Sure, the game is fun to watch but for many – certainly those in the entertainment technology industry – it is the Super Bowl halftime show that garners most of the attention. On Sunday, February 13, 2022, all eyes were on SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for Super Bowl LVI where hip-hop legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige took the stage, with surprise performances from 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak.
Super Bowl halftime veteran Al Gurdon of Incandescent Design was back lighting the show and, as befits a show of this caliber, had a large lighting package at his disposal. This was the Emmy-winning designer’s sixth time lighting the event and with ambient lighting conditions to contend with chose a powerful package that included Proteus Maximus, new Proteus Excalibur, and Protron 3K Color luminaires.
Entertainment design group 22 Degrees supported Gurdon in his design including lighting direction. The lighting system, made up of over 600 lighting fixtures, was supplied by PRG. Executive Producer of the show was Roc Nation.
Returns to Maximus
In terms of what is most important when it comes to fixture choice for the Super Bowl halftime, Gurdon says it depends on the show. “One Super Bowl can be very different from another,” he says. “Very significant considerations are whether or not the stadium is under cover from the elements, or not, and the type of throw distances involved.”
Last year’s halftime show, in Tampa, was exposed to the elements and therefore having an IP65 rated fixture was very important. “That was the first time I used the Proteus Maximus, and I was very impressed with its functionality and particularly its brightness,” Gurdon comments.
“Again this year, we were all extremely impressed with the brightness at significant throws, and that was particularly important in this halftime show as we were shooting across the borderline between full daylight and full night.”
Bright ambient conditions Gurdon says that because the precise duration of the first half of the game was not predictable, they did not know what sort of ambient conditions they would eventually shoot in. “As it turned out, the first half was very quick and we broadcast the show at the earliest and brightest time we had ever seen it. It was very useful at this point to be able to call upon the considerable brightness headroom we had built into the rig to give us more contrast in brighter daylight conditions.”
Although the IP rating was not a requisite for this year’s show as the field at SoFi Stadium is covered, Gurdon says the shuttering, and most importantly, their brightness, made them an obvious choice for this year as well. He incorporated 94 Maximus in his design, arrayed around the building and mainly used for key light. “I also used them for the ‘Global Citizen’ event in Paris this year, and found them very effective and efficient.”
Proteus Excalibur
In searching for a compact moving head that could create powerful aerial beams, Gurdon spoke with Elation’s UK-based Business Development Manager, Graham Hill, who introduced him to Elation’s newest Proteus series fixture, the Proteus Excalibur.
“The set design concept for the show (Es Devlin) was a series of iconic buildings from the Compton neighborhood, sitting on a field cloth of Los Angeles from the air,” Gurdon explains.
“I wanted something that would give me a good searchlight effect. I was keen to have the visible fixtures feel like a motivated part of the environment, rather than ‘just a bunch of lights’.”
The Proteus Excalibur projects an ultra-narrow 0.8-degree beam – producing up to 200,000 lux at 20 meters. Eighty-four Excalibur fixtures were arrayed on field carts on both sidelines and on audio carts that created a ring around the field.
Finally, rigged next to the Proteus Maximus, 106 Protron 3K Color, a high-power RGBW strobe light with 40,000 lumens of power, provided a stadium-sized flash effect. Gurdon says he is a big fan of strobes and often prefers to simply accent the music using them, something he feels they do well.
The Super Bowl is the most watched television broadcast in the United States every year with this year’s halftime show watched by over 100 million viewers plus millions more around the globe. The game proved especially satisfying for Elation as the Los Angeles-based company’s home team Rams came out victorious.
After celebrating 15 years lighting My Morning Jacket (MMJ) – including seven design cycles – any LD could be forgiven for running out of fresh ideas. But not Marc Janowitz, who recently started using GLP’s innovative KNV Dots – the latest in a long history of discovering solutions within the German company’s fast-evolving LED inventory.
“In 2012 I first started stringing [impression] X4 as ‘festoons’ on MMJ and I just kept on using them as a problem-solving tool,” he explains. “Prior to that I had been using the 120 Zoom. The X4, with its homogeneous RGBW sources, was a big sea change for LED wash fixtures.”
Presently Janowitz is favouring the KNV Dot, which he also has out with the Black Pumas. One of four inter-operable KNV fixtures, each housing can be used independently, or combined seamlessly to provide massive canvasses. Contained in its own IP54-rated housing, KNV Dot comprises a bright 30W hyper-white central LED surrounded by 16 x 0.5W RGB LEDs, providing the flexibility to be used as a pixel-mapped surface, strobe, blinder or washlight, and with a DMX pattern generator offering further multiple effect libraries and graphic options.
The KNV Dots form an essential part of an evolved design, which also includes multiples of GLP JDC1 hybrid strobes, X4 Bar 20 battens, X4 washes and the tiny impression X4 S. After COVID the band resumed touring, announcing Fall dates which would showcase not only their recently released Waterfall II album but also a new self-titled album released mid-tour in October, all of which needed to be expanded into the show.
The scalable production design was initially aimed at 10,000–12,000-capacity ‘shed’-style venues at the upper size and 3,000 4,000 boutique size at the lower. It would range from 40ft to the highest truss – to accommodate six diamond centrepieces, each edged with six GLP impression X4 Bar 20 battens – down to 25ft. Initially the design had come together for limited engagements in 2019 to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary. “We always knew we would use the design again but then everything was put on ice (with lockdown),” states the LD.
“The diamond layout was modular and each diamond was isolated from the next. This modularity left a lot of negative space between each and I really wanted something to fill in those gaps, so we used 120 of the KNV Dot. One of the really amazing and appealing features is in the name: You can dot them anywhere and simply click them into the space.
“Whereas diamonds are geometric and symmetric, I wanted to fill that negative space in a much more organic way, more like a twinkling starfield – it was a firmament that needed to be filled. “Because the outer RGB ring is never hard to look at, they can twinkle away as background elements throughout the show. Then you can push right through with the white LED in the middle and grow it to what you want – from a twinkly star to a supernova and audience blinder. In fact when you hit the white it’s competing with a JDC1; they work great together.”
GLP JDC1
Janowitz has a set of 14 JDC1 in the rig – one in the centre of each diamond, a set on the floor upstage of the band and another midstage. “The JDCs either work with the Dots or counter to them. If I do rhythmic hits, I’ll alternate between. You can get a nice large outside effect – a colour starfield, like an aurora borealis effect,” he continues.
He says the band picked up on it right away. “They absolutely love it,” he adds. “They first saw them in rehearsals and were amazed at these crazy spokes getting the lights to float in outer space like a Milky Way.
“The Dots spoke out from the diamonds on 2ft, 3ft, 4ft extension arms: their placement was originally selected at random. I asked my design assistant, Jacob Wesson to zoom in on the front elevation, close his eyes and start clicking Dot fixtures into the model. Then, in the lighting shop, he essentially did the same but with the actual units. There are also a bunch of them on mic stands behind the band at random heights; in fact there are clusters everywhere.” For the smallest venues, when the diamonds can’t be rigged, the arms are re-located to the three upstage floor package carts.
In summary, Marc Janowitz says: “I am always drawn to GLP products that you can dangle or outrig in a whimsical way – the KNV Dot provides consistent eye candy in every look.” The lighting package is supplied by Pulse Lighting with additional Dot fixtures from Gateway Productions.
The latest project, supplied and installed by Sogo Butai, was for the 2900+ capacity Zepp Haneda in Tokyo and consists of a full complement of LED fixtures across the whole range of Robert Juliat’s LED portfolio: profile, single lens, followspots and cyclorama lights.
Sogo Butai lighting designer, Yukiteru Hayashi, carefully chose the comprehensive selection of LED fixtures to include 24 Dalis 860 cyclorama lights, 6 Tibo 533CW 115W Cool White and 4 ZEP 664SX2 300W profiles, 28 Warm White ZEP 360LF2 300W and 10 Cool White ZEP 360LF2 300W Fresnels, alongside 6 Oz 600W LED followspots. Four of the Oz followspots are sited in front-of-house positions and 2 in side positions. The profiles are rigged to a movable batten as ready-to-be-used fixures and stored in the stage right wing.
