INGENIOUS
BY NATURE
Bringing immersive experience to life is second nature to us.
SEE US AT ISE
BARCELONA 30 JAN - 2 FEB 2024
Showcasing our new Beehive product at ISE
Stand 5D200
JA NUA RY/ FE BRUA RY 2024
O BEACH IBIZA HOUSES OF WORSHIP AUDIO CONSOLES
L SERIES
L-Acoustics_LSeries_Mondo.dr_236x333.indd 1
24/04/2023 12:26:03
Visit us on BOOTH 7C800, and AUDIO DEMO ROOM E4
AiRAY
High output, full range, long throw 3-way bi-amplified line array system featuring dual 6” DDP plus dual 12” neodymium ultra-low distortion cone drivers
VCA Family Ultimate flexibility NEW CiRAY
High output, full range, 3-way passive line array system featuring 8.75” DDP plus DAC with dual 10” neodymium ultra-low distortion cone drivers
ViRAY
Compact 3-way bi-amplified line array system featuring 8” DDP plus dual 8” neodymium ultra-low distortion cone drivers
www.codaaudio.com Dynamic Airflow Cooling (DAC)
DAC technology found in CiRAY means an incredible level of power can be provided from smaller enclosures thanks to better airflow and dissipation. DAC can double the power handling and SPL compared to a conventionally cooled system.
DDP Technology
CODA’s patented Dual Diaphragm Planar Wave Driver is at the heart of the AiRAY, CiRAY, and ViRAY line array systems and allows these compact speakers to handle high-power applications with low distortion, plus providing exceptional dynamics and frequency response.
IN A
OUR
RELIABILI
ALL WEATHERS
MONDO-DR 34.2 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2024 ON THE COVER O Beach Ibiza. Photo courtesy of O Beach Ibiza. EDITOR Todd Staszko t.staszko@mondiale.co.uk EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Daisy Thorogood d.thorogood@mondiale.co.uk SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Laura Iles l.iles@mondiale.co.uk ACCOUNT MANAGER Cameron Crawford c.crawford@mondiale.co.uk ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Katie Williams k.williams@mondiale.co.uk MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER Alice Clarke a.clarke@mondiale.co.uk DESIGN & PRODUCTION Mel Capper, Jez Reid, Dan Seaton DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER James Robertson j.robertson@mondiale.co.uk EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Peter Iantorno p.iantorno@mondiale.co.uk CEO Justin Gawne j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk FINANCE DIRECTOR Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk CREDIT CONTROL ar@mondiale.co.uk GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh MONDIALE PUBLISHING Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport SK1 3AZ , UK Tel: +44 161 476 8340 Fax: +44 161 429 7214 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES (7 ISSUES) UK: £30.00 / Europe: £50.00 / Rest Of World: £65.00 Two year rates are available on request. Subscribe online at www.mondiale.co.uk or call +44 (0)161 476 5580 ISSN: 1476 4067 Mondo DR (ISSN 1476 4067) is published in January, March, May, July, September, November and December by Mondiale Publishing Ltd, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK Subscription records are maintained at Mondiale Media Ltd, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK
FR O M TH E E DI TO R... Welcome to the first edition of MONDODR in 2024 – and as always it is packed full of interviews, updates and exciting new installs from around the world. This year is shaping up to be an exciting one as Mondiale Media has launched EXPO Latam trade show in Mexico – an exhibition tailored for the Central and South American and Caribbean region, taking place from 25-26 September in Cancún. Contact any member of the team for more information. The entire MONDO-DR team will be attending ISE and we’re looking forward to kicking off the year in Barcelona to see what the latest trends in the industry are – and catching up with many familiar faces in the process. In this issue, we take a deep dive into the collaborative effort needed to create the cutting-edge technological solutions that make Sphere in Las Vegas the most talked about new venue in the world. Also, we’ve got a huge report on the latest technologies enhancing the form and functionality of Houses of Worship, a product guide on audio consoles, show reports from LDI and JTSE, and we speak in depth to Albert Chauvet, President and CEO at Chauvet, to discuss how the company’s gargantuan new headquarters sets it up for the future. Finally, entries are open for this year’s MONDO-DR Awards, which is being held during InfoComm at the brandnew Ole Red in Las Vegas in June. If you have any queries about the submission process, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Enjoy the issue.
mondo@mondiale.co.uk www.mondodr.com www.mondodrawards.com Printed by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, UK
TODD STASZKO EDITOR
W W W. M OND OD R. C OM | LEA D ER
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IN THIS ISSUE. . . 10
CIRCUS BUMBA De Panne, Belgium
12
PIER 5 Miami, USA
14
PYRMONT POINT HOTEL Sydney, Australia
FOCUS 22
REPORT Houses of Worship
50
THE BIG INTERVIEW Albert Chauvet, President and CEO, Chauvet
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AURA INVALIDES Paris, France
66
O BEACH IBIZA Ibiza, Spain
72
EN FUEGO Dubai, UAE
78
SPHERE Las Vegas, USA
88
FIRST AVENUE Minneapolis, USA
92
SALT SHED Chicago, USA
BUSINESS 98
SHOW REPORT LDI Show, Las Vegas, USA
106
SHOW REPORT JTSE, Paris, France
110
Company Profile SeeSound
112
INSIDE VIEW Renkus-Heinz
116
IN DISCUSSION Vizrt
120
SHOW PREVIEW ISE
126
PRODUCT GUIDE Audio Consoles
128
IN DETAIL HIVE
130
IN DETAIL Theory Professional
132
PRODUCT DIRECTORY
Ph o t o : S p h e r e E n t e r t ai n m e n t .
CONT ENT S | W W W. M OND OD R. C OM
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IN B R I E F Mor e tha n 3 00 C HAU VE T P r ofes s ion a l f i xt u r e s i l l u m i n a te th e m a gic a t C i r c u s B u m b a Circus Bumba is a new 3,000 sq m themed attraction based on the popular Flemish TV show of the same name, which captivates guests with its bright, cheerful panoramas complete with whimsical characters and fairytale-like scenery. Enhancing the magical effect of this transformative venue is a collection of over 300 CHAUVET Professional fixtures, which are positioned throughout the main ride, “Op Reis met Bumba” (dark ride), as well as other rides, and the park’s theatre. Pieter Dewaegeneere, Technical Investment Manager, and the Circus Bumba team have created an array of enchanting looks, with Dewaegeneere stating: “Because of constant changes during the design phase, we decided to do the lighting design ourselves. The installation itself and delivery of products was completed by Decat. Everything is being controlled via ArtNet, with cables in the roof, but there are no more than 10 units in a row, so we can easily turn off a group of fixtures.” The design team positioned 43 COLORdash Par H7 IP RGBWA-UV wash lights on the road leading through the venue, and 32 COLORdash H12 IP units are deployed in the main hall. The signature ‘dark ride’ is illuminated by 65 Ovation CYC 1 FC RGBAL cyc lights that wash the wall in dark, deeply saturated colours and a collection of 60 Ovation F415 FC Fresnel units add an extra dimension to the ride by focusing on its 50 animatronics, which are created by the Belgian studio Fisheye. Further enriching the experience on the ride are 50 Ovation P56 FC fixtures, which are deployed as backlights, and 56 Ovation P56 UV fixtures are used to direct light off the ride’s fluorescent painted scenic elements. Characters from the Circus Bumba TV show are a critical part of the experience and these figures are enhanced by 26 COLORado 1 Zoom fixtures. DMX distribution at the ride is handled by a NetX II node. At the theatre, which is a fixed setup, the team relies on six Ovation E-260WW and 16 Ovation E-910FC fixtures for front and key lighting, while six COLORdash Par Quad 12 units serve as house lights. Dewaegeneere notes that he and his team now have “full control over all colours, and can change it to work lights or even very dynamic scenes.” Such control might not mean anything to the children who marvel at the Circus Bumba experience. But to anyone in lighting, it too is quite magical. www.chauvetprofessional.com
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NovaStar
ISE 2024 Date: 30 Jan. - 02 Feb. Booth: Hall 3/ 3B700 Code: 6CGJJW7U
TOGETHER WE MAKE IT BETTER
More info: europe@novastar.tech
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IN BR IEF K-array unle a sh e s immer sive a udio a t Pie r 5, B aysid e Ma rke tplac e Stepping into a world of auditory excellence, Pier 5 at Bayside Marketplace in Miami underwent a transformative audio installation, curated by the DRVCS AV team. This installation featured cutting-edge K-array audio solutions that upgraded all areas of the excellent entertainment venue, from its three sophisticated bars to its signature games deck. The backbone of the installation comprises three of K-array’s Kommander-KA208, which offer pristine sound and complete control over connected loudspeakers; these were key features for this large project. On the busy stage that hosts a multitude of events, a symphony of sound emanates from six Kayman-KY102 line array speakers, ensuring every note reaches the audience with precision and clarity. Two Mugello KS5 subwoofers and eight Thunder-KS3 I subwoofers create a bass experience that is not just heard but felt, and line array elements, specifically Python-KP102 I units alongside 10 Python-KP52 Is, boast control that further elevates the guest’s experience. The products in this project are resilient against elements, thanks to their IP64 rating, making these specifications an ideal choice for the open-air setting of Pier 5. Additionally, all speakers and subwoofers were given a marine-grade treatment that bolstered their toughness, further helping them deal with the salty atmosphere that is caused by Pier 5’s tropical environment. DRVCS AV’s installation of state-of-the-art K Array solutions has ushered in a new era of audio excellence at Pier 5. This project created an unparalleled auditory experience at the venue, leaving an indelible mark on the vibrant entertainment scene of Miami. www.k-array.com
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IN BR IEF Pyrmont Poin t Hotel powe re d by f ir st A u str alian install of B laze A u d io The Pyrmont Point Hotel, a heritage gem in Sydney’s Pyrmont district, recently embarked on a lengthy audio system overhaul across all of its floors, and features the first installation of Blaze Audio Rack in Australia, paired with a selection of Electro-Voice speakers, as specified by distributors Jands. The hotel’s acoustic experience has been transformed, blending the building’s historic ambience with advanced sound technology. The goal was to enrich the venue’s charm with a sound system that provided both quality and depth, leading to the selection of Blaze Audio for its sound performance and dependability. Faced with the challenge of updating its sound system, the hotel sought the expertise of Jands, with Ilias Sintrikos, Business Development Manager – Hospitality at Jands, playing a vital role in the transition. “Blaze Audio was the perfect fit for Pyrmont Point Hotel,” he commented. “Its amplifiers brought the clarity and richness needed to elevate the venue’s audio experience. We had to cater for nine zones of audio, including a cocktail lounge, a bistro and an outdoor balcony, and we used Electro-Voice speakers paired with Blaze Audio amplification.” A pair of Blaze Audio PowerZone Connect 3004 and another pair of Blaze Audio PowerZone Connect 2004 amplifiers provide over 5000 W of power, while an addition PowerZone 252 is utilised to complete the venue’s amplification needs. Arian Yeganeh and his team at Integratd Living in NSW were chosen to do the audio-visual Integration for the project, and Nathan David, the owner of Pyrmont Point Hotel, expressed his delight with the upgrade: “The transformation of our sound system has been astounding,” he said. “The integration of Blaze Audio amplifiers has been central to this improvement, offering our guests a more sophisticated and immersive audio experience, and the ipad interface that the Jands team put together is really easy for our staff to use.” www.blaze-audio.com
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SHOWCASING PROFESSIONAL AUDIO, VIDEO, LIGHTING AND STAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IN THE MEXICAN, SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN, AND CARIBBEAN MARKETS. Organised by:
Publisher of:
In Association with:
EXPO Latam 25-26 September Cancun Exhibition Center EXPO Latam is a new boutique exhibition focussing on the professional entertainment technology market encompassing lighting, sound, video and staging, used in both fixed installations and the live and touring environment.
The Cancun Exhibition Center is a flexible modern venue offering multiple opportunities to exhibit and display products as well as multiple rooms to conduct training or product demonstrations.
Register your interest in attending or exhibiting
For more information contact: Laura Iles l.iles@mondiale.co.uk WhatsApp: +447798840271
Justin Gawne j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk WhatsApp: +447768850767
www.expolatam.tech
JA NUARY JAN
25-28
M ARC H MAR
NAMM ANAHEIM www.namm.org
3-6
MAR 19-20
F EBRUARY FEB 30-2
FEB 26
MAR 19-22
ISE BARCELONA www.iseurope.org
THE GET SHOW GUANGZHOU, CHINA www.getshow.com.cn
ISCVEx COVENTRY, UK www.iscve.org.uk
PROLIGHT AND SOUND FRANKFURT www.pls.messefrankfurt.com
AP RI L APR
TPI AWARDS LONDON www.tpiawards.com
17-18
8
MUSIC INSIDE RIMINI, RIMINI www.musicinsiderimini.it
1000KG
APR 10-11
APR 13-17
APR 17-19
NAB LAS VEGAS www.nabshow.com
INFOCOMM CHINA BEIJING Infocomm-china.com
MAY MAY 2
EXP O D I A R Y
EXPO SCENE MONTREAL www.citt.org
MAY 7-9
MAY 14-15
MAY 14-17
TPIMEA AWARDS DUBAI www.tpimeaawards.com
SLS EXPO RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA www.saudilightandsoundexpo.com
PLASA FOCUS LEEDS www.plasaleeds.com
GTL SESSIONS MYKONOS www.gtlsessions.com
March 3 - 6, 2024
Zone D New Start, GET Smart
// /
F OC U S
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REPORT Houses of Worship
50
THE BIG INTERVIEW Albert Chauvet, President and CEO, Chauvet
60
AURA INVALIDES Paris, France
66
O BEACH IBIZA Ibiza, Spain
72
EN FUEGO Dubai, UAE
78
SPHERE Las Vegas, USA
88
FIRST AVENUE Minneapolis, USA
92
SALT SHED Chicago, USA
FOC U S | W W W. M OND OD R. C OM
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HOUS E S O F WORSHIP
Tech n o l o g i c a l u p g r a d e s a nd e n h a n c e m e n t s i n wor s h i p s p a c e s f r o m around the world.
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ME T C hurc h COMPANY: ADJ LOCATION: Houston, USA
Diverse in its multi-generational, non-denominational congregation, the MET Church in Houston, Texas, hosts a variety of special events alongside its weekly Sunday morning services. Consequently, this place of worship needs versatile and easily adaptable technical systems that could match their contemporary, assorted church sessions. Fulfilling the venue’s need for a lighting refresh, a complete refit of their fixture inventory was undertaken. Supplied by FE Solutions, the new rig features 82 of ADJ’s LED-powered fixtures, with a heavy focus on moving heads to provide the church with maximum flexibility. The MET’s Technical Director, Josue ‘Sway’ Gonzalez, consulted with Dustin Smart of FE Solutions, who helped the team decide on their lighting provider. “He suggested ADJ, and so we demoed a few fixtures, and it all looked good, so we went with it,” commented Gonzalez. Providing key light was ADJ’s Focus Profile, which features a potent 400W LED engine, and generates an output of 20,000 Lumens, while six Focus Wash 400 are installed on the gantry for further key lighting, and an additional two serve as side lights. “We wanted to accomplish a smooth and even wash across the stage, and the Focus Wash does that exceptionally
well,” stated Smart. For further versatility and creativity, Smart supplied a variety of fixtures that could be deployed in various positions on and above the stage. This included six additional Focus Wash 400, as well as 12 Focus Spot 6Z moving heads and 12 Focus Flex LED zoomwash fixtures. The Focus Flex features seven individually controllable 40-Watt RGBW colour mixing LEDs, which generate vibrant washes, punchy beams, and eye–catching pixel effects. “You can play with the pixels, and it has macros to make that super easy,” said Smart. “This fixture checks the versatility box.” Smart also specified 12 Focus Beam and several lightweight Ultra Hex Bar 12 linear LED wash units, a 40-in long fixture which features 12 evenly spaced 10W 6-in-1 RGBW colour mixing LEDs to offer vibrant output and smooth colour mixing. Together, the collection of fixtures that Smart selected has provided Gonzalez and his team with the creative freedom to perfectly complement all the church’s services. “Now we have the right tools to enhance the worship that is taking place on stage, with lighting that is tasteful and appropriate to each moment. It has taken our Sunday experience to a different level,” concluded Gonzalez. www.adj.com
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Emerge C hurc h COMPANY: Powersoft LOCATION: Queensland, Australia
To elevate its famously energetic musical worship services, Australia’s Emerge Church has installed Powersoft’s high-performance T Series amplifiers as part of a major upgrade of its audio system. Located in the North Brisbane region of Queensland, the Pentecostal Emerge Church has three locations, with its main church in the suburb of Warner. The Warner building includes a 450-seat auditorium whose AV set-up is key to a typical church service, which includes a full band of drums, bass guitar, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, and four to six vocalists. The original PA system comprised four 12” horn (point-source) cabinets (2 per side) and two 18” subs under the stage. “In recent years, we noticed that the system was sounding tired and lacking the definition required for clean and clear vocal reproduction,” commented Ash Webber, one of Emerge Church’s Head Audio Engineers, explaining the decision to upgrade its AV facilities. “Achieving even frequency and SPL coverage throughout the auditorium has always been a challenge, and at times this led to comments from the congregation that the audio mix was too loud in some seats while being too soft or lacking clarity in others.” Emerge Church’s last annual conference provided an ideal opportunity to audition prospective PA and amplifier options. For this event, Harry LloydWilliams, Director of AT Professional, provided AT’s TLA508 Blackbird linearray system, with power supplied by Powersoft T Series amplifiers.
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Suitably impressed by the combination of the AT speakers and Powersoft amps, the church leadership endorsed the system and approved an upgrade to the original PA. The new speaker set-up, tuned by Brendan Keane, added eight AT Professional TLA508 line-array cabinets (four per side), as well as two AT Professional CLA LF3200 18in subs under the stage. Both the new loudspeakers and the existing EV front fills are powered by four 6000W, four-channel Powersoft T604 amplifiers. At Emerge Church, all signal processing is done within the T604s, which have built-in loudspeaker DSP, while input signals are delivered via the onboard Dante capability. The T Series’ high voltage is also ideal for sharing power between the channels for applications such as bi-amped loudspeakers or subwoofers with passive tops. “The new AT Professional PA system and Powersoft amplification combination has delivered our goal of even coverage and clear audio with exceptional results,” said fellow Head Audio Engineer Rob Camilleri. “The new system has been well received by the church leadership, congregation, worship band, audio engineers, and guest speakers, and delivered increased intelligibility, musical definition and headroom.” “We thoroughly recommend and endorse the Powersoft amplifier platform and AT Professional for their exceptional customer service and quality products,” he concluded. www.powersoft.com
DREAM. DESIGN. DELIVER. INCREDIBLE LED VIDEO SOLUTIONS AT SCALE
SACO.COM
O ur L a dy o f th e R os a r y Cat h ol i c Ch u rc h and Sc ho o l COMPANY: Alpha Sound LOCATION: South Carolina, USA
After installing NEXO systems that brought clear sound to other houses of worship, Alpha Sound was contacted by Our Lady of the Rosary Church to perform a similar audio update within their space. Alpha’s Lead Engineer, Devin Sheets, was called to begin the project. Sheets noticed the venue was indeed in dire need of a sound system transformation; after observing the church, he reported: “speech at the back of the church was completely unintelligible and there were numerous dead spots in the coverage.” The church, a traditional building full of hard surfaces, would not be an appropriate space to install a line array, large speakers, or additional acoustic treatments, due to aesthetic reasons. Sheets quickly concluded that the NEXO speakers, particularly a system based around NEXO’s ID Series, would again be appropriate for this house of worship upgrade. “We refer to the NEXO ID84 as a column speaker, but it’s really a totally unique loudspeaker in concept. It provides the coverage characteristics of a small line array with the smooth HF response that brings extraordinary clarity to the spoken word, all in a form factor that fits perfectly into these types of spaces,” Sheets commented. The chosen system comprised of a pair of ID84s shooting down the length of the church, with ultra-compact ID14s mounted immediately below to shade in coverage at the
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front. ID24s were hidden in custom-built plant stands on either side of the altar to cover the area in front of the main system, and ID14s were used in the transepts and two per side into the aisles, with the second pair on delays. More ID14s are also used in the choir loft with additional ID24s on the rear wall, facing the congregation. Amplification and processing came from NEXO’s compact NXAMP-powered controllers. As a final step to ensure the space retained its desired look, all cabinets were custom-painted to match the creamcoloured stonework. “There was a feeling at the church that sound was always going to be a problem in a high-ceiling, reverberant space like theirs” stated Sheets. “Of course, it’s a challenge, but the new ID84-based system delivers that perfect combination of even coverage, clear intelligibility, ease of use and low visual impact.” Reflecting on the new NEXO system, Fr Dwight Longenecker, Pastor, Our Lady of the Rosary, agreed with Sheets: “The transformation of our sound system at Our Lady of the Rosary, Greenville, SC has seemed miraculous. We were struggling with the tricky combination of a hard acoustic in a large church. The guys from Alpha Sound solved the problem and our folks are thrilled to be able to enjoy fine sacred music and hear the Word of God clearly.” www.alphasound.tech
RIVALE PROFILE the ultimate revolution RIVALE PROFILE is the first ultra-equipped luminaire in AYRTON’s brand new ‘ULTIMATE’ series, all models being perfectly homothetic and sharing common features, delivering previously unimaginable weight to output ratios. Developed for mixed use indoors and outdoors, and in all conditions, RIVALE PROFILE, with its unique visual signature, is unparalleled on the market. Weight determines performance, and RIVALE PROFILE weighs only 28 kilos. To allow you more creativity and freedom in your lighting design, RIVALE PROFILE has been provided with continuous rotation of the pan and tilt movement. RIVALE PROFILE, a unique projector that boasts performance, creativity, subtlety and power, is the most versatile fixture created by AYRTON to date. A truly innovative luminaire with no equivalent on the market…
3 Series - Source
Lumens
Beam Aperture
Frontal Lens
IP Rating
Weight
450 W - 6500 K
30,000
4° to 52°
160 mm
IP65
28 kg
9S 6S
3S w w w. a y r t o n . e u
C hr ist C o mmunit y Ch u rch , St . Ch a r l e s COMPANY: Elation LOCATION: Chicago, USA
Christ Community’s St. Charles/South Elgin location, one of five Christ Community campuses in the greater Chicago area, recently received an atmosphere-improving lighting upgrade consisting of Elation’s Professional Fuze Profile and Fuze Pendant fixtures. JRLX Inc.’s CEO, Jason Reberski, recommended solutions throughout the installation, helping to improve upon the venue’s former, power-hungry, and limited system. The Fuze Profile is an LED moving head framing fixture that houses a 305W 6,500K RGBMA LED engine with high CRI. Its five-colour homogenised LED array ensures accurate colour reproduction with a beautiful mixed white, whilst providing colour manipulation features like virtual colour temperature and Magenta/Green adjustment plus CMY emulation. Noah Kimmel, the Production Director at the St. Charles/South Elgin campus, worked with Reberski on the system. Kimmel commented: “The Fuze Profiles for key light have gone beyond being convenient for us to focus; they’ve allowed us at different times of the service to do different colours on the front line where one person is spot-lit and the rest is washed in a colour.” He also added that they’ve had success using the gobo wheels and that the fixture has: “generally been way more user–friendly for volunteers.” The Fuze Profile pairs with Elation’s Fuze Pendant, as they both use a similar colour spectrum engine, with the only difference being that the
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Fuze Profile houses an amber chip, whereas the Fuze Pendant uses a white chip. The Fuze Pendant house light is compact enough to be adaptable to smaller spaces. The fixture is colour temperature adjustable from 2,000-10,000K and houses a full spectrum 230W RGBWL array for washes of high CRI white light, subtle pastels, or pure saturates. Silent with no fans, the output is up to 11,000 lumens. Overall, despite the excellent visual impact, the new Elation system uses fewer fixtures and runs at less than half the wattage in comparison to the church’s previous setup. “Beyond the power savings we now have savings in consumables. We’re no longer buying gels and lamps, and we also benefit from the labour savings in not having to change those out,” confirmed Kimmel. Furthermore, the church is now granted greater flexibility in creating lighting atmospheres while adding an immersive element to the worship experience. “The ability to create the room as a big wash of colour makes it feel less of a performance and more of a worship environment where everybody is part of one big action,” stated Kimmel, who concluded by highlighting the importance of working with a good integrator: “Our experience working with JRLX is always fantastic. Whenever we have a problem, they can come up with creative solutions for it.” www.elationlighting.com
FOCUSED SOUND. EVERYWHERE.
