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Thursday, February 09, 2012
Middle Atlantic Introduces HRF Series Half Rack Systems
Middle Atlantic Products is introducing the new HRF Series Half Rack family of products that will also serve to help develop an ECIA standard for the half-width rack format.
The new HRF Series half racks–which incorporate the dimensions of the proposed standard–feature a low profile design and compact dimensions.
An offset cable tie area keeps their overall width to a slim 10 5/8-inch, which makes them an important off-the-shelf solution for maximizing the amount of usable rack space in confined areas.
These dimensions also allow the HRF Series to be used with half rack equipment from a variety of manufacturers.
The HRF Series half racks also feature a strong welded frame that enables equipment to be pre-loaded and transported to the installation site. Initial models are available in 8 and 12 space useable racking height configurations with available mounting shelves that include a pattern of holes and slots that accommodate any device-mounting pattern.
The line of complementary accessories for the Half Rack Series also includes a high-static pressure blower to exhaust heat, as well as blank and vented panels to complete the installation.
According to Mark Tracy, director of product management, “There was a real need for a smaller, space-saving solution when rackmounting a variety of half-width components in lecterns, credenzas, and in-wall. Thanks to the feedback from our installer and consultant partners, as well as the participation of several manufacturers, this system accommodates the vast majority of smaller components currently available and provides installers with a useful new choice for mounting electronics.”
Guidelines that foster quality results and happy artists.
In the early 1990s we were the kings of grunge, based in Seattle.
We were the capital of music at the time, and we had a ton of wedges. Literally, a ton or more, as our company had over 100 of them.
A few hours down the road in Oregon, we heard tales of a well established rock band using custom-fitted “headphones” that went inside the ear, like a hearing aid.
At the time I remember saying, “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard – it will never fly.”
Not too long after, our big rock band client had a drummer that used them, and by the next tour the rest of the band had adopted them.
In-ear monitors (IEMs) were here to stay and I loved them. By the end of the decade, many if not most of our clients had switched.
IEMs are one of the turning points in modern sound reinforcement, right up there with line arrays, digital consoles, satellite television on the bus, and carrying your own catering on tour. They are an effective tool to control the age-old demon of stage volume.
But like any other good solution, there are trade-offs. The artist may feel isolated. There might not be the experience or expertise to provide an adequate mix.
But using IEMs is not too difficult, and even with basic tools used properly, one can get excellent results.
Here are some simple ways to get the most out of IEM applications that you’ll be able to use if you’re a weekend club warrior, mixing the worship band, or out on the touring circuit.
Creating An Environment
First, we want to make sure we don’t do anything rash. With any monitor gig, trust is key, so you don’t want to blow it with your artist by appearing to be haphazard.
In Ear Monitors
No sudden mix moves, no hot patches, no dropping mics. Recognize that the mix is being piped directly into your artist’s head. If you need to patch on stage, be sure to mute the affected inputs.
It’s possible to damage hearing with IEM, but mostly, problems will serve to anger or upset the artist.
Just as with mixing for loudspeakers, gain structure is a key. Gain structure irregularities, as well as hums and buzzes, become extra obvious in an IEM mix, so make sure your rig is as clean as possible in terms of noise.
Custom-molded IEM earpieces offer about 30 dB of attenuation to the outside, while generic earpieces offer less, depending on the method of sealing.
Regardless, they change the monitor mix game to being less about sheer volume or dealing with outside issues - for example, stage volume or the volume of the house system - to creating an environment that makes the artist comfortable.
The isolation may lead the monitor engineer to add inputs into the mix that are not in a traditional wedge mix.
But the amount and exact nature of these inputs will depend on the preferences of the artist.
For example, an input not used in wedge mixes is ambient microphones, but these can be a welcome addition for IEM applications.
My preference is to use small profile shotguns and fade the input from these mics in and out of the mix only as necessary, usually just between songs to allow the artist to hear and experience the audience reaction.
Others, however, use ambience as part of their mix, but in my opinion, this can “smear” it, making it seem less direct and more distant.
Whenever possible, I place the shotgun mics downstage, away from the house loudspeakers, and try to get as much audience and as little stage or main system volume as possible.
The goal is to get IEM earpieces that sound great on their own, much like with reference monitors. Some earpieces are best with specific music types, just as with some loudspeaker systems.
Recently there has been a trend in both loudspeaker and earpiece design that take an approach of having the best response possible, as opposed to “coloring” the sound so that it sounds better in some applications than others.
Dynamic Flavor
In many ways, building an IEM mix is like building any other mix, with my approach leaning toward “less is more”.
I always configure it as a stereo mix, and don’t typically use any equalization on the mix output buses, but there are times when I will run some sort of compression or limiting on the mix buses.
In the past, this was more for protection, but these days, depending on the artist, it is possible to use methods similar to studio mastering techniques to enhance the quality of the finished mix.
Click to enlarge.
Proceed with caution though if you’re new to this approach, because it’s easy to squash the life out of the mix through overuse, robbing it of any dynamic flavor.
To counter the isolation factor, I strive to create an environment by crafting a mix with depth and space, largely by using panning, level and reverb.
Being isolated reduces the localization of the instruments on stage and can create a dry feeling.
It really depends on the preferences of the artist. I’ve had instances where it was more like a traditional mix, particularly for vocalists - though with the vocal more pronounced.
Other times, it was just that player’s instrument with click and very little melody and rhythm instruments.
I’ve also built mixes where the artist preferred non-standard panning arrangements, such as all backing vocals extreme-panned to one side and the primary vocals to the other side, or the classic Beatles panning of all instruments on one side and all vocals on the other.
Working with your artists is the only way to insure you get what it is they wish.
In building the musical bed of the mix, I again go with the “less is more” mantra, sticking with the basics.
