ETA January-February 2015 by Spinworkz Pte Ltd

January - February 2015

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trending In The Cinema Scene

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CONTENT VOL 16 ISSUE 1 January - February 2015

80 The Grand Scores Sony’s 4K Twin Peak Solution

52 K-Array System With FIRmaker Technology 56 The Changing Face Of Asian Cinema

06 FIRST WORDS 08 NEWS 34 ENNOVATIONS EXHIBITION PREVIEW 50 PALM Expo 2015 Mumbai

TECH TALK 52 K-Array System With FIRmaker Technology 54 Electro-Voice Through The Eyes Of A Sound Guy

SPECIAL FEATURE 56 The Changing Face Of Asian Cinema 60 What’s Trending In The Cinema Scene 64 PVR Cinemas: Staying Ahead Of The Curve

66 Auro – The New Sound Of Movies

84 ULA Group Lights Up The Bolte Bridge

INSTALL

85 FOOD- 4 -THOUGHT

68 Hertz II Infuses KV2 Into Club Pyramid 70 blueFROG Grows With L-Acoustics 72 VIX Reopens With Full Martin Outfit 74 Christie Oﬀers Truly Immersive Experience 76 Electro-Voice Shakes The Basement 78 The P.A. People Install New Sound @ The SCG 80 The Grand Scores Sony’s 4K Twin Peak Solution 82 TBSE Mumbai Creates Unforgettable Sound With QSC

LIVE! 86 ETC Dances For Hong Kong Ballet 87 Martin Audio Gets FREQ-y 88 J Davis Prosound & Lighting Rocks Afrojack 89 Mandylights Deploy Ghostbands To Transform G.E.M. 90 Show Co. Pushes The Boundaries @ ZoukOut 2014 96 Christie and Wincomn Honour Mongolian Folk Hero

97 HaAavve U Met...?

FIRST WORDS January - February 2015

Publisher / Editorial Director Thomas Richard Prakasam thomas@spinworkz.com

INDIA AND MIDDLE EAST EDITOR Ram Bhavanashi ram@spinworkz.com

Hellloooo 2015! Happy new year to you, dear reader! Or is it? If you really think about it, the first of January is just another day but after 25 years, I’m still working on swallowing that concept. Whatever your personal beliefs are about the new year, no-one can deny that it has arrived. It’s new and shiny and full of promise. We’ve got very special issues planned for you in 2015 and to kick things oﬀ, flip to page 56 to check out a full comprehensive piece that concentrates on the changing face of Asian cinema. We’ve even added an in-depth interview with Gautam Dutta, CEO of India’s largest cinema chain and we also look at what’s trending for cinema technology. This is just a taste of what’s to come in 2015, so we hope you enjoy it. Another interesting piece we have is on our Have U Met subject. Wee Cheng Low is a 35-year old Lighting/Video programmer who has travelled the world doing what he loves. He does not consider himself special or talented, instead he says his career is due to him being a “fast learner”. In the year since we’ve been doing our ‘Have U Met?’ column, it’s been amazing to hear about the diﬀerent pathways that people take to get where they want to be. We definitely look forward to many more inspirational stories in 2015! On that note, I would just like to say that there is no doubt in my mind that Asia is becoming a strong contender across all platforms: technology, entertainment, business, etc. So many things are already happening before 2015 even has a chance to get properly going and E-Tech Asia’s resolution this year will be to keep our ear to the ground so that you are the first to know about industry events and technology relevant to your business. How about you? What will your new year resolution be and, more importantly, how do you intend to keep it? Elissa Nadine Assistant Editor elissa@spinworkz.com

EDITOR, DIGITAL PLATFORM Rosalind Tan rosalind@spinworkz.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR Shireen Ho shireen@spinworkz.com

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Jimmy Chin jimmy@spinworkz.com

ADMIN & CIRCULATION Julie Tan admin@spinworkz.com

MEDIA REP IN NORTH AMERICA Broadcast Media International Michael Mitchell Tel: +1 631 673 0072 mjmitchell@broadcast-media.tv PUBLISHED BY Spinworkz Pte Ltd, 51 Bukit Batok Crescent, #06-10 Unity Centre, Singapore 658077 Tel: (65) 6316 2716 Fax: (65) 63162715 www.spinworkz.com PRINTED BY Stamford Press Pte Ltd

Disclaimer Entertainment Technology Asia is published 6 times a year. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced, whether mechanical or electronic without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the publisher. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but the editor reserves the discretion to use them. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy and honesty in both editorial and advertising content at press time, the publisher will not be liable for any inaccuracies.

NEWS January - February 2015

XJ Audio Relies On Sindo Exports along with 2 units each of complementary subs, ES 1.5, 2.5 and 2.6. A rack mount version of the EPAK2500, 2 units of the 4-way, active control and amplification, EPAK2500R were provided as they have been specifically designed for the ES Series modular loudspeaker system.

SINGAPORE: Sindo Exports Pte Ltd recently closed yet another KV2 Audio deal in Singapore. XJ Audio and Video Production, a professional audio and visual production provider for large-scale local and international events, decided to add on additional KV2 Audio equipment to their existing stock due to the demanding live events that required high-quality gear. The new sale features equipment from the KV2 ES and EX series of powered speakers. At the core of the ES System, 2 x ES 1.0 3-way compact loudspeakers were purchased

Chan Xiang Ju, Technical Director of XJ Audio, commented on the system purchase: “The compact size of the speakers together with their high output were important factors to us. These systems are also virtually plug and play, which makes it easy to train general crew. It's so simple that even lighting guys know how to hook it up!” Completing the line-up of new equipment were 6 x KV2 EX12 2-way active loudspeakers equipped with a 3'' NVPD large format compression driver. “We purchased the EX series because it provides plenty of

deployment options. There is one for every purpose. Also, it comes with well-designed fly gear. The Yoke for the EX12 allows easy flying onto standard 300mm truss,” added Xiang Ju. Regional distributor of brands such as KV2 and QSC, Sindo Exports has been supplying audio equipment to rental houses and system integrators for over 10 years. Having worked with Sindo Exports on an earlier project in 2014, Xiang Ju added, “The service provided by Sindo was thorough and we are very pleased with the technical and after sales support.” www.xjavprod.com www.kv2audio.com www.sindoexport.com

KV2 Speakers Being Put To Good Use

TC Group Appoints New VP Of Marketing INTERNATIONAL: Andy Rust has been appointed by the TC Group as the new VP of Marketing for Install & Tour, with responsibility for the marketing of TC Group brands – primarily Tannoy, Lab.gruppen, Lake and White Acoustic – in installed sound and touring markets. Based at Tannoy’s headquarters in Scotland, Andy has assumed the lead role in the marketing of the Install and Tour verticals, the managing of the core I & T marketing team at Coatbridge, as well as the delivery of the marketing strategy and co-ordination of other marketing teams within TC Group oﬃces in North America, Japan and China. In congratulating Andy on his new role, Andrzej Sosna, CEO of TC Group’s Install

and Tour verticals, said: “Andy has a wealth of experience of marketing and the audio industry having spent 13 years at Peavey and the last 9 of those as their European Marketing Manager. His diverse experience in traditional and cutting edge media tools will benefit us greatly in the Install and Tour market vertical in the coming years.” With a degree in Business Studies, Andy’s wealth of experience in audio extends his personal life, having spent time as DJ in the Leicester & Nottingham areas of the UK, as well as being a keen producer. Committed to the new role, Andy has relocated to Glasgow, Scotland’s cultural capital. He has taken up the role of VP of Marketing on November 3rd. “I am really looking forward to getting settled in and working with the fantastic team that TC Group has built up over the years. I am especially proud to be working out of the UK Tannoy oﬃce, having observed the company pushing their unique transducer

technology forward, year on year, as well as manufacturing beautiful products out of this UK operation.” “TC Group is a company I have admired for many years, having seen them make some extremely well thought out projects during my time in the industry. This now positions the group as a true force in most areas of the sound business and this is especially true for Install and Tour markets where I will be lucky enough to be focused. Their unique technology is delivering true meaningful value to the market and I am honoured to be given the opportunity to help continue their reputation for being the best; whether that is for their training, technology or their product launches.” Andy can be reached at: Andy.Rust@tcgroup.tc www.tcgroup.tc

NEWS January - February 2015

Roland Oﬀers Dante With New M-5000 Live Mixing Console

INTERNATIONAL: Roland has announced their support for Audinate’s Dante audio networking solution as an optional expansion card in their new M-5000 Live Mixing Console. Roland is most noted in the audio market for their live digital mixing consoles, digital snake systems, multi-channel recording/playback systems, and personal mixing solution – all over Cat5e/6 Ethernet network. Additionally, the Roland M-5000 Live Mixing Console sits on a new platform called

O.H.R.CA. This represents “Open”, “High Resolution”, and “Configurable Architecture” by delivering definable audio paths, supporting multiple audio format protocols, plus pristine 96 kHz sound quality throughout the system. The M-5000’s internal mix architecture is not fixed and can be freely defined for mixing channels, AUXs, Matrices, subgroup buses, MIX-MINUS buses within a range of up to 128 audio paths allowing the user to create a console structure to suit the needs of the application. “We are excited to be working together with Audinate in oﬀering Dante connectivity to our users,” explained Roland Corporation U.S vice president, John Broadhead. “The Roland Pro Audio lineup is one of the most comprehensively integrated audio solutions available and with the ability to now integrate with Dante networks, it delivers an enormous amount of power and flexibility to our clients.”

Supporting Dante in addition to REAC, MADI and Waves SoundGrid positions the new Roland M-5000 Live Mixing Console is considered as one of the most openly networked audio consoles on the market. “We have been working closely with Roland for some time now, and the culmination of the new Roland M-5000 Live Mixing Console with Dante networking will be extremely well received in the market” stated Lee Ellison, CEO of Audinate. “Dante oﬀers the most extensive portfolio of networked products in the pro audio market and we are thrilled to welcome Roland into the Dante family.” The Roland M-5000 along with the Dante Expansion card will be available early 2015. www.roland.com www.audinate.com

ETC Wraps Up 2014 With Strengthened Relationships ASIA: Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC) celebrated the end of 2014 by getting up close and personal with its customers. Starting off in Singapore, ETC held an open house at the LASALLE College of the Arts which drew 120 participants from Singapore, Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan. Students and lighting professionals, including art venue technicians, sales company representatives, rental house employees, end users and dealers, helped make the open house a huge success. This was the first big event ETC held in Asia, which also marked the official opening of the new ETC Singapore Pte. Ltd. (“ETC Singapore”) regional office, which aims to improve sales support for the South-East Asian market. The open house kicked off with lighting designer presentations that showed off ETC fixture projects, followed by demos of Eosfamily lighting desks, the x7 Color System, ETC LED products and system integration. At the end of the event, ETC CEO, Fred Foster made a special appearance and gave a presentation on ETC product history.

ETC Open House (Singapore)

“The ETC open house gave ETC a great opportunity to share our technology with students, lighting designers and our regional distribution partners. ETC staff and guest speakers, including lighting designers James Tan and Gabriel Chan, shared interesting presentations during the two-day event. ETC also welcomed Alan Loh, the new regional sales manager for Southeast Asia, to the company,” he said. Within the same week, the ETC team held a special workshop for students of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) where they got the opportunity to experience ETC’s newest equipment and meet Foster. The workshop began with a tour of the ETC Asia office, followed by a product-history presentation by Foster and a series of product demos by ETC staff. The event also

HKAPA Students Discussing ETC Products

included ETC Asia’s founder, Jimmy Cheung, who retired in 2009, as a special guest. During the workshop, the students were divided into four groups to learn about diﬀerent products including the Cobalt desk, Source Four fixtures and Source Four LED luminaires, and dimming and networking devices. ETC engineers gave the students hands-on demonstrations of all of the equipment. “It was an honour to address the HKAPA students,” said Foster. “The interest and energy that was shown by this group of talented people is a testament to the wellestablished programs at HKAPA. It was also an honour to have Jimmy return to visit the company he helped start almost twenty years ago.” www.etcconnect.com

NEWS January - February 2015

PL+S Frankfurt 20th Anniversary Information well as contract installations and trusses, can be seen in action in Hall 11.0. The Event Plaza Conference will be held in the ‘Portalhaus’ building while associations and publishers make their presentations in Galleria 0 and Galleria 1.

Conferences

INTERNATIONAL: The next Prolight + Sound (PL+S) in Frankfurt will celebrate its 20th edition from 15 to 18 April 2015. The anniversary edition of the worldrenowned trade fair for events, installation and production will be distinguished by various products and technologies, extensive complementary programmes and presentation ceremonies. The large number of registrations already received, the many returnees and the numerous first-time exhibitors taking part in 2015 underscore the great significance of Prolight + Sound for the sector. The companies that have registered for the trade fair include: • Adam Hall • Avid • B&K Braun • Clay Paky • d&b Audiotechnik • DiGiCo • DTS • L-Acoustics • Lawo AG • MA Lighting • Martin Professional • Meyer Sound • Riedel • Robe • SGM

Halls Occupied The exhibition halls occupied remain unchanged in comparison to 2014. Exhibitors from the audio and sound-systems sector are to make their presentations in Hall 8.0 while visitors will find everything relating to lighting and stage technology, as well as trusses, display and video systems, in Hall 9.0. Exhibitors from Asia are represented by a broad portfolio of products, stretching from lighting and sound systems to stages, trusses and network systems, in Hall 9.1. New products and innovations from the world of lasers and eﬀects, show and stage lighting, as

PL+S Conference bundles the numerous lectures and presentations held within the framework of the fair. The conference speakers will pass on expert knowledge, as well as give practical advice, oﬀer insights into the sector and explain the latest technological trends. The conference is split into four main sections: Media Systems puts the spotlight on systems integration and AV-media technology. The Prolight + Sound Forum looks at new developments and areas of application in the field of event technology and promotes an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas and information. The VDT Academy is an information event organised by the Association of German Sound Engineers for the professional audio sector. Additionally, the Theatre and Film Colloquium will form a separate section of the Prolight + Sound Conference for the theatre, stage and film technology sector in 2015.

Eventplaza Conference And Exhibition Another part of the comprehensive educational programme held at the fair is the three-day Eventplaza Conference. The programme is aimed primarily at event and incentive managers, marketing, communication and human-resources executives, as well as congress and conference organisers. For the first time, each of the three days will have its own focal point. Thus, Wednesday (15 April 2015) will be devoted to event safety when the International Event Safety Conference (I-ESC) tackles the subject of ‘Assuming and transferring responsibility’. Thursday (16 April 2015) will focus on products and events while speakers on the third day of the conference (17 April 2015) will concentrate on personnel developments in the event sector. The new Networking Lounge represents a great opportunity not only to exchange ideas and information but also to make new business contacts. The Eventplaza Conference will be held in the ‘Portalhaus’, located to the south of Hall 11.0. Visitors from the event sector will also

find everything they need for successful events in the exhibition halls – an overview of this product segment can be found in the ‘Eventplaza Quickfinder’ brochure.

Theatre-Technology Field PL+S has expanded its range of exhibits and services for trade visitors from the theatre technology and planning segments with a new thematic focal point – ‘Stagery’ – and expects to welcome numerous new exhibitors from this field. Thus, with the Theatre and Film Colloquium, there will be an extensive programme of seminars for the sector coupled with a special customer programme oﬀering many exclusive benefits for theatre planners. From stage lighting, trusses, rigging and hoisting equipment to curtain systems, show textiles and seating – products and services for the theatre industry will be listed clearly in a special brochure, the ‘Stagery Quickfinder’ and via a special-interest section of the online exhibitor search engine, to ensure that trade visitors can orientate themselves even more easily.

Tickets Tickets for Prolight + Sound are also valid for Musikmesse. Visitors can purchase their admission tickets quickly and easily at the online ticket shop and print them out there and then, which not only saves time on arrival at the fair but also entitles the holder to use local public-transport services operated by the RMV public-transport authority free of charge. • Day ticket (on arrival) € 45.00 • Day ticket (in advance) € 29.00 • Season ticket (on arrival) € 69.00 • Season ticket (in advance) € 46.00 • Reduced-price day ticket (for trainees, on arrival) € 15.00 Ticket purchase is available at: www.prolight-sound.com/online-ticket Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, Jochen Günther

NEWS January - February 2015

TC Group Holds Asia Pacific Distributor Conference THAILAND: TC Group’s Install and Tour brands - Tannoy, Lab.gruppen and Lake - held a two-day conference seminar in Bangkok, Thailand, for its distributor network across the Asia-Pacific region.

understanding of the brands and how to maximise opportunities in future install and touring applications.

With distributors from all across the region gathering at the five star Okura Hotel – itself a Tannoy installation – the event gave TC Group the opportunity to communicate valuable information on new and future products, as well as ongoing market strategy in wake of the announcement that the entire group was looking for investment opportunities under any potential new ownership.

Andrzej Sosna, CEO of TC Group’s Install and Tour vertical, said: “The event has been a huge success for all of our brands, and our distribution base across the region. We devised a programme that would give a broad overview of TC Group technologies, as well adding focus on key products and software from Tannoy, Lab.gruppen and Lake. We hosted some of Asia’s premier distributors - which is part of our drive to provide an increased level of education and training worldwide.”

Over the course of two very informative days, senior staﬀ showcased some of the latest and best technologies from Tannoy, Lab. gruppen and Lake, giving distributors and partners the opportunity to gain a deeper

The Okura Hotel venue was chosen both for its key location in the region, and for its 'flagship TC Group installation status.' Vichai Trading, a leading AV company and TC Group’s local distributor, were integral to the

event’s success, providing on ground support in a venue they themselves carefully installed in 2011. Nick Williams, Business Development Manager, Install & Tour,Asia/Pacific, commented: “With such a globally focused collection of brands, bringing key staﬀ and distributors together is an essential building block for future success. The Okura Hotel features hundreds of CMS Series throughout and QFlex beam-steering products in the ballroom, so as well as new products, we were able to demonstrate real life applications in one of the most stunning locations in Asia” www.tannoy.com www.labgruppen.com

Clay Paky Delivers An Organic Event of pruning!” commented lighting designer for the event Richard Grenfell.

AUSTRALIA: In order to entice tenants to the Melbourne’s new Eastland Shopping Centre, a cocktail party was held with a Yarra Valley produce theme. Three truck-loads of trees were shipped in to construct a lush forest. “It seemed that every time we put some lights up, half an hour later they were encased in branches so it wasn’t so much a matter of focusing more a matter

Richard wanted a look of dappled light coming through the trees but the process of rigging fixture that delivered a fat and wide-angle beam with only a 4m trim in the venue, was a problem. The only fixture that could do this was the Clay Paky B-EYE which Richard used in a static mode. “If you take the B-EYEs out of their disco / kaleidoscope mode into a nice fat breakup beam and then use the inbuilt eﬀects to very slowly put orange onto a dark orange, it really gives a great theatrical look of light shining through trees,” he said. “Clay Paky innovate so many things; they came up with

the Sharpy which has taken over in lighting and now they have the B-EYE which I really like. The eﬀects the B-EYE produces are like none other.” Added to the eight B-EYE’s were Clay Paky Alpha Profile 700’s, using the real foliage as shadows and breakup gobos. Lighting was supplied by Resolution X. www.claypaky.it

NEWS January - February 2015

Update For Mackie DL Series Mixers in the venue. It truly frees you to mix from anywhere." New features also include the ability to patch any output to the DL1608/DL806 record path. Now, users can select exactly which outputs they want to record. This is great for creating a completely separate recording mix from what is in the left/right mix.

INTERNATIONAL: The Master Fader v3.0. from Mackie is now available with massive upgrades built specifically for professional applications. "Master Fader is designed from the ground up for wireless mixing. It's the most intuitive and easy-to-use live sound control app out there," commented Ben Olswang, Mackie Senior Product Manager. "Now, with a fresh user interface that delivers faster workflow and a whole new toolset designed to meet the rigorous demands of professional live sound applications, Master Fader is better and more powerful than ever." Master Fader v3.0 is compatible with all DL Series mixers (DL32R, DL1608, and DL806). While some features are specific to the 32-channel DL32R, there are plenty of powerful upgrades for DL1608 and DL806 users.

Brand-new features include the addition of 4 subgroups and 4 VCAs. These new grouping options deliver mix management tools critical for professional applications. Subgroups can be stereo-linked and feature dedicated processing. VCAs oﬀer flexible control over groups of channels. Users can dial in the mix and get single-fader control over groups like drums, guitars and more. Also new is the overview screen, which delivers at-a-glance information for all input and output channels, allowing simple, fast navigation. Users will also benefit from the addition of digital trim to each DL1608/DL806 input.

With Master Fader v3.0, users can now choose a color for each channel, providing immediate visual grouping for easy identification. Also added are enhanced headphone controls including level and delay for seamless remote listening. Plus, users can now easily export presets, shows and even the entire system via email, Dropbox and iTunes. "Master Fader v3.0 is built to deliver the best wireless mixing experience from 8- to 32-channels. Be sure to download it now, try it out, and experience the unmatched workflow and incredible features Master Fader delivers," concludes Olswang. Master Fader v3.0 is now available for free download from the App Store

"With digital trim, you get more mobile control than ever before," commented Olswang. "Just get the preamp gain in the ballpark and adjust as needed from anywhere

W-DMX Teams Up With CLF INTERNATIONAL: Wireless Solution Sweden AB and Dutch lighting manufacturer, Creative Lighting Fixtures (CLF Europe BV), have announced the latest line of lighting fixtures oﬀering W-DMX as standard or optional OEM installed. The CLF Conan is an innovative concept by CLF. The spot has a remarkably fast and wide zoom (11°- 58°) with a high light output and colour mixing. With 12 x 10W RGB+W LED, the Conan is the ideal for theatre applications, TV shows and rental projects. With the optional W-DMX Module it creates a flexible and creative solution, making it possible to work without clumsy DMX cables. Also available is the CLF JUNO, a fixture for the indoor and outdoor corporate event

market, television broadcasts and general rental applications. With adjustable head and a manual zoom range from 15-30°, a bright 4 x 10W RGB+W LED and a lithium battery life up to 10 hours, it can easily run a full day in color mixing mode oﬀering freedom without DMX cables with its standard equipped W-DMX Module inside. Michel Arntz, CEO of CLF said, “We are happy about this new strong relationship with Wireless Solution and have so far enjoyed an intense cooperation. For us, using W-DMX in our new Conan and JUNO was an obvious choice, providing both great support and the latest technology.” www.wirelessdmx.com www.clf-lighting.com

CLF JUNO

ion n a p com w e n our y t e Me www.martin.com

NEWS January - February 2015

Theatreplan Expands Into Asia-Pacific According to Theatreplan Partner, Dave Ludlam, the opportunity to expand into Hong Kong was not to be missed. “It was clear that in order to deliver the best possible service to the WKCDA, we needed a base in Hong Kong,” he explained. “In addition to the enhanced service we can provide to the Black Box project, it also oﬀers us the opportunity for wider expansion into the region. Hong Kong is the perfect hub for a business looking to develop into Asia-Pacific markets, and we believe that the Far East oﬀers us an excellent opportunity to secure growth for the company.” Senior Consultant, Robin Auld

HONG KONG: World-class London-based theatre consultancy practice, Theatreplan LLP has expanded into the Asia-Pacific region with the opening of Theatreplan (HK) Ltd. in Hong Kong.

The development of the West Kowloon Cultural District (managed by the WKCDA) is an important project in Hong Kong. Stretching across 40 hectares of a dramatic waterfront location, the project is to create one of the world’s largest cultural quarters, developing art, education and public space.

The new practice, which is already operational, is being managed by Theatreplan’s Senior Consultant, Robin Auld. The move follows the company’s success in securing the contract with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) to provide theatre consultancy services to deliver the Freespace Black Box Theatre in the burgeoning West Kowloon area of Hong Kong.