Characterised by high output, precision directivity and a compact, unobtrusive form factor, NEXO loudspeaker systems excel in a range of applications. Installers and services providers enjoy plug and play amplification and processing solutions, intuitive system design software and world-class support from a highly-experienced engineering team. Find out more at nexo.sa.com
Thinking. Inside the box.
Multi - Mondo 318x245.indd 1
09/03/2023 14:55
Northr idge C hurc h COMPANY: Clear-Com LOCATION: Michigan, USA
Northridge Church’s Plymouth, Michigan, main campus continues to design the most stunning, technologically advanced sermons, allowing churchgoers a modern, innovative space to practice their faith. Brandon Schultz, Northridge’s Live Video Director, noted that behind-the-scenes communication is the key to achieving inventiveness in their sermons; accordingly, a recent upgrade included the integration of Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station. The adoption of Arcadia is a prime example of optimising technology to allow for more creativity, as it allows the church’s production team to leverage their intercom system more effectively, creating ever more immersive and high-impact worship services. “We already had an extensive comms system based on the Clear-Com Encore Analog Partyline system that we’ve ‘grafted’ onto over the years, but we wanted to bring it forward in a way that our growing creative ministry needs,” Schultz commented. Northridge had already been evaluating Arcadia as a solution, but with the release of the integration of Arcadia with HelixNet Digital Partyline, the campus was convinced. Arcadia checked all the boxes: “Not only for our existing needs but the more creative ideas we have had about how we can use our intercom system beyond how we’ve used it before,” Schultz stated. The church was able to retain its legacy wireless system and integrate it into the new Arcadia-based system seamlessly. “We didn’t have to change out our entire system to go digital, or redo how we send comms to cameras and distribute them to video control,” he added. “And, frankly, the price point was far better than I had imagined it to be, given what Arcadia is capable
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of.” Ultimately, Arcadia was installed in the campus’ production booth, with FreeSpeak Edge 5GHz IP transceivers distributed in multiple zones in the church to support FSE wireless beltpacks. Arcadia has delivered far more functionality and flexibility, allowing IP connectivity and greater channel capacity over a single network cable, instead of via multiple runs of copper through the building, thereby substantially increasing wireless coverage across the entire campus (as well as the number of production staff who can be on comms simultaneously), and, by extension, simplifying their workflow. That was a game-changer, particularly for Northridge’s annual Christmas production which requires up to 50 users to connect via intercom at once. “Arcadia gives us the ability to have unique user profiles that can be re-assigned with the click of a button or remotely, instead of getting into the matrix or moving knobs and faders like we used to and having multiple systems we need to configure independently. Arcadia just works, and it’s all in one place,” Schultz commented. This, he added, was a feature they didn’t know they needed until they had it. “With so many channels on a single pack, we can assign unique, point-to-point private lines rather than have everybody on one channel, so our comms experience is much more efficient.” More importantly, Northridge Church’s leadership and production teams are no longer bound by their older system’s limitations. Instead, in the future, they’re free to give their creative impulses free rein. www.clearcom.com
Reim a ge C hurc h COMPANY: Blaze Audio LOCATION: North Carolina, USA
Recognising that clean, clear and natural audio is crucial for keeping their growing congregation engaged, Reimage Church in Winterville, North Carolina, recently upgraded their sound reinforcement system to better accommodate the challenges of contemporary worship services, resulting in the deployment of Constant Curvature Array (CCA) loudspeakers by Blaze Audio. “The sanctuary at Reimage Church is a large, semi-circular space with seating for 1,200 people,” commented David Williams, President, Hi Tech Electronics, which was contracted to design and deploy the sound system. “The edge of the stage faces directly into the arch of the room, which measures approximately 75 feet from the stage edge to the rear wall, and this design can easily create considerable challenges for having consistent sounding audio throughout the entire space – particularly on the extreme left and right sides. “This is precisely why loudspeakers with wide horizontal dispersion in addition to well-focused vertical throw were so important, and this was a key factor that led us to deploy the Blaze Audio CCA Series.” The CCA10i is a compact, three-way arrayable point source loudspeaker designed for medium-sized venues to large distributed systems that need a flexible, scalable loudspeaker solution. Mounted horizontally with tight acoustic centres to minimise comb filtering, each CCA10i enclosure provides a fixed 20-degree vertical coverage pattern and can be flown with additional enclosures in vertical arrays. The system’s constant curvature waveguide provides unprecedented array coherence along with precision 160-degree symmetrical horizontal pattern control. “The installation includes three hangs, each with three Blaze Audio CCA10i-BA-B enclosures,” Williams reported. “The centre cluster faces
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straight out toward the rear centre of the room while the left and right arrays face into the mid area of the left and right sides. All three clusters are positioned directly over the front edge of the stage area.” DSP is handled by two Symetrix Prism units: the 8 X 8 and 16 X 16 models, while power amplification is provided by six Blaze Audio PowerZone Connect 3004 full-matrix DSP-enabled Class-D power amplifiers. There are two amps per hang point, mounted with a custom bracket that holds the amps on the back of the loudspeaker enclosures. “I should also point out that we retained eight WorxAudio UW18BP subwoofers that we installed with the original system back in the 1990s,” Williams added. “Like the new Blaze Audio loudspeakers, the WorxAudio sub bass enclosures were designed by Hugh Sarvis, and this was a key factor that enabled us to retain the subwoofers and mate them with the new CCA enclosures – they all originated with the same loudspeaker engineer. It’s also my understanding that the WorxAudio designs are now the intellectual property of Blaze Audio.” When questioned about the various attributes that made the Blaze Audio CCA Series enclosures so well suited for this project, Williams focused on their dispersion characteristics. “The clarity and pattern control on the CCA loudspeakers is nothing short of amazing,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like you’re listening to a box – the sound seems to be everywhere. Speech intelligibility is excellent and music reproduction is as clear and present as I’ve ever heard. “Equally noteworthy is the fact that with the Blaze Audio CCA Series, it took roughly half the loudspeakers of the previous installation to deliver superior results. I should also add that the video and stage techs are very happy because this new system doesn’t complicate lines of sight.” www.blaze-audio.com
M isr M a s j i d COMPANY: HOLOPLOT LOCATION: Cairo, Egypt
Audio Technology installed HOLOPLOT’s flagship X1 Matrix Array technology inside Misr Masjid, after being tasked with delivering clear, intelligible sound within the large mosque, without compromising the architectural integrity of the building’s marble interior. Using HOLOPLOT’s coverage abilities, the X1s were rendered ultimately invisible; only nine loudspeaker array positions were needed, with each being concealed at a height of 23m above the floor, resulting in worshipers being treated to excellent audio, without the impressive venue being aesthetically blemished. HOLOPLOT technology is based upon controlling and shaping sounds in complex environments and being able to manoeuvre even highly reflective spaces with accuracy. The X1 handled the mosque’s existing reverberation time of six seconds, preventing the need for large amounts of acoustic treatments inside the room. Emad El-Saghir, Fellow at HOLOPLOT, complimented the loudspeaker’s navigation of the difficult venue. “The X1 Matrix Arrays utilise advanced optimisation algorithms to generate uniform coverage in tightly defined zones with minimal spill to dedicated quieter areas or reverberant surfaces,” he said. “This way, speech transmission and the direct-toreverberant ratio were increased to record values. A steerable-line-
St. Pat r ic k ’s C at he d ra l COMPANY: K-array LOCATION: New York City, USA
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan is one of the most visited churches in the US and recently underwent a multi-year renovation that included the installation of a new K-array sound system. While both interior and exterior structural restorations were required, the audio system was also in need of an overhaul and Ben Bausher, Senior Consultant, JaffeHolden, was brought in as the system design consultant. The church required a system with minimal visual profile and high intelligibility in what is a very reverberant environment, and as a result Bausher selected a K-array solution. A total of 54 white Kobra-KK102 line array elements were installed throughout the cathedral, powered by 31 Kommander-KA10PC Class D power amplifiers. The loudspeakers amplify spoken voice and the occasional musical accompaniment that originates from the altar. Given the relative ease of the installation, the biggest challenge was commissioning the audio system between the hours of 10pm and 6am as not to disrupt tourist traffic, or the multiple daily masses that were performed inside. “The Kobra was chosen because it does not stand out – and for other good reasons, including the extraordinary performance to size ratio and mounting hardware. They fit perfectly within the grooves in the tall columns for a natural finish,” said Bausher. www.k-array.com
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array-based solution would have required the deployment of far more arrays to achieve anything comparable.” Emad Shenouda, Projects Director at Audio Technology, concluded: “I’m pleased to say that together with HOLOPLOT, we met the client’s brief of creating a fully integrated system that satisfies all stakeholders. The project was full of challenges, starting from the size of the mosque, the room’s acoustics, and of course, project deadlines. “Thanks to X1’s ability to control sound vertically as well as horizontally, it achieved unbelievable intelligibility, thought impossible in a space clad in marble. HOLOPLOT exceeded our expectations in both the quality of sound and in hiding the equipment in such a way that it blends in seamlessly with the interior.” www.holoplot.com
West mi nster P res b y te r i a n C hurc h COMPANY: DPA Microphones LOCATION: Delaware, USA
The project undertaken at Westminster Presbyterian Church was spearheaded by the desire to upgrade the venue’s existing microphone system to a setup that better supported live-streaming. Robert Bullington, President of Front Row Seat Productions LLC, was tasked with designing a custom microphone package that could deliver remote, streamed sermons that would be just as accurate and intelligible as an in-person worship session. A package consisting of DPA Microphones was specified, leading DPA’s Business Development Manager, Gabriel Antonini, to join the project in collaboration to provide further advice. Working with the church’s Director of Music/Organist, Dr. F. Anthony Thurman, Bullington identified that the COVID-19 pandemic had forced many congregation members to rely on sermon live-streaming. The venue enjoyed this ability to make events remote, leading to the desire to stream all the church’s functions. However, the space’s high level of reverberation caused existing microphones to pick up unwanted noise, and Thurman and Bullington identified that the audio capture desperately required improvement. The installation team faced the challenge of balancing the sound of the church’s pipe organ, choir, and grand piano. Additionally, they needed ambient microphones that would capture the longest sound waves created by the pedal stops of the organ. Further considerations included aesthetics, namely avoiding visual obstructions of the venue’s stained-glass windows. Bullington knew that DPA’s small, compact form-factor would be ideal for these specificities. Included among the mics the team selected was a pair of DPA 4006A Omnidirectional Microphones with a nosecone accessory above the main aisle, spaced equidistant between the front and back of the church. This ensured an accurate capture of all the organ’s frequencies, which span from extremely low to very high. Bullington also hung a pair of DPA 4011C Cardioid Microphones on suspension mounts in an ORTF configuration, aimed at the chancel, and in combination with the 4006As, this achieved a room balance for the remote listeners. To capture the choir, Bullington selected a pair of DPA 4015 Wide Cardioid Microphones. The wide polar pattern of these microphones not only captured the singers evenly, but also rejected the organ pipes just above. The team also flanked the choir in the front with hard left/right DPA 4097 Supercardioid Choir Microphones, which delivered added clarity to the mix. For the piano, a pair of DPA 4099P CORE Instrument Microphones were placed inside the instrument with magnet mounts. As a final addition, the church deployed two DPA 4160 Lavalier Microphones for the Pastors, which were amplified and given the ability to be sent to any assistive listening systems in place. Overall, the custom DPA microphone package that Bullington and Antonini created was a success, with Thurman commenting: “The DPA microphones have exceeded our expectations in terms of the quality of the live-streams and recordings. Whether joining us live or watching a recording, our members are amazed at how good the experience is.” www.dpamicrophones.com
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Khawa neej M o s qu e COMPANY: Digital Projection LOCATION: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Khawaneej Mosque in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was recently brought to life with Digital Projection’s TITAN and M-Vision laser projectors. The potential beauty of this upgrade was displayed at one of the country’s most significant cultural and religious events. Throughout the month of Ramadan, after the sunset, a warm ambiance and special shine filled the bustling city of Dubai. Every night between 8pm and 2am from 27 March to 10 April 2023, the Khawaneej Mosque captivated audiences with a mesmerising video mapping projection loop animation by Digital Projection’s partner Artabesk. Overcoming the challenges posed by Dubai’s light pollution, the installation required high brightness levels alongside high-resolution capabilities without compromising colour accuracy. To achieve this, Artabesk turned to Digital Projection’s esteemed TITAN and M-Vision laser projector ranges. Artabesk used three TITAN Laser 37000 WU projectors. A class-leading 3-Chip DLP projector that delivers up to 37000 (WUXGA) or up to 31000 (4K-UHD) lumens, the TITAN Laser 37000 is an ideal projector for large outdoor applications. It was complemented by seven M-Vision 23000 WU, a remarkably powerful 1-DLP laser projector with 23,000
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lumens output. “One of the most crucial parts for us was to ensure the mapping was perfectly aligned, and the brightness was high enough,” commented Mounir Harbaoui, architectural projection designer and founder of Artabesk. “In order to create a stunning visual experience for the audience, the projectors needed to boast impressive brightness levels. This is the reason we chose these specific models from Digital Projection.” The Khawaneej Mosque mapping installation featured a strategic placement of seven projectors positioned all around the holy place. Artabesk placed two projectors in a portrait position to project to the minaret, with the remaining projectors set in landscape mode. To deliver content for images under 20m wide, the M Vision 23000 WU projectors, with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, were deployed. The TITAN Laser 37000 WU projectors were used for larger images over 20m wide, immersing the audience in a beautiful visual experience. The projected content, created by Artabesk, was a blend of vibrant colours, geometric patterns and outlines of architectural details, all carefully choreographed with precision. Harbaoui emphasised the importance of the projectors to the creation process, which demanded great attention to detail: “The key was in the intricate elements, which is why we needed to have high-resolution visuals.” A Dataton WATCHOUT media server, capable of handling highresolution media files, enabled each projected image to cover an area of approximately 20m by 13m. The audience was amazed by the captivating video mapping show delivered by Digital Projection’s technology. “We are really proud of the result and the positive feedback we got from the spectators,” concluded Harbaoui. “The stunning projection and colourful, animated patterns truly brought the Khawaneej Mosque to life.” www.digitalprojection.com
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Na za ret h L ut h e ra n Ch u rc h COMPANY: L-Acoustics LOCATION: Iowa, USA
The 150-year-old Nazareth Lutheran Church recently installed an L-Acoustics immersive sound system featuring the L-ISA Processor II to engulf worshippers in the next generation of sonic technology. The PA system has been upgraded to one that not only delivers for both choir and organ services, but also positions the church for its next generation of worshippers. Systems integrators Vantage Pro executed a full renovation of the church’s sound system, which also included the supply of an Allen & Heath dLive C3500 console. “The church hosts a traditional service on Sunday mornings using a choir, orchestra, organ, and bells, and then 45 minutes later there’s a band up on stage,” said Duke DeJong, Integration Lead at AV systems integrator Vantage Pro. The new L-ISA setup addresses the acoustical challenges of the mid-sized church, and does so with the future in mind. A total of 23 A10i Focus and 11 A10i Wide loudspeakers comprise five arrays flown across the front of the stage, two extension arrays, and two out-fill arrays, buttressed by six KS21i compact subwoofers flown in a centre hang. Five compact 5XT enclosures are installed across the back edge of the balcony to cover its last several rows, and seven LA4X amplified controllers power the system. An L-Acoustics LS10 10-port Milan-AVB switch acts as the
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network interface for the system, while a MADI card in the dLive mix engine connects the console to the PA. L-ISA Controller software runs on a separate computer at the FOH position to manage the system’s object-based immersive mixing, while the console is used for level and dynamics control, making it simple to master, even for the church’s largely volunteer tech team. It’s a system designed to take the church’s audio technology decades forward. “The first order of business was to design a sound system that would address the church’s dynamic range of worship types,” commented Marc Breda, Project Lead for Vantage Pro. “The pastor wanted that, but he also wanted the system to be ready to take the ministry into the future, with system that would also engage a younger generation who have become accustomed to sophisticated sound, and L-ISA accomplishes that.” For Nathaniel Parrish, the church’s Music Director, the sonic transformation that the new sound system brings to Nazareth Lutheran is profound. “Our L-Acoustics speaker system has been such a huge improvement in clarity and fullness,” he said. “We recently had an event with 25 singers and musicians on stage, and it sounded great. We never could have pulled that off with our old sound system.” www.l-acoustics.com
New L ife C hurc h COMPANY: Stage Audio Works LOCATION: Johannesburg, South Africa
New Life Church in the suburb of Bryanston, Johannesburg, was established in 1985 and is an important part of the local community. As part of their ongoing mission to provide the best possible worship experience for their congregation, New Life has recently added live streaming capabilities with a digital audio workstation-based mixing system, and upgraded their Yamaha M7CL console to a new Yamaha Rivage PM3, all supplied and installed by Stage Audio Works. Stage Audio Works (SAW) has built a strong relationship with New Life Church that began when they collaborated in 2012, after the company installed a d&b audiotechnik V-Series line array system in New Life’s auditorium. SAW was consequently called back during the COVID-19 pandemic to develop a live-streaming solution. SAW’s CTO, Nathan Ihlenfeldt, noted: “After discussion with the church leadership, we opted for a solution built around a DAW, which offers an in-the-box rather than a console-based workflow. A stable, server-grade PC was supplied with a PCIe Dante card, with Neumann monitoring and Focusrite Rednet interfacing. Enabled by the Dante network, it fits nicely into their existing infrastructure and is easy to manage, extremely flexible and keeps costs contained. It’s been very successful and is now an integral part of their setup.” The most recent development has been the console upgrade to a Yamaha Rivage PM3. New Life’s previous console was an M7CL which had been working since 2007. “The decision to replace it was a preemptive measure rather than a reactionary one,” explained Ihlenfeldt. “It was still going strong after 15 years of solid service – a real testament to the reliability and robustness of Yamaha’s engineering. However, as the musical capacity of the church has evolved, it was time for an update that would allow for future growth.” The stability of its platform meant that it was an easy decision to stay with Yamaha, and the PM3 offers everything the church needs to support an extremely high standard of audio. Furthermore, Stage
Audio Works was able to reuse certain elements of the previous infrastructure, such as the stage boxes that had been upgraded to digital some time ago, resulting in a cost-efficient and streamlined integration process. “It has all worked out very well,” concluded Ihlenfeldt. “We’ve significantly upgraded New Life’s AV and broadcast capabilities over the years as the church has developed, and we’re proud to have been a part of their journey. Regarding the console, the PM3 offers the same functionality and mixing channels as Yamaha’s flagship, the PM10, but its compact form factor and intuitive control surface make it a perfect fit for house of worship applications. New Life Church can look forward to another 15 years of reliable sound mixing in a future-proof format.” www.stageaudioworks.com
St. Lu ke M is s i o na ry Bapti st C hurc h COMPANY: elektraLite LOCATION: Ohio, USA
St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church has proved itself to be much more than a traditional house of worship, with its dedication to combining mainstream sermons with pursuits for equitability, both within its congregation and beyond. To ensure that its spiritual and social missions were conducted in a modern and inviting environment, the church staff relied upon Eagle Eye Design to install a dozen elektraLite Stingray Profile Warm White spot fixtures. This visual aesthetic upgrade was further motivated by a desire to improve the church’s online presence, which is rooted in worship streams. Eagle Eye Design installed the fixtures along with a 12-button preset controller that lets the venue pick its lighting levels reliably and easily. The Stingray Profile Warm Whites are the vanguard of a more extensive lighting and technology upgrade, said Eagle Eye Owner Tom Sellars, who also specified three remote-robotic cameras as part of this first phase of the installation. “We led with lighting because how the church looks online is very important to communicating its message, and we used elektraLite because, from a performance and a cost-effectiveness basis, they’re simply the best,” Sellars revealed. “The Warm White’s single-COB, 300watt LED gives us a rich, consistent warm white at a balanced 3,200K colour temperature. It’s a true theatrical white light with no hot spot, which is great for streaming. Plus, the church’s existing architectural lighting has the same type of colour and temperature, so it was a good
match that let us keep the same feel in the sanctuary that they were used to.” Another crucial feature that Sellars appreciated was elektraLite’s customer service. “Anytime there was ever any issue, they were always there for us,” he added. “Furthermore, they keep improving the products. The RDM protocol is now included on the Stingray, which makes control so much easier,” he concluded, reaffirming that the specification of elektraLite fixtures was perfect for continuing the church’s mission of providing a warm, equal worship space that can be experienced either in person or remotely. www.myelektralite.com
The B a l t i mo re Ba s i l i ca COMPANY: Renkus-Heinz LOCATION: Baltimore, USA
The Baltimore Basilica stands as an historically important house of worship as the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States. When the 1200-seat Basilica underwent an extensive upgrade, ensuring the space was treated with a sound solution just as powerful as the interior itself was key. As with many houses of worship, the high ceilings and hard surfaces made for a challenging acoustic environment, with room reverberation a real issue. The Archdiocese of Baltimore turned to Neil Thompson Shade, FASA President and Principal Consultant of Acoustical Design Collaborative, for help. “‘Breathtaking’ is how would describe the architecture,” commented Shade. “Everything in the church’s interior had been restored to its original condition. The high, domed ceilings in the nave and above the congregation are beautiful, but certainly added to the reverberation challenges.” The church contracted with HP Electronics to install and commission the four IC16-RN digitally steerable loudspeakers called for in the audio redesign. A member of the Renkus-Heinz ICONYX Gen5 Series,
