Symetrix Scene E-zine July 2023

xIO XLR-Series: Crafted Excellence

Symetrix Delivers the ‘Wow Factor’ for MuMu Nightclub

Miles and miles of smiles— laughter really is the best medicine on the road to recovery

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03 FROM THE CEO xIO XLR: Crafted Excellence

07 AV INSIGHTS Connecting at Infocomm 2023 and Beyond

13 CASE STUDY Symetrix Delivers the ‘Wow Factor’ for MuMu Nightclub

17 CASE STUDY Miles and miles of smiles— laughter really is the best medicine on the road to recovery

21 HR NEWS

Ty Hawley and the Fun of Family and Unicorns

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Ty Hawley

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Unmi Yank

EDITOR

Vin Keane

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Unmi Yank

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Mark Graham

Vin Keane

James Ling

Rachelle Graham

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Middlesex Sound & Lighting

Ryan Seacrest Foundation

Symetrix

Dan Higgins

By Mark Graham

What are you passionate about? Do you have any moments in your life where you have the desire and the luxury of time to do your very best at something? I hope so. It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Years ago, when I first met my wife Rachelle, I’ll confess it was pretty much love-at-first-sight for me, but didn’t get the impression I was having the same effect on her. And in the course of those early days I learned something earthshatteringly important: she didn’t like enchiladas. I know! How is it possible to not like one of the greatest foods ever created? I love enchiladas, so much so that I learned to make them when I was a teenager. So, as Graham family lore retells, I set about crafting Rachelle the best enchiladas I could make. I carefully selected the herbs and spices for the sauce, and then cooked it all day to be sure I had extracted every bit of the excellent flavor of each ingredient. I took the time to carefully select and find just the right cheese. Selected the good corn tortillas and fried them just right—not too soft not too crisp. I wanted these to be the best I could possibly make them (and hopefully impress the pretty girl). Finally, with no small amount of anxiety, the moment came to present Rachelle with my carefully crafted masterpiece, sourced, created and delivered with an eye to every detail. The result of all my efforts? She loved them! For the next three days she ate nothing but my enchiladas.

We just recently celebrated our twenty-sixth wedding anniversary. No doubt, my best-I-could-make-them enchiladas are what won her over.

was going to be the best we could make it. Our vision was to do our very best at every aspect of the XLR endpoint. Only craft-quality in every detail would satisfy us. Why? Candidly, we feel that it is time for Symetrix to emerge and make a statement about who we are and where we are going. And, we felt that this was an area of the AV system that has lagged behind the rest of the signal path in terms of quality, consequently capping system performance to a sub-standard level. Our goal was to deliver a product that provides a significant increase in performance to support the high-performance sound and life-safety systems they will go into.

We view an XLR endpoint as having three areas of focus for performance excellence: Electrical (audio quality), mechanical, and industrial design.

Electrical:

The audio path must deliver the highest performance (laboratory grade) both in subjective listening tests and measured specifications.

Mechanical:

Rugged and refined, all-metal construction that can survive the rigors of commercial application and keep the show going even in extreme circumstances. Further, it must speak strongly to the installer that their needs are understood and special care has been taken to address them.

Industrial design:

The xIO XLR must look brilliant. We want architects and consultants to be proud to have it on the wall in a room they have designed. We hope that design-build integrators are proud to have their personal brands associated with it.

For the Symetrix team, we were equally passionate from the initial conception of our newest product, the xIO XLR-Series, and determined that it (continued on next page)

Engineering for audio excellence in an endpoint entails substantial challenges. The significant size and space constraints on the design present challenges to the scope and size of the circuit and electronic components. Further challenging is the close proximity of other electronic circuits that are, if not managed well, sources for unintended noise and distortion.

Symetrix electrical engineers created a brilliant design that is both compact, and high-performance. No cookbook reference designs here. This is an example of art and science coming together to deliver excellence.

[Click here to read the “Sound Quality Claims Without Data Are Only an Opinion” article]

Hundreds of hours of designer and engineering work have gone into creating a design aesthetic that we refer to as refined industrial. The goal was to deliver a visual impression that successfully portrays the crafted excellence of the product, while simultaneously blending smoothly into any commercial environment.

