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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Hawaii’s East-West Center Chooses Bosch DCN Next Generation Digital Discussion Systems

The loudspeakers in each DCN console provide enough coverage to deliver highly intelligible sound to the entire conference area

Hawaii’s East-West Center is an internationally renowned conference facility that recently upgraded to Bosch DCN Next Generation digital discussion systems, with the installation by Oahu-based AV specialists The Audio Visual Company (AVCO).

The 50-year-old facility was established by the United States Government to promote understanding and education between Asian and Pacific countries and the U.S. The East-West Center continues to work toward these ends on its 21-acre property adjacent to the University of Hawaii’s main campus on the Island of Oahu.

The new Bosch DCN Next Generation digital discussion system replaces a 25-year-old system in the Center’s 1,400-square-foot Asia Room, which seats 64 people.

Each DCN interpreter station is configured to translate Korean, Japanese, and Chinese – the system can be configured to translate up to 10 languages. In addition to its user-friendliness and digital flexibility, the new system blends in to the space with its stylish, streamlined looks.

AVCO Project Manager Wade Higa comments: “The DCN system offers the perfect balance of full functionality and ease-of-use. The Center also wanted an expandable system to which more stations could be easily added as necessary.”

Though the AVCO team also installed two wall-mounted loudspeakers to reinforce the Asia Room, the loudspeakers in each DCN console provide enough coverage to deliver highly intelligible sound to the entire conference area.

“Because of the quality of the speakers in the DCN desktop units, we have exceptional coverage throughout the space,” says Higa. “This creates a seamless audio effect at a very natural-sounding, even volume, which helps prevent listening fatigue.”

The DCN system’s combination of simplicity and sound quality has already impressed staff and visitors in the short time since the installation. Higa comments: “The Center is very happy with the appearance and functionality of the new systems in the Asia Room, and the staff is also finding the rack-mounted central control units easy to use behind the scenes. All this equipment is well-designed for simple operation.

“The support we received from our Bosch reps (Quantum Sales & Technology) on these new products was great, too,” Higa adds. “We were able to videotape the DCN training course we received and give it to the Center to train new people when, for example, a student AV assistant graduates.

“And because the desktop discussion units are so intuitively designed, there’s really no learning curve for the end-user—the DCN system is user-friendly in every detail.”

Bosch Communications Website

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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Steinberg Releases Cubase iC iPhone & iPod Touch Controller Application For Cubase 5

Cubase iC turns Apple iPhone and iPod Touch into a mobile remote controller for Cubase 5

Steinberg Media Technologies has announced the release of its Cubase iC remote controller application, which runs on Apple iPhone and iPod Touch products.

Cubase iC provides comprehensive control for Steinberg’s Cubase and Cubase Studio 5.0.1 Music Production Systems and is now available free of charge exclusively through the Apple iTunes Store.

“This attractive application is a service to all our Cubase 5 and Cubase Studio 5 customers who own an iPhone or iPod Touch. Cubase iC is a very useful tool for anyone who wants to use Cubase while not in front of the computer, for example when using Cubase live on stage or playing and recording an instrument at the same time,” comments Helge Vogt, Steinberg’s Product Marketing Manager for Cubase.

“Cubase iC supports a large range of functions, including comprehensive transport control, as well as the unique Cubase Arranger functionality, allowing iPhone and iPod Touch owners to play segments of a production live, display the song position and chain status and use the Jump control to skip to a predefined song section,” Vogt continues.

Cubase iC is based on the powerful Steinberg Kernel interface (SKI) technology for seamless integration into the Cubase software core.

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Cubase iC controls Cubase 5.0.1 and Cubase Studio 5.0.1 running on both Mac OS X and Windows platforms.

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Steinberg Website

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Monday, June 08, 2009

EDIROL Announces Several Updates For R-44 Field Recorder

New software, ability to add effects in Pre Record mode, and more

EDIROL has announced several updates for the R-44 compact, lightweight field recorder, including new v1.05 software, the ability for users to add effects in Pre Record mode, and updates for the BWF (Broadcast Wave File) marker format, notable with previously recorded data.

Further improvements include quicker shutdown times in some modes with SD cards, and a smoother overall workflow helped by minor bug fixes.

The R-44 has up to four channels of uncompressed audio available at selectable 16- or 24-bit depths and between 44.1 kHz and 192 kHz (stereo mode only).

Broadcast wave is also supported and two R-44s can be synced together to offer up to 8-channel recording for surround sound applications.

