Beyond the 305-meter (1,000-foot) mark, an additional five delay towers were set up from left to right in the audience area, providing audio reinforcement for the rest of the crowd.
To cover various VIP seating sections along with choir and band areas, the primary VT4889 system was supplemented by JBL VP7315DP powered loudspeakers, VRX932 portable line array loudspeakers and Control 25AV pole-mounted speakers.
Crown I-Tech amplifiers, configured with Harman HiQnet System Architect software for remote control and monitoring, powered the system. The I-Tech amplifiers feature advanced DSP processing which allows for additional tuning of the JBL line arrays.
Baltzell noted that the features of the I-Tech amplifiers give the flexibility needed in this type of challenging outdoor environment.
“It made it possible to run System Architect and actually make subtle adjustments in the amps; each 14-box speaker column was divided into three zones, but to get even better resolution, you have the ability to go directly into the amps and put in filters to make subtle high-frequency adjustments in the amp that we would not have been able to do previously,” stated Baltzell.
“One of the biggest challenges we faced was the high frequency. We tried to manage this by boosting the top cabinets in a way that would not affect the near field. Having the fine resolution of I-Tech with DSP in the amps takes us to another level of fine control,” he added.
“We are extremely pleased with the assortment of tools that Harman provides us, and are able to achieve the highest fidelity sound possible and vastly superior to that which was available only a few years ago. Given the harsh environmental conditions we were working in which has brought sub zero temperatures and lots of precipitation the equipment worked flawlessly with no failures,” noted Goldstein.
In addition to very large-area coverage considerations, Baltzell and the MSI audio support team had to prepare for and deal with serious weather and security contingencies, while designing and deploying a fail-safe sound system to support sound reinforcement for both speech and music.
Clair Global provided more than 25 delay towers with Clair i-4 line array boxes to further extend coverage all the way to the Lincoln Memorial. And as noted, the Clair team was exceptionally busy throughout the inauguration, providing sound and support for 10 inaugural balls as well as the pre-inauguration concert featuring numerous “A-List” musical artists.
Additional Notes:
– Firehouse Productions of New York provided two Yamaha PM1D digital consoles for the Icon Awards (BET), three PM1Ds for music and one PM5D for production for the Youth Ball featuring Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, and a PM1D for front of house at the “Yes We Will” Ball (BET).
– The mega pre-inaugural concert held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial featured performances by U2, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder among others, all mixed on a Yamaha PM1D digital audio console provided by Clair.
– The Democrats Abroad London Inaugural Ball, held in the Royal Lancaster Hotel’s Nine Kings Suite, had technical production infrastructure designed and provided by Insync Productions, using a Martin Audio PA rig.
Guests watched a recording of the inauguration on a double front-projection screen while the speeches and recorded sound were relayed through a series of flown Martin Audio Blackline F12 and F8 enclosures, with floor-mounted WS218X subs providing bass extension. Martin Audio’s LE12JB wedges were used for monitoring.