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Friday, June 12, 2009

Conan O’Brien & JBL Loudspeakers Make Their Debuts On “The Tonight Show”

“We designed a system to provide audio that met the standards of both live performance and television broadcast, configured to blend in seamlessly with the set design." - Jeff Peterson, Green Audio

From a new studio at Universal Studios Hollywood, Conan O’Brien recently made his debut as the new host of “The Tonight Show” on NBC Television, with Valencia, California-based ATK AudioTek supplying the sound reinforcement system serving the venue, including loudspeakers from several JBL Professional product series.

Jeff Peterson of Green Audio designed the system, which he notes had to be visually unobtrusive. “We designed a system to provide audio that met the standards of both live performance and television broadcast, configured to blend in seamlessly with the set design,” Peterson says.

The main sound system consists of left and right clusters that each contain four JBL VRX932LA-1 compact constant curvature array systems with one VRX918S subwoofer on top. A center cluster features three VRX932LA-1 loudspeakers.

The system is enhanced by a center array of two VERTEC VT4880A full-size arrayable subwoofers, and also includes two delay clusters flown 40 feet downstage from the main system, each containing two VRX932LA-1 loudspeakers.

Peterson’s system design features a unique approach to nearfield sound support, with a JBL Control 23 surface-mount speaker underneath every other audience seat in the theater for dialogue, creating an “under-seat” system of 178 individual speakers.

Each row in the under-seat system is treated as an individual zone for signal-delay purposes, time-aligned to the main PA so they can be used in tandem.

Onstage are 16 JBL SRX712M stage monitors for performers, four VRX915M stage monitors for drums, and two VT4881A compact arrayable subwoofer for the drum monitor system.

Crown I-Tech 4000 amplifiers power the PA system, with high-powered I-Tech 8000’s driving the subwoofers. Crown I-Tech 4000 amplifiers power the stage monitor system.

Signal processing for the entire audio system is accomplished via two BSS Soundweb London BLU 800’s, while the system is networked for remote control and monitoring with Harman HiQnet System Architect software.

Designed to meet the exacting needs of a leading television show while also providing a concert-quality experience for performers and audience alike, the system design and installation has won instant favor on the set. “The system sounds terrific,” Peterson said. “The JBL loudspeakers, from the line arrays to the under-seat models, were easy to install and configure, and provide reliability and consistency in this application.”

JBL Professional Website
Harman Professional Website

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Sennheiser Introducing K-Array Loudspeaker & Line Array Brand At 2009 InfoComm

The K-array line is comprised of thin, lightweight loudspeakers for a wide range of pro audio applications

Sennheiser Electronic Corporation will introduce K-array, the newest addition to its family of distributed brands, at InfoComm 2009 in Orlando. K-array is a manufacturer of PA loudspeakers and amplifiers with global headquarters in Florence, Italy, originally established in 1990 as an acoustic research and installation provider.

K-array now manufactures very thin, lightweight loudspeakers for medium to large-scale applications, including touring, events, installed sound, and broadcast.

“K-array has already generated an incredible amount of excitement in Europe and the Middle East, and we are very pleased to bring the brand on board in the North American market,” said Dawn Birr, product manager for K-array at Sennheiser Electronic Corporation. “Installed and live sound professionals will be very impressed with the space-saving designs, easy set-up, and sheer power of the entire K-array line.”

K-array installed sound audio components range from four inches deep all the way down to half an inch, while retaining an incredible amount of power and adaptability.

Installed models include the Vyper 3D line arrays, Tornado point-source loudspeakers and the Kobra series of ultra-slim 3D line arrays.

Meanwhile, the K-array Red Line delivers clear audio for concerts, conferences, parties and other functions. The adaptable and portable PA systems are only a couple of inches wide, yet can deliver full, rich sound to an audience of 1,000 people.

The line includes the KR100, KR200 two-way loudspeakers, and KL12 and KL18 ultra-light subwoofers. The KR speakers measure only a couple inches across, and the KL subwoofers weigh just over twenty-five pounds. With adjustable coverage and extreme portability, they represent the best possible solution for event audio..

The KH series is for larger touring and other live events, consisting of the KH4 two-way flat panel line array and KH15 two-way ultra-compact line array. Both are self-powered yet measure only six inches deep. The KH4 is ideal for long throw applications, such as arenas, while the KH15 is designed for medium throw applications, such as theaters, concert halls, and churches.

The KS series is extremely portable, and easy to fly or ground stack. The KS4 “figure 8” subwoofer is also small and weighs in at less than 85 pounds.

The KA series of Class D amplifiers address all the needs of high-end applications. Each amplifier is outfitted with on-board DSP, which provides perfect signal processing for all K-array products, as well as a broad selection of dedicated presets.

Rounding out the offerings for live sound applications are the Overbass series of self-powered subwoofers and the ultra-compact, high-output KM8 stage monitor. The KM8 enables accurate reproduction of both vocals and instruments with high gain before feedback, and can operate alone or in an array of multiple units.

Sennheiser USA Website

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

L-ACOUSTICS Appoints Peter Owen & Tim McCall To Sales Manager Positions

Owen previously worked for Harman’s UK distributor Arbiter, Martin Audio and Biamp; McCall has spent the last decade working for BSS and Turbosound

L-ACOUSTICS has appointed two new sales managers, with Peter Own handling Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, India and the Middle East, and Tim McCall serving southern Europe, Africa and Australasia/Oceania.

