Adamson IS7

Building on the international success of its heralded S-SERIES, Adamson Systems Engineering will add the S10n line array cabinet to its offerings and introduce the integration-focused IS-SERIES family of loudspeakers at Prolight + Sound 2017, Hall 3.1 Booth B60.

The S10n is a narrow-dispersion version of the widely adopted S10 two-way, full-range line array cabinet. Boasting otherwise identical specs to the S10, the S10n delivers an 80° x 10° (H x V) dispersion pattern for applications with tighter horizontal coverage requirements.

The S10n, Exactly the same as the S10 but the dispersion pattern 30° tighter without any SPL gain but a better throw.

“S10n emphasizes Adamson’s commitment to the touring market,” comments Marc Weber, Director of Product and Brand Management, Adamson Systems Engineering.
“Based on requests from our strong clientele of touring users, this narrow version of the S10 was developed to increase the long-throw capability of S-SERIES loudspeaker packages and further expand their usability and performance in reflective spaces.”

The IS-SERIES will make its debut with the IS7 and complementing IS118 subwoofer. The IS-SERIES packs Adamson’s sophisticated tour-level technology into sleek, architecturally-friendly boxes with rugged but unobtrusive rigging solutions. As founder and namesake Brock Adamson explains, the IS-SERIES is a natural progression for the rapidly growing company.

The new IS7, an installation line array made on purpose for the installation market. Check the lateral vents of the Controlled Summation Technology

“Adamson has a clear vision for the touring and installation markets,” he says. “Through three years of continuous rapid growth, we have not wavered from our commitment to vertical integration.
By placing our product engineering team in a common environment with industrial machinery and processes, we discover ways to engineer more hard value into product. Our newest segment-focused products are a demonstration of that philosophy, revealing the performance standard that people expect of the brand.”

The IS7 is a two-way, full-range line array cabinet containing two ND7-X5, 7” Neodymium drivers and an NH3, 1.4” exit compression driver. The critically optimized waveguide produces a slightly curved wavefront with a nominal dispersion pattern of 100° x 12.5° (H x V).

Four IS7 showing the unobstrusive rigging solution

The waveguide’s efficiency allows for increased vertical dispersion without sacrificing high frequency presence in the far field while the patent-pending Controlled Summation Technology further eliminates the low-mid lobing normally associated with two-way line source systems.

The IS118, a new sub extremely close to the touring products. 137 db SPL Max versus 138 for the E119.

The companion IS118 subwoofer is loaded with a lightweight, long excursion 18” ND18-S Kevlar Neodymium driver utilizing Adamson’s Advanced Cone Architecture and a 4” voice coil for exceptional power handling. It is mounted in an ultra-efficient, front-loaded enclosure, designed to reproduce clean, musical low-frequency information.
The IS-SERIES cabinet construction uses marine-grade birch plywood and aircraft-grade steel. The IS7 is equipped with NL4 Connectors and screw terminals while the IS118 has screw terminals available on demand. A plate-and-screw rigging solution is recessed in the interior of the rear rigging fins for easy installation.
The series is available in a standard black and white, with RAL colours available on demand. The IS-SERIES is perfectly suited for a wide range of applications, including performing arts centers, live performance venues, sports venues, conference centers, and houses of worship.
The IS7 and IS118 will begin shipping in late May 2017. The S10n will begin shipping in the summer of 2017.

Visit Adamson at Prolight + Sound 2017, Hall 3.1 Booth B60 from April 4-7, 2017.

More than 100 Claypaky Scenius Profile luminaires accompanied German hard-rock legends Bad Uncles on a winter tour of their homeland in support of their first new album in ten years ‘Memento’, with longstanding production designer Jerry Appelt selecting the innovative fixtures to create spectacular, multi-layered lighting looks.

Appelt has worked with Bad Uncles since 2002. As a result, he is accustomed to creating the high production values the band desires. “They’re a fantastic band with very powerful music which is a great base on which to create stunning looks,” he explains. “They want to give their fans the best possible experience so their standard for visuals is very high.” For the Memento tour, the band’s brief dictated a classic, high-impact rock show that incorporated a diverse range of powerful stylistic elements and reflected the identity and artwork of the album, which reached number one in the German charts.

Appelt worked alongside video director Roland Greil to craft the resulting design, which was based around five automated triangular shaped monoliths. Each provided three distinctly different looks by rotating to display a different visual element; one side featured high resolution LED screens which displayed dynamic video content by Berlin-based Blitzen, and other moving lights including the Scenius Profiles and the third conventional tungsten fixtures. Providing the entire lighting package for the Bad Uncles’ show was PRG Germany.

“The Scenius Profile has an incredible light output which both allowed it to break through the video-heavy parts of the show and also to create awe-inspiring stand-alone looks when the screens were off,” says Appelt. “It’s an extremely powerful, versatile fixture which complemented the rest of the rig beautifully.”
The Scenius Profile features a Lok-it! HTI 1400/PS Osram lamp, an extremely high CRI and a zoom that ranges from eight to fifty degrees (1:6 ratio). The optical reflector has been designed specifically for the product, in order to make the projection perfectly uniform across the whole beam opening. If used in conjunction with the newly developed frost filter, the fixture can also be applied as a highly effective wash light.

