In a joint statement, Focusrite Group and Sequential LLC today announced that Focusrite plc, a leading global creator of music and audio hardware and software products, has acquired Sequential LLC, the respected American synthesizer manufacturer led by legendary electronic instrument designer and Grammy® winner Dave Smith.

Dave Smith et son Grammy !

Both companies stand to benefit from the synergy created by the acquisition.
The Focusrite Group will add the venerable Sequential line of instruments to its already-impressive portfolio of products, which includes the acclaimed Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation, and Ampify brands.
Sequential will benefit from greater resources to expand its global markets and future R&D efforts.

Dave Smith annonce la vente de sa société.

Sequential’s Dave Smith said, “With Focusrite, we’ve found an ideal home and a perfect cultural and technological fit.
Phil Dudderidge and his team have a long history of quality, vision, and focus on what musicians and audio professionals really want. We’re excited to join such an industry powerhouse and contribute to our mutual success. I expect great things.”

Sequential has been a leading force in the resurgent popularity of analog synthesizers over the last decade. Its instruments, which include the Prophet® 5 Rev4 polyphonic synth, Pro 3® hybrid monosynth, and Prophet X Samples + Synthesis keyboard, are known for their versatility, ease of use, and excellence of sound. They are a mainstay of performing and recording artists and can be seen and heard on countless stages and recordings.

Le Prophet 5. Rien à ajouter, tout à aimer…

Les spécifications préliminaires de l’interface universelle du synthétiseur imaginée par Dave Smith, et l’un des pères du MIDI, toujours opérationnel 40 ans plus tard.

Focusrite Founder Phil Dudderidge commented: “We’re excited and pleased to add Sequential’s instruments and pedigree to Focusrite Group’s portfolio of world-class audio and music production tools.

Phil Dudderidge, le fondateur et président exécutif de Focusrite plc.

Dave Smith’s history as an innovator speaks for itself. From his creation of the world’s first fully programmable polysynth, the Prophet 5, to his co-invention of MIDI, Dave has literally changed the world of music several times.
We’re looking forward to continuing his history of innovation and expanding the global market for Sequential’s instruments.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Sequential has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Focusrite plc. Sequential’s day-to-day operations and product development remain unchanged and will continue to be guided by Dave Smith and his team.

Tim Carroll, le PDG de Focusrite Group.

Tim Carroll, CEO of Focusrite Group, remarked, “Sequential is a premium analogue synth brand with a big stake in music creation. The products are exceptional and the company is run extremely well, and the passion of the people at Sequential aligns perfectly with our Focusrite Group ethos.
It’s tremendously exciting to be able to bring Sequential into the Focusrite family, further the incredible journey that Dave Smith started, and keep growing together.”

.

The video message of Dave Smith:

More information on the Sequential website

Celebrating its 60th anniversary next year, the State Kremlin Palace is Russia’s principal stage and one of the best and most prestigious theatrical and concert venues in the world. Situated inside the Moscow Kremlin and overlooking the banks of the Moskva river, the building is the geographic and historic centre of Moscow for both social and political gatherings, as well as home to the renowned Kremlin Ballet Theatre.

The State Kremlin Palace.

Recently, the Big Hall has been equipped with the latest generation of DiGiCo mixing consoles, provided by the manufacturer’s exclusive distributor for the Russian market, ARIS, matching the highest calibre of events with first-class sound equipment.

Accommodating almost 6,000 spectators, the Big Hall has played host to virtuoso performance from some of the world’s foremost ballerinas Olga Lepeshinskaya and Maya Plisetskaya, as well as famous soloist Galina Vishnevskaya, not to mention acclaimed international artists Mariah Carey, Tina Turner and Cher, all leaving their mark in this place of great public importance.
“The calibre of productions in the venue meant the reliability of the system was the number one requirement from the State Commission for the Development of the Russian Federation management team,” says ARIS’s Head of Project department, Alexandr Soloukhin.
“All equipment installed in the venue simply cannot fail. This might be intimidating for some companies, but not for ARIS, as ‘good sound’ is in our DNA and has translated into delivering some of the most demanding sound reinforcement projects to date.”

The project included the installation of a fully redundant system that integrates the DiGiCo consoles with the venue’s existing Stage Tec Nexus routing system. In order to facilitate seamless integration, the manufacturers worked together to allow customised control software, utilising DiGiCo’s extensive OSC implementation to communicate with their respective equipment, meeting the specific requirements for the Kremlin Palace.

“With the release of custom software by Stage Tec, all the DiGiCo consoles and stage racks were integrated into the Nexus system with control of Stage Tec stage boxes, which ensured an effective workflow across the entire system,” shares Evgeny Silenko, Kremlin’s Senior Sound Engineer.

The Quantum7 FOH console with an additional EX-007 fader expansion unit.

DiGiCo Quantum7 and Quantum338 consoles were chosen by the ARIS team for the high-profile project. “We wanted to use the latest generation of DiGiCo consoles, with the most advanced Quantum engine, to ensure that the system was not only reliable but also future-proof,” explains Viktor Kizhaikin, Kremlin’s Head of Sound and Video department.

“We have also added some extras, such as expanding the Quantum7 FOH console with an additional EX-007 fader expansion unit, as well as achieving complete creative freedom for the sound engineer by complementing the onboard processing of the FOH console by Waves plug-ins, which are processed by the SoundGrid Extreme server. Our system is really flexible as there are Optocore, MADI, DANTE, AES interfaces to connect third-party devices and systems.”
The Quantum338 console is used as both monitor console and as portable mobile console. Additionally, the team selected top-end DiGiCo SD-Rack stage boxes with 32-bit ‘John Stadius’ mic preamp cards. ARIS’s engineers performed the installation, commissioned the system and trained the venue’s team on how to use and service the DiGiCo equipment.

