Pro AVL Asia November-December 2018

LIVE SOUND LIGHTING RECORDING INSTALLATION A/V BROADCAST POSTPRODUCTION November–December 2018

CLASS ACT

New theatres for Beijing drama school

NABA THEATRE OPENS IN PHNOM PENH CITIC BOOSTS CHINA’S FILM INDUSTRY Singapore: MICA (P) 034/06/2018 PPS 1604/05/2013(022953)

VISITING MUMBAI’S QUARTER UPDATING CURTIN ST GEORGES TERRACE

CONTENTS

Volume 17 Issue Six November–December 2018

NEWS NEWS RCF Group acquires EAW, PRG and VER merge for event production

4

EDUCATION Avid and Dolby demo immersive audio mixing

46

DISTRIBUTION FBT arrives in Japan

50

APPOINTMENTS Ravisankar Nadiyam makes Waves

54

NEW PRODUCTS The industry’s most comprehensive product news

59

FEATURES COVER: STAGE STRUCK Beijing reimagines its theatres

94

NEW ERA Cambodian theatre embraces the 21st Century

98

LEAPING AHEAD Mumbai jazz club The Quarter finds inspiration

100

SETTING STANDARDS Inside Curtin University’s installation project

102

CITIC FILM STUDIOS A new production facility opens outside Beijing

106

COMING HOME DMT equips China’s TV production centre

108

BUSINESS COMPANY PROFILE Touring Adam Hall’s new R&D Experience Centre

110

COMPANY PROFILE ESCO Systems turns 25

112

Editor’s note Although I’m writing in late October as an autumnal chill creeps in, this is already the last issue of 2018 for Pro AVL Asia. Where did the year go? Well, a quick look at our array of back issues testifies that our team has spent another 12 months travelling far and wide to bring our readers the best of what our industry has to offer. For Asia, this has meant extensive forays into the booming markets of China, India, Australia, Singapore, Japan and Korea, as well as getting out into South East Asia to visit Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

And what a year it’s continued to be for the Asian markets. A report published in September by trade body, Avixa, predicts that Asia will become the world’s largest A/V market by 2023, capturing 35% of the total. Good job, then, that we have another pair of hands on deck as we gear up for another year. I’m happy to welcome Ledetta Asfa-Wossen who has joined as managing editor, overseeing all three of our Blank Canvas titles. She arrives with a wealth of media experience and we’re all excited to have her onboard.

If we haven’t caught up with you in 2018, please make a point of contacting one of our team to let us know about your projects in 2019. No matter how far-flung they are, we’d be happy to cover them.

LETTER FROM AMERICA Dan Daley on live sound mixing for comedians 114 LETTER FROM EUROPE Phil Ward on tech emerging from East London

114

TECHNOLOGY How major events have developed immersive formats

116

SHOW REVIEW We filter through the aisles at Integrate

118

SHOW REVIEW InfoComm India reaches an inflection point

120

SHOW REVIEW IBC 2018 highlights the changing role of broadcasters

122

SHOW REVIEW Sue Su reports from Prolight + Sound Shanghai

126

R&D Solaro takes Xilica in a new and modular direction

128

ANALYSIS Phil Ward assesses the impact of OTT media services

130

Email: cmoss@proavl-asia.com

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@ProAVLAsiaMagazine November–December November–December2018 2018PRO PROAVL AVLASIA ASIA 33

NEWS

RCF Group acquires EAW WORLD: RCF Group has announced that it is acquiring Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) from Loud Audio. EAW will join the Italian manufacturer’s existing loudspeaker brands, RCF and dBTechnologies, but will operate as an independent company.

This marks the second time that EAW and RCF have stood below the same umbrella. RCF was purchased by the then Mackie Designs – now Loud Audio – in 1998, while EAW was added to the group portfolio in 2000.

Mackie Designs became Loud Technologies in 2003 and divested the RCF brand that same year.

‘Since their early days, the two companies have been very close, with RCF supplying professional drivers to EAW,’ stated RCF Group CEO, Arturo Vicari. ‘Both brands successfully expanded around the world and their histories were often linked. Finally, we can look at a bright future together. Even though EAW will remain a totally independent company, being part of our group will provide EAW with the necessary investments and focus for a fast and solid growth.

We are very proud to have EAW with us.’

‘For those who love EAW it is difficult to imagine a better scenario,’ added TJ Smith, president of EAW. ‘From the first moment this possibility started to materialise, it has been clear that joining forces with RCF Group is a great opportunity for EAW. This transaction is a true recognition of what the brand represents, its potential, as well as the team we have built over recent years. With gratitude to the long list of those that built EAW over its 40-year history, we look forward to the exciting time in front of us.’

Arturo Vicari and TJ Smith The Loud Audio brands were acquired in 2017 by Transom Capital Group. Since that transaction, EAW is the third brand to be removed from the Loud portfolio, as Martin Audio is undergoing a management buyout and Ampeg has been sold to Yamaha. This, Loud Audio states, will be ‘the third and final divestiture by Transom aimed at allowing Loud to narrow its focus to the Mackie brand’.

‘Simplifying the Loud business to focus on high-quality audio delivery from consumers to professionals has always been the focus of our thesis,’ confirmed Ty Schultz, managing partner at Transom Capital Group. ‘We are very happy to have found a great new owner for the EAW brand and wish everyone involved much success going forward.’

‘While I have truly enjoyed working with all of the brands in the Loud legacy, it’s now time for us to turn the page and to be entirely focused on building the Mackie brand,’ said Mackie president Alex Nelson, reinforcing Transom’s intentions.

‘Our companies have long lived in a conglomeration of brands and I believe going forward all the brands are going to benefit from new-found focus, alignment and investment. This last divestiture marks a particularly exciting time for Mackie employees worldwide who are now about to embark on a journey of re-invention.’

Mr Smith added: ‘Having grown up with the EAW and Mackie brands, I can truly say that this is an exciting moment. Both brands are now in a significantly stronger position to support their

unique partners and customers.

I look forward to the continued development of Mackie and EAW under new and more focused ownership.’

EAW will continue to work with Loud Audio during the following months to ensure a smooth transition for customers, dealers and distributors.

CapM Advisors has served as the financial advisor to RCF Group during the transaction, while Studio Legale Chiomenti and Good Procter LLP served as its legal counsel. Latham & Watkins LLP served as the legal counsel to Loud and Transom Capital Group.

Following the announcement, EAW has already reported improved sales, product innovation, development and support under the RCF Group umbrella.

1/4 Horizontal

4 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

‘The announcement of our acquisition has served to not only excite our expanding customer base but also inspire interest from companies serving market categories that have been neglected for some time,’ explained Mr Smith. ‘We have a strong and knowledgeable sales team in place that is working hard to further our presence in the industry with great success. With the RCF Group behind us, I can’t imagine a brighter future.’

EAW’s Adaptive loudspeakers are an example of what can be developed when working with a team that is dedicated to advancing the industry through state-of-the-art technology. ‘The type of advanced thinking that created Adaptive is alive and well,’ added Mr Smith. ‘We are looking forward to seeing where products like Adaptive and Radius can lead us and the industry. It is an exciting time for our company.’

‘Adding EAW to the RCF Group will allow fast and solid growth while encouraging the development of innovative new products and technologies,’ noted Mr Vicari.

‘This is what the company has built its successful 40+ year history upon.’

‘With the support of RCF, our potential is infinite,’ concluded Mr Smith. ‘We owe thanks to so many – to those that have helped to build the company to where it is today, to the companies that have continued to support our products – the list is long. We have a very bright future in front of us and welcome you along for the ride.’ www.eaw.com www.loudaudio.com www.rcf-group.it www.transomcap.com

CHANGING THE DYNAMIC. KSM8 Dualdyne™ Vocal Microphone The WORLD’S FIRST dual-diaphragm handheld dynamic microphone redefines live sound with masterful off-axis rejection and unprecedentedly wide working distance. Optimized to give the flattest mid-high frequency response ever seen on a dynamic microphone, KSM8 provides unmatched sonic accuracy with no EQ required.

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NEWS

G%7HFKQRORJLHV KROGV ÀUVW $3$& GLVWULEXWRU PHHWLQJ INDONESIA: dBTechnologies recently held its first APAC Distributor Meeting at a resort in Bali. The 2-day event was attended by more than 50 delegates from all 18 APAC countries the Italian loudspeaker manufacturer is currently distributed in.

Led by sales and marketing director Giovanni Barbieri, 10 members of staff had flown in from dBTechnologies’ Bologna headquarters. The event comprised presentations on past achievements, future visions of strategy and new products, while also gathering feedback from the delegates.

‘We are at a point where we have a highly qualified distributor network in APAC,’ Mr Barbieri explained.

‘So it’s the right time for all of us to connect, reflect and, most importantly, think and talk together about the next steps.’

In an opening video message, founder and CEO Arturo Vicari spoke to the attendees, thanking them for their efforts contributing to the brand’s rapid growth. The increasing significance of the region was also apparent in a

Over 50 people from 18 countries in APAC joined the dBTechnologies team in Bali

Giovanni Barbieri talking about future visions sales analysis presented by APAC sales manager Manuele Poli, wrapped into the brand’s history and zooming in on the recent few years which saw the brand strongly

gaining in the touring market while maintaining its presence in MI. Marketing specialists Stefano Bini and Silvia Raimondi gave insights into the company’s marketing activities, while Mr Barbieri shared some of the company’s visions for the future. ‘We will keep investing to maintain our growth in APAC,’ he promised. ‘Close relationships with our clients in the region are a key point. Our future vision includes continuous improvement of brand perception, education and training, service and support in the field.’

Providing detailed examples of live events and installation projects accomplished with dBTechnologies, three of the distributors took the stage: namely DasanSR from South Korea, NAS from Australia and Vertek Pro from the Philippines.

Following a run through of recent product additions, market analyst Enrico Gamberoni went on with a recap of key technologies that are present in the flagship Vio series.

Product specialist Marco Cantalú began the second major phase of the event: launching the most current and, quite literally, biggest extension of the series: the Vio L212 full-scale line array module along with the matching Vio S218 subwoofer. Shortly after, the crowd was shuttled to a nearby outdoor venue where they were greeted by

a full stage setup and a total of 24 Vio L212s and 18 Vio S218s.

During a musical break, DasanSR from South Korea was awarded ‘Best Distributor’ and Australian NAS was honoured as ‘Best Technical Partner’.

The next day the meeting continued in a roundtable format.

‘APAC is the most promising market for us, and our distributors in the region are the main players in the field. Evidently, we’re enjoying great interest and a high level of commitment from them,’ concluded Mr Poli. ‘So, we want and need to continue teamwork, people meeting each other, networking and sharing the passion.’ www.dbtechnologies.com

Manuele Poli in front of the crowd

6 EULQJV WKH VRXQG $XUXV SODWLQXP PDNHV RI 1< WR 3KXNHW OLYH GHEXW LQ &KLQD

THAILAND: New York Bar on Phuket’s Bangla Road has been equipped with a new audio system following its acquisition by new owners. Fuzion Far East, DiGiCo’s Thai distributor, supplied the venue with the British manufacturer’s S21 compact mixing console as part of the audio refresh.

‘The bar seemed to be in one of those spots that just didn’t work,’ said Joshua Oates from Fuzion. ‘It had changed ownership over and over again but failed each time.

That is until its current owners came along and transformed it into one of the area’s best-loved night spots. To make absolutely sure success was guaranteed, they got in contact with us to supply them with the hottest audio gear in town that would suit their predominantly

rock-based live show needs.’

New York Bar’s new owner selected the S21 due to a combination of audio quality, costeffectiveness and compact format that allows it to fit in the club’s small control room. The console was installed by Mr Team along with a Nexo PA system to provide visiting engineers with the ability to control the desk remotely via an iPad. ‘After a quick install and easy set up, the S21 was hard at work running our live music venue,’ said the owner. ‘It’s been an easy transition to DiGiCo and the S21 has helped New York Bar to be another great venue on the beautiful Phuket Island.’ www.digico.biz www.fuzion.co.th

6 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

CHINA: Stage Tec’s flagship Aurus platinum mixing console has been used at FOH for the first time at an event in China. The event was a concert featuring the music of composer Zhang Hong Guang, performed by a 60-piece orchestra, a choir of 50 singers, a band with 11 musicians and 16 soloists to an audience of 18,000 at the Cadillac Arena in Beijing.

With two presenters adding to the large channel count, the Aurus platinum was equipped with 32 faders and integrated into a Nexus network comprising six base devices and a Star router.

The concert’s technical production was handled by IFTT, while CCTV recorded the event for broadcast. ‘Stage Tec is wellknown for reliability and for the best audio quality,’ stated the vice president of CCTV’s audio department, Mr Chen. ‘That’s why we use Stage Tec technology at such important events.’

The Aurus VCA group hierarchy feature helped engineers to keep track of the more than 200 mix channels and 80 busses by grouping channel types, such as instruments, to provide a clear overview. The VCA groups were mixed instead of individual

channels and combined with Aurus platinum’s spill functionality. To further accommodate the large number of audio channels, the Aurus platinum was populated with seven RMDQ DSP units, converting the microphone feeds to digital signals without analogue preamplification at the mic inputs on the system with 32-bit resolution using Stage Tec’s True Match process. A total of 16 XMIC microphone boards, each with eight channels, were installed in the Nexus base devices for this process. www.stagetec.com

NEWS

MA Lighting tackles grandMA piracy WORLD: MA Lighting has found success in its fight against the illegal use of its grandMA2 software. The company reports that the Munich Regional Court served a preliminary injunction against a German distribution company that was bringing consoles onto the market from China that were based on its MA onPC wing devices. With grandMA2 software installed, these consoles unlock the proprietary parameters of MA systems illegally.

As a result of the preliminar y injunction, the distribution company has been prohibited from distributing MA Lighting’s grandMA2 onPC software on devices other than original MA

Lighting hardware. Fines of up to €250,000 can be brought upon the infringer for each violation of the cour t ban or up to six months imprisonment if the fine cannot be paid. To avoid fur ther legal issues, the distributor has ceased sales of Chinese manufacturer Yel Technology’s Kolibre consoles and related products.

MA Lighting has urged users and companies with such consoles with grandMA2 onPC software to avoid using them at the risk of making themselves liable to possible prosecution. This, the manufacturer states, is regardless of the type or manufacturer.

‘The circumvention of technical protective measures of copyrighted software and unauthorised interference with technical protective measures of such software for commercial purposes is punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine,’ reads a statement from MA Lighting. ‘It is not a trivial offence.’

Lord of the Drinks: 4XEL[ ÀOOV $VLD·V longest bar INDIA: Lord of the Drinks (LOTD) is one of the newest ventures from prolific restaurateur Priank Sukhija.

The 1,580m2 Mumbai venue lays claim to the longest bar in Asia. When it came to installing

In addition, Qubix installed the sound setups for LOTD’s other areas, including the Jungle Lounge, which is intended for small parties and private bookings. Here, CC 8s have been paired with CB 15 subwoofers

www.malighting.com

Lord of the Drinks a sound solution, the biggest challenge was in managing the acoustics across the lengthy space while fulfilling Mr Sukhija’s wish for a space in which patrons could dance, yet also comfor tably enjoy a conversation.

and their own digital volume control running directly from the DSP. The CB 15 subs were hidden behind the room’s sofas.

The Rocky S Cocktail Bar is LOTD’s VIP area split into two spaces: a high-energy bar and a quieter space concealed by

1/2 PAGE Island The Rocky S Cocktail Bar Qubix Technologies (formerly Audio Vision India) took on the challenge, evaluating the project brief and venue layout before selecting a CSC Audio loudspeaker system powered

by Ram Audio amplifiers. A pair of CSC CF 15 cabinets were installed due to their directional acoustic capabilities, along with two CR 218 subwoofers. Fills were also needed to ensure complete coverage across the 40m-long bar area and these were supplied in the form of 16 CF 10 and CC 8 speakers coupled with a pair of CR 18 subs.

8 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

partitioning. CF 10 mid-high cabinets and CR 18 subs were set up by the Qubix team to deliver powerful music reinforcement without distortion.

At the heart of the entire sound setup are 36 channels of DSP and 40 channels of amplification that Qubix spent two days programming to achieve the desired results. Judging by customer reviews, the ambience in LOTD is certainly hitting the right levels. www.cscaudio.co.uk www.qubixtechnologies.com www.ramaudio.com

NEWS

Monash University learns in the round AUSTRALIA: Monash University’s Clayton campus recently renovated its Learning and Teaching building.

Here, 125 equipped learning spaces now provide a forwardthinking, innovative environment for campus teaching with the intuitive employment of A/V technology central to this philosophy, including an audio system driven

by Powersoft Ottocanali and Quattrocanali amplifiers.

Monash University A/V capability manager, Myles Fenton, led the A/V team for the project, working with CHW Consulting to create a specification to go to tender, for which Rutledge AV was appointed as the A/V systems integrator.

Turning traditional approaches to education on their head, the centrepiece of the facility is the Learning in the Round auditorium where

Learning in the Round auditorium integrated A/V actively encourages the educator to step out of their comfort zone and for the student to

participate, share and collaborate.

‘Round spaces have the potential to be an acoustic disaster,’ said

Worth making a Song and Dance Over

1/2 PAGE Island 1/2 PAGE

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The Prism Sound Lyr L a has 30 years of interface design expertise implemented in a small half rack mount unit which contains a wealth of professional features.

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10 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Mr Fenton. ‘In our research, we encountered a lot of distributed in-ceiling audio solutions, but these don’t cut it as they sound like the voice of God booming around and there’s no connection with who’s speaking.’

PAVT’s Ben Clarke provided specialist audio design knowledge.

‘The days of installing a pair of plastic loudspeakers next to a screen and a bunch of ceiling speakers are well and truly gone,’ he confirmed. ‘Learning in the Round was a challenge because of its shape. The reverberant field focuses all the energy back into the centre and there will be various hotspots. Consistency is key – whilst also finding a balance in the investment across the three key aspects of good installed sound: speaker directivity, acoustic treatment and the microphone.’

To address all of these challenges, the university opted for Shure ULX-D wireless across the campus.

Mounted above each display, octagonal arrays of EAW KF396 loudspeakers provide tight, controlled dispersion patterns.

Powered by Powersoft Ottocanali and Quattrocanali multichannel amplifiers, EAW VFR69 cabinets were specified as down-fills sharing a consistent audio signature with the other EAW speakers on campus.

Furthermore, A/V touchpoints are

purposefully situated in the corner of the room to encourage the teacher to move among the students rather than preach from a front lectern.

A large inventory of Ottocanali 1204 DSP+ETH, Quattrocanali 1204 DSP+D and Quattrocanali 2404 DSP+D amplifiers enable Dante networking throughout the facility and allow remote audio management and control.

Beyond Learning in the Round, EAW’s Greybox processing block allows for an identical amplitude and phase response in the smaller learning spaces in addition to the high-spec theatres with the ability to implement the filter set into the Powersoft amplifier natively.

Supporting Monash’s demand to create an equal audio and acoustic experience across the campus, the Rutledge AV engineers loaded presets for automatic sound optimisation, correction and accuracy, regardless of the loudspeaker category selected for

a particular room. ‘The ability to install the EAW Greybox DSP presets allows lecturers and listeners to have a matched response across multiple different rooms with differing loudspeaker choices,’ furthered Mr Clarke. ‘With the project team using Powersoft’s Armonía software for loading the EAW Greybox presets and final loudspeaker system equalisation, the room file is then saved for future service.’

The Alexander Theatre at Monash University in Melbourne has also undergone a renovation, including the first Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system installed in a dedicated performing arts venue in Australia. Originally designed for spoken word productions, the 561-seat theatre is now equipped for acoustic music performances as well as amplified performances thanks to the inclusion of a Leopard line array sound reinforcement system. www.pavt.com.au www.powersoft-audio.com www.rutledge.com.au

NEWS

.ROLQ LQWURGXFHV $XGLRFHQWHU·V 6SLWÀUH &UHDWLYH 7HFKQRORJLHV DFTXLUHV L65 to the Philippines Green Hippo

The Audiocenter team PHILIPPINES: Audiocenter’s Philippine distributor, Kolin Electronics, recently introduced new Audiocenter active column speakers to the country as part of a 2-day event at its offices in Manila. More than 350 audio professionals, from live sound engineers to rental companies, audio consultants, systems integrators, local dealers and DJs, took part.

The event commenced with a welcome speech by Kolin Electronics’ chief finance officer, Johnson Tan, and was followed

by an afternoon technical training seminar presented by Audiocenter’s product application engineer, Roshan Malim. Topics included audio fundamentals, understanding and applying EASE Focus 3 simulation software for deploying line arrays in a

more effective manner, a basic introduction to Smaart software for system alignment and different techniques for implanting subwoofers.

Following opening speeches and the technical product training, attendees were treated to a concert with local bands. Each band played a different genre of music, allowing the audience to experience the versatility of the L65 active column speaker.

The stage setup consisted of left/right hangs of Audiocenter L65 and L65A cabinets. Low frequencies were handled by Audiocenter’s EA5118 single 18-inch active front-loading subwoofer positioned left and right of the stage.

Audiocenter chairman Tony Lee, APAC sales director Dena Tsui and product application engineer Roshan Malim were all on hand throughout the two days to offer support. www.audiocenter.net

WORLD: Green Hippo Ltd and Green Hippo Media Technology Inc have been acquired by Spitfire Creative Technologies. The purchase of Green Hippo extends Spitfire’s reach across the commercial integration, live events and creative video technology markets.

‘For 18 years, Green Hippo and Hippotizer have been part of live events around the world,’ said Emma Marlow, CEO of Green Hippo.

‘We have grown well and want to continue growing. Becoming a member of the Spitfire family allows Green Hippo to focus on growing further and faster. We look forward to their strong organisational support so we can do more to help

our customers and users around the world deliver the best live video experiences.’

Green Hippo joins the tvONE and Magenta Research brands in Spitfire’s portfolio. These brands manufacture video processing and signal distribution products, complementing Green Hippo’s range of media servers and digital display solutions.

‘Green Hippo and tvONE each have core competencies in technology and customer focus that, when combined, provide superior solutions for both fixed installation and live events customers,’ stated Denise Nemchev, president and CEO of tvONE. ‘Most important is the value we bring our customers across the combined platform.’ www.green-hippo.com www.magenta-research.com www.spitfirect.com www.tvone.com

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Kling & Freitag GmbH | www.kling-freitag.com

July–August 2017 PRO AUDIO 25 May–June 2018 11 July–August 37 November–December AVL ASIA ASIA 11 January–February 35 March–April 2018 95 November–December 2017 PRO AVL

NEWS

Shure opens Bengaluru RIÀFH WR FRYHU 6RXWK $VLD INDIA: Shure has opened a new sales and marketing office in Bengaluru to further boost its presence in Asia. The new facility will support sales across South Asia, including Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan, as well as India.

The new office will be run by Shure country director for India, Chicco Hiranandani. He will work alongside channel partners to develop and manage a growth plan for South Asia, driving the manufacturer’s strategy across vertical markets.

Meanwhile, Devraj Panicker, marketing development manager, will oversee corporate end user engagement, focusing on integrated systems.

Chicco Hiranandani ‘By opening the office in Bengaluru we now have a closer presence to our customers and partners,’ said Mr Hiranandani.

‘We look forward to building new relationships and nurturing

established ones within this important region.’

While increasing accessibility to the manufacturer for local customers, Shure notes that purchases will still be directed through established distributors.

‘India has experienced exponential business growth during the past few years and has become a hub for Fortune 500 companies and A/V manufacturers alike,’ said Mark Humrichouser, VP of global sales at Shure. ‘The new office presents an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to this lucrative market and better understand the customer, which is imperative for long-term success.’ www.shure.com

*HQHOHF PRQLWRULQJ LQ &KLQD·V ÀUVW $WPRV HQDEOHG 2% WUXFN manufacturer’s GLM software to facilitate calibration for an optimal listening environment, while also allowing users to switch between monitor configurations and surround formats, from stereo to surround to Atmos, at the touch of a button.

‘I’m confident that the implementation of this Genelec monitoring solution and Dolby Atmos within the new OB truck will prompt and inspire many more creative ideas within the CHINA: Hunan TV has taken to the roads with the first OB truck capable of producing Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 sound. Systems integrator NDT Group worked in conjunction with Hunan TV’s senior recording engineer, Long Hongliang, on the design and integration of the truck’s audio systems, which include a Genelec monitoring solution.

‘This project represents a milestone for Hunan TV, as well as a significant step forward for Chinese broadcasting,’ said Mr Hongliang. ‘There could be no compromise on the equipment chosen – everything had to be the best.’

Inside, the truck is divided into four zones: the main mixing area, the broadcast zone, equipment racks and storage. The layout unfortunately meant that the speakers could not be placed in the optimal positions, particularly the cabinets for surround and height. Additionally, the lack of space made it unrealistic

to apply anything more than a limited amount of sound isolating treatment. In its untreated form, the vehicle suffered from an imbalance of midrange and low frequencies.

Genelec SAM monitors were chosen to overcome these challenges. A trio of 8351 cabinets from The Ones series are configured in an L-C-R setup, while a pair of 8240s are located in the surround L-R positions. Four 8320s are installed in the ceiling of the vehicle and two 7260 SAM subwoofers provide the bass. The speakers are integrated with the

12 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Chinese broadcasting community,’ noted Mr Hongliang. ‘It is a strong example of what we can achieve and it is already greatly adding to the quality and breadth of audio production within our television programming. Most of all it creates the opportunity for a wealth of new media content. The truck has already been employed on a number of major events and concerts, and we expect that it will participate in many more largescale live production broadcasts in 2018 and beyond.’ www.genelec.com

&KLPHUD /LJKWLQJ DFTXLUHV 'LQNXP 6\VWHPV WORLD: Lighting manufacturer Chimera Lighting has announced the acquisition of Dinkum Systems

and its principal assets. The acquisition includes Dinkum Systems’ range of flexible arm, clamping shades, French flags and microphone holders.

Chimera plans to continue marketing and selling the entire Dinkum Systems product range, through the original Dinkum Systems website and its

established distributor/dealer network, as well as through the Chimera worldwide network.

The first Dinkum Systems product was the clamping French flag (now sold as the CINE lens shade), a device developed by John Mans in the mid-1990s to solve the problem of lens flare on large film cameras without using matte boxes. Over the past decade, consistent demand for the CINE lens shade, positive reports from other professional shooters using the products in the field and the high definition and digital SLR revolution saw the need for Mr Mans to expand the range.

Additions to the line that followed were the more streamlined lens shade for smaller HD video cameras, followed by the trusty FlexiMount microphone mount for audio techs on the move. www.chimeralighting.com www.dinkumsystems.com

6SLLGHUV LQ IDVKLRQ AUSTRALIA: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia was recently held at Sydney’s Carriageworks entertainment venue, incorporating set design, themes and theatrics into the models’ runway per formances.

Paul Collison served as the lighting designer, tasked with flipping the set to a different look in the space of a couple of hours between per formances.

To achieve this, he employed Robe Spiiders as a key part of his lighting rig. Production Technologies managed the technical production, while lighting was provided by Chameleon Touring Systems.

‘Due to the varied use of the space, I had to design a multipurpose system that would cope with the drastic changes in the runway paths,’ Mr Collison explained. ‘I selected the Robe Spiider for my main wash fittings; they cover everything needed in their colour range, from big saturated primaries to pastels, and even tungsten feels for key light features. Their zoom, pixel effects and unique flower/beam element adds to the palette of effects.’

A Camilla performance was also staged, featuring Japanese

drummers, a tea ceremony and dance alongside the models hitting the runway.

‘For the Camilla performance, we used a lot of subtle pastel pinks and blues, as well as snapping to really deep blues to create backgrounds during spot lit performances,’ noted Mr Collison.

Other per formances featured ‘super clean’ white light, such as Bianca Spender, while others, including a piece called I.AM.GIA, used the lights to produce the look of a rock show with low fog, animated pixels and saturated reds. ‘That one was a lot of fun as we had the freedom to use more of the toys on offer,’ said Mr Collison with a smile. ‘For a wash lamp, the Spiiders certainly have plenty to play with.’ www.jands.com.au www.robe.cz

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Bose hosts regional distributor conference INDONESIA: Bose recently held a regional distributor conference in Bali; the first event of this kind for Bose in this part of the world. The event brought together delegates from the ASEAN, Korea, SAARC and ANZ regions and gave recognition to distributors, dealers and individuals who have performed well during the last fiscal year.

The first day consisted of an internal conference for Bose employees where presentations were made by regional sales leaders focusing on business analytics. The second day welcomed invited guests and was divided into two segments: further presentations by sales leaders covering wider topics and an evening awards ceremony with guests enjoying live music during their dinner. On the

Bose sales manager Yusof Ahmad felt it had been ‘a very successful event indeed. The main takeaway of the event was the opportunity for Bose representatives from all over the region to meet, have fun and spend time together.

third day, delegates could choose an activity such as a temple visit, with the day ending with a dinner cruise with live entertainment.

Distributor of the year awards went to SEKI HE from Korea and Cubix Micro Systems from India.

Dealer of the year awards were given to ESCO from Singapore in the

throughout the production and postproduction processes.

Manufacturers that produce products meeting this criteria, comply with Netflix delivery specifications and commit to further technical innovation and the timely resolution of any problems are able to use the Post Technology Alliance certified logo.

www.bose.com

business music systems category, YoungJeon from Korea in the engineered sound category and Daejin Sound from Korea in the portable systems category. Best distributor in the SAARC region was awarded to Blue Fish Audio, while JVG won best dealer of the year in ANZ.

%ODFNPDJLF 'HVLJQ MRLQV 1HWÁL[ Post Technology Alliance WORLD: Blackmagic Design has joined the Netflix Post Technology Alliance, with its DaVinci Resolve postproduction software selected for three of the newly established alliance’s four technology categories: Colour Grading, Editorial, IMF and Media Encoding.

The Ursa Mini 4.6K and Ursa Mini Pro have also been chosen for the alliance’s camera category.

The Netflix Post Technology Alliance is a programme set up by the streaming giant for the manufacturers of products capable of generating or managing sound or image data, or metadata

The exchange of experiences, challenges and best practices that happened in their part of the world were productively shared. That’s priceless.’

‘At Netflix, empowering our creative partners is incredibly important, and the Post

Technology Alliance will build a more seamless experience from production through postproduction,’ explained Chris Fetner, director of post partnerships and integrations at Netflix. ‘Products that bear the logo are committed to better interoperability and faster innovation cycles, which will allow artists to focus their energy on what matters most – the storytelling.’

Products brandishing the Post Technology Alliance logo have undergone testing and evaluation to ensure they meet

Netflix’s technical and workflow requirements. This aims to assure filmmakers of the quality of a product, as well as the service and support offered by the manufacturer.

‘Professionals creating films and episodic shows for Netflix have to focus on creativity, quality and being able to launch globally in multiple formats,’ said Grant Petty, CEO at Blackmagic Design. ‘So, having a post process that is efficient, easy to use and always improving is essential. We are honoured Netflix sees that DaVinci Resolve brings that in each of the software categories of the Post Technology Alliance.’ www.blackmagicdesign.com pta.netflixstudios.com

Stokes checks Attero Tech into Westin Perth AUSTRALIA: Stokes Technologies has designed and installed an A/V network comprising Attero Tech Dante-networked audio interfaces and wall plates at the new, 5-star Westin Perth hotel. The 26-storey venue hosts 368 guest rooms, a lobby, lounge, day spa, infinity pool, outdoor pool, gym and fitness studio. In addition, nine flexible event spaces are spread across the first two storeys, including a 3-segment, 800m2 grand ballroom.

The A/V network covers the area from below ground to Level 5, connected by fibre and managed via three Q-Sys Core 510i DSPs mounted in central racks found on Level 2. ‘It’s a complete A/V over IP solution, with more than 700 channels of audio, of which 300 channels flow through Attero Tech

encoders and decoders,’ explained Aaron Mitchell, systems engineer at Stokes Technologies. ‘Mood music players provide background music through Attero Tech unD41-L flange-mount interfaces, and the network uses several types of Attero Tech encoders and decoders to route audio to and from virtually all public spaces. We divide the DSPs and switches to serve different floor locations so if one were to go down, it wouldn’t take the whole system out.’

Switches have been configured in three stacks to mirror the three DSPs. The stacks are linked and each operates as a single switch, with audio flowing between DSPs via AES67 on a separate VLAN, allowing video and audio to be routed across the entire

14 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

QSC. This means the DSPs can send audio to the amplifiers using Q-LAN. The rest of the networked audio is routed to and from Attero Tech interfaces via Dante.

The grand ballroom is equipped with five projectors, each of which is paired with an Attero Tech unDIO2X2+ Dante audio interface, keeping the sound in sync over the network. Each unDIO2X2+ also delivers two audio channels to an IR emitter: one channel for hearing augmentation and the other for international interpretation.

‘The main sources of control are 10 iPads,’ added Mr Mitchell. ‘A few are on wall docks, and others are issued as needed.’ network. With the exception of some Crestron speakers in the higher ceilings and K-array

speakers in some narrow spaces, the majority of the speakers and power amplifiers deployed are from

www.atterotech.com www.sks.com.au

NEWS

Riedel extends APAC presence by opening %HLMLQJ RIÀFH CHINA: Reflecting its growing market presence in the Asia Pacific region, Riedel Communications is committed to opening a new office in Beijing.

The fourth APAC location follows the establishment of hubs in Sydney, Tokyo and Singapore.

The Beijing office represents a major first step in Riedel’s effort to establish a local infrastructure for supporting a growing Chinese customer base and will allow the company to provide tailored customer service, system design, business development

Cameron O’Neill and Gao Jian and sales functions. Located in the Chaoyang District, the new location will be led by Riedel’s new regional sales manager for China, Gao Jian.

BNC selects Jünger

MALAYSIA: Bernama News Channel (BNC) in Kuala Lumpur has taken receipt of a pair of Jünger Audio Easy Loudness audio loudness and control devices with remote panels, supplied by local distributor JAA Systems Sdn Bhd and installed by Uxera Sdn Bhd. ‘Jünger Audio devices are straightforward and simple to set up,’ explained Hashim Yahaya, broadcast engineer at Uxera. ’Once the configuration has been set, they do not need any adjustment.

They work flawlessly.’

BNC is a national public news television channel and chose the

devices after thorough testing with various solutions available in the market. Tests were performed on various aspects, such as loudness and level control effectiveness, delay/lipsync, ease of use and availability of features. The Jünger solutions were reportedly the most effective for audio loudness and level control, while also offering simple usability.

One Easy Loudness has been installed as a main unit and the other as backup. Both are connected to an XAP remote panel that can monitor the channels from the master control room.

‘As the Chinese broadcast, production and events markets continue to expand, the time is right for Riedel to have an established presence in China.

We’re very excited to open an office in China’s capital city and staff it with a great team of professionals,’ commented Riedel Communications Asia Pacific director, Cameron O’Neill. ‘Our award-winning technologies are designed specifically to meet the production challenges of today and tomorrow.

Adding local resources and support will help us better serve customers who require high-quality broadcast and A/V solutions in this important market. The Beijing office is just the beginning of Riedel’s long-term commitment to China.’ www.riedel.net

Brio36 penetrates Indian market

‘We are thankful to Bernama News Channel (BNC) for placing their trust in Jünger Audio,’ commented Kaartigaiyan Gunasegran, sales engineer at JAA Systems.

‘Now most, if not all, TV stations in Malaysia are using Jünger Audio to control the audio loudness and levels effectively. We would like to send our gratitude to Uxera Sdn Bhd, the systems integrator, for their support.’ www.jaasys.com www.junger-audio.com

INDIA: Calrec has expanded its presence in the Indian broadcast market with the sale of three Brio36 audio consoles to a major international sports broadcaster. The desks were installed by Sun Broadcast Equipments.

‘In a country like India, where the broadcast market is rapidly evolving but cost is often a primary factor in purchasing decisions, it’s important for us to offer economic solutions that allow media organisations to evolve their infrastructure,’ said Vinit Govil, CEO of Sun Broadcast Equipments. ‘This is why we really like the Brio from Calrec. It delivers high-end audio processing and networking capabilities in a compact desk at an attainable price point. Having sold Brios into the market, it’s setting a trend of low-cost, high-quality consoles here, and we think other comparable territories will take note of this.’

Calrec recently boosted the channel count of the Brio36 with new expansion packs that

Brio36 increase its capacity from 64 to 96 input channels.

‘We know our customers want to exceed expectations in terms of quality audio output without going over their budget, and we’re so pleased that our Brio console is giving them the chance to do just that,’ said Anthony Harrison, international sales manager at Calrec. ‘This project illustrates how the broadcast market in India is on the upswing and how Calrec products are helping to carve a niche in that region to make highquality audio accessible.’ www.calrec.com www.sungroup.net

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Janata TV virtualises playout with Versio NEPAL: Imagine Communications has supplied a virtualised playout and asset management system to Kathmandu-based Janata Television. Janata TV is part of the Nepalese Janata media company and first went on air in 2017, delivering a 24/7 news service, as well as entertainment and other content. To improve productivity and reliability, the channel chose to deploy an automated playout and media handling system, turning to Imagine Communications, which implemented a simple design

based on virtualised software running on commercial off-theshelf (COTS) hardware. Broadcast Technology Limited was the systems integrator for the project.

‘We needed to implement a powerful and stable system,’ said Laxman Humagain, general

16 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

manager of Janata Television. ‘We also needed to get it installed and running without impeding our existing daily work. Imagine Communications offered not just a neat and powerful solution, but also a plan to implement it and get our staff trained and ready to

go, with minimum disruption to our operations.’

The new, automated workflow is supported by Imagine Communications’ Nexio Motion asset management software and Versio integrated playout solution. As well as handling playout, Versio also provides the engine to design and drive workflows. The software-based solution makes the system compact, as well as readily secured through redundant signal paths and hardware.

‘This is our first Versio installation in Nepal, and we are proud to be working with Janata Television on this project,’ said Imagine Communications’ Mathias Eckert, SVP and GM EMEA and APAC, playout and networking. ‘Our solution provided Janata with a user-friendly, effective and secure interface so staff could quickly become productive – developing their workflows and delivering great content to audiences across Nepal.’ www.imaginecommunications.com

Ƹ8LI EGGYVEG] [EW XLI ǻVWX XLMRK . RSXMGIH . TYPPIH up a session that I knew needed some work in one particular area. Right out of the gate I heard it. I’ve never had that happen with a PA at the scale of the al-12. And output was equally impressive. Whatever level I wanted, I got, and with room to spare.”

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NEWS

K-array China launches CHINA: Italian loudspeaker manufacturer K-array recently staged a grand ceremony to officially announce the formation of K-array China. The formal name of the company is K-array.CN Limited, with headquarters located in Hong Kong and a sales and service centre in Beijing.

The ceremony was held in Beijing and was well attended. Alessandro Tatini, president and co-founder of K-array, offered his congratulations to those involved in the new company.

Then, Marc Vincent, CEO of K-array China, recalled how the firm’s market share has grown in China over the past 10 years.

‘Today is a milestone that sees us create the first subsidiary of K-array outside Italy,’ he said. ‘The reason we chose China is because it is the biggest market in the world. The

China. The team also comprises members from Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, providing sales, marketing, financial and technical support for the Greater China area, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

‘China is a very fast-growing market,’ added Mr Vincent. ‘We feel this is where we have to

expand to establish ourselves as the number one brand. The only way we can do this is to do it ourselves, because we believe in our brand, our products and our technology. We know it best and are the most qualified to make it a success.’

Han Hongzhi, director of the sound committee at the China

Roger Qi role of K-array China is to provide products, consultancy and aftersales service to our customers.’

Mr Vincent went on to introduce the K-array China team. This included Roger Qi, who is in charge of sales and marketing in

Institute of Stage Design, Jing Fuli, director of the sound committee at the China Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers, and sound engineer Mr Shaoyong, who is the founder of MaxTeam, also delivered speeches and offered congratulations to the K-array China team.

Mr Vincent concluded by giving authorisation certificates to the six dealers responsible for North China, East China, South China, Henan Province and Fujian Province regions, as well as the entertainment and residential vertical markets in South China.

Delicious Italian food and a wonder ful band per formance provided guests with an unforgettable night. www.k-array.com

NEP Australia partners with Sony for 4K expansion AUSTRALIA: NEP Australia has made a ‘significant’ expansion of its 4K inventory in partnership with Sony Professional Solutions Australia. The manufacturer’s products will now be used for all of NEP’s sport production in Australia, at both the all-IP Andrews Hub and across the broadcaster’s mobile fleet, beginning with NEP’s UDH cricket coverage for Fox Sports.

‘From November, Australian cricket fans will be able to view live matches in greater clarity than ever before on Foxtel’s new dedicated 4K channel, which will broadcast selected cricket

Sony solutions employed by NEP Australia matches in ultra-high definition for the first time,’ said Marc Segar, director of technology for NEP Australia. ‘We are working closely

with Sony to deploy this new 4K infrastructure in time for Fox Sports’ first live UHD-4K cricket match.’

NEP has purchased multiple Sony XVS-9000 switchers – the first delivered in any market internationally – XVS8000 switchers with upgrades to 100Gb and IP, HDC-4300 camera chains, HDC-P43 box camera chains, BRC-X1000 remote PTZ cameras, HDC-4800 super slo-mo cameras, BVM- X300 OLED monitors, BVM-E171 OLED critical reference monitors, additional HDCU-4300 CCU in 4K IP configuration for NEP’s IP trucks and 4K software

*XUX 1DQDN &ROOHJH·V QHZ DXGLWRULXP HTXLSSHG ZLWK +DUPDQ INDIA: The Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Auditorium at Guru Nanak College was recently inaugurated

by President Shri Ram Nath Kovind. The 669m2 venue seats an audience of 900 students and is designed to host a range of events and activities for which sound reinforcement is provided by a Harman Professional system, installed by Studio Care and comprising JBL Professional speakers, Crown amplifiers, BSS signal processors, Soundcraft mixing consoles and AKG microphones.

‘This is a fairly large auditorium, and the client wanted a stateof-the-art audio system that could deliver clear and uniform

coverage,’ explained S Kangayan, owner of Studio Care. ‘We chose Harman Professional for their prestigious brands, extensive service network and the ability to create an end-to-end audio solution from a single manufacturer.

We supplied, installed and programmed the entire solution with strong support from the Harman engineering team. The JBL loudspeakers have delivered exceptional sound quality and coverage, and the client is very satisfied with the installation.’

Four JBL AM7315/95 loudspeakers and two ASB7128 subwoofers form the main PA system, while four AC18/26 speakers serves as side-fills and

18 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

six Eon612 cabinets are used as stage monitors. The AM7315/95s are powered by two Crown DCi

4 l 1250N amplifiers and the subwoofers are driven by a DCi 4 l 2400N. A DCi 2 l 600N

upgrades for existing cameras.

‘This purchase of 4K equipment yet again demonstrates NEP’s forward-thinking innovation, and their commitment to producing the very best-quality productions and images,’ said Anthony Kable, content creation group manager for Sony Australia.

‘Sony Australia has had a long and successful partnership with NEP, most recently collaborating to bring the incredible Andrews Hub to fruition. We look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come.’ www.pro.sony

amplifies the side-fills. Sound is mixed on a Soundcraft Si Impact 32-channel digital mixing console, while AKG mics capture the voices of those on stage.

‘Our installation at the Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Auditorium is an important milestone, and our expertise in the education market enabled us to deliver a world-class system in a very unique space,’ commented Prashant Govindan, senior director for India and SAARC at Harman Professional. ‘During the project’s planning phase, the team at Guru Nanak College communicated that they wanted a high-quality system with robust output, which helped us deliver the right solution under a tight timeline. The entire project was completed in just two months – from planning to execution.’ www.harman.in www.studiocare.in

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INDIA: India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has invested in 49 Christie DWU700-GS 1DLP laser projectors to be deployed across the National Medical College Network (NMCN). As a result, the medical colleges will be among the first government-run organisations in India to be equipped with lampless projection systems.

The DWU700-GS 1DLP laser projector belongs to Christie’s GS Series. The 49 units will be installed and maintained by Yash Technologies. ‘The Christie GS Series was selected due to its performance, long-life

illumination and lower cost of operation,’ revealed a Yash Technologies spokesperson. ‘These laser projectors will serve the NMCN well in the years ahead, and help them achieve cost savings in areas such as lamp replacement and maintenance.’

‘It is gratifying to see that our visual solutions can play an important and meaningful role in the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients in areas where there’s a shortage of medical professionals,’ commented Christie’s executive director for APAC, Michael Bosworth. ‘We are honoured that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has chosen our GS Series for deployment at its medical colleges across India in an effort to better provide healthcare services through telemedicine.’ www.christiedigital.com

INDONESIA: Suara Visual Indonesia (SVI) and CSA Indonesia, the local distributors for Samsung professional displays and Harman Professional products respectively, have paired up to open the first Samsung-Harman Experience Center in Asia following Samsung’s acquisition of Harman. The idea of the facility is to demonstrate audio, visual, lighting and control solutions from each brand.

Ramesh Jayaraman, Setiawan Winarto and Kang Hyun Lee

‘Our Experience Center is one of only a few facilities in the world that is already combining Samsung and Harman solutions,’ explained Setiawan Winarto, CEO of SVI and CSA. ‘We welcome our partners, systems integrators, dealers,

rental companies and end users to our facility to experience our Samsung/Harman solutions firsthand.’

One example of an integrated Samsung/Harman solution on display at the Experience Center is the AMX Acendo conferencing system in use with a Samsung display intended for meeting rooms.

The facility was opened with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Holding the scissors were Mr Winarto, Kang Hyun Lee, VP at Samsung Electronics Indonesia,

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and Ramesh Jayaraman, VP and GM for APAC at Harman Professional.

‘We want to congratulate SVI for the fantastic opening of the Experience Center,’ commented Mr Jayaraman. ‘As a par tner we are absolutely thrilled for this milestone, and we look for ward to great synergy working together with SVI as we develop the Indonesian market and become the leading brand in the region.’ www.csa-indonesia.com www.svi-indonesia.com

NEWS

CCTV adopts Virtuoso for 4K signal distribution CHINA: China Central Television (CCTV) has installed Nevion Virtuoso software-defined media nodes as a contribution solution for 4K/UHD signal transmission between its studios. CCTV is looking to increase its 4K/UHD content and therefore required a solution to allow it to transport signals over its existing baseband

(SDI) infrastructure initially, before moving over to an IP setup in the near future.

The Virtuosos encode UHD/4K signals (4x3G-SDI) to fit the bandwidth equivalent of a single 3G-SDI signal using Tico compression technology. This is what enables CCTV to use its existing 3G-SDI infrastructure.

Hans Hasselbach

This is not the first time that CCTV has implemented a Nevion solution, having used

the manufacturer’s VideoIPath orchestration and SDN control software with eMerge switches as the core of its SDN system since 2017.

‘We are thrilled that CCTV has extended our existing relationship and taken on Nevion Virtuoso in addition to Nevion VideoIPath and our eMerge switches,’ Hans Hasselbach, CCO at Nevion, commented. ‘We look forward to helping CCTV as they make the move to using Tico for 4K/Ultra HD coverage.’ www.nevion.com

SMPTE publishes cinema immersive audio standards WORLD: SMPTE has announced a new set of standards for immersive audio under the umbrella of SMPTE ST 2098. The organisation has published ST 2098-1:2018, Immersive Audio Metadata; ST 2098-2:2018, Immersive Audio Bitstream Specification; and ST 2098-5:2018, D-Cinema Immersive Audio Channels and Soundfield Groups.

‘Immersive audio makes a significant impression on audiences and, because of the real value it adds, we’re seeing

Brian Vessa

an increasing number of movies being mixed for the immersive environment,’ said Brian Vessa, founding chair of SMPTE’s Technology Committee on Cinema Sound Systems (TC-25CSS) and executive director of digital audio mastering at Sony Pictures Entertainment. ‘By supporting delivery of a standardised immersive audio bitstream within a single interoperable digital cinema package, the new SMPTE immersive audio standards simplify distribution while ensuring that

cinemas can confidently play out immersive audio on their choice of compliant immersive sound systems.’

SMPTE ST 2098-1 establishes the metadata for use in creating immersive audio content for cinema. The standard defines the metadata items supported in immersive audio content and, when appropriate, the range of values, value precisions and cardinal values. SMPTE ST 2098-2 defines a coded representation (bitstream) that carries the audio

essence and metadata necessary to reproduce a complete immersive audio programme.

Finally, SMPTE ST 2098-5 defines names and abbreviations for immersive audio channels and soundfield groups associated with D-Cinema immersive audio presentation. This standard also provides guidance on typical locations of cinema loudspeakers used for immersive audio reproduction. www.smpte.org

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November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 21

NEWS

Yamaha launches CZR and DZR SINGAPORE: Yamaha’s introduction of two new compact loudspeaker series prompted almost 100 people from local venues, rental companies, dealers and system integrators to attend one of three launch demo events in Singapore.