The Warm White ZEP360LF2 Fresnels are rigged in side positions, 12 either side of the auditorium, and the Cool White ZEP360LF2 Fresnels are all rigged on the first downstage truss. A subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc, Zepp concert halls are dynamic, busy venues which are spread across all areas of Japan and beyond. The venues play host to many international tours and Japanese musicians and are also popular locations for corporate events and conventions.
With such a diversity of uses, the versatility and economy offered by LED fixtures and the quality of Robert Juliat products in particular was extremely important to this busy venue. “We’ve been using RJ fixtures for the other Zepp concert halls, so it was a natural choice for this venue as well,” says Hayashi. “This was a good opportunity for us to purchase only LED fixtures. We hope this will be a good model for other venues.”
Hayashi first specified Robert Juliat followspots in 2013 when he selected 4 Victor units for Zepp Namba and has been returning to the French brand ever since, choosing this time to go with Oz as an LED option. “I was worried at first that Oz would be hard to use for the operators who are used to other followspots, but Oz is so well-calculated ergonomically that the operators could handle them very easily. I suppose this is why Oz is so popular throughout the country. Besides, thanks to the LED source, there’s no need to change the light bulbs which saves time and energy, so we are glad to have Oz and Dalis, and all of the LED fixtures, for economic and ecological reasons too.”
Very familiar with the high quality of light produced by Dalis, Hayashi specified the award-winning cyclorama lights for Zepp Haneda, and he is delighted with his choice once again.
“The brilliant, vivid colours of Dalis illuminated the stage with such beauty, and it was very moving to see the obvious quality of the lights,” states Hayashi. “The operators told me how they loved the fact that Dalis fixtures colour the stage so smoothly, equally and beautifully with their light so vivid and aesthetically intense. I will definitely choose Dalis if there’s another occasion to purchase new fixtures.”
Sogo Butai Co., Ltd. provides installation design for theatres, concert halls, and live houses, including sales and delivery of equipment. It prides itself on servicing every demand with the best equipment available, selected with the confidence of many years of experience and skill.
With the new Arolla range, Claypaky spans the gamut from the complete and versatile XP 1200 W LED fixture down to the two small MP fixtures, Spot and Profile, equipped with a 470 W LED source. Simply swapping modules allows the user to switch from Spot to Profile and vice versa. These two fixtures – which boast surprising weight, luminous flux and a wide range of functions – caught our attention.
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With such an impressive set of features, the Arolla should be very popular in television production.
On paper, the Spot and Profile fixtures of the Arolla range are doubtlessly the answer to the expectations of a large number of lighting companies. The size, weight and the declared flux of 22,000 lm (using the integrating sphere method) are impressive!
At 590 mm high and 360 mm wide at the base (including handles), this unit is almost identical in size to the Axcor Spot 300, with a difference of 290 watts! The weight, also surprising, is no more than 24 kg!
As the icing on the cake, this little fixture has, in my opinion, a truly great design, a clever mix of curves and lines, roundness and angles that make it sleek and stylish. One can appreciate the quality of the plastic covers, as much for their durability as for their appearance.
Trying everything out
Everyone is looking for the most powerful and lightest fixture possible – but of course with complete features. We will surely get there, but for now there are still limits. Claypaky’s R&D department, which has more than one trick up its sleeve, has developed and integrated the eSWAP technology into both versions. This consists of an interchangeable module. While the basic principle is not new, it has been revised and improved to make the technician’s job easier and, above all, to reduce the burden on the buyer’s wallet.
The eSWAP: Claypaky’s take on Drag & Drop
For those who only need Spots or Profiles, both versions are available. Others who find it necessary to have both types can use this interchangeable module of the other type. They will buy the Arolla Spot MP and the Profile framing module or vice versa. Since the module is automatically recognized, once the cover is closed, all that is left to do is to switch it on and program it, without forgetting when patching that an Arolla Spot with the framing module becomes an Arolla Profile and vice versa.
So, whatever the initial choice, you get a very complete set of functions, including a 16-bit dimmer that allows you to precisely adjust the LED array according to one of the four curves available in the menu or via DMX channel 29. The strobe function offers regular and random modes.
Dimming curves
A plot of the dimming curve from 0 to 100 % in Square-Law mode.
A plot of the dimming curve from 0 to 10 % in Square-Law mode.
A plot of the dimming curve from 0 to 100 % in Linear mode.
A plot of the dimming curve from 0 to 10 % in Linear mode.
In terms of color, the twin fixtures are certainly not lacking. They have CMY color mixing – which can be configured for control in RGB mode – a progressive CTO and a wheel with nine colors. The fifth of these filters is a CRI-4 filter that allows it to reach a CRI greater than 88 (the LED array has a CRI >70 intrinsically).
The color wheel has three modes, “Full Color”, “Half Color” and “Linear”. The palette is really interesting and provides beautiful, saturated, and pastel tones. The light source has been specially designed not to produce the metallic white that often limits the color range.
The six primary colors, CMY and RGB.
The CTO at 100%.
The color wheel.
With its two gobo wheels, the Spot provides 14 indexable rotating gobos. The selection of gobos is smart, combining the needs of projection and aerial effects, and the Go-Bright technology ensures that no light is lost or colors are altered when gobos are inserted into the beam.
On the Arolla Profile, the 4-blade framing module replaces the second gobo wheel. Each of these shutter blades can completely obscure the beam, which implies that each blade is on a different focal plane. It will therefore be impossible to obtain perfect focus on two different shutters. In the control of the shutters, the first parameter of each allows the shutter to be moved in or out, while the second parameter adjusts the angle of the shutter in a much simpler and faster way than before.
The 14 indexable rotating gobos of the Spot version.
The gobos can be combined with an indexable, rotating 4-facet prism or with the animation wheel. To modify the beam aperture, there is a zoom, a focus and an iris. The zoom range from 6° to 50° is impressive for a fixture of this size. All three of these parameters (iris, zoom and focus) are very reactive and the transition from sharp to soft focus, with the iris closed, is done in less than two seconds!
You have to be careful when you close the iris because there are two tight sharp settings: one is very fast but doesn’t give the tightest beam, but I find the transition a bit cleaner. The smallest aperture is really very tight, and of course slightly less bright, but very useful for pencil-beam effects. The beam is uniform and its power is surprising. Even if the Italian brand has gotten us used to beautiful and very bright beams, I must admit that they still manage to surprise me. And finally, the pan and tilt movements are clean, smooth and fast. There is no jerkiness on a diagonal, fast movements are impressive without any jerkiness at the end of the travel or delay at the start. Slow movements are perfect.
Video Presentation of the Arolla
The Big Challenge
The heat pipe system that cools the 470 W source.
Despite its size and the number of features, the disassembly and maintenance of the unit seems rather simple. To remove the two halves of the head cowling, only ¼-turn is needed for the two screws for each cover. The maintenance procedures include two air filters that need to be cleaned regularly in order to keep the ventilation optimal.
The cooling system of the LED array is a classic heat pipe system cooled by four fans, two on the bottom to draw cool air to the heat sink and two on top to expel the hot air.
The LED array is positioned behind the collimating lens.
The LED array is, of course, directly mounted on the heat-pipe radiator. The collimating lens, positioned in front of the light source, gives the beam its uniformity. In order to be far from the focal plane, the CMY+CTO system, is as close as possible to the collimator.
It consists of eight color flags, two per color. I notice that Claypaky has used laser nano-engraving, which allows for optimized progression from white to full color, and for beautiful transitions when changing colors.
The four-color system with its dichroic glass filters, on which you can clearly see the nano-engraving.
The subsequent module, common to both MP models, includes the color wheel, a wheel of rotating gobos, as well as the animation wheel. This last one is mounted on a boom that allows you to control its insertion into the optical path.
