Melbourne, Australia (March 10, 2015)—Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, Australia recently upgraded its audio system in an effort to provide more flexibility for creative development and exploration of new formats for services and events.
Founded in 1930, and the first synagogue in Australia to stream Shabbat services online, the Temple appointed of Hanson Associates as the acoustics and audio visual consulting engineers for the project, and Urban Intelligence as the project integrators. Ulimately, a decision was made to use a discreet OmniLine micro line array from Martin Audio. The eventual system comprised 4 x 12-element actively processed line arrays, supplied by Technical Audio Group, Martin Audio’s Australian distributors.
The system had to cover the Main Synagogue and adjacent Slome Hall, two large spaces with significant spatial volume, separated by an operable wall. In combined format, the spaces host large services, state funerals and music performances, accommodating up to 1,100 people. However, the space is generally subdivided, with worship occurring in the Main Synagogue and community events hosted in Slome Hall.
Hanson Associates’ Mark Hanson noted, “We nominated OmniLine because computer modeling, conducted by the engineering team using Martin Audio Display software and EASE, proved it could meet the stringent electroacoustic performance requirements. The synagogue was also impressed with OmniLine’s small footprint and minimal visual impact.” Hanson Associates was also able to make use of experience of working with OmniLine in similar environments. “We knew the extended linear frequency response and superior pattern control of the OmniLines across a large listening area, and their ability to minimize acoustic energy ‘spill’ onto reflective surfaces, would guarantee a high level of system stability for a wide range of room formats,” Hanson confirms.
Variable beam steering presets were implemented for the Slome Hall line arrays, both with and without the operable wall retracted. During large services and events, the operable wall is retracted and the two pairs of OmniLine arrays are used in a main FOH and delay configuration. However, for most of the year, this wall is extended to separate Slome Hall from the Sanctuary. “Via the Display software, a second set of FIR filters was exported into an audio DSP preset to generate an entirely different pattern from the same physical array which cuts off sharply at the operable wall at the rear of the room. The results were stunning. Despite the live acoustic in Slome Hall, clarity of speech was instantly restored and the system was able to readily support day to day events at the tap of a touch screen.”
Martin Audio
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