UK - Turbosound, the British-based manufacturer of live performance and installed-sound loudspeakers, announces the launch of its GigMate modelling software, following the product's recent preview at Frankfurt Prolight+Sound 2005.
Turbosound's GigMate software has been developed in conjunction with Dr Ahnert of SDA (Sound Design Ahnert), the originators of the industry-standard EASE and EASE Focus electro-acoustic design and analysis packages. The software is designed to facilitate two-dimensional modelling of Turbosound's innovative Aspect concert touring system, within any performance space.
Turbosound's GigMate provides the user with an intuitive modelling tool. It enables quick and easy prediction of the behaviour of a loudspeaker array of any size, operating in any given venue, auditorium or performance space. The software's first release offers modelling in the vertical plane, and features an aiming and colour mapping display, with a zoomed rigging display, plus extended report printing.
To coincide with the launch of its GigMate software, Turbosound has also released data for EASE 4 across a range of products, including its Aspect, QLight and TXD series enclosures. The data was measured in the anechoic chamber at the Buildings Research Establishment, believed to be the largest acoustic facility of its kind in the UK. It is available for download from the Turbosound website, and will form part of future EASE updates.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - Siyan Lighting recently supplied 20 Chroma-Q Color Blocks for use on alternative rock band Athlete's three night residency at Brixton Academy in April. Athlete is currently touring the UK to promote the bands No.1 album, Tourist.
Siyan lighting designer Bryan Leitch and co-designer Dom Smith decided to add an extra visual backdrop during particular songs in the band's set. This involved using White canvas drops, just above stage height, washed with vibrant colours to provide a strong contrast to the stage backlighting.
Lighting the drops required an LED batten solution that could be floor-mounted directly below each of the four 0.75m wide canvas strips. The fixture needed to be very bright to effectively up-light the full height of the drops and produce the richness of colour required. Leitch required varying lengths of batten and having heard of the modular design Chroma-Q Color Block LED fixture - which can be configured as a continuous line of blocks made up of separate battens - decided to specify it for the job.
The 20 Color Blocks were configured as two-way and three-way battens in front of each drop and operated in HSI mode on an Avolites Diamond 4 Elite console. Show lighting co-designer and console operator Smith commented: "I'm very impressed with the Color Block. Its modularity made it ideal for this job as we could configure it to just the right width and it provided a very bright, even light output. In HSI mode I got really strong, rich colours - especially the cyan blue and magenta red. All in all it's a very versatile fixture.&qu
UK - Bar Local, recently opened in the heart of Fulham, is the second venue to be rolled out by entrepreneur Rob Stephenson. The first Bar Local opened in Clapham last year to great acclaim, and Stephenson is confident that the Fulham venue will enjoy similar success. While this area of south-west London is already home to several upmarket bars and restaurants, Bar Local offers something a little bit different, combining the class of a piano bar with the energy and ambience of an intimate club. Stephenson turned to audio visual specialists, Sound Division, to furnish a powerful yet discreet audio system including a DJ booth for his latest venture.
Sound Division's David Graham explained that the brief was to provide a high quality background and foreground audio system that would transition smoothly from the daytime background music CDs and early evening tinklings of the grand piano, up to the high octane demands of a sophisticated DJ set-up. To this end Sound Division supplied and installed a system based on JBL Control 25AV and Control 28 cabinets driven by both Crown XLS and QSC2450 power amplifiers with a Cloud Z4 venue zoning mixer plus a DBX compressor limiter and graphic for main system processing. For the live music sessions with the piano, Sound Division supplied a Soundcraft Folio FX8 live mixing console (which feeds into the Cloud zoning mixer) and Shure SM58 microphones. There is also a comprehensive DJ set-up including Technics SL1210 Mk5 turntables, Ortofon cartridges, Pioneer CDJ1000 Mk2 digital CD players and a top of the range Allen & Heath Xone 92
UK - West-London based Projected Image Digital, has supplied and installed a series of bespoke Element Labs VersaTUBE LED display systems for telecoms giant O2. PID was working to the specification of leading UK brand experience and production company Imagination.
The installations - involving nearly 300 TUBES - are now operational in the shop windows of selected flagship O2 retail outlets around the UK. Inbuilt into customized two-metre wide racking, the VersaTUBE linear LED fixtures are running a 15 minute loop of high-impact, low-resolution video visuals.
Imagination wanted a turn-key solution for the project. It also sought a supplier able not just to specify the right product, but to offer the requisite amount of technical expertise, support and back up, both during the installation and thereafter - in the specific area of digital media. This is why PID was chosen for the job. VersaTUBE was chosen for its brightness, reliability and streamlined design.
