Dynacord Supplies Sound Reinforcement For The Eurogress In Aachen, Germany

It features two ProMatrix digital matrices as well as 274 DL 72/32 A ceiling loudspeakers from Dynacord. The planning and installation of the sound system were realized by Günter Quaden Elektronik of Herzogenrath.The planning and installation of the sound system were realized by Günter Quaden Elektronik of Herzogenrath.

The Eurogress in Aachen is one of the most modern, most versatile and most beautiful conference centres in all Germany. Situated in the middle of a park, the complex offers ideal conditions for a wide variety of events, including concerts, exhibitions, theatrical performances,  trade fairs and conferences. The facilities include 16 conference rooms (with capacities varying from 15 to 420 places) as well as three halls of different sizes (with capacities of 1,700, 650 and 430 seats respectively).

Of the three halls, the best known to the general public is the Europasaal. It is this architecturally outstanding venue that provides the setting for the presentation of the annual "Wider den Tierischen Ernst" awards that brings the carnival in Aachen to a convivial, and frequently hilarious, conclusion.

The progressive installation of a comprehensive alarm and sound reinforcement system in the building began back in 2004. Now the long-term project has finally been completed. The company responsible for the planning, calculations and implementation of the installation in the galleries, conference rooms, the Europasaal and the catering area was Günter Quaden Elektronik, which is based in nearby Herzogenrath, Germany.

It is a company that enjoys a fine reputation in the area, having been responsible also for the installation of the sound systems in the nearby Spielcasino Bad Aachen and the 5-star Hotel Quellenhof.

To ensure even but at the same time comprehensive coverage in the Eurogress, the team led by Patrick Quaden and Sascha Sieberichs performed detailed acoustic calculations in advance of the installation.

It was the variation of over nine meters in the height of the ceiling of the Brüsselsaal that posed the greatest problem: "At the same time, it was essential that the speaker systems blend in harmoniously with the architecture and interior design of the hall," says Patrick Quaden, the Managing Director of Günter Quaden Elektronik. "Due to the very tight schedule for the installation of the sound reinforcement system, it was essential also to plan everything – down to the very last detail – in advance."

In the light of their calculations, Quaden and his team concluded that the ideal solution would be a combination of Dynacord and Electro-Voice components including 274 Dynacord DL 72/32 A, 10 HCS 12 ceiling loudspeakers and 14 Dynacord VL 262 full-range cabinets. To amplify the signals, they opted for 45 Dynacord DPA 4140 and 7 Electro-Voice P1200RT power amplifiers. The system is controlled by two Dynacord ProMatrix 4000 audio matrices along with three DPC 4530 paging stations accompanied by DPC 4350 extension units. In all, this system offers 80 selection keys.

The biggest challenge for the team was the 1,700-seater Europasaal, as it was planned to use this space for major events that would frequently be televised. Ulysses simulations revealed that the best solution would be a sound reinforcement system in which coverage for the entire room was provided from a single central location, the ideal configuration being in this case a center cluster of 7 Electro-Voice SX600PIX loudspeakers.

"Both our own simulations and the results demonstrated by other high-profile installations testify to the balanced coverage afforded by Dynacord and Electro-Voice equipment," explains Patrick Quaden. "For this project, the very flexible rigging and mounting options offered by these speaker systems gave them an additional advantage over those from other manufacturers. A third powerful argument in their favour was the sheer quality and longevity of Dynacord and Electro-Voice products."