Thursday, May 27, 2010
Autograph Sound Supplies Meyer Sound For “Carmen” At London’s O2 Arena
MILO and MICA line arrays, with UPJ-P VariO loudspeakers for front fill
The 18,000-capacity O2 Arena in London recently hosted its first fully staged opera, a larger-than-life rendition of Bizet’s vibrant and passionate Carmen, with Autograph Sound Recording Ltd. providing a sound reinforcement system featuring Meyer Sound line arrays and loudspeakers.
To cover the O2’s main seating bowl, the production relied on left-right arrays of 16 MILO and two MILO 120 line array loudspeakers each for the orchestral system, with 90 MICA line array loudspeakers dedicated to performers’ voices.
A total of 60 UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers serve as front fill to cover the front rows and provide correct imaging of the performers.
“It’s a fascinating project,” says Autograph’s Duncan Bell. “Starting with many theatre-based techniques and using 32 channels of radio and then applying them to a scale more usually associated with rock concerts was certainly a challenge.”
System design was charged to Bobby Aitken, who worked closely with associate Chris Ekers and Meyer Sound European Technical Support. Aitken’s credits include MAMMA MIA!, Dirty Dancing, We Will Rock You, and Lennon, in addition to several operas at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
“Reproducing the highly dynamic vocals produced by opera singers is always a challenge,” says Aitken. “In this setting, we also had the added complexity of delivering reinforcement in 360 degrees. I was particularly pleased with the intelligibility through the system and the coherence of the vocals.”
Directed by David Freeman, and presented jointly by Raymond Gubbay and The O2, Carmen was performed by a cast of over 200 singers, dancers, acrobats, and fire-eaters.
Cristina Nassif and Louise Poole shared the role of Carmen, while John Hudson and Philip O’Brien alternated as Don Jose. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Gareth Hancock provided accompaniment.
Meyer Sound Website
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AKG DMS 700 Wireless & JBL VRX Series For “Whisper House” At Old Globe Theatre
The DMS 700 digital wireless microphone systems offer the ability to do frequency scanning for the entire spectrum and automatically determine the optimal channels to use
In outfitting San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre for Duncan Sheik’s musical Whisper House, the sound design team of Dan Moses Schreier and associate designer David Bullard – who designed the audio for the current Broadway hits Westside Story, A Little Night Music and Sondheim On Sondheim - drew on years of combined experience for every scenario of the complex audio production.
With an on-stage orchestra, a cappella vocal performances, large-group sequences and loud, complicated battle scenes transitioning throughout the entire play, they needed an audio system that could reproduce it all - from loud, overbearing sound effects to quiet, intimate spoken scenes - and ultimately selected AKG frequency-agile DMS 700 wireless microphone systems and JBL VRX Series loudspeakers.
The DMS 700 digital wireless microphone systems were outfitted with a variety of AKG handheld mics, such as the C5 condenser, D5 dynamic, D7 dynamic handheld.
The most notable feature, according to Bullard, was the digital system’s ability to do frequency scanning for the entire spectrum and automatically determine the optimal channels to use.
Open mics for on-stage musicians created a challenge. Acoustic leakage from traditional stage monitors led Bullard and Schreier to outfit the Whisper House singers with AKG IVM 4 in-ear monitors using AKG SPR4 pocket receivers.
Bullard reports “the male lead wasn’t accustomed to using in-ear monitors, but once he heard his vocal through the AKG IVM4 system he said ‘this is fantastic.’ The system was easy to use, easy to set up and reliable.”
According to Schreier, the premium audio quality and ultra-wide tuning range of the AKG equipment provided reliable transmissions that always sounded crisp and intelligible.
“The AKG equipment made this a true plug-and-play system,” Bullard said. “We were able to set the channels and adjust all of the variables in a matter of minutes and then just hand the microphones to the performers and we heard strong, intelligible sound throughout each performance.”
Meeting the demand for high-fidelity reinforcement of Duncan Sheik’s score, left and right clusters of JBL VRX932LAP Powered 12-inch 2-way line array loudspeakers were suspended from the proscenium for the orchestra-level audience, and two arrays of VRX928LA speakers targeted at the balcony to provide the perfect amount of coverage throughout.
The VRX cabinets adjustable EQ eliminated the need for additional outboard processing and allowed Bullard to quickly achieve even response and coverage.
Four VRX918SP subwoofers, which were mounted in the ceiling, gave more than enough power to produce low frequency impact of Whisper House’s battle scenes.
To reinforce sound effects, a surround sound system was installed incorporating JBL AE Compact Series AC26 loudspeakers.
“The AE series speakers were positioned close to the audience and gave full 120 x 60 foot coverage without overwhelming the front row,” commented Bullard. “The VRX and AE series speakers that we used here are also very versatile, and with this musical, we had to really push the limits in terms of different audio applications.”
