Royal Albert Hall
Voice Alarm Project
Voice Alarm Specialists
t. 01440 730948
Built in 1867 the Royal Albert Hall is a world famous venue for live music and events.
Located on the south side of Kensington Gardens in London, it has a seating capacity
of almost 6,000 and plays host to a vast array of events including Cirque du Soleil,
Jools Holland and the annual BBC Proms.
Forming part of the essential life safety system, the primary role of a voice alarm
system is to broadcast pre-recorded messages to ensure everyone in the building is
quickly and efficiently evacuated in the event of an emergency. The system is also
important for paging announcements, routine messages, distribution of background
music and show relay audio.
The original system was modified and expanded in 2001, with the installation of
Baldwin Boxall microphones and amplification equipment. However, equipment
obsolescence was identified in 2012 as a potential risk to its operation with failure of
key elements of rack equipment resulting in system down time and potential
cancellation of events and performances. Ceiling, wall mounted cabinets and horn
type loudspeakers are installed throughout the building and connected to a central
suite of equipment racks using over 50 fire rated circuits configured into 30
addressable zones.
Professional Sound Consultancy's proud association with the Royal Albert Hall began
in May 2012 following the award of a 5-year voice alarm system service and
maintenance contract. Having completed a number of minor alterations to the voice
alarm system, associated with various refurbishment projects within the Hall,
Professional Sound Consultancy were invited by the Royal Albert Hall to develop
plans and proposals to upgrade the installation.
Key issues and requirements for the upgrade were identified and agreed by
Professional Sound Consultancy and the Royal Albert Hall covering -
•
Removal of equipment obsolescence
•
Increased system resilience
•
Increase system capacity
•
Enhanced user controls
The two existing control racks, containing the obsolete BVR20 audio routers, were to
be completely removed; new EVAS DSP audio processors and associated equipment
were to be installed within a spare amplifier rack in the adjoining rack room and
interfaced with the existing, maintainable, audio amplifiers and battery backup system;
system capacity was to be increased with the addition of slave routers to increase the
total audio input/output count, along with rack mounted input sockets for connection of
future audio sources; four new microphones would replace the existing units and
include a BVRD16M desk mounted emergency microphone and three touch screen
PC controlled microphones. To provide a more intuitive user experience each of the
touch screen controlled PC’s would be provided with a custom created graphical user
interface.
Features such as user login, recording and playback of non-emergency messages,
scheduled broadcast of pre-recorded messages, routing of audio sources and volume
controls for each zone were all to be included.
In July 2013 the Royal Albert Hall instructed Professional Sound Consultancy to
undertake the work. The biggest challenge for the Royal Albert Hall voice alarm
upgrade was the requirement for the system to be fully operational throughout the
duration of the project, to avoid interference with the packed calendar of events and
performances. A single maintenance week in September 2013 was identified during
which the system functionality could be reduced. Detailed planning for development of
a robust schedule of work allowing for no overruns, ensuring planned events directly
after the maintenance week went ahead on time.
Site activities were divided into three sections: work to be completed prior to
maintenance week, during and after the week.
Prior to work commencing on site the new audio matrices and control equipment were
manufactured, assembled and tested in conjunction with the newly written touch
screen microphone PC software at Baldwin Boxall’s factory in Crowborough, before
Located on the south side of Kensington Gardens in London, it has a seating capacity
of almost 6,000 and plays host to a vast array of events including Cirque du Soleil,
Jools Holland and the annual BBC Proms.
Forming part of the essential life safety system, the primary role of a voice alarm
system is to broadcast pre-recorded messages to ensure everyone in the building is
quickly and efficiently evacuated in the event of an emergency. The system is also
important for paging announcements, routine messages, distribution of background
music and show relay audio.
The original system was modified and expanded in 2001, with the installation of
Baldwin Boxall microphones and amplification equipment. However, equipment
obsolescence was identified in 2012 as a potential risk to its operation with failure of
key elements of rack equipment resulting in system down time and potential
cancellation of events and performances. Ceiling, wall mounted cabinets and horn
type loudspeakers are installed throughout the building and connected to a central
suite of equipment racks using over 50 fire rated circuits configured into 30
addressable zones.
Professional Sound Consultancy's proud association with the Royal Albert Hall began
in May 2012 following the award of a 5-year voice alarm system service and
maintenance contract. Having completed a number of minor alterations to the voice
alarm system, associated with various refurbishment projects within the Hall,
Professional Sound Consultancy were invited by the Royal Albert Hall to develop
plans and proposals to upgrade the installation.
Key issues and requirements for the upgrade were identified and agreed by
Professional Sound Consultancy and the Royal Albert Hall covering -
•
Removal of equipment obsolescence
•
Increased system resilience
•
Increase system capacity
•
Enhanced user controls
The two existing control racks, containing the obsolete BVR20 audio routers, were to
be completely removed; new EVAS DSP audio processors and associated equipment
were to be installed within a spare amplifier rack in the adjoining rack room and
interfaced with the existing, maintainable, audio amplifiers and battery backup system;
system capacity was to be increased with the addition of slave routers to increase the
total audio input/output count, along with rack mounted input sockets for connection of
future audio sources; four new microphones would replace the existing units and
include a BVRD16M desk mounted emergency microphone and three touch screen
PC controlled microphones. To provide a more intuitive user experience each of the
touch screen controlled PC’s would be provided with a custom created graphical user
interface.
