Article

Friday, July 03, 2009

Top-Flight Sound Reinforcement For A Raucous Week Of Concerts At Arizona’s Annual Cyclefest

Pro Production Services handles the wild ride by combining experience and top components to serve a week of live performances by a roster of A-list artists

Fifty weeks out of the year, WestWorld in Scottsdale, Arizona is an equestrian center and special events facility, but during Arizona Bike Week (ABW), held in early April of this year, the ABW Cyclefest turns WestWorld into a raucous concert venue.

A 27,000 square-foot tent is erected on the premises and dubbed the HandleBar Saloon, and it’s where the majority of the concerts take place during Bike Week.

Arizona Bike Week, which actually spans 10 days, is an annual event that has taken place for the past 13 years in the territory in and around the city of Scottsdale and is the fourth-largest bike festival in the country.

Pre-Rally Days, the five days leading up to Cyclefest, also features concerts, rides and events – including the coronation of Miss Arizona Bike Week – that take place at various towns in the area. This year Pre-Rally Days started off with a concert staged at Chester’s Harley-Davidson in Mesa by the Charlie Daniels Band.

Pro Production Services has been handing production for ABW Cyclefest since 2004, and the Tempe-based company maintains a pretty diverse client base covering everything from fairs and festivals to corporate shows and even events for the White House.

Donovan Mote, director of operations for Pro Production Services out of their Phoenix office, relied on EAW KF750 loudspeakers and BH760 subwoofers driven by Crown I-Tech Series amplifiers to provide the wide horizontal coverage needed for the tent, as well as satisfy rider requirements for the bands coming through. This year’s lineup featured performances by hometown group the Gin Blossoms, Blackfoot, Eddie Money, and Cheap Trick, as well as performances by local bands.

Faced with the physical challenges of staging a large scale production in a tent, Mote has tried various configurations opting this year to go with ground stacked mains positioned in front of a 40- by 40-foot stage, expanded up this year from a 40- by 32-foot stage to satisfy set requirements for Cheap Trick. Crown I-Tech amps provided the power, and Rational Acoustics Smaart was employed by Mote primarily for time alignment of the system.

At front of house and monitors, both analog and digital consoles were represented. “This year we had a Midas XL200 (analog) at front of house, which is kind of our festival workhouse,” Mote says. “It’s really easy to use. There’s not always a lot of time for sound checks and there are charity raffles and things like that that happen in the tent where the concerts occur as well, so something that is really familiar to everyone is pretty important.”

A Midas Heritage 3000 (analog) console was provided for monitors, while Yamaha M7CL digital consoles were situated at both house and monitors. Mote continues, “It’s really kind of an ideal scenario for us, some bands prefer to work on the M7CL because they already had the cards or were more familiar with the console, so we were able to provide the headlining acts what ever they wanted to use.”

Both 12- and 15-inch Radian MicroWedges (the original Dave Rat design that the new EAW monitors of the same name are based upon) were employed on stage, again powered by Crown I-Tech Series, though as Mote recalls, “Several of the acts had in-ears, and we provided some. We used the Shure PSM 700s and the PSM 600s for hard-wired, and Cheap Trick brought out their own set.

“We just picked up Crown I-Tech 4000s for the monitor amp rig and that was the first time we used them all networked. It’s really nice to be able to set up a custom panel and see the status of all the amplifiers and know how much headroom you have.”

“I’ve got our laptops set up so I can monitor all of the (Harman Pro Group HiQnet) System Architect devices, and in this case, it’s the I-Tech Series and a dbx 4800 DriveRack at house,” he continues. “I can also monitor all the wireless systems, and I also have it so I can run either of the M7CLs remotely from the laptop, walking through the crowd making mix adjustments and so forth. To be able to do all that from one laptop is pretty cool.”

The microphone selection is diverse, including AKG C414s and Neumann KM 184s, Shure KSM 9s and a standard selection of Shure SM58s and SM57s. Sennheiser e908s handled toms with Sennheiser 421s for other drum needs.” We just bring out basically two full mic packages and they’ll have pretty much anything that they could want to choose from,” says Mote.

In addition to sound reinforcement, Pro Production Services also provided all staging, lights, video, and backline, with Mote explaining, “More and more these days clients want to have company that they can make one phone call to and have most of their needs, if not all of them, met. So we’ve been trying to diversify our business model to accommodate that.”

He estimates that 50,000 people attended the five days of Cyclefest. “This year there were two other really large festivals that were the exact same time frame, and I hear reports from the other two as well as Bike Week that the numbers were as high as ever and in some cases higher. So while the economy is affecting a lot of people, we’ve been real lucky.”

(Be sure to check out our accompanying PSW Photo Gallery to see a wide range of images of the system, gear and people at Arizona Bike Week/Cyclefest)

Arizona Bike Week Equipment List

Front of House Consoles
Midas XL200
Yamaha M7CL-48

Front of House Processing
Yamaha SPX-2000
Yamaha SPX-990
TC Electronic D-2
BSS DPR-404
dbx 1066
dbx 1074

Front of House Drive
dbx DriveRack 4800
Klark Teknik DN360
Shure P4800

Front of House Loudspeakers
EAW KF750/755
EAW BH760
EAW JF80
Mackie SRM450 (vendor area public address)

Front of House Amplifiers
Crown I-Tech Series

Monitor Consoles
Midas H3000
Yamaha M7CL-48

Monitor Processing
BSS DPR-404
BSS DPR-504
Yamaha SPX-990

Monitor Drive
Klark Teknik DN360

Monitor Amplifiers
Crown I-Tech Series

Monitor Loudspeakers
Radian MicroWedge
EAW KF600i
EAW SB250
EAW SB1000
Buttkicker
Shure PSM 700 wireless IEM
Shure PSM 600 wired IEM

Microphones
Shure UHF-R wireless
Shure
Sennheiser
AKG
Audio-Technica
Neumann

Miscellaneous
Motion Labs Distro
Rational Acoustics Smaart
Harman HiQnet System Architect

Mark Johnson has been involved with audio and video for more than 35 years, including production, manufacturing and writing for various publications.