Key Features of the R-44:
· Record up to four channels of audio at selectable bit rates (16- & 24-bit) and sampling frequencies (44.1, 48, 96kHz – 192kHz for stereo recording only)
· Wide variety of input sensitivity levels
· SD and SDHC cards for quiet and reliable operation
· Comprehensive effects, including limiter, low-cut filter, 3-band EQ, 6-band GEQ, enhancer and de-esser
·  XLR and 1/4-inch TRS jack inputs
·  USB 2.0 connection for quick and easy copy and archive to a computer
·  Power from external PSU or onboard AA batteries

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EDIROL Website

 

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Thursday, June 04, 2009

Recent Wireless Technology Series: Inside The AKG DMS 700

This is the first in a series detailing some of the latest technology in wireless microphone systems.

A number of manufacturers have introduced new wireless microphone systems in the past two years – many of them in response to the changes in the RF spectrum brought about by the FCC.

As a result, I thought it would be interesting to provide an in-depth look at a number of these recently introduced systems, beginning here with the AKG DMS 700 digital wireless system, which was announced at NAMM in January of this year.

Professional caliber digital wireless systems have been on the market for several years, as evidenced by offerings from Telex, Zaxcom, and Lectrosonics (to name a few off the top of my head). Mipro also introduced a digital system within the past couple of years, and the Sennheiser Digital 1000 system was introduced way back around the year 2000, although I guess some might argue that it’s not a true “pro” system.

AKG’s effort with digital wireless with the more recent DMS 700 provides users with some important advancements and merits a detailed look.

The Basics
The DMS 700 consists of three main products: a handheld transmitter, a bodypack transmitter, and the dual-channel rack-mount receiver.

Interestingly, this system is designed to operate in the standard UHF spectrum, covering two ranges - between 548 MHz and 698 MHz for the U.S. and other markets where this range is legal; and between 710 MHz and 865 MHz for Europe or other markets where this range is legal.

The first thing to note is that DMS 700 covers a very wide range of 155 MHz – most UHF systems cover somewhere between 25 MHz and 90 MHz per unit. This very wide tuning range allows up to 100 channels to be in use simultaneously.

Usually, there’s a trade-off between how wide of a band is covered and noise from the PLL (phase locked loop). But in theory, a digital system would not suffer from this noise issue.

That said, the DMS 700 is still an RF device, and thus 155 MHz is a lot of UHF spectrum, with a lot of high-energy sources (NTSC/PAL and DTV broadcasts). Yet because this system is digital, it’s modulation scheme will discriminate between “good” and “bad” data, and/or unwanted data.

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Even further along these lines, the receiver comes with an “Environment Scan” function that converts it into a spectrum analyzer. It searches the receiver’s entire frequency band for active radio frequencies and shows them in a frequency spectrum graph on the front panel display.

Specs
Several of the specifications for the DMS 700 are impressive, while others are standard for high-quality wireless. Audio frequency response is specified as 25 Hz to 20 kHz, ±3 dB, which is only matched by other digital or “digital hybrid” systems.

One problem with any analog-based frequency-agile wireless system is that the PLL does not allow for frequencies below about 20 Hz to pass, otherwise the PLL itself will “unlock” and the system will become unusable until power cycled.

Thus, typically a high-pass filter is installed to cut the audio below say 40 or 50 Hz. So to have flat response down to 25 Hz is the domain of digital-only systems.

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The inclusion of AES-3 digital outputs on the DSR 700 receiver is something we’re starting to see (also found in Sennheiser’s EM3732 receiver, although it is an analog system with an A to D converter and DSP-based compander) and should be a nice way to interface with digital consoles.

By connecting via the digital outputs, the DSR 700 exhibits 120 dB signal-to-noise, which is impressive.

Another feature that is appearing on the horizon for receivers is the Ethernet connection so that control of the receiver can be executed as part of a PC network. Sennheiser and Shure have started doing this as well, and we can expect other manufacturers to follow suit.

The transmitters appear to be of standard size and shape from the outside, but also have some less commonly-seen features.

First, they offer switchable transmit power levels covering 10, 20, 30 and 50 mW. Although we’ve seen this in isolated cases before, usually in the form of “high and low power” like 10 mW and 50 mW, for instance, it’s nice to see a range of powers available on tap.

This also of course reflects that these products are planned for sale in a variety of countries where different power levels are specified by law. The U.S. allows 250 mW in the UHF band, but most of Europe allows just 50 mW while Japan and Korea allow only 10 mW.

Then there are market-specific needs, such as theater where power in the 20 to 50 mW range is desired due to the density of wireless channels in a small geographic area, such as the Broadway area of New York City.

RF power can also affect battery drain, so in cases where long battery life is needed, such as more rurally located churches where high power is not helpful, a 10 mW setting can be perfect.

