Solotech recently supported award-winning Dutch violinist André Rieu with an L-Acoustics K Series concert sound system for the first time.
Rieu has been treating audiences worldwide to his distinct brand of classical music for a quarter of a century. He has been ubiquitous on the live sound circuit as one of the most celebrated and commercially successful violinists today, averaging around 100 concerts annually.
Often performing to sellout crowds in arenas of up to 16,000, a professional PA system capable of conveying his works in all their complexity and intricacy is crucial. Throughout his career, L-Acoustics Certified Partner Solotech has been an invaluable audio partner for Rieu and his orchestra.
“The K Series weighs half of what our previous system weighed, it’s available worldwide, and L-Acoustics Soundvision software, with its wide venue database, is a real time-saver when I get into my advance and designs tasks,’’ said Alexandre Dugas, audio crew chief at Solotech.
Dugas notes that the rigging department was behind the wish for a lighter professional sound system. “They wanted to get rid of those monster two-ton motors and some of the mandatory ‘safety steels’ in venues with stricter rigging standards. We now use three 1T with a delta plate, making the rigger’s life a lot easier, which is good for us, too.
“The K2 is such a versatile speaker,” Dugas said. “Using Panflex, we can configure a main and side PA using the same enclosures, which gives me great flexibility. As a classical orchestra, we don’t need extensive low-end, and the full-range K2 saves us from hanging subs and frees up floor space.
"It also properly covers the last seats in those long venues. We used to need delay hangs, but with the long-throw capability of K2, we can cover those seats with just the main PA, which is a great logistical advantage on a tight one-nighter schedule.