Crown iTech amplifiers powered the loudspeakers, with audio mixed using a Soundcraft Vi6 digital console outfitted with Lexicon FX6 reverbs and a rack-mounted Lexicon PCM 96 Processor.
Bullard and Schreier were able to remotely configure Crown and JBL system components using Harman HiQnet control protocol and Harman System Architect software which greatly enhanced the workflow.
“The Harman Professional equipment, primarily the JBL loudspeakers and AKG microphones, provided a level of performance and an ease of use that we simply couldn’t get with any other brand,” commented Schreier. “The whole crew was more than pleased with the results, as were David and I, and we will certainly look to Harman Professional equipment for other theater setups in the future.”
AKG Website
JBL Website
Crown Audio Website
Soundcraft Website
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Canada’s Yukon Arts Centre Chooses Soundcraft Vi6 Digital Console
The Vi6 is the Yukon Arts Centre's first digital console, a decision which made after nearly a year of intense deliberation.
The Yukon Arts Centre (YAC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of the arts as an important cultural, social and economic force in the Yukon, and the territory’s premier venue for performing and visual arts, has purchased and installed a Soundcraft Vi6.
The Vi6 was chosen after a nearly year-long period of intensive research and systematic comparison by Patrick Matheson, Technical Director of the YAC.
Intended to be a model for the development of the arts in Canada’s North territory, the YAC’s 428-seat proscenium theater offers outstanding acoustics and top-of-the line technical support to provide an engaging experience for performers and audiences alike.
YAC has become a major presentation venue in Canada, showcasing performances ranging from hip-hop to modern dance, from cutting-edge theater to national and international music headliners, and everything in between.
However, it’s unique in another way, as well. “Being in a fairly remote area of the country, we have to try to be all things to all people to the extent that we can,” explains Matheson, who has acted as Technical Director for the YAC for the past five years. He spent the better part of the last year intently researching the YAC’s first foray into digital mixing, which promised to give the YAC’s audio system the flexibility it needed.
“Once we decided to go with a digital console, we knew that it had to meet some very rigorous criteria,” he says, again noting that Yukon’s vastness and remoteness meant that the console would have to offer outstanding reliability even while it was being used almost every night, often to mix both FOH and monitors.
Also, with nearly half the visiting artists performing at the YAC bringing their own live sound engineers, the console had to be user-friendly. “We reviewed a lot of candidates,” says Matheson, who compared specifications of several different consoles and contacted colleagues asking their experiences with them. The results increasingly pointed towards the Soundcraft Vi6.
When Matheson visited the General Motors Place arena, home to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, where a Vi6 had been installed a year earlier, he realized he had found what he was looking for.
“We needed a board that had already proven itself, yet was still state of the art, that could perform multiple functions yet be as familiar as an analog console for visiting engineers,” he said.
“The Vi6 was all that and more. The touch-screens are easy to navigate – you know where everything is and where it’s routed all the time, which is much better than a single screen where you have to go through several layers to find everything.”
“Plus, we have had a lot of good experience with systems from BSS, Lexicon and Studer, and those technologies are all integrated into the Vi6, such as the Vistonics interface…Visiting engineers are on it after just a 10- to 15-minute tutorial. It’s a console that speaks to its operators. It’s been the perfect choice.”
Soundcraft Website
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DiGiCo SD7 Digital Console Goes On The Road With Peter Gabriel On Tour
The SD7 was Richard Sharratt's choice for FOH when Gabriel went on tour to promote Scratch My Back.
When Peter Gabriel decided to promote his latest album Scratch My Back via select live shows with a 54-piece orchestra, an immediate concern was how the Front of House mix position would accommodate the exacting audio requirements.
The answer was a DiGiCo SD7, with enough inputs to make Gabriel’s New Blood tour both a reality and a success.
Gabriel is different things to different people. To some he will always be the ‘proper’ Genesis frontman, to others a leading light in world music, to yet more the face in the Sledgehammer video.
One thing he is not, however, is predictable. So recording a covers album and then promoting it via live shows with the New Blood Orchestra was just another innovative plan from a progressive artist.
Manned by Richard Sharratt, the DiGiCo SD7 along with the rest of the audio rig was supplied by Britannia Row.
After rehearsals in Shepperton and a Paris warm-up gig, the tour took in dates at Paris Bercy, the Berlin O2, London O2 Arena, Montreal Bell Centre, New York Radio City Music Hall and finally LA’s Hollywood Bowl.
With 10 first violins, 10 second violins, eight violas, eight cellos and four basses comprising the string section alone, the channel count was quite high.