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The DHT 700 handheld transmitter is available with a choice of either an AKG D 5 (dynamic) or C 5 (condenser) mic element; a wide range of AKG headworn, instrument, and lavalier microphones can be used with the DPT 700 bodypack transmitter.

One last feature that is only available to fully digital wireless systems is data encryption. Although systems from Lectrosonics and Telex have included encryption in their digital systems in the past, the inclusion of it in the DMS 700 makes this product available to a sector of the market usually reserved for specialized systems.

CostInterestingly, the cost of the DMS 700 is attractive in comparison with other top wireless systems. The handheld and belt pack transmitters both carry a U.S. MSRP of $999, and the receiver is $1,699 (again, U.S. MSRP). Thus a DMS 700 system with two transmitters has an MSRP of less than $3,700.

Conclusion
All in all, this appears to be quite an interesting system and should be a viable choice for many different applications. The cost aspect makes it even more attractive in terms of the sheer variety of features coupled with the level of performance offered by AKG in the DMS 700 system.

Find out more about the DMS 700 here.

Signing off for now…
Mike Wireless

Mike Wireless is the nom de plume of a long-time RF geek devoted to better entertainment wireless system practices the world over.

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Other posts by Mike Wireless:
Is The UHF Spectrum Going To Ease Up After June 12?
Change The Only Constant In Marketplace For Wireless System Spectrum

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Universal Studios Hollywood Goes Live With Clear-Com CellCom Digital Wireless Intercom

Theme park uses digital wireless intercom systems for crew communications at two popular attractions

Clear-Com Communication Systems CellCom digital wireless intercom systems were recently implemented for crew communications at two Universal Studios Hollywood attractions - the popular Terminator 2: 3Dand WaterWorld shows.

Three CellCom systems with 22 beltpacks are deployed for crew members responsible for pulling off daily displays of pyrotechnic explosions, daring stunts and other bare-knuckle spectacles.

Prior to CellCom, the company had a third-party wireless system that utilized a portion of the RF spectrum that would have rendered it inoperable once the FCC reallocation took place.  This is not an issue for CellCom, which operates license-free in the 1.9 GHz frequency band.

Highly reliable communications are of critical importance to venues such as Universal Studios Hollywood, according to Dave Auslender, Sales Representative for Location Sound, which handled the sale of the CellCom systems to the theme park.

“People’s safety is on the line, so losing communication is simply not an option,” says Auslender. “It’s a tremendous benefit that the CellCom system isn’t affected by the spectrum changes. It’s also perfect for this type of a setup, where staff are scattered about fairly large areas.  It allows users to be able to break up communications into six different groups, so that everyone can talk in a variety of different configurations. The flexibility of the system really makes a difference.”

Other features such as full-duplex digital point-to-point communications, easy linking to existing party-line channels and the ability to create custom groups all make CellCom ideal for the communications needs of Universal Studios Hollywood and other large-scale venues.  CellCom also offers six different talk options and base support of up to 20 beltpacks. The antennas can be powered through a CAT 5 cable, saving busy production staff the time it takes to run power to them.

“We’re gratified that such a high-profile venue as Universal Studios has put its trust in the CellCom wireless product, especially during this time of transition for the wireless device market,” says Jaz Wray, Western United States and Mexico Regional Sales Manager, Clear-Com Communication Systems. “It speaks to the confidence customers have in our ability to design systems that evolve along with their needs as well as the needs of the marketplace and regulatory environment.

CellCom has also already been specified for use on a new Universal Studios Hollywood attraction that will be unveiled later this year.

Clear-Com Communications Systems Website

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Buckcherry Guitarist Stevie D. Currently Touring With Lectrosonic IS400 Wireless Instrument Systems

“Stevie’s been using Lectrosonics for over two years and the system really complements his style of playing." - Guitar Technician Dean Mitchell

Buckcherry, the Los Angeles-based hard rock band with a 2006 RIAA platinum, Grammy-nominated album entitled 15, is touring the U.S. and Europe in support of its latest album Black Butterfly, with one of the band’s guitarists, Stevie D., utilizing dual Lectrosonics IS400 wireless beltpack instrument systems with the company’s Digital Hybrid Wireless technology. .

Guitar Technician Dean Mitchell, who over the years has worked with artists such as Cheap Trick, Night Ranger, The Doobie Brothers, and Ted Nugent, manages a wireless setup for Stevie D. that consists of the two Lectrosonics IS400 receivers mounted into a single 19-inch rackspace, two Lectrosonics LMa beltpack transmitters, and multiple Lectrosonics MI39ARA cables specially equipped with Neutrik right angle NP2RX-AU-Silent plugs.

