Project News

Super-Cool Belgian Venue Adds DiGiCo Quantum 225 for Value, Versatility and Performance

Belgium – “For me it had to be a DiGiCo. There was no other way. DiGiCo manufactures the most versatile mixing consoles by far, with excellent sound quality and without compromising in some aspects like other brands do. DiGiCo systems sound neutral and clear, which makes mixing comfortable in all situations,” stated Dominik Boiy, owner and chief engineer, Trix Antwerp.

Located close to Antwerp’s historic city centre, Trix hosts a network of artists, music lovers, art and youth organisations, seeking to stimulate creation and discovery for a diverse audience; it also strives to be an ally for artists, helping them to develop their talent from an open-minded culture. The venue presents music from all genres, but the programme mainly consists of rock and metal, hip-hop, soul and jazz with little commercial material. It is also a multi-functional facility with spaces for live performance, recording, production, workshops, rehearsals and a 700-capacity club room which has recently been upgraded with the addition of a new DiGiCo Quantum 225 console, complete with MQ-Rack.

“Dominik loves to work on an SD console and owns an S21 himself,” comments David Liebens of supplier and integrator Amptec. “When the Q225 came to the marketplace, and Dominik needed a new console for the club, it was an obvious choice as it provides both the accessibility and the software features a club console requires. We provided training for the new console on delivery and further training is planned for the rest of the house team.”

Dominik Boiy adds: “The Q225 was bought mostly for the club room upstairs, which is mainly for concerts, but we often organise PA technique workshops there, too. For me it was important that the students should get their hands on mixing consoles that live up to industry standards and not have to work with budget mixers. That’s why we offer DiGiCo as the best console in class because it is by far the most renowned brand.”

The Q225’s very compact footprint was another key factor in Dominik’s choice, as it is not only used in the club, but also in the small bar stage. Both physically and financially it was only logical to go for a relatively small but powerful mixing desk with the latest features. Q225 also appeared just before Trix’s renovation works started, so the timing was perfect.

“We don’t have a separate monitor desk in the club, so the Nodal Processing on the auxes comes in handy,” he continues. “Instead of patching a certain amount of channels twice (mainly kick, bass and vocals), we can now EQ and compress per-channel, per-aux. Bands that come here to prep and who send in-ear mixes from FOH love to use this feature. Also, the new screen is more detailed, and it just looks and feels better. We get a lot of compliments on the screen.”

Visiting engineers use the Q225 as well, with bands often liking to rehearse at the club before going on a festival tour and they programme the Mustard EQ and Spice Rack as part of preparations for shows or tours. After a couple days of rehearsing and programming, Dominik says they leave with a complete DiGiCo session, sometimes with Waves integrated, having laid down a good base for a successful tour.

“Almost every Belgian festival has a DiGiCo as its house desk, often with prep work by Amptec, so the compatibility between Quantum and SD is a big win and another reason to go for the Quantum, as bands can now take Quantum features on the road after PA rehearsals here,” Dominik concludes, “The Q225 was a logical next step for us in the DiGiCo family. I was impressed by the Q338, which I had on demo for a week, but that one was out of our league.

“The fact that we now have a mixing desk with Nodal Processing, Spice Rack and Mustard EQ and dynamics with an improved touch screen for the price of a SD12 is a big step for Trix. With the Q225 we have a high level, pro-spec console that was within our budget, which fits our spaces and which is ready and able to mix international artists.”

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9th August 2022

Doughty’s on track at Dublin Business School

Ireland – A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ireland (AC-ET Ireland) turned to Doughty Engineering when they were contracted by Dublin Business School (DBS) to deliver a new state-of-the-art studio space to enhance its extensive suite of programmes. DBS has evolved over the years, expanding its offerings to meet the demands of various sectors, offering subjects in business, law, finance, computing, media, arts, psychology and social science.

To create a modern studio with the latest technologies, AC-ET Ireland specified and supplied a number of leading technology brands for the project, including Six-Track from Doughty Engineering. “Once we knew that track and drapes were part of the client’s brief, it was a no-brainer for us to specify Doughty products,” explained Aaron Cripps, AC-ET Ireland’s managing director. “We know that Doughty kit is consistently reliable and that the team would help with the design of the track. For this state-of-the-art lighting studio, which is used for camera and lighting classes and also screenings, media workshops and industry guest speakers, we needed to fit a black out feature that could also function as a high-end screening room.

“One of the biggest challenges of the project was the availability of products, an all-too-common issue being faced across the industry. Access to the space was also tricky so Doughty advised changing the track from 3m to 1m to help with this as 1m lengths could be transported via lift. Doughty made these changes with minimum price impact and no delays to the project, small changes which made a huge difference to us,” continued Aaron.

The result is a proper multimedia environment that allows students at Dublin Business School to train using the latest industry standard equipment. Aaron said: “When you’re under pressure Doughty is always quick to respond, really on the ball, friendly and helpful. They reviewed all our drawings and specifications, and their technical knowledge is second to none. We have a very happy client which is the most important outcome of any project.”

DBS’s Matthew Nolan commented: “Anyone who is acquainted with the film and lighting industry is aware that Doughty is a premiere company. The hardware they provided for our new media studio at DBS allows our students to operate within an industry standard environment and create work to a high standard. A large part of the appeal of working with Doughty is the sheer quality of the product. We know that our investment will offer us durability and usability for many years to come. This aligned with their peerless customer service made for a truly first-class client experience."

5th August 2022

DiGiCo delivers transformational sound at Jan Kochanowski Theatre

Poland – With a history that dates back to 1945 and located in the heart of the beautiful city of Opole in south-western Poland, the Jan Kochanowski Theatre is one of the country’s best loved theatres. Every year since 1975, the theatre has organised one of the largest festivals in Poland, the Polish Classics Opole Theatre Confrontations bringing together an audience of thousands keen to enjoy the great classic Polish plays. This year’s festival was all the more special thanks to the recent transformation of the theatre’s four stages, which have been updated with a new sound system that includes DiGiCo digital mixing consoles, installed by integration partner M.Ostrowski.

When the theatre officially joined the prestigious European Theatre Convention group in 2019, the team knew it was the right time to get the theatre in top shape so it could continue delivering high quality shows. Preparations were made for the modernization of the building and its technical infrastructure, with the final stage of the renovation including a complete overhaul of the audio system.

M.Ostrowski was in charge of the audio element of the project and its installation alongside DiGiCo’s Polish distributor, Polsound, and various subcontractors and suppliers.

“The building is a huge facility with a complicated room layout and required an extensive Optocore fibre network for redundant transmission of audio,” says M.Ostrowski project manager, Paweł Francuz. “The best quality audio solutions were chosen throughout, and the functionality of the mixing consoles was a priority so that it would be able to cope with theatre’s increasingly complex productions.”

After careful consideration, DiGiCo was chosen, with a venue-wide Optocore network and redundant DANTE network operating simultaneously. “DiGiCo was chosen because it can be routed freely via the Optocore fibre network, it delivers the highest quality audio, and its theatre specific ‘T’ software is a great tool for sound engineers working on theatrical or operatic productions. There are also practically unlimited possibilities to integrate DiGiCo devices with devices from other manufacturers such as Waves and KLANG, along with its integration with immersive sound systems, DANTE network and much more,” explains Robert Kondziela, the theatre’s sound engineer.

The theatre has four stages: the approximately 600-capacity Duża Scena, the smaller ancient Greek-style Mała Scena 200-seater, the experimental Modelatornia stage and The Bunker, a special small projects underground stage, all of which feature DiGiCo consoles, Meyer Sound PAs and Shure microphones. The Duża Scena has a DiGiCo SD10-24T console with an SD9T, usually resident in the Modelatornia stage, also available when necessary. Additionally, there are three SD11s, one of which is permanently installed in the control room of the Mała Scena and another in The Bunker. The third SD11 is used for additional tasks such as streaming and recording. Two SD-Racks are installed along with six SD-MiNi Racks, which are used as mobile input boxes. A total of four bi-directional DiGiCo Orange Box converters, permanently installed in each stage, allow for bi-directional channel conversion via Optocore and DANTE, enabling two-way transmission with almost negligible latency. This applies to both the console-stage rack transmission and the console-console transmission.

“Updating the theatre’s audio system was not an easy task,” says M.Ostrowski project manager, Paweł Francuz. “The installation was affected by global logistical problems and COVID-19 restrictions. But ultimately the installation was completed successfully, and we are glad that we were able to participate in it."

“When we were first introduced to the DiGiCo, Meyer Sound and Shure systems, my thoughts went back to the 1980s, when as a young boy I heard music from a CD player for the first time,” Norber Rakowski, general and artistic director of the theatre, concludes. “The difference between this and vinyl was so colossal that I was then convinced that I would never go back to analogue records. Although I am now ready for any new technology, the presentation of Meyer Sound and DiGiCo systems in our theatre made a comparable impression on me. It's not about comparing media, but about sensory impressions and a qualitative leap. The scale of the capabilities of these devices is incredible and maybe we won’t need to use them to their full potential, and certainly not in every theatre production. But the number of advantages, such as the quality of the sound and the scale of configuration possibilities immediately convinced me that this would be an excellent and, above all, future-proof investment for our theatre.”

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4th August 2022

L-Acoustics brings maximum versatility and sonic excellence to Warsaw’s Konopacki Palace

Poland – Erected in the 19th century at the request of Ksawery Konopacki, the Konopacki Palace is located on Strzelecka Street in the heart of Warsaw's bohemian Praga district, known as Nowa Praga (New Praga). After major reconstruction works on this Neo-Renaissance style building, the Konopacki Palace finally re-opened its doors as the second home of Praga Cultural Centre in September last year. It offers its auditorium, gallery and outdoor terrace for various functions including music concerts, art and an open-air cinema. Such versatility of events required an equally flexible sound system, with L-Acoustics Polish distributor, Audio Plus, delivering Syva, X Series and A Series systems to bring versatility and cutting-edge audio to one of Warsaw’s newest cultural sites.

The diverse genre of events at the Konopacki Palace required a uniquely tailored sound system that would keep up with the ever-changing roster of entertainment. One of Poland’s top pro audio equipment suppliers, Audio Plus, worked on developing a solution that would fulfil the task and deliver the vision of Praga Cultural Centre’s director, Katarzyna Sołtys.
“Our vision for the Konopacki Palace was for the venue to become the hub for innovative and experimental cultural projects on a European and global scale,” says Sołtys. “With this in mind, our key objective was to design a system that would work equally well for each of the venue’s events, no matter how big, creative and technically challenging they are,” adds Norbert Kachniarz, junior system designer at Audio Plus.

