ETC has added a new option to its ArcSystem Pro family of LED solutions. Building on the success of the popular Pro One-Cell High Output luminaire, ETC now has a yoke variant available for purchase. The High Output version of the Pro One-Cell yields 8700 field lumens and is available in 2700 K and 3000 K color options.

Featuring the same high-quality optics as its recessed counterpart, the new Pro One-Cell High Output variant has an adjustable yoke that can be mounted or clamped in spaces that were once challenging to light.
All ArcSystem Pro solutions are designed for ease of installation, high-quality light, and smooth dimming.

In order to explore the full range of ArcSystem Pro products, please visit the ETC website

PK SOUND, the robotic line array company, has announced the appointment of James Oliver as Chief Strategy Officer. Reporting directly to Founder and CEO Jeremy Bridge, Oliver is responsible for the development, communication, execution, and sustainment of strategic corporate initiatives.
In addition to his role on PK SOUND’s senior management team, Oliver has also joined the company’s ownership group.

Oliver comes to PK SOUND following a high-profile, seven-year tenure with Adamson Systems Engineering, most recently serving as Director of Marketing and Sales.
Throughout that stint, he spearheaded the development of turnkey system offerings and a sophisticated global distribution network that led to exponential year-over-year growth for the manufacturer.

“Joining PK was the easiest transition of my career. The culture of the organization and technological advancements of the product line are completely in tune with the live events industry of tomorrow,” comments Oliver. “The potential I inherit from the PK SOUND brand is incredible, and whatever comes next for the organization is a testament to the foundation that’s been laid before me.

“I’ve joined at a time when there are many questions in front of the live events industry; questions like:
– when will we go back to work? When will we be able to share life again with our peers?
– When can we feel the rush of an artist hitting the stage, and the swell of excitement within a large crowd of people?
– While we cannot control the outcome of this virus, we can control how we prepare for what’s next.
This is a moment in our history where we can double down our efforts, ramp up innovation, and come back better than before.

Bass Canyon Festival featuring Trinity, PK Sound robotic line array.

“Over the past year, we have piloted a significant strategic shift in the organization to capitalize on our technological advantages and reimagined the relationship between the service provider and manufacturer. The industry will be different when we return, and we intend to be at the forefront of this change.”
As Chief Strategy Officer, Oliver is tasked with charting the strategic direction for business development, marketing, and communications. He will assist the management team in the formulation of overall corporate objectives and advise on all matters related to the PK SOUND brand.

Jeremy Bridge, CEO and Founder of PK Sound.

“Throughout 2020, we refocused our teams and made significant investments in infrastructure, research and development, and strategy in preparation for a major push towards our goal of PK SOUND becoming a top global brand in the professional loudspeaker space,” says Jeremy Bridge, CEO and Founder of PK SOUND.
“As we reemerge post-pandemic, PK will be a leader in reimagining a more collaborative and mutually beneficial pro audio industry. James adds a key element to our already-deep talent pool and will execute our strategy to reshape the future of sound. We’re excited to welcome him to the PK SOUND family.”

More information on the PK Sound website

A very nice view of the internal central dome and domes. Do not look for one of the 70 speakers, the integration has been carried out with extreme care.

On November 11, 2020, a unique sonic technology made in France by Amadeus was revealed in a new artistic work during the ceremony presided over by Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, to celebrate the renowned French writer Maurice Genevoix as he was entered into the Panthéon.

Within the scope of the Armistice Day commemorations, French author Maurice Genevoix, who wrote the tetralogy Ceux de 14 (“The Men of 1914” about World War I), joined other luminary writers such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Dumas, Hugo, and Malraux, along with revered figures from culture, science, and politics in France’s secular temple, the Panthéon

For the celebration, the President of the French Republic commissioned a work from two major figures of the contemporary art scene, the German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer, and the French composer Pascal Dusapin. This is the first public commission for the Panthéon since 1923.

Pascal Dusapin

Dusapin’s creation, In Nomine Lucis, is a piece for a musical ensemble of singers, recorded by the French chamber choir, Accentus, at the Philharmonie de Paris concert hall.
To bring a more intimate human connection with the Great War into the Panthéon, nearly 15,000 representative names of soldiers who died for France have also been read and recorded by the French actors Florence Darel and Xavier Gallais. Visitors to the Panthéon will hear names spoken as they walk through different parts of the expansive building.
“I wanted to make the stones of the Pantheon sing, to create a huge ‘vocal lung’ where everyone will hear different echoes of its past, and of its history,” said composer Pascal Dusapin.

You have to have an eye. Five of the eight C15s as integrated into the dome.

To support the great new musical work, a bespoke and unique sound system was designed and installed within the Panthéon. A total of 70 loudspeakers, designed and manufactured by French audio company Amadeus, are mounted around the transepts and at the dome-ground, which reaches more than 35-meters in height. The speaker enclosures, being coated in natural stone, have been made invisible, becoming an integral part of the monument.

Gaetan Byk

“Amadeus became a space where technological innovations with arts and crafts, combine and complement each other,” said Gaetan Byk, Marketing Manager at Amadeus.
“We take real pleasure in constantly surpassing and renewing ourselves, in exploring materials and technologies in all their forms, without limit. These eighty stone-finished speakers, forming part of the Monument, are the purest expression of our know-how and the values we defend.”

The electroacoustic system is controlled by a sound spatialization processor called HOLOPHONIX. “The HOLOPHONIX processor enables the sound spatialization of the different choirs through its various onboard algorithms, in two or three dimensions,” stated Thierry Coduys, Director of Technologies for the project, and a technical collaborator of Pascal Dusapin for many years.

Like an aerobatic pilot repeating his arabesques, Thierry Coduys accompanies the sound with a gesture.