Katerina Pogodina ARIS’s General Manager.

“For nearly six decades, the Big Hall has hosted some of Russia’s largest musical shows and most significant historical and anniversary events, all of which have become part of the vivid and unforgettable pages in the cultural history of Russian Art,” concludes Katerina Pogodina, ARIS’s General Manager.

“With the latest integration of DiGiCo Quantum7 and Quantum338 mixing consoles into the venue’s sound eco-system, we have managed to bring the audio quality of this iconic venue up to the most modern and highest world standard. We are truly honoured to have been part of this important project and cannot wait for the ‘main stage of the country’ to be opening its doors to the public again.”

More information on the Digico website

For the 2020 filming of Netflix musical, The Prom, Hog programmer Scott Barnes worked alongside Director of Photography Matthew Libatique and CLT Jeff Ferrero, with High End Systems Sola Series fixtures and Hog 4 control becoming central figures behind the scenes.

The creative team employed SolaFrame Theatre, SolaFrame 3000 and SolaHyBeam 3000 fixtures in many of the performances; all luminaires featured High CRI engines and were supplied by Lux Lighting.

When production commenced, Barnes says they already knew the SolaFrame Theatre and SolaFrame 3000 would be their ‘go-to’ movers. Barnes says, “The SolaHyBeam 3000s were not available until about midway through production, but they soon became our powerhouse fixture. The SolaFrame Theatre was especially helpful because of its ultra-quiet performance.

SolaFrame 3000

After the first week of production, we realized how valuable they truly were to our needs. We decided to carry four of them on the truck throughout the entire schedule, and Matty loved being able to just have a few fixtures roving around camera to bounce into ceilings or backlight actors in a pinch.”

The SolaFrame Theatre’s ability to be placed close to the actors without upsetting the sound department was key to the production. “They are bright enough to be used for a variety of purposes, and have a nice assortment of features to give us flexibility in their use. Features like shutters, frost, iris, and gobos are important to us, since we never really know what we need them to do until on the day of filming.”

SolaHyBeam 3000

“The SolaHyBeam 3000s were similarly amazing,” Scott continues, “and instantly became the favorite. It’s bright, has an impressive lens size, fantastic zoom range, and is packed with features like shutters, multiple frost filters, multiple prism choices, gobos, iris … it just has so much to offer. It truly is the can-do-it-all mover. I’m using around twenty of them on the new Spider-Man movie.

Lux Lighting is fast becoming the first choice for my mover needs; their inventory of Sola Series movers has exploded. Best of all, these Sola Series are High Fidelity luminaires. They are optimized for a higher CRI, which for on camera work means a better-quality light, especially the open white beams. This was extremely important for Matty, and the beams all looked constantly good on camera.”

CLT Jeff Ferrero has worked in TV and film as a gaffer for 25+ years, and has experienced first-hand the evolution of automated lighting technology; he also owns a lighting rental house. Jeff comments, “I liked SolaHyBeam 3000s so much after Scott introduced me to them that I bought ten fixtures, and we use them on every shoot! They are so powerful, have beautiful high CRI color, and I can do everything with them.

Mike Bauman of Lux was gracious enough to put me on the list, and they’re working every day for us. We no longer have time to bring a ladder up there – it’s all about speed and efficiency, and with the movers on set now, it’s amazing. Matty uses these fixtures every day and everywhere!”

In addition to his trusty Hog 4 desk, Barnes – who is known for his work on complex networked control setups – employed Rack Hogs for almost every set. High End Systems new HPU hardware for Hog 4 was released at the end of last year and now replaces the Rack Hog 4.

Scott says Libatique wanted him close by at all times: “This was especially important to him for this movie, as most of the lighting and cues for the musical numbers were done on the fly. They would block the scene, rehearse the performance, then Matty and I would discuss what the lighting should do. I would start programming as camera was set up.”

“Since he wanted me by his side at the DIT tent (Digital Imaging Tent), having the Rack Hog run as a server gave me the flexibility to move the console around on set without interrupting the lighting. We would shoot the wide master shots and I would be near DIT, just behind camera. Then we would turn around and shoot the other direction. I would log off, disconnect, move the console to the other side of the set, reconnect, log back in, and continue programming. The bonus for me was being right on set allowed me to see almost everything I was doing,” comments Scott Barnes.

For more general information on their range of products, you can visit the ETC website and the High End System website

Dynamic lighting shows its flexibility on Cheersport National Cheerleading Championship. With up to 50,000 people in and out of the Georgia World Congress Center each day over a two-day period in February, the Cheersport National Cheerleading Championship in Atlanta may be one of the largest event to have taken place in the world under the COVID pandemic.
Rental and production company Lite Tek Entertainment supplied and designed lighting for the event and turned to an Elation lighting package of Cuepix and DTW blinders, Protron strobes, SixPars and more to highlight team routines across five different stages.

Huge event despite pandemic
The National Cheerleading Championship is one of the biggest of its kind in the world. A typical year would see 1,400 teams competing but due to a 50%, reduction in allowed participants due to the pandemic, some 700 teams competed at this year’s event. Nevertheless, the event was huge with stages spread across two buildings and 90 acres.

