NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Opened in 1892, Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee is best known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast between 1943 and 1974. Its age and cultural significance led to its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. One of the most prestigious music venues in the world and a coveted, bucket list under-play for artists across all genres, her iconic stage has seen the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Mumford and Sons, Harry Styles and Garth Brooks in recent years.
In partnership with Opry Entertainment Group, JBL, and Yamaha, AV integration firm Clair Solutions recently completed a significant overhaul of the Ryman’s sound reinforcement system, which required a lot of up-front due diligence and testing, sensitivity to the venue’s historic interior, and a deft installation to work around the Ryman’s packed calendar.
“We installed the Ryman’s previous sound reinforcement system over a dozen years ago,” said Dan Heins, regional vice president at Clair Solutions. “It was a first-generation JBL VerTec system that served them well, but loudspeaker, amplifier, and DSP technology has come a long way since then. We’ve maintained a close relationship in the interim. The folks at Opry Entertainment Group are really passionate about great sound, and they wanted to be sure that they would be getting the very best system for the space.”
The installed system consists of (10) JBL VTX-A12 three-way line array elements and (8) JBL VTX-S28 subwoofers in a center hang. Two (2) JBL CSX-F35s provide side fill, and (10) JBL VT4886 line array elements provide front fill. A total of (36) JBL VT4886s paired with (8) JBL VT4883 subwoofers make listening to a concert under the balcony every bit as exciting as the main floor. Crown i-Tech series amplifiers with onboard DSP condition and power the system. For the consoles, two Yamaha RIVAGE PM7 digital audio consoles were the preferred selection of the Ryman team based on their experience using the Yamaha PM10 console at the Opry House. “Based on our experiences with the PM10, we were confident with our decision to add the dual PM7 consoles, without a formal demo, due in part to Yamaha console familiarity and reliability,” states Jeff Hatfield, director of technical services for Opry Entertainment Group.
“Finding a window in which to perform the installation wasn’t easy because the Ryman doesn’t really close,” Heins said. “We only had four days to remove the old system and install the new system – a Monday through Thursday, with a show the very next day. We worked with the Ryman engineers and did everything that could possibly be done ahead of time while the old system was still on line. For example, we put in conduit and upgraded the electrical system. We started on Sunday to give us an extra day to maximize the time we had to perform the installation. Things went smoothly, and we had the new system up and tuned in time for Friday’s Opry at the Ryman show. Importantly, we made it all happen without upsetting any of the Ryman’s historic interior or its sight-lines.” The PA was moved into the proscenium in order to bring the image into a more natural alignment with the performance.
He continued, “This was a great collaboration between four iconic companies: The Ryman is known as the Mother Church of Country Music and is one of the most well-known and well-loved venues in the country, JBL is a legendary American brand, Yamaha is world-renowned, and Clair Solutions has built their stellar reputation by pushing the envelope to create the best live sound experiences possible. The Ryman is committed to making sure that every fan gets the best possible experience.”
ABOUT CLAIR SOLUTIONS Clair Solutions is an international leader in audio, video, theatrical lighting, rigging and control systems integration, offering a variety of services from sales and support to installation and design for performance venues, houses of worship, sports facilities, educational/corporate facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, and cruise ships. Clair Solutions has achieved worldwide acclaim with a reputation of first-rate service and technical excellence, while remaining firmly dedicated to the hometown philosophies that have been the cornerstone of the company's success. Offices located in Pennsylvania, Texas and Tennessee serve a national and international customer base.
www.clairsolutions.com