{extended}

Crown Expands Range Of CDi Series Of Fixed Installation Amplifiers With New CDi 6000

The CDi 6000, like the other amplifiers in the series, has the ability to run both low-impedance two-, four- and eight-ohm loads as well as 70- and 140-volt outputs

Crown Audio introduced the CDi 6000 amplifier, the fourth amplifier in the CDi Series, at the 2009 InfoComm show in Orlando.

“The CDi 6000 provides an unmatched combination of processing, power and a competitive price that makes it the clear leader in its class. The new CDi 6000 is a reflection of our commitment to providing integrators with the greatest range of options for power and scalability for the challenges that each individual installation presents,” stated Brian Divine, director of marketing for touring and installed sound for Crown.

The CDi 6000, like the other amplifiers in the series, has the ability to run both low-impedance two-, four- and eight-ohm loads as well as 70- and 140-volt outputs. 

The amp also features 20 available presets that can be recalled at the touch of a button. All CDi amplifiers can be controlled and configured through Harman HiQnet System Architect.   

All CDi Series amplifiers feature an intuitive front panel LCD display that guides installers through their configurations. All amps in the CDi series also offer onboard DSP for loudspeaker signal processing. 

Other features include a switch-mode universal power supply, useful function indications, proportional-speed fan-assisted cooling, removable Phoenix-style inputs, as well as barrier strip outputs for 70V/100V/140V loads.

Equipped with Crown’s extremely light and efficient universal switch-mode power supply, each of the four CDi models weigh only 19 pounds and can be conveniently and reliably run off of a standard 15-amp outlet.

Power output ratings on the CDi 6000:
• 3000W per channel at two ohms
• 2100W per channel at four ohms
• 1200 per channel at eight ohms
• 2500 per channel at 70V
• 6000W in bridge-mono mode at four ohms
• 5000W in bridge-mono mode at 140V

Crown Audio Website
Harman Professional Website

(Be sure to visit PSW’s 2009 InfoComm New Product Gallery.)

{extended}

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Fishman Marks Successful InfoComm Debut With Solo Performance Portable PA System

Designed to be carried in one hand and provide instant set up, the Solo Performance System features two XLR and quarter-inch input channels with three-band EQ, phantom power and high-quality preamps that accept a wide range of input sources—from acoustic instruments to microphones and line level sources.

Fishman Amplification’s first appearance at InfoComm for the 2009 show in Orlando saw the company unveil the new Solo Performance System, which weighs less than 25 pounds and provides a versatile all-in-one portable P.A.

The Solo Performance System is based on a compact line array loudspeaker design that provides wide horizontal dispersion and deeper sound penetration than traditional point source systems and amplifiers.

With this system, solo performers can project their presentations with a full, wide sound (150-degree horizontal, 40-degree vertical dispersion).

It comes with a digital (Class D) power amplifier capable of producing 220 watts (115 dB SPL Max @ 1 meter), the system features six 4-inch ultra-high excursion drivers, a 1-inch soft dome neodymium tweeter, and servo power amp implementation that eliminate the need for subwoofers. Frequency response is specified at 80 Hz - 20 kHz.

Designed to be carried in one hand and provide instant set up, the Solo Performance System features two XLR and quarter-inch input channels with three-band EQ, phantom power and high-quality preamps that accept a wide range of input sources—from acoustic instruments to microphones and line level sources.

Each channel also offers independent reverb level, effect loop, mp3 inputs, and phase and notch filters to fight feedback.

Other useful features include four digital reverb effects; Monitor Input/Output for onstage ensemble monitoring, an Auxiliary stereo input with level control; Balanced XLR D.I. outputs for both channels, plus main mix; a set-break Mute button and universal voltage for worldwide operation.

The Solo Performance System ships complete with a padded carry bag and stand.

Fishman Amplification Website

(Be sure to visit PSW’s 2009 InfoComm New Product Gallery.)

{extended}

SurgeX Partners With IAG For International Manufacturing & Distribution

In North America, Electronic Systems Protection (ESP) of Zebulon, NC continues to helm the brand

International Audio Group Ltd. (IAG), the parent company of Wharfdale, Quad, Mission and several other professional audio, lighting and hi-fi brands, will now be manufacturing and distributing SurgeX products globally, with the exception of North America, where Electronic Systems Protection, Inc. (ESP) of Zebulon, NC continues to helm the brand.

“It is our mission to provide consultants, contractors and end users with the finest quality, most technologically sophisticated products on the market, and SurgeX is certainly no exception,” says IAG Managing Director Daniel Chang. “When it comes to power, nothing on the market surpasses the brand’s level of protection, and we have no doubt that this alliance will both greatly expand SurgeX’s global business and be highly beneficial to professional and residential integrators worldwide.”

SurgeX Founder and Senior Principal Michael McCook states, “SurgeX and IAG have been working closely on expanded technology development and new products in the global marketplace for several years now and I am confident that this partnership will finally bring SurgeX’s superior technology solutions to the entire world.”