Even stage lighting and 20 feet up
Lighting design was a collaborative effort across the Lite Tek team with all five stages featuring nearly identical lighting setups starting with a downstage truss lined with Elation Cuepix and DTW Blinders. “We put 8 of those up along the front edge and lit the entire 60 x 60 ft. stage and didn’t get any hotspots,” Darren Lewis, Lite Tek founder and owner, states of the LED blinders.
“The truss was too close to the stage to do it with Par lights but the Cuepix and DTW fixtures were perfect because we got an instant spread of the beam with an even wash. The photographers and videographers loved it because the stage was lit perfectly even.”

Lewis says that not only did they need to light the stage, it was necessary to light at least 20 feet above the stage as well as the cheerleaders are often lifted or thrown up in the air. “They can’t go into the dark,” he says. “It’s different than just lighting a performer on stage; you really have to think in 3 dimensions. That’s why the Cuepix and DTW do so well. It’s such a big throw I didn’t have to worry about dark spots when the cheerleaders were up high.”

Ballyhoo then static white
Each cheer routine started with gobo movement onto a closed semi-transparent scrim curtain across the front of the stage with complementary color splashed onto the backdrop. When a team entered, the curtain opened and lights ballyhooed in an energetic barrage of color and movement. Protron 3K strobes along the front truss and Protron 3K Color strobes along the back strobed and color washed before going to a warm white wash for each routine.
As the cheerleaders entered, Platinum FLX moving heads on the front corners of the stage projected onto the backdrop then frosted out for side fill or background lighting. In order not to distract or startle the participants, it was important that the lights remained static in even white light once each routine began. Also housed in each rig were LED moving head washlights, discharge-based profile luminaires and LED moving linear strips. SixPar 200 Par lights were used to light the entrance and exit stairs for each stage.

Pre-event excitement
The lighting sequence complemented each team’s cheerleading routine and was repeated every 3-4 minutes throughout each day. Prior to the start of the routines however and used to generate excitement as spectators arrived were color and effects from Rayzor Q7 LED moving heads. Positioned on the front truss, the Q7’s initially pointed out into the room but then repositioned inward to light the stage.
A double arch of truss lined with ACL 360 Bars also provided flashy looks as parents and spectators arrived. Lite Tek also designed and filmed an awards video used on the event’s social media pages in which ACL 360 Bars lined a video wall with Protron 3K strobes playing a role as well.

Grateful and looking ahead
Although a typical year would see Lite Tek doing 90 such events, Lewis says he’s been lucky and grateful for the work he has had lately which has allowed him to provide work to some of his furloughed employees. “It’s been hard not being able to provide much work for our crew,” he said, adding that he has opened up the Lite Tek shop to furloughed employees during the pandemic so they can keep their skills sharp. “We’re seeing signs of some activity ahead though so we’re hoping to keep everyone a bit busier this summer.”

For more info about Elation Lighting and their range of products, you can check www.elationlighting.com

Wireless LED lighting manufacturer Astera launches its new AX2 PixelBar product, a linear wash fixture with wireless control, onboard battery, individually addressable LEDs, ultra-high colour rendering, fabulous digital colour calibration and a 21-degree beam.

As with all Astera products, the AX2 is fully wirelessly controlled, robustly engineered, stylish … and comes complete with a range of rigging tools to provide solutions for multiple lighting applications and sectors from concert touring to live events to TV productions and architectural and installations.
The AX2 PixelBar is a perfect extension of the Astera AX range which includes LightDrops and LED PARs. It is currently available in two versions, a 1 metre fixture with 16 x 10W LEDs and 50cm fixture with 8 x 10W LEDs.
It was developed to meet demand for wall, backdrop or surface washing luminaires offering the same highly practical and quality lighting options as other Astera products and is compatible with the AX and Titan ranges.

Astera AX2 PixelBar 50

Astera_AX2_PixelBar_100

Premium optics focus the lightsources and superior colour mixing, and homogeneity ensure a super-smooth even wash of light across its entire path. Utilising Astera’s acclaimed Titan LED light engine, the AX2 features a high CRI and TCLI and can produce a refined range of colour temperatures from 1750 to 20000 Kelvin. The digital calibration allows it to precisely reproduce any colour or gel filter.

Other neat Astera innovations include a package of smart feet, hangers, connectable endcaps and – via the integrated airline track – units can be assembled in numerous ways.
The quick connect system for attaching two or more units is designed to maintain a consistent pixel pitch between conjoined fixtures, and the feet can be loosened to assist in angling a row of AX2s uniformly along its entire length. Great for illuminating larger surfaces like walls and set pieces.

With the press of a button on one AX2, all the fixtures in a string of connected units will conveniently auto DMX address via their integrated IR modules. They communicate with each other and each fixture knows its position in a ‘flow set’.
They can be controlled via the AsteraApp and inbuilt Lumen Radio wireless CRMX, in addition to a physical 5-pin XLR socket and Powercon in / out connectors for running a wired option, making it extremely straightforward to daisy-chain AX2s. The AX2s are also super-easy to hang in a truss or to a roof beam or other structural component.

In this product, Astera has addressed the needs of multiple production disciplines and scenarios to produce a product as flexible and attractive as possible, including making the fixture IP65 rated for exterior use. From classic wall-washing during events, AX2s are also great for being rigged in flown trusses and used for cool individual pixel effects.
They can be used onstage to light up bands / artists from a footlights or side position, or for light curtains, and are versatile flicker-free light sources for TV studios, livestream setups and other recording and camera environments, as well as a great ‘special’ for film shoots.

Astera Sales director Sebastian Bückle commented, “Ten years ago, we offered a battery-powered LED bar which was one of our most popular products at the time, and some people are still using it while others have asked us for years when we will offer another wash fixture.
“I am happy to announce that we now have a worthy successor, packed with the latest technology such as the Titan LED engine and auto-addressing which detects all the connected lights and assigns individual DMX addresses. The AX2 was well worth the wait!
“We believe AX2 will appeal to lighting professionals working across a broad range of sectors and will also be appreciated by those currently using other Astera products in their lighting designs and schemes.”

