Nestled in the coast of the Gulf of Portofino, in Santa Margherita, Italy’s Covo di Nord-Est, or the North-East Lair, has recently undergone an extensive rebuild with a new audio system.
Originally built in 1934 as a private residence, the venue quickly became the most popular club in Italy during the 60s and 70s, and after storms ravaged the venue in late 2018, it has once again opened its doors to the public.

The breathtaking view from the Covo’s club.

Famous for its nightlife, location, and well-known clientele, Covo di Nord-Est now boasts a new audio upgrade worthy of the reputation it holds. “After the storm in 2018, we undertook a complete rebuild the entire venue,” said Stefano Lo Sardo, owner of Vibra Service and project manager for this build. “But we didn’t just want to rebuild, we wanted to upgrade, and that meant a new audio system that would rise up to the challenge.”

Together with Italian distributor Audiosales, they designed a completely new sound system. Featuring both Martin Audio speakers and subwoofers, the system was supported by Powersoft’s fixed install dedicated Quattrocanali 1204 and Ottocanali 4K4 amplifier platforms, with onboard DSP.

Three out of the six Martin Audio CDD10B speakers in charge to cover the entire semi-outdoor venue, yet taking care of the noise pollution in the vicinity.

“Our focus was to provide coverage throughout the entire venue, especially in the centre, as it’s where the bar and most guest seating are,” said Lo Sardo. “We also needed to consider the buildings around us, making sure that we avoided undesirable coverage near the surrounding buildings.”

The system was designed with six Martin Audio CDD10B speakers situated in the centre of the venue suspended from the ceiling. These speakers, along with the other 12 speakers and subwoofers placed throughout the venue, are fed directly thanks to an Audac preamplifier and Powersoft’s Ottocanali and Quattrocanali amplifiers.

A Quattrocanali 1204 and Ottocanali 4K4 DSP amplifier platforms. 12 smart channels delivering a total of 5,200W.

“We needed powerful amplifier platforms providing the best sonic performance and protection for this project, as the speakers are performing at a high level for hours on end,” said Lo Sardo.
“Powersoft’s Quattrocanali and Ottocanali were exactly what we were looking for. They are exceptionally powerful, and the built in DSP was a big advantage for us.”

Named after their number of channels, the Quattrocanali (four channels) and Ottocanali (eight channels) amplifier platforms have been designed with the user in mind. Boasting incredible efficiency and power at a low operational cost, the amplifiers strive to not only amplify and support an audio system, but to protect it.
The clip limiter for loudspeakers, short circuit protection, long term limiters against steady non-audio signals which can minimise output, and general thermal protection, all are features of the amplifiers which were used to the advantage of the Covo di Nord-Est system.

Lo Sardo continued, “We also used the ArmoníaPlus software for this project, and it gave us complete control over every aspect of this system. It’s extremely intuitive and easy to use.”

One of the Martin Audio subs, ready to rock the boat !

Powersoft have recently unveiled ArmoníaPlus 2.0, which gives system integrators and users a new definition of what Powersoft amplifiers are truly capable of in fixed installation projects.
Among the new features are customisable user interfaces, passive controls and an app dedicated to controlling the new customisable interfaces: Powersoft System Control.

“The design of the amplifiers is something I was impressed by,” said Lo Sardo. “On top of their robustness and power to size ratio, you can see that the terminal blocks on the back of the amplifier have been designed for ease of use, making installing the cables a simple task.”

The result of the work of Lo Sardo and the Audiosales team was an audio system that perfectly met the end user’s requirements: audio technology that would upgrade this world-renowned club. “The outcome was a success,” said Lo Sardo. “The Audiosales team supported us every step of the way and helped us create this incredible installation.”

A short movie featuring italian music and showing the venue as if you were there.

More information on:

– The Powersoft website
– The Vibra Service website
– The Audio Sales website

When Seattle, Washington was forced to adapt its customary New Year’s Eve celebrations due to the ongoing disruption caused by Covid-19; necessity, once again, proved itself to be the mother of invention.
The result, a collaboration between event production company, Modern Enterprises LLC, and projection mapping specialist Maxin10sity, was a revolutionary ‘sky mapping’ show that saw virtual lights, projection, and special effects superimposed on live footage of the city’s most iconic landmark, the Space Needle, and the sky above.

As is the case with so many ground-breaking ideas throughout history, the concept of ‘sky mapping’ came to CEO and founder of Modern Enterprises, Terry Morgan, in a dream. “It was so vivid and colourful that I woke my wife up to tell her all about it,” said Morgan.
“Later, when Karen Olsen (chief marketing officer at the Space Needle) was telling me that they were unable to do their usual kind of event with fireworks and a large crowd, I told her about my ‘sky mapping’ dream, and she loved the idea.”

Morgan went straight to one of his regular collaborators, Maxin10sity, with a mood board and a handful of images, in the hopes that the two companies could work together once again to make his dream a reality.
“I’ve worked with Tamás Vaspöri (managing director at Maxin10sity) for years and have always been so impressed by what we were able to create together; namely the BOREALIS Festival of Light here in the US, which debuted to a wonderful crowd of over 120,000 people,” said Morgan.

Although the New Year’s Eve sky mapping show – fittingly named The Dream – had its own advantages (such as the absence of civic considerations like security, power, crowd control, and portable toilets) the team still only had two months to realise this unprecedented concept; mapping projections, lights, and special effects on the sky itself.

“There are challenges in all productions but, because this show is something new, we had to be very prepared and think through everything twice,” said Vaspöri. “We had to work a bit more on the storyboard but, when it was done and approved by the client, we could move on as normal from an animation / production point of view.”

He continued: “The fact that it was going to be a virtual show for broadcast actually gave us much more freedom. We wanted to do something that would blur the lines between the virtual and the real, to the point where people might not be able to decide which was which. We spoke with Terry a lot about his dream; always keeping in mind what would look best on screen and how we could draw the audience in and give them a real ‘wow’ factor.”

The show itself was to be a combination of subtle key lighting effects and more bombastic, almost surreal, moving images. All of this had to be created side by side to ensure that the illusory visuals were as convincing as Vaspöri had envisioned them.

