Kick Off: Audio

KICK OFF | AUDIO

A closer look at products and projects from the world of audio...

ARÉNA SÓSTÓ STADIUM COMMUNITY

Located in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, MOL Aréna Sóstó (MOL Arena Salt Lake) has always been considered one of Hungary’s most important stadiums outside of Budapest. The multi-purpose stadium, home to the first division MOL Vidi Football Club, has recently undergone a full rebuild. The Interton Group, which specialises in the design and installation of audio, light, visual and control systems, was commissioned to design and install the audio system for the new stadium. With extensive stadium sound experience, Interton used acoustic modelling to prove its design, based on Community R Series loudspeakers as the optimum solution. A total of 64 Community R.5HP loudspeakers, flown in pairs under the leading edge of the canopy, cover the stadium’s four seated stands that combine to give a 14,201 capacity. The R.5HP is an ultra-compact three-way horn loaded weather-resistant loudspeaker system, engineered to provide maximum voice intelligibility and high quality music. A single high power Community RSH-462 exponential FocusedArray™ horn system is located in the stadium’s northwest corner to cover the playing field. Operated from a Yamaha TF3 mixer, the system is controlled by QSC Q-SYS via a graphical user interface, custom designed by Interton. QSC CXD-Q

amplifiers were chosen to drive the Community loudspeakers, with input from Shure ULX-D wireless microphones. Géza Balogh, Interton Group’s Managing Director, commented: “We provided wireless iPad control of the whole audio system, so system adjustment can be made from any location and even while walking around the grandstands. It’s an added feature that the system operators are extremely happy with. “By combining Community’s non-metallic diaphragm UC1 high frequency driver with the M200 midrange driver coaxially within the mouth of the 12-inch low frequency horn, the R.5HP is an extremely powerful tool for voice announcement systems. The M200/UC1 combination provides effortless voice-power with high frequency sparkle that must be heard to be appreciated. In addition to flexible control, the main requirements for MOL Aréna Sóstó were the SPL and STI values and the installed system outperforms both of the specified parameters,” Géza concluded. www.communitypro.com

HYPERX ESPORTS ARENA LAS VEGAS LAWO

eSports - the world of competitive video gaming – has become an international phenomenon, with millions of fans watching both in person and on internet live streams, rooting for players that might take home millions of dollars in winnings. Where better to build a premium eSports venue than in the gaming capital of the world - Las Vegas, Nevada? That’s what Allied Esports International set out to do, with a new venue in the Luxor Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. “Our mission was to build a turnkey infrastructure to do many different live events, as well as produce content in a style and quality that meets or exceeds current broadcast standards,” said Drew Ohlmeyer, Head of Content, Allied Esports International and Esports Arena Las Vegas. To repurpose a former nightclub space, Allied hired CBT Systems to design and build an audiovisual system tailored for high-availability streaming video broadcasts. Darrel Wenhardt, President and CEO of CBT Systems, knew from the start that the space’s previous audio system was insufficient for the demands of Esports. CBT chose a Lawo mc²36 console for FOH duties, and a second mc²36 to power the streaming broadcast production control room. “We’ve worked extensively with Lawo, who have developed consoles specifically for these types of challenges,” explained Darrel. “They’re used around the world to manage major global events including sports, live performance and networked production infrastructures. Lawo was an easy and obvious choice and provided exactly what was needed, while also being able to offer custom workflows for the unique aspects of Esports events.” Working with CBT Systems, Allied Esports International began drafting plans in mid-2017 for a combined live performance / broadcast venue with audience seating, multiple cameras, concert-sized video screens, and a premium FOH system. During the events, the action would be packaged into broadcast quality programming streamed real time to subscribers worldwide.