The techniques include mic selection, placement, and working at the source to get the best result possible before it’s introduced into the equipment.
Some mix engineers have specific mics they use in all instances on particular instruments. My approach is to listen to each individual instrument or vocal, and then select the input devices I think will best represent each of these sources.
Of course, this isn’t always possible, and in many cases, is easier said than done. Some artists may have favorite mics, or you might not be in a position to carry your own mics and instead must rely on a limited selection from the provider.
As a result, it’s best to know how a wide variety of mics work and then what may be best in your specific application.
Being able to dictate what you use is the best-case scenario, I’ve heard many mixes that were compromised by the mix engineer applying a one-size-fits-all philosophy to dynamics processing, so you need to be flexible enough to deliver the desired results when equipment choices are limited.
Stare Of Doom
When working with the individual inputs that comprise the mix, again, I try to keep equalization to a minimum, and strive to use none.
This isn’t possible in many cases, particularly if I can’t dictate the mics or control the source. At this point, it’s about listening and making only necessary changes.
Rather than just “fishing” for the EQ points, it’s better to know where in the spectrum needs to be adjusted.
A big pet peeve of mine is when a mixer isn’t ear trained and needs to bump the frequencies to see if they made the right guess. That’s annoying enough through loudspeakers, but if the artist is using IEMs, you’ll likely get the stare of doom.
I tend to apply more processing - particularly reverb and multi effects - when mixing IEM than in a traditional wedge environment. It’s not uncommon to have a half-dozen effects units and a dozen or more dynamics processors.
However, while I may use more devices, they are used sparingly, only enough to get the desired results. I’ve heard many mixes that were compromised by the mix engineer applying a one-size-fits-all philosophy to dynamics processing.
Simply, it’s better not to use these tools rather than letting them detract from the mix. Be especially aware when using compression on vocalists - too much and they might compromise mic technique and vocal style to compensate for the effects of the compression.
By sticking to the basics and properly using the gear you have, it’s not rocket science to craft quality IEM mixes. Using common sense, being methodical and organized, and knowing the equipment helps in better dealing with any situation.
Finally, command of the craft instills the artist with a sense of confidence. This, in and of itself, will keep you working for many years to come.
After being a touring refugee for the last three decades, Dave Stevens is now sequestered 35 feet below the Las Vegas Strip, in charge of Monitor Dungeon on a large, modern circus-style production show.
I was recording a bunch of acoustic guitar tracks for an album project.
I was super-excited. I had set aside an entire afternoon to knock out all the songs.
Also, I had just gotten a brand new microphone, and was going to use it along with another mic to record the guitar in stereo.
All was right with the world. I set levels, listened through my headphones, and the sound was HUGE.
Jackpot. Let’s start recording.
Four or five hours later, all the songs were recorded.
And they all lived happily ever after… except not really.
Did you catch the mistake? It was seemingly small, but it had a huge impact on the rest of the recording/mixing process.
It was harmless.
The problem? I was in such a hurry to start recording and knock out a bunch of songs that I failed to take time to make sure the recording actually SOUNDED good.
If you scrolly-scroll back up, you’ll see I “listened through my headphones, and the sound was HUGE.” That’s it. I listened while I was playing and thought it sounded fine, so I moved on to recording.
Therein lies the mistake.
The result? All the acoustic tracks had an unnecessary amount of low end. See, I placed the microphones really close to the guitar, assuming it would give me the best sound and pick up the least amount of noise.
Well, I was wrong on both counts. They still picked up some room noise, AND they picked up way too much bass.
Ye olde proximity effect was in full force that day. (Proximity effect = increased bass response when mics are very close to the source.)
Did I have to re-record everything? Did I waste an entire day of recording?
No, I used the tracks, but I had to work 10 times harder during mixing to get them to sound right. And for several tunes, I had to settle for a compromise in guitar tone…all because I didn’t take an extra 10 minutes to make sure the mics were in the best position.
There are two lessons here for you:
Lesson #1 – Listen Before You Commit
This isn’t a big, time-consuming thing. All I’m asking is that you literally take an extra 10 minutes to record a quick “practice take,” listen back to it on monitors or nice headphones, and make adjustments to the mics as needed.
Had I done that, I would have noticed the excessive low end, and I would have moved the mics back 6-12 inches. Problem solved.
Since I didn’t, I had to work much harder during mixing, which leads to the second lesson:
Lesson #2 – Move Forward With Your Mistakes
I could have thrown my hands up that day. I could have deleted all the guitar tracks and re-recorded everything. But I didn’t.
The performances were actually really good. Plus, I simply didn’t want to go through that whole recording process again, so I moved forward.
I made myself mix those less-than-perfect tracks.
The result? It made me painfully aware of how important it is to get it right at the source. Also, it helped me develop my skills in mixing poorly-recorded acoustic guitar.
Let’s be honest. Sometimes you’ll have to mix something that doesn’t sound all that great. Your job is to make it sound as good as possible.
This big stupid failure of mine gave me valuable training that I have used since then to be both a better recording engineer AND mixing engineer.
To avoid big stupid failures like this, consider joining the Recording Acoustic Guitar class. I’ll teach you how I go about recording acoustic instruments, which I learned to do after many, many failures. Sign up here.
Joe Gilder is a Nashville-based engineer, musician, and producer who also provides training and advice at the Home Studio Corner.Note that Joe also offers highly effective training courses, including Understanding Compression and Understanding EQ.
If terms such as gain structure, impedance matching and headroom are unfamiliar, or worse, give you a headache, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Most church sound techs would rather have their gear work perfectly right out of the box than have to tweak it into compliance.
Nevertheless, when it comes to setting up and operating a sound system, a working knowledge of gain structure (and a few related concepts) will help you get the best possible performance from whatever equipment you use.