“The spatial programming, the position of the choirs, their trajectory, as well as the other events that compose this ‘electroacoustic score’ are managed through a graphic computer sequencer, called IanniX.
The HOLOPHONIX processor receives, interprets and translates these millions of temporal and spatial messages to make them perceptive,” added Coduys, describing the new immersive audio experience at the Panthéon.
Designed by the Amadeus company, in collaboration with IRCAM Institute, the HOLOPHONIX immersive sound system has also been selected by several performance venues, many among the most famous and prestigious in France, including Comédie-Française, Chaillot National Theater, and La Scala (Paris).

One of the very rare speakers visible, here a C6.

The HOLOPHONIX processor includes algorithms and technological designs from the STMS (Sciences et Technologies de la Musique et du Son), a laboratory founded in 1995, affiliating the CNRS, Sorbonne Université, French Ministry of Culture, and IRCAM Institute.

Designed for live sound spatialization and immersive experiences, the HOLOPHONIX processor brings together several different spatialization techniques including Wave Field Synthesis, High-Order Ambisonics, Distance-Based Amplitude Panning, and more, enabling intuitive placement and movement of sources in a 2D and/or 3D space.
“I worked closely with Thierry Coduys on selecting the most appropriate algorithm to accurately render the trajectories he wanted to apply to the sounds.

Clement Vallon

We tried several solutions offered by HOLOPHONIX, and finally, we selected the ‘k-nearest neighbors’ algorithm (k-NN),” said Clément Vallon, member of the Technical Team at HOLOPHONIX.s.
KNN selects the k loudspeakers closest to the source position and applies level differences between them. The gain differences are calculated based on the distance between the source and the selected loudspeakers. The quantity of speakers k is chosen by the user with the ‘neighbors’ parameter. KNN allows a very flexible spatialization, as the loudspeakers can have any layout.
“It is an algorithm that is not used much for immersive concerts, but it offers a great flexibility, which was perfectly suited to the geometry of the building and to the rendering desired by Thierry Coduys and Pascal Dusapin,” added Clément Vallon.

Holophonix. 128 in and out in Dante and all that exists or almost in terms of algorithms with a graphical interface at the height of the audio rendering.

The HOLOPHONIX processor creates an extremely advanced platform that can mix, reverberate, and spatialize sound content played from various devices using several different spatialization techniques in two or three dimensions.

“I mainly designed tools allowing the spatial writing of ‘In Nomine Lucis’ creation. Pascal Dusapin and Thierry Coduys wished to create a unique and living experience for the listener. By adding a motion dimension to the choirs, visitors are invited to explore the monument in a different way,” stated Adrien Zanni, who recently joined the HOLOPHONIX Technical Team to design and develop ‘spatial writing’ tools and languages.

Adrien Zanni

“A melody can appear near us and disappear in the long resonance of an adjacent transept that we do not yet distinguish; inviting us to discover it,” noted Zanni.
“Two approaches have been explored. The precise writing of trajectories: first, crossing the Pantheon from North to South, or from East to West, or from the ground to the dome.
Second, the development of generative algorithms controlling the movement of multiple sound sources, mainly inspired by physical models, for example, a simulation of flocks of birds, or stochastic models,” explained Zanni.

“We used two pieces of software for the development of these algorithms, IanniX and Max, the first one for the management of the trajectories and the second for the creation of the ‘playing’ interfaces, used by Thierry Coduys for the ‘live’ spatialization and mixing of the pieces,” revealed Zanni.

Thierry Coduys from behind, facing the three-dimensional representation of the Pantheon by the open source 3D graphic sequencer IanniX.

Fifty-four Amadeus C12 model speakers are installed on the imposts of the building’s columns at 16-meters high off the ground. The speakers feature an H60 x V60° bespoke conical waveguide to optimize the high-frequency directivity in such a reverberant space.

Pascal Dusapin listening to the rendering of his work and trapped with his eyes to the sky like everyone else by the work of spatialization.

Another eight Amadeus C15 model speakers have been installed at the dome-ground at a height of 35-meters above the ground.
These speakers also feature an H60 x V60° bespoke conical waveguide. They are used in an ‘indirect’ configuration, aimed toward the glass windows of the dome, to maximize the diffraction effect. This is an artistic choice.

“The composer Pascal Dusapin wanted something ‘angelic coming from the sky’, with precision in the mid-high frequencies, but not allowing people to precisely locate the sound sources,” explained Zanni.

One of the eight C15s fixed on its bracket and oriented to avoid direct sound. Built as it should be in Finnish birch plywood, it is then coated with a micro-plaster, consisting of natural stone powder, lime, pigments, resin and various additives.

Both the fifty-four C12 and eight C15 speaker cabinet enclosures are stone-covered.
Amadeus worked closely with French specialists and architectural conservators on researching shades and materials and nuances to determine the correct finish.
The speaker cabinets are made of birch plywood but are covered by a micro-coating, made of natural stone powder.

The result of the “stone” camouflage on a C6 completed by acoustically transparent cement gray fabric.

Amadeus’ specialty is tailor-made, here a C6 veneered in dark stained natural oak.

An additional eight Amadeus C6 model speakers, six featuring a dark oak wood stain, while two are stone-covered, are installed 4-meters above the ground, and are dedicated to playing the audio of the spoken names of 15,000 representative soldiers who died for France which were read and recorded by the French actors Florence Darel and Xavier Gallais.

We had the privilege of attending the ”Pantheonization” of Maurice Genevoix and were able to listen to the work of Pascal Dusapin inside the Panthéon. The result is intangible and present at the same time. Airy and defined with a very restrained high and especially low end. A moving sound mass that blends very well with Kiefer’s works and with the volume of the place. The cold and long acoustics of the Pantheon are skillfully exploited.

