The Helsinki Music Hall has become the latest home to an L-Acoustics Kiva WST line source loudspeaker installation, courtesy of Finnish distributor and system integrator Starlike.
The main users of the1,700-seat hall will be the Radio Symphony Orchestra (YLE/The Finnish Broadcasting Company), the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Sibelius Academy, but it is also used for other types of music – Finnish cello rock band Apocalyptica have been booked to play the venue later this year.
‘The objective was to maintain even SPL and smooth tonal balance for all sections,’ says Starlike’s Pauli Molnár. ‘This led to the choice of speakers with similar physical properties: consistent tonal balance and technology. An L-Acoustics line source system was deemed to be the ideal choice, as the modularity of its curvature ensures excellent homogeneity of coverage, even tonal balance and adequate SPL throughout the audience.’
The system is configured as front, rear and side sound sources located in the ceiling, flown on the canopy at a height of approximately 15.5m. The central cluster adds definition and clarity for the furthest members of the audience in the concert hall. Two hangs of nine Kiva elements have been flown from the canopy, providing even coverage for the front audience areas until intersecting with the existing front fills. A further two hangs of eight elements are flown at the same height to cover rear audience areas, while two hangs of six elements at the same height cover the side audience areas.
Two vertically-mounted SB18i subwoofers behind the front line arrays provide 360° directivity for various applications while minimising low frequency energy on stage. The system is powered by five LA8 amplified controllers.
An additional coaxial system of eight L-Acoustics 12XTs, powered by four LA4s, will be used as floor monitors and for other point source applications.
More: www.starlike.fi
More: www.l-acoustics.com
