Pro AVL MEA July-August 2019 by Blank Canvas Publishing Ltd

LIVE SOUND SOUND LIGHTING LIGHTING RECORDING RECORDING INSTALLATION INSTALLATION AV AV BROADCAST BROADCASTPOSTPRODUCTION POSTPRODUCTIONJuly–August May–June 2019 2019 LIVE LIGHTING RECORDING INSTALLATION AV BROADCAST POSTPRODUCTION May–June

JOURNEYING QATAR GRANDTHROUGH AMBITION AV brings Gulf state’s history life Steering thethe way at Istanbul’s new to airport

COPTIC CATHEDRAL The Middle East’ s largest church CREATING THE COCA-COLA ARENA CONTROLLING AUDIO WITH INSIDEORION COURTROOM 2.0 Singapore: MICA MICA (P) (P) 033/06/2018 033/06/2018 Singapore:

TEAMCONNECT CEILING 2

Raise your meetings to a higher level sennheiser.com/tcc2

WHAT’S NEXT FOR AVoIP? CABSAT AND PL+S REVIEWED LIFE OF LUXURY Singapore: MICA (P) 065/05/2019

YAMAHA MUSIC GULF FZE Jebel Ali Free Zone Dubai U.A.E. Tel : +971 4 8011500 http://mea.yamaha.com www.yamahaproaudio.com http://nexo-sa.com

CONTENTS

Volume 16 Issue Four July–August 2019

NEWS NEWS NMK launches AV investment initiative, PRG consolidates R&D

DISTRIBUTION Riedel partners with Venuetech, Ayrton appoints Q-Light in Egypt

EDUCATION Absen makes ACE engineers, ETC training heads to Oasis

APPOINTMENTS Wolfgang Pein takes charge of TOA EMEA

NEW PRODUCTS The industry’s most comprehensive product news

FEATURES 58

DIGITAL JUSTICE A look inside Abu Dhabi’s first digital courtroom

JOURNEY THROUGH QATAR The AV treat inside Qatar’s new national museum 60 ONI REBORN Procom opts for less is more when it comes to audio

IN THE BIG LEAGUE The newst addition to Dubai’s entertainment sector

LIFE OF LUXURY A booming tourism sector is keeping Pulse on its toes

INTERVIEW Mipro president Solomon Chang talks tactics

Editor’s note As becomes clear when flicking through the news pages in this issue, the number of regional AV manufacturer events taking place in the Middle East – Dubai in particular – has grown exponentially in the last couple of years. For manufacturers, the benefit in contrast to trade shows is obvious, they get the undivided attention of those in attendance (customers that really want to be there), can design and conduct an event as they best see fit and without the expense of taking up floor space in a large exhibition hall. What’s more, those that go it alone with their individual events often feel they have provided more value than a trade show appearance. Couple this with the ever-persistent rumours about the future of trade shows, and you’d be forgiven for questioning why we still go to them year-on-year. Well, InfoComm 2019 in Orlando and the brand-new InfoComm SEA regional exhibition in Thailand gave us good reasons. There’s still no substitute for getting the entire industry all together in one place. It’s rare for a new regional show to launch without hiccups. Both InfoComm MEA and Prolight + Sound Middle East struggled to go it alone in the Middle East – the latter, however, has made good progress since its initial offering in 2017. While the SEA show certainly enjoyed fortuitous timing in the calendar, one thing that AVIXA have always been great at is research – identifying the audience and tailoring an exhibition to suit that audience’s needs. In the meantime, we have some very interesting projects in this issue of Pro AVL MEA, including a trip to the National Museum of Qatar in Doha and a look inside the new Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. I hope you enjoy reading about them.

BUSINESS LETTER FROM AMERICA Dan Daley on the shift from physical to virtual

Email: sluckhurst@proavl-mea.com

CONTACTS

LETTER FROM EUROPE Phil Ward on championing diversity in the industry 74 COMPANY PROFILE Allen & Heath turns 50 under new leadership

SHOW REVIEW InfoComm Orlando stimulates creativity

TECHNOLOGY Maintaining loudspeaker standards

R&D The making of Shure’s TwinPlex series

ANALYSIS Kramer asks what’s next for AVoIP?

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COVER: National Museum of Qatar LICENCES: Singapore: MCI (P) 065/05/2019 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.

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@ProAVLMEAMagazine July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 3

NEWS

NMK launches music and AV investment initiative WORLD: Dubai-based distributor NMK Electronics has announced the creation of a new investment fund specifically targeting the global music and pro AV industry. Throughout its 30+ years, the distributor has seen many companies come and go, and feels it possesses a unique and valuable insight into the market that can be leveraged to support new start-ups. Named NMK Ventures, the fund is the brainchild of recently appointed COO Alex Kemanes whose prior experience in start-ups makes him uniquely

positioned to support and lead the Ventures initiative. ‘We’ve seen companies start out 10–15 years ago and today they have grown to become market leaders in the industry,’ explained Kemanes.

‘Our approach with NMK Ventures is to support these new start-ups today, which will eventually go on to become important players in the market in a decade’s time. The goal is to find new technologies, new hardware and

new software; anything to do with our market that offers a global reach. It could be in the events space, for example, a new ticketing software, an event planning software or a hardware product like a new mixer. If it’s relevant to our industry in any way, we want to take a look at it and evaluate it.’ The new initiative will see the distributor take a small equity stake in the companies it invests in, in exchange for funding and the leveraging of NMK’s network – either through distribution or the industry contacts and relationships it

possesses. ‘A lot of these start-ups are already raising funds through various generic means,’ furthered Kemanes. ‘We want to give “smart money”. That means not just cash, but also the knowledge that we’ve amassed. This includes market insights, and also the perspective we’ve gained from working in the Middle East market. A lot of these new companies want to enter the Middle East, and vice versa, we can help local companies starting out here grow outwards.’ www.nmkventures.com

PRG consolidates R&D with PRG Innovation WORLD: Production Resource Group (PRG) has announced that it will integrate its global research and development efforts into a new operating group named PRG Innovation. With the aim of ‘maximising its technological impact of the industry’, the new group will include PRG Projects, PRG Research and VER product development initiatives and will be led by Chris Conti in his new role as the company’s chief innovation officer.

Additionally, Clay Powers will become chief operating officer of innovation, overseeing all financial and logistical aspects

of both proprietar y product development and custom show solutions, while Gar y Boyd, chief operating officer of EMEA, will have ongoing responsibilities related to product development operations in Europe and China. ‘PRG Innovation brings all of our talent focused on product development into a single, global team, allowing us to anticipate market trends, move with agility and align product

Listen Technologies opens EMEA office EMEA: Listen Technologies is opening a new office to serve Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Located in Denmark, the office will be led by the company’s newly appointed European managing director, Flemming Bjerke. An expanded presence in EMEA will allow Listen Technologies to better reach customers in the region. The Danish office will stock products, demo and rental systems, and provide customer service and support for regional distributors, resellers and endusers. ‘Listen Technologies has enjoyed tremendous growth in the EMEA region over the past years,’ said CEO, Russ Gentner. ‘This new office responds to customer needs for immediate availability of products and support. In addition to our recent product introductions, we have a number of new products in the pipeline that EMEA customers have been asking for. Flemming is the perfect choice

Listen Technologies’ Flemming Bjerke to head this office with his deep understanding of customer needs.’ Bjerke brings more than 30 years of experience as a distributor to his new role as MD of Listen

4 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

Technologies Europe and will oversee the company’s regional expansion in addition to the Denmark office itself. He will report to Gentner and Listen Technologies president, Maile Keone. ‘I’m excited to be a part of Listen Technologies’ European expansion,’ said Bjerke. ‘The company is inventing best-in-class technology and has plans to develop products for tomorrow’s market. This, together with the growth plans Russ Gentner and Maile Keone have for Listen Technologies as a company, makes the opening of the new European office as a natural step in the path on this journey. I’m looking forward to working with and being a part of this highly dedicated team.’ Bjerke will build on the brand awareness already formed in Europe by Jim Bakker from The Bakery Consultants Group. www.listentech.com

development with our larger strategic objectives,’ stated Jere Harris, chairman and CEO of PRG. ‘I believe that our investment and per formance in market-driven innovation is one of the most power ful points of difference separating our brands from the competition. Now, that advantage will become even more significant.’ Frederic Opsomer will continue to lead the Belgian team in

developing new technology in LED and video, and Simon Kayser will continue to lead operations in Shenzhen, China, in sourcing video and lighting technology. In addition, Anne Johnston, vice president of marketing and product strategy, will collaborate with PRG Innovation on all aspects regarding marketing. www.prg.com

Tracktion, 2JW, Prism Sound and SADiE unite WORLD: DAW developer Tracktion and custom audio electronics manufacturer 2JW Design have teamed up with Prism Sound and SADiE to form a new company named Audio Squadron, the aim of which is to combine the four entities under the canopy of a single organisation to increase investment and creative sharing. Tracktion is known for its Waveform DAW, while UKbased Prism Sound is known for its range of high-end audio interfaces and AD/DA converters. Prism Sound’s pro audio division will be integrated into Audio Squadron. SADiE brings its audio editing software, SADiE 6, to the table, as well as its digital recorders and studio workstations.

‘We are excited by the multitude of opportunities offered by this collaboration,’ said James Woodburn, Tracktion co-founder and CEO. ‘It is the best of both worlds for Tracktion, 2JW Design, Prism Sound and SADiE. While we remain independent, we can more easily work together to bring renewed focus to delivery of the highest quality audio products.’ Prism Sound founder and director Graham Boswell added: ‘The shared vision of this venture will enhance our ability to accelerate creativity in the design and development of the industry-leading audio tools our customers have come to rely on. We’re eager to start working on this exciting new chapter of Prism Sound and SADiE’s life.’ www.audiosquadron.com

NEWS NEWS: BUSINESS

NEWS

Shure unveils TwinPlex Renkus-Heinz helps forin KSL touches down itsDubai APAC debut bring Atturaif to life

UAE: After a suspense-filled the SINGAPORE: Following thewait, global assembled attendees filed into the launch of the KSL loudspeaker plush conferencing ‘studio’ at the system at The NAMM Show, d&b SAUDI ARABIA: The Atturaif Living newly opened W Hotel on The Palm, audiotechnik has taken to the Museum highlights the history Jumeirah. Even with most of the those road to formally introduce and culture of what once present knowing what the big reveal latest addition to thewas SL-Series an ancient citadel would be, themud excitement for athe new family. Seven weeks onand since capital of the first58kg Saudi dynasty Shure product hadn’t waned. Chant the arrival of the cabinet at in century. Visitors to Utukian, regional sales manager thethe Fox18th Theater Pomona in Los the museum’s amphitheatre for Shure MEA, started offfrom by giving Angeles, invited guests the animations awitness brief introduction to projected the evening onto the walls over that to tellhisthe site’s before handing colleague, story. Audio accompanies these technical service manager Andrea projections, delivered by 10 Granata, to introduce Shure’s newest product – TwinPlex. The subminiature, omnidirectional microphone with dual diaphragm condenser cartridge found inside the capsule of TwinPlex is extremely sensitive and belies its physical size. The same too can be said about the ultra-thin cables that have been developed to connect the microphone to the bodypack.

thorough technical demonstration of the system’s performance was provided by Werner ‘Vier’ Renkus-Heinz STLA/9R line array Bayer and Matthias Christner. speakers installed by Robert The KSL was then put throughCole from Automation Control & Energy its paces in the 5,000-seat Systems. theatre with musical playback in ‘The biggest challengeAwas the various configurations. rigging huge area and the distances demonstration highlighting the between the sound andthe the three rigging modes,system including public and, as you would at latest compression modeexpect features, Granata went to morning great arounded World Heritage site, lengths there off the andistoalso stress the microphone’s durability aafternoon particular need for impressively sessions. due toand its hydrophobic coating, loud clear sound,’ explained Utilising the D80 amplification with the ability repel moisture platform, KSLto incorporates the and sweat under innovations the demanding same technical and conditions of theatre and stageof its performance characteristics performances, night night. Due groundbreaking big after brother, GSL. to its size and colour range, it can Featuring all the recognisable also be hidden clothesLoudspeaker or hair. benefits of its in Special However,KSL the provides microphone lineage, full is only half of the solution, for acontrol, wireless bandwidth dispersion mic to performLFit response needs a receiver, an extended and and the ADX1M Micro Bodypack advanced rigging options, all wholly aligned with the d&b Workflow. The highly flexible speaker format has been created as both a standalone and a fill and delay accompaniment Next Murat Keskinkilinc, EMEA to theup, GSL. senior productexamination marketing manager, A thorough of the As to part its ambitious Film the took theofcomponents stage to discuss the cabinet’s – Art during project, the DFI section commissioned nine Bosch conferencing portfolio that ‘Size Matters’ – highlighted filmmakers toduring produce content about was show the event. the on dual three-inch voice coil With highDoha’s culture and history, which Bosch’s strong standing indrivers, the frequency compression would befrequency projection mapped in conferencing industry, it was no the mid eight-inch high resolution surprise to learn that some of the transducer, andonto thethe lowmuseum’s frequency internal surfaces day.the The assembled systems during event front-loaded dualevery 10-inch and art films inemployed eacheight-inch gallery were being at acreate NATO additional dual side-an immersive AV experience of Finnish each summit in Brussels and the mounted speakers. subject, bringing to life the narratives Parliament, to a name asubwoofer few. In addition, new of thesuch collections on One system that tookform prideof companion comes indisplay. the ‘This isinthe biggest project of place the demonstration the flyable SL-SUB. With its RES two has everDicentis undertaken,’ stated was the wireless and Mark forward facing 21-inch drivers and Calvert, whofacing managed the project wired conference system. Using IP single, rear 21-inch woofer

low end by left and right trios of Renkus-Heinz DR18-2R selfpowered subwoofers, while three ST9-44 loudspeakers cover the systems side which is section. to mean the amphitheatre’s centre A made the trip– north from Australia. corporate and government projects single ICL-F-RN digitally steerable Western Audio Engineering’s –line andarray weAndy have been had verycan successful. loudspeaker bein owner, Craig, flown That the side business has grown found on of each of Zealand. the venue, frompart Wellington, New significantly.’ serving rear-fill and ‘The KSLasisboth an obvious companion The took surround. to thenext GSLpart thatofI the justevent wanted to place outside in the and In addition, six ICL-F-Dual-RN verify that it was asgarden good as I featured a loudspeakers range ofcertainly product-driven steerable have been anticipated and it ticks activities. The Sparks installed in other of the at. every single box Iareas wasstring looking trio on handtoto perform Living Museum support other We were have enjoyed great success several and all many used the outdoor video projections. with thetracks J-Series for years TwinPlex for their and nowtechnology GSL is astounding www.acesys-ksa.com musical Next of visiting performances. engineers on account www.renkus-heinz.com came an activity gearedSo towards its fidelity and power. using demonstrating how small and KSL for smaller occasions is a compact theIt’s bodypack Hidden no brainer. always is. great to on the the person of Mannie meet designers and the hear them Mannequin, were challenged explain the teams process of what drove NMoQ’s Art to Films project since to guess where it might Thisthe them to get the finalbe. result, 2013stumped in his capacity as the really the crowd and along again obstacles they encountered senior production and exemplified that has gone the wayengineer, andthe thework solutions they postproduction for the incame to developing the technology. up with. Then youDFI. hear the ‘Pretty much final result andeverything you realiseRES thatdid www.shure.com was the right solution,’ they really nailed it.’ commented Mr Winkler, ‘but perhaps most noteworthy was their ability to www.dbaudio.com take the existing, highly complex architectural designs, with little globally, we recognise huge potential free ceiling space, and figure out for thetoMiddle East,112 and4K wePanasonic needed how integrate this opportunity to speak to our projectors to meet the exacting clients facespecifications to face.’ technical of the SpeakingThe with other members project. technical quality of the demonstration group hosted their work is beyond reproach. by Bas Beekman, it was clearMark that But what really separates the wireless solution has andDicentis Dave from everyone else is a multitude of different their can-do attitudeapplications, to solving with a member of and the Dubai problems. Mark Dave provided Government expressing by far the best solutioninterest both in on the day. The and Dubai event was image quality creative support followed by a similar well-attended for the project.’ demo day in Bahrain shortly after.

Norbert Bau, Renkus-Heinz’s possible and not interfere with the Middle East sales representative, projection.’ when discussing the installation. The STLA/9R line array was Theper event wasplaying fun and matches thearchitectural TwinPlex perfectly. With industries. ‘There are restrictions installed five side, engaging, reflective of margins. the brand TwinPlex options on what offering we can two do here andfor the to the space’s wide director Marco [Weissart] sound systemsensitivity needs toand be connectivity, as invisible as itself. TheseSales are complemented on the was particularly great, and I look there seemed to be a complete forward to seeing more developments solution for most applications from them in this region.’ seeking subtlety and audio quality. Sharing this sentiment, Utukian Discussing the evening with OverRES 200 invited guests attended STAR studded on the occasion enthusiasm behind with co-founder Dave Green. theexpanded Jennifer Anne of Arabian Radio Hive that controls and monitors all and the company’s ‘When weshe firstwas learned about by thethe the Network, impressed thetechnology Art Films systems site-wide and development. is our heritage, ambitions fordispersion, video playback, possible applications for the it. ‘Shure facilitates operation of the for cardioid 138kg are stagedsimple by‘Music reducing unwanted and it’scomplex a big part of the business. projection mapping and knows stuff, and how technical to keepan highly system. family its member certainly made emissions.’ thethe lastbeginning 3–4 years have planning, ofdemands it up with thethe ever-changing From ofwe the project, impression tosheer thosesize attendees who Over In addition to the many noted put inworked more and more effort on the became apparent. Itfor took all of the of sounddeep technology different RES closely desire bass extension. industry figures whowith had Dean flown skills, experience and technical Winkler, founder of New The SL-Series design philosophy in from Japan, China andYorkIndia, wizardry possess make it based Winkler Consulting, on the is partly we based on thetoGerman some rental company owners had happen.’ technical and creative aspects innovator’s concept of Art and The video is on a important vast of the video installation project. Noise. ‘Thisproject is especially scale – RESconcerts estimatesinthat 21 Mr Winkler has been working on for outdoor Australia, billion are US processed each Europepixels and the – but it is second by a172 becoming bigmedia issue servers, around the driving Panasonic 4K ‘Those world,’ 112 explained Mr Bayer. projectors. than one petabyte attending aMore music festival hear of stored and on playback, themedia musicisas art. However, if the the data is audio fed byisn’t 50.6km of 3G reinforced contained SDI cabling. within the festival site, the One of thenoise biggest challenges unwanted emissions will be was the huge quantity of AV living regarded as noise to those equipment, of which needed to Keskinkilinc close by.Bas WeallBeekman aim to ensure Bosch’s and that Murat work together in sync. concert promoters getTo toaddress stage this, Media – athe newfull technology via Wi-Fi, the conferencing this type of event was clear. ‘We look their Hive concerts byControl adopting UK company formed by RES andwith forward to spreading the message of solution offers continuous audio bandwidth directivity technology Harrison – designed clarity lossDigital prevention and security. just unique the Bosch portfolio inherent with theMedia SL-Series. It’s L–R:how Mark Calvert and Dave Green www.qm.org.qa from RESthe largest www.resgb.com www.bosch.com aour bespoke software package called Speaking Arafat, his for is. Having share aim towith make sure thefocus shows Compression Mode market explained

‘World’s biggest permanent video install’ goes live at NMoQ

Bosch speaks at Festival City

UAE: The recent Bosch Speaks Your Language event in Dubai QATAR: London-based visual drew around 40 attendees, from technology has end-users to specialist, government RES, entities, The KSLintegrators, was atto be installed whatunveiled it claims systems design Singapore’s Star Performance the world’sand largest consultants directpermanent partners all Arts Centre video installation interested in getting at to the gripsnew with Nationallatest Museum Qatar Bosch’s line ofofproducts. (NMoQ) in Doha. company, Taking place at theThe Festival Cityon Asia Pacific region converged which star ted work on the Holiday Inn, the event kicked off The Star Performing Arts Centre project back in better 2014, provided with a short welcome from Bosch in Singapore to understand technical consultancy and video regional product marketing manager, the Kleiner (Smaller) Special media system exper tise Bosch’s to the Kareem Arafat, introducing Loudspeaker. Doha Film Institute (DFI) on the Integrus infrared interpreter Following an introduction titled technical realisation earphones and displaying itspre‘user‘Applied Evolution’ by and APAC visualisation of each friendly functionality’. territory manager Mikefilm. Case, a

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July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 5

NEWS

Sennheiser holds Dubai broadcast open day UAE: Sennheiser’s broadcast open day held at Dubai’s Meydan Hotel offered a hands-on affair, as technical sales manager, Ryan Burr, gave attendees a guiding hand around the manufacturer’s latest line of products in three distinct areas during a morning session. In one area was a fully functioning TV station that featured the brandnew Digital 6000 series, including the SK-6212 miniature bodypack which was a hit with broadcasters such as CNN, Abu Dhabi Media and Dubai Media. The Neumann KH 310 Studio Monitors were also present and demanded attention as the centre point of the audio signal output. On the opposite side of the event space, a fully equipped radio studio was arranged that featured a full array of Neumann’s studio-grade microphones including the classic broadcaster mic, BCM 705, which was set up at multiple points to mimic a live radio studio. This area also played host to the NDH 20 headphones from Neumann and was the first time they had been seen in the Middle East.

new products and technology.’ Claussen also expressed pride in the development of Sennheiser’s wireless G4 mic and 6212 bodypack, which the manufacturer hopes will set a new standard in the professional AV realm. Expressing enthusiasm on the day’s proceedings, Leo TuckerBrown of CNN said: ‘Many thanks to our UAE partners Sennheiser Middle East, Ryan, Fadi and the team who organised a great event.

CNN tried to make the most of this engaging, practical event to see the latest and greatest technology, just ahead of a major wireless project we are about to embark on. We look forward to using this technology and improving our workflow with a Dante-enabled Sennheiser Digital 6000 and brand-new SK 6212 bodypack transmitters.’ www.sennheiser.com

A mock-up radio studio Out on the balcony overlooking the racecourse itself was the outside broadcast area which demonstrated the range, functionality and capability of Sennheiser’s shotgun microphones, including the MKE 600 and MKH 8060/8070. Mig Cardamone, director of sales and marketing, explained the main reason behind the day’s event. ‘We have very good contact with broadcasters in the region, with the Middle East being highly

important for Sennheiser, so we wanted to give our end-users a very hands-on session. For product development, these events and ones like it are very welcome and quite crucial to ensure that we are coming out with products that our customers are requesting.’ Sennheiser COO, Peter Claussen, echoed these sentiments by giving his thoughts on the Middle East market. ‘It is a very interesting market here where people are open to trying out

L–R: Arif PK, Ryan Burr, Peter Claussen, Mig Cardamone and Fadi Constantine

Sony’s solutions-based open house at those with a limited knowledge of using multiple cameras or limited to the amount of people available at that time. The MCX-500 impressed with its solo functionality and ease-of-use for vloggers.

the highlight of the event. Using artificial intelligence, the small black box extracts information from a video feed and focuses the camera remotely to produce impactful video content. A great example of its application was

Sony’s touchscreen videowall UAE: Sony’s Anu Thomas greeted guests alongside a huge touchscreen wall at the JW Marriot Marquis for the manufacturer’s latest open house event. The screen took visitors on a journey through the Sony portfolio, offering insight into which industries Sony is currently active in. After a short introduction from head of corporate and education sales and solutions development at Sony, Unni Krishnan, who discussed its projector portfolio, Bravia professional displays, TEOS signage software, virtual reception solutions, Sony Sonic

6 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

Attendees were introduced to the REA-C1000 Edge Analytics platform

The MCX-500 live producer bundle Surf VR audio and home cinema, head of business development, Omar Abuaisha, conducted the first demo of the day. First up was the MCX-500 entrylevel, multi-camera production suite, a wired switcher for video production and handling live streams. The technology is aimed

Moving across the hall to the second of the four demonstration rooms set up for this two-day event, digital signage and TEOS software were on the agenda. Using screens already in place, it is possible to transform them into impactful digital signage, delivering a range of options for content management. Sony’s REA-C1000 Edge Analytics appliance was arguably

given in a classroom setting where a white board was used. The content written on the board was transferred to a screen at a higher, clearer resolution and the teacher appeared transparent so as not to hamper the view of the class. The technology could also remove the need for costly green screens in a professional production setting. The last demonstration of the day showcased Sony’s midrange

home cinema solutions and Sonic Sur f VR Audio. While the former was impressive, the latter would steal the show. The immersive spatial audio experience given by Sonic Sur f was not just simply a rehash of 3D sound, instead the special placement of audio in a dynamic soundscape gave an actual moving image of sound that could prove ver y useful for the likes of museums, theme parks and dedicated events, such as this, where truly unique content can be created specifically for Sonic Sur f. While there was a lot of food for thought with regards to which industries Sony is perceived to be operating in, Krishnan was upbeat regarding the reasons for the event. ‘A lot of our customers look at Sony as being ver y hardware orientated, but nobody understands that we are a solutions company,’ he said. ‘What I have seen these last two days is that people didn’t know Sony could work like this and provide this level of solutions. I feel it has been a great success and we look for ward to having more sessions like it.’ www.pro.sony

NEWS

Integrating AV with NMK UAE: NMK Electronics recently hosted its annual Integrate AV event at the QE2 cruise ship, now permanently docked in Dubai’s Port Rashid. With the distributor bringing so many products from its portfolio to the event, the evening felt more like a cut-down trade show than an individual event, and served to both highlight some of the newest additions to the portfolio as well as offer fresh insight into the future of the company and AV in general. Commencing with an introduction to NMK and the company vision, business development manager Dino Drimakis set the stage for the evening demonstrations. With NMK adding brands such as Ayrton, Luminex and Mersive to its portfolio, it has been a big 12 months for the company. ‘Over the last couple of months we have built a B2B platform which has become really successful and we have had a lot of really positive feedback,’ he explained. ‘Our team has also integrated a lot of lighting fixture protocols into our portfolio, so it’s a really exciting time for us on the lighting side too.’

After an impressive introduction from Drimakis, he handed over to Audinate’s Kieran Walsh who gave an introduction into Dante AV and discussed integrating Dante into audio and video workflows. With Dante operating solely in the audio domain up until now, the fact that video is now possible definitely piqued visitors’ interest. Next came a demonstration from Mark Breakspear, project manager at DLC Events, who gave an insight into his work with Shure solutions at the recent ITUPP conference, where

technological advancements in the interpretation and conferencing world helped to ensure an event of this magnitude ran without a hitch. This was followed by product demonstrations taking place throughout the ship, covering educational solutions, conferencing technology, theatre options and a full range of new Bose speakers. The latest projectors from Epson were showcased by Graeme Davidson, head of product marketing EMEAR, Professional Displays,

while a high-top trainer served as the projection surface to showcase Epson’s LightScene solution. Speaking with Saad Kaleem of integration firm Specialized & Interactive Systems, he only had positive things to say about the evening event: ‘It was great to see NMK bring together teams from several manufacturers in one place’, he commented. ‘I was surprised to see that they went all out and set up fully fledged demo rooms complete with projectors, speakers and hundreds of discussion units, whereas anyone else would just keep two or three units for a demo.’

Kaleem was also excited at the prospect of integrating NMK products into the existing SIS model. ‘SIS does a lot of hotels, restaurants and retail spaces in the UAE, so we expect to use the new Bose DesignMax speakers a lot in our future projects for BGM, ballroom and meeting room requirements. We are already installing Shure microphones in meeting rooms and we are looking for ward to products with Dante AV as we feel this technology will dominate the industr y once it goes on sale.’ www.nmkelectronics.com

RELAY provides the right touch for KISS FM The CCG Events team

CCG Events scores with Shure in Qatar QATAR: Doha-based CCG Events has invested in a number of new microphone and in-ear systems from Shure. The purchase includes 25 units of Microflex Complete (MXC) together with name signs and translation units, 10 units of Microflex Complete Wireless (MXCW), eight units of Axient Digital and six units of PSM1000 in-ear monitors. The equipment was supplied by Edge Electronics in Doha. In addition to CCG joining Shure’s SCN network, the purchase has positioned the events company as the sole provider of Microflex Complete in Qatar. ‘Our clients really like these systems and our plan is to keep

on investing in them in the future. The functions and flexibility of the Microflex conferencing systems, as well as the software, have really been the things that people have been taking note of,’ commented Shaun Brown, head of audio at CCG Events. ‘Furthermore, with Shure’s SCN conferencing network, if we need extra kit, we can just log on to the network and see what is available in neighbouring markets. Shure has really thought it all through, not just in terms of the equipment, but the support the network provides. We’ll be using Microflex for a lot of the corporate events that we cover but, with the World Cup coming soon, that’s also

8 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

a major selling point for us. We plan to use the system in the next couple of weeks for a big conference that FIFA is holding here in Doha.’ The Axient Digital and PSM1000 systems, meanwhile, were purchased due to their increasing popularity in the region. ‘While the flexibility of the Axient system is just great, it’s on all of the tech riders that we’ve received recently and so we just had to go that way,’ furthered Brown, ‘while the investment in the PSM1000 in-ear units also helps us stay on top of tech riders.’ www.ccg-events.com www.shure.com

RWANDA: KISS FM in Kigali has relocated to a new building, reportedly becoming the first broadcaster in Rwanda to implement IP technology for its broadcast studios. Rather than installing conventional mixing consoles, the radio broadcaster has opted for large touchscreens that run Lawo’s RELAY VRX software. The decision was made in part to ensure the station looks modern in front of the camera for visual radio. ‘We are the first station in Rwanda to use IP technology for broadcast,’ affirmed KISS FM’s managing director, John Wilkins. ‘Touchscreen mixing is a huge advantage because it’s so easy to learn and use. Today’s radio hosts are used to touchscreen phones and tablets so they love our new RELAY touchscreen mixer. And in the field, a computer with RELAY and a 4G telephone connection make it possible to originate highquality remote broadcasts with much less equipment and very little set up time.’ RELAY virtual radio mixers can be run on a standard PC or

laptop. They include a range of tools, from voice processing to mix-minus, and allow operators to build an entire broadcast studio on a single touchscreen, using the same computer that hosts the broadcaster’s playout system, software codecs and streaming encoders. ‘Our presenters all have social media platforms and Skype on the touchscreen so, at the touch of an on-screen button, they can interact with the huge KISS FM community online who are invited to shape our programmes,’ added Wilkins. ‘It’s an innovative approach that has made us a clear market leader.’ www.lawo.com

NEWS

Dante goes software only, beginning with QSC WORLD: Audinate has introduced two new software-based Dante platforms – Dante Embedded Platform and Dante Application Library. Dante Embedded Platform allows manufacturers to add full Dante functionality in software running on Linux for x86 and ARM processors. Having

solutions running on standard computing platforms,’ stated Joshua Rush, SVP, marketing and products at Audinate. ‘It was natural to partner with QSC, one of the leaders of this softwarebased strategy, to jointly develop the first software-based Dante solution.’

channels enabled at no extra cost. New tiered feature licences have been introduced to enable Q-Sys system users to scale Dante integration capabilities based on their specific installation needs and Core processor capabilities. ‘The Q-Sys ecosystem has always taken an open and agnostic approach to audio, and our partnership with Audinate is an extension of this philosophy as we offer a truly unique, softwarebased implementation of Dante to our customers,’ explained Trent Wagner, QSC’s Q-Sys product manager. ‘By offering a highly scalable approach to integrating Dante audio with the Q-Sys ecosystem, QSC meets the I/O integration needs of more installations.’ Audinate’s Dante Embedded Platform is designed for OEMs and will offer two options for manufacturers: an SDK with validation tools will aid OEMs in qualifying existing x86 and ARM-based products for Dante performance requirements. For new products under development, Audinate will also provide complete reference designs for popular ARM SoC chipsets, such as the Analog Devices ADSPSC589 and NXP i.MX 8M Mini QuadLite.

The SoundKraft team

SoundKraft sees success with Sennheiser’s G4 IEMs UAE: Dubai-based AV rental company SoundKraft LLC is reporting growing interest in the region for its recently purchased ew IEM G4 wireless in-ear monitoring system from Sennheiser. The company is attributing this response to the system’s ‘exceptional audio, flexible wireless sync, transmission range and compatibility with the manufacturer’s WSM software’. ‘We work closely with a number of international bands and artists,’ explained Mithesh Bhatia, SoundKraft LLC owner. ‘It was the high demand from these customers that prompted our decision to enhance our rental offerings with Sennheiser’s latest IEM system. ‘While seldom apparent to audiences, IEMs are absolutely critical to

live performers who have loved the unmatched quality that’s a hallmark of the Sennheiser brand. Because the system is so easy to set up and manage, it is extremely reliable, allowing artists to focus on their performance.’ Working closely with Sennheiser’s regional distributor, Venuetech, the rental company has been using the manufacturer’s systems for the past five years. ‘Compared to other systems, the wireless sync is very simple and straightforward,’ offered Bhatia. ‘The ew G4 is compatible with every system in our portfolio and we have regularly received feedback from customers about its excellent audio quality and transmission range.’

Real Events brings Tour1 to the UAE

www.soundkraft-me.com

UAE: Real Events, a new event production company based in Dubai, has invested in Pioneer DJ’s Tour1 system, incorporating the CDJTOUR1 and DJM-TOUR1 solutions for use at large-scale events and festivals. This marks the system’s arrival on the UAE rental market.

‘It will shortly be on riders for international guests now that it is more price friendly,’ said Marc Trowsdale of Real Events. ‘From a production point of view, however, the proper AES out, word clock and the Pro DJ Link protocol are useful for front of house as they can see what

the DJ is doing and be sure that the audio signal is coming in clean.’ With large-scale events on the rise in the UAE, Real Events hopes the quality of production will continue to rise.

committed to partnering on the development of cross-platform technologies with QSC back at ISE 2019, Audinate’s introduction of Dante Embedded Platform has enabled QSC to announce Software-based Dante for the Q-Sys ecosystem. The Dante Application Library, meanwhile, allows software developers to integrate Dante functionality directly into their PC and Mac applications. ‘The AV industry is shifting from bespoke, purpose-built AV equipment to software-based

QSC states that as part of its strategic technology partnership with Audinate, Q-Sys feature licences will enable native Dante networked audio integration without the need for additional hardware I/O or external configuration software, taking advantage of robust functionality such as device discovery, synchronisation, control and management for Dante – directly within Q-Sys Designer software. Following the release, all new Q-Sys Core processors will ship with a small set of Dante audio

www.audinate.com www.qsc.com

Black Coffee invests in Hippotizer SOUTH AFRICA: Durban-based rental company Black Coffee has taken ownership of Green Hippo’s Hippotizer Boreal+ media server. Supplied by DWR Distribution, the product has already been put to use at an event at The Globe Theatre, a new multipurpose, dome-structured venue that forms part of the Suncoast Casino.

The event was held to celebrate the casino’s new upgrade and renovation. ‘We used our new Hippotizer Boreal+ with a backup system,’ explained John-Dee Styles, who heads the creative team at Black Coffee. ‘We used four DVI outputs, two of which went to a double stack of 18k Barco

www.sennheiser.com

www.facebook.com/Realdxb www.pioneerdj.com

projectors, for the main content. This was projected on a black gauze to create the client’s desired effect.’ ‘The show went well but I have to admit it was nerve-racking getting to know the system and using it for the first time on a major show,’ Styles confessed, adding that he was grateful to have Dylan Jones from DWR onsite for technical support. www.black-coffee.co.za www.dwrdistribution.co.za

Black Coffee’s John-Dee Styles with his new Green Hippo purchases

www.green-hippo.com

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 9

NEWS

AP brings full glory to Harry Potter in KSA

SAUDI ARABIA: eclipse Staging Services was called upon by Blink Experience to provide a complete technical package for the National Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Harry Potter music live with the film. Taking place at the Ithra Theatre in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, eclipse provided sound, video and lighting, as well as rigging and power, for what was the first performance of its type in the Kingdom, choosing to deploy a d&b Array Processed audio system for the first time in Saudi Arabia. With the National Symphony Orchestra leading the performance, the production had to be acoustically detailed and the delivery flawless. As a result of having worked with the client on various projects in the past, eclipse’s help was sought on all technical grounds. ‘Our long-standing client, Blink Experience, knew of our standard, calibre and capabilities and, once again, brought us on board to help,’ commented eclipse Staging Services’ senior project manager, Tom Warneke. ‘This show was unique as it involved close-miking a complete orchestra, similar to what you’d do for recording or broadcast, and producing a live

Main L–R hangs comprising one V-Sub, six V8s and four V12s orchestral performance alongside a blockbuster film.’ The project utilised the theatre’s in-house lighting system such as the MA Lighting grandMA2 console, Martin Mac 700 and Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 fixtures, as well as the theatre’s automated fly system. For video, the eclipse crew supplied

projection and content servers for the film, as well as a custom rear-projected screen surface using two Christie 20K J Series projectors. The audio setup consisted of a combination of d&b V-Series systems, controlled by a DiGiCo SD5 mixing console. This included one V-Sub, six V8 and four V12 loudspeakers per side for the main PA, in addition to four V8s as front-fills with a single M4 handling the centre-fill. The audio department also deployed an array of eight V-Subs. The audio supply called for one senior audio engineer and one senior technician, along with a crew member on the show. The 80+ musicians in the orchestra were close-miked with a mix of Schoeps microphones. ‘The Ithra theatre was quite interesting from a purely system design perspective,’ noted eclipse head of audio, John Parkhouse. ‘A relatively short throw but large vertical coverage meant that in the planning stages we could be quite demanding of the d&b Array Processing feature. The flown systems splay angles were set to cover three tiers precisely at the seated audience and mechanically avoid reflection potential which resulted in a quite unconventional array shape.’ ‘We spent a good amount of time on load-in, aiming at an extremely precise mechanical accuracy to the ArrayCalc simulation software,’ explained Tariq Al-Hassan, the senior audio engineer who oversaw the project. ‘After alignment and tuning with R1 and Smaart, we achieved a smooth sounding and even covered system in the Ithra Theatre from the front row to the back of the third tier. Array Processing really came into its own here; the results were startling in this scenario.’ www.eclipse.ae

MADI powers audio at InniBos festival SOUTH AFRICA: The five-day InniBos festival which took place at the end of June, the largest of its kind in South Africa attracting main stage crowds of around 35,000 people per show, saw DirectOut’s M.1K2 MADI Routing System at the heart of the audio operation. Originally devised for the studio, MADI has since migrated into live sound and underpins some major events around the world. It has supported InniBos annually since 2016.

with the integration of the system’s design. ‘This was a light bulb moment,’ he says. ‘We were forced into more complex matrixing as most of the consoles only had two or three MADI input/output ports and we needed to consolidate an average of five sources plus tie-lines between four consoles and other playback, recording and video gear. We also had comms and loudness metering routed via the M.1K2.’ The first fully integrated MADI system for the five-day InniBos

The setup at FOH ‘My journey to large-format MADI solutions started in 2013 when Wild & Marr suggested I buy an M.1K2 router to split signal from my MADI stagebox to multiple digital consoles and audio recorders,’ recalls sound engineer, Gabriel Le Roux. ‘After using the router for a few weeks, I began to realise the immense power and flexibility of the unit, and my signal distribution designs became more complex. Within a short space of time, we started integrating Soundcraft, DiGiCo, Yamaha, Studer, Allen & Heath, Avid, Midas (via DN9650) and other systems.’ This ‘MADI methodology’ allowed technical suppliers to reduce the amount of gear needed on a production, with digital splitting made possible between any MADI-enabled consoles and stageracks using the M.1K2 and basic clocking protocols. When an M.1K2 was chosen for the reality TV show The Voice in 2015, Le Roux was called in to assist

Festival followed in 2016. The same routing model was then used for larger and well-known, theatre-style productions, which can require a year of planning and often up to six months of off-line lighting and video programming. ‘I was brought in on a freelance basis to assist with control systems integration in these productions,’ explains Le Roux. ‘My main objective was simple yet stable integration of the different production elements, and the highest possible level of redundancy. The DirectOut M.1K2 router was introduced in this kind of event in 2016 and has become the heart for all the audio routing. The only remaining analogue signal is the short run from stage to the inputs of the stageracks and the emergency talkback system – all other audio is routed digitally via the M.1K2.’

its channels, in addition to a free stream in UHD on YouTube. The German broadcast manufacturer has delivered a number of OB vehicles to Baku Media Center in recent years, including a 16 camera Streamline S16 trailer plus support vehicle and DSNG. In April this year, Broadcast Solutions delivered an additional 12 camera OB plus supporting truck to Baku Media

Center that was used at the UEFA Europa League final. The new truck is based on the Streamline S8L design, preengineered production vehicles that offer three dedicated rooms in a box-body combination with 10–12 workplaces and space with up to 12 cameras.

www.directout.eu

Baku Media Center supports Europa League Final broadcast AZERBAIJAN: The UEFA Europa League Final between Arsenal and Chelsea took place in Baku recently and was supported on the broadcast side by local technology provider Baku Media Center together with production company Sunset + Vine. For the match, Baku Media deployed its production fleet developed by OB manufacturer, Broadcast Solutions. The game was broadcast by BT Sport on

10 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

www.bakumediacenter.az www.broadcast-solutions.de

NEWS

Electrovision deploys EV at Emamat Cultural Center IRAN: Electrovision has installed full AV and lighting systems at the Emamat Cultural Center Auditorium in Qom. The project, which also included the design and installation of seating and decoration, saw Electrovision deploy an Electro-Voice sound system. The sound setup comprises ElectroVoice EVU-2062 ultra-compact two-way speakers, ZXA1 active speakers and ZX3 two-way passive enclosures coupled with CPS power amplifiers, DC-One digital processors and various Electro-Voice wired and wireless microphones. On the visual side, Electrovision installed a Datavideo SE-600 video mixer, which selects from the images captured by PTZ cameras which will be displayed via a Panasonic PT-EW640 data projector. Teclumen Spot and Flood lights were also implemented, as was a Clockaudio interpreter system. ‘In addition to audio and video systems, this project had another special aspect and that is the hall

decoration,’ said Mehri Nasiri, manager of Electrovision’s design team. ‘Our team designed a traditional architectural concept for this hall, which has ancient Persian architectural elements in it that also helps us to ensure acoustical standards. We also used high-quality VIP seats for the whole hall to help the audience feel more comfortable.’ A Dynacord mixer handles the audio control while a Datavideo controller takes care of the video

www.electrovision.ir www.emamat.ir

Robe lights up Dubai Festival

UAE: The stage for the 2019 Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival was brought to life by a sizeable quantity of Robe Lighting fixtures. Taking place at Dubai’s Media City Amphitheatre, the event saw Done Events as event producer call on 72 MegaPointes and 48 Spiiders, among other fixtures, all supplied by rental company, MediaPro. The year’s event was the first time that MediaPro had served as the lighting and audio technical supplier for the Jazz Festival, and the fixtures deployed were part of a substantial Robe investment made by the company in the last 12 months. The goal for Done Events was to create the bestpossible audience experience by ensuring that the rig looked larger and more impressive than in previous years while also capable

of being pulled back to add intimacy suited to some music and performances. A StageCo roof structure was installed by AES, complete with a series of circular trusses between 18–28m in diameter, which were used to create a curved LED design with some elements on Kinesys hoists for movement and to lift the upstage LED screen for band changeovers. Multiple spreaders were used in the roof to create points exactly where needed for this and for the lighting trusses. Forty-two of the 72 MegaPointes were rigged on seven vertical truss pods along the back and upstage sides of the stage, together with another 12 on three horizontal bars creating a wall of effects lights. The remaining 18 were

positioned on three trusses, one midstage with two in the offstage/ upstage corners. The luminaires were used for all the gobo effects and aerial eye-candy as well as for bright beam sources when needed. The 48 Spiiders were dotted around the overhead trusses and used for general wash lighting. Some of the visiting LDs got arty with the ring and pixel control and the Spiiders’ central LED effects. ‘Everyone enjoyed the brightness and range of effects on the MegaPointes and the fabulous clear optics,’ commented MediaPro owner, Abeesh Pushkaran. One of the many features that he liked about the MegaPointes is the fact that a gobo or a mid-air effect can be perfectly focused at almost any distance with the zoom in or out. A pre-vis studio was set up onsite in the artist area for LDs to programme, tweak and update their showfiles during the daylight hours, as the dark and quiet time between the previous night’s show coming down and the sun rising was extremely short. For lighting control there were two grandMA2 full-size at FOH and a GM2 light for the pre-vis, running over three NPUs for processing.