PID's David March and Rob Fowler worked with Imagination senior project managers Dan Sloane and Tony Fox, and with Becky Hughes, Head of O2 store marketing. March commented: "It was really exciting to work with clients like Imagination and O2 who are fully prepared to embrace the latest digital media technology".
PID supplied and installed 80 Versa TUBE's along with all cabling and control, to each of four initial high profile stores in Mansfield, Coventry, the Trafford Centre near Manchester and Bluewater in Kent. Mansfield is a slight variation due to available space, with two one-metre wide fr
Italy - This year, an Outline Butterfly system was once again chosen as sound reinforcement for the 90,000sqm of Europe's largest square (Prato della Valle - Padua), for an annual event staged by radio/TV broadcaster Radio Italia Solo Musica Italiana and Video Italia, one of the world's most widely distributed sat TV channels.
The event - now in its 6th year - is followed every year by an average of 120,000 people who pack the square. As well as catching the interest of Mediaset and RAI, the show was broadcast live on the terrestrial and sat frequencies of Radio Italia, Video Italia and Video Italia channel 712 (Sky), plus free sat channel 858.
The 2005 cast included Francesco Renga (winner of the 55th Sanremo Festival), Le Vibrazioni, Marco Masini, I Nomadi, Paola and Chiara, Ivana Spagna, Matia Bazar, Velvet, Paolo Meneguzzi, Toto Cutugno and Annalisa Minetti, Luca Dirisio, Negramaro, La Differenza, Max de Angelis, Dennis, Povia, Niccolò Agliardi and Laura Bono.
The Butterfly line-array supplied by JD Service, the Padua audio rental firm at the event, was installed with the support of Outline of Brescia. A total of 12+12 Hi-Pack C.D.H. 483 were used as FOH systems, eight Hi-Pack C.D.H. 483 covered the area on the right of the stage and 2+2 Hi-Pack C.D.H. 483 ensured 'front-fill' coverage of the first rows of the audience. 24 Victor Live subwoofers (plus eight others in cardioid configuration) were used to reproduce the bottom end of the audio spectrum, up to 80 Hz. On the large stage, two H.A.R.D. 212 SP were used as main monitors for the artists, 4 H.A.R.D.
USA - SurgeX has re-engineered its one-rack-space (1U) surge protectors and power conditioners to feature new Advanced Series Mode surge suppression and proprietary power-conditioning technologies such as Impedance TolerantEMI/RFI filtering, SurgeX ICE inrush current elimination, and COUVS catastrophic over/under-voltage shutdown.
Advanced Series Mode technology is the latest generation of SurgeX's proven Series Mode circuitry, which uses an inductor as the first and primary surge-suppression component to intercept and contain destructive surge energy. There has never been a failure of Series Mode protected equipment. Unlike other approaches, Advanced Series Mode technology does not rely on metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) as a sacrificial component. In addition, it creates no ground-wire contamination or common-mode surges and has zero let-through voltage.
SurgeX 1U products provide guaranteed Advanced Series Mode surge protection and power conditioning for audio, video and computer equipment. There are five 1U models: the SX1115, SX1115-RL, SX1115-RT, SX 1120-RT, and SX1215. This gives contractors a choice of Advanced Series Mode surge suppressors at the right price point or with application specific features such as remote turn-on, front-panel lighting, or compatibility with 240-volt systems.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - All budding lighting designers should be hard at work as the submission deadline looms for the annual Michael Northen Bursary, organized by the Association of Lighting Designers in conjunction with ETC and the Mousetrap Foundation. With the competition closing on 31 May, judging will take place in mid June at the ABTT theatre show.
Last year the judges were so impressed with the standard of entries that, in an unprecedented move, they agreed to present two runner-up prizes of £250 each, in addition to the first prize of £500. Judge Mark White, ETC's UK regional manager for UK and Ireland, said: "I had no hesitation in saying that ETC would augment the main prize with a further £250 for each of the two runners up and am pleased to confirm that ETC will be doing the same this year. The level of work we saw last year was of the highest calibre and it is only right that we should encourage students to follow the high standards set by Michael in his lifetime."
The Bursary was set up by Michael following his MBE in 2001; sadly, he passed away shortly after, but his memory lives on through the bursary. Michael was a founding member and later President of the Association of Lighting Designers, as well as being widely credited as being Britain's first lighting designer. The award is judged on a project that the student has produced within the previous year.