As well as rigged on the monoliths, the design featured Scenius Profile fixtures in the overhead truss, as side lighting and on the floor. From these positions they provided visual accents in a range of colours.
“The Scenius Profile has a fantastic colour mixing system; combined with their flat field they integrated perfectly with the high resolution LED walls to create a cohesive visual picture,” continues Appelt.

The Scenius Profile’s CMY colour mixing system works alongside a CTO device, offering a four colour mixing system each of which can be adjusted gradually with 16-bit high precision. The system provides an infinite range of colours, from bright, vibrant hues to softer pastels and warm shades of amber.
Bad Uncles (Böhse Onkelz in their native German) reunited in 2014, putting an end to an eleven-year hiatus. The band released ‘Memento’ in August 2016 and in November began their tour of Germany, with additional dates in Austria and Switzerland.

More informations on the Claypaky website

One of the STM clusters reinforced in the low end by S118 and LS18 subs

With the opening of the Yu Bar in Shunde, near Guangzhou, the entertainment scene in China sees a return of the mega club after many years.  It features the debut installation in China of a NEXO STM Series modular line array system, chosen to position the Yu Bar at the top of the market.
The sheer size of the new venue is breathtaking, with a 15 metre ceiling height that allows its technical specifications to be fully achieved. “Too often in China, sound proofing is overlooked but not here,” says Michael Chow, marketing manager for Top Plot Int’l Ltd, NEXO’s distributor for China.  “At Yu Bar, the ample height of the structure means that the PA system can be installed at the optimal height and position, without the usual compromises.”
In an installation designed and contracted by NEXO’s Guangzhou dealer Hertz Audio with Hong Zing Audio Equipment, aided by Top Plot International, an STM Series line array system featuring M28 main cabinets has been specified for the house PA, teamed with STM B112 bass modules and STM S118 subs.

A large view of the venue with the DJ booth at the centre of it.

This high-output sound reinforcement system is matched by huge top-end LED screens, high-powered lasers and a top-spec lighting rig to attract the best local and international DJs and support the specially-invited guest performers who will push the Yu Bar to the forefront of the entertainment scene in China.

The LS18, a cheaper way to deliver 137 dBSPL of pure low end with a single ferrite 18’’ driver. The know what sensitivity means at Nexo.

The DJ booth is at the centre of the rectangular venue, with clusters of STM M28 – each cluster using 2x M28 with 90° dispersion, plus 1x M28 with 120° dispersion for wider horizontal coverage.  Below the M28s is a single STM B112 bass module to provide the vital punch around 80-120Hz.
The two wings of the DJ booth each have a big LED screen, the outside edges of which each have another cluster of STM M28+B112.  In addition to STM S118 subs, more than 20 additional NEXO LS18e subs reinforce the low frequencies all over the venue.

Years passing by, but the PS15. Oups, she’s nos PS15-R2 !

The Yu Bar is packed full of other NEXO cabinets – 28x PS15-R2, 8x PS10-R2 and even 2x ID24s used as satellite fills to cover all corners and corridors of the club.  The whole system is driver by NEXO NXAMP4x4 and NXAMP4x1 powered TDcontrollers.
Yu Bar opened its doors for business in time for the lunar new year. The Guangzhou Prolight+Sound exhibition provided a perfect opportunity for a party for all the entertainment technology contractors and suppliers, including NEXO’s International Sales Director Denis Baudier and East Asia Business Development Manager Michel Brouard, accompanied by Top Plot Int’l. Ltd. Director Forky Tsui, and NEXO’s Guangzhou dealer Hertz Audio (GuangZhou) Co.,Ltd. and its local contractors.

A shot showing the DJ booth from the bar where the mood is kept alive thanks to the PS family, hanged and visible on top of the image.

“Everybody was impressed by the geat interior settings of the Yu Bar,” reports Michael Chow of Top Plot Int’l.  The décor and the AV systems, and the catering, are second to none.  It’s a truly sensational place for parties and events, which is why it has already become the centre of attraction in this region, even though Shunde district is an hour’s drive from the centre of Guangzhou city.”

In image, from left to right: Mr.Marco Lee, Executive Director, HongXing Audio Eqt.Co.,Ltd., Ms. Liang Fei, CEO. Bloom Power Cultural Co.,Ltd., Mr. Wu YiQiang, Executive Director, Shun De Yu Bar Entertainment Service Co., Ltd., Mr. Huang JianHua (Venture Partner), Shun De Yu Bar Entertainment Service Co., Ltd., Denis Baudier, Intl. Sales Director, NEXO, Forky Tsui, Director, Top Plot Intl.,Ltd., Michel Brouard, East Asia Business Development Manager, NEXO, Mr. Zhao ZhiHui (Founder & Invester), Shun De Yu Bar Entertainment Service Co., Ltd., Mr. Ye HaiDong, General Manager, Hertz Audio, Mr. Chen Xiand, Executive Director, Nanning Lei Hong Audio Eqt. Co. Ltd.

