schoko pro invests in Cameo Opus and Zenit

Founded in 1982, schoko pro GmbH has developed into one of the largest event technology service providers in Germany in more than 40 years. With its three units, the owner-managed company covers all areas of expertise:

– Original Stars: event and media technology incl. streaming & conferencing,
– Mechanical Artists: stage technology, kinetics and special constructions,
– Digital Performers: software, media & digital networking.

And it proves that technology can be creative and creative ideas work perfectly in technical terms. In search of spotlights that can be used for the most diverse requirements due to their versatility, schoko pro recently opted for products from the Cameo portfolio.


The investment included OPUS SP5 Profile Moving Heads, Zenit B200 Battery Led Outdoor Wash Lights and Zenit B60 B Battery IP65 Led Par Fixtures.

“We had already used Cameo regularly in dry hire at a wide variety of events and were thus able to convince ourselves of the qualities of the spotlights,” explains Wilko Weiß, Head of Department Lighting & Rigging at schoko pro. “The Opus SP5, with its two gobo wheels and aperture sliders, is versatile and a real workhorse that we can have fun with for the next few years and cover a lot of our events.”


With the two Zenit battery headlamps, schoko pro has replaced the old battery lamps in its in-house technology portfolio. In addition to Cameo’s smooth battery service, the Original-Team was particularly impressed by the performance and colour mixing of the RGBW LEDs as well as the accessory options.

“As we wanted something in the style of a classic ‘PAR-Kanne’ again in addition to the Zenit B200, we also decided on the Zenit B60: light and easy to use and therefore perfect as a classic uplight,” confirms Weiß. The new Cameo headlights – together with the Zenit W600 and Zenit W600 SMD LED Wash Lights – had their first major use at the renowned 24-hour race of Le Mans.
In addition to outdoor events, the new models will also prove their flexibility at gala events and congresses, such as The Founder Summit, Germany’s largest start-up and entrepreneurial conference, which attracted more than 7,000 visitors to the RheinMain CongressCenter Wiesbaden this year. “As ambient light, as uplight, for background lighting or as an effect. We have even used the Zenit B200 as a small blind.”


Schoko pro is already planning new investments for the future, amongst other things, in the field of LED step lenses and profilers. For Wilko Weiß, Cameo will also be on the shortlist: “Cameo has developed very well over the years and is now a real alternative for us on the market. Also by working with large dry hire companies. In addition, fast communication and availability – especially in the current times – play a big role for us.”


schoko pro GmbH has invested in the following Cameo products:

  • 9 x Cameo Opus SP5 profile moving heads
  • Zenit B200 Battery Led Outdoor Wash Light
  • Zenit B60 B Battery IP65 Led Par Spotlight

Further information:

– schokopro.com
– cameolight.com
– adamhall.com

 

Astera Titan Tube for an Innovative Richard II Production

Acclaimed and innovative, a mind-blowing new production of Richard II adapted by Canadian playwright and provocateur Brad Fraser is playing in the Tom Patterson Theatre as part of the 2023 Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

Conceived and directed by Jillian Keiley, the work is choreographed by Cameron Carver and lit by Leigh Ann Vardy who is utilising 12 x Astera Titan Tubes and four Helios Tubes as stunning and inventive lighting and visual props to assist the ambience and narrative flow.

King Richard II is held aloft by angels, as if crowd-surfing. ©David Hou.

Jillian Keiley wanted a minimalist stage setup, and as the creative team started to evolve the aesthetic – with the action set in a Studio 54-inspired disco steeped in the glamour, grit, and glitz of 1970s / 80s New York – it became essential to involve lighting elements that could take on the roles of both physical props … and metaphysical suggestion. In particular, they wanted light sources that a ‘Chorus of Angels’ could use and manipulate.

Leigh Ann, Jillian, and Stratford Festival’s technical director Greg Dougherty started looking at options for sourcing the right luminaires to meet this challenging brief, and it was Doug Ledingham, head LX for Stratford Festival’s Tom Patterson Theatre who first suggested looking at Astera’s wireless Tubes as a versatile and dynamic solution.

Chris Pegg from Astera’s Canadian distributor Lumenayre rocked up with some units and demonstrated some of the capabilities of the Tubes. “Basically, this was exactly what the creative team wanted,” stated Doug, “it was a ‘Holy Grail moment’.”

King Richard II taken away by a group of angels armed with rods of light; Queen Isabel nearby. ©David Hou

The confrontational piece asks some cerebral and awkward questions swirling around a time of general craziness, hedonism and living life full tilt, all juxtaposed with bathhouse raids, Stonewall, gender rights uprisings as the politics of conservatism and fear reverberated, threatening to throttle expression and freedom.

Leigh Ann was especially interested in the concepts of divinity and disco. “Richard believes his power comes from the divine, so I wanted to match the boldness of Brad’s adaptation with sharp, bright lighting to help support this play’s audacious vision!” she explained.

She was thrilled at seeing the first Titan Tube demo by Chris, “What was already in our imaginations in terms of lighting were these fixtures!” she stated, adding that she was even more impressed when the Titan and Helios Tubes “could do far more than I had anticipated.”

Initial concerns were that they might be too fragile or too heavy to work as hand-held props, but this dispelled as soon as she physically held them and saw firsthand “just how rugged and lightweight they are!”

Lord Willoughby in an open shirt and black lace singlet, as angels wrestle nearby. ©David Hou

The Tubes are used multiple times throughout the performance but never lighting an actor, set or scenery piece in a conventional way, an aspect that also fitted the lateral approach and brutal directness of the piece.

One of Leigh Ann’s favourites is a bath house scene when the cast enter in a transition holding the Titan Tubes. On a downbeat of music, the lights snap on and sputter out, creating a dramatic shift in the mood.
The cast then place the Titan Tubes in patterns on the stage, unlit, and as each character enters a small ‘room’ created with them, they glow in different colours to outline the action. “So, they can work in an architecture context as well as illuminative!” she notes.

In the play’s prison scene, Richard, who believes God gives him the right to live above the rules, is banished to a prison near the end of the show, a stark look is achieved by flying a 4ft diameter disco ball in to about four feet above the stage.

Stephen Jackman-Torkoff as King Richard II in Richard II. Stratford Festival 2023. Photo by David Hou.

The Chorus of Angels then carry 12 Titan Tubes onstage and attach them to a custom-built cage around the disco ball. As the ball flies out, the Titan Tubes are eased down to create illuminated jail bars around Richard.
The jail is ‘broken’ by a character wielding a Helios Tube and ‘smashing’ the bars which is highly effective with a combination of shattering glass sounds and Helios pixel effects.

In the final moment of the show, Richard is stabbed with a glowing pink Helios Tube, and as this happens, the colour drains out of the Tube as neon pink blood pours out of his wound.

All of these demonstrate the ingenuity and imagination of the creative team as well as the detail and finessing which is possible using Titan and Helios Tubes in this very precise and dramatic way. More ideas of how to integrate them dramatically and figuratively into the piece flowed freely as the production was developed.

For Leigh Ann, the most important aspect of the lighting fixtures needed to play all these parts was their ability to respond to effects, pixel mapping and control, plus “their excellent dimmer curves”, which enabled the host of very subtle effects as well as the big bold gestures. She notes that they were rarely run at full intensity, and “are super punchy, crisp and clear even at low intensities.”

A major general lighting challenge was keeping the show’s electric energy pumping, and this was also the most invigorating part of crafting the lighting. “It is a visual and auditory feast,” she described, “So pulling the audience’s eye to the critical story beats was my obsession through the tech process.”

Astera TitanTube

“The Astera Tubes were fundamental to achieving this,” Leigh Ann concluded, adding that she’s enjoyed creating a magical world that is “exciting, irreverent, and where the design elements have supported the storytelling throughout.”

From the Stratford Theatre’s standpoint, Doug is also very happy that they made the investment. Apart from being instrumental in Richard II, “they will be great stock items to have on hand and will definitely be used on future productions,” he stated.

The Stratford Festival workshops created some customised feet and bases for Richard II, allowing the Tubes to be quickly deployed around the stage as well as attached to bespoke pieces like the jail cell frame.
“I already knew they were a fantastic product for film and TV applications, but for us, portability is a key and we can even programme them while actors are holding them and dancing! Being pixel driven, they can easily be integrated with our other pixel-based fixtures” remarked Doug.

Located in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, the Stratford Festival is North America’s largest classical repertory theatre company, producing and presenting a dozen or more shows a year in four distinctive venues. Works including classics, contemporary dramas, and musicals, with special emphasis on the timeless plays and ever-relevant writings of William Shakespeare.

For more info about Astera, you can visit astera-led.com

Dinos à Bercy plays with MegaPointes

Dynamic French rapper Dinos played a special high-profile one-off gig at Paris’s Accor Arena to celebrate the launch of his latest studio album, Hiver à Paris. For his first show at this prestigious venue, lighting designer Damien Dufaitre from BlackMoon Design created a unique environment with 90 x Robe MegaPointes.


Damien, who has been working with Dinos for some time now, wanted to create a series of tableaux that were lively and provocative, but also raw and elegant, at a fast pace that matched the essence of Dinos’ music. “It was all about showcasing him and his music,” he confirms.
He proposed an in-the-round concept with a central rectangular stage, covered in a video floor representing “a path of light”, like the way runways are sometimes used in fashion shows. Above this was a 4-sided ‘crown’ of 18 x 4 metre blow-through LED mimicking the similar 18 metre wide by 7 metre deep stage dimensions below.


