Sonic Sense just wrapped up Phase I of the audio system installation for eTown Hall in Boulder, Colorado. The first phase was focused on the Performance Hall where we hung the SIA Acoustics specified Alcons LR14 Pro Ribbon line arrays and installed wiring and output-side hardware (BSS Soundweb London DSP and Alcons Amplifiers).
Highlights from this project are clearly the gorgeous looking and sounding room (thanks to Nick and Helen Forster, the team behind eTown for the past 20 years, and Sam Berkow of SIA Acoustics) as well as the beautiful array of Alcons LR14 pro-ribbon loudspeakers.
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- Sound Check
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- Wrapping up construction
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- Stage left 5 box Alcons LR14 array
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- Sam's acoustic diffusers beautifully built integrated into the rear wall of the hall.
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- Live that night
The Alcons have an amazingly smooth top-end and free of the traditional "horn" sound we’ve all endured from typical P.A. loudspeakers. In fact, the LR14s sound more like studio monitors than loudspeakers. That said, they get plenty loud and remain pleasing after hours of listening.
Tuning the PA took minimal effort. Given a great sounding room to start with, the sound was pretty nice right out of the box. Once we got out the SMAART rig and made a few tweaks through the BSS London DSP, we really had the PA singing - nothing but smiles from everyone present! In fact, on opening night, FOH engineer, Chris Jacobs, a 30-year veteran of the industry, stated, “It sounds so good, it’s unbelievable.”
Next up is Phase II, where we will integrate the entire facility - including the 200-seat performance space, the stand-alone and interconnected recording studio, and the three post-production and broadcast suites.
With consoles from Avid for FOH, monitors and the studio, a complete 3-way high-end iso split, tie lines and comprehensive patching system, 4-8 channels of wireless microphones, and a studio full of top-quality pre-amps and converters, eTown will join the ranks of World Class recording and performance facilities. We are honored to be a part of this incredible project and equally excited to see the finished product!
For more on the project, including a fun narrative of the acoustical design process and an interview with eTown's Executive Director Nick Forster, check out Sam Berkow’s article in FOH Online Installations: eTown Hall, Boulder CO. For those not familiar with eTown, it is an arts and environmentally focused nonprofit organization based in Boulder, CO. Each week they produce a radio program full of great music and positive commentary about the world around us. eTown can be heard on over 300 public and private radio stations across the U.S., and is additionally available on iTunes via podcast. For more information, please visit www.etown.org.
Stay tuned for more project updates as they unfold!
