Live Sound

Supported By

K-array KH8 Mains & KS8 Subs Play Big Role At JZ Festival 2014 In Shanghai

Digitally steerable approach helps overcome numerous challenges in busy festival schedule

The recent JZ Festival 2014 in Shanghai 2014 utilized a range of K-array loudspeakers across its 10 stages, including the new KH8 digitally steerable touring line arrays and KS8 subwoofers for a bill that included Pat Metheny, Bootsy Collins and the Funk Band Unity, Snarky Puppy, Marcus Miller and many others. (Read more about the new KH8 and KS8 here.)

In addition to providing quality sound at all stages, other primary sound design goals included controlling bleed from one stage to another, as well as tailored spatial coverage and frequency control. The use of K-array as well as AFMG FIRmaker software were of considerable benefit in meeting these goals.

FIRmaker allows for digital steering to be built especially for the KH8 mains and KS8 subs, which lets the system engineer preset different options for the production beforehand and set up the whole festival configuration ahead of time for optimum results. This proved very advantageous at the JZ Festival, with short times between shows limiting the ability to align and tune the systems.

Further, the ability to individually aim each enclosure within the arrays, combined with the precise digital settings, further helped shape and control coverage within its intended boundaries.

“While at Shanghai, I had the opportunity to mix with the K-array system and I have to say that I was very impressed,” states Blake Smith, front of house engineer for Bootsy Collins. “In mixing Bootsy, I often find myself pushing the subs to their limits, but the K-array subs gave me everything I needed and more.”

After using the KH8 and KS8 at the JZ Festival in 2013, the sound team deployed them again to full potential this time out. Flying an array 24 KH8 speakers took just 15 minutes per side with little configuring required due to the pre-loaded settings. In fact, the entire event required a crew of just 25 or so guys to set up and strike systems at all 10 stages.

The main Green Note Stage incorporated left-right arrays, each comprised (top to bottom) of 24 KH8 full-range elements, 16 KS8 subs, and 8 KF12s for front fill. The systems ability to control the vertical angle digitally meant there was no need for front fill loudspeakers.

Parallel to the Green Note Stage, the River Side Stage offered an almost equally scaled sound system, incorporating six KH8s, six KS8s and four KF12MT Subs. In addition, a K-array KO40 was used as an active drum fill bass loudspeaker in serving as an important element for headlineers Tia Ray, Ding Shaohua and Lisa Guo.

At the nearby Earth Lounge, the main arrays each consisted of not-yet-announced K-array touring loudspeakers joined by six KO70s for the bass.

At the Master Hall, which hosted a vareity of jazz legends, the stage was outfitted with 24 KH15 complemented by six KF12s for front fill. The system was completed with six KO70s subs.

Finally, the smaller stages including Love my Music, JZ School, JZ Live Square and Drum Zone used a combination of K-array portable series KR402s and KR102s, which provided more than enough output for their applications.

image

K-array

Live Sound Top Stories