“All the strings had Schoeps CMC5/MK4 microphones. In addition, the violins and violas had an individual DPA 4060, the cellos and basses also having Schertler Dyn C and Dyn B pickups,” says Richard.
“On top of that were mics for the woodwind, brass, piano, percussion, Peter’s vocals and three backing singers. Once added to all the reverb channels, CD playback and stuff I was up to 130 inputs in total, which only the SD7 can handle.
To mix the show, Richard set up snapshots for each song, using them for mutes, pans, aux sends and fader level and also reassigning control groups and changing reverbs (both onboard and externally by midi) but from there he mixed the show on the fly, having to react to the orchestra and Peter Gabriel.
“The arrangements were so dynamic, from tiny to enormous, that finding room for the vocals on top was a definite challenge,” he said.
“The SD7 was great because there were so many inputs, so many groups, auxes and matrixes. I had all the faders I needed with 24 control groups in front of me for each song. It all worked really well.”
Said Richard, “I also used the DiGiTubes on the brass, which really warmed up the sound. I hadn’t experimented with them before and I liked them a lot.”
Despite the acoustic challenges of mixing the show, Richard felt the SD7 handled the situation extremely well
“I think the SD7 sounds great. I thought the D5 sounded great and it’s a continuation of the same line,” says Richard. “From a control point of view it’s everything a D5 could do, but better.
“The colour coding of the controls is a big step forward, for example. People see it and think it looks pretty, but in fact you see a green parameter on the screen and you know to grab a green highlighted knob to go with it. It’s brilliant and it’s all there for a reason. The whole layout is great.”
DiGiCo Website
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Bosch Launches Vari-Directional Array Loudspeaker
The active loudspeaker system will be making its US debut at InfoComm 2010.
Bosch will launch the new Vari-directional Array in the Americas at InfoComm 2010.
The new active line includes digitally-controlled directivity to provide pattern control and distribution for ranges of up to 50 meters.
The system is ideal for counteracting the reverberant effect of hard construction materials typically used in spaces such as airports of houses of worship.
The Vari-directional Array’s configuration software uses a database of pre-programmed room settings to fit any acoustical environment, allowing the entry of room dimensions, requirements, while the software does the rest.
It is also possible to customize audio processing and set supervision parameters through the configuration software.
All amplifier and loudspeaker components (including drivers) are supervised, faults are logged and a 24 V DC backup power supply can be connected. The system is also EVAC compliant, making it an ideal solution fit for voice-alarm applications.
The modular-designed product range consists of a base and extension units that can be connected together. The configuration software can automatically detect a connected extension unit, reducing configuration time.
The base unit coverage extends up to 15 meters, with the addition of one extension that coverage extends to 30 meters, and with the addition of two extensions that coverage extends to up to 50 meters.
With their low-profile design, the units are well suited for any environment, indoors or out. The arrays can be wall-mounted using mounting bracket supports that can be turned up to 80° and include front amplifier cooling so flush-mounting in walls is also possible.
Bosch Website
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Tech Tip Of The Day: Reverb - Is It The Answer?
Tips you need to better use reverb in your live mix.
Q: I recently started working with a band, and we’ve been playing some really bad venues.
The other night, I tried adding some reverb to the main mix because everything just sounded too dry, but it made everything worse.
I’m just frustrated because I was positive that reverb was the answer.
Any thoughts?
A: After equalization and compression, one of the most frequent effects live sound engineers just like you rely on is reverb. In order to use this tool to its optimum level, it’s important to understand some basic concepts.
Reverberation is the continued sound that exists in a room after the source of the sound has stopped. We’ve all heard it when doing something like clapping our hands (or bouncing a basketball) in a large enclosed space like a gym.
All rooms have some reverberation, even though we may not always notice it. The characteristics of the reverberation are a big part of the subjective quality of the sound of any room in which we are located. Reverb is sometimes mistakenly called echo (which is an entirely different phenomenon).
Our brains derive a great deal of information about our surroundings from the sound of a room and its reverberation. Consequently you need to make careful choices when you enhance a room’s natural reverberation with electronically generated reverb. Here are some tips to help you keep reverb from muddying up the mix at the next gig.
Short reverb decay times (see also RT-60) usually are a better fit for up-tempo songs. Try Room, Gate or Early Reflections programs with a decay time of up to 1.5 seconds.
A longer reverb can result in a loss of clarity. Longer reverbs can work better for slow tempo compositions like ballads and ambient mixes. Try a Plate or Hall setting for the best choice. Even economy-priced units usually offer a variety of plate reverbs.
Using EQ on reverb can help control the effect by restricting its bandwidth, to avoid muddying up your sound. “Natural” reverberation typically has a fairly narrow bandwidth, so if you’re trying to keep the sensation that you are playing in a real room, use a high-frequency bandwidth of no more than 8 kHz.