To get a binaural machine output sound preview and discover the location and the technical and creative teams at work, click on the Making-Off link below.

To find out more about the Panthéon: www.paris-pantheon.fr/en/#

For more information about Amadeus and HOLOPHONIX: www.amadeusaudio.fr/en/

Finally to better discover IanniX: www.iannix.org/

From AV professionals to amateur speaker builders, everyone will be able to benefit from the company’s new and improved M-Force technology, the integrated motor and cone, thanks to a series of documents due to be released free to the public.
Ever since its release in 2013, Powersoft’s M-Force linear transducer has redefined what was possible in the realm of infra-bass, reaching well below the conventional frequency range.

The new M-Force 301P02 moving magnet linear transducer.

Despite its continued use and relevance at the highest echelons of live and installed sound, the Italian innovator has sought to push its boundaries even further with the introduction of the new and improved M-Force 301P02 and its associated reference designs, which have been created to ensure that everyone from AV professionals to amateur speaker builders will be able to benefit from the company’s powerful technology.

Giacomo Previ

“Although the original M-Force has had a great life cycle, we knew that the time was right for our patented infra-bass technology to take another leap forward,” said Powersoft’s sales manager for OEM solutions Giacomo Previ.

“This new iteration of the M-Force linear motor transducer comes equipped with high voltage and high current connectors and a whole range of internal electromechanical improvements. We’re so excited to share the new M-Force with the world, and we can’t wait to see what our fellow audio innovators will be able to create using this new technology.”

The impedance in free air of the M-301P02. Low, very low.

The patented M-Force moving magnet linear motor structure allows extraordinary levels of efficiency and reliability, making it the perfect choice for high efficiency, high SPL low-frequency sound reinforcement applications.
The implementation of the M-Force technology is now easier than ever, thanks to the 301P02 a complete solution that enables all levels of speaker builders to incorporate the M-Force into any design with absolute confidence, both in self-powered and passive configurations.

The motor is factory matched to a purposely built diaphragm, through a newly designed coupling and a lightweight chassis, that also improves thermal dissipation, while the addition of a front spider further stabilises the design.

M-Drive, the amp module created to feed the low to very low impedance transducers (M-Force, IPAL etc.) for self powered subs. 310 V, 200 A and 15,000W peak, plus the DSP to process the DPC sensor data. A real beast far from out of fashion.

The new reference designs have been created by Powersoft to help users increase the SPL capabilities of their systems, whether they are speaker builders, sound system owners, or installation professionals.
All of the designs are free and come along with a cut list and presets that can be managed using the company’s ArmoníaPlus software.

“Self-powered configurations rely on the M-Drive, a purposely built amplifier module designed to deliver the juice to the M-Force. We recommend powering double 30-inch passive designs using the mighty X4L,” explained Fanicchi.

Mighty ? Just 32,400W at 2 Ohms over 4 channels and a max output voltage of 300 V and Max output current of 140 A.

Powersoft reference designs

As the now released reference designs illustrate, Powersoft’s M-Force 301P02 is ideally suited to a variety of seemingly disparate applications:

EDM Sub

The EDM design.

The ‘EDM Sub’ bandpass design features two M-Force 301P02 transducers, which can be built both as a self-powered or passive infra-sub, driven either by an M-Drive amplifier module coupled with a DSP-Lite ETH or an X4L amplifier platform respectively. In both cases the two transducers are connected in series.

The DSP-Lite ETH or 005 processing platform is none other than the well-known DSP-Lite card from Powersoft, but with a network input to take control from a distance and attached to a plate also serving as a heat sink.

The DSP card which makes one or two subs accessible via the network and offers many settings. Too bad it does not have a digital or network audio input and that it does not communicate with the M-Drive module other than analog.

And on which we find the preset selection controls, level adjustment, status LEDs on the card itself, an input and output socket for bridging two subs and finally an RS 485 port which gives access to the specific DSP of the M-Drive which uses information supplied by the DPC sensor in just 10 µs.

The purpose of this sensor is to provide the amplifier module with the differential measurement between the pressure inside the load volume and that outside.
This keeps the M-Force system in the maximum range of its possibilities, with minimum distortion and offers the best coupling with its acoustic load.

As this adjustment occurs rarely and requires specific skills in electroacoustics, it requires Armonía ProManager. This double 30” configuration is surprisingly compact and can reach a maximum SPL of 147.3 dB @ 1m (ANSI/CEA2010B) when driven with an M-Drive, and of 146.1 dB when driven by an X4L.

The Differential Pressure Control sensor offers complete control over sonic performance and higher SPL over time.

The operating principle of the DPC, visible at the top of the drawing, above the woofer.

The sound versatility of M-Force inside the EDM Sub.

The design has been optimised for producing ultra-high SPL down to 18 Hz, making the EDM SUB the perfect subwoofer and infra add-on to your install or touring sound reinforcement system. The four available presets ensure ample coverage for different music programs: Standard, Punch, Infra, and a Cardioid version of the Standard one.

Note that by its nature, the M-Force is not subject to any form of thermal compression but that the DPC is only available on active subs equipped with M-Drive for better bass control.

DV SUB

The DV Sub design. Don’t know you, but this name reminds me of another sub, French actually and featuring three 15”.

The ‘DV SUB’ is a bandpass cabinet loaded with the M-Force 301P02 transducer for subwoofer applications. The design has been optimised for producing very high SPL down to 28 Hz in a very compact package, making the DV SUB the best possible upgrade for an existing subwoofer, virtually eliminating non-linear distortions.