To attain these goals, copper network services were replaced with fibre for maximum bandwidth and connectivity, and an entirely new audio system was specified and installed: twin 24-fader Lawo mc²36 consoles; one for FOH sound, the other to mix finished audio for live streams. These consoles are networked via RAVENNA AoIP using a Lawo Nova 37 router; I/O includes four compact Lawo stageboxes, each with 32 Mic/Line I/O, 8 AES I/O, 8 GPIO and1 MADI port. Lawo A__mic8 units provide AES67 AoIP connections for multiple deployed microphones. Amazingly, the facility design and rebuild was accomplished in only five months, with Lawo personnel on site to support CBT Systems and Esports for commissioning and training. “This was an exhilarating project,” said Michael Mueller, Vice President of Sales for Lawo in the USA. “We were very excited to work with CBT Systems and Esports on this project. Lawo has been involved in traditional live sports broadcasts and entertainment production since our inception, and we’ve also provided networked audio production infrastructures for gaming and live streaming customers. So, the prospect of working in the growing field of e-sports is a great opportunity to marry live sound with broadcast/streaming technologies, using a unifying network platform.” Allied Esports’ new venue debuted in March 2018, and since then has become the go-to site to host high profile events with gaming personalities and arena-scale, high-stakes gaming competitions. Darrel is effusive in his praise of Lawo: “The Lawo team gave us great support and expedited delivery. They helped us meet the challenge of a compressed timeline for delivery to support multiple uses both now and in the future for our client, providing great sound and an easy-to-use and flexible platform for the audio team at Esports.” www.lawo.com

HC LEV BENESOV ARENA AUDAC

The HC Lev Benesov Ice Hockey Arena, located in the Czech Republic, is the home of the Men’s HC Lev Ice Hockey Team, and several youth teams. With a capacity of 3,000 the arena is used for game days and training. It’s also open to the public for ice-skating and figure skating. Speech intelligibility was poor in the tribunes and on the rink, so the arena decided it was time for a new, high-quality audio system. The poor acoustics in the arena proved to be a challenge, so Czech Republic based distributor, MusicData suggested a complete AUDAC installation that could meet all of the arena’s requirements. The team installed six AUDAC FX3.15 high-output cabinets together with four AUDAC FX1.18 subwoofers. This guaranteed enough power to provide accurate and detailed sound and deliver a clear reproduction of speech. Eight AUDAC SMQ500 WaveDynamics quad-channel amplifiers drive the cabinets.

The team also implemented an AUDAC CMP30 all in one player to provide them with the right music, with the CMP30 they can easily choose between CD’s, MP3 or even radio stations. To ensure the safety within the building an AUDAC APM104MK2 digital paging microphone was installed to allow vocal messages in the arena, keeping the supporters informed about the games and in case of emergency spread safety messages. The AUDAC M2 multimedia digital audio mixer forms the heart of the entire audio installation and ensures complete audio distribution throughout the arena. Thanks to the new audio installation, the ice skaters of Benesov can enjoy their adventure on ice, while the HC Lev Benesov hockey team and their fans can enjoy their game day atmosphere safely and with perfect clarity. www.audac.eu

