The Wolf Performance Hall is a concert hall, theatre and meeting facility in downtown London, Ontario, Canada, located within the London Public Library. The 369-seat theatre and cultural hub recently upgraded to a full EM Acoustics sound solution, installed by local integrator Armor Pro in collaboration with Octav Integrated Design, and Contact Distribution.
“The venue required a system that would provide even SPL coverage front to back without obstructing sightlines,” said Vaino Gennaro of Contact Distribution, who was responsible for specifying the system. “Due to the multi-use nature of the venue, a left-centre-right configuration with a centre cluster dedicated to lecture and movie applications was also part of the initial brief. EM Acoustics was chosen because of the precise tonal balance and coherent sound signature between all the different models in the product line.”
EM Acoustics’ flagship Reference series loudspeakers were chosen as the foundation of the system, with EM R12s installed in the left, centre and right positions, with the centre further reinforced by 1 x R8. EMS-81s and EMS-51s were installed for outfill and frontfill, and in the FOH sound booth. The EM Acoustics system was completed by EM DQ20 amplifiers.
“Through the collaboration of EM Acoustics, Contact Distribution, Octav Integrated Design and ourselves at Armor Pro, we successfully installed a high-quality system on time, on budget and to design specification,” said Derrick Beckford at Armor Pro Audio Visual. “EM Acoustics not only delivered products on time, during a time of significant supply chain issues and delays, but their loudspeakers offer such physical and sonic quality to meet the ever-evolving requirements for sound reproduction in today’s market.”
Recent events such as TD Sunfest Canada concerts, Sean McCann, Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival World Tour have showcased the solution. “When I heard the EM Acoustics rig, I was impressed by the linear response,” said Daniel Gregwah, a freelance audio engineer who recently worked on a performance with Larnell Lewis and Joy Lapps at the venue. “The tuning and alignment were excellent – it was the best mix I have ever done in a booth.”
The in-house team at Wolf Performance Hall echoes these sentiments: “The coverage throughout the hall is significantly improved,” said Ben Rudland, AV technician at Wolf Performance Hall. “Each seat is covered perfectly – it’s a world of difference!”
“We’re proud to have been a part of the Wolf Performance Hall project and bring the quality and performance of EM Acoustics to important cultural venues such as this,” said Gennaro of Contact Distribution. “Not only are their loudspeakers sonically excellent, but EM Acoustics as a manufacturer is dependable and reliable. They’re great to work with.”
