AV Case Study: Crown Palladium
Crown Palladium AV provider, Encore Event Technologies, finds a perfect match with L-Acoustics’ new line source system.
23 April 2024
If an events centre’s prestige is measured by the events it hosts, then the Crown Palladium rides high in the upper echelon of Australian venues. Situated in the Crown Melbourne resort, casino and entertainment complex, the Palladium is a 1500-seat capacity ballroom well known to the Australian public thanks to televised awards ceremonies for the Australian Football League (AFL) and Cricket Australia.
Encore Event Technologies is Crown Palladium’s in-house AV provider. It’s a busy gig. With thousands of events staged a year, there’s never a dull moment for the Encore AV team.
Part of Encore Event Technologies’ contract with Crown is to introduce a technology innovation every year. The intent of the ‘innovation clause’ is to keep Encore on its ‘tech toes’ and for the Crown Palladium offering to remain fresh and leading edge. It’s not a stipulation that Encore has had any trouble meeting — the business is run by passionate technology advocates — and, in fact, superseding, as witnessed by a big investment in a L-Acoustics L Series PA in late 2023.
FRESH OFF THE LINE
L-Acoustics only publicly announced L Series to the market mid 2023, and the Crown Palladium loudspeakers were some of the first off the production line. It’s an interesting story as to how the brand-new PA went from ‘thought bubble’ to ‘perfect fit’ in only a matter of days. Encore Event Technologies’ Director of Innovation & Technology, Procurement (APAC), Daniel Lourenco explains:
“Upgrading the Palladium PA was a big decision and large investment — something we took seriously. We went about a thorough process of consultation and self-assessment, taking nothing for granted. Encore has traditionally been loyal to another Tier 1 loudspeaker brand but I didn’t want to use that as a starting point. Effectively, everything was up for grabs, but I did want the new PA to be a statement – to the industry, to our team, and to our clients.”
Daniel Lourenco and his team auditioned a number of PA alternatives and towards the end of the tender process had three quotes on his desk for three high-quality loudspeaker systems, including a L-Acoustics Kara 2 system. At which point, the L Series product announcement hit the market, and Daniel was intrigued.
“I immediately got in touch with Jands [L-Acoustics’ Australian distributor] and asked them about it – ‘let’s model L Series to see how it might perform in the Crown Palladium’. Not long after, I got the answer: ‘it’s perfect!’.”
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‘let’s model L Series to see how it might perform in the Crown Palladium’. Not long after, I got the answer: ‘it’s perfect!’
PRE-DEFINED
The introduction of L Series arose when L-Acoustics’ observed that most audience geometries and array shapes followed a similar trend, which led to the understanding, as Germain Simon, Director of Product Management, Loudspeakers at L-Acoustics, puts it: “that a fixed element with pre-defined progressive angles would provide incredible gains in quality, efficiency, and sustainability.”
As such, L Series comprises two elements designed to work together or on their own: L2 above and L2D below. One L2 or L2D element provides the same contour as four K2 elements in a format that is 46% smaller and 40% lighter. The audio benefits of L Series encompass industry-leading SPL per size, unparalleled consistency over the audience area, and improved rejection everywhere else. Accompanying the audio benefits, L Series revolutionises deployment with a smaller, lighter footprint that reduces truck space and requires fewer elements, cutting the number of actions needed to load in and out.
TWO MODES
Crown Palladium has three main use-cases or modes: full room, in-the-round and in split room mode. Encore’s design sees an L2/L2D pair permanently installed either side of the proscenium, with a companion pair of L-Acoustics KS28 subwoofers either side. Via a combination of good audio design along with the coverage flexibility afforded by the processing and L Series’ Panflex horizontal dispersion control, this system provides millimetre perfect coverage of the entire space, almost entirely negating the need for additional fill — it’s almost like L-Acoustics had the Palladium in mind when it designed L Series. Four additional, freely deployable, L2D elements will ensure the other two modes (in-the-round and split) are addressed.
DEPLOYED WITH EASE
Thanks to meticulous preparation, the installation of the FOH system went without a hitch. It also demonstrated to Daniel and his team just how easy L Series is to deploy as compared to a standard multi-element line array system: “the hours of labour you save when you’re on the installation and the de-rig is phenomenal”.
The system is driven by the new LA7.16 high-resolution amplified controller, which supports L2 and L2D with 16 channels of high-power amplification and processing. LA12X amplifiers power the KS28 subs.
TOM BRADY DEBUT
Crown Melbourne executives were consulted right the way through the procurement process, including in a trip to the InfoComm show in the US to hear the L Series in action. Buy-in from Crown was important and the payoff has been obvious to all. Crown Melbourne’s Executive General Manager of Food & Beverage, Enda Cunningham, explains:
“The Palladium is Crown Melbourne’s premier space and our clients have the highest expectations of the Palladium experience – the service, the food and beverage, and, of course, the audiovisual offering.
“The new L-Acoustics L Series loudspeaker system is a big leap forward for Crown Palladium. The consistency of the sound and the coverage is exceptional – every seat in the house gets the same crystal clear sound.”
The first hit out for the L Series system was a speaking tour date with ex-NFL great, Tom Brady. With 2200 seated, there was nothing but praise for the sound.
BADGE OF HONOUR
As for the impact the L Series system has had on the Encore Event Technologies business? Profound. For starters, Encore’s Daniel Lourenco can’t foresee a situation where a visiting or touring act would want to bring in their own PA, which has obvious financial benefits for Encore and Crown. More than that, the L Series system provides the ‘statement’ Daniel was so keen to make: “We’ve elevated our brand with the investment in this system, no question. Our biggest asset is our people – our team — and this PA has given our people even more reason to be proud to wear the Encore logo on their shirt. Having the best people working with the best gear gets the best results and the happiest clients. That’s a recipe for success, and this L Series PA plays an important role in that virtuous circle.”
Encore Event Technologies: www.encore-anzpac.com
Jands (L-Acoustics): jands.com.au
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