Sadler’s Wells East puts flexibility to the fore with d&b.
A d&b audiotechnik A-Series system was chosen to deliver the required quality and versatility of sound for the brand-new Sadler’s Wells East, one of the latest performing arts gems to spring up in the rejuvenated Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London . . .
Setting the Scene
With the original Sadler’s Wells Theatre developing from a 17th century ‘Musick-House’ to a world-leading 21st century destination for the performing arts, when the time came for a prestigious new expansion – Sadler’s Wells East (SWE) – the pressure was on to deliver a second venue which would build on its status and legacy. And that included a sound system of the highest quality, with plenty of flexibility to adapt to the broad spectrum of programming at the venue.
The venue’s proposals had the benefit of a comprehensive overview from theatre consultancy Charcoalblue, plus feedback from leading international contemporary dance artists and many other contributors.
When it came to equipment specification and installation, SWE turned to Autograph to decide on the system which would guide the new venue into the future.
Setting Objectives
For the SWE technical team, the new sound system had to fulfil several major requirements. First, of course, was quality: without question, the venue would need to offer a world-class experience for artists and audiences alike. Also essential was flexibility: any new system would have to efficiently service SWE’s main 550-capacity auditorium and allow for the smooth transfer of productions between the original venue in Islington and the new facility.
Technical director Oli Clark explains, “We wanted excellent sound reproduction – clear, full and uninterrupted coverage to every listener. We also wanted a high degree of usability for touring companies and expandability for our produced work and productions which might require a different system configuration from the standard proscenium format.”
Finally, looking ahead, they required longevity – a system that would offer continued relevance in the face of rapidly-developing technology. As Clark says, “It was important that it be future-proofed, with the ability to integrate reinforcement and surround system elements to offer a more dynamic sound environment – including multi-layer and spatial capability – without too much reconfiguration.”
To guarantee all of the above, the Autograph team was able to provide demonstrations of various equipment systems and setups for the technical team’s evaluation.
The Solution
The team’s solution of choice for the main space was based around d&b audiotechnik’s A-Series augmented array loudspeaker system. This, they found, met all their requirements going forward, plus continuity and compatibility with the d&b-based systems in use at the existing Sadler’s Wells Theatre.
Adam Broom, at d&b, says, “With Autograph, we hosted SWE’s technical manager and head of sound at the d&b GB base in Nailsworth for an A-Series demo and an exploration of ArrayProcessing.”
Autograph’s design drew on d&b ArrayCalc to accurately predict the system’s performance, with d&b’s GB team on-hand to peer-review the ArrayCalc simulations as needed.
The final system has L-C-R hangs, each of three AL90 augmented array cabinets, giving a 90° dispersion pattern horizontally. An AL Flying Adapter gives the additional option of arraying the AL90s horizontally if a production requires. Complementing these are a flown array of Vi-SUBs, plus two XSL-GSUBs on the ground per side.
20 of d&b’s ultra-compact flush-mountable 44S loudspeaker cabinets are set within the walls for surround duties, while a further six are available for front-fills along the stage-lip, as required. Stage monitoring is provided by Y7P cabinets and amplification for the whole system is from 40D and 5D models.
Conclusion
“The result is a great system with plenty of flexibility that considers the needs of the client – and of the building – both now and in the future,” says d&b’s Adam Broom. “For example, having all loudspeakers on discrete channels is a fantastic way of being able to facilitate immersive engines when the time comes.”
The view from the client is equally positive, with technical director Oli Clark describing the venue’s new sound system as“powerful, dynamic and detailed in sound reproduction and intelligibility.”
