PSNEUROPE JANUARY 2014
THE BUSINESS OF PROFESSIONAL AUDIO
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MISSION:
! E L B A B O R IMP
The most unusual cable feature you will EVER read
p22
(and it stars this gorgeous chap!)
Inside Norfolk’s Hooverphonic in the house (YOUR house, in fact) p16 ISE preview p50 secret spectacular
p46
Uniting the audience Speech and music that stir the soul. From the thrill of theatre to the celebration of worship to the inspiration of the auditorium. It’s all about consistent audience coverage, front to back, whatever the acoustic challenges. A shared experience they will never forget. That’s the Martin Audio Experience.
Unite your audience at www.martin-audio.com
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January 2014 l 03
welcome Photo: Jake Young
EDITOR’S COMMENT
“If I were to make a list of 500 Fun Things, copper wire would not be on it”
COPPER WIRE is not something I get excited about. If I were to make a list of 500 Fun Things, copper wire would not be on it. Now, VDC’s Niall Holden might beg to differ on that point. Making cables has served him very nicely for 25 years, as you’ll read over the page. Niall hosted a stylish celebration party at Abbey Road’s Studio Two at the end of last year, and it’s always a thrill and a privilege to be in that particular room. (Our back page interview, p54, is with the almost inscrutable mastering engineer Peter Mew, who must have been in Studio Two more times than he can remember.) Back to the cables though: with a feature looming (yes, I know what I did there) it was a case of, how can we present something a little bit different, a little out of the ordinary, about an exceedingly dry subject? The results, starting on p22, speak for themselves. Not knowing how the industry would react to my particular line of questioning, I was thrilled when all the respondents embraced the concept. You’ll find all the information you could wish for about the toughest, the highest fidelity, the most practical cable for your particular audio requirements. But not in the way you expect. I also want to single out RJ Kenny of Link USA, who took the time to make a cable sling for his adorable border collie ‘stunt dog’: an act above and beyond the call of duty, hilarious, and brilliant. Enjoy the read. And don’t worry: we won’t be following it up with a series on ‘which subwoofer would you use as a dining table’ any time soon. Dave Robinson Twitter: @psneurope
IN THIS ISSUE... NEWS VDC celebrates and expands New investment partner for VDC ‘Wall of Bass’ from Powersoft and Lambda Industry appointments Calendar of events and expos New product round-up
4 5 6 8 10 12
ISE preview
First look at the February show
p50
STUDIO MPG Awards shortlist announced Hooverphonic record in fans’ homes iDeal Acoustics hits 100 projects mark Italian producer Simoncioni opens The Garage The greatest feature about cables... EVER!
14 16 20 21 22
BROADCAST 30 New delights at De Lane Lea 31 Clear-Com at QVC 32 Doctor Who 50th anniversary 34 Feature: Quality Control evolution LIVE 41 Martin Audio MLA Mini goes live 42 Ex-Atlantic Audio man creates United-B 45 Alejandro Sanz on tour with D.A.S. Audio 46 Norfolk’s secret spectacular INSTALL 48 Major Traction Sound install in Manchester 49 Dante network in Paris theatre BACK PAGES Hither & Dither Interview: Abbey Road’s Peter Mew
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04 l January 2014
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news
Non-executive director John Reed, founder Niall Holden and chairman Andrew Higginson drink to 25 years of business at the party in Abbey Road Studio Two
UNITED KINGDOM
VDC receives birthday bonus from Neutrik Cable maker is now certified to make fibre products, writes Dave Robinson VDC TRADING Limited, the London-based company behind the Van Damme cable brand, has recently been certified by Neutrik as a Certified opticalCON Assembler (COCA), one of only 24 facilities worldwide and only four in the UK. The certification follows a programme of staff development and the creation of a state-ofthe-art laboratory at the Brandon Road Headquarters. VDC CEO Niall Holden said: “This is a considerable
The new fibre lab at VDC HQ
investment but natural extension of our capability to deliver bespoke copper-based solutions. It represents a major step forward in our in-house cable technology and, as one of only four similar labs in the UK, will enable us to offer a superior fibre optic service to our clients, but with the same great solution design and production turnaround times they are used to receiving from us.” The endorsement by Neutrik is the icing on the cake for VDC, as the company celebrated 25 years of business with a party at Abbey Road Studios. Around 130 friends, customers and colleagues of the Van Damme cable manufacturer and supplier gathered in the famous Studio Two in late November to toast the company and its founder Holden, chairman Andrew Higginson and non-executive director John Reed. Entertainment during the evening included turns by
NETHERLANDS
Kocks back in the cockpit MARC KOCKS will take up the position of director at Sales-All in Bemmel, Netherlands starting in January 2014. Kocks, who previously spent over 20 years with the Ampco Flashlight Group’s sales companies where he was managing director of TM Audio and Lightco, will be responsible driving Sales-All forward, as well as business development for
Sales-All and sister operation Fairlight. Sales-All is a distributor for L-Acoustics and dBTechnologies loudspeakers, and a dealer for Shure, Sennheiser, Yamaha and Panasonic. “I am looking forward to working with this professional team to expand sales at both Sales-All and Fairlight,” says Kocks. “The well structured and very healthy financial position of
the companies means we are a reliable and secure partner for customers and suppliers, so we have a very firm base from which to progress.” His initial goals are to open new markets, expand Sales-All’s presence in the Benelux region, set up an international network for secondhand sales and establish a European working network for private label
Kocks: new post at Sales-All products, such as CLF. He will also focus on the design, supply and installation of systems.
comedian musician Earl Okin, US artist Tom Chacon and guitarist duo Bob Wootton and Nick Tilley. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page was a surprise arrival later in the evening. Holden told assembled guests how the company had been formed in 1987. “A lovely man at the National Westminster gave us £5,000 and we thought, ‘Wow!’. We went on holiday for three weeks with it to Rhodes... “We had a fantastic time in Lindos and then we thought we hadn’t had enough spending, so we bought ourselves two cars, a 1.3 Sierra and a brown Cortina Estate. We did all that and then we had £128 left… and that was what started VDC really.” The company’s relationship with Abbey Road began in 1991, when VDC supplied cabling for Studio Three. I www.vdctrading.com + See cables feature, p22
Sales-All was founded three years ago and imports, distributes, installs and provides service for professional audio, lighting and video equipment. Fairlight has been one of the largest import and distribution companies in the Dutch market for over two decades and handles distribution for Martin Professional. Both companies are allied to PA hire company Rent-All, which last year supplied equipment for the Dreamfields Festival and the Mediterranean Olympic Games in Turkey. I www.salesall.eu
January 2014 l 05
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news
DENMARK
DPA signs equity deal Major cash injection for Danish microphone maker, writes Erica Basnicki LEADING MICROPHONE manufacturer DPA Microphones has joined forces with The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm that focuses on acquiring strong and growing businesses. The Riverside Company’s investment will allow DPA to significantly expand its operation and grow the company at a much faster pace. “DPA is already a very successful and profitable company, which has been experiencing a 15% increase in sales, year on year, for the last five years,” said DPA’s CFO Christian Hoff. “With Riverside involved, we anticipate even stronger sales growth in the next five years.” Under the terms of the new deal, Hoff and DPA CEO Christian Poulsen have retained their current positions in management and on the board, along with a 40% shareholding. Riverside is now the majority shareholder and will also have representation on the DPA board. “For our day-to-day operation, it is business as
You spin me right round, baby, right round. Like a record, baby… NETHERLANDS
Alcons: 1,000 shows and still marching on By Erica Basnicki
Anticipating growth: DPA CEO Christian Poulsen and CFO Christian Hoff usual,” said Poulsen. “What has changed is our ability to capitalise on our current success and make this even more significant in the future. Riverside has an extensive network worldwide, many of whom are specialists in the audio industry and have deep technical knowledge and experience that we can exploit. This investment will allow us to develop new technologies and new products at a much faster pace. It will also allow us to move into new
markets and attract more good people to our brand, while still properly supporting our existing customer and partner base.” Recent artists who have been using DPA’s mic range include MKS, on tour with d:facto II vocal mics; Paramore, who used d:vote 4099 and d:dicate 2011C mics for their live drum sound and Alicia Keys who used 4023, 4011A and 4006 mics both in the studio and performing. I www.dpamicrophones.com www.riversideeurope.com
AN ALCONS LR14 loudspeaker system is still going strong after 1,000 performances of Soldaat van Oranje, De Musical (‘Soldier of Orange, the Musical’), a technically complex theatrical production based on the book by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema. The show’s production is unique, with the raked audience seating on a 30m diametre turntable in the middle of the hangar which rotates throughout the performance. Sound designer Jeroen ten Brinke chose nearly 100 Alcons LR14 pro-ribbon
line-array cabinets for a huge surround system. Each scene features an L-C-R array of LR14s, plus a 15” sub, driven by 30 ALC4 2x 2kW amplified loudspeaker controllers. With 14 arrays in all, as the seating revolves the right-hand array from the previous scene becomes the left array of the next one. “The LR14s and ALC4s have been worked relentlessly hard, but there has not been one breakdown, not a single replacement needed,” says Alcons Audio co-founder Tom Back. “Not even any components have needed changing.” I www.alconsaudio.com
06 l January 2014
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news AUSTRIA
Bring on the wall!
Powersoft and Lambda Labs collaborate on building concrete-enclosed bass monster in Austria’s Club SUB, writes Erica Basnicki POWERSOFT D-CELL504 IS high power amplifier modules have been specified to drive a unique ‘Wall of Bass’ at Club SUB in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The club is located in a heavily populated residential area, and the wall is capable of reproducing frequencies as low as 7Hz, which placed heavy emphasis on acoustic isolation. Leading the installation were project managers Wolfgang Sauter from sound reproduction specialists Pro Performance and Reinhard Nell from acoustic experts Lambda Labs. For the Wall, 400kg concrete blocks that serve as loudspeaker
enclosures were cast and set into a 6 x 3m wall, using 13 tonnes of heavy concrete and a further 35 tonnes for the foundation. A self-enveloped 15” speaker was produced and adapted to the unusual demands of this project. The single chassis are designed to act together like one single swinging wall – in a similar principle to a piston in a cylinder. “A perfect plane wave is created in the interior of the club, which naturally moves along the side walls and doesn’t induce any room modes,” explained Lambda Labs’ German-based director, Steffen Kroschel. “The rear of the main floor
was converted into a single bass trap to absorb the incoming sound wave.” To achieve this optimum performance, each driver was powered by its own dedicated amplifier. Nell chose Powersoft to provide amplification, while Lambda Labs supported the installation with items including amplifier mounting frames. “As we have been using Powersoft amplifiers in our regular self-powered loudspeakers for four years, it was obvious to choose the company again for this project as we have a lot of experience with their modules, such as the Digimod 1500, which we use successfully in
The ‘Wall of Bass’: where Dubstep is transformed into an infrasonic weapon! our subwoofer product MF-15A and our full range enclosure TX3A,” said Kroschel. Via their 2-channel 32 D-Cell504 IS amp modules, Powersoft were able to deliver 25,600 watts of power, including 4in voice coils with a custommade venting system using a hardened membrane. In addition, special mid-high speakers generate a cylinder wave for a longer throw and less room reflections while the DJ reference sound is provided by CX-1A and CX-3A self-powered monitors with Powersoft D-Cell modules.
WORLD
Avid dismisses concern over server ‘hole’ By Dave Robinson AVID HAS brushed off a security incident which saw the entire Avid Pro Tools FTP beta software server accessible for public download for a period of 12 hours in mid-December. The ‘hole’ was discovered by
members of the public, who informed the www.pro-toolsexpert.com (PTE) blog, which in turn alerted Avid HQ. “No personal data or customer data is being exposed,” PTE posted on the site after the discovery. “[These are] the servers that hold... future
releases of Avid software in beta format. You need licences to run these applications, so even with the links, a rush to download them is on the whole a pointless endeavour. However, PTE observed that the event highlighted “a case of poor security being in place on
the Avid servers. It does not bode well for ensuring any Avid trade secrets remain that way for long”. During the incident, the server could be located and accessed by an uncomplicated Google search. Beta versions of Avid software, including Pro Tools and Sibelius, were available for
“The data we measured melts in one’s mouth,” said Nell. “The sound pressure level is beyond 140dB and absolutely equal at any point in the room (not that anyone would need such sound pressure levels). And you don’t have the possibility to feel 7Hz throughout your whole body every day.” Kroschel added that everyone who has played through the system has been hugely impressed. “For some it has changed their awareness of music.” I www.lambda-labs.com www.powersoft-audio.com
download for 12 hours before the company’s engineers were able to block the server from public visibility. Approached for a statement, Avid dismissed the incident. “This problem affected a single beta software server, there were no adverse consequences, and the issue was quickly resolved,” said Tony Carridi, marketing director for audio. PTE says it stands by its original story. I www.avid.com
08 l January 2014
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industrymovers
Keith Norton Trilogy
Anthony Smith is new ISCE president Former AVX Systems founder takes up key role at leading body for installation engineers THE INSTITUTE of Sound and Communications Engineers has appointed Anthony Smith as its new president. Smith founded AVX Systems before going on to develop one of the first digital networking voice alarm systems (VxLAN, later SigNET) and in 1999 the first generation SigTEL fire telephone system. “It’s a great honour to be asked to take on this role with ISCE and I would like to thank Terry (Baldwin, who stepped down as president) for
his tireless work over the past four years and I hope to take the ISCE forward in a similar manner,” said Smith. “My main focus in the coming years is going to be on certification skills training to members, to raise both their and the Institute’s profile.” Smith’s appointment follows the announcement of ISCEx2014 seminar and exhibition details. The networking and training event will take place on 4-5 March at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham City Centre. www.isce.org.uk
Paul O’Farrell-Stevens PMC
Keith Norton has been appointed by Trilogy, the supplier of intercom solutions and master reference generators for the broadcast industry, as its new chief operating officer. Formerly CEO of Paradigm Secure Communications, Norton has more than 30 years’ experience across telecoms and government programmes. www.trilogycomms.com Paul O’Farrell-Stevens has been appointed as communications and artist relations manager at British loudspeaker manufacturer PMC. With 10 years’ experience as a freelance recording engineer, Paul combines a wealth of experience with a strong musical background. PMC managing director Miles Roberts commented: “He’s a perfect fit, and it’s a pleasure to welcome him to our team.” www.pmc-speakers.com Mike Rigby has been appointed to the role of technical sales support engineer at HHB Communications Ltd. Mike was previously the technical manager at Technical
Mike Rigby HHB Communications
Philip Schobee Crown Audio
Earth. HHB’s representative Steve Angel said: “Mike’s experience and enthusiasm will complement the department very well, as we continue to provide the high level of service that our customers have come to expect.” www.hhb.co.uk Philip Schobee has been appointed as business segment manager, tour sound at Harman-owned Crown Audio. Schobee formerly worked as product manager, concert and commercial sound at Electro-Voice. In this new role, Schobee will be responsible for overseeing Crown’s tour sound and business strategy in addition to directing marketing, product development and sales. www.crownaudio.com/ RTW, the German broadcast equipment specialist, has announced the appointment of Jessica Kell to the role of head of marketing. She will now work closely with the sales team and be responsible for developing messaging for new campaigns. Kell joins the team with experience in communications
Jessica Kell RTW
and graphic design, in addition to having worked at several opera houses, both as a technician and stage manager. www.rtw.de Beverley Horne has taken up the newly created role of head of TV post at LipSync Post. Horne will now oversee all post-production work on TV dramas. She joins the company’s steadily growing television department from ITV, where she post-supervised popular dramas such as Agatha Christie: Poirot, Lewis, and The Prisoner. www.lipsyncpost.co.uk Metropolis Studios has welcomed Streaky to its roster of mastering engineers. Streaky has over 20 years of experience in the industry, having previously worked for Battery Studios and Soundmasters. After setting up his own company Streaky Mastering in 2008, he mastered platinum singles and top-selling albums for a diverse host of successful artists, ranging from Lily Allen and Skepta to Depeche Mode and Sheryl Crow. www.thisismetropolis.com
S T U D I O Q U A L I T Y S O U N D O N
S TAG E
SET IT FREE
Wired or wireless? You decide! With the DPA adapters you can connect your DPA d:facto II to all major wireless systems
w w w. d p a m i c r o p h o n e s . c o m / d f a c t o
Made in Denmark
Meet us at NAMM 2014, stand number 7119
10 l January 2014
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expos&events
EDITORIAL PLANNER
SPOTLIGHT ISE 4-6 February Amsterdam, Netherlands www.iseurope.org
FEBRUARY f Live Mics
THIS YEAR’S Integrated Systems Europe will see the opening of a third visitor entrance at the RAI in Amsterdam and improved navigation to make it easier for those new to the show to find their way around. The 11th edition of ISE will also boast a more comprehensive training and development offering than any previous ISE, according to the show’s organisers. Focal points for the new Professional Development programme will include two new theatre spaces on the show floor of ISE 2014 – one in Hall 7 aimed at the residential systems side of ISE’s market, the other in Hall 8 with a commercial application slant. Riedel, Genelec, Merging Technologies, Meyer Sound and Fohhn Audio are among the many pro-audio companies who already confirmed their attendance.
