MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Audio Logic Systems (ALS) has announced the completion of a major audio system upgrade at the historic State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, installing a state-of-the-art d&b audiotechnik KSL Line Array system. The project, a collaborative partnership between ALS, Hennepin Arts, and d&b audiotechnik, replaces an aging line loudspeaker system and ensures the 1921-era venue remains a world-class destination for touring Broadway productions and concerts.
The State Theatre, part of the Hennepin Arts portfolio dedicated to revitalizing historic theatrical spaces in downtown Minneapolis, had been operating with an audio system that had become unreliable, was no longer considered “rider friendly” for touring productions, and had officially reached its end-of-support from the manufacturer. This critical obsolescence, coupled with a long-standing relationship between the venue staff and ALS, served as the primary catalyst for the project’s approval, following the formal business restructuring of Hennepin Arts as a 501(c)(3).
The d&b KSL system was selected as the ideal solution due to its superior technical performance and operational efficiency within a historic 2,181-seat venue. A key feature is the KSL and SL-G subwoofers’ full bandwidth cardioid pattern control. This technology is a game-changer, ensuring that acoustic energy is kept off the walls, ceilings, proscenium, and stage, which significantly increases the clarity of the overall audio experience for the audience. The system also boasts a remarkable power-to-weight ratio, delivering extended high-frequency ability and low-frequency sub-bass output within a compact array that meets the venue’s wide-ranging performance needs.
Working in the 1921-built State Theatre presented a unique acoustical challenge: the space is effectively “three rooms in one,” encompassing the vast main floor, the balcony with its distinct tonal characteristics, and the deep under balcony with ceilings as low as nine feet.
To successfully cover all areas, ALS dedicated an entire day to listening, measuring, and adjusting array angles. The precise KSL deployment, designed using d&b’s ArrayCalc software, was able to cover all seating areas. Furthermore, d&b’s Array processing was imperative to successfully balance the tonality across all three distinct seating areas, ensuring a consistent sound. The strategic deployment also allowed for a five-foot higher trim height for the array, resulting in a significant sightline improvement for many box and side seats.
“The d&b and ALS design philosophy dictates that the challenge first and foremost is to design a system that is mechanically matched to the space,” said John Simshauser, Director of Operations at Audio Logic Systems. “Upgrading the audio system offered straightforward benefits: increased longevity, consistent performance, better control of the acoustical energy in the room, and a higher direct-to-diffuse audio field. All these factors combine to give the audience a next-level experience and provide the technical staff and guest engineers with performance consistency show after show”.
This installation follows ALS’s recent completion of a similar project at the nearby Pantages Theatre, also owned by Hennepin Arts, where a CCL (Compact Cardioid) Line Array system was installed.—–
System Components Installed at State Theatre:
- (20) KSL8 speakers
- (4) KSL12 speakers
- (6) Y10p Front Fill speakers
- (5) Yi10P Under Balcony speakers
- (4) SL-G Subs
- (15) 40D amplifiers
- (2) D90 amplifiers
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