A great view of the gobo wheel, the color wheel and the animation wheel.
On the gobo wheel you can see that the seven gobos are made of glass and that they have, like all the latest series, a reference point that allows you to index the gobos of all the fixtures identically. The color wheel also boasts the best features. All the dichroic filters are mounted edge-to-edge, to benefit from both a more pleasant transition between colors and a split-color capability.
Next – depending on whether you are looking at the Spot or the Profile model – you will find either the framing module or the second gobo wheel. This is the module that uses the new eSWAP technology. As you can see in Claypaky’s video presentation, you only need to remove two screws to take this module out. You need to be sure to gently slide the zoom lens as close to the output lens as possible, to avoid it interfering with the removal of the module.
The top of the framing module.
On the other side, you can see the iris, the wheel that rotates the framing module, and the control board for the ten motors of this module.
In the Spot model, this is the second wheel of rotating gobos…
The last effects, zoom and focus, are mounted on carriages, guided on two rails and driven by four belts (two per function).
In the foreground is the frost and, just behind it, the prism. Above these is the zoom.
The frost is inserted by means of a rotating shaft. It’s position very close to the zoom lens allows the effect of smooth progressive blurring across the entire beam. On the other side, the prism uses the same type of mechanism, with the addition of a motor for rotation and indexing.
The covers of the yoke arms can be removed by means of four screws. On one of the sides, we find the same system that has been used for many years to drive the head, a small pinion at the bottom directly attached to the three-phase motor housed in the horizontal part of the arm. It drives the sprocket wheel linked to the head via a belt. There is also a junction that connects the power supplies from the base to the head. This is a very accessible and practical place when you want to isolate or access the wiring of one of the elements.
The belt and sprockets of the tilt drive transmission.
At the bottom you can see the motor of the pan drive and, above it, a multifunction PCB.
Inside the opposite yoke arm, we first see the three-phase hybrid motor that drives the pan, topped with a fan that cools both the motor and the circuit board. This PCB has several functions, such as controlling the pan and tilt motors. From what I can surmise, it also handles the position sensor of the head.
To wind up our examination of the Arolla, we remove the two covers of the base. In the base we find the various power supplies for the LEDs, the motors and the electronic components. It is also where the motherboard of the fixture is located.
Some numbers and letters
Derating
Now it’s time to take some measurements. To do this, after having centered the beam on the target, we turn on the fixture at full power and measure the illuminance 30 seconds after switching it on: 8611 lux.
We then take illuminance readings at five-minute intervals and plot the derating curve. The flux stabilizes after 25 minutes of heating at 8140 lux. The derating is thus 5,47%, a very good result for such a ratio between size, power and luminosity.
Colors
Tightest sharp-focus beam
We measure the tightest zoom setting that permits a sharply focused beam, with the iris open. As the zoom of the Arolla really tightens down, the beam doesn’t extend outside the third circle of our measurement target. Once we crunch these nine numbers in our spreadsheet, we get 9359 lumens after derating (9900 lm when cold). We measure a beam divergence of 5.84°. With only three series of measurements, the intensity curve is, of course, flawless.
20° beam
At our reference beam angle of 20°, which generally provides the most reliable results, we obtain a lumen output of 16,220 lumens after derating (17,160 lm when cold). An impressive result for a source of this power. There’s nothing to remark about the intensity curve.
Widest sharp-focus beam
The widest zoom angle that gives us a sharply focused projection corresponds to a beam divergence of 53.2°. We start in the center with 1470 lux after derating, reaching 550 lux on the outermost ring. This gives us a luminous flux of 15,890 lumens after derating (16,810 lm when cold). We lose only 330 lumens from 20° to 53°. There are no irregularities to note on the intensity curve.
What a Surprise
Small and powerful, the Arolla MP series fixtures are a nice surprise. Claypaky has succeeded with this challenge. The Arolla Spot and Profile MP are among the best in terms of size, weight and light output. The eSWAP is the icing on the cake! No need to choose or buy two different lights, you just have to supplement the purchased model with the module of the other version, which are sold at a reasonable price, so you don’t have to choose between the cheese and the dessert. It is a pleasure to discover a product worthy of the golden years of this Italian manufacturer.
Atomic Professional Audio, Inc. in North Clarendon, Vermont has invested in Ayrton Perseo-S fixtures and put them to work on a New Year’s Eve event held in Burlington. Perseo-S is the first compact, multi-function luminaire with an IP65 rating developed by Ayrton for intensive outdoor use. ACT Entertainment, Inc. is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
Established in 1994, Atomic Pro Audio offers a wide range of production services, sales and installations. With years of experience producing live events, the company has a reputation for providing excellent service with the highest-quality equipment.
“The main use of our Perseos will be for outdoor concerts in New England giving us a unit that we can use on the downstage truss and not have to worry about inclement weather,” says Chad Voghell, Head of the Lighting Department at Atomic Pro Audio. “We decided to replace an existing lighting system with brighter fixtures that are IP65 rated and similar in weight, with framing shutters and LED sources,” he explains. “We demo’d fixtures from many different manufacturers last fall. While Perseo was not the brightest fixture in open white, once you started layering on gobos and colours and prisms, they were just as bright sometimes brighter than the competition.”
Voghell notes that in a colour test, “CMY colour appeared faster in Perseo than in other fixtures allowing for much softer pastels and no-colours. And the dimming curve available just on an encoder was the best I’d ever seen in an LED-sourced unit. There was no ‘pop-up’ when coming up from black: It felt like you were operating an incandescent dimmer. The dimmer and colour combined with the framing shutters feature made me excited to offer Perseo to our theatrical clients for dry rental.”
Perseo offered additional features that made them a good choice for Atomic Pro Audio’s inventory. “We loved the gobo patterns in the fixture, and I was relieved to know that the rotating gobo selection is the same across much of the Ayrton moving light line. That means if a rider specifies an Ayrton Ghibli or Mistral, I can offer a substitute that has the same gobos,” Voghell points out.
He also cited the fixture’s zoom range as a big plus. “Having something that opens up so wide makes Perseo useful on short stages as well as rooms with lots of hanging height,” Voghell notes. “We operate mostly on Stageline SL320 and SL250 stages right now, so having a fixture that looks great when the trim is low is very important for us.”
Atomic Pro Audio already utilized its Perseo-S fixtures for Burlington, Vermont’s New Year’s Eve celebration, hosted by Burlington City Arts in a downtown waterfront park. “They performed very well in the 35º wet weather cutting through the wash easily in saturating colours and gobos,” Voghell says. “Their very wide zoom made it possible for them to work on our short Stageline SL100 stage. They looked great!”
Voghell is very excited to implement Perseo-S units on projects in what appears to be a busy upcoming year. “I am looking forward to deploying them as a solution in any situation,” he reports.
More information on Ayrton Perseo and the extensive portfolio of innovative Ayrton LED fixtures can be found at www.ayrton.eu
The Audio Engineering Society announces the publication of AES75-2022 AES standard for Measuring loudspeaker maximum linear sound levels using noise. The new standard addresses the need for a practical and cohesive procedure for the prediction of loudspeaker performance.
AES75 is the result of extensive work by the AES Standards Committee’s SC-04-03-A Task Group, co-chaired by Merlijn van Veen (senior technical support and education specialist at Meyer Sound) and Roger Schwenke, Ph.D. (Meyer Sound senior scientist and innovation steward).
“The work of the drafting group was deliberate and thoughtful as they carefully refined the standard,” says AES Standards chair Bruce Olson. “AES75 will no doubt join the most impactful standards that the Society has published in its long history of providing the audio industry with critical tools for analyzing the performance of audio equipment and ensuring interoperability.”
Roger Schwenke, Ph.D. Meyer Sound senior scientist and innovation steward.
Predictive evaluation of loudspeaker performance based on published specifications has traditionally been challenging due to inconsistencies in both measurement procedures and in how measured parameters are reported.
