ARRoCC UPGRADE FOR TIKI THEATER AT WALIBI
“This was our first time using the ARRoCC system and it proved to be a versatile and elegant solution for the client. The ability to mix and match the wide and narrow cabinets was a big help in achieving even coverage across all seats and the audio performance is excellent for the whole range of events hosted in the theater.”
Fabrizio Valsesia – PRG Belgium
The Requirement
The Tiki Theater is a 1,800-capacity indoor venue on the 64-hectare Walibi theme park site in Wavre, Belgium. The space is used extensively for corporate events and presentations as well as for Walibi’s seasonal shows and winter ice skating. All technical aspects of the Tiki Theater are managed by FX3. As part of its commitment to elevating the experience for park visitors and corporate clients, FX3 decided to commission an updated and enhanced audio system for the venue.
A key consideration for FX3 was the need to provide even audio coverage to all seats in the auditorium. The space is unusually proportioned, tapering from 60m wide at the back to 35m at the front and having a depth of 22m, with steeply raked seating. As the Tiki Theatre features extensive metal panelling and roofing, another requirement was to avoid reflections off these hard surfaces. All loudspeakers needed to be inaccessible to the public, ruling out the possibility of front fill or lip fill speakers. The system also needed to be powerful enough to compete with the sound levels generated by several hundred excited young visitors.
The Solution
The contract for Tiki Theater’s audio refresh was awarded to AV rental and installation specialist PRG Belgium. Following a 3D acoustic study with EASE software, PRG selected the AUDIOFOCUS ARRoCC constant curvature loudspeaker system as a flexible option capable of fulfilling the client’s specific needs.
Three hangs of ARRoCC 2 x 10” loudspeakers were suspended from the theater’s roof, each comprising two narrow CC210Nx cabinets (90o degree x 12.5o) plus a pair of wide CC210Wx speakers (90o x 25o). By combining wide and narrow dispersion cabinets, PRG Belgium was able to achieve the required SPL and throw as well as the necessary width of distribution while keeping all loudspeakers well out of the audience’s reach.
The ARRoCC system is powered by Audiofocus A-series amplifiers. The amplifiers’ integral DSP was used for global equalization and alignment of the sound reinforcement system. The Tiki Theater’s four existing PRG S318 subwoofers were still in good working order and were retained to avoid unnecessary cost, operating in endfire configuration with custom presets created for the A series amplifiers.
Four truss-mounted 8” Audiofocus Venu 8 point source cabinets complete the loudspeaker system, serving in the stage monitor role.
PRG supplied a compact Allen & Heath SQ5 console and stage boxes for all mixing duties. Dante audio networking was employed across the system, avoiding the bulk and expense of copper cabling.
The Outcome
Tiki Theater’s enhanced audio system has already been successfully employed for a number of corporate events as well as Walibi’s seasonal shows.
