Glendale, California’s Kinetic Lighting has acquired more than 70 Ayrton Diablo-S fixtures to stock its rental inventory and supply a wide range of productions the company supports. The versatile, feature-rich, 300W profile luminaires are Kinetic’s first Ayrton purchase. Ayrton lighting fixtures are distributed exclusively in North America by ACT Entertainment.
Diablo is the smallest, lightest and most efficient luminaire in its category with a record output of 19,000 lumens in a package weighing less than 22 kg. Diablo-S is especially designed for stage applications and equipped with a monochromatic LED light source that can generate extremely high output and metallic white light calibrated at 7000 K.
“When our ACT rep, Eric Abad demo’d Diablo for us the entire team was blown away, we were really impressed,” recalls David Rosen, President of Kinetic Lighting. “We had never seen a fixture that combined a full feature set with this much output in such a compact and lightweight form factor. It checked all the boxes, and we knew it would be a great fixture to invest in.”
Kinetic intended the Diablo-S fixtures as a new product in its inventory, but they became something more, too. “We discovered that with its high output, great optics and well-rounded feature set Diablo can hold its own against larger fixtures,” Rosen notes. “So they have been able to replace some of our larger, aging fixtures.”
Kinetic took delivery of its Diablo-S units in early 2020, and they were used on a number of jobs before the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. “They proved to be popular right out of the gate,” says Rosen. “They’re so versatile that we knew they’d be used by all market segments: corporate, theatrical, TV and film. When live events were not happening, we were still able to get them on TV/film projects. Now that live events are coming back the demand for the Diablos is only increasing.”
Overall customer feedback reports that Diablo’s “phenomenal optics, full feature set, size and weight can’t be beat,” he notes. “Diablo is so advantageous to so many projects, and they make transport and logistics much more efficient.” Kinetic was the first company in the LA market to invest in Diablo, setting a trend that other rental facilities have followed. “We’re glad to see that other companies have picked them up as well. Now we have a cross-rental market with our colleagues,” says Rosen. “That speaks to the popularity of the fixture among all kinds of users.”
ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton products in North America. www.actentertainment.com
More information on Ayrton Perseo IP65 rated fixtures and the extensive portfolio of innovative Ayrton LED fixtures can be found at www.ayrton.eu
144 CLF Lighting Aorun beam fixtures were used in the impressive design created by LD Company for the “Reverze” music festival in Belgium. This hardstyle music event is produced by the Belgian production company Bass Events.
The 11,600-square-meter Sportpaleis venue hosted a particularly energetic crowd. To help set to the atmosphere for the event, Leon Driessen – lighting designer, lecturer and founder of LD Company – specified 144 Aorun moving heads to be included in his rig.
Two ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M consoles with Stadium Wings were used to control the kit, which included a total of 1,017 fixtures.
The Aorun is a compact, lightweight (19 kg) and agile lamp-based motorized Beam fixture. Thanks to its Osram Sirius HRI 330 W discharge lamp, it can emit an ultra-bright (380,000 lux at 10 m) narrow beam with a fixed divergence of 2.3° through its large 166 mm lens.
It features a wheel of 11 fixed gobos – 9 circular and 3 rectangular to simulate animation wheel effects – two combinable prisms (8 and 16 facets), a light frost, a wheel of 14 colors including two CTO filters and a CTB, as well as a shutter/dimmer.
September saw 80six host the first series of Virtual Production Discovery Days at its new VP studio in Slough, Berkshire. As Brompton Technology’s industry-leading processors are an integral part of so many virtual production infrastructures, it was an important partner, along with ROE Visual, Mo-sys, Cooke Optics and 3LR Lighting.
This impressive line-up enabled one of the UK’s leading creative technical production specialists to provide attendees with insight into the workflows and the real-time technologies required to power both live and on-set productions.
The interactive and informal programme attracted directors of photography, film and TV producers as well as a variety of 80six’s event partners, with live demos allowing them to experience the creative possibilities of virtual production and how this technology is shaping the future of storytelling and content creation.
Brompton’s Technical Solutions Manager, Adam Callaway, was on hand throughout the showcase to demonstrate the benefits of the company’s Tessera software, and its latest virtual production focussed features, including Brompton HDR, Genlock, ShutterSync, Frame Remapping, Frame Rate Multiplication, and 3D LUT Import. “We have worked closely with 80six on developing their virtual production offering and were delighted to be part of their Virtual Production Discovery Days,” says Callaway. “It was a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate to the people at the sharp end of creative content production the difference Brompton LED processing can make to any VP shoot.”
“Brompton processing, and the input from their team, has been crucial for us in being able to develop our VP workflows and ensure our studio is exactly what the industry needs, and even more,” says 80six’s Co-founder and Commercial Director, Dan Hamill. “The Discovery Days were a great success, with industry-leading manufacturers and suppliers behind the technology powering virtual production all coming on board and presenting their latest offerings. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience; we’re already planning more for the New Year. Brompton will once again be an integral part of the process and we can’t wait to see what new solutions the company has in store that will steer the creative process of virtual production even further!”
Arkin Atacan uses impression X4 L, HIGHLANDER Wash, X4 Bar 20, FUSION FS16 Z LED battens and impression S350 in a sophisticated setting in Leipzig’s Quarterback Immobilien Arena.
Banijay Productions Germany GmbH recently produced a special kind of live two-day sports show on behalf of RTL. LD Arkin Atacan from atacan design, who was responsible for the lighting and media design of the location, based this technically demanding production largely on fixtures from GLP. Around 350 moving heads from the German manufacturer were used for various lighting purposes.
During the two days of the RTL Sommerspiele (RTL Summer Games), 32 celebrities from 15 nations competed against each other in various Olympic disciplines on an area measuring 110 x 60 metres. Since TV sporting events always bring with them special challenges, it was first necessary to find a location in advance that would meet the requirements of the production. Ultimately, the choice fell on the Quarterback Immobilien Arena in Leipzig, which, as a multifunctional hall, met all requirements.
“In addition to adhering to the budget, the most difficult part was the basic lighting design – specifically the balancing act between TV show and sports event,” says Arkin Atacan. “With these types of hybrid event there are some elements of personal lighting that have to be met, such as long camera optics, which in turn require more light, six-fold super slow motion (shutter frequencies / min. 1,000 lux), and a camera cable system for which the camera’s projection field must be kept clear. Only when these requirements have been met can you even think about the look of the show.”
The designer finally created the lighting for the show with 350 GLP fixtures. For the basic light in the large sports area, he used 110 Highlander Washes, which with their enormous output ensured good, homogeneous illumination of the areas of activity from a great height. 150 GLP impression X4 L served as a tried-and-tested audience light. 60 impression X4 Bar 20 were installed in a tunnel during archery and six impression S350 Wash as keylights put the presenters in a camera-compatible light.
In live usage for the first time, Arkin also had 24 of the brand-new Fusion FS16 Z LED battens, which he had previously closely auditioned as part of a product preview. Four FS16 Z battens were installed vertically on top of each other on six towers, all of which were placed in the performance area of the athletes, where they created dynamic show light effects.
The FS16 Z battens have a motorised zoom, between 8° and 40°, and stand out thanks to a new type of halo ring around the front lens. This significantly increases the visibility of the individual pixels in TV applications from all camera angles, and also catches the eye as an independent style element. The fanless design ensures quiet operation and is thus highly relevant in the noise-sensitive TV area.
“First of all, I am very pleased that this batten has an internal zoom,” states Arkin. “Often you have to decide on a certain type of LED batten in the design – either narrow or wide, which determines the look very early on. If you use conventional LED battens as wall-washers, they often throw coloured stripes on the wall for the first 30 centimetres before the colour mix takes effect. The halo ring of the FS16 Z finally eliminates this problem. “The FS16 Z is really ideal for television productions. I liked it a lot at the RTL Sommerspiele, so I can soon imagine it on The Masked Singer,” says the designer, looking ahead.
But where does this affinity with GLP come from? Arkin laughs: “When I met [GLP key account manager] Oliver Schwendke, after the third coffee we started to philosophise about what is good about certain devices and where there is still room for improvement. The great thing about GLP is that constructive criticism is taken seriously, and often – where technically possible – also implemented. And then there is the matter of service, which GLP is pursuing in an unprecedented way. If I have questions about existing products on a project – for example how bright the X4 Bar 20 is at 10 metres with a 60% zoom, using only the white LED – it takes less than two days for a technician to send the currently measured values. This cannot be done any better!”
The technical service provider for lighting, media and audio technology was PRG Germany. In addition to Arkin Atacan himself, the atacan design team consisted of Tobias Reinartz (show light operator), Paul Happ (media operator), Uwe Schröder (content creator), Otto Schildknecht (head lighting technician) and Markus Ruhnke (keylight operator).
As the L-Acoustics V-DOSC line source array altered the trajectory of modern pro audio loudspeaker design in the 1990s, so the company’s unveiling of L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology in 2016 represented an equally seismic shift in the sonic landscape of today’s live events. Extending spatial processing to a wider range of productions and venues, L-Acoustics now rolls out the next generation of its 3D audio processing engine, L-ISA Processor II.
The new processor offers users more power, performance and flexibility, and is available in four different output configurations through a one-time, tiered license fee. Similar to its predecessor, L-ISA Processor II is a hardware solution that provides advanced object-based mixing for the most demanding immersive audio productions.
96 audio objects now able to reach as many loudspeakers.
While both units offer control of spatial audio processing and virtual acoustics for up to 96 audio objects based on speaker positioning information and mixing parameters including pan, width, distance, elevation, and aux send the new L-ISA Processor II doubles the original unit’s potential output count of 64 up to 128 outputs for greater power and versatility on larger, more complex events.
The four output options.
