Every performance venue eventually reaches a point where evolving production demands outgrow the infrastructure that supports it. That was the challenge facing New York City's Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), where technically complex theatrical, dance, and multimedia performances were beginning to expose the limitations of an aging audio infrastructure.
Founded in 2005 by legendary dancer and choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov, BAC has earned a reputation for supporting artists across disciplines by providing an environment where creativity can thrive. Supporting that mission requires more than world-class performers and inspiring spaces; it requires audio technology that can adapt to a wide variety of productions while remaining reliable, flexible, and intuitive for the in-house and visiting teams who use it every day.
Transforming multiple independent legacy systems into one flexible and powerful networked ecosystem.
The Jerome Robbins Theater (above) already possessed one of its greatest strengths: a Meyer Sound loudspeaker system that continued to deliver outstanding sonic performance. Rather than replacing equipment that was still performing at a high level, the Dale Integration Services team focused on modernizing the infrastructure connecting to it.
Over the years, the theater's Yamaha-based audio platform, analog intercom, wireless microphone system, and assistive listening technologies had become increasingly difficult to maintain and less capable of supporting the requirements of modern productions.
Instead of treating each of these systems independently, Dale Integration Services designed a comprehensive solution centered around Dante networking. Audio transport, wireless microphones, DSP, intercom, assistive listening, and system control were brought together on a common network infrastructure, creating a far more flexible production environment while preserving the theater's existing investment in their loudspeakers.
“Thanks to the team at Dale Pro Audio, we’ve been able to vastly increase the production value of our own presentations, improve the experience for rental clients, and eliminate the need for costly repairs. The combination of an integrated Dante network, Yamaha digital mixer and I/O, and Shure Axient® wireless system also means our technicians can work with ease at the highest possible level."
Tyler Benware, Director of Production and Operations - BAC
At the heart of the upgrade is a Yamaha DM7 Compact digital mixing console paired with Yamaha's DME7 DSP platform and Rio3224-3D Dante stagebox. A Luminex network backbone now allows production resources to be deployed throughout the facility with significantly greater flexibility than the previous point-to-point architecture.
The audio upgrades go well beyond the audio console. Shure Axient Digital wireless microphones (combined with Point Source Audio earset microphones) provide the RF performance and compact form factor expected in professional theatrical environments, while new wired and wireless intercom systems from Studio Technologies and Pliant Technologies deliver clear, dependable communications throughout the venue. The assistive listening workflow also benefits from the Dante network, allowing dedicated accessibility mixes to be created specifically for each production rather than relying on a single fixed program feed.
And there’s more to networked audio systems than flexibility and power… they can also save money. Dale Integration Services estimates an overall project cost savings of ~20% by fully integrating everything from the wireless channels and hearing assist system to the mixing console, stage box and DSP on the digital network.
Dale’s Technology Development Manager Joel Guilbert served as the technical lead on the project: "System integration isn't always about replacing everything with something new. By preserving the Meyer Sound loudspeaker set-up and building a modern, networked infrastructure around it, BAC gained greatly improved flexibility, reliability, and workflow enhancements, all while protecting the investment they had already made in high-quality sound reinforcement.”
Today, the Jerome Robbins Theater operates as a fully networked production ecosystem rather than a collection of independent systems. Engineers can configure the room more efficiently, production staff spend less time working around technical limitations, and the venue is better equipped to support the evolving needs of performers and the technical staff for years to come. As with any effective integration project, the technology doesn't draw attention to itself. It simply enables exceptional productions and allows the audience to focus on what matters most: the performance taking place on stage.