Owen previously worked for Harman’s UK distributor Arbiter, Martin Audio and Biamp. “I’ve always admired L-ACOUSTICS for their belief in finding the right partnerships, and not just closing the next sale,” he says. “The products have been at the leading edge for almost two decades now, and it takes something special to stay ahead of the game for that long.”

McCall, who has spent the last decade working for BSS and Turbosound respectively, notes, “I’m very excited by the opportunity to work for such a principled and technologically-driven company, and am looking forward to working with our partners – be they distributors, installers, rental companies or consultants – across a diverse territory, and I believe that my experience, L-Acoustics’ philosophy and products and our partners’ local knowledge is an unbeatable combination.”

Adds Jochen Frohn, L-ACOUSTICS’ director of business development, “Due to our expanding business, we’ve had to increase the number of sales staff. In Peter and Tim we have found what I would call ‘young veterans’ – two sales managers who’ve worked for many years with a worldwide customer base, with vast experience in touring and installed sound. They will be able to offer professional guidance and technical expertise to their clients, and both are perfectly suited to the cultural challenge of the positions. Last but not least, they are two personalities who fit perfectly into our team.”

L-ACOUSTICS Website

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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Big-Time Sound Reinforcement At 2009 Coachella & Stagecoach Festivals

A huge bill, a huge crowd, and a huge system... Actually, systems

The tenth annual (2009) Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival saw hundreds of performers across five stages, with a wide range of artists including Paul McCartney, Leonard Cohen, The Cure, The Killers and hip hop pioneers Public Enemy, among many others. 

It was followed by the growing Stagecoach Country Music Festival, held on the same beautiful desert location at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, CA (east of Los Angeles) and featuring top country artists such as Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, Brad Paisley, plus dozens of others. The two events offered performances by nearly 160 other artists packed into five collective days.

Attendance reports vary, but the aggregate attendance for both events is estimated to be about 250,000, with the three-day Coachella reporting about 160,000 (its second best ever) and the two-day Stagecoach accounting for the rest, reporting it’s highest attendance figure to date.

Paul Tollett, president of event promoter Goldenvoice, noted that the figures are good news for the concert industry. “Anyone that has a business in 2009 is just trying to make sure that you dodge a bullet,” he told The New York Times in the aftermath. “But this went beyond that. We’re super happy.”

Production Manager Kevan Wilkins is directly responsible for the operation and success of the production of Coachella and Stagecoach, as well as the safety of the 200,000-plus ticket holders. Part of the team since the second Coachella, he’s know for his vision, expertise and, most importantly, calmness under pressure.

At it has for nine of the past 10 years (and all three Stagecoach Festivals),  Rat Sound Systems provided sound reinforcement and support, this year serving all five stages (three for Stagecoach). This year, more than 30 members made up the sound team, headed up company President Dave Rat.

For the main stage, the company assembled a huge main stage system with twin line arrays comprised of 15 L-ACOUSTICS K1 enclosures topped by eight K1-SUB boxes and tailed by three dV-DOSC downfills. Additional arrays of eight K1 plus three dV-DOSC provided far left and right side coverage.

Low-end was delivered 32 SB28 subs arranged in cardioid stacks across the front of the stage. L-ACOUSTICS ARCS cabinets delivered nearfill, while stage monitoring was accomplished via 115XT HiQ wedges.

Two arrays of nine V-DOSC boxes each were flown out in the audience area as delays, and power for all systems was provided by numerous LA-RAK touring racks loaded with LA8 amplified controllers located under the stage.

More than 50 EAW MicroWedge Series MW12 stage monitors were employed over four Coachella stages, the largest outlay of MW units ever for a single event. “The MicroWedge is a great monitor under any circumstances, and I’m proud to have been intimately involved in its design,” stated Dave Rat. “It especially offers an advantage for festival sound because it’s plug-and-play. And the sound is great - it’s full range.”

Jon Monson, who heads up systems and tours for Rat Sound, appreciated the ease with which the large-scale K1 system could be flown, crediting its captive rigging facilities.

In addition to the K1 system used on the Coachella Stage (Mane Stage), Rat Sound specified L-ACOUSTICS systems for the two desert festivals’ other stages, including a V-DOSC/SB28 system at the Outdoor Theatre (Palomino), V-DOSC at the Sahara Tent (Mustang), and KUDO at the Mojave Tent.

“I cannot begin to say how excited I am about the response to our new PA. We knew the K1 system was great but this level of enthusiasm from all angles, was unexpected. It’s clean, it’s clear and it’s loud and the coverage is phenomenal,” Rat said. “There is just nothing else out there that can do what this system can do.”

“The response from Goldenvoice, the promoter of both festivals, has been pure positive as well,” he continued. “Not only did they notice the sonic difference, but I am told they are surprised at getting calls about how amazing the show sounded.”

Goldenvoice Production Manager Kevan Wilkins confirms this fact: “I was blown away when I heard that McCartney thought it was a great live sound,” he says. “As for me, personally, it was amazing.”

Be sure to take our Photo Gallery tour of a wide range of photos of the systems, gear and audio crew at the festival.

