The roots of St. Mary’s Seminary date back to its original charter, established in
1856. The seminary’s 50-acre campus, opened in 1954, the seminary moved to its
current site, and has grown to become one of the state’s most respected theological
institutions.
The seminary’s gymnasium recently received an extensive renovation, reborn as a
multi-purpose facility that hosts sporting events as well as meetings, performances,
and other large gatherings. The makeover included new acoustical treatment, large
screen video, and a powerful audio system centred on Renkus-Heinz Iconyx Gen5
digitally steered arrays.
“The interior had been gutted and completely rebuilt, and the addition of acoustical
treatment certainly improved things,” observes Scott Mowell of Conference
Technologies. “That said, it was still a challenging space. The ceiling is about 25
feet high, and there are several large, very tall windows on one wall, with doors
and windows on the opposite wall.”
Portable seating is set up on the floor for larger events, with room for an audience
of about 300.
With the hall still primarily serving as a basketball and volleyball venue, the
expansive hardwood floors add to the room’s very live acoustics. Creating a space
that could host events would require getting control of the sound, and the new
Iconyx Gen5 system was key to accomplishing that.
The system is comprised of two Iconyx IC16-RN digitally steered column arrays.
The IC16-RN is part of the new Gen5 Series, the fifth generation of Iconyx beam
steering technology, delivering faster and more accurate control than ever before. A
pair of PN212-SUBR subwoofers, flown at the opposite side of the room, adds low
end punch and full spectrum musicality.
Having worked with Iconyx systems in the past, Mowell knew what to expect, but
was still pleasantly surprised. “The new Iconyx Gen5 gave us even more control,
and the new RHAON II software enabled us to set up the entire system faster and
more easily than I had ever experienced.”
“It’s still a very live space, of course,” Mowell adds. “But the Iconyx system enabled
us to focus the sound tightly on the audience, and steer it away from the walls and
windows. The difference in intelligibility is tremendous.”