Video content for the floor and the upper surface was created by BlackMoon working with another digital studio, The Vandals, with all collateral commissioned and carefully curated by Damien, who developed lighting and video in tandem. The stage was deliberately stripped back and bare, reflecting the video and the general aesthetic and mood of the artist’s world. When it came to lighting, he needed brightness and impact, so MegaPointe was an obvious choice as a key element of the rig.


Robe MegaPointe

The MegaPointes, supplied along with the rest of the lighting and technical production by DuShow, were positioned around the top of the screen trusses and the floor of the stage, framing the show from two very different perspectives.
More were also rigged on structures high above the screens that were invisible to the audience to preserve the pure and stark look of the stage that was central to the show.

MegaPointes were chosen for their blistering intensity, excellent beams, and multiple features for creating effects and enhancing the depth of the performance space. Brightness and punch were essential to the specific lighting and video combination look that Damien crafted to define the show.

A row of 15 MegaPointes were positioned above the centre of the stage on a bridge and used for shooting beams out and around the arena and audience, as well as for close work and tight beams directly above Dinos and his guests. These same fixtures were also used for interplay with the semi-transparent top video screens.

In addition to commissioning the playback video content, Damien worked with camera director Clément Chabaut on integrating the live camera feeds with the playback media, especially for ‘dressing’ and texturing the video surfaces, when all sources had to be consistent and coherent.

Damien commented, “Robe fixtures feature on virtually all my designs! They are reliable, robust, precise, and available in quantity from many suppliers in France. When I want quality of light and fast movement … they are a fantastic choice!”
Tight beams were important for this show as the fixtures were relatively close together and Damien needed to be able to shape the space immediately around the stage.


Lighting equipment for the show was supplied and installed by leading French rental company DuShow, with video provided by Alabama Media. Flames, pyro, and plenty of other impressive visual effects helped keep the show moving. Smoke or a “curtain” of sparks were used as visual trickery to reveal surprise guest entrances and conceal their exits, and facilitate Dinos’ own theatrically magic exit at the end of the show.

“It was a great achievement in terms of visual integration and teamwork by all levels of the production,” noted Damien. “I think we all enjoyed dealing with the challenges, solutions and processes in imagining some great results for the artist and the audience to appreciate and enjoy.”


Working alongside Damien at FOH was programmer Ugo Culetto, also from BlackMoon Design. DuShow’s lighting crew were Etienne Stoll, Brice Bennabi, Romain Barrey and Jean Christophe Rachesboeuf; the DuShow project manager was Régis Nguyen, and the overall production was co-ordinated and organised by Noueva Productions / Live Nation.


About BlackMoon Design: The lighting, visual design and scenography creative studio was founded in 2018 by Damien Dufaitre to offer fresh and innovative ideas to a diversity of performance clients and artists as well as a full production service from conception to completion. The company uses high-performance technological tools and works collaboratively building teams with the best, most experienced and appropriate practitioners to realise the individual project.
The studio will also co-ordinate all the technical elements of a project if required, ensuring the smooth and seamless delivery of all visual aspects related to the show, event, or presentation. BlackMoon has no borders, working extensively across France and all around the world. (blackmoon-design.fr)


For more product and general info, check www.robe.cz

 

MAUI 28 G3: there’s less simple, but more expensive

Two models make up the new range of sound reinforcement systems from German manufacturer LD Systems: the Maui 11 G3 and the Maui 28 G3. It’s the latter of these that we’re going to take a closer look at here and, more importantly, listen to.
Without any mixing capability or microphone or instrument inputs, the 28 G3 is designed to offer no-nonsense sound, but with a 16 A power supply! Versions with a very nice mixer will arrive in January 2024.


The two elements, once assembled, form a very stable column mounted on the sub. It’s sturdy and hefty.

The size and weight of the enclosures make it clear that LD Systems didn’t choose composites for the cabinets, nor neodymium for the magnets (except for the two tweeters at the top).
The subwoofer cabinet is constructed in 15 mm plywood, while the midrange and mid/high elements are in die-cast aluminum.

Numerous conveniently located handles on all three elements make them easy to manage, but the optional roll-board seems a wise investment for moving the complete, 37 kg system.


For this listening session, we were fortunate to have a stereo set-up – i.e. two subs and two mid/high columns – which, as you’ll read below, allowed us to review the standard mode, but also the configuration with two subs per head and, finally, the cardioid mode.


The guides that connect the two halves of the column and, in the case of the lower element, secure the column to the sub. The locking notches are clearly visible.

Assembling the column is no problem at all. The two elements of the column interlock securely with each other, thanks to steel posts, with notches that act as locks, that mate with holes. The top element is different from the bottom in that it has a cover on one end, while the bottom element has the holes on one end and the posts on the other.

We encountered significant, but perfectly normal, resistance when inserting and removing the posts, as our test system had been used very little but, with use, everything should get easier. The solidity of the assembly is reassuring, despite its 2-meter height.


A view of the subwoofer, which is reflex-loaded by four ports on the front panel.

Each sub features a serious 12″ transducer with a ferrite magnet, 3″ voice coil and a maximum excursion of 30 mm, loaded in bass reflex via ellipsoidal rear-wave ports. No need to add unnecessary suspense: it works well. Neither the cabinet nor the vents reveal any problems, even at very high levels.

Mounted on the back, the amplifier module drives both the 12″ and the array of 3.5″ drivers – 12 in all – loaded by a well-designed phase corrector, and featuring a rear opening that imparts true cardioid behavior between 100 Hz and 1 kHz.

The manufacturer’s representation of the column’s polar pattern and its behavior between 100 Hz and 1 kHz.

Finally, two one-inch tweeters handle the high end of the spectrum, thanks to an angled wave guide located at the very top of the column, at a height of two meters. The overall coverage is 120° horizontally by 30° vertically.

An exploded view showing the 15 transducers, ranging from the 12″ to the two 1″.

The amplifier module is equipped with a latest-generation DSP from LD Systems, operating at 48 kHz/24 bit, the task of which is simply to make it easy for the user of this type of system. A multi-band limiter is responsible for delivering a maximum SPL of 127 dB, whatever the incoming signal and, above all, whatever the level.

1 kW is divided between low and high frequencies, with a passive crossover feeding both tweeters. A FIR filter is used to transition between the low and the mid/high frequencies. We’ll talk a little later about the capacity of this processing to compensate for the overload that is often fed to this type of system.
The rear panel is equipped with stylish, but rather inconspicuous LEDs to indicate clipping.

The rear-panel controls. It couldn’t be simpler. Three indicators are illuminated, including the limiter.

Designed for customers who don’t want to make life difficult for themselves, or for those who might rent the Maui 28 G3, it offers some very nice automatic features, such as automatic recognition of the presence of the column connected to the sub. Without the column, the “follower” sub next to the one with the column has its level settings and Bluetooth input disabled.
Two options are available: An additional 6 dB of gain by aligning the two subwoofers in phase, or a cardioid mode by turning the second sub 180° and selecting the mode via the dedicated button. This provides extra energy towards the front and cancels some of the rear output.


Two 12″ woofers in phase provide an extra 6 dB…

While two 12″ units at 180° and a little DSP processing provide rear attenuation and some frontal gain.


Listening to it

To evaluate the potential and audio performance of the Maui 28 G3, we deployed it on a 200 m² stage, 20 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a capacity of 300 to 450 people. Sound sources included tracks with little or no mastering, instrument extracts and, deliberately, a few hits with a cruel lack of dynamics. Most of these were in high-resolution.
A top-of-the-range Rockna Wavelight converter was used as the sound card and, above all, as a guarantee of impartiality, thanks to its uncompromising neutrality and balanced outputs.


The Maui 28 G3 units may be 2 meters tall, but from 20 meters away they look small… yet they can certainly make themselves heard!

Our very first impression is of the fidelity of the sound, which is balanced, fairly extended and devoid of aggressiveness. Without being overly analytical, the treble is clear and precise, passing sibilants without harshness. The upper midrange is powerful and takes full advantage of the two drivers placed at the top of the column.


The phase correctors placed in front of each 3.5″, seen with the column opened.

The midrange and lower midrange delivered by the dozen or so 3.5″ units have good energy and impact, making for a very fine snare drum sound, for example, but without any particular color.
The crossover to the bass is natural, and the 12″ pushes well forward with fairly high definition. Its punch lends precision and body to low notes, say 4-string basses; less so when venturing lower.

The dynamics are rather generous, and it’s easy to find a satisfactory contour, no matter what color you’re looking for, as long as you don’t push the sub level too much, as it acts as a bass reinforcement rather than adding pressure and mud to a full-range loudspeaker. If you overload the bass, you’ll cover up its useful range with a bump around the crossover frequency.


The constant-directivity waveguide is inclined, which combines with its native diffusion angle to provide perfect coverage from far to near field.

The coverage is uniform, with no inconsistencies or unpleasant gaps. The 20-meter range is covered with great left-right summation compared to the system by itself. The carefully designed waveguide allows the treble to tackle this distance with confidence, with perfect distinction on the vocals.
The lower end of the spectrum has a little more difficulty at this distance, which is to be expected with highly dynamic music, but does better with contemporary tracks.

It’s quite easy to trig the limiters, the bass first, and, as with any loudspeaker, you can’t expect to get the maximum SPL at full range. Nonetheless, by the time you have managed to activate the protection circuit, the level is very high, and sufficient for a 150-200 m² space. The sound remains impressive, and the distortion of the multi-band limiter is acceptable as long as you’re reasonable.


