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Weibo Night 2020 award ceremony at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, with sound reinforcement courtesy of L-Acoustics components.

L-Acoustics Deployed To Reinforce Large-Scale Awards Show In Shanghai

Rightway Audio Consultants and Pro Group provide K Series and more in support of annual event at Mercedes-Benz Arena celebrating Asia's biggest media stars.

The annual Weibo Night award show, which celebrates Asia’s biggest entertainment stars in a live event broadcast to millions, was recently presented at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, which was outfitted with a concert system headed by L-Acoustics components to provide sound reinforcement to those in attendance.

The system was supplied by Shanghai-based Pro Group, which in 2020 became China’s latest L-Acoustics Rental Network Partner. The system was purchased through L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor Rightway Audio Consultants, whose team also supported Pro Group for Weibo Night.

Rightway and Pro Group used L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D modeling software to design the system for the large-scale production at the arena. “We’ve been to this venue many times before, so we had it laid out already in Soundvision,” explains Nan Hu, Marketing Director of Rightway. For Weibo Night 2021, a large round stage topped with a metal-crafted Sina Weibo eye logo took center stage above the main floor of the arena. “When the stage design was sent to us, we were able to add it to our venue file and easily plan an audio system design that made perfect sense for this intricate production,” Hu notes.

Soundvision 3D mapping of L-Acoustics main rig and side fill sound coverage.

The sound design consisted of 14 L-Acoustics K2 array modules topped by eight SB28 subwoofers per side. Four Kara II, with two X8 coaxial were used as frontfills. Twenty additional Kara II were used as side fills. Syva and Syva Low were discreetly placed just behind the award presentation backdrop to help ensure presenters never missed a stage cue. Hu adds, “With its wide coverage, visual discretion and plug-and-play installation, Syva helped us to address both side stage audience and backstage needs for Weibo Night.”

Due to the exclusivity of the gala event, most of the second- and third-tier stands were empty, leaving large swaths of area that could pose reflection challenges, but Hu explains that they were able to anticipate and overcome this challenge using the Panflex technology of L-Acoustics. “The top boxes of the Kara II front fill hangs used a 90-degree angle to keep sound away from the walls and empty spaces, and the bottom cabinets used the wide 110-degree angle to give even coverage over the audience area.”

Fourteen L-Acoustics K2 flown per side, eight SB28 subs per side, and ten Kara II per side as side fills.

Xi Pei, Director of Sound for the awards show, and the lead engineer for the event, Shao Yong, expressed their satisfaction with the performance of the system. “A superior L-Acoustics sound system, like the one used for this show, guarantees that the production and presentation of the award ceremony goes well,” concludes Yong. “The L-Acoustics system did a fine job of supporting an event graced by some of China’s most popular media stars.”

L-Acoustics
Rightway Audio Consultants

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