Pro AVL Asia November-December 2020 by Blank Canvas Publishing Ltd

ProAVLAsia November–December 2020

LIVE SOUND LIGHTING RECORDING INSTALLATION AV BROADCAST POSTPRODUCTION November–December 2020

ON HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE New era for historic Adelaide theatre

RECORDING ENJOYS AN UPSWING MICA (P) 017/06/2020

INFOCOMM CHINA/PLS GUANGZHOU REVIEWED

ZEPP LANDS IN TAIWAN CHENGDU’S NEW CONCERT HALL

PPS1604/05/2013(022953) www.proavl-asia.com

Singapore: MICA (P) 017/06/2020 PPS 1604/05/2013(022953)

Clever Interaction. Lighter installations. Powersoft Install system solution for source and zone management .

POWERSOFT.COM

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Contents Volume 19 Issue Six November–December 2020 NEWS BUSINESS AVIXA’s IOTA report highlights AV growth for APAC in 2021

DISTRIBUTION Guangzhou Guidance holds Martin Audio event during PLSG

APPOINTMENTS Meyer Sound announces key promotions

SPECIAL REPORT Phil Ward examines the recording sector’s viral windfall

PROJECTS Brompton brings WooHaa’s Studio45 production studio to life

Editor’s note Email: cmoss@proavl-asia.com

FEATURES DYNAMICS OF DESIGN Marshall Day’s benchmark for performance in Chengdu

COVER: CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT Redevelopment for Her Majesty’s Theatre Adelaide 54 ZEPP LANDS IN TAIPEI Venue network opens in Taiwanese capital

SCALING THE HEIGHTS Pullman resort brings advanced AV to Indonesian hills

THEME WORK Ruisheng collaborates on Guangzhou HQ for Chimelong

STELLAR RECORD Beijing studio discusses its history across four decades

BUSINESS LETTER FROM AMERICA Dan Daley goes to the (socially distanced) drive-in

LETTER FROM EUROPE Phil Ward asks if science can help reboot live events

COMPANY PROFILE CMG’s fast progression to dedicated Meyer rental house

COMPANY PROFILE Italian newcomer Pequod on life since its 2016 launch

SHOW REVIEW Prolight + Sound Guangzhou restarts tradeshow calendar

SHOW REVIEW Beijing InfoComm China welcomes busy crowds in Beijing

TECHNOLOGY Crestron’s Stijn Ooms assesses evolving trends in AV

PRODUCTS The industry’s most comprehensive product news

And so we come to the final issue of Pro AVL Asia for 2020 – the year that none of us could possibly have predicted. Two industry sectors that form the cornerstones of all we cover in these pages – live entertainment and hospitality – have been devastated by the unprecedented and in some cases insurmountable challenges this year has thrown up, and the future looks far from certain. But there’s a ray of light from one corner of the industry: lockdown has seen the recording sector enjoying a boost, and Phil Ward takes a closer look on p20. Some regions have fared better than others. China, first to lock down, has come out the other side. New Zealand and Australia are doing well, as are other APAC countries. Those of us still facing restrictions can derive a little comfort as these regions re-emerge and industry picks up. A big thanks to you, our readers, for sticking with us through these times, and helping us continue to cover the industry in territories we’ve grown to know and love, in times when we can’t physically be there. Like everyone, we’ve faced the challenges of remote working; we greatly appreciate your help, and long for a time when we can meet in person. For now, as we close our November–December issue for 2020, we look ahead to next year in the hope and belief that things will start to head in the right direction. Here’s to 2021 – stay safe, and stay in touch.

Contacts

ANALYSIS Calrec’s David Letson on adapting to a shifting business environment 102

inside 50

GENERAL MANAGER Richard Lawn

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Sue Gould

SENIOR REPORTER Simon Luckhurst

T: +44 1892 676280

rlawn@proavl-asia.com

sgould@proavl-asia.com

T: +44 1892 676280

PRODUCTION MANAGER Adrian Baker

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Karen Wallace

SALES ASSOCIATE Carolyn Valliere

T: +44 1892 676280

abaker@proavl-asia.com

kwallace@proavl-asia.com

T: +1 562 746 1790

DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Nick Smith

VIDEO EDITOR Chris Yardley

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

T: +44 1892 676280

nsmith@proavl-asia.com

cyardley@proavl-asia.com

cvalliere@proavl-asia.com

Jessica Ubhi jubhi@proavl-asia.com

BEIJING OFFICE Frank Shao

GUANGZHOU MANAGER Sue Su

CIRCULATION Marne Mittelmann

T: +86 10 8652 5184

T: +86(20)85633602

F: +65 6491 6588

ssu@proavl-asia.com

circulation@proavl-asia.com

frank@proaudioasia.com.cn

COVER: Her Majesty’s Theatre Adelaide PRINTER: Times Printers Singapore LICENCES: Singapore: MICA (P) 017/06/2020; 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.

www.proavl-asia.com

sluckhurst@proavl-asia.com

@ProAVLCentral

PUBLISHED BY: 17 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2DU, UK

@ProAVLAsiaMagazine November–December 2020 PRO AVL ASIA 3

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NEWS

AVIXA IOTA report signals promising future for APAC APAC

A new AVIXA 2020 AV Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA) Asia-Pacific Summary has highlighted that although APAC pro AV revenues will decline from US$94 billion in 2019 to $88 billion in 2020 due to the impact of Covid-19, the region will outperform other major territories around the globe. Furthermore, APAC is expected to return to strong growth in 2021 with revenue rising by 9.1%, and is forecast to reach $126 billion by 2025. “Decisive approaches to the Covid-19 crisis by many countries in the APAC region have facilitated continued economic expansion of the region. Overall, APAC has weathered the downturn better than other regions around the world, thus propelling renewed spending on pro AV products,” commented Sean Wargo, senior director of market intelligence, AVIXA. “APAC’s level of pro AV revenue growth will not only lead the world, but also exceed GDP growth for the APAC region and globally.” China leads the way in pro AV revenue in APAC as well as globally, with $55.3 billion in 2020. China also will boast a region-leading 8.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2020–2025. The smaller Indian subcontinent will generate $7.7 billion in revenue for pro AV in 2020. The region’s economy and expanding corporate sector will spur a strong CAGR of 7.6% from 2020–2025. East Asia, a subregion that includes Japan and South Korea, will experience a moderate CAGR of 5.5% from 2020–2025. With $3.7 billion in revenue, Australasia represents just 5% of APAC regional

revenue in 2020 and will generate the least growth among the APAC subregions, with a 4.2% CAGR expected for 2020–2025.

The report highlights the corporate market as the largest application area for pro AV products and services, capturing $18.1 billion in 2020 and growing to $25.9 billion in 2025. With more companies expected to embrace remote working, it is also expected that they will be making investments in creating more huddle spaces for when employees are in the office. Additionally, there will be an increased deployment of digital signage for communicating with employees and visitors about the necessary health guidelines in the short term. In the long term, these displays can become further gathering points for collaborative work. Media and entertainment is the second largest vertical market, generating

d&b launches Certified Pre-Owned programme

$13.3 billion in revenue in 2020, and a 15% share of APAC revenue. Revenue will rise to $20 billion in 2025, keeping this market in second place in the region. Within the media and entertainment vertical, headphones, headsets and ear sets will generate the most growth of any product type, with a CAGR of 17.3% from 2020–2025. However, media storage and media servers offer a combination of size and growth that will fuel this industry’s pro AV spending growth, with the two products generating CAGRs of 13.8% and 12.7% respectively from 2020–2025. Security, sur veillance and life safety will change from the four th largest pro AV solution in 2020 to the leading solution by 2025, growing from $10.9 billion to $19.2 billion. The government and militar y industr y will generate the most demand for this solution both in the shor t and long term. City sur veillance is a significant market for security cameras, requiring significant storage and ser ver systems to suppor t the camera infrastructure. Streaming media, storage and distribution is the largest product segment in APAC, growing from $27.6 billion in 2020 to $46.7 billion in 2025. Multiple factors are contributing to this segment’s dominance across APAC, including TV content, 4K and 8K workflows, and IP infrastructure rollouts. www.avixa.org/iota

During the remanufacturing process, each system goes through an exterior, mechanical and acoustic check. The exterior check confirms there is no damage, with all foam and seals replaced and the exterior repainted. The mechanical check sees pins, rigging, links, wheels, latches, frames and chains inspected for damage, then tested and replaced where necessary. Finally, the product goes through the same rigorous frequency and impedance checks as new systems,

INDIA: Broadcast India has taken its 2020 event online, offering the We Go Digital edition from 29 October in place of the planned event. The online edition will be available for a year, leading up to the next physical show which is due to take place from 21–23 October 2021. INDIA: InfoComm India 2020 has been replaced with a vir tual three-day exhibition and conference, InfoComm India 2020 GoVIRTUAL, which will take place from 18–20 November 2020, comprising conferences, industr y forums, case study presentations, technology spotlight presentations and networking sessions. The next InfoComm India is being planned for 15–17 September 2021 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre. APAC: InfoCommAsia has announced new dates for InfoComm Southeast Asia 2021. The show has been pushed back from next May and will now take place from 20–22 October 2021 at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre. Given the long leadup to the next event, InfoCommAsia has launched the GoVir tual platform which offers webinars, product showcase pages and vir tual product demonstrations. WORLD: ISE 2021 has been postponed and will now take place on 1–4 June 2021 alongside a vir tual offering. The show was originally scheduled to take place from 2–5 Februar y 2021. Together with the postponement, the organiser has launched RISE Digital, an ongoing programme of content and networking events for the industr y that will continue throughout the year.

GERMANY

d&b audiotechnik has launched the Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programme, making remanufactured loudspeaker systems available for purchase. Part of d&b’s ongoing support of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 by UN member states, as well as the European Union’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) directive, CPO allows customers to own a d&b sound reinforcement system while contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and consumption of raw materials. “The CPO programme means our systems are more accessible than ever before,” said Amnon Harman, CEO, d&b audiotechnik. “At a time when the entire entertainment industry has been challenged, remanufacturing extends the life of a d&b system with all the benefits of buying new. The entertainment industry consumes an enormous amount of energy, and the CPO programme is just one part of d&b’s long-term commitment to sustainability. Extending the life of our loudspeaker systems is a small but powerful way of providing premium audio while protecting the natural world.”

TRADESHOW SOUNDBITES

including a listening test for performance qualities. All systems come with new energy-saving amplification and electronics, accessories and the same access to service and finance arrangements as new systems, including a two-year warranty and five-year factory warranty for all new parts. The first product to be available in the CPO programme is the large-format J-Series.

WORLD: IBC has announced the online IBC Showcase that ran from 8–11 September brought 20,000 attendees to vir tual sessions and generated over 8,000 leads through its selection of live exhibitor presentations and workflow tours. The IBC Showcase will continue to run throughout 2020 as a once-a-week event combining live sessions and on-demand content. WORLD: The NAMM Show has been replaced with a vir tual format. The new online event, named Believe in Music, will be held over the week of 18 Januar y 2021 and feature a mix of programming and professional education, as well as an interactive marketplace to connect buyers and sellers.

www.dbaudio.com/certified-pre-owned

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HMD 300

Everything that is important to professionals.

More features for your money The closed, supra-aural HMD 300 supports professionals involved in broadcasting with several smart solutions. Its pressure-sensitive design permits outstanding wearing comfort even during extended sessions. The speech and sound quality are of just as professional a standard as the hearing protection facilitated by switchable Peak Level Protection. Together with its high level of passive noise attenuation and proven structure borne noise decoupling, the HMD 300 offers substantially more performance than you would expect for the price. www.sennheiser.com/hmd-300-pro

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NEWS: BUSINESS

Rightway Audio opens new training centre in Guanghzou The L-ISA system onsite is a 14.1.6 system, including seven Syvas, eight X8s for surround, six X8s as overheads and a KS28 subwoofer. The ceiling of the room is equipped with four infrared cameras to track BlackTrax beacons. As demonstrators walked around the room, the audience experienced the effects that BlackTrax combined with the L-ISA system can deliver. The demo also simulated the development of audio technology and demonstrated various configurations such as mono, dual mono, stereo, surround sound and 3D (immersive) audio. Finally, it showed how L-ISA can change the reverberation time of rooms, allowing venues to adapt to different performances. The Island Prestige area demonstrated the lifestyle solution created by L-Acoustics

Presenting the L-Acoustics products CHINA

Rightway Audio Consultants, distributor of brands including L-Acoustics, DiGiCo, Calrec, BlackTrax and Klang, has held an event to officially launch its new Rightway Education and Training Centre, a joint project with the China Institute of Stage Design. The event, held during the Prolight + Sound Guangzhou show, attracted more than 100 industry members. Rightway’s marketing director Hu Nan began by introducing the brands represented by Rightway, as well as Rightway’s BMDP (Basic Theory/Marketing/Design/Practice) courses and general information about the training centre. This was followed by speeches from Cao Lin, head of the China Institute of Stage Design, and Han Hongzhi, deputy secretary-general of the organisation. Cao said that although the industry was not as prosperous as in previous years due to the impact of the epidemic in the first half of the year, it was a good start to get

together in the Rightway office congratulating the company on its achievements and expressing hope that the live market could gradually get back on track. Rightway president, Tao Jianxin, thanked the institute for its trust, revealing that Rightway has expanded his team with currently more than 100 employees across the country. He also explained that Rightway has invested heavily in creating the training and experience centre to let Chinese users experience how art and technology are integrated and enjoy the same experiences as international users. The experience centre is divided into four areas: the L-Acoustics L-ISA area, an L-Acoustics demo area, the Island Prestige area and the DiGiCo demo room. The guests were separated into three groups to experience the different areas in turn. In the L-ISA area, Rightway combined L-ISA and BlackTrax in a demonstration.

Creation. This features a 23.1 sound system consisting of 18 coaxial speakers, two subwoofers and processing installed in an oval shell, with five overhead speakers. A Bubble Deck allows control of functions such as volume, pause and skip, while the Island can rotate to face any direction at the push of a button. In the DiGiCo demo room, various consoles including the latest Quantum 338 were on display, allowing visitors hands-on experience with the product range. After the event, guests attended a banquet in a nearby hotel, where Cao presented Rightway with handwritten calligraphy to mark the opening of the training centre. In addition to the new Guangzhou facility, Rightway also has similar-scale training centres in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. www.blacktrax.cast-soft.com www.calrec.com www.digico.biz www.klang.com www.l-acoustics.com www.racpro.net

The DiGiCo zone

IABM sets up BaM Slider super shop WORLD

The IABM has created a virtual technology tour of new products and services available to broadcast and media buyers. Named BaM Slider, the platform was created to give buyers a complete overview of recent innovations in the absence of tradeshows. Buyers can quickly scan all IABM member companies’ latest products and “slide right” to save the ones they want to follow up on. The BaM Slider will be available and constantly updated 365 days of the year. “We are offering the BaM Slider as a resource for the entire industry – a unique virtual technology portal that connects customers with suppliers and opens up new possibilities too,” commented Peter White, CEO, IABM. “The take-up from IABM members has been phenomenal and the BaM Slider has a huge range of innovative products and services on show. The result is a one-stop-super-shop where broadcast and media technology users and buyers can quickly and easily find the solutions they

need from a huge range of options thanks to an innovative user interface, underpinned by the BaM Content Chain taxonomy.” Visitors to the BaM Slider begin their virtual tour in the 360° BaM Slider Lobby, which offers a choice of routes organised according to the nine segments of the BaM content Chain – Create, Produce, Manage, Publish, Monetise, Connect, Support, Store and Consume – together with a 10th option for Business Services. Every IABM member company with products in that segment is then presented one by one, with a headline introduction to their offering. The visitor swipes right to save, left to walk on by. After they have completed a review of all the companies in the chosen content chain segment, they have a shortlist of “favourites”, each with links to further details of the company’s products/services of interest. www.theiabm.org/bam-slider

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NEWS: BUSINESS

Absen recognised by Deloitte’s annual index

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WORLD

LED display specialist, Absen, has been recognised for the second year running by Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies (BMC) programme. The BMC programme is a global initiative that identifies and recognises private companies with advanced management ideas and business performance. Key factors in the evaluation of a company’s management ability include strategy, capabilities, commitment and financial strength. This year, resilience towards the Covid-19 pandemic was also considered. Absen was deemed to have shown competency in all areas, allowing the company to weather these difficult times. “We are delighted to receive this award again this year, as we know that BMC examines every component of a company, and this is confirmation that we are heading in the right direction,” said Alex Couzins, Absen Europe’s head of brand and marketing. “Getting this business accolade will further boost our confidence in continuing to improve our business management as well as our products and services.” Absen, which next year celebrates its 20th anniversary, has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and has built a strong customer service network with 15 domestic and overseas subsidiaries in

order to support its clients worldwide. Throughout 2020, the company has continued to make improvements to its management systems, IT systems and endto-end processes. The company has also invested in talent development and corporate social responsibility practices. www.absen.com

Sony acquires Nevion WORLD

Sony has announced that it is acquiring virtualised media production solutions manufacturer Nevion AS in a move to enhance its portfolio of end-to-end IP and cloudbased production solutions for

“We are always listening to our customers’ feedback, pushing hard to deliver innovation that goes beyond their expectations,” stated Mikio Kita, VP of Media Solutions, Sony Imaging

broadcasting. Sony, which has been a minority shareholder in Nevion since July 2019, will now make the company its subsidiary having purchased the remaining shares. Sony cites the reasons for the acquisition as the increasing demand in broadcasting for remote production solutions and remote integration (REMI), a trend that has been accelerated by Covid-19 alongside combining on-premise facility and cloud processing, enabling remote work and resource sharing.

Products & Solutions. “Through this investment, we will take the scope of IP-based remote production to the next level as one of our highly focused business fields. As the Sony Group, we pursue technologies to achieve ‘remote’, ‘reality’ and ‘real-time’ solutions. With Nevion’s acclaimed expertise, we will deliver more integrated and optimal experiences for our customers.” pro.sony

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NEWS: BUSINESS

Ideal Systems offers DTEN’s Zoom solution as rental service SINGAPORE

Ideal Systems is offering DTEN’s professional all-in-one Zoom Room video conferencing device as a rental ser vice in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, with more countries coming online soon. The new ser vice is targeted at businesses, schools, universities and government depar tments, and offers free deliver y of the DTEN device as well as installation and setup of the Zoom Room, including integration to Outlook or Google calendars for call scheduling and room booking. The Covid-19 pandemic has seen many people around the world take to Zoom as staff armed with a phone and a laptop have adapted to remote working. Zoom meetings have also become invaluable in an era when business travel is difficult or impossible. An easy-to-use video conference system has new relevance in the current climate, and DTEN’s all-in-one unit, which is preinstalled with Zoom and has no separate speakers, microphones or cameras, allows a Zoom Room to be set up and operational for video conferencing in a few minutes. The DTEN can be wall-mounted or set on a trolly for a mobile huddle space or classroom, and

is maintained remotely over the Zoom cloud. “We are delighted to par tner with Ideal Systems in the region,” said Cavan Ho, regional manager at DTEN for Southeast Asia. “Their ability to provide the DTEN as a rental ser vice backed up by installation, integration and suppor t capabilities makes them an ideal par tner for us.”

The unit contains a 4K camera that can track presenters and a 16-element microphone array that can focus on the person speaking anywhere in the room with its on-board computer and DSP developed with Zoom to ensure clear audio and minimise background noise. The operating system has been locked down to ensure security, and updates

are managed via the Zoom Portal. Zoom and DTEN have streamlined the remote conference process, from booking meetings to instantly sharing content with participants. The Red Dot award-winning device has a touchscreen, enabling it as a digital whiteboard with functionality for annotating documents and graphics within a Zoom call, which can be emailed directly from the screen. The DTEN also supports wireless screen sharing for users who want to present content from their laptop. Added Fintan Mc Kiernan, CEO of Ideal Systems for Southeast Asia: “Covid-19 has changed the global business landscape and how business is done by catalysing the adoption of video conferencing, in particular with Zoom. DTEN and Zoom have made it easy for companies to deploy Zoom Rooms, and now our new rental model makes Zoom Rooms easy to afford, manage and support.” Ideal Systems is offering customers a free 30-day trial, including installation and setup, before commencing monthly rental. www.dten.com www.idealsys.com

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NEWS: BUSINESS

New members join the SRT Alliance WORLD

Ross Video and Primestream have become the latest members of the SRT Alliance, the open-source initiative dedicated to low-latency video streaming. The initiative was founded by Haivision in 2017 and has since grown to include more than 400 members. “Ross is very happy to join the SRT Alliance and to contribute to their work addressing the challenges around high-performance, lowlatency, secure and reliable streaming across the public internet,” commented Ross Video

CTO, Troy English. “We have had interest from our clients in integrating SRT with our product portfolio and we are actively developing these capabilities. Ross has a strong history of innovation in a variety of different hardware and software fields, and we look forward to bringing that expertise to bear in our dealings with the SRT Alliance and its members.” “IP-based stream production workflows are the wave of the future for all types of media enterprises, but a critical success factor is

Rutledge AV rebrands as Diversified AUSTRALIA

Global technology solutions provider Diversified has announced the rebranding of its wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Rutledge AV. Since acquiring Rutledge AV in April 2019, Diversified has established strong operations in Australia and reinforced its capabilities in the Oceanic and APAC regions.

and solutions, retaining a local level of onsite technical support and consultancy. Diversified will continue to work with clients across Australia and maintain the service that Rutledge AV has delivered since 1979. The change comes at a challenging time in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“The journey has already been very rewarding,” said Diversified president, Kevin Collins. “We have been part of some remarkable and globally recognised

“All around the globe, our Diversified teams are rising to the challenge and helping our clients deploy the technology solutions they need during this pandemic,” commented Andrew Morrice, Diversified’s senior leader in Australia. “Becoming united under one brand will help us all weather the Covid-19 storm. It will ensure that we are able to take up new opportunities, continue to support our employees and clients worldwide and be ready to face new challenges in the future as a unified global workforce.” The Australian expansion has bolstered the Diversified Global Alliance 24/7 global service centre. Diversified will continue to be a partner for its Australian clients, supporting Rutledge AV’s robust client base with Diversified’s portfolio of offerings.

“Becoming united under one brand will help us all weather the Covid-19 storm.” projects, such as the award-winning audio upgrade for the Melbourne Cricket Ground. At the heart of it, we have been able to share our passion for technology and promote next-generation solutions for local and multinational clients who have operations in the Oceanic region.” Australian-based clients can now leverage Diversified’s complete and comprehensive portfolio of global services

the ability to transport high-quality, low-latency video in a secure and reliable manner,” said Claudio Lisman, president and CEO, Primestream. “That’s why we are happy to be working with the SRT Alliance in its groundbreaking efforts to create an open-source video transport protocol.” www.primestream.com www.rossvideo.com www.srtalliance.org

Riedel employs DisTag for its employees GERMANY

Riedel has wasted no time in deploying its recently devised DisTag distance monitoring device at its Wuppertal HQ, where it is playing an essential role in the company’s gradual resumption of onsite operations. As employees of the Managed Technology Division return to work, each member is either carrying or wearing the DisTag. Measuring 93mm x 41mm and weighing 61g, DisTag is geared towards media and event production, industrial operations, retail, medical centres, public institutions and educational facilities. The integrated battery allows up to 12 hours of operation, with three signal levels: a vibration alarm (haptic), a three-stage LED signal (visual) and a three-stage sound signal (acoustic). The proximity limits of the warning signals can be individually defined and adjusted in accordance with local regulations for social distancing. Individual tags can be divided into compatible groups using the friendly function, whereby no alarms are triggered if users come into close contact with each other.

Riedel’s Managed Technology Division supplies turnkey solutions for media production and global events. Based on a scalable signal backbone, solutions include intercom systems and fibre-based networks for distribution of video, audio and data signals. Riedel technology can be used on a variety of international projects, including festivals, international summits and global sporting events. “As our projects begin to ramp up once more, we’ve reached a point at which the division gets more and more busy with staff onsite,” said Riedel Communications’ Managed Technology Division director, Lutz Rathmann. “It’s an ideal opportunity for our own employees to prove the concept for DisTag. Tools like this are making it possible for companies around the world to start getting their employees back to work while ensuring their social distancing and safety.” www.riedel.net

www.diversifiedus.com

AVI-SPL and Vega partner globally WORLD

AVI-SPL and Vega Global have announced a strategic alliance that will see the two companies collaborate on joint go-to-market strategies and the increased integration of their delivery operations. The move is intended to optimise customer relationships as the heightened engagement with Vega will further ensure AVI-SPL experts actively lead all projects, rather than hand off to a local provider. Both companies are leading digital workplace service providers and already enjoyed an alliance in Vega’s home Asia market.

“Our customers are no longer looking at AVI-SPL in a transactional, one-and-done nature. Nor are they looking to contact multiple vendors, in various locations, and have the same discussion about their goals and objectives countless times. They are looking for a dedicated partner to help guide them through this challenging initiative,” commented Tim Riek, AVI-SPL executive vice president of technology and solutions. “The combination of AVI-SPL’s and Vega’s unrivalled size, skill, expertise and services offers organisations

that strategic partner with the resources to be there every step of the way.” AVI-SPL and Vega will also take a more collaborative approach to delivering managed services powered by AVI-SPL Symphony. Co-delivered service engagements will be coordinated by Global Service Operations Centers in the US, UK, Germany and Philippines, and complemented by a network of in-country support resources. www.avispl.com

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trans ferable engine

true lighting innovation. robe-te.com

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NEWS: OBITUARY

Industry mourns passing of KV2’s David Croxton

Australian pro audio veteran David Croxton passed away at the age of 59 unexpectantly as the result of a fatal accident on 14 September at his home at Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. Having become an established figure in Australian pro audio for almost three decades, his appointment in 2011 as KV2 Audio sales director introduced him to the wider global community. But it was in his homeland, that Dave “Croco” as he was more widely known – will be hugely missed, as ARX managing director Colin Park recalls. “Dave was a lovely guy. We first met in 1986 when we were out on the Australian and New Zealand leg of Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms tour as a sound tech for Jands. We all hit it off straight away and continued to work together for many years. “Always one for the big picture, in 1988 Dave and his wife Sue went out on the Australian Government-initiated, year-long Australian bicentennial tour with a large ARX system. Our then distributor Village Roadshow had won the contract to supply audio production for the tour and Dave thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to have someone else pay for us to promote our loudspeaker systems, power amplifiers and signal processing products. During that year, the tour visited just about everywhere in this wide brown land and, in doing so, Dave and Sue helped cement our status as a domestic pro audio manufacturer.” “Post-tour, Dave returned to Sydney where he set up ARX NSW in a shop on Victoria Road in Gladesville. Here, he and his then partner Martin Kirkpatrick sold and rented out ARX systems together with Shure mics that were shipped in from LA from our mate Algis Renkus into the rapidly growing Sydney and NSW market. Dave quickly developed an A-class customer base installing ARX gear into facilities like Damien Gerard’s rehearsal studios in Ultimo where the likes of Midnight Oil and INXS rehearsed. During this time, he developed and nurtured ongoing relationships for ARX with Sydney, regional NSW and Canberra-based rental companies servicing clients like the Aria Awards,

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WORLD

Dave Croxton Tamworth Music Festival, Cockroaches (aka the Wiggles), Glenn Shorrock & the Eddys, Noise Works, Street Cafe and many other acts. “Dave was actively involved with our early product development and could be very persuasive! I recall him telling me in the late 1980s, ‘Col, we’ve got to make a Graphic EQ, we’ll move loads of them’. I deterred him until Dave’s insistence finally drove us to design our EQ60 dual 1/3rd octave EQ. Thankfully Dave as usual was on the money– over its product life of 15 years or so the EQ60 sold around 11,000 units around the world. “Dave was something of a renaissance man with a very inquisitive mind. Whilst music and audio were his passions, his interests were wide and varied. Anything that took his interest, he gave 110% to, including wine making and drinking, food, farming and travel. What we all did together with ARX through the late 1980s and 90s was great fun and great business – the

perfect combination really. Dave was a unique person and he’ll be greatly missed by us all.” Having become familiarised with the Mackie brand in its early formative years, Dave took the opportunity to distribute the rising star. Dave had first met the pioneer Greg Mackie looking lonely on a 3m x 3m booth in the USA where he was exhibiting the very first of his new mixing consoles. Following that encounter, he established Australian Audio Supplies and played a significant role in establishing Mackie as a major international brand. He finally accepted an offer to sell Australian Audio Supplies to Hills in 2006. Dave’s knowledge of touring systems and studio production recording coupled with his experience in running a successful distribution business served him well at point source loudspeaker specialist KV2 Audio. During his nine years serving as the main ambassador for the Czech

manufacturer, he passionately preached the technological virtues of founder and developer, George Krampera senior. “As was typical of David, he soon discovered through deep thought, questioning and actual operating of systems that he could not only understand and accept what was being proposed, but provide essential and additional complements with his quiet considered approach, linked to a deep well of knowledge and advice, usually delivered with his inimitable dry wit,” reminisced chief executive George junior. “Once on board, he rapidly became the fiercest proponent of the company’s outlook and presentation. His determination, energy and endeavours were certainly a part of the company’s success throughout the world.” In his quest to cement the brand’s status, Dave’s unlimited energy showed no bounds as he clocked up millions of air miles visiting existing and potential customers, checking in with the factory, attending numerous tradeshows and hosting audio demonstrations. Dave took presidency in New York and California to firmly cement KV2 Audio’s status amongst US theatre owners and rental partners. Not content with this demanding position, Dave established a new Australian distribution business with David Williams in 2013. As a provider of LED lighting and audio technologies, Entertainment Technology Australia (ETA) aimed to distinguish itself by offering a higher level of professional service and support. Having acquainted themselves during their pioneering days in the industry, Røde owner and chairman Peter Freedman paid his respects to the Australian pro audio industry legend. “I first met Dave in the 1990s when Røde was in its early days and he was the importer and distributor of Mackie,” commented Freedman. “I was immediately struck by his energy and enthusiasm, and, in the years that I knew him, I always had a huge amount of respect for his breadth of knowledge in both audio technology and in business. Dave was an archetypal Aussie gentleman who I’m proud to have called a mate.”

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12 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2020

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NEWS: OBITUARY

Mark Brunner, RIP WORLD

Shure has announced the passing of Mark Brunner on 1 October. Having taken on the newly created role of VP of global corporate and government relations in 2017, Brunner had ser ved as a loyal ambassador for Shure since 1989 and had distinguished himself in several key positions, including director of adver tising, MD of the MI and touring sound business unit and senior director of global brand management. He was instrumental in helping Shure build an even stronger reputation among associates, customers, industr y influencers and the public. In his most recent role, he worked tirelessly and effectively on numerous industr y issues, including the FCC rules for wireless device operation/ frequency spectrum allocation

CEO, Christine Schyvinck. “Mark was more than our VP of global corporate and government relations, as he was family to so many of us at Shure and in the industry. Mark joined Shure in 1989 and he touched the lives of everyone he worked with. Mark was a trusted advisor, a mentor and, most importantly, a friend. Our thoughts are with Mark’s family at this difficult time.” From a personal perspective, Mark was a valued supporter and friend to Blank Canvas Publishing in its early years getting Pro AVL Asia off the ground. He will be sorely missed.

Mark Brunner (right) with legendary engineer-producer Al Schmitt

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Mark Brunner and lobbied to protect the pro AV market sector. Through industry relationships, he successfully generated support for this cause from venues ranging from the Grand Ole Opry to Madison Square Garden, professional sports leagues and major broadcast networks. Additionally, he was a prominent member of the Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing Manufacturers Council, where he frequently shared his views on legislative wireless white space and broadband issues as well as other related industry topics. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the unexpected passing of Mark Brunner on 1 October,” announced Shure President and

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NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

Guangzhou Guidance holds Martin Audio event during PLSG CHINA

During the Prolight + Sound Guangzhou (PLSG) show in late August, Martin Audio’s new Chinese distributor, Guangzhou Guidance Audiovisual Technology, held an event to introduce new products and announce the appointment of two new dealers. Guangzhou Ruisheng Audio and Lighting Equipment have become the exclusive dealer of Martin Audio’s DDX series and Adorn series in China, while Beijing Yucheng Technology is now exclusive dealer for the BlacklineX Powered series. It was announced in June that Martin Audio had appointed Guangzhou Guidance to develop new market opportunities in China, Hong Kong and Macau. Established earlier this year, Guangzhou Guidance joins Martin Audio’s existing distributor, Sino Hui Feng, which continues to handle the entertainment market. The deal was brokered by Singaporebased Generation AV, which represents the British manufacturer in APAC. “Martin Audio has a strong history in China, especially in the entertainment market,”

exceptionally popular in a lot of top nightclubs in China. We’ve also had a lot of success in many other markets and, in our new partnership with Guangzhou Guidance, we look forward to expanding our reach across China into multiple markets and bring our latest technology and products to customers in China.” Added Guangzhou Guidance’s Rico Xu: “Due to the pandemic, we cannot carry out nationwide promotional activities, so we hope that the small event today will bring information to our customers. During the pandemic, we have been working with both the Martin Audio factory and our customers to conduct remote education and training. We’ve also visited many customers at PLSG.” Martin Audio’s BlacklineX Powered, DDX, Adorn and Wavefront Precision WPS series were introduced at the event, while authorisation certificates were awarded to Guangzhou Ruisheng and Beijing Yuchengxin.

Guangzhou Ruisheng with its authorisation certificate said David McKinney, general manager of Generation AV, in a video he sent to play at the

event. “Some of our products, like the MLA and Wavefront Precision series, all have been

www.martin-audio.com

Adamson and ReWire welcome largest S-Series partner in Japan JAPAN

Pankaj Kumar

Trimac appointed for Prism Sound in India INDIA

Trimac Products has been appointed to distribute Prism Sound’s range of converters and audio interfaces throughout the country. With offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the company also has over 400 channel partners and representation for more than 20 pro audio brands. “Prism Sound’s products complement the products we already distribute and are a valuable and marketable addition to our roster,” commented Pankaj Kumar, Trimac’s chief operating officer. “We are delighted to be able to offer this high-end solution to our customers, many of whom are professional studios and hobbyist musicians. We also have customers in the education sector, and we look forward to introducing them to the Prism Sound range.” Trimac is also involved in studio design and installation and prides itself on the

reputation it has established for customer service and support. “As a brand, Prism Sound is well known among Indian pro audio professionals, but we feel there is still plenty of support we can give the brand, particularly in terms of bringing its products to the attention of the younger generation of producers, which is an area where we have good contacts,” continued Kumar. “We are very pleased to welcome Trimac as our new partner in India and we look forward to working with them in the future,” added Prism Sound sales director, Mark Evans. “Trimac’s excellent reputation across a number of market sectors can only be of benefit to the Prism Sound brand.”

Adamson Systems Engineering, together with its exclusive Japanese distributor, ReWire, has welcomed Osaka Onken as its latest S-Series partner in Japan. With a substantial investment, Osaka Onken now boasts the largest S-Series inventory in the country. “Wanting to significantly boost our offerings with an investment in a high-end, sub-compact loudspeaker system, we invited several very reputable loudspeaker manufacturers to demo their products in late 2019,” commented president and CEO of Osaka Onken, Tatsuo Yamamoto. “It was immediately clear that Adamson’s S-Series was the top choice in terms of performance. We’ve only grown more confident in that decision based on the support we’ve received from Adamson and their colleagues at ReWire in the time since.” The new system comprises 48 subcompact S10 full-range array enclosures, 16 complementary S119 subwoofers, eight ultra-compact S7p two-way point source enclosures and eight PC5 Point Centric Series

coaxial loudspeakers. Delivered to Osaka Onken’s headquarters earlier in the summer, Osaka Onken hosted Adamson’s globally standardised Applied Certification training for staff and outside technicians shortly thereafter in mid-July. Based in the country’s second-largest city, the production company famously supplied the audio for The Beatles’ first-ever performance in Japan. In more recent years, Osaka Onken has added a video division to support a wider range of applications. “We’ve been very happy with our ongoing growth in the Japanese market thanks to our great partners,” added ReWire director, Ryoichi Ishii. “We’re proud to welcome a company as revered as Osaka Onken to the global Adamson Network and look forward to working closely with them as they grow their business and help to strengthen Adamson’s presence throughout the country.” www.adamsonsystems.com

www.prismsound.com www.trimacppl.com

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NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

Point Source Audio Infinova appointed for joins forces with Studio Moose Sound in China Connections Australia CHINA

AUSTRALIA

Point Source Audio has partnered with Studio Connections for distribution in Australia. The manufacturer’s microphones and headsets have been available in Australia for a number of years, but the new relationship is intended to build on an “already strong reputation in the country” with a new distributor dedicated to the market.

“Studio Connections Australia is proud to have been appointed as the Australian distributor for Point Source Audio,” said Deborah Sloss, managing director at Studio Connections Australia. “Point Source Audio is the perfect addition to our stable, providing us with exciting new opportunities. We look forward to working with the Point Source Audio team in growing this unique, innovative and performance-based brand here in Australia.”

“We have been making good progress in the Australian market and we can see the potential for growth we have here,” stated James Lamb, Point Source Audio president. “Appointing Studio Connections is a big step for us along this path. They are a well-known and respected player in Australia and will provide us with a trusted presence in the local

Hangzhou-based Infinova System Technology has been appointed as exclusive distributor for Portuguese loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer, Moose Sound. To launch the new partnership, Infinova exhibited the entire range of Moose Sound products at Prolight+Sound Guangzhou in late August. “Through this partnership, Moose Sound will enlarge its product and service range while significantly expanding its reach in China. The core business of Infinova has been in security systems and CCTV, but they decided to invest in the pro audio and installation business, and move

forward with us,” said Moose Sound’s general manager José Aguiar, adding that the company is currently constructing a demonstration room in Hangzhou to showcase the product range. “The pro audio market is undergoing unprecedented change, and being able to establish and explore a business opportunity with a company such as Infinova is for Moose Sound a true privilege.” Infinova will handle all enquiries, sales, technical assistance and other services for customers throughout China. www.moosesound.com

market. We know that Deb and her team will play a powerful role in expanding our market share in the country and deliver the levels of service our customers around the world expect. We couldn’t be happier with our choice of distributor and we feel this will be the start of a long and mutually beneficial relationship.” www.point-sourceaudio.com www.studioconnections.com.au

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NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

Adam Hall Group appoints Speaker Electronic for China

CHINA

The Adam Hall Group has announced a strategic partnership with Speaker Electronic (SE) which will see the company take over exclusive distribution for all brands, including LD Systems, Cameo, Gravity, Defender, Palmer and Adam Hall, across China. The announcement was made at a press conference before more than 200 invited guests from audio and events companies as well as the media. Attending in a virtual

capacity were Michael von Keitz, chairman of SE, and Markus Jahnel, COO and managing director of the Adam Hall Group, as well as key members of the German team. SE can now offer the Chinese market highquality German products and services by the Adam Hall Group from a single source through its extensive network. Long-term cooperation between SE and the Adam Hall Group began in 2006; the Chinese

subsidiary Speaker Factory is German owned and has been an important supplier for the Neu-Anspach Adam Hall Group since that time. In his video message, von Keitz, who is also the German owner of Speaker Factory, spoke of the confidence, fairness and reliability during the 14-year cooperation. “Our most important shared goal was and always will be to supply our customers with well-designed quality products,” he said. In his opening speech, Jahnel mentioned important flagship projects of the Adam Hall Group, such as the MAUI P900 developed in cooperation with Porsche Design Studio, which was displayed to guests at the conference. Jahnel also looked back over LD Systems’ success as a global player in the pro audio industry, emphasising Speaker Factory’s contribution to this success. “To now have SE as an exclusive distribution partner for China is a win–win situation and a shared basis for intensive cooperation between China and Germany,” he said.

Denon extends an edge with Pacific AV NEW ZEALAND

Distributor Pacific Audio Visual has announced the addition of Denon Pro to its expanding range of commercial AV products. Founded in Orewa and established in 2014, the company represents commercial and pro audio brands including Bosch, Earthworks, Meyer Sound, Mipro, Rane, RTS/Telex and Univox through a nationwide dealer network, and also designs commercial AV systems on behalf of its clients.

www.adamhall.com www.se-audiotechnik.com

HH Electronics partners with C&C Pro KOREA

HH Electronics, part of the Headstock Group of companies, has announced the appointment of C&C Pro as its official distribution partner for South Korea. “We are honoured to work with HH Electronics as a distributor in Korea,” said Cheol Yoon, CEO of C&C Pro, which stands for Creation and Challenge. “We are excited to partner with such a great company, with its 52-year history in the audio business, and will do our best to show HH in the best light in Korea. I have known Ian Wright for a long while and the thought of working with him gives us a lot of motivation.” Added Ian Wright, Headstock’s director of global sales: “I am very excited to be working again with Cheol as we develop the HH brand together in Korea. I have known Cheol for many years and respect his knowledge of the audio industry and his understanding of all vertical markets there. He has built many relationships and a solid contact base over his years in the

Pacific AV CEO and founder, Marcel Reinen

achieve this and ensure that HH reaches new heights.” HH Electronics has been designing and manufacturing audio products in the UK since 1968.

“We’re very pleased to add the Denon Pro range to our extensive Commercial Audio portfolio,” said Pacific AV CEO Marcel Reinen, who believes the latest InMusic brand to join the Pacific AV line-up will set a benchmark for versatility and affordability. “Denon Pro adds a great range of cost-effective Bluetooth receivers, digital recorders and players, rack-mounted CD and Blu-ray players and digital tuners along with their mixers, mixer amplifiers, multichannel power amps and ceiling speakers. They are ideal for installations such as schools, clubs, churches, conference venues and boardrooms. They’re also a great fit for our company and interest in the range has been very high.”

www.headstockgroup.com

www.pacificav.co.nz

The C&C Pro team industry. Cheol has also put together a great team to support him in this new venture. “The Korean market is very important to us and we are pleased to be working with C&C Pro. Although we have had some presence in the Korean market, we have never seen the full potential of the brand there. I am confident that C&C Pro is the company to

www.hhelectronics.com

Gig Gear partners with Loud Technologies Asia SINGAPORE

Loud Technologies Asia (LTA) has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Gig Gear in Singapore. Gig Gear is a manufacturer of accessories for music and audio production professionals. It joins a number of leading pro audio and lighting brands in LTA’s portfolio, including Behringer, Bose, Elation Lighting and SE Electronics. The distributor will represent Gig Gear’s entire line of products, including its Gig Gloves, Two Hand Touch iPad harness and Cam-A-Lot video conferencing screen.

“We’re very excited to team up with Loud Technologies Asia,” said Danny Shatzkes, Gig Gear owner and founder. “This new partnership is one strategic piece in the puzzle as we continue to grow our worldwide distribution footprint. We are excited to be

able to improve the daily jobs of AV and live production professionals in Singapore with our line of premium accessories.” Colin Quek, MD of LTA, said the Singaporean market needed a solid AV accessory provider and is excited to fill this need by teaming with

Gig Gear. “Singapore is a small island with a sophisticated market,” Quek explained. “Crew normally use tablets for remote control of everything, so Gig Gear’s Two Hand Touch should allow them to be hands-free whenever needed. The entire line of Gig Gloves will help keep professionals safe on the job and the new Cam-A-Lot I know will be well-received in this day and age of video conferencing.” www.gig-gear.com www.loudtechnologiesasia.com

16 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2020

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Full-Range. Compact. No Compromises.