The CZR series consists of passive 10-inch, 12-inch and 15-inch 2-way, full-range models in durably coated plywood enclosures. Angled backs and rotatable constant directivity horns on 1-inch HF drivers as well as pole mounts allow flexible use on the road in vertical and horizontal orientation, also as floor monitors, while a number of rigging points ease permanent installation.

Matching subwoofers are available within the new CXS XLF series, offering either a single 15-inch or 18-inch version.

Guests examining the DZR’s rear panel All full-range models, plus a 15-inch 3-way speaker sporting an extra 8-inch cone MF driver, also come in powered versions named DZR. Two channels of 1,000W Class-D

amplification are each driven by an onboard DSP featuring 96kHz sampling, FIR filters, a display and USB interface to create, manage and store presets.

To accommodate the growing popularity of AoIP, all DZR models also ship fitted with an additional Dante digital audio interface, identifiable by a ‘-D’ suffix in the product name.

Dubbed DXS XLF, powered versions of the 15-inch or 18-inch subwoofers are available as well, each equipped with 1,600W of amplification, the same DSP and, alternatively, include the Dante interface.

Passive CZR and powered DZR models come in identical shapes and sizes

‘CZR and DZR are our new top speaker line,’ said Aloysius Chow, Yamaha Music Asia’s sales engineer. ‘They are suited for high-performance installations, for example in auditoriums, as well as for use in clubs or by rental companies.’

‘Not least, outstanding SPL performance makes CZR and DZR the best in their class,’ added senior technical support engineer Lou Garcia. ‘Depending on the model, the passive CZR can reach 129dB and the powered DZR hits 143dB max peak SPL.’ During the demo, visitors were able to listen to a range of tracks played back over the different CZR and DZR full-range models, also in combination with CXS or DXS subs. Afterwards, Derek Tan, head of media and IT at the International Baptist Church of Singapore, summed up his impressions: ‘We are currently using Yamaha DXR speakers in our assembly and are quite happy with them. Indeed, I feel the new DZR are a step up with even better defined sound, more pronounced high frequencies and an overall higher output.’

company on the ground to grow the professional studio monitor market.’

Mont Zhu has joined the Shanghai office as pro audio sales manager for Asia. ‘I am very excited to be joining a company that is known for its passion for music and great sound,’ he said. ‘And in fact, this aligns perfectly with my own passion for music. Music is where it all begins but, in the end, having great speakers when mixing,

Mont Zhu

mastering and simply listening makes a world of difference.

That is what drives me more than anything.’

‘I am happy to welcome Mont Zhu to the Dynaudio Pro team in China and am confident that we will indeed see our market share in the studio monitor segment expand in the coming years,’ added Mr Jacobsen. www.dynaudio.com

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22 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

TAIWAN: The Quanta Art Foundation has installed a pair of Robert Juliat Cyrano 2,500W HMI follow spots at the Quanta Hall in Guishan Township’s Hwaya Technology Park. The fixtures were supplied by Robert Juliat

distributor DLHG Co Ltd and now reside in the follow spot room located on the second floor of the venue.

Quanta Hall staff are making use of Cyrano’s 3° to 8° beam angle for long throw, as well as its frost filter, dark blue dichroic filter and gobo holder. Its counterweight helps keep the fixture steady.

‘The Cyranos are much brighter than the previous follow spots,’ exclaimed Quanta Hall’s stage manager. ‘They’re not too heavy, and have good balancing as well. Cyrano is easy to use, its fast-locking focus handle allows us to change the beam size quickly and the heavy-duty angled yoke is adjustable for precise tilt movement.’

Dynaudio establishes Chinese division CHINA: Dynaudio has set up its own operations in Shanghai as part of its new market strategy in China, moving away from working with local distributors. The manufacturer aims to expand its presence in the Chinese studio monitor market from an in-house position.

‘Having an office in China is a huge advantage,’ said Rune Holst Jacobsen, VP of sales – professional at Dynaudio. ‘We now have dedicated people within the

Cyranos installed at Quanta Hall

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Comms and broadcast feeds at the 2018 Asian Games INDONESIA: The Jakarta– Palembang 2018 Asian Games kicked off and closed with opening and closing ceremonies at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. Spectators were drawn in by the events unfolding on the 120m-long stage, which took the shape of an erupting volcano and waterfall. The PA People had travelled from Sydney, working alongside US production company FiveCurrents, to supply the communications systems used behind the scenes in the form of an extensive Clear-Com IP-based wired solution.

Jakarta has a notoriously busy RF environment; Gelora Bung Karno Stadium lying at the heart of a city populated by 9 million people.

The PA People therefore utilised its experience in RF filter design to work with FiveCurrents and a local

regulator to produce a solution with limited frequency separation.

The system design included 24 half-duplex base radios and 24 simplex base radios interfaced to a matrix intercom frame, as well as 600 portable units and several accessories.

The Clear-Com setup featured two Eclipse HX Omega matrix frames with native Dante and MADI connectivity options, as well as 80 V-Series lever and rotary key stations. HelixNet Partyline digital beltpacks were handed out to follow spot and mechanical operators, while a FreeSpeak II system provided complete coverage across the entire stadium, with an additional 15 packs supplied for the rehearsal venue 500m away from the stadium.

The opening ceremony set

broadcasters such as NHK and TBS from Japan, KBS, MBC and SBS from Korea, and CCTV from China.

A Lawo V__matrix unit handled central routing, a pair of V__remote4 units delivered PTP synchronisation and a VSM (Virtual Studio Manager) system provided the overarching control. For live broadcasts, the 27 major stadiums hosting the Games remained connected to the IBC throughout,

The PA People The recent V1.5 firmware release was implemented for the FreeSpeak II system. ‘The coverage in this environment is amazing,’ confirmed Campbell Waller, head of department and project manager at The PA People. ‘It is a great improvement.’

Due to the nature of the RF environment, it was decided that a commercial out-of-FM band solution was to be used. For this, The PA People delivered five channels of transmission for 6,000 receivers and 12,000 earpieces that formed a cast IEM system.

Meanwhile, Lawo’s V__matrix IP core routing and processing

platform was employed for signal processing and distribution, as well as for central control during the live television production for the 18th Asian Games Jakarta–Palembang 2018.

The Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee appointed International Games Broadcast Services (IGBS), a joint venture between IMG of the UK and HBS from Switzerland, as its host broadcaster. IGBS was therefore responsible for live broadcast production and distribution. Meanwhile, the event’s International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Jakarta hosted international

The CDT room used for broadcast while feeds for sports coverage at smaller venues were recorded by ENG cameras and this was then fed to the IBC. In addition, live feeds were received from around the country to add scenic and cultural shots to broadcasts. www.clearcom.com www.lawo.com www.papeople.com

Adam Hall hosts second APAC Distributor Summit APAC: Adam Hall Asia recently held the second edition of its now annual APAC Distributor Summit at its showroom in Singapore. More than 60 people representing 20 partner companies from 16 countries were present at the event, with distributors from Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Republic of Fiji attending for the first time. The summit featured discussions and product presentations delivered by members of Adam Hall’s product management and business

development teams, who arrived from Germany along with COO Markus Jahnel.

Highlighted during the event were the LD Systems Stinger series and Curv 500 TS compact touring array system, as well as the series version of the Maui P900 column speaker. Meanwhile, the Cameo brand’s iDMX Core system that offers wireless lighting control via iOS and Android devices was showcased, alongside the Zenit B60 B battery-powered

‘The entire event was characterised by an enthusiastic team spirit,’ commented Chandan Mahtani, managing director of Adam Hall Asia.

‘It was evident how essential it is to develop the market together with partner participants.’

‘I would like to emphasise how important the partners who attended this meeting are for the international growth and success of the Adam Hall Group,’ concluded Mr Jahnel.

PAR spotlight Zenit B60 W600 washlight. Gravity stands and

Palmer Audio tools were also demonstrated.

www.adamhall.com

Audio Kris adds SD10 to roster INDIA: Goa-based rental company Audio Kris India has purchased a DiGiCo SD10 and an SD-Rack from the manufacturer’s Indian distributor, Hi-Tech Audio Systems.

The SD10 marks Audio Kris India’s third DiGiCo desk. ‘The addition of an SD10 console is a turning point for the company,’ claimed Rajan Gupta, managing director of Hi-Tech Audio Systems.

‘The purchase was made to answer the growing demand in and around Goa which is one of the most happening destinations for global artists and musicians.’

Cristovam De Monte Furtado ‘The SD10 we delivered has the Optocore network already implemented to accommodate

24 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

the growing demand for Optocore solutions in the market,’ added Nirdosh Aggarwal, director of sales

at Hi-Tech Audio Systems. ‘We are also providing after-sales training and support.’

‘We have been using DiGiCo consoles since our inception as a rental company,’ said Audio Kris founder, Cristovam De Monte Furtado. ‘We decided to add an SD10 to our inventory due to our growing list of clients. Artist tech riders almost always request DiGiCo consoles and we chose the SD10 for its reliability, pristine audio quality and ease of set up.’

The SD10 has been put to work on a series of gigs. ‘Added fader

banks, additional smart keys or function keys and a more elaborate control surface make this console very hands-on without having to toggle screens to get to specific functions,’ commented Audio Kris engineer, Karl Da Costa. ‘Having a dedicated Master Stereo bus also adds value. Added AES I/O cards on the surface allow for running the entire system on a digital path.’ www.digico.biz www.facebook.com/audiokris www.hitechaudiosystems.com

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6RQ\·V 6LQJDSRUH VKRZFDVH SINGAPORE: The professional solutions division of Sony Electronics Asia Pacific recently hosted its first Asia showcase at Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Architecture. Invited guests attending the Creating Solutions Together event received handson demonstrations and product presentations surrounding the Japanese manufacturer’s most recently launched technology.

A full line of professional display, A/V and presentation technologies were highlighted, including Sony’s highest brightness laser light source installation projection, pan-tiltzoom (PTZ) cameras and Bravia professional displays.

‘There are so many issues a customer needs to consider, whether the application is digital signage, content creation, simulation or higher education,’ commented Lawrence Tang, senior manager of the corporate and professional, business and industrial solutions marketing division at Sony Electronics Asia Pacific. ‘Just as we did at InfoComm, Sony demonstrated it has the right mix of solutions,

scalable architecture, an intuitive user interface for content, device management, network and serial communication control, flexible installation options and HTML5 support.

The cornerstone of the showcase was, however, Sonic Sur f VR. The Sound VR technology is a unique suite of spatial audio

systems and technologies for professional display and presentation needs for a variety of markets and budget.’

Following lunch, guests experienced the latest technologies through interactive and simulated ‘real-world’ scenarios illustrating the practical benefits and applications of Sony’s solutions. One of the central attractions was the new high brightness VPL-FHZ120L (WUXGA 12,000 lumens) and VPL-FHZ90L (WUXGA 9,000

lumens) installation laser projectors. A line-up of PTZ cameras, including the SRG series and the BRC-X1000 (4K) and BRC-H800 (HD) models, were demonstrated on a special house of worship exhibit. Sony’s latest Bravia professional displays – 43-, 49-, 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch models – caught both the eye and the imagination for use in corporate applications such as meeting rooms, lobbies, hotel guest rooms, showrooms and sports venues. Highlights include

technology combined with new multi-channel speakers and specially developed software, which is designed to simulate popping, moving and partitioning sounds in one space using an intuitive software application.

The resultant interactive space demonstrated audio moving freely around within a space to create immersive experiences. These included a virtual aquarium and a virtual museum offering soundpartitioned audio in multiple languages.

Sonic Sur f VR was presented as a technology for locationbased applications including entertainment theme parks, special events, exhibitions, museums, aquariums and corporate showrooms. The standalone audio experience can also be combined with digital signage, projection mapping and lighting, which allowed guests producing dynamic content with innovative design elements to better understand how they can use the technology to enhance their current work. pro.sony-asia.com

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KV2 demos VHD5.0 AUSTRALIA: KV2 Audio’s Asia Pacific team recently demonstrated the new VHD5.0 constant power and VHD2.0 large-format point source systems at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne.

Many of Australia’s leading sound engineers reportedly turned out to experience the Czech manufacturer’s new sound reinforcement format.

Load in began at 7am with both systems flown and ready for use three hours later. With a noise curfew in place until midday, the crew, led by Angus Davidson, KV2’s technical director for Asia Pacific and North America, had finished with two hours to spare.

‘It never ceases to amaze me just how quickly these systems go up and how little tweaking is required once they are in the air,’ he commented. ‘Basically, once you get the height right it is simply a matter of adjusting the tilt angle, which on VHD5.0 can be done via remote control as the fly bar incorporates integrated tilt adjustment.’

VHD8.10 low-mid expansion boxes were arrayed around the

Davidson. ‘The fact is, that unlike line arrays, there is virtually no destructive inter ference occurring in the listening field, hence there

VHD5.0 mid-high enclosures, providing the headroom needed to deliver low to mid frequencies and to keep the sound balanced. The setup was formed to represent a very large point source system, each component proportional in size to the frequency wavelengths it reproduced. This ensured the radiated power of each bandwidth remained balanced and that

consistent sound was delivered across the entire audio area.

‘A number of engineers have commented on the system’s consistency in both frequency response and SPL in all parts of the venue, but what has really impressed people is the intelligibility and coherent reproduction of the sound at the back of the venue well over 100m from the speakers,’ said Mr

are no losses, just a gradual drop in level as you reach the rear of the venue.’ www.kv2audio.com

1/2 PAGE

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 27

NEWS

Adamson outperforms the competition at the Addison Theatre NEW ZEALAND: Baycourt Community and Arts Centre in Tauranga recently replaced the loudspeaker system in its flagship venue, the Addison Theatre. Following a shootout pitting four loudspeaker brands against each other, an Adamson IS-Series solution was selected.

Intec Systems was the systems integrator responsible for the system design and subsequent installation.

‘The brief from the client stipulated a number of criteria, such as suitability for both musical theatre and touring bands, excellent clarity while retaining a warm sound and even coverage throughout the entire venue,’ recalled Mike Hughes of Intec

Systems. ‘From our previous experience with Adamson and the IS-Series products, we knew those criteria would be perfectly met and exceeded.’

The shootout was held between the four solutions that the 582-seat venue’s management had narrowed down from the initial 13 proposals it had received. ‘We were very pleased with the performance of the Adamson system and, within a short time, we were informed that Adamson was the leader both in terms of coverage and audio quality,’ said Mr Hughes. ‘We love the sonic results but, additionally, the dedicated installation product offers excellent value when compared to other brands at this level.’

Direct Imports, Adamson’s exclusive distributor in New Zealand, supplied the system, which comprises left and right arrays of eight IS7 cabinets with three IS118 subwoofers flown on each side in a front-backfront cardioid configuration. The IS7 arrays are flown above the theatre’s proscenium chaser lights to ensure clear sight lines to every seat. The height also allows the rotatable wing panels to work without obstruction. The sub arrays are flown alongside the IS7s, although slightly higher to avoid the rotating wing wall.

Intec utilised Adamson’s Blueprint AV simulation software during the design process.

‘The tender requested EASE

simulations; however, Blueprint is an excellent and more flexible tool for adjusting angles and monitoring results,’ stated Mr Hughes.

‘The sound is smooth and pristine throughout the entire venue, without the peaks and differences in tone we’d experienced previously,’ said Dale Henderson, the centre’s technical

A Vue of the East Sea CHINA: Vue China provided the complete audio setup for the recent East Sea Festival on the beach in Zhujiajian. While a blend of international and local artists, such as Kim Taylor from America and Shanghai’s Nova Heart, performing during the 3-day event, Vue China deployed a main stage solution comprising an al-12 largeformat line array system.

A total of 32 al-12s were hung 16 per side. These were complemented on the low end by

George Dreyer, Mr Gu and William Xu 20 hs-221 subwoofers that were ground-stacked along the front of the stage and splayed for wider

dispersion. Front-fill was delivered by eight al-8s, divided into two stacks of four atop the subwoofers

manager. ‘It’s a pleasure having a system that provides sufficient bass throughout the Addison Theatre without disrupting the adjacent per formance and public spaces. We’re very happy with our investment knowing we can provide this level of experience to our patrons going forward.’ www.adamsonsystems.com

in front of the stage and a stack of hs-25s and al-8s on each side.

‘We were honoured to provide audio services to the eighth annual East Sea Festival and to deliver a world-class acoustic experience to all involved,’ said Vue China president, Mr Gu. ‘There’s no question why the al-class is one of the most indemand line array systems on the market today – it’s incredibly easy to transport and configure, and sets an entirely new standard for audio quality.’ www.vueaudio.com

Williams Sound and Pointmaker become Williams AV WORLD: As a result of Williams Sound’s acquisition of Pointmaker in late 2017, both companies have rebranded, assuming the single corporate identity of Williams AV. A new logo and web domain – williamsav.com – accompany the change, which reflects the

respective audio and video solutions Williams Sound and Pointmaker are known for.

‘With the exciting new direction and product transformation we are leading at Williams Sound and Pointmaker, we needed to create a brand that reflected these

changes,’ explained Rob Sheeley, CEO of Williams AV. ‘The name Williams AV better defines our mission of being a complete A/V solutions provider and not just an assistive listening and annotation product company. As we launch all of our new products in the next

four months, you will begin to see our new vision and how it will provide exciting new integration opportunities for our dealers and integrators.’

‘Williams Sound and Pointmaker once served very specific market niches,’ added Tom Mingo,

executive VP of sales and marketing. ‘This new name and branding definitely poises us for growth and the exciting opportunity to explore new avenues of technology.’ www.williamsav.com

Ayrton lights up Live Roxy Shizuoka JAPAN: Live Roxy Shizuoka, a live music club in Shizuoka Prefecture, has added Ayrton Ghibli, MagicDot-R and CosmPix-R lighting fixtures to its rig. The club’s owner, Mitsuhiro Matsuura, decided to invest in the lights from distributor Hibino Lighting Inc to add visual effects to live performances.

‘Once I saw the fixtures for myself, there was no hesitation at all in my decision to purchase them for Live Roxy,’ said Mr Matsuura. ‘When I first

28 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

discovered Ghibli, MagicDot-R and CosmoPix-R, I felt that they would be perfect because not only the artists, but also the Live Roxy audiences, would experience excitement from the effect of those fixtures.’

Hibino Lighting provided a demonstration of the fixtures for Mr Matsuura, before supplying and installing them.

‘The permanent installation of Ayrton fixtures is a growing business sector,’ said Yukitoshi

Watanabe of Hibino Lighting Inc. ‘We listen to what our customers want, and recommend the proper lighting fixtures to meet the conditions of each venue. Ayrton’s lighting fixtures have a great reputation in Japan for beautiful light and colours, and for their robustness, all of which meant we had no difficulty in getting Live Roxy’s investment.’ www.ayrton.eu www.hibino.co.jp

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0HGLD 9LVLRQ EULQJV / $FRXVWLFV· . WR 7KDLODQG THAILAND: Thai rental house Media Vision has taken delivery of the region’s first L-Acoustics K1 KX Standard system. The purchase includes the recently released P1 processor, KS28 subwoofer and LA-RAK II. ‘Media Vision already holds an extensive range of loudspeakers, but with business increasing it needed to expand on this,’ explained Tanapat ‘Tony’ Mongkolkosol from Vision One, the L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor for the region. ‘To maintain its position as the number one rental provider for the region, a solution that matches international artists’ riders and can meet the demands of Thailand’s burgeoning EDM market

was required. K1 fulfils both these requirements and would allow Media Vision to service the shows that come through the region.’

Media Vision added to its existing Kara stock with the addition of 48 K1 and 16 K1-SB, along with 24 K2, 12 Kara, 42 KS28, 24 X15HiQ

and 20 LA-RAK II. These were almost immediately put to use when Media Vision, partnering with associate company Lightsource, held the Jo-Joe Showcase in the Banquet Hall of Nathong in Bangkok. The showcase allowed Media Vision to highlight the benefits of its new K1 system to more than 900 of Thailand’s industry professionals.

Since then, Media Vision’s K Series has been in constant use, including in the Thai edition of Heineken’s Sensation, one of the world’s biggest EDM parties, held at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, where Media Vision supplied a massive K1, K2, Kara and KS28 configuration.

‘We are delighted that Media

Vision has chosen to make such a significant investment in L-Acoustics,’ commented David Cooper, L-Acoustics sales manager. ‘Adding a premier system such as K1 to its inventory raises both Media Vision and Thailand to the top tier of the international touring map.’

‘This is the beginning of Media Vision truly being part of the L-Acoustics family,’ added Media Vision managing director, Thanaruch Hongskule. ‘The K1 system has added a whole new dimension to our audio offering and we love it.’ www.l-acoustics.com www.mediavision1994.com www.visionone.co.th

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INDIA: Newly established Pune-based rental company PowerSonic Professional Audio has purchased its first RCF system from the manufacturer’s Indian distributor, Hi-Tech Audio Systems. Following delivery, the new cabinets were soon put to use at the Janmasthami celebrations, the annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, in Pune.

‘We heard RCF’s TTL Series for the first time at the Ganesh Festival Procession in Pune in 2014,’ recalled Lalit Shinde, sound engineer and co-owner of PowerSonic Professional Audio.

‘From that day we became huge fans of RCF’s loudspeaker

systems. We have decided to go with an HDL 50-A system and Sub 9007-AS as per our requirements at this point. The HDL-50 system is active powered, which saves time during rigging.’

‘The setup for Janmasthami was in the streets,’ said Kallol Nath, senior application engineer at Hi-Tech Audio Systems, which provided suppor t during the event. ‘We deployed six HDL-50A tops with four Sub 9007-AS in a single cluster, mono configuration to enter tain the 5,000 people who gathered for the celebration.

With the ease of RDNet control, we were able to achieve outstanding results. The system was loud and clear.’

The rental company’s work during Janmasthami impressed so much so that more work has spawned from it. We have already gained a big client through our work with the RCF sound system from Janmasthami,’ noted PowerSonic Professional Audio co-owner, Yogesh Waghmare. ‘This in turn has led us to work at other upcoming shows where the HDL 50-A will be at the core.’

www.facebook.com/powersonicproaudio www.hitechaudiosystems.com www.rcf.it

JAPAN: An API 64-channel Legacy AXS console has been purchased by the Tokyo College of Music in Toshima. The console will be installed in a new studio that has been designed by Sam Toyoshima and is the second AXS to be delivered to Japan; the first being installed into the control room of Studio A at Studio Tanta.

engineers and producers in Japan are showing a clear preference for the API tone,’ said Dan Zimbelman, API’s director of sales. ‘With two Vision consoles at NHK Tokyo, the new 48-channel AXS at Studio Tanta, many 1608 consoles all over Japan and now the new Tokyo College of Music order for a 64-channel

As with the AXS console at Studio Tanta, the desk at Tokyo College of Music was installed by API’s exclusive Japanese distributor, Mix Wave, led by Hiro Saika.

‘We’re excited to see how the pro audio community of studios,

AXS console, Japan is quickly becoming one of our most significant export markets. Thanks to Hiro Saika and the entire professional team at Mix Wave.’ www.apiaudio.com

,QGXVWU\ WR KLW 86 ELOOLRQ E\ WORLD: Avixa has predicted that the professional audiovisual industry will grow from US$186 billion in 2018 to US$230 billion by 2023, according to updated forecasts in the new 2018 AV Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA) Global Summary produced by the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association. The report examines the forces driving growth, from

macroeconomic factors to technology trends to vertical market demands, on a global scale.

‘There are many shifting pieces within the A/V industry; it’s important to pause and take the market’s temperature,’ said Sean Wargo, senior director of market intelligence at Avixa. ‘Based on our research, we’re expecting compound annual growth to be

30 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

4.3% from 2018 to 2023, which is in line with our previous estimates.

Regions around the world are growing, with Asia poised to take the lead as the largest market,

capturing 36% of the pro A/V market by 2023.’

The IOTA repor t was produced for Avixa by IHS Markit, an insights and intelligence firm.

The research methodology was based on combining supply-side market sizing with demandside market requirements, which were then aligned with macroeconomic factors and inputs.

The 2018 AV Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA) is published as a series of reports, including one global and three regional reports, plus a series of reports highlighting specific segments of the A/V industry. The Global, Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe reports are available now to purchase, with discounts for Avixa members. www.avixa.org

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Bose gets a hall pass

Drum Asia takes Vera36 to Extreme MALAYSIA: American rock band Extreme recently per formed a sold-out show at the KL Life Centre for their Malaysian debut. Hits such as Get The Funk Out, Hole Hearted and More Than Words were reinforced by a TW Audio Vera36 sound system.

two B30 bass elements per side delivered as side-fill. Six BSX and four S33 subwoofers handled the low end. On the stage, seven C15 wedges took on monitoring duty for Extreme.

The system was powered by five Lab.gruppen PLM 20000Q and four PLM 10000Q amplifiers.

Event organiser IMC Live Group enlisted Drum Asia to provide the sound setup. ‘The set up of the TW Audio system went very smoothly,’ said the rental company’s co-director, Nicholas Thomas Philip. ‘The line array system was easy to rig; we had it flying in no time.’

The solution comprised 18 Vera36 line array elements flown in a left-right configuration of nine per side, while a single T24N enclosure and

‘We are extremely pleased with the per formance of the TW Audio Vera36 speakers,’ said Drum Asia’s other co-director, Mathew Thomas Philip. ‘The Extreme concert really rocked.

Most importantly, Vera36 did all the talking for our company and made us look great. We expect repeat business from the promoter.’

ITE’s venue management technical officer Joshua Chong with AV World Engineering’s Alex Seah and Bose Professional’s Yusof Ahmad SINGAPORE: The inclusion of audio reinforcement leading into the auditorium on the 5th and 7th levels of the ITE (the Institute of Technical Education) College Central and ITE HQ mega campus was overlooked during its construction from 2011 to 2013.

So, ITE’s campus development and estates division called upon AV World Engineering following a public invitation to quote for the design and install of a BGM system to cover the interior corridors and surrounding exterior walkways.

‘We wanted to extend the theatre’s ambience onto these surrounding levels,’ explained ITE technical officer, Joshua Chong.

‘Naturally, the audio quality was critical, but it was paramount that the resultant system should sensitively blend into the

architecture without creating a distraction against the floor-toceiling glazing.’

A ceiling speaker solution ticked the requirement boxes on both levels. The interiors are served by 24 Bose FreeSpace 3 II flushmounted satellites and augmented in the lower frequencies by 11 FreeSpace 3 bass models, all finished in white. Installed close to the curved windows were 20 FreeSpace 3 satellite speaker cubes blended with the ceiling speakers. The outer corridors combined eight black FreeSpace 3 satellite speakers with two FreeSpace 3 Acoustimass subwoofers.

Two PM8500 8-channel amplifiers provided power, while DSP settings were configured and stored in a ControlSpace ESP-

4120 processor. A ControlSpace Dante network card ensures ultra-low latency digital audio. Staff can remotely control the levels and DSP settings from a ControlSpace CC-64 connected to a WP22BU 2x2 patch bay wall plate or from the ControlSpace app.

‘Based on the aesthetic requirements and audio demands at ITE HQ, I had no hesitation in recommending a Bose FreeSpace speaker system for this application,’ said AV World Engineering’s project manager, Alex Seah. ‘Should ITE require future expansion, it will also be relatively straightforward to extend this system beyond the current five zones.’ www.avworld.com.sg pro.bose.com

www.drum-asia.com www.twaudio.de

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Ikonix gets creative with the next generation AUSTRALIA: Creative Generation (CGEN) is an annual event that gives young artists the chance to per form on an arena stage.

More than 1,800 school children took part in CGEN 2018 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre’s Great Hall, where A/V production company Ikonix supplied the projectors, media servers and content while handling programming and operation.

Ikonix co-founders Zachary Burton and Richard Saunders specified a pair of Avolites Ai R8 servers to manage the 6848x1080-pixel screen upstage, while two custom systems with Ai Miami software dongles served as main and backup machines for driving 2209x2469-pixel projection onto the stage itself.

‘Having Ai for this project was great, because we were able to utilise AutoBlend and AutoMap – the camera-based automatic blend and warp feature in Ai – to achieve spectacular results,’ said Mr Burton. ‘The features of the Ai software simplified programming and facilitated eye-catching visual effects.’

In excess of 900GB of content was produced by Ikonix to accompany the 50-plus acts that performed during the event. In addition, real-time generated content was integrated with BlackTrax to track dancers and generate visual effects around them automatically. The BlackTrax solution was supplied and set up by Kyle Means from Visional Productions.

‘Integrating BlackTrax and Notch with Ai was a breeze using the

Management buyout at Argosy WORLD: Broadcast and A/V cable manufacturer Argosy has completed a management buyout from its previous parent company, IEWC Corp. Existing directors Chris Smeeton and Josh Simons

‘Pushing into new markets and new technologies is a critical part of our growth plan for the future,’ added Mr Simons. ‘Now we control our own investment plans, we can quickly respond

had moments where one item had a combination of timecode playing floor and rear screen content, as well as moving into layers of manual cues and feeding timecode into Notch, so the generative content could be timed to music while tracking dancers.’

The Ikonix duo used their lighting console to control the servers, building a single cue stack to play the show back. ‘Updates on-site are common and things like timings were easily fine-tuned right there in the auditorium,’ said Mr Burton. ‘Things like colours, contrast and brightness were all adjusted on-the-fly during the rehearsals, too.’ node-based patch system,’ noted Mr Burton. ‘A lot of the show was pre-programmed in our studio, which was a mixture of timecode

and free-run content pieces.

But we also introduced a lot of on-the-fly and reactive content using BlackTrax and Notch. We

www.avolites.com blacktrax.cast-soft.com www.ikonix.net.au

WE OWN BASS! THE NEW

BY D.A.S. AUDIO

The new UX Series is bass like never before. This trio of subwoofers has been designed to provide killer low frequency reproduction. The latest in transducer technology, advanced power electronics, and solid cabinet design make the UX Series one of the world´s best.

UX-218A/UX-218

· 2 x D.A.S. 18UXN4 neodymium speakers · 2 x 3400 Wpeak Class D amp with Power Factor Correction · DASnetTM remote monitoring and control · “On-the-box” Cardioid presets and LPF selection · Front and rear connectors for neat cardioid cabling Ç -S`HISL ]LYZPVUZ MVY ÅV^U Z\I^VVMLY HYYH`Z Ç -YVU[ SVHKLK ¸JYVZZ ÄYL¹ JVUÄN\YH[PVU Ç <? ]LYZPVU MVY L_[LYUHS HTWSPÄJH[PVU · Optional dolly platform and rigging hardware

UX-221A/UX-221

1/2 PAGE Island

· 2 x D.A.S. 21UXN neodymium speakers with 6” voice coils · 2 x 6800 Wpeak Class D amp with Power Factor Correction · DASnetTM remote monitoring and control · “On-the-box” Cardioid presets and LPF selection · Front and rear connectors for neat cardioid cabling Ç -YVU[ SVHKLK ¸JYVZZ ÄYL¹ JVUÄN\YH[PVU Ç <? ]LYZPVU MVY L_[LYUHS HTWSPÄJH[PVU · Optional stacking dolly platform

UX-30A Chris Smeeton and Josh Simons have taken direct control of the company.

‘We have long had the ambition to take the reins of the business,’ said Mr Smeeton. ‘This gives us the commercial agility to respond dynamically to the market. Argosy will continue to grow, providing the very best in technology and services across all areas of the broadcast market while pushing further into the A/V industry.’

to the market and offer cuttingedge technologies as well as new ways of doing business.’

‘We will also be improving the way we engage with our overseas partners,’ Mr Smeeton furthered.

‘We see this as an important part of our strategy going forward, ensuring we can offer a rapid response from our UK facilities.’ www.argosycable.com

Ç :PUNSL ̯ OPNO KLUZP[` WVS`L[O`SLUL JVUL · DASnetTM remote monitoring and control · 15,000 Wpeak ultra high power Class D amp · “On-the-box” Cardioid presets and LPF selection · Unique moving magnet linear motor design · Extremely high output in a compact cabinet design Ç +PɈLYLU[PHS 7YLZZ\YL *VU[YVS® active acoustic processing · Highly reinforced cabinet design for road use · Unmatched performance compared to conventional systems

www.dasaudio.com D.A.S. Audio, S.A. C/ Islas Baleares, 24 46988 Fuente del Jarro Valencia - Spain Tel. +34 961 340 860

D.A.S. Audio of America, Inc. 6900 NW 52nd Street Miami, FL 33166 - U.S.A. Toll Free: 1 888 DAS 4 USA

D.A.S. Audio Asia PTE. LTD. 3 Temasek Avenue, Centennial Tower #34-36 Singapore 039190 Tel. +65 6549 7760

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 33

COSMO The COSMO Mixed Array provides an asymmetrical throw pattern. Very wide in front of the stage, it is narrower at medium distances and focused at long distances. The C 6*, C 8 and C 10* units fit right on top of one another without additional adapter frames. *C 6 and C 10 units will ship in 2019.

C 10

C8 C6

COSMO / CONTOUR X / ONE LIVE SOUND SYSTEM FOR ALL APPLICA

C 10 60˚

C 8 80˚ C 6 100˚

Horizontally asymmetrical throw pattern

Long reach deep into the venue

The three COSMO top units are modular.

Simply combine them to configure a horizontally asymmetrical array. Adapting a coverage pattern to suit the location‘s layout is as easy as that.

A narrow beam travels further—the tighter the throw pattern, the greater the COSMO top units‘ efficiency and max SPL. This gets the sonic energy where it needs to go, deep into the venue, compensating the air absorption at high frequencies for long throw applications.

CONTOUR X The CONTOUR X models‘ multifunctional housings are versatile indeed.

FOH speakers, stage monitors and unobtrusive yet powerful front-fills they can do it all. They deliver high sound pressure levels paired with low distortions. The BEM-optimized horns ensure very uniform off-axis response.

A rugged PU finish and steel front grilles treated with an anticorrosive coating keep them well-protected on the road.

C SUB

This series features CX 8, CX 12 and CX 15 models.

TIONS D C SUB C SUB series models are highly efficient bass units fine-tuned to deliver the best performance with COSMO and CONTOUR X series top units. Built to handle a lot of power, their unusually expansive dynamic headroom ranges down to the lowest frequencies. With four Speakon NL4 connectors–two in back, two up front– with pin selector switches they are very easy to connect in cardioid and other setups.

This series features C SUB 118 and C SUB 218 models.

C 10

C6

C8

hkaudio.com *LAB.gruppen and Powersoft electronics excluded

NEWS

P!nk customisation from Sennheiser

Horst Hartmann (monitors for the band), Jon Lewis (monitors for P!NK) and Dave Bracey (FOH) system. Because Digital 6000 is intermodulation-free, it has been a big help in solving these issues for us. And the fact that we can use the same MD 9235 capsule as we

used before is a huge advantage.

We had a few little problems with the beltpack because the aerial was not in the right position for her costume and we can’t quite have it

Yamaha continues to support Ubud Village Jazz Festival INDONESIA: A Yamaha Rivage PM7 digital mixing system and DZR series powered loudspeakers were used at the 2018 Ubud Village Jazz Festival following their launch earlier in the year. Yamaha Indonesia has been a Platinum sponsor of the festival since its second edition in 2011.

two DZR12 powered loudspeakers that formed the monitoring setup.

Local rental company Doctor Sound delivered a CL5 digital console and a Rio3224-D2 I/O rack for FOH and monitors on Padi, the second stage. The third stage, Subak, featured

in the optimum position, so now we have a 4-antenna system picking her signal up and that is working well.’

Sennheiser provided six new in-ear/headmic combos for the current tour. While the setup remained similar to the one employed in 2013, it featured an improved microphone connector on the earpiece and saw the inclusion of Fischer Amps custom ear moulds. As for the acoustics, a custom IE 800 driver with modified frequency response was employed along with the mic boom of a Sennheiser HSP 4 headset. The design allows the headset to stay in place without the need for any additional fixings and was required due to the amount P!nk moves around the stage and the arena during a performance. Mechanical

Courtesy of Paul Kane, Getty Images

ANZ: Singer-songwriter P!nk once again travelled to Australia and New Zealand, this time as part of her Beautiful Trauma World Tour. RF coordinator and monitor engineer, Horst Hartmann, had specified an integrated Sennheiser in-ear monitor and microphone system for the 2013 tour. Five years on, the microphone system has been updated with Sennheiser’s more recent technology, including a handheld and bodypack Digital 6000 system, an improved custom mic/in-ear combination and 2000 Series wireless monitoring.

‘I chose the Digital 6000 system simply because it’s digital and the signal can go straight into our consoles,’ explained Mr Hartmann. ‘Also, we have a lot of LED screens on the show which were causing issues with our RF

parts, such as the splitter, were 3D-printed, while connectors and cables were manufactured specifically for the tour. The splitter allows for a second earpiece to be removed as the singer-songwriter also made the request to use the headmic/in-ear as a single-sided solution. www.sennheiser.com

Bangalore rocks

sound,’ commented Mr Darsana.

‘The detail and the power of the loudspeakers is unbelievable.’

‘Yamaha Indonesia is one of important components of this festival – the support and products that the company provides, and the results they produce, are always Courtesy Mohit Music Photography

This year’s Ubud Village Jazz Festival featured performances from 24 jazz artists across three stages, all of which were equipped with Yamaha Commercial Audio systems. The main stage, Giri, was where the Rivage PM7 was in use with Rio3224-D2 I/O racks supplied by Yamaha Indonesia. A CL3 digital console, provided by Soundworks Jakarta, managed the three DBR12, two DSR112 and

a QL5 digital console and two Rio1608-D2 I/O racks from Antida Music Production, owned by Ubud Village Jazz Festival co-founder Anom Darsana. Subak’s PA system comprised two DZR315 loudspeakers and four DXS18 subwoofers in cardioid mode, as well as four DSR112 active monitors.

‘The DZR range has an unbelievably crisp and accurate

36 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

excellent,’ added Astrid Sulaiman, festival director and composer.

‘Many engineers and rental companies visited the festival from throughout Indonesia, including Jakarta, and were very impressed with how the high quality Yamaha systems complemented the excellent jazz musicianship on show.’ music.yamaha.com

INDIA: A d&b audiotechnik GSL rig was deployed for the first time at this year’s Bangalore Open Air heavy metal festival by Reynolds Sound and Lighting Services, bringing the open-air event in line with its German parent festival, Wacken Open Air, which uses a J series setup.

Bangalore Open Air 2018 took place at Aadya Farms Leisure Park with international bands such as Overkill and Nervecell taking to the stage along with Bangalorebased bands Kryptos and Eccentric Pendulum. Festival organiser Infinite Dreams entrusted the lighting and roof trussing setups to Reynolds Sound and Lighting Services, as well as the sound system.

‘I needed a system that had enough headroom with even coverage while being loud and clear to cover the outdoor venue and Reynolds did a great job of the system design,’ said Nikhil V Pai, technical director for Bangalore Open Air. ‘I have always been impressed with d&b products and have used them regularly with artists that I mix for and opted to use the services of Reynolds for this edition of the festival.’

The system was designed and aligned by Sohel Alexander Dantes

from Reynolds and saw the deployment of 20 GSL line array elements with 20 GSL subwoofers in a cardioid delayed arc pattern.

A variety of Meyer Sound cabinets provided front- and side-fill, with MJF series monitors used on the stage.

‘The d&b audiotechnik system performed really well, plenty of clear SPL and a ton of subs,’ said Andy Garcia, FOH engineer for Overkill. ‘The band was very happy with the stage sound too.’

Harman India supplied a Soundcraft Vi3000 mixing console that handled FOH and monitors. All inputs and outputs were patched through a Vi Stagebox.

‘Vi series mixers are my goto mixers for all the acts that I personally mix,’ said Mr Pai. ‘I love the clarity and ease of operation.’

An MA Lighting grandMA2 light controlled the lighting rig, which comprised 26 PAR 64 fixtures, 16 Claypaky Mythos 2s, 16 HPE 700 spots, 16 Martin Professional Atomic strobes and 16 LBT LED washes. www.dbaudio.com www.harman.in www.meyersound.com www.reynoldonline.com www.soundcraft.com

NEWS

Queensland College sports hall shows off new kiT AUSTRALIA: Today’s loudspeaker designs can no longer conform solely to purpose-built applications.

Unlike a chameleon, they have to adapt to a multitude of environments by changing their character rather than changing their appearance.

Like so many of today’s schools, the sports hall at Holy Spirit within Emmanuel Catholic Primary School in Queensland is in constant use when it is not being booked for sports matches.

Numerous functions include assemblies, college band and choir performances, special ceremonies

including ANZAC Day remembrance services, college masses, fashion shows, graduations and career expos. ‘Each of these events have their own requirements but the common thread to all is the need for high-quality audio and video,’ explained Holy Spirit College business manager, Greg Duncan.

‘When we decided to upgrade our A/V systems, we wanted the equipment to go to the next level, and stand the test of time.’

While Videopro was called upon to upgrade the video system’s functionality, and a Clair Brothers loudspeaker system was stipulated

Cameron McGuffie and Cal Buckingham from Videopro, Greg Duncan of Holy Spirit College and Jordan Rieck from Videopro for the audio design. As such, Clair Brothers’ Australian office director, Wayne Grosser, oversaw the audio upgrade. ‘A multi-purpose hall always poses challenges because of its size and construction,’ confirmed Mr Grosser. ‘It’s not necessarily set up to be a performance area, so setting up for different types of performances often proves frustrating. Like any typical basketball hall, the acoustics

are very lively since the floors are hardwood and the walls are concrete. Plus, the stage is mobile and can vary in size depending on the event.’

Measuring 36m x 19m, Mr Grosser recommended an array utilising three Clair Brothers kiT12 (60° horizontal x 40° vertical) cabinets. Two portable CS218 dual 18-inch subwoofers can be powered on in order to extend the low frequency down to 38Hz

(-10dB) when required. ‘These speakers and this configuration provide even coverage across the large width and long throw depth,’ Mr Grosser added. ‘Although this wasn’t really an application for a line array system, it works incredibly well.’

‘The A/V solution designed

by Clair Brothers and Videopro suits our applications perfectly,’ commented Mr Duncan. ‘We’ve already held a number of events since the installation and the comments received from staff, students and guests have been extremely positive. We can’t wait for our next event.’ The Clair Brothers part of the A/V jigsaw has become the showpiece of the entire project as Videopro’s Martin Ridley further explains.

‘The kiT loudspeakers provide a wow factor every time they’re used. Historically, these types of rooms have limited or poorly designed audio reinforcement, but this Clair Brothers system shows what can be achieved.’ www.clairbrothers.com www.ecps.qld.edu.au

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November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 37

NEWS

SAT62 system serenades sailors on the rocks

SINGAPORE: Like a port in a storm, Nelson’s Bar has been welcoming American, Australian and British sailors through its doors for some 70 years.

Located close to the waterway in Sembawang, the renowned hostelry is a small, sleepy, second-floor inn when the ships are at sea, but when the vessels dock, the sailors seldom venture further into Singapore, preferring instead to quench their thirsts

and exercise their voices in the comfort of their home away from home.

Having realised that his patrons weren’t hitting quite the high notes when playing their selected musical tastes through their phones into an LUX0602 mixer, Nelson’s Bar owner Vinod Reddy decided to replace his deteriorating loudspeaker system. Conveniently located close to the out-of-town bar, Mr

Reddy headed for Adam Hall’s Asian HQ for a loudspeaker demonstration. Suitably impressed by the audio qualities and price per formance features of the SAT62 speaker system, Adam Hall’s Vinod Kumar was called upon to install five models of the 6.5-inch 2-way speaker the next day.

While four of the wall-mounted SAT62 speakers are more than sufficient for the bar, a fifth was added at the entrance at the top of the stairs, welcoming sailors like a mermaid’s siren.

Driven by a single XS700 amplifier, the passive speakers are reinforced in the low frequencies by a single Sub-12 12-inch subwoofer. The cabling was routed through the ceiling right through to the amplifier and mixer located behind the bar area. ‘The place is rockin’ now when sailors come ashore,’ explained Mr Reddy. ‘We didn’t have a great budget for this upgrade, but it has made a world of difference as the audio definition is incredibly accurate and non-fatiguing.’

Hewshott retains ISO9001 standard WORLD: Hewshott International has passed its annual ISO9001 audit and, as a result, has been awarded the new ISO9001:2015 certificate.

The independent consultancy firm, which specialises in A/V, IT and acoustics, was first assessed for the previous ISO9001:2000 in 2005 and has maintained its certification ever since, adjusting to refinements in the standards and adding acoustics and IT assessments.

ISO9001 standards serve as a method of formalising quality control under an international process, which applies to all work undertaken. ‘I have attended every audit since 2005, and I am very pleased that, as the company has grown around the world, our standards have been maintained,’ said Peter Hunt, Hewshott’s founder and CEO. ‘We will continue to grow, and one of the key elements that governs our growth is adherence to this standard. It is a fundamental part of our operation.’

www.ld-systems.com www.hewshott.com

Pro AVL Indonesia and Tourism Technology Asia to run in 2019 INDONESIA: Following a break in 2018, the Pro AVL and Tourism Technology Asia exhibition will return for its third instalment in 2019. While previous editions were held in Singapore, the event organiser has decided to move the

show to Jakarta, under the banner of Pro AVL Indonesia and Tourism Technology Asia.

The show takes place from 18 to 20 July 2019 at JIExpo.

Jointly organised by GIEC/Krista Media/Expos Asia and Broadcast

& Media Tech alongside Music Indonesia, Pro AVL Indonesia and Tourism Technology Asia will serve as a showcase for audio, video and lighting technologies for the entertainment, tourism and hospitality sectors. It promises

product launches and live demos, seminars, workshops and networking opportunities.

The show was initially conceived following an industry survey that indicated the need for a professional trade platform in South East Asia with a focus on business solutions and services for the hospitality and tourism trades. The first edition of the then Singapore-based Pro AVL Asia and Tourism Technology Asia exhibition

comprised around 50 booths. The larger displays of the Singaporean audio/video/lighting suppliers and local subsidiaries of overseas corporations together with some Chinese manufacturers dominated.

While that show lasted for two days, the second edition in 2017 increased to three days. What will a year off and a move to Indonesia mean for exhibitors and visitors? www.avl-indonesia.com

BXB facilitates Fushun City government discussion CHINA: Located in Liaoning Province, Fushun City government recently opted to invest in a new microphone conferencing system.

Within its corridors of power, the main lecture hall serves as the heart of all political, economic and public affairs meetings. The large room dimensions and reverberant acoustic properties of the 500-capacity venue had previously posed problems for the technicians and the elegant interior design also demanded an aesthetically sympathetic technological design to be installed.

38 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Having conducted a full market analysis, the technicians opted for a BXB EDC series. Selected on account of its audio clarity and user-friendly simplified interface, the system has been programmed to operate for various meetings by selecting a number of presets. The EDC-1150 digital conference main control unit integrates seamlessly with the existing A/V equipment, while meetings are manually controlled and conducted from the EDC-1111 chairman’s unit. Conforming to the room’s interior décor, 15 EDC-1112

table-top delegate microphones are linked to the EDC-1150 MCU. Project technical manager Mr Wang expressed his gratitude towards the Taiwanese manufacturer and its distributor, Beijing Litron Ltd. ‘The system’s stability, functionality and safety were key elements in deciding to purchase this conference system. I’m pleased to announce that the EDC now allows us to fulfil all our meeting requirements without any problems.’ www.bxb.tw

A TRULY GREAT MIC DOESN’T NEED IMPROVEMENT (But we’ve done it anyway)

Introducing A powerful new technology at the heart of DPA miniature microphones.

We’ve minimized distortion and expanded dynamic range significantly. From a whisper to a scream, DPA mics have got you covered.

Clear, consistent and robust mics are important tools that can make or break your show. Don’t settle. Choose CORE.

core

dpamicrophones.com/core Made in Denmark

NEWS

PMC QB1-A arrives in China CHINA: The Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (ZJCM) is the first facility in China to install PMC’s QB1-A active monitors.

A pair of the manufacturer’s

flagship studio monitors were installed in the Hangzhou facility’s main studio and signed off by PMC’s product specialist, Chris Allen. PMC’s Chinese distributor DMT Pro supplied the speakers.

‘The QB1-A monitors are being used in conjunction with five PMC twotwo8 speakers to form a 7.1 surround system,’ explained Wei Hua, an associate professor

and dean of the department of recording arts at GuangXi Arts University, who was one of the first to make use of the new monitors at ZJCM. ‘This particular studio is very large and is mainly used for recording and mixing,

1/4 PAGE UPRIGHT

40 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

as well as large orchestral projects and film scores. PMC QB1-A monitors were a great choice because ZJCM needed a powerful, accurate monitoring system that could cope with the size of the room.’