Applicants are asked to submit work showing the development and processes of a successfully realised lighting design performance project. Materials such as photographs, storyboards, plans and anythi
Osram added to its modular SharXS lamp range with the HTI 1200 W/D7/75, offering a colour temperature of 7500K. As with all SharXS lamps, the metal halide lamp is compact and double-ended and features short arc and eXtreme Seal (XS) technology, allowing them to handle thermal stress up to 450°C. Its main areas of application, say Osram, include stage, film and television, and its improved heat handling offers benefits in terms of reduced cooling, smaller housing requirements and quieter operation.
Allen & Heath chose ProLight&Sound to debut its new live sound mixers. The Xone:3D - a DJ control concept allowing the user to manipulate and manage any source - such as MP3, CD, video and vinyl - from one central interface.
An amalgamation of a fully featured high performance DJ mixer, with multi-channel USB soundcard, a comprehensive control surface with MIDI and PC connectivity, 14 stereo inputs and 10 stereo outputs, it can simultaneously mix up to 11 stereo signals, say A&H.
The Xone VF-1 1U rack universal analogue stereo filter also made its Frankfurt debut. Intended for live and studio use, it can interface with any mixer to create and manipulate audio filtering. The unit's circuitry is an enhanced version of the filters built into the Xone mixers, and offers three basic types: High-pass, Band-Pass and Low-pass, which can be combined to create further filter types. It has MIDI capability, and contains an envelope follower, LFO, and resonance control. A RIAA preamp version - the Xone VF-1R - enabling direct connection to turntables, is also available.
EAW showed 12 new models in its popular MK Series of compact, two way fixed installation speakers. With a 3" voice coil compression driver mated to one of six different HF horns with patterns ranging from 60° x 45° to 120° x 60°. The horns are as large as the enclosure size allows, in order to maintain consistent directivity throughout the HF passband. In addition, the HF horns are user-rotatable. All MK Series models are carefully designed to sound similar, permitting diverse horn patterns to be mixed throughout an installation while maintaining the same sonic quality.
Clay Paky showed its Alpha range of high quality effects projectors introduced in the autumn of last year, including the Alpha Spot HPE (offering a 10°- 40° zoom, electronic focusing, full CMY colour mixing and up to 20 gobos which can be used in conjunction with a graphics disc) and the Alpha Wash Halo (Halo signifying its Halogen lamp source), which is aimed at high-spec applications including theatre and television, say the company. The Alpha Wash halo offers CMY colour mixing, a 14°-64° linear zoom, variable frost, indexable ovalizer, electronic dimmer and a stop/strobe effect.
D.A.S. Audio has a new German office: a 100% subsidiary of the Spanish parent, D.A.S. Audio Deutschland GmbH will target the installation and pro touring markets. "We used to be more focussed on MI," said Lothar Weimann of the German office, "that market is now too competitive, particularly the Chinese influence, and we don't want to get into that struggle." As such the new Reference Series provides 10 speaker models for the installation market, "primarily these speakers are for schools, theatres and conference work."
D.A.S. also featured the Aero38 line array, a medium size PA full range three-way cabinet housing 2x12", 2x10" and 1x1.5", providing standard 90° dispersion. The Aero38 is aimed up to the 3,000-seat venue market, and is supported by single and double 18" sub-bass cabinets.
UK - Starlight Design, recently turned to VDC for a range of custom panels and Van Damme Black Series multicore cables for its new Front of House sound system. "The panels and cables we have chosen are being used to connect our equipment racks to each other and to the Front of House console," says Starlight's Charlie Jamieson, who is responsible for the company's sound department. "We've had an account with VDC for years. They have the biggest range, the sales guys are friendly and they understand exactly what we're trying to achieve. To be perfectly honest, there's no-one else we'd use."
Established 23 years ago, Starlight Design has a prestigious client list that includes royalty, the aristocracy and international celebrities. Much of its work is venue specific and over the next few months alone it will be ensuring the success of spectacular private parties in India, Marrakech, St. Tropez and Monaco. One recent project that made use of the new VDC panels and cables was a charity event held at Battersea Power Station on behalf of Ark - Absolute Return For Kids. Starlight, in conjunction with marquee company Peppers, spent two weeks preparing the event, which had an aquatic theme and involved lasers, indoor fireworks and live performances. Over 1,000 guests attended and between them they raised £11.4m for the charity.
