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Mediatech Africa Show Report Dolby Atmos Feature Guide to System Integration Kings of Chaos Sound Engineer Interview Innibos Concert Report Rhema Audio Installation
Citation preview
March / April 2013 R35.00
July / August 2013 R35.00
AV SyStem IntegrAtIon | InStAllAtIonS | lIVe eVentS | StudIo & BroAdcASt AudIoSOUTHERN AFRICA
medIAtech AfrIcA Show report
dolBy AtmoS feAture
guIde to SyStem IntegrAtIon
KIngS of chAoS Sound engIneer InterVIew
InnIBoS concert report
rhemA AudIo InStAllAtIon
HougHton Mosque InstallatIon
Cover Story
viva afrikaViva Afrika Sound and Light (Pty) Ltd
Unit 2, 2 Drakensburg RoadLongmeadow Business Park West, West� eld
PO Box 4709, Rivonia, 2128, South AfricaTel: 011 250-3280, Fax: 011 608-4109
orders@hybrid.co.za, www.hybrid.co.za
Performance beyond it’s price
Hybrid+ 4.1High power class D amplifi er
Frequency Response:
20~24 000Hz (1W +/- 0.5dB)
Maximum Rate Power (RMS):
at 4 ohm: 2 200W/channel x 4 channels
at 8 ohm: 1 200W/channel x 4 channels
Signal to noise ratio: 103dB (A-weighted)
Weight: 12.5Kg
Dimensions mm:
489mm(W) x 88mm(H) x 502mm(D)
Hybrid+ 2.1High power class D amplifi er
Frequency Response:
20~24 000Hz (1W +/- 0.5dB)
Maximum Rate Power (RMS):
at 4 ohm: 2 200W/channel x 2 channels
at 8 ohm: 1 200W/channel x 2 channels
Signal to noise ratio: 103dB (A-weighted)
Weight: 7.7Kg
Dimensions mm:
489mm(W) x 88mm(H) x352mm(D)
LA212Line source speaker system For audiences up to 50 000
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB):
50~18 000Hz
Maximum SPL /1m (Calculated):
134dB Continuous
137dB Program
LF Driver: 2 x 12” CELTO ACOUSTIQUE
Ferrite magnet, 3” In/Out voice coil
Power Rating: 900W RMS LF + 200W HF
Weight: 63Kg gross
Dimensions mm:
960mm(W) x 377mm(H) x 488mm(D)
Hybrid+ 2.2High power class D amplifi er
Frequency Response:
20~24 000Hz (1W +/- 0.5dB)
Maximum Rate Power (RMS):
at 4 ohm: 3 200W/channel x 2 channels
at 8 ohm: 1 600W/channel x 2 channels
Signal to noise ratio: 103dB (A-weighted)
Weight: 11.7Kg
Dimensions mm:
489mm(W) x 88mm(H) x 480mm(D)
EXS218 LF SubwooferSuitable for indoor and outdoor live performances
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB):
30~1 100Hz
Maximum SPL /1m (Calculated):
136dB Continuous
139dB Program
LF Driver: 18” CELTO ACOUSTIQUE
Ferrite magnet, 4.5” In/Out voice coil
Power Rating: 3 000W RMS
Weight: 96Kg gross
Dimensions mm:
1 080mm(W) x 580mm(H) x 780mm(D)
Great sound with brains to match!!
All you need from one system
EXS218 LA212LA212
With built-in digital signal processor controlled using Windows 7 or 8. Android 4 & iPad IOS 6. Wi-Fi control software for laptop or tablet included.
Digital Signal Processor Features: • Input delay up to 100m
• 31 Band graphic EQ with fl at top response
• 8 Band parametric EQ with band-pass
• High-pass, low-pass, notch and shelving
• User confi gurable look ahead limiter
• Crossover with selectable slope of 6, 12, 24 or 48dB/octave and L-R,
Butterworth or Bessel slopes
• Input matrix confi gurable • Output delay up to 15m
• 30 User presets
Great sound with brains to match!!Great sound with brains to match!!
Viva afrika – Hybrid+
viva afrikaViva Afrika Sound and Light (Pty) Ltd
Unit 2, 2 Drakensburg RoadLongmeadow Business Park West, West� eld
PO Box 4709, Rivonia, 2128, South AfricaTel: 011 250-3280, Fax: 011 608-4109
orders@hybrid.co.za, www.hybrid.co.za
Performance beyond it’s price
Hybrid+ 4.1High power class D amplifi er
Frequency Response:
20~24 000Hz (1W +/- 0.5dB)
Maximum Rate Power (RMS):
at 4 ohm: 2 200W/channel x 4 channels
at 8 ohm: 1 200W/channel x 4 channels
Signal to noise ratio: 103dB (A-weighted)
Weight: 12.5Kg
Dimensions mm:
489mm(W) x 88mm(H) x 502mm(D)
Hybrid+ 2.1High power class D amplifi er
Frequency Response:
20~24 000Hz (1W +/- 0.5dB)
Maximum Rate Power (RMS):
at 4 ohm: 2 200W/channel x 2 channels
at 8 ohm: 1 200W/channel x 2 channels
Signal to noise ratio: 103dB (A-weighted)
Weight: 7.7Kg
Dimensions mm:
489mm(W) x 88mm(H) x352mm(D)
LA212Line source speaker system For audiences up to 50 000
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB):
50~18 000Hz
Maximum SPL /1m (Calculated):
134dB Continuous
137dB Program
LF Driver: 2 x 12” CELTO ACOUSTIQUE
Ferrite magnet, 3” In/Out voice coil
Power Rating: 900W RMS LF + 200W HF
Weight: 63Kg gross
Dimensions mm:
960mm(W) x 377mm(H) x 488mm(D)
Hybrid+ 2.2High power class D amplifi er
Frequency Response:
20~24 000Hz (1W +/- 0.5dB)
Maximum Rate Power (RMS):
at 4 ohm: 3 200W/channel x 2 channels
at 8 ohm: 1 600W/channel x 2 channels
Signal to noise ratio: 103dB (A-weighted)
Weight: 11.7Kg
Dimensions mm:
489mm(W) x 88mm(H) x 480mm(D)
EXS218 LF SubwooferSuitable for indoor and outdoor live performances
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB):
30~1 100Hz
Maximum SPL /1m (Calculated):
136dB Continuous
139dB Program
LF Driver: 18” CELTO ACOUSTIQUE
Ferrite magnet, 4.5” In/Out voice coil
Power Rating: 3 000W RMS
Weight: 96Kg gross
Dimensions mm:
1 080mm(W) x 580mm(H) x 780mm(D)
Great sound with brains to match!!
All you need from one system
EXS218 LA212LA212
With built-in digital signal processor controlled using Windows 7 or 8. Android 4 & iPad IOS 6. Wi-Fi control software for laptop or tablet included.
Digital Signal Processor Features: • Input delay up to 100m
• 31 Band graphic EQ with fl at top response
• 8 Band parametric EQ with band-pass
• High-pass, low-pass, notch and shelving
• User confi gurable look ahead limiter
• Crossover with selectable slope of 6, 12, 24 or 48dB/octave and L-R,
Butterworth or Bessel slopes
• Input matrix confi gurable • Output delay up to 15m
• 30 User presets
Great sound with brains to match!!Great sound with brains to match!!
Viva afrika – Hybrid+
2
In thIS ISSue
Ladies and gentleman, as the new deputy editor of this publication, I present to you the July/August issue of Pro Systems News. Needless to say, the magazine you have before you emerged out of a
whirlwind of activity following the resounding success of Mediatech Africa 2013, which exposed the ever apparent growth of the audio visual, pro audio, lighting and staging industries here in South Africa. We are, as always, proud to deliver it as comprehensively as we can for your reading pleasure with a post-show report, interviews with international visitors, a review of the outdoor live sound demos, and an interview with Florian Camerer, the EBU 128 loudness guru.
The passion and drive of our team has made the effort fantastically worthwhile while the warmth and camaraderie of the industry that has embraced us really is a testament to the special people involved in a community that is steadily marching to the forefront of an increasing technological prowess. Well done to you all! Supplementing the Mediatech report this issue features an AV systems integration guide white paper, courtesy of AMX USA, and integration stories spanning from Durban to Maputo. International stories are always a valuable part of what we try to bring to the magazine so you’ll find coverage of Bruce Springsteen at Wembley Stadium and a look at a festival called Chillfest in the UK, organised by a production company – the first of its kind.
Also, Eddie “el Brujo” Caipo, the sound engineer and production manager for Kings of Chaos who recently visited our shores spills the beans on his career. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Regardsgreg Bester
Deputy eDitor
Contributors
Contents
Claire Badenhorst | Industry expert with eight years experience in event management, PR, marketing and advertising within the professional audio, video, lighting and staging sector. Claire has played an integral role in the development of the concept and content creation of Pro Systems and works closely with our advertisers and readers.
Chanelle ellaya | A Journalism graduate from the University of Johannesburg. Chanelle has experience in both the magazine and television industry. She has a keen interest in the Media in various capacities, as well as in music and technology.
louise stickland | Professional journalist and photographer with huge passion and enthusiasm for technology and the production industry. Louise initially worked and toured as a lighting designer after graduating from university. She has many years experience in the music and live event sector, and works closely with leading international designers, production companies and technology manufacturers.
Paul Watson | After touring professionally with several bands in the UK and then the US, Paul went on to open his own commercial recording and rehearsal facility, where he was resident producer/engineer for six years. For the last five years, he has been a regular contributor for a number of UK titles, covering live sound, studio sound, lighting, video, broadcast and post-production. He is also European Editor for one of the major US trade music publications.
greg Bester | Musician and audio engineer – proficient in both the analogue and digital domains and has extensive experience mixing live music, setting up and configuring loudspeaker systems, monitoring and general stage management. He has mixed hundreds of events and is comfortable on large and small-format mixing consoles.
Publisher & editor | Simon Robinson | simon@sun-circle.co.za dePuty editor | Greg Bester | greg@pro-systems.co.za in-house Journalist | Chanelle Ellaya | news@pro-systems.co.za sub-editor | Tina Heron
advertising sales | Simone de Beer | sales@pro-systems.co.za design | Trevor Ou Tim | design@sun-circle.co.za subscriPtions | Albertina Tserere | data@sun-circle.co.za
Sun Circle Publishers (Pty) Ltd | Tel: +27 11 025-3180 | Epsom Downs Office Park, 13 Sloane Street, Bryanston, Johannesburg | PO Box 559 Fourways North 2086, South Africa
www. pro-systems.co.za
neWs
Wild and Marr acquire RTW ............................3
Robert Juliat appoints DWR ............................3
Electrosonic distributes Green Hippo ...........3
‘Virtual’ first sale for Tadco ..............................3
Splitbeam supplies Starlight Express ...............4
PENMAC nominated for Business Day ..........4
FBT Audio joins Sound & Light City stable .....4
Electrosonic aquires Milos agency ................6
Prosound named exclusive distributor of
Audio-Technica in South Africa......................6
DWR relocates to Laserpark ...........................6
MGG chooses Christie .....................................6
Electra Partners acquires Allen & Heath .......8
Stage roof made from genie towers collapses
in North Carolina ..............................................8
Eric Lawrenson joins Questek Group .............8
PLASA 2013 features new exhibitors ..............8
systeM IntegratIon
Smart up your home ......................................10
Connecting communication in Mozambique
12
Digital Signage –
the greener alternative: Part 2 .....................14
Classroom projector comparison ................16
Guide to system integration .........................18
InstallatIons
Dolby Atmos –
the future in surround is now ........................24
Listen up – Jacaranda has moved ..............28
Houghton Mosque installation .....................30
Rhema acquires new sound ........................32
lIVe eVents
Mixing ‘The Boss’ ............................................34
Trevor Peters profile ........................................38
Just chillin’ at Chillfest ....................................39
A ‘sorcerer’ among kings ..............................42
Steering Innibos music festival to record
crowds .............................................................46
MeDIateCH rePort
Mediatech Africa –
casting a global footprint .............................50
Mediatech Africa –
global leader interviews ................................52
Florian Camerer interview .............................56
Sounding out the Big 5 ..................................60
stuDIo & BroaDCast
Allen & Heath Qu-16 review .........................62
Recording and mixing drums in the modern
DAW: Part 2 – Finding the right spot ............64
Gavan Eckhart profile ...................................66
soCIal
Seen at Mediatech Africa 2013 ...................67
Mediatech Africa 2013
Platinum Stand Award Winners ....................68
CEDIA Evening ................................................68
Digico Training ................................................68
3
Wild and Marr (Pty) Ltd is proud to announce
the addition of RTW GmbH & Co. KG as one
of their premium equipment suppliers.
RTW, based in Cologne, was founded in
1965 as a specialist service provider of audio
equipment. RTW’s innovations include
instruments and technologies for visual audio
metering in broadcast, production,
post-production and quality control.
It is no coincidence that the very first
African Loudness Summit, which was held
recently at MediaTech South Africa,
accompanied the confirmation of the
strategic partnership between Wild and Marr
and RTW.
It was announced at the summit that
South African broadcasters would be
adopting the EBU R-128 standard and RTW
with their state-of-the-art systems were Wild
and Marr’s first choice with their audio
metering, loudness metering and signal
monitoring products, technology and
software.
Robert Juliat is happy to announce that,
DWR Distribution cc has joined the Robert
Juliat distributor family.
From 1 June 2013 DWR has assumed
responsibility for sales activity across South
Africa, promoting and supporting the full
range of Robert Juliat lighting equipments.
“It is a privilege for us to be associated
with Robert Juliat and the fantastic people
who make up their team,” comments
Duncan Riley from DWR Distribution. “This
appointment allows us to offer one of the
best brands in the entertainment industry to
our clients.”
The Robert Juliat followspots were officially
launched by DWR at Mediatech Africa
in July.
These followspots were also used on a
followspot seminar course titled The Art of
Followspotting, during Mediatech, which
was held daily at the expo.
UK Pioneers in real-time video manipulation
Green Hippo are pleased to announce
Electrosonic SA cc as their new distributor in
South Africa.
With over 12 years of experience in
developing software and hardware
platforms, Green Hippo has developed
leading solutions to pixel mapping and
video mapping, and the integration of such
into entertainment shows and installations.
Green Hippo is focused on ensuring these
shows run daily, on tour, on Broadway or
television.
Electrosonic SA, a leading supplier of
stage, theatre and entertainment lighting for
over 21 years, has similar ideals and the same
newS
Wild and Marr acquire RTW agency ‘Virtual’ first sale for Tadco
rtW building in Cologne
DWr Distribution team and clients viewing the lancelot, robert Juliat’s largest fixture
Bruce schwartz of electrosonic south africa and tom etra of green Hippo. Photo courtesy Plasa Media
Virtual Productions
recently took delivery of a
new Coda ViRAY system
and are the first to
purchase a ViRAY sound
system from Tadco.
Virtual Productions was
started in 2007 with the
assistance of individuals dedicated and passionate
about perfection in their endeavours and all aspects
of events and its facets. In the past year the company
have assisted with technical support in numerous
noteworthy events such as The PRISA Prism Awards, The
Traditional South African Music Awards, Massbuild
Conference, ABSA gala dinner, MTV Base Hunters
Oasis tour, Banyana Banyana Sponsorship
Confirmation and product launches such as the
Cherry J3 and Mahindra, to name a few.
Mel Pellissier, sales manager at Virtual Production
comments: “The ViRAY system is light and easy to use
as it takes mere minutes to rig and is simple to manage.
The output combined with the clarity from the system is
amazing and always leaves attendants to an event
with the WOW factor that we strive for. The influence
and support from Tadco pre and after sale was a
major influence in the decision to go with the Coda
system.
“Virtual Productions’ mission statement includes
building long standing relationships with suppliers,
clients and partners in the industry to deliver on
consistently successful events time and time again. The
Tadco team has been and proves to be a great
partner in achieving this,” concludes Mel.
Virtual Productions strives to be a dominant force in
the events and function industry, they may not be the
biggest in the industry but they strive to be the best.
The Coda ViRay system embodies this goal perfectly
and assists in delivering the dream.
Robert Juliat appoints DWR
Electrosonic distributes Green Hippo
Coda Viray system
passion as Green Hippo. It sees this partnership as an
exciting extension to the range of world class brands
that it represents, such as Martin Professional, CM
Loadstar, ADB, Compulite Litec and Milos Structural
Systems.
Entertainment Lighting Manager Bruce Schwartz
says: “We are really honoured to represent Green
Hippo and predict tighter integration and increased
growth between video and lighting with this
partnership. We look forward to offering the backup,
service and knowledge that Electrosonic is
renowned for, with the entire range of Green Hippo
products and growing the world-wide rental
network.”
4
newS FBT Audio joins Sound & Light City stableSound & Light City have recently entered into
a partnership with FBT Audio to distribute
their brand within South Africa.
FBT products are designed and
manufactured in Italy. The factory is a single
comprehensive structure that includes
everything from the research and design lab,
the electronic sector, the injection moulding
department, carpentry shop, mechanical
workshop, paint shop and test department.
’Innovation in tradition‘ is FBT’s secret.
Extensive knowledge built up over the years,
highly specialised engineering and an
impulse for the discovery of new important
frontiers in audio enable FBT to
conceptualise and develop top quality
professional audio systems.
FBT is driven by ongoing renewal, constant
evolution that never forgets tradition and
their original starting point: a passion for
music.
Gregory De Villiers, marketing manager at
Sound & Light City says: “It has been a long
time coming and we are finally realising an
ambition we have been working hard at for
months now. FBT has always had huge
potential and we believe we are the best
local distributors to realise this potential.”
production for that matter, without the
support and help of the Splitbeam team –
thank you guys.”
Gearhouse Splitbeam was the theatre
lighting supplier of choice for the South
African production of Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s Starlight Express at The Mandela,
Joburg Theatre in Johannesburg.
According to Splitbeam’s Managing
Director, Alistair Kilbee, Starlight has always
been a larger-than-life kind of production
and the scale on the South African version
lives up to expectations.
The Splitbeam team worked closely with
UK-based Declan Randall, a professional
lighting designer who, Kilbee says: “loves to
push the limits of theatre design.”
“For me, the key motif in the show is
movement,” explains Randall, “I tried to
recreate the sense of constant movement
and speed through lighting, using the
physical movement of light
beams and changes in
colour and light intensity.
We also designed some
custom ‘train track’ gobos
for the VL3500s which were
used in the races and at
other key moments to
reinforce this idea.”
“Declan’s style is very
distinctive. His rigs are large
and complex and he uses
more programmed cues
than most,” says Kilbee.
“At the same time, his
planning is at the highest level and his
paperwork is flawless – every detail is
outlined on the plan.”
“The guys at Splitbeam really understand
the nature of theatrical design and the role
of the designer. They were extremely helpful
and supportive and did everything possible
to help me achieve the vision for the show,”
says Randall.
It seems the choice of Splitbeam as
supplier worked out well for Randall. “The
gear arrived all well-prepped and ready to
be rigged. Fittings and fixtures were all in a
great condition which made for an easy
fit-up. The team was very supportive and
willing to assist and nothing was ever too
much trouble. I simply cannot imagine doing
a large-scale musical, or any other
Splitbeam supplies Starlight Express
PENMAC Audio Visual is nominated for a
Small Business Award in the 2013 Business Day
BASA (Business and Arts South Africa) Awards
and they couldn’t be more ecstatic: “It was
during the Mediatech Exhibition that
PENMAC received the unexpected news of
being nominated as finalist in the annual
BASA awards supported by Anglo America,”
says Malcolm Finlay, Director at PENMAC
Audio Visual.
“We feel very privileged to be part of this
national award which has been made
possible through our involvement over the
past year with the Johannesburg Youth Ballet
Company. The enthusiasm of this young cast
under the direction of Mark Hawkins has
been inspirational to us all as we watched
passion advance way beyond reward.
WATCHOUT is used in the production to
provide visual stage backdrops as well as
stream all audio content,” comments Finlay.
Other nominees include the
Johannesburg Stock Exchange for its work
with the Three2Six School for Refugee
Children, which has seen it nominated for an
Increasing Access to the Arts Award; Rand
Merchant Bank, which in 2013 has earned
nominations in the Long Term Partnership
Award category for the Johannesburg Youth
Orchestra Company’s Instrumental Training and
Development project; as well as two nods in the
Youth Development Award category for the
Durban Music School and the Dance XChange
Project. The spectrum of business and arts
partnerships celebrated by this year’s Business
Day BASA nominations is impressive.
“What we are clearly seeing with the
nominations for several big and medium sized
enterprises is the ROI that partnering with an arts
project can bring,” comments Michelle Constant,
CEO of Business and Arts South Africa. “This is a
strong signal to South African business that
working with an arts project is far more than a feel
good exercise but brings shared value.”
Chairperson of the judging panel, Dr Andrew
Human, notes the evolution in the range and
quality of entries this year. “There is definitely far
more recognition of the mutual benefit and value
that arts can lend to business, as opposed to
seeing a partnership with the arts as a charitable
sponsorship.”
A total of 12 categories were open for entry in
the 16th annual Business Day BASA Awards.
PENMAC nominated for Business Day
Phot
o co
urte
sy J
obur
g th
eatre
Malcom Finlay
starlight express stage at the Mandela, Joburg theatre
SA Dealers: Jasco +27 11 266 1500 | Visual Impact +27 11 788 9879 | SBSS +27 21 425 6337 | Protea +27 11 719 5700Sony Broadcast & Professional +27 11 690 3200 | www.pro.sony.eu/mea
sony
6
newS
Milos Structural Systems has appointed
Electrosonic SA as its new distributor in South
Africa.
Since 1994 Milos Structural Systems has
specialised in aluminium structural systems.
Milos offers a wide range of applications
from small truss display booths, to giant
outdoor stages including lighting and PA
trusses for large events. Milos’s production
facilities span across 90 000 square feet and
manufacturing processes include the latest
semi-automated welding processes and
CNC technology.
Electrosonic SA has been a leading
supplier of stage, theatre and entertainment
lighting for more than 21 years. When Milos
Structural Systems took Litec into its stable,
Electrosonic saw the opportunity to offer the
entire Milos range as a perfect complement
to its existing product range of world class
brands.
Bruce Schwartz, Electrosonic SA’s
entertainment lighting manager says: “Our
customers rely on us to provide top class
solutions but at competitive prices. With Milos
in our stable we are able to deliver on this
mandate. We are honoured to represent
Milos Structural Systems and see their large
range of products as a natural extension of
our business. We look forward to growing the
Milos brand in South Africa.”
Prosound is pleased to announce its new role
as exclusive distribution partner in South
Africa for Audio-Technica. Prosound will
distribute the full range of Audio-Technica’s
professional audio products.
“We are very pleased to have Prosound as
our new South African distributor,” says
Matthias Exner, business development
Director EMEA of Audio-Technica. “They
have a long history of success within the
industry and solid relationships with
customers. Audio-Technica’s commitment
on delivering excellence in its products is
shared by Prosound and we are excited that
they are representing Audio-Technica’s
professional products in South Africa.”
“We are extremely delighted to become a
member of the Audio-Technica family and
the opportunities this partnership provides
us,” says Terry Acres, Chairman of Prosound.
“The addition of Audio-Technica as a
leading manufacturer in microphones and
headphones to our portfolio enables us to
serve our client base even more efficiently by
providing leading brands for the complete
signal chain.”
DWR Distribution has relocated to Laserpark,
Honeydew. The larger premises enable all
departments from stores to demonstration
and training facilities, to operate under one
roof.
“A big thank you to MJ Event Gear, Dream
Sets and Pan Tilt for allowing us to use their
trucks to help with the move,” comments
Duncan Riley from DWR. “ Also, thank you to
my team who have kept a great attitude
and have been amazing during this hectic
time.”
A few delays from building suppliers have
held up the process. “That said, we will be
pleased to see any visitors if you don’t mind
stepping over a few boxes!” laughs Riley.
DWR’s new address is Block C, Unit 1
Kimbult Industrial Park, 9 Zeiss Road,
Lasperpark, Honeydew. Their office
telephone number is 011 794 5023.