Building rugged microphones that still deliver on sonic quality f Audio for Gaming Another visit to this burgeoning corner of the recording industry f Prolight + Sound preview 1 Frankfurt comes earlier in 2014: time to start planning your trip f NAMM News Deadline: 22 January Distribution: 6 February
MARCH f Classic Kit What is in the studio that most
EVENTS Your complete calendar of expos and conferences for the months ahead
engineers and producers crave? And what can be used as
International CES 7-10 January 2014 Las Vegas, US www.cesweb.org
LLB 23-25 April Stockholm, Sweden www.llb.se
Isle of Wight Festival 12-15 June Isle of Wight, UK www.isleofwightfestival.com
2014 NAMM Show 23-26 January Anaheim, US www.namm.org
136th AES Convention 26-29 April Berlin, Germany www.aeg.org
Download Festival 13-15 June Donington Park, UK www.downloadfestival.co.uk
MIDEM 2014 25-28 January Cannes, France www.midem.com
PLASA Focus 30 April-1 May Leeds, UK www.plasafocus.com
InfoComm 2014 14-20 June Las Vegas,, US www.infocommshow.org
BETT 30 January-2 February London, UK www.bettshow.com
Brit Awards 2014 19 February London, UK www.brits.co.uk
The Great Escape 8-10 May Brighton, UK www.escapegreat.com
Glastonbury 25-29 June Pilton, UK www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
Integrated Systems Europe 2014 4-6 February Amsterdam, Netherlands www.iseurope.org
CeBIT 11-15 March Hanover, Germany www.cebit.de
Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final 10 May Copenhagen, Denmark www.eurovision.tv
Roskilde Festival 28 June-6 July Roskilde, Denmark www.roskilde-festival.dk
SIEL 10-14 February Paris, France www.siel-expo.com
Prolight + Sound 12-15 March Frankfurt, Germany www.prolight-sound.com
Rock im Park 6-9 June Nürnberg, Germany www.rock-im-park.com
Love Supreme Jazz Festival 4-6 July Sussex, UK www.lovesupremefestival.com
Music Producers Guild Awards 13 February London, UK www.mpgawards.com
CABSAT 2014 23-25 March Dubai, UAE www.cabsat.com
Pinkpop 7-9 June Landgraaf, Netherlands www.pinkpop.nl
Montreux Jazz Festival 4-19 July Montreux, Switzerland www.montreuxjazz.com
BVE 25-27 February London, UK www.bvexpo.com
NAB 5-10 April Las Vegas, US www.nabshow.com
PEVE Digital Entertainment 10-11 June London, UK www.screendigest.com/events/peve
IT Broadcast Workflow 8 July London, UK www.broadcastworkflow.com
ISCEx 2014 5 March Milton Keynes, UK www.isce.org.uk
PALME Middle East 15-17 April Dubai, UAE www.palme-middleeast.com
ABTT 11-12 June London, UK www.abttheatreshow.co.uk
Umbria Jazz 11-20 July Perugia, Italy www.umbriajazz.com
a substitute? f Airport! Delivering the information and the audio across these important travel hubs f Prolight + Sound preview 2 Ahead of the show: what and who to see at the Messe Deadline: 14 February Distribution: 4 March
APRIL f Italy Focus f Theatre Sound f Prolight + Sound review Deadline: 20 March Distribution: 4 April
MAY f The Radio Studio f Business in BRIC regions f AES Berlin preview Deadline: 11 April Distribution: 30 April
PSNLIVE f The annual report will be redesigned and published two months earlier this year!
12 l January 2014
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technologynew products PSNEurope compiles this month’s list of hot new kit AUDIO PRECISION
LOUDSPEAKER PRODUCTION TEST SUITE What is it? A suite of products said to represent a new “high bar” in audio test quality for speaker driver production and final QA for integrated products such as soundbars and pro-audio powered speakers. Details: Combining a reliable hardware analyser and “intuitive” software, the AP Loudspeaker Production Test measurement system returns multiple results in under a
second. These include rub and buzz, impedance magnitude and phase, key Thiele-Small parameters, SPL, frequency response, phase, and distortion (either total or specific harmonics). Polarity can be evaluated with the built-in phase measurement function (or by a separate half-second measurement) and air leak detection measured in another half-second measurement. All normal APx functionality, such as floating limits based on a golden unit, smoothing, one-click automation and automated
And another thing: The hardware carries ISO:17025 accredited calibration, guaranteeing the accuracy of results. www.ap.com
B&C SPEAKERS
SONY
PCM-D100
8NDL64 What is it? A low-frequency driver design for point-source and line array systems.
What is it? A portable linear PCM recorder with built-in 32GB flash memory for live music events, theatrical performances and electronic news gathering. Details: Designated Sony’s “highestquality portable digital recorder”, the PCM-D100 is compatible with 2.8MHz/1-bit direct stream digital DSD (the format said to most closely resemble analogue waveforms) as well as offering 192kHz/24-bit linear PCM recording and playback. The recorder features a highly-sensitive directional microphone incorporating a newly-developed 15mm unidirectional capsule offering both 90º X-Y stereo and 120º widestereo coverage. The recorder’s S/N 100dB[2] mode minimises distortion and internal noise by applying a digital limiter mechanism using two A-D converters for a single channel. The design includes an ultra-low impedance headphone amp and a
reporting are also available. The system can measure speaker and power amplifier performance along with other electronic devices; APx’s easy automation allowing for faster line setup or adjustment as test needs change.
Details: The 8” 8NDL64 incorporates a 2.5” copper voice coil on a fibre glass former offering a 350W (nominal) power rating – according to B&C, 70% more than its typical 2” voice coil woofers. The double roll surround design also uses a shorting copper cap
for extended high-frequency performance and a ventilated voice coil gap for reduced power compression. Set to become a versatile addition to B&C point source and line array driver range, the 8 ohm 8NDL64 is said to offer low distortion, a “well-behaved” frequency
response extending from 80Hz-4kHz and a 97dB (1W/1m) sensitivity. And another thing: The 8NDL64 is designed around a waterproof (front side) cone and neodymium inside slug magnet. www.bcspeakers.com
AUVITRAN
highly stable power supply said to ensure the highest-quality audio reproduction. And another thing: As supplied, the PCM-D100 provides approximately 6.5 hours recording time in Linear PCM mode or almost 11 hours in DSD mode - though internal memory can be expanded. www.pro-sony.eu
AXC-SWD5G What is it? An addition to the AuviTran Audio Toolbox range for use with AVBx3 and AVBx7 platforms.
PRO AUDIO STASH
OCTOPUS What is it? An entry-level power distribution unit featuring 8 x IEC outlets, surge protection and EMI filters. Details: Suitable for all pro-AV and audio applications – especially for domestic and commercial installations where reliable power supplies are vital for protecting all types of electronic equipment – the Octopus offers versatile AC and DC power distribution within multimedia racking applications.
The inputs comprise C14 fused EMI filters with additional power surge protection while the AC outs are IEC320 C13s. The DC outs are 12-way pluggable screw terminal sockets offering 3 x 5V DC at maximum loads of 2,100mA and 3 x 12V DC at maximum loads of 1,200mA. Surge protection is
provided by two 5A circuit breakers and the usable voltage range is between 200-240V. And another thing: Its rack-mountable design means the Octopus can be used in both mobile and static rack set-ups. www.proaudiostash.co.uk
Details: As with other Audio Toolbox cards, the AxC-SWD5G allows the user to interconnect various audio networks (including optical fibre connections). It incorporates two 4 RJ45 ports plus dual SFP cages to host mini-GBICS modules. These are principally used as two separate switches to manage redundant networks free of interference, however, both switches can be coupled to improve the interconnection capacities of the card. The AxC-SWD5G’s main advantage is to provide a direct integration into AuviTran AVBx3 and
AVBx7 platforms, avoiding the need to add additional switch or media converters to the system and offering a simple way to save space, particularly when building a stagebox configuration. And another thing: The AxCSWD5G is the first card in the AuviTran Audio Toolbox range to offer optical fibre (mono and multimode) connection. AVBx3 and AVBx7 platforms can now directly connect to optical fibre networks including long-range full duplex. www.auvitran.com
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January 2014 l 13
technologynew products MYMIX
MYMIX INSTALL What is it? An installation version of the myMix controller for monitoring/ audio distribution in permanent or custom applications. Details: myMix is an Ethernet-based multi-channel audio distribution system offering personal audio mixing/monitoring plus built-in multitrack recording. It routes high-definition, multi-channel audio over Cat-5 network cable, with each myMix controller capable of creating its own local stereo mix of up to 16 channels. The Install version is a more robust design aimed at
integrators and installers. As with the portable model, it provides two mic/line inputs with phantom power and balanced stereo line-level outputs and allows signals to be added to the audio network via any myMix Install unit – for example, via a paging microphone or audio output device. Stereo mixes can be sent back to the network and accessed from any myMix controller like other stereo signals on the myMix network. And another thing: The Install version can be distinguished by its white livery and glass front panel and may be desk-
or wall-mounted - or flush-mounted with an optional in-wall box. www.shuredistribution.co.uk AMS NEVE
GENESYS BLACK What is it? A ‘universal’ console/ control surface. Details: The Neve Genesys Black is a digitally controlled analogue recording console with total integration with the studio environment and the DAW of the user’s choice. It includes the company’s
legendary mic preamps and analogue circuit design, offering eight channels of mic/line preamps, 16-channels DAW/tape monitoring, hands-on DAW control for Pro Tools, Nuendo and more, eight channels of Neve 4-band EQ, 8 channels of Neve VCA dynamics and A-D/D-A conversion via MADI, AES and FireWire formats.
Additional features include a central touch screen, eight auxiliary buses, eight group buses, two main outputs, four effects returns, comprehensive metering, 5.1 monitoring, two cue mixes, talkback services and an integrated footprint with internal power supply. And another thing: The Genesys Black was launched shortly before AMS Neve founder Mark Crabtree was recognised as one of 2013’s six APRS Sound Fellows. www.ams-neve.com
EXTRON
MPA 152 PLUS What is it? An integrated mini power amplifier delivering 15W (RMS) per channel and providing several performance enhancements over the previous MPA 152 model. Details: The quarter rack-width MPA 152 Plus offers a 90dB S/N ratio with 0.1% THD+N and is said to deliver exceptional performance for speaker systems requiring compact, economical audio amplification. The Energy Star rated design features patented CDRS technology said to deliver smooth, clean audio waveforms and an improvement in signal fidelity over conventional Class D
amplifiers. Producing very little heat, the amplifier is a fanless design capable of operating in environments with little or no ventilation – its UL 2043 plenum rating allowing concealed installation above a ceiling to prevent theft. A defeatable auto power-down function automatically places the amplifier into standby mode after a period of inactivity, dropping power consumption down to less than 1W.
And another thing: The MPA 152 Plus is optimised for driving four 8 ohm speakers – two in parallel per channel. www.extron.com
14 l January 2014
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Studio
SOUNDBITES
Primacoustic’s full line of acoustic treatment products are now being warehoused in Belgium for the European and Middle Eastern markets. Steve McKay, export sales manager, said: “We are experiencing a growing demand for our products in these markets, particularly for commercial and private studios. In order to accommodate this growth we need to ensure our products are readily available.” www.primacoustic.com Meyer Sound has collaborated with legendary mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe to record As Long As There Are Songs, the first full album recorded using a Meyer Constellation acoustic system. “My job is to give artists like Stephanie the tools that bring her closer to her audiences,” said Meyer CEO John Meyer. “With this recording, we returned to what some may consider the ‘old school’ recording style, where musicians play together in the same room.” www.meyersound.com PMC supplied a pair of its AML2 nearfield monitors for the composition of the score for the recent Tom Hanks film, Captain Phillips. Composer Henry Jackman, who uses AML2s in his LA studio, had a pair shipped to London during work on the film in the UK. Henry has been a devoted user of PMCs for several years, also finding them the “perfect” reference for mixing. www.pmc-speakers.com Music Managers’ Forum (MMF) has partnered with Joint Audio Media Education Support (JAMES) to accredit university courses that include Music Management. MMF says it has long wanted to evaluate courses that follow on from its Induction Days and Management Development programmes. Working with JAMES, the MMF can ensure that JAMES Accredited Music Management courses offer content that is engaging and useful. Jim Thomas from the MMF comments: “It’s important to know that course content is up-to-date and will give you the right start in the music industry.” www.themmf.net
For the latest studio news www.psneurope.com/studio
UNITED KINGDOM
Johns and Epworth back on MPG Awards shortlist Adele producer in the running for a hat-trick as nominations announced, says Dave Robinson FORMER WINNERS Ethan Johns and Paul Epworth are back on the shortlist for the MPG 2014 Producer of the Year award, it was revealed last month. Epworth bagged the award in 2010 and again in 2013, while Ethan Johns was victorious in 2012. Other names vying for one of 12 trophies on 13 February 2014 will include Disclosure, Rick Rubin, Tony Visconti and Daft Punk. Broadcaster John Kennedy of XFM revealed the category shortlists ahead of the MPG Christmas party at the Alley Cat Club in London’s famous Denmark Street (‘Tin Pan Alley’). Now in its sixth year, the Music Producers Guild Awards recognises the contribution made by recording professionals to the success of the UK’s music industry. The winner of the Producer of the Year Award also receives a BRIT Award for Best Producer. (The BRITs will be held on 19 February 2014 at the O2 Arena.) This year the ceremony moves to the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London. “We loved
XFM broadcaster John Kennedy (left) revealed the names of the lucky shortlisters; Tony Platt thanked the Awards supporters being at the Café de Paris but it was no longer a big enough home for us,” said the MPG’s Tony Platt, adding that this year’s host will be comedian and musician Rich Hall. He went on to thank partner and award sponsors for their support. MPG chairman Steve Levine added later: “An MPG Award is highly sought-after by
Barry Grint (left) and Mandy Parnell, both nominated in the mastering engineer category, with Matt Colton, last year’s winner
recording professionals because it represents an endorsement by your peers. Whilst anyone can nominate, only full members of the MPG are allowed to vote for the shortlist and therefore the results are relevant to the creative value of our industry. Those who win an MPG Award are known to be at the top of their game as a recording professional.”
