Adlib Audio Adds Stylus at Leeds University

	Credit: Deana Kay

Liverpool, UK-based ADLIB's specialist installations division has completed the UK's first live music venue installation with an L-ACOUSTICS KARAi system at the newly refurbished 1,000-capacity Leeds University venue, Stylus.

Stylus is located in the basement building complex beneath the Leeds Uni Refectory, which is renowned for hosting some landmark live performances in its day.

ADLIB has a history of involvement in various capacities with Leeds University Students' Union (LUSU), who run all the venues on campus; the company was one of several asked to propose a new sound design and system for Stylus, which was compiled by ADLIB's Roger Kirby and John Hughes. Although the project funding process was initiated before his arrival in Leeds, the installation was coordinated for the union by technical manager Ryan Esson.

The previous Martin Audio Blackline PA system needed replacing with something contemporary, allowing the union to stage a diversity of events, from DJs and club nights to live bands. While not necessarily the lowest cost loudspeaker option, L-ACOUSTICS is most certainly "one of the best, specifically for the room and the venue's requirements," confirms Kirby.

ADLIB's proposal also included reusing selected elements of the original system, helping to bring it in on budget, and a complete refurbishment of the Blackline system, which has seen it converted into a new portable system at the union's disposal.

Esson and his team already had an idea of what they wanted, sound-wise, and were initially considering an L-Acoustics dV-DOSC system, as the original plans predated the launch of KARAi. The KARAi boxes are similar to the dVs in cabinet format; however, they offer a consistent horizontal pattern that significantly improves coverage close to the stage, explains Kirby. Stylus, with its low ceiling trim, benefits from the extended low-end frequency response of the KARAi loudspeakers to smoothly cover the multi-level floor.

ADLIB set up the two systems side-by-side for a comparative test at their warehouse in Liverpool, after which Esson and his colleagues made their choice. There is a central well in front of the stage at Stylus and a raised platform around the edge of the room with the bar at the back. It's a good layout for an intimate gig, with the stage itself measuring 10 meters wide by 5 deep (32' x 17') and a somewhat challenged 4.5 meters (14') of headroom from stage floor to ceiling.

The new system - with six KARAis a side - is flown above Stylus's existing lighting rig box truss. The lighting truss assembly is 32.8' wide and extends back from the rear of the stage beyond the front-of-house position approximately 49.2'.

To aid the KARAi's HF patterns in being fully effective for the room, the flying points had to be positioned extremely carefully. ADLIB also provided a low-profile solution to optimize the arrays due to the limited headroom, resulting in the ADLIB installations team headed by Alex Burke, adding 13.1' by 9.8' sections of Prolyte truss, plus all the essential rigging.

"The main sonic requirements for the audio was smooth and even coverage delivered with impact for varied events," says Kirby. Two L-Acoustics 12XTis are flown as center-stage downfills to cover the triangular area at the barrier position favored by die-hard music fans. At the back of the room near the bar, four EV Delta Max speakers from the original system remain to cover the higher floor level positions.

To fit the 10 L-Acoustics SB18i subs beneath the stage, it was reinforced to reduce the resonance by adding multiple layers of dense materials around each of five sub-stage chambers which were custom built for the subs.

The SB18is, configured as five stacks, sit just below the front line of the musicians' feet in a live band stage set up. All the L-Acoustics speakers are driven by proprietary LA8 amps and can be controlled via the LA Network Manager. The venue's existing BSS 9088 Soundweb units are used as a multi-room audio matrix across all the Union venues, so each room's DJ, front-of-house console, aux monitors, and other sources are fed into this network. The team retained use of this system in part, together with the existing Midas XL3 front-of-house console.

A new BSS Blue 160 Soundweb plus a BSS Blue 10 remote in the amp rack is used for system control and management, allowing sources to be selected and levels to be set for full flexibility. The Soundweb can also be operated via a PC by the front-of-house system engineers.

For monitors, ADLIB supplied 12 low-profile MP3 15" bi-amped active wedges; they can also be utilized in and around the other venues operated by the Union in addition to Stylus.

ADLIB also provided an AA215 drum fill (another ADLIB product) and two four-send bi-amped monitor racks to drive the twelve MP3s, which are powered with Crown XTi1000 amps for the highs and Crown XTi6002s for the low-frequency drivers. Five BSS Mini Drive 334T crossovers were supplied for the monitor system, configured for eight bi-amp MP3 wedge monitor sends plus drum sub.

Monitors are operated via the existing XL3 front-of-house console, with a monitor console hired in as required for certain shows.

The first full gigs in Stylus were staged as the new term kicked off in September.

Esson comments that he was "extremely comfortable" working with ADLIB, having used the company for numerous projects whilst working in the rental market. "I had lots of confidence in ADLIB right from the outset, and as it has all unfolded, have built up a really good rapport with Roger and John over the last year. Great communication skills as well as the ability to design and install a fantastic sounding system were also key reasons that ADLIB was chosen as a partner."