MGG chooses Christie
Christie®, a global visual technologies
company, recently announced a deal with
MGG, one of the largest rental staging
companies in South Africa, for four Christie
Roadster HD20K-J 3-chip DLP® purpose-built,
event-staging projectors. These will be the
first of the new J-Series projectors to be
deployed in Africa.
The Roadster HD20K-J DLP projector
enables customers to create visually
compelling Pro-AV shows with Xenon
colour-rich, high definition images.
MGG has been steadily increasing their
investment in Christie Pro-AV systems, starting
with LCD and 1-chip DLP, moving to 3-chip
DLP, UHP illuminated M-Series and now onto
the J-Series digital projectors. Mark Gaylard,
owner of MGG, says: “Over the past couple
of years we have purchased a number of
Christie products and have been particularly
impressed with their quality and reliability, so
when we were looking for projectors that
could enhance our capabilities and
offerings, they had to be Christie.”
Gustav Barnard, Technical and Education
Manager at Stage Audio Works, adds: “We
are delighted to have MGG, a true pioneer
in the event technology rental sector, on
board as the first owners of the Christie
Roadster HD20K-J digital projector on the
continent to meet the growing demands of
the African market. Congratulations to Mark
on his investment.”
“We have been building a strong
relationship with MGG via our partner Stage
Audio Works over the past two years, so we
are particularly pleased that they have
chosen our Roadster HD20K-J projectors to
enhance their rental staging offerings,”
comments Phil Lord, Christie’s territory
manager for Africa.
Prosound named exclusive distributor of Audio-Technica in South Africa
DWR relocates to Laserpark
Electrosonic aquires Milos agency
Phil lord, Mark gaylard and gustav Barnard
Bruce schwartz, electrosonic sa’s entertainment lighting manager
the new DWr premises laserpark
gearhouse
8
newS
Electra Partners has announced the
acquisition of mixing console manufacturer,
Allen & Heath, from D&M Holdings. £43
million of equity and debt has been
provided by Electra Private Equity PLC and
Allen & Heath’s management.
Founded in 1969, Allen & Heath designs
and manufactures audio mixing consoles for
live sound, such as concerts, theatres and
houses of worship.
Commenting on this acquisition, Alex
Fortescue, Chief Investment Partner at
Electra Partners says: “The ability to invest
across the capital structure, in this case
funding both the equity and debt
instruments, is a great example of Electra’s
flexible investment mandate being put to
work to ensure a swift completion for the
vendor and a straightforward structure for
the business to capitalise on both organic
and acquisitive growth opportunities.”
Charles Elkington, Investment Partner at
Electra Partners adds: “We believe that Allen
& Heath has a bright future and we will be
looking to work with Glenn Rogers and his
team to grow the business through further
investment in new product development,
improved marketing and distribution and
through acquisition.”
Glenn Rogers, Managing Director at Allen
& Heath, says: “We are very excited about
working with Electra Partners and the
opportunities it presents for the next phase of
Allen & Heath’s growth. We have an
excellent catalogue of existing products and
a number of exciting prospects in
development. We see opportunity for
expansion into new areas and look forward
to building Allen & Heath’s long-term future
alongside Electra Partners.”
A staging structure in Charlotte, North
Carolina collapsed due to circumstances
that are still under dispute on Saturday, 10
August. The event, part of the American
Legion’s World Series concerts was set to be
the platform for MercyMe, a popular
Christian Band in the region, to perform in
front of more than 10 000 fans leading up the
famous World Series baseball tournament
that runs from 16 to 20 August in Shelby, North
Carolina.
The dispute is whether shoddy
construction or bad weather was the cause
of the stage collapse at the Cleveland
County fairgrounds, the chosen venue for
the event. The collapse occurred at about
4pm during the band’s sound check with no
reported injuries. The audience had not yet
arrived. Eddie Holbrook, co-chair of the
local American Legion World Series
committee comments:
“We knew we were going to get what
looked like scattered showers and nothing
real bad,” Holbrook said. “Then all of a
sudden, within a five-minute span, the winds
shifted and immediately there was a severe
weather storm alert.”
Despite L&N Productions, the company
that built the stage, being highly reputable,
others have pointed blame at the
production company as it has been alleged
that the structure fell well before the 70mph
storm hit. Other irregularities have also been
claimed such as the genies lacking
outriggers, truck straps being employed to
secure certain parts of the structure and the
roof being picked incorrectly with spansets.
Incidents like this might well be good
cause for our local production companies to
reassess their safety practices and ensure
they are following adequate safety
guidelines.
Electra Partners acquires Allen & Heath
Stage roof made from genie towers collapses in North Carolina
Eric Lawrenson joins Questek Group
PLASA 2013 features new exhibitors
Eric Lawrenson, a
Broadcast Systems
Engineer, has recently
joined Questek
Advanced Technologies.
Eric has been in the
industry for 30 years
working for
broadcasters, facilities companies and
resellers. Prior to joining the Questek Group,
Eric spent eight years with Spescom/Jasco.
Eric’s experience includes system design
of studios, control rooms, transmission centres
and in recent years has completed projects
for the Namibian Broadcast Corporation,
Swazi TV, the Free State Department of
Health, SABC and M-Net SuperSport.
George van Gils, Questek Director, says
that Eric’s knowledge and expertise within
the industry as a broadcast specialist will
add great value to Questek’s product
offering. ‘Eric knows his way around the
industry and his extensive experience will
enhance our capabilities as a leading
supplier of broadcast technologies.’
PLASA London 2013 will feature more than 30
companies that did not exhibit in 2012,
including Pioneer, Samsung and Sony, while
many existing exhibitors have taken bigger
stand space than last year. PLASA London
takes place at the ExCeL Centre, London
from 6 to 9 October 2013.
Jennie Barratt, show manager, PLASA
London 2013 explains: “PLASA London
delivers an attractive proposition to exhibitors
with over 12 000 high quality visitors who are in a
position of purchasing influence. ”
Alex Barrand, Audio Specialist at Pioneer,
says: “We are returning to PLASA after a few
years’ hiatus as it is the ideal platform from
which to launch our new professional audio
business. We’re also delighted to present the first
public showcase of our club speakers at PLASA.”
Pioneer will demonstrate its new speakers in
PLASA London’s new AudioLab pro audio
arena, theatre and interactive lab.
Other new exhibitors for 2013 include
Samsung, Sony, Creative Technology, Aspen
Media, PRG, Pyrojunkies and Sound Network.
Companies including Shure, Martin Audio,
Roland, SSE Audio and Harman have increased
their stand space this year. PLASA London
features over 250 exhibitors.
glenn rogers, Managing Director at allen & Heath
eric lawrenson
Johannesburg+27 11 974 0633
info@wildandmarr.co.za
Cape Town+27 21 787 9378sales@wmc.co.za
Durban+27 31 573 7400
admin@wildandmarrkzn.co.za
define Legendary Performance.
Wild & Marr
10
SyStem IntegrAtIon HoMe AutoMAtion
Smart up your home
We’ve covered a lot of corporate and institutional aV installations here in Pro Systems which, by and large, are always impressive given the gravitas of most these organisations. But one forgets that there’s a whole other market out there for aV and automation systems in what has become known as ‘smart homes’: up-market, modern and sophisticated dwellings that make most of what we live in look like mere shacks.
Of course, much of the same components you’ll find in a corporate
AV installation are found in smart homes, too: projectors, screens,
control systems, advanced networks, tablet and PC control, touch
panels, and remote system management, etc. The list goes on; the
only difference being that these installations are almost always more
aesthetically pleasing because homes are meant to be lived in and
enjoyed when you’re trying to forget about the boardroom!
Mod ‘n Sound based in Umhlanga Ridge, KZN has been doing this
sort of work for about 30 years, specialising in such areas as high end
stereo systems, home theatres, distributed audio, AV systems, control
and automation. In fact, they have over 100 years’ experience in
those areas collectively. I recently had the pleasure of meeting up
with Andre Hoareau, owner of Mod ‘n Sound, to show me around a
recent installation they performed in a home at the Hawaan Forest
Estate, a seaside lifestyle complex of homes on KZN’s North Coast.
Let’s take a gander.
the brief
The brief from the customer was to design, supply and install a state of
the art automation system for a new domestic residence in the
up-market Hawaan Forest Estate in Umhlanga. To this end Mod ‘n
Sound chose the Elan G system for control and AV distribution. For the
lighting and switch gear the new QS Lutron din rail mount products
were the preferred choice and speaker systems spec’d were Bose
and Paradigm. The home was to be fully automated and had to
include the following:
1. security: The ability to view individual CCTV cameras from
anywhere in the world, open doors, open and close curtains
and blinds was required along with arming and disarming the
alarm system from mobile devices, nine colour touch screens
and three wireless hand held colour touch screen remotes.
2. lighting: All in all 66 circuits including exterior, pool, wall,
vanity and general lighting (both incandescent and
florescent) and the installation of an optic-fibre ’star light’
ceiling system for the kids’ bedroom. All lighting was to be
controlled from backlit keypads, colour touch screens and
mobile devices.
3. Water features: Three water features with lighting and pool
pump control.
4. Climate: Multi-zone Dakin VRV with independent control of
temp and fan speed in all zones.
5. Blinds and curtains: Independent and global control.
6. audio & video: 12 independent zones of audio and video
were spec’d including a complete 7.1 home theater system
with automated screen and projector lift with the inclusion of
music and video servers with the ability for the customer to
access their entire music and video collection with cover art
By Greg Bester
11
HoMe AutoMAtion SyStem IntegrAtIon
from TV screen or remote controls, iPhone, iPad or Android
devices. Ability to control all media from mobile devices, nine
colour touch screens and three wireless handheld colour
touch screen remotes was required.
7. Fireplaces: Control of two gas fireplaces.
8. Intercom: The ability to page the entire house from any
phone. The ability to view the intercom door station hi-
resolution camera from hand held remotes and mobile
devices. The client can phone the system and leave
messages to be retrieved from the main lounge touch panel
by anyone in the house.
The entire house falls under the control of one Elan G system. The
project took about 12 months to complete, from in house CAD
drawings to final installation and programming and due to the
complexity of the project, Mod ‘n Sound had to project-manage and
liaise with all the relevant subcontractors.
First impressions
As I walked into the home, hosted by Mr. Hoareau, I was immediately
impressed by its clean lines and slick, modern look and subsequently
the high tech installation. This is a dream home for most. The
architectural design was performed by Patrick Ferguson of Stefan
Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects.
Mr. Hoareau proceeded to give me a demonstration of some of
the automation features of the home and I was taken aback at how
simple and intuitive each component was. Quite simply put,
EVERYTHING is under control in this home. From the projector that
descends via from a cavity in the ceiling, to the water features, to the
lighting, to the fireplaces, to the aircon and fans, to security; the entire
house is covered through the Elan G system and its peripherals. What
amazed me the most is that every single automation and control
feature of the house can be controlled remotely via iPhone, iPad or
Android.
Mr. Hoareau comments as he demonstrates the audio system:
“Now, you could be in China doing what I’m doing now. It’s irrelevant
where you are because it’s all done over the internet. So if he’s in
China and someone comes to the door, he can pick up and they
might think he’s in the house.”
This has obvious security advantages because along with CCTV
surveillance being available over the
internet, the owner can monitor the house
at all times and give the impression he’s not
away.
The audio system in the home has 16
independent zones. This enables the
dwellers to listen to different music in any
area mutually exclusive of the others. Now
the kids can listen to Justin Beiber upstairs
while mom and dad listen to Bublè
downstairs.
the kit
lIgHtIng8 x LUTRON LQSE-4A-D DIN-RAIL adaptive power module
9 x LUTRON LQSE=-4510D DIN-RAIL relay module
1 x LUTRON Ethernet/RS232 interface
1 x LUTRON HW1-CC1input/output devices
1 x LUTRON HPS-CE processor
13 x LUTRON FT-6BRL-W keypads
150m x LUTRON CSPCREST cable
aIrCon1 x COOLMASTER 1000 aircon interface
1 x LUTRON RS-232/485 converter
auDIo & VIDeo & Control1 x ELAN HC12 system controller
3 x ELAN GPASL licenses
1 x ELAN DT22 dual Fm tuner
2 x ELAN S86a zone controller/amplifiers
1 x ELAN C2 communications controller
2 x ELAN DSF3 door stations with Hi-Rez camera
8 x ELAN TS2 wall-mount colour touch screens
1 x ELAN TS10 wall-mount colour touch screen
3 x ELAN HR2 wireless colour touch screen remote controls
1 x INTEGRA DTR 40.4 home theatre receiver
1 x INTEGRA DBS 30.3 Blu Ray player
3 x PARADIGM AMS150R-30 in ceiling speakers
4 x PARADIGM CS60 ceiling mount speakers
14 x PARADIGM CS80 ceiling mount speakers
2 x PARADIGM CS60 SM stereo in ceiling speakers
2 x PARADIGM DSP3100 subwoofers
2 x BOSE AM5 speaker systems
76m PLANETWAVES cable
100 x PLANETWAVES RCA interconnects
1200m CAT6 data cable
1600m TITAN 14 gauge speaker cable
400m RG179 video cable
200m MYLAR cable
1 x AXIS 24IQ composite to IP convertor
1 x PANASONIC PT-AE100E High Def projector
1 x MOTORISED SCREEN 2500 x 1400
1 x MEDE8ER 500x media server
1 x 19-inch 46u equipment rack
1 x 1KVA online UPS
1 x CLEARLINE surge protector
the wrap
Mod ‘n Sound obviously knows what they’re doing in the
world of home automation and AV systems. The smart
home shown to me at the Hawaan Forest Estate was
masterfully installed with all the bells and whistles – to use
an old adage – that one could ever want or imagine
and sets the bar high in terms of what is available and
what is doable in smart home technology today.
12
SyStem IntegrAtIon pArAstAtAl instAllAtion
12
Connecting communication in Mozambique
Where there’s growth there’s investment opportunity and the mobile
market in Mozambique has experienced huge strides with companies
like Vodacom moving in to compete with mCel, the mobile subsidiary
of the national telecommunications parastatal, Telecomunicações
de Moçambique (TDM).
Plus immediately after the Mozambican Civil War the government
also embarked upon telecommunications reform. While the
government has been reluctant to privatise the TDM, all other
telecommunications sectors are open season pending licensing from
the industry regulator, the Instituto Nacional das Comunicações de
Moçambique (INCM).
The Instituto Nacional das Comunicações de Moçambique, like
any regulatory body, is necessary for a robust market. Being as such,
it is imperative that their internal mechanisms are as streamlined as
possible so decisions can be made quickly and decisively to combat
an economic climate and a market that is otherwise challenging.
The INCM recently performed an upgrade of their AV infrastructure,
commissioning local integrators Converged Connectivity to perform
the installation, led by Kevin McMillan Craig, a long time industry
player and AV convergence expert. Converged Connectivity has an
Africa-wide footprint with a presence in countries like Mozambique,
Kenya, Zambia, Ghana and Tanzania.
the brief
The brief from the INCM was procurement of a solution to unify the
audio and video components of their AV infra-structure as well as
data sharing and collaboration into one unified network. All in all the
system was specified to supply VOIP (Voice Over IP), AV monitoring
and emergency systems over one comprehensive backbone.
Craig comments: “The INCM has multiple offices. In these offices
they’ve deployed a unified communications system that’s Microsoft
Lync compatible. So they’ve got audio conferencing and video
conferencing all running through that server which allows them
permanent access to contacts. Now what they want to do is they
want to be able to share the content of their meetings.”
In summation, the installation of AV systems consisted of the
convergence of four different areas in the INCM campus on one
network:
1. Auditorium AV control
2. Boardroom AV control
3. Meeting room AV control
4. Unified audio in public areas
The areas are managed from a single central processing rack, with
local control in the venues.
the network
Over and above an extensive LAN infrastructure already installed,
and a Crestron Network Control Infrastructure, there exists a third
network: The EPSON EasyMP and MeetingMate network.
The EPSON network ensures that smart and mobile devices, tablets
and notebook computers are able to connect to display devices
anytime and anywhere, ensuring fast and efficient collaboration.
From an interactivity and connectivity standpoint, the EPSON
MeetingMate compliments a Unified Communications network well.
It allows interaction and connectivity between spaces in the same
building, same city or vast geographic locations using WAN
technology. The EPSON projectors in the venues are EasyMP and
MeetingMate enabled enabling visual communication between the
auditorium and boardroom as an example.
This component is crucial to the interoperability of devices and
methods of communication.
the auditorium
The auditorium AV systems centres around a Crestron MC3 3-series
control system, with local control via a Crestron iSys wireless
touchpanel and two Crestron wall-mountable touch panels.
Additionally, many other Creston peripherals were integrated to
facilitate media and lighting control. A Creston 8x8 digital media
switcher fitted with a four Digital Media 8G+ input cards and a 4 DM
8G+ w/2 HDMI output card was also installed and is the central hub
from where all media is matrixed and distributed. For lighting, a
Crestron SP12 12-channel dimmer pack was installed to handled
lighting control up to 27KVA.
Auditorium AV components feature around an Epson Z-Series
pojector with an Epson lens kit. The Epson projector, via the iProjector
app for tablet and smart devices, enables the user to share
presentations, images and video via their device simply by logging
onto the EPSON WiFi network, either peer-to-peer or in infrastructure
modes.
Audio systems centre around a Biamp Nexia CS digital sound
processor, two Bittner power amplifiers, two Bose Panaray
loudspeakers and four Bose DS100Se surface mount speakers. Further
inputs are accommodated through a custom input panel installed
into the audio control room.
By Greg Bester
the republic of Mozambique is a country with a tumultuous past filled with war and struggle. Indeed, since the end of the Mozambican Civil War in 1992, the country still faces many challenges and continues to be one of the world’s most underdeveloped and poorest countries.
13
electrosonic
the boardrooms
In the boardroom we see Crestron’s Digital Media presentation system
which essentially routes signals via the local network for control and
content management. It integrates the control system, multimedia
matrix switcher, microphone mixer, audio DSP, amplifier and
DigitalMedia distribution centre snuggly into a single 3u rack space.
Input peripherals are courtesy of Kramer electronics centred on
several TBUS-1 table-mount multi-connection systems with termination
input points for VGA, mini-jack audio, USB, HDMI and RG45 instet
modules. Lighting control is facilitated by a Crestron DIN-PWS50 50W
Crestnet power supply and a DIN-1DIM-4 universal dimmer.
AV hardware installed in the boardrooms include two Kramer VGA/
audio switches, eight Bose Freespace 3 satellite speakers, two Bose
Freespace 3II bass modules, two Yamaha Integrated amplifiers and
two Yamaha CD/DVD players.
the meeting rooms
Unified control components installed in the meeting rooms include
two Crestron BPCI8 basic presentation controllers and, similar to the
boardroom, Kramer input peripherals including VGA, mini-jack audio,
RG45, HDMI and USB terminating at TBUS-1A table-mount recepticles.
AV components included two Elite Screens Electric84H and two
Epson EB-1945W projectors with mounting kits, and four Bose DS16
ceiling mount speakers powered by a Kramer Tools stereo amplifier
with RS-232 control.
the public address system
The INCM public address system is handled by a networked Biamp
Vocia system. The features of this system include distributed
processing and page routing, VIOP paging, system-level monitoring,
logging and control, and it works over standard IP networks and the
Cobranet AoE protocol.
A VA-8600c multi-channel amplifier was installed with six AM-600c
amplifier module cards. The VA-8600c offers eight channels of
modular amplification with up to 2400W of power per unit. The
VA-600c modules offer 600W of continuous and support 4Ohm,
6Ohm, 8Ohm, 70V or 100V loads. The VA-8600c is certified for use in
an EN 54-16 life safety system. Further Biamp equipment installed
includes two Vocia VA4030 30W per channel amplifiers, nine Vocia
EWS-4 wall-mount paging stations, ten Vocia WR-1 wall-mount IP POE
control panels, an LSI-16 Vocia life safety interface and one Vocia CI-1
control interface.
The Vocia system feeds 125 Bosch LBH0606 ceiling speakers
installed throughout their facilities connected by a massive 1.4km of
screened speaker cable.
Microphones used are all Beyerdynamic including the Quinta
Delegate microphones and a single Quinta Chairman’s microphone,
all powered by a Quinta power supply unit.
the wrap
Given the installation performed by Converged Connectivity and
their partership with EPSON Visual Instruments at the Instituto
Nacional das Comunicações de Moçambique, it is clear that their
internal processes are streamlined and effective to the point of
being state of the art. Despite the challenges Mozambique has
faced throughout the last few decades, the fact that their
telecommunications regulator has spent so much time and
expense integrating a system of this calibre, one can only
genuinely hope that it helps to bolster their market competition
through decisive and efficient decision making.
14
SyStem IntegrAtIon DiGitAl siGnAGe
Digital Signage – the greener alternative: Part 2
striking the right balance
The Screen Forum, an independent working group focused on
sharing best practices in the digital signage industry, has released a
list of one dozen steps aimed at ensuring digital signage networks
deliver the maximum impact with the minimum affect on the
environment.
The steps, available on a popular news portal (http://www. prweb.
com/releases/2010/05/prweb3948684.htm), are a well-reasoned list of
prescriptions for minimizing the impact of digital signage networks on
the environment. While the list is publicly available on the Web and
self-explanatory, one aspect of the Screen Forum’s 12 steps is
particularly fascinating and worthy of consideration.
Achieving balance underpins much of the list —the balance
between environmental impact and performance; the balance
between achieving communications goals and doing so in a way
that does not diminish, or is sympathetic to, nearby landmarks; and
the balance between fulfilling its main purpose as digital signage and
giving back to the community by promoting environmental
awareness.
Balancing performance and environmental impact touches many
phases of digital signage network rollout and operations. The
concept laid out in the steps seems to focus on drawing a distinction
between saturation and sufficiency. Many of the steps advocate
doing no more than is necessary to accomplish the desired mission of
communications. Limiting the number of computer components, the
size of the network and number of displays therein as well as the
power requirements of the network seeks to balance the task at hand
with the environmental cost of accomplishing it.
Achieving equilibrium in terms of digital signage performance and
placement vis-à-vis nearby landmarks gets at the most basic of
environmental concerns, namely impacting the locale in which the
sign hangs. The concept is akin to the stark contrast between states
that have outlawed or restricted placement of billboards along
highways and driving down the Las Vegas Strip. The Screen Forum’s
admonition balances the legitimate desire to communicate
important messages via digital signs with the need to appreciate the
surroundings of the signs and minimise whenever and however
possible the likelihood of the sign’s detracting from their local
environment.
Acknowledging the opportunity to use the network —if even only
on a periodic basis— to raise the awareness of the public about
environmental concerns is particularly fascinating
because it recognises there’s far more to a digital
signage network than hardware and software. In fact,
the reason for being of any digital signage network is to
communicate messages —often finely defined,
narrowcast communications. Balancing that mission
with the unrelated goal of communicating to the public
about environmental concerns recognises that there’s
more to communicating successfully than a well-
defined message. It’s almost as if the Screen Forum
transplanted the concept of public service
announcements from the television medium to the
arena of digital signage, except digital signage
networks have no government mandated public
service obligation to fulfill.
Digital signage: a green machine
Without question, few people would commit to digital signage as a
communications medium solely on the basis of its environmental
impact. Digital signs must fulfil their primary function, namely effective
communications, or they are of little use to marketers, advertisers and
other professional communicators. That being said, there is no reason
why their environmental friendly status shouldn’t be considered as
another strong reason to consider replacing traditional printed signs
where appropriate.
The green nature of digital signs offer communicators an
opportunity to shrink the amount of plastic, ink and chemical
coatings introduced into the environment, a way to reduce the
number of trees cut for paper products, and eliminate the
transportation emissions associated with the entire workflow chain
from producing to displaying and ultimately replacing printed signs.
Beyond these benefits to the environment, going green via digital
signage also positions communicators to realise cost savings,
enhance productivity, improve responsiveness to changing
communications requirements and make more efficient use of
display space. This synergy between the environmental and business
benefits of digital signs contributes to a healthier world and a more
profitable bottom line.