The MPG Awards always supports a charity, and this year it is the Victoria Foundation, which exists ‘to provide lifeenhancing medical assistance’. The full set of shortlists for each of the MPG 2014 Awards categories is available online at the MPG website. I www.mpgawards.com www.mpg.org.uk
MPG chairman Steve Levine (left) with Chris Briggs, nominated for the A&R awards
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16 l January 2014
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studioreport EUROPE
Hooverphonic… in your house For the recording of their 13th album, the Belgian band Hooverphonic invited the audience to suggest interesting locations for them to set up a studio, notes Marc Maes TITLED REFLECTION, the new Hooverphonic album has been recorded with fans in their homes. “A welcome alternative to working between the four walls of a studio,” explains Alex Callier, songsmith, bass player and producer with Hooverphonic, “but quite a challenge.” Hooverphonic launched the Hooverdomestic concept in March 2013 with a newsletter and social media postings, calling on their fans to nominate their own dwelling as a possible location for the recording of the new album. The mail-out contained three audio fragments of handclaps to illustrate the room acoustic the band were searching for. Fans were offered a free song download as a reward for participating. “To be honest, my gut-feeling already told me that photographs of interiors tell a lot about acoustics,” explains Callier. “I have some years of experience in recording, and so does engineer Peter Claes – we know the difference between plasterboard, concrete, or an old mansion with a wooden floor, panelling, a high ceiling and lots of curtains.” Callier and Claes made a first selection based on pictures submitted of different rooms in the homes, and went on location to investigate the facilities further. “Our main concern was, alongside the acoustics: where do we build the control room? We had to find the space to install a decent monitoring system, and next to get a perfectly ‘dead’ room. And the recording room had to be visually inspiring as well,” continues Callier. The first recordings took place in a dining room in Gentbrugge – other locations include a mansion farm in Ranchecourt-Suzémont
One of several habitations chosen for the recording of the Hooverphonic album
Remko Kuḧ ne and engineer Peter Claes
Vintage mics were the order of the day Noémie Wolfs in a moment of thought
Guitarist Alex Callier in the Champagne-region in France, a brick stone factory in Boom, a church in Hoeselt, and an old farmhouse in Hasselt. “The key issue in the recording process was to only use natural reverb – the spirit of a house is in its reverb… In a world where everybody’s using the same plugins and presets, we wanted to have a unique reverb on our record,” Callier says. “Whereas the stone drying tunnels in the
brick factory offered a ‘mediumreverb’ of some 1.5 seconds, the dining room’s natural decay was 2.3 seconds. The church was ideal to include the kind of long reverb which is actually Hooverphonic’s signature sound. And, in case we couldn’t find the correct reverb, we used vintage EMT plates.” All of the new album’s drums and piano tracks, plus some of the guitar-tracks, were recorded
both in Gentbrugge and France, resulting in quite some extra work like the transport of all the gear and the setting up of the equipment, pianos, drumkit on each of the recording locations. The band also used two specific pianos: an original 1930 Kriegelstein piano in Gentbrugge, recorded with AKG C12As, C24 and Neumann SM2 microphones, and a vintage Petroff upright
piano in France, tracked by Neumann M 49 microphones and a pair of Shiny Box MX46L ribbon mics. Engineer Peter Claes made use of a flightcased recording configuration consisting of a Pro Tools HDX 32 in/out recording system, Phoenix DRS-8 pre-amps, Telefunken V676 pre-amps, and Avalon Vt737 pre-amps. “We used the Phoenix quite often, in combination with a Summit Audio TLA-100 compressor, an Urei 1176 limiter and a pair of Urei LA-3s says Callier. “And then we had Peter’s terrific vintage microphone collection with Neumann and AKG microphones. All of them were routed via the pre-amps and compressors in the Pro Tools engine – this puts in perspective the importance of high quality pre-amps.” Monitors were Unity Audio The Rock cabinets with ribbon tweeters. The drums were directly recorded in the HDX32, all of the keyboards were steered through Unity Audio The Boulder speakers, “to give the whole more oxygen”, as Callier explains. Singer Noémie Wolfs’ voice was captured by a Blue Dragonfly microphone, fitting her voice “perfectly”. The whole multiple-location recording process involved quite some logistics: the transport of the recording equipment and the band’s vast instruments inventory, from the glockenspiel to a Hammond B3 or an original M400 Mellotron. “But it was worth the effort,” laughs Callier. It was Ronald Prent, at Wisseloord in Hilversum, Netherlands, who mixed the album on the API Vision 64 console. “I absolutely wanted to have the album mixed on an analogue console,” concludes Callier. “We also used analogue outboard – the album is a bit different from our previous work: no strings here but more bass, drums and guitars, sounding more ‘live’ than ever.” Reflection was released on 15 November through Sony Music – Hooverphonic will tour the album from February. I www.hooverphonic.com/
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studionews UNITED KINGDOM
IPS training weekend to probe post By Erica Basnicki THE INSTITUTE of Professional Sound (IPS) will hold its 2014 Annual Training Weekend at Bosworth Hall over the weekend of 7-9 February, 2014. This year’s event will explore the world of post production, with a particular look at how acquisition affects post, and what post can do with original audio tracks. Training sessions will follow the post workflow from acquisition to final dub, focusing on metadata, file formats, track-laying, foley, ADR, mixing and an exploration of what can be ‘fixed in the dub’ using some of the plug-ins and gadgets available today. Alongside the main sessions, selected manufacturers will display their wares in side rooms to allow delegates some hands-on experience. The weekend also affords excellent industry networking opportunities, and a semiformal meal on Saturday evening will feature an afterdinner guest speaker. Delegates will have the use of all the
It’s a February call for the IPS at the splendid Bosworth Hall hotel’s facilities throughout the weekend, including a Spa with swimming pool. It is open to all IPS members at a preferential rate, while members of other professional Guilds and associations are
welcome to attend and benefit from generously discounted rates. The price, which covers the cost of accommodation, seminar sessions, all meals (including evening meal with guest speaker), and access
to lecture materials, is £270 for members of the IPS, and £375 for non-members (prices include VAT). Details and booking can be made at the IPS website, or the dedicated booking site: http://ipstw14.
eventbrite.co.uk. Places are strictly limited. For further details, please contact Chris Maclean of the IPS Exec Committee on chris.mac01@gmail.com. I www.ips.org.uk
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studionews UNITED STATES
Beats backs Muscle Shoals Sound Studio ALABAMA’S LEGENDARY Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and Fame Recording Studio will be completely restored and updated to fully-functioning
spaces, thanks to a partnership between Beats Electronics (the Dr Dre headphones company) and the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation.
Beats will also create training programmes for musicians, producers and engineers, with opportunities to work and learn in the same studios where artists
How the building looks now! like Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones once recorded. “Too many of America’s greatest recording studios are falling into commercial disrepair or falling prey to the pressures of real estate development,” said Beats president Luke Wood. “We are extremely happy that we can leverage Beats’ success to
help return Muscle Shoals to a level befitting its rich history and create a programme that will provide the next generation of great producers, engineers and recording artists with access to free studio time and the opportunity to learn the trade from experienced recording professionals.” I www.sustainthesound.com
UNITED KINGDOM BRITISH-BASED E-MU (unrelated to the famous sampler brand) has developed the first fully online music degree in Europe, offering musicians the chance to study for a full Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in music, for as little as £3,500 (€4,200) a year. Run in partnership with Falmouth University, the degree is the latest venture from the
founders of the renowned Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM) Group. As well as paying around a third of the cost of a conventional campus based degree, students will get one-on-one online tuition with tutors including professional musicians, songwriters and managers. I www.emuedu.com
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studioreport
Bart Picard (front) and Matthias Aerts in the Spotlight control room
BELGIUM
Reclame spotlights century milestone for iDeal Acoustics The refurbishment and upgrade of a leading recording studio and control room on the outskirts of Antwerp marks iDeal Acoustics’ 100th project in five years, notes Marc Maes SPOTLIGHT RECLAME started as a studio in 1987. Propelled by the explosive growth of commercial radio stations, owner Bart Picard entered the radio scene in 1979 and started to make commercials in 1985 when these local stations where allowed to put publicity on air. “At the time we had a two-track Tascam tape machine, and quite basic acoustics,” says Picard. “But the studio has grown along with the market, and we continuously invested in new gear.” In 1993 Spotlight Reclame switched to the digital domain, starting with Avid’s Session 8 recording software which evolved into a complete Pro Tools set up. Seven years ago, Spotlight Reclame last upgraded its equipment with a newer PT system and IT configuration. Twelve months ago, Picard decided to overhaul the complete
Main Spotlight Reclame studio, refurbished by Ideal Acoustics studio environment. His first step was to talk to studio consultancy iDeal Acoustics to measure the control room. “We drew up a complete new project, with the results of a new acoustic design,” says Matthias Aerts of iDeal. “The acoustics of a control room are crucial and sometimes a bit underestimated.
We put in place Jocavi acoustic panels – they combine affordable acoustic treatment with an attractive design (one of the panels has the studio logo printed on it). The most important quality of these ATP and Jocavi panels is that the client knows exactly what the result will sound like.”
In the same move, Picard also decided to replace the existing Pro Tools software with a Nuendo 6 package, operating with two RME ADI8QS converters and a Grimm Audio CC-1 Master clock. “The system is very open and requires no additional hardware investments,” he explains. “The Grimm Audio clock is the heart of the configuration , which further includes Equator Q10 & Eve SC204 monitors, and a wide range of processors like Charter Oak SCL-1, and PEQ-1, a double Radial Workhorse with 500 modules, compressors and equalisers including Maag, ShadowHills and Lindell Audio 7X-EQ & PEX Compressor.” In addition to the new configuration, iDeal Audio also designed and provided Spotlight’s new studio furniture. “We made sure that the (custom
built) furniture was completely acoustically transparent, with incorporated Stirling modular racks,” continues Aerts. Picard is confident that the renewed studio-scape will keep Spotlight Studio on the edge; at the time of writing – with some 60% assignments for radio commercial production and the remainder being post-production, IVR telephone messages, corporate marketing and audio instruction guides – the studio’s agenda is booked up solid. For iDeal Acoustics, the complete refurbishment of the Spotlight Reclame studio, marks the company’s hundredth project. Launched little more than five years ago, iDeal Acoustics has been carrying out assignments for clients such as broadcaster VMMa (Q-music & Joe FM radio & production studios), Triggerfinger’s Red Tape studio, Little Major mastering, Wouter Van Belle’s Powertone facility and AT-8 Recording studio. The nice thing about this project is that we could really start from scratch and rethink the whole room, lighting and furniture included – we took care of the complete workflow,” enthuses Aerts. “The future is looking bright, for 2014,” he concludes. “I recently recruited two staffers and will add another next summer.” I www.spotlight.be www.idealaudio.be
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studioreport ITALY
He continues, “I’ve worked for over 20 years on SSL 4000 consoles, which I find the most versatile and powerful for mixing. For the Garage, I chose the 9000J to make the most of the multi-buss mixing technique and because its signal-to-noise ratio and headroom are even better than the 4000, plus its automation is more complete.” In front of the SSL board, the main monitors are Genelec 1034B with 7073A subwoofer, nearfields a pair of KRK V88 biamped speakers and standard Yamaha NS-10Ms with a NAD amplifier. A Tivoli Audio Model One is available for mono checks. In addition to Pro Tools 10 HD, a second DAW system used for masters is based on SoundBlade Sonic Solution software, enabling to print the mix in standard hi-res format (up to 192kHz at 24-bit stereo). As well as having a Exterior of the Garage. Not shown: a garage grand selection of plug-ins, including the Waves artists, has over 50 platinum Mercury Bundle, Brainworx, and many gold records to his Sonnox, Sound Toys and PSP, credit, as well as a Latin Simoncioni has numerous Grammy Awards “Best Album outboard units available to him. of the Year” nomination. “Since the facility was planned On his travels he’s worked first of all as my personal with the likes of producer Tom mixing studio, they’re the ones Lord-Alge and engineer I prefer to use for various Michael Tacci.
Roots, rock and chianti
Award-winning Italian recording engineer/producer opens new studio, reports Mike Clark
AFTER SEVERAL years of working around the world in studios in the US (Hit Factory, Quad), the UK (Metropolis, Abbey Road) and Mexico City (Obra Negra, Montecristo) Italian recording studio engineer, mixer, musician and producer Fabrizio “Simoncia” Simoncioni recently returned to Italy to open his own studio, The Garage. Located in the heart of Tuscany’s Chianti area, as well as state-of-the-art recording facilities (it hosts one of the country’s only two SSL 9000J consoles), amenities include two historical country houses with eight bedrooms, three media rooms, a billiard room and patio, a 25-acre garden and swimming pool. Although he suggests that Italy is off the international recording circuit, he explains: “In seven years working in the
Simoncioni in front of his SSL 9000 J console
US and Mexico, I managed to build up a reputation and a client roster that allowed me to decide where to mix the projects I work on, most of which I do ‘unattended’. This enabled me to come back to Italy, close to my family, while continuing to work for the international market, thanks to my friend and colleague Fabrizio Vanni, who has invested in my idea.” Since his early days as a successful ’80s ‘Italo-disco’ artist/composer, Simoncioni has accumulated over 30 years’ mixing and production experience, specialising in rock and pop and, working with top Italian & Latino American
purposes. If obliged to choose my favourites, I’d say: the Bricasti M7, unbeatable for reverb on vocals; Chandler’s Germanium, for parallel compression on drums and bass: and a processing chain on the master, made up of a pair of Maag Eq4 and a Shadow Hills Dual Vandergraph compressor. I’d also be hard-put to do without the Dolby 361 with CAT22 and AMS DMX-1580s, which I use together to give vocals’ ‘old school’ dimension and brightness.” Tuscany has always been one of Italy’s favourite locations for foreign visitors and artists – Sting has an estate there – and Simoncioni’s idea seems to have been given the international seal of approval: “In the few months since we opened, the only Italian project has been the Déjà Vu album by Negrita (the band has already a platinum and two gold albums on which Simoncioni worked). Other mixing work has included three albums by Mexican artists and a beautiful country pop project by The Iveys from Texas. “The studio has two adjoining recording rooms, so we’re also able to take commercial projects through from start to finish, and have already had requests from artists and producers, precisely for the opportunity of working in such a unique location.” I www.thegaragestudio.it
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studiofeature
Cables with a twist Cables. Made of the finest copper, fire resistant, deliver the highest quality audio, blah blah blah. But, what if your need to tow another driver on the highway? Or the head of state is coming round to jam with your band? Just how practical is your cable then, asks Dave Robinson WE COULD have started 2014 with a round-up of advances in the world of cable technology. We could have... but we didn’t. Instead, we thought we’d ask cable manufacturers some slightly tangential questions about their products, and see what solutions they could come up with in each scenario. Their collected responses, we’re sure you will agree, make one of the most illuminating features about a rather unexciting subject in, arguably, the entire history of PSNEurope. (Well, we would say that.) Judge for yourselves which is the most durable, flexible,
practical and, ultimately, the key to saving Fido. Participating in the drama: Pascal Miguet (PM), SOMMER Cable; Chris D’Aguiar (CD), VDC/Van Damme; Jürg Vogt (JV), VOVOX; David Spanbok (DS), Direct Cable Systems; Bob Vanden Burght (BVB), Link Eurocable; and Matthew Fletcher (MF), HHB/Mogami. Q1: You’re out walking by the cliffs, when your excitable pet border collie stumbles and falls on to a ledge. You’re going to have to make a sling and lower it down to the pooch, over rough rock edges… Which cable are you going to choose for the job?
...Strap this one to your bumper, Mr ‘Hard Luck on the Hard Shoulder’! Pascal Miguet (PM): This question makes me a bit nervous because I’m not exactly known to be a friend of dogs. But… I’d try to empathise with a dog lover and then probably use the SOMMER Cable Tempoflex. This one has an indestructible outer jacket and a bite resistant aramid inlay, if the collie is
anxious after the rough descent – we have already checked out the cable on many dogs! (And all animals rejoiced in the best of health afterwards.) Jürg Vogt (JV): Poor dog! Too bad that we produce sound conductors and not just ordinary cables. Having a heart for the clumsy collie would nevertheless
of polyester fibres combined with high quality polymers (elongation at break >800%) make this cable durable and strong. Chris D’Aguiar (CD): The Van Damme Black Series range of tour-grade audio multicores would be perfect for this. Even though its construction involves an overall braided screen and a special PVC composite for a rugged outer jacket, it still maintains great flexibility, strength and durability.
The 48-pair would make a good chew toy – it would last forever Chris D’Aguiar, VDC
Don’t worry, old canine chum, help is at hand with the SOMMER Cable Tempoflex!
And here’s the collie in question, complete with Eurocable sling!
save him with the VOVOX link direct SD. Although it’s a solid core-based cable (like all VOVOX cables), both the dog and the cable would still be OK after the rescue. A tear-resistant woven cable jacketing made
One of our customers from the Outside Broadcast sector actually took a sample of our audio multicore and rubbed it vigorously against the corner of a brick wall to simulate the stresses it would be put under. Suffice to
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studiofeature
Broken down? Never fear...
