Opened in 1891, the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, Massachusetts, quickly attracted leading troupes and big-name performers from Mae West to Harry Houdini. America’s first municipally-owned theatre, the advent of film in the 1930s marked a silent films, followed by talkies, in addition to live entertainment.
Having taken in a wide variety of programming – from rock concerts and theatrical productions, to films, literary arts, dance and youth programmes –a suitable sound system has been essential. The Academy recently turned to veteran touring sound engineer Jason Raboin to design and install a new one…
The project presented a number of challenges. The speakers needed to provide consistent coverage throughout the entire theatre without interfering with sightlines to the stage or distracting from the architecture of the 125-year-old opera house. Additionally, limited rigging options demanded compact, lightweight loudspeakers as part of a visually unobtrusive sound system.
The system Raboin designed centres four Fulcrum Acoustic CX1595 15-inch Coaxial Loudspeakers powered by Ashly nXp amplifiers. The speakers provide the requisite output capability and optimal 90° x 45° dispersion, while their weight and design ensures minimal effect on sight lines and aesthetics. Two portable Fulcrum Acoustic Sub215 Dual 15 inch Direct-Radiating Subwoofers provide concert-level low frequency for the theatre, while also minimising visual impact.
As a touring sound engineer for artists including Joan Baez, Modest Mouse and Lake Street Dive, Raboin has worked on a variety of audio systems in the field: ‘I have not heard anything that sounds better than Fulcrum Acoustic speakers, he says. ‘When you combine their fidelity, low weight and compact size, they really were the only choice for this installation. It was hard to believe that such a compact system would be able to cover the venue at the desired SPL, but the system exceeded our expectations and the theatre’s design goals.’
Fittingly, the new sound system had its debut performance with Northampton’s annual Django in June Festival, which features the ‘gypsy jazz’ popularised by Django Reinhardt in the 1930s and 40s when the Academy also was in full swing. ‘Django in June was so happy to offer the inaugural performance of the new sound system,’ festival founder Andrew Lawrence says. ‘I enjoyed the performances immensely and thought the sound was impeccable.’
More: www.fulcrum-acoustic.com