As you would expect from Astera, several accessories are also available for AX2.
These include barn doors to further focus and control the light source as needed. One additional use is that these can act as a “glare shield” so you don’t see the LEDs only the effect on the wall.
SuperClamps and a TrackHangar facilitates hanging the fixtures and enables the attachment of safety bonds, while the FlyBar suspends up to 4-metre lengths of connected AX2 PixelBars. There is a quick-release clamp for demounting; TrackPins for ‘gobo heads’ and multifunctional feet.
Jump Cable is a hybrid solution to link two AX2s with power and DMX data, and Astera’s famous integrated charging flightcases are available in 4 and 8-way versions for combining charging with safe and secure transportation of the fixtures.

For more info about Astera LED and their product line, you can check the Astera website

The Eksercerhuset, or exercise house, sits in the centre of Fredericia, home of the Royal Danish Army’s Signals Regiment. It was constructed in 1863 as part of the old Bülow Barracks and has been used as a temporary performance venue for the last few years, hosting concerts and other events such as stand-up comedy.

Le système comprend deux lignes de huit K3 avec deux ensembles de subs KS21 et KS28, tous deux en montage cardioïde.

Its temporary nature meant renting in sound, light and staging, as well as wardrobe and toilet facilities for each show. In 2020, local authorities decided to make the venue a permanent performing arts center and to install the necessary infrastructure to ensure the space continues to attract quality performances.

Following a demo shoot-out, the Eksercehuset team awarded the project to L-Acoustics Danish distributor, Matrix Sales, who installed Europe’s first L-Acoustics K3 system. Owned by the Commune of Fredericia, Eksercehuset’s venue head, Sune Rasmussen, oversaw the sound installation.

His goal was to give the venue the ability to host a wide variety of music programming from EDM, to classical or heavy rock all delivered with state-of-the-art sound quality. The commune tasked consultant Martin Poulsen with realizing the project, and Poulsen invited six companies to submit designs according to his specifications. During onsite demos, measurements were methodically recorded and subsequently evaluated by a team of experts chosen by Poulsen.

Henrick Bonné

Henrik Bonné, Sales Manager, Pro Audio for Matrix Sales, worked with Oskar Meijer at L-Acoustics to design a system around the newly launched compact, full-range K3 line array.

“The full-range bandwidth of K3 gives it the ability to reproduce any kind of music genre,” explains Bonné. “During the demos, K3 was perceived as the best overall sounding solution over the complete frequency spectrum and for coverage.”

L-Acoustics K3

K3 has dual 12” drivers in a box with the form factor of a dual 10”. This allowed Matrix to specify stereo hangs with only eight speakers. Two stacks of three KS28 and a centre stack of two KS21 give the system punch without excessive low frequencies on stage. Left, right and centre fill is catered for with two A10 Focus and two X8. Twelve X12 coaxials, with two KS21 subs are used as monitors and side / drum fill.

Two L-Acoustics P1 processors, which combine an EQ station with delay and dynamics processing, run in 8×8 matrix mode and cater for all input configurations, with six LS10 switches providing connectivity for the redundant AVB network.
The system is driven by a total of seven LA12X amplified controllers for the main PA and four LA4X for wedges, drum and sidefills.

“We took advantage of the Panflex variable directivity of K3 to avoid sending sound to the side walls of the venue, which are very close to the main hangs,” explains Bonné. “Soundvison and carefull system design was also useful in avoiding reflections from the side and back walls of the room.”

Le débouchage des premiers rangs est pris en charge par une paire de A10 Focus et une de X8. Les X12 coaxiales polyvalentes et deux subs KS21 sont utilisés comme retours et comme drum fills. Sept K3 sont réglés à 70 ° tandis que la boîte du bas est complètement ouverte à 110 °.

“The venue’s owners are delighted with the result,” concludes Bonné. “We are hoping to be able to open Eksercerhuset’s doors in May and let audiences hear the amazing new K3 system.”

More information on the Matrix Sales website and on the L-Acoustics website

© Béranger Tillard / RTL2

GLP’s JDC Line was out in force when massive French band Indochine began celebrating its 40th year by playing an exclusive broadcast show at L’Espace Niemeyer in Paris recently. This historic event was an isolated, audience-free gig for the French radio channel RTL2, which was broadcast on air and online—and is also now available on YouTube.

© Béranger Tillard / RTL2

“This was a very special place,” said lighting designer Jean-Christophe Aubrée.
“The building was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and the band was playing in the main area which is a big underground white dome, with a ceiling made from thousands of metallic fins hung all over the ceiling.
Performing in a space that normally function as a 300 person conference room created such a beautiful and unique raw atmosphere.”

The artistic direction is driven by the band’s front man Nicola Sirkis. “His brief was to animate the domed ceiling as a galaxy, bringing even greater dimension to this awesome place,” continued Aubrée. “Nicola was looking for a very neat and straightforward setup, avoiding the risk of transforming the venue’s atmosphere into something more technical.”

© Béranger Tillard / RTL2

The LD specified 10 of GLP’s new JDC Line among a small array of fixtures, all of which were floor mounted. The fixture itself is another of GLP’s popular hybrids, combining a powerful strobe line with an LED pixel mapping stick, mixed by a special 500mm lens tube.

GLP JDC Line 500

“I was originally introduced to the JDC Line by GLP’s French representative in November 2020 during a demo of upcoming products. I don’t generally run after new products as often they are a combination of different kinds of fixtures that work better individually than being combined in a single piece.