Another key aspect of The Dream was the accompanying music, which was provided by Daniel Sadowski; a specialist in creating soundtracks for movie trailers and video games. “The music is a very important part of the production,” said Vaspöri. “It is one of the key things that inspires our artists. We worked together with Global Illumination on the whole production, who we have worked with a few times in the past. The whole process was as smooth as always.”

The camera shots for the show were filmed in advance using three 4K cameras shooting from three locations simultaneously. The entire sequence was run through twice to generate six different shot perspectives, which could then be intercut with some vertical and interior footage of the building.
“Despite how it appears, no drones were necessary,” said Morgan. “All we needed were good cameras and good people to operate them.” The entire show was pre-recorded and broadcast ‘as-live’ from KING TV studios in Seattle, before being streamed worldwide. According to a spokesperson from the Space Needle, the show amassed more than 1 million streaming views (and over 1 billion online impressions) in the first 24 hours alone.

“There are a lot of challenges when you’re doing something that has never been done before,” said Morgan. “With the great support team of Maxin10sity, the Space Needle, KING 5 TV, and T-Mobile, we have moved mountains in a very short time to create a spectacular virtual New Year’s Eve event like no one has ever seen before.”

While the plaudits continue to roll in for The Dream, its almost unbelievable success begs a very important question: could this ambitious dream-come-true be taken one step further, into the real world? Maxin10sity’s Tamás Vaspöri certainly thinks so.

“The beam lights and the mapping effects on the structure could be made today, no problem,” he said. “We could project onto special mesh screens so the audience could see holographic effects and (with enough projector brightness) even project onto the clouds above. With this in mind, I would say real-life sky mapping is not too far away; it’s just a question of the technology. Technology and time.”

More information on the Maxin10sity website

L-Acoustics is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Mead, Sales Manager and Rahul Samuel Applications Engineer, two regional industry experts to support existing partners and grow the company’s presence in key vertical markets, as well as with consultants, integrators, sound engineers, and end users in the region.

Rahul Samuel and Chris Mead.

Over the last decade, the region has been successfully supported by L-Acoustics Sales Manager, Peter Owen, who will now concentrate his expertise on developing key territories in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Peter Owen

The appointment of a new, dedicated and locally based team will allow the company to nurture new and closer relationships in the Middle East, India and East Africa. Chris Mead, Sales Manager for the Middle East, India, and East Africa will build relationships and develop business in the region while Rahul Samuel, Application Engineer for the Middle East and India, will provide technical support, design assistance and training to partners and projects throughout the area.

“The Middle East and India regions are very diverse culturally yet share a common commitment to building innovative and technically advanced venues and entertainment experiences,” says Cédric Montrezor, Executive Director of Application at L-Acoustics. “This drive to excel and impress has led the region to dynamic growth – growth which remains resilient throughout the current difficult period.”

Chris Mead, Sales Manager for the Middle East, India, and East Africa.

Chris Mead is tasked with building sales growth across the region, through forging and deepening relationships with current and future partners, identifying and developing new business opportunities, and growing brand awareness. Mead is a recognized industry professional with over 15 years of experience in the UK and the Middle East.

He began his career designing and implementing AV solutions for end-users and most recently provided technical support and developed sales in the Middle East region for Meyer Sound.
“L-Acoustics has achieved its leadership position in the market by developing outstanding products and establishing a global system of standards via a robust partner network,” expresses Mead.
“The brand’s rapid growth in the integration market represents an exciting area of development. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the company and our partners in the region.”

Rahul Samuel, Application Engineer for the Middle East and India.

Rahul Samuel will be responsible for providing technical expertise to partners and projects throughout the Middle East and his native India. Samuel is an award-winning live sound engineer with over 15 years of experience as an Acoustic Consultant, FOH/Monitor and System Engineer, System Designer and Educator.
He has contributed to the production of some of India’s most spectacular live performances, and latterly representing Meyer Sound, providing technical support in the region.

“The Middle East is home to some of the world’s biggest projects and they consistently surprise the world by exceeding known limitations,” describes Samuel.
“This type of work requires the best minds from around the world and L-Acoustics excels at accompanying people and projects to achieve their technical best. I’m excited to be working alongside our partners to turn their visions into reality.”

Jochen Frohn, Global Director of Business Development at L-Acoustics

Global Director of Business Development at L-Acoustics, Jochen Frohn concludes: “Clients and Partners in the Middle East and India have consistently shown an interest in premium products and a willingness to go the extra mile to achieve excellence and offer the most engaging audience experience.
Having this locally based team, with Chris and Rahul’s combined expertise, will allow us to build deeper relationships and offer outstanding support to clients in a region that continues to take a more central role to the strategic growth of L-Acoustics.”

More on the L-Acoustics website

If you are reading this editorial, it means that 2020 has packed it in. We all believed in last year’s best wishes for good health, good business and a bright future, which we exchange almost out of habit. Let’s do it better in 2021, shall we?

Let’s start by not proclaiming victory as long as new strains are running rampant like the world debt, and until we all receive the magic shot in the arm. So, for now we’ll keep talking like speech therapists, with our glasses fogging up and our hands stinking of ethanol for as long as it takes, our Colgate smiles be damned. Finally, let’s bear it out with patience because, as Cervantes said to Don Quixote: “all these storms that befall us are signs that the weather will soon be fair, and things will go well with us”.

Take heart, 2021 is here

Above all, let’s keep the faith. The public, whose desire to return to the venues has been put in doubt, is waiting for this. On the rare occasions when we have been able to host them, in one seat out of every two, they have been there, serene and happy to see live shows again, despite a very limited artistic offering and unprofitable capacities.

Let’s use these long months of forced time off not to rest and, above all, not to rest on our laurels. In a few months, we’re going to experience an incredible rush and we’re going to have to be efficient, creative and innovative to keep up with a pace that will likely be infernal, so we may as well try to maintain our bodies and minds, our knowledge and our relationships.
2021 will also require us to know how to make the best use of our current technical assets. We will have to look for new sound designs, new lighting designs, learn how to make better use of networks, create audio and visual environments, devise more flexible logistics, and rethink the set-up phases and the tools that will make them even faster and safer.