A « classic » subwoofer behavior, filling energy in the first octave 30-60 Hz, knowing that it offers between 6 and 8 dB SPL in addition to the existing double 18 ”models…

The maximum SPL is measured at 147.8 dB @ 1m (ANSI/CEA2010B), undistorted and long time. Two presets are available to squeeze the most out of this box: Standard and Punch, each of which is also available to accommodate for cardioid configurations.

CINESUB

The CineSub designed to be deployed vertically behind the screen or flat.

The ‘CINESUB’ is a hybrid transmission line cabinet loaded with the M-Force 301P02 transducer for infra and subwoofer applications. The design has been optimised for producing low distortion and high SPL, measured at 142.5 dB @ 1m (ANSI/CEA2010B) from 16 Hz to 120 Hz, as per the Dolby and THX recommendations.

The Cinesub lower SPL compared to other designs is more than compensated by a frequency response of phenomenal linearity and extension. 3 octaves!

Thanks to this high SPL, one single unit can replace four double 18-inch speakers with a better frequency extension and capability, making the CINESUB the perfect low-frequency system for cinema sound systems as well as for high-end home theatre installations. The modular design makes it perfect to be used in both single and double cabinet configuration, and both presets are available for linear and minimum phase setups.

Mauro Donati

To get even more info on M-Force, M-Drive, DPC and the other transducer technologies created by the crazy Scandicci guys, click here

To directly request information on price, availability and more: [email protected]

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Last but not least, thanks to Mauro Donati, Application Engineer at Powersoft, his knowledge of M-Force, amp modules and impedances flirting with short-circuit and especially his patience, were invaluable to us in writing this news.

Digital Projection has hired Jérôme Cadilhac as its business development manager for the South of France, a newly created role, effective immediately. Cadilhac will report to Digital Projection’s EMEA sales and marketing manager, Dirk Siedle, as well as working closely with Stéphane Bourdon, Digital Projection’s historical sales manager for France, Spain, Portugal, and North Africa.

“I have been working in the audio-visual world since 2006,” said Cadilhac. “After five years at French AV wholesaler, IXAM, I spent nine years at Christie Digital Systems, where I was first in charge of projector, LED, and media server distribution in the South of France, then across the country for the company’s new ‘Enterprise’ vertical.

Jerome Cadilhac

“These 14 years of experience in the field mean that I have an excellent grasp of the various distribution networks in France and have built solid relationships with the main players in the market; from integrators and service providers to design offices and wholesalers.”
Although Cadilhac’s designated sector will be ‘South of France’ he will also be involved more widely with major key accounts thanks to his pre-existing relationships with the companies.

“I’ve known about the potential of Digital Projection’s product range for a long time,” said Cadilhac. “Stéphane Bourdon has done excellent work for over a decade, and now is the perfect time to strengthen the team and the brand’s dominance in the French market when other players seem to be pulling back.

“Digital Projection is a company that is as innovative as it is adaptable. The company has been very smart in the way it’s been growing over the years, and their new RGB laser range (with the Satellite MLS) is a particularly good illustration of this. Despite its reach, the team remains close on an interpersonal level, and the managers are dynamic and attentive to the teams in the field, an environment I look forward to returning to.”

Cadilhac identified Digital Projection’ cutting edge 3-Chip DLP laser RGB Satellite MLS as one of the key products for the company moving forward along with the Radiance LED range. “On a daily basis, it is the sale of the DLP Laser projector range that will get my full attention,” he confirmed.
“My main objective is to significantly increase Digital Projection’s turnover in France and to structure the office to meet the high expectations of our partners, who I hope will be more and more numerous in the months to come. My existing contacts in the industry were all interested to hear that I’d joined Digital Projection, and the relationship of mutual trust that we’ve built over the years will very quickly enable us to strengthen our presence on the French market.”

Digital Projection’s Dirk Siedle added: “We’re really happy to bring Jérôme on board. His breadth of experience in the French professional projection market will be invaluable to us moving forward and his already established relationships are sure to help us increase our footprint in this strategically important market.”

For further information, visit the Digital Projection website

Ayrton is very happy to announce the appointment of Sky Corporation as its new, exclusive distributor for Serbia with immediate effect. Established in 1999, Sky Corporation doo is a first-class company specialising in distribution, retail and systems integration, and a regional leader in event and production technologies and services.

(From left to right) Filip Milenkovic, Product Specialist; Milan Cvetinovic, Director; Nenad Radic, Director. © Milos Subotić, Designer/Photographer.

“At Sky Corporation we believe that high quality products and top performance are paramount in numerous applications and projects, and that’s where Ayrton steps in,” says Sky Corporation director, Milan Cvetinovic. “In the entertainment industry Ayrton products are high-end and we are happy to have the opportunity to introduce the Ayrton quality to our market. We have used all kinds of top-quality products in our production company but Ayrton is way above all of them. “We firmly believe that Ayrton will help us to build more value into the company and to our clients.”

“We are delighted to have Sky Corporation on board as distributor for Serbia,” says Ayrton’s director of strategic development, Jonas Stenvinkel. “The team there has an excellent reputation, are always demonstrably forward-thinking and great to work with!”
“As exclusive distributor, Sky Corporation will offer the whole range and full service for Ayrton products across the Serbian market.
We have many clients who have need of quality products in television, theatre, production and rental companies, and many more, and we can’t wait to show them the Ayrton fixtures in action. We plan many roadshows and demos at client facilities and concert venues as it really is the best way of promoting the beauties of Ayrton. I’m very excited to have the power of Ayrton quality in our company’s portfolio.”

More info about Sky Corporation can be found on their website: www.skymusic.rs

For more information on Ayrton and its full range of LED lighting fixtures, visit the Ayrton website

Over the past 120 years, the National Association of Music Merchants has grown from a small, domestic consortium of piano dealers into a massive educational and support organization boasting arguably the world’s best trade show dedicated to both the business and pleasure of making music.