The system installed in the multi-functional, 100-seat auditorium in the basement of the Palace comprises a Syva atop a Syva Low, floor mounted left and right in front of the stage, delivering unparalleled clarity and sound precision across the entire space.

For the large stage outside on the garden terrace, Audio Plus delivered an A Series system, based on four A10 Wide and SB18 subwoofers, used for concerts and the open-air cinema during summer. The entire system is powered by four LA4X amplified controllers divided into two groups: one for the mobile version and one for the permanently installed system.

Additionally, four X8 and four X12 were supplied, used mainly in the auditorium as stage monitors, but can also be deployed outdoors in a variety of configurations to provide sound reinforcement to the areas outside of the main stage, as well as behind the building where temporary constructions such as booths are sometimes erected for larger events. The LA4X can also be configured according to the type of the event, with their pre-sets adjusted accordingly.

"The configuration of the LA4X allows for greater flexibility of the entire system," explains Norbert Kachniarz, who was responsible for the system’s installation on behalf of Audio Plus. "Depending on the event requirements, the amps can be easily reconfigured either to be used partially or as a full system, even if that requires an unusual configuration. The entire complement of LA4X is managed via LA Network Manager. The interface is very intuitive, making it easy to use and it can be accessed either on a computer of an iPad for better mobility.

The system was successfully tested in September 2021 at the Palace’s opening event, with performances taking place in the auditorium and on the outdoor stage, where a large concert took place, with an additional zone behind the stage augmented with X8 and X12.

“We wanted to be ‘universal’ when it comes to hosting events, and the L-Acoustics system provided by Audio Plus empowers us to be just that,” says Michał Klimczak, technical engineer at Praga Cultural Centre. “With this new system, we can organise any type of function quickly and effectively, and we know that great sound and perfect coverage are guaranteed. On top of that, we have all the controls at our fingertips readily available on the iPad, plus the L-Acoustics cabinets fit perfectly within the historic character of the building. And all without any compromise on sound quality!”

“This project is a great example of how we work,” concludes Paweł Kuhn, marketing manager at Audio Plus. “If the client needs something, we figure out how to do it, efficiently and cost-effectively. Of course, the final system requires some knowledge from the user, but at Audio Plus we know the value of good product training, so we always go the extra mile when training a venue’s staff and offer technical support where needed to ensure everyone feels comfortable using the system. We are thrilled to bring L-Acoustics renowned sound quality to this historic venue!”

1st August 2022

Drum Theatre at Theatre Royal Plymouth is latest Reference for EM Acoustics

UK – The Drum theatre is a flexible performance studio venue, forming a highly successful part of the Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP) complex. A bijou 159-capacity space, it hosts an eclectic mix of house productions and also receives shows from established smaller scale touring theatre companies. The venue has recently undergone a full refurbishment including a premium sound system from EM Acoustics based on their flagship Reference Series loudspeakers.

TRP head of sound, Dan Mitcham explains that as part of the renovation process, he and his team were tasked with looking into how to improve the existing sound system. “We had a four-box set up of main L/R and surround L/R, but it didn’t cover the whole auditorium, and was also starting to show its age. We decided it was better to start again from scratch and put in a system worthy of the space.”

When asked what prompted the choice of EM Acoustics, Mitcham simply describes that: “We’ve always loved the sound of EM. We have them in our basement studio (the Lab) here at TRP and whenever we need to hire systems, we usually spec EM.” As soon as the funds were allocated, Mitcham got in touch with EM’s Greg Clarke, “who was handily designing a show next door in our larger venue, the Lyric, at the time,” to determine a system that would work both acoustically and financially. “EM satisfied both requirements,” he says. “We like the all-round warmth of the boxes, and how they work well together, complementing each other. The build quality is excellent and the fact they are built in the UK is in line with our environmental values. They are also very powerful for their size – which is useful in a small studio space – with easy-to-use control. Most of all though, they just sound fantastic!”

Clarke happened to be using R10s for his show on the Lyric stage which was the perfect opportunity for Mitcham to hear them in a performance situation. “We were blown away by how clear and crisp they were,” he recalls. “Also, as they are very directional, you don’t get much trouble with feedback.” Clarke recommended the eight-inch R8s for the Drum theatre which are configured as a LCR system supplemented by two S12 subwoofers, four EMS-61s as lower fills and delays, two EMS-51s as balcony slip fills, two EMS-81X as rear surrounds and a final R8 as a flexible box or a fourth cabinet for in-the-round configurations. Two more EMS-61s and a further four EMS-51s act as spot FX or surrounds when required.

“The customer service has been second to none,” notes Mitcham. “EM have been in contact throughout the whole process, and Greg even came down to assist us in commissioning the system. The R8s are wonderful sounding speakers, with a rich warm sound and exceptional clarity. The sound levels they generate for their size are phenomenal and having the flexibility of two interchangeable, rotatable waveguides included with each cabinet is brilliant. I can’t rave about them enough.”

27th July 2022

L-Acoustics K, A and X Series Cover all Kinds of Content at Scène de Bayssan

France – Opened in spring 2021, the Scène de Bayssan sits on a site near Béziers in south-west France which has a rich history going back 5,000 years over successive Greek, Roman and Gallic societies. More recently, the area hosted a circus, a fact that’s reflected in the Scène’s architecture. The new theatre complex features three spaces: the open-air Claude Nougaro amphitheatre which can accommodate 965 people seated or 1,462 standing, the 432-seated / 1,350 standing Michel Galabru theatre, and a small structure that houses reception facilities. Offering a varied programme of performing art, art exhibits and cultural events, Scène de Bayssan required an ultimately versatile sound system that could handily address the varied program. The team chose L-Acoustics K, A and X Series, supplied by L-Acoustics partner, Du Show, to deliver both consistent audience coverage and tonal balance.

Whilst Scène de Bayssan is a permanent venue, its loudspeaker system needed to be mobile, as it would be used only during the summer months in the Nougaro ampitheatre, year-round in the Galabru theatre, as well as in other venues as required.

“For this reason a touring system, rather than a fixed installation, was the most logical solution. It allows for the Scène to account for both the structure of each space and also the venue’s diverse programme, which includes classical, pop and jazz concerts, electro music and theatre productions,” explains Arnaud Delorme, senior application project engineer at L-Acoustics. “We specified the system alongside Scène de Bayssan’s team and they adapted the design to take into account their specific objectives and constraints, and integrated it themselves.”

The main system for the site includes 16 Kara II cabinets, with six SB18 and four KS28 subs, controlled by an LA12X and seven LA4X amplified controllers. An L-Acoustics P1 processor is used for AVB and as a measurement platform. The main system is complemented by four A10 Wide as fills, and a central A10 Wide. A versatile kit of 12 X15HiQ, 14 X12, 20 X8, two SB18m, four 108P and a further 13 LA4X complements the FOH system.

The typical system configuration for the Claude Nougaro amphitheatre includes left / right hangs of three SB18 atop eight Kara II each, with a central hang of three KS28 subs in cardioid configuration.

“KS28 delivers the extreme low end of the system, while SB18s are used to add contour and impact to the Kara II, each of them fulfilling its own role,” explains Scène de Bayssan’s sound and video manager, Alexandre Pastor. “In addition, we use A10 Wide as a central point below the KS28, as a delay for the upper levels of seating and as in-fill. For front-fill, we place X8 across the stage lip. We install the system in the amphitheatre in late spring and then move it to the Galabru theatre in late summer.”

The Galabru theatre accommodates its audience on partially retractable tiers of red upholstered seats. Its deep, staggered stage area is flanked by storage rooms, offices and dressing rooms. Here, the team uses a fixed coaxial system.

“The installation here allows us to meet the requirements of most performances,” says Pastor. A typical system comprises three X12 clusters in LCR position with two end-fired SB18 subs. In-fill is catered for by two X12 positioned left and right, and four X8 are used for front-fill. “We also use four X8 mounted on the truss for delay and two X8 are used for monitoring in the control room,” he adds.

The P1 processor plays a crucial role in the entire ecosystem, as it allows the team to convert different signal formats to AVB and then send the signal digitally to the amps. Pastor notes that P1 helps process the sound system more precisely, and it also has an important role when hosting several FOH consoles in the control room. “P1’s different inputs and its routing allows us to switch immediately from one console to the other without interruption when different artists follow one another,” he says.

Once the system was fully integrated, L-Acoustics provided comprehensive training to Scène de Bayssan’s technical team, enabling them to be fully autonomous from design to rigging and system measurement for any given event.

“Throughout my career as a sound manager, I have had the pleasure of working with different loudspeaker manufacturer brands,” smiles Pastor. “I've always had a preference for L-Acoustics and the Kara II system in particular, I know there won’t be any objections from a production company, an artist or a band, as the system is rider friendly and renowned for its great acoustic performance.

“My technical philosophy has always been to only invest in equipment that is fully scaleable and future proof. I am very happy that we invested in this system; it’s good to work with on a daily basis, the speed of implementation makes it efficient, and we’ve had very positive feedback from the public on the sound quality of the performances. If I had to make this choice again for a future project, I would not hesitate.”

photos: Scène de Bayssans

27th July 2022

It’s Game On for Genelec at Supercell HQ

Finland – From its much-loved Clash of Clans to the family favourite Hay Day and more recent releases such as Boom Beach and Brawl Stars, Supercell has become one of the most successful and profitable mobile gaming companies in the world. Now, Supercell has finally moved into its first custom-built offices in Helsinki, an impressive building named Wood City that has been designed from the ground up to represent the company culture and to encourage well-being and productivity. Nearly 500 Genelec loudspeakers have been integrated across the building, including some 300 Smart IP networked models.

Markus Haikonen is head of AV and broadcast at Supercell. “When we started to build the company’s new home, we needed to reimagine the spaces where we work,” he says. “We needed rock-solid AV project management, which is what Akukon did for us. We also needed a lot of help with the design, which Akukon and Audico did together.” Akukon are the number one acoustics and AV design experts in Finland. Akukon collaborated with AV solutions experts, Audico Systems Oy, who handled the systems design and integration.

“In designing these spaces – especially the team spaces and the meeting rooms – it was essential that they are easy to use, easy to monitor, and fit our needs. It also goes without saying that quality is really important to us,” continues Haikonen. “From an audio point of view, Genelec was an ideal choice, especially the new Smart IP loudspeakers. We’ve always been great fans of Genelec and use their loudspeakers throughout our offices globally, so it was a natural choice for this project as well. When we heard about Smart IP with its built-in DSP, we immediately saw that it would be a great fit for our team space and meeting room designs where there is no centralised DSP. We also wanted the reliability and flexibility offered by the Smart IP concept.”

