Outline provides sound reinforcement for Sting in Brescia

Sting’s recent performance with the Ensemble Symphony Orchestra at Piazza della Loggia, Brescia, saw Outline provide sound reinforcement.

The Outline loudspeaker system installed in Brescia’s Piazza della Loggia was made up of 12 Butterfly’s, nine Mantas and four Subtechs per side. Following a request from US FOH engineer Howard Page, the system was entirely flown, with not one sub on the ground. Only six Outline Mantas were positioned up against the stage and used as front-fill systems for the benefit of the front rows of spectators.

The system was designed using Outline OpenArray 3D software, a 3D simulator able to predict the electro-acoustic results expected from a live show or a permanent installation.

Cipiesse Produzioni per lo Spettacolo was the Brescia rental firm that supplied the equipment and handled the entire operation.

“We simulated everything with the Outline software a few days before the show and, after the installation on the morning of Sunday 31st, realized why a monument should be built to OpenArray 3D: the simulation reflected reality with surgical precision”, commented Giancarlo Paladini, head audio technician on behalf of Cipiesse.

“One of the challenges to be faced was that of obtaining 110 decibels of SPL over the entire square and no spill on to the stage, above all of low frequencies. The requests by Sting’s technical staff continued with the need to mount delay systems half-way down the square and not use subs. These were the results: no delays half-way down the square, in spite of the 73 metres to be covered length-wise and 110 decibels of SPL guaranteed with wonderful uniformity, exceeding even Sting’s technicians’ expectations. To manage to carry this out we used two distinct Outline VLA, with an array made up exclusively of subs between them. 9+9 Mantas elements (120°) were aimed at the audience in such as way as to cover a distance of 30 metres, while for the remaining distance we had 12+12 Butterfly enclosures”, continued Paladini.

“As I said, there was also a third array, made up of just subs, positioned between the Mantas and the Butterfly systems. Following the sound engineer’s precise instructions – since a 50-piece orchestra is no joke to handle – we kept the stage clear of low frequencies, once more using OpenArray 3D so successfully that, thanks to a rather unusual cardioid sub configuration, somebody on stage even said that the subs were switched off,” Paladini concluded.