In a similar vein, Theatreplan is also working with Hong Kong-based Rocco Design Architects to create the Cross District Community Cultural Centre, a new multi-auditoria venue in Hong Kong’s Kwun Tong district designed to serve as a hub for theatrical, dance performance and community events for no less than five diﬀerent districts of eastern Hong Kong. The opening of a Hong Kong oﬃce

for Theatreplan which is already directly associated with both projects is thus timely and opportune. “We are now ideally placed to service both ongoing and upcoming theatre and performing arts projects both within the immediate vicinity of the West Kowloon Cultural District and beyond,” added Partner, Mathew Smethurst-Evans. “We are also extremely lucky to have Robin Auld spearheading operations for us in Hong Kong. He is a highly experienced theatre consultant with wide-ranging technical knowledge accrued from stints with The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and Opera Australia amongst others. He is particularly gifted when it comes to managing large-scale, complex projects where partnership relations need to be handled with care in order to achieve optimal solutions. Naturally, Robin will be fully supported by all of our partners and associates here in London, but it helps that he already has extensive international experience including a certain prior knowledge of the region in addition to his considerable skills as a theatre consultant.” www.theatreplan.co.uk

Immediate Shipping Of Martin RUSH MH 5 Profile INTERNATIONAL: HARMAN’s Martin Professional has announced the immediate availability of the RUSH MH 5 Profile. The RUSH MH 5 Profile is a compact and bright LED profile moving head with efficient optics to punch out a variety of effects and colours. With two colour wheels, two gobo wheels and rotating prism the MH 5 Profile offers full effects in a super compact housing, making it

perfect for DJs, bands, clubs, bars, cruise ships and installations where small footprint and low weight is critical. “This highly anticipated fixture is fully CE and ETL compliant, which is a strong diﬀerentiator to non-certified products,” said Mark Buss, Product Manager for RUSH by Martin. "The RUSH MH 5 Profile has suﬀered a slight delay in reaching the market, as we wanted to ensure that all the necessary third party certifications were in place before shipping.”

To watch the RUSH MH 5 Profile in action: www.martin.com

NEWS January - February 2015

Matrix Ave Makes A Pointe With Robe premium brand on-board and followed up with lots of ColorSpot and ColorWash 250E ATs which were also a best-seller for Robe in their day. All of these original fixtures are still working hard and looking good for Matrix AVE. Since being delivered, the 16 x Pointes have been in constant use. “We needed beam lights at the time,” explained Rajesh, “And as soon as we saw the Pointes in action we realised they were effectively four-in-one as they can be used for wash, spot and effects, and perform equally as impressively in each different mode.”

Matrix’s Rajesh Pereira (left) With Elie Battah, Robe Middle East

DUBAI: Matrix AVE was the first technical solutions company in Dubai to invest in Robe’s Pointes shortly after the fixture’s launch last year which certainly set the ball rolling for a run of sales on the popular multipurpose luminaire in the region, delivered via Robe’s Middle East operation headed by Elie Battah. Matrix AVE, currently based in Dubai Investment Park (DIP1) was founded 16 years ago by Rajesh Pereira, specialises in producing themed events, which has allowed them to build a great reputation as well as a thriving business. They also supply technical productions for a number of other corporate events, conferences and social events.

Besides providing lighting, audio, video, staging and rigging, Matrix AVE also conceptualizes and manages the entertainment elements, setting them apart from being just an equipment rental company. Their clients can literally have one point-ofcontact for absolutely everything needed to stage a successful event, which in turn makes the overall organisation that much more streamlined and eﬃcient as well as costeﬀective. Rajesh made his first investment in Robe eight years ago, purchasing ColorSpot and ColorWash 575E ATs which were a solid industry standard at the time. He wanted a

He appreciates the speed of the fixtures and the fact they are small and very portable, “You can do so much more with just 8 Pointes on a show … than you can with any other moving light.” The company now has around 100 Robe units in its rental stock. There are 40 full time employees and the servies they provide vary in size and complexity – from a single DJ or a small presentation / conference / meeting right up to sophisticated parties and gala dinners for hundreds of people. Rajesh noted that Robe’s Middle East HQ, in Dubai, has signalled a big commitment by the brand in the region. This and the excellent support oﬀered by Elie Battah and his team has further boosted Robe’s presence in the UAE. www.robe.cz

A&H Personal Monitoring App INTERNATIONAL: Allen & Heath has added wireless personal mixing to its Qu series mixer ecosystem in the form of the new Qu-You app. The app allows up to seven performers to control their monitor mixes using an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, and frees up the engineer to focus on the audience. Senior Product Manager at Allen & Heath, Nicola Beretta explained, “With Qu we’re building a complete ecosystem of mixers, stage boxes, recording tools, apps and more – whatever the engineer and artists need for mixing live or in the studio. Qu-

You is designed to be super easy to use in the heat of the moment, so performers can get up and running with it almost instantly. All the functions they need are literally at their fingertips, and unlike some apps out there, all functions are available in either orientation, so you won’t see guitarists fumbling to turn their phone and play a solo at the same time!" Qu-You has a ‘Four Wheel Drive’ view presenting chunky thumbwheel level controls for 4 groups of sources, plus a master mute and output level control. Double tapping

on a group gives access to individual channel metering, send levels and stereo pan. Groups can be named for instant recognition and channels can be assigned to groups via simple checkboxes, allowing the user to create their perfect custom mix. Qu-You is available now from the Apple App Store and is compatible with Qu16, Qu-24 and Qu-32 live, studio and installation mixers. www.allen-heath.com

NEWS January - February 2015

Outline Welcomes New Appointment With combined 25 years’ experience, Pan Asia is a professional audio/video lighting and control equipment distribution and technical service company founded by Chip Chong and TatNam Yee. Chip Chong has already had a long and successful experience with the Outline products and technologies while working for another Outline distributor. In addition to this, he previously worked with a Harman Professional distribution company and was later involved in turnkey project design, including audio/video system, stage lighting and control system design throughout Singapore and Malaysia.

(L - R) Chip Chong, TatNam Yee and Giorgio Biﬃ

SINGAPORE/MALAYSIA: As part of its ongoing process of preparing for the next step of growth in the Far East, Outline recently appointed Pan Asia Integrated System as its exclusive distributor for the territories of Singapore and Malaysia.

TatNam Yee had been with Asia Pacific manufacturer support for Klotz Digital, then with Harman Pro, involved in technical design and product training support, particularly for Studer on Broadcast, Soundcraft, JBL etc. Company co-owner Chip Chong stated, "At Pan Asia, everyone is passionate about ensuring the ultimate sound experience, and Outline oﬀers the high-end loudspeaker

system solutions for our professional clients who put sonic performance and build quality as their top priority.” “Similarly, their iMode’s unique Intelligent Loudspeaker Platform provides unparalleled real-time access to system control using iOS and Mac OS X devices or a simple PC web browser. Our goal is to provide the best option for quality performance, based on application requirements, as well as cost eﬀective solutions for system maintenance.” On the new appointment, Outline’s CEO Giorgio Biﬃ added, “We are excited to have Pan Asia on board to take the lead with our full product range. A premium brand like Outline needs experienced highly reputable partners with well established contacts in the rental and install markets. Their background as engineers and successful product and marketing management makes them one of the leading experts in this sector. Welcome to the Outline family, Pan Asia!” www.outline.it

NEWS January - February 2015

ACME Boost Jay 2014 “OPUS” Tour Stop In KL MALAYSIA: After a series of successful concerts in China and Taiwan, plus three soldout shows in Malaysia last year, Taiwanese superstar, Jay Chou once again graced the Putra Indoor Stadium. Lit by ACME Lighting, the singer-songwriter performed his greatest hits – Black Humour, Secret and Nocturne – to some 16,000 adoring fans in a 2-day concert extravaganza. Considered as Asia's reigning King of R&B, Jay's talent is reflected in his proficiency of musical theory along with the skill to play a variety of instruments. Staged in Kuala Lumpur, the "OPUS" tour, brought a series of classic songs and surprises where Jay performed a diverse style of music which included heavy rhythms, piano performances and unique Chinese-style songs. All of which left the screaming fans' wanting more. As a supplier of the Jay OPUS tour concert in Kuala Lumpur, ACME designed and created the massive lighting used on stage with the fiery artist. 74 x XP-1500SZ moving spots together with 68 x XP-1500WZ moving wash lights were the main attraction on stage and brought the antics of Jay to life.

Accompanying the main lighting were 140 x of the XP-5R Saber Beam, 42 x BF-3000D Strobe lights, 16 x XP-1500 Beam, 100 x BW54-3RGBW and 16 x LED-MTX25B IP. Working together wirelessly with 4 units of the ACME DMX Splitter CA-DD4. “ACME products demonstrate high brightness output, excellent colour mixing and rendering characteristics that worked with the diﬀerent themes and rhythms of the songs.

Additionally, the flexibility of the fixtures conjured up diﬀerent lighting designs, creating a unique musical atmosphere for the event,” said Carol Chiu, ACME Head of Marketing.. After providing fans an unforgettable world class experience, some say that Jay may have another repeat performance come 2015. www.acme.com.cn

Dr. Frank Heinricht To Chair Sennheiser Supervisory Board INTERNATIONAL: Having recently turned 70 years old, Prof. Dr. Jörg Sennheiser is handing over the chair of the supervisory board of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG to Dr. Frank Heinricht, as of 1st January 2015. Since joining the family-owned company in 1976, Dr Sennheiser’s contribution has been instrumental to the company’s success and has paved the way for a future-proof set-up of the audio company. Frank Heinricht has been Chairman of the Board of Management of Schott AG since 2013 and became a member of the supervisory board of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG five years ago.

Dr. Frank Heinricht

“Dr. Heinricht has a profound technical expertise and brings experience in managing large family-owned companies to his new role. We are very happy that he is taking over as chairman of the supervisory board of the Sennheiser Group,” said Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser, CEOs and shareholders of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG.

In withdrawing as chairman of the supervisory board, Jörg Sennheiser is placing the management of the company fully into the hands of the third Sennheiser generation. His sons Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser have been running Sennheiser electronic GmbH und Co. KG as CEOs since July 2013. Commenting on the changeover in the supervisory board, Jörg Sennheiser added, “My goal has always been to pass a healthy, thriving company on to the next generation. The family is committed to pursuing its strategy without any influence from third parties, a strategy that focuses on absolute customer orientation, technical innovation and first-class quality. This is an aim I have always pursued, and it is the basis of the decades of success that we have enjoyed and will enjoy in the future.” www.sennheiser.com

NEWS January - February 2015

PR Lighting Welcomes Pakistani Oﬃcial Delegation

Pakistani Delegation

CHINA: On the morning of Dec 2nd, a group of 25 senior officials from Pakistan visited PR Lighting’s headquarters in Guangzhou, along with representatives of the Chinese National Commercial Dept. As a leading enterprise from the stage lighting industry in China, PR Lighting was the only manufacturer from this sector that was selected for their tour of the city. A high profile reception was organised by PR Lighting’s international sales team, while Dave Liang, the president of PR Lighting, welcomed the guests personally. Senior Sales Manager, Lawrence Mao, made an inspiring introduction and presentation to the honoured guests. They, in turn, were extremely impressed by PR Lighting’s history, talented team, innovative technology, numerous high level projects and the way in which it had expanded to gain brand recognition throughout the world. The officials were still reflecting on the company’s achievements when the lighting and music suddenly fired up, engaging them in a full concert atmosphere provided by the dynamic PR Lighting fixtures. They gave a unanimous vote of approval and eagerly shot videos of the impressive show. Afterwards, the delegation conducted a factory walkabout, taking in the workshop and factory, and getting to know the management. When they witnessed the high standard of safety measures introduced at the facility, as well as the on-site sporting facilities, reading and entertainment activities for the junior staff, as well as the competition and training standards, they realised the extent to which PR Lighting has gone to build its enterprise into a solid culture. At the end of the visit, Dave Liang was presented with a hada, a traditional ceremonial scarf, by the officials, as an expression of their gratitude and highest respect. “It was a great privilege for PR Lighting to receive these honoured guests and be given the opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the PR brand and the people behind it,” concluded

Lawrence Mao. “All of our team members demonstrated great professionalism, which created a very positive image, and the Pakistani guests left with a strong impression of PR Lighting.” www.pr-lighting.com

NEWS January - February 2015

Dubai Sound Companies Expand With Adamson UAE: Adamson Systems distributor, Thomsun Trading, continues to expand the reach of Adamson Systems within the United Arab Emirates region. The company recently delivered new line array systems to Stagecraft Events and SAS Event Production – prominent sound companies located in Dubai. “Each company invested in full, turnkey, SpekTrix line array systems,” explained Alok Ghurde, Application Support Manager, Thomsun Trading. “The SpekTrix performance package consists of 16 x SpekTrix line array enclosures. 8 x SpekTrix subwoofers powered by 4 x Lab.gruppen PLM 10000K amplifiers. They both purchased Cisco network switches for Dante audio distribution as well.” Adamson’s SpekTrix line array is a three-way loudspeaker loaded with two dedicated 8-inch Kevlar Neodymium drivers and one 1.4-inch exit high frequency compression driver mounted on a proprietary wave shaping sound chamber. “SpekTrix is a true line source system and is considered one of the finest compact line arrays on the market,” explained Stagecraft Events CEO Aveline Pinto. “I had heard and was always impressed by the clarity and tonality of the Y-Axis Series Y-10s and wanted something similar. When I heard the SpekTrix system I knew it was the way to go.”

In addition to the SpekTrix performance package, Stagecraft Events also purchased 6 x M12 and M15 stage monitors to round out their rig. The SAS Event Production team was equally impressed with the quality of the SpekTrix system. “We got better headroom than any other system we have used before,” added Bjan, CEO of SAS Event Production. “When we first heard the system we were amazed. The quality, especially in the mid-range was impressive. In the future we hope to upgrade even further with the more powerful Adamson Energia PA.” Adamson’s David Dohrmann, technical director Asia Pacific, provided handson training to both organizations and other companies in the region. The

2-day educational seminar covered line array principles, Shooter and Blueprint software training, Lab.gruppen Lake Controller instruction and system alignment measurement with Rational Acoustics Smaart V7. “Stagecraft graciously offered their premises for the event,” said Ghurde. “All attendees were technical staff from local rental companies as well as the Stagecraft and SAS teams. The training will allow them to use their Adamson gear effectively and fine tune system performance on gigs in the current events season. It is just another example of the excellent support Adamson provides their customers.” www.adamsonsystems.com

LOUD Appoints Jason Tan as Mackie APAC Product Specialist SINGAPORE: LOUD Technologies Music Gear Group has announced the appointment of Jason Tan to the position of Mackie Product Specialist for the APAC Region. Based in Singapore, Tan joins LOUD after more than 20 years in the professional audio industry. In addition to a lengthy career in live sound and recording, Tan is the founder of Eastwardaudio, one of the region's major

production facilities, where he oversaw productions for Universal Music, Sony BMG, EMI, Pony Canyon, and other major labels, as well as film scores and corporate clients including Coca Cola, Lexus, Hitachi, and Motorola. Singapore's National Arts Council also appointed Tan as a mentor to their youth music program. "We are very excited to have Jason on board as our Mackie Product Specialist for the APAC region," remarked Rohan Smith, LOUD Director of APAC Music Gear sales. "He brings a wealth of Pro Audio experience to the table, from both a distribution and an audio engineering/production perspective. His technical and training expertise is first class. I

am confident he will add significant value to all of our distribution partners' businesses as we drive forward with new, groundbreaking products." Tan added, "Working with LOUD is like a dream come true. I've used Mackie and Ampeg products since I began making music. I can't remember how many hours I've spent making and mixing music with Mackie gear. It's fantastic working for a company at the forefront of Pro Audio technology. I'm looking forward to supporting the events and activities of Mackie's great partners in the region." www.mackie.com

NEWS January - February 2015

Lab.gruppen Shipping All Models Of PLM+ and D Series INTERNATIONAL: All models of the recently launched touring platform PLM+ Series, as well as all models of the install platform D Series, from Swedish manufacturer, Lab.Gruppen are now available for shipping. PLM+ range oﬀers two models – PLM20k44 and the PLM12k44 – each combining a true 4in/4out configuration for audio IO as well as 4 modules of Lake Processing. Based upon the TEC Award-winning design of the company’s iconic PLM 20000Q, the new PLM+ range is the most advanced touring platform the company has ever produced, complete with Rational Power Management (RPM) technology, first debuted in the company’s D Series install platform. A first in live sound, this new feature allows the 12k44 to realise all of the unique performance characteristics of the 20k44 model, a unique feature that could have major implications for a busy rental company.

Unlike other amplifiers where ‘flexibility’ often involves compromise (eg. reducing channel count by bridging or reducing the total power or impedance the output is capable of driving), RPM allows genuinely flexible power allocation across all channels to ensure the most eﬃcient and rational use of total available power output from multiple amplifiers. Therefore minimising inventory as well as optimising workflow. That same technology is also available in the install dedicated platform, D Series. Conceived to provide ‘true open interoperability’, D Series integrates with the widest range of digital audio and control protocols, bringing powerful benefits and unique capabilities that make a real world diﬀerence, to any demanding highperformance installation. Available in 3 power configurations (8000 W, 12000 W and 20000 W total power output), the D Series platform is available in two distinct variants – one featuring Lake, the other featuring Tesira by Biamp Systems

– each oﬀering unique capabilities and advantages. The Lake version provides a package of Lake Processing DSP with analogue, AES and a dual-redundant Dante network solution, supported by the creation of new custom software to provide extensive integration potential with most of the main systems manufacturers. The Tesira variant is the result of a collaboration between Lab.gruppen and Biamp. These models are equipped with Tesira DSP, as well as AVB audio and control, for "unheralded" amplifier and DSP platform integration designed to ensure seamless interoperability between respective systems. All models of both the PLM+ and D Series are now available for shipping. Lab.gruppen.com

Smart speakers for clever people From touring sound to ﬁxed installations, audio professionals spec NEXO for the high levels of performance and reliability that come only from a truly innovative approach to speaker system design. Find out more at www.nexo.fr

www.nexo.fr

Thinking. Inside the box.

NEWS January - February 2015

Avolites Quartz Available In Singapore SINGAPORE: Quartz is the newest addition to the Titan Mobile family, complete with on-board processing and a bright, vibrant 12.1'' screen, in the brands' smallest fullfeatured console. Measuring only 42.5cm wide, the Quartz is considered the ideal companion for all lighting projects, from touring and festivals to clubs and one-oﬀs.

from Avolites, the Quartz can go anywhere and is ideal for life on the road. The board is now available in Singapore through oﬃcial distributor, Total Solution Marketing Pte Ltd. For enquiries, contact enquiry@tsm-int.com or +65 6287 9878 www.tsm-int.com

Featuring the same high quality faders and hardware that users have come to expect

Clay Paky Lights Supplied For Lady Gaga UAE: Dubai-based rental houses, Eclipse Staging Services and Delta Sound, both unveiled new equipment as Lady Gaga made her Middle East debut in Dubai. Promoted locally by AMI Live and ATW Live in association with Live Nation Global Touring, artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball took place at Meydan Racecourse. Eclipse provided the lighting, video and primary and secondary power distribution, while audio was supplied by Delta Sound.

‘We are immensely proud to have been selected as event technology supplier for such a landmark show, the fact that so much of the production was able to be serviced locally is a real testament to the local market’s ability to compete on a global stage,’ said Martin Lubach, general manager of Eclipse Staging Services. The main stage lighting featured many fixtures, including 67 x Clay Paky Sharpys, 11 x Clay Paky Alpha Wash 1500s and 24 x Clay Paky Sharpy Washs.

NEXT-proaudio New Website INTERNATIONAL: The NEXT-proaudio website now oﬀers company information, along with support and distributor information. The goal is to be the perfect guide to help the customers get all the information about products as easy as possible. Users can now sort products by type, series, or applications with the new intuitive product menu. Inside the application list, users can also receive recommended series for touring, installation and portable systems. Additionally, all available software has

been made to be easily downloaded (SOUNDWARE, DP240 Software, LMS242 Software and EASE FOCUS) along with support files. “Behind the professional appearance of the website, it is possible for the user to download software and support files as well as all the technical information and high resolution pictures which are the ultimate argument to sell” explained Andre Correia, NEXT-proaudio Assistant Manager. www.next-proaudio.com

NEWS January - February 2015

DPA Appoints New Distributors areas including broadcast, film, theatre, installation, conferencing and security." The new appointments include AV United in Malaysia (www.av-united.com); Vision One Co. Ltd in Thailand (www.visionone. co.th); Pro AVL in Vietnam (www.proavlgroup.com); Promedia in Indonesia (www. promediasolution.com) and Shin Lee Sheng Music Corp. (SLS) in Taiwan. Chin Foo Heng, Managing Director of AV United said: "We are very proud to be appointed as the DPA distributor for Malaysia as this not only enhances our company status but also enables AV United to deliver unique high quality microphones and thereby lead the industry to a higher standard. DPA Microphones is a reference, a standard, a must have item in the audio solution."

Ken Kimura With Chin Foo Heng

S.E.A: DPA Microphones has reorganised its distribution channels in South East Asia by appointing new distributors in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Taiwan.

"Sales in virtually every APAC country are showing growth as the market recognises the quality and breadth of DPA's product range," he added.

Ken Kimura, DPA’s general manager for the APAC region, said the appointments reflect the company's ongoing commitment to develop new business channels and support DPA's influential customer base.

Francis Lai, DPA's Regional Sales Manager, continued: "With our new distribution channels in place, we are now better able to promote DPA microphones and increase brand awareness in many industry

Tanapat Mongkolkosol, Managing Director of Vison One, Thailand, added: "We guide our customers by identifying which equipment is the best solution for them. DPA is one of these solutions because it oﬀers high quality microphones that are easy to use, with great sonic results fit for recording and live sound productions." www.dpamicrophones.com

Sennheiser's Digital 9000 Wireless System Now Dante-Ready INTERNATIONAL: Sennheiser has announced the availability of its Dante card for the EM 9046 receiver, enabling the Digital 9000 wireless microphone system to be integrated into Dante audio-over-IP networks. Also available as free downloads are the associated new Digital 9000 firmware version 3.0.3, and the new Wireless Systems Manager 4.2 with a set of optimised monitoring functions. “With the EM 9046 DAN extension card, broadcast and live audio engineers can now easily integrate Sennheiser’s top-of-therange wireless microphone system into a Dante network,” said Claus Menke, Head of Portfolio Management Pro for Sennheiser. “They benefit from the system’s exceptional sound with the incredible convenience of routing high-definition audio data via Audinate’s Dante Controller.” Dante works

with existing network infrastructure using IP and Ethernet standards and oﬀers hundreds of channels of high-quality audio. The networking solution is currently used by more than 155 pro audio manufacturers worldwide. The EM 9046 DAN extension card is simply inserted into the expansion slot of the EM 9046 eight-channel receiver. Internally, the

card features sixteen audio inputs to send the digital audio and command signals over the Dante network. Connection is via two Gbit RJ45 sockets that serve to either establish two redundant network circuits or daisy-chain the signals. The card works with sampling rates of 44.1/48/88.2 and 96 kHz at a resolution of 24 bits. www.sennheiser.com

28 EVOX

NEWS January - February 2015

Procom Announced As Oﬃcial UAE Philips Distributor

TWO-WAY ARRAY SYSTEM

Procom Showroom

UAE: Leading Dubai-based equipment distributor Procom ME has been named as the exclusive Philips supplier for UAE in a move to further expand its oﬀering to the high profile Middle Eastern market.

