Music school with additional benefits: d&b Soundscape in the Auditorium Ansermet.
The “eMa – l'École des Musiques Actuelles” in Geneva, Switzerland, is something of an institution among music schools and has been making a valuable contribution to the musical education of children and adults for over 40 years. Around 35 teachers currently teach more than 500 students in individual and ensemble classes at the eMa. In addition to 35 rehearsal rooms and a recording studio, the music school also has two in-house concert halls for master classes and performances, which have been equipped with sound reinforcement technology from d&b audiotechnik. One particularly special feature is the 500 m2 main hall, which is known as the Auditorium Ansermet, where the eMa – in cooperation with the Swiss d&b distributor 2M Audio and the supplier ACRpro – has installed a d&b Soundscape system that makes it possible to adapt the sound reproduction in the hall to a wide range of artistic requirements.
“With the Auditorium Ansermet, we can offer students a range of possibilities that they will not find at other schools,” explains Stefano Saccon, Director of the eMa. The multifunctional hall was extensively restored between 2021 and 2023 and now features numerous movable elements with absorbent and reflective properties, which can be used to vary the room acoustics. Ideal conditions for the d&b Soundscape system with the En-Scene and En-Space software modules, which is used in the Auditorium Ansermet for both performances and recordings.
Comprehensive d&b Soundscape setup
The d&b Soundscape setup in the Auditorium Ansermet includes a number of d&b loudspeakers.
The focal point is formed by two main trusses, each with five d&b V10P 3-way passive point source loudspeakers, supplemented by four high-performance V-SUB cardioid subwoofers arranged in a straight line between the V10Ps. A third truss, located at varying heights at the rear end of the stage area, is equipped with five Y10P point source loudspeakers. Among other situations, it is used when the acoustically transparent cinema screen in front of it is lowered (the sound system in the Auditorium Ansermet is compatible with Dolby Atmos).
Surround sound reproduction in the Auditorium Ansermet comes courtesy of the compact d&b 8S two-way coaxial loudspeakers, which are distributed vertically or horizontally throughout the hall. The installation is rounded off by Y10P two-way systems, which sit in the ceiling of the auditorium as the “Voice of God.” Up to eight E8 two-way coaxial loudspeakers are also available as front fills and/or monitors. Amplification is provided by several d&b 30D and 10D four-channel installation amplifiers, which receive their audio signals via d&b DS10 Audio network bridges.
Unique feature
All 64 output channels on the d&b DS100 Signal Engine are used in the Auditorium Ansermat. Eric Henry at ACRpro, who has experience from previous d&b Soundscape projects, is excited about the possibility of influencing the hall’s reverberation time with the aid of d&b Soundscape and En-Space.
Although the focus at the eMa is on teaching musical skills, d&b Soundscape also gives students the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in audio and sound reinforcement technology:
“A setup like the one in the extensively equipped Auditorium Ansermet allows us to fulfill our educational mission and offer learners opportunities that they cannot find at other schools,” explains Stefano Saccon. “If the basic conditions for an education are met and the students are prepared for professional life using a hands-on approach, they will have better chances in the job market later on.”
Welcome to the club reality
Compared to the Auditorium Ansermet, the neighboring Le Chaudron (or “The Cauldron” in English) is somewhat smaller and more intimate. With low ceilings and a capacity of around 200 people, everything here is reminiscent of the typical club atmosphere that students will regularly experience later in their careers. The sound system also takes the form of a high-quality club PA: One d&b Y10P high-performance point source loudspeaker is positioned on each side of the stage, with two d&b E8 two-way coaxial loudspeakers mounted centrally above the podium. Under the stage are two cardioid-dispersion d&b Y-SUBs, which are supplemented by retrofitted 12S-SUB woofers with long excursion 12" drivers to make the bass reproduction even more differentiated. Up to eight d&b E12 high-performance 2-way loudspeakers are used as stage monitors.
