Large cultural music institutions in Barcelona, including Liceu, el Palau de la Música, and L’Auditori, were hosting free public classical music concerts at the Barceloneta beach on July 11 and 12. Activities were a component of the America’s Cup cultural program, which accompanied the prestigious sailing competition. The sound equipment for the events were provided by the company Ara So.
On Sant Sebastian beach, right adjacent to the distinctive W Hotel, the stage was constructed. The Orfeó Català choir and the Symphonic Orchestra of Barcelona and Nacional de Catalunya (OBC) performed a rendition of classics including “O fortuna” by Carmina Burana and Puccini’s “Turandot” and “Nessun dorma” on the opening night.
The audience got to experience a repertoire that included some of the most well-known pieces by renowned composer John Williams on the second evening. Pieces from Superman, Jurassic Park, E.T., Star Wars, Harry Potter, and other films were performed.
The primary PA and delay systems were supplied by Ara So Company, and they included KS28 subwoofers, L’Acoustic K2 and K1 speakers, and other components. System support was provided by P1 processors, and the system was connected via an AVB network.
Over 24,000 people attended the concerts, and the area that needed to be covered was roughly 20,000 square meters. The Ara So supplied a main system with 24 K2 speakers, 4 K1 subwoofers, and 8 KS28s to create uniform coverage. Additional reinforcement was provided to the audience area using delay and outfill arrays.
The sound engineers Toni Vila, Alejandro Parra, Oriol Baulenas, and Ferran Conangle use an entire Digico system. An optocore ring was used to connect three digital mixers with Digico preamps and utilized also for communications signals. One Digico Quantum 338 was serving as the front-of-house console, while a Q225 Pulse console was set up on stage as the musicians’ monitor console. Additionally, the concerts were broadcast on radio and television. A system comprised of a broadcast control Digico Quantum 338 with Genelec studio monitors and OlloAudio reference headphones.
The best sound quality, maximum microphone sensitivity, and lowest noise level are necessary for classical music events. Ara So Company provided Neumann KM184s, AKG C414s, and DPA 4099 microphones to replicate the orchestra’s sound. Furthermore, wireless Shure Axient Digital, Shure SM58, and DPA 6066 were used to complement the performance.
Find the whole system setup below:
Main System:
24 x K2 +4 x K1sub + 8 x KS28
Outfill
9 x Kara II
Delay 1 12 x K2
Delay 2 16 x K2
Delay 3 24 x K2 +4 x K1 sub
P1
processors
Mixers
FOH Digico Q338
Broadcast
3 x Digico Quantum 338
Monitors
Digico Quantum 225 Pulse
2 SD Rack
The whole system connected through optocore
Mics
30 X Neumann KM184
30 X AKG C414
15 X DPA 4099
4 X DPA 6066 wireless shure axient digital
8 Shure SM58
Intercom
Holiland M1
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Photos: Ray Molinari
