Meyer Sound News : MICA and MILO Debut at Proms in the Park

MICA and MILO Debut at Proms in the Park

"The most outstanding attribute of the system was the fact that it threw sound further than any other used in the event's 10-year history. In fact, during system set-up we were told that the delays were working very well even though, at that point, they had yet to be switched on!"

- Simon Biddulph
System Sound and Light

In spite of a blustery series of drenching thunderstorms, nearly 45,000 music lovers descended en masse on the grassy fields of Hyde Park for the tenth anniversary of London's splendid end-of-summer celebration, Proms in the Park. The steadfast audience warmed quickly to dynamic performances by the BBC Concert Orchestra, along with tenor Andrea Bocelli, violinist Nicola Benedetti, pop vocal quartet G4, and special guests soul-rockers Simply Red. This year's event also marked the debut of a 96-cabinet, self-powered Meyer Sound system built around MILO and MICA high-power curvilinear arrays.

Even in the best of weather, Proms in the Park, a 1996 expansion of the 110-year-old Proms concert series, presents a daunting challenge for sound reinforcement. The audience spreads out in casual picnic fashion, making the coverage area immense: 300 meters deep and nearly 250 meters wide. In addition, because of the eclectic combination of pop/rock and classical fare, the system must project delicate transients as well as handling an exceptionally wide dynamic range. Beyond all that, everything is broadcast live on the BBC, so the system must tightly control bleed back to the stage.

The overall brief for system performance was set by Simon Biddulph of System Sound and Light, who has been the primary audio contractor and chief sound system designer for Proms in the Park since its inception. The specifics of the loudspeaker configuration were given to Chris Marsh of Major Tom Ltd., who worked with design consultant and Meyer Sound associate Dave Dennison to turn Biddulph's requirements into a system design using Meyer Sound's MAPP Online Pro acoustical prediction program. The design stipulated main left and right arrays of 14 MILO cabinets with two MILO 120 high-power expanded coverage loudspeakers underhung for frontfill. For deep bass, six 700-HP ultrahigh-power subwoofers were flown behind the main arrays, augmented by four more groundstacked on each side. A single hang of six MICA compact high-power curvilinear array cabinets covered one side of the asymmetrical front audience area.

Biddulph laid out two delay rings with nine positions: eight positions with four MILO cabinets each and one position with six MICA units. "The most outstanding attribute of the system was the fact that it threw sound further than any other used in the event's 10-year history," remarks Biddulph. "In fact, during system set-up we were told that the delays were working very well even though, at that point, they had yet to be switched on!"

Biddulph found the loudspeakers' performance to be somewhat of a revelation. "The MILOs handled the whole range very well, the high strings in particular, which is typical of Meyer," he says. "I received several comments on the sound from the BBC and Mantaplan, the production company. All were positive and mentioned the improved coverage."

Biddulph gives credit for the show's success to the others on his team, including Pete McGlyn and Ali Viles "who looked after a particularly difficult stage," FOH operator Richard Sharrat, monitor operator Steve Watson, Chris Coxhead who took care of the Sunday "Family Proms" and other acts.

As he reflects on the event, Biddulph cites MILO's logistical virtues as well as its sound. "MILOs are easy to rig and de-rig quickly, and that always helps. Also, they are light enough – despite being self-powered – to fly the correct number of cabinets, rather than having to compromise due to weight restrictions. We provide sound for several other events of this type around London, and I expect the Meyer Sound system will be first choice from now on."

November, 2005