However, simply replacing printed signs with their digital
equivalents isn’t enough to reap these benefits. Digital signs have their
own set of environmental concerns, such as power consumption and
the use of certain toxic or greenhouse gas producing chemicals in
the production of displays and electronic components. However, with
proper planning electrical consumption can be diminished, and
industry efforts to remove elements like arsenic and cadmium from
computer components are reducing the release of these chemicals
in landfills.
Often businesses and their employees seek ways to be greener as
they pursue their objectives but find it difficult to identify concrete
steps they can take. For professional communicators, however, there
is a greener way to disseminate vital information. That means is digital
signage —a powerful medium that’s also environmentally friendly.
The following is reprinted with permission from the Digital
Screenmedia Association (DSA). For more information, go
to http://www.digitalscreenmedia.org.
this white paper was reprinted with permission from the Digital screenmedia association . For more information go to www.digitalscreenmedia.org
Learn more at www.pansolutions.co.zaJohan Oosthuizen: (011) 313 1615; joosthuizen@pansolutions.co.za
65-inch TH-65PB2W / 50-inch TH-50PB2WEasy Start-up and Unique Features
Wireless Compatibility
Superb Visibility
Smooth Natural Writing
Interactive Displays
For Engaging Discussions And Dynamic Presentations
Pansolutions
16
SyStem IntegrAtIon proJeCtor rounD-up
Classroom projector comparison
Panasonic Pt-DZ770ul WuXga DlP Projector
Panasonic’s new
PT-DZ770UL twin lamp,
single chip DLP projector is
a high brightness (7 000
lumen rating), high
resolution (WUXGA – 1920
X 1200) projector that also
delivers a super sharp
image. As you would
expect, the PT-DZ770UL
has a complete set of
connection options for a
PC, Mac and other video
sources, including the
traditional VGA cable,
DVI-D, HDMI, 5-BNC
component video, S-video
and composite video.
There is also serial control
and pass through
capability.
specs:
technology: DLP
native resolution: WUXGA (1920 x 1200)
Brightness: 7 000 lumens
Contrast: 2500:1
aspect ratio: Native 16:10
Zoom ratio: 1.7 – 2.4:1
lamp life: 2 000 hours
Dimensions: 19.59”W x 18.34”D x 6.875”H
InFocus In114 DlP Multimedia Projector
The InFocus IN114 is an
ultra portable projector
that packs a lot of
power into a pretty
small package. Of
course there are
smaller projectors on
the market, but the
IN114 has a really low
MSRP of $399 and its
performance proved
to be quite impressive.
What the projector
might lack in features, it
makes up for in image
quality.
specs:
technology: BrilliantColor™
native resolution: 1024 x 768 XGA
Brightness: 2 700 lumens
Contrast: 4000:1
aspect ratio: Native 4:3
Zoom ratio: 1.1:1
lamp life: 6 000 hours
Dimensions: 11.81”W x 9.25”D x 2.76”H
Mitsubishi Wl7200u WXga lCD Projector
The Mitsubishi WL7200U is
a high brightness (5 500
lumen rating), WXGA
(1280x800) LCD projector
that is targeted for use in
a large venue like an
auditorium. The WL7200U
has a complete set of
connection options for a
PC, Mac and other video
sources, including the
traditional VGA cable,
DVI-D, HDMI, 5-BNC
component video,
S-video and composite
video.
specs:
technology: 3LCD
native resolution: WXGA (1280 x 800)
Brightness: 5 500 lumens
Contrast: 2000:1
aspect ratio: Native widescreen
Zoom ratio: 1.8:1
lamp life: 3 000 hours
Dimensions: 18.9”W x 6.8”H x 16.5”D
Christie lWu501i lCD Projector
The Christie LWU501i is a
feature-rich, 3LCD
projector that offers 5 000
ANSI lumens at 3000:1
contrast ratio for bold,
detailed images. The
optional lens suite
includes a selection of
zoom lenses with
repeatable position
recall. The Christie
LWU501i has an intuitive
LCD menu for easy set up
and maintenance. With
the projector’s USB port,
presenters can use
wireless devices to
present their data. The
Christie LWU501i also has
a text message function
that is ideal for displaying
emergency or
evacuation messages.
specs:
technology: 3LCD
native resolution: 1920 x 1200 WUXGA
Brightness: 5 000 ANSI lumens
Contrast: 3000:1
aspect ratio: Widescreen
Zoom ratio: 0.8:1
lamp life: 3 000 hrs
Dimensions: 19.6”W x 18.7”D x 5.8”H
Brightest longest lamp life
17
proJeCtor rounD-up SyStem IntegrAtIon
Canon realis WX6000 WXga+ lCos Projector
The Canon REALiS
WX6000 is a high
brightness (5 700 lumen
rating), medium-high
resolution (WXGA+ – 1440
X 900) projector that is
aimed at projection
venues where there is
usually (if not always) a
fair amount of ambient
light. As you would
expect of a projector at
this price point (about $4
000), the WX6000 has a
full set of features,
including power zoom,
focus and lens shift.
Connection options are
fairly minimal for a
projector of this type, with
inputs for only three video
types (RGB, DVI-I and
HDMI). There is also serial
control and audio in/out.
specs:
technology: LCOS
native resolution: WXGA+ (1440 x 900)
Brightness: 5 700 lumens
Contrast: 1000:1
aspect ratio: 16:10
Zoom ratio: 1.5:1
lamp life: 3 000 hours
Dimensions: 15”W x 16.9”D x 6.69”H
epson Brightlink 436Wi Interactive lCD Projector
Epson has once again
released a very well
thought out 3 000 lumen
projector. With the
educator in mind, Epson
has created a
collaborative projector
that is extremely feature
rich, produces an
excellent image and
doesn’t break budgets.
The Epson 436Wi is an
interactive projector that
uses software to help
make educating fun and
more engaging. All this
interaction takes place
with the use of a special
pen. The unit comes with
only one pen but you can
purchase another so that
you can annotate on the
board simultaneously with
a student or other
collaborator.
specs:
technology: 3LCD
native resolution: WXGA (1280 x 800)
Brightness: 3 000 ANSI lumens
Contrast: 3000:1
aspect ratio: 16:10
Zoom ratio: 1.0 – 1.35:1
lamp life: 4 000 hours
Dimensions: 13.6”W x 11.7”D x 6.2”H
sony VPl-sW536C Projector
Sony’s VPL-SW500 Series
data projectors achieve
large-screen projection
from very short distances,
thanks to an
ultra-powerful short-throw
lens. These powerful
projectors also deliver
installation flexibility with
an optical zoom and lens
shift capability. VPL-
SW500 Series projectors
are economically
designed for optimum
energy efficiency, thanks
to their auto power-
saving function, picture
muting function with
lamp control technology,
long-lasting lamp, and
low power consumption.
Additionally a variety of
network functions such as
Web Control and
Network Presentation.
Rich inputs and outputs
are provided.
specs:
technology: 3LCD
native resolution: UXGA 1600 x 1200 dots
Brightness: 3 100 lumens
Contrast: 2500:1
aspect ratio: 16:10
Zoom ratio: 1.05:1
lamp life: 4 500 Hours
Dimensions: W 384.4 x H 122.5 x D 423.4 mm
neC nP-M311X Xga lCD Multimedia Projector
The NEC M311X is a
compact, XGA (1024 X
768) LCD projector with a
feature set that should be
appealing to both
educational and business
presenters. In addition to
network and PC-free
presentation capabilities,
the M311X features a
10-watt speaker, quick on
and off, DICOM SIM
mode and the ability to
project an image from an
angle. The M311X can be
connected to a
computer or video source
via a standard VGA
cable, composite and
S-video, HDMI, USB and
wired or wireless (with
optional module) 802.11
b/g/n. It can also present
directly from a USB thumb
drive.
specs:
technology: 3LCD
native resolution: XGA (1024 x 768)
Brightness: 3 100 lumens
Contrast: 3000:1
aspect ratio: 4:3 (XGA)
Zoom ratio: 1.7:1
lamp life: 5 000 hours
Dimensions: 13.4”W x 10.1”D x 3.9”H
editor’s choice Best bang for buck
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SyStem IntegrAtIon WHite pAper
Guide to system integrationIntroduction
Computer technology has advanced to the point
where an incomprehensible amount of processing
power exists in a microchip the size of a grain of rice. This
has in turn advanced audio and video technologies to
the point where we are on the verge of delivering true 3D images
and true full-bandwidth audio – with an ever-diminishing level of
distortion – on devices that be carried in one hand, using delivery
systems developed in the IT world.
The merging of the computing and audio visual worlds creates a
synergy that magnifies the potential of each. It also creates new
opportunities for everyone involved. To maximise the benefits of this
convergence, knowledge must be shared between the worlds of pro
audio, AV, broadcast, IT and other technologically related fields.
Collaboration requires a common language. It also requires that
professionals in each of these fields acknowledge the special
expertise that they bring to the table, and abandon the attitude that
one field is bound to ‘prevail’ over another.
AV technologies can enhance a myriad of business and
communications objectives. For the user and the technology
manager, all of these technologies converge in the areas of
decision-making, budgeting and practices.
this guide is intended to:1. Demystify technology behind AV
2. Provide building blocks to achieving AV best practices
3. Help users communicate with professional AV systems suppliers
the design and implementation team
AV systems have long ago advanced beyond the portable systems
that were simply rolled into the room on a cart when needed, and
returned after use. Installed AV systems have become an integral part
of a building’s infrastructure, like HVAC, lighting, and furnishings.
Because of this, users rely on AV consultants, systems integrators and
professionals from other disciplines involved in the AV system design
and installation process if a successful outcome is to be anticipated.
These include architects, engineers, general contractors,
subcontractors, facility managers, and other specialty consultants. In
this section we will describe the functions various professionals serve in
the design and implementation of an AV system.
architects
When a system is critical to overall business operations and being
designed into a new structure, an architect and other specialists may
be involved in system design. The architect is ultimately responsible for
helping users translate their vision into a physical reality. That ‘big
picture’ is too often lost on the AV/IT integrator, whose focus is on the
relative minutia (e.g., projectors, loudspeakers and floor-box
locations, etc).
A successful outcome requires that all parties pay attention to
these areas:
CommunicationMake sure you have established open lines of communication with
the architect, and that they understand your goals for the systems.
Learn about their methodology for delivery of information (in
documents and drawings). Set a schedule for regular communication
with the architect and the client.
ConsultationWhile standardised systems are appropriate in many cases, each
project has its unique aspects. The key to working with architects is to
listen. Approaching a project with understanding and empathy builds
camaraderie. Speaking with perspective and candour shows
honesty and integrity. Express your creativity with the language of
possibility.
CollaborationCommit yourself and your team to the success of the project.
Successful and creative solutions come from joint exploration of
potentials. Exploring alternatives, demonstrating out-of-the-box
thinking, and respecting creative ideas that can come from
non-technical sources can be equally valuable to the end result and
will build stronger relationships.
(Some of the preceding content originally appeared in an article
by Craig Park AIA, Systems Contractor News.)
+27 (0)11 791 5761 www.matrixsound.co.za
For more information, visit www.alconsaudio.com or www.wymiwyg.info
questek
20
SyStem IntegrAtIon WHite pApergeneral contractorsOne of the general contractor’s (GC) concerns is the successful
coordination and installation of all ‘architecturally integrated
equipment’. From the AV standpoint, this includes items such as front
and rear projection screens, projectors, monitor and loudspeaker
cluster mounts, and motorised window shades. These may be
designed and/or provided by the AV designer or integrator, but they
are often actually installed by the GC or one of its subcontractors.
Since the GC has the overall responsibility for the installation,
significant coordination with the AV contractor is required.
In addition, other fundamental issues need to be addressed. The
first is whether the AV is subcontracted to the GC. The second involves
how the GC controls the installation schedules. Since the GC and
their project managers determine who works, at what time in the
schedule they’ll work, and priorities for work completion, there is an
impact on the AV installation sequencing. Sequencing issues include
the timing of cable pulls, and determining which areas will be ready
for AV equipment installation. It’s important to keep in constant
communication with the building project’s general contractor and
communicate all potential concerns about the sequencing of AV
equipment installation in the overall construction process.
• Interior designer: Responsible for furnishings and the aesthetic
appearance of the building’s interior spaces. The location of
necessarily visible equipment (like screens, loudspeakers,
displays, etc.) is a common topic of interesting dialog with the
interior designer.
• Mechanical consultant: Primarily responsible for systems such
as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC),
especially as they related to heat producing AV equipment
and its location within a building.
• electrical consultant: Designs the high voltage power
distribution systems, and as well as conduit and cable tray
layouts to support low voltage systems. For AV systems, the
electrical consultant may also be involved with transient
voltage and surge suppression (TVSS) systems, uninterruptible
power sources (UPS), and an isolated ground system for AV
gear.
• Plumbing consultant: Needs to communicate and work with
AV designers in the routing and location of hidden
infrastructure such as water pipes and gas lines as they relate
to AV and electrical infrastructure.
• structural consultant: Fundamental decisions and knowledge
of building load capacities are important since large audio
and video systems require significant structural support. The
structural consultant provides these perspectives, and may
also play a role when building structural members could
potentially interfere in issues related to sightlines.
• lighting consultant: Responsible for required lighting and
specialised lighting control in spaces where AV systems are
used.
• Network/data/telecom Consultant: Since AV systems have
become integrally tied to IT systems, consultants in these areas
play a key role in the overall functionality of the successful AV
project.
• acoustical consultant: Analyses the effect of building
materials and interior design on the acoustical environment
and determines treatments or building plan alterations that
best address any potentially negative acoustic conditions.
• security consultant: Responsible for equipment such as
cameras, microphones, video recording equipment and
displays that may be used in security systems design and
share infrastructure such as network access.
• life safety consultant: Life safety issues typically involve audio
and/or visual alert systems, which may be tied into operating
AV systems.
Managing user expectations
A common problem in any user/service provider relationship is when
the user doesn’t believe that they got what they paid for. This
probably happens more often when the product or service is
technology-based, since so many users have little understanding of
exactly what it is that they are paying for.
Every user comes to the table with a set of expectations of what
they would like the provider to deliver. The problem happens when
communication – the intersection of the message delivered and the
message received – is less than perfect. In the attempt to
communicate AV needs and expectations, the user is limited by lack
of knowledge of what is technically possible. They may also have
grandiose expectations of what modern AV systems can deliver.
AV professionals will help to educate your users on the true
capabilities of the technologies they offer. Their emphasis needs to be
about what can – and cannot – actually be delivered. There must be
discussion of what is not possible. It will minimise misunderstandings
and potential litigation.
tips to manage user expectations:•Understandneedsanddevelopaplantodemonstratereturnon
investment.
•Presentsolutionstotheircommunicationsproblemsorchallenges.
•Intheearlystages,domorelisteningmorethantalking.
•Developacompleteunderstandingoftheuserenvironmentin
which the AV/IT will operate.
Managing the project
There are three ‘generic’ roles that are important in any AV/IT
integration project.
•Theprojectmanager•Thedesigners•Theinstallers
the project managerThe Project Management Institute (www.pmi.org), a professional
association that creates standards and practices for project
management, has developed a body of knowledge (PMBOK) that
formalises the functions of project management. The eleven functions
are classified into three groups: General PM processes, Basic PM
functions, and integrative PM functions.
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WHite pAper SyStem IntegrAtIon
WATCHOUT PREMIUM PARTNERSOUTH AFRICA
PENMACPhone: +27 11 4762066
av@penmac.co.zapenmac.co.za
Photo
: © EP
H Pr
oduc
tions
Penmac
the designersThe designer has technical expertise to assess the user’s needs and
translates them into documents that convey the design intent to the
installers, usually in the form of drawings and specifications. Designers
exist in almost all trades. The designer may work with a separate
project manager or may serve as the project manager for their
organisation.
the installersInstallers are responsible for interpreting the design intent depicted in
the documentation created by the designer, and assembling the
item or system in the manner described. By law, the installer may
need to be certified or licensed, and may or may not be part of a
labour union, which may affect how some projects are constructed in
certain localities.
the project teamAny AV/IT project necessarily involves the combined efforts of multiple
teams who may have different perspectives and interests in the
overall project.
(The balance of this section references highlights from InfoComm’s
Best Practices book.)
owner teamThis is the entity or entities that are the actual ‘buyers’ of the AV/IT
systems. The owner team may include several groups who participate
in the project process:
•End-user •Facilitymanager
•AVtechnologymanager •Buildingcommittee
•Buyer,purchasingagent,orcontractrepresentative
Design teamThis group designs the building and the systems and may include the
following groups or individuals:
•Architect •AVdesigner
•Interiordesigner •Mechanicalconsultant
•Electricalconsultant •Plumbingconsultant
•Structuralconsultant •Lightingconsultant
•Data/telecomconsultant •Acousticalconsultant
•Securityconsultant •Lifesafetyconsultant
•Otherindustryortrade-specificconsultants
Installation teamThis group provides construction and installation services and may
include the following groups or individuals:
•Generalcontractor •AVintegrator
•Mechanicalcontractor •Electricalcontractor
•Plumbingcontractor •Structuralcontractor
•Lightingcontractor •Data/telecomcontractor
•Acousticalcontractor •Securitycontractor
•Lifesafetycontractor •Othertrade-specific
contractors
Management teamThis group provides management services on the project and is
usually associated with, or represents, the owner in some way:
•Developer •Constructionsmanager
•Buildingmanagementagency •Moveconsultant
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SyStem IntegrAtIon WHite pAper
the programme phaseDuring the programme phase, the architect, AV/IT professionals, and
other design team members discover the end-user’s needs by
examining the required application(s), the tasks and functions that
support the application, and the wishes and desires of the end-user.
All of the information gathered in the programme phase is interpreted
and presented in a written programme report. Once this document is
distributed, reviewed, and approved, it becomes the basis for the
design phase.
the design phaseThe design phase translates programme information into drawings
and specifications. It also includes two interrelated parallel processes,
one for infrastructure involving the entire building design team and
one involving primarily the AV designer for the electronic systems.
the construction phaseThis phase is focused on three key processes: coordination,
procurement and installation. Prepared designs are finally translated
into physical form and the systems are brought into functionality. The
major steps for the AV/IT professional in this phase include:
1. The construction kick-off meeting
2. Preparing the submittals
3. Procuring the AV/IT equipment
4. Preparing the site
5. Pre-assembling and testing the AV system
6. Site installation
7. Finalising the documentation
During the construction phase, project managers need to coordinate
the on-site activities of the various contractors to avoid potential
conflicts. All trade should be aware of the activities of each of the
others at the various stages of construction.
Commissioning and trainingNo integration project is fully complete until the system has been
commissioned and the owners (and sometimes end-users) have
been trained on its operation. System commissioning plays a pivotal
role in the overall AV/IT integration project. The commissioning agent
(usually the AV consultant or system integrator) ensures that the
standards have been followed, verifies that all contractual obligations
have been met and checks that the system is ready to perform
properly in its intended use. All aspects of the system are tested,
adjusted and optimised. After the commissioning process is complete,
training is the next step to complete the handoff to the owner/
end-users.
Project documentationProjects documentation falls into three major categories:
1. Contract documents
2. Project drawings
3. Project specifications
Contract documentsThese documents describe and define the business issues associated
with the project. They typically include scope of work, contractor
performance requirements, proof of insurance, description of building
issues, duration and deadlines for each project element, and
exclusions to the contact. Although the building owner creates them,
the AV designer may have input regarding some of these documents
(e.g. descriptions of the AV systems elements and performance
requirements).
Some of the specific documents included in the contract
documentation include:
liability/insurance bonding: AV/IT system integrators carry typical
business insurance, including worker’s compensation insurance,
comprehensive general or commercial liability insurance, business
automobile liability insurance, and employer’s liability insurance.
Installers in particular may be required to post performance bonds
and payment binds, assuring the owner that performance work will
be covered as well as any payments due to subcontractors.
letter of transmittal: This form is used whenever documents,
drawings, samples, or submittals are sent. It clearly indicates the
addressee sender, contact information, a list of what is sent (including
date or revision number), and any action expected to be taken by
the receiving party. This form is used whether the items are sent by
mail, courier, overnight carrier, or fax.
request for interpretation (rFI): As the project progresses, questions
inevitably arise about the project. They generally revolve around
three basic types of issues:
•Designissue•Siteissue•Ownerchangeorrequest
The structure normally set in place for this process is the request for
interpretation (RFI). This process is usually based on a paper or
electronic form established for the project and that includes the RFI
originator, the RFI receiver and a space to enter the question and the
response.
Some RFIs are simply resolved by a clarification from the recipient
of the RFI without a change in anyone’s contract. Others may need
resolution through a change in the construction contract. In the latter
case, other structured communications, such as a change order, may
be generated.
request for change (rFC): A request for change (RFC) is submitted
(ultimately to be approved by the owner) if the integrator or
consultant wants to change contractual obligations, equipment
models or specifications, or system design. When an RFC is generated
(or answered) by the integrator, pricing and impact throughout the
project must be included.
Issues that can trigger an RFC are:
•Changeinintendeduseofthesystem
•Discontinuedproduct
•Architectural,mechanicalormillworkchanges
•Discoveryofsystemorproductincompatibilitiesorfunction
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WHite pAper SyStem IntegrAtIon
Any member of the project team can submit the RFC, although on an
AV project, the integrator or consultant most commonly creates the
document. An approved RFC then becomes a change order.
Change orders (Co): Despite extensive due diligence during the
design and bidding processes to ensure an appropriate system
design, design and contract changes, requested with a change
order (CO), may be needed as the project unfolds. Because of its
ability to change the contract scope and pricing, this is arguably the
most important form used during the construction phase. A few of the
many reasons for AV system COs are:
•Changesorclarificationsinanticipatedusebyend-user
personnel
•Architectural,millwork,finish,orotherphysicalchangestothe
installation site
•Designconflicts,omissionsorerrors
•Changeinproductavailabilityorspecifications
•Availabilityofnewproductsortechnologies
•Discoveryofhiddensiteconditions
•Budgetadjustments
•Schedulechangesanddelaysbyothers
Punch lists: The punch list is a key element in the project process,
because it becomes the final checklist for a complete installation and
contract closeout. Depending on the contract language and
relationships, the punch list may be created by the AV consultant, the
owner’s AV project manager or the AV integrator’s project manager
or other internal personnel.
The preliminary punch list may be internal to the integrator under
many design-build projects, but is usually required for distribution to
various design and owner team members under most other methods.
The final punch list generated after the final commissioning test and
alignment is usually distributed to the designated project team
stakeholders under any method.
During the preliminary checkout, a preliminary punch list that
includes all of the discovered system deficiencies, along with the
possible resolution of each deficiency and the party responsible for
each item, should be developed. This punch list should be distributed
to the responsible parties for completion and should include due
dates for completion of each item.
Each punch list is unique to the project for which it is generated, but
some typical items that may appear on a punch list are:
•PoorAVconnectorterminations
•Damagedwiring
•Workmanshipissueswithequipmentinstallationoraesthetic
components of the work such as damaged wall finishes,
undesirable cable management, and other problems that are
visibly objectionable
•Physicalinstallationissuessuchasprojectorpositioning,
loudspeaker locations, and alignment and integration of
devices into furniture
•DelaysindeliveryofAVequipment
•AVequipmentfailures
•Slowdeliveryornodeliveryofgoodsbynon-AVservice
providers (e.g. millwork, electrical, and other contractors)
•SlowornodeliveryofOFEorcommunicationsandnetwork
services
While some items are the direct responsibility of the integrator, some
are caused by delay in work by other parties. To resolve these issues,
the AV integrator must play an active role in seeking timely solutions
from the other parties. Proper planning, documentation and
communication are crucial.