Professor Taoyuan Hu from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music was leading the recording session that Mr Hua was involved in. ‘They have a very natural sound quality and very accurate sound imaging,’ said the professor. ‘I also liked the wide stereo sound and the fact that I could hear all the detail of the music we were recording, which is very important to me and to anyone who is a musician.’

‘We are delighted that a facility as prestigious as ZJCM has chosen QB1-A monitors and we are confident that more Chinese studios will follow their lead in the future,’ commented PMC chairman, Peter Thomas. www.dmtpro.com english.zjcm.edu.cn www.pmc-speakers.com

IABM opens shopping portal WORLD: IABM (the International Association for Broadcast & Media Technology Suppliers) has launched BaM Shop Window, a portal for the purchase of broadcast and media technology.

The service aims to bring products and services available across the entire broadcast industry together, allowing users to discover solutions in a more efficient manner, saving them visiting multiple sites.

‘Over the last few years, it has become increasingly apparent that technology buyers in broadcast and media organisations simply do not have the time to trawl many disparate sources to find the products and services they need, and they asked us if we could help,’ explained Peter White, IABM CEO. ‘The BaM Shop Window is our response and, as well as making it easy for buyers to find what they need, it also gives smaller, up-and-coming

companies who do not have large marketing budgets the chance to get great exposure to buyers. Given that it is the first truly comprehensive product/ service online marketplace in our industry, and is structured to reflect real-world industry needs, I am certain that the BaM Shop Window will rapidly become the first stop for all technology buyers.’ www.theiabm.org www.theiabm.org/iabm-bamcontent-chain-homepage

1/4 PAGE UPRIGHT

NEWS

dLive setup for The Legend of Han Dynasty Trinnov and Elenos become Ravenna partners WORLD: French preamplifier and processor manufacturer Trinnov Audio and radio transmitter producer Elenos Group have joined the Ravenna partnership.

Both companies will gain access to development support from other members of the Ravenna community, such as Dolby, Stage Tec and Ross Video, when integrating Ravenna/AES67 technology into their products.

CHINA: The Legend of Han Dynasty began in October at Hanyuan Lake, a new venue in the Shaanxi Province in China. Organised by the Beijing FengShangShiJi Culture Media Company, the event features lighting, waterscape displays and sound effects.

Hanyuan Lake has invested in an Allen & Heath dLive mixing system provided by local distributor EZPro Intl. The system comprises a dLive S5000 paired with a DM64 MixRack and Dante card, for virtual soundcheck.

‘dLive has an incredibly intuitive interface and its simple operation makes it easy and quick to learn,’ commented main sound engineer at Hanyuan Lake, Zhao Yangyang. ‘The integrated redundancy in dLive S Class

www.allen-heath.com

....with the integrated realtime steering array microphone and sound bar

Andreas Hildebrand (ALC NetworX) and Gianluca Busi (Elenos Group) For Trinnov, the decsion to join Ravenna coincides with the launch of its MC-HCC Ravenna/ AES67-enabled processor. ‘Trinnov has been involved with the audio calibration of high-channel count systems for more than 10 years,’ commented Samuel Tracol, pro audio product manager and lead software architect at Trinnov. ‘We are confident that supporting Ravenna and being able to offer up to 64 channels of high-resolution audio processing over IP will increase our success in large immersive sound mix stages.’

Meanwhile, Elenos has developed a Ravenna-enabled transmitter to expand its connectivity options for the radio broadcast market, which is migrating more and more towards IP infrastructures. ‘The trend in radio broadcast is clearly shifting towards IP as a more costeffective and reliable means of signal transport and, where audio is concerned, Ravenna and AES67 are the dominant forces,’ said Gianluca Busi, marketing manager at the Elenos Group. ‘It is therefore a logical step for us to develop a Ravenna-enabled platform for easy integration into Ravenna/AES67based infrastructures.’

hardware brings high reliability and safety to the system. dLive processing is extremely powerful, the system is very flexible and supports Dante, Waves and other audio network option cards. The integrated FX and presets are

also very useful, especially for live mixing or permanent installation applications.’

EZPro’s product manager, Yang Guang, added: ‘As well as providing excellent audio signals to the sound system, dLive has a really user-friendly interface and its intuitive operation, strong processing ability and high reliability make this project a huge success. dLive is the perfect choice for this performance.’

3/4 PAGE AM-CF1

Integrated Audio Collaboration System The AM-CF1 is the perfect all-in-one audio conferencing solution for small to medium size conference spaces with great return on investment. Built-in AEC (Acoustic Echo Cancellation), NC (Noise Cancellation), and EQ maximize performance making collaboration between remote sites a very natural experience. The AM-CF1 is easily installed with included hardware and intuitively programmed via browser.

We supply sound, not equipment. www.toa.com.sg I

TOAasiapacific

www.ravenna-network.com

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 41

NEWS

Martin Audio at The Alcott AUSTRALIA: The Alcott – once serving its initial purpose as the Old Cottage – has re-opened as an entertainment hub for the Lane Cove community in Sydney.

Intellect Projects Group installed the audio solutions around the venue, employing a range of Martin Audio products.

Martin Audio CDD (Coaxial Differential Dispersion) install series speakers cover all three levels, while CDD 5W 5-inch cabinets have been wall-mounted inside the street-level casino and 6.5-inch cabinets adorn the Spritz Bar and Alcott dining room.

A ceiling speaker solution consisting of CDD CB6 speakers was preferred for the upper level function area together with a complement of eight CDD 8W wall-mounted cabinets to enhance the LG 75-inch visual displays and NEC P502H projections.

Corporate events, private parties

The distinctive décor of The Alcott is further personified by the plantlife and Martin Audio CDD audio system and weddings can be catered for in the divisible Sirocco room, while portable X115B single 15-inch subwoofers enhance the lower frequencies of the 120-seat capacity divisible venue. Capable of seating up to 30 guests,

flexibility of use in the smaller Terrazza venue can be enabled via Extron wall inter faces hosting VGA, HDMI and audio inputs.

Speeches and presentations can draw on Shure SLX wireless microphone channels. The A/V

NEP Group acquires SIS Live

An SIS control room WORLD: Outsourced technical production company NEP Group has acquired SIS Live Limited, a subsidiary of UK-based Sports Information Services, to strengthen its support in the live sports broadcast market. The announcement comes just days after NEP Group revealed its acquisition of Fletcher Group.

After a short transition period, SIS Live will be rebranded as NEP Connect and will serve clients as part of the NEP Worldwide Network. The current management team will continue to run the company under the leadership of managing director David Meynell, who will report into the NEP UK & Ireland division.

‘With SIS Live, NEP will be able to offer additional and enhanced connectivity capabilities critical to delivering the best-managed

service and solutions to our clients,’ said Stephen Jenkins, president of NEP UK and Ireland.

‘It’s a great fit culturally for both of our companies.’

SIS Live has two dedicated network operation centres that deliver 24/7 service monitoring and management, 17 antennas across two geographically diverse teleports, a large fibre and satellite hybrid fleet and fully managed service offerings. Its Anylive fibre network has more than 150 access points at major sporting venues, entertainment complexes and other locations, supporting clients such as the BBC, ITV, ITN, Sky Sports, SIS, ARC, TRP and Tata.

‘We have worked with NEP for a number of years and have been impressed by their technical innovation and consistent,

42 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

superior service to their clients,’ said Mr Meynell. ‘I’m extremely proud of all we’ve accomplished at SIS Live and pleased that combining talents and resources with a company like NEP will take our business to the next level.’

Richard Ames, CEO of Sports Information Services, commented on his company’s sale of the SIS Live brand: ‘It was immediately apparent during the sale process that NEP Group has significant opportunity to grow its media solutions segment, and SIS Live has the infrastructure, people and services that support that strategic objective. We look forward to continuing to work with SIS Live as a long-term supply partner.’ www.nepgroup.com www.sislive.tv

Ty Younger operates A/V parameters from an iOS interface linked to a Crestron CP3 Control and lighting parameters of both rooms can be managed from an iOS touchscreen over Wi-Fi to the Crestron Control CP3 processor.

DSP functionality and settings are configured and stored in a QSC Core 110f DSP processor.

While the majority of the CDD speakers draw their current from four QSC GX5 700W 2-channel amplifiers in the lower-level rack room, the six X115B subwoofers require power from two higherspecification GX7 models. A PS1600G Q-Sys desk-mounted page station outfitted with a gooseneck microphone rounds out the QSC roster.

There have been no complaints from neighbours of spill from the speakers installed outside.

‘The directivity of the speakers are contained within the club with minimal spillage,’ explained venue manager, Ty Younger. ‘They create an excellent ambiance and I can easily change the musical selection via the Secret DJ App on my smar t phone.’ www.intellectprojects.com.au www.martin-audio.com www.tag.com.au

Holoplot presents Orion in China CHINA: Beijing Huahui Audio Technology took the opportunity to host a demonstration for German manufacturer Holoplot at the recent Palm Show in Beijing. Holoplot’s Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) technology, which features inside its Orion 3D beamforming system, was highlighted during the session.

Orion consists of the IO audio module and Eta Core processor and is designed for use in spaces such as auditoriums, sports venues and airports.

speakers, requiring the install of speakers all around a room to create an immersive effect.

We have proprietar y speaker and processing technology that allow us to really control the wave propagation in a completely new and more controlled way. Our vision was to develop an audio system where the experience of the audience is not influenced by the room.’

Mr Sick discussed similar trends across the pro audio

‘We are the first one to build this type of array,’ said Roman Sick, CEO of Holoplot, during the demo. ‘Our approach to WFS is different than the traditional approach and what other brands have been tr ying.

Most of them have applied a processing unit to regular

industr y, including 3D spatial audio. ‘The likes of L-Acoustics and d&b are producing spatial audio systems now, and we think that’s good because it educates the market to what can be done beyond stereo.’ www.holoplot.com

NEWS

Avixa announces Rack Building for Audiovisual Systems standard WORLD: The Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (Avixa) has announced its newest industr y standard: Rack Building for Audiovisual Systems (F502.01:2018). This outlines the process for consistent assembly, mounting and cable

management when integrating A/V systems into racks.

The document details the assembly of A/V equipment racks, the mounting and affixing of rack-mount and non-rack-mount equipment, cable management, including

planning, lacing, location and separation of signal and power cables, as well as the finishing process comprising cleaning and labelling.

‘An improperly assembled A/V rack leads to negative consequences for the system’s

per formance, and the end users are the ones that suffer,’ said Ann Brigida, Avixa’s senior director of standards. ‘This standard provides well-vetted guidance from exper ts around the globe that will improve the quality and consistency

of A/V system racks. We’ve included several illustrations and diagrams within the published standard to make it easier for people to implement into their projects.’ www.avixa.org/avrackbuilding

Updates at Auditorium Perdana MALAYSIA: RTM’s (Radio Television Malaysia) Auditorium Perdana recently replaced its 20-year-old sound system while upgrading its Stage Tec Nexus networked audio router to the latest version of Nexus Matrix 6.

Stagetec Asia and Broadcast Synergy carried out the works at the venue.

Three clusters of L-Acoustics line array speakers and subwoofers were installed by Broadcast Synergy and Stagetec

Asia, while behind the scenes, the upgraded Nexus Matrix 6 can now fully support up to 63 base devices. XDIP, XTER and HXETR Nexus cards were also added to the router, enabling signal transmission to the L-Acoustics setup via AES3, Dante or AES67.

The Stage Tec Crescendo consoles already installed at Auditorium Perdana were also upgraded with the 4.61 firmware.

‘Our expertise in digital audio networking and line array speaker

systems were demanded for this project and we believe our continuous and loyal technical support to our client has enabled us to deliver the project well,’ commented Paul Lim, senior project engineer at Stagetec Asia. www.stagetecasia.com

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NEWS: OBITUARIES

Mike Cooper WORLD: Following a short battle with cancer, Meyer Sound’s retired international sales director, Mike Cooper, has passed away. He touched upon the lives of many within our industry during the three decades in his role. As such, the news of his passing leaves a large hole for all those who were fortunate to share an airline tale, a post trade show tea or some of the Texan humour he portrayed while living on the road in his job.

Prior to taking on the role alongside John and Helen Meyer, Mike had toured the world as a renowned FOH engineer with bands such as Styx. Having opted for a life off the road in favour of international sales, he probably spent more time out of his Texan home than before. From Tokyo to Beijing, the Middle East, West Africa and Sydney, he forged notable sales in which business associates became great friends.

His witty observations of fellow air passengers were as amusing as witnessing his patience stretch beyond breaking point

Mike Cooper

at exhibitions that lacked SPL monitors. At one such exhibition in Beijing, he eventually pulled the electrical connection himself on the offending noise polluter.

Described as an inspiring mentor, his unique professionalism and knowledge of the industry was perhaps unsurpassed. His impressive depth of market experience and thorough understanding of audio technology played an enormous role in Meyer Sound’s international success and credibility. An industry veteran himself, the former Meyer Sound Australia’s Steve Devine made a fitting remark. ‘He taught me so

Mike Cooper with Charbel Zoghbi

much about our industry, but his best line of all happened to be “we sell loudspeakers – if we could sell excuses we would be rich men”.’

In 2005, Mike was invited to cut the ceremonial ribbon marking the start of the Palm show in Beijing.

He commented: ‘I have witnessed huge advancements in technology since I started as an audio engineer in 1964. If you compare the development of audio to aviation, we were at the Wright Brothers stage 40 years ago and now we can go to the moon. Oddly, many think that these advances have made it more complex to understand the technology but, on the contrary, it is much simpler as this evolution has allowed the end user to achieve a higher standard of performance as there are less mundane jobs to perform now. It’s an intriguing time to be doing business in China now as the country is poised to become the biggest single market in the world. As the 2008 Olympics will bring a lot of attention to China, we all hope to be part of that growth and the Palm show is a mandatory part of that plan.’

Mike Cooper demonstrates the compact size of the new MINA line array system Mike Cooper witnessed the audio world and that beyond the professional loudspeaker change immensely over his career. It’s a huge loss that those whose lives he touched along the way will no longer be able to be refreshed by his Texan drawl and humour.

Bob Metzler WORLD: Bob Metzler, who cofounded Audio Precision and served as its president until his retirement in 1999, has passed away. Establishing the company alongside Dr Richard Cabot, Bruce Hofer and Robert Wright, Mr Metzler became the ‘face’ of Audio Precision during its early years by taking responsibility for marketing and sales, travelling the world and engaging with customers.

In addition to his work at Audio Precision, Mr Metzler authored

the Audio Measurement Handbook, which was not only widely read throughout the pro audio community, but also used as a textbook for several university courses. He also wrote numerous magazine ar ticles and application notes, and edited the Audio precision newsletter, Audio.TST. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics and a Master of Business Administration, while spending time throughout

his career as a marketing manager, radio broadcast station engineer and development engineer for telemetr y, display systems, antenna design, meteorological instrumentation and mobile radio. A husband and father for four children, Mr Metzler will be remembered by colleagues for his dr y sense of humour and ability to be direct but tactful. www.ap.com

Douglas Wayne MacCallum

WORLD: One Systems president Douglas Wayne MacCallum passed away on 11 September

at his home in Brentwood, TN, following a year-long battle against a rare form of leukaemia.

44 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Mr MacCallum – or Doug as he was more commonly known to friends – began his career in 1978 as the sales manager for manufacturers’ representative Cambridge Marketing Group. His distinguished career kicked into gear during his 14-year stint in sales management and executive positions at Electro-Voice. At the time, EV was part of the Mark IV Audio Group that incorporated the Altec Lansing, University Sound, Cetec Vega, Klark Teknik, DDA and Midas brands. He ended his Mark IV Audio tenure as vice president in 1996, whereupon he took on the role of vice president

and general manager of AKG’s US operations in Nashville until 2006.

Having worked for two of the largest manufacturers in the business for most of his professional career, Mr MacCallum took the plunge to co-found One Systems in 2007.

As president, he distinguished himself by creating a premium manufacturer of high-intelligibility, high-output, direct weather loudspeakers until his premature departure. One Systems also took on US distribution for P.Audio’s product range of sound reinforcement systems.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Mr MacCallum was awarded a B.A. degree in Business Administration following graduation from Baldwin High School. He demonstrated his love of music as a member of the Otterbein Concert Choir and singing group Opus Zero, although he continued to sing in choirs throughout his life. He will be remembered by many not only for his excellent singing voice, but for his keen business acumen, friendly demeanour, optimistic outlook and sense of humour. www.onesystems.com

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ALLEN&HEATH

EDUCATION Avid and Dolby demo immersive audio mixing SINGAPORE: Around 60 studio professionals and recording educators participated in a twin set of seminars on immersive audio held by Avid at Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCM). Supported by Avid’s local distributor, IMS Mahajak Pro Audio, and Dolby Singapore, the sessions took place in YSTCM’s newly installed Atmos Mixing Studio, featuring a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos 3D monitoring system with an Avid Pro Tools S6 control surface and Ultimate software at its heart, the first studio of its kind in an educational institution in Singapore.

Opened by Ben Cheng, Dolby customer support manager, attendees got an overview of the

benefits of audio objects and Dolby’s spatial coding for maximum compatibility with various speaker configurations versus channelbased mixing, and an insight into the global development and reach of Dolby’s immersive technologies in the cinema and home theatre markets as well as gaming, broadcast and streaming services.

Avid’s head of APAC audio presales, Daniel Lovell, demonstrated immersive panning of audio objects in a 3D space and automation of routines while referring to useful third-party plug-ins regarding ambisonics and binaural techniques.

With the growing popularity of immersive audio not only in

Zhou XiaoDong (YSTCM) and Edwin Wijaya (IMS Mahajak Pro Audio) with Daniel Lovell, Naomi Kim, Wong Soon Kheng (Avid) and Ben Cheng (Dolby) cinemas and on TV, but also with social media content on YouTube or Facebook, Mr Lovell addressed novice content creators: ‘If anyone

Sun Infonet hosts Shure Wireless Masterclasses

INDIA: Shure’s Indian distributor, Sun Infonet, recently conducted a series of Wireless Masterclass training seminars in Mumbai and Bengaluru under the Shure Audio Institute banner. The workshops were led by Andrea Granata, technical services

manager at Shure MEASA. The 2-day workshops saw more than 50 sound engineers and freelancers attend in Mumbai, while approximately 35 filled the Bengaluru session. ‘The response from those attending the training workshops from

Mumbai and Bengaluru was reassuring as they were all very attentive in learning tips and techniques,’ commented Mr Granata.

Shure country director for India, Chicco Hiranandani, who also attended both events, added: ‘These Wireless Masterclasses for live events provide an ideal opportunity for us to share the basic fundamentals of wireless microphone systems, best practices and RF technology live production developments with professional audio engineers.

Attendees also had the opportunity to request tips and solutions for real-world scenarios they encounter. This provides a better understanding for Shure of the issues they face in the field.’ www.shure.com www.suninfonet.net

is getting into the immersive mixing process now, the tools have been refined by all those who have helped develop the format

and the workflow up to now. It is now much easier than when it started out with a lot of separate plug-ins and time-consuming workarounds.’

‘We have a module called Audio for Media where we’re teaching the students audio recording, editing and sound design for video,’ said Zhou XiaoDong, head of the audio arts and science programme at YSTCM. ‘Entering the module after already having experience with Pro Tools, they find it quite easy, despite then having to manage more elements.’ www.avid.com www.dolby.com www.ystmusic.nus.edu.sg

Q-Sys Control Training Series premieres WORLD: Following the success of its Levels 1 and 2 Q-Sys Training programmes, QSC has introduced the Q-Sys Control Training Series.

The new training syllabus comprises two modules: Q-Sys Control 101, an online introductory course featuring 20 videos, and Q-Sys Control 201, which takes place inside a classroom and applies the principles learnt in 101 to common third-party meeting room devices and control scenarios.

‘This new training curriculum represents a major milestone for Q-Sys by pairing a simplified control paradigm with an equally simplified way of learning control,’ said Patrick Heyn, director of marketing for QSC Systems. ‘Our training takes full advantage of the modern scripting languages and tools available in the Q-Sys

Designer software to teach fundamental programming principles in a matter of days.

Moreover, we are proud to deliver this content in a way that is fun, interactive and accessible for programmers of all levels.’

The online Q-Sys Control 101 course covers plug-ins, custom control components, the Block Controller visual coding tool and provides a basic introduction to modern Lua scripting, while taking approximately four hours to complete. Q-Sys Control 201 participants will spend one day in the classroom learning how to implement Q-Sys control in realworld applications and scenarios.

Avixa CTS renewal units are awarded for each course. www.qsc.com

Bose and Amanplex Indah team up to teach MALAYSIA: Bose and its Malaysian distributor, Amanplex Indah, recently ran a training programme for appointed project partners in the country. A select number of consultants and venue owners were also invited to attend the seminar, held at the Hilton Petaling Jaya hotel.

The purpose of the training was to provide engineers with the knowledge and skills to design venue systems from an electro-acoustical standpoint and a grasp of DSP management. Bose engineering manager Scott Angove led the

three days of training, which concluded with the 30 invited

46 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

attendees receiving certificates of completion. Covered as part

of the training was version 6.10 of the Bose Modeler software for designing the room, sound source placements and per formance prediction, as well as ControlSpace Designer (CSD) software for the configuration, set up and control of signal processing.

Although the course was completed in three days, those in attendance were invited to take part in an optional fourth day.

‘We usually conduct this training over three days,’ confirmed Yusof Ahmad, territory manager for ASEAN and Korea at Bose

Professional. ‘The fourth day covers our new products and their applications. On this additional day, participants were also invited to bring in their project leads to discuss. Based on the venues, and using the knowledge that they’d acquired over the first three days, interactive discussions were held with the whole class on how we could approach such projects.

With a workshop-like approach on this additional day, it certainly enhanced the level of engagement with the participants.’ pro.bose.com

NEWS: EDUCATION

Budee hosts Lectrosonics seminar CHINA: A Lectrosonics wireless technology seminar was recently hosted by Budee at the distributor’s Beijing offices. Karl Winkler, the manufacturer’s vice president of sales, presented Lectrosonics’ patented Digital Hybrid Wireless technology and the products encompassing it to an audience of audio engineers and end users.

Highlighted during the session were the L Series solutions with LR wireless system receivers. The SRc dual-channel receiver and

Venue2 modular receiver were also showcased.

Mr Winkler then introduced Lectrosonics’ latest multichannel digital wireless in-ear monitoring system, Duet IEM. Attendees learned how the digital wireless system designed for in-ear monitoring and plug-in headphones can meet the requirements for IEM and on-air IFB, and how it has an available UHF frequency range between 470.1MHz and 607.975MHz.

‘When we designed the system, we needed to consider the conflicts of audio and RF in order to plan and manage the wireless frequency range,’ said Mr Winkler. ‘For live performances and direct use, delay is an important factor.’

Peter More, Lectrosonics’ export representative in the region, commented on the event: ‘We are working closely with our distributor, Budee, to develop the live sound and theatre business for Lectrosonics’ wireless microphones in China.’

Karl Winkler with the Budee team In other news, Budee sponsored this year’s Communication University of China Sound School (CUC) Recording Masterclass.

While this was the 15th iteration of the annual event, it was the first time Budee sponsored the

Recording Masterclass, supplying stacked pairs of Martin Audio DD12 loudspeakers and PRX subwoofers on each side of the stage. www.budee.com www.lectrosonics.com

Crème Academy hosts digital d&b holds seminar and workshop audio broadcast seminars

THAILAND: JAA Systems is working with its Thai distribution partner, Advance Digital Tech, in collaboration with Bangkok’s Crème Academy to host a series of workshops and seminars exploring digital audio consoles for broadcast. The first event recently took place, highlighting Calrec Audio’s Brio36 mixer.

This first seminar in the series

was fully booked, attended by a mix of students and pro audio professionals.

The collaboration with Crème Academy came about due to a need in Thailand for a better understanding of digital audio consoles and their technology for use in the broadcast environment.

As part of the agreement, Crème Academy will serve as Calrec’s

education and training hub for Thailand and its neighbouring countries, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos.

‘Crème Academy has a great state-of-the-art education facility in Bangkok,’ said David Chan, general manager of JAA Systems.

‘Complete with fully fledged studios, the main recording studio was designed by worldrenowned acoustician, Masami “Sam” Toyoshima. Daniel Choo [managing director of Crème Academy] and his team of lecturers are experts in the field of audio production and related fields. We are honoured to be associated with Crème Academy.’

SINGAPORE: d&b audiotechnik hosted three days of training at its Asia Pacific office in Singapore.

The first day saw 14 sound engineers and technicians attending an electro-acoustics seminar presented by d&b’s application engineer, Gareth Kelbrick. The session focused on propagation of sound waves and achieving intelligible sound.

It was followed by a 2-day workshop on d&b Y-Series and T-Series systems, with Mr Kelbrick and regional application and education manager Gert Sanner as instructors. Attendees learned about loudspeaker system planning, positioning, alignment, set up and management by using realistic examples as well as in

practical exercises, utilising the ArrayCalc simulation software as part of an integrated d&b workflow.

‘Both events were open and free for everyone and were independent from each other,’ explained Mr Sanner. ‘While the electro-acoustics seminar is more theoretical, the workshop is more productcentric and hands-on to replicate a sound engineer’s daily working environment. Due to their compact sizes, Y- and T-series are ideal even where we have limited space.’

Adam Kok, technical volunteer at Singapore’s Faith Assembly of God church, confirmed: ‘I learned a lot and look forward to applying it as soon as possible.’ www.dbaudio.com

www.advancedigitaltech.com www.calrec.com www.creme.ac.th www.jaasys.com

Sonotone delivers Adamson training and demo INDIA: Having been named as Adamson Systems Engineering’s exclusive Indian distributor, Sonotone’s AVCL division recently hosted an Adamson Applied Certification and systems deployment seminar in Mumbai. This was followed by a public demo of the manufacturer’s S10 the next day.

More than 50 people attended the seminar, receiving hands-on training for the system design and deployment of Adamson Systems equipment via the Blueprint AV simulation software and Lake controller, as well as how to deploy and tune an S-Series system, earning Adamson Applied Training Certificates. David Dohrmann, Adamson’s director for Asia Pacific, conducted the 2-day session

SDVoE Academy platform launched alongside the manufacturer’s education and support coordinator for APAC, Ayumi Hanano.

‘We were surprised by the overwhelming response we received for the training, considering we’ve just recently launched Adamson in India,’ said Karan Nagpal, principal of AVCL Pro and its parent company, Sonotone.

48 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

‘Participants travelled from all across the country. We had capped the number of participants at 50, but I believe for the next session we may have to organise a venue to accommodate 75 to 100 participants.’ www.adamsonsystems.com www.sonotone.in

WORLD: The SDVoE Alliance has launched the SDVoE Academy learning platform, an online resource offering self-tutored courses to help A/V professionals develop skills in the latest technologies for A/V signal management. The platform was created in collaboration with Clavia Ltd. ‘System designers, integrators and end users can work at their own pace to discover how simple

it actually is to enjoy the flexibility and scalability of Ethernet while benefitting from the performance of a matrix switch,’ said Justin Kennington, president of the SDVoE Alliance. With a focus on SDVoE technology, the courses are largely applicable to most A/V over IP applications, supporting network deployments across various markets. academy.sdvoe.org

New VHD2.18J Subwoofer Housing two 18” high performance transducers the VHD2.18J is a direct radiating bass-reflex subwoofer. The VHD2.18J’s optimised, high efficiency, bass-reflex design produces considerably more output than other similar double 18” enclosures and features intuitive integrated flyware that allows for fast rigging of multiple cabinets.

Johannes Krämer works with many of the worlds leading artists, promoters and events. When he visited KV2 Audio he was looking for something special in a sub. After discussions with Chief Engineer, George Krampera the VHD2.18J was born.

www.kv2audio.com

George Krampera Chief Engineer KV2 Audio

Johannes Krämer Sound Engineer Richie Hawtin

DISTRIBUTION FBT arrives in Japan tm stagetec systems Mackie adds TiMax solutions promotes City Music Bruno Tanoni, Yasuhiro Matsuoka, Roberto Mataloni, Shoya Takahashi and Mauro Tanoni JAPAN: FBT has appointed MTC Japan as its first Japanese distributor. Based in Tokyo, MTC Japan operates across the countr y in the broadcast, video conferencing and pro audio sectors.

‘We have been patiently waiting to enter the Japanese market with the right par tner that could offer the right skills and a profound knowledge of the market,’ said FBT’s expor t manager, Rober to Mataloni.

‘We strongly believe MTC Japan is the right partner and together we are planning the steps to take in order to be successful in such a complex market as Japan.’

‘We have noted FBT’s progression in international markets and decided to seize the opportunity to bring this new brand in Japan,’ said Yasuhiro Matsuoka, managing director of MTC Japan. ‘After meetings here, at international trade shows and, most importantly, after visiting FBT’s headquarters in Italy where we could see their manufacturing plant and demo their products, we have decided to start importing FBT in Japan to meet the growing demand for quality professional audio systems from our clientele.’ www.fbt.it www.mtc-japan.com

AUSTRALIA: tm stagetec systems has taken on the exclusive distribution rights to Out Board’s TiMax SoundHub and TiMax Tracker in Australia. TiMax SoundHub is an immersive spatial reinforcement and stage tracking solution for vocal localisation, while TiMax Tracker offers UWB radar stage tracking, following performers around a space in three dimensions.

of brands,’ said Mark Lownds, general manager of the distribution and systems integration company.

‘The fit between our technologydriven ethos and the leading-edge technology offered by TiMax products is a perfect match. To say that we are excited to work further with this brand and offer our clients in the Australian market this reliable, high-quality product for outstanding

Treva Head and Mark Lownds of tm stagetec systems with Out Board’s Dave Haydon Staff at tm stagetec systems have undergone TiMax product training, delivered by Out Board director Dave Haydon in Sydney.

‘We are thrilled to welcome TiMax into the tm stagetec systems suite

audio in the live performance, event and experiential arenas is an understatement.’ www.outboard.co.uk www.tm-systems.com.au

PCI Shanghai welcomes Visionary Solutions CHINA: PCI Shanghai has been appointed the new Chinese distributor for Visionary Solutions.

The agreement will see the distributor represent the video networking solutions manufacturer across Mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong.

While headquartered in Shanghai, PCI Shanghai has operations in Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Hong Kong. ‘PCI Shanghai is an excellent partner for us,’ said Visionary Solutions COO, Scott Freshman. ‘They have extensive

The PCI team contacts in the AVC channel in China and are dedicated to providing excellent customer service, which we value highly at

Visionary Solutions. PCI Shanghai has a strong engineering team and provides preliminary design and consulting services, as well

as sales, onsite installation, system commissioning, personnel training and after-sales support.

They have also worked on worldclass projects, such as the 2008 Olympic Games, 2010 Shanghai World Expo and Guangzhou Asian Games. They understand our technology and are the right choice to distribute our solutions in this extremely important market.’

MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE: City Music has taken on distribution for Mackie in Singapore, while its Kuala Lumpur-based subsidiary, CK Music, will serve as the Malaysian Mackie distributor.

As exclusive distributors in their respective territories, City Music and CK Music will handle sales, marketing and customer service for Mackie’s range of pro audio products.

‘We have had a longstanding relationship with Mackie as their authorised reseller, so we’ve supplied Mackie products to our musical instrument and pro audio customers for many years,’ revealed Hoe Yeegn Lougn of City Music. ‘Today, we are extremely thrilled to finally represent Mackie as sole distributor for both Singapore and Malaysia. We are very excited about this new partnership and look forward to the great business ahead.’

‘City Music and CK Music have thrived for decades in their respective, dynamic markets,’ said Matt Frazier, director of APAC sales for Mackie. ‘With a foundation of long-term success, the leadership team there remains sharp and focused on the future. In these and other ways, we at Mackie have a lot in common with City Music and CK Music, and we all look forward to growing together.’ www.citymusic.com.sg www.ckmusic.com.my

www.pci-sh.com

www.mackie.com

www.vsicam.com

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50 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

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NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

ISD commences K-array distribution in India INDIA: Following the launch of ISD (Italian Sound Design) as a specialised distribution chain for K-array loudspeakers and the opening of K-array China and ISD Japan, ISD India has now also been launched to handle sales and service of the Italian manufacturer’s loudspeakers throughout the country.

‘I believe ISD India will quickly escalate K-array in the country as I can already feel the sector’s enthusiasm and appetite for the high-end, unique audio solutions we provide,’ said Marc Vincent, K-array’s director of sales – APAC. ISD India is run by Sawan Nichani, Sameer Nichani and Sidharth Dham, and the trio are looking to bring the K-array brand to the forefront in India. ISD has already organised an informative

where participants were able to experience the manufacturer’s systems first-hand.

Alex Tatini, co-founder and president of K-array, reflected upon the success of the event and the bright future of ISD India: ‘It was important to get off on the right foot in such an important

K-day that took place recently at Lutyens Resort Delhi for over 60 industry professionals.

The day was punctuated with a K-academy workshop, Installed

TAG VS tags Xein M&C as Korean distributor KOREA: IP monitoring and UHD multiviewer manufacturer TAG VS has gained a presence in South Korea with the appointment of Xein M&C as its distributor in the country. Founded in 2008, Xein M&C supplies the South Korean broadcast industry with a range of solutions from its distribution portfolio, which includes the likes

commitment to furnishing the best solution for each and every customer.’

Xein M&C boasts a growing customer base of more than 150 terrestrial and satellite broadcasters throughout Korea.

The company’s team of certified engineers is capable of handling a project from the design phase

market as India, and ISD India demonstrated their willingness to take the brand to new heights.

We look forward to a productive partnership.’ www.facebook.com/ Italiansounddesignindia www.k-array.com

Sound Overview and Applications, presented by K-array product specialist Daniele Mochi alongside product demonstrations and followed by an evening reception

eASY to configure

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1/2 PAGE Island of Harmonic, Grass Valley and Minnetonka, as well as customised broadcast systems.

‘We are thrilled to partner with Xein M&C to grow our presence in this key region,’ said Abe Zerbib, TAG VS CEO. ‘Customer satisfaction is Xein’s top priority and they have earned an impeccable reputation for providing the very best equipment from an impressive list of top manufacturers. We are confident our customers will benefit from their keen understanding of the latest technologies and their

through to completion and troubleshooting.

‘The market is moving forward to IP-based systems in the broadcast industry, and with this trend, customers are looking for IP monitoring and IP multiviewer solutions by software rather than by hardware,’ explained Seungun Kim, CEO of Xein M&C. ‘I believe TAG VS has the best solutions to meet these requirements for customers in Korea.’ www.tagvs.com

eMIMO1616 Digital Matrix - It does not need an external or an additional software.

- You can configure it from your PC/Tablet/Smartphone.

- Minimal, intuitive and elegant layout.

- You can manage it remotely from different locations. www.ecler.com

www.xein.co.kr

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 51

NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

Midwich adds Ecler ANZ: Midwich ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) has added Ecler to its growing list of international A/V brands, assuming distribution of all the Spanish manufacturer’s products.

‘As a major supplier of visual display products within a wide range of ver ticals such as the leisure, educational, commercial and corporate sectors, the addition of Ecler

adds a new dimension to our por tfolio,’ commented David Cribbis, business manager, audio at Midwich Australasia.

‘For example, their industr y standard loudspeakers, including their Giugiaro Design series, are appreciated by architects and interior designers, yet offer superb audio quality and versatility of use to the installer and end user.’

and New Zealand territories,’ said Ecler’s business development manager, Alex Schloesser. ‘Ecler’s range of pro audio solutions perfectly complement Midwich’s current brands within the A/V domain. Midwich is a very logical fit for Ecler.’

Midwich’s David Cribbis with Ecler’s Alex Schloesser ‘Our partnership with Midwich ANZ is ideal because it exposes

the Ecler brand to a number of markets in both the Australian

New partner for Audac in Thailand THAILAND: Audac has entered into a strategic agreement with Sonos Libra, one of Thailand’s newest audio distributors and Audac’s first exclusive distributor for Thailand.

Sonos Libra was founded almost two years ago by Alfonso Martín and has been focusing on products, engineering and after-sales service for live and install.

‘We’ve been working with Audac for the past two years,’ says Mr Martín. ‘Visiting the Audac Experience Center and new facilities

with the new appointment. ‘When I first met Alfonso, I was impressed by the experience he had gained, first in Spain but also now in Thailand.

‘His experience and wide network in the region allow us to introduce our products in a quality way to this new market. We are thrilled at the prospect of working with Sonos Libra in the years ahead.’

Alfonso Martín and Bart Vandermot further clarified how well-managed and structured the company is.’

Audac’s export executive, Bart Vandermot, is equally delighted

www.ecler.com www.midwich.com.au www.midwich.co.nz

Ruifeng becomes Avio dealer

www.audac.eu www.sonoslibra.com

SoundFox leads ENCO into South Korea KOREA: Broadcast software developer ENCO has appointed SoundFox International as its new distributor for South Korea.

The two companies were first introduced at NAB in 2016 and ENCO’s international sales manager, Gilber t Felix, met with SoundFox president Peter Moh once again in Beijing at this year’s BIRTV in August. A fur ther meeting was set up in September at IBC in Amsterdam where the deal was finalised. ‘SoundFox was highly recommended by our par tners,’ explained Mr Felix.

SoundFox, as its name suggests, has primarily focused on the audio sector. However, with 15 years of experience in supplying solutions to South Korean broadcasters, the company has cast its net a little

Gilbert Felix and Ken Frommert of Enco with their new Korean distribution partner, Peter Moh of SoundFox wider in recent years. ENCO’s playout and workflow automation solutions, including the DadTV and HotShot2 audio playout and clip management systems, fit well into the SoundFox por tfolio.

‘We have observed ENCO for three years as it has continued to grow and update its products,’ commented Mr Moh. ‘While their audio products fall under our main area of expertise, it is a good

time for SoundFox to take on ENCO’s range of products on the video side, such as the enCaption automated closed captioning solution and MOM automated playout system, to meet the demands of our clients in the broadcast industry.’

‘ENCO’s automated workflow value proposition rings globally, with interoperable and costefficient solutions that work within any broadcast and A/V infrastructure,’ said Ken Frommert, ENCO president. ‘As our reach into Asia Pacific expands through our global sales momentum, our partnership with SoundFox will amplify our visibility in the very important South Korean market.’ www.enco.com www.soundfox.co.kr

Pliant Technologies accompanies NAS to NZ NEW ZEALAND: As Australian distributor NAS Solutions expands its business into New Zealand, a knock-on effect is being felt by the brands it represents, including Pliant Technologies which joined the likes of Ashly, d&b audiotechnik and K-array in the NAS portfolio in late 2017.

‘We are excited to be part of NAS Solutions’ growth into new markets and territories,’ said Gary Rosen, global sales manager at Pliant Technologies.

‘We expect significant success for both companies as a result of the expansion. Through NAS, we know that our innovative intercom solutions will reach a wider array

of customers in the South Pacific region.’

NAS managing director Shane Bailey commented on how the Pliant Technologies brand fits into his company’s portfolio: ‘Pliant Technologies is a really great fit for what we do in the marketplace and in relation to our other brands,’ he said. ‘Since our first

introduction to the brand, we were immediately drawn to its products and technology. Pliant’s CrewCom wireless intercom system is a great offering for our customers, as the audio quality and RF options especially piques their interests.’ www.nationalaudio.com.au

John Rechsteiner and Lu Xiubing CHINA: On the first day of the Beijing Palm Show, Ruifeng vice president Lu Xiubing and John Rechsteiner from Audinate signed a formal agreement on the Ruifeng booth, confirming Ruifeng as an official Chinese dealer for Dante Avio audio network adapters.

‘While Dante has been very successful, there are still many analogue installations in use, which is why we have introduced the Avio line of Dante adapters,’ explained Mr Rechsteiner. ‘Our partnership with Ruifeng will help to bring AoIP to new customers and this should help drive an increased adoption of Dante solutions. We are excited to work with Ruifeng as they have an extensive network of resellers and the ability to market Avio and Dante throughout China.’

Ms Xiubing is also very optimistic about the future of Dante. ‘We use Dante in some of our products,’ the Ruifeng vice president explained.

‘Avio is a ready-to-sell product.

We have many advantages when it comes to selling this product in terms of our reseller network and marketing capabilities. We want more people to enjoy the benefits of Dante in China and we are very optimistic about its wide range of applications.’

www.plianttechnologies.com www.audinate.com

52 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

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APPOINTMENTS Ravisankar Nadiyam makes Waves ASIA: Waves Audio has appointed Ravisankar Nadiyam as its regional sales manager for South East Asia and South Korea, as well as the Middle East. He will manage the digital audio signal processing technology developer’s sales channel for studio and live applications in these territories.

Mr Nadiyam’s pro audio career began in 1998 as a product specialist and product manager with Avid Digidesign’s distributor in India at the time. He went on to join Avid Digidesign as South East Asia product specialist in 2002 Ravisankar Nadiyam and, since then, he has been application specialist manager Africa, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and audio sales manager for and the Indian sub-continent.

Avid, covering the live, studio Following this, he ran an Avid and broadcast markets. In that training facility in Bengaluru role, he worked from Avid’s Dubai and more recently led sales at office covering the Middle East, Overtone Audio in Mumbai.

‘I have been associated one way or the other with Waves since my days with Digidesign,’ said Mr Nadiyam. ‘It is a great pleasure to join this global leader and to manage sales in territories that I have had a long and fruitful relationship with.’

‘Waves is delighted to have Ravi on board,’ added Mick Olesh, Waves EVP of sales and marketing. ‘Due to the ongoing increase and expansion of Waves’ live and install business in the region, Waves has expanded its sales capacity. Ravisankar’s vast experience and expertise in South East Asia and the Middle East is a true asset in assuring our support to the channel and users in this region and advancing Waves’ live and studio pro audio capacities.’ www.waves.com

Four VP promotions at Shure WORLD: Peter James has been named vice president of global sales, pro audio at Shure. He has been in the audio industr y for 30 years, with more than 20 of them at Shure, and has been managing director of Shure Distribution UK since 2009 while chairing the Global Integrated Systems Board from 2015.

Meanwhile, Jim Schanz has been named VP of global sales, integrated systems. He joined

Shure in 1998 and has effectively served in a number of sales roles.

In 2011, he took over leadership of Shure’s Market Development function.

Abby Kaplan has been named VP of global sales, retail, having been with Shure since 1998 in various sales positions, and José Rivas has been appointed VP of global sales, emerging markets.

Peter James

www.shure.com

Lawo appoints senior director of IP systems

Phil Myers WORLD: Lawo has hired Phil Myers for the newly created role of senior director of IP systems. Mr Myers will coordinate the manufacturer’s

IP product portfolio and technology development, while also supporting the advisory board in regards to strategy and technology.

Mr Myers’ most recent role was IP product manager for SAM (Snell Advanced Media), which was acquired by Belden brand Grass Valley earlier this year. Lawo’s new senior director has also held technical product management and head of technology roles with Pinnacle Systems (now part of Avid), Sony and CVP. ‘We are very excited to have Phil join our team,’ said Phillip Lawo, CEO. ‘His extensive knowledge of the broadcast ecosystem, coupled with real-world experience

54 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

of deploying IP systems, make Phil a valuable addition to the management team here at Lawo during this period of rapid growth.’

‘The inspiration and inventiveness of Lawo people, coupled with their drive and determination, are revolutionising the way broadcasters work,’ said Mr Myers. ‘It’s great to be part of a team with such a positive vision about the future of our industry and that has the commitment, passion, right people and leadingedge IP audio, video, networking and control technologies to achieve this vision, for the benefit of our clients.’ www.lawo.com

Marco Rostagno takes on regional role at Ecler

Marco Rostagno WORLD: Spanish pro audio manufacturer Ecler has appointed Marco Rostagno as a new area manager. He will take responsibility for more than 20 countries including India, the majority of Africa and several European territories.

Mr Rostagno will manage Ecler’s product catalogue along with the distribution network across the countries in his remit, which in Africa covers every country except for Morocco.

‘I’m very happy in this new role,’ confirmed Mr Rostagno at the recent InfoComm India show. ‘This is a good opportunity for me. I’m part of a very professional team and Ecler has a great range of products. It’s important to be in contact with our distributors and clients to find out about their needs so we can adapt and support them as we bring new products to the market.’

Mr Rostagno’s career is certainly varied. He is part of the Latin Grammy Awards selection panel, a role he earned from winning and being nominated for several Grammy awards from his work at Hitmakers Studio. He also serves as an associate lecturer at Middlesex University of London and the SAE Institute Barcelona.

In addition, he recently worked as head of operations at Intorno Labs, a research project aiming to change the way listeners experience sound in space, taking them on a ‘psychoacoustic journey’. www.ecler.com

New CEO for Apart Audio WORLD: Having been in the company for more than 20 years, Kris Vermuyten has been promoted to the role of CEO

Raf Willems

Kris Vermuyten of Apart Audio. Formerly sales and marketing director, the new role will see him aiming to further strengthen the brand for small- and medium-sized fixed install applications. Assuming Mr Vermuyten’s previous role, Raf Willems has been appointed as the new sales and marketing

director, having previously served as European sales manager.

‘In cooperation with our worldwide distribution partners, it is our goal to continue offering a reliable and competitive product range that fulfils the needs of the retail, food and hospitality, corporate, sports and leisure and education verticals we are focusing on,’ commented Mr Vermuyten. www.apart-audio.com

NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Outline Tom Van de Sande inherits the throne adds APAC regional sales manager APAC: Outline Professional Audio has created a new regional sales manager role for the APAC region, in response to ‘steadily increasing demand’ for the manufacturer’s products in the territory. Patrick Wong has been hired to fill the position.

WORLD: Tom Van de Sande has succeeded his father, Patrick Van de Sande, as CEO of PVS. The senior Van de Sande founded the company, which includes the Audac, Procab and Caymon brands, 35 years ago. Patrick Van de Sande will remain at the company in a technical director role, serving as CTO. In this capacity, he will be able to support Tom as he begins his new position.

‘We have just invested 12 million in our new logistics centre, complete with new testing facilities and R&D site,’ said Tom Van de Sande. ‘By 2025, we will move everything to our logistics centre. At our new facilities there is plenty of space available to ensure we can keep expanding by offering innovative solutions to the A/V market.’

www.pvs.global

Tom and Patrick Van de Sande

Patrick Wong Mr Wong joins Outline following a decade of service at Sennheiser Asia where he held team leader and regional sales manager positions. Located in Singapore, he will develop Outline’s business strategies across the region, supporting distributors and report to the company’s headquarters in Italy.

‘My role will be to build upon this heritage while introducing our innovative loudspeaker systems and unique FPGAbased technologies to the APAC region,’ Mr Wong elaborated. ‘I will be heavily involved in product training and market development, engaging regularly with our current distributors, key users and commercial partners alike.’

Fluent in both Chinese and English, Mr Wong possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Western Michigan University.

‘Bringing an experienced professional of Patrick’s calibre to the Outline team is a key move to ensure we build on our momentum in one of the most dynamic regions for us,’ commented Leonardo Dani from Outline. ‘Asia Pacific is a major growth driver for Outline’s business, and it is vital that we continue to support our distribution partners with expert resources.’

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www.outline.it

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 55

NEWS: APPOINTMENTS attention on Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Singapore and Malaysia.

‘I’m excited to be part of Vue’s extraordinary growth story as the brand finds its place amongst the top audio brands in the world today,’ added Mr Manning. ‘With Vue’s touring success, more APAC touring companies want to use the latest and greatest gear so, with new construction and retrofits of existing facilities throughout the region, the sky is the limit.’

-RH 0DQQLQJ WR PDQDJH 9XH·V growing APAC demand APAC: Following strengthening demands throughout the APAC region, Vue has appointed Joe Manning to assume responsibility for market development in all APAC territories with the exception of China. In his role as an independent manufacturer representative for the region, Mr Manning will oversee the

brand’s upward growth trajectory by supporting existing Vue sales partners and expanding the brand’s reach into the hospitality, entertainment and HOW sectors across the region.

‘While the APAC territory is huge, there are few who understand it better than Joe,’ assessed Vue president, Ken Berger. ‘With a

$(4 DSSRLQWV new CEO WORLD: Iván Olmeda, who joined AEQ in 2014 to lead business development, has been named as the broadcast audio console manufacturer’s new CEO. Previous CEO Rogelio de la Fuente will remain with the company as an advisor to the new CEO and the board during a transitional period until the end of the year.

Mr Olmeda came aboard AEQ as part of the company’s merger through absorption of Kroma Telecom, where he had been managing director. ‘It is an honour for me to be in charge of this company, a true point of reference in the broadcast market and at international sporting events,’ said Mr Olmeda. ‘After four years as part of this company, it is clear to me that AEQ is built on great human and technological potential. In recent years we have made an important leap towards IP technology, which positions us in

Iván Olmeda a strategic place to give the best service to our customers.’