Conference upgrade for Hotel Kempinski

UAE: Arthur Holm’s DynamicShare platform has been selected by Hotel Kempinski in Dubai to provide participants of its meeting room the ability to share video files and documents in a secure way from different sources without the need to install any additional software or use any external devices. Additionally, meeting participants needed to interact via touchscreens and there was not a dedicated technical room. The DynamicShare platform is a smart solution that allows meeting room participants to share different video sources among each other without requiring specific training, technical knowledge or assistance. The different inputs can be shared without any software licences and without having to install any external devices. The solution installed consists of 16 DynamicX2Talk

touch monitors customised with DynamicShare, which are also integrated with gooseneck microphones for audio conferencing. DynamicShare is integrated in the monitors, providing up to three HDMI inputs and one output. It allows the HDMI signal to be shared on up to 20 monitors in Full HD resolution, while the control protocols for the monitors’ movements are also embedded into the HDMI signal to simplify the overall cabling. Two push buttons on the monitor cover plate allow meeting attendees to view their contents and share them among the rest of the monitors. All delegates were able to share local computers with the rest of participants by clicking the share buttons.

GCC: NMK Electronics has been handed two awards by Bose Professional at its recent Distributor Connect event in Dubai. Taking place at the Al Layali Beach Madinat Jumeirah, Bose brought together distributors from across the GCC region for a two-day event, the aim of which was to discuss products, opportunities and sales strategy. The event was attended by team members from each of the manufacturer’s distributors in the GCC, in addition to the Bose Dubai Professional and Consumer Electronics team and EMEA sales manager Hans Vereecken. NMK

was presented with two awards – one in recognition of its sales achievements throughout the year and the other for its involvement in The Royal Atlantis Dubai project. ‘We are honoured to have received these prestigious awards from Bose,’ commented NMK business development manager, Dino Drimakis. ‘This is a great acknowledgement for all our team’s efforts. With additional resources added to the NMK team, both companies will continue to develop and prosper in 2019.’

www.arthurholm.com

NMK wins Bose distributor awards

www.nmkelectronics.com pro.bose.com

www.robe.cz

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 11

DISTRIBUTION Riedel partners with Venuetech Ayrton joins Q-Light in Egypt

UAE: German manufacturer Riedel Communications has announced a new partnership with Venuetech covering the Middle East region. The UAE-based pro AVL distributor states that Riedel’s MediorNet media network and Artist intercom systems have been installed at the Venuetech showroom in Dubai’s Business Bay, and that its engineering team is ready to demonstrate the solutions and respond to any inquiries. ‘Venuetech is the ideal partner to help us bring Riedel’s reputation for excellence in signal transport and communications technologies to the vital UAE marketplace,’ said Ahmed Magd, general manager of Riedel ME and Turkey. ‘In addition to their in-depth distribution expertise and local market experience, Venuetech has broad and deep knowledge of our product portfolio. The Venuetech team will expand local access to our solutions and provide an

L–R: Nour Assafiri, Ahmed Magd el din Abdalla and Ismat Assafiri outstanding first line of support for our customers.’ ‘This is a fantastic venture in the right the direction for us. At Venuetech, we are always looking to partner with the leaders and the innovators of the industry,’ said Nour Assafari, CEO of Venuetech. ‘Riedel is a perfect example of a company that is setting standards

Pro Lab expands audio distribution

UAE: Pro Lab has bolstered its distribution portfolio with the addition of products from Martin Audio, Outline and 10EaZy. For Martin Audio, this includes the company’s full line of audio solutions; for 10EaZy, its sound level meter and monitoring tool; and for Outline, the Newton multisource audio processor. ‘Pro Lab is always looking to expand and grow in terms of brands they carry and the newly added brands were the perfect fit for our audio department,’ stated Pro Lab managing director, Rami Haber. ‘I am confident these new partnerships will be long lasting and positive for all parties involved.’

The British loudspeaker manufacturer offers a wide variety of products targeting installed sound, with series like the CDD and Adorn, and live sound, with the Blackline series, in addition to the flagship line array series such as the new WPL. Additionally, Outline’s Newton 16+8 offers triple input/ output capability as it is equipped with AES67, Dante, Madi Coax, Madi Opt, AES3 and analogue inputs and outputs, making it suitable as a management hub for large-scale events. Another prominent feature of Newton is its clock managing capability which takes out any possible sync issue among formats.

EGYPT: Ayrton has appointed Q-Light Egypt as its newest exclusive distributor. Q-light will be responsible for the full portfolio of Ayrton’s LED profile, wash, spot and effects lighting fixtures in Egypt. Q-Light CEO Walid Bahnasy is an accomplished lighting professional having been

of which Q-Light has been able to add huge value to the region with Ayrton’s products which guarantee creativity, dependability and incomparability. In the last couple of years, Ayrton has made huge improvements that have convinced lighting consultants and engineers to use Ayrton’s unique products in their projects.

in communications technology and paving the way for others to follow. We look forward to developing this partnership in the Middle East region and working alongside the Riedel team to further consolidate our position in the market.’ www.riedel.net www.venuetech.ae

Ayrton CEO Chris Ferrante and Q-Light CEO Walid Bahnasy

Lastly, the 10EaZy audio meter and monitoring tool is a turnkey solution that can be used regardless of experience to help its operator reach a suitable sound level for indoor/outdoor events and permanent installs. Two kits will be available from Pro Lab, the full kit including a Class-1 measurement mic together with 10eazy hardware and software, or simply the software-only kit. Once activated, the software can be used with any soundcard and measurement mic as long as the calibration is accurate. www.prolabllc.com

responsible for the photography and lighting of some of the biggest TV and live shows in Egypt, North Africa and the Middle East, including Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Deal or No Deal, and the Doha Debates. ‘We are extremely excited to be appointed Ayrton’s exclusive distributor in Egypt,’ said Bahnasy. ‘Egypt is witnessing a significant sustainable development in various fields, especially in economics, architecture, culture and arts. This development has revolutionised the entertainment and leisure industry in the Egyptian market, as a result

They are ready and waiting to see these new products in the Egyptian market now.’ ‘We are ver y happy to welcome Q-Light into the Ayr ton family,’ commented Ayr ton CEO, Chris Ferrante. ‘Knowing that Walid, an accomplished lighting professional with many years of experience in the region, is leading Q-Light confirms that they are the per fect fit. We are looking for ward to being able to, for the first time in Egypt, give this influential territor y the focus it deser ves.’ www.ayrton.eu www.facebook.com/QLIGHTEGY

DWR takes the load for Fenix and Ron StageMaster

SOUTH AFRICA: DWR has been appointed as the new distributor in South Africa for Eilon Engineering Weighing Systems, while also becoming a member of the Fenix global dealer network and beginning to offer the Spanish manufacturer’s lifting tower range. Eilon Engineering Weighing Systems, meanwhile, is best known for its Ron StageMaster range, as well as load cells, crane scales and dynamometers. ‘We are happy to begin our cooperation with DWR for the distribution of our Ron StageMaster systems in South Africa,’ said Noga Eilon-Bahar of Eilon Engineering. ‘DWR is one of the country’s leading suppliers of

Noga Eilon-Bahar of Eilon Engineering equipment to the entertainment industry, and is an important addition to the Ron StageMaster distribution network worldwide. I

12 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

Alex Bryan from Fenix am sure that together we will make live events in South Africa even safer, and I have no doubt that this relationship will be successful.’

The Fenix line array tower was first introduced in the 1990s when L-Acoustics launched its first line array.

‘We are delighted to be working with DWR Distribution,’ explained Fenix’s Alex Bryan. ‘They have a very strong position in the South African market, being the exclusive distributor for many well-known brands, and we are happy that they have chosen Fenix as their lifting tower supplier. DWR has a strong team of experienced people who will help their customers in giving the proper advice in terms of safety and recommending the most suitable products to meet their needs.’ www.dwrdistribution.co.za www.eilon-engineering.com www.fenixstage.com

NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

CTME becomes disguise CSP member Wild & Marr wins Audinate distribution in SA SOUTH AFRICA: Wild & Marr has been awarded distribution of Audinate products in South Africa. The Australian technology company responsible for the popular Dante network protocol also manufacturers a range of Dante AVIO adapters that allow users to bring legacy audio gear onto a Dante network. Wild & Marr has already received its first shipments of the products. Wild & Marr’s technical director, Anton van Wyk, offered his excitement about the new agreement. ‘Dante AVIO is a

game-changing product which adds flexibility and expandability to any legacy audio system and/or Dante network with minimal cost. We are excited to distribute their products.’ ‘Taking on the Audinate agency is another step in the direction of being a complete AV solutions company,’ added Wild & Marr MD, Gary Furman. ‘This product range furthers our vision of being the audio, video and control systems distributor of choice in Africa.’ www.audinate.com www.wildandmarr.co.za

MIDDLE EAST: Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) has joined the disguise Certified Solutions Provider worldwide network, the video solutions manufacturer’s programme for systems integration partners to sell disguise products and services to end-customers. ‘Creative Technology is always looking at new ways to raise the bar within the industry, and this CSP accreditation is the perfect addition as it enables us to continue to be a vital driving force within the region,’ stated Andy Reardon, managing director of CTME. We are pleased to be a part of the disguise CSP programme, allowing us to expand our offering within the industry and move CTME closer to the disguise business and user community. It provides us with a better understanding of the business

and product pipeline and gives us a direct line to the development and engineering teams.’ Globally, Creative Technology is a long-time disguise user, and CTME has been using disguise for more than three years in its projects, making finding out how the company can ‘get involved in the system design and previsualisation

much earlier in the project timeline very useful,’ noted Reardon. ‘CSP accreditation allows us to be a preferred solutions provider within the region which will inevitably connect us with a larger share of the integrations market.’

One of the key features of the Astera LED brand is its AsteraApp, which provides control over multiple fixtures. ‘The AsteraApp offers simple and powerful control of complex lighting programmes and effects, and these features coupled with the portability of Astera means that lighting designers can focus on being creative without worrying about potential limitations like cables and rigging,’ explained Darren Caithness, NMK lighting business manager.

believe in manufacturers that build and develop their own products to ensure quality and reliability.

End-users trust an established and innovative brand, and Epson has an impressive history and has developed quickly since first entering the production and rental market.’ ‘We are also delighted to become Astera’s distribution partner due to their focus on innovation and quality products which are a perfect fit for the GCC stage and events market,’ added Alex Kemanes, chief operating officer, NMK Electronics. ‘Astera has a well-established reputation in the market and we plan to further develop this reputation and make it synonymous with quality and performance.’

CTME lit up Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi using disguise products

Epson and Astera LED partner with NMK

GCC: NMK Electronics has been appointed to distribute Epson’s pro AV solutions and Astera LED Technology products in the GCC. The deal with Epson will see NMK add the manufacturer’s ultra-portable, short-throw and installation projectors to its distribution portfolio, while for Astera LED, NMK will begin offering its portfolio of wireless and battery-powered LED lighting. ‘In the early discussions with Epson, we certainly felt that both companies shared similar cultures of providing quality, support and commitment to

Epson with the NMK team clients,’ explained Dino Drimakis, business development manager at NMK Electronics. ‘We truly

Forever young!

www.ct-group.com www.disguise.one

www.astera-led.com www.nmkelectronics.com

AURUS platinum New software release 4.7:

BIRTV: Meet us #20001!

» Parallel compression (New York compression) » 3D audio » VCA group hierarchy

1/3 PAGE

Innovative. Sustainable. Stage Tec!

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July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 13

Versatile, Flexible, Powerful Performance

THE PERFECT MULTI-PURPOSE POINT SOURCE LOUDSPEAKER Built on 4 decades of legendary performance, the new ULTRA-X40 incorporates Meyer Soundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest advancements in driver, distortion and phase response perfection into the form factor of the UPA. With 11 integrated rigging points, an abundance of mounting accessories and a horn that can be rotated without removal, the ULTRA-X40 is highly configurable for a wide variety of applications. Put the ULTRA-X40 at the top of your must have list. It is a bold revolution of an industry standard.

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EDUCATION Absen makes ACE engineers in Kenya KENYA: Absen recently held ACE (Absen Certified Engineers) training programmes for the first time in Nairobi since 2015, attracting engineers from across East Africa including Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. ‘Each time we hold an ACE programme, the training applications come flooding in,’ commented Jessica Xiao, Absen sales director for the African market. ‘However, full consideration is taken before holding an ACE event to ensure high-quality training is given and the attendees can really learn what they need for their daily work.’

‘We’re so impressed and inspired by the enthusiasm the engineers have shown in this three-day training,’ added Ted Peng, Absen sales manager for East Africa. ‘They listened carefully in the class and took active parts in the handson operation.’ The manufacturer has enjoyed great success in the African market which it credits in no small part to the extensive training sessions it offers. Currently, Absen has over 70 trained ACEs in Africa. During the sessions, the team divided all the teaching staff into small teams and prepared demos for each group. Only the participants who passed the

written and hands-on exams were recognised as ACEs. ‘I can’t extoll enough how professional the training was and

SARA hosts dot2 training SOUTH AFRICA: The South African Roadies Association (SARA) and DWR Distribution recently teamed up once again, this time delivering training to expose new SARA trainees to MA Lighting’s dot2 control surface and to explore other lighting topics. SARA served as host while the DWR team conducted the training. DWR’s lighting designer and operator, Olebogeng Boinamo, led the training. As the trainees possessed varying levels of

were able to answer all questions asked of them. The ability to pass on their experience could not be faulted.’ Paul Mutunga, a technician from Kenya, returned to the ACE sessions for an update, having also attended back in 2015. ‘Working in this fast-paced changing industry, updating your knowledge of LED display products is necessary for everyone involved in AV. Absen’s ACE training is the perfect chance to equip myself with the latest expertise. I attended it four years ago, but I still learned a lot this time.’

of course the training personnel,’ commented Van Daele Eric, an experienced engineer from Rwanda. ‘Absen were excellent and

experience, Boinamo walked a proverbial tightrope to ensure those at entry level could understand the seminar, while those with a little more experience were still able to learn new skills. In addition to dot2, the PC system including patches, user profiles, presets, effects and backup, was also covered. ‘The training itself came at the right time where the students were introduced to new technologies,’ said Boinamo. ‘The students were highly motivated and open to the skills they were gaining. It’s great to see young faces so enthused

www.absen.com

about this industry. They were ready to ask questions and weren’t shy about asking in-depth questions.’ Boinamo employed a teaching technique known as code-switching. This involves switching back and forth between different languages so that everyone, no matter what tongue they speak in, feels included throughout the seminar. ‘When the students heard their mother tongue being used to teach, they opened up more,’ Boinamo revealed. www.dwrdistribution.co.za www.malighting.com www.saroadies.co.za

Obsidian training Partner training comes to Oasis course takes place in Dubai UAE: AV solutions provider, Venuetech, has recently held an Obsidian control systems training event in Dubai. The workshop, led by Obsidian Onyx controller specialist Menno Appelhof of Elation Professional, gave invited lighting and service engineers across the AV industry a chance to refresh and update their knowledge on the control systems and test some of the latest lighting software updates. The first day’s training was held at Venuetech’s training centre, while the second and third days took on a more practical theme at the distributor’s service and demo centre. ‘The first official Obsidian Onyx training in Dubai was a real success,’ said Appelhof. ‘It was great working with both the sales and the technical teams from Venuetech. They have shown great knowledge of the software and had some very detailed questions that

UAE: Oasis Enterprises recently enjoyed in-person training from lighting manufacturer ETC and audio solutions manufacturer LDA Audio Tech. Mark Larcombe, ETC’s regional manager for the Middle East, recently visited the distributor’s offices in Dubai to conduct partner training and brief staff on the company’s most recently launched products. The separate LDA training, meanwhile, was led by LDA’s support manager, Juan Manuel Díaz.

came from working with the software on the current projects. On the last training session, many highly experienced operators attended and have shown a great deal of interest in the work we have already done and the roadmap where we are going to. I would like to thank Mr Nour, Mohammad Haroun and his team for having me. It was wonderful working with them, and I am already looking forward to the next set of training sessions that we will be planning for later this year.’ www.obsidiancontrol.com www.venuetech.ae

16 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

LDA training the Oasis team in Dubai

Larcombe gave the Oasis team a presentation highlighting how ETC has adapted to major trends influencing the lighting industry. ‘Mark was fair in enabling our team so that they are equipped with the right information about

products and the new innovations and trends the company is looking towards. Moving further, he talked about new acquisitions that ETC will be looking at,’ explained Oasis Enterprises general manager, Basel Al Aref. The LDA training covered the NEO and ONE systems’ technical aspects, as well as the NEO Control and NEO Configurator software. ‘We had a series of training sessions over two days –

enabling us to integrate and use the new configuration software to configure, programme and monitor LDA Systems, which we believe will be most helpful for future project integrations,’ explained Milad Abboud, technical manager/audio engineer at Oasis Enterprises. www.etcconnect.com www.lda-audiotech.com www.oasisppd.com

WHERE WILL IT TAKE YOU?

NEW ARCS LINE SOURCE FAMILY The new ARCS A15 and A10 systems deliverÂ renownedÂ L-Acoustics concert performance and reliability for audiences from 50 to 5,000. Mounted on a pole, stacked on the companion KS21 or flown in vertical or horizontal arrays, the new ARCS family combines plug-and-play ease and international market acceptance. This versatile solution, with adjustible directivity, scales with the needs of your company and is your gateway to the L-Acoustics rental network. ARCS can take you anywhere you want to go. l-acoustics.com GROW !

APPOINTMENTS Wolfgang Pein assumes Community appoints responsibility for TOA in EMEA EMEA sales manager

L–R: Toshio Sakata and Wolfgang Pein EMEA: TOA Electronics Europe has undergone a change in management that has seen Wolfgang Pein replace Toshio Sakata as managing director and assume main responsibility for the EMEA region. Sakata will remain in the company management team and will continue to lead all activities in Russia.

‘The new leadership is completely characterised by continuity on the one hand and renewal on the other,’ explained Pein. ‘TOA Corporation usually sends Japanese managing directors to its subsidiaries. At TOA Electronics Europe GmbH, we are breaking this pattern, very consciously and deliberately. By handing over the position of

New hires at TIG

EMEA/AFRICA: Technological Innovations Group (TIG) has appointed Alain Solomon as regional sales director for North West Africa and South West Europe, as well as Charlie James as its new director of strategic alliances for Crestron. Solomon joins from Jupiter by InFocus where he was sales director for EMEA and, before that, worked for Barco in several VP roles, driving sales, defining and implementing growth, and implementing market strategies.

Alain Solomon

managing director to an employee from Europe, the company is strengthening its proximity to its customers. ‘TOA Electronics Europe GmbH is growing steadily and sustainably,’ he added. ‘Our success forms a healthy basis for the further expansion of our activities, for example through personnel development in sales and product management. We are facing up to the future tasks of the industry: AI, IoT and cybersecurity. We continue to place value on our employees arriving successfully at TOA, being optimally trained and certified so that they can develop confidence in their skills and their position at the company. This principle applies to the entire TOA Corporation worldwide. It has led us well up to now and will continue to play an important role in the future.’ www.toa.eu

James joins TIG with more than 20 years’ experience in the Microsoft ecosystem, working with global systems integrators and independent software vendors on delivering Microsoft’s go-to market strategy. ‘I am very proud to be joining the TIG team to help our partners take full advantage of the IP technology growth into the AV world,’ said Solomon. ‘The Southern Europe and North Africa regions are early adopters of such new technologies and represent a

Rob Davidson EMEA: Rob Davidson has been hired at Community Professional Loudspeakers to fill the role of EMEA sales manager. Based in the UK, Davidson most recently worked for professional audio export company, PAXT, where he served as senior international sales manager. He will now report to Community CEO, Steve Johnson. ‘We’re very pleased to welcome Rob to the team,’ said Johnson. ‘Combined with excellent technical

experience, he has a proven track record of building great working relationships with distributors, consultants, systems integrators and dealers. With our wide offering for installed sound, market-leading all-weather systems and new products like the IV6 modular vertical array already rapidly increasing sales, Rob’s professional approach will provide great support.’ ‘I have already had the opportunity to preview the exciting products coming in the near future that will continue this legacy of innovative engineering,’ commented Davidson. ‘At its core, Community is dedicated to delivering high-quality, greatsounding products, providing practical solutions across a wide variety of installed applications. This will always make our products suitable and desirable, so I see plenty of growth opportunity.’ www.communitypro.com

fantastic growth opportunity for us.’ ‘This is a historic moment for our business,’ stated Robin van Meeuwen, president and CEO of TIG. ‘Alain has many years of AV industry experience in EMEA and is well respected with the customer base, while Charlie’s experience in the field of UC and end-user engagement is exactly in line with the direction in which our industry needs to go.’ Charlie James

www.tig.eu

Sennheiser names new Adam Hall creates business communication director CTO position WORLD: Sennheiser has appointed Ron Holtdijk as its new director of business communication, where he will be responsible for the manufacturer’s business communications strategy, particularly in the field of ceiling array microphones and in the growing education market. ‘The outstanding breadth, depth and international scope of Ron’s experience is an ideal fit for Sennheiser’s ambitious vision and company culture,’ said Peter Claussen, COO at Sennheiser. ‘He will bring his broad experience and insight to

Ron Holtdijk our BizCom management team and play an instrumental role in

18 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

driving forward our strategy in B2B markets.’ Holtdijk is described as an accomplished audio industry executive with 25 years’ experience in the sector. He joins Sennheiser from Bang & Olufsen, where he was director of its global businessto-business division and played a key role in developing the company’s portfolio and go-to market strategy in this field. He will be based at Sennheiser’s headquarters in Wedemark and report directly to Peter Claussen. www.sennheiser.com

Andreas Modschiedler WORLD: Adam Hall Group has announced Andreas Modschiedler as its chief

technology officer. In this newly created role, Modschiedler will oversee the IT and R&D departments. He has served as the group’s head of IT and digital since December 2016. ‘We are delighted to have Andreas Modschiedler as a proven digital and technology expert on the team,’ said Alexander Pietschmann, CEO of the Adam Hall Group. ‘With him as CTO, we will take the structural and operational steps crucial to moving forward with our global digital transformation.’ www.adamhall.com

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NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Jeremy Forsythe promoted to EAW director of product management WORLD: Jeremy Forsythe, who joined Eastern Acoustic Works in 2017 as business development manager, has now been promoted to the position of director of product management. ‘Jeremy Forsythe is the obvious choice to be our director of product management,’ claimed EAW president, TJ Smith. ‘Although he just joined the staff two years ago, Jeremy has always been a part of EAW, as his father, Kenton Forsythe, is one of our co-founders. Jeremy’s first-hand experience designing sound systems gave him an excellent sense of our

Jeremy Forsythe

WORLD: Audinate’s co-founder and CTO Aidan Williams has been appointed as the company’s new CEO, succeeding Lee Ellison who recently announced his decision to retire. ‘Lee has been a key contributor to the growth of Audinate, and the results speak for themselves,’ said Audinate chairman, David Krall. ‘Under Lee’s leadership as CEO over the past 11 years, Audinate has become the global market leader in audio networking for the professional AV industry.

Lee led the company through its successful IPO in June 2017, and, since its listing, Audinate has consistently delivered strong results and record growth. ‘Together with Lee and the board, we developed a succession plan over the last year to ensure a smooth transition of the CEO role. Our plan was for Aidan to follow Lee into the CEO role, and we are delighted that this will occur. Having co-founded Audinate, Aidan has been a guiding force in its product innovation and strategy

Audinate co-founder named CEO and will continue to do so as CEO. With a talented team in place, we are confident of a smooth transition and continued growth.’ Williams looks forward to building on the success of Lee’s leadership. ‘We are at a very exciting point in the company’s development, with strong ongoing momentum highlighted by achieving the milestone of 2,000 Dante-enabled OEM products available for sale,’ said Williams. ‘Having been closely involved in the technology and strategy of the

customers’ needs, which has contributed greatly to his success as our business development manager. With his strong technical background and understanding of loudspeaker systems and their applications, he has already made important contributions to our vision for the future of our products. Jeremy has richly earned this position, and I could not be more pleased.’ Before joining the company his father helped establish, the younger Forsythe worked as an architect and architecture project manager in New York, before

Aidan Williams business to date, I see my role as leading the team to unlock the value embedded in transforming

moving on to design nightclub sound and lighting systems in Los Angeles. ‘This is a great opportunity for me, and it comes at just the right time,’ said Forsythe. ‘We have a superb engineering staff, and our business is strong and growing. We’ve developed groundbreaking technology that is making a big difference for our customers. And what you see now is just the beginning. We’re developing amazing new products, and I’m excited to be a part of it.’ www.eaw.com

the global AV industry through networking and software.’ The retiring Ellison commented: ‘I am comforted in my decision to enter retirement, believing the time is right to hand the leadership over to Aidan. Aidan, and the rest of our experienced executive leadership team, have built a close working relationship over many years, and I am confident that Audinate will continue to thrive under his leadership.’ www.audinate.com

Pavel Aheunin Listen Technologies elects becomes ME sales new president manager for Bosch MIDDLE EAST: Pavel Aheunin has been appointed as the new sales manager for the Middle East market for Bosch’s ProSound Division, which encapsulates the Electro-Voice and Dynacord brands. A well-known and highly respected expert of the regional industry, Aheunin is described as a seasoned product manager with extensive experience working with manufacturers, distributors and integrators. Based in Dubai, Aheunin will report to sales director, Klaus Seitz. ‘Pavel has resided in the UAE for nine years and possesses deep knowledge of the global professional audio market and the unique requirements of the Middle East region,’ enthused Seitz. ‘He has proven his marketing and sales skills in the past and I have no doubt that he will now strengthen our sales activities in the Middle East.’

Pavel Aheunin ‘I am both honoured and excited to join the ProSound division and to have the opportunity of working with such highly regarded brands and respected colleagues,’ added Aheunin. ‘I can’t wait to get started.’ www.dynacord.com www.electrovoice.com

20 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

WORLD: Maile Keone has become president at Listen Technologies. She first joined the company in 2013 with a background in sales, marketing and operations, and most recently served as its chief revenue officer. As president, Keone will be responsible for executing the company’s business plan. Listen Technologies founder Russ Gentner was the previous company president. Vacating that position to focus on strategic planning, business development and partnerships, he will remain as CEO. Gentner will manage the day-to-day operations of the company with help from Tracy Bathurst, who has been promoted to senior vice president and continues as chief technology officer. ‘It has been an honour to serve as president of Listen Technologies and I am incredibly

Maile Keone proud of the growth we have experienced as an organisation’, said Gentner. ‘We will continue

to develop industry-leading products, deliver outstanding customer service and forge strong industry and channel partnerships. Maile has been instrumental in this success, increasingly taking on the responsibilities of president and executing our business plans.’ ‘Russ’ ambition and visionary leadership lays the foundation for our future and challenges us to identify new ways to excel in product innovation and delivering exceptional customer experiences,’ added Keone. ‘I am extremely proud of the passion and daily execution in our organisation and look forward to taking firm hold of the opportunities in front of us. Our work makes a difference in the lives of those who hear better because of the solutions we create and service we provide.’ www.listentech.com

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NEWPRODUCTS

INSTALLATION • AV • LIVE SOUND • BROADCAST • POSTPRODUCTION • RECORDING • LIGHTING A-ZCONTENTS X4L

Powersoft gains added X-factor The X4L joins Powersoft’s X Series, delivering four channels of amplification for high SPL woofers with the help of recycled energy POWERSOFT’S X Series amplifier range, which includes the eight-channel X8 and four-channel X4 models, has grown with the addition of the X4L. Much like its sibling the X4, also offers four channels and is designed to deliver the output voltage required by the latest generation of high-performance loudspeakers on the market, in particular woofers with high SPL requiring an equally high voltage. Designed to deliver a peak of up to 300V, the power of the X4L is described by the Italian manufacturer as translating to a ‘more audible impact from the music itself’. As modern high-performance loudspeakers are decidedly reactive, a lot of the energy they receive can be recycled as it is returned to the amplifier, saving between 2–4dB. This ability has been instrumental in making the X4L viable, according to Powersoft. When put to use in applications not requiring quite so much power, the X4L

reportedly has the ability to drive more cabinets in parallel in comparison to other solutions, saving time during system set up and truck space on the road, as well as on costs. Five output connectors allow for configuration flexibility, for example, driving a cardioid sub system with channels one and two, while channels three and four power two-way front-fills simultaneously. ‘In such a configuration, the X4L is capable of giving 1dB more power to the two most power demanding channels, which in this case would be the sub channels,’ explained Powersoft product manager, Klas Dalbjörn. Powersoft has also released a new OEM solution in the form of Loto, a one- or two-in/four-out processing board to add advanced DSP functions to powered products. Two versions are available: Basic and Advanced. Both versions feature the same characteristics as the

X Series platform, offering parametric raised cosine filters, custom FIR and IIR equalisers, as well as TruePower, RMS and peak limiters, Active Damping Control and live impedance, all of which are managed using ArmoníaPlus. A pair of AES3 digital input streams into Loto via XLR connectors, while Dante digital audio networking architectures are supported with two inputs and two outputs. Additionally, Loto is compatible with Digimod PFC2- PFC4, IpalMod, the Litemod family and Minimod4 amp modules. Speaking of the LiteMod Series, MiniMod4 and DigiMod PFC2/PFC4 amp modules, Powersoft’s new DSP-Lite ETH, a one- or two-in/three-out processing board, has been built for use with them. Its compact interface panel is compatible with mono-in/link-out or stereo-in configurations. www.powersoft-audio.com

Micro amp from Quest THE HALF-RACK size QXA amplifier from Quest Engineering is described as the complete sub/satellite amplification package for powering a full-range bar/ restaurant audio system. Two 300W RMS satellite and one 600W RMS sub bass

channels, all with crossover and limiter protection, make the MXA2.1 combine power and functionality with a small physical footprint. The system can power up to eight Quest MX series satellite speakers in crossover or full-range mode,

plus two MXS10 series sub basses. Alternatively, any small- or medium-format mix and match can be installed and powered with the MXA2.i1 system. www.questaudio.net

Absen Aries Series/CR Series/Absenicon Adamson S7/S118/S7p/S10p Allen & Heath dLive Wings/C1500 Amate Audio N318 Antelope Audio Edge Go/Orion32+ AtlasIED Z Series/SHS Series/IPX Series Attero Tech Axon C1 Audinate/intoPIX Dante AV Module Avid Avid Link B&C Speakers DCX464 beyerdynamic TG 500H-C and TG 500H-D update Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 Bosch LB20 series Bose DesignMax/PowerSpace/PowerShare Broadcast Pix BPswitch IX BroaMan Route66 update Calrec ImPulse/VP2 Canon LX-4K3500Z Celestion Big Red Horn/CDX14-3040 Chauvet Ovation PAR series Claypaky HY B-Eye Coda Audio Linus Control v2.0 d&b audiotechnik B8-Sub/Bi8-Sub/ArrayCalc Exchange dBTechnologies Vio X205/Vio W10/FMX series/Sya DiGICo SD12 and SD10 upgrades Digigram IQOYA Talk disguise vx 4 dnp denmark Supernova STW Drawmer 1974/1976 EAW KF810P Extron ShareLink Pro 1000/ECM S10 Faital Pro 12XL1200 and 15XL1200 FBT Myra 214L and 218S/Infinito/JMaxX Focusrite RedNet Control 2.3/free licence for Reference 4 Fohhn Accessories for Focus Venue and PT-70 Funktion-One Vero VX GatesAir Flexiva FMXi 4g Genelec Aural ID GLP impression FR1 track-mount version/KNV Line Green Hippo Hippotizer V4.5 Hitachi SK-HD1800 HK Audio Linear 7/Linear 3 additions JBL Professional CPi2000/PRX800 V2 Just Add Power 767DSS/726TVI KV2 Audio ESD Cube L-Acoustics Arcs A15 and A10/KS21 Lawo A__stage 80, 48 and 64/dual fader for mc256 LD Systems U500 IEM Series Lectrosonics ALP690/DCHT Lynx Technik HDR Evie Mackie DRM Series Merging Technologies Anubis Meyer Sound Ultra-X40/M-Noise/MPS-482HP/UPQ-D3 MXL Microphone Blaze 990 NewTek NDI 4/LightWave 3D/VMC1 software Out Board TiMax HardCore FGPA/TrackerD4 Panasonic SQ1 series/CQ1 series Peavey Neets TanGo Peerless-AV Smart City Kiosk/Xtreme High Bright PixelFLEX FlexUltra PixelShield PMC IB2S-AII/IB2S XBD-AII Powersoft X4L/Loto/DSP-Lite ETH PR Lighting Arc LED 1572/XPAR 543 Quest QXA amplifier RCF Ayra Pro/RDNet version 3.1 Riedel Artist-1024 Ross Video Xpression V9.0 Shure TwinPlex/ADX series Solid State Logic SiX/S500m/Dynamic Automation Software Sommer Cable SC-Silver Spirit Sonifex AVN-AIO4/AVN-AIO8 Sony REA-C1000 Soundking Artos Studio Technologies Model 207/Model 348/Model 381 TASCAM Series 102i/Series 208i Tasker C282 Super/C726 PUR Super Telestream Vantage Cloud Port/OptiQ/CaptionMaker 8 TSL Products SAM-Q and SAM-Q-SDI UNiKA NBB-0202 Vaddio CeilingMic WorkPro SoundNut additions/WSF 500 CX and WSF 10 CX Yamaha DXRmkII update/CS-700 SIP/TF Series V4.0

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S7 premieres in Adamson’s S-Series ADAMSON HAS expanded its tour-grade S-Series range of loudspeakers. The new S7 ultracompact, two-way, full-range line array enclosure contains two ND7-LM16 Kevlar neodymium drivers (16Ω each) and an NH3-8 1.4-inch exit compression driver (8Ω). A slightly curved wavefront is produced by the critically optimised sound chamber, with a nominal dispersion pattern of 100° x 12.5° (HxV). The chamber has been built to allow for increased vertical dispersion without sacrificing high-frequency presence in the far field, while the manufacturer’s Controlled Summation Technology eliminates low-mid lobing.

S7 Complementing the S7 on the lower end of the frequency spectrum is the S118 subwoofer. This enclosure features a lightweight, long-excursion, 18-inch ND18-S Kevlar neodymium driver that makes use of Adamson’s Advanced Cone Architecture, in addition

to a 4-inch voice coil for power handling. Both the S7 and S118 include the SlideLock Rigging System first employed on Adamson’s S10. This facilitates simple suspension without the need for a stacking pin. A single technician can reportably prep and fly an entire array.

It’s not just line arrays that Adamson has been focusing its attention on. The new S7p and S10p are two-way, full-range point source cabinets. They each include an NH3-8 1.4-inch exit compression driver (8Ω), and while the S7p features dual ND7-16 low-mid drivers (16Ω each), the S10p has two pairs of ND10-LM low-mid drivers. The prolate spheroidal waveguides of both point source units produce a nominal dispersion pattern of 70° x 40° (HxV), rotatable in 90° increments. This waveguide design aims for an equal tonal balance when moving outside of the intended coverage pattern, to deliver

S10p natural sound with no diffraction or lobing. www.adamsonsystems.com

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 23

PRODUCTS

Amate adds to its Nítid series AMATE AUDIO has introduced the N318 to its Nítid active loudspeaker series. The 1,230mm x 520mm x 540mm full-range, integrated, three-way PA cabinet incorporates 18-inch and 12-inch transducers, a 1.75-inch diaphragm hornloaded compression driver and Amate Audio’s on-board, integrated, third-generation, Class-D amplification and DSP system control platform to deliver 3,200W of power and 133dB SPL. A more powerful amplifier platform – 2,400W (LF) and 800W (MF/HF) – drives a 4-inch voice coil 18-inch LF driver, 3-inch voice coil neodymium 12-inch driver and a new 1.75-inch PM4 diaphragm HF compression driver, loaded with a long throw horn. The midrange transducer assembly features a specially designed phase plug for the driver, creating two separate in-phase output sources for better controlled horizontal directivity. Increased compression in the 12-inch driver also helps boost output. Improved output levels and frequency consistent directivity combined with higher signal resolution and audio fidelity help the N318 to deliver higher sound quality over a longer throw with wider horizontal coverage, making it suited for a wide range of medium- and large-scale indoor and outdoor sound applications

Compact footprint solution FUNKTION-ONE HAS released its Vero VX, developed over the last three years to offer sound for a wider range of venues and environments due to its more compact footprint. The Vero VX system comprises VX90 full-range vertical array elements, V124 or V221 bass enclosures, amp racks, fly bars, transport dollies, groundstack hardware, cabling and projection predictive software.

as well as FOH PA and side-fill and drum-fill stage monitoring roles. DSP system control is accessed via Amate Audio’s SensitiveTouch keypad technology from the rear-mounted control panel with LCD display, and includes five-band EQ, crossovers, up to 118ms/40m delay line, limiter, gain control, mute and input dynamic compressor, while plug-and-play presets reportedly enable a quicker set up. The ‘ultra-thin’ speaker grille design is said to provide robust

protection but with a 67% perforation coefficient. A polyurea finish protects the birch-ply cabinet, while electronic circuits and controls safeguard against moisture. A universal switch mode power supply also claims to provide 90% power efficiency to the amplifier circuitry. Weighing 67kg, the N318 features a tilt and roll design with fixed, rearmounted wheels and ergonomic handles. M8 rigging points are also provided. www.amateaudio.com

Vio X condensed DBTECHNOLOGIES HAS condensed the power of its Vio X point source series down to fit within a 150mm x 485mm x 240mm cabinet that weighs 7.8kg. The result is the Vio X205 active system, suitable for use as a small full-range system, an FOH monitor, in fixed installations or

Vio W10

Vio X205

for front-fill in medium and large sound reinforcement systems. Two different models are available: the Vio X205-60 for 60° x 60° coverage and the Vio X205-100 for 100° x 100°. A two-way system equipped with dual 5-inch LF and a single 1-inch HF component, the Vio X205 features a Digipro G3 400W RMS amplifier module and, like its bigger Vio X siblings, allows remote control via RDNet communications and Aurora Net control software. Another new addition to the wider Vio line is the Vio W10 active wedge. At just 16.5cm high, this unit offers variable

24 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

acoustic focus using on-board presets such as default, close, wide and far, or via Aurora Net software and RDNet. The FMX monitor series of active coaxial monitors has been launched by dBTechnologies in 10-inch, 12-inch and 15-inch models, all equipped with the latest DSP with a linear phase FIR filter for directivity and adaptability. Other new solutions recently launched include Sya, a two-way active speaker series, which also includes 10-inch, 12-inch and 15-inch models; the Sub 900 series of 15-inch and 18-inch subwoofers; and the new passive full-range cabinets that form the LVX P series, with cabinets varying from full-range 8-inch to 15-inch models to 15-inch and 18-inch subwoofers. www.dbtechnologies.com

The VX90 is a three-way vertical array element with four newly designed neodymium drivers in a horizontally symmetric configuration: two reflex-loaded, high-efficiency, 12-inch mid-bass drivers; one Axhead-loaded, wide-bandwidth, 8-inch cone midrange driver; and a single 1-inch compression driver on a proprietary isophase diffraction waveguide. The VX90 measures 1,120mm x 340mm (WxH), its usable bandwidth is 50Hz to 20kHz and the horizontal dispersion is 90°. The patented Lambda rigging system results from 40 years of development and refinement of the manufacturer’s rear tension rigging methods. This enables cabinets to be transported and flown as

straight columns, then tensioned into preset angles once the complete array is suspended. The Lambda system’s optimised rotation axis is said to ensure perfect alignment at vertical angles between 0–12.5° for coherent summation. There is a choice of fixed- or movable-point flying beams. The movable-point beam incorporates motorised

adjustment, enabling the inclination and declination of the entire array to be remotely set while flown from a single motor. Funktion-One’s driver and waveguide technology also enables a single transducer to cover ‘more than four octaves of the audio spectrum’, from 300Hz to 5kHz. This approach reportedly ensures vocals and musical harmonics are coherent in both time and space, providing benefits in clarity, intelligibility and stereo imaging. Designed to be more energyefficient, the Vero VX means up to eight cabinets can be powered from a single amplifier, while a 32-box system plus additional subwoofers can be powered by six amps. www.funktion-one.com

Soundking bestows an ‘all-in-one’ solution SOUNDKING HAS launched its Artos system for portable sound reinforcement. It is a self-powered, all-inone vertical array solution that includes six 3-inch mid-frequency transducers, a 1-inch high precision driver, coupled with a subwoofer featuring a 10-inch transducer, as well as an on-board mixer that offers control without the need for a console. Artos’ four-channel mixer enables use in a wide range of applications, and the system is able to connect to microphones, instruments, playback

devices and wireless Bluetooth streaming sources. The system also possesses built-in DSP and a graphical user inter face. www.soundking.com

PRODUCTS

NEWS

Gotha Dubai Mackie unveils new flagship series

d to

DEVELOPED FOR mobile DJs, bands, installations, houses of worship and rental systems, Mackie’s DRM loudspeakers provide up to 2,300W of power via Class-D amplifiers. Universal power supplies (100–240V) feature Power Factor Correction technology that reportedly regulates incoming voltage for peak performance even with unstable AC power. The series consists of the DRM212 (12 inches/1,600W), DRM215 (15 inches/1,600W), three-way DRM315 (15 inches/ Vera S33, M10 and M32s 2,300W), DRM12A array provide fill(12 in the gaps to provide consistent inches/2,000W) and DRM18S coverage. ‘TW Audio invited me to subwoofer (18 inches/2,000W). Germany for audio sessions andiswe At the heart of every speaker atMackie’s Colorsonic were seduced byDSP their Advanced Impulse systems us to achieve module.that Theallow manufacturer also the high level of quality audio we

wished to have,’ stated Mr Giraudon of his decision to opt for the German loudspeaker manufacturer. Control of the signal chain is handed to a Midas M32 console, while Powersoft X Series amplifiers provide power throughout. ‘It’s comforting to know that however much power we demand from the X Series amps, they are always able to deliver everything we need and more,’ said PRO LAB managing director, Rami Haber. ‘Not only that, but the user interface in Armonía for configuring the amplifiers is particularly intuitive, allowing us DRMmultiple family groups for each toThe create channel quickly adjust many reports to that precision crossovers, settings on different groupings transducer time-alignment andof speakers required.’ tuned FIRas filters overcome the The lighting and special effects physical attributes that can play a big part in helping contribute to poor sound.Gotha Dubai achieve its distinct vibe.

Central to this is a large kinetic 16 x 16 grip on the ceiling, from which 256 spheres hang. The spheres rise and fall to within almost touching distance, enabling the club to change the mood of the space at the flick of a switch. They can play any colour and effect, slow or fast, and change the shape of a room from a high-level club to a small space. The spheres, from Vision Pro Lighting, are backed up by 144 b.dots between them, with a narrow beam angle and precise lighting. The visuals technician from Gotha requested a ChamSys MQ500 to operate the lighting and effects, and control the The Control Dashboard features video triggers. Allfull-colour the trusses are a high-contrast, display hung series on theusing backMovecat panel toPluslite reportedly dual break motors. provide a quick and easy set up. Full-range models offer three-band

www.mackie.com

www.prolabllc.com

New L-Acoustics family

parametric EQ, venue-specific voicing modes, alignment delay, user presets and system lock. The subwoofer features a variable crossover and cardioid mode.