In short, gain structuring has to do with setting the relative levels of audio signals going into and out of two or more connected audio circuits.
Audio gear has a range of input and output signal levels within which it sounds good. Going outside of that range results in problems such as hiss, distortion, reduced fidelity (especially when dealing with digital gear) and lowered power output.
This article offers a basic understanding of gain structure in a live sound system and will show you some ways to optimize gain structure for each piece of gear in the signal chain.
As an aid to understanding, see the diagram of a signal chain in Figure 1. Some sound systems will be simpler than the one depicted in the diagram, while others will be more complex, but the basic principles apply to any configuration.
Figure 1: In a typical signal chain, one of two input sources is connected to an input channel on a mixer, with a compressor patched in to the channel insert and an external effects unit patched in to the auxiliary loop. The channel signal is routed internally to an equalizer in the console’s master section, and the mixer’s master output bus feeds a power amp’s input.
Maximum Headroom
All audio gear has a peak maximum signal level (above which the signal begins clipping) and what is referred to as its noise floor: the natural noise of the electronics when no input signal is present (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Maximum peak level, nominal level, and noise floor level determine how much headroom you have as well as what your signal-to-noise ratio is.
The total difference between the two extremes is called the dynamic range, which is expressed in decibels. For example, if the peak maximum signal level of a device is +24 dBu and the noise floor is -60 dBu, the device has a dynamic range of 84 dB (24 dB + 60 dB = 84 dB).
The difference between the noise floor and the nominal level at which gear operates (+4 dBu on a typical VU meter) is called the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ratio).
Finally, the difference between the nominal operating level and the maximum peak level is referred to as headroom.
Why is all that important, and what does it have to do with getting optimal performance from your audio gear? As a rule, you want to drive the inputs of a piece of gear at as high a level as possible without inducing distortion.
So if the nominal level is +4 dBu and the peak maximum level is +24 dBu, theoretically you have 20 dB of headroom to work with. That means you’ll probably want to set the input level so that the loudest peaks fall a few decibels short of the maximum, say around +16 dBu on a ppm scale (Peak Program Meter). I say probably because practice doesn’t always follow theory — use your ears as the final judge.
Conversely, input signals that fall far below the nominal level become increasingly noisy as they approach the noise floor.
Setting the optimal output level is even trickier, because output stage characteristics can vary wildly from one piece of gear to another. For example, some begin distorting at relatively low settings, while others sound best when they’re wide open. That’s one of the reasons it’s important to become familiar with each piece of gear in the signal chain. If one or more pieces of digital gear are in the chain, additional considerations will apply.
That may seem plain enough, and in general it is, but a number of additional variables must be considered at each link in the chain. And only by recognizing and dealing with those variables can you get optimal performance from your sound system. Let’s take a closer look…
The Source
When structuring gain relationships, you should always start at the beginning of the signal chain, which is, not surprisingly, the sound source.
In the case of direct line feeds from sources like instrument amplifiers, electronic keyboards and personal mixers on stage, a sound tech can do little more than request that the signals arrive at the mixer inputs at optimal levels. But the tech does have control over at least two sources: condenser microphones with built-in pads and direct injection (DI) boxes with selectable output levels.
Many condenser microphones have a built-in pad (input attenuator) that reduces the signal between the capsule and the output electronics by 10 dB or so. Generally, you won’t need to engage the pad unless the mic is used on an especially loud sound source. For example, if an AKG C 535 condenser mic is used on a loud vocalist or snare drum, then its 14-dB pad should be engaged. I
f a condenser mic is used on acoustic strings or as an overhead on a drum kit, the pad can stay off. Engaging the pad for soft sound sources raises the noise floor of the capsule to a point where it can be noticeable during quiet passages; so use the pad only when necessary.
The general rule of thumb: if you hear something that sounds like clipping or limiting from a condenser mic itself, activate the mic pad. If not, then full steam ahead.
Many DI boxes have selectable output levels. For instance, DOD 265 Stagehand DI boxes have selectable 20-dB and 40-dB output pads, and some Whirlwind DI boxes have 20-dB pads.
Because many mixing consoles have pads on the input strips, it’s best to send as hot a signal as possible from a DI box without clipping the output of the box itself (something that usually happens only on active DI boxes). That lets you trim back the signal to something usable at the console input while keeping the signal as hot as possible for its trip through the signal snake to the console.
This procedure helps attenuate the effects of any ground-loop problems that might exist on that line due to its interaction with, say, a bass guitar amplifier on stage.
A quick note regarding ground loops: If a passive DI box has a metal XLR jack and the mic cable’s shield isn’t properly disconnected from the XLR shell, then it’s impossible to break a ground loop using the ground-lift switch on the DI box. In that case, you’ll need to replace the mic cable with one that has the shell properly floated, or use a short XLR-female-to-XLR-male adapter with the shield disconnected from the shell. You won’t believe how much grief that can save you.
In The Channel
Once you optimize the levels coming from the various sound sources, you are ready to connect them to individual channel-strip inputs on your mixer. Nearly every mixing console has a trim (or gain) control on each channel strip, and many consoles also include a pad switch, most of the time labeled as pad.
However, on many Allen & Heath consoles, the mic/line selector switch is also used to engage the 20-dB pad for XLR sources. In any case, the pad and gain controls are used individually or in combination to make the level of the source signal coming into the console compatible with the input level of the channel preamp.
Mixer-channel pads generally reduce the input signal strength by a fixed amount, usually around 20 dB. The pad is placed ahead of any transformers or other electronics in the circuit and should be engaged only when the input signal is too hot to be comfortably handled by the channel preamp. The gain (or trim) control is a continuously variable potentiometer that adjusts the channel preamp gain.
