Alaska’s first Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system has been installed in the new, purpose-built Glenn Massay Theater at Matanuska-Susitna College (MSC).
The 523-seat facility serves a wide range of educational activities and arts performances, and uses the system to adapt its acoustics to orchestral and choral concerts, student assemblies, lectures, fine arts performances and amplified rock.
‘We’re blown away by how great the room sounds,’ says theatre director, Matt Sale. ‘It’s hard to tell what is the room’s own acoustical response and what is due to Constellation. If you walk in not knowing Constellation is on, you wouldn’t think there was any enhancement. But when you turn it off, it’s like when you have to pop your ears when going up in elevation.’
The Constellation system was specified for the venue following intensive discussions involving college representatives, Kumin Associates architects, and acoustical and media systems consultant McKay Conant Hoover (MCH). ‘We started with the thought of using passive acoustics only, but we soon realised the reverberation times desired for some music performances would require room volumes that would get us into a cost-prohibitive situation,’ says MCH Senior Consultant, Kyle Ridenour. ‘Constellation makes more sense financially, and has operational benefits as well.’
The system centres on a D-Mitri digital audio platform which hosts the VRAS acoustical algorithms. Ambient acoustics are captured by 22 miniature condenser microphones, and early reflections and reverberation are delivered by 35 MM-4XP self-powered loudspeakers, 19 Stella-8C installation loudspeakers, and 12 UMS-1XP subwoofers.
Pyramid Audio & Video served as the systems integrator, with engineering supervision and technical support from Stephen Weeks at Morgan Sound. ‘Everyone has been really excited about the system,’ Ridenour says. ‘Constellation has ultimately proved surprising to anybody unfamiliar with the concepts and technology behind it.’
Serving more than 2,000 students per semester, MSC is an extended campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage in the city of Palmer.
More: www.meyersound.com
