Pro AVL Asia January–February 2024 by Blank Canvas Publishing Ltd

ProAVL Asia January–February 2024

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Contents

Volume 23 Issue One

January–February 2024

Editor’s Letter Welcome to the first issue of 2024, which brings some reflections of our times. Post-pandemic, the way we consume live entertainment has changed. Sadly contributing to the demise of some venues around the world, new and existing ones are taking note, however, combining streaming and hybrid capabilities with flexibility and ease-of-use. David Claringbold, who knows a thing or two about venues having been a director at the Sydney Opera House as well as chief marketing officer at d&b, lets us in on his thoughts (p102). Richard Lawn outlines a new build venue that exemplifies the changing requirements, The Neilson, also in Sydney (p52) which, in addition to providing a permanent home for the Australian Chamber Orchestra, is also the epitome of flexibility and function.

Meanwhile, India’s quest to provide worldclass clubbing continues with a new Playboy outlet in Delhi (p50), while an upgrade at one of Melbourne’s most iconic venues, Plaza Ballroom, has ushered it into the 21st century (p56). Stakes are also being raised on the content creation side of entertainment, with another world-class studio designed by WSDG opening in Beijing (p62) and a new studio complex for Excel Entertainment in Mumbai (p60) – both Dolby Atmos-equipped, naturally. We’re looking forward to this month’s ISE in Barcelona. As well as a show that’s on track to be 30% bigger than last year, the organisers have arranged a Saturday tech tour to the Barça immersive football exhibition and is sponsoring the weekendlong Llum BCN light festival across the city following the show. Worth staying on for!

Email: cmoss@proavl-asia.com

Sue Gould

Carolyn Valliere

rlawn@proavl-asia.com

sgould@proavl-asia.com

cvalliere@proavl-asia.com

Simon Luckhurst

Karen Wallace

Libby Stonell

sluckhurst@proavl-asia.com

kwallace@proavl-asia.com

lstonell@proavl-asia.com

Nick Smith

Chris Yardley

Jack Stennulat

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cyardley@proavl-asia.com

jstennulat@proavl-asia.com

Adrian Baker

Marne Mittelmann

Sue Su

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circulation@proavl-asia.com

ssu@proavl-asia.com

General manager

Senior reporter

Digital media manager

Production manager

Advertising director

Editorial coordinator

Video editor

Circulation manager

Sales associate

NEWS 4 News 12 Distribution 14 Appointments 18 Powering down with Isabelle Wear 4 20 Listen Technologies on neurodiversity 22 View from Down Under FEATURES 42 Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview 46 Courtyard by Marriott Penang 50 Playboy Delhi 52 ACO at home 56 Plaza Ballroom 60 Excel Entertainment 62 WSDG Beijing BUSINESS 64 RDL company profile 68 Letters 70 InfoComm India show report 72 AES/NAB New York show report 74 InterBEE show report 76 Choosing the right amp

NEW PRODUCTS 79 The industry’s most comprehensive product news

Digital content editor

Digital content creator

Guangzhou manager

Spa House, 18 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2EP, United Kingdom www.proavl-asia.com Telephone: +44 (0) 1892 676280

ANALYSIS 102 David Claringbold explores the future for venues Published by: LICENCES: Singapore: MICA (P) 001/06/2023; Malaysia PPS 1604/05/2013 (022953) All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owners.

PRINTING: Times Printers Singapore COVER: The Neilson at Pier 2/3

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NEWS

Røde acquires Mackie WORLD

In a deal reportedly valued at US$120 million, Røde Microphones has announced the acquisition of Mackie from Transom Capital. The addition of Mackie to a portfolio including Aphex, Event, Røde and SoundField, significantly enhances The Freedman Group’s audio production ecosystem. Mackie’s Melbourne-based chief technology officer and respected engineer, Danny Olesh, also now joins Røde. “I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Mackie to The Freedman Group’s roster of iconic audio brands,” commented Røde founder and chairman, Peter Freedman. “They are true legends, with a pedigree of live sound expertise that is simply unmatched. With this acquisition, The

Freedman Group is now a premier audio technology company offering world-class products to an even wider range of customers, from up-and-coming content creators to professionals working in live production and everyone in between.” Current Mackie CEO, Alex Nelson, added: “Having worked in the audio industry for many years, I have always held Røde in high esteem. Their manufacturing capability and technology leadership is second-to-none in pro audio and I think they are the perfect partner to help Mackie expand as we enter an exciting new chapter in our history.” www.mackie.com

Røde founder and chairman, Peter Freedman

www.rode.com

L-Acoustics’ rental network does it the right way

CHINA

L-Acoustics’ Chinese distributor Rightway Audio Consulting recently held an award ceremony at its Guangzhou headquarters. The event celebrated Rightway’s officially certified L-Acoustics rental network in mainland China by providing them with comprehensive technical support, training and product maintenance to better serve the rental market, and also to prevent the risk of using counterfeits or operating products unprofessionally.

Six L-Acoustics representatives attended this event as part of their trip to China, including Hervé Guillaume, CEO, L-Acoustics Group; Laurent Vaissié, CEO, L-Acoustics; Tim Zhou, CEO of Asia Pacific; Marc Glattes, executive president of sales and business development; Jacob Barfoed, global sales and president of sales operations; and David Cooper, Asia Pacific sales director. Jason Tao, CEO of Rightway Audio, delivered a speech to thank the rental partners present for their continued support of Rightway: “The

performance market is booming this year, but there were also shows that did not have good sound quality, which caused complaints from audiences, catching the attention of governmental departments. This is due to the fact that some rental companies have not used the sound equipment correctly, or mixed real products with counterfeits, or used products purchased through illegal channels without proper training. “Other brands are suffering as well as L-Acoustics. We believe that if this situation is not stopped, it will have a very negative impact on the rental market and our brands. Rightway Audio is the first company in China to establish a certified rental partner network. We hope this can stop the above-mentioned phenomenon. This is also our commitment of providing better technical support, training and services to our long-term and loyal rental partners, who can guarantee that our products can bring the best results to audiences.” Tao then awarded the certificates to 10 L-Acoustics rental partners onsite, with two companies not able to attend due to collect their certificates at a later date. Four companies that have newly joined the network also attended the event and will be officially awarded after completing all training.

Zhuang Zewu, Rightway Audio’s manager for the rental market, said: “We have established a rental network throughout China and, through this event, we hope to announce our official rental partners in order to maintain and stabilise the order of the market and, at the same time, help them to work together and allocate resources in some big rental projects, to gain better market share. We welcome more partners to join our network.” “The Chinese market has always been one of the most important for L-Acoustics,” said Zhou. “This is our management team’s first visit to China after the pandemic. One of the purposes is to strengthen ties with partners and give everyone stronger confidence. We also want to express our gratitude to them because they have worked hard during the most difficult period. They have never given up and have always trusted our brand and brought the best sound experience to Chinese audiences.” Cooper concluded: “It’s quite rare to get all of the rental companies in the same room, because in a sense, they’re competitors. It’s a really great achievement for Rightway to bring everyone together.” www.l-acoustics.com www.racpro.net

Chauvet opens global HQ WORLD

Chauvet’s new HQ in Davie, Florida, spans over 16,258m2 and houses dedicated centres for its product development, quality control, customer service and global supply chain teams. Company founder and CEO, Albert Chauvet, pointed out that the move to a new, expanded, green-thinking facility is about much more than having the size to handle a growing business that designs products for productions in over 100 nations globally. Purpose designed by the Chauvet team and its architect partners, the new facility was built around the vision of enhancing the company’s delivery of service and customer engagement at every level and supporting R&D efforts behind its

growing family of brands: Chauvet Professional, Chauvet DJ, Kino Flo, ChamSys, LynTec, Iluminarc and Trusst.

The new R&D centre features advanced measuring and testing equipment that will allow the Chauvet team of developers to take their

efforts to new heights. The HQ also includes an expanded quality control centre in its new building, which features advanced testing equipment. The company’s repair centre has also been boosted with more space and technology. The new Flagship Experience Center will provide customers and guests with an opportunity to immerse themselves in lighting and control technology, providing a comfortable setting for product demos, seminars and hands-on learning. www.chauvetlighting.com

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EVOLUTION WIRELESS DIGITAL

Setup simplicity. Digital clarity. Experience the feeling of instant connection — with your music, your craft, your audience. Designed for musicians, audio professionals, and filmmakers, the Evolution Wireless Digital family includes three microphone systems that simplify setup, guarantee the most reliable UHF connection, and deliver superior sound quality. Evolution Wireless Digital is a powerful tool for those who put quality and performance above all else. sennheiser.com/evolution-wireless-digital

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NEWS: BUSINESS

Bosch realigns and refocuses Clair Global elevates Cohesion WORLD

Clair Global has announced Cohesion’s transformation from loudspeaker series to fully supported product development and manufacturing organisation within the greater Clair Global Group. Cohesion was originally launched as a private brand available exclusively through Clair’s rental division, but based on “success and subsequent market demand”, Cohesion is now also available to installations worldwide. “We are investing in the people, product development and resources needed to support this venture,” said Troy Clair, president and CEO of the Clair Global Group. “We see this as an opportunity to build comprehensive, connected solutions that go beyond designing and manufacturing loudspeakers.” Designed and assembled at its headquarters in Pennsylvania, Cohesion is prioritising workflow optimisation and a broadened ecosystem, bolstered by a dedicated team. The launch includes products never seen before, with more in development, that will expand and enhance the full catalogue. “We’ve been sound reinforcement innovators for a long time, and our clients have come to depend on our team to deliver solutions that enable amazing audio experiences,” said Jeff Rocha, general manager of Clair Global’s product division and managing director of Cohesion. “We’re excited that this new era will now deliver those same exceptional results to high-end installations, such as sports facilities, houses of worship and entertainment venues, that align with our core DNA and passion.” www.clairglobal.com www.cohesionaudio.com

WORLD

Bosch has announced that it is realigning its Building Technologies division, with the division set to focus on its regional integrator business – which encompasses solutions and services for building security, energy efficiency and building automation. The company plans to sell most of the Building Technologies division’s product business, which includes the video, access and

intrusion and communication business units, in turn affecting some 4,300 associates at more than 90 locations worldwide. Bosch is now looking for a buyer who will take on all three business units together with its associates and locations. The product business with fire-alarm systems, however, is not to be sold, instead being merged with the integrator business.

“We want to become one of the global leaders for systems integration in building technology and to seize the favourable opportunities for growth in this market. To achieve this, we need to consolidate. This is why we will in the future be focusing on systems integration as our core business,” said Christian Fischer, deputy chairman of the Bosch board of management. Thomas Quante, president of Bosch Building Technologies, added: “The product business is excellently positioned for a promising future under a new owner: innovative products, highly skilled associates and a market environment with attractive opportunities for growth.” Following the realignment, the Building Technologies division will employ some 7,600 associates and operate at 40 locations in eight countries. As a brandindependent systems integrator with a wide-ranging portfolio of energy and building solutions, the division intends to benefit in the future from digitalisation and a growing customer demand for integrated, intelligent and cross-domain solutions in the areas of building security, energy efficiency and building automation.

www.boschbuildingtechnologies.com

DiGiCo enlightens Korean audio engineers KOREA

In partnership with its South Korean distributor Soundus, DiGiCo has hosted an educational event in the Sangsu-Dong district of Seoul. Technical specialist Dave Bigg, together with sales director Ian Staddon, presented a three-hour discussion to over 50 sound engineers in the Rolling Hall venue. The invited professionals were provided with an in-depth overview of Quantum Processing including Nodal, Mustard, Spice Rack and Chilli 6. Bigg continued with an informative discussion on Klang processing for monitoring and

immersive mixing. Prior to a lively Q&A session, in which Korean DiGiCo users asked Bigg an assortment of questions, an overview of the latest Fourier Audio plugin technology was provided. Accurately translated by Soundus sales engineer, Sung Gyun Kim, laughter arose from the audience when Bigg recommended that the 370 channels of mixing available on the Quantum 852 may be over challenging for even the best engineer in the house. Staddon said: “The quality of the attendees was extremely high, and it was good to meet

Dave Bigg up with old and new friends of the DiGiCo family.” www.digico.biz www.soundus.co.kr

HK Audio hosts distributor meeting and demo in Bangkok THAILAND

HK Audio recently held a three-day distributor meeting at the Hilton Hotel and the Royal Thai Air Force Stadium in Bangkok. Those in attendance were distributors from Australia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The first half of the event was spent in a conference room where attendees were given the opportunity to learn about HK Audio’s products, sales and marketing. CSO Christian Jordan and Alwyn Wong, ISM, APAC, welcomed the group while product presentations were held by Andreas Mayerl, head of product management. Gaby van der Blom, head of marketing, also provided some marketing insights.

treated to a longboat tour throughout the canals of Bangkok, stopping to look at popular landmarks and temples. Mr Prasert from Mission-T said: “A lot of effort and hard work went into organising this demo, but it all paid off to see how many people have turned up and showed an interest in HK Audio products.” van der Blom added: “The entire distributor meeting and demo in the stadium showed once again how important the personal approach to distributors and customers is. We were overwhelmed by the expert organisation of the demo by Mr Prasert and his entire team.” For day two of the event, approximately 200 attendees were taken to Royal Thai Air Force

Stadium for a demo day, organised by distributor Mission-T. On the third day, attendees were

www.hkaudio.com

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Excellent Conferencing Solutions Intuitive | Informative | Interactive

Join us at ISE 2024 and explore our latest releases Fira Barcelona, Gran Via 30 Jan - 2 Feb Invitation code: 0BO0MWCC

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NEWS: BUSINESS

Harman Professional acquires Flux:: WORLD

Harman Professional Solutions has entered into an agreement with Flux:: Software Engineering, a company specialising in immersive audio production, audio plugin design and audio analysis. Broadening Harman Professional’s offerings and also bringing together both companies’ teams of hardware and software engineers, the purchase will include Flux::’s solution across live production, content creation, installation sound and postproduction. “The Flux:: acquisition is part of a technology investment Harman Professional is making to bring outstanding immersive experiences for live and recorded productions,” said Brian Divine, president, Harman Professional Solutions. “The foundational technology developed by the talented Flux:: team opens many opportunities for future integration with our portfolio of brands.”

French manufacturer Flux:: was founded in 2006 by sound recording engineer and current CEO, Gaël Martinet. Now, the portfolio of nearly 20 products is used globally by professionals across many applications. “The future integration of our software technology with Harman’s industry-leading brands make for exciting opportunities not only for touring applications, but for installed audio where spatial audio will play an increasingly important role,” said Martinet. “We’ve been pioneering and engineering immersive audio solutions for many years and to be among these Harman brands, namely JBL, which developed some of the earliest loudspeakers, is very compelling for our team and for customers.” www.flux.audio pro.harman.com

Allvida acquires Ampetronic WORLD

Allvida has acquired Ampetronic, a provider of assistive listening solutions and induction loop systems. Based in the United Kingdom, Ampetronic has

driven innovation and standards for audio induction loops in the 36 years since its inception. Its solutions aim to ensure that individuals with hearing loss can access clear sound, with ease and dignity. The partnership with Ampetronic is the foundation for Allvida’s commitment to ensuring accessibility, establishing its

first portfolio vertical – hearing. As one of the Allvida companies, Ampetronic will continue to invest in products for hearing accessibility and be one of a growing number of companies working together in the group. Julian Pieters, CEO of Ampetronic, said: “Within the Allvida group of companies, we will have so many new opportunities to collaborate, from innovation and technology, to gaining global market reach for our hearing solutions. I am especially impressed by Allvida’s commitment to innovate and to grow, to become a truly leading voice for accessibility everywhere.” Sasha Hakami, Allvida’s expansion and investments director, said: “Ampetronic is regarded as the technology and market leader when it comes to induction loops, and we are delighted to work alongside Julian and his team, and continue to deliver high-quality solutions that benefit people with hearing loss.” www.allvida.com www.ampetronic.com

LED Solutions invests in DAS Audio INDIA

LED Solutions, an AV and lighting rental company from Delhi, has recently purchased a sizable inventory of DAS Audio’s LARA large-format line array. This is said to be the first set of LARA to be sold in India. The system comprises 20 LARA-80 cabinets, four LARA-100 wide dispersion units and 18 LARA-SUBs. Vikrant Jain, director, LED Solutions, said: “DAS Audio is a well-established brand with a heritage of reliability and innovation in line array systems. In our search for gamechanging technology, we found the LARA

system to excel in high SPL fidelity and the cardioid design of the cabinet makes it perfect for use on large stages, significantly reducing the spill onstage.” Eshdeep Bhasin, director of Stagemix Technologies, said: “We were keen to introduce the DAS Audio flagship LARA system to a reputed user in India. After many

discussions with Vikrant, we arranged a demo at the DAS Audio factory in Valencia, where we got to do an in-depth listening session. The sheer SPL output and amazing response of the system promises to make this a gamechanger in large-format line arrays.” www.dasaudio.com

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NEWS: BUSINESS

Relaunching Renkus-Heinz in Indonesia INDONESIA

As the pandemic tapered off, RenkusHeinz partnered with distributors and partners throughout the region to get a jump-start on opportunities once the social restrictions were lowered or eliminated. In 2022, the manufacturer joined with PT Kairos Multi Jaya – one of the largest AV distributors in Indonesia. As a way to reintroduce Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers to the Indonesian AV community, Kairos Multi Jaya recently held a day-long workshop and product demo in Jakarta to extol the virtues of beam-steered arrays. The event was attended by a large cross-section of integrators and consultants from throughout the archipelagic state of over 17,000 islands. The workshop portion of the day focused on vertical market solutions for transportation, retail, hospitality and more, and attendees experienced a demonstration of OmniBeam, Renkus-Heinz’s recently announced beam-steering algorithm.

claims that it has made beam-steering arrays suitable for more venues than just reverberant spaces. The product demo consisted of a large sample of Renkus-Heinz’s beam-steering loudspeakers, including products from its ICONYX, IC Live and ICLive X Series. Attendees were said to be “suitably impressed” with the speech intelligibility and directivity of Renkus-Heinz’s beam-steering family. “When we partnered with Kairos Multi Jaya, we were confident it would pay immediate dividends for us in developing new relationships,” said Karan Kathuria, director of sales and business development at Renkus-Heinz. “The event was a huge success, and we’re thrilled with what the future looks like for Renkus-Heinz in Indonesia.” The driving philosophy behind OmniBeam was to give consultants and integrators back their time and change the perception that beam

steering is knowledge and time-intensive. By taking the “rocket science” out of simulating and commissioning steerable arrays, Renkus-Heinz

www.kairosmultijaya.com www.renkus-heinz.com

d&b partners with Thai uni Prism Sound stamps out counterfeiting in China CHINA

Following counterfeiters copying its products, Prism Sound has launched special edition units with red panels. These official converters are only available in China, specifically through the company’s official distributor, Digital Media Technology (DMT). “We are taking this action because we want audio professionals in China to have a quick and easy way of recognising legitimate products

THAILAND

d&b audiotechnik has announced a partnership with Bangkok’s Mahidol University College of Music. The collaboration marks d&b audiotechnik APAC’s inaugural collaboration with a non-Singapore educational institution in Southeast Asia. In early 2023, Sarawut Sonamit of Maple Integration specified a d&b audiotechnik sound system for the college’s Black Box theatre. Vichai Trading, a local d&b audiotechnik partner, was responsible for the installation of d&b T10 loudspeakers, Y-SUB subwoofers and 30D amplifiers. The results and d&b audiotechnik’s commitment to training and education led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a specific focus on enhancing student-centred audio education.

This new MOU paves the way for d&b audiotechnik-designed courses, certification programmes and “train the trainer” initiatives, with an emphasis on system design optimisation and software enhancements. It also opens up opportunities for students and instructors to immerse themselves in d&b innovations such as ArrayCalc, NoizCalc and Soundscape. Narong Prangcharoen, dean of Mahidol University College of Music, said: “We aim to enhance education quality in audio technology and sound engineering through this partnership and, via workshops and courses, equip students with the knowledge to be more competitive.” www.dbaudio.com www.music.mahidol.ac.th

Clement Choi, managing director of DMT, said: “Prism Sound is making every effort to stop the counterfeiters and we are giving them our full support. These attractive and highly distinctive Callia and Lyra 2 units are immediately recognisable as the real deal, and we urge Chinese customers who want to own a Prism Sound converter to come directly to us and avoid making a costly mistake.”

Prism Sound’s special edition of Lyra 2 so they can avoid being fooled by inferior fake ones,” said Prism Sound’s CEO James Woodburn. “It was hugely disappointing to find counterfeit Lyra audio interfaces on sale in the Far East and we are determined to stamp out this illegal trade – not just because it is very damaging for our brand and reputation, but also because it is unfair on our loyal customer base.”

With DMT, the manufacturer has established a customer feedback channel, so that anyone who has concerns about the authenticity of a Prism Sound product can email prismsound@dmtpro.com for guidance. www.dmtpro.com www.prismsound.com

Hardia Sound and Lights caters to large event demand INDIA

Hardia Sound and Lights, an AV equipment rental company based in Indore, has catered to the growing market of large events by investing in an Adamson E15 largeformat line array comprising 18 E15 speakers, 12 E219 dual 19-inch subwoofers and 12 S10 compact line array speakers, all powered by Lab Gruppen PLM 20K44 amplifiers. Mahesh Hardia, director at Hardia Sound and Lights, said that he chose the Adamson system as it is a “versatile and powerful line array system”. He continued: “We look forward to providing our artists and

audiences with state-of-the-art technology from Adamson.” Karan Nagpal from Stagemix, an authorised distributor for Adamson Systems in India, said: “One of the things that makes the E15 so popular is its sound quality and high SPL levels. The speaker produces a very clear and natural sound, with excellent bass response and smooth highs. We are happy to welcome Hardia Sound into the fast-growing family of E15 users in India.” www.adamsonsystems.com www.stagemix.com

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INTEGRATION TECHNOLOGY FOR EVERY SPACE

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At Integrated Systems Europe, we’ll be presenting our growing installation portfolio from our LD Systems audio and Cameo lighting brands. Highlights include our new TICA® (Tools for Integrating Commerical Audio) range of compact audio installation products and enhanced architectural lighting range.

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NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

H w

Group Technologies covers productions with Sound Devices AUSTRALIA

Group Technologies Australasia has been appointed the exclusive Australian distributor of professional production audio equipment manufacturer, Sound Devices. Sound Devices, probably best known for its range of location mixer-recorders and highend wireless systems, has been designing equipment for film, television and broadcast for over 20 years. The manufacturer has

recieved multiple Technical Achievement Awards from the Cinema Audio Society (CAS) and gained recognition from the Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) and many other industry organisations. “In keeping with Group Technologies’ focus on brands that deliver the highest quality of audio across their respective markets, we are very excited to partner with Sound Devices.

We look forward to representing a brand with a rich legacy in digital wireless development, and one which has made such a significant contribution to the world of location recording and broadcast,” said Anthony Touma, general manager, Group Technologies. “We are thrilled to bring Group Technologies on as our distributor for Australia and New Zealand. The company has a strong

Pink Noise Professionals becomes beyerdynamic distributor INDIA

beyerdynamic has introduced Pink Noise Professionals as its new representative, distributor and service centre in India. Following the decision to close the local subsidiary, beyerdynamic India, Pink Noise Professionals will step in as the official distributor of beyerdynamic products in the Indian market.

Pink Noise Professionals has carved a niche for itself in the audio industry, collaborating with globally recognised brands including Apogee and EAW. Expertise extends to distributing professional audio equipment across various sectors, including live sound, studio production, MI retail, broadcast, the public sector and hospitality.

Andreas Rapp, MD of beyerdynamic, said: “We are excited to work with Pink Noise Professionals and its extensive dealer network across the country. Pink Noise Professionals will continue to enhance beyerdynamic’s brand recognition and provide its top-quality products to both our existing and new customers in India.”

reputation in our industry for product knowledge and customer support, just like we do at Sound Devices. I look forward to working closely with their team,” said Vojtech Pokorny, vice president of sales, Sound Devices. www.grouptechnologies.com.au www.sounddevices.com

Vikram Yadav, co-founder and director of Pink Noise Professionals, added: “We take immense pride in representing beyerdynamic in India. beyerdynamic seamlessly complements our existing brands by offering high-class headphones and microphones that cater to a diverse range of applications. The entire team at Pink Noise is thrilled to collaborate with beyerdynamic, a brand known for its esteemed reputation and quality within the audio industry.” www.europe.beyerdynamic.com www.pinknoisepro.com

Sennheiser signs partnership with A&L

Clear-Com spreads its wings in Indonesia

Sennheiser has selected Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L) as its exclusive distributor for its business communication solutions in Malaysia. Sennheiser and A&L organised a collaborative industry event at Renaissance Hotel Kuala Lumpur, to formally announce

Clear-Com has announced that it has appointed Inti Megah Swara (IMS) as an Authorised Partner for the Indonesian region. The two companies are said to share a deep commitment to ensuring customers have access to the highest-quality solutions for their myriad needs. “We believe that Clear-Com is an agile brand within the communication industry and is often used in the broadcast industry. We have a strong vision of the market opportunity in Indonesia for high-quality communication devices,” said James Eric Pribadi, director of IMS. Established in 2000, Jakarta-based IMS provides technology for applications ranging from corporate and private facilities, restaurants, concerts, events production and houses of worship.

MALAYSIA

the strategic partnership and to introduce TeamConnect Family Solutions to dealers, systems integrators and end users. This event, titled “Sennheiser TeamConnect Family Solutions – Optimise Your Learning and Working Environments”, was attended by more than 130 industry professionals and featured product presentations and a Q&A, as well as live demonstrations of solutions by Sennheiser and its alliance partners: Lenovo, Lumens and Xilica. “We are thrilled to announce this partnership with A&L as our exclusive distributor for business communication

solutions in Malaysia. We believe that A&L’s extensive network and expertise operating in the market will greatly benefit us, and we look forward to working closely with them to better serve our customers in Malaysia,” said John Oh, sales director of business communication for Sennheiser Southeast Asia.

INDONESIA

“We’ve been searching for a new partner in Indonesia, and IMS was also looking for new products,” explained Clear-Com regional sales manager, Hans Chia. “Indonesia is a growing market with huge potential, and I believe working together we will be able to expand Clear-Com’s business in Indonesia.” “We have been cooperating with our dealers for more than 20 years to expand our business throughout Indonesia,” Pribadi explained. “We also manage our own retail distribution chain and service centres in many regions around Indonesia and plan to build more and more. So, we can guarantee that our customers will get the best service regarding all our products, including Clear-Com.” www.clearcom.com www.imsindo.co.id

“This event is a huge success which marks a great start to our partnership with Sennheiser. We pride ourselves as a leading distributor of premium AV technology, so this partnership with Sennheiser, a premium audio brand, is ideal for us. We are committed to working closely with Sennheiser to bring their products to more customers in Malaysia,” said Michelle Yeo, director of business development, Acoustic & Lighting. www.acousticlighting.com www.en-sg.sennheiser.com

L–R: Hans Chia and James Eric Pribadi

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NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

Holoplot moves into Asia with Starnetworks

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The Starnetworks and Holoplot team KOREA

Starnetworks group has become the official distributor of Holoplot Matrix Array systems in South Korea, marking Holoplot’s first move into the Asian live entertainment market. Over the last decade, Starnetworks has delivered solutions across a range of projects, including concerts, musicals and festivals, as well as national and corporate events, crafting soundscapes for varied audiences. “Our philosophy is to look at sound as both an art and a science,” said Su Keun O, CEO at Starnetworks. “This philosophy aligns perfectly

with Holoplot technology, which is science-based, software-driven and hardware-enabled, offering unparalleled sound experiences through sound control.” The Starnetworks team had its first opportunity to experience Holoplot’s X1 Matrix Array in action at the ISE Show in Barcelona. “We were fascinated by how Holoplot could visualise sound dispersion and control the sound with such precision and the creative potential of this. Since then, we’ve discovered many more benefits of the technology with X1 and the new X2 covering all

DHD audio appoints Danmon Asia

bases in terms of application type. Utilised as a stereo system, it completely removes hot spots and unwanted reflections, allowing us to achieve very high-quality, enjoyable sound.” Following Lightroom London, the Holoplot X1 debuted in South Korea at the Seoul Lightroom recently. Lightroom Korea is currently hosting the art exhibition, David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away). “We are thrilled to partner with Starnetworks and bring the power of Holoplot audio technology to the Asian market,” said Ryan Penny, head of sales at Holoplot. “As a manufacturer offering a completely new technology, we’re partnering with companies that see the difference in our systems and are willing to take a step towards the future. Starnetworks has already built a great reputation, South Korea is a market that is both forward thinking and is seeing growth in immersive experiences and we see this as a relationship that will extend that further.” “Our team is currently involved in projects with challenging acoustic environments and a need for high-quality immersive capabilities. We look forward to working with the state-of-the-art technology that Holoplot offers and can’t wait to explore all the creative possibilities it can bring to our clients in South Korea,” he concluded.

VIETNAM

DHD audio has announced the appointment of Danmon Asia as its exclusive distributor for Vietnam. “DHD has a global reputation for ease of operation, high signal quality and robust build,” said Bjarne Pedersen, general director of Danmon Asia. “The modular structure of its products is particularly appreciated by systems integrators, especially those migrating from analogue and SDI-based infrastructure to IP networking.” “Danmon Asia is a very welcome addition to our distribution network and one which we are confident will be appreciated by existing and potential customers in Vietnam,” added Christian Settele, international sales manager at DHD. “We look forward to working with Bjarne and his colleagues, providing any required consoles and processors as well as firmware upgrades and online technical or operational assistance whenever needed.” www.danmonasia.com

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NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Meyer Sound appoints Melissa Garcia as CFO WORLD

• ALEX OANA • GLOBAL SALES MANAGER APOGEE ELECTRONICS

• CLAUS GÄRTNER • CFO LAWO

Melissa Galicia has been selected as chief financial officer for Meyer Sound. Galicia is now responsible for all financial and accounting activities, including budgeting, financial reporting, risk management and regulatory controls. She has plenty of experience in finance and accounting positions, most recently as CFO of Anova Applied Electronics. Meyer Sound executive vice president, Helen Meyer, said: “Melissa is charged with continuing the efficient and robust financial operations of the company.” James Bolton has also joined as director of logistics, while Michael Heard has been chosen as director of procurement. “Our three hires are new to the professional audio industry, but they certainly are not new to their fields of professional expertise,” noted Meyer. “Once again we are exceptionally

pleased that in today’s highly competitive employment market, we are able to attract such talented and highly skilled people to join our team at Meyer Sound.”

Group Technologies goes with Harrison AUSTRALIA

With Group Technologies’ production and integration departments steadily on the rise, the company has continued to broaden its retail division by welcoming Lance Harrison as its new retail brands manager. Harrison brings with him experience across audio retail, coupled with a deep understanding of music technology distribution. “My previous experience as a store manager in retail, and later as head of sales and marketing in music technology distribution, has prepared me perfectly for this role. I cannot wait to get started and connect with like-minded people and businesses in this exciting industry,” explained Harrison. “With GT’s retail arm rapidly expanding, we are nothing short of delighted to bring Lance into the fold. As a consummate professional in every respect, we look forward to supporting him

in leading the team, while continuing to develop commercial partnerships for the best brands in this market segment,” said Anthony Touma, general manager, Group Technologies. www.grouptechnologies.com.au

www.meyersound.com

Leo Tanzil joins KV2 Audio APAC

• ANDY RAYNER • CTO APPEAR

Leo Tanzil has been selected as technical support director and product specialist for KV2 Audio, specifically for the APAC region. With over two decades of experience in pro audio, both as head of engineering for Kairos Multi Jaya and most recently as an independent audio consultant, Tanzil is said to be an important addition to the team. George Krampera Jr, CEO, said: “His technical expertise coupled with his passion for high-fidelity sound make him an ideal choice for the role. As technical support director and product specialist, Leo will

be supporting specifiers and integrators in system design and commissioning, in addition to running training courses and providing technical support where it’s needed.” Tanzil added: “I hope that my experience across a wide range of applications, from houses of worship to hospitality and the performing arts, will help build KV2’s business across the APAC region, all the while enabling me to pursue my goals of continued learning and perfect sound.” www.kv2audio.com

• MARCO KRAAK • GM

• XAVIER MARLÉ • REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR, SOUTHEAST ASIA AND ANZ

• LOTTA SCHIEFER • DIRECTOR OF SALES

• JOANNA MUGGERIDGE • DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

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NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Clear-Com hires Low APAC

Dennis Low has been appointed to join Clear-Com’s Singapore-based team as a technical support associate for the APAC region. Over the previous two decades, Low has served in a variety of roles in the audio industry, as a sales engineer/technical support for SMX Electronics, a HOW AV technician at St Andrew’s Cathedral and the Full Gospel Assembly in Singapore. “Having taken on the role of AV department head and leading teams of volunteers in my previous positions, I believe in empowering people with the right skillsets, so they do not feel overwhelmed by the technicalities of a product. That allows them

Fairbairn to the forefront AUSTRALIA

to focus on what’s important,” Low said.

Luke Fairbairn has been appointed account manager at Forefront Productions, based in Newcastle, Australia. He has experience in the live production industry as well as the house of worship sector. Fairbairn previously worked as the creative technologies operation manager for Hillsong Australia, overseeing the weekly production operations and team development for the church’s 28 Australian locations. During his time with Hillsong, Fairbairn played a vital leadership role

in facilitating some of Australia’s largest church gatherings. www.ffp.com.au

www.clearcom.com

• ADAM SHULMAN • DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

• RAPHAEL KIESEL • SENIOR VP OF LIGHTING

• GLENN ROOP • KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER AND CONSULT LIAISON

• ADAM CALLAWAY • GLOBAL LEAD, VIRTUAL PRODUCTION AND BROADCAST

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NEWS: SPECIAL REPORT

Getting to know June Ko

June Ko (centre) at InfoComm Mumbai

Having taken over from a now-retired Richard Tan as executive director of InfoCommAsia, June Ko talks to Caroline Moss about how she plans to shake up the tradeshow scene in her territories Can you give us some background about your career to date, and what brought you into the world of AV? My dedication to creating events that connect industries and people with meaningful memories has been a driving force in my career. Throughout a career of more than 20 years I’ve held various management roles in different countries and industry sectors. I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of creativity and strategy, and this passion led me to become a creative collaborator and event strategist. My decision to join InfoCommAsia was fuelled by the exciting opportunity to further expand the international presence of the InfoCommAsia series of tradeshows in the dynamic Asia Pacific region. Having served as the executive director and vice president of IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) Asia Pacific Operations, I garnered invaluable experience promoting business interests and navigating cultural nuances across diverse markets. This experience positions me well to leverage my international expertise – spanning North America, Europe and Asia Pacific – in fostering the growth and success of InfoCommAsia.

You’ve mentioned that you came from a parallel industry – what similarities have you noticed with the AV market and what were your first impressions of your new industry? I’ve observed striking parallels between the attractions industry and the professional AV industry. Both thrive on innovation, customer experience and the constant pursuit of cutting-

of our strategy. By aligning the InfoCommAsia tradeshows with the economic growth and technological needs of each region, we aim to not only showcase the best of pro AV technology but also contribute to the growth and development of the pro AV markets in the region.

How are you planning any major new features for the shows?

edge solutions. My first impressions of the pro AV industry were characterised by its vibrancy, creativity and collaborative spirit among professionals. It’s a space where technology is not just a tool but a transformative force, and that excites me.

A large part of your new role will be the InfoCommAsia tradeshows in Beijing, Bangkok and Mumbai. What are your plans for the shows going forward and how do they differ in each location? Each show destination offers its unique set of opportunities and, based on its growth trajectory, the shows will highlight solutions and curated knowledge content aimed at addressing the distinct economic, technological and cultural characteristics of the region. Curating content and fostering strong partnerships with local and regional industry leaders, associations and government bodies will be a cornerstone

The team is dedicated to injecting excitement and constant improvement into the expo, ensuring that each visit is not just an event but an experience worth revisiting every year. We are actively engaged with key industry leaders and experts who will play crucial roles in our advisory committees, contributing their valuable insights to help shape the development of our programme and offerings. We are also looking into opportunities to develop technical tours in India. The AV Technical Tours have been a huge hit with our visitors at InfoCommAsia in Bangkok, as they offer end users a rare chance to go behind the scenes and witness pro AV applications and technology in a real-life setting, and to engage with experts directly, fostering knowledge exchange and networking.

How are you aiming to increase international attendance of the Asian shows? This is one of our key objectives to enhance the global footprint of our shows. It involves outreach to global industry players and collaborating with international partners. By creating a compelling narrative that highlights the unique offerings of each show and fostering a global community, we aim to attract a diverse and influential audience from around the world.

The issue of sustainability definitely needs to be applied to the tradeshow landscape. How can InfoCommAsia work together with the industry to make tradeshows more sustainable? InfoCommAsia is committed to being part of the global events and expo industry in maintaining good, sustainable practices. To do so, we work closely with respective partners, vendors and venues to ensure they also measure up to sustainable practices. It’s important that the ecosystem of our business partners care for the industry, and our focus in the upcoming years will be to work towards a few sustainable practices, namely: gender equality, decent work and economic growth and reduced inequalities.

