LONG BEACH, CA – The 1,074-seat Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, located on the campus of California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), has presented a diverse array of productions to audiences over the past 15 years, and its audio system was ready for an upgrade. "Carpenter Center has repeatedly been praised for its acoustics by patrons and the press," noted Michele Roberge, Carpenter Center's executive director. But the sound system, a hodgepodge of loudspeakers and amplifiers installed over a decade ago, "needed to be revamped," Roberge added.
After reviewing alternatives, the venue's technical team opted to have Irvine-based Micworks, Inc. design and install an L-Acoustics KIVA system. The full FOH and monitor system package includes an LCR arrangement with three identical clusters comprised of an eight-element KIVA array flown adjacent to a two-element KILO cluster, all hidden behind a proscenium scrim.
Two SB28 subwoofers per side are ground-stacked down below the left and right arrays, and the entire system is driven and processed by four L-Acoustics LA8 amplified controllers. The system is capable of vertical zone control, allowing coverage of the orchestra pit seating area as one of the Center's optional configurations.
For monitors, there are eight 12XT and four 115XT HiQ coaxial wedges, two LA-RAK amplifier racks each loaded with three LA8, and a full complement of rigging hardware that gives the theater the option of using the XT enclosures as mains, front-fill or effects speakers for various productions.
The venue also purchased a portable powered system made up of two compact 108P enclosures and two SB15P subs, for use out in the lobby and terrace areas.
"We hosted a tango quintet from Argentina called La Camorra that used our Steinway grand piano, a double-bass, violin, accordion and classical guitar," noted Ken Beaupre, stage supervisor at the Carpenter Center, of the first production to benefit from the new gear. "After listening to them for a bit through the KIVA rig during soundcheck, we killed the house sound, and it was amazing how precisely identical everything sounded to what we had just been hearing.
"There was more presence through the system, of course, but the organic instrumentation came through without any coloration," Beaupre noted. "It was so accurate and transparent with very minimal equalization. One of the engineers here who has been mixing for years put it best when he said that this is one of those 'damn, I'm good rigs.' You simply come in, turn it on, and say 'damn, I'm good!'
"Seriously, though, I am tremendously impressed with the even coverage and definition of the KIVA system," Beaupre added. "The speakers feel a lot closer to me at mix position than they really are – more like a set of nearfield monitors in the studio. The system's honesty has allowed us to get much more creative and expressive when it comes to mics, instruments, panning and so on."
Micworks President Mike Troke also underscored the suitability of the gear to the job. "In my opinion, KIVA was the only system that would fit under the Carpenter Center's proscenium cover yet deliver the sound quality and performance that they required," he said. "Even before the system had been tuned, I think I heard the word 'wow' about 3,000 times, because everyone kept just saying it over and over while listening to playback material.
"I think this theater is one of the nicest sounding rooms in Southern California now, and all of the independent engineers that have come in and used the system have been very pleased with its honesty and flexibility," Troke added. "In fact, the greatly-improved quality of the new system is allowing the Carpenter Center to attract acts that wouldn't have played the room previously without needing to carry their own racks and stacks into the space. So they're obviously very excited about that."
"We're used to getting compliments from patrons on the performances we present," said Roberge. "Now, with our new system, we're getting compliments on theatre's sound, and lots of them! Since the KIVA rig went in, it's been a win-win for artists and audiences alike. Plus, our sound staff and audio crew have let me know it has not only made their job easier, but that it's really fun to mix again."
Named after Richard and Karen Carpenter, alumni of CSULB, the Carpenter Center presents a complete season of events, and serves as home to Musical Theatre West, and Long Beach Community Concert Association in addition to numerous outside rental events. The facility is also the permanent home for a display of memorabilia from the pop music career of the Carpenters.
For more information, please visit www.carpenterarts.org, www.micworks.com and www.l-acoustics.com.