Microphone preamps typically offer up to 60 dB of gain boost, far more than most other gain stages in the signal chain, so be particularly careful when adjusting them. If the input level is set too high, the preamp will be driven into clipping, causing distortion; if it is set too low, excessive noise will result.
Most consoles with a Solo function on the channel strip show the input level of a single channel on a meter when the channel is placed in Solo mode.
To adjust the trim, zero all the controls on that channel strip and lower the fader completely.
Put the channel into Prefader Solo mode (sometimes called PFL for PreFader Listen) and monitor it with headphones so you can evaluate the sound source for distortion or hum.
Have the vocalist or instrumentalist sing, talk or play his or her instrument while you watch the solo meter level; bring up the gain level until the meter approaches 0 dB on the loudest transients. If you hear distortion on the headphones or the gain control can’t be turned down low enough to get the solo meter down to 0 dB on the peaks, engage the pad and bring up the gain as appropriate.
In practice, you’ll probably want to set the channel level to peak somewhere between -6 dB and -10 dB on the PFL meter during sound check. Things tend to get louder during the actual show, and it’s preferable to incur a little noise rather than clipping the input stages when the sounds get heavier onstage. Only after you have set the input level properly should you bring up the fader and add the signal source to the house mix.
Levels can also change during the course of the show — guitarists are notorious for hedging their bets by playing softly during sound check and then cranking up the sound when the crowd arrives. Have no fear, though: if the signal level starts creeping up into the hot zone, you’ll probably notice the peak-overload LED on the channel strip blinking at you.
Similarly, you may find that you need to pull the fader down really low to make the signal fit in the mix. In either case, adjust the input gain back on the offending channel and readjust the level of the channel fader in the final mix. However, be aware that adjusting the input gain during a live show will also affect the monitor sends from that channel, which can make the musicians onstage very unhappy.
You may have to turn down the input while turning up the monitor sends to counteract the reduction in signal strength. Still, that beats having a clipping channel sound bad for the entire service or performance.
Inserts And Loops
Once the source sound has passed the channel preamp stage, it is routed to the mixer’s internal mixing busses, but it can make several stops along the way. Many mixers feature channel inserts that let you patch an outboard processor, usually a dynamics processor, into the signal path just after the preamp stage so that the entire audio signal must pass through it before reaching the EQ section and other internal circuitry.
Most channel inserts do not have send and receive level controls, so you will have to rely on the processor’s input and output level controls (assuming there are any) to set the gain at that point in the signal chain. When using a compressor, the idea is to adjust the compressor’s output (or makeup) gain to compensate for any gain reduction caused by the compression itself. For example, if you read 10 dB of gain reduction on the compressor’s gain reduction meter, you may have to crank the output level up by 10 dB to get the volume level back in the game.
Similarly, if you want to patch in an external processor without sending the entire signal through it (such as for reverb or echo effects), or if you want to be able to route signals to it from more than one input channel, the usual method is to connect the processor to an effects or auxiliary bus.
The signal from the effects or aux bus send is routed to the external processor’s input, and the signal from the external processor’s output is returned to the effects or auxiliary return in the stereo output bus (or another mixer channel input if you want ultimate control).
Unlike channel inserts, effects and aux sends and returns nearly always have level controls.
Try setting the effects or aux send and receive levels in the mixer’s master section to their halfway points, and then slowly turn up the processor’s input level control until you get a consistently robust level.
If the processor has a mix control, set it for 100 percent wet/effect.
Something else to consider when using external audio processors is their operating level. The insert points and effects busses on large professional mixers generally operate at a +4 dBu level, whereas those on lesser-grade mixers generally operate at -10 dBV.
Fortunately, many outboard processors can be switched between the levels. Look for a little button near the input jacks on the back that’s marked -10/+4 or something similar and set it accordingly.
If the processor’s input gain control must be set very low to prevent clipping the meter, you’re probably asking its -10 dB input to handle a +4 dB signal from the console, which is not nice to do. In that case, trim back the input of the console strip itself until you can get the processor’s input control somewhere up around 50 percent.
Conversely, setting the processor’s input to +4 dB for a console with a -10 dB level will result in extra noise or not enough signal to drive the processor properly. In critical listening situations you can also get transformer-based audio level shifters from companies like Ebtech or Whirlwind, which will boost or attenuate the levels from -10 dB to +4 dB or + 4 dB to -10 dB appropriately. It’s important to think it all out in advance and listen during sound check to avoid bad audio during the actual worship service.
Finally, outboard processors can behave in dramatically different ways, so you need to understand each one. For example, the overload LED on one processor might flash when the input signal reaches 6 dB below clipping, whereas on another it might not flash until the unit has been driven into distortion.
Or you might get a perfectly clean signal when cranking the output level of one processor to maximum and find that another one gets increasingly noisy past the halfway point. Listen, then adjust, listen, adjust, etc…
On The Bus
The internal bus structure of a mixing console is also subject to headroom and S/N considerations. Whereas some consoles like to have their mixing buses driven hard, others’ buses can be clipped quite easily.
A good example of an inexpensive live console that needed its buses driven hard is an old Peavey console I had 30-plus years ago. There was a lot of noise in the mixing buses, but by running the output faders down around 2 or 3 (on a scale of 1 to 10) and driving the input stages a little hotter, it was possible to get a decent S/N at the outputs.
On the other hand, a more recent vintage Alesis 16-channel live console didn’t have extra headroom in the mix bus but was very quiet. In that case, I ran the output faders up around 8 or 9 and then trimmed back the channel inputs until the output was at the right level.