L-PAD 6 X

L-PAD 8 CX SMART PACKAGE

L-PAD 12 CX

"We are confident Philips will have a significant share of the new-build market, for several reasons," said Procom's Business Development Manager Rami Harfouch. "It is a highly recognized brand name, and its catalogue of high quality products is extensive, with a strong LED offering which meets the increasing requirement for energy-saving solutions. Philips also has strong local support in terms of design, commissioning and servicing of the equipment and Procom is excited to be a part of it." Established in 2009, Procom quickly rose to become a leading professional lighting, audio, video and rigging supplier, stocking Philips Selecon, Strand Lighting and Showline among other industry-leading brands. The company has now won exclusive Philips distributorship for UAE. "Being Philips' official UAE distributor is a great opportunity for Procom and a challenge at the same time," said Procom's Business Development Manager Rami Harfouch. "But we are ready to rise to it, for example, we have been enhancing our operation with dedicated staff to support

the product lines in sales and for technical back up in our service centres." The new official distributorship with Philips means the company will hold a wider range of Selecon, Strand Lighting and Showline stock. This will facilitate faster delivery within UAE of units as well as spare parts and will allow customers to get hands-on with the fixtures in the Procom showroom. Philips will gain further reach to Procom's extensive web of clients, to whom Procom will also offer design consultation. "There has always been a high demand within our client base for Philips products," continued Harfouch. "This is because the Philips brand has stayed true to its reputation of providing reliable equipment with practical features. It has evolved wisely by adding certain specifications that meet the changing needs of the market without compromising on quality. Its products feature energy saving and heat control properties and are often lightweight, compact and multi-functional while still being affordable. Furthermore, with it being such a universal brand, most technical professionals in the region are familiar with Selecon and Strand Lighting technology and are able to operate various models easily or with little training." www.usa.philips.com

NEWS January - February 2015

Symetrix Announces New Integration with Shure & Audio-Technica Product

INTERNATIONAL: Symetrix has launched SymNet Composer 3.0, an update to the manufacturer’s award-winning open architecture design software. Version 3.0 has built upon the native support of Audinate’s Dante media networking technology for select third-party devices in earlier releases, and extends support of market-leading products thanks to new partnerships with Shure Inc. and Audio-Technica. Now, integrators can streamline their set-up procedures and achieve network discovery, Dante signal routing, and audio set-up of supported third-party devices from the two new manufacturers alongside Attero Tech and Stewart Audio with a single piece of software. “The previous version of Composer was genuinely ground-breaking because it meant less software to keep up-to-date and less jumping between diﬀerent items of software,” said Trent Wagner, Senior Product Manager at Symetrix. “Since its launch, integrators have consistently told us that it is saving them both time and money. Now, with SymNet Composer 3.0, we are delighted to be able to extend this ease of configuration to several other market-leading products and make it possible for a Dante-based system to be configured quickly and easily from input to amplifier through a single software program.”

For Shure users, SymNet Composer 3.0 brings the MXWAPT4 and MXWAPT8 access point transceivers from Shure's Microflex Wireless range into the SymNet fold. Chad Wiggins, Director of Networked Audio Systems, Global Product Management at Shure Incorporated, emphasized the benefits of the integration for one specific market segment: “Symetrix provides a great conference room solution with its SymNet Radius and Edge line of DSP processors, and we think they pair nicely with our Microflex™ Wireless microphone system which excels in that application environment. The audio and control interoperability of these two products gives our integrators a powerful tool to easily design flexible, feature-rich audio systems.” SymNet Composer 3.0 also adds native Dante configuration for two leading products from another prominent microphone manufacturer, Audio-Technica. The two supported items are the ATND971 Danteenabled cardioid condenser boundary microphone and the ATND8677 Danteenabled microphone desk stand, which can be used with any gooseneck microphone sporting a three-pin XLRM-type output connector. Gary Dixon, Sales Engineer, Installed Sound at Audio-Technica US, remarked: “With the integration of Audio-Technica and Symetrix technologies, the microphone becomes the ‘user interface’ for the AV system. It is able

to capture audio, transmit a user button press and provide visual feedback for the end-user – all over category cable utilizing standard networking protocols. This means reducing the equipment specified by the consultant and simplifying the on-site wiring for the installer. The signal routing and control signals can be designed, tested and implemented virtually. Ultimately, the AV designer can be more creative in controlling how the end-user interacts with the system.” The new version of SymNet Composer also includes a number of Window Management (Composer UI) Framework improvements, giving the user greater freedom to move pallets to any side of the screen they desire, resize them in place and nest them into tabbed pallets. It is also possible to create specific menu bars for frequently accessed commands and customize toolbars to keep preferred shortcuts at hand. Symetrix founder and CEO Dane Butcher commented: “Our overriding objective at Symetrix is to make integrators’ lives easier, and it is clear that requirement will gain significance as we move into the world of comprehensive A/V networking. With SymNet Composer 3.0, I believe that we have taken our support of integrators to a new and higher level.” www.symetrix.co www.shure.com www.audio-technica.com

NEWS January - February 2015

NMK Roadshow’s Success In Qatar and Oman

SUPERSHARPY

A beam pushed to the Nth degree

MYTHOS

A Spotlight which is already Legend

MIDDLE EAST: Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises (NMK), hosted the NMK Roadshow across the Middle East region, and declared its recent Doha and Oman seminar a success.

A.LEDA B-EYE Series A Versatile and spectacular V

NMK Roadshow attracted varied audience from systems integrators to end users. The attendees could choose to attend either morning or afternoon sessions. Total number of the attendees reached 84 people. NMK product specialists teamed up with the manufacturer’s representatives to deliver the excellent presentations and product demonstrations. Due to the variety of products on show, there was a chance for each attendee to experience tools from diﬀerent parts of the industry and understand how complete turnkey solutions work. Several brands distributed by the company, namely HK Audio, Shure, Roland, Neutrik and Clear-Com were presented at the event.

“I am delighted to say that the seminar went extremely well. Getting first-hand experience on equipment is essential and having a group like minded people in the room who are able to share their experience brings a lot of value and it is a wonderful step to advancing the expertise in the region,” commented Constantinos Drimakis, Operations Manager at NMK. “As NMK represents some of the leading brands in the market with a strong portfolio, the new products and technologies attract the kind of audience we wish to attract. We are expecting similar crowd in Oman - the audience with lots of questions,” he added. One of the seminar attendees Richard Whiston, Head of Sound, Al Rayyan TV underlined one of the benefits of NMK Roadshow: “Being that it is hard for my team to be allowed to leave the country for such events – the fact that it came to Doha was the highlight for me.” www.nmkelectronics.com

NEWS January - February 2015

Yamaha Is Console Of Choice For University Cultural Centre, NUS makes it easy to maximize system reliability. Star networks allow the use of redundant primary and secondary lines for each device, thus ensuring that despite the type of setup, a malfunction in a cable or other network component won’t bring the whole system down. The deal was finalised through AV Equipment Supplier, Matrix Resource who are one of the key dealers for Yamaha Commercial Audio in Singapore. “Credit to Matrix Resource, as they have successfully implemented the Digital Audio Mixing System and this helps us cater to our clients and market even better,” acknowledged Henry.

SINGAPORE: National University Singapore (NUS) Centre For the Arts (CFA), is located in one of the largest universities in Singapore and is in the midst of upgrading its University Cultural Centre (UCC). As part of the first stage of upgrades, CFA has chosen to invest in Yamaha's CL Series digital mixing consoles. As part of the University's campus, UCC operates throughout the week and has a team handling in-house shows, while also helping performing arts students during external shows. Additionally, UCC is regularly hired by external vendors for events and shows. Due to the many hands that would be handling the system, ease-of-use was one of the main factors when it came to choosing the right console. Having used Yamaha systems in the past, K Shyam, Assistant Director (Production Services) at CFA attested to the quality of the brand. “The consoles are versatile and easy to understand which is key for us to ensure a fast and eﬃcient set-up.” Another plus point for the systems was the Open Protocol architecture that Yamaha provides. This enables the consoles to work in-sync with any audio system, despite the proprietary brand. “Our consoles are able to communicate with any network – from Dante to Cobranet. They are also able to communicate with 3rd party network audio interfaces such as AVIOM and RockNet, to name a few. These eﬃcient approaches enable our product to expand and make it

easy and economical to integrate analog, digital, or network audio standards into systems of any scale for any application,” said Henry Ho, Yamaha Music Asia's Manager for Commercial Installed Sound. “The consoles interface seamlessly so we consider them 'networking boards' because one CAT5 cable is all you need for a faster and easier show set-up.”

Yamaha recently launched the RMio64-D Dante/MADI conversion I/O rack which oﬀers Direct Monitoring functionality for recording, precision VST System Link synchronization, and remote controllability via Nuage Workgroup Manager system management software. It has been implemented with Dante/MADI redundancy formats and provides 64 in/out ports and supports a wide range of broadcast and live sound applications.

“It is good that Yamaha provides technical troubleshooting whenever we need it and keeps us informed of software updates,” added Shyam.

According to Henry, the rack is currently in production and should begin shipping by January 2015.

To ensure smooth operations at all times, CL series consoles use the Dante network protocol developed by Audinate which

sg.yamaha.com www.yamahaproaudio.com www.nus.edu.sg

The shortest path between thought and reality. Touch the light with the ETC Cobalt lighting control system.

Americas

■

Europe

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Asia

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ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

PR Lighting: XLED 3019

When developing the new model PR Lighting based the design on the extremely successful XLED 1037 Zoom. But where that oﬀers 37 x 10W RGBW LEDs, this contains an impressive 19 x 20W in a similar chassis. So while having a similar look, once switched on it provides a completely diﬀerent level of intensity, with an impressive zoom ratio of 1:6.”

- PR Lighting

www.pr-lighting.com

• Light source: 19 x 20W LEDs (RGBW 4 in 1) • Beam Angle: 7° ~ 42° • Colours: RGBW color mixing with macro • Power Consumption: 400W @ 220V • Color temperature: 2700K~10000K linearly adjustable • Dimmer: 0-100% linearly adjustable

• Strobe: Electronic strobe 0-25 F.P.S, pulse and random strobe eﬀects • Zoom: Motorized zooming linearly adjustable • Channels: (12) Standard, (20) Extended • Head movement: Pan 540° / Tilt 270° (with auto-position correction) • Voltages: 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz Weight: 28 lbs (13 kg)

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

Elation Professional: Platinum BX When an extremely powerful fat beam eﬀect is required for those impactful aerial looks, the new Platinum BX from Elation Professional delivers in a big way. Housed in an eﬃcient compact design that means the Platinum BX is also surprisingly fast, the wider lens produces a thicker beam of light that looks great mid-air, making it ideal for high-impact long throws.”

- Elation Professional

TOUCH THE

FUTURE

www.elationlighting.com

TIGER TOUCH

POWER CUBE

• Source: Phillips MSD Platinum 17 RA 350W Lamp • Average Lamp Life: 1,500 hrs • Output: 15,000 Lumens, 6,900K, 85CRI • Eﬀects: - (8) Facet Rotating Prism and 16 Prism Macros - Frost Filter - Strobe: 1-18fps - Dimming: 0% - 100% • Colour: 10 Dichroic Colors Including UV, CTB, CTO, + White

• Gobos: - (2) Gobo Wheels - (8) Interchangeable / Rotating / Indexing Gobos - (13) Static-Stamped / Indexing Gobos • Power Consumption: 500W Max • Dimensions (L x W x H): 14.9’’ (380mm) x 14.5’’ (370mm) x 23.1’’ (588mm) • Weight: 60 lbs (27 kg)

PEARL EXPERT TOUCH Avolites: +44 (0) 2089 658 522 avosales@avolites.com www.avolites.com

Total Solution: (+65) 6287 9878 sales@tsm-int.com www.tsm-int.com

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

QSC: GXD Amplifiers All the hallmarks of the QSC brand, superior audio performance, outstanding engineering and best in class quality are all found on the new GXD Amps. Customers will be sure to find the combination of power, advanced, yet easy-touse DSP, form factor and legendary QSC reliability a compelling package.”

- Dale Sandberg, QSC Senior Product Manager, Power Amplifiers qsc.com

YOU´ VE GOT THE SKILLS. SKILLS WE´ VE GOT THE TOOLS.

www.tsm-int.com Phone: +65-62879878 sales@tsm-int.com

www.coolux.com

• Voltage Gain (8Ω): 33.5 dB • Output Circuitry: Class D • Frequency Response (20 Hz – 20 kHz): +0.7 dB, -0.8 dB • Maximum Input Level: +23.5 dBu • Input Connectors (each channel): 3-pin XLR/F / 1/4” TRS, balanced • High & Low-Pass filters, 4-band PEQ, Limiting, and Delay

• Outputs: Professional binding post and NL4 connectors (compatible with NL2) provide for mono and bi-amp speaker connections. • Dimensions (H x W x D): 3.5” (2 RU) x 19” x 10.2” (89mm x 483mm x 259mm)

GXD 4

GXD 8

Output power: Up to 1600W Dynamic Headroom (4Ω): 1.25dB Weight: 11.3 lbs (5.1 kg)

Output power: Up to 4500W Dynamic Headroom (4Ω): 2.73dB 13.2 lbs (6 kg)

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

Martin Professional: MAC Aura XB • Source: 15W RGBW Array System • LED refresh rate: Beam 1200 Hz, Aura 4395 Hz • Minimum LED lifetime: 50 000 hours (to >70% luminous output) • Total luminous output (wide, onetenth peak): 6.0 Klm • Total luminous output (narrow, onetenth peak): 4.3 Klm • Maximum power consumption: 400 W • AC power: 100-240 V nominal, 50/60 Hz • Eﬀects: - Beam color mixing: RGBW - Aura (secondary lens array illumination) color mixing: RGB - Beam color temperature control: CTO, variable 10 000 - 2500 K

• •

•

- Beam and aura electronic ‘color wheel’ eﬀect: 33 LEE-referenced colors plus white, variable-speed color-wheel rotation eﬀect and random colorZoom: 10° - 60° (onetenth peak angle) Head movement: Pan: 540° / Tilt: 232° Electronic dimming: Independent beam and aura, four dimming curve options Zoom: 10° - 60° (one-tenth peak angle) Dimensions (L x W x H) 11.9’’ (302mm) x 11.9’’ (302mm) x 14.2’’ (360mm) Weight: 14 lbs (6.5 kg)

Incorporating many new features first introduced in Martin’s MAC Quantum Wash, the MAC Aura XB combines a super compact design and low weight with a new colour mixing system and an optimized lens design for tighter beams and more even washes.”

- Martin Professional martin.com

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

JB-Lighting: Varyscan P8 A new LED spotlight that clearly reveals the advantages of LEDs also in professional applications. The name of the new workhorse is Varyscan P8 and it is equipped with 21 high-performance RGB LEDs which have a maximum total power consumption of 800W.”

- JB-Lighting

www.jb-lighting.de

• Source: : JB-Lighting LED module, max. 800W • Power consumption: Max. 980 W • Eﬀects: • - Animation wheel, horizontal and vertical, rotating in both directions, variable speed • - 4-facet prism, rotating in both directions at variable speed • High-resolution iris diaphragm, pulse in diﬀerent speed • Zoom: 12° - 32°

• Gobos: 2 wheels with 7 gobos each (rotating, indexable, exchangeable) • Colour: - RGB colour mixing - Additional CTC channel - Virtual colour wheel channel - Pre-programmed white • Dimensions (H x W x D) : 26.4’’ (673mm) x 16.1’’ (409mm) x 12’’ (308mm) • Weight: 51.8 lbs (23.5 kg)

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

ProAudio Technology: M10 Monitor

Due to the visually elegant form and the solid workmanship the M10 is both suitable for gala events and the tough use on the road. When teamed with the compact SW12 subwoofer, the M10 Monitor makes a highperformance drumfill.”

- ProAudio Technology

www.proaudio-technology.de

• 1-channel passive operation, 16Ω • 10’’ cone driver , 1’’ HF driver • Directivity pattern: 60 x 90 degrees or 90 x 60 degrees (horn rotated) • 3 + 1 SpeakON sockets (2-channel wiring without reversible cables) • M10 sockets for MT10 / MT12 flying brackets

• Stacking feet for horizontal operation • Water-repellent acoustic foam behind the front grille • Dimensions (H x W x D): 13’’ (340mm) x 11’’ (290mm) x 19’’ (495mm) • Weight: 28 lbs (12.8 kg) • 5 years warranty

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

Barco: RLS-W12 AMAZING G OPTICS

Our RLS-W12 projector is a smart choice for customers who are looking for a cost-eﬀective projector that delivers the brightness needed for large screens.” - Richard Marples, Strategic Market Director Venues & Hospitality, Barco

www.barco.com

HIGH OUTPUT

FULL FEATURE SET

Debuting Worldwide

March 2014

www.vari-lite.com

www.tsm-int.com

• Projector type: WUXGA 1-chip DLP digital projector • Technology: 0.96’ DMD™ x 1 CW:RGBYCW • Resolution: 1,920 x 1,200 • Brightness: 12,000 center lumens / 11,000 ANSI lumens • Contrast ratio: 1,500:1 • Brightness uniformity: 90% • Aspect Ratio: 16:10 • ScenergiX: Horizontal and vertical edge blending

• Lamps: 2 x 465W • Lamp lifetime: 1,500 hours (typical) / 2,000 hours (maximum) • Lamp warranty: 120 days, 500 hours • Picture-in-picture: Up to (2) sources simultaneously • Orientation: Table - Ceiling - Vertical • WARP: Preset values + custom • Dimensions (L x W x H) : 32.6’’ (829mm) x 20.8’’ (528mm) x 17.2’’ (437mm) • Weight: 91.4 lbs (41.5 kg)

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

W-DMX: UglyBox MK2 • • • • •

Compact Wireless Signal Tester 4.3” Touch LCD Screen Supports 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz and 5.8GHz Can be used as both transmitter and receiver In-built DMX Controller and RGB Fixture to simulate LED fixtures on the LCD Screen for quick testing • Runs on rechargeable Lithium battery (Up to 12 hours) • Built-in SD Card reader to save data for export to Microsoft Excel

Wireless Solution continues to listen to our customers and invest in R&D to be able to deliver the products that solve problems. The W-DMX UglyBox MK2 is a direct reflection of these requests and we firmly believe that it will be an incredibly useful tool to users in a wide variety of situations, helping with both the signal distribution and providing piece of mind that users have a rock solid signal.”

- Niclas Arvidsson, CEO of Wireless Solution www.wirelessdmx.com

CHAUVET Professional: COLORado 1-Quad Zoom • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Source: (7) LEDs (quad-color RGBW) 15W Average Lamp Life: 50,000 hours Dimmer: Electronic Strobe Rate: 0 to 20 Hz Standalone Color Mixing: Yes Color Temperature Presets: Yes Beam Angle: 7° to 29° Field Angle: 16° to 48° Zoom Angle: 16° to 48° Illuminance (16°): 3,950 lux @ 5 m Illuminance (48°): 330 lux @ 5 m Color Temperature (range): 2800 to 10000 K Dimensions: 13’’ (334mm) x 9.25’’ (235mm) x 7.48’’ (190mm) • Weight: 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg)

Basically, the COLORado 1-Quad Zoom Tour is a ‘1’-sized version of our ‘2’-Quad Zoom Tour – it’s smaller and more lightweight, which makes it a breeze to transport and set up. But it has the same professional quality and versatile design features.”

- Ben Dickmann, Product Manager for CHAUVET Professional www.chauvetlighting.com

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

PR Lighting: XLED 3007 Beam • • • • • • • •

Light Source: (7) 20W LEDs (RGBW 4 in 1) Power Consumption: 200W Colours: RGBW linear color mixing with Macro Linear color temperature correction from 2700K to 10000K Beam: 7°~42° linearly adjustable zoom Linearly adjustable dimmer from 0-100% Electronic Strobe 0.3~25 F.P.S, with pulsing strobe eﬀects 17 channels in standard mode, and 26 channels in extended mode • Shipping in mid-January 2015

Aside from its impressive zoom ratio, the fixture has endless pan and tilt rotation. In other words it will pan 720°, 360° or endlessly, and tilt 270° (or endlessly), with Swap and Invert function, auto position correction and magnet positioning function.”

- PR Lighting

www.pr-lighting.com

Tannoy : VX 8M Dual Concentric Loudspeaker • Frequency Response (-3 dB): 85 Hz – 35 kHz • Frequency Range (-10 dB): 62 Hz – 45 kHz • System Sensitivity (1 W @ 1 m): 92 dB (1 W = 2.83 V for 8 Ω) • Dispersion: 90o conical • Driver Complement: 1 x 200 mm (8.00”) constant directivity Dual Concentric • Rated Maximum SPL: Average: 113 dB / Peak: 119 dB • Recommended Amplifier Power: 260 W @ 8 Ω • Nominal Impedance: 8 Ω • Dimensions (H x W x D): 15.3’’ (388mm) x 11’’ (280mm) x 12.4’’ (315.7mm) • Weight: 19.8 lbs (9 kg)

The new VX 8M model oﬀers unrivalled flexibility in terms of use and mounting location. From the floor to a table top or pole mount to flying bracket, this new cabinet can be mounted in any way you choose, making it perfect for any application where crystal clear sound reinforcement is required.”

- Stuart Archibald, Product Manager, Tannoy www.tannoypro.com

ENERGISING. Re-design your world. At ISE 2015, learn best practices, listen to fellow professionals and acquire the skills you need to take your enterprise to the next level of commerciality and creativity. Find out more:

www.iseurope.org

A joint venture partnership of

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

Shure: PSM300 Personal Monitor Systems • Send (2) channels of audio wirelessly to performers onstage • 24-bit digital audio processing provides clear, detailed sound • Patented Audio Reference Companding sounds more like wired • Up to 90 dB signal-to-noise ratio • Wide stereo separation • Solid analog RF connection over a 300 ft (90 m) range • Create a personal mix from the bodypack with MixMode technology or stereo mode • Frequency scan and IR sync quickly finds and assigns a clean channel • Half-rack, single channel transmitter with included rack mount kit • P3R bodypack systems available with SE112 Earphones • P3RA professional bodypack systems available with SE215 Earphones • (2) configurations: - P3TR112GR: Plastic bodypack with SE112 earphones - P3TRA215CL: Metal bodypack (Professional system) with SE215 earphones

PSM300 brings the level of performance and durability found in our industry leading PSM1000 and PSM900 products to musicians and performers who don’t need the high channel count demanded by the top touring acts of today.”

- Matt Engstrom, Category Director for PSM products, Shure www.shure.com

Christie: Roadie 4K45 • • • • • • • • • • • • •

45,000 lumens using Xenon illumination Contrast: 2000:1 4K Native Resolution at 60 Hz and upgradable to 120 Hz Patented Christie TruLife electronics for high resolution lifelike images Built in Twist and Warp allows pixels to be mapped onto any projection surface Full Connectivity with Standard Display Port and 3G-SDI input modules User-replaceable lamps can be automatically aligned at the push of a button User-friendly controls ensure easy maintenance and servicing Stacking and rigging frame Dimensions(L x W x H) [Head] : 52.3’’ (1329mm) x 25.5’’ (647mm) x 20.5’’ (522mm) Dimensions(L x W x H) [Ballast] : 21.3’’ (542mm) x 17.5’’ (445mm) x 20’’ (532mm) Weight (Head/Ballast): 284 lbs (129 kg) / 126 lbs (57 kg) Shipping in March 2015 with a three-year parts and labour warranty

Rental stagers often deal with unavoidable ambient light and now, with the new, even brighter Roadie, that eﬀect is minimized more than ever. And for the audience, it means a brighter, richer picture with more vivid detail and a better overall experience.”