On bass instruments (kick drum, bass, synth or guitar), for example, try bass roll-off using filters or EQ at around 80-100Hz. This stops them from competing with low-frequency reverberation decay. Remember that when you apply reverb it will affect the listener’s perception of the whole mix, not just the instrument you are treating.
Unless it’s being used as a creative effect in a sparse mix, long reverbs do not work well on bass sounds.
Reverb has a spatial effect on the soundstage as the listener perceives it, by placing voices or instruments near (less reverb) or farther away (more reverb). Make sure that you are creating the right environment for your sound within the context of the mix and the room.
Some mix engineers put loads of reverb on the vocals, yet the voices are still at the front of the mix. You can achieve this by using pre-delay, typically 45-120 ms, to distance the dry sound from the effect. Vocal reverbs with a full bandwidth will emphasize sibilance, so be careful about too much high-frequency signal!
Some higher end units, provide reverb with full EQ control over individual channels, plus other effects.
For more tech tips go to Sweetwater.com
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L-Acoustics Used By Canada’s Christian & Missionary Alliance
It took a global effort to supply the C & MA with an L-Acoustics PA for its assembly in Antalya, Turkey.
L-Acoustics’ Turkish distributor, Elit Light & Sound Technologies, recently assisted the Christian & Missionary Alliance of Canada with its biannual Assembly in Antalya, Turkey, providing the necessary PA and manpower.
Typically held in Canada, the organization’s proposal to hold it in Turkey posed a unique situation for Scott Murley and Mark Lasebnik, technical director and FOH engineer, who have been supporting the C&MA Assembly for more than 16 years.
The five-day event includes business sessions, break-out seminars and evening events which included a live band, on-stage choir, a string section, and much more in the way of requirements, all requiring production equipment and staffing.
The C&MA’s Assemblies in Canada are known for their quality of production, especially audio, so it was decided that Murley and Lasebnik find a Turkish company that could supply the manpower and equipment, including an L-Acoustics PA system.
L-Acoustics Sales Manager Tim McCall contacted Elit, who recommended Bariş and Başar Kalem of Bros Technic. Murley travelled to Turkey to outline the requirements for the event and was reassured that Bros Technic could provide a complete audio, video, lighting, staging and backline package.
The PA included 18 L-Acoustics dV DOSC cabinets (a hang of nine per side), six SB28 subs and four 112P front-fills, powered by six LA8 amplified controllers.
The monitor system, managed by engineer Nathan Picklyk, included six 115 XT HiQ coaxials powered by LA4 and LA8 amplified controllers to supplement the in-ear monitor system used by the Jon Buller Band.
The venue had a closed 18-foot-high ceiling with no rigging points requiring the PA to be flown on a ground-supported truss system.
Despite the low ceiling, which put the trim-height for the line arrays at just over 16 feet above floor level, the PA delivered even coverage throughout the entire 1,000-seat convention hall.
“Dealing with Bros Technic was an absolute pleasure for the C&MA staff and their professionalism was greatly valued,” said Murley.
“They were very accommodating of any request the staff had for them and were very knowledgeable about the gear. They provided the equipment that was requested and did an excellent job of setting it up, even though the site conditions and timing on load-in at the venue were less than ideal.
“We have nothing but the highest praise for Tim McCall, Bariş and Başar Kalem and the entire Bros Technic crew, and, of course, the L-Acoustics PA that provided the excellent quality of sound reinforcement that we have come to expect from the company.”
L-Acoustics Website
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Where Do Old Shure Microphones Go When They Die?
The process involved in recycling electronics like SM58's saves a significant amount of natural resources.
Sooner or later everyone knows that their electronics will give up the ghost, but somehow we’re still shocked when it happens.
Just like all electronics, eventually a Shure microphone has been subjected to so many years of abuse that it can’t be repaired and must be discarded.
Befitting a product whose specialty is taking a beating, the journey to that great road case in the sky ends . . . well, with another beating.
When a Shure product can no longer be repaired, it becomes scrap. In addition, the FCC’s closing of the 700 MHz frequency band has resulted in thousands of wireless microphone systems being replaced prematurely.
Many of these have been returned to Shure as part of its 700 MHz rebate program, adding to the amount of scrap.
Instead of simply sending all of this to a local landfill, Shure sends all scrap products and components to Sims Recycling Solutions, an EPA-approved electronics recycler.
Everything is shredded into pieces smaller than one inch, and then separated into different types of material (metals, glass, plastic, etc.). Each of these material streams is then recycled. Nothing goes to a landfill, and all processing takes place in the U.S.