However, the JDC Line got my attention straight away as it seems to be a really simple, efficient fixture far and away better than most of the light bars available on the market. It can be a strobe, a blinder, a neon light, a side or foot light with sufficient brightness to play alongside the rest of the kit.”

© Béranger Tillard / RTL2

The fixture could be seen as a source / lens behind the band members, and was sufficiently discreet to respect the venue’s unique architecture. All 10 were pole-mounted upstage, and were rock solid.

“The frost lens provided with the fixture produced a really insane convex lens shape perfect for bringing depth into the camera pictures and a million miles from any terrible electronic LED lens look! They were also extremely powerful, adding enormous visual energy to the show in a small and discreet format.”

Aubrée ran them in standard pixel mode (Mode 5) from an MA Lighting grandMA2, allowing animation of both white and colour strobe as separate cells.
“With this 500 version the white strobe can be divided into 20 linear cells while the colour strobe is divided into 2 x 10 linear cells, giving two lines of 10 pixels on each sides of the white strobe. This is a basic, but such an efficient way of programming, especially for previz, as most of the pre-animated patterns are not shown in 3D.

© Béranger Tillard / RTL2

“The JDC Line gave a really fluent response and was perfectly in sync at any time. As for the setup menu, this is straightforward and any operator will find themselves comfortable adjusting the desired parameters.”

In fact the entire process could not have been smoother as the JDC Line performed flawlessly. “It met all my expectations and was unquestionably the most suitable fixture for this kind of show, where efficiency and flexibility were the key words. And the frosted lens really went way beyond my expectations the first time I have ever enjoyed such a beautiful lens at low intensity within an LED fixture.”

Finally, Aubrée credits stage manager, Quentin Crouin and his team from Prodjekt, the main equipment provider, based in the North of France, as well as David Nulli and the MPM Audio Light team for set-up support, and Martina Buchwald at GLP. Show production was handled by the radio station itself.

For more information about GLP and their product line, you can visit the GLP website

De gauche à droite Dom Harter, Tim Carroll et Matt Rowe.

Promising a fresh outlook, Focusrite Group CEO, Tim Carroll explained that Optimal Audio, which becomes the Group’s seventh brand, has been in development for three years, involving extensive R&D across product and software, in a bid to simplify the unnecessarily complex world of commercial audio.

“Optimal Audio provides a streamlined product offering working seamlessly together to deliver high quality sound that is easy to install and can be operated by anyone, not just engineers.
“Alongside its own dedicated staff, a number of colleagues from across the group – most notably within Martin Audio – have helped to bring Optimal Audio to fruition. In the long term, our ambition is that the brand will have its own distinct team.”

Dom Harter, now Managing Director for both Martin Audio and Optimal Audio, then gave an overview of the product eco-system and the focus of the brand: “Optimal Audio offers a one-stop solution of control, amplification and loudspeakers for small to medium-sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zone venues. At the forefront of the eco-system are four and eight-zone, powered and non-powered Zone controllers that have DSP at their heart.

Les matrices Zone à 4 et 8 zones.

There is currently nothing else at this price point on the market which has the functionality and versatility to allow such a quick and simple setup. They have a flexible three-band EQ plus bandpass filtering on every output, alongside limiters and delay – features that are normally associated only with premium-priced offerings.”

Compatible with any device, Optimal Audio’s WebApp makes system set-up straightforward, allowing installers as much access as they require to configure EQs, devise presets and structure time-of-day routines.

Les deux ZonePad différents.

Once completed, venue staff can then be presented with a simple user interface which allows them to operate the system.
Zone controllers can also be supplemented by elegant wall-mounted controllers called ZonePad, available in one-zone or four-zone formats, which ensure that operation by staff is simple, intuitive and within easy reach.

The next product category presented was amplifiers. Optimal Audio offers three SmartAmps with DSP, multichannel direct drive constant voltage, optimised presets and with half-rack and full-rack options available. SmartAmps provide a cost competitive fit for the commercial market to accompany the portfolio and maximise the performance of its loudspeakers.

Trois amplis. Un 2x125W, un 4x125W et le plus puissant en format 1U de 4x250W. Les Sub vont l’adorer !

Finally, Optimal Audio revealed its collection of loudspeakers. These comprise a range of five ceiling speakers appropriately named Up, a series of four on-wall wooden speakers called Cuboid, and two powerful yet compact subwoofer solutions, simply known as Sub.

La série des Cuboid.

Leur petit nom ? Sub

Whilst again being cost-competitive, sound quality is a hallmark of the loudspeaker category, with Harter promising a “rich and detailed sound that will surpass expectations in this price category.”

La série des plafonniers.

Summing up, Harter said, “Optimal Audio maybe a young brand, but as part of the Focusrite Group it has an impressive pedigree. We have combined innovation and experience to simplify commercial audio, and by launching more than twenty products at the outset, Optimal Audio has created a high-quality, comprehensive, multi-zone, one-stop, commercial audio offering.”

Audio-Technica is the distributor of Optimal Audio in the following countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia .

For any further information, please visit the Audio-Technica website and on the Optimal Audio website

Yamaha Professional Audio invites you to join us on Facebook Live for a special New Technology Showcase event on Thursday April 22nd at 10.00 UTC+1. This will include a major update on our immersive audio solutions and more.

2020 was one of the most difficult years for the pro audio industry, but Yamaha is committed to investing in the recovery of the market.
The New Technology Showcase will include several sessions, each showing the latest audio technologies that Yamaha is working on.

