ABILENE, TX — The Paramount Theatre in downtown Abilene, Tex., a monument to an earlier time of movie palaces and vaudeville performance, now offers a new sound reinforcement system highlighted by EAW KF730 compact line arrays as well as JF50S two-way loudspeakers and SM200iH stage monitors and designed and installed by Gemini Sound of Dallas.
Late last year, Gemini Sound began the process of developing a new sound reinforcement system for the 1,199-seat theatre, which has a main floor as well as lower, middle and upper balconies. In formulating the design, the system team collaborated with key theatre personnel, including Executive Director Betty Hukill, Artistic Director Barry Smoot and Technical Director Jennifer Lashley.
They decided to fly the line arrays to the left and right of the stage, tucked well up and out of the way. Each is comprised of two SB730 flying subwoofers that fit seamlessly within the array structure, with five KF730 full-range modules below, tapered back into a classic "J" shape.
The arrays are able to provide coverage from front-to-back and side-to-side, placing the boxes helping to keep output off the side walls and balcony faces to prevent reflections and reverberation. The arrays are supported by compact JF50S loudspeakers on the stage that supply mid/high fill to the first few seating rows, with four EAW SM200iH wedges available for any stage monitoring needs.
"This is a well-executed system, fully taking into account the current and future needs of the client — and then some," said Gemini Sound President Tim Cain. "We all agree that it's an optimum solution in meeting sonic requirements in a challenging retrofit situation."
Built in 1930, the distinctive Spanish-Moorish architecture of the Paramount Theatre received a new lease on life with a 1986 renovation that has led to it serving the community by providing live and motion picture entertainment of many varieties. The restoration and renovation took over six months and resulted in a prestigious Texas Award for Historic Preservation from the Texas Historical Commission.
ACTION ITEM:
For further information, please visit www.eaw.com.
