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Friday, February 26, 2010

Foreigner Lead Singer Kurt Hansen Utilizing beyerdynamic Wireless System On Tour

Band also carries a beyerdynamic TGX-60 handheld mic for hardwired vocals, Opus 89 dynamic mic and MCE 86 shotgun mics

Iconic rock band Foreigner is constantly touring or playing major events, with lead singer Kelly Hansen utilizing beyerdynamic Opus Series wireless microphones night after night.

“In the 20-plus years I’ve used Beyer mics, I’ve always been impressed with the sonic quality,” states Hansen. “These mics sound like studio mics onstage. 

“I don’t want hyped midrange or narrowed spectrum to assist in feedback rejection, I want to hear what I’m putting out, and Beyer does that in a big, warm way.  I sing a demanding range of music, and I’m very particular about what I need to hear, so I choose beyer, every time.”

“We carry two systems right now, based on the new Opus 900 wireless with the EM981S condenser capsule,” says monitor engineer Lorenzo Banda, who has been with the band three years. “Bar none, it’s one of the best-sounding capsules I’ve ever heard. It just sounds so warm, especially in Kelly’s lower register. I can’t get him to use anything else. Nor would I want to. So no matter where we go in the world, these two units come with us.”

Having used it in full-scale touring, Banda is quite pleased with the Opus Series wireless. “It’s got all the features I could want as an engineer,” explains Lorenzo. “Scan and sync is really easy with the ACT button, and it’s fast and easy to change groups and frequencies if you need to. But for me, it all starts with the sound. The Beyer wireless just sounds so much better for this kind of music. I just wouldn’t use anything else.”

In addition to Hansen’s wireless, Lorenzo also carries a beyerdynamic TGX-60 handheld mic for hardwired vocals. “A lot of times, we’re doing interviews and maybe a quick acoustic set for local TV or radio.

For those situations, wireless isn’t needed or practical, and the TGX-60 still gives us that Beyer sound, with a really rich low end and smoothness across the full bandwidth.”

Other beyerdynamic mics on stage include an Opus 89 dynamic for bassist Jeff Pilson’s backing vocals. And to add crowd noise into the group’s in-ear mixes, a pair of MCE 86 shotgun microphones is aimed from the stage into the crowd from behind the side speaker stacks and shooting toward the center of the house.

Lorenzo Banda also has high praise for the flexibility of the Opus 900. “It’s just got a fantastic receiver. Whether it’s a theater tour or a major television event, you would never know the difference in terms of RF performance. We do things like NASCAR races and NFL playoff halftime shows on live TV, and you know the wireless environment in those places is insane. But my beyer gear is so solid, it never takes a hit.”

The Opus 900 is beyerdynamic’s pro touring wireless line, replacing the Opus 500, which operates in the 700 MHz frequency band, will become illegal to operate in the U.S. as of June 12, due to the FCC’s reallocation of spectrum.

Foreigner toured extensively last fall, in support of the groups recent Can’t Slow Down album release, the band’s first studio release with Hansen on vocals. The group has just begun an intensive 2010 tour schedule, starting with two months of North American dates followed by some April dates in Europe.

beyerdynamic Website
American Music & Sound Website

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Small & Mighty: Real World Gear Looks At The Latest Mini Line Arrays

The good news is that modern transducers are capable of higher SPL and mini line arrays of sufficient length can provide excellent sound reinforcement for smaller venues

As with all sizes of modular line array enclosures there are several designs in the “mini” genre, which we define as those with 7-inch “woofers”.

The simplest two-way systems have a single cone driver and a high-frequency driver, side by each. Some employ dual woofers, and those with a center high-frequency section that provides horizontal symmetry.

Quasi-three-way solutions use dual woofers, but cross one over earlier, so the other is the single source of mid-range, eliminating cancellations. True three-way designs operate separate low-, mid- and high-frequency drivers each in their own bands, but we don’t find many in designs with woofers this small.

A mini line array system makes an excellent center channel for vocals, adding clarity and image to left-right stereo systems. It’s common to find single enclosures used as front fill and under-balcony loudspeakers, where their wide horizontal dispersion is an asset.

Other tasks include rear channels for surround applications where pattern control in the lows is needed. Delay clusters of shorter mini arrays are helpful in large designs where vocal intelligibility is important. Party and meeting planners alike can appreciate lightweight systems that can quickly be deployed or struck.

Loudspeaker designers offer companion low-frequency enclosures to supply sufficient bass extension to be useful for music applications and to achieve full-range response. Companion “low boxes” are larger in size and become the top-most element in vertical arrays, as well as supplying mass for ballast and additional height in ground-stacked applications.

The use of line arrays in smaller venues is limited by weight and height. Miniaturized enclosures not only are less expensive, but also weigh less and can bend more rapidly without breaking their coupling due to their woofer size, making them better for smaller rooms.

The physics of coupling dictates a limit to the angle from one enclosure to the next, beyond which uneven coverage occurs. Line array enclosures with smaller cones allow greater vertical transition in a shorter height.

The vaunted pattern control provided by line arrays extends to the lowest frequencies as a function of the array’s length. Arrays lose pattern control below frequencies whose wavelengths are longer than their height. To achieve pattern control down to 200 Hz, a line array must be over 6 feet. With typical cabinet heights of 7 inches or less, this requires 10 mini line array cabinets.

The good news is that modern transducers are capable of higher SPL and mini line arrays of sufficient length can provide excellent sound reinforcement for smaller venues.

Mark Frink is Associate Editor of Live Sound International magazine.