The titanium diaphragm compression drivers are housed in braced plywood cabinets. On the exterior, each DRM is covered in a touring-grade textured coating. The ported design of the DRM cabinets is said to provide a responsive bass while simultaneously helping to keep the amplifier cool. The loudspeakers are equipped with M10 flypoints, dual-angle pole mounts and line array configurations. Both the DRM212 and DRM215 feature angled cabinet designs to allow for use as high-powered floor monitors. Every DRM Series model is also available as a passive version.

L-ACOUSTICS HAS unveiled the Arcs A15 and A10 systems, and the companion KS21 sub. Inspired by the manufacturer’s X Series, the A15 Focus, A15 Wide, A10 Focus and A10 Wide, as well as the subwoofer, incorporate bended wood technology and are described as

1/2 PAGE Island A15 Wide lightweight and sturdy. Repor tedly achieving a throw of up to 45m and a maximum output of 144dB, the speakers can be mounted on a pole, stacked or flown in a ver tical or horizontal line source array. A15 and A10 systems incorporate configurable L-Fins to adjust waveguide directivity. They can be scaled to fit both large and small events, with the KS21, the company’s first

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26 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

Januar y–Februar y 2019 PRO AVL MEA 21

21-inch sub, extending the lowfrequency bandwidth to 30Hz. For larger events, Arcs can be used as a fill or delay solution and a complement to larger K1 and K2 systems. The A15 and A10 Focus and Wide enclosures were designed with LA4X capabilities and one-to-one ratios in mind. Each LA4X amp channel pairs with one A15, one A10 or one KS21. The one-to-one ratio extends to the A15 and KS21, where one sub is recommended for each A15 enclosure. For the A10, the recommended loudspeaker-tosub ratio is two-to-one. Arcs also functions with LA12X amplified controllers. The A15 Focus, A15 Wide, A10 Focus and A10 Wide are passive, two-way systems with a maximum SPL of 144dB, 141dB, 139dB and 137dB, respectively. The bandwidth for the A15 Focus is 41Hz to 20kHz; for the A15 Wide it’s 42Hz to 20kHz; and for the A10 Focus and A10 Wide it’s 65Hz to 20kHz. All four have 70°/110° symmetrical or 90° asymmetrical L-Fins. The KS21 is a bass-reflex sub with a maximum SPL of 138dB. The manufacturer has also announced updates to its Soundvision and LA Network Manager platforms. Soundvision 3.1.0 and LA Network Manager 2.7.0 feature advanced autosolver tools to improve system optimisation. The Soundvision update includes two new features to assist the system design process: Autosplay and Autofilter. www.l-acoustics.com

PRODUCTS

FBT brings Myra on tour excursion drive units with 3-inch long-excursion voice coils. The 214L cabinet is built inhouse by FBT, employing premium Baltic birch and tour-ready, weather-resistant polyurea coating to withstand life on the road. An integrated four-point rigging system allows up to 20 cabinets to be flown with a splay angle from 0° to 8° in 1° increments. Myra 214L FBT HAS debuted a new touring system, comprising the Myra 214L biamped mid/high line array speaker and the Myra 218S dual 18-inch reflex subwoofer. The 214L element houses a new coaxial 4-inch voice coil mid-frequency and 2.5-inch voice coil high-frequency driver pairing that FBT has developed in collaboration with B&C Speakers. This covers the 400Hz to 20kHz frequency range. The compression drivers’ combined output is loaded by a proprietary short path waveguide for low distortion and the ability to keep broadband directivity under control. An

Myra 218S extended frequency response to 42Hz negates the need for a flown subwoofer to accompany the Myra 214L in many applications, thanks to B&C 14-inch high-

The companion 218S subwoofer is packed with custom-designed, very long-excursion B&C drivers. It can be deployed in ground stacks or distributed cardioid sub arrays,

delivering low-frequency energy down to 30Hz. The 218S cabinet is also constructed from Baltic plywood coated in polyurea, while eight ergonomically placed rubbergripped aluminium bar handles and removable heavy-duty casters have been included in its design to make trucking and handling easier for engineers. In other news, the Italian manufacturer has unveiled its Infinito system management suite designed to provide ‘seamless operation and ease-of-use’ of all FBT active loudspeakers, matrix processors and processing power amplifiers. The suite uses TCP/IP protocol based on the AES70 Open Control Architecture standard and operates over Ethernet. More than 100 DSP devices can be connected on the same TCP/IP network, while the status of all connected devices and the control of individual device parameters are all available in real-time, reportedly giving the user instant and accurate user feedback via the touch-orientated graphical interface.

JMaxX 112A FBT has also unveiled JMAxX, a new line set to take over from the FBTMaxX series. The range comprises the JMaxX 110A, JMaxX 112A and JMAxX 114A two-way active loudspeakers with 10-, 12- and 14-inch LF woofers, respectively. www.fbt.it

LivePremierTM series

1/2 PAGE The most powerful 4K/8K live presentation systems for high-end staging and premium system integration Modular

Scalable

Versatile

Reliable

www.analogway.com

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 27

PRODUCTS

d&b orders a bite-sized sub D&B AUDIOTECHNIK is describing the new B8 ultracompact subwoofer as a bitesized sub with good reason. It stands at a height of just 170mm, while providing a lowfrequency extension down to 43Hz. While it can be flown as an accompaniment to small mid/ high d&b loudspeakers, the B8

can also be concealed in tight spaces beneath stages, stairs or ceilings, and works horizontally and vertically. Designed to pair with d&b’s xC-, xS- and E-Series loudspeakers, the B8 is available in two variants. The B8-Sub is intended for mobile and touring applications, while the Bi8-Sub

is built for fixed installations. With a pair of 6.5-inch drivers and ferrite magnets housed within a bass-reflex cabinet, the B8 subs achieve a low-frequency extension from 170Hz down to 43Hz. The subwoofers can be powered by all current d&b amplifiers for a maximum SPL of 122dB. It’s not just subwoofers that d&b is working to streamline though, as the German manufacturer has made its workflow more efficient with the launch of the ArrayCalc Exchange software. ArrayCalc Exchange converts CAD and EASE files into an ArrayCalc venue file (.dbacv) that can then be imported to the ArrayCalc simulation software.

HK Audio’s next Linear step LINEAR 7 is the latest family added to HK Audio’s Linear Series, which also includes Linear 3 and Linear 5. There are five members of the Linear 7 family on launch: four mid/high units and one subwoofer.

www.dbaudio.com

B8-Sub

PMC adds power and flexibility

The Linear 3 High Performance Pack

AIMED AT users working in stereo and surround formats, the IB2S-AII and IB2S XBD-AII feature a pair of 3U rack-mounted electronics per channel that contain DSP-controlled Class-D amplification delivering 2,025W for the single cabinet IB2S-AII and 3,225W for the IB2S XBD-AII twin cabinet version. According to PMC, the increase in power lowers distortion and increases base definition, attached and extended headroom. The electronics are housed off-board and all control of the monitors can be made via the RJ45 connect table-top remote. The three-way IB2S-AII master cabinet can be purchased as a speaker in its own right or together with the single-driver XBD bass cabinet to form the IB2S XBD-AII system. Both systems

The L7 110 XA is a 10-inch powered speaker, while the L7 112 XA and L7 112 FA are both 12-inch powered enclosures with multipurpose housing and full-range housing with clustering angles being the differences. Then there’s the 15-inch, active L7 115 FA and the L7 118 SUB A subwoofer. All five units are Milan-ready and feature PowerCon connections. Linear 7’s Ethernet-controlled DSP technology can be used to control existing Linear speakers using an integrated DSP out. The subwoofer offers several cardioid presets, selected via a button on the enclosure. Meanwhile, HK Audio has released three new turnkey Linear 3 system packages, aimed at bands and DJs that wish to control their own live sound. The L3

feature PMC’s hand-built preparatory drivers – a 10-inch carbon-fibre/ Nomex piston, a 75mm fabric dome mid and a 34mm soft-dome tweeter in each cabinet. Both systems also feature proprietary Advanced Transmission Line bass-loading technology, user-adjustable HF and LF shelving filters, ±8dB input level trim and an AES3 digital input. The input sensitivity of the balanced analogue inputs can be adjusted from –4dB to +16dB. For larger rooms, the single-driver XBD bass cabinet incorporated into the IB2S XBD-AII adds +3dB of LF headroom to deliver a response down to 20Hz. Both cabinets can

The IB2S-AII system be mounted in a vertical or side-byside format. www.pmc-speakers.com

Celestion blows the Big Red Horn CELESTION HAS unveiled the Big Red Horn with the Axi2050 wideband axiperiodic compression driver. Constructed using a fibreglass compound and available in alternative colour options, the horn has been designed to optimise the Axi2050’s wide bandwidth performance. The Big Red Horn has a 2-inch throat exit with a 90° x 45° radiation pattern and cut-off frequency of 400Hz. As for the Axi2050, it is built to reproduce a maximum frequency range between 300Hz and 20kHz without the need for a midband

Compact Venue Pack is suited to bands performing at small venues, the High Performance Pack powers performances for up to 500 people and the L3 Bass Power Pack is for DJs playing bass-heavy music for crowds of up to 250.

Big Red Horn

28 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

crossover. Rather than employ two separate diaphragms, the wideband axiperiodic compression driver uses a single annular titanium diaphragm that is large in diameter (175mm) and circumferentially axiperiodic. The diaphragm comprises several curved, axiperiodically symmetrical elements, adding strength to what is a light, thin titanium sheet. Due to its unique shape, mechanical vibration modes are tailor-made to not couple with the acoustic modes, which allows for the avoidance of resonance peaks, resulting in an uncoloured performance.

HK has also launched the first two units in its SI range: the P10i and P10j. These line source speakers each feature 10 3-inch drivers and are designed for installation in large rooms with long reverberation times and noisy indoor venues, as well as outdoor long-throw applications. The SI line has also been developed for use in voice alarm systems, for water and weather resistance, and is available in more than 30 different colours. Finally, the Cosmo C 6 speaker has debuted, built for venues where the front row of audience is close to the stage and the speakers need to be flown lower than 6m in height. This is because the C 6 combines a wide throw pattern and relatively low height. www.hkaudio.com

Also new is the CDX14-3040 neodymium magnet compression driver. This features a 1.4-inch exit and 3-inch voice coil. The edgewound coil copper clad aluminium voice coil reportedly delivers 75Wrms of power handling and has a sensitivity of 106.5dB from 500Hz to 20kHz. The CDX14-3040 is Celestion’s third large-format compression driver to include a 3-inch singlepiece titanium diaphragm and surround. CDX14-3040

www.celestion.com

GREATER SIMPLICITY. FLEXIBILITY. CLARITY.

The NEW Shure MXA910 Ceiling Array Microphone with IntelliMix® Now easier to deploy. More flexible than ever. With superior sound quality. The new MXA910 with IntelliMix® includes simplified templates and AutofocusTM technology for immediate, out-of-box performance. Requiring less installation and commissioning time for you and your teams. Best of all, with enhanced IntelliMix DSP now on board, it provides the noise and echo-free audio performance your clients demand. shure.com

INTELLIMIX

PRODUCTS

Updates galore

True broadband pattern control EASTERN ACOUSTIC Works (EAW) has launched the KF810P installation line array, the latest model in the company’s KF800 series. The KF810P is a three-way system with high output and broadband pattern control. Designed for installed applications, it incorporates invisible wiring and concealed three-point rigging. A weatherrated option is also available for permanent installations in demanding environments. The KF810P integrates two high-powered, ported, 10-inch, low-frequency drivers with 3-inch voice coils; four 5-inch midrange drivers with 1.7-inch voice coils;

and two high-frequency drivers with 1.4-inch exits and 3-inch voice coils. The output of these sources unites through an integrated horn that occupies the forward face of the speaker enclosure, delivering up to 145dB SPL with pattern control down to 250Hz to cater to more challenging acoustic spaces. EAW’s Concentric Summation Array technology integrates the components within the horn so that multiple subsystems sum more coherently, without interruption to the high- or mid-frequency wavefronts.

YAMAHA HAS released a raft of updates to its systems and products. First is the DXRmkII series of powered loudspeakers which has been redesigned to include a bigger neodymium 1.75-inch HF driver that delivers 1–2dB higher SPL than the existing series. The DXR15mkII can now reach 134dB maximum SPL, with an LF response down to 49Hz, while the DXR12mkII can also produce 134dB SPL with LF down to 52Hz. The maximum SPL for the DXR10mkII is 132dB SPL, with 130dB SPL for the DXR8mkII. As with the original DXR series, Yamaha collaborated with Nexo on the updated range. Yamaha is now shipping the CS-700 SIP video sound collaboration system. Part of the manufacturer’s Video Sound Bar family, the CS-700 SIP model is reported to be the industry’s first video collaboration solution to integrate PBX and UC applications.

The DXRmkII series Users can bridge telephone calls and web conferences to achieve high-quality audio from all communication channels. The CS-700 SIP model introduces VoIP capability to the family, with built-in connections for VoIP and USB for UC applications. This permits organisations to support both types of communication from a single wall-mounted unit. TF Series V4.0 firmware adds a number of enhancements, including a Selected Channel View, scene fade time function for added scene management flexibility (particularly in theatrical applications), additional mute groups, expanded support for

www.eaw.com

Simplifying installation indoors and out BOSCH’S LB20 commercial loudspeakers have been designed for installation both indoors and outside. The 16 model variants – which include 4-, 5.25- and 8-inch two-way models, as well as a matching dual 10-inch subwoofer – also feature a wall-mount system

developed to simplify and save time during installation. Each LB20 model is built to withstand the elements, with IP54 certification for weather resistance and an IP65 weatherproof version available for the 5.25-inch LB20-PC60EW5D and LB20-PC60EW-5L

cabinets. They are also designed to keep a low aesthetic profile and are paintable for a custom look, to blend into their surroundings. The wall-mount system, meanwhile, has been created to make life easier for installers. The wall-mount is attached by

making use of the built-in bubble level, the cables terminated inside, the paint cover applied to protect the wall-mount, then the pre-wired speaker with adjustable arm slides onto the wall-mount and locks into place. www.boschsecurity.com

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CS-700 SIP

DZR-D and DXS-XLF-D series speakers and a selection of new QuickPro Presets for a variety of microphones, in-ear monitors and speakers. The TF StageMix iPad app has also been updated, allowing control of playback from any recording to a USB storage device connected to the mixer. The TF StageMix update also adds User Defined Button functionality to the iPad, and is said to provide enhanced remote-control versatility. Rivage V3.0 adds the new DaNSe dynamic noise suppressor plug-in, bringing improvements to speech clarity for theatrical and broadcast applications. Other enhancements include Mix to Input routing and workflows for global paste, DCA assignment and Custom Faders. CL and QL series mixers have also received a V5.1 firmware update that supports the Danteequipped DZR-D series powered loudspeakers, and the Nexo NXAMPmk2. MTX/MRX matrix processors have also been updated to V3.31. www.yamaha.com

Ayra goes pro RCF HAS launched the new Ayra Pro range of nearfield studio monitors, replacing the previous Ayra family. Four models form the Ayra Pro catalogue initially: three two-way speakers – the full-range Pro5, Pro6 and Pro8 (5-, 6- and 8-inch models, respectively) – and the Pro10Sub 10-inch subwoofer. As well as being used for professional stereo or multichannel systems, the Ayra Pro solutions can be put to work in high-end AV systems or hi-fi setups. All four Ayra Pro models include Class-D amplification. The Pro5 boasts 100W of power, while the Pro6 offers 120W, the Pro8 is 140W and the subwoofer is 300W. They each possess on-board DSP

Ayra Pro6 and a FiRPHASE algorithm as standard, ensuring 0° linear phase for time-aligned sound emission covering the full spectrum. The

Italian manufacturer states that this feature provides ‘greater detail in the reference sound, with a real panorama of the stereo soundfield, where the phantom centre is perfectly perceivable’. RCF has also issued RDNet Release 3.1. This update brings four new features to the software: a prediction tool integrated completely into the network controller; global definition and adjustment of humidity and temperature; a bass shaper for tuning and correcting low frequencies; and a freely adjustable high-pass in the bass shaper. www.rcf.it

PRODUCTS

Work Pro widens SoundNut range THE SOUNDNUT range of pendant speakers has new members: the SN-3, SN-6 and SN-10, which feature 3-, 6- and 10-inch drivers respectively, and the SN-8Sub, an 8-inch subwoofer for low-frequency enhancement. All use the same basic design concept as the first family member, the SN-8. Users can choose variations in colour and texture on the upper part of the speaker and the main part of the speaker is available in black or white. A built-in transformer means the speakers can be driven via lowimpedance and high-impedance (70V/100V) connections. The coverage pattern is 90°, apart from the SN-8Sub which is omnidirectional. Also new to the Work Pro catalogue are the WSF 500 CX and WSF 10 CX Plus passive two-way, full-range projector speakers. At 1,000W and 300W respectively, the WFS 500 CX and 10 CX Plus both incorporate horn-loaded 10-inch diameter transducers and 2.5-inch voice coils in a bass-reflex enclosure. The high frequencies are reproduced by a 1-inch exit compression driver, a 1.75-inch voice coil and an 80° x 60° (HxV) horn to reportedly deliver consistent coverage across the entire vocal range. Both speakers are enclosed in black or white weather-resistant fibreglass and incorporate an aluminium grille covered in a protective water-repellent fabric. The 500 CX is a low-impedance speaker, while the 10 CX Plus is available with either low or high impedance and includes a 120Wrms at 100V line transformer.

PA 8150

The SoundNut series Two Dante gateways – the DD2 and DD4 – have also been added

to the Equipson portfolio. The two-input/two-output DD2 and four-

input/four-output DD4 allow for the extraction of analogue audio signals from the Dante network, as well as the introduction of analogue channels within the same network. Both devices are configurable with Dante Controller, use Euroblock 3.5mm connectors and have balanced inputs and outputs to reportedly provide greater immunity to noise that interferes with audio signal lines.

Finally, LightShark has been updated to version 1.1.2. New features include the ability to delete a fixture even when it is used in a cue; the ability to lock the executor’s window; the addition of a new Show info window; and the addition of a new folder where Show demo files can be stored for training purposes. www.workpro.es

NEW

TAKING LINE ARRAY

PERFORMANCE

TO A WHOLE

DD2 The PA 8150 is a Class-D amplifier that offers LED indicators and independent volume control on each of its eight channels, making it suited to installations such as restaurants and venues where audio needs to be individually controlled in different spaces. Delivering up to 150W per channel and a total power output of 1,040W, the low-impedance PA 8150 has several protections such as short circuit, thermal, ultrasonic and RF, and fits into a 1U 19-inch rack.

NEW LEVEL Sharing the same aesthetic and sonic signatures as the acclaimed GEO M10 and compact M6 line arrays, the new GEO M12 takes its place as the flagship of the range, achieving a peak SPL of 140dB. And with great power comes great versatility, with integral rigging, a dedicated sub, plug & play power options and touring / installation versions making GEO M12 a system that performs at a whole new level in a wide variety of applications.

Thinking. Inside the box. July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 31

PRODUCTS

All-in-one sound THE Z SERIES is a new loudspeaker range from AtlasIED intended as an all-in-one soundmasking solution capable of providing speech privacy, highdefinition background music and paging functionality. The series consists of a four-zone (Z4) or twozone (Z2) high-definition acoustical system and a wireless-enhanced speech privacy activation sign. Both the Z4 and Z2 include integrated pink and white noise generators for sound masking, as well as mic-line input for paging/BGM and a Bluetooth receiver for wireless music transmission. Stated to be ideal for healthcare and office environments, the Z Series models also boast simple installation with a clean and aesthetically pleasing design. Models can be mounted in-wall, on-wall or in a rack. Once installed, all hardware and wiring are centrally located behind the secure front

COMBINING 10 loudspeakers and two subwoofers – including ceiling-mounted, surface-mounted and outdoor-rated options – the DesignMax loudspeaker series has been created for use in commercial spaces. Ranging from 2-inch lowprofile models to 8-inch high SPL loudspeakers, the surface-mount

is pushed into the ceiling opening to hold the loudspeaker as the installer completes the task. Consisting of five power amplifiers with varying power levels and DSP options, the PowerSpace amplifiers have been designed to operate seamlessly with other Bose Professional loudspeakers,

panel, making it convenient for post-installation service. The frontpanel display allows for system programming as well as end-user control. In addition to the Z Series, the manufacturer has unveiled the Strategically Hidden Speaker (SHS). Said to be the result of years of development, the SHS Series reportedly blends superior sound quality with a design that enables it to ‘virtually disappear into the ceiling’. This is achieved via Adaptive Dispersion Lens

SHS Series Technology, a new, patented waveguide form that means only a 3-inch diameter lens and a micro trim ring are visible on the ceiling. This dispersion lens can also be painted or replaced with material to match the ceiling. The speaker has a two-way driver. Sound exits the transducer and passes through the patented adaptive dispersion lens to create a ‘smooth and uniform’ frequency

response with no hotspots. It uses an integrated 32W 70V/100V transformer with a sealed enclosure above the ceiling for optimal bass response, and ultra-wide 180° dispersion. The SHS Series speakers include three dispersive lens configurations for enhanced flexibility and functionality in any room, regardless of ceiling height. For hard-to-match environments, the manufacturer’s DesignLab custom

print process uses an accurate UVprinter to replicate colours, textures and patterns, enabling the SHS to blend into any environment. Finally, the manufacturer has also introduced third-generation IPX Series IP Endpoints tailored towards the educational and healthcare markets and able to provide notification through audio and video messaging. The series is said to be the ideal solution for expanding VoIP or SIP communications systems, by integrating endpoints to offer greater coverage than traditional handset-based systems. It also delivers smarter automation, including pre-programmed notifications for common functions like bells and critical alerts, through a Unified Communications environment or the manufacturer’s GLOBALCOM.IP ecosystem. www.atlasied.com

Bose Professional designs to the max Fohhn goes on tour

DesignMax enclosures incorporate minimum bezel grilles, removable logos and aesthetic styling, allowing them to blend with the interior décor. The paintable cabinets are finished in black or white and include hidden U-brackets, allowing them to be installed closer to the wall. Enhancing speed of installation, QuickHold mounting mechanisms can adjust the pitch and lock the cabinet in place without using tools. Ceiling-mounted models include Euroblock connectors, plenumrated back cans, tile bridges and front-access audio wiring. For these, QuickHold mounting arms spring into place when the loudspeaker

processors and control devices. Ideal for zone-expansion applications, the P21000A, P2600A and P4300A models (2x1,000W, 2x604W and 2x300W, respectively)

32 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

PowerSpace

integrate a Bose AmpLink input. This input provides multiple channels of uncompressed, lowlatency digital audio from Bose digital sound processors. Versatile outputs are capable of delivering full channel power to either low- or high-impedance loads – without bridging – or double power to a single zone if required. The 1U height P4300+ and P4150+ models (4x300W and 4x150W) come with built-in DSP. Bose has also expanded its line of PowerShare amps with two Dante-integrated models (PS404D and PS604D) and two models with AmpLink connectivity (PS404A and PS604A). AmpLink is Bose’s in-rack Cat-5/6 digital audio distribution solution. The PS404D (400W divisible into four channels) and PS604D (600W divisible into four channels) feature Dante audio networking, giving installers the freedom to place the amplifier away from the source. The Dante models also allow mixed inputs using either digital or on-board analogue audio connections. www.pro.bose.com

FOHHN HAS introduced a number of new additions to its concert sound speaker portfolio and developed its own in-house acoustic simulation software as well. The German manufacturer’s modular beam-steering solution for concert sound applications, Focus Venue, has been treated to a full set of touring accessories. In addition to a transport dolly and matching covers for several speaker modules, a new rain cover, a connection panel rain cover and a flying frame with 1,300kg load capacity are now available, while Fohhn’s PT-70 plug-and-play system also has new accessories in the form of a wheel board and a double case with separately removable covers and a large interior.

The Fohhn Designer simulation software is a web-based application that enables precise simulations for all Fohhn systems, taking the room acoustics into account. The simulator is said to deliver speedy results for all kinds of sound reinforcement, whether in arenas or concert halls. Moving away from speakers, Fohhn has also introduced the MA-4.100 Media DSP matrix amplifier, which features an integrated 4x4 matrix specially developed for media applications and small-scale sound reinforcement. It is equipped with four switchable analogue mic/ line inputs. www.fohhn.com

Next level performance in a versatile format

Vero VX’s more compact format brings Vero sound to a wider range of venues. Funktion-One’s unique driver and waveguide technology ensures vocals and musical harmonics are coherent in time and space, providing benefits in clarity, intelligibility and immersive stereo imaging. The high crossover point to the compression driver means increased headroom and reduced harmonic and modulation distortion. The very high electroacoustic efficiency of the horn-loaded mid/high section is supplemented by new bass driver technology up to eight Vero VX cabinets can be powered by a single amplifier. Vero VX’s patented Lambda rigging system ensures accurate array alignment.The naturally flat response does not require corrective EQ, thus preserving headroom and phase coherency, resulting in very clean output, even at maximum power.

www.vero-system.com

PRODUCTS

Faital goes large EXHIBITING A sensitivity of 93–95dB SPL, FaitalPro has extended its XL ‘Xtra Large’ series with the addition of the 12XL1200 and 15XL1200 woofers. The 12and 15-inch models are designed with an efficient venting system that promotes their use in compact, highpower subwoofer cabinets. While the 12XL1200 can operate within an enclosure volume of 25–27 litres, the 15XL1200 can operate in less than 50 litres. The neodymium magnet assembly creates high flux concentration, low power compression and notable heat dissipation, resulting in high levels of force factor and power handling capable of withstanding signals up to 1,400W AES power. The 100mm voice coil has been created to improve force transmission and thermal power handling. Positioned in the magnet circuit, the aluminium demodulating ring provides a further flux modulation reduction to minimise overall distortions when driven hard. Manufactured from a high-strength paper pulp, the curvilinear, waterproof-treated cones are designed to achieve the optimal linearity within their frequency range, while the cone surround made from a linen material has been designed to resist ageing and fatigue. Designed for use in reflex direct radiation speakers with

12XL1200

15XL1200

18FX600 large cross-section tuning ports, bandpass configuration or folded transmission lines, FaitalPro has launched three new cone speakers in the FX600 series. The 12FX600, 15FX600 and 18FX600 woofers are dedicated to the reproduction of the lower frequencies with measured sensitivities of 97dB, 98dB and 99dB, respectively. With 700W of continuous AES power, the 12-, 15- and 18-inch woofers share a neodymium ring magnet assembly

and an aluminium demodulation ring that is designed to work with a specific 3-inch copper ribbon wire voice coil. The magnet circuit incorporates a single external demodulation ring to improve flux modulation reduction and provide very low-level distortion when driven at high power levels. The 3-inch copper ribbon wire voice coil provides a higher density in the assembly resulting in improved motor strength, making them suitable for low-

12FX600 frequency reproduction in woofer and subwoofer configurations. Responding best to horn-loading enclosures with crossover settings up to 1/1.2kHz, the 12FX600 can be designed as an integral part of a two-way cabinet or three-way line array module. Outputting within a 700Hz to 20kHz frequency spectrum, the HF1440 is a new 1.4-inch compression driver that can be used as a high-power driver in any traditional application including

two-way systems. Currently the largest voice coil in the FaitalPro catalogue, the neodymium magnet circuit uses a 3.4-inch coil with a ketone polymer diaphragm and can withstand up to 120W AES power. With a recorded efficiency of 109dB SPL, the HF1440 is designed to operate at a minimum crossover frequency of 700Hz. This allows it to extend to low frequencies where its performance can be readily matched with a woofer, promoting its use in either two-way configurations or a three-way system with a midrange. The magnet assembly comprises neodymium with an innovative geometry that reportedly guarantees a high induction or flux density in the air gap at 2.2 Tesla. The 1.4-inch throat assembly can be paired to a LTH142 horn or WG141 waveguide. www.faitalpro.com

HF1440

B&C follows market trend

KV2 goes ultra-compact

WITH A growing demand for coaxial transducers, B&C has added the DCX464 ring radiator to its catalogue. Comprising a neodymium magnet assembly, the DCX464’s midrange diaphragm operates within a 300Hz to 5.5kHz frequency range with 110dB sensitivity, for which its 100mm voice coil handles 220W. The 64mm coil high-frequency diaphragm operates within a 3–18kHz range with 112.5dB sensitivity and

KV2 HAS devised its most compact loudspeaker to date with the ESD Cube. The passive 5-inch loudspeaker adopts a trans-coil design for deepened vocal reproduction, extended high-frequency response and lower distortion.

handles 160W. Ensuring greater combined output and crossover flexibility, a patent-pending midrange integrator allows both diaphragms to work together over a wide bandwidth. The resultant energy emitting from the time-coherent coaxial ring radiator is output from the horn’s 1.4-inch diameter throat. The recommended crossover of the 3.7kg coaxial is 3.2kHz. DCX464 www.bcspeakers.com

TiMax SoundHub evolves OUT BOARD has updated its TiMax immersive audio and show control systems. TiMax HardCore FGPA is a new DSP engine for the TiMax SoundHub platform that adds extended delay matrix memory and ultra-smooth dynamic delay morphing algorithms to create, according to the manufacturer, ‘totally transparent, real-time localisation’.

Also new is the TiMax TrackerD4, described by Out Board as af fordable, dependable and por table. The manufacturer has developed the D4 to address a current price/per formance gap in the market with a product that it believes enhances levels of speed and precision and increases ROI across a wide

34 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

variety of applications. With vocal localisation processes integrated within the TiMax SoundHub software via OSC control, Out Board repor ts that the D4 ‘opens up the reality of cost-ef fective lighting and multimedia stagetracking control’. www.outboard.co.uk

The trans-coil AIC (Active Impedance Control) technology, already deployed in a number of KV2’s products, has been upgraded in the Cube to improve phase response and range. According to the manufacturer, the ESD Cube may be used as a standalone system with up to eight Cubes powered by a single

ESP1000 amplifier or with the ESD1.10 single 10-inch passive subwoofer for applications requiring more low-end reinforcement. One ESP1000 amplifier will run up to four Cubes and two ESD1.10s. A proprietary flying bracket completes the system for a low-profile look and more convenient installation. Housed in a durable aluminium enclosure with a wear-resistant polymer coating, the ESD Cube comes in any RAL colour, making it suitable for applications requiring discreet, high-quality peripheral and/or distributed sound reinforcement such as bars, hotels, houses of worship, museums, tourist attractions and corporate venues. The speaker delivers 116dB sustained output (119dB peak) in addition to a wide dispersion (80° x 80°). The dense yet light enclosure design also makes the speaker appropriate for use in ceiling-mount, front-fill, in-fill or under-balcony applications. www.kv2audio.com

S U B - M I N I AT U R E O M N I D I R E C T I O N A L L A V A L I E R S & H E A D S E T S

THE NEXT STAGE IN SOUND. NMK Electronics Enterprises T: +971 4 266 5244 F: +971 4 262 6682 E: info@nmkelectronics.com W: www.nmkelectronics.com

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nmkelectronics

NMK Middle East FZE T: +971 4 266 5244 F: +971 4 262 6682 E: info@nmkelectronics.com W: www.nmkelectronics.com

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PRODUCTS

Antelope goes over the edge ANTELOPE AUDIO has added to its Edge range of microphones with Edge Go. The manufacturer describes Edge Go as ‘the world’s first USB-powered modelling microphone’, built, as the name suggests, for use on the go. The circuit-level mic comes with gear emulations on board the real-time FPGA FX platform to create a ‘studio sound’ on location. Edge Go connects via USB-C and is equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack to allow realtime monitoring. Several high-end condenser mic models are available, as is a selection of vintage compressor and EQ effects, along with built-in de-essing, gating/expansion, tape saturation and reverb, all of which can be controlled by an app for PC or Mac. It also features switchable polar patterns, including cardioid, figure of eight and omnidirectional, high-end A/D conversion (24-bit/192kHz),

a full frequency response between 20Hz and 20kHz, and a range of presets developed by some of the world’s top studio professionals. Antelope has also launched the third generation of Orion32+. It brings the same connectivity and channel counts as the original Orion32+, while adding elevated operating levels (+24dBu max), upgraded AD/DA conversion and a custom Thunderbolt driver for Windows. It is available with a selection of real-time, FPGA-powered effects from the Antelope Audio collection. Edge Go

www.antelopeaudio.com

Orion 32+

TwinPlex takes the stage A NEW line of premium subminiature 5mm omnidirectional lavalier and headset microphones has been released by Shure. Designed to stand up to tougher conditions, TwinPlex provides ‘natural audio’ at both high and low frequency when professional vocal performance is required. The

TL45

patent-pending capsule technology is suited for quick costume changes and discreet placement for the diverse needs of theatre, broadcast, film and television and corporate presentations. TwinPlex consists of four lavaliers – the TL45, TL46, TL47 and TL48 – and an ‘ultra-light’, adjustable headset microphone – the TH53 – and is available in multiple colours. A dual-diaphragm omnidirectional design claims to yield ‘off-axis consistency and low self-noise’. Available in 1.1mm and 1.6mm options, the paintable cables with redundant shielding are also said to be immune to memory effects, resulting in more flexible performance use. TwinPlex is also fitted with a superhydrophobic

TL46 coating and interchangeable sweatresistant frequency caps. For broadcasters, Shure has also released its AxientDigital ADX wireless transmitters. The ADX series includes the ADX1 and ADX2 bodypack and handheld transmitters, ADX2FD frequency diversity handheld and ADX1M, claiming to be ‘the first micro bodypack with an internal self-tuning

Sweet high ends THE BLAZE 990 from MXL Microphones is said to retain the ‘silky sweet high ends and solid lows and midrange’ of the manufacturer’s original 990 microphones. With a black metal exterior and red LED lights within the grill, the Blaze 990 gives users the ability to produce a clear, smooth sound for stringed instruments, acoustic guitars, drums and electric amplifiers. It can also be used for live streaming purposes and is described by the manufacturer as an ideal solution for podcasters looking to take their sound

quality to the next level. It uses a wide frequency response to complement vocalists from any genre and incorporates a six-micron, gold-sputtered, large diaphragm with a 15mV/Pa sensitivity. It has a cardioid polar pattern and a frequency range of 30Hz to 20kHz, with a slight increase in the upper register around 8kHz. The Blaze 990 requires phantom power for operation and comes with an included shock-mount and hard-mount mic stand adapter.

Overhead sound DESIGNED FOR both drop tile ceilings and open ceiling environments, the CeilingMic from Vaddio has been developed to deliver professional audio quality for conferencing applications. Each CeilingMic unit is designed with three microphone elements encased in a single pendant hanging enclosure, providing a 360° pickup coverage with integrated acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) and digital signal processing (DSP). The DSP interface box provides AEC reference from the far end and applies it to individual mic elements so conference calls are described as clear on both ends of the conversation. The threeelement array head also has an LED mute status indicator. Installation involves connecting a Cat-5 cable between the EasyMic port and the CeilingMic interface box. Power, control and audio are incorporated into a single cable.

antenna’. The ShowLink-enabled transmitters offer real-time remote control plus automatic interference detection and avoidance, and are compatible with the Axient Digital receiver platform, Quadiversity, to provide high-performance RF, improved audio quality, command and control and hardware scalability. Quadversity mode enables users to place sets of diversity antennas in different zones

www.vaddio.com

or double the number of antennas in a single zone, to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. A high-density mode can also increase the maximum simultaneous system channel count from 17 to 47 per 6MHz TV band (from 23 to 63 per 8MHz TV band). For more information on TwinPlex, see our R&D feature on page 128. www.shure.com

The ADX series

TG 500’s metal cover BEYERDYNAMIC HAS been exploring ways to further improve upon its TG 500 wireless microphone family. The latest update sees new, metal housings for the range’s handheld mics, the TG 500H-C and TG 500H-D.

The sonic qualities of both the TG 500H-D dynamic and TG 500H-C condenser capsule models are said to remain unaffected by the new shafts, which replace the previous plastic models. The introduction of solid metal, beyerdynamic states, provides increased durability in touring applications.

www.mxlmics.com

TG 500H-C

36 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

The CeilingMic reportedly supports lengths of up to 30.5m of Cat-5 cable between its interface box and EasyMic ports. The CeilingMic pendant includes a 36-inch adjustable drop cable. With a standard RJ45 jack connection, the pendant can be extended to 5m from the interface box with a Cat-5 cable. One CeilingMic is designed for 5–7 participants; for larger events, a second CeilingMic is recommended for additional coverage.

www.beyerdynamic.com

PRODUCTS PRODUCTS PRODUCTS PRODUCTS PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS FEATURES: INSTALLATION BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