“Until now,” explains Schwenke, “reading an SPL number on a datasheet often inspired more questions than answers regarding test signals used and procedures for measurement. Most important to the end user is how the loudspeaker will perform with typical audio signals and whether the numbers can be compared apples-to-apples with numbers from one datasheet to another.”
“AES75 addresses these issues,” Schwenke continues, “by providing a detailed procedure as well as a specific test signal, M-Noise, whose RMS and peak levels as functions of frequency have been shown to better represent typical program material.
Furthermore, AES75 is designed to be independently verifiable, using analyzers and microphones typically used by audio professionals. By being independently verifiable, AES75 provides system specifiers and users a much more enforceable metric to use in quotes and architectural specs.”
The M-Noise test signal is based on Meyer Sound’s analysis of hundreds of music selections spanning all genres. The procedures documented in AES75 provide measurement of maximum linear sound levels by incrementally increasing playback levels until the magnitude or coherence of a loudspeaker’s acoustic reproduction of the M-Noise test signal reaches an unacceptable state. The AES75 test procedures cover performance measurements of both self-powered and externally powered loudspeakers.
Credit for the development of AES75 is owed to the large task group, AES’s standards management and to Meyer Sound’s original work, shares van Veen. “The chairs would like to acknowledge the nearly 80 task group members who represent all market verticals such as, but not limited to, automotive, consumer electronics, pro audio, post-production, and cinema,” he says.
Merlijn van Veen, Senior technical support and education specialist at Meyer Sound.
“For more than two years — during a pandemic — we met more than 50 times, every other week, which is extraordinary given the circumstances! Special recognition goes to the AES, Bruce Olson, Richard Cabot [AES standards manager], and Steve Hutt [recent co-chair AES Technical Council], as well as the SC-04-03 parent committee we report to for their continued support and guidance. Finally, the chairs would like express gratitude to John and Helen Meyer and Meyer Sound where M-Noise and its former companion procedure originated.”
More information about AES75-2022 “AES standard for acoustics – Measuring loudspeaker maximum linear sound levels using noise” can be found in the Audio Engineering Society’s Standards News Blog. The AES75 standard as well as the M-Noise signals and coherence test tracks are available for download at aes.org
Multi-award-winning arts and performance venue, Reading Rep Theatre, has benefited from an energy and space efficient, high impact lighting solution by choosing to invest in a plethora of the latest Acclaim Led Fresnel from Strand, a Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) entertainment lighting brand. The fixtures were originally specified by theater consultancy, Drama by Design, the company responsible for the entire £1m conversion from Salvation Army Hall to 170 seat, technically adaptable, multi-purpose venue.
The fixtures have been well received by both the technical department and incoming designers. Head of production for Reading Rep Theatre, Jordan Harris, says: “The project went well, and the theater is now a creatively welcoming space to work and visit. We love the Strand Acclaims, the dimming curve is great, and the light quality is excellent.
In addition, the fixtures are lightweight, small and easy to set up and program. With community at the heart of Reading Rep’s artistic vision, everything in our theater needs to be accessible, easy to understand and operate. It also needs to be energy efficient, work hard, provide good return on investment plus be easy to maintain and store.”
The second production in Reading Rep Theatre’s inaugural season, and the first using the all-new equipment was local born Beth Flintoff’s adaptation of family friendly classic A Christmas Carol. Lighting designer for the show, Simeon Miller, first to use the new Strand lighting equipment said: “The new Strand Acclaim Led Fresnel at the Reading Rep made my time working on A Christmas Carol a breeze.
Being able to be flexible with bright and saturated colors, as well as subtle tones and pastels allowed me to make and remake the world of the play as needed. Despite needing to rapidly move from location to location and through time, I always felt like I had another card to play while using the wide array of Led kit available to make memorable and good-looking lighting states.”
Andrew Stone, managing director of Drama by Design, describes why he specified the Strand Acclaim Led Fresnels: “Sustainability was a key consideration throughout this project. Wherever possible we ensured the most energy efficient, robust, and versatile equipment was purchased. The Strand Acclaim Led Fresnels were an ideal choice.
Energy efficient, great optics and excellent color rendering. They also offer the saturated colors required for backlight, the pastels and softer colors for front and side light and the natural daylight colors for atmospherics. These fixtures are easy to program and rig, so will make really- useful workhorses for all productions.”
Equipment was supplied by Strand and Vari-Lite partner Henley Theatre Services, Henley on Thames: “I always value working with the team at Henley Theatre Services,” adds Stone. “They are an appreciated partner from initial concept and design discussions through to final installation, training and support.”
In addition to the Strand Acclaim Led Fresnel, Signify brands Strand and Vari-Lite have donated a number of Vari-Lite 800 Eventpar and Strand PL1 Profile MKII fixtures. Grant Bales Smith, EMEA & APAC Regional Sales Leader, Entertainment Lighting for Signify comments: “Reading Rep Theatre’s mission is to put community at the heart of its artistic vision and to provide access to the arts for Reading’s most vulnerable communities.
These are important values that resonate with the Signify entertainment brands, which is why we feel it’s important to support. What might be a relatively small donation by us will make a big impact on the technical and production values of Reading Rep’s upcoming shows and we are delighted and proud to be able to support that.”
Reading Rep Theatre has been, and remains, the beloved playground for many of the UK’s leading theater makers. It has always welcomed regular collaborations and co-productions with leading regional and London theater, and this looks set to continue, ensuring this new venue sits at the heart of the national theater landscape.
French company Minuit Une, five years after the success of their IVL Square, has gone to another level with their 2nd generation fixture. Alain René Lantelme, General Manager of Axente the distributor of Minuit Une in France, presents the new luminaire in the following vidéo.
The core of their luminaires uses, surprisingly, the reflection of a laser rotating ultra fast to create light curtains or “blades” of light. This second generations’ source is classed 3R, does not require any throw distance (similar to class IIIA in the U.S. Regulations), and may be used without any special authorization in public areas following the IEC 60825-3 guidelines.
In simple terms, although the source is a laser, the fixture is used just like any standard LED fixture. This new generation enables tighter beams and less “spill” with long throws.
Fortement attachée à l’expérience utilisateur et toujours avide d’échanges avec les opérateurs et éclairagistes, Minuit Une a accordé une place prépondérante aux nombreux retours du terrain avant de s’atteler à l’IVL Photon.
The cylinder shape enables the fixture to be similar to the others in the lighting rig, making its difference barely noticeable. The scanner is, in this case, a 360º high frequency (>330 Hz), able to hit 8 mirrors, multiplying the possible shapes. Each mirror is double-sided, one side is a smooth/mirror side, the other is frosted; each one has a 16-bit independent tilt for fine focusing.
La pièce maîtresse de l’IVL Photon, le Moving Frosted Core.
In the middle of the mirrors, the innovative Moving Frosted Core, a frosted vertically inserted dome enabling the beam to be concentrated. The MFC allows for new effects, a beam with a very strong punch, creating an astonishing central halo.
A multi-purpose fixture, the IVL Photon, is a contender in three categories: the 3D Space Ray, Decorative Frost, and the Creative Punch! Firstly the immersive experience with sharp beams of light bouncing off the mirrors, multiplying in space, with a 45º perspective. Second, switching to the frosted side of the mirrors(in 0,25 sec), the beams become washes, with saturated colors visible in a 180º range and an output of 4000 lux. Finally, the main module, the MFC concentrates the backing effects, part fireball, and part strobe with flashes punching out at 20000 lux.
Minuit Une has made this lighting Octopus, more manageable and user-friendly. It is designed to be programmed like a multi-instance fixture, each mirror is used as an individual fixture with its position, intensity, and RGB value. The possibility to create asymmetrical effects, using either the mirror or frosted sides of the mirrors independently makes for endless looks. Be aware of the fact that the dimmer curves are inevitably limited by the technology.