Introducing K3: a versatile loudspeaker satisfying all your requirements for mid-size events and venues without any compromises. Completing the K series line, K3 boasts an optimal mechanical design for reduced weight, Panflex™ variable directivity, laminar vents for a powerful, linear low-frequency response down to 42Hz, and class-leading SPL. Optimized for audiences of 1,000 to 10,000, K3 reduces the need for amplification and dedicated subwoofer, making it faster, more straightforward, sustainable, and economical to deploy. It’s ready for your next event. l-acoustics.com

L-Acoustics_K3_Pro AVL Asia_245×335_EU.indd 1 Untitled-5 4

23/09/2020 16:43:23 26/10/2020 14:42

NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Meyer Sound announces key promotions USA

Meyer Sound has promoted four key staff members with the overall aim of streamlining internal communications, increasing operational efficiencies and accelerating timelines, from product planning and R&D through product development and global marketing. Tim Boot has been appointed to the newly created position of director of global marketing, with responsibility for product management, marketing, communications and education

on a worldwide basis. Boot, who joined Meyer Sound in 2015, has previously held high-level sales, marketing and technology development roles, most recently as global brand manager. John McMahon has been promoted to senior vice president, where he assumes a range of company-wide executive responsibilities while working closely with president and CEO, John Meyer, and executive vice president, Helen Meyer.

Skip Welch takes on expanded sales role WORLD

Skip Welch, currently director of sales at Danley Sound Labs, has taken on additional responsibilities as head of marketing. His new combined title will therefore be director of sales and marketing. “Skip spent his first seven years at Danley in the roles of eastern regional manager and national sales manager,” said Jeff Pulliam, general manager at Danley Sound Labs. “He knows the audio industry inside and out and understands the unique and growing niche that Danley holds within it. That, together with his native marketing sense and artistic abilities, make Skip the perfect person for the new role of director of sales and marketing.” Welch added: “Although the pro audio industry, like so many industries, is facing difficult times, Danley is looking to the future with new projects and innovative technologies. Our team is energised and excited. I look forward to assisting the team and to spreading the word that

WORLD

iZotope has announced that Dr Jean-Marc Jot will join the company as its new vice president of research and chief scientist. As a member of the research team, he will report to chief technology officer Jonathan Bailey, while his role will see him leading the company’s efforts in advanced research by expanding iZotope’s

Marc Chutczer has been promoted from vice president of digital program management to vice president of R&D, assuming leadership of R&D teams working on all technology platforms, including loudspeakers as well as

www.meyersound.com

Datapath grows team in operations and R&D WORLD

UK-based visual processing solutions manufacturer Datapath has announced two key new appointments in the form of Alex Taylor as project manager and Dan Rippin as software development manager. With a wealth of experience gained from photography and guest experience specialist Picsolve, as well as managing

10 years with digital transport software specialists Resonate, where he oversaw the company’s innovative solutions for the rail sector. His new role will see him manage a new era of Datapath solutions that aim to deliver an efficient and powerful evolution to professional AV video processing. “Despite the considerable challenges of 2020, Datapath has continued to grow and develop and we are delighted to welcome both Dan and Alex to the team,”

Skip Welch Danley’s unique solutions are a big win–win for integrators, clients and anyone who loves great audio. I would encourage my colleagues in the industry to be on the lookout for what Danley has in store.” www.danleysoundlabs.com

Dr Jean-Marc Jot to lead audio research

Dr Jean-Marc Jot

John McMahon

digital systems, and Mike Ulrich becomes Meyer Sound’s new vice president of operations, in charge of manufacturing, purchasing, quality control and test engineering. With Meyer Sound since 2014, Ulrich has broad experience in both engineering and new product development. “At Meyer Sound we anticipate that pent-up demand will lead to an industry rebound in the not-too-distant future, and we are developing strategies to leverage the expected growth,” said Helen Meyer. “These latest promotions and role realignments will position us to meet resurging demand with new technologies and ramped-up production, and always with the high level of support our customers have come to expect.”

investigations into machine learning and digital signal processing for audio. Dr Jot is renowned for his work in sound spatialisation, immersive audio and artificial reverberation. “iZotope has built our business and brand on a culture of developing breakthrough, innovative technologies for audio production,” commented Bailey. “As both an internationally recognised scholar and visionary thought leader in audio research, Jean-Marc brings a track record of excellence to our R&D organisation. We are incredibly excited to have him join our team, and look forward to collaborating with him to achieve iZotope’s vision for the future of music and audio creation.” “I am thrilled to join a company that’s a pioneer in extending the music and audio professional’s palette, both through innovative technology and increased access to tools for a broader creative community,” added Dr Jot. “I look forward to being a part of iZotope’s continued success.”

Alex Taylor

Iñaki Valoria Lopez

Dan Rippin projects with the NHS and associated technology providers, Taylor will be working closely with Datapath’s research and development teams, engineers and sales and support teams, to ensure smooth completion of the company’s up-and-coming product releases. Rippin possesses a 20-year background in digital technology development that includes

commented Dave Leat, operations and projects director for Datapath. “Both bring a strong skillset that will benefit both Datapath and our partners alike. With exciting new products and offerings from Datapath on the horizon, we look forward to great things together.” Datapath has also appointed Ignacio “Iñaki” Valoria Lopez as its new training manager. Iñaki possesses more than 16 years of technical experience in audiovisual systems, specialising in 24/7 control room applications. He will be overseeing Datapath’s training programme around the world, ensuring customers and trading partners are fully up to date with Datapath’s latest hardware and software developments. www.datapath.co.uk

www.izotope.com

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M55WD DN4 Four-input Dante–AES67 interface for single-element Audix Dante–AES67 enabled microphones

Hanging microphone with interchangeable capsules and dual LED status indicator

M70WD Flush-mount, steerable ceiling microphone with dual LED status indicator

M3DK DN43 Two-input Dante–AES67 interface for one M3W or M3G tri-element microphone and one single-element Audix Dante–AES67 enabled microphone

System kit that includes DN43, M3W or M3G tri-element hanging microphone, and a 3’ plenum-rated CAT6 mic-to-interface cable

DANTE ®–AES67 MADE SIMPLE The Audix Dante–AES67 integrated microphone system is the fast and trouble-free way to stream Audix audio performance through Ethernet networks. High-quality audio and all microphone functions —including on-off contact closure and dual-color LED status indicators — are available on a single CAT5 - CAT7 cable. RJ45 connectors on Audix Dante–AES67 enabled microphones eliminate the need for fabricating complex connections, minimizing errors, accelerating installation, and reducing cost. And all Audix Dante–AES67 enabled microphone gain structures are optimized for their intended use, providing quality audio at the DSP. The result is true plug-and-play installation.

audixusa.com

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26/10/2020 14:45

BUSINESS: SPECIAL REPORT

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Phil Ward examines the recording sector’s viral windfall HOME RECORDING WAS WELL ESTABLISHED decades before this fateful year put the world into lockdown. In professional circles, it had become known as “project” recording, giving it a slightly speculative and, let’s face it, inferior status. But it almost wiped out the studio industry altogether, until a surprising resurgence that suggested what by now everyone knows perfectly well: being stuck at home is not necessarily the most creative option. The economics were inarguable. For a fraction of the cost, an amazingly pro-sounding recording platform could be built almost anywhere, away from the abandoned halls of fame that charged by the hour. And that was the other thing: away from such meter-running crucibles, all the time in the world could be devoted to pressure-free production like you were the Beatles and could waltz in and out like you owned the place. Because you did.

Safe and sound Where studios have revived, it’s partly because the savings on relatively inexpensive equipment can be redirected towards premises, which range enormously and reflect the individual personalities of the owners more than ever before. They are, it’s true, inspired by an urge to mingle, not self-isolate but, even under lockdown, a recording studio is not a particularly dangerous place to be and can be easily adapted to the fragmented nature of modern production. Studios 301 in Sydney, the oldest studio enterprise in the Southern Hemisphere, is now a registered “Covidsafe” business, open for bookings while putting into practice a set of guidelines and the Australian Government’s Covid-19 Safety Plan. The

Drummer and 55TEC co-principal Bei Bei in the studio’s live room cavernous Studio One lends itself to streaming events, from gigs to conferences, and is large enough for socially distanced recording. Its online mixing and mastering services have only benefitted from the situation, and the combination of reputation and size works in 301’s favour, regardless of the pandemic. It’s a similar story at Beijing’s three-year-old 55TEC, an Asian jewel in the crown of the renowned Walters-Storyk Design Group. The spacious facility includes a 46m2 live room, specified for China’s emerging pop music market by owner and recording engineer Li You and business partners Wu Yongheng – a record producer and also known as top session drummer Bei Bei – and pro audio executive Lizzy Zhou. The pandemic seems hardly to have broken the enterprise’s bold stride. “As most of the commercial recording studios go back to work, musicians are returning to them for serious sessions,” says Mills Xu,

director of strategic alliance and marketing at Budee Group in Beijing. “55TEC is the perfect example: they reopened on 15 April and had their third anniversary celebrations in May. Most of the artists who have recorded there came along and helped to promote the occasion.” But even if studios are making operational adjustments for Covid-19, is there enough business to justify upgrading the facilities? “Globally, there is a big difference between commercial studios and the home recording market,” says ADAM Audio CEO, Christian Hellinger. “In parallel with the boost of entrylevel and mid-segment studio monitors, we could also be seeing a decline in high-end products – even if they’re already slightly recovering over the last two months. This is a global situation and we can’t see significant differences between countries or regions. As long as studios remain closed, I’m sure they’re

holding back investment until there is more clarity about reopening. In general, and the long term, I’m not worried and quite convinced that this market will fully recover.” API Audio’s director of sales, Dan Zimbelman, also believes investment in bigger facilities is only temporarily paused. “Large-format consoles for major projects are on hold because of the hiatus in construction,” he says. “On the other hand, sales of smaller consoles are consistent, while our processing modules have seen excellent turnover.” In particular, API’s 500 Series 565 Filter Bank has seen a 500% increase in sales, which Zimbelman attributes to a rise in recording environments with insufficient isolation from extraneous noise, such as air conditioning and traffic. Chris Allen at PMC is seeing visible spending across the board. “We have experienced a rise in customers interested in upgrading their monitoring during the pandemic,” he says, “not only nearfields for home production but also larger facilities using this time to refurbish their main monitoring. Our best sellers right now are a mixture of active nearfields – result6 and the twotwo range – as well as the larger IB2S XBD-A and MB3 XBD-A active main monitors.”

Gridlockdown DiGiGrid’s campaign to promote its compact audio interfaces basks under the confident headline: “Supplying the Home Front”. As users bunker down in the face of the invisible invasion, DiGiGrid – a collaboration between DiGiCo and Waves – promises a line of defence optimised for home recording like sonic sandbags: the D and M interfaces, Q headphone amplifier and S PoE-capable

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BUSINESS: SPECIAL REPORT SoundGrid switches turn a modest softwarebased recording desktop into a workable mini-studio. As DiGiGrid’s brand manager Dan Page puts it: “While we all miss the human interactions of a busy office or the excitement of a live gig, the wonders of technology keep us connected.” To some extent, lockdown caught the supply chain off guard. “At the beginning of lockdown, we had no idea how the situation would develop,” said ADAM Audio’s Hellinger. “Looking back, it seems logical that when people are encouraged to stay at home, they try to make the best of it – and many of them bought musical instruments or home recording equipment like our monitors or audio interfaces. One other consequence of the lockdown is the increased demand for podcast equipment.”

Classic desktop with DiGiGrid D interface “All retailers I talk to have seen spikes in online sales,” adds Allen, “especially for small products intended for private home use, such as interfaces and mics, as well as hardware and software processors. Like us, a lot of brands are working hard to keep up with demand – and this is a challenge for the factories where social distancing is still crucial.” In every region, a new relationship between home and commercial studios is emerging. “The home studio market is steadily developing, as well as the online connectivity market, and product upgrades in recording studios are constantly being made,” confirms Jin Kim, assistant manager, executive department of Seoul-based reseller BLS. “However, it has actually decreased compared to the situation before Covid-19. In addition, if you take a look at these markets regardless of Covid-19, the influx of entry-level users is constantly growing, along with individual music studios and livestreaming spaces. The demand for mid-level products is stagnant or declining: entry-level products are highly preferred. However, there is no impact on purchases of high-end products, where there is a reliable budget.” What BLS means by entry-level is Tascam, alongside M-Audio’s array of peripherals, while the company’s high-end brands include Manley, Tube-Tech, Grace Design, Neve and Prism Sound. “Studios are operating in accordance with the government’s quarantine guidelines,” adds Chang Shik Shin, BLS’ assistant manager, Channel Business Dept. “But artist demand is steady because live performance has been discouraged.” “Everybody is getting involved,” agrees Hussain Shaikh, senior manager, content and digital marketing at reseller Bajaao Music in Mumbai, “whether professional or amateur, musician or podcaster. All you need is a good microphone, an audio interface and a quiet room. For monitoring, we’re selling a lot of KRK, PreSonus and Yamaha.”

equipment. “Often, when we’re busy, we feel that we need more time to create music but, in this situation, time is in abundance,” she says. “However, your mind is under different pressure to work out how to sustain and adapt to this new world.” Yet adapt we must. Ravisankar Nadiyam is Waves Audio’s regional sales manager for Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South Korea. “The engineers from most studios have had to set up something at home, and they have gone for pro gear,” he says. “But the real boom, if you can call it that, is at semi-pro and project level. Firstly, hobbyists with nine-tofive jobs suddenly found the time to do what

L–R: Jin Kim and Chang Shik Shin of BLS at the company’s Tascam showroom in Seoul The more remote the studio, meanwhile, the safer it is – as confirmed by Setiadi Chandra, owner of music and audio shop ChandraCom in Jakarta. “I have several customers in Bali, a very good place for creative production,” he reveals. “And they are mostly European – not Indonesian. One studio, Swarapadi Villa, is a luxury hotel in itself.” Interfaces by Steinberg, Native Instruments, SSL, Antelope and Arturia are all selling well in Indonesia. “It’s a sign of a lot of newcomers to the market,” Chandra points out, “because the most sales are of entry-level models. But life’s real meaning is becoming important to people and, if this is what they’ve always wanted to do, now is the time.” “Since our monitors have the ability to adapt to their acoustic environment, this new remote working culture is one that they tend to flourish in,” points out Ken Kimura, Genelec’s business development director for Asia Pacific. “Also, with more time at home, we’ve seen a surge in interest from private individuals across the region looking to upgrade their entertainment and hi-fi systems for recreational listening as more audio enthusiasts are realising the

Hussain Shaikh from Bajaao Music in Mumbai

Xylo Aria records a podcast with her Audient iD14 interface benefits of active loudspeaker technology and in-room calibration.”

The hobby lobby “As Covid-19 hit Australia, we noticed an immediate uptake in our Audient and EVO by Audient interface sales,” comments Paul Newcomb, business development manager at distributor, Studio Connections. “It became clear that people saw the lockdown of our cities as an opportunity to explore podcasting and livestreaming and they embraced this opportunity in big numbers. Musicians, no longer able to go into recording studios, purchased an Audient interface to enable them to continue tracking the album they were working on, at home.” Artist, producer and founder of Music Production for Women, Xylo Aria, has been using her Audient iD14 audio interface with a MacBook Pro and three mics during lockdown in Melbourne for her weekly MPW podcast, featuring conversations with industry professionals about music production or

Setiadi Chandra from Jakarta music shop, ChandraCom

they love – plugging in that guitar they hadn’t touched in ages and finding that the amp or microphone didn’t work properly. So, they started buying. “Secondly, many of those forced to stay at home have decided to take their hobby a lot more seriously – either changing career or finding an alternative income. Online collaboration platforms have become the focus of attention, and reducing latency is the main issue. At Waves, we have around 250 plug-ins that work on all platforms from GarageBand to Pro Tools, and we’re supporting the uptake with discounts and special bundles like the Content Creator Audio Toolkit.” We could, in a few years’ time, see the fruits of all this labour in a new spike: that of individual and independent new music distributed online, giving rise to what headline writers might well call “Flu Wave”. Let’s face it, Daniel Bedingfield recorded his first hit in his bedroom with a PC and a microphone, using Reason music software – and called it Gotta Get Thru This. Nicely put, Daniel.

Ravisankar Nadiyam from Waves

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WooHah’s Studio45 comes to life with Brompton backbone

AUSTRALIA

Created by audiovisual supplier WooHah Productions at its Melbourne headquarters, Studio45 has been outfitted with Brompton Technology’s Tessera SX40 LED processors. The idea for Studio45 came to WooHah Productions days after the country was forced into lockdown in March. The team wanted to offer a safe yet creative environment as an alternative to traditional live event settings. “Within one week of shutdown, we were able to build the physical studio in our new 2,000m2 warehouse and build the complete video backend through our Studio45.live website,” explained WooHah Productions and Studio45 MD, Arosh Fernando. “We were also able to add a pay per view online ticketing platform, which enabled our first customer to make revenue on their live stream event.”

Designed to be agile and dynamic, with fast turnarounds and impressive results for any client, the space integrates a 14m-wide LED videowall constructed from Roe Diamond

2.6 panels and powered from the Tessera SX40. “We are mainly displaying 4K content, as the screen has two 4K inputs running via a Barco E2 processing system,” explained

Fernando. Additionally, the team is using four of Brompton’s Tessera XD 10G data distribution units to reduce the complexity of mass cabling down to a minimum and be able to run fibre to the large LED display system. According to Fernando, the colour reproduction of the screens has made Studio45 stand out from other offerings on the market. “Brompton’s products have a proven history of being used for live events and on camera, and we made a promise at WooHah to ensure any LED screen we buy must have Brompton as the backbone. Simple things like being able to quickly adjust the colour of the panels, match the refresh rate of the broadcast cameras or easily fault-find has made a big difference to the workflow and significantly reduces set-up times.” The Australian Arnold Body Building Championship, an Easter Sunday church service, livestream services at funerals and an Australian True Crime Podcast, as well as multiple product launches, fashion roadshows, music livestreams and news bulletins are among the projects that the team has successfully delivered despite the current uncertainty. “It’s been super tough, and it doesn’t matter which corner of the world you live in, the events industry as a whole has suffered in a dramatic way,” Fernando concluded. “In Melbourne, it has been harder than the rest of Australia and the second lockdown has hurt the business even further. But we wanted to show our industry that we are not down and out. This is not the end of events. If we are willing to listen to our customers, innovate and come up with new ideas, or keep on improving the product, then we can survive through this period.” www.bromptontech.com

RTS VLink manages virtual CoNZealand 2020 NEW ZEALAND

CoNZealand 2020, the 78th edition of the World Science Fiction Convention originally scheduled for late July in Wellington, has gone ahead virtually, with the globally distributed technology team of volunteers using RTS VLink to manage tools such as Zoom and Discord. “The key to operating as a team when you can’t see anybody is good communications,” said division head for technology services, John Maizels, a freelance broadcast engineer based in Sydney, Australia. “That meant finding an effective virtual intercom system. Looking at its flexibility and especially the fact that there is no limit to the number of users, VLink quickly became a critical element of the project.” Maizels consulted with Magna Systems and Engineering in NSW, which was already involved in virtualised broadcast events. “When John asked about RTS VLink, we could confirm it was the best online intercom on the market,” said Lucas Böhm, product manager at Magna Group Australia. “It’s perfect for global applications because it’s platform agnostic and infinitely scalable. It’s a very powerful tool.” RTS and CoNZealand agreed on a 30seat VLink licence, with Maizels using it to

John Maizels develop the Mission Control virtual control room concept. Key elements included RTS VLink for backstage and production intercoms, along with the vMix virtual production switcher. Both were “located” in an Amazon Web Services cloud, operating independently of the publicfacing events.

With its similarity to RTS digital matrix systems, Maizels learned the VLink basics, appreciating the software’s inclusive connectivity that works on phones, tablets or desktops, regardless of operating system. “It felt familiar, yet had a lot of its own advantages,” he said. “I was impressed at how seamlessly VLink could link hundreds of users around the world, most of them unfamiliar

with pro intercoms. But VLink is so intuitive, people picked up on it very quickly.” During prime hours, the five-day virtual CoNZealand ran 15–20 programme events at all times, simultaneously preparing the next hour’s schedule. In addition to panel discussions and presentations via Zoom, there were also virtualised renditions of the exhibit hall, art show, fan tables, parties, bars and cafes – all monitored via VLink. Opening and closing ceremonies, a masquerade and two award shows including the Hugo Awards, hosted live by author George RR Martin from New Mexico, were also presented, with RTS VLink a key element in preproduction for the latter. Using point-to-point mode, IFB audio for the far-flung participants could be transmitted directly from a VLink panel. “Hugo rehearsals really highlighted the flexibility of VLink, and I must say it worked beautifully,” reported Maizels. “We asked VLink to do two primary things. First, run Mission Control, then support the broadcast process. I’m pleased to report that VLink did everything we needed it to. I would definitely use it again.” www.rtsintercoms.com

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SSL consoles star in Hong Kong charity concert HONG KONG

The Hong Kong Live Performance and Production Industry Association (HK LPPIA) has staged its first event, a charity concert to raise funds for industries hit hard by Covid-19. The Live is so much better with Music Eason Chan Charity Concert was a combination of two live shows streamed worldwide on YouTube, Facebook Live and Tencent QQ platforms with an estimated 10 million live views. Both shows deployed SSL Live consoles supplied by Miso Tech Hong Kong. The first was a sunrise show broadcast from Victoria Dockside against the Hong Kong skyline, recorded in one take on the previous day to prevent the gathering of large crowds. The second show at sunset was a rebroadcast of the sunrise show, followed by a live performance from inside the Hong Kong Coliseum. Three SSL Live consoles were used across both shows – an L550 for live broadcast, an L500 for band mix and an L350 for the IEM mix. “SSL desks are very stable and sound the best in terms of live consoles,” said sound engineer Frankie Hung, who has used SSL on almost all of his shows since 2014. “Because I’m a studio and a live guy, the L550 is the perfect fit for me. I use a lot of stem processing which is from studio style mixing, so I do all the routing for stem processing and FX offline. During sound check, I programme snapshots for each song and I really like the flexible way in which I can recall safe individual parameters after I get a better understanding of the show.” Typically, Hung uses two sets of stageboxes, one for FOH, and another for band and IEM monitoring. The two

monitor consoles shared inputs from SSL stageboxes via a Blacklight II Concentrator with redundant connections. SSL’s Tempest processing platform allowed Hung to allocate resources for each show, with Super-Q, automation and Quick Control features used during the live mix. “The touchscreen interface is fast and smooth,” said Hung. “I really love the smaller screen – a selection of buttons and encoders clearly turned this area into a dedicated channel-strip section, and having access to an at-a-glance view of the whole console’s signal flow was super helpful.” Hung provided a sound feed for various live broadcast platforms including the local TV and radio stations, YouTube, Facebook Live and Tencent. “I fed them separately through different matrix outputs so that I could compensate for the signal depreciation in each broadcast platform,” he explained. “By using the virtual soundcheck function, I ran the mix with a round-trip audition and did different EQ and dynamic processing, just like I do mastering in the studio.” The charity concert, which has now been removed from all platforms except the HK LPPIA YouTube channel, is on track to reach its fundraising goals. Donations will be contributed to the HKLP Anti-Epidemic Fund administered by Yan Chai Hospital and used to help members who have been affected by the pandemic. www.solidstatelogic.com

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Jakarta’s top bank HQ graced by AV solution INDONESIA

Having forged a respected reputation as a pro audio distributor and systems integrator in Indonesia over two decades, PT Gracia Auvindo has been quietly assuming its credentials as a reputable AV installer. As such, Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) had no hesitation in awarding it the contract to design and install both the audio and video technologies into the BOD conferencing and War Rooms. BRI is one of the largest state-owned banks, but the conferencing and meeting rooms of the Jalan Jenderal Sudirman headquarters require 21st-century communications to be enabled for its daily requirements. Indonesian finance ministers often meet on the 20th-level BOD and War Rooms to discuss confidential, important government issues with other dignitaries located throughout the archipelago. Completely reliable, intelligible audio and high-definition video images now assist the high-level discussions. Guests and attendees are immediately drawn to a 133-inch diagonal HD screen in the BOD meeting rooms. A total of 24 units of Shure MXW wireless conferencing microphones enable internal and external discussions that are enhanced through a discreet ceiling speaker system combining Tannoy CVS6 and VSX10BB subwoofer models. An adjacent electrical low voltage room houses the racked Lab.gruppen E4:2 amplifiers together with three Symetrix Radius 12x8 processors with applied EQ

The AV in the BOD rooms has been upgraded with Shure SLX conferencing and Vaddio HD cameras settings. In addition, room combination and divisible presets have been applied for par titioning into three rooms when required. An Extron Crosspoint DTP matrix switcher and scaler lies at the core of the visual infrastructure. Inputs including Vaddio Roboshot Elite 12 HD conferencing cameras fed through a OneLink Codec system together with local VGA and HDMI content are output to three HD wall-mounted displays serving each divisible room. Higher-grade audio specifications for the War Room include Tannoy CVS8 8-inch ceiling speakers, Lab.gruppen E8:2 amplifiers and Midas DM16 16-channel digital mixing control. Like the BOD rooms, speeches and addresses in the War Room rely on

The Bosch Dicentis discussion system in BRI’s War Room Shure SLX wireless handhelds, lavaliers and headsets. Vaddio Roboshot Elite 12 HD cameras and local inputs are output to an LG 1.5mm pixel pitch wall-mounted display.

The War Room is frequented for major government and financial issues and so the more sensitive nature of these discussions required a reliable, encrypted discussion solution. As such, a wired Bosch Dicentis discussion and voting system serves the needs of this chamber, allowing multiple delegates to speak at the same time. Operating over the Omneo IP-based network, Dicentis incorporates a Near Field Communication (NFC) card reader that identifies the user. The foundation of the Dicentis Network (DCN) is Cat-6 shielded cabling connected to a dedicated network switch. The user-friendly interface allows delegates to monitor from the integrated loudspeaker or headphone connection, whilst the touchscreen provides a snapshot of who is talking or waiting in the queue. Loaded onto a dedicated discussion laptop, the Meeting Agenda software located on the Minutes Desk allows control of all the discussion units. Headed by project manager Brian Ikshan, the PT Gracia Auvindo team spent over seven months onsite to complete the project, during which several amendments to the design were made prior to final commissioning. A portable system comprising dBTechnologies Opera 12 tops and 618 subwoofers together with a Midas DM16 mixer and Shure SLX wireless system was supplied for special events. www.bri.co.id www.graciaauvindo.com

The PA People upgrades Jubilee Stadium with Dante system

AUSTRALIA

The 20,000-capacity Jubilee Stadium in the Georges River Local Government Area has taken advantage of the break in sporting activity due to Covid-19 to upgrade the sound system in the grandstand and terraces on the western side of venue. The PA People – incumbent supplier and sponsor of Sydney FC, one of the venue’s long-term tenants – was called in to handle the work, installing a Dante-networked system consisting of JBL speakers, Linea Research amplifiers and QSC Q-Sys Core 110f.

A comprehensive solution was required to improve audio coverage of the grandstand area and provide an enhanced experience for patrons and corporate attendees, as well as additional flexibility and ease of use for a range of venue hirers. “The geometry of the venue provided quite a few challenges,” said Brett Steele, manager of the installed systems team at The PA People. “The roof is very low so we could not use a few larger cabinets. JBL AWC Series speakers were selected for the stand based on their throw distance and

dispersion. Linea Research C88 series amplifiers were paired to the speakers, along with a QSC Q-Sys Core 110f, Shure mics and a Yamaha TF5 mixer.” JBL AWC159 15-inch speakers have been installed for the terrace, with AWC129GY 12-inch and AWC82GY 8-inch speakers covering the upper tier and AWC62GY 6.5-inch speakers used for under balcony fills. The system is powered by Linea Research 88C10-Dante and 88C06-Dante DSP power amplifiers. A Dante network integrates the sideof-field patchable inputs, DSP and amplification along with the mixer, which is located in a production suite on the other side of the venue. The use of a Dante solution also allows additional equipment to be added for extended coverage to the rest of the ground. The system can also be controlled in standalone mode without the mixer through a series of wired and wireless Android touchpanels connected to the Q-Sys system, which provides basic and professional modes depending on requirements and experience levels. “The PA People have delivered an excellent solution,” said Luke Coleman, manager of premium facilities for Georges River Council. “The capability of the

system, apart from producing a quality sound, has the ability to interface with the augmented system for the whole stadium, as well as operate independently through wireless control, and the simplicity of that control to enable venue staff to operate as required. The installation has fulfilled all the requirements in the project and has been achieved on time and delivered in a professional manner. This important addition of infrastructure enhances the game-day experience for the hirers and their patrons that are seated on the western side of the venue, in particular in the upper tier. I could not be more pleased with the success of the project.” www.papeople.com.au

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Pan transformed by Panflex

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TAIWAN

Marking Michelle Pan’s first post-pandemic show, a flexible L-Acoustics system was deployed to transform the venue from a conference centre into a music hall. In the Taiwanese music industry, Michelle Pan Yue Yun is considered a defining musician whose lyrics have resonated with thousands of people, giving voice to their feelings and experiences for decades.

effective music venue was a test pilot for the organisers,” exclaimed Lo. “We had to consider factors such as uniformity of coverage, ar ticulation and frequency response ver y seriously. Scott Kou helped us to prepare the system design using Soundvision, ensuring we only needed to make a few final tweaks and adjustments onsite to achieve true sound precision.”

Yumebutai Project keeps Kaho Theatre doors open JAPAN

A Martin Audio loudspeaker system is ensuring that Japan’s Kaho Theatre can continue to function during the pandemic. Located in Iizuka City in the Fukuoka Province, the theatre has survived many difficulties since its construction in 1922 and, along the way, has been registered as a national Japanese cultural property. Because of Covid-19 it had been forced to close; however, in collaboration with rental company, Toyo Amuse, which owns a Martin Audio Wavefront Precision Compact (WPC) rig, the doors have reopened to stream live performances.

So, when the iconic singer recently delivered a stunning per formance at the Taipei International Convention Centre (TICC), little did she realise that Panflex technology was enhancing her per formance in front of 2,500 enthusiastic, socially distanced fans, friends and musicians. Despite its reduced capacity, there was no reduction in audio quality, thanks to L-Acoustics’ K Series. Winly Engineering & Trading was tasked to design and supply the per fect sound system for a venue normally used for corporate presentations and conferences. Winly front of house engineer Nova Lo, system engineer Scott Kuo and monitor engineer Andre Lai played key roles in providing uniform audio distribution across the entire space. “We have been working with Michelle Pan for over 20 years, so it was a natural move for us to be involved in the project,” reminisced Kuo. “Originally, the concer t was going to take place in April, but then the pandemic happened and wiped out live events across the entire globe. The show was postponed until July, which worked to our advantage as it gave us a few extra months to per fect the system, with the last three weeks spent working onsite to prepare for the concer t.” To ensure optimum levels of coverage throughout the challenging venue, the team relied on the L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D acoustical simulation program. “Turning the space into an

The K2 was selected as the main speaker to give the venue the best possible chance of improved sound quality and distribution. The inherent Panflex horizontal steering technology combines mechanically adjustable fins with DSP algorithms over 300Hz in four different settings. By narrowing or widening the horizontal directivity, the width of the listening area can be adapted, while long- and short-distance coverage requirements and overlapping areas can also be adjusted. Two L-R hangs of 12 K2 modules, bolstered by four SB28 floor-stacked subwoofers on either side of the stage and six front fill Kara cabinets, provided optimum coverage. Speaking on behalf of the team, Deepjoy Picture Corporation shares how thrilled it was to be bringing live shows to life again. “This was one of the first live shows to happen in Taiwan after what felt like a very long hiatus, so we wanted to celebrate the return of the industry by presenting the audience with an exceptional sound experience,” concluded Lai. “The L-Acoustics system radically improved the venue’s sound quality and coverage. It was great to receive positive feedback from fans, musicians and producers, but most especially Michelle Pan’s close friends, all saying how excited they were to be back at a live event and how remarkably clear and emotionally touching the sound of Pan’s voice was that night.” www.l-acoustics.com www.ticc.com.tw

Nakaza, the predecessor of the current Kaho Theatre, was originally opened as an entertainment place for people working in coal mines in the Chikuho region and featured mainly traditional drama, Kabuki, stand-up comedy, juggling and silent films. In recent years, it has been used as a multipurpose event venue, and at full capacity can host audiences of 1,200. In addition to traditional performing arts, various events such as musicals, lectures, talk shows and concerts have all been staged there. The livestreaming initiative is known as the Yumebutai Project. With fewer professionals coming to play at the theatre because of the pandemic, the production team decided to embark on a policy of open recruitment of performers, who in turn can feature their work online via a livestreaming service. “When all events and concerts were cancelled due to Covid-19, the theatre

decided to collaborate with us to record and deliver performances online,” explained Masanori Keuchi, CEO of Toyo Amuse. As the main programme at the theatre has generally been traditional performing arts, a loudspeaker system was not previously required. This has now all changed and Toyo Amuse has been able to install a temporary speaker system comprising Martin Audio WPC, XD12 and LE100 cabinets from its own stock, for a much broader range of presentations. “This makes it fully compatible with all music applications,” Keuchi added.

Toyo Amuse’s WPC rig is its latest investment. At Kaho Theatre the team has ground-stacked eight WPC elements, with four SX218 subwoofers handling the low frequencies. The sound is further enhanced by a pair of XD12, and eight LE100 floor monitors are available for use for the performers’ reference . “It is important that the artists maximise their performance even in an environment without an audience,” Keuchi continues. “Martin Audio speakers have an excellent reputation for their sound and ease of use.” Keuchi added that the acquisition of a premium Martin Audio PA by his company has done much to boost staff motivation. “It was an inevitable move for us,” he concluded. “As a partner that supports both regional activity and traditional Japanese culture, I anticipate further success with WPC in the future.” www.martin-audio.com

www.winly.com

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Electro-Voice and Dynacord installed at Yi Sun-sin Stadium KOREA

An Electro-Voice loudspeaker system powered and processed by Dynacord amplifiers has been installed into the 17,376-seat Yi Sun-sin Stadium in Asan, home to the Chungnam Asan Football Club. System design and installation was handled by Dlogixs Co with manufacturer support from Hosung Lee of Electro-Voice/ Dynacord. “As per customer requirements, the new system needed to combine power and precision with cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency,” said Lee. “The goal was to minimise acoustic blind spots while ensuring sufficient SPL and headroom for speech and background music. The Electro-Voice and Dynacord solution provides perfect systemwide alignment between the main speakers and the delay speakers, in terms of both timing and tone.” The main covered grandstand on the home side of the stadium was the only structure suitable for flying loudspeaker clusters; the away-side seating areas directly across the pitch are uncovered. The challenge was to achieve consistent coverage and SPL for both the home and away fans, using a combination of main loudspeakers in the grandstand and delays to cover the away seats. As line arrays were not a cost-effective option, point source models were selected.

amplifiers from Dynacord, with optimising presets for the Electro-Voice speakers. “The fans are the ultimate judges of a successful sound system installation, and the response has been very positive,” continued Lee. “The speech intelligibility is excellent and the SPL is balanced across all areas. Electro-Voice and Dynacord have a proven track record in stadium installations, and this adds to that list. In particular, the EVH models are exceptionally competitive in terms of price and performance. Combined with the Sx300PI models and ZX1i delays, this install demonstrates how impressive results can be achieved while aligning with a limited project budget.” www.electrovoice.com www.dynacord.com

The main system comprises of weatherised EVH horn-loaded loudspeakers in four vertical clusters of two: longer-throw 90° x 40° (HxV) over widercoverage 90° x 60° (HxV). The EVH’s rotatable waveguide design maintains pattern control down to 500Hz. These are supported by eight weatherised Sx300PI two-way loudspeakers as side fills for the areas below the main clusters. Across the pitch, 16 ZX1i compact two-way loudspeakers cover the away-side seating areas, with tonal characteristics and delay time aligned to match the main system. Each is pole-mounted inside a weatherproof enclosure and equipped with a TC-ZX1i terminal cover. Two EVID 6.2 compact two-way loudspeakers are wallmounted as monitors in the control room. The system is powered and processed via a combination of Dante-equipped IPX and L series

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d&b Soundscape to handle live performances in multipurpose Japanese movie theatre JAPAN

Humax Cinema in Yokosuka is back in business after months of closures and restrictions, as cinemas and theatres around the country get the go-ahead to reopen. The venue used its downtime to undergo a repurposing and renovation, welcoming audiences back with a new, upgraded sound system from d&b audiotechnik. Early in the renovation process, it was decided that one of the new rooms would be redesigned as a multipurpose venue to showcase live events as well as films. Yokosuka Humax Cinemas, alongside distributor Xebex Inc, were tasked with installing a stage and high-end audio system into the new multipurpose room, “Movive theater”. The team needed a sound system that would cater to the room’s unique configurations and adapt its sonic capabilities for movies and live performances. After research and consultation, the decision was made to employ d&b’s Soundscape system to power the dynamic space. “Using a space such as this for movies and live events poses a significant challenge and we needed the right sound system that was capable of delivering on both,” said Yusuke Iwano, Yokosuka Humax Cinema’s department manager. “We listened to d&b Soundscape at two previous events, a Kraftwerk concert in Tokyo and Sapporo City Jazz Festival, and knew straight away Soundscape would be the best fit for us. The decision, ultimately, was an easy one.” At the core of d&b Soundscape is the DS100 Signal Engine audio processor with Dante networking, a 64x64 level and a delay matrix with extensive input/output processing. d&b Soundscape is accessed via two optional software modules, En-Scene and En-Space,

which are accessed via the R1 Remote control software. For this installation, microphones were installed in the ceiling of the movie theatre, directly feeding the En-Space engine to provide natural reverberation. A QSC Q-Sys control system is also installed, with a plug-in for the DS100 which enables iPad control and monitoring of the d&b amplifier. Reverberation signatures of the room can also be controlled directly from the Q-Sys control tablet. The loudspeaker configuration includes five 24S/24S-Ds in front and 16 8S units as surround. Four 18S subwoofers are installed

behind the screen for movies, with two 21S subwoofers under the stage for live events. The installation presented challenges as this was the first time Soundscape has been installed in a movie theatre. While audiences have yet to experience live events, the system has already received positive responses from its movie screenings. “We’ve received some great feedback already on social media, with audiences expressing how clear the sound is compared to other cinemas,” reported

Iwano. “The last few months have been hard and it has been a long road to get to where we are, but d&b has been a huge support throughout and it has truly been worth the wait. Soundscape has allowed us to bring our unique vision to life. “There is no other cinema in Japan that can offer audiences both live per formances and movies. With Soundscape, we are giving audiences the ultimate immersive audio experience in a multipurpose venue.”

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Riedel updates communications in Australia AUSTRALIA

Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP) has migrated its communications and signal routing infrastructure to Riedel Communications’ Artist digital matrix intercom, Bolero wireless intercom and MediorNet realtime network. The centrepiece of the installation is TRP’s largest OB vehicle, HDOB1, which has undergone a modernisation to Bolero from its previous two-way radio intercom system. The Melbourne-based provider of production services for the Australian thoroughbred horse racing industry covers 525 events throughout Victoria, producing over 3,500 hours of live HD racing broadcasts every year. The new 22-camera, 14.6m HDOB1 trailer, designed by TRP and built by Sony, is a mainstay at Spring Racing Carnival, which includes the prestigious Melbourne Cup. “Of all the intercom solutions we considered for the HDOB1 upgrade, Bolero offered the most advanced features,” said Charles Cole, engineering and technical operations manager, TRP. “Coupled with the decentralised signal routing flexibility of MediorNet, Bolero

is paramount in the successful delivery of each show. When our previous systems reached the end of their useful life, we had two choices: reduce our production capabilities – which simply wasn’t an option – or invest in state-of-the-art technology. Bolero is an outstanding choice, giving us newfound flexibility and reliably clear, concise and portable communications.” “With Bolero, we’ve eliminated several annual hire costs and we can receive convenient support from Riedel in our own time zone. If we need additional equipment, Riedel can provide it on a rental basis to help us keep our total cost of ownership down,” noted Tim Landauer, venue services coordinator at WAAPA. “Riedel’s experience in major performing arts venues, theatres and universities across Australia was invaluable in helping us optimise the system design.” Students using the Bolero system at WAAPA

www.riedel.net

Meanwhile, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), situated on the Mount Lawley Campus of Edith Cowan University near Perth, has adopted Riedel’s Bolero wireless intercom to handle both in-house and off-campus production communications. The new Bolero solution replaces an old obsolete

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TRP’s OB vehicle gives us outstanding voice quality, reliability and range. It has simplified comms for our field operations, but at the same time gives us massive capacity over traditional RF communications. Setups, changes and additions that were always a challenge before are now easily done with a few mouse clicks. Plus, we’ve seen a considerable reduction in distribution and interconnect costs within our facility.”

wired infrastructure which could no longer handle multiple simultaneous productions. “Over the course of our academic year, we stage around 25 key productions of musicals, plays, dance, jazz and classical concerts,” explained Cameron Malacari, production manager at WAAPA. “With such a busy production schedule, a dependable communications infrastructure

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Pedal to the Metal AUSTRALIA

The days of heading out on two wheels for peace and solitude are over. Two Sydneybased cycling studios have created high SPL environments for their members to break sweat to at breakneck speed without having to venture beyond the spot they are rooted. Vicious Cycle is a rhythm riding studio that offers a mind, body and cardio experience workout to its members. Equipped with responsive bikes that lean from side to side, Infinite Cycle is a virtual cycle studio that takes its members through lush scenic landscapes courtesy of the videowalls. The static but multi-sensory journeys are both accompanied by the right balance of movement and motivation, but crucially music is central to both cycle experiences. As such, a unique full body fitness programme has been designed by adopting original music.

by an Ashly FR-8 wall-mounted volume controller. “You need to trust the products that you are using,” commented Jameson. “Not only can we provide powerful audio, but our members can still receive understandable instructions. The audio system is a powerful statement and has created a highly immersive experience wherever you are cycling in the studio.” Each instructor is required to use their own microphone, but the studio specified a Fitness Audio EMic headset with integrated VHF transmitter as the house mic and a back-up for emergencies. Equipped with four 10-inch dBTechnologies LVX cabinets and a SUB615, Infinite Cycle Studio in Waterloo includes a similar setup to Vicious Cycle. An Inter-M CSP-4.8 DSP processor serves as the audio matrix. The instructors motivate their classes courtesy of two Aeromic CM11 Cyclemics with digital bodypack transmitters connected to a Fitness Audio 2.4GHz digital receiver. A second CM11 and transmitter was added to allow for drying between classes. In addition, a rack-mounted Aeromix 2+2 DC mixer allows master instructor Angharad Saynor to adjust the tonal quality of the microphone independently from the music tone in addition to adjusting any feedback

dBTechnologies’ LVX 12 in white The audio solutions for both studios were designed by Aeromic project manager, Andrew Zarounas, and NAS Solutions designer and DSP programmer, Michael Prestipino. Nof Loprieto from Primo Electrical was contracted as the systems integrator for both projects. “We were commissioned as we offer 25 years of specialised experience for gym members and owners,” explained Aeromic Microphones Australia co-director, Andrew Zarounas. “They both wanted us to create an immersive feeling for their members regardless of where they were located in the room. Therefore, we designed the audio system around the rooms.” For Vicious Cycle on Pitt Street, Aeromic Australia supplied a Fitness Audio UHF wireless system using Aeromic’s EMic with a sweat-resistant Fitness Audio bodypack transmitter and a rack-mounted receiver for the instructors including Dannan Jameson. The cyclists are immersed on the musical voyage courtesy of four dBTechnologies LVX 12 active wall-mounted speakers finished in white together with a 15-inch SUB615 subwoofer. An Ashly ne24.24 M 4x4 audio DSP processor serves as the audio matrix for all inputs and outputs. Ease-of-use operation for the instructors is provided

All images courtesy of the National Museum of Korea

Christie brings artefacts to life at the National Museum of Korea KOREA

The National Museum of Korea (NMK) is using Christie projection, image processing and SDVoE solutions in its new Immersive Digital Gallery, installed by Christie partner, Star Networks. This is the first deployment of Christie Terra SDVoE solutions in Korea, and the first cultural heritage project undertaken by Star Networks to use immersive content. With over 220,000 objects in its collection, NMK is the largest museum in Korea. The new gallery comprises four attractions that employ 3D visual technology to emulate a physical world through digital means. Gallery 1 features an array of 8K resolution content displayed on a 60m-wide panoramic screen. The visuals are brought to life using eight Christie D20WU-HS 1DLP laser projectors, two Christie Pandoras Box Quad Players, a Pandoras Box Player, a Pandoras Box Manager and Widget Designer, as well as eight sets of Christie Terra transmitters and receivers.