Jamieson adds: "Given the type of work we do - and the unusual nature of some of the venues - it's imperative that we use rugged and reliable equipment that can withstand heavy duty use. The Van Damme Black Series multicore
Tannoy showed updated active versions of the V Series, a range of networkable high definition sound reinforcement loudspeakers incorporating DSP and Class D amplification. with network control and diagnostics. There are four speaker models, the VNET 12, 12HP, 15 and 300 and three subwoofer models the VNET 15BP, 15HL and 18DR. Systems are supplied with VNET software for on-site network commissioning, an intuitive Windows interface controls all the critical install functions and the package also provides the interface for the ongoing monitoring of critical system status and performance data, all in real time.
The DCC column-style steerable line array from Renkus-Heinz bears a striking resemblance to a Duran Audio Intellivox product and for obvious reasons uses similar - but uniquely different - processing and delay techniques to provide beam shaping in order to create very high vocal intelligibility in reverberant public spaces. DCC16 and DCC8 models, just 7" wide and 5.25" deep (heights vary) both deliver highly controlled pattern at 500Hz and above over extremely long distances (typically 100m) making them highly attractive to PA installers working in large audio unfriendly environments such as railway and bus terminals. The DCC product ships with a Windows-based control programme that allows real-time graphical control over beam-shaping.
Nexo was also at great pains to promote EtherSound Networks, which are being fully implemented in its digitally controlled PA systems. "The great thing about this system is it's fast enough to be used in the live environment," said an enthusiastic spokesman. "Latency is very low, it's much faster than other existing comparable network systems. Currently, ours is the only system that can work under EtherSound, though we fully expect others to follow suit over the next year or two."
The big advantage here is eliminating as much analogue traffic in a system as possible. The Nexo/EtherSound system effectively restricts analogue to the length of wire between microphone and stage box, where it's converted into digital - not to re-emerge again until the signal finally reaches the amplifier - plus of course remote access to, and full control of, all parts of the system therein.
Sharing the stand with Nexo was Auvitran, who support Nexo in this development, providing, for example, the necessary cards for Yamaha digital desks to communicate with Nexo systems via Ethersound. More fundamentally, Auvitran also launched the AVRed-ES - an EtherSound redundant link management device to provide a dual line distribution system for the network. Main feature is A/B real-time measurement of communication quality, and four samples latency on the better link (the RedES monitors and uses the better link at all times).
LSC Lighting previewed the company's soon-to-be-released lighting desk, Xtc. Based on the proven maXim engine and advanced moving light control from the popular PaTPad touch screen module. Offering a multitude of playback masters - up to 29 simultaneously, 500 memories, 100 fixtures, 100 groups, 100 presets, 100 palettes and 1024 DMX output channels. With no faders, it has dedicated latching and flashing buttons with a tri-colour status LED for each playback. Also on show was LSCs range of installation digital dimmers - EKO. Available in a number of formats, designed to make the installer and operator's life easier, its mounting frame allows termination of load and data wiring prior to the dimmer being on site. Connection of the dimmer to the frame and output wiring takes less than five minutes. Alan Graham, sales director told me that Spectra Stage & Event Technologies AB has recently taken delivery of its TDS and e24 Dimming Systems for use on the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest.
UK / USA - David Edelstein, MD and founder of track systems specialist Triple E Ltd, is to ride a Harley Davidson across the USA as part of The Long Beach Long Riders charity cross-country motorcycle ride in aid of the charity Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights Aids. Sponsored by Triple E's US distributor, Rosebrand, Edelstein is the only British member of the 11-strong team of technical theatre professionals.
Founded in 1988, BC/EFA is America's leading industry-based AIDS fund-raising and grant-making organization. By drawing on the talents, resources and generosity of the theatre community, BC/EFA has to date raised over $100 million for people with AIDS, HIV and HIV related illnesses. The 2005 Long Beach Long Ride begins on 26 June, and Edelstein and co will traverse over 1,300 miles in three days, from Washington DC to Hays, Kansas. He told us: "This is a fantastic opportunity for myself and Triple E to put something positive back into our industry. It also fulfils a life-long ambition to ride across the States on a Harley . . . I believe in Broadway Cares and feel enormously proud to represent Britain's theatre community."
To sponsor David please follow the link to the Long Beach Long Riders website, given below, and make a donation against his name. Triple E will also be collecting donations at the ABTT Show in London, from 15-16 June.
Soundcraft's Urei range of DJ mixers (a badge bought by Soundcraft) attracted much attention. Launched at NAMM earlier this year, the 1620 is a faithful replica of the original and widely loved Urei mixer, while the 1601 and 1601S are new derivatives. The 'S' model contains an on-board sampler enabling sampling on the fly; both models are intended for pro use and feature component degradation software that automatically compensates for wear and tear on the physical controls (pots and faders). Another attractive facet of the Urei range is that 90% of the control surface is user replaceable. Expect additions to this range.