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the IC16-RN gives sound system designers the power to create a system to cover even the most problematic spaces, with up to eight steerable beams that can be individually shaped and aimed. The triple tweeter ‘array within an array’ design reduces the distance between high-frequency sources for vastly improved performance with consistent, broad horizontal dispersion. After commissioning, the average room Speech Transmission Index for Public Address Systems (STIPA), a quantitative measure of speech intelligibility, increased from 0.42 (poor) to 0.55 (fair), a significant gain based solely on four loudspeakers. The Archdiocese staff and clergy were delighted with the improved speech intelligibility and minimal disruptions during installation to ongoing worship services. “Because the Basilica is a historic building, sensitivity to aesthetics was an important consideration when selecting new loudspeakers. We could immediately tell that the Renkus-Heinz’s Iconyx loudspeakers were the right way to go,” concluded Shade. www.renkus-heinz.com
Sanct ua r y o f L o urd e s COMPANY: Arbane Groupe LOCATION: Lourdes, France
The Sanctuary of Lourdes stands as a beacon of faith, covering an impressive 53 hectares and 22 places of worship, drawing in over 3.5 million pilgrims from around the world every year. In a contemporary transformation, the Sanctuary of Lourdes’ Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and its esplanade recently revamped its sound system with Active Audio and APG speakers from Arbane Groupe. After three decades of loyal service, the original outdoor APG audio system, installed at the time by local integrator Audiomaster Technologie on Our Lady of the Rosary esplanade, found itself showing the signs of weathering. The job of revamping the audio system for both the esplanade and the inside of the basilica fell to the same company, now a subsidiary of ACE EVENT GROUP. After a series of tests and comparisons, Audiomaster Technologie once again opted for APG speakers, drawn by its warm audio and wide coverage, as well as having the manufacturer close by. “The close relationship between us and Arbane Groupe is essential as it allows to develop better projects by building upon the ideas from when we first started working together,” commented Loïc Bourgain, Engineering Design Officer, ACE EVENT GROUP. Bespoke finishes were developed so the speakers could merge with the outdoor environment, while live demos were held prior to installation and a 3D model was created to outline how the sound would cover the inside of the basilica. On and around the esplanade, which can host thousands of visitors, Audiomaster Technologie installed 70 APG iX8-O compact outdoor loudspeakers, embedding a two-way coaxial design, bass reflect and an IP54 rating. Of those, 36 speakers are fitted to lighting poles along the 421m drive. Sixteen loudspeakers grace the Rosary esplanade, with 16 positioned alongside the river and the sacred grotto. All speakers are powered by six Powersoft Quattrocanali 2404 DSP amplifiers coupled with a Xilica Solaro processor. Inside the basilica was an ageing sound system lacking intelligibility. In replacing it and achieving both the aesthetic and pristine sound requirements, Audiomaster Technologie used four Active Audio StepArray 180P (1.8m) column speakers and two StepArray 250P (2.5m). The StepArray range features digital and geometric radiation control (DGRC) patented technology and electronic directivity adjustment, ensuring precise directivity while remaining compact and secure. The six Active Audio StepArray speakers are deployed in three groups: two StepArray 250P column speakers are at altar level to offer sufficient directivity control while respecting the layout constraints; two StepArray 180P are located in the 30m long nave behind the area occupied by the dome; and two more are installed in the transept, limiting reflections on the curved walls of the chapels. All speakers are powered by Active Audio MPA82000 amplifiers and a NUT audio processor, while a Powersoft Mezzo 322A amplifier is used for speaker monitoring. A Xilica Solaro processor handles the delay and equalisation settings. Energy consumption for the sound system during operation is now comparable to the previous setup when the AV equipment was on standby, a fourfold decrease in energy consumption. www.arbane-groupe.com
Wesley M et ho dist Ch u rc h COMPANY: Outline LOCATION: Singapore
Wesley Methodist Church is a modern worship location which demands perfect intelligibility due to its sermons reliant on excellent sound; readings, music, and all elements of praise are key within the church. The large and unusually shaped space was recently treated with an Outline system to allow for all audio to ring clear. After local architects Ong & Ong and acoustic / production consultant Truephonic LLC undertook building works that addressed spatial issues, a complete review and replacement of the sound system was needed. Choosing loudspeakers for this new system proved to be something of a test, given the unusual layout of the room and its physical constraints. The relatively low ceiling and asymmetric layout meant that the ideal solution was a distributed audio system, using small clusters of supercompact line-source modules supplemented by subwoofers. Three loudspeaker manufacturers were invited to demonstrate their products at a listening test in the hall, which was conducted in darkness so that each system could be evaluated purely on its audio performance and with its brand unknown to the selection team. All three systems were well-received, but ultimately, Outline’s Scala-90 was selected. The new sound system design at the church includes three principal loudspeaker locations, each comprising three Outline Scala-90 constant curvature array modules. Although the enclosures are mounted horizontally, the Scala-90’s modest dimensions means that each array measures only 0.7m vertically and so sightlines are unaffected. Two clusters of Outline SUB-118 subwoofers (in cardioid mode) are also flown from the ceiling, providing ample, controlled low-frequency extension for the space and the only other loudspeakers required are four compact Outline Vegas 8CX units for fills and delays. The entire system is powered by one Outline GTA Quattro Dante four-channel amplifier and one GTA Otto Dante eight-channel amplifier. This new system promises to reliably grant Wesley Methodist Church high-quality, clear audio, for years to come. The sound of worship can be enjoyed from every seat in the space, allowing for praise that is unaffected by the unconventional room layout. www.outline.it
St. I gnat i us C at hol i c Ch u rc h COMPANY: Ashly Audio LOCATION: Florida, USA
Faithful to their mission of providing exceptional organ music, Church Organ Works, a Colorado-based supplier and service provider of digital and pipe organs as well as digital/pipe hybrid combinations, continues its long relationship with Ashly Audio, with Dan Bashor, CEO of Church Organ Works, counting on the company’s versatile amplifiers for over 15 years. Church Organ Works recently completed an installation at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Tarpon Springs, Florida, where the high ceiling, wooden pews and other variable surfaces made for an extremely challenging acoustic space. So that the church’s hybrid organ could reach its full musical potential, three Ashly Audio ne8250, one nX4004 and one nX 1.5 were specified and installed. The specified amplifiers each have Protea DSP onboard and are Dante systems. The organ outputs Dante for the digital audio network path and uses MIDI Pipe Output for the speaking pipes. Bashor explained how the pipe organ has numerous unique attributes that make it a tonal giant, and that understanding these attributes is critical to even begin to envision how an audio system might try to deliver pipe sound into a variety of acoustic spaces. “As one of the most unique instrument applications, we are basically asking modern
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technology to compete ‘on-par’, or in some cases side-by-side, with wind-blown pipes, so I say ‘Thank you’ to Ashly, for helping make the exceptional possible,” said Bashor. Available in various wattages of 250, 500, 800, 1500, and larger, Bashor stated that the amplifiers are well suited for all the installation challenges he has faced. “Ashly Audio can provide flexible technology and high performance for any system we encounter. Furthermore, we can solve problems immediately after we identify them, thanks to the variety of options offered,” he explained. www.ashly.com
T ra ns fo r mat i on Ch u rc h COMPANY: Robe LOCATION: Oklahoma, USA
Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, recently underwent a complete redesign of the lighting rig within its 4,000-seat main auditorium, created and delivered by 46 Entertainment of Nashville, TN, and consisting of Robe’s LEDBeam 350s. “Transformation Church has been a client of 46 Entertainment for the past 13 months,” explained 46’s Project Manager, Noah Wilbanks, revealing that this trusted relationship had once again resulted in an excellent installation. One reason for this upgrade was the space’s aesthetic needs; streaming has become an essential aspect of Transformation Church’s immersive worship sessions, which are known for their high production values, meaning there was a definite need to keep the look of the presentations fresh and evolving. At the centre of the upgraded lighting design is a 40ft diameter circular truss on a six-axis Kinesys automation system, which is rigged with 64 equidistantly spaced Robe LEDBeam 350s. The LEDBeam 350s were already owned by the church, while the circular trussing sections were rented in for the occasion, to support 46’s spectacular design which is flown above the stage and can pitch and tilt into a dynamic array of positions due to the automation. Positioning the LEDBeam 350s into a flown circle alongside plenty of back and key lighting created a captivating environment for the live audience, as well as a modern studio look for all broadcasts. Additionally, Wilbanks and the 46 team knew the
LEDBeam 350s would be ideal alongside the large, upstage LED video wall, as the product is punchy enough to stand out against the high amount of ambient light coming off the screen. “The LEDBeam 350 is an ideal luminaire for this space,” Wilbanks noted. “It’s a highly versatile fixture with a tight beam, and thanks to the great zoom it also produces a great wash. You can create some gorgeous effects, and that was the idea here, together with the shape and movement of the circle.” He was also impressed with the speed of the fixture and their impact as fly-out, spinning, or effects fixtures. “They are very powerful and compact fixtures at a great price.” The room is around 215ft wide by 180ft deep, so it is a large space to fill. However, the circular design excellently treats this, ensuring a great overall presence. In addition to the LEDBeam 350s, the church has 46 Anolis Divine 160 luminaires scattered around the auditorium ceiling, providing house lighting including coloured and atmospheric mood looks. The lighting control is managed by a grandMA3 full-size, and there are approximately 300 other lighting fixtures in the rig. Wilbanks, the 46 Entertainment team, and Transformation Church’s Technical Director, Keithan Carrol, all see the impact of the new solution. Thanks to this upgrade, the space is even more visually stunning, exciting both the in-person congregation and those watching remotely through livestreams. www.robe.cz
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El Luga r de S u P re s e n ci a COMPANY: Sennheiser LOCATION: Colombia, South America
El Lugar de Su Presencia is a Neo-Pentecostal Christian megachurch, serving 80,000 members at eight locations in Colombia. The organisation prioritises high-quality services for its members, and that starts with sound. To ensure crystal clear services for its members across dozens of in-person and live-streamed events, the house of worship recently revamped its audio infrastructure by adding the Sennheiser Digital 6000 and Evolution Wireless Digital systems. With over 10 services a week, attended by approximately 1,000 people each, with many more joining online, this upgrade opens a path to new possibilities for the church’s AV team. The long-range (LR) mode and the number of possible channels of the Digital 6000 series ensures the top-tier performance that each of these services require, including sermons, singers, choirs, and any other activity that involves the use of a microphone. “I think that audio setups in churches should be understood as greatly important”, commented Juan Pablo Giraldo, Audio Director of El Lugar de Su Presencia. “Singers damage their voices less with Sennheiser products and are more intelligible. For me this is something very valuable because when you have 10 services a week, taking care of your voice is key,” he continued. Sennheiser’s main distributor in Colombia, SR Importadores, brought the system to the church AV team to test out. They were delighted by the sound quality as well as wireless
fidelity. Since then, they have relied on Sennheiser for all their wireless audio needs. In addition, the versatility provided by the 40 channels of Sennheiser Evolution Wireless Digital and In-Ear Monitoring Systems makes the performances optimal for musicians, clergy, and church members. This is complemented by Neumann KH 80 Monitors so that everything is heard exactly as intended. Thanks to its ability to operate in very narrow frequency bands, the Digital 6000 system gives El Lugar de Su Presencia confidence in RF performance and unparalleled sound quality. The wireless system provides the house of worship with the necessary channels to accommodate a range of microphones in the space, giving the production and AV team confidence in each service. www.sennheiser.com
Binh T hua n Ro ma n Cat h ol i c Ch u rc h COMPANY: Bosch LOCATION: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
With a transformation that overcame problematic reverberance, loudspeakers and microphones from Electro-Voice and Dynacord amplifiers have been installed within Binh Thuan Roman Catholic Church. Specified and installed by Duy Hoa Phat Corp, the complete sound system upgrade was the result of a mission to improve the acoustic properties of the space, as the previous products were selected for aesthetic purposes only. In comparison, Duy Hoa Phat Corp’s audio solution proved ideal in terms of both appearance and sound. The loudspeakers needed to blend into the church’s bright interior design to be visually unobtrusive, therefore white versions of models from the Electro-Voice EVC family of compact loudspeakers for fixed installation were specified. A pair of EVC-1122-VI 12-in two-way loudspeakers address the main congregational seating area, supported by seven EVC-1082 8-in two-way loudspeakers. The asymmetrical horn design of the EVC-1122 allows uniform coverage of rectangular spaces, ensuring sermons can be heard clearly by every member of the congregation. In addition to the EVC models, a pair of EVID S4.2TB and a further two Bosch LB2-UC30-L1 compact installation cabinets complete the solution. Power for the audio system is provided by five Dynacord L1300FD 2x 650 W DSP amplifiers. Electro-Voice microphones ensure an equally high standard of audio quality at the input end of the signal chain. Four wired ND96 dynamic supercardioid vocal mics are joined by an equal number of RE3 UHF wireless systems featuring ND96 handhelds. Completing the microphone selection, 12 RE92HW cardioid hanging mics capture the harmonies of the choir. This combination of equipment precisely addresses the church’s needs, especially in delivering the highest level of clarity for speaking and singing voices. www.electrovoice.com
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Presto nwo o d Ba pti st Ch u rch COMPANY: Ayrton LOCATION: Texas, USA
Marking the first major technological facelift since its inception, Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas updated its lighting capability with the installation of 32 Ayrton Huracán LT LED luminaires designed for longrange applications, and 50 Ayrton Eurus multi-function luminaires. Unlimited Visibility Inc. (UVLD) handled the renovation’s production and lighting design, with the fixtures supplied by ACT Entertainment. Long-time partner of Prestonwood, Paragon 360 of Springfield, Missouri, stepped in to handle system integration, alongside providing additional design assistance throughout the entire project. Beginning the installation, the UVLD team noted that this renovation called for a replacement of all the existing conventional front lighting, the addition of effects lighting, and the conversion of all moving lights to LEDs. “Prestonwood was one of our first major Ayrton installations,” commented UVLD Lighting Designer David Seitz, who teamed with UVLD Lead Designer Matt Webb on the project. “What especially stood out about Ayrton was the high quality of their fixtures’ colour rendering. Prestonwood streams their worship services, therefore, they needed fixtures that would look impressive on camera, with good
colour rendering and colour matching unit to unit.” Prestonwood’s Director of Media, Bryan Bailey, was initially concerned about the venue’s challenging size – with capacity for 7,000 seats, and the issues this could have produced. He explained: “Our space is ginormous with really far throws.” Thankfully, a demonstration of the Ayrton fixtures proved the luminaries’ ability to stand up to any obstacles. “The Huracáns checked every single box for us, which is incredibly rare, and the Eurus did essentially the same thing, with both fixtures looking great on camera and in the room. The fact that they run so quietly is also a clear bonus,” Bailey recognised. It became apparent that both fixtures perfectly met the church’s needs. Seitz stated: “The Huracáns gave us the high-level lighting required with extremely long throws, and we can use the Eurus as beams/spots over the stage, as side lighting, and as audience fill systems.” Seitz concluded that ACT Entertainment’s support on the project was paramount to the installation’s success, stating: “They provided excellent sales and technical support, with Jerad Garza and Aaron Hubbard, especially, spearheading demos, and working with us week to week.” www.ayrton.eu
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Light P res byte r i a n Ch u rc h COMPANY: TW AUDiO LOCATION: Mississauga, Canada
With a seating capacity of 2000, Light Presbyterian Church in Mississauga is a Gospel-centred church that serves a multi-ethnic and multi-generational community. To ensure the provision of excellent audio during worship, TW AUDiO products were installed in a recent upgrade. The audio environment in the wide, fan-shaped chapel is far from perfect. The stage is not the most acoustically friendly environment, suffering from plenty of reflections, and a second-floor glass balcony railing adds further acoustic energy back into the sanctuary. This combination meant that the congregation was finding it difficult to hear services clearly. To solve these challenges, Light Presbyterian Church turned Abe Son from Benabe ProSound. Having worked with the church on various AV upgrades for many years, he knew the challenges the venue presented, and had an ideal solution – TW AUDiO’s VERA20i. “We needed to design an L-R rather than L-C-R line array system for the wide, fan-shaped chapel,” recalled Son. “The ‘true’ 120° VERA20i line array speakers were perfect for delivering even sound coverage across the whole chapel.” The installed solution sees L-R hangs of five VERA20i-120° cabinets and three VERA20i-80° enclosures. Four VERA S32i subs flown as a central cluster provide low-frequency reinforcement, while a combination of C5, T20i, C5i, C12 and C15 cabinets serve as fills in various areas. Power and
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processing are courtesy of Powersoft amplifiers and DSP. With the VERA20i line arrays solving the challenge of providing even coverage, Son turned to the reflection issues faced inside the sanctuary. The first space to tackle was the stage. “The superb cardioid mode of VERA S32i gave a perfect solution for the reflection issue on the stage,” he explained. “It reduced significant amount of low frequency reflections and created tight and solid low frequency making the sound natural and clear.” To solve reflections from the balcony, Son needed to find a way to keep the energy off the glass surface. The beautifully simple solution for this saw the addition of dummy cabinets into the array thanks to close collaboration with TW AUDiO HQ in Germany. “The team at TW AUDiO went the extra mile and did not just make these dummies, they also calculated their physical weights and undertook simulations to adjust array angles affected by the lighter pieces,” Son enthused. The result has seen all the acoustic challenges at Light Presbyterian Church solved; the congregation and technical team are now enjoying a completely new environment for worship. “The church was so happy with the solution’s ability to solve all the sound problems,” concluded Son. “One of the church sound engineers said he had never heard such a crystal clear yet powerful sound.” www.twaudio.com
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MONOBLOQ. SAFE. QUICK ADJUSTMENT. EASY TO HANDLE. The new Monobloq rigging system is going to revolutionize the way of rigging: All you need is a single fix cable plus Monobloq to create your hanging point. The patented system allows a cable adjustment in seconds and the installation of up to 8 bridles per hour with 2 technicians. We offer 2 different Monobloq bodies: one for 8 mm steel ropes and one for 10 mm steel ropes. To operate with each of these diameters, the corresponding pressure wedge must be used. In both cases the installation is done the same way.
“PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE HAS BEEN A KEY MOTIVATOR BEHIND OUR GROWTH SINCE WE STARTED THIS BUSINESS, AND THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TRUER THAN IT IS TODAY. TECHNOLOGY IS RESHAPING OUR INDUSTRY IN WAYS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNIMAGINABLE JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.”
A LBE RT CHA U V E T
P r e s i d e n t a n d C EO , Ch auve t
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C hauvet ’s n ew headq uar ters , locat ed in Da v i e, Flor ida.
Underlining the company’s commitment to product development, quality control and customer service, Chauvet announced its move to a new, state-of-the-art 175,000 sq ft headquarters late in 2023. MONDO-DR sits down with President and CEO, Albert Chauvet, to discuss the role this facility will play in the company’s immediate and long-term future. How long has your new global HQ been in the making? In one sense, it’s been in the making since we started our business years ago. We have always been committed to growth. This is not a matter of growth for growth’s sake, though increasing your volume of business is always good. For us, growth is a means to an end, and that ‘end’ is to ensure that we have the resources necessary to achieve constant improvement in how we go about developing, distributing, and servicing lighting and control solutions for the installation, touring, theatre, broadcast, and architectural markets. However, in terms of our new 175,000 sq ft headquarters, that facility has been in the works for four years, from the conceptualisation to the completion of the campus. At the start of the project, we thought long and hard about what we wanted to achieve with the new building. We needed to expand our space to keep pace with the global growth of our business across all our various markets in over 100 nations, but we also saw the process of designing a new building as chance to examine our priorities and objectives. Another thing we wanted to include is far more extensive R&D facilities. We viewed this as critical to continuing the high level of product development, which has always been a driving force behind our growth. Without revealing
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proprietary details, I can tell you that our expanded R&D facility features very advanced tools, such as sophisticated measuring and testing equipment that will greatly enhance the efforts of our product development team. Given the level of technology that is engineered into our products and the more diverse ways that those products are being deployed today, we recognise that customer training has become more important than ever. So, we included an expanded experience centre in the design of our new headquarters. This centre is radically different from the old style ‘demo rooms’ that you saw at manufacturer facilities in the past. Yes, it is used for demoing products, but its function goes far beyond that to involve educating customers about how to maximise the benefits these products offer. We also see it as a place where customers can interface with one another, as well as with our staff. Our new headquarters also helps us to continue to elevate our level of quality control and product delivery. Sometimes, when companies grow as much as Chauvet has grown, QC suffers, at least temporarily, and its products become less readily available. I am happy to say that Chauvet has avoided this pitfall. Thanks to our focus on QC and order fulfilment, we’ve been able to maintain consistently high standards as we’ve grown. The new facility ensures that Chauvet will continue to meet and exceed its own high standards. We wanted to make this building as supportive as possible for our team and industry members; this is why we engaged highly regarded architects and consultants to work with us every step of the way in the design of this building. This allowed us to meet all the project goals, while also ensuring that we have a green, environmentally responsible facility.