Seeing that most productions are unlikely to utilize 100-plus outputs, L-Acoustics is offering L-ISA Processor II in a choice of four output counts 16, 32, 64 or 128 from the same device, with various capacities accessible via different lifetime licenses at tiered pricing levels.
For example, a small club or theatre may need no more than 16 outputs, while a mid-sized house of worship or performing arts center might require as many as 32. With L-ISA Processor II, those customers now have access to all of the very same immersive tools, 128 inputs and premium-quality 96 kHz sampling as large-scale musicals or massive tours running triple-digit outputs, but at a scalable cost.
The Team that presented the L-ISA Processor II. From left to right L- Scott Sugden Acoustics Product and Technology Outreach Manager, Germain Simon Application Engineer, Product and Technology communication and Guillaume Le Nost Executive Director of Creative Technologies.
“Rather than roll out multiple versions of our new L-ISA Processor II, we designed a single device to flexibly satisfy a variety of applications and budgets,” says L-Acoustics Product and Technology Outreach Manager, Scott Sugden. “Previously, our L-ISA Processor could represent up to half of a smaller immersive project’s budget. But with L-ISA Processor II, the investment can very closely match production needs, which will open up immersive processing to many more venues and shows. By providing scalable licensing, exciting immersive capabilities can become a real possibility for almost any project.”
The rear of the new processor.
Housed in a rugged 3U chassis equipped with Neutrik™ connectors, L-ISA Processor II is the road-worthy and reliable heart for any L-ISA project, remotely controlled by L-ISA Controller software. Boasting a powerful multi-core architecture, the new device is equipped with Milan-AVB dual-network redundancy eliminating the need for a secondary unit in mirror mode, further optimizing budget. The product also features MADI connections, allowing signals to come in on MADI and exit via Milan-AVB.
Deployed on hundreds of productions around the globe—from live concert and theatrical tours to houses of worship, theme parks, and other installs—the original L-ISA Processor is the most usable and highly-adopted immersive audio tool on the professional market.
96 inputs on the Processor Desktop.
Perfectly paired with L-ISA Studio software, allowing users to create immersive designs for the stage and studio on their laptops, both iterations of L-ISA Processor are also compatible with DeskLink, which places direct control of L-ISA objects on the channel strips of DiGiCo, SSL and Yamaha mixing consoles. Partnerships with vision-based tracking systems like BlackTrax, Robert Juliat’s SpotMe, Modulo Pi, and Zactrack continue to be supported by the new product as well.
Guillaume Le Nost, the Executive Director of Creative Technologies.
“With L-ISA Processor II, we’ve greatly lowered the cost barrier that once prohibited small- to mid-sized productions from even considering immersive designs,” adds Executive Director of Creative Technologies, Guillaume Le Nost. “Now that L-ISA has been opened up to a much wider potential user base, we’re looking forward to seeing how some of our new customers will be choosing to ‘wow’ their audiences with intimately engaging audio. And on the other end of the spectrum, we’re even more excited to see how some of the largest production houses will really push the envelope of their designs with the newly-doubled output count of L-ISA Processor II.”
Currently in pilot phase, L-ISA Processor II will begin shipping to customers in the first quarter of 2022.
Audiotonix, which comprises the Allen & Heath, Calrec, DiGiCo, DiGiGrid, Group One Limited, KLANG:technologies, and Solid State Logic, announces the acquisition of US-based Sound Devices LLC as part of its expanding group.
The transaction, which was concluded today, further extends the Audiotonix professional solutions for audio production environments. For over 20 years, Sound Devices has created premier audio equipment that helps sound professionals capture superior audio.
The company’s multi-track audio recorders, field production mixers and related equipment have been used on the sets of award-winning movies, TV shows, and documentaries. Sound Devices designs, assembles and supports its products at their Reedsburg, Wisconsin headquarters and their Madison, Wisconsin and Watford, UK offices.
Scorpio, one well-known and praised Sound Devices portable mixer-recorder.
James Gordon CEO of Audiotonix comments, “The addition of Sound Devices and their fantastic team to our portfolio of premium audio brands is a proud moment for all involved. Their expertise and technical pedigree in film production, broadcasting and professional recording is a great fit. As with previous acquisitions we always look to increase the knowledge share group-wide and, with FPGA-based solutions and RF wireless technology at their core, we have an enviable opportunity.”
From left to right : Jon Tatooles the now ex co-founder of Sound Devices, James Gordon CEO of Audiotonix and Matt Anderson co-founder, Chief Engineer and CEO since 2013.
The acquisition will coincide with co-founder Jon Tatooles departure from Sound Devices after 23 years. Co-founder Matt Anderson, who has been Chief Engineer of Sound Devices since inception and CEO since 2013, will continue to serve in both roles.
Matt Anderson states, “I’ve enjoyed getting to know James and the team during the past few months. In terms of values and culture, Sound Devices fits perfectly within the Audiotonix group of companies. In a way, it will be ‘business as usual’ at Sound Devices, as we will carry on doing the same thing we’ve been doing for the past 23 years: focussing intensely on making the best sound products we can. However, the Audiotonix group brings us more strength in terms of access to capital, depth in manufacturing, knowledge in engineering, sourcing of parts, and expanding our sales and marketing expertise. I am extremely excited about this new opportunity.”
Jon Tatooles adds, “It has been incredible to build Sound Devices over the last 23 years into the organization it is today. I am very excited about the next chapter for the company, and I leave it in great hands. Audiotonix is a great organization who will build on the success we have achieved. I don’t believe there is a better partner.”
Launched in September 2020, K3 has been described by Florent Bernard, L-Acoustics’ Applications Manager, as “a system that combines performance, throw range and full-range capability in a compact and affordable package, designed for small- to medium-sized events and venues, which represent the core business of most sound companies”.
A year later, thanks to the cooperation of Germain Simon and Fred Bailly, we finally get to spend a day in Marcoussis to see it up close, take a look at its accessories and, above all, listen to it. Germain gets the opening round of questions.
Germain behind K3 and Fred behind KS28.
SLU : What led you to develop K3?
Germain Simon : L-Acoustics tries not to introduce too many products, but to offer versatile models that can fully satisfy specific requirements, for example in terms of size or speed of deployment. The idea behind K3 is to build a K series that is consistent but at the same time responds to a number of specific needs in the field. K1 and K2 are known for their large and very large application capabilities. They are able to reproduce the full frequency range and can deliver real bass, even without subs. On the other hand, Kara II and Kiva II are compact systems that also comply with WST rules and offer advantages in terms of size, weight and range, but with lower SPL and bandwidth.
So there was a missing link; there was a demand for a system that could cover a fairly specific segment of the market at a particular price-point. This is how K3 came to be, positioned between the two full range models and the two compact ones, although K3 is part of the full-range family, but with a reduced size.
The smooth frequency response of 4-module arrays of the three K Series speakers. Notice the range at the high end of the 4″ driver. We’ll get back to that.
SLU : How full-range is it?
Germain Simon : It is a bi-amplified enclosure with a frequency response very close to that of K2 or K1, and with the same contour as those of its two bigger brothers, which was very important to us. It was necessary that this model, deployed as a main system or, for example, as an outfill, have a very similar sound image. When we compare arrays of four K3, K2 and K1 modules with an identical line curvature, the pivot point is at 400 Hz and we notice that, within a few Hz, the contour is the same.
SLU : How many modules does it take to raise the pivot point to 1 kHz?
Germain Simon : You would need 12. This is a conventional parameter that is still used when designing speakers. K3 is thus a full-range box that delivers a maximum SPL of 143 dB at 70°, with a crest factor of 4, that is to say at +12 dB. This is 4 dB less than K2 and 6 dB less than K1.
Once aligned on K2 (+4 dB for K3 and -2 dB for K1), the three loudspeakers demonstrate absolute compatibility and even the low end of K3, in red, shows surprising energy within a few decibels in the first octave, where the subs add their energy.
SLU : K3 works without any bass reinforcement in the line…
Germain Simon : Exactly. While Kara II needs to have an additional 18″ woofer in the array or next to it, K3 offers a complete solution that’s simpler and faster to implement, lighter, requiring fewer amp channels, is less visually obtrusive and, ultimately, less expensive. It’s a super-rationalized system.
SLU : What makes K3 lighter?
Germain Simon : Compared to K2 there is only one driver, it lacks the four 6.5″ midrange components, and the cabinet is not as wide. Also, as with K2, we worked on the thickness of the wood and removed some material where the pressure and the constraints are lower. K3 is 13 kg lighter than K2.
The two 12″ woofers are squeezed in around the waveguide and its Panflex fins through the phasing elements, which frees up space for the laminar vents…
SLU : L-Vent, Panflex…
Germain Simon : We couldn’t do it without them. The laminar vent alone increased the efficiency of the KS28 by 4 dB and was already present on the K2, from which we adopted the curved sides for the K3. The fins are now indispensable, because with a single speaker you can have four different coverage angles.
The combination of the fins, the low cutoff frequency of the driver and the preset provides effective directivity control down to 300 Hz. To go even lower would require enlarging the baffle and the fins. There are three presets: 70°, 90° (asymmetric) and 110°.
SLU : How did you manage to reconcile SPL and wide bandwidth?
Germain Simon : That’s what K3 is all about: full range without sacrificing SPL, but knowing that extending the bandwidth influences the sensitivity of the speaker. There is a very fine line to walk regarding the choice of components, volume and load configuration and, of course, the presets. The dispersion also plays a role because between 70° and 110° there is a 2 dB difference. We have referenced the equivalent products designed for the same market, and K3 is in the lead, thanks to the balance between its performance and its price.
For pure curiosity, we went to look at the raw response of a 4″ titanium dome driver from a famous European manufacturer. Well processed, we got five octaves, low-mid and a real high end.
