University of Cambridge college fitted with K-array system

The architect-designed dining hall at the University of Cambridge’s Homerton College has been equipped with a K-array sound system.

The university’s newest college had outgrown its neo-gothic Great Dining Hall, which was struggling to provide the 1,000 meals a day required. So a new dining hall was commissioned early last year with a strong emphasis on design and sustainability, and a requirement for a modern AV facility for speeches and special events.

Working alongside architect Fielden Fowles, main contractor Barnes Construction and electrical contractor DPL, acoustic consultants Max Fordham modelled the acoustics of the 5,000-cubic-metre dining hall to evaluate reverberation and noise from diners. The resulting brief led to the Winchester-based systems integrator Whitwam AVI specifying compact K-array line arrays.

An initial audio system design was prepared by Dave Wooster from K-array’s UK distributor 2B Heard, who mapped the room using K-FRAMEWORK acoustical simulation software. Following planning meetings with the architects and client, this was refined, before being handed over to Andrew Pymm, director of engineering at Whitwam AVI, to implement.

“The acoustic consultants had paid a lot of attention to the materials selected for the dining hall, and with Dave’s design we were able to satisfy the architects’ requirement to blend the speakers against the light-ash wood panels that line the triforium and are gently angled to receive light and reduce potential reverberation issues,” says Pymm.

The 1,665sq m dining hall is covered by eight Vyper-KV52 RAL colour-matched compact line arrays positioned on ball mount brackets at a height of 3.5m, between the oak beams, about 6m apart. Six are aimed towards the minstrel’s gallery with the other two covering the top table. Two Rumble-KU26 subwoofers have been installed behind custom grilles in opposite corners of the room: one concealed under a bench on the window side of the room, and the other behind panelling at a low level.

Two Kobra-KK52 line arrays and eight Tornado-KT2C ceiling mount speakers provide coverage of the buttery, supplemented by two Rumble-KU26 subwoofers. In the reception area, two Vyper-KV52 line arrays are flush mounted behind custom grilles, teamed up with a concealed Rumble-KU44 subwoofer. Lapel and hand-held mics are connected via Sennheiser receivers, controlled by a Q-SYS audio processor from the equipment rack under the stars in the buttery, and operated by Q-SYS touch screens in reception and the dining hall service area.

Homerton’s IT manager says: “The system’s main use is for speeches and a little music background when required. We all worried about such small speakers being up to the task, which is why subwoofers were added, but on the first demo, the sound output was seriously impressive, considering their size.

“We’ve had this room full of people, with people chatting at the front – and this is also testament to the natural acoustics – and you can hear perfectly from wherever you are in the room. We didn’t believe it would sound as good as it does, based on the small amount of equipment. We’re pleased at how well the speakers blend in with the surroundings and how much sound they produce, considering their size.”