Terhi Salo, technical specialist at Audico takes up the story: “Of the 500 Genelec loudspeakers installed all around the building, a little over 300 of them are 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers, while the rest are other Genelec active loudspeakers that have been repurposed from Supercell’s previous offices.

“Smart IP loudspeakers are ideally suited to large, complex installations like this because all you need to plug into the loudspeaker is one Ethernet cable,” Salo continues. “With that cable you get power, audio and the ability to control the loudspeaker and its DSP. Having them networked has been a huge help in configuring the system, especially during the commissioning phase when it was super-handy to be able to access the loudspeakers’ DSP remotely. For example, during the testing period, if anyone reported a problem in a certain area, I usually already knew what the problem was before my colleague on site got in the room!

“Regarding room set-up and configuration, we have a variety of different spaces which required different approaches,” explains Salo. “For the Team spaces and the medium-sized Zoom rooms where the audio system is straightforward with just two Genelec loudspeakers, we used the speakers’ in-built DSP for EQ and volume control. In the larger rooms with more gear, we used Smart IP Manager to update the firmware of the loudspeakers, while everything audio-related is handled by the Q-SYS processor from QSC and then sent to the loudspeakers. The IP addresses were set up with a custom script created by my colleague, and the speakers were named in Dante controller. Finally, now that the system is up and running, monitoring is carried out via the Genelec API using a custom Audico software.”

In the two largest meeting rooms, Genelec’s ‘The Ones’ coaxial three-way loudspeakers have been deployed as the main system, with 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers utilised for Voice Lift and as a delay system for the main speakers. A Voice Lift system uses a combination of strategically placed microphones and loudspeakers to subtly amplify speech, so that a person speaking on one side of a large room can be heard at the same level at the opposite side of the room, even if they're 30 metres away. Genelec systems also grace the main lobby, the gym, the cafeteria, and the staff entertainment facility. Many of the loudspeakers were subsequently painted in custom colours to blend seamlessly with the fantastic Supercell décor.

“It’s been a great project and we’ve been lucky to work with some amazing partners,” concludes Haikonen. It’s also been a long journey from when Genelec gave us a privileged first view of the Smart IP prototype, and then as soon as the first units were available, we started testing our design concept in our previous offices, right up to implementing it on a massive scale in our new building. It was a challenge for everyone involved but the results speak for themselves. We can all be proud of what we’ve achieved.”

26th July 2022

Ayrton Ghibli S Goes Back to College

Singapore – The School of Design and Media, part of ITE College Central in Singapore, recently placed an order for Ayrton's Ghibli S fixtures as part of the lighting inventory for the Higher NITEC in Performance Production programme. The students use these fixtures on a regular basis as part of the course where they learn to rig and set up lighting, as well as practise programming on the console, all within the school's black box training facility.

Mr A. Kumarran, lecturer in performance production, chose the Ghibli S fixtures to boost and expand the school's lighting offering and support the teaching curriculum. “Students are introduced to different types of lighting fixtures to expand their knowledge of industry practices,” he explains. “We wanted to include a hardy fixture that was able to provide a good number of gobos and effects. Such attributes are ideal for students who are learning to use moving lights after coming from a conventional lighting background.

“The Ghiblis will be used as part of the Lighting for Production I and II modules to teach students the process of working with intelligent lighting fixtures and also to support any productions that come into our learning space.”

Mr Kumarran explained that he especially prefers the Ghibli S because of “the crispness of the beam produced by the fixture, coupled with its relatively quiet operating volume due to the liquid cooling system. These are two of the best features for us. The quietness is especially important because we are operating in the relatively small space of the black box, so this feature was definitely a key consideration.”

The form factor of the Ghibli fixtures has also proved to be particularly good for a college environment. “The weight of the fixture is just one thing that makes it a good fit for the school,” says Mr Kumarran. “Some older fixtures have been known to be quite hefty especially when they have additional features such as framing modules and multiple gobo wheels. These can be a hazard when handled by students who are still learning their way around this equipment.”

Mr Kumarran has been delighted with the selection of fixture: “The Ghibli S (which were supplied by Total Solution Marketing) performed exactly as we expected. Total Solution has been a very forthcoming service partner and vendor. They have been steadfast in responding to any queries or hurdles we face while working with products that they have supplied to us. It has been a pleasure to work with them.”

photo: ITE College Central

26th July 2022

DiGiCo’s Quantum technology unites leading-edge audio network at new landmark Polish concert hall

Poland – Poland’s recently-constructed Cavatina Hall has been designed with a focus on vision over budget and the ambition of becoming a landmark centre on Europe’s cultural map. The six-storey, multi-functional venue provides commercial and entertainment facilities with over 9000 sq. m. of A class office space, a chamber music hall, cutting edge recording studio and the highlight of the construction, a 1,000-capacity concert hall. The hall is complete with state-of-the-art AV technology, integrated into a sophisticated and extensive digital and analogue audio network, streamlined and managed by Quantum 338 digital consoles from DiGiCo’s elite range.

The project began in 2018, conceptualised by one of Poland's largest property development companies, Cavatina Holding. Located in the city of Bielsko-Biała in Southern Poland, the shell-shaped building with glass façade, became an instant architectural beauty and now houses the offices of the holding company and related firms, alongside the ultra-modern entertainment facilities.

“We can confidently claim that Cavatina Hall is one of the best facilities of its kind in the world, combining commercial industry with the promotion of art in a unique and modern building,” explains Katarzyna Pytlarczyk, CEO of Fiducia Foundation, the administrator of Cavatina Hall. “Our aim was to provide the highest quality experience for our audiences. Providing a seamless and flexible environment for any artist and any show, where equipment can be easily updated as technology evolves, was a way to achieve this goal. It’s the audience that is most important to us.

With over 20 years of experience in high profile AV installations, Warsaw-based Audio Plus was appointed as the technical contractor, briefed with selecting top-flight technology and providing expert support throughout the complex design. The Audio Plus team was invited to participate in the project from inception until completion, to ensure the successful integration of all stage technology systems.

“The concert hall has been designed for ultimate flexibility and the technology is ready for any event. All types of music can be produced perfectly, whether the venue is hosting symphonic and chamber concerts or pop and rock performances,” says Tomasz Ibrom, Audio Plus’ installation engineer, who was responsible for the Cavatina installation. "When we were invited to manage the AV installation, we knew this project would not be just another installation. We wanted to design the sound technology of the future," recalls Sylwester Wojcieszek, designer at SDST.pl, the technology design contractor to Audio Plus.

The Cavatina team went to great lengths to ensure the correct specification, consulting on the materials with the acoustics department of the Institute of Building Technology in Warsaw, and reviewing the technology design at the London office of theatre and acoustics consultants, Sound Space Vision. Consequently, the concert hall’s acoustics is mastered to the highest level and the technology follows this approach. The high-tech AV infrastructure is distilled into a hybrid digital/analogue network, which runs across an Optocore fibre platform, feeding an extensive L-Acoustics L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal sound system, one of the largest in Europe, and operated from four different sound engineer stations, manned by a pair of roving DiGiCo Quantum 338 consoles.

“With over 40 custom-made connection boxes, the Hall’s audio network allows the transmission of signals from anywhere to anywhere, in any existing format,” explains Ibrom. “And the multiple engineering stations enable a wealth of set up scenarios to optimise acoustic placement and seating arrangements, depending on the occasion.

“Not only is DiGiCo the leading brand in mixing consoles, and the Quantum range its most exclusive, it is also highly compatible with a multitude of other brands in the audio chain. Quantum’s easy integration with the Optocore network and L-ISA immersive technology offers thorough and simple control in what is a complex and comprehensive system design.”
L-Acoustics’ L-ISA Source Control functionality is natively integrated into DiGiCo’s Quantum consoles, allowing L-ISA’s object-based mixing technology to be added to the console’s control surface. With the L-ISA / DiGiCo integration, up to 96 input channels can be designated as L-ISA channels, each one allowing the engineer to control pan, width, distance and elevation, as well as a designated aux send, for any given L-ISA source object directly from the mixing console. All L-ISA parameters can be stored in Quantum’s powerful Snapshots engine and recalled in the same way as other console parameters.

“One of the largest immersive systems in Europe, the L-Acoustics L-ISA system comprises the installation of a remarkable 141 loudspeaker devices around the hall, operating in a 360-degree area. The seamless integration of L-ISA into the DiGiCo consoles means that sound engineers can use a familiar workflow on an industry-leading console to manage the hall’s extensive immersive environment easily and intuitively,” comments Sylwester Wojcieszek.

“The DiGiCo consoles are truly the heart of this amazing, progressive audio system,” concludes Ibrom. “Not only are they without question rider-friendly, the effortless compatibility with both Optocore and L-ISA, makes every event run smoothly and cleanly. We are proud in the knowledge that our innovative approach to design, aided by the selection of the best technology of today, has established Cavatina Hall as a benchmark in concert sound.”

www.digico.biz

25th July 2022

Design and Installation Expertise plus Outline Loudspeakers Deliver Modern Audio Solution for London Church

UK – Consecrated in 1619 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Christ's Chapel of God's Gift is part of the Dulwich Estate in south-east London. It provides a place of worship for the schools supported by the Estate, the residents of the Dulwich Almshouse and the local area in addition to offering a range of community and volunteering activities. It has recently been equipped with a new audio system, designed by About Sound Ltd and installed by NoiseBoys Technologies Ltd, utilising products from Outline’s Architectural Series.

In common with many ancient sites of Christian worship all over the UK, the Chapel provides a number of challenges when installing a speech reinforcement system. Its naturally reverberant internal layout requires careful placement of loudspeakers with suitable dispersion characteristics to achieve the required intelligibility, the fabric of the Stuart-era building has to be respected in terms of how equipment is mounted and installed, while the aesthetics of the space as a place of worship demand that everything is as close to invisible as possible.

Cambridge-based About Sound Ltd are one of the UK’s leading specialists in House of Worship projects, their expertise extending to public address and webcasting systems, hearing assistance, projectors and screens and organ video relay. Their design for Dulwich relied on Outline’s Ai81 and Ai41 loudspeakers powered by Powersoft Mezzo amplifiers, part of a complete audio solution installed by engineers from NoiseBoys.

