Although the venue at the Stockholm International Fair is not ideally suited for a classical event of this nature, with some subtle amplification and careful design of the QSC WideLine-10 line array configuration by sound production and design company, DM Audio (part of EM Nordic AB), the concert was a big success.
Held in the A-1 hall, the 3,500 seats are spread wide across the auditorium, and thus WideLine-10, with its 140° horizontal dispersion characteristic, was a logical choice to form the centrepiece of a complete QSC audio and networking solution.
DM Audio fielded just two main PA hangs of eight QSC WideLine-10 line array enclosures, with ground-stacked ISIS 215SBs providing the LF extension; Acoustic Design AD-S82Hs provided the front-fill and stage monitors, while QSC ISIS 105W's were deployed as out-fill speakers. The rig was driven by QSC's PLX 3602 and PLX2002 amplifiers, along with PL224s and PL230s.
The four-way system was optimised using QSC's proprietary BASIS 922az processor, operating on QSControl.net, which handled all system control, monitoring, signal transport and processing needs over an Ethernet network.
"By using the WideLine-10s, we were able to achieve a nice even stereo image over a large area," said DM Audio's Lars Wern. "With the complementary ISIS 105W outfill speakers we were able to maintain the image right to the outer reaches of the seating area."
The equipment remained in situ for the Congress that followed. "As always when you are working with a full AV set-up like this you will encounter line-of-sight problems," continued Wern. "This time there were three large screens at the back of the stage. However, the compact WideLine-10 enabled us to limit the speaker footprint - had we used a system with less horizontal dispersion we would probably have needed to use four clusters. Also keeping the sub woofers on the floor made the system less intrusive."
The opening concert featured the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Erik Ericson Choir. The ensemble performed Swedish composer Lars Erik Larson's God In Disguise, with featured soloists including Peter Mattei, Elin Rombo and Johan Rabeus, conducted by Patrik Ringborg.
Sound design and FOH sound engineering was undertaken by DM Audio's Lars Wern, while strings and monitors were mixed by Mårten Ihre (with Rickard Wern acting as audio co-ordinator). The show was produced by Gunnar Andersson, while event organisation was by Stockholm International Fairs' Mats Grahn.
(Jim Evans)