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A horn-loaded, passive, two-way featuring aand voltage-controlled equally imposing. ‘What you see room because characteristics of the various products, it isdigital the third room recording and mixing console. audio source. the app toEQ, automatically discover then be mixed on Legacy AXS 2Fiber modules, up to six with direct SDI,high/low HDMI or pass RJ-45 screen backing. Ring bolts are is a black play ready do anot require any www.apiaudio.com The Control Room section of the produce harmonic saturation and Aspeakers newand stereo image enhancer or Vision console. changeable waveguides in been compact AWS Elemental MediaLive and delay aalso limiter function per THE SA Series of amplifiers amplifiers on-board streamers, the and feature speaker, the PT-70 has circuit and an integrated mid-range what we don’t need isname reflection from the walls orinstallation. something that provideswww.apiaudio.com a real-world testVS-R264 forEthernet them. The environmental panel USB integrating port. An The Control Room section of the produce harmonic saturation AWaveCAST new stereo image enhancer BluePOD gets itsfor from units in thethe room or Vision console. Repeat48-2Fiber modules canand all connectivity. included to allow installation hardwire Fohhn’s PT-70 underwent 1608-II has been redesigned to soft compression derived from reportedly provides a true enclosures allowing for either 70or are 4K/HD video AWS CloudFront. The devices output. The MX-8A incorporates from Renkus-Heinz has made its DSP, LEDs and Neutrik connectors. designed to serve as ato sound waveform system. like that we only want see the the luminaires,’ test with room is VS-R265 home to various endurance and climatic test port is also provided in the back 1608-II has been redesigned to light of soft compression derived from reportedly provides a true the small pod-shaped enclosure and then select the desired features an integrated mixer feature set. BluePOD Conference for the particular audio stream be mixed with up to six SDI-Fiber from a –suspended ceiling. The www.fohhn.com real-world testing Series 102i make thehorizontal surface more intuitive overloading an analogue circuit. analogue mid-side circuit that 2448 100-degree coverage. encoding, streaming, recording provide fullymodules. balanced audio I/O the manufacturer’s micwith preamps, first appearance as part of the Grouped under theand SAC umbrella, www.eliteproav.com www.broaman.com explains Adam Hall’s senior lightThe technology One measures product performance under constant THE CDX14-2410 isa Celestion’s frequencies, compared panel for managing make the surface more intuitive overloading an As analogue circuit. analogue mid-side circuit that both housing a patent-pending B-WAP channel. WaveCAST supports Saker Plusthebeing DSP engineer, functions, including rigs. Acoustic Mate is abuilding complete audio solution delivered. result, converter RJ-45 port allows third-party 2448 for smoother workflow, while a It Euroblock can be used lightly for subtle manipulates therange side signal, enclosures allow forand theaccess formation bidirectional devices via connectors, with while the input covers manufacturer’s CA TA the X4D, S4DE andeach S4D versions Herbert Bernstädt. ‘It is aSeries very big it is very long and The mixer running waterand of adecoding shower, another can simulate latest ultra-low noise compression conventional compression designs, multiple systems, of which for smoother workflow, while a room,Echo It can be used lightly for subtle manipulates the side signal, (Bluetooth wireless unicast and multicast network Cancellation. that pairs the while B-WAP with the hearing assistance be Hall’s anechoic chamber Inside can Adam layout upgrade to the Auxiliary thickening saturation orlevels drivenfor allowing for widening and spatial MARTIN AUDIO’S R&D ofpoint) DeltaQ, constant-curvature, or is that support HEVC/H.265 andhas configurable reference from –77.5dBu to can +26dBu, with point source loudspeakers. They have beenConference engineered forteam DSP and reportedly in a much driver. It isfor asaturation low-profile, can virtually support more than 60 optimised layout upgrade to The the Auxiliary thickening orferrite driven allowing forresulting widening and spatial transceiver. B-WAP configurations and support includes four inputs (two mic/two BluePOD Mate hearing loss, Masters together with four hard for more extreme distortion. manipulation of the stereo field. reinvented Blackline series J-shape line-array H.264. Theythe have awhilst compact 1U compatibility with equivalent input noise achieving are designed to provide unified matrix applications, the X2D, It is this lab1,500 that backs on to the neon magnet of professional the chamber. CDX14lower distortion performance. transmitters simultaneously. Masters together with four4.2 hard can forversion more extreme distortion. manipulation of the stereo field.on equipped with aconfigurations. 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With via which determine the size of they With information the tool loudspeaker models to system be freely employ switch-mode power supplies theweight CEO itand ispower the will combination ofare every partair ofwith the building that clad, non-linearity adapter, while the is automation system, which is dial aluminium in low-end saturation, alongside a up highDESIGNED FOR rental, staging available to times can be reduced to save both internet, an optional cross-platform. high-end sheen.ofHighand lowfrequency phase shift. whereas CC-2 CC-3 offer ring Designed for both installations Modules are available with 5-, 10-, require for an event. The Event output a wealth data, including combined, as well as clean sound for international and power will lead toand its overall More importantly, therefor is a voice coil and andboth allow equipped with a use Shure-compatible, an cross-platform. high-end sheen. Highlow- success. frequency phase shift. andoptional fixed installation applications, 8,100 ISO lumens and time and setand up costs. Housed A ceiling mounted sub provides low end in the main room Equipped with a touchscreen, frequency circuits each offer volume plus A/Bform source selection and portable applications, the or 20-degree vertical coverage, Line Array Systems Performance the numberexit ofbelief Eventthat 208A or four for complex audio signals. factor correction efficiencies together moving the R&D teamand intoHD a facility where they can 1.4-inch higher maximum four-pole Mini-XLR connector. Either a Equipped with ahas touchscreen, frequency circuits each offer four Christie Digital added the WUXGA resolutions. The in a compact factor almost www.solidstatelogic.com Final Touch mixes can be shared switched frequency points and oridentical volume plus A/B/C/D series four two-way whilst integrated rigging is rated for audio Simulator has been designed Event 210A systems required, There are three SA models with all comprises the required protections be in direct contact end users will theand best results. with SmartTV clients deliver www.solidstatelogic.com The driver SPL. The driver alkaline or rechargeable lithium-ion size. Final Touch mixes can be shared switched frequency points and with projectors offer 65,000:1 contrast Crimson series ofSeries 3DLP laser to the Christiesource Boxer Apart’s CMyield Design speakers The spin room has a professional and lighting setup which feature a of new grille in systemspeaks, and be three direct-radiating up to 24-box arrays. ASA-625 compatible to phosphor calculate how many of configuration coverage initially available: the against overheating ‘We want to create the ratio, cycle between R&D, customers and live channels including 4Klife and also features 50Woptions, batteries can used with and bothover- provides projectors to the its product selection 3,000 hours lamp and chassis,respectively. the CrimsonAvailable projectors either black or three subwoofers. matching-width, single 18-inch itmanufacturer’s iscatalogue. the instructor who leads it.or+ As such, they need to be able Event 208A maps, handling and rigging data. explains Mr Pietschmann. amplifier, whichCapable outputs voltage. 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This AVID HAS released the Avid Avid Link, such as plug-ins, projects with collaborators realEvent 210A systems are required Thedelivers tool canour reportedly be used to the Apart Quick Fit connector (70just 125W; the SA-1250, which delivers 2-channel X2D andofthe 8-channel customers we get right feedback and we at areroughly not THE rack from channels. in 25kHz Housed in a and diaphragm that up to seven hours continuous upRS16000 to 25,000 ISO lumens forofLink uptoto at models offering high brightness solid-state laser light source intuitive interface and fit into a compact, X12 X15 highrigging provides LF is quite literally the case thanks toon the simplified touchscreen app inaccessories App Store and video effects, product training time, or seek advice by forming properly cover a given audience, or calculate areas up to 35m x 35m 100V) for fast connection via 1,000W +Apple’s 250W; and the SA2000, S5 models,With theand 4-channel amplifiers 106dB developing products that we just think are necessary. 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Each is ‘We have vary inofpower 500W and here means the4,900 processphosphor is getting faster and we have that EXTERITY HAS strengthened 24-bit, true diversity, the gateways can provide EPG Electronic includes six Programme RS16000R receivers, for increased stiffness. performance over a of up to range upmodels tobetween 90m absence processing, the Crimson Series units, the LWU720i-D, orientation. For 3D The visualisation units allbehind include a user-rotatable ControlCenter CV41 four tosplitter one 10-inch, 12-inch andRS16000 Eachcontrol, BlacklineX enclosure is That’s theLWU620i-D SM5 module rigging which can bethis within everything into touchscreens placed arm’s length of the to allow industry professionals be opened through Pro Tools, selecting Find Talent, users and optical formats. Native DSP, and the Matrix re:defined provide flexible, scalable audio The manufacturer intends for people. transformer tappings sticker equipped with output connections per channel in15-inch power. Ondirect contact. vision the building.’ its partnership with Samsung microphone system offering up information into Samsung Reach (EPG) data directly from Exterity aBy model AS6W antenna frequency range of 800Hz This isand said to create a higher of1,500W interference, the is LHD720i-D incorporates BoldColor Technology, or simulation applications, the FOLLOWING IN the footsteps ofbe changed with two mic pre/equalisers in the PAD, polarity reverse, a of high-pass horn allowing for horizontal or converter can support up to four loudspeakers respectively. The made from with plywood and finished adjusted for longer throw. instructor so tracks for audio can as well as lighting to network with one another, Media Composer and Sibelius, can search the profiles of other including delay, equalisation, multiaudio management systems are solutions. The Matrix-C controller tool to be simple to operate and The Event Line Systems gives a have clear colour indication to power external drivers and offers board DSP and functionality the three Walt Disney’s words may be seen by some as just a throwFOLLOWING INtuning the footsteps of with the release of its latest to 400MHz of bandwidth with two mic pre/equalisers inWU25 the in the same way they contribute TVgateways, enhancing the PAD, polarity reverse, a high-pass 9V phantom power, its own to 20MHz, aArray recommended threshold frequency to avoid the FCC-, REDIC-compliant. Sold TruLife Electronics for ultra-fast projectors been designed as Crimson HD25 and Crimson Crimson its single-channel predecessor, same rack unit. filter and a +48V phantom power. vertical orientation and a Master variety ofit’s ControlCenter CC-1 zone controllers subwoofer line-up comprises the with a textured black coating Meanwhile, the new ControlCenter themes,’ explains Mr Armstrong. ‘This allows therack instructor to promote their skills to potential and with Avid artists, musicians, composers, channel limiting and noise-reduction categorised within the commercial combines 8-balanced inputs with has based the simulator around Performance Simulator can thatquote.an foraccessed which power tap needs toand full networking capabilities, Rhaon matrix versions include crossover away motivational But, for the team at Adam Hall, its single-channel predecessor, TVgateway, which integrates across six channels and operates same unit. to an Exterity ArtioGuest system. information available to hotelrates filter and a +48V phantom power. active cooling system, an RPS10 possibility of dome breakup, crossover frequency of 1.2MHz. separately, handheld and bodypack processing and Christie Twist alternative to laser phosphor projectors offer higher frame the HA-73 EQ mic amp/equaliser, Employing three correct-vintage Its EQparametric section includes high mounting options. with a up PS602 or PS604 PowerShare X115 15-inch model, the X118 and reportedly provides durability, of zone controllers comprises never leave their bike so they don’t lose features the energy, and employers, and manage Account information. video editors, producers and are also included, as are catalogue. Thea Adaily (PC/Mac software), 8-outputs, which can be controlled some standard questions. be found directly onis the be used. IIseries control, monitoring functionality, and EQ filters, limiting reminder of the abundance ofdistortion, creativity and inspiration the HA-73 EQ mic amp/equaliser, with Samsung’s Lynk Reach within the UHF spectrum ofprojects, Employing three correct-vintage guests through their Samsung Its EQ section includes high power supply and an HUB800 therefore within the The CDX14-2410 employs awhile transmitters are also available for warp and blend capabilities. With projectors. and tovibe 120Hz processing. upgrade to the Crimson WU25 The manufacturer expanding operation. Heritage Audio has announced ‘Vinkor’ pot core inductors, the shelving EQ, midrange EQ, low amanufacturer’s rugged 2U steel andcolours aluminium amplifier. 18-inch version and the X210 white and custom RAL are three distinct and aAES/ converter momentum built up aofsession.’ products and workflows. Users filmmakers. Products and use services nine available preset memories. C (DSP audio controller), M (remote from iPad touchscreen Users are asked toin select the homepage. and a choice ofmodels analogue, and alignment delays. that our industry is capable of.an listening www.exterity.com operation. Heritage Audio announced hospitality middleware. The 470–870MHz. Ahas total 16,000 ‘Vinkor’ pot core inductors, the in-room SmartTV. shelving EQ, midrange EQ, low to a rugged 2U steel and aluminium network hub, which allows patented phase-plug design critical band of via 2–10kHz. use with the system. the addition of Christie Mystique, Existing Christie MExterity Series and HD25 models without needing its D Series line-up with three the availability of its HA-73 EQX2 HA-73 EQX2’s preamp section shelving EQ, a variable high-pass chassis, the HA-73 EQX2 uses an www.samsung.com slimline double 10-inchports cabinet. alsosingle-lamp available to models, order. The sevenan www.christiedigital.com for simplifying wiring. ControlCenter As would be expected from installing system www.avid.com can share ideas and discuss can also be purchased within microphone station) and W uses (wall EtherNet. Multiple units can be system, whether the loudspeakers EBU and Dante single or redundant Outfitted with RS-485 www.martin-audio.com the availability ofavailable, its HA-73 EQX2 a club-style Reach platform now ingests frequencies are which HA-73 EQX2’s preamp section TVgateways are fully compatible shelving EQ, a variable high-pass chassis, the HA-73 EQX2 of the manufacturer’s Wireless where the suppression of cavity new multiple projector calibration Christie J Series customers can purchase new lenses. www.apart-audio.com The Eventgain, Line output Array Systems Performance www.heritageaudio.net dual mic amp/equaliser equipped features trim, –20dB filter Simulator and EQ bypass. Housed in external power supply for low-noise CC-1 solely provides volume control, The NEC throw into abe gym environment, the main challenge three Adam Hall’s Asian distributors gather forfor the opening should be flown or network input connections instacked, copper www.adamhall.com/ExperienceUsLive pro.bose.com www.heritageaudio.net www.celestion.com www.dbtechnologies.com dual mic amp/equaliser equipped can selected in ground manual mode features gain, output trim, –20dB filter and bypass. Housed in external power supply for low-noise Manager software a frontresonances occurs at short much higher projector The audio setup in theEQstudio www.dasaudio.com www.renkus-heinz.com can bethe found on thevia DAS website

SA Series to unify A SAC of digital goodies from Korea Renkus-Heinz High-frequency dBTechnologies goes on tour Blackline gains compression X-factor DAS tool answers coverage questions Christie hits a purple patch Exterity Connectexpands with Avid partnership Heritage Audio extends Elite series

1/3 1/3 PAGE 1/3 PAGE PAGE

42 PRO May–June 2019 30 PROAVL AVLMEA MEA March–April 2019 36 MEA November–December 46 September–October March–April 2017 20172016 34 PRO PRO AUDIO AVL MEA Januar y–Februar y 2019 54 2018 34 PRO AVL MEA March–April Januar y–Februar y 2019

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 75 37 January–February 2017 PRO AUDIO November–December 2018 PRO AVL MEA MEA 79

PRODUCTS

Meyer announces redesign MEYER SOUND has completed a redesign of its point source loudspeakers and unveiled Ultra-X40, a new series that features a concentric driver configuration with dual 8-inch neodymium magnet cone drivers coupled to a low–mid waveguide surrounding the single 3-inch diaphragm high-frequency compression driver. The 110° x 50° Constant-Q HF horn is field rotatable and reportedly ensures a uniform bandwidth coverage pattern in both horizontal or vertical orientation. The Ultra-X40 also incorporates a three-channel, Class-D amplifier that produces a total peak output power of 1,950W and a low power consumption.

GATESAIR HAS announced that its new FMXi 4g is the industry’s first embedded HD radio infrastructure solution able to provide dynamic time and audio correction between analogue (FM) and digital (HD radio) signals. The manufacturer’s algorithm reportedly ensures proper time alignment between the two, improving the experience for the listener in areas where digital signals fade, delivers programme

‘It’s vital to have an accurate and consistently repeatable way to measure the linear peak SPL of a loudspeaker when reproducing music,’ said vice president and chief loudspeaker designer, Pablo Espinosa. ‘Pink noise may get you in the ballpark but you could still be off by 6dB or more when you switch to music programme. However, if you measure your maximum level using M-Noise, you will know for certain your real-world limit for sustained, linear and full-bandwidth music reproduction.’ Meyer Sound has also added two further products to its catalogue:

the MPS-482HP and the UPQ-D3. The MPS-482HP is a two-channel, half rack-space power supply with audio and 48V DC and can be used to expand the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of Meyer Sound’s IntelligentDC remotely self-powered systems. The UPQ-D3 from Meyer Sound will become the third member of the UPQ series and incorporates a new Class-D amplifier module and an 80° x 80° coverage option. The company has also redesigned the UPQ-D1 and UPQ-D2 cabinets and reduced their weight by 12%.

Ultra-X40

Preliminary performance specifications include an operating frequency range of 60Hz to 18kHz, with linear peak SPL of 130.5dB measured with M-Noise, free-field at 4m and referred to 1m. M-Noise has been developed following extensive spectral analysis of the varying crest factors in music and how these measurements compare to pink noise. It is a test signal that will provide standardised measurement of a loudspeaker system’s maximum linear output. M-Noise can reportedly be used to determine the linear peak SPL of any loudspeaker system, regardless of manufacturer, size or design.

linearity and automatically removes objectionable blending artefacts. Built-in software intelligence aligns the time, levels and phase of the audio. Flexiva FMXi 4g is available in three configurations: as a combined exporter/importer unit or as separate importer and exporter systems. As an IT-based solution, it removes the need for maintenance of older

hardware-based components while integrating HD radio diversity delay. ‘The removal of a standalone, computer-based exporter or importer eliminates the boot-up process and troublesome moving

parts, and frees broadcasters from maintaining PC-based solutions,’ said GatesAir’s Ted Lantz. ‘HD radio implementation is simplified by eliminating complex configuration setups, along with having the Artist

Experience integrated within the platform. These benefits are shared regardless of which of the three FMXi 4g configurations the customer chooses to deploy.’

Embedded HD radio

BroaMan gets back on Route 66 BROADCAST SYSTEMS manufacturer BroaMan has launched a standard version of its Route66 configurable router series for customised video/audio designs. The latest fifth version is targeted for simpler, cost-effective

standard cable management usage, specifically for the AV market and AV-friendly data centres and server rooms. The new 2U design makes Route66 applicable to standard smart fibre patchbay applications. This smart patchbay allows routing of fibre/copper cables by software instead of a manual patch, enabling automated IP workflows and remote cable management. It also allows fibre/ copper conversion without external devices. The Route66 platform provides single-channel, non-blocking

40x40 router ports, while the new standard version of Route66 offers 40 SFP+ slots for 40 hot-swappable bidirectional SFPs with each slot providing up to 4Gb per formance. It is ideal for a vast combination of signals, such

as Ethernet, fibre, up to 4K SDI, HDMI, Optocore and MADI. A wide range of fibre transceivers is also available. The Route66 family offers built-in redundant power supplies and claims to have a low power consumption of 10–40W, reportedly making the system more energy-efficient than other models that depend on external 120W PSUs. The models are also designed with an upgraded passive cooling system to replace noisy fans. www.broaman.com

38 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

MPS-482HP

www.meyersound.com

www.gatesair.com

Calrec gets to the core BOASTING AES67 and SMPTE 2110 connectivity, Calrec Audio’s new ImPulse core is compatible with current Apollo and Artemis control surfaces and is therefore said to provide a simple upgrade path for existing customers. Additionally, future scalable expansion will reportedly allow up to four DSP mix engines and control systems to run independently on a single core at the same time, providing the ability to use multiple large-format mixers simultaneously. The ImPulse core provides 3D immersive path widths and panning for next-generation audio applications and has an integral AoIP router, which fully supports NMOS discovery and connection management, as well as mDNS/ Ravenna discovery. Modular I/O frames can be upgraded with a

VP2

ImPulse

new switchable controller card that allows them to sit on either a Hydra2 or IP network, with a future option to upgrade existing fixed format boxes. In addition to the new ImPulse core, the manufacturer recently showcased its VP2 virtualised mixing system. The device has no physical controls and uses Calrec’s Assist software for

set up and control. It’s a 4U solution incorporating the Hydra2 network and comes in three DSP size: 128, 180 and 240 input channels. The VP2 is said to offer many of the benefits of using a Calrec console without requiring a physical control sur face. www.calrec.com

Q-43-T

Q-3-T

Q-23-T

Q-10A Q-10

Quantum series

Tops

Subs

Passive full-range system Aluminum enclosure 1 x 3”, 3P full-range speaker Dispersion H x V: 120º x 120º Multi-tap 100/70V transformer included Low and high impedance operation Available in all RAL colors

Compact self-powered subwoofer system Birch plywood enclosure 1 x 10”, 10MG Loudspeaker 250 W Class D amplifier

www.dasaudio.com

PRODUCTS

Extron shares links SHARELINK PRO 1000 is described by Extron as a ‘wireless and wired collaboration gateway’. It allows users to beam content from computers, tablets and smartphones onto displays during meetings and conferences, supporting the display of up to four devices at once, including a wired, HDMI-connected device. The system dynamically updates the display layout as content is added and removed. When used in conjunction with Extron GVE (GlobalViewer Enterprise) software, multiple ShareLink Pro 1000 units can be managed across an entire facility. The system incorporates two modes: collaboration and

moderator. Collaboration mode keeps the environment open, allowing everyone to share content, while moderator mode keeps the presentation under the control of the person leading it. ShareLink Pro 1000 also enables full screen mirroring for devices such as PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphones. Extron has also been busy with the creation of the ECM S10, a transmitter and receiver partition sensor set developed for use with the manufacturer’s eBUSenabled control systems and other devices featuring a digital I/O port in rooms with moveable partition walls. It connects to an IPCP Pro control processor, using

an infrared beam to detect the position of a movable partition wall. Whether the partition is open or closed decides the relevant control system behaviours to be employed. ‘When used in a divisible room application with eBUS button panels, this discreet, easyto-install sensor set can save time and increase efficiency by automating any number of AV system behaviours,’ summarised Extron’s Casey Hall. The ECM S10 receiver features a digital output por t and a 14 VDC output to provide power to the transmitter. www.extron.com

Axon C1 promises basic audio control ATTERO TECH has designed its new Axon C1 single-gang networked controller to manage basic audio control applications, where ease-of-use for the perhaps non-technical user is required. It allows for volume control, zone source selection and preset recall. With an OLED display developed to be easy to read, and which displays a menu with intuitive navigation according to the manufacturer, the Axon C1 has a small form factor and is said to be easy to program. It suppor ts network control over both TCP/IP and UDP, and can be integrated with third-par ty solutions, as well as Attero Tech’s own. For instance, Attero Tech has developed a Q-Sys plug-in for integrating the C1 with QSC DSP processors. The Q-Sys plug-in not only facilitates control of zone volume, sources and presets,

but can synchronise multiple C1s that control the same zone. In addition, Attero Tech’s unIFY v3.3 configuration software allows users to set up and customise the C1 menus. The C1 itself possesses a single knob inter face as par t of its straightfor ward design. www.atterotech.com

Scalable solution ANUBIS IS described by Merging Technologies as a groundbreaking product that incorporates the manufacturer’s analogue and digital audio, networked audio and DSP/FPGA technologies. It is a monitor controller that controls the network; a music recording hub that allows users to network a whole band or orchestra; and a low-latency mixer and processor. Currently armed with two ‘missions’, further plug-ins will be released to aid users with their workflows. Monitor Mission provides monitoring of control

rooms, editing rooms, mastering rooms, location recording and OB vans, while Music Mission

is suited for music studios, recording studios, live concerts and onstage monitoring.

Anubis can also be expanded to work with any other Ravenna/ AES67 devices on the network. From the touchscreen, users are given access to I/Os from any other Merging device on the network plus the ability to connect the I/Os from any other compatible AES67 device. Pairing these devices is said to allow Anubis to extend its I/Os as if they were built in. With its internal DSP, Anubis can reportedly manage up to 256x256 signal paths. Anubis also integrates into existing ANEMAN controlled

ecosystems. It is compliant with ST2110 and ST2022. Anubis comes in two variants: Anubis Pro for up to 192kHz, while Anubis Premium offers up to 384kHz and DXD plus DSD flavours up to 256kHz. A 32-bit signal path from input to output via the mixer is said to decrease latency and improve power distribution. Every input has a separate split gain control for sending the inputs to different paths.

Redundancy is at the core of Artist-1024’s design. It supports several redundancy schemes, such as N+1, NIC and SMPTE 2022-7. All control logic and data links within the frame are redundant, with additional security provided by a pair of load-sharing PSUs and a fan module with redundant fan units. Ar tist-1024 is also available as par t of a new, flexible licensing scheme with frame-level licensing instead of connectivity-type licensing. Each node begins

with a Vir tual Ar tist Matrix (VAM) licence that includes a defined number of por ts, from 16 to 1,024. These can be freely distributed across the node’s subscriber cards. There are also

flexible licences that allow for a faster system reconfiguration by moving capacities between nodes.

www.merging.com

Artist’s expansion RIEDEL’S NEW Artist-1024 node is an expansion to the Artist intercom ecosystem that packs 1,024 nonblocking ports in a 2U frame and offers full SMPTE 2110-30/31 (AES67) compliance. Artist-1024 also introduces software-definable Universal Interface Cards (UIC) to handle networking, mixing and management, and can also serve as an AES67 or MADI subscriber card, or an Artist fibre, router or processor card. To change the connectivity type and reconfigure

the UIC, users can simply click the relevant button in the Director configuration software. Artist1024’s frame is equipped with 10 bays for UICs, two of which are reserved for exclusive use by routing and networking UICs. The integral mixer on each subscriber card can be scaled from eight ports per card to 128 and can access all of the Artist backbone’s 1,024 ports. Additionally, four expansion slots can be used for GPIO or synchronisation applications.

40 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

www.riedel.net

A NEW HEIGHT IN HOME T H E AT E R A U D I O ATX100 AIM SERIES 2 DOLBY ATMOS ® ENABLED SYSTEMS

The AIM Series 2 ATX100 in-wall height speaker is designed specifically for Dolby Atmos® and other object-based sound formats. The ATX100 is the architectural in-wall solution to the traditional floor-standing or bookshelf “height speakers” and reflects sound off the ceiling to place and move audio anywhere in the room for an immersive experience.

Speakercraft are available from UAE distributor VV & Son www.vvsons.com

•

Magnetically Attached, Low Profile, Full Coverage Grille

•

2-Way Speaker Compliment in MTM (Mid-TweetMid) Alignment

•

Dual 2 ½” FEA Optimized Kevlar® Reinforced Pulp Mid-Bass Drivers

•

¾” Titanium Dome Tweeter with High Energy Neodymium Magnet Structure

•

Acoustically Controlled Waveguide

•

Acoustic Isolation Technology™

•

Fully integrated acoustic back-box for precise sound reproduction

V. V. & Sons LLC

Since 1958

PRODUCTS

Overcoming signal loss THE ALP690 from Lectrosonics has been developed for use with wireless microphone receivers or base station transmitters on location and in studio production. It is a UHF LPDA (log periodic dipole array) antenna with a built-in RF amplifier and delivers +4dBd of passive gain in a directional pattern to extend the operating range. An RF amplifier can be used to supply gain for overcoming signal loss in long coaxial cable runs. The ALP690 antenna is powered by a DC bias inserted on the coaxial cable connected to the 50Ω BNC jack. A Venue Series receiver, an active multicoupler or an inline BIAS-T can supply the power. When no bias is applied, the ALP690 automatically switches via relays to function as a passive antenna. RF amplifier gain, filter bandwidth and display brightness are adjusted with a membrane switch keypad and LED display on the control panel. Depending on the type and length of the coax cable, RF gain is adjustable in 1dB steps from –6dB to +12dB to match the RF. Vertical orientation provides a wide horizontal coverage pattern.

Digigram adds to the discussion

ALP690

DCHT In other news, the manufacturer has unveiled the DCHT portable digital stereo transmitter for use in film and TV production as both a wireless audio link from a bag or cart system to cameras, or as a portable IFB transmitter paired with the Duet digital wireless M2R receiver packs. The DCHT accepts two channels of mic or line level

analogue signals or an AES digital signal from a mixer, and transmits to the receiver or receivers in a pure digital format. The DCHT can tune across the available UHF TV band from 470.100–607.950MHz (470.100– 614.375MHz for the export version) in 100kHz or 25kHz steps, offering more than 6,000 frequencies. The RF output can be set to 10mW, 25mW or 50mW to provide a flexible operating range. Input connections and settings are included for lavalier microphones, dynamic microphones and line level inputs. Input gain is adjustable over a 51dB range in 1dB steps to maximise the dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio. www.lectrosonics.com

Just add Dante and AES67 to UHD transmission JUST ADD POWER (J+P) has launched the 767DSS, a 3G+ sound system transmitter with Dante and AES67 compatibility to connect audio networks to UHDover-IP systems, with separate switching for audio and video. The manufacturer states that the transmitter is the industry’s first such solution to support the latest Dante 8 channel chipset. The 767DSS enables the input of up to eight audio channels from the J+P system for playout on Dante-enabled and AES67 devices and extracts up to eight channels from an audio network for playout across the J+P system. The transmitter is also backwardscompatible with legacy two-channel Dante and AES67 devices, and offers bitrates of 176.4kHz and 192kHz with latency as low as 0.25ms via Gigabit Ethernet. Secondary connectivity is built in for redundancy. Meanwhile, the 726TVI transmitter adds HD-TVI support for 3G HD-over-IP systems, negating the need for a TVHDMI converter. It allows for the incorporation of a security camera

767DSS

or digital video recorder as a source. Also new is the VBS-HDIP-3G 509POE daisy-chain receiver which distributes Ultra HD and 4K video over a single Cat-5e cable without the need for fibre. Any PoE device can be connected with the on-board pass-through network port, while a network soundbar, IPTV control or a single display location can be expanded into a videowall. The receiver can also extend the number of PoE devices that can be added to the system by connecting a PoE switch to the port. Finally, J+P’s new Just OS family of firmware has been

42 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

DIGIGRAM’S IQOYA Talk is a portable IP audio codec conceived for use in remote live operations that require reliable transmission and broadcastquality audio. Its user interface has been designed to replicate the experience of using a smartphone for intuitive use. Applications in which IQOYA Talk can be used include live reporting and commentary. The system facilitates key actions to be performed by reporters in just two clicks, keeping it simple to use. Audio content is then streamed through a large number of wired or wireless ‘last mile’ connections.

www.digigram.com

Next-generation monitoring TSL PRODUCTS has unveiled a new audio monitoring platform named SAM-Q, which allows users to control and visualise their audio content based on application, environment or personal preference. The manufacturer states the key features differentiating the platform from existing market solutions are its customisable configuration, the ability to lock down controls and the ability to expand capabilities via a licence system. The SAMQ-SDI is the first audio monitor

built from the ground up with the Representational State Transfer application programming inter face, which is widely used in IoT application development. Just OS features the company’s latest firmware update, which enables J+P’s Every Switch Suppor ted capabilities, developed to allow integrators to build any size 4K matrix on an existing network without having to change switches. It also brings together J+P’s Switch Please and PlugPlay-Present solutions under one umbrella. www.justaddpower.com

For studio and OB van applications, IQOYA Talk is available in a package with four rack-mountable audio IP codecs, or with Digigram’s multichannel audio IP codec. A smartphone app and accessories for mobility are also available, as is a web codec for connecting to guests around the world, while a suite of web applications enables engineers to control and manage an entire fleet of codecs. A secure infrastructure enables interconnectivity between all the IP codecs.

SAM-Q

to be announced for the SAM-Q audio platform and is designed for customers operating with SDI infrastructures. The manufacturer has also announced that its PAM-IP range now supports ST-2110. Both the PAM1-IP and PAM2-IP audio monitors can be deployed to monitor audio and video content carried as ST-2022-6 and/or ST-2110 (2110-10, -20, -30 and -40) flows. www.tslproducts.com

PRODUCTS NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

www.interfacio.com • +44 208 986 5002

NEWS: NEWS BUSINESS

Dante supporting video Vikesh Thamban

Meyer Sound shuffles the deck M Exclusive: Adamson establishes Multichannel Dante Ultra-compact laser projection Blackmagic Design sweeps audio interfaces Good Design Australia Awards R N

takes charge of VV & Sons pro AV division

AUDINATE’S DANTE AV Module supports one video channel and eight uncompressed bidirectional Dante audio channels. A videocapable extension to Audinate’s audio-over-IP ecosystem, the Dante AV Module is primarily aimed at manufacturers developing 1GPT-LB425 video-over-IP products with Dante control, transport and synchronisation. Its architecture is codec-agnostic, so manufacturers have free rein. The Dante AV Product Design Suite, for use THE developed SIX members of with thePanasonic’s Dante AV Module, provides LB series of manufacturers with a full AV-overpor table projectors provide IP brightness endpoint product levels design. rangingThe Dante Module is incorporated fromAV 3,000 to 4,100 lumens into theeither Product Design Suite and and WXGA or XGA includes the hardware documents resolutions. They offer a lamp and software needed replacement cycle to of create 20,000fully interoperable AV mode). products to hours (in eco Alland models Vikesh Thamban feature a high contrast ratio of 16,000:1 and a daylight UAE: VV & viewDubai-based function todistributor ensure highSons has appointed Vikesh Thamban quality images even in brightly aslitnew manager its professional rooms. Theofprojectors also AVsuppor divisiont following thesearch departure auto input andof DRAWMER HAS added two new Prajesh Mr Thamban, who was cornerDalal. keystone correction. The products to its FET series. previously head of1970s the projects team PL-LW375 and PT-LW335 have Offering one set of for and has been with thecontrols distributor a WXGA resolution; the other both audio channels, the 1974 since in 2008 a design fourjoining models:the as PT-LB425, stereo parametric equaliser engineer, plansPT-LB355 to use theand newhas role PT-LB385, bandsrelationships of with variable tofour improve with both PT-LB305 anEQ XGA resolution. lowand high-cut filters to tune customers and while Inser ting thesuppliers, optional ETout any unwanted signals andinto expanding the company’s reach WML100 wireless module throughout the USB the porregion. t on the projector allows users to wirelessly project from Windows PCs, iOS or Android devices with

speed up the process of getting a new solution to market. intoPIX’s JPEG 2000 codec, which supports 4K/60 4:4:4 video, is

During his 11-year tenure at VV & Sons, Mr Thamban has held a variety of different roles within the company, including design engineer, technical support, sales and, most recently, assistant the correct installed. head of thefreeware projects team. Images from up four all of ‘I’ve worked in to nearly devices can beatprojected the positions VV & Sons, so included in the AV Productto simultaneously. have taken upDante the challenge Design Suite, to TW offer ‘visually Similarly, thesaid four series lead the team,’ explained the lossless results with low latency shor projectors new t-throw division head. ‘Wealso have over aa1Gbps network’. The in design offer lamp replacement well-established goodwill the suite also prevents the copying of cycle of and 20,000 hours, rangeis market our prime focus digital video content as in from 3,200 to do to brightness carraudio y theand same pride. To 3,800 and a to so, welumens all are tr yingfeature our best contrast 16,000:1. with maintainratio goodofrelationships The and PT- vendors our PT-TW371R existing customers, TW370 models have a WXGA and suppliers. resolution both400 provide ‘We have and around integrators 3,300 of brightness. that welumens distribute to and I am on very narrow sections the The PT-TX430 and PT-TX340 personally in touch withofeach audio spectrum, broad, are versions andaprovide andXGA every one ofapply them. On top of natural-sounding filterto orexpand modify 3,800 lumens of our this, I’lland be 3,2000 looking fine-tuning to problematic brightness, respectively. Thefurther team with mixes new additions to recordings. The EQ features a the PT-TW371R is also equipped improve market coverage. In true for more with interactive functionality, longhardware term, webypass also have our eyes accurate A/B allowing up tocomparisons, two in presenters on new territories the region.’ an internal low hum toroidal to write simultaneously on the www.pro.vvsons.com projected image with a pen or pointer.

Portable projection

itAPAC: travelsAdamson across connections Systems by implementing HDCP (High-bandwidth AN RGB laser projection solution Engineering has established a Digital Content Protection). featuring TruLife electronics has new Asia Pacific office in Chiang JPEG 2000 allows been launched by Dante Christie. The Mai, Thailand in order to expand AV to create multi-screen SST4K features anPacific ultraitsMirage presence in the Asia AUSTRALIA: Australian environments, distributing audio compact, fibre-coupled projection region. Heading up the new manufacturer Blackmagic where required, andseven deployawards and head and is won best-suited for venture ishas Ben Millson. Design manage videowalls Cat-5e demanding applications such as ‘Asia was initially a small region for the design of using its products cables switchers. It2018 simplifies theme park attractions, for explained David inAdamson,’ itsand home country. the installation and usedirector ofAwards dome theatres Dohrmann, technical Good Design Australia conference rooms make and for theplanetariums. Asia Pacificthat region atuse were presented for the Ursa of both video and audio. ‘Although Weighing Adamson. ‘I50kg, managed our entire Broadcast camera, Atem Rob Cowles the Dante AVthere Module is Germany. designed the Mirage SST operations from Television Studio Pro HD video to be codec-agnostic, we feltbeen it1 M/E WORLD: A newswitcher, position has projection Now, following the success we production Atem was inenjoyed the best interests of our created at Meyer Sound with Rob head have and the strength Advanced Panel, DaVinci Resolve OEM tocolour have the codec Cowles namedand the company’s enables of ourcustomers distribution partners, we 14 editing correction already asexpand part of our the director ofposition product marketing. He installation are in aintegrated to software, DaVinci Resolve Mini Dante AVthere Product Design Suite,’ will report to SVP of marketing John where presence greatly inAssist the territory. Panel and Video on-set explained Lee CEO McMahon and take responsibility are significant The new APAC office, with of Ben monitor andEllison, recorder. Audinate. for competitive vertical space constraints. in charge, willismarketing, not only enable ‘Our goal to enable the market strategies, initiatives The Mirage SSTdigital 4K us to achieve this, but also tobe largest number ofdelivers people to www.audinate.com and customer resolution atrelationship 120fps or, them with provide additional support for our more creative and help www.intopix.com management. distributors.

Meanwhile, Daniel Rivera, who has served as Meyer Sound’s business an optional licence, 480fps at SONIFEX HAS released series development specialist in athe house 2K resolution. High frame rates ofworship new Dante audio interfaces of market since 2016, remove blurring and strobing to convert balanced has been toanalogue the role of effects fast-moving images tell theirinpromoted stories with video,’ business specialist. to createdevelopment a more commented Grantimmersive Petty, CEO at He now assumes a broader strategic experience for audiences, Blackmagic Design. ‘Whether role within the company by working closely with architects, consultants and end-users across multiple vertical markets. AVN-AIO4 and AVN-A108

according to the manufacturer. whilesolution the AVN-A108 allows for eight The reportedly achieves analogue audio inputs andRec. eight greater than 90% of the analogue audio outputs. 2020 colour space and Packaged 5,000:1 on/off contract with ultra-high contrast lenses. The Christie Mirage SST can be installed in single or multiprojector configurations and is compatible with Christie Mystique Install, Chris Gille which aims to simplifiy Asthe a result of Mrinstallation Rivera’s promotion, design, Chris hasout filled theofrole of andGille maintenance multianything else there. Good it’s for a high end broadcast business development projector arrays, Christiefor products don’t needand tospecialist be professional, Hollywood feature audio line inputs and outputs in a house 1U form factor, both interfaces the worship market. Mr Gille Guardian, which offers complex orofexpensive. They need filmmakers or a young web to Dante AoIP forwe integrators use Neutrik XLR connectors, are with is perform well prepared for thisreal-time position automated, invisible, to exceptionally well, broadcaster, think veryand AV professionals. The AVN-A104 compliant with AES67 and AV systems and operation blended image correction even they need todesign beDante affordable and carefully about how David Dohrmann andpeople Ben Millson multichannel audio interface use PoE fortopower. experience, asbe as to a background when content iswell playing. they need easy use.’ are going to use our products provides four analogue technical management. ‘I will deliver technical support better overall service in Asia and then design them audio to be inputs in www.sonifex.co.uk andexpertise, four analogue audio www.christiedigital.com and while Ben will Pacific.’ www.blackmagicdesign.com faster and easier to useoutputs, than www.meyersound.com handle sales, combining for a Mr Millson will serve as the Daniel Rivera

The sound of the 1970s

Biamp makes Major appointment wysiwyg enters www.panasonic.com

1/2 PAGE 1/2 PAGE Island Island

virtual reality

WORLD: John Major has been hired by Biamp to fill the role of vice president of operations, in which he will oversee THE CAST Group launched manufacturing, thehas supply wysiwyg R42, which introduces chain and order fulfilment. Mr aMajor plethora newPortland-based features joinsof from such a VR experience when Summit Core Strategies, which the lighting design software is develops and implements connected to the Vivechain or manufacturing andHTC supply fully variable the Oculus Rift.forbandwidth This allowsforusers strategies its clients. parametric Switchable to‘Biamp ‘step inside’ their to ismid-bands. one of thedesigns few slope andtechnology low peakvirallow users to experience them tually before sizeable companies adjust the focus and implementation. Other new the still manufacturing inmagnify Oregon,’ bottom end, whileand indented and features include the Position said Biamp CEO president, accurate potentiometers said Tool, a dockable window that Rashid Skaf. ‘John’s 35 are years of to offer improved precision with displays an will object’s position experience drive continuous faster recall.the The 1974 claims to and allows user to change improvement across operations be shaping its location, by clicking inwhile andideal helpfor ustonal make the most of ‘staying true to the sound of the various directions or entering this unique, powerful asset. He 1970s’. an exact coordinate. also possesses incredible R42 insights Theboth frequency controls offer t, brings improved truss suppor into the technology acleaner cut andobject boost of ±12dB. representation, industry and manufacturing However, EQs with no for aprocesses display unlike asthat screen option will help Biamp’s bandwidth simple LED walls,adjustment the operations ability or to acast manufacturing keep switch, theper twoobject, mid-bands have shadows shaded pace with the company’s rapid variable filter bandwidth controls view to tooltips, enhanced laser product line expansion and enabling the user tomore. focus in visualisation, andgrowth.’ overall business

In other news from the Canadian manufacturer, BlackTrax V2.3.3 combines tracking with lighting, media interactivity, moving projection The 1974 and 1976 mapping, 3D positional audio linear power supply withV2.3.3 voltage and camera tracking. selector a rugged steel aims to switch act as and an aggregate chassis. control suite for all cameras on Meanwhile,and the will newallow 1976users stereo production three-band saturation width the possibility to linkand between processor is a quickly nod to the modules and setDC2476 up digital master processor. Suitable Mr Major his new scenes anddescribed subjects with the for and sound, it rolerecording at Biamp as live an incredible appropriate cameras, locations offers analogue over opportunity. ‘Assaturation apresets. well- In and automation three bands. stereo width of established, industry-leading addition, PTZThe positional presets the lows, mids can beto brand, it’s easyand to highs admire what provide users with the ability adjusted to add ‘real presence the company has accomplished position and save non-tracked and to apotential. mix, according to and depth’ its future I’m cameras with an infinite amount the manufacturer. single, excited to be partAofthat thewillyet of camera presets comprehensive, ofPTZs controls leadership teamset that will write point and zoom the in any provide operation. Biamp’sstereo next chapter.’ desired position. www.drawmer.com www.biamp.com www.cast-soft.com

Untitled-3 1

6 y–Februar y 2019 34 PRO PROAVL AVLASIA ASIAJanuar July–August 2018

July–August 20192018-05-09 PRO AVL12:17:57 MEAPM43 March–April May–June 2019 PRO AVL MEA 55 21

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PRODUCTS

Compact desktop mixing SOLID STATE Logic has added a range of new products to its mixing product line, star ting off with SiX, a condensed pro console for studio, postproduction, stage and podcasting use. Developed to offer ‘big console sound’, the por table console includes two recording channels with SuperAnalogue mic pres, twoband EQ, a one-knob version of the SSL Channel Compressor, a new two-band channel EQ, inser ts and 100mm faders. There is also a two-knob version of the G-Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus and the Listen Mic Compressor on the Talkback.

SiX The SSL SuperAnalogue design claims to offer more detailed audio with a wider dynamic range, low noise and lower distortion. The two mono channels offer a gain range of 66dB, a 75Hz high-pass filter and an independent line-level input that can be switched to instrument-level input with higher impedance.

Cinematic processing SSL has also released its new S500m console as the latest surface addition to the System T range. The S500m can be specified as 32 and 48 fader versions with turnkey flight case solutions, or as a larger custom specification surface with up to 96 faders. The S500m provides all the similar features of the System T S500 console in a form factor that is 25% lighter, according to the manufacturer. Specifically designed for OB and flypack applications where weight and portability are key concerns, the S500m’s modular functionality means a console can be deployed with or without an extended metre bridge. The S500m was accompanied by the launch of the Dynamic Automation Software (DAS), suitable for broadcast mixing consoles such as the S300 and TCR. The software allows automated parameters on the console to be stored with mixes against MTC or LTC and can be managed from within the console’s file system. Touch sense faders and encoders, plus touchscreen controls, also provide multiple ways of writing automation data across all processing on all channel and bus paths.

S500m

www.solidstatelogic.com

STUDIO TECHNOLOGIES has launched the Model 207 eSports Console. While it’s not the type of gaming console to be competing with the likes of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, Model 207 will support the microphone, audio monitoring and inter facing needs of players and personnel during esports events.

A two-channel stereo line input offers compatibility with analogue outputs found on personal computers. A patch cord connects to the console’s 3.5mm three-conductor input jack. The stereo line-input signal is conver ted to digital and output via a pair of Dante transmitter channels. A PoE connection delivers operating power and data transpor t. Studio Technologies’ STcontroller software can be used to configure various functions of Model 207, such as microphone preamplifier gain, electret power on/off, stereo line-input gain, headphone monitoring, push button action and overall system operation. Meanwhile, the Model 348 intercom station has been developed for use in broadcast applications. It incorporates Dante and provides eight talkand-listen audio channels that can be configured for intercom, talent cueing (IFB) and REMI/ At-Home applications. Finally, the Model 381 is an on-air beltpack featuring Dante audioover-Ethernet technology.

Studio Technologies enters the game

Model 348

Model 207 A compact, table-top enclosure, Model 207’s analogue and Dante audio-over-Ethernet technology allows for direct integration with personal computers and Ethernetbased audio networks. The manufacturer states that only a few standard connections are required to integrate Model 207. A five-pin female XLR and a 3.5mm four-conductor (TRRS) jack allow gaming headsets and intercom systems to be connected.

Model 207’s microphone preamplifier and dynamics control circuit are reportedly built to ensure optimal sound per formance. The microphone audio signal is converted to 24-bit, 48kHz sample rate digital audio and is routed to two Dante transmitter channels. An integrated sidetone function is included, as are front-panel push button switches.

Model 381

44 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

www.studio-tech.com

CPi2000 THE CPi2000 processor from JBL offers audio enhancement and volume control capabilities for cinema sound solutions. It provides DSP processing, presets for JBL cinema speaker crossover, system fault detection and custom-designed GUI software used for system configuration, delivering a ⅓-octave GEQ for room tuning via the processor. It is suitable for cinemas using 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. The front-panel LCD display allows technicians to monitor the status of the system, including amplifiers and speakers, and a volume knob enables the adjustment of global output levels. When paired with certain Crown amplifiers, the processor can detect faults in the system, sending information to a TMS or third-party control system via its RJ45 connector. Analogue, digital, non-sync and mono mic input options are included. The analogue and digital inputs accept audio signals from any cinema server; the non-sync takes line level stereo signals from CD or DVD

players from BGM playback; and the mic input connects to an RTA microphone for room tuning. The CPi2000 also possesses 10 HD-15 analogue outputs for passive, bi-amp or tri-amp connection, a 25-pin analogue output compatible with thirdparty sound systems and a redundant output that works with analogue input to bypass the processor during power cuts.

PRX800 V2 In other news, JBL has released an update for its PRX800 series of powered portable loudspeakers. The V2 firmware update offers a new default tuning preset featuring enhanced low frequencies on the PRX815 and PRX812 models. www.jblpro.com

Mixing with more power DIGICO’S DIGITAL SD12 multi-application live mixing console for broadcast, install, house of worship and theatre applications with dual 15-inch touchscreens has been ‘supercharged’, taking it from 72 to 96 channels and from 36 to 48 aux/sub groups, with the latest SD12 96 upgrade.

Along with the SD12 96 chargeable upgrade, the new SD10+ upgrade comes free of charge but is only available for Core 2 consoles. With the upgrade, the SD10+ console has been expanded from 132 to 144 input channels. www.digico.biz

PRODUCTS

Lawo debuts AoIP stageboxes FORMING PART of the A__line family of AoIP devices, A__stage80, A__stage48 and A__stage64 are WAN-capable and combine Class-A mic preamps, advanced digital A/D FIR filtering and SMPTE 2022-7 Seamless Protection Switching (SPS) that provides two discreet, redundant network links for network connection stability. A__stage80 is a 3U multi-input AoIP stagebox with mic, analogue line and AES3 I/O presented on standard, high-density D-SUB connections. It features 32 switchable mic/line inputs, 32 analogue line outputs, eight stereo AES3 inputs and eight stereo AES3 outputs. A__stage80 also includes dual-redundant MADI ports on SFP, eight optoisolated GPIO ports, and dual 1000BT streaming and control ports on SFP/RJ45. A separate management port is supplied on RJ45. A__stage48 supplies 16 switchable mic/line inputs, 16 analogue line outputs, eight stereo AES3 inputs and eight stereo AES3 outputs on standard D-SUB connectors, with dual-

redundant MADI por ts on SFP, eight opto-isolated GPIO por ts, dual 1000BT streaming and control por ts on SFP/RJ45, and 1000BT management por t on RJ45, in a 3U form. A__stage64, for applications where discreet I/O is preferred, has a capacity of 32 switchable mic/line inputs, 16 analogue line outputs, eight stereo AES3 inputs and eight stereo AES3 outputs, presented on XLR connections, in a 4U package. In addition, Lawo has unveiled a new option for its third-generation mc256 audio production console. The dual fader option incorporates the manufacturer’s LiveView thumbnail previews of associated video streams directly in the fader strips to repor tedly enhance accuracy in fast-paced productions. The German manufacturer has also added new features and capabilities to its Power Core mixing engine and I/O node. A Dante card with dualredundant ports and sample rate

The A__stage48, 80 and 64 conversion has been added to reportedly allow easy integration

of pro audio equipment into broadcast environments. With

dual-redundant, front-panel SFP ports for AoIP, broadcasters have their choice of optical or copper network connections, without the cost of external media converters. The final addition is ST2022-7 SPS, which provides dual-redundant AoIP network connections. Twin active links guard against audio loss should one link be interrupted. In other news, LiveView Decoding Engine has been incorporated into Lawo’s V__matrix vm_dmv multiviewer to show both production (ST2110/ST2022-6) and compressed transmission (HEVC/H.264/MPEG/OTT) formats on the same screen for end-to-end visibility, while new auto-topology, PTP-monitoring, cloud and data storage features have been added to the company’s SMART system monitoring and real-time telemetry solution. Finally, VisTool Solo has been launched, a lightweight version of Lawo’s VisTool GUI-Builder Software. www.lawo.com

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July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 45

PRODUCTS

Stage-ready in-ear monitoring LD SYSTEMS has launched an in-ear monitoring system aimed at bands, musicians and rental firms. The U500 IEM Series is available as a set, with and without headphones, and comes equipped with switchable transmitting power of 2mW, 10mW and 30mW in order to meet country-specific regulations. Designed to provide a more reliable signal transmission over a distance of up to 100m, the systems provide ‘unrestricted freedom of movement’ across any application.