Project drawings
architectural drawings Architectural drawings are used by contractors to determine how
to build all of the structure elements. Small jobs may have only one
or two drawings; bigger jobs have entire sets divided into different
groups based on the construction process. Architectural drawings
provide a technical illustration of all construction details including:
•Sitework •Foundation •Structure
•Electrical •Mechanical •Finishes
•Details
aV facilities drawingsAV plans describe how the AV system components are
interconnected. These plans provide the equipment placement,
interconnection schematics and rack elevation drawings. The
drawings used most often by an AV project team are:
•Floorplan •Reflectedceiling •Electrical
•Elevation •Riser
aV systems drawingsTypical components of the AV design drawings package include:
1. Title page and index
2. Typical power, grounding and signal wiring details
3. Floor and reflected ceiling plans showingdevice locations
4. Rack elevations
5. Custom plate and panel details
6. Miscellaneous details and elevations, including:
•Speakingaiminginfo
•Largescaleplans,suchasequipmentorcontrolroomplans
•ArchitecturalelevationsshowingAVdevices,theirlocation,
and relationship to other items on the walls
•Custom-enclosureormountingdetailsforprojectors,
microphones, loudspeakers, media players, etc
•Furnitureintegrationdetails
•Anyspecialcircumstancesordetailthatmayberequired
for the installer to properly understand the design intent
Project specificationsMost construction projects in North America use the document
format produced by the Construction Specifications Institute
called MasterFormat. MasterFormat is a specifications-writing
standard for commercial building design and construction
projects. It lists titles and section numbers for organising data
about construction requirements, products and activities. By
standardising such information, MasterFormat facilitates
communication among architects, specifiers, contractors and
suppliers, which help them to meet building owners’
requirements, timelines and budgets.
(Some content from this chapter originally app eared in the
AV Design Reference Manual, published by InfoComm/BICSI.
this white paper was used by permission from aMX. For more information go to www.amx.com.
24
InStAllAtIonS CineMA surrounD sounD
Dolby Atmos – the future in surround is now
…a little history.
Dolby Laboratories first appeared as a company in 1965, founded by
Ray Dolby, an American engineer and inventor who devised the
famed noise reduction system known as Dolby NR. He is also
responsible for the co-invention of video tape recording in
collaboration with Ampex. Dolby is the winner of multiple technical
awards and is a fellow and past president of the AES (Audio
Engineering Society) not to mention a billionaire with a place on the
Fortune 400.
As mentioned, Dolby’s first pursuit was noise reduction, starting with
the Dolby 301 unit which included Type-A Dolby NR. This was a
‘compander’ (a compressor and expander combination) based
system and was intended originally for use in recording studios.
Dolby continued with noise reduction development through their B,
C, S, SR and HX Pro ranges for the tape recording world and Dolby FM
for radio until they eventually started seeking to improve film sound.
The first film to use Dolby noise reduction on all pre-mixes and masters
was Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange in 1971. In 1972 Dolby
introduced the X-Curve (eXtended Curve), which replaced the
long-standing Academy Curve, an equalisation standard for cinema
sound stemming from the thirties.
In 1975 Dolby Stereo, a Left, Center, Right and Surround cinema
standard, was released and in less than ten years 6 000 cinemas
around the world were equipped with a Dolby Stereo system. This
By Greg Bester
When one thinks of Dolby the immediate reaction in the mind is the phrase ’surround sound’. Despite being pioneers in other areas such as noise reduction, Dolby is probably most famous for their contribution to multichannel theatre and home cinema sound and they continue to push the limits in that arena to bring the movie goer’s experience as close as possible to actually being in the scene. now, with Dolby atmos, a newly developed 64-speaker theatre surround sound system, the movie goer is put in a virtual 3D realm of aural excitement. let’s explore what Dolby atmos is and the technology behind it. But first, to find out where we’re going we need to know were we came from, so…
ileD
technology later evolved into Dolby Surround for home use and
eventually into Dolby Pro Logic, which is the consumer market
equivalent of Dolby Stereo for cinema.
Eventually the digital age rolled around and Dolby started to foray
into compression codecs for cinema sound. Dolby Stereo Digital (now
called Dolby Digital) appeared in 1992 and was first featured in the
film Batman Returns. It was later introduced into the home market as
Dolby AC-3 in 1995 with the laserdisc release of Clear and Present
Danger starring Harrison Ford. Despite initial unpopularity due to the
requirement of additional hardware it was eventually adopted as
part of the DVD specification. Dolby Digital is now a household name
that is found worldwide in HDTV, DVD players and satellite – and
cable-TV receivers.
In 2010, Dolby Surround 7.1 was released and set up in theatres
across the planet. Toy Story 3 was the first film to debut with this
format and a further 50 releases followed suit thereafter, culminating
in over 3 600 Dolby Surround 7.1 theatres around the globe. Building
on this success, Dolby Atmos was released in April 2012 which is a new
cinematic audio technology and the focus of this article. There are
currently over 100 theatres around the world that have this new
technology, including one at the Ster Kinekor Gateway cinema
complex in Durban, and the first movie mixed for the format was
Pixar’s Brave.
overview
Dolby Atmos takes the current limit in multi-channel surround
technology and traditional approaches to cinema surround sound
and throws them out of the window; the basic idea being to surround
the audience in as many speakers as possible, eliminate traditional
surround ‘zones’ and to deliver discrete, multichannel audio to the
speakers through positional metadata. The ’Dolby Atmos Cinema
Processor CP850‘, the first generation Atmos cinema hardware,
supports up to 128 discrete audio tracks and up to an incredible 64
unique speakers feeds.
Because there can be up to 64 discrete speakers placed
throughout the theatre, sounds originating from overhead can now
be experienced along with sounds emanating from discrete point
sources throughout, including above the audience. These are the
two main aspects that differentiate Dolby Atmos from previous
surround formats in that they enable the sound designer or mix
engineer to individually place sounds at any point source speaker or
array of speakers behind the screen, to the side walls, the rear walls or
overhead; the goal being to further immerse the audience within the
scene.
It also enables panning of elements creatively into the upper
hemisphere instead of just along the horizontal plane which negates
the brain from having to construct an artificial phantom image.
Feasibly, a missle could be launched from the rear of the theatre and
it’s travel experienced and accurately followed overhead until it
detonates on the screen. Also, now because of discrete feeds to the
speaker arrays, if actors react to sounds happening at a specific point
outside the screen, the sounds can now placed exactly where they
are looking, instead of in a general surround zone as would be the
case with 5.1 and 7.1.
Another step forward with the Dolby Atmos system is improved
audio quality and timbre matching. In past surround systems that use
‘zones’ instead of discrete point sources inclined to deteriorate the
quality of some sounds due to speaker array phase distortion. The
ability to place these sounds in discrete speakers greatly increases
their perceived localisation and eliminates any array phase artifacts.
Additionally, Dolby Atmos includes improved system equalization to
combat acoustical problems and surround sound bass management
so that the mixer can address each speaker directly without being
worried about tonal differences. Furthermore, accurate level
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InStAllAtIonS CineMA surrounD sounD
calibration between the speaker arrays means that there are no level
discrepancies when performing pans and precisely angled speakers
closer to either side of the screen assure smooth transitional pans for
audio events emanating from and entering the side of the screen.
Beds + objects = Dolby atmos
Given the relative complexity of Dolby Atmos compared to past
formats, the way soundtracks are produced, mixed and played back
has been changed through the implementation of audio objects and
positional data in the form of metadata. But what are audio objects
and beds?
Audio objects can be thought of as individual sounds or groups of
sounds, such as tracks in a session, that occupied the same location in
the theatre. These objects can be stationary or can be panned and
panning automation is analogous to positional metadata. This
metadata instructs the decoding hardware – the Dolby Atmos
Cinema Processor – where the object should be at any point in time.
When these objects are played back, they are manifested according
to this positional metadata depending on what speakers are present,
as opposed to being fed to a specific channel. This is a dramatic shift
in approach compared to how soundtracks are currently produced
but the upshoot is that it integrates well with the workflow of audio
workstations.
All that being said, channel-based workflows are still retained. This
is where ‘beds’ come in. Beds are simply channel-based stems or
submixes that can be delivered for final playback either by
combining several into a single bed or individually. They can be
created in several exisiting formats such as 5.1, 7.1 or even 9.1. beds
create the desired effect based on the mix of the submix and the
perceptual field depth and movement within the submix.
The last noteworthy element of Dolby Atmos that it is backwards
compatible and boasts simplified delivery. This means that the final
mix in 64.2 (Atmos mix), and a number of other format such as 22.2,
11.1, 9.1, 7.1, and 5.1 can be delivered in a single file wrapped in the
industry standard MXF (Material Exchange Format) format which is
then received by the digital cinema packaging facility where it is
validated before packaged into the DCP (Digital Cinema Package).
Theworkflowconcept
As mentioned, Dolby Atmos allows up to 128 tracks to be delivered
within the DCP, which consists of a combination of beds and objects.
These beds and objects are mixed in the same manner as in previous
formats and object audio and metadata, panning automation, etc,
are recorded within the session in preparation for the dubbing theatre
pre and final mix.
This metadata is integrated into the mixing console, allowing full
control over the processing of both objects and beds and can be
edited either by using the console surface or the workstation GUI.
Monitoring is reflected in the Dolby Rendering and Mastering Unit
(RMU). All metadata and the associated audio data are recorded
during mastering which results in a ‘print master’ which includes the
Atmos mix along with other formats before wrapping, as described in
the previous section.
Within the single DCP framework which is delivered the cinema, the
main audio mix comprises the main audio track file while the Atmos
mix is part of an additional track file. This track file is ignored by
systems that can not support it thus allowing the Dolby Atmos
packaging scheme to be deliverable to any theatre regardless if it is
equipped with Dolby Atmos hardware as it is identified as a
compatible package.
Personal experience
I had the chance to see Man of Steel in Theatre 1 of the Ster Kinekor
complex at Gateway Mall in Durban, which is the only theatre in
Africa installed with a Dolby Atmos system. My first impression was:
“Wow, that’s a lot of speakers”.
The first thing I noticed was that the film’s mixers did not depart too
much from the traditional approach in film mixing by getting overly
creative with the surround speaker arrays. Most of the dialogue and
music was for the most part up front, which kept my attention
anchored at the screen and minimised distraction. This approach is
very sensible because it keeps the focus on the scene and the main
elements of the film.
What I did notice, however, was that the ambience of the film was
very dimensional and certain beds and effect elements were more
immersive, ie. they pulled you into the scene a bit more by discrete
use of the speakers within the cinema. Only the big moving audio
effects moving into and out of the screen were tracked through the
surround arrays and the movement was immediately perceivable
and accurately followed. At one point I had to duck because it felt
like a missle was flying right above my head!
As our auditory senses have evolved, humans are primarily attuned
to aural perception in the horizonal plane. That is a result of most of
our predators back in prehistoric times being in front, to the sides, or
behind us and is why the focus of the evolution of our localisation
awareness was in that plane. Our ear/brain complex is not very good
at perceiving localisation above our head in the upper hemisphere,
which is why when something wizzes over your head, like a low flying
aircraft, you get a big fright. This is also why you don’t perceive it until
the last minute. This makes the inclusion of overhead speakers a very
exciting element. It is something that takes our brain by surprise. Very
cool, indeed!
the wrap
Dolby Atmos is the multichannel cinema audio delivery format of
the future, which is here, by the way. There’s not much more to
conclude about it than that. After all, surround sound has come a
long way since Disney’s Fantasia in the forties and it’s difficult to
imagine what engineers and system designers may come up with
next. They certainly have a lot to top with Dolby Atmos around.
27
samsungProviding flexible, cost-effective disPlay solutionsAn integrated platform for digital signage that eliminates the need for external media players and streamlines the deployment process, saving time and money for integrators and businesses.
Mediatech Africa 2013 showcased the strength of the large format displays (LFDs) market in South Africa, but with so many options out there, how does a company go about selecting solutions that fit their budg-ets and that are easy to use? This is especially important considering that LFDs are used to not only drive corporate communication, but draw attention to the brand and position it in the hearts and minds of customers.
Moreover, companies need flexible solutions that let them focus on managing their con-tent easily while worrying less about wires, media boxes, and unwieldy software.
Using a manufacturer like Samsung who has a trusted brand name in the market is one way to approach it. Yet, the solutions being offered need to be able to support that trust and provide an effective way of reducing the total cost of ownership of LFDs.
To see the value proposition that Samsung offers one only needs to look at how a traditional digital signage network runs. Normally, a separate media player running its own operating system is attached behind the screen. Both devices require power and cabling to link them. This not only uses more electricity, but the additional cabling is often unsightly. Having said that, this has been the only way to effectively manage digital displays – until now!
The recently announced Samsung Smart Signage Platform incorporates a media play-er as a system-on-chip on the same board as the display chipset, eliminating the need
to have external media players for custom-ised content. This means that fewer cables are required, installation is virtually plug and play, and the point of network failure is significantly reduced.
With the Smart Signage Platform, more impactful messages can be delivered to cus-tomers in real-time irrespective of the display being viewed. Through innovation such as this, Samsung is showing its commitment to minimising equipment and installation costs for customers and let them better manage their operational costs.
An added enhancement is the Samsung MagicInfo S authoring solution for content management. It ships as an open source development kit to enable partners to provide expanded software services to business users.
Naturally, we believe in letting our custom-ers experience the solutions first-hand to see them in action. At Mediatech, Sam-sung Electronics South Africa showcased a 75-inch whiteboard on display that is ideally suited to board rooms and schools. This is especially relevant given the importance of education in South Africa. The Samsung
e-Board combines the simplicity of a white board with the power of a computer to create a more interactive learning environ-ment through technology.
Ultimately, Samsung is focused on providing solutions that meet the unique needs of the South African market. Cost-effectiveness and flexibility are two components inte-gral to our design philosophy. We believe in offering a design for businesses that bring our client’s vision to life on the big screen.
Manoj BhoolaBusiness Leader for B2BSamsung Electronics South Africa
www.samsung.com
“Cost-effectiveness and flexibility are two components integral to our design philosophy”
Media Tech Advertorial_29July.indd 1 2013/07/30 9:57 AM
AdVertorIAl
28
InStAllAtIonS rADio stAtion
Listen up – Jacaranda has moved
One radio station that’s stood the test of time is Jacaranda FM,
previously known as Jacaranda 94.2. They have been broadcasting
English and Afrikaans programmes in Gauteng, Limpopo,
Mpumalanga and the Northwest Province since 1986 and now boast
an audience of more than 2 million, which is nothing to sniff at and is
very important to Gauteng, the nation’s most competitive radio
market. Equally impressive, they are the number one station among
Afrikaans home listeners and South Africa’s number one independent
radio station.
While other radio station’s listenership figures have been dwindling,
Jacaranda’s figures are on the rise with an estimated May 2013
audience census of 1 855 000 which is almost 100 000 more than last
years’ June figures. Given this state of rising popularity it only made
sense that after many years at their studios in Centurion they
announced the development of a new studio location in 2012. This
location is now revealed as their newly built facility on 14th Road,
Midrand next to the M1 highway. Of course, new premises call for an
overhaul and often a complete replacement of studio equipment.
This is exactly what was done.
out with the old, in with the new
Upon entering the new studios, it is clear that Jacaranda’s new facility
was designed to be slick, modern and state of the art. All of the right
trimmings are in the right places with all the current amenities that
one would expect along with some you wouldn’t: fingerprint access,
a broadcast technology museum, funky music-related wallpaper, a
gym and even a health spa. The reception area is brightly lit with
natural light and if you had to glance up you would see the words
’LEKKER TO BE HERE‘ on an upper wall. For those that work there, I
could see how that might be the case.
Andrew Pike, Technical and IT Manager at Jacaranda FM, was kind
enough to show me around the studios and all the new gear installed
there. Andrew was responsible for procuring and commissioning the
installation of the new equipment and is incredibly knowledgeable in
radio technology.
Built from the ground up, planning for all the new equipment to be
installed at the new Jacaranda FM occurred from the very beginning.
There are two on-air studios; one for the breakfast show and
afternoon drive and another for the mid-day shows.
The core system at Jacaranda is based around a Telos Systems
Axia system interconnected via network over an AoE protocol called
Livewire. Telos Systems is a world leader in broadcast equipment
technology and its Omnia division is found throughout most
By Greg Bester
radio will never die, if the past is anything to go by. It seems it is as immortal as it is ubiquitous and there is little doubt whether our existence here on planet earth would have turned out the same without it. the first automobile, the first air flight, the russian revolution, both World Wars, the neon light, the helicopter and instant coffee; the radio was there to broadcast it all. simply put, the radio has shaped our lives in an immeasurable way and we owe a lot to it.
Jacaranda FM’s new premises in Midrand
29
aVC – audio Visual Centre
commercial radio stations worldwide. They are also the progenitors
of the Livewire protocol for radio station applications.
“The heart of how the studios work is based around the Axia
equipment,” says Pike. “It’s all IP-based so if I’ve got mic one open, it’s
got an IP stream number so it’s available anywhere in the building. I
can route it or I can move it around on the desk. One of the great
features of having the Axia system is V-Mix. You can mix sources
together, route them so basically what we do is take the two studios,
mix them together virtually and send them to the broadcast
processor.”
In terms of specific Telos hardware, Axia Powerstation Console
Engines along with Element control surfaces were installed. The
Powerstation is the ‘brain’ of the on-air mixing system that provides a
multiple of inputs in both the analogue and digital domains and
connects to the control surface via one six-pin cable. In the case of
Jacaranda FM, each studio receives two Powerstations for complete
redundancy in case of failure and all of them are connected over the
Livewire network.
Playout and scheduling duties are handled by RCS GSelector and
Zetta software running on 12 server PCs running Intel i7 chips, 16GB of
RAM and Microsoft’s SQL server platform.
Pike comments: “Really what we see here is just the GUI interface.
There is a server where all the audio is all stored and plays out from.
So if I log in from this studio, what I look at is just a picture of what’s
happening on the server.”
As mentioned, all audio and play out material is stored on a server
which turned out to be housed in a very well air-conditioned
glass-cased room a little down the hall from the studio we were
standing in. This room also contains some very big racks that house all
the broadcast processing required to get a station on the air.
However, since Jacaranda FM broadcasts to multiple regions, there
are multiple processors employed to handle each region. First, each
region is fed via a Telos Zephyr XSTREAM ISDN transceiver over Telkom
ISDN lines. The main transmitter is then paired with an Orban 8600S,
which is their flagship processor and all other regional transmitters are
paired with Orban 3500 processors. The main transmitter is a Rohde &
Shwarz NR8200 10KW FM.
the wrap
The radio world, like any audio platform, has changed
dramatically in the past 20 years. It too has experienced the ebb
and flow of change from the days of analogue right through into
the convenience and power of digital. Jacaranda FM’s new
facility is certainly testament to this necessary adaptation that
many studios have had to go through and given the technology
at this level it is easy to see that they are secure in transmitting into
the near future and beyond.
radio DJ Barney simon in the studio
30
InStAllAtIonS Houses oF WorsHip
Houghton mosque installation
Having never been into a Mosque before I was quite intrigued as to
what was in store. After a brief introduction by Lee, we were led to
the rear of the building and entered a small air conditioned room
where the recording equipment, amplifiers and effects equipment
are kept.
Impressively, audio streaming is also part of the service as was
explained to me by Yaseen, one of the technical personnel at the
mosque: “What we’ve done is, with the audio streaming, we’re
pushing more kilobits. Instead of 32kbps we’re streaming at 128kbps.
All this month we have a prayer that goes on for about two hours and
the listeners love it. The clarity they’re getting; they love it. We’ve got
between 230 to 270 people streaming the prayer every night and we
haven’t advertised or promoted it. We’ve even got four radio stations
in the US pulling the audio stream as well.”
In the rack there are a number of units that perform different
functions around the Mosque. Starting at the top, there is a Tascam
CD-RW901SL CD recorder
that is used to make
recordings of prayer services.
Next there is a TC Electronic
M-One XL dual effects
processor that is used to
apply voice effects. What
interesting about this setup is
that it is paired to a MIDI
Solutions F8 eight-input MIDI
footswitch controller which is used to change the patch from a switch
panel in an alcove in the main prayer area.
All audio distribution is handled by an EV NetMax N8000 digital
matrix controller. This unit supplies 32 channel routing and matrixing
and incorporates a massive range of 48-bit filters, EQ, dynamics and
delay DSP. The N8000 is also fitted with an AO-1 eight-channel
analogue output card which feeds the specific zones throughout the
Mosque and an MI-1 module; the eight channel mic/line input card
that features programmable preamp gain and phantom power.
In terms of microphones, two DPA4080-F lapel mics were supplied,
each with a DAD6030 adapter unit for the EV WTU-2 body pack
transmitters that were employed. The body packs transmit to two EV
RE2 Pro receivers. There are also three EV PC-Plus-18 gooseneck
microphones placed throughout the Mosque for further address: two
in the alcove in the main prayer area and one in the minber, a pulpit
where the imam gives a noonday prayer on Fridays and holidays.
Also found in the alcove is a
four-channel snake head that
the three gooseneck
microphones plug into. This
snake is then connected to
the MI-1 input module in the
N8000.
Finally, there are five EV
CPS4.5 four-channel class-D
amplifiers that power the
By Greg Bester
the house of worship market is indeed diverse. no matter what your faith may be, the need to get the message across in a clear and concise way will always be of paramount importance. to that end, the Houghton Mosque on West street is no different. a new Mosque in the area, they commissioned industry veterans Prosound to handle the installation of their loudspeaker and recording systems. I met lee thomson, technical sales consultant at Prosound, at Houghton Mosque to take a look at the new building and to check out the installation.
31
aVC – audio Visual Centrespecific zones throughout the mosque. These 2000W (500W x 4) amps
are commercial installation grade and can be configured per
channel to output at 2/4Ohms or 70/100V for distributed systems.
After we had checked out the amp room I was led into the mosque
itself which is beautifully crafted inside and out. It is customary to take
your shoes off when entering the courtyard, so I obliged and stored
them away in the provided receptacle shelves. The main courtyard is
a wonderful, naturally lit space with thick, comfortable carpet perfect
for walking shoeless.
For the courtyard system there are four One System 103IM outdoor
loudspeakers which were chosen for their ruggedness. These
two-way speakers feature 3.5-inch low frequency driver and a high
frequency driver coupled to an elliptical constant-directivity horn
which provides a coverage pattern or 100 degrees. They have a
frequency response of 85Hz to 20kHz.
Throughout the rest of the mosque including the main prayer area
there are a variety of speakers. 13 Martin Logan Ticket loudspeakers
were spec’d and placed strategically throughout. These are wall
mount-type speakers that are recessed into the internal pillars and
archways and feature dual four-inch aluminium low frequency drivers
coupled to a one-inch neodymium tweeter with a 75Hz to 20kHz
frequency response. A further 13 EV EVID C4.2 ceiling-mount
speakers were also employed that employ 4-inch coaxial drivers with
a .75-inch Titanium mylar laminate dome with a 65Hz to 20kHz
frequency response.
the wrap
Not knowing what to expect when entering the mosque it became
immediately evident that the distributed audio system was
designed to fit as seamlessly and as discretely as possible within
aesthetic of the building. However, that does not mean that it is
lacking technology in any way. The inclusion of the MIDI switch to
change FX patches on the M-One was a surprising twist that
brought a modern edge to an ancient tradition, which, I’m sure,
further enhances the message. The overall topology of the system,
while relatively simple, is powerful and streamlined and I’m sure will
serve the mosque for many years to come.
www.ptn-electronics.com
on all PTN Electronics products5 Year Warranty
32
InStAllAtIonS Houses oF WorsHip
Rhema acquires new sound
Considering its constant growth and evolution, getting Rhema’s
message out to the congregation in a clear and fidelitous way is of
paramount importance. For this reason a comprehensive and
‘first-of-its-kind in Africa’ upgrade of their audio systems was recently
performed, helped in no small part by local audio equipment
distributors Wild and Marr and Cristo Hattingh of Sound GP.
If you have ever had the chance to step inside the Rhema
sanctuary in Randburg you’ll know that it is simply cavernous. A rough
semi-circle in shape with a sloping floor, it, like many indoor venues,
presents the difficulty of coverage. Not to mention the fact that the
church has got an existing broadcast infra-structure to interface with
so signal routing and splitting was also an important consideration. I
had a chance to meet Cristo Hattingh and Darren Durbach from Wild
and Marr at the Rhema church to take a look at the system, get a feel
for the equipment installed there and what makes it significant.
the core system
The core system installed at Rhema centres around JBL’s brand new
VTX line array, supplied by Wild and Marr. There are 24 VTX V25s
arranged in four hangs of six and in addition to that there are two
Vertec 4886 downfills on each hang, totalling eight. The VTX range is
a brand new series in the JBL line and is a ’full size, three-way,
high-directivity line array element‘.