“In 2009, Shure recycled 52 tons of material that would have been sent to landfills,” says Pat Knoll, Director, Global Facilities. “That has a significant environmental impact.” Knoll says that’s equivalent to saving 888 trees, or 214,206 kilowatts of electricity, or 19,844 gallons of oil, or 365,540 gallons of water.
Enjoy the video below from Sims Recycling Solutions, showcasing their electronics recycling process.
Shure Website
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Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Singapore’s Faith Community Baptist Church Acquires Second Midas PRO6 This Year
Total of six Midas consoles for the church since 2004
Long-time Midas users, the Singapore-based Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC), have purchased their second PRO6 digital audio system this year.
FCBC, which attracts a congregation of up to 10,000 at its weekly services, has installed the second PRO6, purchased from Midas’ Singaporean distributor Quad Pro, in its 1,500-capacity Touchcentre worship facility.
The first PRO6 is already in fulltime use at the Touch Community Theatre.
FCBC’s senior audio engineer, Philip Nadesan, recognizes the Midas PRO6 as the standard for performance and functionality.
“First and foremost it’s the amazing sound quality,” he said. “The PRO6 retains the warmth of analogue boards yet adds a crisp ‘sparkle’ at the high end.
“The learning curve from analogue to digital board was surprisingly fast and smooth with the PRO6. The onboard EQ was a breeze to use and functioned like an analogue board.”
“More impressively, there are four-mode compressors at the input channel and side chain functions.”
“An unexpected surprise was the PRO6’s onboard effects; we are getting the most use from the 3-band compressor. Initially our idea was to continue using our outboard equipment, but the PRO6’s inbuilt effects quickly changed our minds.
“Another bonus was the flexibility of the network expansion, which we’ve implemented with an additional DL451 modular I/O box configured with 24 analogue inputs, located on stage for our instrument inputs.
“As for most engineers, the redundancy factor of a digital console is of utmost importance, and this is well taken care of by the Midas dual-redundant Linux control computers and fully dual redundant network architecture.”
Since its initial purchase of two Midas Legends in 2004, FCBC has become a staunch supporter of Midas, with a Heritage 3000 and 4000 in service on a weekly basis for both stage and FOH in the 7,000-capacity Singapore Expo Max Pavilion.
Midas Website
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DiGiCo SD7 Digital Console Chosen By London’s Lyttleton Theatre
SD7 chosen for its input capacity, ease of use, and portability
The Lyttleton Theatre of London’s National Theatre is one of the UK’s most prolific theatres, meaning its technical team has to cope with changing between very different productions on an almost nightly basis.
However, with the help of a recently installed DiGiCo SD7 in the facility, turnarounds between productions are now just a little bit easier.
“We have a connection with DiGiCo because we often use a D1 console for outdoor productions in our Theatre Square venue,” said Lyttleton Theatre sound manager Yvonne Gilbert.
“So we had prior knowledge of the user interface, which helped our choice. But the truth is we looked at a lot of digital consoles and none seemed to do the job we wanted as well as the SD7.
“We’re a rep house, we have a different show each night and they are extremely varied.”
“We needed a console that would give us a wide range of possibilities, from mixing front of house on big musicals to just doing playback of sound effects, but would save costs by meaning we didn’t have to hire anything else in for the big shows.”
“We couldn’t find any others that had enough channels, or whose software was so theatre friendly.”
“We do tend to operate shows in a different way to other live events, so having that inherent theatre-friendliness in the operating system was a major selling point,” says Yvonne.
“DiGiCo has a huge theatrical wealth of experience and now that the dedicated SD7T software has been introduced, we will be one of the first customers for it.”
“We have a limited staff and need to be able to regularly move the console from the usual front of house position in the auditorium, back into the control room and vice versa, depending on the production and if we need to release seats for sale,” Yvonne said. “The SD7 is really light, which is perhaps unusual as a buying factor in a digital desk, but was very important to us.”
“We have a fibre optic loop and DiGiCo mini racks installed throughout the building. Giving us the ability to move the console makes the audio system extremely flexible, and with ongoing upgrades to the software, it makes for a long-term investment.”
DiGiCo Website
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Inside The Development & Applications Of MASS (Appeal) Connectors
The story of how an industry icon came to be and has adapted through the years.
While they’ve become one of the most popular and recognized multipin connectors in pro audio, the back-story of how MASS connectors came to have such impact shouldn’t be overlooked.
Interestingly, MASS connectors weren’t even intended for audio applications; rather, they were originally developed for use in oil exploration.
Oil company engineers connected seismographs with miles of cable in areas suspected of containing oil deposits.
Explosive charges were then buried along the lines and detonated. The resulting echo “signatures” were captured by the seismographs and transmitted along multipair cables to a central location.
There, a composite picture of the underlying geological structures could be determined and analyzed for the prospect of containing oil deposits.