With regard to the ways in which IAG will be internationally developing the SurgeX brand, Chang comments, “Development and production of expanded SurgeX products for the global market will be swift. Along with the rapid availability of existing SurgeX form factors, such as standalone and hardwired styles, customers can expect to see network addressable sequencers and UPS units.

“SurgeX technology will also be brought into the custom residential market in an elegant product form. Further, our IAG Yachting division will be utilizing SurgeX in all of its sensitive electronic applications and specific products suited for the marine market that will be produced beginning in 2010.”

SurgeX Website
IAG Website

{extended}

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

SurgeX Appoints Sound Vision & Online Marketing As Manufacturers Representatives

Sound Vision Marketing now represents SurgeX in Florida and Puerto Rico; Online Marketing services the brand in several states

SurgeX has appointed Sound Vision Marketing and Online Marketing/CRM as its newest independent manufacturers representatives.

Effective immediately, Florida-based Sound Vision Marketing now represents SurgeX in Florida and Puerto Rico, while Online Marketing/CRM of Wadsworth, Ohio services the brand throughout Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and Michigan.

“We are pleased to partner with Online,” says SurgeX Northern Regional Sales Manager Martin Dornfeld. “It is an excellent organization and I expect great things from this partnership.”

SurgeX Eastern Regional Sales Manger Scott Saltzman adds, “Sound Vision Marketing is very well respected and has extensive relationships with key integrators, consultants and end users. I am excited to work with SVM and look forward to educating its customers about the technology behind SurgeX.”

For more information regarding the two firms, please visit their respective Web sites at www.soundvisionmarketing.com and www.onlinerep.com.

SurgeX Website

{extended}

Middle Atlantic Debuts IsoCenter Rackmount Isolation Transformer System at 2009 InfoComm

The energy-efficient IsoCenter system consumes only 9 watts at idle

At 2009 InfoComm, Middle Atlantic Products introduced the new IsoCenter Rackmount Isolation Transformer system, which is engineered to enhance AV performance by eliminating many issues related to power and grounding.

The IsoCenter system is comprised of an energy saving high-efficiency shielded isolation transformer, control electronics and a dedicated load center, all housed in a compact 4-space (7-inch) chassis.

This integrated design reduces the labor and expense of installing multiple components. While typical isolation transformers consume 93 watts at idle, the energy-efficient IsoCenter system consumes only 9 watts at idle.

The IsoCenter system attenuates high frequency noise and voltage transients, performs auto shut down when safety ground integrity is compromised, and ensures over/under voltage protection, all without degrading power quality.

In addition, the system provides all 120-volt output circuits with the same phase to eliminate noise from cross-phase leakage. Superior electrical isolation is maximized by the rackmount design, which enables the use of shorter ground wire lengths, making the AV system even less susceptible to current-induced noise.

The unit enables the use of lighter gauge feeder wire, which saves on copper costs, and its magnetic leakage is negligible which allows placement within the rack.

An additional benefit is the inaudible sound level, unlike the loud buzzing of conventional transformers. The system also features an innovative rear support design.

The IsoCenter system is backed by a 10-year warranty.

Middle Atlantic Website

.
(Be sure to visit PSW’s 2009 InfoComm New Product Gallery.)

{extended}

Monday, June 22, 2009

New Powersoft D-Cell 504 Power Amplifier Module Debuts At 2009 InfoComm

A key feature of D-Cell504 is its versatility due to the ability of the power supply to drive two amp units

At 2009 InfoComm in Orlando, Powersoft Advanced Technologies debuted its new D-Cell504 amplifier module that combines the advantages of its patented switch mode power supply and fixed frequency PPM-PWM modulation technologies into one product featuring Class-D technology.

The stereo amp unit can deliver up to 350W at 4 Ohms per channel in SE mode, or 700W at 8 Ohms in bridged mode. The unit features six different types of protections, load monitoring for transducer diagnostics and an optional 2in/4out SigmaDSP processor (only one DSP is needed to manage two amp units), easily programmable with Analog Devices’ SigmaStudio.

A key feature of D-Cell504 is its versatility due to the ability of the power supply to drive two amp units. This allows the user to easily power simple bi-amped systems, stereo or mono loudspeakers as well as complex multistage systems, subwoofer and satellites or three-way loudspeakers.

Powersoft is also releasing D-Cell in a completely new “integrated system” representing an incredibly compact and “ready-to-play” solution with up to four output channels in 100x330x110 mm of space.

Up to three units (one power supply and two stereo amplifiers) can be hosted on a single chassis (only 100x330 mm in its default shape), performing thermal dissipation and including mains connection, an interface panel with XLR balanced stereo inputs or input plus direct output, LEDs for signal presence, input clipping, limiter and temperature protection, as well as preset selection push button, preset selection LED, and connector to program the DSP with the module already mounted in the cabinet.

Power Factor Correction (PFC) built into the D-Cell504 provides consistent high-quality sound (the input voltage level is always controlled to give stable and optimal output performance), worldwide AC compatibility with operating range from 90 to 265 VAC and an over-voltage tolerance up to 400 VAC, and high reliability.

With more than 90 percent of efficiency, PFC yields the benefit of superior performance with reduced energy for equivalent power output saving energy and reducing carbon footprint.

Powersoft Website

(Be sure to visit PSW’s 2009 InfoComm New Product Gallery.)

