Award-Winning New Sound System in Historic Orpheum Amplifies Patron Experience

The Memphis, Tennessee, Orpheum Theatre has partnered with sound engineering company Meyer Sound to install a new sound system in the Orpheum Theatre. This collaboration provides audiences with the most advanced listening experience in Orpheum history, and it completes Phase I of several planned improvements to the theatre.

"This is the first major upgrade to our audio equipment since the 1983 renovation, and until now sound quality has been an issue for our patrons," said Orpheum president and CEO Pat Halloran. "With the help of Meyer Sound and Memphis Audio, we have met and even exceeded the need for an advanced system that will let audiences fully enjoy our productions."

When the Orpheum was built in 1928, it was designed for unamplified performances. To provide the clarity and sound levels to support every event from Broadway productions to concerts and speech performances, choosing the right loudspeaker configuration was key. It was also important that the Orpheum's historic architecture was protected by minimizing the loudspeakers' visual impact while ensuring balanced audio coverage for all of the seats, including the upper-balcony sections.

These requirements resulted in a system designed jointly by Meyer Sound and Memphis Audio. The configuration features the Meyer Sound MINA line array loudspeaker and the 1100-LFC low-frequency control element, the most powerful loudspeaker in the Meyer Sound product line for low frequencies.

MINA has been celebrated among audio industry professionals, collecting honors such as the TEC Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement, the SCN/InfoComm Installation Product Award, and the Live Design Products of the Year Award. MINA has become the gold standard for performing arts venues and touring productions worldwide, including the legendary orchestral hall Concertgebouw in the Netherlands and renowned productions such as Broadway's blockbuster Wicked.

"Sound engineers on touring shows like Wicked are thrilled to see Meyer Sound products installed in the venues they play," said Kai Harada, associate sound designer and production sound engineer for Wicked. "In some cases those systems can be utilized more efficiently than installing the touring equipment. Wicked itself carries a full Meyer Sound system, so integration with a Meyer house system is seamless, and the resultant sound quality is guaranteed. We highly commend the Orpheum on their decision to go with Meyer Sound."

With the MINA speaker system, the Orpheum now joins an impressive list of Meyer Sound-equipped venues that include the Zellerbach Hall at UC Berkeley, SFJAZZ, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Vienna's Musikverein, Oslo Concert Hall, Moscow's Svetlanov Hall, and more.

The installation of the MINA system along with the addition of a new Orpheum security system concludes Phase I of many anticipated upgrades that will be launched in stages from now through 2020. Planned projects include seat renovations, restoration of the auditorium's gold leaf and patina, and refurbished restroom facilities. Set to begin in August of 2015, seat renovations will be the next order of business for the Orpheum Theatre. Improvements are expected to include reordering the first several rows of the orchestra section to allow for additional legroom. All orchestra seats will be re-cushioned and reupholstered.

Halloran added, "My staff, our board, and I work constantly to provide a positive Orpheum experience for our patrons, and we also have the honor of taking care of this historic building. We want Memphis to know that we are fully committed to the task."