DCS Evolution XPC OFC True 110ohm digital multicore: the perfect regal gift? real decision would be the need to consider how well you have fed your dog... David Spanbok (DS): Of course, I would go straight for the Evolution Tactical Cat5e for this emergency. The small size and flexibility would make it easy to weave into a robust sling and with the tear-resistant TPE jacket I would be assured of the mutt’s survival against the jagged rockface! Dog and owner happily reunited. Q2. The king/queen/president is coming to visit. Which cable are you going to give them as a gift? PM: As is the custom with a military ceremony, we
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If royalty comes to call, which cable is going to delivery the finest audio fidelity?
say, the cable withstood the test so we’re confident the pet collie could be hauled up the cliff-face without issue. Further, the Van Damme Black Series Tour Grade multicores are available in 4- to 48-pair configurations. So, while one of the smaller cables would be good for saving a small pooch – say, a Jack Russell – the mid-size would be better for a sling for a collie dog. The 48pair would make a good chew toy – it would last forever. Bob Vanden Burght (BVB): Any of the Eurocable cables would be up to this challenge. While all of the Eurocable models would glide easily over the rocks, the
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studiofeature would present them with the olive-green SOMMER Cable Colonel Incredible. JV: As a Swiss company, we are neither used to kings, queens nor presidents. Nevertheless we have some cables in our range everybody would be delighted to be presented with. The most precious ones would be the VOVOX textura fortis interconnect and speaker cables. The sound quality they offer would please every eminence. And the conductor material used is truly precious. It consists of 99.99998% pure oriented continuous cast copper. CD: Assuming that he or she was a keen guitarist we could present them with The Van Damme Silver Series Session Grade Instrument cable. Within this range of cables capacitance is used to produce different high frequency roll-offs which affects the sound of the source instrument at its destination amplifier. It acts as a filter to the relatively low output level of a guitar pickup. It sounds fantastic too which is why it befits the use by some rock “royalty” such as Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page [See also p53 – Ed]. DS: After careful consideration, I would be happy to present a sample of the New Evolution XPC OFC True 110ohm AES digital multicore. This cable represents the finest blend of traditional qualities with a technically superior true 110ohm impedance, while the
All very well wrapping presents when there’s ribbon a-plenty
SOMMER Cable Elephant Robust: when scrapped, you will often get a higher price for it than for the actual car Pascal Miguet purple inner jacketed pairs would be a perfect colour combination for any regal gift. BVB: Since the Link DGLink can translate among multiple languages (analogue, COMS, MADI, EtherSound, Dante) it truly thinks globally, as all leaders should. DGLink is the snake that communicates to them all. And isn’t that the best gift you can give a king, queen or president? Matthew Fletcher (MF): We would present her highness with the new 3363 Ultimate Guitar Cable. Its braided shield, conductive PVC layer with low capacitance results in the quietest cable and purest tone of any cable available. With a straight or right-angled Neutrik silentPLUG at the guitar end, the 3363 will always remain silent when connecting her royal guitar. Q3. It’s an important celebration, and you’re giving someone special a wonderful present. You’ve got the wrapping paper but – catastrophe! – you’ve run out of ribbon. Which cable are you going to use to secure the parcel? PM: We would recommend our super-flat SC-TRIBUN speaker cable. It’s not
much thicker than a decorative bow and can be lettered subsequently with a felt-tip. JV: Our VOVOX vocalis LS speaker cables are made of textile, flat like a ribbon and available in different colours. They would definitely look pretty on every present. CD: The Van Damme Starquad again, as it comes in a range of 10 colours. DS: I could use many cables from the evolution XPC rage for this scenario, but I guess I would reach for a handful of Standard 1 Pair: the small diameter and flexibility would make it ideal for tying gifts and I would have a palate of five colours to coordinate with my wrapping paper. Perfect! BVB: The Link Eurocable LK 02N6E cable is the logical choice here. Not only is this ultra-flexible microphone cable suitable for transporting audio in live applications, but it is happy to be left in a knot or bow. Available in six beautiful colours, it will surely compliment any wrapping paper. Of course, if you anticipate wrapping a very large gift, Link is happy to provide any custom colour in quantities of a few thousand metres… Q4. You’re on the highway, and you pass another vehicle that has broken down. There’s no one else around. The distressed driver asks if they could get a
tow to the nearest garage... and you’re carrying a suitcase full of cable! But what do you choose? PM: A trick question!? Concerning this matter, here’s an answer from physics: if you fix the cable at the right spot on the car, you may also use products of inferior quality from other suppliers. However, if you do not trust your own physical talents, we recommend the SOMMER Cable Elephant Robust. This one has zero elongation and when scrapped, you will often get a higher price for it than for the actual car, due to its high copper content and the environmentallyfriendly jacket.
BVB: The ONLY cable that will truly fit the bill here is the ‘Bob Goldstein Special’, otherwise known as the Link Eurocable LK48N40AD2. Not only is this speaker cable fitted with 48 x 4.0 mm2 conductors to handle the towing load, but it also has two integral AES pairs to remotely control the brake lights! If you need a quick disconnect once you get to the petrol station, pair it with the LKA 48-6 connector and you’ll be on your way with a quarterturn twist. DS: Obviously, I would go for the Evolution XPC OFC 18 x 4.0mm Speaker multicore. Rugged yet flexible, it has
VOVOX vocalis LS speaker cables, flat like a ribbon: wrap your present in this
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survived the rigours of touring with the country’s largest rock ’n’ roll companies. Towing a family saloon or a 4x4 should be a breeze. Hey, do you know what, PSNEurope? I think I’ll suggest it to the AA! MF: We would strap the Mogami 3177 High Tension Arial Microphone Cable to the bumper with confidence. Designed for suspension microphones, it is reinforced by one stainless steel wire rope. Q5. A rare Stradivarius has been discovered in your shed. The local radio station is going to broadcast the sound of the
Van Damme Starquad: a fine choice for when you find that Stradivarius in the potting shed
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Yes, but what if there is no tow-rope?
instrument to the public. They’ve brought the microphone… but which cable are you going to plug into it? PM: We wouldn’t want to steal the show, so I suggest a virtually invisible cable: the mousy Sommer SC-Goblin mic cable – incredibly thin, with a dual shielding and a neutral transmission! MF: The sound of that Stradivarius would shine through Mogami’s 2534 Reference Microphone Cable. Comprised of a balanced quad structure that reduces electromagnetic induction, the 2534 is a high-quality, lownoise, transparent and accurate studio microphone cable. JV: The first choice would be the VOVOX sonorus direct S, a balanced, unshielded cable. And why not rewire the whole studio with this cable grade and apply for the VOVOX purum award? Many studios have already done it, and they are happy with the result…
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studiofeature Get out. Get the cable out. And stay out.
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I will go with the New Evolution XPC OFC heavy duty Star quad. The increased RFI rejection of this cable will make the Stradivarius sound like it’s being played by Vivaldi himself David Spanbok CD: It would have to be Van Damme Starquad Microphone cable. Ideal for any microphone used in areas that may be subject to EMI and RFI such as broadcasting radio studios. It combines the ultimate in electrical integrity with mechanical strength without compromising flexibility. The precise cable geometry and Starquad construction give it unrivalled sonic fidelity. DS: I would have no issue with the Evolution XPC OFC Professional Microphone cable for this job, but it’s so popular the radio station will no doubt have their own… So I will go with the New Evolution XPC OFC heavy duty Star quad. Like most ‘man-caves’, my shed is full of power tools and lighting, but the increased RFI rejection of this cable will make the Stradivarius sound like it’s being played by Vivaldi himself. Q6. Your warehouse is on fire. Quick, you can grab one cable – one that will help you in as many of the ways above as possible. Which one? MF: We would never leave behind Mogami Multicore cables. They are available in many lengths, in analogue or digital variants; they are also extremely rugged, flexible and made from high-quality components and connectors to ensure loss-free transmission.
BVB: No decision here. Grab as much of the Eurocable LKS SPKAL 12/3 2C6A2 as you can get your hands on. With the integral 12/3 shielded lines core in addition to 2 Cat-6 and two AES pairs, this cable can be used to transport a combination of power, DMX, AES3, AES50, Dante, analogue and comms, to name just a few. VDC: Without doubt, the Van Dame TourLight Quad Fibre Multicore. The combination of the fibre multicore and VDC’s custom manufacturing capability mean that we could continue to service a broad range of different audio, video and control signal applications for the pro-AV Industry – even if the cable warehouse burned down. Once the other cable jacket materials had burned off, we could also sell the raw copper to fund the building of new premises. DS: I guess it would have to be the Evolution XPC 2 x 2.5mm Low Smoke speaker cable. I would wrap it around myself and hope for the best. PM: The flame retardant Logicable Safety… pull out the copper and slam the jacket onto a water supply! I www.directcablesystems.com www.hhb.co.uk www.linkitaly.com www.sommercable.com www.vdctrading.com www.vovox.com
30 l January 2014
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For the latest broadcast news www.psneurope.com/broadcast
broadcast
SOUNDBITES
France Télévisions Publicité, the state-owned radio and television broadcaster, has installed a Renkus-Heinz loudspeaker system in its Paris studio. FTP’s screening and presentation room now boasts two compact Renkus-Heinz TRX61 complex conic systems and a Klark Teknik DN9848 to replace the old loudspeaker processor. Terry Nelson, sound designer of the project, praised the TRX612s suitability for broadcast, saying: “People have commented on their very natural sound, especially with voices.” www.renkus-heinz.com Audio Precision has announced a new Android app for testing smartphone audio quality. The app will allow fast, automated profiling of new phones and tablets for the comparison of different models’ audio performance. Key features include testing Bluetooth signal paths as well as using the device’s record feature, then transferring the resulting file to an APx audio analyser over USB for analysis. www.ap.com Retail chain Halfords has announced it will stop selling analogue-only radios within two years in the UK, in line with a proposed switch-over to digital/DAB. From 2015, the supplier will offer only digital receivers when it comes to upgrades for customer vehicles. CEO Matt Davies said, “Halfords is committed to a digital future.” www.halfords.com Timeline Television is using a Riedel Artist digital matrix intercom system for its new sports entertainment channels BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 2, as well as ESPN. Timeline Television’s new production hub is in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The facility includes three large TV studios, seven sports production galleries, a master control room, 20 edit suites, a dubbing theater, and an audience holding area. www.riedel.net
EUROPE
Euro-Chip for commercial radio broadcasters
Norwegian and Swedish commercial radio stations join the project to expand access to services though hybrid digital technology, writes Kevin Hilton THE FIRST two European commercial stations have joined the EBU’s Euro-Chip project to expand access to radio services though hybrid digital technology. By signing a Memorandum of Understanding, the Modern Times Group (MTG) in Sweden and P4 Radio Hele of Norway will now work alongside 11 public service broadcasters to promote the installation of digital and analogue receivers in radios and mobile devices. The aim is to allow listeners to receive free-to-air services
Frankenhauser, EBU media director
without having to pay for broadband connectivity. The EBU also wants the new EuroChips to be fitted in existing devices with no incremental cost to the consumer. EBU head of radio Christian Vogg says the move sends out the message that terrestrial radio broadcasting will make the transition to digital: “Bringing together different interest groups is an important milestone in the campaign. Norway will be the first country in Europe to switch-off FM [in]
2017 to 2019. Support from commercial broadcasters is recognition that Euro-Chip is about giving radio a future in the digital economy.” The EBU’s media director, Annika Nyberg Frankenhaeuser wrote in this month’s edition of Tech-i (the EBU’s quarterly technology and innovation magazine) that “a chip capable of delivering what is included in the basic message of the EuroChip initiative in smartphones and tablets as soon as possible is our target. This would be a major breakthrough for the future of radio. If radio wants to have a future, this is clearly where radio needs to be”. I www.ebu.ch
UNITED KINGDOM
New delights at WB De Lane Lea By Kevin Hilton A YEAR on from being bought by Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, London post-audio production house De Lane Lea has been substantially refurbished with the installation of Pro Tools HDX systems and the opening of a new ADR suite. Now known as Warner Bros. De Lane Lea, the facility has worked on a number of high profile productions, including 7.1 mixes for Gravity and TV series da Vinci’s Demons. Major investment in the Soho-based operation has seen the addition of 18 Pro Tools HDX and HD native workstations with D-Command control surfaces and a range of plug-ins. Improvements have also been made to the MADI
routing and ADR streaming set-ups. Additional space has been taken on the first floor of Royalty House, next door to WB De Lane Lea’s main premises at 75 Dean Street for the building of the new purpose-built ADR 1 studio and 18 cutting rooms. Another new facility is a 5.1 TV pre-mix suite, built into the old Studio 5. Director of operations and business development Helen Alexander says this, and the ADR operation, is part of the company’s plan to bring in more broadcast work. While most Warner Bros television productions are post-produced at the Burbank facility in California, WB De Lane Lea is being used by UK broadcasters and for co-productions. Recent
De Lane Lea: substantially refurbished a year after the Warner Bros buy-up shows include The Politician’s Husband, Game of Thrones, Veep and da Vinci’s Demons, the second, 10-episode season of which was mixed in 7.1. “About 20 percent of our
output is for TV and tends to be high end,” comments Alexander. "Da Vinci’s Demons was the first to qualify for the UK high end TV tax break.” I www.wbdelanelea.com
January 2014 l 31
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broadcastnews SOUNDBITES
UNITED KINGDOM
Clear-Com kit is top of the shopping list for QVC facility
SCISYS has launched its latest onair application, dira! Onair Player. The Player has been designed as a configurable, all-in-one studio command centre with an interface optimised for quick, intuitive use in the hectic studio environment. Up to four playlists can be active at any one time and up to two fader channels are available per playlist for manual crossfades. www.media.scisys.de
SHOPPING CHANNEL QVC UK has moved into new broadcast facilities in London, featuring HD studios and audio equipment including Calrec consoles, Pyramix digital audio workstations and a Clear-Com digital intercom. QVC’s UK programming is now produced and broadcast from a complex in Chiswick, west London. The building has been fitted with a Clear-Com communications system to allow staff to send and receive critical messages concerning the programmes from any location on the site. The intercom installation is based on the Eclipse-Omega, which connects wireless FreeSpeak units being used on the studio floor and elsewhere to Eclipse V-Series key panels in the galleries of QVC’s two HD studios. The broadcaster had used Freespeak at its previous studio centre and the decision was made for technical staff to continue to use it for mobile comms in the new building.
