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ETA Sound Boosts JBL Vertec/Soundcraft Hire Fleet as O2 Arena Contract Work Continues

Following a relationship with the O2 Arena extending back a decade (to its days as the Millennium Dome) experienced sound consultant and project manager, Eddie Thomas, has now extended his expertise in public address/voice alarm to full-blown concert sound - with help from the Harman Pro brands.

Eddie's company ETA Sound remains under contract to O2 Arena management AEG, not only to provide auxiliary sound reinforcement for shows taking place in the Docklands complex's premier venues - such as the NHL and NBA events - but site-wide system maintenance and coverage for a raft of smaller events such as press conferences; this is no mean feat for a man whose company is based in Mold, North Wales.

And since both the original Millennium Dome and now both O2 Arena and the smaller Indigo2 have end-to-end Harman Pro systems (including JBL Vertec loudspeakers) operating on a CobraNet backbone running HiQnet, it is no surprise that the latest addition to ETA's rental fleet should see further investment both in JBL's premium line array system and Soundcraft's Vi6 and Vi4 digital mixing consoles.

"During the past ten years I've got to know the people at Harman Pro UK, and now Sound Technology, very well. I felt the time was right to invest, and although I considered and reviewed other brands, we have such a fantastic relationship with Sound Technology that it was pointless looking elsewhere," said Thomas.

In the early part of this year ETA purchased a pair of Soundcraft MH2 analogue mixing consoles and later 16 JBL 4887 Vertec line array enclosures, with 4881 sub bass cabinets, powered by Crown IT8000 amplifiers - providing the opportunity to cover larger events in conjunction with the existing sound equipment inventory.

Now ETA Sound have added 12 Crown-powered Vertec 4888DP three-way line array loudspeakers, enabling the VT4887's to take on side fill duties where necessary - depending on the coverage pattern required.

At the same time Eddie Thomas knew his company needed to keep abreast of technology by investing in digital consoles, and once he had the opportunity to review the new generation Soundcraft consoles, with the Studer Vistonics II interface, he was sold.

"I immediately liked the desk because it is so intuitive - and just like operating an analogue console," he notes. "You don't have to scroll through numerous menus and pages. We can have one at front-of-house and one on monitors, all linked by optical fibre."

The new system made its debut at an event at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral - and Eddie knows this is just the beginning. "We are heavily involved in the Welsh music scene and have worked with BBC S4C and programme makers in Wales. With an improved sound equipment portfolio that will handle an event outside for up to 5,000 people, we can provide our clients with a good deal more."

The upgrade path will continue into 2009, Eddie states - when ETA Sound aim to take on further Vertec 4888DP's.

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ETA Sound Boosts JBL Vertec/Soundcraft Hire Fleet as O2 Arena Contract Work Continues

27th October 2008

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