MANNHEIM, Germany – After a shootout evaluating six different brands of audio gear, Christian Stader, tonmeister for Nationaltheater Mannheim, chose Alcons Audio gear to meet the challenge of providing sufficient coverage on and below the balconies. Stader said the Alcons system provided a natural sound response with very little compression.
Stader's counterparts at the Thalia Theater in Hamburg were happy with the Alcons equipment used there. "Following that, I contacted Carsten Albrecht of Alcons Germany and he performed a demo with VR8 system in our house," Stader said. After that, he included Alcons in a more comprehensive comparative test.
"In the shootout, Alcons was for all involved in the decision, the clear overall winner. The system is in complete harmony with our room," Stader said. Along with the natural sound reproduction, Stader was impressed with the clarity of the mid-highs and transparency of the total soundstage. He also credited the gain-before-feedback and the company's support.
"The cooperation is very personal and based on trust, and Carsten is always available with advice," Stader said. "I rarely experienced better support. One feels taken care of in the best way with Alcons."
The system installed in the 1,156 seat Vier-Sparten-Theateropera house (home to opera, ballet, operetta and musicals), while predominantly used for orchestra and ballet performances, can also be used for musicals and rock concerts.
Despite the challenges inherent in the highly-reflective opera house, Stader called the Alcons system "a pleasure to work with." There are 12 LR14 and six LR7 units installed, with two BF302 double 15-inch subwoofers and two VR8 compact monitors.
The system is powered and controlled by four ALC2 amplified loudspeaker controllers and one ALC4 amplified loudspeaker controller. The new center cluster also helps eliminate the venue's audio problems for those seated on and under the balconies.
The Nationaltheater Mannheim, founded in 1777, has been used for historic artistic premieres, including Friedrich Schillers' Die Räuber (The Robbers) in 1782. It also houses one of the largest stages in Germany, with a width of 24 meters.
For more information, please visit www.alconsaudio.com and www.nationaltheater-mannheim.de.