{extended}

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

InfoComm 2009, Day 1: Back To The Future

Big new developments that feature some old-school philosophy at a very busy first day of InfoComm

The Expo portion of InfoComm 2009 at the Orlando Convention Center is underway, so let’s dive right into a very busy and interesting day one of the show.

This morning I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rich Zwiebel. Ever heard of Rich? If not, let me take this opportunity to note that Mr. Zwiebel has made a profound difference in the lives of many audio professionals for more than 20 years with trailblazing technologies such as MediaMatrix and CobraNet. And he’s not done yet, by any means, as evidenced by the roll-out of the new QSC Audio Q-Sys.

Here’s Q-Sys in a nutshell: it is a completely integrated sound system platform extending from audio input through to the loudspeakers, and along the way, it supplies all audio routing, processing, control and monitoring necessary for any sound reinforcement system. And then some… Get the salient details here.

Rich was very generous in sharing with me his observations on the way the technology has evolved as he’s gone along. An early inspiration came more than two decades ago, when he wanted to develop a mix-minus capability in a very large (more than 50 mics) system. This started with taking a large-format analog console and going through the arduous process of adapting it to the application. It worked, but obviously, something more streamlined, efficient and providing far more capabilities was the goal.

Another influence was his design of a sound reinforcement system for the then-new Georgia Dome in Atlanta about 20 years ago, which deployed a very early iteration of Crown IQ control and monitoring of the system power amplifiers. (I had the pleasure of meeting Rich for the first time on that project, and to my everlasting “thanks” still remember him leading me on a crawl around the catwalks at the top of the dome, blazing hot and a couple hundred feet above the surface.)

Several aspects of that project came into play that moved his mind along, but chief among them was the shear amount of cabling it took to link the entire thing together. In fact, he notes that the budget for wire, cable and installation easily matched that of the entire rest of the system. Cue the development of leading-edge digital system control and networking and audio and data transport that ensued.

.

Yet it’s actually been a full circle process now with the introduction of Q-Sys, Rich notes. Back in the day (before digital), the first priority and emphasis was sound quality. In the ensuing years, rapid advancements on the digital front did wonders for functionality, infrastructure, convenience, repeatability, reporting, control and a myriad of other aspects, but in Rich’s take, it also led to less focus on sound quality. Addressing that was his imparative, shared by that entire QSC development team that includes long-time industry veterans such as Gary Tschetter.

As a result, Q-Sys isn’t just an exceptionally powerful platform. It has been designed for operational simplicity: so simple to operate that the user’s focus can be devoted to sonic excellence, rather than paging through myriads of computer screens and trying to understand device linking and so on.

Several large-scale systems currently moving into the installation phase are incorporating Q-Sys, and we’ll be providing coverage as soon as they’re ready. In the meantime, kudos to Rich, Gary, and the QSC team for raising the bar.

Michael McDonald, VP of sales and marketing for Harman Professional, opened an introduction to several new products with the observation that the economy seems on the way to recovery, and this is based upon his frequent discussions with dealers and distributors around the world.  In fact, the outlook in some markets is quite upbeat.

Harman presented a wide range of new developments. Highlights include a new automatic microphone mixer - the DMM 4/2/2 - from AKG. It’s a processor controlled digital automatic mixing algorithm with four balanced universal (microphone/line) inputs and two stereo AUX inputs providing a unique and very intelligent mixing algorithm with noise sensitive threshold.

Going “old school” again, the DMM 4/2/2 has a very cool control concept allows users to access all microphone functions (ducking, automix and so on) via a single rotary switch on the front panel. (It can also be remotely controlled via logic in/outs with a Sub-D connector.)

Meanwhile, dbx debuted the new DriveRack PA+, which includes a new, updated library of stored loudspeaker and amplifier settings, and much more.

.

JBL introduced 14 new loudspeakers, with additions to the ASB Series, 8138 ceiling loudspeakers and more that we’ll cover later, but the new CBT Series of passive line array columns stand out in particular. They feature proprietary Constant Beamwidth Technology circuitry, which delivers consistent constant directivity coverage and audio clarity. The coverage pattern of the CBT models can be adjusted—with a simple switch—between Broad Mode (designed for mid-throw situations) and Narrow Mode (for long-throw applications), which allows them to meet the requirements of a broad range of applications.

Again touching on the “back to the future” theme, recall that Crown was a leader in plug-in amplifier technology from the outset, and at InfoComm 2009 today unveiled the PIP-USP4, the fourth generation DSP-based PIP (programmable input processor) module for CTs Series amplifiers. This single plug solution contains audio distribution, control and monitoring, and is a Harman HiQnet series component. And, it also incorporates the OMNIDRIVEHD DSP Engine that is featured in premium I-Tech HD amplifiers. 

Speaking of HiQnet, Harman Pro VP Rick Kreifeldt led the introduction of new HiQnet System Architect 2.0, which provides users with intelligent choices based on job function, system application and system sophistication. Rick explained that this new system design philosophy centered on workflow and the use of a diagrammatic representation of the installed or live sound venue. Find out more about HiQnet System Architect 2.0 here.

A significant day one announcement from Loud Technologies explains that the company has now teamed up its previously separate engineering, brand management and product management functions, and re-split them into a Pro Audio Group and a Music Gear Group.

“Loud has some of the industry’s most admired brands, a brilliant collection of multi-disciplined engineers and truly customer-focused product management teams, explained Rodney Olson, Loud CEO, in a prepared statement. “By unifying these disciplines around our core brands and the markets they serve, we will markedly increase our technical innovation and speed the delivery of the next round of products that leave our customers smiling… and our competitors reeling.”

