Wilhelm and Willhalm designs and supplies CODA Audio CiRAY system for Audio-Integra installation at Wiener Stadthalle …
“My four colleagues and I, with varying ages and levels of experience all independently awarded CODA the highest scores by a wide margin.”
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The Wiener Stadthalle is Austria’s largest events complex. Opened in the late 1950s and located in Vienna’s 15th District, the iconic venue has hosted leading international stars for decades, and can be justifiably regarded as one of Europe’s premier entertainment venues.
To maintain its position as a front-rank venue, the hall’s management team keeps its technology provision under careful review and recently decided to invest in a new audio system. In order to ensure that they chose exactly the right fit, the team invited four leading loudspeaker manufacturers to present their offerings in a comparative test. After a rigorous shoot-out, the Stadthalle team selected a CODA Audio system. System integrator Audio-Integra of Munich won the contract for the installation, whilst Wilhelm and Willhalm Consulting and Sales GmbH (W&W), also based near Munich, oversaw the project, conducted simulations, and provided the most suitable CODA products based on the results.
Christoph Mader, Head of Sound at Wiener Stadthalle describes the shootout:
“We didn’t want to rely solely on our ears, so we engaged a renowned acoustician to obtain objective measurements. CODA Audio performed flawlessly, with a linear frequency response and better dynamics and impulse accuracy than the competitor brands.”
When the listeners subjective assessments were taken into account, the outcome was even clearer according to Christoph:
“My four colleagues and I, with varying ages and levels of experience all independently awarded CODA the highest scores by a wide margin.”
The system at the Stadthalle was based on CODA Audio’s very latest CiRAY compact line array, a high-output 3-way dual 10-inch line array. The venue invested in 24 x CiRAY units, complemented by 4 x SC2-F sensor-controlled bass extensions, 4 x SCP sensor controlled subwoofers, 3 x APS compact arrayable point source, 5 x N-APS ultra-compact arrayable point source, and 8 x CUE FOUR high performance 3-way stage monitors. 4 x CODA Audio LINUS14 and 5 x LINUS12C DSP amplifiers power the system.
The system was designed by Thomas Dürrbeck from W&W, who was involved in the project from the outset. He was more than confident that the high standards demanded at the Wiener Stadthalle would be comfortably met using CiRAY. He comments:
“The acoustician mentioned that the system offers an extraordinary phase alignment and provides a very uniform sound across the entire audience area. Another advantage is that the system operates efficiently with minimal amplifier power – three loudspeakers per channel on each array. For me, the decisive factor is that the system delivers a balanced sound without electronic assistance, purely through the design of the components.”
Audio-Integra’s Christian zur-Loye was delighted to have been commissioned for the installation, and remarks on the collegiate approach to completing the project with great efficiency:
“It was a tight schedule over the summer, but thanks to effective communication between client, integrator, supplier and manufacturer, I was able to complete the project ahead of schedule.”
Although the primary function of the system at the Stadthalle would be to service the wide variety of entertainment taking place in the venue’s Hall F, the management team also required that the system could be deployed in other halls within the complex as required. CODA Audio’s flexibility and ease of handling made this easily possible. Christoph Mader describes the benefits:
“We are able to set up and take down easily, the system is very flexible and energy efficient, and the fact that the units are so compact means that sightlines are not comprised when events are broadcast for television. CODA Audio scores top marks in every respect!”
The system made its debut in Hall F for ‘Flying Hansel & Gretel’, a high energy music and dance show which featured rappers, beatboxers, pianists and electronic sounds – a challenging setup as
Christophe explains:
“Honestly I was quite nervous for the premiere but everything went brilliantly. It was very demanding – the music ranged from hip-hop to classical with some samples as low as 28 Hz in the bass range. We stood there, looked at each other and just smiled because it sounded so good.”
The system’s qualities were then further tested in Hall D, the largest in the complex, at the ‘Erste Bank Open’ ATP Tennis tournament, where it was used in a different configuration to cover the 8000 seats. With sight-lines critical for TV broadcast, the compact CODA units more than proved their worth.
“This was the ultimate flexibility moment” comments Christoph, “we realised we could also use the system very effectively for arena sound coverage. The CiRAY provides huge output with extremely clean resolution, and the bass is punchy and precise.”
Global Sales and Marketing Director for CODA Audio, David Webster, is delighted to see CiRAY chosen for the Stadthalle:
“It’s fantastic to see a CODA Audio system chosen for such a prestigious project – it means a lot to us to see such a strong vindication of the quality of our pioneering proprietary technologies. To have led the way in the shoot-out ahead of a number of premium brands is something we’re naturally delighted about. As well as the audio quality, the compact nature of CODA systems, made possible by our technologies, was clearly a factor in our favour, as was the simple and intuitive rigging.”
