Adlib Delivers Premium Audio Experience for Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Audiences

	The L-Acoustics K-Series loudspeaker system installation at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall comprises all signal cabling, audio processors, amplifiers, speaker wiring and loudspeakers.

Adlib has completed the installation of a new permanent audio system in the Main Auditorium at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, designed to deliver a consistent, high-quality listening experience for every audience member, across all music genres and without compromise to sightlines.

The installation follows the success of a flown large-format rental audio system supplied for the Celtic Connections festival. That system, deployed for the first time in the venue, demonstrated how modern concert-grade audio could transform the Main Auditorium's sound, supporting the decision to commission a permanent solution. The new system is fully operational and was completed in time for the venue's winter season.

Celtic Connections, which runs annually from mid-January to early February and uses venues across Glasgow city, places its flagship program in the Main Auditorium. The festival's breadth, spanning American blues, world music, folk, contemporary ensembles and intimate recitals, provided the ideal test environment, showcasing the system's ability to perform consistently across vastly different production styles.

Adlib's relationship with the Concert Hall dates back to 2016, when the company delivered the audio solution for the venue's New Auditorium project. Since then, Adlib has continued to support the venue through ongoing rental and technical services, regularly supplying additional touring equipment for visiting artists, including Sheryl Crow and The Darkness.

The permanent installation was designed to achieve the core goal of ensuring that every audience member hears the same show, from every seat. Extensive under-balcony delay coverage and carefully optimized system design mean engineers, artists and audiences now benefit from consistent tonal balance and intelligibility throughout the space.

Crucially, the system also challenges traditional perceptions around large PA systems in concert halls, proving that scale and subtlety are not mutually exclusive. The large-format PA delivers even coverage, clarity and impact throughout the auditorium, the company says, while preserving the architectural sightlines that are critical in concert hall environments.

Douglas Steel, technical manager, Glasgow Life comments: "Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Main Auditorium hosts 200 events over the course of the year. Everything from orchestral, folk music to rock and pop. We used to be reliant on visiting productions, bringing their own PA systems in, which meant we couldn't always guarantee that every seat in the house was experiencing the same level of audio quality. As a venue, we want to attract the best artists and performances possible. It was extremely important for the venue to upgrade the PA system so that we were in line with the expectations and requirements of visiting productions and engineers."

He continues, "When Adlib presented their design, the K2 system, we were really excited to engage with them. The design ensures that every seat in the house is being considered so that everyone has the same experience. It's important to us to have a PA system that doesn't encroach on the space. Along with the main K2 hangs, there are discrete delays built into the fabric of the auditorium, but you don't necessarily notice these. Working with Adlib has been absolutely brilliant. We knew what we wanted to achieve, and Adlib came forward with the system that exceeded the criteria outlined by the venue. We've had some very positive comments since the PA has been installed, particularly mentioning how excellent the sound is. We are extremely happy with the system."

Paul Hoolahan, Celtic Connections production manager, comments: "The artistic demands of Celtic Connections present a significant audio challenge, given the festival's wide-ranging program, from intimate folk performances to full orchestral collaborations and high-energy rock shows, often on consecutive nights. For the 2023 festival, we made the decision to upgrade the Main Auditorium system to enhance the experience for both artists and audiences. The system certainly did that. It also gave the venue team an opportunity to experience a modern system in situ, helping to inform their plans for a permanent installation."

Andy Russell, system technician, comments; "We worked closely with the Celtic Connections production team and festival directors to design and deploy a line array system for the festival for the first time. Using Soundvision, I created a detailed 3D model of the auditorium and designed an L-Acoustics system that would provide excellent coverage while ensuring audience sightlines remained unaffected. The success of that deployment, along with extremely positive feedback from venue management, festival teams, touring engineers and audiences, highlighted the value of installing a modern PA system in such a prestigious venue."

Billy Bryson, system engineer - calibration/commissioning for Adlib comments on the permanent upgrade: "Detailed simulation within L-Acoustics Soundvision aided the design of a system that was tailored to the requirements of the space. Working alongside Andy Russell during the design phase, we modelled a flown subwoofer configuration which provided rear rejection focused downward toward the stage, whilst retaining uniform coverage across the audience area. Furthermore, the tuning of the main system, and integration with the extensive deployment of fill systems, was refined within Soundvision, allowing for more time on site to carry out a detailed calibration with technicians from the venue present throughout. This has resulted in a flexible system, presented to touring productions by knowledgeable house technicians."

For Adlib, the project reflects the value of long-term collaboration and a shared vision for modern performance spaces. Craig Hamilton, general manager, Adlib Scotland, comments: "This installation is the result of nearly a decade of collaboration with the Concert Hall. It's a great example of how rental, design and permanent installation can work together to create a solution that genuinely benefits artists, engineers and audiences alike."

The L-Acoustics K-Series loudspeaker system installation at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall comprises all signal cabling, audio processors, amplifiers, speaker wiring and loudspeakers.

L-Acoustics K2, KARA down-fills and KS28 subwoofers form the main hangs, with X12 and A15 loudspeakers providing flown out-fill and choir-stall coverage. On stage, X8 loudspeakers are deployed along the downstage edge, with stacked KS21 subwoofers and A15s used as in-fill. Under-balcony coverage is delivered via 5XT loudspeakers. The system is driven by L-Acoustics LA12X and LA4X amplified controllers, with two L-Acoustics P1 processors providing the system front-end. Signal distribution is handled via an AVB Milan network using Netgear M4250 AV Line switches and L-Acoustics LS10 AVB switches, with AVB redundancy and AES3 feeds for LA4X controllers.

A new motor-control rack was installed featuring Kinesys DigiHoists, with Libra load cells fitted to each motor and fully integrated to provide real-time weight feedback for operators.