How does this new facility better prepare Chauvet for the future? Preparing for the future has been a key motivator behind our growth since we started this business. That has never been truer than it is today. Technology is reshaping our industry in ways that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. This has been well documented in MONDO-DR and elsewhere. AI, as well as virtual reality and augmented reality tools, transparent video walls, and ultra-highdefinition video walls are opening vast new opportunities for integrators and designers in installations of all types and sizes. Using these and other tools, the industry is now able to create installations that are truly immersive, where the physical and digital worlds converge, as Chauvet demonstrated in the theme of our 2023 LDI exhibit. Chauvet wants to be at the forefront of this exciting future with next-generation video and lighting products that ‘Reach Across Worlds’ to create immersive environments. This was very evident at our LDI booth (just as it will be at PLASA and Prolight + Sound in 2024), where we showcased our new REM series of video panels. This includes the cinema-grade REM 1, an 800 NITS indoor panel with a 1.9mm pitch, and REM 3IP, a 3.9mm pitch all-weather panel. Both products represent a major step forward for our company in terms of video panels, as they open unlimited creative possibilities. The two panels feature NovaStar Armor A10 Pro processors run on the NovaStar COEX VMP platform. These, and other features, result in very highquality signal processing for VR/XR applications. In terms of lighting fixtures, we have developed a variety of products like the Color STRIKE M and COLORado PXL Curve 12 with excellent pixel mapping capabilities. Designers are taking these fixtures beyond pixel mapping, where you feed pictures to the point where you can pixel map videos with a high level of realism. They allow you to use the coordinates of each cell within the 3D space so the fixture can be matched to the video wall perfectly. This kind of forward-looking application is changing the nature of design, be it in installations, touring, or any other area. Chauvet wants to be at the forefront of this new era in design, which is why we are committed to growth. It is only through growth that we can be assured of having the resources necessary to be a part of this rapidly developing technology, both in terms of the products we develop and the relationships we build with AI developers and other outside vendors to stay on the cutting edge. For us, the move toward the future is only accelerating, and the opening of our new headquarters will add even more momentum to our journey there. I am particularly excited by some of our new lighting fixtures and the role they will play in this new production environment. For example, our IP65-rated Maverick Storm 3 BeamWash has a 16-lens outer zone and 12-lens inner zone that deliver a combined 19,062 lumens of output from 28 45W RGBW LEDs, making this fixture well-suited to work with blow-through video walls. Meanwhile, its built-in macros with foreground and background control can be used to create stunning pixel effects for light-and-video panoramas at installations. Without the growth that we have enjoyed over the past decade, Chauvet would not have had the resources to conceptualise, develop and support this level of product. As a result, we would have been far less likely to participate in this exciting future.
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How does Chauvet connect to integrators and lighting designers to discover gaps in product offerings? Product development has been at the heart of Chauvet’s growth, and our relationship with lighting designers has been central to our product development. From the earliest days of our company, we have taken input from designers and integrators when developing products. Sometimes, this has been in the form of direct input from these professionals, such as by giving us feedback on a prototype. Most often, though, this input involves designers and integrators telling us about the things that are important to them. We regularly welcome them, either individually or in groups to our experience centres, not only here in Florida, but in Las Vegas, and all our facilities throughout the world – in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Mexico, and Singapore. These visits do not involve product demonstrations or educational events alone; they almost always also include ‘listening sessions.’ These sessions may be formal, or informal, but they are always centred around the issues that are important to our end users. We focus on the end user when developing any product – that is who drives our business. It is feedback from the end user that influences the course of our product development. One example is our entire line of IP-rated fixtures. By listening to end users, we got an appreciation of how important it was to them to have IP-rated fixtures, not just for outdoor events, but also for indoor installations like nightclubs, where the accumulation of moisture, dirt and dust posed issues. This is why we were an early leader in developing a complete line of IP fixtures. Once we developed IP fixtures, we listened to our customers who said they wanted more compact and lighter units that are easier to install and service. So, our R&D team worked on more compact IP fixtures. Listening to customers is not a one-and-done thing for us. Once you develop a product based on customer feedback, you must continue to listen, so you can continue to make improvements. Another product category that we immersed ourselves in because of customer feedback was the fanless, silent fixture. Our customers who installed lights in theatres and recital halls told us they wanted the benefits of moving heads and profiles, but the noise these fixtures made was an issue. Again, our R&D team got to work and developed the Maverick Silens series. Our first major install was at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. It was an exciting moment for us, and we have since gone on to develop an entire range of silent fixtures. A more recent example of what we can accomplish by listening to end users is the new COLORado PXL Curve 12. Our customers told us they wanted a more dynamic batten that could outline the architectural features of a nightclub or the edge of stage, but at the same time be used to create stunning looks when needed. This led us to develop the COLORado PXL Curve 12, a full pixel-mappable motorised batten with individual control of zoom, tilt and RGBW colour mixing across 12 independent heads. We also listened to our customers to give this fixture seamless edge-to-edge mounting, because they told us how important it was for them to have consistent pixel pitch along a large area. So, listening to customers has always been important and helps us fill in gaps in product lines, but today, it has also taken on a new, and even larger meaning. As this industry has become so technology driven, many of our more forward-thinking customers are leading us into entirely new areas, rather than just pointing out ‘gaps’ in a product line. Given that we have the resources, we are in a good position to follow up on these leads.
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Abo Flor Belo w it h Sou
Above: Senior Product Manager, Michael Graham, at his desk in the R&D department. Below: Chauvet fixtures deployed at the 2022 Waailand Outdoor festival in The Netherlands.
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The experience centres in Las Vegas and Florida demonstrate a huge commitment to serve the USA market. Is there any scope to open similar facilities at your other locations around the world? Absolutely, and we have already begun to do so. We recently expanded our facilities in the UK and France. We have also implemented educational programmes throughout the world that share a great deal in common with what we have done in the USA. Recently we started a series of educational events in the UK that we will be replicating in other markets. As for our plans to build experience centres, that is something I really can’t share with you now. We will have to leave that for the next interview…
Above: Q uali ty c on trol and p roduct repa i rs a re under t aken i n th e new headquart ers .
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How have the acquisitions of ChamSys, Kino Flo and LynTec bolstered the company’s position? This relates to my answer to the first question. Growth is in our DNA. We are committed to pursuing a growth strategy to have the resources we need to participate in the future. Adding other companies to the Chauvet Group has made us stronger and expanded our capabilities, allowing us to offer customers a more complete solution. ChamSys was our first acquisition, and it was a very logical extension of our business. We were always very impressed with ChamSys consoles in terms of their power and flexibility. With our resources, we were confident that we could bring ChamSys to a new level of visibility in the market.
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We also felt that given those same resources, we could help ChamSys build on its already impressive R&D track record and extend its line of consoles to more levels of the market, to include small theatres and churches, broadcast applications as well as larger tours. We also believed that our product development team could draw on ChamSys’ experience to further their efforts. Today, almost seven years later, I can say that this has turned out even better than we ever imagined. We acquired Kino Flo in 2021, to increase our capabilities in the film and TV markets. Film and broadcast applications were becoming more important to Chauvet before the Kino Flo acquisition. We had been involved in quite a few major TV projects, such as various MTV programmes, Dick Clark’s Rocking’ New Years Eve, and others already. With the acquisition of Kino Flo, we knew that we could greatly expand our portfolio of products for this market. We recognised that Kino Flo’s LED tubes, light panels, and True Match colour science dovetailed with our own white light panel, ellipsoidal, fresnel, and cyclorama fixtures that were becoming increasingly popular in broadcast applications. Some very exciting things have happened here since the Kino Flo acquisition. A little over a year ago, we introduced Kino Flo MIMIK, an image-based video lighting tile that mirrors video content while instantly applying a higher tonal and colour range, so you get true colour fidelity in a virtual production
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L eft: The C ha u vet boot h a t l a st yea r ’s LD I Show in La s Vega s show c a sed t he la t est in n ova t ion s f r om C HAU VET Pr of ession a l, C ha mSys, a n d Kin o Flo.
environment. The possibilities with this product are endless. As was the case with ChamSys, the technology behind Kino Flo was outstanding prior to the acquisition. By bringing more resources to the table, we believed we could expand the market for Kino Flo products, but also add to its R&D efforts, all while making our presence in the TV and film market stronger. LynTec is our most recent acquisition, having joined our company in March of 2023. Once again, this was a case of growing so we could expand our ability to offer customers the best possible technical solutions. The lighting control panels and circuit breaker relay panels in the LynTec line filled a gap in our own product offerings. Now with the addition of LynTec, we can offer our installation customers a complete A-to-Z solution, that includes lighting fixtures, video panels, consoles, and control panels. This also creates a powerful synergy within our company where each of our different components can draw on the expertise and experience of the other. When this happens, we all benefit. This is an example of increasing your resources through growth so you are in a better position to participate in the future. All three of these acquisitions happened because there was a strong compatibility between their individual philosophies and the principles that have guided Chauvet’s growth. We are all committed to growth through innovation, and we all place a premium on listening to customers and serving them. Regardless of how big you get it is first and foremost about the people. What are the main challenges that currently face the company, and the lighting industry in general? Every point in the history of a company or an industry has its own unique challenges. If you would have asked me this question 10 or 15 years ago, my answer would have been
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focused on LED technology. We were a smaller company back then, but we were at the forefront in developing LED fixtures. CHAUVET Professional was the first company to have an all-LED booth at LDI. The challenge for us and the entire industry back then was how to make LED fixtures powerful enough so they could be used in any application. We succeeded in doing that. Now there are more complex questions as the industry deals with issues of integrating AI and other next-level technologies into every market segment, including installations, theatres, and virtual attractions. If we are talking about lighting fixtures, we are going to have to continue the process of merging light and video through pixel mapping and things of that nature. How do we continue to develop lights that can be video mapped with absolute realism without impacting their function as lights? Questions like this must be answered. In terms of video, we are aiming to create the highest resolution and most flexible patterns while keeping them at a reasonable price. Control meanwhile provides the challenge of going beyond traditional DMX to deal with all the variables created by AI. As far as the installation market is concerned, I believe we will see more venues and attractions incorporating AI and VR into their overall design to the point where they become quite different from what is out there today. This is going to require that integrators and designers continue to develop new skills. The expectations that people have when they visit a site will continue to change rapidly. Venues that do not meet those expectations with more immersive, virtual designs will be less attractive, and therefore less successful. AI is changing everything in this industry, just as it is in so many others. These are exciting times but they are also very challenging. This is why we have grown to acquire the resources needed to be a part of this future. www.chauvetlighting.com
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A UR A INVALIDES EMEA
PARIS / FRANCE
Mome nt F ac tor y b r in gs the h istoric g ilde d d ome of L es Invalide s to life with the AURA Invalide s ex per ien ce, a 50-minute c omb in ation of proje c tion mappin g, lig h ting , spe cial effects, a nd orc h e stral mu sic. Ph o t o s : M o m e n t Fa ct or y
One of the most iconic monuments in Paris, Dôme des Invalides, has been celebrated and enhanced with a new innovative cultural attraction – AURA Invalides. Having been captivated by the AURA experience at Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal, cultural operator Cultival tasked its creators – multimedia studio Moment Factory – to create the first AURA experience in France. Designed by Moment Factory and produced by Cultival, in partnership with Musée de l’Armée, the AURA Invalides experience is the result of a long process of research and collaboration, undertaken by passionate teams specialising in heritage enhancement and the digital arts. “Moment Factory’s multi-disciplinary and global talent worked for more than two years to create a multimedia and immersive experience that offers a perfect complement to the majestic scale of Dôme des Invalides,” said Olivier Schmitt, Technical Director, Moment Factory. The show takes place at night, as Dôme des Invalides comes alive with the combined magic of light, orchestral music, and video-mapping, revealing its stately beauty and rich heritage. Visitors are invited to partake in the sensory exploration, and, guided by light, they wander through Dôme des Invalides and its six chapels, where the previously unseen gradually comes into view. The experience consists of three acts, each portraying a distinct facet of this particular landmark: its construction, the memories it harbours, and its power to inspire. “The technical challenges of this project were enormous,” said Schmitt. “The Dôme des Invalides represents the most ambitious projection surfaces that Moment Factory has had the privilege to work with.” At the top of the 90m building is a 30m diameter dome, and more than 45 million pixels are mapped onto a 3,500 sq m surface inside the dome’s walls and ceilings.
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Another challenge was the building’s natural reverberation of nearly 10 seconds due to its architectural configuration, and in addition to designing an audio system that involved localising sound, the technology utilised across both projection and audio needed to blend into the space and not be noticed by visitors. “The height of the monument presented both opportunities and challenges,” said Guillaume CavaliereBeranek, Assistant Technical Director. “To optimise visibility and concealment, the equipment was strategically positioned, with most of the projectors, loudspeakers and lighting equipment places approximately 15m higher than the floor level.” A selection of Barco projectors and a NEXO sound system were specified by the Moment Factory team, with systems integrators Novelty selected via tender process to procure and install the AV equipment and cabling chosen. The show’s elements are controlled by Moment Factory’s proprietary software, which functions as a show control, task flow manager, and scheduler, while providing a webbased user interface that operates on a tablet. The system comprises Moment Factory’s X-Agora media server, which runs the video and audio timelines.
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“We opted for 28 Barco projectors due to their large range of models that offered the resolution, lumens and lenses needed for the project,” said Auriane Falières, Director of Procurement, Moment Factory. “Novelty took Moment Factory’s design and fabricated customised brackets for the equipment, and their ability to find sustainable and respectful solutions for rigging and anchoring in this historic building led to the success of the installation, with Bertrand Sautai, Marc Pioger and Ghislain Leclere capably leading and managing the detailed design, installation, and integration phases.” In order to achieve a seamless integration, the technical team produced a drone-enabled architectural scan, which it then transcribed into virtual reality, in the form of a 3D model, to produce a technical design that encompassed all of the site’s specific features. Throughout the design phase to implementation, Moment Factory collaborated with Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles (DRAC) – whose role it is to protect the building’s integrity. “Line array speakers are discreetly positioned alongside the building’s architectural features,” said Schmitt. “The higher levels were equipped mostly in lighting equipment, which
was easier to hide from viewing angles. To blend with the surroundings, visible equipment was procured in RAL colours to match the stone and cement, and a textured patina was applied to help.” The scan proved to be useful in numerous ways, as in addition to helping configure the projection and sound set up, a high-definition scan was used for content production purposes. “The higher resolution version of the same scan captured the minute architectural details which allowed for precise video mapping of the space, and to create the illusions,” said Schmitt. When the team at Moment Factory embarked on the project they were keen to pay tribute to the work of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and the talented architects, artists, and craftsmen who created Dôme des Invalides, so that today’s visitors may discover – or rediscover – the exceptional French heritage site in a whole new way. “The team’s artistic preference was to reveal the spirit of the place, comprising its architectural beauty, the memory with which it resonates, and the symbolism it conveys,” said Schmitt. “Accordingly, each scene in the experience is based on existing documents. After extensive historical research, the creative team worked closely with chief curators at Musée de l’Armée to ensure that the design was historically accurate. “AURA Invalides seeks to reveal and share, rather than to tell. While the creative team drew its narrative inspiration from the site’s diverse history, it created an immersive world designed to spark visitors’ imagination.” In addition to the spectacular visual effects, a lot of focus was on creating an audio soundtrack that enhanced the experience, with an orchestral score composed specifically for that purpose by Montreal studio Troublemakers, in collaboration with Moment Factory’s creative teams. “The sound designer, Jean Michel Caron, handled the entire show’s mixing and spatialisation using his own rig directly with the NEXO
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system in Dante, and then exported multitrack pre-rendered files for playback in X-Agora,” said Schmitt. “The approach involved using each arch in the space as a distinct focal point, avoiding the overlap of coherent sounds from different sources at any time. “This was necessary due to the significant distances between listeners at various points, preventing them from hearing two sources simultaneously, which could have blurred the music’s timing. Implementing dedicated groups of speakers, playing independently, helped minimise timing delays.” Dealing with up to ten seconds of reverberation was primarily addressed in the music composition by Marc Bell and his partners at Troublemakers. “They recorded the space’s impulse response and used it to create a convolution reverb, referencing it in their Montreal studio,” continued Schmitt. “As different frequencies excited the space for varying durations, they strategically spaced the timings of the instruments in their music to align with the timing of echoes and reverb.” The result of the spatialisation of the space means that visitors can clearly perceive where the sound emanates from, and the combination of image and sound creates a 360° immersive effect. “Over the years, through increasingly ambitious projects, Moment Factory have become an international standard-setter in the creation of immersive experiences that enable heritage sites to shine – thereby diversifying that venue’s initial attraction and enticing new audiences,” said Schmitt. “The monumental experience that is AURA Invalides reflects our aspiration to enable this iconic site of Parisian and French heritage to engage with new audiences and continue to extend its legacy from generation to generation.” www.momentfactory.com www.novelty-group.com
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O BE A C H I BI Z A EMEA
IBIZA / SPAIN
S P L Au d iosiste mas bring s th e h e at to O B e ach I b i za w i th a ne w audio syste m using state -oft h e - a r t D AS Audio syste ms, e nh anc ing th e c lub’s r e p u t a t i o n as a le g e ndary e nte rtainme nt ve nu e.
The pulsating heartbeat of Ibiza’s famously vibrant party scene, O Beach Ibiza draws in floods of visitors every summer, all eager to rock and rave under the Balearic sun. Providing unmatched daytime clubbing experiences throughout the sunny season, guests at O Beach are invited to party poolside, while dynamic entertainment, such as live bands, dancers, and acrobats perform. Situated on the island’s West Coast, this venue is an iconic member of the party scene, due in part to its commitment to dazzling clientele with exceptional sounds and sights. This dedication was reaffirmed when the club recently underwent an audiovisual upgrade, courtesy of a collaboration between DAS Audio and integrators SPL Audiosistemas, that ensured the guest experience at O Beach would be one underscored by high-quality, immersive audio. Understanding the importance that sound has within the luxurious, music-centric O Beach, SPL Audiosistemas, led by CEO Nicolas Silva Jeppesen, meticulously designed and installed a system based on DAS Audio products. Prior to starting the project, there was confidence that the speakers would perform excellently in an outdoor club environment. DAS Audio Application Manager, Álvaro Plumed, said: “DAS Audio has worked alongside SPL Audiosistemas for a lot of similar, great projects, for example, a recent poolside party space upgrade in Marbella. “In the designing and specification process for this project, DAS Audio and SPL Audiosistemas had to think in terms of versatility and flexibility, as the speakers needed to fit different types of events, many types of music, artists, and moods. Each of these events requires audio that is clear and consistent throughout the whole venue, enhancing the luxurious experience for every guest.” The brief urged SPL to consider more than just immersive sound for visitors, with Jeppesen revealing that “one of
the main challenges was ensuring compliance with sound restrictions.” Jeppesen explained the venue’s desire to carry out a responsible system upgrade that avoided any audio spillage, as although Ibiza is famous for its busy club scene, strict local regulations on noise pollution are in place, designed to protect residential areas from excessive noise. In response, SPL Audiosistemas and DAS Audio devised a system that combined sound pressure and directionality control, focusing on creating a distributed sound system with line arrays and cardioid subwoofers. The system was built around DAS Audio ARTEC 500 Series, its Vantec Series, Event Series, and ARA subwoofers, protecting the surrounding areas from disturbance while allowing quality music to thrill the intended partygoers. Avoiding sound cancellation between systems required careful placement and alignment of the speakers to prevent frequencies from interfering with each other – something Plumed stated is often a common issue in large-scale sound installs. “O Beach has been given a solution that is centralised in the DJ booth; the speakers are aligned with the central system, resulting in maximum coherence,” said Plumed. “Additionally, we used small clusters of line array systems for even more electivity. “As we used a few varied products from different series, we had to ensure we maintained the coherence and tonality in all of the audience areas through tuning the products. Tuning took two days, as there were a lot of systems, but it turned out a success in both ours and the client’s eyes.” Jeppesen particularly praised the effect that DAS Audio EVENT-208W had on the venue; with 53 installed, this product is a three-way powered line array in a double eightinch configuration. Declaring that the 208W was “the most important product in the installation”, Jeppesen disclosed that it was chosen due to “the high-quality and preferable price, alongside its
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compactness that is very impressive for a line array system.” Four VANTEC-20A line arrays complemented the EVENT units. These were paramount in creating a system that was adaptable to the unique acoustics of each area of the club. “We designed it so that as guests move from the poolside to the more intimate restaurant setting, the audio quality would be the same,” explained Jeppesen. The ARTEC Series was key in ensuring audio coverage within areas that were not covered by the main arrays, with nine Artec-508W, seven Artec-510W, and seven Artec-S15W deployed. Jeppesen said that these systems were crucial in achieving “great coverage and tone” throughout the club, effectively eliminating dead zones. DAS Audio cardioid subwoofers were another important component within the system, with six SARA-SUBW and seven LARA-SUB installed. These products are designed to emit sound
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in a heart-shaped pattern, reducing backward sound radiation, and thereby facilitating a controlled bass response. Consequently, the noise pollution that concerned O Beach was significantly minimised while still ensuring guests experience the famous, high-quality musical events that they visit the resort for. Furthermore, two VANTEC-18Ws were added to the solution, in a move that Jeppesen identified as an extra reduction of sound contamination. Finally, completing the product list, a Q-SYS Core 500i processor was specified to control the whole system. In the fast-paced world of elite entertainment venues, innovation is crucial. For O Beach Ibiza, inventiveness is expressed through large yearly developments. “It has been updating and increasing in size almost every season,” Jeppesen commented. This most recent sound system was a particularly exciting change for O Beach,
Jeppesen stated: “The previous system was successful yet different, as the resort’s distinct spaces, such as restaurants and VIP rooms, contained systems from various brands.” This new project instead completely replaced every old system with only DAS Audio solutions, with Jeppesen referring to the installation as “a sound project that started from zero.” SPL and DAS Audio’s commitment to the installation, alongside their great working relationship, was undoubtedly an advantage, too. “DAS Audio is local, so they are very easy to work with. On top of this, their support has always been brilliant,” Jeppesen commented. To aid in the specification process, Jeppesen
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revealed that SPL and DAS Audio worked together on a simulation of the venue for four months, a necessary period due to environmental factors on location. “The weather was complex – the humidity and wind meant we had to study our simulation every day under different conditions,” he said, affirming that they had to consider Ibiza’s climate when choosing which products would be the perfect fit. Plumed agreed: “The O Beach Ibiza project was very intricate,” he stated. “We had to create detailed plans to manage sound effectively in the open-air venue.” Despite this, the project resulted in an ideal
A b o ve : All of t he pr eviou s s y s t e ms a t O B ea c h I biz a ha ve b e e n repla c ed w it h D AS Au d io s o l u t i o n s.
solution for the club, with product customisation as the finishing touch in achieving O Beach’s sleek vision. The project represents a sophisticated blend of technology, design, and environmental awareness. Thanks to the successful collaboration between DAS Audio and SPL Audiosistemas, an ideal solution has been installed, one highly adaptable, ideal for the venue’s diverse event schedule. “The audio couldn’t be any better at O Beach. The sound is working at 92 dBs inside the club and 65 dBs outside, figures that we worked hard to achieve,” commented Jeppesen. Not only is the installation a technical achievement for the AV companies involved, but it has also impressed venue visitors – Plumed concluded: “I have been to several events at the resort since the project’s end, and the public seem to love the new sound of O Beach!”