About Sound’s owner Matthew Dilley commented: “Only one AS6 sub was required with two Ai81s doing stereo L/R at the front, with a secondary pair of Ai81s for fills and ten Ai41s for the aisles and balcony fills. The amps are Powersoft Mezzo which already have the presets for the speakers, making commissioning easy. Also, because the horizontal dispersion is a little wider than some column speakers, we were able to mount a bit higher which offsets the proximity to the first pair of ears, so to speak, giving us a bit more consistency of level.”

“The Outline Ai series are a very welcome addition to our installation offering” remarks Phill Beynon from NoiseBoys. “They are similar in size and appearance to some other brands’ models, but in tests we have found them to be of superior sound quality. The ability to very easily mount them through the front of the speaker, then hide all fixings with the magnetic grill is a great bit of attention to detail from Outline, so overall we’re really impressed.”

“Installing in lots of historic buildings as we do, well-thought-through speakers like this make our job as installers much easier. We can hide them in places that other speakers and speaker brackets simply won’t fit and once they’re installed they’re invisible to most passers by, which is exactly how it should be.”

Matthew Dilley concludes: “The customer says people go in and ask where the speakers are, which is exactly what we aim for in this kind of heritage setting.”

25th July 2022

L-Acoustics K2 Rig Gets Boston’s New Roadrunner Up to Speed

USA – When Grammy Award-winning musician Billy Strings stepped onto Roadrunner’s stage for his sold-out show this past March, the brand new Boston facility officially became New England’s largest general admission venue. Although the 50,000-square-foot space at Allston-Brighton’s Boston Landing development was initially conceived as a Celtics training facility before the team decided to move across the street, The Bowery Presents (TBP) and AEG saw the available space as the ideal location for a 3,500-capacity live music venue that would put a premium on both the artist and audience experiences. To fully realise the sonic end of that mission, the venerable concert promoters once again tapped NYC-based integrator See Factor to supply the room with an L-Acoustics K2 loudspeaker system.

Roadrunner is the third Boston-area venue owned and managed by TBP, which also operates Harvard Square’s 525-capacity Sinclair and books the 1,200-capacity Royale in the city’s theatre district. Offering unobstructed views from every spot in the house, the new $20 million Roadrunner uniquely features a scalable stage and room design. At its largest, the stage spans 60 feet to accommodate full arena-sized touring productions, but its footprint can also be reduced. Therefore a house PA was designed to travel upstage/downstage on trolleys to three different positions to deliver more intimate experiences for smaller-capacity crowds.

“When we finally got in the building and began incorporating all of the production elements, we decided to make a few changes from the original design based on our desire to keep all of our production elements mobile for multiple room setups and artists’ needs,” says Roadrunner technical director of Audio Morgan Russell, who serves alongside Roadrunner production manager Eric Jenson and A2 Reid Calkin as the primary audio crew for TBP’s new venue. “All of those considerations led us to deploy main hangs of 12 K2 enclosures per side with six flown KS21 subs in cardioid right behind them for true full-range left and right, and these are all flown on custom-beam trolleys that can travel up to 16 feet out into the house when we shrink the venue based on production needs.”

Roadrunner also has eight A15 Wide enclosures hung as under-balcony fills and two A15 Wide as over-balcony fills that “follow left and right accordingly to maintain stunning stereo imaging throughout the venue,” Russell notes. On the sub feed, the venue has ten KS28 suspended approximately half an inch off the ground, flown from the front stage decking, allowing the club to move the entire ground sub cluster forward as a unit when it builds the stage out to decrease the room size. Furthermore, eight Kara IIi on the downstage-edge riser decks handle front-fill, and these also move forward seamlessly with the ground subs.

On stage, the venue’s monitoring amenities include 15 available X15 wedges, plus stereo side-fills consisting of two A15i Focus and two KS28 subs per side. LA12X amplified controllers drive most of the house and monitor systems, with a few additional LA4X.

The initial loudspeaker system design was created by TBP/AEG system design engineer Lorne Grabe, working closely with NYC-based Audio Engineer Alex Kehr and L-Acoustics applications engineer Chris 'Sully' Sullivan. “I have been working with L-Acoustics for a long time now, so it’s an easy fit for us at The Bowery Presents,” shares Grabe, who also serves as the head sound engineer for Manhattan venue Terminal 5, which is home to a K2 system. “Both companies have a great relationship, and L-Acoustics has been amazing with taking care of us for Roadrunner and our NYC builds, including Brooklyn Steel, Terminal 5 and Webster Hall. Plus, when we had to modify Boston’s new design on the fly—first for sightline issues and then for flown sub weight issues—Sully at L-Acoustics was always there for us to check our work.”

Long before the PA was assembled at See Factor in Queens and brought over to the new venue in touring cases, TPB director of operations/construction Scott Raved was instrumental in designing the room and making sure that it was acoustically treated and isolated from the club’s Neighbors, including the adjacent TRACK at New Balance sports complex. “I have taken point since the initial design process began to final installation of the one-of-a-kind moving production elements at Roadrunner,” he says. “With the help of a very deep bench of experts in their related fields, Roadrunner’s production is the best embodiment of Bowery’s combined experiences and expectations of any of our venues so far.

“Specific to the audio system, L-Acoustics has been such a great partner throughout this process. Lorne and Sully worked together on Roadrunner’s Soundvision files for more than two years. The design has evolved from a 3D file to a hole in the ground, then a completed venue with robust exterior sound containment, to the acoustically treated interior we have today. And L-Acoustics has been there for us all the way, including fine-tuning the new rig in the middle of the night, just a few days before the first show.”

In addition to sporting new DiGiCo Quantum225 consoles at both the front of house and monitor mix positions, the venue also features an L-Acoustics P1 processor at FOH paired with five LS10 switches for Milan-AVB conversion, system control, and atmospheric adjustment. The entire PA is run via AVB, which offers a significantly improved high frequency response due to better timing coherence between vertical loudspeaker circuits.

Russell shares that the choice to use AVB was a “no-brainer; who wouldn’t want pristine, perfectly-aligned audio driving the system?” he asks. “But we also appreciate the seamless redundancy that P1 offers, so we always have AES and analogue backup running but have never had any issues with the AVB dropping other than when we were pulling the cables out and watching the P1 revert to backup and saying, ‘Wow, cool, you can’t even tell it switched.’

“The P1 is an absolutely amazing tool to have in our belt,” he adds. “With the integration of the M1 measurement tools, it allows me to easily set up the PA any way a guest engineer might like. While we have two main positions for the PA, every artist’s needs are different. We just had an engineer come through that was struggling to get volume out of the vocal mics on his tour, and in the morning, when he came in, we moved the PA just a couple more feet off-stage to maximise his gain-before-feedback. With the P1, that was easy; I had new timings for the room in a few minutes. Then I sat back and watched the touring SE play with Smaart for an hour before he came to the same conclusion that the M1 had recommended initially.

“I also find the Autoclimate feature outstanding and appreciate that I can fade into the recommended changes and hear what it’s actually doing. The temperature and humidity conditions at soundcheck compared to mid-sold-out show are significant, and Autoclimate helps me maintain consistency from soundcheck to end of show, and I am very grateful for it.”

While many of the headliners have been bringing in their own engineers, Russell reports that he still mixes for a fair number of the opening acts. “Mixing on this PA is amazing, it’s a beautiful rig with a room to match,” he enthuses. “The job that Scott did in Roadrunner’s design and treatment makes this one of my very favourite rooms I’ve ever mixed in. It’s a fairly dead-sounding space with just the right amount of live feel; you really get a chance to work on your mix and hear the full tails of your effects. And there is so much headroom in this rig that I never have to push the system hard. It just comfortably and confidently delivers whatever you put into it and moves an incredible amount of air, even at low volumes, allowing us to deliver shows to our audiences with real feel and impact while still considering the safety of our guests. Basically, we can make your clothes blow in the wind of our PA all night, and you won’t leave with your ears ringing. That’s an amazing system.”

22nd July 2022

Nightscape, together with disguise, redefines multi-sensory immersive experiences

USA – Nightscape, an experiential production and creative services company, has launched its Nashville-based entertainment venue that promises to redefine how people interact with physical spaces. With three disguise vx 2 media servers and four rx II render nodes driving immersive, real-time video rendering and 360˚ projection mapping, Nightscape changes the perception of what's physically and digitally possible for all visitors entering the space.

Nightscape’s brand new venue uses real-time rendered Unreal Engine graphics powered by disguise to transform Nashville’s former 12th & Porter space into a state-of-the-art entertainment facility.

Nightscape CEO Mike Weinberg is excited about the real-time, immersive nature of the space: “To us, projection-mapped spaces aren’t just about what’s on the walls. It’s about what that environment creates for the experience people have inside the walls. We are pioneering this approach, which wouldn’t be possible without Unreal Engine and of course, disguise,” he saysg.

The venue’s main room is wrapped in 360 degrees of projected Unreal Engine content, powered by three disguise vx 2 media servers and four rx II render nodes, and displayed with the help of 21 Epson projectors. Cues from Spatial (a real-time audio rendering solution), 34 d&b speakers and corresponding custom scent diffusers build out extra layers of realism, all to reinforce the narrative that venue guests have entered a different time, place or world.

“disguise was absolutely crucial to the success of our project as the turnkey solution for taking our highly complex real-time visuals and projecting them in the space,” says Nightscape vice president, Kevin Longwell.

In order to achieve a constantly evolving and diversified space and calendar of events, the Nightscape team needs to constantly pivot from one concept to another.

“The Nightscape concept works best when the space is extremely modular, both physically and digitally,” explains Weinberg.

Nightscape started with five different concepts staged within 30 days of the venue’s launch: college basketball’s March Madness and Masters golf watch parties, golf and underwater-themed nightlife events, as well as a first-of-its-kind immersive dining experience called “TASTE, A Culinary Series: Italian Villa.”

TASTE took guests on a two-hour journey through a castle built in Unreal Engine and designed with sophisticated audio and visual movements throughout.

“From the larger-than-expected sales to the significant positive response and interest from guests, clients and potential partners, TASTE has been a major success on every level,” reports Weinberg.

The venue’s ability to showcase varied capabilities custom-designed for each event has sold clients on hiring Nightscape for a variety of new activations and installations outside the venue, taking the incredible turnkey experiences on the road. The creative services arm of the company has, in fact, been using disguise to produce events and activations across the country, at events like SXSW and Coachella.

“Having disguise as our end-to-end server solution for all projects has streamlined our internal process to work efficiently without sacrificing on quality,” says Longwell. “Not to mention that the support we’ve received from disguise, both technically and developmentally, has been second to none. We are infinitely excited about moving in lock-step with disguise as we continue to evolve in this space together.”