An Aeromic CM11 Cyclemic connected to a Fitness Audio 2.4GHz digital receiver used by an instructor at Infinite Cycle issues out of the microphone mix. A front panel i-Jax input accepts MP3 players, preventing other instructors from searching for an auxiliary input jack. “The system is easy to use for someone unfamiliar with technical audio systems,” explained Saynor. “They came in and explained the setup for us and remain on hand to help us out. There’s a quality that not only helps us to raise the roof when needed, but it is also intelligible.” www.fitnessaudionetwork.com www.infinitecycle.com.au www.nas.solutions

“We needed a fully integrated solution that not only delivers excellent visuals and colour fidelity, but also a power ful content management and AV-over-IP system that offers long-term reliability since all products are fitted in a high-use environment,” said Eun-jin Park, section chief, Star Networks. “The Christie solutions were our top choice because they fulfilled all the requirements and have a good track record of delivering outstanding visuals. I don’t think there is another solution on the market that can match this suite of products in terms of per formance, level of integration and dependability.”

Star Networks worked closely with VFX and CG animation studio MOFAC, which created the visual content, to ensure the projected images were correctly integrated and synchronised. Some of Korea’s most famous paintings, such as Royal Procession with the People depicting a Joseon king’s procession, and Climbing Mt Geumgang featuring beautiful scenery, are being displayed in panoramic projections in the gallery. “We are proud that Christie’s laser projection, image processing and SDVoE solutions have been established as the benchmark for challenging immersive content in many museums,” continued Park, who added that the technical experience gained by the Star Networks team will enable them to provide progressive solutions to more customers in the future. “We have received lots of positive feedback from visitors, and many of them are in awe of the quality of the visuals and how historical works of art can ‘come alive’ so convincingly in a real physical space,” said Eun-jeong Chang, curator, NMK. “It’s gratifying that the integrated technologies implemented in this space have provided an enchanting experience that transports visitors across time and space.” Added Michael Bosworth, executive vice president, Enterprise, Christie: “It is heartening that museums and public spaces are embracing visual technology and offering people new and unprecedented ways to experience cultural heritage.” www.christiedigital.com

www.viciouscycle.com.au

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Rivage makes its mark in Singapore

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Following discussions with Yamaha Music (Asia) earlier this year, Aux Media Group has taken delivery of a full digital mixing ecosystem for its future live event and virtual requirements. The Rivage package comprises CSD-R7, CS-R5 and CS-R3 control surfaces paired with the new DSP-RX engine. In terms of inputs and outputs, the RPIO is fitted with 64-in/32-out and RIO 3224-D2 and RIO1608-D2 I/O stage racks. The entire package combines to create Singapore’s first XR “extended reality” studio. Inserted with SWP2-10SMF switches and HY144-D-SRC audio interface cards, all three consoles connect to the racks seamlessly over a 96kHz Dante network for handling up to 144 input and 144 output channels. The addition of Yamaha HY256SMF digital I/O cards provides a secondary TWINLANe audio network protocol for accommodating up to 256 simultaneous I/O channels. On-board sample rate conversion

allows interconnection between devices operating at different sampling rates. Several factors combined in Aux Media Group’s decision to upgrade with Rivage. “Full technical support, local backup, reliability and ease of use are crucial needs in our everyday business,” explains owner and executive producer, Chyi Kei (CK) Choong. “This is where Yamaha really scores bonus points as they provide much-needed peace of mind. These three mixing consoles provide us with flexibility, per formance and expandability that will take us to the next level. Like the PM7, the PM5 and PM3 offer direct compatibility with Yamaha’s TWINLANe and Audinate’s Dante networks. They’re lightweight and portable, promoting quicker setups. With features such as single-mode optical fibre connection it’s virtually plug-andplay, providing us with more networking possibilities.”

Aux Media Group’s technical team

The Til The End of the World, We’ll Meet In No Man’s Land production In other news, a Yamaha Rivage PM10 digital mixing system, together with the KLANG:fabrik immersive in-ear monitoring system, has been used on Til The End of the World, We’ll Meet In No Man’s Land, a complex binaural audio production delivered to audiences via multiple sets of headphones. The award-winning, multi-sensory production was created by Singaporean artist Inch Chua based on her participation in the Climate Force International Antarctic Expedition, led by explorer Robert Swan in 2018. Commissioned by independent, non-profit company Theatre Works, the production won Singapore’s The Straits Times’ 2020 Live Theatre Award for Best Sound. Sound design and technical direction was handled by Uthaiyan Kumanan, with the show operated by the Black Beard Audio team of Mark Spencer, Douglas Sebastiano and Shahrin Syazwan.

Beginning work on Til The End of the World, We’ll Meet In No Man’s Land, the audio team looked at possible consoles. “We chose to mix the production in binaural to give the audience a much more ‘real’ experience than would be achieved with a conventional stereo mix,” said Kumanan. “Given the high-quality audio we needed to achieve, the Rivage PM10 was on my mind from the start. It sounded good and had everything we needed. With 64 channels of playback from main and backup machines, plus another 24 inputs from head mics, binaural mics, instrument lines and talkback mics, the ability to take playback via Dante was a cost-effective solution and it delivered the tracks to the Rivage PM system without any additional conversion. This helped to maintain the integrity of the sound.” www.aux.com.sg www.sg.yamaha.com

high-efficiency, ultra-high output point source alternative to line arrays in small - medium applications. Advanced compact cabinet with 2x 10” drivers in V-formation, HF driver with ‘pull & turn’ rotatable horn. Active+™ system presets with advanced FIR filters configure and 0º phase-align X102FD in a matter of seconds.

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Robe returns to the stage in Perth AUSTRALIA

Unlocked, the country’s first large-scale live music event since March, has taken place at the HBF Stadium in Perth following a relaxation of Western Australia’s lockdown phase. Lighting and LED screens were supplied by Perth-based rental and production specialist Showscreens, which chose BMFL Spots, MegaPointes and Spiiders from their 150+ stock of Robe moving lights for the lighting rig. Showscreens is a regular technical provider for event promoter, Zaccaria Concerts, which staged the event to a sold-out audience of just under 3,000 people, 50% of the stadium’s normal capacity. A diversity of acts required powerful luminaires to provide distinctive and different production styles and look good on camera during the show’s livestream.

operated by Rio Hall-Jones (for artists ShockOne and Crooked Colours), Kale Tatam (Slumberjack) and Mason Farley (Tina Says), all regular LDs and operators for Showscreens, who visualised their shows beforehand in the company’s warehouse. A single upstage 8m x 4.5m (WxH) screen comprised of Yestech 4.8mm Black LED was used for video. “With all those Robes on the production rig, we knew everyone would have plenty of choice for their creativity and imagination to fly,” commented Showscreens owner Bryce Varley, adding that everyone was thrilled to be working on a live show again. “While we have focused on keeping a totally positive atmosphere throughout this period, being at this gig was

A total of 20 Robe BMFL Spots, 24 Spiider LED wash beams and 20 MegaPointes, together with strobes and 4-lites, were rigged on the three overhead trusses and the stage deck. BMFL Spots on the front truss provided key light and specials, while Spiiders were used for full stage washes and additional effects. Further BMFLs, MegaPointes and Spiiders on the mid and upstage trusses added to the layering of lights. On the floor, Spiiders were used for cross-stage key light, shooting in from the downstage corners, with MegaPointes and BMFLs deployed along the back below the LED screen for classic beams and blast-throughs. Lighting was programmed via a grandMA2 full-size with a grandMA2 Light for backup,

a very special experience,” furthered co-owner, Ryan Varley. “We received loads of well wishes from all over the industry, and it was generally a fantastic feeling and atmosphere.” The company, which has managed to retain all its staff, has used lockdown to update its occupational safety and health policies, moving from a paperbased system to a mobile app used to initiate and record prestart inspections, toolbox meetings and hazard reports. Unlocked was the first proper opportunity to implement this new approach, which involved a meeting conducted by safety officer Michael Monaco explaining practices such as social distancing and sanitising while working.

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Meyer Sound upgrades Adelaide Convention Centre

AUSTRALIA

The Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) has undergone an AU$397 million redevelopment including an overhaul of the venue’s audio systems, with loudspeakers and processing augmented or replaced by new Meyer Sound systems in seven halls. This brings the total Meyer Sound loudspeaker count of new and existing elements to 270, making ACC the largest single-site user of Meyer Sound systems in Australia. “We’ve been using Meyer Sound for nearly a quarter century,” commented Matthew Stanton, the venue’s technology services manager. “We’ve found their systems to be reliable and versatile, which makes them a perfect fit for our venue. The latest upgrades have enabled us to expand the flexible, selfpowered ecosystem we’ve been building in recent years.”

A line array system of 20 Lyon loudspeakers and eight 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements have been installed into the ACC’s largest configurable space, a flexible and technologically advanced meeting facility. The Lyon system can be flown in different configurations and orientations to cover the largest open space, a combination of three separable halls covering 5,600m2. Lyon-W wide-coverage versions were chosen to facilitate wide or narrow room orientations. Networkable drive and optimisation for the entire new system is provided by five each of Galaxy 816 and Galaxy 408 network platforms, while two RMServers handle monitoring via the network. “We can fly the arrays for large or small room configurations in any orientation, select the preset for it in Galaxy’s Compass control software and we’re ready to go,” said Stanton.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer premium concert-level sound across our venue which enables us to accommodate, for example, a top Australian act for banquet entertainment without the need to rely on outside rentals. We found that the system’s linear response provides audio that is full and musical yet not intrusive.” A total of 65 Ultra-X40 compact loudspeakers and 10 900-LFC elements have also been

installed across the venue in both permanently mounted and portable capacities, either as mains in small to mid-sized rooms, or as fill or delay systems in the largest halls. Four Ultra-X40s are flown as delays in ACC’s 3,000-capacity Plenary Hall, providing high frequency to seating areas shaded from the main Leopard arrays by video screens. In the glass-enclosed Gilbert Suite, distributed overhead sound is supplied by MM-4XP miniature self-powered loudspeakers, augmented by directional podium sound from two UP-4slim loudspeakers and bass from two MM-10XP miniature subwoofers. The ACC retains its inventory of 32 M’elodie line array loudspeakers and 12 500-HP subwoofers, used as temporary indoor and outdoor main systems or as side fills for the Lyon arrays in the largest hall configurations. Meyer Sound distributor, Audio Brands Australia, coordinated with the factory in California during the design and optimisation phases, with technical sales and business development manager Owen Ironside as lead liaison alongside company director, Don McConnell. The PA tender was awarded to local Adelaide dealer, AJ Sound. “As the largest single-site installation of Meyer Sound products in Australia, the Adelaide Convention Centre serves as a showcase of Meyer Sound’s advanced technologies,” said Ironside. “ACC management’s continuing emphasis on the highest-quality audio for every room and every event underscores their commitment to ensuring the best overall experience for every client.” “Our ongoing investment in the latest technology – specifically our sound systems – has enabled us to continue to elevate the quality of our production as well as create greater efficiencies for our team,” commented Simon Burgess, general manager, ACC. www.meyersound.com

Keeping the As and Vs in harmony on Broadway NEW ZEALAND

The Regent Theatre on Broadway in Palmerston North has undergone an upgrade, installing a new sound system from d&b audiotechnik. Designed in 1929, the Regent Theatre has three distinct acoustic spaces: the circle, the under-balcony and the stalls. The new system needed to provide seamless coverage for all three spaces, and Western Audio, which handled the project, also needed to consider the historic building’s listed status in its system design. “As the Regent Theatre is a historic building, there were restrictions on rigging and deployment. The venue also has a long throw from the stage to the back row of the circle; some 36m,” said Andy Craig, owner of Western Audio Engineering. “The incumbent sound system used delay speakers in an attempt to provide

coverage to the entire theatre but architectural constraints meant that these speakers were not particularly effective. We have successfully deployed d&b systems in the past, so I was confident d&b could provide the necessary coverage and articulation without needing delay speakers.” d&b A-Series and V-Series systems were chosen to tackle the audio distribution challenges in the venue, and Western Audio Engineering deployed the manufacturer’s ArrayProcessing optimisation software to ensure all systems share a common tonality. “ArrayProcessing was one of the core reasons why we chose d&b; no other loudspeakers, as far as I’m aware, offer the same level of control,” added Craig. “I hadn’t used the A-Series speakers before,

so I was curious as to how they would sonically integrate with the V cabinets but, as with all d&b systems, they integrated seamlessly. I was hoping to achieve a situation where any touring engineer could walk into the room, run up their favourite piece of music, check the coverage and

then relax, knowing that they were going to have a good day. I believe that we have reached that benchmark, in part because of the vast skill and experience of the d&b team.” www.dbaudio.com

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DiGiCo’s 4REA4 provides audio management for MCG AUSTRALIA

As part of a recent AU$25 million audio upgrade of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue’s System Control Room has been upgraded by technical consultant Auditoria and integrator Diversified to include dual redundant DiGiCo 4REA4 audio management systems and an SD9 mixing console provided by distributor, Group Technologies. Established in 1853, MCG is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere and the second largest cricket ground by capacity in the world. The 4REA4 system processor, designed to bring high quality, flexibility and ease of use to networked venue audio, was chosen to collate the wide range of audio I/O that runs throughout the complex, comprised of flexible locationoriented input structures and outputs to over 3,500 loudspeakers. Featuring 128 inputs and 56 outputs via a range of network ports, DMI and SD-Rack card slots, the system offers a host of channel processing and signal flow management abilities and

can act as a point-to-point router for up to 512 channels. It allows engineers to split the audio workspace into four zones, and features eight macro control buttons that can change signal flow configurations. “There are a lot of different rooms and audio applications here,” explained Auditoria’s senior consultant, Luis Miranda. “The MCG staff need control over absolutely all of this, as the system we’ve tailored doesn’t just run entertainment audio – it also runs the information, public address, fire and emergency systems. These are all combined into a comprehensive setup that needed to be rock-solid.” MCG’s event spaces include function rooms, cafés, pubs and private suites, all of which can run local source audio separate from the main PA, as well as two loudspeaker systems for the entry areas and one for the exit area. “With the extensive primary PA and all the additional spaces, we’ve ended up with a huge number

of different amplifiers, racks and networking modules,” continued Miranda. “The 4REA4’s job is to take different I/O types and unify them into a centralised mix architecture. This means they can be fed into the SD9 mixing console if need be, or just addressed directly through the 4REA4 mix engine.” 4REA4’s I/O and control peripherals can interface over a standard, standalone network. The plug-and-play solution supports Layer 2 network hardware, requiring simple ID settings to establish communication. It can interface with proprietary and standard network protocols including Dante, MADI, Aviom, Waves Soundgrid, Optocore, ME-1 and AES, and supports bidirectional communication with every device on its network. “We have a production suite fitted with a DiGiCo console that gives an operator all the necessary tools and a familiar environment to deliver game-day audio,” said Miranda. “But we also have several rooms fitted with

systems that use simplified controllers, such as touchscreens, to control things like audio feeds and TV channels. 4REA4 serves to bridge both worlds and allow for sufficient separation and independence so that both styles can function on the same network at the same time. We also use 4REA4 as a mixing engine in a reduced mode with the inclusion of Acontrol8 panels, for scenarios in which a console operator is not required, but typical audio feed adjustment would be desirable, such as large corporate presentations in the bowl. As an additional benefit, the 4REA4 engine serves as a backup console with the Acontrol8 panel if the main console were to stop working.” The unit’s ability to natively integrate with PA and broadcast products should provide MCG with the connectivity it needs as it moves into a new era. www.digico.biz www.grouptechnologies.com.au

Ayrton Khamsin chosen for Singapore’s Star SINGAPORE

The Star Performing Arts Centre has taken delivery of its first-ever Ayrton LED moving heads with the purchase of 44 Khamsin-S and six Khamsin-TC fixtures from Ayrton distributor, Total Solution Marketing. The majority of the Khamsin profiles have been installed in the centre’s main venue, the 5,000-seat Star Theatre, which hosts a wide range of amplified music and speech events, including large-scale, high-profile conferences, pop concerts and dance performances. The theatre recently hosted the Singapore National Day 2020 Concert. “The Khamsins are mainly rigged on overhead fly bars and FOH trusses from where they facilitate the multiplicity of diverse events that happen here,” said head of lighting, Mohamad Azhar Bin Mazlan. The profiles are already being used for New Creation Church’s weekly Sunday service at the venue. “The Khamsin-TC profiles are used as the pastor’s key light during the service, with the Khamsin-S fixtures used primarily for effects and occasional supplementary key light,” continued Azhar.

Ayrton Khamsin was chosen after the team at the Star Performing Arts Centre carried out research to find LED moving head replacements for the venue’s existing inventory of 1.2kW discharge fixtures. “Our original objective in moving to LED was to save power, but Khamsin has given us a lot more besides,” said Azhar. “We executed a shoot-out at the venue which proved that Khamsin was the only LED fixture then on the market compatible with our 1.2kW fixtures. Their performance in terms of output is so much more than we expected, plus they also give us rich colours and a variety of new, fresh gobo designs to choose from. To top it all off, Khamsin also has an in-built shutter/shaper function which helps us achieve a more focused and precise projection area. “Above all, we are just so impressed at the output capability of Khamsin compared to our previous 1.2kW fixtures and how much less power is required to run them.” www.ayrton.eu

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Cable TV broadcaster dazzles as the first Korean adopter of Martin ellipsoidal lighting fixtures KOREA

Headquartered in Seongnam-si, the popular South Korean cable television channel, NS Home Shopping Co Ltd, will soon be celebrating its 20th anniversary. The network’s engaging shopping programmes showcase curated collections of products ranging from apparel and health food to agriculture and furniture, with original content created in four professional studios. Having recognised the fact that broadcast lighting systems in these studios required an upgrade, the network technicians lack of product knowledge and expertise in this category led to distributor Hansam System proposing an upgrade adopting Martin ELP CL ellipsoidal LED fixtures, a landmark occasion for both Harman and Hansam System as it is the first application of ellipsoidal lighting solutions in Korean broadcasting. “NS Home Shopping’s broadcast facilities required a phenomenal lighting setup,” commented Hansam System sales manager, Yongoh Lee. “They were previously using conventional PAR fixtures but wanted to implement ellipsoidal LED fixtures for their varied lighting effects and ability to suit the mood of a wide range

impressive brightness, vivid colour rendering and competitive pricing.” The Martin ELP CL ellipsoidal LED fixtures produce balanced beam outputs, whilst simplifying blending and mixing between fixtures. The fixtures can be integrated with any industry-standard lens tube in 19°, 26°, 36° and 50° beam angles. The same supplier also included Martin ELP 36° lens tubes to allow NS Home Shopping to utilise the ELP fixtures across a wide range of requirements, such as gobo projection, architectural lighting, art lighting and billboard lighting. “Because NS Home Shopping deals with a ride range of consumer products, we wanted the lighting solutions to be customisable for each product,” explained NS Home Shopping lighting director, Hoseok Lee. “Hansam System’s demonstrations were impressive and we are delighted with the premium brightness and colour rendering offered by the ELP CL fixtures.” of programmes. NS had high standards regarding the durability, dimming accuracy, beam balance, quality of light, colour and

colour mixing of any potential solutions. Martin ELP fixtures satisfied their needs with dynamic performance, high output,

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Singapore’s UCC adopts FreeSpeak II SINGAPORE

The University Cultural Centre (UCC) at the National University of Singapore features a 1,714-seat hall and a 425-seat theatre. Seven years have passed since Electronics & Engineering (E&E) upgraded the current fullrange L-C-R EAW loudspeaker and networked Powersoft amplifiers into the hall’s design, having supplied and installed the original loudspeaker system in 2000. Between these significant works, the long-established SI provided full support and expertise to a level of satisfaction that AV specialist associate K Shyam described at the time as “understanding the concept that the show must go on”. E&E was recently called upon to upgrade UCC’s communication system to a ClearCom FreeSpeak II digital wireless intercom and HelixNet digital network partyline. “The importance of a reliable and stable communications infrastructure for a performance venue cannot be emphasised enough,” said NUS Centre for the Arts

community as a world-class arts centre places a burden of expectation on the full-time crew, so their continued relationship with E&E will ensure that their post Covid-19 productions continue seamlessly. The new system not only connects production teams to each other, it will also connect various venue managers to production team members. The added flexibility of FreeSpeak II’s multiple channels allows for the creation of separate communication groups, while HelixNet integration ensures quick setups, scalability and intuitive workflows. “The system will be used by new hirers and visiting production teams, so it was imperative to keep it user-friendly with a low learning curve,” added Hartanti. “And the flyaway FreeSpeak kit is crucial for events that are held outside UCC.”

A view of UCC Hall from the stage senior associate director, Telly Hartanti. “Our communications system needed a refresh so that we could ensure seamless operations for our increasingly complex technical needs.”

Managing the lighting, sound and staging according to the performances taking place, no two days tend to be the same for the production services team at UCC. Serving the

www.clearcom.com www.enepl.com.sg www.nus.edu.sg

KBS IP broadcasting upgrade commissioned remotely KOREA

Korean Broadcast System (KBS) has installed Lawo IP technology at its Seoul HQ TV production facilities. In a drive to create a completely new IP-based production workflow, the public broadcasting headquarters also includes a new mc²96 grand production console and mc²36 “all-in-one” console. Replacing dated mixing systems unable to meet requirements for current productions, the native IP mc²96 and mc²36 mixers integrate Ravenna/AES67 networking that will promote flexibility, scalability and greater efficiencies going forward. The upgrade also includes Lawo Dallis stagebox interfaces and a Nova routing system. Working closely with KBS engineers and Lawo technical staff in Germany, Dong Yang Digital performed the systems integration and successfully conducted a remote FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) prior to commissioning in early August. “We are positive that we have made the right choice in embracing IP as the basis for our technical upgrade,” commented head of KBS’ TS-15 audio production, Choi HyoSub. “We are very pleased with the quality of the first TV productions mastered using our new Lawo systems. The new IP infrastructure gives us full access to all audio resources on demand, without having to perform changes physically like we used to. The new infrastructure is very flexible and efficient – it definitely makes our lives easier.” Lawo’s flagship 88-fader mc²96 now functions as KBS’ main mixing console in the completely renovated production complex. Optimised for IP-based video production, the mc²96 boasts more than 300 DSP channels plus SoundGrid integration, extending its use to mixing concerts at a KBS site. The music programmes and concerts, in addition to KBS TV drama, entertainment and film award ceremonies, are produced in the TS-15

SRC with live audiences in an open-studio concept. The companion 40-fader Lawo mc²36 oversees the mixing of live studio performances in addition to serving as submixer and backup mixer for the mc²96. In addition to the new Lawo consoles, the facility’s renovation encompassed a full replacement of stage and audio infrastructure of the KBS TV concert hall. The main loudspeaker system was replaced and a Lawo Nova73 router was specified to provide mic/gain control for each console, a MADI connection for FOH and the monitor mix consoles, together with fully redundant Ravenna integration. Two modular Lawo Dallis I/O units are configured as stageboxes to provide 112 mic/line inputs and 44 AES3 digital inputs. The global health crisis prevented in-person commissioning of the new equipment, so installation, configuration and FAT was conducted using the remote procedures recently developed by Lawo. According to

Myoungho Seo, the remote configuration and testing went smoothly, with all phases of the project running according to schedule. According to the technical requirements of the TS-15 audio production team, the system configuration was done by Lawo engineers.

KBS’ audio production team reviewed the captured video clips created by Lawo’s team, and then oversaw the hardware status and configuration test online during a live, remote joint technical session. The remote tools Lawo offers, like mxGUI remote control, in combination with computers and webcams, proved the solution for the installation and configuration as well as training sessions during the course of the project. “We are very honoured that KBS chose us to provide services, expertise and the best equipment on the market for this important project,” added Dong Yang Digital director, Myoungho Seo. “The KBS’ TV production facility and technical management teams were impressed. DYD and Lawo joined forces with KBS to achieve a successful project with a customised installation ready for immediate use in major audio productions on time.” www.idyd.com www.kbs.co.kr www.lawo.com

38 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2020

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Adamson chosen for next-generation club in Japan

United Lab, one of the biggest venues to open in Fukuoka and touted as a “nextgeneration enter tainment facility”, has installed a PA system in its main hall based around the E-Series from Adamson Systems Engineering. The system was supplied by Rewire, Japanese distributor for Adamson, Avid and Waves, which also oversaw the design and integration of the main hall audio system. The five-storey venue was built from the ground up in the hear t of Fukuoka, a city on the international live touring circuit in the west of Japan. The largest of its zones, the 2,500m2, 1,200-capacity main hall, is equipped with production technology featuring a 9m x 5m highdefinition videowall and a main PA system of eight Adamson E15 three-way, true line source enclosures and two sub-compact S10 two-way, full-range cabinets per side. Low end is handled by a central stack of three E119 subwoofers in an FBF cardioid configuration flanked by stacks of three larger E219 subs on each side of the stage in the same cardioid setup. A single ultra-compact S7p point source enclosure is deployed on each side for infill, with an additional pair at the front of the stage lip. Another five S7ps ser ve as delays for the second-floor VIP area and small hangs of three S10s and a single S119 sub per side reinforce the rear of the venue. The system is powered by 14 PLM 20K44 and two PLM 5K44 Lab.gruppen amplifiers with Lake processing. “Having spent my 30s working in clubs throughout London and experiencing plenty of the best sound systems in New York, I’d set a high standard for the audio in what would be the top venue in our city,” said United Lab’s owner, Taka Koganemaru. “After we auditioned several

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JAPAN

added Rewire CEO, Mack Miyamura. “The venue will host anything from live acts to nightclub events, and we made sure to supply plenty of headroom and firepower, but also ensure it would be plug-and-play for domestic ar tists that require different sonic characteristics to international acts. I have confirmed that it is based on my experience at large music festivals such as Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic.” United Lab is now equipped to accommodate visiting productions with the best possible audio system, and suppor ts immersive audio if needed. What’s more, the hexagonal pattern of Adamson’s grilles has inspired the interior design, with an entire façade within the venue adopting the distinctive honeycomb motif. www.adamsonsystems.com www.rewire.co.jp

premium loudspeaker brands, I was convinced that only Adamson could deliver the international standard I’ve always wanted.” An Avid S6L-32D digital mixing system loaded with Waves, McDSP, Sonnox and Arousor plug-in bundles sits at FOH, along with a compact SSL SiX SuperAnalogue six-channel mixer. Both can integrate with the venue’s Pro Tools system via a Mac Pro and two 1TB SSD drives, and all AVB connections use Rat Sound Cat-5e cabling. Over on monitors is a Yamaha CL5 digital mixing console that has access to the wedge speakers via Lake software. “The objective of United Lab was to showcase both local acts and international touring ar tists, and we made sure to spec the venue with the best system a guest engineer could ask for,”

“On stabil is not went delive high-q limite was s from intuit gettin aroun TWM outfit tradit foota via fib switc overla outpu sent to H.2 distri

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NEWS: PROJECTS

AJA Helo streams Malaysia’s Merdeka Race 2020

The s to o wer, lay ent acts. y ch

TWMR Productions and Blonde Robot have joined forces to produce and deliver coverage of the two-day annual Merdeka Race at the Sepang International Circuit. The event, which attracted more than 100,000 viewers, was broadcast via local satellite TV channel Astro Arena, as well as a Facebook livestream powered by an AJA Helo H.264 streaming, encoding and recording device. The start of Malaysia’s racing season is marked by the country’s National Independence Day as drivers rev up their engines to compete. Though spectators were unable to cheer the drivers from the stands this year, event organisers developed a plan to ensure no one would miss out on the action. “Merdeka only takes place once a year, and this year’s race was especially important, as it marked the first local return of sports since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Azrina Jane Abdullah, territory manager of AJA distributor, Blonde Robot. “With the competition closed to spectators, the event organisers wanted to ensure audiences could tune into every second online, which meant streaming full coverage of the event via Facebook Live, in addition to highlights shared on local channels, and Helo proved a perfect tool for the job.

h the or ts ore, rilles an ng

MALAYSIA

Using Helo’s intuitive web-based user interface, Abdullah controlled the device and monitored the feed from a laptop stationed at a safe distance from others onsite. Given limited bandwidth of less than 10MB, the footage was then redistributed to other content delivery networks with help from the Restream.io service. In addition to supporting encoding and livestreaming for the event, AJA Helo also allowed TWMR and MSF to record the event for archival and ondemand viewing purposes. www.aja.com

“On a production like this, workflow stability is crucial, and downtime is not an option, which is why we went with Helo. It performed solidly, delivering an incredibly low-latency, high-quality stream, even with our limited bandwidth allocation, and was so easy to set up and control from a laptop. It’s a powerful, intuitive and cost-efficient tool for getting any livestream to audiences around the world.” TWMR provided an OB truck outfitted with a combination of traditional and RF cameras. HD footage of the event was distributed via fibre or RF to a production switcher and mixed with graphics overlays and audio, before a 1080i output of the produced feed was sent through AJA Helo, encoded to H.264 at 1080p 25fps and distributed to Facebook Live.

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Altman brings colour to Ko Shan Theatre HONG KONG

Pacific Lighting has installed a rig of Altman Lighting AP-150 PAR LED luminaires into the 1,031-seat Ko Shan Theatre. A multipurpose venue that hosts traditional opera, dance, music, school functions and community gatherings, and equipped with an advanced sound and staging system, the theatre wanted to incorporate the latest in lighting technology as well. “The Ko Shan Theatre has been a long-time client of ours and we have worked on many supply projects for them,” said Hugh Chinnick,

Pacific Lighting director. “When we were approached about this particular upgrade, they were looking for an LED colour-changing Fresnel or PAR to replace their existing twocolour tungsten Fresnel downlights.” Following a demo of the AP-150 conducted by Altman Lighting vice president of sales

and marketing, Nick Champion, the theatre decided the 135W RGBW LED wash light suited their needs. The compact, lightweight fixture replicates the soft output of a traditional PAR wash light with control states from 8-bit, 16-bit, RGB and HSIC. Factory and custom colour presets offer a quick selection

of widely used options, and colour presets can be recorded directly to the luminaire for custom playback. “When looking at the main performance attributes needed from the new luminaires, the Altman fixtures really won out due to their combination of intensity, colour-mixing, a motorised zoom function and the cost,” added Chinnick. “With a stage area of approximately 13m x 12m, we now have 34 AP-150 luminaires hanging as part of the permanent, standard lighting rig.” “Pacific Lighting embodies all that we could ask of a partner in the Hong Kong market,” added Champion. “Hugh’s love of theatre guides his designs and product choices, and it’s always a perfect blend of artistic variety and practical function. We couldn’t be more pleased that the AP-150 PAR could meet all of these needs at the Ko Shan Theatre.” www.altmanlighting.com www.pacificlighting.net

Bangkok’s Metropolitan Electricity Authority installs networked AV and lighting THAILAND

The Metropolitan Electricity Authority has called upon Mahajak Development Co to install Harman Professional Solutions networked AV and lighting throughout its Bangkok facilities. Established in 1958, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority is a state-run electricity and power provider that services Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan. The facilities span three towers and include a convention centre, auditorium, food court, nursing home, exhibition hall and multiple office spaces.

an AMX networked AV system, which can be controlled using AMX NX series and MKP series control panels or an AMX TPC-iPad wireless control system. Sound is routed through a Soundcraft Signature Series mixing console and distributed to JBL Control series ceiling loudspeakers via BSS BLU series processors. An AMX Enova DGX800-ENC digital media switcher is used to manage video feeds. With an audio system similar to the MOC room, the 50-seat committee room has been installed

software. Mahajak also equipped three additional meeting rooms with similar systems. Every meeting room has been installed with 7-inch touchscreens to display the room’s status, while on the building’s exterior, LED screens and control equipment are used to display animation, slide shows, videos and graphics. The multifunctional auditorium has been installed with a VerTec line array system plus loudspeakers and subwoofers from the AC and ASB series, with PRX series floor monitors. A

visuals, Mahajak equipped the space with an AMX HDBaseT system and AMX Enova DGX800ENC digital media switcher. Two projectors deliver video signals to three motorised screens and four LEDs. To monitor the AV systems, Mahajak has used AMX Resource Management Suite (RMS) Enterprise software, while streaming is taken care of by AMX SVSI N2000 series encoders and decoders. This system will allow the integration of additional products and upgrades in the future.

“The client wanted sophisticated AV and lighting solutions to support their meeting rooms, offices and convention centres,” said Pongsakorn Kanchanachayphoom, director of project, Mahajak Development Co. “We selected end-to-end AMX systems, as they support a wide range of distribution formats and applications, regardless of the distance between source and destination. We chose Martin lighting fixtures for their ability to create stunning visual displays without causing glare.” To enable digital voting during meetings, Mahajak equipped the MOC meeting room with

with a 164-inch motorised screen, a 5,000 ANSI lumens projector and an AMX DGX800-ENC with video card. The control system uses AMX NX Series integrated controllers together with TPCiPad wireless control systems. In the Governor meeting room, alongside an audio system again based around Soundcraft, JBL and BSS components, the video system features multiple embedded 24-inch video monitors, a 164-inch motorised screen and a 5,000 ANSI lumens projector. The system is controlled using the AMX Enova DGX800-ENC, AMX NX series controllers and AMX TPC-iPad

video system comprising AMX HDBaseT, an AMX DGX800-ENC digital media switcher and three projectors is controlled by AMX TPC-iPad software, while a range of Martin moving head fixtures, including the MAC Quantum Profile, facilitate immersive lighting shows. A Soundcraft Si Performer series mixing console enables the seminar rooms to be combined for use as a multipurpose venue. JBL CBT column loudspeakers are used for the individual rooms, while JBL VRX line array loudspeakers and STX series subwoofers are used when the rooms are combined. For

“We required an AV and lighting system that would facilitate seamless communication while adding a sophisticated look and feel to our venues,” said a spokesperson at Metropolitan Electricity Authority. “The AMX networked AV system provided by Mahajak satisfied all of our requirements, and its centralised platform made it very easy for us to access, maintain and upgrade the system from anywhere in the buildings.” pro.harman.com

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NEWS: PROJECTS

MLA plays integral role in Seoul’s Arts Centre smallest systems capable of implementing the MLA technology and its 142dB peak output compares favourably with products that are in a class larger. At the core of the design concept is the assignment of individual amplifier channels and DSPs to each driver in a cellular fashion, creating directional control capabilities. The 15-inch

KOREA

Funded by donations, the Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture (SFAC) has been designed to fulfil the artistic potential of young people in the Korean capital and put them in touch with other creative hubs around the world via the internet. Incepted in 2003, the Foundation strives to make Seoul a centre that expresses the diverse values of culture and art. Having originally been donated by the Wonsuk private school foundation, the creation of the Youth Arts Centre marks the latest chapter in the rise of the SFAC. Situated in the Chungjeong-ro district of the city, the 1,500m2 space itself consists of a café, office, multipurpose hall, conference rooms and practice room together with a complex function space. To conform to modern standards, a high-performance, versatile sound system was stipulated for the latter venue. Having already developed a relationship with Wonsuk prior to the tender going public, Sama Sound sales manager

Dae Won Cho felt confident that the Martin Audio distributors would be awarded the contract. Already aware of Martin Audio’s heritage in live touring, Sama Sound promoted the manufacturer’s ability to dramatically improve line array directional control due to the development of the sophisticated software control platform, first incorporated into the self-powered MLA series and later the passive Wavefront Precision series. Following a full evaluation, SFAC commissioned the installation of a Martin Audio MLA Mini/MSX loudspeaker array in its new 150-seat multipurpose hall. Designed by Sama Sound’s Seung Hwan Kim, the MLA Mini was specified for its ability to reinforce all types of live performance (K-Pop), in addition to conferences, seminars and exhibitions. Measuring 500mm x 210mm x 377mm (WxHxD), the 13.8kg MLA Mini is one of the

MSX subwoofer is responsible for driving and controlling the MLA Mini and control of the entire system is governed by the dedicated DX4.0 network system controller. Martin Audio’s Display 2.3 simulation software allows a Hard Avoid function to

available at a single touch from each channel strip. It features extensive editing functions, fast workflow, integration with the Nexus audio network and flexible bus structure providing intelligent on-air/off-air solutions. Musical events at the KBS Hall often involve up to 100 people, rising to 200 for classical concerts. The Aurus system is supported with a minimum of wiring, simple clock sync

The mixdown room

Stage Tec Aurus provides backbone for KBS Hall

be implemented to deliver a uniform sound image across the audience area. This became a vital factor, due to the structure and acoustics of the Youth Arts Centre, according to Sama Sound’s project manager Hong Geun Kim, who oversaw the system setup and final tuning. “There is a large back wall in the audience area and the sound reflection from that wall was our biggest concern,” explained Hong Geun Kim. “The speaker hangs had to be trimmed sufficiently high to enable the energy to be transmitted directly to the inside of the seating and prevent it from bouncing off the wall surface. We managed to solve this, and the general acoustic issues, thanks to the Hard Avoid function.” Arriving onsite to discover the interior almost fully completed, Sama Sound was presented with limited options for rigging the array. To preserve the field of view of the huge LED screen, the centre fill could not be suspended. Fortunately, the 125° horizontal orientation of the dual 5.5-inch MLA Mini ensured even coverage is maintained with an L-R configuration of four cabinets per side. The Hard Avoid parameters allowed the suspended system to be fine-tuned in-situ without having to re-rig. “It was possible to be immersed in direct sound even when walking towards the stage and become exposed to a well-generated centre image,” furthered Kim Hong Geun. The Youth Arts Centre launched several art performances before the official opening and the Collective Chungjeong-ro Youth Arts Centre channel posted various art performances on YouTube. www.martin-audio.com www.samasound.co.kr www.sfac.or.kr

KOREA

The Korean Broadcast System (KBS) has updated the mixdown room at its events venue, KBS Hall, with Stage Tec’s Aurus platinum large-format mixing console. The console was supplied by Syncfish, Stage Tec’s distributor for South Korea, which has provided many digital audio solutions for the broadcaster since 2002. Located in Yeouido, Seoul, the KBS Hall is known for hosting music and concert performances by Korean musicians and international guests, which are broadcast live and recorded for future transmission. The audio is managed from a control room at the rear of the hall, which has been digitally upgraded to include a new 48-fader Stage Tec Aurus platinum mixing console to work with the existing Ravenna/AES67 audio network technology and analogue effects units. AES67 allows individual items to be connected to a network that primarily uses one protocol. The setup also integrates a Merging Technologies Pyramix multitrack recorder. The Aurus platinum has an extensive user interface, with the most-used functions

method (PTPV2) and automation buttons integrated in the interface. Interaction with the Nexus system and other connected devices can simplify work on large, complex and time-critical productions, with 40 user keys handling functions, from simple routing changes in the audio network to PTZ control of connected cameras. All operations can also be stored in scenes and run automatically. Engineers at the KBS Hall have remarked on the clear sound quality and smooth operation provided by the Aurus console since installation at the venue. L–R: maintenance engineers Yang Jung Hwa and Kim Jae Min

www.stagetec.com

44 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2020

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NEWS: PROJECTS

JBL checks in at top Hanoi hotel VIETNAM

Matching a property’s grandeur and aesthetics with pristine sound is never a comfortable proposition for any audio installer. When Ba Sao Audio was commissioned to design and install a resort-wide audio package into Hanoi’s five-star Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel & Spa, it delivered a Harman Professional audio solution including a multitude of various JBL Professional loudspeakers. Located in the hear t of the Vietnamese capital, the proper ty combines elegant furnishings and feudal architecture with expansive city views. “The client wanted an audio system for clear background sound and a centrally controlled music system that keeps the resor t energised and enhances customer delight,” commented Ba Sao Investment CEO, Nguyen Khac Anh. “They wanted a cuttingedge sound system that covers the lobbies, conference centre, restaurants and spa area along with the sites of informal bashes.” To deliver pristine sound across the resort, Ba Sao Audio installed BGM systems throughout Silk Path Grand Hue Hotel & Spa’s main and back lobbies, gardens, spas, business centres, restaurants and pre-function areas. Included in the extensive upgrade are PRX800 Series, Control 10 Series

“We chose Harman for its reputable functionality and performance,” commented a spokesperson from the resort. “Ba Sao Audio expertly handled the entire setup and

JBL Control 85M speakers enhance audio in the gardens and Control Contractor Series loudspeakers. Various ceiling loudspeakers including Control 14C/T, 16C/T and 24CT models provide even coverage across the facilities. Featuring weather-resistant enclosures and transducers, Control 25-1 two-way models provide coverage both indoors and outdoors, while JBL Control 85M landscape speakers extend and enhance audio in the gardens. Connected via Cat-5e cabling over the BLU Link network, DSP presets stored in BSS

BLU-100 12x8 signal processors can be recalled via the system managers. The larger function rooms accommodate live performances and can be mixed on Soundcraft Si Impact mixing consoles with microphone inputs fed into mini stageboxes. Crown 135MA power amplifiers together with JBL Commercial Solutions and VMA Series mixer amplifiers power the loudspeakers throughout the resort.

Control ceiling speakers have been fitted throughout proved us right in our decision with their precise delivery. Their entire team went above and beyond our expectations to provide tech-forward products and timely aftersales coordination with the in-house sound managers.” www.basaoinvest.com www.silkpathhotel.com

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Dapto Leagues upgrades club with Martin Audio

Audac provides networked audio CAMBODIA

Audac distributor AV Designs and Consulting Engineers has installed the new KB Hotel in Sihanoukville with a complete networked BGM and paging system. The system covers the entire hotel, including the lobby, a restaurant with four VIP rooms, café, back of house, guest floor corridors, guest lifts and public washrooms.

