Business

Details

14 March 2016

Comprising the iDR10 mix rack loaded with 48 inputs and 16 outputs and an iLive-144 control surface, the system managed FOH and monitor sound for the four-piece band.

"The iLive digital mixer was easy to use, intuitive, and provided direct and quick access to all functions, which makes it a great system for live use," comments FOH operator, Christian Jesus Montenegro Giraldo. "The PA company offered us various EQ and compressor units, but iLive already has dynamics processors built in, which is a huge advantage."

In addition to the main mix, in-ear and wedge monitor mixes were controlled from FOH, and iLive was complemented by EAW speaker systems and Crest Audio ampl

Details

14 March 2016

The sound reinforcement system was required to cover the entire outdoor venue, using temporary staging and ground-support structures. LP Unlimited Productions worked together with JBL's distributor for South Africa, Wild+Marr, to plan for rental-system expansion with new JBL Vertec line array system components. The technical production team evaluated the stadium architecture and advance audience-area plans, relying upon JBL's Line Array Calculator software tool for system configuration decisions. It was decided to employ a total of 28 VT4889-1 full-size line array elements, 3

Details

14 March 2016

"The VLX3 arrays fly very easily and, with external amps, the load-in was a lot easier," says Grant Stramel, Sure Sound's lead system engineer. "Last year we used the self-powered Renkus-Heinz STLA/9 line array. But, with the type of weather we get here in Sturgis, when it rains it's a major advantage to simply throw a tarpaulin over a rack of amps than climb the array an

Details

14 March 2016

Mid-July saw the company providing sound reinforcement for many elements of the annual Loveparade festival which all-but consumes the city of Dortmund each year.

As well as a wide array of Aspect, NuQ and TSW cabinets featuring on a range of the colourful (and noisy) floats which form the event's centrepiece, the company deployed a major Flex Array rig at Circle of Love, one of the many outdoor stages which also feature at Loveparade.

Featuring performances by Moby, Ricardo Villalobos, Richie Hawtin and other high profile DJs, the system comprised nine flown Flex Array cabinets and 12 ground-stacked TA-880L per side.

Details

14 March 2016

The RTS system was chosen to replace the previous talkback system used by Broadcasting House. It has to work with an existing four-wire router (not RTS), accepting inputs from that device and sending back inputs, in addition to connecting to the RTS intercom panels, in addition to third-party audio monitoring boxes and headphone points.

The RTS intercom was specified and installed by a BBC Wales team headed by broadcast engineer David Carnaby, as a separate 'mini-project' r

Details

14 March 2016

Aberdeen Performing Arts has been investing in new equipment for its first ever touring production. Sunset Song is a seven-week tour directed by Kenny Ireland. They approached A.C. Audio with a requirement for a new, completely transportable and robust radio microphone solution that would be put to use at all venues they tour throughout Scotland in the coming months.

A.C. Audio sales manager Peter Butler commented on the system selection "It was very important to provide the best wireless system possible. After some discussion with Alan Campbell head of operations at A.P.A. we decided on Audio-Technica Artist Elite 5000 Series. Having recently tested the lapel system myself I knew it would be ideal. Design

Details

14 March 2016

Ibiza Rocks 2008 - promoted by Andy McKay and production managed by Mike Darling - was staged at two 1500 capacity outdoor venues - the Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio and The Hipódromo de San Rafel in Sant Rafel de sa Creu. It featured a host of international artists including The Enemy, Dizzee Rascal, The Streets, Soulwax, Pendulum and many others.

The sound system was spec'd by Adlib's Andy Dockerty and built and commissioned on site by engineer Declan Fyans who stayed out for the duration of the four-month season which is just drawing to a close.

The biggest and most important challenge for the sound system was durability.

Details

14 March 2016

Summit's Jay Call has co-ordinated the project from its Kent HQ, liaising closely with the touring crew including head rigger Gabe Wood and production manager Craig Finlay.

The supply includes a 26 way Kinesys variable speed automation system with K2 control and a 10-way Kinesys fixed speed automation system with Vector control; 46 1 tonne CM Lodestar hoists and eight half tonnes for lighting and scenic rigging, along with a further two 2 tonne and twenty 1 tonne hoists for the PA hangs and 76 cm and 52 cm JTE trussing.