SLU : The 4″ high frequency driver is the star feature of this enclosure. Does it manage to deliver high frequencies? A few years ago the manufacturers of these large transducers were struggling…
Germain Simon : We’re getting there, you’ll be listening to it with Fredo (Bailly) in a few minutes. We don’t claim that K3 can project the high end as far as K2 can – if only because we don’t have the same number of drivers in the same length of array – but we had an industrial choice to make for K3 in terms of size, weight, and price, and the 4″ driver does a great job. You get the performance you want for the price you set.
Needless to say, the quality of the finish is top notch.
SLU : This choice is crucial for this enclosure. This is your first 4″. How do you do it…
Germain Simon : We specify our needs and our transducer suppliers make us proposals, sometimes by modifying existing models, sometimes by developing them from scratch. We work a lot with them to get exactly what we want and we do a lot of listening. The department that both Frédéric Bailly and I belong to is important, because, during the time required to develop K3 – a little more than two years – there were very long listening phases during which we compared the products, the assemblies, the woodwork and so on.
An array of K3i, equipped with the acoustically transparent frontal screens completely hiding the cabinet, shown here in white.
SLU : You are putting a lot of octaves in the hands of this transducer!
Germain Simon : Yes, and I’m personally very impressed with the coherence of K3; having only two channels helps, even though we also have control of four channels, but especially in terms of the quality of voice reproduction. We listened a lot to K2 and K3 and the very large Panflex fins project them perfectly. A singer’s voice goes almost entirely through the driver and it sounds great. They say “The best sound comes from a single source,” and it’s much easier to manage (laughs).
SLU : There is not much difference in SPL between Kara II and K3.
Germain Simon : No, in fact, the 3″ driver in Kara II is also very, very powerful, and if we look at the whole power range, we don’t see a big difference in pressure between the two cabinets (1 dB SPL). On the other hand, K3 has a contour that Kara II does not have. That said, it’s not what we were looking for. We positioned K3 as a full-range system. We could have gained 2 to 3 dB of SPL, but we would have lost 15 Hz.
SLU : The K3 preset is responsible for some of the high end of the K3?
Germain Simon : The more you solicit electronically from the high end, the more you lose in terms of sensitivity, and that’s not what you want. An array of K2s, but also of Kara IIs, will have a kind of brilliance at a distance that K3 does not have, as it is designed to throw up to 60 meters, at which point it loses some of its brightness.
SLU : Does the version for permanent installations differ acoustically?
Germain Simon : No, none at all, it just uses a much simpler and more discreet system for suspending the speakers on their frame (which itself is also simpler), connections via a terminal block with a cable gland for outdoor use. The idea of screens on the front of the K3 series was borrowed from the A Series, which, together with the RAL finish program, offers considerable flexibility for integration. There have even been some very nice video projections made on A Series cabinets with screens, where the speakers were completely unnoticeable.
SLU : What audience size is K3 intended for?
Germain Simon : From 1,000 to 10,000 people. Beyond that, you should move up to K2 or K1. For smaller capacities, there are much more rational solutions such as A15, or Kara II with variable curvature. K3 can still be used in a stadium in a distributed system.
An example of dB-A mapping of a local festival, measuring 40×40 meters and 5,000 people. Six K3s per side, six KS28s in total and four A10s as front fills.
A 5,000-seat auditorium with orchestra and two balconies, requiring 105 dB-A. This is possible with 12 K3 units per side, a downward-firing central array of Kara II to cover the orchestra, eight X8s as front fills and eight KS28s in total. The uniformity and throw range are achieved thanks to Panflex.
A 60,000-seat basketball arena requiring 100 dB-A RMS within ±3 dB. This is what six hangs of 15 K3 modules each, driven by 15 LA12Xs, would yield.
Finally, a L-ISA project where the bass contribution of K3, from five arrays of 10 K3i units each, allows for the use of only one central array of eight KS28 units, while at the same time offering the possibility to provide fullness to sources outside the centre. The SPL is an average of 103 dB-A and the L-ISA zone covers 70% of the seats.
SLU : What is needed for a typical 6,000-seat sports arena, such as the Zénith in Paris?
This is the Zénith package. The advantage of working with two-way systems is obvious when you consider the number of LA-RAK II racks, but this level of density also means less fine tuning.
Germain Simon : The Zénith was precisely what we had in mind when we designed K3 (laughs). You would typically need a kit with 12 K3s per side and eight KS28s. The whole thing can be run on two LA-RAK II AVB racks, one for the left and one for the right, and the same goes for the accessories.
A lot of streamlining has been done to further simplify and accelerate the deployment of this system, as well as its handling and transportation. This configuration of 24 heads, eight subs and two racks of controllers also serves as the prerequisite for our partners to be listed as KX partners for K3, and to benefit from cross rental.
The accessories
After this conceptual introduction by Germain, Fred Bailly and Laurent Lagreve show us the many accessories and clever solutions that have been developed to make the handling and operation of K3 as quick and safe as possible.
A handy way to properly position the 4-module blocks in the truck and create a flat surface for the rest of the load.
As Fred points out, some of the accessories are simply the transposition into “real life” of a request, a wish, sometimes from a large international sound company. The variety of accessories is so vast that we will only mention a few of them, but congratulations to the metal, wood and textile R&D team, it’s better than Lego and Meccano combined!
The 4-box dolly (and support for building up 6-box floor stacks with jacks) that comes with the system, can be completed with a lid that is capable of supporting 400 kg and is fixed flat to the top rigging hardware of the top K3 on the dolly. To do this, the fabric cover for the four speakers has openings at the top through which the rigging arms can pass.
These four openings can be closed with strong Velcro fasteners to maintain the required waterproofing for outdoor use. All you have to do is to retract the rigging arms. Once the boxes are flown, the protective lid is attached to the dolly. Of course, the cover has the same fabric catches to prevent it from tipping backwards when used outdoors.
It is impossible to confuse the K3 and K2 covers. Besides the narrower size, the K3 cover has four openings.
Another new feature is the double locking of the grills. “We’ve had one fall and it’s quite a heavy piece, so we decided to add a safety feature that holds the grill in place in the form of a lock, even if the screw is missing.”
The K3 grill is still secured by a Torx screw, but underneath the logo is a slide that operates the lock.
On the opposite side, the screw and the lock.
One of the two K3-TILTs attached to the KS28 rigging arm and ready to receive a stack of K3 units.
Fred Bailly : We have also developed two brackets called K3-TILT that allow stacks of K3 units to be mounted atop KS28s on the ground and directed at the audience as needed. This bracket exploits the slot of the KS28 and also its rigging arm to lock it in place.
Before mounting the first K3 module, the subs are stabilized using two rails called KS28-OUTRIG, one on each side. We recommend that, in Safe mode, you stack only five speakers using the rails, with the sub counting the as a K3, but you can go up to a maximum of eight by stacking four heads on four subs. It is therefore imperative to properly stabilize the bottom sub.
I know some DJs who would like this “little” configuration to use as a monitor. Note the OUTRIG on the floor. It is possible to add a K3 or a KS28 and still remain in the safe mode.
The Bumpflight flightcase and two K3-BAR flying bars on the Bumper.
Fred Bailly : On a développé enfin le K3-BUMPFLIGHT qui reprend l’idée des flight-cases pour K1 et K2 si ce n’est qu’on a cette fois-ci structuré son emport et sa taille pour lui permettre, via des encastrements et des étages, de fournir tous les éléments pour un système. On y trouve notamment le K3-BUMP, les K3-BAR, le DELTA et un espace pour les chaînes.
Some strong arms – those of Laurent Lagreve – to help Fred because we are not talking about layers of Chinese noodles, but solid French metalwork, and it is heavy!
On the bottom level you have the KARA-DOWNK3, the K3-RIGBAR, the two K3-TILTs, while on the sides are the two OUTRIGs and space for shackles and chains. LA-RAKMOUNT can also be carried. Two Bumpflights can be stacked in the truck, you just need some muscle to do it.
Fred Bailly : And one last thing: the K2-LASERMOUNT for the inclinometer, which is the same as the one for the K2 because the sides are identical on both speakers. This is indispensable when you are not using the Bumper but only the Rigbar, and you have to hang it from the first box.
The plate on which the laser inclinometers are mounted. Both have individual safety cables.
K3i and its bumper. All that’s missing is the screen that hides the entire front panel so that it can be even more discreet up there.
We can’t help ourselves, we take a look at some K3i modules, where the absence of mechanics creates a very sleek look, as well as the equally discrete bumper. The only part that is slightly more complex is the piece that allows you to adjust the angles with a bolt.
Listening to K3
Fred Bailly finally takes us for a walk in the famous “Forest of the Screaming Beauties” next to the L-Acoustics headquarters and, as usual, at the foot of the high-tension transmission pylon we find some speakers ready to roar: four K3 heads and a pair of KS28 subs. We get to know each other and ask some final questions before playing the first tracks.
Fred Bailly : The difference between K3 and K2 is that K3 uses only two channels of amplification since the 12″ speakers are 16 ohm components and work in parallel, while the second channel drives the 4″ driver.
In K2, on the other hand, the 12″ units are 8 ohms each, and take up one channel of amplification, the four 6.5″ transducers occupy the third channel, and the two 3″ drivers occupy the fourth. This makes it possible to drive up to six K3 units with the LA12X at 2.7 ohms, whereas only three K2s can be driven at the same impedance. We can also run up to four K3s on the LA4X.
K3 and KS28. As you’ll read later, they are made for each other.
SLU : The woodwork and mechanics are very similar to K2, but without the four 6.5″ mid-range components…
Fred Bailly : The mechanics are identical to those of the K2 – why change something that works very well? Externally, the dimensions of the two boxes are identical; the height, the depth and even the side panels are the same. What changes is the width, which is barely more than that of Kara and much less than that of K2. For the record, K2 could have been a little less wide but we wanted it to be mechanically compatible with K1 and this relatively large size allowed us to properly scale the ports and reduce turbulence noise; among other advantages!
