RCF Provides Resident HDL System for Villafranca Festival 2026 at Castello Scaligero

The system, supplied by Showtime Verona, is configured with RCF solutions designed to meet the acoustic requirements of a courtyard enclosed by medieval walls.

“The venue offers an architectural setting of great value, while also presenting specific challenges, such as managing reflections from the perimeter wall,” said Luca Modesti, owner of Showtime Verona. “In addition, for a system designed for a festival, the ability to adapt from one show to the next while maintaining coverage, consistency, and reliability is essential.”

“Inside a venue such as Castello Scaligero, system control is as important as system power,” explained Lucio Boiardi Serri, Application Engineer at RCF, who was on-site for system startup and commissioning. “I initially designed the system using our RDShape acoustic prediction software, producing a complete rigging and simulation report before arriving on-site. Once on location, during setup, RDNet control software allowed us to work precisely on EQ, delay, and low-frequency behavior.”

The main system consists of 18 RCF HDL 30-A line array modules per side, flown at a height of 11 meters. Two outfill arrays, each composed of 10 HDL 26-A modules, provide side coverage. To manage high-frequency behavior inside the courtyard, the main arrays were divided into four HF control zones.

“This configuration allowed us to apply targeted equalization and air-compensation parameters, helping maintain intelligibility across the entire listening area while reducing unnecessary energy radiated toward reflective surfaces,” continued Boiardi Serri.

Low-frequency coverage is provided by 18 RCF SUB 9029-AS dual 19” active subwoofers, arranged on the ground in nine clusters of two units each. The system was configured with an on-site optimized cardioid preset, with the upper module oriented toward the stage.

“The configuration was implemented to reduce low-frequency buildup in the performance area and provide a cleaner stage environment for artists, monitor engineers, and backliners,” explained Boiardi Serri. “To improve horizontal consistency across the audience area, the physical straight-line arrangement was electronically curved using calculated delay values, reducing the concentration of the central lobe and improving energy distribution across the audience area.”

Front-fill coverage for the first 5 meters of the audience area is handled by 10 RCF HDL 26-A modules, arranged in five clusters of two modules each.

Modesti concluded: “This is our first venue with this configuration, and the results have been excellent. HDL systems are established line arrays, recognized internationally for their reliability and sound quality, so we were confident in our choice. The combination with the new SUB 9029-AS, recently introduced to the market, together with the highly precise optimization possibilities offered by RDNet, allowed us to achieve a level of quality we are very satisfied with.”