EAW reaches new heights at Tibetan theatre
EAW reaches new heights at Tibetan theatre
The world’s highest professional theatre has installed an EAW loudspeaker system supplied by Chinese AV solution provider, EZPro. The Everest Grand Theatre is located in the central area of Shigatse, Tibet, at an altitude of 3,900m. EZPro’s senior technical manager, Liuwei Zhu, designed a solution for the theatre using EAW RSX and MK Series speakers, facing some extraordinary challenges along the way.
“As an extra-large A-class theater, the Everest Grand Theatre has a total construction area of about 30,000m2,” explained Zhu. “The auditorium has three floors of seating, which can accommodate about 1,600 spectators. Even sound coverage was a major challenge for the design and commissioning of the system because of the large space. At the same time, high-altitude areas have higher requirements for equipment stability and system safety, so the construction difficulties are much greater than those at lower altitudes.”
Zhu designed an L-C-R system with 14 RSX208L speakers per side and a central channel of 10 RSX212L speakers. Low frequencies are handled by six RSX218 subwoofers.
“To ensure that the audience under the terrace is provided with consistent sound, we installed EAW MK8196i loudspeakers along the terrace under the first and second floors to provide infill,” added Zhu. “We also installed EAW MK5396i 2-way full-range loudspeakers on both sides of the proscenium.
“Before the official installation, we carefully analysed and simulated the PA system installation points, angles and sound coverage through EAW’s Resolution software, which provided a more specific basis and more time for onsite installation and commissioning. During the actual installation, the loudspeakers were positioned in 3D modeling, achieving accurate coverage and good line array coupling. The final commissioning results were completely consistent with the previous analysis and simulation. The EAW loudspeakers achieve even coverage across the auditorium and provide good consistency of high, medium and low frequency bands. The entire sound reinforcement system allows the clear and dynamic Tibetan musical style to be interpreted perfectly.”
Climate conditions at such high altitude also brought challenges to the construction and commissioning processes, with all workers breathing oxygen while working to mitigate altitude sickness.
The first performance at the Everest Grand Theatre, which is decorated throughout with the five traditional Tibetan colours of red, white, blue, green and yellow, was a cultural gala to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party.
