SAN DIEGO – For Whisper House at the Old Globe Theatre, the sound design team of Dan Moses Schreier and associate designer David Bullard chose AKG's DMS 700 wireless microphone system outfitted with AKG handheld mics including the C5 condenser, D5 dynamic, D7 dynamic handheld. Schreier and Bullard also used left and right clusters of JBL VRX932LAP Powered 12-inch 2-way line array loudspeakers suspended from the proscenium for the orchestra-level audience, and two arrays of VRX928LA speakers targeted at the balcony.
The gear helped Schreier and Bullard overcome several challenges inherent with the production of the Duncan Sheik musical. Whisper House has an on-stage orchestra, a cappella vocal performances, large-group sequences and loud, complicated battle scenes transitioning throughout the entire play. So there was a need for an audio system that could reproduce everything from loud, overbearing sound effects to quiet, intimate spoken scenes.
Bullard, who designed the audio for Broadway productions of West Side Story, A Little Night Music and Sondheim on Sondheim, credited the AKG DMS 700 digital wireless system's ability to do frequency scanning for the entire spectrum and automatically determine the optimal channels to use.
To overcome the challenge posted by open mics for on-stage musicians and acoustic leakage from traditional stage monitors, Bullard and Schreier outfitted the Whisper House singers with AKG IVM 4 PMs using AKG SPR4 pocket receivers.
"The male lead wasn't accustomed to using in-ear monitors, but once he heard his vocal through the AKG IVM4 system, he said ‘this is fantastic,'" noted Bullard. "The system was easy to use, easy to set up and reliable."
Schreier also complimented the AKG equipment for its audio quality and wide tuning range, reliably providing crisp, intelligible transmissions.
"The AKG equipment made this a true plug-and-play system," Bullard added, noting that "we were able to set the channels and adjust all of the variables in a matter of minutes and then just hand the microphones to the performers and we heard strong, intelligible sound throughout each performance."
The audio crew also credited the JBL VRX loudspeakers for turning the acoustically dead room to "full and warm." The VRX cabinets adjustable EQ eliminated the need for additional outboard processing and let Bullard quickly achieve even response and coverage. Four VRX918SP subwoofers, which were mounted in the ceiling, gave more than enough power to produce low frequency impact of Whisper House's battle scenes.
To reinforce sound effects, a surround sound system was installed incorporating JBL AE Compact series AC26 loudspeakers. "The AE series speakers were positioned close to the audience and gave full 120 by 60 foot coverage without overwhelming the front row," said Bullard. "The VRX and AE series speakers that we used here are also very versatile, and with this musical, we had to really push the limits in terms of different audio applications."
Crown iTech amplifiers powered the JBL speakers, and audio was mixed using a Soundcraft Vi6 digital console outfitted with Lexicon FX6 reverbs and a rack-mounted Lexicon PCM 96 Processor. Bullard and Schreier were able to remotely configure Crown and JBL system components using Harman HiQnet control protocol and Harman System Architect software, which enhanced the workflow.
"The Harman Professional equipment, primarily the JBL loudspeakers and AKG microphones, provided a level of performance and an ease of use that we simply couldn't get with any other brand," said Schreier. "The whole crew was more than pleased with the results, as were David and I, and we will certainly look to Harman Professional equipment for other theater setups in the future."
For more information, please visit www.harman.com.
