Lenox, Mass.—Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937, has upgraded its speaker system to improve audio quality and coverage.
The BSO, a long-time user of d&b audiotechnik loudspeakers, upgraded Tanglewood to new CCL8 compact cardioid line arrays and CCL-SUB subwoofers along with SL-Series loudspeakers and SL-SUB subwoofers. The installation, spearheaded by Firehouse Productions, the new production provider for Tanglewood, is reported to have significantly enhanced sound quality and coverage across the Koussevitzky Music Shed, Seiji Ozawa Hall and the expansive Tanglewood Lawn.
For this ambitious upgrade, Tanglewood aimed to achieve unparalleled clarity and consistent sound distribution for its diverse performances, which range from acoustic-only, orchestral concerts inside the 5,000-seat Shed to amplified shows with touring acts for an audience of up to 13,000 on the lawn.
A primary challenge was the highly reflective nature of the Koussevitzky Music Shed’s permanent stage shell, which demands precise sound control to minimize unwanted reflections and maintain transparent audio reinforcement for symphonic performances.
For the Koussevitzky Music Shed, eight KSL8 loudspeakers were installed per side for the main PA, complemented by eight SL-SUB ground subwoofers, a four box XSL8 hang for the center. .cluster, five sets of three CCL8 delays dead hung from the catwalk, and eight 44S as front fills.
The 1,200-seat Seiji Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood’s other key performance venue, received a dedicated CCL rig consisting of 16 CCL8 hung eight per side, complemented by four CCL-SUB, and four xS-Series 44S front fills. All components are powered by D80 amplifiers.
The lawn system now features 40 XSL8 loudspeakers in five hangs of eight, alongside 24 CCL8 compact loudspeakers for side hangs and out fills.
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A pivotal element of this upgrade is the integration of d&b’s new CCL loudspeakers. These compact, lightweight loudspeakers deliver a similar sonic voicing and directivity behavior to the larger SL Series thanks to a newly revised and patented cardioid principle and a unique transducer configuration.
The installation was completed in just seven days—three for the lawn, three for the Shed and Ozawa Hall, and just one for tuning—using only a lull ladder instead of heavy machinery, due to the compact and lightweight design of the d&b systems.