When the eagerly anticipated 2021 NAMM Show had to be canceled due to continued COVID concerns, the association quickly pivoted its focus by creating a digital alternative known as Believe in Music Week, running from January 18 to 22.

FOH Engineer Chris Rabold.

L-Acoustics announces that it is fully supporting NAMM this month by sponsoring a virtual Marketplace booth, where it will be hosting a comprehensive lineup of eight unique video sessions on a variety of topics, all with live Q&A.

Visitors can also book online meetings with L-Acoustics team members, chat live, and receive special access to swag and an exciting giveaway.
Of particular note will be the booth’s keynote session, “Contour XO IEM Origins Story,” moderated by FOH Engineer Chris Rabold (Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé).

Christian and Jerry, two good sounding guys ;0)

This will be a Zoom “fireside chat” discussion with L-Acoustics Founder and President Dr. Christian Heil and JH Audio Founder and President Jerry Harvey.
This illuminating conversation explores their origins in pro audio and how they came to collaborate on the recently-launched Contour XO in-ear monitor.

L-Acoustics Application Manager Josh Maichele.

“Immersive Audio for Houses of Worship” will be another standout session, with L-Acoustics Application Manager Josh Maichele hosting a conversation with technical directors at three churches Mount Paran in Georgia, Orchard Hills in Pennsylvania, and River Pointe in Texas to learn about why they each chose L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology for their congregations.

L-Acoustics L-ISA Application Engineer Carlos Mosquera

Furthermore, L-Acoustics L-ISA Application Engineer Carlos Mosquera will take a deep dive into the anatomy of an L-ISA mix with a binaural performance and mixing tutorial on NAMM’s Believe in Music Gear TV during the week.

“NAMM has always been much more than an industry trade show,” shares Alan Macpherson, CEO, L-Acoustics Americas. “The organization’s reach in music advocacy, market development, and educational focus have all been key to keeping NAMM’s strong leadership position.

Alan Macpherson, CEO, L-Acoustics Americas.

Shows have thrived, despite sea changes in the market over the years, and this is evidenced by the smart and concerted effort to bring professional audio to the fore.
This year, NAMM has risen to a new challenge, yet again with its Believe in Music Week, a well thought out alternative to the in-person trade show that should provide excellent interaction.
L-Acoustics is proud to be part of it, and we look forward to making quality connections with both new and existing customers this month!”

Free registration for the 2021 NAMM Believe in Music Week can be found here

Additional details on the L-Acoustics live sessions are at the L-Acoustics website

Outside the Circle uses the power of Proteus Maximus as an integral effect in unique end-of-year lighting display. With fireworks forbidden and Covid-19 keeping people isolated for New Year’s Eve, Ton Nieuwenhuis and Martin Ciesluk of design firm Outside the Circle decided to bring a bit of lighting inspiration to the people of the Dutch town of Hengelo.

“We wanted to bring some light to people at the end of a tough year,” he said, “so we put together a project that included 21 mobile trailers with lighting to drive around the streets of the city on New Year’s Eve.
It represented how, because of Covid, we are all in small groups but when seen together symbolized something greater, us all coming together.”

The project, called Het Hengelicht, involved 8 fixed lighting locations (sponsors) plus 21 vehicles pulling trailers on which a Proteus Maximus™ was encircled by four RGB laser-source beam lights Claypay Xtylos.
The effect from a distance of each grouping was one of a giant single beam of light. The fixed locations used one Maximus with 8 Xtylos.

Ciesluk says that initially he wasn’t sure what fixtures he wanted to go with but knew he needed something with power. “I knew I wanted LED and something bright that could take a bit of shaking around from being driven around in a trailer.
As the other fixtures we used required domes, I wanted an IP65 fixture in order to have one less dome in the trailer. I was happy to discover the Maximus and Niclen was able to provide 38 of them for the project.
It has a hotspot LED engine that is good for long-throw aerial beams and at only 1400 watts, it was easy on our small power generator as we didn’t want to have to refill the generators too often.”

Ciesluk’s initial idea was to choose 30 locations throughout the city to place lighting fixtures but with concerns over too many people gathering, the decision was made to make the majority of the lighting mobile by placing a power generator with lights in trailers to be driven around the city.

“We wanted to make sure that everyone in the city could enjoy the lighting,” says Ciesluk, who calls the project more of an art installation.

“Some people would come outside to see what was going on while others would look out their window as the lighting passed by. The response was amazing. People were clapping and waving at us from behind windows.” Ciesluk says they tracked the movement of every trailer and ended up covering about 80% of all the streets in Hengelo.

The Outside the Circle crew drove around the city beginning at 8:00 pm when the town mayor initiated the project. Lights shone skyward in full-on white light for four hours with 30-minutes of more dynamic color and movement ringing in the New Year at midnight. Design was by Ton Nieuwenhuis and Martin Ciesluk with Ciesluk also handling the programming.

Besides garnering sponsors to finance the project, resources came from crowd funding, as well as the Hengelo city council, who, after initially denying funding, had a change of mind after seeing how much enthusiasm the project had generated on social media.

More information about Elation range of products can be found on their website www.elationlighting.com

“Meyer Sound has seen great success from the NAMM Show over the past few years as it is a great place for us to showcase our products suited for this audience,” notes Meyer Sound Director of Global Marketing Tim Boot.

Tim Boot

“Although we are unable to connect with our customers in person during this time, we are grateful that we have this opportunity at the virtual NAMM show to share what we have been working on over the past year, including a new variant of our best-selling loudspeaker and a new solution for the post-production and residential markets.”

The ULTRA-X20.