VTB ARENA | CENTRAL DYNAMO STADIUM L-ACOUSTICS

When Moscow’s Dynamo Stadium was closed for demolition in 2008, the city turned its focus to the design and construction of a new multi-purpose facility that would better fit the metropole’s growing need for a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex. Opening its doors this year, the new VTB Arena includes the 26,000-capacity Central Dynamo Stadium, dedicated to football, and the Universal VTB Indoor Arena, a 13,000-capacity ice hockey facility. Both venues needed a sound system that could deliver power and quality for sporting events and entertainment alike. Russian L-Acoustics distributor, Sonoruss, was tasked with the challenge of designing and installing a PA that would not interfere with any other engineering systems, intrude on important video angles, or obstruct any view of the stadium’s large LED screens. Alexander Ananyev is the Acoustic Engineer at Sonoruss: “While both venues have clear primary uses, they are also multipurpose facilities that have to cater to other sports and other events, such as rock concerts and large-scale entertainment dates. We needed to ensure that there was uniform coverage, high SPL and the very best audio clarity possible.” Using L-Acoustics Soundvision acoustic simulation software, Sonoruss proposed several designs for the main stadium PA, but some way into the process the facility’s roof design was substantially changed, so Sonoruss had to go back to the drawing board: “We proposed all-new system designs that included electro-acoustical calculations, architectural visualisations, and evaluations by external agencies,” noted Alexander. “After lengthy negotiations and detailed analysis, the customer chose a solution based around the A Series medium throw range for the football stadium, and a K Series long throw configuration for the ice hockey arena.” The main Central Dynamo Stadium is the home of Russian football club FC Dynamo. It officially opened its doors on May 26 for the closing game of the 2018–19 Russian Premier League between FC Dynamo Moscow and Arsenal Tula. The PA for that space consists of 62 L-Acoustics ARCS II line source loudspeakers in 26 arrays located around the pitch-side edge of the roof canopy for coverage of the lower seats, 26 ARCS Focus loudspeakers and 45 L-Acoustics ARCS Wide in 29 arrays in delay positions further under the roof for the upper seating, and 30 L-Acoustics 5XT and 70 X8 short throw enclosures at suite level for the under-balcony spaces. The indoor Universal VTB Arena has a more varied programme. Its main focus is ice sports, but it also hosts mixed martial arts, boxing, basketball and entertainment events throughout its schedule. It hosted its first ice hockey game for resident team HC Dynamo Moscow in January 2019. For that system, Alexander specified L-Acoustics K2 line arrays. A total of 54 cabinets in six hangs flown around the central scoreboard location provide coverage of the bowl audience seating, while 18 L-Acoustics ARC Focus loudspeakers in six arrays of three are distributed evenly around the grid, to cover the bowl floor for sporting events where this is a requirement. Alexander is very pleased with how both solutions are performing and has received extremely positive feedback from the client: “We have succeeded,” he stated, “In creating a PA system that completely meets every one of the customer’s requirements. “A high-quality sound system is a must for a successful modern sports complex. “L-Acoustics technologies are powerful, lightweight and always form an aesthetically pleasing solution - something that was very important for the client in this instance,” concluded Alexander. “The L-Acoustics sound system at VTB Arena is an integral part of the audience experience.” www.l-acoustics.com

BAYARENA ELECTRO-VOICE

Located in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, BayArena is the home of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen Bundesliga football club. The club required an upgrade of its outdated audio network to enable high-quality audio streaming and complete remote monitoring with full redundancy, enhancing ease-of-use, overall system performance and reliability. In addition, the stadium technicians wanted a customised, graphical user interface for the studio control room to provide a better overview and ease of use. Following a competitive tender process, BayArena’s technical team opted for a network based on OMNEO IP technology to guarantee the best possible sound quality. Each of the four amplifier rooms, including the control room, have been networked via fast fibre-optic connections and equipped with two Electro-Voice N8000 digital audio matrix controllers, two Cisco switches, a total of 16 legacy amplifiers and new online uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit. Peter Bürgel, from PBS Mediasolutions - a Leverkusen-based professional installation company - explained more about the project: “This upgrade offers significant advantages for the customer, the entire sound reinforcement system can now be monitored via IRIS-Net software, the sound quality has been significantly improved with the new, low-latency, high-quality Dante audio signal; and full redundancy ensures that all functions are still available –

even in the rare event of a device failure. In addition to the one-stop solution product portfolio, the stadium operators were also impressed by Electro- Voice’s outstanding price/performance ratio.” A further addition to the control room inventory at the BayArena sees a new Touch-PC playing a key role in monitoring the system. The graphical user interface of the IRIS-Net software displays all zones as well as direct links to each individual device. This translates into maximum security and direct access at a glance. “If a device should go down, the software immediately displays the relevant area, and at the same time an acoustically unnoticeable switch to live operation is initiated,” said Peter. Though the installation effort was considerable - by switching from CobraNet to a digital OMNEO IP network with full Dante audio functionality, each amplifier hub needed to be rewired - it was well worth it. “The new network not only meets all the network requirements demanded today, it is equipped for future expansion in this area. It already provides the basis for OCA, AES 67 and AES 70, so the decision is also an investment in the future,” concluded Peter. www.electrovoice.com

AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA D.A.S. AUDIO

The American Airlines Arena Miami is located in Downtown Miami, on the waterfront of Biscayne Bay, situated between the skyline of the city, the beautiful beaches and the nightlife of South Beach. It is home to the NBA Champions Miami Heat and also serves as a leading venue for concerts and live entertainment. With a seating capacity of 19,600 that can be tailored to the nature of the event, this multidisciplinary facility attracts a large number of visitors. The HEAT Group, responsible for the venue, has been committed to making the American Airlines Arena the premier sports and entertainment venue in South Florida, adding cutting-edge technology and investing in stateof-the-art renovations on an on-going basis. The atmosphere in the surroundings of the stadium is essential to influence the mood of visitors, so the quality of sound must be unbeatable and the intelligibility of the messages, before and after any event, is also crucial. “The installation of WR systems has truly been a success in all aspects,” said Jorge Arronte, Manager of Sound and Matrix. “We have been congratulated by fans of the HEAT regarding the improvements in both sound quality and intelligibility of the messages. These first-class products are a reflection of our commitment to deliver high-quality service to our clients. We are very pleased with the improvements in audio performance and look forward to working with DAS in the future.” DAS Audio was also utilised in the outdoor entertainment spaces: Café 601 and The Xfinity East Plaza. Café 601 features 10 DAS Audio WR-6412DX loudspeakers, 15 DAS Audio Artec 508 loudspeakers, 12 DAS Audio Artec 310 loudspeakers, eight DAS Audio Artec 510 loudspeakers and four DAS Audio Artec 322S bass reflex subwoofers. The Xfinity East Plaza is a 23,000 sq ft outdoor space located on the Eastside of the AA Arena. Heat fans are encouraged to arrive early and enjoy the cocktail bars, cafés and restaurants as well as the live music and entertainment on offer at the venue. After evaluating the requirements of the Xfinity East Plaza Project, Dave Vickery and Jorge Arronte deployed the Aero-50 line array system, DAS Audio LX-218CR subwoofers, DAS Audio road series 12A and 15A stage monitors, plus DAS Audio WR-6415 point source loudspeakers. “In the past few years we have rented sound systems for larger events, but with the addition of the new roofing structure over the East Plaza, we felt it was time to provide the installation with a powerful sound system,” Dave Vickery, Director of Broadcast Services said: “The main sound system is placed outdoors, under a large deck, and loudspeakers are distributed in columns throughout the space achieving excellent coverage.” The American Airlines Arena hosts the NBA’s Miami Heat stadium. The stadium has 2,105 VIP seats, 76 booths, 80 luxury suites and 19,600 standard

seats. The architecture of the arena requires a line array system since it allows focusing the energy over the audience attenuating reflections on the ceiling and walls. The sound system is used before, during and after the game to create an atmosphere and build the energy of the fans, give voice announcements and improve the audience experience with special effects. The sound system offered high pressure and intelligibility over the audience area to ensure compliance with safety standards and evacuation systems as well as a wide dynamic range, high fidelity, controlled coverage and precise tonal balance. The system design had to guarantee uniform pressure distribution and homogenous frequency response over the entire audience. For that reason, during the design stage, modelling tools (AutoCAD, Sketchup) and acoustic simulation programs (EASE, EASE Focus) were used, which helped to accurately estimate the optimal configuration in a 360° distribution of the sound systems. For that purpose, eight line arrays were deployed, each with sixteen highperformance DAS Audio Aero 40 systems. Sixteen units of Aero-20 were used under the scoreboard to ensure an equally enjoyable audio experience in the first rows. DAS Audio worked on the sizing of the system, optimising the position and angle of each cluster, reducing possible differences in relative level and tonal balance over the audience. Four DAS Audio UX-218 systems were installed in four clusters extending the system’s frequency range to 30Hzs. The system had to be able to reproduce low frequencies with high-pressure levels, achieving a powerful sound suring the music acts played in the shows. The American Airlines Arena is a multi-disciplinary space, so it needs to be flexible to adapt to the requirements of each particular event. The challenge was to find a way to raise the systems above the catwalk when the main system wasn’t in use. To achieve this, custom rigging was designed with the help of Mountain Productions. Sound system alignment began by checking the smooth operation of the configuration (alignment, splay angles, amplification, limiters, signal routing, polarity and subsystems). Subsequently, significant measurements were taken at strategic points over the audience area in order to fully analyse the clusters (axis and off-axis) and characterise the acoustic response of the arena. A tonal response target was set over the audience area and the different throws of the sound systems (short, medium and long) were adjusted to compensate for the influence of room acoustics at the arena, aligning the delay and magnitude of the subsystems (subwoofers and scoreboard) to the main system. www.dasaudio.com

