AUDIO
the technical supervisor at Bose Italy who
directly monitored the design.
“Unlike any other musical event, where
the audience’s attention is aimed at the front
of the stage, in Giudizio Universale’s case the
spectator feels completely immersed in the
artistic experience,” Zampieri continues. “All of
the upper vault and the space around the stage
is entirely covered by HD projections that tell
the story of the Sistine Chapel in four acts. As
a complementary aspect to the visual stream,
achieved with 30 4K laser projectors, a powerful
audio installation was needed as an integral part
of the three-dimensional journey.”
The overall aim was to find the ideal
balance where 3D sounds, surround videos
and aesthetics could be gathered together.
“The installation goes beyond the typical 5.1
surround: if we count the relevant points this
is a versatile 9.4 system,” explains Zampieri.
Immersive but unobtrusive
Through meticulous design work and
utilizing Bose DeltaQ technology, the
solution is capable of distributing sound that
guarantees every member of the audience is
immersed in the experience. This was
achieved using 30% fewer loudspeaker modules
than would be needed in a standard line-array
configuration. This was an important element
of the design work as the team was very limited
in terms of where loudspeakers could be
positioned, so they would not disrupt the
audience’s view of the screens. Of all the venue’s
loudspeakers, only the rear surround speakers
and two delay enclosures are partially visible –
the rest of the rig is concealed behind the
projection surfaces.
Bose ShowMatch and RoomMatch DeltaQ
arrays were chosen as the loudspeaker system
for the show. ShowMatch loudspeakers feature
next-generation array technology designed
to provide top-class sound quality for live
music production, with best-in-class vocal
clarity throughout the audience listening area.
Array modules are available with three vertical
coverage patterns (SM5, SM10 and SM20),
each with field-replaceable waveguides that
allow horizontal coverage to be adapted to
better match audience coverage needs, as well
as to form asymmetrical patterns for improved
acoustic performance in left/right arrays.
The Bose solution is a 9.4 channel audio
configuration. The sound system comprises of
main left/center/right plus stage-front subs, left/
70 AUDITORIA 2019 VOLUME ONE
The
Auditorium
Conciliazione,
inaugurated
in 1950, is a
multifunctional
complex near
the Vatican
Below: Bose says the system
provides a 9.4 immersive
audio experience
right surround, rear surround, delay left/right
and over left/right modules. Each of the main
ShowMatch DeltaQ clusters comprises eight SM5
modules and two SMS118 subwoofers, whereas
the center hang is formed by three SM5 modules,
an SM10, two SM20s and two SMS118 subs.
The down-fills are an SM10 and an SM20
per side. Stage-front, six more SMS118 subs
and six RoomMatch Utility RMU208 modules
are on front-fill duty. The left/right surround
speakers are seven RMU208s per side, while the
delay consists of an RM12040 per side and rear
surround comes from four RMU208s. The over
speakers are four pairs of RM12060s configured
in stereo and flown above the audience; stage
monitors are six RMU208s.
It was important to ensure uniform coverage
while adopting a compact configuration to
minimize any interference to the projection
surface. This approach also has a direct
impact on the overall system cost, as the
audio solution involves fewer modules but
maintains consistent coverage.
Amplification
In terms of amplifiers, the system comprises
six PowerMatch PM8500N (for the
RoomMatch speakers) and four Powersoft X8
(for the ShowMatch speakers) amplifiers, which
along with an ESP4120 processor, sit in two racks
on either side of the room. The Powersoft X8
amplifiers receive audio signals from the control
desk via the Dante network while the PM8500Ns
communicate by an optical link via ESP4120.
The installation took five weeks. Auris Populi
worked closely with all respective lighting and
visual integrators to ensure full respect was paid to
this historic and valuable building as the incredible
story was spectacularly brought to life. n
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