Red-Green-Blue (RGB) LEDs were chosen to provide the designer with a very large color palette that is programmable to indicate a nearly unlimited selection of system parameters.

When commissioning a new AV system what is the most likely source of system bring-up failures? In my experience, it’s the mechanical connection points that are most likely to be faulty. Note the tie-point for cable/connector stress relief.

Note also the QR code that quickly jumps an installer to the Quick-Start Guide.

Intricately delivering strength and beauty, the mechanical assembly is a work of art. Precision and finesse was derived from producing dozens and dozens of 3D-printed prototypes which were deployed in usability and fit testing. If, like me, you find intricate watch mechanisms fascinating, take a careful look at the mechanical detail in this design.

Note the thoughtful detail: XLR connectors rotated ninety degrees and cutout areas designed to facilitate smooth connect/disconnect.

A precision-engineered, fully-programmable button accommodates any system function the programmer would like to assign to it.

For the Symetrix team, the xIO XLR is the first product that fully embodies our passion for crafted excellence. To us, it is an important statement about who we are and where we are going.

I hope it inspires you to pursue your best work. We would love to come along with you on that journey.

Mark Graham Symetrix Owner & CEO

By Vin Keane

One of our bigger marketing efforts is presence at regional and large trade shows. ISE and Infocomm typically have the biggest crowds, but we like to meet with our customers face-to-face whenever we can. As meeting attendance has rebounded, we’ve been lucky to catch up with partners and readers in Barcelona, Cleveland, and Orlando.

Infocomm 2023 in June was especially exciting for the team as we got to introduce three new products, host two receptions, and produce an accredited training session.

Whether you were able to stop by the booth or not, Infocomm gives us a good opportunity for us to say ‘thank you’ for your business, your friendship, and your trust.

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the Arizona Audio Video Expo in August. In October, look for us at the NSCA Pivot to Profit meeting in Texas, and at the Rocky Mountain Audio Video Expo in Colorado. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to call or video chat with us if there’s anything we can do support you and your business.

Super family.

From left: Rachelle Graham, Mark Graham, and Ty Hawley.

Techrep Marketing and Symetrix at Reception Event in Orlando.

From left: Gary Mielke, Chris Bednar, Aron Carpenter, Quinn Klarer, Dan Gilliam.

Michael Austin posing with xIO XLR 1x1.

Stu Paterson demonstrating the xIO XLR-Series at Infocomm.

From left: Vin Keane, Nacho Alberdi, and Gabriel Albornoz from SeeSound.

Stu Paterson and Quinn Klarer leading a training session.

Ben Olswang demonstrating Symetrix products and capabilities.

INTRODUCING Performance IO,

More Control, and Monitoring

T-7 Glass

Building on the success of its five-inch and ten-inch touchscreens, Symetrix expands the T-Series of controllers to include a seven-inch model.

The Award-winning xIO XLR-Series sets a new standard for performance IO with pristine audio, industrial-strength materials, exceptional design, AV control options, and a complete line of models that reliably deliver sophisticated results.

xIO XLR-Series AV-Ops Center

The Symetrix AV-Ops Center brings together Symetrix’s 40-year history of excellence in audio processing with the latest Internetof-things (IoT) data management services. The platform provides a highly integrated and customizable remote monitoring and management interface for any system utilizing a Composer Series DSP.

AV-Ops Center leverages the cost-efficiency of the cloud, is easy to launch yet highly secure, and makes real-time system status accessible from any modern web browser and device.

The Interior of MuMu Restaurant and Bar in Maidstone, England.

by James Ling

Located in the heart of the English town of Maidstone, MuMu restaurant and bar is a hot spot for a luxurious night out in Kent. Embellished with tented ceilings, colourful handmade furniture, chandeliers, and mesmerising lighting effects, the historic venue (Grade II listed) sets itself apart from your typical restaurant and nightclub. With a commitment to delivering an array of energetic music events in a lively atmosphere, MuMu aims to provide a classy yet vibrant experience for party-goers.