Mr de la Fuente stated that the changing of the guard was an important step for the growth of the company. ‘We are convinced that we leave AEQ in good hands and with great expectations for the future,’ he said. ‘It is a very well-matured decision. It is a guarantee to start this new stint with a person holding the profile and experience of Iván.’ www.aeq.eu

Riedel to expand video networking

WORLD: Riedel has announced the appointment of Jan Eveleens as director of business development for video networking solutions.

Mr Eveleens will help drive the manufacturer’s IP and video networking business efforts supporting product management, sales and marketing, with a particular focus on expanding

opportunities for MediorNet. Mr Eveleens joins the German manufacturer after almost a decade serving as CEO of Axon. Prior to that, he held general manager positions in the Netherlands over a 20-year period for leading video technology companies, first with Philips Electronics and then with Grass Valley.

‘Jan is an outstanding addition to our team,’ said Thomas Riedel. ‘His broad and deep experience and expertise in video and broadcast technology and international business will be a great asset. Plus, his leadership roles in organisations such as the IABM have earned him wide respect throughout the industry.’ www.riedel.net

56 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

steady hand, deep connections and a keen sense for how to support regional sales partners, Joe will be a key link in tapping Vue’s strong market perception and enabling our partners to land more and more business for what’s now one of the hottest pro audio brands on the planet.’

Mr Manning will focus his

Joe Manning

www.vueaudio.com

*HRUJH 3XWWRFN EULQJV road experience to Coda WORLD: George Puttock has joined Coda Audio as product manager for software support and training. With more than 10 years of experience as a systems engineer and having gained a strong understanding of pro audio applications and loudspeakers, Mr Puttock has spent the past six years on the road with artists such as Ellie Goulding and several classical symphonic concerts, many of which relied on Coda Audio solutions.

‘I’ve used Coda systems in a whole variety of applications and that led to a conversation with the company based around that “real-world” experience and how it could impact on Coda’s future development,’ Mr Puttock confirmed. ‘That conversation helped define my new role.’

David Webster, director of global marketing, welcomed Mr Puttock to Coda Audio: ‘We’ve known George for some years now and it is patently clear to us that his expertise is of the very highest order. Couple that with a level of hands-on experience of using Coda systems in the field, across an incredibly wide remit, and we have a formidable talent at our disposal. Coda has always placed the comment and evaluation we receive from system technicians and engineers at the forefront of our R&D. Rather than being prescriptive, we’re trying to create technologies that respond to the needs of people whose job it is to make audio come alive. In coming to join the Coda Audio team, George will bring a

George Puttock depth of insight that could never be acquired in purely academic terms.’ www.codaaudio.com

7KLDJR 7HUUD SRZHUV XS WORLD: Powersoft has appointed Thiago Terra as application engineer for rack amps. Joining the Italian manufacturer to support its recent business growth, Mr Terra will serve as a bridge between Powersoft’s product development unit and the pro audio industry, travelling the globe to conduct training seminars and provide support to engineers, as well as visiting distributors, end users and trade shows. He will also work with Powersoft’s R&D team to drive improvements to both hardware and software solutions.

Mr Terra has mixed, mastered and toured as an FOH and systems engineer for a range of notable artists and renowned events. He also owns a mastering and mix studio, WoC Studios, and is the production

Thiago Terra team leader at Sabaoth Church.

‘Thiago brings more than a decade of experience in sound

engineering and lots of new ideas thanks to his interesting background with exposure to so many sides of the professional A/V scene,’ said Fabrizio Romano Bolzoni, sales manager for rack amps at Powersoft. ‘With him on board, our customers stand to gain excellent support for their day-to-day activities, in addition to exceptional coaching for their internal staff and end users, plus the opportunity to share their feedback to enhance our future product line.’

‘With a stellar reputation in the professional A/V market, the products are well known to me having spent 15 years using them first-hand in my work as a sound engineer,’ Mr Terra commented. www.powersoft-audio.com

NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Adam Hall international sales shake-up

Bodo Falkenried WORLD: Pro audio industry veteran Bodo Falkenried is retiring from his global business development post at Adam Hall Group. As a result, COO and managing director Markus Jahnel will assume responsibility for the company’s international business development with immediate effect. During his five years

at Adam Hall, Mr Falkenried created and expanded the group’s regional business unit, Adam Hall Asia Pte Ltd. ‘We would like to thank Bodo for his great work and wish him all the best for the new chapter in his life,’ said Mr Jahnel. ‘He was a valued employee who was greatly appreciated by the entire team.

‘The long-term development of new business areas and partnerships and the development and personal maintenance of our global networks are important priorities for the immediate future. I am looking forward to being even closer to our marketplace expansion.’

In addition, Marcel Mieger has taken on the role of sales director for Europe at the German manufacturer, while Gabriel Medrano takes on the role of COO at Adam Hall North America, a subsidiary that was established at the start of 2018.

The Little Big One With the original Uniline, APG revolutionised the industry with true modularity and the ultimate benefits of scalability. Now, APG’s Uniline Compact delivers those same benefits in an ultra-compact format.

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1/2 PAGE vert Gabriel Medrano, Markus Jahnel and Marcel Mieger

Jacky Yee returns to GatesAir to head APAC sales APAC: GateAir has appointed Jacky Yee as head of sales, Asia Pacific, as it continues to grow its global sales teams. Based in Singapore, Mr Yee joins the manufacturer with more than 20 years’ experience in the broadcast and A/V industries, including positions with Extron and Grass Valley, as well as Harris Broadcast Communications Division – the company from which GatesAir was born.

Mr Yee’s return to GatesAir coincides with a restructuring initiative by CEO Bruce Swail to increase company visibility in key growth regions. ‘Having witnessed the transition of analogue to digital TV broadcasting in the APAC region from day one, I’m acutely aware of how regional regulatory initiatives have divided the implementation phases,’ said Mr Yee. ‘Because of this, I see many opportunities to grow GatesAir’s television business across the Asia Pacific subregions and emerging countries, while

UNILINE COMPACT SYSTEM UC206W - UC206N - UC115B

Jacky Yee

continuing to refresh FM infrastructure and advance digital radio.’

www.apg.audio

www.gatesair.com

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 57

NEWPRODUCTS

INSTALLATION • A/V • LIVE SOUND • BROADCAST • POSTPRODUCTION • RECORDING • LIGHTING A-ZCONTENTS

Audionamix gets smart about dialogue Audionamix is focusing on dialogue with its latest audio clean-up tool AUDIO SOURCE separation specialist Audionamix has added a new tool to its armoury for tidying up dialogue. The IDC: Instant Dialogue Cleaner plug-in is a real-time, cloudless solution that uses Deep Neural Network (DNN) artificial intelligence to automatically clean up speech. This is achieved through an ‘intuitive inter face’ where users can clear up dialogue with the turn of a single knob.

‘Instant Dialogue Cleaner is unique because, unlike traditional denoisers that learn and remove noise, it works by separating and preserving speech, regardless of the inter ference,’ says Maciej Zielinski, CEO of Audionamix.

‘This plug-in offers immediate dialogue clean up with the turn of a knob and addresses common audio issues such as complex variable noise inter ference including weather, traffic, music and room ambience.’

The plug-in is reportedly capable of automatically detecting and separating speech regardless of the surrounding content and is therefore capable of addressing complex audio issues including wind, birds or insects, car and plane inter ference, or troubleshooting distant, roomy recordings. This makes it ideally suited for cleaning up dialogue from production audio, field recordings, news and sports recordings, making it the per fect tool for audio post professionals, dialogue editors, re-recording mixers and broadcast engineers.

The feature set includes ±24dB independent gain control over separated background and speech elements, allowing users to remove unwanted background content and preserve separated speech. The separation strength parameter controls the amount

of separated background to avoid artefacts.

IDC is available in VST2, VST3, AU and AAX Native formats, requiring host software to run, and AudioSuite formats for both Mac and Windows systems.

The plug-in supports sample rates from

44.1kHz to 192kHz, bit depths between 16- and 32-bits, and features fully automatable plug-in settings. System requirements include at least an i5 processor and 8Gb RAM.

ADB Stagelight Lexpert AJA Kumo 3232-12G/Kumo 1616-12G Allen & Heath SLink option card Amate Nítid N12W AMX CT (Connectivity and Transport) Series Atlona AT-HDR-M2C-Quad/JunoX 451 HDBT Audinate Dante Adapter Modules Audio-Technica ATUC-50 V1.6.1 Audionamix IDC (Instant Dialogue Cleaner) Avid MediaCentral update/Nexis E5 NL Aviom Boom-1 Ayrton Bora-TC Barco OverView KVD5521B Bittree 12G Video Distribution Amplifiers Blackmagic Design eGPU Bose Business Music System Designer (BMSD) Calrec H2-IP Gateway/Modular I/O Controller CEDAR Audio CEDAR Studio 8 Celestion CKT-TF1525e/CKT-TF1225/CKT-TF1020 ChamSys QuickQ Chauvet Ovation H-605FC Christie CP2315-RGB/CP2320-RGB Clair Brothers kiTCurve-TrueFit Landscape and Portrait Claypaky Axcor Profile 600 and 400 Cloud Electronics CV-Digital Series Countryman H7 headset mic Crest Audio C1 series/PB-32 Crestron TSS-7/TSS-10/Pyng OS 2 Crown DCi DA Series/Dante 4.0 update Digital Projection Titan Laser 37000 WU and 33000 DirectOut EXBOX.BLDS hardware update/MADI.SRC update DPA Subminiature microphones/MMA-A Dynacord TGX series Ecler ARQISSB6T/IC3/eIC51-F/EclerNet Manager update Elation Cuepix 16 IP/eCast app Epson LightScene EV-100 and EV-105 Fane International Imperium 18XL FBT Vertus CLA 406.2A/CLA 206A/CLA 803/CLA 403 Fiilex Matrix II RGBW/Matrix II Tunable White Fulcrum Acoustic FH15 series (FH1565, FH1596)/FW15 360 Systems Maxx 2400 Genelec S360/7382 Jünger Audio flexAI/D*AP8 v3.0 Just Add Power 3G Ultra HD over IP series update Kevic Dante Network System Klotz DX10 L-Acoustics/Avid AAX DSP version of L-ISA for Avid Venue S6L Lectrosonics RPS4/SPDR Mackie DL16S/DL32S/FreePlay Series Martin Audio Adorn series (Adorn 40, Adorn 55)/SX110 Martin Professional Rush Batten Hex 1/Rush Blinder 1 WW Middle Atlantic Wider SR Series/Proximity Series/VDM Series Neutrik NA2-IO-DLINE/True Outdoor Protection series Novacoustic Kira Series NST Audio D48S/VR1 Panasonic AW-UE150/ AW-RP150/SQ1 Series Philips Vari-Lite VL2600 PR Lighting Arc LED 60/XLED 6019/Hybrid/Merlin QSC Q-Sys Designer Asset Manager RCF HDL 26-A/HDL 28-A/HDL 38-AS Renkus-Heinz ICL-XS/ICL-118S/DC12/2/IC12/3 RME M-32 AD Pro/M-32 DA Pro Robert Juliat Charles 960SX/Dalis Access 863 and 864 Roe Visual Europe Sapphire/Black Marble Rosco Opti-Sculpt Ross Video Furio S2 Lift/Tria News Rushworks A-List Streamster Sennheiser Memory Mic/TeamConnect Ceiling 2/IE 40 Pro Shure P9RA+/P10R+ Sommer Cable Cardinal DVM-HDBT/Cat.6 Pur Superflex Sony HDCU-4300/HDCU-3100/PXW-Z190/PXW-Z280 Stage Tec Yamaha consoles to access Nexus system Studio Technologies Model 5512/Model 5518 Symetrix SymVue TASCAM Model 24 Tasker Sheaths for different applications TSL Products MPA1-Mix-8/MPA1-Solo-8 Unity Audio Boulder MK-III Vaddio RoboShot IW Verity Audio AC12.3P Work Pro SoundNut SN8

82 88 68 60 88 90 68 76 59 78 72 84 87 88 90 75 68 80 60 86 82 92 75 82 60 76 62 87 62 93 80 76 64 64 82 92 68 63 84 62 00 67 78 88 74 72 78 70 68 64 81 86 74 60 72 90 81 84 78 66 64 70 84 86 84 92 86 76 74 71 72 74 70 78 75 71 70 67 90 66 62

www.audionamix.com

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Red 16Line is a 64-in/64-out Pro Tools | HD and dual Thunderbolt 3 audio interface with ultra-low latency A-D/D-A conversion, Red Evolution mic preamps, up to 121dB dynamic range, ultra-low round trip latency, and expansion over Ethernet for networked audio.

pro.focusrite.com

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 59 November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 59

PRODUCTS

Amate shines bright DERIVED FROM the Latin words to shine and bright, Amate Audio has enhanced its Nítid loudspeaker series with the addition of a new 12-inch subwoofer. Weighing 26.2kg, the N12W is designed to provide precise low-end per formance with portable plugand-play systems and comprises a single 12-inch woofer with a 3-inch voice coil loaded in a band-pass tuned enclosure with laminar ports. Capable of reproducing a linear frequency response

starting from 38Hz (–10dB), the active system integrates an 800W Class-D switch mode power supply amplifier capable of producing 90% efficiency. A dedicated 48-bit DSP unit includes parameters such as crossovers, a 5-band EQ, limiters, delay up to 40m, gain control, mute and polarity in addition to several presets, including cardioid presets.

Configuration and monitoring can be made via the on-screen output display and the front backlight

The N12W subwoofer using the Nítid software.

Inclined to prevent rain or moisture penetration, the rear connection panel includes a double PowerCon input and link, together with an LCD screen that

displays various settings, presets, volume and user adjustments.

A responsive SensitiveTouch capacitive sensor keypad provides further protection under humidity and extreme weather conditions.

The multilayer birch plywood cabinet is finished with a resistant polyurea coating and a 1.5mm speaker grille with black mesh that has been designed with an optimum per foration gradient.

Ergonomic handles together with an M20 plate socket on the top side enhance the subwoofer’s flexibility in terms of portability along with full-range enclosure coupling. www.amateaudio.com

Celestion extends its appeal to DIY enthusiasts

Celestion blueprints CELESTION HAS established driver-specific cabinet designs for DIY builders by following the company’s CKT-TF1525e, CKT-TF1225 and CKT-TF1020 speaker designs. The three blueprints feature a Celestion bass/midrange driver, an HF compression driver and

accompanying horn plus a recommended crossover.

Downloadable as PDF files, complete plans simplify the build of ported enclosures using recommended 15mm birch plywood or 18mm MDF. The plans also provide a detailed listing of crossover components

as well as a suggested layout, together with a guide to finding the assembled cabinet’s balance point for adding a stand-mount socket.

The CKT-TF1525e is based around the 15-inch midrange driver and comes with a CDX1747 polyimide diaphragm HF compression driver loaded onto Celestion’s H1-9040 horn providing 90° (horizontal) by 40° (vertical) dispersion. The 12-inch CKT-TF1225 system combines the CDX-1745 driver with the same horn. The CKT-TF1020 floor monitor pairs the 10-inch Celestion TF-1020 midrange driver with the CDX1-1445 compression driver loaded onto the H1-7050 horn. The 70x50 horn provides both the horizontal and vertical dispersion for upright or lateral deployment as a floor monitor. www.celestion.com

Clearly Cloud CLOUD ELECTRONICS has introduced a new range of energy-efficient amplifiers with the introduction of its new CV-Series digital multichannel 70V/100V amplifiers. All models in the CVDigital series offer a total power output capability of 1KW shared across the amplifier channels. This flexible approach allows a single, multichannel amplifier to drive loudspeaker systems differing in load size, in different areas of a building or venue, while optimising overall power output capability.

Designed to be Energy Star compliant, the CV-Digital Series models come with Automatic Power Down. This trigger mechanism is activated should an input signal not be detected within 30 minutes, reducing power consumption to just

CV2500 2.5W for which remote control of the power down state is available via an external contact closure.

A full suite of user configurable DSP functionality is on board including input routing, multi-band parametric room and speaker optimisation EQ, output level control and limiting, together with 1.5s of assignable delay.

Amplifiers can be easily set up for multichannel or parallel channel operation and bi-amping with full control of crossover parameters.

Providing the same DSP power as the normal amplifier channels, the

60 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 60 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

auxiliary outputs can be configured as traditional slave outputs, or used as independent signal processing and routing channels.

Compatible with standard Cloud RL Series remote level control plates, DSP parameters are accessible via RS-232 and Ethernet for interfacing to third-party control systems including Crestron, AMX and Control4. A 3-way GPIO port can be configured for external master mute and fault condition signalisation. www.cloud.co.uk

Kira8

Compact and discreet THE KIRA series of coaxial speakers from Nova is a discreet PA solution that offers a compact design, smooth coverage for off-axis audiences, no minimum listening distance and high feedback rejection, according to the German manufacturer.

The Kira5, Kira8, Kira10 and Kira12 are coaxial 2-way, highperformance loudspeakers for fixed installations and mobile use. They are constructed from 15mm birch plywood and covered with a black texture finish. All four speakers offer a coverage of 90° x 90° (HxV). Two speakON connectors are mounted at the rear side of the chassis for signal input and signal link. The speaker fronts are protected by stable front grills with acoustic foam backing. Each model includes a U-bracket as standard to enable ceiling or wall installations.

Kira5 is equipped with a 1-inch HF driver (1.35-inch voice coil), which is mounted coaxially onto the 5-inch transducer; Kira8, Kira10 and Kira12 all come with a 1-inch HF driver (1.75-inch voice coil), which is mounted coaxially onto the 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch transducer, respectively. Kira5 has a power rating of 150W (RMS) and an impedance of 161; for Kira8 these figures are 250W and 81; for Kira10 they are 350W and 81; and for Kira12 they

are 450W and 81. Kira12S is described as an ultra-compact subwoofer for fixed installations.

The cabinet is fixed with one 12-inch transducer, while the integrated flying system includes two mounting points for the installation of the U-bracket. It has a power rating of 400W and an impedance of 81.

Finally, Kira18SC is a subwoofer with a triangular design for installation in corners. It has an 18-inch transducer and a 4-inch voice coil, making it suitable for low frequencies. The metal frame has integrated rubber pads, which provide an acoustic decoupling of walls and ceilings.

It has a power rating of 1,000W and an impedance of 81. www.novacoustic.com

Nova’s Kira18SC

E

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PROFESSIONAL MIXING CONSOLES

Mixing tradition redefined Redefining the tradition of professional analog mixing desks with high-grade preamplifiers and EQs, extended dynamic and exceptional sound clarity in a road proof metal chassis. All consoles feature semi-parametric EQ with switchable Q, two Hi-Z inputs, channel inserts, and the newlydesigned 32-bit floating-point Z.CORE DSP effects engine offering 80 predefined presets and 20 user-presets. Multiple auxes, assignable buses, adjustable monophonic output, and USB driverless stereo IN/OUT allow for wide-ranging routing capabilities.

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18 Mic/Line IN, 3 Stereo Line IN 8 Single-Control Dynamic Compressors 4 Band Semiparametric EQ 6 Aux Sends per Channel 100 mm Faders

12 Mic/Line IN, 2 Stereo Line IN 6 Single-Control Dynamic Compressors 4 Band Semiparametric EQ 6 Aux Sends 100 mm Faders

6 Mic/Line in, 3 Stereo Line IN 4 Single-Control Dynamic Compressors 3 Band Semiparametric EQ 4 Aux Sends 60 mm Faders

www.rcf.it

PRODUCTS

Fulcrum reduces radiation CURRENTLY COMPRISING of the FH1565 (60° x 45°) and FH1596 (90° x 60°) models, Fulcrum Acoustic is shipping its FH15 series 2-way coaxial horn system. Incorporating a 15-inch horn-loaded woofer and a 4-inch diaphragm compression driver, the FH15 series provides precise pattern control to below 400Hz, LF extension to 54Hz and a high output that only requires a single amplifier channel. According to the US manufacturer, the FH15 utilises Temporal Equalisation (TQ) DSP techniques to eliminate mid-range colourations and HF harshness while producing a smooth coverage pattern through the crossover range.

Characterised by their unique, vertically trapezoidal enclosures, the cabinets integrate yoke bracket mounting and other options.

A 15-inch coaxial cardioid stage monitor has also been made available. The FW15 incorporates Fulcrum Acoustic’s patented Passive Cardioid Technology to enable low-profile FW15 stage monitors to attenuate rear LF radiation that normally interferes with the audience, stage microphones and front-fills. The coaxial transducer and 75° x 75° horn provide optimal coverage for monitoring applications, while the 3-inch compression driver and 15-inch woofer incorporating

FW15 a 3.5-inch voice coil are said to provide ample headroom. The monitor’s pattern control, coupled with TQ DSP processing, provides consistency and gain-beforefeedback both on- and off-axis.

DCi 8|300DA tunings, network control and monitoring functionality and the ability to drive 21, 41, 81 or 161, as well as 70V and 100V speaker loads from each channel without the need for an additional transformer.

In other news, several products from Crown and its sister Harman brand, BSS, have received the Dante 4.0 firmware update, which

www.fulcrum-acoustic.com

Power in a nutshell

Crown continues to network with Dante THE CROWN DriveCore Install (DCi) DA Series has expanded with the Crown DCi 8|300DA (an 8-channel power amplifier with 300W per channel), the DCi 4|300DA (four channels with 300W per channel) and the DCi 4|600DA (four 660W channels). All three new models are designed to support Dante and AES67 networked audio at a lower wattage than previous DA Series amplifiers.

In addition to being able to send and receive Dante and AES67 networked audio, the DCi DA Series amplifiers are built with a DSP featuring JBL speaker

According to the manufacturer, the clarity and source separation of the FW15 allow performers to clearly distinguish their own voice among others. The FW15’s multifaceted enclosure includes 40°

and 55° angles for downstage and upstage distances, respectively.

The cabinets incorporate a double grille construction and four input options positioned close to the stage to reduce the visual impact of connected cables. The FW15’s cardioid behaviour is produced by an acoustical circuit that balances the position of the coaxial driver/ horn assembly, the enclosure depth and volume, together with specially constructed side ports towards the back of the cabinet. The sub-cardioid LF control produces 3dB to 4dB of 90° off-axis rear rejection over its operating range.

adds support for Dante Domain Manager. In addition to the three new DCi amplifiers listed earlier, the update is available for the Crown DCi 4|1250DA and DCi 8|600DA models and the BSS Soundweb London Blu-806DA and Blu-326DA cards, as well as the Blu-DA bridge. www.crownaudio.com

WORK PRO Audio has introduced the first member of a new series of pendant speakers for installation applications. Like all forthcoming members of the SoundNut range, the SN8 is a 2-way 400W coaxial pendant speaker with an 8-inch bass driver and has been designed to reproduce audio with a flat frequency response from 98Hz to 19kHz and uniform acoustic coverage across a 90° area.

The speaker features a frameless and screwless magnetic grille that can be detached for easy access to the drivers. The speaker weighs 8kg, measures 290mm in

diameter x 365mm tall and the housing can be custom-coloured to blend into any environment. www.workpro.es

Crest Audio powers commercial installs

Crest Audio’s C1 86k DSP power amp CREST AUDIO has designed a new range of contracting and installation Class-D amplifiers integrating DSP, Dante protocol networking and USB/Ethernet connectivity for monitoring and control. The contractor-friendly C1 Series is equipped with Euro connector inputs and barrier strip outputs in addition to fault relays and CV (control voltage) inputs.

All four models incorporate a switch mode power supply with full bandwidth PWM modulators

for low distortion, high efficiency and superior circuit protection.

Protections include a clip/limiter function for output monitoring preventing speaker damage and gentle gain reduction at clip threshold together with efficient heat dissipation and overheat protection. The C1 86k is an 8-channel amplifier offering 750W/channel into 41, while the C1 48k is a 4-channel model providing 2,000W/channel into 41. The C1 44k and C1 25k

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are 4-channel 1,000Wx4 and 2-channel 2,500Wx2 versions, respectively.

The internal DSP engine comes with sampling rates of 96kHz/24-bit and 24-bit AD/DA converters, and provides access to IIR HP/LP crossover filters, RMS compressor, parametric EQ, alignment delays, white/ pink noise and other parameters.

Input sources can be selected and presets loaded via the front panel LCD touchscreen.

Rear panel connections

Alternatively, a Dante network module enables primary and redundant connectivity to a digital audio network with external monitoring and control of the amplifier. Loaded with Peavey’s MediaMatrix hardware and NWare software, the C1 Series power amps can also be integrated with other DSP/control platforms that support Dante audio networking.

Meanwhile, the PB-32 SoundGridto-Dante network bridge has been launched to provide the

connection between Crest Audio’s flagship Tactus digital mixing system and its powered Versarray Pro line array system. The PB-32 will enable the audio signal to remain in the digital domain from the desk to the Dante-enabled Versarray Pro PA system. Housed in a 1U ½-rack chassis, the PB-32 provides up to 16 channels of bidirectional audio to be transmitted and received by each network (SoundGrid and Dante) via interchangeable 16x16 networking modules. The unit is shipped with one Dante and one SoundGrid module as standard but may be loaded with two Dante cards to link separate Dante systems with different clock sources. www.peaveycommercialaudio.com

PRODUCTS

)%7 ÁH[HV LWV FROXPQV ITALIAN MANUFACTURER FBT has added new versions of the Vertus CLA 60A active column line array with the launch of the CLA 406.2A and CLA 206A active columns.

Now designed for mobile sound reinforcement applications, both the CLA 406.2A and more compact CLA 206A come with a fly-bar for suspension for which a clamp can be added for tubular coupling.

A foldable floor stand can then angle the array between 0° and 10°, while a bracket for coupling two enclosures can further angle

and waterproof in character. Full EN54-24 certification ensures both columns are equipped with a ceramic terminal block and the thermal fuse can be used for emergency and evacuation purposes. Both the CLA 803 and CLA 403 further integrate a passive directivity control system to deliver a consistent frequency-based vertical dispersion with a choice of narrow (110°H x 15°V) and wide (110°H x 40°V) angles. Each fully modular Vertus CLA enclosure can be linked to others to enhance low-

frequency control, high-frequency dispersion and overall SPL. Other features include a 100V line transformer with switchable power levels. Accessories include a fly-bar with optional clamp, a foldable floor stand, a bracket with two diffusers offering a 0° to 15° swivel range (in 5° steps), a fixed 0° bracket for assembling straight arrays, a tilting wall bracket for mounting at up to 20° (V) and 90° (H) and a fixed wall support for near-flush mounting.

Vertus CLA 206A

Vertus CLA 803

www.fbt.it

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Vertus CLA 406.2A

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between 0° and 20° (in 5° steps).

M6 rear suspension points and M10 screws are available for fixed installations, while optional quick release pins can be used in mobile applications.

The active CLA 406.2A is a Class-D 600W + 300W system equipped with four 6.5-inch woofers and a 1.4-inch HF compression driver with a 2.5-inch voice coil.

A choice of eight presets come with the onboard DSP, while the enclosure’s large-format waveguide provides 100° x 25° (HxV) dispersion. Incorporating the same waveguide, the CLA 206A is equipped with two 6.5-inch woofers.

Suited to both interior and outdoor use, the Vertus CLA column line arrays comprising the CLA 803 and CLA 403 models incorporate eight and four 3-inch full-range woofers, respectively. Housed in powder-coated aluminium cabinets with a special hydrophobic fabric grille, both models are dustproof

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www.riedel.net

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PRODUCTS

Dynacord powers live production DYNACORD HAS designed its TGX power amplifiers to be the ‘ultimate amplification solution’ for medium- and large-scale live performance applications. The series features two models: the TGX10 (4x2,500W at 41) and the TGX20 (4x5,000W at 41).

The amps are also equipped with Dante networking capabilities as well as AES and analogue inputs.

Each amp features 96kHz DSP with FIR Drive Technology and a signal-to-noise ratio of up to 118dB. Included in the amps are a number of patent-pending technologies designed to offer a ‘reliable and stable system per formance’. According to Dynacord, the advanced protection package monitors

more than 200 parameters to ensure that the amps continue to perform in challenging conditions.

Even with fluctuating mains power supplies, TGX amps will reportedly remain stable. Dual network ports and automatic fall-back are said to provide an extra level of redundancy and system reliability.

The TGX system rack is a modular system designed by

Dynacord’s TGX20 amp touring professionals. The single 10 rack unit TGX system rack is pre-configured with three TGX20s plus two independent network switches.

The racks offer integrated sliding doors, customisable I/O options and a reversible mounting for the

power distribution. The racks can be vertically stacked and locked together to give up to 180kW of output power in the same footprint as a conventional amp rack. www.dynacord.com

Ecler unveils architectural cabinet

Martin Audio’s Adorn series and SX110

Martin Audio Adorns on-wall solutions THE NEW Adorn series of on-wall loudspeakers from Martin Audio is designed for commercial installations, such as in retail spaces and boardrooms. The series aims to handle distributed sound applications while remaining ‘visually discreet’.

The ultra-compact enclosures are said to provide a ‘seamless sonic transition’ within multizoned setups that include larger Martin Audio systems, such as CDD solutions.

There are initially two members of the Adorn family: Adorn 40 and Adorn 55, which feature 4- and 5.5-inch drivers, respectively. Both are 2-way cabinets that are available in black or white as standard, or can be custom painted to match an interior. Their nominal impedance of 161 enables four or more of the speakers to be driven in parallel by a

single amplifier channel. ‘T’ variants of each model are also available, each fitted with an internal 70V/100V multi-tap line transformer with a switch for selecting the output level.

The SX110 subwoofer has been launched alongside the Adorn range to extend their bandwidth, intended particularly for foreground music applications that facilitate a need for increased impact and low-frequency performance. The SX110 is built for concealment beneath banquette seating or for discreet placement elsewhere within a venue. Its ultra-compact enclosure features a 10-inch driver and ‘generous’ bassreflex porting for the reduction of air noise. The unit can also be suspended thanks to its M8 threaded inserts. www.martin-audio.com

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ECLER HAS added to its ARQIS series with ARQISSB6T, a wooden wall-mount subwoofer reinforcement cabinet with a slim and compact format. It features a 6.5-inch driver and a passive 6.5-inch radiator, 120 WRMS power at 81 and an integrated 70V/100V line transformer with 60W and 120W taps. With a frequency response of 60Hz to 1.5kHz and measuring 250mm x 390mm x 150mm (WxHxD), the ARQISSB6T also comes with an installation U-bracket and is available in a black or white finish.

Ecler has also announced the release of two in-ceiling installation loudspeakers. First, the IC3 has a compact design in the shape of a halogen light.

Ecler’s ARQISSB6T architectural loudspeaker cabinet It features a 3-inch driver, 10 WRMS at 81 nominal power and a 70V/100V line transformer with 1.5W, 3W and 6W power connections. It is a 1-way ABS loudspeaker and has an aluminium front grill. The speaker

has a frequency response of 200Hz to 20kHz and is available in a black or white finish. Second, the eIC51-F features a 5-inch woofer and a 70V/100V line transformer with 3W and 6W power options. It is also a 1-way ABS loudspeaker that has a frequency response of 90Hz to 16kHz and a sensitivity of 89dB. Meanwhile, the latest version of EclerNet Manager is now available, including the latest firmware updates for a range of devices, including DN44BOB, Duo-Net, Mimo88, Mimo88SG, Mimo1212SG, MPage16, NPA, NXA, NZA, WPmScreen and WPTouch. www.ecler.com

R-H meets its match RENKUS-HEINZ HAS added matching ICL-XS and ICL-118S subwoofers to its IC-Live X Series, with the ICL-XS becoming the first dedicated column subwoofer for the family.

Featuring four 8-inch woofers, the ICL-XS is intended for integration beneath ICL-X and ICL-XL arrays, resulting in one discreet array that offers full-range per formance, consistent coverage and minimal aesthetic intrusion. The ICL-118S, meanwhile, is a high-output subwoofer designed for largescale events or venues with high LF SPL requirements. It offers a single, high-excursion 18-inch woofer in an optimised bass-reflex cabinet, powered by a RenkusHeinz SA-2000 amplifier for nearly endless power.

In addition to the two matching subwoofers, the manufacturer has introduced the DC Series Directivity Control vertical column

speakers. The first product to join the series is the DC12/2 self-powered column speaker, which houses 12 2-inch, full-range drivers, 12 DSP channels and selectable presets that adjust the directivity and coverage patterns. For ease of set up, the presets can be selected using a smartphone. The DC12/2 is intended to be used in standalone applications, including as main speakers in small venues such as boardrooms and small gymnasiums, as fill speakers for transepts or balconies, or as overflow room-fill speakers.

Finally, the manufacturer has introduced what it describes as ‘a full-blown Iconyx speaker in a smaller, high-value package’.

The IC12/3 incorporates all the features typical to the Iconyx line, including Rhaon control, beamware integration, Dante or AES input options, RJ45 or fibre

IC12/3 optic network connections. The speakers house 12 3-inch, fullrange drivers with broad horizontal coverage and 12 amplifier/DSP channels to deliver high granularity for steering. www.renkus-heinz.com

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PRODUCTS

RDNet processing from RCF

HDL 26-A RCF HAS added three loudspeaker models together with complementary flyable subwoofers to its HDL series of composite line array enclosures. Sharing the same design footprint as other HDL cabinets, the new models differentiate themselves with the incorporation of RDNet processing. Furthering on from the development of the HDL 6-A, the HDL 26-A comprises dual 6-inch woofers with a 3-inch compression driver and a 1,000W RMS Class-D amplifier for use with the HDL 35-AS subwoofer.

Comprising dual 8-inch woofers with 2.5-inch voice coils and a 550W RMS amplifier, the HDL 28-A has been designed to be partnered with the HDL 36-AS 15-inch subwoofer. Finally, the

HDL 30-A can now be paired with the HDL 38-AS subwoofer.

Equipped with a 1,600W RMS Class-D amplifier, the single 18-inch model is capable of extending the LF range to 30Hz and integrates RDNet loudspeaker management control. The adoption of RDNet 3.2 recognises and connects all the cabinets in a network upon powering them on. While the Bass Shaper function allows adjustment to the low frequencies, the Air Compensation function corrects the system response in realtime. www.rcf.it

HDL 28-A

Verity controls dispersion VERITY AUDIO has released the AC12.3P active, arrayable, steerable column speaker with a built-in DSP that allows the vertical acoustic beam dispersion angle to be adjusted via external management software, instead of through manual methods. The column speaker is 1m in height and features 12 3-inch drivers arranged in four groups of three.

Each group is powered by its own Class-D amplifier and configured with an independent digital signal processor.

The 3-inch drivers are custommade for the AC12.3P, allowing it to operate within a 100Hz to 16kHz frequency bandwidth.

Verity Audio notes that when eight AC12.3P units are vertically linked together to create a ‘super long’ 8m line source, effective control of the sound beam is facilitated for frequencies as low as 100Hz, placing the transition point between the near and far field further afield than in other solutions. For near field

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applications, the SPL attenuation is 3dB each time the distance is doubled, while in the far field it’s 6dB. This means that for an 8m-long AC12.3P system, a maximum SPL of up to 99dB can be achieved at 100m. In addition, with the AC12.3P sound beam control algorithm, the SPL for frequencies over 400Hz keeps uniformity at distances between 25m and 100m, dropping only to 2.5dB at 150m. www.verityaudio.fr

PRODUCTS

Extended detail from the Boulder MK-III THE NEW MK-III version of Unity Audio’s Boulder active 3-way monitor claims to deliver a ‘fast, more accurate sound and extended bass response with a greater SPL’ than its predecessor. This per formance increase comes in addition to a new German Crystal Membrane enclosure sur face that stiffens the aluminium dome, reportedly diminishing resonances and minimising colourisation, while improving power handling and dynamics. The voice coil design of the bass drivers also results in an expanded range by nearly an octave, down to 36Hz at –3dB. Meanwhile, the centrally mounted compact coaxial X-JET 5-inch midrange driver and 50kHz folded ribbon tweeter are said to assure true point source phase accuracy across its entire frequency spectrum from 694Hz to 50kHz. The Boulder MK-III is now fitted with dual 300W Class-D amplifiers with its own separate power supply specifically for the two Crystal Membrane

woofers, while retaining its two original discrete custom Class A/B amplifiers with their own dedicated power supply for the Coaxial X-Jet mid-range/ribbon tweeter. www.unityaudio.co.uk

Loud and clear WITH THE aim of offering audio solutions for all room sizes and applications, Genelec has announced the release of two high-SPL SAM monitors: the 2-way S360 and the 7382 subwoofer. Suited for large postproduction setups as much as EDM playback, the speakers are housed in a compact, lowdiffraction enclosure.

The S360 features a 10-inch high-efficiency and minimal distortion woofer based on the company’s Master Series and an integrated extended directivity control waveguide DCW supporting the 1.7-inch titanium diaphragm compression tweeter. It has a short-term SPL capability of 118dB and a long-throw capability that can reportedly provide referencequality accuracy at distances of over 10m. Other features include an uncoloured 95° (H) to 75° (V) dispersion and in-wall and on-wall mounting options.

The 7382 is described as the company’s most power ful subwoofer to date. It delivers

Genelec’s S360 low-frequency extension down to 15Hz and houses three 15-inch, long-throw woofers.

Each woofer is said to benefit from the vibrationfree environment of a heavily braced fibreboard enclosure, with laminar flow bass reflex porting extending along the rear

wall for a ‘low distortion and compression-free per formance’.

The 7382 works with GLM software to control bass management or solve issues of subwoofer placement in unpredictable rooms. www.genelec.com

Boulder MK-III

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PRODUCTS

Fane International extends Imperium range FANE INTERNATIONAL has designed a new 18-inch woofer incorporating an optimised fibre-loaded cone assembly controlled by a fully optimised multi-roll surround.

Joining the 18NDXL in the Imperium range, the 18XL is

a 1,300W-rated (AES) driver that exhibits ‘smooth tonal character combined with a fast response time’, according to the UK manufacturer. The unit’s dual spaced suspension configuration provides control during large excursions, while a motor structure built around an Y35

magnet ensures maximum flux yield from a compact design to generate minimal flux modulation.

The venting built into both the cast aluminium chassis base and motor minimises power compression. Weighing 13kg, the 18XL features a ferrite magnet and a 5-inch copper voice coil,

and is capable of operating down to 30Hz (–6dB). Suitable for bassreflex or horn-loaded designs, the woofer offers a sensitivity (1W/1m) ratio of 96dB and a peak-to-peak maximum excursion of 52mm. www.fane-international.com

Mackie expands DL Series line-up MACKIE HAS added to its DL Series of digital mixers with the 16-channel DL16S and the 32-channel DL32S with built-in Wi-Fi networking and multi-platform support on the company’s Master Fader control app. With Onyx+ mic preamps, fully loaded DSP on each input and output plus four FX processors, DL16S and DL32S provide a new suite of FX such as

chorus, flanger, rotary and autofilter. The redesigned interface is said to allow more freedom for choosing the FX and seeing what is currently selected. They also feature full multi-track recording via USB. Meanwhile, the manufacturer has announced the FreePlay Series consisting of FreePlay Live, FreePlay Home and FreePlay Go.

FreePlay Live can run on either AC or battery power, with the built-in rechargeable battery offering up to 15 hours of sound. It incorporates inputs for a microphone, guitar, keyboard or playback device. Users can also stream music wirelessly from any Bluetooth-enabled device.

FreePlay Home and FreePlay Go are portable Bluetooth speakers that also feature an in-built

The DL16S and DL32S rechargeable battery and can be used as a power bank to recharge USB devices. They can be connected to a second FreePlay

Series speaker via the FreePlay Connect app. www.mackie.com

A&H expands SQ capabilities ALLEN & HEATH has opened up the potential for digital FOH/monitor splits, broadcast feeds and recording with the addition of an SLink option card for the SQ digital mixer series. The option card has the same functionality as the built-in SLink port, provides a further 128 inputs and 128 outputs of digital audio, and runs independently. The manufacturer claims that

with two SLink ports, it’s now possible to combine an array of Allen & Heath products with SQ, including any ME personal monitoring system, DX and dSnake expanders.

The SLink card also allows for direct connections from any SQ console to another Qu, SQ or dLive system and/or to 48kHz or 96kHz expanders. www.allen-heath.com

The Allen & Heath SLink

The H2-IP Gateway

Calrec opens an IP gateway CALREC’S H2-IP Gateway has been created to provide an interface between a Hydra2 network and an AoIP network. It is SMPTE 2110/AES67-compatible and builds on the British manufacturer’s Impulse core native IP technology for use with the Apollo and Artemis mixing consoles.

In addition, H2-IP Gateway delivers an additional control level that allows audio labels to be sent back and forth between Hydra2 and AoIP networks with control data. This enables Hydra2 users

to control the gain of Calrec AoIP mic inputs, while AoIP users can manage the gain of Hydra2 mic inputs. The 1U system can pass 256 or 512 channels of audio in each direction and multiple gateways can be used to increase capacity and connect to multiple networks. Additional units can also be employed as backups.

Calrec has also launched the Modular I/O Controller card, which operates in either Hydra2 or AoIP mode and is also SMPTE 2110/AES67-compatible while drawing on an Impulse core. A

simple switch on the dual-purpose card selects the mode, allowing it to be used on either network.

It supplies two redundant pairs of 1G SFPs, allowing 512 audio channels to pass without draining the bandwidth in AoIP mode.

In other news, Brio audio consoles have been given a boost in channel count with new expansion packs that increase the Brio12 DSP count from 48 to 64 input channels and the Brio36 from 64 to 96 input channels. www.calrec.com

Audinate adapts to Dante AUDINATE HAS announced the availability of its Dante Adapter Modules, designed for the production of cost-effective, compact, manufacturer-branded Dante audio adapters and low-channel count audio devices. Dante Adapter Modules are pre-programmed and integrated into larger host devices to provide Dante network support without the need for PCB design and manufacturing, component procurement and programming.

The family contains six models: single and dual-channel analogue input, single and dual-channel analogue output, 2-in/2-out AES3 and 2-in/2-out USB. These modules can be used to create custom-featured adapters or incorporated directly into lowchannel count endpoint products such as powered speakers and direct boxes. The modules feature sample rates up to 96kHz (except USB), user-configurable signal

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levels (for the analogue models), power over Ethernet and support for AES67 RTP audio transport.

In other news, Audinate has updated its Dante Domain Manager. The new version reportedly provides advances in diagnostics and usability, extended auto discovery for legacy devices and increased support for larger networks.

The automatic device discovery service has been extended to

legacy (pre-v4.0) devices. This makes it easier for products with and without the 4.0 firmware to co-exist in Dante Domain Manager.

The Network Diagnostics Report provides visibility of basic network configuration via connectivity, DHCP, DNS and internet reachability tests. Users can now rename Dante domains without having to delete and recreate them.

Dante Adapter Modules

www.audinate.com

IPX IPX5:4 | IPX10:4 | IPX20:4 | IPX10:8

THE PINNACLE OF AMPLIFIER ENGINEERING IPX series multi-channel amplifiers mark the new, unprecedented standard for sound system amplification in mid to large-sized fixed installations. These amps offer seemingly unlimited power and have the most advanced DSP with FIR-Drive processing on board, supporting Dante audio and OCA. All models embody several proprietary amplifier technologies, such as Eco Rail, which can reduce power consumption up to 50% while maintaining outstanding audio and operational safety. Learn more: Dynacord.com/ipx

PRODUCTS

Studio Technologies supports SMPTE ST 2110 STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES has introduced two audio interfaces for applications that use the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards to implement audio over Ethernet (AoE) network connectivity: Model 5512 Audio Interface and Model 5518 Mic/Line Interface. Model

Model 5512’s analogue inputs and outputs use 25-pin D-subminiature connectors for interfacing with balanced and unbalanced sources and destinations. Model 5518’s eight mic/line audio inputs are located on the front panel and use standard

Model 206 and Model 208. All offer combinations of analogue and digital audio resources to create on-air talent hubs that deliver audio in both Dante AoE and traditional analogue audio environments. The units’ audio resources and small size enable

Model 5512 5518 allows users to connect eight analogue microphone or line-level sources, and then output in the digital domain by way of an AoE interface. Model 5512 offers similar digital conversion of line-level analogue sources and is available in two versions – one with eight input and eight output channels, and the other with 16 input and 16 output channels. Both models support redundant stream performance following the ST 2022-7 standard.

3-pin female XLR connectors.

These analogue audio input signals are converted to 24-bit PCM digital and then transported via the AoE network interfaces.

Each unit is housed in a compact, lightweight enclosure, while power can be provided by 100V to 240V, 50/60Hz or 12V DC with redundant operation supported.

Further new additions from Studio Technologies include three announcer’s consoles: Model 205,

the creation of on-air positions where space is at a premium, reportedly making them ideal for sports and entertainment TV, and radio events as well as streaming broadcasts. Model 205 and Model 206 are specifically designed for table-top use, while Model 208 is optimised to allow easy mounting to the top or bottom surface of a broadcast set or talent location. www.studio-tech.com

TSL extends connectivity JOINING TSL’S MPA1 range of audio monitors are the new MPA1-Solo-8 and MPA1-Mix-8, which are said to provide all of the workflow and ease-of-use benefits as their MPA1 siblings,

With MPA1-Solo-8, users can browse through analogue and AES audio sources using the scroll to listen function ‘as easily as tuning a car radio’. The front panel display provides high-quality audio level metering, audio

Up to 16 mixes can be created and recalled from the front panel using the scroll to listen functionality.

As with all MPA1 products, both MPA1-Solo-8 and MPA1-Mix-8 come complete with a built-in

phase meters and source names.

With MPA1-Mix-8, users can create stereo monitoring mixes comprising up to eight audio pairs from any combination of the analogue and AES audio sources.

web-server to allow remote configuration and control, thirdparty control using SNMP and free software updates.

MPA1-Solo-8 while extending the range of connectivity already available in the series. Both products are equipped with 16 balanced analogue inputs, eight AES inputs and eight GPIO ports.

www.tslproducts.com

The Lectrosonics RPS4 power supply

Redundant power from Lectrosonics THE RPS4 from Lectrosonics is a universal DC power supply with redundant internal supply modules designed as a 12V DC source for low-voltage devices such as wireless microphones, receivers, IEM transmitters, IFB transmitters and signal processing equipment. The power supply is housed inside a 1U chassis that negates the need for a separate power strip with individual DC supplies for each device.

The RPS4 supplies four 12V DC thread-locking taps, with each providing up to 1.5A. Two internal power supplies and two temperature controlled fans operate in a failover mode for an automatic backup in the event one of them fails.

Furthermore, individual 2A blade-type fuses used in cars protect each 12V tap from overload or direct short.

The unit can be powered by 100V to 240V AC, 50/60Hz. Output DC ripple is less than 20mV. The unit ships with two 12-inch and two 18-inch DC supply cables. The RPS4 is said by the manufacturer to be the per fect companion for its Venue and Venue 2 receivers.

Meanwhile, Lectrosonics has also unveiled the SPDR, a stereo version of its PDR micro digital recorder. The SPDR (Stereo Portable Digital Recorder) is a dual-channel unit designed for use in ENG, film

and video production or as a backup recorder. It records to a Micro SDHC memory card in Broadcast Wave Format (.WAV with iXML metadata) and 24-bit depth, in sample rates of either 48kHz or 96kHz. The unit can accept inputs from analogue line level and AES digital sources, or from lavalier microphones wired for standard Lectrosonics 5-pin ‘servo bias’ inputs. The SPDR can be jammed with time code via an industry-standard 5-pin Lemo connector, and features a temperature compensated (TCXO) time base crystal. www.lectrosonics.com

The Stereo Portable Digital Recorder (SPDR)

High analogue channel counts via AVB RME HAS debuted a new series of AVB converters that are based on state-of-the-art, high-resolution converter components and a fully balanced analogue circuit design.

The M-32 Pro AVB series includes the M-32 AD Pro and M-32 DA Pro, two high-end, 32-channel 192kHz converters that meet the requirements for high analogue channel counts. The series offers a signal-to-noise ratio of 120dB(A) with low THD values, placing the converters in the reference class.

In order to connect with a variety of analogue hardware, the individual channels of the M-32 AD Pro and M-32 DA Pro can be operated with different line levels, each with full resolution of the converters.

Besides +19dBu and +13dBu, the M-Series also allows working with the SMPTE recommendation of +24dBU at 0dBFS. The M-Series converters boast an AVB interface based on the open network standard IEEE 802.1 and 1722.1, enabling transmission

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of the 32 analogue channels at maximum 192kHz sampling rate via a single Ethernet cable. This is in addition to two fully equipped MADI I/Os including separate signal routing.

Combined with external AVB switches, the new converters can be integrated into more complex network structures thanks to the time-synchronous signal processing of the AVB protocol.

The M-32 DA Pro and M-32 AD Pro converters

www.rme-audio.de

PRODUCTS

Tasker ticks all the boxes

TASKER HAS customised the sheaths of its cables to suit the various audio and video applications that they are used for.

