Bose brings its sound to a historic building in Santiago de Chile

The MSA12X column speakers from Bose Professional have been the basis on which the new audio installation of the old Chamber of Deputies of Santiago de Chile has revolved. These ensure vocal intelligibility in an acoustically demanding space.

The old Chamber of Deputies in Santiago de Chile It has a state-of-the-art sound system thanks to the technology of Bose Professional.

Opened in 1876, the Palace of the National Congress is a neoclassical building that housed the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Senators. In 1990, Congress moved to Valparaiso, and the building became an alternate venue for official events, Institutional appointments, in addition to offering a library at the service of senators and deputies.

One of its most emblematic spaces, the old Chamber of Deputies, It has been renovated with audiovisual technology, including Led screens, Video cameras, streaming tools and a modern audio system with speakers and components from Bose Professional. For its historical value, All the works of the project were supervised by the National Monuments Council, since the building is a national monument.

David Abarca, of the IT department of the Chamber of Deputies, Project Manager, He explains that the sound system presented three main challenges: A careful installation for a historic building, achieve the best possible intelligibility and reduce the reverberation effect of the room.

The installation of the loudspeakers had to be done under the parameters and supervision of the National Monuments Council. Intelligibility was a critical factor due to the function of the space intended for speeches and presentations.

The room had a noticeable reverberation produced by the wide walls, balconies and dome-shaped roof. The space is semicircular in shape, with a height of more than 12 meters and a surface area of approximately 350 square meters. Its floor plan is distributed in two main areas, a presidium and a podium at the front and in five rows of seats on stepped platforms.

The Bose Professional Solution

The Chilean company Pro AV Technology, Specialists in audiovisual solutions, was chosen for the audio system project, when submitting the best proposal in the public tender.

According to Claudio Ibarra, General Manager of Pro AV Technology, A quick installation solution was required, Simple and agile, that offered highly reliable performance.

Previously, as part of the proposal, Ibarra and his team had reviewed the system's needs with MMT Chile Bose Professional Wholesaler in the Country, and with the Bose Professional Technical Support Engineer. Their MSA12X column speakers were presented as the best solution, since its wide horizontal coverage would ensure vocal intelligibility in this acoustically demanding space.

Engineers performed a simulation of the system, using architectural plans and material information, with the help of the Modeler software for acoustic analysis and design. With the information obtained, determined the best location for the speakers.

To cover the area of the seats, four were installed MSA12X Speakers in line array configuration, two on each side of the presidium and at a height of three meters. Its Articulated Array Design, with its twelve full-range drivers, Allows for wide 160° vertical coverage, enough so that the sound reaches each of the seats in a clear and intelligible way.

The modular design of the MSA12X allows a pair of speakers to be stacked in a line array configuration, resulting in more precise control of the vertical pattern, improving the range distance and decreasing the reflection of sound waves on the floor and ceiling.

For the presidium area, ProAV Technology installed a couple of FreeSpace DS 40SE speakers On each side, at a height of three meters and directed towards the seats. The system is completed with a FreeSpace IZA 2120-HZ amplifier and a ControlSpace ESP-1240AD processor in the control cabin, plus two zone controls ControlCenter CC-2 to facilitate volume management.

The discreet design and slim shape of the MSA12X speakers make them virtually unnoticed in the room, for they scarcely protrude from the side columns that flank the presidium. For its part, the FreeSpace DS 40SE were mounted on the same columns. The matte white color of both models also contributes to their blending in with the background.

The installation was carried out under the supervision of the National Monuments Council, whose staff instructed on the necessary care to preserve the surfaces on which work was carried out and thus ensure the preservation of the historic building.

Pro AV Technology also installed an audio mixer and a couple of signal distributors to stream.

Sound for a historic space

The new audio system of the old Chamber of Deputies meets all coverage requirements, Sound pressure and intelligibility. The installation was carried out in compliance with preservation standards. The speakers are not distracting and, for its design and color, blend with the shapes of the walls.

The Reverb effect was eliminated by combining the use of MSA12X speakers with the installation of carpet and wood paneling. The level of intelligibility achieved left everyone satisfied.

"The voice is heard naturally and very clearly. There is no need to make any effort to understand those who speak.", says Claudio Ibarra.

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