Jünger Audio has partnered with Audinate to incorporate Dante digital media networking technology into its range of audio processors. The first device to feature Dante technology will be the V*AP two channel voice processor, released early 2014. Peter Pörs, CEO of Jünger Audio commented: “We looked at all the audio over IP network solutions and found that Dante was the ideal choice for Jünger Audio.” www.audinate.com www.junger-audio.com
Clear-Com communications systems are used across the new Chiswick site “The FreeSpeak solution was the main reason we selected Clear-Com again for our new facility,” comments Alex Guiton, broadcast products
engineer at QVC UK. “We had used the system at our former facility and we were very happy with the quality. The floor staff, production assistants, camera
operators and technical staff all use FreeSpeak, with about 30 to 40 belt packs operating at one time.” I www.qvcuk.com
SWITZERLAND
Radio 24 upgrades with Lawo SWISS SYSTEMS integrator, SLG Broadcast (SLG), has provided a complete broadcast center for Radio 24’s new complex in Zurich, including an IP-capable fit-out of two broadcasting studios based on Lawo technology. In a construction period of just two months, the two studios and associated equipment rooms were built, plus 24 editors’ workplaces, some with an audio-over-IP connection. Both studios are identically equipped, using Lawo sapphire mixing consoles. These are each fitted with 12 faders and include a central module that can be
SLG Broadcast had the studios ready to go in just two months
operated by the host. Additionally, each desk is complemented by an additional 4-fader module for the news presenter or co-host, each with its own overbridge and configurable touchscreen. SLG Broadcast’s Marc Straehl commented: “The technical solutions for radio are so advanced that we were able to provide open workspaces, integrate moving pictures and audio, and route the program via mouse-click to different distribution paths.” I www.lawo.com www.radio24.ch www.slgbroadcast.com
HHB Communications’ subsidiary Scrub has supplied over 20 Nugen Audio plug-ins to ITV, including the Vis-LM Loudness Meter plug-in, the Loudness Toolkit plug-in bundle and the Complete Loudness bundle for its audio post production and Avid Media Composer suites in Media City, UK. National Geographic, FX UK channels, audio post specialists Vaudeville and The Farm Group are also among HHB customers recently supplied with Nugen loudness solutions. www.hhb.co.uk www.nugenaudio.com France’s first Studer Vista 5 M3 has been supplied by Harman distributor Audiopole to audiovisual technical services provider, Euro Media. The console is now used to host C à Vous, a live, primetime television programme about cuisine, broadcast by France 5. The console includes TM7 touch screen loudness metering, and is used in conjunction with Studer’s VistaMix. www.studer.ch BVE2014 is open for visitor registration. The event takes place from 25-27 February 2014 at ExCeL London. Confirmed speakers to date include staff from BBC Scotland, Hat Trick, BAFTA and Film London. James Rowley-Ashwood, event director, said: “This year’s event is truly a must-attend for anyone with an interest in creating and delivering compelling content.” www.bvexpo.com
32 l January 2014
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UNITED KINGDOM
The secrets behind the music and audio FX for one of the greatest TV events of 2013 By Kevin Hilton DOCTOR WHO, the longest running science fiction programme in the world, hit the big 50 in November of last year, and there was a hardcore hoping the sound design would do justice to the show’s history of innovative audio. This creative process was seen fleetingly in the BBC drama about the early days of the show, An Adventure in Space and Time. Delia Derbyshire (played extravagantly by Sarah Winter) was shown trailing lengths of tape round the Maida Vale studios and demonstrating how the TARDIS sound was made, although it was her unmentioned colleague Brian Hodgson who created it by scraping a house key along piano strings, slowing down the result and then processing it. From its revival in 2005, the number of tracks used for action sequences and atmospheres has grown considerably. “Audience expectation has got higher through the sound in movies like Transformers so we keep trying to innovate and add to the excitement of the script,” dubbing mixer Tim Ricketts comments. Ricketts says the growing use of CGI in Doctor Who to have computer graphics and holograms in the background of scenes calls for atmos effects underneath the main dialogue and has added to the amount of track-laying required. “The sound has really moved on
Photo: BBC Pictures
Adventures in space, time and sound since 2005,” he explains. “Then we were archiving 8- 10TGb Pro Tools sessions but for the anniversary programme it was 66.6Gb, which was scary,” he says. Doctor Who is produced in Wales and Ricketts and his audio colleagues – including sound effects editor Paul Jefferies and Foley editor Jamie Talbutt – work in facilities at Broadcasting House in Even hiding out in the furthest reaches of the universe or history Cardiff. Ricketts mixes on a wasn’t enough to avoid the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who 24-fader AMS Neve DFC desk, which is connected to Pro Tools over MADI. right, and because he was aware “We try to use as much of the Surround sound has also it would be heard in 1,500 original track as possible, partly influenced how the audio is cinemas worldwide, Ricketts because it’s not easy to match prepared and mixed. Ricketts took it to Dolby’s headquarters a performance in ADR, says that eight years ago only in Wootton Bassett and played particularly when actors have the final mix for DVD release it in the preview theatre there. been playing off each other.” was in 5.1. “These days there are The show was also prepared in ADR editor Matthew Cox foreign sales with 5.1 effects and accordance with the EBU R128 works alongside Clement and M&E as well as stereo WAV,” he loudness standard, using Nugen logs and then records whatever observes. “So now we set up for monitoring software. needs to be re-recorded. He 5.1, which has added a few more Ricketts says working with 3D also works on some of the Gigs on the disks we use.” was more complicated in terms creature effects. In Day of the The Day of the Doctor was of laybacks; the Pro Tools system Doctor he used mashed up kiwi shot in 3D and broadcast was linked to an Avid ISIS fruit and bananas to provide simultaneously both on TV and storage system, which in turn the gloopy, somewhat sickening in cinemas round the world on gave access to the stereoscopic shapeshifting sound of the 23 November last year. Standard video footage. He comments that Zygons. The voices of these episodes of Doctor Who are this allowed him to think about creatures were performed by mixed in five days. Ricketts had what sound sequences to Nicholas Briggs, who is also, two weeks for the longer concentrate on to add to the with his trusty ring modulator, anniversary show but says there “3D-ness” of the visuals. the voice of the Daleks. was the pressure of to finish by The episode featured several Briggs appeared briefly in 12 October so all the deliverables sequences shot on location, An Adventure in Space and Time could be made ready for with audio recorded by as Peter Hawkins, the voice artist international distribution. Deian Humphreys. Dialogue who first uttered the Daleks’ BBC Wales has a Dolby editor Darran Clement praises battle cry of “Exterminate!”. accredited dubbing theatre to Humphreys for the overall That particular drama was the ensure the finished mix sounded quality of his recordings: first project to be mixed in
Matt Smith in his final performance as the Eleventh Doctor. He faced the Daleks for the last time on Christmas Day
Molinare’s newly refurbished 7.1 dubbing theatre. Tracks were laid up on a Pro Tools 10 HDX2 system and mixed by Nigel Squibbs on an Euphonix S5 Fusion. Squibbs acknowledges that this “may sound like overkill for such a project” but as it was produced in 5.1, the equipment “allowed for spectacular dynamic variations”. Sound designer Tony Gibson says that Delia Derbyshire “was always in my mind when I was designing the sounds” for Adventure, adding that what she created at the time with the equipment at her disposal was “incredible”. Gibson applied various modern plug-ins and applications to emulate some of that equipment, as well as having access to the Radiophonic Workshop sound effects. “I was able to recreate and sample those to be used in the show to make it as authentic as possible but keeping the modern quality of them,” Gibson says. He adds that dialogue editor Roger Dobson worked with crowd artists to shoot “a lot of ADR” that went behind the studio and set sequences to give them “an authentic feel”. With the knowledge and notorious nitpicking talents of the devoted Doctor Who fans, that was probably a wise move. I www.bbc.co.uk
Photo: BBC/Adrian Rogers
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broadcastfeature
“There is a fixed format for sending audio, which can be stereo on tracks one and two, Dolby E on three and four and different languages in stereo on five and six ” Raphael Samad
UNITED KINGDOM
QC: Quite Clever
(and quite interesting)
Technical standards have been the bedrock of good broadcasting since their origins. But major changes are underway to formulate common tests and move the majority of checks to the beginning of the production chain. Kevin Hilton looks at what this means for broadcasters and T&M equipment manufacturers alike IN AN increasingly global broadcasting market, where live events are transmitted round the world and programmes sold to many different countries, consistency in quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA), to show that material conforms to recognised standards, is more important than ever. In recent years manufacturers have been developing test and measurement (T&M) equipment – the basis for QC/QA systems – with new and expanded features to measure, adjust and even correct audio parameters so programmes do not fail acceptance tests. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is hoping to build on T&M technology already on the market and harmonise terminology and testing through its ongoing Strategic Programme
John Pallett of Telestream on QC; during IBC 2013 it published the first version of its QC Criteria (EBU Tech 3363), accompanied by a ‘periodic table’ representation of different tests. The EBU QC criteria cover audio, video, format/bit stream and metadata/other.
The EBU Strategic Group for QC is chaired by Andy Quested, head of technology for BBC HD and Ultra HDTV. “The project began nearly two years ago as a small group but it grew as more people became interested and got involved by email,” explains Quested, speaking in his EBU capacity rather than on behalf of the BBC, although he is leading the broadcaster’s QC project. The result of this input, he says, resulted in a “massive list” of more than 500 tests, which the Strategic Group has spent six months whittling down to something more manageable. “Some of them were requirements rather than tests,” he comments, “and other tests turned out to be the same as each other but under different names. What we’re working on now is about 160 tests for base band audio and video and
files containing both sound and vision.” What will come out of all this for broadcasters, Quested explains, is a first in that everybody will agree on the definition of what is being tested. “For QC vendors it means being able to produce equipment with specific EBU tests, so a programme could be checked on different systems and produce similar results,” he says. John Pallett, director of product marketing for enterprise products at Telestream, observes that the EBU strategic group has put a lot of effort into determining good and bad programme quality. “It puts structure round software and hardware,” he says. Pallett adds that while “signal-based measurement” is still important, especially for live feeds, file-based QC is spreading into different
areas and replacing commercial management system products. Pallett says Telestream’s Vantage range of transcoding and workflow processing tools, and other file-based systems, is being used in three ways: to do what had been done before by linear test equipment; to perform QC “in between the file-based steps”, as material is converted into different formats using MXF (Material eXchange Format) or other technologies; and to assess files and make decisions as to how they should be dealt with. Most of the assessment and judgement processes that need to be made, Pallett says, are to do with audio: “File-based QC systems with built-in intelligence are able to open a file and check it complies with set standards but also recognise the structure and instigate changes if necessary. This includes up-mixing a stereo file or downmixing something that is 5.1, as well as detecting different language tracks and unwrapping Dolby E encoded material.” Tom Williams, vice president of sales and marketing for Audio Precision, says the company’s range of analysers is used to calibrate and test the QC systems that in turn check programme material. “Broadcasters need to know that their metering equipment and various players are working correctly,” he explains. “The big change has been how devices are able to handle digital formats. Our encoded audio tester is designed to look at the actual file but is format agnostic, because there are so many encoded files out there.” Amberfin produces ingest, transcoding and play-back/ monitoring software systems that incorporate checking features. Chief technical officer Bruce Devlin comments that there is more need for T&M and QC because of the need to improve “throughput” on the production chain and the fact that material is now “hidden on huge servers”. He also points out that while the terms T&M, QC and QA are often used interchangeable, they are distinct procedures: “It is important to note that T&M generates the data that a QC process uses to make decision that change the QA practises of a facility. T&M is done by software to create data that a combination of software and humans use to
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Recently published QC ‘periodic table from the EBU in-house magazine
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36 l January 2014
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make good QC decisions that are then used to change the operational practise of software transcoders, hardware encoders and human editors. QA ensures an organisation can continually improve the quality of its output.” Robert Millis, senior product manager for monitoring solutions at Harris Broadcast, calls it “one of the most significant drivers” in the move to file-based QC testing has been loudness. “With the file you are able to get the most accurate loudness measurement by looking at the entire programme from beginning to end,” he comments. “If correction is needed then the highest quality tools can be applied to adjust the loudness levels while maintaining dynamic range.” John Terrey, vice president of sales with Wohler Technologies, says most of its users are doing some form of loudness measurement and correction. Wohler covers both hardware and software, with the AMP2 and LCM-KRT-OG1 units, for analysis and correction respectively, in the base band domain. WohlerLoudness, based on the RadiantGrid platform with Linear Acoustics’ AERO technology. Terrey observes that the advantage of WohlerLoudness as a file-based system is that material does not have to go back into base band to be analysed.
HHB offers a range of loudness systems, including TC Electronic hardware and Nugen software. Sales director Martin O’Donnell says there is an “acceleration” in both filebased and real-time loudness QC, with requirements for upmixing as well. “We’re seeing more 3G/SDI embedding of audio and a proliferation of products across the hardware, software, real-time and file-based areas,” he says, adding that the new DPP [Digital Production Partnership] specifications are making broadcasters and facilities consider their approach to T&M and QC. O’Donnell says people are looking at the TC Touch Monitor range for real-time environments; these units have a large display for loudness and true peak, suitable for monitoring during a mix. The Nugen range has real-time/true peak capability in the VisLM, which also offers logging, while the LMB (loudness management batch) processor is aimed at fast handling of multiple WAV files. At Jünger Audio, international sales manager Anthony Wilkins says there are now questions to be addressed about interoperability between different formats over networks and the ability to check this. “When you’re networking audio you want the different formats involved to talk to each,” he says. “We’re going to see more of this as IP distribution
EBU QC CRITERIA
Andy Quested
THE EBU QC tests laid out in Tech 3363 come under one of four main headings: regulatory, absolute, objective and subjective. Loudness is now a priority in both the creation and distribution of programmes. As the forms of loudness regulation vary from country to country, it comes into the absolute category and complies with the appropriate national or regional standard: EBU R128, ITU 1770, ATSC A/85. “If the target is -23 for R128 and something measures -27, then clearly it’s outside the spec and the metadata is incorrect,” comments Andy Quested, chair of the EBU Strategic Group on QC. He says the tests range from the relatively simple to the more complicated. “Some can
be done by ear and eye but in many cases it’s the interpretation that is the difficult thing,” Quested explains. “It’s about context as much as technical standards. If someone is interviewing a fish underwater then the background noise is fine because it is a creative choice. If it’s a serious journalist talking to the Prime Minister then it’s probably not OK.” Archive footage is judged in
Amberfin ingest, transcoding and playback/monitoring software systems incorporate checking features too
Bruce Devlin of Amberfin increases in broadcasting but the important thing is to make the monitoring and everything else easier, not more complicated.” Jünger Audio produces the M*AP monitoring audio processor, which Wilkins describes as a standalone T&M/QC tool set. This offers
a similar way. Quested reveals that in preparing material for a production about the 1969 moon landing, one person asked for it to be reshot on the grounds of quality. He adds that there are plans to remove all objective tests from the list and move them into either the absolute or subjective groupings. Audio test parameters in addition to loudness include: audio bit depth, channel count, digital clipping, coding syntax, service correlation, dropouts, duration, peaks, phase reversal, sample rate, and audio test tones. Tests also exist in one or more layers: wrapper, bit-stream, base band and crosscheck. The EBU Strategic Group on QC is currently working on the batches of tests and hopes to publish a finished list in April or May.
monitoring control and SDI support as well as loudness measurement; Wilkins points out that an important feature is comprehensive Dolby metadata emulation to handle 5.1 and other surround formats. At Dolby itself Mark Pascoe, senior technical marketing manager, comments that “the requirements for audio monitoring should not have changed significantly due to the growth of file-based operations and embedded audio”. He adds: “It will always be better to listen to audio rather than not, but regrettably, with the number of services now delivered over multiple platforms to multiple devices, and the space and resource generally available to carry out that process, it is simply not possible to monitor everything at the time of delivery. This, of course, will inevitably increase our reliance on T&M equipment and QC processes; the former to make sure that the systems through which content flows are consistent and of a consistently high quality and the latter to ensure that content delivered through those systems both fits and fills those pipes.” Mike Kahsnitz, head of product management at RTW, sees QC/T&M as a “growing issue”, with broadcasters looking to provide better quality audio in different formats over a variety of distribution channels. “To succeed I can see human operated QA and a well-aligned system in the distribution and conversion. Fully ‘automated’ operation according to the principle of ‘let the transmission limiter take care of that’ should not be the desired workflow. That would work technically but certainly not match the requirement of improved
sound quality. And don’t forget to be prepared to check for the right metadata transmitted along with the audio.” In the new vision for QC the metadata will itself be checked and scrutinised, most likely at the end of the chain to ensure that the tests carried out earlier on are correct and that the file is in the right format. Even with all the checks and balances, adjustments might still have to be made at a later stage, something that Emotion Systems is now addressing. The UK developer specialises in software for file-based broadcasting; its first product was the eFF (Emotion File Finish) program for measuring, reporting on and correcting loudness in media files. Emotion Systems has now moved into other areas of QC with eRAP; as the name implies it is designed to open (‘unwrap’) files, carry out any changes and then re-wrap them. Business development director Raphael Samad comments that a big issue for broadcasters and play-out facilities is ensuring that the layout of audio in media files is constant. “There is a fixed format for sending audio, which can be stereo on tracks one and two, Dolby E on three and four and different languages in stereo on five and six,” Samad explains. “Facilities receive material from different contributors and the configuration can vary, so there is the need to shuffle and/or copy the tracks to achieve the right layout for play-out.” As well as creating a common set of definitions for QC, the EBU Strategic Programme is keen that products from all manufacturers in the market comply with the criteria and so are available to all facilities
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broadcastfeature DPP SPECIFICATIONS FOR AUTOMATED QC
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RTW LQL (Loudness Quality Logger) software and broadcasters. Post production consultant Neil Hatton says this will prevent a monopoly situation, where some brands are, as has happened in the past, forced on suppliers as a condition of working for broadcasters. Quested acknowledges there has been a monopoly, particularly in terms of PSE (photosensitive epilepsy) testing. “We don’t want there to be that
again,” he concludes. “We need diversity in the market, otherwise there won’t be innovation.” I www.amberfin.com www.ap.com www.digitalproductionpartnership. co.uk tech.ebu.ch/qc www.emotion-systems.com www.hhb.co.uk www.junger-audio.com www.telestream.net www.wohler.com
IN THE UK the Digital implementation at Production Partnership present, in conjunction (DPP) has decided that with the EBU, and expect manual QC is “no to start the process in Q1 longer the most efficient of next year when the and cost effective EBU publishes its first method to support fileround of QC work. The broadcasters will then based workflows” and is carry out a spot check of looking towards facilities using the programme file and automated checking review of the QC report.” tools. Because of this it Post production plans to create a consultant Neil Hatton, minimum series of tests the technical liaison and tolerances levels between trade from the EBU’s association UK Screen completed criteria. and the DPP, says These will allow procedures are moving Kevin Burrows: working on QC implementation for DPP suppliers to deliver a towards fully checked fully compliant DPP AS-11 file Channel Five, Sky, UKTV, BT material being delivered with a to broadcasters. Sport and S4C, as well as QC certificate, most probably in The DPP was established in independent production XML form. “Most post houses 2011 by the BBC, ITV and companies. have some form of QC regime Channel 4 (C4) as a forum on Kevin Burrows, technical from the point of view of maintaining their reputations,” best practice for digital standards chair of the DPP and he says, “but in the future there production and data-based controller of technical broadcast distribution of material. The will have to be a formal way of and distribution at C4, initiative is supported by other doing it and reporting to comments, “We are very much UK broadcasters, including the broadcaster.” working on the QC
For Jessie J’s Alive tour, the engineers chose Sennheiser radio microphones and personal monitor systems. An SKM 5200 MK II transmitter with customised MD 5235 dynamic capsule, plus 2000 Series personal monitors, are the perfect combination. www.sennheiser.co.uk sennheiseruk @Sennheiser_UK Photograph by Rachael-Emily.com
January 2014 l 41
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UNITED KINGDOM
live
For the latest live news www.psneurope.com/live
All abuzz about the MLA Mini
Hive Partnership’s rental arm becomes first outfit to buy into Martin Audio’s cutdown Multicellular Loudspeaker Array – and it was soon put to work, discovers Erica Basnicki THE HIVE Partnership and its AV rental division, London Speaker Hire (LSH), have become the first investors in Martin Audio’s new MLA Mini ultra compact multi-cellular loudspeaker array. Having purchased four MLA Mini enclosures (plus MSX mini sub power plant) to cover each side of the stage, LSH debuted the system at Le Book, a two-day creative trade show at London’s County Hall in November. Director Grant Turner said the acid test was when the sound engineer from Arthur Beatrice – Universal Music’s up-andcoming indie band – who had previously been specifying other front line systems on the rider, immediately requested a quote for MLA Mini.
