The PA system main loudspeakers are from Danley Sound Labs, all offering the company’s proprietary Synergy Horns.
Along the long sides of the arena, pairs of Danley SH 60 full-range loudspeakers (60-degree by 60-degree dispersion) are flown with cabinets in horizontal position to cover each zone, one handling the upper seating region and the other assigned the lower seating region.
Coverage to the corners and ends of the arena by single Danley SH 69 full-range loudspeakers (90-degree by 60-degree dispersion with rotatable horn) flown in the same grid pattern. Typically just one of these loudspeakers is needed to cover its respective zone from top to bottom.
“The client wanted true full-range audio even though this is a distributed approach, and that’s why we went with the Danley boxes – they are substantial,” Johnson says. “The pattern control of these boxes is excellent, which makes it really easy to lay it out in terms of coverage.”
All of the Danley loudspeakers are driven by Lab.gruppen C68:4 4-channel power amplifiers providing 1,700 watts at 4 ohms. The Danley units are 4-ohm cabinets, so each amp channel drives a single loudspeaker.
The arena floor covered with Electro-Voice QRX Series full-range loudspeakers retained from a previous system. These are mounted in the main, central scoreboard region, and are biamped (one channel each for LF and HF) by EV P2000 amplifiers in the main floor rack.
The Full System
Both Sound of Authority and the client sought L-Acoustics loudspeakers for the concert system, leading to the selection of larger format KUDO line arrays. As a result, arrays of up to eight KUDO modules can be flown in a stereo pair at one end of the arena or on one of the long sides. Flying infrastructure is provided at both locations for quick, convenient deployment.
KUDO features proprietary K-LOUVER variable directivity supplying 50-degree/110-degree symmetric coverage or 80-degree asymmetric coverage, perfect for an application demanding extra flexibility.
This is furthered by splay angles up to 10 degrees for increased vertical coverage when needed. The rigging system is ergonomic and fast, which aids in quick system transitions from one location to the other.
Four L-Acoustics SB28 dual-18 direct-radiating subwoofers extend response down to 25 Hz, and as an interesting side note, these are also used increasingly with the distributed PA system to add a bit more “oomph” during basketball games. All of the L-Acoustics loudspeakers are driven by companion LA8 amplified controllers that are rack-mounted with the Lab. gruppen amplifiers in the equipment rack on the catwalk level.
As noted, presets for both concert and distributed PA are provided by the BSS processing. Six presets are available, and some of them combine elements of both loudspeaker sets. Options include concert north (one end), concert north with rear fill, concert east (long side), concert east with rear fill, arena (full distributed), and arena with subwoofers.
Also available for any application are 12 proprietary 15-inch passive monitor wedges and four Bag End TA5000 passive wedges, as well as a Whirlwind passive splitter (48 by 10) with ground lift. Up to three more Yamaha EtherSound stagebox mic preamps can be added, under the control of the house console.
A nice assortment of Shure wired and wireless microphones are also on hand. The six channels of Shure UHF-R wireless have companion handheld transmitters as well as bodypacks that can be outfitted with Shure lavalier mics or Countryman E6 earset mics.
Wired mic choices include Shure SM Series dynamics and condensers, and there’s even Beta Series drum mics and Whirlwind Direct2-JT direct boxes. All portable system gear is stored in a secure equipment room right behind one of the main entrances to the main floor.
“What was envisioned has now been achieved,” Johnson concludes. “It’s a very flexible yet stable system, or perhaps more accurately, series of systems. Essentially all you have to do is plug everything in where you want it, select your preset and it’s a go.”
Take our extensive Photo Gallery tour of the installation. For those who are interested, the article is available for download (pdf) in its entirety.
Keith Clark is editor in chief of Live Sound International and ProSoundWeb