For live recording, virtual sound check, Aviom personal monitoring, audio for video mix purposes, and digital transmission throughout the campus, the 128 channels of 96 kHz AES audio are converted to Dante protocol by way of two Klark-Teknik DN9650 protocol/sample rate conversion units.
This allows for local record and playback of 128 (at 48 kHz) audio tracks via JoeCo Dante Black Boxes, as well as digital audio transmission to the Yamaha QL1 digital console for the video control room mix, digital transport to two Aviom D800-Dante units for personal mixing on stage, digital redundant inputs to PA amplifiers and DSP, and routing to post production for backup and archive purposes.
On the output side, modular frame output units (Midas DL351s) were incorporated for AES and analog outputs to feed amplifiers for the PA and monitor wedges, and for digital audio to the video input router.
Fitting The Bill
The church was confident in the sound and workflow of Electro-Voice (EV) loudspeakers, amplifiers, and DSP from evaluations of other venues, and as the design began to take shape, EV was introducing the new X-Line Advance line array platform.
“At the outset of the project, we saw X-Line Advance X1 introduced at a trade show, and then a bit later were able to hear and evaluate both the X1 and X2 at the Live Sound Loudspeaker Demo at WFX in Dallas,” Rosenbalm says. “After that, we knew that it would fit the bill from an audio standpoint for what the church wanted to accomplish.”
Mills adds, “Maintaining clean sightlines in the auditorium was key – we needed arrays that would be compact. The goal was to utilize 12-inch boxes with enough output to fill the room, with quality mid-range performance. We wanted to be able to cover the vast majority of the entire space with the just the arrays.”
Flown left and right of the platform, the main arrays are each comprised of 12 X-Line Advance X2 modules. They’re joined by EV EVA2151D dual-15-inch subwoofers that are both flown in arrays with the mains, as well as ground-stacked (one each left and right, and two in the center). The flown subs are configured in a cardioid array to keep low frequencies off the stage and out of the choir loft.
“The flown subs and main PA act as a 3-way linear system, while the ground subs have been tuned and positioned to give an ‘infra’ type impact,” Mills explains. “The ground subs are fed via a matrix while the flown subs are driven as part of the left/right.”
The arrays and subs are powered by EV TG7 and TG5 amplifiers loaded with RCM28 control and DSP cards, with EV NetMax DSP providing overall system management and control. From a workflow standpoint, the NetMax processor is fed AES from the Midas DL351 frame, and from there, signal goes into the AES input on the RCM28 cards. The RCM28 OMNEO cards also allow for a Dante input that acts as the redundant in case the AES fails.
The same electronic components also drive six Electro-Voice EVH1152D 2-way coaxial horn-loaded loudspeakers that are flown left-center-right for near and out fill. The same goes for the seven EVU1062 compact 2-way loudspeakers along the lip of the platform to bolster coverage to the first few seating rows.
EV also provided considerable support on the project, Rosenbalm notes, with application engineer Stu Schatz assisting with design issues and even traveling to the church for an exhaustive system tuning process that included multiple on- and off-axis measurements in every seating area. The multichannel measurement rig deployed by Morris starts with Rational Acoustics Smaart v7, working with four channels of Lectrosonics wireless and a Shure SCM820 Dante digital automatic mixer.
“All of the work and attention to detail paid off,” Mills states. “The coverage is very tight and very articulate throughout the coverage area. And at the back of the room, vocals sound just as good as they does toward the front.”
Additional Facets
Andy Bosquet of Morris Integration was central in the approach on the platform. Once again, I/O is plentiful courtesy of the Midas modular platform on the Dante network, joined by the PRO9 digital console.
Also of note is the implementation of 12 channels of Shure Axient wireless working with Spectrum Manager. The system is able to deploy frequencies on demand as well as provide seamless auto-switching channel capability. Several other wireless systems are available for vocalists and instrumentalists.
Musicians are happy to be getting stereo mixes with the new Aviom D800-Dante A-Net distributor providing 128 channels to Aviom A320 personal monitor mixers. Additional performers can be served with Sennheiser ew300 G3 in-ear monitoring systems, and there’s plenty of stage wedges available as well, retained from the previous system but driven by new EV amplification and processing.
The choir also received a monitoring upgrade, with Mills devising a flown choir monitoring system above the platform incorporating three more EVH1152 coaxial loudspeakers. The tech crew wasn’t ignored; with the number of stations added in the workflow of the system design, a 32-channel RTS digital matrix intercom system was included to handle all of the additional communication needs.
“This project presented a host of challenges, but it all comes down to winning on two primary fronts: infrastructure and sound quality,” Rosenbalm concludes. “The system backbone provides hundreds of channels that route seamlessly to numerous locations, with extreme flexibility and future expandability. And it really sounds great, both on stage and in the house. We were a bit concerned about potentially being a bit too far out on the ‘bleeding edge,’ but we’re all, collectively, very impressed with the quality of the new EV line array technology.”
Keith Clark is editor in chief of ProSoundWeb and Live Sound International.