TECHNICAL INFORMATION AUDIO (ALL DAS AUDIO) 2 x Artec-506W 9 x Artec-508W 7 x Artec-510W 7 x Artec-S15W 4 x Vantec-20W 2 x Vantec-18W 53 x Event-208W 6 x SARA-SUBW 7 x LARA-SUB www.dasaudio.com www.splaudiosistemas.com
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EN FUEGO E M EA
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DUBAI / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Loud D XB a n d P u l s e M i ddle Eas t b r i n g t h e f i e s t a at En F uego w i t h s t a t e - o f - t h e -art A V equip me n t a n d c o n n e c t i v ity to ens ur e t h a t t h e r e s t a u r a n t’s s h o w w i l l a l w a ys g o on. P h ot os: Sol u t i on s Lei su re G r o up
A vibrant new restaurant has landed at the iconic Atlantis, The Palm resort in Dubai as En Fuego combines a Latin American-themed dining experience with spectacular, colourful entertainment. Visitors experience a vibrant venue with food served from dawn till dusk complimented by live music and eclectic cirque performances and shows, among many other forms of dynamic production. Solutions Leisure Group (SLG) was brought in by Atlantis to deliver this high concept venue and to ensure that the space delivered a complete immersive guest experience. Having previously overseen a successful installation at Wavehouse, a flagship entertainment venue within Atlantis, SLG invited lighting integrators, Loud DXB, and audio specialists, Pulse Middle East, onto the project. Ben Rogers, Lighting Designer and Consultant for Loud DXB stated: “Atlantis was really keen to bring back the same team in light of Wavehouse performing exceptionally well for them.” Recounting the initial project discussions, Rogers revealed that Solutions Leisure Group’s main aim for the venue was to create an environment far beyond a traditional eatery. “A space like this focuses on crafting a journey for guests, providing gorgeous photo opportunities and an unforgettable experience to take home; it’s a layer above and beyond food and drink,” he said. En Fuego reimagines the restaurant experience through a showy, flashy lens; upon arrival, guests are treated to a kaleidoscope of colour and transported into a street scene that pays homage to the cobbled streets of Colombia. For sourcing lighting design that matched this flamboyance and visual excellence, Loud DXB drew on what Rogers described as his ‘theatrical DNA’ drawn from a career designing shows and entertainment around the world. “At En Fuego there’s so much going on visually – so our brief was about finding a way that lighting would highlight important areas,” said Rogers. “Furthermore, our design installation had to allow the space to transform alongside its varied schedule, with the venue offering diverse experiences, from daytime family dining, to late-night entertainment with bands, live performers, and even circus artists. “The solution for this is having consolidated lighting control – so the lighting is not relying on one system for dinner and one system for a huge show – it’s all locked into one complete solution that gives the most flexibility,” he continued. As En Fuego aims to stun visually, products that could facilitate vibrant light shows were a necessity in Loud DXB’s design. An MA Lighting grandMA3 Compact XT console fills the role of control, with Rogers saying: “We used the compact version of the grandMA3, and it has proven to be extremely accessible and reliable for all luminary display needs. In terms of staffing this system, we looked for staff who were used to doing live shows, as the grandMA3 speaks the language of theatre production,” he added. Allowing Loud DXB’s theatrical roots to continuously shine through, Rogers specified Prolights fixtures that took responsibility for a large portion of En Fuego’s show-lighting, with 23 Prolights Astra Profile 400 used to enhance the venue’s looks with precise animation and framing capacity. Furthermore, a total of 50 Prolights Pixie WashBK were installed, chosen thanks to what Rogers referred to as the product’s creative allowance. “Additionally, we were keen for our solution to work as efficiently as possible – even on long business days – so, we chose LED sources for the entire venue. This is important in scenarios where there is a brunch in the morning, but the client also wants the same fixtures used for a show later – that same setup and system can be used,” he continued. Prolight Concepts fixtures were added to the show-lighting design of En Fuego, with Elumen8 Fury 200 DTW, and Waterwave XP fixtures alongside a large quantity of Event Spot Full colour and DTW accent
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“ The Lo u d D XB t e a m w a s ve ry involve d on s ite. W e k n e w i t w o u l d h a ve to be a r ea ctive p r o j e c t , a n d w e fe a ture d a lot of p r od u c t s i n t h e o r i g i n al de sig n th at a l l owed f o r f l e xi b i l i t y . ” - Ben R o g e r s , L o u d D XB .
Righ t: O ne c om plete li g h ti n g cont r ol s ys tem g i v es flex i b i li ty to th e v en ue.
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fixtures deployed. Rogers revealed: “The event spots are the workhorse of the main room lighting – they are fixed focus, colour changing fixtures that are very compact units, allowing us to enhance some of the super cool venue design as well as table highlights and coverage. Technology from LSC Control Systems is at the centre of the dimming and power distribution in En Fuego, with the APS (Advanced Power System) and GEN VI systems providing both quality of performance and peace of mind for client and supplier alike. What stood out for Rogers was the ease of access offered by LSC’s remote monitoring capability. “It gives us remote access to the lighting system, so we can provide off-site support and guidance to the operational team, which can be implemented easily and rapidly ,” he explained. Specification of HazeBase THE FAB 19-in hazer added a finishing touch for the En Fuego installation, with four units adding an extra element to the venue. “It’s very efficient and crafts a great atmosphere,” said Rogers. “It isn’t overly cloudy, so it doesn’t infringe on the dining and hospitality experience.” Though the results represent the potential for an array of lighting options to enhance a venue, this ambitious installation was not completed without its challenges. Rogers stated that the venue sourced and furnished the space in tandem with the lighting installation. “As the artists created their layout, we responded to it, so we could not simply copy a plan,” he explained.
“Though this initially appeared to be an obstacle, with the right inventory it helped us be a part of creating a work of art. “The Loud DXB team was very involved on site,” he added. “We knew it would have to be a reactive project, and we featured a lot of products in the original design that allowed for flexibility.” The brief given to En Fuego’s audio installers, Pulse Middle East, similarly called for flexible solutions that could match the vibrancy and uniqueness of the venue. Pop-up shows were planned to appear all over the large restaurant; a show could happen in one corner, with an acrobat following from one side, and a trumpeter from the other. It was important that all audio, despite extravagant and separate sources, would sound clear and defined from every seat in the venue. The venue’s primary PA for the main stage consists of a TW AUDiO system, featuring a L-R-C setup of T20i loudspeakers and B17 subwoofers as well as additional T20i speakers used as fills. Elsewhere, a selection of over 50 Martin Audio loudspeakers from its CDD series are utilised in other areas of the restaurant, with subwoofers from the SX series used, while amplification is provided by Powersoft and QSC. “The compact T20i speakers delivered clear, powerful sound that wows both the audience and performers,” said Samer Bachour, Head of Audio, Pulse Middle East. “The product is a very compact box with a high SPL, so it can generate enough low-end to effectively
A b o ve: Mor e t ha n 50 Ma r t in Au d io s p e a k er s f r om it s C D D ser ies a r e d o t t e d t hr ou ghou t t he ven u e.
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“ Wh er e v e r yo u g o w i t h i n En F uego, t h e i m p a c t o f t h e s p ea ke r s i s u n m i s t a k a b l e,” - G r eg B r o w n , P u l s e M i d dle Ea s t.
support large musical groups that perform at the venue, treating the audience to an unforgettable audio experience. “The strategic placement and calibration of the speakers, along with attention to SPL levels, allowed us to create an immersive and impactful audio experience for the audience. The result was a well-balanced and impressive sound environment that enhances the overall quality of the spaces,” he concluded. Greg Brown, COO, Pulse Middle East, said: “Pulse has worked with Loud DXB and Atlantis on several projects previously, with Loud taking on the architectural and entertainment lighting design, and Pulse Middle East designing the sound system experience for the venue; we are a great team that ensures careful integration between audio, visual and lighting. “Wherever you go within En Fuego, the impact of the speakers is unmistakable,” he added. “The surround impact adds a dynamic and captivating dimension to the venue, making every corner of the space resonate with the richness of the audio, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for everyone present.” A shining example of collaboration, En Fuego’s visitors are treated to an extraordinary dining experience, thanks in no small part to its stunning AV design and installation. www.pulse-me.com www.loud-dxb.com www.solutions-leisure.com
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La ndm a r k ve n u e r a i s e s t h e b a r f or stor y tel l in g c a p a b i l i t i e s w i t h th e i mp l em ent a t i o n o f c u t t i n g - e dg e te ch nol ogi e s f r o m t o p t o b o ttom.
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Opening its doors in September last year with a 40-show run by U2, Sphere has been the talk of the industry since it was unveiled to the world in the summer. Operated by Sphere Entertainment Co., a sister company to Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. in New York City, the venue is billed as ‘the future of entertainment’ and brings excitement to spectators and creatives alike thanks to its advanced immersive technical capabilities. While at the heart of Sphere is a 17,600-seat amphitheatrestyle venue with cutting-edge audio and visual technology, the building is a feat of engineering as the world’s largest spherical structure, measuring 516 ft wide and 366 ft tall. LED completely adorns the exterior – known as the Exosphere – and inside the main bowl a 160,000 sq ft LED plane wraps around the audience and glows at 16k by 16k resolution, making it the world’s highest-resolution screen. Externally, the 580,000 sq ft of programmable LED offers up a vivid canvas, which is bright enough to be seen from
space and forms a captivating landmark in a town with no shortage of dazzling attractions. Sphere Entertainment partnered with Montreal-based SACO Technologies to design and manufacture the LED technology used for Sphere’s exterior and interior media display planes, while long-term MSG partner 7thSense provide the in-house video playback and pixel processing solutions throughout the venue with its new suite of products, collectively known as the ‘Performer Range’. Inside, every seat in the audience experiences targeted, individualised audio courtesy of Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT, an audio system which was developed specifically for the curved interior by Sphere Studios in partnership with HOLOPLOT. A total of 167,000 channels of amplification provided by Powersoft’s compact, ultra-high-efficiency 16-channel amplifier solutions are integrated into the venue’s audio system – all of which is hidden from view – while adding to
the audience’s immersion is haptic technology contributed by Powersoft, with its Mover technology integrated into 10,000 seats. “Sphere’s LED displays redefine the meaning of immersive,” said David Dibble, CEO of MSG Ventures, a division of Sphere Entertainment. “On the interior, never has an LED screen combined this immense scale and field of view with this level of clarity, while the exterior is a dynamic canvas that has already become a new global landmark… The result is an experience that takes audiences from simply watching content on an LED screen, to feeling like they have been transported to new places. “Sphere Immersive Sound has set a new standard in every aspect of live audio,” said Dibble. “…with the premiere of The Sphere Experience featuring Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth, guests, for the first time, experienced a truly multisensory haptic experience. Powersoft’s cuttingedge and energy efficient technology made them the
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“The entire surface is a video screen. So, inside you get a super high quality futuristic audio coming through whatever the artist or producer wants you to see, feel, and be enveloped by.” perfect partner to help achieve our sustainability goals without compromising audio or haptic quality.” SACO Technologies was originally contacted by the building’s architect, Populous, to discuss the LED solutions for the venue, with SACO CEO Jonathan Labbee and SVP Business Development Yanick Fournier, taking up the story: “We had worked with Populous before on other projects,” explained Fournier, “and having started to collaborate on the exterior LED properties of Sphere, a decision was made by Sphere Entertainment that an interior LED media plane would be created, and we were contracted with creating that, too. “As owners, Sphere Entertainment decided to push the boundaries during this project, and to be successful they needed to work with innovative companies who can have input so the boundaries can be pushed together. For them to have direct control on where the project went was the key to its realisation – it was their decision to remove a lot of noise in the decision-making process by going directly to the technology developers, such as SACO and HOLOPLOT,” said Fournier. Both screens are massively different, with the Exosphere made up of 1.2 million LED pucks, which individually feature 48 LED diodes and are configured in a way to provide colour balance across different viewing angles of the building. “The performance criteria is different for both screens,” said Labbee. “The exterior needed to be captivating and draw attention to it from a distance. The pucks are capable of displaying different colours, and they are also part of the exterior aesthetic, so there is an added responsibility where the solution is also the aesthetic of the building – which meant a lot of working alongside Sphere and other partners to be able to determine what that aesthetic should look like. When the video is running, there are areas where it is dark, or sometimes the screen is off, so you will be able to see the building’s aesthetic, and it has to be appropriate.” According to Labbee, the interior media plane is “closer to rocket science” with its 16k by 16k resolution. “We introduced an adaptive pixel pitch across the plane, because as it is in a curved, dome shape there are pixels that disappear towards the poles,” said Labbee. “In addition to this, it had to be acoustically transparent, and from the very beginning of this project we spent a lot of time with the audio team from Sphere and HOLOPLOT to understand how audio functions. “HOLOPLOT was very generous in guiding us in terms of what is appropriate for audio to pass through, and we designed the solution to allow audio to slip through. One of the beauties of this building, and what makes it revolutionary, is the fact that there is a purity inside it that
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does not exist in any other venue – you do not see anything except what the show wants you to see. There are no audio stacks and no set pieces – apart from what an artist may bring in. The entire surface is a video screen. So inside you get a super high quality futuristic audio coming through whatever the artist or producer wants you to see, feel, and be enveloped by. That level of integration only functions because Sphere Entertainment was able to control the entire process.” The brief for the audio was to not only deliver clear audio for a seated audience, but also for it to be hidden behind the massive screen and still deliver even sound coverage across a distance of 110m without the use of delay towers to ensure an unobtrusive view. The system consists of approximately 1,600 permanently installed and 300 mobile HOLOPLOT X1 Matrix Array loudspeaker modules, and utilises HOLOPLOT’s next-generation 3D Audio-Beamforming and Wave Field Synthesis technology resulting in controlled, consistent, and crystal-clear concert-grade audio for audiences. “Inside a spherical structure, sound waves are naturally reflected towards the centre of the venue,” explained Michael Hlatky, Head of Engineering at HOLOPLOT. “Our technology enables audio to be controlled more like light, allowing it to be directed to specific locations. At the same time, our
Left : U2 perfo r m a t S p h e r e duri n g th ei r re s i d e n c y . P h oto: Stu fi s h E n t e r t a i n m e n t A rc h i tec ts .
sophisticated software compensates for any loss of audio over distance or due to humidity or obstruction by for example an LED screen such as at Sphere. That way we achieve consistent volume and quality – from point of origin to destination. Conventional loudspeaker solutions aren’t able to steer audio in this way.” HOLOPLOT worked with Sphere Entertainment and SACO very early in the project so that SACO could make their screen as acoustically unobtrusive as possible. At the same time, HOLOPLOT developed compensation algorithms to be able to counteract, as much as possible, whatever acoustic obstruction the screen would induce, creating a twofold solution. Sphere’s Proscenium Array is mounted directly behind the stage. “The curvature of the Sphere means that the Proscenium Array is physically pointing down towards the stage, not up towards the audience area,” said Hlatky. “However, our 3D Audio-Beamforming technology means that sound can be digitally ‘aimed’ towards the audience. By building arrays in two dimensions instead of traditional line arrays there is control over the breadth and depth simultaneously, allowing coverage over a large and complex audience area.” The straight position of the X1 arrays keeps all of the sound sources
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at a constant distance and angle relative to the screen. As a result, the transmission loss in a certain direction is the same for all drivers, allowing a uniform compensation across the array. The effects of the transmission losses are then addressed in the 3D Audio-Beamforming capability unique to HOLOPLOT Matrix Array technology. “To ensure the LED integration SACO sent us panels for acoustic testing early on in the project and we conducted joint tests to verify our algorithms before the commissioning process. Starting in 2018, we continuously tested and measured various iterations of SACO screen prototypes, combined with our own, to come up with the best distance between the two and how to reduce vibrations caused from the sound passing through their product,” continued Hlatky. “During joint testing in Austria we confirmed all this, creating the optimal mounting solution to ensure nothing would be loose to cause any rattling or vibrations. “Working alongside Sphere Studios on the sound system for Sphere Immersive Sound was a truly thrilling opportunity for our team – challenging us to extend the boundaries of our technology at an unparalleled scale and create a revolutionary listening experience.” Amplification and haptic technology Powering the system is ultra energy efficient amplification provided by Powersoft technology, which is integrated into the HOLOPLOT X1 series. With the requirement to have 167,000 channels in a small package, Powersoft began from a prototype developed for a multichannel rack amplifier that was then finalised together with HOLOPLOT and Sphere Entertainment into the package that is integrated inside the X1 system. “The Powersoft capability to incorporate the same industry-leading sound quality and unrivalled efficiency offered by all Powersoft amplifiers – facilitated by innovations such as Power Factor Correction (PFC) and Class-D PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) – was the key single element for this cooperation because it also produces the necessary benefits required for the application: compact size, high channel count,
Righ t: Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth is the first cinematic production as part of The Sphere Experience, Sphere’s signature content category.
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low heat generation,” said Carlo Lastrucci, President, Powersoft. In addition to the 16-channel amplifiers integrated into the X1 Matrix Array, Powersoft provided the patented IPAL (Integrated Powered Adaptive Loudspeaker) technology used in the X1 system’s subwoofers. IPAL technology, which at Sphere is integrated into the Sphere Immersive Sound system’s HOLOPLOT subs, is a hardware/software platform developed by Powersoft to provide a functional solution to overcome the limitations of traditional transducers and create a new state-of-the-art low-frequency sound system. This approach allows an increase of the mains input-to-acoustic output efficiency ratio by using full boundary-conditions processing. An IPALequipped system offers unprecedented acoustic performance and complete control of the system’s sound reproduction, regardless of the acoustic load and conditions. This all translates into more than double output SPL capability compared to traditional speaker systems with the same driver size. The overall efficiency of the amplifier-loudspeaker system is also superior to any traditional design. Power Factor Correction (PFC) and Class-D PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) are two of Powersoft’s technologies that have already helped to minimise the environmental impact of the global AV industry. The benefits produced by the adoption of PFC technology include energy savings and a lower carbon footprint (equivalent CO2 emissions) of approximately 40% compared to amplifiers without PFC, while PWM transforms energy drawn from the power mains at Sphere into usable power that recycles the reactive energy from its loudspeakers. “Conserving energy has been an integral part of Powersoft’s DNA since its birth, building on our mission to design and manufacture truly energy efficient products,” continued Lastrucci. “This concept has always been at the forefront when designing Powersoft’s energy-efficient products and solutions, which reduce the impact of equipment on the environment while providing the company with an economic advantage. “Our story is one of radical and relentless innovation, fuelled by our
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Righ t: T h e m a i n X 1 pros c eni um ar ray is s it u a ted b eh i n d th e s ta g e (hidden b y LED) a n d c om pri s es 272 MD96 an d 1 9 2 MD80-S, m a k i n g it t he larges t s i n g le a rra y i n th e wor ld. T hi s pa rt of th e s y s tem i s res p ons ible for th e m a i n c ov era g e of th e a udi enc e a rea . Imag e co u rtes y of H O LO P LO T . Below: Addi ti on a l X 1 a rra y s a re dis t ribu ted to offer a c rea ti v e p alet t e t o c rea te fu lly i m m ers i v e s ou nd des i g ns . Image courtes y of H O LO P LO T . Below ri gh t : U2 on s ta g e a t Sp h ere. P h oto: R i c h F ury .
desire to shape new frontiers, and our obsession of crafting genuinely energy-efficient, encapsulating the essence of Green Audio Power: high power density, lighter weight, and low energy consumption,” said Lastrucci. “We understand that the amplifier is just a piece of the audio chain – this is why our expertise goes beyond being an amplifier manufacturer. Our know-how extends to the whole system, with Class-D heralded as the key to unlocking unheard performances in terms of power, efficiency, and scalability. We utilise these performances to create revolutionary products and rethink existing ones. “Sphere stands out as a technological marvel for Powersoft due to its unique convergence of various technologies within a single installation. This project serves as a concrete example of how Powersoft’s Class-D technology proves to be the key in unlocking unprecedented performance in terms of cutting-edge power, efficiency, and scalability.” In addition to providing the power for the audio system, Powersoft’s Mover transducer adds a haptic element to the audience’s experience, with 10,000 seats specially designed with Movers integrated inside to vibrate in tune with audio signals from the content. During Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth – the first cinematic production as part of The Sphere Experience, Sphere’s signature content category – sound is mixed into the seat’s audio channel so when a space shuttle takes off, a seated audience feels the rumble.