Jeffrey Cox, VP of the Pro Audio Group, will manage the EAW and Martin Audio brands and their market positioning, product strategy and product development efforts. Jeffrey’s group will include the Whitinsville, USA EAW Engineering team headed by Jeff Rocha, who will also take on EAW product management responsibilty; the High Wycombe, UK-based Martin Audio Engineering team headed by Jason Baird; and the Victoria, Canada-based Pro Audio Software/Hardware Development Group headed by Chris Jubien.

John Boudreau, VP of the Music Gear Group (“MG”), and his team will develop the next wave of Mackie, Ampeg, Blackheart, Alvarez and Crate products. John’s group will include the Woodinville, WA-based Engineering team lead by Nathan O’Neill; the Woodinville, WA-based Industrial Design team headed by Kimberly Van Horn; Greg Young, Mackie brand director; and Pyotr Belov, director of Instrument Amps.

While the two groups will focus on the brands in their immediate purview, they will share core technology where it makes sense for Loud’s benefit. “I am confident Jeffrey, John and their teams will add the creative spark and entrepreneurial spirit that will take Loud to the next level of growth,” added Olson.

In another significant announcement, Midas announced that effective 1 July 2009, Midas Consoles North America will be the exclusive distribution channel for Midas and Klark Teknik in the USA and Canada. Based north of Los Angeles, Midas Consoles North America, a wholly owned subsidiary of JAM Industries, is a new, brand focused, distribution company dedicated to the sales and after sales support of Midas and Klark Teknik products in the world’s largest single market.

“This is a huge new chapter in our company history,” states David Cooper, sales and marketing director for Midas and Klark Teknik. “It ensures that our present and future customer base in North America is offered dedicated, brand-orientated sales expertise and technical support. We believe that a focused, brand led distribution channel is the best way of ensuring our already industry leading support is maintained and then continually improved. Our aim is simple: to establish the XL8 and PRO6 as industry standards in the live performance sector across North America. We see this move as the means of making that happen.”

Adds Lynn Martin a JAM executive and president of JAM’s AM&S (American Music and Sound) division, “The creation of Midas Consoles North America is yet another milestone. We are extremely proud to be awarded two of the greatest live sound brands in the industry and see great opportunities for those brands via the new Midas Consoles North America distribution channel.

“Both Midas and Klark Teknik operate in a unique market and we need to address the requirements of sound engineers, rental companies, houses of worship, theatre, live TV broadcast – in fact the whole live sector. I am also happy to announce that Jay Easley, who has been heading Midas and Klark Teknik sales in the US, will be managing the Midas Consoles North America sales team from day one and will ensure we hit the ground running! We aim to offer seamless customer support during the transition.”

The move gives Midas and Klark Teknik direct control of its US distribution channel, allowing it the flexibility and freedom to respond to the market and tailor its sales and service network accordingly. Launching a dedicated operation in the US comes during a period of huge development for the company, particularly in light of the rapid uptake of the XL8 and PRO6 digital systems. 

At a Sennheiser press event, not only were we treated to a tour of new Sennheiser wireless systems as well as the brand new K-array line of products that the company will be distributing in North Amerca, but we got to hear every word via Sennheiser Tourguide systems. (Read more about K-array here.)

.

The brand-new Sennheiser 2000 Series wireless system is designed to make setting up multi-channel systems fast and simple. Depending on the UHF range, the units have a switching bandwidth of up to 72 MHz in the U.S., in which up to 64 compatible frequency presets are available for microphones and up to 32 for monitoring systems. The rack-mount units can transmit their frequency data, name, sensitivity, low cut, etc. to the corresponding portable transmitters or receivers via an infrared interface. Very slick.

More coverage of the news and new products from InfoComm 2009 will be coming tomorrow, and in fact, for several subsequent days. Be sure to check back often!

{extended}

Crown Audio Calculators: Ohm’s Law / Watt’s Law

A useful calculator for designing audio systems with Crown amplifiers.

Ohm’s Law states the relationship between current, voltage and resistance. Watt’s Law states the relationships of power to current, voltage and resistance.

Enter any two known values and press “Calculate” to solve for the others. 

Fields should be reset to 0 before each new calculation.

Equations used to calculate the data:

V = IR
P = VI

Where:
I = current
P = power
R = resistance
V = voltage

 

{extended}

Friday, June 12, 2009

QSC Audio Unveils Q-Sys, A Complete Integrated System Platform

Q-Sys is a seamless hardware/software platform from a single supplier, providing complete routing, processing and control

New Q-Sys from QSC Audio is a complete, integrated sound system platform that encompasses everything from the audio input to loudspeakers, providing all audio routing, processing, control and monitoring necessary for any sound reinforcement system while maintaining exceptional audio quality and reliability.

It will be unveiled at the upcoming 2009 InfoComm show at Orlando, with QSC providing demonstrations on the hour beginning at 10 am each day of the show at the company booth, number 6443. And, click here to take a virtual online tour of Q-Sys.

Q-Sys is designed for a wide range of large-scale applications—stadiums and arenas, attractions and theme parks, performing arts venues, transportation hubs, legislative and judicial chambers, hotels and casinos, houses of worship, corporate campuses, educational facilities or anywhere else the need exists for a powerful system-wide audio solution.

The primary elements of a Q-Sys system are the Core and I/O Frame.

The Core performs all audio routing and processing, and also handles all control functions. It is available in three sizes, Core 1000, 3000, and 4000, and features a centralized processing architecture, yet Q-Sys retains the ability to physically locate the input and output connections near their sources and destinations using I/O Frames.