22nd July 2022

Riviera Theatre’s Entertainment Tech Tradition Continues with Chauvet Professional

USA – Using technology to enrich entertainment is nothing new at the Riviera Theatre. At the time it opened in 1925, the 1,000-plus seat venue was outfitted with an early Mighty Wurlitzer “demonstrator,” meaning that the instrument’s manufacturer, would take potential customers there to show them how the powerful pipe organ could enhance the experience of watching a silent movie.

The advent of “talkies” spelled the end for most of the original Wurlitzer demonstrators, save for two, one of which, after being restored by volunteers, is still entertaining guests at the Riviera, only now it is joined by a host of other, more modern technologies, including a new lighting rig featuring Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Advanced Production Group.

Derek Heckler, design specialist at the theatre, was deeply involved in specifying the new lighting rig. He also runs the lights for many of the venue’s shows. Like the Mighty Wurlitzers of old, which were called up to belt out light-hearted melodies for comedies and spine chilling interludes for dramas, the Riveria’s LED rig is expected to have the flexibility to support a diverse range of performances in light.

“Versatility was a key consideration in choosing the Chauvet Professional fixtures, since we have such a wide array of acts representing every musical genres, as well as comedy and theatre,” said Heckler. “Every show here is different and comes with its own set of challenges. The manner in which I’ve designed our plot can accommodate anything from big, energetic rock & roll shows, to cosy, intimate acoustic performances. I tend to do a lot of research on each show’s music, especially if I’m unfamiliar with it; notating mood, tempo, etcetera, so that I’m going in strong with a game plan before the show starts.”

To engender this versatility, the Riviera has five electrics overhead. The even numbered electrics contain 24 COLORado 1-Quad Zoom wash lights, eight on each, evenly spaced from one another, while the odd ones hold Maverick MK3 Spot fixtures, four units on each, evenly spaced; plus another four on wheel boards to be used in various configurations on the floor.

Speaking of the new rig, Heckler noted: “The brightness and punch of the MK3 Spot (51,000 source lumens) continues to impress me. It out-performed our previous 1.2kW HTI fixtures, which is just incredible. The speed of the zoom in the Quad1 fixtures also surprised me.”

Tapping into the static, rotating, and animation effects of the Maverick MK3 Spot’s three gobo wheels, Heckler uses a variety of patterns to create different moods on stage. He’ll also cover the crowd in gobos at times to engender a sense of intimacy in the classic theatre.

“I enjoy using gobos to create structure and ethereal looks in the air and space,” he said. “It’s magical, especially with the right songs, and in the right moments. I tend to be conservative with bringing a lot of lighting into the audience, but when I do, it’s electric. I save it for powerful moments in the music, or when the artist is encouraging an energetic atmosphere.”

The holder of a BFA in Lighting Design and Technology, Heckler has worked in the broadcast and corporate lighting worlds, in addition to freelancing for the Riviera. In 2016, he assumed a full-time position as the venue’s design specialist. He hasn’t looked back since.

“I enjoy the theatre and our wonderful small team. Not only do I design lighting for most of live events, I also design the marketing material,” he said, describing the Riviera Theatre as “a very creative place.” Those who played the Mighty Wurlitzer all those years ago, would have readily agreed with assessment.

21st July 2022

Studio Owner’s Dream Becomes a Reality with New Audient Desk

Argentina – “Today I can finally say that I have the studio that I dreamed of all my life,” says studio owner, Jonatan Montes Polack. Recently installing an Audient ASP8024-HE console in his Hard Record Studio based in a small town near Buenos Aires, he is convinced that the new desk has a lot to do with this. “I have received many compliments from musicians, producers and friends who cannot believe that this tremendous console is in a place as small as Arrecifes. They can't wait to hear the album mixes I'm producing.”

The British desk joins a vast array of equipment including keyboards, sequencers, instruments, amps and a host of analogue gear. “I was always a big fan of analogue sound, that’s why the studio has quite a bit of it,” confesses Jonatan.

Originally coming across the Audient brand when his previous desk broke down, he bought himself an iD4 so he could continue working whilst his old desk was fixed. “It was the first time that I had held an Audient product in my hands. As soon as I looked at the package, the construction, the weight and design, I realised that it was really good. I was really impressed with the quality of the components and how substantial and sturdy it was.”

Further investigation led him to local Audient retailer, Planeta Analógico and ultimately the ASP8024-HE console. “I fell in love at first sight! Daniel at Planeta Analógico told me about the desk’s advantages, its settings and the excellent price. I had no doubts about buying it instantly, because I already knew the quality standard of the brand.”

Today we find a 24-channel ASP8024-HE console complete with integrated patchbay sitting at the heart of Hard Record Studio. “I like everything about this console. It looks really impressive and mixing with it is very pleasant. It commands all the equipment in my studio thanks to the versatility of the patchbay, the connections are really easy to make and the compressor is very good,” comments Jonatan.

An Audient fan through and through, he still owns that iD4 which he uses “to make small edits” and an Audient Nero for his studio monitoring.

Since it opened 13 years ago, Hard Record Studio has seen many different artists come through its doors. Jonatan has recorded a variety of genres from rock to folk music, and everything in between. “Since the Audient console arrived, I have been producing a new artist called Fran Doyen. I see an incredible talent in him and a future in the music business. He is a pop and urban rhythm singer.”

When asked about how he sees his own future, he says: “I am motivated to continue working hard to reach my goals, and I have no doubt that this console will be part of that. Thank you very much for producing such quality tools and at really good costs. Thank you to Audient for existing!”

18th July 2022

Renkus-Heinz helps the Salvation Army Reimagine a Hollywood Golden Age Classic

USA – When the Hawaii theatre opened its curtains in the heart of Hollywood in 1940, it offered an experience like no other. The theatre had seating for over 1,100, a large lobby and lounge, retail shops, a children’s nursery, and much more. The Hawaii theatre was famous for its "erupting" volcanos of light on each side of the screen signalling the start of a movie. For more than 20 years, the theatre personified the Golden Age of Hollywood, but while many might say the theatre's best years are behind it, the Salvation Army Hollywood – with the help of fellow Southern-California company Renkus-Heinz – is bringing a new vision for the theatre to life.

The Hollywood Corps of the Salvation Army Hollywood purchased the Hawaii theatre in 1963 and converted it into a multi-use community centre. Faced today with an alarming growth of homelessness in Hollywood, the organisation was looking for new ways to generate more resources and provide hope within the neighbourhood. Local performer, music composer and Emmy-nominated TV show creator Sammy Oriti visited the Salvation Army’s Hollywood centre and had an inspiration.

"The bones of the building have excellent potential for concerts, musicals and other live performances," said Oriti. "Working with the team at Salvation Army Hollywood we finalised a vision for the space and knew that Renkus-Heinz would bring the sound solution it needed. I called Renkus-Heinz, told them of the plan, and there was no hesitation to come aboard.”

Garrison Parkin, the western regional sales manager for Renkus-Heinz, worked with Oriti and the team to specify a sound system with the quality, flexibility and control needed to produce almost any presentation or performance in the newly renovated theatre. The stage would need to accommodate everything from spoken word ministering to full musical productions with multiple singers, full bands and a wide range of instrumentation.

“It’s a great looking stage and theater so the producers didn’t want to hang big, bulky arrays that would spoil the ambiance and intimacy of the space," explained Parkin. "But at the same time, the space is wide with a curved ceiling, and they needed good coverage and fidelity for every seat, and for that, the ICLX is the perfect fit.”

After acoustically evaluating the space and considering the supporting equipment in use, Renkus-Heinz recommended a set of eight ICLive X loudspeaker modules for creating two beam-steering tower arrays, supported by a matching set of eight ICLX-118S subwoofers. Renkus-Heinz also deployed a set of eight P2-10 floor monitors for on-stage use.

The ICLive X series is a complete system, designed from the ground up, consisting of three freely combinable, steerable-array modules, the ICLX, ICLXL, ICLLX and a matching subwoofer, the ICLX-118S. ICLive X is highly versatile, providing system designers the horsepower, steerability and directivity needed to deliver consistent coverage and clarity for even the biggest shows in the most challenging spaces.

"The first thing I noticed with this system is that we have plenty of power. Sometimes small column arrays don't cut it, but these have plenty of headroom, more than we will need for the 350 seats, which is fantastic," explained Sean Massey, AV integrator for Able Productions in Los Angeles, who worked with Oriti to deliver exceptional AV to the theatre renovation. "After white and pink noising the room, we worked with Garrison to set the beams and dial in all the specifics; it sounds amazing. It's a warm, full-range sound with a lot of dynamics and fidelity, and the coverage is perfect. Every seat in the house is set to have an excellent experience!"

The Salvation Army Hollywood will begin selling tickets for a range of concerts and shows with the proceeds directly helping the Hollywood neighbourhood. Currently, the Salvation Army Hollywood serves 200 hot meals a night to those on the street, and nearly 1,000 families visit the Hollywood facility three days a week to pick up boxed foods.

“I’ve been a big Renkus-Heinz fan since the 1980s; their systems are always super reliable and sound amazing," said Oriti. "I'm proud of this project, and I'm so happy to be working with Renkus-Heinz, the company’s people and products are great to work with, and together we’re building something very special here. I hope we can replicate this in more cities and help touch even more lives."

14th July 2022

Twin Towns Resort Installs Australia’s First L-Acoustics K3 System

Australia – The Showroom at Twin Towns Resorts is a legendary venue in the town of Tweed Heads, New South Wales; aptly named because the venue lies on the border with Queensland’s Gold Coast suburb of Coolangatta, where revellers can celebrate the turn of the New Year twice in one night, simply by crossing the street to a new time zone. For decades, the 1,000-capacity Showroom’s ideal location has made it a mainstay in the region’s live scene for holiday-makers from around Australia who come to enjoy the climate and the nightlife. The club’s entertainment program in a typical week may include a stand-up comic, an annual general meeting, a tribute band, or a heavy metal show.

While The Showroom’s location may be ideal, the sound system was not. Over the years, visiting mix engineers regularly mentioned the challenge of getting great sound at the rear of the venue. So, when the pandemic hit, Twin Towns’ operations and production manager, Lachlan Donaldson, astutely harnessed the club’s downtime to upgrade its audio technology. With a reduced promotional and marketing budget after cancelling all the club's entertainment and rebooking the acts for later dates, Donaldson believed they could allocate funds towards acquiring a new front of house PA system. The system would need to be rider-friendly and solve the coverage issues for the 1,000-capacity venue. Additionally, it would need to be flexible enough to address the venue's changing seating options, which include a large flat floor, standing only configuration, or an alternative that includes both raised and raked seating. This versatile PA would also need to meet the demanding program requirements of the various acts that frequent the venue.