Join us on April 22nd at 10.00 UTC+1 and immerse yourself in the future!

You can attend the New Technology Showcase at this link

And more information on the Yamaha website

Rental company CGS Dry Hire, based in Denkendorf in southern Germany – known nationwide as CGS – and headed by Christian Geyer, relies on a large number of Robe’s just launched FORTE high powered LED moving lights, which have just been delivered via Robe Germany. These are now available for dry hire at CGS.

These are the first FORTES to be received in Germany and have been included in the rental stock of CGS for general lighting equipment – with Christian looking ahead to when the industry re-starts as pandemic lockdown rules start being eased. Also, for a couple of specific jobs for which a high-powered multifunctional LED fixture was required.

Christian, who founded CGS in 1999 whilst still a technology-obsessed teenager and a keen DJ, commented, “Investing in premium brands and solid technology has always been a CGS trademark. It has helped enable us to build the company’s reputation for excellence, and we see FORTE as a smart option for rental stock that will help expand our market position both now and for years to come.”
He and his colleagues, including CGS Dry Hire department manager Josef Reichenstetter, noticed a groundswell of interest in the FORTE from lighting designers and the lighting community generally even before it was launched by Robe last month, and this encouraged them to organize a demo as soon as units were available.

Christian also staged selective shoot outs for key customers which included a FORTE and competitor products … where FORTE reliably proved to be the best with its 50,000 lumens of high-quality output unleashed by its potent self-referencing, data capturing TE™ 1,000W White LED engine.
FORTE also offered numerous other features that everyone rated, including a 5-55 degree zoom that properly addresses the demand for spot, wash and beam applications – perfect for a busy rental operation like CGS – and the weight of under 40kg.
The fixture has a fabulous new CMY colour mixing system offering beautifully fluid colour transitions, combined with two colour wheels, CRI 80 and 90 filters, and a variable CTO ranging from 3,000 to 6,700 K for refined colour processing.

“The plus / minus green control for broadcast environments is another popular feature liked by many lighting designers and directors,” commented Josef Reichenstetter, “So it was a combination of brightness, quality of light and all the features, plus Robe’s reputation for good engineering and reliability that impressed us.” CGS has been constantly relying on Robe products throughout the last years.

At the end of 2019, they already purchased a quantity of ESPRITE LED profiles, which are also powered by Robe’s powerful TRANSFERRABLE ENGINE technology, and despite all the challenges faced during 2020, they also made some smaller investments in MegaPointes and RoboSpot systems to facilitate projects that have gone ahead in the last 12 months.
“We’re adding more Robe fixtures to our inventory step by step since Robe products are not only demanded in high quantities, but also almost always accepted as an alternative to any other brand,” comments Christian.

Like everyone, the CGS Team is looking forward to the live show and event industry in Germany and elsewhere re-starting after a challenging year of surviving and fighting the pandemic!

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

The theatre production of INSPIRE Onmyoji, starring famous Japanese actor Takao Osawa, ran at the 1300-capacity Nissei Theatre in Tokyo in January 2021, this number slightly reduced to conform to the Government’s COVID regulations.

A Umeda Arts Theater production, the show was scripted by Brazily Anne Yamada, Takaya Okamoto, NatsuTeranishi and directed by Junya Yamada. Takao Osawa performed the role of Japanese ancient wizard ‘Onmyoji’, with next generation video, sound and lighting effects, making full use of latest technologies.

The Sara II engine from Astro Spatial Audio.

This included Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision platform (WPM) and Sound Adventures immersive 3D, with all outputs controlled by the SARA II Premium Rendering Engine.

Show producer, Junya Yamada, had wanted to create unprecedented special effects with the sound system for this unique work, and so he contacted Iwao Tsurusawa, president of MSI JAPAN Tokyo, Martin Audio’s rental partner.
He explained that he wished to create a live show using the Sound Adventures 3D sound system he had experienced previously, and Mr. Tsurusawa’s response could not have been more positive.

Eight WPM stacked over two SX118 subs.

The main PA system comprised a pair of ground stacked line array enclosures (eight WPM arrays and two SX118 subs per side) and five stage front fills (all WPM).
In addition, seven XD12 were pole mounted in front of the audience area.

The theatre’s installed proscenium L/C/R, along with wall speakers on the upper floor and second floor, those aimed at balcony seats, and a temporary Martin Audio ADORN A55 were set up in the back row of the second tier with a mic stand.
In total, 31 outputs were controlled by a SARA II processor, the heartbeat of the Sound Adventures system.

Martin Audio iK42 amplifiers were deployed to the WPM and XD12, and Lake LM44 processors were assigned to virtually all systems, to control both temporary equipment and permanently installed equipment on the one interface all connected by a Dante Digital Audio Network. Including the recording lines and backup Pro Tools, the number of Dante patch points exceeded 200.

The three separate Yamaha mixing consoles.

SARA II supports an external control protocol called Open Sound Control (OSC). Thanks to the technical ability of Audiobrains, the MSI Japan subsidiary, everything was integrated in smart control.
They provided the immersive sound engineer, while further engineers were stationed at three separate Yamaha mixing consoles: one for the mics, one for music only, and the last for sound effects. Sitting above that was a separate ‘immersive’ sound engineer.

The playback application was Ableton Live; when the operator hit playback, this automatically released the unique MIDI Machine Control (MMC) protocol, while another special application converted it into OSC signal, enabling it to control SARA II.
With this configuration, sound effects could be placed and located everywhere simultaneously and streamed binaurally for the Internet live viewings broadcast on December 31st and January 3rd. Control of the SARA II and KLANG:fabric processors were achieved via a single MMC and OSC simultaneously.

