A 500-Seat Theater Amps Up with a New Sound System

Opened in 1995, the Hongcheon Culture and Arts Centre serves the South Korean city of Hongcheon-gun. With a theater, small auditorium, and exhibition space which stages a wide range of events, an up-to-date sound system was a necessity. The center recently decided to upgrade the audio provision in its 500-seater theater and engaged Seoul-based specialist Soundus to install a CODA Audio CiRAY system to meet the needs.

“The Hongcheon Arts Centre is a multipurpose venue that stages a wide variety of events, so the solution needed to cater for everything from music performances to speeches, explained Soundus sales manager Beomki Jo. "We decided that CiRAY with its 10-inch driver offered the most suitable solution, offering the high output of a large system with the flexibility of a compact system. This met the venue’s demands for a flexible, competitive, high-quality solution.”

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The design utilized CODA’s proprietary prediction software, System Optimiser, to determine the installation points and angles between the line array loudspeakers with 3D simulations created using AFMG EASE 4.4. The main flown system comprised 16 CiRAY (eight per side) with four SCV-F compact 18-inch sensor controlled subwoofers (two per side). The structure and layout of the space was such that the maximum height for mounting the arrays was significantly lower than the balcony, so Soundus deployed four HOPS8i (8-inch high output point source) mounted on the auditorium ceiling to ensure complete coverage of those seats. A further two HOPS8i and two HOPS12i were wall-mounted to provide onstage side-fill monitoring, with two portable CUE TWO compact three-way stage monitors for floor monitoring.

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“The choice of system for the Hongcheon Arts Centre project was based on evaluations made by the Centre’s representatives during loudspeaker demonstrations," Jo added. "Since the completion of the installation, they have expressed great satisfaction with the sound quality and performance.”

“Soundus has done great work in Korea as our valued distributor for many years, ensuring that the brand is professionally supported and utilized in the best projects," Paul Ward, director of global business development for CODA Audio concluded. "The choice of CiRAY for this venue is a good example of the great flexibility it offers across such a wide range of installation and touring applications.”