The MLA Mini made its debut in the Rotunda at London’s County Hall
Two days later Athlete bassist, Carey Willetts presented his solo Boxes project and management were quick to compliment the sound system, while The Video Geeks, who were supporting the gig, were so impressed with MLA Mini that they immediately asked to hire the system. “They loved the MLA Mini paired with the large modular video panel screen we supplied, and commented in particular on the amount of low end,” said Turner. Hive Partnership says it will be deploying the MLA Mini at “a number of high profile events and festivals” that the company will be covering next year – notably one of the stages at Glastonbury. I www.martin-audio.com
SOUNDBITES FaitalPRO, the Milan-based loudspeaker component manufacturer, launched the Chinese version of its website early last month. This is the latest in a bid to expand into the Asian market. Gianluca Turra, responsible for the company’s presence in Asia, says the site will reach “a huge potential market of Chinese speaking internet users”. This development comes after a loudspeaker boutique was set up in the Panyu district last year, exclusively selling FaitalPRO products. www.faitalpro.com Solid State Logic has appointed Audio Electronics Mattjsen(AEM) as the SSL Live console distributor in the Netherlands. AEM has praised the console for the implementation of the SSL SuperAnalogue frontend, 64-bit FP DSP processing and high channel/bus counts at 96kHz throughout. Tim Harrison, area sales manager at SSL, said: “SSL needs experienced and reputable partners in the rental and install markets. We could not wish for a better partner in the Netherlands.” www.solidstatelogic.com
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livenews SOUNDBITES A CEDAR DNS 8 Live multichannel live noise suppressor was used by event service provider Neumann & Muller at the German Social Democratic Party conference, held in Leipzig Messe between the 14-16 November. In a postconference report, the acoustics in the space were described as ‘excellent’ due to the presence of the DNS 8 Live and despite high noise levels generated by some 2,000 attendees. www.cedaraudio.com Martin Audio’s new ultra-compact and scalable MLA Mini was deployed by Capital Sound at Virgin Record’s recent 40th anniversary event at London’s Studio B1. The brand new system stood up to the challenges presented by the difficult acoustics of the chosen venue, says audio project manager Paul Timmins from Capital, who also commented: “You can do everything in a smaller room with this system as you can in the larger spaces.” www.martin-audio.com
GERMANY
United-B is born in Germany By Erica Basnicki
FORMER ATLANTIC Audio MD Wolfgang Garçon is heading United-B, a new distribution company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. At launch, United-B had already confirmed proaudio giants Martin Audio and DiGiCo would be part of the company’s product portfolio. Shortly after, MC2 and XTA announced that they had changed their distribution partner to United-B. “As we gain momentum, we will take on other well-known names, all of which will be companies that we have known and trusted for many years,” said Garçon. “This gives us the confidence to know that we are providing exactly what our customers need and that
NETHERLANDS
Bazelmans expand to 100 Meyer Loudspeakers
Outline has announced the appointment of Display Sound & Light Systems as its official distributor in Turkey. The company, based in Istanbul, has been established for 20 years and boasts a vast portfolio of work. Outline sales director Chris Hynes commented: “The combination of their credibility and our products should be a winner – we’re delighted to welcome them to the Outline family.” www.outline.it Harman has won a technical Grammy Award for Lexicon Audio. The trophy is presented for contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording field. This is the third time Harman has received the honour: Dinesh C Paliwal, Harman CEO, added: “We are proud to be the only audio systems company to have received this prestigious validation multiple times from the Recording Academy.” In other Harman news, the company has just introduced HiQnet Audio Architect version 1.2 pro audio control software, which now offers support of third-party controllers, among other features. www.harman.com
we can give them, and our brands, the service they truly deserve.” United-B – which stands for United Brands for Event Technology – officially launched on 1 November; a year after Garçon left Atlantic Audio. “I realised that this is what I was best placed to do, and shared my thoughts and discussed options with key manufacturers; they concluded that the advantages of conducting commerce via a distributor outweighed those of direct sales,” said Garçon. “We have no intention of building up a large brand portfolio but rather concentrate on a few remarkable brands, for whom we can provide dynamic, fully managed representation.” I www.united-b.com
Germany’s newest distributor is headed by former Atlantic Audio MD Wolfgang Garçon
By Hannah Ewens
UNITED KINGDOM LIVERPOOL BASED rental house Adlib teamed up with electro phenomenon Disclosure (brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence), providing a control package and sound system for their sold-out Brixton Academy performances. Disclosure’s production team approached Adlib after crossing paths at festivals over the summer. The duo’s monitor engineer Barrie Pitt said, “It was a no-brainer! I already knew many Adlib engineers and crew, they obviously have top-notch kit.” For
Brixton, a complete L-Acoustics V-DOSC system was installed, specified by Adlib’s Dave Jones and based on his extensive knowledge of doing dance music shows there. The control package comprised two Midas PRO 2 consoles complete with a Midas 251 stage box and an Adlib 48-channel splitter, plus a combination of L-Acoustics ARCs and SB28 side fills – all spec’d by Pitt and FOH engineer Rob Webster-Reed. I www.adlib.co.uk
AFTER PURCHASING 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements and JM-1P arrayable loudspeakers, Veldhoven-based rental company Bazelmans AVR has now more than than 100 Meyer Sound loudspeakers in its inventory. “We heard through the grapevine that the 1100-LFCs were amazing, but when we fired up the units for testing we were dumbstruck,” says Aart Habraken, rental manager for
Bazelmans AVR. “The 1100-LFC maintains linearity regardless of power levels and SPL output.” “With the electronic dance music market now showing keen interest in Meyer Sound, the 1100-LFC couldn’t have come at a better moment.” The company has provided PA equipment for events such as dance festival Kioskpop, and a live concert for the disabled, Concertifetti, which drew a 3,500-strong crowd this year. I www.bazelmans.com www.meyersound.com
Plenty of cabs to choose from here... over 100 in fact
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livenews UNITED KINGDOM
Pro Audio Systems deployed its flagship Meyer Sound MILO system for the switch-on of Bradford’s Christmas lights
Branching out with Blynk By Erica Basnicki BRADFORD, UK-BASED Pro Audio Systems has formed a new commercial division and launched a ‘brand makeover’ for its existing businesses. Blynk Digital Media now takes its place alongside a re-vamped Pro Audio Systems in the group’s portfolio of operating divisions. Managing director Brian Lumb commented: “Blynk Digital Media gives us the ideal vehicle to take the expertise and products we’ve assembled in creating
really sophisticated integrated systems to a whole new range of clients. The whole vibe is completely different, as these mostly corporate clients are looking for complete multimedia solutions rather than specific equipment. It’s been a steep learning curve for us but really exciting and a golden opportunity to develop our business against an economic background that isn’t obviously ideal for growth. Best of all, Pro Audio Systems continues to go from strength to strength alongside the new division – it’s all good!’ I www.blynkgroup.com
AUSTRIA
NEXO SPEAKERS provided the sound for this year’s Top of the Mountain Opening Concert to mark the start of the ski season in Ischgl, in the south Tyrol. The concert drew a crowd of 18,000 to the outdoor arena to see Canadian rock group Nickelback take to the stage. On the riser were regular Nickelback front-of-house engineer Orris Henry III and system tech David Quigley, currently on a Greatest Hits world tour with the band. The front-of-
house PA was a Nexo STM modular line array system, provided by Fantasy Event Engineering of Austria. Additions to the main STM hang included GEO-T delay towers at 60m and S118 sub-bass cabinets groundstacked across the front of the stage. “In minus 10 temperatures, it was certainly too cold for me, but the STM modular array worked perfectly,” said Ginny Goudy, Nexo’s marketing director.I www.nexosound.cz
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livenews SPAIN
Focusrite ENTER.s the club By Erica Basnicki RICHIE HAWTIN’S ENTER. party, which took place at Space nightclub in Ibiza this summer, relied on Focusrite’s RedNet 4 audio interfaces to give club-goers a unique, fully immersive experience. Focusrite’s RedNet 4 audio interfaces were located in the DJ booths of each of Space’s five rooms, connected
by single Cat-6 cables to a central network switch in the club’s machine room. The network piped 96kHz digital audio via Audinates Dante platform around the complex, managed by ENTER.’s chief audio engineer Johannes Kraemer from his MacBook Pro rig. From there, Kraemer recorded four channels of audio from each room – for a total of 20 channels – on to three recording
systems simultaneously. A JoeCo BlackBox Recorder fitted with a Dante interface card was the primary recorder, with Logic Pro and Cubase running on two separate computers as backups. All the audio feeds were monitored using a Yamaha 01V96i digital mixer. “The RedNet 4 preamps are very clear and open – they make you feel like you’re in the club with the DJ,” said Kraemer.
Richie Hawtin, known for pushing audio’s technical boundaries, brought RedNet to Ibiza “The sound quality of the whole system is very precise, and of course the signal doesn’t
degrade over distance because it’s digital.” I www.focusrite.com
GERMANY
Sound in motion with Panix and TiMax Panix and TiMax at the Fraunhofer Institute’s 2013 annual conference By Erica Basnicki PANIX, A new event sound design team in Germany that places emphasis on audio showcontrol, imaging and spatialisation, has purchased a TiMax SoundHub-48S/MADI playback server and audio showcontrol matrix. Founded in late Spring 2013, partners Jorg Rapp and Stephan Diebel have already completed projects for VW at the Frankfurt 2013 IAA motor show plus branding and conference events for Adidas and the Fraunhofer Institute. The Adidas Global Brand 2013 Conference featured as its centerpiece a 21m 3D projection screen. TiMax SoundHub was used to programme and replay sound effects, using a combination of manual triggers and timecode to sync audio events to video content. Simultaneously TiMax provided EQ, level and routing
for loudspeaker system management, as well as reinforcement of all mics to localise the presenters to their actual positions on stage. Objectives were similar at the 2013 annual conference of the Fraunhofer Institute at the HCC Kuppelsaal in Hannover. TiMax SoundHub provided system management for approximately three-quarters of the sound systems; dynamic panning of audio content to match the movements of elements in the video content; vocal localisation to four separate locations in the room for different presenter and performer mics. “For us on-site, the wellstructured TiMax SoundHub software allows fast programming which is especially important for industrial events where we have very short periods of production,” said Diebel. “The sound quality and overall functionality have convinced us this was a good investment.” I www.outboard.co.uk
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livenews
Engineer Fernando Diaz was determined to use a full-scale D.A.S Audio rig – and he did
SPAIN
Sanz makes plans with D.A.S. Aero Leading Latin singer’s engineer is thrilled to be taking Spanish rig on tour WITH A total of three Grammy Awards and 16 Latin Grammys, Spaniard Alejandro Sanz is an artist of international renown. A singer, songwriter and the composer of all his songs, he has recorded 15 albums and chalked up more than 22 million sales. All of his works have gone platinum in Spain, Latin America and the United States. Providing sound reinforcement for such a prestigious artist is a major responsibility. With over 20 years of experience and 150 employees, Madrid-based hire giant Fluge was appointed to provide the systems powering Sanz´s latest tour. (PSNEurope readers may remember last month’s story regarding Pablo Alborán – Fluge, part of the bigger Industrias Orquestales Group, also carries Adamson gear.) The standard system configuration for this tour includes 24 Aero 50 boxes per side FOH, eight Aero 40As per side for outfills, Convert 15As as frontfills, Aero 12As in the centre, one Convert 15A on a LX218CA powered subwoofer on each side of the stage for sidefill and stage monitors. At the console is sound engineer Fernando Díaz, who has
The 45-year-old Alejandro Sanz takes to the stage for his many adoring fans been with Alejandro Sanz since the 2001 El alma al aire world tour. Díaz, who started his career in 1975, has worked with most of Spain´s top artists as well as international stars such as Chuck Berry, B.B. King, George Michael, Duran Duran and Sting. Díaz has much to report about his experience with D.A.S.: “We had been thinking about trying out the new D.A.S. systems for a while, particularly the Aero 40As and Aero 50s,” he says. “We came across D.A.S. equipment in a lot of Latin American countries on the last few international tours, units that were deployed to handle delay and fills, but we still needed to work with a complete top-tobottom system from the brand.”