Further information:

• Le site de Nexo
• Le site Top Plot International
• Le site Hertz Audio

On 5 February Houston, Texas played host to the NFL’s Super Bowl LI, fought out between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium. Entertaining the crowds in the hotly anticipated Pepsi Zero Sugar Halftime Show was Lady Gaga, whose high-octane performance earned the respect of millions in an intense 13-minute spectacular that was viewed by over 115 million people worldwide.
The show was another world-class collaboration from co-production designers, Bruce Rodgers of Tribe Inc. and LeRoy Bennett of Seven Design Works, and lighting designer, Bob Barnhart of 22 Degrees. Ayrton was, once again, proud to be part of this show with 81 new MagicDot™-XT fixtures, 40 new MagicPanel™-FX fixtures and a solitary CosmoPix™-R chosen to adorn the major scenic elements of Barnhart’s lighting design.

Lady Gaga lors du spectacle de mi-temps du Super Bowl LI, au piano dans son globe couvert de projecteurs Ayrton MagicDot-XT. © Kelly Coffey

Both Bennett and Rodgers had a message to convey through their design and, with the eyes of the world watching, helped Lady Gaga restore a sense of unity and deliver a performance that was both uplifting and determined. Symbolism was abundant amongst the scenic elements, with half-buried – but still shining – stars surrounding the main stage, two tall 34ft-high towers as back drops, and a piano stage shaped like a planet of shining light, with a beating heart at its centre and softly undulating beams of light reaching out to the audience.
With the juxtaposition of Woody Guthrie’s This Land is Your Land and Irving Berlin’s God Bless America at the top of the show, against a backdrop of illuminated drones etching out the star-spangled banner in the sky, the message of humanity was clear to any who wished to see it. “We presented the design to Gaga, who has very strong views of her own, and she embraced it,” says Bennett. “She is one of the few artists who, once you show them an idea, figures it out and then totally owns it.”

Le globe du piano de Lady Gaga en construction chez All Access Staging & Production. © Bruce Rodgers

From this, Gaga decided on her own set list and what to do with each number in different areas of the stage, then worked hard to make sure every aspect of her performance was perfect, from her dive off the roof of the stadium, 90ft up in the air, to the final catch of the ball as she jumped off stage at the end. “She worked so hard and we wanted to ensure our design matched her level of commitment. She’s the real deal as far as talent goes. She is a great entertainer but most of all, an incredible human being – honest, open, warm and sincere, and we wanted to bring that across too.”

Bennett chose not to use video in the show in favour of something different that would focus the attention on Gaga’s performance. “I wanted something more raw, to say something about Gaga. So Bruce and I came up with the same inspirational tear-sheet – a chequerboard stage with its grid work illuminated from beneath and emanating smoke to add another dimension to what would be traditionally a flat surface.” Flanked by the fallen stars, the stage was backed by two tall towers which provided scenic lighting as well as being a statement in themselves appearing, at one point, to be on fire. Each tower was rigged with 20 of Ayrton’s new MagicPanel™-FX, and additional spot fixtures, placed on the façade in a random layout to help with the look of the over all production design. MagicPanel-FX units were also located in the base of the towers and used to up-light the towers themselves.

“I like the MagicPanel-FX because of their brightness and zoom capabilities,” says Barnhart. “I also wanted a contrast to the spot fixture that would share the same real estate. The contrast in the appearance of the MagicPanel-FX, as well as what it can do, gave me a nice tool box of options.”
Aside from the beam capabilities and movement, Barnhart made use of the MagicPanel-FX’s internal macros to create graphics that played across the face of the fixture, offering great timesaving during programming in the short production time available.
Barnhart chose another new Ayrton product, MagicDot™-XT, to create a second scenic piece, an outlandish piano feature – one of Lady Gaga’s signatures – which in this case took the shape of a globe. “The idea came from Gaga herself who wanted a sphere that represented the planet, with a multitude of light beams emitting outward from it,” explains Rodgers. “We designed the shape as a series of custom-bent latitudinal and longitudinal pipes clustered with an array of MagicDot-XT fixtures specified by Bob. This shape melds into a grand staircase and the entire combination was mounted on a wheeled cart frame to roll it onto the field.” The globe, like the towers, was fabricated by All Access Staging & Production.

Lady Gaga au Super Bowl avec la tour festonnée de MagicPanel-FX © Lindsey Breslauer

With Gaga’s keyboard connected to the globe, Barnhart programmed a series of gentle fades and ripples of light through the MagicDot-XT fixtures, combined with slow sweeping movements to create a whole emotive environment during the song A Million Reasons. A single, spherical, Ayrton CosmoPix-R was placed in the centre of the piano globe as the warm beating heart within it, giving another dimension and depth to the structure and meaning.
“Instead of the piano just being an inanimate object, it took on a personality of its own with some emotion attached to it that emanated out into the audience,” says Bennett, who also praised the field cast of choreographed Gaga fans that carried Glow Motion torches across the field to connect with the crowd. “It was the closest you can get to video, but without the coldness that can come with LED as a medium. The whole idea was about bringing in a more humanistic, organic side and bringing it down to earth.”