The easiest way to determine the correct gain-staging approach is to plug in a dynamically consistent signal source, such as a drum machine or sampler, and listen with headphones for any crunching or distortion at the console output. If there’s a lot of noise on the outputs with the faders up and no input signal present, bring the fader down until the noise is manageable. Headphones make this easier to judge in a noisy room, so get yourself a quality pair and make friends with them.
If you hear distortion on the console outputs even when the meters read below 0 dB and the output faders are below halfway on the console, it means the internal mixing busses are clipping. In that case, bring the input faders down and the output faders back up.
High-end consoles have extremely quiet buses and a lot of headroom, so you typically won’t run into that sort of problem with them. But many inexpensive consoles can be tweaked in the way I described to sound better than you might imagine.
If you want to go further, you can use an oscilloscope and a signal generator to actually see clipping in the various stages and adjust the levels accordingly. Yes, it’s the ultimate geek thing to do, but oscilloscopes can be great troubleshooting tools.
Hit ‘Em Hard
You can also tweak the gain structure between the equalizer and the amplifier to improve the S/N of the entire PA system.
For example, if you have sufficient gain from the equalizer output, you can raise its level by 10 dB and trim the input on the amp down by the same amount to attenuate any hum or ground-loop problems between the console and power amplifiers. That can really help in a quiet mixing situation such as a church service.
Proper grounding, balanced inputs and shielded cables should, in theory, allow for an ultra-quiet connection between the console equalizer and the amplifiers. However, that’s rarely the case in the real world. I’m always tweaking things one way or another to get the outputs as hot as possible without clipping and then turning down the inputs on the next stages.
End-Game
Nearly any sound tech can properly operate a really expensive console with plenty of headroom and low noise, but it takes someone with real skills to make a cut-rate, unforgiving board sound great. I have observed many guest engineers working with the same equipment get results ranging from fabulous to mediocre or worse, depending on how they ran the levels.
So don’t feel put down as a sound tech when you are given some inexpensive gear and asked to make it sound great. Making an inexpensive system sound like a million bucks is the ultimate challenge. You can indeed spin straw into gold if you use your brains and experience.
Getting your church sound system to sound its best takes more than a great set of mixing ears for a particular music style. It requires understanding how each piece of gear in the signal chain works and exploiting its potential to the max while working around any weak points.
Once you reach that level of knowledge, you are truly sympatico with the sound system and can make it do most anything you want.
Mike Sokol works with the HOW-TO ASSIST Tour (Academy of Sound System Integration, Setup & Troubleshooting) which provides sound and electrical contractors and sound system installers with the best possible training on how to setup, integrate and troubleshoot live sound systems of any size. Find out more here.
Rational Acoustics Appoints NMK Electronics As Middle East Distributor
Rational Acoustics has appointed NMK Electronics as the exclusive distributors for all Rational Acoustics and Smaart branded products for the Middle East.
NMK’s territory encompasses the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Lebanon.
Founded in 1984, NMK is a leading distributor of professional audio, video and communication equipment in the Middle East, with a product portfolio including Midas, Klark Teknik, TC Electronic, Dynaudio and Shure
‘We are excited to have NMK Electronics representing Rational Acoustics and Smaart in the Middle East,’ says Karen Anderson, Rational Acoustics chief operating officer. ‘NMK has a well-earned reputation for technical excellence and a dedication to quality products and customer support. They also understand and share our passion for education, which is vital for the support of a product like Smaart.’
‘Our partnership with Rational Acoustics serves two purposes,’ adds NMK business development manager Chicco Hiranandani. ‘First, we are a professional audio distribution company and many of our clients either use or need the Smaart software to accurately calibrate their PA systems. Second, we place a very high emphasis on training, and Rational Acoustics has a strong reputation for its Smaart training classes. We are excited with the opportunities that this new partnership will bring to the industry.’
NMK assumed distribution of Rational Acoustics and Smaart products effective February 1, 2012 and will be presenting its first Smaart Training classes in the Middle East within the next few months.
d&b audiotechnik Loudspeakers Upgrade Sound At The Rose Theatre In Canada
The Rose Theatre in Brampton, Ontario, is a confident combination of glass and brick that boldly reflects the city’s pride.
When it opened in 2006, the theatre came equipped with a brand new loudspeaker system but, as technical coordinator Trevor Nash explains, all was not rosy in the garden.
“Plans on paper don’t always successfully translate into real world situations,” Nash says. “There were coverage issues in several areas of the auditorium. Although adding ground stacked subwoofers and 2-way cabinets provided some acoustic improvement, sight lines were compromised as a result.”
Nash had worked with a rented d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker system from APEX Sound and Light on Jesse Cook’s Canadian tour in 2010 and thought it the right choice for the Rose.
“Having mixed on just about every type of speaker system around the world, for me the d&b product produces the best sound of them all, this was our main criteria,” he states. “However, we did obtain quotes from another manufacturer but d&b’s innovative specification, the passive boxes that reduce the amplifier count; the internal processing in d&b amplifiers that reduce the need for external processors and the compatibility with our digital consoles made the d&b choice the more cost efficient option. The clear cut winner was d&b audiotechnik.”
Nash and the Rose team made use of d&b’s ArrayCalc simulator before opting for a combination of d&b Q-Series and E-Series.
François Corbin, head of d&b Canada, explains, “They wanted to go with B2 subwoofers but when we showed them the J-SUBs in ArrayCalc they were able to reconsider their decision without incurring extra cost or wasting time at a later stage of the installation process. It’s what the ArrayCalc system is all about, providing that extra reassurance for our clients.”
The Rose Theatre is an intimate space with a capacity of 876, with a horseshoe design placing the furthest seat is only 65 feet from the stage so coverage has to be achieved without overwhelming the listener. The main array is flown high to avoid sight line issues, but Nash has been able to compensate with intelligent use of the other loudspeakers. “
The Q1’s horizontal and vertical dispersion does a great job of covering the main audience space,” Corbin notes. “The E6s cover corners just outside of the array coverage while the rotating horns of the Q10s allow us to completely cover under the balcony without conflicting with the main array.”