When you’re not working, what do you like to spend your free time doing? My favourite free time would be spent resting at home and making a meal for loved ones and friends. I have roles that take me to many places in the world with very busy schedules, and enjoying the close bond over a good meal and good wine always warms my heart. No matter if it is establishing an expo for many to gather or making a meal for a few close friends to be together, I always enjoy bringing people together to make memories for a lifetime. I hope that through work and through life, I will continue to have the opportunity to create these memories for others. www.infocomm-asia.com

16 PRO AVL ASIA January–February 2024

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www.DiGiCo.biz

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NEWS: POWERING DOWN

Isabelle Wear

Camaraderie and a clear head Global AV recruitment company Interfacio’s Isabelle Wear sits down with Libby Stonell to discuss her love for hockey that has led to great bonds as well as balance to her working life What does a typical 9–5 day look like for you as a director at Interfacio? Busy, energetic and packed! A typical day normally includes a lot of exchanges between clients and candidates, phone calls, following up, chasing, organising, nurturing. Listening is key in my role as I’m the soundboard that both clients and candidates look to for reassurance. We take the time to understand their background and align a candidate with a client so both their needs are met. It’s not just a case of talking about knowledge, skills and expertise, but also speaking about soft skills, values and goals.

How did you get into hockey? In 2017, I lost my mum, so was not in a great place. At the beginning of 2018, I felt something needed to change and I thought that a team sport would help. Working remotely, doing yoga and running all felt slightly too singular with not enough interaction. Along with my husband and son, I brainstormed and narrowed my options down to netball, rowing and hockey. Netball didn’t massively appeal to me, and the idea of being on the river during wintertime was a no-no! However, I enjoyed running, so gave hockey a go and never looked back.

Where does your love of hockey stem from? Pure luck! I’d never played before – it isn’t a common sport in France where I grew up. There is a camaraderie in the team, along with fun, support and competitiveness that gives you a high.

Do you compete or is it purely for fun? Both. I play for the Old Cranleighan Hockey Club in Thames Ditton in West London and train and play with one of the ladies’ teams in the league.

How does being part of a team with that associated sense of community make a difference to you? It makes a huge difference. We are a lovely bunch of competitive ladies that support and encourage each other. We like to have a laugh even in defeat. Over the years, we’ve built something pretty solid, both on and off the pitch. We all go through challenging times, but I know I can trust and tap into them when necessary.

How do you find the time to fit hockey in around your work life? I train every Monday evening and take part in a match over the weekend – sometimes even twice. Whether it’s raining or snowing, you can play hockey – unless the pitch is frozen! Even on those cold nights when you could easily get comfortable on the sofa, I go to hockey and always finish feeling reenergised.

What is the most memorable moment you’ve had so far? When I was a goalie – I’d never done this before but I got a clean sheet! This wouldn’t have been possible without the help of my team, covering those angles where I had no knowledge as a goalie. It was an epic moment.

What is it specifically about hockey that is so beneficial to you? Fitness, competition, camaraderie, my free time and space and having a clear head. It makes me so happy. I don’t think about anything else while I’m playing – all I can do is focus on the ball and where to pass it, how to defend the goal and who to tackle.

Why do you think it’s so valuable to have a hobby outside of work? It’s all about balance and it is tricky to manage everything – with parenting, working and playing hockey – but having an interest for me is really important. It is something I look forward to every week. It is a commitment, and you can’t let your team down but, above all, it’s fun. Over the years, I have formed very strong bonds with my team, and we have each other’s backs, which is priceless.

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NEWS: SPECIAL REPORT

Embracing difference

In hi or att out no play s 4 Wid for ne attend possi Emma from L music

Mikey Shaffer, consultant liaison at Listen Technologies, suggests steps that concert venues can take to be more inclusive of neurodivergent people

WITH THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVING SEEN A RISE IN diagnoses of various neurodiverse conditions like ADHD and autism, there has also been a growing demand for earplugs and other devices that cater for their needs, as well as those generally triggered by background noise and sound pollution. Do these two trends directly correlate? Mikey Shaffer, consultant liaison at Listen Technologies, thinks the need for such products could be down to a few factors, such as increased comfort with using technology and wearing headphones and earbuds in public spaces, coupled with time spent at home during the pandemic, in which users might have grown used to a less chaotic, quieter way of life. Shaffer explains: “I think we have an improved understanding and acceptance of our differences and people have learned to better advocate for accommodations that allow them to experience life in a way that meets their needs. Listen Technologies’ products can be used in some cases to cut through distracting background noise to deliver content at the appropriate level for the individual. This is also true of different learning styles and needs – in the case of someone with Auditory Processing Disorder, for example, background noise may cause distraction and confusion. Students given the option of using an assistive listening device can have educational content delivered directly to their ear.”

Mikey Shaffer

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NEWS: SPECIAL REPORT In highly stimulating sensory environments, such as concerts or attractions, headphones or earbuds can be helpful to block out noise that is overwhelming or triggering to individuals, or to play soothing sounds and music that help them relax and cope. 4 Wide, an Australian cover band, hosted a free “silent” concert for neurodivergent individuals, who may not have felt comfortable attending a traditional rock concert due to noise, crowds and possible overstimulation. The band chose an accessible venue, Emmanuel College Warrnambool, as well as Listen Everywhere from Listen Technologies, so that individuals could adjust the music experience according to their comfort level.

4 Wide’s concert At the concert, live audio was broadcast directly to audience members’ headphones via their smartphones. The band had iPads to loan to attendees who did not have a smart device. Concertgoers could choose from two audio channels through the Listen Everywhere app. One channel broadcasted the concert while the other played meditation music, so attendees could tune into more calming audio if required. 4 Wide also provided a quiet and dim respite room for attendees who needed a break. Fifty people, including children, were estimated to have attended. Shaffer adds: “One woman in her 50s drove four hours from Melbourne because she had never been able to participate in a rock concert before.”

Shaffer says that in some cases, diagnosed neurodivergence is considered a disability, with several laws put in place notably across the USA, United Kingdom and Australia, in particular, to protect those that may suffer discrimination. She adds: “It’s important that venues understand and meet compliance requirements. This will ensure they provide positive guest experiences and foster inclusive environments where all guests, including individuals who are neurodivergent, feel welcomed, supported and respected.” So, how can concert venues, as well as venues in general, easily accommodate the needs of those that are neurodivergent? “Venues can train staff to recognise and respond to guests’ needs and host events specifically for neurodivergent individuals, just like 4 Wide did with their concert,” Shaffer suggests. Venues can host specific shows and performance dates when audio is played at a lower volume, visuals such as strobe lights or pyrotechnics aren’t used, seating capacity is reduced and guests are given access to open, quiet areas if they feel they need it. “Organisers should promote these offerings clearly online and onsite. Another way venues can support guests is by sharing information about the space and/or performance on their website, so that guests know what to expect before they attend,” adds Shaffer. When thinking about the future of assistive listening, Shaffer says that while Listen Technologies caters primarily to the hard of hearing community, the company is keen to continue learning and developing solutions that improve the experiences of those with neurodivergence, as well as other disabilities. “I believe we all benefit from including other perspectives and one way we can do that as a community is to provide reasonable accommodations so that we can all participate and contribute equally.” www.listentech.com

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NEWS: VIEW FROM DOWN UNDER

L–R: Micah Johnson, Entertech director Kate Kelly and senior AV engineer Richard Hulston

Pushing the first domino Micah Johnson discusses Entertech’s efforts in fostering the next generation of theatre engineers through education and exposure to new technologies

Micah Johnson INCEPTED IN 1979, STUDIO ENTERTECH has undergone a lot of changes over four decades, but one thing remains the same – a love for theatre at its core. From performing arts centres to stadiums to local community theatres, Entertech, made up of experts from a performing arts background, collaborates with venue operators, architects and builders to design spaces that bring people together. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility, and Entertech isn’t afraid to tackle challenges that the industry faces. As well as a dedication to creating inclusive, safe, accessible, efficient spaces for those on both sides of the curtain, managing director and theatre consultant Micah Johnson and the Entertech team are on a mission to foster the next generation of technicians. Entertech has supported the Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres (VAPAC) in forming the VAPAC Industry Development Initiative, with the

aim of bringing together a taskforce from venues, events and consulting to support new structures that will help attract and retain talented individuals old and new. Johnson notes his plans for the VAPAC initiative for the near future: “We’ve conducted some roundtables, bringing industry people together to talk about these issues, and have plans to create individual programmes for training, apprenticeships and partnerships with government bodies.” Entertech also works closely with the education sector, designing venues in schools and universities as professional spaces, consciously crafted to host training to further build the industry skills base. When visiting local schools today, Johnson sees familiar roadblocks that he and his peers encountered as young technicians: “When talking with students, a lot of them are unclear on the career path they should be taking. In particular, teachers are saying ‘we can get a kid interested in being a

technician to this point or grade here, and there’s a gap and they just disappear and don’t come back’.” Johnson asserts this can be helped by giving students access to the same technologies that are appearing in leading professional venues – immersive audio in its various forms included. Schools – as well as community venues – are now installing 3D object-based audio and active acoustic systems, giving young people the opportunity to experiment with the next generation of live audio tools. “We’ve put these systems into some universities as well as large commercial theatres, and staff from more forward-looking schools and centres will often hear about the work we’ve done on the grapevine and will have the resources to implement them really quickly, which is fantastic.” But what about educational and community spaces where a big budget isn’t something afforded to them? Johnson insists there’s ways round it without compromising opportunities: “There’s still that pool of innovative technical artists who are willing to experiment and see what they can do with fewer resources. Also, there are commercial systems coming out that are bridging that gap – systems that provide a more flexible speaker matrix, for example, so you don’t need to go and buy the whole system like you do with certain bigger brands. A lot of these venues use Dante or something similar, so that the speakers can be moved around, you can add and remove channels, or you can change how they interact. These products are encouraging innovative artists to be able to ramp up towards the high end of the technology and user-friendly interfaces so

that they can achieve a lot more, regardless of resources.” It’s early days for the VAPAC initiative, but Johnson sees no reason why it can’t grow into its very own beast in time, saying: “We’re a small company so, realistically, we can’t support this whole thing on an ongoing basis by ourselves but, in 10 years, whether we’re still involved in it directly or not, I’d like to see a structure that’s still making sure that the industry is healthy for our technicians and that they’re bringing them in nicely. “And for now, the initiative is set up with VAPAC meaning its scope is specific to Victoria, but I don’t think it’s something that can be boxed in as these issues are happening everywhere. My goal with this scheme is to push the first domino, if you like, and then be able to look back and say ‘hey, it’s lit a fire and it is starting itself’ – it’s setting up new initiatives and systems that are making it easier and more attractive for technicians to come into the industry and, more importantly, stay in it.” Johnson explains that Entertech’s drive derives from a love for local enterprises and a love for the industry, which he feels separates his company from large international theatre consultancy firms. “There’s something about giving back to our local community here – that’s why we do it. And I believe that’s the case for a lot of people in theatre, no one’s really in it for the money. You’re in it because you love what it is. We’re not a big engineering company that’s just trying to make the dollars work. We’re in it to make the industry work now and in the future.” www.entertech.com.au

22 PRO AVL ASIA January–February 2024

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NEWS: IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Kids Chorus from Global Campus Day Care Centre

B2SPACE

Making noise for peace

Libby Stonell sits down with Youngsul Kim, a man driven by his quest for peace and love for music and its ability to bring people together

Youngsul Kim preparing for the concert BLACK STONE RECORDS’ YOUNGSUL Kim has been interested in music for as long as he can remember. At six years of age, he spent time with his uncle who was an audio and hi-fi enthusiast and even let him inside his critical listening room. He studied recording at the University of Southern California and later joined the Republic of Korea Navy as a recording engineer for the symphonic band. In 2002, Kim opened Wormhole Mastering Studio, which would eventually become Black Stone Records, later opening another studio in Paju to the north of Seoul.

Another of Kim’s great passions is peace, and the clear message he emphasises is simple: stop war. Amid the historical and political tensions that divided a once-united Korea into two, Kim set about creating The One Concert (D-1) – a series of performances by a variety of South Korean artists, less than 10 miles from the North Korean border. “After visiting Kaesung for work purposes and seeing the struggles of North Korean people with my own eyes, I wanted to help,” he emphasises. “When we sing together, our voices will be louder and able to reach the hopeless.”

More than 100 musicians gathered for the concerts, and Kim eventually founded the non-profit organisation, Dreaming Reunification. After 150 performances, however, Covid restrictions saw the last concert on the border take place in May 2020. Dreaming Reunification went virtual in a series of YouTube videos called The Roomy Concert. Kim became aware of Incheon Global Campus (IGC), an educational city-like hub made up of campuses from different universities from around the world. With the future in the hands of the younger generation, Kim realised there was an opportunity to spread his message. “There are students from Korea, Europe and America – a really varied group. I started an internship programme where students can sing as well as work at Black Stone Records, and also become part of the taskforce for Dreaming Reunification.” For the first time, within IGC’s Grand Auditorium, the students hosted a D-1 Concert to just over 100,000 people. Being a not-for-profit organisation, a big budget isn’t something Dreaming Reunification is blessed with. Kim says: “The musicians are volunteering and the school is helping to sponsor us. The goal of this organisation is, of course, peace but, if we do make any profits or have leftover money, then we try to support

North Korean children by sending them food, musical instruments and books.” Performers included the Kids Chorus from Global Campus Day Care Centre, B2SPACE, NEMSIS, Au-Ju-Ga Band and many more. For the show, it was key that Kim used trusted equipment he could rely on. “I used AMS Neve’s 88RS and a Studer 962 console with a Soundcraft Ui24R. I patched all the desired inputs and outputs using a combination of the Studer console, recording live sound using Soundcraft’s USB multi-track recording function. I also have a Prism Sound Dream ADA-8 XR which I use as a converter, and whenever we need to record a concert and then edit and master, I choose Prism Sound, as the sound is so clean and sweet.” Kim reflects on the event: “We are deeply grateful to all the volunteers, sponsors and artists who participated and supported the D-1 Concert.” And what’s next for Dreaming Reunification? Kim says: “We will host more concerts and post the performances to YouTube, and hopefully get views and interactions, which will translate to revenue, meaning we can continue to contribute to reunifying Korea. Music is a universal language, and I believe once there is peace throughout Korea, the rest of the world will follow suit.” www.facebook.com/digioutput

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Boggabilla youth are provided a place of purpose with Nakama Arts AUSTRALIA

Creative director and owner of Winangali Infusion, Buddy Hippi, came up with a plan at the beginning of 2023 to transform an empty shipping container into a self-contained music studio. This would serve as an extension of the cultural education and healing services he provides for the youth of Boggabilla. Hippi spent his teenage years in Boggabilla and has a vision for the youth of the town, particularly the First Nations youth. “We heard about the great work Winangali Infusion was doing via our mutual friend Sydney rapper and Gomeroi man Kobie Dee,” said Chris Hamer-Smith, head of Nakama Arts. “Buddy needed some assistance to develop a music programme that shares the basics of songwriting, music production and rap, similar to the Art of Rap programme that we have undertaken with Kobie’s assistance in Bourke NSW.” The brief matched Nakama Arts’ charter perfectly. Wholly owned and funded by TAG, Nakama Arts exists to “assist artists who otherwise might not have the opportunity”. The request to Nakama Arts was to fund the purchase and renovation of the container and provide the necessary studio equipment including midi keyboards, an Allen & Heath mixer, QSC speakers, Audio-Technica headphones and microphones, computers and cabling, as well as aircon. In the far north of inland New South Wales, Boggabilla has a population of around 1,000 people with over 50% identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders, and

like many other remote towns in Australia, bears the weight of isolation and absence of most urban amenities. Four years ago, TAG Cares offered support in Boggabilla by supplying and installing an audio system in the community centre, in which they became aware of the town’s needs and lack of services and activities catering for the youth. This, in turn, meant that they were bored and often turned to destructive behaviours, leading to high crime rates in Boggabilla. Hippi, a Gomeroi Songman, embodies cultural heritages to pass down songs to the next generation. “We work to actively collaborate and increase awareness and education so we can live alongside a system

that is accountable and inclusive. Our mission is to use these ‘edu-cultural’ healing practices to enable self-empowerment and growth.” With Hippi and Dee both coming from similar communities, there was a clear understanding between them of how the music programme would meet the needs of the youth, not just as a physical space but a place of purpose, offering the youth a canvas to express, learn and grow through

art, music, song, dance and language. Its convenient location means children can walk to the studio after school, and it has already become a vibrant hub for the younger ones to have fun and introduce themselves to the new music equipment. In addition, a group of teens have also discovered the studio. The space has become a creative haven for them and given them a sense of belonging, especially after graduating school. “The lads have said that music is now a part of their future and they’re set on what they want to do,” said Hippi. “Having contributed to their journeys, we have a compelling responsibility to support and assist them for as long and as far as their talent and passion takes them. Some of them are at a fork in the road and making hard choices between very different pathways. We need to guide them in a positive direction. That’s really what this is all about, then it’s up to them.” “There’s no shortage of skills, passion and capability amongst this community,” said Hamer-Smith. “Buddy and his team are incredibly positive and talented and their commitment to the next generation as role models, mentors and guides is truly humbling. To have played a small part in helping this vision become a reality is a huge privilege for us.” www.tag.com.au

Miyagi Television Broadcasting selects Riedel JAPAN

A popular broadcaster in the Tohoku area in Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture, Miyagi Television Broadcasting has selected Riedel products to create a communications ecosystem. The manufacturer’s Artist and Bolero systems are said to have provided a balance of functionality, performance and cost required by the broadcasting giant, as well as ease of use and simple maintenance.

“While it’s different from conventional systems in some respects, Riedel’s innovative intercom concept has been enthusiastically embraced by our team and has consistently delivered stable performance since its implementation,” said Hino Takazumi, technology promotion department, general affairs bureau, Miyagi Television Broadcasting. “We are glad we made this decision and excited about the

Hino Takazumi

Miyagi Television Broadcasting

future possibilities it opens up for us. As we look ahead, we are confident that Riedel will continue to be our trusted partner.” Along with an Artist-1024 node and an RSP-1232HL SmartPanel, the broadcaster’s new communications ecosystem includes 15 RSP-1216HL SmartPanels, four Bolero active antennas and 10 Bolero six-key wireless intercom beltpacks. Though Miyagi Television Broadcasting originally intended

to perform a simple update to its production sub-intercom, the broadcaster discovered that the antennas could be positioned to serve as a sub-intercom for the entire programme, including news sub-intercoms. With beltpacks distributed throughout office spaces and studios, the broadcaster also uses the Riedel system for various mission-critical functions, including communication between subs and studio staff, PGM exchanges, studio commentaries and inter-room communication. The broadcaster is said to have benefitted from its ability to assign 16 buttons to a single talk panel, adjust headset amplifier levels for specific terminals and use the Director application to visualise the workflow and manage equipment loans for its key stations. “Miyagi Television Broadcasting’s integration of our intercom systems perfectly demonstrates how Artist and Bolero bring flexibility, unwavering performance and improved cost efficiency to modern production environments,” said Vincent Lambert, general manager, Japan and South Korea at Riedel Communications. “We are delighted to witness their enthusiastic adoption of our communications solutions, and we look forward to the future possibilities this relationship will unlock.” www.riedel.net

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Amazon State mission leads to Quest

AUSTRALIA

Since opening in mid-2023, a fusion of culinary and auditory experiences has swiftly catapulted Amazon State into becoming what is said to be one of Melbourne’s most coveted dining destinations. Located within one of the suburb’s landmark buildings, the multilevel venue in Hawthorn encompasses individual restaurant and bar spaces characterised with distinct aesthetics. The four levels consist of a champagne and oyster bar, an all-weather covered balcony and an intimate nightclub space perched above its al fresco upper level. Amazon State set off on a mission to provide a full-range zoned audio solution that would reflect both the versatility and character of each venue, selecting Quest Engineering’s loudspeakers and amplifiers and NST Audio’s processors. In addition to being co-owner of Amazon State, Elias Chahoud is also the general manager of IT company Dolphin Solutions. Chahoud was appointed to design a budget-friendly solution that would fulfil the restaurant’s mixed uses and deliver premium audio to each space, without spilling into the next. According to Chahoud, the vision for Amazon State was to “enhance” rather than “overshadow” the dining experience, including customised technology that could be easily managed during private bookings, corporate functions, live music and DJ events. “The client highlighted the significance of sound in the overall presentation of the venue. With different areas designated for eating, drinking and dancing, it was essential to have the capability of feeding background tracks, jazz performers and DJs to each diverse space separately without interference.

Ease of volume and zone control was paramount to ensure there would be no afterhours calls from confused employees.” Acoustically treated with ceiling and wall panels, the venue’s four levels incorporate a Quest Engineering full-range system comprising 16 HPI8i two-way passive speakers augmented by four discreetly placed HPI12S compact subwoofers. Dual MX601 weatherproof enclosures serve the balcony areas and a further eight MX6C ceiling 6-inch monitors complete additional coverage for every corner. The entire speaker network is powered by seven Quest Audio QA4004 and three QX300 amplifiers.

Dual NST Audio VMX88 installation processors route the playback and live music throughout the venue, which can be easily controlled from one of the four VR1 remote panels on each level. The Dante-enabled eight-in/eight-out VMX88 matrix mixers enable the staff to select from different configurations across all the zones. Users can play any source via an iPad, with the audio signal transmitted to the NST system, and a PC can distribute sound to different levels of the venue. The combination of NST’s routing software and Quest’s loudspeaker technology led to Chahoud sharing his client’s critique: “They love everything being under complete control. Applying different sources of audio to each space using NST’s processors combined with the performance of Quest’s speakers has culminated in amazing sound. The system has been designed perfectly – despite the venue’s variable acoustics, we have tailored the audio in each room. One of the lounges has two different ceiling heights, but that was easily overcome by fine-tuning the sound from each speaker to match up.” In addition to impressing guests and staff, Chahoud reveals that the venue owners are looking to Quest for their next project: “Following the success at Amazon State, our client is set to go a step further in terms of power for their next restaurant development. The NST and Quest combination is well-priced, simple to set up, delivers fantastic sound and ultimately provides an amazing level of control that anyone can understand.” The bar is reinforced with Quest HPI8i passive enclosures

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www.amazonstate.com.au www.grouptechnologies.com

MAILA system selected for traditional music festival

KOREA

Jeonju International Sori Festival (JISF) is a South Korean festival for traditional music, based in Jeon Ju City. Sonic Value, the exclusive distributor of LD Systems in the country – was recently placed in charge of sound for the largest hall at the festival, Moak Hall, in the Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do. Sonic Value has a large inventory of Adam Hall products, having been partnered with the manufacturer since

2020. The distributor’s inventory includes brands such as LD Systems, Gravity Stands, Palmer Audio and Defender. For its first time working at JISF, Sonic Value chose an LD Systems’ MAILA setup, with the client requesting “clear sound with great coverage”. Jusung Kang, manager at Sonic Value, said: “Thanks to MAILA’s sophisticated function and outstanding sound quality, coverage and power, we could cover the hall with a very broad sweet spot.”

The opening performance was led by Han-Na Chang, Mischa Maisky alongside the DITTO Orchestra, Jeollabuk-do Gugak Center Orchestra, Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra, La Poem and Jeong Hunhee. The MAILA system was designed as a frontal immersive setup, with MAILA XXL units hung at four points on the ceiling. To cover the front seats on the first floor, a combination of MAILA SPA and MAILA SAT was utilised. Kang continued: “This is the biggest strong point of MAILA – users can combine the system according to the situation and application, ranging from a very compact configuration to a large flying line array.” The Moak Hall has three floors, so it was important to design and position the speaker system to deliver immersive sound throughout. Kang continued: “The MAILA truss mount was very effective to install the system. We saved a lot of time thanks to MAILA’s easy assembly mechanism, and we could invest more time into tuning the system.” Kang concluded: “Thankfully, there was lots of audience feedback that the system delivered a very natural sound for the orchestras’ performances. The more we use MAILA, the more confidence we

pool to so The c the o its cl essen robus weath elem and C speci of the

have in the quality. We are planning to use MAILA for many more events.” www.adamhall.com www.ld-systems.com www.sonicvalue.com

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Solid sound for clifftop Bali beach club INDONESIA

Perched on a hilltop on the southernmost tip of Bali island in Badung, White Rock Beach Club is a 3,000-capacity venue overlooking the Indian Ocean. It also features a Void Acoustics sound system throughout. The brief was to provide a brandnew system offering exceptional sonics whilst complementing the clean modern design of the beach club’s architecture. “Void’s unique speaker design and fibreglass outers were the perfect solution, addressing the desire for a distinctive look,” explained Suwandi Anggono, director of audio and AV integrator, Indoteknik. The company, who are Void’s exclusive distributor in Indonesia, completed the design, specification and integration of the system in its entirety. White Rock Beach Club is located on Melasti Beach and features a DJ booth and lawn dancefloor, cabanas, private suites, a restaurant, a pool bar accessible from the clifftop infinity

fibreglass finish able to withstand the hot sun. And with their weather protected IP55 rating, they can tolerate exposure to the salty sea air and coastal

pool and multiple seating areas to soak up the atmosphere. The club is fully exposed to the outside environment from its clifftop location, so it was essential the speakers were robust in design and fully weatherproofed to withstand the elements. Cyclone 55, Cyclone 10 and Cyclone Bass fixtures were specified for the outdoor areas of the club with their UV-resilient

wind without fear of rusting or degrading the audio output. Additional consideration was given to all speaker positions to ensure even audio coverage throughout, whilst avoiding audio overlap. “We needed to ensure that the system produced clear sound even on windy days,” said Anggono. “The venue has a long footprint, across 7,500m2, and this configuration, combined with

potential strong wind conditions on occasion, meant we had to precisely align the speakers to ensure the whole venue was covered.” Other areas of the venue feature the Indigo 6S and Indigo Sub speakers, which are said to be particularly well-suited to bar and restaurant installations, as well as beach clubs. The recently refurbished DJ booth is adorned by Venu 15 V2 – the largest of the Venu Series loudspeakers, and Stasys 218 and Stasys 118 from Void’s point source series. The entire audio deployment is supported by Void’s Bias amplifier. The club’s owner, Robin Makmur, had previously heard another Void Acoustics system elsewhere, and was inspired by the combination of “audio excellence” alongside the design aesthetic. Makmur said: “The sound quality of the speakers is crisp and beautiful, with super high-quality sounds that all our guests enjoy. There is no doubt these speakers have helped elevate the music of the international artists that perform at White Rock Beach Club.” www.voidacoustics.com

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Gunpo calls for Fohhn KOREA

Having transformed its city into a future transport hub for the Seoul metropolitan area, Gunpo’s councillors extended its upgrades a little closer to home within its Town City Hall. The second-level, multipurpose events room is used daily for public speeches including addresses by Gunpo City Mayor, Ha Eun-ho, in addition to musical performances, dinners and banquets. Over time, the furnishings together with the AV systems had deteriorated within the 250-capacity venue and an upgrade was authorised in 2022. Following a public tender, LNS Corporation was commissioned to design and supply the multipurpose audio system for the 4.5m-high hall in early 2023. A Fohhn Focus Venue pairing of L-R FV-100 and FV-200 enclosures fulfils the brief for intelligible speech and full-range audio with minimal visual impact. Providing even dispersion in real time, Fohhn Beam Steering enhances audio intelligibility in the room. Weighing approximately 250kg per hang and measuring 1,915mm x 560mm x 595mm (HxWxD), the coupled FV-100 and FV-200 Concert Sound cabinets are designed to hang without

L–R: Todd Park and Andrew Park curvature. “There is no need to angle the array mechanically,” commented LNS Corporation CEO, Andrew Park. “The technology promotes visual integration within stage design, architecture and next to large LED screens, as is the case here in the City Hall.”

The active Focus Venue modules integrate internal power amplification and DSP allowing real-time control of vertical dispersion using Fohhn Audio Soft. The vertical beam width can be adjusted between 0° and 90° and the sound inclination angle of –40° to +40° can be changed

in 0.1° increments. Comprising eight 1-inch and eight 1.4-inch compression drivers within a manifold horn-loaded Waveguide Design, the FV-100 high-frequency model of the scalable Concert Sound System Focus Venue operates within a frequency range of 800Hz–16kHz. Enhancing the full-range capabilities for live performances, a pair of compact, floor-standing Fohhn Perform PS-800 18-inch subwoofers extend the lower frequencies down to 33Hz. Powered by a single MA-2.1200 amplifier, orators and performers onstage are assisted by two XM-4 monitors for patching into several facility panels. HD video signals routed to the Roland Octa Capture 10-input switcher in the control room include a pair of newly installed Tinno MGH NDI PTZ cameras installed on the rear wall of the hall. An existing Yamaha CL5 console continues to mix the performances and a Sennheiser EM2050 wireless platform pairs with Neumann KK205 and Sennheiser e 835 and e 845 handheld transmitters. www.fohhn.co.kr

JAA.S modernises two more RTM FM stations

Xu Wei rock ‘n’ rolls with Adamson

Appointed by main contractor, Global Technological Solution (GTS), JAA Systems has successfully upgraded and modernised yet another two RTM FM radio stations in Terengganu and Pahang, nestled on the beautiful shoreline of the East Coast of the Malaysian Peninsula.

systems, as well as JK Audio’s RemoteMix 4 for mobile reporting. The addition of WinMedia’s Wincam to its visual radio system highlights RTM’s commitment to aligning with industry trends. Visual radio enables broadcasters to connect with their audiences through multimedia channels, in addition to the reach of traditional

The adoption of AoIP technology – specifically AES67 – was a crucial aspect of this upgrade. AoIP allows for more efficient and flexible audio routing, enhancing the overall quality of broadcasts. JAA Systems incorporated Calrec’s Type R digital audio consoles in various sizes across the studios, with seven mixers for RTM Terengganu FM and six for RTM Pahang FM. At the same time, a large audio router in the Master Control Room is using Calrec’s Type R Core at both stations. All the routing and control are managed by a single Calrec LSP touchpanel. RCS’s Zetta radio automation system, Yamaha mixers and Merging Technologies’ interfaces are also featured. LaON’s Genie “matrixless” digital IP intercom panels have been implemented for internal communication purposes, alongside Prodys’s Quantum2 W and Quantum ST IP audio codec

radio. Also selected was Sonifex’s AoIP Grand Master, Artel’s PTP switch and the Orban Optimod 8700i LT audio processor. “The overall combination of advanced audio equipment, automation systems, IP technology and visual elements paint a picture of a comprehensive and technologically advanced broadcasting setup at both RTM Terengganu FM and RTM Pahang FM. This integrated approach by JAA Systems is to provide a rich and immersive experience for listeners while optimising the efficiency of the broadcasting workflow. It reflects a positive stride in keeping up with technological innovation within the broadcasting industry, ensuring these RTM studios remain at the forefront of modern broadcasting,” said Ts. David Chan, director of JAA Systems.

To support the final leg of Chinese rockstar Xu Wei’s Endless Light tour, Real Music Acoustics and Lighting Technology was tasked with finding a flexible audio system design to match various-sized venues across eight Chinese cities. The distributor selected a large-scale Adamson PA design consisting of 172 speaker cabinets, first utilised for Chongqing Huaxi Culture and Sports Center. The main left and right line arrays each consisted of 18 E15 and three E12 for down fill. Main side fill used arrays of 15 E12. All of the venues were large enough to require extensive front fill. Front of house system engineer, Kaiji Liu, said: “For the front fill, we used 18 Adamson S10. These 10-inch line array cabinets are divided into six groups to cover the front area.” There were 24 more S10 available to augment the already large main array for particularly large venues. The low end was filled in with 36 E219 subwoofers in three groups for left, middle and right. M-Series

MALAYSIA

CHINA

stage monitors were used for the band and various performers that joined Wei. www.adamsonsystems.com

www.jaasys.com

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Made in Italy

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Hibino Sound equips K Arena

JAPAN

K Arena, at nine storeys high and 5,017m2, is said to be one of the world’s largest purpose-built music venues and is located on the waterfront bay of Minato Miraj within the business district of Yokohama city. To cover the arena’s fan-shaped, four-tiered, seven-level audience area, the management team sought out a speaker system that would respond to a variety of technical production briefs and deliver powerful sound to each

software”, particularly the Soundvision 3D modelling software, which “allowed us to know the impact of our sound design on each of the audience seating zones”. The proposed system design features main left-right hangs of 16 L-Acoustics K1 boxes per side over four K2 down, with 12 KS28 subwoofers flown beside each array and a single centre array of six Kara II for centre fill. Twenty further K2 per side provide out fill

Wharfedale Pro opens the Window of the World CHINA

of the 20,000 seats. The arena is equipped with sound-absorbing materials hung from the maintenance deck on the ceiling to reduce reverberation time. Further insulation materials spread around the arena aim to minimise sound leakage beyond the arena walls. Integrator Sony Marketing sought the expertise of L-Acoustics Certified Rental Agent, Hibino Sound. Hiroshi Inoue, manager of Hibino Sound’s system technology department, praised L-Acoustics for its “robust ecosystem of hardware and

to the wide fan-shaped audience area. Two delay rings send sound to the upper tiers and back rows: the first consisting of six arrays of four K2 and the second including eight arrays of four K3 each. Two left-right arrays of five Kiva II topped by two SB15m provide side fill to the balconies. Eight KS28 and 20 Kiva II are on hand as a mobile system when needed. www.hibino.co.jp

Window of the World, situated in Shenzhen, China, is home to miniature replicas of 130 of some of the world’s most famous landmarks, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the wonders of the globe in a single day. At the heart of the park is a replica of the Eiffel Tower, featuring an open stage and event area within the base of its structure. This area was the focus of a recent sound system upgrade using a Wharfedale Pro solution. “The event space is unconventional, being both outdoors and under the cover of the Eiffel Tower above,” explained Alex Lane, applications and solutions manager at Wharfedale Pro. “We worked directly with the local team to design a system that would deliver fantastic audio for large-scale events.” A Wharfedale Pro line array system was selected for this installation project.

As there is little protection from the elements under the tower, IPX6-certified models were deployed. The FOH array consists of eight WLA-312X three-way array elements per side. These are driven by Wharfedale Pro DP-N series amplifiers, controlled via a Dante network. Eight dual 18-inch WLA-218BXF subwoofers are placed under the main stage and are also powered by DP-N series amplifiers. Onstage monitoring is handled by three 15-inch WLA-15MXF waterproof floor monitors. The entire system uses the built-in DSP inside the DP-N amplifiers, including a combination of FIR filters and peak limiters. The Window of the World management team expressed their delight with the results. www.wharfedalepro.com

www.l-acoustics.com

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GETO

Pixo virtua in Asi XR Ed produ (FTV) respo in virt off-the the ne hardw purpo and o have usage workfl Built Taiwa studio GETO LED V an 8K GETO

NEWS: PROJECTS

GETOP selects Pixotope for FTV TAIWAN

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GETOP and FTV celebrate the arrival of Pixotope’s XR Edition

Pixotope has announced that GETOP, a virtual production integration services provider in Asia, has selected Pixotope Graphics – XR Edition – to power Taiwan’s first XR production facility at the Formosa Television (FTV) station in New Taipei City. Created in response to the growing use of LED volumes in virtual production, Pixotope XR Edition is an off-the-shelf software solution that removes the need for bespoke setups and proprietary hardware. The solution delivers a range of purpose-built tools that aim to simplify setup and operation. As a result, FTV is said to have benefitted from “optimised hardware usage and simplified, efficient and resilient XR workflows”. Built in collaboration with Harvatek, a Taiwanese supplier of LED volumes, the studio was planned, designed and built by GETOP, and is formally known as the Cyans LED Virtual Studio, the centrepiece of which is an 8K LED wall measuring 18.5m x 5m (WxH). GETOP’s objective for the studio is to produce

television content with a narrative style that advances television production technology and workflows into a new era. To achieve this, GETOP established specific production goals and designed plans to utilise multicamera operations and real-time XR stitching technology for set extension. With this studio, FTV now offers an array of virtual production services for various events and productions. The setup also enables them to use the LED wall to create photorealistic virtual environments that respond to the movements and settings of the camera, delivering narrative-style live television broadcasts. The studio also complies with Netflix Partner Center standards. When evaluating technology partners for the studio, GETOP and FTV prioritised decreasing production costs and increasing on-set production efficiency. “We wanted to create a completely new workflow that enabled fast and efficient real-time multi-camera television production while balancing cost and

efficiency,” said Paul Chou, general manager, GETOP. The comprehensive Pixotope platform features its own editor, eliminating the need for additional auxiliary software and complicated integrations, reducing resourceintensive setup and simplifying XR production workflow operations. Over the summer, GETOP put Pixotope to the test during an inaugural production to showcase the potential of the studio’s XR

capabilities. With XR Edition’s purpose-built tools, such as colour matching, LED wall alignment, camera switching and hardware consolidation, GETOP was able to successfully achieve real-time multi-camera set extension to create an interactive backdrop featuring the Taipei 101 tower and the cityscape beyond. “GETOP is not just elevating virtual production standards for FTV, they are also setting an example for broadcasters globally,” said Vivian Yu, marketing director, APAC and global sales enablement lead, Pixotope. “Broadcasters are now capable of creating immersive environments and narratives that were once thought to be beyond reach in live settings, transforming the viewer’s experience in the process. By embracing this innovation, GETOP is moving FTV forward, leading them and the entire industry towards the future of live broadcast.” www.getop.com www.pixotope.com

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HANDY SOLUTIONS. GREAT PERFORMANCE. January–February 2024 PRO AVL ASIA 35

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NEWS: PROJECTS

HIVE leads greener era of digital art

AUSTRALIA

Following the popularity of the inaugural BBC Earth Experience in London, the attraction recently opened a second site at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. BBC Earth Experience is an immersive exhibition that journeys through the natural world, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. For Melbourne, HIVE’s BeeBlade and BeeBox products were chosen to bring this experience to life through media playback. “We are introducing a new technological era into the industry with the BeeBlade series, and when TDC in Australia contacted HIVE for the BBC Earth Experience in Melbourne, we could not have been any more excited,” said Mark Calvert, co-founder at HIVE. “The natural world, preserving it and the beautiful documentaries of David Attenborough have inspired the entire HIVE team for many years.” Produced in collaboration with Moon Eye Productions, Live Nation and BBC Studios, the BBC Earth Experience consists of a multi-room digital art experience that guides visitors through Earth’s diverse ecosystems across seven continents. Visitors embark on a 360° AV adventure, with the experience played out across dynamic multi-angle screens, showcasing both new and existing footage from the Seven Worlds, One Planet series. BeeBlade is a compact media engine that integrates with video projectors and display technology through Intel’s Smart Display Module (SDM) slot, aiming to eliminate the need for extensive cabling and extensive power consumption. The Melbourne exhibit is equipped with 70 Panasonic projectors, with 55 creating the main immersive space – 49 of which are powered by BeeBlade. The remaining six

utilise HIVE’s BeeBox chassis, to power the remaining projectors that lack the SDM compatibility. TDC’s MD, Michael Hassett, said: “The BeeBlade and BeeBox don’t just represent technological advancements, they are harbingers of a new, greener and more efficient era in digital art installations. This transformative approach is not just a disruption in the media server space, it’s an evolutionary leap, saving time, money and the planet.” Tony Molloy, european sales manager at Panasonic Business Europe, added: “In applications such as this, having a system where you can combine the projectors and media servers together in the same location saves enormous costs from an installation and commissioning perspective.” Both BeeBlade and BeeBox stand to represent a shift in the media server market, contributing to a greener, more eco-conscious future in digital art installations. The content is delivered using HIVE’s proprietary BeeSync software. “The BBC Earth Experience is the perfect environment for our range of BeeBlade products,” concluded Calvert. “They align perfectly with the environmental narrative and, most importantly, they provide rock-solid reliable, easy-to-support playback to the production team, day in, day out. www.hive.run www.tdc.com.au

Shishi Zen Temple delivers same sound to all CHINA

The Shishi Zen Temple, located in Lujiang within China’s Anhui Province, has decided to embrace modern audio technology with a new PA system, built around Martin Audio’s active MLA Mini array, complemented by its CDD series. A major factor in selecting the MLA Mini was the ability to adapt the consistency and control of sound based on a room’s acoustics, as well as dynamics and position of its listeners. This was said to be important so that those worshipping at a distance, as well as those near the Buddha statue at the heart of the temple, could experience the same quality of music and Dharma teachings.

