Real & virtual: Lessons learned from modeling, measuring, and listening in a multi-purpose hall

Abstract

McKay Conant Hoover has guided a 2300-seat multipurpose venue through a series of modest renovations, each with tangible improvements, including expansion of the orchestra pit, provision for a proscenium eyebrow, reconfiguration and replacement of the orchestra shell, HVAC noise reduction, sidewall shaping, and finish selections to improve hall response for unamplified acoustics. However, much of the distinctive geometry of the hall by the renowned acoustician, Vern Knudsen, such as the broad, curved ceilings and walls, and the arching flying balcony, has remained unchanged since its opening in 1972. In 2014, an opportunity arose to investigate the acoustics of this space through a series of critical listening exercises, in-situ impulse response measurements, and virtual 3-D CATT modeling and auralizations. This paper will explore the challenges of comparing measured data, subjective preferences from actual music performances, computational model results, and listening tests through auralizations.