Nash is unambiguous about the results, “We’ve had great feedback from performers telling the audience how great everything sounds and playing longer sets as a result; engineers raving about what a pleasure it is to mix on the rig and last, but not least, audience appreciation. We have very discerning customers here at Brampton and they have always been very quick to complain in the past.”
The installation has been so well received that The Rose has gone on to purchase a mobile Q-Series system to support outdoor events staged by local community groups and the City of Brampton who have invested in a mobile stage system.
“Our outdoor events happen in many areas. There is a ‘fountain stage’ in the Garden Square directly in front of The Rose,” Nash explains. “This is in the heart of downtown and hosts many events ranging from small afternoon concerts to full production festivals and special events. We also facilitate festivals in nearby Gage Park. Our biggest event is the Brampton Canada Day celebration that usually draws ten thousand people.”
In such circumstances, flexibility is the key as Nash confirms, “The range of these shows require us to have a very versatile system. The d&b system is amazing for this much needed versatility. On a given day we could have a symphony orchestra playing in the morning, an afternoon bluegrass concert then an evening theatre performance of Shakespeare, all capped off by an evening movie under the stars. With the d&b system of complete compatibility between all their amplifiers and loudspeakers we can quickly shift to any configuration.”
Meyer Sound Low-Voltage Loudspeakers Chosen For KMPG Headquarters In Denmark
The Danish arm of KPMG, a worldwide accounting and consulting firm, makes a bold statement through its new 33,000-square-meter headquarters building in Copenhagen designed by architects 3XN.
As part of the building architecture characterized by three interlocking polygons, KPMG’s auditorium features a virtually invisible system of Meyer Sound MM-4XP miniature self-powered loudspeakers to ensure intelligibility for company presentations.
“It was a challenging room because the architects did not want any loudspeakers visible, not even color-matched ceiling grilles,” states Anders Jørgensen of Kastrup, Denmark-based Stouenborg, the firm responsible for the A/V systems. “The only place allowed for speakers was in angled lighting slots built into the ceiling design. And the only systems available that could provide the power and clarity we needed inside that small space were the Meyer Sound MM-4XP loudspeakers.”
A total of 23 MM-4XP loudspeakers are strategically spaced throughout the auditorium in four delay zones. When the room is split into two smaller spaces, 15 MM-4XP loudspeakers can be assigned to the larger room and eight to the smaller with a single touch of the Crestron touch panel.
The MM-4XP loudspeakers draw DC power from remote 48-volt MPS-488HP power supplies, making it possible for Stouenborg technicians to install the entire system with Class 2 wiring while still retaining the clear performance advantages of self-powered loudspeakers.
“There’s a metro train line directly underneath the building, and we needed to minimize possible interference,” notes Jørgensen. “The MM-4XP speakers did that and also reduced the number of rack units we normally need in the equipment room. The overall level is incredible compared to the systems typically used for ceiling speakers. The client is extremely pleased by the results.”
For video presentations, the system includes a trio of Meyer Sound UPJunior VariO loudspeakers behind each of the two video screens, with each configured as left-center-right to the ISO 2969 cinema standard. The integrated A/V systems provided by Stouenborg also include Sennheiser wireless microphone systems, DPA lectern microphones, and dual Sanyo HF10000 2K projectors.
KPMG Denmark is part of KMPG’s global network of accounting, tax advisory, and business consulting firms, with more than 138,000 employees in 150 countries worldwide.
Clearwing Productions, a national provider of production services since 1985, has launched a new website to better serve their growing clientele.
The improved site navigation is formatted to highlight each Clearwing departments: Production, Sales, Service, and Systems Integration. Visitors will find informative descriptions of products and services available to various markets, such as theatrical, entertainment, corporate, and houses of worship.
The redesign is enhanced with employee bios, recent production photos, a calendar of free local trainings and equipment demonstrations, as well as a “latest news” section. Customers will also be able to download company literature and project profiles, build rental quotes, and submit technical questions through an online “Ask-A-Tech” form.
In Profile: Kevin Margolin & Atomic Professional Audio
Always striving for the next level
Atomic Professional Audio’s growth has always been fueled by their habit of expanding the services they offer, and their inventory, in anticipation of the evolving needs of their clients.
That ethic comes from the top down, from co-founder Kevin Margolin.
And it isn’t terribly different to the way he sizes up potential gigs with a critical eye ahead of time, in an effort to make sure every show run as smoothly as possible.
“When I look at a site – you know, other people are looking at how beautiful it is and how many people they can fit there – I’m looking at parking, drainage and roads,” Margolin says.
Call it a “glass half empty” outlook, if you want, but Margolin isn’t pessimistic, he just wants to be prepared if the metaphorical glass is suddenly in danger of being full to the brim with rain or snow. The Rutland, VT-based company often has to cope with less than ideal weather, and more than ever this past year.
“All summer I was a weatherman. If it’s sunny and beautiful, it’s a pretty easy gig to do,” says Margolin. When it goes the other way, however, “We do what we have to. If a truck gets stuck, yes, we’re ready. We’ll have a bulldozer. We’ll have a plywood road. The gigs where you’re hanging out and loading out in the mud and rain – those aren’t as much fun, obviously – but at the end of the day, to me, they’re rewarding. And because we do so many of them, we’re really good at them from an audio and production perspective.”
In The DNA
Founded in 1994, Atomic has grown from a small audio provider to one of New England’s premier full service production houses, serving high profile touring artists, corporate clients, colleges and regional festivals, and offering everything from event management, audio, video, lighting, backline and staging services, to system design and integration.