The virtual booth will feature product information about the award-winning ULTRA X40 and ULTRA-X20 point source loudspeakers, LEOPARD compact linear line array loudspeaker, the company’s new software applications Spacemap Go spatial sound design and mixing tool and MAPP 3D system design and prediction tool and the newly introduced Ultra Reflex screen channel sound solution for direct view displays.

The principle of Ultra Reflex.

Derek Featherstone, CEO of UltraSound and FOH mixer

As part of the NAMM U “TEC Tracks” programming, Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir and Derek Featherstone, CEO of UltraSound and longtime FOH mixer for recent Dead-related acts including Dead & Company, discuss the long strange trip of the band’s quest for the best audience sound experience.
Weir goes back to the Wall of Sound days when Meyer Sound CEO John Meyer first got involved, even pre-dating the founding of Meyer Sound Laboratories in 1979. The session is available Thursday, January 21 at 12:45 PM PST.

Additional programming includes engaging discussions with Berlin-based electronic duo Mouse on Mars as well as Ed Sheeran’s production team.
Meyer Sound Director, Spatial Sound Steve Ellison will sit down with Mouse on Mars, Tuesday January 19 at 10:00 AM PST for “Mouse on Mars Discuss Spatial Sound Mixing” where the artists will explain how they use Spacemap Go for their work from live performances and art exhibitions to the recording studio for their new album and explain how to use the spatial sound tool.
The session is available on the Meyer Sound exhibitor page at the designated time here

Steve Ellison

Chris Marsh

Wednesday, January 20 at 10:00 AM PST, Ed Sheeran’s longtime Production Manager and FOH Engineer Chris Marsh and Audio Systems Engineer Charlie Albin as well as Meyer Sound’s Sales Manager, Asia Pacific Chris D’bais, will dive into the singer-songwriter’s high-ranking ÷ (“Divide”) Tour.
The session “Ed Sheeran Production Team Discusses Divide Tour” explores the production team’s life on the road, their preferred audio solutions, and what they have been working on since the end of the tour in 2019. The session is available on the Meyer Sound exhibitor page at the designated time here.

The ultra wide coverage UPQ-D3 with an 80° x 80° pattern.

The NAMM Show also provides the backdrop for two concurrently scheduled industry recognition events, the TEC Awards and the Parnelli Awards. The Meyer Sound UPQ-D3 wide symmetrical coverage loudspeaker has been nominated for a TEC Award in the Outstanding Technical Achievement in Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers category.

The online ceremony will be available for streaming Friday, January 22 at 2 PM PST here.
Then, at 5 PM PST, the Parnelli Awards will provide a retrospective of the past 20 years of the prestigious industry award show during their “Keep the Torch Lit: 20 Years of the Parnelli Awards Special Presentation.”
The presentation will be available here.

Meyer Sound’s sales and technical services team will be available for one-on-one meetings throughout the show, Monday January 18 to Friday, January 22. Registration is free for all who wish to attend.
The virtual booth can be accessed here once registration is completed.

More on the Meyer Sound website

Dave Martin

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Martin Audio, founded by Australian Dave Martin in London’s Covent Garden, back in 1971, is intent on turning 2021 into a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary.

The company—founded by Australian Dave Martin in London’s Covent Garden, back in 1971 has consistently flourished despite the twists and turns of the last five decades.

The British touring industry champ who took advantage of a gang of crazy French sound lovers called Régiscène ;0)

Dom Harter

The Martin Audio story is a triumph for British manufacturing, innovation and sustainability with an engineering development path dating back to the very foundations of the touring industry.

Dom Harter, Managing Director, remarked, “While we are forever mindful that COVID restrictions are still firmly in place, this is a landmark that should be celebrated in style”.

To commemorate the auspicious occasion, Martin Audio has produced a new coffee table book, detailing its illustrious history and filled with eye-catching photography. This is available now online and in print from February onwards.

A celebratory video is also available online to enjoy.

2021 is also expected to be a prolific year for the company, with many product and software developments in the pipeline to continue the company’s legacy.

Dom Harter added, “There have been so many manufacturing milestones at Martin Audio and we want to keep that momentum going. We fervently hope that it won’t be long before we are able to celebrate all of these, face to face with our many partners, customers and friends around the globe.”

Earls Court en 1973. Les Pink Floyd très fort et clair.

Subject to restrictions, provisional plans will be to host a grand party in September to tie in with the company’s series of Open Days to which all international partners will be invited.

For more information on the Martin Audio website

It’s all in the details: Sennheiser’s new IE 300 in-ear headphones have been meticulously crafted to offer nuanced, natural sound on the go. Powered by a refined version of Sennheiser’s 7mm Extra Wide Band (XWB) transducer to ensure a well-balanced sound signature and excellent sonic accuracy, the new IE 300 combines superior sound with premium, professional audio-inspired design.

Sennheiser’s new IE 300 features a refined version of the audio specialist’s acclaimed 7mm Extra Wide Band (XWB) transducer,manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Germany, ensuring superior sound quality, with a well-balanced sound signature and excellent sonic accuracy.

Every component has been carefully tuned to refine the listening experience: This includes an optimized membrane foil that minimizes natural resonances and total harmonic distortion (THD < 0.08% at 1 kHz, 94 dB), a transducer back volume designed to minimize reflection within the housing and a resonator chamber that removes masking resonances in the ear canal for more refined and detailed treble.

The transducer with the « cone », worthy of an 18 ”when it is only 0.27”!

Offering a frequency response of 6 Hz – 20 kHz, the IE 300 delivers clear high frequencies with a subtle and warm musicality that brings greater intimacy to vocals.