STANFORD STADIUM MEYER SOUND

Stanford University has completed the first phase of a major upgrade programme of sound reinforcement systems across its campus athletic venues. By early summer of this year, all-new Meyer Sound systems based on column array loudspeakers (CAL) with advanced beam-shaping technology were in place at the 50,000-capacity Stanford Stadium, the Avery Aquatic Centre, and the Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium, home field for the school’s softball team. Stanford Stadium and the Aquatic Centre were designed, engineered and installed by Diversified, a global technology solution provider, while Stanford worked with an electrical contractor to engineer and install Smith Stadium. Meyer Sound Design Services collaborated during the design phase, with prominent sports venue consulting firm WJHW providing oversight and guidance on the football stadium and aquatics systems. Stanford Stadium - home to PAC-12 Cardinal football - was built in the 1920’s as a mammoth bowl, seating upwards of 89,000, then completely reconstructed as a dual-deck stadium in 2006 for a more up-close fan experience. The system installed after the rebuild, based on conventional loudspeaker technology, was showing its age and its acoustical limitations. For this year’s renovation, the design team decided to rethink what was possible using the newest digital beam-shaping technology as incorporated in Meyer Sound’s self-powered column array loudspeakers. A total of 80 Meyer Sound column array loudspeakers were installed at the stadium, using all three models in the series: the 10ft high CAL 96 (with 96 individually

processed and amplified loudspeakers) as well as the smaller CAL 64 and CAL 32 models.“The beam steering technology lets you put a loudspeaker in what otherwise would not be an optimal vertical location,” said Peter O’Neil, Director of Engineering at Diversified. “Horizontally it needs to be set in the right place, but in the vertical dimension you can use the beam steering to successfully cover the seating plan in a way often not otherwise possible.” “The extraordinary pattern control avoids problems often encountered in large stadium sound systems,” explained WJHW Associate Principal, Mark Graham. “One problem with distributed systems, when using long throw loudspeakers, is that if you don’t have the vertical control of the Meyer column arrays, you can have sound from one side of the stadium leaking over to the other side. And if it’s loud enough it will degrade intelligibility of the spoken word. But with the CALs and their narrow vertical pattern we can pretty much dictate exactly which seating areas each loudspeaker will cover and prevent that problem.” Mark also noted how the slender profile of the column speakers enables discreet coverage of problem areas of upper decks between lighting structures. “With conventional solutions crossfiring into those areas you can have horrible problems with time arrivals. But with these column arrays, we simply add a small pole, which is fairly inexpensive and unobtrusive architecturally, and you can steer sound right down into that area.” Although presenting a slender profile, the column array loudspeakers have ample power to punch through crowd excitement, according to Meyer Sound

Director of Business Development, John Monitto. “Besides distributing the sound in an even, well-controlled manner, the CALs also give you very high peak output to deliver excellent intelligibility over crowd noise, even at high points of the game.” Despite the sophisticated digital technology, Peter is fully confident in the system’s long-term reliability. “It’s a proven solution,” he noted. “With a working base in other outdoor stadiums, including Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, which has been in use for several years. It holds up to the elements, and it also holds up to football games where you need the horsepower.” To cover seating areas where a column array solution was not appropriate, the Stanford Stadium system also incorporates 84 UPJunior and 10 UP-4XP loudspeakers. Nearby at the Avery Aquatic Center, two CAL 96 loudspeakers and one CAL 64 loudspeaker centred above the scoreboard provide an elegant point source solution for grandstand seating accommodating up to 2,480 spectators. “This was an interesting challenge because it’s an open facility with other pools around it, with practices scheduled at the same time as events,” said John. “They don’t want to be disturbed by what’s happening in the competition arena. So here CAL was a great point source solution, targeting a majority of the audience with only a minimum number of outfill loudspeakers needed.” The fill systems comprise nine Meyer Sound MM-4XP and two Meyer Sound UPJ-1XP loudspeakers. For events - such as synchronised swimming - that