Let’s also renovate our gear, let’s apply those touches of paint which, invisible to the public, nevertheless make employees and customers happier; in short, let’s do everything that has always been put off until the next day and, above all, let’s train as much as possible and take the necessary time at the shop to put into practice the knowledge we have acquired, a luxury that is impossible in periods of full activity.

Finally, let’s look for that rare and affordable gem, the new tool that will bring an irresistible plus for the audience without putting a minus sign in front of our margins, which we will have to keep a close eye on.
2021 is going to be a year of many challenges that we will have to face wisely, keeping the “price” factor out of the tenders as much as possible, but this year will also be the launch pad for the most amazing tours, musicals, plays and the most insane events that everyone is waiting for.

Happy New Year to everyone, including SoundLightUp who learned how to punch new holes in our belt without using our hands, and the last word goes to Gene “Seneca” Kelly: “Life isn’t about waiting

“Working this year has been interesting to say the least,” said Jared Jasinski, owner and lead engineer for Arizona Sound Productions [AZSP] based in Phoenix. “With COVID restrictions we’ve been forced to be more creative and think outside the box. ”

Punchy speakers for a punchy situation…

Arizona Sound Productions got its start in 2011 with small to mid-sized church and school installs, moving into sound reinforcement for live events and festivals. From there the company grew into larger events for Fortune 500 clients, MTV concert series for one, and sport.
On August 15, 2020, AZSP set the stage in Oklahoma, making boxing history with what has been called the “street fight” concept. AZSP clients’ Holden Productions and Matchroom Boxing dropped a boxing match in the middle of downtown Tulsa for a night of fights headlined by Cecilia Brækhus, defending her Women’s Welter Weight title against contender, Jessica McCaskill. The match was staged at the intersection of East 5th Street and South Boston Avenue with no fans present.

Jared Jasinski, owner and lead engineer for Arizona Sound Productions.

It was an intense process,” described Jasinski. “COVID testing was required for everyone on my crew, before traveling to Oklahoma, then again when we arrived. It’s not a fun process, but at the end of the day we’re glad to be working.”

Using EASE Focus to determine hang points and angles, ASP designed a small line array rig with sixteen RCF HDL 6-A Active Line Array Modules. They were hung around the boxing ring to cover the floor level, made up of judges, fighters, staff, production crew, refs and boxing officials.

“The HDL 6-A has been a game changer for us,” said Jasinski. “It’s a great sounding, powerful speaker with an amazing price point. We jumped on board right away. We could throw it up on a stick for small gigs, to building 10-module arrays for small festivals, it’s a very versatile box. We built 4 box arrays in stereo hanging over the ring on the north side to cover the ring walk, 3 box arrays on the south side, and one box for the east and west, basically straight down to hit the floor area.

The Ring seen from above

The RCF system works perfectly for what we are doing

« For that extra punch, we added six 8003-AS subs under the ring. We wanted to have enough sound to create that ‘live energy’ when the boxers come down the walkway. We built LED video walls for the entrance and above the ring and created most of the lighting design with local company, Omni Lighting. Having a thundering audio to support it all, it looks and sounds amazing, the RCF system works perfectly for what we are doing,” said Jasinski.

“We didn’t add any crowd noise or anything like that,” added Jasinski. “We did take advantage of capturing natural city sounds it played off that raw, street feel very well. We had ambient mics set up around the ring to get pops from punches from the fighters and things like that. With all the streetlights changing colors throughout the match, visually it was a nice touch.”

Arizona Sound Productions will continue the tour with press conferences, weigh-ins, and boxing matches, through various states in the US. According to Jasinski, the new partnership is described as the ideal match that ensued by being in the right place at the right time. What started out as being available to set up mics and hang a few banners, ended up evolving into a full production gig for a sold-out fight across the street.

More information on the AZ Sound Pro website and on the RCF website

With its in-person training currently on hold, Brompton Technology has set up an advanced virtual platform as a way to continue offering its global customer base access to the LED processing manufacturer’s renowned training programme.

Brompton’s initial foray into this new venture was a set-up devised by the company’s Technical Support Specialist, Steve Harris, to deliver training videos from his home office during the height of the pandemic. Quickly recognising that a more in-depth approach was needed, the support team adapted the training room at Brompton’s Ealing headquarters to allow the delivery of a more sophisticated training format.

Using a powerful PC, Infiled DB2.6 LED screen, and a Brompton Tessera SX40 processor, the team developed a new environment to demonstrate the Brompton user interface, using a variety of in-depth, interactive ‘explainer’ pages covering common topics such as ‘what causes moiré?’
And closed loop redundancy, as well as going into detail on Brompton’s award winning HDR and Dynamic Calibration using the DynaCal UI, and also further explanations on how to use Tessera features such as OSCA (On Screen Colour Adjustment), ChromaTune, Black Magic, etc. As well as training, the system is being used during sales calls and meetings to demonstrate product features.

Brompton SX40

“The platform is proving incredibly useful,” says Harris. “For example, if a customer is having an issue remotely, instead of sending them an email, we can now set up a meeting to show them how to resolve the problem in real time, or even do a quick screen recording video for them.”
Whilst Brompton’s in person training courses normally span a whole day, Brompton has recognised that sitting in front of a computer screen for that length of time becomes fatiguing and has condensed the virtual course into around two-hour segments.

“Big thanks to Steve for the online session,” says 80six’s Sam James. “Not only was it really useful in terms of training but the whole setup is really slick, enabling attendees to join remotely, with very little participation needed other than verbal feedback. It is perfect for the current situation but also moving forward – as the software is continually updated, it saves coming into the office each time. Steve’s approach and manner were spot on; friendly, fun and informative.”

Brompton’s virtual training is also offering invaluable help to the customers preparing for the future. “We know there are a lot of freelancers who haven’t worked in the field for some time,” adds Harris. “We wanted to be able to provide a refresher course on our products, so they have the confidence that their skills are fully up to date, and incorporate some of the new features that they may not have had a chance to work with yet. This is an ideal way to do that.”

