SACRAMENTO, CA — The long-shuttered 1950s Woolworth building in downtown Sacramento has gotten new life as the Cosmopolitan entertainment hub, including the Cosmopolitan Cabaret musical theatre, a 200-seat venue with audio delivered by a compact Meyer Sound M1D line array loudspeaker system.
Designed by San Francisco-based theatre consultants, The Shalleck Collaborative, and installed by Hercules, Calif.-based Pro Media / UltraSound, the Meyer Sound system is centered around left and right arrays of six Meyer Sound M1D line array loudspeakers, each augmented by a 600-HP subwoofer to provide low-frequency coverage.
As Shalleck’s Ian Hunter explained, the M1D’s compact dimensions were well suited to the project’s requirements.
“As a former retail space, the venue’s ceiling height is pretty low,” said Hunter. “With the height of the stage and the other necessary ceiling infrastructure, we were limited in terms of the size of the line array we could implement. The M1D offers a compact profile but more than enough power for the hall.” Six self-powered MM-4XP miniature loudspeakers are embedded into the stage for front fill.
“The M1D array’s compact profile is essential in maintaining lines of sight, while still delivering even coverage,” Hunter added. “It’s a very rectangular space, not too wide but fairly deep, and we wanted a system that would throw all the way to the rear of the hall without overpowering the seats in the front. The M1D delivers very even coverage and focused pattern control.”
A Galileo loudspeaker management system provides signal processing for the system, with a user-friendly set of controls for theatre personnel.
“The productions range from small and mid-sized musicals to cabaret and jazz groups, and we wanted to give them a system that was versatile and powerful without being overly complex,” Hunter said. “The Galileo is perfect, in that they can access most of what they need via the front panel, without the need for a computer or software programming.”
Currently, the Meyer Sound system is providing sound reinforcement for Forever Plaid, a musical comedy at the theatre. “The system is articulate, and it’s unobtrusive,” said Bob Sereno, sound designer and head engineer for the Cosmopolitan and for Wells Fargo Pavilion, another Sacramento venue outfitted with a Meyer Sound system. “I can’t imagine anything that would have fit the bill better—it covers the room perfectly.”
In addition to the Cosmopolitan Cabaret, operated by California Musical Theatre, The Cosmopolitan in Sacramento is also home to Social Nightclub and Cosmo Café. The architect of the project was San Francisco-based WRNS Studio.
For more information, please visit www.meyersound.com.