“Stevie switches guitars numerous times throughout the course of a performance,” notes Mitchell, “so by having him setup with two systems, I can alternate between them seamlessly. It makes for an absolutely trouble-free approach to wireless guitar.”

“Stevie’s been using Lectrosonics for over two years and the system really complements his style of playing. He’s got it—he’s a pure rock and blues player and he’ll be around for a long time,” adds Mitchell. “When I joined the tour, I was really impressed with Lectrosonics’ sound quality, the rock solid coverage and reliability, as well as the rugged build quality of the products and because of this; I wanted to get a second system so I could run them both at the same time. In the world of wireless equipment, a tech like myself lives and dies by the performance of the wireless setup, and in the world of wireless gear, Lectrosonics nails it.”

“The IS400’s sound quality is really musical,” says Mitchell. “The Lectrosonics’ frequency response is great and the gear doesn’t color Stevie’s sound the way other wireless systems with compandors do. I’ve also been very impressed with the ease of identifying and locking down open frequencies. The system gives you a warning when you’re in range of other interfering radio frequencies, so at the touch of a single button, the system scans for available frequencies and when it finds it, another press locks it in and you’re done.”

“To be honest,” says Mitchell, “I really haven’t had any issues with our Lectrosonics equipment, so I rarely have reason to call the company. I called recently when we were in nearby Santa Fe because I wanted to tell them how much we like the IS400 and invite them to come to the show. Karl Winkler got back to me right away and visited with us.”

As they prepare to depart for Europe, where the band will spend the month of June performing in Nurnberg, Germany, Copenhagen, Denmark, Rotterdam, Netherlands, London, England, and Clisson, France as well as other cities, both Stevie D. and Dean Mitchell know they can depend on their Lectrosonics gear to get the job done. Stevie D. concludes, “I love this wireless setup and my tech. Just try to pry them from my hands. They both make my life on the road great.”

Lectrosonics Website

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Savannah College Of Art & Design Equips With Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless Systems

“I bought this gear to accurately reflect the nature of today’s location sound work." - Peter Damski, Savannah College of Art and Design

With more degree programs and specializations than any other art and design university in the U.S., the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) encompasses a dedicated program for sound design students that includes opportunities to work with dialog, sound effects, and foley in a setting that incorporates many of the latest technological advancements.

Production of student films approaches 40 projects in a single quarter, so the school’s equipment receives heavy use.

Peter Damski, CAS, is Professor of Sound Design at SCAD and continues to work as an independent production sound mixer. A veteran of Hollywood’s television production community, his credits include the popular sitcoms “Mad About You” and “Will and Grace”.

Since joining SCAD’s faculty at the start of the 2008-2009 academic year, he has been teaching Introduction to Sound Design, Location Sound, and has developed a course in Advanced Production Sound, which encompasses doing sound for sports venues and TV stations, plus theatrical work.

“I discovered that the equipment being used for location sound work was quite antiquated,” notes Damski. “As a result, the students were being handicapped by gear that wasn’t functioning up to par and this negatively impacted the way they approached their projects.

“A perfect example of this was wireless equipment that readily suffered from RF interference and limited range,” he continues. “We were in dire need of new equipment that accurately reflected the type of gear being used in today’s production environment. After receiving the green light to purchase new equipment, I created four ‘kits’ that would enable the students to handle a variety of location sound tasks. These kits included boom mics, wireless mics, cables, and everything they would typically require for a wide range of projects.”

For wireless microphones, Damski purchased four Lectrosonics VR Field wideband receivers. Each battery-powered modular receiver system was stocked with three VRS modules—providing room for expansion upwards to a total of six channels per unit.

On the transmitter side of the equation, he purchased twelve Lectrosonics SM Series beltpack transmitters for lavaliere microphones and two UH400a plug-on transmitters for use with conventional microphones. All of this equipment utilizes Lectrosonics’ Digital Hybrid Wireless Technology.

“I bought this gear to accurately reflect the nature of today’s location sound work,” explains Damski. “I knew from my own experience it would serve the school well and it was important for me to introduce products of this caliber to the students.

“We created two timecode kits utilizing Sound Devices 702T field recorders with PSC (Professional Sound Corporation) Alphamixers, and two non-timecode kits using Sound Devices 722 recorders with Wendt NGS X4 audio mixers.

“We have an astonishing workload here, so the equipment is in constant use. I’ve given my students the option to call me any day between 7 AM and 10 PM should they encounter issues with the equipment. Thus far, I haven’t received a single call about the Lectrosonics gear. I believe this says wonders about Lectrosonics’ overall performance.”