Among those who’ve been instrumental in that growth, Margolin points to his wife, co-owner and company president Kristin Margolin, as well as a “few guys” who have been with him since the beginning – Dave Serrani, Mark Trepanier, Keith “Buzzy” Buzzell – and some for many years, Tim Rollet, George Perone, Matty Serrani, Mike Alcorn, Matt Munger, Dan Ostroff, Billy Yager, Vic Hess, Dennis “DJ” Johnson and Evan McElhinney.
Born in Bridgeport, CT, and raised in Poughkeepsie, NY, Margolin began dabbling in sound at age 12. Through his teenage years, he worked both on and off stage with various bands. “I played guitar, but I did it pretty poorly, I’m sure,” he says, laughing. “My father had a sound company, SJ Margolin Sound, so it always seemed the audio thing was a part of my DNA.”
The Adamson line array set deployed by Atomic for the Linkin Park tour a couple of years ago. (click to enlarge)
As it turned out, he preferred audio, but initially worked as an electrician after high school. When a friend, whose band was busily mining the regional club scene for fun and profit, asked him to do their sound, Margolin initially refused the gig. “I had a job. I couldn’t just take off,’ but my friend said, ‘this is so much fun. You can’t imagine how much fun this is.’ So, six months later, when they got into it with their soundman, he was like, ‘C’mon what do I have to do to give you a job.’ I said, ‘just ask again.’”
For the next year, Margolin gigged between four and six nights a week, hauling his own system and adding gear as necessary. Eventually he tired of the road, however, but was unsure what to do next. For a time he worked with his father’s company, but relocated to Rutland, VT in 1985 to start his own sound company with another engineer. The company did well for several years, Margolin says, but in time the demand for their main clients – club oriented cover bands – dwindled.
In 1989, a friend who worked for NJ-based Metropolitan Entertainment asked Margolin to be a promoter rep at a show. As more shows came to the region, he took on promoter rep and site manager duties, and within six months found himself working everything from theatre gigs to large-scale outdoor shows like the Grateful Dead, coordinating local crew, security, catering, sound and lights and everything else.
Pieces & Parts
Margolin saw the potential for a business that could meet all those needs, but didn’t have enough equipment to do so, yet. In preparation, he made strategic gear purchases, expanding his previous inventory with an eye to being able to capitalize on the need for production infrastructure in the region himself.
“If all of the sudden we’re renting a bike rack, or cable mat for 10 venues, I’d go buy it. I think not being in a metropolitan area was the reason that we spread in so many directions. I mean, how many times have I got to drive to Boston to pick up pipe and drape – then drive back and return it – before I say, ‘I need to have this in my shop.’”
It was an obvious succession, he explains. “There was a lot of technical work and I knew the pieces and parts and all the players in the market. That’s how I grew the company in the beginning.”
Knowing his customers wanted a one-stop shop, he also invested in staff members who could provide everything necessary for a given event, from sound to IT support. Staff size also increased to 17 full-time people as well as about 30 subcontractors.
As the company became known for providing efficient solutions for increasingly varied segments of the industry, Atomic’s client base and inventory grew substantially. “It seemed like we were doing just about anything related to the business and suddenly I was going, ‘Where did we get all this equipment?’” In the mid-2000’s, Atomic moved from a 4,000-square-foot space to the 12,000-square-foot facility they inhabit now, although they’ve outgrown that space and are looking for more room.
The move allowed them to diversify further and offer, in addition to existing services, substantial amounts of backline – an initiative Margolin took on personally. More recently, in 2011, the expansion of their lighting inventory was a major focus, Margolin adds, but maintains that one of their greatest preoccupation remains providing increasingly high quality sound.
Atomic co-owners Kristin and Kevin Margolin enjoying some rare time away from the business. (click to enlarge)
Key Relationships
Given the dismal state of the current economy, the business isn’t as easy as it once was, but Atomic’s consistent efforts at diversifying have served them well. “2011 was a record year for us, even in this economy,” Margolin says, attributing the company’s success, in part, to relationships developed with key equipment manufacturers, artists and other regional production companies over time.
A relationship with Adamson Systems has been particularly helpful in the past decade. “That was tremendous for growing the company. Nobody has anything bad to say about the product. You either used it and loved it, or heard that it was great, or were curious whether if it really was that good. The kind of gigs we were attracting with those boxes brought us up to another level.”
From the late 1990s to the present day, artist relations have also been of great importance. “An artist would come through and say to promoters, ‘Don’t shop around. We want these guys.’” Although they weren’t aiming directly for the touring market, business landed in Atomic’s lap because of relationships fostered with acts like Linkin Park, who asked Atomic to provide a sizeable Adamson rig for arena and shed tours for the last four years.
Typically, regional festivals are a mainstay of the business, Margolin notes, adding that they’ve become increasingly complex undertakings. “There’s a high level of patience and detail you have to apply and ever changing technical needs. Used to be you’d drop a couple of analog consoles out front and a couple in monitor world. Now it’s 10 different digital boards and a lot of guys are traveling with their own desks, so that changes it quite a bit.”
While Atomic has a comprehensive inventory of digital desks on offer – including models from Avid, Yamaha, and others – Margolin still appreciates analog consoles. “I was just hoping analog would stick around longer, and I still have some analog gear I’m keeping. I’m not going to sell it.”
New Directions
As the inventory and services expand, Margolin wants to ensure that the level of customer service Atomic provides keeps pace. Not because he feels they fall short in that department, but because, “I think we could always do better. I don’t want one unhappy customer.”