In the music market, the soft PVC cable with a low number of shores is particularly relevant, although many of Tasker’s customers are said to prefer the flexibility and mechanical resistance of the polyurethane sheaths. Polyurethane is considered to be a highly versatile material thanks to its high resistance to cutting, abrasion and trampling, UV rays, water, chemical and atmospheric agents, and also for being flame-retardant and halogen-free.

As well as the polyurethane sheaths, the polyethylene cables have been designed for both indoor and outdoor applications to provide customers with a high resistance to water and chemicals. For public installations, the company recommends its Low Smoke Zero Halogen sheaths. For medical applications, the silicone sheaths have been designed for installations with an operating temperature of –60°C to +180°C. For underground installations, metallic braided armour covers the entire cable sheath to offer protection even from rodents. www.tasker.it

Sommer goes the distance FOR LONG-DISTANCE signal transmission, Sommer Cable has introduced a new generation of Cardinal DVM-HDBT extender systems that raise the bar for transmissions quality.

The compact devices are optimised for continuous operation and process HDMI signals up to the 2.0 standard with all common features such as HDCP 2.2, 4K, 3D, CEC as well as PCM and bitstream audio.

Bidirectional RS232 and infrared communication for display or beamer control is also transmitted, while the devices can be powered remotely via Ethernet (PoE). The Cardinal DVM-HDBT extender systems are available as transmitter, receiver and kit.

Cardinal DVM-HDBT ‘When designing the new Cardinal DVM systems, we focused on a stable, zero latency transmission of HDMI signals,’ explained Pascal Miguet at Sommer Cable. ‘That way, uncompressed UHD content can be transferred in real-time by using only a single Cat line,

Cat.6 Pur Superflex

and over a maximum distance of 70m.’

In addition to the updated extender sets, Sommer Cable has launched a new outdoor cable for digital audio and network signals that is being recommended for situations where a reliable temperature resistance, a safe data transfer and high flexibility are demanded. The Cat.6 Pur Superflex is 8mm in diameter for 4x2 wires and is said to be well-suited for use in OB vans. It is available as bulkware or as a ready-made cable. www.sommercable.com

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Next Generation www.codaaudio.com

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PRODUCTS

Klotz says goodbye to distortion GERMAN MANUFACTURER Klotz AIS has unveiled its DX10 passive DI Box that converts a high 1 unbalanced signal into a low 1 balanced signal. The signal from the instrument is fed into the DI box between the instrument and the amp. The DX10 then balances the signal so that it can be transmitted over long distances without hiss or background noise before it is fed into a mixer for further

processing. As it is a passive DI box, it does not require an external power supply and a 6+6:1 transformer ratio. The box incorporates a 100% mu-metal transformer core and a mu-metal shield for RF isolation. The company is so convinced that the ultra-rugged housing will cope with the stresses and strains of

NST Audio adds new tools

live per formance that it is offering a 5-year warranty.

Boom-1 is compatible with the entire range of the manufacturer’s personal mixing systems.

Boom-1’s front panel features a ¼-inch TRS stereo headphone in and thru connection, a strength control knob with signal and clip LED indicators, four selectable

NST Audio’s D-Net Ethernetbased control software for PC, Mac and iPad provides the ability to not only control all the devices on a network but also to store preset memories and configure systems offline.

Additionally, NST Audio has released a new wall panel remote device for controlling specific parameters with the

www.klotz-ais.com

Click Click Boom!

THE BOOM-1 Tactile Transducer Processor has been developed

by Aviom to add processed, lowfrequency tactile information to an in-ear or headphone monitor mix. Designed for ease of use and providing a low-frequency extension to a performer’s personal mix,

BASED ON the same engine as the D48 matrix processor, NST Audio’s D48S expands the system with a range of new audio tools. With inputs and outputs switchable in channel pairs between analogue or AES/EBU, the D48S can be integrated into virtually any system.

Compressors are available on every input as well as a

NST Audio’s D48 processor

‘feel’ presets with control over multiple DSP settings from a tight to loose feel and a transducer mute button. On the rear is a locking transducer out, as well as an XLR mono input offering direct connection to the A360 Personal Mixer and an XLR output with level control to deliver a DSP processed signal to an external power amplifier for driving large transducer arrays.

Keeping things simple, Boom-1 can be added to any personal mixer with a stereo headphone output or a dedicated mono linelevel output. www.aviom.com

high pass filter, eight bands of parametric EQ, a 28-band graphic EQ, three bands of dynamic EQ and up to 1.3s of delay. Routing to outputs can be configured to either mix-matrix mode, freerouting or several pre-configured routing options, and every output channel has high and low pass filters, 16 bands of PEQ and up to 1.3s of delay. The device also integrates the manufacturer’s new Predictive eXcursion Limiter (PXL) algorithm, designed to offer the ‘best driver protection with the lowest distortion’.

Controls on the front panels enable the instant mute of any input or output as well as editing of all the most commonly used parameters and recall of presets.

manufacturer’s audio processors.

The panel is designed to fit into a single-gang electrical wall box and can be powered by a PoE router.

The VR1 is programmed using the NST Audio D-Net software and can be set up to allow control of one or more NST Audio processors connected to the same network as the wall panel. Once set up, the VR1 reportedly requires no technical knowledge to operate.

The full colour 128x128 pixel LCD display allows all pages to be labelled by the install engineer, leaving venue staff with a remote that adjusts the configuration and volume of the sound system in multiple locations. www.nstaudio.com

Flexible OB from Sony

HDCU-3100 SONY HAS added the HDCU4300 and HDCU-3100 to its inventory. The HDCU-4300 is a 2U full-rack sized CCU and 4K/ HD for IP baseband processor unit with built-in IP and SDI inter faces designed to save space and weight in OB trucks.

The unit enables either 4K or HD IP operations through a single Networked Media Inter face, alongside SDI outputs. The unit is also HDR ready and can handle High Frame Rate HD up to 8x slow motion.

The HDCU-3100 is a 1.5U compact CCU that brings IP capabilities to Sony’s system cameras. Combined with the HKCU-SFP30 option board, the

HDCU-3100 is able to support SMPTE ST 2110 Professional Media over a managed IP network suite of standards. The HDCU3100 is equipped with eight built-in SDI outputs, including four 3G-SDI outputs. An LED colour indicator shows the status of optical transmission on the front panel with different LED colours to optimise operability.

The PXW-Z190 and PXW-Z280 have also been unveiled by the camera manufacturer. The PXW-Z190 is a 4K compact camcorder that has been designed for independent shooters in applications such as corporate, event production and education. The camcorder’s

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three ⅓-type Exmor R CMOS image sensors capture RGB light independently and deliver 4K 50p/60p imagery with high resolution and a wide range of gradation. The model incorporates a 25x optical zoom lens to cover a wide focal range for multiple shooting requirements, while a 50x zoom equivalent image can be captured thanks to the camcorder’s 4K

PXW-Z190 resolution sensor. The PXW-Z280 is an extension of the company’s XDCAM line of professional

PXW-Z280

camcorders. The three ½-type Exmor R CMOS sensors deliver high sensitivity of F12 (59.94p), long zoom ratio and deep depth of field. The 3-chip sensors and 4K 4:2:2 10-bit are said to add vivid imager y and delicate colour gradation. The Face Detection Autofocus function is designed for recording inter views or lectures, where a specific person will automatically stay in pin-sharp focus when applied together with registration function of the face. www.pro.sony

CONQUER THE

ELEMENTS Outdoor rated speakers need to conquer more than just the elements.

To be considered high-end audio, a speaker needs to deliver full range high-ďŹ delity sound even in challenging open spaces. In the MX series, this sound is perfected in an ultra-compact architectural case, mounted on a leading-edge single arm bracket that is IP rated to withstand nature in all its fury.

The MX series - a conquest of the elements, a conquest of design.

I P 6 7 R AT I N G

MX601/MX801 HIGH FIDELITY WEATHERPROOF MONITOR

questengineering.com.au

PRODUCTS

Shure upgrades bodypack receivers SHURE HAS released the P9RA+ and P10R+ bodypack receivers that operate with the PSM900 and PSM1000 Wireless Personal Monitor Systems, respectively. Both the P9RA+ and P10R+ are said to deliver enhanced RF performance while preserving the audio quality and transparency of the PSM900 and PSM1000. Designed for live performers, broadcast production managers, sound technicians and rental agency managers, the receivers provide an analogue/ digital hybrid system that reportedly increases headroom, stereo separation and audio fidelity.

The P9RA+ is a compact, stereo bodypack that is compatible with the original P9T and P10T

P9RA+ transmitters and all Shure SE Sound Isolating Earphones, while the P10R+ is a low-profile, twin-antenna diversity bodypack receiver with features such as full bandwidth RF scan, precision front-

end RF filtering and automatic RF gain control. Built with an integrated FPGA circuit, both receivers are equipped with advanced DSP technology that provides highquality digital audio over analogue RF transmission, according to the manufacturer. By offering higher RF sensitivity, the P9RA+ and P10R+ reportedly deliver a cleaner RF signal and better end-of-range performance. The P10R+ is said to possess a more robust and reliable RF signal in close proximity to digital transmitters when used alongside digital wireless microphone systems in crowded spectrum spaces. www.shure.com

Kevic builds in Dante KEVIC HAS unveiled a series of products compatible with the Dante network. The range includes four digital signal processors (DN3124, DN3144, DN3124(B) and DN3144(B)), a digital rack mixer (G-16), four powered coaxial stage monitors (CM-1082PN, CM-1122PN, CK1082PN and CK-1122PN), eight full-range powered speakers (KS-1082P, KS-1102P, KS1122P, KS-1152P, MS-1082PN, MS-1102PN, MS-1122PN and MS-1152PN), six powered line arrays (LS-2107PF, LS-2103PN, LS-2083PN, LW-1152PF, LW1181PN and LW-1151PN) and four digital snake boxes (DMB-04, DMB-08, DMB-16 and DMB-32).

All the speakers and line arrays include built-in Dante, DSP and Class-D amplifiers. According to the Korean manufacturer, it is

possible to build a lossless, noise-free system using only Kevic products. Dante has also been integrated into the DSPs, mixers and snake boxes. SFP

DEVELOPED TO connect trusted analogue devices within a Dante network, Neutrik has created the NA2-IO-DLINE interface. Offering two inputs and two outputs, the cable-based product is an end-ofnetwork device that allows four analogue signals to be connected simultaneously, hence bypassing the need for new devices. The Dante I/O Interface has been optimised for extreme use together with input and output signal conversion. Other features include stable casing and a lockable etherCON connection, while the adapter can be used multi-functionally as a standalone

technology has been added so that all network data can be transferred and managed, even from a distance. The company claims that the system is the first to be manufactured with a direct link configuration to the speaker’s Ethernet port. The speaker cable has also been simplified so that users can configure a larger system or adapt to any additional system changes. www.kevic.com

USERS OF Yamaha consoles are now able to access Stage Tec’s Nexus system over IP via a Dante interface.

This provides Yamaha consoles with the ability to control the Nexus TrueMatch microphone inputs and allows for the use of Nexus converters.

The licence for Nexus remote control via a Yamaha mixing console can be acquired directly from Stage Tec. TrueMatch input parameters such as phantom power, low cut and gain can be controlled using the XDIP Dante audio over IP interface and the XACI control board. A Dante board provides up to 64 channels, while

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74 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 74 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

device in floor outlets or in 19-inch racks.

The Liechtenstein-based manufacturer has also created the True Outdoor Protection series (TOP) that provides protection against moisture and precipitation in addition to the sun and ultraviolet rays. The new series includes powerCON TRUE1, etherCON and XLR products, which have been certified in accordance with IEC 61076-2103, IEC 60320, UL 1977 and UL 498 to meet the requirements for outdoor use as laid out in UL50E. www.neutrik.com

Nexus becomes compatible with Yamaha

LS-2107PF

DMB-32

Neutrik makes a connection

Nexus with the XDIP Dante audio over IP interface and the XACI control board up to four Dante boards can be used per mixing console. The licence for Nexus remote control by Yamaha mixing consoles must be purchased from Stage Tec. www.stagetec.com www.yamahaproaudio.com

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PRODUCTS

Model 24 arrives

THE MODEL 24 digital multitrack recorder has been designed by TASCAM for studio and live applications. It offers 24 tracks of 24-bit, 48kHz audio capture – or 22 channels and a stereo main mix – and 22 playback tracks via either USB 2.0 or to the system’s in-built SD card recorder.

The SD Card recorder facilitates 1-touch recording functionality and incorporates transport controls, automatic or manual punch in and out, and overdub. Meanwhile, Model 24’s built-in 22-channel mixer and 100mm long-throw fader simplify mixdown.

A pair of monitor returns, a subgroup bus and stereo main bus are also equipped with dedicated 100mm faders. The system offers 12 mono channels, each of which has XLR mic and ¼-inch line inputs. The ¼-inch

channel inputs 1 and 2 can be switched between line and instrument level and include a ¼-inch TRS insert point. Four stereo channels with mono XLR mic and left and right ¼-inch line inputs also feature.

All 16 microphone inputs possess a preamp gain control as well as an overload (clip) indicator for the channel’s TASCAM microphone preamp. Each of the first 20 channels also includes Mute and PFL solo commands.

Based on TASCAM’s Portastudio digital technology, with an LCD screen, digital recording abilities and Bluetooth input, Model 24 has a retro look with colour-coded knobs and faux wood sides. www.tascam.com

Clair Brothers LGHQWLÀHV VLPLODULWLHV OVER THE past three years, Clair Brothers’ TrueFit Technology waveguide system has evolved. Initially designed to optimise frequency dispersion using a bespoke horizontal waveguide that enhances directivity throughout an entire space, the modular and fully customisable waveguide has now been modified to operate as a ‘ready-fit’ option specifically in small- and medium-sized venues sharing overall geometric similarities. As such, the kiTCurve-TrueFit system can be adapted for both ‘landscape’ and ‘portrait’ room layouts. kiTCurve-TrueFit Landscape and

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kiTCurve-TrueFit Portrait models have been added as standardised TrueFit line array systems. www.clairbrothers.com

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BMSD BOSE HAS developed a new online, interactive tool to aid audio integrators in specifying the right Bose products in commercial audio applications.

The Business Music System Designer

(BMSD) tool can be accessed on the manufacturer’s website.

The free-to-access tool focuses on FreeSpace and EdgeMax recommendations for non-technical users.

The recommendations are based on parameters such as room dimensions, mounting style, desired coverage and volume level.

According to Bose, no pre-existing technical knowledge is required and the design time takes less than 10 minutes to complete. pro.bose.com

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PRODUCTS

Countryman dons a new headset to tackle background noise COUNTRYMAN’S NEW H7 headset microphone is designed to shut out surrounding noise with a wide dynamic range and a precision cardioid pattern. It is also designed to be rugged, yet comfortable to wear and is intended for location sound, theatrical and presentation applications, among other uses.

The manufacturer states that the mic’s extended dynamic range and precision cardioid pattern provides consistent coverage across the audio frequency range, ensuring an uncoloured on- and off-axis response and a noticeable reduction in feedback and surrounding noise.

AS A result of feedback from the theatre, film and television industries, DPA Microphones is adding to its d:screet and d:fine ranges with its ‘smallestever’ microphone capsule. The d:screet Core 6060 and 6061 Subminiature Microphones and the d:fine Core 6066 Subminiature Headset Microphone are 3mm

reports that more colours will be added at a later stage.

The d:fine 6066 is described as a one-size-fits-all headset that attaches over the ears and has a spring mechanism to help it grip below the ears and to the side of the head for added security.

The cable attachment has been redesigned so that the cable

H7 headset mic The H7’s ‘ultra slim’ sideaddress capsule maintains a low profile while removing sweat and moisture. The unit weighs in at under 7g and its frame adjusts to fit all manner of head size. The mic boom slides

independently of the ear loops, ensuring the correct placement for the user’s mouth, and can be flipped to run down the left or right of the face. www.countryman.com

A-T updates ATUC-50

ATUC-50

DPA goes miniature

AUDIO-TECHNICA HAS announced the availability of new firmware for the ATUC-50 Digital Discussion System line-up. New features of the V1.6.1 upgrade include an increase in the maximum number of delegate units (ATUC-50DU and ATUC-50IU) from 50 to 100 per ATUC-50CU together with support for the ATUC-50IU Integration Unit for discreet installations. The free firmware can be downloaded from the ATUC-50 product page on the ATUS website.

The manufacturer has also upgraded its entire line of network microphones and devices and is offering AES67-compatible ‘a’-designated versions of all its previous models. They are designed for audio over IP interoperability, connecting directly to any AES67-compliant network, including those that use Livewire, Ravenna and Q-Lan AoIP technologies. www.audio-technica.com

The 6066 subminiature headset and 6060 lavaliers in diameter – 2mm smaller than DPA’s existing 4000 series of miniature microphone products.

All three microphones incorporate the company’s Core by DPA microphone technology that reduces distortion and increases dynamic range.

The capsules are omnidirectional and have a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. The d:screet 6060 lavalier has a noise floor of only 24dB(A), while the d:screet 6061 lavalier and d:fine 6066 headset have noise floors of only 26dB(A).

All three capsules are available in black and beige and the company

runs down the wearer’s back and cannot be seen.

Meanwhile, DPA has also unveiled its pocket-sized MMA-A Digital Audio Interface, a 2-channel preamp and A/D converter that reportedly works with any iOS device, Mac or PC computer, and has been designed for users to broadcast or record sound anywhere in the world. The MMA-A comes with interchangeable Lightning and USB cables for connectivity and MicroDot inputs that allow it to be connected to all DPA capsules. www.dpamicrophones.com

Professional wireless audio for smartphones SENNHEISER IS targeting a new breed of broadcaster with its latest wireless microphone solution. Memory Mic is a professional wireless mic that pairs with users’ phones via Bluetooth, allowing them to capture high-quality audio for their smartphone video recordings.

This, says Sennheiser, makes Memory Mic the perfect tool for mobile journalists.

‘The benefits for the mobile journalist include audio pickup in broadcast quality via the free Sennheiser app, 1-touch synchronisation of audio and video via Bluetooth, no issues at all with range, up to four hours of operating time and recharging via USB,’ explained Sennheiser’s Tobias von Allwoerden.

The Memory Mic is a condenser microphone with an omnidirectional pick-up pattern

The Sennheiser Memory Mic and weighs just 30g. Via the app, the sensitivity of the microphone can be set at three levels in order to adapt to louder or softer voices. The operating time of the microphone amounts to up

76 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 76 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

to four hours – a full recharge of the integrated lithium-polymer battery via the USB port takes ‘no more than two hours’ and, within an hour, the battery will have recharged to about 70% of its full capacity. It can be attached to clothing via a magnetic clip.

Staying with audio capture but moving into the boardroom, Sennheiser has released a second-generation version of its TeamConnect Ceiling array microphone that promises ‘superior’ audio quality for voice and video conferences as a result of its automatic adaptive beamforming technology that uses the 28 omnidirectional microphone capsules integrated within the ceiling array.

Furthermore, TeamConnect Ceiling 2 also offers support for Dante networks and Power over Ethernet (PoE), simplifying installation.

Lastly, and at the other end of the signal chain, a new professional IEM series has been launched, beginning with the IE 40 Pro entry model. At the heart of the IE 40 Pro is a Sennheiser driver that offers lowlevel distortion of 0.1% at 1kHz and 94dB. Neodymium magnets provide the necessary punch to take SPLs up to 115dB. To protect users against excessive stage sound, the IE 40 Pro is able to reduce ambient sound by up to 26dB. This is achieved by a choice of silicone ear tips and a special ear tip made from memory foam, which expands to fit the ear canal.

The IE 40 Pro will be available in black and transparent versions, complete

with a soft storage pouch, a cleaning tool, silicone ear tips in three sizes (S, M, L) and a pair of memory foam ear tips in size M. The IE 40 Pro will be joined by the IE 400 Pro and the top-ofthe-range IE 500 Pro in the near future. www.sennheiser.com

IE 40 Pro

OWN THE ROOM www.digico.biz DiGiCo UK Ltd. Unit 10 Silverglade Business Park, Leatherhead Road Chessington, Surrey KT9 2QL. Tel: +44 (0) 1372 845600

PRODUCTS

Symetrix adds DSP control SYMVUE HAS been launched

by Symetrix enabling custom GUIs authored using Symetrix’s Composer to be designed and tested without writing any code.

With the SymVue software deployed on Symetrix Control Server hardware, Symetrix DSPs are able to respond to commands from any browser-enabled device.

Parameter changes remain in sync across all networked devices including Composer, ARC Wall Panels and ARC-WEB, third-party controllers and SymVue clients on Windows PCs. SymVue is distributed to one or more users across a wired network or Wi-Fi via Control Server hardware as well as existing and upcoming Symetrix apps. Multiple users can operate SymVue with a unique username and password.

Each installation of SymVue for Control Server also includes five

Q-Sys heads into the cloud

configurations of the application, as well as five configurations of the Mixer application, enabling users to create intricate and complex systems out of the box. SymVue for Control Server virtually eliminates device and

operating system compatibility issues. Furthermore, security and user access is centrally managed, enabling administrators to deal with changes and reconfiguration. www.symetrix.co

AS A subset of the latest Q-Sys Designer Software v7.1, Q-Sys Designer Asset Manager is a cloud-based feature that provides quicker and easier downloads of new Q-Sys assets including plug-ins for third-party device control. The addition of the Asset Manager enhances contributions to the growing Q-Sys asset library before delivering these resources to system designers and administrators. The Asset Manager currently features plug-ins from

some of the most commonly used elements in today’s conference rooms, including devices from Microsoft, Global Cache, Attero Tech, Atlona, Clock Audio and Visionary Solutions. Each plug-in includes a detailed description, links to relevant product pages, imagery and access to previous versions of the asset for when reversion is necessary within a system design. www.qsc.com

5HGHÀQLQJ SURFHVVLQJ JÜNGER AUDIO is hoping to redefine how broadcasters approach their audio processing requirements with flexAI (Flexible Audio Infrastructure). With additional software licences, broadcasters and postproduction facilities can customise the system to suit their needs. Said to enable the implementation of a range of audio applications without hardware or rack space constraints, flexAI applications run on off-the-shelf

servers such as the company’s servAI line or on AIXpressor. flexAI can run on a single AIXpressor or servAI unit, or on a spanned array of multiple units. Additional hardware units can be cascaded whenever more processing power or media interfaces are required.

In other news, the German manufacturer has upgraded its D*AP8 Monitoring Audio Processor (MAP). The new firmware (v3.0) provides ‘a much easier to use

The D*AP8 MAP interface and improved alarm functionality so that broadcast engineers are alerted sooner if measurements fall outside permitted ranges’. When fitted with a Dolby decoder and encoder, the processor is reportedly the only device on the market capable of covering a full Dolby workflow.

Firmware v3.0 also delivers improvements to MAP’s alarm

functionality as it now offers an independent alarm for the main measurement and additional alarms for all four log-ports, each of which monitor up to eight channels independently from the actual signal processing in the device. The alarms alert the operator when preset loudness thresholds are exceeded, and these signals can be delivered

by SNMP and documented in the optional J*AM logging software.

Alarms can also be used to trigger changes in signal processing, rerouting of channels or switching notification lights in the facility.

The processor is also equipped with the latest drivers for Dolby’s current codec option board, the CAT1100, running a Dolby D/D+ encoder. www.jungeraudio.com

MediaCentral takes to the web

L-ISA integrates with Avid L-ACOUSTICS HAS announced the addition of an AAX DSP version of its L-ISA Source Control plug-in for the Avid Venue S6L console’s control surface. Users will have access to all ‘source object’ controls and all L-ISA parameters can be stored in the console’s snapshots engine and recalled in the same way as other console parameters.

Portability and live interaction are cited as some of the benefits, plus the loudspeaker layout can

easily be adapted to location changes while maintaining the spatial properties of the mix.

‘Sound engineers are able to use a familiar workflow and a single interface to manage an objectbased mix easily and intuitively, for a variety of loudspeaker configurations, from frontal layouts to surround or 3D,’ said L-ISA director of R&D, Guillaume Le Nost. www.l-acoustics.com

78 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 78 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

AVID HAS launched a new, web-based version of its MediaCentral workflow production and management platform. The ‘next-generation’ MediaCentral platform engine found in the new version provides capabilities such as automated content indexing, workflow orchestration and centralised administration.

The new functionality has been added to allow users to locate and access media assets remotely. This, Avid states, will facilitate a quicker turnaround of content and delivery to a diverse range of channels and devices, while also automating workflows.

In other Avid news, the Nexis family has grown with the addition of the E5 NL nearline storage solution.

Accessed through MediaCentral Cloud UX or Media Composer, it enables the management of media across online, nearline and

Avid Venue On-Stage app

archive storage resources. The Avid Nexis E5 NL integrates into media applications, services and workflows.

It includes the web-based Avid Nexis management console app for managing, controlling and monitoring Nexis installations.

Finally, Avid has unveiled its OnStage iOS app for its Venue software that provides a range of new control surfaces and software workflows, enabling monitor engineers to

reportedly control any mix from any location. Monitor engineers are said to be able to take control of their individual monitor mixes using a user interface on an iPad, iPhone or iPod, and step away from the Avid mixing system to fine tune individual monitor mixes while onstage, hearing exactly what the performers hear. www.avid.com

A 10" driver with extraordinary mid-band clarity RAJ >ABKNA SA [JEODA@ >QEH@EJC EP Right from the start, it was clear that the CF1025C was going to be something special. Using laser interferometry early in the development phase, Celestionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engineers built an accurate picture of the coneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movement across the frequency spectrum, providing the essential data needed to achieve extraordinary mid-band clarity.

CF1025C From a range of small-diameter, high performance Celestion professional drivers

MANUFACTURERS Contact Celestion to request a sample

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PRODUCTS

EXBOX.BLDS gets hardware update DIRECTOUT HAS announced a new hardware version of its EXBOX.BLDS automatic redundancy switch. The hardware will ship with a modular MADI inter face in order to cover all applications and formats in multichannel MADI systems. The new hardware design of EXBOX. BLDS is based on the MADI modules DirectOut uses in its

SG.MADI SoundGrid inter face.

According to the manufacturer, users are not only able to receive any configuration of the two MADI ports as required but are also able to change this configuration in the future.

DirectOut is also continuing to develop its technical partnership with globcon in the form of free globcon support for the MADI.SRC.

The EXBOX.BLDS MADI redundancy switch ‘It’s hard to improve a solid working product,’ said Jan Ehrlich, MD at DirectOut. ‘However, globcon support is really a feature

that adds a big improvement to the hardware since it is now able

CEDAR Studio 8 goes live CEDAR AUDIO’S Studio 8 builds upon the previous incarnation of the CEDAR Studio suite of plugins, CEDAR Studio 7, by adding new modules, increasing its compatibility with plug-in formats and making improvements to existing functionality.

Available in AAX, VST 2, VST 3 and AU plug-in formats, as well as a standalone version of Retouch, CEDAR Studio 8 includes the DNS Two module,

a dialogue noise suppressor based on the DNS 2 hardware unit that allows users to adjust the attenuation of a recording to achieve the desired amount of noise reduction.

Meanwhile, the new Declip 2 module improves on the original CEDAR Declip and is designed to remove clipped samples and reconstruct the original signal, improve clarity, eliminate distortion and restore the original

dynamic range of damaged audio.

The other two new modules included within Studio 8 are for use with Pro Tools only.

They are Manual Declick, which aims to restore analogue and digital audio media that suffers from long clicks and extended scratches, and Dethump, which replaces unwanted sound with restored low-frequency audio. www.cedar-audio.com

CEDAR Retouch inside Studio 8

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to monitor what’s going on. That’s the icing on the cake for our MADI.SRC.’ Control plug-ins for the ANDIAMO series have also been completed, along with the management of MIDI over MADI and SERIAL over MADI features of all ANDIAMOs via globcon. The DO.Net implementation for M.1k2 has also been developed and enables control of the ANDIAMO series through globcon via Ethernet UDP. www.directout.eu

PRODUCTS

Rush Betten Hex 1

Martin is in a Rush FOLLOWING AN official launch at InfoComm 2018, Martin Professional has announced that the Rush entertainment lighting fixtures are now shipping.

Featuring 12W RGBAW+UV 6-in-1 LEDs, the Rush Batten Hex 1 is a 12-cell batten wash fixture that can transmit intense light for colour, white or blacklight applications. With available pixel mapping of the individual LEDs and a removable diffuser lens that increases

Rush PAR 3 RGB

the beam angle of the fixture from 25° to 32°, the new model can be specified for multi-purpose applications. The Rush Blinder 1 WW is an ultra-bright 2x2 LED blinder fixture incorporating four individually controllable 100W COB warm white LEDs capable of providing over 19,000 lumens output. A unique frame can be used to attach fixtures together in a grid pattern, while the individually controllable COBs create pixel effects across multiple fixtures.

Designed as a successor to the Rush PAR 1, the Rush PAR 3 RGB is a 36W single-lens LED PAR can fixture that comes with fully pre-mixed colour. A magnetically attached beam angle reducer lens provides both 80° and 14° beam angle options, while a fanless design provides quiet operation. Finally, the Rush PAR 4 UV has been created as a single-lens UV LED PAR can fixture in black-light applications. Integrating a 100W COB 400nm UV LED mounted in a reflector for high-output ultraviolet light, the fixture incorporates regulated air cooling for quiet operation.

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www.martin.com

Philips updates its VL2500 Series PHILIPS HAS added the VL2600 Profile, Spot and Wash to its Vari-Lite brand. The Profile and Spot produce 19,000 lumens of high colour temperature and high contrast light output from their 550W engines. With a range of 7° to 48°, they expand on the colour range of the VL2500 and reportedly offer a broader choice of saturated colours while maintaining the familiar Vari-Lite colour palette. Effects features include iris, two gobo wheels, one fixed colour wheel, prism and variable frost.

Described by the manufacturer as ‘compact, lightweight, fast and accurate’, the Profile and Spot also benefit from a flat, even beam, a full wipe framing shutter and a CRI of 81.

The VL2600 Wash produces 22,000 lumens of high colour temperature from its 550W engine and has a zoom range of 12° to 63°. It includes an internal, beam-shaping framing system and has an adjustable beam edge feature (PC or Fresnel). Other benefits include a variable fan control and a fixed colour wheel, and the

VL2600 Profile Wash matches its Profile and Spot siblings with a CRI of 81. www.vari-lite.com

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 81 November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 81

PRODUCTS

Calling in the Lexperts THE LEXPERT family is a new range of LED units from ADB Stagelight, designed to replicate traditional white light sources.

Family members include the Lexpert Profile spot, Lexpert Fresnel and Lexpert Emphasy, all of which are available in two versions, offering different colour temperatures: warm (3,200K) and daylight (5,600K).

Lexpert Profile is a 300W profile spotlight built to replace a 1KW halogen profile fixture. Modular in design, its body contains the LED source and an optical unit with either a 15° to 30° or 25° to 50°

zoom. The two zoom modules are interchangeable.

Developed to take the place of 1KW halogen Fresnels, Lexpert Fresnel presents a 150W LED source of white light and is also available in warm and daylight versions. It is designed to be light and compact, while reportedly keeping heat and sound emissions down, with a noise level of less than 30dB. The Fresnel also has a 200mm lens and motor-driven linear zoom, delivering a uniform beam, which can be adjusted from 8° to 80° via local and DMX controls. Users are able to select

between 8- and 16-bit operation on four channels, with four preset dimmer curves, or make manual adjustments using a knob on the back of the unit. It has a frequency range of 600Hz to 48kHz, and control is offered through DMX512, RDM and Art-Net 3.

Finally, the Lexpert Emphasy is an LED profile spot intended primarily for accent lighting. With a lightweight construction and built-in electronic control, the unit is also fanless resulting in ‘total silence’ during operation. ADB Stagelight emphasises the aesthetic look of the Lexpert Emphasy, stating that

Claypaky adds to Axcor range

Axcor Profile 600 FOLLOWING IN the footsteps of the Axcor Profile 900 LED spot profile, Claypaky has unveiled the Axcor Profile 600 and

400 luminaires featuring the manufacturer’s patented beam framing system. Both models are available in two versions: with 6,500K colour temperature and high light output, or with 5,600K colour temperature and a CRI of around 90.

Axcor Profile 600 has a wide zoom range from 5° to 45° (1:9 ratio) which means that, according to the manufacturer, the light can be used in a variety of situations, including those where a narrow angle is better. It incorporates one colour wheel with seven colours, one rotating gobo wheel with six gobos and a rotating 4-facet prism.

Meanwhile, Axcor Profile 400, measuring 65cm high, incorporates a framing system that works on four planes, an effects section with an animation wheel, a colour system

with linear CTO and a high precision mechanical iris. It has three operating modes: silent, standard and auto. www.claypaky.it

Axcor Profile 400

The three Lexpert models it is ‘a solution for all applications where the fixture cannot be hidden and an object or an architectural detail has to be enhanced’. It

features a high colour-rendering index (CRI*95), stable-over-time and a reported high light output-topower consumption ratio.

The lens is designed around the LED and is said to deliver a precise, sharp, perfectly diffused beam. Lexpert Emphasy is available in several versions, with different beam angles (19°, 26°, 36° or 50°), warm and daylight colour temperatures (3,200K or 5,600K), body finishing colour (black or white) and a DMX version for theatrical use. www.adbstagelight.com

House lights come into the mix CHAUVET HAS responded to requests for full colour mixing in house lights with its Ovation H-605FC. The convection cooled fixture is powered by an RGBA-Lime LED engine, reportedly enabling it to replicate nearly any colour, as well as virtually any colour temperature of white, making it suitable for traditional house lighting as well as applications that call for more colour to be added to the room.

The fixture offers colour temperature presets from 2,800K to 6,500K, 16-bit dimming and adjustable Pulse Width Modulation, which avoids flickering on camera.

It offers interchangeable lens plates to allow the fixture’s beam angle to go from narrow to wide, while an included yoke allows for mounting from pipes or integrated loop-eyes. The light can be controlled via DMX, WDMX or RDM

Ovation H-605FC adds colour to house lights and has 5-pin XLR and terminal blocks for DMX connections. www.chauvetprofessional.com

Elation caters for all weathers WITH MORE and more events being staged outdoors, Elation Professional has expanded its range of IP-rated products with Cuepix 16 IP, a 4x4 matrix LED blinder and effects panel with an IP65 rating. Cuepix 16 IP is an updated version of the company’s 5x5 Cuepix Panel and houses 16 long-life 30W RGBA COB LEDs to provide a ‘full spectrum of well-balanced, custom colours with no pixelated rainbow shadows’. The amber LED is said to extend the possible range of colours and give more control over white balance.

Cuepix 16 IP

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The COB LEDs reportedly give a higher density output and a more even light distribution. Each COB module is individually controllable, while RGB, dynamic amber and pixel flip modes add to the LED’s ‘creative potential’. The five pixel flip modes allow users to uniformly configure all pixels in multi-panel configurations, regardless of the installation setting.

The LED colour matrix projects a wide 62° beam angle with an 87° field angle. When used with cameras, the silent fixture is flicker-free thanks to the LED refresh rate and gamma brightness settings. Cuepix 16 IP is said to

The eCast App dim smoothly all the way to zero with adjustable dimming curves.

The fixture also includes an adjustable high-speed strobe.

Meanwhile, the lighting manufacturer has unveiled eCast, a stage lighting control app designed for use in small- and medium-sized venues. The app requires an Elation 4Cast DMX Bridge as the interface between lighting fixtures and an iOS device.

The eCast App can control up to 576 lighting fixtures and up to 12 DMX universes, and includes an effects generator for movement, colour and flash effects. The app will work with any Art-Net or sACN node and is available from the App Store. www.elationlighting.com

NE T WORKING COMES OF AGE

Introducing the new M-32 Pro AVB Series High-end 32-Channel 192 kHz AD or DA Converter with support of up to +24 dBu line levels - switchable per channel - delivers outstanding performance.

RME’s newly developed AVB Core guarantees fixed latencies & bandwidth across a network. Extensive Remote Control functionality and an unrivaled visual feedback system make this product a perfect fit for spatial audio, multichannel analog applications and Hi-Res production.

Intuitive user interface

1GigE native AVB support

www

Separate MADI & Word Clock I/O

MADI Optical

Redundant power supply

MADI <-> AVB conversion

Corporate Headquarters Asia / Australia: RME Trading Ltd. office@rme-trading.hk · www.rme-audio.com

PRODUCTS

Fiilex enters full-colour RGB lighting market

The Matrix II Tunable White THE MATRIX II RGBW fixture marks Fiilex’s entry into the fullcolour RGB lighting market. To differentiate it from its rivals, the Matrix II RGBW features Dense Matrix LED clusters to create multi-wavelength colour groups with multiple custom chips covering a specific hue rather than single chips representing a

hue range. This approach means each chip outputs a specific portion of the hue wavelength, which the manufacturer states produces ‘a broader and deeper range of hue than other fixtures’.

The design of the fixture sees four Dense Matrix LED clusters set into a customdesigned reflecting chamber and enclosed by a layer of diffusion.

It supports additional optics and accessories that can reshape the fixture’s illumination and is compatible with light banks from Chimera as well as DoP Choice when using the speed ring accessory. It can also be used as a front-focused light with the optional Quad-Fresnel.

The Matrix II is available in two models. The manufacturer states that the Matrix II Tunable White and the RGBW model both offer

‘an improved mechanical design, smoother dimming down to 0%, magenta/green hue adjustment and tunable CCT’ (2,800K to 6,500K and 2,800 to 10,000K, respectively). The fixtures draw 340W of power and are constructed of aluminium along with rubber at the impact points. www.fiilex.com

The optional Quad-Fresnel

Charles and Dalis at PL+S 2018

Silent and smooth for Robert Juliat SHARING THE same technology as the manufacturer’s Alice and Oz follow spots, the Charles 960SX series represents another new range of LED profiles. The 600W profiles are available in three variable zoom ranges (29°/50°, 15°/40° and 8°/16°) and exhibit a high optical efficiency with a 6,000K colour temperature and a CRI in excess of 90. Smooth electronic dimming and an integrated, flicker-free power supply ensures silent operation together with a high output reaching 80% of the 2.5kW HID D’Artagnan capabilities.

Featuring a 4-colour mixing system (red, green, royal blue and warm white 2,200K), the Dalis range has been expanded with the introduction of Access 863. The 150W LED cyc light shares the same technology as the original Dalis 860 Cyclorama fixture, offering just four colours and 24 of the asymmetrical micro-reflectors.

Designed for the creation of colourful upstage or downstage lighting, the Dalis 864 Footlight is a 150W colour variation of the Dalis 862 tuneable white footlight. www.robertjuliat.com

PR Lighting brightens its catalogue A RAFT of new products has been added to the PR Lighting catalogue. The IP65 Arc LED 60 features Osram 60W LEDs, a compact size (3.75kg), a 4.7° beam angle and a variable colour correction (3,200K to 7,300K). It can be hung in any position and is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Designed for outdoor events and activities, Arc LED 60 also incorporates a DMX512 wireless receiver, an optional DMX512 wireless transmitter and is housed in high-intensity, die-cast aluminium.

Next on the list is XLED 6019, a bright LED colour wash moving head luminaire featuring 19 Osram 60W LEDs. It includes a variable colour temperature (2,700K to 10,000K) and effects such as rainbow, wash, beam, profile, kaleidoscope, swirl and various macros. Alongside a pan tilt swap and invert function, the head movement is 540° pan and 0° to 180° tilt. Control is via a DMX512 and a 5-pin interface. In standard mode, the luminaire provides 19 channels in standard mode and 92 channels in extended mode. It is also IP20-rated.

Ayrton gets in the frame AYRTON HAS extended its Automated Luminaire range with the addition of Bora-TC, an 800W LED wash luminaire with a 32,000 lumens output, a 70% optical efficiency, a native high CRI greater than 90 and high TM30 readings. Among its other features is an integral framing system that provides framing capabilities over the full surface area.

The luminaire offers an 8:1 zoom giving an 8° to 64° beam spread through its 204mm Fresnel front lens. The feature set includes CMY colour mixing, variable CTO, two

Hybrid is the manufacturer’s new hybrid moving head, said to deliver a full designer’s toolkit in a single unit. It uses an Osram 440W discharge source with PR Lighting’s advantage optical system and has a solid beam, wide 60° wash and an even varied spot. With a power consumption of 650W at 220V and a mechanical dimmer adjustable from 0% to 100%, the moving head incorporates three prisms: two 8-facet prisms and one 4-facet linear prism. In beam mode, the light operates from 0° to 2.8°; in spot mode from 2.8°

to 60°; and in wash mode from 10° to 60°.

Finally, Merlin integrates a spot, wash and beam into a single unit. It combines 480W lamp technology with double shutter blades and a mechanical dimmer adjustable from 0% to 100%. It also incorporates the same three prisms and operating angles as its Hybrid counterpart. It comes with a DMX512 wireless receiver as standard and an optional DMX512 wireless transmitter. Both Hybrid and Merlin are IP20-rated.

Merlin

www.pr-lighting.com

Filtered control

colour wheels, each with seven complementary colours, a 0% to 100% variable linear frost and a 15-blade iris diaphragm and defocusable rotating beam-shaping optic. www.ayrton.eu

84 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 84 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

‘THESE FILTERS have been engineered to enable lighting professionals to accurately control the shape of their light,’ said Rosco’s director of products, Tracey Cosgrove, of the manufacturer’s new OptiSculpt filters. ‘They will allow our customers to achieve new lighting control with their current fixtures in ways they never could with existing diffusion filters.’

Designed for use on LED fixtures, the Opti-Sculpt filters are heat-resistant, allowing them to also be used with traditional tungsten lamps. They are

available in two sizes – 50cm x 60cm and 100cm x 60cm – and can be cut into any shape or size.

Symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns on the market include 10°, 10° x 20°, 10° x 30°,

10° x 60°, 15° x 35° and the 40°/60° reversible variants.

Further patterns are reportedly in development. www.rosco.com

Versatile High-Fidelity Wireless 3000 Series expands the possibilities of performance ŝ Class-leading, extremely wide 60 MHz UHF tuning bandwidth for maximum versatility ŝ True Diversity operation reduces dropouts ŝ Unique multifunction button on the handheld and body-pack transmitters can be used to switch to a backup frequency should interference be encountered ŝ Automatically adjusts squelch setting to maximize range while minimizing potential interference ŝ Frequency scan and IR sync for ease of setup Interchangeable capsule options

interchangeable A-T microphone capsules, as well as other compatible capsules ŝ New rugged cH-style screw-down 4-pin connector on body-pack transmitter

PRODUCTS

Quick control from ChamSys

QuickQ 10 THE THREE models in the ChamSys QuickQ series have been designed to put more power ful lighting control in the hands of students/house of worship volunteers and programmers, regardless of experience or budget. The manufacturer believes that even established professionals will find the console to be a ‘valuable’ tool for running smaller-scale shows.

The consoles incorporate a smart-phone-like interface and a 9.7-inch touchscreen. The buttons and faders are described as ‘easy-to-understand’, the colour selection menu as ‘simple’ and the intensity control tools as ‘readily accessible’. Built-in Wi-Fi capabilities mean the consoles can be controlled from a tablet or phone, both of which can also serve as a second external monitor. The console comes with

free downloadable offline QuickQ programming software for Mac and Windows, including a MagicVis visualiser.

QuickQ users can also program their designs on a computer, save them on a flash drive and load them onto the console.

Show files can be saved on the console and replayed via the console’s cue/chase system for playback.

QuickQ 10 supports one universe, features dedicated hue and saturation control encoders for controlling LED and traditional conventional fixtures, and 20 fixture faders. QuickQ 20 has all of the features of the QuickQ 10 but supports two universes and includes four attribute encoders for controlling moving lights. Finally, QuickQ 30 has all of the features of the QuickQ 20 but 40 fixture faders and supports four universes. www.chamsys.co.uk

Introducing the Streamster

RUSHWORKS’ STREAMSTER – also referred to as the A-List Streamster on account of the A-List Broadcast server included – enables houses of worship to create an internet TV channel.

Building on the manufacturer’s A-List Broadcast Automation System, Streamster can best be described as a desktop scheduling and playback engine.

It includes the majority of the

software features found in the A-List Broadcast server, differing in its dedication to IP operations with no baseband video input or output. Possessing NDI and URL streaming I/O, Streamster facilitates the management of an internet TV channel with an i7 processor, 16GB of memory, a 512GB SSD, keyboard and mouse. The system runs on Windows 10 and includes USB ports and GigE, wireless and Bluetooth capability, making it accessible to house of worship volunteers who may be familiar with many of these technologies found in consumer devices. www.rushworks.tv

Middle Atlantic solves cabling challenges MIDDLE ATLANTIC has expanded its SR Series of pivoting wall racks with a wider model said to provide integrators with more space to manage high-density cable bundles. The Wider SR Series includes all the functionalities of the SR Series, including the pivoting mechanism that opens 90°. According to the manufacturer, the Wider SR Series takes into account that systems are evolving as equipment continues to increase in capability and decrease in size. Designed for scenarios where A/V, data and security equipment needs to be housed together, the Wider SR Series is available in 24 RU, 40 RU and 46 RU options. The racks also include the company’s patented QuickMount system for centre section mounting.

The Sliding Mounting Plate forms part of Middle Atlantic’s Proximity Series and is reportedly the industry’s first mounting plate with a sliding design. Integrators can mount small devices onto the removable, 15-inch x 10-inch Lever Lock mounting space and service them without needing to take down the display. Also part of the Proximity Series

The Sliding Mounting Plate

The Wider SR Series are the In-Wall Boxes that have been developed to provide ‘convenient, recessed storage for localised, all-in-one system support’.

The manufacturer has also unveiled its Vision Display Mount (VDM) Series display mounts.

Aimed at conference rooms, menu boards and digital signage, the mounts feature a modular design that supports single or multiple displays for ceiling and wall-mount applications. The series includes eight models that can be deployed in different configurations, including on-wall, ceiling or back-to-back.

A further addition to the company’s portfolio is the Vertical Wall Mount (VWM) Series, a low-profile wall-rack solution that provides vertical mounting of deep equipment as well as small devices.

Available in pre-configured models, the VWM Series uses a patent-pending modular systems approach to equipment mounting. www.middleatlantic.com

6DSSKLUH ÀWV WKH IUDPH THE ROE Visual Sapphire is an LED display designed with a 1.5mm pixel pitch display that the manufacturer claims ‘offers a completely new approach to building and mounting large display LED screens’. Sapphire is able to facilitate multiple resolution types within the same hardware frames.

Users are able to intersect Sapphire frames in all manner of

ways, leaving gaps as par t of the display, which Roe states ‘offers an improvement over traditional rows and columns’ that most LED panels are designed to form. ‘Easy access’ is provided for the integrated eject motor and for removing panels in any position from the frames.

Roe’s Front Protection Treatment has also been

86 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 86 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

applied to Sapphire to prevent damage, as well as reinforcing the edges and corners of the individual boards.

Roe has also released the Black Marble Glass LED platform, an LED floor solution that provides the stage floor at a house of worship with the look of a televised concer t.

A Sapphire panel and outside frame

www.roevisual.com

PRODUCTS

Barco caters for all budgets BARCO IS aiming to strengthen its position in the LCD videowall market with the launch of its ‘budget-friendly’ OverView KVD5521B, a tiled LCD system compatible with any VESA mounting structure. Incorporating many of the benefits of the company’s UniSee platform, such as easy maintenance, noiseless operation, automatic colour and brightness calibration and remote power supply operation, OverView

Low-cost room scheduling

Crestron room scheduling PROVIDING A touchscreen room scheduling solution for those with smaller budgets, Crestron has developed the TSS-7 and TSS-10. Based on the manufacturer’s TSW touchscreen range, the TSS-7 and TSS-10 touchscreens are simplified to lower the price tag.

The new TSS screens natively support a wide variety of third-party solutions, allowing organisations to select the scheduling provider to best meet their requirements. Appspace, Robin Powered, Teems and EMS software are all supported.

An optional light bar is also available for the TSS-7 and TSS-10, providing an alternative solution to Crestron’s SSW-100 and SSC-100 room availability hallway signs. The light bar emits a glowing green halo around the touchscreen when the room is available and red when it is occupied. It is compatible with wall and glass mounts, and can be added to existing TSS or TSW setups.

Crestron has also updated its Pyng operating system to add video support. Pyng OS 2 is installed on the CP3-R 3-Series control system and includes full integration of video control and distribution, including Crestron DigitalMedia products, AVRs, local sources, set-top boxes and remote controls.

sensors in the back provide automatic and real-time colour and brightness calibration.

The videowall has a number of features to prevent downtime and speed up ser vicing.

According to the manufacturer, the input boards and power supplies can be quickly removed for maintenance or replacement, while the use of LCD Connect makes it easier to control the videowall.

KVD5521B is an optimised version of the KVD5521, Barco’s 55-inch LCD videowall.

