EV upgrade for Germany’s historic Cottbus Conservatory

Autobahn Audio Pro Light & Sound recently installed a new Electro-Voice (EV) sound reinforcement system at the Cottbus Conservatory, a historic venue in the company’s hometown of Cottbus, Germany.

The centrepiece of the upgrade is the EVA expandable vertical array system that delivers to the main 300-seat concert hall, with ultra-compact EVU models performing delay and monitoring duties as well as serving the gallery. Given that the conservatory is a listed building, all the speakers needed to be aesthetically unobtrusive.

Autobahn also opted for EV when selecting system processing and power – one of the key requirements was a solution that satisfied the highest demands in terms of sound quality without stretching the budget.

The planning phase, in which numerous competing systems were compared, was ‘very thorough’ and the final decision ‘unequivocal’, according to EV. “It [EVA] represents great value for money, for one thing,” said Autobahn MD Andreas Juhr, “but moreover, the variety of dispersion angles of the different models allowed us to achieve ideal results, tailored precisely to the acoustics of the building.”

Arrays of four EVA elements are flown on each side of the stage, each comprising three EVA-2082/906 and a single EVA 2082/1220. These make up the main sound reinforcement system and are designed to deliver a detailed sonic image and homogeneous coverage.

Eight Electro-Voice EVU elements provide near-fill to the gallery. These ultra-compact two-way systems, with asymmetrical design, are ideal for sub-balcony and stage installations.

The loudspeakers are powered by five Electro-Voice CPS amplifiers and controlled by two Electro-Voice Dx46 FIR-Drive processors. An individually configured IRIS-Net user interface also offers the user a bird’s-eye view of the entire installation from a PC, as well as full remote supervision and control.

The installation took just under four months and the official reopening was marked by a concert featuring performances from Cottbus students, most of whom will go on to become professional musicians.

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