The fins of the top enclosure are set to 70° mode. You can’t miss them in the dark even without a headlamp!
SLU : Therefore, we are talking about 2-way system. The role of the L-Fins is therefore more important because their mechanical impact starts at a lower frequency…
Fred Bailly : We have benefited from the work done for the A Series, which is also a 2-way system, with one difference: this is the first time we have adopted a 4″ driver, which is furthermore cut at 500 Hz. Until now we hadn’t gone above 3″.
SLU : The subwoofer for this listening session is the KS28.
Fred Bailly : Yes, and the amplified controller is LA12X, as LA8 and SB28 have been officially discontinued. K3 and KS28 work very well together with the crossover filtering centered at 60 Hz. The only difference is a slightly lower crossover point than with K2, but it already has plenty of energy at the low end. The intention is to push the majority of the bandwidth through the line array. We have systems that go down to 35 Hz, which is not by chance.
SLU : If you want to get that energy into the line array, don’t you hit the low-band limiters too quickly?
Germain Simon : You can, without touching the cutoff frequency, decrease the contour using the Network Manager tools like LFC in order to recover some dynamics.
Hush now, birds… it’s time for the plywood to sing!
The listening session is organized, as is customary in Marcoussis, with the stacks placed on the ground and the possibility for the listener to circle around the speakers. Metal studs, flush with the pavement, indicate the angle at which you are situated in relation to the enclosures. Likewise, markers on the access path to the listening point allow you to know exactly how far away you are from the speakers.
Germain Simon in the foreground, with Mary-Beth Henson, the Head of Press and Social Media for L-Acoustics.
The excerpts of the proposed tracks are played in summed mono, which for some of them (fortunately very few) leads to a certain amount of cancellation and a slightly muted sound. The listening is conducted by Fred Bailly, first the heads by themselves, then with the subs.
The first impression is positive, and it exhibits a family tone. It is direct, precise, defined, with solid clarity and a reassuring fidelity. The substance, including the extreme treble, is there. The songs are quite well known, so the references are not lacking. The promise of full-range is indeed fulfilled.
The levels may be low, but the impression is quite the contrary and we find ourselves liking these 85 dB-A that cover you from head to toe, full and enveloping dB. What needs to bang, growl, push or slam gets done. We can feel that we’re not dealing with K2, but we’re not missing anything specific, we just don’t have any reference points yet.
Fred suggests we test the coverage of the enclosures, first with the Panflex retracted to 110°.
As we move away from the central axis, we can appreciate the excellent work of the R&D. The drop is so regular that we find ourselves at 50° without being disappointed and it is only when approaching 60° (we carry out this test a few meters from the enclosures) that we feel an imbalance between the omnidirectional bass and the rest of the spectrum. It is sufficient to return to 50° to recover some life and validate the 110°. Of course, there is a little lack of volume in the highs at the edges, but there are no dips or bumps in the response and one can still enjoy the sound.
We then start to listen to the 70° mode with the help of a fairly repetitive track and, since the boxes gain 2 dB in this configuration, Fred suggests that we turn the system down by that much to be able to compare 110° with 70°. After eight loud clacks, the fin pairs are pulled out. Now we’ re not dealing with the same enclosure. Out to 30°, we get sound with minimal off-axis attenuation, then it’s an almost vertiginous drop between 30° and 40°. The influence of Panflex, and undoubtedly that of the preset, is very significant, which is good news, because what “sticks out” is very muted, almost harmless. Mission accomplished.
Now let’s try the KS28s, and then the whole shebang
We do both at 70°. The addition of the KS28 in the 1st octave definitely reinforces the “brown-box” family resemblance and immediately gives K3 a big and very dynamic sound. I think K3 needs this sub to make its bottom end denser and fuller without bogging it down. The few hertz and dB that it lacks compared to K2 make the connection even more constructive. We back off to 30 meters and Fred unleashes the dogs. The double stack may appear small at the end of the walkway, but it does the job and mathematically we reach the levels of the safety decrees. Remember that we only have four heads and a ground effect to deal with. We gain the last few dB by tweaking a little at the low end and we start moving back – 40 meters, 50 meters, 60 meters…
We’re getting farther away…
The K3 reveals more of its character and the 4″ driver shows its personality. Distortion remains surprisingly low but the low-midrange impact is more punchy, more muscular than that produced by a membrane and reminds us, for those who have been in the studio, of great listening experiences. The treble is effective and lifelike up to 50 meters, after which it begins to lose its sparkle and, at 60 meters and beyond, gradually fades.
Remember that K3 has only one 4″ driver for a 10° vertical coverage, whereas K2 has two 3″ drivers and K1 has three 3″ drivers…for 5°!
Later in the day, a final listen to a track with a much greater dynamic range (blues-rock mixed live on half-inch tape by George Massenburg at Ocean Way – thanks to Fred for uploading it to his server) confirms our initial impressions.
K3 is definitely a faithful, incisive and dynamic enclosure that pushes without biting, with a lot of detail, and it belongs in the K family. We intend to listen to this system again in a large format, flown in an indoor venue as soon as possible, to confirm these positive first impressions.
Many thanks to those who made this article possible through their time and hospitality.
Light and set designer Mikko Rahf uses 56 of the wireless LED creative systems to shoot a music video cycle. The Hamburg indie-pop artist Vivie Ann is breaking new ground. The emergence of her new alter ego, ‘Bowie’, has been accompanied by four music videos that were created in just two days at the end of July in Hamburg’s Oberhafenquartier.
In order to give each video its own look, despite the limited time and material resources, lighting and set designer Mikko Rahf called on 54 GLP Creative Light 1 Plus fixtures.
“In the music videos for the songs ‘Pale’, ‘XO’, ‘Liar’ and ‘Milk Me’ we experience the revival of the character ‘Bowie’, as the artist will appear from now on,” explains the designer. “Under the conditions we faced, I had to come up with a solution to create different looks without making major modifications.”
Mikko decided to arrange the band risers in a semicircle and behind them nine pillars, each equipped with six GLP Creative Light 1 Plus. However, he did not distribute these symmetrically, but let the gaps to the left become increasingly larger and larger.
“Because of this one-sided fanning, you could create different images with certain camera shots. So the structure sometimes looked very symmetrical, and at other times the reverse,” says Mikko.
“In addition, I was able to create ’round’-looking backgrounds from a rectangular 9×6 matrix, and with the help of the well-constructed Pattern mode individual pixels could also be used to create a starry background, for example.”
The small and extremely easy-to-install LED discs were controlled wirelessly via the integrated LumenRadio CRMX module with a grandMA2 light control. “At first I planned to run the Creative Lights in single pix mode, which I rejected because of the parameter load. A colleague recommended that I use the Pattern mode instead, which ultimately meant that I only needed two DMX universes.”
With 24 individually controllable RGB pixels, the Creative Light 1 Plus system offers countless design options. Whether all pixels are played together, individually via pixel map or via the integrated double layer FX engine, the visual effects are always impressive.
The Creative Light 1 Plus impresses with its enormous flexibility, minimal space requirements, space-saving transport and easy storage. Thanks to the extremely fast setup and simple configuration, the Creative Light 1 Plus is perfect for bands, events and every situation where you need to react flexibly and quickly.
“I really liked the Creative Light 1 Plus,” says Mikko. “Unfortunately, we didn’t know how much power would definitely be available to us until it was set up. Therefore, I had to plan a variant with as little power as possible.
The Creative Lights were configured, installed and quickly collected again at the end of the day for loading. The next day we took them out of the charging cases and reassembled them in next to no time. I didn’t have to keep turning it off during the day to save the battery. On the contrary, at the end of a day of recording, the batteries still had a respectable charge level.”
When asked in what applications he could imagine the versatile LED solution from GLP being best served, the designer replies: “I see great opportunities in the smaller touring business – wherever there is little space in the truck, trailer, Sprinter or even just in the car, or alternatively venues where there is little power available. Basically, the Creative Lights offer great visual possibilities for everyone who has little time to set up. Last but not least, they would also be a great solution for shows that have to make do without haze and fog. They are wonderful ‘no-haze lamps’.”
The collaboration with GLP also worked very well, as the designer confirms: “It was a very convivial atmosphere during our discussions. Oliver Schwendke [key account manager for GLP] has also repeatedly taken time for productive exchange with me during the entire production period.” Turning round four music videos in a very short time is quite a feat that cannot be mastered alone. “I would like to say a big thank you to my lighting crew,” continues the designer.
“It was a very long construction day and yet everyone was in a good mood and fully invested – above all my valued colleague Alex Erdmann, who did a lot of organisational work for me. Nicky Muthwill, Nikolai Krause and Raphael Knetsch also supported me as lighting technicians. I would also like to thank the musical director Julius Trautvetter for his confidence in my work and for his great commitment to the entire production.”
As Ayrton continues to expand its international designer relations and sales teams, the company is delighted to welcome Brian Dowd as its new designer relationship manager for North America. The new role takes effect from 1 October 2021.
Brian Dowd
Dowd brings to Ayrton nearly 45 years of experience across almost every aspect of the lighting industry, from production and rental to distribution, sales and leadership roles in a variety of companies. His new role will see him work with lighting designers, specifiers and key production contacts to excite and develop the market for Ayrton, supporting the work of Ayrton’s North American distributor, ACT Entertainment.
“I am thrilled by the opportunity to join the Ayrton team,” states Dowd. “I have always felt that Ayrton designs and produces the highest quality automated fixtures in the world. It will be an honour to help grow the brand. The years I have spent nurturing relationships will be well served, and developing new ones will be exciting. I have known many of the Ayrton team for a long time so it will feel like home right away.”