Damski was equally enthusiastic about Lectrosonics range and ease of use. “Previously, everyone complained about the limited range of their wireless gear,” said Damski. “I wanted to show the true capabilities of Lectrosonics equipment, so I demonstrated this in class by putting on a transmitter and taking a nice long walk around buildings and down the street a good 200 yards or so while the students listened in on the receivers back in the classroom. They could clearly hear every word I was saying.

“This is an important illustration of how good wireless equipment should work. Similarly, defining frequencies is fast and easy with the Lectrosonics gear, so it removes any real complexity from using the equipment.”

For additional information about the Sound Design programs at the Savannah College of Art and Design, go to www.scad.edu/sound-design/.

Lectrosonics Website

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

Lectrosonics Premiers Octopack Wireless System Receiver Dock & Antenna Coupler

The new Octopack includes slots for up to four Lectrosonics two-channel SRA or SRA5P Digital Hybrid Wireless receivers

Lectrosonics will introduce the Octopack wireless system receiver dock and antenna coupler at the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas.

Designed for use in applications such as film and television production, ENG (electronic news gathering), and documentaries, the new Octopack includes slots for up to four Lectrosonics two-channel SRA or SRA5P Digital Hybrid Wireless receivers—offering up to eight wireless audio channels in a compact, portable configuration.

The front panel of the new Octopack accepts the SRA or SRA5P receivers and has BNC jacks for mounting whip antennas or coaxial cable for remote antennas.

Eight individual RF cables with SMA connectors mate to the receivers, enabling diversity reception to be maintained for all four receivers.

The master power switch and indicator lamp are also located on the front panel, along with a switch for antenna powering when using remote RF boosters. Eight balanced mini-XLR audio outputs reside on the left panel.

Lectrosonics’ new Octopack can be powered by external DC of 6-18V or by using two optional L-style rechargeable battery packs, which can attach and lock onto the rear of the unit.

“The Octopack follows the tradition Lectrosonics has always had of offering convenient methods of mounting portable receivers,” explains Karl Winkler, Lectrosonics’ Director of Business Development. “This gives users the greatest number of options for using our products, and provides a robust, compact, and powerful tool for demanding production environments.”

Pricing for the Lectrosonics Octopack receiver dock and antenna coupling system has not yet been determined. The Octopack is expected to be available in June of 2009.

Lectrosonics Website

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Three Large-Scale German Theatres Install Riedel Communications Intercom Systems

While the State Theatres in Meiningen and Dresden chose Riedel's Performer 32 intercom matrix/stage management system, a Riedel Artist 64 intercom matrix is used at the opera house in Halle.

Three large theatres in Germany have recently installed intercom systems from Riedel Communications.

While the State Theatres in Meiningen and Dresden chose Riedel’s Performer 32 intercom matrix/stage management system, a Riedel Artist 64 intercom matrix is used at the opera house in Halle.

Next to the Semper Oper, the Schauspielhaus is the biggest theatre in Dresden. Its program consists of classical plays and musical theatre productions.

The backbone of the intercom system at the theatre in Dresden is a Riedel Performer 32+16 system. This stage management system is designed for smaller applications and locations such as theatres. One GPI card and three CAT-5 cards offer GPI I/Os and connections for control panels.

The relay signals of the GPI client card can, for example, be used to control light signals. Furthermore, an AIO-client card integrates analog line level audio into the intercom matrix. A Performer C44 Partyline interface seamlessly integrates 12 x C3 Digital Partyline Beltpacks with the intercom matrix. 11 PRO and 6 ultralight AIR-headsets complete the setup.

”With Riedel’s intercom solutions we found the perfect system for the installations at the opera house in Halle and the Schauspielhaus in Dresden. The modular layout made it possible to tailor the intercom to the exact needs of each individual theatre. While we chose a Performer system for Dresden, a Riedel Artist 64 was an ideal solution for Halle because it offers the option to expand it later,“ says Uwe Weissbach from the system integrator HFE Elektroakustik, which installed the Riedel intercom systems in Halle and Dresden.

With a history that goes back to 1831, the State Theatre Meiningen is one of the oldest theatres in Germany. Its program ranges from opera and classical theatre to dance and stagings for kids.

The communications infrastructure seamlessly integrates radio communications into the intercom matrix. The heart of the intercom installation is a Performer 32+16 system. A total of 15 Artist 2000 control panels are installed. A Performer C44 interface integrates four C3 Digital Partyline Beltpacks into the intercom matrix.

