The famous St Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin is now home to a Holoplot audio system, bringing seamless, discreet spoken word reinforcement to its hallowed halls.
Modelled after the iconic Pantheon in Rome, St Hedwig’s underwent a total renewal, with a new look and feel reflecting the cathedral’s history. The nave was overhauled, returning the original interior layout,
but with seating in the round.
Visible loudspeakers were not an option for the clean and simple aesthetic, defined by its white walls, clean lines, and minimal internal details.
The cathedral’s huge, parabolic
space has renowned acoustics for music, tailored for performances from its Klais Opus organ. For spoken word, however, the reverb times had a negative impact on intelligibility, with echoes bouncing back to the altar
in the centre posing a unique challenge.
Holoplot’s X2 matrix array system was brought in for discreet spoken word reinforcement, with the Holoplot team modelling various design options that could meet the exact
brief of the cathedral.
To address the space’s positional challenges and 6.5-second long reverberation time, the Holoplot team designed a system based on the X2 matrix array, equipped with PoE which allows the
system to receive audio and control signals, as well as power through a single cable.
Flush mounting was enabled through the unit’s slim profile, allowing the arrays to be hidden behind custom screens
in narrow, recessed wall cavities, which do not interfere with the building’s mute coloured lines.
To address the space's positional challenges and 6.5-second reverberation time, Greif and the HOLOPLOT team designed a system based
on the X2 Matrix Array.
22 MD30 units were hidden behind perforated panels, fixed in three locations, delivering unique coverage zones that counteract the reflective surfaces of the cathedral. 3D audio-beamforming and Holoplot’s
optimisation algorithms allowed the team to create a circular, rounded beam which can split the direct throw, avoiding the altar microphone in the centre of the nave and raising the gain before feedback threshold.