“Brian’s previous experience with Ayrton from his time at ACT Lighting means he knows the product well and understands the Ayrton philosophy,” says Michael Althaus, Ayrton’s global sales director. “His work with major US companies has enabled him to develop a breadth and depth of understanding of designers, their needs and the market, which is important to us. “While we are very excited to welcome Brian back on board in this new role, we are also very grateful for everything Chris Lose has achieved in this role over the past couple of years. Some exciting projects recently brought Chris closer back to the programming and production side, with the latest project he’s been working on over the past half a year on behalf of WBD – the Al Wasl Grand PLAZA on the EXPO2020 in Dubai – going live on Oct, 1st. Thank you so much, Chris, and hope to see you again in person at LDI.”
For more information on Ayrton and its range of LED lighting fixtures, visit www.ayrton.eu
Robe’s waterproof iSpiiders wash beam LED moving lights provided a perfect solution for the recent production of “Stuttgart. Ein Traum” (Stuttgart. A Dream) a lively, funny and innovative new work that is a collage of street, puppet, physical and ensemble theatre performance referencing the city’s history and culture, created in a collaboration between Stuttgart Staatsgalerie, the Schauspielbühnen Theatre.
The show was presented in the open air over 10 days in the Stuttgart Staatsgalerie’s impressive Rotunda, an outdoor amphitheatre and one of the most striking architectural features of this postmodern masterpiece building designed by James Stirling in the 1970s. Lighting and audio rental company Mad Music supplied the lighting and sound for the production with company owner Mathias Bremgärtner and project manager Peter Wormstädt working in close conjunction with the Schauspiel’s technical director, Stefan Hauschke.
The iSpiiders were part of a purchase by Mad Music initially for this show, and now for general rental stock. With the live performance and event industry cautiously returning to work after a lengthy pandemic-enforced shutdown, Mathias and Peter felt confident about making this investment in iSpiiders due to the general increase in outdoor events … prompted by the Covid situation.
Initially this is through the rest of summer and the early autumn months, but it’s a trend they think could easily extend further during these Covid times, to feed the general surge in demand for performance events in safer external environments.
Funded by a special programme “Art in Spite of the Distance” set up by the Baden-Württemburg Ministry of Art & Science, once the venue was chosen and the piece – directed by Klaus Hemmerle – involving six ensemble actors / singers and a multi-instrumentalist started to evolve, Peter and Stefan assessed the best lighting treatments.
They decided that for the main performance lighting, the entire amphitheatre should be washed with good quality lumens that could also be adjusted subtly as the natural light faded into darkness. Some of the architectural details, sculptures and art pieces around the Rotunda could then be detailed with smaller wireless LED fixtures.
Robe iSpiider
Already using Robe’s LEDWash 600 extensively, the newly launched IP65 rated iSpiider immediately came to mind. They wanted an LED solution, both to be greener and because power was limited, and the idea was to leave the lights rigged in place throughout the period. For aesthetics, covering lights with domes was out, so water-resilience became an essential tick-box. Added to that, on show days the lighting and sound rig needed to be tech’d by one person, so considerations like the light weight and reasonable size – handleable by one person – became further factors in the choice in lights.
Finally, to minimise cabling, they took advantage of the iSpiider’s inbuilt Lumen Radio wireless DMX transmitter to run on a wireless data network. Together with the battery powered wireless LED lights and an MA Dot2 for control, it was a very viable and practical lighting rig. Eight iSpiiders in total were used on “Stuttgart. Ein Traum”, out of the 16 units purchased by Mad Music from Robe Germany.
Four fixtures were positioned on two towers either side of the entrance / exit between the amphitheatre and the main Staatsgalerie building, and another four, also on two towers, were on the first-floor balcony level pointing through two of the open ‘windows’ integrated into the Rotunda’s curved wall design. “Eight iSpiiders provided a really nice ambient wash across the area. Lighting a show like this it is not about how much kit you have but how thoughtfully and resourcefully you use it!” commented Peter, with nods of agreement from Stefan.
Three days of rehearsals on site followed a month by the cast in conventional rehearsal facilities, while the lighting and sound cues were all programmed into the consoles during one evening session. Mad Music has other Robe fixtures in rental stock including BMFLs and Spikies plus the LEDWash 600s, the first ones purchased 10 years ago and still working well! As these have worked so constantly, they were again reassured that the robust and water-resistant iSpiider would be a solid investment. Mathias thinks IP-rated fixtures like iSpiiders are an “ultimately useful” type of luminaire. These can also be used to illuminate building facades and other areas, so they will potentially lead to further work as “outside events and activities are definitely here to stay for the immediate future!”
He remembers back to the first Robe purchases and is delighted to have seen the brand grow and become established as an industry leader in that relatively short time, building a reputation for “quality engineered” products.
Mathias started Mad Music 33 years ago when still at school. Not yet old enough to have a driver’s licence, Peter came onboard to take care of the transport … and the two have worked together ever since. Stefan Hauschke also worked for Mad Music before joining the Schauspiel, so it’s a tight-knit community! The company’s regular work as a sound and lighting supplier spans TV, theatre, music sectors plus some film lighting and – pre Covid – many events, and they also supply and service several fixed installations.
For more info about Robe, you can visit www.robe.cz
Justin Kitchenman of Align Design Group is using some favorite Elation lights on five-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan’s “Proud To Be Right Here Tour” scheduled through October 16 with 35+ shows. The country music superstar is touring in support of his Born Here Live Here Die Here album, which includes his recent smash single “Waves.”
The song is enjoying its second week at the top of the country charts and brings Luke’s career #1 tally to 27. “Waves” is also the fifth consecutive #1 single off the project. In addition to the tour, fans can also see Luke’s original five-part docuseries Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary, on IMDb TV, Amazon’s premium free streaming service out now.
Resurrected design Kitchenman had just gotten the Cole Swindell “Down To Earth” tour design out the door when Covid hit in 2020, then spent a year working on livestreams and other smaller projects. When he got the call this past April that longtime client Luke Bryan was planning a 2021 tour, he was understandably ecstatic.
The LD, who has been designing for Bryan for a decade, had a design in place from last summer’s cancelled tour, a show he thought he’d never see realized. When the decision was made to pick up from where they left off in 2020, however, the design was back on the table. “I had come to terms last summer that that design was dead,” he said, “so I was thrilled when it was resurrected for this year’s tour.”
Out the door quickly According to Kitchenman, the tour came together extremely quickly with a short two weeks between final tour approval and rehearsals in Nashville in June. “That’s when the ACL 360i fixtures came into play,” he stated.
“We know what we can do with them and know they are reliable. They were also available so we could get out quickly and do shows.” The “Proud To Be Right Here” tour kicked off July 8th in Syracuse, New York, and plays mostly outdoor amphitheaters. “It was very much a team effort to pull it off in time,” Kitchenman said.
Lighting pods The design features automated lighting pods full of Elation ACL 360i fixtures, the designer’s sixth year using the compact single-beam RGBW moving effects. The pods fill the space in concentrated beams of color and can be maneuvered to create a wide variety of looks. “Every year we break them out and they’re reliable. They just look awesome when we use so many of them.” Kitchenman, who is out with the tour as lighting director and also serves as production designer, uses 72 ACL 360i’s along with 8 DTW Blinder 700 IP 4-lites and 14 DTW Blinder 350 IP 2-lites.
“I’ve come to value the ACL 360i’s small size. You can stick them anywhere in the rig for an old school ACL look to big pods of light,” the designer said, and adds that they are also low power and don’t take up much data. Overhead, four pod trusses house 12 units each with additional units scattered throughout the floor.
The pods are used in all sorts of configurations, for example lighting only certain fixtures or running a variety of chases. The pods also complement well a large backdrop LED wall. Nashville-based production provider Elite Multimedia Productions has worked with Luke Bryan from the start of his career and is supplying the lighting and LED video technology for the run.
DTW Blinders Elation blinders have been a staple of Kitchenman’s Luke Bryan designs for years. This year he uses 8 DTW Blinder 700 IP and 14 DTW Blinder 350 IP – 4x and 2x 175W warm white/amber COB LEDs respectively – for audience lighting. Additional blinders are located throughout the rig, which he often uses as a complementary twinkle effect. “The DTW’s have the amber chip in them which gives a more natural look, closer to a tungsten lamp,” he stated. “The IP65 protection is also key as we do a lot of shows where they are exposed to the weather on the downstage truss.”
Gratitude The “Proud To Be Right Here” tour is selling well and Kitchenman says he is extremely grateful for every week they are able to be out on the road. “We’re on the forefront in this new climate, proving that it can be done and can be done faithfully. The most important thing is to do shows safely and responsibly so we use an abundance of caution and take people’s wellbeing very seriously.”
That gratitude extends to the rest of the crew as well. He comments that once they got into the groove, it felt like they had never taken a break. “Everyone was excited to jump back in and we got everybody’s best effort and full devotion. No one was burned out; there’s been no gig fatigue. It’s worked out really well. I’m proud of this production and we’ve had great feedback from audiences, and Luke and his team as well.”
For more info about Elation and their products line, you can visit : www.elationlighting.com
Since their market launch in 2020, the coaxial full-range loudspeakers in the LD Systems ICOA Series have become firmly established in the PA portfolios of musicians, bands and DJs. Now, with the addition of DSP presets for the passive ICOA 12” and 15” versions for the DSP 44/45 K power amplifiers from LD Systems, these PA all-rounders can be used even more flexibly.
With its combination of coaxial design, rotatable, BEM-optimised CD horn – for optional use as a PA loudspeaker or floor monitor – as well as various other functions, the ICOA Series is a true all-rounder for live applications. For permanently installed applications, the passive ICOA models are also available in white. They can be mounted on walls vertically or horizontally using a specially developed wall bracket featuring the Easy-Click connection system and clean cable routing.