- Mike Garrido, Senior Product Manager, Christie www.christiedigital.com

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

ADJ: Illusion Dotz 4.4 • Type: Moving Head with 4X4 Matrix of Pixel controllable Tri color LEDs • Source: (16) 30W RGB Chip On Board (COB) LEDs • Average Lamp Life: 100,000 hours • Beam Angle: 15o • Operational modes: DMX, Master/Slave, Stand Alone & Sound Active • (5) Dimming Curve settings • Head Movement: Pan: 360o or 540o / Tilt: 270o • Digital display for easy addressing and function settings • RJ45 Input/Output for Artnet/KlingNet Control (Recommended control solutions: Arkaos Media Master Express, Media Master Pro, and LED Master software - sold separately). • Multi-voltage Operation: 100-240V, 50Hz/60Hz (auto sensing) • Dimensions (L x W x H): 16.2’’ (414mm) x 6’’ (153mm) x 14.8’’ (376mm) • Weight: 17 lbs (7.8 kg)

For those wanting to take their light-show into a new dimension, the fixture is the ultimate way to add eye-candy to their lightshow; providing incredible animated patterns and unique movement.”

- ADJ

www.americandj.eu

Studiomaster Professional: Fire 51A • • • • • • • • • • •

Type: 2-Way Active Speaker Power Output (RMS / Peak): 500W / 625W Frequency Response (Hz): 50 – 20,000 Built-in amplifier and 2-channel mixer LF Driver Size: 15” Woofer with 4” Voice coil HF Driver Size: 1” Driver Deploys Studiomaster P-Series amp technology to power up Sensitivity (1w @1m) : 98dB Max SPL: 130dB Dimension (W x D x H): 17.7’’ (450mm) x 16’’ (408mm) x 27’’ (690mm) Net Weight: 78 lbs (35.5 kg)

Studiomaster Professional has taken special care to ensure that the tonal characteristic of the speaker is similar to other speakers of the Fire series. The trapezoidal design of the speaker makes it even more versatile for wedge/stage monitoring applications.”

- Studiomaster Professional

www.studiomasterprofessional.com

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

Christie: Q Series Additions These industry-leading 1-chip DLP projectors require less power without sacrificing performance. They also have software that works with an optional camera for fast and easy edge-blending and warping in multiple projector setups to create panoramic or stacked displays.”

- Curtis Lingard, Product Manager, Christie www.christiedigital.com

• • • • • • •

Display Type: 1-chip 0.65” DMD Contrast: 2500:1 full on, full oﬀ Uniformity: ≤90% Lamp: Dual 350W UHP Average Lamp Life: Up to 2000 hours (Standard) 2 HDMI input eClarity & HDCR

• • • •

HD Base T Portrait mode capable; Edge blending Motorized zoom, focus and lens shift with memory Dimensions (L x W x H): 18.2’’ (463mm) x 21.1’’ (537mm) x 6.9’’ (174mm) • Weight: 37.5 lbs (17 kg)

DWX851-Q

DHD851-Q

DWU851-Q

• Native resolution: 1280 x 800 WXGA • Brightness: 7,900 center (7,500 ANSI) lumens

• Native resolution: 1920 x 1080 HD • Brightness: 7,500 center (7,200 ANSI) lumens • 3G-SDI Input

• Native resolution: 1920 x 1200 WUXGA • Brightness: 7,900 center (7,500 ANSI) lumens

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

ARX: MIXXMaker Master Mixer SmartPhones, Tablets, Laptop computers and other Bluetooth, USB and MiniJack enabled devices have rapidly become the program source of convenience for DJs, Entertainment Venues, Gyms, System Demonstrations and Testing, and many other proaudio playback applications. The MIXXMaker is the solution whenever users of audio systems need to connect the sometimes bewildering variety of audio protocols and connectors quickly, easily and faultlessly. “

• • • • • •

Has Bluetooth, USB and MiniJack inputs 2 x Balanced XLR Mic / Line Inputs 2 x stereo Line In channels Global 3 way EQ control Switchable Phantom power Switchable push-to-talk with a Priority override ducker for Mic channel 1 • Left/Right (or Zone 1 and 2) Master level controls • Auxiliary mono output with its own level control • Available as a 100 to 120V AC model or a 220 to 240V AC model

- Colin Park, ARX Managing Director www.arx.com.au

Elation Professional: Platinum Profile LED • • • • •

Profile / Framing Shutter 18° Spot LED Illuminare Source: 180W LED Engine Average LED Life: 20,000 hrs Output: 9,000 Lumens, 6,500K, >65CRI Eﬀects: - (4) Rotating Framing Shutters + Blade Macros - 3-Facet Rotating Prism and Prism Macros - Frost Filter - Motoried Focus - Iris: 5% - 100% - Strobe: 1-18fps • Gobos: - 2 Gobo Wheels - 7 Interchangeable / Rotating / Indexing Gobos • Dimensions (L X W x H): 13.2’’ (336mm) x 12.7’’ (322mm) x 23.6’’ (600mm) • Weight: 55 lbs (25 kg)

Elation Professional is proud to announce another industry first with launch of the Platinum Profile LED, the market’s first entry-level LED moving head profile with framing shutters.”

- Elation Professional

www.elationlighting.com

ENNOVATIONS January - February 2015

Powersoft: DigiMod IK • Plug ‘N’ Play solution for active loudspeakers • Oﬀers all parts needed to easily compose a complete solution around any DigiMod amplifier • (2) aluminium heatsink plates, equipped with powercon input and output • Users choose between two diﬀerent DSP solutions including interface panels with I/O connectors, LEDs, programming and networking connections • Armonia ProManager, a software tool which configures an IK combo while making the final product accessible in the latest version of the Armonía Pro Audio Suite (2.5.0) is part of the platform • Compatible with the full range of Powersoft products.

DigiMod IK harnesses all the power and quality of our modular DigiMod amp series, in a complete interface, equipped with XLR connectors for mono input + link output, volume potentiometers, status and meter LEDs. It is simply a case of selecting the required DigiMod unit, choosing the DSP solution that is most applicable and screwing the parts together.”

- Luca Giorgi, Pro Audio Business Unit Manager, Powersoft www.powersoft-audio.com

Behringer: X18 iPad/Tablet Mixer • • • • •

18 input/12 bus digital mixer for iPad/Android tablets (16) Programmable MIDAS Preamps Integrated Wifi Module for wireless control 18 x 18 channel, bi-directional USB Audio Interface X AIR Gain Sharing technology manages fully automated mixes (up to 16 live mics) • Onboard virtual FX Rack provides: - (4) True-stereo (8 mono) - Multi-eﬀects processoers • Runs true-stereo reverbs concurrently with 31-band EQ on the main and aux buses, without the need for any additional hardware • ULTRANET connectivity allows you to send (16) digital sources over a Cat 5 cable to P16-D Digital ULTRANET Distributors, or directly to P16-M Personal Monitor Mixerss

For the first time in audio history, Behringer has created a digital mixer which is integrated into a stage box and combined with a wireless router, recording interface, personal monitoring system and even a revolutionary auto-mixing function. While not only unprecedented from an engineering point of view, the starting price of US $299 is equally unheard of.”

Jan Duwe, Music Group Senior Engineer of Conception www.behringer.com

EXHIBITION PREVIEW January - February 2015

PALM Expo 2015 Mumbai Building Brand Power In India

ntering its 15th year, PALM Expo India (PALM) has become a MUST ATTEND exhibition for anyone and everyone within the Professional Sound & Light, DJ, AV install and music production industry. The show will be held from the 28th – 30th of May 2015 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon (East), Mumbai, India. It will be held alongside Music Expo 2015 India’s exclusive B2B trade show for Musical Instruments & Accessories. Striving to be bigger and better in 2015, PALM has claimed some responsibility for the growth of the industry in the nation. This year's show is an amalgamation of creative and technical talent, trade and quality business networking, and has been envisaged as a platform to deliver enhanced business opportunities within the Indian market. It will be THE marketplace for anyone who is aiming to launch their product or services in India. Whether it is a product launch, or a technical seminar, or whether one wants to set up their international market in India and meet new customers from all across the

Here are the 11 highlights not to be missed at the 2015 edition:

2. Power Packed 2 Day Conference And Workshop For All DJs In India. Top renowned speakers from the Industry will come together and share their experience, views and knowledge within the music Industry and the fast growing DJ segment in India. The 2-day Conference and Workshop provides DJs an opportunity to learn, network and gain knowledge on the industry and also see latest products and technologies available on the exhibit floor.

1. DJ SOUNDSCAPE: Conference, Workshop, Championship Every year over 400 DJs register for the annual PALM DJ Championship, an annual national DJ talent hunt, which respects and celebrates the art of DJing through a format of educational workshops and coveted DJ battles. Now entering in its 5th year, the PALM DJ Championship will fire up the heat among the upcoming budding and existing DJs of India. Leading brands in the market sponsor and support the championship by encouraging DJs all over the country to participate and visit the trade show.

3. Open Air Line Array Demo With 12 companies showcasing their best line arrays, the Open Line Array Demo in 2014 witnessed over 1,000 representatives from the events industry in just one day. Conducted in the open space at the venue grounds, the line array demo provides an excellent opportunity to exhibitors who present their latest line array systems in realistic conditions to interested buyers from Rental & Event background. The annual PALM Open Air Line Array Demo ritual determines the next range of array systems succeeding in the Indian market.

country, PALM Expo has become a significant part of one’s overall sales and marketing strategy. Every year, PALM Expo hosts a series of show features and highlights. This year, PALM expects its largest exhibit floor and the highest professional turnout ever.

EXHIBITION PREVIEW January - February 2015

4. Conference & Seminar Each year, PALM Expo ensures that the Conference & Seminar sustains its position as the catalyst to the trade show. It helps disseminate information related to latest trends and development in the Live Sound & Stage, Lighting Eﬀects, DJ Gear, Music Production, Pro Audio & Systems Integration & related industries. Year after year, PALM endeavours to take this initiative on a larger scale, which helps the industry meet the movers and shakers required to enhance their business. 5. The PALM Live Arena The PALM Live Arena is a sensationally magnanimous feature which appeals to performers as well, as it provides them the perfect stage to identify, evaluate and analyse how they can enhance their audio requirements and deliver the best sound quality. The PALM Live Arena enjoys its own private space as stage, sound, light & music come together in perfect harmony, making it a holistic space for top notch entertainment. Every year, hosted and sponsored by HARMAN, the Live Arena brings life to the trade show. 6. Palm Integration For Entertainment Demo – Live 3D Mapping In lieu of the rapidly progressing importance of professional AV within the entertainment domain, PALM launched the Integration for Entertainment Demo in 2013 – a feature

dedicated to showcasing the world’s leading projection and 3D mapping techniques. This year, PALM and its partners will showcase a live 3D demonstration of projection mapping at the exhibition venue. Located in Hall 1, the Integration for Entertainment Demo will feature a seven-minute projection mapping performance titled, “An Immersive Stereoscopic 3D Augmented Reality Experience With Live Interaction”. 7. PALM Demo Qube Launched in 2014, the PALM Demo Qube turned out to be the most successful highlight of the trade show. Located just outside Hall 1, the PALM Demo Qube is an air-conditioned, waterproof, soundproof solid structure that enables exhibitors to host a live arena, workshop or technical seminar along with demonstrating their products' latest features with ease. In 2015, the PALM will see more companies opting for the Demo Qube. 8. PALM Live Rigging & Trussing Workshop A very important feature that delivers quality information, knowledge and skills required to eﬃciently perform standard rigging and trussing procedures. The Rigging & Trussing workshop hosts live demonstrations which are conducted by highly respected and renowned professionals. 9. PALM Innovation Spotlight The PALM Innovation Spotlight promotes

the technological advancement of the industry, as it showcases selected products ranging from across segments like live sound, music production, installation and systems integration, as well as lighting– all of which is kept live on display. The booth has always received tremendous footfall across all 3 days of the show, with inquisitive visitors assessing the products on display carefully. 10. PALM Sound & Light Awards PALM Sound & Light Awards recognises and honours outstanding service in the field of Stage, Sound & Light. It fulfils the primary objective of showcasing and recognizing individuals and organizations for their unparalleled contribution to the industry by rendering outstanding services in the field of staging, lighting and live sound in the Indian market in the previous fiscal year. 11. The Indian Recording Arts (IRA) Awards Into its 8th glorious edition, the IRA Awards were the first ever music awards in India that recognizes the music, recording and engineering talent. Selected by leading musicians and recording professionals, IRA Awards felicitate the music maestros and the technical and creative contributions by leading sound recordists. For details on the show and more, please contact Mr. Ramesh Chetwani, Exhibition Director of PALM Expo: rchetwani@divcom.in

TECH TALK January - February 2015

K-Array Launches First System Built For FIRmaker Technology Core Concept: Electronic Optimization

The K-array KH8 loudspeaker system has been purpose-designed for steering and coverage optimization by AFMG’s FIRmaker Technology.

When it was released in 2013, AFMG’s ground-breaking beam steering and coverage control technology, FIRmaker induced a shift in how loudspeaker manufacturers thought about system design, beam steering and coverage optimization. Now, Italian loudspeaker company K-array has launched a new product that fully utilizes the digital powers of FIRmaker optimization. K-array has been known for innovative loudspeaker solutions like the KAN200 “Anakonda” but the new KH8 takes the next step in innovation, incorporating the thought of full digital control. Next to being the first loudspeaker system that has been built from scratch with FIRmaker steering inmind, the K-array KH8 oﬀers a range of other, interesting features that integrate with the fully digitalconcept. In total, eight built-in DSP channels per enclosure drive separate sections of alltogehter 20 HF, MF, and LMF transducers, resulting in exceptional coverage control and a rated maximum SPL of 145 dB. Coming boxed with 3 units in a straight frame, the KH8 is flown eﬀortlessly without the need for curving. Instead, the vertical aiming of each element of the flat hang can be adjusted easily and at any time, while the whole system remains straight, never taking up more depth than a foot in total. Shaping of the wave front, all beam steering and coverage optimization is done electronically by FIRmaker calculated filters, giving total control to the system technician on site.

Benefits of FIRmaker “Put your sound where it belongs!” is

the claim AFMG raises for its FIRmaker Technology. In fact, the secret behind the algorithm is as simple as it is powerful. AFMG makes use of the FIR filter technology available in most modern DSP controllers to minutely control the superposition of all sound waves produced by the individual sound sources of a loudspeaker system. Because this approach relies on AFMG’s award-winning GLL loudspeaker definitions that include high resolution, 3D data of each sound source, the algorithm can also operate in 3D all around a loudspeaker system. By this, AFMG was able to include a plethora of functions and, most importantly, make these available directly to the users of FIRmaker enabled speaker systems. With FIRmaker it is possible to “design” the coverage that a system provides onto the exact audience areas. More than that, the technology does so for all frequencies resulting in a smooth frequency response in every seat of the house. If, in a given set-up, feedback problems occur on stage or a corrugated iron roof produces irritating reflections, FIRmaker can also help. By simply defining the roof or stage as “avoidance areas” in the EASE Focus 2 software, FIRmaker will calculate a diﬀerent set of FIR filters typically delivering 6 – 8 dB less SPL in the problematic places!

When K-array first approached AFMG with the idea to electronically optimize a sound system, it matched perfectly with the research that the German software company had been doing for the past few years. AFMG was able to supply the patentpending optimization algorithm FIRmaker and provide a complete interface for the unique concept of a new sound system presented by K-array. Thus, the KH8 system has been designed to not only deliver high performance and maximum ease-of-use but to ultimately utilize the great flexibility provided by FIRmaker optimization. The AFMG FIRmaker Technology in combination with the K-array KH8 system and the Powersoft Armonia control software provide a powerful basis for an eﬃcient work-flow and highly flexible set-up that can easily be adapted to every new venue it is taken to. AFMG’s EASE Focus 2 software allows simulating and configuring the setup during pre-production. After a quick check on location, the FIRmaker plug-in within EASE Focus takes only seconds to calculate optimized FIR filter sets for each of the DSPs inside the full KH8 system. These are then transferred directly to the Armonia platform to be uploaded into the KH8’s DSPs. Thus, tailoring the system’s coverage to the venue is a matter of minutes. Stefan Feistel, managing director of AFMG noted, “K-array have been the first to approach us, with the concept of the KH8 already in mind. The degree of control they thought of already made in-depth use of our FIRmaker Technology. From that point on, our co-operation was driven by a common understanding. We all wanted to take the concept further to create a turn-key solution unseen by the market so far.” www.k-array.com afmg.eu

TECH TALK January - February 2015

Electro-Voice Through The Eyes Of A Sound Guy

Phill Webb has a serious passion for Electro-Voice microphones. You might think he is merely blinded by his job, after all, he currently works for Bosch which owns Electro-Voice (EV), and sells EV gear for a living. However, it’s his passion for great sound that shows his brand loyalty is based on something much more fundamental. Throughout his career, Phil has promoted the merits of many mics in the EV range. He trusts the quality of the mics so much that he used to demonstrate their robustness by throwing an EV microphone across the room. On one occasion, a mic landed at the feet of the EV Australia Sales Manager who just happened to walk inside the door. He was so impressed with the demo that he oﬀered to fix the mic at no charge if it ever broke. Over the next ten years, the mic broke twice even though it was thrown an average of 10 times per week.

Here’s what Phil has to say about his obsession passion for EV mics: How many EV mics have you got? Over 400, but who’s counting?

Is there a model you are dying to get?

Yes, a 667 which looks like a 666 but comes with a preamp which was pretty radical back in the 50’s for a dynamic microphone. Also there is a condenser listed on the 1930 sell sheet but I have never seen one – this would be the Holy Grail for an EV mic collector.

EV has had a very rich history of microphone technological firsts in the last century, one that was unmatched for a very long time. How do the current EV products compare to the major microphone brands today? It is true to say that EV doesn’t have the product range of some mic manufacturers, but they do have some stand out performers:

EV RE20 Microphone

TECH TALK January - February 2015

unless the mics were brand “XYZ” the band would kick up a stink. I replied that as I was doing monitors I was going to use what I knew would do the job (in this case the EV N/ D967 vocal mics). After the second song of the sound check the lead vocalist announced to the FOH guy how much better the mics were than the ones they normally use. That brought a smile to my face. It's when people have an open mind and decide to go with something they may never have tried that EV shines the brightest.

Collecting EV mics: Healthy interest or an obsession? Addiction.

When will you stop? EV 666 Microphone

RE20 - A classic in the industry since 1968 and possibly EV’s best known and most recognisable microphone used the world over as on air broadcast, recording and live kick drum and brass. RE90B - One of the best boundary microphones on the market and will stand up to any competition. RE92H - Arguably the highest gain before feedback hanging microphone on the market PC18XLR - Unique lectern microphone with the ability to switch polar pattern between Omni/Cardioid/Super-Cardioid and Hyper Cardioid N/D967 - Noted for its high gain before feedback and flat sprung stainless steel grill RE510 - A highly-respected Condenser microphone that is equally at home as an instrument microphone as it is a vocal microphone N/D468 - ‘Egg’ drum microphone and one of the most commonly found EV’s on touring riders

Has anyone ever asked to borrow your mics? Yes, a number of years ago I supplied a chrome REVHD9 transmitter to a dealer to be used as a prop for a fashion shoot. I have also supplied a few microphones for theatre shows over the years. Recently I supplied a classic suspension style mic for a production of ‘Cabaret’.

Have you ever had a complaint about an EV mic from an artist you did sound for? I have certainly come across artists who have preferred to use their own microphones and the main argument has been ‘keeping their own germs to themselves’. I also come across engineers who are set in their ways and like using what they know but honestly I can’t recall a situation where I have had to replace an EV microphone because it wasn’t doing the job. I had a recent situation with a well-known touring band where I was looking after monitors and had a discussion with their FOH engineer who basically told me that

When it kills me.

Not many people outside of ElectroVoice know, but EV mics have played a part in some of the biggest events in the history of mankind. When Neil Armstrong uttered “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” an EV mic in his helmet captured the sound. Other notable historical figures that used EV mics include Martin Luther King (“I have a dream...” public address), John F Kennedy, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe and many others. Electro-Voice has additionally won a Grammy Award for the EV 642, an overhead microphone that revolutionised sound recording on movie sets and studios. Not surprisingly, Phill owns a sample of each of the mic models mentioned above. Not quite the ones used by some of the greatest historical figures of our time, but the exact same models from the same era, and most in a fantastic working condition. Did you expect anything else? www.electrovoice.com

RE320 - No discussion of stand out units would be complete without mentioning the RE320 which has carried on the tradition started with the RE20 as the new standard in recording, broadcast and live sound applications where a large diaphragm variable ‘D’ dynamic is required.

EV RE20 Microphone

SPECIAL FEATURE January - February 2015

PVR India Director's Cut Auditorium

The Changing Face of Asian Cinema East Making The Best of West, Cinematically There is a great cinematic story unfolding in Asia. The popular entertainment format of cinema – as we all know – which has essentially been a predominantly Western phenomenon is fast changing its story telling ingredients. Numbers, design, adoption of technology, business practices, and accruing rewards…everything appears to be in for a hemispherical shift, though with certain exceptions. Leading the charge, understandably, is China, followed by India. ETA takes a look at the changing face of Asian Cinema even as it steps into yet another year of transition.

t’s common knowledge for many in the entertainment industry that cinema has largely been a West-dominated industry. Not only in sheer arithmetic relating to the number of cinema screens, movie releases and revenues but also in technology adoptions and entrepreneurship, it’s been generically an American or English dream that has been selling all over when it comes to commercial cinema. Interestingly, it doesn’t seem to be the same any longer. Asia appears set to dominate the future course of global cinema entertainment.

Led by China – which had apparently been exploding with galactic proportions (though with ambiguous assumptions) – and closely followed by somewhat stagnant but highpotential India, Asian cinema is changing its face. Quite understandably, this evolution is characterized by an energizing blend of entrepreneurial leadership and technology adoption. Going by sheer numbers and current indications, this is how Asia is faring right now: • Out of around 135,000 cinema screens worldwide, Asia alone (including the Middle East) today accounts for roughly 50% • Out of around 60,000 digital cinemas (without 3D) worldwide, the Asian count, again, totals to 50% approximately. • Of the total 53,000 3D digital screens worldwide, Asian cinemas aggregate to over 50%

by Ram Bhavanashi • Considered holistically including those with 3D, Asia Pacific that is essentially powered by Chinese activism accounts for almost one-third of the total global digital+3D digital screens • China – though a bit ambiguous for want of accurate documentation – is leading the way in terms of both large-scale technology adoption and cinema building. According to unconfirmed sources, while the country’s aggregate screen count is placed between 20,000 to 30,000, an approximate number of 2500 new screens are being added every year with a good number of them being in digital and / or 3D digital

China leading Asian activism China has apparently steadied its growth plans since the turn of the century and has begun to explode with galactic proportions for the last few years. From less than 5000 screens in 2003, the country’s cinema count has reportedly grown roughly six-fold in ten years. According to sources, there is an unprecedented aggression in both conversion of existing cinemas to digital and/or digital

SPECIAL FEATURE January - February 2015

3D, as well as building new cinemas with ambitious digital fare in both audio and video. That the Chinese industry is energized by an aggressive entrepreneurism as well as strong State support, the growth rate is said to be outshining America and other countries.

the very early stages. Japan, for instance, begun its digital journey in 2008 – when the country’s leading operator, Shochiku adopted Christie’s digital cinema for all of its 10 screens at Shinjuku Piccadilly Cinema Complex – is said to be fully digital by 2018 with a majority of its 3500-plus screens being already in digital format.

Consider this: Beijing-headquartered Wanda Group, with huge interest in cinematic entertainment, broke new ground in the cinema entrepreneurism when it acquired AMC Entertainment, the world’s second largest cinema chain. The group, as it is, has had a screen count of 1247 from as many as 142 locations across 73 cities in China. By acquiring AMC, it added in one shot as many as 5000 screens (from 380 locations in the USA) to its count. While there are claims that the group is currently the world’s largest cinema chain, it is apparently just behind the Regal Entertainment of USA which tops the charts with around 7500 screens. However, Wanda Cinemas recently signed a deal with IMAX Corporation for building 124 IMAX cinemas by 2021 (taking its total IMAX screen count to over 200), it is claimed to be the world’s largest IMAX cinema operator. More, that it has also signed yet another land-mark deal with RealD for as many as 780 3D cinema installs over the next three years, paved for another breakthrough in embracing cuttingedge technologies for cinema entertainment. On other hand, China Film Group, the Stateowned movie enterprise with high stakes in cinema building has been roping in the two digital cinema majors Barco and Christie. According to sources, the company has drawn up plans to build as many as 20,000 new screens, and understandably, all of them being digital and/or 3D digital.

