Outline's Butterfly Vertical Line Array covered this enormous area (approximately 90,000sq.m) evenly with high SPLs and high acoustic quality, without any loss of intelligibility, say the company. Mario Volanti, the broadcaster's president, commented: "Initially, we were rather perplexed about the possibility of staging such an important event with a sound system that was so small and light that it passed almost unnoticed. Then, once it was switched on for afternoon rehearsals, I'd never have thought that these two columns of enclosures . . . would have been able to give a sound that was so powerful, but at the same time natural and never unpleasant, even at a very high volume. . . As far as the actual music was concerned, the effect was that of listening to two huge long-throw studio monitors. We were also astonished with the speed and ease with which the crew flew and fine-tuned the system . . . it didn't take more than 45 minutes from start to finish!"
Reproduction of the ultra-low frequencies was from 8 + 8 ground-installed Victor Live subwoofers. As well as the Butterfly Hi-pack units (16 + 16), it was also decided to fly 8 + 8 Low-Pack units, whose cardioid characteristics were used to reinforce and project the sound in the 40-100Hz frequency range. Six Outline H.A.R.D. 212 SP (self-powered) and four Tripla II enclosures were used for monitor and stage side-fill work respectively. Amplification and control hardware was also by Outline, with T series power amps and Genius 6 processors.
(Lee Baldock)
