Installations

Anatomy of the World’s First L-Acoustics K2 Install

History doesn’t always happen exactly where you’d expect it, which can be both exciting and unpredictable. So when L-Acoustics’ next-generation large K2 line array — which replaces its landmark V-DOSC with a smaller, lighter, more efficient design — made its world debut in a permanent installation application, probably no one guessed it would be in the small town of Valley Center, Calif.

Once upon a time, the only “high performance” involved in sports facilities came from the players. Typically, when it came to the installed sound system, the audio emanated from clunky overhead “junkyard” clusters or the ubiquitous “horns on a stick” scattered around the field. In those days, the audio — while often fine for reproducing a gravel-voiced announcer — was anything but hi-fi.

There’s definitely an upswing of interest in live theater and performing arts centers, both in terms of new construction, renovations of historical buildings and transformations of existing structures into new venues. Along the same lines, facilities have also seen the benefits of upgrading sound systems to meet increasingly higher standards set by audiences who expect hi-def clarity, vocal intelligibility and punch from live music and theatrical presentations. With that in mind, we looked into a number of interesting new projects and found a range of successful approaches designed for both production flexibility and great sound — in venues of all sizes.

Redemption Church, Gilbert, AZ

When Redemption Church recently committed to an expansion and retrofit of their multipurpose conference and worship center, they wanted an audio, video and lighting system that would provide a truly meaningful experience for their members.

On a lazy summer Sunday in 1986, a small group of faithful gathered at Zale Library on the campus of Bishop College in Dallas, and named their group the Provisional Baptist College. By September of that same year, the group had found a pastor, a meeting place, and a new name: Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. Nearly three decades later, Antioch Church’s congregation has swelled to multiple thousands, drawing from all parts of the Dallas metroplex, and the 80,000 square-foot facility includes a large-scale multi-purpose hall with classrooms, bookstore, a full AV production suite and a 2,800-seat sanctuary.

Recently at FRONT of HOUSE, we’ve noticed a huge increase in installation projects, both in secular venues — such as performing arts, theaters, schools and sports facilities, but particularly, also with church and house of worship (HOW) sanctuaries. In fact, the latter market has experienced a major bump in activity over the past year, and it’s not limited to simple changes, but major projects, often involving high-end, high-tech approaches to providing superb audio for both the spoken word and music. With that in mind, we decided to spotlight a number of recent HOW installations that captured our eyes — and ears.

There are few outdoor venues in the world as instantly recognizable and respected as the Hollywood Bowl, the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1922. With its iconic concentric ringed shell and dramatic Hollywood Hills backdrop, the country’s largest natural amphitheatre has been immortalized in dozens of films and television shows over the decades.

Audio installations and upgrades within large sports facilities present sound designers with several challenges, starting with scale — not just the vast, open-air or cavernous spaces, but the challenge of delivering an acceptable listening experience to everyone occupying all those seats and synchronizing the audio with today’s big video screens. Reverberation and intelligibility are huge challenges, particularly for enclosed spaces. Another significant factor that has to be considered is the exuberance of the fans themselves, and the need for the P.A. system to be heard above crowd noise that can peak at 105 dB or more. Last but not least are the challenges of getting the entire installation performed correctly, safely, on time and on budget, when those two invaluable commodities — time and money — are so often in scarce supply.

The story of Washington DC’s Warner Theatre is one that could be repeated about dozens of theaters around the country that began as classic art deco movie palaces, which in a bygone age, hosted silent films and vaudeville performers. As the years continued, many of these fell to the wayside, yet a fortunate few — like the Warner Theatre — were reborn and restored to reflect their former glory.