More Qs in Barcelona.
Following the successful installations of d&b audiotechnik Q-Series PA systems at the Teatre Auditori in Granollers, Spain, and Auditorium de Palma in Palma de Mallorca, another local auditorium has chosen to install a d&b Qi-Series loudspeaker system.
The Auditori Winterthur is a convention centre in the heart of the business complex of L'iLLA in Barcelona. The Auditori (Catalan for auditorium) was planned by architect Rafael Moneo, incorporating acoustics designed by Igini Arau and was originally built to present music concerts without the aid of amplification for up to six hundred and fifty listeners. In due course, with an expansion into new activities such as conferences and corporate events, the need for a sound system became increasingly apparent. The original installation, however proved less than perfect as all the sound amplified through it was reflected back by a curved wall at the rear of the auditorium making speech unintelligible in many instances.
The venue's technical staff suggested that a new reinforcement system sited differently and with better directivity control could overcome the acoustic problems. There followed a meeting between Salvador Serra from "Imaginamusica" who are local partners for the Spanish d&b audiotechnik distributor Puerta de Sonido, Oscar Lladonosa the installer and David Rosello from d&b Spain. It was agreed that by placing a small Qi-Series loudpeaker cluster high and centred each side this would eliminate the sound reflected by the walls which would improve the acoustics dramatically. Before making a final decision it was decided that the system should be tried on a live show in the near future.
The installation comprised two clusters one on each side containing one Qi subwoofer and two Qi1 loudspeakers with E0s as mobile front fills to cover the front rows. The seventy five degree horizontal coverage pattern of the Qi loudspeakers proved ideal for the venue's shape. Amplification was provided by d&b audiotechnik's E-PACs controlled from FoH via their remote control platform ROPE C.
The new sound system seems to have proved a success. Following the permanent installation and tuning of the system the venue staff are very happy. "The system eliminates all intelligibility problems, gives vastly improved sound quality and we have a much more centred virtual image from all the seats during speech amplification," said a spokesperson for the venue.