The rear of the column, with its two components. The grille allows part of the rear wave from the 3.5″ transducers to interfere, effectively reducing the level between 100 Hz and 1 kHz.

The calibration is well conceived, and at no point do you notice any spectral imbalance, for example, with the high midrange coming up too much once the bass is on the strings. If you push it too hard, it bites and chews, but you don’t get the impression that the amplifiers or transducers are running out of steam, which is a good thing.

Of course, we tried out the two modes of using a second subwoofer. In +6 dB additive mode, you gain a lot of energy, but not necessarily where you want it. You’ll need an external equalizer, or one in the console feeding the configuration, to bring out the extreme low frequencies.

The cardioid mode works, providing genuine rear attenuation, but less than expected, and a little more frontal volume. It’s up to you to test this process and judge whether it’s worth the effort, bearing in mind that the flexibility offered by this system will allow you, if need be, to rotate the two subs in 10 seconds, disengage the cardioid mode, and regain some useful power.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, the Maui 28 G3 effectively meets the need for a simple, portable, attractive and affordable sound system, and can offer many small venues, event organizers, DJs and public institutions a reliable and elegant answer to the need for sound reinforcement. In our opinion, the single left-right configuration offers the best price/performance ratio.
Finally, to guarantee the durability and portability of the various components, in addition to the roll-board, LD Systems offers padded covers for the subs, and special padded bags to protect the two powder-coated aluminum sections of the columns.

Retail price for a Sub and Column set: €1,298 excluding VAT
Retail price for a Sub alone: €848 ex VAT

Further information can be found on the LD Systems website

 

Robe T2s and Tetras at the Theatre Royal de Munt

The impressive façade of the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie de Munt (Royal Theatre of Munt) in central Brussels dates to 1818 and announces The National Opera of Belgium in great style and presence.
Belgium’s leading opera house is a federal funded institution taking the name of this theatre in which it is housed – ‘La Monnaie’ in French or ‘De Munt’ in Dutch – referring both to the building and the opera company itself.

Theatre Royal de la Monnaie de Munt (Royal Theatre of Munt) © Louise Stickland

The theatre has just made a new lighting investment comprising Robe T2 Fresnels plus Robe Tetra1 and Tetra2 moving LED battens, which join its existing Robe T1 Profiles, two RoboSpot Systems running with T2 Profiles and 16 x Robe DL7S Profiles which were the first Robe purchases back in 2016.


Theatre Royal de la Monnaie de Munt’s head of lighting, Koen Raes © Louise Stickland

Head of lighting Koen Raes explains that the main house will typically stage 8 opera productions per year in their 1200-capacity main house, of which around seven are usually new works plus one revival. All shows are acclaimed for their outstanding production values, talented artists, and creatives.
This dynamic and interesting programme is original and exclusive to the Theatre Royal, whose house crew works with different external creative teams, but all the production elements are sourced where possible from the vast in-house resources.

When the initial Robe investment in 2016 was made, they already saw the writing on the wall and had the foresight to start converting the stage lighting to LED light sources. When the budget became available for this most recent purchase, Koen and his department – which includes 11 full time technicians and programmers – were fully focused on furthering this mission.

Several scenarios led them to the T2. “Firstly, we were getting requests for T2s from LDs,” explained Koen, “and secondly we are really happy with the quality of the Robe fixtures we already have, so it made sense to stay with the brand.”
Referring to the two T2 Profiles acquires with the two RoboSpot systems, he noted that the quality of the colour ranges and colour mixing were a major factor, together with the accuracy of the framing shutters, the general output and the low noise.


RoboSpots have revolutionised how the follow system can work in the venue. They now have the flexibility of being able to utilise different positions for their T2 Profile follow fixtures, choosing the optimal for each individual production, although taking advantage of the height and angle of the 4th balcony has become a favourite.

Before, using conventional follow spots, the positions were higher up. It was more challenging to contain the light spillage onstage, it involved seat kills and they were noisy, so RoboSpots immediately eliminated all of those issues. It also allows other elements of the Robe lighting rig to be used with them if desired.
The operators are positioned in the left and right side technical loges, a preferred position as they can feel the sound and atmosphere of the show right there beside them.
Six of their existing T1 Profiles are rigged off the highest balcony, where they have the power, the throw and all the features to look great onstage.


Koen mentions the importance of good support and back-up from the local distributor, and they are very happy with Benelux distributor Controllux and also with Robe direct.
Robe’s reliability is evident first hand by the fact that the DL7S luminaires are still going strong! They have had no issues since their installation nearly seven years ago, reports Koen.
The Tetras (24 x Tetra2s and 4 x Tetra1 bars) were purchased to have something different and multipurpose, elucidated Koen. Rather than getting a quantity of PCs, they thought the Tetra2 would be more useful and functional as they can be footlights as well as cyc and set washes due to the lensing and intensity. On top of that, they can also be used as FX lights and specials.

Koen visited Robe’s factory in the Czech Republic last year and enjoyed meeting the team there including CEO Josef Valchar. “Having someone heading the company who is so hands on with the products, approachable and who listens is a great asset to the brand,” he observes, adding that he was impressed by the manufacturing setup and the general atmosphere at Robe HQ.

While the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie de Munt seems quite vast on the outside, the stage is actually very compact, and that’s one of the galvanising aspects of their ambitious full-scale productions. A repertory schedule would not be viable due to the space and the lack of room for convenient set storage, so instead shows will usually take up a six-week slot; three weeks of build, tech and rehearsals followed by a three-week run of shows.

A labyrinthine series of underground passages and tunnels – some large enough to drive a vehicle – connect the venue with multiple other adjacent buildings housing rehearsal studios, substantial scene storage areas, warehoused, technical rooms and copious, busy, bustling workshops and specialist ateliers, all helping to facilitate their world-class operas.

For more information about Robe Lighting, you can visit www.robe.cz

 

ChamSys at Glastonbury Fest

ChamSys consoles controlled a wide variety of shows at more than a dozen Glastonbury festival venues, from the Pyramid Stage, where Jason Hyne displayed his virtuosity on the MagicQ MQ250M Stadium console for Cat Stevens, blending soft washes with retro video images; to the Funkingham Palace, where David Howard used his MagicQ MQ250M to support relentless DJ Performances.


Another site where ChamSys versatility was front and center was at Kelis’ performance on the West Holts Stage. Sam Campbell used his MQ250M (supplied by DPL Production Lighting) to conjure up a wide array of looks for the New York singer, sashaying multi-color washes across the deck in sync with her hit “Got Your Money,” and moving to more in-your-face strobing looks for her performance of “Caught Out There.”

The MagicQ MQ250M ’s diverse capabilities supported a variety of performances at the Lonely Hearts Club stage. Fineline Lighting, which provided the console there, also furnished MagicQ MQ500M units for the Acoustic Stage, as well as the Circus Big Top.


Helping to generate visual excitement for a variety of acts outdoors was the MagicQ MQ500M that GLX Productions provided to the Flying Bus stage. Other ChamSys consoles that helped to make life brighter at Glastonbury were the MagicQ MQ50 Compact Console, used with a wing at the Glasto Latino stage, which was supplied by Mass Affect Lighting and Enlightened, and the MagicQ MQ70 Compact Console, used by Phil Dawkins at the Greenpeace Tree Stage in collaboration with set designer Belinda Best. That stage featured a surprise performance by Fat Boy Slim.


The MQ80 also contributed to the visual feast, being used at three venues: The Hive Stage (provided by Luke Adams Lighting), The Truth Stage (PF Events), and Left Feld (SWG Events).

Like ChamSys, noted designer / programmer Ed Warren seemed to be everywhere at Glastonbury. In addition to lighting a diverse group of musical acts at the festival, Warren was at Carhenge a mystical, dreamlike space where old, abandoned vehicles were arranged in vertical formations reminiscent of Stonehenge.

Working with his trusty MQ80, he mixed beams and a variety of redolent colours, to deepen the transcendent vibe at Carhenge. It was a look quite different than those created by other LDs that animated the performances of artists like Fat Boy Slim and Kelis, but all demonstrated the versatility of ChamSys, while contributing to the panorama that is Glastonbury.


For more information, visit ChamSys website

PROLIGHTS ECLSOFT LINEARIP, ENJOY THIS LED BAR IP65 WITHOUT HOLDING BACK

If you are looking for a “matrixable” led bar that manages both whites and colors, which has an internal effects generator and a luminous flux of more than 11,000 lumens, I have what you need! 480 RGBW LEDs at your service in a 1-meter bar that resists the onslaught of all types of weather.
The Italian brand Prolights has developed this all-terrain source with its full range of accessories. But wait until the end of this test, before you rush, we are going to tour together the possibilities of the LinearIP led bar.

When Prolights goes after the bar.

[private]


Starter

As usual, we are welcomed into the La BS studio to carry out our fixture tests. By opening the multiple boxes, we are surprised by the number of accessories delivered as standard with the bar or as optional. There is of course a power cord and 2 Omega hooks delivered with the device as well as the MD diffusing filter, but there are also, as an option, 2 other ¼ turn stands/hooks to put the bar on the ground and then tilt it as needed.


480 leds…

… RGBW.

In a country where light is almost as important as the art of dining in its culture, it is normal to find a large number of brands developing and manufacturing fixtures. It is on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea, between Rome and Naples, that the Prolights company has its roots.

In the case of the LinearIP bar, there are 4 lines of 120 LEDs spread over 1 m for a little over 7 kg and 250 W in total. To control the diffusion of light Prolights also offers 3 additional diffusing filters, a 60° honeycomb filter and a 50° SnapGrid. There are also two central hooks, one fixed and one articulated.


