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USA – One of the world’s most celebrated cultural institutions, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, has transformed the sonic experience of its historic Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium with a sophisticated Martin Audio upgrade. This modular installation overcomes the venue’s long-standing acoustic challenges while providing a high-fidelity portable system for performances across the museum’s iconic gallery spaces.

Opened in 1954 as a purely acoustic hall—designed primarily to showcase instruments from the Met’s own collection with no amplification intended—the 700-capacity Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium has remained largely unchanged in appearance. The original Korina woodwork endures, as does the Steinway piano gifted by the company upon the venue’s opening. Writing in The Met’s own Bulletin upon its opening, Robert B. Newman describes, “The virtues of the Rogers Auditorium are inescapable and many. Its intimacy is warming. Its seats are built on the wise assumption that nature has not done the upholsterer’s work for him. Its sight lines are perfect and its acoustics so good that no amplifiers are needed, and a person talking in conversational tones on the stage can be heard with ease in the balcony.”

Yet, as the auditorium’s programming evolved, so too did its audio demands. The legacy sound system previously installed – early-generation powered column speakers positioned only on the left and right sides of the room – delivered severely uneven coverage, with significant gaps across both the floor and balcony. It was barely adequate for lectures and simply unsuitable for contemporary musical performances.

Sebastian Hurtado joined The Met as Senior Technical Manager AVMS Production, in 2024. As a seasoned audio engineer who has worked across multiple countries and throughout the US, the sound in the auditorium became an immediate focus.“I think I identified the need for an upgrade within three days of arriving,” he recalls.

Once a business case had been authorised and budgetary approval came, Sebastian wasted no time. His brief was clear: replace the legacy system with a single, unified solution capable of handling everything from intimate lectures to full live bands – all while preserving the visual and architectural integrity of the historic space.

THE EVEN COVERAGE IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT; THERE’S NOT A DEAD SPOT IN THE ENTIRE ROOM.

After consulting with several top-tier manufacturers, Sebastian and his team selected Martin Audio, citing both the product fit and the quality of communication with the Martin Audio team throughout the process. “We sent an initial concept, and they mapped it out and made recommendations. It made us feel confident it was being done correctly.”

The final installed system is anchored by three Martin Audio TORUS Series T1230 and one T1215 constant curvature array elements, configured as a centre cluster and rigged from a truss at the front of the stage. “We didn’t want to change the essence of the space, and with no positions possible to hang a Left-Right line array, we realised a centre cluster was the way to go,” describes Sebastian. “It covers the lower and upper centre of the house incredibly well. Even without subwoofers, the low end from the TORUS 12s is substantial for video playback and presentations.”

Four Martin Audio FlexPointFP12 12” premium point-source speakers are positioned on the sides to fill outer coverage gaps, while four FP66” models – precisely time-delayed – address the notoriously difficult under-balcony zone. “The FP6s have provided one of the biggest improvements. They sound fantastic and are delayed so well that it almost seems like they’re not doing anything, which is perfect,” he notes.

For larger performances, a ground-stacked system comprising three per side TORUS T820 8” tops and two per side SXC115 15” cardioid subwoofers, is designed to handle any production required in the space. Ten Martin Audio LE100 stage monitors round out the rig: “We’ve had guest engineers ask what they were because they want some; they sound great with minimal processing.”

Sebastian describes a massive shift in audio quality. “The response has been noticeable by everyone. The even coverage is the most significant improvement; there’s not a dead spot in the entire room. And we have the full frequency range represented with incredible clarity and fullness. Whether it’s a lecture that keeps the audience engaged, or a full band with brass and strings, everything is represented properly.”

For Sebastian, a key aspect of the system design was modularity and the ability to deploy elements of the system in other areas. “We wanted to kill two birds with one stone and have a modular system we could take into the galleries.” The ground-stacked system therefore doubles as a portable rig for events and performances throughout the museum, allowing The Met to bring consistent, high-quality audio to spaces as acoustically challenging as the all-glass, hard-surfaced Engelhard Court.

“The challenge in many of our rooms, especially with speaking, is intelligibility. But with the Martin Audio system, we’re able to overcome it,” he says. “Its flexibility means we can deploy optimum systems for each event – that may be three tops and two subs per side, or a more distributed system.”

The Martin Audio cardioid subs have proved particularly successful. “They work remarkably well,” he confirms. “You can stand right behind them and not feel a thing. In a big echo chamber like this museum, having subs fire in only one direction really helps.”

