St Hedwig’s Cathedral, Berlin, Germany

X2 enables centralized worship experience

St Hedwig’s Cathedral, Berlin, Germany

The heart of the Catholic church in Berlin

Pantheon style building for worship

Located in central Berlin, the St Hedwig’s cathedral has been modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, with a high dome and round main worship space.

Since opening to worshipers in 1773, the building has become highly regarded by the people of Berlin and to preserve its rich history has just undergone an extensive renovation period that’s seen the entire interior transformed.

A HOLOPLOT X2 Matrix Array system provides seamless, unobtrusive spoken word reinforcement for the audience area, arranged around a centrally positioned altar.

Complete renovation

A demanding project

Design brief at a glance:

  • A central altar, with seating arranged in the round

  • White, paired-back interior, undisturbed by visible tech

Key architectural  features:

  • Circular room, with a 30-meter diameter

  • 33m high domed ceiling

Main challenges:

  • 6.5 seconds reverberation time causing echoes and bad intelligibility

  • Varied program including spoken word content and choral and concert music

"Our methodology required the architecture and the space to be recognizable solely by the atmosphere and the acoustic of the space, which is very complex and challenging in this case.”

— Peter Sichau, Founding Partner of Sichau & Walter

The system design

Only three X2 arrays fixed around the chapel door

1. One 3x6 X2 Matrix Array fixed above the chapel door and hidden with a custom, acoustically transparent screen

2a/2b. Two 2x1 X2 Matrix Arrays in portrait orientation, recessed into wall cavities and hidden with a fabric screen

The system design

Curved coverage zone omitting the center

  • 3D Audio-Beamforming and Optimization Algorithms create a circular, rounded beam and split the direct throw

  • Altar microphones in the center of the nave are avoided

  • This raises the gain before feedback threshold, allowing for best possible intelligibility

"Our priests will finally be able to speak comfortably at the altar and that is possible thanks to the way HOLOPLOT has designed the active beams. I am really impressed by how that works; to hear the difference just by moving a few meters is amazing"

— Johannes Rogge, Technical and Media Integration Lead for the St Hedwig’s project

Hidden tech

Visual integrity, uncompromised performance

  • All three X2 arrays at St Hedwig’s are completely hidden behind custom screens

  • Smooth, mute coloured lines undisturbed by visible technology

How?

  • Equipped with power over ethernet, X2 receives audio and control signals and power through a single cable, simplifying installation

  • Slim profile enables flush mounting

  • Optimization Algorithms compensate for any loss in audio, for uncompromised speech intelligibility and sound quality

Access for all

Presets enable intuitive use

The technical team for the cathedral is staffed by volunteers, making an easy setup that can be operated by a variety of technical skills essential.

The X2 system has been setup with a range of different presets that can be accessed to support any type of performance ranging from speech to music.

An additional preset has been created that excites the nave’s natural acoustic that can be used to elevate the spiritual feel of a choral performance.

"Based on this experience, HOLOPLOT is the only system that can be used for such tasks in the future. No other system that I know allows for massive spatial impression or the specific adjustment of acoustic subtleties.”

— Peter Sichau, Founding Partner of Sichau & Walter