The sound system has been modelled and tuned so that it can cater for a variety of events, be it a grand Buddhist ceremony or an intimate concert, and is said to have elevated the quality of Buddhist music and temple rituals to a new level at the Zen Temple. www.martin-audio.com

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Jeju Arts Center hits the sweet spot with Leopard KOREA

Built in 1988, the Jeju Arts Center is the main performance venue in the city centre of Jeju Island. In addition to a smaller theatre and two exhibition halls, the grand concert hall is the main box office draw. Both local and international cultural performances including provincial dance troupes perform to audiences of up to 828 visitors. To encourage more diverse performances to the venue, a decision was taken to upgrade the existing Meyer Sound JM-1P system with an L-R-C setup together with surround speakers. Ingang Audio proposed Meyer Sound’s Leopard loudspeaker system for the multicultural venue on account of its ability to enhance speech and a wide range of music ranging from classical music to rock. Following MAPP system design tool analysis, Ingang Audio proposed L-R hangs of 12 per side Leopard cabinets balanced by a central hang of 14 M1D ultra-compact curvilinear array elements. “MAPP modelling confirmed the system’s SPL and coverage

connected to Meyer Sound’s RMS remote monitoring system.” Suspended from the top of each Leopard hang, low-frequency extension is provided by two per side 900-LFC compact low-frequency units. A further two floor-standing 650-P bass-reflex subwoofers have also been added. A Galileo Galaxy 816 eight-in/16-out digital processor was fully programmed by Ingang Audio. Stage monitoring is handled by UM-1 and MJF-210 dual 10-inch wedges. Under the leadership of CEO Jeon Daesung, systems integrator Daesung Technical System installed the entire loudspeaker components and cabling in just three days. Jeju Arts Center sound director, Oh Gwonghyun, said: “Meyer Sound technology has for many years demonstrated accuracy, power, subtlety and flexibility on a consistent basis. When hosting unique performances in the past, we were forced to rent different Meyer Sound speakers, which have always impressed. As such, we have grown to trust Meyer Sound technology.” www.ingangaudio.com

Daesung Technical System installed the Meyer Sound upgrade in three days

www.meyersound.com

requirements, and it also verified rigging load ratings,” commented Ingang audio manager, Chris Kim. “The system parameters of the Leopard and 900-LFC loudspeakers can be assessed from a PC

Toei VP Studios explores new directions JAPAN

Toei Tokyo, said to be one of Japan’s top five film giants, is renowned for its business in fields such as film, television, animation, manga and music. The end of last year saw the construction of the company’s virtual production hub – Toei VP Studios – said to be Japan’s largest to date. Due to reach full operational status in 2024, the studio features an LED wall comprising AOTO LED panels powered by Brompton Technology LED processing. With its facility spanning 640m2, Toei VP Studios has a 16-strong team, utilising 11 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors along with 24

Tessera XD 10G data distribution units. “We have chosen an LED video processor that is globally renowned for its stability,” said Junichi Higuchi, producer at Toei Tokyo. The LED wall is constructed using AOTO’s RM series, with MXH series for the ceiling, which can be raised and lowered to adapt to various lighting environments. Complemented by disguise servers, ARRI cameras and Mo-sys motion capture, the studio offers filmmakers an immersive visual experience. www.bromptontech.com

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NEWS: PROJECTS

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dbTechnologies journeys to Geraldton AUSTRALIA

The city of Geraldton is located 420km north of Perth in Australia’s Mid-West region and is recognised as the third windiest city in the world. To ensure seamless operations, Lane Place, owner and manager of 65Thirty Events and Entertainment, recognised the need for reliable audio equipment in this remote location. Place felt that the dBTechnologies VIO line array proved to be the most versatile solution, capable of handling various event types, from small corporate functions to large outdoor gatherings like the Mullawa Muster and Rodeo. In collaboration with Steve Parkins from NAS, Place configured

a setup consisting of 10 dBTechnologies L210 VIO line array elements and six S218 VIO Sub arrays, complemented by an existing pair of VIO S118 Sub arrays in 65Thirty Events’ inventory. To streamline event setup, 65Thirty Events invested in a hydraulic trailer stage with built-in flying towers, allowing for pre-rigging and cabling at its warehouse before hitting the road. The networked VIO units, equipped with onboard RDNet modules, offered valuable tools for Place and his team. The Aurora Net software provides insights into the line array’s performance, particularly useful when

dealing with challenging venue setups. dB Composer simplifies the design and configuration of the line array and assists in gathering the necessary information for

production approvals. www.65thirty.com.au www.dbtechnologies.com

Korean Broadcasting System relies on RTS KOREA

Headquartered in Yeouido, Seoul, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) is the national broadcaster of South Korea. KBS recently underwent large-scale renovations to its communications infrastructure, including an extensive installation of RTS intercom solutions to implement a 100% IP-networked connection between 12 of its broadcast locations around the country. The system utilises OMNEO IP technology for audio transmission and control. With full support for Dante, OCA, ST 2110 and AES67/70, OMNEO provides users with the interoperability and scalability to interface with thousands of other devices throughout their network. The RTS equipment list includes an ADAM full-size modular matrix at the heart of

the system, equipped with OMI OMNEO matrix interface cards. A pair of TM-10K trunkmasters serve as central nodes in the system, leveraging RTS Trunking to optimise connectivity between/via intercom matrices at the other locations, creating a single virtual working location. Seventy-seven RTS keypanels and 47 OEI-2 OMNEO external interfaces complete the of RTS hardware. Eighteen VLink virtual matrix software licenses allow remote access to the system. Hyudo Kwon of KBS and Taewan Kim of system integrator Hyundai AutoEver worked with RTS key dealer BEEx Korea and Donggyu Lee and Edward Lim of RTS on the project. www.rtsintercoms.com

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Genelec scores more OTT clients in Mumbai INDIA

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Genelec’s Indian distributor Sound Team has supplied two Dolby Atmos HE studios in the same Mumbai building with Dolby Atmos HE systems. Based in the film studio district of Andheri West, AuralMayhem has acquired a new unit adjacent to its existing premises, where owner Niraj Gera works on film sound design for OTT content as well as spatial recordings for video games. Sound Team has installed a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 system consisting of Genelec 8341A SAM studio monitors flush-mounted for the L-C-R channels with 8330As for the four overheads and four surrounds, and a 7360A SAM subwoofer. Acoustic design was carried out by Gera himself. Genelec’s proprietary GLM software was used to calibrate the system, with Sound Team also supplying a Lynx Studio Aurora audio interface to send content to each speaker individually. Gera specialised in film sound recording at the Film and Television School of India in Pune, another graduate of which can be found a few floors below at Janaki Post Sound Studio. This is the first studio for Mohandas Vellipulackil, who also handles sound design for OTT content for films, TV series and documentaries. Here, the 7.1.4 system consists of Genelec 8350A SAM studio monitors for the L-C-R channels with 8330As for the four overheads and four surrounds, and a 7370A SAM subwoofer. As at AuralMayhem, the system is a complete digital monitoring chain connected to a Lynx Studio Aurora audio interface. “I’ve been using Genelec monitors in most other studios I’ve worked at, so I knew I needed to have them,” said Vellipulackil. “Because this is actually the first time I’ve bought equipment myself, it was important I had good backup, and Sound Team has been very good at providing that.”

AuralMayhem’s Niraj Gera (far left) and his team

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NEWS: PROJECTS

DiGiCo in sync with Goyang Arts KOREA

Located to the northwest of Seoul, the Goyang cultural foundation came of age in January 2004. Conceptualised to promote culture and art, the Aram Nuri Arts Center opened in December 2006, and with it, an alliance with UK mixing console manufacturer DiGiCo was born. Boasting a magnificent 18m x 20.7m (WxD) stage, the 1,887-seat Opera House specified a D5 console for its audio mixing requirements. An upgrade in the form of an SD7 work surface was installed into the same four-level horseshoe-shaped auditorium in 2016. Goyang Cultural Foundation stage sound director Lee Dong-yong explained the rationale behind the DiGiCo upgrade: “The touring and in-house technicians mixing on the D5 enjoyed the analoguefriendly and intuitive features in terms of layout. Over the years, DiGiCo has adopted well to the digital world by maintaining an analogue style. More importantly, I felt assured that DiGiCo provided reliability with dual engine redundancy.” Some 17 years on, the 1,449-seat Aram Concert Hall recently took delivery of a DiGiCo Quantum 338

Lee Dong-yong console for its mixing requirements to replace the previous D1 console. Translating to a grand and beautiful world, the venue hosts international performances in an acoustic environment that contributes to a 1.9–2.3s reverberation time. Engineer Hyun Si Hwan enjoys operating on a control surface

from 48kHz to 96kHz processing is audibly noticeable,” explained Dong-yong. Integrating 128 input channels with 64 busses and a 24x24 matrix, the Quantum 338 comes with full channel processing together with I/O local mic/line inputs and eight local line outputs, connected to a DiGiGrid stager

equipped with triple 17-inch multitouch screens with metre bridges and soft select buttons. The familiar control interface incorporates 70 individual TFT channel displays together with 38 100mm faders laid out in three blocks of two dedicated user-assignable faders, each with high-resolution metering. Neumann U87 microphones are lowered into position on winches above the stage for the bulk of the performances in the venue, reinforced with L-Acoustics KIVA and KILO enclosures. “The transparency and clarity of this console is amazing, and I am particularly enjoying the built-in Nodal processing including Chilli, Mustard and Spice. The switch

rack onstage. “Another reason for us selecting DiGiCo consistently for almost two decades is the fact that DiGiCo’s local distributor, Soundus, has provided exemplary support over the years,” continued Dong-yong. “When an error appears, Soundus are always onhand to help us.” A simplified Optocore connection continues to provide analogue and digital connection between the FOH and stage locations in both venues. Extending the DiGiCo relationship, an SD9 console is used for mixing in the 304-seat Saerasae digital theatre.

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FEATURES: EDUCATION

Schooling for the future

The college’s Dalton Chapel has benefitted from an upgrade

Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview is benefitting from a longoverdue AV upgrade to its Dalton Memorial Chapel and Ramsay Hall. Richard Lawn visits the Sydney school LOCATED ON THE LOWER NORTH SHORE OF SYDNEY, Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview may have been established as an independent boarding school for boys in 1880, but its AV technology is operating in the present and beyond. Prior to the pandemic, the singing of hymns during Mass, assemblies, parent association meetings and theatrical school productions required basic audio setups and a minimal use of video. Assessing future trends and AV requirements for an overdue AV upgrade, Saint Ignatius’ College’s AV engineer Kevin Kwan was in a position to take on this project during one of Sydney’s lockdown periods. AV upgrade works focused on two buildings in separate parts of the campus. Built in 1909, the Dalton Memorial Chapel required intelligible speech for the boarder students attending Mass services and other external church functions. The larger Ramsay Hall is a 1,200-capacity multifunction venue that is predominantly used for school assemblies. Although the lectern is the primary AV source, musical and theatrical performances also had to be factored in. The design, therefore, needed to envelop speech intelligibility and coverage in addition to providing full-range audio for musical content. The initial scope for the upgrade hit an obstacle for Kwan as the first company engaged to conduct works for the school was unable to facilitate a full installation to the level required. “Fortunately, that same company had approached Technical Audio Group (TAG) to create a design, and this was passed on

to me,” comments Kwan. “TAG’s engineers visited me onsite and we agreed on what the hall’s requirements would be going forward before engaging a contractor for the installation based on their design. In addition to our daily activities, we wanted to include portable equipment that could be used for our annual musical performances.” For the main loudspeaker system in Ramsay Hall, even coverage of the entire hall within a specified budget was prioritised. “Having input the room measurements and data for both venues, the System Solution Engineering [SSE] team from TAG provided simulation models of the spaces. We determined that a Martin Audio Torus Constant Curvature Array would provide the best solution for the Ramsay Hall,” comments TAG’s consultant liaison, Bryan Davidson. Simulations of both line array and point source solutions came in second to Torus. Operating best over distances of 15–30m, Ramsay Hall’s 30m x 24m [LxW] dimensions placed the constant curvature array in pole position. With over 30 years’ experience, CVAV was appointed as the systems integrator for implementing TAG’s designs. L-R Torus hangs each comprising dual T1215 cabinets and down fill of T1230 units offering 30° vertical dispersion are augmented by two SX118 subwoofers located under the stage. “For underbalcony and front fill, we concurred that the addition of seven Martin Audio CDD5 speakers would be required, and two CDD5 and four larger CDD10 models would provide optimum coverage on the balcony above,” continues Davidson. “With

Saint Ignatius’ College’s AV officer, Kevin Kwan

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FEATURES: EDUCATION the inclusion of a CDD12 centre fill, the hall has smooth, even coverage across the frequency spectrum for both speech and musical performances and the required STI was easily achieved with a measurement of 0.68.” Although the loudspeaker design was slightly reduced in size, venue flexibility has been enhanced with added inputs and outputs located throughout the hall. With the adoption of a Dante network, digital functionality has been added. The inclusion of an Allen & Heath dLive C3500 digital console and a Q-SYS DSP processing system became central in achieving the desired modularity. “Portable stageboxes can be positioned in key areas depending on the event,” continues Kwan. “All the user settings can be instantly recalled from the console very easily by just plugging it in, even from the other side of the stage.” In terms of programmable control, three different function modes were specified for Ramsay Hall. “Ease of access was paramount for the teachers and the lectern setup would need to emulate our classroom setups with a gooseneck microphone, in addition to perhaps a wireless microphone and the ability to use projector screens through the wireless presentation options,” adds Kwan. Familiarity of operation is provided by a combination of Shure QLXD4 wireless and Audio-Technica U857 goosenecks.

Audio-Technica U853a goosenecks are installed on the lectern Portable expansion boxes connected over a Cat6 network to the back of house DM32 MixRack have created an enormous amount of flexibility. Receiving multiple microphone inputs including wired and wireless microphone receivers, a CDM32 32-in/16-out MixRack, two DT168 16-in/eight-out expansion units and a DX012 remote output expander can be patched into a number of locations. “When an orchestral performance is being staged, we just need to connect the expander with a single Cat6e cable rather than patching in the individual XLRs,” comments Kwan. “We can relocate stageboxes for the inputs around the hall according to the event and it also comes with plenty of redundancy.” A Q-SYS Core 8 Flex processor distributes the audio signals from the Dante and analogue input sources to the CX-Q 8K8 and CX-Q 4K8 network amplifiers that drive the Martin Audio loudspeakers. AV parameters including the audio levels, lighting and video screens can be directly controlled from three wall-mounted Q-SYS 5-inch touchpanels on different

Speech intelligibility in the Dalton Chapel is provided by an L-R Martin Audio O-Line solution

L–R: Bryan Davidson and Kevin Kwan with Ramsay Hall’s Allen & Heath dLive C3500 console

The second option was to manage Mass services for the boarders at the weekend, which required extra Shure lapel and SM58 handheld microphones for the singers in addition to screens and lectern microphones. The third and final mode is for a full production which introduces the audio inputs from the mixing console in addition to incorporating vision and lighting control. For monitoring purposes, Kwan specified minimal equalisation. “We included four Martin Audio LE100 low-profile wedges as part of the package,” adds Davidson. “When I took on the role, the school was already using an Allen & Heath Qu-16 for audio mixing which was more than adequate for our requirements back then,” explains Kwan. The Qu-16 has since been reallocated for portable assignments. “With the addition of an Allen & Heath dLive C3500 digital console equipped with a 128-channel Dante network card, we can perform many more mixing functions without needing to reconfigure the system’s settings. Scenes and files can be saved for various events and recalled without needing to re-patch or reassign physically on the console’s work surface.”

levels by personnel with access codes. Lighting control is performed on a grandMA3 console. Video streaming via Q-SYS control represents the next phase of development for the college’s AV team. With the Cat6 cabling infrastructure in place, joining the ends will be simple. A Roland V-600 UHD switcher in the Ramsay Hall control room receives inputs from Panasonic PTZ cameras and other sources, including a Mac Mini for outputting to the screens. “The streaming option is enabled at the flick of a Blackmagic Design switch,” furthers Kwan. Less complex perhaps, but no less problematic, the Dalton Chapel has also been upgraded. “The reinforcement of speech at the front was the focus, where we are switching between Audio-Technica U853A microphones with an adapter mount installed on microphone stands and a Crown boundary mic at the altar,” attests Kwan. “Some parts of the chapel, including the wings on either side and the area behind the altar, also required extra reinforcement in the form of eight

Martin Audio CDD5 cabinets are used as under-balcony fill for the Ramsay Hall CDD5s.” Following simulations by TAG’s SES team, a Martin Audio O-Line array system was specified. “The previous speaker system required equalisation prior to audio output, which compromised the audio quality. With its onboard digital amplification, the O-Line speaker management is straightforward.” During the past 15 years, particularly in Australian houses of worship, O-Line has become something of a tried-andtrusted array. “Owing to its aesthetically slim dimensions and acoustically scalable nature, we opted for this speaker system for the Dalton Chapel setting,” explains Davidson. “Each element is driven by its own amplifier channel to produce a flat frequency response from the front to rear seats. For me, that’s the holy grail of any audio system. The 10 O-Line cabinets fixed to each wall produce even sound pressure levels throughout the chapel. With a reverb time of 3s, O-Line achieves a very high speech intelligibility of approximately 0.6.” The addition of the Q-SYS Core Nano provides audio distribution together with video control functionality from a single 5-inch touchpanel. Its inclusion transforms the device into a fully capable Q-SYS processor with local HDMI switching capabilities. “The combination of Q-SYS and Dante enhances the futureproofing features, including the adoption of lighting control,” explains Davidson. “With its scalable architecture and ease of programming, the school has almost limitless possibilities going forward. Via Dante, the Ramsay Hall can now be networked with the Dalton Chapel, and this can be increased to streaming across the entire site by enabling network connectivity to new spaces.” When combined with the Q-SYS processing, an Allen & Heath ecosystem and Martin Audio outputs, the possibilities for expanding the Dante network to other halls and faculties on the campus are almost limitless. A masterclass in AV installation may not yet be on the curriculum at the school, but its application will subliminally advance academic studies at Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview. www.riverview.nsw.edu.au www.tag.com.au

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FEATURES: HOSPITALITY

Courting favour The ground-level restaurant benefits from an RCF and Bose BGM system

L–R: Acoustic & Lighting’s Lim Sze Lin with a member of the hotel’s technical team

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Acoustic & Lighting has equipped Courtyard by Marriott Penang with background music systems together with AV capabilities. Richard Lawn takes a look around THERE IS NEVER A RIGHT TIME OR AN IDEAL MOMENT to start a business, so opportunities need to be seized. Having assessed a gap in the market for distributing and installing professional audio and lighting in Penang, new college graduate Kathleen Chan trusted her instincts and approached Acoustic & Lighting founder Yeo Kim San with a business proposal. The year was 1995 and the fledgling Kuala Lumpur-based company was only five years old, but an agreement was made to establish Acoustic & Lighting’s first subsidiary outside the Malaysian capital. Following consistent business growth over the past three decades, the economy of the island mirrors the fortunes of Acoustic & Lighting. Over that timeframe, Chan has demonstrated astute skills in building a team responsible for designing and assembling cutting-edge AV systems into construction projects. Consistent success has led to the subsidiary resembling a smaller, scaled-down version of the Kuala Lumpur headquarters. In addition to hospitality projects, the 18 employees based in Georgetown – including technicians, engineers, designers, programmers and sales – serve the growing education, corporate, residential and government sectors. Comprising hospitality, retail and residential elements in the heart of Georgetown’s business district, Tropicana 218 Macalister dominates the skyline of largely colonial-era buildings. Developed by Tropicana Corporation Berhad, one of the two newly constructed 33-storey blocks is now home to Courtyard by Marriott Penang hotel. Concealed discreetly beneath a distinctive black façade, the hotel’s AV capabilities are distinguishing themselves among the first wave of business travellers and tourists. Acoustic & Lighting’s experienced pedigree was the rationale behind its appointment as the AV integrator. Contracted to implement the background music systems together with the AV functionality of the main ballroom, meeting rooms, spa, gymnasium, swimming pool and lounge, Acoustic & Lighting adopted the detailed schematics and plans provided by the consultant.

Acoustic & Lighting installed a digital signage network of LG displays

Senior design and application engineer Sze Lin Lim took on the role of project manager for the Tropicana 218 Macalister assignment. “The project engineer assigns the cabling contractor, the installation team and the subcontractors for the works onsite,” explains Lim. “Once we have scheduled the works, our own support technicians go onsite to perform terminating, programming DSP and other specialist tasks.” Stored within one server, the background music system comprises six different music sources that are streamed over a Dante network to the 23 designated zones. “We had to integrate a personalised, ease-of-use AV design that complied with all the local building standards and regulations including fire and electrical,” furthers Lim. “Should there be an emergency, the background music is automatically triggered to mute via the network. In addition, we consistently maintained the interior designer’s aesthetics, by discreetly installing all the AV technology out of the guests’ sight.” Programmed with preset parameters specific to the acoustics of each zone, Bose ESP-880AD four-in/four-out and 12-in/12-out Dante processors receive BGM streams in addition to local inputs. Powered by Inter-M DPA300Q fourchannel amplifiers, the audio signal from each processor is output to a network of high-impedance RCF loudspeakers. In line with the interior designer’s demand, the discreet appearance of the RCF ceiling coaxial models including the PL 6X 6.5-inch and PL 40 4.25-inch units also satisfied requirements in terms of power and price-performance features. Zonal level and source control can be configured from Bose CC-2 control panels in 10 locations. “For added convenience, each location such as the ground-level, all-day dining area has its own audio control,” comments Lim. “The wall-mounted control panels allow the hotel staff to configure between the two music sources and the volume independently, without having to involve the IT department. Each level is a standalone system connected to the main background music system on level one.”

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FEATURES: HOSPITALITY

A clean aesthetic was required for the 23rd-level lounge From the ground-level reception area to the 23rd-level executive lounge, Acoustic & Lighting has installed a digital signage network largely made up of LG displays. A combination of 55- and 65-inch LCD displays broadcast promotional content created by the hotel’s marketing department, while 32-inch LCD models provide information such as meeting room details. Pre-loaded with PowerDigiS software, Nexcom PDSB 325 digital

signage players transmit JPEG files that have been stored in the central management system. Anewtech 7-inch displays are intricately inserted into the five elevators to capture the attention of their captive audiences. The bulk of Acoustic & Lighting’s fitout took place on the second level including a divisible, pillarless ballroom that can accommodate up to 150 guests. “The technology adopted for the

ballroom incorporates several new concepts that support discreet AV and plug-and-play functionality,” adds Lim. “We previously installed motorised mechanisms and snake cabling but, today, the design is a lot more straightforward. To enable room combining and dividing, we integrated two audiovisual systems and a unique stage lighting system.” Complying to the design brief for clean aesthetics, a skyhook mechanism has been integrated into the low ceiling. The skyhooks remain flush and flat within the ceiling when not in use. “Whenever an event requires more sophisticated lighting, the hotel operators simply need to lower the skyhooks to attach the lighting fixtures,” he continues. An inventory of Chauvet SlimPar Q12 USB low-profile LED washes and PARs in addition to Color Imagination LED spot moving heads was supplied by Acoustic & Lighting. “It’s a relatively new concept, but it’s easy, reliable, neat and practical. Once the skyhooks have been suspended and connected with DMX and mains power, the lighting system is operable.” From the overhead control room, the lighting fixtures can be controlled from a Strand Lighting 500ML console when the rooms are combined. In divided mode, a Strand Lighting 200 Plus console can be employed for the smaller section alone. The addition of two Lite-Puter DP-81 DMX splitters divide the two mixing console inputs for up to 16 isolated outputs. Similarly, two projection systems have been installed into each section. Neatly concealed into the ceiling and lowered into position on Panthograph projection lifts when required, Panasonic PT-RZ120 12,000-lumen and PT-MZ770 8,000-lumen laser projectors are paired with Vega 2.74m x 4.88m and 2.01m x 3.56m motorised screens. A Crestron DMPS3-300-C 4K scaler presentation switcher can transmit up to eight inputs over Cat6 cabling – including Panasonic DVD players and local HDMI and VGA wall plates – to the two Panasonic projectors and two Samsung HD LCD monitors. Adjacent to the two Strand lighting consoles in the upper control room, a pair of Behringer X32 digital consoles can be used for mixing audio in both ballroom sections. “The mixers operate independently when the ballroom is divided but, when combined,

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FEATURES: HOSPITALITY the room setting for the DSP is configured within the software of the Bose EX-1280C DSP processor,” furthers Lim. “The DSP can be changed for larger events, when the same audio feed is transmitted to the pre-function areas.” Six RCF PL 6X speakers flush-mounted into the ceiling provide basic BGM. For larger events, up to four active RCF EVOX 8 column speakers combining 12-inch subwoofers with eight 2-inch transducers can be patched in. The plug-and-play 1,400W-rated columns include Bluetooth audio streaming, allowing guests to easily pair their own music sources. An additional four RCF ART 710-A Mk4 10-inch stage monitors can also be deployed for live performers when required. In addition to four wired Sennheiser e 835 S handheld mics, a Sennheiser EW 100 G4 wireless system with six handheld mics, two ME 4 tie clips and ME 3 II ear clips fulfil the microphone requirements within the ballroom. “Although the hotel doesn’t suffer from interference or internal modulation issues currently, we have futureproofed the room by adding two Sennheiser ASA 214 UHF antenna distribution systems.” Ease-of-use is a continuing theme in hospitality for technicians and operators, so Crestron Control has become something of a staple. Inserted with three C3RY-16 relay modules and two CEN-C13-1 network interface module cards, a Crestron Pro3

The pillarless ballroom can accommodate up to 150 guests

The second-level pre-function area connects the banquet hall, function and meeting rooms

A Crestron touchpanel provides simple AV control for the meeting rooms

Weatherproof RCF coaxial enclosures provide BGM for one of the outdoor zones Central Control processor aggregates all the audio, video and lighting controls. “Hotels need to minimise human error during operations, especially for new staff who may not be familiar with the technology,” explains Lim. “Human error, therefore, has been largely eradicated by simplifying and integrating all the AV and lighting parameter controls onto Apple iPad touchscreens.” Warming to the theme, Lim continues: “If the background music was still routed over analogue, it would be chaotic but, with Dante,

you just need one IT manager for the entire hotel. In addition to saving time and minimising errors, the hotel saves on labour costs. In a hotel such as this, there would commonly be between three and five technicians, but today you only need one manager operating remotely from a simple interface. As the contractor, we can log in remotely and assist the hotel when required.” In addition to the divisible ballroom, four divisible meeting rooms occupy the same level. A typical setup incorporates RCF PL 6X speakers together with LG 65-inch LCD displays that receive their inputs from Extron HDMI and VGA wall plate transmitters and receivers via Extron IN1608 xi eight-input scaling switchers. Two larger function rooms are equipped with both a Panasonic 5,000 ANSI lumens laser projector paired to a Vega 2.64m x 1.47m motorised projection screen and an LG 65-inch LCD. Powered by an RCF IPS 700 two-channel amplifier, audio is output from various audio and video sources to the RCF PL 6X ceiling speakers. For room combining, DSP settings have once again been stored within a Bose EX-1280C DSP with AV and lighting control performed from Apple iPads and Crestron 5-inch wall-mounted touchpanels. Designed to enhance workouts and relaxation therapies, the spa, gymnasium and outdoor infinity pool on level 11 comprise similar audio components to the first two levels. A combination of RCF PL 6X and PL 40 ceiling speakers together with DM 61 6.5-inch wall-mounted enclosures are powered by Inter-M DPA300Q amplifiers. The pool area is outfitted with Bose FreeSpace 360P Series II ground landscape speakers. DSP settings stored in a Bose ESP-880AD processor are networked to the four Bose CC-16 wall-mounted panels for local source and level control. Offering unobstructed views of southern Georgetown and the mainland, the executive lounge and bar on level 23 is similarly equipped with a Bose ESP-880AD processor connected to two CC-2 wall panels, with RCF PL 6X and PL 40 ceiling speakers providing full-range BGM. To ensure the BGM from the ground-level server can be streamed to the upper levels, Dante tielines have been added on levels 11 and 23. Following installation, Acoustic & Lighting tested and commissioned the hardware, the terminations and the software programming before requesting user feedback. “We host training

The second-level function room hosts a Panasonic projector and an LG display for each aspect of the AV design to ensure that the users can understand it and even share YouTube videos with them for extra training,” explains Lim. “The training is tailored specifically for the application rather than simply hosting an equipment training programme.” One of the main challenges facing Lim and his team within the newly constructed hotel was the requirement to accommodate changes. “We had to coordinate changes with the client, other contractors and our own team. In addition, Covid restrictions stopped us from going onsite for several weeks at a time, making it harder to coordinate changes in designs with the Singaporebased consultants. We adapted well to these unique changes, so we have now adopted these practices into our current working regime.” Behind Acoustic & Lighting’s continued growth in Asia is an experienced team of trained engineers and specialist technicians providing the highest level of support. “We are continually recruiting and training talent,” summarises Lim. Consequently, the subsidiary that Chan initially assembled has steadily built its AV credentials on this island by keeping the same winning team together over the years. www.acousticlighting.com www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/pency-courtyard-penang

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FEATURES: LEISURE

Playing to the crowd

Hi-Tech Audio & Image has supplied and installed an L-Acoustics A15 system into India’s new Playboy Club. Caroline Moss reports from Delhi LAUNCHED BY INDIAN HOSPITALITY AND restaurant company Jay Jay and Kwality Restaurants in collaboration with PLBY Group, the Los Angeles-based media and lifestyle corporation founded by Hugh Hefner, the latest Playboy club has opened on the ground floor of five-star hotel, The Grand, in South Delhi. The new owners employed club specialist Night Beats Hospitality to realise a vision for the brand in India, with a focus on opulence. Three levels of seating include a VIP mezzanine level, with a central dancefloor focused around a DJ booth and a floor-to-ceiling backlit alabaster bar featuring lighting and projections of the iconic Playboy rabbit head logo. While its location at The Grand is undoubtedly a big draw for the club, it also proved challenging for acoustic designer, Milind Raorane, who was contacted by Vikrant Jain from Audio Acoustic & Lighting, acting as an advisor to the club owners. “The club leads directly into the lobby, and the hotel owners wanted to reduce the noise in the lobby, where the ambient noise was already 60–65dB,” he explains. “I did some simulations using AFMG Soundflow simulation software for calculating absorption, reflection and transmission of sound, and we were able to correct it to 55dB.” Raorane’s design included a complete isolation wall to separate the club from the passageway outside, doors sourced from acoustic specialist Sound and About and acoustic treatment on the inside shell of the club. When it came to selecting a PA system, Raorane worked through different options with the owners, who already operate several other nightclubs in the Indian capital and had their own system preferences, eventually settling on L-Acoustics. “Together with the assistance of Peter Owen at L-Acoustics, we were able to confirm a delivery and installation schedule with the customer very quickly,” says Nirdosh Aggarwal, managing director of L-Acoustics’ Indian distributor, Hi-Tech Audio & Image. “When you offer that level of confidence it becomes a gamechanger, so it all happened very quickly.” “We were onsite with our installation team about a month before the work began, doing a recce and planning out the

L–R: Hi-Tech’s Rajan Gupta, Nirdosh Aggarwal and Saurav Gupta with L-Acoustics’ Peter Owen system,” continues Saurav Gupta, who joined the family business in 2020 having studied for a BA in recording arts at Full Sail University in the US. “This is the first club our integration team has done since Covid – nobody was keen to invest again at first.” All of Hi-Tech’s installation technicians are permanent employees of the company. “We have around 25 people, some of whom we’ve worked with for the past 20

years,” continues Gupta. “For a brand like L-Acoustics, it is so important that we train these staff and keep them with us so we have an experienced team.” Despite supply chain issues post-Covid, Hi-Tech was able to deliver and install the system within a short timeframe. “[HiTech’s CEO and founder] Rajan Gupta played an important role as he’s good at strategising, and somehow brought the delivery time down to just a few months,” says Raorane. “He also gave the club some temporary backup speakers from his stock. Then his team installed it, so I didn’t have to send anyone up to Delhi for installation; I just travelled up from Mumbai for the final commissioning.” The main system needed to deliver sufficient SPLs for the 1,000-capacity space. Four L-Acoustics A15 Wide wide-angle throw speakers and two A15 Focus focused throw speakers form the main system, suspended from A15-Bump flying frames and reinforced in the lower frequencies by four L-Acoustics KS28 dual 18-inch subwoofers. Rear fill is provided by four X12 coaxial point source speakers and four SB15M compact subwoofers, while two further X12s and two SB15M subs cover the VIP area. The entire system is powered by one LA12X and five LA4X amplified controllers. At the end of the day, the challenge of meeting the club’s requirement of a powerful, directional system that wouldn’t be so overbearing as to disturb their guests was admirably fulfilled. “That’s why L-Acoustics was so suitable, and of course Milind was a huge help and support to us,” says Saurav Gupta. “The soundproofing was carried out really well, and we tuned out specific frequencies from the system to avoid reverberation. Our rigging team worked hard to ensure the speakers can hardly be seen, which was another requirement.” Together with a lighting design by Abhimanyu Chopra of Jaipurbased Chopra Designs, which incorporates kinetic elements, large LED rings, lasers and beams, Playboy Delhi is currently earning its reputation as one of the Indian capital’s leading nightclubs. www.hitechavl.com www.l-acoustics.com

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT

Pier support

From humble beginnings above a shop in Sydney’s Kings Cross, a group of passionate musicians has developed and grown over half a century. Richard Lawn visits the new home of the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO)

HAVING SPENT THE LAST TWO DECADES REHEARSING underground and playing in international concert halls, the ACO ensemble’s dream of finding a permanent home has been realised following significant investment from patrons and the New South Wales Government. Perched above the harbour in Sydney’s revitalised Walsh Bay Arts Precinct (WBAP), Pier 2/3 is now home to the ACO, the Bell Shakespeare Theatre Company and Australian Theatre for Young People. Pier 2/3 has been in existence since the mid-nineteenth century as a cargo loading facility and later a departure point for soldiers in WW2. Some seven years since the project’s announcement, the ACO is beginning to appreciate the capabilities of its AV infrastructure. Having cut his teeth at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and fast-tracked his credentials at London’s Autograph Sound, ACO Pier 2/3 head of technical and production, Robin McCarthy, is charting the ACO’s course. McCarthy plays down his role in attracting a wider audience,

sharing the limelight with Arup and AV consultant Bosco Tan, which designed the AV system in conjunction with sub-contractor Fredon Technologies and Theatreplan theatre advisors. On returning to his native Australia, McCarthy joined Sydney’s Arup consultancy to assist in designing the ACO’s new home. Forming a bond with the venue, he was drawn to a vacancy that would allow him to integrate and oversee its technology. “As both a theatre and an AV consultant, I was included in the redesign of the pier,” McCarthy explains. “There was an opportunity to maximise the potential of the ACO by deploying the highest level of technology.” McCarthy created modes of operation to assist internal technicians and touring engineers. “As much as the built-in technology will take us forward, the challenge of trying to understand how the systems work was daunting. The construction documentation and schematics did not sufficiently explain how end users should interface with the technological systems. To better interpret them, I tasked myself

to rewrite the documentation for our in-house technicians, and I continue to make amendments for stage managers and clients.” The largest of the three venues at Pier 2/3 is The Neilson 277seat, wood-panelled auditorium. Acoustically designed for musical performances, film screenings, spoken word, conferences and VIP functions, the intimate, flexible space comprises a balcony level and retractable raked seating. Architectural and production lighting together with a control room equip The Neilson for recording and livestreaming. With a glass wall giving views of Sydney Harbour and the bridge, The Studio is used for musical rehearsals, intimate performances, talks, screenings, workshops and meetings for up to 80 people. Meanwhile, the 220-capacity Belgiorno Room embraces the heritage feel of the pier with views of the harbour to host events such as cocktail parties, private dinners, product launches and corporate functions.