Coachella Sound Team:
1 Main Stage FOH Roz
2 Main Stage FOH Greg Nelson
3 Main Stage System Scott Sugden
4 Main Stage Mon Derek Van Ord
5 Main Stage Mon George
6 Main Stage Patch Master Mike Arnold
7 Main Stage Patch Matt Fox
8 Main Stage Wedges/Power Tyler Arnold
9 Main Stage Stripper Manny Perez (cable stripper that is)

10 Outdoor Theater Stage FOH Nick Brisbois
11 Outdoor Theater Stage FOH Jamie
12 Outdoor Theater Stage Mon Billy Flores
13 Outdoor Theater Stage Mon Jared
14 Outdoor Theater Stage Crew Chief/Patch Master Jim Jorgenson
15 Outdoor Theater Stage Patch Taka
16 Outdoor Theater Stage Patch Jason

17 Sahara Tent FOH Jim Lockyer
18 Sahara Tent Mon Chris Rymarz
19 Sahara Tent Crew Chief Ronnie
20 Sahara Tent Patch Kyle Rogan

21 Mojave Tent FOH Bryan Worthen
22 Mojave Tent Mon Steve Walsh
23 Mojave Tent Chief Neal
24 Mojave Tent Patch Phil Reynolds
25 Mojave Tent Patch Sara

26 Gobi Tent FOH Andy Turner
27 Gobi Tent Mon Johnny B
28 Gobi Tent Crew Chief LBC

29 Rat Sound Systems Coordinator - All Stages, Jon Monson
30 Festival Audio Consultant - Dave Rat

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JBL VERTEC And SOUND.COM Drive Ahead For Volkswagen’s New Factory Launch In India

The main event area in the factory was served by left/right main hangs of 12 VERTEC VT4887 compact line array elements and six VERTEC VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers

Volkswagen India has moved to ramp up its production in that region, with a factory launch at Chakan, outside of the city of Pune, one of India’s most prestigious corporate events of the season.

The new $766 million (U.S.) factory, expected to employ 2,500 workers at the plant by the end of 2010, is VW’s 61st in the world. Aman Anand and the events team of G2 Rams contracted Mumbai-based SOUND.COM to handle all technical audio services for the launch event at the new factory.

“The crew of SOUND.COM was only too happy to take on this challenge, knowing that success in this event would set a new benchmark for the sound industry to live up to,” noted SOUND.COM Managing Director Warren D’souza. “The entire industry wanted to see how well this event would be executed. This show needed to be flawless in the way it was sonically executed, and JBL loudspeakers gave us the edge we needed to achieve that.”

The main event area in the factory was served by left/right main hangs of 12 VERTEC VT4887 compact line array elements and six VERTEC VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers. SOUND.COM also used two VRX932LA center fills in the display area. A Soundcraft Vi6 digital mixing console was in use for the production.

Because the presentation stage set was completely white, SOUND.COM ordered white JBL Control Series 25AV-WH speakers to match the stage aesthetics. These loudspeakers were placed in specific locations in front and at the side of the stage to ensure proper coverage of the speeches delivered by VW President Jeorg Muller, and S.C. Jamir, the State Governor, along with other VIP’s at the event.

“The production had a sound level limit of 95 dB SPL, so loudness wasn’t an option,” explained D’Souza. “Hence, it was critical to be able to place speaker systems to achieve the best possible coverage in all zones, at low volumes. Apart from the main stage, our white speakers also found their way into the VIP rooms. Once installed, the speakers blended into the decor seamlessly.”

The project installation was completed at the new factory site four days before the main show, in order to conduct rehearsals and ensure that everything would run smoothly at showtime. SOUND.COM was also asked by G2 Rams to provide a tour guide sound system for the factory visit. The guide was equipped with a wireless headset on a transmitter, and all delegates had wireless bodypacks with earpieces so each person was able to clearly hear their own language in the factory environment.

Conducted in two languages, SOUND.COM used 20 channels for German, and 40 channels for the English language tour. “Providing professional audiology solutions and tour guide systems increases the menu of services we have to offer our clients,” noted Gilroy Valladares, who spearheaded this project for SOUND.COM along with Fali Damania.

JBL Professional Website

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Thursday, June 04, 2009

Sound & Lighting Design Chooses Martin Audio Line Arrays & Loudspeakers For New Chicago-Area Club

Local installer Sound & Lighting Designs was provided with a generous budget to equip the large 20,000 square-foot, two-story new build with the latest in audio, video, stage and club lighting

With three other successful clubs in Chicago’s Wrigleyville and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, the owners of the new John Barleycorn in Schaumburg, a suburb of Chicago, wanted to take it up several notches and offer their patrons the very best of everything.

Local installer Sound & Lighting Designs was provided with a generous budget to equip the large 20,000 square-foot, two-story new build with the latest in audio, video, stage and club lighting, as well as surveillance.

When it came to the critical choice of loudspeakers, owners Sam Sanchez and Michael Gonzalez were very involved. As Timothy Pickett, owner of Sound & Lighting Designs. recalls, “We shopped several brands and went to a Martin Audio demo, and the sound system just blew everybody away. Once the owners heard the loudspeakers, they told me, ‘this is what we want. Buy it.’”

John Barleycorn combines a huge restaurant space and satellite bars on the first floor with a club and live sound venue on the second floor.