Twenty-two of the 26 Kinesys vari-speed motors (being run in conjunction with Kinesys Elevation 1+ control units) are being used to automate a series of 'wave' trusses - four individ

Details

14 March 2016

The new Academy is in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, on the site of the old museum, aquarium, and planetarium and opens to the public this week. The building is expected to receive a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum rating from the US G

Details

14 March 2016

"We had such positive feedback from performers and patrons alike regarding the upgraded lighting in the Opera Theatre that we wanted to get the Drama Theatre up to the same level," said Dylan Heaton, lighting technician for the Playhouse. The Opera Theatre is the largest of the three theatres in the complex, with a seating capacity of 1,224 on three levels including a balcony - the Drama Theatre seats 474.

"The new equipment makes a great difference on all levels, not only adding to the quality of the shows, but also saving us significant time and money," says Heaton. "It used to take u

Details

14 March 2016

Probably the largest lighting and sound installation in Iceland to date, the project comprises four halls which will form a centre for music, culture and tourism. Scheduled to open at Reykjavik's East Harbour in December 2009, the centre will provide facilities for Iceland's continually expanding musical life and will be home to The Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

"The Icelandic National Concert and Conference Centre is a fantastic visionary project," says ETC's regional manager for northern Europe, Tim Stokholm. "Not only will the Icelandic people have a fantastic place for music and culture, but also companies globall

Details

14 March 2016

For the opening night at Cardiff, the company deployed 146 staff to cover the artist's security needs, while a team of 182 was deployed at the New Wembley Stadium.

"Our experience of venues of this size meant that Showsec fulfilled all the criteria required by the Madonna production team," says Mark Logan, Showsec's operations director. "We have extensive understanding of the level of planning and commitment required for tours of this size. Madonna is the biggest grossing artist on tour this year and we were delighted to be chosen as security partner for the UK dates."

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

This year's Miss Italia finals took place at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Salso Maggiore Terme, PR, Italy and were broadcast live on RAI 1 in a show directed by Maurizio Pagnussat.

The lighting rig was hung on a comprehensive network of trusses that were installed to cover the large stage and audience areas of the venue, with some fixtures on the floor.

Central to the set was a large sweeping staircase which, when lit, produced an appropriate depth of field for the cameras. In front of thi

Details

14 March 2016

Despite one of the best records in NCAA football, until recently the team's stadium was lacking when it came to good sound. A small, underpowered portable PA system left most of the fans scratching their heads over the announcements from the press box, and music had all the power and punch of a transistor radio.

This year, Newington, Connecticut-based CMI Sound Systems installed a pair of Community R2 full-range three-way loudspeakers mounted on top of the stadium's scoreboard.

"The R2 was a very practical solution, first and foremost," says CMI's John Pizzoferrato. "It's one of the only systems that are powerful enough to cover t

Details

14 March 2016

The circus, performing in Calthorpe Park, Edgbaston, fell foul of the Licensing Act 2003. The act forbids the playing of live music without a licence. Circus owner Martin Burton said that applying for a licence was time-consuming and expensive and called for circuses to be exempt from the legislation. He said: "I'm a big fan of silent comedy, but this is nonsense."

Old Rocker News (1) - Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has scotched rumours that he is to tour with the band, describing speculation as "frustrating and ridiculous". Last week, The Sun newspaper reported th

Details

14 March 2016

Central to the installed technology is a 16-channel TiMax audio delay matrix, which controls every channel of the main Room One sound system, including the subwoofers and the Bodysonic vibrating floor. Matter's sound and lighting design consultant, Dave Parry, says: "Before we even knew how the final system would work together, TiMax was always going to be integrated into it whatever we did."

Matter is designed around the Kandinsky principle: vibration, lighting and music all coming together as a whole to provoke a trance-like state. Parry explains: "The whole lot - lighting, video and sound - moves as an integrated whole so as a very basic example, say the club is lit blue, I can ta

Details

14 March 2016

Barco SLM R12+ projectors were used to command and control the entire launch programme at both the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre and Beijing Aerospace Control Centre. The monitoring continued through the duration of the spacewalk and concluded with its culmination, when the astronauts' re-entry module landed in central Inner Mongolia.

