Transcend™ Enhances Acoustics in Every Seat
I believe that proper acoustics are fundamental to a great live music experience, both for the audience and the performer. The launch of the Transcend™ Active Acoustic System continues Wenger’s long history of quality, groundbreaking acoustical solutions. From our traditional room treatments to more complex systems like our Transform™ acoustical banners, our products strive to create a more desirable acoustic environment. The process of acoustically treating a room is complex and often costly, but makes a huge improvement in a venue’s sound.
Our traditional acoustical solutions enhance the natural acoustics of a venue, but results are still bound by the physical dimensions of the room. Most solutions can’t overcome natural barriers to sound, but Transcend helps to create more uniformity of sound throughout the space (e.g., under or over the balcony).
Looking for a solution, we began to work with our partners at HARMAN, the world’s leading audio technology company, to create an “active acoustic” system that would allow facilities managers to transform their space in to a multi-purpose venue. The result of our efforts is Wenger’s Transcend™ Active Acoustic System. We’re nearing completion of our first installation of Transcend at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and I’m excited for Wartburg to enjoy the benefits of this technology.
Wartburg’s Neumann Auditorium is a mid-century facility. Built for convocation services and the spoken word, it is problematic for choral performances. For this venue, the system divides the space into three zones: main floor, balcony, and under balcony. You can see this in the linked PDF below. Four microphones capture the natural sound occurring in the room. That information is sent to the Transcend processor that creates the acoustic reflections for the space, which provides more uniformity of sound for any acoustic environment no matter where you are seated. For the performer onstage, they never have to deal with the distraction of not hearing themselves correctly.
Transcend starts a new chapter for Wartburg’s Neumann Auditorium and creates new opportunities for new venues across the country. For Wenger, Transcend continues the mission we’ve always had: creating acoustic solutions that allow performers and venues to be the very best they can be.
Neumann Auditorium Isometric Zones
Check back for more updates on the installation at Wartburg and other upcoming Transcend events.
Ron Freiheit, Director of Design Engineering, Wenger
Ron has spent over 25 years at the cutting edge of acoustics technology. He is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America; Ron holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Southern Polytechnic Institute; he has completed graduate studies in Engineering of Acoustics at Penn State; and he holds a U.S. patent for acoustic virtual environments. He’s also a member of the Audio Engineering Society and the Institute of Noise Control Engineers. Contact Ron at Ron.Freiheit@wengercorp.com
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