Indiana-based theatre group Carmel Community Players (CCP), which has staged more than 100 plays and musicals as well as over 30 cabarets and fundraising events across its history, was recently equipped with an audio upgrade to support its performances by Sight and Sound Productions that incorporates RF Venue antennas and more working with Audio-Technica 3000 Series wireless systems.
The upgrade addresses inconsistent wireless microphone availability and performance at the various venues — schools, churches, outdoors — where the all-volunteer, not-for-profit CCP stages its events. The organization reached out to Sight and Sound Productions (Muncie, IN) for a permanent upgrade that could be transported from one venue to the next in providing 16 wireless headworn microphone systems for use in various locations in the metropolitan Indianapolis RF environment.
The approach centers on 16 3000 Series wireless microphone systems, each including a bodypack transmitter and an omnidirectional condenser headworn microphone. They work with an RF Venue Diversity Fin antenna and four companion DISTRO4 antenna distribution systems, plus a custom Horizon I/O panel specified by Sight and Sound.
“They wanted to move towards a good, reliable system that would take their show to the next level,” says Jason Struble, Sight and Sound president. Except for the external antenna, the CCP system is housed entirely within a rolling rack, with a custom I/O panel to connect to the rack’s internal wiring. “They never have to pull the back of the rack off. Everything is accessible from the front,” he adds.
Two BNC jacks are mounted in the panel for antenna A/B input to the DISTRO4s, which, on the advice of RF Venue support specialists, are wired “hub and spoke” so every receiver is fed buffered RF signals. The 16 audio outputs from the 3000 Series receivers are extended to XLR jacks on the panel. Also on the panel, a Neutrik powerCON connector is used for AC input and an RJ45 jack is provided to allow receiver networking if desired in the future.
“Since our Audio-Technica rep introduced us to RF Venue products a little over two years ago, it’s our first choice in antennas and distros,” Struble states. “We use them in our rental department as well as for systems we build for customers. It is professional-grade gear. We have never had a failure or quality concern.”
The RF Venue Diversity Fin Antenna was selected for a few reasons, he adds: “For one, it works great! So, that’s the main reason, but it’s also nice that it’s just one unit to set up instead of the typical two-paddle system.” The patented Diversity Fin Antenna incorporates both a vertical LDPA “paddle” element for reception of vertically polarized signals and a dipole antenna in an orthogonal (right angle) orientation for horizontally polarized signals. The two antenna elements work together to help deliver dropout-free performance regardless of how a wireless transmitter is being held or worn. Use of a single external antenna can also provide the benefit of improved line-of-sight to wireless microphones and beltpack transmitters, along with improved signal strength while eliminating the intermodulation and interference issues that result from the interactions between small receiver-mounted whip antennas when multiple receivers are mounted close together.
To get the Diversity Fin signal to the receiver inputs, the DISTRO4 has dual inputs that connect to the two outputs of the Diversity Fin Antenna for distribution to up to five wireless microphone receivers, along with regulated 12 VDC power (eliminating wall wart supplies inside the rack). Four DISTRO4s can be cascaded to feed up to 25 receiver channels.
Struble pronounces RF Venue as “excellent” to work with in system configuration and after-sales support. “We had some questions on the CCP project, and our rep got us in direct contact with a specialist at RF Venue, who was a wealth of knowledge and was super helpful.”
