The Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, Massachusetts has a long and
storied history as the nation’s first municipally owned theatre. Opened in 1891, the
Academy quickly became a favourite stop on tours of leading troupes and big-name
performers, ranging from Mae West to Harry Houdini. With the advent of film in the
1930s, the Academy screened silent films, soon followed by talkies, in addition to
hosting live entertainment.
The Academy has evolved over time to support a wide variety of programming,
including rock concerts, theatrical productions, films, literary arts, dance and youth
programs. As the Academy evolved, the need for an updated sound system to
support their diverse programming became increasingly apparent. The Academy
recently turned to veteran touring sound engineer Jason Raboin to design and install
a new state-of-the-art sound system.
The project presented a number of interesting challenges. The speakers needed to
provide consistent coverage throughout the entire theatre without interfering with
sightlines to the stage opening, or distracting from the architectural beauty of the
125-year old opera house. Additionally, the limited rigging options within the
historic performing arts centre demanded compact, lightweight loudspeakers as part
of a visually unobtrusive sound system.
The system Raboin designed centred around four Fulcrum Acoustic CX1595 15 inch
Coaxial Loudspeakers powered by Ashly nXp amplifiers. The CX1595 speakers
provide the requisite output capability and optimal 90° x 45° dispersion pattern,
while their lightweight, compact, visually unobtrusive design ensures minimal effect
on sight lines and the Academy’s aesthetics. Two compact, portable Fulcrum
Acoustic Sub215 Dual 15 inch Direct-Radiating Subwoofers provide concert-level low
frequency for the historic theatre while also minimizing visual intrusion.
As a touring sound engineer for artists including Joan Baez, Modest Mouse and Lake
Street Dive, Raboin has worked on a variety of audio systems in the field. Raboin
claims, “I have not heard anything that sounds better than Fulcrum Acoustic
speakers. When you combine their fidelity with their light weight and compact size,
they really were the only choice for this installation. It was hard to believe that
such a compact system would be able to cover the venue at the desired SPL, but
the system exceeded our expectations and the theatre’s design goals.”
Fittingly, the new sound system had its debut performance with Northampton’s
annual Django in June Festival which features the “gypsy jazz” popularized by
virtuosic guitarist Django Reinhardt in the 1930s and ’40s when the Academy also
was in full swing. Festival founder Andrew Lawrence remarked, “Django in June was
so happy to offer the inaugural performance on the Academy of Music’s new sound
system.
I enjoyed the performances immensely and thought the sound was impeccable.”