Ayrton’s new fixtures were brought to Bennett’s attention by Morpheus Lights, the exclusive US distributor for Ayrton, which brought a private demo of the MagicDot-XT and MagicPanel-FX to Bennett in early November. He immediately earmarked them for Lady Gaga’s Halftime Show, and demo units were delivered to Barnhart and the scenic team some weeks later. After seeing their capabilities, Barnhart chose MagicPanel-FX and the MagicDot-XT specifically for the scenic pieces of the towers and piano globe. They were supplied by PRG, the long-term lighting contractor for the event.
“I love Ayrton products: they are extremely innovative, super-reliable, and always at the top of the list of things I put into my designs,” says Bennett. “Bob did an amazing job of putting it all together, and I’m happy to say they all behaved themselves on the night!” The whole production was as deft and beautifully executed as Gaga’s now-legendary final catch of the ball. This team nailed it.

More information on the extensive portfolio of Ayrton LED fixtures can be found at www.ayrton.eu

Samsung Electronics today announced it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Harman International Industries, Incorporated. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Harman stockholders will receive $112.00 per share in cash.
The completion follows the satisfaction of all conditions to the closing of the transaction, including approval of the transaction by Harman stockholders and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions.

Young Sohn

“Today is a historic moment for us. The close of this transaction opens the door to create substantial growth opportunities and deliver greater benefits for customers worldwide,” said Young Sohn, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Samsung Electronics, and Chairman of the Board, Harman.
“We see transformative opportunities in the car – and a future which seamlessly connects lifestyle across automotive, home, mobile and work. Samsung’s and Harman’s leadership in these spaces perfectly positions Samsung to be the preferred partner to our OEM customers.
In addition, bringing together Harman’s iconic audio brands and capabilities paired with Samsung’s leading display technologies will deliver enhanced audio and video experiences to consumers and professional end markets. And most importantly, we are enthusiastic about our common vision, the similarities in our culture of innovation, and the added value we can create for customers. We look forward to working with all of Harman’s employees to execute on our vision.”

Dinesh Paliwal, Président et CEO de HARMAN

“We are excited to have completed the transaction, which provides compelling cash value to our stockholders, benefits our customers and provides new opportunities for our employees,” said Dinesh Paliwal, Harman President and CEO.
“Samsung shares our commitment to our customers and our culture of speed, innovation and execution. Samsung provides Harman with the scale, platform and complementary technologies to accelerate growth and extend our global market leadership in automotive, smart audio and connected technologies.
Recognizing the importance of partnerships in an increasingly connected world, particularly in automotive, we are poised to leverage our combined teams and resources to produce even greater value for our customers. Working closely with automakers and other technology companies, Samsung and Harman will define – and drive – the future of automotive.”

In connection with the completion of the transaction, Harman’s common stock ceased trading prior to market open on March 13, 2017 and are delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. Harman will operate as a standalone Samsung subsidiary, overseen by a Board of Directors led by Mr. Sohn.
Mr. Paliwal will remain CEO of Harman, leading the Company with his management team, and will continue to serve as a member of its Board. Samsung is retaining Harman’s work force, headquarters and facilities, as well as all of its consumer and professional audio brands.

When Jazz legend Al Di Meola played a sell-out gig at Darmstadt’s 1000-capacity Straatstheatre, Tonwerk’s Jan Weimann deployed a Uniline FOH system from APG, to meet the grade. For Weimann, using the Uniline with this artist was the only possible choice, “Al Di Meola is quite specific about loud stage environments.
The Uniline system has such a great directivity that there’s so little sound spill to the stage from the PA system. We also shielded the drums with acrylic glass at his request!”

Photo : ©Paul Sebald

The system was configured to provide high-clarity coverage for every seat with minimal backward spill. Comprised of left and right hangs of eight UL210 three-way line array modules per side, with bass support from three stacked UL115B subs, the system was driven by APG controllers. For Weimann, APG’s Uniline is his preferred system because, he says, it implements a “large stereo image, compared to other systems where you have a small stereo spot just in the middle of the room with “switching” either to one or the other side.”

Photo : ©Paul Sebald

Weimann has reinforced many artists playing the Straatstheatre with the versatile and modular Uniline system, and he pointed out, “it performs extraordinarily well with artists like Al Di Meola.”
He states the reason behind this as, “the isotop driver doesn’t colour the sound but replicates it honestly – and there’s no sharpness or any kind of “masking” as the music rises in intensity and volume.
“APG has quite a unique tonality. Compared with other systems, the APG sound reproduces a much larger spectrum of sound, which allows you to listen through the whole mix without losing any details.

“I often use the word “Durchhörbarkeit” to describe the APG sound, which could translate as being able to actually listen to the music, instead of just hearing it. To give you an example, I did a shootout last year with a number of speaker brands, and the Uniline system was the only one capable of identifying all five instruments of a horn section in an arrangement.”
Confident of his trust in APG and the Uniline system, Weimann takes the pressure of working with high calibre artists in his stride. “Al Di Meola is known for being a perfectionist when it comes to sound, so if you can rely on the material you are using, like the Uniline Series from APG, there is not much to go wrong.
“Al Di Meola uses his own FOH technician, Csaba Toth Bagi, who is also a very talented guitar player. For this show, I was responsible for the monitors and I used a TC M3000 dual engine reverb, because I particularly like the clarity and unobtrusive sound it provides”.

