"We bought 16 M'elodies to use as main arrays in our Cabaret Theatre, and that experience made me a big fan of Meyer Sound," says Mat Diamond, head of audio at Mohegan Sun. "So when it came time to upgrade the Wolf Den, choosing M'elodie again was an easy decision."
To cover the 300-degree audience area, the new system features two main arrays of six M'elodie loudspeakers each, two side arrays of four each, and four for front-fill. Four 700-HP subwoofers provide low end, with system drive and alignment provided by a Galileo Callisto loudspeaker management system. The system was supplied by HB Communications of North Haven, Conn.
The architecture of the Casino of the Earth, the building housing Wolf Den, has strict weight limitations. "The structure couldn't really support much more weight for the speaker hangs," says Diamond. "But when I looked at the numbers, I was pleased to find that the self-powered M'elodies actually weigh 20 pounds less per box than the conventional boxes we were replacing.
"I love the fact that M'elodie is plug-and-play, with power and processing on board. It's a great-sounding box that you don't have to mess with," continues Diamond. "Versatility is one of the things I like about Meyer Sound systems, and that's why I'm pushing for more of them here. The same rig really works for anything we do, from heavy metal to country to hip-hop and pop."
Acts that have played in the Wolf Den since the audio renovation include heavy metal bands Queensryche and Slaughter, rock bands Eddie Money and Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, doo-wop group Little Anthony and the Imperials, and hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa.
The upgrade also includes 12 UM-1P stage monitors in addition to a UPA-1P loudspeaker and a USW-1P subwoofer for drum monitors. Yamaha CL5 digital mixing consoles are installed for FOH and monitor positions.
(Jim Evans)