More than just delivering an advanced technology product in support of the event, Barco also provided on-site technical standby around the clock via a specially assigned technical team.

"There's no understating the i

Details

14 March 2016

Against the backdrop of the impressive facade of the Casa Poporului (Parliament Palace), one of the world's largest buildings, the city's insignia hovered in the air in the form of full-colour laser projections on a large WaterScreen. Space-spanning laser beams, beam fans, and light tunnels criss-crossed the area. Massive fireballs and 40m high fountains lit the night sky, in tune with the music.

This was the tenth time that tarm Showlaser had staged a multimedia spectacle in the Rumanian capital city and the team tarm will be back in Bucharest in late October for another project.

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

To ensure every one of the 1,202 seats in Glyndebourne's auditorium is covered by the Sennheiser system, six strategically placed SZI 1015 radiators transmit the audio signal to four RI 150 LL induction loops and 10 HDI 302 headsets. The signal is generated from a Sennheiser SI 1015 modulator rack unit, while the induction loops and headsets are powered by an L 151-10 charger. In addition, an SI 30 test system is available to demonstrate the simplicity of the system to users before they take headsets and induction loops for the performance.

Audio technician Simon Yapp has worked at Glyndebourne for eight years and is one half of the opera house's full time AV department. "The new system c

Details

14 March 2016

To provide optimum sound reinforcement for the airport's large but oddly-shaped outdoor viewing area with its sound-reflecting glass and Plexiglas facades, the Olching-based acoustics experts opted for an Electro-Voice solution, the centrepiece of which was made up of an XLD line array driven by Electro-Voice TG7 and TG5 power amplifiers with IRIS-Net software.

Markus Thomae, managing director of Magic Medientechnik, reports: "We had very little room to put the PA. Fortunately the EV XLD is ultra-compact, so we soon had the situation under control."

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

Technical staff will be on hand to offer guidance on the integration within projects and discuss our acoustic design services for large-scale projects.

The confirmed dates are: 14 October - Dublin's Green Isle Conference & Leisure Hotel; 15 October - Belfast's Radisson SAS Hotel; 17 October - Glasgow's Dakota Eurocentral Hotel; 21 October - Manchester's Bredbury Hall Hotel; 22 October - Cheltenham Racecourse Conference Centre, Bristol; 23 October - Sound Technology head office, Letchworth Garden City. Events start at 11am and conclude at 3:30pm.

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

Ian Bond reports: "The XL8/DN9696 package was ideal for three good reasons: the tour used house/hired-in systems, the band required a lot of detailed monitor mixes, and the shows were being recorded. Since I handled all three as the sole engineer on the tour, I needed the best-sounding, most versatile system available for mixing and recording.

"Though the XL8 is a formidable piece of technology with immense capabilities," he adds, "For this particular tour, I put the XL8's digital flexibility to task, running it for FOH, monitors, and recording. It only took about an hour to set it up in rehe

Details

14 March 2016

"We brought in Juliat's Super Korrigans plus followspots from another manufacturer for a shootout on our main stage," says lighting designer Joe Basinger. "One of my goals was to get better colour temperature and gain than other followspots we have used. Our distances are half-way between long throw and really long throw, so we needed a happy medium. With Robert Juliat's Super Korrigan, gain and colour temperature are far superior to the other followspots we've seen."

Basinger deploys the lights, purchased through PRG Dallas, for any new production rotated into the theatr

Details

14 March 2016

The Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications and Nanjing Agricultural University are two of the region's major seats of learning. Phoenix Audio has supplied a wide range of TCS and TXD series loudspeakers in three locations for installation by Ao-bang Audio And Lighting Engineering.

In the theatre of Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Ao-bang installed a system comprising TXD-081 and TXD-151 full range cabinets, TXD-218 subs and TXD-12M wedge monitors.

Meanwhile at Nanjing Agricultural University, the company installed six TXD-151 in the Academic Hall and, in the university's Multi-function Hall, a range of TXD and TCS Compact loudspeakers, with control by Turbosound LMS-D24 processors.