The sound system on the first floor is designed to provide high quality audio without overwhelming the patrons. As Pickett describes it, “You come in the main entrance on the first floor and there’s a big bar area on the left with 16 Samsung plasma screens and 8 Martin Audio AQ8 loudspeakers throughout the room, with two (Martin Audio) AQ212 subs in the corners. The levels run a bit higher at the bar, but it sounds great.

“On the right,” Pickett continues, “is the dining area with seating and 16 more Samsung plasmas. We needed clarity and balanced reproduction without a lot of volume, so we put in 16 Martin Audio 8.1T Ceiling Series loudspeakers in four rows of four, along with four AQ112 subs built in under the seating booths.”

Across from the entrance, a large grand staircase leads upstairs. The staircase opens into another large room on the second floor with a 25 feet wide by 12 feet deep stage. Three main bars with seating and booths surround the stage with facilities to host up to 1,000 people.

The stage is used for live performances by national, local bands and DJs on Thursdays and Fridays, with nationally known DJs on Saturdays. According to Tim, “For video DJs, there’s a 150-inch HD screen behind the stage with a 5,000 lumen Eiki projector and 16 more plasmas spread around the room.

As to the sound system, “We have three Martin Audio W8LM line arrays, four each left and right, and three center above the stage, with the right and left stacks tilted out at 30-degree angles and the center array straight at the crowd.

“We chose W8LMs because they have such a wide horizontal throw and the room is a rectangle with the stage at the short end, so we needed something with real wide coverage. There are six WLX subs under the stage side by side coupled together, so there’s a stack for every array.”

The rest of the system consists of Crown amplification, an Allen & Heath GL2800 console, Klark Teknik, dbx and BSS processing, DWR-21 and ER-35 racks from Middle Atlantic Products, and Shure and Sennheiser mics.

“Everybody’s impressed with the sound,” Pickett concludes. “All of the DJs tell us it’s the best system they’ve ever played on. We get great reviews from bands and DJs; they say a lot of good things. They love the clarity and intelligibility of the sound plus the volume we can generate with the Martins.”

Martin Audio Website

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Meeting Services Elects To Deploy JBL VERTEC For Vice President Joe Biden At USS Ronald Reagan

“The versatility of JBL’s entire line of loudspeakers enabled us to utilize models from multiple JBL product lines to assemble the ideal sound reinforcement system for Vice President Biden’s speech." - Ken Freeman, Meeting Services

Meeting Services Inc of San Diego supplied the sound reinforcement system, which included JBL Professional VERTEC line arrays, VRX compact loudspeakers and SRX stage monitors, for a recent visit and speech by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden onboard the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, berthed on Coronado Island, California. 

The USS Ronald Reagan is a Nimitz-class nuclear powered super carrier, nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall, and recently completed a successful deployment that included humanitarian assistance in the Philippines and combat operations in Afghanistan. In his address, Biden commended about 1,500 crew members for their recent efforts and also announced a temporary expansion of a military homeowners assistance program.

The main sound reinforcement system provided by Meeting Services in support of the outdoor event featured two line array stacks, each containing five JBL VERTEC VT4888 midsize line array elements mounted on scaffold towers flanking the audience. Behind the stage, Meeting Services supplied four JBL SRX712M monitors, while four JBL VRX932LA 12-inch, compact constant-curvature loudspeakers and four smaller VRX928LA loudspeakers served as front fill.

“The versatility of JBL’s entire line of loudspeakers enabled us to utilize models from multiple JBL product lines to assemble the ideal sound reinforcement system for Vice President Biden’s speech,” said Ken Freeman, Technical Director, Meeting Services. “In high-profile events with a strong media focus such as this, reliability is every bit as important as quality, and JBL continues to consistently perform at a high level for a variety of live events and permanent installations.”

JBL Professional Website

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Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Britney Spears Tours U.S., Canada And Europe With Solotech & Meyer Sound

In addition to the loudspeaker complement, Meyer Sound’s system design, control and monitoring tools ensure system reliability

The current Britney Spears “Circus” tour brings an in-the-round extravaganza to arenas across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, with Montreal-based Solotech providing the tour’s sophisticated multimedia, lighting, and sound, including Meyer Sound line arrays, subwoofers and processing that provide consistent coverage across the arenas.

“Today’s audiences are quite sophisticated, and expect album-quality sound at every show, regardless of the venue’s acoustics or other variables,” observes Front Of House Engineer Blake Suib, whose previous tour credits include Madonna, Prince, Guns and Roses, and Annie Lennox.

“Meyer Sound has really been instrumental in providing the tools to achieve a seamless and cohesive sound to every seat of even the largest arenas.”

The 360-degree system begins with 64 MILO line array loudspeakers in four hangs of 16 cabinets each, along with two arrays of 16 MICA line array loudspeakers each.

Four more hangs of 12 M’elodie line array loudspeakers, along with four MSL-4 loudspeakers, complete the flown system.

A total of 32 Meyer Sound 700-HP subwoofers provide massive low-frequency power, with eight boxes under each end of the stage and a block of four at each of the arena’s four corners.

In addition to the loudspeaker complement, Meyer Sound’s system design, control and monitoring tools ensure system reliability for Suib.

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“One of the challenges of mixing in the round is that there’s a large part of the audience hearing a part of the system I’m not,” Suib says. “If something doesn’t sound right on the other side of the stage, I’m not going to hear it at FOH. But using Meyer Sound’s RMS remote monitoring system we can keep an eye on the performance of each component, so if something’s not right we can see it immediately.”