Each I/O Frame can house up to 4 I/O cards enabling up to 16 channels of input and/or output in a single unit.

Available cards include a 4-input standard and a 4-input premium-quality mic/line input card, 4-channel line output card, an AES card with 4-channels of input and output, and a 4-channel card for connection to QSC DataPort amplifiers. Additional cards will be added in the future.

Q-Sys supports multiple levels of redundancy. Network redundancy may be implemented by simply adding additional network switches and cabling. In the event of a network failure, the Q-Sys components switch over instantly to the back-up network.

Core redundancy allows a second core to be connected to the network. Should the primary core fail, the secondary core takes over, and I/O Frame redundancy gives the designer the option of adding redundant I/O Frames for high-priority areas.

Amplifier redundancy is also possible with the use of the QSC DAB-801 (DataPort Amplifier Backup panel), an accessory that connects to the inputs and outputs of five QSC DataPort amplifiers with one amp serving as a backup for the other four (4 + 1 redundancy, using 2-channel amplifiers). A second DAB-801 may be added for 8 + 1 redundancy.

Q-Sys relies on Q-LAN, a proprietary, standards-based, low-latency Gigabit Ethernet network implementation that is responsible for audio routing between devices and ensures that all signals are transmitted from source to destination in less than 1/3rd of a millisecond.

Q-Sys combines Q-LAN with audiophile quality, 32-bit floating point distribution and high performance A/D and D/A converters for exceptional fidelity and a total system latency of less than 2.5 milliseconds. In addition to low latency distribution, Q-Sys also supports long-haul IP streaming of audio over Wide Area Networks (WAN) as well as auto-discovery and configuration of end nodes.

The Q-Sys design environment is laid out without clutter or complicated, multi-level menus, and designs can be compiled and deployed in seconds.

A suite of trouble shooting and measurement tools is also provided. A test probe provides an RTA display of the signal at any point in the design. FFT-based real-time analysis and impulse response are also provided for on-site acoustical measurements.

In the Q-Sys Cores, the internal processing is 64-bit, with even the smallest Core, the Core 1000, offering more DSP resource than is likely to be fully utilized in any real-world application.

In addition to huge processing capacity, Q-Sys offers an extensive selection of processing and control functions, including crossover, delay, dynamics, meters, filters and equalizers, mixers and routers, test and measurement, and a host of other functions such as amplifier load monitoring.

Q-Sys can be used with any amplifiers or loudspeakers, but the system’s power increases exponentially when integrated with QSC loudspeakers and DataPort amplifiers.

For example, using the DataPort output card in conjunction with PowerLight, PL2, PL3, CX, or DCA amplifiers enables complete end-to-end system-level telemetry and supervision, while utilizing QSC loudspeakers opens opportunities for greater control and system reliability by enabling functions such as driver excursion limiting and loudspeaker fault detection.

QSC Audio Website
Click here to take a virtual online tour of Q-Sys.

(Be sure to visit PSW’s 2009 InfoComm New Product Gallery.)

{extended}

AV Power & Control Leaders SurgeX & LynTec Announce Strategic Alliance

Two entities will be cross-pollinating their software and hardware engineering departments

Pro AV industry AC power protection and control leaders SurgeX and LynTec have officially announced the formation of a strategic alliance.

Under the new agreement, LynTec and SurgeX will now be cross-pollinating their software and hardware engineering departments with the goal of delivering vastly improved solutions for professional applications.

The combined efforts of the two manufacturers are aimed to further benefit the industry through the seamless specifying and integration of these two unique problem-solving components for the AC power platform.

LynTec President Mark Bishop stated, “Our customers have been asking for integrated power control and electrical protection systems, and there is no one we’d rather bring these solutions to the table with than SurgeX. The combination of our respective technologies will set the standard for professional A/V system power platforms moving forward.”

Michael McCook, SurgeX founder and new business development consultant, added, “These two innovative companies have come together to collaborate on the most critical aspect of system integration, the AC power foundation. Our mutual efforts will also move forward on a global scale to provide product solutions for international power platforms.”

SurgeX Website
LynTec Website

{extended}

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Crown Audio Calculators: dB Voltage Ratio

A useful calculator for designing audio systems with Crown amplifiers.

This calculation will give you the ratio, in decibels, between two voltages.

For example, you can calculate the gain needed to raise the output level from 0.775 volts to 1.4 volts.

You can also use this to calculate how much attenuation you need if, for instance, you have a 2.0 volt input level and you need to attenuate it to 0.2 volts to prevent input overload.

Enter any two values and press “Calculate” for the remaining value. Press “Reset” before performing each calculation.

Equation used to calculate the data:
dB = 20 * Log(Vout / Vin)

 

{extended}

Monday, May 25, 2009

In Perspective: The One Of A Kind Sound System For Dozens Of Concerts &  Rodeo Houston

A first-hand look at the system developed by LD Systems in support of three weeks of diverse concerts and rodeo action at Reliant Stadium, plus an impressive educational slate

I’ve had the great good fortune to attend so, so many notable concerts and live events over the past 20 years. All due to my job, and the fact that so many folks working in professional audio are incredibly gracious in sharing their insights and working knowledge.