Harris and the team are continually refining and adding to the course, but the reaction so far has been extremely positive. There are also plans to schedule streams on Twitch each month, allowing questions to be asked in real time.

For more information, email [email protected]

The city of Bordeaux has a new Anolis – A Robe business – lighting scheme for its magnificent La Porte de Bourgogne landmark. The Roman-style stone arch was built in the 1750s at the end of one of the major roads traversing Bordeaux, now called the Cours Victor Hugo, which is a major thoroughfare for both cars and pedestrians crossing the city. It is also clearly visible from across the River Garonne.

©Bruno Francois

With its prominent position and historical significance, the city council are keen for La Porte de Bourgogne to be a highly visible ‘communication portal’ welcoming people to the ancient centre, so they wanted a great looking, energy-efficient lighting scheme to replace the old one which was installed over a decade ago and was starting to look dated!
Above all, they wanted more dynamic lighting that could redefine and celebrate La Porte de Bourgogne’s significance as a symbolic gateway to the city.

The city council’s lighting designer Sylvie Bordes was already talking to urban planning specialist Citeos, a subsidiary of multinational Vinci Energies that partners with local authorities and communities to develop their environments. The scope of their work includes advising on architecture and lighting for long term projects.

©Bruno Francois

©Bruno Francois

Anolis, via Robe France’s architectural lighting specialists Bruno Francois and Eric Tabuteau, was already in the frame thanks to their local partner company Objectif Lumière, who convinced the city council and Citeos to undertake some tests. As it happens, Bruno had been involved with the previous lighting installation on the arch (using another brand) ten years ago, and he had several other more recent reference sites using Anolis in the area.

Anolis Arcsource 48 MC Integral

The council wanted a wide range of colours to be available in the new lighting scheme which narrowed down the field when it came to sourcing products. They also required a high-quality warm white as the signature look, without any pixelation, other aberrations or shadows and ghosting.

To illuminate the lower parts of the arch, powerful washes were needed that could fit into the existing dug-outs that had housed the previous luminaires, so the Anolis ArcSource Outdoor 48MC Integral fixture was a perfect fit as it is designed for the large-scale buildings and landscapes requiring higher Lux figures.

Bruno then suggested Anolis’s Eminere range to deal with the upper and top parts of the arch and to fill in some of the gaps. “The Eminere offers so much choice and so many possibilities, so we knew we would find the right solution in this range,” commented Bruno. They also needed to reuse the existing wiring and chemically fixed bracketry, so four Eminere 1s and six Eminere 4 RGBCWs with 10 x 60° lenses were selected for the top sections, and another four Eminere 1s plus seven Eminere 4 RGBCWs with 15° lenses to highlight the central parts of the structure.

Anolis Eminere

“In addition to the colour metrics, the choice of available beam angles on both ArcSource and the Eminere ranges was fundamental to being able to achieve the project’s aesthetic goals,” explained Bruno, adding the La Porte de Bourgogne lighting has dramatically improved just by having a greater choice of beam angles than for the previous installation!
The new lights are running via a Nicolaudie controller.

Like most major cities in France, Bordeaux currently has a city-wide lighting plan that will be rolled out over the next 20-30 years. Certain iconic monuments and squares have been selected as the first focus of a far larger, ambitious and far-reaching plan to invigorate the whole city centre.
The city has been affectionately dubbed “la belle endormie” (the sleeping beauty) for years because the centre is so quiet after sunset, so forward-thinking city planners are embarking on a number of schemes, including urban lighting, to help reimagine this quiet and calm “bourgeoise” city as a bustling, vibrant hub to be enjoyed after dark by citizens and visitors alike.
The new Porte de Bourgogne lighting is one of the first steps and has been extremely well received by the public.

©Bruno Francois

©Bruno Francois

For Anolis, it is the second major landmark lighting installation following illumination of “Les Bassins de Lumières”, a former World War 2 submarine base transformed into an arts and culture space that opened earlier this year.

For more info about Anolis and Robe range of products, check the Anolis website or the Robe website

RCF to introduce LF18N408, expanding the Precision Transducers line of professional 18″ subwoofers. This new transducer is designed to provide powerful and accurate bass frequencies with low distortion, extended low-frequency response and 3,000W continuous program power handling.

LF18N408 uses a fibre loaded cone assembly along with a large triple roll surround, this combination providing remarkable strength and control and very high SPL.

LF18N408 takes advantage of a single spider system, specifically designed with a heavy cloth which ensures excellent control during large excursions. A fully optimized T-pole together with double demodulating rings are designed to reduce flux modulations with benefits on harmonic and intermodulation distortions while improving the transient response. The Dual-forced air venting magnetic structure system provides a very efficient voice coil ventilation to minimize the power compression.

More on the RCF website

Production and rental houses across the entertainment technology industry have had to think creatively in order to continue to serve the industry and stay in business.
One of the more successful has been Synergetic of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, who has converted a portion of their warehouse to a professional TV studio for live streaming with a full Elation Professional lighting system.

President and CEO at Synergetic, Jason Weldon, says that opening the studio has allowed them to pivot from their usual business of supplying entertainment technology gear for live events in the Mid-Atlantic region. “We’ve been able to offer customers the ability to hold a virtual event in a professional setting,” he says while acknowledging that the redirection to a live streaming and professional recording space has also been an economic lifesaver.
“While we’re not 100% or anywhere close to it, it has allowed us to stay in business and offer something unique, easy and useful for our customer base.”

Last spring, it took the team at Synergetic a month to solve how they were going to make the pivot to a TV studio space and another few weeks to educate and train themselves on the setup. “It’s a TV studio so it’s a different ballgame compared to our usual touring setup,” Weldon states.
“Once it got out and people saw what could be done, our customers got excited. We’ve been able to give them a nice solution at an affordable price to hold a professional online event and importantly we were able to keep some jobs and pay some bills.”

The Synergetic studio setup went through three revisions before Weldon and his team were satisfied with the result. The final space is 55 feet wide by 200 long with plenty of room for cameras and control.
Weldon describes: “The extra room we added lengthwise opened it up for putting more people on the stage set and it gives us much better camera angles where we can do sweeping shots and layered looks with depth.”