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The B

FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT Operating independently yet complementing one another, a d&b audiotechnik FOH loudspeaker system is integrated with Yamaha AFC active architecture technology in The Neilson. Covering the main seating area and the balcony on all sides, a pair of full-range Vi10P point source speakers together with eight E8 fills are visually unobtrusive. Four ceiling-fixed Vi-Sub subwoofers provide low-end reinforcement and six M6 speakers can be patched in as monitors. Incorporating Dante audio interfaces and digital AES3 inputs, four d&b 30D amplifiers support network control and DSP. “We can tune the room as desired; for example, in the round or theatre mode, but we can also de-rig when necessary,” explains McCarthy. “d&b audiotechnik produce beautiful sounding loudspeakers to complement the natural acoustics. When we host amplified performances, we have the option to add draping to absorb some of the reflections. However, the calibre and quality of the d&b point source components naturally blend in with the delicate room acoustics. The subtlety of the system is as valuable as the nuanced end of the PA system. The transient nature of how the audio is played back at a gentle volume creates an interesting balance and a wide audio bandwidth.” The Yamaha AFC system enhances the sound characteristics of the auditorium, in addition to supporting cinematic 5.1 and 7.1 playback. Sixteen Schoeps CMC 6/MK4 ceiling-suspended microphones are routed to a Yamaha Rio3224-D2 digital stagebox and out to MRX7-D

audio DSPs routed through SWP1-16MMF network switches. Powered by XMV8280-D amplifiers, the Yamaha loudspeaker components comprise 24 IF2205, 27 VXS8 and 20 VXS5 enclosures together with eight IS1118 subwoofers. A Yamaha MCP1 controller and AFC4 DSP active field control processor are managed using SK-AFC402 software, while a Focusrite RedNet D16R interfaces the analogue AES and Dante protocols. A Focusrite Scarlett immediately establishes a Dante network. “When a microphone is patched into the venue, we can split to get phantom power, but we can also get a passive output for streaming to external recorders,” explains McCarthy. “The Dante audio can be streamed to our Focusrite RedNet devices elsewhere in the venue. Focusrite devices are required for signal conversion as the Dante signal routed to the d&b loudspeakers needs to be converted to the AES protocol, which does not accept native Dante.” Serving as a Dante audio bridge, a QSC Audio Core 510i unit provides automated audio processing and management of connected sources and outputs. In addition to analogue audio input and output cards, the processor can receive and transmit up to 64 Dante audio streams via a CDN64 card. A Focusrite RedNet A16R analogue I/O streams up to 48 channels of Dante audio as recording inputs for the audio media suite recording and archival requirements. “The output signal for amplified performances can be split between the d&b system and our media suite,” explains McCarthy. “Our

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT hybrid system signals can be transmitted throughout the building, but you can do that unceremoniously by pressing the wrong button, so it is important to clearly communicate the parameters of the system.” The live multichannel audio feeds routed from a mobile Yamaha CL1 console and Rio3224 Dante stagebox can be mixed for recording or broadcast out of the media suite over Dante. Video editing and livestreaming can be transmitted via a tieline patching infrastructure on SDI patchbays. The ability to livestream video, edit for social media and upload are important aspects of postproduction and broadcast. Pro Tools recording is via an Avid S3 DAW control surface and production PC with a PCIe card and an Avid MTRX studio interface that connects analogue, AES and Dante I/O audio together with sync signals. “Pro Tools incorporates software commonly used for archival footage or broadcasting,” says McCarthy. “We can extract snippets from captured footage for social media, imprint the digital audio feeds in postproduction or livestream over Dante throughout the building. However, we must develop human protocols to ensure that other routing is not affected.”

The media suite can perform recording and broadcasts over Dante

A Steinway grand piano takes pride of place in the rehearsal room The media suite incorporates a Lexicon PCM92 reverb and multi-effects processor, an Audient Nero monitor controller and six Focusrite RedNet AM2 headphone monitors. With a computer interface, various devices can be monitored and controlled online. “By simply patching in a Focusrite AM2, two Dante audio channels can be input and located from anywhere in the building. The headphone output allows us to listen in at any given location. When used with a Blackmagic Hyperdeck, a video recording can be made either in the media suite or in the control box.” Monitoring is via Neumann KH 420 studio speakers augmented by a KH 750 DSP DG subwoofer or Sennheiser HD 650 open and Audio-Technica ATH-M50x closed headphones. A low-latency video show relay system uses Sony BRC-H900 Full HD and Marshall CV343-CSB broadcast cameras to capture and distribute performances in The Neilson, The Studio and the rehearsal room. An SDI video matrix routes and distributes SDI video sources connected to the matrix including SD-SDI, HD-SDI and 6G-SDI inputs, and outputs including Samsung LCD displays. Located in The Neilson’s main control room, a Blackmagic Design Smart Videohub 40x40 production video switcher processes video inputs and outputs. Control is via the front panel user interface or wireless devices loaded with software, in addition to Skaarhoj rackmounted and mobile control panels including a TCP Link, Rackfly Duo and Mini Fly. Mounted inside a custom acoustic ET-D3LES20 lens enclosure, a Panasonic PT-RZ21KU three-chip DLP 21,000 ANSI lumens laser projector can be suspended from a lifter through the Q-SYS control system and used during performances and films on a Screen Technics 225-inch motorised screen. The flexible, hybrid nature of the venues allows McCarthy and his team to adapt to any situation. For online broadcasting, the seating can be retracted in The Neilson to create a studio floor. Recordings can also be made in The Studio and the Belgiorno Room. The Dante network and Focusrite interfaces allow film crews to set up and record performances in the media suite, the control room or by patching into a temporary setup.

Yamaha XMV amplifiers power the AFC system in the Neilson Theatre During the pandemic, McCarthy better understood how video could help artists stay connected and grow their audience. “We often produce live/recorded streams or archival concert films,” he says. “In lockdown, the ACO launched a new video series and re-released back catalogue recordings. The Blackmagic video infrastructure and SDI patching throughout the entire venue allows us to record 12G to 6G broadcasting at up to 4K resolution. Fibre optics are advantageous with high broadband capability and, should we hit our limitations with SDI in 20 years’ time, we have more than enough integrated redundancy.” The Q-SYS protocol is central to most operations. “Q-SYS allows us to control multiple parameters and distribute the show relay throughout the entire venue. The technicians find it easier to turn on the wireless microphones from the Q-SYS touchpanel rather than the audio console. When artistic director and lead violinist, Richard Tognetti, wants to have a discussion with the audience, there’s a lot of interaction. Q-SYS saves us having to employ an audio technician as we can simply operate a couple of microphones. By opening or closing channels as required, we can run two events concurrently in the building while relaying signals to the back of house dressing room and green room.”

Providing full redundancy, the two central Q-SYS Core 510is coupled with two Core 110fs serving the Belgiorno Room and The Studio are connected over the Q-LAN network. “We share a foyer with the Australian Theatre for Young People and Bell Shakespeare, so the Q-SYS TSC 11- and 8-inch wall touchpanel interfaces provide a simple functionality for staff members to select the required parameters. As we acquire a better understanding of our business model, we can adapt and evolve with Q-SYS.” The smaller venues are connected via the same fibre, SDI, Q-SYS and Dante networks and incorporate similar technologies. Like The Neilson, The Studio depends on Shure AD4QA four-channel digital wireless systems using AD2/KSM9HS handheld and WL185 lavalier microphones boosted by UA860SWB antennas. Located in each corner, a d&b E12 point source loudspeaker is powered by a 30D amplifier. Configurations to recall pre-defined audio paths from the Q-SYS Core 110f DSP control system can be recalled from a QSC 11-inch wall panel. A Steinway grand piano shares the limelight with a FOH Yamaha TF1 control surface with an NY64-D Dante input card connected to the Rio1608 stagebox. Sony BRC-H900 cameras controlled from a BRBK-IP10 IP remote are input to a Blackmagic Design ATEM 4K 1ME production switcher. Output to a Screen Technics 120-inch motorised projector screen, a Panasonic PTRZ990B 9,400 ANSI lumens projector can be used for playback. The Belgiorno Room integrates a scaled-down version of the larger venues, with d&b 10S-D and 10S enclosures powered by 30D amplifiers. McCarthy acknowledges that arts and music are in the midst of changing times: “ACO programmes have to be constantly evolving to ensure growth and to attract a more diverse audience to the venue. Richard Tognetti firmly believes that chamber music can cross a broad spectrum and interrelate with more eclectic and contemporary music styles. By collaborating with modern-day artists, we are able to perform with groups such as Will Gregory’s Moog Ensemble to recreate soundtracks like Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner and Tron – a testimony to the ACO’s innovation and ambition to draw contemporary audiences.” With the right AV infrastructure in place, the ACO should prosper. “We can easily install fly bars together with LED moving light fixtures and we have sufficient venue-wide power and data signal cabling to host such contemporary productions,” comments McCarthy. “Eighteen months after opening, we are starting to discover who we are.” www.aco.com.au www.dbaudio.com www.qsc.com www.yamaha.com

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT

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d&b audiotechnik S8 speakers provide front fill on the main stage

Richard Lawn reports from Melbourne’s opulent Plaza Ballroom, where Johnston Audio has installed a d&b audiotechnik A-Series system into the historic venue HAVING TOURED THE WORLD WITH LEADING ARTISTS over the years, audio maverick Bruce Johnston prefers to lend his expertise to venues closer to home these days. Since he started loading sound systems into pubs four decades ago, his knowledge of Melbourne’s theatres, concert halls and ballrooms has become ever more intimate. Today, Johnston – who formed Johnston Audio in 1985, merging the concert touring side with Jands Production Services in 2008 to form JPJ Audio, now part of the Clair Global Group – is in high demand to blow away the Covid cobwebs by enhancing venue flexibility. When Mark Allan, technical director of the venue operator Marriner Group, requested Johnston to drop in for a chat about the Plaza Ballroom in 2022, he had more than an inkling as to

what the venue required. “My long-term relationship with the owners started around 15 years ago when I was renting small, house loudspeaker systems to them,” comments Johnston. “We would have to remove a PA from their other venue, the Forum on Flinders Street, which was a dangerous and tricky venue to load in and out of. Therefore, I approached the management and asked if we could fix a permanent system into the ballroom and charge the acts that perform here to cover the costs.” Perhaps Johnston should have asked for shares in the venue at that point as his idea was seized upon and the Plaza Ballroom has not looked back since. Initially, staging approximately 20 shows per year, the ballroom became one of the first pay-as-you-go house systems, before Johnston, in his

L–R: NAS’s Dave Jacques and Bruce Johnston own words, “took a leap of faith” and convinced Marriner Group to install a house PA. It was a masterstroke as the venue now stages around 180 performances per year. Discreetly located under the Regent’s Theatre on Collins Street, the Plaza Ballroom underwent an extensive refurbishment when it was taken over by Marriner Group in 1996. Built in 1929, the venue today appears grander than ever with emblazoned high ceilings, Spanish Rococo architecture, Juliet balconies, bespoke lighting and original chandeliers. Benefiting from a large open floorplan, it’s the perfect backdrop to complement events including grand gala dinners, weddings, awards nights, cocktail functions, lunches and presentations, with the capacity for up to 1,200 guests. A temporary HK Audio Contour loudspeaker system had served the ballroom well for 10 years, but Allan realised the time had arrived to make a significant investment in a leading audio system. “The venue’s lead audio technician had done some research and Mark expressed a desire for a d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker system,” continues Johnston. “The Forum has a d&b system and JPJ has been using the brand for years.”

LAV

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT

The Regent Theatre Plaza Ballroom was built in 1929 Johnston requested d&b audiotechnik distributor, NAS Solutions, to propose a system for the venue. “I realised that it would be more than just a normal L-R system for corporate gigs, so I had no hesitancy in requesting Shane Bailey and Dave Jacques from NAS Solutions to be involved. They offer a great service for an installer and reseller such as JPJ in system design and product knowledge as they have installed in many similar venues in Australia, and have a great track record for over 20 years. The service they offer is included in purchasing the equipment as a reseller, including the documentation paperwork, maintenance and expertise in addition to the PowerPoint presentation to the client. The combination forms a powerful proposal for a high-end client such as Marriner Group.”

Marriner Group requested multiple configurations of events including various stage setups around the venue, weddings with speeches in various locations and corporate events with different layouts. “Every eventuality and scenario were proposed,” adds Johnston. “The venue wanted to maximise flexibility and versatility for their clientele. They challenged us to create a concept for a room system whereby they could change the stage direction and at the same time quickly and easily accommodate the mics, lecterns and smaller stages for live, background and foreground music.” As the project’s team leader, Jacques assumed the challenge of creating a system design based on these requirements. “It was never going to be a case of simply installing main left and right hangs with a couple of delay

d&b audiotechnik Y10P portable speakers enhance the venue’s flexibility

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT boxes,” he comments. “The venue desired a great deal of flexibility, but I was concerned that the additional work would probably take the project beyond budget. Having bounced some ideas around with Bruce, Marriner Group asked us to proceed and make sure that all the functions work.” Unfamiliar with the type of events that were staged in the Plaza Ballroom, Jacques quickly got up to speed. “The venue can be hired for a multitude of events on any given day, so changes need to be made quickly if the business is to succeed,” continues Jacques. “It was our goal to design a flexible and easy-to-use audio system that would save the operators valuable time and deliver exceptional results.” A two-fold loudspeaker design resulted – firstly, a traditional L-R FOH system to address the listeners from the main stage area. Suspended on flying frames from the existing rigging points, a single ALi60 and three ALi90 d&b audiotechnik A-Series cabinets make up each hang. Because low-frequency transmission was of great concern to the theatre above, acoustic mounts have been added to the arrays to isolate any sound leaking through the ceiling. Located under the stage, four V-GSUB cardioid subwoofers are arranged in a horizontal array, while four 40D amplifiers provide multichannel power to the 12 enclosures with a dedicated channel per enclosure. Delays were required in the form of d&b audiotechnik xS models. The undercrofts of the ornate Juliet balconies benefit from 5S wall-mounted enclosures, while 8S speakers have been fixed to the main ceiling in the rear undercroft on brackets and a pair of Yi7P speakers have been added as delays part way down the venue. A secondary flexible distributed ceiling system using d&b E8 loudspeakers allows the venue to set up multiple sources in various locations within the space for traditional lecturn, BGM or speech reinforcement work. A pair of pole-mounted Y10P loudspeakers can be used as a portable system for patching into the various smaller stage locations. This portable system then provides energy and focus to the desired performance areas and via the matrix coverage with level and delay to each speaker to maintain the correct focus. With patch panels around the venue, small acoustic stages, a dancefloor, a piano with a vocal or a lectern can be easily integrated simultaneously in any position. Maximising flexibility with system time alignment, each speaker in the system is powered by a dedicated d&b amplifier channel with

Balcony undercroft zones are served by d&b 5S and 8S cabinets

Seven 5D amplifiers power the distributed speakers

A DiGiCo Quantum 225 handles FOH mixing

a DS100 matrix output. The larger 40D amplifiers power the main array speakers and subwoofers, and the ceiling and fill speakers are powered by the compact 5D four-channel amplifiers. This combination of individual amplifier channels and matrix processing allows operators to use multiple performance locations around the venue simultaneously without compromising localisation. “In addition to installing the optimum loudspeaker infrastructure where required, a DS100 signal engine was central in providing venue flexibility,” explains Jacques. “With a significant amount of inputs entering the matrix processor, d&b’s ArrayCalc simulation software was used to ensure coverage and performance for all configurations. For the initial acoustic design, we took all the venue measurements and built a 3D model. Using that as our basis, we positioned all loudspeakers for the various scenarios that we were planning to use and then modelled the performance in the space, including setting levels and delay times for various scenarios as snapshots.” All audio inputs from the console are routed to various loudspeakers via the DS100 matrix with independent level and delay at each matrix crosspoint. Rather than having to switch presets to adjust settings in the room, the operator simply patches the audio to the desired DS100 input based on the location. The DS100 does

the rest and sets levels and delay for all loudspeakers to deliver the desired coverage and localisation for that source. “Programming took several days as each input source had to be correctly adjusted with level outputs assigned to the relevant loudspeakers,” furthers Jacques. “The combined traditional L-R main and fill speaker systems together with the more traditional ceiling distributed design covering the entire floorspace from directly above is quite extensive.” To complicate matters further, the roof measures 2m higher over the stage than at the rear of the room. Having incorporated all the measurements into the settings, the loudspeakers were then digitally levelled. “Getting the timing and the spacing correct is key to obtaining good intelligibility, so we intentionally reduced the overlap between the speakers in some zones and adjusted delay to compensate for speaker height variation. d&b 5S and 8S fill speakers in the undercroft zones are also individually timed for each source position. To programme the matrix settings, each matrix input was calculated, tuned and measured for all loudspeakers. Today, the technicians can recall the base settings for their daily setup and can further configure and adjust settings to obtain the desired coverage if needed.” The d&b software controls the loudspeakers across the entire space. “Having strong directivity control of the entire speaker

system was crucial, with a tight pattern designed not to excite the ceiling space and maintain tonality,” explains Jacques. “With d&b array processing applied to the A-Series, almost no energy bleeds behind or above, and coverage of the main arrays can be adjusted electronically to suit the individual needs of each event. In addition, the cardioid subwoofers and horizontal positioning steers the lowfrequency coverage towards the rear of the room. By controlling the coverage and SPL, not only have the bands that play here regularly commented on how little bass remains onstage but significant reductions in levels transferred to the venue upstairs have been observed.” Following commissioning and one-to-one training with the in-house technicians, Jacques’ mission at the Plaza Ballroom was complete. “By integrating the design into a real-world system using our control interface, the technicians can turn the system on, reset it to default, monitor and easily adjust settings if required. An extensive set of controls are available at their disposal, but it can be locked down according to the user status. Should a technician be arriving to set up and discover that the previous operator had done something strange, the entire system matrix, loudspeakers, amps and processing can be recalled back to a starting point with one button click.” When Johnston requested the upgrade budget from Marriner Group, Allan instructed starting with the best and working down. “Dave and I initially looked to reduce the number of loudspeakers without compromising the quality,” he recalls. “Fortunately, the venue saved a lot of the budget by installing all the cabling themselves through the roofs and floors in between performances. This included lots of Category and other cabling for possible futureproofing scenarios. We reduced the original monitor system, because the venue only requires four loudspeaker outputs in each of the various locations where the performances take place. As such, four compact d&b M6 speakers for monitors were required.” Rounding off the audio upgrade, Johnston Audio also supplied a DiGiCo Quantum 225 console for FOH, with the existing Avid SC48 mixer moving to the side of the main stage for monitors. Two portable 32-input stageracks add to the versatility of the setup. As Oasis’s front of house engineer for over a decade, Johnston fully comprehends “the show must go on” philosophy. The capacity of the Plaza Ballroom may not be a sellout audience at Wembley Stadium, but one bad night can tarnish a venue’s reputation immeasurably. Since convincing the ballroom to invest in its own loudspeaker system, Johnston – with a little help from his friends at NAS Solutions – has continued to play a key role in raising its profile over the past two decades. With Wonderwall echoing out towards the end of the interview, perhaps Marriner Group will be tempted to rename their 1929 hidden gem “wonder hall”. www.johnstonaudio.com www.nas.solutions www.plazaballroom.com.au

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21/12/2023 09:52

FEATURES: POSTPRODUCTION

The new facility has been built from the ground up

Pranav Shukla in the 7.1.4 design room

Striving to excel

Founded almost 25 years ago, Excel Entertainment has grown to become one of India’s leading production companies. Caroline Moss reports from its new Mumbai base FOUNDED BY FILM PRODUCER RITESH SIDHWANI AND actor, singer and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, Excel Entertainment began life in 1999 with a vision to make contemporary Indian cinema. Its first release in 2001, cult classic Dil Chahta Hai, was one of the first Indian films to employ sync sound – audio recorded on location rather than reproduced in the studio. Since then, the company has continued to push out diverse and genre-defying films drawing on the best technical expertise and equipment available. A foray into the digital universe began with India’s first original series for Amazon Prime Video, 2017’s cricket drama Inside Edge, which was nominated for an International Emmy award for Best Drama Series. Further shows for Amazon have included Mirzapur and Made in Heaven and, when Pro AVL Asia visited, finishing touches were being put to a highly anticipated Netflix series, The Archies, based on a comic strip set in India in 1964. With the new facility in Mumbai’s Khar studio district finally completed mid-2023, staff are getting used to a new way of working. “We were having to split our projects between five or six different places,” recalls Pranav Shukla, a freelance sound designer and editor who works extensively with Excel Entertainment and was instrumental in setting up the new studios. “Some of us were working from home and some of us were working from different studios, and we were spread all over the place. Now, we’ve begun to consolidate our workflows here.” The postproduction floor – dubbed Voltage – was designed by Munro Acoustics, which has fitted five studios into the space. The jewel in the crown is a Dolby Atmos HE 7.1.4 studio. There are two more 7.1.4 rooms dedicated to premix and design, respectively, as well as a dubbing suite for ADR work and a 5.1 mix room.

Sound designer and editor, Pranav Shukla

“It’s the first time we’ve had so many rooms right across from each other, so our ways of working are going to keep evolving; we just finished a movie for Netflix and we had four of the five rooms on the postproduction floor going at the same time,” continues Shukla. “Everything is networked, so you can access the hard drive of another studio from wherever you are working.” The Archies, set in the Anglo-Indian community, was shot largely in English, some of which had to be overdubbed in Hindi in the studio. “All the kids in the film were playing main characters, and they’re all new actors, so it was the first time they’d done any dubbing, plus the first time we dubbed anything here,” he continues. “It’s a musical, with 13 or 14 tracks and completely different from any other Indian productions on Netflix; I think they’re planning more of a global release for this.” In addition to Voltage, the new building also includes a 64-seat Dolby Atmos preview theatre, a floor of video editing suites, a rental floor, plenty of office and recreation space plus four levels of underground parking. The Dolby Atmos cinema – Lightbox – and the video editing suites were also designed by Munro Acoustics, which came on board in 2019. Designs were completed by early 2020 and construction began, only to be delayed by the pandemic. “Only by the end of 2021 could we pick up to full pace again,” says Munro’s acoustic consultant, Vignan Beera. “Most of the building that you see today was completed between 2021 and 2022.” As with much of Munro’s work in India’s cities and, despite this being a spacious newbuild, the main challenge was still fitting the number of rooms required into a limited footprint. “We utilised every possible inch,” he continues. “If there was space, then we used it. But we were also mindful of creating a comfortable working environment; to provide enough space for all the people working together on these projects.”

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FEATURES: POSTPRODUCTION The importance of creating a relaxing atmosphere for the actors and voice artists is stressed by Shukla: “It’s so important to make sure that the actors are comfortable. We’ve installed the biggest screens possible for them. We’ll go from room to room to make sure that everybody – from the engineer to the talent – has got whatever they need.” This approach extends to the provision of a lounge, a smoking room, comfortable sofas for long sessions in the control rooms and ambient lighting in the corridors to soften the transition from the darker rooms. When Shukla came on board, the room sizes had already been decided and his primary aim was to equip them with the speakers of his choice – Dynaudio. “I’ve been a Dynaudio person for the longest time so the first thing I wanted to do was to get the same speakers in all the rooms, because when the work starts getting hectic and you’re working on two or three projects at the same time, working from multiple rooms, you’re going to be in trouble if every room sounds different.” Accordingly, the Dolby Atmos HE room is installed with Dynaudio Core 59 active three-way speakers for the L-C-R channels with eight Dynaudio BM5 MKIII nearfields as surround and overhead speakers and a Dolby SLS CS118XL cinema subwoofer powered by a Ram Audio Zetta 440 amp. The 7.1.4 systems in the premix and design rooms have Dynaudio Core 47 main monitors for the L-C-R channels, with eight Dynaudio BM5 MKIII nearfields as surround and overhead speakers. Dynaudio Core 47 main monitors also form the L-C-R channels in the 5.1 mix room which has two BM5 MKIII surround speakers. Meanwhile, the dubbing suite has a pair of Genelec 8250A SAM studio monitors in both the control and the live room. The control room of the dubbing suite is installed with an SSL Big Six analogue mixer, a Universal Audio Apollo x8 Thunderbolt audio interface, a Neve 4081 quad mic preamp and an Avid Pro Tools Dock control surface. “We use the Neve 4081 to fire up the microphones and the U Audio interface which sounds a little crisper,” explains Shukla. “Sometimes, the Neve is just too warm to be able to match to the location audio so clients can pick whatever they want.” The Dolby Atmos HE studio has an Avid Pro Tools MTRX base unit, an MTRX DigiLink I/O card, an MTRX SPQ speaker processing card, an MTRX 8 DA card and MTRX 128-channel MADI expansion card with SFP module, together with Pro Tools HDX Core, HD Native, Pro Tools Sync X, an S1 control surface and Dock control surface. The other three rooms each have an Avid Pro Tools MTRX interface and an Avid S1 control surface. The studios also offer a wide selection of microphones. “Because we primarily handle ADR, we went for more locationfriendly microphones; those you’d use on set,” he continues.

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L–R: Munro Acoustics’ Vignan Beera and Excel’s Pranav Shukla

The dubbing suite has Genelec 8250A SAM studio monitors in the control and the live room

Shukla specified Dynaudio monitors throughout the postproduction floor

“We have a wide array of shotgun mics including Neumann, Sennheiser, Schoeps and DPA models, and we match them very closely to what has been used on set. We have a list of mics which we send out to the sound designer and they can pick whatever they want. If they need something with a different flavour, then we either rent it in or buy it. The recording chain is analogue, with everything going through the Neve 4081 quad mic preamp.” Despite delays caused by supply chain issues encountered when ordering the equipment post-pandemic, the sound team at Excel Entertainment were determined not to compromise on their choices. “We had a dream equipment list of what we wanted, and we managed to get everything,” recalls Shukla. “We didn’t have to substitute at all.”

With two films completed at the new studios, Shukla admits it’s been a learning curve to get used to a different way of working: “It’s a different discipline from working on projects alone to working in a studio complex with so many other people. We have five studios and five people in the department and we’re growing fast. They’re all full-time employees, although I get a freelancer to join my department for sound effects for most films I work on. But other than that, everybody remains the same. I very rarely change the people I work with, and I’ve been working with the same people for 14 years now.” The studios are tailored to how all members of the audio team like to work. “You can’t assume that just because you like working one way, everybody else would like to work the same way, in terms not just of how they want the place to be, but in terms of the equipment, the plugins, the tools and everything,” says Shukla. “We’ve taken care to make people happy in the workplace.” Munro also worked on the acoustic design for Lightbox, the 64-seat Dolby Atmos theatre. Calibrated by Dolby India, Lightbox is installed with Dolby’s own brand of cinema loudspeakers – SLS 128 main screen channel speakers with two SLS CS218XL cinema subwoofers, 32 SLS MA460AS cinema surround speakers and two SLS 118XL surround subwoofers powered by two Dolby DMA24302 amplifiers. “It’s right on top of the building’s automated parking system, which is motor-operated,” explains Beera of the theatre’s location. “The third row of seats is above a slab where all the motors are set, so we isolated the motor and the parking assembly and floated the entire floor of the theatre, using a geofill foam system to create all the tiers.” A large part of Excel’s drive to create tailor-made premises is not only about making space for growth but providing a nurturing environment where staff can hone their craft in-house, working together as collaborative teams in a way that wasn’t possible before. “A big part of our discussions over the last few years has been about how we want to run the place besides just making it about the equipment, and wanting to make sure that everybody’s happy,” says Shukla. “This is an entire department we’re running, not just a studio.” That’s as may be, but Excel Entertainment’s new facility certainly raises the bar for Mumbai’s postproduction industry as well as contributing to the development of Excel’s technical staff. www.dynaudio.com www.excelmovies.com

Excel’s Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 control room

www.munro.co.uk

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FEATURES: RECORDING

Ascending great heights Sue Su visits a new Beijing multi-studio facility designed by WSDG and boasting the first Genelec 1235A SAM main studio monitors in China

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Stud BEIJING ASCENTONE STUDIOS WAS ORIGINALLY established in 2014 by four college students, formerly known as the Windbell music production team, who graduated from the Central University for Nationalities of China and began providing music and audio services for independent games and radio dramas. Over time, Ascentone has diversified and grown to specialise in music, dubbing, audio production and R&D. This has attracted investment, providing the resources to build a large-scale recording facility which can accommodate a symphony orchestra. The new 1,000m2 facility offers three studios and office areas across two floors. The acoustic design was handled by US recording studio specialist, WSDG. “We planned to build a commercial recording studio in Beijing which not only met the needs of the market but was also able to accommodate our own entire music production process, including writing and recording, and be home to the orchestra we are currently building,” explains Terry Gao, Ascentone’s marketing director. “We needed three studios: large, medium and small. We decided to use WSDG for acoustic design as everyone told us that they are the best.” WSDG’s China representative, Victor Cañellas, continues: “The client’s request was for a studio in a large warehouse building with a futuristic feel, a large live room for film scoring and two more separate studios on the second floor. The sloped roof, the walls and two-floor layout all brought considerable acoustic design challenges.” These were addressed by WSDG project managers Leandro Kirjner and Sergio Molho working together with senior architect Mariana Varon, who developed a detailed layout and construction plan. WSDG’s artistic director Silvia Molho designed the interiors and lighting, with Cañellas responsible for liaison and supervision in China. Although all three studios have a unique visual identity, Silvia Molho’s design kept a sense of coherence in mind. “We used the same tone of wood, floors, carpets and paint in all spaces to unify the design since the spaces are very different,” she explains. Indirect lighting allows artists to create their own ambience. “I was impressed by the professionalism of WSDG,” says Gao. “They provided us with more than 100 pages of drawings with detailed remarks about the specification of materials and technical requirements for construction. We put a lot of effort into strictly following their standards, regardless of time and cost.”

A Fazioli F278 grand piano takes pride of place in Studio A’s live room

Since construction took place during Covid, the procurement of materials and the construction process were greatly restricted. WSDG was unable to visit the site and could only supervise the project remotely, which required close communication from both sides. To find suitable acoustically transparent fabric in China, the Ascentone team purchased different materials and sent them to Tsinghua University’s Institute of Architectural Acoustics for testing. The diffuser panels, which required some very small apertures, were customised, and the team only found a factory that could meet the requirements after repeated trials and comparisons. “This project is a perfect example of the importance of efficient and fast communication between the design and construction teams,” says Cañellas. Studio A features bold, interlocking shapes and customisable embedded LED lighting, giving a futuristic space-age look. The 150m2 live room has a ceiling height ranging from 4–7m, and the room is mainly used for large-scale orchestral recording and film shoots, plus masterclasses and examinations. All acoustic elements

Dolby Atmos overhead Genelec speakers in Studio A’s control room

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FEATURES: RECORDING are concealed behind the interior décor to give a sleek appearance without any compromises to the sound in either the double-height live room or the control room. The reverberation time is 1.6s when the room is completely empty and drops to 0.6s after closing all the acoustic panels on the wall. A drier-sounding room can be obtained by closing all the motorised curtains, giving the recording studio a high degree of flexible reverberation time. There is also an 18m2 isolation booth just off the live room. “This small booth is able to meet our needs for vocal recording,” says Pinyi Li, Ascentone Studios’ recording engineer. “During recording sessions featuring multiple instruments, I can put vocals or some small, soft-sounding instruments here, so that the microphone will not pick up the sound of drums or bass, making it easier at the postproduction stage as the sound will be cleaner.” Studio A’s 40m2 control room is installed with China’s first Genelec 1235A main monitor system. Genelec has always been the Ascentone team’s only choice for monitors, and they decided on this model based on the parameters on Genelec’s website even before it was released in China. The control room of Studio C, the smallest of the three studios

Studio B has a more classic design

“I have been using Genelec for nearly 10 years and am very familiar with its sound,” says Gao, himself a musician and producer. “In addition to being flat, it is very musical in the mid and high frequencies. Genelec’s GLM system also saves us a lot of time and effort in terms of speaker management and calibration. Another important point for choosing Genelec is that many recording engineers are very familiar with its sound.” As befits a newly built, large-scale facility, Studio A is also equipped with a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 monitoring system using Genelec The Ones, with three 8341As for L-C-R, four 8340As for surround, four 8330As for overhead and two 7360A studio subwoofers for low-frequency extension. Using the DPA S5 surround/Decca Tree microphone mount, real-time Dolby Atmos production can be carried out in the studio.

An Avid S3 control surface is connected to Pro Tools via a 48-input/48-output Merging Horus ADDA interface. Outboard equipment includes API 3124V and Rupert Neve Designs 5211 mic preamps, a Rupert Neve Designs 5035 Shelford Channel, a Universal Audio LA-2A levelling amp, a Shadow Hills mastering compressor, a Bricasti M7 reverb and an SSL Fusion analogue processor. The other two studios are located on the second floor. Studio B, the middle-sized room, has a 40m2 live room and a 36m2 control room installed with a pair of Genelec 8361A stereo monitors and an SSL UF8 DAW controller connected to the Pro Tools workstation through a Merging HAPI interface. Outboard equipment includes AMS Neve 1073DPA, Chandler TG2, Tube-Tech CL 1B and Lexicon PCM96 models. The smallest, with a 28m2 control room and a 13m2 live room, Studio C is mainly used for vocal recording and postproduction. Its modern and neutral design uses visual cues from Studios A and B to add a sense of continuity. Studio C is equipped with a pair of Genelec 8351B monitors, with two W371A woofers to provide detailed low-frequency information for mastering. An Avid S3 controller is connected to Pro Tools through a Merging HAPI interface, and outboard equipment includes a Manley Voxbox channel strip and Heritage Audio Ram 2000 monitor controller. A selection of microphones from Shure, Sennheiser, Telefunken, Manley, Neumann, AKG, DPA, Schoeps, Royer and Coles models is available throughout the studios. Since completion, the team has carried out music production for games including Arknights and Honkai Gakuen 2 and recording for the Disney animation Star Wish. With a combination of in-house and commercial work, the three studios are fully booked almost every day. Equipped with Sony cameras, they are in high demand as a backdrop for live broadcasts and filming, bringing more opportunities to the Ascentone team. www.genelec.com www.wsdg.com

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January–February 2024 PRO AVL ASIA 63

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19/12/2023 17:00

BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

RDL’s customers are demanding more Dante-networkable interfaces

Assembled XLR input modules

Mission control

The manu outsid chara produ goods sheet stock worth “RD marke

Richard Lawn pays a visit to RDL, an Arizona-based manufacturer with quality and attention to detail at its foundations

LIKE THE CENTRAL ARIZONA CITY OF PRESCOTT, Radio Design Labs (RDL) is currently “Planning the Future”. However, the professional audio developer has already followed a trajectory that nobody in the corporate world would dare to follow. Shareholders would possibly have rebranded the company, red flagged the relocation from Carpinteria, California and questioned the number of SKUs (stock keeping units) – currently 800 and counting – in its catalogue. With a resilient focus on precision engineering and design excellence, RDL has gone from strength to strength, continuously proving sceptics wrong. Futureproofing did not concern founder Joel Bump, who used his extensive experience in broadcast engineering to create the brand in early 1986 and has built the family-owned business over 36 years. Renowned today as a pioneer of application-specific modules, today’s main audiovisual and control products pushed radio broadcasting firmly down the menu. Private investment equity firm Vopne Capital signalled the start of a new era in 2022. Focusing on the lower middle market, Vopne partners with business teams engineering products that cover a wide spectrum of industrial services. “Their history of investing in businesses like ours makes them an ideal partner,” says Bump. “They share our values and will continue our legacy of focusing on the highest product quality and service for our customers.” Industry veteran Erik Tarkiainen was revealed as RDL’s new president in December 2022, with a 30-year career including spells as CEO/GM of House of Marley in the FKA family of audio brands and VP of global marketing for Harman’s Professional Solutions division in addition to management roles with Line 6, iZotope and Bose. “Having assembled the right team around the right products and technology, RDL is well-positioned to expand their market leadership,” comments Tarkiainen, undeterred by the 90-minute commute by plane from his home in southern California. “I cannot recall hearing one single negative reaction towards RDL and personally respect the brand for being associated with excellent quality and customer support. For someone like me with a marketing background, RDL is a dream brand to work with. Their solid reputation simply needs to be introduced to a wider audience.”

RDL founder Joel Bump Bump’s vision to distinguish RDL as a designer and manufacturer of products to exacting standards of performance and longevity continues today. RDL has created core product groups of single-function modules for mixing, equalisation, source selection, signal routing, signal distribution, signal detection and remote control. Isolating functions into low-cost, reliable modules is a breakthrough for system designers seeking to interconnect multiple modules in unlimited combinations. Beyond product design, a broad base of technical and system design support was provided by a team of engineering staff with field experience in Carpinteria. Manufacturing relocated to Prescott in 1993 and the sales division followed 11 years later. Exports increased following the establishment of Amsterdam-based RDL-Europe BV in 1998 as a subsidiary company and master distributor. “Historically, RDL has not invested enough attention outside of the USA and is perceived by some as a niche underground brand,” highlights Tarkiainen. “With the right products and infrastructure in place, RDL is now focusing on building brand awareness for global distribution sales and marketing.”