require high fidelity, full-bandwidth music, the system provides controlled deep bass through three 750-LFC low frequency control elements deployed in a cardioid configuration. For the Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium, with a scalable capacity from 1,500 up to 3,500, a new Meyer Sound system provides two CAL 64 column array loudspeakers along with four UPJunior-XP loudspeakers. “Another great thing about a CAL solution is, you have flexibility to deal with scalable seating scenarios,” said John. “If you need to redistribute the sound, you can simply program another preset to steer it into a tighter or broader coverage pattern to fit the new seating configuration.” Another factor favouring a comprehensive Meyer Sound solution, was proven product longevity. “Several of the outdoor facilities here had installed MSL-3 systems more than 25 years ago and they are still working well,” John said. “It shows what we put into weather protection research back then, and we continue to evolve that technology to further extend the life of products with exposure to the elements.” Future phases of the facility upgrading program will include new Meyer Sound systems for Laird Q. Cagan Stadium at Maloney Field (soccer and lacrosse) and Klein Field at Sunken Diamond (baseball). www.meyersound.com

P12 NEXO

NEXO’S new P12 is an ultra-versatile multi-purpose loudspeaker, bringing technical innovation to a wide range of sound reinforcement applications. Surprisingly, given NEXO’s long-standing reputation for point-source loudspeakers, this is the first time the company has designed a 12-inch enclosure. The much-anticipated P12 promises to establish a new benchmark for the all-purpose point-source cabinet. Inside the curvilinear enclosure of custom birch and poplar plywood, the P12 employs a purpose-designed 12-inch LF Neodymium driver and three -inch diaphragm high frequency driver in a coaxial configuration. The cabinet footprint is very compact, measuring 531mm by 432mm by 317mm. Frequency response is 60Hz-20kHz, and the SPL is an impressive 138dB peak (passive), 140dB peak (active mode), making it the most powerful pointsource design in its class in today’s market. In an innovative design twist, which allows the user to customise their P12 cabinet, the horn flanges can be interchanged to deliver a variety of directivities - from the 60° by 60° that is provided as standard, to a 90° by 40° or an asymmetrical 50° - 100° by 40°, the interchangeable flanges are marketed as accessories. Switching between different directivities can be accomplished in just 15 seconds, easily removing the steel grille and replacing the flare, which uses a magnetic fixing. Less than 20kg in weight, the ergonomic design of the P12 includes carry handles on both sides, pole mount fitting with an ingeniously positioned Speakon

connector behind it to allow tidy cable management and threaded inserts for connection of mounting accessories. P12 can be used on a pole-mount with the L15 subbass cabinet, wall-mounted or flown in landscape mode beneath a L15 enclosure, using a specially designed yoke bracket. The variable directivity feature will effectively treble the deployment of any inventory of P12 floor monitors, and the cabinet is designed for the rigours of touring use, with an extra-robust grille and scratch-resistant paint finish. With a switch on the back of the cabinet, the P12 is easy to reconfigure from passive to active mode, where it achieves 140dB peak SPL. This is the first NEXO loudspeaker to be purpose designed to use the processing capacity of the new NXAMP4x2mk2 amplifier, although it is fully compatible with the larger NXAMP4x4. The processing in the NXAMP4x2mk2 is very precise, with separate set-ups for each directivity, providing perfect coverage. Touring and installation versions of the P12 will be produced in black and white scratch-resistant paint finishes, the first use of a new paint process, which is described by Joseph Carcopino, NEXO’s Head of R&D as: ‘a hundred times better than before.’ Applied using a special process, the paint finish prepares the P12 for use in all climate conditions. IP54 certification is provided for the installation version of the P12. www.nexo-sa.com