The ninth module, the main module, divides the beams, strobe, and zoom of the Moving Frosted Core. Thus, by using the E-Gobo, the beam is either 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, or 256 beams, then adjust the size, position, and rotation speed. Control via 60 DMX channels is simplified by downloading the fixture personality, on the Minuit Une website, for Chamsys, Avolites GdMA2, and GdMA3 lighting desks. There are also demo shows available to get to know how to use the fixture.
Easy to set up, the IVL Photon is a relatively light and small fixture 16 kg and 48 cm in diameter, has a wide standard yoke tightened by handles. The cooling is done by an active fan system, be careful to not put it directly on the floor nor in set pieces that could obstruct the ventilation of the machine. To ensure long-term maintenance, the fixture is made of different modules. The mirrors, the 200w power section, and other parts can be changed in less than 10 minutes and are entirely Plug & Play. The rear section has an LCD screen, DMX connections, soon to include RDM, and a Micro-SD slot for software updating. After being shown to a handful of lucky visitors, the IVL Photon is now available worldwide thanks to a strong sales network. The first deliveries began in December 2021.
For more information on the Axente website and on the Minuit Une website that includes photos, and also tricks, and tips that will help use this amazing fixture.
GL events has installed a technical grid in the 10,000 square-meter hall of the Grand Palais Ephémère, with 507 m of trussing and 54 radio-controlled chain hoists that are operated via a brand-new, intelligent remote control developed by Sonoss.
At the end of the Champ de Mars, the Grand Palais Éphémère hosts prestigious exhibitions.
Built to replace the Grand Palais during its restoration, the Grand Palais Éphémère hosts art exhibitions, high-profile events and fashion shows in its 10,000-square-meter venue. It is equipped with a technical grid that consists of more than half a kilometer of trussing and 54 chain hoists controlled via a brand-new, intelligent remote control system developed by Sonoss! Following a call for bids issued in September 2019 by the Réunion des musées nationaux – Grand Palais and Paris 2024, GL events was awarded the contract to design, build, operate and eventually dismantle the Grand Palais Éphémère.
The 10,000 m2 hall has a highly absorbent acoustic treatment to avoid disturbing the surrounding neighborhood.
When GL Events won the contract to develop the Grand Palais Éphémère, the company’s lighting/structure manager, Alexandre Trapon, was responsible for adapting the exhibition hall to the needs of the event industry, planning the motorized technical trusses, the routing of the networks used for production and the architectural and venue lighting. He carried out a precise and meticulous study during the Covid-19 epidemic to make this space as easy and quick as possible to work with.
From left to right: Manuel Lauwerier, Philippe Coudyser and Alexandre Trapon.
We went to pay him a visit in this beautiful building that combines glass and wood under a PVC and ETFE covering, accompanied by Manuel Lauwerier and Philippe Coudyser from Sonoss, who developed the innovative chain hoist control for this impressive performance space.
SLU : The Grand Palais Éphémère is, as its name indicates, a temporary facility. How long will it last?
Alexandre Trapon, responsable technique lumière/structure de GL events : Since the renovation of the Grand Palais is scheduled to be completed in 2024, this building will be dismantled as soon as the 2024 Paralympic Games are over. The specifications were very stringent in terms of the materials to be used, their recyclability and acoustics, because we are in a densely residential area. And in response to your observation, since the Champ de Mars is one of the most emblematic sites in Paris, we couldn’t set up a conventional temporary structure. So the structure of the building is mostly made of wood.
SLU : When did you start working on this project?
Alexandre Trapon : In September 2019, when GL events was awarded the contract, we sourced companies to construct the building, electricians and specialized contractors. When the specifications came to us, we adapted them to the needs of the event industry. We’re specialized in building and equipping large temporary structures, generally marquees. GL Events also builds a lot of stadiums that are not temporary but can be upgraded. We come from the events sector, so everything seems simple to us.
SLU : Have exhibitions come back at the same pace as before Covid?
Alexandre Trapon : Given that the trade shows didn’t go on during Covid, the schedule for the Grand Palais Ephemera is very packed for 2022. The shows and events scheduled for the first half of 2021 were postponed to the end of the year, resulting in a particularly busy schedule between September and December 2021. In this context, we have made sure to put in place technologies that optimize the installation time of the audiovisual components.
The structure and the motors
507 square meters of Sixty82 M39S square trussing are installed in the exhibition hall and are moved by 54 Verlinde D8+ chain motors, all with NeoFeu load arrestors!
In the roof, more than 500 m of Sixty82 square trussing.
Alexandre provided a central grid of 23 meters on each side with a crossbeam, equipped with eight SL10 D8+ chain hoists (1 ton) with Neo Feu Big (1 ton) load arrestors, two 70 m trusses powered by 14 Verlinde SL5 D8+ chain hoists (500 kg) with 500 kg load arrestors, and six 42 m trusses lifted by 14 SL5 chain hoists with load arrestors.
One of the 54 Verlinde hoists attached to the structure of the building.
A brand-new Sonoss remote control, with hybrid motor starters and group memories, and which can be used in either wired or wireless mode, brings together all the hoist controls in a very compact format with a host of safety features.
Alexandre Trapon : To control the grid, truss by truss, we needed to procure a reliable, practical and safe system for controlling the chain hoists. I drafted a set of specifications and sent them to Philippe Coudyser, the head of Sonoss, because we already had some of their remote controls.
The system he suggested didn’t exist anywhere else and it wasn’t yet in the Sonoss catalog. I chose this solution, which was not yet functional at the time, but I knew it was coming. For me, it was the only one that ensured safety and a reduction in deployment time.
The plot of the hoists for the remote control.
We have two remote control stations on the third floor, one at each end of the building. The control panel in the first room has 24 hybrid starters, and the one in the second station, located on the opposite side of the building, has 36 of the same technology.
A fixed Sonoss remote control connected to 32 chain hoists on the 36 channels available on one side of the building with its blue hybrid motor starters.
A second fixed remote control on the opposite side of the building, connected to 22 chain hoists out of the 24 available channels.
Each switch is connected to a chain motor, and I can control them either manually or with the remote control which integrates the control of all the motors with two possibilities, wired or wireless. It’s really convenient when you’re downstairs in the exhibition hall to be able to operate the trusses remotely via radio.
The Sonoss RT72-20G-W-WL mobile remote control that controls all the hoists in the hall linked by groups, each corresponding to a truss. In the product designation, 72 is the maximum number of controllable motors, 20 is the maximum number of groups, W stands for Wired and WL for Wireless (RF).
The system also makes it easy to program groups of hoists, one program per truss, and to operate them with a single switch.
And if one motor isn’t running at the same speed or is loaded a little more than the others, and you see a discrepancy, you can easily select it, adjust it, and put it back in the group.”
Here is a tutorial on the operation of the remote control, produced by Manuel Lauwerier.
SLU : What is the advantage of hybrid starters?
Manuel Lauwerier, directeur technique de Sonoss : The hybrid starter is a three-phase solid-state inverter switch. It is the semiconductors, triacs, which close the contact. They absorb the voltage and, after five milliseconds, the relay connected in parallel is automatically connected. It therefore doesn’t suffer from the electric arc of starting that wears out the contacts, and its life span is therefore easily ten times longer.
Safety
Hybrid starters are not only resistant to wear and tear. They also ensure safety.
Alexandre Trapon : The advantage of the hybrid starter is that it also limits the load. If it recognizes that a motor is unloaded or overloaded, it detects an error and shuts down the entire remote control system to avoid disaster.
Philippe Coudyser, Président de Sonoss : The motors are protected because each switch channel is adjustable from 1.5 A to 9 A according to the motor characteristics specified by the manufacturer. In the event of an under-load or overload, the switch detects an error and cuts off the power. It’s very different in terms of operation and safety from a normal remote control.
Manuel Lauwerier, technical director of Sonoss, designer of the remote control.
Manuel Lauwerier : Whatever the problem, overload, under-load, phase offset, an unconnected phase, power loss, a disconnected motor, the remote detects it and shuts down the system.