With a different venue nearly every night, Suib also relies on the MAPP Online Pro acoustical prediction program to configure the system.

“MAPP enables us to come up with an accurate representation of how the system will perform in that space. We use the Galileo loudspeaker management system to configure the system into different zones, each with its own equalization, time alignment, and performance characteristics.

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“The SIM 3 (audio analyzer) allows us to measure and tune the entire system. Tuning a system of this size would normally take hours, but with this system, and the help from the Solotech crew, we’re usually up in less than an hour.”

Suib uses multitrack recordings of each night’s show to fine-tune the system. “I’ve never been a big fan of sound checks,” he says. “It’s rare that the band plays with the same intensity as they do in a real show. I run the multitrack of the last show and use the Digidesign console’s Virtual Sound Check to do my final tweaks. I trust the performance of the Meyer Sound system, and the PA sounds great every night.”

Meyer Sound Website

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WorxAudio Technologies Line Arrays Deliver At University Of Tennessee Commencement

"We needed a system with solid vertical dispersion in addition to being able to provide broad horizontal coverage. Equally important, speech intelligibility was critical." - Scott Grimsley, Sound Ventures

The recent 2009 University of Tennessee in Knoxville commencement ceremony for graduates of its School of Arts & Sciences, held at the university’s Thompson-Boiling Arena, offered sound reinforcement by Knoxville-based Sound Ventures, which supplied a system headed by WorxAudio Technologies TrueLine line array loudspeakers.

Also at this year’s commencement, the university conferred a formal degree of a doctorate of humane and musical letters upon Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter,and philanthropist Dolly Parton for her dedication to education, young people,

The Thompson-Boiling Arena, which normally seats 20,000 spectators, was specially configured for a considerably more intimate 12,000 people—specifically the graduates, their families, and select guests. Scott Grimsley, President of Sound Ventures, oversaw the project and discussed the sound reinforcement challenges it presented.

“Being an arena, the seating was divided into the main floor and upper level areas,” explained Grimsley. “This meant we needed a system with solid vertical dispersion in addition to being able to provide broad horizontal coverage. Equally important, speech intelligibility was critical so that the various speakers—Ms. Parton, the university officers, and others—could be clearly understood no matter where one might be seated in the audience. For this type of application, we’ve had excellent results with the WorxAudio TrueLine line array products, so that’s what we decided to use for this project.”

The Sound Ventures crew flew two primary line array clusters over the main stage area. Each cluster consisted of 12 self-powered WorxAudio Technologies TrueLine V10 Touring line array elements. The TrueLine V10T-P is a three-way, high efficiency, line array loudspeaker incorporating a large format 3-inch compression driver for the high frequencies, dual 8-inch cone transducers for the mids, and dual 10-inch cone transducers in a vented enclosure for high energy bass.

These two primary array clusters were augmented with a pair of WorxAudio’s TrueLine X5T-P line arrays that were positioned at the left and right extreme edges of the stage and served as audience sidefills for those people seated on the very far sides of the audience area. The WorxAudio Technologies X5T-P is a self-powered loudspeaker system that incorporates five modules, each with a medium format, 1-inch exit compression driver for the high frequencies that is paired with dual 8-inch cone transducers.

Grimsley was equally enthusiastic about the self-powered design of the WorxAudio TrueLine equipment. “Having the power amps integrated right into the back of the enclosures is a huge plus,” he explained Grimsley. “This eliminates the need for lugging multiple racks of heavy power amplifiers and it also speeds up the cabling process. We run our multi-cable up with a breakout to power each individual box, send the signal, and we’re done. Further, this system’s truck pack is very efficient and without all those amp racks, we transport less weight, which reduces costs. It’s a win-win situation.”

The Sound Ventures crew used both EASE Focus acoustic simulation software as well as Smaart acoustic measurement and sound system optimization software. For stage monitoring, eight WorxAudio UltraMax M1-P floor monitors were distributed evenly across the stage.

Grimsley commented on the ease of setting up and configuring the WorxAudio equipment. “The TrueLine system has some of the best rigging hardware we’ve seen,” he noted.“Between the optimization software and the rigging hardware, our crew is able to fly this system in no time. The software tells us where the pins should go to achieve the right line array curvature, and the process of connecting the individual elements together goes very quickly.”

WorxAudio Technologies Website

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Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Community Loudspeakers Thrive In Devasco International’s Industrial Grade Environment

“We selected the Community product because it met our three biggest priorities: durability, versatility and performance." - David Scott, Devasco International

A short drive north of Houston, Devasco International in Tomball, Texas specializes in customized welding and metalworking solutions. With a large staff, a 62,000-square-foot warehouse, and plenty of industrial-grade machinery, it’s not among the quietest of environments.

Recently, the company installed a variety of Community Professional loudspeakers to handle a variety of sound reinforcement and paging needs throughout the facility. The loudspeakers were specified by Devasco Controller/Treasurer David Scott, who also holds a degree as an acoustical engineer.

Fourteen Community RMG200A voice range horns provide powerful paging capability in the main warehouse, delivering 94 dB of intelligible vocal output, where it overcomes the din of a busy machine shop. In the company’s training facility, a pair of Community SLS920 three-way louds deliver crystal clear music and voice performance for a wide range of corporate and training presentations.       

