In tandem with the recent release of LA Network Manager 3, L-Acoustics takes its industry-leading sound reinforcement system control and monitoring software to a new level with the introduction of the M1 suite, a comprehensive set of measurement and monitoring tools. From data acquisition through system tuning to live monitoring, M1 harnesses the power of the manufacturer’s Milan-certified P1 processor and amplified controller hardware to deliver a streamlined system calibration process as well as real-time performance monitoring.
La nouvelle suite L-Acoustics M1, intégrée à LA Network Manager 3, fonctionne avec le processeur P1 et les contrôleurs amplifiés pour offrir le réglage du système et le monitoring en direct.
The M1 suite is an industry first, pairing system measurement and control software to work natively as one seamless solution. Providing an original, reliable, and more efficient method for calibration, M1 allows users to expand their capabilities and optimize their time. Ideal tuning of a venue requires both data capture and analysis.
For most systems on the market, calibration processes typically involve estimating optimum EQ and alignment settings, measuring these setting via mic placement, then capturing the data. For each setting, mic placement and capture must be performed multiple times to obtain measurements throughout an entire venue. Any adjustments made to EQ or alignment would naturally require the user to repeat the mic placement and capture process. M1 is a dual-channel FFT measurement platform that automates this process—sequentially muting and unmuting different parts of the system that need to be measured, capturing audio, labeling measurements, and storing data to the proper groups automatically. With M1, mic placement and capture throughout the venue is done only once. Data is acquired and compiled in the software, and measurements can be visualized individually, as spatial averages and sums of elements.
If adjustments to EQ are needed, they can be done virtually, and subsequently analyzed and optimized within M1, meaning that the user attains the best calibration for the venue much faster. And once the measurements have been captured, the sound team can even leave the venue and finish the calibration offline, freeing up time and resources for the setup of other production elements.
Scott Sugden for a short yet very tempting movie on the new M1 suite:
All data capture in M1 is storable. If the user has a “eureka” moment days or months after calibrating a venue, M1 is ready. Simply adjust calibration settings virtually in the control software and upload it to the venue for automatic improvement from anywhere in the world. Every adjustment ever made is tracked in the software and can be recalled and reanalyzed. When proper calibration has been attained and a performance begins, M1 provides live system monitoring via a Real Time Analyzer (RTA), evaluating the behavior of the system and keeping it optimized at all times. During a show, atmospheric conditions like humidity and temperature can fluctuate; content can vary from pianissimo to forte; crowds ebb and swell, affecting room excitation.
Each of these variables can lead to changes in system performance. To compensate, M1’s RTA gives the operator a graphical understanding of the behavior of the system, while LA Network Manager continually analyzes the new atmospheric conditions and proposes corrections accordingly. The measurement and control tools within M1 are natively integrated; any changes made to one tool are reproduced in the other and automatically optimized.
Scott Sugden
“M1 with LA Network Manager is really the future of system calibration and monitoring,” says L-Acoustics Product and Technology Outreach Manager Scott Sugden. “By integrating a comprehensive measurement platform into our amplifier control software, we very effectively help sound professionals save time, decrease error, and concentrate their skills on creating amazing experiences for their artists and audiences.
Artistic Licence is delighted to announce a new formal distribution agreement with Molpass S.r.l. in Italy. With an emphasis on the theatrical market, Artistic’s lighting control infrastructure products will augment other premium brands in the Molpass portfolio.
Founded in 1995, Molpass is a versatile provider of high-tech solutions in the entertainment sector, with a particular focus on the audience experience. Recognising the demand for a high-quality dimming product for replacement LED bulbs, Molpass approached Artistic Licence for a trial of their award-winning sunDial trailing edge mains dimmer. Following a positive response from a number of prestigious Italian theatres, a broader distribution agreement was the next logical step.
Giorgio Molinari, CEO of Molpass comments, “Professional venues simply cannot accept the poor low-end response typical of many dimmers that are claimed to be LED compatible. But the sunDial product gives a very nice fade, and we particularly like the fact that custom curves can be generated and uploaded for our clients’ preferred lamps”.
Artistic Licence CEO Wayne Howell adds, “sunDial is a perfect example of a product that we developed to solve a technology problem, caused by the move away from CFL and incandescent lighting. As a company, we have a deep understanding of the lighting control needs of venues, having served this market for many decades. So if a theatre or studio finds it needs to handle data in a different way – be that conversion to a different protocol, merging, splitting or failover to name just a few scenarios – then we probably already have the solution. We’re very pleased that Molpass will be increasing our visibility in Italy, which we hope will become a strong area of growth for us”.
The agreement with Molpass in Italy follows Artistic Licence’s recent appointment of Controllux as its distributor in the Benelux countries, and Discoland Oy in Finland.
Leading wireless LED lighting manufacturer Astera releases its newest innovation – the NYX Bulb – a name inspired by NYX, Greek Goddess of the Night, a mysterious figure of exceptional power and beauty, feared even by Zeus himself!
NYX Bulb – the same size as a standard LED bulb – is the first colour-tuneable LED bulb for professional film, stage, and event productions. It comes complete with a CRMX receiver for wireless DMX, plus RF and Bluetooth modules for control via the Astera App on a smartphone or Tablet. It is lightweight, hugely flexible, and highly controllable, and as always, Astera keeps the standards of quality and innovation top of the agenda.
