University of Toronto upgrades sound system with Renkus-Heinz

For the Convocation Hall project, two sets were installed Renkus-Heinz Iconyx IC32. Each one contains 32 custom coaxial drivers 4 inches, fed by 32 independent amplification channels, all controlled by DSP.

Renkus-Heinz modernizes the sound in the Convocation Hall of the University of Toronto con los altavoces Iconyx, featuring beam steering to deliver great clarity in a historic, reverberant venue.

It is a historic venue with an original circular design. Imagined by architects Darling and Pearson and completed in 1907, has become a university landmark, hosting the annual convocation ceremonies and serving as the main venue for academic and social functions due to its capacity of more than 1.700 seating.

Suffering from challenging acoustics, reflective surfaces in the room introduced significant complications, particularly for speech intelligibility.

The former sound system in the Convocation Hall, an aged set of columns, It was no longer effective., lacked the clarity necessary for speech reinforcement in such a large and reverberant space. Renkus-Heinz was identified as the ideal option to address these challenges, particularly their Iconyx line of speakers, Known for its advanced beam steering technology.

The main challenge was to find a system that could provide high intelligibility without overloading the room or adding to its already challenging acoustic environment..

As John Busza explains, systems designer Global USS (the project integrator), “the architecture of the room creates multiple reflections and delayed arrival times, which complicates the listening experience. We needed a solution that not only provided high intelligibility, but also utilize existing cabling and infrastructure. Renkus-Heinz has what is probably the most refined beam steering technology for line array systems. The Iconyx line has gone through several generations and is very reliable”.

This ability to precisely control where sound is directed is crucial in a space like Convocation Hall., where excessive reflections from hard surfaces can easily muddy audio.

In addition to its technical capabilities, Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers offered a solution to another major challenge: the aesthetics.

How Convocation Hall is a heritage building, any new equipment had to integrate with its historical interior.

“Speakers can be custom color matched, what we did for this project”, Busza points out.. “Architects and interior designers often don't want speakers to be seen at all, and with Iconyx, that is possible. They have the least visual impact of all the speakers on the market, and the ability to paint them to match any color makes them virtually unnoticeable”.

Solution to the project

For the Convocation Hall project, two sets were installed Renkus-Heinz Iconyx IC32, located about 3,6 meters above the stage.

Each set contains 32 custom coaxial drivers 4 inches, fed by 32 independent amplification channels, all controlled by a digital signal processing (DSP) advanced. This configuration allows sound to be directed precisely to specific areas of the room, which ensures that each seat, either on the ground or on the balconies, receive clear, intelligible audio.

One of the standout features of the Iconyx IC32 is its ability to create multiple beams of sound, each directed to a specific vertical seating plane. This was particularly useful in the Convocation Hall., featuring a gently sloping main floor and two levels of balconies.

“IC32s allow us to target specific areas, such as the main floor or the two levels of balconies, without overloading the room”, explains system commissioner Arthur Skudra, who worked together with Global USS on the project. “This precise control is key in a reverberant environment like Convocation Hall, where too much sound energy can create more problems”. By directing sound exactly where it is needed, The system minimizes the impact of reflections and ensures a clear listening experience for every seat in the house.

In addition to voice reinforcement, The Iconyx IC32 also excels at handling other types of audio content. While the primary use of the system is for spoken word presentations, The system is capable of providing high quality audio for music and multimedia presentations.

“For those cases in which musical programs are presented, The IC32 offers great clarity and tonality for vocal and light acoustic enhancement, like the piano, acoustic guitar or woodwind instruments”, adds Bill Coons of Contact Distribution, local Renkus-Heinz representative. This flexibility made the Renkus-Heinz solution a versatile option for Convocation Hall, hosting a wide range of events.

Another important factor to consider when selecting Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers was their advanced feedback rejection capabilities..

Convocation Hall frequently uses lapel microphones, which are known to be especially susceptible to feedback in large, reverberant spaces. Iconyx IC32 arrays' beam steering technology helped mitigate this issue.

“The Iconyx summing algorithms used to achieve beam steering have this innate ability to cancel out certain frequencies, thereby reducing the cyclic regeneration of the signal that is the cause of feedback”, Continua Coons. “This allows presenters to move around the room without worrying about audio interruptions and improves overall sound quality during audience interaction sessions., in which open microphones are used”.

Iconyx IC32 arrays integrated with Dante digital audio network™, a modern standard for audio transport that ensures scalability and long-term compatibility with future technologies. This capability ensures that Convocation Hall's new sound system will remain relevant and functional for years to come., even as audio technologies evolve further.

The system's ability to precisely control acoustic coverage has minimized the negative effects of the room's acoustically challenging architecture..

By integrating into the aesthetics of the historic building and taking advantage of the existing infrastructure, the Renkus-Heinz Iconyx solution met the project requirements.