In the patio and balcony lounge areas, four Community WET W2-2W8 two-way weather-resistant loudspeaker systems accommodate both versatile music and paging duties, even in the face of Houston’s unpredictable weather and extreme humidity. Biamp Nexia DSP controls the warehouse and lounge systems, with QSC Audio amplification throughout.

“We selected the Community product because it met our three biggest priorities: durability, versatility and performance,” explains Scott. “For the warehouse, there was nothing that could match the RMG horns for sheer raw power and intelligibility.

“And for the outdoor areas, the WET Series is really the most weather-resistant speaker I’ve ever seen. The major league ballparks in the northeast use them, and if they can stand up to those winters, they can handle our Houston humidity.”

Scott also assembled a portable PA system headed by two Community R6-51 multi-driver arrays, utilized for events like parties and open houses, and also loaned to the city of Tomball and the area Chamber of Commerce.

Community Professional Website

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Monday, June 01, 2009

Indiana Church Features Next-Generation Sound Design Headed By Meyer Sound Constellation

Electroacoustic architecture works hand-in-glove with a collection of Meyer Sound loudspeakers to afford both flexibility and intimacy in creating harmonious aural experiences

The South Auditorium of Grace Community Church reveals a striking vision of what worship spaces of the future might look like—and sound like. Within this new, extraordinarily adaptable 1,650-seat space in suburban Indianapolis, Ind., a zero-level platform, reconfigurable wrap-around seating, and 360-degree theatrical lighting allow multiple visual and inter-relational effects.

Delivering sound for this space, Meyer Sound’s Constellation electroacoustic architecture works hand-in-glove with a collection of Meyer Sound loudspeakers to afford both flexibility and intimacy in creating harmonious aural experiences.

For Architect Kevin Callahan of Callahan Studios in Scottsdale, Ariz., the foundational design goal was to work with spatial relationships, color, images and sounds as fluid palettes for creating sensory environments to enable full congregational participation.

“Isn’t worship supposed to be participation, not merely a performance? I believe so, and that’s why I designed the architecture here as a giant, three-dimensional hug,” says Callahan. “Constellation supports that effect by allowing the congregation to sense their active participation.”

From the outset of the design process, Callahan collaborated on all aspects of acoustics and production technology with Vance Breshears and Jeff Miller of Sound Technology Consultants (STC) in El Cajon, Calif., as well as with the church’s Senior Pastor Dave Rodriguez and Senior Director of Production Daryl Cripe. The contractor was The Spectrum Group of Oklahoma City.

Older churches with highly reverberant acoustics foster a feeling of connectedness, observes Miller, but it has been largely sacrificed in multiuse houses of worship built over the last few decades.

“Rooms were made dead for voice intelligibility and amplified music, but for the congregation it was like singing into a pillow. By switching on Constellation we can bring back the experience of a community worshipping together, while switching it off provides optimum acoustics for amplified music.”

The second main benefit of Constellation, as noted by Cripe, is the capability to tailor the room’s acoustics with multiple presets for any style of music. “We do everything. In one service we can have a full-on rock set, then classical style strings, and a choir. We go all over the board, which is why we love what Constellation will do for us.”

Constellation electroacoustic architecture creates natural acoustical ambiences through carefully balanced and selective enhancement of early reflections and later room reverberation.

At Grace Community Church, the Constellation system comprises a primary communications processor and four VRAS processors. Room reverberation zones are allocated for the left, center, and right sections of the room, and a fourth VRAS processor generates early reflections from the stage to the house.

The system employs a total of 30 microphones and 89 Meyer Sound loudspeakers positioned on walls and overhead. Loudspeaker models used include 57 of the tiny MM-4XP miniature loudspeakers, 16 compact UPM-1P loudspeakers, and six UMS-1P subwoofers.

The main system required exceptional flexibility in design, as it must support use of the room in multiple configurations, including temporary proscenium and in-the-round. The digitally cross-matrixed LCR system features four CQ-1 and nine CQ-2 loudspeakers as the main cabinets, with 14 UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers for the delay ring and six M1D-Sub subwoofers for low-frequency support.

“It was our desire from the beginning to have an all-Meyer system,” states Cripe, “and over the months since opening, the performance has been flawless.”

Though he has received numerous compliments on the quality and clarity of the main PA, Cripe has noticed—to his satisfaction—that few in the congregation seem to be aware of the enhancements from Constellation.

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“It doesn’t sound artificial or electronic, and the effect is absolutely natural for the dimensions of the room,” he observes. “Yet people tell us that they can hear things better, that they enjoy the congregational singing more, that they feel energized by their participation. That lets us know it’s working great.”

For Callahan, the integral role of Constellation at Grace Community Church sets the stage for even more creativity and congregational participation. “Total adaptability in worship is what the next generation will be seeking to explore,” he predicts.

“The Constellation system actually affords the adaptability in the sonic domain. In the future, any time the creative arts team says we want to do this or that with sound, chances are they will be able to do it, thanks in large part to Constellation.”

Meyer Sound Website

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Bose Introduces L1 Compact Portable Line Array Loudspeaker System

The L1 Compact system features an integrated low-frequency enclosure and combines the amplifier, monitor, PA, mixer and EQ into a complete audio system

Bose Professional Sound has introduced the new L1 Compact portable line array system, the latest addition to the Bose L1 product line. It will be on display at the Bose booth (number 6185) at the upcoming 2009 InfoComm show in Orlando.

