The Ramova Theatre, a 2,000-capacity Spanish Revivalist-style live music venue on the south side of Chicago located just a few blocks west of the White Sox baseball team’s home stadium, celebrated its re-opening following a $30 million renaissance with support from local celebrity co-owners Quincy Jones, Jennifer Hudson and Chance the Rapper, and a new sound reinforcement system utilizing L-Acoustics L-ISA immersive technology.
“The client wanted to do something really different, unique, and special with this venue,” notes Brent Bernhardt, audio department manager at Technotrix, the venue’s installation and integration vendor. The design by theater, acoustics, and experience consultants Charcoal Blue marks the first installation of L-ISA technology in the Chicagoland area.
Bernhardt says the design team specifically recommended A Series loudspeakers due to a combination of weight, form factor, and power. “We chose the A Series because, in addition to overall sound quality, it met all of the design criteria: SPL, coverage, and the weight restrictions imposed by the renovation.” he explains. “When evaluating any type of installation, festival, or touring application, we always want to choose a system that puts out sufficient SPL consistently over the entire audience area. This venue’s longest throw distance is only 80 feet, and these boxes are rated for just over that. In addition, the passive cabinets and high density amplification helped keep the budget in check. A Series was perfect for this venue.”
The loudspeaker system utilizes five Scene arrays consisting of one A15i Focus and two A15i Wide per hang, and two Extension arrays of one A10i Focus and two A10i Wide per hang. In addition, there are two off-fill hangs of two A10i Wide per hang, and one A10i Wide used as a VIP balcony-fill (stage left). Five coaxial X8 round out the spatial front fill, and seven additional X8 are distributed as under-balcony fills. Eight KS28 subs are ground stacked in a broadside array with arc delay under the front lip of stage.
Processing is accomplished via an L-ISA Processor II and a pair of Milan AVB-compatible P1 processors located at FOH. Three LA7.16i and two LA12X amplified controllers provide power for the entire system. Network and signal distribution is accomplished via redundant AVB protocol through four LS10 switches. Monitors comprise ten X15 HiQ floor wedges and an SB18 drum sub, all powered by five LA12X.
System design and positioning relied on L-Acoustics’ Soundvision prediction software and the P1 processors’ M1 measurement algorithms, which Bernhardt says were quite accurate. The two P1 at front of house are also used to manage the distribution of multiple audio sources to other areas of the venue.
He also notes that L-Acoustics was able to fulfill the order in a timely fashion: “Supply-chain issues still run rampant in the entertainment industry. This project had been in the works for a long time and project fatigue was becoming very real. The prospect of having to wait another two-plus years for their PA would have been devastating to our clients. L-Acoustics was able to meet our demand and did a great job helping us keep the venue’s grand opening on track.”
Like any venue of its vintage, Ramova Theatre had some acoustical issues to contend with. “With any type of older, plastered theater-style venue, there’s always acoustical challenges in those spaces,” he says. “That said, the excellent directionality and intelligibility of the L-Acoustics A Series has gotten us to a great place to accommodate all types of programming.”
