Held at the Metrolina Expo this past June 27th, Carnaval Carolina 2010 marked its thirteenth year and was the largest Latin American festival in the Southeast U.S. with attendance in excess of 40,000 revelers.
The line up of artists was long and included artists from both the U.S. and Latin America.
To accommodate the long list of performers and the large, enthusiastic crowd, three stages were utilized that consisted of two primary setups standing side by side plus a smaller stage.
Throughout the day and well into the evening, the music was loud and clear, thanks in no small part to the robust sound reinforcement systems drawn from the TrueLine system from WorxAudio Technologies.
Dave Barker, owner/operator of db Sound of Charlotte, a full-service live event production company that handles audio, lighting, and video for the special events and secondary level touring markets, was contracted to provide sound reinforcement for Carnaval Carolina 2010.
“We had two large stages side by side—joined with bridging and walkways—that served as the main concert area,” said Barker.
“Because of the large number of performing artists, the setup was designed so we could alternate each stage, as this enabled one act to perform while the next group of performers prepared for their turn.”
“Since we were alternating between stages with each new performing group, it was critical to maintain consistent sound quality and level. For this reason, we required loudspeaker enclosures that were voiced identically.”
“We also needed long throw capability and wide horizontal dispersion in order to properly cover a large area with 40,000+people. To address these concerns, we deployed WorxAudio Technologies’ TrueLine line array systems and subwoofers.”
The Stage #1 (on the left when viewed from FOH) sound system consisted of eighteen WorxAudio TrueLine V10T-P powered line array elements, flown nine modules per side. These were accompanied by eight TL218SS-P subwoofers—ground stacked four enclosures wide and two enclosures high across the front area of the stage.
Six WorxAudio 2MX ultra compact floor monitors (from the company’s Wave Series product line) were deployed as needed with each performing act.
The Stage #2 (on the right when viewed from FOH) sound system utilized twenty-four WorxAudio TrueLine V8T-P powered line arrays.
These loudspeakers were flown twelve elements per side and were accompanied by eight TL218SS-P subwoofers—ground stacked four enclosures wide and two enclosures high across the front area of the stage. Like Stage #1, six WorxAudio 2MX ultra compact floor monitors were available as required for stage monitoring.
“With the use of the EASE Focus loudspeaker modeling software,” Barker reports, “we were able to calculate each hang across both stages to cover the audience with the same level and sound quality. This made for a seamless show when switching stages back and forth.”
“WorxAudio’s flyware was an equally important factor that contributed to the success of this event. The hardware on the TrueLine boxes make for easy adjustments throughout the hang, so when it came time to hang and trim the boxes, the process was very efficient.”
At the third, smaller stage, the dB Sound crew flew two WorxAudio TrueLine X5-P compact, “all-in-one” line array systems. Incorporating five modules, each with a medium format, 1-inch exit compression driver and dual 8-inch cone transducers, the TL X5-P has a total of five high frequency drivers and ten bass drivers—all housed in a single, rugged enclosure.
These two line array systems were accompanied by two TL218SS-P subwoofers—ground stacked across the front of the stage. Four WorxAudio 2MX ultra compact floor monitors completed the system.
For a one-day event, there was a serious amount of equipment and accompanying logistics to make everything come together, but it all happened as expected.
“This year’s Carnaval Carolina had a few hiccups, but ultimately, everything worked out really well,” says Barker. “With the two main stages side by side, we needed broad coverage.”
“The wide dispersion provided by the TrueLine V10’s and V8’s delivered the seamless coverage we were hoping for. Best of all, we received several compliments from both the client and many of the acts about the overall fidelity and natural sound of the system. We’re now discussing next year’s event with our client. When the project leads to repeat business, that’s as good as it gets.”
