Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra
Saraswathi
Auditorium
The main auditorium, renamed Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium on 27th December 1998, is one of the largest of its kind in Asia. The main objective of the Sabha is to promote fine arts. In pursuance to this, the Sabha has provided a platform for performance of numerous artistes. Established, as well as budding artistes have performed on this stage.
The stage dimensions are 30 ft. width (from side curtain to side curtain) x 20 ft. depth (from back curtain to front curtain), along with an outer area of 40 ft. (width) x 10 ft. (depth).
The total seating capacity is 2763. There are 1462 seats on the ground floor, 791 seats on the first floor and 510 seats on the second floor. The foyer is spacious. The lighting and sound systems are compatible to the needs of all programmes held in the auditorium.
Features
- One of the largest Auditoria of its kind, with total seating capacity 2769 in Ground floor and two upper balconies.
- A four layer scientifically designed stage flooring with an LED wall as a Backdrop in place of a back curtain. LED wall is a P10 spects with ratio of 4/3 and overall size of 28 ft wide X 14 ft height. Size of the usable portion of stage – Wing to Wing 32 feet. Back LED to front curtain 19 ft and outer proscenium 40 ft wide X 10 ft deep.
- Usable height of stage 12 feet
- Lighting for the stage comprises four battens on the stage and array of FOH lights and lights from either side of the stage
- Lights comprise of moving heads; sharpys; colour LEDs; babys; par can and halogen lights
- Two LED Panels of P4 spects with size 15ft wide X 10 ft height fixed to the walls on either side-outside the proscenium
- Lighting system comprises of avelite fader; power packs; power and signal cables
- The auditorium is ventilated with a centralized air conditioning system comprising of twin step down compressors of 300/150 tonnes, with 100% standby and condensers & chillers of matching capacity - both with 100% standby. The air conditioning system ventilates the foyer areas also.
- Auditorium has two entry doors and four exist doors at each floor level .( Ground Floor and two Balcony levels)
Acoustics and Sound System – History and present Status
The Acoustics of the Main Auditorium upon restoration included 4-inch-thick glass wool encased in pvc installed behind the rear wall of third floor balcony and for the ceiling of the auditorium. There were bass trap boxes suspended from the iron grid above the ceiling. There was no acoustic treatment done on the lower floors which had marbles on all the side walls and the rear wall. The acoustics design did not take into account the altered volume of the Hall and ratios of reflective to absorptive surfaces in the interiors. Due to the faulty design there was considerable amount of sound slap back happening from all the marbleized walls
The initial Sound system for the main Auditorium comprised of a complete Harman system, consisting of
| JBL SPEAKERS 4892 ARRAY |
24 NOS |
| JBL SUBS |
02 NOS |
| JBL Amplifiers MPA SERIES |
24 Amplifiers |
| JBL Ceiling speakers |
40 speakers |
| JBL HF units |
12 Nos |
| JBL MR series |
05 monitors |
| AKG microphones |
02 handheld wireless mic/ Lapel mic |
| |
06 wired microphones, 02 drum kick mic, 02 podium mic |
| Ahuja microphone stands |
10 Nos |
The new sound system comprised of L-Acoustic ARC point source speaker system which consists of
| ARCS speakers |
18 nos’ (left – center – right) |
| SB28 SUBS |
04 nos’ (left – right) |
| LA-4 Amplifiers |
06 nos’ |
| LA-8 Amplifiers |
01 nos’ |
| 8XT speakers |
06 nos’ |
New monitor speakers were installed consisting of
| RD 112 Low profile stage wedge speakers |
08 nos |
| RD 212 wedge speakers |
08 nos |
| RD 215h/215 l speakers |
04 nos |
| RD 115 CX speakers |
04 nos |
| RD 118 S speakers |
04 nos |
| RD 4.1.4 Amplifiers |
08 nos |
| RD CX 8 Speakers down fills |
06 nos |
The mixing console was upgraded to the more advanced Digital mixing desk and microphones which consists of
Venue Profile Mixing Desk.
Venue FOH Rack
Venue Stage Rack
Shure SM 58 / 57 / 98 / 81.
JTS microphones
Neumann Microphones
Sennheiser microphones
BSS DI Box
Microphone cables and accessories.
Microphone stands
Sennheiser wireless systems hand held and lapel
Sennheiser in ear monitors
The auditorium matches international standards, in terms of acoustics, comfort and ambience. This new sound system was installed and commissioned in 2008. It is extremely gratifying to get positive feedbacks from world renowned artistes, like Jethro Tull, Zakir Hussain and Anoushka Shankar. The latest Yamaha Mixer, compatible to the sound system, has also been installed.