TAG’s Ewan McDonald (left) returns to the WB Sports Bar in the Dapto Leagues Club AUSTRALIA

The Dapto Leagues Club in New South Wales, founded in 1955 by 14 local businessmen, sportsmen and community leaders, has upgraded its facilities by refurbishing the interior design and installing a Martin Audio system supplied by TAG and installed by Connect AVI. Now with 20,000 members on file, the club brought in architectural designer Altis to lead the project. “West Dapto is located in a growth area,” commented club executive officer, David Hiscox. “The board of directors were looking to rejuvenate and renew their business by attracting new residents to the area. Therefore, we wanted the club to appeal as a modern, contemporary, top-line facility with a New York warehouse feel.” The Altis design insisted on a discreet installation of loudspeakers to the underside of the ceiling, with architecturally transparent screens and panels installed to hide the services. Boasting eight international offices, the Sydney branch of AV Design consultancy Firefly Point of View (FPOV) was elected to work closely with Altis. “Our consultancy business challenges traditional AV design,” commented FPOV lead AV designer, Robin McCarthy. “As designers with backgrounds in theatrical, furnishing and industrial design, we see beyond engineering and technology deployment to expand the sensory experiences for our diverse client base.” The venue is separated into eight distinct zones, including The Mill restaurant, Lobby Lounge café and the WB Sports Bar. Following the design brief provided by Altis, FPOV provided an evenly dispersed hi-fi quality audio system that can be enhanced during key events. In The Mill, conversations among patrons figure highly and so a distributed audio system consisting of compact Adorn A55 enclosures provides even coverage throughout this extensive space. Comprising a 5.25-inch LF driver and a 0.75-inch HF driver on a 110° x 80° horn, the 50W AES-rated speaker operates within a frequency range down to 90Hz (±3dB). With 17 screens including a 153-inch HD display, the larger atrium WB Sports Bar is the

largest sports viewing venue in the Illawarra and South Coast region. Whereas the eyes focus on the displays during a rugby league or AFL sporting fixture, the ears are drawn towards the powerful Martin Audio CDD8 8-inch cabinets. Extending the LF response to 70Hz (±3dB) and maximum SPL to 117dB (continuous), each compact two-way passive composite enclosure

As the first project in Australia to adopt the newly launched Adorn loudspeaker series, systems integrator Connect AVI was impressed with its ease of installation. “The ability to work with a great AV systems integrator is paramount to the outcome of total design,” added McCarthy. “We know that the expertise and experience

A Martin Audio Adorn A55 speaker system serves the restaurant area comprises an 8-inch LF woofer with a 1-inch exit HF Coaxial Differential Dispersion driver. Like the Adorn A55 models, the HF section of the CDD8 can be rotated for orientating either horizontally or vertically for added installation flexibility. When the WB Sports Bar is not screening sporting events, live bands and other higher SPL events can take advantage of the customised Attero Tech wall plates outfitted with subwoofer audio inputs. A Q-Sys Core 110f DSP processor and QSC CXD networked amplifiers output the wireless microphone and audio source signals. The entire venue is separated into eight distinct zones, which can be individually managed and controlled in terms of source and volume via Q-Sys TST7-w wall-mounted touchscreens. As a result, this has created distinct demographic sections.

At the heart of the system is an Audac M2 multimedia audio distribution system which connects to nine XMP44 modular units, each with four SourceCon interface card slots. A total of 24 Cena3 SpringFit 2.5-inch and 84 Cena5 SpringFit 5-inch ceiling speakers have been installed throughout the property. The four VIP rooms at the restaurant have Bluetooth connectivity using IMP40 SourceCon internet audio player modules and XMP44 units mounted in the rooms themselves, connected to the M2 using Dante via ANX44 audio network interfaces. With the exception of BOH, all areas have BGM sources fed from the IMP40 by various internet radio stations. User interfaces are a combination of DW5066 and DW3020 digital wall panels coupled with Android wall-mounted tablets running Touch 2 control software. The newbuild hotel is one of many new developments in the rapidly growing city. AV Designs and Consulting began its installation work at the property last October but, due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, has just completed the job. www.audac.eu

of the integrators is as valuable to the final design and we got that working with project manager Michael Fagan of Connect AVI. Both Connect AVI and FPOV received excellent technical support from Ewan McDonald and Bryan Davidson at TAG who supplied the Martin Audio and QSC components. What we love about our business is that no project is too small or big, so when we were approached to design the AV systems for the refurbishment project of the Dapto Leagues Club in southern NSW, it was something we were proud to undertake.” www.connectavi.com.au www.daptoleagues.com.au www.f-pov.com www.tag.com.au

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Dr. Elena Shabalina, Applied Research

We live for these days. Acoustic exploration is not the motivation, but the journey. To be part of a bigger technological and creative time and place. All working towards a common goal, for a future thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more human, ecological and engaging - and ready to create the best of times. dbaudio.com/weliveforthesedays

These days will come again.

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Peplus makes Waves at Indonesian virtual festivals INDONESIA

Rental company Peplus Audio Indonesia has provided audio systems and system design for two online festivals – the R&B and hip hop festival FLAVS, held on 15 and 16 August, and the Melomaniac series of virtual concerts based on the Java Soulnation festival that has been running yearly. The latter, held by Java Festival Productions, has already held four different online events kicking off in July, with more to follow. The FLAVS festival took place in Jakarta, with local acts playing on four stages across two different venues. The Jakarta Film Studio was the location for the Rhyme ‘n’ Grind and Downtown Cypher stages, handled by Peplus Indonesia, with Sumber Ria taking care of two more stages at Regal Studio, the Bounce and Boom Box stages. As with a live festival, audience members were able to choose which stages they wanted to attend throughout the event. Audio systems for both events were designed by Sony Soebowo together with Rizky Pohan from Peplus Indonesia. At the Rhyme ‘n’ Grind stage at FLAVS, a Midas PRO2 console equipped with a Klark Teknik DN9650 digital audio network bridge was connected to a Waves SoundGrid server and host computer and DiGiGrid MGB, with a Waves SuperRack plug-in rack for live mixing inserted on each bus and into several channels on the console. Waves plug-ins – including the F6, C6, H compressor, Renaissance de-esser, OneKnob Louder, R compressor, R bass, API, SSL bus, IR impulse and H reverb – were used for broadcast mixes for the eight different bands that played on the stage each day. For mastering, AES digital signals were sent from the Midas console to the Waves SoundStudio STG-2412 audio interface using SoundGrid studio, host and Waves server with several plug-ins, including AR TG, F6, L2, L3, WLM Plus and Dorrough stereo meter, with an Antelope Audio Isochrone OCX master clock. On the Downtown Cypher stage, a Yamaha QL5 console with a Waves WSG-Y16 running

could be previewed to the bands after they finish soundchecking. For the next edition of Melomaniac, the team is planning to use a Waves eMotion LV1 as a mixing board and SoundGrid studio for the mastering suite. “Our target is to deliver live sound to the audience at home with the best possible sound quality, using the Waves system integrated for mixing and mastering,” said Pohan. “We want to bring the audience a similar experience and feel to when they listen to their favourite music on CD or music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube.” Audiences from around the world as well as from Indonesia were able to attend the virtual festivals. “One of the good things about producing it as a virtual event is that everybody that has internet access can watch the show,” added Pohan.

One of the broadcast room at FLAVS a selection of plug-ins including AR TG, F6, L2, L3, WLM Plus and Dorrough meter were used for FOH, together with a host and server with SoundGrid studio. Over at the Regal Studio’s Bounce stage, where a Digidesign Profile console was set up, a Pro Tools system was run to handle mastering using a DiGiGrid D desktop interface and SoundGrid studio, with a Waves server in the background to offload the work of the host computer. A Profile console at Boom Box was also equipped with a Pro Tools system and similar Waves plug-ins, broadcasting via AES digital. For Melomaniac, a Klark Teknik DN9650 was again used to connect to a Waves SoundGrid server and host computer with a Waves SuperRack inserted on each bus and several channels on the console. Again, a wide selection of Waves plug-ins was available. On the mastering side, the AES digital signal was sent from a Midas PRO2 console straight to the SoundStudio I/O, with SoundGrid studio, host and Waves server, several plug-ins and an Antelope Audio Isochrone OCX master clock.

Peplus provided a recording of the show via a Klark Teknik DN9650 over Dante using Waves Track Live software so a virtual soundcheck

www.peplusaudio.com www.waves.com

The Melomaniac setup

Brio duo follows Artemis to JTV KOREA

Regional TV and radio broadcaster, Jeonju Television (JTV), has installed Calrec Brio36 and Brio12 digital audio consoles in the FM studio and DJ room of JTV Magic FM. The purchase was made to complement the broadcaster’s existing Artemis console, which has been in use since 2016. “We wanted the same value, performance and power [as the Artemis] but in a different footprint,” explained Seung Young Hwang, team leader of engineering and technical operations department at JTV. “The Brios have an intuitive user interface and superb sound quality. For the price and especially for our needs, there is no better console on the market.” JTV’s Magic FM radio station provides music, sports, social issues and traditional Korean music programming. The Brios are being used on a wide variety of broadcasts, including programmes such as Happiness

Power Plant, Theme Music Odyssey and Love4U. “The broadcast industry in Asia is vibrant, especially given the challenges the industry

has faced with Covid-19, and we’re delighted that JTV is taking advantage of our flagship Brio consoles,” stated Calrec international sales manager, Anthony Harrison. www.calrec.com

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NEWS: PROJECTS

Thai Bank auditorium equipped with Dante audio network THAILAND

The auditorium at the Bangkok headquarters of TMB – previously known as the Thai Military Bank – has been equipped with a Dante-based audio network designed and installed by Sonos Libra. The 33-storey building in the city’s Chatuchak district houses a 500-seat, multipurpose auditorium on its seventh floor, hosting hosts conferences, press events, presentations and live music. “The auditorium at TMB sees some very diverse use and it gets quite busy,” said Alfonso Martín, head engineer at Sonos Libra. “We knew from the start that the AV system needed to be cutting edge, it needed to be scalable and it needed to be high quality. When we submitted a bid to upgrade the facility, we knew from the start it needed to be done with Dante.” The bank required a highly customisable solution as equipment in the auditorium occasionally needs to be quickly and simply repositioned. The system also needed to be capable of a quick upgrade if necessary and, vitally, the capacity to add remote I/Os was required. The audio also had to reach areas outside the auditorium, such as the lobby.

“In addition to those needs they obviously wanted a system that had extremely highquality sound,” Martín said. “We needed to make sure it was ready for all types of

use, and that if a microphone needed to be added it could happen quickly and easily.” By creating a Dante audio network, Martín and his team ensured the bank can alter

equipment configuration by simply plugging into an available network port, with patch panels quickly set up to give even greater flexibility. The ability to add sound to other areas of the facility can also be quickly realised without additional cable runs. The Dante network created by Sonos Libra consists of Lab.gruppen D80 and D120 amplifiers, an Allen & Heath DM0 rack with 64x64 Dante cards, Xilica Rio R22-WP-X in-wall Dante I/O panels and a computer with a Dante Virtual Soundcard. More Dante-enabled components will be added as time goes by; for now, the bank is reporting a positive difference in the events it currently hosts. “The sound has been improved significantly,” Martín said. “And it really is a system that solves all the problems. They can easily press a preprogrammed button to host an event. They can utilise a plug-and-play system to add more devices. It’s very much a thing of beauty to see a Dante system in use like this, and seeing the customer being so happy with the results.” www.audinate.com

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT

Dynamics of design

Marshall Day Acoustics has set a new benchmark for live performance venues in the fast-growing city of Chengdu. Caroline Moss learns about the company’s work on the Chengdu City Concert Hall

The concert hall has been designed for non-amplified music IN THE LAST ISSUE OF PRO AVL ASIA, WE PROFILED Marshall Day Acoustics and the progress the Australian company has made while working in China throughout the past two decades, designing some of the country’s most cutting-edge and architecturally striking performance venues, including opera houses, concert halls and specialist performance spaces in Beijing, Guangzhou, Xian, Zhuhai,

Nanjing, Yixing and Qingdao. One of Marshall Day’s most recent projects is the RMB2.5 billion Chengdu City Concert Hall in the capital of Sichuan province. Working with its client, China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute Corp, Marshall Day designed four discreet venues within the complex – a 1,600-seat opera house, a 1,400-seat concert hall, a 400-seat drama

theatre and a 200-seat recital hall – as well as associated spaces, including drama and orchestra rehearsal rooms, a recording studio and foyer areas. The early stages of the project were developed in association with the Sichuan Conservatorium of Music, whose input guided the architects in the preparation of the concept design. Recognising the importance of the highest-quality acoustic and technical

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT design input, the client was prepared to employ international consultants to achieve its aim, and duly approached Marshall Day Acoustics based on the company’s aforementioned experience in China. “Our approach is to work with the client, the architects and technical consultants to create unique outcomes for each of our projects,” explains Marshall Day Acoustics’ associate, Peter Exton. “Our understanding of the physical principles of acoustics allows us to tailor solutions in response to a wide variety of inputs regarding the practical and aesthetic demands of the design team.” As in any project conducted away from the company HQ, a major challenge is keeping the channels of communication open, especially during the design phases. For the Chengdu City Concert Hall project, Marshall Day Acoustics’ design team in Hong Kong was led by Thomas Scelo. “Having worked together for many years, the trust developed within our wider room acoustics team allowed the sharing of the technical analysis and review of the refinements to the design,” continues Exton. “The team’s depth of experience and the common understanding within it ensured the quality of the final result and provided confidence for all of us through the concept and design development phases.” The Marshall Day team was engaged in all the design workshops, establishing continuity with the client throughout the design and construction phases. Work commenced with a design concept that addressed many of the operational requirements for the venue. Room acoustic design criteria were developed for each of the four performance spaces in response to proposed uses, with an acoustic design strategy developed for each space. “Significant modifications were made to the original drawings to achieve appropriate room volumes, room proportions, balcony overhangs and the realisation of the principal acoustic reflection surfaces,” continues Exton. Consultations on internal finishes for the rooms were then carried out with the architect and client, and coordination with the technical consultants located the technical infrastructure into the acoustic design with the goal of creating a seamless continuity of form and function in each room. “This results in rooms with individuality, where the acoustic character and technical function are a natural consequence of the room geometry and materiality,” explains Exton. “During the design phases, most of the liaison with architects, technical consultants and interior designers starts with round table discussion. In this way, the dynamics of the design process are usually easily established and common goals for the project can be identified. Coordination of acoustically important surfaces with theatre equipment locations often

takes some further working out and this discussion was mediated through the architects and design team. Our feedback into the design process consisted of regular technical documentation and design reports at the culmination of each design phase.” As the Marshall Day team went about producing several iterations of design documentation, the designs were analysed using Odeon room acoustic prediction software to ensure that any changes had a beneficial effect on the acoustic outcome. The two largest venues within the complex – the opera house and the concert hall – needed to be addressed differently. The 17,800m3 concert hall comprises a raked stalls area, side galleries, choir and a balcony, seating a total audience of 1,400, and has been designed for non-amplified Western symphonic, choral and chamber music. The 13,900m3 opera house, meanwhile, seats an audience of 1,600 in the stalls and two balconies and is designed for both amplified and non-amplified performances such as opera, drama, musical theatre and ballet. As each has been designed for specific performance types, the acoustic demands were different. “In a concert hall for

The stage of the opera house

Orchestral performance in the concert hall

Marshall Day’s Peter Exton plays violin in the recital hall orchestral performance, the sound from all parts of the stage should blend to create a musical texture,” explains Exton. “The sound level should be full and immerse the audience. The sound of an individual instrument should be clear when needed but not dominate for a complete performance. In an opera house, the sound from the stage should project clearly and the location of the singer’s voice must be consistent with their position onstage. The stage performers should be able to soar above the level and presence of the orchestra. However, the orchestral sound must retain a full range of tone colour, without becoming overpowering.” The acoustic differences were achieved in a combination of ways, one of which was to provide reverberation times of different lengths for each venue. A longer reverberation time encourages the blending of the orchestral sound for a symphony in a concert hall, conveying the fullness of the orchestra, while the clarity and loudness must allow all the details of the musical phrases and soloists’ work to project to the furthest seats. In some halls, the under-balcony area can be shielded from the reverberant sound, and a lot of care is needed to provide a satisfactory acoustic experience here.

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT For an opera house, a shorter time will preserve the clarity of diction for the singer in the latter. “We generally incorporate a ceiling reflector into the design of an opera house,” he continues. “A reflection from overhead reinforces the singer’s direct sound, while maintaining the same direction as the sightline. For a concert hall, an over-stage reflector can be used to enhance the clarity for musicians onstage. For the concert audience, the reflections reaching them from the sides are more important as these promote envelopment in the performance.” Marshall Day achieved a reverberation time of 2.3s in the unoccupied concert hall and 1.8s in the similarly unoccupied opera house – values that are slightly reduced during performances due to the additional absorption effect of the audiences. Meyer Sound systems provided by Chinese distributor, Shanghai Broad Future, were installed into three of the spaces: the opera house, concert hall and recital hall. System integration was handled by the Dalian Yisheng Electronic Engineering Company. A CAL 32 self-powered, beam-steering system was chosen for the concert hall, with two-column arrays covering the first and third floors and a four-column array on the second level. Meyer’s CAL series was developed primarily for vocal reproduction in fixed installations, producing a vertical beam of programmable width which can then be digitally steered up to 30° up or down to optimise intelligibility over large areas. The system is supplemented by four 600-HP compact, high-power subwoofers and a delay system of four UPA-1P wide-coverage speakers, plus six MJF-210 stage monitors. A Galileo Galaxy 816 network processor provides control over the audio system in the concert hall. In the opera house, a point source system consisting of six UPQ-2P self-powered, narrow-coverage loudspeakers from Meyer Sound’s Ultra Series, with three 600-HP compact subs per side, was supplied by Shanghai Broad Future. Three of Meyer’s ultra compact MM-4XPs, designed

The opera house seats 1,600 spectators for spot coverage in systems with space limitations and visibility concerns, provide front fill, with a further seven for the orchestra pit. Nine UPQ-1Ps are being used for stage side fill, and there are eight MJF-210 monitors onstage. Three Galileo 616 loudspeaker management systems handle driving and alignment for the opera house system, and power is provided by two MPS-488HP external PSUs. The Chengdu project reached a particularly poignant conclusion for Exton thanks to a fortuitous discovery made during one of the final site inspections. At this stage of the project, Marshall Day was commissioning the concert hall before completing building works in the other venues. Walking back from lunch with the client near the Sichuan Conservatorium of Music, they passed several music shops including one that specialised in violins. For Exton, an accomplished professional violinist before taking up acoustics, this was too intriguing to walk past. The shop was run by Lin, a graduate of the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City, who now works in the shop established by his father,

also a violin maker and repairer. “We enjoyed tea, a very friendly conversation about violins and the art of violin making, complete with a demonstration of the hand tools used by Lin in a way that has not changed since the craft was established in Northern Italy in the 17th century, and a tour of the workshop,” recalls Exton. “Two days later, another of Lin’s beautifully handmade instruments was returned to his shop and we were invited for a second visit to inspect it. This we did, and I enjoyed the opportunity of playing this instrument, which was remarkably full toned and responsive.” A few months later, back in Chengdu for the acoustic testing of the other three venues and the rehearsal rooms, Exton was delighted to be loaned the instrument to accompany a soprano singer in the recital hall and smaller theatre. “It was a pleasure to be reunited with Lin’s violin and demonstrate its clear sound in the new venue,” he says. “For me, the most significant moment of any project is entering the almost finished site to assess the result of years of preparation. For the first time, one can assess the atmosphere of the building and get a feeling for the whole venue. The character of each performance space is unveiled in turn, and each room becomes an instrument ready to enhance the sound from the musicians and transport it to future audiences. For this project, the most memorable moments were assessing the performance spaces, using our state-of-the-art measuring equipment for the objective tests – a scientific method of demonstrating accordance with our contractual agreement as part of the commissioning process. But, in this venue, I was able to extend the testing regimen using this beautiful, locally made violin to play in the space. This allowed the sound of the instrument to liberate the sound quality of the room. With the client and the violin maker, we could share the experience of the room coming to life and glimpse some of its potential as a venue for future performances. That was a privilege.” www.marshallday.com www.meyersound.com

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Crowning achievement The redeveloped theatre interior featuring the reinstated grand circle All images courtesy of Chris Oaten

Having survived prohibition, an unsympathetic 1970s’ renovation and two pandemics, Her Majesty’s Theatre Adelaide is back in the spotlight, with an Adamson system as one of her many new splendours. Caroline Moss takes a virtual tour THE AU$66 MILLION RENOVATION OF HER MAJESTY’S Theatre is not only a jewel in the crown for Adelaide, but for all of Australia. Originally constructed and opened in 1913 as the New Tivoli Theatre, the venue was part of the national Tivoli vaudeville circuit, which enjoyed popularity around the country until the advent of television in the 1950s. The only remaining vaudeville theatre in Australia, it was renamed Her Majesty’s Theatre in 1962 before being purchased by the government for the State Opera of South Australia in 1976 and reopened as the Opera Theatre. By 1988, it was once again Her Majesty’s Theatre, a name that has stuck ever since. But the 1970s and 1980s had not been kind to the historic building, with renovation work stripping the theatre of internal heritage features including the grand circle, halving its capacity to 970. In July 2017, the theatre’s fortunes reversed under the management of the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust, which took a loan from the South Australian Government Financing Authority to fund a major redevelopment. An extra $5 million was raised by a campaign led by the Adelaide Festival Centre Foundation. Work began in April 2018 on a two-year, major redevelopment of the theatre, which was completed and unveiled in June 2020. Only the theatre’s historic façade and eastern wall were preserved, with everything else redeveloped to create space for a larger venue that now extends across an adjacent plot, purchased as part of the upgrade thanks to donors. This has enabled the stage and auditorium to be enlarged and the grand circle reinstated after almost 60 years, resulting in a 1,467-seat auditorium over three levels. Her Majesty’s Theatre now boasts the widest proscenium arch and deepest fly tower of any commercial Australian theatre and a rehearsal room the same size as the stage. Accessibility has been improved, providing stair-free access to all levels and backstage areas and accessible seating throughout.

Dress circle foyer and bar The theatre redesign was orchestrated by the Adelaide Festival Centre, designed by Cox Architecture and carried out by construction company Hansen Yuncken, managed by the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. The Melbourne office of theatre planning and lighting design company Schuler Shook was also drafted in to undertake works, including the replanning of the seating rakes to expand capacity by approximately 500 seats, as well as replanning the stage and back of house areas. Schuler Shook consulted on all theatre equipment systems, including AV, stage lighting, rigging and lifts. “We were hired in late 2017 by Cox Architecture to work with the design team and client to assist with the design of the venue,” says Schuler Shook director, Jim Hultquist. “The design period went through to the end of 2018 and construction started in early 2019.” The biggest challenge faced by both Shuler Shook and Cox Architecture was to reinstate the theatre’s original capacity,

which had been halved with the removal of the grand circle. “The auditorium was originally a three-tier theatre when it opened in 1913, then was renovated in the 1970s to two tiers, and we had to get the seating back to around 1,500 seats – a daunting task given the more modern rules for disabled access,” continues Hultquist. “We worked closely with Cox to reintroduce the third tier of seating to try to achieve 1,500 seats, and made it to 1,467.” AV systems integrator Diversified, which successfully tendered for the project, also came on board in late 2017, working through the design with the builder to execute the installation scope of works and requirements. “Theatre systems are usually very high end and a highly specified design,” says Nico Van Wieringen, operations manager at Diversified. “For a project like Her Majesty’s Theatre, the pressure is on to deliver the performance and expectations of the stakeholders.” Working via Schuler Shook consultation, Diversified examined potential audio systems with the client, which chose to install an Adamson system to be supplied by the Canadian manufacturer’s Australian distributor, CMI. “Aligning the theatre system design required an electro-acoustic design to be produced, which was then exported as a 3D model and imported into BIM modelling software to get the exact coordinates of all the speakers,” adds Diversified’s senior systems architect, Tim Arrell. “This was essential as the theatre has acoustic timber panelling and aligning with the acoustic treatment is critical to ensure the right acoustic performance across the venue from any seat. “From an infrastructure perspective, there were a number of systems that needed to integrate across the theatre, overlaying production and live systems when the venue became operational. The theatre system technical cabling infrastructure consists of custom patch panels to allow for audio, lighting, communications and video systems to be plugged in and configured independently per production or

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FEATURES: ENTERTAINMENT event. The infrastructure is another critical backbone that met all best practices across system design and performance. Patch panels have been positioned throughout the theatre using BIM modelling to align with services, theatre panelling and architectural finishes.” Key technical systems integrated into the theatre include a comprehensive technical cabling infrastructure with custom stagebox and patch panels; a custom stage management console housing paging, venue relay monitoring, cue lights and stage intercom systems; and a performance video relay system using venue long view and low light cameras to relay performances to monitors throughout the venue. A Dante network supports audio systems and a QLAN network for the QSC Q-Sys paging system. Induction loops and wireless FM systems are provided for hearing augmentation systems in the theatre and foyers, while an IP lighting network supports DMX over IP. CMI supplied a main Adamson system consisting of 18 Adamson S10n and 14 S10 two-way, full-range line array cabinets, with eight Adamson S119 subwoofers. Each left and right array is comprised of nine S10n speakers and three S10s, while the centre array consists of eight S10s. Utilising a combination of narrow and wide S10s ensured Adamson’s mid-range tonal characteristics are consistent across every seat in the house. CMI used Adamson’s Blueprint AV acoustic prediction software to design the system. Working closely with the Adelaide Festival Centre sound team and Adamson’s application’s team, CMI’s technical sales manager, pro audio, Lee Stevens designed a flexible system to cater for the theatre’s varied programme of productions. “We achieved a 1–2dB variation across the space by using a mixture of the S10 and S10 narrows,” he explains. “In theatre, delivering clean, clear, undistorted vocal reproduction and intelligibility is critical to any show. The mid-range depth and precision the Adamson system delivers is stunning.” Low-frequency reinforcement is handled by eight S119 subwoofers, two installed permanently per side with another four for extra extension when required. A total of 54 Adamson PC8 point concentric speakers have been provided for a surround system, with 38 PC5 point concentric speakers for delays and front fills. The surround and delay loudspeakers are powered by 23 Lab.gruppen D 40:4L amplifiers with Lake DSP and Dante networking capabilities, providing 92 amp channels and giving every loudspeaker its own channel. “By using Lab.gruppen’s compact 1U four-channel Dante amplifiers, the requirement for every loudspeaker to be individually controlled and accessible became so simple and cost effective,” explains Stevens. Three Adamson E-Racks equipped with Lab.gruppen PLM 20K44 amps are used for the main system, with three Lake LM 44 audio processors for DSP control. Dante signal distribution is handled by six Cisco SG350 managed Gigabit switches, set up to provide Dante primary and secondary audio transport and control. The Cisco switches offer

Adamson PC8s form the auditorium’s surround system full audio redundancy and the ability to connect from remote locations via VLAN to monitor amplifier health. “A fantastic outcome has been achieved across all project stakeholders,” says Van Wieringen of the overall redevelopment and upgrade. “When working on a large construction project like this, it is a challenge to coordinate with all the various trades onsite. AV is a discipline that is involved throughout the entire build, but also one of the last disciplines onsite, so you can see the finished spaces as they are handed over to the client. From a technical perspective, all of the systems installed and coordinated are in line with achieving the overall acoustic performance, and meeting the Adelaide Festival Centre’s expectations, aligning with their production systems. All project stakeholders are delighted with the outcome and the public’s response to the opening of the theatre has been overwhelmingly positive.” Schuler Shook is also very pleased with the outcome in terms of both function and aesthetics. “I think Cox did a fantastic job across the site and I am pleased that through our collaboration we were able to expand the seating, increase the stage wings, improve the dressing rooms and other back of house accommodation, and of course bring the theatre systems up to a state-of the-art standard,” concludes Hultquist. The new Her Majesty’s Theatre was unveiled in June by Douglas Gautier AM, Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and artistic director. Due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions operating at that

time, a limited number of tickets were made available for smallscale performances of Slingsby Theatre’s family production, The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy, with audience levels capped at 20 per show. As Covid-19 restrictions have eased in South Australia, the theatre has hosted more performances at 50% capacity as well as venue tours. The lucky theatregoers would have been greeted by two curving staircases in the expanded main foyer, alongside Edwardian Art Nouveau features including a pressed metal ceiling, architraves and mouldings, custombuilt curved timber balcony fronts in the auditorium, foyer bars on all three levels and a glass façade to the new west wing. The theatre’s “signature wall”, formerly in the basement and bearing autographs from visiting stars including Julie Anthony, Lauren Bacall, Barry Humphries, Rowan Atkinson and Alan Cumming, has been rebuilt brick by brick in a prominent position backstage. On the floors of each foyer level, brass tiles are engraved with the names of some of the notable stars who have performed at the theatre over the past 100 years. This grand and historic venue has finally achieved the glory she deserves, and a return to full houses and rapturous applause is eagerly anticipated. www.adamsonsystems.com www.cmi.com.au www.onediversified.com www.schulershook.com

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FEATURES: LIVE SOUND

Zepp lands armed and ready in Taipei The lip of the stage features Nexo P12s and Geo S1210s

The NineTai crew responsible for hosting events at Zepp New Taipei

The Zepp Hall Network, part of the concert-going experience in Japan since 1997, has arrived in Taiwan. Richard Lawn reports on Zepp New Taipei

The Yamaha Rivage PM10 control surface takes centre stage at FOH THE ZEPP CONCEPT, WHEREBY ALL VENUES ARE permanently installed with standardised sound and lighting systems, 4K projection and stage machinery, offers advantages to tour promoters and artists alike. Nine pre-equipped Zepp venues in Daiba, Fukuoka, Haneda, Nagoya, Namba Osaka, Osaka Bay Side, Sapporo, Tokyo and Yokohama allow bands to simply turn up and play, without having to stage a full production. “When I heard that Zepp – which at that time was a 100% subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan – had a plan to develop its concert hall model overseas, it really interested me,” explains Shinichiro Honda, Zepp Hall Network vice president of hall operation division. Honda joined Sony Music Group in 2014, becoming part of a team set up to research expansion into other territories. In 2017, Zepp formally established Asia Pacific operations out of its native Japan. A joint venture between Zepp Hall Network and Singapore-based Big Box Investment, Zepp@Bigbox

Singapore is a third-level conversion at the Jurong East Big Box complex. The decision on what equipment to install in Zepp@Bigbox was made following dialogue with a Japanese sound consultant who had assisted with all the Zepp venues in Japan. Breaking with the Japanese template, a decision was made to employ a Nexo/Yamaha system for Singapore. “We needed a good support network,” Honda continues. “Yamaha has subsidiaries throughout Asia, offering excellent support for their systems. In addition, sound engineers in Japan are very familiar with Yamaha consoles. We wanted to open the doors to everyone, while providing very good sound quality. That’s why we chose to use Yamaha consoles and Nexo speakers for our first overseas venture.” The initial choice of location is critical to any further development. A decision to expand the overseas Zepp Hall Network to both Taipei and Kuala Lumpur was made during the installation of Zepp@Bigbox. The Singaporean location

The Dante network is managed at FOH during a performance in Jurong is situated close to an MRT station and a planned rail terminal to the Malaysian capital in a shopping complex. Similarly, the location of the Zepp New Taipei on the 8th to 11th levels of Honhui Plaza is within the expanding dormitory town of Xinzhuang Fuduxin, served by an MRT line connecting the city centre to the international airport. A local systems integrator was paramount and so Honda turned to Yamaha Music Electronics Taiwan for local recommendations. After deliberation, Honda appointed the NineTai Audio Group to assist him with system design and installation of the audio equipment. Ultimately, a Nexo STM line array loudspeaker system and a Yamaha Rivage PM10 digital mixing system operating on a Dante network was selected. In addition to fulfilling the equipment management contract for the venue, NineTai Audio also deploys sound engineers for those artists and performers who do not come with touring crew. Seasoned in concert audio production and familiar with the Zepp audio system, NineTai Audio is the confident custodian of the venue’s audio system. “STM is the ideal choice for the venue,” comments NineTai Audio systems division manager, Tsai Tsung Che. “In addition to being modular, the STM is very directional and can be easily controlled to target the audience without dispersing onto different surfaces. Furthermore, when we need to reconfigure the existing seven-cabinet hang, we simply lower the rig before uncoupling each STM module onto a dolly for redeployment when required. With over 11 sites to their name, we needed to provide Zepp’s clients with consistency in terms of the capacity, accessibility and operability. With rapid changes in technology, it’s important to strike a balance between maintaining the original design and using the latest user-friendly technology.” The system, designed to be highly efficient and energetic enough for a rock music venue, consists of seven-per-side STM M46 main modules and seven STM B112 bass units, hung two-deep. Two STM M28 omni-purpose modules are suspended from each cluster to provide down fill, and 18 STM S118 subwoofers have been arrayed along the front of the stage to ensure even, low-frequency coverage. The system is driven by 21 Nexo NXAMP4x4 four-channel amplifiers fitted with NXDT104 MKII Dante audio network cards, providing a total of 84 amp channels. Side fills consist of four Nexo Geo

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S121 M101 The Poitre Nexo’ to red the be is sim limite balco ceiling NS-1 a lot o we re A Ya digita feed. stage netwo SWP1 both F contro provid suppo Hond their e manu Tsai Rivag hands custo he sa Silk p chann audio It sou the ac

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FEATURES: LIVE SOUND S1210 cabinets and four LS18 subwoofers, with four Geo M1012s for front fill. The NineTai Audio Group worked remotely with Nexo’s Nicolas Poitrenaud, who assisted with system setup and alignment. Nexo’s NS-1 configuration and simulation software was used to reduce any problematic acoustic issues and to calculate the best solutions for the 4,900m2 room. “Zepp New Taipei is similar to the Japanese venues,” continues Tsai. “With a limited number of loudspeakers, the presence of the upper balcony together with reflections emitting off the back wall and ceiling made even coverage within ±3dB quite challenging. The NS-1 calculations really helped us in that respect and saved us a lot of time correcting the rigging. The actual measurements we recorded within the venue mirror the simulations.” A Yamaha Rivage PM10 was selected for FOH, with a CL5 digital mixer on monitors and a QL1 providing a main system feed. The entire system is connected to microphone inputs on stage via RIO3224-D I/O racks and interfaces to the Dante network through dual Yamaha RPio222 I/O rack units and dual SWP1-16MMF L2 network switches. Inputs are provided to both FOH and monitor systems to give full and independent control of each, while redundancy for the FOH system is provided by three dual SWP2-10MMF L2 switches. “The local support behind Yamaha in Asia is second to none,” continues Honda. “In addition to the performance and reliability of their engineering, this offers you something that no other manufacturer can provide.” Tsai and the NineTai Audio team have been using the Rivage PM10 console for four years. “It is a highly intuitive, hands-on control surface that has been praised by all our customers on account of its exceptional sonic performance,” he says. “Personally, I have become a fan of the high-quality Silk processing, the eight plug-ins for inputs and outputs per channel and the flexibility this console offers. In terms of audio quality, it provides so much clarity, width and definition. It sounds so natural that most people think it is coming from the acoustics rather than the console. We can also use the

A Nexo STM system with B112 and S118 subwoofers can be flexibly applied StageMix App for remote mixing and tuning when required. Future firmware updates will ensure this board is up to date and current – in summary, it’s a great investment.” With a second-level balcony equipped with 291 fixed seats, the hall space is extremely flexible, easily transforming from hosting a 2,245-capacity live performance to a round table banquet or gala dinner setting for 1,025 guests. VIP seats located on the left upper balcony have a clear view of the 14.5m-wide stage. “The venue is quite large and spread out,” adds Tsai. “The redundancy built in over the Dante transport network between the console control surface, Lake processing and back end has resulted in lower cabling costs and real-time, stable transmission. We can continually monitor and manage the network from a PC without having to check the individual parameters on location.” Honda is now involved with the day-to-day running of Zepp New Taipei, working closely with concert promoters to fill the venue. “In Japan, we normally run at 80% capacity, with a show

almost every day, because there are so many domestic artists who want to play at our venues. In Taiwan, we’re going to host events for the local music industry and overseas artists in addition to corporations, businesses and houses of worship.” Having dealt successfully with the Covid-19 pandemic, Taiwan is nevertheless cautiously practising similar restrictions on mass gatherings to the rest of the world. The timing for opening Zepp New Taipei will no doubt stunt initial growth, but Japanese philosophy is fixed on the longer term. “We have a five- to 10year business plan and we don’t expect to start making profits for several years,” explains Honda. “We have set up operations in the right location and we have the best facilities to welcome promoters, artists and guests once the restrictions have been eased. We aim to offer a stable platform for culture in Taiwan.” www.nexo-sa.com www.ninetai-audio.com www.yamahaproaudio.com

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FEATURES: HOSPITALITY

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Scaling the heights Allen & Heath GLD-112 consoles mix the audio in the partitioned ballrooms

JBL Control speakers in the Panorama restaurant

The new Pullman Ciawi Vimala Hills resort combines design and luxury with natural surroundings. Richard Lawn reports from 600m above Indonesia’s capital city LOCATED 60KM SOUTH OF JAKARTA, BOGOR IS A WORLD away from the sprawl, pollution and congestion of the Indonesian capital. Nicknamed the Rain City, this hilly location served as the summer residence of the governor-general of the colonial Dutch East Indies and continues to attract tourists to the palace and gardens. The new Pullman Ciawi Vimala Hills Resort Spa and Convention Hotel from hospitality developer Accor has created a further attraction for those wishing to do business or simply relax. The five-star resort combines lifestyle and design against a backdrop of Mount Salak. Limited to a four-level height of 15m, the 229 rooms and villas are distributed across the 10 hectare site, allowing guests to enjoy the natural scenery and peace. Construction originally cited for 2013 was delayed by several years until villa plots had been sold to finance the remainder of the development. This meant that AV consultant PT Albeta Sukses Mandiri and systems integrator PT Kairos Multi Jaya, both reporting to property owner PT Putra Adhi Prima, general contractor PT Nusa Raya Cipta and interior designer P49 Deesign and Associates, were delayed access until late 2018. “Owing to the great distances connecting the various buildings around the resort, we adopted a fibre infrastructure,” explains Kairos Multi Jaya project manager, Damaran Kristanto. Accordingly, PT Albeta Sukses Mandiri insisted on the adoption of QSC Q-Sys Core audio processing and AMX NetLinx control management at the heart of the AV network. Having installed an extensive Cat-6a network throughout the resort, the Kairos Multi Jaya team was on hand to install and terminate the inventory of loudspeaker and display inputs and outputs.

QSC CXD4.3 amplifiers are networked to the Core processors The resort’s Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) facilities consist of two large ballrooms, five meeting rooms and an outdoor lawn. Hotel guests can dine at the Damar, Mad Cow and Panorama restaurants either before or after a relaxing drink in the Salak bar and lounge or Padi pool bar. In addition to the public areas, the Kairos Multi Jaya team was also commissioned to extend the audio network to the spa, pool and fitness centre. An AMX NX-3200 NetLinx integrated controller together with a dedicated Q-Sys Core 510f audio processor maintains AV network management over the Ethernet infrastructure for the ballrooms. Adopting multiple analogue and digital formats, the main GUI of the NX-3200 is an AMX MSD-701-L 7-inch wall-mounted touchpanel. Featuring eight I/O card slots, a 256x256 frame of audio channels and connected to Cisco SG300 switchers, the Core 510f processors will facilitate future expansion possibilities for the resort.