The new L1 Compact system features an integrated low-frequency enclosure and combines the amplifier, monitor, PA, mixer and EQ into a complete audio system ready for simple connection to an instrument, microphone, MP3 player, computer or other audio device. It continues the legacy of the original Bose Cylindrical Radiator loudspeaker—the product to first introduce the company’s unique approach to live music amplification.

The L1 Compact system features a 14-inch line array and offers two setup configurations: extended (68 inches tall) for larger venues or collapsed (17 inches tall) for smaller venues, where it can be placed on a table or other elevated surface.

Proprietary Bose Spatial Dispersion loudspeaker technology helps foster wide, uniform sound coverage across the stage and throughout the audience, even at the extreme sides, while built-in Bose ToneMatch signal processing can be used to optimize the sound of an instrument or microphone.

Two ToneMatch circuits are included: channel one is designed for a dynamic handheld microphone, and channel two includes a ToneMatch preset designed for an acoustic guitar. Other instruments and audio devices also can be used simultaneously via channel two, through a line-level audio output.

The L1 Compact system is fully compatible with the separately available Bose T1 ToneMatch audio engine, which provides an extensive library of ToneMatch presets, custom EQ capability with proprietary Bose zEQ, and a suite of effects and processing.

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Along with the XLR microphone and 1/4-inch instrument inputs, the L1 Compact system offers two inputs. The 1/8-inch stereo input allows for connection to MP3 players, computers, satellite radios or any device with a line-level audio output. The RCA stereo input accommodates DVD/CD players, VCRs and DJ mixers.

The L1 Compact portable line array system carries a list price of $999 and is available direct from Bose and through Guitar Center retail stores, Musician’s Friend online and select
independent retailers nationwide.

Bose Professional Sound Website

 

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Madema SpA Supplies JBL VERTEC Powered Line Arrays To Serve 1 Million At Primo Maggio Festival

As it has for the past several years, Madema exclusively handled all concert sound reinforcement duties for Primo Maggio, with the company’s sound system design featuring 127 VERTEC system enclosures

Italian audio system provider Madema SpA deployed a large, multi-array JBL Professional VERTEC system for the recent Primo Maggio festival in Rome, and annual public event that commemorates the Italian Labor Day.

Held in Rome’s Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, the temporary stage for Primo Maggio is traditionally set up in front of the historic Basilica of St. John Lateran, the first church to be built in Rome, with original construction dating to 313 A.D

This year’s event drew a crowd estimated at more than 1 million spectators, largely due to the special appearance by popular rock singer Vasco Rossi. Other featured performers included Edoardo Bennato, Alessandro Mannarino, Robben Ford, Caparezza and Subsonica, with the event present 30 different bands in total. The event was broadcast live throughout Europe on RAI to another estimated 4 million.

As it has for the past several years, Madema exclusively handled all concert sound reinforcement duties for Primo Maggio. The company’s event sound system design featured a total of 127 VERTEC system enclosures.

The main PA system was formatted as a left-right configuration of 18 enclosures per side, comprising VT4888DP-AN midsize powered line array elements with DrivePack technology, with three additional VT4888DP-AN line array elements provided for front fill. The main arrays were each flanked by 12 VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers, flown in arced companion arrays.

For additional low-frequency reinforcement, 24 VT4880A ultra-long excursion ground-based subwoofers were spaced along the front of the stage.

All non-powered subwoofers were driven with Crown Macro-Tech MA5000VZ power amplifiers, and a total of 700,000 watts of peak power was available for the overall system.

The Madema team utilized Harman HiQnet System Architect software for configuration and control of the system. This user-interface platform gave complete access to onboard DSP and amplification channels across the entire system of nearly one hundred networked devices, whether traditionally-powered passive subwoofers or internally-powered full-range speaker arrays.

To reach additional listeners in the spacious, 40,000 square-meter (430,000 square feet) listening area and surrounding boulevards, Madema also set up four delay towers of 14, 12, 8 and 6 VT4888DP-AN line array elements.

With such a huge crowd, an asymmetrical audience area, and placement constraints due to the plaza’s historical architectural features, the largest delay tower had a throw requirement of nearly 200 meters (660 feet), a challenge for any loudspeaker system. Madema’s equipment selection and system design approach met the challenge.

“I simply love JBL,” offered Davide Micheli, Madema’s Event and Technical Manager for Primo Maggio, upon hearing the entire multi-array VERTEC DP system during pre-show testing.

Micheli was assisted onsite by a group of the company’s key technicians, including System Engineer Carmelo Carlaccini and FOH Engineer Gianmario Lussana, who was responsible for assisting sound mixers for bands on the show.

Madema’s Stefano Brugiotti managed wireless radio-frequency systems, Luca Molinari was in charge of the complex stage monitor system, and Moreno Zamperini of Audio Equipment handled user-interface and network management issues.

“Massive, large-scale outdoor entertainment events like Primo Maggio challenge the skills of any rental sound company and crew,” noted David Scheirman, Vice President, Tour Sound for JBL Professional. “With this event, Davide Micheli and his team of audio professionals have clearly shown why Madema has earned its reputation as one of the Mediterranean region’s premier concert sound system providers.”