Following a devastating fire in 2021, the venue underwent extensive refurbishments to get back to its former glory, while also updating certain aspects to welcome patrons back to a new, electrifying space. Middlesex Sound and Lighting was tasked with creating a bespoke, eye-catching AV design that fit with the aesthetics of MuMu with the owner, Ciaran O’Quigley, stating he wanted to bring back the “wow factor.”

The club boasts a warren-like interior which includes a traditional Irish pub, a speakeasy, a hidden “laundromat room,” an eatery and fine dining restaurant, and a newly refurbished cabaret bar.

“The whole space is like a labyrinth,” said Darrel Olivier, Director of Middlesex Sound and Lighting. “The main room is accessed via a small corridor which leads upstairs and along the way, there are these washing machines with quirky content displayed in the centre of them, spinning around. On the upper level, there’s an eatery and restaurant with a newly refurbished cabaret bar, and then downstairs in the basement is a new club area, which we were involved in creating.”

The club area itself is not the biggest space and required impeccably design for two large bars and four private seating booths, all of which look onto the dance floor. A large central booth features mirrored tiles and a square dance floor. The entire space is enhanced by a stunning lighting design that showcases pixel lighting features, LED, and discreet lighting to add depth and dimension.

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In such a space, creating the right atmosphere is crucial and AV control is one of the key factors. The sound at MuMu is controlled by a Symetrix Prism 16x16 DSP with a touch screen controller in the DJ booth. The DSP provides for full zoning control and includes multiple presets for the venue’s staff, as they plan to use the space for brunch and lunch events in addition to operating as a nightclub.

“The Symetrix DSP offers a wide range of options which makes it easy to create different presets and configurations for different audio sources,” Darrel said. “It also includes professional protection delay and limiting features to ensure the system runs smoothly and reliably–which is incredibly useful when incorporating live instruments into the sound.”

In addition to system control, the AV crew had to pay attention to the aesthetics. They used more compact enclosures in the booth seating areas, concealed subwoofers, and designed a clean finish from both the lighting and audio perspectives. The crew went with Martin Audio speakers throughout the venue, driven by Powersoft amps, with an emphasis on coverage and quality of sound to ensure a consistent experience for customers.

The DJ booth has a Pioneer DJ setup with Martin Audio stereo monitoring as well as MagicQ and ShowCAD lighting control systems. CD boxes were then incorporated in all peripheral areas of the booths with additional ADORN ACS55TS ceiling speakers in the toilets and the entrance lobby. In addition, the booth areas called for C6S and Sx1-110 subs, the DJ booth of Blackline X10s and for the dance floor system, the team installed Blackline X12s and two single 18 subs.

The Symetrix DSP includes professional protection delay and limiting features to ensure the system runs smoothly and reliably–which is incredibly useful when incorporating live instruments into the sound.”

Darrel Olivier, Director of Middlesex Sound and Lighting

Symetrix Prism 16x16

The decision to use Symetrix processors and control devices was based on the quality of the solution.

“We’ve been using more and more Symetrix systems in the last six to eight months due to their reliability,” explained Darrel. “It can be slightly different from other control solutions we’ve used in terms of the architecture used to configure it, but it hasn’t been too difficult for our technicians who are already familiar with open architecture DSP. It has proven to be reliable, stable, and the results have been impressive.”

Darrel noted that during the tuning of the system, there were some environmental challenges due to interference caused by furniture and individuals present in the room. To address this the AV crew attended MuMu’s re-opening event to make final adjustments based on real-world sound absorption.

“There can generally be difficulties getting the stock in time and meeting project deadlines,” Darrel said. “The delays and longer lead times are not just impacting us from an AV perspective, but the entire industry, from main contractors to furniture suppliers. It makes it more difficult for AV integrators because they don’t typically allow for the time needed to properly set up the equipment.”

Darrel explained that under ideal circumstances projects should be completed a week ahead of time to fly the speakers and avoid installing equipment on a dusty construction site.