One of the 4 diffusion filters that are simple and fast to mount.

60°  honeycomb filter.

SnapGrid 50° made of fabric with velcro fasteners.

The brand has also thought of the safety cable, different cables for data and power supply, a box for updates, different wifi transmitters and receivers, aluminum clamps, and even a flight case for 5 bars with their accessories!

By positioning the ¼ turn fasteners straddling 2 bars, it is possible to combine several sources and create a continuous line. There is also a small button on one of the ends which allows you to release an axis. By entering a second bar, you can align and join the two elements. (see manual p. 7)

The  ¼-turn “floor stand” model…

and the Oméga ¼ -turn clamps for rigging on a pipe or in a stage set element.


When it comes to connections they are very complete and well organized. On the antenna side for receiving DMX HF via the CRMX and W-DMX protocols, there is the power supply, the DMX XLR5 input, and the RJ45 connector for the Artnet and sACN protocols.
On the end, a copy of the power supply for another fixture, the DMX XLR5 output, and a 3-pin connector to connect a 48 V battery and be autonomous.

We could have had another RJ45 socket but that required an additional card to avoid signal loss and therefore an additional cost. The choice could also have been a USB connector for updates. Life is full of choices and the one made by the Prolights team is completely justified, even very interesting because between the battery and the DMX HF signal the bar can be completely independent/stand-alone.
We also notice on this side but under the fixture, a plug is embedded in the body of the device. It is used to check the IP65 proofing of the fixture, the whole procedure is described on page 83 of the manual.

On the antenna side: the power supply, DMX, network, and HF data inputs.

The connector caps to preserve the seal and at the top, the cap to check the IP65 proofing.


For configuration and, if needed, manual control, the LinearIP has a screen and 4 buttons. Navigation is very simple, the first button is used to choose the menu, the arrows to navigate within the selected menu, and the last button to choose the desired option.
Note that virtually all options are available with the “control” DMX channel, making it easy to quickly set them up and configure all bars in the lighting kit.

Clear, simple, and efficient…a user-friendly menu.

Addressing is obviously not possible but you can use the RDM or the option in the menu which allows the configuration of the source to be transmitted to all the other fixtures with or without the DMX address.

When possible, it is interesting to favor the DMX HF signal because the bars each have a receiver but they can also transmit the signal. It is therefore very simple and fast to connect to the DMX network.
It is also possible to input an Artnet, sACN, or WDMX signal and output it from the fixture via the DMX OUT connector or even input an ethernet signal and transmit it in Wireless DMX. As you can see, the menu has everything. There are a large number of settings for the dimmer curve, fan mode, led frequency, and even manual programming.

main course

The design is simple and sleek. The LinearIP bar is discreet, it can be integrated into a video set, at the foot of a castle, or in an opera set. Versatility is one of the great assets of this source and with the possibilities of diffusion, it is possible to use it in front, on the side, overhead, and backlighting.
As we can see, the Prolights team left nothing to out. The control options are also very clear and complete. The LinearIP has a very large number of modes that allow the source to best adapt to the use you want to make of it.

In addition to the traditional options (Basic, Standard, Extended…) there are modes for the cinema and theater. There are two addresses, one for managing parameters and the other for controlling the 15 pixels of each bar and creating a large matrix in a lighting desk or media server.
As I only have one bar I used the Extended mode using the Art-Net control. The fixture-to-console connection was made without any problem. Depending on the configuration of the default values of your console there is a small “trap” that must be checked first if you do not want to spend hours trying to see why you are not controlling the color.

There is a feature called “Crossfade from CCT to Color”. At 0% you work in “White” mode playing with output levels and color temperatures from 2800K to 10000K. By putting this parameter to 100% you are then in “Colors” mode and you can then modify the tint of the beam.

The same goes for working in “Pixel” mode. You have to use the “Crossfade for Pixel Engine” setting. If you want to use the LinearIP bar like a standard bar, apart from this point to know, you will quickly get used to it and surely take a liking to it. The general philosophy of the LinearIP bar is to work on 4 levels.
The first level is the CCT, which allows to work on the Whites. The second level is the color mixing (you can choose between RGB, RGBW, CMY, or HSI). Levels 3 and 4 are used by Pixel Engines which work on 2 Ethernet protocols (ETH1 and ETH2).

As far as control is concerned, there are of course general Dimmer and Shutter parameters on the fixture for intensity and strobe. Depending on the mode used, you can also have dimmers and a shutter for the front and rear layers (Tour Foreground and Tour Background). Working in white mode as in color mode is very pleasant and precise.

In white, it is the CCT function that will determine the temperature of the white. We checked the color temperature of the whites programmed on our target and the values match. We also have 2 parameters to modify the selected white, the Tint which corresponds to the minus green, and the CTO. Regardless of the color mixing mode used, it is easy to find the desired shades.

Whites from 2800 K to 10000 K.

When you are in CCT mode it is of course possible to modify the values of the RGBW parameters and vice versa then use the parameter “Crossfade from CCT to Color” to make a transition between color and white. We will also use this parameter to color the white or, conversely, lighten a color. It is also a good way to create a pastel color starting from the saturated hue.


What beautiful colors!

The LinearIP bar also has a large number of color presets. To quickly choose from a very wide range of macros, there are 4 parameters. The first is “Control Mode” where you have to select “Colour Macro”. You can then choose from two catalogs, Lee and Colour, then a sub-category by type that offers a choice of gel references.
It is also with the first of these parameters that we will be able to simulate a source such as a halogen bulb or a fluorescent tube, but also a candle or a computer screen. This parameter gives access to a range of cinema effects or white temperature macros.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless and Prolights has pulled out all the stops! If you want to use all the functions, especially the internal effects, I advise you to take a few hours to discover them to realize the extent of the possibilities and then be able to program the fixture quickly.
I was not able to go into great depths into the internal effects, but the little that I saw is already awesome. When we add the possibility of matrixing the bars via a console and/or a media server we realize that there is practically no limit.

Video Presentation


Norman hole

Derating

The derating is insignificant.

As with all our tests, the figures we announce are after derating and with the basic options, fans in automatic mode and the medium diffuser.

The attenuation of light output after 30 minutes at full does not exceed 1.28%, in other words, the light is ultra-stable. This is an excellent result which confirms the quality of the design of this product.


Light output measures

The diffusion angle of the MD optic supplied as standard is so wide, 107° with the MD diffusing filter supplied as standard, that we had to place ourselves 1 m from the target to take our illumination measurements.

Once the luminous flux has stabilized (apart from the slight fluctuations due to the ventilation mode and the power supply) the output every 10 cm along the 4 axes drawn on our target. The value in the center reaches 4,900 lux at 1 meter, which becomes 196 lux over 5 meters.
The total flux, conservative whatever the distance reaches 11,300 lumens after derating (11,400 when cold) for an aperture of 107° at I/10 (intensity at the center/10). For the CRI of the whites, no measurement drops below 93. We also appreciated the power of the saturated colors thanks to the RGBW source.


Dimmer curve from 0% to 100%.

Dimmer

The dimmer measurements are less convincing, but this is often the case in the first versions of the software and the curves are reworked and improved with updates.



Cheese and dessert

With the LinearIP bar, Prolights offers a very good product, versatile, complete, and successful. Equipped with a powerful RGBW source, this source makes you see all the colors but it also offers a wide range of whites and this is only the tip of the iceberg!
In addition to the qualities of light and colors, the fixture has a full range of tools to be used in all possible configurations. Whether for programming, installation, or lighting, the LinearIP is as much at home on an opera stage as it is at the foot of the ramparts of a castle or on a TV set.
So if you are looking for a “matrixable” LED bar that handles both whites and colors, has an internal effects generator and a light output of over 11,000 lumens call ESL today for a complete presentation.

For more info the Prolights website

What we liked:

  • The output
  • The quality of the whites and colors
  • The user-friendly menu and programming possibilities
  • The Standalone side: DMX HF + Battery pack

What we liked less:

  • Having to use an external “box” to update

Overview table

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NEXO sound fires up the home of the Catalans Dragons

Home to the French rugby league team the Catalans Dragons, Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan underwent a 2-phase expansion in 2006 and 2010 to bring capacity up to 13,000 with 3 all-seater stands. The southern French city is also home to the rugby union team USAP, whose home stadium Stade Aimé Giral is equipped with a NEXO GEO S12 sound system, installed by local AV technology specialists Sud Media System.


Four very well hanged S12.

Clearly impressed by the sound at their neighbour’s stadium, Stade Gilbert Brutus recently contracted Sud Media System to install a NEXO system at their ground, following a public tender process.

The choice of several prestigious sporting venues including Croke Park in Dublin, Optus Stadium in Perth, Japan’s Toyota Stadium and the French national stadium the Stade de France, NEXO’s GEO S12 has earned an enviable global reputation for performance, dependability and cost-efficiency.

Available in EN54-rated and long-throw versions, and in shallow or steeper tapering cabinets to allow for larger array angles, the compact, 2-way GEO S12 is a scalable loudspeaker module that displays exceptional MF-LF output (103dB SPL nominal sensitivity -1W @1m) from a single 12-inch LF driver and NEXO’s proprietary Directivity Phase Device (DPD). NEXO’s unique Hyperboloid Reflective Wavesource (HRW) allows coupled cabinets to radiate as coherent, wavefronts, yielding precise pattern control in vertical or horizontal arrays.

