The West Fargo Public School District recently transitioned a 9th grade center into Sheyenne High School to accommodate the rapidly increasing population in the area. The conversion to a high school required a variety of additions to the building including a new performing arts space complete with an EAW QX Series sound reinforcement system.
The West Fargo Public School District worked with Tricorne Audio – with offices in Fargo and Bismarck, North Dakota – to install the new system.
“When we were awarded the project we realized the original design didn’t take the entire space into consideration, which required us to rethink the system design,” explains Dallas Anderson, Tricorne Audio. “As a result, we looked at some other options, did some value engineering, and came up with an EAW solution that made everyone happy.”
The room, which is wider than it is deep with a rounded back wall, features fan shaped, graded seating that can accommodate up to 600 people. Acoustic clouds above the proscenium provide necessary absorption, making it an acoustically pleasing space.
Anderson and the Tricorne team designed a left-center-right system using EAW QX Series loudspeakers. Single QX326 loudspeakers hang to the left and right of the stage while a pair of QX396 loudspeakers cover the center of the room.
“I can’t think of a better loudspeaker for applications like these,” Anderson continues. “Many folks might have put in a line array but when a room is wider than it is deep? I don’t see the benefit of that. The QX300 Series does a fantastic job. The system has concert capable output while being compact, concise and sounds phenomenal.”
The compact, two-way QX326 and QX396 loudspeakers both have ultra-efficient high frequency compression drivers with a 120 x 60 and 90 x 60 degree (respectively) constant directivity horns. Four Phase Aligned 10-inch low frequency transducers arranged as vertical and horizontal pairs leverage beneficial interaction based on their spacing to extend pattern control. The QX300 Series loudspeakers also have tremendous broadband pattern control which helps direct and manage sonic quality in the space.
Low end is supported by a single EAW SB528zi double 18-inch subwoofer situated above the proscenium and against the wall in the catwalks. Anderson utilized EAW’s UX3600 digital signal processor on the LCR loudspeakers
“This was a perfect example of value engineering,” concludes Anderson. “We were able to provide the school with a much more musical, sonically clean system with far fewer components than a line array and at the same or less cost. The school comes out ahead with the audience being the real winners.”
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Photo cutline: Single QX326 loudspeakers hang to the left and right of the stage while a pair of QX396 loudspeakers cover the center of the room.
Download hi-res photo: http://bit.ly/1HuDCBm
