Hi,
If memory serves, Davies Hall in San Francisco was a virtual clone of Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, both (acoustically) designed by the same acoustician, whom I interviewed years ago.
Roy Thomson was an acoustical failure, very disappointing, in part because it contradicted many of the rules of good hall design. They pushed out the sides of the hall so it was pie-shaped (a slice, that is) so no lateral reflections, hence no sense of hall reverberation. The acoustician mounted all these stupid transparent discs above the orchestra to try and compensate, but it didn't work, because it's lateral reflections from the sides of the hall that tell our ear/brain that we're in a big, concert-hall space, not vertical reflections. He should have known better, but I think the architect and orchestra board made it impossible for him.
I think Davies Hall also had those discs above the orchestra, did it not? By the way, Thomson Hall has since gone through a total gutting but I've not heard it. Bad idea. They should just tear it down and start again.
The loudest peak levels I ever measured in Thomson were from about the fifth row orchestra--103 to 105 dB on a work for chorus and orchestra. Two sets of percussion. Mahler?
The sound in Thomson was lousy. Dry, no bass resonance, and little reverb. The old hall it replaced (Massey Hall) was excellent for audience members, not good for musicians.