One of the most memorable experiences is being at the Houston Livestock & Rodeo (also known as Rodeo Houston and in fact, the world’s largest rodeo event) a dozen or so years ago, where Rob McKinley and his Houston-based LD Systems team took me through the system they’d developed to serve the event, which was then hosted at the Astrodome. At one point we were up in the catwalks checking out the amplifier racks, and then Rob ascended a short ladder, told me to follow, popped a hatch…

And just like that, we were standing on the roof of the Astrodome, known at one point as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” surveying greater Houston on a gorgeous sunny day. Surreal.

Recently, I was invited to come back to Rodeo Houson and to also attend a technology summit being hosted by Electro-Voice at LD Systems headquarters. Another truly memorable experience, all the more so in providing an interesting perspective on just how fast things evolve and develop.

Forty years ago, the Astrodome was a “wonder” of the world; now it’s dwarfed by the adjacent Reliant Stadium, a sparking 73,000-seat sports and concert venue with a retractable roof that opened a few years ago and is now the site of the rodeo.

And 12 or so years ago, the sound reinforcement system for the rodeo was headed by modified (“souped up”) stock loudspeakers that were performing as optimally as technology allowed in the mid-1990s, backed by an early iteration of amplifier control and monitoring. It was all state of the art for the time, and worked well.

LD Systems, which has been a production partner of the event for more than 25 years, was utilizing the latest tools to the highest degree of possible effectiveness. But today, as the saying goes, it’s a whole different ballgame.

Where It Is Now...
The annual Rodeo Houston is attended by at least 1.8 million people annually. It’s held over the course of three weeks every spring, and each night. the event presents a rodeo competition followed by a concert featuring A-list performers, with shows by country stars like Toby Keith, Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts augmented by performances from a wide range of musical styles - for example, Gladys Knight, Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana & Ramon Ayala were on the bill this year.

LD Systems has superbly managed the transition from the Astrodome to Reliant Stadium, where the roof is closed for the duration of the event. They’ve steadily developed and put into place a host of production elements that serve and enhance the unique goals presented by this unique event.

One of the primary elements has been development of a house sound system capable of delivering concert quality sound to every seat in the venue, with the performances originating from a stage rolled out into the middle of the floor level following the rodeo. The stage rotates during each concert, providing everyone with a variety of views of the performers - front, side, back and every degree in between.

The whole scene is a bit surrealistic. The traditional concert setup at most stadiums has the stage positioned toward one end of the venue, with an array-based system capable of high-level reinforcement on the floor on up through seating levels, but at Reliant Stadium, the stage is smack dab in the middle of the floor with the audience confined to seating all the way around - no crowd is allowed on the floor.

The challenge is how to deliver impactful concert sound to this massive, remote “in the round” configuration, to draw the audience to (and into) a live musical performance happening on a stage that’s rather far away and surrounded by hundreds of yards of darkness all the way around.

How It Works:
Here’s the highly effective approach developed by LD Systems:

The entire system is installed into Reliant Stadium well in advance of the kickoff of the rodeo.

The loudspeaker contingent is comprised of 112 Electro-Voice X-Line modules divided into 12 distributed line arrays made up of eight or ten Xvls (90-degree horizontal dispersion “long throw”) and Xvlt (120-degree horizontal dispersion “medium throw”) boxes.

The arrays are flown in carefully determined positions to cover seating from the front row all the way up, and all the way around, with each array receiving alternating left and right channel output to produce a stereo image around the room. The very top seats in certain regions still served by some of the “high-Q” stock loudspeakers from the previous system serving the Astrodome.

All line arrays and loudspeakers are powered by EV P3000RL and TG-7 remote control amplifiers (located in the catwalks) running IRIS-Net control and supervision software. Specifically, 54 amplifiers per side are racked on two catwalks over 200 feet above the ground, powering 12 eight and ten-box hangs of X-Line Xvls and Xvlt, with each array alternating left and right channel output for a full coverage stereo image around the room.

The IRIS-net control adds a layer of comfort, allowing the system techs to constantly monitor the entire system to be sure all arrays are performing optimally.

The most notable new sound system element this year is that all system processing was via EV NetMax with FIR-drive. Fourteen NetMax N8000 controllers were deployed, to be exact.

In his straight-up, low-key manner, LD Director of Production Services Robert Ausmus told me, “the new FIR filter technology has taken the system performance to a whole new level.”

The bottom line is that the system works. Exceptionally well, in fact.

I walked the entire venue throughout the concert the night I attended (Clint Black), and coverage was smooth and consistent - no hot or dead zones. Good stereo imaging wherever feasible, and regardless, full-range, concert-level audio was present everywhere. Intelligibility was quite high.

Rob Ausmus also offered a humorous comment on how visiting concert engineers handle mixing on the system: “Most drive it; a few wreck it.” The bottom line is that even with all of the great technology that’s expertly assembled and supervised by the LD Systems team, one can surmise that this is a system unlike anything most engineers have ever dealt with, and as Rob indicates, it presents unique challenges. Unless they’re making a return trip to the rodeo…

Also helping to further insure absolute consistency this year is that in tandem with the NetMax processing, EV Tech Support’s George Georgallis had worked with LD Systems prior to the event in establishing a series of IRIS-Net settings particularly for this system and event. (Check out screen shots of some of the IRIS-Net pages here).

Back To School
Meanwhile, I was also fortunate to be joining more than 120 pro audio professionals from around the world who were attending the Electro-Voice PA Roundup, a three-day technology summit presented by the Bosch Communications Systems Division, held at LD Systems’ spacious 85,000-square-foot facility.

The PA Roundup offered a wide-ranging program of seminars, demonstrations, and presentations that offered in-depth updates on FIR-drive, NetMax N8000-1500 processing, EV transducers, amplifiers, and rigging, and IRIS-Net V2.0 system control and supervision software.

