LONDON — Westfield London retail complex in London’s Shepherd’s Bush is raising the bar when it comes to the facilities for in-house entertainment. With a Yamaha DME24N digital mix engine and M7CL mixing console at the heart of the system, at Westfield London, shopping is the new rock’n’roll. The hub of the system is a Yamaha DME24N digital mix engine, which not only controls the Atrium’s audio network, but also acts as the interface between it and the audio systems throughout the rest of Westfield.
The key requirement of the system is versatility, so it is equipped with a comprehensive audio network for both digital EtherSound and analogue audio, with facilities panels allowing connection of a range of equipment throughout the area. This means that performances can take place in a range of different locations in the area, with staging able to be constructed at the end of the space, along the side or in the middle for “in-the-round” performances.
“Working very closely with Westfield technical manager Simon Jones, who oversaw the whole Atrium project, we had some fairly stringent demands which needed to be met,” says Lee Dennison, project manager for audio installer Delta Sound. “We needed a system which can handle everything from a full production with monitoring via the M7CL console, to just a microphone on stand for an announcement, without having to use the console.
All audio for the Atrium is routed via the DME24N, which is connected via AES/EBU and an NAI48ES interface to the main control room. The EtherSound network connects it from there to the M7CL console, which is used to mix both front of house and monitors as required, via another 48 input/eight output NA148ES stage rack, fitted with AD8HR and DA824 interfaces.
In the opposite direction, the DME connects via AES/EBU to the main FOH system of Lab.gruppen amps and an EM Acoustics line array, as well as the onstage monitors.
“It is a highly complex, multi-directional system,” adds Nick Pemberton, Yamaha Technical Sales Specialist.
The M7CL was chosen as the mixing console for performances because of the range of acts and events that Westfield wants to attract. “The M7CL is really the standard mixing console for medium scale events,” says Dennison.
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