It was the connecting of these cables that necessitated a large contact count connector.
The characteristics that this connector possessed in oil exploration also made it ideal for multi-channel audio:
- Rugged and able to withstand many connection cycles.
- Resist the elements as it would be outdoors and often laying on the ground
exposed to dirt, sun and rain.
- Hermaphroditic (asexual, genderless) so that any connector could be mated to
any other.
This eliminated the need to keep track of the usual malefemale
connector configuration. (Imagine laying out a mile of cable only to find that you’re
holding onto the wrong end!)
- Many pins and sockets, 88 each for a total of 176 contacts.
Unique Factors
While Whirlwind wasn’t the first company to bring MASS connectors to market, they’ve contributed significantly to their proliferation in audio applications.
Look familiar? An old-style Whirlwind W4.
Back in the late 1970s, several providers began using multipin connectors as a means to provide disconnects for faster and easier setup and teardown.
Whirlwind, already producing the Medusa snakes and getting into microphone splitters, saw the addition of multipin disconnects was a logical addition. Several multipin connector systems were used, but in the early 1980s, a connector produced at the time by ITT/Cannon had some unique features that gave it the edge.
At the time, these connectors were rather plentiful, and 176 contacts could transport the number of channels required by the use of large format audio mixing consoles that were becoming more popular.
The Cannon MASS connector became Whirlwind’s standard in 1986, called the W4. A smaller connector was also available with 122 contacts and that was added to the mix a short time later as the W3.
MASS Connectors rapidly became accepted in the industry due to their reliability, capacity to handle a large number of channels and because they were offered as the standard disconnect by Whirlwind, already a dominant player in this field.
Need that in solder (left) or crimp style?
However, a few years after the adoption of MASS connectors, the technique used to explore for oil began to change. Satellite imaging was proving to be an accurate and less expensive method of mapping geological structures and began replacing the dynamite/seismograph approach.
ITT/Cannon cut back on production but connectors were still available.
And then the unthinkable happened. During transport at the Cannon factory, the tooling for the W4 was dropped from a forklift, causing damage beyond repair.
Cannon believed that re-tooling wasn’t worth the effort due to the reduction in demand for the connector and the existing supply was deemed sufficient to last until the connector’s usefulness had expired. That door slammed shut and in 1989, Cannon abandoned its multipin connectors.
Decision Time
Numerous sound companies had invested heavily in the W3 and W4, adopting it as a standard.
As a result, MASS systems were available in most locations, making it very easy for touring groups to borrow or rent cables and fan-outs for an emergency replacement or to extend a system for a particular show.
With the Cannon door firmly closed, Whirlwind ventured to set up its own large-format connector production facility, a significant financial risk for a relatively small company.
With the original tooling completely destroyed, the company’s engineering team had to start from scratch, not only creating the means to produce quality MASS connectors, but ones that would be compatible with the thousands already in use.
After several months of design, prototyping, testing, and more, the first all-Whirlwind W4 quietly rolled into the company’s custom shop and then into Whirlwind systems.
On the left, the previous MASS design, with updated version on the right. The arrow indicates extra metal added to the ring to support the rubber locator, tightening the receptacle area.
The switchover produced almost no news in the audio world which was good news for Whirlwind. And it wasn’t long before the W4 design was modified to produce the 122 contact W3.
Crimp In The Plan
Up to that time, all MASS connectors were solder type, making them difficult (if not impossible) for the average installer to assemble in the field. For this reason, designers were hesitant to specify MASS connectors into installations.
Also, if a pin happened to become bent or broken, the entire connector would have to be cut off and a new one soldered on. (There are stories of a few hardy souls that have replaced a solder type pin by prying the face of the connector insert away and disassembling it. Then they reassemble the whole thing pin-by-pin and socket-by-socket all 176 contacts. Do not try this at home!)
This led Whirlwind to the development of a replaceable contact version, necessary if the MASS connector was to be accepted for installs like stadiums, theaters, theme parks and the like.
The right way to prep a MASS connector, keeping things organized and secure.
It was a challenging process the solder connector was a known quantity. But a replaceable contact version would have to be compatible with the “mass of MASS” connectors already in use.
The project presented a physical challenge. The density of the contacts made it impossible to use a front release design and the required locking clip tolerances would never have been accepted if this connector didn’t have to mate with existing solder type MASS connectors.
Whirlwind engineers decided that the insert would be made of a three-piece assembly. The front piece was made of rubber and provided the face to the connector. The rear would be a solid wafer containing metal clips to hold the pins and sockets.
Since the metal clips would hold the contacts, the front rubber face would not expand as it was loaded. A center wafer was sandwiched between the front connector face and the rear wafer to keep the contacts aligned.
