Audio Projects have supplied and installed a Martin Audio sound reinforcement system to the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone, having won a competitive tender. Sound engineers had been unhappy for a while about the sound in the theatre, particularly the dead spots. The theatre’s production and operations manager, Eric Lund, realized that an upgrade was essential, so with Audio Projects’ Stephen Hall set about investigating several alternatives before being invited to a demo of the EM series at Martin Audio’s High Wycombe HQ.

"It was a question of finding a product that would provide the right coverage, because there are 300 seats in the stalls and a further 56 in the balcony," said Stephen. "I knew the Martin range would provide the coverage and versatility for the wide band of shows the theatre receives - and because several of their management live locally to us I knew I wouldn’t need to worry about after-sales."

A conventional left and right proscenium arch system comprises a pair of EM186s, run full range. A pair of EM26s are suspended from the advance bar, one pointed back at the stage as auxiliary foldback and the other to provide front-fill coverage for the front row. Additional mobile Hortus C15 front fills were also provided for use in the orchestra pit. The balcony sound is provided by a pair of EM56s acting as delays, set midway down the auditorium. To achieve total coverage of the auditorium, Audio Projects produced their own EASE plot.

The new equipment is all on multicores; this includes a Yamaha DME-32 Digital Mix Engine - a configurable DSP toolbox which holds different secure presets - along with Carver amplification and a new Hortus VS 15 stage monitoring system, stage boxes left, right and in the pit, with additional tie lines to the Exchange Theatre which is located next door.

(Ruth Rossington)


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