A major two-day musical event in July saw the picturesque Leeds Castle host the Heritage Events Leeds Castle Open Air Classical Concert 2011 – with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by John Rigby playing ‘a selection of popular classics’ – followed by Live At The Castle 2011, headlined by Europe’s No.1 boy band, The Wanted.

Outperforming both events in terms of its its flexibility, was the large Outline GTO and Butterfly systems used by SRD Group for the front-of-house sound system for both concerts.

The main LR system called on Outline’s flagship GTO line-source enclosure, flown 12-deep each side of the stage. Dual delay towers, each comprising 12 Outline Butterfly elements, were also used and combined with the main system to provide the necessary coverage of a very large and awkwardly-shaped audience area. A further six ground-stacked Outline Butterfly elements per side provided front of stage fill. All of the systems were powered by Outline T11 amplifiers and controlled by Lake LM26 processors via Dante networks.

The primary orchestra mix of 128 channels was handled by Ian Barfoot with ten digital stems sent to FOH, with Chris Beddall mixing on an Allen & Heath iLive digital console. A further iLive handled the complex on-stage monitor mix. The Wanted, meanwhile, were mixed at FOH by Andrew Thornton on a Digidesign Profile, with all supporting acts – including Alexandra Burke, new girl-band Fanfare, Stacey Solomon and Eliza Doolittle – mixed with an A&H iLive 112 surface.

Barfoot also designed the system using Outline’s proprietary Open Array prediction software, and commented that: ‘The software predicted exactly what we consequently achieved and was flawless in its execution’.

‘The GTO system can certainly handle the subtleties of orchestral music as well as rock with its huge dynamic range, and has long throw capabilties without compare,’ says Chris Beddall. ‘I am truly impressed.’

‘The GTO system is amazing and throws an incredible distance with even coverage and excellent intelligibility,’ adds SRD Group’s Stuart Roberts. ‘What we experienced at Leeds Castle totally substantiates Outline’s claims of unparalleled far-field performance’.

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