At a more conventional level, Soundcraft was promoting the GB4 (launched at PLASA last year) and it's new big brother the GB8 professional live mixing consoles. These are feature packed 'value' mixers, in the words of their spokesman, intended for use on small touring systems, and installations such as churches and small theatres. Available in 16 to 48 channels, each with four full-function stereo channels and four stereo returns, features include four-band EQ. The dual-mode topology as featured on the MH3&4 desks allows the GB8 to be used for FOH or monitor, with fader control of group or aux outputs. Additional features over the GB4 include a 1kHz oscillator and a meter bridge with three LED meters.
Digigram announced its three multi-channel sound cards in the VX range are now available: the VX882HR (8/8 I/Os, analogue and digital), its sister model VX881HR (digital I/Os only), and the VX822v2 (2/8 I/Os, analogue and digital). Low-latency WDM DirectSound, Wave, and ASIO drivers make the trio compatible with a wide range of pro audio software. The VX882HR with four balanced analogue and AES/EBU stereo I/Os and the digital-only VX881HR are the first VX sound cards to benefit from the characteristics of Digigram's High Resolution series.
Kudo, the unusual new PA system from L-Acoustics is now well known, but continues to turn heads (and presumably ears). The hybrid point source/line array with its 'Adaptive Directivity' is gaining fans everywhere, not least its native Paris where a Kudos system has just been installed at the Docks Pullman, a club venue with a particularly difficult long narrow main room.
Martin Audio launched two new Line Array products. The new W8LD Downfill presently making its world debut with Capital Sound on Kylie Minogue's Show Girls Tour in a specially modified form, (L&SI will cover the tour in next month's magazine). Complementing the now hugely successful W8L, this 120°H x 20°V 'downfill' cabinet connects directly to the bottom of a W8L array. With a similar all-horn-loaded format to the W8L, the W8LD integrates with the output from the W8Ls above and continues the extension of the line array at low, mid and high frequencies.
In response to the demand from the install market Martin Audio recognized that the rigging hardware required for fixed installation could be considerably simplified. The W8LCI and W8LMI feature the same acoustic components and construction as the touring versions but with an integrated flying system, which allows up to 12 cabinets to be flown with a 7:1 safety factor. The W8LM is supplied in passive or bi-amp format.
MA lighting highlighted a powerful new software tool for LDs and programmers: grandMA video is capable of controlling, via grandMA consoles, any commercially available PC server hardware and the video projector plugged into it. In cooperation with Publitec, MA also offers an integrated system solution consisting of special 19" server hardware (publitec proVideor) and moving video lights (beaMovers). The grandMA consoles are at the heart of the system and can be network-linked to a maximum of 15 grandMA video applications using MA-Net. This interactivity ensures that grandMA video can be used at full capacity, including the entire range of effects available.
As grandMA video is a fully integrated part of the grandMA network system, it is not just triggered via DMX. This has many advantages.
On the one hand a minimum of setup and configuration is required due to bi-directional communication between the console and the grandMA video software. The grandMA console allows for direct access to the server (content browser) and previews the content as thumbnails in the preset. The PC can therefore be placed directly at the projector or moving video light, with no need for long video cables. The grandMA video software enables a console operator to control and alter videos, still images and three-dimensional objects in real-time.
Camco has also added EtherSound connectivity to its entire product range, again in close collaboration with Auvitran, which is providing hardware modules and development services to the company. Reiner Sassmann, Camco MD, said: "EtherSound technologically is the leading standard for audio over Ethernet in the pro audio industry. It's the only technology on the market to offer a network latency low enough for live sound, that is also stable, and deterministic . . . It is very important to us that EtherSound is not a proprietary technology and that our products will be able to work with many exciting products from other industry leading manufacturers. Our close partner Nexo is just one such manufacturer."
It's now possible to upgrade existing amplifiers of the Vortex and Tecton series with the modules and thereby add EtherSound functionalities to a large part of Camco's installed product base. Latest addition to the Vortex range is the Vortex 200V, specified at more than 3000W per channel RMS at 4 Ohms. The Tecton Series introduced users to the company's SMPS (Switch Mode Power Supply) design concept. Targeted at the sound contractor and rental company market, the series features seven models, from 2 x 300W/4 Ohms.
Finally, Camco's Wincai remote control software now has improved graphics and a modern ergonomic user interface. The new package supports multi-threading for simultaneous use of multiple Ethercai servers.