Each box features two 2000W 15” Differential Drive woofers fixed in
die-cast aluminium baffles with four 8” Differential Drive midrange
drivers and three of JBL’s new D2 dual-diaphragm, dual voice-coil
compression drivers coupled to a 3rd-generation waveguide. This
new HF system also includes a newly patented RBI (Radiation
Boundary Integrator) assembly.
While we’re talking about the HF component of the system it might
be worthwhile to mention the D2 driver. The D2 is a revolutionary new
HF component. As mentioned, it is a dual voice-coil compression
driver which JBL claims overcomes the drawbacks of conventional
compression driver technology. The two main hurdles when
designing a compression driver is the mass of the diaphragm and
voice coil which limits high frequency extension and distortion that
occurs due to breakup modes of the dome, traditionally titanium.
The D2 combines two compression drivers into a single unit with a
combined acoustical output. Each of the dual voice-coils are
comprised of their own separate, lightweight polymer annular ring
diaphragm, their own magnet and their own patented phase plug.
The purpose of the phase plugs is to combine the two drivers into a
single output by feeding their energies to a single exit point.
There are six JBL VTX S28 subwoofers in cardioid configuration.
These subwoofers feature dual differential drive 2269H 18” drivers and
the cabinets are designed to be used in cardioid configuration due
to their cabinet design. When asked about whether six subwoofers
are enough to cover the needs of the large Rhema sanctuary,
Hattingh says: “They more than compensate for this venue. I actually
had to remove ceiling tiles that were falling out. It’s quite
Greg Bester
rhema, the celebrated ministry that caters for
thousands of people each sunday over multiple
services, is one of south africa’s most established
churches. Founded in 1979 and revelling in over
40 years of longevity, it has grown from strength
to strength over the expanse of its lifetime in such
areas as music, television ministry, social work
and constantly evolving administration to cater
for its ever-growing fellowship.
33
Houses oF WorsHip InStAllAtIonS
33
phenomenal to hear what they do. The distortion ratio is so low that
your perception of the low end is totally different to what you’ve ever
heard before. It’s really clean low end and the power behind it is
amazing.”
Speaking of power, 23 Crown IT-12000HD power amplifiers drive the
entire system, which is obviously passive. This includes the delay
system which is comprised of eight two-way, passive JBL STX815s,
strategically placed at the rear of the room to cover the rear alcoves.
Cristo comments on the coverage of the system.
“The main cluster covers the floor and the delays get a full mix with
a high pass filter for speech enhancement. So with what you see,
we’re covering this room as close to 100% as we can. We’re not hitting
the back wall (with the main clusters) on purpose. In other words,
we’re hitting the third last row accurately so the last two rows are a
little bit in the shade to control the slap back of the esses and the
tees.”
An interesting aspect of the setup of the system is that the
out-hangs are running in reverse stereo. In other words, the left
out-hang gets the right signal from a stereo source, the left in-hang
gets the left signal, the right in-hang gets the right signal and the right
out-hang gets the left signal. This results in 70% of the audience
getting an accurate stereo signal, albeit flipped on the left-hand side
of the venue. This works very well since the audience is largely
stationary and therefore can benefit from the textural depth of the
stereo field.
In terms of consoles, Soundcraft was the preferred vendor, also
supplied by Wild and Marr. A Vi6 control surface with a local rack was
selected for FOH control along with two Vi1s for on-stage monitoring
and broadcast. Two stage boxes, one full size and one compact
were spec’d; the compact stage box receiving an Aviom card for the
personal monitoring systems employed. The system is entirely digital
and uses MADI as the primary audio transport protocol to bus audio
to and from the stage boxes and throughout the routing and matrix
systems.
A noteworthy and, as mentioned, first-of-its-kind aspect of the
system is the implementation of a Direct Out Technologies M.1k2
MADI routing system. The M.1k2 offers 16 MADI ports for a total of
1 024 channels.
“The M.1k2 can handle channel matrixing and not just port
matrixing,” says Hattingh. “So you’ve got your 16 I/O ports which
enables you to patch port A to port B but it also goes as far as
enabling you to patch individual channels across to any port. For
example, we play iPods from FOH, obviously there’s click tracks and
stems running for the band and in the back there’s VT running for
broadcast. So what we’ve done is, we plug the VT into the Vi1, the
iPod, etc, into the other Vi1 and the playback into FOH and then on
the M.1k2 we’ve dedicated certain MADI channels as tie lines
between us. So, It’s like having a digital version of the old school
patch leads but much more flexible and extensive.”
There are a total of 96 channels coming into the FOH Vi6 from the
full size and compact ViSi racks and there are 64 channels fed to the
Vi1s since they can only handle a maximum of 64 channels. Any
further channels are sent from FOH via the MADI bridge as tie lines.
System processing is all run on-board the amplifiers, managed by
JBL HiQnet Performance Manager. Performance manager is a hybrid
piece of software that combines system architect and line array
calculator facilities into a graphic user interface. What is interesting is
that any real time changes are purposefully lagged in order to
prevent sudden tonal changes. Power shading, system configuration,
delays and all other system processing options are available through
Performance Manager in real time.
the sound and a walkaround
After I arrived and spent a good deal of time talking to Hattingh and
Durbach about the system, a variety of playback material was
showcased so we could take a listen to the performance of the VTX
system in the room.
My initial impression standing at FOH was the immediately
noticeable smoothness of the top end due, I assume, to the D2
compression drivers in the VTX V25 boxes. The tonal balance was
clear and unobtrusive. Having had experience mixing on the
previous Vertec range, I knew that they could sound a little ‘bitey’ in
the upper midrange, which makes it a good system for rock and
which is why the Vertec range has seen huge success in that arena.
However the VTX gave me the sense of higher fidelity and a top end
that seemed to dance around my ears instead of pierce into them.
The midrange proper was also very polite and seemed to glow or
emanate from the arrays. Granted, this was a very large room and
from FOH, which is for better or worse in the centre of the room, we
were getting a bit of supplementary reflection but it was easy to hear
that the fundamental ranges of the instrumentation and vocals were
very well reproduced.
The low end was surprisingly full, even from FOH and I was greatly
surprised at the power of the six subwoofers that were commissioned
to handle low end duties. It wasn’t by any means large bass as you
would find in a dance club but they supported the mid/high system
just right and added to the feeling of a proper tonal balance. Now,
the coverage.
After being encouraged to walk the horizontal and vertical planes
by Darren Durbach, I started a semi-circle walkabout towards stage
right starting from FOH and following more or less the middle row.
Attempting to take note of coverage seams between the coverage
of the hangs I only perceived a slight hand-off as I was out of direct
line of the HF waveguide of the right in-hang. The right out-hang then
took over without much of a drop in level. As usual, I am always
interested in hearing what the last person in the last row is going to
hear and I am glad to report that there was no loss in fidelity from that
position.
What is remarkable about this system is that the bass is consistent
from end to end of the venue, possibly only dropping a dB or two
from the front to the back. Walking from the extreme right of the
venue towards the subwoofers I was also quite surprised to hear a
consistent tonal balance not just in the mid/high ranges but also in
bass. The bass simply did not get overpowering the closer you got to
the subwoofer clusters. The 4 886 downfills covered the front rows
perfectly as well.
the wrap
Quite clearly, the VTX system installed by Cristo Hattingh and Wild
and Marr at Rhema is a masterfully executed job. Cristo has a long
track record of producing quality work for many high profile acts
and productions and along with Wild and Marr’s turnkey approach
they have really come together in a powerful symbiosis to produce
a system that I’m sure Rhema Church will be happy with for years to
come.
Christo Hattingh
34
lIVe eVentS ConCert report
Mixing ‘The Boss’
PW: so, four hands are better than two, then? tM: [laughs] I guess so! We are completely independent of each other
though; we each get our own splits and we each have our own set of
stage racks and Waves servers.
MC: Yeah, with 18 people on stage, it’s pretty involved; and with
Bruce, you never know: he does a set list but he doesn’t follow it, ever,
so we’re always on our toes!
tM: They’ve actually always had two monitor engineers; Monty’s
been here a lot longer, but I have been here since 2000. It’s actually
the way they’ve always liked it for 20 plus years, but we can do a lot
more now due to the technology advancements.
troy Milner and Monty Carlo have worked seamlessly side by side for more than 10 years, riding the faders for Bruce springsteen and his 17-piece e-street band at stage left and stage right respectively – and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Paul Watson reports from london’s Wembley stadium during springsteen’s Wrecking Ball world tour...
Monty Carlo and troy Milner
the Boss rocking the crowd
35
electrosonic – Martin lighting
How does your partnership work, exactly?tM: Well, I take care of the drummer, the violin player, the guitarist, the
bassist and the keyboard player who is right here next to me; then I
deal with various wedges that are located around the stage for some
solos for Bruce.
and what about you, Monty? MC: Pretty much everybody else, really. We each have a lot going on
and there are a lot of cues for each song; and again, as Bruce
doesn’t follow the set list, well....
I can’t see any wedges on stage – where are you hiding them, exactly?MC: [smiles] There are a number of proprietary Solotech wedges
imbedded in the stage: there’s a mixture of double 12s, single 12s and
single 15s; and we’re using JBL 4888s for the side fills. The rest of the
band has in-ear systems, but Bruce is completely old school.
What in-ear systems are you running, and do you have any rF issues?tM: We use Shure kit: the PSM1000s and the Axient mic system, which
we like a lot; and these boxes underneath are Albatross headphone
amps which I use for the drummer; he is hard wired, so when he sits
down he plugs right into his seat on his left side and he never moves,
so he doesn’t need to be wireless.
MC: We have 70 channels of RF between backline and me and
Troy, and although here (in the UK) it’s not too bad, when we’re in
Italy... well, it’s notorious for RF issues! Thankfully, the kit we are using
makes life a whole lot easier than it could be!
and what does Bruce like to hear in his wedges? MC: He’s got a little bit of everything – it’s so tough as each musician
has their own wants and needs, but with Bruce I just kind of fill it up
around him between the side fills and the floor wedges so that he
hears everything, and I have everything panned to make it feel more
‘live’: the piano is coming from his left and the organ from the right –
the same with the horns, just to kind of open things up, and so he
knows where it’s all coming from.
Imbedded monitor wedges
36
lIVe eVentS ConCert report
after all these years, Bruce is still on a classic wireless shure sM58...MC: Absolutely – it still does the job great; we’ve tried a few different
things, but it’s still the best sounding and most reliable solution. Also,
when it rains and Bruce is out running through the crowd, we don’t
have to worry about it falling apart. You can build a house with it!
tM: Yep – it’s super-reliable. And like Monty says, if it’s raining, he’s
100% gonna be out in it! The SM58 is extremely robust, that’s for sure.
you both use DigiCo sD7s. Is it essential that you’re on the same console?tM: For our setup, absolutely. We have snapshots for all of the songs,
and I’m up to 205! There are some songs that I know Bruce won’t do,
but everyone is programmed for me on the snapshots. I couldn’t do
that without the SD7.
MC: Yeah, on the whole, the SD7 has been really flexible. It’s also
great for moving stuff around. Troy double-assigns the drums so the
drummer has his own set of drum inputs and the rest of the band has
their own set too, so in terms of tailoring things quickly, everything’s just
so easy to do on this desk.
tM: That’s right – the drummer is a little more demanding, so I kind
of mix him old school; the control groups are pretty static for him. I’ll
hammer him with certain parts that he just wants to hear: for
example, he might want two bars of the opening riff from the guitar
player, then he wants to get rid of it, so I have to be very hands-on.
Monty’s obviously got different stuff that he handles, too.
so on one hand you’re mixing dynamically, yet you’re also relying on hundreds of snapshots... What happens if he throws you a curveball, so to speak?tM: Oh it can get pretty crazy, that’s for sure! Although the SD7 is
pretty much instant access with regard to recalling snapshots,
because Bruce has so many songs, it does slow the process down a
little: for example, 27 of his songs start with the letter ‘S’, so it can still
take me a second to locate them even with the shortcut buttons!
In fact, I recently asked one of the software guys at DiGiCo if he
could give me the first two or three letters rather than just one to
search snapshots as that would be perfect, and he was like: “You guys
are worse than Broadway!” [laughs]
How advantageous is it having banks of 12 faders on the console rather than eight? tM: Oh, very – and for drums especially. Also, having 12 in the centre
for the control groups is a real bonus: I have a bank for mixing control
groups and another bank for mute groups and that works really, really
well. Additionally, the console’s assignable rotaries are perfect for me
on my drum bank; I’m always writing thresholds on the gates for the
drums because he is so dynamic, and so that I always know when I
am in the drum bank – it’s just a visual thing. These functions save me
huge amounts of time.
What are your mix counts?tM: With all the reverbs, tech mixes and crew mixes, we’re at 60
outputs; and there’s two of us, remember! I scratch my head and
think ‘how did I get to 60?’ But I have a lot of sends that I use and the
keyboard player has his own mixer, so instead of doing direct outs I
just send 16 stem mixes to his mixer, then he sends his mix back to me
so I can broadcast it wirelessly for him.
Is there much digital processing in Bruce’s vocal chain, or is this also old school?tM: Personally, I’m real simple on it, because Monty is doing Bruce’s
monitor mix; I take care of the vocal for everybody else, so I can tailor
it a little more and control it as he is so dynamic and all over the
place, which is awesome.
But again, it means you have to ride the fader? tM: That’s right. I am feeding Bruce’s vocals to the six people I take
care of; I run the multiband compressor, which is just great, and then I
use a little bit of EQ before running it through the Waves Blue 76 just as
an overall ‘grab’.
How are you finding the Waves soundgrid?tM: It’s been great, but obviously the stuff in the desk has been great
too. We do have some guitar amp sims and distortions though – Bruce
plays the harp through his vocal mic and it sounds like a distorted
miced amp which we’re using a Waves guitar simulator for.
you’ve got two DigiCo sD racks each...tM: Yes. In my world, I am running old school copper snakes from
Monty and Monty is basically ‘control central’.
MC: That’s right, I have all the splits of everything and we split
copper to Troy, copper to me and then copper to FOH. We have
talked about sharing racks between us; we haven’t done it yet, but
maybe down the road it’s something we can do.
Communication between the two of you during a show must be crucial – how vocal are you, exactly?tM: Well, it depends – but we do have a great talkback system. I
basically have a stereo mix of all the talkbacks that I send to a matrix,
then I send whatever I am cueing to that same matrix to my wireless
cue system, so no matter what I am listening to, the talkbacks are also
there too.
MC: Exactly, so if there’s a problem on my side I can say: ‘hey we’re
gonna switch this’. We always make sure we have direct
communication, as it’s another tool to keep us ahead of the band.
Some shows we’re more vocal than others, but we’re always on top of
things.
sounds like you’ve got the perfect setup going on... tM: Unless we’re in Italy...
MC: [laughs] Yep, we’re all good until we go to Italy!
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38
lIVe eVentS inDustry eXpert
How did you get involved in the sound industry? Was it always the plan?trevor: I never really had a plan when I left school, the one thing I was
interested in was music, and I played in a band. One day one of the
engineers that was mixing our band on an event asked me if I was
interested in coming to work with him and that’s basically how it
started. I got into that company and learnt a tremendous amount in
my time there. At that point I was hooked, my studies fell by the
wayside and this became my career, seven years later I left the
company and started Matrix Sound. So you could say I am a musician
turned sound engineer, and more recently I spend my time doing
sound design for theatre shows and large corporate events.
out of interest, what was the name of your band and what instrument did you play?trevor: The band was called Cherry Fox and I played the drums, so I
wasn’t a real musician (laughs).
you’ve designed sound in various productions around the world. What has been the highlight of your career so far?trevor: Opening the musical Umoja at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the
West End of London. That was my single most nerve wracking and
most amazing experience so far. We received a standing ovation for
nearly three minutes at the end of the show. It was also the first time
that I was working in the West End with an international supply
company where I designed the sound.
What excites you the most about sound engineering? What is it that keeps you interested?trevor: Well the situation currently is that I spend more time in my
office running the company than behind the sound desk, but when I
do get an opportunity to get behind the desk I consider myself
another member of the band. So connecting with the band and
creating music and sound with them is what I find most exciting. A
sound engineer needs to actually be a part of the music, immersed in
the music, to actually understand and complement the music from
behind the desk. When you make that connection with the band,
where mixing becomes almost second nature, that for me is really
awesome.
on that note, would you say that your musical background has given you an advantage in this industry?trevor: Yes, I definitely think it has given me an advantage. It would
have given me more of an advantage had I played a real instrument
like the piano or guitar (laughs), but yes understanding the music and
the sound from a musician’s point of view is a huge advantage.
What do you feel is the greatest audio invention of the past few years?trevor: Oooh, that’s a tough one. I would say the greatest advance in
audio is the switch to digital mixing consoles; user friendly digital
mixing consoles. Digital mixers have been around for many years, in
1996 we designed a musical at Victory Theatre using two digital
mixing consoles and it was a very cumbersome and difficult process.
The new generation of digital mixers in my opinion, have taken sound
to a new level entirely. They give you untold power compared to what
we had with analogue desks many years ago.
What have you not yet achieved in your career that you still wish to?trevor: The one thing that I haven’t done is toured with a band, where
I’m mixing and we’re going from city to city or country to country
performing. I’ve done a huge amount of corporate events, I’ve done
theatre shows, I’ve done some studio work, I’ve done a lot of
television work but I have never been on the road with the band
concentrating on good old fashioned rock ‘n roll night after night.
That is something I will do before I retire…at a very young age
(laughs).
What is your personal favourite gadget that you use daily?trevor: Mmm, to be perfectly honest, that would be my iPhone. It
allows me to run my office from anywhere at all times.
Trevor Peters
trevor Peters started as an Industrial Psychology student at the university of Witwatersrand, but his love for music drew him into the world of sound engineering and sound design. as the founder of Matrix Corporate & theatre sound, a partner in Pan tilt lighting and a partner in Fogtech Video, trevor has designed sound for theatre shows and corporate events both locally and internationally. Pro Systems journalist Chanelle ellaya caught up with trevor to discuss how it all started and what’s still to come.
39
ConCert report lIVe eVentS
Just chillin’ at Chillfest
Steve Butcher of Universal Event Productions (UEP) – a technical
solutions provider working primarily on high end corporate and live
events – was enjoying an evening with some of his regular crew and
friends, reflecting on a busy year at the end of 2012, and looking
forward to the company’s 15th anniversary year in 2013.
Butcher, a keen music fan, wanted to do something special,
different and unique to celebrate this landmark and lobbed into the
conversation that he’d always fancied actually staging a festival. It
was met with unanimous agreement that this would be a very cool
thing to do.
A couple of days later, the conversation cropped up again, this
time while completely sober and in the office. The seed was planted!
Over Christmas, Butcher discussed the concept more seriously with
his wife Gina, and particularly the fact that to do it properly, he’d
have to commit and risk around 250K of his own / UEP’s money! That’s
a big deal!
By 2 January the decision was made. Chilfest – the first music
festival in the UK ever to be promoted by an industry technical
production company – was to be a reality.
“From that moment on I never doubted myself or looked back at
all,” he comments. “It was heads down and let’s make this work!”
Six months of serious graft began – finding the venue – Pendley
Activity Meadow, adjacent to the luxury Pendley Manor country
hotel; applying for the license, analysing the demographic of the
area, being realistic about the acts they wanted, could afford and
were likely to be popular; scouting the available talent; creating a
brand from scratch; establishing social media and advertising outlets;
dealing with the press; setting up ticketing infrastructures getting
concessions on-board; forging a relationship with the local police,
and so on. All things that Butcher – not being a regular concert
promoter – had never had to deal with before.
“It was an absolutely massive learning curve,” says Butcher, “But
that was also part of the entire experience.” He adds that some things
were a lot more straightforward than others!
The one thing that presented absolutely no challenges at all was
the full technical production, because that’s what UEP does.
However because of this, Butcher set his own dizzily high personal
goals of delivering production values and an overall design that
would be the best and to the highest standards. The whole ‘tech
production scenario’ galvanized into a fantastic showcase for the
creative skills and technical services that UEP could achieve.
All the people he worked with on the production side he had
the first ever two-day Chilfest event, staged in picturesque tring in Hertfordshire, uK started off – like many inspirational moments – in the pub!
aided by a flow of alcohol and animated discussion, real lively social interaction continued to liberate a gazillion thoughts, ideas and dreams … many of which stay right there!
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little Mix performing Friday night at Chilfest
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lIVe eVentS ConCert report
known for several years and most of them are also close friends. This
meant a large amount of mutual respect and a dream team already
used to working seamlessly on large shows and events together.
Formatting the programme, he decided on a pop night on the
Friday as there are a lot of families with pre – and early teen children
in the area.
Being in his mid-forties, an eighties night on the Saturday was a bit
of a no-brainer for the adults to remember the heady – and as they
like to say ‘not so distant’ – days of their yoof! With an excellent array
of top level artists from the era available a very strong line up was
soon assembled.
The pop themed night was headlined by Little Mix who were joined
by The Lovable Rogues, Heather Small, Tich and others. On Saturday,
some of the best of the eighties was reincarnated by Tony Hadley,
Rick Astley, Howard Jones, Midge Ure, Hazel O’Connor and Carol
Decker.
Negotiating and booking all of these required a degree of
brinkmanship, especially as it was a new event with no track record
– a characteristic that Butcher doesn’t lack as a seasoned industry
professional – and something he soon learned to lay on the table!
On the first weekend of July, glorious weather – the start of an
unprecedented run of sunny and warm summer weather unseen in
the UK for many years – a line-up which included some world class
musicians, the novelty of it being the first event of its kind in the area
and a fantastic atmosphere … helped attract nearly 5 000 people
the first day, and fully sold out the Pendley Activity Meadow venue to
its 7 000 capacity on the second night.
This was all enjoyed with the scrupulously high production values so
close to UEP’s hearts – with technical and design standards rarely
seen in festivals of this size, let alone an event in its infancy.
Butcher was “completely blown away” with the response and the
outcome.
The personal feedback was incredible and the social media
channels were bursting with positive comments and messages.
“I sat at the back of the stage on Saturday with everyone, it was
well into Tony Hadley’s set,” (which closed the event) he recalls: “The
field was rammed with people all jumping up and down and having
fun .. and I thought we created this – it was the most incredible
feeling, and I felt very, very emotional,” admits the usually unfazed
Butcher.
He expands: “I have always known my crew are fantastic, I am
really lucky, but they all absolutely excelled themselves in every way,
and although I should not be surprised, I was truly humbled by what
we did as a company and as a team.”
staging Chilfest
The low rise 15-metre wide Orbit stage supplied by Trust Events tucked
neatly into the corner of the Pendley Activity Meadow site
inconspicuously hugging the tree line. Blending sympathetically into
the surrounding countryside was always fundamental to the site
design.
UEP supplied all lighting equipment and visuals – LED screen,
cameras and IMAG mix – and asked HPSS from Hull on-board to look
after the PA system.
Ben Cash and Dave Amos of Flare Lighting – a London based visual
design duo – were commissioned by Butcher to create an overall
adaptable and dynamic production design that could cover the
range of acts playing and accommodate any last minute requests.
They sub hung two trusses from the Orbit which were shaped to the
roof curvature to maximise all the available height and ensured it
looked super neat, while a further upstage truss was installed to fly five
columns of UEP’s Glux 12 LED screen.
Cash ran the lighting. The moving lights were primarily Robe
products including 12 brand new Robe ROBIN Pointe fixtures just
purchased by UEP and doing their first gig.
Robe ROBIN LEDBeam 100s were arranged in vertical columns at
the back between the strips of LED screen, looking highly effective,
together with Robe LEDWash 600s and 300s which were dotted all
over the stage together with a few ColorSpot 1200E ATs.
In addition to these, six Clay Paky Shot Lights were used on the floor
as fillers down both sides of the stage; 24 x Showtech Sunstrips framed
the LED columns and outlined the front truss; and two Novalight High
Grounds were placed at the downstage edges for big bold effects
shooting right into the audience. A couple of six lamp PAR bars were
used for basic stage washes from the front truss.
Four Robert Juliat Korrigan follow spots were stationed at FOH.
