Les 2000 Choristes: 'Without CODA, the show simply couldn't have worked'

Headliner discovers how CODA Audio systems helped solve the sonic puzzle of one of the world’s most ambitious shows…

Philippe Barguirdjian, sound engineer for Les 2000 Choristes events for 20 years now, was showing me the venue, Galaxie Amnéville. The stage has been graced by household names from Elton John to David Bowie, and even Snoop Dogg, and for three nights in May it would host an incredible spectacle, Les 2000 Choristes.

Conducted by Jacky Locks, Les 2000 Choristes is a fascinating mix of hobbyist and professional musicians, plus vocalists including Jean Baptiste Guegan and Anne Sila, celebrating the work of treasured French composer Jean-Jacques Goldman. Oh, and there’s the small matter of a 2,000 person choir.

The project started around 25 years ago, and has performed in varying sizes and with ever-evolving lineups (naturally). Jacky Locks has been the mainstay, and it is instantly clear from events on the stage just how passionate he is about the project.

While the audience is able to focus on the spectacle on stage, for me – a former sound engineer – a quick glance at the stage configuration brought me out in cold sweats.

I needn’t have worried. What could easily spiral into a mess of feedback and disappearing instruments was kept under control masterfully using the exceptional DiGiCo Quantum Console and a compact yet powerful CODA sound system.

Barguirdjian goes on to explain: “The system is plug and play. It is really a no EQ system except for a low cut.”

The difficulties of the unique aspect of the show would inevitably mean huge demands of the system. “The main challenge here is intelligibility,” he continues. “On the tutti’s (no lead singer) the choir act as the main singer but each voice section has different lyrics that should all be perfectly heard in the audience. To achieve this, the PA should deliver high quality on all of the audio spectrum and precise, beautiful mids and highs with no distortion.”

Barguirdjian was beaming as he explained how CODA’s ViRAY and N-RAY speakers facilitate this, “I have the chance to work with all the very top class pro audio systems that exist on earth, and ViRAY and N-RAY are the best.”

It didn’t take long for me to hear why Barguirdjian, a sound engineer with 40 years of experience, had such a glowing report on the CODA audio system.

The expert live mixing of over 150 sound sources (the choir alone required 120 microphones) should not be understated. I was fortunate that one of my first times hearing a CODA system was showcased in such an impressive way. In fact, without the CODA system, with its incredible Gain Before Feedback rating, the show simply couldn’t have worked in its current form.

The mid and high frequencies played such a key role in providing intelligibility in choral music, and the crystal clarity of CODA’s system meant that the vocals came sharply into focus whether the lead was taken by Jean Baptiste or by a 200 person section of the choir.

When you hear sound engineers discuss CODA systems, they inevitably mention the phase response, the DDP driver technology, and the sensor-controlled subs.

You can hear with crystalline quality whether in the front row, or right at the back. The DDP (Dual Diaphragm Planar) wave driver means a louder, clearer sound, thanks to increased power handling and extremely low distortion across the board, delivering clarity to every seat in the house.

The sensor-controlled subs provide a controlled low end. This doesn’t just mean a strong and controlled low end – the bass frequencies also provide a strong and stable foundation for the mix. With the CODA system, there was no unwanted “booming” and mud after the drummer had hit the kick drum. So, in the low end, the rhythms stayed crisp and clear, leaving room for the full spectrum of sounds from the huge setup to be built up on top of a tight bass. Low frequencies don’t interfere with the beautiful orchestra and choral sound in the mid and high frequencies.

The phase response and linearity also helps with the control of the sound and means that as you walk around the venue, the sound remains incredibly consistent. The signature CODA features proved to be key weapons in combating one of the biggest issues in this unique show: feedback.

Any audio pollution and bleed is going to be punished in a venue with over 120 microphones set up. The CODA speakers offer perfect directivity and therefore amazing rejection of unwanted sounds. Barguirdjian explained that the Gain Before Feedback levels were unrivalled compared to any other system, freeing him to mix uninhibitedly.

The speaker configuration included CODA Audio’s SC2-F Sensor Controlled Subwoofers, ViRAY and N-RAY speakers in the centre, and N-RAY outfills, completing the blanket dispersion and ensuring the same exceptional listening experience whether you’re in the front centre, or in any of the far corners of this goliath venue, which had been trimmed to a 4,500 capacity to accommodate such a massive stage setup and over 2,000 performers.

The setup included 24 ViRAY and 38 N-RAY speakers, doing the bulk of the heavy lifting with high end and mids at a canter. The sound engineers explained that this wasn’t a system they needed to push, even in such a big space.

12 SC2 subwoofers filled the room with rich, responsive bass frequencies, perfectly pairing with the ViRAY and N-RAY speakers, facilitating a balanced mix and allowing room in the mids and highs for the huge ensemble of sound sources.

Five T-RACK and eight M-RACK amps provided the power, and retained an elegantly simple solution, even for such an ambitious, large-scale show.

There were also 18 HOPS5 speakers, and 10 CUE Twos which served as stage monitors for the army of performers.

Philippe Barguirdjian is no stranger to bold projects. He has decades of experience as sound production manager at Arpege Son Lumiere, and has experience working in challenging environments. Working with Jean-Michel Jarre, he created some stunning and virtually unimaginable shows including a gig in the Sahara Desert, a 5.1 show for 18,000 people in Beijing, and a 140,000 capacity show in the shipyard of Gdansk.

His relationship with Jacky Locks, ‘The Chef’, was a joy to behold. A connection between conductor and engineer that takes decades to cultivate, helping to create a mesmeric three-and-a-half hour performance and a stunning audio spectacle.

With so many different elements to this show, the production has to be spot on, and so does the equipment. Hearing Barguirdjian speak in such depth about the differences in technology now compared to 20 years ago underlined the fact that the brands such as CODA and DiGiCo, at the forefront of audio technology, aren’t just making life easier by giving more control, they are facilitating shows that may not otherwise be possible.