JBL Professional Website

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Innovation Productions Chooses Martin Audio For Tourist Trophy Races

First high-profile workout for W8LC arrays & MA5.2K amplifiers at nightly Isle of Man Festival concerts

Innovation Productions, a leading U.K. hire company, is now utilizing line array technology for the first time, giving prominence in their rental fleet to a new Martin Audio W8LC system and control.

Managing director Andrew Pygott purchased 16 of the mid-high enclosures, along with eight WS218X subs and a pair of DX2 processors, based on recommendation.

Innovation has also configured the drive racks to accommodate six new Martin Audio MA5.2K amplifiers, with an MA12K driving the bottom end.

These recently introduced power amplifiers provide an exceptional amount of power in one rack space making for extremely compact racks; as a result, Innovation will only need one per side rather than the traditional two or three for a system of this power.

According to Pygott, the system was purchased as soon as the company was informed that it had the contract to supply sound reinforcement for this year’s Isle of Man Tourist Trophy motorcycle races in early June.

Each night a concert will be staged in the Villa Marina Gardens in Douglas featuring Whitesnake, the main headliner during the week-long festival, which will provide the W8LCs with their first serious test.

While Innovation Productions will rig its entire complement of loudspeakers for the occasion (in two hangs of eight), the purchase also allows different configurations to be fielded for conferences and awards dinners, depending on the size of the event.

In addition to the versatility of the W8LCs, Pygott confirms the fast rig/derig attributes of the system, the ease of use and versatility of DISPLAY, Martin Audio’s proprietary optimization software, and AudioCore remote PC control software also aided the decision.

“We are delighted with the purchase because it gives us so many different options,” he concludes.

Martin Audio Website

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

SE Systems Backs 22nd Annual MerleFest With NEXO & Yamaha - Photo Gallery Added

"The (NEXO) GEO D was well-balanced, evenly spread, and wide and high across the area of coverage." - Boban Petrovic, SE Systems

Held recently on the grounds of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, MerleFest celebrated its 22nd year with four days of music across 11 stages: Americana, Austin Songwriting, Cabin, Creekside, Dance, The Pit, Watson, Walker Center, Hillside, Little Pickers, and The Lounge, with a couple of ‘just get up and pick’ stages.

Spearheaded by ‘B’ Townes from Wilkes Community College and ‘Doc’ Watson in memory of his son, guitar picker Eddy Merle Watson who died 24 years ago, the festival again chose SE Systems of Greensboro and Charlotte, N.C to provide production audio, lighting, staging, and recording.

“We’ve been with the Festival from the very beginning,” states Cliff Miller, President of SE Systems. “This year’s festival saw over 100 acts take the stages including Watson, Travis Tritt, Jerry Douglas, Linda Ronstadt, Sam Bush, Emmylou Harris, the Waybacks, Cadillac Sky, David Bromberg, The Steeldrivers, just to name a few.”

Miller chose a combination of Yamaha and NEXO products for the two largest stages, Hillside and Creekside. NEXO GEO D line arrays, two Yamaha PM5D-RH digital consoles, six NEXO GEO S1210 monitors for side fill, eight NEXO PS15 floor wedges, and four PS-10 for front fill were used at the Hillside stage.

Festivalink, which offers high-quality audio downloads of festival performances, utilized an ADK LYVE Tracker for recording at the Hillside Stage. Yamaha T5n amplifiers were also used on both stages.

Meanwhile, the Creekside stage was served by a pair of Yamaha M7CL-48 consoles using six Yamaha AD8HRs with an NAI-48 on stage connected via EtherSound, as well as three arrays of NEXO GEO S1210 and S1230 loudspeakers and NEXO PS10s for front fill.

“MerleFest is always a challenge for the sound system and the front of house engineer due to the mix of mostly acoustic instrumentation and a lot of open vocal and instrument mics within a very limited space,” explains Boban Petrovic of SE Systems, who served as front of house engineer at the Hillside Stage.

“I’ve been working at the Hillside Stage for eight years and have dealt with various speaker systems, gaining experience and learning the strong and weak points of the systems, and then adjusting them for MerleFest needs,” adds Petrovic. “This year I was faced with a completely new system: the NEXO GEO D, which I hadn’t heard before. When you don’t have the opportunity to compare two systems side by side, my approach is to see how fast and how well you are able to make them work in a given circumstance, and of course, to my subjective judgment. 

“Well, I was surprised and impressed with the results. Not only did it take a relatively short time to do basic EQ, but also the reproduced music was at an exceptional clarity,” Petrovic continues. “The GEO D was well-balanced, evenly spread, and wide and high across the area of coverage. What impressed me most were the vocals; beautifully defined, warm and full-bodied. The acoustic instruments had great intelligibility and separation. The NEXO system showed very high analytical character, and the low end never muddied or masked the upper range of vocals.”

Petrovic also notes that the transient response of the low end drivers were the “best he’s heard” and the cardiod pattern solved a problem presented by one of the sets.

“The non-directional bass was a problem for performers on the stage and I was forced to lower sub-levels at FOH,” he notes. “Using the NEXO cardiod subs, I was able to satisfy complaints about too much low end at the stage. I couldn’t believe how little low end spill was on the sides and rear of the cabinets. The audience is the final judge and they had nothing but praise, which is always music to my ears. The GEO D was love at first sight.”

Yamaha & NEXO Website
SE Systems Website

Take our Photo Gallery Tour for more images from this year’s MerleFest

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