CCT’s Coral Sea Vue

AUSTRALIA: When the Orange Ex-Services Club (OESC) recently refurbished its multi-function, 400-person capacity, cabaret-style Coral Sea Room, Colton Computer Technologies (CCT) was called in to install a new audio system. The large hall lacked the capability for even coverage from front to back and hosts a variety of events, ranging from weddings and corporate events to gala dinners and musical performances. With these challenges in mind, the solutions provider opted for a Vue Audiotechnik solution, having deployed the manufacturer’s products during various projects over the last few years.

‘Part of the design process was taking into account the acoustics of the room,’ said CCT technical director Dane Morgan. ‘The new system had to be capable of delivering high-quality, intelligible audio for all of the potential audience members.

‘Aesthetics were also a high concern, as the room was being completely renovated for rebranding,’ he continued. ‘The sound system had to look neat and inconspicuous, yet still deliver high-end results.’

The Coral Sea Room’s existing PA system consisted of a set of double-15 and horn cabinets perched on ledges in each corner of the room and fed by a small mixer in a remote booth. CCT installed a solution coupling VUE Audiotechnik al-4 subcompact line arrays with an as-215 dual 15-inch vented subwoofer.

The small mixer was replaced with an Apart AudioControl 12.8 DSP-powered audio matrix mixer, which allows for integration of microphone and line-level inputs from the stage. Audio output is then sent to a V4 systems engine, which powers the al-4s, also providing them with DSP and networking capabilities.

‘The system was scoped as a speech and playback PA for the Coral Sea Room, with the potential that it could be used for performances by duos and trios,’ explained Mr Morgan. ‘Vue equipment was used in conjunction with the Apart systems for drive.’

The al-4s were rigged with the unit’s optional rigging hardware and flybar, as Mr Morgan noted, ‘the largest challenge with the room was establishing rigging points and rigging heights for the boxes. Thankfully, weight was not an issue and a single-point pickup was sufficient for angling of the al-4 boxes. The al-4 cabinet weighs in at only 8kg, so each array of four elements presented a relatively lightweight load of 33kg plus the weight of the rigging hardware itself.’

Concealing the as-215 also posed a challenge to the CCT team and was answered with a stroke of creativity. ‘There was originally, an existing powered stage extension that had been decommissioned, but all the parts were still under the stage,’ Mr Morgan recalled. ‘We ended up mounting the as-215 on top of the stage extension carcass and cutting a hole out of the front of the stage. As it turns out, the size of the hole required for the as-215 was a perfect air-conditioning duct size, so the builders ultimately used one of those for the front grill of the sub.’

Since project completion, the OESC has seemingly had no complaints with the system and CCT’s technical director once again finds himself satisfied with a job well done. ‘Since sign-off, there have been no complaints as to the intelligibility or sound levels that the Vue PA system can produce,’ Mr Morgan concluded.

www.coltoncomputers.com.au
www.vueaudio.com