The system at Stade Gilbert Brutus was designed by NEXO’s Engineering Support team using the company’s NS-1 system configuration software. An intuitive drag and drop interface includes all NEXO systems with measured speaker data processed along with complex mathematical data to predict SPL and delay coverage in 3 dimensions.


NS-1 combines full acoustical and mechanical computations along with tools for optimising curved vertical array design. A Help section defines mechanical constraints to establish flown system safety, and generates reports for system dimensions, weight, gravity centre position, forces, moments, working load and safety factors.

The Bonzoms Stand is covered by six clusters of 3 x GEO S12, supplemented by 6 x NEXO P10 point source loudspeakers covering the highest seats in the stand on a delay.
Six clusters of 4 x GEO S12 cover the West Stand and a further 7 x P10s cover the smallest stand, with amplification and processing provided by NEXO’s networkable NXAMPMk2 powered controllers.

From left to right Didier Godin, CEO and Founder of Sud Media System, Carole Marsaud, Engineering Support Manager – Nexo and Bertrand Billon, Engineering Support – Nexo.

The notoriously windy conditions in Perpignan required the team at Sud Media System to manufacture and certify custom brackets to attach the new enclosure clusters to the existing structures.

Members of the NEXO Engineering Support team visited the stadium to tune and commission the new sound system, including Carole Marsaud (pictured centre). “It was good to work with the team from SMS who completed a very clean installation at this second stadium in Perpignan. The sound was great in all the stands, and we achieved excellent results for both SPL and intelligibility.”


For further information on NEXO sound solutions for sports stadia, visit nexo-sa.com

For further information on Sud Media System, visit sudmediasystem.fr

 

NEWS FROM PROLIGHT + SOUND 2023

PROLIGHTS ASTRA HYBRID 420, A CLEVER FUSION OF BEAM AND SPOT

The Prolights product portfolio has been expanded with the addition of a hybrid moving head that combines powerful versatility with a compact footprint, but also the IP-rated LED PAR lights, Astra PAR7IP and Jet PAR7IP, as well as the Flood300FC LED, an alternative to traditional flood lights. Fabio Sorabella, CEO of Prolights, presents them in a video.



Astra Hybrid 420

The Astra range, which includes most of Prolights’ flagship products, now boasts a new model with the introduction of the Astra Hybrid 420, a versatile fixture equally at home in the roles of Beam and Spot, with a variable linear zoom between 2.7° and 40°.

The Astra Hybrid 420 combines Beam and Spot capabilities.

The fixture is powerful – with its new Ushio lamp rated at 420 W and a nominal operating life of 6,000 hours – small and fast (for its class), with a compact size of 45×66 cm, but especially well-equipped!

Under its covers are two gobo wheels, one of which rotates with 10 positions plus a wheel with 18 fixed gobos. To color the beam, no less than six different wheels are used, three for CMY linear trichromy and three others which incorporate full colors and temperature correctors.

As for effects, the Astra has plenty to offer! It features an animation wheel with insertion and rotation control, two rotating combinable prisms with four and eight facets, and a linear frost.

To control all this, you’ll need 30 DMX channels (there is a single control mode, which is worth noting). The RDM-compatible fixture also features ArtNet, sACN and W-DMX control.


Astra PAR7IP et Jet PAR7IP

The new Astra PAR7IP and Jet PAR7IP are two IP65-rated LED PARs, that share most of their features, but have different output power. Each features a zoom range from 4.5° to 53°, a 7-LED RGB module supplemented by warm white, and a color temperature range from 2,800 K to 10,000 K.


The IP LED PAR line-up includes the Astra PAR7IP and Jet PAR7IP.

They can be controlled via DMX+RDM, as well as via CRMX (Lumen Radio) and W-DMX wireless protocols. The JET PAR features 20 W sources, while those of the Astra are rated at 40 W. The Astra is also equipped with Pixel Control for independent control of each LED source.


EclExpo Flood300FC

We continue our tour of the latest products with the EclExpo Flood300FC, an asymmetrical LED fixture designed to replace CDM or tungsten-source flood lights and other asymmetrical fixtures. Equipped with a 300 W RGB+warm white source, it generates a wide beam of 100° x 60°, perfectly suited for indirect lighting.


A pair of EclExpo Flood300FC units shown here fitted with their barn doors.

Its power and its high-end specifications, including a CRI/TLCI of 93, variable white (2,800-10,000 K), variable-frequency PWM (between 600 Hz and 25 kHz) and compact dimensions (39×24 cm, weighing just over 5 kg), make it an excellent choice for a wide range of applications, from exhibitions and TV studios to events and theaters.


Circling around to reveal the rear of the EclExpo Flood300FC, we can see its impressive, but discreet, oversized ventilation system.

In fact, Prolights has developed a forced ventilation system compatible with those applications where noise is undesirable, by oversizing its fans so that they only run at reduced speed.

For more information, visit the Prolights website

 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT PROLIGHT+SOUND 2023

ETC VENTURES OUTDOORS

In a period decidedly focused on IP65 fixtures, ETC has presented a VXT version of its new ColorSource profile and Fresnel family, the SolaPix 19XT IP65 multi-source LED wash in the High End family, and a retro-fit RGBA LED module as an upgrade for the company’s renowned Source4 tungsten fixtures.


Today, the ETC brand encompasses ETC and High End fixtures, Eos and Hog consoles, and a host of specific products for rigging, networking, as well as for architectural and even horticultural lighting applications!

ColorSource Spot VXT

For some time now, ETC has offered the ColorSource V range, in Spot and Fresnel versions, with drastically improved components. Manufactured in the US, the ColorSource V Spot features a 5-color LED source – Red, Blue, Green, Indigo and Lime – delivering almost 200 W, in a modernized version of the traditional Source4.

ColorSource Spot VXT, IP65.

It comes in a profile version, compatible with various fixed-focal-length lenses, zoom lenses and special output adaptors, just like its Halogen ancestor. It is also retro-compatible with all Lustr and Source Four LED accessories and optics.

The Fresnel version uses the same LED engine, but in a new, more compact format, with a wide 178 mm Fresnel lens, motorized 13°-44° zoom and barn door shutters. ColorSource V LED arrays are calibrated and temperature- and dimming-compensated, and come with a 10-year warranty.

Returning to the idea of offering a generic fixture accessible to all budgets, ETC presents the ColorSource V Spot as its spearhead, without, however, abandoning the Source4 series 3, which is aimed at high-end studios or theaters with its 8-color source.

The ColorSource VXT is nothing more and nothing less than the same fixture, with the same technologies, the same features, the same DMX channels, but in an eXTerior (i.e. IP65) version. The on-board fan is replaced by an IP65 type, while the on-board menu display has been removed, replaced by RDM configuration or via the ETC SetLight mobile app and an NFC chip. Lenses and accessories remain unchanged, and are common to all ColorSpot V models.

Integrated into each fixture, the wireless DMX receiver module is the one developed by City Theatrical, which works in Multiverse – like a well-known Hollywood franchise – with a specific 10-universe transmitter.

For more details, visit: ColorSource VXT and ColorSource Fresnel


SolaPix 19XT

SolaPix 19 XT.

The SolaPix 19XT is also an IP65 waterproof version of a well-known fixture, the High End SolaPix 19.
Already available, the SolaPix 19XT features 19 RGBW LED pixels in a waterproof body, with hydrophobic treatment and IP65 connectors.

Its 4.5° to 60° zoom, RAW and CTC color management (2800-8000K) and, above all, its 3-way control with 19 channels for the main functions, 12 more for the effects section with the FleX Effect Engine, plus the possibility of managing each pixel individually with a media server, make it ETC’s most versatile Wash.


Source 4WRD Color II

Source 4WRD Color II.

At a time when tungsten sources are being phased out, many manufacturers are offering solutions that are both economical and environmentally friendly, to ease the transition to LEDs.

ETC’s S4WRD Color II module allows you to modify Source4 Tungsten fixtures, of which there are tens of thousands, by substituting the conventional rear lamp holder and adding a specific reflector as required.

The Source 4WRD Color II consists of a 150-watt Nichia RGBA LED array delivering an output of nearly 6,000 lumens, a power supply and a menu, fully integrated into a Source4-compatible lamp receptacle.
Installation takes just a few minutes, and allows old Source4s to be converted into color profiles, with DMX in/out on an RJ45 connector, RDM, Z focus management (lamp azimuth) and a dozen direct-access presets (calibrated whites and standard colors).

Video presentation:


It is also possible to purchase complete versions of fixtures with this LED source, such as the Source 4WRD Color II profile, the PAR or the PARNel.


The Source 4 WRD Color II range of fixtures.

For more information, visit the ETC website

AYRTON HURACAN ST, A WASH THAT HAS AN EFFECT ON US!

A little more than two years after testing the Huracan-X, I am redis-covering the pleasure of this powerful and innovative range, but this time in the Wash version. Wash is just the start!

Ayrton, as usual, goes off the beaten track to offer more and better: a powerful source, a zoom that knows how to make itself very small but opens very very wide when necessary, an optimized color pa-lette, and a host of functions never before seen in a Wash thanks to its lens F.O.S. which receives an SLU innovation award!


Among the Huracan family, here is the Wash ST.

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Storming into the market

Ayrton, we aren’t surprised to always be surprised. The number 1 objective of the brand is to develop innovative and original products to always have added value compared to the competition. But since they are not satisfied with the best, they are always looking to im-prove their products.
The Huracan Wash is a perfect example. The first version available was the S. It has an 80,000-lumen source allowing it to obtain a lu-minous flux greater than 52,000 lumens in an integrating sphere with a CRI above 70 (numbers provided by Ayrton) and a tempera-ture of 7000 K.


