. François Corbin, head of d&b Canada, explains, "They wanted to go with B2 subwoofers but when we showed them the J-SUBs in ArrayCalc they were able to reconsider their decision without incurring extra cost or wasting time at a later stage of the installation process. It's what the ArrayCalc system is all about, providing that extrare assurance for our clients."
The Rose Theatre is an intimate space with a capacity of 876. The horseshoe design means that the furthest seat is only 65ft from the stage so coverage has to be achieved without overwhelming the listener. The main array is flown high to avoid sight line issues but Nash has been able to compensate with intelligent use of the other loudspeakers.
"The Q1'shorizontal and vertical dispersion does a great job of covering the main audience space. The E6s cover corners just outside of the array coverage while the rotating horns of the Q10s allow us to completely cover under the balcony without conflicting with the main array."
(Jim Evans)