The C3s combine the flexibility of regular beltpacks with digital audio quality. Motorola GP344 radios complete the infrastructure. A Riedel RiFace integrates the radios into the intercom matrix. The system integrator Sigma-TBL was responsible for the installation in Meiningen.

The heart of the installation at the opera house in Halle is a Riedel Artist 64 matrix. The redundant CPUs and the redundant power suppIies offer maximum reliability.

A RIF1032 GPI-Interface provides distributed GPI contacts. In addition, a GPI client card supplies additional GPI-ports directly at the Artist matrix mainframe. A total of 19 Artist 2000 and Artist 3000 control panels were installed at the opera house in Halle.

Riedel Communications Website

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

New Production Intercom Debuts New Blazon That Reduces Visibility Of Visual Cue To 180 Degrees

Blazon 180 outfitted with rectangular strobe placed on face of extrusion, plus features of previous Blazon models

Production Intercom has introduced the Blazon 180 intercom signal lamp, offering the features of previous Blazon models but with the strobe changed to a rectangular 2.8-inch by 1-inch dimension and placed on the face of the extrusion, thereby reducing the visibility of the visual cue to 180 degrees.

Blazon 180 is triggered by the same voltage that lights the normal signal lamps in the intercom system. Whenever any signal lamp button on any station in the same circuit is pressed, the Blazon 180 will be activated. The xenon lamp is permanently connected.

Circuitry is provided to sustain the Blazon 180 for four seconds after being triggered. The xenon lamp has a flash rate of 2 Hz, providing eight flashes per cycle.

The Blazon 180 is connected to the headset intercom system in the same manner as a belt pack. It has dual three-pin XLR connectors on the rear panel. By convention (to differentiate from microphone inputs) the female connector is designated as input. The male connector is provided for looping onwards to the next station in the system. Reversing these connections will not affect operation.

Blazon 180 is powered by the intercom power supply and requires no batteries or other external power source. In its ready mode it draws only 21.1 mA; with the strobe active, 120 mA. When calculating power supply requirements, Blazon 180 can be considered as the approximate equivalent of three to four belt packs.

The unit is very sturdy, with ribbed, extruded aluminum case, glass-filled nylon end bezels,  internal support system for the PC board, and high-quality XLR-type connectors.

Blazon 180 is compatible with Clear-Com and other (unbalanced 200-watt) headset intercom systems.

Production Intercom Website

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Monday, February 23, 2009

Smart AV Tango Controller Now Interfaces With Pro Tools

Tango also incorporates the latest touch screen technology, as well as the unique ARC Technology developed for the Smart Console

Smart AV has announced that the latest version of software for its Tango controller will also now interface with/control Digidesign Pro Tools.

Tango also incorporates the latest touch screen technology, as well as the unique ARC Technology developed for the Smart Console. In the recent addition of Pro Tools control, Tango also can be utilized as a control for Pyramix, Nuendo, Logic, and Cubase.

Further, Tango’s large touch screen interface combined with its user configurable Virtual Editor and its MonARC makes it a very effective third party controller.

Says Joe Narai, Smart AV CTO, “Like all third party developers we have had to battle the limitations of the HUI/Pro Tools interface, but in the circumstances we are very pleased with what we have achieved. Certainly initial customer feedback is very positive.”

Smart AV Website

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Monday, January 12, 2009

Sontronics Highlighting New STC-80, Company’s First Dynamic Microphone, At Winter NAMM ‘09

The STC-80 is designed to provide great results on vocals and speech but is equally at home recording guitar cabinets, snare drums and tom-toms.

The new Sontronics STC-80 is the company’s first dynamic microphone and is a natural addition to its line condenser mic, including the STC-5 and the recently released STC-6. All of these microphones and more products will be featured at the Sontronics Booth (#7123, Hall A) at Winter NAMM ‘09 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The STC-80 is designed to provide great results on vocals and speech but is equally at home recording guitar cabinets, snare drums and tom-toms. It offers the same rugged construction and the anti-slip body grooves as the new STC-6 condenser mic.

The STC-80 is supplied with a mic clip in a sturdy aluminium flight case for protection while on the road.

STC-80 Technical Data
Response: 50Hz - 15kHz
Sensitivity: -42dB ±2dB
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Impedance: ≤200 Ohms
Equivalent noise level: -24dB (A-weighted)
Max SPL (for 0.5% THD @ 1,000Hz): 140dB
Connector: Three-pin XLR

For more information:
Sontronics USA Website

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Thursday, January 08, 2009

Le Mobile Charts High on Rolling Stone’s List of Greatest Singers

“I did a quick count and realized that Le Mobile has recorded forty-one of them."

When Guy Charbonneau first read Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, it almost looked like a My Space Friends List for his Le Mobile remote recording truck.

