Things will sound a bit different in Wiscasset very soon.

The Wiscasset Board of Selectmen recently approved taking money from the Larrabee Fund to replace the old sound system at the high school.

The project was spearheaded by Molly Winchenbach, WHS music director, who said the $26,000 upgrade was a result of the Larrabee Fund, which is a trust fund for Wiscasset's music program.

“We've been lucky enough to buy several things in the past, like the pianos here (at the high school) and other pieces of equipment for the band,” she said. “It specifically says the selectmen in town manage that account, and that it can only be used (for the music program).”

The Wiscasset board of selectmen approved taking the money from the Larrabee Fund at the end of April. Crews began installing the new system in May.

Portland's Headlight Audio won the bid, and is working with the school to set up the system. The crews had to work overtime to set everything up before the Thursday, May 21 concert and the June 9 graduation ceremony in the gym.

“It's a bunch of different pieces, so we're working with Headlight Audio out of Portland; we (sought) three companies to see who could fit our needs,” Winchenbach said. “There's a whole audio system, speakers, 12 speakers for the gym, two outdoor speakers.”

Unlike the old system, the new system is all digital, which should remove some of the headaches associated with the previous system.

“Everything is digital output now and it used to be all manual,” she said. “Everything had to be fine-tuned every single time you set it up. We only had two speakers in the gym and the outdoor system had to be set up for every single event.

“If I wanted to set up anything in the gym, like battle of the bands and especially for graduation, I would have to bring in additional speakers.”

Now, the new system will feature multiple speakers both inside and out, and will have easily-accessible microphone jacks, Winchenbach said.

“We've been in need of a new sound system for several years; it's quite an outdated sound system now,” she said, adding that the current system is all analog and speakers have to be hauled out to the soccer field for games. The new system will feature two speakers mounted atop the school facing the track and soccer field.

The school's band will also have a different ring to it next year, as Winchenbach's position has been cut.

Winchenbach, who has been at Wiscasset High School for 11 years, called the new sound system her “legacy project” as she will not return for the next school year.

“This is my legacy project,” she said. “I worked with a different assistant principal to get a different system a few years ago, but it just didn't work out then.”