A recent multi-million dollar upgrade to 430-seat Bothwell Auditorium on the campus of Blackburn College (Carlinville, IL) included a new sound reinforcement system headlined by Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers and subwoofers.
“The old system was original to the building, which was constructed in the 1970s,” explains Ryan Winstead, sales design consultant with Advanced Audio and Lighting Systems (AALS) of Peoria, IL. “Their tech staff had a hard time making things sound good, and they had an especially hard time keeping stage mics from feeding back during theater productions.”
Thus a primary goal of the project was delivering much better pattern control, both in terms of keeping on-stage volume low and in terms of minimizing side- and back-wall reflections to maintain fidelity and intelligibility. Another goal was stereo coverage to enhance musical and theatrical performances and essential for movie presentations.
“Based on past experience, I knew Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers would give us the pattern control we needed with fidelity that would more than measure up to their expectations,” Winstead says. “I also knew that Danley subwoofers would provide excellent low-end support.”
To each side wall adjacent to the stage, Winstead and his crew attached matching groups of loudspeakers, including a Danley SH-46 at the top for primary coverage, a Danley SM-60 for down fill, and a Danley TH-115 subwoofer. Powersoft Duecanali 5204 amplifiers with integrated AESOP DSP provide power and modest processing for the system. The fact that all of the Danley boxes use passive crossovers minimized the number of necessary amplifier channels, which helped keep the project on budget.
In addition, AALS specified two Danley SM-100 low-profile loudspeakers for use as stage monitors, with plans for two more as funding permits. A Powersoft M50Q provides the necessary power. “Again, Danley’s well-known pattern control makes the SM-100 an excellent stage monitor,” Winstead notes. “That, and its low profile. It has an inspiring sound and it doesn’t take up a lot of visual real estate.”
The venue is also equipped with a new Yamaha QL5-65 console, which scales functionality to the expertise of the operator. “Accommodating different proficiencies was an important part of the upgrade,” he states.
Blackburn College will celebrate the completion of Bothwell Auditorium’s renovation with a performance of Verdigris, a play by Jim Beaver.