Sennheiser’s Spectera played a crucial role in the resurrection of Notre-Dame de Paris, after a devastating fire brought integrator Groupe Novelty in to enhance the cathedral.
The integrator was consulted two years prior to the cathedral’s reopening, with the task of supplying a new sound system. The specifications called for expanded coverage while keeping technical equipment discreet.
Novelty selected Sennheiser’s Spectera wideband wireless system following an in-depth study. The cathedral required a wideband wireless system that met stringent specifications, such as sound reinforcement for mobile celebrations, where the priests or archbishop move about whilst still heard clearly without dropouts. The newly created spaces in the Notre-Dame cathedral, such as the side chapels, had to be factored into the picture, requiring RF coverage throughout the entire length and width of the cathedral, all the way from the entrance of Notre-Dame to the chapel of the Crown of Thorns reliquary at the back of the cathedral.
The system also had to be discreet and easy to operate, combining spiritual life with a welcoming face to the public, open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, for 365 days a year.
Notre Dame’s old system, an analogue two-channel Sennheiser 3000 series receiver and a pair of active directional antennas, replaced with a cheaper, less complex system that could run autonomously without the constant intervention of a technical manager.
The Spectera system allowed Novelty to reduce the antenna usage in the cathedral from eight to four, halving the cable requirements. The antennas also combine without the need for a technician to intervene, eliminating the operational difficulties associated with zoning. The antennas are also connected via Ethernet cables, a standard that can be integrated easily.
The team planned to wire the entire cathedral with fibre rather than RJ45, an option supported by Sennheiser’s confirmation that a fibre extension can work with Spectera by adding a fibre media converter, a decision that sealed the deal for the use of wireless system.
The Spectera base station occuplies a single rack unit, allowing the use of up to 32 microphones and 16 stereo IEMs. The wireless system directly integrates with a DiGiCo console via Dante, using a 4ERA4 matrix which allows for transport and distribution of audio channels to the console.
Laurent Prades, technical manager, Notre-Dame de Paris, commented: “Notre-Dame is a place of sharing open to all visitors, whether they wish to attend a service or just want to walk under its vaults,” says Laurent Prades, technical manager of Notre-Dame de Paris. “This is what makes this cathedral so unique: It welcomes the whole world, worshippers and visitors alike, with services being held during visits, and visits continuing during services.”