Díaz was keen to see a Spanish company holding its own against the more familiar big-box brands. “‘Foreign systems seemed to be the only ones of quality available,” he notes. A trip to New Orleans for a performance by Sanz at the famous Jazz Festival sealed it for Díaz, for it was there he discovered several sound stages were using systems built on D.A.S. Aero 50 cabinets. “The surprising efficiency and quality that we experienced there made us realise the spectacular technological progress D.A.S Audio had made.” Engaging Fluge to manage the sound for Sanz’s latest La Musica No Se Toca tour, Díaz embarked on putting a suitable
high-calibre system together for the Spanish gigs. “There were two major challenges to overcome: first, to match or exceed the system we had been using until then in terms of quality, power, dispersion and effectiveness, and secondly, to ensure that this ‘Made in Spain’ system would work flawlessly and meet the highest artistic and technical requirements for Alejandro.” The results were extremely positive, he says: “The D.A.S. systems stood up to the most prestigious audio systems on the international market today, hitting both measured and purely audible values that took us all by surprise. “The Aero 50s remind me of those much-missed compact
systems,” he waxes, “where the punch, warmth and colour of certain percussion instruments were ‘rich’ with a deep bass, ‘robust’ and powerfully felt, but at the same time the relationship between the coherence and flow of the mid and high frequencies are one-of-kind: we haven’t come across many systems that require so few significant changes to the equalisation.” Setting up in a number of football stadiums on the tour, Díaz reports that the audio at 80-90m out was “stellar”. The kit never exceeded 70-80% of its full capacity since the average sound pressure from the system was well in excess of the requirements of each venue, he adds. “I want to personally thank Alejandro Sanz and the3 RLM production team for their willingness to give these systems a shot,” says Díaz in closing. “I also want to thank Fluge and D.A.S. Audio, especially systems engineer Joel Damiano from D.A.S., for the opportunity that this spectacular experience afforded. I also want to reiterate my unconditional support for projects in which Spanish sound reinforcement technology is represented by an entrepreneurial, effective and cooperative group of people that strives to produce quality.” I www.fluge.es www.dasaudio.com
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livereport SOUNDBITES Allen & Heath iLive digital mixing systems were chosen for the grand opening of the 2013 Vienna Music and Arts festival. A number of different size consoles were employed for the various acts, including a modular iDR10 MixRack with iLive-144 surface for the final of the Eurovision Young Musician’s Contest. The annual event, held in Rathaus Square, has used iLives to manage the audio for the past four years. www.allen-heath.com German cabaret act The Popolski Family are impressed with their new DPA microphones. So impressed, they made a video singing the praises of DPA’s German distributor, Mega Audio. The musical comedy act currently use three DPA d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones to capture their accordion and brass sections. Sound engineer and CEO, Hans Wollrath, praises the “virtually unbreakable” microphones, hailing them perfect for touring and TV appearances. Watch the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H XSULqLUcc www.mega-audio.com Jessie J and her crew have been using Sennheiser mics for both lead and backing vocals on her recent Alive tour. The star uses a combination of Sennheiser 5200 transmitters with MD 5235 capsules; eight in total, two of which are gold-plated for her use alone. “We use this mic combination because the 5235 is, quite simply, the best sounding capsule and the receivers are great,” says Andy ‘Baggy’ Robinson, monitor engineer. “Jessie was already using this mic when I joined the tour, but we then upgraded the backing vocals, and it makes a perceptible difference.” www.sennheiser.co.uk Mixing engineer, Gerard Albo, whose credits extend from Amy Winehouse to the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, chose the new Avid S3L for the current Madeleine Peyroux UK tour. Peyroux’s voice has carried her from busking on the streets of Paris to mainstream recognition. The tour venues included a sellout concert at the Royal Festival Hall for the last night of the London Jazz Festival. www.hdproaudio.co.uk www.avid.com www.gerardalbo.com
UNITED KINGDOM
Tinsel Concerto
Phil Ward uncovers a lavish Christmas Spectacular with all the RF trimmings TUCKED AWAY in deepest Norfolk, the collection of mechanical organs and steam engines in converted farm buildings at Thursford is a mini institution. It’s a grand day out in summer, but in winter the whole space is devoted to a seven-week run of the Christmas Spectacular, during which a sprinkle of the West End descends upon the venue to play to packed and loyal audiences who regard it as something of a treasured secret. The colours are bright and pastel, like a cross between an ’80s pop video and a seaside postcard. The programme is a safe blend of popular classics, Christmas hits, chorus girls and fridge-magnet philosophy, and the audio is superb: easily matching any revue in the West End or on Broadway. Sound designer and FOH engineer Steve Brodie is responsible, now 21 years into his role here as sonic curator which he combines with the versatile services of Brodie AMS, a provider of audio for broadcast, multimedia and events. “John Cushing, the producer, has been fantastically supportive of the ongoing development of
The Shure wireless collection
Bring on the dancing girls! the production, including the sound system,” Brodie reveals, adding that the sustained commercial success of the show has enabled regular and rewarding investment in the kit. “There’s no set budget,” he continues, “and it tends to be artistically driven: it may be that we want more head mics, or a tweak to the system where we’ve identified an area for improvement.” This year, for example, a further eight channels of Shure’s UHF-R wireless microphone system have been added to the existing inventory, taking the channel count up to a rare 64. “We started head-mic’ing about 10 years ago,” Brodie explains,
“before which it was all done with handhelds and overheads. Then we got a Yamaha PM5D front-of-house desk and two DSP5D racks, taking us up to 148 input channels, and at that point I felt that we needed greater reinforcement.” Brodie’s solution was to mic up the string section individually, giving them parity with the singers and the band. “But then the woodwind section needed to keep up,” says Brodie, “so the following year we radio mic’d them up too.” Some of the channels are what Brodie describes as ‘legacy’ channels from the digital switchover, which doesn’t seem to have arrested development at all, and as of this year the brass section is also on radio mics – courtesy of those eight extra channels of UHF-R. The capsules, however, are by DPA Microphones. “I was a fairly early adopter in the UK,” Brodie says, “and they’ve kept me on as a ‘practitioner’ account with UK distributor Sound Network. The d:vote 4099 is rapidly becoming one of my favourite instrument microphones. “With the woodwind section in particular, we have to mount
the mics in all sorts of peculiar ways because they’re not typical instruments for radio mic’ing. A combination of 4060s and 4099s works well, and in general the show is very mobile: the sections move around the set, just as the choir moves right through the audience.” This is a spectacular overture to the show, as the choir infiltrates the auditorium from behind the audience. Using the delays and surrounds, the audio moves with them from rear to stage front – fully manually, it turns out, as the automated crossfade on the PM5D is capped at one minute, and it takes one and a half minutes for the choir to complete the entrance. With the RF landscaped entirely by Shure, as well as the DPA mics there are Shure Microflex overheads and a collection of Shure UR2 handhelds for the poppier sequences when some Jersey Boys-style mic stand posturing is de rigueur. The vocal headsets feature DPA 4066 capsules connected to Shure UR1-M transmitter packs, and Brodie uses Shure’s Wireless Workbench 6 software to co-ordinate the frequencies. The presence in technical support of Tom Coleman, applications engineer at Shure Distribution UK, reveals the high status of this production among the many on his agenda. “Shure wireless gets used on many applications on a daily basis,” he says, “but there aren’t many shows in the UK with a channel count this high. Every instrument is mic’d, there’s a huge vocal cast of around 50 – with 26 mics
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livereport The huge decorated stage: it doesn’t get much more Christmassy than this
Steve Brodie
“The wonder is that, in over three decades, the Thursford Christmas Spectacular has never been broadcast on television”
dedicated to individual vocalists – there are guitars on radio packs, harp, 10 string players, six woodwind players and six brass. “Wireless Workbench takes away all of the guesswork and puts a great deal of control in Steve’s hands, enabling him to scan frequencies and co-ordinate them from his laptop anywhere in the building.” The switch to Shure UR4D wireless receivers made this possible, introducing control data networking to the whole system. There isn’t very much IEM, though: a combination of traditional stage wedges and –
for the percussion section – Aviom’s A16II personal mixing system provides most of the foldback. “The percussionists have a quite a difficult gig, actually,” points out Brodie. “They’re right on top of the Wurlitzer chambers and divided from the orchestra by a perspex screen, so in-ears are essential.” It should be noted that the ‘Mighty’ Wurlitzer at Thursford is a star attraction throughout the year, usually played by resident organist Robert Wolfe but, in this show, operated by guest artiste Phil Kelsall of Blackpool Tower Ballroom fame. The chambers are
heavily sound-dampened, with just a pair of Sennheiser MKH30 omnis and two Crown pressure zone mics to lift the organ’s HFs and try to tame its looming presence in the overall mix. Six Meyer Sound UPM-1Ps are flown from the ceiling across the front of the stage together with two USW-1P subs, while three 650-P subs are housed under the stage. There are MM-4 frontfills, and a grouping of three, four and three UPM-1Ps as delays. A surround system – especially effective on choir reverb – deploys some legacy RCF and Community boxes via separate matrix outputs. The wonder is that, in over three decades, the Thursford Christmas Spectacular has never been broadcast: it has all the ingredients of an annual staple like the carol recitals from Kings College, Cambridge, and it has Steve Brodie. But maybe that would give a little too much away, and change it too much. Right now, the secret is safe. I www.brodiesound.com
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For the latest installation news www.psneurope.com/installation
I
installation
SOUNDBITES
Focusrite and RCF have been added to the Open Control Architecture (OCA) Alliance. The organisation has also completed and released OCA version 1.2 of its base specification, and forwarded it to the AES for review as part of the X210 standardization of OCA. OCA Version 1.2 enhances OCA’s ability to work with different media transport technologies, and incorporates significant feedback from early adopters. www.oca-alliance.com www.focusrite.com www.rcf.it Martin Audio AQs were chosen by contractors for the newly renovated Salcombe Harbour Hotel’s sound system. The hotel in Devon now boasts seven Martin Audio AQ6s in the lounges and six AQ8s in the bar, along with six AQ112 subwoofers. The ultra-compact AQ’s were chosen to provide the low-level quality sound during the day as well as high volume levels from the DJ mixer in the evening. www.martin-audio.com Stardraw.com has added a major new feature, “Cable Presets”, to its design and documentation software, Stardraw Design 7. The feature allows the user to fully customise the characteristics of cables, including cable colour, styling and data attributes. These personalized Cable Presets are stored on the Cloud and saved to each user’s account, allowing for easy access, on any machine. (See also cable feature, p22) www.stardraw.com A Meyer Sound MICA line array loudspeaker system has been installed in the new auditorium at the multipurpose FIBES Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain. The system was specified by Carlos GarcíaDiéguez Acuña of Seville-based advisory group GD Consulting. www.meyersound.com
UNITED KINGDOM
Traction brings the bass to the Bierkeller Manchester bar project marks the biggest install to date for Brighton-based PA builder. Dave Robinson reports
You’re promised an ‘authentic Bavarian evening’ in the Bierkeller A TRACTION Sound PA system has recently been installed in the Bierkeller, part of a four-bar ‘Entertainment Complex’ in Manchester’s Printworks. Over 40 boxes were specified for the drinking and dancing venue, including 12 active SDS 12i Kodiak cabinets and four BP18 Atlas subs in the main ‘Bierkeller’ itself. Main control was handled by an Allen & Heath iDR system with a custom-designed user touch screen control panel
developed by RW Salt. Background music areas were all passive Traction Sound loudspeakers powered by Yamaha P series amplifiers – though they are also designed to accommodate high SPLs when required. “The Traction Sound gear was a joy to install,” said George Ryecroft from C-Instore Installations. “Its ease of portability made the logistics really simple and the support we got from RW Salt was second to none. When it came to zoning the
system across the various rooms, we were surprised how easy it became and how user friendly the custom control was. We thought the space would be a tricky one to fill, as the venue isn’t like anything we’d done before, but the SDS Horn in the Traction boxes ensure even coverage of the unbelievably loud and undistorted sound” Paul Atherton from Traction Sound’s distributor RW Salt added: “The Bierkeller Management team have said that the customer response to the new Traction Sound system has been outstanding. People always comment on how brilliant the bands and DJs sound! The support from all the teams involved, plus Traction Sound’s five-year warranty, really gives them the confidence in the system. They couldn’t be happier with the investment.” Traction Sound’s business development director Jonny
Traction Atlas subs put the ‘oomp’ in oompah… Goodwillie added: “As a new brand in the market place, this is the biggest single install for us to date. It’s a stamp of approval for all the hard work we have done over the past three years to have such an experienced chain as the Bierkeller see the benefits of our SDS Horn and the exceptionally low cost of ownership our loudspeakers provide. “Having done a smaller install in the Liverpool venue previously in the year, where the venue had used a mixture of Traction Sound and a more well-known brand, the decision was made to use Traction Sound throughout the Manchester venue due to how well our boxes had performed in Liverpool. We’re looking forward to working with their team on new venues in the New Year, as they are so happy with what we’ve achieved in Manchester.” I www.rwsalt.co.uk www.tractionsound.com
UNITED KINGDOM
Community jumps in By Erica Basnicki SOUTHEND-ON-SEA LEISURE and Tennis Centre in Essex commissioned audio specialists Soundtrack Audio Visual to design and install a sound system for its highly reverberant diving area. Having previously used Community R-Series loudspeakers, Soundtrack designed a single point source system using four Community R.5 loudspeakers.
The configuration covers all of the required areas with no delays in sound paths. The chosen position for the cluster was also ideal, located between the main pool and the diving pool and between the two areas of gallery seating for the public. Each of the four loudspeakers is driven by one amplifier channel so levels can be set according to the demands of the event. A Sennheiser wireless microphone system with
The diving pool also hosts a wide range of galas, requiring a high intelligibility sound system headband mic plus CD and MP3 audio sources were also installed with a Cloud CX261 mixer and a pair of 2-channel Peavey IPR1600 amplifiers. “It meets all our needs for
audibility and ease of use with a very neat installation by Soundtrack,” said Centre manager, Anthony Thompson. I www.communitypro.com www.Soundtrackav.biz
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installationnews FRANCE
Dante for Paris’ landmark Théâtre des Sablons Digital networking technology at the heart of Adamson/Yamaha /Lake system install. Dave Robinson reports
THE RECENTLY built Théâtre des Sablons in the Paris community of Neuilly-sur-Seine brings a new performing arts venue to an area of the city already rich with culture. The multi-purpose venue, now around one year old, includes a large theatre, an intimate auditorium and a conference space; classical and contemporary dance, circus, concert and opera performances are all planned for the facility. Théâtre des Sablons technical director Oumar Ndiongue set his sights on retaining digital audio throughout the entire build. He worked with contractor Audio Equipement
and distributor DV2 to develop the complete solution, with a focus on three key criteria: reliability, architectural simplicity and sound quality. Audinate’s Dante media networking solution was chosen as the most suitable transport protocol for the task. Ndiongue concluded that Dante also offered the most cost-effective solution for reliably distributing all audio events between the various spaces, including the main bar where bells and public announcements were required before performances. “We established two Dante paths for dual-redundancy
throughout the venue,” he said. “With analogue, if a cable is lost there is a hum, or an absence of sound. With Dante, the secondary network picks up where the primary network leaves off. And as a digital network we found it to be much more reliable than CobraNet for redundancy in our testing.” Ndiongue and Audio Equipement installed a system comprising Yamaha CL5 consoles and Yamaha RIO stageboxes, Lake LM44 digital audio processors and Lab.gruppen PLM10000Q power amplifiers, along with Focusrite RedNet 2 IP audio interfaces. The entire system is
UNITED KINGDOM
The Théâtre des Sablons has been designed as a multi-cultural centre
Dante-enabled through to playout, where Adamson loudspeakers and subwoofers produce full-range audio for music, drama and dance. Ndiongue notes that the LM44 is especially ideal at the processing layer, where guest engineers never have to touch the crossover or EQ pre-tuned for the system. He adds that eight Focusrite RedNet 2 interfaces delivered high-quality audio to the monitor amps and other common areas, displacing expensive analogue cabling. Equipment for the project was supplied by long established French operation DV2.
“We run everything through Dante, we have audio everywhere and we have never had a problem,” said Ndiongue. “Having Dante inside the Yamaha consoles and stageboxes eliminates all analogue cabling to the front of house position. All inputs and outputs are located on stage. Digital networking […] gives us tremendous flexibility.” Recent performances at the theatre have included a setting of The Diary of Anne Frank, and a series of performances celebrating the 100th anniversary of British composer Benjamin Britten. I www.audio-equipement.com www.dv2.fr
UNITED KINGDOM
QSC scores Premiership first
Soundcraft at Epstein Theatre By Erica Basnicki
By Erica Basnicki LIBERTY STADIUM, home to Swansea City, has become the first English Premier League Football ground to install a Q-Sys audio management system from QSC throughout its arena. Shure Distribution UK supplied the Q-Sys hardware, which comprised two Core 250i compact integrated processors, six I/O Frame interfaces (two master interfaces in the control room, plus one at each of the main four seating stands at the stadium), and several audio input and output cards. The new system was designed and installed by ETASound, part of SSE Audio Group, who have maintained the existing PA since its original installation. Design, build and installation of the new system, including customisation of the touchscreen software, was completed by ETASound’s Ed Thomas within a three-week period earlier this year.
The Swans’ audio has been sorted. Now to find a goalkeeper… “This was our first Q-Sys installation,” explained Thomas. “I attended a Q-Sys consultants’ seminar in London earlier this year with [European Q-Sys Specialist] Martin Barbour, and the programming looked so much simpler than the available alternatives. We only had a few weeks to get the new system up and running before the new football season began, so we were keen to do anything we could to
shorten the programming time. “I had been wanting to try Q-Sys for some time anyway, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We designed and programmed the system off site, and bar a few minor niggles which we managed to resolve quickly with calls to Martin Barbour, we installed it at the stadium without any problems.” I www.qsc.com www.shuredistribution.co.uk
LIVERPOOL’S EPSTEIN Theatre – recently re-named in honour of the Beatles’ manager – has installed a Soundcraft Vi1 digital mixing desk following a £1.2 million (€1.4 million) refurbishment, including a permanently installed sound reinforcement system. Locally-based installer/ distributor Adlib Audio supplied the new desk. “We had been hiring in from Adlib Audio and using desks like the Soundcraft Si Performer and Si Compacts – which I loved,” said technical manager Tony Carter. “But we needed to step up and have now purchased our own system.” Carter recalls last Christmas panto season – featuring a Big Brother winner – and wishing he had been able to programme the mutes as cues to excise some of the graphic language. “That was when we realised we needed to go digital to take us to the next stage.
The landmark venue celebrated its centenary this year by commissioning a permanently installed sound reinforcement system “The desk is so intuitive and it’s easy to program cues so there is a lot less to go wrong.” Adlib Audio sales manager, Nick Turner, who processed the sale, added “It’s one of the most reliable desks we’ve got and the back-up we receive from Soundcraft and [exclusive UK and Ireland distributor] Sound Technology is second to none. This, in turn, means that we can support [the desk] a lot easier.” I www.adlib.co.uk www.soundcraft.com www.soundtech.co.uk
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showpreview
ISE 2014
Where? A new 24-hour news channel is using TSL’s Power Management systems
NETHERLANDS
Integrated Systems Europe 2014 Early February approaches, and that means the ISE show in Amsterdam. Here’s a round-up of what you might see on the showfloor at the RAI exhibition centre... A COMPLETE new range of power amplifiers is being introduced by Apart Audio at this year’s ISE show. The REVAMP series – which comprises five products – has been designed with as few front controls as possible together with pre-defined settings which, says the company, makes an installation tamperproof and hassle-free. The series includes the REVAMP2250 is a 2-channel digital power amplifier (Hypexpowered) with 2 x 250 watts output @ 4 ohms, but is also bridgeable to 1 x 500 watts @ 8 ohms; and the REVAMP4240T with four channels of 240 watts output or two of 480 watts. Also new from Apart Audio are two new loudspeakers. The VINC14-BL/VINC14-W is a 6 ohm hi-fi bookshelf loudspeaker with a wooden bass reflex housing, 4-inch coated paper cone woofer and ¾-inch silk dome tweeter. The CM6TSMF is a 6.5-inch all metal powder coated built-in loudspeaker with a safety metal dome. Fireproof, it has a quick-fit metal mounting system with a 100% air-tight back-can, meaning that it can maintain the air separation between above and below the ceiling material – a feature often requested, says the company, by fire safety officers.
