The ultra-modern La Balise is a superbly versatile venue, located on the western coast between Nantes and La Rochelle. It can be configured in three different ways: offering 1600 capacity in an all-standing set-up, or 800 capacity in a mixed seating/standing arrangement.
All-seated, the capacity is 625. Co-funded by local government and private money, it is expected to be an important entertainment attraction for the surrounding area and its tourist trade.
A view of the room from the top of the retractable bleachers.
18 months ago, the audio installation project was referred to NEXO by the contractor B-Live (formerly Melpomen Nantes), and the Engineering Support department created the L/R system design using the new GEO M12 line array modules, paired with GEO MSUB18 subbass cabinets (6x M12 + 2x MSUB18 in each cluster). NEXO’s new P+ Series point source cabinets were chosen for frontfill, infill and stage monitors.
Post-lockdown restrictions, B-Live’s team, managed by Samuel Birais, completed the installation, and NEXO’s François Deffarges went along to Saint Hilaire de Riez to tune and commission the system.
B-Live’s Sam Birais
François Deffarges
“B-Live has a very skilled team which has done beautiful, clean work,” says Deffarges. “To tune the system, we worked with two configurations; first with the seating stands in place, and then with them retracted, giving standing capacity of 1600.
Amazingly, the average response of the GEO M12 line array was nearly identical for both configurations, despite the vibrating and absorption factors presented by the seating stands.”
The stage right M12 system and its two MSUB18 seen from the sidewalk overlooking the stage.
For its diverse and varied calendar of events, La Balise needed a local rental partner, and this will be long-time NEXO supplier, LR-Evénement, which will manage sound engineering and operation. The venue has already purchased a mini mobile system of ID24 point source with L15 sub and NXAMP, and will turn to LR-Evénement for additional rental equipment as needed.
According to Maxime Drouillard, Technical Director of La Balise, the prospect of a partnership with LR-Evénement was a deciding factor in the choice of NEXO as the main system, along with recommendations from well-known engineers.
D’autres informations :
– The Nexo website
– The B Live Group
– The LR Evenement