The 5,000 square foot studio has everything a client needs: lighting, audio, video, cameras, teleprompters, mics, mixers, staging and more. Synergetic technicians, including lighting design assistance, are also available. The lighting setup is made up of 12 Artiste Picasso, 6 Artiste DaVinci and 12 Rayzor 760 LED moving heads along with 12 Platinum Beam 5R movers and 14 Seven Batten strip lights to uplight a backdrop drape.

« We don’t need ellipsoidals because the Picassos with framing shutters act as a Leko, and we can control the LED refresh rate so they work well with the cameras. The DaVinci’s give us color and graphics possibilities and the Rayzors we use as eye candy, which works great for the bands that come in. The 5Rs create great beam effects. »

Bands and musical artists hold virtual concerts, create music videos, or even use the studio as a professional rehearsal space, while corporations and non-profits use it as a professional setting to deliver messages and updates, or to raise funds, instead of broadcasting from a modest living room or inadequate home office. Businesses also use it as a backdrop for social media content or as a product launch setting.

“The fixtures work well in both environments, corporate and band,” Weldon says, “and the positioning was thought out with both a corporate and a concert client in mind.”
For corporate clients the look is clean with not a lot of fixtures in the shot while for musical clients they can move cameras back far enough to see more of the rig. Although clients do have the possibility of adjusting or adding to the rig, Weldon says most have been very happy with the setup the way it is.

With an eye to the future, another motivation for opening the studio was to stay in front of people who can potentially use Synergetic when the industry gets back working again. Whether or not that means the studio will remain open long term, like so many, Weldon says who knows what the future holds. He does anticipate though keeping the studio operational through 2021.

More information about Synergetic and about Elation Lighting range of product

Brompton Technology is delighted to announce that its Dynamic Calibration technology and Hydra advanced measurement system have won in both the Support Technology of the Year and Event Technology of the Year categories at one of the most recognised and respected award ceremonies for the audiovisual industry; the AV Awards.

Following the cancellation of the physical ceremony due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the AV Awards pivoted to a virtual celebration for its awards gala. The event was live streamed via Swapcard and offered a sparkling evening of entertainment and celebration of the AV world’s most significant talent and achievements.

Brompton’s Dynamic Calibration is a revolutionary technology for calibrating LED panels that redefines the performance users can expect from their LED screens. It enables LED panels to maintain uniformity while un-locking the full potential of each individual LED, to achieve previously unattainable levels of brightness and colour saturation and deliver Brompton HDR (High Dynamic Range) performance.

New York’s GUM Studios, a high-spec virtual environment that includes ROE Visual Black Pearl 2 LED video panels, driven by Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 processors. ©Photo by Jackie Roman – GUM Studios

It is a worthy winner of Event Technology of the Year due to its exceptional performance in numerous stunning virtual studio events worldwide this year, as well as being used in virtual production workflows for many blockbuster film and TV productions alongside virtual productions tools such as Unreal Engine from Epic Games and disguise XR.

Dynamic Calibration is enabled by first measuring LED panels using Brompton’s all-in-one Hydra advanced measurement system, which offers fast calibration times, and the option to reinvigorate existing LED panel stock, making the combination a natural winner for Support Technology of the Year.
Hydra complements its calibration capability with beautiful interactive web-based reports in multiple languages. Brompton sold out of its first two production runs of the Hydra, with the measurement systems going to both LED manufacturers and rental houses to ensure their LED panels are capable of giving the best possible performance.

Brompton was also nominated for one of the AV Awards new discretionary categories, Innovation of the Year Award (Technology), which aims to recognise organisations and individuals that have shown impeccable, relevant credentials in their submissions, and to highlight what the AV industry should be aspiring to achieve.

“We were honoured to receive an AV award for our Tessera SX40 4K processor at last year’s ceremony, and it is fantastic to follow that with two awards in this year’s event. This has been a real team effort and I would like to thank everyone at Brompton for their hard work and dedication, and our partners for their continued trust in our LED processing solutions. It is a real boost to morale in what has been a challenging year,” says Brompton’s Managing Director, Richard Mead.

Brompton SX40

“The AV industry is creative and resilient and has looked for ways to adapt to the current situation. With Virtual Production and Extended Reality being used more extensively to facilitate new methods of content production and delivery, the quality of Brompton processing for LED being used on camera has really come to the fore. It is a great honour to see technologies such as Dynamic Calibration and Hydra, both enablers for Brompton HDR, being recognised at such a coveted AV industry event.”

Signalling the start of the new NFL season, The Killers staged a special, highly symbolic one-off performance of their anthemic and hugely popular “Mr Brightside” on the rooftop of Caesar’s Palace … for the Las Vegas Raiders who have just moved into the newly completed Allegiant Stadium.
Produced for ESPN, the segment’s lighting design was created remotely by The Killers’ long-term lighting designer Steven Douglas, who included 43 x Robe MegaPointes and 14 x CycFX 8 moving LED battens on the rig, supplied by lighting vendor LMG.

©Lari Dolan of LMG Touring

Steven was working from home in Ireland, unable to travel due to international restrictions during the Coronavirus pandemic. He received a brief about the look of the piece from director Dagen Merrill plus ESPN’s creative team, and his design was realized on site by lighting programmer and operator Josh Spodick and the LMG crew.

The brief specifically called for lots of glitzy beamy through-shots for this clip celebrating the new stadium and welcoming the Raiders to the new season – and that’s why Steven chose MegaPointes as an “excellent” solution … for the brightness, punch and power they brought to the equation.

©Lari Dolan of LMG Touring

A small stage deck was built on the iconic rooftop at Caesar’s Palace measuring 48ft wide and 16ft deep and 2ft high to elevate the band enough for the blow-through camera shots to look stunning and capture the aura and atmosphere of the city’s famous Strip in the background.