As noted, “mini”  line arrays are defined here as those with 7-inch “woofers” and smaller, while medium (or “compact”) line arrays – the biggest category – those with 8- and 10-inch woofers, are outlined here. Large-format line arrays, those with 12-inch and larger drivers, will be featured in the near future.

Be sure to take our Photo Gallery Tour of the latest mini line arrays.

And check out Everything You Wanted To Know About Line Array Technology, And Then Some to learn more about line array technology and terminology.

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Powersoft Introduces Armonía Pro Audio Suite Sound System Management Software

Comprehensive software solution for managing and controlling sound systems of any size or scope that rely on Powersoft amplifiers

Powersoft has announced the release of Armonía Pro Audio Suite sound system management software.

Designed to work with any PC, Armonía delivers a highly intuitive and comprehensive software solution for managing and controlling sound systems of any size or scope that rely on Powersoft amplifiers to drive the loudspeaker systems.

Armonía Pro Audio Suite is an Ethernet-based, auto-addressing software package that offers full control of all amplifier parameters while accommodating AES 3 audio on the same cable.

The package has built-in redundancy and extensive logging and alerting features for worry free operation.

Armonía is designed to work with KDSP-equipped Powersoft K, Q, D, QTU and Duecanali Series amplifiers delivering control and monitoring of all amplifier functions including AC mains current draw, headroom, protections and faults.

The software also includes advanced grouping options.

The suite has a LiveImpedance measurement screen for constant visual tracking of the system impedance curve with graphs of the actual musical signal at actual power level.

Armonía also delivers the new Active Damping Control feature for vastly improved cone control for better sound, higher output and extremely tight bass frequency reproduction.

The TruePower limiter feature yields controlled operation and longer driver life by maintaining safe output power levels depending on frequency and true load impedance.

Key features include comprehensive sound and system management, FIR and IIR filters, various available crossovers, modeling and import options, and multiple layer operation. Armonía offers both offline and online modes using an Ethernet protocol, where connectivity is achieved using a standard CAT 5e cable via Powersoft’s AESOP (AES 3 & Ethernet Simple Open Protocol) on an optionally installed KAESOP board.

When used with the KAESOP board, a system engineer can extend the network to a virtually unlimited number of amplifiers through either auto-addressing with self-assigned IP addresses or end user configurable IP addresses. 

Armonía may also run over an RS485 remote control protocol, which comes standard on all K Series and Duecanali amps, and is an option available on Q and D series.

“Powersoft amplifiers are being used to power speaker systems for everything from high profile entertainment like the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration and the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center to major stadium and club installations, as well as major concerts the world over,” says Claudio Lastrucci, managing director of Powersoft.

“We listened to industry feedback and developed Armonía to provide an easy to use but powerful control package that can handle all kinds of applications from the simple to the most complex distributed systems in real time.”

Armonía Pro Audio Suite is available as a free download to Powersoft amplifier owners. Get it here.

Powersoft Website

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Both Trans-Siberian Orchestra Touring Productions Go With DiGiCo SD7 Digital Consoles

At monitors to handle burgeoning needs; SD7 offers expandable system to accommodate future growth

As one of the top-grossing tours in 2009, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra fuse elements of progressive rock, symphonic heavy metal, and classical music into a unique blend, and are known for their dazzling live performances, complete with full light show and synchronized pyrotechnics.

In 2000, TSO created two separate touring groups - TSO East and TSO West - to allow the band to cover more ground, and they’ve maintained that format ever since.

Last year, as the band was maxing out their monitor boards, the conversation got the ball rolling to implement DiGiCo SD7s for both groups. They previously toured with DiGiCo D5s on monitors, and the change to SD7s gave the production what they needed.

“I prompted the discussion early on last year for the SD7 primarily because the biggest handicap for us was the amount of outputs our show was using… we were running out of outputs,” recalled monitor engineer Antonio Luna, who has toured with TSO East for over 7 years, and previously with KISS and Aerosmith.

“We needed a console that was flexible to our growing needs, especially for in-ear monitors. Because of our familiarity with the D5 at monitors with TSO, and my past experience with using DiGiCo on other tours, it was a no-brainer. Production, management and Clair Global were all on board and a part of the decision to get the SD7s.

“The quality of audio is outstanding, and it’s an evolutionary step up from the D5. Now we have a platform that is able to expand as we expand, and DiGiCo is an important part of our sound.”

The monitor rigs for East and West are somewhat identical. Both implement the SD7s and similar in-ear set-ups, although TSO West, under the production guidance of engineer Chris Hoffman, has more RF than East.

For TSO East, Luna manages 60 inputs and 48 outputs—including 16 in-ear mixes, 9 outs for wedges/subs, myriad FX—for TSO’s live production, (which includes electronic drum kit with mic’d cymbals), 2 guitarists, a bassist, 2 keyboard positions, a lead violinist, a narrator, a 9-piece choir, an 8-piece orchestra and 6 lead singers.

His rig is comprised of 14 Sennheiser IEM G3 and 2 IEM G2 wireless monitor systems, 12 Crown Macro-Tech MA-36x12 amps, 16 Firehouse F15 monitors, 4 EV 118 subs and a Clair iO processor.

Once implemented, Luna found that the DiGiCo’s biggest advantage was its workflow and ease of use in managing the hefty number of monitor mixes required by the band live.

“When you’ve got 24 people on stage and 16 stereo in-ear mixes, you better be able to get stuff done quickly,” he said. “I had my show programmed into 32 snapshots in a little under 2 days time for a 2-1/2-hour show. I was amazed that it went that quickly.

“Affecting change is quick and easy on the SD7, and I rely on it heavily. It has a finished quality that is important in keeping my workflow quick and easy, and makes the artist happy.”

DiGiCo Website

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