A further QSC Q-Sys Core 510f unit maintains BGM distribution over the Ethernet infrastructure from the main IT server room adjacent to the reception desk. Adopting multiple analogue and digital formats, an iOS touchscreen has been adopted by the reception staff for the Q-Sys Core 510f processor, while QSC TSC-7w 7-inch touchpanels are wallmounted in each of the BGM zones. Currently, BGM distribution is limited to 10 designated zones, including the drop-off area, balcony, lobby, lounge and VIP lounge. The addition of a QSC PS-1600G page station with command keypads and a gooseneck microphone affords touchbutton paging for the receptionist. The BGM is currently zoned from music sources, including four FaRao PRO tablets, an iOS input, Spotify and a Tascam CD-200 player connected to the Q-Sys 510f via a desktop computer. Powered by QSC ISA500Ti amplifiers, 100V operation is output to EAW SMS2.6T surfacemount and CIS2.4T ceiling speakers. Elsewhere, RCF PL 8X 8-inch ceiling models and Bose Free Space 51 cabinets are powered by QSC CXD4.3 amplifiers in 8Ω mode. Digital signage comes in the form of LG video displays receiving HDMI signals from the NX-3200 controller via AMX N2122 encoders, N2222 decoders and an SC-N8001 controller. Epson projectors and an LED videowall catch the guest’s eye upon entering the main ballroom. HDMI and DSDI video signals are transmitted from the NX-3200 controller via N2122 encoders, N2222 decoders and an SC-N8001 controller. Here, the audio signal is split and routed to an additional Q-Sys Core 510f processor, whose DSP parameters including AEC are configured within the Q-Sys designer software. In addition to centralised control, localised AV signals

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Outdo

FEATURES: HOSPITALITY in the Junior Ballroom and meeting rooms are input into Albeta’s wall plate interfaces. The 1,040m² ballroom can be partitioned into three smaller sections by applying room-combining DSP settings in the Q-Sys Designer software. Capable of hosting 650 or 850 guests in banquet and theatre modes, respectively, the technical operators control the AV parameters from an iPad touchscreen. Dominating the room are ornate chandeliers suspended from the 7m-high ceiling. However, these bejewelled features provided an obstacle during the ballroom installation as the projection path was initially blocked. When the room is partitioned, Epson EB-G7200W projectors installed on motorised scissor lifts can be lowered into position to output content onto Somason MS-200 4.45m x 2.49m (WxH) motorised screens. When the rooms are combined to create a landscape mode, a large LED screen displays video sources, including a PC loaded with vMix software, a Blu-ray player, HDMI and VGA inputs from an AMX decoder. For BGM and speech reinforcement, each partitioned section is equipped with eight EV C8.1HC ceiling speakers. In addition to providing sufficient amplification headroom for the 24 8-inch speakers, the QSC CXD4.3 amplifiers are also networked to the Core processors. As such, room-combining DSP settings that have been configured using the Q-Sys Designer software and stored in the Core processor can be applied by iPad control. In addition to wall and floor audio input panels, Audio-Technica ATW-1102 UHF 2.4GHz wireless handheld microphones can be used for speeches and announcements. The audio inputs from all three sections are routed to individual Allen & Heath AR84 I/O expanders and AR2412 dSNAKE racks via Cat-6a cabling for mixing on dedicated Allen & Heath GLD-112 consoles. Inserted with a Dante card, the network is expanded to audio peripherals via Audinate

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including HDMI and VGA inputs, visual presentations in each room are enhanced by Somason motorised screens and Panasonic PT-VW350 projectors. The audio setup includes RCF PL 8X ceiling speakers powered by QSC ISA500Ti amplifiers, Allen & Heath ZED-1402 mixers, Peavey PV 231 equalisers and Audio-Technica wireless microphones. Q-Sys network connectivity has been applied to the dining room, restaurants and spa courtesy of Q-Sys Core I/O-8 Flex expansion units and CXD4.3 amplifiers. Two of the three zones in the dining room are catered for by RCF PL 8X 8-inch coaxial speakers and EAW SMS2990 quadruple 3-inch The chandeliers proved an obstacle for video projections Dante Legacy Modules (DLM). Furthermore, a downloaded GLD Remote app provides wireless iPad control for the technicians. Alternatively, should operators prefer to control the various ballroom functions from the technical room, simplified dragand-drop operations of the channel processing control section can be performed on the 8.4-inch touchscreen, such as the assignment of inputs and mixes to fader strips. Upstairs, the Junior Ballroom can host up to 150 people and be divided by a single partition. Local AV connectivity in each section is provided by Albeta LC-1000 eight-in/four-out wall plates. Powered by QSC ISA 500Ti amplifiers, 12 EAW CIS400 6.5-inch bass-reflex flush-mounted ceiling loudspeakers provide 110° x 110° audio coverage. Mixing is performed on separate Allen & Heath digital Qu-32 mixers. The main video outputs are twin Panasonic PT-VW350 4,000-lumens LCD projectors and Somason 120-inch diagonal motorised screens in 16:9 resolution. On the same level, four meeting rooms can host groups of up to 100 guests in theatre mode. Equipped with wall plates

AMX transceivers transmit the HDMI and SDI signals models on the balcony. BGM levels and parameters in all three zones can be managed from two wall-mounted Q-Sys TSW-7w touchscreens. Both the Bridge and the Panorama restaurants combine JBL Control pendants and EAW SMS2.6T enclosures powered by QSC ISA300Ti amplifiers. Once again, network control is provided by Q-Sys I/O-8 Flex expansion units and TSW-7w touchscreens. Powered by QSC ISA500Ti amplifiers, the same Q-Sys setup enables a network of Bosch LBC 1410 and RCF PL 8X speakers to soothe guests visiting the spa. Standalone portable Peavey DM 112 and DM 115 combinations powered by PV1500 amplifiers serve the pool bar and fitness centres. One downside to the wonderful vistas and cool air of the Vimala Hills is that the remote location is sometimes subject to an irregular power supply. Accordingly, an extensive IPS has been added to provide a two-hour back-up during blackouts. “Changing the faulty fibre converters to more economical fibre converters has made the network more robust,” explains Kairos Multi Jaya MD, Dharma Paryasa Reyhan. “We’re a little uncertain about their long-term durability, but we’re confident that these will endure the test of time.” Technicians overseeing AV operations at the extensive resort are clearly benefitting from the ease of use and control functionality that have resulted from implementing a fibre network infrastructure, and the confidence and calm this instils is reflected throughout the property. www.albeta.co.id www.kairosmultijaya.com

Outdoor BGM is provided by EAW SMS2.6T enclosures

www.pullman-ciawi-vimalahills.com

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FEATURES: CORPORATE

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Theme work

L–R: Chimelong engineering department mangager Yi Linfeng and Guangzhou Chuangyi general manager Yan Furu

Chinese tourism group Chimelong’s new headquarters feature the latest in cutting-edge building, AV and lighting technology. Sue Su reports from Guangzhou FOUNDED IN 1989, GUANGDONG CHIMELONG GROUP HAS become one of the key players in China’s tourism industry. It owns two well-known tourist resorts, Guangzhou Chimelong Tourism Resort and Zhuhai Chimelong International Ocean Resort, which welcome tens of millions of tourists each year. According to data released by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), Chimelong ranks as one of the top 10 theme park groups in the world. In order to keep pace with the rapid development of the group, the Chimelong Group officially opened the Chimelong Building in the Guangzhou Chimelong Tourism Resort as its new headquarters in 2019. The building was designed by architect and academic He Jingtang, the man behind the China Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo (now the China Art Museum), with engineering survey and design specialist Fang Xiaodan presiding over the structural design. The construction area of 94,000m2 includes a 20-storey main building and a five-storey auxiliary building. The Chimelong Group has invested more than RMB100 million in intelligent integration, aiming to build an environmentally friendly, modern and intelligent building. Guangzhou Chuangyi Information Technology provided AV and lighting systems integration for 83 meeting rooms and a lecture hall in the building. Chuangyi is the long-term partner of both Harman (China) and Ruisheng, TW Audio’s Chinese distributor. As such, it has supplied and worked on many high-end projects. A 271-seat lecture and multifunctional hall connects the main and auxiliary buildings. In addition to internal conferences, movies and corporate events are also held here, and its sound system has been carefully concealed in the interior décor. “The lecture hall is a high-end venue, and Chimelong required that external speakers could not be seen,” explains Yan Furu, general manager of Chuangyi. “Keeping up good communication with the interior décor company, Studio HBA, we were able to work out a design that preserved the beauty of the interior without sacrificing directional sound.”

TW Audio’s M6 speakers are used for the surround sound system The hall is installed with a theatre-style sound reinforcement system – an L-C-R system of three TW Audio T20 compact speakers, supplemented by three TW Audio M15 speakers, also in L-C-R configuration. All speakers are hidden in the ceiling decoration, with a decorative panel kept open so that the seats are targeted by directional sound. A total of 10 TW Audio M6 speakers are used for surround sound with five along each side wall hidden in a black decorative strip. Together with a lighting strip, this complements the simple and bright style of the hall. Low frequency is handled by two B30

subwoofers installed behind acoustically transparent cloth on both sides of the stage. All the speakers are driven by three RAM Audio Zetta Z440 and two T 1204 amplifiers. Monitoring is provided by two TW Audio M12s driven by Zetta Z440 amplifiers, and two JBL LSR305 powered speakers. Audio sources include Shure MX418D/C gooseneck microphones on the podium and two sets of Shure ULXD2/B58 wireless handheld microphones. For meetings, five sets of Bosch Dicentis digital wireless conference systems have been provided for portable use. A Blu-ray player and Denon DN-700AV 7.1-channel AV receiver are also available. A 12m x 5m Chimelong custom-branded LED screen with 1.9mm pixel pitch has been installed across the back of the stage. Stage lighting from local brand Nightsun includes SPC051H, SPC049K LED PAR and GPS006G LED tri-colour fixtures. A camera on either side of the stage and another that is ceiling-mounted in the centre of the auditorium can record important meetings and events, and can also be used for monitoring on a display in the control room by lighting and sound engineers. The camera can also be linked to the Bosch Dicentis microphones to display images of guest speakers on the large LED screen. The core of the video system is an Enova DGX 1600 Enclosure (DGX1600-ENC) digital media switcher, which handles audio and video signals provided by the HDMI and VGA interfaces, the Blu-ray player, the camera and the giant LED screen. With a maximum matrix of 16x16, this supports 4K and HD video content. Multimedia boxes with three audio inputs and outputs and two Ethernet ports are provided around the hall and on the stage, allowing audio and video content to be output to the LED screen from different locations. Audio, stage and ambient lighting, air conditioning, matrix switching, LED screen and other systems are connected to an AMX NX-3200 integrated controller and can be controlled from a wall-mounted AMX MXT-1001 10-inch touchscreen. Four

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Basic-level type A meeting room

The 271-seat lecture hall connects the two buildings preset modes – conference, theatre, energy saving and shut down – can be activated at the touch of a button, with four more reserved for future expansion. Custom settings can also be created; the LED screen can be adjusted from full screen to two-split screen, four-split screen and five-split screen; and each of nine rows of ambient lighting can also be controlled. An iPad equipped with the AMX TPC-iPad app is also provided, allowing users the flexibility to operate in every corner of the hall. A Yamaha CL1 mixing console and a Nightsun GM089M lighting console have been provided for more complex stage audio and lighting requirements. A total of 83 meeting rooms of various sizes throughout the main and subsidiary buildings have been divided into five types – A, B, C, D and E – according to the purpose of the rooms and configurations of the AV systems. Meeting room schedules are displayed on a Crestron TSW-1060 10-inch touchscreen outside each door, connected to a customised conference reservation system, which allows users to book the required AV equipment and timeslot required and remind them 15 minutes before the end of the meeting. The 43 type A rooms, mainly used for internal departmental meetings and discussions, are equipped with a simple AV setup: a 75-inch Ultra HD TV, HDMI, VGA and Ethernet ports and 3.5mm audio connectors. The 28 type B rooms are equipped with four JBL Control 16C/T 6.5-inch ceiling speakers driven by Crown CDI1000 power amplifiers, a Chimelong custom-branded 5,000-lumen ultrashort-throw laser projector and a 120-inch projection screen. A multimedia socket on the desktop provides HDMI, VGA, Ethernet and 3.5mm audio connectivity. Type B and above meeting rooms are equipped with a Barco ClickShare CSE-200 wireless presentation system. Users can connect laptops, tablets and smartphones and content is projected wirelessly onto the screen. Again, a socket provides HDMI, VGA, Ethernet and 3.5mm audio connectivity. Air conditioning, lighting, audio, projection, matrix switching, curtains and other equipment can be controlled via an AMX DVX-3256HD-SP all-in-one presentation switcher, and a wallmounted 7-inch AMX MXD-700 touchscreen facilitates the choice between ordinary and projection meeting modes. Two type C meeting rooms on three different floors can be combined into a larger space for flexible meetings as well as small events, and all have moveable seating. Each meeting room is equipped with four JBL Control 16C/T 6.5-inch ceiling speakers, a Vivitek DU7090Z 6,000-lumen projector and a Grandview 120-inch motorised screen. Since the meeting format is not fixed, no central control system is required. The AV equipment configuration in the four type D rooms is similar to that of the type B rooms, with the addition of Polycam Realpresence Group 550 video conferencing equipment, including a camera and an omnidirectional desktop microphone.

Type B room setup

Top-of-the-range type E room

Type C rooms can be combined to create larger spaces Compared with the type B setup, the projection equipment is more high end, and includes a Vivitek DU7090Z 6,000-lumen projector and a Grandview 120-inch motorised screen. Audio equipment includes four JBL Control 16C/T 6.5-inch ceiling speakers. An AMX DVX-3256HD-SP all-in-one presentation switcher and AMX MXD-700 7-inch touchscreen can be used to integrate all electromechanical equipment at the touch of a button. AV equipment in the two larger type E meeting rooms is the same as type D, supplemented with two JBL CBT 50LA-LS line array column speakers, a Shure SLX24 wireless system with SM58 mics and a 75-inch TV. Other equipment includes four JBL Control 16C/T 6.5-inch ceiling speakers, a Vivitek DU7090Z

6,000-lumen projector, a Grandview 120-inch motorised screen, an AMX DVX-3256HD-SP presentation switcher and AMX MXD-700 touchscreen. A boardroom combines a Bosch DCN conference system with the type E meeting room AV setup, while a VIP lounge adds a Bosch Dicentis digital wireless conference system to the type D meeting room setup. Given the combination of a large number of meeting rooms, the amount of third-party systems installed and a short timeframe for construction, Guangzhou Chuangyi worked closely with both Chimelong and interior designer Studio HBA, continuously adjusting the design plan to deliver the project smoothly. In constructing the Chimelong Building, the group now has its first true headquarters, which is on track to be awarded three stars in China’s green building evaluation standard – the highest level. The building also has a comprehensive IoT communications platform, allowing operational data from the major parks in Guangzhou, Zhuhai plus one under construction in Qingyuan to be accessed. “Chimelong Building is one of the few buildings that can implement the Internet of Things concept,” concludes Chuangyi’s Yan. “It is also a benchmark in the industry in terms of the investment and scale of AV equipment. We are very proud to have been able to participate in such a project.” www.china-rs.com www.gzcyi.com.cn pro.harman.com www.twaudio.de

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FEATURES: RECORDING

Zhang holds up the historic Management Regulations of Recording Studio

L–R: Yuan Lijun and Zhang Xiaoan with the Genelec 1038As on either side

Stellar record

A studio in China is still using one of the first pairs of Genelec 1038A monitors and SSL 4000 series consoles to reach the country. Caroline Moss delves into Stele Studio’s past IT’S FAIRLY COMMON IN CHINA THESE DAYS TO FIND recording studios equipped with a carefully curated collection of vintage audio pieces alongside the latest technology, lovingly sourced from across the globe to add not only warmth and tone to recordings but extra kudos to the facility. Less common, however, is to come across a studio that has been operating for 40 years and is still using some of its early equipment, including a pair of Genelec 1038A main monitors and one of the first SSL 4000E mixing consoles sold in China, which was imported into the country in 1984 and installed the following year. Stele Studio in Beijing continues to work around the clock. “I believe that everyone in China must have heard songs recorded at this studio,” says Genelec China’s national director, Feng Hanying, citing Li Na’s famous Chinese folk hit, Qing Zang Gaoyuan, the Red Sun compilation of rerecorded classic Chinese anthems, and numerous sessions for well-known and long-established musical stars, including Dong Wenhua, Peng Liyuan, Cui Jian, Tu Honggang and Tan Jing. Situated in a building constructed in the 1950s, whose original use was as a radio station studio, CRC Stele Recording Studio came into being in 1979 under the auspices of the China Record Corporation. Some of the country’s best-known sound engineers – including Li Dakang, Shen Yuanzhi, Xu Tao, Han Baochang, Zhang Keqiang and Jian Jun – have worked at the studio. For many years, Stele has largely been the domain of Zhang Xiaoan, one of China’s best-known sound engineers, who has worked at the China Record Corporation since 1981. Sound engineer Yuan Lijun can be found at the controls alongside Zhang. Other vintage equipment still in regular use at the studio includes a Studer A800 24-track tape machine, an A80 two-track mastering machine and a collection of mics, including Bruel & Kjaer 4006, 4007 and 4011, Microtech Gefell UM 900, Sennheiser MD-441, Neumann U87, U89 and U69, Schoeps

Zhang at work on the SSL 4000E MK2, MK4 and MK8, and AKG C12 VR and 414 models, plus a Neumann dummy head. The studio is justifiably proud of its Genelec 1038As, which arrived in the country in 1995. Studio staff can tell you that the 1038As were produced on 28 September 1994 and were purchased as part of the first consignment of Genelec speakers to ever arrive in China. Initially putting in three years’ service at a recording studio in Broadcasting Tower in Nanlishi Road, they were then transferred to Stele, where Zhang has been working on them ever since. The speakers have the distinction of being the oldest pair of Genelecs still in operation in China, boasting a classic three-way design incorporating drivers, speaker enclosure, multiple power amplifiers and active, low-signal level crossovers, as well as Genelec’s Directivity Control Waveguide technology to maximise stereo imaging and frequency balance. Zhang confirms that the Genelecs haven’t needed any repairs for more than two decades. “They have unequivocally

stood the test of time,” he says. But, despite his fondness for the equipment he’s faithfully used since the early days of his career, Zhang is also a keen adopter of new methods and technologies, and is full of praise for the new generation of musicians. “Right from the start, I felt it was so easy to record with Pro Tools,” he says. “It really did seem to make recording a piece of cake.” Although he acknowledges that advancements in technology in recent years have lowered the threshold for sound engineers and provided countless possibilities for the creation of music, he is also of the opinion that the most important factors are creative ideas, a wellestablished audio aesthetic, skills that have been developed through perseverance and a long-term accumulation of knowledge and experience. “We had no such thing in the past,” he says, referring to the modern equipment available for studios today. “Existing recording technology is really much more convenient than in the past.” Despite the ever-increasing march of recording technology, however, Zhang sticks stalwartly to his time-honoured 1038As. He uses them daily, without wishing to change them for a modern pair, as the analogue age has given way to the digital domain, and reel-to-reel recorders have been replaced by digital audio workstations. “I have become accustomed to them,” he says by way of simple explanation. Although no longer available on the market, the 1038A was a landmark speaker for Genelec, winning the company its firstever TEC award in a run of 23 to date. By 2004, the 1038A had been upgraded to the 1038B, which in turn was replaced in 2014 by the 1238A equipped with the manufacturer’s SAM technology. However, the legend lives on in Stele, where it has become the studio’s characteristic sound, as the countless songs and albums to come out of it will testify. www.genelec.com www.solidstatelogic.com

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BUSINESS: COMMENT

A letter from America

Drive-in events cannot replace traditional concerts, yet for now they provide a sustainable and memorable alternative, reports Dan Daley

THANKS TO CONCERNS OVER COVID-19 “SECOND-SPIKE” local lockdowns, the UK has compelled Live Nation to cancel its Live at the Drive-In series of concerts over the summer. You don’t know what you’ve missed. They’ve been gangbusters over here, for better or for worse. Keith Urban’s show at the Stardust Drive-In about 40 miles east of Nashville in May was a self-described proof-of-concept show, and for the 125 or so cars – half the capacity of one of the theatre’s two screens – and the frontline healthcare workers in and on them (a car makes a useful six-foot distancing marker) to whom the show was dedicated, it was a proper treat. Urban told a local news outlet that they wanted to keep it small, with minimal PA and lighting rigs, and just two musicians beside himself, one of whom was essentially DJing backing tracks (using two laptops that enabled him to edit tracks on the fly to extend choruses, verses and intro, which let the song structures flow as freely as they do during “real” concerts). All three were 10 feet apart onstage. The idea has caught on. Colorado’s Beanstalk Festival in June took place at the Holiday Twin Drive-In in Fort Collins. Guests remained in their cars during performances while the artists were projected onto the screen and concert-goers were able to listen to the performance via their vehicle’s FM radios. In fact,

any venue with a large parking lot can get in on this action. The Texas Rangers baseball team announced plans to use their brand-new Globe Life Field stadium’s parking lot B to host a series of drive-in Concert in Your Car shows this summer. The use of drive-in movie theatres as concert venues will certainly be memorable, if not sustainable. It’s not the traditional concert hall or club experience and likely wouldn’t replace those once the pandemic is corralled, but, at a time when the few concerts there are have moved to online and television, this model provides something far more tactile. They can also be a boon to the venues: drive-in theatre numbers have declined to barely 300 from a 1960s’ high of over 4,000 and this represents a new purpose for them. The Rangers’ new US$1.1 billion stadium had yet to host a baseball game as of early August, so a few hundred paying cars now and then can help keep the lights on. These are also superior, at least to this observer, to the “concerts” and other performances from artists’ basements, bedrooms and front porches. These mostly run the gamut from cloyingly ambitious to positively twee. In between are streamed (live and otherwise) pay-per-view-type concerts, like recent ones by Garth Brooks and K-Pop idols BTS. They provide the artists with revenue, and – in the case of those

A letter from Europe

two artists – quite substantial sums. But that kind of haul is available mainly to top-ranked performers. With Spotify founder Daniel Ek’s assertion that the streaming service posts as many as 40,000 new songs per day, assuming those posters need to play live to make the rent, they’re not likely becoming PPV stars. Besides, even for major artists, the idea of a live or near-live show streamed puts it into another category of entertainment. Streamed and cabled performances give an audience a lot of control over the timing and pace of a performance; no matter how big your home screen is, hit “pause” and Beyoncé stops mid-note, frozen as you get another slice of pizza. That level of control over the artist is nice for the consumer but serves to diminish the power of the performance and perhaps the integrity and authenticity of the artist. (I say “perhaps” because he or she is likely endorsing Boots or Tesco.) Livestreamed concerts will be part of the mix in the post-pan era, as will basement streaming. But nothing will replace actually being there, and that won’t happen until the pandemic is tamed. All eyes had been on Germany, where a Bryan Adams concert was due to take place on 4 September at the Düsseldorf Stadium. Despite all the safety measures put in place, it became just another victim of a concert business we badly need to come back.

Phil Ward discusses how researchers across Europe are trying to predict when, and how, the live event industry can restart A CORONAVIRUS EXPERIMENT IN GERMANY HAS LED TO significant confusion regarding scientific method. Medical researchers in Leipzig, part of the old DDR and still a region characterised by mild cultural breathing problems, staged three gigs in one day under three measuredly different conditions inside the same venue: the first with no virus protection; the second putting some compromises in place; and the third with full social distancing and hygiene. Naturally, at each stage, audience capacity was reduced. However, economics was not the point. Nor was there, at any stage, a risk of the volunteers contracting the virus: all had been screened beforehand and cleared. Despite this, some observers have assumed that deliberate exposure to it was behind a fiendish, Mengele-style operation, probably flouting the Geneva Convention. No, calm down. The point of the exercise was to gather accurate data about how and where members of an audience interact in detail, using everything from photographs to fingerprints. This will be used to assess the most effective ways of readying the live event industry for the return of crowds, while similar studies are being carried out in Belgium, Denmark and Australia by scientists who will now liaise with Leipzig’s Halle University.

Alcohol was not allowed, alas, so not exactly real-world modelling. According to public health watchdog the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, German cases of Covid-19 have now risen above 310,000, including a dramatic 4,000+ jump in just 24 hours in early October. Not surprisingly, frantic attempts are being made worldwide to investigate how the live industry can reboot under such threatening conditions. Even the spectacular consolidation of the rental sector in the US – to wit: Clair Global’s acquisition of arch-rival Eighth Day Sound – is being couched in terms of “using this available time” to “emerge prepared with all the needed resources to serve a global customer base”. Expect hand sanitiser brackets on the consoles. In London, major players in the theatre industry have been carrying out parallel tests, albeit under less than laboratory conditions. Even gargoyle-flattering musical vampire Andrew Lloyd-Webber has splashed out on major alterations to one of the city’s famous old theatres in the hope of proving that events can take place safely. Inside the London Palladium, his team has erected partitions and Perspex shields in strategic places, not unlike in every bar and pub around the country, as well as installing sanitiser sprays in the aisles, fixing thermal cameras at the entrances and prohibiting every other row of seats.

Normally, capacity in the venue is just over 2,000 and, for a streamed concert headlined by soul diva Beverley Knight, the scrubbed-up punter count reached somewhere between 500 and 600. Not bad, but one industry eyewitness did describe it to me as “a sterile experience, in more ways than one”. Uncomfortably, while the civil servants of the Robert Koch Institute sleep soundly in their beds ready for a 7:30am alarm, the more reckless constituency of Berlin is still doing its thing, whooping it up in graffiti-strewn steel and concrete bunkers till dawn at an ongoing and authority-embarrassing series of illegal raves. And when the civil servants go to work at the institute, they produce statistics that confirm, at the time of writing, that the average age of those who are newly infected is now 32. In April it was 52. It’s possible that the Halle data will enable the official clubs to reopen and divert those hell-bent on partying into more controlled environments. But even official venues, like the bar “Klo” in Berlin’s Mitte district, have trouble with tracking and tracing: speaking to Deutsche Welle magazine, barman Mario Kreibe reveals the name Donald Duck on the register, hailing from the city of Entenhausen. Translation? “Duckburg”. Really, what can you do?

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Untitled-5 4

26/10/2020 14:55

BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

Vivid

Driven by passion L–R: CMG’s Aaron Taylor, Tobi Pinazza and Steve Biermann

Established just five years ago, CMG has grown into a dedicated Meyer Sound rental house and full-service event company. Caroline Moss looks into the success of the relative newcomer

The CMG team greet their new Meyer Sound Leo system at the Wollongong warehouse CMG AUDIO VISUAL WAS FOUNDED IN JULY 2015 BY four business partners: Aaron Taylor (managing director), Tobi Pinazza (general manager/technical director), Steve Biermann (chief financial officer) and Ben Wright (director of marketing and partnerships). Heralding from diverse professional backgrounds, CMG’s management team offers a broad skill set to its Australian clients. The concept of launching a new audiovisual company grew from humble beginnings, namely a friendship that developed between Taylor and Pinazza who met while attending local events in the regional town of Wollongong in New South Wales. The pair discovered a common and defining interest: while Pinazza had almost 15 years’ experience in senior technical roles in Australia and overseas, including stints on cruise ships and as general manager of a production company, Taylor had a passion for AV and lighting products, having purchased, experimented with and traded in a range of equipment since his early twenties. By 2013, this had included the purchase of his first-ever Meyer Sound loudspeakers – a pair of UPA-1Ps – which were supplemented by a set of USW-1P subwoofers later that year. By 2014, when Taylor’s fledgling Meyer

CMG’s truck stage is in demand for outdoor events Sound inventory was enhanced by the arrival of a compact Mina curvilinear array, an idea had started to form that would define the beginning of a new era for Meyer Sound in Australia. The duo had identified that Meyer Sound’s next-generation Leo family of loudspeakers was not being represented in the

Australian touring and events markets, despite experiencing much success overseas. Seeing the opportunity this provided, in 2015 they teamed up with Biermann and Wright to launch CMG Audio Visual with Australia’s first Meyer Sound Leopard linear line array and 900-LFC system. The company moved into its first office and warehouse space in Montague Street, North Wollongong, shortly thereafter. “The Meyer Sound Leo family of systems was already very successful in international markets, and we were confident that the strong demand and brand preference experienced overseas could be replicated locally,” says Pinazza. “There was an opportunity to be the first to bring these best-in-class, highperformance line array systems to Australia and, to date, this decision has proved a success for our business, much to the satisfaction of our clients.” Following its official launch in 2015, CMG delivered mainly charitable, not-for-profit and local government and community events throughout regional NSW. This quickly led to much larger corporate events, launches and private functions, as well as a series of shows and live performances across Sydney, Wollongong and further afield. These include the Vivid Sydney festival of light and music, multi-stage festivals such as Subsonic Music (Newcastle) and a series of arena shows ranging from Grease – the Musical in Perth to national ballroom dancing championships across the country. “A special event for us that’s close to home, and that we’ve delivered since our establishment in 2015, is the i98 Illawarra Convoy,” says Pinazza. Held every year in November to raise funds for local children and their families who are affected by serious illness and disease, the event is one of Australia’s largest one-day fundraisers. In 2019, it raised AU$2.76 million with the participation of more than 750 trucks and 900 motorbikes, plus an audience of over 10,000 at the Family Fun Day and fundraising concert that marked the end of the convoy throughout the Illawarra coastal region of NSW. By 2018, CMG had launched CMG Touring, a dedicated Meyer Sound rental company, adding a mid-size Lyon linear line array and 1100-LFC system to its inventory and moving to larger premises three times the size of the original space to accommodate its growth. The new investment underlined the team’s passion for delivering audio experiences and commitment to the Meyer Sound family of products. By now,

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that increased its Meyer Sound inventory to more than 320 individual loudspeakers. Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck, crippling the events industry worldwide. The company was able to proceed with Harvest Rain’s Wizard of Oz Arena Spectacular at the Qudos Bank Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park in February, before the live events industry was closed down. However, CMG remains positive about the future, retaining 12 of its permanent employees via the Australian Government’s JobKeeper package. “We have a talented crew of technicians, operators and support staff that we’re very proud of,” says Taylor. “We have Vivid Sydney festival of light and music

Wizard of Oz Arena Spectacular at the Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

CMG had become a full-service event company offering a large range of audiovisual, lighting and staging equipment. In addition to its Meyer Sound inventory, the company stocks a selection of Midas Pro Series consoles, Martin lighting fixtures, Claypaky strobes and moving heads, MA Lighting consoles, Barco projectors and a large quantity of VuePix IP-rated LED screen modules. “Although we’ve experimented with multiple speaker brands and still have several examples from other suppliers in the warehouse, we’ve chosen to pursue Meyer Sound exclusively for the vast majority of our inventory due to their superior intelligibility, flexibility and quality,” says Pinazza. Another investment that has been in high demand, particularly in the peak summer months, is a large truck stage which is used for outdoor concerts, events and celebrations such as Australia Day, the Melbourne Cup and New Year’s Eve. The arrival of Lyon in 2018 was the catalyst for CMG to extend its presence across Australia, delivering a range of national theatre tours and events, including the provision of a sound system for the UFC 234 mixed martial arts event at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne before a sold-out crowd and global audience. Just two years later, in February this year, CMG announced its largest acquisition to date, completing the purchase of a Leo linear line array system

this scale will return to Australia post-pandemic and we’ll be well positioned to deliver an incredible listening experience for audiences across the country, through our Meyer Sound Leo family of loudspeakers.” During the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, CMG has pivoted to supply a range of livestreaming services and virtual event options, including a custom-built live performance space available for hire within the Wollongong warehouse. Restrictions on public gatherings have seen many events scheduled for this year being cancelled or postponed until 2021, including the i98 Illawarra Convoy, due to take place in November via a fundraising broadcast. “The future is bright for CMG as they’ve grown rapidly by focusing on their customers and delivering superior value,” comments Meyer Sound’s Asia Pacific sales manager, Chris D’bais. “They now hold the largest Meyer Sound rental inventory in Oceania and Southeast Asia. With the Leo family being widely specified on international riders, including top artists like Metallica and Ed Sheeran, CMG is able to support the Meyer Sound global touring network, and this will only strengthen once we return to some level of normality.”

UFC 234 at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne experienced tremendous growth over the past five years, much of which can be attributed to the long hours, hard work and enthusiasm of our staff. This has been a challenging year for all of us, and we wish we could extend the Covid-19 support payments to more of the casual and contract staff that, up until the pandemic, we worked and partnered with closely on a regular basis. However, we’re confident that live events of

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

Pequod’s location doubtless stimulates creativity

The Italian job The Pequod team and friends at the launch event, PL+S Frankfurt 2019

Sue Gould revisits pro audio newcomer Pequod Acoustics to find out how the Italian manufacturer has adapted during the pandemic

IT SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS ONLY A YEAR AGO that Pro AVL Asia visited the Pequod Acoustics headquarters situated in the verdant, rolling hills above Florence. The Italian speaker manufacturer was riding high after a successful launch event at Prolight + Sound Frankfurt 2019 and had a defined road map for further expansion and high-profile partnerships. Toasts were made to the future. Then, barely a few months later, the pandemic struck. Despite the havoc wreaked by Covid-19, one has to question what initially led brothers Andrea and Simone Ugolini to enter such a crowded, highly competitive marketplace in 2016. Both men were independently successful in their own fields, Andrea owning a structural engineering studio handling civil, military and government construction, while Simone was the CEO of the family’s well-established construction firm. Yet, away from the day-to-day business, Andrea had always held a deep-rooted, personal passion for high-end audio and had become increasingly frustrated by what was available to consumers. Together with Simone, he felt that they could change that landscape and, after some trial and error experiments and subsequent positive results, the brothers decided to take their passion to the next level with the creation of Pequod Acoustics. Not long after, the pair coined the term “Hi-Pro speakers”. “This is the synthesis of what we do,” explains Andrea, who acts as the company’s chief technical officer. “We blend together the best of the pro audio and hi-fi worlds. We have linear and accurate high-fidelity sound reproduction paired with the high SPL needed for professional audio.” This, he feels, is what sets Pequod apart from the rest of the pack. “The concept and approach are totally different. A lot of other companies use the sentence ‘no compromises’ but, here, it’s really true. Everything is made in Italy and the choice of components, the methods of constructing the speakers, the research into sound perfection – it’s all at the highest level. The outer design of the products is sound-driven and is something unique in the world.”

One only has to look at the current product line-up to appreciate how that ingrained passion has turned into a commercial reality. At that Frankfurt show in 2019, the philosophy clearly paid dividends, drawing a crowd of visitors to the booth to witness the enormous Shockwave three-way, horn-loaded system – with its 112cm-diameter mid-bass horn – working in tandem with the huge horn-loaded Hydra Super Sub.

Working on Cerberus “It was amazing; everyone was looking at us as the newest and coolest brand,” recalls Simone, Pequod’s chief executive manager. “We captured their attention and I think the market was ready for a new brand that manufactured something quite different from just another black box.” While the horn’s huge size enables proper sound reproduction at certain frequencies, the visual aspect of the range cannot be understated and is definitely a crowd puller.

Leonardo Dani (right) with Allan of Guangzhou Dardankings “You can’t hide this kind of massive speaker,” admits Andrea, “so why not incorporate the bright colour as part of the club’s general design?” Yet, from an acoustic perspective, the CTO is keen to elaborate on what the Pequod designs offer compared to more traditional models. “Almost every existing and future product from us uses horn-loaded technology,” he continues. “Without revealing too much about the type of horns we use, we are able to create a much more dynamic range than our competitors, as well as very consistent polar pattern dispersion with extremely high phase coherence. Furthermore, they produce almost zero sound reproduction at the back of the horns.” An additional characteristic is the bespoke design of Pequod’s passive crossovers, constructed using high-quality components, which Andrea claims is impossible to obtain with standard DSP. “They really increase the clarity and quality of playback to really lifelike levels and, furthermore, you only need a two-channel amplifier to drive a couple of our three-way systems. “Our systems are really plug-and-play,” he furthers. “They sound good immediately and you don’t need to struggle with complicated software or DSP presets. Only minimal corrections are needed according to the environment. More importantly, everyone from an audio guru to a clubber hears good and nice sound, with no ear fatigue. Another important aspect that makes us different from many other manufacturers is the high-grade IP rating of all our products. They can be installed or used in marine-grade environments, or outdoor in any temperature or weather condition. Plus, the composite and resins we use are fireproof-certified.” The advantage of being an independent, artisanal company has clearly provided Pequod with much-needed flexibility during the challenges of 2020. “We are a small but very wellfinanced company,” says Simone. “We don’t have hundreds or thousands of employees on the payroll and our streamlined structure has enabled us to not just survive this pandemic but also, albeit at a slower rate, continue growing.”

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE From those heady days when Pequod was simply a research project focused on “pursuing perfect audio reproduction with high SPL”, to the tipping point, where the business moved into the commercial domain, the brothers recognised that they needed to take the business to the next level. The appointment of industry veteran Leonardo Dani as chief sales officer was crucial to the company’s development. “Leo was the perfect candidate to help us with this transition,” attests Simone. “With his experience, he offered us multiple points of view: cost analysis, target prices, competitor comparisons and not least his clear picture of a brand establishment strategy demonstrating sustainable growth.” Dani joined following senior roles at Outline Audio, APIA and K-array, with a wealth of experience in developing overseas markets. While that background is serving him well as he introduces Pequod to the wider market, he’s understandably cautious about which segments will now present the most opportunities. “Before the pandemic, I would have said fixed installations in clubs and restaurants were the target, but now I don’t know if the club market will ever come back to past levels,” he says. “However, luxury home entertainment installation is another important market for us. We’ll see how the global scenario will evolve in the future, and we can and will react accordingly.” Immediately after PL+S 2019, Dani had thrown himself into developing Pequod’s distribution network and Asia was the first port of call, with exclusive distribution rights given to Vanlam Audio Equipments in Vietnam, quickly followed by Guangzhou Dardankings Audio Equipment in China. While these tie-ups have followed traditional distribution models, Dani acknowledges that different countries can operate more effectively in different ways. “We have used an alternative approach in Singapore, selling systems via friends for three different clubs: the Riverhause at Clarke; 1 Altitude, a 63rd-floor rooftop club in the financial district; and the new 1-VÜ club on Sentosa Island.” Further possibilities include Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Mauritius, but understandably the pandemic has put those conversations on hold. The network of contacts that Dani has cultivated over the years is proving profitable in terms of some high-profile collaborations with the likes of fashion brand Burberry and

Italian DJ Benny Benassi. In typical low-key style, he sums this up in three words: “network, luck and design. The range immediately sparked the interest of fashion and event designers as well as artists, and we’re getting very good results. I’m working hard to make new partnerships, and now there’s a domino effect happening involving famous brands from other markets.” Product development is not slowing down either. “Our upcoming horn-loaded Polyphemus will be the biggest product we have launched,” reveals Andrea. “After that, we intend to release the new and very uncommon triple 18-inch Cerberus subwoofer. Our challenge now is to find the right amplifier to drive it because of the large amount of power it requires. But we are already working on this issue and we will find a solution soon.” To complete the hat trick, Pequod will focus on the fixed-install bar/restaurant market with a new 5-inch coaxial model similar in design to Kona but which can equally be used in a home studio setup when coupled with a small 10-inch sub or as a computer conference system for home offices or small boardrooms, coupled with a microphone. “This 5-inch

speaker has enabled us to plan for a new cooperation with an important brand from a market outside of pro audio,” discloses Dani. “If we are able to close the deal, it will be the most important act of co-marketing and co-branding in my career.” As the company looks ahead, the owners are also reflective about the journey that they have undertaken and lessons learnt. “We knew that this market wasn’t going to be simple but we didn’t expect that it would be so crowded and that there would be so much work just getting the attention of clients,” admits Andrea. “Product presentation, the website and our marketing has been changed twice already. Finding partners also wasn’t as easy as we had expected, but we’re learning quickly in order to do the right things in the future.” Concurring with his brother, Simone adds: “The pandemic has slowed down our market expansion a bit and removed precious resources from our R&D programme. But we feel we’re in a better position than other brands. We will be ready as soon as the markets start responding and asking for products again. We feel that our future will be bright and positive.” www.pequodacoustics.com

L–R: Andrea Simone and Leonardo Dani with the Cerberus 3x182Sub and Polyphemus

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26/10/2020 16:27

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

Prolight + Sound Guangzhou

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Sue Su reports from the China Import and Export Fair, Guangzhou, as the first major AV tradeshow since early 2020 goes ahead PROLIGHT + SOUND GUANGZHOU (PLSG), WHICH OPENED its doors on 21 August for four days, was the first international AV exhibition to resume after the impact of Covid-19, and an important indicator of how future events might take place. Under the motto “Beyond lighting and sound”, the 2020 edition had refined its product categories to focus on digital experiences and technological convergence. “The positive feedback that we received from buyers and exhibitors suggests that the positioning of the fair and its expansion into new product categories closely matched the needs of the market,” said Judy Cheung, deputy general manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK). “This is something that we hope to maintain at the next edition in May, where the industry will once again have the opportunity to explore the latest technologies and development trends.” Although the number of exhibitors and visitors cannot be compared to the crowds of previous years, most exhibitors reported that the show exceeded their expectations, and that despite a decline in visitor levels, the overall quality had improved. As usual, most imported audio brands were concentrated in Hall 5.2. This included Harman, Bosch, Ruisheng (TW Audio, RAM, Martin Audio), Tempo (Coda), Vue Audiotechnik, IAG Group (Xilica, Wharfedale), EAD (Alcons, Xilica, Ashly, Digigram), ST Audio (XTA, MC2, EM Acoustics, ARX), Bose and Peavey. Given the severity with which the market has been hit by the pandemic, and the fact that a lot of international travel is yet to resume, many former exhibitors chose not to participate in PLSG this year, including DMT (SSL, DPA, Clair Brothers, Avid, dBTechnologies, PMC), d&b, Real-Music (Adamson, Nextproaudio), EZpro (Allen & Heath, EAW, Powersoft, Symetrix), Phoenix (Funktion-One), PCI (QSC, FBT), MYC China (Kling & Freitag), SE Audiotechnik and KV2. Unlike the large crowds that descended in the mornings of previous years, most visitors attended during the afternoon. While exhibitor participation and footfall were down, PLSG 2020 still filled eight halls of Guangzhou’s China Import and Export Fair, covering 80,000m2 of exhibition space. Perhaps the

The Harman team most eye-catching of foreign brand participation was Harman’s 720m2 stand, with seven zones for its core partners. “As a market leader, Harman must support the show during the pandemic,” said David Lu. “The first day was better than we expected. Many people said they would not come because of the pandemic, but it was actually quite crowded. Our partners used to have their own booths, but this time we’ve gathered them together, with Harman at the centre, so that customers can have a one-stop experience of the Harman ranges. The pandemic has had a big effect on some markets, such as cinema, but other markets have grown more rapidly such

as audio and video conferences and education, so we are concentrating on these areas.” Opposite Harman, Bosch had taken an upgraded stand to show its brands including Electro-Voice and Dynacord. “Our business in the first half of the year was greatly affected by the pandemic, but we have seen some hope and opportunities in recent months,” said Yang Hua from Prosound China. “International sports events to be held in China, such as the Asian Games and AFC Asian Cup, will drive the construction and renovation of large stadiums in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.”

