With an existing sound system that had served countless shows finally ‘beginning to show its age’, the immersive auditorium at Bolton’s Octagon Theatre has completed the installation of a new KV2 Audio PA system.
‘As part of the Octagon’s long-term strategy for fixed assets, the in-house team identifies areas of concern before the equipment fails,’ says theatre Head of Production, Chris Whitwood.
‘The old system did not provide sufficient coverage across the auditorium and no longer delivered the clarity and versatility required for the scale and ambition of the theatre’s programme. Its increasing unreliability was the perfect opportunity to upgrade to a system that would ensure consistent performance for years to come.
The award-winning theatre hosts bold and adventurous productions, from from collaborative community projects to large-scale touring shows.
‘The auditorium is fully flexible, offering in-the-round, thrust, and end-on configurations for truly immersive audience experiences,’ Whitwood continues. ‘Therefore, we needed a new system that would deliver reliable audio without the need for intensive equalisation work and re-rigging before every use.’ Having collaborated with the theatre’s in-house team on previous occasions, the venue’s trusted audio partner, dBS Solutions, was invited to design a new PA system suited to the theatre’s unique stage set-up.
‘The theatre required a system that delivers clear, detailed coverage across all audience spaces – including the balcony – for excellent intelligibility and a cohesive sound image to complement the existing delay loudspeakers,’ continues Chris Bogg, Director of dBS Solutions.
During past productions, Bogg had successfully employed KV2’s EX and ESD series loudspeakers to provide outstanding clarity and consistent coverage due to their dispersion characteristics. ‘The venue’s technical team were beyond impressed with the natural tone and definition,’ he says. ‘When it came time to upgrade to a permanent PA system, KV2 was the obvious choice.’
Bogg collaborated with in-house engineer Gerry Marsden to identify the most suitable loudspeaker solutions for the venue’s infrastructure, eventually landing on KV2’s passive ESD series.
‘We deployed a central cluster of five ESD10 loudspeakers, which now delivers clear, even coverage across the entire audience when used in-the-round, whilst maintaining flexibility for other stage configurations,’ he details. ‘We also integrated KV2’s linear ESP amplifier series outside of the main auditorium to minimise ambient noise.’
By combining the new KV2 system with the theatre’s existing delay loudspeakers, dBS solutions and the Octagon Theatre’s in-house team delivered an improved audio solution that maximises the immersive audience experience and supports performances across all genres.
The upgraded system has noticeably improved the coverage, quality, and intelligibility of each performance, adapting to the artistic demands across all of the theatre’s productions. ‘KV2’s reputation in the UK theatre market has ensured strong creative confidence in the new system,’ says Bogg. ‘Octagon Theatre’s visiting sound engineers and composers will be more than satisfied with the quality and coverage it provides.’
More: www.kv2audio.com