“Sometimes we have to do that,” he said, “which means keeping equipment bagged up until the last minute. However, despite the challenges, we were able to deliver a finished product for MuMu and Ciaran was exceptionally happy with the final look and sound.”

The new refurbishment of MuMu has not only restored its former splendour, but has also added an extra sparkle to the venue. Thanks to the new Symetrix install, Middlesex Sound and Lighting has transformed the sound quality of the venue, ultimately enhancing and revitalising the customer experience.

“It was a solid team effort and I think the final result speaks for itself – it looks and sounds fantastic,” Darrel concluded.

www.mumuexperience.com

Miles and miles of smiles –laughter really is the best medicine on the road to recovery

by James Ling

Ryan Seacrest is a US broadcasting legend. The host of American Idol since 2002, he has executive produced over 50 shows, hosted multiple awards celebrations, and regularly appears across radio, TV, and film. But for many people his greatest achievement is miles away from the bright lights of the entertainment world, and more about how he has transformed lives through the nonprofit Ryan Seacrest Foundation.

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation (RSF) describes itself as an “organization dedicated to inspiring today’s youth through entertainment and education focused initiatives,” but to the millions of people who it has inspired since its launch in 2010, it is much more than that.

RSF’s aim is to contribute positively to the healing process for children and their families during their stay in hospital. It does so through the creation of experiential broadcast media centers, known as Seacrest Studios, which are integrated into pediatric hospitals across the US. They are designed not only to give patients free access to explore radio, television, and new media, but to uplift the spirits of the entire hospital community.

In 2022 the RSF reached 2.2 million patients through its 14 studios. It produced 5,300 hours of live programming and in 2021 it hosted more than 150 in-person and virtual visits from some of North America’s biggest stars. With three new studio builds scheduled to open in 2023, the program is still growing.

Many kids can clam up as soon as they see a camera. One of the IT engineers had an idea to dress the camera like a dog with ears, a tongue and some eyes, and the kids were immediately more comfortable!”

Symetrix has been part of the journey since its early days and continues to support RSF’s work by donating signal processing and control equipment.

“Donations from manufacturers are absolutely key to ensure we are able to keep going and keep expanding,” said RSF Director of Engineering Brian Clark, who has been Ryan Seacrest’s engineer for the last 28 years.

“Each studio is a different space but we try to maintain the same styling and equipment where we can. As the kids get involved in the production, it’s important that the equipment is easy to use, so we work hard to keep the system streamlined.

“We try to keep things simple in the studio and we hide the bigger stuff in a rack room,” Brian continued. “We don’t operate in a broadcast environment; we are in a medical center and so the studio is a finite space and we need to make sure we are getting the most value out of it.

“We use Sierra Automated Systems for the main broadcast console, Electro-Voice microphones, and we use the Symetrix Jupiter 8,” he said. “Without the Jupiter 8 we would need multiple processors and this allows us to do everything from one unit. We use it every day and the fact that it is just 1RU means we have more space for other equipment.”

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Brian Clark, RSF Director of Engineering

All photos courtesy of Ryan Seacrest Foundation.

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The hospitals hire a studio manager to run their facility, and each is configured to cater for the patients’ needs with accessible desks and ample access to the equipment. They can even work with a gurney and there are plug-ins at each station where an IV system can be attached if required.

Design is important and Brian says that they have learned more about optimizing the spaces over the last 13 years.

“Initially we were very focused on creating an ideal broadcast space, but we’ve adapted the designs to accommodate the specific needs of the children as well as the needs of the hospital,” he said.

“Hospitals have unique requirements, so we have learned how to address them. To accommodate the children we have more space, we have wider doors with a dooropening system, and we have extra plug sockets. We use special disposable muffs over the microphones to ensure cleanliness and we use rubberized vinyl instead of carpet for the floors because they are easier to clean. This can be challenging for acoustic absorption, but we found a material that works well. We’ve all learned a lot during the process.”