There was no LED screen as the space was tight and any kit had to be ground – or in this case roof – supported. Equipment also had to fit into a standard lift, which was the only access.
Steven positioned MegaPointes all around the band at the front, and off to both sides at the back, with alternating strobes and MegaPointes, created 4-tiered diagonal corner features with each tier a foot above the previous, giving a cool ‘bleacher seating’ infinity effect off to the sides.

©Lari Dolan of LMG Touring

The front camera shots zoomed and tracked in past the front row of MegaPointes while the CycFX 8s were positioned in two rows, upstage right at the back with another row at the mid stage point, separating the band upstage and downstage.
This produced a nice crisp back light, so the band popped out from the general background with an almost holographic look. Steven has worked with The Killers since 2006.

Knowing them and the music really well in addition to his extensive experience as a lighting professional for television, concerts and touring shows meant he knew exactly the style and look required. That said, and normally by nature a fully hands-on LD, he commented that it was “extremely interesting” firstly not actually programming and running the show himself on site, then even stranger working from afar, seeing everything on a screen and dealing with the 8-hour time difference. However, everyone was delighted with the results!

©Lari Dolan of LMG Touring

LMG put Josh forward as the operator for all four The Killers shows. Steven completed the drawings – three of the lighting rigs were completely different – and when the setlist was announced for each show, he and Josh painstakingly worked together via Zoom and Skype, developing cue-by-cue lighting for each song. Patrick Kligel was the DoP, George Clayton the master electrician and Hunter Langley the gaffer.

LMG account executive Juliana Stern commented, “Working on this project was the perfect opportunity to prove how LMG has been able to pivot our focus. It was truly fulfilling to see the shoot come together for The Killers and The Raiders after such challenging times. I am so thankful to have been surrounded by the best equipment and the best crew who can bring events like this together.”

For more info about Robe range of products, check the Robe website

Designed by architects Rudy Ricciotti and Jean-Michel Battesti, 6MIC (pronounced ‘seismic’) has been turning heads since opening its doors for the very first time this summer. Its lichen-covered concrete structure, both a technical feat and a world first, is designed to give a mountainesque appearance to the building, seamlessly blending into the natural landscape.

6MIC’s goal is to become an epicentre for music and culture throughout France. Therefore, they required a sound reinforcement system to reproduce various performance styles and keep a minimal carbon footprint. 6MIC chose to install L-Acoustics throughout all performance spaces to hit both of these goals.

The Rudy Ricciotti and Jean-Michel Battesti design, fully blending into the natural landscape thanks to the vegetation which takes possession of its forms.

Although structural work commenced in 2018, it was not until September the following year that the 6MIC technical team started working on the audio concept.
With an ambitious goal of deploying sound equipment that would be of the highest calibre and future-proof, 6MIC Technical Director Rémi Droesch’s brief was simple: “We wanted the best sounding system!” After consulting with a number of premium loudspeaker manufacturers, L-Acoustics was retained by the 6MIC team for several reasons.

“Out of all the companies we spoke to, L-Acoustics ticked our boxes right from the outset,” explains Droesch. “First of all, the comprehensive loudspeaker range and excellent performance of L-Acoustics make it the best audio manufacturer we know.
Price was equally important to us, and the L-Acoustics team provided a very competitive offer. Finally, following our architectural design philosophy of blending into the nature around us, we wanted to be as carbon friendly as possible, so partnering with a French loudspeaker manufacturer made perfect sense to us.”

The big hall

Dushow was chosen as the system integrator, and its team worked closely with 6MIC’s Albert Peirat on all commercial elements and Laurent Moulis on technical aspects. Dushow also facilitated 6MIC’s first contact with L-Acoustics Sales Manager, Olivier Inizan, who proposed the new Kara II system.

“When Olivier suggested Kara II, which wasn’t even announced to the public at the time, we held our breath in anticipation and excitement. We knew that Kara would be a very good system for us. So calling ourselves the world’s first venue to install Kara II shortly after being referred to as a world-first for our original and innovative architectural design just seemed very appropriate,” smiles Droesch.

The eight KARA II and the four X8 in the main hall.

The new L-Acoustics M1 measurement platform was recommended as part of the overall sound system design to guarantee the perfect system optimization for all the different configurations of the venue’s performance spaces. M1, in combination with the P1 processor, offered the benefit of streamlining measurements of the loudspeaker system throughout the spaces at 6MIC.

This proved its worth very early on. Split across three levels, 6MIC features eight separate areas comprising two concert halls with audience capacities of 800 and 2,000, five rehearsal and recording studios for amateur and professional musicians, and an outdoor patio. Each area is unique, so the team needed to treat them individually to achieve homogenous bandwidth and dynamics.

A closer view of the main hall system featuring hanged arrays of four KS21 in a cardioid setup and eight KARA II.

The audio concept was designed by Moulis, with Inizan and L-Acoustics Application Engineer Arnaud Delorme assisting, and the system was delivered to 6MIC in March.
“Due to the first wave of COVID-19 restrictions, the final Kara II installation had to be postponed until May, with Arnaud completing three full days of socially distanced training and testing in each individual room in June,” continues Droesch.

The X8 frontfills in action.

The Grand Concert Hall system comprises a Kara II variable curvature line source deployed with four KS21 flown per side. Four A10 in radial configuration provide solid infill and X8 as frontfill ensures perfect coverage of the first rows.
Kara II arrays are powered per group of two boxes to offer state-of-the-art line source processing using AutoFIR technology. It also provides consistent SPL and tonal balance response throughout the venue.

The Club uses A15 medium throw line sources with KS21 subwoofers for bandwidth extension. This high contour solution is used with X8 as frontfill and infill. The patio space comprises an ARCS WiFo/SB18m system, while the bar benefits from 5XT with SB18 subs. A mobile X15HiQ stage monitor package with ARCS Wide for sidefill is available to satisfy artists’ demands.

“The great thing about this system is its adaptability. The equipment for the patio can also be used in the bar during the winter,” explains Droesch. “Each separate system is adapted to the capacity and geometry of the room. In the Club and the Grand Concert Hall, we use Milan/AVB audio network protocol between P1 and the amplified controllers, so we have both perfect time alignment of all channel amps and optimized latency. LA Network Manager controls all systems.

