Meyer Sound's sound fosters the performing arts of krannert

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, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts it serves not only as a place 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 encompasses active acoustics Constellation, surround sound with control Spacemap and a main reinforcement system based on Lina in-line array speakers. The new systems, supplied by Chicago Area Integrator TC Furlong, have been installed in the Colwell Playhouse of 674 seats, one of the four places 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 housing the patented VRAS algorithm to generate natural acoustic environments in the three areas of the room.

Self-powered speaker add-on for Constellation and immersive systems includes full-range models Ashby.8C, UPM-1XP, UPJunior-XP and UPJ 1XP by Meyer Sound, along with subwoofers UMS-1XP.

"The Colwell was designed primarily for theatre 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 present a bluegrass band with a microphone and let the active acoustics fill the room as if it were the Ryman Auditorium.", Says Rick Scholwin, director of audio services at the Center and president of the university's sound design program.

For advanced theatrical sound design, self-powered speaker systems can be configured to work with Spacemap sound design software, allowing for immersive effects and dynamic panning of discrete sounds in each and every location.

The new direct reinforcement system from Colwell Playhouse, that works separately from Constellation, is anchored by twin arrangements of eight Lina speakers each, with each array suspended under two low-frequency control elements 750-CFL . Two compact speakers Ultra-X40 serve as a core group and three additional 750-LFC elements on the floor increase low-frequency thrust.

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

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