As to be expected, Starlight, which is operated by the not-for-profit Starlight Theatre Association, has been through a few sound systems in its time, with the last one holding out for the past 14 seasons. But none of them have ever been able to deliver the critical combination of the intelligibility needed for theatrical dialog with the full-range frequency response necessary for music. Until this year, that is. A new L-Acoustics Kara Modular WST line source sound system was installed over the winter and is already taking Starlight's 2014 season to new heights.
The new L-Acoustics house system, designed by Dallas-based Idibri (formerly Acoustic Dimensions) and installed by Clair Brothers Audio Systems' Nashville office, consists of a total of 48 Kara line array modules divided into three hangs of 16 each, positioned left, centre and right along a steel framework above the proscenium stage. Flanking either side of the centre-hang and the outside of the left and right arrays are flown arrays of six SB18 subwoofers accompanied by eight ground-stacked SB28 subwoofers split between the left and right sides of the stage floor.
Proscenium-fills are handled by two ARCS Wide and two ARCS Focus, one each per side, while six tiny 5XT coaxial loudspeakers and three larger 8XT enclosures comprise the front-fill complement. A total of 16 LA8 amplified controllers power the entire system.
"We put a lot of effort into choosing the new sound system," states Justin White, Starlight Theatre director of operations and theatre plant, noting the winnowing process began with five systems that Idibri Project Manager Ryan Knox suggested Starlight investigate. This field was eventually narrowed down to three finalists, for whom Idibri arranged a demo that let dozens of Starlight staffers, board members, donors and city officials listen to audio systems in the venue itself and do an A-B-C comparison using the same program material.
The new system was first used in late May for Starlight's Blue Star Awards, a Tony Awards-style programme to recognize metro area high school musical theatre talent. All of the system's critical parameters were on the line, and it performed flawlessly. It will get an even more vigorous workout for the season's first Broadway musical when The Wizard of Oz comes to Starlight in mid-June.
(Jim Evans)
