L-Acoustics K2 is right fit for Festningen
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The festival's venue was the 17th century fortress Kristiansten Festning in Southeast Trondheim. However, nearby residential developments meant that local concern over noise pollution was one of the organiser's big challenges. A careful consultation process between Scandec (L-Acoustics Norwegian certified provider distributor), L-Acoustics, and Momentium ensured the best sound reinforcement solution by deploying an L-Acoustics K2 system with an event-specific configuration developed to emphasize noise rejection for specific locations around the venue.
The audio equipment supplier for the festival was one of Norway's largest rental companies, Konsertsystemer LLB AS.
Scandec’s John Idar Bakke, product manager, pro audio, was initially contacted about Festningen by Momentium's production manager, Simon Pedersen. “There are strict regulations with regards to noise pollution," explains Bakke. “It’s in close proximity to residential areas and there is also a care centre for the elderly 120 metres behind the stage, which needed to be taken into consideration.”
Bakke worked with Konsertsystemer LLB AS, and Norwegian event noise monitoring and research company dBcontrol, as well as involving engineers at L-Acoustics R&D department. They were able to offer several suggestions for a complete sound containment solution, and three L-Acoustic engineers went to the site to help the Konsertsystemer crew with system deployment, tuning, and measurements across the Festival's two stages and outside the festival.
For the main speaker arrays,12 K2 full-range enclosures were deployed with four K1-SB subwoofers flown behind them. Combining specific pre-sets and particular delays and the location of subs, gave excellent cancellation. The system also used eight ground stacks of SB28 subs (four either side of the stage, configured two behind two), with two Kiva II modular line source enclosures on top of each stack and two more placed centrally as front-fill.
Reaction to the Festningen sound was positive from all sides. Kristin Svendsen, director at the elderly care centre noted that there were no noise complaints at all, while Espen Alexander Husby, FOH engineer for electro-pop artist Ary praised the sound quality. "I ended up with probably the best sound experience I've had on this system. Rich and distinct. I never felt I needed to push the levels to get presence in the sound image. I ended up with an average of 97dB during the 45-minute set. One of this summer's best."
(Jim Evans)