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Socia

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

Taiden’s Zhou Qingdong

Stanley Yao from Ruisheng with TW Audio’s new Ella6 Vue Audiotechnik China had a demo room to showcase its speakers, including an installation version of the al-8, and a 7.1 setup. “We estimated there wouldn’t be too many visitors, but the people who have come to see us are enthusiastic, and half of them may be end users,” said Gu Jiren. Ruisheng exhibited the new TW Audio Ella6 6.5-inch cardioid micro line array as well as the Martin Audio Adorn and DDX series for which it has been appointed exclusive dealer by Martin Audio’s new distributor, Guangzhou Guidance. “I’m seeing fewer customers at the show than I thought – maybe only about 40% compared to previous years,” said Ruisheng’s Stanley Yau. “However, those who have come are more targeted and want to discuss things in more detail. Going forward, the show organiser should arrange more activities to attract a bigger audience and bring confidence back to the people.” EAD Digital, which established Alcons China in 2019, had planned to hold a ceremony at the scheduled time of the show in February. “Compared with previous years, there

are only 30–40% of visitors, but this has exceeded our expectations,” said Szeto Kwong Man from EAD Digital. “Since the establishment of Alcons China, we can plan future strategies better, and participation in this show is an important part of our marketing and branding strategy.” EAD Digital was also exhibiting Digigram, Ashly, Altair and Xilica. Xilica was exhibiting different products across three stands, including Neutrino (EAD Digital), Solaro (AIG) and the CM series (Yukon Audio). “Xilica attaches great importance to the Chinese market,” continued Szeto. “Systems integration projects started coming back in June and July, and sales are reaching 60–70% of previous years.” Located opposite EAD Digital, ST Audio was showing MC2, XTA, ARX and a flown EM Acoustics HALO-A system. “There are definitely fewer people than last year, but more visitors came to our premises to listen after the show, and the quality is better,” said Chen Yongmin from ST Audio. Compared with Hall 5.2, Hall 4.2 seemed busier this year, maybe because of its focus on conference and communication – a market that has grown during the pandemic. Located at the entrance of Hall 4.2, Taiden recently announced a cooperation with Alibaba Cloud to create a smart conference solution featuring speech recognition. “In general, the pandemic has had little impact on us,” revealed Zhou Qingdong, general manager of Taiden. “Domestic sales have even increased in the last 3–4 months compared with the same period last year. There will be an impact on overseas sales, but it is not very large. Online conferencing will become a normal way of working, and this is an opportunity for us.” K-array’s staff came down from Beijing to participate in the show. “The show is a good chance for us to maintain face-toface communication with customers after a period of time,” said Jason Zhao from K-array China. Relacart was showing the new ConferX 64-channel digital automatic mixer and UR wireless microphone series. “We

L–R: Stephen Mao and Vicent Ko from Coda distributor, Tempo have met quite a few customers, and the number of visitors has reached about 50% compared to the past,” said Tim Wu. Notable by their absence from Hall 4.2 this year were microphone brands including Shure, Audio-Technica, Mipro and beyerdynamic. The new Shure SLX-D digital wireless system, launched in August, was exhibited on the stand of dealer, Ray Long. “There has been a very positive response to Shure’s new product,” said Liang Yujian from Ray Long. “Livestreaming has become a hot topic, with more customers from that market, as well as from the consumer and home studio sectors, and fewer people from live sound, broadcasting and theatre. The show traffic is much reduced, but better than we expected.” Mipro also chose to show its products on other stands including Tasso Audio, while Audio-Technica used its livestreaming platform to showcase products. “There is still uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, and so our choices of marketing activities are more cautious,” said

ties

e and ghai, Socially distanced line array demo

Staff on the K-array stand

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW Zhang Yali about the company’s decision not to participate in the show. In Hall 4.2, EZpro dealer Wsound, exclusive dealer of Allen & Heath’s SQ series in China, was also showing the EAW Radius series and Mackie AXIS console. “The show is slightly better than we expected,” said Liang Weijie. “The flow of people is certainly not as good as before, but people have come with sincerity and purpose. China’s club market has developed very fast in recent years, with investments of millions of RMB, and we have done quite a lot using EAW’s Radius.” Audinate, together with seven partners and the organiser of Prolight + Sound, launched the Dante course and system experience zone. Biamp’s distributor Tico used last year’s celebrations at Tiananmen Square on the 70th anniversary of National Day to illustrate the use of Dante networked audio in large-scale sound reinforcement projects. “The attendance rate during my lecture was about 80% compared to usual,” said Aaron Lu. “Of course, there are fewer people at the show than before, but it is better than expected. People can see there is hope of industry recovery.” “I feel that the traffic in Halls 4.2 and 5.2 is reversed this year,” said Audinate’s Steven Cai. “I don’t know if this is due to the increased demand for conferences and the decline in live performance. In the past, we’ve held seminars in the aisle outside the exhibition hall but, to obey the requirements of pandemic prevention, it has been moved to the innermost part of the hall. I thought people would not find us, but the attendance rate of our lectures has reached an average of 80%.” Located at the entrance of Hall 3.2, SAE was launching new products including the Soundard C1300Q and C3500Q amplifiers and the MEGA2500 power amplifier which provides two 2,500W power at 8Ω. Domestic sales of SAE’s Verity brand are now handled by Haona, which also distributes

Vue Audiotechnik China took a demo room

Lavoce’s Chen Bin

L–R: Hua Weihua and Yang Hua on the Bosch stand

affected by Covid-19. There was a QR code for visitor registration and original ID cards had to be shown when entering the hall. Once onsite, temperature scans, frequent sanitisation of facilities and distancing measures were also implemented. A total of 20 brands took place in the outdoor line array demo, which was split into two separate areas, with participating companies including Alcons, Coda and Turbosound and domestic brands such as ZSound and Admark. “We estimated that the number of people wouldn’t be too large, but those customers who came will have projects ongoing,” said Stephen Mao from Coda distributor, Tempo. Among external activities taking placing during the show, the official opening of the Rightway Education and Training Centre was held at the distributor’s new office in Guangzhou on the afternoon of the first day, attracting more than 100 people. Artsound held a dealers’ award banquet at a nearby

Bill Lee from SAE L-Acoustics in the club market for Rightway. “The number of visitors has dropped significantly,” said SAE’s Bill Lee. “The pandemic has had a great impact on foreign trade, especially the Indian market, and we can only hope that the East Asian market will improve next year.” Another domestic manufacturer, Lingjie Enterprise, had moved from Hall 6.1 to Hall 3.2, where it showed new conference, sound reinforcement and home theatre products. “The traffic has been 30–40% less than in previous years, but many customers were high quality,” said Zhang Pingfu. “Of course, there are very few foreign visitors. But the domestic market is moving in a positive direction.” Chinese brand TD Taichi, also located in Hall 3.2, was inviting visitors to its nearby factory. “Our stand is mainly for meetings, and demos are being conducted in the factory,” added Lei Dinggang. “Visitors to the show are fewer than in previous years, but more people are going to the factory to have a listen. They are very targeted.” This year, only two overseas speaker transducer manufacturers participated, both Italian brands, with Lavoce in Hall 5.2 and B&C in Hall 3.2. While Italy has been seriously affected by the pandemic, it may have presented an opportunity for Lavoce. “Our design, production planning and quality control are all led by Italy, but production is carried out in China, so our shipments and R&D have not been affected too much,” said Chen Bin. Added Kevin Lin of B&C’s distributor, Bai Sheng Audio: “The traffic in the first two days has reached 80–90% of previous years. Most of our customers are in Guangdong and will attend the show, but there are fewer people from other provinces. In March and April, when Italy was affected by the pandemic, it had an impact on our logistics, but now things are almost back to normal.” PLSG’s offering of educational programmes included the PLSG Annual Training Course, the Acoustic Block Forum Opportunities and Challenges of Audio Technology in Artificial Intelligence, the 10th Advanced Audio Forum and a Carving Art Exhibition. To help industry practitioners in the post Covid-19 era, safety topics dealing with the reopening of live events were added to the programme. Live coverage of the exhibition, including presentations of the industry’s latest products and technologies with around 75 participating brands showing new products online, was broadcast on the online trade media platform, HC360.com. Forums and training courses were also livestreamed. Together with the PLSG WeChat platform, which livestreamed the PLSG Annual Training Course, the two platforms attracted 165,000 views. The pandemic enforced mandatory regulations for visitors in line with the government’s Covid-19 prevention requirements. Attendees needed to register on the official WeChat account before entering the venue, and apply for a code developed by the government to show whether individuals have visited places

Staff from distributor ST Audio

Li Nanying on the stand of Sennheiser distributor, Artsound hotel for around 200 people, including partners, Sennheiser representatives, industry professionals and media. Awards were handed out to 37 companies during the banquet, at which Sennheiser’s 75th anniversary was also celebrated. Speaking at the conclusion of the fair, Cheung remarked: “In light of the ongoing global pandemic, we are pleased to have received full support from the industry. In keeping with the trend of digitisation, this year we channelled additional resources to facilitate business online – helping exhibitors market their products more effectively and easing the sourcing process for buyers. For the first time, the entire exhibition, including new products, training courses and seminars, was broadcast. We hope this new ‘offline + online’ experience made it easier for industry players to network, learn and explore business opportunities in the resurgent market.” The first AV tradeshow in Guangzhou was held in 2003, prior to its acquisition by Messe Frankfurt and right after the SARS pandemic was overcome. After 17 years, it has become the largest show for pro sound and lighting in China. Once this difficult year is over, it is hoped that PLSG can once again lead the industry to another peak of development.

2020 Dates:

21 – 24 August

2021 Dates:

16 – 19 May

Venue:

China Import and Export Fair, Guangzhou

Total exhibitors: 677 Attendance:

41,556

Contact:

www.prolight-sound-guangzhou. hk.messefrankfurt.com

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BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

The show floor hosted lively interactions and extensive networking

The c

PCI’s Norm

InfoComm China 2020 Nexo was shown on the stand of distributor Top Plot

Pro AVL Asia’s Frank Shao was on the front line to find out how the industry is recovering and discover the latest technology trends as the event opened to busy crowds in Beijing INFOCOMM CHINA 2020 TOOK PLACE AT THE NATIONAL Convention Centre in Beijing at the end of September, becoming just the second major AV tradeshow to take place since the pandemic took an axe to the annual calendar. Precautionary measures including mandatory mask-wearing and safedistancing measures were in place to help safeguard the wellbeing of all participants. And while attendance was down around a quarter from last year’s c40,000, lively interactions and extensive networking took place across the show floor. “When the pandemic broke out early in the year, with business operations disrupted and movement of people curtailed, we were not sure if Beijing InfoComm China could be staged due to health and safety concerns,” said Richard Tan, executive director of InfoCommAsia. “However, the encouragement of exhibitors gave us the confidence to proceed with organising the show, with the support of venue and industry partners. We were heartened by the positive response and feedback, validating our decision and justifying the confidence of participants and industry players.” Covering 68,000m2 of exhibition space and occupying 11 halls of the National Convention Centre, InfoComm China 2020 ran for three days. Among more than 450 exhibiting companies from around the world, over 100 were participating for the first time. Some 107 exhibitors were also showcasing products that were either new in China or in Asia. Solutions at this year’s show featured some of the best in Chinese innovations, including automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, Internet of Things (IoT) and other smart technologies that are transforming pro AV and integrated experience applications. This year’s exhibition also included the Start-up and Incubator Zones, a collaboration between Beijing Zhongguancun Software Park, Shenzhen Overseas Chinese High-Tech Venture Park and Chinaccelerator. The zones previewed ideas and technologies from 25 start-ups for next-generation integrated experience solutions, such as AI and IoT. Many of the industry’s biggest names, such as Christie, Barco, Epson, Panasonic, Huawei, Philips, Unilumin Technology, Crestron, Extron and Aten, were represented on the show floor, along with EZpro, Budee, Nexo, d&b audiotechnik, Soundking and iBO. Major microphone manufacturers such as Shure and Audio-Technica participated in the exhibition in their own right, and Genelec returned after an absence of several years. Several exhibitors throwing their weight behind InfoComm China,

L–R: Genelec’s Qu Lu, Ella Li and Jack Wu

L–R: Audio-Technica’s Tao Yong and Zhang Yali

our rhythm,” said Jason Ji from EZpro. “But as we see on the show floor, everything is recovering in an orderly manner. We are also developing a more active promotion plan to bring more products and cost-effective solutions to users.” Harman was exhibiting alongside its dealer Hongzhe Intelligent, demonstrating its brands such as AKG, AMX and JBL in video conferencing and conference collaboration solutions for enterprise. Harman was also showing its smalland medium-sized sound reinforcement solutions, using the recently launched BRX300 series line array system and JBL’s AMP series products to create a smart education system. In addition, AKG’s CS300 digital conference system was set up with the JBL Intellivox DSX280HD column speaker in a conference room environment.

Budee’s Shi Dafei hosts a demonstration

including Harman, Bose, Ruisheng, ACE and Xilica, had also supported the Prolight + Sound Guangzhou exhibition in August. Despite prior concerns among some exhibitors, attendance on the first day was strong. “The flow of visitors to the exhibition was beyond my expectation,” explained Tico’s Aaron Lu. “Before the show, everyone generally believed that there would not be too many visitors on the first day. In fact, if you look around, there are visitors talking about business at almost every booth.” In addition to the Biamp, Community and Apart product lines, Tico also showcased Panasonic’s AW series of cameras, Renkus-Heinz speakers and beyerdynamic conference products. EZpro attaches great importance to this exhibition, with two booths exhibiting 20 major brands. The distributor’s product line-up included Allen & Heath AHM-64 processors, EAW commercial series speakers, Powersoft Duecanali 6404 DSP+D and Quattrocanali 8804 DSP+D digital amplifiers and Televic Confidea Flex conference systems. “The epidemic has disrupted

The Soundking demo room

Genelec was showcasing the Smart IP network audio solution, the 4420 and 4430 active speakers and system management software. “Genelec’s Smart IP technology perfectly combines excellent sound quality with convenient connection,” said Qu Lu. Audio-Technica’s open booth design received good feedback. “The first day was good; our booth had a constant flow of visitors, and the quality of the audience was high,” explained Zhang Yali. “According to the needs of different users, Audio-Technica divided the booth into three sections: Digital Conference Solution Area, Wireless Conference Solution Area and Analogue Conference Solution Area. The new-generation 3000 and 5000 wireless series, the updated ATH-M44H and products such as the ATUC-50 attracted a lot of attention.” PCI’s bright red stand was reflecting its corporate “make a difference” philosophy. In addition to exhibiting airport and theme park solutions and smart guide applications, PCI also hosted the release of QSC’s Q-Sys Core 8 Flex. William Chan

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expre to the of trav to intr d&b const Ruish louds Kling demo along Nexo as we

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

The colourful d&b audiotechnik stand

PCI’s marketing manager Norman Hu hosts a QSC launch

The team from first-time exhibitor, iBO

expressed regret via video that he could not attend the show due to the epidemic, adding that he looked forward to the early lifting of travel restrictions and visits to customers. Sam Zhao went on to introduce the functions and features of the new product. d&b audiotechnik was showing its A and KSLi series and had constructed a demo room on the stand to promote Soundscape. Ruisheng was showing the TW Audio Ella6 line array loudspeaker and AKG DMS300 microphone system. Kling & Freitag (K&F) distributor MYCChina was also demonstrating products from Cadac and Studiomaster alongside K&F’s Spectra 212 loudspeaker system. Nexo’s distributor Top Plot was exhibiting the P and M series as well as the NXAMPmk2 amplifier and the super compact

Harman’s general manager, Tim Yeung

ID series. The Shure stand was promoting the latest Intellimix Room audio processing system, which became the core of the booth. Xilica was on the AIG stand with its Solaro FR1, Solaro I/O, Xtouch 50/80 and CS series column speakers and CL ceiling speakers. Taiden conference and education systems, including the Taiden intelligent hybrid conferencing system, Tailink intelligent voice transcribing solution, a new-generation paperless multimedia conference system, a digital infrared wireless conference system and HCS-4368 Series high-speed, large-scale voting system, were on show. Audix and Ecler products were both being shown on the stand of distributor Eatrend, located at the entrance of Hall E, while Budee, which has used opportunities presented by the

pandemic to carry out market reviews, was demonstrating a smart office AVIoT management platform. In addition, an Extron DTP Crosspoint 4K series audio and video control system and Aimline speakers were also on display. Domestic brand iBO was participating for the first time. “We’ve been demonstrating flexible conference solutions, from microphones and processors through to amplifiers and speakers,” said Liang Guangkun. “This not only shows that the company has a rich product line, but also reflects our professional product development capabilities. Although Covid-19 has affected the development of the entire industry, companies with core technologies will eventually be able to overcome the current difficulties.” “China is the first economy in the world to recover from the global coronavirus pandemic,” concluded InfoCommAsia’s Tan. “Exhibitors at the show have recognised the vast potential of this market and leveraged this event to demonstrate how their technologies can help pave the way for businesses to seize opportunities in the new economic order. For visitors to the show, this meant first-hand encounters with a plethora of technology and solutions relevant to a business environment that is evolving at an unprecedented pace in many ways.” The next edition of Beijing InfoComm China is scheduled to take place in July 2021.

2020 Dates:

28 – 30 September

2021 Dates:

21 – 23 July

Venue:

China National Convention Centre (Beijing)

Total exhibitors: c450 Attendance:

30,866

Contact:

www.infocomm-china.com

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

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Evolving trends in AV

The trials of 2020 have created a rapidly evolving AV market. With a career in AV spanning two decades, Crestron’s Stijn Ooms assesses the impact HAVING WORKED IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FOR AV automation and integration manufacturer Crestron for some 20 years, Stijn Ooms has witnessed some serious technology changes throughout his career. Add in disruptions to the typical business model introduced by coronavirus and the projected time to market for some equipment has overtaken other technologies that seemed more crucial at the time. It’s a good time to reassess the future of the meeting space and huddle room, and audiovisual technology is key to a smooth transition. Who better to steer us through the last decade of AV disruptions than a man who has been central to Crestron’s product management since the start of the new millennium.

How did you first become involved in this field and what is your role at Crestron?

whole revolution. The PDA was on the upswing and, thanks to the Ethernet port, it was suddenly possible to control the space through a touchpanel or PDA that was connected to the network. At the same time, this solved the uncomfortable circumstances in which AV installers had to work. Instead of having to balance their computer next to the AV rack, the port allowed them to programme comfortably from behind a desk. Other devices also received network ports, so design and control became much easier as they could be done over the existing network, instead of needing an extra wire between control processor and, for instance, projectors and sound servers.

Prior to the pandemic, what areas had Crestron highlighted for innovation? Before Covid-19, the majority of everyday conversations with customers revolved around the rise of Unified Collaboration

My background is actually in electromechanical engineering, IT, networking and data communication. During my studies, I was given the opportunity to go out and gain experience from companies in the market. Through my personal life, I knew the distributor for Crestron in EMEA. I didn’t know exactly what Crestron did at that time but, when I walked into their house, there were these touchpanels and all the remotes on the living room table were replaced by one wireless touchscreen, so I was fascinated. They were getting lots of requests for full home automation, and so I was asked to study the Crestron products and see whether they were capable of handling full home automation in addition to just the AV gear. Bear in mind this was around 1998, but pretty much everything was already in place for home automation. Yet, homes are one thing, building management for businesses is another, and so I started exploring these applications.

What were the main trends at that time? At the end of the 1990s, Crestron added an Ethernet port to its control system, connecting the processors to the network. That was very innovative back then, and the beginning of a

A vision of the future – UC tools will become essential to office life

Stijn Ooms (UC). We had identified this trend as early as 2013. Microsoft had been our biggest user since the mid-2000s and all of their meeting rooms globally had Crestron systems. They needed a way to monitor all of these different meeting rooms, so together we codeveloped a solution called RoomView. Later, they came knocking at our door again and said: “we have something called Microsoft Lync. It’s a really cool tool, but it falls apart when you bring it into a meeting room environment.” They wanted us to make an appliance that would work with Lync and could bring in all of the peripherals necessary to make a conference work. But, over time, we had seen this growing and moving from purely video conferencing to a collaboration tool like Teams is now, where you can work together on data and documents. While we knew this shift was coming, before the pandemic 80% of rooms were not video enabled and we had estimated that it would probably takes 3–5 years to get all rooms up to date. Now, over the course of a few months, all of these rooms are going to have some sor t of UC tool. Additionally, people have now got a taste for working at home, but physical contact will definitely still be needed, and so we’ll have a hybrid situation. I’ve had many conversations over the past few weeks with end

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY What do you think will cause the next big future shift in AV?

users, and they’re all looking in that direction. Covid-19 has accelerated something that we thought was going to take 3–5 years into a ver y shor t period of time.

How has the pandemic altered the way UC is being conducted? One of the biggest growth areas was in small team, close collaboration, which of course spurred the popularity of huddle rooms and huddle room technologies. That’s now unlikely to be a focus for most companies in the near future. One positive is that there will be fewer personal offices and more meeting rooms and these will likely be bigger rooms capable of implementing social distancing, instead of huddle spaces – at least for the next year or so until progress is made on a vaccine.

What is the biggest AV challenge the pandemic has introduced? At many companies, the need for new technologies is greater than ever. The majority of shared office spaces are being reduced by half in regard to their capacity and policing of that reduced capacity has become ver y impor tant to organisations and universities. The right technology, for instance occupancy detection combined with monitoring software, can help ensure that social distancing is being implemented and that companies are aler ted when it is not. But, at the same time, the pandemic has accelerated a lot of processes that were already ongoing – the convergence between IT and AV for instance, and the related use of UC platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Not ever yone is returning to the office and, for knowledge workers, hybrid working remains the norm. AV installers have to be able to offer technology and solutions that answer both the need for social distancing and a touchless experience, and the

The workplace of the future must be highly flexible need to turn any room into a meeting room, by enabling UC platforms.

What do you think will be the most crucial technological development to affect AV in the next decade? Driven by the pandemic, remote operation and management could well be one of the main drivers, but there are many challenges ahead. AV-as-a-service was the industry buzzword last year, and now this service-type model is probably more applicable than ever. The ability to subscribe for a feature set only as and when it’s needed could pay massive dividends to cash-strapped companies. The biggest hurdle to achieving AV-as-a-service is third-party support. It’s all good if you can monitor and manage all Crestron devices, but there is much more in a building than just our products. Shortly, we’re going to release the option to monitor and manage third-party devices through the XiO Cloud tool. After that, we’re much closer to being able to truly deliver AV-asa-service.

AV-as-a-service will go from a capital expenditure to operations expenditure model, where the end user has a better idea of the total cost of ownership. One thing I also think will be quite disruptive is the move towards software. We see lots of technologies that were typically hardwarebased now moving in a software direction; however, you still need the appliances to control them and this will increasingly shift to off-the-shelf hardware controlled by bespoke software. This is logical because AV responsibility is increasingly left in the hands of an IT engineer. If we’re honest, the AV industry is probably still 10 years behind IT in terms of the techniques for deployment, management, maintenance and scalability. Combine this with the cloud and new firmware and features sets can be easily scheduled for multiple rooms to upgrade overnight or out of business hours when you know they won’t be occupied. That is a massive advantage. This does mean, however, that there are going to be a lot of mainly smaller integrators that will need to re-educate themselves more on software and networking. But it is a shift they can’t afford to miss. The workplace of the future must be highly flexible to support employees everywhere as nearly every office space will be modified to include room systems automation, collaboration and video conferencing technologies. The transition from physical offices to remote environments brought the value of the cloud into sharp focus. AV/IT managers pivoted quickly to keep pace – utilising cloud services and expanding licences to scale and meet staggering new demands. Whether the location is at home, satellite or an adjacent office, the benefits of the cloud extend to the AV/IT department, and thus to the AV industry. www.crestron.com

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sound reinforcement Discreet but powerful

in even the most challenging of projects

Suited to both indoor and outdoor use, the VERTUS CLA range comprises two models: The VERTUS CLA 803 and the CLA 403. Completely dustproof and weatherproof, the enclosureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grille is covered with a special hydrophobic fabric to ensure absolute rejection of all atmospheric agents. Full EN54-24 certiďŹ cation also means both columns can be used for emergency and evacuation applications. CLA 403T

CLA 803T

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NEWPRODUCTS

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

Audio conversion for the 21st century Prism Sound’s ADA-128 offers up to 128 channels of 32-bit AD/DA conversion at sample rates of up to 384kHz FORMING PART of the manufacturer’s Dream A/D and D/A converter range, Prism Sound has created the ADA-128 to complement the existing products and bring flexibility, functionality and cost effectiveness to the professional audio market, without any compromise in sound quality. Mark Evans, Prism Sound’s sales director, explained: “This is the first product of a new generation of Prism Sound converters and we are confident that it will be well received by audio professionals across many different disciplines, including music recording, postproduction, broadcast and installation. It builds on everything that is great about Prism Sound conversion but takes it to a new level in terms of power and flexibility. It is also a very cost-effective solution for people who require a high channel count.” Designed as both a conversion system and a high-performance, networkable audio distribution and processing system, the ADA-128 is built around a flexible 2U mainframe that can be fitted with up to 16 analogue and four digital I/O modules (each of the analogue modules nominally providing eight input or output ports, or both). Up

to four Host modules provide bidirectional multichannel connections to host computers, workstations and networks. The ADA-128 provides free routing between all of these inputs and outputs under detailed user control, as well as a wide range of processing functions. “The ADA-128 has a host of exciting features, including low-jitter master clocks, flexible routing and synchronisation options, and a comprehensive store system for fast-access factory and user presets,” Evans added. “However, one of its key benefits is the ability to independently synchronise the I/O cards to create four different domains, each with its own sample rate and clock. This level of flexibility will appeal to facilities with more than one control room, as well as projects requiring a large amount of I/O.”

The inspiration for the ADA-128 originally came from discussions between Prism Sound’s managing director Jody Thorne and The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, a faculty of Birmingham City University. “The Conservatoire were looking for high-quality converters and knew Prism Sound’s reputation in this area, which is why they approached us,” said Thorne. “Our discussions identified the need for a highchannel-count conversion system that could be networked across their entire facility. As this didn’t exist, we set about designing it and that project formed the basis of the ADA-128. This has now gone beyond their original specifications and we have ended up with a product that is perfect for many more customers in the installation market.”

AFMG EASE Focus 3 update 92 AJA FiDO-T-12G-ST/FiDO-R-12G-ST 98 Amate Audio X102FD 88 Analog Way LivePremier version 2 95 AOTO CV Series 99 85 API 312 Mic Pre ArKaos MediaMaster 6 95 82 ARX Systems MIXXMaker update AtlasIED Atmosphere 84 Audac ATEO2S/TouchLink update 88 Audio-Technica AT2020V/AT2020USB+V 86 82 AVT Magic ACX Dante WAN Bridge Ayrton Karif-LT/Domino 101 beyerdynamic TG D70/TG I51 86 Brompton Technology Tessera S8 80 92 CEDAR Audio Pyramix 64 v8 Chauvet F6 Strip IP 100 92 Clear-Com CC-70/Eclipse HX version 12 Crestron Flex MM 96 d&b audiotechnik 44S 88 86 dBTechnologies VIO L1610 disguise r17.3 92 DPA Paintable Subminiature Cap 86 Elation KL Panel/Atmosity 100 100 ETC ColorSource Spot jr Extron TLP Pro 1225, 1525 and 1725 96 Green Hippo Nevis+ 99 Heritage Audio HA-81A 82 87 HK Audio Premium PR:O D2 series/Polar 12 Ikegami UHL-F4000/BSX-100 98 JBL Professional VTX B28 89 Kramer VS-48H2/VS-66H2/VS-84H2 97 L-Acoustics K3 87 Lab.gruppen FA series 85 93 Lawo Radio Software v6.6 LDA Audio Tech CH-32TN/CH-42TN/DS-60TN 90 Lectrosonics DCHR 81 Lynx Pro Audio Juno 90 MA Lighting grandMA3 onPC command wing XT 99 99 Magewell Mac SDK Martin Audio XP Connect 93 99 Martin Professional ELP WW IP/ELP CL IP Merging Technologies Merging+Anubis SPS 80 90 Meyer Sound MAPP 3D Modulo Pi Multi-projector auto-calibration module 98 85 Neumann.Berlin V 402 NewTek TriCaster 2 Elite 96 Nexo ID14/IDS108 89 NTP Technology Penta 615/Penta 721s 82 Outline V-Series 88 Panasonic AK-UC3300 98 Pliant Technologies CrewCom V1.8 93 Powersoft MeMo 85 Prism Sound ADA-128 79 100 Prolights EclCyclorama 100/EclCyclorama 050 QSC Q-Sys Core 8 Flex and Core Nano 80 RCF S 10 and S 12/WMF 33EN/MF 33EN 89 Renkus-Heinz 24/3-RN 90 RME HDSPe AIO Pro/M-32 Pro v2.0.0 85 Roland VR-50HD MK II v2.0/V-8HD v1.10 94 Ross Video Gator Toolbox V2/OverDrive V19.3 94 Sennheiser MKE 200 86 Shure SLX-D/AD3 81 Solid State Logic System T v3.0 94 Sound Devices SL-2 81 84 Symetrix xIO Bluetooth 93 Tascam Model 12 update Tasker C128 LSZH/C128 PE/C128 AR 84 84 Visionary Solutions PacketAV Duet 2 Waves WRC-1/Kaleidoscopes 82 96 Yamaha Adecia/Remote Concierge Station

www.prismsound.com

Turn your exissng LED screen into an all-in-one Video Conference Device With a Uniﬁed Communicaaons Bar from

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Video Conferencing & AV Soluuons Contact av@idealsys.com www.idealsys.com

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PRODUCTS

Merging adds ST2022-7 compliance WITH THE 2019 launch of Merging+Anubis, Merging Technologies had created an AD/DA converter that was ST2110-compliant and enabled the monitoring of large numbers of AES67 audio streams. Following requests from users, the Swiss engineering team has devised an ST2022-7-compliant model with Merging+Anubis SPS.

Merging is simultaneously launching its Merging Audio Device which, coupled with Anubis SPS, “opens remarkable possibilities”. MAD is a multi-ASIO driver (also with WDM suppor t) that has an infrastructure option that suppor ts ST2022-7, ST2110, NMOS and Vir tual Machine control. This latter feature

Anubis SPS Discussions with broadcasters also revealed that discovery and control of IP sources is a major challenge and although Anubis, when controlled via Aneman, is capable of handling large numbers of Ravenna/AES67 audio streams, the overall network management compliance needed to be addressed. Anubis SPS also adds NMOS IS-04 (Discovery and Registration) and IS-05 (Device Connection Management) to its list of features, which Merging believes is a major step forward in the easier integration into a complete IP infrastructure.

specifically recognises that centralised data centres and ser ver-based installations are now the normal way to efficiently manage the global nature of the broadcast industr y. A fur ther addition to all Anubis products is the introduction of a “comprehensive” parametric EQ with filtering on all outputs. This is another popular request and is said to enhance its role as the primar y monitoring device on desktops.

S m Brompton brings the power UK MANUFACTURER Brompton Technology’s Tessera S8 LED processor has been created to cater for highprofile projects that would benefit from the flexibility of the Tessera feature set without the need for a large output capacity. The product is described as a midrange LED processor that suppor ts all Tessera processing features, including HDR and dynamic calibration, as well as ultra-low latency and high frame rates. The S8 provides full 4K60 input suppor t, with eight 1G outputs each capable of 525K pixels at 60Hz, 8-bits per colour, and a zero-latency up/down scaler that matches the source to the screen. It’s capable of full HD output with closed loop redundancy, making it a solid choice for rental companies looking to maximise their offering for more cost-conscious events. The ultra-low-latency feature reduces latency to just one frame, making it easier to synchronise live action with visual effects, vir tual sets and cameras. High frame rate allows users to play

video content on an LED screen at up to 144fps, repor tedly resulting in smoother motion, reduced motion ar tefacts in fast-moving content and reduced input lag. Several additional features have been included to help get shows up and running quickly. Quick Association provides a simple way to associate large numbers of fixtures to the processor, while Pixel Mapping allows free placement and rotation of fixtures to 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°, regardless of cabling order. The processor is said to ensure peace of mind for users with the ability to operate a full HD output with closed loop redundancy. Cabling loops are created from the primar y por t through a string of fixtures and then back to the processor. In the case of unexpected signal loss or errors with the loop or primar y feed, the backup por t takes control and within one frame switches to the backup feed to provide a worr y-free live show.

I/O channel capacity is just not needed,” explained QSC executive VP, COO and CTO, Jatan Shah. “These new models are the answer to that. One offers on-board analogue I/O while the other is strictly networked-based, so users can make their decision based on the type of endpoint requirements they have in their space. Just because they are smaller cores though, doesn’t mean we had to compromise. Both models still provide the fully integrated, software-based audio, video and control processors that Q-Sys is known for.” The Q-Sys Core 8 Flex includes a 64x64 networked I/O channel capacity with eight on-board Flex audio channels and eight GPIOs to integrate analogue audio and control devices into Q-Sys. The Q-Sys Core Nano offers the same 64x64 networked audio I/O without the on-board analogue I/O in order to support installations with smaller spaces with centralised processing and fully networked endpoints. Both occupy a half-width, 1U footprint and include preinstalled 8x8 software-based Dante audio

channels (licence upgradeable up to 32x32 channels), driverless USB audio and AV bridging capabilities. “These new processors answer the call of smaller spaces that require fewer I/O as well as the increased popularity of fully networked peripherals with a solution that stays true to the foundation of our platform, delivering the rock-solid processing power and extensibility you have come to expect from QSC,” stated Trent Wagner, audio product manager, QSC. “The Core 8 Flex and Core Nano ‘rightsize’ the on-board I/O and physical footprint without compromising on features, performance or flexibility.” In addition to their suitability in a range of applications from government to healthcare and education, QSC is targeting the new models at the connected meeting space, with universal connectivity for all of the popular soft codec conferencing platforms. In brief, the latest v8.3.3 Q-Sys Designer software update now supports softwarebased Dante networking on the Q-Sys 110f without the need for additional hardware or I/O cards.

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www.bromptontech.com

www.merging.com

Q-Sys releases two new Cores

TWO NEW smaller models have joined QSC’s Q-Sys processor portfolio in order to meet the demand in smaller spaces that require fewer inputs and outputs, as well the increased popularity of networking peripherals. Utilising the same softwarebased architecture, control engine and design software suite as the existing Q-Sys Core 110f, Core 510i and Core 5200, these smaller Core processors include the Core 8 Flex, which boasts on-board analogue audio I/O and GPIO plus network

I/O and the Core Nano which offers network-only audio I/O processing and control. As with the rest of the platform, the models both offer scalable DSP processing, video routing and bridging for web conferencing, as well as third-party endpoint integration without the need for separate dedicated control processors. “Ever since we released our Core 110f processor, customers have been asking us when we were going to cut that in half. There are many applications where 24

www.qsc.com

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PRODUCTS

SLX goes digital, while Axient Stereo in miniature makes any mic wireless SHURE’S OUT-OF-THE-BOX SLX wireless series has gained a new digital entry in the form of the SLX-D. Offered in single- and dual-channel models, the SLX-D can handle up to 32 wireless channels per frequency band without dropouts, reportedly providing better performance in congested RF environments, and is being targeted at installations where ease of use matters the most – houses of worship, schools, local governments and corporate environments. The SLX-D transmitters run on either standard

microphone. The Axient Digital AD3 Plug-On Transmitter is a compact unit sporting an XLR connector and small OLED display said to be easy to read in challenging lighting conditions, as well as boasting a sweat-, moisture- and debris-resistant construction. Compatible with Axient Digital AD4D and AD4Q rack receivers in standard or HD modes, the AD3 is for high-tier broadcast, film and TV applications that require a flexible connection to a wired microphone. The unit has been designed to provide portability and connectivity, while still offering the reliability and performance that are synonymous with

CAPABLE OF stereo or mono operation from a single RF carrier with digital transmitters such as the DCHT, M2T, DBu, DHu and DPR, the DCHR miniature stereo digital receiver tunes from 470–614MHz in the UHF band. It

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covers six Lectrosonics blocks and matches the tuning ranges of the digital transmitters in the D Squared, DCH and M2 Duet lines. Measuring 76mm x 60mm x 16mm (HxWxD) and weighing 259g with batteries installed, setup is described as quick and easy with ultra-fast RF scans in SmartTune and using IR sync to send settings to the associated transmitter. Manual tuning can also be carried out using the RF Scan screen or by entering the frequency in the tuning screen. The audio outputs on the TA5 locking connector can be selected in the menu as analogue or AES3 format. A 3.5mm stereo headphone jack on the top panel can be used to monitor the receiver audio signals. Detachable SMA-mount antennas are also included. The receiver incorporates AES 256-CTR mode encryption, with four different encryption key policies available including universal (common to all Lectrosonics D2, M2X and DCHX units), shared (ideal for sports coverage), standard and volatile (one-time use key). Optional accessory cables are available for both analogue and AES3 connections to associated equipment. The optional LTBATELIM battery eliminator can be used to power the DCHR with external DC, while the optional LRSHOE accessory can be used to mount the receiver on small cameras. A USB jack on the side of the unit can be used to update firmware in the field using Lectrosonics’ Wireless Designer software. The DCHR housing is milled from aluminium alloy and specially plated for scratch and corrosion resistance.

AA batteries or an optional lithium-ion rechargeable battery solution with a dual-docking charging station. To aid with setup, the SLX-D is equipped with Guided Frequency Setup and a Group Scan feature that lets users set up multiple channels by assigning frequencies to all receivers automatically via Ethernet connections. “As we support customers in education, houses of worship, corporate facilities and theatres, we recognise the need for an easy-to-use digital wireless system with rock-solid RF performance that can scale as the needs of the venue or spectrum environment change,” said Nick Wood, senior wireless category director at Shure. “With the SLX-D, we can offer a solution that is both state-of-the-art and great value.” At the other end of Shure’s product portfolio, a new wireless transmitter for its flagship Axient Digital system has been released that transforms any XLR microphone into an Axient Digital

Axient. The transmitter also includes a pouch, belt clip, USB-C cable and supports both conventional AA and Shure SB900A rechargeable battery options. Shure has also announced a hardware customisation programme for the Microflex Complete (MXC) Digital Conference System that enables the manufacturer to respond to special requests for unique hardware variations. Options include front panels in sizes for user-specified dimensions; multiple colours in both brushed and matte finishes, including black (standard), aluminium clearcoat, bronze, gold, grey, blue, orange and red; customer logo and button labels in alternate languages; an assortment of features and control layout that match the customer’s meeting procedures; and a colour touchscreen that displays meeting information and enables control of features. www.shure.com

A RANGE of integrated multichannel wireless accessories are in the process of being launched by Sound Devices for its 8-Series mixer-recorders. The SL-2 Dual SuperSlot

supplies power to the SL-2 and slottedin receivers. Analogue or digital audio is transmitted from the receivers into the mixer-recorder via the expansion port. The

wireless module is a slot-in wireless receiver integration system that mounts to the top panel of any 8-Series mixer-recorder. Capable of accepting UniSlot and SuperSlot wireless receivers from a variety of manufacturers including Audio Ltd, Lectrosonics, Sennheiser and Wisycom, the SuperSlot protocol supports up to four channels of wireless audio per slot. Bypassing the need for an external DC connector, an 8-Series mixer-recorder

SL-2 offers antenna distribution to slot-in receivers, spreading out the placement of antennas for better RF performance. The rear panel of the SL-2 is equipped with two TA3 connectors for an additional four inputs of AES3 audio and two four-pin Hirose DC outputs, each supplying up to 500mA for powering additional equipment. www.sounddevices.com

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PRODUCTS

ARX mixes it up Routing in Waves and Stages DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY for applications such as onstage IEM control, the WRC-1 stage router is a rack-mountable wireless router that can be used with the Waves MyMon in-ear monitor mixing app in addition to other audio setups that require secure Wi-Fi connectivity, including remote audio console control and PA equipment. The router can also be used as a DLNA player for simplified audio playback in various corporate and educational settings via balanced analogue outputs (XLR L/R). Equipped with five 10/100/1,000 (1 WAN and 4 LAN) Gigabit Ethernet ports and two prograde lockable RJ45 ports plus three standard RJ45 ports, the WRC-1 offers simultaneous dual-band operation (2.4GHz and 5GHz). Packaged with basic router management

software, configuration features can be advanced with a free firmware download. Kaleidoscopes is a suite of phaser, flanger, chorus and tremolo sounds, crafted from analogue modulation studio classics. The plug-in’s Dual Cascade engines enable users to combine or “cascade” any two effects. The plug-in also features triggers that respond dynamically to playing in real time. The Dual Cascade architecture gives users access to two effects engines where they can choose a selection of wave shapes or any sidechain signal from a DAW session to be the modulation input. Speed, resonance, width and depth can also be controlled.

RESPONDING TO an increase in demand for a professional 1U solution that can inter face with smartphones, tablets, laptops and other mini-jack and USBenabled devices, ARX Systems has

but also independent controls for a professional mix. MIXXMaker integrates ARX USB, wireless and analogue audio inter face technologies into a compact package

upgraded its MIXXMaker wireless audio, USB mic/line master mixer. MIXXMaker is designed to deal with a wide variety of protocols and connectors. As consumer-level devices have become the programme source of convenience in audio playback across most applications, ARX reports that MIXXMaker not only provides all the inputs users need

with a wide range of features, including wireless audio, USB and mini-jack inputs, two balanced XLR microphone inputs, switchable push-to-talk priority override ducker, global three-way EQ control and phantom power for condenser microphones. www.arx.com.au

www.waves.com

Heritage Audio adds to Elite Series Connecting Dante from a distance THE HA-81A is the latest product to launch as part of Heritage Audio’s Elite Series. A mix of two classic consoles, combining a discreet, Class-A 73-style mic preamp with an 81-style equaliser, the HA-81A uses only rotary switches and precision, concentric potentiometers. The preamp section is an 80dB, Class-A design with Carnhill and St Ives input and output transformers, as found in the other products in the Elite Series. Features include input gain (switches in 5dB steps from 0–80), output trim (attenuates from 0 to –00 – infinity), –20dB PAD (ahead of the input transformer) and +48V phantom power.

In the equaliser section is a four-band, inductor-based system with high- and low-pass filters, each with five frequency positions. Whereas the typical 73-style three-band equalisers exceed at musicality but may fall short of the mark from a features perspective, the HA-81A reportedly excels at both by offering five-frequency position control over shelf or bell response curves on the highs and lows, and dual Q on both mid-bands with dedicated high and low mid ones (each with 10 frequency positions), providing a choice of 40 frequency selections overall. www.heritageaudio.net

Panel beaters NTP TECHNOLOGY has developed a new series of remote controllable panels together with audio routing and conversion interfaces for use in a wide variety of applications. The Penta 615 Series remote control panels are designed for remote control of Penta 720/721/721s audio routers and converters in addition to Digital Audio Denmark’s AX32/DX32R. Comprising the Penta 615-600A, -610A and -620A models, the units can either be operated through a direct connection or in combination with an NTP Technology 635 router controller. In Direct Control Mode (DCM), Penta 615 control panels communicate directly with Penta audio routers, eliminating the need for additional devices or software. Ideal for simple router solutions based on manual control, each key on the control panel is programmed for a certain function, such as source select, output select or cross-point select in DCM mode. The Penta 615-600A features 24 keys,

AUDIO VIDEO Technologies (AVT) has released its Magic ACX Dante WAN Bridge with the aim of solving the problems that occur when transmitting Dante signals over long distances. The multichannel PCM

latency of 5–40ms, making it difficult to transfer the signal via WANs,” said Lukas Mahler, marketing and sales assistant at AVT. “Also, the problem of high jitter and different clock signals at

system enables the transmission of up to 32 uncompressed audio signals via wide area networks (WAN), including the internet. The audio connection for the audio inputs/outputs is provided by the integrated 32-channel Dante/AES67 inter face and the audio signal is transmitted uncompressed via PCM. “Dante networks allow a maximum

the sender and receiver side can obstruct the transmission. These obstacles are eliminated by the system.” The device includes management software that can handle up to 10 systems in one graphical user inter face on any PC.

Penta 721s the Penta 615-610A has 18 keys plus four rotary encoders and the Penta 615-620A offers 42 keys plus a main display. Dedicated mini displays for each key or rotary knob are standard for each model and the controls are user-programmable.

The addition of the Penta 721s, 721s-DNT and 721s-SDI compact audio interfaces solve bridging audio format problems with AES, MADI and Dante I/O connectivity. With the inclusion of a 64-channel Brooklyn module, Dante connectivity is common

www.avt-nbg.de/en

to all three designs, but the 721s-DNT model adds another 128 channels and on-board sample rate conversion to the table. The Penta 721s-DNT is a Danteto-Dante converter with on-board sample rate conversion on the input, promoting its application on individual IP audio networks that may run on different sample rates and digital clocks. Designed for combining SDI signals with Dante, MADI or AES, the Penta 721s-SDI adds dual 3G-SDI embedding/de-embedding for broadcasters, with the SDI side providing integrated sample rate conversion. The modular 721s comes with an empty expansion card slot for inserting any of seven available expansion cards, such as analogue inputs or outputs and delay processing for lip-sync, 3G-SDI in addition to AES, MADI and Dante connectivity. www.ntp.dk

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PRODUCTS

Visionary Solutions sees double AtlasIED sets the Atmosphere

WITH THE release of the PacketAV Duet 2 encoder and decoder, Visionary Solutions claims it has created the world’s first AV-over-IP endpoints with built-in USB-C connectivity for distributing 4K UHD video and Dante/AES67 over Gigabit Ethernet. The Duet 2 encoders and decoders incorporate 4K UHD video and Dante/ AES67 connectivity control via a single main Gigabit LAN port. USB-C connection promotes the sharing of media from a laptop, tablet, phone or other USB-C connected devices, while soft-codec integration can be enabled from the USB 2.0 connection to a PC for web conferencing applications such as Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams.

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An Ethernet expansion port promotes network control and the management of IP traffic pass-through to remote devices, including projectors, displays and touchpanel controllers, all the while supporting PoE pass-through to connected devices. Duet 2 units also offer multiple selectable local input sources with HDMI loop-through that enable automatic switching between USB-C and dual HDMI input sources via input detect mode or programmed control system and web browser.

