With its demanding stage playing host to exhibitions, theatre productions, film screenings, dance and musical performances, lectures and ceremonial gatherings, the Sanlam Auditorium at the North-West University Potchefstroom campus, a 957-seater venue, has invested in an L-Acoustics ARCS WiFo system and a DiGiCo S31 supplied by DWR Distribution.
“L-Acoustics is synonymous with quality and after a demo of the Kiva II system during Aardklop 2018, an annual arts festival hosted in Potchefstroom, we knew that it was the brand we were searching for,” said Glenn Cunniff, Manager at the NWU Arts Department.
Richard Smith of DWR specified the configuration consisting of three ARCS Focus and one ARCS Wide per side, with four SB18i subs flown in the centre. Front fills are comprised of two X8 to the left and right of the proscenium arch, positioned low enough to cover the immediate front area. There are also three X8 enclosures positioned about 17m from the main system to cover the last few rows. The audio is controlled on the DiGiCo S31 with D2 Rack, and the system runs off a Dante complete media networking solution.
The three-day installation created a great stir of excitement at NWU, with both Glenn Cunniff and Erik Naudé, head of technical, eager to unpack the brown boxes!
While Andi Rodgers from DWR oversaw the installation, the Install Crew were appointed to run the wiring and fly the gear. Meanwhile, the DWR audio team including Richard, Victor Vermaak and Jaco Beukes were present for training and the handover.
“The new system sounds good and the client was smiling from ear to ear,” said Andi Rodgers. “It has great coverage and carries a presence if you will. You may be standing at the back of the auditorium, but it feels as if a speaker is right beside you.”
Glenn concurs, “We are extremely happy and satisfied with this product. The quality and clarity of the sound reproduction added to the coverage we have, without having to blow the roof off, is amazing. The quality of service and professionalism we received from DWR is outstanding. Thank you.”
The history behind the NWU is as uplifting as their new audio system. The university only came into being on 1 January 2004 as part of the South African government’s plan to transform higher education. A historically white university, the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education whose students were mostly white Afrikaans people, merged with both the former University of North-West, which was a historically black university with students residing from rural backgrounds, as well as the Sebokeng Campus of Vista, another black university. The North-West University (NWU) was born, a symbol of reconciliation and nation building.