RAI Centre, Amsterdam
The Clear-Com RS-700 partyline beltpack family will make its European debut
The Apart Audio REVAMP range product CM6TSMF is fireproof
The 4000 Series from Genelec is a strong player in the critical commercial installation sector The range of mixing amplifiers produced by Artsound has been expanded with a larger version, the Artsound MX-500S, which is an integrated 100 V mixing amplifier with a 500W capacity. At the touch of a button, five volume zones can be created, as
well as individual tone control for each zone. In addition, this amplifier has a selective callup capability. The PM-2S01 is a 10-channel preamplifier whose signals can be transmitted to two zones. It has individual volume control (per channel) and is said to be ideal for connecting up several microphones or sources. Also being showcased is the PR-1240, a 240W power amplifier which, says Artsound, is suitable for users wishing to expand four-channel amplifiers to five or six zones for example. The new C-Mark 24-channel digital mixer, CDM24, boasts a friendly design, networking, easy operation and cost-effectiveness. It is aimed at use for performances, conferences, schools and recording. On the input side it offers 16 mic/line plus four stereo analogue inputs (with +48v phantom power and phase switch on each
Mic input channel), two SPDIF coaxial and two SPDIF optical fibre ports, an AEX/EBU port, and one on-board digital audio source. At its core is a fourth-generation SHARC floating processor. It has an aluminium shell, with dual power supplies, 100mm faders and a large TFT control screen, with 50 scene settings and tune out, fader tracking mode, abundant pre-set and user settings. Clear-Com is returning to the RAI to debut its RS-700 Series analogue partyline beltpacks to ISE visitors. The new beltpacks are said to feature state-of-the-art performance and exceptional audio clarity for partyline communications in small- to midsized productions. The beltpacks’ wide dynamic range and audio contouring enable intelligible voice communication for every audio level, from a whisper to a shout, supported by user-
selectable mic and listening level options and built-in limiters. According to the company, all RS-700 Series beltpacks are equipped with XLR line connectors that serve the needs of all users, be it first timers or experienced professionals. The 700 Series beltpacks require a lower operating current for additional beltpack drops. Moreover, they are built to be fully compatible with all ClearCom legacy partyline systems. The latest addition to the 4000 Series of loudspeakers, designed for the AV install market, is on show at the Genelec stand. The company hopes that the new product will broaden the appeal of an already successful series and reinforce its position as a leading loudspeaker brand for fixed audio installations. Genelec 4000 Series active loudspeakers are suited to music playback and speech amplification projects, which makes them a strong choice for critical commercial installations. The Directivity Control Waveguide provides broad and flat coverage for precise imaging in all environments, while Practical Room Response Controls optimise the loudspeaker’s tonal characteristics for any environment. The 4000 Series is compliant with the Energy Related Products (ERP) Directive which requires that standby power consumption for any product is under 0.5W. The company has achieved this using its proprietary Intelligent Signal-Sensing (ISS) feature. Designed for the calibration and verification of cinema sound systems, the XL2 Cinema Meter from NTi Audio is being showcased by the company at ISE. Taking NTi Audio’s XL2 acoustic and audio analyser and extending its capability with the cinema option, an interactive assistant guides the cinema engineer through dedicated measurement scripts for what the company describes as intuitive management of audio performance requirements. Cinemas may be calibrated efficiently and verified according to the SMPTE ST 202:2010 standard and RP 200:2012 recommended practice, making the XL2 Analyzer a valuable tool for every cinema engineer. With the introduction of dBu, dBV and volt measurement units, the hand-held XL2 Analyzer is now able to determine the spectrum of audio devices,
January 2014 l 51
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When?
showpreview
4-6 February 2014
Yamaha’s Commercial Installation Solutions range is one of its star attractions at ISE 2014 measuring the frequency response as well as the intrinsic noise spectrum of an audio device. Riedel Communications will feature its new CPX-AVB expansion card for Riedel Artist 1100 series control panels. The CPX-AVB provides the next generation of AVB interfacing for Riedel Artist digital matrix intercom control panels. The CPX-AVB is a dedicated card that fits in the expansion slot of the Artist 1100 series OLED control panels. The card turns the control panel into an AVBenabled device, in turn making the panel’s ports available within the entire AVB network. The expansion card converts two Artist ports to the AVB network and vice-versa. Shure will present a selected product portfolio for installed audio applications at the show. Among the highlights are wireless solutions for demanding installed applications, discussion and conferencing systems as well as wired microphone lines for diverse requirements and budgets. The company has announced that Digital Feedback Reduction (DFR) is now available as part of a free firmware update to the SCM820 Digital IntelliMix Automatic Mixer. Features in the latest firmware update, which is supported by version 1.1.X or higher, include two channels of patented DFR that can be assigned to input channels and mix outputs, automatic feedback detection and filter deployment, the ability to apply up to 16 filters per channel, 25Hz to 20kHz bandwidth, and up to 18dB gain reduction per filter. A modular, networked media
Sommer Cable’s modular, networked Cardinal media control system control system that includes amplifier, mixers and more has been introduced by Sommer Cable. The Cardinal DVM 194 series promises to be a “very reasonably priced and fully modular device generation which offers an unprecedented flexibility”. It can be used as a fully closed system or as an open system with free interfaces. Sommer Cable showed prototype DVM 194 units at ISE last year. “Since the interest did not fade, we were refining the prototypes last year and can now present a DVM 194 series which will hit the market with a lot of extra features,” says Peter Rieck, key account and distribution manager, Sommer Cable. All the devices are fully networkable via IP with built-in two-port 100 Base-T switch, and
are based on the same controller platform. Set-up is quickly done without programming through the integrated web interface. The range includes: the DVM194-CON Media Controller, with four RS232 interfaces for bidirectional communication with connected devices (such as a motor-driven canvas, a beamer lift or blackout equipment), plus 12 momentary switch interfaces and 12 programmable LED outputs. The compact DVM-194AMP Mini HighPerformance Amplifier delivers two 100W channels into 4 ohms (50W @ 8 ohms) and produces almost no waste heat, while the DVM-194-AMIX Automatic Mix Machine offers “an unprecedented degree of automation”, with gain and level adjustable on all channels
PICK A COLOUR... UNIQUE CUSTOM finish options have been added to SoundTube’s 3-way columnar line array featuring the LA880i and LA-808i LFDE products. The LA880i is said to provide a very short near-field extent and robust far-field performance. Utilising an advanced LAPS (Line Array – Point Source) design, nearfield to far-field transition occurs at only three metres from the speaker. Beyond this distance, the speaker’s directivity is a constant 40 x 120 degrees and the frequency response remains consistent throughout the coverage area. Featuring eight 4.5-inch woofers, eight 2-inch midrange drivers and one
2.5-inch planar magnetics (ribbon) high frequency driver for extremely smooth high frequency response, SoundTube says that the LA-880i achieves superb coverage in a relatively compact enclosure. Numerous mounting options allow the use of the LA-880i on walls, near ceilings, on poles, or suspended via cables (flown). For spaces with high reverberation time, additional low frequency directivity can be achieved by adding the LA-808i LFDE (Low Frequency Directivity Element).
SoundTube’s LA880i and LA-808i LFDE are no longer available in just black or white This unit is installed either above or below the LA-880i to enhance the directivity of low frequencies by up to an octave lower than with the LA-880i alone. Standard finishes for the LA Series are black and white (paintable). Partnering with sister company Induction Dynamics, SoundTube now offers the line array products with custom paint finishes or wood grain veneers.
(including keeping microphone channels at a desired level). A range of new digital audio and security products from TOA is being demonstrated throughout ISE 2014. Among other items, visitors can see the SR-D8 active line array speaker in action with embedded GUI-operated software working alongside it. Other products with a digital spine on show include the company’s M-864D and M-633D digital stereo mixers, which are exhibited integrated into live systems. TOA’s range of EN-54 compliant PA/VA systems, already in use around the world, include the VM-3000,
Products. “Systems managers are increasingly faced with guaranteed up-time targets across diversely located equipment facilities. In today’s costconscious and environmentally sensitive world, streamlining maintenance and support teams and minimising energy consumption is paramount. We’ve developed our power management range with these challenges in mind.” Its new Vertical Intelligent Power distribution unit provides all the power and features of TSL’s intelligent power distribution line in a vertical format, to maximise rack space and streamline installation and configuration. Its smart power management dashboard, PsiMon, a SQL serverbased system allows users to monitor and control the power levels of a multitude of rackmounted devices remotely, ranging from temperature and voltage to GPIs and equipment fuse status, enabling rapid fault-location. Several new products for the installation market are making their debut at the Yamaha Music Europe GmbH stand. Among other items,
On the Mark: the new CDM24 digital audio mixer a multifunctional Voice Evacuation system which suits small- to medium-sized applications such as shopping centres, retail stores and schools. Also on display is the SX-2000 system combined with the VP-3000 Quad Digital Amplifier, installed in large factory sites and shopping malls. A range of Trantec Wireless Systems and accessories, including the brand new Trantec dual RX2 system taken from the S4.16 Series, is also viewable on the TOA stand. New power management systems that are claimed to offer considerable savings in staff and energy costs for IT and broadcast applications are being shown by TSL Products. “Effectively managing the equipment required to maintain system viability, IT and broadcast infrastructure has never been more challenging,” says Chris Exelby, managing director at TSL
Yamaha is adding to its Commercial Installation Solutions (CIS) series with EN54-24 certified versions of the VXC and VXS loudspeaker ranges, which are specifically designed for use in PA/VA voice alarm systems. At the show, Yamaha is demonstrating its full CIS series, including all VXC and VXS loudspeakers, XMV multichannel amplifiers, MTX matrix processors and DCP controllers. The company is also demonstrating its Commercial Installation Solutions Speaker Calculator (CISSCA) software. Available as a free download from the Yamaha Pro Audio web site, this Windows application helps calculate the number of speakers required for optimum performance in a room size specified by the user. It also helps users work out the effective sound pressure level of the system. I
CONTACTS
January 2014 l 53
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Editor Dave Robinson david.robinson@intentmedia.co.uk
hither&dither
Staff Writer Erica Basnicki erica.basnicki@intentmedia.co.uk Advertising Manager Ryan O’Donnell ryan.odonnell@intentmedia.co.uk Sales Executive Rian Zoll-Khan rian.zoll-khan@intentmedia.co.uk Head of Design and Production Adam Butler adam.butler@intentmedia.co.uk Editorial Production Manager Dawn Boultwood dawn.boultwood@intentmedia.co.uk
Hither and Jimmy
Celebrations all-round, and a rather famous guitarist
Production Executive Evan Graham evan.graham@intentmedia.co.uk Digital Content Manager Tim Frost tim.frost@intentmedia.co.uk Office Manager Lianne Davey lianne.davey@intentmedia.co.uk Publisher Steve Connolly steve.connolly@intentmedia.co.uk Correspondents: Mike Clark (Italy), Marc Maes (Belgium/Holland), Phil Ward (UK), Mel Lambert (USA) Contributors: David Davies, Kevin Hilton, HANNAH EWES (thanks!), Nigel Lord
PSNEurope Intent Media London, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London, N1 8LN. Editorial: +44 20 7354 6002 Sales: +44 20 7354 6000
Spotted at the MPG Shortlist announcement last month (L-R): Hinako Omori (Focusrite), Kerry Leatham (Artist), Will Evans (Focusrite), Matt Colton (Alchemy Mastering), Charlie Colton (Urchin Studios). Focusrite/Novation is the sponsor of the Breakthrough Producer of the Year Award
Not only does Jimmy Page use Van Damme cables, he even turns up for the 25th anniversary party. Perhaps he wolfed down all the birthday cake too, because we didn’t see any...
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Here are those Popolski Brothers from p46, singing about DPA mics and Mega Audio, just in case that YouTube link is too fiddly for you...
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Getting in the mood at the Audio Network Christmas party last month (L-R): Juliette Hughes, Fremantle Media;Nathan Leong, AN; Ben Willis, Fremantle Media; Juliette Squair, AN
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54 l January 2014
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industrytalk
Master and commander
After 48 years of working at Abbey Road Studios, Peter Mew has retired, taking with him a priceless collection of memories – and the nameplate from his mastering room, writes Erica Basnicki HE WAS employee 001 when he joined the studio in 1965. Nearly half a century later, Abbey Road Studios senior mastering engineer Peter Mew – who also spent a good 20 years as a recording engineer – is ready to retire, even if the studios still wants him there at least one day a week for the next year. A man who wore many hats, he’s also written the studio’s database software from scratch, and needs to update it as much as possible before he’s gone for good. At his retirement party, Mew gave a speech during which he said “My wife thinks all I do all day is listen to music and drink coffee, and I’ve got away with that for 48 years!” We’re sure there was much more to it than that, but Mew’s not giving many secrets away… To so many people Abbey Road is the Holy Grail, but to you it’s been your work place. Absolutely, and that’s difficult to get your head around, the fact that people would give their right arms to come here, and I just walk in – and have done for years and years. It’s one of the few places were you might say “Oh bloody McCartney, he’s put his car in my space!” and
anybody else would just gasp: [mimics deep reverence] “Paul McCartney!” and that just the way it is [laughs]. When you think about your career here, what stands out? I started here after three years as a studio engineer. So I’ve done that, I’ve done this (mastering) and I’ve done pretty much everything. Over those 40-odd years, you see everything, you’ve done everything and you pretty much work with everybody, so nothing really stands out as a highlight. There are things I would like to have done: work with Frank Sinatra, for example, one of the greats. I never really worked with The Beatles but pretty much anybody else who has been through Abbey Road’s doors I’ve worked with, and they just become a string of nice people you talk to. They sit in that chair and tell me stories, and it’s fantastic. But you’re not sharing them with me… [Laughs] They’re telling me about their experiences, and in a lot of ways it’s a bit like a confession. You have to keep some of this stuff to yourself.
What kit are you using for your mastering work? The workstation is Sonic Solutions; it’s bigger in America than what it is here. It’s a Macbased DAW that’s been around, well, since 1988. I had the second one in the country and it’s developed from there. I’m different to everybody else here in as much as I work completely digitally. All my EQs, everything. I get it from analogue into the [DAW] as flat and as transparently as possible. That is different. I’ve worked on analogue equipment for 20 years in the studios. I find that the problem with most modern mastering engineers is that they never knew what it was like to record with analogue. At the time – not just me but all my contemporaries – hated the way that the analogue equipment changed the sound. Nowadays it’s, “Oh yeah, we’ve got to have that, because that’s the analogue sound.” No, it isn’t. We would have loved to have had digital recording, where it didn’t colour the sound. Loved it. But we didn’t have the option. I don’t know of many mastering engineers who share your
“We would have loved to have had digital recording, where it didn’t colour the sound. Loved it. But we didn’t have the option” Peter Mew philosophy, but I’ve not met anyone who’s had 40+ years experience... Exactly. You’ll mostly be talking to people who have had 15-20 years if you’re lucky. And they’re all into the modern kind of technology rather than the technology that was then, what we were fighting against, basically. You hear things like, “Hiss is our friend, hiss is good.” No it isn’t! Why did we get Dolby if hiss is our friend? Hiss is something we tried to get rid of. The important thing for me is that (when it comes to audio) everything is your opinion, and not a fact. As long as people remember that, then we’ll all get along. I’m lucky that the stuff that I’ve mastered for myself other people have liked. I don’t know what I’d have done if they hadn’t. I guess you wouldn’t have been here so long, would you… I guess not! [Laughs] Getting a good grounding in the studios, you get to understand
about sound. People just don’t get that opportunity anymore, they don’t record live musicians in the studio playing together. I think that’s partly why there’s such a surge in live music; people are actually hearing that vibe when people play live, and they’re not hearing it on their AAC file from iTunes. When your one-year contract is up and you’re not coming in to Abbey Road anymore, what will you miss? The people. The major thing about Abbey Road is the people. The work, well I could take it or leave it now. I’ve done most stuff and for the past few years all I’ve been doing is taking remasters that were done 15 years ago, putting them in a different order and sending them out again. There’s not a lot of creative work involved there. That’s really what it’s all about: the creative stuff. I www.abbeyroad.com