“When you are passionate about audio, details matter. That’s why we meticulously crafted the IE 300 to let listeners hear every nuance in their music,” said Jermo Köhnke, Product Manager at Sennheiser.
“The IE 300 is designed to be a companion on the go, while still providing a superior audio experience, no matter your surroundings.”

Audio enhancing comfort

The IE 300 offers exceptional durability and comfort, with a design inspired by the world of professional audio. Its ergonomic features include individually adjustable flexible ear hooks, as well as silicone and memory foam ear adaptors in three sizes (S/M/L). This not only ensures a perfectly secure fit and superb wearing comfort for long listening sessions, but also offers optimum noise isolation, guaranteeing that audio enthusiasts can enjoy undisturbed listening even in busy environments or on the move.

Years of listening pleasure

The easily replaceable cable with its infinitely more reliable connector than the usual double small pins; a real plus.

The IE 300’s supplied 3,5mm cable is reinforced with para-aramid for outstanding stability even after thousands of bend cycles and can easily be replaced for optimal flexibility.

For additional strain relief, the high-quality gold-plated Fidelity+ MMCX connector is seated in a recessed, 4.8mm-wide socket in the housing. Balanced cables with 2.5mm or 4.4 connectors are also available as optional accessories. A premium carry case is included for safe and convenient storage.

The Sennheiser IE 300 will be available in March 2021 for 299,95 $ (plus applicable sales tax).

A short movie showing the transducer details

More information on the Sennheiser website

London welcomed in 2021 with a spectacular show, a citywide explosion of fireworks, drones, laser and lights, ending a message of thanks and hope to the nation and the world.
Jack Morton, the global brand experience agency, helped to develop the original concept and worked in partnership with the Mayor of London’s office and a dedicated team of experts to create the extraordinary experience.

Photo @Patrick Straub. Autorisation de Jack Morton Worldwide

The 10-minute show, designed for home-viewing and created in collaboration with the BBC, was broadcast live on BBC1 and watched by a global viewing audience of millions.
Jack Morton’s creative show team worked in collaboration with On the Sly for the music production, Titanium Fireworks for the pyrotechnics design, and SKYMAGIC for the swarm drone sequences.
Lighting for the event was designed by Durham Marenghi with Paul Cook as Associate LD and programmer and the spectacular array of 168 Claypaky Mythos 2 and 168 Elation Proteus Hybrids on London Bridge was supplied by Lights Control Rigging and managed by Rob Watson.

Durham called on the expertise of ER lasers, the Signify team and Illuminated River project, Armadillo and Tower Bridge, Stadium FX at Wembley and the Woodroffe Bassett team at the Shard to integrate the city-wide effects into a memorable light show to herald what will hopefully be a far better New Year for all.

More information on the Claypaky website

Bølgen Kulturhus is a truly multi-purpose, multi-use venue that welcomes thousands of patrons annually for concerts, cinema, and theatre presentations, as well as conferences and events of all descriptions.

The Bølgen Kulturhus in Larvik, Norway.

With the recent installation of an Adamson Systems Engineering E-Series PA in its main hall, ‘Storsalen’, Bølgen has extended its already substantial capabilities to present the wide variety of programming it offers and the diverse range of events it hosts.
Previously, Norwegian distributor Benum provided Bølgen with Adamson rigs for the venue’s other two, smaller performance/event spaces: eight IS10, four IS119 subs, four PC5, and two D120 amplifiers in ‘Sanden Scene’; and eight S7, two IS119 and two D120 for ‘Blåboksen’.

Bølgen adds large-format performance to its Adamson inventory with an E-series installation in the main performance hall, the Sanden Scene.

In the Storshalen space, Benum has now installed a system comprised of twenty E12 (flown ten per side), six E219 subs, and four S7p loudspeakers for lip and infills; all powered by D-Series amplifiers by Lab Gruppen (eight D120 amplifiers for the E12, two D200s for the E219 and one D80 for the S7p). Additionally, a Lake LM44 is deployed at FOH to create a fully redundant digital network with all audio distribution handled via Dante and a dedicated analog backup.

Benum, which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021, has been representing Adamson Systems Engineering exclusively in Norway since 2015, and in Sweden since 2017.

Adamson’s growth in the market has been substantial, says Sales Manager Kenneth Vadset: “We got a flying start with an S-Series installation at the Olavshallen concert hall in Trondheim in 2016, which was the first Adamson installation we did, and from there word spread, so we’ve since gone into many cultural houses and theatres.”

Bonum Sales Manager Kenneth Vadset

As is the case with many of his colleagues at Benum, Vadset is a touring audio engineer and, based on his own experiences on the road, believes that any incoming act will be more than happy with the E-Series system.
“I’ve toured a lot and mixed in many Norwegian cultural houses, including Bølgen and many other venues. Frankly, some didn’t have the quality or the size of systems we needed, so we would always carry our own rig to supplement or replace the house system. That won’t happen at Bølgen.”

The implementation of Adamson’s products throughout all the main performance spaces provides Bølgen with consistent audio infrastructure that will make it easy for the venue to reconfigure the systems as needed for virtually any application.
“Adamson is a well-known, respected, and widely used brand throughout Norway and elsewhere in Europe,” Vadset puts in, “and they’ve become a big player in both touring audio and performance installations. To be able to offer both in the same venue is a huge benefit.”
The venue’s technical team agrees. “By using Adamson across all of our stages, it gives us the same audio signature throughout the entire house,” says Bølgen’s House Tech Manager, Dagfinn Apelland.

An Adamson E12 line array hangs in the main hall, along with some surrounds.

Flexibility, functionality, and fluidity are integral to Bølgen’s day-to-day operations in general, but nowhere more so than in Storsalen. And although Apelland wanted the same pristine performance Adamson provided in the other spaces, for the main room he specified a more powerful, larger format system that offered excellent coverage and fidelity, whatever the application it is used for at any given time.