ATLASIED HAS spent the past two years developing Atmosphere, a digital audio platform that is said to be easier to configure, install and operate than traditional audio systems but with the modularity, scalability and versatility to support the needs of a wide range of commercial applications.

messages, while staff are permitted to only adjust the volume level. Ambient noise compensation technology is embedded into Atmosphere. Built into each DSP are multi-patented algorithms, which enable it to continually learn and adapt to changes in the environment. Through data collected and transmitted by an Atmosphere

www.vsicam.com

Tasker develops a classic ITALIAN CABLE manufacturer Tasker has unveiled a range of new products based on its classic C128 microphone cable. The C128 has a nominal section of 2x0.35mm² with a red and tinned OFC copper formation, a cotton filler to avoid distortion and an OFC tinned copper braid shielding covering 90%, all within an outer diameter of 6.3mm. Available in seven different colours, the C128 LSZH has a low smoke and zero halogen sheath and comes

with or without homologation. It is suited for low and medium fire resistance defined by the CPR EU305/2011 normative and tested by an independent international authority. The C128 PE, with a polyethylene outer sheath, is water resistant and specific for outdoor use and also for direct burial. The C128 PUR also has an outer sheath made polyurethane, a special material that has several features, such as flame retardant, halogen free, and resistant to friction, treading, atmospheric agents, UV rays and cold/heat (–40°C/+80°C). Tasker believes these characteristics make this cable an ideal solution for outdoor mobile or permanent installations and under water at a maximum 50m depth. Finally, the C128 AR has a special steel armour sheath for underground installation, even if there is a risk of damage from rodents. www.tasker.it

Suited for restaurants, bars, hotels, school campuses, houses of worship and retail establishments, the platform has been engineered to enable the use of touchless control, automation and artificial intelligence. Atmosphere combines digital audio processors, amplifiers, graphical user interfaces, programming software and controls, with all components designed to work together to minimise training time and installation, configuration and programming headaches for AV integrators, and reduce the learning curve for end users. Atmosphere enables each authorised user to manage the system from a mobile device, resulting in a cleaner, more hygienic approach to control. The controls of the Atmosphere digital audio processor populate automatically when a user’s mobile device scans the DSP’s QR code. Per parameters programmed initially into the system by the AV integrator, this QR code grants access to certain features – for example, allowing a manager to modify the schedule of outgoing

ambient noise sensor, the DSP comes to recognise patterns, like the need to raise the volume at a bar during happy hour to compensate for high levels of ambient noise. In addition, messages uploaded to the DSP as WAV files can be dispatched according to a pre-programmed schedule based on priority or when triggered by an Atmosphere input device, such as a volume/source/zone selector. Products currently comprising the Atmosphere digital audio platform include two varieties of digital signal processors; two amplifiers; six different plug-andplay accessories, including wall-mounted audio controllers; remote audio inputs; and an ambient noise sensor. The entire Atmosphere line-up has been engineered to integrate with AtlasIED loudspeakers – integrators can use the preloaded EQ files in an Atmosphere DSP to tune the speakers for the specific application and environment. www.atlasied.com

Symetrix bridges the network THE XIO Bluetooth has been launched by Symetrix as the first single-gang, Danteenabled Bluetooth endpoint. Available in both US and EU form factors, the sleekly designed endpoint adopts a Bluetooth 5.0 chipset and offers both an extended range with a stable connection. IP control and PoE simplify installation with a single cable connection from the xIO Bluetooth to a PoE-enabled network switch. The xIO Bluetooth may be configured to allow media-only connectivity, phone bridge connectivity or both. All aspects of the xIO Bluetooth can be controlled via Symetrix remotes, SymVue panels or third-par ty control systems. As a fully integrated member of the Symetrix xIO family of Dante endpoints that promote full device control and configuration, Dante routing can be managed within the Symetrix Composer software. All aspects of the xIO Bluetooth are fully configurable, including the Bluetooth-friendly device name, Dante

channel names, connect/reconnect functionality and security. www.symetrix.co

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PRODUCTS

API reissues 312 Mic Pre

Powersoft launches MeMo

AFTER NEARLY 50 years, API has introduced a recreation of the first microphone preamp designed by Saul Walker, API founder, in the 1970s. The 312 was originally used as the front end of the first API recording consoles. The circuitry of the unit was housed in card cages under the front “kneespace” of these early consoles, with only the gain pot mounted to the control sur face. In contrast, the new 312 is designed to fit into API’s various rack configurations. Still based on Saul Walker’s original designs, the 312 circuitry

MANUFACTURED IN Italy by Powersoft, MeMo is an ultra-low-frequency transducer amplifier bundle that adds a new layer of sound that can be felt. Following in the footsteps of M-System and Mover, MeMo is set to transform the home cinema and gaming markets by combining a tactile transducer and a matched amplifier platform. Requiring minimal setup, MeMo can be secured to any gaming chair or added to a cinephile’s favourite seat to achieve a fully immersive experience. Containing three presets accessible from the rear of the Class-D amplifier, resonating frequencies of the moving magnet transducer can be reduced between 20Hz and 40Hz. Added depth and lower volume control can be added to a home cinema system by optimising

is the building block behind the manufacturer’s 3124V, 3124MV and A2D. The 312 Mic Pre combines the manufacturer’s 2520 op-amps and proprietar y transformers and has a maximum 69dB of gain and 20dB pad switch. Other features include a 3:1 output transformer tap selection, switchable 48V phantom power and peak LED. www.apiaudio.com

MeMo to around 50Hz and enhancing the subharmonic content around 25Hz. With multiple mounting options, MeMo can also be optimised for music and multimedia content by using a flat preset with a slight bump between 60Hz and 80Hz. www.powersoft.com

Swedish tour de force are designed to maximise the conservation of energy. Employing convection-cooled, fanless technology for low noise and comprehensive circuit protections, the 1U, half-rack enclosures come with joining brackets for

rack, table and wall mounting. The rear panel incorporates an RJ45 port for GPI remote volume control, gain controls for each channel, a balanced line input and Euroblock-type input and output connectors. A system solution is available with an accompanying mixer and player products, in addition to wall panel and tabletop volume control accessories. www.labgruppen.com

The half rack FA602 amplifier PROMOTING DIRECT drive technology and Energy Star Certification for installed applications, Lab.gruppen has unveiled the FA series of commercial amplifiers. Incorporating a switchable high-pass filter, the two-channel FA602, FA1202 and

FA2402 models produce 2x 60W, 2x 120W and 2x 240W respectively in both low-Z (4/8Ω) and high-Z (70V/100V) operations. Incorporating Auto Ramp circuitry together with direct drive and constant power technologies, all three amplifiers

Neumann’s first standalone mic preamp

THE V 402 from Neumann is a microphone preamplifier with integrated headphone monitoring. It is a dual-channel mic preamp designed to maintain the sonic integrity of the original signal. Its transformer-less circuitry amplifies the microphone signal without unwanted colouration or sonic artefacts, such as noise and distortion. While this is also often claimed for simple preamps such as those in audio interfaces, Neumann believes the V 402 is built to much higher standards. The mic preamp is equipped with a studiograde headphone amplifier, reportedly ensuring uncompromised monitoring quality

at the recording stage. Independent volume controls for each channel provide a latencyfree monitoring mix without affecting the recorded signal. The manufacturer has also designed the DI input for sonic purity. Its high-impedance input stage is said to capture the sound of electric guitars and basses as well as other instruments with no loss of detail and free from audible noise. The switchable high-pass removes rumble and pops without signal degradation. A 20dB pad allows the V 402 to be used with highlevel sources up to 28dBu without distortion. www.neumann.com

The rear panel of the FA2402

RME turns Pro WITH THE advent of the HDSPe AIO Pro PCI Express interface card, RME has announced the successor of the HDSPe Audio Interface Card (AIO). Like its predecessor, all inputs and outputs can be used simultaneously but the Pro version has been designed for studio and broadcast applications offering a total of 30 channels (14 input, 16 output), each with a maximum of 24-bit/192kHz. The PCI Express audio interface also offers analogue stereo input and output, an additional headphone output, ADAT, SPDIF and AES/EBU I/O and one MIDI I/O. The HDSPe AIO Pro is based on the reference processors AK5572 and AK4490 derived from the ADI-2 Pro AD/DA converter. In addition, RME has enhanced the outputs with additional reference levels to allow more versatile integration into audio systems. It also includes a dedicated attenuator in the output section, resulting in an increased signal-to-noise ratio and a lower output impedance at low reference levels.

With the SteadyClock FS, the HDSPe AIO Pro features the latest clock and jitter rejection technology from RME. A further highlight of the HDSPe AIO Pro is the newly developed transparent headphone output. The mute relay includes switchable output levels that can remove the crackling noise at the headphone output and the analogue XLR and RCA outputs when switching on the computer. Firmware update 2.0.0 has also been released for the HDSPe AIO Pro M-32 Pro devices to increase AVB channel count from 64 previously (four streams) to 128 (eight streams) and allow single-channel routing across all inputs and outputs. The upgrade includes a new web remote interface and an enhanced JSON API for remote control over any type of network connection. www.rme-audio.com

November–December 2020 PRO AVL ASIA 85

PRODUCTS

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A-T develops 2020 vision in silver AUDIO-TECHNICA HAS developed two limited-edition iterations of its AT2020 cardioid condenser microphone featuring a reflective silver finish. To celebrate the mic’s clear, natural sound quality, the visually striking finish of the AT2020V (standard) and the AT2020USB+V (USB model) is designed for YouTubers, livestreamers and content creators. Custom-engineered for extended frequency response and enhanced transient response, the side-address condensers are equipped

with low-mass diaphragms. The mics’ cardioid polar pattern reduces pick-up of sounds from the sides and rear, improving isolation of the desired sound source. Coming with AT8458a shock mounts as standard, the AT2020 mic line models offer a wide dynamic range and reportedly handle high SPLs with ease. The AT2020V is ideal for vocal pick-up in studio applications and features an analogue XLR output for easy connection to a digital converter or mixer. Designed

AT2020USB+V for podcasting, streaming, studio recording and voiceover use, the AT2020USB+V offers the convenience of plug-and-play

USB operation. Shipped with a 3.1m USB cable, the AT2020USB+V features an integrated headphone amplifier with volume control that allows direct monitoring of the microphone signal with no delay. It also offers a mix control that blends microphone and pre-recorded audio. The microphone’s A/D converter (16-bit, 44.1/48kHz sampling rate) is said to ensure articulate sound reproduction. www.audio-technica.com

beyerdynamic adds to TG series TWO MICROPHONES have made their debuts as part of beyerdynamic’s Touring Gear (TG) series. The kick-drum microphone TG D70 and the instrument microphone TG I51 are manufactured with a die-cast zinc housing, while the compact design includes features that enable both mics to excel in the studio or onstage. The TG D70 is a large diaphragm microphone specially designed to record the kick drum in action. beyerdynamic describes the TG D70 is a true midget as it can fit right into every hole on a typical kick drum. The microphone can also be set

TG D70 up on a cajón and bass guitar amplifiers to optimally record the instruments’ sound. The

hypercardioid features reportedly provide good isolation from ambient noises and prevent acoustic feedback. The microphone suppresses rear sound and softly captures side sound, making it particularly suited for drum recordings in loud environments like live concerts. The TG I51 is described as a jack of all trades and reportedly brings out the best in every instrument – from snare and tom drums to electric guitar amplifiers and brass instruments. It can be attached to the stand or a snare drum with the help of beyerdynamic’s MKV 87 microphone holder.

The TG D70 and TG I51 The TG I51 is said to enhance the toolbox used by producers and sound engineers while making their lives much easier. www.beyerdynamic.com

6060 evolves on a wider stage VIO gains a sibling

MEASURING JUST 3mm in diameter, the DPA 6060 Core sub-miniature microphones are capable of capturing high SPL levels

without distortion. The Danish innovator has now added a white-painted, stainless steel cap that can replace the original 6060 Series grid, which can then be painted or covered in makeup for theatrical performances. The IP58-certified model can be used by the film industry to hide a white mic in the buttonhole of a white shirt or similar. When extra audio security is required, a 360° double clip has been created for mounting the subminiature lavaliers in eight positions in 45° incremental steps. This added design feature speeds up mic changes when transferring from women’s to men’s shirts or even t-shirts where the neckline is used.

WITH THE VIO L1610, dBTechnologies has created a three-way active line array system entirely equipped with neodymium components: two 10-inch woofers provide an extended LF reproduction and interact with a coaxial neodymium component (4-inch voice coil MF plus a 2.5-inch voice coil HF compression driver) mounted on an exclusively designed waveguide. This coaxial symmetric acoustic design results in an “accurate transient reproduction”, which enables the VIO L1610 to deliver a “detailed

www.dpamicrophones.com

MKE 200 enhances audio use DESIGNED TO enhance video clips with clean and crisp audio, Sennheiser has added the MKE 200 to its por tfolio of audio-for-video microphones. Measuring 69mm x 60mm x 39mm and featuring a fully integrated shock mount with a builtin windscreen, the mini-microphone is designed for easy on-camera use with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras in addition to mobile devices. The MKE 200 features a directional design to capture the sound of the subject while rejecting unwanted background noise.

Minimising any handling and wind noise, the microphone comes with an internal shock mount which acoustically decouples the capsule from the housing and a layer of protective mesh within. Outdoor protection is fur ther enhanced with an inclusive furr y windshield. The batter yfree operation and 48g lightweight design of the prepolarised condenser repor tedly promotes optimal gimbal per formance. www.sennheiser.com

and homogeneous audio performance”. The coaxial component is said to allow an extended low-end reproduction of the MF and an off-axis coherence, with all the benefits coming from the woofer’s direct radiation. Each VIO L1610 acoustic engine is driven by a Digipro G4 Class-D amplifier module featuring 1,600W RMS. The Digipro G4 amp comes with a modular slot for expansion cards and features a special floating audio input allowing a digital optical isolation, reportedly resulting in an even, interference-free input signal. The Digipro G4 also includes IPOS (Intelligent Power-On Sequence), a circuit that controls the sequence in which the

main power supplies of all units within an array ramp up. As a result, each module is switched on in a different timeframe, keeping the overall system’s inrush current low, even in very big PA system deployments. The amp allows users to run a test on electronics and transducers before, during and after use. The system takes advantage of lowlatency processing resulting from the DSP which features linear phase FIR filters. As a default, the VIO L1610 is equipped with dBTechnologies’ RD-Net card for real-time remote control via Aurora Net software. The system is also ready for upgrades with Audinate Dante protocol for digital audio streaming as well as real-time control purposes. Each cabinet is equipped with a nearfield communication system and a frontal LED used to recognise each single module within Aurora Net. Onboard controls (two rotary encoders) allows DSP presets for speaker coupling and highfrequency compensation. The VIO L1610 comes with the VIO series’ three-point rigging system and the two front links are said to easily connect the modules. The back central rigging strand is equipped with a ring-type link, allowing users to set the relative splay angles ranging from 1–10° thanks to a single pin. It has been designed to be compatible with other VIO products, such as down fill for large VIO L212 systems. www.dbtechnologies.com

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PRODUCTS

L-Acoustics scales K3 L-ACOUSTICS HAS conducted its first-ever completely online product launch to unveil the K3 loudspeaker to the world. Designed to bridge the gap between the French manufacturer’s full-range line arrays – the K1 and K2 – and the smaller Kiva II and Kara II, the K3 enclosure delivers the same sonic signature and frequency contours as the larger models. An updated version of Soundvision software, V3.2, has also been made available. Operating within a frequency response of 42Hz – 20kHz (–10dB), the dual 12inch line array cabinet boasts a footprint of a dual 10-inch enclosure. Capable of producing a maximum SPL of 143dB, the bass response is extended to 25Hz (110dB) when paired with the SB28 subwoofer. Suitable for audiences between 1,000 and 10,000 at festivals, theatres and arenas, the K3 is joined by the K3i install version that incorporates the same driver and electro-acoustic characteristics but comes equipped with install mounting hardware. Weighing 43kg, the Baltic birch plywood cabinet integrates the manufacturer’s Pan Flex Technology, offering four dispersion options from the single enclosure. With Panflex and inter-element angles ranging from 0–10°, K3 line source coverage can be tailored to fit any audience geometry. Like the K2, the K3 features an ergonomic

The K3 fits between the K2 and Kara II four-point captive rigging system that integrates large handles and provides visual safety assessment. Weatherised to achieve an IP55 rating for outdoor operations, K3 transportation and rigging accessories are available to facilitate onsite deployment.

The contour characteristics of the fullrange enclosure match the K1 and K2 models. To maximise low-frequency power, laminar venting technology found in the KS21 and KS28 reference subwoofers has been integrated into the design of the K3 cabinet. Improving the output and audio quality in the low-frequency domain, the side panels of the K3 are moulded to prevent turbulent airflow at the exit of the ports. Matching the additional low-frequency power, the cabinet is fitted with a pair of high-output 4-inch compression drivers mounted to a dedicated DOSC waveguide. This in turn feeds into a Pan Flex element capable of producing one of four dispersion patterns: 110° symmetrical, 70° symmetrical or 90° asymmetrical left or right. Combined with the electronic presets, the manufacturer claims a dispersion control down to 350Hz. The installation version, the K3i, switches this with a pair of install-centric bumpers for hangs that can be permanently mounted in a similar way and with the same splay angle options. Up to six of the two-way active WST cabinets can be driven by a single LA-RAK II amplified controller, ensuring that a single LA-RAK AVB unit can drive up to 18 K3s. www.l-acoustics.com

HK Audio upgrades to Premium COMPRISING FIVE DSP-controlled, full-range, multifunctional speakers, HK Audio has unveiled the Premium PR:O D2 family of loudspeakers. Consisting of the PR:O 110 XD2, PR:O 112 FD2, PR:O 112 XD2, PR:O 115 FD2 and PR:O 115 XD2 models, the PR:O D2 series incorporates DSP electronics with advanced FIR filtering. The speakers are capable of producing a maximum SPL of 132dB.

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reproduction are required. The PR:O D2 models can be used together with Premium PR:O legacy speakers. The next-generation Premium PR:O D2 line-up has been given a design overhaul with metal front grilles, MultiGrip handles and tilt brackets. The PR:O 110 XD2, PR:O 112 XD2 and PR:O 115 XD2 are classed as all-rounders by the German manufacturer for use as satellites, compact full-range speakers or low-profile stage monitors. Their wellbalanced frequency response reportedly ensures low feedback for adoption in various applications using the Music/ Speech controller. The PR:O 112 FD2 and PR:O 115 FD2 are active full-range speakers in the classic 12/1-inch and 15/1-inch formats, providing a well-balanced sound pattern, speech intelligibility and high SPL readings. Both are ideal as a satellite in

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Polar 12 PR:O 112 FD2 Housed in low-resonance wooden cabinets, the two-way designs can be flexibly combined from standalone, 2.1 and monitor setups to full-stack applications where speech intelligibility and transparent

PR:O 118 Sub D2

combination with the PR:O 118 SUB D2 subwoofer, although the PR:O 115 FD2 can be deployed for standalone use without an additional subwoofer. The single 18-inch PR:O 118 SUB D2 and dual 10-inch PR:O 210 SUB D2 subwoofers feature stereo preamps and corresponding outputs for use in diverse applications.

In other news, following on from the Polar 10, HK Audio has developed a bigger brother in the Polar 12 for musicians, entertainers, DJs, presentations, schools and audiovisual applications. Consisting of a 12-inch subwoofer and two 825mm-high columnar elements, the Polar 12 is a plugand-play, active system. The subwoofer’s birch plywood 22.1kg enclosure incorporates a 2,000W amplifier with 24-bit DSP and a 12-inch long excursion woofer that is capable of operating down to 35Hz (±10dB). Designed to enhance portability, the midrange/HF column comes in two sections. Optimised for powerful midrange response, the top section is loaded with six 3-inch neodymium midrange drivers and a low-distortion, 1-inch constant directivity horn. Tuned to project a 120° throw pattern and impede feedback, the Polar 12 can also be adopted as a stage monitor. A four-channel mixer offers two mic/line channels, one instrument channel and one aux channel for music players. The mixer’s settings can be stored in five presets for future access and audio streams can also be rendered wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0. The system comes complete with a padded gig bag for the columnar elements and a padded cover to protect the subwoofer in transit. www.hkaudio.com

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d&b audiotechnik drives new 44S to market DESIGNED TO deliver high-performance audio in nearfield applications with a wide range of flexible mounting options, the 44S is d&b audiotechnik’s first ever flush-mountable cabinet. The speakers comprise dual 4.5-inch neodymium LF drivers together with dual 1.25-inch HF dome tweeters mounted on a rotatable constant directivity horn to

44S create a rotatable dispersion characteristic of 90° x 30°. An optional d&b 44S back box can be used for flush mounting the loudspeaker into ceilings or walls, in both horizontal and vertical positions. The 3.6kg (6.2kg with back box) loudspeaker can be used as a standalone system or supplemented by actively

driven d&b subwoofers. Measuring 390mm x 128mm x 150mm (WxHxD), the asymmetric cabinet design and the optional back box promotes adjustments of ±20° in 5° increments for different listening heights. Powered by 10D or 30D installation amplifiers, the passive 44S can produce a maximum SPL of 121dB and 123dB output, respectively. The compact, point source, two-way design incorporates an intelligent, rotatable waveguide and baffle design that the German manufacturer claims to deliver smooth horizontal and tightly focused vertical dispersion between 90Hz and 17kHz (–5dB). The injection-moulded enclosure is finished in a resistant paint and further protected by a rigid metal grille. Two M8 threaded inserts are incorporated into the back panel to connect to different rigging accessories. The loudspeaker cabinet and most accessories are also available with the Special Colour (SC) option that can be executed in all RAL colours. www.dbaudio.com

Amate Audio turns to point source THE X102FD has been developed by Amate Audio to offer a powerful, high-output, highly efficient point source alternative to line arrays, in medium- and smaller-sized environments. The compact, V-shaped internal geometry cabinet features a symmetrical dual 10-inch LF driver arrangement and a 3-inch titanium diaphragm, 1.4-inch neodymium HF driver with an aluminium rotatable horn. With the latest iteration of the company’s Active+ integrated power and control platform producing 3,000W of two-way amplification, the X102FD is capable of 136dB continuous SPL output. Active+ system presets with advanced FIR filters reportedly configure and 0° phase-align the X102FD in a matter of seconds. Partnered with the X218WF sub-bass, the X102FD offers customers a ready phase-aligned, fullrange, plug-and-play sound system that will “deliver a lot of power without

having to move a lot of weight around”. In terms of costs, manpower and time-scale efficiencies, Amate Audio believes that it is far ahead of any compact line array solution for venues and events of up to 1,000 people. The X102FD can be deployed both vertically and horizontally, due to its rotatable horn with a simple “no tools required” pull, turn and release mechanism. In vertical FOH applications, the horn provides 80° x 60° (HxV) dispersion (in its default position). In the horizontal plane – for applications such as front fills within a large-scale line array system, or close to the ceiling hanging in an auditorium – quick rotation of the horn maintains the same dispersion. Likewise, 60° x 80° (HxV) coverage can be obtained in either plane. Active+ also provides Dante audio networking on the X102FD via the two rear-panel Ethernet ports. www.amateaudio.com

Outline extends hybrid powered solutions NOW COMPRISING five separate pre-configured rigs, Outline has extended the V-Series range of por table loudspeakers. Providing a maximum output of 3,000W, the compact V6.5 system weighs under 40kg and consists of two Vegas 6.5 speakers, a SUB 110 10-inch subwoofer, an L3000 amplifier and cabling. Including two SUB 118-SP12 subwoofers and two Vegas 15 full-range enclosures, the most power ful V15 12,000W combination can be set up by

a single person. Housed in a birch ply construction, the cabinets are finished in a polyurea coating. By sharing the same sonic fingerprint as the rest of the Outline range, a customised system can be created by adding other Outline components and units for larger events. The V8CX, V10 and V24 BGM combinations complete the current lineup of rigs. www.outline.it

ATEO2 clicks into place AUDAC HAS further enhanced and developed the ATEO2 click-and-play compact loudspeaker solution. The ATEO2S wall models incorporate the ClickMount mounting system, which is specifically designed to simplify mounting the speakers in corners. With ClickMount technology, a speaker cabinet clicks onto its mounting bracket either horizontally or vertically via a 6.3mm jack connector. Following installation, the angle can be adjusted by using the bracket arm, allowing the 2-inch aluminium cone driver speaker to be inclined in any direction. Designed for various fixed indoor applications including residential environments, retail spaces and offices, the ATEO2S blends into its surroundings with the aim of creating a subtle but effective solution. Bundling both the speaker and mounting system together, a ceiling-mount bracket can be used where walls are not suitable. Housed in ABS and finished in either black or white, the 10W RMS model is available in 8Ω and 16Ω variants and both incorporate an internal

self-resetting network for optimal overload protection. Designed to create virtual zones by linking multiple TouchLink compatible devices with each other, the Belgian manufacturer has

TouchLink technology

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integrated TouchLink technology into the AMP203 Dante mini stereo amplifier. Within the Audac Touch 2 app, multiple devices or amplifier channels can be selected to operate as one zone. When they are virtually linked, all devices or amplifier channels with the same TouchLink assigned zone follow the same settings, including volume, input and muting. A wall panel physically connected to one of the linked devices can automatically control them all.

Additionally, a number of software updates are now available for download, including v1.13.1 for the MMP40 media player and recorder. The module can now support iTunes AAC M4A files and hosts a synchronised display and web folder order. The MTX professional modular audio system and MTX zone matrix have also been updated with a number of enhancements with respective v1.5.4 and v3.2 introductions. www.audac.eu

88 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2020

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PRODUCTS

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DESIGNED TO complement the VTX fullrange sound reinforcement systems, JBL Professional has created a next-generation dual 18-inch subwoofer. Differential Drive technology endows the drivers with increased performance and SlipStream port technology offers improved airflow and reduced audible turbulence at any operating level. Following in the footsteps of the A8 and A12 rigging designs, the B28 is housed within an integrated rigging system for suspension in omnidirectional or cardioid arrays of up to 16 enclosures. The rigging and a comprehensive collection of accessories extend its flexibility within mobile and installation applications.

Integrating with HiQNet Performance Manager and Line Array Calculator (LAC) software, the B28 sports the same industrial design as A- and B-Series loudspeakers. Engineered for improved linearity, efficiency and extra-long excursion, two JBL Differential Drive 2288H-M 18-inch woofers lie at the core of the B28. The combination of the 2288H-M drivers and the large, central, flared port deliver LF output without distortion or artefacts. FEA-optimised integral bracing eliminates inter-cabinet standing waves, improves rigidity and simplifies the structural design. Mounting and configuration enhances versatility options. Avoiding traditional quick release pins and retaining cables that can get damaged or lost, the two-point rigging system uses integrated levers and locks. This enables the B28 to be stacked vertically or horizontally, using the independent sets of feet on the bottom and sides, while the spring-loaded design is said to ensure there is no rattling during operation. Universal M20 mounts interface with supported VTX accessories for constructing complete ground-stacked arrays. NL4 connectors on both the front and rear of the unit enable convenient wiring in standard or cardioid configurations.

The S-10 subwoofer

Fresh out of Reggio Emilia DESIGNED AS low-frequency complements for RCF speakers, the S Series of compact subwoofers feature high power precision transducers that can produce fast and controlled bass reproduction. Capable of producing 400W AES power handling with a maximum SPL of 125dB SPL, the S 10 and S 12 are 10- and 12-inch woofers with 2.5-inch voice coils. Capable of extending the LF range down to 50Hz and 40Hz, respectively, both models are suited to music playback in multimedia and venue applications. Constructed in plywood, the

processing control and monitoring options on the entire screen, while programs can be recalled and stored to and from the PC hard drive. Various crossover modes are available and up to 30 programs and settings can be stored. Eight equalisers are available for each input and output together with limiters, levels, polarity and delay settings. Dedicated for smaller rack- or wallmounted EN 54-16 certified applications, the MX 3500 is the master unit of the DXT 3000 voice alarm system. Comprising Class-D amplifiers providing up to 500W

pro.harman.com

Nexo’s smallest loudspeaker to date NEXO HAS followed up on the back plate holds two the success of its ID24 speakON connectors. cabinet with the launch Designed to overcome of the ID14 and the architectural challenges companion IDS108 in historic buildings, while subwoofer joining the providing unobtrusive highexisting IDS110 and power performance, the IDS210 models. The ID14 is ideal for surround dual concentric design sound and immersive audio features a coaxial 4-inch applications. LF driver with a 1.3-inch voice The recommended coil and a 1.4-inch diaphragm amplification solution is the The ID14 and IDS108 NXAMP4x1Mk2 Powered for the high frequencies. Two directivity options can be applied TDController, which can power up in the form of a standard 100° x 100° horn or to eight ID14s per channel. A dedicated setup an asymmetric alternative offering 90° x 140° for each directivity is available on the NXAMP, dispersion. Manufactured in France, the reportedly ensuring perfect coverage at any ID14 is capable of producing a peak output frequency. Additionally, the DTDAMP4x0.7, of 116dB with a frequency response of paired with a DTDcontroller, can power up to 120Hz – 20kHz (–6dB). When paired with the four ID14s per channel. IDS108 8-inch bass-reflex subwoofer, lowwww.nexo-sa.com frequency extension to 63Hz can be attained. Available in black, white or any RAL colour, the IP55-rated, weather-resistant cabinet comes with a comprehensive range of accessories. The rear of the fully symmetric design incorporates two M6 inserts for wall-mount applications and a dedicated U bracket can be added for installing on a microphone stand. Sharing the same acoustic components, two versions of the ID14 are available. The Installation version features an acoustic fabric-fitted front grille and there is a cable gland with two-core cable for audio input offering IP55 protection. The Touring version The ID14 is available in various colours of the ID14 uses a Magnelis steel grille and

WMF 33EN S Series cabinets are equipped with steel front grilles, top-loaded M20 standard pole mounts and four-pole Euroblock connectors with an audio input and parallel link output. The Italian innovator has also devised a two-way wall-mount speaker designed for broadcasting BGM within commercial spaces. Designed to be installed horizontally and vertically, the WMF 33EN is engineered to produce intelligible voice reproduction. Housed in a black ABS cabinet, the speaker comes with a steel magnetic grille and a smart support system for ease of install with connections integrated in the wall support. Conforming to EN 54-24 certification, the terminal connection blocks for input and output flameproof cables are made of ceramic material, while a thermal fuse protects the integrity of the line in case of heat affecting the speaker. Comprising dual 3-inch transducers with a 1-inch dome tweeter, 70V/100V power can be selected at 40W, 20W, 10W, 5W and 2.5W tappings. Featuring a plastic cabinet with steel magnetic grille, the MF 33EN is a two-way ceiling speaker variant designed for recess installation into ceilings or panels. Incorporating 40-bit floating point DSP and a 96kHz sampling rate, the DX 2006 is a two-in/six-out loudspeaker management processor for optimising passive speakers. Providing flexible routing, signal processing and equalisation, the front panel is equipped with LCD, controls and LED indicators, while the USB and RS-232 ports on the rear of the unit extend remote PC management. The Xlink PC GUI application extends digital

of power, up to six independent zones can be managed with a facility for a spare amplifier. The EN 54-4 certified internal power supply comes with back-up batteries, while integrated DSP further optimises environmental EQ, maximises intelligibility and BGM performance. Optional BM 3804, BM 3804FM and ME 3801 emergency microphone consoles, together with BE 3806 button extensions, promote live broadcasting functionality. Emergency messages are stored on a monitored SD card. www.rcf.it

The MX 3500 voice alarm master unit

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PRODUCTS

RenkusHeinz extends ICC Series FOLLOWING THE launch of the 12/3-RN single array module, Renkus-Heinz has added a third family member to the Iconyx Compact (ICC) Series. Bringing the benefits of the Iconyx family to a smaller footprint array, the ICC 24/3-RN has been developed for medium-sized installations. It is characterised by an unobtrusive cabinet that is almost 40% smaller than the classic Iconyx. Measuring 2m x 111mm x 121mm (HxWxD), the folded aluminium housing can be finished in black, white or customised RAL colours. In terms of performance, the vertical directivity can help overcome architecturally sensitive spaces. Beams can be digitally steered and directed from 400Hz and 200Hz, respectively. Vertical computer-adjustable opening angles vary between –30° to +30°. RHAON II beamsteering incorporates URGO beam algorithms, a movable acoustic centre, multiple beam-opening angles and high-pass filtering of individual beams. Each of the 24 3-inch, full-range paper cone drivers are powered by dedicated 40W @ 8Ω digital amplifiers, and individual DSP parameters including EQ, filters and delays up to 340ms can be configured. In addition to analogue and AES inputs, the rear panel includes two RJ45 Ethernet together with looping Ethernet, RHAON or optional Dante connectors. www.renkus-heinz.com

Juno withstands the elements DESIGNED FOR indoor and outdoor applications, the Juno Series from Lynx Pro Audio comprises weather-resistant, two-way, full-range speakers. The JN-6T comprises one 6-inch low/mid-woofer with one 1-inch HF driver, while the JN-8T comes with one 8-inch low/mid-woofer and one 1-inch HF driver. The cabinets have a sturdy structure and IP-rated system, with their discreet design making them suitable for beach clubs, pools, cruise ships and terraces along with meeting rooms and commercial centres. The speakers can be set up either vertically or horizontally. The body is made of engineered plastic injection moulding and polypropylene to reportedly guarantee protection against ultraviolet rays. The grille is perforated aluminium, internally covered in waterproof fabric and open cell expanded polyurethane. The system conforms to the IP46 international standard and the cabinets are equipped with a multitap transformer. www.lynxproaudio.com

LDA unveils five speaker models

CH-32TN

ceilings. Finished in either red or white and operating within a frequency range of 100Hz – 20kHz, the 6W RMS-rated CH-32TN and CH-42TN can produce a maximum SPL (1W/1m) output of 84dB and 92dB (±3dB), respectively. The DS-60TN 5-inch ceiling speaker is designed for installation within both ceiling and wall surfaces. In addition to a ceramic terminal and insulation fuse, the metal cabinet provides further protection from fire and vandalism.

SPANISH MANUFACTURER LDA Audio Tech has added several EN 54-24 certified models to its catalogue of ceiling and acoustic projector speakers. Encased in metal housings, the CH-32TN and CH-42TN 3- and 6-inch ceiling speakers have been designed for intelligible speech and music reproduction in 70V/100V line applications. Enhancing their evacuation credentials, both IP44-rated speakers come with a fire dome and are equipped with ceramic terminals and an isolation fuse. Inclusive springs offer ease of fitting and the reduced dimensions promote installation in limited depth false

DS-60TN

www.lda-audiotech.com

settings pushed directly into multiple Galaxy processors. In addition to traditional calibration test signal sources, MAPP 3D determines the maximum linear SPL for music, offering an accurate prediction of a sound system’s maximum capability when reproducing music. The combination of a streamlined interface and integration with Galaxy processors

together with the importation of SketchUp (SKP) and AutoCAD (DXF) files is said to afford time and cost savings in both systems design and onsite optimisation. With multiple views and fingertip control of a free rotation tool, audience areas can be quickly defined within complex architecture. Line arrays can be configured and automatically splayed for uniform coverage. MAPP 3D also enables virtual system optimisation in the design phase. The inclusion of virtual Galaxy signal processors allows processors to be added, prediction results to be analysed and settings synchronised directly to the hardware processors onsite. Complete output processing functions of all Galaxy processor

models are available. Because MAPP 3D includes precise sensitivity data for all Meyer Sound loudspeakers, it can display predictions as real-world SPL as well as attenuation. The inclusion of sensitivity coupled with M-Noise compatibility reportedly provides accurate predictions of system headroom. MAPP 3D loudspeaker performance is based on more than 65,000 three-dimensional measurement points, taken in 1/48th-octave resolution in the Meyer Sound anechoic chamber. The predictions are accurate across the full bandwidth of all loudspeakers, down to 12.5Hz for the very low-frequency control element.

PCM-20TN are equipped with anti-vandal and IP65-rated weather protection features. Matching the white finish of the speaker casing, steel U brackets can be adjusted for inclination. Both 20W (RMS)-rated speakers operate within a frequency range of 130Hz – 20kHz.

MAPP 3D adds new dimensions FOLLOWING THE introduction of the MAPP Online software program in 2001, Meyer Sound has conducted the most extensive upgrade to its systems design tool. Using local processing with no internet connection required, MAPP 3D works on both the Mac and Windows platforms as a free download from the Meyer Sound website. Creating a continuous workflow from initial design to onsite tuning, MAPP 3D provides 3D renderings of predicted sound system performance within wire-frame venue drawings and complete integration with the Galaxy Network Platform and Compass control software. Comprehensive processing parameters can be optimised using MAPP 3D predictions, with the resulting processor

The PCM-20TN and PCP-20TN acoustic projectors incorporate five-inch transducers for use in 70V/100V applications. Housed in a 3mm thick aluminium casing with a steel grille, both firerated projectors

www.meyersound.com

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PRODUCTS

Clear-Com develops lightweight wrap-around headset AS A result of increasingly stringent safety regulations, the CC-70 headset from Clear-Com is a lightweight wrap-around dual-ear headset that can be worn under a helmet, hard hat or personal protective equipment. The headset runs behind the neck and over the ears, finishing with the mic boom near the mouth, making it compatible with protective headwear. Audio is delivered through comfortable and flexible noise-attenuating, in-ear buds; users can either wear a single in-ear bud to listen to channel communications and still be aware of ambient conversation, or in louder environments users can wear both in-ear buds to concentrate fully on headset communication. The CC-70’s dynamic range allows users to hear a full spectrum of audio, without the excessive noise and signal distortion that can lead to aural fatigue. Weighing just 2oz, the headset is comfortable to wear for long periods of time. In addition, since the headset wraps around the back of the neck, there is no interference with the user’s hair, which makes it an ideal solution for onscreen presenters in noisy environments. The CC-70 uses a four-pin female connector which can be used with a variety of Clear-Com devices, including FreeSpeak II, FreeSpeak

Edge, HelixNet beltpacks and V-Series Iris panels. With the development of an EHX version 12 software update, Clear-Com’s Eclipse HX digital matrix intercom now supports SMPTE ST2110-30 and AES67 interoperability. The all-IP intercom allows bidirectional communication for small or large collaborative work teams. The same update also allows the configuration and integration of FreeSpeak Edge 5GHz wireless beltpacks to further extend the existing FreeSpeak II 1.9GHz and 2.4GHz solutions within the same EHX managed system. The Eclipse HX system enables direct, point-to-point and one-to-many group and partyline audio/ data signal distributions and connections. All systems intelligently trunk over redundant fibre or through trunks based on IP (Dante, AES67 and native), MADI and audio Cat-5, reportedly without compromising audio quality or performance. For very large systems, Eclipse HX v12 also includes a Cross Ring IP Bridge (CRIB), which is a new trunking scheme that links separate, distant Eclipse HX intelligent fibre rings over IP bridging trunks.

VERSION 8 of Pyramix 64 has been introduced by CEDAR Audio which, in addition to a number of other improvements, brings the benefits of machine learning and AI to the platform. These are put to work in CEDAR’s spectral editing engine. In the past, users would remove unwanted sounds in a track by identifying each event individually and then defining it manually. Now, with v8, users can mark one of the offending sounds and then ask the machine learning algorithm in Retouch 8 to find all of the other instances

within the recording. They can then be eliminated individually or as a group using the appropriate Retouch tool. In addition to this, the AI in the new Repair tool can reportedly identify, suppress or reveal sounds while leaving the background in a marked region untouched. CEDAR says that unlike other spectral editing tools, only the significant signal within the region is processed – all low-level signals as well as the ambience are left unaffected.

Version 8 of Pyramix 64 gets smart

EASE Focus supports extended GLL plug-in

CC-70 The US company has also developed comprehensive kits for the effective sanitisation of five of their most popular headset models: the CC-300, CC-400, CC-110, CC-220 and CC-26K. The new kits consist of replacement ear pads, replacement pop filters, sanitising wipes, ear sock covers and temple pads in a cloth headset kit bag. User replaceable items for each kit differ slightly based on the structure of the headset – single or dual ears – and the headset series.

AN EXTENSION has been added to EASE Focus 3, resulting in the release of GLL plug-in API version 1.1. This version includes a new module supporting access to the geometric data of audience areas in EASE Focus 3 projects. By retrieving this data, loudspeaker-specific aiming algorithms can be implemented to set line array splay angles and electronic filters. For beamsteering loudspeakers, the filter configuration can be computed automatically in order to optimally cover selected areas of the venue. This new version 1.1 of the GLL plug-in is already supported by EASE Focus 3.1.12. The manufacturer now urges EASE Focus 3 users to look at their preferred loudspeaker brands and models to see if there are any key features that are missing in the software, with the likelihood that those features can be implemented via the GLL plug-in API. The corresponding software development kit is available for any interested loudspeaker manufacturer. www.afmg.eu

www.cedar-audio.com

simultaneously allows users to respond to feedback quickly and ensure time onsite is maximised. With the Object Assignment Hotkeys feature, workflows can be tailored for speed and ease of use by assigning custom keyboard shortcuts for supported objects. “There’s never a time I’m not trying to select two things at the same time,” commented Wyatt Bartel, senior technical director at Lux Machina, who had early access to the software. “The new release should help end onsite frustration and build better relationships with directors. It also has real-world impact when time is of the essence.” The software update is available to download from the manufacturer’s website. sequencing and simplifying workflows by assigning common parameter values

across layers. The ability to select multiple layers and keyframe values to layers

www.disguise.one

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Speeding up workflows with disguise

THE LATEST disguise software has introduced a number of new key features intended to make workflows more streamlined and efficient post-lockdown. These include Indirections, Multi-layer Editing, Object Assignment Hotkeys and Crossfaded Loop Section Mode, as well as a number of improvements and bug fixes. The standout new feature of the r17.3 software release is Indirections, which gives more flexibility by allowing users to change keyframe objects out quickly. This includes objects such as mappings, video clips, textures and configurations remotely via third-party protocols such as OSC, DMX or a dedicated API. According to disguise, this creates new potential workflows for esports, for example, by making changes to the visual experience in response to gameplay. The new Multi-layer Editing feature allows users to edit multiple layers, saving time

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PRODUCTS

Lawo tightens security LAWO RADIO products have gained new security remote functionality via the German broadcast manufacturer’s latest software release. Radio Software v6.6 is a new licence package for the Power Core DSP miking/routing engine, Power Core Edge. It provides an entry-level configuration for deployment as a high-capacity audio gateway where a mixing surface control is not required. The licence supports two MADI interfaces with 128 audio channels and up to 64 Ravenna/AES67 streams with a maximum channel count of 128. There’s a 1,280x1,280 routing matrix and the ability to expand with up to eight rear-panel I/O

Console L, Console XL and MAX licences; and a loopback add-on for Edge, SAN, Console L, Console XL and MAX licences that provides 128 loopbacks per free eightchannel I/O slot. Several new security features have also been introduced to mitigate the vulnerabilities of remote operation and control. They include an EMBER+ whitelist to allow connections only from authorised sources, an option to limit control data to specific interfaces, upgraded protection against denial of service data flows on the network, SSL support for remote access and enhanced network traffic logging for inspection and debugging operations.

