Notre-Dame is getting a high-tech improve – and this time, it’s all about sound.
After a devastating fireplace in 2019, Sennheiser has put in a next-generation wi-fi audio system as a part of the cathedral’s’ restoration, offering wi-fi protection for microphones and transmitters.
The problem wasn’t simply reaching each nook of the constructing – it was doing so in a manner that continues to be unobtrusive in one of many world’s most iconic and traditionally delicate landmarks.
Novelty, the integrator chargeable for re-equipping Notre-Dame, chosen Sennheiser for the duty.
David Créteur, Challenge Lead at Novelty felt the outdated system – an analogue two-channel Sennheiser 3000 sequence – was due an replace.
“As a substitute of working solely alongside the axis, we now needed to cowl nearly the whole cathedral, which is simply over 100 metres lengthy from the doorway to the again and nearly 50 metres huge on the transept.
“With the digital wi-fi applied sciences we had been aware of, we may have accomplished it, however we might have needed to multiply the variety of antennas to a complete of no less than eight to be positioned all through the constructing, after which join them with lengthy lengths of cable.
At greater than 100 metres lengthy and almost 50 metres huge on the transept, Notre-Dame is a extremely difficult atmosphere for wi-fi alerts. It has thick stone pillars, picket partitions and consistently altering viewers layouts.
Simply as importantly, the system needed to be discreet and easy to function. Providers happen alongside customer excursions.
Clergy, technicians and broadcasters all share the identical house. Any resolution would want to work reliably within the background, with out fixed guide intervention.
Transferring Past Conventional Wi-fi
Notre-Dame’s earlier wi-fi system relied on an analogue two-channel receiver and centrally positioned directional antennas.
Whereas satisfactory for extra restricted use circumstances, it was not ample for the expanded protection required following the restoration.
Reaching full wi-fi protection utilizing conventional approaches would have required no less than eight antennas distributed all through the constructing.
They might have been linked through lengthy coaxial cable runs – which might introduce sign losses, enhance complexity, and in a historic atmosphere, pose important set up and aesthetic challenges.
Fibre-based extension programs may have mitigated a few of these points. Nonetheless, they might add expense, complexity and operational overhead, significantly when it got here to antenna zoning and guide activation.
As a substitute, Novelty turned to Sennheiser’s Spectera system, the corporate’s implementation of WMAS (Wi-fi Multichannel Audio Methods).
The group may scale back the variety of antennas from eight to 4 whereas nonetheless reaching constant wi-fi audio protection all through the cathedral. Computerized antenna combining removes the necessity for guide zoning.
From Copper to Fibre
Given the long-term nature of the restoration, the Notre-Dame challenge group elected to go a step additional by wiring the whole cathedral with fibre.
As soon as Sennheiser confirmed that Spectera labored reliably with accepted fibre media converters, the system aligned with the cathedral’s future-focused infrastructure technique.
For Alain Richon, Challenge Supervisor for the diocese’s sound system, the selection was as a lot philosophical as technical.
In a historic constructing, each cable route have to be rigorously deliberate. Any new set up additionally must anticipate many years of future use. A fibre-based, network-centric system supplied sturdiness, scalability and adaptability that conventional wi-fi programs couldn’t.
Confirmed Beneath Actual-World Circumstances
Earlier than last deployment, Spectera underwent in depth on-site testing throughout 2024, with the cathedral nonetheless below building.
A short lived, pre-production Spectera configuration was initially put in, supported by a Sennheiser Digital 6000 system for handheld microphones whereas Spectera handheld transmitters had been finalised.
For unobtrusive altar seize, the cathedral makes use of boundary microphones chosen for each aesthetic discretion and constant directivity – a essential consider a reverberant house like Notre-Dame.
Behind the scenes, the technical rack stays compact. The Spectera Base Station occupies a single rack unit whereas supporting as much as 32 wi-fi microphones and 16 stereo IEMs.
Audio is transported over Dante and built-in straight with a DiGiCo console.
What This Means for AV and Office Tech
Whereas Notre-Dame is a singular atmosphere, the expertise choices behind its wi-fi audio system replicate traits which can be more and more related to enterprise, schooling and large-campus deployments.
For AV and UC leaders, the challenge highlights the shift from hardware-centric wi-fi design in the direction of network-based, software-defined audio programs.
These combine cleanly with current IP infrastructure. Lowering antenna counts, eliminating guide zoning and transferring from copper to fibre can considerably simplify deployment and ongoing administration – particularly in massive or complicated areas.
The Notre-Dame set up additionally demonstrates the worth of future-proofing.
By adopting fibre and network-centric design ideas, the cathedral has created an AV basis that may scale with new necessities, extra customers and evolving broadcast wants with out main rework.
As collaboration, broadcast and stay occasions more and more converge, audio programs have to be as versatile, scalable and IT-friendly because the networks that assist them – even when deployed in essentially the most demanding environments conceivable.