L–R: RDL’s Erik Tarkiainen and Chuck Smith outside the Arizona headquarters

64 PRO AVL ASIA January–February 2024

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

RDL has continually invested in automation and an efficient industrial plant The two buildings on Sixth Street, Prescott – where RDL manufacturing takes place – are unassuming from the outside. Within, however, the broad vertical integration characterises a company that demands complete control of production processes from incoming raw materials to finished goods in the shipping department. In the south building, solid sheets of steel are cut to size by CNC machinery while a large stockroom at the rear of the property stores up to 18 months’ worth of components, ensuring delivery within days. “RDL has always been focused on engineering rather than marketing,” confirms operations manager, Pat Phillips.

“All our employees are long-term and highly committed. The company has always invested and pours millions into plant and state-of-the-art production facilities. Take our fabrication department, for example, where metalwork is powder-coated in white, black and grey before being baked in an enormous oven. As a result, the metal fabrications are super durable, robust and scratch-resistant. By retaining all these processes onsite, RDL saves a lot of time by not outsourcing, remains in full control and, over time, saves money.” All assembly processes are maintained in-house, including plastic moulding and encapsulation, metal fabrication,

product printing, panel laminate manufacturing and precision laser cutting. Assembly, including component placement, soldering and product testing is automated using computerised machine control. All RDL products, except power supplies, are made in the US, and are CE and RoHS compliant with a three-year warranty. Manufacturing and packaging employ environmentally safe, recyclable materials and processes. The raw products are then transferred to the north building. Here, the steel modules and plates are printed in high detail using scratch-resistant epoxy inks.

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190,000 sqm

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exhibitors & brands

100,000+ visitors

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE Batches of products enter and leave in varying quantities according to the customer order. “We are often asked why we retain so many SKUs,” exclaims sales and marketing manager, Chuck Smith. “As a solutions company, if a customer wants a product, you must supply it. Whatever the quantity, we will produce it. For less popular items, we always keep a small stock in our inventory. When our customers are confronted with an unusual challenge that needs a special product, they typically turn to RDL. It would be easy to focus on the 20% of products that generate 80% of our sales, but that’s not who we are.” This extends to the packaging department and shipping area, which generally has six months of stock. With products demonstrating longevity, there has been little reason for RDL to change its decades-long processes. Smith explains how laminates are made with custom-formulated ink that resists fading, even in direct sunlight, with a clear surface of scratch-resistant plastic. “Continued investment in machinery, plant and production has allowed us to engineer our products with extreme quality yet stay competitive in the market,” he reports. Surface Mount Device (SMD) technology rapidly loads thousands of parts onto a single circuit board as an automated machine flows mercury onto the rear of the boards to permanently affix larger parts. “Some of our products – such as one with four mic preamplifiers – can contain over 1,000 parts, as one mic preamp has hundreds of components alone,” continues Smith. The R&D department is insulated from RF interference to protect against electromagnetic frequencies. “We don’t need a 3D printer as prototypes can easily be created in-house,” continues Smith. “When R&D wants to create a new product, the design can be directly loaded into the software and one proto unit can be created on the factory floor for immediate testing. Every department seamlessly integrates with the sitewide software we have adopted for all our operations.”

Skilled workers and mechanised engineering rapidly transform raw sheets of steel orbiting around the Earth in a satellite: ultra-cold when the craft is in the Earth’s shadow and extreme heat when in direct sunlight. We also build in power conditioning to help protect our products from electrical and lightning bolt strikes.” RDL continues to manufacture for the broadcast sector. Three generations of Amplitude Component Monitors continue to be used and specified by FM radio stations wishing to maximise their effective coverage by several miles. This longevity in demanding broadcast applications has been applied throughout the catalogue. “From our roots in broadcasting, RDL has easily transitioned to networked audio,” explains Tarkiainen.

Lasers precisely cut and etch

Larger components are assembled to the circuit boards

Sheeted screenprinted face plates

Smith puts a higher value on the R&D equipment than that of RDL’s entire plant and machinery. The electromagnetic testing room is the reserve of product compliance. “RDL is one of the few manufacturers in this industry who can conduct their own compliance testing,” claims Smith. “In the rare event that we receive a failure, we don’t have to ship a faulty product to a third-party test lab and then await a report over a two-month cycle. For RDL, it takes hours.” Smith jokes that only cockroaches and RDL products – tested in an environmental chamber from +350°F down to –275°F on a 10-minute cycle – will survive the end of the world. “We test the epoxies, glues, laminates and other materials,” he explains. “It is vital for products placed in extremely hot or cold environments. Many of our products have been commissioned by NASA or the military and must withstand extreme temperatures. The Space Station, for example, turned to RDL when previous mic preamps were failing in orbit. Think of the extreme temperature swings our products endure every day when

A growing suite of Dante-enabled products interface Bluetooth, standard microphone and line level audio signals, in addition to connecting the entire group of RDL Format-A endpoints to a Dante audio network. The manufacturer’s Format-A system comprises more than 60 products for transmitting, receiving and distributing audio over standard Catx cable as a pointto-point system that doesn’t reside on a network. By Dante/ Format-A hybrid modules, each Format-A endpoint can be located as required, allowing for cost-effective system designs. Multiple audio endpoints – including amplifiers, headphone amplifiers, mic/line XLR and stereo audio wall plates – can be daisy-chained via Catx cabling to help reduce installation time and costs. “Rather than be a pioneer and drive the market, RDL’s role is to produce the endpoints, connections and interfaces that support current trends, currently Dante and AES67,” explains Tarkiainen. “As a hardware company, RDL is supporting standards and technologies for our customers’ requirements. In addition, when a customer has their own design environment

such as Q-SYS, they can configure our hardware through Q-SYS-compatible plugins. Although designs are increasingly more software-centric and cloud-based, it is important we make it easy for specifiers to integrate our products into their environments.” RDL has not followed the trend of outsourcing manufacturing to Asia or Mexico, continuing to see its future in Arizona. “Our products provide high quality and reliability because we oversee every step of the production process,” comments Tarkiainen. “Each and every product made here is fully tested before it is shipped as both the quality and attention to detail are the foundations of this company. We know that our customers place a high value on sustainability, affordability and functionality as our products are used in extreme locations.” Tarkiainen is currently focused on increasing production to keep pace with growing sales. “One of the main challenges RDL faced in 2022 and 2023 was to supply to increasing demand. Despite being a relatively small company, RDL has not been constrained by component or chip shortages. We came into the pandemic with an 18-month store of components and that saw us through.” Significant growth also means growing pains. “By recruiting and employing the right people in addition to making investments in machinery and improving manufacturing efficiencies, we are succeeding. Monthly production records are being realised in an efficient, sustainable way. The investors realise the potential in the business and have fully backed RDL by investing in people, machinery and equipment. RDL has always been able to support its growth and we are making huge investments for the future.” However, Tarkiainen is cautious of growing the business too quickly. “There is a risk of compromising quality and existing customer support. By appointing the right partners in addition to placing the right support in place with the right products, our three-year plan aims to develop a similar market share in Europe and APAC as we currently have in the USA. As we may be perceived as a new brand in some new export territories, we really cannot compromise.” Obliged to grow the company’s sales, Tarkiainen takes greater satisfaction from the culture and ethos that currently exists at RDL. “Our employees are empowered to develop their own ideas that will not only improve their roles but the company in general in terms of efficiencies. It’s exciting to witness employees feeling part of a team for the future.” As Tarkiainen experiences a warm glow from within the company, Smith takes satisfaction from RDL’s customers. “We receive positive accolades from time to time, but one of my favourites came from a systems integrator based in Kansas recently,” he recounts. “They are astounded that we consistently deliver within a few days of them sending the order. But I was even more proud of the fact that they could not recall any failures from RDL, having specified our products for 22 years.” www.rdlnet.com

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BUSINESS: COMMENT

A letter from America

Dan Daley reports that music touring is roaring back but looks quite a bit different

YOU MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED IT BUT EARLY LAST year, Backstreets, the venerable Bruce Springsteen fanzine, announced that after 30 years, it would be shutting down due to the rock icon’s high ticket prices, which reached as high as US$4,000 on The Boss’s most recent tour dates, due in part to Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing system that adjusts ticket prices in response to demand. You may not have noticed it because it wasn’t announced in Rolling Stone or NME, but rather in Business Insider, which is usually found in the same digital magazine racks as The Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times. That’s appropriate, since live music – and by extension, live professional sound – have become much bigger businesses than ever since Covid receded. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour netted her personally between $10–13 billion. Morgan Stanley estimates that Swift and Beyoncé tours in 2023 contributed $5.4 billion to the US economy in total spending. And that’s before they went overseas. Those two artists alone have moved financial mountains, literally impacting national GDP with hotel and restaurant chains raising prices in anticipation as the tours move from city to city. Airlines have benefitted, as well, with fans flying to see multiple shows beyond their home towns, or if their resident cities have been bypassed by tour itineraries. In fact, as Swift’s tour moves to Mexico, Brazil and Argentina,

travel agencies are offering packages that tout the fact that the tickets, in local currencies, will be cheap enough to offset the cost of a business-class seat to get there. Those same financial publications that are following the year’s megatours also reported that the mechanisms behind the curtains are also doing splendidly; for instance, Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, posted a revenue rise of 32% to $8.15 billion in the quarter ended 30 September 2023, which handily beat Wall Street estimates of a mere $7 billion. There are more concerts now than ever before; Live Nation alone held over 12,000 of them – just in the third quarter! – from stadium shows to club dates, to which they sold 155 million tickets. Not surprisingly, this is having an effect on the live sound business. There are more manufacturers than ever in the sector, and they’re branching out into immersive systems, in pursuit of technological differentiation. That’s also not surprising, since competing on sonic quality is a moot point at a time when bad sound is increasingly rare. The technology and the science of sound has simply become that good. Then there are the sound system providers, some of which have experienced the financialisation of the live music industry more directly, in the form of mergers and acquisitions, perhaps most notably Clair Global, which has

gobbled up marquee names in the sector including Eighth Day Sound, Sound Image and Britannia Row, among others. However, everyone is also experiencing another holdover from the pandemic: a severe and growing shortage of qualified personnel. Many of the venerable road dogs of the pre-pandemic era of touring have either aged out, found alternative ways of making a living when Covid shutdowns curtailed live music or are simply no longer with us in a physically gruelling industry whose obituaries routinely start in the early 50s. Pro audio education academies have developed live event curricula in recent years, but music’s siren call has been one of beats rather than rigging. Getting more able and willing bodies into the business is a priority but one with few formal recruitment programmes. So it’s never been a better time to bet on live productions but it’s also never been a more fraught moment for them in many ways. As in much of the rest of life, capital and profits are being focused on an increasingly narrow top end, with startups finding it harder to gain traction. On the other hand, AI and other automation advances are helping mitigate the manpower shortages – musicians onstage pretty much mix their own monitors these days. There likely never will be a time when there won’t be live music on tour, but how it gets there, what it costs and who most benefits from it, remains to be seen.

A letter from Europe

Phil Ward takes a deep dive into the use of immersive audio to promote alcohol sales TO THOSE THAT KNOW THE BRAND AND ITS heritage, what could be more surreal than Genelec monitors in an outlet called World of Wine? What kind of booze emporium has Finland’s finest export to lull shoppers into that ill-advised extra case of Tinto Alentejo? We know that this is a manufacturer that has deftly diversified from stateof-the-art studio monitoring to networked installation across a wide range of cultural and commercial destinations. We know that Power-over-Ethernet is the key now unlocking markets that stretch further than Ilpo Martikainen’s beard. But we didn’t know you could ever buy Mateus Rosé while listening to the speakers that mixed parts of Back To Black* at Metropolis. Or, if we did think as much, we would be wrong. Because World of Wine is not at the back of a car park in Neasden. It is, in fact, a remarkable visitor attraction in Porto, Portugal’s second largest city and the place that gave its name to the rich, ruby red and fortified source of a million headaches. The 400+ Genelec speakers installed are all there in the service of Europe’s latest craze: the “interactive experience”. We don’t go to museums anymore, or art galleries or theme parks. We have interactive experiences, and the more

sophisticated, networked AV there is to light the way, the more interactive and immersive they are. I don’t have a shower these days. I have an immersive auto-sanitation experience. Back to Porto. World of Wine is a whole cultural district, devoted to the history of Portugal and its many contributions to food, drink, exploration and bottle tops. You heard correctly – don’t miss Planet Cork: “an educational and interactive experience for families”. Thanks to Genelec, you can hear the sounds of cork’s vibrant ecosystem. This should end with the vibrant “pop” of a cork leaving its womb at the top of a nosey Tinta Barroca, but I don’t think it does. Other areas of the complex include The Wine Experience, Porto Region Across the Ages and The Chocolate Story, all expertly designed by Porto-based Gema Digital, one of the new breeds of multimedia agencies transforming the AV landscape into something far beyond mere digital signage. With supreme confidence, at least in English, World of Wine acronyms comfortably into WOW. Encouragingly, Gema Digital’s Francisco Brandão emphasises “the importance of sound as an immersive component and its direct effect on the mood of a room”, and

this goes a long way to explaining the deployment of Genelec models including all of the 4000 Series and 192 ceilingmounted AIC25s from the Architectural Series. Genelec ceiling speakers? Damn right. And the fact you can buy Buenas Vides Argentinian Malbec in the Aldi supermarket chain got me thinking: what would be more surreal than Genelec monitors in World of Wine? That would be Genelec monitors in a real supermarket; one that sells butter and stuff. Just imagine. What? Where? Helsinki? You’ve got to be kidding me. Well, would you believe it. Turns out K-Supermarket in the Finnish capital’s Herttoniemi district has 12 4030s above the fridges and eight 4020s in the drinks section – its own little world of wine – plus more, all controlled by Q-SYS. Apparently, sensory marketing specialist Sevende Aromas has specified the audio alongside scent machines. “Studies have shown that the right kind of sound environment can increase sales by up to 30% and it also has a positive effect on the work efficiency of employees,” says founder and CEO, Eero Niskanen. So, it’s official. Even shopping for fruit and veg needs digital AV. *By Amy Winehouse, yes. Keep up.

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

InfoComm India 2023

It’s been in the pipeline for many years and, finally, InfoComm India became the first AV show to open at the new Jio World Convention Centre. So how did it fare in its new home?

INFOCOMM INDIA DREW TO A CLOSE IN LATE OCTOBER 2023, with exhibitors and visitors alike hailing it a resounding success. A large part of that was down to its long-awaited move to the new Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) at the fast-developing Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), several miles to the south of the Bombay Exhibition Centre where the show has been since its launch in 2013. Ever since it arrived on the subcontinent, event organiser AVIXA has played a key role in the development of the fast-growing Indian AV industry. The show itself continues to set a higher standard for India, the sleek new venue and professionally designed stands rivalling an AVIXA tradeshow anywhere in the world. One of the exhibitors that Pro AVL Asia spoke to mentioned that this year’s show had delivered “increased footfalls and eyeballs”

to his booth, and the general consensus was that the quantity of visitors was matched by their quality, with serious discussions taking place across the show floor. As usual, AVIXA had brought top decisionmakers to the show, including a 160-strong contingent of hosted buyers from the public and private sectors, while professors and students from Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women’s University also joined the event to gain insight into the pro AV industry. This was the first InfoComm India for AVIXA’s new executive director, June Ko, who joined the company in July. “InfoComm is a very international brand and we’re always looking at how to bring the show up a notch, to make it accessible for international guests and exhibitors to come,” she

commented. “We’ve got the experience of having been here for a decade already, so people understand that we know the market and we can be the gateway to come into India. We will continue to raise our game, making it easy for international brands to come in and promote the high level of quality that’s possible in this industry.” A major draw for any AV show taking place in the JWCC is that housed in the same complex is the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, with its three state-of-the-art theatres. Ansata, which designed and supplied d&b audio systems for all three venues including the 2,000-seat Grand Theatre, took advantage of this to conduct a technical tour for a crowd of eager InfoComm attendees. The Grand Theatre has raised the bar high for Indian venues, and again this can only help increase industry awareness. As InfoComm settles into its new home, the only major drawback seems to be that it’s already outgrowing the JWCC Pavilions 1–3 exhibition halls. Plans are afoot to expand into the Jasmine Hall above the current space to accommodate some of those wanting to join the show in 2024. And across town, perhaps in response to the new offerings at BKC, a long-awaited construction project is finally underway at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, which has committed to replacing its leaky and antiquated halls with modern facilities. This will be several years in the making but, finally, things are looking up for exhibitors and visitors alike at Mumbai’s tradeshows.

2023 Dates:

25 – 27 October

2024 Dates:

3 – 5 September

Venue:

Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai

Total exhibitors:

190

Attendance:

12,026

Contact:

www.infocomm-india.com

From the show floor Santosh Kumar, QSC: “The new convention centre has enabled more and more customers and partners to come, and a lot of them are bringing key decisionmakers, which has possibly happened due to the new venue. It gives us confidence to bring more people in and demonstrate solutions. I know it’s small compared to other InfoComm shows, but it’s been really high quality. This show has encouraged us to take a bigger booth for next year so that we can showcase more than we are doing here – both solutions and products.”

Sudeep Roy, EPOS: “This is our first time at InfoComm as EPOS, but I personally have been coming for quite a few years during my 10 years with Sennheiser. EPOS is a new brand, but the business is not new, and so far the experience has been great, with lots of good conversations. We’ve seen a lot of end customers coming in, which is amazing because we’d been expecting to mainly see our partners. It’s been a good mix of end customers, resellers and companies that want to partner with us, as well as our existing partners.”

Vijay Sinha, Pink Noise Professional: “This is the only show which stands out in India. Pretty much all the dealers and consultants come here, and we always try to be available for them if they have any queries or questions. We’ve seen many of our channel partners, some of whom have come here for the first time, so it’s good to be in contact with them. It’s much more organised than at the previous location and there are many more exhibitors who want to participate.”

Per Persson, Williams AV: “This new venue is a very professional convention centre – it’s really up-to-date and convenient to get to. We’ve had good traffic and interesting discussions on the booth from the first morning of the show onwards. Having exhibited at InfoComm India five or six times already, it’s clear that the level of professionalism, the conversations and the awareness of our technology are all increasing every year.”

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

From the show floor Nirdosh Aggarwal, Hi-Tech Audio & Image: “We started with InfoComm in 2006 when they began with roadshows in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, and over that time I’ve seen AVIXA do a huge amount to raise the standards of this industry in India. This venue is excellent as far as facilities are concerned and the setup is much more professional; it’s following international standards. We’re seeing a quality crowd and people who we want to meet, and there’s been a good interest right across our portfolio of brands. We came here to show that we are doing everything from audio to lighting now, sending the message that we’ve entered into the integration world in a big way.”

Vikas Sanwal, Samsung: “The new convention centre is easily accessible, and what we’ve experienced is that the number of participants has increased this year. InfoComm has always been successful in bringing the visitors; we’ve seen that legacy previously in different countries. But this new place has been amazing. As one of the largest exhibitors we’ve seen a big increase in footfall and next year this should hopefully go to the next level. We’re displaying all our technologies, trying to incorporate as much as possible in terms of devices, products and solutions that can work together.”

Ankush Kumar, Yamaha: “We have been participating at InfoComm India in recent years apart from lockdown; it’s a platform where you meet new people and learn about new technologies and this show has been so good on both counts. We are meeting customers as well as systems integration partners to discuss all sort of projects from the government, institution and education sectors. There’s also been a big emphasis on conference solutions, which have gained a lot of popularity since lockdown, so it’s been a mix of all the segments. AVIXA has done a good job of getting the relevant people through the doors, so it has been very fruitful for us. And I love the new venue.”

Leslie Lean, Ansata: “The standard of InfoComm India has been raised high and the quality of show has become very international. We work as an extension of the brands that we distribute, so at tradeshows we try to replicate what they do elsewhere. I’m not looking at our stand being larger but more about how we can better connect with the people that we need to connect with, providing more space for meetings and networking. Our focus has been on systems integrators and consultants because over the last five years our installed business has been about building our brands into integrated solutions for the customer.”

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

AES and NAB 2023 For the first time, the two shows were held in separate halls. Sue Gould reports from the show floor TAKING PLACE ONCE AGAIN AT THE JACOB K JAVITS Convention Center, AES New York marked a milestone 75th anniversary for the organisation. Co-located with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show New York, the October iterations collectively attracted 20,000 media production professionals from across the recording, broadcast, streaming, online and live sectors. Despite announcing a 15% increase in participation from 2022, AES has contracted since its glory days and arguably no longer has the pull it once did; nevertheless, it retains a certain kudos within the audio world. This was particularly in evidence from

DiGiCo MD Austin Freshwater (second from right) with the Fourier Audio team during the launch of the transform.engine

John DiNicola showcases the new Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface

the Audiotonix Group, which chose the show as a platform for its family of brands to launch a variety of new products on the first day. Kicking off on the Harrison booth was the 32Classic console which, according to president Gary Thielman, “has been designed from the ground up to include the sound and features that Harrison consoles are known for, set in a modular design that accommodates modern workflows”. A press call on the DiGiCo booth swiftly followed as the UK team welcomed Fourier Audio into the group and revealed the transform.engine, which brings Dante-connected, studio-grade audio software plugins to productions and broadcasts in a 2U rackmount server. Finally, Solid State Logic revealed additions to its music and audio production range in the form of the Pure Drive OCTO and QUAD mic preamps. Long-term supporter Meyer Sound returned once again with a full schedule of demos running throughout the show, highlighting its new generation of point source speakers as well as introducing NADIA, its networked digital audio platform that can connect directly to Milan AVB digital networks. “New York is an important market for us,” commented director of business development, John Monitto, “not just for all the world-class theatres and concert halls but also for cutting-

edge venues like National Sawdust and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Also, we regard AES as a critical organisation in developing standards, something we value highly as shown by our company’s role in developing the new AES75-2023 standard for measurement of maximum linear sound levels.”

L–R: Rehman Leigh, Daniel Schindler and Norbert Bau from Stagetec

The Wohler team at NAB

L–R: sound engineer Aditya Srinvasan getting some tips from DiGiCo’s Dan Page Unlike previous iterations where the shows combined across one floor, both AES and NAB each had a separate hall. With NAB organisers citing a 65% increase in exhibitors, major brands among the 275 on the floor included Avid, Blackmagic Design, Grass Valley, Ross Video, Canon, Imagine Communications, Calrec and Wohler, and clearly the organisers required more space. Conversely, AES’s footprint appeared to have shrunk. In previous years, Lawo had been present at both shows but, this time around, the decision was that NAB was the priority event to present an extended IP portfolio tailored to the broadcast and professional audio communities with the launch of its new crystal mixer. “The booth has been slammed and we’ve had some great feedback from visitors,” said chief marketing officer, Andreas Hilmer. “It’s a very successful micro NAB for us as all the east coast people are here that we wouldn’t see in Vegas, but it’s a

pity that it’s not sharing the hall again with AES. The lines are blurring with some of the manufacturers, so if you want to focus more on the TV broadcast audience and you also have video products in your portfolio, you need to be at NAB. However, as AES is pure audio, you would miss your audience. Audio people walk in here to NAB but video people won’t go to an audio show.” RCF had taken a prominent booth at the front of the AES hall to introduce its new TT+ Audio brand. “I think there was an expectation for us to be here – it’s the next logical step, giving customers the option of having remote amplifiers and the option for higher-end products. Our core clients are very excited to see we have a product that goes to the next level,” explained product specialist, Oscar Mora. “The interest has been off the charts with both new and existing customers excited to see us. There’s a great variety of people – it’s for recording engineers but New York brings together an incredible network of people so we see a high level of integrators and consultants and it’s great show.” During NAB, a full conference programme was on offer, including sessions such as Cybersecurity for Broadcasters, the AI Creative Summit and TV2025: Monetising the Future among the offerings. On the show floor, Cine+Live Lab focused on the convergence of cinema technology and live broadcasting. And as you would expect with AES, a full programme of events was on offer during the week with tech tours providing an insider view of both the historic venues such as the David Geffen Hall that shaped audio history as well as the Dolby Atmos Music tour providing insight into the cutting-edge technology shaping its future.

2023 Dates:

AES: 25 – 27 October / NAB 24 – 26 October

2024 Dates:

AES: 9 – 11 October / NAB 9 – 10 October

Total exhibitors: AES: 127 / NAB: 275 Attendance:

AES: 8,100 / NAB: 12,200

Venue:

Jacob K Javits Convention Center

Contact:

www.aes2.org / www.nabshow.com

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

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InterBEE 2023

Richard Lawn reports from the Makuhari Messe AS ANY VISITOR TO THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN WILL testify, Japan is a unique country boasting an orderly society based on respect and manners, with precise attention to detail. Labelled as a broad media and entertainment exhibition, InterBEE reflects this culture throughout six halls of exhibition booths and adjacent educational workshops and demonstrations, making comparisons to most other Asian tradeshows redundant. The 2023 edition attracted a wide range of Japanese visitors and exhibitors over three days. The Makuhari Messe welcomed Asian debuts and some international launches as companies shone the spotlight on their latest technologies. AV exports to the northernmost point of APAC continue to be paramount for Western manufacturers. The country’s 126 million population and US$52,000 GDP only tells half the story; vertical markets demanding AV technology are among the most current and critically acclaimed on the planet. Tapping into the Japanese market is often the highest summit for exporters seeking representation, but it can take time. Likewise, navigating the Makuhari Messe can also prove an endurance. Hall one continues to be audio-focused, with the larger exhibits towards the rear. Here, the twin Hibino booths drew significant crowds, with a range of Harman products on one side and Hibino Intersound’s distributed brands including Allen & Heath, Calrec, Coda Audio and DiGiCo on the other. Similarly split, Audio Brains’ extensive display showed Audix, Powersoft, RDL and Visionary on one side and Martin Audio

Japan on the other. Lawo showcased its mc236 and mc296 consoles and diamond radio mixer on the Otaritec booth. Genelec demonstrated its 8331 monitors and ST 2110 networking solutions on its booth. One of Japan’s biggest distributors, Onkyo Tokki, was showing ranges from Biamp, EAW and Mackie. Another array of products including Mipro, Schoeps and Sound Devices was evident on the Tech Trust stand, together with the latest D2 wireless and M2 Duet in-ear monitors from Lectrosonics. Heavyweight domestic manufacturers at InterBEE included AudioTechnica, Fostex, Ikegami, Tamura, Panasonic, Sony, Tascam, TOA and Yamaha. Renowned internationally, most of these manufacturers punch above their export weight on home soil. Immersive demonstrations lured visitors to the Yamaha (AFC), d&b audiotechnik (Soundscape) and Bestec Audio (L-Acoustics L-ISA) booths, while others such as Sennheiser (Dear Reality and Ambeo) had experts on hand to explain their technologies. Audio-Technica showcased its BP3600 model in addition to IR wireless, conferencing and huddle room technologies, while Shure showcased a range including MXW conferencing products and QLXD and Axient Digital wireless. Japan’s mature touring market was well catered for, with the InterBEE X-Speaker experience in the Makuhari Messe Event Hall busier than ever. Loudspeaker systems from Adamson Systems, Bose, Clair, Coda Audio, d&b audiotechnik, dBTechnologies, JBL, L-Acoustics, Nexo, RCF and Vue audiotechnik were all put

through their paces. Meanwhile, microphone and headphone manufacturers had dedicated InterBEE X experience areas demonstrating products from Austrian Audio, beyerdynamic, Neumann, Schoeps, Sennheiser, Sony and Ultrasone. On the show floor, workshops and seminars including an IP Pavilion and InterBEE Creative were standing-room only on all three days. Beyond audio halls one and two, the broadcast- and videoorientated technology halls drew visitors to impressive booths from the likes of Blackmagic Design, NHK, Panasonic and Sony. The large numbers of US and European representatives assisting distributors for the duration of the show is a clear indication that Japan remains big business. Despite the language barriers between Japan and the rest of the world, overseas visitors return to this professional annual event. Sometimes, business can be pleasure.

Ian Staddon, DiGiCo: “Like KOBA in South Korea, InterBEE is labelled as a broadcast show, but it’s always had a strong live offering as well. Following the launch of the Quantum 852, DiGiCo has been unveiling our flagship console around the world. Together with the Quantum 338, we have been busy promoting the platform to Japanese engineers on the Hibino booth. Business at InterBEE is much stronger here in comparison to last year, especially on the live side, which was stagnant 12 months ago. Back then we were still wearing masks and, although some live shows were opening with limited capacity, no one was spending.”

Hirotake “Tex” Ishii, Blackmagic Design: “We have recorded more than 4,000 visitors per day to our booth who are taking an interest in the variety of Blackmagic hardware products ranging from our latest 6K camera to the Fairlight console in addition to software solutions. Independent videographers and cinematographers approach us for advice, but we also attract many professional broadcasters. InterBEE provides us with an opportunity to meet new potential users including business-to-business partners. Blackmagic actively encourages younger people to get involved.”

2023 Dates:

15 – 17 November

2024 Dates:

13 – 15 November

Venue:

Makuhari Messe, Tokyo

Total exhibitors:

1,005

Attendance:

31,702

Contact:

www.inter-bee.com

From the show floor Guillaume Mauffrey, Riedel: “Compared to InterBEE prior to the pandemic, we may be hosting less meetings, but the discussions with production companies and broadcasters are more interesting. In addition, I have met nonbroadcasters from the gaming and corporate sectors who have come from China, South Korea and, of course, Japan. Japan is unique in how business is conducted, with the sales cycles and decision-making processes stretched over longer periods. Despite many conversations, nobody’s really making the move to IP, so we are hoping that one of the larger broadcasters will make the transition.”

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

From the show floor Scott Gledhill, Meyer Sound: “Panther has been specifically designed for the touring requirements of Ed Sheeran, who will be performing at the Osaka Dome and the Tokyo Dome early next year, so it’s a good time to exhibit. I have enjoyed many conversations based on serious current projects. Although our well-established relationships bring a lot of repeat business, we are identifying the next generation of Meyer Sound users and getting them excited about the tool set. Enthusiastic students come to the show, which brings a different dynamism. They are particularly interested in the interface – the dashboard, the software and the GUI – and want to know how to manage and configure the entire ecosystem. Explaining application software is a long education when translating from American to Japanese, so we need to support our dealer, Linear Sound Japan, to help get that message across.”

Craig Lovell, d&b audiotechnik: “Although the show floor layout has not really changed in the 30 years I have been visiting, audio has developed, especially with the inception of immersive. The Japanese broadcast market fully comprehends the technology, having pioneered 22.2 some years ago, but it is now infiltrating the recording, live and fixed install sectors. By demonstrating Soundscape to a variety of developers, we are aiming to stimulate creativity. In addition to d&b, there are many other booths promoting immersive solutions as interest continues to grow within Japan, as it does globally. We feel that there is potential growth within electronic art and creativity – especially the video side of immersive experiences, which truly requires immersive audio to enhance the overall experience.”

Chick Hirai, Yamaha Japan: “Japanese audio engineers are now recognising the advantageous qualities of immersive compared to conventional audio systems. So, at InterBEE this year, Yamaha is promoting the AFC Enhance and AFC Image immersive acoustic technologies in a demo room on the booth. AFC Enhance has been controlling live operations for many years but more recently we added AFC Image and have been promoting the virtues of this technology. Following Covid, Japanese crowds have returned to InterBEE and visitors to our booth have been very receptive over the three days. It has been worth the investment.”

Terushi Nagatomi, Sennheiser Japan: “InterBEE can no longer be classified as a broadcast show as we are witnessing a growing number of prosumers, such as podcasters and recordists. With such a wide diversity of visitors, Sennheiser opted to promote all three business units at InterBEE 2023 – professional audio, business communications and Neumann. Compared to 2022, we received 20% more visitors during the first two days of the show. Many booths are exhibiting immersive audio technologies this year – Sennheiser is demonstrating its Ambeo 3D technology programme, and the Dear Reality VR solution has proved to be very popular. Dear Reality’s Kai Detlefsen and Janis Kaune from Germany have been on hand to provide technological explanations and advice.”

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January–February 2024 PRO AVL ASIA 75

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

Choosing the right audio amplifier

Jeremy A Smith amplifier manufacturer’s website for examples of working with other manufacturers’ devices or best practice tech notes can go a long way towards ensuring a successful installation.

System monitoring

LEA Professional’s Jeremy A Smith discusses the various considerations when it comes to specifying the right amplifier THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF AMPLIFIERS ON THE market, varying widely in wattage rating, size, channel count and more. Wading through all the specifications can be time-intensive. You can’t compare products from different manufacturers easily because they often measure their specs using varying attributes (idle vs ⅛ power vs ⅓ power or 2Ω vs 4Ω vs 8Ω, etc.). Choosing the right amplifier for each installation is a key aspect of every system design. An improper choice can lead to signal clipping, loudspeaker damage, overheating or simply an unsatisfactory audio experience for the end user. Here are some criteria to consider when choosing an amplifier for your next job.

Hi-Z and Lo-Z support Hi-Z and Lo-Z are designed for different applications. Hi-Z is for distributed applications requiring many loudspeakers for adequate coverage but without the need for a concert-level experience. In contrast, Lo-Z applications are primarily about higher-fidelity requirements like cinemas, performing arts centres and concert halls. Lo-Z speakers are often larger-format speakers, which allow for lower bass responses so you can reproduce the rumble of the dinosaur’s foot hitting the ground or the bass guitar or kick drum in a concert. While the system design typically calls out the type of loudspeaker (Hi-Z or Lo-Z) in advance of buying system components, being able to select Hi-Z or Lo-Z output on a per-channel basis provides integrators with a lot of flexibility should something change in the design mid-stream. Additionally, there are several scenarios where an end user may have a higher-fidelity requirement in a space adjacent to one requiring a distributed speaker solution, so having an amplifier that can support both requirements can be very advantageous. Another potential issue is how low the Lo-Z support goes. Most amplifiers support 4Ω and 8Ω loads, but 2Ω support is a little more grey. Some models don’t do well with impedances that low (even if the spec sheet says otherwise), so it’s worth requesting a demo in advance if the system design calls for very low impedance.

Wattage, wattage, wattage There are several ways for loudspeaker manufacturers to specify wattage – programme, RMS and peak, to name a few. Plus, the test attributes for achieving the stated ratings vary as well, so check the footnotes on data sheets to ensure you’re comparing like-for-like between different manufacturers’ loudspeakers.

That said, the continuous or RMS and peak values are of primary interest when selecting an amplifier. You should always match the continuous rating to the amplifier rating. For example, if you specify a 300W continuous speaker, you want to specify at least a 300W per-channel amplifier. That doesn’t provide any headroom for peak signals, though. Typically, having 20% headroom in additional wattage is good practice because it allows for better dynamic range. For Lo-Z applications where audio fidelity is paramount, like a nightclub, you’ll want to hit both the continuous and the peak or maximum ratings of that loudspeaker. So why not buy the highest wattage amplifier available? It comes down to cost, mainly. Not only in the amplifier cost but also downstream costs like electricity and HVAC. Typically, the larger the wattage the amplifier supports, the more heat (BTUs) it generates. One of the most common problems with amplifiers is overheating due to poor ventilation or an underpowered cooling system. From a design standpoint, most amplifier manufacturers implement limiters on their amplifiers so you can control how much wattage is transmitted to the loudspeaker to prevent damage. Make sure to verify the proposed amplifier can limit the output, as well as to consider how easy it is to make changes to the limiter (it’s easier on some products than others).

Bridging channels Channel bridging has been an industry solution for many years, and it primarily solves a problem stemming from budget constraints. Ideally, you should purchase the right-sized amplifier for the installation, meaning that the per-channel wattage is sufficient to power the loudspeakers and subwoofers without needing to bridge channels. Often when you bridge channels on a four- or eightchannel amplifier, it comes at the cost of available wattage (and potential headroom) on the remaining channels.

Interoperability The most significant issue when using equipment from different manufacturers is interoperability. Even when standards are developed (for example, AES67), it doesn’t mean the implementation of the standard is the same between manufacturers. Interoperability challenges can be even more basic – analogue vs digital, inconsistent firmware versions or mismatched connectors (XLR vs Phoenix). AV-over-IP systems introduce additional concerns like clock synchronisation and potential network congestion. Reviewing the

Once the system is installed and commissioned, uptime becomes the priority. Monitoring the system to prevent issues from occurring or handling them quickly is a priority for the support team, whether onsite or remote. Many facilities don’t have full-time support staff to maintain the AV equipment; instead, they rely on systems integrators for servicing. AV technicians can often identify and address problems before end users even notice. Informal relationships between the systems integrator and onsite IT or facilities teams are common to help overcome certain issues, such as troubleshooting air conditioning issues in the rack room if thermal warnings are indicated. This proactive approach minimises downtime and ensures a smoother user experience. By monitoring AV equipment remotely, organisations can potentially reduce the need for onsite visits and service calls, which leads to cost savings in travel expenses, labour and time. Conversely, integrators can benefit from recurring revenue streams created by service contracts for remote monitoring services and can schedule their technicians more effectively for value-added service calls across all clients. Remote monitoring – especially cloud-based services – is scalable, making it suitable for organisations with multiple locations or a widespread AV infrastructure. It allows technicians to oversee and manage numerous AV setups from a centralised location, ensuring consistency and control. Perhaps the most significant benefit of remote monitoring is the peace of mind it provides to end customers. In today’s digital world, we expect our technology to just work, and having expertly trained technicians working behind the scenes makes that expectation a reality.

Technical support Not all manufacturers are created equal – the adage “you get what you pay for” applies to purchasing amplifiers. Too often, amplifiers are value-engineered because “it’s just an amp”. But they aren’t – they’re equally important to the audio system as other components. Whether during commissioning or post-installation, if something goes wrong with the system in general or one of the amps in particular, you may need to lean on the manufacturer’s technical support teams to help troubleshoot the problem. Will someone at the manufacturer answer the phone or your email promptly? It’s worth investigating the manufacturer’s stance on technical support to see if you’ll be set up for success should something go wrong.

