HONG KONG: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre has completed a comprehensive sound system upgrade, becoming the first venue in Hong Kong to deploy a custom d&b audiotechnik CCL line array solution. The installation equips the entire venue with a new d&b audio system designed to deliver improved coverage, greater intelligibility and a more consistent listening experience for both audiences and performers.

During the design phase, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) reportedly explored the possibility of implementing a spatial audio solution in the initial stages, before determining that the auditorium’s architecture made a conventional reinforcement approach more suitable. Working with d&b audiotechnik Greater China, the academy’s technical team used ArrayCalc simulation software to model coverage and optimise sound pressure levels for both the audience and performers.

The final design focuses sound energy within the seating area while reducing reflections from the rear auditorium walls back onto the stage. To further improve on-stage conditions, the project team selected d&b’s CCL (Compact Cardioid Line) passive cardioid loudspeaker system. As the first model in the manufacturer’s CL (Cardioid Line) Series, the CCL combines broadband directivity control with low-frequency cardioid behaviour, while its passive cardioid design enables single-channel amplifier operation and helps minimise unwanted rear radiation towards the stage.

Purpose-designed for the amphitheatre’s 600-seat, U-shaped auditorium, the new system centres around a CCL main PA supported by three CCL-SUB arrays configured in a left-centre-right (LCR) arrangement. Powered by four d&b audiotechnik 40D amplifiers, each of the three hangs comprises four CCL12 loudspeakers paired with a CCL-SUB enclosure. The installation utilises the 120-degree horizontal dispersion variant of the CCL system to address the coverage challenges presented by the venue’s architectural layout. And to ensure the installation integrated seamlessly with the venue’s architecture, the system was supplied in a custom RAL finish to match the existing steel column structure.

“Since the new system was installed, the most noticeable improvements are twofold. First, the sound is far more tightly focused on the audience area, with significantly reduced spill into other zones, ensuring a much more consistent tonal balance for every listener. Second, the stage will be quieter than before, creating a more comfortable experience for performers. Microphone pickup on stage is more efficient, and the risk of feedback has been greatly reduced,” says Lee Hoi-fai, Technical Manager (Sound), Venue Technical Office (HKAPA).

The completed installation establishes a new audio platform for The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, enhancing the venue’s ability to support a wide range of performances while providing audiences with a more refined and consistent listening experience.