Venue system design · 7 min read
Concert Hall & Auditorium Sound System Design Guide
Line arrays, subwoofers, monitors and digital mixing for concert halls and large auditoriums — full-range music evenly to every seat.
A concert hall must reproduce everything from a solo singer to a full band at high level, evenly, for every seat — including the balcony and the back corners. That is a different problem from speech reinforcement, and it is where a professional line array earns its cost.
Why a line array
A line array is a vertical column of identical boxes that behaves like one long source. It loses level more slowly with distance than a single box, so the front rows are not deafened to make the back rows hear. The itc KS-210 can fly up to 24 boxes; for most Nepali auditoriums 4–8 per side are enough.
Subwoofers, front fills and monitors
Fly or stack subwoofers (itc KS-S218) centrally, or in a cardioid arrangement to keep bass off the stage. Front-fill speakers (itc KS-10H) cover the first rows under the array, and coaxial wedges such as the itc KS-14F let performers hear themselves without pushing up the house level.
Mixing and processing
A 32-channel digital mixer (itc TS-32PD-12) handles a band, choir or orchestra pickup, with scene recall per act and system EQ and delay for arrays, subs and fills. Power the arrays with high-headroom amplifiers — itc TC-21200 for the tops and TC-23000 for subwoofers.
Simulate before you hang
itc loudspeakers are in the EASE and EASE Focus acoustic libraries. For new auditoriums we model the room, choose array length and splay angles, and show predicted coverage before any steel goes into the ceiling.
System design drawings
Indicative AudioVisual Nepal design for a typical concert hall — signal flow and loudspeaker coverage. Quantities are confirmed on a free site survey.
Recommended equipment
| Role | Model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Line array | itc KS-210 | Even level front-to-back |
| Subwoofer | itc KS-S218 | Dual 18" array sub |
| Front fill | itc KS-10H | First rows under the array |
| Stage monitor | itc KS-14F | Coaxial wedge |
| Digital mixer | itc TS-32PD-12 | 32 channels, scenes, system DSP |
| Amplifiers | itc TC-21200 / TC-23000 | Headroom for full-range music |
Frequently asked questions
Is a line array necessary for a 600-seat auditorium?
Not always, but it is usually the best value: fewer boxes, more even coverage and less echo than spreading point-source speakers around the room.
Can the same system handle speeches and convocations?
Yes — store a speech preset with tighter EQ; a well-tuned array is excellent for speech.
Do you provide acoustic simulations?
Yes, for new builds and major upgrades we model the hall in EASE before the final design.
Planning a concert hall sound system?
Free site survey, system design and an itemised quotation from our engineers.