The absence of cooling fans is said to minimise noise and means that no moving par ts are used. The introduction of DisplayPor t V1.2, which enables feeding four displays in loopthrough with 4K@60Hz content, repor tedly allows for easy connection with a limited number of cables. The videowall provides 500 nits of brightness with a 3.5mm bezel, while integrated

www.barco.com

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www.crestron.eu

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PRODUCTS

Connectivity and transportation in one THE AMX CT Series combines connection and transportation in a single solution. Each member of the series of 4K switching and distribution kits handles switching, scaling and distance transport, and includes a transmitter and receiver.

Two models are initially available: a presentation kit aimed at simple presentation applications and a

conferencing kit that adds USB 2.0 transport and switching for use in web conferences.

The Presentation Connectivity and Transport kit facilitates 4K switching at the table, transport via category cable and additional connectivity for an AMX Acendo Core or a PC at the receiver. The receiver has built-in

AMX has launched the CT Series scaling, enabling the display to receive content in its native resolution no matter the source.

Kumo gains 12G-SDI inputs

Kumo 1616-12G and 3232-12G stacked AJA HAS introduced a pair of new compact 12G-SDI routers: Kumo 3232-12G and Kumo 161612G. Both support large format resolutions, high frame rate and deep colour formats, while being designed to reduce cable runs when transporting 4K/UHD content over SDI. Kumo 3232-12G offers 32 12G-SDI inputs and 32 12G-SDI outputs, while Kumo 1616-12G presents 16 of each. They mirror the manufacturer’s Kumo 3232 and Kumo 1616 routers, but add

a new USB port for configuring IP addresses via AJA’s eMini-Setup software and introduce multiport Gang-routing, making them 8K-ready.

AJA’s Kona family also has some new additions in the form of Kona HDMI and Kona 1.

Kona HDMI is a video capture card that supports a range of workflows, including live streaming. It can manage the capture of four HD channels simultaneously with various streaming and switching

applications. In addition, Kona HDMI can offer a single channel of UHD up to 60p over HDMI 2.0 using the AJA Control Room software.

Meanwhile, Kona 1 is a singlechannel 3G-SDI 2K/HD 60p I/O PCIe card offering serial control and reference/LTC. It features standard application plug-ins, as well as AJA SDK support, while supporting 3G-SDI capture, monitoring and playback. www.aja.com

Meanwhile, the Conferencing Connectivity and Transport kit combines multi-format 4K60

video switching, scaling and distance transport with USB 2.0 peripheral switching for web conferencing. Room USB peripherals, such as an AMX Acendo Vibe, can be shared between visiting laptops and permanently installed devices, including PCs. www.amx.com

Just Add Power extends video distribution boundaries DESIGNED TO provide ultra-low source-to-screen latency in 4K applications, the latest 3G Ultra HD over IP series of solutions from Just Add Power (J+P) are undetectable to the human eye. Drawing on a common IP infrastructure, J+P’s devices can be selected to match bespoke hardware and budget requirements. Having reduced latency down to 16ms, J+P’s 3G Ultra HD over IP solutions can be applied to an assortment of variously scaled UHD distribution and matrix applications.

Adopting standard PoE, J+P’s solutions consume a maximum of 10W per device, decreasing power consumption by 30% and eliminating the cost of proprietary PoE injectors. In addition to using standard

network protocols (telnet, TCP/ IP, UDP and multicast), they also work with off-the-shelf gigabit switches. Operating from an isolated, firewall-protected VLAN that has no access to other databases, information and servers, the devices require no further security measures. www.justaddpower.com

Bittree makes history The mini-WECO inter faces enable direct patching between Bittree 12G video distribution amplifiers and the 12G+ mini-WECO coaxial patchbays.

One of the mini-WECO jacks serves as a half-normalling output, allowing it to act as a

The DAF32FX 12G Video Distribution Amplifier frame BITTREE HAS announced the first series of video distribution amplifiers in the company’s 40-year history. The 12G Video Distribution Amplifiers ‘condense customers’ growing signal distribution requirements into a lightweight, high-density, modular form factor while supporting 12GB/s data rates’.

The flagships of the new family are the DAF32FX distribution frames and the DABFX cards that build on the functionality of their coax-only siblings to empower hybrid video infrastructures.

The frames can host up to 32 1-in/4-out distribution amplifier modules to reportedly provide ‘exceptional’ signal density in a small footprint. The cards feature one input and four outputs with DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors on the rear of the module. The cards are compliant with SMPTE 259M, 292M, 344M, 424M, ST2081-1 and ST2082-1 technical standards, support data rates up to 12GB/s and are said to enable reliable distribution of analogue, SD-SDI, HD-SDI and 4K video with embedded audio.

88 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 88 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

An SFP (small form factor pluggable) inter face on each DABFX card can be populated with the customer’s choice of a fibre or HDMI SFP module, and can be configured as either input or output. The option of IP connectivity via fibre means the 12G distribution amplifiers can serve as on- or off-ramp gateways between traditional SDI video signals and IP video networks using the SMPTE ST 2110 standard.

Each DABFX also comes with two mini-WECO jacks on the front.

test and monitoring point without interrupting the flow of the source signal to the four standard outputs. The second mini-WECO jack acts as a direct input to the distribution amplifier. www.bittree.com

The DABFX 12G Video Distribution Amplifier card

VIO L212

3-WAY ACTIVE LINE ARRAY MODULE

MAX SPL .............................................................. 142 dB HF ..................................... 2x 1.4”, 3” v.c - Neodymium MF .................................... 4x 6.5”, 2” v.c - Neodymium LF ....................................... 2x 12”, 3” v.c - Neodymium Amplifier ...................... 2x 1600 W RMS (3200 W RMS) Frequenct Response [-6dB] .................... 55 - 18.600 Hz

info@dbtechnologies-aeb.com

Width .............................................................. 1100 mm Height ............................................................... 380 mm Depth ................................................................ 450 mm Weight ............................................................... 54.4 Kg Expansion Card............................................RDNet Card Expansion Card [optional] .......................... Dante Card

dBTechnologies

www.dbtechnologies.com

PRODUCTS

Blackmagic brings desktop processing to MacBook Pros WITH EXTERNAL graphic processor support for MacBook Pros introduced in the latest version of macOS, Blackmagic Design has worked with Apple on the creation of the Blackmagic eGPU. The card is intended for MacBook Pro owners that need to remain mobile but also want the power of a full desktop computer.

Featuring a built-in Radeon Pro 580, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, HDMI 2.0, 85W of charging power and four USB 3.1 connections, the eGPU is extruded from a single piece of aluminium and features a unique

thermal cooling system that’s been designed to balance the air flow and dissipate heat more efficiently. The cooling system also reportedly enables quiet operation as low as 18dB. The Radeon Pro 580 that drives the unit features 8GB of GDDR5 RAM, 256-bit memory bandwidth and 36 discreet compute units for up to 5.5 teraflops of processing power. According to the manufacturer, this equates to outputting 38.4 billion textured pixels per second. www.blackmagicdesign.com

Panasonic promotes PTZ THE UE150 (AW-UE150) is a new, integrated remote PTZ camera from Panasonic that offers 4K 60p capture. It supports several 4K interfaces and simultaneous 4K/HD output, while reportedly providing the ‘widest viewing angle in its class’ at 75.1° horizontal.

Incorporating a 1-type MOS sensor, 20x optical zoom and seamless intelligent zoom (i Zoom), the UE150 supports 12G-SDI, HDMI, fibre optic and IP interfaces.

Compatible with the UE150 is Panasonic’s new RP150 (AWRP150) remote camera controller.

The controller is compatible with other remote cameras and

features a single-hand joystick to control PTZ or focus.

A large, touchpanel LCD screen provides a view for monitoring and menu settings.

An SDI input facilitates camera monitoring via the LCD panel.

The manufacturer has also launched the SQ1 Series of large, 4K displays for indoor use. The TH-98SQ1 is a 98-inch screen, while the TH-86SQ1 is slightly smaller at 86 inches.

Finally, Panasonic has announced a partnership with xG Technology, Inc, whose IMT Vislink brands provide communications in the broadcast, law enforcement and defence markets. The deal will

AT-HDR-M2C-Quad

Converting audio 4-fold ATLONA’S AT-HDR-M2CQUAD multichannel audio converter features the downmixing capabilities of the manufacturer’s AT-HDR-M2C and offers four simultaneous HDMI inputs. The 1U rack-mountable Quad unit is designed to facilitate the easy integration of multiple HDMI audio sources into distributed audio systems.

It extracts, decodes and downmixes multichannel PCM, Dolby and DTS audio, including HDR-enhanced 4K/UHD signals.

The AT-HDR-M2C-Quad supports HDMI signals up to 4K/UHD at 60Hz with 4:4:4 chroma sampling and data rates up to 18Gbp. It can de-embed HDMI audio whether it’s connected to an HDMI display or not. The Quad is HDCP 2.2-compliant and capable of managing video resolutions, audio formats and colour spaces encompassed by the HDMI 2.0b specification, and it is compatible with 4K HDR10

and Dolby Vision at 60Hz. With integrated audio volume, bass and treble adjustments negating the need for an external DSP to change gain and tone settings, the AT-HDRM2C-Quad can be controlled via an IP network utilising the built-in web interface, the Atlona Management System (AMS 2.0) software, the manufacturer’s Velocity IP-based A/V control system or third-party control systems.

Also new is the JunoX 451 HDBT (AT-Juno-451-HDBT) HDMI and HDBaseT 4-input switcher (three HDMI inputs, one HDBaseT input) for receiving video, embedded audio and Ethernet over Cat-6a or Cat-7 cabling. It takes the features of the JunoX 451 4x1 HDMI switcher and adds HDBaseT functionality for transporting signals over longer distances. www.atlona.com

AW-UE150 see IMT Vislink’s external wireless solution integrated into the Panasonic camera range.

JunoX 451 HDBT www.panasonic.com

Through the smart glass

RoboShot IW’s smart glass cover VADDIO’S ROBOSHOT IW (inwall) HDBaseT recessed HD PTZ camera has been designed with interior design concerns in mind. It features a ‘smart glass’ cover to remain discreet when not in use.

‘The smart glass cover changes

from a frosted opaque when the camera is off to a transparent clear glass when the camera is powered on,’ explained Vaddio director of product management, Jay Kilby. ‘In addition to room aesthetics, this also easily

90 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018 90 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

informs room occupants whether or not the camera is active.’

The RoboShot IW is initially available in two configurations: the RoboShot IW OneLink HDMI System and the RoboShot IW OneLink Bridge System. The frame comes in black or primed so that it can be painted to match a room’s décor. A clear glass version is also available.

The camera features a 10x optical zoom with a resolution of 1080p/60fps and 16 camera presets. Other functionality includes a web-based user interface for remote configuration and control, automatic or manual colour adjustment, and the ability to adjust for image colour, shading, backlight and wide dynamic range.

Its HDBaseT technology reportedly makes the RoboShot IW easy to connect to other HDBaseT-compatible devices, simplifying cabling and the

The clear glass version

extension of video, power and control for installations with a distance of up to 100m. www.vaddio.com

REMOTE PRODUCTION. TAKE YOUR CONSOLE ANYWHERE WITH RP1.

Mix live to air with no boundaries or borders, reduce production costs and increase content output.

Calrecâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remote production unit gives broadcasters the ability to capture a wider range of live events, such as regional sports, news or music festivals, and mix them in a remote facility thousands of miles away.

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PRODUCTS

Ross Video saves on space INTRODUCED BY Ross Video 10 years ago, Furio has enhanced broadcast news by producing smooth, sweeping, on-air dolly shots, which can be precisely repeated at the push of a button. The modular system is now available in a wide variety of conďŹ gurations, with multiple platforms, lifts and heads to choose from. These include the SE 3-stage lift, an economical S2 2-stage lift or a ďŹ xed column directly on the SE dolly for pairing with either a VR100 or VR600 pan and tilt head.

Ideally suited for small studios where space is at a premium, the Furio SE Dolly runs on a compact 36cm-wide track, requiring less space than a manual camera and operator. Communicating natively

over IP, it uses a ďŹ&#x201A;exible and open API for studio automation when used in combination with Ross OverDrive or another third-party system. With the addition of the economical S2 Lift, a wider spectrum of studios can now draw on the creative beneďŹ ts of Furio.

Designed for use in rapid-ďŹ re live television newsroom environments, Ross Video has added the Tria News playout

input, the Tria News playout server can ingest and store live content, encoded with DVCPRO-HD. Content can be quickly trimmed using simple â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;heads and tailsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; edit tools built right into the Tria News server itself. Once this content is clipped, it can play back-to-back with native XDCAM and AVC-I MXF ďŹ les during a run-down playout.

Tria News is tightly integrated with Ross Videoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inception newsroom computer system, Streamline media asset

management and OverDrive automated production control platform. When news stories are published to a central NAS from networked edit systems, Ross Streamline can direct Tria News to load and playout up to four native XDCAM HD422 and/or AVC-Intra 50 MXF media ďŹ les concurrently with all four clips played directly from the NAS across gigabit Ethernet. www.rossvideo.com

The Furio S2 Lift server to its Abekas Tria video server product line.

Integrating Abekas video processing hardware and controlled from newsroom automation

systems, Tria News provides ingest and playout of newsroom media assets from four independent PGM playout channels. Featuring a dedicated HD-SDI baseband

The Tria News server

RGB pure laser projection EHFRPHV œDIIRUGDEOH¡

Epson puts projection on the spot

THE CP2315-RGB and CP2320RGB are marketed by Christie as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cinema industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst affordable RGB pure laser

EPSON HAS designed its LightScene projector to simultaneously illuminate and project dynamic content on virtually any surface or material. The spotlight-shaped accent lighting laser projectors are aimed at applications in curated visual environments such as retail showrooms.

Available in two colour options (LightScene EV-100 in white and LightScene EV-105 in black), the projectors use 3LCD laser technology to deliver 2,000 lumens for a 20,000-hour lifespan. The projectors can be controlled remotely using Epson Web Control via a browser, while the manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Content Manager software includes templates, effects, colour and

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The 12k lumen CP2315-RGB and its 18k lumen counterpart, the CP2320-RGB, have all of the ground-breaking features found in the CP4325-RGB, and more,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; explained Dale Miller, executive vice president of cinema at Christie. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;RealLaser projectors are able to use our existing lens suite, for added value.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The CP2320-RGB is built for more than 30,000 hours of operation at 80% brightness and has a nominal brightness of 18,000 centre DCI lumens. It has a contrast ratio of 2,000:1 in highcontrast mode.

Meanwhile, the CP2315-RGB offers similar statistics, but differs with 12,000 centre DCI lumens.

projectorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. These are the latest additions to the manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RealLaser family of cinema projectors.

www.christiedigital.com

MUSE 8P MUSE 10P

MUSE 15P

MUSE 12P

SUB215 P

shape ďŹ lters, and customisable options. The LightScene units can be positioned vertically or horizontally and include a 1.58x powered optical zoom, powered focus and edge blending capabilities. In terms of connectivity, the projectors offer HDMI, wired and wireless LAN and an SD card slot. www.epson.com

1/4 PAGE SUB115 P

High dynamic dual-mode MIC/ LINE Input

Product information

Intuitive & Most advanced OLED graphic display $& 9 ZRUOG YROWDJH :DWW ORZ ODWHQF\ KLJK HIÂż FLHQF\ &ODVV ' DPSOLÂż HU PRGXOH SURYLGHV KLJK RXWSXW SRZHU Professional clip lock for AC power cord to secure connection of AC power supply for continue operation of MUSE P active loudspeaker 4 Models : 8â&#x20AC;?, 10â&#x20AC;?, 12â&#x20AC;? and 15â&#x20AC;? low frequency transducer to meet your various application needs U-Shaped mounting bracket for permanent installation *(Optional Accessories) Verity Audio Closer to music

92 PRO AVL ASIA Novemberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2018 92 PRO AVL ASIA Novemberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2018

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Chinese Exclusive Distributor: SAE Audio Co., Ltd.

PRODUCTS

Digital Projection sees red THE PROPRIETARY ColorBoost + Red Laser technology is one of the key new features found in a range of Digital Projection’s laser projectors. The manufacturer describes the technology as ‘an intelligent processing innovation to deliver the most accurate colour reproduction’ and claims that it brings the performance of its 1-chip range of DLP projectors closer to that of 3-chip DLP projectors.

The projectors use red lasers coupled with a specially designed colour wheel. The manufacturer states that the resulting colour gamut guarantees the projector will achieve at least the REC709 standard.

A second technology update from the manufacturer sees the introduction of IP60-rated 100% sealed optics. The optical engine uses liquid cooling via a radiator heat exchanger to create a filter-free projector. This ensures that light output and colour performance will not be degraded due to the ingress of dust. Models that use the technology include the Titan family, M-Vision Laser 21000 and E-Vision Laser 13000 WU, as well as a range of Digital Projection’s single-chip DLP laser projectors, including the E-Vision Laser 10K, WQ120, 8500 and 4K-UHD. Staying with Titan, the Titan Laser 37000 WU and Titan Laser 33000 4K-UHD projectors produce 37,000 and 33,000 lumens, respectively, and are additions to the manufacturer’s 3-chip Laser series. The brightness has been achieved thanks to the manufacturer pairing its third-generation laser illumination systems with Texas Instruments’ 3-chip DLP technology. Input capabilities include a pair of HDMI 2.0b with HDCP 2.2 and HDR processing; two HDMI 1.4b for both single and dual pipe 3D processing and support of frame sequential 3D formats; and 3G SDI and DisplayPort 1.2 to ensure the latest connectivity for high bandwidth 4K content delivery. Other features include Constant Brightness Control and DMX Art-Net compatibility.

The M-Vision Laser 21000 WU, meanwhile, boasts 20,000 lumens output and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio. Its DisplayPort accepts frame rates up to 60Hz and HDMI 1.4b for side-byside frame packing and top bottom 3D formats. Motorised

M-Vision Laser 21000 WU

shift, zoom and focus across the whole lens range completes the feature set.

The E-Vision Laser 13000 WU comes as standard with HDMI 1.4b, DisplayPort and HDBaseT connectivity, while accepting both commercial and domestic 3D signals. The single-chip DLP laser phosphor projector features automation and central control via a PC-based application as well as edge blending and geometry

E-Vision Laser 11000 correction. Staying in the E-Vision family, the E-Vision Laser 11000 4K-UHD offers 10,500 lumens of brightness alongside 4K UHD resolution (3840x2160). www.digitalprojection.com

3/4 PAGE

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 93 November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 93

FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Stage struck The new campus at Beijing’s Central Academy of Drama boasts four theatres kitted out with the latest in stage sound technology. Caroline Moss visits AFFILIATED TO THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, BEIJING’S Central Academy of Drama was the first theatrical higher educational institution to be established in China. Although it dates back to 1938 with the establishment of the Yan An Lu Xun Art College, the Central Academy of Drama officially opened in December 1949, with an inaugural conference the following April, where Chairman Mao Zedong inscribed its official name in calligraphy.

Today, the academy – ranked as one of the country’s top drama, film and television institutions – is the headquarters of the China Alliance of Theatre Higher Educational Institutes, Asia Theatre Education Centre (ATEC) and World Theatre Education Alliance (WTEA). It has two campuses, one in the Dongcheng District and another that opened in the Changping District in 2012.

Last year, four new theatres were unveiled on the Changping campus, a spacious building in the northwest suburbs of Beijing. These will allow the academy to offer a wider range of courses in different subjects. A strong emphasis has been placed on installing the latest hardware and technical equipment, and the theatres are of a high professional standard. Equipment packages are based around DiGiCo consoles and Meyer Sound loudspeaker systems similar to those found in commercial theatres worldwide. This is largely down to the input of Du Si Liang, technical manager of stage sound at the academy. Mr Du graduated from the China University of Communications with both a batchelor’s and a master’s degree in recording, and has worked at the academy for eight years. Between 2014 and 2015, when the new theatres were being constructed, he was despatched to London’s West End and New York’s Broadway theatres to carry out research on the latest technology being used. And this led to his recommendations of equipment that he felt should be installed in the new campus building.

94 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Du Si Liang at the DiGiCo SD10 in the proscenium theatre control room ‘We’d been using Yamaha in the old campus, but I found that most of the productions in the West End and on Broadway were using DiGiCo SD7s,’ he recalls. ‘Since this was what was being used in the real world, I thought that it would be a good move to install them at the new building.

Although there are many choices of consoles available on the market, I think DiGiCo is the most suitable when it comes to drama, especially for musicals.’

Mr Du emphasises that he learned a lot on the trips abroad, not just about the hardware being used but also about the concept of the productions and how they were being executed. ‘When I watched a show on Broadway and in the West End, I got a very deep impression that the sound was coming from the stage, not from the speakers,’ he continues.

‘It was a very natural sound. In the past, if I’d been sitting in the left side of an auditorium, I would just be hearing the left side speakers. But, when watching some musicals on

my trips, the sound was very natural. When it comes to the sound for musicals and dramas, you shouldn’t be aware of the speakers. I would go and ask the operator some questions about how they were achieving this.’

When leading theatrical production War Horse transferred to Beijing in 2016, a sound engineer from the UK came over to train the local team. Mr Du attended the training sessions and, during these, he discovered the aural tricks that DiGiCo could impart to live theatre. ‘I learned all about delay, and that this was the secret to getting a natural sound in the theatre,’ he says. ‘Although it sounds very easy, just adding delay took a lot of practice and experience to get it right.’

In a country where traditional theatres have a very different approach to sound reinforcement, the transfer of Westernstyle musicals is something of a new phenomenon.

War Horse provided Mr Du with a good opportunity to learn the Western way of doing things. Ultimately, it was also extremely timely as, by the time the new campus was being equipped, he knew exactly what he wanted for its

Student rehearsal in one of the smaller theatres

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FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Rightway Audio’s Shisong Xuanyuan theatres. And in stepped Chinese distributor, Rightway Audio Consultants, to provide a package that included not only the DiGiCo consoles but also Sennheiser wireless microphones and an RTS talkback system. Rightway’s manager, products department, Shisong Xuanyuan, worked closely with the theatre during the planning and installation phase, visiting the theatre regularly during construction and returning to provide training on the equipment provided.

‘The hardware and equipment at this campus allow us to teach new subjects here,’ says Mr Du. ‘Our existing campus has just one theatre, a 700-seater which is still being used.

For the first three years of the bachelor’s degree course, the students will study here, returning to the old campus for their final year. As the old campus is in downtown Beijing, it’s easier for people to go and see the graduation show at the old campus as it’s more central.’ Master’s and PhD students are based at the new campus too, with courses including acting, directing, stage design, lighting, musical theatre, Chinese and Western opera, dance, drama, theatre management and film and TV arts. Although there is no course specifically for audio engineering, students will learn techniques such as mixing on the DiGiCo consoles, as well as mic placement and FOH sound.

The largest space in the new campus is a 785-seater proscenium theatre which, in an average month, will stage around 10 student productions. ‘We put on many different types of productions in here: plays, dances, drama, music halls, Western opera and Chinese opera,’ he continues.

The control room of this theatre has been installed with a DiGiCo SD10, an SD7, two SD-Racks and an SD-Mini Rack.

‘The SD10 is for backup, but the SD7 also has two engines so we have plenty of backup capacity,’ says Mr Du. ‘It also gives me the flexibility to move one of the consoles to another location at some point in the future. I’m really happy with these consoles and have learned a lot about operating them. When you first use a DiGiCo it can appear complicated but, after some practice, it’s a very good mixer to use. It’s different to other digital consoles I’ve worked on before but, once you learn this way of working, it’s very good.’

As is the case in all the other theatres, the large performance space has been installed with Meyer Sound systems, a brand the academy has also been using at the existing campus. A main system consisting of L-C-R hangs of

The 785-seater proscenium theatre

96 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

10 Leopard line array boxes per array has been provided by Meyer Sound’s Chinese distributor, Shanghai Broad Future Electro Technology Co, together with four 900-LFC selfpowered subwoofers – two each side of the stage – with a UPA-1P Constant-Q horn per side, positioned above the subs to provide down-fill for the main system. Seven UPM-1Ps have been installed along the stage for front-fill, while a total of 26 UPJunior ultra compact speakers provide a surround sound system for the first and second floors.

‘It’s a good speaker brand, and one that’s found in lots of major international theatres,’ says Mr Du, who carried out the system design himself. ‘We’d previously been using Mica, but the distributor suggested that as Mica was being discontinued, we should change to the Leopard system, a newer and more compact model. They have given us lots of support, and we are happy with it.’

The stage monitors are also Meyer Sound, with fixed and portable options. Two UPJuniors cover the front of the stage, with two UPA-2Ps at the rear. The portable monitors include two UM-100Ps and two UM-1Ps, which can also be used as effects speakers for productions. Control is via three Meyer Sound Galileo Callisto 616 AES primary array processors.

Mr Du has also purchased a 5.1 system of Focal nearfield monitors from Rightway Audio, consisting of five Solo6 BE active monitors and a Sub6 BE subwoofer. These will ultimately be in a studio designed for sound effects postproduction but, until this is constructed, he is using a pair in the main control room for nearfield monitoring.

Du. ‘A limited number of tickets are given to every class for the productions.’ DiGiCo S21s have been installed into each venue, with a sound system consisting of two Meyer Sound UPA-1Ps, two portable 600-HP subs, two UPJuniors for down-fill and two UM-1P stage monitors, together with a Galileo Callisto 616.

Du Si Liang holds one of the DPA 4060 miniature microphones

A Meyer Sound L-C-R Leopard system The next largest theatre seats an audience of 193 ranged around three sides of the performance area in a thrust configuration. ‘The feeling in this theatre is very different to the larger one,’ says Mr Du. ‘This theatre is used for smaller drama and musical productions and for performances held to assess students at the end of each academic year.

For actual graduation performances, the big theatre is more likely to be used.’ Another DiGiCo SD10 and SDRack can be found here, together with a system of eight Meyer Sound JM-1P line array speakers with tight pattern control, 18 UPJuniors and two 700-HPs, with four UM-100P stage monitors, a Galileo Callisto 616 and a Galileo 408 processor.

Two smaller, near-identical theatres seating 143 and 133, respectively, are used for assessing students as well as holding workshops. They are also used at the end of semesters for students to showcase their work to teachers. ‘All the theatre performances are open to the students themselves to come and watch performances; no commercial productions are held here at all,’ explains Mr

Again, mirroring equipment used in real theatres the world over, a large quantity of DPA 4060 miniature microphones with headsets are being used extensively across the campus, with 5000 Series Sennheiser radio mics and Sennheiser SKM 5200-II mics, also provided by Rightway Audio.

As one would expect from such a well-appointed college, admission to the Central Academy of Drama can be a challenge. Only the most promising students are accepted, many of whom have gone on to have illustrious careers in stage, film and TV, including internationally renowned actors such as Gong Li (Raise the Red Lantern, Memoirs of a Geisha, Farewell my Concubine) and Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers). The next generation of graduates will surely benefit from the new world-class facilities now at their disposal, which have raised the bar even higher. www.digico.biz www.meyersound.com www.racpro.net www.shguangyuan.com

www.Broadcast-Asia.com

18 – 20 June 2019 . Level 3 – 6, Suntec Singapore

Capture T h e

F u t u r e

Be part of the exciting developments within the broadcasting and digital multimedia industries. Lead the disruption by spotlighting your technology and innovations at BroadcastAsia2019 and expand your business network, form meaningful partnerships, and discover new opportunities!

BroadcastAsia - Asia’s must attend international event that attracts the media, entertainment and technology professionals, together with CommunicAsia and NXTAsia, form ConnecTechAsia, Asia’s MEGA technology platform.

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FEATURES: INSTALLATION

New era As Cambodia embraces the 21st century, Pro AVL Asia visits one of the country’s newest entertainment venues, the NABA Theatre IN AN ERA WHEN ELECTROACOUSTIC PIONEERS SUCH as Charlie Watkins, John Meyer, Eric Vincenot and Kenton Forsythe were developing the nascent entertainment technology industry in the West, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime was taking its nation back to year zero. When Pol Pot was finally ousted from power in 1979, most cultural institutions had been destroyed, and those dancers and musicians who managed to survive only did so by crossing the border. As a result, only a few traditional cultural forms have survived and these have often been mixed up with popular and Western influences.

Fast-forward almost four decades and NagaWorld – one of the largest 5-star hotels in Phnom Penh – has opened its ornate doors to a mix of Asian and Western tourists. Hong Kong-based owner NagaCorp entices guests to spend time at the property by offering the only top-end casino in Cambodia, 27 F&B outlets, premium nightclubs, a luxury spa, a shopping gallery, gaming rooms and extensive MICE facilities. But the jewel in NagaWorld’s entertainment crown is undoubtedly the 1,800-seat, 3-level, world-class NABA (Nations Arts Bayon Academy) Theatre. This boasts a rider-friendly KV2 Audio system that is more inspired by entertainment meccas such as Broadway and Las Vegas than traditional Southeast Asian culture.

KV2 Audio directors Dave Croxton (sales) and Angus Davidson (Asian technical support) were instrumental in the design and the final commissioning of the whole system.

‘Following our initial discussions with theatre designer Michael Devaney, our main brief was to provide high audio quality and consistent coverage throughout the theatre,’ explains

98 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

There are six delay speakers in the stalls, circle and balcony

An L-R pair of KV2 ESR215 3-way, full-range speakers cover the stalls, while a further L-R pair cover the circle and balcony levels above. These systems are powered by ESR3000 amplifiers with integrated DSP settings, eliminating the need for third-party processors. Installed above the ESR215 speaker hangs, lower-frequency reinforcement is handled by four VHD2.16 dual 15-inch subwoofers powered by two VHD3200 amplifiers. A further two VHD3200 amplifiers supply the watts to two VHD2.21 dual 21-inch ultra-lowfrequency subs located on the stage floor directly below the ESR215 cabinets.

‘The sub-structure for the main loudspeaker system hangs from circular steel trusses and, as such, we had to design and fabricate customised steel rigging,’ explains Showtec audio engineer and project manager for NABA, Nick Chua.

‘Having located their positions, the hangs were then fixed to the truss, allowing us to then insert the speakers and fly frames.’ The VHD2.16 subs were stacked on top of each other with KV2 fly bars and hoisted into position by four

Mr Croxton. ‘However, Michael was keen to stress the need for minimal operational adjustments, tuning and external processing apart from time alignments. As technical staff can change regularly and experienced operators are still somewhat scarce in Cambodia, it was important that the system we have provided continues to be a solid working foundation at all times.’

The NABA Theatre project brought Singapore-based Showtec into a distribution agreement with KV2 Audio for Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. ‘It was a pleasure to work with the guys from Showtec who supplied the NagaWorld system,’ continues Mr Croxton. ‘Nick and Chris did an excellent job of installing the system and, as a result, the overall coverage and sound quality is excellent. Showtec managing director Henry Ang agreed that Showtec would best support the NagaWorld speaker system by becoming a KV2 distributor for the region.’

Programmed presets have been added to the SD7 at FOH

FEATURES: INSTALLATION people using ropes and pulleys. ‘Together with a colleague, I was hoisted up with the subwoofers to attach the structure to the rigging,’ continues Mr Chua. ‘We then worked downwards to the upper and lower ESR215 cabinets on both sides of the stage, which have been positioned as close to the proscenium wall to ensure they don’t intrude on the video projections.’

Locked into position on customised steel frames, six ESD25 low-profile cabinets provide front-fill for the stalls. Powered

by ESP2000 2-channel amplifiers, an SDD3 line driver output has been added to time align this ring with the main FOH system. Following extensive loudspeaker simulation analysis, the stalls, circle and balcony levels have each been furnished with six delay speakers in the form of the same ESD25 cabinet. Once again, these rings are powered and aligned accordingly using the same combination of ESP2000 amplifiers and SDD3 processors.

Barco UDX-W32s project images around the theatre Eight ESM26 dual 6-inch and 12 ESM12 12-inch speakers provide flexible stage monitoring for varying production needs.

The ESM12 monitors can be deployed as stereo pairs and mixed as one channel for an artist when required, as the horn can be aligned either to the left or right when set on stage.

A 2-channel SAC2 Super Analog Controller has been added to the mix to enhance audio definition, resolution and dynamic range. ‘We have also placed a SAC2 into the main L and R stereo mix to regulate the audio quality in the auditorium,’ continues Mr Chua. ‘Its addition provides us with a 4-band EQ and allows us to manage notch filtering and limiting. Without affecting the overall linear response, the fixed crossover The SD7s are connected to SD- and SD-Mini Racks via an Optocore HMA fibre system ‘Locating anchor points for drilling holes that would connect the delay speakers proved tricky as the false ceiling space was extremely small,’ says Mr Chua. ‘Once measured out and aligned in straight lines, attaching the brackets to the ceiling was easy as we simply drilled another small hole for the loudspeaker cable and it was connected. Each of the delay rings consists of three stereo pairs of ESD25 speakers, although the innermost two delays have been reversed to provide imaging for the audience directly below.

After balancing the delays with the main ESR215s, Angus fine-tuned all the delay levels mixed in with the main. It’s wonderfully clear with a full dynamic range. Members of the audience have since commented that the audio appears to be coming directly from the stage.’

filter points of either 70Hz or 120Hz can be independently switched to provide a standard 2x2-way configuration or an overlap. A transparent limiter feature maintains the level, while a security cover ensures the settings remain fixed.’

Two DiGiCo SD7 consoles connected to SD- and SD-Mini Racks via an Optocore HMA fibre system have been provided for FOH and monitoring, respectively. For smaller productions, monitor mixes can be assigned to the main SD7 console.

Also forming part of the inventory, a DiGiCo Orange Box audio format converter can be interfaced to the SD7s with DMI multichannel cards for creating further audio paths should they be required.

Equipped with 56 input channels and five strips of outputs, the SD-Rack is currently more than sufficient to cater for the theatre’s productions. However, should a larger channel count be required, further inputs can be taken from both the SD-Mini Rack and the SD7 consoles. The five output strips are further divided into 16 channels of outputs for the FOH sends and a further 24 channels for the stage monitors.

Designed to provide ease of control for external operators, programmed presets have been added to the SD7 at FOH. ‘The left ESR215 has been assigned to matrix 1, while the right ESR215 is matrix 2,’ explains Mr Chua. ‘The SD7 also allows us to mute any speaker group in the theatre so, when the balcony is not being used, we can mute the row of delay speakers.’

Flexibility was a key design issue in the theatre planning and one that was not lost on the experienced team at DiGiCo. ‘Ian Staddon at DiGiCo was most helpful as he advised us which components work best in allowing us to cater for different types of shows,’ says Mr Chua. ‘The present DiGiCo system helps the personnel here set up all the known scenarios, while offering flexibility for future unplanned events. The staff have been fully trained on DiGiCo consoles and find their work surfaces and layouts extremely intuitive.’

Video requirements are handled by 14 Barco UDX-W32 laser phosphor 3 DLP projectors, three Green Hippo Hippotizer Karst media servers and Barco Event Master E2 and EX processors. Since opening at the end of 2017, the 3D video mapping programmed onto the main proscenium front wall, side walls and ceiling has attracted critical acclaim.

In an attempt to attract a worldwide audience, NagaWorld may have embraced a hybrid of cultures but, in doing so, has finally put Phnom Penh on the theatrical entertainment map. www.nagaworld.com

The 3D video mapping has received critical acclaim

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November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 99

FEATURES: INSTALLATION

The Quarter partner, Ashutosh Phatak

Leaping ahead

One of the partners of Mumbai’s sadly departed Blue Frog has launched a bijou jazz club in the shadow of the Mumbai Opera House. Caroline Moss visits The Quarter IN THE CONSTANTLY DEVELOPING METROPOLIS OF Mumbai, nothing stays the same for long. The city’s drive for modernisation and novelty sees ventures come and go with alarming frequency. This is particularly evident in the hospitality sector, with the current flavour of the month quickly superseded by the next trend. One venue, however, managed to stay at the cutting edge of live music and entertainment throughout its 9-year tenure, setting a high benchmark as it did so. That venue, Blue Frog, opened its doors to much acclaim in Lower Parel in 2007, closing the same with heartache and regret in August 2016. Rent rises and the increasing gentrification of Mumbai’s historic mill district were blamed.

‘After Blue Frog closed, I didn’t think I wanted to do this again,’ remembers Ashutosh Phatak as he sits in the café of his new venture, The Quarter. Built in an old outhouse – possibly stabling – of the recently renovated Mumbai Opera House (Pro AVL Asia, Sept–Oct 2017), the new club is a departure from his previous venue in many ways, the first of which is size, as the soaring ceilings, large stage and expansive audience areas have been swapped for a room measuring just 13m x 8m x 2.6m. Mr Phatak is also the only one of the four partners in The Quarter – the others being entrepreneur Nakul Toshniwal, renowned drummer Ranjit Barot and restaurateur Nico Goghavala – to have been involved with Blue Frog.

100 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Al fresco dining area at The Quarter

But scratch the sur face and the similarities appear. ‘The whole point of Blue Frog when we started it was because, as a musician, I didn’t have a place to play, and we wanted to create a space that would be a game changer, a catalyst,’ says Mr Phatak. ‘I think we succeeded in that, and it really helped the music scene here.’ The same could already be said of The Quarter.

The months following the closure of Blue Frog were understandably tough for Mr Phatak, whose drive to continue in the same line of business deserted him. But fate had other ideas. ‘Nakul, a good friend of mine, said, “Why don’t we start a small jazz club?” I didn’t want to but, after he badgered me for a couple of months, I said, “OK, fine, let’s do it”. Then Nico, another friend of mine, said he’d found a little space and wanted to start a club.

I couldn’t believe it. I came and saw this little brokendown shed here, but I could see how it would work and we decided to go ahead. We were happy with the size; we wanted to keep it small, so the artist and the audience were in the same environment.’

Given the outhouse’s location right next to a busy junction replete with rumbling trucks, buses and honking horns, plus the fact that the structure was considered of heritage importance and couldn’t be changed in any way, one of the first calls Mr Phatak made was to Munro India, which had worked on the acoustic design of Blue Frog.

FEATURES: INSTALLATION ‘I got a call one day from Ashu to say they’d found this excellent place, and they wanted to make a mini Blue Frog,’ continues Munro India director, Kapil Thirwani, picking up the story. ‘I was so happy, and then we turned into the drive and saw the place… But they said, “It’s a heritage building, there is so much history here, we have to make it work.” I wasn’t sure I could make it happen within the space. There were many limitations due to its heritage status; a lot that couldn’t be changed.’

As the venue had to remain a temporary structure, Mr Thirwani was prevented from constructing any concrete or brick walls anywhere. ‘That’s the best way to isolate a space from a noisy road, but there was nothing doing, it all had to be open,’ he explains. ‘We did lots of tests: as it had to conform to temporary structure regulations, everything had to open up easily. That meant we couldn’t use staggered joints and overlapping layers, as we do on most projects. So we did a lot of building, testing, building, testing, to try and find solutions.’

The corrugated iron roof needed special attention as it would present a particular challenge during the monsoon rains. ‘I wanted to use a corrugated sheet made of cement below the ceiling to take care of traffic and rain noise,’ he continues.

‘Cement sheets are considered a permanent build material, however, so instead I used two layers of paper pulp with a soundproofing membrane in between. Then I carried out tests, and designed and built another temporary ceiling with a lot of sandwiched insulation. And, fortunately, all of this has worked.’

The walls themselves have been designed to function like bass traps, isolating and absorbing acoustic energy at the same time. ‘I couldn’t transfer the sound energy so I had to trap it inside somehow, using a high-density acoustic foam on the walls and the ceilings so there are no reflections,’ continues Mr Thirwani. ‘There are double doors and no openings anywhere, so the noise from outside isn’t being let in.’

The result is an intimate venue, evocative of an art deco bar, where 80 to 100 audience members sit in close

The Quarter is located in an old outbuilding adjacent to the Mumbai Opera House proximity to the musicians. The busy road junction and its honking traffic just feet away don’t exist once the lights go down and the music starts. The Quarter is the perfect complement to the formal Opera House, which looms up just feet away. It’s also totally different to Blue Frog.

‘Here I want to focus purely on live music, no DJs, it’s not a nightclub,’ says Mr Phatak, who also runs the True School of Music in Mumbai. ‘We set up different shows here for the students and teachers. Ranjit and I curate evenings with musicians. It’s our playground for exploring different types of music and improvisation. I also wanted to redefine the concept of jazz. It’s not meant to be trad jazz. I wanted the kids from my school to aspire to play here. We had that with Blue Frog, and we wanted somewhere else where we could continue that.’

Since the club opened, it has been hosting around 20 shows per month. As well as local bands and musicians from the True School of Music, this has also included international artists such US jazz singer, Ann Callaway,

and Russian saxophonist, Igor Butman. ‘Acts like this are helping locals to up their game,’ he continues. ‘We instigate jam sessions for musicians so they can inspire each other by playing together. We are blown away by the sound Kapil’s created for us; it’s so intimate.’

‘It’s a very personal space where you can listen to really good music, close up,’ adds Mr Thirwani. ‘And because it’s small and the acoustics are now good, you don’t need a blaring sound system. You get a quiet crowd coming to listen to the music, which never happens in Bombay!’

That system was provided by Harman India and consists of two JBL VTX F15 speakers with two VTX F18S single 18-inch subs for FOH sound, powered by Crown I-Tech 5000 amps. A JBL AC18/95 speaker has been used for in-fill, powered by a Crown CDi 2000 amp, and four JBL 7212 MDP stage monitors have been supplied. There is a Soundcraft Si Performer 3 at FOH, with two stageboxes, and a dbx Venu360 speaker management system. Also provided are an AKG IVM4500 in-ear monitoring system, a selection of AKG microphones including D7s, C7s, D40s, C516 MLs, C519 MLs, a matched pair of C414s and a Drumset Premium kit, C480 B preamps, CK61 ULS mic capsules and a selection of Martin lighting, a Martin M2PC lighting controller and Martin JEM compact hazer.

As well as the club, The Quarter, naturally enough, has three other elements: Dine at The Quarter, Drink at The Quarter and Café at The Quarter. ‘We actually have more options here because we don’t just have the one space for music, drinking, eating and socialising, like at Blue Frog,’ says Mr Phatak. The club’s capacity is also expanded by the availability of the Opera House in which to host some bigger concerts as they occur.

A leap of faith, then, that has landed in a very good place. www.harman.com/india www.munro.co.uk www.thequarter.in

Monumental

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November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 101

FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Setting standards

Perth’s Curtin University’s A/V standardisation project is having far-reaching implications for its St Georges Terrace campus. Richard Lawn investigates

TAG’s Marc Sharman with Curtin’s Kevin Sing outside the acoustically challenging Ken Hall lecture theatre

The road into Curtin started here on St Georges Terrace for TAG

102 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

JUST AS A BOOK SHOULD NEVER BE JUDGED BY ITS COVER, a building’s exterior can often be a misleading representation of the activities that lie within. When Curtin University signed a lease with the National Trust of Western Australia to use Curtin St Georges Terrace, formerly known as the Old Perth Boys’ School, as an access point and information hub, it was hardly symbolic of the 56,000 student-strong seat of higher academic learning. In comparison to its sprawling, leafy Bentley campus to the south of the Swan River, the unassuming appearance of what is essentially a single-storey Gothic revival-style church in central Perth is separated by 9km and 130+ years in terms of architecture. However, that gap has been bridged by a modern new audiovisual system within the architectural fabric.

In addition to university functions, the venue is also hired out for private events. Following the refurbishment of Curtin St Georges Terrace in 2015, the university called upon CHW Consultants to assist with the audiovisual design and to keep it in line with the emerging Curtin University A/V standards that were being developed.

A pendant speaker solution to support the visual display was discarded in favour of a higher-specification system. Following advice from CHW and design work from TAG (Technical Audio Group), Curtin University opted for a Martin Audio O-Line speaker system comprising eight elements per side fixed to acoustic panelling adjacent to the NEC videowall. The architect called for the speakers to be colour-matched to the black of the videowall panels, which was undertaken prior to supply to the A/V contractor. The new sound system was commissioned and tuned

by David Gilfillan of Gilfillan Soundwork over two days with the inclusion of custom FIR filters into the QSC Q-Sys DSP system.

‘In 2016, offices in Building 102 were renovated to become part of Curtin Connect,’ explains Curtin University audiovisual engineer, Kevin Sing. ‘This is effectively a drop-in centre for all our students requiring information or assistance for anything from changing courses to graduation gown hire. We were impressed by the Martin Audio O-Line system in St Georges Terrace, as the speaker cabinet was

There are no better monitors of this size, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as simple as that Andy Jones - Music Tech

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FEATURES: INSTALLATION flexible and powerful enough to be used in a variety of event spaces and lecture theatres.’

Building 102 of Curtin Connect is an open-plan, multifunctional space with modular desks and seating that can be quickly removed, allowing various of functions to be staged. Like Curtin St Georges Terrace, a large LED display is supported by eight per side Martin Audio O-Line cabinets colour-matched to the screen. Powered by four QSC CXD4.2Q 4-channel amplifiers, the O-Line cabinets’ DSP settings were applied with a Q-Sys Core 500i processor and once again tuned and commissioned by Gilfillan.

Lecterns can be hosted over several discretely located floor panels containing HDMI and XLR inputs and outputs, while speech reinforcement is enabled with Audio-Technica System 10 Pro wireless and U857QL gooseneck microphones. Up to eight video inputs can be fed into the Extron DTP CrossPoint 84 4K matrix switcher, with user control handled by an AMX touchpanel connected to the rack-based NX-1200 NetLinx integrated controller.

Curtin Connect saw the installation of eight L-R Martin Audio O-Line speakers

The 530-seat Elizabeth Jolley Lecture Theatre benefits from even audio coverage

The lecturer’s user interface is simplified by the AMX touchscreen As part of the A/V standardisation project, Curtin University identified a further 600 A/V enabled rooms for upgrades, varying in size from small huddle spaces to the 530-seat Elizabeth Jolley Lecture Theatre. Curtin University sought a standardisation of A/V equipment throughout campuses at Bentley, Kalgoorlie and the Perth CBD. ‘For this to succeed, the user experience and the interface was deemed to be vital,’ explains Mr Sing. Accordingly, the Curtin A/V department researched products for its specific audiovisual needs based on support, reliability and functionality.

‘Following our detailed analyses, we prepared standardisation documents for the systems integrator to recreate the models we had in mind,’ he continues. ‘Therefore, we selected standardised products that could provide scalability and functionality.’

Commissioned as the university’s systems integrator, Osborne Park-based Vizcom Technologies was tasked with implementing the various A/V systems throughout the campus. The timing could not have been better for Audio-Technica, Martin Audio and QSC distributor, TAG, as the main campus concluded its extensive study for standardising the campus-wide A/V systems.

Having previously employed a standard ceiling- or wall-mounted 2-way speaker system, Curtin decided to dispense with the aesthetically unsuitable cabinets that were creating uneven audio dispersion in its learning spaces. Although TAG’s design represented a significant cost increase, the results warranted a rollout of Martin Audio O-Line and CDD speaker systems, QSC amplification, Q-Sys DSP and Audio-Technica microphones.

104 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Teaching spaces were identified for upgrades during the Christmas holidays and planning started in July 2017. This gestation period between conception and commissioning suited TAG WA sales manager, Marc Sharman. ‘The coordination and planning at Curtin University was unprecedented, allowing us to design and model the sound systems well in advance,’ he says.

‘Once agreed, we could supply all of the equipment on time.’

Likewise, Vizcom could program and rack the audio and video components at its offices, while cabling infrastructures and electrical preparations were completed during the weeks preceding the tuition breaks. Thus, time on site was minimised, allowing maximum use of the vacant rooms over the Christmas break.

Although the audio specified for Curtin University is primarily for speech reinforcement, the coverage across all rooms had to be even. Martin Audio O-Line systems were deployed in the larger lecture theatres with 200+ seats, while mid-sized teaching spaces called upon Martin Audio CDD6 and CDD8 speakers to provide reinforcement. In those classrooms seating around 50 students, smaller QSC speakers have been utilised.

Two models of QSC SPA amplifiers have been used throughout, meeting the requirements of the standardisation process.

SPA4-100 4-channel amplifiers have been used to power the various O-Line systems in a 2-box resolution model, as well as the CDD speakers. The smaller SPA2-60 is used extensively in the smaller rooms.

DSP functionality has been configured for three main functions: audio recording, web conferencing and speech reinforcement. Standalone Q-Sys Core 110F processors have been programmed for all three variables, with Vaddio AV Bridges and Echo 360 capture appliances ensuring that Cisco WebEx conferencing can be recorded. In terms of microphones, most classrooms come with a choice of three models. Charged on the lectern docking station, two Revolabs Executive HD wearable lapel wireless models provide ease of movement via a simple attachment to the lecturer’s clothing. In addition, desk-mounted XLRF-type connector Audio-Technica U857QL cardioid condenser goosenecks and ES947 boundary models are also available.