The launch of NEXO’s new GEO M10 sound reinforcement package has been enthusiastically received by audio rental companies in Europe, with Satis & Fy narrowly winning a good-natured race to become the first rental house customer in Germany to stock the new mid-size line array.
Global Director of Audio Services Martin Ramrath attended the ISE in Amsterdam to put in Satis & Fy’s order for a GEO M10 system, complete with MSub15 subbass cabinets and a comprehensive inventory of rigging accessories. This was a ‘satisfying’ moment for Ramrath, who has been involved with the M10 project since conception.

On the left, Reinhard Steger, Nexo’s Germany Sales Manager and on the right the Global Director of Audio Services Martin Ramrath.

“This is a true utility product,” says Ramrath, “the M10 can service so many different events and productions, this will be the workhorse system in any rental inventory. We are particularly pleased by the practical rigging features, such as the fact that there are no loose parts. And the flange fixing system, which makes it so easy to change the horizontal dispersion from 80°to 120°, is very practical design engineering.” Ramrath anticipates that the high-output system, featuring a 10” driver and an unprecedented ratio of LF response to cabinet size, will “mainly be used for our corporate events, especially suitable where there are after-show parties with a band.
With its ability to groundstack, it is great for shows where we are under time pressure on the load-in and load-out, for example, when we work at the airport; the M10 allows us to get a lot of PA into a venue at high speed.” The M10 takes its name from the single 10” neodymium LF driver, paired with a 1.4” HF titanium diaphragm HF driver. With a footprint of 531(W) x 288(H) x 355(D) mm, this 2-way passive module will deliver a frequency response of 59Hz-20kHz with nominal peak SPL of 131dB.

Satis & Fy’s initial order includes the two versions of the M10 cabinet, offering 12.5° and 25° of vertical dispersion. Both have 80°/120° horizontal dispersion which can be configured manually, without tools, by removing the magnetic grille and adjusting NEXO’s innovative flange fixing system.
The GEO M10 is partnered by a dedicated subbass cabinet, the MSub15. Weighing 36kg, the new sub is presented in a robust touring package with steel grille, or in an elegant installation version with cloth grille. It has large composite bumpers on each corner, and side handles. It flies with the M10 in an aesthetically pleasing and low profile array, operable in omni or cardioid mode, thanks to front and back connection plates.

More informations on :

• Satis & Fy Website
• Nexo Website

 

Two of the very latest MDG haze generators, the ATMe, recently joined up-and-coming British rock band, Catfish and the Bottlemen, playing medium to large arenas during a three-week tour of the UK in support of the band’s second studio album, The Ride.
The band, which formed in Llandudno, Wales in 2007, first had success with their debut album, The Balcony, which reached number 10 in the UK albums chart, since when they have toured the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. The release of The Ride in May 2016 saw the follow up tour visit Derby Arena, Bournemouth BIC, Victoria Warehouse Manchester, Plymouth Pavilions, Glasgow SECC, Wembley Arena and the Ricoh Stadium in Coventry.

Photo : © Alex Alevroyiannis

Newcastle-based Nitelites supplied the full lighting, audio and staging to the tour and hired the MDG ATMe haze generators from Impact Productions which purchased two of the models specifically for the tour. Nitelites, which has a special relationship with the band, having looked after them for the last three years, wanted to provide the best possible products for the tour, and Nitelites’ director, Jamie Moore, knowing he would need a reliable, high performance haze generator, naturally turned to MDG.

Moore said, “These guys trust us to come up with the goods for their tours that perform well during the show and are reliable and completely tour-durable. MDG produce the best hazers in the world and, from a rental company point of view, are worth every penny you pay for them”. MDG’s ATMe haze generators are renowned for producing the finest haze with the longest hang time from a unit that has added DMX control and extremely quiet noise levels. The ATMe has the lowest fluid consumption on the market and a well-earned reputation for being rock-solid on tour.

ATMe from MDG Fog Generators on Vimeo.

Lighting designer Scott Galloway was happy to use the MDG haze generators on the advice of Nitelite’s lighting crew chief Joe Dowling, declaring, “they worked great and I will be sure to spec them again.” Dowling’s recommendation was based on his previous experience with MDG Atmosphere haze generators on the UK touring production of Chicago. He commented, “the haze they produced for Chicago was perfect in every venue, so I knew the new ATMe machine would be a good option for the Catfish tour”.

The ATMe generators were located at stage level, upstage left and right, from where they performed perfectly. “Ironically, we ended up using them in stand-alone mode rather than taking advantage of their variable output and DMX control,” said Dowling. “We simply turned them on and left them to fill the room nicely on each show, with the aid of a couple of small DMX operated fans for the larger venues. We were able to just forget about them and the result was a perfect, even coverage of haze, which showed Scott’s lighting to perfection.”