Flare lighting provided the control package. A grandMA full size ran
the lighting and a grandMA light triggered their Catalyst media server
storing and playing back all the video content, which was specially
compiled for the show by Dave Amos. This appeared on the onstage
column screens, making a vibrant backdrop for all the acts, most of
which took to the stage in daylight. It was a smart move by Butcher to
get Flare involved and they brought a great sense of visual harmony
to the picture.
Two Glux 12 side screens were supplied by UEP together with six
cameras – five Sonys – two at FOH, a hand-held onstage, one in the
pit on track and one locked off side-stage – and a GoPro remote
behind the drum position for reverse shots.
These were directed by another regular UEP face, Mike Kane, who
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tich in full song
41
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worked with Jay Martinez on the IMAG side of the video.
The sound system was designed and specified by a combination of
stage manager Andy Nurse, who is one of UEP’s regular sound
engineers, Steve Bull who looked after FOH for the event and Steve
Butcher.
It was an L-ACOUSTICs system which filled the gently raked
auditorium perfectly. The main hangs were 12 boxes of dv-DOSC, a
side complete with seven SB28 and four dv subs a side, with four ARCS
for in-fills.
The FOH Yamaha PM5D console was spec’d by Saturday’s house
band, Blueprint, who backed up all the main performers and spent
several days rehearsing with them before the gig.
Some bands brought in their own engineers and those who didn’t
were mixed by Steve Bull. Howard Jones played with his own band
plus their full monitor system and video package.
At the stage end of the action the monitors were L-ACOUSTICS Hi-Q
wedges with ARCS/SB28 side fills and a couple of SB18 drum subs – all
powered by LA8 amps together with the main stacks. The monitor
console was a Yamaha M7 with two external cards boosting the
outputs to 32 channels.
Shure and Sennheiser wireless systems were supplied, plus a full
mics-and-stands package, primarily comprising these two brands.
Andy Nurse shared stage managing duties with Mike Lindsey,
James Fickling was the overall site manager and Charlotte Jackson
took care of all the health and safety and dealt with the concessions.
The backline was supplied by John Henry and the generators from
Charles Wilson – two 350 KVA synched sets behind the stage and
another at the back of the arena to power all the site lighting and
concessions. Power distribution and infrastructure was sorted out by
UEP with some kit from DPL Lighting.
The excellent security by London-based EMS, with whom UEP works
on many high profile corporate, impressed everyone with their
discreet presence and attentive attitude that cut a note with the
whole Chilfest vibe.
Steve adds: “Thanks also to Rob Merrilees at Dry High Lighting for
providing the six Clay Paky Shot Lights and some additional Robe
LEDWash 600s and big thanks also to my old mate Darren Parker at
DPL for supplying 12 Robe ColorSpot 1200E ATs along with the four
follow spots, mains distro and dimming.”
With 12 000 Chilfest fans flooding into Tring to enjoy a show stopping
weekend and not a single crime reported, the police were also
extremely impressed with the results.
Butcher has also been inundated with complements from the
artists on how well organised everything was and what a good time
they had.
So …. Looking to the future, the pressure is now well and truly on for
him to make it an annual event!
Although one part of Butcher wants to go for it, he had to do some
hard thinking about it while he was on holiday in August.
He needs to also assess the impact – if any – it had on UEPs core
business. The company is very busy anyway and Chilfest consumed
copious extra amounts of his energy in the first six months of the year.
There’s also the fact that it was a ‘special’ event to mark an
important landmark – their 15th anniversary. It was a resounding
success and in some ways to leave it there retains the magic and truly
exclusive nature of what he set out to do!
Many things are buzzing around Butcher’s brain right now –
including the fact that he feels he’s established a brand, with the
possibility of attracting sponsorship.
“My heart says ‘yes’, continue and do it every year,” he says,
however this month, he’ll be engaging in some straight discussions
before making any hasty decisions!
lIVe eVentS ConCert report
A ‘sorcerer’ among kings
there isn’t a lot of information online about you, eddie, but I did see that you’re from lima, Peru. How did a young man from lima get into doing sound for top acts?Everyone in my dad’s family are musicians. He owned a night club
restaurant and there were always like five or six acts a night so I was
the guy in charge of sound. Also any time he had gigs anywhere else
I would do sound, back when there were still knobs instead of faders!
So that’s kind of what I did. I have cousins that are artists, engineers
and producers in Peru as well as my brother producer/songwriter/
drummer Juan Caipo in San Francisco. I just followed the same path.
When did you move to the united states?Well, I was born in Los Angeles but when I was five years old my
parents moved us back to Peru. Then I came back to the States when
I was 18. I started working for a jingle house doing jingles and
voiceovers for the Latin market and that was around 1991.
so you’ve been a professional sound engineer since then?Yeah, I was doing mostly studio stuff back then but later when I
moved to San Francisco I started doing sound at famous venues there
like Slims, Paradise Lounge, Yoshi’s, the Fillmore, etc; just working the
club scene at night and doing studio stuff during the day.
42
Kings of Chaos, a super band consisting of members of arena rock groups guns n’ roses, Collective soul, Deep Purple and Velvet revolver visited south african shores recently to deliver an otherwise once-off collaborative concert, helped in no small part by their touring FoH engineer and Production Manager, eddie ‘el Brujo’ Caipo.
Peruvian and therefore spanish-speaking by birth, ’el Brujo‘ translates to ’the sorcerer‘, a fitting pseudonym for a man with a big smile, a twinkle in his eye and a sensibility for BIg, magical sound. throughout his career, eddie has worked with such top names as enrique Iglesias, smash Mouth and tears for Fears and is a veteran of the industry not only in the live sound arena but in studio work as well. Pro Systems journalist greg Bester caught up with eddie in the super Bowl at sun City to find out more.
eddie ‘el Brujo’ Caipo at the mixing desk for Kings of Chaos
43
ConCert report lIVe eVentS
sound Harmonics
they call you ’el Brujo‘, which means ’the sorcerer‘. Why do they call you that?I was in a band with my brother and my cousin. Before I was in the
band I was their sound engineer and of course back then they were
just starting out so they were playing in really crappy bars and the
sound was really bad. Sometimes they couldn’t even get it to work.
So they would always ask me to help them with that and it didn’t
matter how bad the PA was, or how badly wired it was, I would
somehow make it work. The singer gave me the nickname ’el Brujo‘.
He said: “You’re like a warlock!” It just kind of stuck and when credits
came around people started using it.
you have album credits on allmusic.com for el rey, avance, Cell Block Five, Conga Club and skull Funk tribe. Have you worked on a lot of latin music in the past?Yeah, as far as the records go, a lot of them are Mexican punk rock,
funk, metal and ska records. At one point I was producing every
Spanish rock band in the Bay area in San Francisco. I was kind of like
the go-to guy for that.
so it wasn’t like the more traditional Buena Vista social Club-type of latin jazz?No, I was more on the rock/alternative side but I have done records
like that. That’s something that I really like and I’m really happy to
have worked in a lot of genres. I did do a record with Karl Perazzo and
Raul Rekow from Santana. That was an amazing experience,
recording and mixing two of the best percussionist in the world.
so making the transition to King of Chaos was quite easy for you in terms of the rock approach?Oh yeah, I’ve always done all kinds of music. Like I was saying earlier,
doing the club scene and working the Bay area in Berkley Square,
which was another place, you really get your feet wet a lot because
it’s like four bands a night, always with different backline. One day it
could be all death metal, the next day it could be all punk rock, the
next day it’s pop or Latin, etc, which made me find good things about
all styles of music. Music is music, after all. I’m very lucky to be able to
handle all styles.
Do you play an instrument?I play a little of everything but I always like to play percussion.
Do you think it’s important to have a musical ear in order to be a good engineer?Absolutely, I think it’s very important. If I had to choose a guy to sub
for me, I would go for the musical guy as opposed to a guy who’s
purely technical. Of course you have to have the technical
knowledge but ultimately the people listening to it don’t know about
that. So if it’s pleasant to them they’ll go: “The band was great!” So I
would say you have to be musical when you mix. It’s not always a
technical problem. Sometimes it’s just a balance issue. I think having
a musical background has helped me a lot and I think it would help
any engineer, even if it’s a love for music or knowing the differences
between the instruments. Everything starts at the source so therefore
it’s very useful to know what an instrument is supposed to sound like.
Kings of Chaos rocking the crowd at sun City super Bowl
44
lIVe eVentS ConCert report
so you would say the technical aspects are incidental to purveying the music?Yes, absolutely.
I noticed that a lot of your subs are flown. Is that something you usually do?No. I don’t normally but that’s just kind of how this setup came about.
I have mixed experiences when the subs are flown. They actually just
brought me more today because we were having issues with
covering holes so now we’ve got 20-something subs strewn all over
the place not for volume but for coverage. Plus, those flown subs are
part of the PA.
I noticed the Pa is a d&b J series. Is that your go-to Pa?No, I’m usually an L-Acoustics guy. I love the V-Dosc and K1 systems
but I like d&b too. In Cape Town they provided a Vertec system,
which is very good for rock. d&b is a bit smoother so you have to push
it a little bit more.
I’ve heard through the grapevine that you’re a big avid Venue guy. you spec them for FoH and monitors on all your shows. However, I’ve seen on some of your pictures that you’re standing in front of big analogue consoles. Do you miss those days?No, not really. Those were old pictures and I was probably thinner, too
(laughs). Analogue consoles are amazing but to be honest I don’t
miss them too much. What we’re able to do with digital consoles
today is pretty amazing. My preference has always been the VENUE
Profile, pretty much since they came out.
What about the Venue consoles drew you to them?The flexibility, the sound and of course the biggest thing, which most
people say, is the fact that you can use your plugins. Coming from
the recording world, that’s a big thing. The fact that I can use my
favourite processors without lugging around racks and racks of gear is
great. All the good stuff that digital consoles bring; Avid is just really
good at that. It’s also super stable. I did a tour with Julio Iglesias a few
years ago in Syria where it was about 120 degrees outdoors and it was
flawless. It didn’t even budge.
What are some of your favourite plugins?I like the Bomb Factory 1176 and the Fairchild emulations. I like the SSL
bundle as well, especially with Enrique. He likes the compression on
his vocals. I like the Waves C6 multiband as well. I try to use the stock
stuff a lot of the times for when we’re travelling to keep show file
compatibility consistent. We use the Crane Song Phoenix tape
saturation a lot and I often ask for the Eventide Harmonizer stuff for
doubles.
you have a fantastic drum sound and your kick drum is fat and present without getting in your ear. How do you process your drums?I have two stereo sub-groups where I apply parallel compression. On
one I have the Avid Smack! plugin doing some heavy squashing on
the Opto setting and the other one is wide open so the blend of that
makes the drums sound in your face. However I do have separate
processing that do at the channel level, but just with the on-board
stuff. As far as the kick goes, I’ve put a lot of top on the kick for metal
but this is hard rock so it doesn’t really apply here. I also go for more of
the mid part of it like around 1kHz to 2.5kHz. There’s a bit of top end
on the kick too but just enough to get clarity. Of course, we have two
mics on each kick drum.
What mics are you using for the drums?There’s a SM91 and D12V on each kick. Matt Sorum is endorsed by
AKG so all the mics are AKG except for the snare where I’m using a
Beta57 on top and an SM57 underneath. I was pleasantly surprised
with the tom mics, which are AKG C518M. I used to dislike the
previous model but this new model is pretty good. Great top end and
the new mounts are way superior than the previous version. For
overheads we used AKG 414XLII. I really like them. It allows me to use
them in any form. Sometimes I used them for the whole kit and
sometimes just for cymbals and with the pattern options it makes it an
easy choice for me.
What about guitars?I’m using Shure SM57s and KSM32s. I like to put them together on one
speaker. I listen to the cabinet until I find a good spot and then I put
them together until the phase is correct. Sometimes I’ll pan them or
sometimes I’ll be crazy and delay one of them, depending on the
situation. It just allows me to separate and manipulate the guitars
without EQing.
the bass guitar is quite growly and distorted for the most part. How are you handling that?He’s got a pedal. He’s also a hard hitter so the way I route the bass is, I
go from the bass to the DI, from the DI to the pedal and from the
pedal to the amp. That way I have one clean sound and a distorted
sound coming from the amp, which is mic’ed. It allows me to
balance it depending on what the song requires.
What do you do on your time off?I play video games (laughs)! Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is my favourite
while on the road. Also, hanging with the family and getting some
quality time with them is also important to me. And maybe having a
glass of Scotch.
Being from Peru, have you ever been to nazca?I never made it to Nazca or Cuzco. I’m actually planning a trip for the
family to go to there so I’m looking forward to that.
segma –adam Hall
46
lIVe eVentS ConCert report
Steering Innibos music festival to record crowds
Considering Afrikaans only makes up about 10% of South Africa’s
speaking language, the festival numbers at Innibos are even more
impressive – on the Saturday night alone, 54 000 people were in
attendance.
And it was an impressive billing this year, featuring the likes of Bok
van Blerk, Oros in ‘n Lang glas, Die Tuindwergies, Karen Zoid, Frankie
Fire, Bittereinder and VanFokKingTasties; and there was also a flea
market, various works of art on show and even a fairground thrown in
for good measure.
Sound Headquarters provided the lighting and audio for the main
stage, the latter of which centred on EAW’s new KF Series: 28 KF760s
made up the main PA; 12 KF740s were provided for the delays; and 24
KF730s were chosen for side fills. In addition, 18 SB1000 and 12 SB2001
subwoofers provided low-end reinforcement and 14 Microwedges
were deployed for fold back.
In terms of control, two Soundcraft Vi1s did the trick at FOH and
monitor position respectively, and the microphone setup constituted
a dozen Shure BETA 58s, each with its own ULX-D receiver.
The main stage lighting rig was designed by Johan Ferreira at JSF
Productions and was predominantly Robe-centric: a full-size
GrandMA console was in command of 24 Robin Washes; 12 Robin 600
Beams; and six Robin 600 Spots made up the core, which was
complemented by 24 Clay Paky Sharpys, 12 2K Fresnels and 24 Briteq
LED banks.
It also required a sizeable amount of LED – enter long-term AV
specialist, EPH Productions, which provided 250-square metres of LED
via its own 7, 12 and 16mm resolution Top Vision screens. Company
owner, Leon Pheiffer, brought in trusted colleague Penmac’s Malcolm
Finlay to lend a helping hand.
“I brought in Malcolm about six months prior to the event, We’ve
worked together many times on projects like this, but none are ever
quite the same,” Pheiffer says. “The whole stage was run with
(Dataton) Watchout graphics and video, which is Malcolm’s
speciality.”
Finlay used Watchout to cater for seven sources including two outer
Innibos is south africa’s largest afrikaans annual music festival. the four-day event attracted 106 000 people to nelspruit this year from 26 to 29June, where 48 bands took to five main music stages as punters went through 22 000 litres of beer, almost 25 000 pancakes and a rather alarming 8 646 rolls of toilet paper!
Phot
os b
y le
on P
heiff
er
surgesound
audiosure – Chavet
48
lIVe eVentS ConCert report
screens, two huge towers (one at each side of the stage), two square
blocks in front of the drum risers and the back panels.
“We started with the drawing of the stage, then took every panel
and mapped it to the logical video resolution – basically, each one
had its own resolution; and then we put all of those panels together as
they needed to make up one composite image as viewed by the
audience,” Finlay reveals. “In addition to that, we were feeding all of
the music tracks for the band and click tracks out of Watchout.
Furthermore, although not spec’ed initially, later on we put live
camera feed onto the surface as well, across the whole stage or onto
individual panels as required.”
Despite being somewhat of an old hand when it comes to these
kind of events, Finlay insists that every one retains a uniqueness that
doesn’t allow him to even consider going on ‘auto-pilot’.
“We break up the stage and design every panel and feed, and
when we know what that is, we put the content together,” he
explains. “The amount of planning for this job was huge due to the
fact that what we’re really doing is creating a big music video that
runs across the whole surface for the duration of the show; all of those
screens were produced into one huge video which we mapped
initially and then had our content creator make background videos
to fit all the panels as if they were one surface – we then split them up
into separates.
“Like any job, you have to look out for certain things that could go
wrong, but because we’ve been doing it a long time, we know what
we’re looking out for, so we’re never coming in cold, so to speak – for
example, if we’re spacing the LED panels apart, we know that we
need to allow for gaps in-between and thankfully we can do all of
that very easily on Watchout.”
The EHP and Penmac partnership is impressive for a number of
reasons, not least the level of detail that went into certain elements of
the pre-production work for Innibos.
“Because you’ve got four different artists on the main stage each
night, there are never any repeats, which means we’ve got to study
what they’re all going to do,” says Pheiffer. “For this reason, we had
them send us their music videos, which enabled us to then
incorporate their respective look and feel on stage using a
click track.”
Resolution has come on leaps and bounds in the world of LED,
especially in the last few years, which is why it’s such major talking
point in the live industry. But isn’t a 5mm or 7mm screen overkill for an
outdoor event?
“Oh, the 5mm screen is awesome even for Powerpoint,” says
Pheiffer, with a smile. “But the benefits of the higher quality screens
are huge across the board. With an LED screen, you’ve got a
much stronger power lamp life, and for these kinds of events you
don’t get washed by the stage lighting, so if you’re doing a show
for a client on a hi-res screen on stage, you can see everything
perfectly, and it’s as bright as you can imagine. Nowadays clients
really like that.
“I’ll give you an example: we did an outdoor event in Durban
with a 70-piece orchestra and 40-piece choir and covered the PA
towers with 7mm LED as video walls, and although the audience
were only four metres from the stage, from where they were
standing it looked absolutely awesome, so there are certainly
major advantages in using these higher resolution screens.”
EPH also provided kit for several other stages: for the MK stage, a
Eurotruss roof structure was deployed along with a 12mm LED
screen centre stage and two 16mm screens for the sides; two
hangs of 12 JBL VerTec made up the main PA system with a
Soundcraft Vi4 at FOH and Vi1 on monitors; and lighting came
courtesy of 60 Martin Professional fixtures.
For the more modest Huletts and Arts stages, smaller JBL VerTec
setups were provided along with 16 Martin Professional fixtures
respectively.
According to Pheiffer, the event was a major success, and
although EPH is firmly established as one of the leading
companies in its field, he’ll never take his eye off the ball.
“Ourselves and Penmac are certainly pushing the envelope
when it comes to LED setups, and also, Watchout itself is pushing it
too in South Africa,” he states. “EPH is always trying new designs
and coming up with new ideas to keep us ahead of the game, so
as a company we are always evolving; that’s why we’re one of
the frontrunners in the country.”
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gearshack
50
medIAtech AfrIcA sHoW report
Mediatech Africa – casting a global footprintOver 130 leading exhibiting companies introduced ground-breaking
innovations, services and products at Mediatech Africa 2013 to an
increased visitor attendance of media and entertainment
professionals with concrete buying interest.
This year saw a record-breaking 6 924 feet through the door
attracting crowds from all over South Africa including 424
international visitors of which 197 were from Africa.
The presentation zones were extremely well attended and
provided expert advice and captivating information for visitors
wanting to gain knowledge on film, broadcast and production as
well as pro AV, sound and lighting. Beyond a generous scope of
dynamic products and services, Mediatech 2013 saw an increase in
events, informative workshops, training as well as pertinent
conferences that initiated significant industry conversations for
planning and development.
SACIA hosted two member networking breakfasts that were fully
booked. “It was an extremely positive experience, with great
feedback from our members and a lot of interest from the broader
industry,” remarks Kevan Jones, executive director of SACIA.
Asikhule proudly introduced the first African Loudness Summit at
Mediatech and director Duncan Todd, was impressed with its
significant success, affording Asikhule the opportunity to meet all the
Summit objectives, which included: initiating a conversation between
distribution and production around the prickly topic of loudness
fluctuations in broadcast material.
“The Summit was full to capacity, thanks in no small part to the
efforts by the Mediatech event organisers to promote attendance to
If there is any speculation as to the level of
growth in media and entertainment
technology on the african continent,
Mediatech has proven that there is
unlimited potential, delivering another
successful show in 2013. With exhibitors
and visitors still overwhelmed with the
widespread industry relevant turn out, an
increased african interest and an on-going
trajectory of valuable business leads and
brand exposure, the biennial trade show
has earned its place as the continent’s
largest and most successful advanced
technology exhibition.
51
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their Africa-wide audience. Our delegates valued the convenience
of attending our Summit and being able to visit the continent’s largest
broadcast and production tech exhibition at a single venue.
“In addition, the Meditech-facilitated opportunity to present on this
important loudness content to the delegates of the SABA Digital
Broadcasting Infrastructure Platform Workshop that was held in
parallel with the Africa Loudness Summit, was extremely valuable
and, according to formal presentation assessment feedback
received, very well-received by delegates from all over Africa who
attended the SABA event,” says Todd.
The outdoor sound demonstrations proved once again, to be a
show achievement, with top sound specialists showing off the latest
audio sound, amplifiers and line array systems. Bernard Pienaar,
director of Viva Afrika, said: “Our experience at the outdoor demo
area was very positive and one of the highlights for us and the dealers
who visited us at the show.”
Matrix Sound was able to showcase the Alcons LR24 system for the
first time at Mediatech and Trevor Peters believes it was a risk that
paid off. He says: “We were congratulated by so many people who
heard the system that it felt like we had won an award on Friday. We
had nothing but positive remarks about the Alcons Audio LR24s from
competitors, engineers, company owners and the general public. It
was very rewarding.”
Without a doubt, 2013 saw a huge jump in the number of attending
international manufacturers and principles, increasing to 178, who
had an engaging and worthwhile experience at Mediatech.
Key players in content creation and live event technology were
able to participate in a unique platform for cutting edge technology,
ample industry networking and product engagement with a relevant
audience. Exhibitors across a number of different industry divisions
agreed that this year’s exhibition was a monumental and beneficial
event.
“Mediatech 2013 really was an experience for us on another level,
we knew we would have a high amount of client visits but didn’t
expect the amount we got, there was stages we couldn’t fit enough
people on a huge stand of 90sqm which is fairly big as it is. There was
definitely an increased African presence this year which became
evident when we were going through our leads and more than 40%
were from African countries.” – Maldwyn greenwood, Ceo, segMa“Overall, we received very good exposure, good publicity and
found Mediatech to be a worthwhile event for PENMAC and Dataton.
It is very much at an International standard with very impressive
participation from the local community.” – Malcolm Finley, Director at PenMaC audio Visual
“Mediatech was a definite step up this year, it certainly
felt that of an international trade show, I always got
great service and lively smiles out of the organisers and
exhibitors, and had a fantastic feel for the event in
general. A true Benchmark for Mediatech with
recognisable growth from 2011›s rendition.” – shaun Xavier, Marketing Manager, stage audio Works
“We are absolutely ecstatic with the overall standard of the
exhibition, with the international quality stands and the professional
approach that the exhibitors took in leveraging their involvement at
the exhibition. We are delighted with the attendance figures and the
increase in African delegates. The amount of international
manufacturers who made the trip out to support their local
distributors was also fantastic. This made for a truly intercontinental
show.” – show director, simon robinsonThe next Mediatech Africa will take place at the Coca-Cola Dome
from 15 – 17 July 2015.
52
medIAtech AfrIcA sHoW report
Vale re Huart-gyors (export Manager)ayrton
Vale re shared with us
that it was his first time
at Mediatech and his
first time in South
Africa. “Mediatech is a
very professional trade
show, I have to remind
myself that we are in
Africa because in
terms of organisation,
product presentation
and quality of visitors
there is no difference in
comparison to trade
shows in Europe,” he says.
Ayrton displayed their entire range of products at Mediatech 2013
but most notably and new to their product line are magic panels.
“Magic panels are the new flagship of Ayrton in terms of innovation,”
says Huart-Gyors.
“Magic panels can be used in groups of 2, 4, 6, 8 and so on. They
provide an endless rotation in both span and tilt movements, you can
display video with them, and they can be used as a luminaire radio
wireless receiver. If you have a large number of magic panels they
can be used as a moving giant screen that provides 3D without the
need for glasses,” explains Huart-Gyors.
