MIDDLETOWN, CT — Mercy High School recently upgraded the audio system in their 800-seat auditorium with a Lectrosonics DM1624 Digital Automatic Matrix Mixer. Michael Miceli, executive producer for Southington, Conn.-based Miceli Productions, who was in charge of the upgrade, decided that an automated mixing system would provide the flexibility necessary to accommodate the school’s numerous events.
“We’re talking about an 800-seat auditorium with a proscenium stage,” said Miceli. “The space is used for school assemblies, concerts, plays, musicals, and countless other activities. The room needed to be as self-contained and easy-to-operate as possible, since it generally operates with just one teacher present. This is an environment where the person in charge needs to be able to select a particular setup and, from that point forward, have everything automated.
“Previously, there was an analog system with a completely open architecture,” Miceli continued. “As a result, volume controls were fully accessible and were routinely abused—creating rampant feedback problems. This was a 70-volt system with 8 mic inputs along the front of the stage and a level control for each. Sound quality was poor and microphone volume levels were rarely adequate.”
To address these shortcomings, Miceli deployed a Lectrosonics DM1624 Digital Automatic Matrix Mixer and the optionally available RCWPB8 Pushbutton Remote Control. With digital audio processing, mixing, and routing capabilities, the DM1624 is designed to be a sound reinforcement solution wherever unattended operation is the norm.
With provisions for multiple DSP filters, automatic digital feedback elimination, a compressor, and a digital delay—along with the ability to store multiple configurations that can be recalled at a moment’s notice—the DM1624 offers twice the input capacity and infinitely more signal routing and management capability than ever existed with the school’s previous setup.
“As part of the system overhaul,” notes Miceli, “we deployed additional inputs and designated different inputs to accommodate different types of tasks. Inputs 1-5 at the front of the stage feed an automix configuration that maximizes gain while minimizing the noise floor. There are now separate inputs for the choir microphones, so that these mics can be effectively processed for the school’s show choir. Further, the system is configured for both CD and iPod audio source playback and is also set up for dedicated left-right inputs to accommodate an auxiliary console. This way, the system can be easily expanded for larger musicals and other events.
“I particularly like the fact that the DM1624 provides manual control if desired,” said Miceli. “This way, there are provisions for manual volume control of items such as the CD player or iPod, but they are limited in their range through the software—thus regulating the minimum and maximum volume levels of these devices. Since a teacher needs to be able to quickly and easily enter the room and recall a specific configuration to match the type of activity taking place in the auditorium, we also equipped the room with a RCWPB8 Pushbutton Remote Control. This makes it very easy to change from one setup to another.
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“The ability to connect via USB and have instantaneous access to all of the features within the DM1624 was a huge factor in configuring the mixer for this installation,” Miceli said, calling the layout of the software “straightforward.” He added that he has “never experienced any latency issues as a result of the signal processing,” and called the DM1624 “powerful and versatile.”
Mercy High School’s new DM1624 was installed and configured in June, and will be put to use this fall. “The ease of being able to walk into the room and push a button to turn on the system and configure it for a variety of applications has been well received by all involved with the programs in the auditorium,” said Miceli. “Previously, there was a lot of anxiety when it came to use the prior sound system. This has been completely alleviated with the integration of the new DM1624. I’m quite certain that as the school gets comfortable with the new system, they’ll find even more uses for it.”
For more information, visit www.miceliproductions.com and www.lectrosonics.com.