A tiny part of the FOH with the pole mounted XD12.

Audiobrains director Sam Yamashita, who was at the heart of the sophisticated sound design, explained how it worked. “All three consoles released MMC when engineers hit the snapshot change; those signals were then fed to an external MacBook Pro, from where they were converted into OSC in order to control the SARA II and KLANG, using a special application.

“With so much going on, you can see why we needed a separate ‘immersive’ engineer,” he added. “In fact I believe this will be essential for the next generation of shows.”

So much for the audio. Audiences were also able to see numerous special effects including the scenery of the huge LED screen, which is rarely seen in traditional Nissei theatre, and the movable circular LED screen suspended above the stage moves up and down along with each scene of the play. In addition, a new type of fibre beam (harmless to the eyes) was fired into the audience area, adding further excitement to the production.

Reflecting on the event, Iwao Tsurusawa, stated, “When sound becomes 3D it means nothing unless all elements are linked: artist, direction, stage, lighting, video and live environment. Thanks to cooperation with each department, and a loudspeaker design that covered the entire audience seating, we were able to create a unique atmosphere for INSPIRE Onmyoji using the latest sound technology. I am happy that we were able to provide inspiration and create an immersive feeling for the [online] audience just as if they were present.”

For more information on the Martin Audio website

The National Theatre’s production of Clint Dyer and Roy Williams’ The Death of England was performed at the Dorfman Theatre in Spring 2020 before the venue closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The one-man show was an intense study of grief and identity in Britain, performed in-the-round on a cross-shaped stage by Rafe Spall in an explosively energetic performance.

© Helen Murray

Dyer’s direction, and Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey and ULTZ’s stark set demanded equally dramatic lighting from the outset, which was provided by dance and theatre lighting designer, and NT regular, Jackie Shemesh.

Shemesh chose 4 Ayrton Diablo 300W LED profile fixtures as central features of his design, which he mainly deployed as followspots to track Spall’s every move. The Diablo fixtures were rigged above the four inner corners of the cross stage, side-mounted and dropped 1m lower than the rest of the rig to allow clear sightlines to every angle of the stage.
“I felt very strongly that the Diablos should be lower than the height of the Dorfman as I wanted them to be visible to the audience as part of the overall design concept,” says Shemesh. “Diablo’s small form factor proved a definite advantage: they just looked right and their compact size did not obscure the audience sightlines.”

Ayrton Diablo

The Dorfman Theatre is the smallest of the National Theatre’s three spaces with a 450-seat capacity, and a balcony on a level with the lighting rig. “The Diablos were rigged only 2m – 2.5m from audience yet we had no complaints about noise,” says Shemesh. “That was a relief and such a benefit!”

Shemesh employed the Diablo fixtures as wash lights, with no added colour, colour correction or gobos, preferring instead to make subtle adjustments to the colour temperature. “I call Kelvin, not colour, when we are programming,” he explains.

“Using Diablo as a theatre followspot enabled me to highlight every nuance of the many facial expressions of this incredibly talented actor. Diablo was the perfect wash light, allowing the audience to see his face at all times – in effect, becoming the companions of the actor on stage.”

The four Diablo profiles were controlled by zactrack, with the lighting fixtures and the tracking system both recommended and supplied by Ambersphere Solutions, the UK’s exclusive distributor for Ayrton and zactrack. “Ambersphere recommended Diablo clearly from the outset but, as I hadn’t used it before, I was keen to explore other options too,” explains Shemesh. “However, our comprehensive try outs soon proved to me that Diablo reacted best with zactrack on every parameter – it was precise, accurate, and the fastest light to respond.”

Jack Champion, lighting supervisor for the Dorfman, agrees: “Diablo kept up incredibly well with Rafe’s jagged and staccato movements, handling the changes in speed, direction and stage levels with ease. It has a very good response time and no lag, and worked equally as well with the Robert Juliat SpotMe system we have in the Olivier, which made Diablo the ideal investment for both venues.
I was particularly impressed with Diablo’s brightness in relation to its size and weight. It’s light enough for a one-man rig and can be rigged at any angle which makes it extremely flexible. I can see potential for even greater applications in a venue like the Dorfman with low ceiling heights.”

Ambersphere’s Philip Norfolk comments: “After being asked to provide automated tracking for a new show at the National, it was clear that the design requirements and equipment usage would be critical to the shows overall success. Jackie and the whole team at the National Theatre really embraced a new system for controlling movement of lights AND new fixtures themselves. It was a real leap of faith by them all. I am delighted it was such a success and looked fabulous for the audiences that got the chance to see it.”

More information on Diablo and all Ayrton’s LED lighting fixtures can be found at www.ayrton.eu

The full story is available on the Ayrton website

Architectural LED lighting Anolis (a Robe business) was approached by Robert Parker of the Historic Houses Association to assist in the specification of a replacement lighting scheme to illuminate the front of Knebworth House, a magnificent Grade II listed Tudor stately home in Hertfordshire, UK, dating to the 13th century.

© Rob Ryder

Today the house is still a home for its ancestral Lytton family as well as being open to the public. Its features include extensive landscaped gardens, it is also an iconic open-air venue for major rock and pop concerts as well as being a charismatic event space and location for numerous film and TV shoots.
The lighting brief, recalls Anolis account and project manager Simon Gooding, was to upgrade the previous sodium lighting – probably dating back to the 1980s – with a sustainable, low maintenance, modern and cool alternative.

Simon assessed their needs, surveyed the site, and suggested four Anolis Divine 160 RGBW fixtures, three for the front façade of the house and one to cover the side elevation, together with a single ArcSource 48MC Integral to highlight the newly restored Watchman’s Tower which had been unused since the 1950s.