The error is displayed by a set of indicator LEDs. Each group of red or orange LEDs has a specific meaning, and if the hybrid starter module is defective, you simply remove it and replace it.
Alexandre Trapon : These are essential safeguards because the grid is 13 meters high against a midnight-blue background and with backlighting in places, the problems are difficult to assess visually. If on a 70 m truss you forget to engage even one of the seven motors spaced 9 m apart, it’s reassuring to know that the load won’t come down.
Philippe Coudyser : The specifications also stipulated that if, for example, Alexandre decided to integrate a load cell into each motor, the controller would be able to receive the load cell information and display the load present on each remote control channel, as well as on the remote. On a group of hoists like those programmed here, we could have the indication of the total load applied on the truss, in other words the sum of all the hoists on the truss. And in the future, if the motors incorporate an encoder, we will also be able to manage altimetry: the program can evolve. Regarding the intelligence aspect, this remote control also makes it possible to select the maximum number of hoists that can operate simultaneously, depending on the energy available upstream. You can make a group that will correspond to the available electrical power, without the risk of overloading the mains.
It’s really convenient to be able to control so many motors on site with such a compact, lightweight and secure wireless remote control.
SLU : Is this remote control suited for touring?
Manuel Lauwerier : It works very well in a cabinet on sites with permanently installed motors with defined electrical characteristics. Sonoss regulates the current before the cabinet is delivered because the size of the cables depends on it.
It is important to know that each hoist of each brand has its own electrical characteristics, depending on whether it is double-reeved or not. These are questions that we ask when ordering. These starters are suitable for loads between 250 kg and 2 tons without any problem.
And if the hoists are smaller, adjustable hybrid starters from 600 mA to 2.4 A can be installed. In touring, on the other hand, the use of this cabinet would imply setting the consumption according to the motors before each performance. And if we set all starters to 9 A by default, the lower power motors would not be detected.”
SLU : Alexandre, you have chosen the wired version plus wireless…
Alexandre Trapon : As I was saying, it’s a tremendous advantage to be able to control the grid from the exhibition hall via radio, but here in front of the Eiffel Tower, there’s a risk of interference and, in the event of a radio failure, it’s once again reassuring to be able to use the wired remote control, as the cable is long enough to go down to the floor. A cable connects one of the two control panels to the wireless receiver located in a corner of the lobby with its antenna – one is enough. And a cable runs along the floor from one control station to the other.”
Manuel Lauwerier : This remote control comes standard with a cable. To switch it to wireless, all you have to do is buy the receiver, as the transmitter is already built into the circuit board.
The Network
The main AV network rack, based on Luminex, is connected to the IT network…
SLU : Are the trusses pre-cabled?
Alexandre Trapon : The trusses are wired with P1732A, multi-pairs, and fiber optics. In each of the technical rooms and on each truss I have a GigaCore 10 switch and Luminex nodes to connect the production equipment. Everything is designed to be easy and fast to use.
I have 12 fibers from the IT network that are routed back to the nodal point of the facility and, if necessary, allow a signal to be routed to the offices and vice versa. We have also planned to run the fiber outside for the OB vans.
… and also connected to the second Luminex rack located in the opposite technical area.
SLU : What type of fiber do you use?
Alexandre Trapon : The fiber is basic single-mode for risk-free runs, while the trusses are done with tactical, military-grade fiber. You can bend it 180°, even crush it, pull it; nothing fazes it. It costs an arm and a leg, but it is indispensable. We have used it for many years, and without a single failure.
SLU : Did you design the network?
Alexandre Trapon : Yes, with my IT manager for the specific network for production, as well as the gateway to the IT network. However, it was a GL Events’ Venues engineer who developed the office computer network, following the specifications, so that it would be as functional as possible. We drew up the specifications together with all of the relevant personnel. There are four high-speed fibers for TV, we installed 3G and 4G antennas and we planned to install 5G as well, in addition to the WiFi component. The building is full of RJ45 sockets in order to run as few cables as possible. We assumed that a cable crossing the lobby wouldn’t be very attractive.
SLU : What lighting did you choose?
Alexandre Trapon : 95% of the fixtures are from Cromatic, a manufacturer specialized in the commercial sector. The lobby lights and the exterior lights are all controllable via DALI. The security manager has a tablet with which he can set the levels and choose the zones. The light can easily be dimmed zone by zone. The statue of Marshal Foch is lit by Robe ParFect 150s in warm white. I plan to order them in full color if an event requires it. I have a small splitter that receives the signal and allows me to take control of these fixtures in DMX. I do my show, and when I cut the signal, the ParFects come back on in warm white.”
With events in their DNA, GL Events’ playing fields include trade shows, sporting events, like the Olympic Games, and many major international events around the world, such as the Conference of the Parties (COP), with renown expertise in power distribution, air-conditioning, audio, lighting, and networks. More recently, they have added architectural lighting and broadcast installations to their activities. Alexandre Trapon, who has been managing the investments in lighting, structures, and electrical distribution for the group’s production activities since 2013, focuses on the long term with quality products sourced from reliable vendors, to whom he is very attached.
Alexandre Trapon : We need them as much as they need us, it’s a question of partnership. We know that events often require last-minute orders. Our relationships with our suppliers mean that they go out of their way to provide us with equipment. Without this partnership relationship, the vendor would obviously be less attentive to the urgency of the situation. Every year, we equip four or five festivals around Lyon, including Jazz à Vienne (except in 2020 because of Covid), and we invite our suppliers to attend because they are as important to us as our customers.
– Project developer: GL events – Architect: Wilmotte & Associés Architectes – General contractor: Hall Expo
Focusrite plc has announced the acquisition of Linea Research, the UK based designer and manufacturer of professional amplifiers, controllers and software. Linea Research becomes the ninth brand of the Focusrite Group joining Focusrite, Novation, Ampify, ADAM Audio, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, Focusrite Pro and Sequential.
Linea Research, headquartered in Letchworth Garden City, UK was formed in 2003 by a team of experienced professional audio specialists, and they design, develop, manufacture and market innovative professional audio equipment globally. Their products include a range of ground-breaking amplifiers, including the world-renowned M Series, together with Digital Signal Processors, audio networking and software products. Two of the original founders, Davey Smalley, Commercial Director, and Ben Ver, Engineering Director, will continue to lead the business post-acquisition.
Focusrite’s subsidiary Martin Audio is a major customer of Linea Research – their technology is behind the successful iKON amplifier series that powers Wavefront Precision line arrays seen on live tours and at prestigious festivals such as British Summer Time in Hyde Park.
The iKon iK42.
The acquisition strengthens the critical source of supply of amplifier modules for Martin Audio and will enable greater integration of loudspeaker and amplifier technology in Martin Audio products. However it is also the intention to continue to develop the sales of Linea Research products through third-party distribution and to OEM loudspeaker customers.
By extending the Group’s business into new products and markets, which complement its existing offerings, the acquisition is strategically aligned with the Group’s previously communicated aims of growing the core customer base, expanding into new markets, and increasing lifetime value for customers.
Tim Carroll, Focusrite Group Chief Executive Officer
Tim Carroll, Chief Executive Officer, said: “It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Davey, Ben and the entire Linea Research team to the Focusrite Group. We know the team and the business well given that Martin Audio is a major Linea Research customer. This will lead to many synergies and is expected to improve gross margin for both Martin Audio and the wider Group. Linea Research’s products are globally recognised as best in class and we are all excited about the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead with the collective expertise of the Linea Research and Focusrite Group R&D and sales teams.”
Davey Smalley, Linea Research Director.
In a joint statement Davey Smalley and Ben Ver, Directors at Linea Research commented: “We are delighted to be able to continue the Linea Research success story from within the Focusrite Group. Having seen the support and growth of the brands within the Group, we believe this provides us with a secure foundation to further our R&D efforts and product portfolio, strengthening the Linea Research brand while continuing partnerships with our long-standing OEM partners. This can only be a good thing for our customers, end users and very much our staff.”
AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual in Spokane, Washington has purchased 24 versatile, feature-rich Ayrton Diablo-S profile luminaires and a grandMA3 light console to add to the company’s rental inventory and use for professional event production. AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual offers high-end production, rental, sales and installation services to a wide range of markets in the Pacific Northwest.
The company’s investment in the Diablo fixtures and grandMA3 light has been paying dividends since the products arrived. ACT Entertainment exclusively distributes both brands in the US.
“We saw the Diablos at a trade show and had our eyes on them for a while,” says Justin Haas, Owner of AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual. “They checked a lot of boxes for us: a compact and lightweight form factor that can fit in cars; an easy-to-navigate menu; great output; a full feature set, including framing shutters. Plus, they have a low cost of ownership and give us the ability to offer them at an affordable rental price.”
The Diablo fixtures mark the first Ayrton acquisition for AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual. Soon after their arrival, six of the fixtures quickly became part of the house lighting package furnished for the Riverfront Park Summer Concert Series in Spokane.
“We mounted them on the upstage truss to provide backlight and effects lighting for the artists,” Haas explains. “Some concert participants commented that they had seen a lot of Diablos on their tours and were happy to find them in Spokane.” The Diablo units have since been rented for other concerts, including a Billy Idol gig at an area casino. They were also a popular rental choice for churches staging big holiday services.
The grandMA3 light is AMPD Lighting and Audio Visual’s first MA Lighting console. “Both of our lighting guys use grandMA consoles when they do tours, and everyone in the industry knows grandMA so we really needed one in our inventory,” says Haas. “There’s only one grandMA2 for rent in town, so now we offer another choice and can support grandMA users who have their own systems.” The new grandMA3 light also saw duty at the Riverfront Park Summer Concert Series, and Haas expects to see demand for it grow as tours and concerts return this summer.
“Last year was the biggest year we’ve ever had for rentals and production,” he notes. “This year we’re hoping for the same result. “We expect the Diablos to be our number one moving light rental, and we’re hoping to add more Ayrton products to our inventory. We’re looking at the Perseo next,” Haas reports. “Since we have four seasons in Spokane, we’d like to have some IP-rated fixtures that deliver a lot of power. We’re also looking forward to working with ACT again. They’ve been great – so helpful getting product to us and supporting brands new to our inventory.”
More information on Ayrton Diablo and the extensive portfolio of innovative Ayrton LED fixtures can be found at www.ayrton.eu
Winter Haven Worship Center in Winter Haven, Florida, has installed a new Adamson PA system in their 1000-seat facility. The new system features a main stereo hang of nine IS10b sub-compact line array cabinets on each side, along with a total of four IS10pb full-range point source cabinets for outside and centre fill.
Eight PC5i ultra-compact coaxial loudspeakers were incorporated for front row nearfield coverage. Finally, for low frequency reinforcement, they installed an under-stage sub arc, consisting of eight IS119b.
MABE, a faith-based AV production and installation company based in Florida, completed the installation with the help of Adamson territory rep Griffith Sales. While there were many challenges with the prior PA, the installation team was able to make use of some existing equipment racks and power distribution to keep the costs down for the client.
Richard Vaughan, ingénieur en chef de MABE.
Richard Vaughan, MABE’s Lead Engineer, explained, “The previous system lacked clarity and dynamics. It did not cover the entire listening area, was aging, and had some bad components. The system was not capable of reproducing the high energy worship style without getting very harsh, which resulted in listener fatigue.”
The pre-installation process for the IS-Series system required 3D CAD drawings and several site visits to verify the precise location of each loudspeaker. Incorporating a large format line array into the space called for plenty of planning to leave the aesthetics and site lines unaffected.
The MABE design team redesigned the stage cavities to make room for the new Adamson IS119 subwoofers and PC5i front fills so they would be heard clearly without being seen. The end-product PA design allowed for variation of only 3dB throughout the room.
Une des deux lignes de neuf IS10b composant le système principal avec deux point source 1S10pb pour le renfort central et une seconde paire des mêmes enceintes pour déboucher les côtés.
Brandon Collins, Worship Pastor at Winter Haven Worship Center, remarked, “After hearing a few other systems, we preferred the warmth and presence we heard in the Adamson boxes.” Collins also noted, “MABE was incredible to work with as they always are. They had everything planned and very organized. The entire installation was completed in time for us to run everything Sunday.”
Steve Griner de MABE.
Steve Griner, Account Manager at MABE, explained, “The Adamson system covered the room so well and gave such a warm sound. I am constantly impressed with how smooth the vocal range is on these boxes. The Adamson, overall, is a very smooth-sounding box that even at higher SPL doesn’t give you the ear fatigue you get with a lot of other manufacturers. We did demo and review some other boxes with the client, but it was clear that the Adamson system was the winner in coverage, sound quality, and bottom-line cost.”
With strategic planning and thorough technical preparation, the outcome was a system that blends well into the environment. “The client is extremely happy with the result,” mentioned Vaughan.
Une ligne de IS10 prête à être câblée et levée. Le bas du spectre est renforcé par un ensemble de huit subs IS119b en montage arc-sub depuis le dessous la scène.
Showlight is excited to announce that plans are underway to reinstate Showlight 2023 which, after a two-year postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now scheduled to take place between 20-23 May 2023. The venue for this much-loved lighting quadrennial will be the Théâtre Municipal in Fontainebleau, near Paris, France, the original destination for the postponed 2021 event.
“The Showlight committee is now planning for the next live Showlight in May 2023 and we hope this time nothing will de-rail it!” says Showlight chairman, John Allen. “We are delighted to have the continued support of our main sponsor, Robert Juliat, along with many of the sponsors who were already supporting Showlight 2021. Fontainebleau’s local administration has, once again, made the Théâtre Municipal available for us – right in the centre of the town – and, as a result, the arrangements we were originally making for 2021 can be dusted off and planning can recommence.
“The Welcome Reception is planned for Saturday 20 May, with the first full day of papers on Sunday 21 May 2023. More programme details will be released in due course and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to Showlight next year.”
With this in mind, and less than 18 months to go, Showlight will soon be putting out a Call for Papers, Exhibitors and Sponsors for this unique networking event. If you want to share your exciting lighting or terrific technology, contact us at [email protected]
If you want to become part of the welcome return of this top networking event as a sponsor or exhibitor, contact John Allen at [email protected]
“I had such a terrific time, I’m still talking about it. I was so inspired and motivated by the speakers that I have a renewed energy for my work and trying new things. I met so many new people and learned so much about different people’s work, it has been invaluable.” James Simpson, lighting designer and visualiser at Copper Candle, Showlight 2017 speaker – and now, Vice Chair of the Papers Committee!
If you’ve never attended a Showlight before, or you’ve simply missed mixing with your peers, Showlight 2023 is your opportunity to mingle, and learn, with lighting practitioners from all disciplines and many countries, across three enjoyable days of networking, social visits, eclectic papers and an exhibition. “Showlight packs a full programme into three days which gives the opportunity to dive deep into the world of light and to meet lots of new people outside of your normal comfort zone.” Isabel Nielen, lighting designer and artist, and Showlight 2017 speaker.
Put the date in your diary (20-23 May 2023), visit the Showlight website (www.showlight.org) for more details, and sign up to the Mailing List to keep abreast of all new developments.
“Showlight is so interesting because of the access it gives to everybody. Students can talk directly to top lighting designers, lighting designers have lots of time to interact with manufacturers, etc. It’s first and foremost an excellent networking event.” Ellen Lampert-Greaux, Live Design, Showlight 2017 delegate.
The grace and fluidity of dancer’s movements were enhanced by an equally elegant lightshow designed by Koen De Clerck for “Cogétama” a special choreographed ballet work created and produced by Glen Lambrecht Productions, commissioned by the Municipality of Aalter. It was staged at the City Hall Auditorium of Aalter in Belgium and played 12 completely sold-out performances.
