The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh sits at the heart of the Scottish capital, welcoming over 100,000 yearly visitors to enjoy the magic of live performance.
Home to the Lyceum Theatre Company for over 60 years, it stages a variety of performances from classic drama and contemporary plays to comedy and musicals.
Along with the historic architecture went an ageing sound system and an upgrade was needed to ensure the iconic venue could continue to meet the demands of modern productions.
EM Acoustics’ Reference Series was chosen to deliver precise, high-quality audio, whatever the performance.
Ian Gibson, Head of Sound & AV at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, spent several years planning the upgrade, and has led the eventual implementation of the new system.
“The theatre’s last major refurbishment was back in the mid-nineties, with no ongoing replacement or renewal of the PA system since then,” explained Gibson.
“Many touring shows and production companies didn’t want to use our outdated system, so we had to keep de-rigging it to accommodate temporary gear for each show. By switching to EM Acoustics – a name trusted throughout the theatre industry – we’ll largely be able to keep our house system in place all year round, including during Edinburgh International Festival.”
Having previously worked with EM Acoustics’ products on visiting shows, Gibson was confident that the Reference Series would be a perfect fit for the theatre. “You can always tell when technology is driven by people with a passion for what they do, and EM Acoustics exemplify this,” he said.
The 658-seat theatre consists of three levels: Stalls, Grand Circle and Upper Circle.
For the stalls level, two R8 loudspeakers in wide format are positioned on either side of the proscenium to provide full, even coverage.
S15 subwoofers placed beneath the main R8s in the stalls, and hidden discreetly in the circle levels, deliver controlled low-frequency reinforcement across the room, ensuring a full and balanced sound experience.
The two circle levels feature particularly low ceilings, making it challenging to achieve clear sound to seats in these ‘letterbox-shaped’ areas.
A flown pair of R8s in narrow format is positioned to cover both levels, along with a dedicated pair of S12s.
This extended coverage into the higher seating areas ensures the upper-level audiences have an equal sonic experience to those sitting downstairs in the stalls.
For vocal intelligibility and directivity, a flown centre cluster of R6s anchors the sound to the stage, allowing audiences to experience speech as naturally as possible – crucial in live theatre production.
A network of 20 R4 loudspeakers provides front fill, delay and box fill support. Four units along the stage edge cover the front rows, whilst a further 16 are strategically placed across the stalls, circle levels and grand boxes.
This distributed system eliminates dead spots and guarantees consistent sound throughout the auditorium.
The system is powered entirely by EM Acoustics’ installation series amplifiers, providing optimal efficiency and control.
“Every loudspeaker in the Reference Series range is incredibly accurate and usable. The sound from them is very impressive,” confirmed Gibson. “They have all the qualities of modern loudspeaker technology in terms of pattern control and directivity, which we were missing before.”
First opened in 1883, the historic building retains many original features.
The compact form factor and discreet placement of all sound system elements mean the installation integrates flawlessly with the Lyceum’s Victorian architecture, whilst delivering the power and versatility required for modern productions.
Since the PA system has been installed, both theatre staff and visitors have noticed huge benefits.
“During a recent show with 11 radio mics and a forestage playing position, managing sound would have been extremely challenging with our old loudspeakers, especially in terms of gain before feedback,” explained Gibson.
“With the EM Acoustics Reference Series, the system provides much more control and a very natural sound. It really lives up to expectations.”
Buffy Revamped, a one-man show, was the first performance to take place following the upgrade and sound levels were noticeably improved, with audiences enjoying clarity of speech throughout the performance.
This will be followed by a three-week production of The Seagull. “From musicals and spoken word to stand-up comedy, we now have greater confidence in supporting performances with high-quality audio,” added Gibson.
The clarity of the sound system has significantly enriched the theatre’s productions, allowing actors’ voices to carry effortlessly across the venue and ensuring that every word spoken reaches the audience across all three levels.
By investing in the EM Acoustics Reference Series, the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh has positioned itself to meet the demands of modern productions whilst respecting its historic architecture.
The precision and elegant voicing offered by the Reference Series have not only improved vocal intelligibility and sound coverage across the venue but have also helped to reinforce the Royal Lyceum’s reputation as a leading venue that can support a diverse mix of productions.
Additionally, the system has proven to be a smart investment, providing a high-performance solution that ensures long-term reliability and can be scaled up or down as required.
‘As we continue to host diverse productions, the EM Acoustics Reference Series will remain a reliable and powerful solution,” said Gibson. “It’s a great feeling to know we have the perfect system in place to deliver exceptional audio experiences for both performers and audiences for years to come.”
