PHILADELPHIA — Metropolitan Acoustics incorporated AKG wireless microphones for the University of the Arts’ Ellen and Ronald Caplan Center for the Performing Arts at Terra Hall. The system is for two side-by-side theaters. The University had a sought to link the side-by-side theaters with audio, video, data, fiber and the wireless systems so that the equipment could be shared or work independently from one another — all in an area with lots of potential interference.
Metropolitan Acoustics met that challenge with four AKG C5 handheld condenser microphones, four AKG D5 general purpose vocal microphones, four C1000S and four C518M instrument condensers and 10 wireless microphone systems that included a variety of handheld and body pack transmitters.
“Our client wanted the theaters to serve as a show place for the University,” said Saben Shawhan, senior consultant for Metropolitan Acoustics. “We needed a system that had a lot of flexibility with interchangeable microphone elements and the ability to reallocate frequencies as the RF landscape changed. The system also needed to accommodate a variety of presentations, musical performances and theatrical productions each with different wired and wireless microphone demands. With the Harman products, that’s exactly what we got.”
Renovations on the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Center for the Performing Arts began three years ago. Initially conceived of as a basic renovation, the project expanded into the creation of the side-by-side theatres; one is primarily designed and used for music recitals and the other for theatrical performances.
In addition to the AKG components, the theater also uses two Soundcraft Vi4 Digital Consoles, two BSS Soundweb Blu-160s and one Blu-120 audio processor. Because of his past experience with Harman products, Shawhan says that he knew the reliability and flexibility of the Harman components would be required to successfully integrate a project as technically demanding as this one.
“With the scope of the project, we knew we had to do a lot of coordinating,” Shawhan said. “There is an abundance of lighting, sound and video equipment plus acoustical reflectors and adjustable acoustic curtains all within a tight space. Having some flexibility with the equipment locations and the ability to modify setting and programming as the installation progressed was key to having a successful installation.
AKG is a unit of Harman International Industries, Inc.
For more information, please visit www.harman.com.
