WINNIPEG, MB, Canada – The Centennial Concert Hall, part of Manitoba Centennial Center, is the longtime home of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Manitoba Opera and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
The venue's new audio system includes a matrix of multiple microphone inputs and loudspeaker outputs provided by ACS (Acoustic Control Systems) of the Netherlands, and its natural acoustics can now be enhanced with 18 Sennheiser MKH8050 super cardioid microphones.
Glen Jonatchick, president and owner of Winnipeg-based Integrated Entertainment Technologies (IET), oversaw the eight-week-long installation.
"This was a brand new system designed for a hall that had relied on natural acoustic sound for orchestral performances since it was built in 1968," said Jonatchick. "The goal was to achieve a sound with a bigger, brighter presence, while still maintaining the basic purity of unamplified sound."
The 18 MKH 8050s, along with 18 Sennheiser MZH 8000 ceiling shock mounts, were placed directionally above the proscenium opening to provide interference-free program pickup. The microphones extend below the surface of canopy by 12 inches, using a black extension arm and shock mounts.
"Even when placed 25 feet away from the orchestra, the Sennheiser MKH 8050s maintained an incredible, natural sound," said Jonatchick. "There was none of the tin-iness or feedback you typically get with other microphone products." The MKH8050's directional pattern also helps capture instruments separately.
Routed through the proprietary system rack of processors and amplifiers, the audio in Centennial Concert Hall is distributed to 24 early reflection and 36 reverberation speakers hidden within the ceilings and walls. There are also 10 foldback speakers located in the ceiling, which direct sound back to the symphony musicians.
In addition to serving as home for Winnipeg's symphony, opera and ballet companies, the Centennial Concert Hall also serves as a multipurpose concert hall.
Sennheiser MKH 8050 features:
Super-cardioid pick-up pattern
Modular design
Wide frequency response 30 to 50,000 Hz
Symmetrical transducer with two backplates for low distortion
Low inherent self-noise
Accurate directional pattern
Non reflective Nextel coating
Effective separation of instruments
For more information, please visit www.sennheiser.ca.