A short film showing 6MIC and its different rooms:

6MIC opened its doors to numerous talented artists and performers throughout the summer, and feedback has been exceptionally positive. Many French and international acts, such as Oxmo Puccino, Ayo, Peter Hook and The Light, The Wackids, and Svinkels, are booked to appear at 6MIC in 2021.
“We are extremely proud of the end result and would like to thank L-Acoustics and Dushow for their close partnership with us, as well as our local service providers who have all helped us bring this ambitious project to life,” concludes Droesch.

“The technical support we received from L-Acoustics was invaluable, both at the very early stages of the system design as well as later during the final process of system testing and team training. We have been delighted with the feedback so far, with both 6MIC staff and visiting artists singing the praises of the venue and its exceptional sound quality. Kara II is definitely the new way forward, and we are very pleased to find ourselves moving in the same direction.”

More on the L-Acoustics website and on the 6MIC website

Three of the ways to use P15.

After P8, P10 and P12, the Audio pro French firm offers the coaxial and versatile P15 speaker, and also completes its subs line from above with the L18. As you will discover in the P15 launch film at the end of this article, this model benefits from the advances already encountered in the rest of the P+ NEXO series in terms of cabinetmaking.

Not easy to see, but one part is birch and the other is poplar.

The panels are worked using numerically controlled machines for cutting, routing and, once the cabinetry is assembled manually exclusively using glues, polishing. Two types of wood are used, birch plywood for the outer layer and poplar, lighter, for the inner one.
The panels are also curved which makes it possible to gain in strength, quality of rendering and to lose weight, while offering much more current shapes and a very compact size. Two wide handles facilitate transport. The weight of P15 is only 23 kg.

The coaxial powering P15. The fixed waveguide is a 60 °x 60 °.

The coaxial transducer that equips P15 is a specific model of very high quality and sensitivity, equipped with a single neodymium magnet for the 15” with 3.5” coil as well as for the driver and its 3 ”dome.

Like P12, P15 can be used in passive mode or in two active channels by manipulating a protected switch located on the rear panel. The SPL gains 2 dB in active with a gain in terms of distortion and coherence around the filter points. The passive filter is embedded in resin in order to protect its components from vibrations and shocks.

The switch is well protected from improper handling.

The standard waveguide is a 60 °x 60 ° but it is easily possible to add an optional magnetic flange opening at 90 °x 40 ° or lastly an asymmetrical flange called PS, named after the emblematic NEXO model and offering 60 ° ~ 100 °x 40 °.
The back plate contains two Speakon connectors plus one on each of the two sides to simplify the wiring of the wedge lines or when mounting on a standard 35 mm pole.

The two P15 vents and an optional flange, here the 60 ° ~ 100 °x 40 °.

Two vents calculated and drawn by computer exploit in bass reflex mode the rear wave and reduce turbulence and distortion at high level.

Installation versions are available in custom RAL colors and feature a fixed fabric covered grille, universal hanging points on the sides and bottom of the cabinet, and a 2 conductor cable for audio input to ensure degree of protection IP54.

Extremely powerful, P15 delivers 139 dB SPL peak in passive mode and 141 dB in two active channels. The bandwidth ranges from 57 Hz to 20 kHz at -6 dB.
The cutoff frequencies between P15 and sub are a choice of 57 Hz, 85 or 120 Hz. The reference amplifier of this model is the NXAMP4X2 MK2, capable of feeding up to 8 in passive mode, but with the big one NXAMP4X4 MK2, we reach the number of 16!

The energy reserves were not forgotten by Yamaha, the parent of this beautiful baby called NXAMP4X4 MK2.

An almost indescribable number of accessories, fly cases, covers, roller trays in addition to flanges exist and facilitate the integration or hanging of P15, alone or in cluster with L18 and when we talk about the ventilator …

Compact horn loaded sub L18

The L18 is the sub complement of P15 and manages with a single 18” speaker to deliver the same pressure as the latter. The cabinet also benefits from the same work in double birch and poplar plywood, which maintains the weight at 50 kg despite the band-pass and horn load.

The finish is applied with a gun on a box perfectly sealed with glue and sanded by robot. Three handles per side make handling quick and easy. A pair of Speakons make it simple to put two L18s in parallel or offer an output to, for example, a P15. To let this sub breathe and guarantee the best flow from both chambers, the front grille takes on a very wide yet strong enough honeycomb design.

The Beautiful & Chic 18” that drives L18.

The LF driver chosen by NEXO, an 18” neodymium transducer with a 4.5” coil, is driven by an extremely stiff and capable of high displacement cone. Its tuning delivers a dry, precise and high impact while maintaining a low point of 32 Hz at -6 dB.

Designed to fill or boost the energy of the first two octaves, the frequency response is limited by the presets at 120 Hz. Two cutoff frequencies 85 and 120 Hz are aligned with the phase of all the other NEXO loudspeakers which guarantees a perfect match with P15 or with, for example, any other sub in the catalog. A low latency preset makes it easier to use L18 with P15 for example as a drum fill system on stage.

The wedge that will delight all drummers !

Specifically designed to also deliver 100% of its performance with the NXAMP4X2 MK2, the L18 transducer coil has an impedance of 4 ohms, i.e. one sub per amp channel. It goes without saying that with the NXAMP4X4 MK2, it will be possible to align the double.

L18 finally benefits from the computing power embedded in the new NEXO amplifiers via algorithms called Advances Dynamic Processing which adapt the maximum excursion of its transducer with the potential in terms of voltage of the amplifier, this in order to deliver the best possible sound, without risking to trigger the thermal limit of the driver.

L18 with the NXAMP4X4 MK2 amp.

Finally to find out more and discover how well the English language is mastered in Plailly ;0) watch the film below.

And see you in a few weeks when hopefully the virus will be challenged by a needle and NEXO’s lawn will have dried out, for a listening of those noisy babies and who knows, maybe the full range of P + (Let’s call that a message in a bottle assuming that we won’t miss empty ones after the holidays.)