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“A portion of the audio signal containing effects that could be called infrasound is delivered to each Mover to produce an extra effect during different events,” said Lastrucci. “This audio signal is delivered to 718 Quattrocanali 4804 DSP (AES-67 version) through an AES-67 stream, and each audio channel is capable of driving four Movers (seats) to transmit the required effects based on the production material.” Pixel processing Driving content to both LED screens is the latest technology suite from 7thSense. Having started work on the project with Sphere in 2020, it was quite early into proceedings that the team realised that using ST 2110 video over IP was the way to go. “The requirement of 4K 12-bit 4:4:4 at 60 frames per second pushed us outside the boundaries of point-to-point video transmission technologies like DisplayPort, HDMI, and SDI, so ST 2110 was the natural path to take, as the protocol accommodates that bandwidth,” said Bryan Hinckley, CEO, 7thSense. 7thSense was briefed with creating a system that needed redundancy built in, three layers of playback, accommodate live inputs, and be easy enough to program for different productions to be able to produce shows in the venue. “The use of ST 2110 video over IP allowed us to transport massive
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amounts of very high resolution, high bit-depth, uncompressed imagery from storage to screen,” said Hinckley. “Being able to deliver image data via a packet-switched network (PSN) represents a step change in capability and flexibility. “Supplying the necessary data rates has also required developing and deploying sophisticated disk storage systems, not just at the hardware level but also for the corresponding software to manage content. Our Juggler pixel processor has been instrumental in providing the flexibility and capability to tie together a very complex network of systems.” From the outset, 7thSense knew it had to push to boundaries of what was possible with ST 2110 at that time, streaming very high bit-depth 4K media from its Actor Media Servers to its Juggler pixel processors. “When we initially set out to do this, there weren’t any tools on the market to test that high of a specification, so we partnered with a manufacturer of video signal test equipment to expand the capabilities of its ST 2110 testing and analysis tools to encompass the higher requirement,” continued Hinckley. “These test tools have proven to be incredibly useful, not only for product development but in project deployment as well.” Sphere Studios, the immersive content studio dedicated to developing the next generation of original immersive entertainment exclusively for Sphere, was used to review and edit content captured while Sphere was under construction. The studio campus in Burbank consists of numerous development facilities including Big Dome, the quarter-sized replica of Sphere in Las Vegas which serves as a specialized screening, production facility and lab for content. “We supplied a system capable of handling either playback of prerendered frames or generative media across dozens of synchronised render nodes,” said Hinckley. “The use case is a bit different than how the system at Sphere would be used, but in principle, the ingredients were all the same. “What we have at Sphere is a number of synchronised 4K video playback and processing systems running in sync. Scaling this then becomes a matter of adding more media servers for playback, and more pixel processors to handle the data going out to the LED panels (and possibly more NAS and networking capacity) to handle a larger canvas with more pixels. The range of what we offer covers all forms of media serving,
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pixel processing and show control – as a suite of solutions, we can support and power any size of display and immersive experience.” The Atrium Prior to taking a (haptic) seat inside the main bowl, visitors mingle in the huge 80ft Atrium, with interior designs done by ICRAVE, as part of the company’s remit to design over 300,000 sq ft of interior spaces for Sphere, bringing an ethereal atmosphere to the venue’s public-facing interior spaces which are spread across eight levels. Inside the Atrium is an array of interactive exhibits which serve as a way of a taster for the magnitude of what is to come inside the main performance space. Forming part of The Sphere Experience are five humanoid robots – named Aura – that serve as interactive guides to Sphere, with each one focusing on one fundamental aspect of human ability: connection, creativity, innovation, longevity, and productivity. Aura also guides guests through an interactive demonstration of Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT, which shows beamforming technology can simultaneously send unique audio content to specific locations, allowing guests to hear completely different content – such as languages or instruments. Other immersive technology experiences in the Atrium include a 15m holographic installation that draws on the themes of Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth, artwork created by machine learning, LED displays, and a 360-degree avatar capture that virtually puts guests on top of Sphere. The inaugural Sphere is both a literal landmark in Las Vegas and represents a landmark moment for technology development in the AV industry, as with the collaboration across forward thinking manufacturers the venue has raised the bar for what is possible in the realm of live entertainment venues. www.thesphere.com www.saco.com www.7thsense.one www.holoplot.com www.powersoft.com
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H is tor ic ind e p e n d e n t v e n u e enha nces i t s r e p u t a t i o n with the f i r s t p e r m a n e n t l y i n s ta l l ed L - Ac o u s t i c s L S e r i e s concer t s o u n d s y s t e m i n No rth A m er ica .
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One of the longest running and independently operated venues in the United States, First Avenue, recently began a new chapter to add to its illustrious history with the first installation of the new L-Acoustics L Series concert sound system in the country. With sound quality being at the forefront of First Avenue – perhaps best known as the venue featured prominently in Prince’s 1984 movie ‘Purple Rain’ and subsequent music video for the song of the same name – its management decided to upgrade the PA in the 1,500 capacity main room after 12 years, and the L Series was the unanimous choice. “When it came time to update our sound system, we knew we wanted to reinvest in First Avenue in an extraordinary way,” said First Avenue owner, Dayna Frank. “This system is best in class and will elevate what is already a great concert experience at First Avenue to something otherworldly for performers and fans.” The venue opened in 1970, occupying a former Greyhound Bus terminal in the downtown area of the city, and is widely recognised as the musical epicenter of the Twin Cities. Having hosted internationally renowned artists such as Ray Charles, Green Day, Tina Turner and many others, the club also played its part in the growth of the Minneapolis scene in the 1980s, with the likes of The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, The Revolution, and, of course, Prince himself. Today, performances from the stage are delivered to the audience through the latest sonic developments by L-Acoustics, as a full-system package that also included a pair of DiGiCo Quantum225 consoles
and a mic package consisting of Shure, Sennheiser and Electro-Voice equipment has been supplied and integrated by locally based Allied Productions. The first gig with the new system in situ was on the eve of Thanksgiving in November last year, with a performance from Ike Reilly, followed by a sold-out Atmosphere concert two days later. “First Avenue finally has the sound system it deserves,” said Randy Hawkins, who mixed the Atmosphere show. “I had the EQ flatter than ever, and I even had the subs and bus compressor turned down -7dB and we still hit 124dB C-weighted! That’s how transparent and powerful the L Series is. It is surprisingly powerful for its size.” Hawkins, who has mixed front of house for Atmosphere for the past 18 years and had also been First Avenue’s house engineer and sound supervisor for nearly 30 years, is one of many technicians who have worked with the venue’s new system since its installation. “All of the guest engineers who have come through since the system was set-up have all been stoked by it,” said Alex Johnson, First Avenue’s Lead Sound Engineer, who has worked at the venue since 2017. “We’ve had some engineers mix on the system who are familiar with the room, having been through here previously, so they had an idea what the old rig was like, and we have also had some who worked in here for the first time, and it’s been good to get all of their impressions on the system. “The biggest thing that I have noticed is how little the PA changes from soundcheck to showtime. It is so much more consistent from empty to full, and that was not the case before,” Johnson continued. “Coverage
and clarity are also so much better, to the extent that engineers are barely touching their left/right graphs, it’s cool to see mixes being left flat because the PA is good-to-go, right out of the box.” Tyler Thomas, Technical Lead at Allied Productions for the installation, was impressed with the L Series before it was even flown in the room. “This product is so new that we had to wait for the update to the L-Acoustics Soundvision software to see the design, and once we did, we were super-impressed with the results before we actually even heard it,” he said. “First Avenue is known for its powerful sonic signature and being able to host such a wide variety of artists from all genres, from all over the world, so we really needed a system that would be capable of reproducing anything we have onstage. “With the L-Acoustics L Series, we are achieving maximum sonic consistency and even coverage across the entire venue, so no matter where you are in the room, you will have an excellent experience. I firmly believe that any other system would have fallen short.” First Avenue’s new concert sound system is a left-right design comprising one L2 over one L2D per side, with four KS28 subwoofers below each main array as an LF extension, four Kiva II center-fills (as an optional assist for replacing lost stage volume for artists that are completely on in-ear monitors), and five X12 to fill areas obstructed by staircases or walls. The system is driven by five new LA7.16i amplified controllers, plus two LA12X for the KS28 subs. For monitoring, there are two A15 per side -
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Above: The n e w L Series arra y s have d ramat i c a l l y improv ed th e sightlines at Fi rst Av enue.
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one Focus and one Wide - as flown side fills, two KS21 per side for side-fill LF extensions, a dozen X15 HiQ wedges, and one KS21 as a drum sub, collectively powered by eight LA12X. All amplifiers are driven with redundant Milan AVB and AES as a fallback. A P1 processor resides in the amp rack and is responsible for the master Milan AVB stream and any additional inputs needed to run into the system separately from the FOH console. A second P1 in the drive rack at FOH converts the console outputs to an AVB stream that is received by the amp rack P1. One thing Johnson was eager to point out was the shape of the L Series arrays, with the new system contributing to better sightlines for the audience. “It’s really cool how much smaller the cabinets are, yet there are more speakers in each array compared to the previous PA,” he said. “So there are more speakers, yet it’s a smaller and sleeker design. I’ve had audience members approach me and comment on how much better the sight lines are – people who’ve been coming to shows here for years.” L-Acoustics Application Engineer Steele Beaty, who coordinated with Allied Productions and calibrated the system when it was installed, was impressed by how quickly the job was completed. “It was awesome to see the Allied Productions team install the system as quickly as they did,” said Beaty. “The L Series rigs up and was wired so fast, and it was really interesting to watch the progression happen at such speed.” Beaty was working with Allied Productions ahead of install, ensuring that the Soundvision model of the system was correct, and was then on site for technical support and calibration, noting that the venue’s staff were just as keen to be involved as he and the Allied team. “The venue staff were around all day, every day during the installation, and it seemed to me that everyone knew that they were involved in something special here – no-one wanted to miss it,” said Beaty. “There was one night when I had to stay late, and the venue’s technical staff stayed with us so they could be involved and take everything in.”
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Three songs were chosen by the venue to test the system once it was calibrated, including ‘Purple Rain’, and after Beaty finished playback of the first song of choice – AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’ – the venue’s staff stopped to applaud. “I’ve never seen that happen at a speaker demo before, the entire staff, including hospitality and security, were inside and they all started clapping and cheering,” said Beaty. “I could tell that they are all very passionate about their job, this venue, and everything it stands for.” Allied Professional’s Thomas also noted some of the instrumental nuances of the L Series design. “The L2D greatly assists with mechanically attenuating the SPL to make sure we have the appropriate amount of headroom while also not producing harmful volume levels in the front of the audience, and its internal cardioid driver stops low end from building up on stage,” he explained. “Engineers have reported a huge improvement in the sound on stage, and it also provides an extra-wide 140-degree horizontal pattern to adequately cover the entire front row without the need for placing front-fills on an already crowded stage. “This system has already greatly raised the bar for artists and their audiences here, and I know that engineers will truly enjoy mixing on this system for many years to come.” The mic package at the venue includes 22 Shure SM58 and 18 SM57, six models from the Beta series, four KSM137 and two KSM32. The Sennheiser equipment consisted of multiple quantities each of the e902, e904, e906 and e609 models and one MD421, while seven mics from ElectroVoice ND series of wired live performance microphones were supplied alongside two 868 and a single RE20. “Pretty much all the audio equipment inside First Avenue will be new heading into 2024,” enthused Johnson. As the venue rolls into its new chapter, owner Dayna Frank is delighted with the investment. “We have the first install in the USA of the best-sounding and looking system around,” concluded Frank. “Our artists and concertgoers deserve nothing but the best.” www.l-acoustics.com www.allied.productions
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H is to r i c a l M o r t o n S a l t c omple x tr a ns f or m e d i n t o C h i c a g o ’s late st l a r ge l iv e p e r f o r m a n c e s p ac e with E l a t i o n a n d L - Ac oustic s. P h oto b y N i c k L an g l o i s .
The Morton Salt complex in Chicago had been in operation for nearly a century before it closed in 2015. Now, after a multi-million dollar renovation, the building has been transformed into a multi-purpose venue for live music and other events, named the Salt Shed. Boasting state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems, including a comprehensive Elation stage lighting rig from Upstaging and a new L-Acoustics K2 professional audio system, designed and installed by local L-Acoustics Certified Provider integrator (CPi) OSA International, the Salt Shed has quickly become the hot new performance space in Chicago, hosting acts such as Iggy Pop, Bikini Kill, The Roots and Nils Frahm. The venue spreads over 1.5 acres of land along the Chicago riverfront and can accommodate around 3,300 people indoors and 5,000 at an outdoor performance space, and the newly renovated indoor space was previously a storage facility for salt and features a distinctive A-Frame structure. The venue’s Director of Production, Tim Schoen was responsible for procuring all the necessary production elements for the venue, including lighting, rigging, audio, staging, and other related equipment. Schoen compiled a list of vendors to work with, and ultimately chose locally-based Upstaging to handle the lighting for the venue, and they playing a crucial role as systems integrators in ensuring that the lighting system was executed to the highest standard. They also provided the power and controls infrastructure. “At the time we were just coming out of the pandemic and not a lot of companies had the resources to take on a project like this,” Schoen said, “but Upstaging did.” The performance stage features a cutting-edge entertainment lighting system of Elation Artiste Monet, Proteus Lucius, Proteus Rayzor 760, Fuze MAX, Fuze Par Z60 IP, Protron 3K Color, and DTW Blinder 700 IP luminaires.
Familiar Fixtures Steve Wojda of Upstaging worked on the project with Rob Ludwig from Elation rep firm Five Lakes Marketing, who assisted with fixture choice and arranged for demo units. Schoen, who was very familiar with Elation products from having worked in two previous venues with Elation rigs, says he took Steve and Rob’s advice as far as fixture types. “I knew that Elation would have the type of instruments we were looking for and at the price point we were looking for,” Schoen said. “With Steve and Rob’s help we were able to put together a fantastic, thoroughly filled out rig.” The lighting rig consists of seven parallel sticks of truss, and over the 52ft wide by 32ft deep stage are four 46-in trusses at 19 - 25ft trim heights with an additional three trusses suspended in front of house. The long, narrow nature of the venue means some of the lighting positions are up to 100 ft from the stage. Furthest from the stage, and working with a follow-spot system, are four Artiste Monet LED profile moving heads, while on the FOH truss, 76ft away, four Proteus Lucius, IP65-rated LED profile moving heads are used for front lighting. Spread across all four overhead stage trusses are 12 Fuze MAX Profile and 12 Fuze MAX Spot LED moving heads. The Fuze MAX fixtures form the bulk of the overhead lighting system and work with 10 IP65-rated Proteus Rayzor 760™ LED wash effect units and a mid-rig cluster of 8 IP65 Fuze Par Z60 IP colour-changing PAR lights with zoom. Providing high power, full colour strobe effects are eight Protron 3K Color LED strobes, with four IP65-rated DTW Blinder 700 IP as audience blinders. “The whole package melds together nicely,” remarked Wojda. “Elation has a great range of lights to choose from with the flexibility to work for both longer throw FOH lights and closer stage lights. It was also nice to reap the benefits from using just one manufacturer.” Schoen commented: “It’s a beautiful space and the rig fits in with every act that has come through. Guest LDs come in, fire up the rig and have a lot of fun.” He adds that bands typically bring in their own floor package to complement what the venue has in the air, which is why they wanted to make an impressive sky package.
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TECHNICAL INFORMATION SOUND 9 x L-Acoustics K2, 3 x L-Acoustics Kara II, 2 x L-Acoustics A15 Focus, 1 x L-Acoustics A15 Wide, 8 x L-Acoustics KS28 subs, 6 x L-Acoustics X8, 2 x L-Acoustics KS21, 13 x L-Acoustics X15 HiQ, 8 x L-Acoustics LA7.16i, 3 x L-Acoustics LA12X, 1 x DiGiCo Quantum338 LIGHTING 4 x Elation Artiste Monet, 10 x Elation Proteus Lucius, 12 x Elation Fuze MAX Profile, 12 x Elation Fuze MAX Spot, 8 x Elation Fuze Par Z60 IP, 10 x P Elation roteus Rayzor 760, 8 x Elation Protron 3K Color, 4 x Elation DTW Blinder 700 IP www.upstaging.com www.osacorp.com
Above top: P h oto b y Sa ndra Stei nb rec h er. Above: Phot o b y Jerem y La ws on .
“Our motto from the start has been to make a world-class venue,” Schoen concludes. “We want to not only wow the audience, but also the LDs and A1s and everyone else who walks through the door.” When it came to choosing an audio package, Schoen revealed that L-Acoustics was in his thinking from the get-go after being briefed on what decisions to make on the equipment by venue owners 16” On Centre (16OC). “Early on, Craig Golden of 16OC and I were chatting about the project, and one thing that he said really stuck with me and helped dictate the gear decisions I was making,” Schoen recalled. “He said that to make the Salt Shed a truly world-class venue meant that everything had to sound better than just ‘great.’ There are a lot of great-sounding rooms and rigs all over Chicago, but he wanted to up the ante and bring in a world-class system for a world-class room, which, for me, made L-Acoustics an easy decision.” To accomplish this, Schoen turned to OSA and L-Acoustics to create a Soundvision model of the room, which proved to be a challenging environment to control sonically. “The Shed is basically a long, skinny shoebox, a couple hundred feet deep, with a trapezoidal roof and tons of reflective surfaces,” he said. “We brought in acoustician Steven Sockey of Truephonic, who made some excellent recommendations about installing lapendary panels across the ceiling and other sound absorption treatments throughout the space, but the adjustable directivity of the K2 arrays and A15 delays proved to be equally important to the room’s success.”
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Salt Shed’s concert sound loudspeaker complement features left and right main hangs of nine L-Acoustics K2 over three Kara II downs, with a flown centre-fill comprised of one A15 Focus and one A15 Wide. Four KS28 subs are flown behind each main array, while another four enclosures are on the ground in front of the centre stage. Half a dozen X8 spread out across the stage lip deliver front-fill, while stage left and right pairings of a single A15 Focus and KS21 provide side-fill. Thirteen X15 HiQ wedges and one KS21 sub offer stage monitoring, and at the far end of the room, two hangs of A15i Focus and A15i Wide serve as delays. The house and monitor systems are each piloted by DiGiCo Quantum338 consoles paired with SD-Racks loaded with 32-bit I/O modules, and the entire loudspeaker setup is driven via AVB with a P1 processor and eight LA7.16i, and three LA12X amplified controllers. The project notably represented the first major US deployment of L-Acoustics’ LA7.16i amplified controller on a system of this size. “I’m probably pretty biased, but I’d say that this is now the bestsounding system in Chicago,” said Brandon Gardner, OSA Director of AV Integration – Professional Systems. “Audio-wise, there’s not a bad spot in the room, from the stage all the way up to the balcony’s back row, which can be a surprise because it’s a cavernous venue. “I’ve heard people say that they were expecting the room to sound brutal with lots of reflections, but the space is well-controlled. 16″ On Center paid a lot of attention to detail in preserving the visual aesthetic of this historic structure, but it only looks like a big shed – it doesn’t sound like one.”
An unparalleled pair. Hear what happens when the lightest, most powerful line array is paired with the subwoofer that sets the standard for the best lows in the business. You’ll have to hear it to believe it. meyersound.com/panther
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SHOW REPORT LDI Show, Las Vegas, USA
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SHOW REPORT JTSE, Paris, Framce
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COMPANY PROFILE SeeSound
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INSIDE VIEW Renkus-Heinz
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IN DISCUSSION Vizrt
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SHOW PREVIEW ISE
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PRODUCT GUIDE Audio Consoles
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IN DETAIL HIVE
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IN DETAIL Theory Professional
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PRODUCT DIRECTORY
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LDI S HOW 20 23 USA
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA / 3 – 5 DEC, 2023
This year’s LDI Show once again provided a dimmed atmosphere for the industry’s leading show design technology companies to demonstrate their latest products and upgrades. The event was moved closer to the Christmas holidays due to Las Vegas hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix in late November, but that didn’t detract from what was a busy week as professionals from around the world converged on the convention centre to check out the latest equipment in action. Robe debuted the iT12 ProfileTM, the T32 CycTM, and two new variants of the PATT series of scenic illumination tools, the HolyPATTTM and the MolyPATTTM. Also showing at a USA expo for the first time were a number of products launched throughout 2023, including the new iSeries of IP-rated and robustly weatherised moving lights – the iFORTE
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LTX, iESPRITE, iPAINTE, iTetra2 and iBeam 350 luminaires. CEO of Robe North America, Lorienn Cochenour, commented: “We enjoyed another great show and were consistently busy seeing lots of high-quality industry professionals from multiple markets. There were many LDs, programmers, show and visual designers, and other creatives, encompassing everyone from rising stars to established, legendary professionals.” Absen debuted its new Flex series at LDI, which, as the name suggest, allows for flexibility when being deployed and can bend in 5° increments both concave and convex. Supplied in panels which measure 500mm by 500mm, the Flex product is available in pixel pitches of 2.5, 2.6 and 2.9, and uses the same connecting parts as the Polaris series, allowing the two products to be used in tandem. Cameo announced significant expansions to its product offerings as it demonstrated with its North American partner Theatrixx Technologies on an impressive booth. The new products in the Azor series were showcased for the first time at the show included the Azor SP2 spot profile moving head, which features motorised framing blades on four layers and 13,000lm of luminous flux. The Azor W2 is a compact wash moving head with seven 40W RGBL LEDs which features Cameo’s Eclipse Burst Effect feature. INFiLED presented a booth with products geared towards the live
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events market, as well as a daily roundtable discussion about the newest developments in XR and VP technology, and included a full virtual production studio powered by Brompton and VIVE Mars. INFiLED’s new CBSF technology, which surmounts conventional technology by addressing color shift, inconsistent brightness, and unstable color temperature in wide-angle shots, was also launched at the show. Vari-Lite used the show to announce a new, higher output light engine to its workhorse VL2600 Series fixtures, which provides significantly higher output to the popular line of moving head luminaires while aligning with the company’s commitment to sustainability by promoting circular economy and minimising waste with the extension of existing product lifecycle. AV Stumpfl presented new features across its PIXERA 2.0 media servers and its new BLACKPEAK projection screen surface, which allows for the projection of highly impressive images, even in bright environments. ROE Visual showcased its all-purpose live events LED panel, Topaz, for the first time at a North American show as a large Topaz wall took centre stage on its booth, in addition to Graphite (GP 2.6), Carbon 5 MKII (CB5 MKII), Vanish (V8T), and ROE Strips. The LED video walls utilised Brompton Technology processing and were driven by Disguise vx 2 and 2x4pro media servers.
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Frank Joseph and David Glaubke of Martin Professional. Louis Schiavone of X-Laser. Connor, Ellie and Omar of Absen. Jean Nguyen of Ayrton alongside Julie Harper (PR and Marketing). Stephen Baird-Smith of zactrack. The Broadweigh team on their stand. Courtney Wall and Justin Perry of Pangolin Laser Systems. Olivia Ravenhill of GLP. Frank Luppino of Blizzard Lighting. Tyler Mickley and Malte Feierabend of Look Solutions. Maxime Duschinsky and Xavier De Champlain of Theatrixx Technologies.