Koen used an all-Robe moving lighting rig to give him the flexibility and dynamics needed to light the detail, depth, and nuance of the piece, which revolved around the famous Cogétama cigar and the factory which produced it and how it affected and influenced the communities living and working around the areas of Aalter and Knesselare for over 100 years. The legacy of the cigar factory has left an indelible imprint on local culture and history.
Glen Lambrecht, a professional ballet dancer who choreographed as well as produced the show, explained that they decided to go for a raw, direct, and minimalist setting without lots of elaborate scenic elements, instead setting the scene and realism of the atmosphere with “amazing lighting to immerse the audience and take them on the journey.”
Effectively, light became another dancer and character in the piece, and once Koen was onboard as LD – the two have worked on previous projects – he knew he needed the most versatile and adaptable lighting fixtures and chose Robe.
Fourteen Robe T1 Profiles were at the heart of the lighting rig, five positioned FOH for front lighting, keying, and specials, with nine in the overhead rig as top and back lighting plus more specials. Eight out of 14 x Spiider wash beams were utilized for top and back lighting, with the other six deployed three a side for side and cross lighting, and there were eight Tetra2 moving LED battens that were also part of the top rig, positioned upstage towards the back.
Koen’s challenge was – with lighting being so central to the narrative – to ensure that it didn’t become gimmicky, crass, or start distracting from the dancers or the story. “It always had to be there yet appearing in this supporting role – almost understated – whilst actually underpinning all the action,” he explained.
Using moving lights was essentially the only way to get lighting everywhere on the stage and into all the corners and edges and other places it was needed. During the show, the cast used eight tables as props – which they manually shifted around – and without using moving lights it would have been impossible to capture these scenes effectively and transfer the energy and emotion across to the audiences.
The shuttering capabilities of the T1s were used extensively for making shapes on the stage and defining different areas and spaces. The Tetra2s were used for several effects including dramatic back light and hi-impact curtain effects when combined with haze.
The show was also recorded for future broadcast, streaming and other digital actions, so using lights that were all camera friendly and flicker-free was another bonus. Koen also appreciated the graduated fade outs and being able to go to a proper blackout! In fact, it was so pitch dark between some scenes that they had to add markers for the dancers!
The colour palettes he used were simple and powerful with multiple whites coupled with some harsher blues and reds to reinforce specific moments, but generally he explored the complex beauty and purity of monochromaticity, working with multiple layers of different colour temperature whites.
He underlines how great it also is to be able to work with the totally different Robe lighting ranges where the colours are always so consistent – a feature on which Robe has fully focussed. Koen loves the silence of the T1’s. For a piece like “Cogétama” this was essential. Side lighting for dance shows is often a similar height to the performers, but part of the “Cogétama” set was two large 3-metre-wide panels with doors, used frequently throughout and shifted around the stage, so the side lights had to be rigged 3 meters off the floor allowing the panels to be manoeuvred on and offstage underneath.
This was another reason that Spiiders were a good choice with their extra power and focusability. The show ran for an hour and 35 minutes plus an intermission and comprised 21 scenes, so it was a very dynamic, fast-paced environment that covered a lot of ground, all set to a special music track compiled by Glen.
Koen and Glen worked very closely and collaboratively in evolving the show, bouncing ideas off one another. Glen also has some very specific ideas about lighting and knows through experience how it can work optimally and physically with the 27 dancers as well as the wider concept of movement. Koen commented on how working so closely with a director / choreographer like Glen really upped the ante in terms of his own lighting skills: “It was an intense but an extremely enjoyable process which enabled us to push technical, creative and aspirational boundaries all the time in terms of the show – and the cast and audience experience – we were producing!”
Lighting programmer Glenn De Clerck used his own grandMA2 console, with all the other lighting equipment supplied by L&L Stage Services. “Glenn’s exceptional programming skills made it possible to get the show completely programmed within an extremely limited timeslot. He was an incredibly positive force to work with during the show’s development,” confirmed Koen.
Koen has been using Robe products for some time, and for this production both he and Glen knew this would be their perfect choice! Koen knew how Glen wanted the choreography to work as he was also involved in the cast rehearsals, and he knew what luminaires were needed to achieve the right atmosphere for each scene, and that could be fitted to their budget! Based on all these considerations, T1 Profiles and Spiiders were top of the list.
They also worked on the premise of a little light going a long way. It wasn’t a massive rig, but used judiciously and intelligently, they maximized all the fixtures for every millisecond of the performance working them hard and very appropriately to produce the stunning results that WOWed the public and the local media, all helping make this completely unique production such a success.
For more info about Robe Lighting, you can visit www.robe.cz
Located on the waterfront in the North Wales seaside resort of Rhyl, the 1031-seat Pavilion Theatre hosts touring theatre productions, comedy acts and music tours, alongside playing a key role at the heart of the community, staging local cultural events and school productions.
A whole lot of power and control with four NXAMP4x2 mk2 and one NXAMP4x1 mk2.
When the theatre’s Technical Manager Andy Hughes was tasked with replacing the existing PA with a modern, versatile system capable of handling everything from a comedy gig to a rock & roll show, one brand came immediately to mind. “I had heard a lot of systems in the theatre over the years from touring shows, including many big-named brands and NEXO always really stood out sound wise”.
A.C. Entertainment Senior Audio Sales Executive Steve Eaton.
Andy approached the highly experienced entertainment technology specialists A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET), where Senior Audio Sales Executive Steve Eaton turned to the Engineering Support Team at the NEXO Campus in France to design the system.
With an extensive history in theatre sound, NEXO Engineering Support Manager Bertrand Billon was the perfect person for the job. “Designing a ground stacked system for a multi-level theatre is always a challenge” says Bertrand. “It’s important to strike the right balance between long throw and not overpowering the audience at the front.
Bertrand Billon, NEXO Engineering Support Manager.
At the Pavilion Theatre, we took advantage of stacking GEO M10 on top of the MSUB18s, giving us the extra height required to avoid creating a hot spot in the front rows. The removable directivity flanges helped us to achieve this soft spot at the front, changing the horizontal directivity from 90° to 120° without requiring a completely different version of the cabinet.
Two MSUB18 and on top six M10. On the stage the C+ Series speakers.
“NEXO NS-1 prediction software allowed us to create an accurate model of the venue” continues Bertrand. “This enabled us to discuss options and constraints with the team at the theatre prior to installation. It also made our onsite fine-tuning session quick and easy, providing additional time to train the crew in using NEXO’s Nemo remote-control software, and also NS-1 so they can successfully deploy the system in remote locations for special events.” “NEXO were very helpful and accommodating, leaving us with a system for a week to test within the theatre to ensure we were happy” says Andy Hughes, taking up the story again. “All this, along with the support from AC-ET, even through the pandemic, helped make the decision.”
AC-ET supplied over 65 products from the NEXO range, including; GEO M10 line array modules, MSUB18 subs, ID24 speakers for front fills and beaming sound under balconies to ensure even coverage throughout the venue, NXAMPMK2 powered controllers and P+ series point source loudspeakers.
The main PA and the P+ wedges and drum monitor. Hanging on top of the shot, the ID24’s help the audience getting a hint of additional clarity.
Only the ID24s are permanently installed, providing the flexibility to use the system at events at other locations, as and when they occur.
A couple of P12 and in the background, the Pavilion theater.
The system was installed by the theatre’s house staff. “Using the NS-1 software, our team was able to install and configure the NEXO system and it sounded great” reports Andy. “We then had the NEXO experts come and help us fine tune. The finished result is absolutely outstanding!”
AC-ET’s, Steve Eaton commented: “I’ve been working with Andy and Leon at the Pavilion on this project for a couple of years now, so it’s great to see it all come together.
The system had to be extremely versatile to use in the theatre itself, the outdoor arena next door, plus all the other venues and sport centres under their jurisdiction. The combination of NEXO’s GEO M10 line array and their stunning new P+ Series speakers helped us deliver the versatility required.”
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