“I did a quick count and realized that Le Mobile has recorded forty-one of them,” says Charbonneau. “Even I found that a bit amazing.”

Among the top 20 on the list, Le Mobile has recorded nine: Aretha Franklin (1), Ray Charles (2), Bob Dylan (7), Stevie Wonder (9), Paul McCartney (11), Roy Orbison (13), Robert Plant (15), Mick Jagger (16) and Tina Turner (17).

Of the remaining legends in the elite 20, Little Richard, Al Green and Smokey Robinson still could vocalize though Le Mobile’s meticulously maintained Neve console. All others are unfortunately outside the truck’s travel range, having passed into the Great Beyond. 

Laments Charbonneau, “I would have loved to record Elvis, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, but they were already gone before Le Mobile was even on the road.”

He declined to single out any particular artists from the stellar list: “I don’t have any favorites, and that’s good because it lets me enjoy the music and do the best recording, no matter what the style of music. I enjoy it all, but it helps if it’s really good.”

Although he feels the Rolling Stone listing is generally “fair and balanced,” Charbonneau does feel that the magazine’s grouping was somewhat arbitrary. 

“They’re all great, but I’ve recorded some amazing performances by singers like Gwen Stefani and Peter Gabriel, who didn’t make it. Why not? Maybe it’s good that I don’t have to decide, or it would be a very long list.”

For more than three decades, Le Mobile has been recording live concerts and film scoring sessions across North America. Both the truck and owner/engineer Charbonneau have received numerous industry awards, including an Emmy Award and dozens of gold and platinum albums.

Le Mobile’s stock of fastidiously maintained equipment includes the best of the analog and digital domains, comprising a classic Neve 8068 console (with outboard modules for 112 total channels of Neve preamplifiers), 96 channels of Pro Tools HD, and a pair of mint-condition Studer A800 analog recorders.

Originally launched in Montreal, Le Mobile is now headquartered in the Southern California community of Carlsbad.

For more information:
Le Mobile Website

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Monday, December 22, 2008

Aviom Releases M-Control For Yamaha Digital Consoles

Free download provides direct access to the preamp settings on Aviom’s 6416m Mic Input Modules from the user interface of most Yamaha digital consoles outfitted with a 6416Y2 A-Net Interface Card

Aviom has announced the release of a major firmware upgrade for its Pro64 Series of digital snake and audio networking products. Available for free download from the Aviom website, www.aviom.com, the new release includes support for m-control for Yamaha digital consoles.

With m-control, a user has direct access to the preamp settings on Aviom’s 6416m Mic Input Modules from the user interface of most Yamaha digital consoles outfitted with a 6416Y2 A-Net Interface Card.

The m-control feature offers another control path for Aviom’s Pro64 Series mic pre. All settings on the 6416m can also be set from the device’s front panel, as well as controlled remotely from any point in the network with the MCS handheld controller.

A single MCS can be used for up to 64 channels of mic pre control, and multiple control points can be set in a single network. All three control methods can be combined freely in the same system, allowing system designers and operators a range of choices.

Ray Legnini, Aviom’s product research and development manager, explains, “This is a feature we’ve been asked for since the release of the 6416m and 6416Y2. Users have raved about the sound quality and simplicity of the Pro64 system, but they’ve wanted an even more streamlined workflow. Providing access to the preamp settings from the Yamaha console and through the console’s scenes is a tremendous timesaver for engineers.”

To utilize m-control, all Pro64 Series products must be updated to the m-control firmware.

For more information:
Aviom Website

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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

QSC Audio Network System At Gardaland’s Audio Park In Verona

October 17th was an important day for Vida Studio’s technical director, Italo Lazzerini, as he was able to celebrate the commissioning of a site-wide QSC Audio-based network system at Gardaland’s Audio Park in Verona.

This newly-designed system enables background music and generic announcements to be zoned and distributed by the QSC matrix over the complete 55-hectare area, with a greater degree of intelligibility.

The work is latest chapter in Vida Studios’ decade-long association with Italy’s biggest theme park, the complex owned and operated by Merlin Entertainments Group, (which also incorporates the 28th Sea Life, the world’s leading aquarium brand).

The Audio Park has proved to be something of a technical miracle. Thanks to the programmability of QSC’s NAC-100 System Controller (with color GUI), Vida Systems are not only able to tap into the QSC network control to undertake remote system diagnostics via IP - hundreds of miles away from their Milan offices - but control the system remotely in real time.

“For example, this morning we were able to relay instructions via the car telephone back to our office instructing them to change the volume levels in one zone and switch on another,” says Italo Lazzerini. “The system is always online and it will flag alerts immediately there is a problem.”