Even as Japan pursues its digital transition, its active neighbour Korea has been even more aggressive in the digital transformation. Led by D-Cinema Korea Co.Ltd. (DCK) – a jointventure initiative between two Korean majors CJ CGV and Lotte Cinema – as also Megabox, the country is rearing to claim as the ‘world’s first fully digitized cinema country’ with all of its roughly 2500 screens set to go digital very soon. Megabox, with over 450 screens, continues to hold the Guinness World Record for maximum attendees (over 6.20 million) a year, while Lotte Cinema took the record for operating Asia’s largest multiplex cinema – 21-screen Lotte Cinema World Tower – from Golden Screen Cinemas’ 18-screen cineplex at Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur. All the cinemas are digital today. Thailand, an early adopter of digital cinema, went one step further in 2014 when SF Cinemas – one of the two major cinema chains in the country – announced going fully 4K digital with Sony. The company operates 282 screens in the 1000-plus screen Thai exhibition industry that is dominated by Major Cineplexes Group which has been equally aggressive in adopting cutting-edge technology.

APAC – a new cinema package to the fore

Korean, Thai, and Philippines cinemas actually compete with one another for building ostentatious cinemas with cuttingedge audio-video technologies. On the other hand, cinemas in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore tend to be more of functional than of architectural splendour, though they are equally charged with passion for technology. Singapore, though small in size, has one of the world's highest cinema viewership in relation to its size. In 2013 there were 207 screens providing a seating capacity of 38,000 in total with attendance reaching 22, 090,000. The cinemas have almost all converted to digital and the emphasis now seems to be on providing additional experience values such as couples only seating, serving of F&B to patrons within the cinema and more.

While China takes the pole position as an undisputed leader, Asia-Pacific as a whole hasn’t been that behind. In fact, countries that are much smaller in size to China have been ahead in technology adoption since

The Middle East geography, while being serviced by a few players from Europe, is essentially being driven by Mumbai, Indiabased Scrabble Entertainment which – by

Hong Kong-headquartered GDC Technology, one of the world’s leading digital cinema solutions provider, has reportedly installed worldwide over 14,000 systems, a majority of which have been from Asia-Pac. Chennai, India-headquartered Real Image with its digital cinema brand Qube too has made a credible market across Asia-Pac and beyond.

virtue of the Virtual Print Fee (VPF) business model with major Hollywood studios – has been pursuing DCI-grade 2K/4K digital cinema across the region. The company has focused on UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel for digitizing cinemas. Having already done around 1300 2K installs, the company intends to double it up by 2015, and reach 5,000 installs globally in two years. Advent of sophisticated digital technology, and multiplex entrepreneurism has brought with them both fortunes and misfortunes for the industry in India that is credited with producing maximum number of movies in the world - @ 1000 – every year, and employing largest work force- 200,000. While the multiplex entrepreneurism – aided by corporate funds and States’ support for tax holidays – have been trading its way to box oﬃce glory on one hand, and hi-tech domain 2K/4K/3D digital domain on the other, the already ailing majority of singlescreen industry continues its struggle for existence. It is estimated that the country has around 10,000 screens in total of which some 2000 are in multiplexes from roughly 800 locations. However, multiplex operators have been raking in as much as 80% of box oﬃce moolah every year, owing to their fancied exhibition and market formats, leveraging technology. Interestingly, while the DCI-grade 2K and 4K projection models as well as Barco Auro 11.1 3D and Dolby Atmos audio formats have been on the rise, India still continues with a predominant number of Electronic Cinemas. As per a very generic estimate, there are approximately 1300 2k/4k digital cinemas that include both multiplex screens and popular single-screen cinemas in tier-A cities in the country. “Digitization has played a major role enabling simultaneous release of all films in even small towns,” said Sriram Sistla, Regional DirectorSAARC for Harkness Screens. “Big 3D movies are proving a major draw, but the number of releases is still not significant.” Adding, “a new generation of screens has ensured improvement in the quality of presentation.” According to him, online ticketing has been gaining in popularity in the major cities. In fact, ticketing is being elevated to a new high by means of provision for mobile ticketing, and kiosk-ticketing, as well as waist-mounted gadget-ticketing. According to an estimate,

SPECIAL FEATURE January - February 2015

adopting Dolby Atmos as well, the circuit had elevated the benchmark for technologypowered luxury and premium cinemas with ambitious multiplexes in Chennai. The company is reputed to have also brought into place interactive kiosk touch-based digital signage format for the patrons to have a glimpse of the movies in the lobby before they watch them inside the auditorium. The company’s first ambitious project Escape Cinema in Chennai sports this provision, while its second such venture Luxe sports has in its central lobby a huge video pillar equipped with as many as 72 LCDs to beam diverse content. Sriram Sistla, Regional Director-SAARC for Harkness Screens

remote-ticketing has grown by over 25% recently from being naught a few years ago. A specific technology inducement, this has had a significant impact on box oﬃce fortunes. “The last decade has brought tremendous changes to the industry,” opined Javier Sotomayor, Managing Director of Cinepolis India. The Mexican multiplex circuit which is also the world’s third largest chain by numbers, has a focused interest on India. “In the last five years, almost all multiplex operators have moved from analog to 2K digital,” he felt. “Four-K is still nascent in Indian market with fewer than 50 screens having the format. However, there has been a large-scale customization of cinema-fare such as luxury/premium theatres, special formats like low-cost cinemas for certain markets, children, and teen generations etc. “There has been a perceived implementation of path-breaking technologies,” explained the Cinepolis India chief. “Exhibitors are experimenting with latest technology like IMAX, sound systems such as Atmos and Auro, other technologies like 4DX, edutainment and interactivity.” According to him, Cinepolis has been a pioneer in this field by introducing 4DX in India for the first time and opening Cinepolis Viviana which is the most technologically superior cinema with six diﬀerent concepts under one roof. When it comes to creating a unique mix of technology-powered movie fare, the first reference will go to Chennai-based SPI Cinemas, the erstwhile Sathyam Cinemas who enjoys the reputation of being India’s first to do 2k and 4k, full 3D digital 4K one after the other, and simultaneously being Asia’s first to adopt the Auro 3D. Besides

Audio – the new precedence Thanks to the long debate and ambiguity over the format, costs and content availability stretching for over 16 years now, the video component of modern/digital cinema took too many dimensions. Having begun with 1.1K Electronic Cinema, it has more or less standardized at 2K digital and 2K digital 3D, even as the 4K digital 3D has also been spreading rather fast and wide. However, quite interestingly, it is the audio component that is apparently gaining its ground again with newer, cutting-edge

formats coming to the fore, and in big fashion. Having begun with 5.1 stereo, it has standardized for many decades at 7.1 Surround and Surround Ex, and now transitioning with 11.1 and even broaching about 13.1 formats. While it’s been a sort of fiercely-competed field among Dolby, DTS, and Sony, the latest genre of cutting-edge audio field is being fought out by digital cinema majors Barco and Christie with their own/acquired audio brands. That the audio solution needs to be recorded along with the movie shoot and re-recording in the studios, the importance of aural experience as intended by the movie-makers to be as realistic as possible, is far more important than ever before. In fact, providing the experiential, immersive audio experience is as critical as the breath-taking movie watching experience. For the manufacturers, distributors and integrators though cinema is going through tremendous pressure from streaming, cable and more, there is still the magic that only a cinema can provide and this should augur well for the solution providers for at least the next few years.

60 SPECIAL FEATURE What's Trending In The Cinema Scene? January - February 2015

it is an experience our guests will certainly appreciate.” Christie’s laser system provides unparalleled image quality using a pair of 4K laser projection heads, a 6P modular laser light farm with fiber-optic delivery, and Christie 4K 3D high-bitrate IMBs. Christie 6P laser projectors

Moody Gardens and D3D Cinema Open World’s First Institutional Giant Screen Laser Theatre Featuring Christie 6P Digital Laser Projection D3D Cinema and Moody Gardens have announced the grand opening of the MG3D Laser Theatre at Moody Gardens, the first institution in the world to feature a giant screen 6-Primary (6P) laser projection system. Audiences will now experience films on a world-class 60 by 80 ft white screen – the largest in Texas – at nearly three and a half times brighter than the current industry standard, with vibrant colors and new 3D glasses technology. The 6P laser-illuminated 4K-resolution 3D dual projector system is manufactured by Christie. The 6P eyewear is designed and manufactured by Infitec GmbH. The 1.4 gain premium white screen was provided by MDI. “This installation marks a great step forward for giant screen projection technology – and Moody Gardens has once again taken a pioneering step with D3D to create a truly great theatre experience for their audience,” said Don Kempf, president of D3D Cinema. “Their continuing willingness to forge ahead with new cinema technology and branding will help push the museum cinema market forward into a new era of cinema clarity, brightness and profitability. This industry has been waiting for lasers for a long time.” “There is a bit of nervous excitement with being the first institutional theatre in the world to implement laser technology,” added John Zendt, President and CEO of Moody Gardens. “But, when I walked into the theatre and saw my screen light up like never before, I was thrilled! And that first impression was only at 75% of our brightness capability. I can now happily invite my giant screen colleagues to come and see firsthand what D3D, Christie and Infitec are capable of delivering on an 80ft screen. To be first to market is very exciting. But the results themselves are amazing and

“We can confidently say that Christie’s 6P laser design is a real breakthrough for the industry,” said Don Shaw, senior director of product management, Christie. “Our nonflashing 6P architecture is without question the most light-efficient 3D technology on the market, providing 4 x the 3D brightness versus the competition, and enhanced colour gamut and a remarkable contrast ratio as well. On a speckle-free premium white screen, Moody Gardens has achieved a peerless cinematic presentation.” Infitec’s new 6P glasses deliver a startling 90% efficiency – unsurpassed in the industry. It’s the perfect complement to the 80ft wide screen in the MG3D Theatre, which is now capable of light levels over 16 foot-lamberts in 3D (measured through Infitec’s glasses). This is many times brighter than the theatre’s previous 3D 70mm system and far exceeds any “ultra-bright” industry standards. “We're thrilled to be a part of this project," said Markus Fritz, COO of INFITEC GmbH. "We had to move a few mountains to make this happen but the results are incredibly gratifying. INFITEC is now uniquely positioned to provide 6P eyewear technology as giant screen venues turn to laser 3D in the coming years. Moody Gardens is now a flagship theatre for us, and we will continue to improve on efficiency capabilities and giant screen eyewear designs in 2015.” “I'm so happy with the final result, the brightness and clarity is amazing," added Ronald La Faver, President of INFITEC Inc. “The vision of INFITEC on a pure laser based system came true.”

Barco And China Film Group Sign Agreement For The Purchase Of 800 Digital Cinema Projectors Barco announced a new deal in early December 2014 with state-owned China Film Group (CFG), the country’s largest film company. Over the next few months, 800 Barco digital cinema projectors – including the brand-new Barco Alchemy integrated projection systems – will be deployed in CFG

theatres nationwide. Barco is CFG’s largest cinema projector supplier and has been selected in the chain’s approved suppliers list for the next five consecutive years. CFG produces and distributes films, imports and exports foreign releases and runs movie theatres across the country. The CFG cinema chain includes many theatres of various sizes and dimensions – from IMAX to small screens – all over the nation, a number that will be expanding rapidly between now and the end of 2015. As the chain’s most reliable and long-term device supplier, Barco not only equips these theatres with high-quality projection solutions, but oﬀers a whole service package as well. Accordingly, Barco has been on CFG’s list of approved suppliers for many years now.

Barco Alchemy Integrated projectors

Barco Alchemy is the first integrated media server to reach DCI 1.2 level in the world that can play 4K films at 60 fps 4K 3D content on a single projector. In normal projection modes, the system offers seamless 2D and 3D switching. As a result, Barco Alchemy projectors are able to cope with higher specification demands, and offer new opportunities for the future operation and development of cinemas. Thanks to the fact that they have been installed and debugged during the production process, the Alchemy devices can go into operation very quickly and require only low operating and maintenance costs. “Chinese cinemas are currently diversifying their business in order to cope with increasing competition,” explained Phil Chen, General Manager of CFG-Barco (Beijing) Electronics Co., Ltd. “CFG cinemas have the widest coverage, including first-tier metropolises and remotely rural areas. The company therefore needs a supplier that can offer both high-quality devices and comprehensive, superior services. As for users, CFG-Barco is a reliable choice. We apply products and services locally based on trust, respond timely to users’ ever-changing demands, and make continuous efforts to support the development of Chinese cinema.”

SPECIAL FEATURE January - February 2015

Hong Kong’s Cinema City Langham Place Takes the Movie-Going Experience To The Next Level

Sony

Sony has equipped 6 movie theatres in Cinema City Langham Place (CCLP) with Sony 4K Digital Cinema systems. Opened in November 2014, CCLP is located in the heart of Mongkok, a bustling shopping and residential district in Hong Kong which is filled with activities even late into the night. CCLP offers a full range of cinematic experiences including 2D, 3D, Dolby Atmos and 4DX. The combination of Sony’s immersive 4K Digital Cinema projectors with multi-sensory 4DX technology is a first for cinemas in Hong Kong, taking the movie-going experience to the next level for audiences. Inside any auditorium equipped with 4DX, motion chairs and environmental effects such as smoke, lightning, wind,bubbles and scents work in perfect synchrony with the action on screen. Inside CCLP’s theatre equipped with 4DX, the motion chairs are equipped with a range of base movements covering heave (up and down), pitch (left and right) and roll (tilt backward and forward), and this gives CCLP an unlimited number of combinations to mimic anything ranging from a rollercoaster ride, or a meteor hurtling through space, to a stallion racing to the finish line. The result is a totally immersive cinematic experience that is not bound by visual and aural limits, and almost feels life-like. Another inspired move for CCLP was the combination of Sony’s SRX-R515P 4K Digital Projection system with Dolby Atmos in one of their theatres, marrying high-quality 4K images with true multi-dimensional sound of exceptional depth and clarity. Since the cinema halls at CCLP were designed in a “stadium type” format, movie-goers will be able to feel the full impact of 128 channels at the same time. Sony’s SRX-R515P is a high-quality 4K digital cinema projection system designed for small-to-medium auditoriums. It offers true 4K quality from the integrated media block through the lens to the cinema screen, and

features an improved SXRD optical engine, 8,000:1 contrast ratio, 15,000 lumens brightness, easy-on-the-eye Sony 3D and high frame rate capabilities. It is also cost eﬃcient in terms of lamp and maintenance costs. “Sony’s SRX-R515P embodies everything we could ask for in a 4K projection system. It was only logical that we marry that with the best in audio technology, and for us it was Dolby Atmos,” said Alvina Wong, Managing Director, Cinema City Langham Place. “Sony 4K Digital Cinema gave us the opportunity to screen a wide range of movies. With the addition of 4DX to the equation, we have raised the benchmark for cinematic experiences,” she added. “We are very pleased to work with Cinema City Langham Place to make it the go-to cinema in Hong Kong for a 4K multi-sensory viewing experience,” said Tadahiro Fukumoto, General Manager, Visual Presentation Solutions Division, Professional Solutions Company (PSAP), Sony Electronics Asia Pacific. “The alchemy of such innovative cinema technologies goes far beyond the visual and aural, and we’re excited to have played a part in creating such true-to-life movie magic in Hong Kong,” he added. With Sony as its trusted partner, the team at CCLP continues to seek innovative ways to raise the bar for movie goers, who can count on truly mesmerizing and immersive experiences at Cinema City Langham Place.

Dolby Atmos To Reach 200-Screen Milestone In Indonesia

Cinema 21 and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. have announced that Cinema 21, one of the largest cinema chains in Indonesia, plans to install Dolby Atmos in 100 cinema screens over the next 18 months. Dolby Atmos has now reached the milestone of 200 screens installed or committed to in Indonesia, making it the country with one of the largest numbers of committed Dolby Atmos screens in the Asia Pacific region. Another significant milestone for Dolby, is that more than 900 screens worldwide have now been or are scheduled to be equipped with Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by giving filmmakers the creative freedom to easily place or move sounds anywhere in the movie theatre, including overhead, to create the most engaging cinema experience ever.

"With consumers becoming more discerning these days, Cinema 21 believes in constantly oﬀering revolutionary and state-of-the art technologies to our patrons to ensure the most epic movie experiences. We have seen an incremental rise in box oﬃce taking with the current Dolby Atmos screens installed. The groundbreaking Dolby Atmos sound technology is certainly the way to go, and moving forward, audiences will be spoilt for choice with hopefully more than 100 Dolby Atmos screens to select from in Indonesia," said Catherine Keng, Corporate Secretary, Cinema 21. "Dolby is honoured that Cinema 21 has chosen to equip 100 of its screens with the immersive Dolby Atmos sound technology. With Dolby Atmos, the audience is no longer just watching a movie; they are experiencing it," said Pankaj Kedia, Senior Regional Director, India and South East Asia, Dolby Laboratories. "We are confident that movie-goers will go back again and again for the extraordinary experience that only Dolby Atmos can deliver." Introduced in April 2012, Dolby Atmos has been embraced by all the major Hollywood studios, 11 Academy Award winning directors, and 23 Academy Award winning sound mixers, among others. Dolby Atmos has received technical achievement awards from both the Hollywood Post Alliance and the Cinema Audio Society. As the inventors of the only object-based audio format used in the cinema today, Dolby is working closely with the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in driving adoption of standards for object-based audio.

CinemaBarco Ushers In A New Era In Cinema Entertainment

Magical movie moments have made cinema special for more than 100 years. Barco has played a rapidly evolving role in elevating cinema entertainment to new heights, reinventing the movie going experience for a new generation. “We see our job as empowering storytellers to tell their story in the most compelling and eﬀective manner. Barco has been true to this tradition for the last 80 years, investing in revolutionary technologies that enable such experiences. As a major milestone, Barco has recently reached 50,000 digital cinema projector milestone for worldwide deployments this

SPECIAL FEATURE January - February 2015

third quarter 2014,” said Todd Hoddick, VP Global Entertainment for Barco. Todd continued, “Fast on the heels of our industry racing towards complete digital conversion, we look forward to creating brand new opportunities to energize the industry, for both exhibitors and their guests. One such concept launched at CinemaCon 2014, called CinemaBarco, represents a new evolution in cinema entertainment. Our goal with CinemaBarco is to champion a new era in motion picture entertainment, bringing showmanship and community back to the cinema. CinemaBarco brings every part of the theatre to life, delivering visually spectacular and immersive entertainment before, during and after the show to create a one-of-a-kind movie going experience. From the lobby, to the auditorium and beyond, exhibitors can use Barco’s collection of disruptive products to outfit their cinemas with revenue-enhancing solutions that help them grow their business while enhancing audiences’ enjoyment. From a business perspective, CinemaBarco enables theatre owners to capture more of the entertainment dollar by delivering a value-added experience far beyond the traditional movie-going experience. Our latest solutions like Barco Escape, lobby enchantment, immersive cinema audio and audience interactivity appeal to the up-andcoming generation of moviegoers who are attracted by thrill-seeking experiences that are also interactive. By employing the latest

Dolby

audience engagement, interactive lobby technology and immersive audio solutions, exhibitors can create an environment that attracts a highly engaged community of movie-goers. It is precisely these types of innovations that are beginning to drive ticket sales and brand loyalty. All of these experiences combined enable theatre owners to create true entertainment.”

Dolby Selects Christie To Co-Develop Dolby Vision Projection Systems For Dolby Cinema Christie will co-develop, supply, install, and service proprietary Dolby Vision projection systems for Dolby Cinema. Christie's projection technologies will ensure that Dolby Cinema combines a spectacular image with immersive sound and inspired design, to make every visit a completely captivating cinematic event. Dolby Cinema will feature the Dolby Vision projection system, which uses state-of-theart optics and image processing to deliver high dynamic range (HDR) with enhanced colour technology that has been praised by filmmakers for its amazing contrast, high brightness, and colour range that more closely matches what the human eye can see. This new proprietary HDR technology with enhanced colour uses two newly designed high-frame-rate (HFR) capable Christie 4K laser projection heads that feature a highly customized and unique light path. Combined with Christie's 6P modular laser light sources, this technology delivers high-contrast images and ultra-brightness, which define the visual excellence of Dolby Cinema.

Unique to the Dolby Vision projection system, beyond its astonishing brightness and vivid colour reproduction, is its ability to deliver HDR with an incomparable contrast ratio that exceeds any other image technology currently on the market. The result is a richer, more detailed viewing experience, with strikingly vivid and realistic images that make viewers feel like they are in the movie's world. Dolby Vision content will be available in 2015, coinciding with the deployment of the first Dolby Vision projection systems in Dolby Cinema locations. The Dolby Cinema will also deliver to audiences the best in immersive audio, with a potent combination of Dolby Atmos sound and Christie Vive audio speakers and Class D amplifiers, many of which were specially designed for this demanding application. "Dolby Cinema lets studios and exhibitors focus on what they do best, with the confidence that Dolby will deliver a premium experience that makes the most of the latest cinema technologies," said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Cinema, Dolby Laboratories. "To get this right, we naturally went to a leader in projection that could help deliver a breakthrough solution, and I'm pleased that we were able to work with Christie to co-develop the Dolby Vision projection system. With this announcement, we are confident that exhibitors and studios will now have the ultimate venue to present movies that will keep audiences coming back for more."

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A CINEMA OPERATOR'S PERSPECTIVE

PVR Cinemas: Staying Ahead of the Curve Gautam Dutta, CEO of PVR Cinemas, India’s largest cinema chain, is a young and energetic honcho of cinema entrepreneurism in India. Credited with bringing visible increase in cinema media sales in PVR since he took the reins in 2006, Gautam has been leading the company’s mission and objectives, building future leadership within the organization and promoting revenue, profitability and growth. E-Tech Asia talks to Gautam Dutta on PVR’s cinema exploits: There have been many technologies - both in audio and video - coming and impacting cinematic experience from time to time. What, according to you, has been the most impacting? Gautam: Digital technology has certainly transformed how we experience movies and what movies look and sound like. PVR moved to 2K digital systems which rendered the picture quality stunning and life-like. Even post acquisition period, we converted all acquired cinemas from analogue and E Cinema to 2K format, and began moving into 4K digital domain which promises a spectacular visual experience.

PVR has been a synonymic first reference for new age Indian Cinema for over 16 years now. How does it look at itself today? Gautam: We braved the odds to introduce first multiplex to the country in 1997, and made history with over a million people visiting it within the first year. The success story continues as the group stands as the largest player in Indian cinema exhibition space with 454 screens from 102 properties across 43 cities. We always believed in innovating the business. Whilst taking ideas from across the globe, we seek to transcend movie watching to the next-level every time, by ushering in the most luxurious and elite cinematic ambience. A reflection of the same is our recent announcement of launching India’s first ever 15-screen Superplex with a slew of world class-formats such as IMAX, ECX (enhanced movie experience), PVR Premier, Director’s Cut, PVR 4DX and PVR Playhouse- all under one roof, and now the latest addition of Auro 11.1 sound technology. Today, PVR is amongst top 10 cinema companies in the world in admissions per screen, and our getting a place in the World Economic Forum's list of Fastest-

Growing 'Global Growth Companies' is an endorsement of our leadership. Expanding our innovative exploits, we also distribute non-studio/ independent international movies (under Director’s Rare banner) in the country; we have recently pioneered bringing alternate content like ballets, stand-up comedy acts, theatre performances and other varied content to our screens. We, therefore, keep ourselves constantly ahead of the curve; same time, we’re always open to learning and innovating the business.

