Sydney Opera House sound problem

[georgehifi]

Better now, but still a lack of real power to the sound, (I think it's Utzon's design that's the problem)

The last time I was there (SSO pictures at an exhibition 2 weeks ago) they tried to attacked the problem of trying to get good sound in there again.

 

To me the problem is with the very high domed ceiling (roof) sound goes up and is diminished in power in an ever narrowing dome the higher it goes, sort of like an inverted horn, so there's nothing for it to bounce off back down to the audience to give them reverb and power. Kinda like putting the orchestra out in a paddock

 

Now they've got these 4 x new convex hard chrome like reflective dishes (pictured) that hang down from cables, so that from where you sit in each of them you can see part of the orchestra so the sound should come to you as a 1st refection from each of them.

This is better for the mids and highs as they are a hard surface but not really super solid object to reflect off to you, but the bass needs something solidley anchored, there's still no real power, shame, to me the only real fix is to put a solid flat ceiling right across in there about the top of the organ in height.

 

Cheers George  

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by georgehifi

[Ars Paart]

I saw Amadeus a couple of times in January, sound was excellent but was amplified rather than acoustic. I'll be interested to see how an orchestra sounds - by all accounts it's a huge step up from what it was before (pretty awful).

[georgehifi]

13 minutes ago, Ars Paart said:

by all accounts it's a huge step up from what it was before (pretty awful).

 

Yeah it probably is, John Malkovich famous US actor who just loves traveling this earth listening to Symphony Orchestras around the world, was quoted to say the Opera House "sounds like an aircraft hanger".

It's built for looks and not for sound, a bit like McIntosh Electronics, the Sydney Town Hall is said to **** all over it for sound quality with the SSO doing the same stuff.

 

Cheers George 

 

Sydney Town Hall

Edited March 20, 2023 by georgehifi

[Ars Paart]

IIRC they rushed the final build because it was so far over budget and they'd already sacked the architect. Who knows how it would have sounded otherwise? What is now the concert hall was meant to be the opera theatre anyway.

[georgehifi]

4 hours ago, Ars Paart said:

they'd already sacked the architect.

 

Yes Utzon, maybe he wished for that sacking, knowing it was going to sound average.

The internal dome is the problem with sucking the power out of  unamplified music I'm sure.

False roof, looks to be the only proper fix, instead of these bandaid ones they keep trying.

 

I remember good friend Australian Collin Wait (RIP) AMW and Otoscan speaker designer/owner said at the time when it was built,  it won't sound as good as the Town Hall, later he had something to do with the original plastic donuts to try and fix it.

 

Cheers George

The 1972 original old plastic donuts

Edited March 20, 2023 by georgehifi

[PKay]

I must admit I had high expectations but was underwhelmed by the results.