“I had two convincing arguments for the board,” explains Donaldson. “First, a new PA will attract better quality acts. The second point is an OH&S argument and probably the one that stuck with the board the most. If we install a PA with broad industry acceptance, we won’t have bands unloading their production gear, which greatly reduces our chances of a workplace accident on our premises.” Donaldson’s pitch appealed to the board’s instinct to minimise workplace risk, and the green light was given for the upgrade, paving the way for the club to maintain its status as a viable, high-quality entertainment venue.

Sydney and Brisbane-based audio-visual company Norwest, part of the NW Group, was invited by Donaldson to submit a loudspeaker design for The Showroom. NW Group CFO, Graeme Whitehouse, explains that they submitted two L-Acoustics system designs, and the one that The Showroom retained was based on the newly released K3.

Donaldson worked with the venue’s board to calculate the advantages of a K3 system. “If a venue were wondering if they could afford a model like the K3, I would say, break it down: work out the cost of the PA per show over a minimum ten-year period. Work out how much you’re saving by not hiring gear every week. Work out how much you can hire the new system for certain shows or corporate events. You quickly realise that the capital cost becomes very bearable,” Donaldson explains.

Donaldson considers the project a long-term investment. “The K3 will become the new standard, and we wanted to be at the forefront of that. We want to be breaking boundaries,” he continues. Donaldson then worked with Norwest to ensure the club’s investment translated to excellent technical quality that harnessed the power of K3.

A pre-installation Soundvision plot for The Showroom illustrated the overall system response, giving even coverage throughout with ±3.5dB of variation across all audience seating. This effectively solved the back of the room problem, ensuring the audio experience there was as dynamic and pristine as the front. Panflex variable horizontal directivity, along with A10i out-fills, were the solutions used to precisely control the coverage to match the geometry of the venue.

The installation consists of an array of six L-Acoustics K3 on either side of the club’s stage. Under the stage, four KS28 subwoofers provide low-end rumble. Out-fill and side-fill are handled by L-Acoustics A10i boxes that also utilise Panflex technology to match dispersion to the room's geometry. Two A10i provide centre fill, while a single A10i on each side compliments coverage for far left and right seats. Two arrays of two A10i each cover the small rear seating area at the back of the venue, allowing it to be disabled when not in use. Stage front-fill uses the low-profile L-Acoustics 5XT coaxial point source speakers and provides complimentary coverage for the front rows of the audience. LA12X and LA4X amplified controllers drive the whole system.

Earlier this year, directors of the Twin Towns board attended a sold-out ‘Two Amigos’ show led by legendary Australian rock musician Glenn Shorrock and singer-songwriter Brian Cadd. The system was deemed a worthy investment for the board members, as well as for musicians, the technical crew and the resort’s management.

Donaldson believes that being the first L-Acoustics K3 install in Australia will elevate Twin Town’s Showroom for years to come: “I don’t think there’s ever an excuse for using subpar gear in the music world because when people are paying for a live music experience, you have to deliver that to the best of your ability. Otherwise, you’re not doing those paying patrons justice.”

14th July 2022

ROE Visual BP2V2 Features on MuShang XR Stage

China – MuShang has developed an XR space in Shanghai, equipped with cutting-edge technologies. These include ROE Visual Black Pearl panels, Brompton Technology LED processing, Mark Roberts Motion Control cinebots, Unreal Engine, and disguise media server hardware. The stage is now available for creative and high-quality virtual production content, bringing lifelike visuals and unforgettable experiences.

Shanghai-based MuShang Advertising Co., Ltd. is dedicated to enhancing customer experiences in advertising, photography, film and television production, etc. With over ten years of experience in those areas, the company has built solid relationships with clients, offering better shooting solutions to satisfy their needs and attain marketing goals.

The recently developed MuShang XR Stage marks a further step forward in the virtual production area. The stage utilises industry-leading products, featuring a large LED canvas composed of ROE Visual Black Pearl BP2V2 panels driven by two Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors. Disguise vx4, vx2, and rxII servers running Unreal Engine are also part of the setup, with Mark Roberts Motion Control high-speed cinebots completing this array of game-changing production equipment.

The high frame and refresh rates and low scan lines make the BP2V2 LEDs perfect for this application. The main wall measures five metres high by 12 metres wide and delivers stunning visuals and excellent in-camera performance. As an integral part of the full-functional setup, the screen works with all other state-of-the-art technologies, allowing users to achieve a complete virtual production solution.

"With the increasing use of virtual production technology worldwide, we also see a growing demand in Shanghai. We want to provide the best possible technology to facilitate content production in our region," states Henry Sha, the founder of Shanghai MuShang Ad CO., Ltd. "ROE Visual's Black Pearl BP2V2 is the premier choice in this type of display solution. The screens are perfect for TV and film projects, advertising, and other types of creative shooting. The LED panels deliver aesthetic visuals matching our clients' high expectations."

"Bringing our LED innovations to the MuShang XR Stage offers a great chance for us to support the development of virtual production in Shanghai. It's such an exciting experience to take part in this advanced setup. We can't wait to see more future projects shot on the stage,'" states Grace Kuo, sales director of ROE Visual.

13th July 2022

Cavatina Hall achieves communication excellence with Electro-Voice and Dynacord

Poland – An extensive public address system from Electro-Voice and Dynacord has been installed at Cavatina Hall. Located in the vibrant, historic city of Bielsko-Biała, amongst the Beskidy mountains in southern Poland, the six-storey building counts over 9,000 square meters of top-tier office space, a cutting-edge recording studio, a chamber music room and a majestic 1,000 capacity concert hall. The venue itself is owned by leading Polish development company Cavatina and is the first privately owned and funded concert hall in Poland.

As a large, multi-use facility Cavatina Hall required an extensive solution to cover public address across its various areas. This needed to be flexible enough to meet the differing needs of office workers and theatregoers and led to Audio Plus, the company responsible for the coordination and co-designers of the solution, turning to the extensive Electro-Voice and Dynacord portfolio.

The heart of this solution is electronics from Dynacord, with an MXE5 Matrix Mix Engine alongside an IPX10:8 power amplifier. IPX multi-channel amplifiers are dedicated for fixed installations and offer sophisticated speaker processing. IPX also features Dynacord’s unique variable load drive (VLD) technology. For each channel, the user can determine whether Low-Z or High-Z 70V/100V loudspeakers are driven without the need for an output transformer via direct drive technology. The IPX10:8 was the perfect choice for this project due to its ability to harness this technology across eight channels.

“The IPX 10:8 is at the core of the sound system; we wanted something that was technically optimal in terms of control and this amp allows each channel to be individually operated, along with analogue inputs from Dante and OCA via OMNEO network inputs, it’s a highly flexible solution for us,” explains Stanisław Mielczarek, technical support engineer, Audio Plus. “MXE5 was chosen as it’s a universal processor that complements other systems in Cavatina Hall through SONICUE Sound System Software. It integrates perfectly for this kind of project allowing us to have full control of the entire system of signal routing and signal processing for public address speakers.” adds Tomasz Ibrom project and installation engineer, Audio Plus, who was responsible for the system integration at Cavatina Hall.

The Dynacord electronics are driving a large 100V Electro-Voice loudspeaker solution combining the strengths of the EVID ceiling and surface mount ranges. “EVID speakers offer a big spectrum of models in the series and were the ideal choice because of their mounting capabilities,” Ibrom explains. “Each piece is exactly fitted for its location.”

In the main auditorium, a pair of Electro-Voice FM6.2 speakers have been hidden behind the wooden sound panels either side of the stage. These are linked to the RTS intercom system and used for addressing the performers on stage. The stage manager or event director can use the system via an Electro-Voice wireless mic to communicate with the musicians during rehearsals. “This additional system works perfectly because the speech is super-intelligible and the speakers are completely invisible,” says Ibrom. “The team at Cavatina Hall are really happy with it.”

Staying on stage, Electro-Voice microphones have also been selected to cover a wide range of vocal and instrumental needs. This includes everything from the RE97Tx micro-headworn condensers, to ND44, ND46 and ND66 instrument mics, as well as the iconic RE20 and RE320 Variable-D models.

The Hall now boasts superior efficiency in terms of connectivity, which fits in well to the innovative aesthetic of the multi-functional building. Marcin Smolik, producer and managing director at Cavatina Hall concludes: “We are at the forefront of Europe among the few venues that have such a system. Our technology is a treat for artists and for the viewer, it means quality.”

13th July 2022

Dynamic Elation house lighting upgrade like ‘night and day’ at Florida’s Orangewood Church

USA – Michael Pagan designed and specified a new house lighting rig for Orangewood Church in Maitland, Florida and used Elation’s energy-efficient Colour Pendant downlight to dramatically improve light quality while opening up for a number of new creative options.

The Presbyterian church in Orange County is affiliated with Orangewood Christian School and both church and school share a number of facilities, including a gymnasium which, on Sundays, doubles as a sanctuary. The space housed an older system of incandescent lights originally designed to light sports and other school activities, a set-up that proved increasingly unsatisfactory for the church’s needs.

Pagan, an independent lighting designer, works at the church part time programming lighting for Sunday services and events. He comments: “The coverage from the incandescent lights was really dark and blotchy throughout the house. Our technical director, Chris Russell, was approached by the team about what could be done and Chris and I worked on what solutions were available. Once we saw how much power we would save with LED, we knew that was the way to go!”

Thanks to their myriad of design possibilities, colour-changing and white light tuneable pendant lights have revolutionised house and area lighting. They have particular benefits for a contemporary house of worship, especially when music is a key element of the service. “I wanted the worship experience for the congregation to feel more immersive and bring people into what is happening on stage,” Pagan said.

The lighting designer researched possible solutions and visited churches in the area with dynamic house lighting systems to see the impact first hand. He then contacted PRG and talked with company sales rep Martee Nuruddin. “He helped us look at solutions and demo products. We also did a comparative shoot-out and in the end the Colour Pendant came out on top.” Nuruddin, who unexpectedly passed away in April, was a great help throughout the whole process, Pagan says.