There are 96 receiver channels available to offer mono or stereo operation as required. The in-ear mix can be adjusted to fit via a three-band EQ with parametric mids.

In addition, the U500 systems allow for personalised username entry and storage of preferred settings in 10 preset memory locations. Depending on the frequency band,

and under harsh sunlight, while the pocket receiver provides an operating time of up to 10 hours. The U500 IEM systems are available for operation in various frequency ranges. The 470– 490MHz, 514–542MHz, 584– 608MHz and 655–679MHz bands permit running up to 12 systems simultaneously. In the 823–832MHz and 863–865MHz ranges, six systems can be operated at the same time, providing wireless monitoring for the entire band. A rack-mount kit and a rugged transport case are also supplied.

up to 12 systems can be operated simultaneously. The transmitter and receiver units are equipped with a high-contrast OLED display for use on dark stages

www.ld-systems.com

dLive goes ultra-compact with Wings Silver-plated connection

dLive Wings ALLEN & HEATH has been showcasing its ultra-compact dLive touring systems based on dLive Wings. Central to this concept is the C1500 surface, which allows engineers to

manage upscale shows from a 19-inch console, using its 12-inch touchscreen, 19 assignable SoftKeys and 12 faders over six layers. The C1500 can be paired with any of the dLive MixRacks for

UNiKA offers a network-friendly route UNIKA’S NBB-0202 transceiver has been built to transmit 2x2 audio to and from a Dante network. By adopting Dante capabilities, the manufacturer states that it is very network friendly with ‘unlimited’ flexibility when it comes to deployment. With a sturdy metal chassis and front panel design, it can be mounted into standard 19-inch racks. The NBB-0202 supports the IEEE 802.3 network standard up to Layer 3, enabling the use of off-the-shelf Ethernet switches and facilitating the immediate transport of streaming audio via an existing network. It comes with a pair of Ethernet ports that allow several NBB-0202 units to be connected using the same network link. Due to its Dante capabilities, the NBB-0202 can be configured

via Audinate’s Dante Controller software on a PC. Meanwhile, the Dante Virtual Soundcard software can be employed to stream stereo audio between a user’s DAW software and the NBB-0202. Audio is encoded and decoded with an uncompressed 24-bit PCM encoder/decoder in sample rates of 44.1kHz, 48kHz or 96kHz. Outputs feature amplifiers that can drive the lines up to 24dBu and can be lowered to meet the input range of devices requiring less power. The NBB-0202’s inputs accept a signal level from mic to line with individual gain and phantom power control. The unit is also equipped with a pair of clip indicators, one for each input, to warn of potential signal overload. www.unikapro.com

46 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

when space and weight are at a premium. ‘Going from a 36-fader sur face to a 12-fader C1500 or a touchscreen can seem daunting at first,’ commented Ben Morgan, dLive product manager. ‘But with a bit of planning and smart use of SoftKeys, it’s amazing how quickly engineers embrace the Wings concept and the freedom it brings. Here’s a flexible, compact rig, with the same power as all our dLive systems, but easily checked at baggage and flown on a standard commercial flight.’

GERMAN MANUFACTURER Sommer Cable has devised a silver-plated high-end instrument cable, the SC-Silver Spirit. The cable uses tightly, concentrically stranded class 6N (OFC 99.9999%) copper wires, which are then refined and smoothed with a high-grade silver alloy (935/1000) to deliver a ‘more lasting

performance’ and can also be neatly processed with silver solder, without electrical losses. The double-shielded cable (1x0.22mm²) has a flexible, yet robust outer jacket of 7.4mm in thickness made of a temperatureresistant PVC compound, and is fitted with gas-foamed and smoothed wire insulation. Formulated for guitar, bass and other instruments, the cable is appropriate for both studio and stage use or as an unbalanced cable for keyboards, samplers, mixing consoles and hi-fi systems.

www.allen-heath.com www.sommercable.com

Tasker unveils Super cables FOLLOWING FEEDBACK from its customers, Tasker has developed the C282 Super which the Italian manufacturer reports has quickly become one of its bestselling products. It is a strong 8x4mm² speaker cable with a crown-shaped grouping around a central PE filler that is said to give the cable a solid but also very flexible structure, and is particularly suited for all mobile and rental installation equipment. For users wanting to install a LAN cable that allows the transmission of digital audio and video as well as the classic data signal, Tasker has also unveiled the C726 PUR Super, the big brother to the company’s C726 PUR. It is a Cat-7A cable that allows a data transmission speed up to 1GHz for CATV applications. In the broadcast sector, Tasker has added the T442 PUR which contains four of

the manufacturer’s successful T42 PUR cables. T442 PUR is a flexible coaxial cable with multifilament formation and double braid shield in tinned copper OFC which allows 12G-SDI video transmissions up to 70m. For users looking for a triaxial cable that

must be as flexible as possible to allow professional cameras to move freely, the TR11 PUR Extra Flex has a silver-plated conductor and shield. www.tasker.it

DiGiCo-SD12 OUR ULTIMATE

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www.digico.biz DiGiCo UK Ltd. Unit 10 Silverglade Business Park, Leatherhead Road Chessington, Surrey KT9 2QL. Tel: +44 (0) 1372 845600

#FESTIVALSD12

PRODUCTS

Thunderbolt strikes RedNet Control THE LATEST version of RedNet Control is available to download from the Focusrite website. Version 2.3 of the software introduces control over Thunderbolt for Red 4Pre, 8Pre and 16Line interfaces. The download is a free software update that unifies RedNet Control with configuration, status monitoring, metering and extended operational control. RedNet now provides parameter control that includes clock source selection, sample rate converter configuration and reference level setup. All the functions of Red mic pres can be controlled from the software, such as gain, phantom power, phase invert, high-pass filter and air mode. Graphical control for Red range units is separated into five pages: I/O control and metering, input routing, output routing, monitor control and custom mixes. From the custom mixes page, RedNet

Control’s internal audio mixer allows for the creation of up to eight separate mono or stereo sub-mix signals. Up to 30 of all the

In other news, Focusrite is offering Plug-in Collective community members a free licence for Sonarwork’s Reference 4 Headphone Edition software. The tool comes either as an audio plug-in for a DAW’s master

Peavey partners with Neets RedNet Control 2.3 available inputs can be selected as sources for the mixer. Once selected, these input signals will then become available to all custom mixes. Furthermore, each mixer output can have an individual balance of fader levels, mute and channel pan settings.

channel or as a standalone tool that aims to flatten the frequency response of a user’s headphones and remove unwanted colouration through the use of predefined profiles for specific models. www.focusrite.com

Coda rewrites Linus Control CODA AUDIO has a new graphical user inter face for its Linus products that it is describing as a complete depar ture from the previous Linus Live v1.2 platform. Linus Control v2.0 consists of a rewritten and restructured

firmware designed to provide both greater stability and flexibility, as well as new control and monitoring features. It is compatible with both MacOS and Windows workstations, and with both tablet and native inter faces. Also bundled with

the application are speaker files, control logic and thirdpar ty UDP control protocol for offline remote control of Linus amplifiers from third-par ty devices. www.codaaudio.com

Genelec shows some ID

GENELEC HAS launched its new Aural ID software technology, which takes a user’s unique acoustic attributes to develop a detailed modelling of the anatomical features affecting their hearing, and then compensates for this. The manufacturer states that this enables a ‘more truthful and reliable sound’ when using headphones for reproduction

and monitoring. The Finnish manufacturer views academic research, immersive audio monitoring, VR and games development as potential applications for this technology. Aural ID calculates the listener’s personal Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF). The HRTF encompasses the acoustical properties of the head, upper torso and external ear, as these

48 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

elements interact in ways that ultimately affect how sounds reach the eardrums. The software then creates a personal data file that modifies sound arriving from any direction according to the user’s characteristics. This file also allows an audio engine to render stereo or immersive content via headphones. Users upload a 360° video of their head and shoulders to Aural ID. The calculation process will then build a 3D model scaled to the same dimensions of the user’s proportions, paying particular attention to the modelling of the external ears. Acoustic fields are then analysed and calculated to capture detailed acoustic phenomena. The acoustic fields are computed for audio approaching the head from hundreds of angles. Finally, the HRTFs are created and the data is compiled in a downloadable SOFA file. www.genelec.com

PEAVEY COMMERCIAL Audio (PCA) and Neets have announced the availability of a TanGo driver for PCA’s Digitool family of digital audio processing units for loudspeaker management, matrix mixing and room combining. The driver is currently available for the Digitool MX16 and Digitool Live devices, both of which are 8x8-channel units. The Neets TanGo is a control system enabling intuitive touch control of third-par ty devices – such as Digitool – either through the array of Neets touchpanel devices, Android/iOS touchpanels or

standard browsers allowing for custom-built GUIs. For easy installation, TanGo comes with PoE-in and PoE-out to avoid the need for an external power supply for either the control system itself or any external device. The Neets TanGo driver developed by PCA offers an IPbased command set including input and output channel level and mute control, level and mute functionality for all audio matrix points and the ability to trigger internal preset loads.

XPRESSION V9.0 has been launched by Ross Video, offering more than 40 new features for workflows, from the acquisition of content in traditional desktop design software to the playout control of multiple XPression realtime motion graphics engines. The update to Xpression also provides a direct way of obtaining files from Adobe Photoshop. With

and Take IDs. Users also gain more flexibility when accessing individual Take IDs as Remote Sequencer now allows them to modify the content and channel assignment of Take IDs just before going to air. XPression Project Server and Scene Manager can be integrated for adding new Take Items to the playout sequence at the last minute.

version 9 of XPression, Adobe Photoshop files and associated layers can be imported into XPression and provide an accurate position on the screen, retaining the layer order and grouping the artist designed them in. In addition, Ross has released a new version of its XPression Remote Sequencer, which now provides extended playout control of rundowns for individual channels

The manufacturer has also unveiled its new virtual studio rendering solution, which is based on the Unreal 4 gaming engine from Fortnite developer Epic Games. This new system is aimed at broadcast and production applications requiring advanced rendering for augmented reality and virtual sets (ARVS).

www.peaveycommercialaudio.com

Ross displays new Xpressions

www.rossvideo.com

Pinnacle-KR202 High-tech, lightweight portable system | k-array.com

The Pinnacle-KR202 I is an ultra-light powered system in a stereo configuration. Each side features a Thunder-KMT18 I subwoofer with 2 channels of 1000W matched to two Kobra-KK102 I mid-high line array elements with 16 x 2â&#x20AC;? neodymium magnetic transducers each. The hardware included guarantees ultra-fast setup and optimum mechanical stability.

PRODUCTS

Broadcast Pix unveils BPswitch IX THE BPSWITCH IX integrated production switcher has been designed by Broadcast Pix for venues that follow IP-based

workflows and use remote cameras. The switcher includes six network inputs that support NDI and RTSP sources.

With a pair of SDI/HDMI inputs and an analogue input for compatibility with legacy systems, BPswitch IX can receive and switch

between up to six IP camera feeds. It has a native 1080p60 resolution and can integrate MPEG-2 and H.264, among other

streaming formats within the same production, providing SDI, HDMI, analogue and streaming outputs. When used in conjunction with the Broadcast Pix Commander touchscreen control interface, BPswitch IX provides browserbased control with full-motion video and access to all sources and workflow tools via a mobile device connected to the internet. Commander has been designed with simplified controls, enabling non-technical personnel to be able to switch during live productions, add titles, insert clips and control robotic cameras. As with previous BPswitch models, BPswitch IX delivers eight channels of clips and graphics, and three keyers with DVEs, as well as integrated NewBlueNTX multi-layer 3D motion graphics CG with hundreds of templates. www.broadcastpix.com

Live event projection mapping GREEN HIPPO has come out with its latest software offering to serve the live events market. The Hippotizer Version 4.5 allows real-time media playback and 3D projection mapping, and is the result of feedback from endusers operating systems at live events. The software includes new features such as Object to Output as a new method for output mapping. Object to Output maps content to outputs directly inside SHAPE’s 3D workspace – a 3D mapping tool set to aid the design and pre-production of shows – and helps simplify the management, integration and movement of a large number of displays. Using Object to Output, users can expect to integrate moving set elements, map a single video across multiple displays, as well

as adjust content. In addition, the new Beat Bridge feature aims to simplify programming by allowing Hippotizer parameters to react to audio input in real-time, to the beat of the music or the intensity of a crowd, and can be combined with Midi or DMX controllers. www.green-hippo.com

No limits to NDI recording IN ASSOCIATION with Virzt, NewTek has unveiled NDI 4 which allows users to merge the fields of live video and postproduction by including the ability to record unlimited NDI video channels for multi-camera editing with full synchronisation. NDI video sources are recorded without recompression, providing the ability to ISO-record any number of channels, limited only by disk and network performance. With recordings time-stamped and time-base corrected, any number of channels on any number of machines are said to be fully synchronised, ‘making video editing from multiple sources of the same event easier and making multi-cam editing truly accessible

for the first time’. NDI recording supports alpha channel, any number of audio channels and works with 16bpp sources at full precision. The free NDI SDK will include all recording tools. In other news, LightWave 3D 2019 has been released, a new edition of NewTek’s graphics and animation package. Improvements include integration tools with Unreal Engine for real-time data

transfer and the Metamorphic system, which brings multipurpose animatable mesh sculpting and painting to Layout. Metamorphic also includes a wide range of brush options and controls, multiple animation modes, nonlinear interpolation and motion blur support. The Limited Bones mode provides the ability to match the number of bones able to affect a given point to the game engine

in use. The new mode also has real-time optimisations to more closely match the performance that game engines expect from a bone system. NewTek’s VMC1 integrated production system will soon be available as a softwareonly subscription that includes integrated graphics, animation, media playback, recording, streaming, transcoding and virtual sets. The software will be offered in configurations of up to 44-input, eight M/E, allowing users to build an all-IP UHD production system. TriCaster 410 Plus is the latest TriCaster integrated system that provides eight external inputs, four M/Es, four mix outputs, along with NDI integration for video,

audio and data transmission over IP. The rack-mountable system also includes real-time social media publishing, live streaming, multichannel recording, video playback, integrated multiviewers, graphics, compositing, virtual sets and audio mixing. Finally, two new Spark Plus models including 4K UHD and 1080p HDMI-to-NDI versions have been introduced. Spark Plus captures video directly from connected cameras or devices and allows it to be transported over the network as visually lossless, full bandwidth NDI with virtually no latency. www.newtek.com www.vizrt.com

PixelFlex forms a shield PIXELFLEX IS battling the brittle nature of ultra-fine pixel pitch LED displays with the launch of its new FlexUltra with PixelShield. A COB (chip on board) solution, PixelShield is an impact- and scratch-resistant coating that adds an extra layer of protection to high-definition LED systems. ‘Historically, these types of displays have been extremely fragile with high failure rates due to the damaging of pixels,’ said PixelFlex CMO, David

50 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

FlexUltra with PixelShield

Venus. ‘With our new PixelShield protective technology, we are not only preventing the fragile nature of these displays, but we are

ultimately enhancing the longevity of the ultra-fine pixel pitch display market as well.’ FlexUltra has an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a 160° horizontal and vertical viewing angle. Its viewing panels are serviceable from the front and the system operates at a refresh rate of 3.84Hz for a flicker-free look on camera. It is available in 0.9mm, 1.2mm, 1.6mm and 1.9mm pixel pitch versions. www.pixelflexled.com

PRODUCTS NEWS

Absen is an Aries WPC aids expanded

events programme

at Sooroosh Hall

THE ARIES Series 1.5mm (AX 1.5) is Absen’s first response to requests for a sub-2mm fine pitch LED NPP display.Audio It is the TAJIKISTAN: A Martin first entr y in the manufacturer’s Wavefront Precision Compact line Aries Series and, as the at name array has been installed the suggests, has a pixel pitch of 700-seat Sooroosh Hall in the 1.5mm. Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe, Absen states that the Aries as part of a substantial upgrade Series has been developed to to the venue’s technical produce a much broader range infrastructure. The work was of colours, wellmanufacturer’s as providing carried out as by the ‘road-rugged’ corner edge long-term distribution partner, protection, allowing it toMusic, be Latvian-based A-T Trade transpor tedinvited to events. It is also which was to develop an integrated but adaptable solution by its Tajikistan dealer. ‘Prior to this, the system could only be used for conferences and meetings rather than the classical, pop and traditional music concerts and other events that now take place,’ explained A-T Trade Music sound and stage KEEPING UP with engineer, the current equipment project trend for HDR, ‘The Lynx client Technik Imants Cīrulis. wanted introduced HDR be Evie, an for a has system that would useful enhanced image engine this hall as video well as for open-air powered by the events. WPC wasgreenMachine the best choice processing formultipurpose this.’ platform. Described by the manufacturer as the first system to use advanced algorithms that

Automated conversion

suited to fixed installations and suppor ts the HDR10 standard. Its cabinet measures 27.5 inches with aspect 16:9. ‘Thean concert hallratio has of a very This design aims to make it interesting configuration,’ Mr Cīrulis easy to replace existing LCD furthered. ‘Its special feature is a videowalls, as balcony well as that suppor ting very deep, 11m occupies full ser vice. one front third of the hall. Calculation of The Aries Series using solution speaker positioning the also [Martin includes the latest Integrated Audio] Display software showed Matrix Device and Common good parameters under the balcony Cathode as – and without thetechnologies, use of delay lines does Absen’s pixel this also proved0.9mm to be true in practice. pitch CR0.9, which clarity formsand par t The sound pressure, of the CR are Series. Theanywhere CR0.9 resolution amazing

is typically suited for use in corporate settings and control rooms, with true pixel-to-pixel HD in hall 4K –and 8K, in the from theand fronthigh to the grayscale at lowA-T brightness levels back-row seats.’ Trade Music ran thanks to process its incorporation of the whole from conception Cr ystalView technology. and acoustic simulation to system Also new and is Absenicon, installation staff training, as described as an all-in-one well as after-sales service. Two days display solution, available of training were given to local in staff five different between in WPC rigging,sizes Display and VU-NET 110 inches and 220 inches with software packages. 4K compatibility. www.attrademusic.lv

AX 1

www.absen.com www.martin-audio.com

Natural group conversation – clear as face-to-face

greenMachine HDR Evie automatically analyse and apply optimal corrections in real-time on a frame-by-frame basis, HDR Evie is suited for sports or any live broadcast event needing high-quality, real-time HDR to SDRsystem conversions. The is optimised for twois aeight compact, boxgreenMachine resolution, with elements self-contained AV processing hung per side. The speakers platform that isfrom equipped are suspended two points integrated frame towith enable easy redeployment at synchronisation, up/down outdoor events or other places. andsubs a suite of A cross furtherconversion eight SX218 have audio processing been placed under capabilities. the stage in greenMachine HDR Eviewith specially built chambers supports single-channel sound isolation (two subs 12G per SDI 4K/UHD conversions or chamber). Six iK42 multichannel can be configured as a fouramps have been assigned to drive channel device for 3G amplifiers (HD) WPC and SX218 (three applications. per side), while4K theQuad iK812SI powers inputs and optional 12G fibre eight Martin Audio LE200 wedges connectivity inI/O biamped mode reportedly (two LE200 per makes it compatible with input channel). almost any system. Also forming part of HDR the Evie supports aare range of open installation a pair each of standards conversion, tone Martin AudioforCDD-LIVE12/CSXmappingsubs. and colour LIVE118 These gamut are primarily including HLG, PQ, SDR and used for side-fills onstage, but it SLog3. is expected that this acoustic system will also be used for small www.lynx-technik.com presentations and events in the hall lobby.

AM-FC1

3/4 PAGE 3/4 PAGE

Audio Collaboration System Imagine you are in a team conference and everyone gets clearly heard across different locations – no matter how passionately you discuss your ideas. An array microphone with high quality loudspeakers, which focuses automatically on whoever is talking, will make your team collaboration more productive and your presentation more attractive. Steering array microphone technology offers ideal sound collection Bluetooth® interface allows attendees on the public phone line

Built-in DSP function such as Automatic Echo Cancellation and Automatic Noise Reduction

We supply sound, not equipment. www.toa.eu

TOAEurope

TOA Electronics Europe

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 51 May–June 2019 PRO AVL MEA 13

PRODUCTS

Panasonic adds 4K displays at all price points PANASONIC HAS added four new models – the TH-655SQ1, TH-55SQ1, TH49SQ1 and TH43SQ1 – to its SQ1 series of 4K display panels. These models present smaller options within the premium series, at 65, 55, 49 and 43 inches, respectively. They include the same features as the existing 98- and 86-inch panels already in the series, and offer a ‘slim and stylish design’. The SQ1 panels are reportedly capable of 24/7 continuous operation and a brightness of 500cd/m2, with In-Plane Switching technology and antiglare treatment for increased visibility from multiple viewing angles. The series is also HDR compatible and includes 12-axis colour management. The projectors are designed for easy set up with the manufacturer’s proprietary 4K Digital Link, which is based on the HDBaseT

either an Intel CPU or inter faces such as SDI, NDI or VoIP. This means it’s possible to tailor the display and its connectivity to the application.’ At the lower end of the cost spectrum, Panasonic has introduced the entry-level CQ1 series of 4K display panels. They are built for 16 hours of ET-DLE020

TH-655SQ1 standard and connects video, audio and control signals to external devices via a single LAN cable. Meanwhile, a built-in 4K USB media player negates the need for an external source. Multiple SQ1 displays can also be daisy-chained to form a videowall. ‘We are among the first to introduce the new Intel

SDM (Smart Display Module) slot to the SQ1 range,’ noted Hartmut Kulessa from Panasonic. ‘SDM boards can house

continuous daily operation and are fully equipped with basic terminals that support HDMI CEC. ‘The CQ1 series will meet the needs of the vast

majority of organisations looking for 4K displays for information sharing and communication, but without the need for ultra-high brightness and round-the-clock operation,’ added Kulessa. Elsewhere along the video chain, Panasonic has launched three new zero offset lenses for its range of 1-Chip and 3-Chip DLP projectors. The ET-DLE020 ultra-short throw zoom lens fits all Panasonic 1-Chip DLP projectors and is said to be the industry’s first ultra-short throw projector to feature a powered optical zoom. The ET-D3LEW200 short-throw zoom lens and ET-D3LEU100 ultra-short throw lens, meanwhile, are made for use with Panasonic’s high brightness 3-Chip DLP laser projectors and are also suitable for 20,000- and 30,000-lumen, WUXGA and 4K+ projectors. www.panasonic.com

Smart in the city DESIGNED TO provide new opportunities in the outdoor AV market, Smart City Kiosk from Peerless-AV consists of four models: 49 inches (KOP2549XHB-EUK) or 55 inches (KOP2555XHB-EUK) with the manufacturer’s Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Display included, or as a kiosk enclosure only, designed for 46-inch (KOP2546-OHF-EUK) or 55-inch (KOP2555-OHF-EUK) Samsung OHF Displays. The solution is described as ideal for sharing corporate or community information, travel and weather details, as well

as wayfinding, advertising and entertainment. The KOP2549-XHB-EUK and KOP2555-XHB-EUK models are rated IP68 for temperatures ranging from –35°C to 60°C. The sealed display is said to eliminate the need for air conditioning or fans for cooling. Steel mesh on the rear panel assists Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays with passive cooling and allows Samsung OHF Displays to exhaust hot air and intake cool air. Interactivity can be added to all four models with an optional plug-

display is optically bonded to increase the perceived contrast ratio and cut down on glare. Finally, a floor- and ceiling-mount solution for the Samsung OMN-D series has been announced. The mount supports both 46-inch and 55-inch Samsung back-to-back display models and is described as ideal for high-impact, in-window retail and commercial applications. Optional custom colour trims can be added to match branding or application settings.

and-play, 10-point IR touch overlay, also tested to IP65 standards to protect against water and dust. Staying outdoors, Xtreme High Bright has an IP68 rating and a patented Dynamic Thermal Transfer System. The display is described as maintenance-free with no fans, vents or filters to let in water, dust, moisture and insects. It also has an operating temperature range of –35°C to 60°C. The IK10-rated, antireflective, impact-resistant safety glass reportedly protects against vandalism and debris, while the

www.peerless-av.com

Telestream heads to the cloud TELESTREAM HAS unveiled what it describes as a new approach to media processing workflows whether in the cloud, on premises or both. Vantage Cloud Port allows cloud execution of Vantage processing actions using containerised micro-services with engines identical to onpremises services. The modular, orchestrated building blocks can optimise both brownfield and greenfield deployments, while any existing or new Vantage installation can reportedly transfer specific processes to/from the cloud. Existing Vantage users gain access to cloud-capable actions even if those actions are unlicensed in their on-premises Vantage system.

52 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

CaptionMaker 8

Vantage Cloud Port decides if processing is to be done onpremises or in the cloud based on media location and/or domain utilisation. The system has also been developed and qualified to run on Microsoft Azure. In addition, the manufacturer has released OptiQ, a one-click channel creation solution for cloud environments. Developed in association with a European telecoms service provider, OptiQ reduces the amount of time to create a new channel to minutes rather than weeks or months. The new channels feature integrated monitoring and the ability to switch between multiple sources (live or file-based). OptiQ facilitates

new revenue streams for content providers looking to accelerate time to market for new channels, and for broadcasters and service providers by enabling short-term (premium and non-premium) channels/events, or additional content such as highlight reels, player bios and event histories alongside premium content. Telestream has also announced the latest version of its CaptionMaker closed captioning and subtitling software. CaptionMaker 8 provides language support and access to Telestream Cloud’s Timed Text Speech auto-transcription capabilities. www.telestream.net

TEAMCONNECT CEILING 2

Raise your meetings to a higher level

Explore TeamConnect Ceiling 2, Sennheiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s new ceiling microphone for mid-sized to larger conference rooms. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t matter how meeting rooms are used or how meetings are designed. Thanks to the auto-adjusting, patented beamforming technology, it adapts to the respective conditions on-site, without reconfiguration. Focus on what is really important - your messages. sennheiser.com/tcc2

PRODUCTS

Hitachi pairs CMOS imaging with remote operation THE SK-HD1800 HDTV studio and field production camera from Hitachi Kokusai combines the advanced CMOS imaging technology found in the manufacturer’s Z-HD5500 camera with a motorised, four-position filter wheel for remote operation. This makes the SK-HD1800 applicable to mobile and eventbased productions and suitable for events with challenging LED lighting and displays. ‘The use of LED lighting and displays in live production environments continues to

expand rapidly, and our Z-HD5500 camera has proven extremely popular for its ability to capture high-quality, rock-solid video in these often-challenging settings,’ said John J Humphrey from Hitachi Kokusai Electric America. ‘At the same time, features like remotely operated, motorised filter wheel support have made our SK series of cameras a preferred choice for remote and mobile productions. The new SK-HD1800 offers

customers the best of both worlds, and combines with the CU-HD1300 family of CCUs to flexibly support evolving industry trends including HDR, 4K and IP-based workflows.’ The SK-HD1800’s CMOS imagers are designed to adapt to changing LED lighting conditions. The advanced 1080p sensors work with Hitachi Kokusai’s digital signal processing and low-noise circuit technologies for visual sensitivity, colour fidelity and a 62dB signal-to-noise ratio. www.hitachi-kokusai.co.jp

Heavy artillery CANON HAS released its first 4K projector designed for use in large venues. The LX-4K3500Z is a high brightness DLP laser projector and is compatible with seven exchangeable lenses that can be used for screens between 100 inches and 1,000 inches from distances between 2m and 176m. The LX-4K3500Z features 10-bit colour processing, which allows it to output more than 1 billion colours across the DCI-P3 colour spectrum, without the need for additional filters. Featuring a laser optical system, encompassing a pair of colour light sources and a phosphor wheel, the projector offers a wide colour gamut to, in the manufacturer’s words, deliver ‘a sense of presence and immersion within native 4K video sources’.

The projector possesses two colour laser light sources that deliver 40,000 centre lumens. There are four different laser light output modes, including constant brightness and manual adjustment, which can be calibrated in 1% increments from 30–100%, providing added control of light output for blending. Its three 1.38-inch DLP panels allow for a 4096x2160 for 8,847,360 pixels output. www.canon.com

A new generation BLACKMAGIC DESIGN is looking to the next generation with its Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 featuring fully redesigned electronics for higher speed processing. A new Super 35mm 4.6K image sensor captures up to 4608x2592 pixels with 15 stops of latitude at up to 3,200 ISO. This reportedly allows customers to record full sensor 4.6K images at up to 120fps, windowed 4K DCI at up 150fps and windowed 1080 HD

at 300fps. The camera also supports Blackmagic RAW and features a new USB-C expansion port for directing recording to external disks, meaning that users can now record for longer durations without stopping.

Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 also uses the manufacturer’s Generation 4 Color Science that is said to result in accurate skin tones and lifelike colours. Blackmagic RAW images are encoded using a custom, non-linear, 12-bit space designed to provide the maximum amount of colour data and dynamic range. These formats can be recorded onto CFast or SD cards, as well as direct to flash disks using the USB-C expansion port.

The camera also provides an external, high-visibility, backlit LCD status display for viewing critical shooting information, a foldout touchscreen for reviewing shots without needing an extra on-set monitor and professional connections such as 12G-SDI, XLR audio and built-in, high-quality stereo microphones. www.blackmagicdesign.com

Artificial intelligence for video content creation FOR USERS looking to increase the quality of their video content, Sony has released the REA-C1000, an AI-based Edge Analytics system. The manufacturer states that the solution enables users to create video content in real-time without the need for professional training, additional staff or equipment.

REA-C1000

The REA-C1000 itself is described as a ‘compact and lightweight’ machine. It receives the inputs from cameras, automatically extracts the object in focus using AI-based video analytics technology to analyse the content and combines it with other images in real-time on a Graphics Processor Unit. The system does this by using motion and face detection and colour/shape recognition algorithms to produce professional content designed to keep audiences and congregations engaged. 4K/HD input and output are supported and the REA-C1000 has also been designed to connect directly to Sony’s PTZ cameras and XDCAM camcorders. With an HDMI network connection, the REA-C1000

54 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

can also be integrated into AV setups, such as those with multiple displays, large screen projections and live streaming. Additionally, five optional features can be chosen for the REA-C1000. The first is handwriting extraction and presenter overlay, which can extract handwritten objects by optimising parameters and processing the images received by the camera, using the manufacturer’s moving/ still object detection algorithm. In practice, this makes written content and diagrams clearer for the congregation to see. Second is PTZ auto-tracking, which can track a subject and keep them in shot automatically when using PTZ robotic cameras.

The REA-C1000 connected to a PTZ camera Close-up by gesture is the third optional feature. This allows the REA-C1000 to detect and react to the gestures of an audience,

displaying an overview image and zoomed image in real-time. The fourth option, chroma key-less CG overlay, is based on Sony’s motion detection technology. It extracts a subject from the shot and overlays them onto a background. Finally, the focus area cropping tool takes an overview image from one camera and displays it as two different output images: an overview in 4K and a cropped version in HD. The cropped HD image can be either static, like the overview image, or can be used to track the subject, making it appear as if it were from a separate camera. www.pro.sony

PRODUCTS

Augmented video playback

High-contrast image projection CATERING TO wider seating arrangements, dnp denmark has released the Supernova STW display solution for conference rooms. The Supernova STW claims to offer large, high-contrast images with a ‘more affordable solution’ than similar-sized LED/LCD flat panels. Designed to be easier to install, the Supernova STW provides image quality in measurements up to 120 inches in 16:9 and incorporates Lenticular technology

that absorbs incident light. The new screen comes with a more rigid anodised inner frame system and high-tension springs, to ensure flatness. To make installation easier, the old two-piece wall-mount system has been replaced by a single-piece wall-mount. The visible frame measures 18mm x 25mm (WxD), with the Supernova STW available in standard sizes of 92 inches, 100 inches, 110 inches

ENGINEERED TO play back video at higher resolution, disguise’s new vx 4 media server claims to offer up to four times uncompressed 4K60, using its NVME RAID drive array. As well as the capability of playing lossless 10-bit video, the server can also capture 16 3G-SDI sources or four 4K sources (2160p60). With the introduction of r15.2 and the vx 4, disguise can now support HDR workflows and provide a means of applying colour profiles. The vx 4 also offers users a choice of content quality using ‘industry-recognised codecs’ and has ‘improved network bandwidth’ with dual 25GbE and dual 10GbE ports, enabling quicker

media file transfer and networked live video capture. The vx 4 comes with a crossbraced stiff chassis and isolated core components and features a hi-res OLED front panel for more detailed system information. The server also includes disguise’s VFC technology, which allows users to output DisplayPort, DVI, SDI or HDMI without changing the system, as well as mix signal formats and resolution types in the same project, with frame synchronisation and near-zero latency. www.disguise.one

and 120 inches in 16:9 and in 92 inches and 100 inches in 16:10. Custom sizes are also available, with maximum image width of 2.651mm and a maximum image height of 1.491mm. As well as conference rooms, the display screens are suited for TV studios, control rooms, retail venues, sports auditoriums and education facilities. www.dnp-screens.com

vx 4 server

#1 IN MOBILE SOLUTIONS 1/2 PAGE

www.datavideo.com July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 55

PRODUCTS

Bright eyes THE HY B-Eye is the first Claypaky light to be developed with Kling-Net protocol built in. Kling-Net is a plug-and-play control protocol developed by digital media specialist ArKaos and has been added to HY B-Eye to aid lighting design creativity and simplify the management and synchronisation of LED light parameters and functions. In terms of the light itself, the HY B-Eye incorporates 40W Osram Ostar RGBW LEDs, said to be twice as power ful as the

Another standing Ovation CHAUVET HAS added to its Ovation line of LED ellipsoidal, Fresnel and batten models with a collection of PAR fixtures. Available in RGBA-lime, warm white, variable white and UV, the PARs feature 16-bit dimming, a single-source homogenous light, RDM and variable pulse width modulation. All models come with interchangeable lens plates for medium and wide beam angles and accept standard 7.5-inch beamshaping accessories. The three nonUV variants feature a high CRI, which reportedly results in more realistic lighting for stage applications.

The P-56FC features the same advanced, full RGBA-lime colour mixing LED system found in the Ovation E-910FC ellipsoidal and can produce colours ranging from subtle pastels to punchy saturates, as well as nearly any temperature of white. The P-56WW is described as a bright, compact fixture with an output comparable to a 1,000W PAR 64 lamp. It is said to produce a homogenised, single-source, flat and even field of light by using the same efficient warm white LED system found in the Ovation E-260WW ellipsoidal.

GLP track-mount makes an impression GLP HAS released a compact LED moving head that includes a soft pencil beam, improved movement and continuous pan rotation for multifaceted 3D multi-beam designs. Now modified to fit into three-phase tracks, the trackmount version of the impression FR1 provides a solution for fixed installations. Using a single, high-powered, 60W, homogenised, RGBW LED at its core, the impression FR1 design features colour mixing across a vast spectrum, with a fuller range of colour temperature control. A 3.5–35° zoom range also offers full beam control over both short and longer throw distances. The impression FR1 also features 16-bit dimming and 16-bit position control through a range of 540° pan and 220° tilt. The FR1 has the ability of bidirectional continuous pan rotation at varying speeds, while critical features can all be controlled using the on-board menu via wireless DMX. Staying with the impression range, the impression S350 Wash has been launched as a partner for the S350 unveiled last year. It has the same high-efficiency LED white light source, with 350W of power. GLP has also extended another range of products. The KNV series

The P-56VW is an ellipsoidal that repor tedly produces nearly any temperature of white with high CRI and CQS. The PAR’s colour temperature can be even fur ther adjusted for ± green, while it features the same sixcolour LED system found in the Ovation E-930VW. Finally, the P-56UV produces a flat and even field of true (365nM) UV light with minimal projected visibility via a homogenised, singlesource LED.

LEDs found in the original B-Eye. It is described by Claypaky as an ‘extremely bright and power ful wash light’ with a 4–60° linear zoom and an automatic retractable lens when the projector is turned off. The HY B-Eye K25 has the same dimensions as its B-Eye predecessor and weighs 27.5kg. The K15 version is more suited to small stages – it measures 49cm high and weighs 21kg. HY B-Eye K15

www.claypaky.it

www.chauvetlighting.com

PR Lighting heads outdoors

impression FR1 track-mount version has two new members: the KNV Line and KNV Dot. The KNV Line consists of five single pixels in

a row, in which form factor is maintained 1:1, while the KNV Dot comprises a single power pixel (one white and 16 RGB) in a 2:1 form factor. Finally, the German manufacturer has devised Highlander, which consists of a 1,400W discharge lamp. With a 230mm diameter and signature baseless design, Highlander offers a large zoom range with a 5° beam angle and up to 63° smooth field angle with focus link. With a framing system (±30° blade tilt, fully lockable, ±45° rotatable) and a fast iris, the wash light weighs 29.5kg.

impression S350 Wash

www.germanlightproducts.com

56 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

HY B-Eye K25

TWO NEW products, a luminaire and a PAR, have been launched by PR Lighting. Arc LED 1572 is an IP67-rated architectural luminaire with two independent heads. It features 72 Philips 15W, four-in-one LEDs (RGBW) with 50,000 hours of operating time and colour temperature linear adjustment with four individual areas of control. It has an input of 100–240V AC (50/60Hz) and a power consumption of 1,080W at 230V. Other features include an electronic strobe (0–25fps) and a linear dimmer from 0–100%. With a beam angle of 14° and a field angle of 37° x 57°, control is via the DMX512 standard and a three-pin interface. In standard mode, 10 channels are available, increasing to 23 channels in extended mode. A wireless receiver

Arc LED 1572

and transmitter are optional. The luminaire weighs 46kg and is housed in a high-tensile cast aluminium alloy. Meanwhile, the XPAR 543 is an exterior PAR with an IP67 rating. It’s equipped with 54 3W LEDs to provide RGBW single colour or colouring mixing effects. The PAR also comes with 50,000 hours operating time, 100–240V AC (50/60Hz), power consumption of 180W at 220V, electronic strobe (0.5–33fps), 0–100% linear adjustment, international DMX512 control, and six channels in standard mode and 11 channels in extended mode. Weighing 10kg, the PAR also comes in high-tensile cast aluminium alloy housing. www.pr-lighting.com

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www.robe.cz

FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Inside courtroom 2.0

Abu Dhabi opens the ‘world’s first’ digital courtroom, a new AV installation that could improve litigation efficiency. Ledetta Asfa-Wossen learns more WITH A MISSION TO CREATE MORE STREAMLINED JUDICIAL proceedings, the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts (ADGM) has become a pillar of modernity. A paperless court in the UAE that abides by British law seems a paradoxical sight to behold but could this be the future of the courtroom? Inside the new digital courtroom, witnesses, lawyers and plaintiffs can participate in a hearing from anywhere in the world using advanced video conference technology without being physically present. The implications for the judicial process are vast, not to mention cutting down the administrative labour and costs associated with serving notices, hearing updates and evidence-related paperwork for each individual case. Operating in English to make things simpler for international businesses, the ADGM follows UK common law and has memorandums of understanding with the UAE Ministry of Justice, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department and Ras al Khaimah Court on a local level, and with judicial systems in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the commercial court in London. The courtroom, which currently handles both civil and commercial disputes in the heart of the financial centre, requires only a judge to be present, while the lawyer, plaintiff and respondent are able to attend the court remotely and view live evidence and participate from different geographic locations. To register a case, a plaintiff simply has to log in to the online portal. Once a party gains access to the online portal, they can electronically file all of their necessary documents. All parties involved in a case are able to receive real-time updates on date changes and additional evidence on those in attendance via SMS or email notification. The digital platform also archives file records electronically that are linked to each case for a more secure and paperless trail. Opus 2 was appointed the design consultant on the project and determined the AV solutions needed. ‘We’ve been working with the ADGM on the digital courtroom concept for the last three years, advising on hearing room layout, designing the

58 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

The architect’s render after ADGM design input had to take into account strict interior requirements

The early construction phase before integration

digital courtroom concept and technology, and assisting with implementation and commissioning. When I met CEO Linda Fitz-Alan back in 2016 and she discussed the ADGM courts and what they were trying to achieve, I knew I had found a client that would support my vision for creating the world’s first digital courtroom. The ADGM has been bold and really set the bar for next-generational hearing rooms and I don’t believe the project could have gone any better,’ explains Richard Page, head of technical projects at Opus 2. ‘The first thing we did is go to the market to discuss the project with manufacturers. Then we assembled a group of technical partners that could deliver the best results for the project and give the integrator the support required to deliver this ambitious project. Suppliers were not chosen on relationships but rather on an understanding of what the project involved and the best equipment for the job,’ adds Page. Essential to the digital courtroom setup was a modular video-over-IP distribution system from WyreStorm, which can connect any source over an open matrix. ‘We wanted to deploy HDMI-over-IP due to the amount of video distribution taking place. We had 27 desks in the courtroom, each with three

screens, and 12 large-format displays that had content that could be controlled both by the control room operators and users working at the desks. Using a video-over-IP solution gave us the flexibility we needed to deliver the solution and will allow us to upgrade the courtroom over the coming years. The solid performance of the WyreStorm encoders also made it an easy selection,’ states Page. A camera system from 1 Beyond and sound, interpretation and conferencing systems provided by Shure, including its MXA910 ceiling tile microphones for video conferencing, Q-Sys DSP and QSC AD System ceiling speakers were used in the hearing room. Crestron control TSW1052 10-inch touchscreen panels and iOS tablets, an Elmo document scanner, PTZ cameras (for judges and witnesses) and Barco ClickShare technology, along with a Polycom video conferencing solution, were used for presentation and administrative functions. ‘With Shure being leaders in microphone and conferencing technology, it was a simple choice. After discussing the project with them, it also allowed us to design a large part of the sound system without integrating several manufacturers. We knew we wanted to use the MXA910 mics to allow us to keep the

PRODUCTS FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Razor-sharp quality bespoke desks as clear as possible and we wanted to ensure that the interpretation was fully integrated into the solution,’ adds Page. Elaborating on the camera setup, Page COMBINING CONTRAST ratio, continues: ‘We were looking fordurability a flexibleand affordability, thethat APScould Seriesintegrate of 3LCDwith laser camera system the projectors from Christie Shure sound system anddelivers output 6,500 automated ISO lumens, and a five-year mixed camera views based on what virtual and 10,000-hour lobes were activewarranty, from the MXA910 mics. whichever comes first.their The integration with Once we learnt about LWU650-APS and tested LWU530the MXA910 and out the AVS system, APS have out been designed for we required. this gave the functionality classrooms, boardrooms Using the 1 Beyond camera system allowed or small-space usother to choose the digital codec we needed environments. Theyusfeature and didn’t restrict to any manufacturer or an efficient laser illumination technology.’ system andcourtrooms patented optical With the designed over 100 light that uses litigation, the real yearspath ago design for paper-based only one motor. patented challenge was to‘The repurpose the courtroom optical light pass design litigation, while for paperless electronic changes the the excitation lightof the hearing maintaining aesthetics spot round spot to a roomshape designfrom and amaking it functional. ‘This rectangular disperses the as energy was beyondshape any AVand hardware project we on wheel, which and improves theto hadthe to phosphor integrate the software services reliability of the courtroom phosphor wheel,’ explained create a digital that is part of the Jim Hall, platform,’ senior product Christie. eCourts adds manager, Page. ‘Featuring flexible input/output an Omnix was tasked with the AVoptions, integration. on-board 16Wsenior speaker andand omnidirectional Abdul Riyaz, design engineering design and operation, manager at whisper-quiet Omnix, explains how thethe APS Series provides razor-sharp image2quality collaboration came about. ‘Opus came up whether a presentation, dataset or then with the it’s entire design concept. We were video.’ given the concept and functional requirement documents to review and propose the detailed solution, along with an itemised bill of quantities and our understanding. Opus 2 provided great insight into the functional and operational requirement along with technologies and vendors. Our design team then checked the requirement, contacted vendors and finalised the offer for approval to the ADGM. After a couple of pre-award meetings with the ADGM IT team and

Mirage 304K The Mirage 304K is a 30,000-lumen, 3DLP, 4K projector combining a compact form factor, light weight, powerful processing and user-friendly features such as built-in warping and blending, nearfield communication monitoring and an at-a-glance preview Inside the ADGM hearing room screen. Based on the industry’s only 4K, true system and Opus120Hz 2, we capable gave ourprojection recommendations and featuring Christie’s TruLife electronics, started the implementation phase.’ the Mirage 204K has builtelement for Video distribution wasbeen a critical of the omnidirectional and canavailable install due to thedeployment various information be mounted and processing operated inthat anyneeds to be within courtroom orientation. made available to every delegate/counsel as Thetheir Secure Series of flat panels per needs and role. has beennot developed for government, ‘It was a straightforward video corporate or military environments, or for matrix switching, as sources available other facilities distribution arethat onlyrequire aroundtop eight and had security at allavailable times. The first than 70 to be made on more two models are counsel the SUHD551-L displays. Every and judge had their and include own SUHD651-L local sourceand monitor and then two OPS slot, UHD resolution and distributed additional monitors for centrally USB playback. ‘Customer sources to choose from the WyreStorm requirements for a solution, the NHD 400 AVoIP decentralised professional series was a secure perfectdisplay fit recommended by without arethough going largely Opus 2.RF Even it was our first largeunmet,’ saiddistribution Jim Hall, project as opposed scale AVoIP senior product manager, to our traditional matrix solution, thanks to Christie. ‘This series our long expertise in digital signage and IPTV includes compliance with technologies, we were prepared to adapt an current TAA requirements. AVoIP solution very quickly,’ adds Riyaz.

