The University of the Arts is located on Broad Street in Philadelphia, which is currently one of the most difficult cities for wireless installations in the nation due to the abundance of wireless equipment being used in the area. In addition to this challenge, the University had a goal of linking the side-by-side theaters with audio, video, data, fiber and the wireless systems so that the equipment could be shared or work independently from one another. They decided on an array of AKG equipment that included: four AKG C5 Handheld Condenser microphones, four AKG D5 General Purpose Vocal microphones, four C1000S and four C518M instrument Condensers, ten wireless microphone systems that included a variety of handheld and body pack transmitters and much more.“Our client wanted the theaters to serve as a show place for the University,” said Saben Shawhan, Senior Consultant for Metropolitan Acoustics. “We needed a system that had a lot of flexibility with interchangeable microphone elements and the ability to reallocate frequencies as the RF landscape changed. The system also needed to accommodate a variety of presentations, musical performances and theatrical productions each with different wired and wireless microphone demands. With the Harman products, that’s exactly what we got.”
Renovations on the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Center for the Performing Arts began three years ago. Initially conceived of as a basic renovation, the project expanded into the creation of a state of the art performance facility consisting of two side-by-side theatres; one is primarily designed and used for music recitals and the other for theatrical performances.
In addition to the AKG components, the theater also utilizes two Soundcraft Vi4 Digital Consoles, two BSS Soundweb Blu-160s and one Blu-120 audio processor. Because of his past experience with Harman products, Shawhan says that he knew the reliability and flexibility of the Harman components would be required to successfully integrate a project as technically demanding as this one.
“With the scope of the project, we knew we had to do a lot of coordinating,” Shawhan continued. “There is ill d we tithin a tifgt space.an abundance of lighting, sound and video equipment plus acoustical reflectors and adjustable acoustic curtains all within a tight space. Having some flexibility with the equipment locations and the ability to modify setting and programming as the installation progressed was key to having a successful installation.
Metropolitan Acoustics, LLC is an acoustical consulting firm based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They provide services in architectural acoustics, noise control, and sound and A/V system design. Metropolitan Acoustics was founded in 1990 by the present owner, Felicia Doggett. Since inception, the company has consulted on over 1,400 projects and has expanded to seven employees.
AKG is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com).
Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products
for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”
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Photo of the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Center for the Performing Arts
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