Working in tight quarters balanced by a clean, methodical approach.
Contacts would be inserted and extracted through the rear wafer. All three pieces were housed in a machined aluminum shell and held in place with a “C” clip.
Special pins and sockets were designed with a small cup on the rear into which the wire was placed and crimped with a standard hand-crimping tool.
The contacts could then be pushed into the insert from the rear until they clicked into position. If it became necessary to remove a pin or socket, a small tube like extraction tool was designed to be inserted around the contact and up into the connector shell where it pushed back the metal fingers on the retaining clip, allowing the contact to be pulled back out.
The Best Laid Plans
The first run of about 100 W4RP (replaceable pin) connectors were readied for the rigors of the field… Or maybe not. It quickly became obvious that the design needed work.
Out of those first 100 W4s, quite a few experienced problems with the pins and sockets not holding in the insert, so they were immediately recalled for analysis.
The retaining clips weren’t holding in the wafer solidly enough. The original design called for some “slop” in how the pins were secured side to side.
The feeling was that they should be free to align themselves when entering the socket.
However, the pins had enough movement that they would occasionally miss the socket opening entirely and hang up on the rubber face of the opposite connector. Then the mating force would cause the clip to push out.
Be prepared: All good “Cable Scouts” keep these tools handy when working with MASS connectors.
The design was totally re-thought and resulted in these solutions:
- Elimination of the “play” the pins had when secured in
the insert.
- Slight softening the material that the clips were
contained in, while increasing the shoulder size for
retaining the clip. This caused each clip to have
positive “bite” in the wafer.
- Redesign of the shape of the pin to round its profile. This made them less sharp
and provided more positive entry into the socket. The rubber face of the insert
was also hardened so that if a pin touched the opposite face, the pin would deflect
down into the socket and be less likely to stick in the rubber.
- Creation of a cone-shaped opening into the socket, also to help direct the pin
down into the socket.
- Addition of an extra metal thickness to the shell receptacle area surrounding the
insert to eliminate the ability to try and mate the connectors at an angle. Now, the
opposite rubber “locator” must fit straight down into the narrow receptacle on the
opposite face.
Clip failures virtually disappeared overnight. In fact, the improvements were so dramatic that all of the new features were incorporated (except of course for the clips) into the solder-type MASS.
MASS Goes Micro
Up until 1998, Whirlwind’s small-size multipins were the mil-spec W1 (39 pin) and W2 (61 pin). These are still available from a few manufacturers today.
Choose your weapon.
However, the pin counts don’t fall into “normal” channel configurations seen in audio systems.
In 1998, the company moved forward on production of the first multipin connectors designed specifically for audio professionals.
This connector would have all the features required for audio systems the same “sexless” design found in the MASS connector, and that there would be two sizes, one with 48 contacts and one with 84 contacts.
48 contacts would handle up to 16 channels and be suitable for use as subsnakes or with small mixers. Also, 84 contacts would handle up to 28 channels and be good for use as subsnakes and 24 channel console snakes with four returns.
These connectors could also have reduced density of pins and sockets, making the design considerations a bit easier than the large MASS connectors.
The new W5 (48-pin) and W6 (84-pin) MicroMASS connectors were brought to market in early 1999 and have become a new standard for smaller snake systems and subsnakes. They are only made in replaceable pin versions and the design has proven highly durable.
State-of-the-art MASS connectors, the result of years of evolutionary improvement.
One unusual issue came up during the design. These connectors are exactly the same size, made that way on purpose so that they can share common parts.
However, it could be possible for someone to take a W6 and try to plug it into a W5 if they weren’t paying strict attention.
The solution was adding a “key” to the W6 connector face to eliminate the possibility of getting one type inserted into the other.
Also, it was decided that the W6 insert be changed to white and its locking ring to blue so the W5 and W6 would be easier to identify when systems contained cables of both types.
While new methods of audio transmission, digital and otherwise, have made and will continue to make significant impacts on the way in which live sound is distributed, it’s valuable to have an understanding of where we’ve come from, and the MASS connector is clearly a part of that story.
Al Keltz is director of marketing for Whirlwind
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JBL Studio Monitors Used By Le Mobile Recording Studio At Coachella
Charbonneau of Le Mobile mixed 30 performances over three days at Coachella with JBL LSR2300 studio monitors.
The 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival not only included live performances, but live webcasts as well.
At Coachella’s Mojave Stage, Ian C. Charbonneau of Le Mobile Remote Recording relied on JBL LSR2328 studio monitors to mix a roster of top artists for live webcast.
During the Festival’s three days, the Mojave Stage hosted performances by 30 acts, including Devo, Grizzly Bear, Imogen Heap, Julian Casablancas, Shooter Jennings and Les Claypool.
