LAS VEGAS — The Mirage has recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of The Volcano that promises to be an astonishing experience for the spectators, with state-of-the-art pyrotechnics and audio design supported by a Meyer Sound MILO line array loudspeaker system.
According to The Mirage, audio quality was also its prime consideration in selecting a sound system for its Strip-front icon. “When it came time to choosing a sound system for our new Volcano, we looked immediately to Meyer Sound,” says Scott Sibella, president and COO of The Mirage. “We have a Meyer Sound system in our LOVE Theater, and after hearing the quality firsthand, we knew without a doubt Meyer Sound could deliver the depth needed for our dynamic, percussion-driven Volcano soundtrack.”
Overseeing The Mirage Volcano project was Sun Valley, Calif.-based design firm WET, working with Acoustic Dimensions and systems installer Technology West Group. The project is a breakthrough in themed entertainment on all fronts, including its nontraditional audio design concept.
“In most sound designs, we’re working with a stationary audience, and we surround them with loudspeakers. In this case, the audience surrounds the speakers, and they move around freely,” says Ryan Knox of Acoustic Dimensions.
As onlookers can view The Volcano from areas on either side of the water—one in front of the hotel and the other on The Strip—the resulting system uses multiple point sources. It features a total of 25 MILO line array loudspeakers, clustered in small stacks of two, three or four boxes strategically placed throughout the lagoon.
The loudspeakers are custom-painted green to blend with the foliage, and largely hidden behind fake rock façades providing camouflage and weather protection. Each stack also has its own dedicated 700-HP subwoofer, along with several others on the island. A Matrix3 audio show control system allows the image of the music to be manipulated over 180 degrees. Signal processing is handled by a Galileo loudspeaker management system.
“The music travels over a large reflective pool of water, which requires a fair amount of power,” says Brad Cornish of Technology West Group. “That water is being blasted by jets of flame. Between that and the natural desert heat, we’ve essentially created a microclimate, giving us a high level of humidity to pass sound through. It calls for a lot of power and some rather unique and meticulous system tuning.”
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