Rise of PVR cinemas coincided with the rise of Digital Cinema, globally... How would you describe this 'rising' complementing each other? Gautam: Rise of PVR Cinemas began in 1997 when it was still celluloid film projection system, and DTS 5.1 2-way surround sound, but with new innovations in this sector, we wanted to bring in the best. With the initiation of digital projection systems, operations in the cinema level became easier and eﬀective allowing for smarter theatre management systems. We can call it a winwin proposition for the adopter and the adopted format.

Simultaneously, the audio systems too got to a new experiential level with each subsequent format of digital audio. From 3-way 7.1 to 4-way 7.1, and now to Atmos, and Auro 11.1 which weave a very life-like immersive audio ambience.

There have been other audio-video technologies - outside the cinema auditorium - like digital signage, and BGM ambience... How has PVR leveraged them for better patron experience? Gautam: PVR brainstorms on the complete look and feel of every property. The design domain is explored for innovating every aspect of the interior décor- auditorium wall panels, passages, foyers and lobbies, flooring and seating, ceiling and lighting. Whilst developing any property, minute details like the fonts on the signage, poster box frames, are themed to soothe the likes, preferences and culture of a particular city/state. Having done with poster displays through LCD TVs, background music, and digital signages, we are contemplating incorporating interactive digital signages for engaging our patrons with compelling services. The use of media portals in both foyer and pre-foyer areas helps the patrons know releases. A DVD wall artwork and columns add a splash of color to the space.

SPECIAL FEATURE January - February 2015

Ticketing has been one fascinating intrusion into cinema technologies domain...what has been PVR's latest take on this front? GAUTAM: We, at PVR, believe ticketing is not just a procedure to be followed by patrons but a specific aspect of customer experience. We recently introduced ticketless walkin module through Mobile-Ticketing that allows people to book online and enter the cinema premises by just using their mobile phones. This paperless transaction has received positive feedback as this is a simple mechanism that ensures patrons have an eﬀortless transaction!

While the much-talked 2K has turned into 4K now - though no regular content is assured as yet and there is already a hype about laser projection...How does PVR look at this ambiguity or promise? GAUTAM: We have already moved from 2K to 4K projections. Content in the latter seems to be limited, however, things are still moving. PVR does aim at increasing the technological standard by ensuring that all prime properties have this facility.

Recently, on our senior management’s visit to the CineAsia 2014 summit, a demo of the laser projection system showed a marked advancement in projection technology. Being a quality-conscious brand driven by passion to bring only the best, we would certainly like to bring the latest and the best systems to the country. The format does promise higher and even brightness covering the length and breadth of the screens, expanded colour gamut and lower costs of operations.

Concurrently, audio appears to be competing for precedence with 7.1 leading to 11.1 and even 13.1...your thoughts on this. GAUTAM: Growth is paramount to any business, and as such technological advancement in any industry is a boon. There is no end to the technology race, and with each new format there is a promise of higher eﬃciency. The same is for audio exploits as they keep developing clearer, noise-free and immersive sound formats.

Given all this, where does PVR intend to position itself? GAUTAM: Indian cinema is definitely expanding and has an amazingly wide spectrum of movie aficionados owing to the varied cultural and linguistic preferences. There is a certain niche audience who wants to watch alternate content on the big screens. Movie enthusiasts had to choose between catching world cinema masterpieces on a small screen or wait for once-a-year festivals to see them in theatres. Gauging this need as well as the dearth of this niche content, we introduced PVR Director’s Rare. Under this banner, PVR will regularly bring award-winning and critically acclaimed movies from across the globe to the discerning audience. We have also tied up with several agencies to get good content. Our ability to reinvent, innovate and to challenge ourselves is a testimony to the exponential expansion across India. We aim to keep providing movie connoisseurs a premier experience by redefining movie watching. Our focus is to innovate for more valued services.

SPECIAL FEATURE January - February 2015

Auro – The New Sound of Movies Since the time it entered ‘show business,’ the Auro has been making some decent sound about its impact on the aural experience of film enthusiasts. That it creates a spatial aura around the film watching patron has been its central characteristic, while the incredible ease of formatting and flexibility that it brings to film-makers, and theatrical exhibitors, makes it the preferred choice for cinema operators. For some ironical reason, audio technologies do not make so much sound compared to visual technologies, particularly when it comes to film exhibitions. This, despite visual Mandar Gupte, components having Barco priority in the digital domain. One has to commend Team Spielberg and the DTS times to having sensitized people towards the spatial aura of cinematic sound. It’s more than a commonplace that most theatres in India make a prideful etching on their names and film panels DTS to imprint in the minds of film patrons their ‘incredible’ sound eﬀect. Evidently, the 7.1 sound format is by far the most popular theatrical sound format today. This special status is now being taken by the new ‘spatial’ sound format Auro. Brought to the fore by visual solutions major Barco, the sound format is said to evoke interest in both film-makers and theatrical exhibitors. Says Mandar Gupte, Sales DirectorEntertainment and Corporate, Barco India: “The Auro 11.1 is optimized for the highest quality at the most economical price. The three levels of height that are unique to the format give it the advantage of providing more natural sense of immersion without needing exorbitant number of channels.” According to him, Auro achieves this by maintaining a more natural approach to the way sound is made in real life. That the sound format adds the unique third dimension – height and overhead channel – allowing sound waves to come from every direction, “just like they do in real life,” and create the most realistic and natural immersive spatial audio experience. Basing on the existing 5.1 surround sound configuration, the Auro is designed along three layers of sound – ear-level, height and overhead – creating a unique 3D acoustic eﬀect. “Having three levels in the Auro 3D configurations are the best way to achieve that,” explains Mandar.

The beauty of Auro technology is that any film can be encoded to play in Auro 11.1irrespective of whether the film is 2D or 3D. Films mixed in Auro 3D formats can be played with normal 2D film set-up as well. Theatre owner does not need to install any other formats to experience the immersive sound. “The benefits are immense,” explained Mandar. • Auro 11.1 oﬀers the most immersive audio experience with the minimum number of channels; so, very cost-eﬀective for the exhibitor • It does not require any change in workflow for content makers; no additional cost or time for the content maker • It is extremely easy to integrate in the exhibition set-up • Single audio master delivery for DCP (5.1 and Auro-encoded audio come in the same PCM wave file); no additional mastering cost for the producer • No royalty requirement for the producer like the competing formats • Content makers have complete artistic control over the 5.1 or the 7.1 unlike other competing formats • It is perfectly backward-compatiblemeaning films coded in 11.1 can be played without any audio hassle in theatres with 5.1 or 7.1 set-up • Only DCI-complaint system in the market currently; also the only format today where native 3D audio capture is possible(with special microphone rigs) That the sound format does require alignment with the server component as well, Barco Alchemy and Doremi are already out with Auro decoding. Real image is also set to soon start rolling out Qube servers with Auro decoding. India already has over 40 theatres successfully installed with the Auro 11.1 format. These are a mix of multiplexes and large single-screens spread across the country. “Our most recent installs have been in leading multiplexes in Mumbai and Delhi,” informs Mandar. The success of Auro in a country like India where a majority chunk of theatres is still stand-alone large-capacity single-screens is due to the fact that it suits any size. With the basic requirement of 5.1 set-up already

being there, the same number of speakers is required for the mezzanine height layer. The exhibitor concerned can then add 4, 6, or 8 speakers overhead depending on the size of the room. “It’s not just the size of the rooms but also the acoustical properties and current equipment used in these rooms,” explains the Barco Director. The system enhances the general sweet spot of the theatres exponentially- hence the immersive experience is uniform across the theatre. “In fact, we already have 800-seat and 1000-seat theatres installed in South India,” Mandar explains further. The question of 13.1: Seeking to ally the ambiguity over 13.1, the standard 5.1 or 7.1 spec will work fine for 11.1 as well as 13.1 format as well; it’s just the additional height layer required. “The full Auro 11.1 speaker layout is defined for up to 13.1 channels, with 11.1 being the ideal solution for environments such as Cinema,” Mandar explains. “Each sub-layout has its own fixed set-up. It is important that we do not get confused with different layouts for a certain number of channels. While offering various configurations (each one is appropriate for a specific environment), they all offer the same basic layout.” This is how it works: • 9.1 Auro 11.1: + 4 height channels (one above each corner speaker / array) • 10.1 Auro 11.1: + 5 height channels (+TS = “Voice of God” channel) • 11.1 Auro 11.1: + 6 height channels (+ Height Center) The Auro 11.1 speaker layouts 12.1 and 13.1 are based on the 6.1 or 7.1 Standard: • 12.1 Auro 11.1 = 11.1 Auro 11.1 + Rear Center (6.1) • 13.1 Auro 11.1 = 12.1 Auro 11.1 + Height Rear Center “The Auro is by far the most flexible and cost-effective format to suit any set-up,” sums up the Barco Sales Director. “As the industry consolidates its view of how immersive sound is to be defined, we will adapt with it. The technology is made to evolve if the need is required to do so.” www.barco.com

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INSTALL January - February 2015

SINGAPORE

Hertz II Infuses KV2 Into Club Pyramid

ll-in-one entertainment destination, St James Power Station is in the midst of upgrading its entire outlet concept. Club Pyramid, a nightspot at St James Power Station, has catered to that upgrade by raising the quality of its audio systems. The club recently invested in KV2 Audio loudspeakers on the advice of Hertz II, integration specialists that were called in to provide the sound, lighting and LED wall equipment for the club. Working together with the club's owner, Gerald Ng, Director of Hertz II noted, “This

project was part of a larger revamp of St James. It had highly specific requirements and add-ons planned for the future so we knew we had to find a versatile system that could be upgraded if needed.” In total, 4 x KV2 ES1.0 units complemented by 4 x KV2 ES2.6 (8 ohms) double 15” and 4 x KV2 ES1.8 single 18'' subwoofers were brought in for the task. “The owner specified that no speakers were allowed to be under the stage and that everything had to be suspended. Directivity was also an important factor as they plan to

expand the club to include a second level in 2015,” explained Gerald. “From the first time that I heard the KV2 ES system, I was impressed by the powerful output. The mid and high frequencies oﬀered are excellent, which is the reason I choose KV2. Furthermore, all the speakers are manufactured in Czech Republic.” stated Gerald. “This was my first time working on KV2 with Sindo but I noticed their products and projects all over Singapore so I trusted their service 100 percent.” Powering the entire rig are 4 x KV2 EPAK2500R 4-way modular, rack mount amplifiers which have been designed specifically for KV2 ES Series modules along with a Behringer X-32 digital console for live performances. www.hertz2.com www.kv2audio.com www.sindoexport.com

IN A NUTSHELL

Mike Lim (Staﬀ of Sindo Exports Pte Ltd), Sulaiman Simatupang (Project Manager of Hertz II), Mr Koh (Director of Sindo Exports Pte Ltd) and lastly, Gerald Ng (Director of Hertz II).

• Venue: Club Pyramid • Location: St James Power Station, Singapore • Integrator: Hertz II • Equipment: KV2 Audio • ES1.0 Loudspeaker • ES2.6 Active Subwoofer • ES1.8 Active Subwoofer • EPAK2500R Amplifier

INSTALL January - February 2015

INDIA

blueFROG Grows With L-Acoustics

he blueFROG in Pune is the latest in India's classy line of blueFROG bars, which feature fine dining, live entertainment, and a lush ambience, all under one roof. Pune is the third blueFROG venue; two successful establishments already exist in Delhi and Mumbai, the latter of which was recently voted as one of the top 20 bar designs in the world. The blueFROG mission statement is to make every performance memorable for the artist, production team, and audience, by delivering an unsurpassable aural and visual experience. The Pune venue needed to cater to a diverse, young and demanding local community. To achieve this, blueFROG commissioned Munro Acoustics India to specify a high-end sound system that could deliver enough power and warmth to accommodate the eclectic mix of musical genres that would grace the venue's stage, from folk and jazz, to pop and heavy rock. blueFROG venues are renowned for their modern and dramatic design - Pune was no exception. The venue includes two full glass

walls which, while impressive for audience members, was a nightmare for sound design. Kapil Thirwani, acoustic consultant for Munro Acoustics requested an L-Acoustics' XTi Architectural Series point-source for the main system and delay fills, and a pair of SB28s for low-end reinforcement to face the challenge.

Images Courtesy of blueFROG

The install took ten days, with a further week spent on optimising the system to get it up to speed before the first live shows took place. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The architect was very helpful in the process; many a time we are given predefined points to hang our speakers, so

INSTALL January - February 2015

that's so often a major stumbling block, but here in Pune, we were given free rein to do what was best for the sound, which really helped,” explained Thirwani. “To overcome the reflections challenge, we played with the height and the wide splay angles of the XT system and then worked out an acoustic model to avoid these unwanted reflections. It worked perfectly.” The blueFROG set-up resembles more closely to a performance venue than a bar, as FOH is integral, and the engineer gets the prime seat in the house. “We use the XTs in our Mumbai venue and for Pune, there was no other option in my mind, as the XT system oﬀers a clean, powerful aural output, no matter the genre of music; and of course, music is the main ingredient of this space, as every night there is a band, DJ, or live act.” Thirwani also considers the L-Acoustics amplifiers real 'pieces of art'. “They are magnificent pieces of equipment, and they give the designer full flexibility to route signals discretely, which always helps the FOH engineer in panning and playing with the delays,” he revealed. “It really is the best amplifier and processor system I have ever come across, so I'll never use anything else.” Although the system can be driven much higher if required, it's running nicely at between 112 and 115dB SPL, which is just right for the venue, and pleasing on the ear, Thirwani said. “I think in the XT Series, L-Acoustics really have used some outstanding drivers that perform seamlessly across all the frequency bands. It's a great sounding system here in Pune, and the

blueFROG managing director, Simran Mulchandani, thinks so too, which is just what we like to hear!” According to Mulchandani, L-Acoustics has been “brilliantly eﬃcient”, and more than satisfying across the genres of music that his venue has played host to. “We will most definitely continue to use L-Acoustics in all of our music venue projects. Our patrons have

reacted very positively - many of them are in awe of the sound - and all of our homegrown Indian artists as well as international visiting artists have only had positive things to say about the sound, which is fantastic.” www.bluefrog.co.in www.munro.co.uk www.l-acoustics.com

IN A NUTSHELL • Venue: blueFROG Pune • Location: Ishanya Mall, Arcade 6, Yerwada • Integrator/Supplier: Munro Acoustics India • Equipment - L-Acoustics • FOH System: - 12XTi two-way passive coaxial enclosures - ETR12XTi adjustable U brackets - LA4 amplifier • Subwoofer System: - SB28 subwoofers - LA8 amplifier • Delay Fills: - 8XTi two-way passive coaxial enclosures - ETR8XTi adjustable U brackets - LA4 amplifier

72 INSTALL VIX Reopens With Full Martin Outfit

SINGAPORE

January - February 2015

aking nightlife entertainment in Singapore to a whole new level, VIX Dance Club @ Deluxe Lido Palace has combined the elements of a Western nightclub with the beauty of a Chinese Karaoke Television (KTV) Lounge. Reopened after a major lighting overhaul, VIX considers itself a venue where the “traditional flower joint meets modern dance club”, as acknowledged by owner, William Han. “VIX caters to a clientele whose age group is in the late twenties and upwards. Therefore, our new lighting plan had to be just right as our clientele expect a certain level of eﬀects and intensity from the mood lighting. We replaced, practically, all the lighting fixtures and added lots of LED panels and laser lights to help achieve the eﬀect we wanted,” stated William.

The lighting design was conceptualized by William who engaged a renowned lighting designer from China to help him achieve the eﬀects he wanted while staying within the budget. Setting the tone now for VIX is a full ‘RUSH by Martin’ rig which includes 12 x RUSH MH 4 Beams, 16 x RUSH MH 1 Profiles and 10 x RUSH PAR 1 RGBW, bright LED PARs that oﬀer premixed RGBW colour mixing. Complementing and controlling the entire rig is a Martin M2PC DMX console, a PC-based lighting controller which features the same layout and portable as the popular, M2GO. The M2PC can control up to 32,768 parameters and comes with 8 x function keys which are fully customizable.

“We have been using Martin fixtures in our club for decades and the main reason for choosing these particular models were

due to performance and also their value for money. The greatest challenge that we faced was integrating all the different lights, laser and LED panels together before our grand reopening, but we managed to get everything done in record time thanks to the assistance from Martin staff and our integrator.” said William. Rounding up the club’s new gear are 2 x Magnum 1800 high-powered foggers, both also triggered via DMX from the M2PC controller for maximum aerial effects. Clearly happy with his choice to go full Martin, William added, “The new rig has been very well received by our customers. We’ve even had inquiries about our set-up and cost, but we don’t want to give too much away!” www.martin.com

IN A NUTSHELL • Venue: Deluxe Lido Palace Pte Ltd, VIX • Location: 317 Outram Road, Concorde Shopping Centre • Equipment: Martin Professional - RUSH MH 4 Beam - RUSH MH 1 Profile - RUSH PAR 1 RGBW - M2PC DMX Controller - Magnum 1800 smoke machine

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INSTALL January - February 2015

Christie Oﬀers Truly Immersive Experience @ Largest Multiplex In Asia

KOREA

Images Courtesy of Lotte Cinema

ocated in the highest landmark in Korea, Lotte World Mall, the Lotte Cinema World Tower is the largest multiplex in Asia with 21 theatre auditoriums and over 4,600 plush seats for maximum comfort. Catering to the expectations of the multiplex, Christie Digitals' state-of-the-art cinema solutions have been installed provide the ultimate movie-going experience for its patrons. Each theatre, housed on separate floors, will have its own unique concept and interior design based on an “art movie city” theme. The screen in its 21st auditorium currently holds the Guinness World Record for the largest permanently installed 35mm cinema screen in the world, measuring an enormous 34 meters by 13.8m. Lotte Cinema World Tower is also home to the largest 4D theatre in Korea, equipped with dynamic motion seats and other special eﬀects. The installation of the extensive range of cinema solutions by Christie and its Korean partner Eugenetek Corporation, was one of the biggest entertainment solutions projects undertaken by both teams in Korea.

“Lotte Cinema World Tower is one of the biggest projects that we have ever embarked on and we are thankful to be given this opportunity to be involved in this major installation. We have worked closely with the team from Christie throughout this project and are proud to present the best-quality picture and sound to the audience with Christie’s cutting edge cinema solutions,” stated Joon-Ho Lee, President, Eugenetek Corporation All auditoriums are complete with Christie digital cinema solutions, including the flagship Christie Solaria Series projectors. The Solaria Series oﬀers precise vivid color with the light output necessary to light

up even the largest auditoriums. Fully DCI compliant, and built on Christie’s extensive cinema experience, the Solaria Series is ready for the next evolution of digital cinema – displaying premium 4K content or 2D/3D 2K High Frame Rate (HFR) feature films and alternative content in its original format. Complementing the stunning visuals is the Christie Vive Audio, which oﬀers rich, dynamic and detailed sound that unlocks the full potential of the DCI digital cinema audio format and supports leading formats such as Dolby Atmos, 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound. It consists of wall and ceiling surround speakers that use unique ribbon driver technology in a line array design, purpose-built for cinema environments. From the thundering roar of an airplane flying overhead to the delicate hums of insects in flight, the Christie Vive Audio system envelopes audiences with dynamic, detailed and captivating sound. Audiences can expect nothing but the best visuals from the Christie Solaria CP2215, CP2220, CP2230 and CP4230, which utilize the latest generation DLP Cinema electronics platform. Among the seven auditoriums fitted with Christie Vive Audio, five are

INSTALL January - February 2015

Christie ACT Digital Cinema Theatre Control and Christie Integrated Media Block (IMB) round up the integrated equipment.

specially configured to meet Dolby Atmos sound technology requirements. Filmmakers use Dolby Atmos to place and move sounds anywhere in the movie theatre, including overhead, to make film audiences feel as if they are inside the movie and not merely watching it. Rounding out the impressive list of installed products are the Christie ACT and Christie IMB solutions designed to provide the best performance and reliability in terms of theatre automation control and content delivery.

Lin Yu, vice president, Christie Asia Pacific, said, “Christie is honoured to work with Lotte Cinemas to have our most advanced and comprehensive range of cinema solutions installed in all auditoriums of Asia’s largest multiplex. The audience can look forward to be wowed by our brilliant projection and audio systems that oﬀer truly immersive and memorable experiences. Lotte Cinema World Tower is certainly one of the world’s premier cinema destinations and we are proud to be a major part of this project.” “We’re very excited to install an extensive range of Christie digital cinema solutions, including the Solaria Series projectors and Vive Audio cinema sound systems in our latest multiplex which ranks among the best in the world,” said Gwan Ro Lee, executive director, Lotte Cinema. “Christie’s visual and audio solutions are well known for their

high quality and reliability that is backed by industry-leading service and support. We have utilized a number of Christie products at various locations and are confident that the complete cinema solutions fitted at our Lotte Cinema World Tower will oﬀer the best and the most lifelike visual and sensory cinematic experience for all movie patrons in Korea.” www.lottecinema.co.kr www.christiedigital.com

IN A NUTSHELL • • • •

Venue: Lotte Cinema World Tower Location: 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu Integrator: Eugenetek Corporation Equipment: Christie Digital - Solaria Series Projectors - Vive Audio Surround Sound Systems - ACT Digital Cinema Theatre Control - Integrated Media Block

AUSTRALIA

INSTALL January - February 2015

Electro-Voice Shakes The Basement

he Basement Canberra, a live music venue and bar in the suburb of Belconnen, was looking to upgrade its sound system after the new owners took over in July 2014. Described as a venue with “cold beer, hot food, pool and live music – what else could you ask for?” the basement mainly caters to artists and fans of heavy rock, metal, grunge and alternative music. It also features acoustic artists and various other musical genres from time to time. Acts range from local to national and international so a serious sound system was required to provide high levels of volume and a premium sound quality. Lance Fox, one of the key principals and general manager of The Basement, engaged audio-visual company Eo Design to help specify the ‘right sound’ as well as upgrade the lighting. For the sound, Peter Guest, Managing Director of Eo recommended for him to try out the latest from Electro-Voice which was getting rave reviews. Peter contacted the EV distributors, Bosch Communications Systems (BCS) to get the low down and put together a great system for the

venue. “We were looking for loudspeakers that were powerful, sounded great at any volume, could provide high SPL and could go hard at a high volume for a long time. Deep clean bass was essential. It was important to greatly improve the existing sound to help attract promoters and key artists to want to play at the venue as well having something that was durable and long-lasting.”

