Puppetry theatre installs LEA amps to power audio overhaul PlatoBlockchain Data Intelligence. Vertical Search. Ai.

Puppetry theatre installs LEA amps to power audio overhaul

With roots dating back to ancient times, puppetry is a cherished artform within the Czech Republic. So much so, that a theatre decided to upgrade its audio system to enhance the experience for fans.

Founded in 1963, the Divadlo Alfa theatre known locally as The Alfa in Pilsen is a well-respected, 232-seat space specifically designed for puppetry.

Focused initially on performances for children, the theatre company has evolved over the decades to present many genres, including classics such as The Three Musketeers and original, modern productions for adults that focus on sophisticated parodies of current social issues. The company has 10 puppeteers who produce more than 220 performances annually. The theatre also organises and hosts an annual puppetry festival.

AV distributor AudioMaster CZ initially received a call from the theatre’s sound engineer explaining that they wanted to upgrade their 20-year-old sound system to offer greater flexibility and a more impressive performance. The team brought in Jan Zvánovec, project manager at Audio Kropik, the largest seller of AV equipment in the South Bohemia region, to bring the design to life.

“The theatre’s sound engineer was having big issues with the existing system,” says Zvánovec. “We met him on site and discovered that they had speakers that were not working and older amplifiers that were deteriorating and beyond repair. The system had simply reached its end of life.”

The theatre would need to replace all the defective units, but with the age of the system, it was only a matter of time before the other components failed. The Alfa’s managers and the Audio Kropik team realised that it would be easier and more cost-effective in the long term to redesign and replace the entire sound system, including all the loudspeakers and amplifiers.

“The client decided to take this opportunity to not only repair the system, but to also greatly improve its performance,” adds Zvánovec. “They wanted to upgrade to a modern, clear, high-quality sound and they needed it to be more flexible and easier to use. They also wanted new loudspeakers that would better blend into the theatre visually.”

The team began searching for system components to fit the theatre’s requirements and limited budget. A critical specification was to find high-quality, multi-channel, audio-network-ready amplifiers that were affordable but could also deliver the power needed.

Many AV manufacturers were having supply chain issues and did not have products available. Additionally, the Alfa had a limited amount of time available for the project, so that there were no interruptions to its busy schedule. Upon the recommendation of a colleague at AudioMaster CZ, Zvánovec decided to give LEA Professional amplifiers a try.

“I had not used LEA amps before, but they had all the features we were looking for, at a good price  and they were available,” he says. “The amp’s cloud technology, built-in DSP and the pre-set features were also interesting. I wanted to see what these amps could do.”

The team upgraded the theatre’s system with a set of three Dante Connect Series amplifiers. Two LEA CS354D, four-channel amplifiers were used to power the upper and lower, left, right and centre main speakers, while a LEA CS704D four-channel amplifier powers the system’s subwoofers. The new system comprises a mix of nine JBL AE Compact Series loudspeakers. A Yamaha DM2000 digital mixing console, equipped with a Dante network card, communicates directly with the LEA amplifiers via the Dante audio network protocol.

The LEA Connect Series is an IoT-enabled, professional-grade series of amplifiers. Ideally suited for medium-scale installations, these two-, four- and eight-channel amplifiers feature direct HiZ (70V or 100V) or LoZ, selectable by channel. With three ways to connect, system designers can engage the Connect Series’ built-in WiFi access point, connect to the venue’s WiFi or use the ethernet to connect to any local area network via a Cat5 or Cat6 cable. The Dante Connect Series also features analogue inputs, Dante inputs and external I/O control for remote on/off and fault monitoring.

“The amps’ built-in Dante technology made for an extremely simple connection between the mixing room and technical room,” says Zvánovec. “Everything worked on the first connection, and we have a lot of flexibility for easy upgrades. There is also no need for external speaker processors because everything is managed by the DSP that’s built in to the LEA amps. These features alone saved the client a lot of money and time.”

Using professional audio amplifiers with built-in DSP has become the standard practice for many AV system installers. DSP-powered equipment can do more with less, so installers don’t need to buy, install or maintain dedicated DSP equipment. Integrated DSP frees up critical rack space and reduces system weight. All the input routing, room tuning, speaker tuning and limiting are built into the amplifier, so equipment racks are smaller, lighter and cleaner.

“All the connectors and features of the LEA amplifiers are logically arranged and well engineered,” says Zvánovec. “The manufacturer thought of everything from the installer’s point of view. Setting up the amplifiers with a web browser is great, and we created several pre-sets and stored them in the amps, so the client can easily change the settings.”

The LEA Web User Interface (Web UI) allows users to view the status of every channel on any given amp to quickly monitor channel performance, including data such as an output meter with a clip indicator; status indicators such as ‘ready’, ‘limiting’, ‘thermal’ and ‘fault’; and a quick attenuation level view and channel mute button. With the Web UI, users can also adjust input settings, signal generator, crossover, equaliser, limiter and load monitoring.

“Upon first hearing the new system, the client was extremely impressed in that it sounded so much clearer and better than they had expected. This is thanks not only to the new speakers but also to the powerful, natural sound of the LEA amplifiers,” adds Zvánovec.

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