Final thoughts Many people in the pro AV industry consider amplifiers to be commoditised products with few differentiators. Often the first component value engineered in the audio system, the problem with this is that it only considers present cost/investment and not the total cost of ownership over the life of the installation. Amplifiers play an important role in speech intelligibility and music clarity, and a wide gamut of products that span cost and ability are available. Choosing the right amplifier based on current system requirements (with room for potential expansion), which a manufacturer backs with a solid post-sales support infrastructure, will lead to fewer trouble tickets and happier customers. www.leaprofessional.com

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NEWPRODUCTS

INSTALLATION • AV • LIVE SOUND • BROADCAST • POSTPRODUCTION • RECORDING • LIGHTING A–ZCONTENTS

Lawo shines like a diamond with crystal Lawo has unveiled the crystal broadcast console with six, eight and 14 faders THE IP-NATIVE mixing system is based on the open Ravenna/AES67 audio-over-IP networking standards and complies with SMPTE ST 2110-30/-31 for audio and ST 2022-7 for redundancy. Powered by the Lawo Power Core Engine, crystal supports expandable I/O, accommodating AES67, MADI, analogue and AES3 in addition to Dante audio sources and destinations. Available with six, eight and 14 faders, together with the Power Core and Controller modes of operation, crystal has also been designed as a companion for a variety of broadcast applications that straddle radio. These include audio production workflows such as smaller on-air studios, regional studios, news and commentary suites, smaller production studios, MCR control and OB vehicles, podcast recording studios, remote production applications, DAW control and integration plus workflow uniformisation. The IP-native crystal is available in both a light and dark finish, with both versions offering varying shades and colours for customisation. Silent, motorised faders based on mc² audio production consoles and encoders promote integration with

programme automation and playout systems, including multiple-layer operations with voice tracking, remote production or DAW control. Programmable, colour-coded LED buttons and encoder lighting highlights common control functions. The optional Virtual Extension modules feature Full HD TFT displays and touch control. Ember+ and HTML5 integration enables control of third-party hardware and software. Like diamond, the inclusion of the LUX provides a consistent interface across the entire Lawo product portfolio. Assistive mixing technologies are said to help operators produce compelling programming. The AutoMix function automatically maintains the balance of multi-mic productions, AutoMix Grouping allows intelligent automatic mixing to be applied to multiple independent source groups and the AutoGain automatic gain setting function optimises mic levels. An unlimited number of snapshots and DSP profiles can be recalled from any networked console, and individual talent profiles or customised show setups are remotely available. The Power Core mode allows the console to be operated in combination with the high-density DSP Power Core mixing

engine and modular I/O device. In this mode, crystal supports the Power Core Compact licence for single six-fader or extended 14-fader setups, and the Power Core MAX licence. Accommodating up to four consoles, one Power Core with the MAX licence allows four studios to share its processing power in a variety of configurations. Controller mode caters for a small IP-native extension panel for mc² audio production consoles. A crystal Main or Fader module can be used as a control panel for an mc²/A__UHD Core-based backend. When used as a companion in an mc² system, most console strips can be mapped to the crystal surface. crystal also integrates with Lawo’s Home management platform for IP-based media infrastructures. The manufacturer has also released V10.8 software for the mc²/A__UHD Core/ Power Core platform. In addition, NMOS support for the mc² Gateserver bolsters device compatibility, offering seamless integration into Lawo’s ecosystem.

Adamson Systems ArrayIntelligence V1.1 93 88 Allen & Heath Avantis Solo AMX MUSE Automation Platform 90 Austrian Audio MiCreator Studio 92 Ayrton WildSun K9 Wash 100 Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera 6K 95 83 Bose Professional AudioPack Pro C4W Canon Multi-camera control app 96 CAST Group BlackTrax One (BT-1) 100 Chauvet Professional Ovation Rêve P-3 IP 100 98 Christie 4K860-iS Claypaky Actoris Profile FC 101 Clear-Com EHX 13.1 93 CODA Audio CiRAY 80 Contacta Systems RX-30 90 Crestron Videobar 70 update 98 Dear Reality dearVR Spatial Connect for Cubase 12 88 Digital Audio Denmark DADlink 86 96 Digital Projection Projection Simulator DirectOut PRODIGY.MX 84 89 DPA Microphones 2017 Shotgun Microphone Earthworks Audio SR5117 89 EAW SM12 80 Elation Proteus Hybrid MAX 101 ETC Eos v3.2.4 101 Extron XTP II CP 4o HD AT 8K 100 86 Fourier Audio transform.engine Genelec 9401A 80 Grass Valley Kayenne 96 Harrison Audio 32Classic 80 HK Audio FINEO 82 81 Innovox Audio HLA-820 JBL IRX One 81 96 Key Digital KD-Pro4x1X-2 update KLOTZ AIS HC72P25 87 L-Acoustics LC16D 90 Lawo crystal 79 LD Systems TICA Series 81 Lightware Visual Engineering CAB-USBC-AOC800K 97 Mackie Thrash212 GO 82 Magewell Director Mini 95 94 Martin Professional P3-175 Merging Technologies Venue Mission 93 86 Meyer Sound NADIA Microtech Gefell Generation 4 88 86 NTi Audio IB01 Impact Ball Optimal Audio WebApp 1.2 92 Pan Acoustics Pan Speaker CX series 81 Panasonic UCU700 94 Pliant Technologies MicroCom 900XR 90 PPDS Tableaux 5150I 99 92 PreSonus Studio One 6.5 Q-SYS AD-C4T-ZB 83 83 RCF NX 932-A RDL DD-RN Series 92 RF Venue RF Explorer Pro 88 Riedel Communications RiMotion R10 95 RME ADI-2 Remote 93 RØDE White Collection 89 ROE Visual Topaz Series 99 Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe NC1503L 99 Shure SM7dB 89 Solid State Logic Pure Drive Quad and Octo 84 Sommer Cable HICON BNC0.8/3.7-6G-SM 87 Sony LMD-XH550M 94 SoundTube MCA2004t 84 Tascam Sonicview v1.5 92 Tasker C283 / C284 / C290 87 TVU Networks TVU Search 97 Vaddio EasyIP PCC 94 Waves Audio Waves Online Mastering 90 Wharfedale Pro DP-F and DP-N update 83 WORK PRO ARENA Series 82 WyreStorm NHD-124-TX 100

www.lawo.com

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Reimagining an icon CODA adds to its VCA family CODA AUDIO has announced the launch of its CiRAY compact full-range, dual 10-inch line array system. As the third element of CODA’s VCA family, alongside the ViRAY (dual 8-inch) and the flagship AiRAY (dual 12-inch), the CiRAY has been developed by CODA to deliver “ultimate flexibility” for rental companies and provide a full spectrum of line array products for installation. The CiRAY is an ultra-light, ultra-compact standalone system that can also be paired with its siblings to provide an optimum mixand-match configuration and obtain “the best sonic and logistical outcomes” for a a host of live and installed applications. All VCA units include the manufacturer’s patented Dual Diaphragm Planar Wave Driver (DDP), Coupler technology and FS-FIR Filters, with the CiRAY also benefitting from the addition of CODA’s latest Dynamic Airflow Cooling (DAC). From a setup point of view, a hang of 12 loudspeakers (2x6) can reportedly be set up in minutes by a single operator, with all cabinets set for their relative angles to drop into place once lifted. Three cabinets can be powered from

one channel of CODA’s LINUS14 DSP amplifier, meaning that only one amplifier is required for a full hang of 12 using an industry-standard power amp cable. The CiRAY uses the same unique Coupler technology as the rest of the VCA family, giving horizontal dispersion control down to 200Hz with coverage options of 60°, 90° and 120°. The speaker comes with CODA’s Quick Release grille and the ability to change horizontal dispersion by means of the manufacturer’s proprietary Instafit Magnetic Couplers. Compatible with the VCA family, the SC2-F dual 15-inch sensor-controlled, low-frequency extension overlaps the VCA line arrays in the 35–200Hz range. It can be strategically deployed either to increase the low-frequency impact and headroom of the system in a long-throw configuration or to provide an accurate cardioid dispersion pattern over the entire frequency range when flown behind the line array. Additionally, the SC2-F can be used in a beam split configuration.

WITH THE launch of the 32Classic, Harrison has produced its first mixing console following the Solid State Logic acquisition in April 2023. Designed and engineered by Harrison Audio in Nashville, Tennessee, and manufactured in Oxford, England, the 32-channel in-line/splitrecording console is a “purist” console, taking a 50-year legacy in analogue console design and combining it with modern studio integration. Available in 32- and 48-channel variants, the DAW-compatible frame design can accommodate a variety of “traditional” and

modern “hybrid” workflows. Featuring 32 mono mic/line channels, 100mm faders, transformer balanced mic preamplifiers and 32C four-band parametric EQ with variable high- and low-pass filters, the 32Classic comprises 64 channels of AD/DA conversion, gold-plated switches, in-line or split recording/ monitoring status, conductive plastic potentiometers and summing busses carried by PCBs. An optional Dante AoIP interface extends the 32Classic’s appeal for mixing environments and classic tracking rooms. www.harrisonaudio.com

www.codaaudio.com

SM12 stage monitor flexes its muscles INSPIRED BY the Microwedge acoustic design, EAW’s SM12 Stage Monitor is a two-way passive loudspeaker for festivals, performing arts and house of worship applications. Designed to be used as both a stage monitor or fill speaker, the SM12 has a concentric driver attached to a CSA waveguide which EAW says provides even coverage throughout the 90° x 60° pattern. Meanwhile, a large ground-coupled port extends low-frequency response down to 60Hz from its 12-inch woofer.

frequency port. The low-frequency port also houses an input selection switch that selects the first or second set of NL4 pins as the crossover input to reduce the number of speaker wires onstage. In addition, a second set of input connectors are located on the bottom of the loudspeaker to accommodate wiring when used in the fill orientation, wall-mounted or on a pole.

Designed to be deployed in multiple orientations and wiring configurations, the SM12 has two cabinet orientations for use on a flat surface and can also be mounted on a pole. An integrated kickstand offers additional positioning options when used as a stage or floor monitor. Integrating with EAW’s UXA4403 amplifier, the loudspeaker features two input connectors concealed in the low-

www.eaw.com

Genelec’s 9401A brings AoIP connectivity to SAM GENELEC HAS further expanded its UNIO Audio Monitoring Service Platform with the introduction of the 9401A System Management Device for audioover-IP networking. The device adds AoIP connectivity to the manufacturer’s range of Smart Active Monitors and Subwoofers in ST 2110, AES67 and Ravenna formats. With 16 monitor outputs, the 9401A supports all formats from stereo to 9.1.6 and brings flexibility of multichannel networked audio to the UNIO platform. The 9401A provides 16 channels of digital connectivity, plus dedicated subwoofer and auxiliary stereo outputs, all via AES/EBU. The auxiliary output serves as a feed for headphones, enabling binaural and

secondary stereo loudspeaker monitoring, while the 9401A’s integration with Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) software allows entire system calibration, including

subwoofer alignment and support for bass management. The 9401A’s separate subwoofer output enables Smart Active Subwoofers to be chained to increase the low-frequency SPL output, and channel

capacity can be expanded with more 9401A devices, to provide compatibility with 22.2 and other high channel count immersive formats.

Loudspeaker management and calibration is achieved via the proprietary GLM network connectivity of the 9401A. Tactile control of the entire monitoring system can then be achieved via the new 9320A

Reference Controller, which acts as a bridge to the UNIO platform and provides one-click access to a vast number of monitor features built into the Smart Active Monitoring family. Performance wise, the 1U rackmount 9401A is compatible with sample rates from 44.1–192kHz, using 16-, 24- and 32-bit resolution per sample. Employing Gigabit Ethernet for low latency, the device supports the ST 2110 broadcast suite with ST 2022-7 redundant network connectivity and NMOS integration to enterprise management and automation systems. www.genelec.com

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Innovox unveils column or side-by-side speaker options INNOVOX AUDIO has released its HLA-800 speakers in 20°, 25° and 50° vertical opening angles as well as two form factors. Customers can choose between a column (HLA-8xxV) or a sideby-side (HLA-8xxSxS) orientation to best meet space and aesthetic requirements. The V and SxS variations are functionally identical. The HLA-820V and HLA-820SxS are selfpowered hybrid integrations of an eight-element J-array and a directional dipole lowfrequency loudspeaker pair. This integration is said to yield precise vertical control not previously possible in such a compact package. The line source portion contains eight proprietary 3.5-inch midrange and eight high-frequency ribbon drivers. The low-frequency portion incorporates two 8-inch low-frequency drivers in a dipole configuration to extend vertical LF control. An onboard Innovox DSP amplifier provides 1,600W of Class-D power. The HLA-820 has been preconfigured for an asymmetrical 120° x 20° (HxV) coverage pattern with vertical directivity to 240Hz and LF response to

Column and side-by-side variants of the HLA-820 60Hz. The HLA-835 has a 120° x 35° coverage pattern and for the HLA-850 it’s 120° x 50°. www.innovoxaudio.com

JBL IRX One Column is a pillar for hospitality and education FEATURING A three-channel mixer and Bluetooth 5.0 audio streaming, JBL has designed the IRX One as a portable, plug-andplay, all-in-one column loudspeaker system. Equipped with six 2-inch high-frequency drivers and an 8-inch bass-reflex woofer providing lowfrequency response down to 40Hz (±10dB), the IRX One incorporates directivity control, resulting in a C-shaped array. In addition to dbx automatic feedback suppression (AFS), five EQ presets and audio ducking, the three-channel mixer supports most connections, including ¼-inch and XLR inputs with included 48V phantom power and ¼-inch balanced mix-out. Weighing 15.5kg, the IRX One incorporates an optimised carry handle, while ease of setup is extended with column spacers and an array cabinet designed to fit into the rear of the base unit. With the inclusion of a Bluetooth 5.0 audio streaming chipset, the IRX One is capable of delivering long-distance streaming. Optimising frequency and phase response, JBL has also introduced FIR tunings for select Control Contractor Series loudspeakers. The FIR filters were designed to meet JBL Pro’s latest V6 FIR tuning standard. Features include equalisation to a neutral frequency response, matched gain together with improved signal coherence and linearised phase response above 300Hz. Users can adopt a known flat voicing for further equalisation to the needs of the application to allow for smooth system tuning and subwoofer integration. The V6 FIR tunings are for the COL600 and COL800, SLP12/T and SLP14/T, GSF6 and GSF8 and Control 68HL models. The posted tunings are for use with Crown DCI-N and DCI-DA power amplifiers. Additional

IRX One tuning files are expected to be released shortly for Crown CDI DriveCore amplifiers. www.jblpro.com

Pan Acoustics caters to immersive audio needs with CX series SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED for use in systems with virtual room acoustics and object-based audio, Pan Acoustics has unveiled its latest speaker range, the Pan Speaker CX series. The German brand is presenting it as the ideal solution for demanding audio projects that require precise sound reproduction and immersive audio experiences. With a frequency range of 48Hz–22kHz and a wide symmetrical dispersion pattern, these speakers are said to offer an exceptional listening experience.

All featuring a coaxial design, there are 8-, 10and 12-inch woofer versions in the series, offering the ability to select the appropriate speaker type based on room size and performance requirements. Regardless of size or power unit, the sound signature of the speakers is said to remain uniform to ensure consistent sound results, with equalisation of the speakers already done via the integrated passive crossover. The speakers can be painted in any colour according to the customer’s wishes, allowing

for visually unobtrusive integration. A stable front grille made from perforated sheet metal and an integrated connection plate protect the speakers from external influences. Due to the design, the speakers are already tilted downwards by 15° and can be mounted flat on the wall. Additionally,

various mounting points for accessories offer flexibility and ease of installation, including wall mounting and ceiling mounting. The CX speakers can be used individually or in combination with subwoofers from the Pan Subwoofer series for extended bass response and immersion. www.pan-acoustics.de

LD Systems launches TICA Series for installations A PRODUCT range specifically for the installation market has been unveiled by German manufacturer LD Systems. The TICA Series offers compact solutions for any size project that are said to be flexible, easy to install and with features that deliver better sound and control. The series includes everything from media streaming and mixing preamplifiers to a range of amps with different channel and power outputs. There

are also Dante networked audio interfaces, transformers, headphone amplifiers and control interfaces. Installers can build entire systems using workhorse products from the series or, alternatively, the TICA Series can be integrated into an existing installation providing additional connections or zones. The AMP 205 is a two-channel mini amplifier that combines compact size with passive cooling and efficiency. It’s powered by a 2x 50W Class-D

amplifier, features 4Ω outputs and has a userfriendly front panel. The AMP 106 T is a singlechannel 60W Class-D amplifier that can drive low impedance or 70V/100V line loudspeaker systems. Its small form is suitable for installers that are working on projects with limited space or where aesthetics are important. The TICA Series has been designed for hospitality, retail, corporate and education

applications. All the products are compact – integrators can install them under tables, behind screens and in ceilings, or can use the 1U TICA rack tray to put four devices next to each other. The TICA Series gives integrators the ability to build a system that fits the exact project requirements with minimal rack space. www.ld-systems.com

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PRODUCTS

HK Audio introduces its extended family

Mackie takes live sound to new places

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MACKIE HAS unveiled the Thrash212 GO, a 300W battery-powered 12-inch loudspeaker that “allows high-output professional sound to go anywhere”, whether the user is a musician, working DJ or live event producer.

AD-

FINEO

WITH THE introduction of five passive mid/high units and five passive subwoofers, HK Audio’s FINEO product family aims to maximise flexibility across a variety of professional indoor fixed installations. The FINEO range consists of the FO 5, an ultra-compact 5-inch/1-inch coaxial speaker suitable for both wall and ceiling installation; the FO 8 with its 8-inch woofer; the FO 10 with a 10-inch woofer; and the FO 12 with a 12-inch woofer. As the most powerful mid/high unit in the range, the FO 15 features additional low end and a 15-inch woofer. For dispersion in all positions, every FINEO mid/high unit except the FO 5 has a rotatable HF horn. Meanwhile, the FO S112 is a compact 12-inch subwoofer; a flyable version is also available in the FO S112 F. Similarly, the FO S118 has an 18-inch subwoofer to extend the low-frequency output of any FINEO system, and also has a flyable version

in the FO S112 F. Both flyable versions can be installed either with a U-bracket or four standard M8s. HK Audio’s most powerful subwoofer of the series is the FO S218, with double 18-inch drivers and the lowest cut-off frequency of 33Hz. The speaker specialist says the largeformat, bass-reflex channels on all FINEO subwoofers are protected against foreign objects. Cut-outs for cable routing facilitate installation close to a wall, and flyable models can also be mounted at a slight downwards angle so that any foreign objects thrown in can simply fall out. HK Audio provides a range of accessories from adjustable U-brackets to 360° mounts, swivel and tilt brackets to tripod mounts and L-brackets to facilitate a range of installation requirements. Standard VESA connections on all FINEO mid/high units mean that installation fixtures from third-party suppliers can also be used.

DSP presets for Lab Gruppen IPX and LEA Professional, as well as filter sheets for other DSP platforms, can be downloaded directly, while simulation data in GLL format for EASE and EASE FOCUS 3 are also available. The manufacturer has also announced that simulation files in GLL data format for the LINEAR 5 MK II series are now available for EASE and EASE FOCUS 3. The LINEAR 5 MK II GLL files are now available for download from the LINEAR 5 MK II product page.

The Thrash212 GO has up to 10 hours of playtime from the swappable, rechargeable battery. Designed as a solution for countless setup challenges, the Thrash212 GO lets users bring Mackie sound to remote outdoor gigs and non-traditional venues with unstable power options. The speaker is portable and light enough to carry with four built-in handles and features Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming and stereo linking. It also allows users to connect two full-size, 12-inch 300W loudspeakers to a laptop or smart device for a music playback setup that’s “ready in seconds”.

www.hkaudio.com www.mackie.com

High power in a small format SPANISH MANUFACTURER Equipson has expanded its WORK PRO range with the launch of the ARENA Series of loudspeakers, said to deliver a reliable, outdoor sound solution, whatever the weather. Available in a range of sizes to suit different applications, the ARENA Series is described as durable and robust and can reportedly transform any outdoor space into a high-quality sonic experience. Engineered to withstand all weather conditions, a key feature of the ARENA Series is its ability to deliver high power in a small format. These compact coaxial full-range speakers are available in four sizes (6-, 8-, 10and 12-inch) and deliver between 300W and 600W of pure power depending on the model size selected. In all cases, clear highs, efficient low-frequency performance and minimised distortion are said to provide a balanced audio experience. In addition, the range features a dual 8-inch 800W band-pass waterproof subwoofer that adds “a powerful low-frequency punch” to any ARENA Series installation. The manufacturer has also introduced upgrades to its WORK PRO range of DSPenabled Synthea amplifiers. Boasting an

location and at any time. Operating in low impedance (4–16Ω) and high impedance (70V/100V), the Synthea range is available with four-channel and power output options. The upgrade covers all four Synthea models. The Synthea 2125 offers two channels with 125W of power each or one channel with 250W; the Synthea 2500 comes with

ARENA Series expanded feature set, users can now combine input sources in two or four separate mixes, and configure any output to high or low impedance. Other new features include Talk Over (ducking) with priority routing, and the inclusion of an input high-pass filter and output routing (S/PDIF). Equipson has also updated Synthea’s generator to include pink noise and sine wave, and incorporated a band pass filter and parametric EQ on each analogue input.

Specifically designed for AV installations, Synthea amplifiers all feature integrated DSP technology and web control. DSP is controlled via TCP/IP, GPIOs and S/PDIF in/out, enabling signals to be mixed to any output and making it straightforward to link multiple amps. Synthea amplifiers’ in-built web server can be accessed from any Wi-Fi or Ethernet-connected device to give users the ability to adjust and control their loudspeaker system from any

Synthea 4500 two channels with 500W per channel or one channel of 1,000W; the Synthea 4125 provides four channels of 125W each or two channels of 250W; and Synthea 4500 offers four channels of 500W each or two channels of 1,000W. www.workproav.com

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Q-SYS launches zero-bezel models of AcousticDesign speakers

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RCF is tour-ready THE NX 932-A and NX 945 -A have been designed by RCF for sound providers, small bands and DJs. The combination of a respective 3-inch or 4-inch titanium/ neodymium compression driver, a 12-inch or 15 -inch woofer, a two-channel 2,100W amplifier and the constant directivity True Resistive Waveguide produces coherent 100° x 70° coverage for the listening area with up to 132dB or 135dB SPL. The speaker can be used on its own for a FOH system, as a satellite

AD-C4T-ZB, AD-C4T-LPZB, AD-C6T-ZB and AD-C6T-LPZB

Q-SYS HAS released a “zero-bezel” refresh of the 4- and 6-inch AcousticDesign (AD) Series ceiling loudspeakers. The new models, including the AD-C4T-ZB, AD-C4T-LPZB, AD-C6T-ZB and AD-C6T-LPZB, feature a white grille without a bezel, designed to meet the architectural needs of modern applications while preserving the acoustics of the existing AD models. Additionally, retrofit accessories are available to add the new grille to recent Q-SYS loudspeakers (NL-C4, AD-C6T-HC and AD-C6T-HP) and black grilles are also available separately for all models. The QIO-AES8x8 and QIO-TEL2 have been added to the manufacturer’s QIO Series I/O peripheral portfolio. The modular devices expand Q-SYS system capabilities to enable streamlined interoperability with non-networked audio and analogue telephony systems. By decoupling local I/O from processing hardware, QIO Series devices allow users to place the I/O exactly where it is needed to support the desired topology. The QIO-AES8x8 features eight AES3 digital inputs and eight AES3 digital outputs, allowing users to integrate a wide range of digital sources into their systems, including

media servers, mixing consoles, digital audio workstations (DAWs) or other digital recording and playback devices. The QIO-TEL2 integrates two PSTN (POTS) phone lines on standard RJ-11 connectors to integrate analogue telephony systems into Q-SYS. The QIO-TEL2 is designed to handle PSTN subscriber lines, PBX phone and paging systems, and retrofit applications. Q-SYS has also introduced what it claims to be the first Certified for Microsoft Teams solution for Microsoft Teams Rooms that supports spatial audio. It includes any Teams-certified Q-SYS Core processor, SPA Series amplifiers or AD Series surface-mount loudspeakers paired with the Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) beamforming microphone array. By adopting this solution, Q-SYS says that organisations will be able to enjoy crystal-clear spatial audio in their meetings, with voices coming from their relative positions on the Signature Teams Rooms screen, which enhances meeting equity by creating more natural and engaging discussions for in-room and remote participants. www.qsys.com

Bose Professional creates AudioPack Pro packages FORMED FROM a combination of in-ceiling and surface-mount FreeSpace loudspeakers and a FreeSpace amplifier, Bose Professional has unveiled its AudioPack Pro systems as a ready-to-install pre-designed package. Depending upon the AudioPack Pro system selected, the package includes either four or six FreeSpace loudspeakers and an IZA 190-HZ integrated zone amplifier, specifically matched and optimised for the solution. The systems are said to eliminate guesswork and combine durability, a clean design and ease of installation with consistent tonality. With either the in-ceiling or surface-mount option, clear

voice reproduction and rich music are promised, while the speakers will reportedly blend into any environment. The packages are available in several configurations. The AudioPack Pro C4W comprises four white in-ceiling FreeSpace FS2C loudspeakers and a FreeSpace IZA 190-HZ amplifier; the AudioPack Pro S4W includes four white surface-mount FreeSpace FS2SE loudspeakers and an IZA 190-HZ amplifier; and the AudioPack Pro S4B includes four black surface-mount FreeSpace FS2SE loudspeakers and an IZA 190-HZ amplifier. www.boseprofessional.com

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NX 932-A (with subwoofer) or stage monitor, or it can be flown. Merging RCF proprietary FiRPHASE and Bass Motion Control DSP processing, the NX 932-A and NX 945 -A are described as tour-ready, rugged all-wood cabinets that are easy to carry and secure to install on a pole-, flown-, wall- or truss-mount using the dedicated rigging points available.

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Wharfedale Pro updates DP-F and DP-N amplifiers UPDATES TO Wharfedale Pro’s DP-F and DP-N series amplifiers have been announced. While the output power, model

means that not all of the new software features are backwards compatible with original DP-F/N hardware. However, users

The DP-N family numbers and configurations remain the same, the DP-F and DP-N models will now feature updated DSP Controller software features, increased internal DSP functions, new IPS colour displays, locking XLR connectors and AES/EBU inputs. The upgrades are supported by the simultaneous release of the v1.1.8 DSP Control software. The scale and expanded feature set of the DP-F and DP-N upgrades

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The SUB 905-AS MK3 and SUB 8003-AS MK3 are self-powered, extended, lowfrequency subwoofers with internal DSP. The compact cabinets house a 15-inch (18-inch for the SUB 8003-AS MK3) transducer featuring ceramic magnets and a 3-inch (4-inch) voice coil. The internal amplifier manages up to 2,200W power output, delivering SPLs up to 133dB (135dB). Proprietary Bass Motion Control processing provides extended linearity, while rear panel controls include presets, crossover frequency, polarity selection, cardioid and output delay settings. The tour-ready, rugged all-wood cabinets with a scratch-resistant polyurea coating are stackable and lightweight and have been built for demanding applications. Finally, the S 15 is a high-power, compact subwoofer system suitable for installations where the physical small size and impact of a 12-inch driver are desired. Extending the frequency response below 35Hz, the S 15 is reportedly capable of providing output levels normally associated with larger enclosures. It has been developed for music playback in applications ranging from clubs, bars and cafés, as well as theatres and corporate applications. The low-frequency transducer is a 15-inch woofer with a 2.5-inch voice coil.

of current DP-F and DP-N series amplifiers will still reportedly benefit from multiple improvements in the DSP Control Software and will gain various new features through the release of DSP Control Software v1.1.8. DP-F and DP-N series models are also supported with downloadable loudspeaker FIR presets from the Wharfedale Pro preset library. www.wharfedalepro.com

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PRODUCTS

SoundTube amp avoids overdrive WITH AN integrated matrix mixer and subwoofer mode, the MCA2004t Class D amplifier from SoundTube is designed for continuous use in a wide range of commercial and professional audio settings, from performance venues to retail spaces and educational institutions. Boasting 200W at 8Ω direct or 70V/100V constant voltage output per each of its four channels, the amp’s 1,200W power supply allows it to output full power to all four channels simultaneously with peak power at 1,000W per channel. With selectable 70Hz high-pass filtering, the amp avoids overdriven bass frequencies that could cause distortions. The amplifier

also has a subwoofer mode selectable on channels one and two which applies a 120Hz low-pass filter and allows users to select 120Hz high-pass to the other channels. When subwoofer mode is selected for a particular channel, the output impedance is automatically changed to 4Ω. Meanwhile, the amplifier’s input routing feature uses a matrix mixer that allows all connected speakers to be driven by single or multiple sources. Catering to both balanced and unbalanced audio signals, the MCA2004t includes auto signal sensing or a standby trigger, along with an auxiliary port that can be used to remotely monitor the health of the amp. Other features include forced air cooling

with a variable speed, thermostatically controlled fan, and overload, short circuit, DC offset and thermal protection circuits with Power/Standby, limiting and protection LED indicators.

The amp measures 88.9mm x 482.6mm x 400.05mm and uses a compact, two-rack space chassis. www.mseaudio.com

SSL unveils mic preamps

WITH THE Pure Drive Quad and Pure Drive Octo microphone preamplifiers, Solid State Logic (SSL) has developed two 2U rack-based studio tools. Available in four-channel (Quad) or eight-channel

(Octo) configurations, both preamplifiers incorporate SSL’s SuperAnalogue PureDrive Technology. With Drive mode, both rack-mountable units feature analogue and digital connectivity

options together with an integrated USB-C soundcard. Providing four mic preamp input impedance options, various tonal possibilities or mic pre impedances can be matched closely to the microphone. Additionally, each mic pre includes independent +48V phantom power, polarity inversion and a high-pass filter, which is sweepable on Quad. Both Quad and Octo feature three different Drive modes with Classic Drive, Clean and Asymmetric Drive. Retaining the clarity of previous SSL designs, the units offer the added versatility of switching its character to a warm, harmonically rich tone that varies with gain. The PureDrive Classic microphone preamplifier was first introduced within the Origin recording console for generating predominantly odd harmonics. Clean mode delivers SSL’s signature ultra-low noise floor, linear preamp. Finally, Asymmetric

Drive provides comprehensive digital connectivity and a USB-C interface, and can be characterised by a pronounced thickness, colouration and softening of transients. Both units feature four front-mounted Hi-Z/ DI instrument inputs with automatic input detection, rear-mounted combo XLR inputs, D-sub connectors for line level inputs, in addition to insert send and insert return. All insert returns/ADC inputs operate up to full +24dBu line level, for interfacing with other professional equipment. The integrated USB-C soundcard offers up to 32-bit/192kHz conversion, AES/EBU outputs and ADAT out with SMUX. The AES and ADAT outputs can be individually repurposed to be fed from the onboard USB soundcard as outputs from a DAW. An auto-ranging word clock input and output for digital clocking is also included. www.solidstatelogic.com

DirectOut unveils PRODIGY.MX SAID TO elevate the audio routing, converting and processing capabilities of the PRODIGY Series to the next level, the PRODIGY.MX multiformat audio matrix offers a capacity of 1664x1668 audio channels. Its modular hardware simultaneously accommodates multiple audio formats, selectable between Dante, RAVENNA/AES67, SoundGrid, AVB/ Milan and MADI, and ensures seamless interconnectivity among them. The modules feature bidirectional sample rate conversion (HD SRC), enabling connections across various clock boundaries. Operational control is facilitated through globcon control software, compatible with both Mac and PC, while local operation is simplified with an intuitive touch display, providing essential monitoring and control capabilities. Third-party control protocols, like Ember+, are available as options to ease integration into larger systems. The PRODIGY.MX incorporates processing features such as gain control for all inputs and outputs, and channel grouping. Additional DSP functions are planned for

PRODIGY.MX

future updates, further expanding the application scenarios. DirectOut is also introducing new high-channel count MADI modules shaped for the audio network slots of the PRODIGY devices and adding extra capacity and flexibility to the series.

Redefining the way audio solutions are designed to emphasise flexibility for engineers, the manufacturer has also unveiled the Audio Solution Model (ASM). Providing modularity in both hardware and software, while ensuring both adaptability and longevity,

ASM evolves with customers’ needs using a five-layer structure built on hardware platforms. The “Skin” layer customises the device performance, providing users with the required tools. Control protocols together with a software GUI further enhance flexibility, and templates simplify complex solutions, prioritising creativity over technical complexity. The top layer promotes an open approach by integrating hardware components from any manufacturer. Add-ons are said to enrich and extend the solution as required. DirectOut’s PRODIGY.MP currently embodies the ASM philosophy with modular hardware, scalable DSP, adaptable control and comprehensive software. As a logical consequence, the latest Prodigy.MX inherits core features from Prodigy.MP and ASM’s DNA. With six network slots and extensive I/O, it is designed to remain open and expandable, regardless of the digital multichannel format or control system it is working with. www.directout.eu

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FINEO THE NEW INSTALLATION STANDARD The clever, uncomplicated and comprehensive loudspeaker series for professional indoor fixed installations. • High sound quality, easy integration and attractive price/performance ratio • Convenient speaker formats such as the ultra-compact FO 5 coaxial speaker and subwoofers for rigging • Extensive, sophisticated accessories for every conceivable application and installation scenario • DSP presets for Lab.gruppen IPX and LEA Professional as well as filter sheets for other DSP platforms - integration easier than ever before • Simulation data in GLL format for EASE and EASE Focus • Robust, durable and reliable. Ball impactproof as standard to meet the strict requirements of the German demand for sports facilities according to DIN 18032-3

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PRODUCTS

DAD goes for speed

DADLINK IS a proprietary audio and data format from Digital Audio Denmark (DAD) that is capable of handling up to 128 bidirectional channels with a latency of less than 100 nano seconds. The proprietary audio and data format can be used via optional SFP modules to establish a connection between DADlink-compatible units such as the AX64, AX Center, Core 256 and AX32, and it is also compatible with NTP Technology’s Penta 720 and Penta 721s units. DAD says the actual channel count depends on the chosen sample rate, which can be between 44.1kHz and 384kHz. According to the company, the DADlink format acts as a digital audio signal extension that

connects directly into the “belly” of the digital processing system of any DADlink-compatible unit. Using a DADlink connection means that analogue audio signals have already been through DAD’s A/D converters. Within the digital domain, the transfer resolution via DADlink is happening at a 28-bit floating point, which adds another 96dB of headroom for a total dynamic range of 237dB. DAD also says that phase alignment is applied within the system delay.

DESIGNED TO power future installations of Constellation, Meyer Sound has developed the NADIA integrated network-based digital audio processing and distribution platform. In addition to the processing power and inputs reserved for active acoustics, NADIA also provides separate inputs, processing and matrixing to enable Spacemap Go spatial sound “without performance compromises”. Comprising three hardware modules, the NADIA platform supports up to 96 inputs for Constellation acoustic processing in addition

acoustical zones in a single unit. A standard licence is available for all 12 VRAS processors and a lower-cost lite version can be applied for three processors. In comparison to the D-Mitri processor solution, Constellation systems based on NADIA benefit from reductions in both rack space and overall costs. The processing power of NADIA allows for a separate partition dedicated to integrating sound reinforcement systems alongside Constellation. Many inputs are reserved exclusively for Constellation, with additional inputs available for

NADIA-CP to 128 independent program audio inputs. All NADIA-based systems require at least one NADIA-CP core processor that supports 128 outputs. Additional NADIA-CP modules can be added to increase the number of outputs in the extended system by 128 for each module. All communication to and from the NADIA-CP module is via a Milan-compatible AVB network and all the processing is at 96kHz/64-bit floating point resolution. For analogue input, the NADIA platform offers the NADIA-AI12 input module, providing 12 channels of analogue input with a preamp on each channel to accommodate Constellation microphones. For analogue outputs, the NADIA-AO16 provides 16 channels of analogue line level output. NADIA outputs can be routed directly via the network to Milan endpoint loudspeakers such as Ultra-X20 series speakers and USW-112P subwoofers. In an active acoustic system, which requires discrete output channels for many loudspeakers, this eliminates separate output modules to reduce rack space requirements. Each NADIA-CP module hosts up to 12 VRAS (Variable Room Acoustic System) processors, enabling the configuration of up to 12 discrete

www.digitalaudio.dk

Meyer Sound introduces the NADIA platform

multichannel spatial audio processing backed up by a new signal path featuring two matrix sections. Along with an input matrix addressed by Spacemap Go, new levels of granularity and control are available with a separate output matrix. NADIA can also connect to Galileo Galaxy 816 and 408 processors, mixing consoles equipped with direct Milan outputs, multichannel computer playback from AVBcompatible Apple or Windows computers and Avnu-certified format converters for other digital audio networks. Backed up by the power of CueStation 8 as a calibration and programming tool, an updated control interface enhances how users work with Constellation‘s active acoustics in their venue. When implemented, Spacemap Go NADIA provides a separate user interface for controlling dynamic spatial sound in integrated PA systems. NADIA systems also can be controlled by OSC commands to enable integration with third-party protocols when incorporating NADIA-based systems into wider AV and building control systems. www.meyersound.com

NTi makes an impact THE IB01 Impact Ball from NTi Audio is described as a lightweight, easy-touse and professional impact source for stimulating ceilings during impact sound insulation measurements in accordance with the DIN EN ISO 162832:2020-11 standards for buildings as well as ISO 10140-5:2021 and ASTM E 966-10:2018 standards for laboratory applications. This reportedly provides building acousticians with a timesaving product, with the Impact Ball suited to simulate low-frequency sound events, such as those caused by footsteps or children jumping on wooden beam ceilings. Every ball is tested on the manufacturer’s specially developed test bench to ensure that all relevant standards are met. In addition, the Sound Insulation Reporter software supports the evaluation of the measured values recorded with the Impact Ball. Wooden buildings are becoming increasingly popular due to their numerous advantages, such as sustainability,

affordability and aesthetics. However, wooden beam ceilings are more susceptible to transmitting low-frequency impact noise to lower floors. Measuring impact sound insulation using a simple and effective method is important. The IB01 Impact Ball is being promoted as a practical impact sound source, not just in terms of dimensions and weight. The excitation spectrum produced is also lower in frequency and therefore more applicable in many cases. According to the manufacturer, anyone who has ever had to carry out an impact sound measurement with airborne sound correction will appreciate that the rubber ball only emits minimal airborne sound. The application is described as uncomplicated and the results are reproducible – the ball is brought to the standardised height of 1m using the included measuring stick and dropped at the desired location. The sound level LAF is measured in the reception room.

