EAST WEST SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

While old school theatre’s are really cool, there’s a fine line between antique and dilapidated and unsafe. In May of 2023, WiredUP was called into the East-West School of International Studies in Queens, NY to remove, repair, install and upgrade parts of their sound system in the theatre.

Upgrades took place in a three-phase series. Phase I consisted of removing the old Behringer PA in the space, along with the rack of Behringer mixers, processor, and amplifier. At the same time, crews cleaned the QSC ISA amplifiers from their large dust-bunnies. The icing on the cake was installing Shure’s brand new SLX-D digital wireless microphones with SM58 capsules. For the cherry on-top, engineers re-tuned the PA to increase the sound quality as much as they could.

Phase II, which happened exactly a year later (to the day), in May of 2024, crews came back to remove the main PA and the fill speakers in the theatre, and replace them, since some components were beginning to show their age. WiredUP installed two QSC E112 speakers as the main PA, and two QSC AD-S8T’s as the fills.

Phase III, which then began exactly a year later again, to the day, in May of 2025, the school moved forward with replacing the mixer/processor in the space with a QSC MP-M80. The MP series mixer/processor allows the space to be used more-so as a meeting room than a production space, as intended by the school staff. Though, for a production, the system can be ussed with an external additional mixer/console.

WiredUP did face some challenges when it came to how the new PA was going to be installed, since pre-existing metal boxes had been installed to house the old main PA. The school had requested that WiredUP simply retrofit the new main PA into the existing housing.

The result of all 3 phases is a great sounding, easy to use PA that will last for years to come.