Each user has a smart desk comprising a PC and three screens E-participants had to be a key consideration in the construction of the digital courtroom. ‘We used a Polycom group series 700 codec solution with Skype for Business integration. To manage all the AV devices, we installed a Crestron control system integrating all these systems with customised GUI on wired and wireless iPads. The install also included a dedicated control room inside the courtroom separated by a glass wall, housing the language translation booths with a Shure/DIS IR solution for the court audience. It had to be a simple AV system to use and flexible for various type of hearings,’ notes Riyaz. FHD553-X Opus 2, who has been deploying paperless trial technology into traditional courtrooms The panels do notyears, have was radionofrequency for the last seven stranger to functionality, so noorunauthorised users can this type of project its tests. To maintain access the system adding room, an extra layer of the aesthetics of the–hearing it worked security.’ closely with architects Perkins+Will. Bespoke The FHD553-X flat panel was has also beendesigned designed furniture for the courtroom to the FHD552-X and handmade features an andreplace prototyped in London and in ultra-narrow Abu Dhabi. bezel flat panel with full HD resolution, high pixel density andMiddle an ‘The ADGM wanted a contemporary The panel Eastern feel toLED thebacklit hearingscreen. room rather than can berooms installed either the traditional wooden you in see around landscape mode the world inspiredportrait by the or English legal system. and comes with a three-year Working with marble, glass and unique lighting and labour warranty. features made it parts challenging on various levels,’ elaborates Page. Nearly a decade after the requirements launch of Christie The interior design posed some MicroTiles, the manufacturer strain on the physical installation of the AV has launched MicroTiles LED. The smaller, brighter, more powerful and more flexible LED version delivers P3 colour space, complies with HDR-10 and is suitable for broadcast sets, corporation venues, museums, retail, stadiums, arenas and higher education. It includes a lowprofile, ADA-compliant QuickMount system so displays can be created in any shape and size, including 90° inside/outside corners and both concave and convex curves.

1/2 PAGE vert 1/2 PAGE vert

www.christiedigital.com

equipment too, such as the positioning of the ceiling microphones due to some large lighting fixtures over the main area. ‘We also had to do a lot of virtual audio enhancements to get to the expected level of performance and had some challenges sourcing pre-defined size desktop monitors. However, with the in-house team of programmers and support from vendors, we were able to overcome any physical installation challenges,’ comments Riyaz. According to Page, the new digital ADGM design holds a number of benefits both in and outside of the hearing room and could improve litigation efficiency by over 33%. Riyaz is also confident that more regions in the UAE will be keen to upgrade their government buildings. ‘As an integrator, we are already starting to see similar needs coming up for most of our judicial customers.’ www.omnix.ae www.opus2.com

MicroTiles LED www.perkinswill.com

May–June 2019 PRO AVL MEA 51 July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 59

FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Visitors go on a long trek through the museum’s corridors

The mosaic of screens installed by Techno Q in Gallery 10

A journey through Qatar

Inside Doha’s latest mega-project is an audiovisual feast bringing the country’s rich history to life. Simon Luckhurst takes the tour OVER A DECADE IN THE MAKING AND COMPRISING nearly a mile of gallery exhibitions for visitors to meander through and explore Qatar’s history, the futuristic National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) recently opened its doors to the public. Yet, despite the strikingly unique architecture of the exterior building grabbing international headlines, it’s what’s happened on the inside that is sure to catch the attention of the AV industry. For NMoQ is not just any old museum, it offers a rich museographic exploration brought to life through vivid imagery and intricate and immersive sound effects intended to make visitors feel as if they’re a part of a living exhibit. This has been achieved with the creative use of more than 100 4K Panasonic projectors embedded into the building walls and ceilings throughout the gallery exhibits, accompanied by more than 350 speakers each fed from individual audio channels. The building itself comprises 12 interconnected galleries, each offering an experiential journey across different notable periods in Qatar’s history. Its long-awaited completion represents a significant moment in the rapidly evolving gulf state’s ongoing effort to fulfil the cultural goals laid out in

60 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

its 2030 National Vision. Needless to say, creating such an intricate and coherent exhibit requires the close cooperation of many different parties, starting with architect Jean Nouvelle. The French architect’s company has been the inspiration behind a number of other notable creations, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Philharmonie de Paris. The Royal Palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, a major heritage landmark in Doha, was selected as the site for the new museum, which features a design inspired by the structure of the desert rose crystal, a flower-like aggregate of mineral crystals occurring only in arid coastal regions. This unique structure brought enormous technical challenges, meaning its construction took almost a decade to reach completion. For the museography, Nouvelle worked in close collaboration with the museum, who, in turn, partnered with the Doha Film Institute (DFI) to create a series of films that provide glimpses of different aspects of the country’s history, specifically tailored for the space and formatted to fit the shape and scale of the walls they would be screened on.

Meanwhile, serving as the main contractor for the exhibits, MAN Enterprise, a construction company, and EMPTY SL, a general contractor specialised in museum construction, entered into a joint-venture named MEJV to execute the museography design and build for the permanent exhibit galleries. These two companies, in turn, worked closely with the various AV designers and contractors to make the exhibits a reality. For the visual aspects, the DFI and MEJV enlisted Londonbased specialists RES to provide technical consultancy and expertise on the realisation and pre-visualisation of each film. RES, in turn, coordinated with Swiss audio design studio Idee und Klang GmbH to coordinate the surround mixing process onsite and the technical connectivity of both audio and video, both of which were extremely complicated procedures. Spanish integration company BGL Audiovisual was tasked with all of the engineering for the AV in addition to the installation of the video equipment, while Qatari integrator Techno Q supplied all of the AV equipment throughout the museum as well as carrying out the installation of the audio system in its entirety.

FEATURES: INSTALLATION The projections co-created by RES, MEJV and the DFI cover a vast area. Bringing these films to life on the walls of the museum, 112 Panasonic 4K, 10,000-lumen projectors supplied by Techno Q have been installed by BGL according to RES’ site-wide projection design, forming the largest single rollout of the PT-RQ13 4K+ globally. This was no easy feat given the unique geometry of the building and created a number of challenges regarding projector coverage and placement. ‘We installed all of the media servers and all of the cameras that monitor the media servers’ per formance, while BGL physically installed the projectors where we designed them to go. This is the biggest project RES has ever undertaken,’ says Mark Calvert, who managed the project with RES co-founder, Dave Green. ‘When we first learned about the ambitions for video playback, projection mapping and technical planning, the sheer size of it became apparent. It took all of the skills, experience and technical wizardry we possess to make it happen. This is visual technology on an unprecedented scale.’ In total, RES estimates that a massive 21 billion pixels are processed each second by nine Avolites Ai Q3 media servers, alongside another 163 Ai Miami software licences, running on 1U 8K media servers custom designed by RES. More than one petabyte of media is stored and, on playback, fed via 50.6km of 3G SDI cabling. Furthermore, each video requires full motion image resolution as high as 25K x 4K, to cover more than 3,000m2. ‘Avolites Ai is always our go-to software for demanding projects like this – the AIM Codec and Salvation Engine are both power ful and reliable,’ notes Calvert. ‘My colleagues Dave Green and Trey Harrison were, of course, the architects of the original source code for the Ai software, so we are very familiar with what it can achieve when a project needs to go big.’ RES also worked closely with Dean Winkler, founder of New York-based Winkler Consulting Inc on the technical and creative aspects of the video installation project. Winkler has been working on the museum’s Art Films project since 2013 in his capacity as the senior engineer, production and postproduction for the DFI. ‘Pretty much everything RES did was the right solution,’ says Winkler, ‘but perhaps most noteworthy was their ability to take the existing, highly complex architectural designs, with little free ceiling space, and figure out how to integrate 112 4K Panasonic projectors to meet the exacting technical specifications of the project.’ Sourcing a projector capable of delivering the image quality and brightness required saw RES enlisting the help of Gareth Day, group manager at Panasonic Visual Systems (UK). ‘Working alongside Mark and Dave, we began testing equipment that we believed could address the technical

Panasonic projectors and Meyer Sound loudspeakers integrated into the ceiling structure challenges faced in positioning projection equipment to provide the large-scale, high-quality images required,’ explains Day. ‘The equipment selected has the ability to reproduce images of outstanding quality from the shortest viewing distances, and with the flexibility to position the projectors as unobtrusively as possible.’ ‘During our study, we concluded that the Panasonic projector was really the only one capable of delivering the requirements for the project,’ adds Calvert. While the visual displays inside each exhibit are the most obvious things to greet visitors as they enter each gallery, it’s the subtle and intricate use of audio effects accompanying the Art Films that ties everything together, and also brought some specific requirements. ‘The first brief was very generic and just said we were allowed a maximum of 64 speakers per gallery,’ explains Daniel Teige, who acted as leading audio consultant for the museum and head of the project team at Idee und Klang. ‘At first, this felt a little strange, as it seemed that no one really thought about sound and how to integrate it into the museum. But, in hindsight, this actually turned into an amazing opportunity. It meant that our team was able to develop the audio side of the project from scratch in close collaboration with the museum authorities, the architects and the creative and technical teams.’ Right from the outset there was one specific requirement, however. ‘As well as needing to understand how the curved

walls, the high ceilings and the special shapes inside the galleries will affect the acoustics and reception of sound, we knew right from the beginning that we could not integrate any speakers into the walls,’ explains Teige. ‘That was, even if you understand only a little bit about acoustics, a serious problem. ‘Another issue we were facing was the fact that all of the galleries are open and connected to each other,’ he continues. ‘It was clear that we had to deal with sound bleeding from one to another. Of course, you could turn the volume way down, but how do you then create an immersive audio experience? You have to move quite some amounts of air if you want the visitor to get immersed by sound.’ After visiting the building to gather measurements, Idee und Klang enlisted the help of WSDG – the Walters-StorykDesign Group – which aided in creating a virtual acoustic model of the complete museum using EASE software. ‘They have been a key partner for our work,’ adds Teige. ‘Based on their calculations, we designed the overall system for this quite special and difficult architecture. And then, last but not least, we worked with the amazing team of Meyer Sound, who supplied us with all the data we needed to integrate their speaker models into our computer model for virtual testing.’ The decision to work with Meyer Sound was no coincidence, explains the sound designer. ‘From the beginning of the project, I knew that I wanted to work with Meyer, using their speakers and the D-Mitri platform as the

Each screen in Gallery 10 has one 3G SDI input generated from four 3G SDI output Avolites Q3 media servers

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 61

FEATURES: INSTALLATION heart of our audio system. If you look at the vast number of cabinets and the complexity of the playback system that our design required, it was clear that I needed a partner that had the experience and the team to get such a challenging job done. The Meyer Sound family with all its passioned and highly skilled members made it possible.’ Due to the complex architecture, every single speaker also had to be pre-positioned in AutoCAD Revit to ensure no clashes with the building structure or sprinkler system. ‘In parallel to these more technical works, we developed a concept of how we would like to distribute speakers in general in each gallery to get closer to an immersive audio system that works with the sound tracks,’ shares Teige. ‘Every gallery needed its own concept. We ended up using

mobile rack for audio mixing. ‘In every location, we have installed a service port in the floor because, when you are doing the mixing for the audio or video, you have to be in front of the exhibits,’ adds Marei. While supplying the projectors for the museum in addition to installing the entire audio system and providing system cabling, Techno Q also took charge of the audiovisual requirements in Gallery 10 in its entirety. This included an array of 30 Plura displays of differing sizes from 15–86 inches, wall-mounted using Chief mounts in various configurations. These screens can display both a single image spread across them or a single, dedicated source. ‘Each screen has one 3G SDI input generated from four 3G SDI outputs from one of seven Avolites Q3 media servers

and Harrison Digital Media) for the video systems. Hive controls and monitors all the Art Films systems site-wide and facilitates simple operation of the complex system. ‘Synchronising the audio and video elements, ensuring that as the content repeats over and over that there are no frame differences between the visual and the sound effects, is a major challenge and quite complicated technically,’ echoes Marei. ‘The timecode for the complete system is generated by Meyer Sound, and we are distributing it out to all of the video systems. So, when the audio starts, the video starts, and when the audio finishes, the video does too. At the end of the day, the control system gives a command to shut down the system, and then again to start it back up again the next morning. Every day we recall the same preset that sets the audio levels around the exhibits.’ The result of all this labour is something truly special. Visitors emerge back in the outside world at the end of a long journey through the museum, having been transported away from their daily lives and back through time. While the exhibits themselves are highly impressive, it’s the permeating audiovisual element that makes this experience possible. ‘I believe that this is one of the nicest and most complicated audiovisual, museographic systems that you will see in any museum,’ concludes Marei. ‘It adds a whole other dimension to the exhibits and, without this element, I’m not sure that the museum would be as interesting for visitors. You no longer have to imagine how the pieces in the exhibits would have been used, it is all brought to life on the walls of the museum right in front of you through these projections.’ www.bglaudiovisual.com www.empty.es www.ideeundklang.com www.jeannouvel.com www.manenterprise.com www.resgb.com

Everything from the earliest formation of Qatar to its relationship with oil is explored a mix of speakers in the ceiling and at the bottom of the projection walls.’ Installed by Techno Q, the audio setup in each gallery revolves around Meyer’s D-Mitri platform, which specialises in multichannel surround applications such as this. In Galleries 1–9, a total of 12 D-Mitri Core Processors send audio out via dedicated channels to 44 Ashby-5C and 35 Ashby-8C ceiling speakers, 61 UPM-1XPs, 11 UPM-2XPs, 51 UP-4Slims, 44 UP-4XPs and 35 UMS-1XPSMs integrated into the ceiling and hidden in the wall at the base of each projection. A further two DCP D-Mitri Core Processors with three DDIO-24s and a DAIO-816 have been integrated into a mobile rack for audio mixing. ‘We installed more than 300 active speakers in 10 days, so the timeframe was a very challenging aspect of this project,’ recalls Techno Q project manager, Ahmed Marei. ‘To accomplish this, we created several mock-ups beforehand to make sure that, once the speakers were installed, they wouldn’t clash with anything, and that all cables were connected to the right speakers.’ The result is not a surround sound system, but instead produces a multichannel and multidimensional soundscape coinciding with and highlighting notable elements of the visual projections. ‘You can hear the audio coming from a certain direction to match the projection content,’ explains Marei. ‘It’s almost an Atmos-grade system; every speaker has its own channel, so sound can be sent to each speaker individually.’ These Meyer Sound enclosures in the ceiling and at floor level have been calibrated in matched pairs according to the design provided by Idee und Klang. ‘We’ve delayed the bottom speaker to match the top ones, so that when someone stands in front of the projection, it feels as if the sound is coming from right in front of you. That effect extends to about 2–3m away from the wall,’ explains Marei. A further two DCP D-Mitri Core Processors with three DDIO-24s and a DAIO-816 have been integrated into a

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supplied by RES. The Q3 systems are all playing 4K source media provided by DFI,’ explains Marei. ‘It is very difficult to install and align the image across these screens properly, especially given the architecture of the building, meaning that there is no real reference point to work off. I think we’ve done a good job.’ Similar to the other galleries, audio effects in Gallery 10 come from a pair of Meyer Sound D-Mitri Core Processors feeding 10 Ashby-8C 8-inch ceiling speakers, 10 UP-4Slim installation speakers and three MM-10XP miniature subwoofers. Aside from the tricky architecture, one of the most challenging aspects for all teams was syncing up and controlling the audio and video systems throughout the museum. This led to the creation of a bespoke software package designed by Hive Media Control (co-owned by RES

www.technoq.com

The architecture was a challenge for the visual designers

The DFI’s Art Films augment the physical exhibits Image courtesy of Antonio Pagano

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FEATURES: INSTALLATION DISTRIBUTION NEWS: PROJECTS JPRO OPENS THE Zarza with Indian RCF distributor UNiKAopens appoints NBT increases DOOR FOR KEY DIGITAL Avid workflow

INDIA: UNiKA has appointed Sonotone Audio as its new distribution partner to capture the Indian market. The Taiwanese manufacturer will primarily focus on launching the NBB series products based on Dante throughout India. Established in 1978, the audio and cinema distributor currently works with a network of dealers across 21 states in India. ‘Having been our second biggest supplier, I am very impressed with the remarkable quality of UNiKA INDIA: Zarza, a nightclub and restaurant in Dreamax Plaza, Jaipur, has opened with sound reinforcement from an RCF sound system supplied and installed by distributor Hi-Tech Audio Systems. MALAYSIA: Concept Audio has been appointed as the new Powersoft distributor for Malaysia. The addition of Powersoft adds an amplification brand to the Concept

with three HDL 20-As per side, two V 218-S subwoofers, a QPS 9600 amplifier and a BSS BLU 100 DSP processor. The much-needed punch of the sound is achieved without any pinching or unwanted loudness at the venue.’ Zarza was established by husband and wife team Komal and Shailendra Lalwani. Mr Lalwani was involved in every aspect of project. ‘Zarza is a whole new Simon Hsu and Nina Chang of UNiKA,the Karan Nagpal of Sonotone and Hera Hua of UNiKA experience for the guests and to install the bestexcited sound about system, we products and am delighted to be am especially their commissioned thetransmission RCF speakers,’ representing their brand in India. I NBB digital audio ‘We tried to understand the he said. ‘They proved their worth client’s requirement, designed the at the launch party where Raghu audio system’s placement and Dixit headlined the evening with an found that RCF’s HDL 20-A was apt enthralling live performance.’ for Zarza,’ explained Kallol Nath, www.hitechaudiosystems.com systems application engineer at www.rcf.it Hi-Tech. ‘The venue is installed The majority of spending power here falls under middle and entry market levels, so most clients are looking for the best possible products on an affordable budget.’

system based on Dante. It has become the trend in the field of NEW ZEALAND: Key Digital, a audio in the 21st century. UNiKA’s THAILAND: tomanufacturer edit a varietyof ofdistributed file types, video and NBB productNational system Broadcasting has been Services of (NBT) Pro Tools hassystems been added to the and control equipment validated in Thailand many ways andhas is upgraded an Avid workflow audio team’s arsenal. for professional applications, in line withtoSonotone’s futurethat covers graphics, storage, and video ‘It’s for usJPro to remain has vital appointed as its development strategy, particularly and NBB-1616 audio editing as welland as responsive distributorto in technological New Zealand. change the withtools, 16 inputs the outputs, MediaCentral to help our coverage achieve Key Digital was founded by its full 16 24-bitplatform. conversion NBTand hasaused MediaCentral creative potentialwho andled streamline Mike Tsinberg, the team rate sampling rate up to Newsroomsaid Management to director, support processes,’ said the Chatree that developed DVD. He is a 192KHz,’ Sonotone’s production since 2010. The Seangsuk, chief ofand Studio at NBT. fellow of SMPTE has 2 earned Karan Nagpal. broadcaster has added the Maestro ‘Avid’s production solutions more news than 40 patents for his Virtual Set, which can be coupled have acted asIt the centre of www.sonotone.in inventions. wasnerve Mr Tsinberg’s with Xync 2.0 infrared camera our production for years. www.unikapro.com credentials in workflow digital video that, tracking, providing the ability to After a detailed review, we’re in part, led JPro to partner create photorealistic environments. confident upgrading Avid with Keythat Digital, as well with as the Meanwhile, the MediaCentral Cloud will help to we’ll quality andensure reliability ofcontinue the UX content searching interface has elevating our programming manufacturer’s products. to The restaurant serves been integrated with FastServe and fine-dining inform, excite and keep ‘It was essential for usour viewers Japanese cuisine at a fraction of Avid Nexis to increase workflow engaged.’ to partner with a company the expected cost efficiency. Media Composer is also that manufactures reliable, used to allow the production teams www.avid.com superior-quality digital signal products where high-end video is required,’ explained JPro director, Bruce Gray. ‘Key Digital meets and exceeds this by designing and manufacturing superior quality, leading-edge KOREA: Shure served as the solutions.’ official audio partner at the 2019 ‘We have confidence that this WeWork Creator Awards, supplying partnership will provide added an Axient Digital wireless solution value and open up new business CHINA: China Central ‘In addition to the Furio and conferencing systems with ASIA: Aurora Multimedia, a more markets with Mindstec opportunities for us and for Television (CCTV) employed camera motion system, simultaneous interpretation and US manufacturer of IP control Asia’s localised service support,’ our customers,’ addedwhich JPro’s a vast array of RossCEO Video is sales now adirector, regular fixture of CCTV language distribution for the event systems, touchpanels, HDBaseT explained Paul Harris, of Paul Edlin. ‘Key vir tual studio solutions for its programming, this event at Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design and IPBaseT IP video distribution Aurora. Digital makes lifeyear’s easy for AV The Concept Audio and Powersoft teams coverage of this year’s Spring used a mixed-reality solution for Plaza. solutions, has appointed Mindstec ‘We have many advantages when integrators by designing and included theproviding first time, featuring nine digital of During the awards, finalistswhich make Audio distribution portfolio, Concept Audio will primarily Asia to serve as its representative it Festival comes toGala. sellingThis [Aurora] in industry-leading AS A final MELTING POT OF CULTURES, DUBAI manager, Patrycja Kowalczyk. ‘We also specialise andof effects visual on stage, such ourvideo Unreal-based across their pitches toheavyweights theMANY judgesDIFFERENT includes pro audio target universities and government across China, Hong Kong, Macau, in sake terms our distribution network solutions systems and enterprise is home toaalive cacophony – everything have a wide range of more than 20South different wemarketing do as augmented reality andsaid multiple confirmed in front audience indining the experiences such asofClear-Com, JBL, of Nexo, departments for Powersoft Taiwan, Japan and Eastkinds, plus and capabilities,’ AVoIP. locations,’ JPro understands the While the mainAsia. dining andRoss bar area from fastQuest food to fish and chips or a curry can be sourced in-house creations where we as infuse the sake with different fruits animated graphics elements Videohave director ofkept salesand for 1,500-seat main hall. Capturing Pioneer, Engineering, Shure installations. Asia. As well supplying Aurora Harry Lam, CEO of Mindstec importance ofbeen education intentionally is aAndrew separate dining area running with the right determination. of need to stage and flavours. The aim isguests to provide pocket-friendly food with speaking requiring English fresh‘We from the manufacturer’s APAC, Tan. ‘Ross Video these pitches, as well as the Acutely hosts aware used forthe speech reinforcement in and Yamaha. ‘Education in this is very products across these regions, are setting up Aurora open-plan, training there training for integrator success along thebased rear ofon the venueisfor increased privacy, well as offer adiscovered new type of24experience ONI, a new outstanding but at 30% lesssales, than other similar,which translations. The interpretation rendering solution extremely proud honoured and werethat channels for customers, WeWork’s masterclass before ‘Wejudges, Powersoft important, and we intend to the service, Mindstec willprobably also offer local centres, will train, certify and, as such, weand willas provide a secret sake room, out of sight behind a hidden door in Japanese restaurant and sake bar, recently opened its doors fine-dining or casual restaurants.’ and infrared language distribution Epic Games’ Unreal 4 Gaming that CCTV chose to partner of Axient Digital and UHF-R awards ceremony. amps would also be the most conduct more product introduction training and engineering support. and empower our channel partners ongoing training including with thethe inside Shangri-La hotel, on Dubai’sevents Sheikhand Zayed Road, While the food is thewas primary draw forby customers ONI, understand system andback thecorner. Furio camera usKey andDigital used our solutions and systems using a mix handheld Meanwhile, Shure deployed flexiblethe option for our customers, training seminars During thesupported past couple of years, visiting toEngine, better and support control solutions Tasked withenabled the audio integration, Procom first became hoping to audio grabtransmitters. attention by blending concepts into a brandmusic also plays a big has part focused and decibels notch in up as the evening conferencing equipment rental motion system, which technologies to enhance the on-air and Axient three DCS6000 givenbodypack the products we in order tosimultaneous promote Aurora its efforts Aurora products.’ certification.’ involved with ONI in its previous guise. ‘ONI was show.’ brought back single dining experience – sharing meets casual dining at a progresses. ‘We have a live DJ seven nights a week providing company Channel Media. camera moves that would not look for this important Digital also captured the musical interpretation and DIR language distribute already,’ revealed Castrit awareness,’ Mr Lim continued. Asia by penetrating the Indian and life a second time,’ recallswww.jpro.co.nz Anro Schroeder. ‘It opened the fraction of director the by cost. house kind of vibe, nothing too intense,’ says been to have possible with human performances Korean artists www.auroramultimedia.com Lim, sales of Concept Audio. distribution solutions witha soft and deepKorean markets. ‘[This] agreement ‘WeNam, offer Ailee, Japanese cuisine built around the concept of Izakaya quick change-around; however, Kowalczyk. ‘But, later in the night,products from around www.shure.com www.rossvideo.com operators. first time around after a very Eric Mommy Son, digital wireless receivers www.mindstec.com www.keydigital.com www.conceptaudio.com.my ‘We believe that the install market is 600 can bring Aurora into 1am onwards combined with casual explains patron experience it ended up going through a second round of refurb at the when the sakewww.we.co has been flowing, it can get quite lively.’ and Hyolyn, while UHF-R also ONI’s made available for non-Korean www.powersoft-audio.com a main growth area fordining,’ ourwas country.

Concept Audio powers up Shure aids pitches for CCTV takes Ross WeWork creators Aurora advances to the Spring in Asia Festival Gala

ONI reborn

As Procom ME discovered, when a project requires working around several separate design considerations, sometimes less is more

1/4 PAGE PRO AVL AVL ASIA MEA July–August 2019 64 42 May–June 2019 48 PRO March–April 2019

PRODUCTS FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Reverb plug-in goes for bigger sound

end of last year. It was redesigned with a completely redone interior and new tech infrastructure as well.’ While stunning to look at and a major attraction for the restaurant, the Japaneseinspired interior décor would create a number of headaches for Procom down the road, ultimately meaning a ‘less is more’ solution was the necessary approach. Audio reinforcement throughout the entire venue therefore comes from just a handful of Artec wall-mounted cabinets from Spanish manufacturer DAS Audio, paired with three strategically placed subwoofers. A single Artec-506 6-inch cabinet covers the hidden sake bar, while six CL-8-T ceiling speakers support BGM in the much-quieter private dining Infused sake is the speciality drink served area. A further five Artec-508 8-inch enclosures at ONI deployed throughout the main dining and bar few options for sub placement. ‘The venue area the speaker setup. ‘Wecomplete also worked with other pro audio shares three 15-inch Artec-S15 subs, which The lack ofon space and unforgiving of companies the project, such asnature Harman might seem little strange,’ admits Schroeder. the room’s aesthetics presented Procom with AIMED AIMED AT AT seasoned seasoned recording recording are are brighter, brighter, more more a diffused diffused and and use use Professional and Shure,’ adds Adly. didn’t have any space in the middle where engineers, engineers, Eventide has has released releasedsetup, aa higher higher‘We bit bit resolution. resolution. In additionEventide to the loudspeaker wecan wanted to the put them originally, so we had to Reverb Reverb plug-in. plug-in. Recreating Recreating aa classic classicfor the Users Users can control control the structure structure of of Audio Technology was responsible sit down with the designer and basically design collection collection of of reverb reverb algorithms, algorithms, the the the the the reverb reverb by by fine-tuning fine-tuning the the controls, controls, entire sound system. This included furniture pieces and Position counter SP2016 SP2016 is is aaof pro pro audio rack-mount, rack-mount, including Predelay, Predelay, Decay, Decay, Positionpieces and and for the deployment a audio Soundcraft Vi1 48-channelincluding subsWhile to goan in.’EQ multi-effects multi-effects processor processor with with three three reverb Diffusion. Diffusion. While an EQ section section allows allows mixing console, equipped with an reverb RS2409SP The high result is the marble-encased types types available available in in two two versions: versions: Vintage Vintage for simpler simpler high and and low lowfirst filtering filtering of of the the Cat-5/MADI card, alongside a CSB 32/8+8for Pro AVL MEA has encountered on and and Modern. Modern. Room Roomand is is an an effect that can reverb reverbsubwoofer with with adjustable adjustable filter filter ranges, ranges, the the compact stagebox a effect whole that hostcan of its can many so far.or ‘Itboost wasn’t easy. They be be used used for for reverberant reverberant doubling doubling and and low low filter filter can be betravels used used to to cut cut or boost Shure microphones, including SM58SE solid marble counter single single echoes; echoes; Stereo Room recreates recreates at at the theare specified specified frequency. frequency. The Thepieces plug-in plug-inand obviously dynamic vocal,Stereo SM86 Room cardioid condenser and the marble changes theincluding response,’ explains the the ambience ambience of of aa large largemics. concert concert hall; hall; also also includes includes artist artist presets, presets, including MX418D/C gooseneck ‘But weJoe hadChiccarelli, to find a way to meet and and Hi-Density Plate Plate is is aaalso plate platecomprises reverb reverb some some Schroeder. by by Dave Dave Pensado, Pensado, Joe Chiccarelli, TheHi-Density microphone setup theDevine, décor restrictions, and overall it still with with dual dualSLX24/SM58 pickups pickups simulating simulating the the effect effect Richard Devine, Sasha, Sasha, George George a Shure handheld wireless Richard sounds Buda very of of aa big, big, heavy heavy plate, plate,lavalier allowing allowing users users to to Massenberg, Massenberg, Budanice.’ && Grandz Grandz and and Erin Erin system, SLX14/85 wireless careful the subs allows make make vocals, vocals, guitars guitars and and percussive percussive Tonkon.The Back insideplacement the mainof sanctuary, the system, MX153 earset headworn mics, a Tonkon. one unitreflective to feed three simultaneously. instruments instruments appear appear bigger bigger and and brighter. brighter. large, roomareas has an extremely UA844+SWB-E antenna distribution system, ‘There’s enough low time end in three of the www.eventideaudio.com The The Modern Modernactive versions versions of of the the algorithms algorithms long reverberation ofall 11s. With the UA874WB directional antennas and www.eventideaudio.com fromnow that open, single itunit,’ says Schroeder. cathedral is the Fohhn Linea UA860SWB passive omnidirectional antennas. zones ‘This could minimise the amount of Additional loudspeakers complement the Focusmeant beamwe steering that facilitates direct subs needed and with wereprecision, able to push the other Fohhn systems in the form of JBL’s CBT sound coverage resulting two closer towards the bar to maximise the 50LA-1-WH and CBT 100LA-1-WH column in clear speech intelligibility with a 0.6 low-frequency output forTransmission the DJ.’ line arrays, powered by Crown CDi 4|300 average STI (Speech Index) Power for the DAS comes from amplifiers, as well as SRX812P active bassmeasurement, for cabinets 95% intelligibility of PA500, PA1500, PA4000 and two PA2700 reflex cabinets and LSR305/230 monitors. sentences spoken. amplifiers, processing and via a DESIGNED DESIGNED FOR use use in inTechnology’s film film and and music music microphone microphone signals to to be be integrated integrated at at zoning The scopeFOR of Audio work wasn’t ‘Thesignals vastwhile flexibility of Fohhn’s LineaisFocus Symetrix Jupiter 8 awith controllers recording recording inwithin addition addition to to broadcast broadcast higher level level and and equally equally into into the theovercoming mix. mix. containedin Cathedral of the Nativity’saa higher products helped lotwall-mounted in the installed in the additional commentary commentary and andeither, interviews, interviews, Schoeps Schoeps Available Available as as 1-to-2 1-to-2 L/R L/Rbar. and andAn 1-to-3 1-to-3 L/C/R L/C/RDASofAudio main sanctuary as the systems challenges we faced at Cathedral the DSP23 for the has has created created Mono Mono Upmix Upmix Plugin Plugin that that versions versions from from performs the theconcludes ‘Plugin ‘Plugindedicated Alliance’, Alliance’, its its integrator also designed and installed Nativity,’ Adly. processing In thewhen backmonophonic of the control room, there extracts extracts diffused diffused audio audioShure, and and distributes distributes itit use use is issubs. warranted warranted when monophonic room room sound solutions from JBL, Crown two sets of patch panels that link with to to two two or or three three channels. channels. While improving improving signalsare are arealso present. present. www.audioteceg.com and Soundcraft inside a While smaller chapel, signals possible DJ positions. the the timbre timbre and and spatial spatial quality quality of of a a mono mono The The range range of of setups setups with with suspensions suspensions www.fohhn.com auditorium and a multi-purpose hall. ‘One thingfor that the owners signal, signal, another another benefit benefit of of the the plug-in plug-in and and windscreens windscreens for Double Double MS MS 5.1 5.1requested was thetechnology flexibility tohas move theexpanded DJ booth around is is spatial spatial depth. depth. Developed Developed by by Swiss Swiss surround surround technology has been been expanded according to different events they are running, specialist specialist Illusonic, Illusonic, the the algorithm algorithm differs differs with with the the development development of of aa free free Double Double so weThe incorporated patch panels with full from from the the conventional conventional Upmix Upmix approach approach as as MS MS plug-in. plug-in. The new new software software decodes decodes cabling capable of moving itit adds adds nothing nothing to to the the original original signal, signal, while while the the three three signals signals of of aa Double Double MS MSthe DJ booth along with allduring of thepostproduction gear so it can to be plugged in being being fully fully downmix-compatible. downmix-compatible. While While the the microphone microphone during postproduction to onan theoptimised other side of the Despite its sound sound of of aa monophonic monophonic dialogue dialogue signal signal produce produce an optimised signal signal in invenue.’ stereo stereo or or heavyweight appearance, the whole booth is is is significantly significantly improved improved with with the the plug-in plug-in surround. surround. movable. in in film film and and broadcasting broadcasting applications, applications, While it clearly took a lot of effort to devise www.schoeps.com www.schoeps.com in in music music recording recording itit can can support support such a minimal system, keeping the openplan areas covered without interfering with the décor, the end result has ticked all of the boxes. ‘It involved a lot of EASE modelling, but everything just works,’ shares Schroeder. ‘We had to do a lot of onsite calibration and testing but we’re really happy with the outcome. There’s a great amount of level, and the system can handle being pushed quite well. We’ve already had 700+ people in here on a single night before and the system performed brilliantly.’

Singles and doubles served by Schoeps

1/2PAGE PAGE 1/2 PAGE 1/2 vert vert vert

www.dasaudio.com

The private dining area serve as delays Fohhn DLI-230 speakers

www.onidubai.com www.procom-me.com

March–April March–April 2019 2019 2019 PRO PRO AVL AVL AVL MEA MEA 65 43 43 July–August May–June 2019 PRO PRO AVL MEA MEA 65

FEATURES: INSTALLATION

In the big league The UAE welcomes in a new arena that will redefine Dubai’s entertainment landscape. Richard Lawn learns more

HAVING EXPORTED THE CONCEPT OF THE MULTIPURPOSE venue, the US has changed the entertainment landscape throughout the world. Dedicated concert halls, indoor tennis stadiums and downtown theatres may provide bespoke needs for their patrons and artists, but their specialised rooms lie vacant for long spells between bookings. As such, they cannot sustain the costs desired of operators. Following an event, the utility and marketing invoices await settlement, while staff need to be paid. The multipurpose venue may lack intimacy, style and a desired reverberation time, but today’s success exists on a spreadsheet whose numbers are made up of lines including ticket sales, F&B purchases and sponsorships. The successful production companies that have been providing entertainment services in the UAE for the past two decades are perhaps the most dynamic and skilled in the world. Not so much the ‘show must go on’; rather, nothing will go wrong on the night. While the five-star hotels and more intimate venues have become second homes for production companies, larger events have always carried an element of risk. Some specialised locations such as the Ductat and Palladium came and went very quickly, while the larger yet more practical Madinat Theatre lasted for more than a decade before closure. Owing to the diversity of the demographic population, indoor entertainment venues in the UAE have never been able to rely on a regular audience to assure their owners of profitability.

66 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

Some were simply poorly designed from the outset and lacked basic infrastructures such as loading bays, while others could not recruit the right technical staff to manage them. Outdoors, production companies have become battle hardened by the elements. Few manufacturers dare Beta test their equipment in the Middle East. The summer sun will take a mixing console well beyond its recommended maximum temperature tolerance, a sandstorm will ensure that dust particles reach voids in amplifiers and loudspeakers never deemed possible and freakish winds will severely test the safe working loads (SWL) on overhead staging trusses. Indoors or outdoors, UAE production hands are renowned for being world class. These rugged, versatile, long-suffering technicians have at last been rewarded with an indoor venue that ticks all the boxes in terms of versatility, flexibility, infrastructure and logistics. Oddly enough, its design was largely inspired by London’s O2 Arena. Originally constructed in 1999 as the Millennium Dome and transformed into a multipurpose venue within eight years, AEG Europe took on the role of venue operator for the white elephant. Having identified echo as a common problem among other leading London music venues such as Wembley Arena, AEG Europe focused on reducing the new arena’s reverberation time. AEG has played a pivotal role in transforming the sports and live entertainment industry over the past two decades, having entertained more than 100 million guests and

promoted over 10,000 shows. As owners and operators of more than 150 of the world’s most preeminent venues, including the Los Angeles Staples Centre and Berlin Mercedes-Benz Arena, their expertise was vital in the early success of the O2. Opening for 200 days in its first year of operation, the O2 became the third busiest arena in the world behind Madison Square Gardens and the Manchester Arena in terms of tickets sales. Today, it is number one. The creation and subsequent success of the O2 transformed the wastelands of south-east London around it. Located in an area of the UK’s capital where tour operators and spectators alike can get in and out relatively quickly, caterers can maximise their sales while technicians can load in and out knowing that they’ll be asleep on the M6 to Manchester shortly after 2am. As fans make their way out to the car park and Underground, AEG can transform the setting from a heavy metal concert to a major indoor tennis tournament within hours. Proper consultation, solid investments and faith in renowned AV and lighting equipment has allowed the company to prosper. Located between City Walk and the Sheikh Zayed Road at Defence Roundabout, the new Coca-Cola Arena draws comparisons to the O2 in the fact that it provides easy access. Developed by property group Meraas, the capacity to host 17,000 guests takes it beyond anything that the UAE has previously offered. The arena can promote a

FEATURES: INSTALLATION

variety of events including concerts, festivals, conferences and exhibitions in addition to sporting events such as basketball, boxing, volleyball and ice hockey. ‘We are confident that the Coca-Cola Arena will position the city on the international entertainment touring circuit and the audiences will have the opportunity to witness the world’s most talented performers and sporting events in the heart of Dubai,’ commented Meraas group chairman, Abdulla Al Habbai. Significant works include 4,000 tonnes of futuristic roofing supported by two mega-trusses to facilitate a multitude of productions, an active-lit façade with a panelled steel structure, multipurpose drapes, automated retractable seating and a large number of catwalks with elevated service platforms in the upper elevations. The scale of the works is unprecedented for an entertainment venue for whom service provider Empower was contracted to tunnel under the Sheikh Zayed Road in order to connect chilled water to the 47,000m2 arena’s district cooling. The impressive facilities include extensive BOH and backstage areas that are further complemented with dedicated royal and VIP entrances, including 42 hospitality suites and two premier clubs. The cavernous acoustics of the 35m-high arena have been largely mitigated with the addition of dividing drapes. Owing to its multifunctional nature, drapes are not required during

those events when larger capacity audiences can absorb any potential reverb. However, an extensive number of acoustic panels adorn all the flat surface walls from the bowl floor up. Adopting a customised design specified by acoustic consultants Vanguardia, further absorption materials have been integrated into the roofing layers. For lower key events, such as weddings and comedy clubs, the upper levels such as L4 – the top tier in the arena – are closed off and a 221m Festoon drape can be drawn into position. Further room configurations can be considered with the addition of an L–R drape that can be drawn across the entire 100m length of the arena. For sporting events and lower SPL productions that take place in the round, the arena’s in-house system is promoted as a standalone audio solution. For concerts and touring productions, where a stage is built at one end, a touring system is commonly specified as the main L–R audio, which can interface with the house system for delays and in-fill. In all applications, the venue’s PAVA solution enables security and management staff to provide guidance in the event of an incident or emergency. Meraas had no hesitation but to appoint AEG Ogden for the day-to-day management operations of the all-purpose, air-conditioned arena. ‘It is a privilege for AEG Ogden as operator of the Coca-Cola Arena to be par tnering with Meraas and Coca-Cola. The oppor tunity to redefine the enter tainment landscape here in Dubai and across the region is exciting and one that AEG Ogden is proud to have been involved in since 2015. The Coca-Cola Arena will be the newest, world-class enter tainment venue, fur ther affirming Dubai as a global, events-driven city in the ever-growing global live experiential economy,’ said AEG Ogden’s CEO of the Coca-Cola Arena, Guy Ngata.

radio communications, including the feeds for monitors in commentary booths and for displays and projectors in the arena. Primarily selected to simplify the extensive signal management of the numerous AV signals running throughout the venue, MediorNet also required a reduced volume of cabling to be routed during installation. The fibre network enhances the variety of low-latency signals that can be made available during live events, enhancing its venue flexibility credentials.