Photo : © Alex Alevroyiannis

Dowling was also very impressed with the low fluid consumption of the ATMe units and the quietness of the operation. He said, “the consumption is really good, we took two bottles of fluid on tour but didn’t break into the second bottle. MDG has an automatic purge system so the maintenance requirements were minimal – just a clean of the fan and bodywork and they were ready to go back into their MDG flight cases and on to the next show. They travelled easily and started with no trouble each day.”

For more information on MDG’s ATMe hazer and other MDG atmosphere generators, visit MDG Website

ETC and Barco announced that they are in the midst of serious discussions wherein ETC would acquire High End Systems. While the timeline for the completion of this acquisition is still unknown, both parties are committed to moving forward with a successful transaction.

Wim Buyens, senior vice president of Barco’s Entertainment division, commented:
“For Barco, the divestment of its lighting activities is in line with its strategy to sharpen the focus on its core activities. We believe joining forces with ETC would enable High End Systems to realise its full business potential while providing ongoing support and opportunity development for its customers, and we appreciate ETC’s commitment to maintain High End’s operations in Austin and fully support the development of High End’s products.”

Fred Foster, ETC CEO commented today:
“ETC has been executing a strategy to grow our company. We want to offer our employees opportunities for greater success and continue to give our customers innovative products and services. We see adding HES to the ETC family as an opportunity for both of those things.
Our plan is to continue High End operations from their current location in Austin, TX. High End products like the Sola family of LED automated fixtures, Wholehog consoles, and Axon media servers are innovative tools for the live-events industry. Our intention is to make the investments needed in order to restore these products and the High End brand to market-leader status.”
Foster continues, “We place a high value in not only the High End products, but also the employees that will join our ETC family with the completion of this acquisition. Both companies have similar core values when it comes to innovation and I know working together will be a great success.”

More information will be announced in the coming weeks, once the acquisition reaches final stages.

Last year’s spectacularly successful Purpose World Tour made it crystal clear that pop icon Justin Bieber has hit his stride again. Blending passion with polish and featuring thought provoking hits like “Life Is Worth Living,” the 87-city North American and European tour finally put the teen idol Bieber to rest and introduced the world to a new more mature singer capable of reflecting life’s experiences, both good and bad, in his music.

On February 15, Bieber kicked off Year Two of his comeback tour with a sold-out concert at Monterrey, Mexico’s Estadio BBVA Bancomer arena. Accenting the star’s performance was a powerful and evocative Corey FitzGerald lightshow that featured 88 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK2 Wash fixtures, supplied by Serpro Producciones of Monterrey.

“We were very honored to have provided lights for this concert,” said Renato Betancourt, CEO of Serpro Producciones. “Recently, we made an investment in the Maverick MK2 Wash because we wanted a fixture that could deliver the output and colors that would be needed for major productions – and at the same time would be flexible enough to work well for a range of musical styles.”
With 12 40W Osram RGBW LEDs, the Maverick MK2 Wash met Betancourt’s criteria for output and color rendering, while its 7°-49° zoom range provided the flexibility to cover widely different areas on a stage. All of these features came into play at the Bieber concert, where the Maverick MK2 Wash was the principal fixture on the main stage truss, with added units also being arranged on the stage deck.

The Mavericks were used for backwashing performers, general stage washing and aerial washing at the Bieber concert. “It was exciting to see how the Mavericks performed,” said Edi Sosa, Lighting Manager at Serpro Producciones. “After Monterrey, the Justin Bieber tour is going to other countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. We’re proud that the 2017 tour started here with our lights.”

More informations on Chauvet website

Kicking off with twenty dates in America at the start their Sorceress world tour, Swedish band Opeth brought their show to Europe in November, opting for a single show at Wembley Arena for their UK audience.
Magnus Boyd has been lighting Opeth for the last eighteen months: “During the tour,” he says, “we have done two special extended sets at Radio City and Belasco in LA, featuring songs from the Deliverance and Damnation albums before performing a third at Wembley Arena. The final extended set will be at the Sydney Opera House in February. These are impressive spaces that really deserve a large production.”

Boyd’s lighting and visual design featured 40 Ayrton DreamPanel™-Twin fixtures rented from S-Group, a French rental company. DreamPanel-Twin is a hybrid fixture, capable of full continuous pan and tilt, which presents a specialised MagicPanel™ with 8 x 8 RGBW 45-mm optic array on one side, and an 6-mm pitch RGB 64 x 64 pixel video display on the other. On the Sorceress tour, the 40 units are rigged in four double columns as a backdrop to the band and form a focal point of the lighting set.
“Myself and Petter Nilssen had a brainstorm and decided to use the Ayrton DreamPanel™-Twins,” says Boyd. “The DreamPanels were chosen to replace a relatively well used three-part video wall setup. Almost every song in the set includes their use but as they are so versatile, we were able to change looks continuously, starting out with content relating to the songs and progressing into more abstract material that would include fixture movement.
For the encore, all hell breaks loose with some beautiful abstract video, rotation and full use of the beam side of the DreamPanel-Twin. The content was created from a mix of video designers with Sorceress artwork by Travis Smith animated by Scott Rudd, abstract artwork created by Pekka Stokke at LJOS AS, and some content created by myself with footage from Jonas Åkerlund.”