Those applications range widely, from film screenings to corporate/community events to heavy metal shows and everything in between.
To serve that multi-purpose mandate the room itself is designed to be reconfigured to suit the needs of the event and the audience in equal measure on a per-show basis. In one scenario the stage area is at surface level, with sloped seating rising from the edge of the performance area to the rear of the room.
In another, roughly half of the seats can be retracted and stored under the rear upper seating, creating room for a stage to be constructed and a ‘standing room’ audience area.

Consequently, there are two sub configurations. For a ‘flat’ stage, three E219 are flown in a cardioid configuration above the centre of the stage area. When a raised stage is brought in, however, all six may be used, ground-stacked three per side in cardioid configurations.

The result is a great sounding room regardless of the seating or stage layout. Ultimately, having multiple tiers of Adamson loudspeakers available throughout the venue touring and fixed install products alike dramatically enhances the flexibility of the venue overall.

Being able to meet all their needs with one loudspeaker manufacturer’s products is a definite plus for the venue, the audiences attending any type of event or performance there, and the performers themselves. “The feedback from people that have used the Adamson systems at Bølgen, the E12 system especially, is fantastic,” Vadset sums up. “Almost everybody has said Bølgen is the best sounding cultural house in Norway.”

More information on the Benum website and on the Adamson Systems website

CBF Productions and Darvik Productions team up on popular drive-in concert series. Drive-in concerts have become the necessary norm under the pandemic and Southern California’s moderate climate makes it possible for these fan-thankful events to take place late into the year.

©Brittany Berggren

Enhanced by a complement of Elation Professional lights, “Concerts in your Car”, presented by CBF Productions at two SoCal locations, are some of the most popular.
Helping to quench the thirst of live music fans, “Concerts in Your Car” debuted June 26 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds north of Los Angeles and branched out to a second site, the Del Mar Fairgrounds near San Diego, in September. Victor Ortiz, owner of full service audio-visual company Darvik Productions of Ventura, worked together on the project with CBF Productions founder and CEO Vincenzo Giammanco.

©Brittany Berggren

“It all started back in April when our first spring festival of the year was cancelled,” recounts Ortiz, who says that he and Giammanco do about a dozen events together in a year.
“We started wondering what the year was going to look like and had heard that Europe was starting to do some drive-in shows. We started to brainstorm what a drive-in venue here would look like, how to build it, etc. By the end of April we knew we’d have to pivot and the idea for ‘Concerts in Your Car’ was born.”

“Concerts in Your Car” at the Ventura County Fairgrounds featured a package of Elation Professional luminaires in a setup that was replicated for the Del Mar site. A typical week at the Del Mar site, which debuted September 25 and has a capacity of 700 vehicles, sees movies on a big screen, hosts local bands or theatre plays, and then stages bigger acts on the weekend. Top acts like hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, icons The Beach Boys, and local heroes Slightly Stoopid are just a few who have played the venue. Sundays are reserved for church services or private events.

©Brittany Berggren

Shows are held on a four-sided stage with a large 14-ft high by 26-ft wide video screen gracing each side. Ortiz and Darvik’s role included coming up with a stage, video and lighting design that could cater to a large, open fairgrounds space. “It’s a very flat ground that required a high stage so we came up with an 8-ft high, 360-degree stage design that lets cars in the back rows see as well,” said Ortiz, who also oversaw the build as production manager.

“Because there is a variety of acts that come in, the lighting design had to be flexible and easy to use. We designed a rig that can cater to all types of acts with effects that light it up at night under all kinds of weather.” Ortiz says he also wanted to cover all sides of the stage as there are cars all the way around it. “It’s been a great design and with performers playing to all sides it gives it a personal touch.”

The designer says that because they wanted to avoid followspot towers that would obstruct vehicles, bands of Elation Seven Batten 72s were placed all around the stage that act as footlights/key lights.

Elation Seven Batten 72s Lighting Fixture.

Elation Cuepix 16 IP matrix LED panels

“They work amazingly well and the punch and color is just beautiful,” he says of the color-changing LED battens with 7-color multi-chip LEDs. On each side of the stage are powerful Cuepix 16 IP matrix LED panels with all-weather protection that serve as blinders and houselights.

Spread throughout the rig as backlight, and mounted in a center circle truss for stage lighting, are Seven Par 7 IP par wash luminaires, which are also used as truss warmers to set the entire structure aglow.
In one of Ortiz’s favorite looks in the build up to the show the base color goes pink as cars enter the site. The look reflects the “Concerts in Your Car” branding and the color scheme returns at the end of the show.

Concluding the Elation package, Protron 3K Color LED strobes work from the circle truss for special effects while SixPar 100 color-changing Par lights highlight branding on the structure’s skin. Other automated lights also make up the lighting package and some acts do bring in a supplemental floor package. Atmospheric haze and mid-air projection canopy is provided by Antari M-11 foggers.

©Brittany Berggren

Darvik Productions supplied all the lighting for both “Concert in Your Car” sites and worked with Elation’s Raul Fonseca on the Elation portion of the rig. “Raul was an amazing partner in the build of our Del Mar venue. I’ve known him since before founding Darvik and he has always been there for us as part of the team,” said Ortiz, who started Darvik Productions in 2012 with Elation as the first lighting equipment he acquired.”

©Brittany Berggren

“Concerts in Your Car” has not only been a success with many events selling out, it has fulfilled a need for music lovers to experience live events again.
“With the limitations we have to face today, it has been a form of entertainment that our community has truly enjoyed and appreciated,” Ortiz concludes. “We’re glad we’ve been able to be a part of it.”

For more information about Elation range of products, check the Elation website