Credited with much of the design consultation during the construction phase, AEG Ogden’s experience in venue management proved pivotal in the selection of the AV and IT technology recently installed. The venue operator opted to select a future-proof PAVA system that would not only meet the strict criteria laid out, but also deliver excellent audio quality throughout the venue. Deployed in a decentralised configuration, a Riedel MediorNet backbone combines MetroN core routers, MediorNet modular frames and MicroN high-density media distribution network devices. The result is a fully redundant AV network for commentary, intercom, signal distribution and

speakers serve as the audio outputs throughout the BOH area. The PAVA system meets strict monitoring and fault reporting requirements that are required by British and European standards. Despite the fact that such regulations are not yet enforced in the Middle East, the BOH area is now considered future-proofed for years to come. Following loudspeaker demonstrations, a JBL VTX loudspeaker system serves as the FOH PA. Supplied by GSL Professional and installed by BMTS, the main PA comprises six hangs of 48 VTX A12 cabinets. Operating within a frequency range of 46Hz to 19kHz (±3dB), the 60.8kg modules provide an even horizontal coverage pattern of 90°.

‘The Coca-Cola Arena will position the city on the international entertainment touring circuit’ On account of its scalability, redundancy and full GUI access, AEG Ogden played it safe by specifying a QSC Q-Sys platform as the basis of its BOH security and control network. The concourses, backstage areas, offices and zones outside the main performance arena are connected by two QSC Q-Sys Core 3100i processors housed in two remote ELV control racks by a dual fibre-optic cable to the QSC amplifiers. Designed with redundancy in mind, each equipment rack comprises dual fibre patchbays and A–B network switches with Q-Sys I/O frames for connection to the contact and fire alarm interface I/O. Powered by QSC amplifiers, the QSC AD-S loudspeaker cabinets and ceiling

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 67

FEATURES: INSTALLATION A further 36 VTX V20 and six VT4886 modules serve as fills on separate arrays. Low-frequency extension is provided by six arrays each comprising four VTX S28 dual 18-inch subwoofers. From a central overhead truss, the JBL loudspeaker configurations can be relatively easily and quickly reconfigured according to the demands of the room’s entertainment. Integrated to enhance the flexibility of lighting and audio fixtures in the arena, a total of 76 StageMaker SR2, SR5, SR10 and SR25 D8+ motors are capable of lifting and lowering up to 65 metric tonnes of weight on the overhead trusses from a height of 26m. Fixed to any of the 150 rigging points, the StageMaker motors were specified on account of their extensive suite of safety features such as lifting brakes. The single-speed motors are further equipped with thermal protections and clutches to ensure heavy loads can be held firmly by the brake. The line array solution is powered by nine Crown V racks each consisting of three iTech amplifiers together with I/O panels. In order to minimise cabling distances, these are located on the upper catwalks some 24m above the show floor in close proximity to the JBL arrays. Connected to the amplifiers, BSS Soundweb London BLU-100 processors provide full DSP functionality and management. According to the varied needs of the touring promoters and agents, both the overhead JBL arrays and the Sico Roll n Set and Sico Tech Light stage decks below can be easily reassembled and erected at either end of the arena or in the round. Located on L4 above the corporate suites, two control rooms are equipped with audio and lighting controls for the benefit of those production companies who prefer to be freed of operating hardware in transit. It may be the lowest-cost digital board from rider-friendly audio console manufacturer DiGiCo, but the S21 conforms to the needs of the sporting events in addition to most other performances where channel counts are not excessive. Ease of operation is provided by two multitouch screens that dominate the upper level of S21. Each of these provide 10 channel strips per screen and control over 20 simultaneous channels. The S21’s dual DMI option card slots connect the console’s surface to the D2-Rack onstage via Optocore, MADI or, in the arena’s case, Dante. Operating over MediorNet, the Dante network allows audio management and control of all the compatible hardware connected in the venue, including a modest Shure Axient wireless microphone system. Like the DiGiCo S21 console, the two Axient Quad receivers together with the four handheld microphones and beltpacks provide full digital control. Specified on account of their ability to operate

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in an overcrowded RF spectrum, the micro-bodypacks integrate a self-tuning antenna. In addition, Shure’s Wireless Workbench 6 software provides remote supervision and management, including full spectrum analysis, channel allocation and device management. Demonstrated to operate over a wider coverage area than other systems, the in-house communications comprise nine wired and 18 wireless Dante-compatible Bolero intercoms. Operating in the 1.9GHz (DECT) band, the platform interfaces with the Artist Director software allowing the Bolero beltpacks to be programmed quickly and easily via a drag-and-drop interface. While Dante was selected as the audio network control, the lighting and video domains operate within the SMPTE protocol. Large overhead central scoreboards remain out of fashion and have been replaced by perimeter advertising systems in today’s modern stadiums and larger venues. As such, LED ribbon display boards can be installed into locations with better crowd visibility. The arena combines a total of 420m Pixom 10mm ribbon screens along the entire perimeters of the L2 and L3 suites, displaying static and animated content in addition to game announcements and scoring information. An additional 144m2 of 4.8mm R4 LED screens together with an IPTV digital signage network extends the message throughout the arena. Nova Star LED 4K controllers and VX4S processors complete the visual

signal chain between the computer sources and the multiple outputs. The lighting design leans heavily on the O2’s tried-andtrusted blueprint. As such, an extensive number of Eaton fixtures were selected as the in-house lighting system. Up to 42 Ephesus Arena Pro and 74 All Field LEDs are predominantly used for sporting events, for which various sporting presets are stored in the Zero88 Flex lighting controller. Patched into the FOH system, a further 142 static Prism RGB LEDs serve as the main house lights. Four Lycian M4 followspots can provide long-throw 256k beams onto the stage, further reducing the list of flight-cased equipment drawn up by tour operators. With ticket sales of 1.4 million, the O2 Arena in London remained the busiest music arena in the world in 2017. Designed to upgrade the concert-going experience in the Middle East, it’s doubtful that the Coca-Cola Arena poses a threat to the O2 or Madison Square Gardens. It will, however, put Dubai firmly on the map for all major world tours and sporting events and perhaps, most importantly, present event operators with an overdue dream gig load-in. www.aegogden.com www.asgcgroup.com www.meraas.com

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FEATURES: INSTALLATION

Life of luxury

Pulse Information Technologies capitalises on the new wave of tourism outlets springing up in Muscat, discovers Simon Luckhurst

All-day dining in the Oak restaurant IN SUPPORT OF THE BURGEONING TOURISM SECTOR currently enjoyed by Oman, there is no shortage of new developments springing up on Muscat’s skyline. Thirty-one new hotels are slated to open in the city this year alone. Thanks to a restructuring of the country’s visa programme and a brand-new terminal at Muscat Airport capable of supporting a much greater number of international flights, approximately 13% more people are choosing Oman as their preferred holiday destination every year. One reason for this shift is the ongoing economic struggles from low oil prices and government spending which has led the country to explore new and more varied revenue streams in recent years, leading to the current tourism boom. While not a brand-new construction on the outside, one such hotel to open its doors recently is Fraser Suites Muscat, a luxury destination for the modern traveller offering 120 spacious serviced apartments of varying configurations together with a rooftop pool, 24/7 fitness room and spa amenities. Large-scale events taking place inside the hotel, such as weddings, business conferences or product launches, are catered for in the 800-capacity ballroom, which can be sub-divided from an open-plan 1,500m2 floorplan (one of the biggest in Oman) into four separate conference rooms

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An Ecler elC52 located in the reception lobby

as required. Located at the heart of the central commercial and business district, Fraser Suites Muscat has several multinational companies right on its doorstep, making it especially convenient for business travellers. For those visiting Muscat for leisure rather than business, the complex is surrounded by three major malls as well as the soon-to-open Mall of Oman. Requiring a public address and background music system in the majority of the hotel’s public areas, in addition to audiovisual and SMATV systems, the hotel management turned to Pulse Information Technologies as a result of the integrator’s experience in providing several turnkey solutions in extra-low-voltage systems across Oman in various segments. Pulse submitted its initial design brief for the project back in mid-2017, but it would be more than a year later that guests would first get to experience the result. ‘We were asked to offer a design and build solution by providing the best and most suitable systems,’ comments Pulse’s projects divisional manager, Hitesh Bhimani. ‘A Multizone PA, background music system with EVAC override, local control for source selection, level control and local inputs for standalone sources were mandatory, and there was a preference from the client to use one brand for all components where possible.’ Loudspeakers from Spanish manufacturer Ecler were chosen for the audio distribution throughout the hotel’s public areas, with 72 elC52s connected via 100V lines spread over multiple zones installed in the entrance lobby, lift lobby, lifts, Oak restaurant, spa, gym and outdoor pool area, all tied back to the downstairs control room located next to the banqueting hall. An Ecler ePLAYER1 connects via GPIO for automatic emergency message playback, while HSA2-400 two-channel/400W and eHZA4-70 four-channel/70W amplifiers power the ceiling speakers. For source input, Ecler HMA120 self-powered media mixers offer five external inputs, SD and USB playback, two priority levels, auto standby and 120W of amplification, while Ecler eSAS-BT units add SD card compatibility, Bluetooth playback and an FM receiver. ‘We have provided local sources that are available for point-topoint distribution throughout the hotel via seven Ecler WPTOUCH remote wall panel controllers with touch input,’ states Bhimani.

FEATURES: INSTALLATION ‘These have been installed in the dining and pre-banquet area, as well as several other areas, and connect back to the MIMO88 matrix. They provide source selection, volume zone control and an overdrive function so that when you page in, it overrides whatever was playing. The MIMO88 matrix is also connected to an Ecler MPAGE16 paging microphone in reception for emergency announcements.’ While this provides all of the functionality requested by the client, ‘we’ve also been discussing the use of some kind of DLNA player in the near future that would enable guests to play their own music in the banqueting hall straight from their mobile phones,’ adds Bhimani. Tucked out of sight at the top of the hotel are the guest amenities, which include separate spa, gym and outdoor terrace pool areas. While the spa rooms form one zone in the main MIMO88 system and boast several Ecler elC52 ceiling speakers for coverage, the gym and pool areas have their own dedicated systems. ‘The gym is right at the top of the building and they wanted to be able to play their own music without having to come all the way down to the control room,’ explains Bhimani. A separate high-energy workout area at the back of the gym has also been treated to a portable Yamaha Stagepas 400 comprising a pair of 8-inch speakers and a detachable eight-

A Yamaha MGP32X serves as the main mixing console

The outside pool terrace

channel mixer, enabling instructors to lift the SPL level higher during high-energy workout sessions as required. As far as the banqueting system is concerned, the space can be sub-divided into four areas. A total of 12 Yamaha VXC4 speakers have been integrated into the ceiling structure to cover the pre-banqueting area, while a further 22 VXC6 ceiling speakers provide reinforcement in each individual section when the hall is operating in a divisible configuration. However, these have been augmented with full-range Yamaha S215V enclosures boasting dual 15-inch woofers and 2-inch titanium dome compression drivers. The Yamaha cabinets are integrated flush into the walls and driven by Yamaha’s configurable four-channel/280W XMV4280 and PX10 amplifiers for occasions where a single, large hall is required. As the banqueting hall can sometimes be hosting functions where only women are allowed inside, a 32-channel Yamaha MGP32X has been positioned in the control room located next door, with Ecler Audeo106 surface-mount cabinets used for monitoring.

A Yamaha Stagepas 400 accompanies workouts in the gym

Sources for the gym, spa and pool areas can be managed in a separate control room on the top floor

‘We have a 32-channel mixer in the control room for managing the banquet area, including the microphone inputs and local audio inputs necessary for DJs to perform from inside the control room,’ says Bhimani. ‘It’s a four-bus mixer, meaning we are able to provide different feeds to specific sections of the banqueting hall if required. When the hall has been opened up into a single big area, the full-range Yamaha cabinets are used to provide the higher SPLs required by wedding parties or events such as this.’ In addition to audio, a visual system has been provided for the banquet hall based around a WyreStorm 8x8 full HD video matrix, with signal distribution over HDBaseT and UTP cables to facilitate the long cable runs. HDMI or VGA source content for the video screens can be fed from patch panels installed in the banqueting hall and displayed on one of either a pair of NEC P501X or a pair of NEC PA703 projectors – one for each divisible section – which can be removed out of sight when no visual content is required. While professional AV systems installed by Pulse are all located in the hotel’s public or commercial areas, the integrator also assisted in the deployment of the guests’ SMATV in-room entertainment system. The hotel required a solution capable of providing high-quality signals with simple and uncomplicated client controls to all rooms throughout the property. The installed SMATV headend from Spanish manufacturer Televes is used to receive and rebroadcast full HD satellite TV channels throughout the hotel from a single satellite feed, with signals distributed over DVB-T digital technology. With the tourism sector in Oman only set to pick up pace in the next few years, Pulse’s work at Fraser Suites Muscat serves as a useful reference for future projects. ‘It was a long time coming as we first got involved in this project right back in 2017,’ concludes Bhimani. ‘But after working closely with the client in the run-up to the hotel’s official launch this year, I feel we’ve delivered all of the client requirements in an extremely efficient and competitive package.’ ae.yamaha.com

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July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 71

FEATURES: PROFILE

Interview: Solomon Chang, Mipro

Richard Lawn speaks with Solomon Chang, president of Taiwan-based microphone and wireless PA systems manufacturer, Mipro

Mipro president Solomon Chang What was your background prior to joining Mipro? I graduated from university with an applied physics degree and, before Mipro, I worked as a management information systems (MIS) manager for Chiayo and established an Enterprise Resource Planning system.

teams. We work hard to continue to develop and manufacture innovative, reliable and future wireless microphone products that meet market demands.

How was Mipro initially financed? It was self-financed; we didn’t take out any bank loans.

What role did you play in the founding of Mipro in 1995? I was responsible for managing company operations, establishing and hiring department heads for research and development, production, finance, international and domestic sales, marketing, MIS and other departments.

What was the rationale behind establishing the company? To design, sell and market higher-quality wireless microphone and wireless portable PA systems, and to establish and receive ISO-9001 standards.

Who devised the motto: ‘innovation, quality and satisfied users’? My father, Mipro founder and CEO, KC Chang.

How did Mipro differentiate itself at the outset? Mipro wanted to position itself as an innovative company, not as a me-too or copycat company. We have a team of experienced R&D engineers as well as sales and production

What are the strengths and drawbacks of being a family business? Strengths include leadership stability, long-term commitment, and the possibility of longer working hours from home and the office. Drawbacks are that family relationships can be challenging when the same ideas aren’t shared; possible nepotism.

Mipro employs a workforce of 200. How important is this to the local economy? Mipro is considered both a key and a model company in Chiayi. We provide an income for approximately 150 local families. This ensures that tax dollars are invested back into the local economy.

Why did Mipro market itself as a brand rather than an OEM producer? The majority of Taiwanese factories are OEM producers. We needed to think about this and be different from the others. Branding creates loyal customers and loyal employees, and there is product differentiation.

The Mipro HQ in Chiayi

Are there difficulties in creating brand awareness for a Taiwanese manufacturer? Around 98% of Taiwanese companies are considered smalland medium-sized enterprises, meaning 200 people or less. The difficulties of developing their own brands are due to small sizes and limited resources like manpower and money; this makes development a difficult task.

What proportion of overall sales is international? Our sales are 80% international and 20% domestic.

Which territories and countries have represented export successes for Mipro? Our sales growth has mostly been in China and Germany, as well as Korea, because we have established Mipro offices that can provide total solutions locally.

With growth in China, has this led to imitation products? Imitation is the highest form of flattery, but it impacts our sales in China. Since we have introduced many digital systems, it has become harder for counterfeiters to copy, except the housings, of course.

How important is software development now?

Mipro’s Eugene Chen and CP Lin presenting the ACT range of wireless microphones

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As PA products have become digitalised, software plays an even more important and integral part for wireless microphones in terms of monitoring and management. Software is becoming a necessity in the pro AV industry.

FEATURES: PROFILE If you were starting a business now, what area would you primarily focus on?

par tners and Mipro offices in key countries, as well as winning Germany’s Red Dot and iF product design awards and Taiwan Excellence Awards presented by the Ministr y of Economic Affairs. We’ve also been happy to see our products nominated many times for the Technical Excellence & Creativity awards during NAMM.

Improved systems integration between hardware and software. It seems all products are being sold online nowadays. We can learn a lot from these international e-commerce companies.

How do you stay ahead of the competition?

What are some of the biggest problems you’ve overcome?

We have close relationships with our international offices and distribution partners and exhibit at major trade shows. We receive market feedback firsthand in order to improve our existing and future products and give audio professionals a better experience when using Mipro products. The wireless microphone environment changes constantly. More system integration with software and hardware is required. This means hiring more talent and investing in advanced equipment to fulfil customer needs in order to sustain market growth.

Will Mipro diversify its product range away from wireless technology?

How many employees are directly stationed in R&D today?

Unlikely. We would like to focus mainly on wireless microphones and related products and technology.

Around 10% of the workforce, or 20 people.

Trade shows are important for marketing – how many do you attend per year and why?

Which products are selling best on the export market? Our professional 7 and 8 Series and entry-level 3 Series wireless microphone systems and wireless portable PA systems.

Is there a need to migrate products away from the 2.4GHz spectrum? 2.4GHz is another frequency option as UHF bandwidth is being squeezed worldwide. However, the 2.4GHz band is getting more

The breakthrough in stability of digital UHF wireless products. Sourcing advanced components to improve product performance. crowded too, so we have also introduced 5.8GHz wireless microphone systems.

NAMM (USA), ISE (Holland), InfoComm (USA), Frankfurt Prolight + Sound (Germany), KOBA (Korea), Guangzhou Prolight + Sound (China) and Integrate (Australia). These cover the regions of North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

What is your biggest achievement to date over the last two decades? Becoming the leading wireless microphone brand in Taiwan with more than a 50% share in professional and commercial markets. Having 75 worldwide distribution

Do you know the names of all your employees? Haha, I have tried, but it is not easy. I do schedule one meeting with each employee once a year.

What does the future hold for Mipro? To develop wireless systems that can be operated in harsh environments, improved receiver software experiences and applications for wireless portable PA systems.

What are the assets and drawbacks of being ‘Made in Taiwan’? ‘Made in Taiwan’ products have a high product quality and are often mid-priced compared with Chinese-made products, creating good value for audio professionals. The disadvantage is that wages are rising, and the international status of Taiwan can be mixed up with China. We think by branding we can create a stronger value and product differentiation in the minds of audio professionals. www.mipro.com.tw

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July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 73

BUSINESS: COMMENT

A letter from America

Dan Daley considers the shift from the physical to the virtual to the experiential

JUST AS THE CONSUMER LANDSCAPE is shifting to valuing experiences over possessions, so too is the professional AV industry following suit, although not necessarily for the same reasons. But whatever the underlying reasons, this represents a major change in the nature of how we perceive the world. The migration to digital nearly three decades ago now began loosening our collective grip on stuff in general (and possibly on reality, if recent national elections and referenda are any indication) by replacing actual stuff, like CDs and DVDs, with virtual possessions like downloads. But it was the more recent shift to streaming as a primary distribution modality that sealed virtuality as the winner over physical. Bereft of the analogue incunabula that had feathered our nests, we began to look to experiences to replace the sense of accomplishment that once came with owning stuff. In this revolutionary environment, ownership of even the wisp of reality that a download constitutes on a hard drive was

considered digitally bourgeois. Instead, media came in the form of never-ending (as long as the monthly subscription costs were paid) streams, delivering music, movies and television. This model has now extended to things that we once thought were never going to give up the ghost to digital, like ownership of automobiles, which have been replaced by Uber and Lyft; peer-lending sites like UrbanShare and KRRB let you borrow lawnmowers and power tools as needed rather than buying them; and even the putative permanence of where you live has been upended by services like Airbnb. So no wonder consumers want experiences to fulfil their lives the way things used to. And that’s turning out very well for those of us in the professional AVL and media businesses, because those industries are well suited to provide experiences. Many of the same companies that once developed content, in the form of music and films, have found ways to make that content an experience. Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and Pirates of the

A letter from Europe

Caribbean are just three examples of books and movies that went from an ownership model to a virtual model to becoming experiences at theme parks. Certainly in the last two iterations, anyone working in audio, video, film or AV systems integration has been a substantial beneficiary of the trend. Someone has to make Hogwarts look better than a typical rollercoaster ride. As good as the migration from physical to virtual to experiential has been, we’re also seeing it on the professional side. A recent visit to Harman Professional’s Experience Centre, in St Albans, a half-hour’s journey by train from London, reflects how even those who design and implement the experiential environments that we’re now demanding not only in our entertainment verticals but also in our work and residential surroundings need to encounter the technologies they’ll leverage to achieve that in their own kind of experiential environs. The Experience Centre walks one through corporate, club and living-room milieus, showcasing Harman’s audio, video,

lighting and control solutions and products, not only as standalone units but also as synergistic, interrelated systems. Harman’s not alone in this strategy; other conglomerated companies, such as Crestron, have also created their own experience locations. The experience centre, like the corporate and university welcome centres that are on the verge of becoming new AV verticals of their own, allow their sponsors the ability to display not just wares but possibilities. In higher education, these centres show not only degree paths but meeting rooms that employers will use to interview prospective graduates, while corporate welcome centres will give customers and clients the background they’ll need to build trust. Everything now is an experience, even the meta-like scenario in which those who build others’ experiences create their own to showcase their capabilities. It’s actually a great time to be able to observe this progression of trends. So good, really, that whatever one comes next will have a lot to top.

Phil Ward delves into a European culture of diversity and inclusivity IF PRESSED, AFTER ENOUGH PINOT NOIR, to nominate the most mysterious phenomenon in the universe, I have an answer. That phenomenon is human consciousness. Not space, or Jacob Rees-Mogg, or some microorganism that eats itself every 12 seconds and is able to withstand gamma ray bursts, total vacuum, temperatures from absolute zero to boiling point and both sides of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. I mean the cloud of hopes, fears and assumptions that floats about in your head and mine. Because, as far as we know, it’s the only thing that asks the question in the first place: what is the most mysterious phenomenon in the universe? Everything else gets on with existing without a care in the world, including Jacob ReesMogg. Which leads me to the first of only three observations I can make about it:

1. It demands an explanation of itself Once there, an individual mind is doomed to remain puzzled until the end, despite all the

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advantages it brings. Nothing will make this hanging enigma go away, apart from sleep, or listening to Alanis Morissette, which is the same thing. In terms of unexplained evolutionary purpose, the conscious mind ranks with the appendix and nipples for men.

2. On its own, it’s not enough Not content with being the cleverest animal on the planet – apparently – we have to stuff consciousness with things either to conjure meaning and purpose or to amplify sensation and obliterate doubt. These include religion, drugs and Country & Western music.

3. It doesn’t connect to anything else There are no codecs, switches or Cat-5 cables that help it to form part of a bigger network, as in the actual transportation of content and data. This makes it an existential dead-end. All of which means that in spite of the miracle of Wi-Fi we still want to blow ourselves up in

a crowd of innocent strangers, divorce the people that love us the most or eat McDonald’s Mushroom & Swiss Burgers until the Earth melts. This is exactly why I value very highly any culture that promotes diversity and inclusivity at the same time. These are the addends that lead to the sum of tolerance. Believe it or not, Europe is very good at it. A recent one-night exhibition at super-club Fabric, in the Farringdon area of London, documented an astonishing array of open-mindedness across the entire continent, evidence of the regular and imaginative staging of club themes in urban spaces ‘all dedicated to inclusivity, community and freedom of expression’. This was a timely choice of venue, too: Fabric has recently enjoyed a real renaissance following the upgrade of two of its three rooms as part of a serious investment in club culture. Room 2 installed 10 XY-218S twin 18inch subs and 12 XY-122 12-inch full-range cabinets, plus in-fills, all from club mainstay Pioneer Pro Audio and powered under the auspices of Pioneer’s special relationship

with Italian amp gurus, Powersoft. Then, after re-opening under stricter new licensing conditions, Room 3 received an almost identical Pioneer-led facelift courtesy of another payload of XY products, this time configured in a series of quad systems under each arch in order to keep a tight control over coverage in such a reverberant, brick-built Victorian cold storage facility. I honestly believe that the synergy between the right loudspeakers and a subliminal message of unity is one of the defining qualities of every youth subculture since the 1960s. Just to prove the point about how inclusive Europe can be, the exhibition covered Berlin techno and its club Tresor, with a unique ‘After the Wall’ archive; Milan’s ‘spaghetti disco’ scene; La Mobida Madrileña in Madrid between 1978 and 1985; French electronica; UK club culture; and ‘Soviet Hippies, a look at 1970s Estonian Psychedelic Underground Culture’. Basically, under the very nose of Rupert Murdoch, people do what they can to connect, and not to divide. It’s not that mysterious.

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

In the mix

With 50 years under its belt, the Cornwall-based British mixing company still banks on innovation. Ledetta Asfa-Wossen spoke to Allen & Heath MD, Rob Clark IT’S HARD TO THINK OF A MORE PINNACLE YEAR THAN 1969 – from the Apollo 11 space mission and the firstever transmitted colour pictures of Earth from space to Woodstock and Richard Nixon’s pledge to pull the US out of Vietnam. It was also the birth of Allen & Heath. The early 1970s saw A&H catapult after its hand-built, quad-mixing console for Pink Floyd – the Mod1 – and it has steadily built on that success via a Harman acquisition in 1991, a series of management buyouts and ardent leadership under Glenn Rogers. But, even with its twists and turns, the company has become the sum of a wellorchestrated evolution. ‘It’s such a great time for A&H – we’re riding a fantastic wave, and that’s testament to the superb R&D, production, sales, product and marketing teams who have worked so hard to build all aspects of the business,’ enthuses MD Rob Clark, who was sworn in back in 2017.

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Clark first joined A&H as an R&D engineer in 1993 and has played a key role in the development of the company’s digital mixers as R&D director. ‘We’ve had great success with our compact digital mixers, SQ and Qu, but there are still more oppor tunities in markets and applications that have not been exposed to them. The market is changing quickly, and that’s mirrored in the speed of the transition from analogue to digital mixers. We want to play a leading par t in that analogue-to-digital journey and SQ and Qu are ideally suited. The ability to connect and expand I/O over digital snakes is a key advantage of a digital mixer, alongside auto mic mixing, save and recall of shows and scenes, and integration with different audio networking and inter faces such as Dante, or our own DX protocol,’ he adds. Por table mixing is another area A&H is investing in, giving users the freedom to mix from a small footprint sur face or from a tablet. ‘Another A&H initiative straight from R&D is Ever ything I/O, which reflects our passion to provide remote I/O solutions that work across our products and give customers an expanding range of options to get the per fect pairing of console and I/O units for their application,’ says Clark. With advances in technology unlocking more processing power and capability, Clark notes that the bar for new product innovation keeps rising. ‘Customers are requesting more and more features,’ he says. ‘Technology in the next 5–10 years will continue to offer us more and more – our role is to help the sound engineer continue to be creative and do their job, while keeping it intuitive and easy to use.’ A surprisingly power ful aid to the business has been social media and Clark cites the growing impor tance of user communities for informing R&D and its strategy. ‘Connection to the customer has always been at the hear t of A&H, so the rise of social media has been really

Rob Clark now leads the team having served the company for 26 years

BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE interesting. Social media has been critical for keeping end-users in touch with the latest product developments and helping them get the most from their products, but, most impor tantly, listening to their feedback. Any user community is a great source of ideas. We encourage them to share their ideas with each other. For instance, it was a small group of users that first saw the potential for our ZED mixers in online game streaming. The idea just spread like wildfire. It’s also been invaluable to recognise the big differences between territories, so we work closely with our local distribution par tners from the Middle East to South Africa on how to better connect with users.’ Perhaps surprisingly for a company that is so well known in the live market, Clark highlights installation as one of the company’s strongest growth areas. ‘We’ve put a lot of energy and R&D into developing new hardware and apps to open up our digital systems to education, corporate, leisure, broadcast and countless other install applications. This is creating a lot of exciting oppor tunities for us in places like Dubai, and across the region. Our ME personal mixing system has also been massive for us. Initially, it was in the USA but we’re now seeing rapid adoption of personal mixing globally.’ With its products now being manufactured in China, it’s clear that the innovation all happens at A&H’s Cornwall HQ. ‘We now have an incredible facility after a huge investment. Our R&D and the new product development facility are in the UK, along with our product, sales and marketing teams,’ says Clark. ‘Providing cost-effective products for our customers is obviously impor tant, but our ambition has never been to be the cheapest. We want our customers to choose A&H because they trust us to deliver a better mixing experience.’ Now in his 26th year with the company, Clark still beams with passion and pride at the consoles that have left the factor y gates and that zeal flows throughout the company.

The SQ-6 console

Singer Zara Larsson on tour with a dLive mixing system to manage FOH

The dLive S7000 features 216 assignable fader strips

‘I’ve worked on so many awesome products as a DSP engineer, R&D director and MD. It’s often the last product you’ve done which amazes people. For me, the Xone:DB4 digital DJ mixer, embedding FX in our ZED series and Qu,

August Burns Red using dLive Wings

dLive and SQ all have ver y special places for me, but the best is still to come.’ www.allen-heath.com

UNITE THE PEOPLE DIGITAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

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July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 77

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

InfoComm Orlando 2019 This year’s show has us wondering, is it the end of the AV world as we know it?

InfoComm 2019 was staged at the Orange County Convention Center THE AV INDUSTRY LOVES A BUZZWORD. IN RECENT YEARS, InfoComm has put collaboration, Internet of Things and AV/IT convergence into the forefronts of our minds. AVIXA CEO David Labuskes made several references to the word ‘experience’ prior to InfoComm 2019. Transforming a barren show floor into a three-dimensional platform of technology and networking, InfoComm is itself an experience. The most recent physical manifestation of our global marketplace allowed visitors to experience ecosystems. Exhibitors blew individual fanfares to herald the advent of their new products beckoning with eye-catching 8K displays, bursts of high SPLs, educational seminars and models. However, the sum is much greater than the parts. Over the years, an increasing number of exhibitors have created application showcases on their booths that show how the products interact in a real-world scenario. This year, the narrative was expressed time and again on countless exhibitor booths. These resultant experiences demonstrate value, while solving problems in classrooms, stadiums, broadcast applications, houses of worship, and huddle and conferencing rooms. ‘You’re going to hear discussions about new and expanding and more adopted protocols,’ furthered Labuskes. ‘With more integrated AV ecosystems and security solutions for AV over the

Williams AV’s Ricardo Frias with the Audio Presenter Hub

Peter Er demonsted Danacoid’s remote AVoIP capabilities

Panasonic’s Pro PTZ camera lineup

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Datapath’s Kay Mumford

CEO David Labuskes and the AVIXA team declared InfoComm 2019 open

Audinate’s Joshua Rush presented Dante as a software

network, the focus is now on the user interface. AV is relevant to the enterprise decision-maker because it solves problems and creates outcomes.’ Those early adopters of networkable products are reaping their rewards. However, for the producers who resisted connection to AVoIP, AES67, Dante, Milan, SDVoE or HDBaseT networks, the future may not be so bright. AVIXA chairman and QSC CEO Joe Pham shared his vision of the AV future on the first day of the show. While some of the assembled journalists left the one-hour discussion with that sinking feeling that it was the end of the AV world as we know it, others were enlightened by the opportunities on offer. Since joining QSC in 2004, Pham has been instrumental in transforming what was then an amplifier manufacturer with a US$1 million turnover in loudspeakers. Today, the globally recognised brand of high-performance loudspeakers, digital mixers, amplifiers, audio processors, digital cinema solutions and the Q-Sys software-based AV and control platform is at the forefront of innovation. ‘Delivering exceptional experiences is critical to AVIXA’s vision,’ Pham opened. ‘It’s not about new technologies operating in isolation, but how technologies come together to create new customer value, while transforming the economics of our industry. Over the last several years, our industry has converged and evolved, shifting from discreet, purpose-built, functional hardware to integrated AV hardware/software platforms that are now becoming a critical part of a broader IT ecosystem. As with other industries that have taken a similar journey in the past, these unified AV/IT ecosystems will produce powerful new types of data, creating new insights that will transform the economics of our industry.’ ‘Marc Andreessen’s 2011 WSJ article, Software Will Eat the World, resonates for our industry today,’ Pham added. ‘On the business innovation side, we’re seeing new cloud-based delivery and consumption models along with platform and ecosystem solutions that create value over an entire customer lifecycle – not just at the point of AV commissioning and installation. The new business strategy is to produce, harvest and analyse AV data within the broader IT ecosystem.’ The Q-Sys adoption of Audinate’s Dante as a software heralds this new era of business development. To be made available in 2020, scalable software licences will provide native Dante integration for Q-Sys, removing the need for additional

Renkus-Heinz president Matt Czyewski

hardware I/O or external configuration software. Operating over a standard IT network infrastructure, Dante audio data works seamlessly with Q-Sys AV&C data, eliminating bridging or combining schemes to manage both Q-Sys and Dante connected peripherals. ‘The AV industry is shifting from bespoke, purpose-built AV equipment to software-based solutions running on standard computing platforms,’ explained Audinate’s Joshua Rush. The latest initiative follows the development of the Dante AV Module that enables AV networking. ‘It was natural to partner with QSC, one of the leaders of this software-based strategy, to jointly develop the first software-based Dante solution. We are excited about the new ways that Dante can be deployed as software that weren’t previously possible.’ QSC demonstrated the next chapter of Q-Sys and the value of a standards-based AV ecosystem with the launch of the Reflect Enterprise Manager. The cloud-based platform provides remote management capabilities for all connected Q-Sys and third-party devices. Reducing AV support costs while increasing AV system uptime, Reflect Enterprise Manager draws on Q-Sys to provide visibility and secure remote control of all connected AV devices across an enterprise in real-time. QSC’s TJ Adams confirmed where the industry is heading. ‘Q-Sys has allowed us to embrace our new IT customer and present a more holistic approach to customer lifetime value. This next phase of the Q-Sys ecosystem, and its deeper

Adamson’s Jochen Sommer demystified the virtues of the Milan-ready CS7p cabinet

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW

FEATURES: INSTALLATION NEWS: PROJECTS

Mahajak brews up a solution for Singha

integration with the IT enterprise, will provide access to powerful new types of AV data that has the potential to create new value and transform the economics of our industry.’ As the first adopters of audio-over-IP products, DSP innovators collaboration systems, KanexPro THAILAND: Boon Rawd are now extending their Brewery, reach throughout the signal chain from that suited seminars and events, transmitters and receivers, Epson renowned for its flagship source to mouth. Having beer acquired Cambridge Sound in late whether the rooms were separated and Panasonic projectors, Razr Singha, hastomoved a new 2018 prior rollingtoout Crowd Mics at ISE, Biamp unveiled or combined to form a larger room. projection screens, and Sharp premium work space the heart the desono series of in in-ceiling andofpendant coaxial speakers Furthermore, the system needed LED screens, JBL speakers Crown Bangkok. The Parlé brewery called on the together with beamtracking microphones. Designed for to be compatible with other audio amplification, BSS processing, services of Mahajak to equip new conferencing applications, thethe attractively styled additions and visual systems brought in from Soundcraft mixing and Shure space withwith a range AV solutions, interface usersofand extend their appeal to a larger outside.’ microphones. having employed audience than thethe SIssystems and facility managers who have until now The board room also benefits integrator a previous project. Tesira DSP units. discreetly for installed and configured ‘Mahajak was responsible for the from Barco’s ClickShare CSE-200 ‘By introducing our desono conference speakers, we are Ross Video’s Todd Riggs Lectrosonics’ Karl Winkler Matt Larson and XTA’s MX36 console switching system installation ofaudio audio,reach visual andmicrophone to loudspeaker,’ wireless presentation system, extending our from promoted Ultritouch with the D Squared system control systems for 48 ‘IT rooms of technology managers now as does the ballroom and town confirmed Joe Andrulis. and AV 12 different types,’ revealed the hall venue. JBL speakers, LG and have the ability to bring Biamp’s audio to rooms outfitted with controllers received equal billing as server-based software Mahajak team. ‘Mahajak Samsung screens, and and Barco Hangoutsproject Meet hardware solutions. Our products and solutions solutions, XiO cloud connectivity, room scheduling wireless also installed LED displays the By adding Parlé X-series are no longer confined to thein rack. presentation technologies.ClickShare devices can also be Working with Intel, Crestron’s development of DMlounge, NVX native canteen and directory in theour customers Mahajak with alsoend-todeployed a large, found in the executive support to Devio, we aresigns providing easy to use, and good after sales network AV encoders and decoders connects displays to the lobby.’ 8.25m x 2.25mAV Uniview LED dining room and living room. end solutions that meet the entirety of an organisation’s service for their meeting rooms,’ AVoIP world. The Open Pluggable decoder The screensininallthe canteen, ‘ThisSpecification-based was one of our largest screen on the wall beside the requirements spaces.’ said a Mahajak project engineer. a display native DM endpoint. Specified ofHaving whichreleased there are are all 20-port toNVX date,’ said the stairs the building’s indoor the20, AFM-20DSP audioinmatrix with ‘They required automation in the The meeting transforms rooms, which can into a projects Constructed in I/Os, 1893, Waverton station is demonstrated a heritage-listed building EDC Acoustics SC-30or provide intelligibility along platform forspeakers projects on account of its flexibility and the scalability, the Samsung Smart Signage SHFAV has garden zone, alongits with four JBL Mahajak team. ‘It was completed interchangeable Kramer further conference room that would control be separated combined, have long-term is assured through firmware updates 37-inch stretch Servingthe box. 28-1 speakers powered and handed over to the credentials and isscreens. moving beyond Its collaboration with by a the audio, visual and air-conditioning been equippeddecoder’s with a vast range appealsuccessfully the latestCrestron codec has further decreased latency down to 2.5ms. as directory displays in the lobby Crownand XLS 1502 amplifier. customer.’ Xilica adds DSP to its growing audio portfolio exemplifies systems, as well as the motorised of technology, –including TheAMX presence of an extensive range of surface-mount, drop-in are two Samsung Signage customer the current trend ofSmart well-poised producers‘The to compete forexpected whole to get an curtains. Moreover, the client control solutions, ACR-5100 ceiling and pendant models within the Air, FS, Saros and Vector www.mahajak.com DM75E LED screens. projects commercial rather than fractional scraps. up-to-date and smart system that is required an audio and video system Acendo Core meeting space, loudspeaker families has been emboldened by the arrival Crestron continues to develop AV technologies with both of Avia and MP Dante-networkable, multichannel amplifiers. the IT facility manager and corporate customer in mind. The Integrating Crestron Control, the Avia 12x8 DSP and UC DSP immense booth was warranted, judging by the amassed crowds series will take the manufacturer beyond its more traditional blotting out the carpet design for all three days. Simplified, educational and corporate spaces. Completing its audio jigsaw functional and elegant dialer interfaces, Mercury tabletop – for now – is the inclusion of the Avia Audio Tool Software to UC and AV solutions, touchscreens and media presentation CHINA: A Next-proaudio system managed by touring ensure non-audio-savvy technicians canN-RAK be guided fromracks the LAs418G enclosures per side of more than 120 speakers with and Powersoft X8 amplifiers. Guided Steps learning centre dashboard. stacked in front of the stage. WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO REINSTATE STATION was issues supplied by distributor ‘Thetoelectronic sound Dante continues dominate music the audio-overto solve the local at Waverton. The Real new digital A fur ther nine Mindful LA212xthat units announcements at Waverton, an eastern suburb of Sydney, Music at the recent editiontravellers, of ef fectshas were controlled landscape, the Avnu Alliance extended the Milan announcement system needed to inform while at wereIPused per side for out-fill, fury from local residents resonated more than the local the One residents Yeah Pop go Up+ Festival fantastically andthe the sound club. RCF announced itself as latest member the same time letting about their liveswhile oblivious 12 widenetworking angled LA122w commuter trains hurtling northwards to Hornsby. Following a in the Xi’an. Thetofestival combines pressure the LA212x of the pro AV segment. Following thewith introductions of the to the fact that 08.11 Parramatta was aboutspeakers to delivered front-fill. deal struck with the transport authorities in 2010, the double- depart from platform electronic music and rap with wasof really amazing, Milan-ready productsline – in array the form the L-Acoustics one. Another threefirst LA122w boxes glazed locals had been spared regular announcements at a traditional allowing the audience P1 were processor and Adamson CS7p all speaker system – d&b ‘Previous tenders for ourChinese digital PAmusic system centredand around an LAs118 mounted station where trains commonly stop every two minutes. They andintelligibility other events, such as to have a fantastichave music and L-Acoustics made further required speech for passengers,’ explains on tm both sidesaudiotechnik, of the stageMeyer as Sound were understandably horrified at the prospect of living with up stagetec systems streetball. said Richie contributions the form experience,’ of the DS20 network bridge,Wang, LS10 AVB MD, Treva Head. ‘However, Waverton side-fills. In addition, 16 in X15 to 2,000 announcements each day. The sound setupapproach, comprised CEO DSP at Real Music. and were the Galaxy Galileo platform, respectively. required a much more sensitive with the point emphasis source switch speakers Having perfected a bespoke audio over IP solution for 15environmental flown LA212xpollution cabinets per of the committed to serving as a catalyst for market placed more on control Digital used as stage‘InfoComm monitors. isThe some 300+ stations within the Sydney Trainsand andTJNSW side Perkins and[DVAs] 18 presented ground stacked growth by offering and programmes that speak to Voice Announcements including control, setup was powered andcontentwww.next-proaudio.com L–R: EAW’s Kenton Forsyth, Bryn Richards Smith Sonance's Chris a ambient selectionnoise ofentire 70V with the latest KF810P line array speakers systems TrainLink network, tm stagetec systems was challenged thestagetec’s outcomes achievable through solutions,’ directional speaker design and time of day switching.’ tm Mark Lownds andAVTreva Head furthered

Digital platform Next-proaudio pops up in Xi’an

A train station in suburban Sydney has a new digital announcement system courtesy of tm stagetec systems. Richard Lawn commutes in

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102 PRO AVL ASIA Januar y–Februar y 2019 36 PRO AVL ASIA May–June 2019

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 79

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW Labuskes. ‘As we build greater AV awareness, we believe the InfoComm show will continue to draw more and different market participants from content creators to enterprise decisionmakers.’ Pre-show elements – including the TIDE conference, Centre Stage, The Park and an Immersive Technology Experience – continue to enhance the appeal of InfoComm. The main magnet, however, continues to be InfoComm’s training and education programme, allowing professionals to sit Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) exams. It’s several years since AVIXA decided to open up the audio demo rooms a day prior to the show. This initiative has provided a select crowd of AV consultants and visitors to take advantage of the relatively calm traffic conditions in the OCCC and properly understand the brands demonstrating their latest technologies. Following the launch of the IS7 loudspeaker at InfoComm 2018, Adamson Systems followed this up with its Milan-ready CS7p model. This year, the canny Canadians demonstrated the virtues of their S-, IS- and CS-Series speaker systems in addition to introducing the IS219 dual 19-inch subwoofer. Highlighting the Ultra-X40, UP-4slim and UPQ-3D cabinets with the USW-210P narrow subwoofer, Meyer Sound immersed visitors in its Sonic Lounge using the prototype Spacemap Live spatial audio mixing tool, before relaxing them with a mixture of music, food and drink. While L-Acoustics invited visitors to listen to a L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound experience both on the show floor and offsite at the Coil Learning Centre, it preferred to focus its attention on the latest Arcs A10 and A15 speaker systems supplemented by the KS21 subwoofer in addition to the small-yet-mighty X4i. d&b audiotechnik unveiled its latest A-Series cabinets incorporating PanFlex technology, but drew audiences with demos for its xA, xC and xS systems together with a DS100 Soundscape immersive experience using E6 models. Immersion was a general theme among most of the audio demo rooms. Renowned FOH engineers Robert Scovill and Buford Jones were at the controls of an Avid S6L console interfaced to Astro Spatial Sara II Premium 3D software played out on Alcons Audio ribbon-based CRS8/9090 cinema systems, VR8 cabinets and the latest L-series true line source vertical arrays. Astro Spatial technology was also employed by Martin Audio where a host of different products for wide-ranging verticals, including the new WPS line array, CDD Series and Adorn line, were tested. In addition to putting the FLX12 Utility Box through its paces, Danley Sound Labs removed the wraps from the newly developed J7-95 Jericho Horn and Studio One monitor. Nexo launched the P12 point and L15 subwoofer combination on the Yamaha booth, but used its joint demo room to showcase Yamaha’s latest AFC4 active field control