Thirty Colour Pendant units were installed in the Orangewood Church sanctuary and although the LD was initially concerned that the seat risers might look blotchy with hotspots, the unit’s uniform flat-field output and 41° beam spread (66° field angle) allayed any worries. “I like how smooth the beam is and there is no hotspot whatsoever. It worked out perfectly. I also like the saturation of the colours,” Pagan adds while referencing the fixture’s RGBW colour system. “Usually red is the weakest point on a fixture but the Colour Pendant produces a really nice red. The variable white also looks great for traditional house lighting.”

The colour system also allows the church to complement and colour match what is happening on stage whether it is a church service, musical performance or special event. “I’ve been able to match the house lights to all my other pre-existing colour palettes,” Pagan confirms. “The lighting rig isn’t large so this was also a way to add more colour changing lighting to the show and gives me more options to play with.” When a dedicated lighting person is not available, church or school personnel can easily bring up a variety of colour and colour temperature looks on a preset panel.

Orangewood Christian School also benefits from the system when putting on plays and other shows. Technical director Russell oversaw the install and according to Pagan is pleased with how power efficient the Colour Pendant’s are, a low 110W max power consumption per fixture.

Installed last November, the new dynamic house lighting system at Orangewood Church was used in white light only until Christmas services when colour was introduced as an evocative sign of the magic of the season. “Everybody loves them,” Pagan concludes. “The colour really adds to the services and the overall impact has been great. The seating area where the congregation sits was always the darkest and poorest lit area but now they can see their notes and books. The change has literally been night and day.”

www.elationlighting.com

13th July 2022

Robert Juliat Oz followspots for new Zepp Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia – Robert Juliat is very proud to announce that the famous Zepp series of venues in Asia has invested in more RJ fixtures with the addition of six RJ Oz 600W LED followspots delivered to the new Zepp Kuala Lumpur.

The Oz fixtures were specified by Yukiteru Hayashi of Sogo Butai, and supplied by Total Solution Marketing Pte Ltd, RJ’s partner for Malaysia.

Zepp Kuala Lumpur is a multi-purpose venue with a seating capacity of 2,414 which hosts concerts, comedy shows, musicals, drama and seminars.

The RJ Oz followspots were selected as the best fixture to meet the varied demands of the venue’s requirements and the types of show Zepp KL puts on. “The flexible features of RJ fixtures will be highly appreciated by our followspot operators,” says Arnan Rahman, senior manager for Zepp KL. “I cannot wait to see what wonderful stages they will accomplish in different scenes with these extremely high-quality lights. I am just so honoured that our hall can make use of such famous fixtures which are born from 103-years of historical development.”

The Oz followspots are rigged on a platform ten metres above stage level with a throw distance of approximately 25 metres. “Unlike other venues in Kuala Lumpur, the operators are happy to have six followspots to operate instead of just two or three,” says Mr Rahman. “They enjoy the fact that the followspots are placed high above the audience seats and equipped with a chair so that they can operate in a comfortable position. They also commented that the Oz followspots have such a high quality, smooth and beautifully bright light that it is simply a pleasure to handle them.”

“Oz is so well-calculated ergonomically that even followspot operators who haven’t used the same type of model are able to handle them so easily,” confirms Yukiteru Hayashi. “It is worth noting that Oz uses an LED source, meaning there's no need to change the light bulbs and it saves energy. We are glad to have access to Oz which is both economical and ecological at the same time. It is no wonder that Oz is appreciated among well-known venues in Japan. Naturally I chose Oz for Zepp KL, just like I did for Zepp Fukuoka, Zepp Haneda and KT Zepp Yokohama.”

Robert Juliat fixtures have long been a favourite of the Zepp venues with large numbers having been specified and installed by Sogo Butai over the years. Zepp venues were amongst the first to adopt the original LED fixtures from Robert Juliat with RJ’s first LED Aledin profiles and Fresnels installed in Zepp Fukuoka, KT Zepp Yokohama, Zepp Haneda, Zepp Namba and Zepp DiverCity, closely followed by RJ ZEP and Tibo profiles at Zepp Osaka Bayside, Zepp Fukuoka, KT Zepp Yokohama and Zepp Haneda.

RJ Dalis 860 cyclorama fixtures have also been installed in Zepp venues at Namba, Nagoya and DiverCity, as well as Zepp Osaka Bayside, Zepp Fukuoka, KT Zepp Yokohama and Zepp Haneda. In addition to the Oz followspots at Zepp Fukuoka, KT Zepp Yokohama and Zepp Haneda, Sogo Butai has also installed RJ Victor followspots at Zepp venues in Namba, Osaka Bayside, Nagoya, DiverCity and Sapporo.

“Robert Juliat has been incredibly successful in all the Zepp venues,” confirms Yukiteru Hayashi. “But we really love the outcome of Zepp Kuala Lumpur, it is really the best Zepp I've ever seen. We are so proud we could work on it during pandemic, even as a tiny part of the role.”

“I would like to emphasise that, thanks to so many parties involved in the construction of this hall despite one of the toughest situations caused by the pandemic, it feels like such a rewarding blessing that it finally came to fruition with so much success,” concludes Mr Rahman. “Even though the hall opened only a month ago or so, the slots are already full until December.

“I would like to thank Mr. Hiroo Nakayama, among others, for having designed such an operator-minded stage. In my mind, this philosophy of thinking not only about performers and audiences, but also the operators, links to that of Robert Juliat which makes fixtures so comfortable and pleasing to use with their sincere qualities. I am sure the success of this venue will simply continue to grow, thanks to all these honest features of the venue itself equipped with Robert Juliat fixtures.”

photo: Zepp Kuala Lumpur

12th July 2022

Koka Booth Amphitheatre upgraded with “remarkable” Electro-Voice and Dynacord system after competitive shoot-out

USA – As with many live performance venues around the world, back at the height of the pandemic the outdoor Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, North Carolina decided to use its downtime to upgrade its sound system. And, when long-time North Carolina audio provider CareySound AVL was invited to demonstrate a sound system there, they seized the opportunity to hear their Electro-Voice X-Line Advance system paired with their new Dynacord amplifiers in a space beyond the confines of their Greensboro shop.

“When we got demo units of the new Dynacord amplifiers in the shop, I was immediately impressed by the way they transform anything we throw at them,” says John Carey, president of CareySound AVL. “Our X-Line Advance system suddenly felt so alive, I knew right away there was no turning back. The Koka Booth Amphitheatre demo gave us a real-world chance to experience that – and share that sound quality with our prospective clients.”

The venue’s legacy system used a left-centre-right (LCR) speaker approach, augmented with outfield delays. After studying the venue, which hosts the North Carolina Symphony concert series annually, CareySound decided to present a left-right X-Line Advance line-array system with cardioid subs.

“We realised this was going to be more of a shoot-out, with several other manufacturers there as well,” explains Ken Carey, CareySound founder and chairman. “Since most major tours bring in their own systems, our approach was to optimise the new house system for the symphony. That meant full-range, even coverage, all while keeping energy off the stage, especially sub energy. As a result, our demo sounded different. The other rigs all had this overwhelming low-end, which tends to hide a lot of details. By comparison, the EV-Dynacord system sounded great, very accurate and clear.”

After winning the contract, CareySound consulted with Electro-Voice application engineers to finalise the system design, utilising EV’s new installation-grade, fully weatherised version of X-Line Advance arrays and subs. Twin five-element X1i-212 arrays employ three 90° boxes above two 120° models for primary coverage. The original centre hang position now houses three EV X12i-128 dual-18” subwoofers in a cardioid configuration, hung in a custom rig created by CareySound. All feature fibreglass enclosures and protected electronics.

In addition, each of the three main hangs houses one EVF-1122D/94 down-fill speaker. Across the stage lip, six EVC-1082/96 speakers provide front fill, and six low-profile Electro-Voice MFX-12MC handle stage monitor duties. Away from the stage, the crescent-shaped concessions building at the back of the audience area is served by 12 EVC-1082-96 speakers.

All the loudspeakers are driven by Dynacord IPX series amplifiers, with supervision via SONICUE Sound System software and Dante audio networking over CAT6 and fibre lines. Performance is optimised via the EV factory loudspeaker settings in SONICUE. The combination of six Dynacord IPX10:4 amps, along with one each of IPX20:4 and IPX10:8 delivers 90,000 total Watts, powering every speaker using just eight amps, versus 25 in the venue’s legacy system. Along with their exceptional energy efficiency, all IPX models offer fully integrated 96 kHz DSP for superior sound quality.

“The audio transparency, DSP and power of these amps is remarkable,” says John Carey. “It’s to the point where I now suggest Dynacord IPX for every install we do. And I love that they seamlessly integrate with SONICUE for system design and control. It’s the cherry on top of an already impressive package.”

The Town of Cary recently hosted the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra at Koka Booth Amphitheatre for their first Summerfest date of 2022. “NCS was extremely happy with the quality of sound the system provided,” says Sean Loepp, production co-ordinator with the Town of Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Dept., “and I have to say it was a pleasure to mix on the system. Great job everyone!”

12th July 2022

Yamaha Delivers Perfect Holiday Soundtracks at The Senses Club

Italy – Located in Fondi, on Italy’s west coast, the Holiday Village resort overlooks a sandy beach, surrounded by dunes and lush Mediterranean vegetation. A Yamaha audio system was recently chosen to equip The Senses Club, which gives guests an exclusively high quality entertainment experience.

Resort owner Paolo Maio wanted to create a live venue which would perfectly complement the ambience and setting of The Holiday Village. His son, Alessandro Maio, created The Senses Club to ‘gratify its audience with unique moments of rare quality.’ That quality would be reflected throughout the venue, including furnishings, food, drink and, of course, entertainment. With a variety of music, from smooth jazz to DJ sets, a sound reinforcement system that could reproduce all styles in equally high quality was essential.

Paolo and Alessandro contacted Sperlonga-based Remix Multimedia srl, who recommended a Yamaha audio solution. “They chose to entrust the project and installation of the audio technology to us, thanks to our professionalism and ability to always find the right relationship between the quality and price of the products we offer,” says Remix Multimedia’s Riccardo De Simone.

Riccardo and technical specialist Michele De Simone specified a multi-purpose Yamaha audio system, featuring main sound reinforcement by CZR10 and CZR15 two-way speakers, with CXS18-XLF extended low frequency subwoofers, all supplied in white to match the furnishings of the Senses Club, powered by three PX8 and three PX10 two-channel power amplifiers.

Artist monitoring is by DZR12 bi-amped loudspeakers and DXS15mkII powered subwoofers, with a Yamaha MusicCast WCX-50 wireless streaming pre-amplifier supplying streamed audio. System management and control is by an MTX5-D matrix processor with Yamaha’s Wireless DCP iOS app and a DCP4V4S surface-mount panel to give staff simple push button or smartphone control of their sophisticated audio system.

