The German Cultural Centre Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnhof e.V. has resided on the eastern edge of Heidelberg’s Old Town since 1995 and, in addition to the almost 600-seat concert hall and Klub K nightclub, offers space for the association’s culture cafe, free theatre, Eine-Welt-Zentrum (One World Centre), media forum and communal cinema. In 2017, the decision was made to relocate the Karlstorbahnhof with a new venue pencilled to open in late 2022, on the site of the former Campbell Barracks in Heidelberg’s Südstadt.
Allen & Heath’s Avantis is currently in use for outdoor performances at the centre, before moving to MON duties when the new building is completed in 2022.
During the relocation planning phase, the city of Heidelberg granted funds for the technical modernisation of the building, with some of these funds allocated for a new audio mixing system for the centre. Christoph Hack, technical director of the Karlstorbahnhof, opted for an Allen & Heath Avantis console and a GX4816 audio expander, which will be used for the outdoor summer stage and the hall, while the venue is still in operation. “I’ve been enthusiastic about Allen & Heath since my first encounter with the SQ-6,” explains Hack, “so it was clear to me that we would rely on their consoles from now on.”
Östringen based Session Pro were tasked with supplying and installing the system, and in addition to the Avantis and the GX4816, all components for the setup at the new location are already ordered. “After the move, the FOH console will be an Allen & Heath dLive S3000 console,” Hack says. “The Avantis will then be used as a monitor console and mobile desk for the foyer. A DM32 MixRack will be permanently installed in the technical room. Four DX168 expanders will be on stage, two DX164-W expanders will be fixed to the front of the stage, and all connected to the DM32 via a DX Hub.”
The Avantis, also currently used in the main hall, will be joined by Allen & Heath SQ and dLive systems in the new building.
Utilising Dante expansion cards in both consoles, Hack will provide a digital split between FOH and MON, distribute signals around the building and offer a multitrack recording solution. The theatre will be equipped with an Allen & Heath SQ-5 in the new hall, and here too a Dante expansion card will distribute signals to the other venues in the house. “We can also draw further added value from the Dante cards, as we can integrate our Wireless Systems directly into the dLive system and monitor them there,” Hack concludes.