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Elation took the opportunity to launch two new series of versatile Par colour changers. The Six+ Par is an upgrade of the SixPar featuring IP65-rating, more output, a wider colour spectrum and overall higher quality of light, while the Limelight Par is a versatile, IP65-rated full-colour mixing wash luminaire capable of even wash coverage to well-defined narrow beams. PixMob introduced an updated version of its moving head fixture which transmits moving visuals to its range of LED wristbands, while X-Laser returned to LDI for the first time since 2018 and showcased the Triton 36W model in public for the first time, in addition to 15 Skywriter HPX models and four LaserCube Ultras on its fully kitted out booth. The X-Laser team set up three ‘show and tell’ tables displaying three different lighting consoles in action: a Vista by ChromaQ, an Avolites Quartz and a grandMA3 light, in order to show that LDs can integrate and program lasers straight from a lighting console. ACT Entertainment had a busy stand as it presented new products from Ayrton and the latest control solutions from Visual Productions. Ayrton’s new, lightweight Rivale Profile is the company’s most versatile luminaire and made its debut at the show. Developed for both indoor and outdoor use and weighing less than 28.5 kg, the Rivale Profile is equipped with a new 450W high-efficiency LED module calibrated at 6500K, and offers an output of a 30,000 lumens with optimal positioning to obtain perfect light neutrality. The Ayrton Cobra made its LDI debut after its launch earlier in the year while the brand also presented the Argo 6 FX, a weather-sealed effects luminaire with anti-reflective treated glass window to guarantee an optimal visual result. Solutions from Visual Productions on display included its RdmRelay device and Purple Cloud remote management solution.
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Neha Rushtom of Brompton Technology. Bryan Larason of Roe Visual. Graham Hill and Larry Beck of Elation Lighting. Maping Deng of Showven. Jamie Sellars and Brandon Tsaptsinos of elektralite.
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Master FX launched the latest addition to its Prodigy series; the Prodigy Pro High Performance Fog Generator at the show while City Theatrical introduced three new solutions at the show – the DMXcat-E, Multiverse Connect Module, and Wing Nut Socket, which all serve as expansions of the company’s DMXcat Multi Function Test Tool system, family of Multiverse wireless DMX/RDM technology, and expansive hardware collection. In addition to showcasing a range of fixtures from its existing catalogue of professional luminaires via a lightshow programmed by concert LD Steve Kosiba, ADJ Lighting also exclusively introduced new products at the show, including the new Vizi Beam CMY automated beam luminaire, the ElectraPix series of lime-infused hex LED wireless bars and par, the next generation Aria X2 wireless DMX system, and the IP-rated additions to the Jolt Series of multifunction LED strobe/wash fixtures. elektraLite announced the launch of its new professional-grade moving light fixture known as the Aero, which is powered by a 350-watt COB single-source LED to deliver a balanced Cool White (6500K) colour temperature and CRI of 95. The CHAUVET Professional booth was dedicated to the fusion of the physical and digital as technologies worked together in its demonstrations. Designed by Studio Lab, the booth utilises Disguise, Unreal Engine and other emerging virtual production technologies, and in the process, it also highlighted the latest innovations from CHAUVET Professional, ChamSys, and Kino Flo that are capable of use across install, touring and broadcast applications. Martin Professional debuted its newly launched ultra-compact and lightweight Martin Mac One, a powerful beam and wash fixture, featuring a fresnel lens. It’s small formfactor means more fixtures can be used in a show without compromising weight or space limitations, resulting in lower transport costs.
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Members of the Wenger & J.R. Clancy team on their stand. Chad Kuney of Pharos Architectural Control. Craig Singer of Inner Circle Distribution. Pavel Nemec of Robe. Brian Dowdle, Eddie Short and Alfred Gonzales of ADJ Lighting. The Doughty Engineering team on their stand.
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Inner Circle Distribution (ICD) presented a huge stand and demonstrated many of its brands, including Astera, Roxx Lighting, Madrix, SmokeGENIE, Portman Lights and Magforce. Minuit Une were also present on the ICD stand, in addition to presenting its IVL Photon and IVL dice units in a demo room. Claypaky returned to LDI to present a world premier of Rhapsodya, a lownoise multi-spectral RGBAL LED fixture meticulously designed for various applications such as touring, live events, theatre, and TV production, and managed by a specially crafted, internally developed firmware algorithm. As an evolution of Sinfonya, particularly regarding the focus on quality of optics and color management, and the whisper-quiet operation even at full output, Rhapsodya has a new sleek design with double power output. The Rhapsodya was one of two world debuts as Claypaky also presented the HY B-Eye K15 Aqua, a significant upgrade on the HY B-Eye K15 with IP66 protection. While some attendees grumbled at the show being held so close to Christmas, it didn’t detract from what was an exciting few days. Those that were aggrieved by its proximity to the holidays would be well advised to avoid reading that the LDI expo later this year is scheduled for December 8 – 10.
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The Minuit Une demo room. Stefan Jakobi and Jan Bungener of Syncronorm. James Pemblington of TAIT. Kayla Fontanilla and Seven Kong of INFiLED. Members of the PixMob team on their stand. Luke Edwards of Vari-Lite.
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JT SE 2023 EM EA
PARIS, FRANCE / 29 NOV – 30 NOV 2023
Sparking discussions surrounding innovative new technology, product demonstrations, and nurturing professional relationships, JTSE in Paris was triumphant in reminding the AV industry that it is not a trade show to be skipped. The two-day showcase made sure to highlight its Parisian domain, serving bread, cheese, and wines to attendees. Visitors filled the venue as soon as the event started, beginning the trade show on a high note. Among the attendees was Amadeus, unveiling its new C3 and C4 miniature speakers, which completes the company’s C Series line of point source loudspeakers. Arbane Groupe was also present, demonstrating products from APG and Active Audio, and holding listening sessions demonstration NESS audio spatialisation software. Also unveiled was new APG amp racks (TOURACK & UNIRACK) and its Audio Modular User Interface (AMI), a single and scalable control software which spans across APG and Active Audio. CHAUVET Professional highlighted its COLORado PXL Curve 12, familiarising visitors with the fully pixel-mappable, motorised, and IP65-rated batten. The rugged fixture features individual zoom, tilt, and colour control across its 12 independent heads.
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Arthus Touzet of Amadeus. Alexis Lipoff from 3WM with Katie Williams from MONDO-DR and membersof the NaoStage Team. Willian Furtado of Waagner-Biro Amandine Teyssier of Modulo Pi. Koy Neminathan and Boris Jacob from Elation on the Best Audio and Lighting booth. David of Audio Technica. Elie Battah and Ingo Dombrowski of Robe.
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Exhibiting its projection technology, Christie Digital’s booth provided hands-on demonstrations of its Pandoras Box Software and Hedra control room processor, among other flagship products. Chromateq presented the latest version of its flagship standalone controller; the CLUB-TB, which has expanded its usability by now offering a version with a 3 PIN terminal block, instead of the conventional XLR connector. ROE Visual similarly brought its recent technology to showcase, with its team of experts unveiling the brand-new live events LED panel, Topaz. Further informative dialogue was held at Lawo’s booth, where attendees were able to learn about the Mc² series and engage in audio training. Upon the event’s close, members of the MONDO-DR team received great feedback from many of the exhibitors, who reported high numbers of visitors throughout, all of whom contributed to the space’s friendly and welcoming atmosphere, leading to a great deal of networking opportunities and engaging conversation. www.jtse.fr
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Antonine Renard and colleague from DPA Microphones. Eric Grandmougin, Regis Cazin and Nouhaila EL Amine Demnati from Arbane Groupe. Florian Eustache from Nexo. Severine Zucciatti and Claus Spreyer from Robert Juliat. Robin Gallo-Bona and colleague from Adam Hall. Members of the d&b Audiotechnik team on their stand. Brahim Belal and Stephane Bourdon from Digital Projection.
SEE S OUND SeeSou n d h a s b e e n d i s t r ibuting p r ofes si o n a l AV s o l u t i o n s a c ross Sp a in s i n c e 2 0 0 4, a n d t h e com p a n y a c t i ve l y c o l l a b orate s with m a nufac t u r e r s a s i t s t r i ve s to of f e r a s wid e a r a n g e o f p r o d u cts a nd s ol ution s a s p o s s i b l e t o its c ustome rs. H er e, S e e S o u n d C E O Na c h o Albe rdi ta l ks us t h r o u g h t h e c o mpa ny’s r ecent d e ve l o p m e n t s , i n c luding th e buil d ing o f a n E xp e r i e n c e Ce ntre .
www.seesound.es
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“In the early stages of the company, SeeSound distributed and manufactured its own brand, Vieta Pro, along with the distribution of other brands, as I had been doing in my last years at Alberdi Pro,” said Alberdi. “Then during the financial crisis in 2009 I was forced to stop manufacturing and so I focussed on distribution, and subsequently, in 2015, I acquired 100% of the company.” At that point it was decided to expand the company’s product offerings in order to provide complete solutions, with brands such as Symetrix, BEC, Dante Avio, Direct Out, EXE, Flexa, Follow-me, French Flair, Frenetik, K-Tek, Ursa, Martin Professional, Prolights, Panasonic, Pixera, Phonak, Spottune, Taidem, Visual Productions, Viviana, Vikkero, and the most recent additions, Focal Commercial and MA Lighting. “Today, we have a company that is as important in terms of brands and solutions as it is in human values, thanks to the magnificent team that strives to give their best every day,” said Alberdi, referring to the team of 30 staff members that work at SeeSound. “Having started with a focus on audio, in 2018 the opportunity presented itself to add Martin Professional to our portfolio, which was a good start in being able to offer a complete package,” said Alberdi. “We now cover a wide range of solutions from 40 different brands in the areas of audio, lighting, visual media, staging and trussing, and acoustics,” he continued. “Among the notable ones are DPA Microphones, Wisycom in RF solutions, Adamson in acoustic
enclosures, Powersoft in amplification, Audac in audio solutions, Martin Professional and Prolights in lighting solutions, MA Lighting and Visual Productions in lighting control, Symetrix in audio management, Pixera and Panasonic in visual media, EXE and Litec in stages and structures, and Texaa and Isinac in acoustic conditioning.” Alberdi points to two key milestones in the company’s history that helped carve its current path. “Undoubtedly the first was in 2015 with the purchase of the company’s shares, acquiring 100% ownership,” he said. “The second was in 2019 when I decided to improve the company’s facilities by moving to the current warehouse. We now have a 1,500 sq m Experience Centre, including offices for administrative, sales, and product staff, technical support, warehouse, showroom, and training rooms.” Prior to the company expanding its reach beyond of a focus solely on audio, there was no need for an Experience Centre, however the addition of lights and then video made Alberdi realise the importance to have such a facility where technicians, engineers, and operators could see and touch the products. The experience centre was opened in 2020, with the construction completed amid the confusion of the pandemic. “I can still remember the date – March 15th, 2020, when I rode my motorcycle to the building to talk to the architect,” recalled Alberdi. “As soon as he saw me enter, he said, ‘Nacho, too late, we can’t stop now’. At that moment, I decided to put all the possible
resources in to finish the project as soon as possible. “After overcoming the pandemic, it felt like we had a renewed boost of energy,” he continued. “It allowed the entire SeeSound team to perceive the company’s total commitment to move forward, and upon return, they spared no effort and were pioneers in investing all their work and enthusiasm to ensure the success of the new project.” With the Experience Centre proving to be a success, Alberdi says the company’s immediate goals are to consolidate its growth in the markets it operates in via its sales and admin team while also focussing on maintaining its current relationships. “Our company is not just about selling a product,” said Alberdi. “We try to build a personal and trusting relationship with all our customers, therefore, the after-sales service and support are vital. And while this element isn’t always immediately profitable, it can lead to repeat business thanks to the trust that customers show in us. “More and more, we are seeing customers want more customisation in their projects, both technically and operationally,” he continued. “Many immersive projects are in progress and we actively collaborate with manufacturers who meet environmental standards and maintain open communication with end-users. This allows us to ensure that the products we offer are both environmentally friendly and meet the expectations of our customers.”
Above: The La ndetx e K u ltu r Ar et oa T hea ter i n O i a rtzu n, nor t her n Sp a i n, i s i llu m i na ti ng it s new s t age s pa c e wi th a lar g e s electi on of P roli g h ts and Mart in P rofes s i on a l fixt ures aft e r th e v enue m a de a s ignificant i n v es tm en t i n th e eq uip ment . Lef t: O ver 4 00 A UDA C s peakers pro v i de th e s ound at t he Legen ds : T h e H om e of Foot ball exp eri enc e i n Ma dri d, a s even-floo r v enue fea turi n g t hemed s p ac es , a s h op a nd 4D cinema. Righ t: T he Opera c i ón C analejas com plex i n Ma dri d, which encom pa s s es a food hall wit h 1 3 res ta u ra nts , a n d a 1 5 ,000 s q m s h oppi ng a rea , feat ures a n ew s ound s y s tem ent irely mad e up of A UDA C audio s olut ions , powered b y 52 Power s oft Mezzo 6 02 A D amplifier s , as s uppli ed b y SeeSound an d i ns ta lled a n d int eg rat ed b y JA CP R O .
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R E N K U S - H EI N Z I n a m o ve m o t i va t e d b y an a ppre c iation of in-pe rson pra c tic e an d tan gib le connec t i o n s , Re n k u s - He i nz c ontinue s to stre ng th e n its re putation as a pion eer of inno v a t i v e s o u n d s ys t ems with th e re c e nt ope ning of its Exper ien ce Cen tr e in The Ha g u e , Ne t h e r l a n d s. Th e spa c e displays th e bra nd’s vast por tfolio of p r oduct s , i n c l u d i n g i t s c u tting -e dg e ne we r mode ls, and is par t of Ren k u sH einz ’ s o n g o i n g f o c u s o n stre ng th e ning re lationsh ips with distr ib u tor s, integr at o r s , c o n s u l t a n t s , a nd e nd-use rs.
“We are so excited to launch this Experience Centre,” enthused Marisa Lainson, Marketing Manager, RenkusHeinz, in recognition of the space, which is located within the headquarters of the company’s Netherlands distributor, More Distribution. “The centre acts as a showcase of RenkusHeinz’s audio solutions, in collaboration with Amadeus Acoustics, and covers the top floor of the HQ, producing a grand and immersive sound.” “We are a proud technology partner of Amadeus Acoustics and we have had numerous successful installations together – for instance, the large performance space in the Congress Centre Suhl – because our products have excellent synergy,” said Lainson. “The goal in the future is that system integrators, contractors, and end-users across the Netherlands and Europe can come and experience our latest technologies – because hearing is believing.” Fabio Kaiser, CEO of Amadeus Acoustics, expanded on Amadeus’ role at the Centre: “Inside the Experience Centre is our Amadeus Core, a signal processor that helps create an immersive experience, in combination with RenkusHeinz speakers and DPA microphones. It has been proven
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in several prestigious concert hall projects that RenkusHeinz and Amadeus Acoustics products are a great match, producing high-quality sound.” The Experience Centre is evidence of a similarly positive relationship with the company and its distributor, with Marc Noble, Sales Director at More Distribution, commenting: “We are thrilled to host this centre at our HQ. The ease and time involved with demoing Renkus-Heinz and Amadeus products will be seriously upgraded with this permanent facility in place, and our premises in The Hague are a short train ride from Amsterdam Schiphol airport, which makes them ideally located for convenient travel.” Described by Lainson as a ‘kick-off’ event, the centre’s launch was marked by an event in late November which saw new and existing distributors from across Europe visit the venue for a workshop and demonstrations. “This gave us a chance to spend quality time with our exclusive European distributors and for them to join in and hear for themselves the latest developments from RenkusHeinz,” continued Lainson. Karan Kathuria, Director of Sales & Business Development, Renkus Heinz, APAC & MEA, affirmed that this ‘kick-off’
event was a reflection of the kind of relationship building the Experience Centre promotes, saying: “While the key mission of the Experience Centre is to proactively demonstrate the ideal sound solution that the pro-audio community expects from RH, an important parameter is also to have real-time interaction with consultants, system integrators and end users, mapping all their experiences and feedback. This will help us improvise and evolve.” Michal Poplawski, Renkus-Heinz Export Marketing Director, added: “It’s important to us that we are engaging with our export partners to understand how we together can create a compelling offer for system integrators and end-users.” Around the Experience Centre, 30 ultra-compact Renkus-Heinz CX41 loudspeakers are mounted, driven by Amadeus’ Active Acoustic system, and complemented by Renkus-Heinz’s ICLive X series, the brand’s next generation of flexible solutions, described by Lainson as a set of “beam-steering products that are ultra-scalable.” Poplawski explained that the company was
particularly excited to exhibit this ICLX Series product line after experiencing earlier showcasing issues. “We launched this series in early 2020, but then COVID-19 happened,” he explained. “With the Experience Centre, we have been able to give it a wonderful relaunch – and finally getting to highlight this amazing product feels great.” Similarly important for the company to show off within the Experience Centre was its UBX series. “This was our most recently launched product line, an innovative series that takes our expertise in digital active beam steering and brings it into the passive column realm,” added Lainson. “You get all the benefits and the price point of a passive column, yet with the active performance. It is also EN54 certified which opens new possibilities for system integrators and AV consultants.” Additionally, Renkus-Heinz C Series point-source speakers appear within the space, with two CA121M-RDBs, two CA121-RDs, and two CA61-RDs. “There is so much to talk about with the C Series from a technical point of view, but what matters
Opposite page: Attendees of the Experiencxe Center kick-off event Above: C Series point-source loudspeakers from Renkus-Heinz
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Top Left: Fabio Kaiser, CEO, Amadeus Acoustics Above: Marisa Lainson, Marketing Manager, Renkus-Heinz Left: Pictured left to right: Michal Poplawski, Export Marketing Director – Renkus-Heinz, and Karl Brunvoll, VP International Sales – Renkus-Heinz
most is the outcome: well-controlled pattern offering precise coverage, full and clean sound, and most importantly an option for every space,” commented Poplawski. “Everyone is welcome to our new centre to dive deep into why Renkus-Heinz should be considered for their projects.” New software is also demonstrated at the Experience Centre as OmniBeam, which was made available to download recently, powers all the beam steering products. Poplawski explained that beam steering has long been considered a complex process that must be carried out by a knowledgeable and experienced user. Conversely, OmniBeam allows users to hit a ‘snap to audience’ button, to which a unique coverage, ideal for any space, is instantly generated in response. “Every venue and project is unique,” said Poplawski, “and OmniBeam offers a quick workflow to achieve the results that are wanted – smooth and even coverage – as well as easy integration with other products.” “It revolutionises our brand in terms of the kind of spaces we can address,” continued Poplawski. “You no longer need to have an acoustically complex venue to feel like beam steering is worthwhile – any space is appropriate to use beam steering with. One of the driving philosophies behind the algorithm was to give system integrators back their time.” Renkus-Heinz continues to display its understanding of the evolving industry, through its recruitment of the next generation of audio-visual professionals. A growing, aspirational team now has new leadership in place, with Lainson commenting: “Our founder, Harro Heinz, retired in 2022 and his daughter Monika Smetona is the new President.”