Ok we were not wrong!

For color fiends, R&D has also offered a TC version, True Color! With a native temperature of 6000K and a flux of 49,000 lumens, this version produces an output of 33,900 lumens with a CRI of over 95 (numbers provided by Ayrton)!

Many would have been satisfied with these two models, but not Ayr-ton. They took advantage of a new source with a D65 (6500 K) white source, which perfectly meets the needs of the digital cinema and audiovisual production industry, to offer an ST version. It is the latter that we tested.

On paper, the native 68,000 lumens flux makes it possible to obtain 45,300 lumens in an integration sphere with a CRI greater than 80. In addition to being entirely adapted to video requirements, it could be a perfect compromise between the S and TC versions for rental companies and venues with a very diversified range of uses.

The Air, Fire, and…the Storm

With his Phillips head magic wand, Cyril Albus Union, the magician who makes real the imagination of Yvan Péard, founder and great designer of Ayrton, lifts the veil (and the covers) of the Huracan Wash. Aesthetically, it is similar to the other models. We find the at-tention to detail and the emblematic know-how that makes it possi-ble to identify the brand at first glance. It is therefore without any am-biguity that we can speak of the base unit.

There are of course two handles on each side which makes the handling of the 42.5 kg easier. Two ventilation grills/slots allow air to flow through the entire base unit. Cleverly positioned behind the handles, they will never be blocked. Two foam filters prevent the en-try of dust. On the front, there is the screen and the wheel to confi-gure the many options of a clear and practical menu.


Touchscreen or rotating wheel, we can even do both!

In terms of connectivity and control, there are more than certain ver-sions of the Huracan. On all models, there are 2 XLR5 connectors for the DMX signal, 2 etherCON RJ45 connectors for the ArtNet and the sACN as well as a powerCON True1 connector for the power supply.

With a maximum consumption of 1,470 watts, copying the power supply could have had unfortunate consequences. On this fixture there is also a USB connector, for software updates and direct ac-cess to the battery which allows, among other things, to configure the fixture without plugging it into a power socket. The RDM protocol is available, as is a CRMX TiMo wireless receiver from Lumen Radio.

Here it is!

An NFC (Near Field Communication) chip is now added to the fixtures and it is thus possible, via a smartphone, to retrieve all the data from the machine and to configure it. A novelty that will greatly facilitate the management of one’s stock of equipment.

As usual, the base unit houses the motherboard as well as the power supplies for the electronics and the LED matrix. No change on the yoke either. The two axes of rotation can be locked to carry the machine in com-plete safety. The Tilt drive is in the side of the yoke that locks this axis.

Under the hood, the system differs a little from that of the Huracan-X but remains very classic. In the other arm/side, there is the mana-gement card for the pan and tilt axes, as well as the cable run of part of the wiring to the head.


There is a connection between the card and the three-phase hybrid stepper motor of the Pan axis! On the Tilt side, on the right, it also has a cable run to the head!

Ayrton constantly strives to produce fixtures that combine design, robustness, and reliability. For this reason, a large part of the fixed elements is made of cast aluminum. By combining the chassis with the external elements, the structure is very rigid with larger volumes.
To see what the Huracan has in mind or shall we say, in its head, all you have to do is turn each of the two screws on each of the covers a quarter turn. Little tip: to change a gobo, you must remove the top cover when the “Huracan” logo is upside down. At first glance, there is no difference with a profile version!


The Wash head is quite full!


SLU Innovation Award

The only quick way to differentiate the Wash version from the profile versions, if you don’t have the label in front of you, is the impressive 210 mm Fresnel lens. Fully molded, it is surely the element of this wash that required the most research.

The big Fresnel F.O.S. Lens of the Huracan is the new generation of Washes!

On the outer side of the lens, we can see all the characteristics of the Fresnel lens, on the other side a multitude of “points/dots” have been added and the position of each of them meticulously studied.

To be able to effectively use the blade module, the gobos, and the onboard ovalizing prism, the RD had to develop a progressive diffu-sion system that adapts according to the application and the acces-sories or optical elements used.

The F.O.S. (Fresnel Optimization System) also brings a very signifi-cant improvement to the mixing and diffusion of colors as well as a gain in luminosity which can reach up to 10%.


Behind the lens is the optical part of the head with the focus, in addition to the usual zoom, an ovalizing prism, and, what a joy, a progressive frost system using the same principle as the trichromic color flags.

The zoom, the frost, and the ovalizer! Already available in all major theaters but wi-thout Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack.

Yes ma’am, it’s a Wash with a lens for focusing!


In the second space, there are, as on the Huracan Profile, two mo-dules. The one closest to the Zoom has two settings, Iris and Fra-ming Shutters. It would have been simpler and less expensive to take the version of the profile and only offer the improvements in fu-ture models, but Ayrton always offers the best of these possibilities.


The same Iris module!

The same Framing Shutters module but better!


The 4-blade system is like that of its big brother. Each blade, control-led by 2 motors, completely closes the beam. On the other hand, the indexing of the module is done on 120° whereas it was +/- 45° on the profile. It is not a revolution, but it is often in the details that we appreciate the quality of a product.

The second module is a lighter version and is specially optimized for the Wash version. The system of 3 colors (CMY) and 3 correctors (CTO, CTB, and CTP) has of course been retained, it has even been adapted to the characteristics of the LED matrix. There is also the color wheel as well as the multicolored effects wheel and finally a wheel of 7 rotating and indexable gobos.

This is where the difference is made!

12 Flags of 6 tints produce 281 trillion colors!

To a tune of Latin jazz, by vibraphonist Cal Tjader

A few turns of the screw-driver to put everything back in its place and the fixture is ready to show us the extent of its possibilities. I connect the RJ45 port to my controller and the ArtNet link is done directly. Of course, we chose the 61-channel Extend mode, which offers the most possibilities. The fixture also offers Basic and Standard modes which use 37 and 39 parameters respectively.
The menu structure and content are practically identical on Ayrton fixtures of the same generation and it is therefore very simple to configure the fixture.

Most of the functions are also available via the NFC app and on the controller via the RDM or the last DMX channel of each fixture. Very useful options that allow modifications during the course of the Show.
You can, for example, select during most of the me-mories/cues the Stage ventilation mode for maximum light output and switch to Auto, Silence, or even Super Silence mode if you need to lower the level of ventilation at certain times.
If one day, the stage frame is smaller, we can also limit the course of the Pan. The Huracan is now ready. On @Full, we feel that there are lumens in this fixture! Even if it is not the brightest version, the beam is powerful and homogeneous.

The Huracan Wash ST is very Luxurious!

The ST version is mainly intended for TV and movie sets as well as for theatre, opera, and ballet even if, in my opinion, it is the most versatile of the 3. The dimmer is very efficient and you can precisely set the desired intensity. It’s even available in 16-bit with Extend mode. Depending on your needs, you can choose between Square Law curves, default, or Linear. For a nice thunderstorm effect, there is of course also a Shutter function with regular strobes, Pulse, or Random.

No surprise either with the pan and tilt axes. The movements are well managed with very short or very long transition times and whatever the combinations of values. One of the parameters that particularly surprised me was the zoom. The opening range is stun-ning while maintaining a high speed between the extreme values.

A few examples of the Zoom range!

One of the pluses of the Wash Huracan is that it opens wide and that you can also have a light “stick” or tight beam while maintaining a good homogeneous luminosity. When you are using 100% Wash, you don’t use the Focus function and you have a very fast speed from 0 to 100! By adding the iris we manage to find the small very tight beams that when sweeping across the stage or crossing above are always magic!

If you are a sly one this effect should make you smile.

One effect that I was surprised to see again was the prism simula-ting the oval of the Par 64 beam. As it is rotatable and indexable, it produces an original volumetric effect!
The combination of the CMY trichromic flags, the 3 progressive cor-rectors CTO, CTB, CTP, the color wheel, and the color macros make this Wash a perfect tool for users with very demanding color requi-rements. When all these parameters are combined with the new F.O.S. it is a rare work of art!

The color wheel, even if it is a little more complicated to use for the transitions, always has some colors, which would be difficult or im-possible to reproduce with the trichromic flags or a brighter version than one achieved with the stacking of the different filters.
On the ST version, the colors of the trichromic flags have been specially adapted to obtain the best compromise between color palette and luminosity. There is a slight difference with the Profile version but the two models go together very well in the same kit.


A small taste of the 281 trillion colors available with the Huracan Wash!

The addition of the 3 correctors, CTO, CTB, and CTP (minus green) is a big plus for television and cinema in particular, but also for other users. You can choose a color and very simply, cool or warm it up, adapt it to the camera settings, or make a subtle switch between two atmospheres without modifying the base color. I’m willing to bet that this is one of the most comprehensive color systems ever devel-oped on a fixture.


The multicolor effect will make you think you are hallucinating!

The color effect wheel also adds possibilities in terms of colors. It can be used alone but it is just as interesting to combine it with ano-ther color or even a “chase” or an effect of several colors.

The original colors are mainly based on cyan, yellow, and blue, by adding tints approaching magenta, red or green, the original rende-ring is completely modified.

I also liked the Frost. The fact of having chosen to modify the Profile system is a very good idea. We have a much more precise start and continuous management of the insertion of the frost. This is of course an important point on a Wash. Another interesting point is the blade/framing shutters module which allows the beam to be framed on one or more sides. A possibility that is not easy to set up on this type of source, but the work done on the final lens makes it possible to obtain very convincing results.