Jim Hallington showed off Clockaudio’s new TIM-1000

The Bose demo room

Biamp’s Joe Androllis highlighted the virtues of Crowd Mics

system in an immersive setup using the versatile ID24. The Geo M6, M10 and M12 arrays together with the MSUB15 and MSUB18 low-frequency extensions were also demonstrated. There was another hint of immersive technologies on display in the Renkus-Heinz suite. Like Nexo, the Californian innovator is celebrating its 40th birthday and this year focused on highlighting the virtues of the IC-Live X series. Vue presented a ‘Reimagine integration for the 4K generation’ showcase that explained the latest features integrated into the e-Class family. These include Dante integration, QSC Q-Sys integration options and Danteenabled IP audio distribution with a POE-enabled version of the e-351 Nano speaker together with local amplification for networked audio in the es-269V with built-in VueDrive. ‘We’re now setting our sights on distributed audio by solving real-world integration challenges with true, next-generation technologies,’ explained Ken Berger. QSC presented its Premium Business Solutions range of audio products including the AcousticDesign Series of speakers, CX-Q amplifiers and Reflect Enterprise Manager. Similarly, Bose promoted over 50 new products for a variety of applications including DesignMax and ArenaMatch speakers, ControlSpace processors and PowerSpace amplifiers. Complete solutions for any space were demonstrated by following an actor set against an Absen LED wall transiting through an airport followed by a hotel

Vue Audio’s Ken Berger helped to create a bespoke demo

L–R: Patrick Almond and Summer Xu on the Studiomaster booth

80 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

reception area, bar, ballroom and onto an education facility and stadium. Forever pioneering a solo course of ingenuity, K-array was premiering Rails among the less than eye-catching AxleKRX402, KA84 amplifier and KM112 products. Highlighting a fluorescent light as an innovative audio solution remains as challenging as showcasing the minute Lyzard speaker system. It takes time. Luckily. K-array is patient and the products eventually get noticed, however small they are. ‘We are supporting K-array USA in educating visitors with our entire portfolio of solutions including portable, niche installation and live production systems,’ commented Andrea Torelli. Having established a US office in 2017, Coda presented the N-APS dual 6.5-inch arrayable point source speaker with the aid of a live singer/guitarist. Community, on the other hand, highlighted the L Series LVH-900 beamforming venue horn and modular I Series MVA600 for stadiums and other large venues

New kids on the amplification Ashly Audio’s Noel Larsen block – Scott Robbins from unveiled the FA Series LEA Professional amplifiers

together with the latest ALC amplified loudspeaker controllers. ‘This show differs from Las Vegas as we see more personnel from cruise ships, theme parks and less from the theatre and live production sector,’ observed Kim Muurholm Jurgensen. True to its cause of analogue audio excellence, KV2 Audio wooed theatre engineers, venue technicians and rental operators using combinations of ESR212, ESR215, SL412, ES1.0, ES2.6 and EX12 tops with VHD2.18J, VHD2.21, SL2.15 and EX1.8 subs. Incorporating a trans-coil design, the deceptively powerful 5-inch ESD Cube was paired with the ESD1.12 low-frequency extension unit. Bosch highlighted the arrival of its Dynacord Sonicue software and Electro-Voice PrEView App, in addition to the new MFX coaxial monitors and an installation version of its X-Line Advance flagship, the XLAi. Crest Audio rolled out the Versarray Mk III and Versarray Pro ribbon line array systems, while presenting the Tactus mixing system. Blending into a ceiling, the Strategically Hidden Loudspeaker was revealed by AtlasIED. They may be from the same family, but the parts continue to be greater than the sum within the RCF Group. dB Technologies promoted the Vio L212 rigging demonstrations, while previewing the new slimline Vio W10 monitor among other exhibits. Likewise, RCF highlighted a range of install and touring products including the HDM 45-A and Business Music Solutions. Stablemates EAW appeared to have been given a new lease of life in which large audiences continue to discover the benefits of Anna, Otto and ADAPTive systems, for which a sleeker Stealth version of the Adaptive Series was showcased. In addition to the 800 Series, the New England-based company revealed the RS Series RM 121/123 and RS 151/153 self-powered models, the KF810P installation line array with SB818P|F companion sub and MKD point source speakers. In terms of visitor traffic, congestion was perhaps heaviest around the LG booth with its head-turning transparent OLED displays, including a wave and waterfall design. Christie may have a foot in both camps having launched MicroTiles LED at ISE, but its lineup of new 4K laser and LCD models including the LWU900-DS demonstrates its continued belief in cuttingedge projection. Barco offered Belgian beers to guests who were left equally lightheaded by the Entertainment and LED XT projectors, ClickShare or the E2 Gen 2 screen management processors. Renowned for its immensely sized scoreboards, Daktronics promoted its latest narrow LED videowalls. Offering 4K and WUXGA options and up to 37,000 lumens of three-chip DLP imaging, Digital Projection promoted its upgraded Titan series of laser projectors together with the Insight 4K HFR 360 multi-view 3D model. Laser projector

BUSINESS: SHOW REVIEW technology was also on display at Epson where the Pro L10Series with its interchangeable lens and Pro L30000U created visual impact in addition to the ELPLX01 and ELPLX02 ultrashort-throw lenses. An esports broadcasting studio, immersive museum and classroom applications were created on the Panasonic booth to better exemplify projectors such as the PTRQ22K 4K+ and PT-RQ50KU three-chip DLP laser models. Many new products jostled for attention on the immense Sony booth, including the SRG-X400 and SRG-X120 PTZ cameras, Bravia 4K HDR Pro displays and VPL-FHZ laser projectors. The age of the smartphone shows no signs of abating, for which assistive listening continues to rely on BYOB devices. Having added mobile phone compatibility to its LQ Series of intercom-over-IP devices, Clear-Com was kept busy promoting its LQ Agent-IC software which allows Intercom IP app users to connect via mobile phone. A year is a long time between shows as Williams AV exemplified. BluePOD Solo and Conference Mate technologies together with the Wavecast Eight/Wi-Fi, FM+ and DigiWave 4.0 updates drew significant interest. Listen Technologies has been one of the pioneers in the assistive listening field and its scalable Listen WiFi v2.0 solution offers up to 48 channels of audio to up to 1,000 listeners. Sennheiser previewed its own approach to this product category with its ConnectStation CS1-M hub and companion Wi-Fi access point module together with its MobileConnect smartphone apps. While Cockpit Control, Speechline Digital and TeamConnect Ceiling 2 mic array technologies vindicated the German producer’s claim that the future of audio is here, its more traditional G4 head mics, wireless conferencing and Digital 6000 wireless products enticed venue operators. Shure’s users can download the SystemOn software onto their tablets and phones. Resplendent in lime green, the Illinois-based manufacturer also cosmetically enhanced its MXW6/8 and ULXD6/8 wireless boundary and gooseneck base transmitters, while the latest MXA910 ceiling arrays, MicroFlex Conferencing and TwinPlex mics were on show. In addition to displaying ES925 modular gooseneck models, Unipoint boundaries and the 5000 Series wireless system, Audio-Technica showcased a huddle room/video conferencing application. The four-capsule setup of ES954 hanging arrays controlled by an ATDM-0604 SmartMixer provided 360° room coverage. Lectrosonics unveiled D Squared, its fourth-generation digital architecture combining a half-rack, four-channel DSQD receiver and DBu/DHu transmitters. beyerdynamic depicted real-life scenarios using the Unite and Phonum platforms, while Audix connected its M55WD, M70WD and M3DK microphones to the AES67 networks via Digital Network boxes. Not necessarily created for the networks, specialist microphones were in abundance to appeal to house of

L–R: Equipson’s José Luis Vila and Riccardo Martinez showed they are Nuts about audio

Anne Berggrein below a 4097 Core supercardioid choir mic

K-array’s Andrea Torelli displayed the Anakonda, Rail and Lyzard speaker systems

Joe Pham shared his vision of the AV industry

worship musicians and singers and venue operators. While DPA unleashed the d:sign 4097 Core supercardioid choir mic, Point Source Audio presented its CO2 Confidence Collection. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Clockaudio exhibited the TIM-1000 tracking intelligent microphone. Amplifiers were also in vogue at the show. New arrivals LEA Professional contained some familiar ex-Crown faces and used its debut appearance to launch the IoT-enabled Network Connect Series. XTA’s Richard Fleming made the transatlantic trek to launch the MX36 console switching system. ‘I’ve never known a reaction like this to a new product – it’s been phenomenal,’ he commented. Following the launches of the X4L and T Series, it’s been an exceptionally busy year for Powersoft. It showed a more subtle side with the unveiling of the Mezzo line, which translates to ‘half’ in English. Similarly, Ashly Audio showed its half-rack FA Series of two- and four-channel amplifiers together with the full-size mXa-1502 and Aqua software. LD Systems added the

DSP-based four-channel IPA and compact IMA series of amps to its growing installation portfolio. In addition to introducing the MIMO4040DN Dante Digital Matrix, Ecler presented the eHSA Series of multichannel, high-impedance amps. Soothed by numerous audio demos; dazzled by LEDs, laser projectors and 4K and 8K technologies; educated by the growing AVoIP networks – InfoComm not only presented the most cutting-edge technologies, it stimulated creativity and debate. Weary visitors and exhibitors will no doubt return to their points of origin and reflect on their unique personal aspects of the show. Once those thoughts have crystallised, new ideas will be conceptualised and the origins of InfoComm 2020 will come to life. Those experiences will continue to be increasingly simplified for the IT world we now rely on. With continued disruption, there will be fewer companies competing for larger slices of the AV ecosystem – for which some will not be feeling fine.

L–R: Analog Way’s Philippe Vitali and Adrien Corso presented the latest LivePremier presentation systems It’s a family affair at Symetrix

L–R: Bluesound Professional’s June Ip and Graeme Harrison

Just Add Power’s Taft Stricklin highlighted the benefits of the Ultra HD IP platform

2019 Dates:

12 – 14 June

2020 Dates:

17 – 19 June, Las Vegas Convention Centre

Venue:

Orange County Convention Center

Attendance:

44,129

Contact:

www.infocommshow.org

Video:

www.proavl-asia.com/videos/trade-shows July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 81

BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

Maintaining loudspeaker standards Why are loudspeaker testing standards important? Joe Begin, director of applications and technical support at Audio Precision, explains what they mean and why they’re crucial to product development Joe Begin LOUDSPEAKER TESTING IS A VITAL PART OF THE production development process for many pro audio companies, but the electroacoustic measurement of loudspeakers can present a number of challenges. In addition to the need for precision microphones, the interactions between the device under test and the environment can create unique measurement issues. IEC 60268-5 is a vital international standard that ensures loudspeakers are tested in a meaningful and repeatable way. It applies to passive loudspeaker drive units and passive loudspeaker systems. Standards for powered loudspeakers are still currently in development, and so will not be addressed here. The IEC 60268-5 standard also goes so far as to specify mounting, acoustical environment, loudspeaker and microphone position, and the test signal and rated conditions for conducting measurements.

Mounting The performance of a loudspeaker drive unit (or driver) depends on the properties of the unit itself and its acoustic loading, which, in turn, depends on its mounting arrangement. Drive units may be mounted in one of three configurations, with the selected configuration clearly described in the test results: • • •

A standard baffle or in one of two specified standard measuring enclosures In free air without a baffle or enclosure In a half-space free-field, flush with the reflecting plane

Loudspeaker systems are usually measured without any additional baffle. A manufacturer can specify that a baffle be used, in which case a description of the mounting arrangement should be included with the test results. The IEC 60268-5 standard also requires that measurements are made in one of five specified acoustic fields: free-field; halfspace free-field; diffuse soundfield; simulated free-field; and simulated half-space free-field conditions.

Free-field Generally speaking, acoustic loudspeaker measurements should be conducted in a free-field. To achieve free-field conditions, testing can be done outdoors, where sound may propagate freely in all directions, or in an anechoic chamber, which approximates a free-field. However, both have their unique challenges. For free-field conditions outdoors, the loudspeaker and microphone would have to be placed high above the ground to minimise the influence of ground reflections, and ambient noise must be mitigated. Conversely, controlling the environment using an anechoic chamber can be quite an expensive proposition.

82 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

A loudspeaker test in free-field conditions In an anechoic chamber, the minimum requirement for a free-field is that sound propagation from the source follows the 6dB/dd rule within ±10% on the axis between the reference point and the measurement microphone. The 6dB/ dd rule states that the sound pressure level radiating from a source decreases by 6dB per doubling of the distance from the source. An inexpensive alternative to an anechoic chamber (to approximate the free-field response of a loudspeaker) is ground plane measurement, where the loudspeaker and microphone are placed on a hard surface in an open area. When set up correctly, the direct and reflected sound waves will be in phase and will have a combined level 6dB higher than the level of the direct sound. There are some issues to bear in mind, such as the baffle appears to be twice as high as it really is, due to the reflected image of the loudspeaker, causing a different diffraction response along the edge that is in contact with the ground. It also has the same issues as the standard free-field outdoor measurements in that it is affected by ambient outdoor noise from vehicles, machinery, aircraft and wind, especially for low-frequency measurements.

Half-space free-field and diffuse soundfield A half-space free-field condition is specified for testing a loudspeaker driver alone. In a half-space free-field, the threedimensional free-field space is split in half, usually by a hard, reflecting plane. For example, a sound source located outside on hard ground, away from any other reflective surfaces, constitutes a half-space free-field. A hemi-anechoic chamber (an anechoic chamber with one of its six interior surfaces

being a hard, reflective plane) can also be used. A hemianechoic chamber should meet the 6dB/dd rule within ±10% between the surface and the measurement microphone. An example of a diffuse soundfield is a reverberation chamber, in which all of the interior surfaces are made of hard, reflective material. Here, any loudspeaker measurements should be conducted with 1⁄3-octave band limited noise.

Simulated free-field Simulated free-field conditions use quasi-anechoic or time-selective techniques, which involve windowing out the reflected sound from a measurement so that only the direct sound from the speaker is analysed. If used carefully, this enables measurements in an ordinary room, but limits the lower-frequency range of the measurement. A large, unobstructed room can help to extend the low-frequency range of the measurement by increasing the time between arrival of the direct sound and reflections.

Loudspeaker and microphone position An important concept in acoustics is the nearfield and farfield. Far away from a source (relative to its size), the inverse square law (or 6dB/dd rule) mentioned above applies. At this distance, the soundfield has become stable and radiates from the source in a predictable way. Close to the source, however, sound waves behave in a much more complex fashion and there is no fixed relationship between pressure and distance. In this nearfield, the sound level is uncertain. Therefore, measurements should be conducted in the farfield. The distance from the source to the farfield depends on the size of the source. In one often-used rule of

BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY IEC 60268-5 specifies that the lowest value of the impedance magnitude within the rated frequency range shall not be less than 80% of the rated impedance. It also requires that the impedance at any frequency outside the rated frequency range (including DC) be less than 80% of nominal impedance. The standard also requires that the impedance magnitude curve is measured over the standard audio frequency range (20Hz to 20kHz). The log-swept chirp signal is a good stimulus for impedance measurements. It is also worth noting that Section 17 of IEC 60268-5 specifies loudspeaker input voltage characteristics that should be measured to determine voltage levels that the loudspeaker can withstand without suffering any thermal or mechanical damage.

Rub and buzz Rub and buzz distortion is usually caused by mechanical defects such as the driver voice coil rubbing or loose particles in the gap. Annex D of IEC 60268-5 describes a listening test that involves manually sweeping the frequency of a sine signal applied to the speaker at the rated sinusoidal voltage. Problems can occur in a highly repetitive situation like a loudspeaker production test, where operator performance is likely to decline rapidly. In addition, the distortion could be below the threshold of audibility in a production test environment. Therefore, intricate testing is required for an objective, repeatable means of detecting rub and buzz distortion in any loudspeaker product. There are countless factors to consider when testing loudspeakers, but adhering to the IEC 60268-5 standard, or at least using it as a guideline, will no doubt help produce more meaningful test results for pro audio manufacturers, product designers and engineers. Part 2 in the Sep/Oct edition will cover specific challenges.

Ground plane measurement of a loudspeaker thumb, it is considered to begin at a distance of three times the largest dimension of the source. Ideally, measurements in free-field and half-space free-field conditions should be conducted with the measurement microphone in the farfield of the loudspeaker.

Impedance and voltage characteristics The rated impedance of a loudspeaker is the nominal value of pure resistance used to define the power required to drive the speaker. Although a nominal resistance value is used, a loudspeaker’s impedance is a phasor or complex quantity (it has both magnitude and phase), and it varies significantly over the audio frequency range.

The impedance magnitude of a three-way loudspeaker at 8Ω

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www.lectrosonics.com/US/pavl719 Dante® is a registered trademark of Audinate Pty Ltd.

July–August 2019 PRO AVL MEA 83

BUSINESS: R&D

Twin peaks

Taking eight years to create from beginning to end, the latest TwinPlex series is packed with a whole host of technical achievements, discovers Simon Luckhurst FOR A COMPANY WITH THE VAST HERITAGE OF SHURE, one that has been designing and manufacturing microphones for nearly a century, what else can there be to learn about mic technology than tailored tweaks here and there to pre-existing and already highly successful models? As it turns out, quite a lot. With the manufacturer launching TwinPlex at the NAB Show in April this year, we took a step back to recall a recent visit to the company’s HQ in Chicago to find out more about the development of its new miniature microphone capsule. The new line is Shure’s attempt to firmly break into market sectors such as theatre, where there is already no shortage of great solutions on offer. So, how does TwinPlex differ? Shure made a big deal about the virtues of its dualdiaphragm technology that first appeared in the KSM8 handheld microphone in 2016. Like the KSM8, TwinPlex is also home to a dual-diaphragm, omnidirectional capsule, albeit at a fraction of the size. The benefits of such a capsule are described by Shure as providing ‘unprecedented’ off-axis consistency, a low noise floor and high SPL, and a ‘natural’ high-frequency response. ‘It was pretty common knowledge here at Shure that we needed some better lavs and headsets, and the impetus for it was that we knew Axient Digital was going to happen,’ explains John Born, senior global product manager at Shure. ‘The way development works at Shure is that we’re divided up into four different segments of product management: wireless, wired, conferencing and software. I’m the product manager for the wired category.’ The idea for the dual-diaphragm capsule was a collective effort that started with a technical development in the acoustic department, notes Born. ‘Jeff Segoda was the lead acoustical engineer. I work very closely with him and I’m down there every day talking about what we can do, how we can do it better, what ideas we have. Jeff had a lot of ideas and he knew a lot about our competitor mics. He knew that we wanted to try a lot of new things with TwinPlex that we were not using in our existing models. Starting from scratch with a new condenser microphone gave him a clean slate, so we could make the backplate any shape we wanted, and

84 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

John Born we could make the diaphragm any dimension we wanted and from any material. We went down a whole bunch of different routes. Some of them worked and some of them didn’t. We looked at 3D printing with the Nest, some crazy backplate PCB manufacturing processes where we’d meld two plates together and a whole load of other techniques. But this gave him the acoustic landscape to throw everything at the microphone that we’d ever dreamed of. ‘We do a lot of simulations and a lot of modelling that means we can match components together and know that we’re going to get a certain response acoustically. The real challenge was – how do we physically make it? And after that, our supply chain – pushing our boundaries on part processes and suppliers. Exploring new suppliers and getting parts from new places was key. The mechanical side of TwinPlex was extremely hard.’

It’s at this point that Born hands over a small Perspex box containing a set of tiny components that make up the TwinPlex capsule. The parts are so small that without a magnifying glass, next-to-no detail can be discerned. It’s a useful illustration of the inherent challenges that come with working at such a small scale. ‘A condenser mic is all about flatness: how the parts stack together and how that condenser microphone is formed,’ he adds. ‘We had to invest pretty heavily in our measurement capabilities. When you have a measurement spec of 5μm, we have to be able to measure a single micron just to make sure we’re meeting 5μm. We invested pretty heavily in some very expensive measurement and scanning equipment, to make sure that we’re getting good parts, so we’re not going to make bad microphones and not know why.’ The decades of knowledge and the expertise in Shure’s acoustical lab is just the beginning of the development process, however. ‘We have a pretty high standard of manufacturing at Shure. Anything below about 95% yield and the manufacturing department gets quite skittish,’ explains Born. ‘Obviously we don’t want to waste time, we don’t want to waste materials. And, if you’re using bad parts and don’t know you’re using bad parts, you’re going to make bad products. These parts are so tiny, we have a 1mm spacer washer. How do you measure that? We’ve been building hundreds of thousands of microphones for the last year just to make sure we’re getting those yields. I joke sometimes that we probably break more microphones than some companies sell – just to make sure we’re delivering the best we can.’ Because of this constant refinement, Born admits to having seen more prototypes of TwinPlex capsules than he can pin down to a number. ‘The original prototype was as big as a business card,’ he recalls. ‘It had a board hanging out, flying leads coming out of it and it was duct taped together. There were hundreds and hundreds of different versions that we tried, just to refine it and shrink it. When we started out, the goal was 5.5mm in diameter but, by the time we’d stuck the housing around it, added the backplate and the cap, the thing was 7mm, and 3mm longer than what we needed it to be. So, they said to me, “is that cool, can it be this big?”. I knew it

BUSINESS: R&D BUSINESS: BUSINESS: R&D BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS: R&D BUSINESS:

Furthermore, third-party companies specialised in making Dante youtothen split that off have into the Dante network approach. companies tendbridge, to drive market as works aredifferent invisible to each ith different contents fromother,’ aUS central these hiding accessories and there the are FOH already some the available where that is then shared between console, fast as they can and they’ll fix the issues later. That is not the e is connected to a broadcast truck, pplications really range from the go for our new design. That was again one of the things weand learnt recording the broadcast console, the OB truck way Yamahatruck sellsand new products to itsconsole, customers.’ nvisible to thethat broadcast plex,’ clarifies Moreno. from the R&D team’s all ofdeeply that audio is Yamaha available to allwork.’ the desks. It’s bi-directional While thishopes first product has drawn on the there is completely invisible one field Holoplot to to the one of the too, sofuture if you want toThis takehighlights audio back from the major broadcast truck, quality process, Mr Reid that collaborations gital equivalent of a transformer perhaps the clearest example of believes from advantages that DPA as the audience mics or the ambience, wehas canseen ask the will see other elements come tosuch the fore. ‘We are getting onhance possible interaction between the speech intelligibility and taking this the to send us an ambient feedapproach back intotothe best out and of both companies.broadcast We have atruck Yamaha quality he mostthe composite hectic R&D process. ‘Having the network and we can and pick that up where ever we want. It gives control processoffers that fits the broader Yamaha brand wo separate networks some R&D team seeing you to a tremendous amount we’re convinced working outthat how we use that be competitive in theof flexibility about where the audio day equally fromismuseums – to create ‘focused what to our customers was brilliant,’ goes and it allows you to build up very large complex audio ever-growing market. you need to doare fordoing ve environment is a–positive thing Is everything sive soundscapes’ toUCconferences, saysyou Mørch. ‘That way itawas not conveyed networks quite simply and very inexpensively because it isvia a high-end piece of equipment what need to do for ers the example of a conventional ech intelligibility and more even ill several people, it was direct. They could see what they were using standard switches and Cat-5 cable.’ US$150 USB speakerphone? Probably not. That’s what we’re OH and monitor console, tailconsole spaces and aart exhibitions are ere designing knew the pain was, was theyalways didn’t hat. They are thrilled toand see weforward. Expanding the Livethey family intowhat different markets investigating now as we go We’re because discussing what on atechnology, separate console athat feed the in order to create have to they were designing for.’by embracing have used some ofit’s thesense input that going to guess be the what sensible for SSL. But really makes from a go-to-market perspective andoption We have some conventional Madi experiences, and one area that The combined resultnetworking of the newfor capsules and accessories e gotisfrom theEast. world the potential the concert market, the establishing what customer are.of audio hich connected directly to the pitalise on inthe theround Middle ‘So Testing and analysis attour theexpectations TwinPlex cleanroom is something manufacturer clearly a lot of pride better. manufacturer has shown that allisthat timetaking in development has ‘This will bethat the first many products on the the collaborative work,’ heit Middle begins. ‘The Madi I/Oofgoes dmake in the East follow from. ‘It is a‘We’re very et isinto that it fits perfectly it needs can couldn’t, but the team that from the exclusive customers. been well spent. from theconsole twoand companies,’ continues. looking toproduct,’ concludes Nielsen. ‘We ctly the monitor to run tohehear result inside high reverberation times, know that the combination ntinues. ‘With the benefits from So, I brought 3Ddesign models sound further leverage our products. havedesigners.’ wireless microphonesof smaller and better is in high absolute minimum latency between glass, concrete and the of out toWe demand. I think that wevery are going to open some new doors hat the clip on the back of the Arguably, this is the most important part of the development www.solidstatelogic.com CEO Roman Sick collecting an award at SXSW and Yamaha-built DSPs and other systems for mixing in /O and the monitor board. Via the ogy, with its steering capabilities, of Katrina Barber and at Getty Images with itcourtesy duethe toprototype the size mainly, I also think that a number ofs those things where we wondered, process, argues Born. through stage, to create intelligible speech in‘As we getImage of our customers will switch one. MyTL47 gut feeling is that foreno. there’s certain checkpoints that we need to hit. We’re makingto that TwinPlex Other potentially strong sthis before?’ particular needs. ‘We needed toit’s getgoing away from fixed ‘But relation toso itsfast, acoustic outline,’ notes Oliver Thomas. to be good.’ enclude only accessory to benefit from the decisions and we’re shutting these doors that can’t high-end audio For higher-end rooms, you could ‘The liberal use of the word “immersive” is whyapplications. it’s Europe and Asia. architecture and focus on creating a truly the best takeaway was looking at the typemodular of engineering 060 lavalier, we made a new version be opened again. When we’re alpha testing, that’s really all a truly imagine the design brought atodifferent challenge. We did an awful lot us solution combining our wireless and wired microphone becoming difficult to bring immersive eh business benefits it thinks its renderand channel count immersive audio design DSP system. So Solaro, wewww.dpamicrophones.com took the approach design process for a quality. company making productsWe that nd instead of taking the micwith out, you about down sound You can’t go hadwill ofthe market TwinPlex the patience to the technologies with with some of their and DSPhaving technology to address the market andback. get noticed with all noisetesting around. Truly ere are lots oflocking operational costto adopt a rotable modular I/O architecture in order to through be used in a pretty harsh environment and going ts. erent position via a design,’ already locked in our sound quality for TwinPlex about three receive feedback, good and bad, to make those changes that boardrooms of the world.’ know where to put those channels, they wouldn’t even know ltered thatspeakers they’re not confused immersive sound, from our point of view, is an experience in stem –soless and/or less maximise the I/Ocan requirements per project and the steps validation and e are setups different positions so you clip it testing.’ ago, of based onorthe part designs we’d made startto feel dragged you make,quick that’stoboth and rewarding. But Butneed he pointchallenging out that the collaboration what with them. at notyears applicable,’ he reasons. whichto a do person istoable intoisto aequally virtual space ersive because less no reduce unnecessary spending.’ The PMC sales andwe’ve marketing team has set its u tooling up.database So, once got a that design and already we itwhile means that I can go into a launchof like this with‘We complete could tackle conferencing any scale. ‘Thediffers barrier to think business for most isstill the complexities sers can filter Moreno. the for justnews from the it’s physical one,people being able to ofproducts quired,’ adds ‘This solution elite signals can assist remote teams Support for Audinate’s Dante technology, the sights on the broadcast sector in Asia and Australasia and hey ical was a key part,’ he continues. going to work, we cross our fingers before we go and spend confidence. I know that we did our homework on it. We could can go down and up. They have power amps and speech the design,’ he continues. can dowill a design in a make. minute-andm the various speakercross-talk or projector perform actions that any ‘Ihuman intuitively For coustic performance, introduction ofthe programmable controls and in the region. is banking on result6 to make impact en ome with more attachments hundreds of thousands onan tools toyou make this a capacity have released thisyou thing twoofyears ago,’audio he adds, ‘but it would and all kinds high-end equipment that that offers greater provides opportunities for a-half. I could runfind five designs usingreinforcement different ake itup acoverage much more professionally nt system, which allows users to of dollarsAnything example, if yourself immersed in a manufacturers, jungle, want niform over entire audience Solaro’s multi-sampling rates for ‘Weespecially will selectable be looking at China aggressively, and I would we found innot the film production he ‘Thisquite is inquality between have been bigger, and probably have we can leverage we itgo up. And wouldn’t going down wesounded have ouras USB improved video andwhat performance. different loudspeaker brands, different screens and as projectors se.’ t,utmonitor live feeds,part,’ route content to tothe be process able to turn around when you hear an animal from the peech intelligibility. It’s a says. system enhanced usage continue spearhead Xilica’s expect theworking result6 toare open to a new market forbuild”. us there,’ ele eal pros who know what they we call model” A design good, and it they wouldn’t have cable this thin or phones and have USB aphones so there areallafour lot ofcolours. places Network offers a newthat of reliability by corner. and present those the client. Iflevel we get the job, that’s brilliant, to handle the added complexities ity and view performance data and and “design back ormodel toblending walk to to a waterfall you hear in the c on, but it’s an“a important audio innovative DSP credentials. In addition, says international sales director, Miles is Roberts, adding .’gn,them ch anything. We give them model build iscan all to from tooled definitely thewasted most It just haveshare beenphones, such a VoIP goodconferencing portfolio.’ phones, we canwouldn’t go from together. USB automatically combining cellular connectivity multiple and ifmost we don’t I’ve only 30 minutes.’ Mr Singleton is quick point And,That importantly, to physically and emotionally environments, where clear audio is a parts. Solaro’s design specification adds a dragthat unlike its European and American competitors, PMC know how to hide it. Why try to give stressful part of the entire development. You can’t really goto With theClients target forwhich TwinPlex the theatre market, peripherals that do everything – audio, video, data – we could mobile network carriers with on-demand satellite connectivity, Thiswith has always beennext the key goalThis for TCD. will make CD canshould bring to new marketplace, ecture beadesigned so that that the person you. delivers that, is being and-drop design, with control China via iOS, Android is in from the process of obtaining CCC Certification – a have to have us and if it breaks back. Well, you can – but it’s expensive.’ Shure had already identified several key features cover the full spectrum of collaboration spaces.’ it felt could allowing broadcasters get high-quality video transmitted subjective choices but,towith tools like TCD, missing out on ain ‘Because I haveupbeen doing thisin esgs. sent over data bandwidth one that whatever comes many times why we think immersive sound has finally met its half-orange and Xilica’sthen proprietary XTouch sur faces. The mandatory product certification system with the aim of the differentiate the product. All of the aspects brought different out ofexpresses aIfitcostume have to moving from athey design model to working model brought While that is for the future, Mr Reid can see a definite challenging network conditions. contract doesn’t have to be so painful. was forconcern me,’ he reflects. oitproblem whichever location or locations Moreno over its in athe market.’ current Solaro family consists FR1 and QR1 modular protecting consumer security – of for result6. Notthat having a he things that they are using you can most stress, it was the thorough market testing arguably challenges to the explains Born, ‘whether it’sthat theto cable, business case for table, the CS-700 now. ‘We’ve brought re,7.1 easy. When you’re doing As such, the system should be asfor32 at it’s times being problematic Revolabs’ Phil Marechal and Michael Fitch demonstrating I/O architecture processors, new restrictions XTouch50 and XTouch80 CCC canthe reportedly create import but PMC of hop and pick up bits you need. presented Born with his biggest challenge. ‘Every aspect the microphone yield or the feature set’. the CS-700 at InfoComm 2017 market for these smaller rooms where the use cases are very www.thecinemadesigner.com dered audio, people wouldn’t ned tocontinents allowmost theasconnection of variouswww.dejero.com peripherals ween it is across town. www.holoplot.com programmable touch controls addition to existing Mini claims to have the edge in the in country, having obtained the controls andfor theprevious Rio series of Dante I/O inter face devices. certification products. ‘China is working out for us quite well,’ continues Mr The rear panel of the QR1 Roberts. ‘We are expecting some significant movement with The design of the Solaro FR1 processor is based on the result6. We already have pretty large pre-orders from a Linux platform and utilises Xilica Designer universal DMT, our China and Hong Kong distributor, so we are just configuration software. From the front, the 19-inch 1RU waiting for the CCC approval to come through to ship them.’ chassis simply incorporates a front panel OLED display The big plans for Asia do not end there, with PMC also and rotary wheel. However, the full modularity of Solaro using result6 to tap into education for radio and television becomes evident from the rear. Sixteen card slots can production technologies and classical recording. ‘We were accept either 2-channel audio input and output cards or already doing installations at around eight conservatoire4-channel GPIO cards for either input or output. Providing type, educational establishments,’ continues Mr Roberts. ‘I A Universal Media Controller the heart enhanced flexibility, further cards can be inserted for other see result6 as the point where lies the at students canofstep into a Solaro. ‘We’ve an increasing adoption of I/O requirements including AES/EBU, USB audio and brand like PMC.witnessed It is reachable and affordable as opposed low-cost universal controllers for any from any RS232/485. to our other products. The result6 will device give students that going to be put to market are much smaller than with a manufacturer,’ furthers Mr face Chow. installation Operating at a sample rate of 48kHz, QR1 quality experience they will in ‘A thetypical real world.’ product of result6’s price. Although the Solaro R&D cost is uses higher, integrates a digital active mixers, but, same input, output and DSP processing architecture It has been a long processor, and rocky road forspeakers, PMC and result6 the amount per speaker isn’t.’ projectors and lighting. haveittherefore developed this as the larger Named for have its ¼-rack dimensions, QR1 for Peter Thomas and hisWe team, was worth the wait and Although theFR1. result6 will not the exact same sound controller‘In sobusiness, that it could everything on is based on same Linux platform and incorporates a struggle. youaccommodate allocate the R&D cost to each dynamics as the its predecessors, it will share the one common one single softwareout platform, together all the control dual that corePeter processor drive to provide I/O flexibility. product by working what the lifetimewith will be,’ explains trait Thomas – who startedmodular up the company options.’ Eight in card slots can either 2-channel input Peter Thomas. ‘With the twotwos, the numbers that are back 1991 with hisaccept partner Adrian Loader –audio always

Three years of this development was spent ensuring that all the electronics worked perfectly, both separately and together

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BUSINESS: R&D

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There’s an innate passion that shines through when Born discusses the product development. ‘I just love making microphones,’ he smiles. ‘I think about microphones at home, I think about microphones when I’m eating breakfast. I just love what I do. Of course, some of those decisions are hard. and output cards or 4-channel GPIO cards for either input We started the project only one cable at a1.6mm. varied. You want to go inwith there and just make phone Then call orwe or output. The integrated 4x4 Dante card is something spoke to to thegotheatre guys they said, “we really likego you want in there andand make a video call or youwould want to of a bonus feature for the user, as assured flexibility is a 1mm lot your easier to hide”. said, “well, in there cable and dobecause nothingit’s butaput slides up onI the screen. provided by the combination of any card type and any alright. Let’srooms go and do it”. Theget company understands and Conference everywhere used like that all thethat time, card slot. they knewinthat we needed to have thiscreated productaas as especially companies where they’ve lotperfect of these Making systems integrators’ lives easier, Xilica’s it can be.’ smaller conference rooms.’ programming software – Xilica Designer – Despite the Mr immense amount of planning development Importantly, Reid also believes that the and mission-critical develops into a universal control platform for that went into TwinPlex, it’s safe to there say that development nature of these spaces means that is athe potentially third-party products. QR1 connects to a wide team hasn’t ground to arecognise halt now that the product vibrant market. ‘People ease of has use,arrived time toon range of control inter faces including the optional the market. start, and audio and video quality of meetings are essential XTouch50 and XTouch80 programmable touch ‘Do I have some effectiveness things that I still to do withand it?’they will drivers of meeting andwant productivity, controls. It can also be managed via Ethernet concludes Born.to‘Of there some wish list pay a premium getcourse, them. We canare seestill a real market out there using the software GUI or indeed the GPIO card items. great potentialcollaboration.’ for more things with for toolsI can that already improvesee their employees’ ports. Additionally, Xilica’s XTouchApp can be used this portfolio.’ to connect iOS and Android devices with any thirdwww.revolabs.com party controller such as AMX and Crestron. www.shure.com www.yamahacommercialaudio.com Just as the Neutrino series was updated to incorporate Dante networking, Mr Chow is keeping an eye on networking trends DS when it comes to other protocols on the market. ‘Xilica to remain openPhas ov potential,’ he minded if we are to maximise Solaro’s erRoberts expects PMC’s international sales director Miles stresses. of theinfact that the new platform 2- allows big things Mindful from result6 China wi Xilica to network with other manufacturers, the company re understands with other demands fromthat hiscollaboration team. ‘We always strive manufacturers for accuracy and will be the key to future successes. ‘Collaboration with neutrality,’ he says. ‘That’s the goal with all of our products. similar-sized us to collectively compete I suppose it iscompanies a little bit allows like high-resolution television. The in the gets market,’ hewith adds. detail better the more money that is spent. If you Judging by the increased acceptance of Neutrino listen to the result6 and putmarket them against the twotwos, they during the very past similar decade, poised take this will sound in Solaro balanceiswhen youtoswitch between relatively young company to stage ofwill development. them, which is important, butthe thenext difference be that Xilica’s headquarters in theresolution, northern Toronto suburb of the twotwos will have more detail and be more Stouffville in many symbolises both cost Mr Chow the analytical. And they ways should, because they a lot and more.’ company he’shas created. Therehorizons may notfor bePMC a sign to promote The result6 broadened with the industrious activities that in liethe within, but the is imminent and similar projects pipeline set door to once open thePeter atmosphere friendly. Ditto Solaro. again and excite Thomas is and his team.

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BUSINESS: ANALYSIS

Next-level AVoIP The innovations resulting from AVoIP’s continued development are limited only by the imagination, says AV engineer and Kramer Electronics multimedia, postproduction expert, David Chua

requirements of each standard to meet the needs of your application’s Quality of Service, time sync, bandwidth, security audit and budget.

WALK ANY INDUSTRY TRADE SHOW FLOOR and you’ll see hundreds of systems touting AVoIP functionality. With the first wave of IP-enabled AV installations behind us, the technologies are now becoming robust and refined enough to bring value and peace of mind to both AV and IT professionals alike.

Cloud Another disruption will be powered by the cloud. With a cloud service tied into a networked AV model, AV professionals can take a unit’s serial address and Mac address and configure it even before shipping to a room. This dramatically reduces set up time for a global deployment.

Scalable approaches Just like any other element of audiovisual integration, there are myriad approaches to AVoIP. Use case, user needs and latency requirements will determine technical specifications. Common methods include MPEG2, H.264, H.265 (HEVC), VC2 and JPEG 2000. Consider 10Gb for no compression up to 4K/30 4:4:4, or lossless compression up to 4K/60 4:4:4 and latency at zero visible frames. Consider 1Gb JPEG 2000 and VC2 for visually lossless transmission, up to 4K/60 4:2:0 or 4K/30 4:4:4. Customers who deploy AVoIP systems are reporting more streamlined operations with the ability to deliver AV experiences at a larger scale, as they are no longer fixed by the matrix or finite ins and outs. The scalable AVoIP architecture is also a more efficient solution for long-distance transmission of signals using existing wires and the existing infrastructure in corporate offices, government applications or campuses with satellite locations. AV streamers encode and decode multiple audio, video and control signals over a standard IP network. AVoIP can also support recording, archiving and scaling, with the option to choose from unicast (one-to-one) or multicast (one-to-many) streaming to a decoder or computer running appropriate software.

IT methodologies Standardised systems built on common IT practices can also help users adopt new solutions more organically. Our current strategy at Kramer is becoming more and more about ‘AV-over-IT’ – to not only provide IT-friendly solutions but also focus on the workplace methodologies that IT professionals

Kramer’s KDS-8 is a zero latency 4K/60 (4:4:4) streamer transceiver using SDVoE technology

86 PRO AVL MEA July–August 2019

Kramer’s David Chua

IoT, AI and data More than 300 AVoIP decoders and 60 AVoIP encoders were used for the large-scale Tulalip Resort Casino in Washington are familiar with. In many organisations around the globe, AV is now a domain owned and managed by IT.

in parallel and some are interlinked. More flexible methods such as this should provide richer functionality for the user.

Software-based ecosystem Value proposition We also see AV’s inevitable migration towards software, propelled by the AVoIP demand. In the next 5–10 years, expect to sell fewer black boxes and more software. With the right system in place, software will tie AV together. It can control your distribution, codec processing, DSP, wireless presentation and collaboration. You can just buy the software and operate it off of whatever platform you want. Then, whoever offers the best user experience and inter face wins. It is a very similar paradigm to smartphones. The next chapter of IP-driven AV will spur the transition to platforms. This shift will reduce installation complexity and deployment. It will also support remote management and new service models like managed services and AV-as-a-Service (AVaaS). At Kramer, we are introducing multiple software licensed functionalities on single hardware platforms. Similarly, we support integrations with third-party software applications in which some work

It no longer makes sense to lay in proprietary highways for audio/video when you’re creating a system. The highways are already there in the form of the IP infrastructure. It is in every single building currently; it will be in every building going forward. With the progression of price points and the quality of the codec, we see this trend continuing. With AVoIP, a technology manager on a large campus can access the audio of three lecture halls from one location. If you need to patch a signal, if it is patched via the desk, it can be instantly accessible, eliminating the need to manually check on each unit. If there is an extended display identification data issue, for example, a notification will alert the tech team.

More transparency When DSP is networked, and there are less controls and buttons that users have to worry about, the more efficiencies are baked into a system. Bringing preamps and amplifiers onto the network will make it easier to configure and manage. Templates can make audio-over-IP project creation and routing more streamlined, while still allowing for customisation like gain settings, if needed. Audinate’s Dante is the market leader for audio-over-IP but there are other platforms, such as AES67, which can act as a bridge. Ravenna, AVB/TSN and SMPTE 2110 and SRT for video are a few others. The key is really that they must all ‘play nice’ on a network. Check the technical and licensing

With an IP-enabled system, you are closer to the two-way messaging needed for the IoT connectivity. Now imagine combining IoT, AI and the cloud with pro AV in multiple conference rooms across an enterprise. The system could identify room occupancies, audio and video usage, software usage and data visualisation. With AI-powered cameras, video conferences will be even smarter. We can also gather richer data by placing more AV devices and IoT connection points on the network.

Challenges that remain The AVoIP transition would be happening even faster if there was more awareness and education. While AV integrators know

Atlona’s dual-channel Omnistream AVoIP encoder HDBaseT very well, they may not be as familiar with network specifics like IGMP snooping. Similarly, some IT managers don’t understand the finer points of AV. Communication is important as well as the ability to align workflows. Security for AVoIP systems is of paramount importance. Manufacturers are getting serious about encryption, and a rigorous security process should be put in place to assess potential vulnerabilities. The same goes for bandwidth. AVIXA and ISE offer relevant AVoIP education and training. The Kramer Academy also includes courses focusing on core topics such as AV fundamentals, wireless collaboration and audio. These courses can be completed online as well as in classrooms; they also carry AVIXA CTS credits.

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