“Artists and venue staff have told us that working with sound at the quality the Yamaha system delivers makes everything much more pleasant and relaxing,” says Riccardo. “For us as a supplier and systems integrator, Yamaha's CZR and DZR speakers also make it much simpler to design systems which combine the efficiency, quality and value for money that our customers demand.”

photo: Riccardo de Simone, Remix Multimedia

8th July 2022

Anolis Lighting Scheme for Mairie de Pantin

France – The impressive Mairie de Pantin (town hall) is being illuminated by a new Anolis LED lighting scheme designed by Rozenn Le Couillard from Noctiluca commissioned by the city council to tastefully highlight their newly renovated flagship building.

The modern Renaissance-style building, constructed in 1850 and inaugurated as the district’s town hall in 1886, is in the town of Pantin, Seine-Saint Denis, now a suburb of Paris, and overlooks a square formed by the intersection of two major road arteries, the Avenue du Général-Leclerc and Avenue Édouard-Vaillant.

It received historical monument status in 2017, and that same year the renovation project was launched to recondition the roof and front façade.

The client specifically wanted a lighting scheme that could offer a stylish signature warm white look as well as dynamic-coloured effects, enabling them to transform the building for events and special occasions.

Rozenn looked for workable solutions that would offer this versatility and picked Anolis, using a combination of RGBW Outdoor IP67/IP68 rated ArcSource MC fixtures: ArcSource Outdoor 4MCs, ArcSource Outdoor 16MCs and ArcSource Inground 24MCs.

She worked closely with Bruno Francois at Anolis to ensure that the exact requirements to bathe the building in beautiful lumens were met.

As a protected building, architect Grégoire Oudin from APGO was also involved in the process. A major challenge was mounting the fixtures in the right places for optimal lighting effect, without damaging or compromising the integrity and appearance of the building.

The front features six distinctive vertical lines of light which define the symmetry of the architecture and highlight the ornate stonework and gargoyles that decorate the façade.

Around the base of the building (six at the front and four at the back) are ten in-ground ArcSource 24MCs with 7 x 42 lenses and a 1 x 60 degree foil and this was to get a narrow angle one side of the light path and an elliptical one the other, keeping the lines up the building tight and vertical and in keeping with the desired effect.

Set back two or three metres or so from the façade, this proved the only solution for achieving this specific effect using a suitable RGBW architectural LED fixture.

The top sections of these vertical lines of light on the two end sections (front and rear) of the building are created using 12 ArcSource Outdoor 4MCs with 24-degree lenses.

These elevated 4MCs had to match up precisely with the 24MC in-grounds down below which was a meticulous task.

For the main entrance, the first-floor balcony and the ornate vertical columns either side of both these features, five ArcSource 4 MCs are deployed.

Three of these are on the balcony itself. The middle one is fitted with a 7x42 degree lens to graze up the first-floor window central to the balcony, while the outer two have tighter 7-degree lenses to pick out the sculptures.

The remaining two 4MCs are fitted with 60 x 7 degree lenses, and they light the bottom of the balcony as well as lining up with the central two in-grounds which ensure that the entrance arch and doorway is precisely highlighted.

To crown the Mairie’s new lighting scheme, three 4MCs with 40 degree lenses are secured in the bell tower, so its inside and roof subtly shimmers.

At the back of the Mairie, two pole mounted 16MCs with 7 x 42 lenses sit approximately four metres high and positioned equidistant from the centre, joined by another two 16MCs, also with 7 x 42 lenses, located on the floor behind the handrail of a stone balcony that protrudes from the front of the centre section.

The original testing of fixtures took place two years ago during the renovation, and not all of it was properly accessible, so Rozenn and Bruno worked on lighting one side of the building and then replicated the basic positions for the other side of front façade.

The challenges were in all the detail and thought needed to produce the perfect vertical lines along the building, plus the usual issues of dealing with a historical monument. This also informed the use of the 4MCs as small and discreet light sources at the front.

Anolis’s strengths include the ability to create all the whites, including the subtleties of the various different colour temperatures, that the LD wanted with the one RGBW fixture. The proven reliability and quality engineering and robust build of the fixtures was also a big consideration.

Robe France delivered the fixtures to SPX and the installation was completed by CITEOS Grands Projets, a French urban lighting department of multi-national energy and infrastructure specialist, VINCI Energies.

The IP controlled Pharos controller can be accessed any time via the internet, and Anolis France worked with Lumieres Utiles, a company specialising in building control systems which consults with lighting designers and manufacturers to facilitate custom controllers with the right parameters for the individual project.

A different standard lighting scheme has been created for each of the four seasons which is primarily white with some restrained colour inflections.

There are currently ten pre-programmed colour combinations for specific occasions, like pink for breast cancer awareness, the French flag, green for sustainability week, Christmas scenes and others, all chosen and fine-tuned by Rozenn.

Operation is via an automated schedule synchronised with the astronomical calendar, but this can be manually overridden at any time.

Everyone is delighted with this stylish installation which helps show off the unique and impressive architecture of the Mairie in a fresh contemporary light illustrating all the intricacy and elegance of its classical architecture.

photos: Olivier Hannauer – La Chouette Photo

7th July 2022

Sound Engineer Bolsters Mobile Recording Set-up with New Audient iD44 (MKII)

UK – Freelance sound engineer and producer Tony Faulkner added iD44 (MKII), Audient’s newest audio interface, to his mobile recording setup recently. He is one of the first owners of the British company’s most powerful interface since its launch.

With a long record of orchestral recording, Tony is regularly out and about recording classical and light music in different venues around the world. Quickly becoming au fait with his new Audient gear, it was important that it took as little fuss as possible. “Joy of joys, it all worked first time straight out of the box,” he says!

Recording chamber music performed by BBC Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal clarinet, John Bradbury and pianist Ian Buckle, Audient wanted to hear Tony’s initial thoughts about working with this second generation audio interface in the field. “Great. Premium sound quality,” he says. “Being able to add an ASP880 for extra channels is very useful as is the talkback facility. Having four inputs means we can record ambisonics.”

Tony appreciates the enhancements that set the iD44 (MKII) apart from its predecessor, too. He highlights the iD44 (MKII)’s “ultra high quality” and “low latency” in particular. “The two headphone sockets with individual volume controls are handy too,” he continues. With both a ¼” jack and a mini-jack, three sets of headphones can be plugged into the iD44 (MKII) at once.

Commenting on the size of the unit: “I’m used to dragging heavy rack cases. iD44 (MKII) is very compact for projects where I have to pack everything into a carry-on for a flight. It’s particularly compact considering everything the iD44 (MKII) can do. There’s no compromise on quality.”

He’s also very pleased with the Audient Nero studio monitor controller, which he bought at the same time as iD44 (MKII). He says the monitor controller has “better sound quality and more flexibility” compared to his previous set-up. “It’s been excellent. Premium quality and very useful having multiple headphone outputs and inbuilt high quality DAC. Quite a few classical music producers like to monitor on headphones and the Nero makes this easy. It has better options for talkback too, including being able to plug in an external mic,” he adds.

“I’ve been using Audient tech for many years and I have a lot of respect – and gratitude – for their combination of high quality, usability and determination not to break the bank,” he says. (He already owns an ASP008 and two ASP880 8-channel mic pres.) “I’ve made hundreds of albums using the Audient pres!”

5th July 2022

Theatreplan is Consulting on the Design of the New Technical Infrastructure Across All Venues at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in Singapore

Singapore – Global theatre consultancy Theatreplan is providing the technical know-how for the upgrade of the cabling infrastructure from the analogue tielines system to a digital IP-based network to serve sound, video, communications and lighting across all venues, plus new facilities for digital media at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in Singapore. Opened in 2002, Esplanade is a major centre for the performing arts, located at Marina Bay, on the bank of the Singapore River. The centre consists of a Concert Hall for 1,600 people, a Theatre with a 1,950-seat capacity, a Recital Studio for 245 people, and a Theatre Studio accommodating up to 220.

Having been appointed in 2019, Theatreplan’s work has continued throughout the pandemic and is on-going. The scope of work includes a feasibility study, a detailed site survey, technical design recommendations and development of all venues, and delivery of tender documentation.

The first part of the project involved surveying the venues to identify and document what was already there. The importance of fully understanding the way the venue operated and what it needed for the future meant Theatreplan had to focus in-depth on all systems which supported the venues and staff. In response to the travel restrictions imposed by Covid-19, a sub-contractor was appointed locally to provide information from the site, including measurements and infrastructure route mapping between venues. The full survey was completed at the end of January 2022.

Prior to the travel restrictions, the team was able to conduct face to face interviews with a wide cohort of technical staff to fully inform the creation of the technical master plan. Theatreplan has recommended the upgrade of Esplanade’s 20-year-old analogue AV infrastructure to a new digital AV infrastructure, in addition to upgrades to the sound, video and communications and broadcast systems, together with the production, house and working lights systems and fixtures. This is to ensure the venue continues to be on the cutting edge of entertainment technology, safeguarding its flexibility, and providing a path to adopt future technologies.

As Theatreplan began surveying the existing technical infrastructure, it quickly became apparent that the best way to capture all the information was to build a 3D model in Revit, which detailed all theatre technical systems throughout the entire centre and public spaces. Initially this was to be used to qualify and quantify the existing installed systems and then subsequently to incorporate the newly designed systems, so as to provide a single source of truth for the tendering process, and post completion, to ensure an accurate record of the final installed technical systems.

The scope of works was extended by the client to include the building of the Revit model, based on documentation provided by them. Theatreplan’s team of architects built the model from the horizontal structures up, adding in floors and dividing up into the different venues. They then added in the technical services, containment, production facility panels for all lighting, sound, video and communications, so that every wire way is modelled throughout the building. The model is now complete and supports the ongoing technical design work.

Kenny Wong, head, technical production, The Esplanade Co Ltd, said: “This technical journey with Theatreplan has been an ambitious one with its large scope of work. Even as Esplanade turns 20 this year, we were still able to make many discoveries in our venues through the Revit model which can help us make better-informed decisions in the revamp of our technical infrastructure. We are grateful to the professionalism of the Theatreplan team who has worked closely with our team at Esplanade to keep to the project timelines and requirements despite the challenges faced during this pandemic.”

The Revit model can also be utilised for other operational systems such as fire services and telecoms, to provide the client with a comprehensive source of truth for the site. There is also an option to use gaming software to enable a virtual walk-through of the venues.

30th June 2022