In the heart of Warsaw’s Praga district, the Jan Kiepura Masovian Musical Theater has elevated its productions to a higher level with a sound system from EAW.
Replacing a subleased sound system that delivered strong performance but with significant coverage limitations, installation of an EAW AC6 ADAPTive column loudspeaker system has brought better coverage and flexibility that benefits the theatre’s wide-ranging repertoire, which includes musically and visually complex productions.
Due to its size, the previous system had to be hung high, resulting in uneven sound distribution throughout the auditorium. ‘We either had excellent coverage at the top and average at the bottom, or excellent coverage from the third row to almost the last row,’ says Maciej Marcinuik, Deputy Director for Administration and Investment at the theatre. ‘Because we have the orchestra directly in front of the system, we don’t have the possibility to use traditional front fills. That was our biggest challenge.
‘After the change, we achieved practically the same SPL throughout the entire auditorium,’ he continues. ‘We measured it at virtually every seat; the difference from the first row to the last is minimal. That level of consistency was exactly what we were looking for.’
The AC6 system’s ADAPTive technology allows the theater to manage coverage scenarios entirely through software. With presets loaded directly into the loudspeakers, all system management is handled via computer.
‘We can use several scenarios,’ Marcinuik explains. ‘We can play to the stage, to the orchestra pit, to the audience — or only to the audience. Sometimes the orchestra pit is used for additional seating or staging. With literally two clicks, we can decide whether we’re playing there or not. No mechanical adjustments, just software.
‘Feedback resistance is something we absolutely have to emphasize. Actors sometimes run within a meter or two of the main system with condenser capsules, and they still have complete comfort. That’s a huge benefit for us.’
Beyond performance, aesthetics also played a major role. During one production’s set design phase, the loudspeaker mounting location was found to sit directly behind a scenic element. ‘The set designer simply designed openings with mesh for the speakers,’ Marcinuik says. ‘I know where the system is, but the audience has no idea. It’s completely invisible.’
The installation also includes a Dante-based digital audio network with redundant connections ensuring uninterrupted performance even in the event of a failure. The system continuously monitors its components, instantly alerting staff to any issues. ‘If a transducer or DSP module fails, the program informs us immediately and specifies the location,’ Marcinuik says. ‘Then we can press the “self-healing” button, and the system recalculates the beam to compensate. We maintain the same coverage. There may be a slight drop in sensitivity, but coverage remains consistent from the first to the last row.’
For Ewa Kacprzak-Krzysik, Head of Marketing & Communications at the venue, the investment in EAW was about more than technology: ‘Our audiences include people who have been loyal to us for many years, as well as those experiencing our theater for the first time,’ she says. ‘We want what they hear to be of the highest standard. As a viewer, I’m impressed that you can hear the artists moving on stage. The sound follows them. We have audiences who return and repeat performances. That says everything.’
‘If we could go back in time, we would make the same decision,’ Marcinuik agrees. ‘I was initially sceptical that such a compact design could be so versatile, but the quality is truly impressive. I can wholeheartedly recommend this technology.’
With the EAW system now fully integrated into both its large and small auditoriums, the Masovian Musical Theater is equipped to support its ambitious artistic vision for years to come. ‘Our work and effort yielded a great result,’ Kacprzak-Krzysik concludes. ‘We’re proud of the standard we’ve achieved, and we invite everyone to come and hear it for themselves.’
More: www.eaw.com