Meyer Sound has completed an upgrade of its Constellation® acoustic system at the Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center at Colorado College in Colorado Springs.
Installed in the 450-seat Celeste Theater, the upgrade replaces the original Matrix 3–based processing with the new integrated NADIA™ digital platform, offering greater flexibility, modern control options, and long-term efficiency for this intimate performance space.
The Celeste Theater, part of the LEED-certified Cornerstone Arts Center, serves as a showcase for the arts on campus. With its amphitheater-style seating and reconfigurable architecture, the building hosts a wide variety of performances, screenings, and exhibitions, and is also the main stage for the university’s annual summer music festival.
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This was a 20-year-old Constellation system that had served the theater well, but it was time to replace the main equipment. We replaced the processing system with NADIA, which is amazing technology. It offers many more options in a much more compact and efficient system and brings the technology fully up to date, says Daryl Porter, vice president of operations at integrator CSD Group.
The original Constellation transducer array, still in use, is composed of Meyer Sound MM-4™ miniature loudspeakers and UMS-1XP™ ultracompact subwoofers, along with omnidirectional microphones, reflecting the first generation of Constellation installations. The new NADIA platform modernizes the processing and networking infrastructure, reduces rack space and energy consumption, and integrates intuitive user control via web interface, iPad, or Crestron system.
According to Pierre Germain, Constellation Director at Meyer Sound, daily usability has improved significantly. “The old interface was limited in functionality, so we redesigned it with faders that feel more like a mixing console”, he explains. “It makes the system more intuitive for any user”.
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“We gave them the ability to customize their presets exactly as needed while keeping the interface as simple as possible”, adds Porter. “All the heavy lifting happens under the hood. They can walk in, select a preset on the iPad or from the control booth, and have the room ready for a string quartet, a larger orchestral ensemble, or even a rock performance; it covers the full spectrum”.
During commissioning, the flexibility of the updated system was demonstrated. “They brought in a string quartet, and it was amazing to hear how the space could be reshaped for that kind of performance”, recalls Porter. “Sometimes they turn Constellation off completely for a rock event, and then bring it back for classical or electroacoustic works”.
The upgrade was one of the first projects under Meyer Sound’s new Constellation Certified Integrator Program, which trains AV integrators in the specialized requirements of Constellation design and installation. Porter and the CSD team completed the certification shortly before the Cornerstone update.
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Constellation is not a conventional audio system. We have supported this venue for years, but the certification program was a great opportunity to connect face-to-face with Meyer Sound’s Constellation team and see how their approach has evolved, says Porter.
In addition to its performance benefits, the NADIA upgrade contributes to the college’s long-term sustainability goals while maintaining the theater’s full acoustic flexibility. “NADIA is more efficient in terms of energy consumption and rack space”, notes Germain. “It requires less cooling and less power draw, which allows for more efficient long-term operation”.
The Constellation system has always been a defining feature of the Celeste Theater, and this upgrade makes it even more flexible and intuitive for the team. Being able to adapt the acoustics instantly for everything from music recitals to large festival events keeps the theater a true showcase for the arts on campus, especially for our renowned Summer Music Festival, which invites emerging musicians each year to study and perform with distinguished faculty for three weeks, says Randy Babb, AV Manager for the college.
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Photo Credit: Neil Podoll Photography