On Ayrton’s partnership with Sound Harmonics, he says: “We have
a new exclusive distribution partnership with Sound Harmonics here in
South Africa for two months now. They are a really great, proactive
team with a good knowledge of our products so we are very happy
to be working with them.”
anthony Harrison (Middle east and africa sales Manager)Calrec audio ltd
This was Anthony
Harrison’s second time
at Mediatech:
“Mediatech 2013 has
been really good for us
this year; the show
seems much busier,
there are lots of very
established customers
and lots of students
which is great because
it gives us a chance to
inspire the next
generation of audio engineers.”
“Calrec is doing pretty well at the moment in South Africa as our
consoles have just been picked up by SuperSport and the SABC. Our
consoles are on the higher end of the market and I think we are
definitely penetrating this market, but we do still have some work to
do,” says Harrison.
Calrec brought some cutting-edge audio technology to
Mediatech: “The Hydra is our audio networking technology, what this
allows is stage boxes to be distributed around a facility; multiple
consoles linked together which allows you to switch productions
between control rooms, in other words broadcast flexibility. It is a
proprietary network protocol developed entirely by Calrec. Bluefin
was the first audio DSP based on FPGA designs and we’ve expanded
on that. With the Artemis console there’s Bluefin2 which, with the latest
silicone technology, means it is more powerful. So in terms of
innovation we’ve expanded on existing products in terms of energy
efficiency and space saving,” explains Harrison.
On Calrec’s partnership with Tru-Fi he says: “Tru-Fi Electronics are
one of our longest standing distributors in the world, we’ve been with
them for over 15 years now and they represent us really well.”
stephane gressier (International sales Director)Chauvet lighting
It was Stephane
Gressier’s first time at
Mediatech. “We’ve
had a wonderful
experience at
Mediatech. A lot of
people inquiring about
our product line,
especially our
professional range
which is being
launched here in South
Africa for the first time. I
think Mediatech is
definitely on an international level, I visited a few other regional shows
in the Middle East and this show is a notch up in my books,” says
Gressier.
Chauvet Lighting has been in partnership with Audio Sure for 10
years and Gressiercommented that the Audio Shure team are great
to work with.
Ian staddon (Vice President of sales)DigiCo
“It’s my first time at
Mediatech and I
wasn’t sure what to
expect, but I was really
pleasantly surprised by
the quality of the
Mediatech Africa – global leader interviews
Clean, suppor t ive d is t r ibu t ion.
t ( + 2 7 ) 11 7 9 1 70 0 9 w w w w. t adc o . c o . z a e s a l e s @ t ad c o . c o . z a
yamaha
tadco
54
medIAtech AfrIcA sHoW report
stands, the presentations and more especially by the number of
international representatives that have come down to South Africa for
the show. The quality of the attendees here at Mediatech has been
my personal highlight,” says Ian Staddon.
DiGiCo manufactures a range of digital mixing consoles, Staddon
explains: “Our main focus is live sound. The beauty of our consoles is
that the platforms remain the same all the way through so if you learn
how to use one console you can operate all of them. We use a
different technology called FPGA (field-programmable gate array),
which allows us to have all of the features working all of the time
whether we’re working at 48kHz or 96kHz, and we can also add
additional features to the software such as broadcast features which
allow us to enhance the software in a number of ways.”
Staddon adds that Tadco has been the DiGiCo distributor for a
quite a few years: “DiGiCo is a small independent brand; we still
manufacture everything in the UK. What we try to do when finding a
distributor is not necessarily choosing the biggest distributor in the
region but the most passionate about the industry, and we found that
in Tadco.”
anthony Wilkins (International sales Manager)Jünger audio
It was Anthony Wilkins’
first time at Mediatech
as well as his first time in
South Africa.
“Mediatech is
extremely busy! I go to
many trade shows
around the world and
personal experience
usually shows that the
attendance is getting
less and less. It’s crazy
how busy Mediatech
has been, it’s fantastic!
I wish every trade show was like this, Mediatech definitely holds its
head up with the best of them,” says Wilkins.
Jünger is a German company specialising in audio processing. The
big focus for them at the moment is products to manage loudness,
especially for television transmission. Jünger has numerous solutions to
help broadcasters both measure and metre loudness to ensure that
the viewer receives a consistent experience.
Michael strathmann (technical sales)Ma lighting
This is MA Lighting’s
second time at
Mediatech, Michael
deals with technical
sales and expressed to
us that he loved South
Africa and its people so
much that when the
opportunity arose to
return to the country
and Mediatech for a
second time, he took
it immediately.
“There are more people here, and much more to see, definitely of
a higher frequency. It is a good mixture from sound, video, broadcast
and lighting, and you don’t find that very often. So in that sense
Mediatech is quite unique,” says Strathmann.
MA Lighting brought with them their random gMA2 range of
consoles, live software versions for video servers, 3D simulation and
their new fader wing and command wing.
On MA Lighting’s partnership with DWR, Strathmann says: “They are
a fantastic team. They always know exactly what is going on, you
never get the answer: ‘I don’t know’.”
Christian latzelsberger (Head of sales & Director Business Development)rMe
“It’s my first time at
Mediatech and I’m
very excited. The show
has exceeded my
expectations; there are
a lot of quality
attendants and a
variety of interests,”
says Christian
Latzelsberger.
RME have always
been innovation
leaders in the audio
industry, Latzelsberger
told us a bit more about their latest innovations: “Here at Mediatech
we have the world’s first OctaMic XTC, it has eight microphone
channel ins and four instrument ins, and in addition we also
implemented ADAT, MADI and AES, so now it also functions as a router
and a converter allowing you to use it for multiple applications.”
“We also have the world’s first USB 3 sound card, the MADI XT; it is
intended to have three MADI streams in. If you have a digital mixing
console or other digital ins you can bring them in, and it also has two
microphone ins. On the other side it has USB 3, and PCI express
connectivity. So it is a very versatile and powerful unit which will be
arriving in South Africa in two to three months,” explains Latzelsberger.
Freddy sicko (sales Manager)shure europe
While it wasn’t Freddy
Sicko’s first time in
South Africa, it was his
first time at Mediatech:
“I’ve been really
surprised by the size of
the show. We have
made a lot of very
interesting and
valuable contacts
here. It’s a nice mixture
between end
customers, professional
users and companies. I have no doubt that Mediatech will continue
to grow.”
55
sHoW report medIAtech AfrIcA
tadco
Shure brought their new retail wireless systems; PG, SM and Beta
digital and analogue wireless microphone systems to Mediatech
2013. In recent research they discovered that their end customers are
really microphone-centric: “All they really want is a quality
microphone without a cable,” says Sicko.
We asked him about his longstanding relationship with Wild and
Marr: “We have been in a partnership with Wild and Marr for over 18
years. We have a very professional partner in them. They are able to
offer any kind of solution or service, and besides the hard facts it is
truly fun, the guys are wonderful and we have a very close
relationship with them.”
According to Sicko, Mediatech is of an international standard:
“Besides the size of the show, I sense no major difference in
comparison to international trade shows. Regarding the booths, the
products and the quality of the visitors, I think that Mediatech is just as
good as any international trade show.”
thomas ValtertC electronic
“I’m really enjoying Mediatech, it is such a broad trade show covering
everything from musical instruments, to production, to broadcast;
there’s something for everyone. I’m truly surprised by the amount of
guests at the show. It stands up to other international trade shows, the
quality of the show is just the same,” says Thomas Valter.
TC Electronic is part
of the TC Group. TC
Electronic recently
came out with a new
model in their Dual
Parameter Equalizer
(DPE) Series, the DPM
50, these speakers are
angled.
TC Electronic is
heavily involved with
the loudness debate:
“We have been
contributing for
many years to the
development of
new loudness
standards. We are working hard to integrate those standards into
our products and to actually get them out into the market,”
explains Valter.
The latest TC Electronic product launched is also a new
technology platform for them – the DB6. The DB6 is a television and
mobile television transmission processor that can handle loudness
metering at the input and output stages, up or down conversion,
loudness processing, on-line lip-sync delay and logging of all
relevant loudness statistics all in one process.
+27 11 791 7009 sales@tadco.co.za www.tadco.co.za
Distributed by
56
medIAtech AfrIcA sHoW report
Florian Camerer interview
Florian, what drew you to audio?Very early on I started to play instruments, sing in choirs, playing in
bands and stuff like that so I was always really keen on music. Most
audio engineers come from the music side but I was always interested
in sound in general. So when I looked at a career path I didn’t look at
broadcasting specifically but it was high on the list so I started with
electrical engineering for a technical background and then I did
some sound engineer courses too. So the combination of the music
side, the sound side and the technical side of it kind of led me to job
opportunities in broadcast. ORF was the first employer I had and still
my only employer. I then realised what universe lay ahead of me and
I’ve never looked back. I am audio to the core.
so when you started out was the digital age starting to take over?Well, yes, it was slowly happening. It was the beginning so we were
still on analogue components in TV. DAT recorders started appearing
in 1993 so it was the beginning of the transition period.
and you were the first to mix surround sound for a documentary about the russian artic?Yes, at that time it was matrixed surround – so Dolby Surround –
because we only transmitted two channels. But I was also pushing
discrete surround sound very heavily around the company which
resulted in the ORF becoming the first public broadcaster in Europe to
transmit surround sound in 2003 with the New Years’ concert. It was
also the first European 5.1 live concert transmission ever. So we are
pioneers in surround sound and continue to be. We followed two
years’ later with our main cultural programme broadcast on satellite
radio with around 20 5.1 concerts per month.
so working back in those days did you start picking up a loudness problem at that time?(Laughs) Well who hasn’t? Everybody knows from the consumer side
starting 15 years ago the loudness differences due to hyper-
compression. The effects started becoming more noticeable.
Mediatech 2013 saw the emergence of a three-day seminar entitled ’the african loudness summit’, organised by partners asikhule, training professionals in the pro audio and broadcast industries; the issue at hand the grossly fluctuating levels between channel programming.
We all know the frustration of having to lunge for the volume control every time there is an ad break and this is what the loudness seminar aimed to address, helped in no small part by its guest speaker, Florian Camerer. Camerer is a member and chairman of the european Broadcasting union’s PlouD (eBu group on loudness) and architect of the proposed solution to the problem: the eBu r128. Pro systems journalist greg Bester caught up with Mr Camerer to talk about the summit and what it means for broadcasters in south africa.
By Greg Bester
Florian Camerer
audiosure – Chauvet
58
medIAtech AfrIcA sHoW report
I’m aware of problems on the music side called the ‘loudness wars’ but also in broadcast?Yes, absolutely. Of course, it was always the ads that we blamed;
commercials too loud, promos too loud. That was the generic
crystallisation stone where we could point blame. But it wasn’t only
the ads and commercials; others used hyper compression as well to
crank it up such as hyper compressed documentaries. So the
loudness war, while not to the extent that it reached the music world,
still reached the broadcasting world to a very noticeable and
annoying level. It was listening complaint number one for many
years.
Why do you think that was – a lack of education or of production sensibility?You know, it’s kind of a hen and egg problem. We had a certain
modulation scheme in the analogue days when still transmitted in FM,
which I’ve learned is still happening in South Africa. We had this
meter called the ’quasi-peak programme meter’ where you don’t
see everything including all the nice peaks that contribute the
openness of a mix. This still allowed transmission, however, because of
analogue headroom. At one point in time which is entirely impossible
to trace, the modulation paradigm; having a certain studio level with
headroom and translating that to the frequency modulation side with
a certain reference deviation and maximum deviation to provide
that headroom, was violated. The reference level in the studio has
been attached to the maximum deviation and that meant that all
the headroom vanished. So all these nice transients of the original
content had to be cut off with limiters and the result was the station
then appeared a few dB louder than the rest but all the headroom
was gone so it sounded more compressed.
so do you think they saw that as an advantage?Absolutely! The louder station wins. If you zap through the dial, that
was the idea. This is slowly turning around but at least that was the
paradigm and how it started. And so, other broadcasters were kind
of forced to follow because they couldn’t afford to be the softest
station. It was all about advertising revenue and management
asking you why it was the case.
Do you feel that the processing employed by many broadcasters is almost like a band aid or fix for a problem that shouldn’t be there in the first place?Yes, absolutely. Because you get more or less compressed material
that in the world of peak level normalisation leads to higher or lower
loudness. In order to counteract that, processors were put into place
that levelled out these things with compressing the more dynamic
material. That was a solution that can only be a band aid solution
because it’s the worst of both worlds. It destroys the dynamics and it’s
not a systematic solution to the problem.
tell me about PlouD.PLOUD is a group within the EBU that has initiated all this loudness
work. I have tried to get such a group going in the EBU for quite some
time and after two years or so the EBU agreed, ok, you get your group
but you have to chair it. So I slipped into that role. The ‘P’ comes from
an old structure in the EBU where it was divided into the Production
Management Committee and the Network Management
Committee so we were originally P/LOUD. Eventually there was a
restructuring and we got rid of the slash.
Please tell me a bit about your involvement in the r128 standard.Because I have been the coordinator and chair of PLOUD and
a sound engineer myself, I have contributed some of the
figures and hard facts that went into R128. For instance the
400ms momentary time window is my initiative. There’s some
background behind it but it certainly came from my side. My
main role has been political in that I have driven to
synchronise manufacturers and users so that our standard is as
open and neutral as possible with no proprietary technology
in that all the measures are totally signal agnostic; the lowest
common denominator and a standard that will work
anywhere.
and by keeping is simple.Yes, keeping it really simple. R128 is in essence one page.
However, keeping it simple is usually the hardest work. We
really thought about every single word in R128 and we’re
pretty happy with it.
you mentioned K-weighting in your talk. Is that related to Bob Katz’s K-system?No, it’s a misunderstanding and is not related to Bob Katz.
That’s why I’m not entirely happy with the letter K. The ITU guys
had no clue about Katz’s K-System which is related to
dynamics and loudness. He has a set of different numbers for
listening levels which forces one to mix more or less
dynamically. But it doesn’t have anything to do with the
K-weighting filter. Although, Bob Katz is very aware of it and he
will love the day when he can master to our R128 specs. He is
actually a member of a sub-group of PLOUD together with
Bob Ludwig and Thomas Lund from TC Electronic. They are a
small group called the Music Loudness Alliance.
Being here in south africa have you had a chance to talk to any broadcasters?Yes, I have been to M-NET twice and talked to the guys there,
which was highly encouraging. It was very good; they know
their stuff. It looks like R128 is going to happen there. I also
spent two days talking at the SABA conference talking to
African delegates from all over the continent to acquaint
them with the idea of what this is all about. Many guys from
production houses also ask questions, so it’s looking very good.
you said we’re in transition phase because we have a lot of analogue broadcasting going on. Do you think this is our biggest hurdle?You know, there are ways to combine both worlds. It comes
down to the receiver manufacturers that levels coming out of
the digital and analogue decoders match. That’s entirely
doable. Coming from one source feeding both analogue
and digital chains with the same R128 compliant material
ensures deviation and demodulation levels match.
so it’s a calibration issue?Yes, it’s a calibration issue. So if the calibration that is in place
now is set up properly it shouldn’t be impossible at all to match
both worlds. Of course, if analogue is phased out completely
there’s less room for error. Viva Afrika Sound and Light (Pty) Ltd
Unit 2, 2 Drakensburg RoadLongmeadow Business Park West, West� eld
PO Box 4709, Rivonia, 2128, South AfricaTel: 011 250-3280, Fax: 011 608-4109
orders@hybrid.co.za, www.hybrid.co.za
viva afrika
SW218 Dual 18” Subwoofer
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB): 30 – 100Hz
Average Sensitivity: 101dB/1W/1m
Driver: Customised Beyma 18” LF driver,
Neodymium magnet 4” voice coil
Connectors: Heavy duty NEUTRIK Speakon NLT4M
Power Rating (AES): 2 400W RMS / 8 000W Program / 9 600W Peak
Weight: 80Kg
Dimensions mm: 580(W) x 1 150(H) x 750(D)
K-LA28 Dual 8” 2 Way Passive Line Array
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB): 60 – 20 000Hz
Average Sensitivity: 96dB/1W/1m
Driver: Customised Beyma and Faital driver
Connectors: 2 x NEUTRIK Speakon NI4MP
Power Rating (AES): LF 200 + MF 200 + HF 50W
Passive X-over Frequency: 450Hz / 2.2kHz Passive
Weight: 19Kg
Dimensions mm: 590(W) x 236(H) x 436(D)
K-LA Series
SW Series
Core TechnologyThe K-LA series is primarily used for fi xed installation
and touring systems. The result of in-depth research,
the Audiocenter R&D team has developed the unique
PTVTM technology which combines phase and
waveguide engineering together seamlessly.
A perfect match for all Audiocenter full
range speakers.
Viva Afrika Sound and Light (Pty) LtdUnit 2, 2 Drakensburg Road
Longmeadow Business Park West, West� eldPO Box 4709, Rivonia, 2128, South Africa
Tel: 011 250-3280, Fax: 011 608-4109orders@hybrid.co.za, www.hybrid.co.za
viva afrika
SW218 Dual 18” Subwoofer
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB): 30 – 100Hz
Average Sensitivity: 101dB/1W/1m
Driver: Customised Beyma 18” LF driver,
Neodymium magnet 4” voice coil
Connectors: Heavy duty NEUTRIK Speakon NLT4M
Power Rating (AES): 2 400W RMS / 8 000W Program / 9 600W Peak
Weight: 80Kg
Dimensions mm: 580(W) x 1 150(H) x 750(D)
K-LA28 Dual 8” 2 Way Passive Line Array
Frequency Response (+/- 6dB): 60 – 20 000Hz
Average Sensitivity: 96dB/1W/1m
Driver: Customised Beyma and Faital driver
Connectors: 2 x NEUTRIK Speakon NI4MP
Power Rating (AES): LF 200 + MF 200 + HF 50W
Passive X-over Frequency: 450Hz / 2.2kHz Passive
Weight: 19Kg
Dimensions mm: 590(W) x 236(H) x 436(D)
K-LA Series
SW Series
Core TechnologyThe K-LA series is primarily used for fi xed installation
and touring systems. The result of in-depth research,
the Audiocenter R&D team has developed the unique
PTVTM technology which combines phase and
waveguide engineering together seamlessly.
A perfect match for all Audiocenter full
range speakers.
Viva afrika – audiocentre
60
medIAtech AfrIcA sHoW report
Sounding out the Big 5one of my favourite parts of Mediatech africa,
whether as a visitor in previous years or as a journalist,
is the outdoor sound demos. It’s a rare opportunity to
be able to listen to almost all of the major loudspeaker
systems available in our market in one area in order to
get a bird’s eye view of their performance and overall
sound quality.
However, to extract an effective comparison in
these kinds of demonstrations it is of paramount
importance to listen to the same programme material
at the same perceived loudness, otherwise the ear will
be easily tricked into thinking a system is better when
in fact it is just louder. Well, that is exactly what was
done this year. In the intro sessions, a pre-mixed track
of three sample recordings was given to each
distributor to play back through each system at
85dBsPl so that the listeners may form an objective
opinion. I was there to listen to multiple sessions
throughout the three-day ordeal and this review
outlines my top 5 contenders for the best sounding
systems showcased at Mediatech.
alcons audio lr24
Truth be told, the Alcons LR24 is
not available in South Africa yet
but has been in the pipeline for
release for quite a while and
has left many fans of the
Netherlands-based company
waiting eagerly with bated
breath.
The LR24 is a dual 12-inch
medium format line array
system that features a 14-inch
tall high frequency ribbon
driver, which is the secret to its
sound. Alcons Audio, unlike
many other manufacturers using dome compression drivers through
specially designed waveguides, opted instead to develop the
Pro-RBN driver because, as they claim, it produces a ’naturally
cylindrical wave front‘ which is essentially the goal of any line source
system. Alcons also claims that due to the inherent agility of ribbon
drivers, transient response is increased dramatically and colouration
due to compression driver distortion is basically eliminated.
At Mediatech Africa 2013 we almost had to give up hope in
hearing the LR24 since there was a problem with the plane that was
set to deliver the system to our shores via SA distributors Matrix Sound.
However, luckily for us it arrived the on the last day and we were
finally able to hear what all the fuss is about. From the first note it was
clear that the claims made by Alcons were more or less true. I was
instantly impressed by the clarity and ‘quickness’ of the top end. The
midrange seemed smooth and natural and because of the
increased top end intelligibility, the stereo image danced around my
ears in an ethereal way. I like. I like a lot.
JBl VtX V25
The VTX V25 is JBL’s latest offering in
line source technology. Following on
the success of their previous Vertec
systems, the VTX brings a slew of new
technologies and patents the table
and a heightened sense of quality
that is immediately evident when
hearing the system.
The V25 is a full-size three-way
high-directivity line array element. It
features dual 15” differential drive woofers coming in at 2000W each,
mounted in die-cast aluminium baffles. Probably the most interesting
aspect of this system is the inclusion of the new D2 driver, a dual
diaphragm compression driver that includes many innovations like
specialised phase plugs and dramatically decreased distortion at
higher levels. The VTX as a whole boasts many new patents in its
design.
After hearing the VTX at the Rhema church in Randburg thanks to
SA distributors Wild and Marr, I knew exactly what to expect. These
speakers seem to ‘glow’ audio and have a fantastic tonal balance.
The top end is dramatically different from the Vertec series and seems
to have smoothed out quite a bit while the midrange is clear and
unobtrusive. Of course, coupled to the S28 subwoofers they make an
immensely powerful system with a lot of headroom and an even
coverage.
nexo stM
The STM system
concept is to
provide three
different modules
that can be assembled into their rigging system to create smaller or
larger systems based on the application. The three modules include:
The STM M46 main module, the STM B112 bass module and the STM
S118 sub module. The main module incorporates four 6.5” LF/MF
drivers and four HF compression drivers with a max peak SPL coming
in at a gargantuan 145dB. The bass module includes a single 3000W
+/ – 3cm excursion 12” LF driver with a max SPL of 141dB. The sub
module includes a single 18” LF driver with a peak SPL of 143dB.
The system assembled at Mediatech by SA distributors Tadco was
three main, three bass, and three sub modules per side in ground
stack configuration. Firstly, for the size of the system, the sound was
simply huge. I and others could not believe the amount of bass that
we were hearing from six single-18” drivers. However, because the
arrays were ground stacked the HF waveguides were pointed directly
at my head so the top end sounded a little bit hyped. I assume that if
the arrays were flown we would get a lot better impression.
By Greg Bester
61
sHoW report medIAtech AfrIcA
- High Performance HDX-powered - Pro Tools AAX Plug ins
- Simple, reliable network with AVB- 64 Channel Pro Tools Recording
- VENUE Software
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segma – avid
Martin audio W8lM
Martin Audio is gathering a huge
following worldwide thanks the
success of their ground breaking
MLA series. At this years’
Mediatech SA distributors
Audiosure rigged up the W8LM, a dual-8” mini three-way line array
system. The enclosure features an eight-inch LF frequency driver, an
eight-inch MF driver and twin one-inch HF drivers fed into Martin
Audio’s proprietary constant directivity horn as seen on their W8L
Longbow and W8LC line arrays.
The W8LM impressed me immensely on the day with its fantastic
transient response and overall clarity. Given its small size it is quite
astonishing what big sound this system can produce and I was left
wanting very little from it in terms of tonal balance and stereo
imaging which, by the way, was fantastic. The localisation cues were
going off like fireworks in my brain and it just immersed me into the
sound further. My only complaint was that the second day I heard
the system it seemed to sound a little different but that just could have
been me!
dB technologies DVa t4
I love underdog systems that deliver the goods when everyone least
expects it. dB Technologies, distributed in South Africa by Viva Afrika,
showcased their DVA T4 system among others at Mediatech Africa
this year and gave the competitors costing much more a big run for
their money.
The DVA T4 is an active three-way line array system that combines
an eight-inch LF driver, a 6.5-inch MF driver and dual one-inch HF
compression drivers in an active
line source enclosure. The built-in
Class-D amplifier delivers a total of
420W RMS to the drivers in 100W(HF)
x100W(MF)x220W(LF) configuration.
The on-board processing includes
24-bit/48kHz DSP and a dual active limiter for
multiband RMS/peak limiting and thermal protection.