Features such as user login, recording and playback of non-emergency messages,
scheduled broadcast of pre-recorded messages, routing of audio sources and volume
controls for each zone were all to be included.
In July 2013 the Royal Albert Hall instructed Professional Sound Consultancy to
undertake the work. The biggest challenge for the Royal Albert Hall voice alarm
upgrade was the requirement for the system to be fully operational throughout the
duration of the project, to avoid interference with the packed calendar of events and
performances. A single maintenance week in September 2013 was identified during
which the system functionality could be reduced. Detailed planning for development of
a robust schedule of work allowing for no overruns, ensuring planned events directly
after the maintenance week went ahead on time.
Site activities were divided into three sections: work to be completed prior to
maintenance week, during and after the week.
Prior to work commencing on site the new audio matrices and control equipment were
manufactured, assembled and tested in conjunction with the newly written touch
screen microphone PC software at Baldwin Boxall’s factory in Crowborough, before
undergoing a formal factory acceptance test.
On site, all the new cable infrastructure was installed prior to the
installation of microphones; the new audio matrices and control
equipment were installed into an equipment rack and tested
locally with the new microphones, whilst the original system
continued to provide coverage to the building. Cable looms were
assembled and installed between the new audio matrices and
existing amplifiers in readiness for their connection during
maintenance week. During this period a touch screen
microphone test rig was set up within the Royal Albert Hall to give
future users of the system time to familiarise themselves with the
operation of the new graphical user interface and control
facilities. This included how paging routes were made and new
non-emergency messages were recorded and broadcast.
During the maintenance week each voice alarm zone was
migrated from the existing control hardware to the new audio
matrices, enabling the new microphones and audio matrices to
provide voice alarm coverage throughout the building. An
intensive series of testing, measurements and adjustments were
carried out to ensure all system cause and effects and volume
levels were correct.
After maintenance week redundant audio matrices, control
equipment, racks, microphones and cabling were removed, as
well as training sessions for the venues’ staff by Professional
Sound Consultancy. They also provided engineer attendance at
the Royal Albert Hall for a number of days after the upgrade to
allow for any last minute adjustments or to answer any questions
the staff may have.
Thanks to the technical input from Baldwin Boxall, a close
working relationship with the Hall’s management team and a
detailed project plan and concise working structure, Professional
Sound Consultancy were able to deliver a very complex and
technically difficult upgrade within the limited time scale, all with
no adverse affects to the events and performance at the Royal
Albert Hall.
Professional Sound Consultancy continue to provide service and
maintenance and further enhancements to the voice alarm
system and look forward to a long working relationship with the
Royal Albert Hall.
Tony Gale, Facilities Manager Royal Albert Hall, says
“Professional Sound Consultancy have been a joy to work with.
Their analysis of our system and of our business need, matched
by superb technical solutions in partnership with Baldwin Boxall,
have been outstanding and extremely professional at every stage
since we have been working with them. The main upgrade of the
system, carried out within the constraints of the limited downtime
we could provide, was little short of miraculous! And the resulting
system met every single one of our objectives.”
On site, all the new cable infrastructure was installed prior to the
installation of microphones; the new audio matrices and control
equipment were installed into an equipment rack and tested
locally with the new microphones, whilst the original system
continued to provide coverage to the building. Cable looms were
assembled and installed between the new audio matrices and
existing amplifiers in readiness for their connection during
maintenance week. During this period a touch screen
microphone test rig was set up within the Royal Albert Hall to give
future users of the system time to familiarise themselves with the
operation of the new graphical user interface and control
facilities. This included how paging routes were made and new
non-emergency messages were recorded and broadcast.
During the maintenance week each voice alarm zone was
migrated from the existing control hardware to the new audio
matrices, enabling the new microphones and audio matrices to
provide voice alarm coverage throughout the building. An
intensive series of testing, measurements and adjustments were
carried out to ensure all system cause and effects and volume
levels were correct.
After maintenance week redundant audio matrices, control
equipment, racks, microphones and cabling were removed, as
well as training sessions for the venues’ staff by Professional
Sound Consultancy. They also provided engineer attendance at
the Royal Albert Hall for a number of days after the upgrade to
allow for any last minute adjustments or to answer any questions
the staff may have.
Thanks to the technical input from Baldwin Boxall, a close
working relationship with the Hall’s management team and a
detailed project plan and concise working structure, Professional
Sound Consultancy were able to deliver a very complex and
technically difficult upgrade within the limited time scale, all with
no adverse affects to the events and performance at the Royal
Albert Hall.
Professional Sound Consultancy continue to provide service and
maintenance and further enhancements to the voice alarm
system and look forward to a long working relationship with the
Royal Albert Hall.
Tony Gale, Facilities Manager Royal Albert Hall, says
“Professional Sound Consultancy have been a joy to work with.
Their analysis of our system and of our business need, matched
by superb technical solutions in partnership with Baldwin Boxall,
have been outstanding and extremely professional at every stage
since we have been working with them. The main upgrade of the
system, carried out within the constraints of the limited downtime
we could provide, was little short of miraculous! And the resulting
system met every single one of our objectives.”
© Professional Sound Consultancy Ltd. 2023
