Madrid’s La Sala Galileo Galilei theatre recently completed a significant refurbishment with the aim of improving performance and ensuring versatility and flexibility when using the space.
Opened in 1985, La Sala is housed in the old Galileo Cinema and is one of the city’s flagship cultural spaces, featuring Hellenic-style décor and offering a varied programme of live music, comedy and magic.
The was handled by Inercia Tecnología Audiovisual and Syncronía Instalaciones (both based in Madrid) and included the selection, design and supply of sound, video, lighting and staging, all of which needed to respect the original character of the hall. Another of the challenges presented by the project was the short time available in which to complete it – in just four weeks it was necessary to supply, execute and train the venue staff in order to reopen the doors within the agreed timeframe.
At the heart of the audio aspect of upgrade is an Allen & Heath SQ-6 console with SQ Dante expansion card. Offering 48 channels, 25 faders, eight internal effects engines and capacity for up to 12 stereo mixes for FOH and monitoring, the SQ-6 is well-suited to the requirements of the events held at La Sala. The SQ-6 is partnered with a rackmounted DX168 MixRack, its 16 inputs and eight outputs offering additional versatility with the ease of connection via a single Cat5e cable.
The venue is also equipped with two compact Allen & Heath CQ12T digital mixers, connected via Dante converters, to be used when the space is used as a club, for music listening or for shows. The entire sound system is integrated into a Dante network and switches interconnected by fibre-optic links. The network has been complemented with a Wifi network for technical control, designed to increase the versatility of the space, allowing operator control from tablets or smartphones, and enabling artists to adjust their own monitor and in-ear mixes.