ICLIVE X SERIES RENKUS-HEINZ

The culmination of over a decade of experience in steerable line arrays, the ICLive X Series is the latest evolution of the medium-format, steerable line array. The ICLive X module can be arrayed up to 12 units tall, or can be used in combination with the ICLive XL, allowing taller, more directional arrays to be constructed for a surprisingly reasonable cost. The ICLX and ICLXL array modules connect with a simple and nearly invisible, metal-to-metal array system. For permanent installation, they are assembled with flat-head bolts. For portable applications, the bolts are simply replaced with quick-release pins, allowing one cabinet version to serve in both install and production markets without compromise in either. RHAON II beam-steering and control via Ethernet are standard, and Dante audio-over-Ethernet is available as an option. Digital beam steering puts ICLive X’s substantial output where it belongs: on the spectators, and away from walls and ceilings. The ICLive X Series benefits from the full range of RHAON II beam-steering, including conventional and uni-beams, moveable beam centres and multiple beams, each individually adjustable for aiming, opening angle and level. Iconyx transparent technology controls sound with the most advanced, intelligent DSP. Multi-channel Class-D digital amplifiers with integral DSP engines control every single array element with programmable precision. High-current audiophile output stages power each individual lightweight, efficient transducer in the Iconyx array. In addition to beam steering, the onboard DSP provides 12 total filters of parametric EQ (eight fully parametric, high and low shelf and high and low pass filters) as well as up to 170 milliseconds of delay. Each array module has two Ethernet connections, which can be used as a two-port switch, making daisy-chaining possible. Dante units can be configured as either switched, or redundant network operation, though daisy-chaining is not possible in redundant mode. ICLive X is the most versatile, high-powered, steerable line array on the market and its extreme flexibility makes it suitable for almost any live sound application. www.renkus-heinz.com

A-SERIES D&B AUDIOTECHNIK

When d&b audiotechnik launched the A-Series ‘augmented array’ loudspeaker system, it marked the introduction of an entirely new loudspeaker system concept. A-Series is, indeed, different - designed to provide flexibility in both physical setup and acoustic control, and comprehensive coverage for a wide range of applications, including stadia. It combines variable splay angles, two approaches to acoustic optimisation, and an advanced waveguide design, addressing applications where coverage flexibility in both the horizontal and the vertical is paramount. The concept is to combine the flexibility of a point source cluster with the powerful control options of a d&b line array. As Wolfgang Schulz, Product Manager at d&b says: “A-Series offers a new set of scalable solutions that work as a standalone system or in combination with the full range of d&b systems. The flexibility of the splay angles, the Midrange Directivity Control function and the ArrayProcessing capabilities enable the A-Series to address a huge range of applications with coverage consistency that is unparalleled.” The A-Series consists of the AL60 and AL90 loudspeakers, with 60˚ and 90˚ horizontal pattern control respectively, down to 370 Hz. The range also includes the ALi60 and ALi90 variants for permanent installation. The AL60 and AL90 share a passive 2-way design; a single 1.4” exit HF compression driver with a 3” diaphragm mounted to a wave shaping device, and two 10” neodymium LF drivers. The combination of sophisticated waveguide design and the symmetrical bipolar arrangement of the LF drivers allows a smooth overlap of the adjacent frequency bands in the crossover design. The wave segments of each cabinet couple without gaps and sum up

coherently. The message is clear: in notoriously sound-tricky stadia, which often present awkward audience layouts, the A-Series offers a simple and efficient, yet standout solution. Two cabinets can be driven by each amplifier channel, and the number of loudspeakers required is kept to a minimum, reducing both the overall weight of the system and sightline interference, while speech intelligibility is maximised. Arrays of two to four loudspeakers can be deployed horizontally or vertically, covering wider areas with vertical splay that spans a range of 50° to 150°, and with higher SPL than a point source system. What’s more, where single point source loudspeakers would compromise coverage and potentially not meet evacuation specifications, the A-Series, in conjunction with d&b amplifiers, can form part of a compliant voice evacuation system. Variable splay angles allow arrays of up to four A-Series loudspeakers to adapt precisely to venue shapes in five-degree increments from -10° to +10°. Narrow or broad coverage, horizontal arrays or vertical: sound is directed only to where it should be and no further. It’s impressive stuff. A further innovation is the new acoustic refinement approach: Midrange Directivity Control (MDC), which keeps midrange directivity symmetrical at every possible splay angle, ensuring that the critical vocal range is crystal clear, wherever the listener is placed within a stadium. Similarly, coherent high frequency dispersion is maintained through sophisticated waveguide design, whichever way it’s splayed – so everyone experiences the same full-impact sonic thrill that cuts through the roar of the crowd. www.dbaudio.com

