Sesc Franca Opens In Brazil With Martin Audio TORUS and WPC

Inaugurated on November 28, 2024, during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the city of Franca in Brazil, the latest Sesc unit opened its doors with over 100 free activities for people of all ages. Covering an area of 35,555 sq.m, Sesc Franca is the largest facility of its type in São Paulo's interior, and as such is one of the most important in the country, supporting social, cultural and educational projects.

The supply and installation of the sound systems for both the theatre and gymnasium were entrusted to Gobos do Brasil, a company with 24 years of experience in the professional audio and lighting market. For this project, they chose premium equipment from Martin Audio.

With a capacity of 370 seats, the Sesc Franca theatre features one of the largest stages of all the Sesc units in the state of São Paulo. The venue itself offers a diverse programme that includes musical and theatrical performances, film screenings, seminars and training activities, showcasing local, national, and international productions.

Selected for the main PA was Martin Audio's popular TORUS series, a constant curvature line array designed for medium-sized venues with a throw of up to 30 metres. A key innovation is the aerial positioning of the subwoofers, which can be suspended and flown alongside the line array. The setup at Sesc Franca includes a pair of SXCF115 cardioid subwoofers on each side, complemented by four TORUS T820 (8in) modules, powered by iKON iK42 Dante-enabled digital amplifiers.

Additionally, the theatre is equipped with four Martin Audio CDD6 frontfills, distributed along the stage lip, powered by a VIA2502 digital amplifier. These speakers, featuring Martin Audio's patented Coaxial Differential Dispersion (CDD) technology, ensure uniform coverage, outperforming typical point-source systems.

Commenting on the installation, Esteban Risso, Commercial Director of Gobos do Brasil, said: "We achieved extremely linear coverage, with only a 1.5dB variation between the first and last rows. The suspended cardioid subwoofer arrangement eliminated bass spill onto the stage and ensured consistent low-frequency coverage throughout the theatre, without overwhelming audiences in the front rows."

For larger-scale events, the 3,000-capacity gymnasium will host everything from concerts to sporting activities. Its stage connects to the theatre stage via a motorised retractable wall.

Here a larger sound system was required, and Gobos do Brasil turned to Martin Audio's WPC compact line array. The setup includes 16 WPC modules (eight per side) and eight SX218 subwoofers, all powered by iKON IK42 digital DSP amplifiers.

Once again, Esteban Risso complimented the system's performance: "WPC delivered exceptional sound pressure without distortion, providing uniform coverage across the gymnasium's 40-metre length. The scalable resolution technology is remarkable, allowing precise coverage control via the software—this makes it possible to define areas where sound is needed and exclude unwanted zones, such as reflective back walls, while minimising noise pollution."

The alignment of the sound systems for the theatre and gymnasium was carried out by Marcelo Claret, founder and director of IAV (Institute of Audio and Video) and one of Brazil's leading authorities in professional audio. Claret brings over 35 years of experience in live sound reinforcement.

Edinei Lima, Industrial Director and Engineer at Gobos do Brasil, oversaw the installation. He explained: "In order to install the line array with suspended subwoofers in the theatre, we developed and manufactured custom mounts—installed at a height of eight metres. The positioning was determined using 3D predictions in Martin Audio's DISPLAY3 software, ensuring ideal coverage and linearity."

Berenice Gutiérrez, founder and CEO of Martin Audio distributor, Proactive LATAM, offered a special thanks to the manufacturer for supporting the project delivery in a record time of less than two weeks. "They made this a clear priority, enabling Esteban and his team to achieve their production plan. This was one of our strengths for this project, and became vital when it came to making the right brand selection in a competitive installation market."

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