High Wycombe based rental company, Siyan Limited, were chosen to deliver Boyd’s Wembley and European lighting requirements. Project manager, Tom Grant, comments: “I thought they were an impressive fixture with some very unique features,” concluded Grant, “…as you would expect from Ayrton! Magnus has used them very creatively and they are THE feature in his design.”
As we go to press, Opeth is currently engaged in a tour of Australasia, but will take their backdrop of DreamPanel-Twin fixtures with them on the forthcoming dates in South and North America from March, before concluding with dates at a number of European festivals in June.

More information on :

• Ayrton DreamPanel™-Twin fixtures and the full portfolio of Ayrton LED lighting at Ayrton website
• Siyan Limited can be contacted at Siyan website

Amadeus, based in France, one of the premiere manufacturers of high-end sound reinforcement systems and custom studio speakers, has announced the install of a massive speaker system, featuring the newly-released PMX 12 D self-powered active speakers, within a new multi-disciplinary institution, the Arts & Creative Technology Center (ACT), in Gwangju, South Korea.
ACT Center puts Gwangju, South Korea, at the forefront of global art, design, and culture dialogue. Launching with a major festival and exhibition in November 2015, ACT Center commenced a dynamic year-round program of activities that brought together leading Asian and international talents to share, collaborate, and inspire.

The ACT center building

One of the primary initiatives of the ACT Center is the ‘Arts & Technology Convergence Lab’ which disseminates cutting edge research and is a breeding ground for new work in media arts, interaction design, engineering, and digital fabrication. ACT Center will further continue to research, produce, exhibit and distribute innovative contents and artworks that demonstrate the creative use of emerging technology, cultural diversity and traditions of Asia. ACT Center is part of Asian Culture Center (ACC) that is one of the major cultural initiatives of the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Located on the site of the former provincial government building in Gwangju, ACC hosts several institutions and facilities that include the ACT Center, the Research Institute for Asian Culture, Library & Archive, Center for Children, multiple theaters, and exhibition halls, and the ‘May 18 Memorial’ event.

The multipurpose PMX12 D shaped to be used also as a wedge.

The Amadeus PMX 12 D speakers installed in the ACT Center feature built-in 24/96 DSP, and analog, AES3 and Dante inputs; a coaxial driver with a 12-inch woofer and a 2-inch tweeter with compression driver; and is bi-amplified using two dedicated high resonance digital amplifiers, featuring outstanding efficiency. The PPM-PWM fixed frequency class-D amplifiers are equipped with a switched mode power supply, delivering 1500W (LF) + 400W (HF).

Michel Deluc, Amadeus’ Director of Research & Development, says, “We were among the first manufacturers of electroacoustical equipment to look into audio transfers over Internet Protocol. We are committed to minimizing latency as well as unnecessary AD/DA conversions that impact signal quality. This started ten years ago, the year we wrapped up development of our first line of bi-amped coaxial systems featuring EtherSound I/O, which was designed for the French Institute for Research and Coordination Acoustic/Music (IRCAM). The technological gains offered by the Dante protocol and its widespread adoption by professionals led us to consider its implementation within our systems.”
Each speaker channel is under control by a 64-bit digital processing unit capable of a 118 dB dynamic range. Each of these on-board DSP units include a module dedicated to managing core system parameters including system EQ, time alignment between sections, limiting, and transducer thermal protection. This level of control makes the PMX D Series fully protected and able to operate at the full extent of its abilities. Given that digital-to-analog conversion should happen at the latest possible stage in an electro-acoustical speaker system, the PMX D Series also integrates two digital inputs/outputs conforming to the AES3 digital audio data transfer standard. These are coupled with a high resolution 24-bit/96kHz converters placed as close as possible to the electronic amplifiers, thus working in perfect combination with them.

Space 1, the main room, featuring the Amadeus actice and Dante enclosures and in the center, the Panasonic projectors.

Dongyup Kwak, A/V Consultant and CEO of ‘C2 Artechnolozy’ explained, “Before meeting the ACT Center President, I had no sound system installation ideas for this venue, ‘Space 1’ (called The Ground) was a really big area for Media Art Installation & Exhibition – the room is 70m by 30m with 18m ceilings. The President’s wish was to create a platform for artists, designers, engineers, and researchers to develop forward-thinking ideas, aiming for the ACT Center to become a multicultural interface that fosters knowledge and skill exchange between creatives in Asia and the rest of the world.”

The mapping on the ground of Space 1.

“We proposed a state-of-the-art audiovisual immersive ‘canvas’ containing among other things, an immersive giant screen, a 3D spatial sound environment, and a multi-layer video mapping system capable of showing the biggest installations,” continued Kwak.
“For immersive installations and exhibitions, we had to create an intelligent ceiling, equipped with chain motors, including audio, video and network connections. So, I designed a custom steel truss ceiling featuring 64 chain hoists and 64 digital cable reels, combined with CAT5E network cable reels with mercury wetted contacts. After many experiments, the Mercury wetted contacts were found to be quite stable solutions,” reveals Kwak.
Movecat’s PLUSlite 500 Series chain hoists were selected as rigging hoists by the ACT Center. C2 feel they are the first choice when it comes to the safe and reliable hoisting and positioning of trusses, stages, ground support structures and other devices used in media applications. All chain hoists are under control by the Movecat’s I-Motion Expert-T II System Controller, a high-end product for the systemic control of kinetic drives in larger and complex projects. Developed for applications with up to 240 drives, it allows the control and supervision of any application, in the field of rigging. “In Korea, we apply Europe’s D8 Plus regulations which require a double brake system, double gear box, and a 1:10 safety factor,” explains Kwak.

