The iconic structure is arch-shaped in plan, surmounted by a cupola and is one of the most photographed buildings in the city of dreaming spires. In addition to being used for lectures by invited guests, matriculation and graduation ceremonies, it also sees many thousands of tourists every year.
Peterborough-based B+H Sound Services was appointed to supply and install a new audio system, which would satisfy all the modern needs of the venue but not impact on its architectural beauty, either physically or aesthetically.
"The building underwent an intensive refurbishment, the main brief for which was to restore it to its original glory," says B+H Sound managing director Brian Hillson. "The University did a vast amount of research on how it originally looked and everything was planned and specified with meticulous detail. An astonishing amount of care and attention went into the refurbishment, even down to 17th century paint colours.
"Our part of the brief was to install an audio system which would be heard but not seen. It had to effectively be invisible."
This wasn't the only challenge. Another was that the system had to be usable in two orientations. At graduation ceremonies, the University's vice-chancellor speaks from one end of the theatre, but guest speakers address audiences from the other end, and at various times some or all of the three levels of seating are called into use.
"We had to design a system that would work in both directions, with various combinations of loudspeakers used at different times. That made for an interesting challenge" says Hillson.
The design solution was a K-array audio system (sourced from the manufacturer's UK distributor Sennheiser UK), whose highly compact line array elements deliver remarkable audio power and quality from a very small footprint. The system comprises 12 KV50W ultra-flat line array elements, two KKS50W compact subs, powered by two KA7 and one KA10-10 compact power amplifiers.
"The K-array system perfectly matched the required coverage patterns in what is a three-tier venue," says Hillson. "Because it has a very narrow vertical, yet very wide horizontal, dispersion it meant that we could make the system invisible. With lots of DSP programming at the front end, the loudspeakers could easily be controlled to suit any particular application, dependent upon which orientation the theatre is used in.
"In addition, the compact dimensions of K-array equipment meant that no speakers needed to be mounted on the building's architecture. Working closely with the building contractor and University's building surveyor we contrived to 'lose' them in the décor, mounting them on handrail supports and non-original panelling."
Complementing the K-array equipment are four Sennheiser ew 312 G3 wireless microphone systems, an ASA1 aerial distribution amplifier, two AB3-E antenna boosters to provide a predominantly wireless microphone solution.
(Jim Evans)