© Rob Ryder

The client wanted to keep the existing lighting positions but wanted the additional flexibility of colour changing in addition to the signature warm white look. Lumen output and the correct optics were key to the fixture choice and critical to avoid light pollution. The Divine 160s were picked for their intensity and coverage.

Most of the positions are 20 – 40 metres away from the front of the house, an area covered by just three Divine 160s fitted with 35-degree lenses which effortlessly bathe a 75-metre-wide expanse with smooth, evenly distributed light. The fixture on the side elevation has a 65-degree lens, and all the Divine 160s are RAL coated in 9011 graphite black for continuity.

© Rob Ryder

The Divine 160 is a high performance 440 Lumen output LED wash fixture that consumes substantially less electricity than their predecessors, as well as giving superior coverage and a great range of whites plus the colour changing options. This means more versatility for movie shoots, corporate shows, special events, weddings, and other occasions when a change of colour might be required.

Anolis provided one of its panel-mounted ArcControl DU units for day-to-day timed control, also programmed with a series of colour changing looks and sequences. The control is also adaptable and possible via smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.
The Watchman’s Tower had previously been unlit, but, newly refurbished, it was included in the new lighting proposal, so it can now be a fully integrated element of the house’s outstanding aesthetics.

For more info about the products, check the Anolis website or on the Robe website

With an impressive roster of productions such as the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Movie & TV Awards, Katy Perry’s debut performance of her single ‘Daisies’ on American Idol, Billie Eilish’s ‘Where Do We Go? The Livestream’ concert, and a number of high-profile E-sports and corporate events, LA-based XR Studios constantly pushes the boundaries of XR technology to new heights.

Founded in 2020 and collaborating with Fuse Technical Group for technical and equipment support, XR Studios provides two high-spec LED stages featuring top quality equipment, including Brompton Technology processing and ROE Visual LED panels, and offers a team of expert technologists and bespoke workflows to help bring XR productions to life.

“We have always had a great relationship with Fuse, a company we consider to be one of the greatest pioneers in terms of pushing LED technology for a wide variety of applications,” says XR Studios’ Director, J.T. Rooney.
“They have a lot of experience with the equipment and provide technical consulting across live entertainment, television, film and virtual production. We wanted to ensure that our entire operation was executed at the highest level, so having Fuse as our technical partner made complete sense.”

Providing a well-rounded XR (extended reality) production service, the XR Studios team works closely with artists, producers, creators and creative directors to deliver their vision in a cost effective and visually stunning manner.

“We wanted to be a creatively agnostic group that allows production to bring in its own team, help them get to the finish line and deliver a successful production. With a high level of service with predetermined workflows to keep things consistent and reliable, we know large-scale productions will happen on time, on schedule, and on budget,” Rooney shares.

XR Studios runs a tight schedule. One day could see the perfect delivery of a large music event, such as the MTV VMAs, followed two days later by a corporate brand piece such as the FalCon with CrowdStrike. This could then give way to a large E-sports livestream such as GlitchCon, a nine-hour long online event organised by Twitch, the live streaming platform for gamers, and broadcast live from XR Studios’ centre stage.

Both LED stages comprise high-performance, broadcast-grade ROE Black Pearl 2.8mm LED panels for the back wall, with ROE Black Marble 4mm LED canvases in matte finish for the floor.
The centre stage is 72 feet wide, 20 feet tall, and 27 feet deep and is used for larger productions, whilst the smaller stage, measuring approximately 25 by 25 feet, resembles a cube. Both run on Brompton Tessera SX40 4K LED processors, which deliver the high level of control the team needs.

“By using extended reality technologies where we are constantly connecting the real world to the virtual realm, our colour requirements are especially rigid.” explains XR Studios’ CTO, Scott Millar. “Brompton processors give us full on-screen colour control as well as the ability to dynamically change the brightness of the LED panel as and when needed. We are also big fans of the Tessera software which has a high number of pre-sets and features that allow us to be really creative and uninhibited with how the visuals are configured.”

Brompton SX40

Disguise GX2c media servers also play an important part in the team’s workflow, not only supporting effective camera and colour calibration, but by also injecting a feeling of normality that you would get in a live production. “For example, queuing content and triggering different elements and playing them back makes it feels as if you’re doing a normal stage show or broadcast, as opposed to using something that’s too custom and hard to get used to,” Millar adds.
Rooney does not underestimate the importance of Brompton processors for XR Studios, and notes that, after consulting with Fuse, they did not consider any other option.

“It was evident that without Brompton processors it would be much more difficult to achieve the level of visual performance needed,” explains Millar. “They allow you to have access to the full spectrum of colour management features that make the work of combining the virtual world and real world a smooth and hassle-free experience. Brompton’s support is also second to none. We appreciate that relationship.”

Excited about 2021, and with projects galore already scheduled at XR Studios, Rooney is a firm believer that XR technology is here to stay and has a great use case in areas such as live streaming and broadcast.
“Accelerated by the global pandemic, XR has a great position in the world of entertainment. We are already seeing this with the music performances, award shows, game shows, corporate and brand events we work on,” says Millar. “The nice thing is, that in the future, we can still continue using XR as we are now but also offer a new way of enhancing physical experiences with extended and mixed realities.

“Our success story with XR Studios would not have been possible without our technical partner Fuse, but the relationship with the Brompton support team has also played an integral part in us being able to deliver a consistent and reliable service and really push the envelope of the XR world,” concludes Rooney.

More info about Brompton range of products can be found on the Brompton website