The new PRO6 digital mixing system from Midas was also on hand, with my long-time friend Paul Carelli providing the overview. A wide range of EV engineering, product management, and sales team members did a great job on the introductions and discussions, with two highlights being Rob McKinley and Robert Ausmus giving a detailed presentation on their long association with Rodeo Houston, and special guests Phil Scobee of Morris Entertainment and Harry Witz of Clair Global offering presentations covering their work with EV.

Phil walked us through his X-Line/NetMax/IRIS-Net system design for the Kenny Chesney tour – the largest touring EV rig in the world; Harry shared stories from his long association with EV and discussed his latest X-Array system design for the AC/DC Black Ice world tour.

It was also really fun talking with Phil again; I’d originally met him years ago for a gig at the “Unidome” on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa (an acoustical nightmare if there ever was one) as Chesney was making his first big push as a bonafide top-drawing artist.

I’d be remiss in not pointing out something else of vital importance: the food was excellent. These guys know how to keep a crowd happy! (True success is often in the details…)

I began by noting my great good fortune all these years, and that’s the way I’ll conclude. We can draw so much from these types of experiences, and to me, it fits under this broad umbrella: a lot of really smart folks work in this business at every level, be it manufacturer, sound company, engineer, technician, and it’s wonderful when they come together in advancing the profession of sound reinforcement.

Be sure to take our Photo Gallery tour of the system for this event, as well as views from the EV PA Roundup educational program.

{extended}

Monday, May 18, 2009

WorxAudio Technologies Unveils New X115-P Self-Powered Subwoofer

The X115-P utilizes a single direct radiating 15-inch cone driver in a vented enclosure, driven by WorxAudio’s PMD-2.1 power supply that provides 1,000 watts

WorxAudio Technologies has introduced the TrueLine Series X115-P, outfitted with a single-15-inch, high-excursion transducer and intended for applications such as high energy-clubs, theme park effects, houses of worship, musical theater, and numerous others.

The X115-P can serve as a low-frequency complement to multi-way loudspeaker systems such as WorxAudio Technologies TrueLine X2-P, X3-P, and X5-P line array systems, or as a bass section in any sound system requiring extended low frequency response and high-quality audio reproduction.

With fully captive, powder coated rigging hardware machined from high grade cold rolled steel, the new X115-P is designed can fly atop a loudspeaker cluster containing one of WorxAudio’s TrueLine X-Group loudspeaker systems (X2, X3, or X5).

The rugged 13-ply Baltic Birch enclosure is extensively braced and coated with a weather-resistant, multi-layered, catalyzed polyurethane finish, and this is combined with a 14-guage, powder-coated, cloth-backed, perforated steel grille.

The X115-P utilizes a single direct radiating 15-inch cone driver in a vented enclosure, driven by WorxAudio’s PMD-2.1 power supply that provides 1,000 watts. The amplifier incorporates twin digital program processors, an XLR transformer with isolated I/O, and an AC PowerCon switchgear I/O.

Rounding out the X115-P is the inclusion of EASE Focus aiming software for the TrueLine line array—a two-dimensional, acoustic simulation program that facilitates the configuration and modeling of line arrays.

Hugh Sarvis, WorxAudio Technologies’ CEO and Director of Engineering, commented on the company’s new subwoofer, “The X115-P bass extension system is the perfect choice for those applications that require high SPL and extended LF response. With its compact form factor housing a direct radiating 15-inch transducer driven by the potent PMD-2.1 power supply, the new X115-P is the perfect low frequency complement to fly above our company’s TrueLine X2, X3, or X5 line array systems.

“Combined, the new X115-P and the X-Group line arrays create a powerful loudspeaker cluster with tremendous throw and broad horizontal dispersion that are very well suited to a broad range of installed sound projects.”

The new WorxAudio Technologies X115-P bass extension system carries a (U.S.) MSRP of $4,483, and is expected to be available in quarter 2 of 2009.

WorxAudio Technologies Website

{extended}

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Middle Atlantic Introduces New UPS That Fosters Uninterrupted AV Equipment Performance & More

In the event of a power outage or extreme over/under voltage occurrence, the system’s AVR capability provides a continuous 120-volt output and the Pure Sine Wave technology minimizes harmonic distortion and line noise

Developed with the AV integrator in mind, the new UPS from Middle Atlantic Products features Pure Sine Wave technology, integration with AV control systems and a unique sliding rear rackrail mount that provides single-person UPS mounting capability.

The UPS system is designed to insure uninterrupted AV equipment performance. In the event of a power outage or extreme over/under voltage occurrence, the system’s AVR capability provides a continuous 120-volt output and the Pure Sine Wave technology minimizes harmonic distortion and line noise. The 4 millisecond transfer time ensures that connected equipment stays online, with no lock-ups.

The UL-Listed UPS is available in 15- and 20-Amp configurations and features compact dimensions to integrate into smaller racks and enclosures. It can be integrated into control systems via RS-232, while the analog I/O provides system status notification and automatic system shutdown as required.

Expansion Battery Pack options extend run-time significantly, and eight surge protected outlets protect connected equipment from damaging surges and spikes. Four of these protected outlets are purposed for critical loads - in the event of an extended power outage the system can shed power to non-critical loads, extending runtime for critical connected equipment.

Under normal circumstances, Middle Atlantic’s highly efficient Energy Saver Circuitry can dramatically reduce power consumption.

Middle Atlantic Products Website

{extended}