"Thinking Small" Prompts Meyer Sound M1D Solution for New Jersey Theatre
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A sound system upgrade for the 1,200 seat Community Theatre of New Jersey in Morristown presented a puzzle to newly hired staff audio engineer and technical director Jonathan "JP" Peirce. Faced with a number of challenges—problematic acoustics, a limited budget, and strict aesthetic requirements—all proposed loudspeaker systems fell short in one way or another. Finally, when Peirce decided to "think small," the pieces of the puzzle fell together around an elegant solution based on Meyer Sound M1D ultra-compact curvilinear arrays. "The M1Ds just sound gorgeous for all of the acts we present here, which range from classical and light pop to pretty loud rock," says Peirce. "I'm walking around in awe of what I hear every day. The coverage is even and dead-on everywhere." Installed in April, the new FOH system is anchored by 12 M1D cabinets per side for the orchestra level, with a center array of eight M1D cabinets and two M1D-Sub ultra-compact subwoofers covering the balcony. A number of other sound reinforcement solutions had been attempted since the venue's initial restoration and reopening in 1994, but none had been fully satisfactory. In 2003, the theatre contracted with Masque Sound of Moonachie, N.J., for a system based on Meyer Sound's self-powered loudspeakers. However, that still left open a wide range of possibilities. The first round of "auditions" was based on traditional MSL-4 clusters, an approach Peirce found not quite to his liking. "I've used the MSL-4 dozens of times and it's a great box," he says. "But it just wasn't right for this room. Also, the odd cluster angles we needed in order to get coverage were not visually appealing." Peirce's first preferred alternative was based on the M2D compact curvilinear array, and this preference was bolstered after hearing the M2D system at the 1,800-seat State Theatre in nearby New Brunswick. Using Meyer Sound MAPP Online software and working in consultation with Meyer Sound's Design Services department, Peirce fashioned an M2D design, then asked Masque to bring out M2Ds for an on-site audition. The system sounded superb, but further analysis revealed that the number of cabinets required to achieve full and even coverage of the entire room would far exceed the power requirements of the room – and also break the budget cap. "The M2Ds would have easily handled heavy metal bands, which we don't book here. There was no sense in paying for power we didn't need." Still enthused about the potential of M Series arrays, he thought smaller. The Theatre already had M1Ds as front fills, so Peirce next investigated the possibility of an M1D-based main FOH system. Returning to MAPP Online, he experimented with configurations and splay angles. This time, the combination clicked. The smooth coverage was there, with plenty of power for satisfying "classic rock" levels. Equally important, the M1D arrays would have a clean look, stay clear of sight lines, and come in at a cost well under the budget cap. "Masque Sound brought in the M1Ds on the day of a show," Peirce recalls. "We put them up in the morning and the result right out of the box was unbelievable. I had just a few minutes to dial it in on the house EQ, using the old school method. But the band engineer heard it and said, 'Don't change a thing.'" As for power reserves, one of the first acts to use the system was Jersey rock icon Southside Johnny. "I knew it looked good on paper, but I was relieved to know that we definitely had the power," admits Peirce. The M1D solution also satisfied the aural and visual concerns of the theatre's executive director, Alison Larena, who remarks that the system "is much warmer and richer sounding," and that the slender arrays "are also aesthetically pleasing in the auditorium." For his part, Peirce is effusive in his praise of the way Masque Sound accommodated his requests for on-site auditions of the various solutions. "We're happy with what we have now, but it didn't come easily," he confesses. "Without the help of Scott Kalata and Geoff Shearing at Masque, it never would have happened. They were terrific." Other Meyer Sound components in the system include a pair of 650-P high-power subwoofers (under the stage), four M1D cabinets for front fill, six UPM-2P ultra-compact narrow coverage loudspeakers for underbalcony, two UPA-2P compact narrow coverage loudspeakers for flown sidefill monitors, and two UM-1P narrow coverage stage monitors. March, 2005 |
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