Although they built their reputation as a “rock and roll” company, the number of corporate projects they take on has also grown significantly. Their gear, and the level of detail they bring to bear on every project, he believes, makes them an ideal fit for such applications, and often they’ll partner with other production companies to provide the best possible service and equipment.
Margolin places a high value on the associations with those companies, stressing that when they work together they do so out of mutual respect and the desire to help one another. “To me, there’s an ethical line; we don’t cross it, we don’t get close to it. There’s no reason to. There’s plenty of work. When we’re subbing for another company, we’re not going in there wearing shirts that say ‘Atomic’ and passing out business cards,” he says. “We’re competitors, we bid on jobs against each other, but we respect each other.”
At times, he has contacted those competitors to let them know one of their customers has approached him. In some circumstances, when asked to, “we’ll walk away from it. We built this business on being straight with our customers and other companies.”
As Atomic has grown, Margolin’s role has changed substantially. “My responsibilities of turning knobs behind a mixing desk turned into sitting behind a desk and running the business.” Although he rarely does sound these days, however, he remains hands-on in the field as technical director/production manager for various event management clients.
Atomic team members (left to right) Mark Trepanier, George Perone, Vic Hess, Kristin and Kevin Margolin, and Mike Alcorn with some of the new Adamson E15 stock. (click to enlarge)
Atomic recently became the latest U.S. company to join the growing list of Adamson’s ongoing Project Energia beta partners, taking delivery of new E15 line source loudspeaker systems. While Atomic is a long-time Adamson user, Margolin notes that the performance of the E15 is “truly stunning. We’re also very excited to be a beta partner.”
Moving forward, the co-owners and their company team still base their decisions – whether related to expanding their services, client base, or inventory – on the most basic bottom line. “I’m a business guy, but I’m an audio guy and I’m not going to buy something just because it’s popular,” Margolin concludes. “At the end of the day, the guy sitting in the third row doesn’t care how long it took to hang the PA, or how lightweight it is, he just wants it to sound good, and so do I.”
Based in Toronto, Kevin Young is a freelance music and tech writer, professional musician and composer.
Celemony Melodyne Editing Software Awarded Technical Grammy
At the upcoming 54th annual Grammy Awards, the nod for Technical Grammy will go to Melodyne editing software from Celemony.
Since its release more than a decade ago, Melodyne has become a valuable tool for studio professionals, gaining recognition as one of the most powerful and unique audio editors available. PreSonus Studio One software is the only digital audio workstation software to fully and seamlessly integrate Melodyne into the program.
Producer and songwriter A.R. Rahman has called Melodyne a milestone in audio processing, saying, “Melodyne has completely changed how I record music. With Melodyne one can seamlessly correct out-of-tune notes in a piano track, change the chords in a harmonic accompaniment after it’s been recorded, or manipulate the timing within notes. The creation of music is enriched by this technology.”
PreSonus Studio One integrates Melodyne so tightly that it becomes essentially part of the program. Melodyne’s editing window opens within Studio One, and edits created in Melodyne can be immediately auditioned within Studio One, without cumbersome porting of files between the two programs.
“PreSonus has long recognized the unparalleled power Melodyne brings to audio editing, and we knew early on that integrating it into Studio One was a big part of creating the next generation of DAW software,” states Jim Odom, PreSonus co-founder, president and chief strategy officer. “We’re truly excited that the Recording Academy has recognized Celemony with this tremendous award, and we’re proud to be associated with such an innovative team.”
TELEFUNKEN Presents New Multi-Track Microphone Session Files (Includes Audio)
TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik is now offering access to multi-track recording sessions with a variety of musical artists.
The latest addition to the TELEFUNKEN multi-track session file series was recorded at Germano Studios during the 131st Audio Engineering Society Convention in New York City. Engineered by Germano Studios staff engineer Kenta Yonesaka through the studio’s SSL Duality console, with assistance from Brendan Morawski of TELEFUNKEN.
The artists featured during this recording session were songwriter Andrew Cole backed by female vocalist Chantel Upshaw, guitarist Lee Sylvester, drummer Bryan Kelly, bassist Bill Carleton, and pianist Tony Parlapiano. Cole’s original song “Dead Roses” is an acoustic folk-pop song with a breathy male lead vocal and a haunting female accompaniment.
Some of the highlights heard on these files feature several TELEFUNKEN classics employed for vocals. The ELA M 251, U48, C12, as well as the R-F-T AR-51 and CU-29 have become the norm for vocal duties on the multi-track session series. Unconventionally, a pair of R-F-T AK-47 MkII microphones were placed in direct comparison to a pair of the venerable classic C-12 in drum overhead duties.
Additionally, TELEFUNKEN premiered two proto-type models from the company’s line of dynamic range mics. The M82 specialized kick drum mic made its debut, along with the just released M81 instrumental microphone. Featuring a flatter frequency response, the M81 was employed for recording toms, and placed next to R-F-T series CU-29 “Copperhead” and AR-51s on electric guitar.
Also in less familiar microphone applications, a pair of ELA M 260 microphones was used to record an upright piano while a proto-type DI and R-F-T CU-29 made their first appearance in a bass recording application. To fill out the session, an R-F-T AR-70 stereo microphone expertly captured the overall room sound.
These files are available for download to the user’s favorite DAW system in 24-bit .WAV format at 44.1k sampling rate. All are welcome to not only audition these files, but to listen to and compare the various “multi-mic’d” scenarios while finding a textural mix balance that suits one’s particular personal sense of aesthetic.
“We encourage listeners to use these files to get familiar with the TELEFUNKEN product line and also fine tune their mixing skills,” says Alan Veniscofsky, director of operations.
Listen to Andrew Coles’ “Dead Roses,” recorded at Germano Studios in NYC.
Go here to learn more about the TELEFUNKEN Session Files.
Find out more about the Andrew Coles session here.
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