The passive PA coaxial speakers in the ICOA Series are available in two versions: the ICOA 12 and ICOA 15, featuring 12” and 15” woofers respectively. Thanks to their excellent bass response, the ICOA full-range speakers are not just suitable for musicians and bands, but also for dance schools or mobile DJs who want to do without a heavy, unwieldy subwoofer.
The ICOA presets for the LD Systems DSP 44 K and DSP 45 K power amplifiers are now available for download. The downloads are available on the product page of each respective ICOA model at ld-systems.com/icoa
In addition to these presets, which are specially adapted to the LD Systems DSP Series, a PDF with all the relevant technical data for use with DSP power amplifiers from other manufacturers can also be found here.
Robert Juliat set out to find the ultimate solution that would breathe new life into the world’s countless 600SX profiles, offering even better light quality. With the introduction of the Sully module last year, and the Tibo HE this year, they just might have succeeded. Armed with our instrumentation, we went to put the Sully 654SX through our rigorous tests on the manufacturer’s home turf in Picardy.
About Sully
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Hosted by Ludwig Lepage, product manager, we got to explore the Sully range in every detail. General Manager François Juliat and Communications Manager Séverine Zucchiatti were also happy to answer the many questions we had.
After a nice coffee break with our hosts in their museum lounge – where every corner is decorated with a piece of history – we continue to reminisce and share anecdotes as we head towards the test room. We had been used to seeing each other at major national and international trade shows, but the Covid crisis has interfered with the solid relationships we have built with manufacturers, distributors and all the service companies, who have been hit so hard in recent months.
With pleasure, we meet again as if nothing had happened. Apart from the masks and the required distancing, we are about to spend an excellent day in Fresnoy-en-Thelle, in the 7,000 m2 Robert Juliat factory.
On the left is a Sully 654SX profile, identifiable by its rear base, where the trapdoor to the lamp housing would be on a 614SX…
Ludwig gives us a complete overview of Sully, which is neither really a profile, nor a specific source, but a complete range divided into two main areas: On one hand, a complete line of models, the Sully 650SX profiles, the Sully 1156 followspot, and the Sully 305LF and 305LPB Fresnel and PC fixtures.
On the other hand, retro-fit modules allow you to convert, or even resurrect, a certain number of more or less old luminaires, tungsten or others, converting them into LED fixtures, with lower consumption, improved luminous flux and modernized controls.
… and on the right the Sully module, here in its ‘followspot’ version with a potentiometer, but that we will use in a 614SX body for the sake of convenience. 😉
The Sully T/650SX module is compatible with 600SX, Aledin (630SX), Figaro, Quincy or Pierrot profiles, while the T/1650SX is for converting the Criquet, Buxie and Foxie followspots. However, apart from the manual potentiometer of the T/1650SX, which is almost mandatory for a followspot, the two modules are absolutely identical. It should also be noted that the LED source and its electronic control section are used together in the new Tibo HE range of lightweight profiles.
The modules are available in two color temperatures: warm white, the equivalent of a 3000 K halogen, or cool white at 5700 K, which is like a halogen profile with a Lee Filters 201 gelatin. They are balanced tones, suitable for a wide range of situations.
The maximum power consumption of a module is 135 W, it is an impressive example of asceticism. 22 Sully units can run on a 3 kW line, without any problems with harmonics or inrush current. The power supply management of the LEDs is done by switching at 3200 Hz or 17000 Hz, but also via direct current. There is an undeniable advantage in being able to choose between the smoothest possible dimming, especially at low levels, using 3200 Hz, or avoiding flickering in video capture by switching to 17,000 Hz or even to DC. In this case, on the other hand, the transitions will be more uneven. The heat produced is drastically reduced. One could almost take advantage of this to create gobos on plastic prints, but for very short applications or tests, as the power of the LED source can still deform them.
Seamless continuity
The Sully 651SX, 653SX and 654SX, which are delivered with their LED source installed, have the same characteristics as the 611, 613 and 614SX, and for good reason: their mechanics are absolutely identical! We can find, almost blindfolded, the yoke lock with its unlocking handle and indexed azimuth scale on the yoke axis; but also the zoom and focus adjustments with the RJ labelled locking knobs and graduated indexes. For those who weren’t aware, the last digit of the Juliat model number indicates the zoom range. That is 11-26° for the 651SX (long throw), 28-54° for the 653SX (short throw) and 16-35° for the 654SX (standard).
Profile here also indicates a set of framing shutters (up to eight for Robert Juliat) and the blue ring for locking them, independent ±45° rotation of the whole set with its rear lock, and two slots for an iris or gobo before and after the shutters (in order for them to be either independent of, or linked to, the rotation of the front of the fixture).
There are, of course, several lugs for safety cables, a straight or angled yoke for suspended or pole-mounted installation using a single mount, a filter or accessory holder at the very front, and a quick-opening trapdoor hatch (with the famous ‘ski boot’ type rapid releases). When the trapdoor is opened, it reveals the internal filter holder with its metal tab retainer.
The metal frame positioned in front of the rear lens and the famous internal filter holder, so familiar!
This slot, which is by no means new, allows the insertion of a frosted glass filter to maintain a true frost over the whole focal range, or it can be used for special correctors – UV, minus-green, CTB – while leaving the front filter holder free for other gels. The rest of the fixture hasn’t changed and, of course, all the old accessories are compatible.
The double condenser lenses for the Sully LED engine are available as an option, or as spare parts.
Just in front of the source, aspherical lenses – a double condenser lens – improve the optical performance in the periphery of the image. This is indicated by the letters “SX” in the model names of the brand.
In the traditional 1000 W range, the heat was already an issue. If you wanted to switch to a 1200 W lamp, it was recommended that you change the lenses for additional thermal resistance. With Sully, instead, the LED source reduces the heat emissions and it is possible to use a new special double condenser for LEDs, with a specific coating that offers better optical properties.
With the original lenses, the luminous intensity is already identical to that of a 1000 W halogen, but with a new fleet of fixtures, it is possible to obtain 10 to 15% more flux, which is the equivalent of a 1200 W lamp. Be careful though, these lenses would not appreciate the thermal output of a halogen lamp! Maintenance is also simplified. Cleaning the condenser lenses and front lenses is the only effort required, as there is no lamp to change. The Sully module does not require any maintenance and the LED source should not be touched.
Through the Trapdoor
To transform a 614SX profile into an LED profile, you will need a Sully module, a flat-head screwdriver, your two hands and about 30 seconds. It’s even easier than changing an incandescent lamp. Everything is done through the trapdoor of the lamp housing, which must be removed.
To make it easier, it is recommended that you perform the change while the fixture is resting on its nose. The conventional lamp is removed from the luminaire, leaving only the double condenser.
We start with the rear ¼-turn screw, then the two screws in front of the lamp, which we will have to unscrew completely while tilting the lamp holder. All that remains is to remove the ground cable and then you can separate the old trapdoor from the fixture, and store it in your shop.
If a lighting designer were to request it, it is very easy to switch back to tungsten using the old lamp hatches, the process being infinitely reversible. (This was already the case with the old HMI range).
You should be aware that, although the conversion is possible with the older 614S profiles, which have a single condenser lens and a smaller diameter, the benefit is almost non-existent, as the optical alignment isn’t good, and the beam deteriorates considerably.
If you would like to replace the famous double condenser, now is your chance. It is held in place simply with two wing bolts. Now you have to insert the Sully module, paying attention to the larger heat sink, then reconnect the ground wire to one of the two connectors and screw it back together. The width of the Sully module (less than 8 cm), doesn’t disturb the balance, nor the movement of the yoke, and adds only 600 grams to a 614, the unit alone weighing less than 1.2 kg.
Since a video is worth ten thousand words, here is the method in moving pictures For a stock of 50 profiles, the whole process would certainly take less than an hour.
The width of the Sully module (less than 8 cm), doesn’t disturb the balance, nor the movement of the yoke, and it adds only 600 grams to a 614, the unit alone weighing less than 1.2 kg.
A heat pipe cooling unit is integrated into the Sully module to dissipate the heat using the principle of thermal transfer through the circulation of fluid.
Underneath the vanes of the heat sink, a high-speed, virtually silent ventilation system is visible in white. The rubber edging prevents light leaks.
A fan on the bottom further assists in cooling the unit, as does the heat exchanger supporting the 115 W Osram LED board. The bottom part includes a single PCI** card for electronic management and control of the fixture, plus the power supply, which is equipped with another fan.
** :Peripheral Component Interconnect: a standard local bus for connecting computer expansion cards.
The Sully module is delivered in a single piece and cannot be disassembled, except for specialized after-sales service, because the alignment of the LEDs and their thermal connections must be carefully calibrated.
On the serial number plate, the exact model of Sully (indicating the version with or without potentiometer and the color temperature), and the various important characteristics are indicated, as well as the MAC address and the default IP on the white adhesive label.
Once the source is installed in the body of the fixture, all that remains is to connect it to the mains power supply via the PowerCON True1 connector – there is a link output in addition to the input. Then you can test it using the potentiometer on the right side.
We already note the first difference, and it’s a major one: the temperature at the source goes from 185°C for the lamp version to 43°C for the LED version, while the operating noise remains inaudible – between 23 and 25 dB. What convenience!
The measurements with instruments and eyes
We decided to compare a new 614SX halogen profile and a Sully 654SX in warm white.
The first test, the derating, shows a very low attenuation in the first 6 minutes: just 5%.
The second test is a 0 to 100% intensity variation. The dimmer curve is perfectly straight, with very slight ripples at very low levels.
The dimming curve from 0 to 10%.
The dimming curve from 0 to 100%.
In terms of projection, we are struck by the uniformity of the Sully, and by its power. There is no real difference in color temperature, but the beam seems denser, a little brighter.
On the left is the 614SX, while on the right is the Sully. We can distinguish the shape of the filament of the lamp in the field projected by the halogen source.