You don’t have to use round shapes only, you can also have them square or rectangular!

The last parameter, the gobo wheel, is surely the most original! The 7 gobos have been specially chosen for optimal efficiency and I must say that the result is very convincing. This is a plus on this al-ready complete fixture, which makes a real difference with all the other products on the market.


The very effective set of gobos in projection and volumetric use.

The Effect wheel, is even more fun!

Interesting results playing around with the Focus.

And with a dynamic video presentation


The Space Trucker

My favorite moment in testing is coming! Moe take out the rangefin-der, we’re going to eat soon… After letting the fixture cool down, we turn the @ full matrix back on to measure the impact of the heating of the LEDs on the light intensity.

Over a period of 35 minutes, the illumination in the center goes from 7,350 Lux to 6,954 Lux with a lowest value of 6,930 after 20 minutes.

So we have a maximum derating of 5.71% in auto mode, no sur-prise, Ayrton is one of the pioneers of the LED source.


Beam of 20°

After a carefree hour-long sushi break, the Huracan’s brightness re-mained the same. We, therefore, begin the first series of mea-surements to find the luminous flux at 20°, our reference angle. The illumination in the center of 20,450 Lux after derating (21,620 when cold) leads to a total flux of 29,100 lumens (30,760 when cold).
Our measurement methods and conditions are completely different, it is quite normal that we find different values than those of Ayrton which has an integrating sphere. The intensity curve shows no hot spots or faults in the beam. We take this opportunity to raise the in-tensities of the RGB, CMY, CTO CTB CTP hues and we get a CRI of 81 for the basic white.


Tight beam

For the smallest beam of 7.1° that we measure at I/2 (intensity at the center divided by 2) the illumination at the center is very high, 90,000 lux after derating (95,140 lux when cold) and the total flux is 24,250 lumens (25,600 lm when cold). No worries about the light in-tensity curve. The measurement of the angle, this time at I/10 leads to 10.2°.


Wide beam

For the maximum aperture, 72.3°, which we measured at I/10, with central illumination of 1,640 lux after derating (1,750 lux when cold), the flux reached 29,920 lm (31,640 lm when cold). 0 5 meters dis-tance, the light projection covers a diameter of 8 m on the target!

We also measure the regularity of the dimmer and we aren’t surprised that the fixture passes with flying colors!

Dimmer curve from 0 to 100% in Square Low mode.

Dimmer curve from 0 to 10% in Square Low mode.



A great Speedster!

The phrase that best sums up this fixture is “There’s a little more than you asked for, is that ok?”. Like the Profile version, the Wash of the Huracan series brings major innovations and additional fea-tures. We even have 3 versions to go as close as possible to our needs and always further in the designs.

The Huracan Wash has a powerful and homogeneous beam which makes it possible to increase tenfold the enormous potential of the CMY, CTO, CTB, and CTP color system highlighted by the new F.O.S. But this source also has a very nice range of effects and pos-sibilities thanks to the gobos, the effect wheel, and the blade/framing shutters module. I have only one piece of advice to give you, and that is to ask for a demo from the team at your nearest distributor!

AYRTON – Huracán Wash – Presentation from Ayrton on Vimeo.


Further info at the Ayrton website

General Specifications

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Anolis for The Godfrey Hotel New Lighting Scheme

A spectacular new Anolis external lighting scheme is illuminating the facades of The Godfrey Hotel in Boston, picking out the detail and architectural intricacies of the impressive former Blake & Armory Building, a historic commercial site at the corner of Temple Place and Washington Street in the city’s Downtown Crossing pedestrian shopping zone.


Ron Kuszmar of PORT led the project and explained that the hotel’s owners brought them onboard to specify, design and install a new LED lighting scheme that would highlight the building in all its glory and replace the previous system dating back to when The Godfrey originally opened in 2016.
Based in Seabrook, New Hampshire, an hour out of Boston, PORT is well known as a theatrical, stage and architectural lighting and control specialist. The client found them via a Google search and was impressed with some other commercial lighting installations completed by PORT around the city.

The hotel is a combination of two buildings which were listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings in 2014. The 11-story Blake & Armory was designed by well-known Boston architect Arthur Hunnewell Bowditch, and the two buildings were constructed in two phases between 1904 and 1908.

They vary slightly architecturally, but both feature large windows and quirky neo-Gothic details. Early tenants on the upper-level offices were mainly associated with the garment and fabric trade, while the lower floors housed different retail operations. In the early 20th century, the Downtown Crossing was Boston’s most chic shopping district.

Originally, The Godfrey Hotel lighting scheme was made up of flood type fixtures that looked messy and did not light up the building very efficiently, and key to the client brief received by Ron was that they wanted the sharp lines of the architecture to stand out … and they wanted to be able to colour change to mark certain occasions.

They also didn’t want additional electrical conduit running across the facades, so the fixtures had to utilise the existing two circuits of lighting power and the mounting infrastructure, so wireless control was crucial in the choice of fixtures, and they had to fit onto the existing bracketry of the previous system.


After extensive onsite tests with various Anolis products, Ron proposed a choice of three different schemes, and from these … the ArcSource Outdoor 24 MC Integral fixture was chosen, fitted with Lumen Radio CRMX modules for wireless DMX control.

Anolis ArcSource 24 MC

“When we realized that 25 x ArcSource 24s had the power and punch to light the building, we also knew we would not have to worry about any electrical costs,” commented Ron.
he compact size and rounded shape blended in well with the overall building aesthetics and it offered excellent, even, high quality lighting coverage across the facades.
The fixtures are located 20 feet up from pavement level where the old lights used to be, and where the architectural columns start that run up to the top of the building.
The Anolis luminaires are fitted with 7-degree lenses to ensure they can attain the tight focus needed to shoot up the columns and not spill into the windows or encroach on the ambience of the guest rooms.

The ArcSource Outdoor 24 MC Integral yoke design was also a key to getting the required look and style of lighting. Offset from centre, this allowed Ron and the installation team to rotate the fixtures slightly further away from the building – both outwards and inwards to deal with the different sides – which was the final physical element that enabled optimization of the focus and coverage on both buildings, making the shafts of light so perfect.

The signature look is a crisp white, highlighting the linear elegance of the columns and beautifully outlining the shape and style of the buildings. A full new Pharos networked control system was installed as part of the project. The scheme will be changed for events like the Boston Marathon, so a series of different colour combinations are pre-programmed into the Pharos TPC controller which can be recalled as needed.

The control system is running via the hotel’s TV network infrastructure, accessed by strategically placed wireless transmitters located in the corners of the buildings and behind each of the TVs in the rooms, with an extra VLAN added to the system for lighting. Signal comes out of that TV network switch to the Lumen Radio CRMX transmitter via streaming ACN. “It’s all about problem solving,” commented Ron.


He added that PORT frequently uses Robe products on various projects, so he is familiar with the “robust design quality and excellent engineering”, which added to their confidence to spec Anolis for the exterior lighting of this highly visible architectural centrepiece.

For more info, you can visit the Anolis website or the Robe website

 

Robe Now and Someday for Spectacular Nick & Simon Finale Concerts

Phenomenally successful Dutch singer-songwriter duo Nick & Simon (Nick Schilder & Simon Keizer) played 6 sold-out nights at Rotterdam’s famous Ahoy Arena in The Netherlands, the culmination of their “Nu of Ooit” (Now or Someday) tour which also was the last time they will appear in this format, as after 17 years of performing together, both artists now intend to pursue solo careers.

Lighting was designed by Martijn Steman of Triple Showtechniek working closely with artistic / show director Ad de Haan from Live Legends with the help of approximately 220 x Robe moving lights on the live show rig, plus another 60 x Robe Spiiders appearing as virtual light sources within the digital scenery that defined the stage design and show aesthetic.

Jim de Brouwer from Live Legends created the set design in conjunction with Sander van der Ham of Bluepaper and creative Desiree van Giezen, which comprised 435 square metres of LED screen. The concept was to have a ‘museum’ building that houses all Nick & Simon’s hits – of which there are many – each in their own special place. With moving walls and stairs, the stage architecture could be shifted and varied, offering a unique scenic look for each song in the set.

Ad explained that since 2009, when Live Legends first became involved in designing Nick & Simon’s stage environments, they have often included large LED surfaces enabling spectacular IMAG close ups of the artists onscreen.

For this one, they wanted to be able to change the scenery dramatically for each song, and digital scenery was a more cost-effective and flexible way of achieving this than doing it physically.

Live Legends’ content creation team – VFX artists Jim de Brouwer and Rolf Kuipers and content producer Margriet van Weperen – were asked to realistically light the footage they were making with plenty of motion using the virtual light sources.


For the show, it was essential that the pace and atmosphere of the real and digital worlds and content were synchronized, so Ad and Martijn’s long and enjoyable experience of collaborating on Nick & Simon shows proved a great asset in merging these digital decor and lighting elements seamlessly into one visual entity.

Once the set list was established, Desiree and Martijn drew up a colour list for 29 songs which had a total run time of one hour and 45 minutes. As the stage layout of the ‘museum’ changed, so did the lighting and video designs. By working with different angles of light, the different digital compositions were sometimes very theatrical for ballads and slow songs, but animated and up-tempo for the more rousing music.


Video was played back via a Resolume server with two live operators – Desiree took care of live PiP inserts plus all the specials related to the LED banners along the catwalks and above the band, and lit the digital décor with three or four lighting looks for each song.

Martijn has lit Nick & Simon since they first broke through in 2006. One of the beauties of working on these shows was collaborating closely with Ad, Sander and Desiree and blending lighting and visuals so specifically, creating special scenes and perceptions of depth that intensified the live experience.