Gardaland’s audio technical manager, Lino Fasoli, confirmed that the upgrade to digital had also brought with it huge space saving: “At Gardaland we have been able to replace two large, tired 6m high analogue racks with just two QSC RAVE 522aa units and a NAC-100, offering us four different control presets , which is a very affordable option.”

In other words, two QSC BASIS devices, operating on the QSControl.net platform, has provided site-wide control, with much greater clarity.

This includes zones such as the popular African Island - a themed area which is populated by multiples of QSC AD-S82 and AD-S282 loudspeakers. In fact the music is themed for each of the territorial zones and stored on an Alcorn McBride player.

The Audio Park’s sound reinforcement is being similarly upgraded, and recently a QSC ISA 800T transformer amplifier and 14 AD-S82 loudspeakers were installed with the AD-YM8T yoke-mount system for the units containing transformers.

There are already well over 100 x 70v/100v line QSC loudspeakers operating in the park and as elements of the old public address systematically come up for renewal so Gardaland will move towards an eventual standardisation on QSC.

Aside from the Audio Park, a further QSC installation was carried out this summer with the introduction of ‘Mammut’, the biggest family roller coaster ride in Italy.

Vida Studio’s audio design for this ride incorporates an EN 60849-compliant background music and voice evacuation system, while at the hub is a Bouyer central unit and announcement microphone station, with fault report devices on output lines.

Purpose-created evac messages in several languages have been recorded ready for distribution via 14 QSC AD-S52T loudspeakers, strategically located around the ride (and in the station terminus).

Italo explained that QSC system components had originally found their way onto Vida Studio’s specification as a result of an excellent presentation made by distributors, AudioLink.

“I first heard the AcousticDesign loudspeakers in a demo down in Parma three years ago, although another brand had been specified for Gardaland at the time.

“The principle reason for changing to QSC was because compared with the competition it was like day and night. The audio technical department agreed immediately and went to the management to have the original proposal overturned.”

Meanwhile, the Gardaland technician adds that he was as impressed by the aesthetic of the AcousticDesign enclosures as he was by the performance. “This, and the fact that they were weather-resistant, was crucial.”

In addition to the brand’s success at Gardaland, a further QSC installation at the new Sea Life has also caught the eye (and ear) this summer.

Gardaland Sea Life reproduces marine and lake environments with scenographic accuracy. The aquariums and lakes housing the 5,000 creatures of the deep are maintained crystal clear by high tech filters and in excess of 850,000 litres of water are stored in a vast oceanic tank, where waves are created by a special machine.

The technical design for this was undertaken by Thöne and Partner, a Merlin consultant, and a team of onsite technicians based in Gardaland, who oversaw the realisation and implementation. Music is generated by Thöne and Partner’s own specially-designed 20-channel MP3 player.

Their co-operation with Vida Studio has resulted in a QSC Audio solution that makes full use of the brand’s integrated system capability - from the Cobranet audio signal transport to the QSControl.net network for the remote control of all the BASIS DSP devices.

The NAC-100 local control panel with LCD regulates levels and signal sources at the restaurant. The system is linked to three BASIS 922uz processors and a BASIS 922az processor, providing a 32 x 32 matrix, which provides a large element of the control.

The audio system runs on two Ethernet networks, one T100 and one T10 (respectively for audio transport and control). The system is interconnected with the EN 60849 voice evacuation system, while a 16-frequency UHF system provides the radio mic capability.

Vida Studio also designed and installed the automation for the Sea Life pre-show, including the audio video and lighting control (via their own DMX player). The pre-show provides the first visitor introduction to the Gardaland Sea Life Aquarium and uses video players and lighting, connected to the opening/closing door system.

Meanwhile, multiples of QSC Audio AcousticDesign 10v/100v line speakers handle the sound distribution, in the form of 30 x AD-S32T, 19 x AD-S52T, four AD-S82T and a pair of AD-C42T ceiling speakers.

These are controlled by multiples of QSC’s CX-108V (8ch) and CX-502 (2ch) amplifiers, fitted with DataPorts. All speakers are in purposely-discreet black with the exception of a pair of white AD-S82s in the grandstand overlooking the Patagonia sea lion pool.

Media displays distributed throughout the attraction, are largely in the form of Samsung 50in plasmas, along with Projection Design EVO2SX+ DLP projectors.

Back at Gardaland everyone is delighted that the 2008 season has ended on a high note, with the installation of the QSC network. Next they plan to upgrade the cabling infrastructure by commissioning a stand-alone optical fiber system.

For more information:
QSC Audio Website

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