RSF believes that access to multimedia experiences provides patients with optimistic experiences throughout their treatment, and it certainly delivers. Not only does it facilitate celebrity visits from the likes of Jordan Davis and Selena Gomez, but in the summer of 2022 patients at Monroe Carell Jr Children’s Hospital literally spoke to the stars in a live Q&A with the astronauts at the International Space Station.

“Working with NASA and the astronauts at the international space station and enabling the kids to talk to an astronaut direct from their rooms is so exciting,” said Brian.

These levels of engagement are priceless; making the connection between the physical training of an astronaut to the physical therapy that patients experiencing is nothing short of inspirational.

Outside of the hospital, the program encourages students from local schools to get involved by providing them with opportunities to gain first-hand experience in broadcasting and programming. It has created over 1,000 internships from more than 100 schools, which has led to 21 former interns starting a career in the media industries.

In fact, everyone involved in the program is supported by the Foundation with a biannual summit that brings all the hospitals together. Last year’s summit hosted representatives from all 14 Seacrest Studios to share best practices and learn about the impact of media on young people. With seminars from PBS Kids and Fred Rogers Productions, they are designed to promote collaboration and community between all the hospital teams. And great ideas can come from anywhere.

“Many kids can clam up as soon as they see a camera,” said Brian. “One of the IT engineers had an idea to dress the camera like a dog with ears, a tongue and some eyes, and the kids were immediately more comfortable! These are very different ways of working, many of which are outside of a normal broadcast environment!”

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation is all about having a positive impact of the lives of thousands of children and their families, and it’s definitely working.

“It’s developed so much since we built that first studio in Atlanta. Doctors have told us that because the kids are so involved in something rather than being confined to their rooms, they aren’t requesting as much pain medication. That is truly amazing and it makes all the difference.”

www.ryanseacrestfoundation.org

by Rachelle Graham

Enter the offices of Symetrix HQ on any given day and you’ll see some interesting things – hardware being built, engineers testing equipment, a few friendly dogs with tails a-wagging, and…unicorns. Yep, there’s a story there.

Early on, in the first days of Symetrix 2.0, the business had just changed hands into new ownership. Most of the sales, marketing and tech support teams were attending ISE in Amsterdam when the inside sales associate at the time left to take a job closer to family. It created a gap that needed to be filled quickly, and turned out to be a golden opportunity to bring in someone with a background in technology with a history of process improvement. Enter Ty Hawley, Symetrix’s Director of Sales and Marketing.

She reminisces, “I started with Symetrix four-and-a-half years ago. My parents bought the company at the end of 2018 and the family was all very excited. I thought maybe someday we’ll get to work together. It was really more of a fantasy, a far-off dream. But it wasn’t too long before they called me and said, ‘our inside salesperson is moving on, this would be a good chance for you to learn the business from the bottom up.’ At that time I had been commuting into Seattle for six years, and I thought, ‘what a great opportunity in a fun industry, so I decided to jump in.’”

Hawley started out doing all the inside sales work and quickly saw some opportunities for process improvements. Hawley explains, “As I identified things, I would just say “Would you mind if I tackled that”? And then moved on to the next thing. Well, no good deed goes unpunished! I did a good job, so they expanded my reach, which has been an awesome opportunity for me; I’ve grown and developed so much professionally. It has given me the chance to spread my wings, roll up my sleeves and see what we could do together.”

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Looking back over the last few years, Hawley feels keenly the success of those early projects. In fact, her favorite accomplishments to date are some of those earlier process improvements. “I was able to make a lot of changes to order entry and fulfillment processes. They were manual and outdated. I took the process end to end and updated it one piece at a time. Taking something painful or kludgy, as the young’uns would say, and making it seamless, smooth, easy and effortless – that’s really rewarding to me. To remember what it was then and how good it is now and being able to teach people along the way. I would go down to logistics myself and figure out what tools do we have available and start leveraging those tools, training the team and seeing them start to flourish. That’s really the most rewarding part for me.”

