MSI Production Services deployed JBL by Harman Professional Solutions VTX Series arrays to power an eclectic lineup of performers at Bayside Summer Nights: Summer Pops 2016.
The live concert series featured performances by the San Diego Symphony, Diana Ross, Chris Botti, Trace Adkins, Bernadette Peters, Amy Grant and more. MSI Production Services provided and installed a new JBL VTX-based system for use throughout the summer.
In the past, muddy sound quality and inconsistent results had caused issues for the San Diego Symphony organization. In order to improve the audio quality for this year’s festival, the symphony hired Academy Award-winning sound engineer Shawn Murphy to design a new sound system. Versatility was extremely important, since the system needed to handle intricate symphonic performances, rock and roll, hip-hop, jazz, country and more.
“Summer Pops 2016 featured a wide variety of programming, and the symphony needed a PA that would sound great for everything from the Mambo Kings to a Beatles tribute to Diana Ross,” says Tom Bollard, technical director at MSI. “The nice thing about the JBL VTX system is that it sounds great for rock and roll, offers plenty of low-end response for hip-hop and sounds fantastic for symphonic music. We’ve run many different genres of music through it, and it sounded great every time.”
The system MSI Production deployed for the festival included two main hangs made up of 14 VTX V20 loudspeakers, 15 VT4886 subcompact loudspeakers and 18 S25 subwoofers. The system was powered by Crown VRack 12000HD and I-Tech 4x3500HD systems, and the MSI team used JBL HiQnet Performance Manager 2.1 software to configure and monitor the entire system. The Harman team was onsite throughout the installation to provide technical support.
“The Harman team was exceedingly helpful, and I have a long, very positive history with them,” says Bollard. “They were there for the installation, the first tuning and even the first concert—that level of service is outstanding. Once we had the VTX system up and running, we handed it over to the engineer, and he was very happy with the sound right off the bat. It made my job so much easier.”
“The response to the JBL VTX system has been overwhelmingly positive,” he continues “The musicians at the symphony are thrilled with the sound, and the front of gouse engineers are very pleased. We’ve also interviewed lots of guests at the rock and roll shows, and they love the sound as well. The entire project was a very powerful and positive experience.”