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Smetona has confidently taken to both her leadership position and the Experience Centre project. “It’s always exciting to be presented with new opportunities in business,” Smetona said. “The Experience Centre supplies our partners with a showcase of Renkus-Heinz products and presents our pristine sound experience to their clients.” “Our partnership with Amadeus Acoustics provides the addition of immersive sound, making exciting new experiences possible for Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers. This centre is just the start as we carry on exploring ways to assist the industry and our partners as we pursue our mission to provide exceptional sound solutions for any venue,” she continued. Karl Brunvoll, VP International Sales at Renkus-Heinz, added: “The opening of this Experience Centre is our response to the European market, as traditional in-person sessions have and will have a huge value to us. With our new team at the helm, launching this Experience Centre feels like a clear step in the right direction.” Summing up Renkus-Heinz’s goals for 2024, Lainson concluded: “We’ll keep on creating innovative solutions that help people solve their challenges, like poor intelligibility, poor coverage or lack of wider integration with the space. The Experience Centre is a great way to begin the year as it offers a different way for us to connect with our audience, and going forward it will be a central space where people can come and hear the products for themselves.” www.renkus-heinz.com
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FROM ADAPTING TO E XPANDING , H OW CA N TE CH NOLOG Y SE RVE R E MO T E PE RFORMANCE S? b y Ric h a r d E v a n s , S en io r C on ten t P r od u c e r at Vi zr t
It has been three years since the world had to shut down, and connection turned completely digital. From events, to classrooms, to meetings, to family gatherings – everything that once was an unmissably in-person commitment quickly became a long-distance experience. Because of the rise in demand, naturally, technology had to adapt. Making the transition from holding a meeting in a room designed for that purpose to holding the same meeting from multiple living rooms, without compromising on connection quality and communication efficacy, required enormous effort from tech providers. So, now that we can meet in person, why isn’t the desire for remote connection decreasing? In education, demand remains high for onlinebased courses, and that can work well for a lot of different fields of education. But for artists and creatives, remote learning comes with an extra challenge: if everyone can’t be in the same room connecting, listening, and practicing, how can they learn? To understand that, first we need to understand how music institutions adapted in 2020. Modern demands of music education For music educators, the needs imposed by the pandemic meant a new investment in their facility’s infrastructure. A standard video and audio connection from a laptop wouldn’t do; for students to make the most of their learning, educators needed technology that would come as close as possible to sitting next to their students, hearing the instruments in unison. In London’s celebrated conservatoire Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the analysis of the progress in orchestral music and performance is done regularly – and sound and vision, networked with accuracy, is paramount. In September 2020, Guildhall decided to put on its premier music prize, the Gold Medal Final. The competition’s final had never been cancelled in its century-old history, and because of the restrictions, the safest way to make it happen was to do it remotely. With performers playing synchronously across four buildings, a brandnew NDI® network for the campus worked seamlessly to connect them all. The orchestra was split between rooms: the strings in one, the brass and percussion in another, and woodwinds in the third, with the conductor in a networked booth. Each room was equipped with PTZ cameras and screens on the network, which showed live feeds from other rooms, and enabled all performers to see the conductor at the same time. Now, with the ability to record and live stream simultaneously, Guildhall School of Music and Drama has the infrastructure to produce performances for the wider public. Since September 2020, the school has produced hundreds of shows, two seasons of digital content with multi-cameras, and multi-room performances that are recorded or broadcast live. The show must go on – and under this new system, it does. Embracing change for an integrated experience Now that we’re past adapting to social distancing rules, having a permanent infrastructure for performance that connects people all over the world still has its benefits. Expanding your audience, enhancing collaboration between artists, and allowing for audience engagement 116
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are just a few examples – the last offers creatives the opportunity to experience what it’s like to perform for an online audience. World Heart Beat (WHB), a charity focused on providing affordable music education for disadvantaged young people, saw the expansion of its services to a new location as an opportunity to do just that (pictured above). In London’s Embassy Gardens, WHB built its second facility with some goals in mind: boosting its capacity to support remote learning and attract virtual audiences for regular live performances. Achieving a significant increase in its streaming capabilities, the charity is especially interested in connecting with young people who aren’t easily able to attend on-campus sessions. Two TriCaster solutions are in the broadcasting suite and connected to the building’s network infrastructure, and with multiple cameras in its rooms and auditorium, WHB can capture and stream live performances and remote learning sessions. From the inception of the project, World Heart Beat had the aim to develop a diverse blend of performance, recording, and teaching facilities. And, in the face of unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters or global crises, a well-established infrastructure ensures the continuity of performances. Having the technology in place to turn performances virtual enables artists to continue their work even in challenging times, and for audiences to tune in wherever they are. From necessities to opportunities The right technology enables connection instead of hindering it. Performances become borderless without compromising on the quality of the music being played and shared. Now, instead of resorting to digital connection as a means to an end, institutions can use it as a tool to expand its reach. In essence, the journey from necessity to opportunity has transformed the way we perceive and experience performances. Embracing change and innovation in the integration of advanced technology connects people globally and ensures that the arts remain a vibrant and accessible part of our lives. www.vizrt.com
FINEO THE NEW INSTALLATION STANDARD The clever, uncomplicated and comprehensive loudspeaker series for professional indoor fixed installations. • High sound quality, easy integration and attractive price/performance ratio • Convenient speaker formats such as the ultra-compact FO 5 coaxial speaker and subwoofers for rigging • Extensive, sophisticated accessories for every conceivable application and installation scenario • DSP presets for Lab.gruppen IPX and LEA Professional as well as filter sheets for other DSP platforms - integration easier than ever before • Simulation data in GLL format for EASE and EASE Focus • Robust, durable and reliable. Ball impactproof as standard to meet the strict requirements of the German demand for sports facilities according to DIN 18032-3
Meet us at
ISE 2024 Hall 7 Booth 7F800
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ISE P R EVI EW Audio-Technica Microphone solutions Booth: 3R500
• ATND1061 Beamforming Microphone for conference rooms, boardrooms, lecture theatres and more. • ES964 compact boundary microphone – the latest in Audio-Technica’s Engineered Sound series of installation microphones. • ES964 is simple to install and designed for clear, highly intelligible speech with one omnidirectional capsule and two bidirectional capsules. • BP3600 Immersive Audio Microphone features eight compact capsule assemblies with excellent high-frequency characteristics. • A demo room will feature the company’s Engineered Sound Wireless System, a DECT wireless system that offers simple, smart, and scalable high-quality audio. www.audio-technica.com
Cameo PIXBAR® 400 IP G2 - IP65 RGBW LED Bar Booth: 1E500
• Simple and efficient interconection of up to 3 units with the optional STACK-KIT • Adjustable feet for truss-bracing positioning • Optional VERTI-MOUNT for standing or hanging application • Easy slide-in filter mechanism with locking mechanism • Fanless cooling design www.cameolight.com/pixbar
Digital Projection Titan 47000 Booth: 3K700
• World’s brightest 1-Chip DLP projector • All new 3-Chip DLP TITAN projector • ColorBoost + Red Laser for beautifully saturated images • Major upgrades to our Satellite MLS • 5 year warranty for peace of mind www.digitalprojection.com
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Genelec New Smart IP PoE loudspeaker Booth 2J400
• Genelec will be previewing a brand new Smart IP PoE loudspeaker model. • Single CAT cable provides power, audio and loudspeaker management. • Compatible with Dante and AES67. • Exceptional audio quality with clarity, intelligibility and uniform coverage. • Seamless integration with third party automation/control systems. www.genelec.com/smart-ip
HK Audio FINEO Series Booth 7F800
• Meet the HK Audio family at ISE 2024 • Get in touch with the wide ranging HK Audio product portfolio • Experience the new and versatile FINEO Series, the new installation standard • Get together with our product experts for deep tech talks www.hkaudio.com
Innosonix Multi Chanel Amplifiers Booth: CS324
• Innosonix believes every note, every beat and every whisper should be heard with absolute clarity and precision. • 16, 24 and 32 multi channel digital amplifiers available in 1U and 2U variants, providing space-saving efficiency with no compromise. • A mass of channels, each one providing unrivalled audio fidelity brimming with industry leading DSP and routing flexibility all squeezed into a small package. • Precision engineering and German craftsmanship, each amplifier is a testament to our commitment to quality and innovation. • Versatility meets performance, hospitality, entertainment, marine or immersive applications, no matter the setting; Innosonix provides unparalleled quality. https://innosonix.de
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Linea Research Sign up for a System Engineer 8 Beta Demo with Mark or Alex! Booth: 7A300
• One-on-one, 20 minute demo. • Exploring the latest features introduced. • For all users, new and old! www.linea-research.com/systemengineer8
LD Systems TICA® Series – Tools for Integrating Commercial Audio Booth: 7B700
• Versatile audio solutions for both large and small-scale installations • Engineered for both durability and premium sound quality • Tailor your audio setup by mixing and matching components • Seamlessly integrate networked and analogue audio systems • Small form factor and flexible mounting possibilities www.ld-systems.com/tica
Navori Labs STiX 3700 – Digital Signage Player Booth: 6H460
• Ultra-compact and high-performance (up to 4K @ 60fps) digital signage media player. • Sophisticated rendering of high-resolution content plus automated remote control functions. • Compatible with any screen or display. • Plug-and-play with easy licensing. Get up and running in minutes! • Easy ROI due to 50 percent lower price point than most comparable media players. navori.com/supported-platform/media-player/stix-digital-signage/
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Outboard New Product Previews Booth: 7K820
• From TiMax two new product previews: • a new a multi-channel, spatial live production reverb plug-in option for TiMax SoundHub • a new TiMax TrackerD4 plug-in option for integrated lighting and media control - developed in collaboration with Stage Precision GmbH • As part of Focusrite Group, TiMax will also present its powerful immersive and spatial audio capabilities in Martin Audio’s demonstration room - F1 in Hall 8 www.TiMaxSpatial.com
Powersoft Verso, the gateway to MyUniverso Cloud Booth: 7E700
• Extends access to MyUniverso Cloud for the entire lineup of products currently listed within the Powersoft portfolio. • Acts as a single gateway between MyUniverso Cloud and all connected devices, reducing risks in case of malicious attacks. • Enables extensive logging and data storage, even during internet outages. • Can be used as a standalone Dynamic Music Distribution Views Host. • Allows remote maintenance and seamless replacement through Easy Swap, ensuring service continuity. www.powersoft.com/en
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THE REDEFINITION OF PRE RIG TRUSS. NO JOKE. M LT O N E
M LT T WO
M LT T H R E E THE MLT SERIES. ENGINEERED IN GERMANY.
www.h-of.de
@hofalutec
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Allen and Heath Avantis/ Avantis Solo
PROD UCT GUI D E: AUD I O C ONS OL E S
Avantis and Avantis Solo are both built on the same 64 input / 42 bus 96kHz mix engine with the only difference being the amount of physical control and I/O available on the mixer. Avantis is loaded with powerful processing tools that will easily meet the demands of most users and applications. From the next-generation 61-band RTA, with 5m, 15m and 60m history views, through to Shure and Sennheiser RF integration, Avantis is designed to let engineers spend more time mixing and less time worrying about the technology. Two digital I/O Ports allow Avantis to benefit from the full range of current option cards, including Dante, Waves, gigaACE, MADI and more, expanding the scope for system integration, FoH / monitor splits and multitrack recording. Whether used by an owner/operator looking to build a compact system or a rental company with existing Allen & Heath stock, the SLink connection on Avantis allows true flexibility by connecting to the entire range of Allen & Heath audio expander hardware. www.allen-heath.com
Avid Avid S6 Redefining mixing, Avid S6 gives modern sound engineers a deep level of Pro Tools control and visual feedback, plus unprecedented flexibility to control many popular DAWs using EUCON technology—even in parallel with each other. Because it is built on proven technology and trusted to work in the most demanding production environments, including Dolby Atmos workflows, it delivers the performance needed to create and deliver the best sounding mixes ever possible - faster. www.avid.com
DiGiCo Quantum825 Quantum852 has been designed from the ground up. Familiar, yet different, and with improved audio quality via enhanced algorithms, Quantum852 delivers a massive leap forward in processing power. It is neatly packaged with 1000 nit LCD screens for full daylight operation and a newly designed worksurface. The console merges tried and tested workflows with immense processing muscle, bold innovation and all of the Quantum features, giving you the ultimate large format audio production mixing console. The DiGiCo Quantum852 is a dual engine, 384 channel mixing console with 52 physical faders and 3 x 21.3” LCD high-resolution touchscreens. Combining the extraordinary might of five large-scale FPGAs, the Quantum852 redefines digital mixing consoles. With a maximum of 384 input channels, with 192 Aux / Sub-Group busses, plus the familiar LR / LCR / 5.1 Master busses. It comes with a 64 x 64 Processing Matrix, 36 Control Groups, two Solo busses, 64 FX Rack slots and 48 Graphic EQs. Also included as standard are Mustard Processing channel strips, Spice Rack plugin style native FPGA processing options, Nodal Processing and True Solo. https://digico.biz
Lawo mc²36 xp The mc²36 xp desk is Lawo’s new audio production console, whose control surface and small footprint are identical to that of the mc²36 MkII and its available fader counts (16, 32 or 48), but reliant on external DSP processing by an A__UHD Core processing unit. Its onboard I/O capability provides 16 Lawo-grade MIC/Line inputs, 16 Line outputs, eight AES inputs and outputs, eight GPI/Os, plus a local MADI port (SFP). The perfect complement for audio setups involving several mc²56 and/or mc²96 consoles, the mc²36 xp provides the same, consistent workflow in locations where space is at a premium, or where lower channel counts are required. It supports up to 256 DSP channels and offers Lawo’s superior audio quality, IP network and processing redundancy, and optional multi-slice console array capability using a single, shared A__UHD core. With the optional Pooling 8 license, the DSP power of one A__UHD core can indeed be shared among eight virtual or physical console surfaces, enabling cost-effective premium-class audio processing. The mc²36 xp supports 48kHz and 96kHz operation, state-of-the-art immersive audio mixing, and all relevant IP standards (ST2110, RAVENNA/AES67, ST2022-7). It is HOME-native and offers seamless data portability with its mc² siblings. https://lawo.com
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Midas Midas Heritage-D Series The Midas Heritage D Series, a live digital mixing console that embodies the legacy of the Heritage 3000 (H3K). In 1999, the H3K revolutionised live sound applications with its distinctive purple colour and unparalleled features, quickly becoming the industry standard. The Heritage D pays homage to its predecessor while ushering in a new era of live mixing. With 144 input channels, 123 mix buses, and a 96 kHz sample rate, the Heritage D sets a new standard in digital mixing. The 21-inch HD touch screen and ultramodern Graphic User Interface (GUI) redefine the sound engineer’s workflow, offering an intuitive and powerful control centre at their fingertips. This console not only preserves the legendary sound quality of Midas but elevates the possibilities of what a digital mixing console can achieve. Built on the rich history of Midas consoles, HD96 is designed for the future. The platform will continue to grow and develop, with a dedicated Midas team committed to constantly enhancing and adding new features.. www.midasconsoles.com
Solid State Logic ORIGIN A purely analogue inline design, with 16 buses, E-Series EQ and classic Bus Compressor, ORIGIN breathes new life into a design classic across the whole console. The new PureDrive mic pre-inherits the clarity and purity of previous SSL Mic Pre designs, switching character to a warm, harmonically rich and driven tone that varies with mic pre-gain. The new mix bus and mix amp architecture delivers an amazingly low noise floor along with huge headroom. The result is a mix bus that retains the classic SSL sound, whilst bringing the breadth and space to mixes that engineers and producers love from analogue summing. Balanced insert points per channel path (both large and small fader), dedicated channel direct outputs, stemready 0dB fader bypass switches, plus a new configurable centre section, make ORIGIN an ideal way of adding console workflow to a modern production studio. The adjustable centre section features 12U of rack space, allowing the modular 6U master tile to be repositioned to create space for software controllers, a computer keyboard or additional outboard processing. The meter bridge can also be lowered into the centre section, enabling a screen to be positioned so all your production software can be viewed just where you need it. www.solidstatelogic.com
Soundcraft Vi7000 The Soundcraft Vi7000 digital mixing console comes with optional 96kHz processing, upgraded channel counts, and even more reliable hardware; it’s a new, exciting addition to the Vi series of live sound mix interfaces. Partnering a compact control surface with new Local Rack and Active Breakout box hardware, the Vi7000 delivers simultaneous mixing of up to 128 inputs and 32 mono/stereo busses. Pristine sound quality is assured by ultra-low noise mic amp designs and enhanced 96kHz 40-bit floating point digital audio processing, while FX comes courtesy of eight independent Lexicon multi-FX units, BSS DPR901ii integration, and a BSS graphic EQ on every bus output. A key feature of this console is that it holds the latest Vistonics interface. This interface prioritises ease of use – rather than arranging controls around or adjacent to a flat TFT screen, Vistonics simplifies the process and puts the rotary encoders and switches right on the touch screen. With the display and relevant controls combined in one area, the operator is immediately presented with a simple, clear mix system that streamlines workflow and enhances the creative process. www.soundcraft.com
STUDIOMASTER DIGITRACK18 The newest console to the Studiomaster DIGI series of compact digital mixing solutions. The 16 microphone input DIGITRACK18 brings all the simple operation brought to you with the DIGILIVE16, but adding extra features and options, that are normally reserved for higher end digital mixers. The DIGITRACK18 has an optional 16 by 16 multi-track USB recording module to connect to your DAW or the LAN network connectivity option, 16 analogue XLR microphone inputs, 16 internal busses, and eight balanced XLR assignable outputs. Extra control is given with the addition of six DCA sub-groups, two programmable mute groups, custom layers and hotkeys for instant access to the features you want to hand. Control of the desk is through the 7-inch HD touchscreen, nine motorised faders or the ‘any device’ HTML5-based remote software accessed by either LAN or Wi-Fi connection. www.studiomaster.com
Yamaha RIVAGE PM series The RIVAGE PM series is Yamaha’s flagship digital mixing ecosystem, combining five control surfaces, two DSP engines, two I/O rack units and software to bring huge mixing power, exceptional flexibility and scalable channel counts to live events of any size. RIVAGE PM systems use both Yamaha’s proprietary TWINLANe and industry-standard Dante networking, allowing the seamless creation of extremely versatile mixing systems, with the ability to integrate other Yamaha devices (such as additional I/O) and those of other manufacturers, allowing systems to be designed which meet the production requirements of a wide range of different events. Sound and processing quality have always been a major strength of Yamaha digital consoles, along with reliability and user familiarity, making RIVAGE PM the system of choice for many of the world’s leading live event and theatre sound engineers. The RIVAGE PM series includes over 50 plug-ins, with a range of meticulous models of Rupert Neve Designs classics, the Eventide H3000 Ultra-Harmoniser, Bricasti Y7 SP2016 reverb and more. These are complemented by state-of-the-art Yamaha plug-ins like the DaNSe noise suppressor, compressors and EQs. Adding Theatre Mode, DSP mirroring, wireless receiver integration and more, the RIVAGE PM series adds extraordinary depth to the audio engineer’s creative freedom. www.yahama.com
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HIV E
BEEBLADE MINIMA, BEEBLADE OSMIA, BEEHIVE 5U RACK Hive introduce its next level of creative media control at ISE 2024 with two new additions to its Beeblade product ecosystem. The Beeblade Minima and Beeblade Osmia debut at the show alongside the brand-new Beehive 5U rack mountable chassis. Beeblade seamlessly integrates into any Smart Display Module (SDM) compatible display or projector and is the hidden hero behind complex, creative video that can be synced across multiple players using Hive’s Beesync software. The Beeblade Minima is Hive’s newest HD player with the leanest technical specification, which is ideal for less demanding applications requiring HD playback and output. The Beeblade Osmia is a mid-range solution that can achieve 4K media playback and output capacity. These two new products complete the suite alongside the already available Pluto Beeblade, capable of 8K playback and 4K output.
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With enhanced functionality, the Beeblade range is simple to integrate, easy to manage and features an intuitive user interface that can be accessed from any modern browser. The Beeblade family can also live in Hive’s Beebox and Beehive chassis. Custom designed and portable, Hive’s Beebox can be placed next to display technology if there is no in-built SDM slot, and Beehive is a 5U chassis that can hold up to 16 Beeblades so that a system can be created that suits the unique nature of a project. Inspired by the structure of a bee colony, Hive’s Beehive is designed so that every part of it serves a purpose. Whether the Beehive is filled or used partially populated, each Beeblade SDM slot has its own network port, HDMI output and OLED display. www.hive.run
INGENIOUS BY NATURE Media control that doesn’t cost the earth
Showcasing our new Beehive product at ISE
SEE US AT ISE BARCELONA 30 JAN - 2 FEB 2024
Stand 5D200
T HEORY P ROFE S S I O NAL SB25AW ALL-WEATHER LOUDSPEAKER Theory Professional presented its vast array of products with demonstrations of its pendant, soundbar, surface-mount, in-ceiling/in-wall loudspeaker solutions, in-room/architectural subwoofers, and a line of loudspeaker controllers at last year’s InfoComm show in Orlando. The event displayed a notable addition to Theory’s product family – the sb25aw compact loudspeaker – a 4-ohm or 70V/100V version of the sb25 indoor surface-mount loudspeaker. Crafted from all-aluminium and stainless steel, the sb25aw is available in black or white finishes, is fully weatherised, and offers versatile mounting options that cater to diverse installation needs. Like the sb25, the sb25aw is a wide-bandwidth, highoutput multi-use loudspeaker, ideal for restaurants, bars, hotels, retail stores, houses of worship and anywhere high-resolution background or foreground sound is needed. In response to the evolving demands of commercial spaces, Theory Professional, led by Founder Paul Hales, conceptualised products like the sb25aw that focus on the desires of both the client and integrator. Accordingly, the sb25aw loudspeaker, with its slender enclosure and sculpted curves, can seamlessly integrate into the architectural aesthetics of any space. “There has never been a more compact and capable loudspeaker in the integrator system design toolbox. Capable of astonishing range and output, and at less than 4-inches in depth, the sb25aw is a virtual acoustic Swiss army knife and will have system designers rethinking how they incorporate sound into their high-value projects. We expect that they will quickly learn to use this highly capable little speaker everywhere,” commented Hales. The sb25aw is constructed from extruded and
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machined aluminium with a perforated stainlesssteel grille. Combining this with a water-tight loudspeaker wire entry point, the sb25aw ensures no moisture can penetrate its internal components. Under the hood, the sb25aw features dual 5-inch low-frequency drivers made from carbon fibre and an AdvancedPoly high-frequency compression driver on a 125° axisymmetric waveguide. The combination of high-end componentry with powerful DSP leads to ideal performance. Additionally, the loudspeaker offers wide dispersion to the very top audio octave (>120° at -6dB even at 12kHz). Everyone in a broad area receives full-range sound with delicate, extended treble response. The sb25aw ships with z-clips for flat-to-wall mounting and the back panel has integral mount hole patterns for several high-quality thirdparty speaker mounts. Furthermore, with the incorporation of the robust Universal Mount Adapter (optional accessory), the sb25aw can go anywhere and look sleek and unobtrusive doing it: pole from ceiling, pole from ground, onto any 75mm or 100mm VESA mount, and several pan-and-tilt and ball mounts for wall and ceiling mounting from Adaptive Technologies and Omnimount. Finally, promoting extra versatility, a tabletop stand accessory (available separately) allows the sb25aw to stand up on flat surfaces such as speaker stands, mixing desks, consoles, tabletops, and bookshelves both horizontally and vertically. Compact, capable, and versatile, the sb25aw provides large range and output (117dB/1m), ultrawide 125° Conical Coverage (160°@10kHz, -12dB) and at less than 4-inches in depth, can deliver ambient sound to any venue. www.theoryprofessional.com
I N D E TA I L - TH E O RY PR O F E SSI O NA L | WWW.MONDODR.COM
1. CONTRIK Power Multicore cables
The Neutrik Group’s CONTRIK brand has expanded its CKPE series range of power multicore cable assemblies. The Harting E16 and Socapex SL 419 compatible Power Multicore connection cables, and Socapex SL 419 compatible single-phase powerCON TRUE1 Power Multicore Split cable configurations enable the streamlining and increased cost-efficiency of cabling processes. The rewireable power multicore cable assemblies are specified for use in video wall, lighting and audio applications, and indoor/ outdoor events. www.contrik.com
2. Elation Proteus Odeon
The Proteus Odeon is Elation’s new IP66-rated framing profile moving head with a completely variable CRI LED engine. By offering the flexibility to adjust colour rendering, the Proteus Odeon enhances the accuracy and aesthetics of lighting. The product outputs up to 30,000 lumens from a custom-designed 580W variable CRI bright-white LED engine (6,500K). www.elationlighting.com
3. ETC High End Systems Ministar
ETC’s High End Systems Ministar joined the brand’s automated lighting product line. What sets this fixture apart is the dual colour wheels that create the VersaColor technology, offering a spectrum of 60 pure and elegant colours that are accessible via a single channel. Ministar uses a 300 W custom LED to generate an impressive output exceeding 9,700 lumens. www.etcconnect.com
4. Optimal Audio Amp Series
Optimal Audio’s Amp series launched featuring three high-power class A/B amplifiers. The Amp series comprises three two-channel amplifiers: Amp 100 (2 x 350W at 4Ω), Amp 200 (2 x 700W at 4Ω), and Amp 300 (2 x 1350W at 4Ω), available in both 120v 60Hz and 230v 50/60Hz models. They reliably power the complete suite of Optimal Audio’s Cuboid point source loudspeaker series and their subwoofer partners from the Sub series. www.optimal-audio.co.uk
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