Meyer Sound promotes performing arts at Krannert Educational Center

The new infrastructure of Meyer Sound encompasses Constellation active acoustics, surround sound with Spacemap control and a main reinforcement system based on Lina speakers.

Located on the campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, he centro Krannert for the Performing Arts serves not only as a venue for visiting artists and student ensembles, but also as a hands-on learning facility for sound design. The educational institution has taken a big step forward with the installation of a Meyer Sound.

This infrastructure covers active acoustics Constellation, surround sound with control Spacemap and a main reinforcement system based on Lina line array loudspeakers. The new systems, supplied by Chicago area integrator TC Furlong, have been installed in the Colwell Playhouse of 674 seating, one of four locations in the Krannert Center.

The basis of the complete audio renovation is a Constellation acoustic system consisting of 99 distributed speakers, 27 microphones to detect ambient acoustics and 21 digital audio modules D-Mitri. Three processors are dedicated to hosting the patented VRAS algorithm to generate natural acoustic environments in the three zones of the room.

Powered Speaker Companion for Constellation and Immersive Systems Includes Full Range Models Ashby.8C, UPM-1XP, UPJunior-XP y UPJ 1XP de Meyer Sound, along with subwoofers UMS-1XP.

“The Colwell was designed primarily for theater and spoken word events, with a reverberation time of just over a second. Now we can, For example, emulate the acoustics of Krannert's great hall, with an RT of 2,8 seconds for orchestral music, we can extend it even further for choral works. We can do opera or host a bluegrass band with a microphone and let the active acoustics fill the room as if it were the Ryman Auditorium.”, comment Rick Scholwin, director of audio services at the Center and chair of the university's sound design program.

For advanced theatrical sound design, Powered speaker systems can be configured to work with Spacemap sound design software, enabling surround effects and dynamic panning of discrete sounds in each and every location.

Colwell Playhouse's New Direct Reinforcement System, which works separately from Constellation, is anchored by twin arrays of eight Lina speakers each, with each arrangement suspended under two low frequency control elements 750-LFC . Two compact speakers Ultra-X40 serve as the center cluster and three additional 750-LFC elements in the floor increase low-frequency thrust.

In addition to admitting a diversity of interpretation genres, new systems provide extraordinary learning opportunities for the school's BFA and MFA sound design students.