With an aging public address system had become too complex and maintenance-intensive, the Duisburg Theater am Marientor required a new sound system that would be discreet and equally suited to both voice and music reinforcement. After hearing an Alcons system, the decision had been made.

The German venue has an eventful, if comparatively short history – built in 1995 it first staged Les Misérables and is now mainly used for show, tour and TV productions – as well as being home to the Duisburg Philharmonic. The main hall has 1,546 seats, which are distributed approximately evenly over parquet and rank.

Its new public address system comprises 18 Alcons LR14 pro-ribbon line array, six SR9 cabinets as close-fill and four BF362MkII for bass support, with three Sentinel S10 amplified loudspeaker controllers for system management.

The LR14 is a passive two-way line source system using Alcons’ midrange and high-frequency pro-ribbon transducer technology, and offers a linear response with high speech intelligibility and uncompressed tonal balance at any sound pressure level. The ultra-compact size combined with the lightweight neodymium drivers guarantee easy handling.

The theatre’s operator was anxious to place the new speakers as far out of sight as possible – as high as possible, as deep as necessary. At the same time, as far as possible, direct sound should be generated below the rank. Precise calibration and appropriate curving allowed for both requirements and, in combination with the four SR9, achieved the best possible near-field transition to the PA. For this purpose loudspeakers in 90° and 120° configuration were used.

The four BF362 Mk2 subwoofers have been distributed evenly on stage and in the uppermost boxes. ‘Here it was important to note that the construction of the orchestra pit and the resulting first two rows resulted in a bass resonance in the range of 70Hz to 160Hz and 300Hz,’ explains Stefan Heynen, freelance sound engineer at the Theater am Marientor and owner of QSS Quality Sound Systems.

Heynen, who has worked regularly with the LR14 for several years, is still surprised by the efficiency of the comparatively small LR14.

‘The system’s two 6.5-inch woofers effectively cover the lower mids and the bass region’, he explains. Particularly impressive is ‘the experienced pressure through the balanced lower mids and lows, as well as the ‘silky’ resolution of the upper mid-range into the high frequency range’.

‘The Alcons system has met all our requirements, but it has also been and is very beneficial in terms of cost,’ says Torsten Köppen, technical director of the Marientor Theater. ‘In addition, it is compatible with all other systems and can be easily extended – with visiting productions, it can also be quickly de-rigged and re-installed.’

‘The LR14 is the perfect system for this theatre with its wide range of events,’ Heynen adds.

More: www.alconsaudio.com