The border around the projection of the Sully is sharper, without the very slight halo around that of the 614. The differences are minimal, but the beam is more beautiful from this LED version; it’s sharper, very pleasing.
With the insertion of shutters or a gobo, the improvement is more comprehensive. With its improved heat dissipation and improved projection, the sharpness is consistent. And there’s no need for gloves when taking out the gobo!
On the 614SX the steel gobo gets deformed by the heat, and sharpness is very complicated to obtain. The sharpness of the Sully is better. In both cases, we find this blue/orange diffraction around the edges.
There is almost no difference with the shutters, which is one of Robert Juliat’s strong points. If you want to nitpick a little, you can see a little more diffraction with the Sully.
Looking at the measurements, the verdict is even more compelling. The 614SX offers a flux of 5,940 lumens at 3115 K, while the Sully delivers 6,430 lumens at 3096 K, with better uniformity and a more linear attenuation. Measurements of tight and wide beams also show excellent flux conservation, a remarkable result, the result of the optical work of the new condensers and the ancestral know-how of Robert Juliat.
Photometric measurements of Sully 654SX in Warm White
Tightest sharp-focus beam
20° beam
Widest sharp-focus beam
Photometric measurements of the 614SX halogen, 20° beam
The various measurements from a tight to a wide beam show the amazing performance of the Sully. It should be noted that there are some differences between our measurements and those of the manufacturer, the latter taking into account the distance between the target and the LED source, while our measurements stop at the nose of the fixtures.
Now we use color reference charts, called the Color Checker. This allows us to accurately measure the chromatic rendering.
The power of the Sully, combined with its more defined spectral distribution in blues and pastels, brings out the reference colors better.
Taking things a step further, we will compare some more advanced colorimetric indices. The CRI, the Color Reference Index, has been part of the sales pitches of manufacturers for many years now. To consider the CIE CRI as the pinnacle of color reproduction would be to forget that this method dates back to 1964 and is based on the assessment of eight colors, pastels, numbered R1 to R8. Some manufacturers have decided to be a little more thorough, by including the red (R9) or even all 15 possible color samples, but without any real consistency.
The CRI-R8 as rendered by the Sully Warm White module.
The measurements in TM30. While we can consider that a perfect 614SX would have a CRI and an Rf of 100, with a zero saturation at 100 and a Delta UV of 0, the Sully WW is very close with an Rf of 93, an Rg of 99 and almost no deviation.
To define a source of very good quality, it would be necessary to obtain an index between 95 and 100, close to the halogen, almost perfect. In these conditions, the Sully oscillates between 95 and 97, depending on the model; an impressive result, but which does not take into account the dense colors.
Robert Juliat however decided to go further in its measurements by including the TM30 of 2018, which compares 99 hues and gives an Rf index (from 0 to 100) of fidelity, a gamut Rg of saturation (from 0 to 140), a circular chromaticity plot and a UV Delta measurement, which indicates, put simply, the difference between the ‘white’ of the measured source and the theoretical one defined by the Planck curve.
To adapt to cameras, rather than the eye, the TLCi, Television Lighting Consistency Index (2012) is based on a particular Color Checker, which is specifically tailored to electronic photo sensors.
More complex, the TLCi measurement index is like the CRI for cameras.
Finally, for scientists, nothing beats the wavelength spectrum, which perfectly details each color frequency.
The spectral distribution of the Sully, as compared to different standard sources.
This diagram shows us a small dip in the yellow/green, and a bump in the blue, which creates that pinkish feel, almost like a 1/8 or 1/16 minus-green. This is theoretically a slight flaw but, on the stage, it improves the skin tone of the performers.
To better observe this difference, we illuminate a reference image. We can easily see the difference in color on the arms, the hair and the sunlight, which are denser and warmer with the Sully.
We finish our tests with a 614 and a CTB filter on one side, and a Sully equipped with a cool white LED on the other. In both cases, as expected, we lose a few points of CRI and TM30, and a bit more in TLCi. The bluish and slightly green part of the correction is not necessarily gentle with the warm colors. However, the difference in flux and quality is impressive. The luminous flux of the 614 falls below 2,000 lumens, while the Sully CW soars to 7,500 lumens. The difference on the reference image is undeniable.
Photometric measurements of the Sully 654SX in Cool White
Photometric measurements of the 614SX with a halogen lamp and a LeeFilter 201 gel
The 614 and its Lee 201 gelatin lighting the top of the image doesn’t stand a chance against the Sully, which is illuminating the bottom of it.
It must be clearly stated that Robert Juliat’s new LED profiles are now of a higher quality than their halogen counterparts: more powerful and sharper, while consuming less energy and producing less heat.
Dialoguing with Sully
No menu, no screen, no buttons – that’s what will surprise more than one technician the first time he comes across the Sully! Above all, the Sully can be controlled by DMX (RDM), ArtNet or sACN, with modes ranging from 1 to 6 parameters, and all of this has to be configured carefully.
The DMX and RJ45 connectors have a three-color status LED. Simply put, red indicates a fault or absence of signal, green indicates that the cable is connected but without data, blue indicates good signal and data reception.
Of course, there are three colored lights above the connectors to detect the power supply at startup, then the presence of data and the activation of the RDM according to color codes detailed in the manual, but nothing more. Oh yes, there is a discreet reset button to reset the Sully module to its factory settings.
To understand this choice, you have to remember that Robert Juliat focused on human-machine interfaces, called HMI, to design and develop simple yet complete control systems. After their usual displays with buttons, which are not always easy to access once the fixtures are on poles or suspended, and then having experimented with NFC* chips before giving up due to the lack of full support from Apple on iPhones, the decision was made to focus on configuration and monitoring via RDM and web interface.
*NFC : Near-Field Communication is a short-range wireless communication technology (a few centimeters) that allows the exchange of information between a device and a smartphone.
The decision was made to stop using standard menus, which was reinforced by their dialogue with the technicians of theaters and TV studios, who rarely intervene on the settings during their operations, and who were sometimes forced to perform acrobatics in high places. Thus the configuration of the fixtures is now carried out according to one of two methods. Either using an RDM** compatible tester, software or console via the DMX cables, or by connecting a computer via RJ45 to access a web page, as easily as with a website on the Internet.
** : Remote Device Manager, or RDM, is an expansion of the DMX512 protocol that allows bi-directional communication between RDM-compatible fixtures connected to a standard DMX line. This allows for the detection, configuration and monitoring of remote fixtures.
Of course, we can already hear some purists grumbling in their corners, bemoaning the lack of a display and menu, or highlighting the lack of training of some of their technicians. We will pass on their complaints to Robert Juliat!
The RDM route
The DMXCat box can be connected via DMX, without any distance limit if the basic rules are respected: that is, a standard DMX cable, splitter, node and RDM-compatible devices.
As Robert Juliat has partnered with City Theatrical and their DMXCat tester, this provides extensive access to the Sully’s features. The research done on custom PID (Parameter Identification) and RDM has allowed them to offer a straightforward and efficient system. But in absolute terms, any RDM source will be able to configure the fundamental functions of the Sully (like a GrandMA3, for example).
With the RDM tester connected, and then connected via Bluetooth to your smartphone, the fixture or fixtures will appear in a list. The “light bulb” icon allows you to turn them on remotely to identify them, and the “RDM” arrow icon allows you to enter the nine settings menus:
Left: Home screen – Middle: Basic addressing and mode settings – Right: Information and factory reset.
Temperature, ventilation and other sensor levels – Middle: Operating hours – Right: Advanced control and diagnostic self-tests (Custom PiD)
Left: The selection of dimming configuration options (curve, response, LED modulation frequency and intensity threshold at 16 bits) – Middle: Network settings – Right: Information feedback from the device.
The Web route
Another possibility is to connect the Sully via the RJ45 port, as would be the case in a fixed network installation. Be aware, however, that the module doesn’t have an integrated switch, so it will probably be necessary to use a star topology, but that’s another story. As in the vast majority of cases, the fixtures will be controlled using Art-Net or sACN, Robert Juliat has logically preconfigured each Sully in class A, with a unique and independent address, such as 2.XXX.XXX.XXX/8.
you bring a computer into the network, obviously within the same address range, you can simply type in the address of the fixture in your Internet browser. This provides access to a configuration web page. The four pages are a little different from those of the RDM tester, but allow for complete configuration. Only access to the monitoring sensors are currently unavailable. Each time you modify a parameter, you just have to click on the ‘Submit Parameters’ button to activate your changes.
The home page, with the status of the unit: identification, ventilation, drivers, temperature, power supply, serial number, software version number, update, factory default, hard reset and others. Sully models with an integrated potentiometer are recognized as “FollowSpot”.
DataMode allows access to DMX address, fixture personality, protocol selection and all network settings. The Expert menu is reserved for the service department for calibration and replacement of parts.
The Setup page with the fixture configurations: indicator light activation, DMX hold, local or remote control of the potentiometer, dimming curve, anti-flicker control and RDM command lock.
Just below is the old version of WebPage. To update the firmware of the module, you just have to download the update at this address: robertjuliat.com/profilespots/SULLY_650SX Then choose ‘Update Firmware’ in the menu and select the file in your download folder. Currently the latest update is version 2.2.
There are a lot of neat little tricks in these menus:
– For example, a QR code will allow you to download the manual to your phone. – When you set the DMX address, each channel of the different modes will also display its address. – The network section not only allows the use of a gateway or DHCP, but also a fixed IP with access to all possible subnet masks. In case of a hardware reset, the IP address returns to the one indicated on the serial number plate of the device. – Note that for ArtNet use, a single unique number replaces the Net, Sub-Net and Universe numbers. Very convenient, however, according to Artistic License recommendations, only universes from 1 to 32,000 are allowed, not the ‘0’. – The threshold allows you to set an intensity limit, in order to equalize or calibrate a set of fixtures. The module recalculates the dimmer range in relation to this threshold to maintain linearity in use.
