For over 120 years, the National Theatre in Oslo has been an arena for both Norwegian and foreign classics, new drama and performing arts, as well as children’s and youth performances. Given its diverse entertainment programme, the theatre’s audio team decided it was time to upgrade their long-standing sound system to one that would significantly enhance the audio quality of the theatre’s productions. Scandec Systemer AS, DiGiCo’s exclusive distributor in Norway, was selected to supply a Quantum 338T digital mixing console, sold by Scandec’s dealer in Norway, Oslo Audio, which offers a wealth of new design features and enhancements, creating ultimate flexibility of use plus the speed of operation that only Quantum can deliver.

The National Theatre is widely regarded as the home of Henrik Johan Ibsen’s plays, often referred to as ‘the father of realism’ and one of the founders of modernism in theatre. Boasting four stages, the main stage (Hovedscenen) is the National Theatre’s largest and oldest stage and is one of the country’s most magnificent theatre spaces. Originally built as a traditional peephole theatre, it accommodates 741 seats, with the orchestra pit providing room for 45 musicians.  The search for a new audio system began in 2021, with an exploration of what was available on the market and assessment of what best suited their needs. DiGiCo’s extensive theatre features, coupled with the Quantum 338’s user-friendly interface, resonated strongly with the theatre’s audio team, making it their console of choice right from the outset.

“After thoroughly investigating the market, the theatre ultimately chose DiGiCo’s well-developed theatre suite and its specified tools as the optimal solution for their needs,” explains Kai Nicolai Priddy, Head of Sound at the theatre. “The Quantum 338T offers an exceptionally clear and efficient surface for handling complex performances. With the introduction of the theatre software for the Quantum 338, this system becomes an incredibly powerful and efficient package. It is also remarkably compact, and has a range of new design features, including three 17-inch, 1000 nit, high-brightness multitouch screens and other enhancements, such as superior local audio connectivity. In short, it is a great console that ticked all the boxes for the theatre’s sound team!”

The system design was carried out by the theatre itself, and was led by Priddy in close collaboration with the Scandec team, which provided support and training alongside programming for one of the theatre’s upcoming productions. Throughout the process, Marius Lindaas, Product Manager at DiGiCo, was also readily available to assist the team with any questions about the console.

The Quantum 338T comes equipped with a Waves interface and a Dante DMI, includes distribution via Optocore and features an SD-Rack with 32-Bit I/O as the primary rack. Additionally, an SD-Mini-Rack is utilised in the orchestra pit. “By combining established workflows with substantial processing capabilities and innovative features, including a striking new dark mode, the Quantum 338T represents a significant upgrade in the theatre’s audio quality,” Priddy comments, adding that the Quantum 338T’s seamless adaptability to various protocols, including Dante, MADI, and others, has proven a valuable upgrade and an added benefit for the team. “The audio team has reported a noticeable improvement in perceived sound quality and resolution in the sound image,” he says. “Whilst the console setup varies from project to project, the beauty of the system is that it can be adapted to any production happening on the National Theatre’s main stage.”

With the console having been installed in the theatre just over a year ago, the sound team has been able to fully utilise its capabilities in all their main stage creative productions.

“We are very pleased with the Quantum 338T’s performance and the additional possibilities the specialised Theatre software version allows,” says Priddy, noting that, having collaborated with DiGiCo since 2014, they continue to be extremely impressed by the unwavering dedication of the DiGiCo team to the quality of their products.

“Their consoles set the industry standard in terms of quality and functionality,” Priddy concludes. “The introduction of cutting-edge Quantum audio technology at the National Theatre not only raises the bar for audio excellence in their creative productions, but also underscores the theatre’s dedication to promoting culture and infuses fresh energy into its diverse entertainment programme.”

Press Contacts:
Maria Fiorellino at DiGiCo
Tel: +44 1372 845600
Email: maria@digiconsoles.com
Web: www.digico.biz

Sarah James at Gasoline Media
Tel: +44 1483 223333
Email: sarahj@gasolinemedia.com

Their consoles set the industry standard in terms of quality and functionality