Space 1 during a performance.

For immersive video, C2 selected the 4x4Pro flagship media server from “d3 Technologies” able to drive up to four 4K outputs or 16 HD outputs, transfer content in minutes instead of hours, and switch video signal formats as the industry evolves. It is connected to twelve Panasonic PT-DZ21K projectors with unique built-in quad-lamp system, with new high-power UHM lamps, helping to make the body extremely compact while providing an astounding 20,000 lm*1 of brightness. The series is compatible with both passive and active 3D projection systems.

Graphic performance made thanks to the Panasonic projectors.

The Panasonic’s color rendition.

Dongyup Kwak adds, “For immersive audio, we selected a Sonic Emotion WAVE I 3D wave field synthesis rendering unit for processing of up to 32 input and up to 64 output channels.” Based on Huygens’ Principle (1678), the idea of Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) was developed in the Netherlands in the 1980s by the Delft University of Technology. WFS concept makes it possible to synthesize “sound holograms” by simulating acoustic waves produced by virtual sound sources.
To do this, the system uses a large number of loudspeakers, regularly spaced and used conjointly. They are each controlled with a delay and a gain to form a wave that emanates from the desired location of the virtual source. This process is repeated for each sound source in the sound scene. The major benefit of the WFS technique is to create a coherent sound field in an extensive area, therefore preserving the fidelity of the spatial image – the position of the sources – even for listeners located at the periphery of the zone or for listeners moving within the zone.
“The piece de resistance within this installation was the speaker system design. The requirements were practically unrealizable. The technical, networking and acoustical constraints pushed us to develop a new series of bi-powered and Dante-enabled point source loudspeakers, allowing remote control of each built-in DSP for an optimal adjustment to the acoustical properties of the listening space. The Amadeus ‘PMX D Series’ speaker was born from creating the sound system for this installation by enhancing our original PMX speaker design with these new technical capabilities,” states Gaetan Byk, Marketing Manger at Amadeus.
“Amadeus has been an excellent partner for the ACT Center,” offers Kwak.

The SSL’s Live 300

The sound system is completed with an SSL Live L300 digital mixing console. Philippe Guerinet, Director of International Sales for SSL and SSL France Manager, said, “There are several significant benefits that are key reasons to implement this network based routing solution. Audio over IP allows us to put the stage-boxes where needed, with minimal cabling, which in this complex exhibition hall setup is very important.
And it easily lets us connect all kinds of Dante-enabled gear: Amadeus PMX D (Dante-enabled) speaker systems, SSL L300 console, SSL Network I/O stage-boxes, and every other ancillary equipment needed. This network approach notably allows us to solve classic constraints, especially channel count, synchronization, redundancy, latency, and signal distribution without adding any traditional TDM solution.” “Last but not least, the technical solutions chosen by ACT ensure total flexibility and an astonishing audio quality, while surprisingly reducing overall cost and making expansion straightforward as well as cost-effective’,” added Guerinet.

The specially developed Amadeus PMX D Series features a refined Dante I/O section, an on-board 24/96 kHz DSP unit dedicated to managing core system parameters including system EQ, time alignment between sections, limiting, transducer thermal protection. “This studio-grade speaker system combined with the legendary sonic signature of SSL is a very good marriage, which makes listeners, attendees and artists very impressed,” concludes Dongyup Kwak.
In addition to legendary Amadeus reliability and sonic excellence, PMX D Series incorporates a newly refined Dante I/O section, offering options for full integration with leading third-party networking. Audio signals are selectable from one channel of analog, two channels of AES3 digital, and two dual redundant Dante networked digital inputs. Input signals are individually selectable for each channel.

The most powerful sub in Amadeus’s lineup, the ML28L, featuring 2×18’’

As the first company to include Audinate’s Dante technology in a high-end active coaxial speaker series, Amadeus joins 275 other manufacturers utilizing Dante, making it the industry-leading audio over IP networking solution with more than 675 Dante-enabled products now available worldwide. Each Dante Ethernet RJ-45 network input allow remote control of the PMX D’ processor for an optimal adjustment via dedicated software to the acoustical properties of the listening space. The software is an App that runs on Macintosh, Apple iPad and Windows computers.

A very well made video shows the ACT center, the contractors at work and some exclusive footage of its innovative contents.

ACC Creation – ACT Festival from ACT Center on Vimeo.

Plus d’infos on : website Sonic Emotion, website Solid State Logic and website Amadeus,

An established manufacturer of AOIP solutions for the broadcast market is seeking, through the recruitment agency Interfacio, an experienced channel sales person with a good knowledge of broadcast systems to manage and develop their international distribution channel sales.

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