L-Acoustics reinforces Le VIP in Saint-Nazaire
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“After 10 years of service, the old sound system was entering a delicate maintenance phase,” says Julien Potin, technical director at VIP. “So it seemed an appropriate time to acquire a new system that would address lifelong issues.”
“We knew right from the start that we needed an extra-versatile and scalable solution for a modern music hall like the VIP,” adds Samuel Birais, audio technical manager at Melpomen. “Our key objectives were to create a comfortable listening experience for the audience and to respect France’s latest constraints and rules in terms of sound levels, particularly in terms of dBc. To achieve this, we needed a system that delivered high SPL, extended bandwidth of between 25Hz and 20kHz, and evenly distributed sound coverage throughout the hall, without overly polluting the stage space.”
The concert hall is almost 18m wide and the FOH control position is barely 7.5m from the front of the stage. There is also a mezzanine floor that is as wide as the room but shallow, with a bar along its back wall. Smoothing out the differences in sound levels between the pit and the mezzanine, the latter needing to have a lower level of audio and optimizing the coherence of the stereo image in the room were prime considerations.
Following on-site tests, both with and without live bands playing on stage, the Melpomen team was able to determine the perfect audio solution to address all requirements.
The main system comprises left / right hangs of five A15i Focus per side which, to account for the width of the venue, are set to 110-degree horizontal dispersion using L-Acoustics Panflex technology, delivering horizontal coverage in the mid-high range. Three KS21i are flown in cardioid mode next to each A15i hang, which creates an additional cardioid mode and delivers much better rejection at the bottom of the spectrum on stage. For the mezzanine, the team deployed two A10i and a KS21i per side, with two X8 as delay.
“The physical set-up of the main system, which is quite far back on stage, meant that we were able to cover the entire audience without the need for frontfill on the stage lip, which was ideal as the stage level is very low,” notes VIP’s sound engineer, Christophe Rousseau.
The entire system is controlled with an LA12X amplified controller, with a fully redundant Milan/AVB audio network managed via an L-Acoustics LS10 Avnu-certified AVB switch.
The final listening test proved to be in line with Melpomen’s expectations. “VIP hosts an extensive variety of music genres and is widely regarded as one of the most versatile venues in France,” concludes Samuel Birais. “To have a system that can be perfectly adapted to the entire sound spectrum and deliver a perfect stereo image across the room, as well as on the mezzanine floor, is just amazing.”
