BERLIN – Home to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic Hall (Berlin Philharmonie) is one of the city’s cultural icons. Its unique, pentagonally shaped Great Hall, with its center stage, has been praised for its intimate ambience and stellar acoustics. To meet the audio requirements for this world-class venue, a Meyer Sound system was chosen for the task.
“In a concert hall of this caliber, with its truly exceptional natural acoustics, there are limitations on what can be done in terms of sound reproduction,” says Klaus-Peter Groß, Berlin Philharmonic Hall’s audio engineer.
For Groß, it was critical to design a system that would have little impact on the sight lines. As classical music is a major component in the presentation schedule, the system would also need to provide a subtle, yet effective enhancement to the natural acoustics in the hall. “The Meyer Sound system is an ideal solution for us,” says Groß.
Provided by Berlin-based Werner Audio GmbH, the completed system is a multi-faceted design that creates natural imaging localizing two sound sources. A center array of 12 M1D ultracompact curvilinear array loudspeakers is augmented by five UPJunior ultracompact VariO loudspeakers, which provide the source point imaging. A second array of five M1D loudspeakers is positioned above the choir position at the rear of the stage, with three arrays of two UPJ-1P compact VariO loudspeakers. Each M1D array is equipped with a customized grille built by Werner to hide the cabling behind the loudspeakers for preserving the aesthetics of this 360-degree facility.
Coverage for the steep upper seating is provided by a delay ring of 18 UPJ-1P loudspeakers in six positions. A single UPA-2P compact narrow coverage loudspeaker provides coverage for the FOH position on an upper balcony. A Galileo loudspeaker management system, utilizing four Galileo 616 units, drives delays and processing for the entire system.
The system quickly earned high praise from the hall’s audience and staff. “The M1D sounds great,” says Groß. “It gives us the coverage and imaging required and can be easily controlled with the Galileo. The system also integrates perfectly with the architecture.”
Werner’s managing director, Fried Werner agrees, “For us, we will only sell a product we believe in one hundred percent. The Meyer Sound system provides a truly neutral, uncolored sound that is perfect for both speech and musical presentations in the hall.”
Meyer Sound is also used in many of Germany’s leading concert venues, including Munich Philharmonic Hall (Philharmonie Muenchen), Hamburg Playhouse (Schauspielhaus Hamburg) and Leipzig Opera House (Oper Leipzig). Meyer Sound systems are also found in Landau City Hall (Stadthalle Landau), as well as on tours with Herbert Gronemeyer, Rod Stewart, Metallica and more.
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For information, please visit www.meyersound.com