OTTOCANALI 12K4 POWERSOFT

The Ottocanali 12K4 is a flexible and reliable eight-channel power amplifier with a total of 12,000W at four ohms, ideal for multi-zone applications in medium to large-scale installs. Ottocanali 12K4 supports any combination of lo-Z loudspeakers, mono-bridgeable channel pairs and 70V/100V Hi-Z distributed lines with no need for output step-up transformers. The Ottocanali 12K4 features switchable main/aux signal inputs and offers a wide range of system control, alarms, GPI/O and monitoring functions as well as sound shaping options. The Ottocanali 12K4 implements redundant universal switch mode power supplies with PFC and patented SRM (Smart Rails Management) technology, maximising reliability, efficiency and reducing power consumption. The Ottocanali 12K4 DSP+D heralds a new and innovative level of signal

processing, providing non-boolean routing and mixing, multi-stage equalisation with raised-cosine, IIR and FIR filters, delay up to two seconds in input processing and 100 milliseconds for time alignment, gain and polarity adjustment, crossover, peak limiters, TruePower limiters and active damping control. Powersoft’s legendary efficiency saves valuable energy, keeping both operational cost and carbon footprint at a minimum. The Ottocanali 12K4 shines with outstandingly low power consumption and heat dissipation; this dramatically reduces costs from the AC mains supply and air conditioning/ cooling systems - not to mention the benefits to the environment for a greener planet. www.powersoft-audio.com

KF SERIES EAW

The KF Series, comprising of the 300, 700 and new 800 range, is a premium family of point source and line source loudspeakers boasting a very high output to size/weight ratio. The series features exceptional pattern control due to symmetrical design, large horn and spaced subwoofers, ensuring superior performance in a very easy to work with package. The vertical directivity of every arrayed system conforms to the curvature of the array while the symmetrical design of every module provides absolute uniformity over the horizontal coverage area and spectacular imaging when used in stereo. The addition of EAW Focussing processing provides the hallmark level of clarity and detail for which EAW systems are known. New to the KF Series is the KF810 line array system, which offers best-inclass output, true broadband pattern control, and integrated three-way performance. The KF810P incorporates specific design features tailored for the installation market: clean aesthetics offered in black or white, invisible wiring, and concealed three-point rigging. A weather rated option allows for long-term

permanent installation in demanding environments backed by EAW’s full warranty. Engineered for a wide variety of applications, the compact KF810 module is comprised of dual three-inch voice coil high frequency compression drivers, four five-inch mid-frequency transducers and two three-inch voice coil high power 10-inch low frequency drivers. The output of these sources unites through an integrated horn that occupies nearly the entire forward face of the loudspeaker enclosure, delivering up to 145dB with accurate pattern control to 250Hz to master the most challenging acoustic spaces. www.eaw.com

VERA20I TW AUDIO

The VERA20i loudspeaker is equipped with two 10-inch chassis for low-mid frequencies, and a newly developed waveguide with a 1.4-inch mid-high compression driver. Measuring just 60cm in width, the loudspeaker forms part of a vertical array of up to 24 elements. Compared with typical double eight-inch systems, the VERA20i‘s two 10-inch drivers are able to reproduce up to 6dB more output in the low-mid frequency range with lower distortion. The newly developed 1.4-inch compression driver and waveguide are reproducing a smooth and accurate midrange response for natural vocal and music reproduction. The low frequency crossover point around 1 kHz guarantees a precise and uniform coverage even in the sensitive transition range. The extraordinarily fast transient response replays the high frequencies in a very detailed and crisp way. The compact and appealing design of the enclosure allows a subtle presentation of the VERA20i, especially when sightlines have to be considered, or an array needs to be fitted unobtrusively within the architectural surrounding. The fully integrated, nearly invisible installation four-point rigging hardware supports the discreet optical aspect. A special feature of the loudspeaker is the logarithmic scaling of the intermediate angles between angles, it enables angles smaller than one degree to achieve a more accurate directivity of the upper array elements over a longer distance. In addition, costs for expensive pins and additional frames between subwoofer and tops do not apply. www.twaudio.de