After assessing the venue, BCS recommended ETX Powered Loudspeakers and its requirements. 2 x ETX-35P loudspeakers were used with 4 x ETX-18P subwoofers while 5 ETX-15P loudspeakers are employed as stage monitors. To safeguard the investment, a special steel and timber barrier protects the 4 subs and 5

INSTALL January - February 2015

monitors from physical and liquid damage, while the 3-ways are suspended from the ceiling. “With sound so good, we wanted to protect the equipment a little. The barrier also provides a safer environment for the band as well as the audience,” said Lance Fox. Once the speakers were installed, Bryan Davidson from BCS tuned the system in the room to provide a base platform for good live sound mixing engineers to realise the best possible sound. “In order to do this I popped several balloons and took measurements with EASERA and noted the room’s acoustic signature. I also made some long-hand calculations and verified a couple of potential issues including a nasty room mode. Then I used the SysTune to verify the necessary equalization adjustments which I set using the ETX’s onboard parametric EQ filters. Several minor tweaks and listening tests later I was able to lock these adjustments from anyone making any changes using the ETX’s on-board lock out feature” stated Bryan. The day the system was installed, Bryan also mixed the first band on the bill during their rehearsal. They were totally blown away by the ETX15P speakers that were used as fold back monitors. “When the band took their first break I was overwhelmed by people commenting on how incredibly good the system sounded. Not only was it loud enough, and believe me it was really only idling and still achieving 102dB at the desk according to the SPL meter, the ETX35P’s

are extremely articulate and the subs had more punch that I could have imagined.” said Bryan. Lance and the other owners were also impressed by the sheer power and quality of the sound. “The sound is absolutely awesome. I could not have hoped for a better result. The ETX loudspeakers are great value for money and just perfect for The Basement. I am very happy with the end result” said Lance Fox. www.electrovoice.com www.eodesign.net.au www.facebook.com/basementbelco

IN A NUTSHELL • Venue: The Basement Canberra • Location: 2 Cohen Street Belconnen, ACT 2617 • Consultant: Eo Design • Equipment : Electro-Voice - ETX-35P 3-way powered loudspeakers - ETX-18SP powered subwoofers - ETX-15P 2-way powered loudspeakers

Images Courtesy of Straight Photography

INSTALL January - February 2015

The P.A. People Install New Sound @ The SCG

ince the mid-nineteenth century, Sydneysiders have used the current site of the Sydney Cricket Ground in Moore Park for sporting contests ranging from rugby to cycling. In 1875, the ground was placed in control of the New South Wales Cricket Association and the dominance of this polite sport was stamped on the site forever. By 1882, the SCG included two grandstands, including the namesake of the current 1980s era Brewongle Stand.

AUSTRALIA

In addition to being the spiritual home of cricket in Australia, the SCG is also the home ground of AFL team The Sydney Swans. Allianz Stadium, right next door, is also managed by the SCG Trust and together, both venues make up the Moore Park sporting precinct, which hosts regular Rugby League and Union fixtures during the year. When the SCG Trust recently rebuilt The MA Noble, Don Bradman and Dally Messenger Stands to meet the needs of the 21st century sporting community, Sydney’s The P.A. People were brought in to not only install new Front and Back of House PA equipment, but also integrate the new stands with the existing facilities. After a 12 month build, the new stand’s AV fit-out was completed with a huge range of new and innovative features throughout. Greg DeAndrade, Project Manager for the Design and Construction Electrical Contractor - Barnwell Cambridge noted, “… adding to the need to pair seamlessly with the existing PA system within the Precinct, The P.A. People worked with us to achieve an excellent outcome…”.

The new MA Noble, Don Bradman and Dally Messenger Stands host a huge range of multifunction and hospitality spaces including a micro-brewery, 14 bars, banquet hall, dining room and corporate entertainment suites. The operational side includes extensive new outside broadcast and media facilities as well as multimediaenabled coaching and training rooms. Designed and built by The P.A. People, the new stand’s bowl sound system consists of 8x main clusters of JBL AE Series loudspeakers, augmented with delays where necessary, and powered by Crown CTs Series power amplifiers. The PA mix positon remains in level seven of the Brewongle stand, where system processing is through a BSS Blu DSP unit. The P.A. People expanded the existing processor’s tasks, adding new control pages to the PC interface used for overall control of the system. Additional BSS Blu units were added to process audio in the new stand’s FOH and BOH areas. Significant new network capability was a core goal of the new build. A fibre optic network was deployed in the new stands, with links

back to the Brewongle stand. All in all, 95 spaces in the Noble, Bradman and Messenger stands are fully wired into the network. With the existing processing and amplification infrastructure already using CobraNet, The P.A. People seamlessly connected new processors and amplifiers to the existing network over the fibre. Just to be sure, a back-up copper feed was run between the stands. The SCG’s combination of heritage buildings and state-of-the-art facilities requires care and attention when integrating the old with the new. The new stand’s PA system had to be set-up so that it matched the existing systems tonally and created a seamless listening experience for the crowd. “The new stands are taller” explained Josh Jones, Project Manager at The P.A. People, “so we had to realign our delays across the stadium. The new stands have become the PA’s zero point. The other stands have had their delays time aligned to suit. You can now walk from one stand to another and not notice any anomalies due to the height diﬀerences of the speakers in relation to the seats.” Aesthetics were also a major consideration. Not wanting any unsightly loudspeakers impeding the view, the stand’s roofs were cleverly designed to incorporate the PA clusters in a series of recesses. “We had to co-ordinate with the builder and hang the PA clusters up into their niches” continued Josh.

INSTALL January - February 2015

the existing PA system within the Precinct, The P.A. People worked with us to achieve an excellent outcome, which has seen the 2014 football season completed and now stands ready for a summer of cricket events”. www.papeople.com

IN A NUTSHELL

“Our aim was to make the speakers look like part of the roof”. Josh and The P.A. People managed to do this without compromising on one of their guiding principles; that a PA must not only sound good, but be practical and easily serviceable. To this end, they incorporated a simple system for maintenance. “The roof is built in such a way that you can access the inside via a series of catwalks.” Josh elaborated. “So we devised a mounting system for the PA clusters that makes servicing the PA as simple as unplugging the speaker cable connector, loosening oﬀ the mounting bracket, and then lowering the cluster using a pair of hoists.” The practical theme of ‘Fit for Purpose’ continues throughout the BOH areas. Simple AMX touchscreen control throughout the functions and training areas ensure that any user can easily and simply switch audio sources from local to the main PA feed and control volume in their area. The PA systems

in the multi-purpose dining and banquet rooms are designed to accept both simple control of playback and volume by in-house staﬀ, or accommodate full-scale third-party production equipment brought in for major events. The P.A. People task required flexibility of being able to complete a high-end PA system to the facility during staged handovers and required changes to suit the developing structure during construction phases, whilst maintaining the patrons expected sound levels. Summing up the project, Greg DeAndrade added, “The uniqueness of the new Stand provided some challenges for audio services. The solution for the main external seating areas and also within the five floors of the complex, had to meet functional, acoustic, aesthetic and performance requirements, unique to the building’s design characteristics. With these challenges adding to the need to pair seamlessly with

• Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground • Location: Sheridan Building, Moore Park Rd • Integrator/Designer: The P.A. People • Equipment: - JBL Professional AE Series Loudspeakers - Crown Audio CTs Series Power Amplifiers - BSS Audio BLU-100 12x8 Signal Processor with BLU link - AMX touchscreen control

INSTALL January - February 2015

The Grand Scores Sony’s 4K Twin Peak Solution

ony will be equipping the largest multiplex cinema in Hong Kong with its 4K Twin Peak Solution. Operated by Shaw Group, The Grand features 12 screens, a seating capacity of close to 1,600 and continues to be one of the top-grossing theatres in Hong Kong. Sony will be equipping it with an installation of Sony’s 4K Twin Peak Solution in The Grand’s largest auditorium.

HONG KONG

This is a joint venture project between Shaw Group and Multiplex Cinema Ltd, and will make The Grand the first cinema in Hong Kong to be installed with this true Sony 4K/3D solution.

Sony’s 4K Twin Peak Solution essentially consists of 2 x Sony SRX-R320 4K digital cinema projectors ideal for delivering optimum picture quality in larger cinema halls. For 3D screenings, full 4K resolution is possible for the left and right eyes simultaneously due to the use of 2 x 4K projectors, resulting in a high-brightness, high-quality stereoscopic cinema presentation that oﬀers more faithful reproduction of motion in 3D. The solution achieves a 3D brightness of 6ftl* (higher than the industry standard of 4.5ftl recommended by DCI) and supports Dolby Atmos. * The foot-lambert is used in the

motion picture industry for measuring the luminance of images on a projection screen. In late 2010, The Grand embarked on an upgrade of its 35mm projection systems to Sony’s SRX-R320 4K digital cinema projectors. This was completed by 2011, with all 12 theatres equipped with Sony’s SRX-R320 and 7 being 3D-capable now. Back then, there were limited product oﬀerings for 4K, and The Grand’s management felt that the capabilities of Sony’s SRX-R320 to upscale and project sharper, higher-resolution images from 2K files were unrivalled. They were also looking for reliability, as no theatre would be able to tolerate any downtime

INSTALL January - February 2015

and subsequent loss of revenue and reputation.

easy-on-the-eye Sony 3D and high frame rate capabilities.

Since the time of installation, Sony’s SRX-R320 projection systems have proven to be extremely stable in performance, which led to The Grand’s management considering to take their technological capabilities to the next level with Sony’s 4K Twin Peak Solution based on the SRX-R320.

“The reasons we chose Sony are quite simple – quality and reliability. We have seen demonstrations from diﬀerent vendors, but at the end of the day, only Sony’s 4K digital projectors deliver the sharpest images with unmatched colour intensity and contrast,” said Wendy Nam, Consultant of The Grand.

Within the last few weeks, The Grand has also procured a unit of Sony’s latest SRX-R515P 4K digital cinema projection system designed for small-to-medium auditoriums. The high quality system employs innovative technology where the projector will continue to work even if one of the lamps fail, minimising the chances for any downtime. The lamps also feature prolonged life spans for lower total running costs for cinema operators. The SRX-R515P oﬀers true 4K quality from the integrated media block through the lens to the cinema screen, and features an improved SXRD optical engine, 8,000:1 contrast ratio, 15,000 lumens brightness,

IN A NUTSHELL • Venue: The Grand Cinema • Location: Elements Mall at Kowloon MTR station

“The Grand has always strived to remain at the forefront of cinema technologies, and we’re delighted that they have again chosen to use Sony’s 4K digital cinema systems due to their positive experiences with our equipment and services. All cinema patrons in Hong Kong can look forward to an enhanced and unprecedented movie experience at The Grand,” said Tadahiro Fukumoto, General Manager, Visual Presentation Solutions Division, Professional Solutions Company (PSAP), Sony Electronics Asia Pacific. pro.sony-asia.com

• Equipment: SONY - SRX-R320 4K digital cinema projectors - SRX-R515P 4K digital cinema projection system

INSTALL January - February 2015

INDIA

TBSE Mumbai Creates Unforgettable Sound With QSC

appy hours are a thing of the past ever since Mumbai found itself a new concept bar that keeps patrons at, literally, the edge of their seats. The Bar Stock Exchange (TBSE) is the country's first and largest stock exchange based pub-chain. Conceptualized along the lines of India's infamous stock exchange, TBSE is a fun, unique and cutting-edge bar that allows customers to trade in alcohol and spirits. Fully equipped with live feeds that enable trade monitoring via a special app created for the pub, TBSE is the first pub chain in India to own a proprietary bar stock exchange software that uses a comprehensive algorithm to determine and change the price of the drink for the next customer based on demand. Customers can place an order via the specially developed app (in addition to the usual way of ordering) that also lets them monitor prices and order in real time. This way, customers compete with each other and the system to score the best prices on their choice of drinks.

With the high-end technology monitoring the demand-supply algorithm, the entire bar is designed to mimic a real stock exchange, with

the software and trading servers exclusively created for the venture, along with huge LCD screens, LED tickers and the legendary stock market â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;gongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, of course.

INSTALL January - February 2015

system because their clients keep complimenting them on the sound, and that to us is just pure gold! We are extremely glad to be a part of this project, and are happy to welcome The Bar Stock Exchange to the ProVA-QSC-AT family,” added a Pro VA oﬃcial. Sharing the sentiments of the integrators, the management at TBSE confirm that ‘trading’ has never been better, with patrons coming in regularly to enjoy the spirits, the food and of course, the music. “We love what an amazing vibe TBSE exudes, and are extremely happy that our patrons love to come by and spend time here! They love the concept, love the vibe, love the food, and they absolutely love the sound! What an amazing feeling it is for us!” qsc.com www.audio-technica.com For a pub chain which uses algorithms for drinks, it’s no surprise that they invested in high-end audio equipment as well. The bar sports a state-of-the-art QSC loudspeaker system that’s spread across both the indoor air conditioned section as well as the outdoor open-air area. Commissioned by reputed system integrators Elektra, the comprehensive QSC loudspeaker system at TBSE features products from the K Family of loudspeakers. The main indoor area sports a combination of strategically placed QSC K12 active loudspeakers, matched to the QSC KW181 subwoofers, while the outdoor area again features QSC K12 active loudspeakers. The carefully thought out set-up ensures that patrons enjoy the same high quality of aural delivery, despite whether they’re seated inside or outside. Adding a microphone setup from Audio-Technica makes for the perfect icing on the cake! Carl Alfonso, Director of Elektra shared, “The brief we received from the client was very simple: ensure good quality clean sound that would not interfere with operations and would allow people to enjoy the music without hampering their conversation. From the start, we realised that QSC was the way forward for us on this project. But before we could even suggest anything, the client themselves insisted that they only wanted a QSC system, based on the amazing user experience they’ve had with the QSC system being installed at some of their other properties.”

“This came as a wonderful surprise to us and was undoubtedly, a massive pat on the back to our instincts! So thanks to all of these factors, coupled with the excellent support and service from Pro Visual Audio [oﬃcial distributors of QSC and Audio-Technica products in India] Elektra has once again introduced a state-of-the-art world class audio system to a facility that truly deserves to be recognised as one of the most unique projects in India today.” “Pro Visual Audio have always been associated with projects that have been cutting-edge in every sense of the word. And now, TBSE is another feather added to our cap. The owners love the QSC loudspeaker system coupled with the AT microphone

IN A NUTSHELL • Venue: The Bar Stock Exchange (Mumbai) • Location: Meera Society, Mhada Colony • Integrator: Elektra • Equipment: - QSC K12 Active Loudspeakers - QSC KW181 Subwoofers - Audio-Technica Microphones

INSTALL January - February 2015

ULA Group Lights Up The Bolte Bridge

AUSTRALIA

When the old lighting system of the bridge had reached the end of its life, it was an opportunity to look at how to enhance the lighting while also helping to meet Australian energy reduction targets. Working closely with Transurban’s engineers and after several site tests, the decision was made to replace 42 high-powered metal halide lights on the bridge towers with 36 x Griven Powershine D RGBW LED exterior wash luminiares. 17 units were installed on newly erected platforms at the base of each column using a combination of narrow and medium optics to achieve even coverage and maximum light output. Once the installation of the new LED lighting system was complete, Transurban reported a reduction in energy usage by incredible 89%

– the power usage for the Bridge lights went from 327,000kWh per year to 36,000kWh per year. The components and replaced fittings from the previous lighting system were recycled and re-used wherever possible. The new Griven LED lighting fittings have an estimated operating life of 50,000 hours, which is much longer then the previous system. The new Griven Powershine LED wash lights also create endless possibilities to achieve dynamic colours, which can illuminate the Bolte’s iconic towers in diﬀerent hues, to support and involve the bridge in special cultural and sporting events (with the consent of the State and other authorities). The new lighting system is all controlled by Pharos LPC Control via Lumen Radio Flex Outdoor Transmitter and Outdoor Receiver, which transmits the DMX signal from one tower to all fixtures.

The new LED luminaires were strategically installed and positioned at the base of each tower to minimize the risk of glare to passing motorists and reduce 'light spill'. The environmental benefits and cost savings achieved in this project stands as a great example of how to replace ‘out of date’ lighting installations with new economic and sustainable solutions. Overall the results are both aesthetically pleasing, energy eﬃcient and culturally sustainable, which assimilates perfectly into Melbourne’s progressive city environment. The Bolte Bridge spans Melbourne’s Yarra River. Built in 1999, it was designed by architects Dentor Corker Marshal and named after the former Premier of Victoria Sir Henry Bolte. It is one of the largest balanced cantilever cast in situ box girder bridges in Australia and forms part of the CityLink system of toll roads. www.ulagroup.com

IN A NUTSHELL • Venue: Bolte Bridge • Location: Western Link, Melbourne 3008 • Designer/Supplier: ULA Group • Equipment: - Griven Powershine Exterior Wash - Pharos LPC Control

AUSTRALIA

he ULA Group (ULA) continues working closely with the leading Melbournian architects and lighting companies to light up the city’s iconic structures. After the successful re-lighting of the iconic Melbourne 'Red Sticks’, ULA was invited to head up the supply and design of another project managed by Transurban – illuminating the towers of Bolte Bridge.

FOOD-4-THOUGHT January - February 2015

Food-4-Thought

Tired of the everyday industry mambo-jambo? Take a break with us and delve into the world around you. A jukebox of ideas and interesting stories – just scan the QR Codes to stay updated on points of interest that could one day aﬀect you in your personal or work life.

Night Skiing With LED Suits MUST WATCH! ‘Afterglow’ is a 3-minute surrealistic film that shows of the progression of LED technology – LED Suits. Director, Nick Waggoner shares the technology in a special interview.

Not A Deadbeat Dad Japanese giant salamanders are one of the largest amphibians in the world. New research has also found that they may be one of the best dads in the animal kingdom. Find out why:

http://www.huﬃngtonpost.com/2014/10/16/ lightsuit-night-ski-movie-segment-afterglowsweetgrass_n_5989610.html?&ir=Technology&ncid=tweetlnkushp mg00000046

http://www.wired.com/2014/12/japanese-giantsalamanders-devoted-dads/

Bendable Screen That’s Not An iPhone

Taiwan’s Most Unusual Philanthropist?

Curved screens are already on the market but not like this. LG have been showing oﬀ an 18’’ OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) that uses a high molecular substance-based polyimide film as the backplane of the flexible panel. Could this be the next step for screens of the future? http://interestingengineering.com/watch-this-lg-18-inch-oledscreen-bend-whilst-playing-video/#sthash.0slJgXke.dpuf

Echo Is The Future A $199 smart-home device that is a splash of Siri and can hear a voice clearly from across a room. Yet another way for us to become more hands-oﬀ. Yay or Nay? You Decide: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/12/tech/ innovation/amazon-echo-always-listening/index. html

Chen Shu-chu, 63-year-old vegetable vendor has quietly donated over 10 million Taiwanese dollars ($350,000) to her hometown. A positive message that may make you consider what you’re doing with your money: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0JL7X_ ICVA&feature=youtu.be

New Jaw Thanks To 3D Printing 3D printing is being put to good use, especially after a ground breaking treatment on a patient in India that was suﬀering from cancer. Thanks to the wonderful technology, a 41-yead-old man has a new upper jaw: http://interestingengineering.com/mansuﬀering-from-cancer-gets-new-upperjaw-thanks-to-3d-printing/#sthash. PTgQC2Em.dpuf

LIVE! January - February 2015

HONG KONG

ETC Dances For Hong Kong Ballet’s 35th Anniversary In Serenade, an expansive range of blue was necessary to portray the beauty and mystery of the ballet. Mak was able to bring various blues to the stage, thanks to the flexibility of the x7 Color System in the Source Four LED Series 2 Lustr array. “The whole piece is about blue, based on the vision of the choreographer,” described Mak. “The x7 Color System really helps deliver the widest range of colour available from LED fixtures.”

Programme: Swan Lake (Act III) | Guest Dancers: Artem Ovcharenko & Kristina Kretova | Photographer: Conrad Dy-Liacco | Courtesy of The Hong Kong Ballet

n celebration of its 35th anniversary, Hong Kong Ballet presented three dance showcases in the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Center. Befitting of the celebration, Lighting designer and director of C'est Bon Projects, Kwok Fai Mak, employed numerous ETC Source Four LED CYC and Selador Desire® luminaires to light up this ballet trio.

To add drama to the show, Mak lit up the performances with Selador Desire D40 Lustr+ luminaires positioned on sidelight towers and Selador Desire D60 Lustr+ units on ladders. “They are just lovely, giving me the right color and intensity for all three pieces: diﬀerent blues for Serenade, cool white for Castrati and warm amber for Swan Lake. The Selador Desire fixtures are just great!” applauded Mak. www.etcconnect.com

“The x7 Color System really helps deliver the widest range of colour available from LED fixtures.” - LD and Director of C’est Bon Projects, Kwok Fai Mak.

Entitled 'A Celebration of Dance', the showcases included George Balanchine’s masterpiece Serenade, Nacho Duato’s provocative contemporary ballet Castrati, and Natalia Conus’ staging of Swan Lake’s third act, which is based on Marius Petipa’s 1895 original. Mak sought to maintain the original lighting mood of Serenade and Castrati, with a touch of his own interpretation, and he took a new approach for Swan Lake. When he discovered that the venue’s new LED CYC lights didn’t fit his initial lighting proposal for the project, he replaced them with 12 x ETC Source Four LED Series 2 Lustr luminaires outfitted with Source Four LED CYC adapters. He was very impressed with the Source Four LED CYC units: “This was the first time I used the Source Four LED CYC units on stage. They just do their job, with good colour capabilities and even coverage. In fact, it surprised me a bit that the vertical coverage was so good.”

Serenade | Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust | Courtesy of The Hong Kong Ballet | Photo ©Cheung Wai Lok, 2014

LIVE! January - February 2015

SINGAPORE

Martin Audio Gets FREQ-y

ingapore's first and only music festival freakshow was launched in 2014 with two thrilling days of global acts covering electro, trance, house and techno music. The inaugural FREQ’ender dance festival was held at Infinite Studios and promoted by Limited Edition Concepts (Singapore), with 4,500 people attending over the weekend.

“The end result was that everyone, including the promoters, really felt the music and were amazed at the audio quality. They were really blown away.”

The festival was split into two distinct days — the first (in conjunction with Halloween) was named Freq'show, and this made way on Day 2 for Mekanika, produced by international Trance Festival brand, Godskitchen

“The MLX subs also became a talking point for many of the AV industry professionals who attended the gig as well.”

Singapore-based, EXPO AV-INSYNC (EAI) were chosen to provide full technical production for the unique festival — and the company wasted no time in specifying its Martin Audio MLA system for the two day event. EAI managing director, Gerard Rodrigues, confirmed that the MLA system had been recommended by his company.

EAI kept the same rig in place for both days, with hangs of eight elements per side (plus a single MLD Downfill). The 12 MLX subs were ground-stacked in configurations of 2 + 4 + 4 + 2. In addition the company supplied 8 x W8LM Mini line arrays and 4 x WS218X subs as a potent DJ monitor system. Limited Edition Concepts’ director and co-founder, Godwin Pereira was certainly impressed. “With EXPO AV’s experience it was easy to get the best out of the MLA system, and the sound behaved superbly in

the 18,000 sq ft sound stage. It was warm and non-intrusive, producing little in the way of ‘noise’; instead, it delivered purity, clarity and a whole lot of thump!" In addition to what Rodrigues described as “the awesome sound”, he says the audience were also treated to lighting and projection mapping during the festival. The event itself featured global acts covering various musicians, including Hot Chip, 2ManyDJs, GlowInTheDark and Marco V, along with over 20 live performers and dancers from Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia! www.martin-audio.com

LIVE! January - February 2015

INDIA

J Davis Prosound & Lighting Rocks Afrojack In Bangalore Traveling without their in-house FOH engineer, the Afrojack team oﬀered Santana the honour of being the System Engineer and Designer for the shows. He was accompanied by J Davis system tech, Bharath Patil who worked together with him on an Avid SC 48 Console for the show. As his main area of control, Afrojack and his team wanted the DJ Booth to be a clean level surface with 6 x DV-Dosc + 2 x DV Subs for Monitors with 3 x DV-Dosc + 1 x DV Sub (left and right). “It's been good to be doing some big acts in EDM with R3HAB, DVBBS and now Afrojack,” noted Santana. “We have consistently given our best to the EDM Lovers of India, just like we did tonight.”

“The EDM wave in India has taken the country by storm,” stated Santana Davis, Director at J Davis Prosound & Lighting (J Davis), on e of the top rental companies in India. A statement that couldn't be more true especially when Grammy award-winning DJ and producer, Afrojack, recently graced the country to enthral audiences with a threecity tour. Together with other popular EDM acts, Gregor Salto and Apster, Nick Van De Wall (Afrojack) has become a regular name on the Indian Dance Music calendar. At only 26, he has also made a large impact on the EDM music industry and was a major player in the worldwide explosion of the genre. In 2013, Forbes magazine crowned him as #7 on 'The World's Highest Paid DJs List' and, he has been called ''a global icon'' by The Hollywood Reporter who is set ''to conquer the world.'' J Davis provided complete technical solutions for the event including Sound, Lights, Roof Truss and LEDs. The PA system for any EDM show is critical to the entire concert experience. And Afrojack's show was no diﬀerent. He required a professional, stereo, line array with enough power to provide an even 110dB to all areas of the open venue. Only L-Acoustics systems were trusted in this regard.