As part of her own personal development path, Hawley decided to go back to school and get her MBA with a minor in business intelligence and data analytics. She explains,

“It was one of the hardest, most rewarding experiences of my life. Harder than having a newborn baby. But it was rewarding because I would go home at night and learn something I could use at work the next day. It wasn’t just academic knowledge that I might be able to apply someday. Symetrix is such a great environment to apply that knowledge. We wear lots of hats, so I have exposure to a lot of different departments, and collaborate with a lot of different parts of the business. In my MBA program, I learned a broad range of accounting, economics, statistics, and then applied it to my work at Symetrix.”

Working full-time and going to school full-time is a challenge for anyone. Hawley reflects, “Even though it was tough, it was totally worth it. In my role, one of my highest priorities is to support our team and make sure they are successful and our customers are successful, and with the experience of my MBA and time at Symetrix I can support everybody and help come up with great win-win solutions.”

In my role, one of my highest priorities is to support our team and make sure they are successful and our customers are successful.”

Ty Hawley, Director of Sales and Marketing

As a leader of one of the largest teams at Symetrix, Hawley oversees sales, marketing, and tech support, actively shaping team culture for a large portion of the business. “I love our team dynamic and office culture. I think we’re pretty unique. I came from the Seattle software culture, so it was a pretty hip vibe there as well, but still pretty corporate and a massive company. But to come to Symetrix and experience the type of culture where people are down to earth and leadership tells us to have fun is really special. Today I came back to work (after the InfoComm trade show in Orlando) and I have unicorn confetti covering my desk. On Fridays, sometimes I’ll tap into the Bluetooth speaker and play an annoying song really loud to mess with everyone. We work really hard but also play really hard. We have fun, we joke, we embrace the awkward sense of humor.”

One of the notable aspects of life at Symetrix is the familylike environment. Part of the company’s values statement is that we see everyone we work with as partners deeply committed to each other’s success. Whether an end user, distributor, integrator, rep, consultant or supplier: we are all #SymFamily. This dynamic plays out in a lot of ways within the company culture, creating a fun and collaborative work environment. Hawley adds, “I am thankful to have a job that I love and be in such a great environment. My job is so fun. I get to do so many different things, work with so many different people. I’m really thankful that every day I come in and I’m challenged, and we get to try things. Collaborate. ‘Hey I had this idea!’ It doesn’t come without its challenges. Last year was one of the hardest of my career. But just because there are tough times doesn’t mean it’s a tough place. I’m thankful to work with people who are likeminded and supportive. It’s a blessing to be able to take care of our families and ourselves in such a positive way.”

“I Love our mission to (deliver amazing products), develop people and be a force for good in the world. When I think about developing people, I think about not just our staff, but our customers and their customers. We provide tools that help people earn a livelihood. To learn something new, expand profit opportunities, reach new customers. That’s what I love being able to do.”

Beyond time at work, Hawley has a busy home life with a 19-year old stepson, an 8-year old son, and a husband who is also in the Pro AV industry. “I love to garden, love to spend time outdoors. I love living in Seattle, going camping, going on hikes, and I also enjoy cooking or, to be honest, finding difficult recipes on Pinterest so that my husband can cook them. He embraces this process. Sometimes it’s not as simple as the picture on Pinterest!”

And where do the unicorns fit in to the story? Hawley enthuses, “I love unicorns! Here’s why. I love them because last year when things got really tough coming off the pandemic and the world was strange and uncertain and then we rolled into the supply chain challenges and tensions were high – that’s how the unicorns got started. I bought everyone on my team a unicorn that was glittery with bright shiny eyes. It’s just a reminder not to take things too seriously. There’s only so much we can do in the day, and certain things are out of our control, so let’s keep things in perspective and have some fun.”

As Hawley approaches her five-year anniversary with the company, she takes her success in stride, explaining, “I feel like there was a point where I was in a role that was bigger than my britches, so I’m looking forward to growing into those britches. I’m really just scratching the surface with this role and so it’s not just about the next title or rung on the ladder, but what can we achieve now. What can my team achieve and do better? Given everything we’ve accomplished together and that the team has grown a lot and I’ve grown a lot, let’s see what we can do.”

Inspired AV Processing & Control Solutions