Keeping control
The models with a manual potentiometer can be used in DMX, Art-Net or sACN. The potentiometer can be deactivated if necessary, and its direction of rotation can be reversed in the settings for followspot applications. This local control in HTP is regulated by the console using a dedicated master channel. The console operator can thus control the maximum intensity level instead of the followspot operator, and can also coordinate the blackouts. The DMX library has six modes, from the simplest to the most complicated. While Robert Juliat’s chart is quite clear, you may find some surprises in the libraries provided by Caralon for the major consoles on the market. The advanced modes have two dimmer channels, at 8 or 16 bits, one for the general level and the other to limit the local potentiometer.
The strobe is divided into two parameters: duration and speed. The next channel is different, as it sets the response time, or rather the ‘inertia’ of the ‘lamp’ when it is switched off. The control channel provides several options, such as enabling or disabling the RDM (unless this is otherwise locked in the web interface). Finally, for architectural or museum installations, it is possible to set a precise level for the fixture in the Stand Alone parameter in the menu, so that the fixture always automatically turns on at this level each time it is switched on.
In conclusion
Robert Juliat continues to carry the family torch with both strength and humility. This almost unparalleled combination of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge industrial technology commands respect, as they have cleverly transformed a piece as traditional as the theater profile into a concentrated bundle of innovations. The Sully models are designed, developed and manufactured in the Oise region by Robert Juliat.
Singer/songwriter Hardy is a rising star on the country music circuit and with that newfound fame comes an opportunity to up his on-stage game in order to appeal to an even wider audience. Out in support of his highly praised debut album ‘A Rock,’ which came out last fall and includes the No. 1 hit single “One Beer,” Hardy is touring with an upgraded lighting rig of Elation Dartz 360, Artiste Picasso and other lighting fixtures. Lighting design is by Zac Coren.
Hardy has written hits for country acts Florida Georgia Line and Blake Shelton, among others, and earned three 2020 Country Music Award nominations for “One Beer.” In early August, he started warming up audiences on Jason Aldean’s “Back in the Saddle” tour while headlining his own dates in between Aldean shows.
Hardy early return to the road Lighting designer Zac Coren picked up with Hardy earlier this year and has known the artist for quite some time. “He didn’t have an LD and I was designing some things for him already,” Coren explains. “I was fortunate as Hardy was one of the first artists to get out there and start doing shows again. He did a lot of shows this past spring in smaller venues with lots of restrictions like limited capacity, pod distancing, outdoor sets, etc. It felt a bit like we were part of an experiment on how to do shows again but Hardy loves touring so we did what it took.”
Part country storyteller, part rocker, Hardy is a dynamic and versatile entertainer. “Honestly, he’s one of the coolest artists to work for,” Coren says. “He lets you do your thing; he might have a few comments at rehearsals but for the most part he trusts the folks working for him. After showing him some options, I helped guide him toward what I felt was best and we charted a path based on what he likes.”
Country with an edge Although Hardy is a country artist, loud guitars and drums definitely have a place in his shows and that combination is reflected in Coren’s design. “It’s not your clean and classic country look for sure but has more of an edge to it. I needed to take what is seemingly country and blend that with elements of a rock show so we have a lot of strobes and in-your-face kind of stuff.”
Bigger look Coren is on the road with the show as lighting director and says the tour is going great. After sharing transport for some time, they now have their own bus and trailers and are making an impact with an overall bigger setup. The lighting package consists of 20 compact Dartz 360 narrow beam moving heads, 4 Artiste Picasso profile moving heads, 4 Cuepix Blinder WW2, 4 Chorus Line 16 LED batten luminaires (used only in headlining shows), and 21x 32 Hex Panels from Elation sister-company ADJ. Lighting vendor is PTP Live (formally Genetic Productions).
The rig is divided into two parts, a floor-based section with the Elation and ADJ fixtures and an upper, flown section with fixtures from Jason Aldean’s rig. Unsure of what he could use of the Aldean rig going into the tour, angles in the upper package ended up complementing well the lower package on the ground, resulting in “a very good looking show.”
Dartz fill the void Two layers of floor-based truss sit atop upstage custom set carts with the back rail lined with 4 groups of 5 Dartz each, a fixture the designer has used for years now. With an empty void between the Dartz and the overhead truss to contend with, Coren turned to the narrow-beam fixture to fill the space with beams of light. “I use the Dartz in pretty much every song,” he says. “There are some songs where I’ll hold them back for a chorus but because they are so versatile I use them a lot.”
The Dartz, with their 3-degree aperture, gobo set and full 360-degree rotation, form an important part of the visual design and, according to Coren, shape the look of the show. “In one song, Give Heaven some Hell, I use the frost with a chase across the top in a calm look until the chorus where I do a big prism look.” And for a song called Boyfriend, which has a purple and pink color scheme, he uses the prisms “in a cool staggered look that fills everything in the back and air. It’s hard not to overuse these fixtures because they work for everything.”
Picasso complement Centered just below each set of five Dartz are Artiste Picasso profile moving heads, one in each truss. “They really complement everything in the air. I’m a big fan of having big blown out gobos and the Picasso graphics make some pretty looks. There are a few songs where I zoom them down but for the most part they are static texture lighting behind the band,” Coren says, adding that sometimes he uses them to light the artist.
The Chorus Line 16 LED battens provide sidelight but only when the artist plays his own headlining shows. Otherwise, he accesses battens from Aldean’s rig. Finally, the ADJ 32 Hex Panels, which line the lower truss and front of the set, play a key role as strobes, pixel-zone eye candy and color floods.
Catch Hardy opening for Jason Aldean across the U.S. and playing other dates until the end of October.
For more information about Elation Lighting and their Products line, you can visit www.elationlighting.com
When Germany-based Thomas Christmann saw Claypaky Xtylos at a Prolight + Sound expo in Frankfurt and marveled at how the beam “was cutting through everything,” he knew he had to work with the fixture some day.
The Lighting Designer and Lighting Director for metal band Korn since 2015, Christmann, who’s known as “Church,” thought the 2020 tour planned for the band would be the perfect opportunity to use the first moving head light with a laser light source. “I’m not a big fan of beam lights and try not to use them for effects lighting,” he says. “But I love the Xtylos beam, their color and speed and was eager to use them.”
Then the coronavirus pandemic intervened and 2020 touring for all bands was cancelled. But as soon as Korn was booked to play two 2021 summer festival dates, Church put 20 Xtylos from OSA International, Inc. in the rig for Rock Fest Wisconsin and the Upheaval Festival in Michigan. Now Korn has begun a 28-date US tour with Staind. The run kicked off in early August in West Palm Beach, Florida and will wrap at the end of September in Dallas. Church upped the ante and specified 36 Xtylos for the tour, also obtained from OSA. He mounted four each on top of a straight line of five upstage pods, which roll onto the set, and eight on each side of angled upstage trusses, which split over the drum riser.
“My lighting designs are pretty theatrical with cues and strong looks – I don’t go crazy with a lot of positions,” Church explains. “The Xtylos’s beam light was very impressive when I saw it the first time, and I trust OSA’s (Vice President, Lighting) Mark Fetto, whom I’ve worked with since I started doing Korn’s tours. I love the look of the beam and how it works with colors. Other beam lights don’t work well with colors, but with Xtylos even the red punches through. The strong looks Xtylos delivers, even with colors, makes the stage look even bigger than it is.”
Church has not been able to leave Germany to join the US tour, so he has not actually seen Xtylos in person. “I’ve never had my hands on them yet! I want to see them in real life so bad!” he exclaims. Church preprogrammed the festival dates in Germany, but for the tour he handed over the design to Lighting Director Matt Mills, who programmed and operated the show. “I wanted Matt to feel comfortable with the show and how to run it,” he explains.
Mills notes that, “at first, like a lot of LDs, I thought Xtylos was just a Sharpy with a laser for the lamp, but it is so much more. Using a typical beam fixture, there’s no way I would even consider putting a gobo and two prisms in the beam path due to loss of intensity. That is certainly not a problem with the Xtylos.
“Korn is very dynamic: They go from hard in your face riffs to slow and subtle breakdowns,” he explains. “When they’re cranking I am usually doing some sort of aggressive effect with the Xtylos, kind of like what I would do with a Sharpy, but the colors out of the Xtylos really cut through everything, so I can make a red and white strobe look and actually be able to see the red.
The band often ends songs with a long, drawn out guitar tone, and with that I will take the Xtylos and drop in a few prisms, put them in a deep congo blue and scan the crowd. It really is a great effect that would not read with a typical beam fixture.”
Mills says he’s having “so much fun” that he wonders if he’s overusing them. “I usually like to build a show and hold some things back for later, but management really loved [the Xtylos] and kept pushing me to add them in more and more. Besides all the cool ‘laser-type’ looks I am able to get, there is a point in one song that really stands out.
During the chorus of ‘Cold,’ I have 16 of the Xtylos doing an offset circle effect in red. The lighting and the video at that point are both very bright white, and the red still cuts through just fine. Pretty much after each show a few fellow lighting nerds ask, ‘What the hell are those?’”
OSA’s Mark Fetto, who supplied the entire lighting crew for the tour, says that Mills ”has done a great job with the Xtylos. He’s getting more out of them than I’ve seen anybody do, including some really neat effects.” Even though he’s physically distanced from the Korn tour, Church is pleased with the new creative options that the Xtylos affords him and is ever hopeful of getting hands-on with them soon. “They are great fixtures,” he says. “I want to use this kind of design for Korn’s shows in October and their upcoming dates in Europe in 2022, so if that happens the Xtylos will be there.”
For more info about Claypaky and their products line, you can visit www.claypaky.com
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