Designed as a turnkey solution for plugin hosting, the transform.engine is controlled by a remote Windows or macOS client application following connection to the engine via an Ethernet cable and installed plugins. Should a plugin crash, the rest of the system will be unaffected and the transform.engine will immediately restart that plugin and restore the original integrity of the mix. Designed to be integrated directly into live audio workflows, the transform.engine

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DiGiCo and Fourier Audio set FOLLOWING THE announcement that it has joined forces with DiGiCo, Fourier Audio has revealed the transform.engine. Previously known as codename “Project Core”, the Dante-connected server can run all VST3-native software plugins that run on Windows in a live environment. Housed in a strengthened 2U chassis with dual redundant power supplies, the transform.engine is said to bring premium studio software to live sound and broadcast applications.

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Ready, screw down, go! THE HICON BNC0.8/3.7-6G-SM connector from Sommer Cable can be mounted without bulky crimping tools, with its plugin system said to simplify the mounting of BNC and RG cables. The connector can be mounted by hand or with the help of two wrenches (size 12mm and 13mm). To do this, customers need to strip the cable using a sharp knife or stripping tool, insert the cable into the connector and lock it in place by tightening the end cap. The connector is ideally suited for safe and uncomplicated assembly or repair of cables on the road.

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HC72P25

www.sommercable.com

Data and power in one THE HC72P25 hybrid (data and power) cable from KLOTZ AIS has a robust, highly flexible soft PVC outer jacket and enables a wide range of applications as a connection to modern, computercontrolled devices and systems. Two flexible Cat7 lines connect components of digital audio networks such as Dante, CobraNet and EtherSound or transmit DMX control signals based on the Art-Net, MANet or Pathport protocols. The cable also serves as a solution in the IT sector when a network connection plus power line is required. Thanks to the double shielding (Al-foil + dense copper braiding)

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HI-UC series to simplify attribution. A 3μg hard, gold-plated pin, as well as a robust metal enclosure, are said to ensure a high number of mating cycles. The quality and durability of the mating cycles are regularly tested in-house by means of a specially designed automatic machine. In addition to BNC connectors, the HICON Screw & Play series also includes jack plug connectors and RCA/phono connectors.

The HICON BNC0.8/3.7-6G-SM connector reportedly fits almost all 0.8/3.7 video cables and transmits the 3G and 6G video standard. It is also predestined for connecting S-PDIF units. The robust SC-VECTOR (600-0162) is a suitable counterpart, as it can be used for secure data transmission over longer distances and reportedly guarantees a low return loss. The HICON BNC connector has a discreet matt black end cap and can be coded with two stretchable colour rings from the

of the Cat7 cables, the interference-free transmission of high data rates up to 10 Gbit over long distances is possible, even in electromagnetically influenced environments. For Adamson, RCF and JBL sound systems, the HC72P25 can also

be used in a Cat + audio + power (instead of 2x Cat + power) combination, with one of the two Cat7 lines assembled with high-quality XLR 3p connectors (instead of RJ45). This is realised thanks to the cable’s stranding and its 110Ω impedance. Not only audio signals but also DMX signals often have to be merged via a

stagebox. The DMXV TrussLink stagebox series by KLOTZ is specially designed for this purpose. The lightweight but extremely robust aluminium housing is powdercoated and features abrasion-resistant laser engraving. It houses eight or 12 DMX output channels as well as RMP multipin connectors according to MIL-C-5015 standards. The models offer parallel wired Neutrik XLR 5p and XLR 3p female connectors with hard gold-plated contacts. This allows the flexibility to connect either XLR 5p or XLR 3p DMX devices. It also eliminates the need for DMX adapter cables. The housing is equipped with non-slip rubber feet, an M10 thread on the bottom and four eyelets for safety ropes. There are two variants in the series: the DMXV-08XF53MF (eight XLR 5p||3p F - 2x RMP 25p M/F) and the DMXV12XF53MF (12 XLR 5p||3p F - 2x RMP 37p M/F).

Multipurpose cabling from Tasker THE DEMAND for products capable of integrating several services in a single cable has started to grow again, in particular combi cables that are made up of one or more elements for digital audio and DMX protocol with power. It’s a common solution in multiple operational applications, including wiring active speakers and managing moving heads.

www.klotz-ais.com

ne C283 Tasker offers a wide range of pre-made solutions, such as the C283 series with a single 3x1.5mm² DMX power-integrated cable, fitted with Neutrik NC3M/FXX-B and NAC3M/FX-W-TOP connectors. The models come with a soft PVC sheath. The C284 and C290 pre-made series (3x1.5mm2 and 3x2.5mm² respectively) both come with two DMX cables and the same Neutrik connectors as the C283.

set

DMXV-08XF53MF www.tasker.it

to transform live sound

n ed

is starting to add plugin control into work surfaces, including DiGiCo consoles. The Fourier Audio device is capable of operating in conjunction with virtually any professional digital console on the market via Dante, using the Windows/macOS application to control the engine. In addition, the transform.engine can process audio standalone with no computer required. Managed remotely by a Windows/macOS application, with plugin

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user interfaces teleported and controlled in low latency over the network, the product can reportedly deliver the market’s lowest-latency solution for hosting VST3 plugins, while preserving the reliability of the server. The transform.engine will feature an optional software subscription bundle. www.digico.biz www.fourieraudio.com

January–February 2024 PRO AVL ASIA 87

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PRODUCTS

Get in touch with the RF Explorer Pro spectrum analyser AS MORE devices compete for less spectrum, the ability to visualise and monitor RF signals in real time has become critical for wireless audio. Claiming to provide all the information required to optimise wireless microphone and in-ear monitor audio systems, the RF Explorer Pro is a handheld RF analyser distributed by RF Venue which delivers RF spectrum data via a high-resolution touchscreen. Combining an integrated 6GHz spectrum analyser with frequency coordination analysis tools, the unit boasts an

RF Explorer Pro 8-inch touchscreen interface and an internal 4,500mAh lithium ion battery which provides up to five hours of operation. The RF Explorer Pro can be fully remote controlled to monitor, manage and capture spectrum data, while its internal CPU enables fast frequency coordination calculations, real-time interference monitoring and intermodulation analysis out of the box. The unit’s built-in memory automatically records, saves and replays spectrum data scans and users can export data to a USB drive for use in other software applications such as RF Venue’s Wireless System Builder, Shure’s Wireless Workbench, Audio-Technica’s Wireless Manager and Sennheiser’s Wireless System Manager. The RF ExplorerWiFi analysis feature extends its capability to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands for troubleshooting the

growing range of Wi-Fi-controlled pro audio gear, such as digital mixing consoles and tablet-controlled PAs. RF Venue has also released the latest additions to its family of bandpass interference filters. These filters reportedly simplify picking the right filters for a geographic area so that customers no longer have to worry about matching frequency blocks to the proper filter. The company’s band-pass filters help eliminate “out of band” signals that can saturate the front end of wireless microphone receivers and greatly improve dynamic range by reducing noise and third-party interference outside the range of operation. They feature industry-standard BNC connectors and a small 3-inch x 1.75-inch footprint, require no power or user configuration and can be easily connected inline with wireless microphone antennas to reduce noise and improve wireless system performance.

Solo doubles up the range in half the space UK MANUFACTURER Allen & Heath has announced the launch of Avantis Solo, the second member of the Avantis mixer family. Condensing the full power of the Avantis mixer platform into a 12-fader, singlescreen package, the Solo delivers the same 64-channel, 42-bus architecture as its larger sibling. Running at 0.7ms latency, it has full onboard processing as well as 12 RackExtra FX slots, with everything housed in its lightweight alloy shell and tubular frame. With six layers, the 12-fader architecture provides access to 72 fader strips, while the console has a 15.6-inch HD touchscreen with dedicated rotary controls and an additional 18 assignable SoftKeys. Combined with A&H’s

Continuity UI, the Avantis Solo provides the same connection between physical and graphical controls as the dual-screen Avantis. The Avantis Solo is equipped with six XLR analogue inputs and outputs, plus AES (stereo in, stereo out). An integrated SLink port enables connection to A&H’s Everything I/O ecosystem, as well as the company’s ME Personal Mixing System. In addition, two I/O ports allow the use of the full range of dLive/Avantis option cards, including Dante, Waves, gigaACE and MADI. Meanwhile, Avantis Director software enables online control and offline editing. www.allen-heath.com

The 470-608MHz covers all conventional wireless mic frequencies in North America, while the 470-698MHz BPF has been designed for the rest of the world (especially as all the frequency rebalancing is completed over the next couple of years). The additions join the existing filters that cover the 470–530MHz, 470–560MHz, 530–590MHz and 560–608MHz spectrums. www.rfvenue.com

Microtech Gefell introduces modular microphone system GERMAN MICROPHONE specialist Microtech Gefell has launched its Generation 4 modular microphone system. The setup includes the ultra-compact MV 400 microphone preamplifier with two alternative connectors, the microphone M 40 (cardioid), M 41 (super cardioid), M 42 (omnidirectional) and M 43 (wide cardioid) capsules as well as options and accessories for professional use.

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The manufacturer believes that the advantage of a modular concept is a fast reaction to changing requirements and a more productive workflow. With Generation 4, Microtech Gefell is evolving from its existing tradition of modular microphone systems into a more ultra-compact focus. www.microtechgefell.de

Finding space in Cubase SPATIAL AUDIO specialist Dear Reality has introduced its dearVR Spatial Connect mixing controller to Steinberg’s Cubase 12 to extend its built-in Dolby Atmos capabilities. The update enables in-headset control of the most-used DAW functions and enables the positioning and automation of audio tracks via gesture control in a virtual 360° environment. The company says that the addition of its dearVR Pro spatialiser and dearVR Monitor virtual headphone mix room provides a complete spatial audio ecosystem for mixing engineers to spatialise, control and monitor spatial audio sessions. By linking a VR headset like the Meta Quest or HTC Vive with the DAW, users can position and automate audio tracks in the virtual space by pointing at them with two handheld controllers. dearVR Spatial Connect enables direct VR access to the position, channel volume, solo, mute and automation status, as

well as providing overlay modules for extended navigation and control in the VR headset. The main control module enables direct control of Cubase 12’s transport functions like start, stop and rewind, while users can directly jump through the timeline and set markers and loop points. A meter bridge module provides control of every channel’s volume, solo and mute status, while a “minimap” module provides a comprehensive overview of all audio sources in the scene. dearVR Spatial Connect can run on the same Windows machine as the DAW or in a two-machine setup. This allows the user to run the VR application on a Windows machine while running Cubase 12 on a macOS. dearVR Spatial Connect now also supports Apple M1/M2 processors and connects with Nuendo 12, Cubase 12 and Reaper. www.dear-reality.com

88 PRO AVL ASIA January–February 2024

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PRODUCTS

On target with compact shotgun MEASURING 184MM in length, DPA’s 2017 Shotgun Microphone is an ultracompact shotgun mic that has been designed to endure extreme weather and mechanical impact. Tested in temperatures up to 40°C with 90% relative humidity, and cold environments as low as –40°C, the company claims the 2017 will hold up to travel and repeated use in harsh environments, including humid conditions and direct rain showers, as well as dry, arid environments. Optimised for a range of broadcast and live events, it provides a high degree of offaxis rejection, which reportedly permits the main source to stand out, while its heavily attenuated off-axis audio can be mixed into the entire soundscape. Meanwhile, for broadcasts that take place at quieter locations, the 2017 delivers low self-noise, even in the presence of many open microphones. DPA says it is ideal not only for fixed or booming applications but also on a FOH

SR5117 wireless capsule completes the 117 family

boom or fly bar; for indoor or outdoor booming while capturing location sound; or to pick up a musician’s ambient blend for in-ear monitoring during live musical performances.

FOLLOWING THE introduction of its SR117 handheld vocal microphone, Earthworks Audio has expanded the 117 family with the introduction of the SR5117 wireless capsule. The SR5117 is a supercardiod condenser wireless microphone that is compatible with all Sennheiser wireless systems. Earthworks says it has a fast, clean and responsive frequency response that is voiced with rich, clear lows, smooth vibrant mids and open highs. Although built for touring, the rugged SR5117 is suitable for a range of environments, including stage and TV. The company says it provides both the power

and quality of a condenser microphone, but with the safety and familiarity of a dynamic mic. Meanwhile, its pattern control across all frequencies offers maximum feedback rejection. The variant comes on the back of the Shure SR3117 wireless capsule version released last year. www.earthworksaudio.com

www.dpamicrophones.com

Røde unveils the White Collection AUSTRALIAN MICROPHONE manufacturer Røde has launched a limitededition range of white products featuring the RØDECaster Duo, PodMic, PSA1+ and NTH-100. Called the White Collection, the launch marks the first time these products have been released in custom colours. The centrepiece of the collection is the RØDECaster Duo, the company’s all-in-one audio production solution for creators. Released last year, the RØDECaster Duo boasts all of the same features as the RØDECaster Pro II – the company’s flagship audio console – in a more portable form factor. Also available in the White Collection is the PodMic dynamic broadcast microphone, which features a new black grille. The PSA1+ professional studio arm and NTH-100 headphones round out the collection, offering creators the chance to build a complete audio setup all in white. These are available in two bundles, a solo creator bundle featuring the RØDECaster Duo and one mic, arm and headphones,

and a podcaster bundle featuring two of each accessory alongside the console. Both bundles come with premium XLR cables to complete the setup. Following the launch of the NT1 5th Generation in February 2023, RØDE has released a new edition of its NT1 studio

White collection

condenser microphone with the original pureanalogue design of previous generations. The NT1 Signature Series provides the same specifications as the NT1 5th Generation, but with the original XLR-only design of previous generations. It features a RØDE HF6 large-diaphragm (1-inch) condenser capsule engineered to sub-micron tolerances, and has a tight cardioid polar pattern for background noise rejection. With the same classic NT1 sound signature, the NT1 Signature Series also has self-noise of just 4dBA, which RØDE claims makes it the world’s quietest studio condenser microphone. With a rugged aluminium body and highgrade finish, the mic is available in a range of limited-edition colours, including red, green, purple, pink and blue to match the aesthetic of the user. Each microphone comes with a studio-grade shock mount and pop filter and a premium XLR cable. www.rode.com

Shure adds to its SM7 family DESIGNED FOR podcasters, streamers and vocalists, the SM7dB XLR dynamic vocal microphone brings the same sound as the SM7B but with the addition of a Shure-designed, built-in active preamp with technology licensed from Cloud, tuned by Shure engineers specifically for the SM7dB. This integrated preamp provides a supplementary +18dB or +28dB of clean gain, eliminating the need for a separate preamp, and freeing users from the hiss and noise introduced by many audio interfaces when their preamps are driven to the levels necessary to provide enough gain for the SM7B.

Suitable for users of all experience levels, the SM7dB’s additional gain brings the microphone’s sensitivity up to a level optimised for typical audio interfaces. This reportedly guarantees users enough gain on hand for their audio to be heard with maximum clarity in a recording, on a broadcast or while streaming, regardless of their audio interface. For situations not requiring additional gain, users can simply set the integrated preamp to “bypass” to revert to original SM7B performance. The SM7dB’s wide-range frequency response is suited to capture singing, spoken word and podcasting, as well as loud sound sources, including drums, vocals and amplifiers. Sporting

SM7dB

the same EQ controls as the SM7B, the SM7dB’s bass roll-off and presence boost can be applied to best fit the sound source and recording environment. A dynamic microphone with a cardioid polar pattern, the SM7dB is designed to reject off-axis audio, making certain the user’s voice is heard clearly, without distractions. The microphone’s air suspension shock isolation technology and pop filter eliminate unwanted noises and breathiness, while advanced electromagnetic shielding defeats hum from computer monitors and other audio equipment. www.shure.com

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PRODUCTS

AMX extends its MUSE platform THE AMX MUSE Automation Platform has been released, along with four MUSE Automation Controllers and several supporting developer resources. The

MUSE Automation Controller family provides a dedicated computing resource for running the AMX MUSE automation platform. MUSE Controllers can simultaneously process a virtually unlimited number of scripts written

in JavaScript, Python or Groovy and natively support Low-Code development with NodeRED. Featuring a modern embedded processor that’s reportedly 10x faster than previous AMX NX Controllers, the MUSE Controller models integrate “bountiful memory” and rugged, industrial-grade eMMC storage. Built on Harman’s secure Linux platform, the MUSE Controllers are also designed to surpass the requirements of the most secure installations. Additionally, the controllers natively support Harman’s HControl (open-API), HiQnet (legacy Harman audio devices) and ICSP (legacy AMX control devices) protocols. pro.harman.com

Contacta launches RX-30 rechargeable loop listener ASSISTIVE LISTENING specialist Contacta Systems has launched a rechargeable loop listener, offering theatre-goers, worshippers and students enhanced access to sound. The RX-30 is a complete wireless receiver, designed to help people with hearing loss who don’t use a hearing aid or cochlear implant. The pocket-sized rechargeable receiver picks up signals transmitted by existing hearing loop systems. It features a bass cut filter, flat frequency response and adjustable volume control, and comes with headphones, enabling users to access clear sound comfortably and easily. Created by Contacta’s in-house design team, the RX-30 offers up to 50 hours of battery life and comes with a range of charging options, with base stations to accommodate one, five, 10, 15 or 20 receivers. The charging mechanism prevents accidental charging of any standard batteries. Contacta hopes that by having a drop-in charging station, the RX-30 cuts out the need for cables and means the

units are all in one place and easily located when customers request them. The unit delivers speech or music from a microphone, via the hearing loop, to the RX-30’s headphones or any with a 3.5mm jack. There is no latency, and the product suppresses both background noises and low-frequency hums. According to the manufacturer, it removes the effort of trying to hear, making venues more accessible. www.contacta.co.uk

SuperRack SoundGrid V14

Waves is an online master WAVES AUDIO has introduced the AIpowered Waves Online Mastering service, allowing users to get high-quality masters, quickly and easily. The service has been designed to produce accurate, release-ready, custom-tailored masters for any uploaded track. Waves Online Mastering will help users create tracks that sound like they’ve been professionally mastered on any platform. The service integrates Waves Neural Networks technology in an advanced AI mastering engine, along with input from top-tier mastering engineers. Users can personalise the result using the service’s Style and Tone customisation options, or guide the service to the desired result by uploading reference

tracks whose sonic characteristics users wish the service to match. The manufacturer has also added an offline mode to the existing SuperRack SoundGrid application that allows users to set up sessions offline, anytime, anywhere, from any laptop or desktop, and come to the show prepared. It is available via a separate licence, free of charge, and will load like the regular SuperRack SoundGrid (except it will not pass audio). In addition, V14 of SuperRack SoundGrid is now available with Apple Silicon compatibility, expanded multilanguage support, channel colours, performance improvements and bug fixes. www.waves.com

All-in-one for wireless connectivity COMBINING THE sound quality, range and price point of its MicroCom XR with the noise isolation and flip-up microphone muting technology of its SmartBoom PRO headset, Pliant Technologies’ MicroCom 900XR all-inone wireless headset expands its MicroCom family of products. The company says the MicroCom 900XR wireless headset provides the same performance and functionality as the MicroCom 900XR beltpack, but is engineered to fit inside the SmartBoom PRO headset ear cup. Its all-in-one design features an OLED display, two intercom channels with a dual listen option and support for up to 10 full-duplex users, including unlimited listen-only and shared users. Available in single- and dual-ear configurations, it features an internal antenna and field-swappable batteries with a run time of 14 hours on the dual-ear headset and seven hours on the single-ear headset. Pliant has also announced what it claims is the industry’s first drop-in charger for an all-in-one style headset. Available with the MicroCom XR Wireless headset, up to six individual headsets can be put on the charger without having to remove their battery or plug

MicroCom 900XR in a USB charging cord to the headset itself. Users can also drop in up to six additional batteries for simultaneous wireless headset and battery charging capabilities. www.plianttechnologies.com

Building bridges

ACTING AS a bridge between legacy digital formats and a Milan AVB network, the LC16D from L-Acoustics aims to simplify the process of interfacing legacy digital formats with the Milan AVB time-sensitive network. Designed for rental, corporate, fixed installation markets, broadcast, residential

and recording environments, the LC16D is a high-capacity AES/EBU- and MADI-to-Milan AVB audio network converter housed in a rugged 1U chassis. With up to 80 legacy format inputs and outputs, it can interface with up to 128 bidirectional channels and offers dynamic

mapping of audio channels. Its embedded web interface enables full control and monitoring from any device with an internet connection, while user configurations make storing and loading different channel mappings easy. In applications that use several interfaced digital consoles, the LC16D’s integrated asynchronous sample rate converters on each AES/EBU input eliminate the need for synchronisation management, allowing digital consoles to continue using their independent clock domains. L-Acoustics claims that its comprehensive clocking options make

synchronisation effortless and distribution of clock sources across connection formats possible. It can be used as a floating converter for fixed installations deployed wherever a legacy digital connection needs to interface with a Milan AVB network. The combination of AES/EBU and MADI inputs allows any digital console to be connected simply and efficiently, while the converter’s outputs can be utilised to generate and distribute additional feeds as required. www.l-acoustics.com

90 PRO AVL ASIA January–February 2024

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PRODUCTS

Ultra-flexible pocket recording

Q-SYS plugin for RDL’s softwareconfigurable Dante interfaces

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AUSTRIAN AUDIO has released its MiCreator Studio, described as an ultraflexible pocket recording system that combines a condenser microphone and a USB-C audio interface in a compact, rugged design that lets users record what they want, where they want and when they want. The audio interface comes with an additional input for quick-and-easy multi-tracking and optional stereo recording, higher SPL handling and intuitive on-board controls. Features include a maximum SPL of 130dB; an input for connecting a second device (MiCreator Satellite, Y-LAV mic or instrument); two headphone outputs so users can collaborate with fellow musicians; two gain settings and one knob jogwheel for easy volume control; “FlexTilt” vertical adjustment of the mic head; latency-free

AS THE latest member of the Q-SYS Technology Partner Program, RDL has released the DD-RN Series Network Audio Interfaces Plug-in.

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direct monitoring of the mic and input while recording; and a rugged metal housing with changeable faceplates for a variety of colour combinations and customisation. www.austrian.audio

Get with the times with WebApp 1.2 INTRODUCING FEATURES designed to make system configuration more powerful, Optimal Audio has announced an update to its ecosystem with the launch of WebApp 1.2 and updates to its SmartAmp firmware. WebApp 1.2 includes functionality to add system settings or preferences to a timed routine, enabling end users to remain focused on their work rather than having to make manual adjustments to their audio system. WebApp 1.2 also introduces a system diagram generator with DRAW.IO compatibility, enabling systems integrators to easily share an overview of the planned system, while system management is made easier through the ability to upload

and assigned plugins can generate model-specific control features. Each RDL plugin unit can be dragged-and-dropped and assigned in the Q-SYS Configuration Window, while input and output

and download system files for easier transportation to other sites if required. All features are available in the offline WebApp Desktop Demo to allow installers and SIs to familiarise themselves with WebApp features without needing to connect to a Zone. Offline access also enables the ability to design systems, set up routines and customise controls. Meanwhile, updated firmware for Optimal Audio’s SmartAmp series includes settings for its Cuboid 6, a two-way, full-range, passive 6.5-inch loudspeaker that also has a transformer variant.

Providing integration of its DD-RN Series Network Audio Interfaces Plug-in into the Q-SYS Ecosystem, the settings of every unit can simply be adjusted via the plugin. Supporting current DD-RN Series endpoint interfaces, RDL’s Dante interfaces can be configured and controlled within Q-SYS Designer software. Input gains and output levels can be adjusted, phantom power can be enabled

signals can be routed to other products in the system. The DD-RN Series includes the DD-RN31, DD-RN40 and the DD-RN42 Wall Mounted BiDirectional Interfaces, which are available in white, black and stainless-steel finishes. www.qsys.com www.rdlnet.com

Broadcast boost with v1.5

www.optimal-audio.co.uk

WebApp 1.2

WITH A particular focus on broadcast users, Tascam’s v1.5 upgrade to its Sonicview 16 and 24 mixing consoles adds a number of features that the company claims will improve functionality and aid creativity. The upgrade not only provides a second monitor section, but both monitor sections now offer direct output to the output router with level control. The v1.5 upgrade also adds an option to select any input source as a talkback signal. The talkback signal can be output to mix busses 1–22, the main L-R output and the EXT 1/2 direct output. Router enhancements include level reduction (dimmer) features for talkback, both monitor

outputs and the output bus which is assigned as the talkback target. Tascam has also added a direct output for the solo signal, which can be assigned via an output router. Other features include the ability to assign monitor and talkback functions to Sonicview’s bank of user-definable keys, the addition of a switchable oscillator and the ability to automatically mute monitor speakers when a microphone input signal is detected. The Sonicview v1.5 firmware update can be downloaded from the Tascam Europe website.

microphones to mixing with enhanced plugins and exporting files in a variety of formats. Users can mix in Dolby

Atmos or additional formats that support up to 9.1.6 channels. Support for Dolby Atmos Binaural Headphone Monitoring is also included – Studio One 6.5 features a dedicated headphone channel for simultaneous Binaural monitoring, eliminating the need for switching configurations. Studio One’s plugin set has also been upgraded to support processing of multichannel signals or of any individual channel or pair of channels per plugin. In addition, Studio One 6.5 introduces a new plugin specifically designed with immersive audio

in mind. Surround Delay is an eight-tap delay with individual surround panners meaning that delay taps can be synchronised to the song tempo for dimensional and rhythmic effects. Scoring and note editing capabilities have been streamlined and further optimised for tablature, lead sheets and drum maps. These features include the addition of rhythm slashes, a chord display that’s dynamically linked to the chord track, custom string tunings and more expressive options for guitar tablature such as guitar bends and rhythmic display. www.presonus.com

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PreSonus enters the Dolby Atmos Arena PRESONUS HAS announced the most recent iteration of its music production software, Studio One 6.5, complete with Dolby Atmos immersive audio. The update brings workflow, mixing and note editing enhancements and is said to provide state-of-the-art immersive audio recording, editing and mixing capabilities through integrated Dolby Atmos tools. With this combination, users can “unlock the full potential of their mixes and transform their creations into fully fledged immersive experiences”. Studio One 6.5 has been designed to provide an integrated spatial audio production workflow, from recording with multichannel

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PRODUCTS

Adamson releases ArrayIntelligence V1.1

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THE LATEST version of Adamson’s ArrayIntelligence loudspeaker design and deploy software reflects the development team’s focus on encouraging user-generated feedback and quickly including it in the available software. ArrayIntelligence V1.1 revolves around an overarching goal: enhancing the user experience and optimising software performance. The new Header Bar graphical layout is said to bring clarity to the user interface, indicating which pages are available online, simplifying

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navigation and enhancing workflow. The Global Assign feature, described as a cornerstone of system management, has undergone a comprehensive update. This redesign reportedly offers users a more robust and efficient tool for managing entire systems of networked Adamson speakers, bridges and gateways. According to the manufacturer, ArrayIntelligence V1.1 ensures detected items are ordered accurately by switch port, streamlining system setup and minimising complexity.

allows users to include and predict these in their projects. With improved accuracy and better labelling, users will benefit from an upgraded 3D dB SPL scale that displays the absolute maximum SPL value, offering critical insights for audio system optimisation. In addition to these improvements, ArrayIntelligence V1.1 includes a comprehensive set of bug fixes aimed at enhancing software stability and reliability. Introducing the newest family members of the IS-Series to ArrayIntelligence V1.1

www.adamsonsystems.com

Clear-Com releases 13.1 for Eclipse HX Digital Matrix CLEAR-COM HAS released EHX 13.1, the latest version of the configuration software for the Eclipse HX Digital Matrix. EHX 13.1 delivers new role management advancements for a streamlined configuration process and an improved user experience, in addition to important compatibility with NMOS4 and NMOS5 standards and support for Clear-Com’s 2X10 Touch Desktop Panel. The new role-based logins in EHX 13.1 are said to streamline configuration and allow users to quickly move from device to device. Systems administrators can set a single key to contact a user regardless of the device they are logged on – saving the

effort of having to configure several keys in the instance that a user moves between several devices during a production. On top of this, the user experience is improved with a

simplified login to whichever endpoint device is closest at hand, with keys that autofill their specific configuration allowing a “follow-me” operation.

Clear-Com is also continuing development around the ST 2110-30 standard as NMOS (Networked Media Open Specification) IS-04 and IS-05 are being added to EHX 13.1. IS-04 relates to the Discovery and Registration of devices on a network and IS-05 handles the device connection and management. The addition of these specifications will reportedly make it simpler and much faster when setting up an audio network of IP-capable devices. EHX 13.1 additionally supports the new 2X10 Touch Desktop Panel, a 20-key, IP-based panel that provides a compact desktop option for Eclipse HX users. www.clearcom.com

Merging is on a mission MERGING TECHNOLOGIES has announced the release of its Venue Mission software for Anubis, designed specifically for the brand’s audio interface. Created with live musicians in mind, Venue Mission has been developed to “revolutionise” the way users manage their workflows when using multiple Anubis units together. By focusing on the needs of both musicians and technicians, the software offers control over the entire audio ecosystem and reportedly provides a seamless and intuitive user interface for multiple users. At the heart of Venue Mission is its full 16-channel mixer, delivering control across

four monitors. The mission supports up to 16 mono or stereo inputs, accommodating any sampling rate and enabling users to work effortlessly with local analogue inputs or incoming audio-over-IP streams. The ability to show or hide mixer inputs on each monitor, delay inputs from 1.4ms to 20ms and customise or colour-code input names provide an added layer of control. As with all other Anubis missions, Venue Mission is compatible with AES67. Venue Mission finds application in a wide array of use cases, including orchestral live performances, complex band monitor setups, smaller bands without monitor engineers, orchestral studio recordings and

speaking booths/ADR studios. Performers benefit from access to their own personal mix monitoring and the microphone and instrument inputs can be shared on the

network for remote control and monitoring by the PA mixer or recording engineer. www.merging.com

RME goes remote ACCORDING TO RME, the ADI-2 Remote software controller offers an easy-to-understand and complete interface for managing all settings and options of the ADI-2 series devices. The app supports the ADI-2 DAC, ADI-2 Pro AE (anniversary edition), ADI-2 Pro and FS, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE and ADI-2/4 Pro SE. The option to control the ADI-2 directly via software is described as a welcome addition to anyone who enjoys tinkering with its countless features – like the onboard parametric EQ, Loudness and Crossfeed – or experimenting with the DAC’s different filter types (SD Sharp, NOS, etc.). EQ settings and even complete setups can be saved and loaded from and to the computer

or iPad. EQs for specific headphones or applications are easily shared with others. Backups of the device’s state can be stored and loaded, and device states copied and transferred with ease, on all supported platforms.

The ADI-2 Remote software consists of several main pages: Line input (for 2 Pro and 2/4 Pro), one page per output (Line Out, Phones Out, IEM Out, etc.), a general Device page with all channelunrelated settings and a PEQ Editor that can be used to edit, save or load PEQs without changing the currently active EQ. Under the hood, the ADI-2 Remote uses a USB MIDI port to communicate with the hardware device. The connection is the same as usual – via USB 2.0 to a Windows computer, a Mac computer or an iPad. The used MIDI protocol is available for developers as a download from the RME website as well. www.rme-audio.de

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PRODUCTS

Surgical precision for monitoring Easy control for EasyIP cameras SONY’S LMD-XH550MD is a medicalgrade 4K HDR surgical monitor which boasts four times the resolution of Full HD to provide levels of detail suitable for use in hospital operating theatres, surgical centres and classrooms for education. The LMD-XH550MD is equipped with a high-quality, 4K resolution (3840x2160 pixels), large 55-inch screen and uses Sony’s Local Dimming Panel Technology that allows the monitor to achieve a peak brightness of more than 1,5000cd/m2 and contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 The unit is HDR capable when receiving HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) signals, which Sony says allows the monitor to reproduce the images more realistically

4K or HD and can be up- or downscaled at the user’s discretion to adapt to the capability of the secondary display or recorder. Hands-free menu switching can also be enabled via a footswitch. The manufacturer has also expanded its line of BRAVIA 4K Professional Displays with the introduction of the EZ20L series. The EZ20L 4K series is intended for use in corporate and retail applications and will offer sizes ranging from 43 to 75 inches. The models are said to be built with usability, installation flexibility, picture quality and sustainability in mind. As the introductory offering in the line-up, the EZ20L models will provide professional features including simplified pro-settings for streamlined setup and

VADDIO HAS introduced the EasyIP PCC, a precision camera controller capable of managing up to four EasyIP cameras. According to the manufacturer, the device is low-cost and features an ergonomic three-axis Hall effect joystick. Intended to elevate video production capabilities while

only requiring a minimal desktop footprint, the EasyIP PCC provides production-grade control for smaller studios or cost-conscious environments and can be paired with the Vaddio Device Controller for expanded control features. The EasyIP PCC is PoE+ powered and can be used with a managed network switch, such as those from Luxul. A pre-configured EasyIP Switch can be purchased as a standalone item or as part of an EasyIP Base Kit. www.legrandav.com

Full control with P3 update WITH THE ability to provide full control over P3-enabled fixtures from a single location, Martin has announced additions to its range of P3 System controllers, as well as a software update. Tuned specifically for Martin fixtures, the P3-175 and P3-275 system controllers and P3 software update 6.0.0 provide automated mapping, scaling, configuring and addressing of fixtures, eliminating the need to address fixtures locally.

Meanwhile, the software update boasts a redesigned interface and has reportedly provided better support for darkened front of house and other performance-monitoring environments. It enables real-time feedback and remote system monitoring to empower systems integrators to diagnose problems before they occur. The software is not only available for the P3-175 and P3-275, but also extends the

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and in greater detail to capture the highlights and dark areas. It supports a wide colour gamut that conforms to the ITU-R recommendation BT.2020 for accurate colour reproduction and realistic visualisation, and is also designed to minimise reflective glare even in brightly lit operating rooms to provide a clear, highcontrast viewing experience for surgeons. The LMD-XH550MD also uses Sony’s A.I.M.E. (Advanced Image Multiple Enhancer) technology to enhance the display image by adjusting the colour, contrast and visibility of shadow areas for more comfortable viewing. It also features a clone-output connector that clones the display image to a secondary display or external recorder, including advanced settings like A.I.M.E. or picture-in-picture. The resolution of the output image can be

maintenance, as well as RS-232C support and standard IP control, 16/7 operation and 350 nits of brightness for high visibility indoors. The line-up is comprised of the FW-75EZ20L (75 inch), FW-65EZ20L (65 inch), FW-55EZ20L (55 inch), FW-50EZ20L (50 inch) and FW-43EZ20L (43 inch). Additional highlights of the series include a pre-installed BRAVIA signage app, administrative functionality to turn off inputs, built-in mirroring directly from a user’s device, a slim bezel, a wide viewing angle, 4K X-Reality PRO for upscaling content, as well as sustainability features including the use of recycled plastic materials, more environmentally friendly packaging and a power saving mode. www.pro.sony

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P3-275 The P3-175 and P3-275 support video input up to 4K over HDMI and NDI with increased output capacity, while real-time previews illustrate how DMX controls and video will be rendered on the fixtures even when using a mix of control methods. Integrating with third-party software via the MVR standard, the P3 controllers are able to import and export industry-standard files, eliminating duplicate actions and enabling designs (and patches) to be shared between lighting consoles, CAD programs and visualisers as well as the Martin P3 ecosystem.

Migrating to IP SUPPORTING ST 2110 integration for the AK studio camera line, Panasonic has debuted its UCU700 Camera Control Unit geared to help customers migrate to IPbased systems. The CCU is said to offer production crews and systems integrators a range of benefits. It provides the ability to use a wide line-up of camera heads with a

capabilities of the legacy P3-050, P3-150 and P3-300 models. It is also available for the P3-PC version and can be used as a basic mapping tool, addressing tool, Art-Net/ sACN to P3 bridge or a full P3 control solution. Features include mix DMX and video control, remote addressing and setting, real-time monitoring, system-wide synchronisation and a live preview for visualising results during pre-programming without connecting actual fixtures. www.martin.com

operation, as well as a variety of additional optional I/F boards, the UCU700 will create opportunities for workflows that use SRT, NDI, ST 2110 and Dante, facilitating the transition from the current baseband operation to IP operation. Because the CCU can work with existing UC4000, UC3300 and PLV100 cameras, new I/F options catered to each model will become available. common accessory infrastructure, including easy integration of a traditional CCU into

any new ST 2110 backbone or streaming production. Supporting both 4K and HDR

pro-av.panasonic.net

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PRODUCTS

Blackmagic films in all light conditions THE BLACKMAGIC Cinema Camera 6K is a high-end digital film camera that produces precise skin tones and rich organic colours. The camera features a full-frame 24mm x 36mm 6K sensor with a native resolution of 6048x4032 and a wide dynamic range, a flexible L-Mount for lenses and a built-in optical low-pass filter that’s custom designed to match the sensor. Customers also get fast CFexpress media and the camera can use Pocket Cinema Camera accessories. When customers are doing cloud and mobile work, the camera records both deep bit-depth Blackmagic RAW and H.264 proxies at the same time. Whether users are shooting in bright sunlight or in almost no light at all, the 13 stops of dynamic range with dual native ISO up to 25,600 are said to provide

Maxi output with the Director Mini

Cinema Camera 6K including uploading to Blackmagic Cloud, chat and access to advanced menus. The Videohub 80x80 12G is a larger 80x80 12G-SDI router that lets customers connect and route any combination of SD, HD and Ultra HD on the same router at the same time. It features a front panel with shortcut buttons, an LCD which can display labels or live video and a machined metal

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The Director Mini’s touchscreen interface is complemented by the Director Utility app for iOS and Android, providing remote configuration, audio controls, input switching and scoreboard control. The Director Utility can also turn the smartphone’s camera into a streaming source as a mobile input to the Director Mini hardware, with up to three mobile devices able to be used simultaneously as sources.