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XP CONNECT is Martin Audio’s first-ever iOS app for the control and streaming of its popular self-powered portable series, BlacklineX Powered. When BlacklineX Powered launched, users were able to access the built-in three-channel mixer and on-board Bluetooth streaming by utilising the rotary panel controls on the back of the loudspeakers. The aim of the app is to provide users with all the functionality of the back panel in an intuitive format. The manufacturer describes the app as a quick and easy way for users to set up their speakers and deliver a low-scale mix using simple controls, such as input and output faders and high-pass filters. Dan Orton, Martin Audio’s product group manager, explained: “If the Bluetooth pairing on the loudspeaker is activated, it will automatically find the speaker and ask if you want to connect. Alternatively,

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Martin Audio announces first iOS app

cards. Power Core Edge can be controlled with the Lawo VisTool user interface application, which supports as many as 128 patchable audio PPM and/or loudness meters onscreen. It can also be controlled with KSC control panels and the EMBER+ network protocol. Additional features include an 8x8 GPIO add-on package for the Edge and SAN (Super Audio Node) licences, an add-on with 64 Mini-Mixers and selectable talkback inputs for the SAN, Console L, Console XL and MAX licences; an N-1 (Mix-Minus) add-on with 64 return feeds for the SAN,

Other notable features include “Make before break” functionality for Ravenna/ AES67 stream switching to help eliminate audio interruptions during live switching of network audio streams, improved snapshot timing and load speed in Power Core, integration of de-essing and AutoMix functions within the main DSP structure, and Power Core support for the newly released AES-3id I/O card, with four unbalanced digital stereo inputs and outputs using HD-BNC connectors. www.lawo.com

Pliant gives it up for CrewCom

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A V1.8 firmware download from Pliant Technologies includes several significant improvements for its CrewCom wireless intercom systems and devices. The update

features a new group management feature in CrewWare and a two-level user rights feature. With a roaming bias option for CrewCom Radio Packs in addition to the ability to connect or disconnect configured CrewCom devices without power cycling the system, the 1.8 firmware offers improved battery monitoring for the system’s devices. Additionally, users no longer need to power cycle remote devices when power cycling the system’s control unit. The firmware update also adds mixed band options on 900MHz transceivers and enables use of GPO relays.

in Demo mode, the user will be presented with a screen with faders – two channels, Bluetooth the main output fader for the loudspeaker and a clearly visible EQ button. You can set them up as stereo loudspeakers or allow them to work in zones.” According to Orton, this means that a single connected BlacklineX Powered will allow mute control of all inputs and outputs, with signal level visualisation and access to EQ and settings. Two connected enclosures will additionally offer the choice of Stereo or Zone modes, with three-band EQ and the high-pass filters. It allows setup of the XP12 and XP15 in three modes: full range, with sub added in and with floor monitors. The app has further advantages in that it allows the user to store and recall three different snapshots if set up for a FOH application. www.martin-audio.com

Version 1.11 upgrades Model 12 features TWO YEARS on since its launch, Tascam has added a Vamp Playback Function to the Model 12 live and recording mixer. Downloaded as part of the version 1.10 and 1.11 firmware updates, new features for the metronome have also been incorporated. The control precision of faders and knobs has been increased and made easier to use. On the tempo change menu page, the click can be activated for easier adjustment, three volume options are available for the accented click note and there is a new sound pattern with four bars for the count-in. With the builtin recorder of the Tascam Model 12, a Vamp playback function allows up to 10 such phrases per song to be marked for repeated playing during playback. This

allows the musician to better practise difficult passages or to extend solos and interactions with the audience during a live performance. The repetition of individual intervals starts either automatically or manually and can be interrupted by pressing a button or footswitch. www.tascam.com

www.plianttechnologies.com

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System T v3.0 addresses AoIP routing THE LATEST software update for the System T broadcast platform from Solid State Logic addresses many of the ongoing AoIP routing and security challenges associated with current broadcast audio production. Supporting Dante, AES67 and ST 2110 on the same hardware interfaces, System T comes with full discovery and dynamic routing of any Dante-enabled devices directly from the console GUI. New functionality across the whole System T console range, including the S500, S500m, S300 and TCR, is now provided with the v3.0 release. Previous enhancements including NGA and immersive audio together with DAW and

dynamic automation aimed at entertainment programming and events have been extended. V3.0 further enhances IP integration with visibility and routing of ST 2110-30 or AES67 RTP streams from the console GUI. With additional support for TeamViewer, the consoles can also now be remotely accessed, enabling remote support, configuration and control. Other v3.0 feature updates include the on-board Effects Rack that now comes with a new reverb and degenerative noise controls, a 10-band parametric EQ with FFT overlay plus an overhaul of channel and bus path presets. www.solidstatelogic.com

Updates aplenty for Ross LAUNCHED IN 2019 and in a modular openGear form factor, Gator Toolbox offers UHD up/down/cross and HDR conversion, standards conversion and frame synchronisation for UHD workflows over 12G-SDI. A V2 software update now adds SQD (quad-link gearbox in or out) and user presets to enable operators to quickly recall common configurations. In addition, V2 supports new hardware, including discreet AES

Preview feature allows operators to view video streams in the user interface. An inverted S2 Lift is available for the Furio SkyDolly ceiling-mounted, rail-based robotic camera system. Providing camera motion shots from above, the S2 Lift can support a full-size camera and prompter, creating dolly shots with up to 48.3cm of vertical lift and net payloads of up to 30kg. The two-stage lift mechanism limits solutions. The interface is said to present a variety of digital media into venue videoboards, such as real-time video clips, “fill+matte” stills and animations, surround-sound audio and sponsored adverts. Furthermore, Kiva reportedly enables operators to create playlists containing all these different media with flexible

Gator Toolbox V2 audio embedding/de-embedding and support for fibre. Software updates to both the Raptor and Newt IP gateway and conversion solutions can also be downloaded. The latest versions of OverDrive (V19.3) and Caprica (V6.3) are now available. The Audio Lock feature enables operators to lock or unlock specific audio channels so that automation events can be overridden during breaking news or unexpected interview situations. In addition, new Virtual Keyers and Inputs allow for up to 32 external display devices to be controlled by a single template, without using any primary switcher resources. Bus-based custom controls have been added to simplify the process of triggering devices without intervention. A Live

flex and minimises sway, while the linear rail design means that the SkyDolly can be used in virtual set applications. A free control system for Furio and CamBot pan/tilt heads and pivot PTZ cameras is available as a plug-in to the Ross DashBoard control system. Operators can store, recall and manage their robotic presets, and all axes are controllable onscreen without the need for a physical joystick. Key settings such as joystick limits, colour balance, exposure and streaming settings are all accessible. The Kiva live presentation server is the most recent addition to the manufacturer’s range of server solutions and complements the existing Tria production server and Mira replay server

playout control. It has been developed as a resource for broadcast and corporate studios using both “live” and “live to disk” workflows. In brief, the live production real-time graphics platform, XPression, has been updated to V10, including a multi-threaded video codec that supports UHD, HDR and Wide Colour Gamut. Ross has also tightened the integration between its XPression real-time graphics platform and Stats Perform, a leading provider of data in the world of sports. An updated Stats Perform SGL interface with a new dedicated connection option for XPression provides access to Stats Perform data which can be downloaded directly into the XPression engine. www.rossvideo.com

The Kiva live presentation server

New firmware announcements from Roland

VR-50HD MK II multi-format AV mixer FOLLOWING THE 2019 launch of the VR-50HD MK II multi-format AV mixer, Roland has upgraded its feature set with a significant product firmware update.

Available to download, the version 2.0 update adds Adaptive Noise Reduction and Loudness AGC in addition to LAN-based PTZ camera control. Functionality has also

been added to enable the operation of video cameras that support VISCA-over-IP, including Sony, PTZOptics and Avonic PTZ cameras. Support has also been added for new frame rates in SDI and HDMI inputs. Designed to improve workflow and add audio output delay to auxiliary outputs for livestreaming, the V-8HD eightchannel video switcher has been upgraded with a version 1.10 firmware update. The transition of all effects layers can now be synchronised and the number of saved assignable preset memories has been expanded from 16 to 24. In addition, support for importing JPEG files has been added, as

well as a function to save still images stored in the V-8HD to a USB flash drive. proav.roland.com

V-8HD

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ArKaos MediaMaster adds HDR capability ARKAOS HAS teamed up with Novastar to offer an HDR playback solution based on its MediaMaster 6 video control software platform. The MediaMaster 6 preview version is now available free of charge to all MediaMaster 5 users for three months, after which a paid update will be available. MediaMaster users can now benefit from

all the visual advantages that NovaStar’s HDR display technologies bring to their work. MediaMaster 6 connects directly to the NovaStar MCTRL 4K Controller – whereas previously, an additional piece of hardware was needed, at extra cost. This smart integration simplifies the HDR video setups for live events, performance

ANALOG WAY has released software version 2 for its LivePremier range of 4K/8K multi-screen presentation systems and videowall processors. The update includes multiple new features and enhancements for all Aquilon systems, including real-time SDR/ HDR conversion, boosted input and output capabilities, improved multiviewer and auxiliary functionalities and a more intuitive and efficient Web RCS user interface. All LivePremier systems are now compatible with the BT.2020 Wide Colour Gamut (WCG) as well as the HDR10 and HLG standards. They accept simultaneous sources of different types (SDR, HLG or HDR10) and convert them without any added latency to the desired standard. This conversion allows all the sources to appear correct and to mix HDR and SDR content in the same screen

without requiring any additional outboard converters and adding any latency. A new input and output group management reportedly allows significant savings in processing resources. The number of layers available can be more than doubled for large displays combining several outputs in full HD (LED walls or multi-projector panoramic displays). Supporting 4K input and output signals over one, two or four cables allows the internal processing to use a unique 4K pipeline instead of four HD pipelines. For example, a single 4K source can be used as the background for a group of four HD outputs.

LivePremier updated

shows and presentations of all types, explains ArKaos, by directly importing the file settings from the LED screen into

the media server, making the process quicker and more straightforward for AV technicians. To aid video mapping, MediaMaster 6 can read direct mapping files generated by the SmartLCT software. Once the setup of the wall is completed with SmartLCT, the information is imported into the MediaMaster 6 video mapper. The HDR output is available on the Windows version of MediaMaster and needs a recent AMD or Nvidia GPU. www.arkaos.com

processor, allowing a DisplayPort 4K60 output signal to be converted to four independent full HD outputs. In the case of a large display application requiring multiple HD outputs, combining the DPH104 with an Aquilon will reportedly save processing layer resources and increase the number of synchronised full HD outputs directly controlled by a single chassis (up to 48 full HD outputs in the same screen for a fully loaded Aquilon C+). Further features have also been added to the on-board HTML5-based user interface in order to make it “even more intuitive and efficient”. Among the new features, version 2 of the Web RCS now offers simplified configuration, password protection, resizable workspaces and custom views memories.

The LivePremier Series The LivePremier systems are now compatible with the DPH104, Analog Way’s 4K video

www.analogway.com

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Working as a family

YAMAHA HAS designed the Adecia family of communication products to work together to provide a complete and customisable audio solution for any enterprise or meeting space. The conferencing solution consists of the RM-CG ceiling microphone and RM-CR audio processor, together with PoE switches and VXL Series line array speakers. Adecia reportedly enables organisations to overcome implementation, configuration and room acoustic challenges by providing all the equipment required for a successful installation with the highest audio quality. The microphones, speakers and networking equipment automatically integrate to reduce time, costs and installation complexities. The solution detects all system components and configures them to be optimised for the room environment, accounting for the location

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of speakers and microphones, reverberation and echo behaviour. Setting up a room is conducted via the system’s configurator in four steps. With USB, Bluetooth, Dante and analogue connections, Adecia supports multi-beam tracking technology, human voice activity detection, noise reduction algorithms, speaker tracking and adaptive acoustic echo cancellation. In brief, Yamaha has also partnered with Sharp Business Systems to produce the Remote Concierge Station solution which brings together Sharp’s 40- or 50-inch flatscreen and Yamaha’s CS-700 video sound bar in a mobile stand to provide organisations the ability to staff key locations during the current pandemic without having an employee onsite. uc.yamaha.com

Flex MM extends office locations PROVIDING A consistent user experience with one-touch Microsoft Teams and Zoom conferencing, the Crestron Flex MM has been developed as a compact tabletop video conferencing system. Primarily designed for converted or dedicated small workspaces both in the corporate office and the home office, the tabletop meeting and collaboration unit integrates native Microsoft Teams or Zoom Rooms software. Work from anywhere has become a widely accepted concept as employers seek ways to encourage interaction and support

productivity. As such, Crestron forecasts a bigger investment in small-footprint, high-performance UC devices that further develop enterprise-level professional AV conferencing solutions. Incorporating a 7-inch touchscreen, the Flex MM offers enterprise-grade network security that can be remotely managed and controlled. The microphone pick-up range extends to 3m and a wide-angle HD camera provides a 150° diagonal field of view. www.crestron.com

Extron increases AV control THREE NEW series of touchpanels have been unveiled by Extron. The TLP Pro 1225, TLP Pro 1525 and TLP Pro 1725 Series are designed to handle today’s AV control needs but, with their quad core processing and increased memory size, they are also “ready for whatever AV demands lie ahead”. The 12-, 15- and 17-inch touchpanels come in both tabletop and wall-mount form factors and have edge-to-edge glass touchscreens with 24-bit colour. They feature video preview inputs that support high-resolution video from HDCP-compliant HDMI sources and Extron XTP devices. The products have been designed for control applications that require customisable touchpanels with flexible mounting options, large control surfaces and multi-source video previews with annotation support. Extron LinkLicense for TouchLink Control and the TLCA 1 TouchLink Control Adapter transform wall-mount, tabletop and Cable Cubby TouchLink Pro touchpanels into all-in-one

control systems. They are said to add flexibility and power to the manufacturer’s TouchLink Pro

touchpanels, including the TLP Pro 525 Series, TLP Pro 725 Series, TLP Pro 1025 Series

The TLP Pro Series

and TLP Pro 300M. With LinkLicense, users can control AV devices via Ethernet directly from the Ethernet port on the touchpanel. The TLCA 1 features two bidirectional serial ports, one digital input, one IR port and two relays for control of sources, directly at the touchpanel. The SF 26CT LP is a low-profile, 6.5-inch twoway ceiling speaker featuring a 4.2-inch deep composite back can for use in restricted height plenum environments. The driver complement includes a 6.5-inch woofer coupled to a ¾-inch ferrofluid-cooled dome tweeter. The speaker offers both direct 8Ω and 70V/100V operation with a behind-the-grille, six-position power selector switch. With high impedance taps at 8W, 16W, 32W and 64W, the SF 26CT LP has been developed for applications that require a high-power distributed speaker system in plenum spaces that will not accommodate a taller back can.

KRT-4

www.extron.com

NewTek unleashes TriCaster 2 Elite NEWTEK HAS designed the TriCaster 2 Elite video production platform for both video-overIP and more traditional SDI operations. The system reportedly enables large-scale campuses to harness nearly every major video calling application in use today, delivering them a myriad of creative options. “More than ever, HOWs tell us they are adopting broadcast techniques to communicate their message to their world more

effectively as they seek to stay relevant in a rapidly changing environment,” said Dr Andrew Cross, president of R&D for the Vizrt Group. At the heart of TriCaster 2 Elite is a high-speed 60x45 video crosspoint with 32 external inputs that automatically determine video format and resolutions up to 4Kp60. Unlike conventional routing switchers, each input includes proc amp tools, independent keying and cropping

for crisper video plus triggers for automation. TriCaster 2 Elite incorporates eight configurable mix outputs in HD or two in 4Kp60, direct NDI outs of media players, multiple streaming encoders, continuous NDI conversion of all eight SDI inputs together with eight independently selectable recorders for immediate replay. The

platform can be used to produce simultaneous mixes, deliver multiple 4K streams to different places at once, feed videowalls and accommodate separate branding and language packages.

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PRODUCTS

Craving Kramer KRAMER HAS devised a new series of high-performance matrix switchers for routing 4K@60Hz (4:4:4) HDR video and digital audio signals. The current VS-48H2 (4x8), VS-66H2 (6x6), VS-84H2 (8x4) and VS88H2A (8x8) switchers re-clock and equalise the signals from dedicated HDMI, HDCP-compliant sources before routing to any or all the outputs simultaneously. The AV matrix switches eight 4K@60Hz (4:4:4), HDR, HDMI, HDCP (2.2/1.4)-compliant signals to eight 4K@60Hz (4:4:4), HDR, HDMI, HDCP (2.2/1.4)-compliant outputs at up to 18G data rate. Featuring Kramer re-Klocking and Equalisation Technology, the digital signal can be rebuilt to travel longer distances. An Easy Step-In Collaboration Function can be combined with a Kramer Step-In enabled switcher, allowing a device to become the active signal on the main display once the Step-In button has been pressed. With quick access to common configurations, up to 16 preset configurations can be saved, while Smart Switching detects the source and acceptor with an automatic input selection based on priority selection or the last connected input. The front panel of the 1U rack-mountable chassis is equipped with switching, memory, lock and EDID buttons, together

VS-88H2A with I/O LED displays. Distance control from embedded web pages via the Ethernet, Protocol 3000 API and RS-232 serial commands can be transmitted from a PC, touchscreen or serial controller. Extending up to 1.8m in length, the KRT-4 cable retractor is now available for HDMI, VGA, audio (3.5mm), LAN, USB and DisplayPort connectors. For installation in a TBUS or as a standalone, the KRT-4 is designed for meeting room and classroom applications where it automatically locks into position to the desired length before retracting into the housing when desired. A gentle retraction feature extends the life of the cable and connector. Including multichannel DSP and a user-friendly graphic interface, the AFM-20DSP-LE is an audio matrix switcher with 20 analogue ports that can be configured as inputs or outputs according to preset I/O

In brief, VIA firmware 3.0 is now available. VIA Versa has been added to first- and second-generation VIA Campus and VIA Campus Plus, while VIA Connect Plus has received Microsoft Teams support. Miracast has been enhanced for VIA Campus2 and VIA Campus2 Plus users and additional customisation options have been added for VIA Screen Editor. www.kramerav.com

RTS DIGITAL

PARTYLINE OMS (OMNEO MAIN STATION) A hybrid IP/digital/analog main station for partyline intercom systems and the core component of a major new product family: RTS Digital Partyline.

s at has re n ea

configurations. The switcher maintains the quality of the original audio signal with selectable sampling rates up to 96kHz. DSP enables simultaneous processing of all input and output signals, while users can control signal routing, volume and other basic settings using API commands via RS-232 communication transmitted by a PC, touchscreen system or other serial controller. The AFM-20DSP-LE supports up to 10 global presets per I/O configuration plus 10 mixer snapshot presets.

OMS is a communications multi-tool for a wide range of customers, including theaters, houses of worship, broadcast, AV rental, industrial facilities and entertainment/event venues. It is available in five licensed configurations to suit the user’s budget and application requirements: Advanced, Intermediate and Basic digital (each with OMNEO); Analog Plus and Analog (main station options for analog-only partyline systems).

KRT-4

The TriCaster control API and automation tools are interoperable with existing equipment such as control room systems, videowalls, multiviewers and media platforms. Other features include frame sync on every input, animated GIF support in buffers, social media publishing, audio mixing and routing.

In related news, parent company the Vizrt Group has announced the introduction of Teams integration with NDI technology to provide versatile video workflows through a Teams meeting and give storytellers a new level of creative possibilities.

A BRIDGE FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL AND IP

SCALABLE

VERSATILE

Analog partyline users can enter the world of IP communications while extending the working life of their legacy equipment

Available in five configurations to grow with the user’s needs – upgrade via software license updates

Converts between up to four different formats: OMNEO (Dante, AES70 and more), RVON, four-wire AIO and two-wire

www.newtek.com

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Presented in a compact 1RU enclosure, OMS is a uniquely versatile and cost-effective solution capable of interconnecting both wired/wireless and IP/digital/analog devices. Full TCP/IP connectivity is supported. Whereas current systems on the market offer analog-only, digital-only, proprietary or non-Dante-compatible products, OMS encapsulates the RTS philosophy of bridging all standards and formats.

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Gr ne

Lights, Panasonic, Action

INCORPORATING AN 11-megapixel 4K image sensor to achieve a horizontal and vertical resolution of 2,000 TV lines, Panasonic has launched the AK-UC3300. Built with a similar feature set to the AK-UC4000 studio camera, the camera system is suited for live remote and studio production and supports various inter faces, including 12G-SDI output, 4K over 3G-SDI output (TICO) and SMPTE ST 2110. Including a full simultaneous

HDR/SDR feature set, built-in ND filter and expanded multi-format capability, the HD resolution provides detailed imagery in indoor and outdoor settings. With high sensitivity of F10 (2,000 lux), it enables high-quality video shooting including 2160/59.94p and 1080/59.94p with low noise while maintaining a S/N ratio of 62dB or higher. Accessorising the UC3300, the AK-HRP1015GJ remote operation panel offers operability and the AJ-CVF70GJ serves as a 0.7-inch full HD OLED colour viewfinder. When paired with the AK-UCU600 camera control unit, the AK-UC3300 helps manage and deliver live and on-demand video with its 12G-SDI, two independent intercom switches, and multiple fixed return video and prompter channels. www.panasonic.com

Ikegami masters 4K DEVELOPED FROM Ikegami’s highdefinition HDL-F3000, the UHL-F4000 has been designed for content creators seeking to future-proof their work by mastering in 4K. Capable of delivering HD cut-out images in addition to 2160p59.94 or 50Hz 4K, the image sensor unit uses three CMOS global shutter elements to ensure no rolling shutter distortion, even in aerial imaging applications where subjects are constantly moving in parallel. Measuring 100mm x 128mm x 90mm (WxHxD) and weighing 1.1kg, the UHL-F4000’s digital zoom is capable of magnifying from 1.01x to 10x, including gradual acceleration. A focus-assist function places the edge components of the 4K image on the high-definition monitor output feed. Further refinements include a variable contrast control that can be used during reduced visibility such as fog or smoke. When shooting at night, the camera can be adjusted for optimum noise reduction with high gain, while a vertical image reversal mode allows upside-down mounting. Aberration correction can be performed using data from the lens servo block, even if the servo block is removed from the lens to be used in the limited space of a

BSX-100

Modulo Pi auto-calibration makes alignment a breeze A NEW multi-projector auto-calibration module has been announced by media server manufacturer Modulo Pi as an option for its Modulo Player and Modulo Kinetic media servers. The dongle-based module allows users to automatically align and handle softedge blending between multiple projectors on planar, curved and dome surfaces. The result, according to the manufacturer, is that precision edge blending, warping and media playback between multiple projectors can be achieved within minutes and with zero latency. Working with Modulo Player, up to one server can be supported, up to six WQXGA outputs or

four 4K outputs. Working with Modulo Kinetic, the auto-calibration option supports multiserver configuration, creating an unlimited number of outputs and resolution support. The system’s auto-calibration function can handle independent calibration groups, as well as stacked video projectors. In addition, a masking feature ensures a fine-tuned projection. Fully developed by Modulo Pi, the autocalibration module relies on PoE cameras to offer fast and simplified cabling. www.modulo-pi.com

AJA expands Mini-Convertor family

LED the min man by a scre

UHL-F4000 gimbal. The camera head consumes very low power as all video processing is performed in a separate base station. A 40Gbps duplex optical fibre connection communicates between the camera head and base station for positioning up to 10km apart. The optical fibre can be integrated into one bidirectional core via an optical circulator and passed through a single-core optical rotary joint used for a small gimbal. The BSX-100 is a 3G fibre base station offering a coherent upgrade path for users as they progress from SDI to IP, from SDR to HDR and from HD into HD/4K dual-format workflows. Designed to be fully compatible with Ikegami Unicam HD system cameras, including the HDK-99 and HDK-73 models, the base station provides 3G-SDI/HD-SDI HD output. SMPTE ST 2110 media-over-IP interfacing is available as an option for use across 10GbE and 25GbE networks, in addition to a 4K output software key allowing use of HD cameras in a variety of configurations, including simultaneous production in HD and 4K resolutions. Complementary 12G-SDI/3G-SDI quad link interfaces are also available. Housed in a 3U, half-rack, low-mass unit, the base station optionally includes HDR to SDR conversion.

AJA’S FAMILY of 12G-SDI Mini-Converters has been expanded with several new models that extend fibre connectivity over long distances (up to 10km) via a single optical cable. The FiDO-T-12G-ST and FiDO-R-12G-ST provide single-channel conversion between 12G-SDI and ST Fibre. The FiDO-T-12G-ST is a singlechannel 12G-SDI to single-mode ST Fibre transmitter, with 12G-SDI loop out, while the FiDO-R-12G-ST is a single-channel, singlemode ST Fibre to 12G-SDI receiver, featuring dual 12G-SDI outputs. All models include ST connectors and feature compact profiles for small spaces. The HA5-12G-T-ST and Hi5-12G-R-ST support conversion between HDMI 2.0 and 12G-SDI and ST Fibre. The HA5-12G-T-ST converts HDMI 2.0 to 12G-SDI for 4K/UltraHD single link outputs and includes 12G ST Fibre connectivity for transporting signals over long distances, while the Hi5-12G-R-ST is a 12G-SDI

to HDMI 2.0 Mini-Converter featuring 12G ST Fibre connectivity that supports up to 60p for 4K/UltraHD. HDR support includes HDR10 metadata in accordance with HDMI 2.0/CTA861.3, as well as HLG over HDMI. The new 12G-AMA facilitates 12G-SDI analogue audio embedding/disembedding, with a range of model variations available for transmitting and receiving signals over 12G-SDI BNC, LC Fibre or ST Fibre. It is a four-channel analogue audio embedder/disembedder with support for 12G-SDI BNC input and output up to 4K/UltraHD. Both the embed and disembed functions are simultaneously active, and the supplied breakout cable offers four-channel balanced XLR input and output. The 12G-AMA is also available with 12G LC Fibre transmitter, receiver and transceiver models, as well as 12G ST Fibre transmitters and receivers. www.aja.com

www.ikegami.de

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PRODUCTS

etic,

Green Hippo scales new mountains

Expanded support for Mac platform

WITH THE advent of the Hippotizer Nevis+, Green Hippo has added a “small yet powerful” media server to its range. Housed in a small, purpose-built chassis that can fit within carry-on luggage, Nevis+ has been developed in response to an ever-increasing use of visual displays in live entertainment and fixed installations. Including all of Hippotizer’s software features as standard, Nevis+ is described as an affordable solution for use in video creation, visualisation and playback. The half-rack or wall-mount

MAGEWELL HAS extended support for Macs The SDK provides APIs based on the with a new SDK for the manufacturer’s PCI macOS AVFoundation framework for all three Express capture cards and plug-and-play, product families, while custom Magewell external capture devices. The Mac SDK APIs for Pro Capture lets third-party developers directly PCIe cards access the advanced reportedly capabilities enable of Magewell deeper capture control devices over capture in their parameters, macOS and access to ancillary OS X software applications. metadata and lower latency The company’s USB Capture for capturing video up to 4K Pro Capture Dual SDI 4K Plus at 60fps. Example GUI-based Gen 2, USB Capture Plus and Pro Capture products are already and command line tools are said to help compatible with OS X and macOS software developers get up to speed quickly. through native operating system support or www.magewell.com universal drivers.

unit offers one display port 1.2 output with software-based EDID management, two network ports and the latest versions of Hippotizer’s tools, including Shape 3D Mapping, PixelMapper and the multipurpose pre-visualisation tool, all built into its Hippotizer V4 software. Designed for a broad range of less demanding applications, Nevis+ broadens its appeal where logistical and budget restrictions are evident. www.green-hippo.com

d t. an s on,

AOTO keeps it slim LED MANUFACTURER AOTO has released the CV Series, a slim version of its mini LED technology. According to the manufacturer, the series is characterised by a smaller LED chip, more stable screen robustness and better sealing

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and optical design. This reportedly avoids the problem of damage to ultra-fine pitch LED screens and inaccessible onsite maintenance. The screen benefits from AOTO’s mini LED, HDR boost, Moiré reduction and 110% NTSC ultra-wide colour gamut technologies. Users can place the screen in a large variety of positions thanks to its wide viewing angle of 180°. By adopting six-direction adjustment technology, the screen sur face is described as extremely flat and smooth, bringing a more comfortable viewing experience. Manufactured with low-level blue light, the CV Series incorporates “power ful” eye protection and features a lightweight structure design. The cabinet is 38mm thick and weighs 5kg, lowering transportation and installation costs. www.aoto.com

Prepared for the elements MARTIN PROFESSIONAL has expanded the ELP Series of LED ellipsoidal fixtures with IP65-rated models. The Martin ELP WW IP (warm white) fixture provides colour rendering and brightness, while the ELP CL IP (colour) delivers saturated colours. Providing the same quality of light and performance, the IP65-rated variants now offer water resistance and dust protection. The ELP WW IP delivers 7,000 lumens of output and 97 CRI at 3,000K colour temperature, while the ELP CL IP offers 6,900 lumens and a CRI of 85 in high-output mode and 5,900 lumens and 90 CRI in high-quality mode with a colour temperature of 6,000K (open white). Both models offer flicker-free operation for consistent light output on and off camera. Other features include a gear-based Fine Focus adjustment knob and Fast Focus, which allows fixtures to be focused without data flowing to it. ELP IP also offers 16-bit

ELP CL IP

dimming with four selectable curves and 26 colour presets that match colour filters. Available in black or white, ELP IP fixtures can be configured from a choice of four Martin lens tubes with static beam widths or two zoom lenses. www.martin.com

Lighting on command MA LIGHTING has launched a new member of its grandMA3 onPC solutions range. The grandMA3 onPC command wing XT is described as a versatile solution for smaller and mid-sized installations. It uses the same inter face as other grandMA3 consoles and allows new users to learn the MA user inter face and later switch between this solution and other grandMA3 consoles. The grandMA3 onPC command wing XT enables users to program, play back or back up within the grandMA3 world. It comes with 10 motorised faders, 40 physical playbacks, 16 assignable x-keys and a dedicated master playback section. The solution incorporates the command section of grandMA3 consoles to reportedly make it easier to use the grandMA3 onPC software. All inputs and outputs of

a grandMA3 console are available to the user. DMX, MIDI, Ethernet, Timecode and Remote Control are all on hand directly.

Additionally, it has four individual monitor outputs, allowing users to tailor it to best suit their needs.

The solution provides the maximum number of parameters available for grandMA3 onPC solutions: 4,096 parameters with two DMX outputs and two Ethernet Gigabit connectors included for DMX over Ethernet protocols. A total of 1,024 DMX universes can be assigned to any of the physical DMX outputs or transmitted via MA-Net, sACN or Art-Net. Alongside the grandMA3 onPC command wing XT, there are two onPC options: the grandMA3 onPC command wing, said to offer the best grandMA3 mobile solution, and the grandMA3 onPC xPort Nodes, which reportedly provide a more costeffective DMX output solution for softwareonly show control. www.malighting.com

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PRODUCTS

Chauvet unleashes the imagination WITH THE introduction of the F6 Strip IP F series panels, allowing it to display the linear video panel, Chauvet Professional same images as other video pieces on the reports that designers will have more stage. It works with the VIP Drive freedom to create video displays in a 83R Nova, using the wider variety of configurations. Measuring NovaStar 1m x 3.45cm x 6.82cm (WxDxH), the outdoor-ready product can reportedly fit in tight spaces, add an extra dimension to set pieces and be arranged in control protocol. The VIP unique patterns, making it suited Drive 83R Nova can auto-detect for applications such as drive-in F6 Strip IPs when they’re plugged F6 Strip IP shows and livestream productions. in, making it easy to drag-andA high-resolution 6.9mm pitch strip, the F6 drop into the mapping software. The strip’s Strip IP is compatible with all of Chauvet’s black-body LEDs reproduce video at 15-bit

grayscale. Other features include a 5,000:1 contrast ratio and a 5.94kHz refresh rate, as well as stealth and soft white diffusion filters. The F6 Strip IP maintains its pixel pitch for 0° end-to-end linking, as well as for mounting units next to one another. A viewing angle of 160°/155° (H/V) and a resilient LED mask design reportedly present clear images to audiences from any seat in the house and a 5,500 NITS output is said to ensure that

images can be seen easily, even during daylight hours. The panel features rugged aluminium extrusion housing and is easy to install thanks to its flexible mounting options, which include adjustable brackets on each side. Up to four strips can be suspended from a single rig point using the end brackets. In addition to its IP65 rating, the F6 Strip IP includes panels that are convection cooled to optimise heat dissipation for even colour distribution. It also has a dedicated compact power supply for enhanced stability over extended use. www.chauvetprofessional.com

Elation adds to KL series A FULL-COLOUR-SPECTRUM soft light has been added to Elation Professional’s KL series of LED luminaires. The KL Panel has been optimised for the colour temperatureadjustable requirements of live productions and is described as an ideal key and fill light source for any situation requiring outstanding performance and colour quality. The KL Panel uses a 295W RGBW + Lime + Cyan LED array to produce soft white or full-colour washes up to 24,000 field lumens at a 100° half-peak angle. It has a CRI of over 95 and colour temperature is adjustable from 2,000–10,000K. Additional colour tuning is possible through a green-shift adjustment and virtual gel library. Other features include smooth 16-bit dimming all the way to zero and 16-bit selectable dimming curve modes for

KL Panel

ETC extends ColorSource family

programming ease, as well as electronic strobe. Adjustable and removable eight-leaf barn doors allow for customised shaping of the beam for more precise illumination and less light spill. It also has a 900Hz – 25kHz LED refresh rate adjustment for flicker-free operation. The luminaire can be mounted on a stand or suspended using any standard clamp or the included Junior pin adapter. The fixture can be powered remotely through its integrated four-pin XLR 24– 36 VDC battery input (battery not included). Professional

control options include DMX, Art-Net and sACN. It can also be controlled manually using the included encoders and OLED display, reportedly providing instant control of intensity, colour temperature, green shift and other settings. The integration of Elation’s E-Fly wireless DMX system is said to allow for even more flexibility of use. To complement its growing line of special effects machines, sister company Magmatic has unveiled a new line of fluid called Atmosity. The universal fluid has been specially formulated for use in Magmatic’s Magma and Thermatic haze and fog machines, Polar snow machines, Rocket CO2 cryogenic simulation effects and other specialty effects products. www.elationlighting.com

Flooding the stage with light DESIGNED IN a low-profile form factor to meet applications at both the front and sides of the stage, the EclCyclorama 100 from Prolights is a soft-edge, linear cyclorama and floodlight equipped with a custom and calibrated RGB + warm white LED source. It is capable of delivering a

of control possibilities, such as DMX, RDM, Art-Net, sACN and wireless DMX. It has a slim design at 12cm high and comes with tilt angle adjustment, beam control and flexible hanging and stacking options.

EclCyclorama 100

WEIGHING JUST 5.5kg, ColorSource Spot jr is nearly half the weight of a full-sized ColorSource Spot fixture. Spot jr is available in two array options: Original for subtle pastels and white light to enhance skin tones, and Deep Blue, for more saturated, dramatic colours. Like all ColorSource fixtures, Spot jr includes ETC’s colour integrity technologies, which, according to the manufacturer, ensure that colours set in rehearsal are the same colours in the show. This includes thermal droop compensation, third-party lifetime testing and factory colour

calibration. ColorSource luminaires feature a four-colour mixing system said to offer “bright, vibrant colours and perfectly mixed pastels”. Spot jr has a built-in 25–50° zoom, which is ideal for small stages or installations. ETC reports that longer throws and short trim heights make this an all-purpose luminaire. The manufacturer is providing a five-year warranty on the entire fixture and a 10-year warranty on the LED array.

linear and high-quality white reproduction of the entire spectrum with high CRI, TLCI and TM30 performances. The optical system has been designed to offer a wide asymetric beam angle. Prolights reports that the EclCyclorama 100 is a very flexible solution, suitable for applications where fixtures are connected to each other or separated by a considerable distance, without the worry of dark edges or gaps. The floodlight is described as user-friendly and reportedly offers a multitude

With all the characteristics of its sibling, the EclCyclorama 050 is a 170W linear soft CYC and floodlight with RGB + warm white colour mixing. www.prolights.it

EclCyclorama 050

www.etcconnect.com

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PRODUCTS

Ayrton starts a Domino effect AS THE first fixture in Ayrton’s new series of LT (Long Throw) products dedicated to long-range applications, the Karif-LT is an ultra-compact 300W LED beamspot. Equipped with a 168mm frontal lens offering a zoom ratio of 17:1 and a 2.8–47° zoom range, the narrowness is a distinguishable feature of this LED. The high-efficiency, low-etendue, compact LED module delivers an intense beam which, calibrated at 8,500K, can reportedly generate metallic white light and deep, vivid colours. Karif-LT has an overall output of 13,000 lumens at a colour temperature of 7,500K and a centre-beam luminous intensity of 3.5 million candelas. Other features include a CMY colour mixing system, a multi-position CTO wheel with seven different colour correction filters, a wheel of 13 complementary colours for infinite pastel hues and saturated colours, nine interchangeable rotating HD glass gobos and a wheel with 39 fixed gobos. Karif-LT also has a glass monochrome multi-position, bidirectional effects wheel and a prism effects system comprising four combinable rotating prisms for creating complex effects. Standard features also include light and heavy frost filters, a dynamic animation effect with speed and fade adjustment and an electronic dimmer for perfect fades.

Karif-LT

Domino

Capable of delivering 51,000 lumens from a 1,000W LED source, Domino combines the output and optics of Huracán-X in an IP65-rated body for outdoor applications. Equipped with a

liquid-cooling system of six IP68-rated submersible fans outside its weatherproof enclosure, the fixture is fitted with a 178mm frontal lens. Its optical system uses 13 lenses, producing a 10:1 zoom

ratio and a zoom range of 6–60°. The optics deliver a uniform flat beam with no hot-spot to reproduce high-definition images over the entire zoom range. Domino comes with a subtractive CMY colour mixing system combined with a variable CTO and a wheel with six colours for pastel and saturated colours. The framing section allows accurate positioning of each of its four shutter blades across a 100% sur face area, while the image section includes 14 interchangeable HD glass gobos on two wheels. The effects section contains two dynamic effects wheels with continuous movement in both directions, a CMY multilayered wheel for creating multi-coloured effects, a standard monochromatic effects wheel, a 15-blade iris diaphragm, two frost filters, CRI and TM30 optimising filters, two rotating prisms, a dynamic sparkle effect with speed and fade adjustment and an electronic dimmer. The 52kg fixture is available in S and TC versions – the former delivers metallic white light at a colour temperature of 7,000K, while the latter is calibrated at a colour temperature of 6,000K with a CRI greater than 90 and high TM30 readings. www.ayrton.eu

Daniel drives and supports your customers. He understands sales, distribution and your solutions.

Behind every great business is a Daniel.

Daniel understands industry technologies and their application. He cultivates strong relationships to develop your business. Interfacio connects professionals with world-leading pro AVL brands.

China Sales Manager

Touring, recording and installed sound.

Contact: bardy@interfacio.com www.interfacio.com Int: +44 208 986 5002 USA: 1-800 578 0144 @interfacio

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BUSINESS: ANALYSIS

Remotest ideas

Calrec’s VP of sales, David Letson, discusses the challenges presented by 2020 and quickly adopting different business practices, including assisting broadcast customers transition to remote working maintained a core of production and engineering staff to ensure that customers have received the same support as ever.

What about the installation and commissioning process?

Two Calrec Type Rs at RTHK were installed and commissioned remotely

Covid-19 has given us new ways to support customers in the field, and installation and commissioning are a great example of that. Not being able to travel has forced us to adopt new techniques, and we’ve been able to support customers remotely over IP. For example, working alongside Andy Leung of Jolly Pro Audio, our distribution partner in Hong Kong, we were able to install and commission two 18-fader Type R systems for Radio Television Hong Kong. This covered hardware installation, network fault-finding, configuring switches and setting up PTP settings, culminating in remote technical training for the RTHK team. We’ve also been able to upgrade entire IP networks, such as a 12-console network for RTCG in Montenegro, with three Artemis and nine Type R consoles. These things we would normally do onsite, so this has been quite the learning experience for us.

When did you begin to realise that things would have to be done differently this year?

Do you think you will adopt some of these measures permanently?

The turning point for us was NAB – it sent a very clear message and things happened very quickly after that. When different parts of the world started to lock down, the nature of the phone calls we were dealing with changed very quickly. We expected to get a lot of questions about remote production as our RP1 remote production product was already very mature, but most questions were about helping broadcasters move to remote working environments. The difference is all about where you are sat. Where remote production uses an established mixing environment to mix local DSP at an event in another part of the world, remote working is about mixing a programme remotely from the processing core of the console: in your bedroom, in your kitchen or even in your garage. We’ve helped customers adopt virtualised tools such as Calrec’s Assist web interface to allow them to log into consoles remotely. We’ve helped install VP2 virtual systems for remote control over Assist; we’ve had broadcasters use physical Type R surfaces in their homes to mix live daily talkshows; we’ve helped broadcasters sitting at a desk in a production studio to pair with a desk in an OB truck parked at a football stadium; and we’ve even seen our compact Brio consoles in garages and in VW campervans mix live programmes while remaining socially distant. Things are being done very differently this year, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

How has the lack of travel affected interactions with your customers and distributors? As an industry, we travel a lot. We travel to demos and tradeshows, we do onsite training and commissioning, we provide network upgrades onsite – we are a very sociable industry. Also, mixing consoles are very tactile – they are not software interfaces, they are physical surfaces. Not only do they have to fit in perfectly with customer workflows, it is important that customers are across the ergonomics: how easy they are to drive, how quickly can one access the functions and the actual physical size of it in a given environment. When live mixing from a preview monitor, operators often aren’t even looking at the surfaces, so feel is very important. As a company, and an industry, we like to get hands-on, and the lack of exhibitions and customer visits has been one of the most difficult things to adjust to. We still miss

going to see customers and talking through their requirements, sitting at a desk and demonstrating how it can be flexed to meet specific requirements and shooting the breeze at a bar with operators and business leaders.

How have you adapted to this? How have your sales and marketing activities had to change? Like many others, we have had to find other ways of communicating. We’ve had an opportunity to invest in training resources, so we now have Brio, Type R and AoIP training on the Calrec website, and we’ve been able to invest more time in ensuring our distributor network is kept informed of developments. In that respect, we’ve had a fantastic opportunity to connect. We’ve also been able to provide access to consoles and equipment remotely. Early on, we launched a series of demos using our Calrec Assist web interface to log directly into a Type R core at the Mill in Hebden Bridge, so customers can make live adjustments and see the effect on the hardware in real time. As we started to move into more and more virtualised and remote operations, these early demos were quite powerful. We’ve also been demoing remotely using webcams, but we’ve had most success demoing a hybrid model, purely because of the tactile nature of our equipment. We’ve had a fantastic response from customers when we’ve been able to ship a console to their location, and communicate from a console located in our demo room in Hebden Bridge. We use webcams to connect to the customer, and they can get handson with it at the same time. This also gives us an opportunity to show how our equipment integrates with our remote working products, like Calrec Assist.

We all will! This has been a period of rapidly accelerated thought and, as an industry, we’ve all been very open-minded to figure out the best tools that we can. We could do a lot of this before, but broadcasters must now insist on the ability to be more flexible when something like this happens again. We need to provide broadcasters with equipment that is capable of being creative and flexible when they need to be. More importantly, customers are also reconsidering long-established work practices. Future builds, particularly around OB products, need careful consideration; having 50 people in close proximity in an OB truck needs to be reconsidered. Many are considering different approaches. This is a period of huge innovation and, in some respects, the timing is perfect for people to maximise the use of emerging IP solutions like Calrec’s ImPulse processing and routing engine. www.calrec.com

Once you have made a sale, how do you carry it forward? We have a very robust production system where the emphasis is on communication. Post-sale, customers have a dedicated project engineer for all engineering and build queries. We’ve

Calrec’s VP of sales, David Letson

102 PRO AVL ASIA November–December 2020

PAA Pg102-103 Business Analysis.indd 102

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BUSINESS MUSIC

COMPLETE AUDIO SOLUTIONS

RCF Business Music offers a complete range of products to design audio systems for background and foreground music in public spaces. High audio quality and a flexible architecture, allowing the distribution of different audio programs in multiple environments, each with specific acoustic requirements. From small to large systems, the RCF Business Music line provides the smartest solution, blending uncompromised sound quality, full processing features, exceptional power, easy configuration, and high scalability.

#rcfbusinessmusic

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www.rcf.it

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