Entertainment Installations has been supporting the series of “Twilight at Taronga†summer concerts at the zoo in Sydney with production services for the last three years. Previous iterations had problems with noise which lead to Martin Audio products being selected to rectify the situation.
Neale Mace, managing director for Entertainment Installations, said: “Being a Sydney Harbourside location there is a lot of ‘old money’. These are well-to-do residents who you don’t want complaining about noise. There is also the issue of the animals themselves, the elephants in particular are sensitive to noise. However, that was before we started using [Martin Audio’s] MLA Compact.â€
Mace continues: “The ability of MLA to fit the audio to a designated area, with very little audio beyond that space, is a revelation for this event coupled with the fact that it’s a recognised brand and sounds amazing. The authorities ask for an 85dB limit at the perimeter - but with MLA Compact we can achieve this and still reach 100dB at the front of house desk.â€
Entertainment Installations rigged eight MLA Compact elements per side in the PA towers on 1-tonne chain blocks. Three DSX subs were stage-stacked each side under the PA hangs. Mace explained another advantage of the Martin Audio solution: “The PA towers aren’t totally weatherproof and this is another reason that the MLA Compact works here – as it is weatherised.â€
The sound team for the project consisted of Gordon Wood as monitor tech/operations and Murrey Carr as FOH tech. Both have undertaken MLA training, while local Martin Audio distributor Technical Audio Group was on hand to provide any assistance.