After hearing three other high end contenders before the DVA T4
the bar was indeed high and expectations were low. But this little line
array held its ground and turned out to be one of the favourites of the
day, delivering an astonishing tonal balance across the spectrum.
Paired with a ground-stacked end-fire array of DVA S30N dual-18”
subwoofers, the sound was full and chest pounding. However the
impression was not heightened solely because of the bass. The top
end was sparkly and clean with little perceivable distortion while the
midrange retained the clarity and warmth expected from a high end
system. Given the price of this little system, power, clarity and
sweetness were delivered effectively.
the wrap
One thing that the outdoor sound demos showed me this year
is that there are many good line arrays on the market today,
irrespective of price. In fact, I don’t envy the person who has to
choose one between them all to add to their arsenal. There
were others not mentioned in this review that also impressed
me which made it even more difficult to pick five that I liked.
The margin of quality is narrowing in this arena which, I
suppose, is a good thing for the listener!
62
StudIo & BroAdcASt proDuCt reVieW
Allen & Heath Qu-16 review By Greg Bester
Following the success of their glD
range, allen & Heath once again
brings a versatility and power together
into a compact package with the
qu-16, their latest digital console
offering. But this little beast is so much
more than merely a mixer. It boasts a
fantastic array of features across
multiple applications, sealed up nicely
into a slick, modern package.
Allen & Heath, the British audio company famous for their warm
sounding analogue consoles and fantastic EQs, have evolved like
any front leading audio equipment manufacturer, starting with the
custom MOD1 quadraphonic console built for Pink Floyd in the early
1970s, and culminating in their flagship iLive digital console series
today.
Their name can also be found on a number of studio mixer/audio
interfaces in the ZED range and their GS-R24M is an innovative mix of
a high quality analogue console, a Firewire audio interface and a
DAW control surface. Given this wide range of digital and analogue
technologies A&H has under its belt, it is no wonder that the Qu-16
was born, filling the gap between the GLD-80 and ZED ranges and
bringing their technologies together.
Features
Allen & Heath describes the Qu-16 as a: ’rack mountable digital mixer
for live, studio and installation’. The goal here was obviously compact
versatility. Basically, to cut to the chase, the Qu-16 is three things: a
digital mixer, an audio interface, and a DAW controller. But it doesn’t
end there. It has a few more tricks up its sleeve that we’ll talk about
shortly. First, the main I/O features.
The Qu-16 has got 16 local mono inputs (mic/line, XLR and TRS), a
dedicated talkback input, three stereo inputs (TRS), four stereo FX
returns, 16 busses, 12 mix outputs (LR, Mono, Mix 1-4, Stereo Mix 1 – 3),
four stereo FX engines, an Alt out, a 2TRK out, and one AES3 digital
63
proDuCt reVieW StudIo & BroAdcASt
output. The Alt, AES3 and 2TRK outputs can be individually assigned in
the mixer routing facility to be fed from a variety of sources.
Considering its size, this is already impressive. Also, there is a dSNAKE
remote audio port for connecting to A&H’s GLD-AR2412 or GLD-AR84
remote stage boxes and a network port for connecting to a
computer for MIDI over TCP/IP control or to a wireless router for live
mixing control via the Qu-Pad app. I’m told that when using the
24-channel GLD-AR2412 only the first 16 inputs are available.
Each input channel is driven by A&H’s recallable AnaLOGIQ
preamps. This means that you get total recall with every scene
change without having to physically adjust each preamp again. Of
course, you can’t have total recall without motorised faders and the
Qu-16 is no exception. Every fader moves.
As mentioned, the Qu-16 is also a multi-track audio interface. A USB
port on the rear of the console enables users to connect to their Mac
for instant, 24x22 Core Audio-compliant multi-track recording. This
disappointed me a little bit; however, as this means that it does not
work with a Windows PC. Hopefully A&H will decide to add PC drivers
in future updates. In any case, using the Qu-Drive direct multi-track
recording feature, it is possible to record and playback multi-track
audio directly from USB drives plugged into the console. Nice!
The usual suspects that one would expect to get on any digital
mixer are all there. There’s trim, polarity, HPF, gate, insert, 4-band PEQ,
compressor and delay for all inputs; inserts, 1/3 octave GEQ,
compressor and delay on the main LR and mono mix outputs; and
inserts, 4-band PEQ, compressor and delay on stereo mix outputs.
There are four stereo iLive FX engines as well, and along with the
built-in signal generator and RTA with peak band indication, you’ll
never need to lug an external rack again. Rack? What’s that?
Additionally, all features are nicely indicated and navigable in the
800x480 full colour touchscreen display.
Still, there’s more. The Qu-16, as mentioned, is a DAW controller.
When connected as a USB audio interface, control data will be
streamed concurrently to and from your DAW. All that is required is to
assign it in your DAW. What protocol this data is carried by, exactly, is
not clear from the A&H documentation.
Now, there’s one thing to know about the Qu-16 in terms of its
firmware. V1.0 does not support the following features:
• USB key transfer of scenes and mixer setup user assignable
custom layer
• Qu-Pad wireless remote app for iPad
• dSNAKE port for remote audio connection
• Compatible with ME personal mixing system
• User permissions to restrict operator access
Apparently these features will be added to the V2.0 firmware in the
summer of 2013.
In use
Unpacking the Qu-16 from its box I was immediately impressed by its
sleek construction. It looks somewhat similar to a serifed ‘L’ on its side,
which brings a very modern twist to the whole package. This makes
the enclosure very thin and lightweight, which of course belies the
true power of this little mixer.
First thing I did was put it next to my home studio setup, plug in the
USB cable to the Mac, plug my studio monitors into the Alt outs, and
turn it on. Sure enough, it was instantly recognised by the Audio and
Midi Setup dialogue of OS X. Since I only had a couple of days with
the Qu-16 and didn’t really have a gig to use it on at that point in time,
I decided to take the route of using it as an audio interface and feed
it some audio from the computer to get a feel for its facilities and
processing.
I must admit it took me a little while to understand how to assign the
incoming audio streams from the computer as, of course, I didn’t read
the manual first and kind of just took an approach of happenstance
discovery. Turns out the USB functionality has to be switched from
Qu-Drive to USB-B Streaming in the USB setup dialogue and the USB
button in the preamp section of each channel turned on. Once all
was assigned properly I was getting clear audio on every and any
channel from the computer.
I then chose to feed an un-mastered mix of previous material I had
recorded to get a feel for the on-board processing. I enabled all the
FX channels and fed the audio into the first stereo input channel in
order to link the stereo processing I was about to apply.
First thing I did was play around with the EQ and compression. I
found the EQ was typically smooth, which is to be expected of Allen &
Heath. Boosts and cuts sounded great and even at extreme settings,
there was minimal phase shift and brittleness. I found the compressor
to be very effective and it fattened things up nicely. This particular
mix was a live mix directly off of the stereo bus of a console so it had a
lot of snare and lacked bass. Setting the compressor to a fast attack
with a medium release quelled the snare a bit and caused the bass
to step forward a little due to the decreased dynamic range.
I then turned my attention to the FX engines to see if I could add a
bit of space to the otherwise dry and tightly focussed recording. I set
the first FX engine to an EMT plate reverb and, to my ears, it was just
luscious. It really gave the mix the space it was lacking and I was sold.
What I liked about the FX is that the graphic representation of the
processor changes through the categories to look ‘retro’, for want of a
better word. To me this just makes the process a bit more pleasant
than looking at a sterile GUI.
the wrap
I had a chance to check out the Qu-16 at Prolight and Sound
2013 in Frankfurt and was instantly impressed by its features. I
found it easy to navigate and a joy to mix on, which added to its
allure. Being such a small footprint mixer it’s actually quite
amazing how many features they’ve been able to pack in and
personally I can’t think of any other product in its class that can
accomplish the same things, never mind with equal precision,
but even at all! Well done, A&H, you’ve hit this one out of the
park.
64
StudIo & BroAdcASt stuDio tips
Finding the right spot to put the close mikes is a similar exercise which
sometimes requires an assistant. The fact of the matter is that there is
no way you can merely eyeball where and how to place your close
drum mics. It’s just not humanly possible. You may get lucky. That’s
entirely possible. But the only way to truly know is to move them
around the relevant drum until you capture the right tone and the
least amount of bleed. Every room and drum set setup is differently so
they will come with their own set of variables. These cannot be
circumvented by speculation so it is wise to always find that sweet
spot before pressing record.
So, once we have assembled the best possible components we
can in our recording chain, placed the drummer in a comfortable
position in the room that sounds best to our ears, it is time to start
miking.
these are generally the types of mics I tend to use for each drum:
Kick/Inside – aKg D112: I use the AKG D112 because it is a large diaphragm dynamic
microphone that can handle the low end and high SPL of a kick drum
whilst allowing for a clear attack and chunky mids. I also like the
Sennheiser e602 or the Audix D6 for a more tailored or scooped
sound. Nowadays I would say the D112 and the Shure Beta 52 are the
most common mics that I see for this application. The D112 is known
for being more on the ‘thuddy’ side whilst the Beta 52 has more of a
tailored, ‘pillowy’ sound. Other notable mentions to handle this duty
are the EV RE20, the Audio Technica AE2500, the AKG D12, or the
Beyerdynamic M88.
Kick/outside – rode ntK: Or any other quality large diaphragm tube condenser. This is a large
diaphragm tube condenser from the Australian microphone
company, Rode. I use this mic to give a little extra low end and a more
air to the kick drum to round out the isolated and sterile sound of the
inside mic. Most LDCs will handle this duty well because most of them
can handle high SPL very well. The Neumann U47 was the professional
standard for this application for many years and if you have one
available, use it!
snare/top – shure sM57 (or Beta 57 for a brighter sound): An industry standard. If you’re looking for more attack from your snare
but want to attain that naturally (without EQ), try the Shure Beta 57
Recording and mixing drums in the modern DAW: Part 2 – Finding the right spot
greg Bester discusses choices and placement of mics around a drumkit in a studio recording situation.
I The fact of the matter is that there is no way you can merely eyeball where and how to place your close drum mics. It’s just not humanly possible. You may get lucky. That’s entirely possible.
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stuDio tips StudIo & BroAdcASt
because it has a more pronounced upper mid-range presence peak
than the SM57. Dynamic mics are mostly selected for drums because
they handle the transients better as a result of their rugged and slower
moving elements and can also take high doses of sound pressure.
However that doesn’t mean a condenser microphone can’t do a
great job. There are millions of other options out there that would work
just as well on snare drum but what I would suggest is start with the
SM57 to gain a reference and move on from there as it has been used
on countless albums and is tried and tested.
snare/Bottom – (or beta 57 for a brighter sound): The main purpose of this mic is to pick up the sound of the strainer on
the bottom of the snare drum. I like to use the same mic as the top as I
find that when you flip the polarity, a more even sound is produced.
But that’s just my personal taste. Other engineers may prefer another
mic. This is a matter of taste so you may find you need either a brighter
or a darker sound and will have to choose a mic accordingly. That
will provide that sound. This is one of those things that cannot be
taught and comes by experiencing different microphones.
nB. As far as the snare mics go, generally the bottom mic’s polarity
is flipped in relation to the top mic and is blended accordingly to mix
in the sound of the strainers. This is because the bottom mic, being
that it’s pointed up at the bottom head underneath the snare drum,
will naturally be opposite in polarity to the top mic. This occurs as a
result of the diaphragm’s movement being directly analogous to the
movement of the drum skin when struck. When the top head is
caused to depress by being struck by the drumstick, the bottom head
reacts oppositely in relation to the axis of the bottom mic and is
captured as such.
In short, the bottom microphone is capturing the opposite motion
of the bottom head in relation to the top head, i.e. the reverse polarity
of the pressure wave created by the striking the top head. This will
usually cause certan phase cancellations when combined with the
top mic so initiating a polarity reversal by way of your mixers’ channel
polarity switch will bring both signals back into phase. However, this
does not mean that it will sound best for the material so check to see if
the polarity reversal will supply the sound you are looking for. Once
again, let your ears decide.
Hi Hat – aKg c418 mini-condensor: This is a mini condenser that was originally created by AKG for
percussion instruments. Being as such, the microphones’ response is
bright with a presence peak in the high upper midrange and a gentle
bass roll-off starting at around 500Hz at a 6dB/oct slope. This, to me,
makes it a perfect candidate for miking hi hat as it’s nice and bright
with an unobtrusive midrange and a nicely rolled off low-end. This
supplies me with a good sound before it hits the tape that never
needs to be EQed. Alternatively, any other decent small diaphragm
condenser will work such as Shure SM81 or an AKG 451.
toms – sennheiser MKII 421: These microphones have been the industry standard for miking toms
for decades although any good quality cardioid dynamic
microphone will work as well. SM57s will handle these duties just fine
and so will some large diaphragm condensers (some engineers use
U87s!), which is fine, but I prefer dynamic mics for rock/pop because
they are more directional and therefore tamer when it comes to
cymbal bleed. What makes the 421’s so nice is that they are clean,
punchy, and focused while supplying a great deal of top end
rejection from the outward extremes which makes them perfect in
the battle of minimising cymbal bleed when recording drums. This is
because at the upper frequencies the polar response of the
microphone becomes narrower so cymbal bleed is minimized while
the on-axis sound, ie. the tom, is maximised.
overheads – neumann tlM 103 matched pair: I prefer large diaphragm condensers for the overheads but any
matched pair of small diaphragm condensers (as best quality as
possible, of course) will work fine as well, especially if you’re using an
X/Y configuration, which is the method of aligning the capsules of
two microphones vertically at around 90 degrees. This results in a
focused stereo image that collapses well into mono. To me, the
overheads are the most important in the drum kit miking process, so
careful attention must be paid to their position and the quality of their
capture.
A quick note on overhead mics is that, for me, this is where the
sound of the drumset starts. Early on, it was a major revelation to me
when I realized that the overheads are not there to merely capture
the cymbals. In fact, I would say that starting with a great overhead
sound that captures a balanced image of the entire kit (as always, to
match your production goals) is probably the best approach. This
forces you to, firstly, get the drums themselves sounding as best as
possible and, secondly, to get a good sound with just two mics.
Finally, when it comes to choosing overhead microphones, the
options are myriad and varied. Would I recommend dynamic mics as
overheads or even a single mic, i,e, a mono overhead? Sure, if it fits
the vision of the production. I do think it’s safe to say that the options
are open. In my experience, the most common choice of
microphone when it comes to overhead miking is the condenser or
capacitor variety followed in close second by ribbon mics. Notable
mentions for overhead applications are: AKG C12V, AKG 414, Royer
Ribbons, Neumann U67/87, RCA 77 and many others, including worry
free stereo microphones.
The overall placement of the microphones all comes down to
knowing their polar responses and placing them in order to capture
what you want and to reject what you don’t. This can be a tricky
exercise, especially when dealing with a drummer who sets his kit up
very tightly so getting a mic in there proves to be almost impossible. In
my experience, a seasoned studio drummer who is aware of the
basics of studio recording will be able to adapt his kit slightly to
accommodate microphones. All drummers should know that failure
to compromise might mean a compromise in sound quality if the
engineer cannot capture what is necessary to suit the material. So,
after you get the guy to move his splash over a few inches, the
tracking can begin.
“In my experience, a seasoned studio drummer who is aware of the basics of studio recording will be able to adapt his kit slightly to accommodate microphones. All drummers should know that failure to compromise might mean a compromise in sound quality if the engineer cannot capture what is necessary to suit the material.”
66
StudIo & BroAdcASt inDustry eXpert
Mar
ius M
arais
tell me how you got into sound.I got into sound because it was easier than music, or so I thought. Or
rather, playing music as an instrumental skill. I had grown up around
music and always sought out to be a musician. I went to music
lessons from the age of five and music was always in the family.
yes, your father is the famous saxophonist eckie eckhart, isn’t he?Yes, he bestowed upon me a great many gifts he got from working at
a music shop like harmonicas and drums and recorders. And not just
recorders but nice recorders like Yamahas, etc. From recorder it was
piano and from piano it was the saxophone. I then tried drums for a
while and then tried bass after carrying around drums. I then got a
massive bass amp which made me not want to play bass anymore!
(laughs).
When did audio come into the equation?Well one day I happened to walk by a jazz club when my dad was
looking for a gig and the owner was in need of a sound engineer. Of
course, before that I was throwing rave parties with my friends and
since my father owned a PA, I was always roped into being the sound
provider for these no budget, teenage jaunts which would include
things like procuring electricity from lamp poles at Zoo Lake. Then I
learned very quickly about electricity and how it hurts! So I already
had a bit of grounding in audio, which prepared me for working at
the Bassline in Melville, which was my first real gig.
How did the Bassline help develop your skills?Well, I got a lot of guidance along the way from some very good
teachers, one of whom was Ian Osrin who suggested I bypass the EQ
at the Bassline, which I wasn’t allowed to touch being a junior
engineer, and which subsequently made the system sound like a real
sound system.
so that was your first encounter with Mr osrin?It was indeed. That was my first foray into sound as it should be as a
basic philosophy. Because we become so involved with the process
we often don’t look at the basics and go back to the principles of the
fundamentals. Any adjustments you make should be well considered
because often the best thing to do is nothing at all as opposed to
over complicated smoke and mirrors. I generally try to maintain a
neutral profile as a conduit between the material and audience.
Did you study audio at all?Well while I was working at the Bassline I went further with my audio
studies at In House Audio College which had a supplementary effect
in that I then started understanding the peripheral, fundamental and
theoretical approach to audio. Of course, I had already had a very
hands-on experience at the Bassline which pulled it all together. As
time went on my position at the Bassline became tenuous and that is
where Ian Osrin, who owns a studio, came into the picture again.
What did you learn from Mr osrin?Well, Ian is multi-faceted. He does a lot of broadcast recordings,
studio work and multi-track live recordings so those are the three main
branches of the audio world that I got exposed to, along with some
really interesting clients.
Did you find that an easy transition? Did you get more inspired by the studio?At the time as a budding young engineer I was able to buy myself a
PC at great expense along with some software which allowed me to
produce music in my bedroom on PC speakers. I initially started
recording live performances at the Bassline on a Roland VS880, would
dump them into Cubase one at a time and then line them up
manually. The point is that I was learning all the time and attempting
to achieve certain things without much guidance. I also had friends
who were interested in the same thing so that helped.
tell me about your work with Miriam Makeba.By the time I started working at the Digital Cupboard I wasn’t
completely oblivious to what was going on so it wasn’t long before I
had progressed from basic tea boy and tracking guy to a little bit
more in control. Often projects would begin with me as tea boy and
end with me mastering them and Miriam Makeba’s Reflections
album, on which I was only supposed to work on the pre-production,
was one of them. That was the first album I really started functioning
on and I ended up being nominated for Best Engineer at the SAMAs.
all this time were you still working in live sound?I think it initially started when I subbed for Dave Seagull because he
was unavailable and because I was more available than the other
guys I got a chance to do a lot of touring with bands like Stimela and
Marcus Wyatt. At the time there were a lot of opportunities in the live
music festival scene. There were big festivals happening every
weekend so it was quite lucrative to be a studio engineer during the
week and then a live engineer on the weekend.
Gavan EckhartGavan Eckhart is one of South Africa’s top Sound Engineers that rules under the radar. He is a virtual expert in almost every area of audio including but not limited to recording, mixing, live sound, post-production, mastering and broadcast audio.
Quite simply, he can handle anything you throw at him. Look-ing at his client list, the mind boggles: Miriam Makeba, Stimela, William Kentridge, Freshlyground, Lucky Dube, Marcus Wyatt and Phillip Miller, to name a few, which gives testament to his output of excellent work and steadfast production ethics.
He’s recorded orchestras, mixed film scores, recorded and mixed a plethora of artists and bands, handled location record-ing for top local TV shows and toured the world as a live sound engineer, representing the cream of the crop of our local profes-sional community.
Pro-Systems journalist Greg Bester caught up with Gavan at his studio to learn more about him and get his perspective on all things audio. Here’s what he had to say.
gavan eckhart
67
SocIAl
Marcus Bowes and Jubulani Khoza
Chanti raven, Matt raven, timothy Hamman and Carl nicholl
James garden, quentin Barkhuizen and Michael Hall
Basey nchoe, gladwin letsoalo, Denzil Francke and Dennis Msimango
newton stanford, steve goldberg, Paula Zapata, lauren Badenhorst and Pieter Badenhorst
andre Bragard-de naeyer, robbi nassi, suren lutchman, Mags schoeman, linda swart and grant olivier
Dennis Herold and shaun Kerr
tagwireyi rungano and allan Chiweshe
Zane Cretten, Harry gladow, george van gills, Mark geldoff, Jaoao Martins Bastos, remco van Kuilenberg, Helmut Protte and Kevan Jones
Jess goedhals, Johan Chandler, Bryan Deuchar and gordan Hiles
Melanie robinson, simon robinson, Chanelle ellaya, greg Bester, Ida achiume, Carly Barnes, Jessica neumann, Claire Badenhorst and simone de Beer
Bernard Pienaar and luis Madeira
shaun de Ponte, Marius van straaten, stephen nell and Werner uys
gianluca Dalessandro and oscar Brinkman
tumelo Zulu and teboho Monare
atul Joshi and Khalid Kachawa
Mark Hull, gustav teitge and anton van Wyk
Chris Vermaak and sarel Hlungwani
Seen at Mediatech Africa 2013 – Coca-Cola Dome, Johannesburg
68
SocIAl
Ivan Potter (iled), richard Jowett (aV Designs) and Bruce Kinnear (iled)
Pieter Venter (aV gurus), Kyle White (radionics Distribution) and Justin Fothergill (radionics Distribution)
a training session in progress
Justin Mamulis (iled) and Bartho erasmus (elite tech)
Dean tapuch (Integrated Homes) and Wendy griffiths (CeDIa)
supersport’s refilowe Kotsedi and sanele gumede with tadco’s Kyle robson
Perry elias (tadco)
Darren salkow (Élan), oren Prato (Intello Home), sebastian Maritz (iled), Justin Mamulis (iled) and Warren Hunter (Intello Home)
Christian Beukes (sphere Custom Design), geoff Meads (Presto aV), Matt Dodd (CeDIa) and Kevin Bishton (KMB Digital)
CEDIA Evening – Black Eagle Conference Centre, Roodekrans
Digico Training – Tadco offices, Jhb
Prosound: Francois lotter, grant scott and terry acres
Concilium: andrew Cole and steve alves
DWr Distribution: Joshua Cutts, Bruce riley, nick Britz, robert Izzett and Duncan riley
Christie: Dale Miller, Brant eckett, Phil lord and annalise Hodgson
VIva afrika: luis Madeira and Bernard Pienaar
Inala: Viwe gantsho, Colin Wainer, Zak shaikh, Hanli reinecke, leander serrao, anton van staden and goodman siwela
Mediatech Africa 2013 Platinum Stand award winners – Coca-Cola Dome, Jhb
3-Way ActiveLine Array Model
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LF Driver: 12” Neodymium Compression Driver
Power Rating (RMS): LF 710 + MF 350 + HF 350W
Weight: 29.9Kg
Dimensions mm: 580(W) x 386(H) x 430(D)
DVA T8 3 Way Active Line Array Module with DSP processing
Frequency Response (+/- 3dB): 66 – 18 000Hz
Max SPL: 132dB
HF Driver: 2 x 1” Neodymium Compression Driver
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LF Driver: 8” Neodymium Compression Driver
Power Rating (RMS): LF 350 + MF 175 + HF 175W
Weight: 14.2Kg
Dimensions mm: 580(W) x 240(H) x 327(D)
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Viva Afrika Sound and Light (Pty) LtdUnit 2, 2 Drakensburg Road
Longmeadow Business Park West, West� eldPO Box 4709, Rivonia, 2128, South Africa
Tel: 011 250-3280, Fax: 011 608-4109orders@hybrid.co.za, www.hybrid.co.za
viva afrika
Viva afrika – Hybrid
Block C, Unit 1, Kimbult Industrial Park
9 Zeiss Road, Laserpark, Honeydew, 2170
Tel: +27 11 794 5023 Fax: + 27 11 794 5702
sales@dwrdistribution.co.za www.dwrdistribution.co.za
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