The entire system was purchased through dealer ADI, who also handled amplifier programming and final tuning. Physical installation—including routing cables through the building’s complex, century-old infrastructure—was carried out by Sebastian and his in-house team. A helpful discovery during the process: the mounting locations for the FP12s sat behind fabric-covered plywood panels concealing former pipe organ openings, which served as convenient cable pathways.

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a prestigious and world-renowned institution. We worked through a number of design options with Sebastian as we considered all possible use case scenarios and the best way for the museum to get the most bang for their buck,” comments Martha Callaghan, Northeastern Regional Sales Manager, North America, Martin Audio USA. “It’s incredibly gratifying to see this work come to fruition. It’s a gorgeous venue, with important work to do, and the combo of TORUS and FlexPoint makes sure that work is coherent and delivered with pristine articulation and clarity. I am looking forward to our ongoing collaboration with The Met and their team.”

Perhaps most tellingly, the upgrade has changed the way the institution programmes its spaces. “It has prompted programmers to start doing more events in the auditorium,” concludes Sebastian. “Before, they preferred the galleries because the auditorium infrastructure wasn’t great. Now, our spec is much more rider-friendly, and we don’t have to rent outside gear.”

NLD – The Noorderkerkzaal performing arts theatre in Sneek, Netherlands, has been equipped with a permanently installed Martin Audio sound system, specifically tailored to the hall’s demanding acoustic profile and diverse programming.

The Noorderkerkzaal is housed within the historic Reformed Church of Sneek, a landmark building originally constructed in 1881. After serving its congregation until 2001 and briefly functioning as an apartment building, the church underwent an extensive renovation and opened as a venue in 2010.

Now a centrepiece of the Sneek Cultural Quarter, the 200-capacity venue hosts a vibrant mix of concerts, theatre productions, and community gatherings – all of which require exceptional speech intelligibility, musicality, and consistent coverage.

IT ENSURES EVERY PERFORMANCE AND PRESENTATION IS SUPPORTED BY CLEAR, CONTROLLED, AND IMPACTFUL SOUND.

To meet these stringent technical and artistic requirements, the venue selected a new audio solution that balances high-output power with sonic refinement. Following the advice of Martijn de Jong from Martin Audio’s Dutch distributor, Ampco Flashlight Sales, the theatre has installed a Martin FlexPoint loudspeaker system, complemented by Martin SXC cardioid subwoofers and the latest iKON amplification with Dante connectivity.

The Martin Audio FlexPoint series is designed for high performance in fixed installations where clarity and predictable coverage are essential. The installed system provides controlled dispersion for even audience coverage within the venue and the flexibility to adapt to various layouts.

At the heart of the installation are three FlexPoint FP12 12” models positioned in a Left/Centre/Right configuration, supported by three FP8 8” models serving as frontfills. Low-frequency energy is managed by a pair of SXC115 15” subwoofers, their cardioid design essential in controlling bass buildup on stage and maintaining clarity.

The system is powered by iKON IK41 and IK42 Dante-enabled amplifiers, offering efficient multi-channel power, streamlined integration, and modern networked audio routing.

“With this upgrade, the Noorderkerkzaal now benefits from a future-ready audio system capable of delivering consistent results across a broad range of events,” comments de Jong. “It ensures every performance and presentation is supported by clear, controlled, and impactful sound.”

IND – Chaitra Navratri at Korakendra Grounds, Borivali West, Mumbai unfolded as a large-scale festive celebration with Falguni Pathak at the heart of an atmosphere driven by music, movement, and community energy. For an event so deeply rooted in live participation, the audio system had to do much more than simply provide high output. It needed to preserve vocal clarity, rhythmic precision, and musical definition while carrying the excitement of the performance across an expansive venue measuring approximately 500ft x 236ft. In a setting where the audience is constantly engaged with every beat, chorus, and call-and-response moment, consistency across the grounds becomes essential. The sound had to remain powerful and immersive near the stage while still feeling controlled, balanced, and intelligible in the farthest listening zones.

Superwaves executed a major Martin Audio deployment designed for coverage, control, and musical impact. The system featured 32 Martin Audio WPL cabinets as the main PA, 20 Martin Audio WPC cabinets for delay coverage, and 12 Martin Audio WPM cabinets for outfills. Reinforcement was further enhanced with 8 Martin Audio Torus T1215 cabinets as centerfills and 6 Martin Audio Torus T1215 and T1230 cabinets for sidefills. Low-frequency performance came from 36 Martin Audio SXH218 subwoofers at FOH, 12 Martin Audio SX218 subwoofers in the delay section, and 4 Martin Audio WS218X subwoofers for sidefill support. With 12 Martin Audio LE200 stage monitors and a total of 40 Martin Audio iK42 amplifiers, the deployment reflected both technical depth and executional confidence.