Famous Moscow Live Venue Switches to JBL VERTEC Line Arrays

One of Moscow's landmark live music venues, B1 Maximum, recently reopened after a major refurbishment and name-change to A2. A hallmark of the updated venue is a new live-performance sound system. Primary components of the new sound system, unveiled to the public on December 18, include JBL VERTEC line arrays, sold through Harman Professional distributors A&T Trade and installed by the St. Petersburg-based concert sound rental company, Euroshow.

A2 is the latest metamorphosis of a building that was originally one of the Ordzhonikidze Moscow Machine-Tool Plant workshops, named after famous Georgian Bolshevik Sergo Ordzhonikidze. The original factory dates back to the 1930s, with a three-story addition having been built in 1974.

B1 Maximum opened on December 7, 2006, and has presented many international artists such as Iggy Pop, Sinead O'Connor, Franz Ferdinand, Chuck Berry, Liza Minnelli, Evanescence, Blondie, Brian Ferry, Marilyn Manson, and Whitesnake. The newly-upgraded A2 features a lobby and restaurant on the ground floor, stage and dance floor on the first floor, and VIP area above that. There are separate bars on each floor and a separate entrance for the VIP zone.

The new main stage PA consists of two columns each containing 12 VerTec VT4889 full-size line array elements, with eight VT4887 compact line array elements per side providing outfill coverage. Low-end extension is provided by 20 VT4880A fullsize arrayable subwoofers. Loudspeaker system management is under BSS Omnidrive control, with the entire system driven by Crown I-Tech amplifiers. Coverage is now provided in the main auditorium coverage for capacity audiences of 3,000 people and for the VIP zone in the balcony.

With the recent upgrade to the JBL VerTec system, earlier acoustical problems including concrete wall reflections have now been addressed.