NATCHITOCHES, LA — Northwestern State University added an Aviom Pro64 digital snake and one of the first installations of the new 6416m Mic Input Module, as part of an upgrade of the audio infrastructure in the A. A. Fredericks Auditorium, funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents.
Along with an upgrade to the facility’s audio system, the install is providing theater students with the opportunity to learn about new gear.
With two production seasons, the theater hosts three musical productions, six non-musical theatrical productions and one major dance concert as well as various student and organizational events. The versatility of the Aviom system’s modular design was a key selling point.
“Due to the nature of modern theatre and the requirement differences between the two seasons, all of the equipment we use must have a great deal of flexibility,” said Shawn Parr, sound design faculty member. “For example, our last summer season musical was produced as a dinner theatre show with the audience placed on stage at tables in a circular pattern and the actors in the center. Our front-of-house mixing position was in the orchestra pit, and with this system, we were able to get audio flowing back and forth between the two as well as to our booth location. With our wireless mic rack backstage connected via two 6416m Mic Input Modules, and the ability to add an additional 6416m wherever the orchestra is situated, we have unlimited freedom to reconfigure our audio network according to the needs of each individual production.”
The four 6416m Mic Input Modules that the theatre uses each deliver 16 mic-level analog inputs to their network. On the 6416m, each remote-controllable analog input channel has a continuously variable gain setting, multi-segment signal level LEDs, and an individual on/off switch, allowing the operator to easily reconfigure the system as needed without requiring any PC programming.
Because the theater is a learning environment, the university required a system that was simple to set up and easy to configure and operate so that students could get a solid introduction to working with a digital snake without it being too complex.
The new system at Northwestern State University starts in the main booth location with an Aviom MH10 Merger Hub that provides an A-Net connection to a 6416o Output Module, a 6416i Input Module and several other locations throughout the theatre. Similar to an Ethernet switch, the MH10 allows for both parallel connections and the ability to distribute signals bidirectionally.
A Cat-6 data run extends from the MH10 to multiple locations in the theater, including the stage, orchestra pit and regular front-of-house mix position. A rack with an additional 6416o and 6416i is located at FOH and provides 32 inputs into the mixer. Additional racks of Aviom input and output modules let the sound designers use a digital snake wherever necessary.
“With the Aviom system being as configurable as it is, especially having the ability to daisy chain boxes, I feel it is a more elegant and easier solution to deploy” than a more traditional snake, Parr said. “Since audio distribution and digital snake systems are starting to be used in many theatre venues now, it is a hot topic in the industry. By training our students on an Aviom system now and incorporating classroom discussion on the differences between other systems, our students will be very valuable to the industry when they graduate.”
Along with its main production space, the university has two additional theatrical spaces, and although they are not equipped with a permanent Aviom infrastructure, the modular nature of its existing components allow the technical staff to put together ad-hoc systems when needed. For such applications, Parr notes, using the Cat-5 and/or Cat-6 cabling offers a great advantage.
“It is readily available, relatively inexpensive and so small that running it through public spaces and scenery is much easier and safer than with a traditional snake,” he said. “We never have to worry about an audience member tripping over cable.”
For more information, please visit www.aviom.com.
