The Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, MA, the nation’s first municipally owned theater, has a newly upgraded sound reinforcement system headed by loudspeakers and subwoofers from Fulcrum Acoustic.
Opened in 1891, the academy quickly became a favorite stop on tours of leading troupes and big-name performers, ranging from Mae West to Harry Houdini. With the advent of film in the 1930s, it also screened silent films, soon followed by talkies, in addition to hosting live entertainment.
The venue has evolved over time to support a wide variety of programming, including rock concerts, theatrical productions, films, literary arts, dance and youth programs. The need for an updated sound system to support the diverse programming became increasingly apparent, with the design and installation provided by veteran touring sound engineer Jason Raboin.
The project presented a number of interesting challenges. The loudspeakers needed to provide consistent coverage throughout the entire theater without interfering with sightlines to the stage opening, or distracting from the architecture of the 125-year old opera house. Additionally, the limited rigging options within the historic performing arts center demanded compact, lightweight loudspeakers as part of a visually unobtrusive sound system.
Raboin’s design centers on four Fulcrum Acoustic CX1595 15-inch coaxial loudspeakers powered by Ashly Audio nXp amplifiers. The CX1595s provide the requisite output capability and optimal 90- x 45-degree dispersion pattern in a lightweight, compact, visually unobtrusive package.
Two compact, portable Fulcrum Acoustic Sub215 dual-15-inch, direct-radiating subwoofers provide low frequency support while also minimizing visual intrusion.
A touring sound engineer for artists including Joan Baez, Modest Mouse and Lake Street Dive, Raboin has worked on a variety of audio systems in the field, noting, “I’ve not heard anything that sounds better than Fulcrum Acoustic speakers. When you combine their fidelity with their light weight and compact size, they really were the only choice for this installation. It was hard to believe that such a compact system would be able to cover the venue at the desired SPL, but the system exceeded our expectations and the theater’s design goals.”
The new system had its debut performance with Northampton’s annual Django in June Festival that features the “gypsy jazz” popularized by virtuosic guitarist Django Reinhardt in the 1930s and ‘40s when the academy also was in full swing. Festival founder Andrew Lawrence states, “Django in June was so happy to offer the inaugural performance on the Academy of Music’s new sound system. I enjoyed the performances immensely and thought the sound was impeccable.”
