Napa Valley Fixture John Anthony Truchard Transforms Historic Venue into Napa Music Hall with d&b audiotechnik

	The CCL mains were selected because they offer true broadband and directivity, combined with low-frequency cardioid performance, keeping the stage quiet while focusing all the energy out into the house," says Lynch.

Housed in the iconic 19th-century Napa Valley Opera House, the newly launched Napa Music Hall is poised to become Northern California's premier luxury entertainment destination. Spearheaded by wine and hospitality entrepreneur John Anthony Truchard and designed by Commercial Audio Video Solutions (CAVS), the venue utilizes a d&b audiotechnik audio system, featuring CL-Series compact cardioid line arrays, KSL-GSUB subwoofers, and U-Series point source loudspeakers to deliver unparalleled auditory experiences for touring artists and audiences alike.

Truchard, founder and CEO of John Anthony Wine & Spirits -- makers of Butter Chardonnay -- is no stranger to blending wine, hospitality, and music. After spending a decade as a presenting sponsor for the renowned BottleRock Napa Valley music festival, Truchard saw a unique opportunity for his hometown.

"BottleRock puts Napa on the map for music for three days a year with consumers," explains Truchard. "Our goal with Napa Music Hall is putting Napa on the map for music another 362 days a year. We want to be an unmissable stop for artists that are touring through this route, making Napa Music Hall the perfect intimate add-on for their VIPs, most loyal listeners, and fans."

Napa Music Hall features two distinct performance spaces: the 650-capacity standing-room Ballroom upstairs, and the intimate 160-seat Club downstairs. When renovating the spaces to accommodate diverse entertainment options ranging from acoustic sets and comedy to high-energy rock and EDM, the venue's 15-year-old legacy sound system needed a dramatic upgrade. Truchard prioritized a highly rider-friendly system that would attract premium talent. After extensive modeling and listening tests, he chose d&b audiotechnik. "It operates exactly as advertised," Truchard notes. "d&b presented a solution, and then they delivered perfectly on that."

Don Lynch of CAVS specified the d&b audiotechnik CCL-Series for the main Ballroom. "The CCL mains were selected because they offer true broadband directivity, combined with low-frequency cardioid performance, keeping the stage quiet while focusing all the energy out into the house," says Lynch. "Plus, their size-to-weight ratio was perfect to maintain the venue's sightlines, while getting a lot more out of the PA without requiring huge structural upgrades. Ultimately, one of our main objectives was to give everybody in the venue the exact same experience, regardless of whether they were in the balcony or right up close to the stage."

Low-frequency support proved just as impressive, with KSL-GSUB subwoofers placed out of sight under the stage. "This was the first time I have used the KSL-GSUB," admits Lynch. "It's quite impressive what a small form factor triple-15 subwoofer is capable of doing in terms of extension and output." Jamie Trant, Production Lead at Napa Music Hall, especially appreciated the cardioid nature of the subwoofers: "I find that the PA can be on at full volume, and you can still have a normal conversation on stage, allowing musicians to easily hear each other, and for the audience, the bass feels exactly the same everywhere you go throughout the venue."

When Napa Music Hall successfully opened its doors this past May with renowned acts like LCD Soundsystem and Bush, the results spoke for themselves. "Between the quality of the venue, our professional staff, and our choice of d&b audiotechnik, there's not a musician in the world who's not going to be delighted to play here," Truchard concludes. "It sounds great, and more importantly, the bands themselves tell us it sounds great."

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