Robe MegaPointe

Of the 66 x Robe MegaPointes on the shows, most were above the stage and along two runways that came off the stage either side and ran down the length of the auditorium. These were used as the show’s main effects lighting.

The 40 x LEDBeam 150s were positioned along the sides of the LED screens so Martijn could call them up for side lights, while 36 x LEDBeam 350s were flown all around the room and used to backlight the audience and extend and echo the mood of the decor across the hall for a more immersive experience.

Robe LEDBeam 150

Robe Spiider

Twenty-two real Robe Spiider LED wash beams were used as a backlight for the band. Martijn needed a powerful, punchy and even luminaire to compensate for the brightness of the LED screen.

Robe BFM Blade

For front light he chose 20 x BMFL Blades, picked for their power, excellent whites and flesh tones, with four BMFL Spots – out of a total of 24 – used as remote follow spots, running on four RoboSpot BaseStations positioned in a control room on the venue’s second floor balcony level.

The four follow BMFL Spots were rigged along the runways and the front truss and were chosen for their output and because Martijn specifically wanted to utilise the flexibility of the RoboSpot system for several reasons.
The main one was that spot chairs dangling down from the rig, looking unsightly, and obscuring the clean hi-impact structural look … was out!

RoboSpots also allowed him to cover entrances at multiple points across the stage and set, and gave him colour and other parameter control that was at the core of the design concept, so they could be matched to the lighting and scenic ambience of the moment.

All the Robe lights together with another 200 or so fixtures were programmed and run by Martijn on a Hog 4 console, run completely live with no timecode input. Prior to that, he pre-vizzed in Depence 3 using previews of the video content for reference.
Lighting equipment was supplied via Martijn’s company, Triple Showtechniek B.V which has supplied Nick & Simon’s management company, Volendam Music B.V., for some time.


Quizzed on what he enjoyed the most about these shows, Martijn stated “the collaborative nature” of the production and the fusion of talents and teamwork that made the stage come alive, etching lasting and memorable Nick & Simon impressions for all their fans. It was an emotional time for many after such a lengthy chapter in the creative careers of both artists, however there is also plenty of anticipation about what will happen next, as clearly neither of them is going away!

For more information about Robe Lighting, you can visit www.robe.cz

 

Ayrton Cobra hits the sweet spot for Zucchero’s World Wild Tour 2023

With a wealth of platinum and gold records to his name, Italian singer-songwriter and ‘father of Italian blues’, Zucchero Fornaciari, affectionately known as Diavolo in R.E, celebrates his 40-year career this year with his World Wild Tour 2023.

The tour kicked off in New Zealand in April, before returning to Zucchero’s home town of Reggio Emilia on the 9th and 10th of April where he played with huge success to capacity crowds at the RCF Arena, formerly known as Campovolo.
With these two shows, Zucchero inaugurated the new-look Campovolo which now has a 35,000-seat capacity, and a purpose-built 5% slope that ensures optimal views and acoustics across the whole site, making the RCF Arena the largest outdoor music venue in Europe.

Zucchero’s lighting designer, Daniele De Santis, chose 60 Ayrton Cobra for the key feature of his lighting design for these two special shows, knowing he wanted a fixture that was powerful enough to make a mark across the huge space.

“I was intrigued by Cobra from the very first moment this fixture was released onto the market,” says De Santis. “I was fascinated by the opportunity to use a laser source that could give me the ability to ‘go far’. To have a tracer beam that would draw a sharp, clear shape in the air, with vivid colours even at long distances.”

Ayrton Cobra

The 60 Ayrton Cobra were positioned around the entire structure of the 80m wide by 18m high stage, with the function of defining the frame of the whole stage and visually enlarging the lighting system.

“The goal was to extend the lighting system in all directions,” explains De Santis. “The concert area was very large and it was important not to exclude any part of the audience. I didn’t want those sitting at the sides or at the back – at about 200m away – to feel excluded.

I wanted each of them to feel they were part of the concert, and that they were enveloped in the beams of light coming from the stage. I didn’t envisage putting lights on the delay towers precisely because I wanted everything to emanate from the stage, the central point from which all the lighting began.
In this the Cobra helped me a lot because, with their beams, I was able to reach to the very last person at the back.“

“Although I had an idea in mind of what the Cobras were supposed to do, I didn’t know the full potential of the fixture. I’d focused a lot on the result, which for me was achieving the crucial effect of widening the stage, plus the Cobras were the only fixtures positioned around the structure, together with a frame of blinders.

“I was afraid that by using colours the beams would disappear into the night sky, and I had many doubts at first. But as soon as we fired them up, all my fears and anxieties disappeared,” confides De Santis. “’Wow!’ was my first exclamation at first sight…here were some bright, powerful beams that went “far”, and were everything I was looking for.


Within a few minutes everything materialised in my head and I had the confirmation I needed that a great lighting show would come out of this. I began to see the potential of what I could create over the two nights by programming with Cobra.
Using the zoom to zero with the beam effect, we created sharp, clean, powerful tracers that I have never seen before in my twenty-three years of experience.”

The Cobras, which were supplied by Agorà, were in action for a week in all weather conditions, without ever being covered during the night.

“An hour before the debut on June 9th, there was a sudden water bomb that spilled over the entire Reggio Emilia area, with deluges of water and very strong wind, that forced us to shut down the system for safety,” says De Santis. “Once the storm passed, we started to turn everything back on with the concern of having “lost” some fixtures. The Ayrton Cobras restarted as if nothing had happened and did their job without any worries. Their water resistance is excellent and their reliability is unquestionable.”

For more information on Cobra and Ayrton’s full range of LED and laser sourced lighting solutions, visit www.ayrton.eu

Ayrton is distributed exclusively in Italy by Molpass. For information on Molpass visit www.molpass.it

 

HOLOPLOT unveils X2, his latest product innovation

HOLOPLOT, announces the launch of its latest product innovation: X2. Setting a new standard in sound reinforcement for speech-based and multi-content applications, X2 is the logical next development in HOLOPLOT’s ongoing commitment to delivering unrivaled sound control – now for more applications than ever before.

Wrapped in a more compact hardware design, HOLOPLOT’s newly conceived X2 embraces the same core technologies of 3D Audio-Beamforming and Wave Field Synthesis as the multi-award winning X1, making it more accessible for integration projects across a variety of sectors.

The highly anticipated X2 is optimized for speech applications and builds on achievements from HOLOPLOT’s formative years, when tests of a technology prototype resulted in some of the highest Speech Transmission Index (STI) measurements ever recorded on a train station platform.

The Modul 30 (MD30) is a Matrix Array loudspeaker, incorporating 30 full-range drivers in a single layered matrix arrangement. X2 taps into intelligent software-based optimization of sound system design and performance, as well as guaranteeing seamless and customizable integration.

The Modul 30.


For the conceptualization of the product, HOLOPLOT brought in Klas Dalbjorn as Product Manager, informing its development via his 30 year career in pro audio, and pulling on his experience at Lab.gruppen and Powersoft.

Klas Dalbjorn

“When setting out to design X2 it was obvious we needed to stay in line with HOLOPLOT’s Matrix Array principles.
We wanted to bring the same unprecedented digital control over sound achieved with X1 and translate it to delivering unsurpassed intelligibility and directionality for typical install use cases such as auditoria, PA/VA applications, or houses of worship.
Form factor and power to size ratio were key considerations from the get-go. X2 is optimized for speech applications, but can reliably support music content reproduction,” says Dalbjorn.


The 3D Audio-Beamforming in action.

X2 is specifically engineered to tackle longstanding acoustic issues, significantly decreasing the need for acoustic treatment, by mitigating unwanted reflections, ensuring clear and consistent audio experiences.
With the ability to be discreetly positioned behind acoustically transparent screens or wall panels, X2 preserves the architectural integrity of any space, while HOLOPLOT’s optimization algorithms counteract transmission loss.

X2 boasts a surprisingly compact size without compromising on the exceptional sound control that defines HOLOPLOT. The simple, intuitive mounting frame of X2 allows for clean and efficient installation, making it a practical choice for a variety of environments.

Building on the modular Matrix Array principles of X1, X2 can be scaled effortlessly to meet the demands of a multitude of spaces. Recognizing the crucial role of clear communication in public address and voice alarm applications, X2 is an optimal choice for safety-critical applications such as train stations and airports.


Engineered to endure challenging environments, X2 is built to withstand extreme weather conditions including high temperatures, humidity, and water exposure. This durability allows X2 to be installed in outdoor venues or other demanding settings without compromising performance or longevity. Whether placed in a tropical resort, a humid indoor pool area, or large outdoor congregation spaces, the MD30 module delivers consistent, high-quality audio performance, no matter the climate or conditions.

Holoplot Plan.

With the announcement of X2, HOLOPLOT is also releasing a brand-new version of its sound system design software HOLOPLOT Plan.

Alongside a number of feature updates, it now enables planning and simulation of HOLOPLOT sound systems with X2 Audio Modules.


MichaelKastner

“X2 embodies our relentless pursuit of audio perfection, continuing our journey to set a new benchmark for sound control and performance,” concludes Michael Kastner, Head of Product at HOLOPLOT.

“Our aim is to provide a transformative solution that achieves exceptional speech intelligibility and sound quality in even the most challenging acoustic spaces, while ensuring minimal intrusion on the aesthetics of the project environment.
We believe X2 delivers on this, and is set to redefine how society engages with sound.”

More information on the Holoplot website