Patna Woman College gets World Class Audio System for Veronica

Founded in 1940, Patna Women’s College was the first higher education facility of its kind to be opened in India’s Bihar state. The college recently invested in best-in-class audio, video and lighting systems for its newly completed 2,500-seat Veronica Auditorium.

Following the successful completion of another project for Patna Women’s College, Punjab-based Soundxperts won the contract to supply a complete turnkey solution for the auditorium, including audio, video, lighting, control, acoustics, seating, and flooring. Soundxperts worked closely with professional audio distributor, Sun Infonet, which was able to supply leading brands for the crucial audio component of this prestigious project.

According to Soundxperts owner, Amninder Warraich, “Having the complete audio solution under one roof from renowned brands like Shure, Allen & Heath, Audiofocus, Quest Engineering and Meyer Sound, Sun Infonet is known for its commitment, timely delivery, technical support and after sales service”.

The Veronica Auditorium’s vast stage accommodates more than 350 performers and can be used for the full spectrum of live band performances, theatre shows, cultural events, video conferencing and cinema screenings. The main screen Samsung P4 active LED screen is the biggest of its kind, with switching provided by AMX. Four networked cameras and 14 smaller Samsung display screens were installed alongside the main screen and in the green room, VIP room, control room and main hall.

For the main PA system, Soundxperts installed eight Audiofocus ARES 8a line array elements and three B 18a LF extensions on each side of the stage, plus a further cluster of four ARES 8a cabinets as centre fills. With the potential for large numbers of artists onstage, eight Audiofocus CM 15a low profile monitor speakers were provided, together with four MTSub 218a twin 18” subwoofers.

"Belgium-based Audiofocus has always focused on transparent tonality that needs minimal equalisation,” comments Sun Infonet Senior Application Engineer, Kallol Nath. “Audiofocus being the main PA system gives the user ease of operation. As all cabinets are equipped with internal Wi-Fi, the user can check and alter any parameter of any loudspeaker whenever needed. This brings a lot of flexibility to the entire system."

In addition to live events, the PA system is capable of delivering full 7.1 Dolby cinema sound for screenings. Eighteen Quest HPI 110 loudspeakers were installed to achieve this surround sound capability, with a further 13 HPI25 cabinets employed as front fills under the stage and balcony and 2 QM4 as side fills, plus a pair of QM18SA speakers on each side of stage. Four Quest QSA200i active speakers have been positioned in the main and stage control rooms. Quest QX2280 amplifiers were installed to power speakers in the main control room and entrance foyer.

A pair of Allen & Heath Avantis mixing consoles console was supplied for both FoH and monitor mixing duties. The main PA and surround systems are controlled by an Allen & Heath AHM-32 matrix processor, supported by DX168 and DX012 I/O expanders connected over S-Link. Presets transforming the entire auditorium from a live venue to a cinema can be recalled from the AHM-32’s front panel.

"Allen & Heath’s AHM DSP is built for scenarios where we have multiple sources and zones,” comments Amninder Warraich. “The ability to link AHM-32 to external input and output modules expands its horizons and allows you to control the entire system with surrounds, green rooms, control rooms and more. Being a very versatile and powerful DSP one can find in the Market now."

“Avantis consoles are very flexible and take the main responsibility for mixing all the acts on the stage. Equipped with a gigaACE card and a DX Hub remote audio networking hub, Avantis controls the stage as well as the control room and multiple inputs coming from the Shure wireless microphones and also provides enough inputs and outputs for any other operations that need to be done."

Shure wireless microphones were deployed throughout the Auditorium and control rooms, including the flagship Axient digital system for the main presenter, plus ULX-D, SLX-D and SVX systems for the audience, anchors, performers, and main control.  All Shure systems are networked and can be checked and controlled through the Shure Wireless Workbench application. The system is designed to cover the entire facility, enabling easy communication between audience members and guest speakers during panel discussions, and allowing interaction between the stage and control rooms.

In addition to the wireless microphones, wired Shure CVG 18RS-B/C gooseneck mics have been installed at the podium and SM7B studio microphones have been installed in the Studio Grade Recording & performance.  Patna Women’s College has also invested in its inventory of microphones for musicians and performers, adding Shure Beta 91/A/C-X, SM57, SM58, PGDRUMKit7, MX 418D/C, MX393/C, SM81-LC, PSM 300, PGA57 and PGA58 to cater for all performance scenarios. Shure UA844+SWB antenna distribution systems and UA874 active directional antennas have also been used to ensure strong, uninterrupted wireless signals.

In Amninder’s words “Today’s auditoriums go above and beyond to provide high-impact entertainment, from video, to music, to live performances, delivering an awe-inspiring experience.  Our high-end range of audio products delivers full fidelity, full bandwidth sound, from the deepest lows to crystal clear highs, over a range of programming, from announcements to music”.  He adds, “We installed India’s largest P4 Samsung active LED screen at the Veronica Auditorium, with a super wide viewing angle.  It adds another star to the venue and allows multiple pieces of content to be shown at once.”

Installed Products:

* AUDIOFOCUS ARES 8a self-powered line array & stage monitoring system. 20 x ARES 8a tops, 8 x B 18 LF extensions & 8 x C15a coaxial monitors.

* QUEST HPI110 and HPI25 for stage fill & surround sound speakers with asymmetrical acoustic coverage and 2 QM4 along with 2 QM18SA on each side of Stage for side fill.  QSA200i Active speakers in the Main and Stage Control Rooms.  QX2280 in Main control room for Entrance Foyer Speakers.

* SX Class-D, ultra-high efficiency amplifiers for Paging & Surround Speakers.

* ALLEN & HEATH AVANTIS as a main mixing console and another AVANTIS as a Monitor Console.

* ALLEN & HEATH AHM Signal Processors & Stage Racks.

* Shure Axient Digital, ULXD & SLXD, SVX wireless microphones with UA series antenna system.

* SX stage lighting system with Obsidian Control System.

* LUMENS 30X optical PTZ cameras, joystick, recording, streaming & webcasting hardware.

* India’s largest SAMSUNG P4.0 Active LED screen.

* AMX AV Control system.