The Director Mini can encode video up to 1080p at 60fps and bitrates up to 30Mbps. Productions can be streamed using the RTMP protocol, while the ability to output an SRT stream makes the Director Mini capable of contributing feeds to an offsite location for remote production. Its USB-C port can be configured to display the program output, user interface or a loop-through of either HDMI input on a connected USB-C display. www.magewell.com

Riedel regroups with RiMotion

The Blackmagic Camera app “stunning” low noise images in all lighting conditions. In addition, users can shoot up to 36fps at full-sensor resolution or 120fps windowed. The Blackmagic Camera unlocks the power of the iPhone by adding digital film camera controls and operating systems. According to the manufacturer, customers can create the same cinematic “look” as Hollywood feature films and get the same user-friendly interface as other Blackmagic cameras. Users can adjust settings such as frame rate, shutter angle, white balance and ISO all in a single tap, or record directly to Blackmagic Cloud in industry-standard 10-bit Apple ProRes files up to 4K. Recording to Blackmagic Cloud Storage lets users collaborate on DaVinci Resolve projects with editors anywhere in the world, all at the same time. The heads up display, or HUD, shows status and record parameters, histogram, focus peaking, levels and frame guides – users can show or hide the HUD by swiping up or down. Users can shoot in 16:9 or vertical aspect ratios, plus they can shoot 16:9 while holding the phone vertically if they want to shoot unobtrusively. There are also tabs for media management,

EXPANDING ITS portfolio with an all-inone live production and streaming system, the Director Mini from Magewell combines multi-input switching, graphics, streaming, recording and monitoring in one device. Designed to provide a single operator with a standalone system for live event coverage and remote production, the Director Mini enables users to switch between two HDMI inputs and two USB AV inputs, as well as three simultaneous live IP sources, including SRT streams, RTMP streams or up to two NDI HX sources. File-based media assets including video, audio and images can be combined with live sources, while embedded audio is supported on the HDMI and USB inputs alongside a 3.5mm analogue audio input. The UI is accessed through an integrated 5.44-inch AMOLED touchscreen, and users can define multiple scenes that combine live HDMI, USB and audio inputs with network streams, media sources and graphics, then switch or transition between these scenes on the fly. Chroma keying enables the use of virtual backgrounds, while telestration enables real-time on-screen drawing and combines built-in scoreboard functionality to support sports productions. PTZ camera control is also available through the touchscreen.

spin knob for browsing video sources, reference connections and redundant power. The Videohub 12G reportedly eliminates cable mess because customers can plug all their SDI equipment into the router, then do connections electronically. Users don’t need complex system diagrams for their studio because they can connect any video input to any video output, or

SUPPORTING 10 video channels, up to eight multiformat camera inputs and two outputs, the RiMotion R10 from Riedel Communications expands the company’s range of live video RiMotion replay products. Integrated into its portfolio after the acquisition of Simplylive, Riedel’s RiMotion range combines replay capabilities, including superslow-motion (SSM) camera support, with a user-friendly interface. With all features concentrated on a touchscreen interface, the RiMotion package also includes a conventional hardware-based

remote controller panel for operators who wish to combine the remote controller and touchscreen interface together. The R10 comes in a compact 1U server and complements Riedel’s existing R6, R8 and R12 bundles which provide 6–12 HD channels, as well as the R84 with up to four UHD and eight HD 10-bit HDR channels. As with all RiMotion systems, the server can be combined with mini PCs to enable remote productions. www.riedel.net

Videohub 80x80 12G even a single video input to multiple video outputs. This means monitors can view any source in the studio. The Videohub 12G lets customers use multiple HyperDeck recorders for redundant mastering or route video to multiple streaming processors for all their broadcast platforms. It can also be used to add extra inputs to an ATEM switcher. www.blackmagicdesign.com

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PRODUCTS

Grass Valley combines Kayenne with K-Frame

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GRASS VALLEY has released new production switcher bundles for sports, entertainment, news and any other event that attracts large audiences worldwide. By combining newly redesigned Kayenne modular Video Production Center surfaces with the K-Frame XP video processing engines, Grass Valley is increasing its support for broadcasters and media and entertainment organisations. While the Kayenne K-Frame XP bundles are specifically designed for larger productions, Grass Valley’s “Any Surface, Any Engine” philosophy means that panels such as Korona and Karerra can be paired with any K-Frame, including the CXP, SXP, V-series or software-based switcher offerings powered by AMPP. Additionally, K-Frame engines can now be fitted with a JPEG XS board, for advanced IP inputs and outputs, based on the user’s

CAMERA SPECIALIST Canon has announced the launch of its multi-camera control app alongside a raft of firmware updates for key models in its Cinema EOS line of cameras. Designed to work on an iPhone, the app controls up to four cameras over Wi-Fi. It is compatible with EOS C500 Mark II, EOS C300 Mark III, EOS C70 and XF605 cameras and provides control over recording start and stop, focus, zoom and iris, ND filters, ISO, shutter, white balance and custom picture control while viewing the image. Meanwhile, Canon’s free firmware updates provide additional functionality to multiple camera models. Both the EOS C500 Mark II and EOS C300 Mark III benefit from a digital tele-converter, camera control from the RC-IP1000 Remote Camera Controller and compatibility with the CN-E31.5-95mm Flex Zoom lens. EOS C70 updates also provide a digital tele-converter as well as RC-IP1000 Remote

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requirements complementing the native JPEG-XS support found in Grass Valley LDX 100 series cameras and the latest C135 compact camera. www.grassvalley.com

Key Digital updates its KD-Pro4x1X-2 HDMI switcher KEY DIGITAL has released a firmware update for its KD-Pro4x1X-2 HDMI switcher that adds IP to RS-232 command forwarding to the switcher’s capabilities. It also enables the second-generation 4x1 UHD/4K/18G HDMI switcher to function as part of a programming-free presentation system similarly to Key Digital Unified Communication and Control products. By connecting the KD-CamUSB PTZ camera and/or the KD-Amp220 audio pre-amp/amplifier to the KD-Pro4x1X-2

by way of each device’s RS-232 ports, and enabling control of the devices from the free Key Digital Management Software Pro (KDMS Pro) app for Windows or a new web UI, users can control the camera and amp from the free KD-App for iOS, the web UI, Key Digital’s Compass Control Pro integrated iOS control system or with TCP/IP commands from other networked devices. www.keydigital.com

EOS C70 Camera Controller support. It also receives compatibility with the RF24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z lens with Power Zoom Adapter and the RF Prime series of cinema lenses, as well as compatibility with Canon’s Super 35mm Flex Zoom lenses.

XF605 The EOS R5 C upgrade provides enhancements to its vector scope to enable display of the vector colour and colour-space onscreen, while it also adds frame display function while recording. It provides compatibility with the RF24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z lens with Power Zoom Adapter and the RF Prime Cinema lenses, as well as Canon’s Super 35mm Flex Zoom lenses. The firmware also updates the XF605, Canon’s flagship professional camcorder, with support for SRT protocol, file recording in XF-AVC Full HD 25Mbps format, proxy file recording in MP4 16Mbps when in XF-AVC Full HD 25 format, chunk recording and continuous playback of multiple clips and camera control from the RC-IP1000 Remote Camera Controller. All cameras also receive added flexibility with file naming conventions on proxy files, enhancing compatibility with non-linear editing software systems. Enhanced PTZ functionality across its CR-N700, CR-N500, CR-N300 and CR-X300 models include the addition of preset and trace thumbnails, an option for still image display between presets, SRT adaptive bitrate, multiple Free-D protocol destinations for shooting in virtual production environments with multiple image processors and a partial restore option. www.usa.canon.com

Projection Simulator gets on the map PROJECTION SIMULATOR is a free web application from Digital Projection which is designed to help users find the right projector to meet a variety of install conditions. Available in nine languages, it calculates throw distances between screens and projectors, as well as determines the relationship between the size and distance of a projected image. Projection Simulator also provides recommendations for optimal projector placement. Its Single Projection mode is designed for use cases where one projector is available, while Multi Projection mode allows users

to import, select and arrange 3D objects for projection mapping. It can also provide information on projectors that align with needs and provide basic specifications of a suggested product. Providing the ability to fine-tune installation conditions such as room size, screen settings and projection position, the software provides both 2D and 3D visualisation and will also alert users if the projected image intersects with walls, ceilings or floors. www.digitalprojection.co.uk

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Extending connectivity SIGNAL MANAGEMENT specialist Lightware Visual Engineering has introduced two USB-C extender cables in 8m and 10m lengths to provide additional flexibility to AV installations. The CAB-USBC-AOC800K and CAB-USBCAOC1000K are active optical cables that are compatible with all major operating systems and support USB 3 Gen2 10Gbps “SuperSpeed”, making them suitable for high-speed data transfer use cases such as 4K webcam use, and transfer to and from SSD storage. Screw Lock USB-C plugs are said to ensure a secure connection to Lightware’s Taurus UCX universal matrix switcher. Both cables also feature a two-lane DisplayPort 1.4 Alt Mode that supports high-resolution video output up to 4K30Hz@HBR2, and offers a minimum 60W/3A charging capacity allowing for fast charging of devices. The cables are also equipped with eMarker chip, which records data speed and highest amperage. www.lightware.com

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TVU Networks expands content creation capabilities TVU NETWORKS has joined the Adobe Video Solution Partner Program and released a plugin for Premiere Pro that allows users to access TVU Search directly from within the interface of the editing application. Users will be able to search for and directly access live or archived video sources and bring them directly into an edit session. Instead of taking hours or days manually searching, the desired video content can reportedly be located in a matter of seconds, easily clipped and immediately transferred to Premiere Pro for use without leaving their creative canvas or application. The cloud-based TVU Search solution transforms media discovery with its AI-driven algorithm and automation capabilities. With the ability to ingest any live video source virtually, TVU Search analyses and indexes video content in real time upon ingest and allows users to pinpoint and retrieve exactly the content needed through its interface. Premiere Pro users have an extensive array of tools available via the plugin for creating video clips such as text highlighting from real-time speech-totext transcripts, integrated player tools with shortcut keys, quick transcript export and easy mark-in/mark-out timecode configuration. Being completely cloud-based, TVU Search allows multiple users in multiple locations to access the same content simultaneously.

TVU Search The ONE uses the latest-generation Sub 6GHz, 3GPP Release 16, 5G embedded modems. With multiple antennas per modem, it also supports MIMO uplink. This reportedly ensures transmission with wider coverage, better range, increased data transfer rates and the assurance of future compatibility of 5G network deployments. The ONE includes the latest version of TVU’s patented Inverse StatMux transmission technology fully integrated into the unit. The newly developed ISX protocol has been designed for the most challenging transmission environments and is said to ensure the full utilisation of available

bandwidth, superior video quality and extremely low latency. TVU Channel enables the user to schedule live and VOD programming from a simple web browser. According to the manufacturer, the cloud-based TVU Channel can be deployed in minutes to schedule and manage one or hundreds of live content channels, including OTT, websites, apps and social media. It supports live and pre-programmed content, dynamic ad insertion with SCTE decoration and can be set to operate continuously 24/7 with no downtime. www.tvunetworks.com

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PRODUCTS

Extron adds Dante to XTP Systems 8K boards EXPANDING ITS family of XTP II CrossPoint modular matrix switchers, Extron’s XTP II CP 4o HD AT 8K supports both 8K HDMI and Dante audio, which Exton says facilitates “convenient system expansion with our complete line of Dante-enabled audio processing products”. With four HDMI and four Dante digital audio outputs, the switcher is HDCP 2.3 compliant and supports HDMI 2.1 performance at video resolutions up to 8K/30 HDR video with 4:4:4 colour sampling at data rates up to 40.1 Gbps. Its Dante output adds the capability to take any four stereo audio signals that are routed through the XTP system and transport them as Dante audio over a network using standard internet protocols. XTP Systems provide integrated switching and distribution for multiple

the included ZipClip 200 mounting accessory, or in an equipment rack using an optional rack mounting shelf. Facilitating the integration of a Quantum Ultra II videowall processor within a secure FOX3 distribution architecture, Extron’s Quantum Ultra II FOX3 fibre-optic cards are designed to deliver end-to-end secure videowall systems to an entire FOX3 fibre ecosystem. Enabling signal extension at extreme distances with no loss of signal integrity, four Quantum IN4FOX3 models and four Quantum OUT4FOX3 models are available to provide full compatibility with the entire FOX3 product family. Both sets of input and output cards offer four channels of connectivity and are capable of distributing uncompressed video up to 4K60@4:4:4 over two fibres or mathematically

CHRISTIE HAS launched two 1DLP laser projectors – the 4K860-iS and the 4K13-HS – described as compact and flexible projection solutions for venues including classrooms, boardrooms and places of worship. The Inspire Series 4K860-iS is said to be easy to move and install,

described as sharp and clear with 4K UHD resolution, and colours are more natural and blacks deeper, courtesy of built-in Christie BoldColor+. The 4K860-iS and 4K13-HS are compatible with the Christie Intelligent Camera (CIC), an accessory that reportedly

4K860-iS

4K13-HS

weighing only 15kg, and lights up screens with 8,500 lumens in 4K UHD resolution. Built-in Christie Twist and optional Mystique software provide warping and blending capabilities and camera-based alignment, respectively, to provide content that looks “picture-perfect”. The 4K13-HS delivers 14,800 lumens for projects that require a high-brightness projection solution, but without compromising on form factor. Images are

makes it faster and easier to achieve the desired image quality. Operators can use it to calibrate projector colour, trigger autofocus and, when combined with Christie’s complementary Mystique Lite software, automate warping and blending of up to three projectors in a horizontal array. The models come with a five-year/20,000hour warranty.

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lossless 4K60@4:4:4 over one fibre. 8K/60 sources can be accommodated as a quad-path signal. Ethernet to RS-232 insertion enables control data to be transmitted alongside the video when a bidirectional fibre configuration is

CRESTRON’S VIDEOBAR 70 and its AutoTracker and AutoFramer intelligent video cameras have been approved by the Zoom team for its Zoom Rooms software. Zoom is also in the process of certifying the Hawk, which features dual 12x optical PTZ cameras that show the active speaker by automatically matching audio location to the closest detected face. The manufacturer has also added to its Phone product line, which now includes a Zoom Phone Appliance optimised for individual desktop use. Available in 8- and 10-inch touchscreen models, the highresolution display provides a dedicated

meeting device with a camera and 360° audio pickup, allowing users to keep their desktops available for other focused work. With the rise of hot desk stations and permanent remote workers, the Crestron Zoom Phone Appliance is said to offer users a companion device to reduce overloading their PC for task-switching and improve their productivity. For organisations standardised on the Zoom Rooms platform, Crestron’s native Zoom Scheduling Panel reportedly provides a consistent user experience both inside and outside of the room.

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employed. The cards also support embedded audio switching for a streamlined design. www.extron.com

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Quantum Ultra II FOX3 enabling users to collaborate with minimal interaction with AV hardware. At ¼-rack width and 2.5cm high, the compact UCS 601 can be mounted within furniture or under a table using

Crestron adds new Zoom certifications

XTP II CP 4o HD AT 8K video formats, supporting local connectivity as well as extended transmission capability for sending video, audio, RS-232/IR and Ethernet up to 100m over shielded Catx cable, and up to 10km over fibre. Each system is HDCP compliant and features hot-swappable modular components, a selection of XTP transmitters and receivers, and 24/7 system monitoring. With USB cameras, microphones and other peripheral devices becoming more common in small huddle spaces, Extron’s UCS 601 is a pro 4K USB-C dock that connects USB-C laptops to HDMI displays. Designed for platforms such as Teams, Zoom and other Unified Communications applications, the UCS 601 supports up to three USB devices and provides data rates of up to USB 10Gbps. Its HDMI output is engineered to support resolutions up to 4K, while the USB-C input handles video/audio, USB data and can charge the user’s laptop with its integrated 60W power supply. Offering collaboration in a range of UC spaces, the UCS 601 will automatically connect laptops to a room’s display, USB cameras or other room devices. As laptops are disconnected, the display automatically goes into standby mode,

Christie makes an inspired choice

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PRODUCTS

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BILLED AS a replacement for Xenon lampbased models, the NEC NC1503L digital cinema projector from Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe uses RB laser technology to boost performance to up to 14,000 lumens brightness. Its laser light source provides a lifespan of up to 50,000 operating hours, as well as reducing power usage and the amount of replacement materials required. Optically sealed, it minimises dust ingress and assures consistent performance without special maintenance; Sharp NEC says this means lamp or filter replacements, additional personnel costs or lamp stock are obsolete. Using the same proven cabinet as the NC1402L, the NC1503L is designed for flexible installations and usage. With no exhaust system required, the unit is suitable for floor and ceiling installations as well as versatile content playback, making it suitable for small projection booths or even boothless, mobile cinemas. Expanding its collaboration portfolio family, the LA Series collaboration models are now available in 65-, 75- and 86-inch sizes. The

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LA Series collaboration models are designed to promote productivity in hybrid meeting scenarios. An Intel SDM slot expands customisation options and enables better integration with

corporate IT systems, while the optional SDM-L slot-in PC collaboration provides access to pre-installed features such as collaborative whiteboarding, access to preferred applications and wireless screen sharing. Users can also connect their own notebooks via USB-C. High brightness and premium glass coating ensure that content is readable, even in welllit meeting rooms, while interactive features such as Windows Ink, palm rejection and pressure sensitivity are delivered by the integrated FlatFrog InGlass M5 touch system. The LA Series is also designed to reduce power consumption, and the company says energy savings can be achieved with built-in eco-sensors like the motion sensor that turns the displays on or off when people enter or leave a room, while the brightness sensor controls the display’s brightness with respect to current usage and external brightness.

PPDS HAS announced an evolution of its ePaper signage range with the launch of the 32-inch (16:9) Philips Tableaux 5150I.

The company, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays, claims to be the world’s first display manufacturer

to announce the launch of a 32-inch, fullcolour ePaper signage display running on the E Ink Spectra 6 platform. Designed for businesses looking to digitise their paper-based signage while also enhancing their sustainability credentials, the Philips Tableaux 5150I is capable of providing 24/7 content while unplugged and entirely power-free. Like its predecessor, the 25-inch Philips Tableaux Series, it can not only display static imagery without drawing on any energy source, but only requires low power input when content is being updated. It can be used as a standalone display or as part of a fleet of displays across multiple locations. For fixed installations, and in environments where regular image changes are required, the 5150I features Power over Ethernet (PoE) to ensure both power and connectivity for remote management. It features 16Gb of internal

memory and 2Gb RAM, and content can also be updated via USB, micro-USB, Micro SD, LAN and WiFi 5 by plugging into a nearby power source. Working in conjunction with E Ink, Philips Professional Displays R&D’s long-term partner, PPDS says the E Ink Spectra 6 colour platform’s colour algorithms provide a true print quality replacement for any paper sign on its 2560x1440, 16:9 digital display. A member of PPDS’ Android SoC family, the 32-inch Philips Tableaux 5150I Series can also be managed manually or remotely using either third-party or PPDS’s in-house software. This includes the PPDS Wave cloud platform which provides remote device management capabilities for Android SoC Philips Professional Display fleets of any size and in any location. www.ppds.com

ROE discovers a gem ROE VISUAL has unveiled the Topaz Series, the latest addition to its LED panel line-up. The series has been designed for AV rental companies and event organisers seeking a creative, flexible, reliable LED solution. The Topaz Series’ curved panels are said to bend and shape to accommodate the most imaginative stage designs. The specially engineered panels come together to create 90° corners and cubes, reportedly allowing for limitless possibilities in stage setups and visual storytelling. Whether it’s a curved backdrop, a multi-dimensional stage or an immersive installation, the Topaz Series gives designers the opportunity to sculpt LED panels into various shapes. The series has also been developed with an understanding of the importance of maximising profitability for rental companies. The Topaz Series is currently available in a 2.6mm pixel pitch

version, with other pixel pitches arriving in the near future. Designed especially for the outdoor rental market, the Vanish ST (VST) Series are outdoor LED panels from ROE Visual which measure 1,000mm x 1,000mm and come in pixel pitches of 4mm (V4ST) and 6mm (V6ST). The panels are designed to offer stable and reliable performance in a variety of outdoor applications, such as touring, festival and outdoor live events. They are fully interchangeable with the transparent Vanish V8T LED panel, allowing integration with existing V8T LED panels to maximise the usability of rental

stock, while the built-in curving blocks allow the frame to curve 10° in a convex or concave configuration. Both the V4ST and V6ST have integrated folding frames, making them wind-load resistant up to 20m/s to guarantee audience safety and structural stability. Meanwhile, sister company CECOCECO has announced ArtMorph, a luminous wall panel that combines advanced lighting and display technology with textures. Designed to integrate into diverse environments, ArtMorph features over 150 texture collections and has a canvas of 80x80 pixels per panel. The manufacturer says ArtMorph is “infinitely customisable”, with frames that simply mount onto the wall and panels that attach onto the frame with built-in power magnets. Topaz Series www.cecoceco.com www.roevisual.com

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PRODUCTS

WyreStorm adds to NetworkHD 100 and 120 series WYRESTORM HAS added the NetworkHD124-TX quad encoder to its NetworkHD 120 series AV-over-IP line-up, a four-input to four network stream device encoder compatible with the NetworkHD 100 series. The NHD-124-TX is an ultra-low bandwidth H.264/H.265 AV-over-IP solution for distribution of point-to-point, oneto-many and many-to-many over a managed network. The encoder is intended for use with 120 series decoders to provide a complete endto-end video distribution system. Meanwhile, the NetworkHD-150-RX multiview processor is an AV-over-IP decoder based on H.264/H.265 technology, capable of decoding 4K

over a 1Gbps Ethernet network. The NHD-150-RX is an enhanced multiview display decoder compatible with the NetworkHD 120 Series and an ultra-low bandwidth solution for distribution of point-to-point, one-to-many and many-to-many over a managed network. The NHD-150-RX decoder is intended for use with 120 Series encoders (sold separately) to provide a complete end-to-end video distribution system. When used in conjunction with the NHD-CTL-PRO system controller, complete control integration is described as simple and straightforward. The NHD-150-RX can decode AV signals using either H.264 or H.265; using H.265 is said to provide incredibly

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efficient video streams, where an H.265 5Mbps stream is equal to a 30Mbps H.264 stream. It is capable of displaying up to eight simultaneous video feeds on a single 4K display, with users able to select between different layouts. The manufacturer has also released the HALOWFA-130 and HALO-WFA-290 kits. The HALOWFA-130 includes the FOCUS 100 Webcam, boasting 1080p HD visuals with AI-enhanced lighting and an advanced CMOS sensor to deliver a crisp, distortion-free image. It can be combined with a HALO 30 speakerphone, which is a full-duplex USB conference device, optimised for 2–4 people. Users can experience 360° audio pickup with 4x noise-cancelling mics, acoustic echo cancellation and voice

Chauvet dreams of Ovation

BlackTrax scales back with BT-1

THE OVATION Rêve P-3 IP from Chauvet Professional can be used as a narrow spot or a wide flood and is billed as the manufacturer’s brightest IP65-rated, multi-colour, fullspectrum-white LED PAR. The indoor and outdoor fixture incorporates all the advancements of Chauvet’s Ovation Rêve RGBAM LED source, and offers the versatility of narrow, medium, wide and very wide lenses. The fixture provides linear colour temperature presets from 2,800–8,000K with high CRI and CQS, while adjustable Pulse Width Modulation (600Hz, 1.2kHz, 2kHz, 4kHz, 6kHz and 25kHz) avoids on-camera flicker.

INCORPORATING THE same precision and control capabilities as the original BlackTrax system, but in a more compact and portable footprint, CAST Group has created the BlackTrax One (BT-1) tracking solution.

The unit comes with a USB port for fixture software updates, along with ± green adjustment and emulated red-shift via DMX or onboard control. The light source consists of 80 LEDs – 10 red, 10 green, 10 blue, 20 amber and 30 mint – ranging from 4.4–7.8W. Other features include electronic dimming, electronic shutter/ strobe, a stroke rate of 0–25Hz, standalone colour mixing, colour temperature presets, four dim modes and built-in automated programming. The fixture measures 478mm x 300mm x 210mm and weighs 9.8kg. www.chauvetprofessional.com

NHD-150-RX enhancements. The HALO-WFA-290 kit includes the HALO 90 speakerphone with USB-C docking, offering 4K@60Hz video capabilities, dual USB 3.2 10Gbps data transmission and power supply to PCs up to 85W, catering to group meetings of 4–6 people. It can be paired with the FOCUS 200, a 4K Ultra HD Zoom-certified webcam, with 106° wide-angle distortion-free view, 8x digital zoom and dual AI noisecancelling mics. In brief, the HALO-VX10 v2 is now Zoom certified. www.wyrestorm.com

BlackTrax solution for multiple integrations and larger spaces up to stadium-sized venues. Capable of automating a followspot in a theatre or enabling media interactivity for an interactive display, the BT-1 is purpose-built

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Specifically designed for small to mediumsized productions in theatres, studios, corporate events and houses of worship, the BT-1 is cross-compatible with BlackTrax hardware. The scalable solution can be customised for varying production demands, and it can also be upgraded to a standard

to bring the impact of grand productions to a more accessible level. BlackTrax’s ease of setup and calibration features can be applied to any application through a single integration output. blacktrax.cast-soft.com

Ayrton goes wild in the sun THE WILDSUN K9 Wash is the latest fixture in Ayrton’s Multisources 9 Series. It’s been designed as a variant of the WildSun K25 TC and is geared to shooting video content and broadcasting in high definition. With a new, sleek design and a visual footprint 20% smaller than its predecessor, the WildSun K9 Wash’s weight has been reduced by 25%. The LED luminaire measures up to the classic Fresnel HMI 4000 lights in terms of pure output. Fitted with 217 next-generation, high-output LEDs, the luminaire reportedly

delivers more than 60,000 lumens of overall output with 40% less energy consumption – and does not require lamp replacements. Designed to produce high-quality, flickerfree light, the luminaire achieves a colour temperature calibrated at 5,700K and a colour rendering index greater than 92. The WildSun K9 Wash renders the colour and grain of skin “impeccably”, as well as the textures and surfaces of material. The WildSun K9 Wash comes with the same basic specifications as the WildSun K25 TC, and is equipped with tri-phase stepper motors

that are said to allow fast, accurate and silent positioning. Its optical zoom has a 6:1 ratio with a zoom range of 10–60°. Luminous intensity can be fine-tuned using a precision electronic dimmer. The light output system is equipped with a protective holographic filter in polycarbonate and a honeycomb system to prevent glare. The user can control each concentric circle individually to adjust the luminaire’s power and beam size accordingly or create dynamic effects for stage lighting. www.ayrton.eu

100 PRO AVL ASIA January–February 2024

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PRODUCTS

More import options with ETC upgrade

MAXing out performance in a compact package

LIGHTING AND rigging technology company ETC has made its Eos v3.2.4 patch available on the ETC website. The patch includes support for General Device Type Format (GDTF) profile import, as well as nearly 100 improvements and bug fixes related to Magic Sheets, the Show Control List, the Fixture Editor, Shell popup dialogues, Partitions, Pixel Maps, Apex display reliability and launch issues on Mac devices. The update has also allowed ETC to make changes to how fixture profiles are submitted and added legacy library support, while the ability to import GDTF fixture definitions provides another option to loading fixture profiles into Eos. Designed to incorporate track lighting into a wide range of installations, OneTrack by ETC offers two 20A circuits that can be switched or dimmed independently. With a data circuit integrated directly into the track, OneTrack reportedly ensures compatibility with lowvoltage dimming via DMX, 0–10V, DALI, Lon and other signal types. OneTrack features standard lengths of 1m, 2m and 4m, as well as multiple coupler options, to create a range of lighting patterns. Meanwhile, its hardware design provides secure mechanical and electrical connections, even when

BUILDING ON Elation’s Proteus series of luminaires, the Proteus Hybrid MAX is a hybrid luminaire that Elation claims generates more powerful output in a more compact IP66 design. Able to create a range of effects from a 1.8° shaft of light to a 45° wide beam, the Proteus Hybrid MAX is a beam/spot/wash hybrid capable of true linear zoom in any configuration, while an added frost softens light to allow the unit to be used as a precision wash unit at any angle from its extra-large 170mm front aperture lens. Boasting 22,000 lumens and with lamp life of up to 4,000 hours, the Proteus Hybrid MAX is powered by the Philips MSD Platinum FLEX 500 lamp. Its optical autofocus system offers variable operation for power savings and increased efficiency, while still delivering output comparable to large-format Xenon fixtures. The Platinum lamp is dimmable to deliver even more savings, and a hibernation mode reduces power when the lamp is not in use. The lower internal heat produced extends the life of not only the lamp but all internal components of the fixture. Elation’s Fast Advanced Features (FAF) enhances the speed of the luminaire, such as for pan/tilt, zoom and colour mixing, while maintaining accuracy. In addition, a revamped CMY colour mixing system with a 16-position colour wheel reportedly offers virtually

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mounted vertically. ETC’s Source Four Mini LED, Irideon FPZ, Irideon WLZ and Desire D22 luminaires are available with OneTrack adapters. OneTrack also supports a broad range of LED track fixtures from a variety of manufacturers. www.etcconnect.com

OneTrack

unlimited colour options and is fast enough to deliver immediate, seamless transitions and instant colour bumps. Visual effects are enhanced with eight rotating replaceable glass gobos, 16 staticfixed metal gobos and a range of animation options from Elation’s Tri-Tier Animation system. Three animation surfaces with multiple motion tracks are said to add organic motion or fresh visuals, while four prisms divided between dual overlapping planes split beams of light in “virtually unlimited” combinations of lighting projections or aerials. Elation’s effects package also includes a speedy iris for beam control and high-speed shutter/ strobe. In addition, Elation’s SpinSync tracking functionality allows rotation of the head in a continuous 360° pan and guarantees that fixtures match rotation in “perfect” synchronous motion. Other features include Elation’s Sky Motion system, which transforms the luminaire into a searchlight/ skytracker and can be set up and adjusted directly from the fixture display. The Proteus Hybrid MAX is also Elation’s first fixture to feature NFC (Near Field Communication) and Aria X2 (wireless DMX). NFC allows users to set up and test fixtures from a phone, while Aria XR wireless DMX control offers more reliable, configurable and expanded range coverage. www.elationlighting.com

Modular lighting ADB’S ACTORIS Profile FC is a sixcolour ellipsoidal. The light source is based on an RGBAL + royal blue system, which reportedly means any desired shade of colour can be produced, including an array of pastel hues, with a CRI of up to 97. It has variable colour temperature correction from 2,500– 8,000K, and “perfect” Planck-curve CCT. The algorithm that regulates the colour control system is comparable to that of the Claypaky Sinfonya Profile, with advanced, standard, white and singlechannel modes. The Actoris Profile FC is a modular tool, with users able to choose from a 15–30° zoom, a 25–50° zoom and seven fixed lenses (5°, 10°, 14°, 19°, 26°, 36° and 50°). The system is also compatible with ETC optical units. The Midi-B FX has been developed as a way of adding lighting effects to a moving head wash light to get a fixture that

Actoris Profile FC

can do both RGBW wash lighting and be used as part of a set design. To do this, Claypaky has placed a long top hat on the body of a Midi-B and fit five parallel rings of LEDs around it, each of which can be controlled separately for a wide range of colours. This patent-pending technology reportedly allows dynamic, attractive plays on colour, suitable for TV studio set designs and corporate and tour lighting. As a wash light, the Midi-B FX has the same features as the Midi-B – with which it is fully compatible – including the optimised HD optical system, which provides a highly efficient, bright output. Its 4–50° zoom means it can be used in a wide variety of situations, and its 24-bit electronic dimmer provides five dimmer curves, which keep the colours balanced throughout the whole dimming range. www.claypaky.it

January–February 2024 PRO AVL ASIA 101

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BUSINESS: ANALYSIS

Venue futures

David Claringbold has held several director roles at Sydney Opera House

New York’s Perelman Performing Arts Center, opened in September 2023, has three spaces giving dozens of possible modes

David Claringbold, former director, theatre and events/technical director at Sydney Opera House and chief marketing officer at d&b audiotechnik, examines the different forces that are combining to define a new kind of performance space in today’s changing global environment AS IMAGES FROM ANCIENT TIMES REMIND US, THE concept of a seating bank facing a performance zone has been with us for thousands of years. However, while many functional principles remain, venue design and use models continue to evolve in response to the way cities are designed, cultural entities operate and our social habits change. And technology is playing a key role. So, how will future venues look and what is driving the change? Arts and culture venues are being influenced by three macro trends in global urban development. First is place definition, with Greater China, India, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia all undergoing the fastest pace of urban development. Meanwhile, place restructuring is seeing established urban centres responding to changed work and living dynamics. Thirdly, societal developments including digitisation, sustainability, diversity and accessibility will have their own profound effects. Cities have experienced dramatic change to their economies due to the continuing work from home and hybrid technology trends. The “war on the couch” – which used to be an exclusively entertainment-centric consideration – is now a macro economic reality for our urban centres. Governments are sensitive to this and see arts, culture and hospitality as central to increasing the value proposition of a city as a place to work and visit. Therefore, what was once a fragmented approach to urban design and place making is being reimagined as integrated precincts, where transitions between work and lifestyle are seamless. New civic developments will focus on creating experiences that people can’t get at home or online, by putting art and culture at the centre of their design. In a relatively short space of time, venue models are transitioning from mono economies, with fixed architectures and low technical capability, to being destinations for culture, hospitality, sports and leisure, with physically and virtually adaptable spaces, own media channels, curated engagement

programmes and sophisticated technology systems that are intrinsic to enterprise functionality, customer experience and the artistic vision. The future venue will be sustainable, universally accessible, AI-enabled and emotionally intelligent. Together with these global influences, the arts and culture sector is responding to changed audience behaviours and social dynamics that are creating seismic shifts in their identity and purpose. We are already seeing the emergence of programming matrixes such as art galleries presenting music festivals, museums with expansive hospitality offerings and performing arts centres with curated digital channels. All of these are designed to attract customers across a 24/7 cycle, develop business resilience and enhance community relevance – onsite, offsite, online and virtually. Over the course of the last 20 years, AVL technology has evolved from its previously functional role to becoming a strategic enabler, taking a front row seat with architects, creatives, entrepreneurs and engineers as the venues of the future are designed and conceived. The future venue will have adaptable spaces, both physically and virtually, growing the relevance of a space, giving artists the ability to create bespoke and interactive experiences and allowing the venue manager to dynamically repurpose their offerings, according to the programme and time of day. Venues will utilise technology-enabled storytelling to deepen a person’s relationship with a space, putting human emotional connection at the centre of their content and design thinking to increase customer dwell times and provide opportunities for interactive engagement, all the while capturing data to inform the ongoing curatorial evolution of the customer experience. The venues of the future will have virtual rooms, digital stages for creation and accessibility that the physical world is not capable of, giving artists and thought leaders the ability to create work and interact with audiences, wherever they may be, without having to fly across the globe. To establish these

capabilities, venues will develop far greater technological capacity. This will mean the ongoing evolution of venues and cultural organisations from fixed classical modes to contemporary experiential modes. Every room – not just the stages – will be designed with performance capability, and the gap between acoustic design and desired performance modes will continue to widen, requiring variable room configurations and acoustics. Immersive will drive innovation across the sector as experiences become increasingly interactive and userdefinable. Hospitality will be curated as a cultural programme and a revenue driver. As entertainment technology is increasingly managed by IT systems for network control and security, this will determine platform standards across the AVL industry. Virtual stages and digital venues will be enabled by AI, hyperconnectivity and 3D rendering. Market verticals will morph to underpin business models and “place making”, and there will be significant growth in arts and culture AVL markets, with hospitality more closely aligned. The role of venue design in arts and culture is to facilitate conversations between people, place and the art, to elevate our consciousness. The venue of the future is a living organism, reflective of its community and the vision of a place. No longer constrained by the constructs of the past, we are headed into a future of vibrant possibility; one where the walls between performance spaces, audiences, surrounding precincts, borders and market verticals become increasingly transparent. Technology will be a key driver of this vision, a platform where content, community and enterprise are intrinsically intertwined. None of this spells the end of live performance and the humanity of creativity and social exchange as we know it. These fundaments have endured over thousands of years, across cultures and continents well before electricity and the internet came to be, and they will endure for many more.

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Permanent installations present their own set of expectations and need a purpose-built product for those demands. The IS-Series brings the rider acceptance and performance of Adamson’s touring products to the world of integration. The new ultra-compact IS7c point source takes the well-rounded IS-Series to 12 application-specific boxes. For more info visit adamsonsystems.com

New! - IS7c Ultra-compact , light-weight, passive 2-way coaxial speaker Frequency Response: 80 Hz - 20 kHz | SPL: 130 dB

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L SERIES

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