“When you’re mixing live from 10 AM to 1 AM for three days, it’s a tough gig for the ears,” Charbonneau said, “but it’s such a great time doing it, especially when you love music and you love what you do.”
“With live broadcasts and recording live music, you always have to be on top of everything, because you only have one chance to get it right.”
“When you work in an environment like that you never know what you’re up against, so it’s very important to be comfortable with your monitors.”
Charbonneau selected a stereo pair of JBL LSR2328 studio monitors as part of his setup at Coachella, having first used them when recording the Andrea Bocelli and David Foster “My Christmas” concert at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, which aired on PBS television on November 26.
“I couldn’t believe how good they sound while being so affordable,” Charbonneau said.
“I figured Coachella would be the ultimate test for the LSR2300’s. It’s non-stop operation in a loud environment.”
“When recording or mixing live in such a challenging environment, you can easily be thrown off by so many elements. Having monitors you know well and that you can rely on sonically, surely is one of the most important things.”
According to Charbonneau, the LSR2328 monitors passed with ease. “I was very pleased with the results,” Charbonneau said. “It has lots of power, a very nice low end, clarity and ultimately, it’s really proven to be a workhorse.”
JBL Website
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SSL Duality Installed By Chinese National Radio
The newly installed Duality will be used for recording live orchestral performances.
Solid State Logic has announced that Chinese National Radio (CNR) has installed a 24-fader Duality console.
The SSL Duality recently found a home in the CNR main production facility that features advanced digital multimedia studios, recording studios and a world-class concert hall.
CNR operates nine different channels covering national news broadcast in Mandarin and Nationality Radio broadcast to minority and ethnic groups, to the Story Channel and a popular music channel that includes concert performances.
The Duality covers live to air and capture of concerts servicing performances in the facility’s concert hall.
While CNR transmits all programming in digital, both terrestrial and via the Internet, Duality’s flexibility and signature sound provides CNR the necessary high-level quality for orchestral performances.
Solid State Logic Website
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Tech Tip Of The Day: Cut Rather Than Boost?
Does it matter whether I cut or boost when using EQ?
Q: I’ve seen a lot of interviews where engineers say that you should cut frequencies with EQ rather than boost them. Why is this?
A: Some engineers feel that equalizers sound different when you cut with them, versus boosting with them.
And, in some cases, there may be technical reasons why this is true.
But, for many engineers, another big reason is to preserve headroom.
Adding a boost to a set of frequencies can take a big chunk out of the available headroom.
Often you’ll get better results by cutting frequencies, then you’ll have room for dynamic peaks, and also possibly be able to turn the overall level of the signal up, since you’ve preserved headroom.
For more tech tips go to Sweetwater.com
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Meyer Sound InfoComm 2010 Demonstrations To Include MINA & Constellation
The MINA demonstration marks the systems US debut.
Making its US debut at InfoComm2010, live demonstrations of Meyer Sound’s new MINA line array loudspeaker will be available in Room N111.
Demonstrations of the Constellation acoustic system will be also be available, courtesy of saxophonist Sarah Underwood, in the Meyer Sound Stand C6519.
The MINA shares the same intelligibility as the MILO, MICA, and M’elodie line array loudspeakers. At less than 472 mm wide and only 21.32 kg, MINA produces up to 128 dB SPL at one meter with an operating frequency range of 70 Hz to 18 kHz over a 100-degree horizontal coverage area.
In the Meyer Sound demo room at InfoComm, MINA will be heard with its low-frequency complement 500-HP subwoofer. The JM-1P arrayable loudspeaker and 700-HP subwoofer will also be featured in the demos.
On booth C6519, Meyer Sound will showcase the CAL column array loudspeaker, an expanding range of low-voltage installation solutions, the Acheron Studio screen channel loudspeaker and HMS-10 cinema surround loudspeaker, along with the D-Mitri digital audio platform, which will also be shown at the AVnu Alliance Pavilion.
Meyer Sound will take an active role in InfoComm’s AV education programs throughout the show. At the AVnu Alliance panel on Friday, June 11 at 10:30 am, Meyer Sound digital products executive director John McMahon and other industry heavyweights will discuss the emerging AVB audio/video bridging networking standards.
On June 10, Buford Jones, Meyer Sound’s touring liaison, will share his insights from three decades of mixing artists like Pink Floyd and Faith Hill in sessions “Principles of Live Mixing” and “Mix It Up - Live Audio Workshop.” Meyer Sound will also host a series of presentations on the booth. The complete schedule will be available at the show.
Outside the convention center, the InfoComm AV Technology Tours will include three Cirque du Soleil productions that also feature Meyer Sound systems: The Beatles LOVE, KA, and “O.”
Meyer Sound Website
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