More on the Nexo website

With a portfolio including Apple, Vogue, Amazon, and Spotify, GUM Studios is a New York Qualified Production Facility, offering expansive and versatile spaces that can confidently cater for any requirement and shoot.
Recently, GUM turned to 4Wall Entertainment to provide lighting and video equipment for its new Virtual Production (VP) facility. The high-spec virtual environment includes ROE Visual Black Pearl 2 LED video panels, which are driven by Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 processors.

©Clarissa Steed – GUM Studio

“GUM is a long-term customer of 4Wall’s, and we have been supplying it with equipment for years,” says 4Wall’s Account Executive – Video Production, Wayne Romanowski.
“With Virtual Production tipped to become a standard for how major motion pictures will be shot going forward, we were honoured when the GUM team contacted us about supporting them in bringing this cutting-edge technology to their clients.”

4Wall provided 333 ROE Visual Black Pearl BP2 (2.8MM) LED video panels to create a curved wall 40′ wide, 15′ tall and 20′ deep. The company also supplied 51 Full and eight Half ROE Visual Carbon CB8 (8.3MM) LED video panels for an approximately 25′ wide x 20′ deep ceiling for lighting and reflections.

©Jackie Roman – GUM Studio

The entire set-up is driven by three Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors and five XD 10G data distribution units, out of which “two SX40s along with four XD units are used for the LED wall and the rest are deployed for the ceiling,” adds 4Wall’s Account Executive Sales, John Velez.
With GUM Studio’s new virtual facility offering a perfect platform for productions to operate during the pandemic, and to continue when things regain some level of normality, the team couldn’t be more excited to be part of this project and to supply GUM with reliable, top-of-the-range equipment like Brompton’s Tessera processing system.

“We are aware of Brompton’s 24/7 technical service but, fortunately, we haven’t had to reach out to them for support throughout this project,” says Velez. “That is partially due to the quality of the product and the completeness of its documentation. Looking back at some of the previous installations, their tech support has always been prompt and efficient when I needed the team’s help.

©Jackie Roman – GUM Studio

As with any VP environment, state-of-the-art technology can make or break a production. The combination of Tessera SX40 processor and ROE Visual BP2 LED panels proved a winning recipe for the 4Wall team. “This particular processor / tile combination has a long legacy,” explains Romanowski.

“There are so many ‘known knowns’ about both products, that troubleshooting or adapting new technology features are almost routine matters. Also, we know how the tiles will respond to the processor settings. It’s a very predictable and tried and tested workflow and is frustration free.
Throughout this project, we have seen Brompton roll out many new features to the processor’s software that have implemented well and will expand upon the ease of use to let us achieve even greater and more demanding visual results.”

©Jackie Roman – GUM Studio

“With VP helping break down silos of production, we need reliable partners that can support us in bringing this revolutionary technology to life,” concludes Velez.

“Brompton Technology is perfectly positioned to do that, with its powerful Tessera processor playing an important role in the virtual production workflow and enabling us to serve our customers with a much more immersive way of content creation. GUM Studios’ Virtual Production Studio is a perfect example of that.”

For further information on GUM Studio’s Virtual Production Studio please follow the link Gum Studio Virtual Production

And for more information about Brompton Technology range of Product, visit the Brompton Technology website

“If you’re planning to create atmospheric effects, these are the entertainment industry’s go to products,” states television and film lighting hire company, Limelite Lighting about the MDG fog and haze generators in its inventory.

Ideally placed in Goudhurst, Kent, within easy reach of television studios in London and Maidstone, Limelite has been an advocate of MDG haze generators since it was founded in 2007. Directors Ed Railton and Matthew Mountier, both with longstanding freelance careers in theatre touring and television lighting respectively, purchased 10 MDG Atmosphere haze generators at the outset and are still using the same machines 13 years later.

MDG Atmosphere haze machines – still reliable workhorses for Limelite Lighting after 13 years – prepped and ready for their next TV appearance.

“We both had extensive experience of MDG through our freelance careers and knew them to be the best,” says Railton. “We liked the level of control, the fineness of the haze and the smooth, even dispersion the Atmosphere gives it’s so fine you can’t see the haze until light is passed through it.”
Limelite Lighting’s initial engagements were with theatres and small television studios, but the bulk of its work today is in television, with the majority in outside broadcast, and many subhires to larger TV and film rental companies.

“Over the years we have seen a change from DOPs’ traditional requests for cracked oil hazers to the cleaner option of MDG Atmosphere haze generators which have become the lighting directors’ hazer of choice,” says Railton. “The Atmospheres leave very little residue on lenses, gobos and accessories.” This has proved an important factor for cameramen, and for maintenance technicians who spend less time cleaning moving lights and cameras post-show.
“MDG has all the flexibility, control and reliability we need as a rental house,” continues Railton. “Every job is different: studios work within limits and are 100% controllable, but outside broadcast is more complex, wholly reliant on the weather, and changes by the minute. A DOP can call on you at any point with just a ten minute window in the weather. But we can take advantage of the Atmosphere’s 100% duty cycle and use the DMX controller to respond instantly to whatever is needed.”

All Limelite’s Atmosphere generators are housed in bespoke flight cases with spare gas and fluid bottles as complete, transportable units for quick deployment wherever required. The company offers a choice of DMX and manual control generators to suit client needs. Recent productions employing MDG Atmosphere include MTV’s Just Tattoo of Us and Simon Amstell’s latest DVD Benjamin.
“From a hire company’s perspective, our MDG Atmospheres have proved a good long-term investment,” concludes Railton. “The generators are never out of action so we need something reliable and strong, and easy and quick to maintain. Ours have been solid as a rock, the parts are readily available and they are very economical on fluid. Clients know what they are getting and like what they get.”

Limelite Lighting continued to film during lockdown No 1 with The Ranganation and Mo Gillingan’s All Star Happy Hour, while lockdown No 2 saw them busy with a new series of SAS Who Dares Wins, The Great British Sewing Bee and preparations for some of the pantomimes that are still lined up over Christmas.

For more information on MDG Atmosphere haze generators and all MDG fog, low fog and haze products, visit the MDG Fog website

And more information on Limelite Lighting can be found at www.limelitelighting.co.uk