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Speakers with Altitude

It's a well known fact that digital components work best when kept at low temperatures - but buried in snow, isn't that taking things too far? Apparently not, if you're a musician with an ardent belief in new technology and a penchant for skiing. Herr Rudi Gamper owns and operates the Nederh|tte, an extremely popular music venue for skiers in Obergurgel Austria. Here he plays out his twin passions, sound and skis.

"He approached us with a very clear idea of what he wanted," said Markus Hammerschmid of Klangfarbe GesmbH who provided and installed all the sound technology at the h|tte. "He specified d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker systems and Yamaha digital control he was particularly keen on this combination, the new D12 amplifiers from d&b in particular, as he wanted a pretty sophisticated method of reconfiguring what is a multi-zone PA system."

The Nederh|tte comprises three main audio areas: a performance room with stage and PA, a combination of Q7, Q10 and Ci90 loudspeakers plus some heavy-duty bass from Q and B1 subwoofers; the Umbrella Bar, a 10m diameter glass walled 'outside' bar, where revellers can enjoy the delights of Ci80s and Q-SUBs while observing the activity on the ski runs and yet remain relatively shielded from theelements; and thirdly the outdoor Terrace system (see photograph black boxes shivering in the snow) which is fitted with Ci90s, a 'welcome in' PA system.

"Yamaha DME-64s provide a digital matrix," explained Hammerschmid, "there are multiple inputs from MP3, CD players and radio mics, as well as all the stage inputs to the mixing desk, but Herr Gamper didn't want waiters or barmen touching the mix console. The owner also wanted separate EQ, gain, delay, limiters, and other control parameters on each channel but he wanted staff to have access only to level variations in different parts of the establishment, via simple fader panels."

Though Hammerschmid admitted things could have been simpler, "a wireless LAN for example", the owner again insisted on some extremely robust and future proof technology. "He is building for the future,next year I'm sure we’ll be installing light and video equipment, so his idea to use the RECO wireless panel with a Teqsas tablet front end works very well. Basically we have a Laptop PC connected to the DM2000 mixer and from there we can address the DMEs and d&b D12s via d&b's Rope C control system; the RECO controls the PC directly and thus we can walk around the whole place and adjust anything and everything from where we are standing using the Teqsas, and hear the effect directly. The Teqsas is extremely tough; that's pretty important when you're doing this in a room packed with happy skiers and the whole system makes this work easy."

Herr Gamper is extremely pleased with the audio quality from the d&b audiotechnik equipment and has already asked Hammerschmid back at the end of the ski season. "He wants me to check the outdoor speakers; they're all weatherised by d&b but this is a pretty harsh environment," said Hammerschmid. "I will also re-check all the stored configuration presets, so I will sneak in just before the season is over, and that way I can make these checks with the rooms full and bustling."

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Speakers with Altitude

24th March 2005

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