Anthology, a 1,000-capacity live performance venue in Rochester, NY has been outfitted with a new house and monitor systems developed via an iterative process and acoustical upgrades that began when the venue opened in 2016. The venue showcases performances by acts ranging from jazz and country to hip hop and heavy metal.
In the house, owner Phil Fitzsimmons’ primary goals have always been fidelity, vocal clarity and pattern control from compact loudspeakers that wouldn’t interfere with sightlines. “Sound is the most important element of my business and I wasn’t finding what I was after in the line array-based systems I’d been renting,” Fitzsimmons adds. “Plus room and PA rentals were adding up to a huge monthly payment.”
He began working with Fulcrum Acoustic in devising a final solution, specifically in providing support with acoustical modeling of the space. The new main system, which was installed by in-house production staff, incorporates a pair of Fulcrum AH65 full-range coaxial horn loudspeakers flown as mains above two S dual 8-inch coaxial loudspeakers on the stage lip.
Three TS221 dual 21-inch subwoofers, installed into the front of the stage, deliver low-frequency punch, while two more Fulcrum CX1295 12-inch coaxials and an additional set of S coaxials extend coverage to the elevated bar and VIP area.
“As is often the case, the space under the stage was a large void,” Fitzsimmons adds. “We were concerned about resonances that could result from subwoofers mounted in this void. To help mitigate these factors, Fulcrum recommended adding framing to reinforce the stage and reduce vibration. Concrete block and fiberglass insulation was also used to fill the space under the stage.”
The loudspeakers are driven by Lab.gruppen FP10000Q power amplifiers, with Fulcrum Acoustic TQP48 4×8 Level 1 TQ processors delivering the DSP. A Midas M32 digital console is posted at front of house, while another M32 is devoted to monitors, where another upgrade has up to eight new Fulcrum FW15 15-inch coaxial cardioid stage monitors that can be deployed along with a Fulcrum CSP121 21-inch cardioid sub drum monitor. Power and processing for these loudspeakers are supplied by Linea Research 44M Series amplifiers with DSP.
“We were very intentional about enhancing the experience of the artists to help them deliver great shows,” Fitzsimmons says of the monitor upgrade. “Better onstage communication through sophisticated monitoring naturally results in better audience communication in the shared musical experience.
“While in-ear monitors create a better-controlled stage and make mixing easier, they don’t communicate the bass response and visceral impact of traditional floor monitors,” he concludes. “They also can be cost prohibitive for many of our acts. Fulcrum’s FW15 cardioid coaxial stage monitors narrow the acoustical gap between in-ears and floor wedges by minimizing rear low frequency monitor radiation that interferes with stage microphones, front fills and the audience. Musicians coming through have been raving about the FW15’s ability to clean up a noisy stage.”