From the tutors’ perspective, there is no need to engage with the racked equipment beneath the lectern, as touchscreen technology is available to enhance lessons. The standardised GUI on the AMX touchpanel simply depicts tabs for display (computer, laptop, document camera and wireless), record (status and recording control), audio (lapel, lectern and handheld), web conferencing (camera selection) and room (on, presentation and off). Hence, the induction to understand the Q-Sys DSP is negated as it simply connects to the AMX controller. The global code deployed on the controller is easily configured by the vControl system to suit a venue’s functionality requirements.

Like the audio functionality, the video systems are connected to the network via Cisco switches, integrated by Vizcom technicians. Products include Axis M3045-V web conferencing cameras, Axis M5014 support cameras and iSmart MTC automated presenter tracking cameras, Williams Sound TX75 IR radiators and Extron CrossPoint 84 4K matrix switchers.

Sony and Epson displays and projectors and Screen Technics

16:9 resolution screens provide full visual presentations, while an Aver Vision F50-8M document visualiser can be called upon when required. Mersive Solstice pods are used to provide wireless screen sharing from multiple end user devices across different platforms.

The days of supplying equipment to an installer and leaving a service telephone number are long gone, as Mr Sharman explains. ‘Having been provided with accurate laser measurements of the room dimensions by Kevin and his team, I added digital photographs and notes to a job folder for uploading onto our server,’ he explains. ‘These were downloaded by our designer Matt Stapleton at the main Sydney HQ, who quickly went about configuring speaker points and angle increments for the specific rooms. In order to provide even audio dispersion in the larger rooms, we usually have to lower the levels of the two O-Line elements focusing towards the front rows while raising the two serving the rear seats.’

Mr Sharman always insists on assisting Vizcom with system tuning following installation, using Smaart analysis. ‘We calculate the distance on every level of the seating areas to ensure the balance is right between the speaker modules.

This normally involves a lot of fine-tuning via the analyser and the Q-Sys DSP. The results in the larger lecture theatres are impressive, with the greatest variance being only 2.3dB across the entire seating area. Some of the older rooms such as the Ken Hall Lecture Theatre are acoustically challenging to say the least, so our time on site commissioning these took slightly longer.’

The full A/V solutions installed by Vizcom are enhancing both student and lecturer experiences The A/V standardisation programme, together with the return on investment, is being closely quantified and is already being heralded a success. Outside normal teaching hours, some of these lecture theatres are hired out to external groups together with private and corporate event organisers. The simplicity of use is an attractive proposition for hirers who can simply patch in their presentation or demonstration without getting bogged down with the technology.

‘Over the past two years since renovations began, the upgraded rooms are proving to be a success as incident records have decreased significantly since we adopted the standardised platform,’ concludes Mr Sing. ‘Before the A/V standardisation programme was rolled out, the A/V team received 438 service tickets at the start of the February 2016 semester with large peaks and troughs in calls logged throughout the semester. Two years on, that figure has decreased to 124 and a corresponding flattening of service call numbers. This continuing trend is the result of a number of key factors: the simplified standard interface and equipment, proactive monitoring and fault resolution before issues are experienced by users, and our ability to remotely resolve and support users of A/V-enabled teaching and meeting spaces.’

In the digital world we live and learn in, traditional books, rightly or wrongly, are being consigned to history. However, this A/V system will be available to meet the educational needs of Curtin University into the foreseeable future. www.curtin.edu.au www.tag.com.au www.vizcom.com.au

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FEATURES: RECORDING

The Dolby Atmos final mix stage has been installed with JBL cinema speaker systems

CITIC Film Studios *OPUH»Z ÄST PUK\Z[Y` PZ I\YNLVUPUN HUK H UL^ WYVK\J[PVU MHJPSP[` OHZ VWLULK V\[ZPKL )LPQPUN Caroline Moss ]PZP[Z [OL *0;0* .\VHU 5L^ )YPKNL :[\KPVZ CITIC GUOAN GROUP, A SUBSIDIARY OF STATE-OWNED investment giant CITIC which has interests in computer systems, cable TV networks, real estate, tourism and wine, and an eye on good investments, has recently moved into the film industry. Box office takings in the country have boomed, with China poised to overtake the US as the world’s largest movie market. So, in 2014, the company decided to invest in a film production base in Grand Epoch City near Beijing.

The second phase of construction at CITIC Guoan New Bridge Studios, which adds audio facilities, is now complete.

The sprawling Grand Epoch City complex is a reconstruction of Beijing’s old walled city, and is used as a film and TV location as well as being a tourist resort. Located 80km south-east of the Chinese capital, there was ample space and infrastructure to create a world-class production facility that would attract not only filmmakers from China and neighbouring Asian countries, but from across the world.

‘When considering which direction we should go in, we decided to focus on film production, because we perceived a gap between the standards of production in China and other countries,’ explains Albert Yang, vice president of the CITIC Guoan New Bridge Studios, himself a former TV and film producer and director. ‘Our goal is to be a base from which we can cooperate with Hollywood and, in doing so, increase our production standards.’

Many Hollywood producers and filmmakers were consulted before the project was started, and work began in 2015.

The first phase involved the construction of a video facility for special effects, which was ready for use the following year. The audio facilities added in the second phase, which became operational in March this year, ensure that the studio can now function as a one-stop shop for all elements of film production.

As well as seeking advice from Hollywood, industry professionals were also consulted, including leading audio

106 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Vice president, Albert Yang manufacturers such as Dolby and Avid. The China Radio, Film & TV Design and Research Institute (DRFT), founded in 1952 and certified in radio, film and television industry design as well as building and engineering design, assisted with the facility’s layout and acoustics.

‘We carried out a lot of research into the products we installed,’ continues Mr Yang. ‘Certain brands, such as Avid, were obviously a given but, before we chose other models and brands, we consulted many different manufacturers and

distributors. We also looked to similar facilities such as China Film, as well as film studios in other provinces. Our general manager, John Ou, knows Hollywood very well, he is American Chinese, lived in the US for 20 years and has had a lot of cooperation on Hollywood productions.’

The tender to supply and install all audio equipment for phase two was won by Starlighting Technology, which was the main project contractor. The bar was set very high, with a focus on becoming one of China’s leading facilities, so the project presented a number of challenges. ‘It’s a big facility and a production base that will be able to carry out all procedures,’ explains Mr Yang. ‘When it came to some of the integration, we couldn’t find a precedent in China, even though we’d visited other facilities. So we had to study and work it out to see if what we wanted to do would work.’

The existing building that now houses the audio postproduction facility was previously used as a sports and leisure facility for the nearby hotels. The large premises were renovated to create the different rooms and studios, with extensive wiring carried out throughout the building.

The 3,000m2 Studio 1, a shooting floor with associated lounges, dressing rooms and dining areas, had already been constructed during phase one. The second stage, for which Starlighting Technology handled system integration, has provided a scoring stage, a Dolby Atmos final mix stage, a Dolby Atmos premix room, three audio editing suites, two ADR studios, a sound effects/foley stage, two DI rooms for colour grading, five video edit suites, a green screen studio and a data centre.

The 400m2 scoring stage has been designed for recording and final mixing by one of the country’s top acousticians, Liu Shiqiang from the DRFT. The acoustics of this room can be adjusted by moving the wall panels, using a small winch.

The large control room has been installed with a 5.1 system of Genelec 1238A SAM studio monitors with 7370A subs, PMC twotwo.6 and Dynaudio LYD 7 reference monitors, an SSL AWS 924 Delta analogue mixer and DAW controller and an Avid Pro Tools HD 12 rig with HD 16x16 analogue audio interface, Grace design 500 series mic preamps, SSL 500 series EQ, a Tube-Tech SMC 2B compressor, Tube-Tech PE 1C EQ, a TC Electronic System 6000 music effects processor

FEATURES: RECORDING

The premix stage

ADR booth

Operations director, Jia Zongda, in the scoring stage control room

and microphones including DPA 4018A, 4011A and Neumann U87 Ai and M149 models.

Next door is the 342m2 Dolby Atmos final mix stage, a 100-seat cinema-format room with a main system of five JBL 4732 ScreenArray loudspeaker systems, eight JBL AM7215 surround speakers, 18 JBL 9320 cinema surround speakers, 12 JBL SCS 12 Spatially Cued overhead speakers and seven 4642A cinema subwoofers, powered by Crown DCi 4|2400N and DCi 8|600N DriveCore cinema amplifiers. The room is also installed with an Avid Pro Tools HD 12 system, a Pro Tools HD MTRX audio interface with Dante module and two Avid S6 control surfaces, allowing two operators to work side by side. A range of plug-ins from Waves, iZotope and Audio Ease have been provided, along with TC electronic FILM 6000 and Eventide H800FW effects processors and a Barco DP4K32B DCI cinema projector.

Technicians from Dolby China visited to carry out acoustic tests and provide input when the room was still a shell. Once all the necessary acoustic treatment had been carried out, the technicians returned to perform testing. The final tests took place once all room elements, including the seating and the speakers, were in place. Once satisfied, Dolby was then able to certify the room and provide a CP850 Dolby Atmos cinema processor.

A further Avid S6 mix surface, together with a Pro Tools HD 12 system and HD MTRX audio interface, can be found on the premix stage, which is installed with a 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos-enabled speaker system of JBL 3732 ScreenArrays, with 8350 cinema surround speakers and 4642A cinema subwoofers, powered by Crown DSi 4000, DSi 2000 and DSi 1000 cinema amplifiers. Dolby Atmos Production Suite processing software is also available in this room.

The two 5.1 sound edit rooms are installed with Pro Tools HD systems, an Avid HD I/O 8x8x8 HD Series audio interface and Genelec 8240A SAM 5.1 systems with 7360A SAM subwoofers. The 7.1.4 edit room is equipped for Dolby Atmos editing and pre-processing via Pro Tools, an Avid HD I/O 16x16 digital audio interface, an Avid S3 control surface, Pro Tools Dock mixing controller and Dolby Production Suite software. Monitoring here is via a 7.1.4 Genelec 8240A SAM and 7360A system, with four overhead speakers installed on the ceiling.

More Avid equipment can be found in the two ADR recording and pre-processing studios, including Pro Tools HD systems, Avid HD I/O 8x8x8 interfaces and S3 control surfaces with Dock controllers. Stereo Genelec 8240A SAM systems and Avalon mic preamps have also been provided, together with a good selection of microphones from Neumann, Sennheiser,

DPA and Shure. Similar equipment can be found at the Foley stage, which is used for sound effects pre-processing and editing, but this room has a 5.1 system of Genelec 8240A SAMs with a 7360A SAM sub, and mic preamps including the SSL 500 Series and AMS Neve 1073LB 500 Series.

Two 180m2 DI rooms have been installed with Baselight Two and Baselight One colour grading and finishing systems from UK manufacturer FilmLight, capable of 4K 3D and 2K 3D real-time grading, respectively. Both rooms are installed with JBL 3732 ScreenArray main speaker systems with JBL 9320 cinema surround speakers and 4641 subwoofers driven

by Crown DSi 4000, DSi 2000 and DSi 1000 amplifiers to create 5.1/7.1 surround cinema playback systems.

Equipment supply contractor, Digital Ocean, has also fitted out a data storage centre based around an Avid

One of the two DI rooms with a Baselight Two system

Control room for one of the two ADR studios

Dolby Atmos final mix stage

Nexis software-defined storage platform and Quantum SAN storage system, with APC cooling systems. An Oracle NAS storage network had already been installed during phase one. All the studios can connect to stored data to work on postproduction, though in the interest of the high level of security around valuable unreleased content, only the facility’s operations director, Jia Zongda, and his IT engineer can gain the unrestricted access needed for maintenance.

As well as feature films, TV productions are also being shot at the 3,000m2 studio constructed during phase one of CITIC Guoan New Bridge Studios. The third phase will see the construction of a 20,000m2 shooting floor and other rooms to be built to TV broadcasting standards.

When CITIC conceived this project back in 2014, its goal was to facilitate the development of the Chinese film and TV production industries. As part of this initiative, the company has cooperated with the China Film Festival to organise an

annual forum at the facility, to which international producers and filmmakers are invited. Past themes have included special effects and audio for film, and, this year, the theme is how to increase the overall standards of the Chinese film industry. As well as educating and raising awareness, the forums and seminars also showcase the studios to the international film contingent.

‘We hope that Chinese movies can appear on the global film stage to let more movie-goers appreciate Chinese culture’s long history and charm,’ said a CITIC Guoan spokesperson at the end of last year’s Beijing International Film Festival.

With the opening of CITIC Guoan New Bridge Studios’ most recent phase, China has moved a step closer to bringing its film industry to the world. www.drft.com.cn www.starlighting.com.cn

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 107

FEATURES: RECORDING

Coming home DMT has equipped China TV Production Centre Studio with a Dolby Atmos broadcast mix studio, based around Genelec speakers and an Avid S6. Caroline Moss listens SINCE 2012, MOVIE-GOERS HAVE BEEN VISITING CINEMAS to experience an increasing number of films in Dolby’s 3D object-based immersive audio format, Dolby Atmos. The company has taken the format beyond the cinema screen and into the consumer market, beginning with headphone technology in 2014 and progressing to home theatre. A/V receivers and devices supporting Dolby Atmos, including the new Apple TV 4K, are appearing on the market, and manufacturers are launching upward-firing speakers that eliminate the need to install ceiling speakers at home, as well as Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbars. TV broadcasts are now gearing up. In China, technology and streaming giants Tencent and iQiYi have already broadcast some TV programmes mixed in Atmos for the home, including The Voice of China and other entertainment and reality TV shows and dramas, as well as the spring festival gala. And one of the country’s most established sound engineers, Lou Wei, is working with the format at China TV Production Centre Studio (CTPC).

Mr Lou is a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, where he studied the art of sound recording. After graduation, he started his illustrious career at the state broadcasting company, CCTV, where opportunities to work on different types of audio programming were plentiful. Mr Lou’s journey took him from early music recording and mixing projects through to recording and mixing for TV dramas and on to on-air production for musical shows. Three years ago, a new vista opened up as he was given the opportunity to work with Dolby Atmos on the development of its home format.

Mr Lou was already known to Dolby for the successful 5.1 broadcast mixes he’d worked on. He was initially drafted in to help the manufacturer with testing, quickly graduating to

108 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Lou Wei at the controls of the Avid S6

The Genelec SAM system

working on the postproduction for some TV programming in Dolby Atmos. For this work, a new studio at CTPC has been designed and built. Mr Lou worked closely with acoustician, Guo Ming, to implement his requirements, before Digital Media Technology (DMT) came onboard to supply and install the equipment.

‘We at DMT helped to find an acoustic designer and a construction team during the building process,’ explains DMT’s technical director, Johnathan Wang. ‘Mr Lou checked everything in situ, and made any necessary modifications. We tested reverberation time, to make sure that he was satisfied with the room acoustics.’

Some challenges were presented by the fact the studio is based in an office building but, once all necessary acoustic work had been carried out, Mr Lou declared himself satisfied with the results.

When it came to the choice of speakers, Mr Lou remained faithful to Genelec, a brand he’s been using since the 1990s when his studio was installed with a pair of 1024s. The new studio at CTPC, however, has been able to take advantage of Genelec’s SAM (Smart Active Monitoring) technology with GLM (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) software for fine adjustment of settings, and AutoCal to compensate for room acoustics. A self-confessed devotee of correct speaker calibration and tuning, Mr Lou has always carried out calibration himself when working with analogue speakers before the advent of digital models, using the amplifier EQ. ‘This new generation of speaker provides more control and the ability to change the parameters and adjust them to the room,’ he explains. ‘It’s very convenient to use the software to connect all the speakers and be able to see the EQ curve.’

FEATURES: RECORDING

The studio’s spacious recording area

Genelec 1029 overhead speakers A 5.1 system comprising five Genelec 8351 APM SAM monitors and a 7370 APM subwoofer have been installed, together with four overhead Genelec 1029 speakers installed on the ceiling. An Avid S6 M40 control surface with Pro Tools HDX2, a JLCooper AXOS panner and TAC System VMC-102 monitor controller have also been provided

by DMT, together with a Dolby DP580 Atmos decoder and RMU render unit, Waves Mercury, Avid Revibe II, Audioease Altiverb 7 XL and Speakerphone 2 and Carco Cult Conformalizer EDL plug-ins, Antares Auto-Tune 8, Studio Technologies Model 5202 and 5205 Dante interfaces, a Universal Audio 4-710d preamp, RTW TM9 TouchMonitors and an SSL AlphaLink MADI SX converter.

After mixes have been encoded using the Dolby Digital Plus, or the Enhanced AC-3 digital audio compression system, content is ready to be streamed online. Although those watching at home will need to have home theatre setups, content can also be accessed in Dolby Atmos via a smartphone or tablet, with a pair of headphones that are compatible with the format.

Like other emerging 3D audio formats, Dolby Atmos in the cinema has so far been used mainly on action films for the spectacular spatial effects it can create around dramatic scenes involving explosions, helicopters, car chases and the like. But how will it translate to the smaller screen?

‘5.1 already provides a surround experience, but Atmos can give you much more than this; it truly is immersive sound,’ explains Mr Lou. ‘The cinema typically uses lots of very big sound effects, but for home viewing we don’t need to use a lot of big effects in this way. We need to create more of an immersive feeling.

For example, we can use the top speakers to

provide audience reaction, such as applause, as well as atmosphere and ambience to make viewers feel as if they’re really there. However, you have to know exactly when to use it. If you create an immersive sound experience all the time, people won’t be able to tell the difference.

‘When mixing in Atmos, it’s better if the source material is quite rich. It’s not that effective when it’s used just for something like dialogue. One of the challenges I’m working with is that Atmos is a new format and there are not so many references at the moment, so I’m having to learn about what works and what doesn’t.’

Apart from the specialised equipment package provided by DMT, Mr Lou is also sticking with some of his tried-and-tested equipment, which includes a whole bank of Focusrite Red mic preamps and dual compressor/limiters. He includes Pro Tools in his list of tried-and-tested gear, emphasising that the latest version, 12.8, has a new panner that works with the Dolby RMU, giving him a great deal of assistance while mixing. There is also a useful joystick on the Avid S6 control surface. The S6 is an upgrade from Mr Lou’s previous Digidesign D Command console, and he is just getting to grips with it, describing it as ‘a very powerful tool’. Aside from equipment, he is also able to take advantage of the other facilities available at CTPC, including an ADR dubbing room for recording vocals.

Mr Lou leaves us with some words of wisdom that befit a sound engineer of his experience when encountering something new. ‘Although we now have a different format that provides an audio engineer with many more tools and different ways of working, the most important thing is still the audio content,’ he says. ‘You still need to get the source audio right in the first place, and pay close attention to the audio quality. You still need to follow the rules.’

So clearly, whatever the format, the key to the process is knowing the rules to begin with.

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www.dmtpro.com www.dolby.com

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 109

BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

An R&D Experience

Alexander Pietschmann, David Kirby and Markus Jahnel cutting the ribbon on the Experience Centre

While there are many eye-catching areas at the Adam Hall Group’s new Experience Centre, it is the R&D facility situated VU P[Z NYV\UK ÅVVY [OH[ TH` ^LSS IL [OL TVZ[ PTWVY[HU[ James Ling takes a tour

The Experience Centre features a product showroom

A STRIKING NEON SIGN AT THE ADAM HALL GROUP’S new Experience Centre in Neu-Anspach, just north of Frankfurt, Germany, glows with the words ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’. The famous Walt Disney quote may be seen by visitors to the impressive complex as a statement about the growth of the company, but these words resonate further.

The sign hangs on the wall at one end of the elaborately decorated library. On the other side of that wall is possibly the single most important area for the future of the manufacturer: its R&D and test facility. Every day, as Adam Hall’s engineers head into their respective labs, they will walk past this sign. It is surely as much a message to inspire them as it is a statement about the company itself.

The launch of the Experience Centre and the neighbouring logistics park has turned many heads in the entertainment

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110 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

technology market. Costing upwards of €20 million, it is the physical manifestation of everything the manufacturer is trying to achieve. It includes a fully equipped product showroom, a large auditorium for live shows and demonstrations, and educational facilities for the newly founded Adam Hall Academy.

‘The idea behind the Experience Centre was to make a space for creativity which would come together for the whole market,’ says Adam Hall CEO, Alexander Pietschmann. ‘We are really making a statement to the industry.’

While all of these elements are individually important and combine to form an impressive new home for the manufacturer, it is the R&D facilities that will provide the most long-term benefits. Dotted along a corridor that runs behind the auditorium are four rooms where the future of the

BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE company will be created. While the concepts are hatched in the third-storey design offices, it is in these rooms that they will be prototyped and tested.

Sitting at the far end of the corridor is the space described as the ‘most expensive room in the whole building’: the brand new anechoic chamber. The room is a box-in-box construction standing on rubber absorbers to decouple it from the rest of the building. The walls and ceiling are covered with hundreds of large Rockwool wedges which create a test environment for accurate measurements between 60Hz and 30kHz. It is also home to a large robotic arm that can turn the loudspeaker to any position and allows the engineering team to take polar measurements of a loudspeaker. These two elements combine to ensure the manufacturer can measure the dispersion of its speakers at every angle to build a precise picture of its characteristics.

While audio makes up a major part of the entertainment technology industry, lighting holds just as important a role.

So it is little surprise that the facility directly neighbouring the anechoic chamber is Adam Hall’s new photometric laboratory.

While the anechoic chamber is striking for the wedges that give it its acoustic characteristics, this long, high room is equally imposing. ‘What you see is a black room because what we don’t need is reflection from the walls or something like that – we only want to see the light of the luminaires,’ explains Adam Hall’s senior light technology engineer, Herbert Bernstädt. ‘It is a very big room, it is very long and

The performance area very high. The reason is if you have a luminaire like a spot or a follow spot, for example, then you need distance because only with distance will you see the sharp light. Then we can look at how the edge of the gobo will be and the edges of the beams themselves.’

While the size of the room ensures it is a suitable testing environment, there are also plenty of tools at the engineering team’s disposal. There are sensors for measuring everything from dimmer curves to laser intensity and beam angles to colour quality. This all combines to enable the manufacturer to measure every element of its lights.

While the first two rooms deal with the technical characteristics of the various products, it is the third room that provides a real-world test for them. The environmental test room is home to various endurance and climatic test rigs. One measures product performance under the constant running water of a shower, while another can simulate

temperatures from –50°C to 200°C and a humidity range from 0% to 100% to test the capabilities in any environment.

But it is not only how the products perform in different environments that can be tested in this space, it is also their effect on the environment. It is here where the manufacturer can measure restricted materials such as lead or cadmium to ensure its PCBs conform to the European and international laws on dangerous materials.

The final room on the corridor is also one of the first places any new product concept will arrive: the prototype workshop.

Here the engineering team first works with foam to ensure the dimensions of a new product are right before creating working wooden versions for testing in spaces such as the

Inside Adam Hall’s anechoic chamber anechoic chamber. It is this lab that backs on to the neon sign, ensuring the quote has that extra meaning.

While these rooms may not be as instantly eye-catching as some of the other spaces within the Experience Centre, for the CEO it is the combination of every part of the building that will lead to its overall success. More importantly, there is a belief that moving the R&D team into a facility where they can be in direct contact with end users will yield the best results.

‘We want to create the cycle between R&D, customers and the future,’ explains Mr Pietschmann. ‘When we listen to our customers we get the right feedback and we are not just developing products that we just think are necessary. Being here means the process is getting faster and we have that direct contact. That’s the vision behind the building.’

Walt Disney’s words may be seen by some as just a throwaway motivational quote. But, for the team at Adam Hall, it’s a daily reminder of the abundance of creativity and inspiration that our industry is capable of.

Adam Hall’s Asian distributors gather for the opening

www.adamhall.com/ExperienceUsLive

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November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 111

BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

All systems go

Mukti Foundation auditorium, Mumbai, a recent ESCO project

Caroline Moss visits Mumbai-based systems integrator ESCO Systems, celebrating 25 years in business and striving to reach a new level FEW ARE BETTER PLACED TO COMMENT ON INDIA’S RAPID boom in systems integration than ESCO managing director, Sunil Mehan. Taking the helm of ESCO India in 2003, he has steered the company, which will be 25 next year, to its current position as one of the longest-established SI companies in the country.

But despite ESCO’s longevity, Mr Mehan believes that it could be doing even better in today’s environment. That’s why he’s introduced a range of new measures to ramp ESCO up as India embraces an era of massive infrastructure projects. One of the changes being introduced to celebrate the company’s quartercentury is a subtle name change to ESCO Systems from ESCO Audio Visual India, which it had been known as since its launch in 1994. Another is entering the field of product distribution.

‘We’re rebranding, and we’re looking at two things in particular,’ explains Mr Mehan. ‘We intend to increase our market share, as well as the portfolio of products and services we can offer. We have traditionally been a hardcore systems integration company. Today, however, we provide maintenance contracts, structured cabling and IT services, and we’ve decided to distribute a few products, the first ones being Ashton Bentley as well as a lighting range.’

UK company Ashton Bentley manufactures collaboration spaces that allow A/V equipment to be integrated offsite, while an Indian manufacturer of light fittings is supporting ESCO with design input and products. As well as broadening the market, there is one major benefit to this new direction: ESCO is able to interact with the client at an earlier stage in the project.

‘What we’ve found is that project management companies, architects and interior designers are now willing to work with us, which they wouldn’t do under normal circumstances,’ he continues. ‘Although this strategy has only been in place for about six months, it’s making a difference already.’

112 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Anthony Immathy, Shirkant Thik and Sunil Mehan The agreement with Ashton Bentley was formalised with the companies’ joint participation at InfoComm India 2018, though ESCO had already worked with the UK manufacturer on some major corporate projects. ‘We recently installed their products at the new premises of a major financial company in Bangalore and Delhi. That gave me a much deeper understanding of the products. I think the combined potential is good for both companies.’

Although these developments are recent ones, ESCO has been actively ramping up its presence since 2010, after a string of unpaid projects had knocked the company back. ‘It took us more than four years to reconstruct and rebuild and it was 2015 before we took off again. Since then it’s been great; we managed to double our market share in a year, and

it’s tripled thereafter.’ Staffing levels over the same period have also increased from around 20 to 120 across India, including a core of 65 integration staff and 35 that handle maintenance contracts.

‘My philosophy has been straightforward: I’ve made sure I’ve employed the right people to head the verticals. It’s become mandatory for all our staff to take Avixa’s CTS (Certified Technology Specialist) training programme, even the back office. We’re encouraging them to understand technology, which means we automatically improve the understanding of the deliverables.’

In addition to this, senior staff are being encouraged to complete Avixa’s CTS-I (Installation) and CTS-D (Design) training programmes. ‘We want to get this done by the end of 2018 so we can go for the Avixa APEX Certification,’ he continues, adding that this is still a rarity in India.

Ultimately, a systems integrator is only as good as the projects it successfully completes. Mr Mehan cites the first major client he dealt with when he took over the company in 2003 – TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) – as not only his introduction to the business, but what piqued his interest.

‘Soon after I took over ESCO, we landed TCS as a client; they gave us a couple of projects and it was very interesting for me. I had to grow and learn a tremendous amount, and it was very important having the right set of people around me.

My background was in sales and marketing but, as far as the technical side went, I learned as I went along.’

Another major milestone project was in 2007 for Tech Mahindra, which in those days was known as Satyam. ‘This was one of the first in India under my leadership,’ explains Mr Mehan. The Satyam School of Learning was an extensive install, providing 43 areas of the campus with digital signage systems, a radio station, a TV station and an auditorium, and taking 40 staff one year to complete. ‘We deployed

BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE the product that Kramer calls Via Go today, formerly WoW, introducing it into India and basing our design around that,’ he continues. ‘It was a major milestone and did us a lot of good. It was a first for everything installed there and, in terms of OEM relationships, all our suppliers were happy with us: Kramer, Crestron, Christie, Electro-Voice, Sharp, NEC. That was a real breakthrough for us because suddenly ESCO was not only recognised on the Indian map but suddenly in Las Vegas at InfoComm and in Singapore.’

More recent clients include ICICI, JSW, Tech Mahindra, Barclays and Boeing. ‘The emphasis on the maintenance business has also increased, and we have projects right across the country, from Nagaland to Trivandrum.’

Mr Mehan is certainly doing his part to prepare ESCO for the market’s continuing sophistication as the level of India’s A/V projects rapidly matures. ‘Systems integrators now know it’s not just a question of putting the racks in and walking away. If you look at just racking and cabling, there’s a major difference in the finesse and quality of work that some of the companies are doing. Systems integrators are no longer scared of giving their opinion and taking ownership of what

ESCO and Ashton Bentley took stand space at InfoComm India for the first time in 2018

A financial institute has been installed with Polycom VC and Ashton Bentley products

they specify, so the level of confidence has gone up. The pool of talent available in India is still limited, but whatever is there is very good and improving drastically.’

Although college courses are beginning to appear, a large proportion of staff is still being trained in-house. ‘There’s no other training available apart from what InfoComm provides,’ he reflects. ‘InfoComm is a blessing with the standards it’s set, which we’ve adopted here and modified for local conditions. Slowly slowly, the Indian boys are starting to wear safety gear and steel toecap boots.’

There’s been a concurrent advance in clients’ understanding of what A/V systems are capable of. ‘They have a set idea

and expectation of the functionality of the equipment they buy, but they often don’t realise its full potential. When you expose them to that potential, they are interested and they want to use it. We often end up leaving one of our guys behind who will not only look after and maintain the equipment but also train them to use it properly.’

ESCO Systems is now in a strong position to face down the next quarter-century, and India’s rapid development will surely provide the challenges to keep it moving forward. www.esco.systems

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November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 113

BUSINESS: COMMENT

A letter from America Dan Daley explores the funny business of mixing live sound for some of the highest-earning standup comedians in the business WANT A GOOD LAUGH? TAKE A LOOK AT the kind of multi-billion-dollar business comedy is doing these days. Netflix alone has shelled out over a quarter of a billion dollars to just five stand-up comedians – Jerry Seinfeld (who got $100 million of that), Dave Chapelle, Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais and Amy Shumer – in just the last year.

Every one of them uses a microphone. See where this is going?

Comedians aren’t at the point where they’re touring with their own rider-ready PA systems, but they do have seasoned veterans mixing their live sound, they are using effects and mic choices are critical to them.

Mixing sound for a stand-up comedian on the road seems like it might be an easy gig.

Open the channel and stand by for an evening of yuks? Not really. ‘It’s harder than any band I’ve ever mixed,’ says Scott Tydings, who is currently mixing the diminutive Kevin Hart on his year-long tour. ‘Any problem you might have is magnified, because it’s just one person up on stage and just one person

mixing. There’s nowhere to hide. We have a new systems tech on this tour and, before this, he was out with artists like Judas Priest and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He thought working with a comedian would be simple. It actually took three weeks to get it dialed in.’

These performers are touring at the arena level, so they are not going out with half an EON system and a Mackie Mix8. SR provider Showtime Sound is providing a 64-box L-Acoustics K2 system for Mr Hart, enough for many touring bands, let alone one person on stage with a microphone.

‘It’s all about coverage,’ says Mr Tydings, who has also mixed FOH or done production management for Mr Hart’s contemporaries Amy Shumer and Louis CK. ‘Every seat in the house has to be able to hear every word clearly and intelligibly. The audience comes to hear the jokes and, if they can’t, they can get pretty angry.’

Some comics are relatively sedate on stage; Mr Tydings says both Ms Shumer and Louis CK, both of whom he worked with while Mr

Hart was spending most of 2017 doing films and television, rarely raise their voices. ‘Amy is pretty easy to mix – she tends to keep the microphone in one place and doesn’t do character voices,’ he says. ‘Louis is much the same – he’ll keep the mic in one place for most of the show and speak in a pretty controlled tone of voice.’

Mr Hart, however, is another matter entirely.

He’ll keep the microphone (a Shure KSM8 through an Axient wireless system, although sometimes they use an SM58) firmly in his grip as he gesticulates wildly on stage, with the mic pointing every which way in the process. ‘You can never let go of the faders,’ says Mr Tydings. And yes, that’s faders, plural. He has Mr Hart’s input assigned to four separate channels across the Midas Pro X console he’s touring with, each with its own specific EQ and dynamics settings, for Mr Hart’s numerous excursions into other characters and situations. ‘I’ll move him from channel to channel as the show progresses, as he does different bits,’ says

Mr Tydings, who is considering experimenting with a lavalier microphone at some point on this tour, in the hope of keeping up with Hart’s highly physical comedy. ‘You have to know the show by heart, and be ready as Kevin switches to women’s and kids’ voices, sings and just goes through a whole range of different sounds and different volume levels.’

Geoff Hidden, who mixed comedian/ actor Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias for eight years, recalls dealing with sudden level changes using a combination of compression and careful fader riding, as well as filtering out some of the lower frequencies that would get especially honked and could rumble the system. Feedback was a constant possibility.

‘You never knew where he was going to go onstage,’ he says. ‘If you blinked, he’d be somewhere else when you opened your eyes, pointing the mic at a monitor.’

Whether it’s being tightly held or purposefully dropped, the microphone is comedy’s main trope. As a result, pro audio has a chance to be laughing all the way to the bank.

Dolby walked into London’s Advision Studios and spoke enthusiastically to a young tech called Eddie Veale, nobody had a clue who Ray Dolby was.

However, you have to be careful when using terms like 3D and immersive. There is no real consensus about the lexicon of surround and its various definitions and, as ASA founder Bjorn van Munster points out, there is no ownership even of the phrase ‘object-based’ audio. One week later, and only three miles away at a similarly revived East End rough diamond – the Troxy Art Deco multi-purpose venue – the Pro Audio Group hosted ‘an immersive experience’ using Rolling Stones footage and a Turbosound Flashlight PA refurbished by Formidable Audio. But in this instance, ‘immersive’ meant actors and props in a living re-creation of the gig – the most analogue way there is of turning anything 3D, with the audio remaining resolutely L-R.

Mr Nankivell has had his own motivating experience at the sharp edge of the East End’s less-than-aristocratic nightlife culture.

While working at the Broadway Theatre in Barking, he arrived one evening to learn of a stabbing on that very doorstep, and it was enough to encourage him to relocate to what British people comfortingly call the Home Counties (and a plum job at market leader tedAV). This demo, however, was a perfectly safe return to the neighbourhood, and it should be pointed out that, unlike driverless vehicles, to date no human being has been harmed in the pursuit of 3D sound. That would only happen if the notorious Kray Twins returned from the grave to launch Kray-array, an emphatically non-Plasa endorsed spin-off with a whole new interpretation of the concept of hearing protection.

Mind you, the two directors of 2BHeard did meet in Sicily. Hmmm…

A letter from Europe

Phil Ward takes a stroll around the East End of London and its unlikely emergence into the world of audio technology THE EAST END OF LONDON NEVER USED to be somewhere you would associate with cutting-edge technology. Maybe the cutting edge of a razor blade, as it made its contribution to negotiations surrounding a gangland turf war.

But not the biggest evolutionary change in pro audio since Alan Blumlein split the sonic atom and called it stereo. Yet that’s exactly what was on display at the Hackney Empire theatre – the East End’s answer to the Royal Albert Hall – this month. Where the Albert Hall has chandeliers, the Hackney Empire has shandy.

In a paper cup.

But it’s still a fine Victorian venue. Ambitious UK start-up 2BHeard Audio is now distributing the ‘3D’ audio technology designed by Dutch pioneer Astro Spatial Audio (ASA) and, with impressive commitment, rented this very space for three days to demonstrate its potential to big-hitting guests including Production Resources Group (PRG), the Royal

Opera House and the BBC. The portfolio at 2BHeard also includes K-array speakers from Italy and SSL’s prestigious Live range of digital mixing consoles, which assembles a pretty convincing signal chain for a great many applications.

Spatial audio is a revelation, and Astro’s version of it a compelling apostle. Just as the French technology L-ISA has its ‘Bubble’ catalogue, ASA has a recording and mastering dimension soon to be exploited by 2BHeard’s new studio complex in England. Not for nothing does 2BHeard’s co-director, Sam Nankivell, envision the phrase ‘mixed in Astro 3D’ as an emblem for the technology, one that should encourage awareness of its potential across all sections of the industry, including live sound and installation. It works differently to Dolby Atmos, and is much more accessible to sound engineers and designers on the hoof.

Never forget that when, one day in 1968, Ray

114 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

Back to the future

Dennis Baxter contemplates how major broadcast events have played a big role in the development of surround and immersive sound formats THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT ASIA, PARTICULARLY JAPAN’S NHK, has led the way in advancing audio programming and production for television for decades. When I was learning about surround sound, NHK sound engineer Mr H Sueishi shared his experience with me, guiding me through my first 5.1 sound design and mix for the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. Four years later, I implemented surround sound for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, which was completely produced in discrete 5.1 surround.

NHK Japan has pioneered many technical innovations in broadcasting. It has been forward-thinking in the production practices and content development of 4K and 8K video with super-high-definition audio capture and creation. The broadcaster was the first to adopt 5.1 surround sound and has pioneered its own proprietary audio format, 22.2, which was introduced in 2005. This multichannel sound format was developed for use with the ultra-high-definition video system, 8K video. The 22.2 channels of sound consist of three layers with 10 channels in the middle layer (ear level), nine channels in the upper and three in the lower layer, with two channels for the LFE (low-frequency effects).

I do not think that NHK’s 8K Super Hi-Vision combined with 22.2 channels of sound happened by accident. All the stars aligned for Japan to try and commercialise a new ultra-highquality broadcast format. Japan has long been a leader in the manufacture of broadcast equipment such as cameras and electronics and, when the government-funded television network reached for the sky, it became possible because of the technical infrastructure and national support. NHK

116 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Dennis Baxter has been a sound designer for international sports for more than 30 years and offers some insight into advanced audio production

A 22.2-channel screenshot

has aggressively tested and developed the equipment and created an impressive library of content. Significantly, with the 2020 Summer Olympics on the horizon in Japan, NHK will produce a treasure trove of Super Hi-Vision content that will officially launch Super Hi-Vision picture and audio in Japan.

However, NHK’s audio and video encoding is proprietary, and is not gaining traction with other broadcasters. Japan’s neighbours, Korea and China, have adopted the MPEG-H format, Korea coming onboard in 2016 and China in 2018, and, for all practical purposes, this format is robust and scalable enough to accommodate immersive and interactive audio.

It is no secret that Asia – specifically China, Japan and Korea – has moved forward with many advanced media production technologies. The technology is usually on display at major international sporting events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. Beijing 2008 saw the complete rollout of surround sound for every event. The 2020 Olympics

BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY will be broadcast in 22.2-channel immersive sound only in Japan, with 9.1 or 11.1 immersive sound available for other rights holders. Meanwhile, the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia set a new precedent by making broadcasts available in immersive sound, while future tournaments, including Qatar 2022, will be produced in 4K high definition with 5.1.4 immersive sound.

Curiously, none of the Korean rights holders produced immersive audio content from the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Seoul. There was a variety of explanations for not producing immersive sound, but the bottom line came from management: how many people can hear and experience immersive sound?

Asia continues to take a leading role in the development RI KLJK GHÀQLWLRQ . YLGHR DQG immersive sound I had heard a version of this daunting question years earlier, and it has long lingered with me. After Beijing 2008, the next major sporting event in the region was the Asian Games in 2010. During a production meeting, I inquired about producing the audio in 5.1 surround. A quick response came back: how many people can listen in surround sound?

Except for the opening ceremony, the Asian Games are still being produced in stereo, putting the event behind the 5.1 standard the FIFA World Cup and Olympics have enjoyed since 2008.

In audio terms, the migration from standard definition television to 2K high-definition television marked the transition from stereo to surround sound. I believe that similarly, 4K television signals another transition, this time from surround sound to immersive sound. But I have to bring

A 22.2-channel studio setup up the question: do we need super-high-definition television with 22.2 channels of sound for home entertainment?

Large televisions and lots of speakers require lots of space.

I am going to make an early prediction that the home entertainment screen size will plateau at 4K, not because the technology is not practical, but because of the size of the viewing space an 8K television monitor requires. You simply cannot sit too close to the screen.

I first saw a presentation of 8K and 22.2-channel sound around 2008 and I have seen many demos since. Clearly, it is impressive. I have watched NHK build several OB vans and seen its relentless testing of sound and video. The whole exercise – particularly when it comes to sound – has been a learning process of what works and what doesn’t. I have often quipped that it sounds good on paper. 8K picture is fairly straightforward, but immersive sound is a bit tricky because a clear vision of what should be above the listener/ viewer is necessary. What is above the head of the sports viewer can be significantly different in a music or drama environment.

The super-high-resolution format for audio and video may find a market with super projection formats like IMAX or other high-resolution-type screens, but I question anything past 4K for the home. Additionally, I anticipate some sort of immersive sound format with overhead sound and for this to be delivered by soundbars.

I am currently mixing in 11.1 (7.1.4 over Genelec speakers) and have tested sports, music and dramatic content.

Although immersive sound is wonderful in a discrete speaker setup, I am very concerned at how immersive sound 11.1 or 22.2 reproduces over a wide variety of soundbars. I have heard audio professionals in broadcasting criticise the quality of reproduction from soundbars. But I argue that anything is an improvement on the current experience. The fact is that many consumers accepted the situation of having built-in speakers in televisions until there was just no more room for speakers in televisions. Wait, I forgot about rear-facing speakers, whose idea was that?

Even though I am concerned about the transition from surround to immersive, the good news is that the adoption of immersive sound will happen much quicker than surround sound did, primarily because 2018 has seen a variety of immersive soundbars on the market. Sennheiser has partnered with Fraunhofer for a top-of-the-range 3D soundbar and Qualcomm has teamed up with THX for rendering of ambisonics, while Dolby, JBL and Samsung all have various up-firing, side-firing and sophisticated DSP processing that creates some very impressive sound. But as impressive as these soundbars are, affordability will be an equally big factor in the consumer adoption rate.

Even though Korea was an early adopter of MPEG-H, China’s recent adoption provides the market size to speed up the development of the entire audio ecosystem, from speakers and electronics to production methods and practices. Looking back on the sound of the future, it is clear to me that Asia continues to take a leading role in the development of highdefinition 4K video and immersive sound.

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Crestrons’ Ms Lee and Sarah Beggs promoted solutions designed to deliver effortless technology for enterprise

Production AV Technologies loved to network over a beer

Integrate 2018 Richard Lawn helps Integrate celebrate its 10th birthday and another successful edition of the show LIKE AN ADULT WATCHING A CHILD GROW UP, WISHING Integrate a happy 10th birthday is balanced by that sinking feeling of ‘where did the time go?’ For those who attended the Holdern Pavilion near Fox Studios in 2009, the step into the Sydney International Convention Centre (ICC) completes a remarkable journey. On the one hand, it demonstrates how far the A/V market has come in terms of technological advances.

On the other, it shows how quickly this exhibition has matured with Avixa’s careful management and international experience.

It’s five years since Integrate organiser Diversified Communications announced that the annual event would alternate annually between Sydney and Melbourne’s Conference & Exhibition Centre. Initiated by the fact that the old Darling Harbour exhibition centre was being demolished, it was nonetheless a bold decision. Unlike SMPTE and Entech, the organiser’s decision to host Integrate on an annual basis turned out to be a masterstroke. Its continuation and validity down under are assured in what used to be a congested events calendar.

The positivity that has characterised this exhibition continued as soon as the doors opened to allow in a swell of visitors amassed at registration to spill in. The landscape of booths that greeted them resembled a mature, mini Avixa (InfoComm) event, perfectly capturing the marriage of IT and A/V technologies.

The Australian A/V industry may be compact in size, but the movers and shakers making it tick are pretty much represented on a compact show floor over three days. Integrate represents a good annual barometer for the trade in the country. In particular, Integrate now provides an accurate gauge as to what events

The Epson booth

Williams Sound’s Per Persson promoting the Pointmaker AV platform on the Hills booth

Bose’s Vishal Srivastav hosting many of the manufacturer’s new products and solutions

Panasonic is celebrating its centenary this year

118 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

KV2 Audio’s Dave Croxton was keen to signpost visitors to its listening demo suite

Avixa CEO David P Labuskes travelled all the way from Virginia, USA

Jands’ general manager of distribution, Geoff Smith

have taken place since the last public outing of the exhibition 12 months previously.

So a decade on and the new ICC Sydney is a perfect fit for Integrate. The packed educational forums hosted by Avixa and Cedia on the fifth level are at home now within their sleekly designed glass and wooden panelling rooms. Likewise, the presence of audio demonstration rooms on the third and fifth levels added a new dimension to the previous show layouts, providing more intimate listening and visual experiences for visitors. Here, audio exhibitors such as AVT, Bose, d&b audiotechnik, Hills, KV2 Audio and Music Tribe could host their clientele in more intimate surroundings with enhanced listening demonstrations.

‘We’ve hosted packed sessions throughout the three days here,’ enthused d&b audiotechnik’s Ralf Zuleeg, whose voice was starting to show signs of fatigue unlike the 40+ cabinets used for the 3D Soundscape demonstration. Powered by the DS100 Signal Engine with its Dante-enabled signal matrix, the d&b Soundscape operates through its two software modules En-Scene and En-Space. Point source specialist KV2 Audio may have only taken a small shell scheme on the show floor but its large demo suite provided critical listening of the EX, ES and ESR series.

Many exhibitors drew in consultants and systems integrators with the wonderful coffee aromas that characterise this great city. Towards the end of each show day, however, many exhibitors poured drinks and played music to entertain their customers and passers-by. This social networking perfectly mirrored the technologies displayed all around that interact

NEC confused visitors with its clear displays for retail and restaurant settings together in order to find their place in an application or bill of quantity. Crestron, for example, welcomed its clientele by providing both coffee and then wine while presenting ‘technology for every space’, including Crestron Cloud and effortless technologies for the modern workplace.

‘We’ve been coming here since the very beginning,’ commented TAG’s MD Tony Russo, standing next to QSC’s Music Business Solutions display. ‘This is the show we have to interact at and update our customers with what new technologies they can benefit from so that they can fully create tomorrow’s office, theatre, venue or hotel.’ Judging by the coffees ordered via the Q-Sys touchscreen on its booth, Martin Audio’s O-Line speaker system, QSC amplifiers, Allen & Heath dLive consoles and Audio-Technica conferencing mics played second billing to networking and demonstrations – and no doubt future sales orders.

Closer inspection of the exhibits showed just what a disruptive year this has been following Harman brands uprooting themselves from their familiar moorings of the past 30+ years at Jands. While AVT showcased BSS, Crown, JBL and Soundcraft products on its show floor and demo room exhibits, the large gap in Jands’ portfolio has since been filled. Partners since 1984, Jands has been synonymous with Harman, but it didn’t take long for visitors and customers to readjust their tuning to the new portfolio. Biamp, L-Acoustics, EV and QSC Pro speakers together with Robe lighting took their place alongside the more familiar Ampetronic, ETC and Shure displays. ‘It has felt somewhat strange, but the time had arrived to make the changes,’ commented Jands’ MD, Paul Mulholland.

Following the acquisition of APG, it would appear that the dust has finally settled at Hills. Having parted ways with L-Acoustics, the distributor that manufactures Australian Monitor was showcasing Xilica and XTA products for the first time among its Community tunnel horns, Renkus-Heinz speakers and Williams Sound assistive listening solutions, along with others. Next door, the Amber Technology booth debuted a small selection of Mackie products including the DL32S mixer, Big Knob studio and MP-120 IEMs among the Apart, DPA, JTS, Neutrik and Radial displays. Audio Brands only came into being four years ago but, under the stewardship of Don McConnell, its star continues to rise. This year, Meyer Sound took up residence alongside the already established Bosch, Earthworks, FBT, Mipro and Univox displays.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, NAS Solutions was more than evident on a large-scale booth design. Rebranded, the Melbourne-based distributor was also promoting a number of new suppliers including Activ-Touch, Audio Everywhere, Cymatic Audio, Hall Research, InDesign, Klik, Pliant Technologies, Superlux and Unilumin. ‘We’re increasingly

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

Audio Brands’ Don McConnell

d&b audiotechnik’s Ralf Zuleeg and Gert Sanner hosted packed demonstrations promoting 3D Soundscape

Taiden’s Tony Fan and Miranda Yin showcased IR digital wireless conference systems

Hills’ Euan Brown and Peter Cleary with the latest Australian Monitor products

Exterity’s APAC regional director, Jamie Hind, demonstrating on the Midwich booth

Sony’s Kensuke ‘Ken’ Izutani and Lawrence Tang in front of the Sonic Surf VR display

Biamp’s Geordie Klueber and Matthew Packer promoted Tesiralux on the Jands booth

TAG’s Tony Russo’s love for Martin Audio cannot be understated

called upon to provide a solution for our customers rather than simply supply products – hence NAS Solutions,’ confirmed MD, Shane Bailey.

