DSA Series Fosters Digital Wonderland For Norristown
Planet Medley, the installation division of Bryn Mawr, PA-based Medley Music Corp., recently unveiled a new sound system headed by EAW DSA Series full-range loudspeakers that provides full-range reinforcement for a 1,200-seat auditorium at Norristown (PA) High School.
Built in 1973, the auditorium hosts theatrical productions, concerts, classes and meetings, but is hampered by numerous hard wall surfaces that seriously compromise acoustics, complicated by an existing infrastructure for cabling that is largely inaccessible. A floor-to-ceiling steel door frequently used to close off the balcony adds to the room’s acoustical challenges, leaving Kyle Rosenbloom, who heads up Planet Medley, seeking to tightly control the output and coverage of the new system’s loudspeakers.
Rosenbloom's search led to EAW DSA Series loudspeakers, which provide output that can be digitally steered to tightly focus energy on the coverage area and off of nearby reflective surfaces. Following a live demonstration of DSA250 loudspeakers in the auditorium, he quickly made his decision.
“DSA performance is amazing,” Rosenbloom states. “The difference between what it can do in comparison to conventional loudspeakers is night and day.”
The system features two sets of DSA250 loudspeakers mounted to each side of the very wide stage proscenium. The lower set teams up to provide coverage to the entire main floor, while the upper set handles balcony coverage needs. Bass performance is supplemented by two EAW NTS22 subwoofers positioned beneath the stage.
“Once we had the loudspeakers in place, we then only needed to use the DSA Pilot program for optimization,” he adds. “Basically, you just enter the dimensions of the coverage area, the incline of the room and so forth, and the program configures the system precisely from there.”
The system mix/control position is anchored by a Mackie TT24 digital console, selected for its sonic quality as well as the way it dramatically simplifies setting the system for optimum operation and configuration via one-button access to presets.
Up to four EAW SM109z low-profile stage monitors can be placed on the stage as needed, driven by a single EAW Commercial CAZ1400 power amplifier mounted in the stage rack with digital snake box. Two monitor mixes are supplied via the TT24 console.
“This project shows what advances in technology can bring to any situation, especially a tough one. This is a really intricate system as far as its capabilities, but in terms of operation by the end user, it’s very simple,” Rosenbloom concludes.