SOUTHAM HALL
One of the focal points of the $114.9-million Production Renewal
Phase of the project is a new orchestra shell that has greatly en-
hanced the acoustics and aesthetics in the 2,000-seat Southam Hall,
the largest and most prestigious venue in the building.
The old shell was designed when Southam Hall was primarily
an opera house, but these days, its chief resident is the National
Arts Centre Orchestra, which obviously has much different acoustic
needs. But in addition to the orchestra, the shell also had to accom-
modate a wide array of performances, from rock bands to dance
troupes, musicals, and spoken word.
To create a more intimate experience for patrons, the shell’s de-
sign moved the orchestra closer to the audience. In total, it took 18
months for the conglomerate of Diamond Schmitt Architects, Fisher
Dachs Associates, Threshold Acoustics, Engineering Harmonics, and
the NAC to design the solution, which was then manufactured by
Wenger & JR Clancy and took an additional three months to install.
The shell, which Wenger & JR Clancy says is the biggest and most
complex it’s ever created, is made up of 11 onstage towers, three
onstage reflectors, one forestage reflector, and eight forestage towers
downstage of the proscenium. Each of the onstage towers can be
arranged in different configurations for the orchestra’s needs, while the
three ceiling reflectors can move to above the stage in the fly loft or
along the upstage wall thanks to a new rigging and hoist system.
“The new shell has been completely designed with acoustics in
mind and is architecturally stunning, but the reflections of this shell
itself create a natural amplification that is easily felt from any point,
either on the stage or in the audience. That’s a very powerful thing,”
says Dan Holmes, one of the NAC’s head audio engineers. “There is a
massive difference with the acoustics from the old shell to the new,
just in terms of clarity and the overall warmth of the room.”
To complement the new orchestra shell, Southam Hall was also
outfitted with two separate PA systems to fit its various performanc-
es. The smaller, more commonly-used system is made up of d&b’s
V-Series speakers and subs, while a larger d&b J-Series system is also
available for the louder shows that come through as part of the NAC
Presents concert series. In both configurations, the seven-speaker
centre cluster remains the same and is comprised of a combination
of V8 and V12 line array cabinets. The smaller system features eight
boxes in each left and right array, again a combination of V8s and
V12s, with two ground-stacked V-Subs per side. The larger J-Series
concert system features 11 J8 and J12 boxes in each flown left-right
array and a J8 and J12 atop two J-Subs ground stacked on each side.
Additionally, throughout the auditorium, there are eight d&b
E6s, 14 Y7Ps, six V10Ps, and 30 E4s for fills, with an amplified source in
each of the lodges and private boxes.
“d&b has a large catalogue, so you’ve got their concert [J-Series]
system, you’ve got the V-Series system, you’ve got front fills, you’ve
got proscenium fills, you’ve got over-balcony fills, and the list goes
on and on. They basically have a tool for every job,” says Radu at
Solotech on why d&b was the best fit, not to mention that it won
the blind listening test. “I think one of the big things, too, is the sonic
characteristics of d&b products are very, very similar; they all have the
same voicings. Another big advantage in this particular application
is that all their boxes are very low-power and high-efficiency. When
you have a 400-watt speaker that is just as loud as the competitor’s
1,200-watt speaker, with the power consumption and the number of
amplifiers you need, there are some cost benefits.”
Holmes adds that his favourite part of the new package is its
comprehensive amplifier system, which features 280 discreet am-
plified channels. “It’s massive and we have a ridiculous amount of
control. We’re basically able to utilize any space to have discrete au-
dio placed. We have never had this much amplification in any of the
spaces,” he says. “I think one of the biggest parts of this new design
was the ability to have a manipulatable and multi-configurable sys-
tem. We always wanted to have the ability to deploy a system that is
necessary for whatever the touring act may be.”
PROFESSIONAL SOUND 27