Ever present in A/V bills of quantities, Extron and Kramer were demonstrating a plethora of products and technologies at Integrate this year. Footfall tended to cluster around the Crestron, Epson, LG, NEC, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony stands where control surfaces, projectors and screens attracted the eye. Located at the entrance, LG Electronics clearly categorised its innovations according to market verticals, including an airport solution wall, while retailers were bedazzled by the transparent OLED and fine pitch LED signage, a 0.44mm even bezel videowall and Open Frame OLED signage.

Sony housed a large number of its new technologies including the Bravia and Crystal LED displays, VPL-FHZ120L (WUXGA 12,000 lumens) and VPL-FHZ90L (WUXGA 9,000 lumens) laser projectors and Sonic Surf VR spatial audio technology. The NEC booth resembled a fast-food outlet with its bright, welcoming menus, while Panasonic beckoned a selection of projectors marking ‘a century of reliability’.

Like its new Australian headquarters in Chatsworth, Sennheiser showcased its business solutions products within an ultra-modern booth design. Uncluttered and straightforward, TeamConnect Ceiling 2, the latest updates in the SpeechLine Digital Wireless range, MobileConnect and evolution wireless G4 were the focus points. In addition, Control Cockpit Software

was demonstrated with its simpler operation, control and servicing of Sennheiser microphones and network-enabled wireless devices.

NAS Solutions celebrated its 20th anniversary with a rebranding exercise While the bright control surfaces and large screens dominated the exhibition vista, there was plenty to view among the smaller exhibits where MTA Sales promoted its Lectrosonics SSM micro transmitters and LaON 5GHz wireless products. Appealing to more IT-savvy technicians, the videocentric Midwich brands including Exterity, Leyard, Midstream, PixelNet, Planar, Smart and Velocity were enhanced this year with the addition of Penton UK loudspeakers. The ink was

drying on the contract with Spanish audio innovator Ecler, so it was premature to promote its products at this year’s exhibition.

It’s a far cry from the first edition in 2009 when a few suppliers gathered in a chilly hall. Like any modern nightclub or shopping mall attempting to make itself more exclusive and upmarket, the established trade show attracts wellheeled patrons in the form of A/V consultants, SIs and facility managers operating within leisure, transportation, retail, corporate, healthcare and government applications. These are not the old lighting and sound engineers who constituted the bulk of those initial Integrate visitors who at the time were trying to justify the time off work by understanding how Integrate differed from the others.

2018 Dates:

22–24 August

2019 Dates:

27–29 August

Venue 2018: Venue 2019:

Sydney Darling Harbour ICC Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre

Total exhibitors: 129 Attendance:

6,845

Contact:

www.integrate-expo.com

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InfoComm India 2018 Visitor numbers soar at this year’s summit ALTHOUGH INFOCOMM INDIA HAS BEEN A SUCCESS since it launched in 2013, 2018 felt like the year it hit critical mass. The booths, always designed to a high standard, would be quite at home in Las Vegas or Amsterdam, while the latest technology was again on display next to products geared towards the local market. But what gave InfoComm India 2018 an edge over previous years was a heightened buzz from the show floor as enlightened visitors met industry specialists to discuss ongoing projects, collaborations and technologies.

You don’t have to visit InfoComm to know that India’s integration business is booming – the evidence is everywhere as cranes tower over construction sites and traffic crawls alongside planned new metro lines. Both InfoComm India and the country’s infrastructure projects are maturing and growing in tandem, and alongside this is an increasingly rapid rate of product development.

In his opening speech, David Labuskes, executive delegation came to India from the R&D division last month director and CEO of Avixa, pointed to the challenges as we wanted them to understand what’s happening A/V companies face when keeping up with and in the market here. They went back with a lot of adapting to these increasingly rapid changes notes about what the Indian market deserves and in technology. ‘Thanks to the convergence needs.’ with IT, technology is moving very Bose has launched its Pro Growth initiative, fast,’ agreed Harman’s accelerating the time taken to bring new products Prashant Govindan. ‘Audio to market and to build new market verticals. in general doesn’t move ‘We’re about six months into a 5-year accelerated that quickly, but that’s growth programme,’ explained the manufacturer’s not the case with video.

Christian Liebenberg. ‘You’ll see the fruits of this We’re happy to be part next year at ISE and at InfoComm in Orlando. We’ve of that revolution with always been focused on R&D but we need to learn AMX as one of our core how to do that faster.’ brands. Next year, we’ll There’s little doubt that InfoComm India has be moving to a completely assisted both local technical knowledge and the new audio platform so, increasingly rapid uptake of technology across the until then, we’re showing country (see boxout on facing page). ‘The awareness some crossover products levels of the end user are increasing, and this puts that can bridge the gap a lot of onus on the manufacturers,’ said Santosh until the new protocol is Kumar, senior marketing manager at Bosch. ready.’ This included the ‘We feel that every segment, especially in the BSS DCP-555 standalone commercial and entertainment sectors, is on the conferencing processor. rise, with lots of A/V requirements, and this is Added S Raghuram from going to increase further.’

TOA: ‘New products are And exhibitors were generally happy with the coming faster now, and visitor profile of InfoComm India. ‘Avixa has done a keeping up with that can good job in bringing some focus groups to the Avixa CEO David Labuskes opens the show be hard. A Japanese show, and we invited some decision makers,’

AS YOU WISH

PRODIGY.MC

said Harman’s Mr Govindan. ‘It’s a great meeting place to exchange ideas about technology and we’re happy to see the attendance has increased.’

Bose was pleased with the structured meetings it was having with its customer base. ‘We were very impressed with the day-one turnout by invitation only because we had time to speak to some key people – consultants, end users, project partners – a good mix of high-quality people,’ said Mr Liebenberg.

Sunny Chhibber from Acoustic Arts, with his usual backup team from Powersoft, TW Audio, Community, Cloud and Televic, also cited some useful meetings. ‘Now it remains to be seen whether they translate into something, though I’m very hopeful some of them are going to turn into sales,’ he said. ‘The demo room, which we took for the first time, has been fantastic for us to showcase all the brands.’

Sun Infonet was holding live demonstrations of Meyer Sound’s Constellation acoustic system on the show floor.

‘The market didn’t know who was supporting the brand, so we’ve been creating awareness,’ said Neeraj Chandra, who was showing the brand for the first time at an InfoComm India show. ‘We’ve been successful on the Shure front, and we’re trying to replicate that.’

First-time exhibitors were also reporting a successful show.

‘It’s been really worth taking a stand; we’ve had some highprofile clients come by – integrators as well as end users,’ said ESCO Systems’ Sunil Mehan, appearing in conjunction with Ashton Bentley, UK manufacturer of collaboration spaces that allow A/V equipment to be integrated offsite.

‘Most visitors didn’t know Ashton Bentley’s products, but now they do.’

Another newcomer was Williams AV. ‘It’s been really exciting and busy, with lots of good leads and meaningful conversations,’ said Per Persson, who was looking for distribution and getting a feel for the market. ‘It’s been successful on both counts.’

Aside from the latest products on offer, the InfoComm Summit presented more than 45 free-to-attend educational seminars. Hot topics included IoT, A/V over IP, cloud-based A/V and digital cinema and signage, as well as back-to-basics 20-minute installation school sessions dealing with proper gain structure, amplifier set up and understanding network analyser displays.

Some concerns were being voiced about a possible market slowdown as next year’s elections loom. But even that couldn’t dent the upbeat mood of this year’s show.

MODULAR AUDIO CONVERTER MULTIPLE FORMATS NETWORKED AUDIO FLEXIBLE I/OS

1/4 PAGE Inter Bee 2018 Booth 7410

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www.directout.eu

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

The WyreStorm booth

Exterity’s Eleuterio Fernandes, working well with partner EIS in the corporate and financial markets. ‘We’re investing in India as the potential is massive’

The team at the rebranded beyerdynamic booth was showing the Unite digital wireless communications system

The ever-busy Kramer booth

BXB staff had travelled over from Taiwan once again for the show and to support its distributor, Univeso Richard Tan, executive director, InfoComm Asia

Sennheiser’s Anshuman Dubey with the full range of SpeechLine digital wireless products that the company was showing alongside the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 mic and its tourguide system

The KEI team was kept busy showcasing both Audac and LD Systems product lines Biamp’s Niclas Brattberg and Ranjith Peethambaran, enjoying a ‘fantastic show’, are in the process of setting up a new office in Bangalore

Preet Singh of Soundworks with the Ecler and Tecnare speaker ranges

The adjacent Harman and Samsung booths had been codesigned to demonstrate a sense of connectedness and integrity

Sonodyne’s Amit Sahai and Anindya Murkjee

AT INFOCOMM INDIA THIS YEAR, WE’VE REACHED an inflection point for the market. When we develop shows, we know that, at a particular point in time, the accumulation of effort we’ve made in developing the show over a number of years brings us to a point where the market has a life of its own. The InfoComm name also takes on a life of its own, and that adds a second dimension to the promotional work that we do directly by reaching out to the market.

There was a 26% increase in visitors over last year’s show on the first two days. Infrastructure projects are of an increasingly high level. We’ve been doing a lot of work with the Indian government over the past six years: oneon-one meetings, getting them to understand what A/V technology is about and how it can help with issues such as traffic management, public security and airports. That work here in India has paid off, and now we’re doing the same in Bangkok. We’re not just seeing more government buyers coming here, we’re also seeing more government agencies wanting to adopt our standards for the projects they’re working on. They’re specifying certifications within their projects to make sure they meet our standards.

Helping to raise the standards of the local market is a very important role of any exhibition that we launch.

We’ve seen the Beijing show play that role over the last 12 years. The market there has grown so much because of what we do – not just on the show floor but also the education we provide. Now we’ve just had our first show in Chengdu, and 5,300 people attended our classes. It exceeded our expectations.

Manabu Aoki and Robin Ghose had a busy show with the global launch of the ES954 hanging microphone from Audio-Technica

Shyam Tambatkar and Hank Lee from Aten presented the new 4K HDMI over IP receiver

ESCO and Ashton Bentley joined forces to exhibit at InfoComm India for the first time

Jubilee Bao from Taiden with the new HCS-5335 digital infrared wireless conference system

Shailesh Verma and Nitesh Wadekar were showcasing the newly launched AirStream wireless solution on the CloudWalker booth

Acoustic Arts’ Sunny Chhibber with his team of manufacturers’ representatives, plus Harman’s Prashant Govindan

L to R Bose’s Vibhor Khanna, Christian Liebenberg and Vishal Srivastav with the EdgeMax in-ceiling speaker range, ‘perfect for conferencing spaces’

2018 Dates:

18 – 20 September

2019 Dates:

18 – 20 September

Venue:

Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai

Total exhibitors:

200

Attendance:

9,902

Contact:

www.infocomm-india.com

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 121

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IBC 2018 Richard Lawn visits IBC 2018 and discovers how broadcasters and developers are coping with a changing landscape

Thumbs up to Odin from the RTS team WHEN ASSESSING IBC AS AN INDICATOR OF CHANGE within the broadcast industry, the overall image – unlike the ultra HD screens that litter the 15 halls of the RAI for the five show days – is somewhat blurred. Immersive audio, UHD, HDR, AES67, SMPTE ST2011, 4K/8K advances, blockchain, collaborations, interoperability, the cloud, AI and 5G dominate the show floor chatter. ‘The landscape for making, delivering and consuming media has changed,’ IBC chief executive Michael Crimp asserted prior to the show’s onslaught. ‘Our industry used to be about broadcast, but now it’s about production – and delivery – of all different types of content, with much of that change enabled by telcos.’ So, perhaps, IBC has become a staging post by default for creating, sharing and delivering content, thus relegating the term ‘broadcast’ to the annuls of historic terminology.

Having reflected somewhat nostalgically during IBC 2017, the 50th anniversary of the exhibition, the show was making up for lost time. The rapid pace of technological change dominates the thoughts of everyone from the humble podcaster to the largest global broadcasting companies. Any investment in technology has to be justified now more than at any time in the past. ‘The media landscape is changing,’ confirmed head of marketing and communications for Sony Professional Solutions Europe, Stuart Almond. ‘Industry predictions may not have changed, but what we have witnessed is the speed of that change accelerate. This challenges the entire business models of traditional broadcasters, yet for others it creates limitless potential. As a result, Sony is no longer telling the customer how it’s going to be. It’s now a case of asking what you need, where do you think it is going and what can Sony do to help to make that happen.’

The race is on to reach that future destination ahead of the pack. Located outside Hall 8, the Future Zone has become an integral part of IBC with presentations from researchers and academic bodies developing ideas that may become the norm in years to come. In addition to Sennheiser’s Ambeo immersive audio and NHK’s 8K glimpses was a theatre stage with a rolling programme of presentations by the IABM and the BBC’s R&D team, including a dynamic adaptive streaming over IP

Lectrosonics’ Karl Winkler with the latest SPDR stereo portable digital recorder

Sony Professional Solutions’ Stuart Almond remarked that content today is king

122 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

DPA’s Anne Berggrein holds up the new 3mm Subminiature capsule

Craig Heffernan on the gigantic Blackmagic Design booth

Wheatstone’s Jay Tyler remotely controls an EMX IP console

Ross Gilbert demos SSL’s immersive bus widths of up to 12 channels multicast to web browser showcase and low-latency TV delivery solutions.

In addition to the IBC Big Screen, the IABM Future Trends Theatre and Content Everywhere Hub staged presentations, while enlarged on-stand meeting areas have become an increasingly common feature of exhibition stands throughout the show. ‘As the industry has moved towards a softwarebased world that looks across the content supply chain, the way that vendors are interacting with visitors at IBC has

Maciek Janiszewski with BroaMan’s Mux22 FrameSync8 unit

TSL Products CEO Chris Exelby

Newtek’s Brian Olsen

changed,’ commented IBC exhibition committee chair, Roger Thornton. ‘Today, it’s all about collaboration to deliver solutions that provide broadcast and media companies the agility and flexibility they need to keep ahead in this rapidly transforming media landscape. That’s why we’re seeing more companies using big-picture theatre presentations on their stands to kickstart collaboration.’

As the primary source for audio, the principles of audio technology have changed little over the past century. However, the way that microphone manufacturers interact with IBC’s audience portrays diverse methods of engagement. While Audio-Technica and Shure appealed to more traditional broadcasters showcasing a bespoke selection of wireless, boundary and shotgun models, Sennheiser intrigued passers-by with an exhibit promoting the ‘Future of Audio’.

The technologies and products on display catered to a wide spectrum of content creation and production needs from YouTubers and vloggers to film crews, studios, theatres and broadcasters. The recent partnership with Dear Reality for spatial connect mixing demanded further attention, while Ambeo immersive audio, a new Bluetooth-enabled Memory Mic for smartphones, binaural audio experiences using HD 300 headphones, surround sound listening with Neumann monitoring and the latest SK 6212 mini bodypack transmitter for the Digital 6000 system all vied for attention.

The devil is often in the detail for cameramen who demand that audio technology deployed on the stars of film and TV studio sets should neither be seen nor felt. Both DPA and Lectrosonics demonstrated microphone transmitters and recorders on their respective stands for such productions.

DPA unveiled a new series of Subminiature mics including the 6066 headset and the 6060 lavalier models integrating 3mm diameter cabling. Lectrosonics’ SPDR and PDR portable digital recorders may not transmit wireless signals but are ideal for applications where a wireless system is not practical such as shooting extreme sports, where it can be used with a camera to capture audio. Noted for its sophisticated RF broadcast and film solutions, Wisycom showcased its MPR52-ENG dualdiversity receiver providing 790MHz bandwidth in the 470MHz to 1.26GHz range with multiband front-end filtering.

Collaboration among producers shows no sign of decrease.

Having launched the A10 wireless mic system at IBC 2017,

STUDIO MONITOR KH 80 DSP

The KH 80 DSP â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Small. Clever. Neutral.

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW Audio Limited was demonstrating its A10-Rack this year on the Sound Devices booth, to better promote the interoperability with the 64-track 970 recorder over a Dante network. Røde was demonstrating the fruits of its own internal partnership with sister company Soundfield with its first foray into the world of ambisonics. The pairing of the NT-SF1, 360° surround sound capture microphone with the SoundField by Røde plug-in delivers spatial accuracy at all frequencies – and clearly grabbed the attention of visitors on the HHB booth.

Yet for some microphone manufacturers, the status quo continues. Celebrating its 90th anniversary, Microtech Gefell showcased special edition CMV563 and M75 condensers, while Schoeps revealed updates to its MS and Double MS product line with new plug-ins and windshields together with modifications to the ORTF-3D mounts. Digital wireless and audio over IP intercom developments could be found on the Clear-Com, LaON (Genie), Pliant (CrewCom), Riedel and RTS (Odin Omneo) booths.

David Ross helped promote the company’s 21 new innovations

DirectOut’s Jan Ehrlich unveiled the new Prodigy platform

Focusrite Pro provided a post setup for technicians to demonstrate their skills Promoting loudspeaker technology at trade shows continues to be problematic. From the outside, the Genelec booth – taking its usual location in Hall 8 – appeared no different this year than any other but, with immersive audio now on the menu, the aural senses require further education.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Finnish innovator decided to take the horse to water by installing a fully lined acoustic listening suite into the RAI to better demonstrate the new S360 monitors with the 7382 subwoofers. ‘It was important for Genelec to provide the best listening environment for this S360 and 7382 combination at IBC,’ commented marketing director, Howard Jones. ‘To warrant their place in larger immersive audio systems, the listener by definition needs to find themselves utterly immersed in the experience and become aware of every detail. By the end of the fourth day, we had welcomed over 300 attendees for demonstrations and received very positive comments.’

With disruption showing no signs of decelerating, perhaps the audio console manufacturers should be worried. Desk formats continue to decrease in size, while simpler mixer configurations can be managed and controlled on tablets and even smartphones via LAN or Wi-Fi. However, the need for technicians to mix on a large-format console, DAW or control surface remains in vogue for now. Digital format consoles no longer need to be redesigned – rather kept current with downloadable software and on the network of choice.

The trend for video companies moving into audio was countered by Lawo in 2013, when it demonstrated its experience in IP to produce video matrix and processing units.

Better known for its mixing consoles in the live TV and radio markets, the advent of the V__pro8 video processor set its video over IP product range in motion. Utilising multiple cores connected to a COTS switch with redundant 10GE and 40GE connections, Lawo this year added the V__matrix IP core routing and processing platform. In addition, the German innovator also unveiled a series of WAN-capable audio over IP interfaces and made an announcement that its mixing

124 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Audio Limited’s Kishore Patel collaborated with Sound Devices

Director of sales and marketing for Sennheiser ME, Mig Cardamone, with the Memory Mic

consoles would now be compliant with the SMPTE 2022-7 network standard.

Calrec revealed two new IP products in the form of the H2-IP Gateway interface and the AoIP Modular I/O controller card.

Designed to operate with Impulse Core, a native IP core for use with Apollo and Artemis surfaces, both products are SMPTE 2110/AES67-compatible. Likewise, Wheatstone demonstrated refinements to the AirAura X4 processor and LXE mixer in addition to tablet control for the EMX IP work surface. Solid State Logic added to its support of immersive audio for ATSC 3.0, Dolby Atmos and MPEG-H within System T’s software architecture. Stage Tec may have launched its Aurus console 15 years ago but, with the creation of a 5.1.4 multichannel format with Z-plane for the Aurus platinum, the Berlin-based manufacturer has further extended its capabilities. With the addition of four overhead speakers above the console, 3D audio mixing can now be conducted.

Both Studer and Yamaha seemed unfazed with the winds of change blowing around. Despite releasing its Micro series v2.0 software on the eve of IBC, Studer was simply represented by a solitary Vista 5BE console on its UK distributor’s booth, HHB. More visible on its own booth, Yamaha showcased a wide selection of mixing consoles with Dante networking capabilities for live rooms, venues and postproduction suites, including the Rivage PM10 and PM7 surfaces, Nuage, CL1, QL1 and TF3.

Perhaps Avid had anticipated surging numbers of content creators, all be it with declining budgets, many years ago.

Located in the ever-popular confines of Hall 7, the US innovator demonstrated a wide range of solutions, including postproduction platforms using Avid S6 and S3 consoles, Media Composer DVX ID and the web-based version of the MediaCentral platform. Maestro|Powerwall and Maestro|Engine were also showcased to highlight the control and management of content in studio displays. ‘Avid’s continued innovations in areas such as IP connectivity, 4K and the cloud are helping to shape and prioritise our customers who rely on the vendor

Andreas Hilmer from Lawo with the V__Matrix

Christian Bockskopf issues a Red Card signifying Riedel’s new office in Beijing

ADAM Audio’s Stephan Mauer and Rick Grossman

community to come together and help them overcome the massive shift impacting every aspect of their business,’ commented Avid CEO and president, Jeff Rosica. ‘We’ve accelerated our delivery of open platforms, tools, apps, services and solutions to make it easier for our customers to end disparity among technology in their operations, so they can work faster on smaller budgets, while still retaining viewers on any platform.’

While the audio for broadcast exhibits showed only subtle changes at best, much more evident changes were visible beyond. To the older generation, the existence of eSports remains somewhat mystifying. Yet it is looking to rival traditional sports for television rights beyond its stronger markets such as South Korea as a result of its streaming success. Numerous booths such as EVS and Grass Valley

Aisle of plenty in Hall 7

eSports took centre stage at Grass Valley

The Future Zone NHK 8K broadcasting display

Genelec’s Howard Jones and Lars-Olof Janflod hosted an impressive immersive audio system in a demo suite promoted live games for the show to better demonstrate their technologies in such applications.

Celebrating its 100th birthday at IBC 2018, and having recently announced the relocation of its European headquarters to Amsterdam, Panasonic noted the successful market penetration of its PTZ cameras. Although IBC is traditionally a broadcast show, the manufacturer highlighted the use of its PTZ products for use in corporate settings as well as for television production. Panasonic also coined new terminology, claiming that as audio over IP and video over IP had become synonymous, the two should now collectively be referred to as MoIP – media over IP. The RAI auditorium played host to Christie’s Big Screen Experience, which provided a demonstration of the manufacturer’s next-generation RGB laser projection systems by comparing footage from Pixar’s Inside Out and Warner Bros’ Batman v Superman courtesy of guest speakers Dominic Glynn (Pixar) and Michael Zink (Warner Bros) who sat on a panel with NBC Universal’s Annie Chang. Meanwhile, For-A pledged its continued allegiance to 12G-SDI and IP, while also highlighting its Remote Production System that allows broadcasters to send a skeleton crew to live events, such as sports, while the production is controlled remotely from the studio over IP with an OB vehicle used for redundancy.

Ross Video may not have welcomed any new brands into its growing family this year but its enlarged booth did include the Carbonite Ultra production switcher. This was just one of the 21 new products on display demanding further attention in addition to the Ultritouch smart touch control and monitoring panel, XPression Tessera, an Abekas Mira Replay control

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW panel and PivotCam-SE PTZ cameras. ‘Our customers have been providing us with positive remarks yet commenting on how things have changed even since NAB,’ remarked an everenergetic David Ross. ‘Even they’re shocked when they see how many new products we have developed since then.’

The IP video revolution involving the migration from traditional content and signal distribution technologies to IP networks continues to have a dramatic effect on broadcasting and media operations. However, traditional broadcasters aren’t exclusive in their awareness with regards to the benefits of IPTV systems as other companies not necessarily focused on A/V are also penetrating the market. Large broadcasting and manufacturing corporations are desperate to glimpse into the future to gain a firmer foothold and, while statistical analyses clearly demonstrate where viewers have migrated, the advent of 5G will accelerate declining sales in TV sets and shopping malls crowded with zombies glued to their mobile devices. Mirroring a forest trying to shelter from an increasingly volatile wind of change in motion, the broadcast market can expect hard falls from mighty oaks with shoots of life flourishing below.

LaON’s Miyong Park and Nam Yoo Chang with the new Genie 5GHz wireless system

Marina Prak and Auke Meijer from Roe Visual

Paul Isaacs presented the Sound Devices MixPre range

Clear-Com’s Nicki Fisher and Bob Boster continued to host the company’s 50th celebrations

Adobe demonstrations were very popular in Hall 7

Karl Chapman from Calrec

MultiDyne’s Jesse Foster with the SilverBullet II

Wisycom’s Leslie Lello demoed the MRK 980

Audinate’s Joshua Rush

2018 Dates:

14 – 18 September

2019 Dates:

13 – 17 September

Venue:

RAI Amsterdam

Total exhibitors:

1,700+

Attendance:

55,884

Contact:

show.ibc.org

7KH YLHZ IURP WKH VKRZ ÁRRU As is tradition, the opening of IBC coincided with Sony’s press conference. Vice president for Sony Professional Europe, Adam Fry: ‘Our current corporate direction is to get closer to the people whether that be creators who produce content or users who engage with that content. Where does today’s audience get that content from? On-demand streaming services. SVoD has overtaken Pay TV. The global DTT market is to grow by 24% in 2019. Disruptive propositions continue to change viewing habits. Modern audiences demand content wherever and whenever it suits them. Around 20% of Netflix viewing happens on mobile services; 25% of this is on mobile networks. The availability of 5G networks will further increase this.

Premium content such as live sporting events and dramas is king. 4K production is now the industry de facto backed by consumer demand. Over 80 million 4K TV sets are estimated to be sold in 2018.’

‘It’s our first time exhibiting,’ commented Marina Prak, Roe Visual marketing manager. ‘It’s a new market for us to engage with as we now have two products ready for a broadcast environment: our Black Marble floor and our Sapphire screen.

So, for us, this show was really a try-out and it’s been a bit on and off. We’ve had some really interesting conversations – it hasn’t been booming, but interesting enough for us that we have decided to continue exhibiting next year.’

‘We are seeing the same customers that we would have previously seen, but I think there’s also a growing awareness and appreciation that IP is actually here and is coming,’ said TSL Products CEO, Chris Exelby. ‘People are coming to us with real projects where they’re looking for an IP solution.

In previous years, it’s been driven more by curiosity, where people were looking to educate themselves. This year, people are looking to actually do it and are thinking about product selections. So it’s a really exciting time. People are coming here and looking at our 2110 PAM 2 and they’re actually placing orders.’

‘This year has been better than previous years,’ commented Stagetec Asia’s Advon Tan. ‘People are really hungry for IP now and, because they now have a clear understanding of the technology, it has given much more focus to IBC.’

‘2017 marked our IBC debut and it is great to see how this show attracts so many diverse visitors from all over the world,’ said Shure MEA general manager, Freddy Sicko. ‘For Shure, IBC is the perfect touchpoint to meet our global customers from the broadcast market, to have interesting talks, to monitor trends and developments and, of course, to introduce our own product news. It was good to see that so many visitors attended the show and we had lots of traffic throughout the show.’ Shure highlighted its Axient Digital wireless system as being perfectly suited for broadcast and production applications, together with the new ADX micro-bodypack.

Stagetec Asia’s Advon Tan showcased the Crescendo platinum console on the Stage Tec booth ‘I’m always living in Planet AJA, so getting out of our booth and seeing what else is on display at the show is a challenge,’ said AJA Video Systems president, Nick Rashby. ‘But for us the show is really about 4K and continuing our lead in HDR with our HDR Image Analyzer. That’s really been resonating with customers.’

Shure MEA’s Freddy Sicko ‘About 10 years ago, IBC was about terrestrial broadcasting but, since then, cable came along together with satellite, mobile and now 5G as enabling technologies,’ explained IBC CEO, Mike Crimp. ‘Traditionally, it’s been about TV, but we decided to be agnostic about the TV screen and embrace the mobile and computer screen and film, and that is why you see all these things like the big screen.’

AJA Video Systems president Nick Rashby

‘We were previously focused purely on broadcast,’ assessed Enco president, Ken Frommert. ‘But we’ve now started targeting the A/V market as a whole, mirroring the IBC show.’ SoundFox’s Peter Moh travelled from Seoul primarily to conclude distribution terms for South Korea with the broadcast software developer.

November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 125

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

Prolight + Sound Shanghai Sue Su visits the Shanghai edition of the show, which was bigger than ever this year PROLIGHT + SOUND SHANGHAI (PLSS), WHICH SPANNED halls N1 to N4 of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) in mid-October, attracted attendees and exhibitors from a wide cross-section of the industry.

Continuing its strategy of merging with MI, PLSS also offered a diverse selection of events including forums on recording techniques, sound reinforcement, multimedia design and outside broadcast, which ran alongside the show. The adjacent Music China, which has now established itself as Asia’s leading show for the MI industry, occupied 12 halls. But, despite this broad appeal, the reactions to PLSS 2018 were as varied as the show’s component parts.

The entrance to hall N1 was again taken up by Great Wall Musical Instrument Co, which represents brands such as Focusrite, TASCAM, ADAM Audio, beyerdynamic, Sennheiser and Shure. Located across the aisle, Harman’s AKG distributor ANE Audio was showcasing the company’s range of microphones. Yamaha didn’t take a booth, choosing instead to have a Yamaha X Dante Networking Audio System demonstration area in N1, presenting products such as the CIS series on Guangzhou CRT Co’s booth, while another dealer, Shanghai Haoyun Audio and Video Company, was showing the TF console and Nexo speakers.

Hall N1 was the location of many speaker brands, and this included KV2 Audio, which was also reporting positive feedback from its VHD5.0 point source system in the outdoor line array demonstration. ‘This show is targeting not only theatres and rental companies from Eastern China but also the north and south of the country,’ said Mr Shijun, KV2’s chief representative in China. ‘Thanks to

The KV2 team

Studiomaster’s Patrick Almond and his colleague Music China, it also covers the MI market, and it’s one of the most important shows for KV2 in China.’

DMT’s booth had doubled in size since last year. New products included the SSL L100 console, Universal Audio Apollo X inter face and DPA Core mics, which were shown alongside products from Avid and PMC, and the Sennheiser 5000 series wireless microphone.

Opposite DMT was RME, showing its new TotalMix Remote software. RME, which has been involved in AVB and Dante protocols this year, was showing three AVB products: the Digiface AVB inter face, M-32 AD Pro and M-32 DA Pro converter, as well as Digiface Dante for converting between Dante and MADI. ‘We are very happy with the show, it’s been very busy and most of the people who came to visit us know RME well,’ said COO, Summer Liu. ‘Although it’s a bit noisier than last year, it’s been acceptable.’

Summer Liu representing RME

Valeriy Yanakiev, Hristiana Pencheva, Nina Teneva and Zhao Jun from Antelope Audio

126 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

Pierpaolo De Minicis from Lavoce

Chris Fish, Anthony Gofton and Clement Choi of DMT

Bill Lee from Verity Ruisheng had also taken two booths, with one showcasing a TW Audio Vera20 and S32 vertical array system, the other one was reserved for brands including Turbosound, RAM Audio, Phonic, JBL and AKG. ‘We attend this show every year, as we think it’s a good show,’ said Stanley Yau, sales director of Ruisheng. ‘There are more and more MI exhibitors; the markets are merging now.’

Dynaudio was attending the Shanghai show for the first time to show its LYD, BM and M3VE series of professional monitors. ‘This is the first time we have attended this show independently, and we have met customers from the broadcasting, systems integration and recording studio markets,’ said Mont Zhu, pro audio Asia sales manager from Dynaudio (Shanghai). ‘We are happy with the result.’

Antelope Audio was launching its new Edge modelling microphone family, comprising the Edge Solo, Edge Duo and Edge Quadro models. The company felt that PLSS was the best Chinese show for them. ‘Though it’s my first time at this show, I’m really impressed,’ said Hristiana Pencheva, Antelope’s PR and events manager. ‘There are many exhibitors and interesting products, and the activities are well organised. On the second day we met various end users. The visitors are mainly local but I’ve also seen many European customers.’

After a successful appearance at this year’s Prolight + Sound Guangzhou, Audix and HH Electronics distributor Eatrend was also showing the two brands in Shanghai, with HH’s collaboration with Eatrend resulting in the manufacture of custom products for the Chinese market. ‘The show has been really positive for us,’ said Ian Wright, director of international sales at HH Electronics. ‘We took on Eatrend earlier this year and have been developing some new products with them. The booth has been really busy, and there are a lot of new dealers. The opportunities for HH are really good.’

Beijing Huahui Audio was showcasing the Neve Black Genesys console and Amphion monitors on its booth, as well as products from Radial and DirectOut. ‘The show is quieter than last year,’ said Huahui sales director, Allen Xu. ‘But since we have many new products coming in the future, we hope it will help our sales after the exhibition.’

Enewave was attending PLSS for the second year. ‘For me, PLSS is a very good show, but maybe our team for the domestic market has a different point of view,’ said Gary Chou, who handles international sales for the company.

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW ‘On an international level, we meet new customers every year who are mainly looking for products developed and manufactured in China.’

‘The first two days were a little quiet but on the third day [Friday] we were very busy,’ said Stephen Richards, sales and marketing director of Amphenol. ‘Overall, it’s been a good show for us, with many local customers, and we also met people from Europe and South East Asia.’

Artsound has exhibited at almost every trade show this year to promote the new Sennheiser ew G4 wireless microphone system. ‘This is this first time we’ve exhibited at this show under the Artsound name, and it’s surpassed our expectations,’ said Rio Li, marketing manager for professional products. Many visitors who came to our booth were from our target market.’

Taiwanese cable company SREXACT brought an Audio Precision APx515 audio analyser to test different cables for customers. However, the company was finding the show quieter than last year. ‘It’s strange that more people haven’t visited the show this year,’ said Hunk Huang, product strategic manager of SREXACT.

The SAE team

Bono Wu and Mac Lo from Phoenix Audio

Manuele Poli from dBTechnologies’

SE Audiotechnik launched three models from its new M-Line self-powered modular line array series, including the M-F3A Pro, M-F3A FS and S12 Pro. ‘I don’t think trade shows are cost-efficient worldwide,’ said the company’s Alex Schloesser.

‘We have a music festival after the show in our factory nearby which might be more helpful to us.’

Lavoce was attending the show for the second year. ‘It’s quieter than last year, but overall it was okay for us,’ said Lavoce’s Robin Chen.

Visitors to the N1 hall could find the Studiomaster and K&F brands, while the other stand in N2 showcased Soundking line arrays, column arrays and digital consoles. ‘We think there are more international visitors at this show, but less domestic customers,’ said Zhang Jie, assistant to GM at Soundking.

It was the second year that Ruifeng Intelligence attended the show, with its own RF brand as well as products from German manufacturer, Voice Acoustics. ‘Though there are less visitors this year, PLSS is a good show for us as Music China is also on,’ commented managing director, Zhu Shiping.

Located in hall N3, Verity/SAE has attended the show almost every year, with SAE showcasing what it describes as ‘the most powerful 4-channel amplifier in the world’ – the 4 x 3,500W TX 3500Q model. ‘I think there are less people here than last year,’ commented general manager, Bill Lee. ‘Most visitors are local and from Europe.’

Over in N4, Belgium stage fabric company ShowTex displayed its high-speed roll-up systems, Feathersilk and Pepperscrim. ‘We have doubled our booth size compared to last year, but visitor numbers are far below our expectations,’ said Penny Lee, general manager of ShowTex Shanghai.

Several companies decided to participate in the outdoor loudspeaker demonstration, and many declared themselves happy with it. This included dBTechnologies, which was taking part for the first time. ‘We have met many rental companies, and received some very positive feedback,’ said APAC and Africa sales manager, Manuele Poli. ‘We are planning to have more training and demonstrations for the live sound market in the future.’

However, other participants felt the 90dB SPL limit this year was not enough to showcase their systems efficiently.

‘Maybe the direction of the demo should be changed, so it doesn’t point to nearby hotels and offices,’ said Stanley Yau from Ruisheng.

2018 Dates:

10 – 13 October

2019 Dates:

10 – 13 October

Venue:

Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC)

Total exhibitors:

650

Attendance:

30,492

Contact:

www.prolight-sound-shanghai. hk.messefrankfurt.com

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November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 127

BUSINESS: R&D

Open to increasing business The Solaro FR1 processor is based on a Linux platform

Earlier this year, Canadian success story Xilica launched its new Solaro platform. Richard Lawn reports from the Toronto HQ Launched at ISE 2018, the new flagship platform was five years in the making. ‘Solaro was designed from the ground up, based largely on customer feedback. Three years of this development was spent ensuring that all the electronics worked perfectly, both separately and together. We carefully source all our components, most of which originate from North America. While the DSP modules are upgrades of our Neutrino series, the controller and other aspects are new designs. Combined, the Solaro platform is very complex and we faced multiple challenges over that time frame, which each had to be overcome. However, the team learnt so much as a result.’

With Neutrino, customers could select fixed I/O combinations including 8x8, 8x16, 16x8 and 16x6 for their

The Solaro QR1 uses the same DSP processing architecture as the FR1

HAVING LEFT HIS NATIVE HONG KONG AS AN 18-YEAR-OLD student in 1982, Donny Chow settled in Ontario Province, jumping right into the ethnic mix of cultures that a diverse selection of migrants has brought to the area.

Such fer tile ground inevitably created oppor tunities, and Mr Chow’s knowledge of electronics engineering combined with an interest in music, signposting him to a distinguished career in professional audio.

Mr Chow cut his teeth during a 2-year stint as an electronics engineer at rising star Adamson Systems, where he was par t of the development team that created the company’s first DSP controller. The next decade was spent running his own consultancy and studio design business, Arctic Design. At that point he was ready to remove the water wings and take the plunge to fur ther his interest in DSP. Xilica came into existence in 2002, when Mr Chow unveiled the DLP-4080 digital loudspeaker processor. ‘We managed to sell sufficient units to live sound production companies,’ he recalls. ‘As our product range matured, we stopped selling the 4080 in 2007. However, thanks to its popularity, we still receive enquiries about the product.’

128 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

The XP, XD and Neutrino series all followed and, as sales inevitably grew, so did the employee count of R&D engineers in Canada together with manufacturing and sales personnel at the Xilica offices in Hong Kong and China. Meanwhile, an office in Amsterdam was established to oversee sales and servicing in Europe.

‘It became evident that there were tremendous opportunities in developing the market for floating-point DSPs owing to their increased economies of scale and general ease-of-use,’ explains Mr Chow. ‘The need to support high bitrates led us to create the DLP and X Series, which inevitably put our company on the global map.’

Following the launch of the Neutrino drag-and-drop architecture models in 2008, Mr Chow’s team was made increasingly aware that customised connectivity would be required if the series was to remain current. As a result, the Neutrino-N versions were conceived to adopt Audinate’s Dante-enabled network audio capability. Able to digitally transport 16x16 I/O audio channels of Dante network bidirectionally over Ethernet, the Dante and analogue audio streams can be converted back to analogue or to the Dante network audio using another Neutrino-N DSP, Rio series interface or a non-Xilica, Dante-enabled device.

Donny Chow

BUSINESS: R&D particular needs. ‘We needed to get away from fixed architecture and focus on creating a truly modular DSP system. So with Solaro, we took the approach to adopt a modular I/O architecture in order to maximise the I/O requirements per project and reduce unnecessary spending.’

Support for Audinate’s Dante technology, the introduction of programmable controls and Solaro’s selectable multi-sampling rates for enhanced usage continue to spearhead Xilica’s innovative DSP credentials. In addition, Solaro’s design specification adds a dragand-drop design, with control via iOS, Android and Xilica’s proprietary XTouch sur faces. The current Solaro family consists of FR1 and QR1 modular I/O architecture processors, new XTouch50 and XTouch80 programmable touch controls in addition to existing Mini controls and the Rio series of Dante I/O inter face devices.

The rear panel of the QR1

Three years of this development was spent ensuring that all the electronics worked perfectly, both separately and together A Universal Media Controller lies at the heart of Solaro. ‘We’ve witnessed an increasing adoption of low-cost universal controllers for any device from any manufacturer,’ furthers Mr Chow. ‘A typical installation integrates a digital processor, active speakers, mixers, projectors and lighting. We have therefore developed this controller so that it could accommodate everything on one single software platform, together with all the control options.’

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The design of the Solaro FR1 processor is based on a Linux platform and utilises Xilica Designer universal configuration software. From the front, the 19-inch 1RU chassis simply incorporates a front panel OLED display and rotary wheel. However, the full modularity of Solaro becomes evident from the rear. Sixteen card slots can accept either 2-channel audio input and output cards or 4-channel GPIO cards for either input or output. Providing enhanced flexibility, further cards can be inserted for other I/O requirements including AES/EBU, USB audio and RS232/485.

Operating at a sample rate of 48kHz, Solaro QR1 uses the same input, output and DSP processing architecture as the larger FR1. Named for its ¼-rack dimensions, QR1 is based on the same Linux platform and incorporates a dual core processor drive to provide modular I/O flexibility.

Eight card slots can accept either 2-channel audio input

1/2

and output cards or 4-channel GPIO cards for either input or output. The integrated 4x4 Dante card is something of a bonus feature for the user, as assured flexibility is provided by the combination of any card type and any card slot.

Making systems integrators’ lives easier, Xilica’s programming software – Xilica Designer – develops into a universal control platform for third-party products. QR1 connects to a wide range of control inter faces including the optional XTouch50 and XTouch80 programmable touch controls. It can also be managed via Ethernet using the software GUI or indeed the GPIO card ports. Additionally, Xilica’s XTouchApp can be used to connect iOS and Android devices with any thirdparty controller such as AMX and Crestron.

Just as the Neutrino series was updated to incorporate Dante networking, Mr Chow is keeping an eye on networking trends when it comes to other protocols on the market. ‘Xilica has to remain openminded if we are to maximise Solaro’s potential,’ he stresses. Mindful of the fact that the new platform allows Xilica to network with other manufacturers, the company understands that collaboration with other manufacturers will be the key to future successes. ‘Collaboration with similar-sized companies allows us to collectively compete in the market,’ he adds.

Judging by the increased market acceptance of Neutrino during the past decade, Solaro is poised to take this relatively young company to the next stage of development.

Xilica’s headquarters in the northern Toronto suburb of Stouffville in many ways symbolises both Mr Chow and the company he’s created. There may not be a sign to promote the industrious activities that lie within, but the door is open and the atmosphere is friendly. Ditto Solaro. www.xilica.com

1/4 PAGE 1/2 PAGE UPRIGHT The industry is changing and so have we www.proavl-asia.com November–December 2018 PRO AVL ASIA 129

BUSINESS: ANALYSIS

Full stream ahead Phil Ward assesses the impact of OTT media services ONE DAY, EARLY IN THE 21ST CENTURY, a rail accident in central Stockholm brought the city to a halt.

Fortunately, it was not a fatal incident. But naturally it drew a large crowd of onlookers, many of whom had smartphones, meaning: good quality video cameras connected live to internet transmission. Within minutes, all of the social media feeds had the story.

Meanwhile, in a posh hotel about 0.5km away, senior managers of Swedish radio and television were engaged in a conference. They were the last people in Sweden to hear about the incident. Furthermore, it was nearly half an hour before the traditional phalanx of OB vans and crews were lined up as close to the track as they could get, by which time their newsworthiness – while valuable – had somewhat dissipated.

This story is told with glee and in all its irony by Stockholm native Lars-Olof Janflod, known to many as the face of Finnish monitor mainstay, Genelec. Its point, he says, is that it sums up the challenge to established broadcasting by the new technology of Over the Top (OTT) media: any streamed content that bypasses the satellites, cables and antennas that carry the output of the global television giants.

The opportunities and, some would say, dangers of this development are clear.

While a boon for freedom of information and anti-censorship, OTT also raises awkward questions about financial modelling, advertising revenue streams and copyright ownership, acting as it does as a shortcircuit to distribution and dissemination in a field that hitherto concentrated power in only a few hands.

In response, the last few years have seen media leaders attempt to assimilate OTT methods and mechanisms. Broadcasters, even Swedish ones, have woken up to the test. Based in Stockholm, Bonnier Broadcasting owns Swedish mainstay TV4, C More and Finnish MTV among many other services, and has begun to pioneer what it calls the ‘digitalisation of the television industry’. Last month, it announced the enhancement of its subscription-based OTT output by the deployment of a system of billing and Customer Relation Management (CRM) called Paywizard Agile, which already makes a distinction between VoD (Video on Demand) and AVoD (Advertising-based Video on Demand) as well as using a consumer monitoring feedback tool that goes by the evocative name of Decision Moments.

Using the interactive essence of web and mobile services, organisations such as Bonnier can make the quicksilver nature of OTT media a more attractive proposition to advertisers, while expanding their footprint into the web and Wi-Fi hinterland. However, they face another serious challenge: the

dilution of content into more bespoke packages. Where once the broadcaster was a strong arbiter of consumption, even tastes, OTT media make possible the discrete broadcast of special interests. The unstoppable trend towards multichannel choice, which began with the satellite revolution of compressed ‘spot beams’ and geostationary orbits, has exploded into a maze of online options – many of them created by rights holders with no traditional broadcasting heritage.

One good example is UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations. Already a pay-TV bedrock, UEFA has revealed plans for its own OTT platform to promote women’s football – a specific attempt to provide broadcasting for dimensions of the sport that ‘generally do not have the same visibility as the men’s tournaments’, according to UEFA’s marketing director GuyLaurent Epstein in a statement published on 18 September. He adds: ‘The current evolution of our environment tells us that digital platforms are a new place to talk with fans outside the TV viewers, so that the Champions League is not losing popularity because of the migration of broadcasts to pay-TV.’ UEFA is at pains to point out that, in this instance, OTT does not represent competition for TV channels and broadcasters; it is instead a new entry level for potential viewers. However, the organisation does feel it necessary to allay fears that the leading international tournaments – such as the Champions League and the Europa League – could be migrated from pay-TV to OTT: an unlikely prospect at the moment, to be sure, but its very possibility – and the immediate denial of it – illustrates the delicate nature

130 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2018

of the balance now emerging between broadcast platforms.

OTT services are gaining significant traction. Online security specialist Irdeto Rights, based in the Netherlands, recently contributed to OTT expansion with a more streamlined Digital Rights Management system that speeds up streaming performance across multiple regions.

Pointedly, SVP of content protection at Irdeto, Andrew Bunten, states that: ‘As consumer demand shifts firmly towards OTT, service providers must adapt their model and grow their global OTT offering accordingly.’

US market research company eMarketer has been measuring the uptake of subscription-based OTT video services globally, and its most recent report reveals a sharply upward curve – with the Asia-Pacific region showing the fastest growth. According to eMarketer, Asia-Pacific subscribers are set to rise 35.2% to 331.5 million in 2018, with a significant proportion of that growth attributable to Netflix alone – arguably the most recognisable brand name in OTT media operating today. China is singled out as the most competitive market, with 229 million subscribers driving a 60% share of global throughput for the three market leaders: Baidu’s iQiyi, Tencent Video and Alibaba’s Youku.

Netflix itself is rapidly turning into a true media powerhouse globally. With offices in London and Amsterdam already, a third base has just been announced in Paris as the LA-based pioneer steps up its European presence, while Asia-Pacific is on track to deliver an increase in subscribers from 11.8% of all OTT video customers to 14.3% by 2020.

Despite the predilection for more bespoke programming, the issue of maintaining

localised content remains – so much so that the EU is soon to introduce legislation requiring that OTT media providers to any member nation provide a subsidy towards the production of material by and for that country. Controversial, but the aim to counter a slide towards globalised homogeneity suggested by the borderbusting nature of a media wholly enabled by the world wide web.

Such homogeneity has already slowed the development of OTT services in India, where language barriers remain dominant. Aside from traditional TV, Hotstar and YouTube are popular, while national enterprises Viu and Zee are attempting to raise subscriptions using programming in a wider range of regional dialects – as is Amazon Prime Video, via regional titles and programming in Hindi as well as English. Netflix has yet to respond other than with Bollywood mainstays and, as a result, penetration in 2018 stands at just 1.7%.

The Japanese picture is less clear. Netflix launched there in September 2015, and there are more Japanese titles available than Hollywood or European offerings in the mainstream movie subscription market, but penetration remains at between 16% and 17% this year. An older demographic is one theory, while others point to the global survival of free-to-air (FTA) viewing habits as the natural domestic adjunct to OTT behaviour largely associated with mobile applications: watch OTT on the move; switch on the satellite or cable TV when you get home.

It would be hard to argue with Apple’s prognosis for media consumption, however. Its much-vaunted VoD service, due next year, will sit cheek-by-jowel with its huge hardware customer base, while US investment giant Morgan Stanley is suggesting that the service will hit sales worth US$500 million in the first year alone – and US$4 billion by 2025. Meanwhile, the technical infrastructure is innovating, too: at IBC in September, German tech crucible Fraunhöfer demonstrated the first use of advanced interactive audio support for OTT content by Norwegian smart TV software provider, Vewd.

The stage is set. US digital media provider Limelight Networks recently published the results of a survey carried out among 5,000 customers in France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, the UK and the US. At the moment, it confirms, OTT is a supplement to pay-TV subscription – 62% said they did both – while quality of video service remains the top priority with the unsettling lurch of re-buffering the main OTT frustration.

This would be a complaint they share with Stockholm commuters, no doubt.

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