A major Martin Audio W8LC system has been installed in a new, purpose-built concert venue in Eindhoven.

Designed by architects MVRDV and developed by Ove Arup & Partners at a cost of €6.9m, the esoterically-designed de Effenaar replaces the former single-room venue on the same site that has been demolished to make way.

Trading on two floors, the new complex incorporates a café/restaurant, a large concert venue (for 1200 people), a secondary 400-capacity room (with balcony) and a small studio theatre.

De Effenaar, which has already become one of the most significant ‘circuit' venues in the south of Holland, selected a Martin Audio solution on the recommendation of leading sound engineer Jorrit de Kort, who had first tested several line array systems in the old Effenaar venue.

Originally the Technical Production Manager at de Effenaar, Jorrit was heavily involved in overseeing the new theatre facilities (working alongside theatre specialists Prinssen en Bus), while the architects provided the overall acoustic consultancy.

But it was to another leading Dutch sound engineer and rental company specialist, Hugo Scholten, to whom Jaap Pronk, from the installation company TM Audio, turned to help tune the system to the difficult main room.

Scholten has worked extensively with Ampco Pro Rent and given the room's unusual dimensions and acoustic parameters - an extraordinary 20m stage width combined with a concrete superstructure - extreme care had to be taken. The problems increased when the lighting bridge was installed over the front of the stage, resulting in the rigging points for the two 6-enclosure W8LC line array hangs having to be set in an advanced position.

Jaap Pronk resorted to infilling with two standard W8C's per side, stage stacked with three Blackline S218's, to "bring the image down sharply from the line array in view of the advanced fixing points." With concrete isolation he has been able to use fewer subs than normal because the acoustic coupling would provide an additional 3dB of sound.

The line arrays and stage monitors are fully controlled by XTA DP226 and new DP428 processors, while the front and sidefills are all under BSS FDS336 Minidrive management, the system having been set up using ViewPoint^TM optimisation and DISPLAY^TM modelling software.

For amplification he has used a combination of Martin Audio MA2.8 and MA4.2 (with Crest CA18's assigned to the S218's). "It's a perfect combination," says the installer. "I wanted a fast amp for the line array and Martin Audio is certainly that!"

The FOH mixing console in the main room is a Midas Heritage 2000, supplied two years ago by TM Audio, with a new 48-channel Soundcraft SM20 handling the foldback. Further Soundcraft 40- and 32-channel MH3's respectively occupy the FOH and monitor positions in the auxiliary room.

Here, where the programming ranges from stand-up comedy to hardcore hip-hop, greater versatility was required to suit the multipurpose nature of the room. On each side of the stage are two Martin Audio S218's - groundstacked each side with two W8C's in a rock ‘n' roll configuration; but one W8C will be removed when it reverts to theatre use.

Two additional W8C's have a ‘roving brief' and can either be deployed as drum or side fills, or in the event of a DJ session can be sited at the rear to form a surround environment. Power is provided by a combination of Crest CA9, CA12 and CA18 amplifiers.

Processing takes place in a BSS Audio SW3088 Soundweb Lite 8-in/8-out environment, with L/R patching to the processor inputs.

TM Audio have supplied a generous patchfield to facilitate incoming broadcasters and make the infrastructure infinitely reconfigurable.

They have used XTA's DS800 8-channel active mic/line splitters and built a sophisticated 2 x 48 channel patch matrix with inputs from 12 channel stage boxes (which feed both stages). With two broadcast outputs and FOH and monitor outputs (all split by transformer), broadcast companies can take clean feeds direct from the stage.

The company has also provided RS232 and RS485 interface capability. "We have Ethernet for both rooms and so control can be from a wireless laptop, which can run either ViewPoint^TM software of XTA AudioCore," says the installer.

Finally, in the all-day cafeteria/restaurant, TM Audio has provided an aesthetic Martin Audio AQ8 solution, reinforced with AQ210 subs, recessed into the banquette.

Overall the Martin Audio system functions creditably despite the construction anomalies. One of the regular sound engineers, Ivo Bonants, says, "The highs and high mids are amazing and the stereo imaging phenomenal, plus it's easy to use - you can rig it very easily."