“The Main PA speakers were flown with 12 x V-DOSC and 2 x DV-DOSC as downfill for left and right clusters,” described Santana. “For the delay system, 4 x V-DOSC were flown left and right each, positioned at 65m from the Main PA.” Here, the team flew the system at 6m to “cover the remaining 30m of the concert grounds”. 24 x Sb28s were used in a Sub ARC Mode while 2 x DV-Dosc as centre-fills and 6 x ARCS WIDE systems as Infills rounded up the system.

Since an Afrojack show is a combination of lighting, video and special eﬀects, the J Davis team constructed a 66 x 60 x 40 Ft (20 x 18 x 12m) roof truss with sub hangs to accommodate a total of 104 light fixtures. With an artist as versatile as Afrojack, the systems used definitely proved to be up to his high standards. For a tour that many EDM lovers in India will never forget, it was easy to see why Afrojack is one of the most sought after DJs in the world and J Davis comes in on top for rental houses in India. www.jdavisprosound.com

“It’s been good to be doing some big acts in EDM with R3HAB, DVBBS and now Afrojack. We have consistently given our best to the EDM Lovers of India, just like we did for this tour.” - Santana Davis, Owner @ J Davis Prosound & Lighting.

LIVE! January - February 2015

HONG KONG

Mandylights Deploy Ghostbands To Transform G.E.M.

G.E.M. was so impressed by the impact that the Ghostbands had on her show, she has re-branded them as Spacebands and they have become part of her overall marketing campaign! HONG KONG: There are few who have not heard of G.E.M., a Hong Kong based singersongwriter, dancer, musician, and actress, and chances are they are not from Asia. G.E.M’s stage name is an acronym for Get Everybody Moving and the 23-year-old is one of the biggest pop acts in Asia. G.E.M. is currently on her G.E.M. X.X.X. Live World Tour, which stands for “more to eXpose, more to eXpect and more eXciting” where Mandylights, a Sydney collective of talented lighting designers, were charged with making it a tour to remember. “I’d describe G.E.M. as the Lady Gaga of China and in the past year she has exploded in popularity,” commented Richard Neville, director of Mandylights. “Her music is less mandarin-pop and more western-pop as her musical director is Austrian, in fact many of her team members are from outside of Asia.” Mandylights were required to design the lighting and visuals so that the live shows would have more of an international feel and thus more appealing to western audiences. Their first show with G.E.M. was a DVD shoot at Shenzhen stadium last June which has been followed by a twelve stadium tour of China that started in October. Each show is a five-day build with 300 moving lights.

The tour was a perfect opportunity for Mandylights to debut the Glowmotion Technologies Ghostband, for which they are the first distributor. The super bright Ghostbands put 16 million colours right on your arm, can communicate with each other, can be controlled via DMX and can be bitmapped. The G.E.M. team leapt at the idea and so 15,000 Ghostbands were distributed to the audience members on the floor of the stadium at each show. “The other 20,000 people in the stadium can all look down and see the effect generated,” added Richard. “What we were trying to do is push the lighting effects out into the stadium. The Ghostbands are incredibly bright and when they are all switched on, they light up the roof of the stadium. So if the lighting onstage in blue and magenta, we can make it so the people right at the back in the bleachers are also glowing blue and magenta.” With their ingenious use of the Ghostbands, Mandylights successfully created huge effects and managed to immerse the entire audience into the show. The show features a mixture of proximity effects such as the Ghostbands taking their

cues from other Ghostbands surrounding them, whilst other content is bitmapped to compliment what is happening onstage. “There is a lot of cool geometric content to match the visuals on the high resolution onstage screens,” said Richard. “We also use them as individual pixels controlled from the lighting console. We extract colour information from lighting fixtures onstage and throw that out into the audiences Ghostbands.” As her fans leave the Stadium, the freshly re-branded Ghostbands continue to flash and interact in the colours chosen for her marketing campaign. Richard reported that the Ghostbands have been incredibly reliable; out of the 7500 used in rehearsal only two were swapped. There are two crew on the tour to look after the Ghostbands and Mandylights have their own shipping container that has been converted into Ghostband HQ on tour. G.E.M. will be continue her tour in Europe and the United States in 2015. www.mandylights.com www.glowmotiontechnologies.com

LIVE! January - February 2015

Show Co. Pushes The Boundaries @ ZoukOut 2014 By ByElissa ElissaNadine Nadine

For a full weekend in December, over 40,000 ravers packed the Siloso beach on the island of Sentosa, for the 14th edition of the annual ZoukOut festival. One of the biggest dance festivals in South-East Asia, ZoukOut is organised every year by Zouk Singapore and has played host to some of world's most famous DJs such as Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Buuren and James Lavelle. Fans from around the world (The Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, etc.) gather every year to party from dusk till dawn and 2014 was no diﬀerent. With a stellar line-up of international acts such as Nicky Romero, Skrillex and Martin Garrix, playing alongside Zouk resident DJs and favourites like Hong, FORMATIVE, Ghetto, fans of the EDM(electronic dance music) genre were treated to high-energy sets that melded perfectly with visuals and eﬀects that included pyrotechnics, laser beams, and confetti blasters. Handling the delicate technical specifications every year is Jeremy Boon. The man responsible for defining Zouk's early sound, Jeremy was also Zouk's pioneer resident DJ who now doubles-up every year as the Production Manager for the festival.

Before the party starts: (L-R) Nicolas Kirsch (NEXO), Jeremy Boon (Zouk), Jo Gan and Jon Sim (Show Company) with Mark Bollenberg (NEXO)

“In true Zouk style, each year we always try to raise the bar to heighten the event experience for our customers, so that the

LIVE! January - February 2015

ZoukOut experience remains one that is unique yet fresh” said Jeremy. “Over the years, we've gained a lot of confidence from the diﬀerent artists that have come through and based on that confidence, we always try to do something diﬀerent. This year, we have even incorporated the island's coconut trees into our stage design just so we could get the most out of the festival space.” Entrusted with the immense responsibility of set-up and equipment supply was The Show Company. With over 25 years of experience in handling large arena productions, Show Company is considered among the top production houses in Singapore and has been handling ZoukOut for over a decade. “I wanted a certain feel for the 2014 show and Jo Gan [Owner of Show Company] came up with the technical requirements that fit that feel, ” said Jeremy. Planning for the 2-day festival took 4 months and over 1000 hours with this year's concept considered the brainchild of both Jeremy and Jo. Together with his 40-man team, the entire festival area was set-up within a week. “We have been working with Show Company for the past 13 years because they understand our vision of what ZoukOut should look and feel like,” Jeremy pointed out. “On top of that, they also keep us up to date with the latest technology while Jo understands our vision of always looking forward and not back.”

As with previous years, ZoukOut 2014 was celebrated between 2 stages – Moon and Star. Moon stage was the main platform for the show and catered solely to the EDM fans while Star was the smaller of the two and played host to House/Techno acts. “Star caters to fans who are deep into the genre of House/Techno music,” explained Jeremy. “We wanted to recreate the intimate space that fans of this genre feel comfortable in so we don't have the same eﬀects like pyrotechnics or lasers as Moon but we've made it cosy like Zouk [club]. We also built a mega roof that covers the stage, dance area, VIP area and FOH control.”

Enhanced by 4 aerialists who performed throughout both nights, decorations for Star were skeletal structures shaped like, none other than, stars. These allowed for the stage lights to shoot through and around the structures creating magical eﬀects that played on the roof of the dance-floor. “We hung the props above the dance-floor so that when guests looked up, they could see the stars and get pulled even further into the music,” said Jeremy. 2 clusters consisting of 16 x AIRLINE LA12 loudspeakers from CODA AUDIO made up the main PA. Providing the “perfect punch needed for house/techno music,” according

“We have been working with Show Company for the past 13 years because they understand our vision of what ZoukOut should look and feel like. On top of that, they also keep us up to date with the latest technology...” - Jeremy Boon, Production Manager, Zouk

LIVE! January - February 2015

A full STM system comprises of: M46 (main), B112 (bass), S118 (sub) and M28, the latest release in the STM system that is an allpurpose 2-way cabinet, providing 90°/120° of horizontal dispersion and 0° to 15° splaying angle between modules. With the same width as the main M46 but 2/3 of the height, the M28 can be arrayed together with a B112 or used independently from other modules. to Jo Gan, were 8 (per side) SC2-F sensor controlled bass extensions flown behind the main system. In addition to the main clusters were 12 x CODA AUDIO SC8 ground-stacked subwoofers that are equipped with quad 18" neodymium low-distortion woofers each. While Star utilized ShowLED panels to showcase a variety of 'starlight' graphics, the Moon stage was set up with ShowLED HD LEDs with triple the number of panels used. Originally planned to be set in a diamond pattern, screens for Moon were split into 3, both left, right as well as centred behind the DJ booth. On the left/right truss, the LEDs of Moon were placed slightly apart to allow for lighting and lasers to penetrate through.

Another detail carefully thought out were the view of the stage screens. “The LED panels we used were flat so they provide a panoramic view of the action on stage even if you were standing 200m away,” said Jeremy. Previous years have seen identical Moon and Star stages but under the intention of looking forward and not back, Show Company took ZoukOut as the perfect chance to début their new STM system by French audio manufacturer, NEXO. The flagship system from NEXO aims to change the way rental companies run shows. Without the need for various systems, the 'Scale Through Modularity' system enables contractors to design a wide range of systems with just the four core modules.

“We went through the diﬀerent riders, crunched what the DJs needed and found that our new STM system was the perfect fit for all,” said Jo. “Before the STM was released, we used to use the NEXO GEO-T & D system which served us well for many years, but when the new system came out, we jumped at the chance because our experience with the GEO-T & D was that good.” As the main PA for Moon, 24 boxes (per side) consisting of 12 x M46 and 12 x B112 were flown together complemented with 36 x S118 subs on the ground. Additionally, 6 x M28 made up the front fill, a first for Asia-Pacific. Providing the DJs with the same audio quality as the guests, the DJ booth consisted of 6 x

“We went through the diﬀerent riders, crunched what the DJs needed and found that our new [NEXO] STM system was the perfect fit for all..” - Jo Gan, Owner, Show Company

LIVE! January - February 2015

“At NEXO, we are very hands-on. We were here when the system arrived at the Show Co. warehouse to help the team get settled and we always make it a point to support our customers regardless of the show size.” - NEXO Systems Specialist, Mark Bollenberg S118 and 6 x M28 separated equally into L/R groups. Driving the entire system were 16 x NEXO Universal Amp Racks (NUAR) which provides users with a scalable, 'plug & play' amplified audio distribution solution that can configure systems of any size. Since ZoukOut 2014 would be the first event in Singapore featuring a full STM system, NEXO Systems Specialist, Mark Bollenberg flew in from Australia to support the event. “At NEXO, we are very hands-on. We were here when the system arrived at the Show Co. warehouse to help the team get settled and we always make it a point to support our customers regardless of the show size. For this show, I liaised extensively with Jon Sim [Show Company's Audio Chief] on the set-up needed to get the best out of the system,” he explained. “The first thing we did was use the NS-1 Simulation software which showed us how many boxes we would need to achieve the sound we wanted. The SPL for Moon can reach 120 dB which means I'm sure the ships near the island will be enjoying the music as well.” Joining his colleague on-site was Nicolas Kirsch, NEXO's Sales Manager for Asia. “This is the best audio for any Zoukout I've ever

heard,” said Nicolas, who has been attending the show for the past 3 years, but “just for work” he assured us. Standing near the shore of Siloso beach behind the FOH, Nicolas aﬃrmed the quality behind the brand, stating, “You can feel the transient sound of the NEXO boxes. It literally passes through your body.” “Although the sub-bass system is set on the floor due to lack of rigging space, the low-end just runs through the extremely dense crowd of 20,000 people to hit you hard even at 60m. Due to the clever stirring configuration

designed by Jon and Mark the sub level is in fact the same at 5m and 60m,” noted Nicolas. Adding, “similarly for the LF/HF/MF levels, which are evenly distributed and so crisp and clean with huge headroom and near zero distortion. Not only one can enjoy every bit

LIVE! January - February 2015

of the music and DJ voice and appreciate the most intricate details in the program, but after over 10hrs of such high SPL you leave without any numbness or any signs of ear pain whatsoever. And you feel fresh and ready for the same treatment the following day. This is absolutely unique and will let the audience rediscover what is true high fidelity for live shows, albeit at unseen levels.” At 5am on the first day, the system was still going strong, confirming to Show Company Audio Chief, Jon Sim that the team had chosen the right system for the world-class festival. “This is a very stable system. We played at more than 110 dBA for so many hours and STM system maintained a great sonic performance throughout. Describing his experience as the engineer together with Mark for most of the stage acts, Jon added, “We definitely played louder this year as compared to other years. In the past, we would cautiously push the sound levels, bringing them up slowly but this year, from the second act, we went full throttle.”

“This [NEXO STM] is a very stable system. We played at more than 110 dBA for so many hours and STM system maintained a great sonic performance throughout.” - Show Company Audio Chief, Jon Sim

Seamless mixing for the system was via a Yamaha CL5 board, the same console used for ZoukOut 2013. Accompanying the console at the FOH were a range of lighting consoles from the Avolites Sapphire Touch, High End Systems Hog4, Martin Professional's M1, to the GrandMA2, giving as Jo Gan put it “lighting programmers has the option to choose which console suits them the best”.

LIVE! January - February 2015

“We definitely played louder this year as compared to other years. In the past, we would cautiously push the sound levels, bringing them up slowly but this year, from the second act, we went full throttle.” - Jon Sim

Besides the hi-quality audio gear and panoramic LED screens, another feature which set Moon apart was its open-top concept. This allowed for confetti, fireworks and pyrotechnics to be shot through and behind the mega main structure, captivating and fascinating guests at the same time. This was a trade-oﬀ as explained by Jo because “exposing the systems to the elements is what festivals try to avoid but we wanted to push the boundaries for ZoukOut 2014.” However, one could not help but wonder what would happen to the systems if Singapore's unpredictable weather decided to rain on ZoukOut. According to Jo, “If it rains, we party on!” Already looking forward to ZoukOut 2015, Jo also shared the unique relationship between Show Company and Zouk: “It’s the passion for music, and I understand what is needed for ZoukOut. And at the end of the day, Zouk is a business driven by passionate people, so it makes working together all the more seamless and enjoyable. Every year, Jeremy

challenges us to do something diﬀerent and I'm sure next year will outdo this year, the same way it does every year.”

ever backed by deep rich bass and heartthumping music and the promise that no matter what happened, they would party on.

Luckily, it was clear skies for 2 whole days which allowed ravers at the world's only sunrise beach festival to party harder than

nexo-sa.com show-company.com www.zoukclub.com.sg

LIVE! January - February 2015

CHINA

Christie and Wincomn Honour Mongolian Folk Hero Images courtesy of Wincomn Technology

Noted as a flexible, efficient 3-chip DLP digital projector, the Christie DS+6K-M is easily tailored to meet the needs of the end user. The projector comes in a sleek, compact chassis and is equipped with a full set of options, including 2D and 3D capability. It also has a dual lamp system, offering highefficiency and low-cost of ownership.

hristie, together with its Chinese partner Wincomn Technology, assisted the Jangar Culture & Arts Palace to present an engaging 360-degree projection display to honor Jangar, one of the most respected Mongolian folk heroes. Jangar Culture & Arts Palace is a majestic circular-shaped museum that is located in the Hoboksar Mongol Autonomous County in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The four-storey structure covers over 6,000 square meters and took four years to complete.

It now features an elaborate showcase of Jangar’s life story and the rich heritage of Mongolian culture. One of the biggest highlights is the permanent 360-degree visual display on the first floor which recounts the Mongolian Khan’s heroic exploits with spectacular visuals made possible with eight Christie DS+6K-M 3-chip DLP projectors. Beautifully displayed on a continuous flat screen measuring 12m wide by 4 m high, and using Christie Twist, the 10-minute show features highly realistic imagery and sound eﬀects for an immersive experience. Wincomn Technology was responsible for the design, selection, installation and commissioning of the overall audio, visual and control solutions.

“The contents of the projection mapping performance are based on the Jangar Epic, a unique form of Mongolian storytelling and dance dating back to the 15th century,” said Zhiqiang Liu, project manager, Wincomn Technology. “We are very proud and honoured to present one of the three great epics of ancient Chinese literature through projections on a 360-degree screen, and are pleased that the deployment of 8 x Christie DS+6K-M projectors have enabled us to provide visitors with a high quality and immersive viewing experience.”

Lin Yu, vice president, Christie Asia-Pacific, added, “We are thrilled that Christie’s robust M Series projectors have been used for the first time to recount the amazing story of Jangar. A hero who was elected Khan at just seven years of age, defeated the monster Mangus with his mighty warriors and established a Mongolian-style utopia. This visually arresting 360-degree projection mapping performance is a fitting tribute to Jangar at this magnificent venue and it is an honour for Christie to play a role in breathing new life to this legendary folk hero and helping Jangar Culture & Arts Palace to create memorable shared experiences.” The Christie M series projectors additionally come with features such as Christie Twist and Comprehensive Color Adjustment to ensure unparalleled edge blending capability and colour uniformity across the entire display. A critical benefit for larger scale projection mapping projects, such as this 360-degree projection mapping performance at Jangar Culture & Arts Palace. www.christiedigital.com

“We are thrilled that Christie’s robust M Series projectors have been used for the first time to recount the amazing story of Jangar. A hero who was elected Khan at just seven years of age, defeated the monster Mangus with his mighty warriors and established a Mongolian-style utopia.” - Lin Yu, Vice President, Christie Asia-Pacific.

HaAavve U Met...? January - February 2015

Low Wee Cheng Lighting/Video Programmer - Singapore

Every engineer has their own unique story to tell. For Low Wee Cheng, his story began with a short stint as a technician of the Substation, before joining the lighting technical department of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. “I remember going for the interview and not expecting anything at all because I was still new to the industry,” he recalls. “When I walked into the room, there were seven diﬀerent department heads along with the HR director. I was very frank with them and I told them that I had no professional experience, but I really wanted to learn. A week went by before I got the call. I once wondered to a senior colleague why they hired me. He said it was probably my eagerness to learn.” That same eagerness is what drives him today. At the age of 35, Wee has not only started his own company, but has toured the world doing what he loves. Here’s what he has to say about how far he has come, how he got there and where he plans to go next.

Tell us about your first tour

Wee: There was a show called I La Galigo that the Esplanade co-commissioned and co-produced with Change Performing Arts, an Italian production company. The production was staged at the Esplanade Theatre and directed by renowned director Robert Wilson. The lighting designer for the show was AJ Weissbard. I was the programmer for that production and the process was really challenging. At the end of I La Galigo’s run at the Esplanade, AJ invited three of Esplanade’s lighting technicians, including myself, to follow the production on the rest of the tour. I was like 'WOW', I didn't expect that someone like AJ, a well-known figure in the international lighting industry who does most of his work in Europe and USA, would actually pick me. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work together with AJ on a number of new productions, including some interesting installations and other special events.

What's the longest you've ever been on tour and was it tough?

and it was wintertime! It was definitely not a conventional production as there were all these large inflatable sculptures buoyed by boats that had to be lit and controlled wirelessly. We had a big team with more than 10 Japanese crews and crews from Germany working on the production. There were so many challenges we encountered but I really enjoyed it the process.

What is Ctrl Fre@k?

Wee: In 2010, I teamed up with another ex-colleague from the Esplanade, Jeﬀrey Yue, to explore a new path in our careers. Jeﬀrey specialises in audio while I specialise in the area of lighting and video. Since both of us are into control systems, we wanted to integrate audio, lighting and video together and that's how Ctrl Fre@k was formed. Our main core service is to provide design, programming and system design services.

You say that you love trying out diﬀerent consoles, do you have a favourite?

Wee: The longest tour I've ever been on was probably more than a month long. In 2005, I took unpaid leave from the Esplanade to go to the Aichi World Expo in Nagoya, Japan and work on a multi-media event called “In the Evening at Koi Pond”. It was my first experience working with media servers and that got me interested in video. I would say touring is really fun but this was the longest I’ve ever been away and you can’t avoid missing home.

Wee: I won't say one because to me, consoles are a tool. It's more about how familiar or comfortable you are, so there is no such thing as a good or bad console. There are 3 major brands and models that I enjoy working with right now: ETC (EOS), MA Lighting (grandMA 2) and High-End Systems (Hog 4). Depending on the show requirements, I will choose a console that can best suit the production’s needs and also help me deliver my work in the fastest manner possible.

What has been your most memorable show so far and why?

Does having a business aﬀect your touring?

Wee: I guess it would have to be “In The Evening at Koi Pond”. It was fun because the entire show was literally in a giant pond,

Wee: Yes and no - touring has become part of the business, so more jobs are coming in. That has also led Jeﬀrey and I to think about

HaAavve U Met...? January - February 2015

hiring staﬀ, one for lighting and audio, so that we could take on more projects.

Where do you stand on the Education vs Experience debate?

Wee: I think you need both. Having an education relevant to the industry will definitely help because you have the basic knowledge to start with when you join the industry. I have a diploma in Mechatronics Engineering which is not related to my current profession. When I first started, I had to pick everything up myself. I was also fortunate to meet Ben Davies, a UK lighting programmer who worked on the Esplanade’s opening show. I regard him as my mentor as he taught me the basics of programming, which became an important foundation that I could apply on different consoles. So I feel that experience comes with working on productions, but starting with education will be very useful to give you a head start. After that it is also about constantly upgrading your knowledge in between productions, for example reading up on manuals and trying out different offline console software when you do not have any access to the console.

Many outside the industry don't understand what you do, especially in Singapore. How did your family react to your career choice?

Wee: My parents never opposed me joining this industry, they have always been very supportive even when I have to work late nights or not come home for a few days. I even brought them to shows to see what I've done and since I'm not struggling financially, they are not worried about it.

Do you think it matters to have that support system?

Wee: Definitely. I have met people whose parents are against them going into this industry because they see no prospects. To me, every job has a prospect – if you are willing to work hard enough and enjoy what you do, you will go far.

Would you ever leave Singapore and migrate overseas for better prospects?

Wee: No plans at the moment because my focus is to build up Ctrl Fre@k. Besides providing design and programming services, Ctrl Fre@k also aims to educate and train. For example, we've taken on trainings for manufacturers such as ETC to conduct console trainings. These are free sessions open to people in the industry and so far it has been well-received.

Know someone with a great story? Let us know by sending an email to: elissa@spinworkz.com

What does the future look like in 10 years?

Wee: I haven't thought that far but I will probably stay in Singapore. Jeﬀrey and I will continue to develop Ctrl Fre@k, integrate our knowledge and ideas and try to bring in technology that can work with the requirements and needs of Singapore productions. That was what we set out to do when we started the company and are still striving for now. At the end of it all, we want Ctrl Fre@k to be recognised as a team of people who have the knowledge and skills to help the industry do better.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out in the industry?

Wee: As I mentioned earlier, education is important but it's also about how much drive you have inside. You need to push yourself and learn on your own. Our industry in Asia is not like those in the US or UK, where you are surrounded by manufacturers and professionals whom you can access to learn from all the time. In the past, when I wanted to learn a new product, there was little support and I had to teach myself. But I see this changing as more manufacturers are setting up oﬃces in this region. I am still learning new things everyday; whenever possible I browse websites and read up on the new technology released in the market and see how I can use it in what I do.

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