NYX Bulb is designed for gaffers, DoPs, lighting and set designers, visual artists and anyone needing stunning ‘practicals’ or outstanding feature lighting bulbs … anytime, anywhere. In addition to movie shoots and television studios, it is perfect for theatrical sets and for scenic elements on tour shows and live events.
Sized like a regular LED bulb, NYX Bulb can be powered via an E27 socket (E26 in the US version) or with a standard power bank. Due to its compact form, it is the first Astera light source with external battery options (rather than inbuilt). Its Titan LED engine delivers precise colours and authentic white tones with an ultra-high CRI and TLCI and it emits an impressive 750 Lumens, comparable to a conventional 60W bulb, yet drawing just 10W of power!
Astera NYX Bulb Set
The RGB + mint + amber LED engine is the same as that of Astera’s award-winning Titan Tube – another name embracing the power of Greek gods and mythology – so these sources can be seamlessly mixed and matched together, and NYX Bulb offers the same excellent colour rendering – with CRI & TLCI at 96-98 and 3200 to 6500° Kelvin respectively, and a full range of beautiful, precise colours unlocked through digital calibration.
The tuneable white range goes from 1750 – 20,000K, and a full range of precise gel filter numbers can be accurately reproduced. Control includes inbuilt LumenRadio wireless DMX which can be run via any lighting console, as well as more locally from the quick and intuitive Astera App.
The inbuilt Bluetooth receiver is a new feature allowing users to control NYX bulbs directly from their smartphones without needing an Astera ART7 Box, and will be available via a software update in the second half of the year. The first Astera NYX Bulb that is connected via the Bluetooth signal enables the control of all the other NYX Bulbs in the range.
A dual power option offers more versatility! This can be either 90-240V AC via an E27 socket (E26 in the USA) … or a DC socket is available for connecting external batteries or power banks, for which a USB cable is included with the NYX Bulb. CupBouncer is another nifty accessory! When NYX Bulbs are used in conjunction with lampshades or other coverings, this is attached to the bulb via a suction cup and reflects light back towards the base controlling the light spread.
Astera NYX Bulb with PowerStation
The Astera PowerStation is an essential multifunctional accessory which has an inbuilt battery unit for powering NYX Bulbs. The PowerStation can also be used to programme the NYX Blubs with parameters like DMX addresses, colours and other settings via its display and keyboard, and when the NYX Bulb is disconnected, these settings are retained. Rear-side magnets for hanging the NYX Bulb together with an integrated airline track where several mounting grips and accessories can be connected all enhance the practical options for how and where NYX can be installed.
Currently available through Astera’s global distribution network, NYX Bulbs are available as single units or in sets of eight, complete with a PowerStation inside the case for charging and programming the Bulbs. The PowerStation is also available as a single stand-alone unit or as a set of 8 x PowerStations in a charging case, for setting up 8 x NYX Bulbs super quickly and efficiency.
Lucas Enguerrand and his brother Quentin, who both work at French lighting and visual production and rental company FL Group, based in Morangis 15km south of Paris, wanted to keep morale high and their passion for music and lighting alive in a meaningful way during the Covid-19 lockdown.
With the full permission and support of FL Group owner Francois Lamberdière, they activated a plan to utilise the company warehouse and other available resources like equipment … and with a little help from their friends, have started producing spectacular ‘full production’ live streams working with a number of contemporary French artists.
When the French live event and production industry ground to a halt in March, as with all the rental companies, all FL Group’s immediate work was cancelled, the country went into lockdown to contain the virus and all the staff found themselves in a technical unemployment situation. Not one is to sit around for long in this industry, and Lucas and Quentin were no exceptions!
They started by creating a truly incredible looking lighting and video design inspired by the conical shape of an hour-glass timer! Three chevron-shaped trusses were rigged in descending order of size – largest at the top – in the warehouse roof, each truss with an LED video border on the front edges.
Each truss was loaded with Robe LEDBeam 150s, twenty-four in total. Ten were on the highest two trusses, eight on the middle two and six across the two lowest sections … which were just above the performer’s head!
For back lighting and retina-burning blasts through from the rear … were 12 x MegaPointes! Two Tarrantulas were used to side light the artist, and at the front for key lighting were four BMFL WashBeams on stands. All fixtures were pulled from the company’s 400-strong fleet of Robe fixtures and were programmed and controlled via a grandMA2 console.
“The idea was basically to make it appear like a festival main stage, with lots of drama and impact,” explained Lucas. To test out their creation, Lucas and Quentin asked French rapper Rim’K – who has several connections with the company – if he would check it out, which he did … while shooting the official video for his new release “Midnight”.
This has received over 2.5 million views … so it is clear his fans also appreciated the music assisted by a super slick professional production set up. After this great experience, the lockdown intensified, and the brothers decided to try and get some live stream work going … as this is an activity that can be achieved with social distancing, and for which so many artists could benefit from even a small but thought-through production!
They changed up the set and scenic elements of the ‘production space’ after the Rim’K video shoot and approached their many industry contacts and friends in music and artist communities. Following a lot of hard work, a raft of popular and cutting edge DJs and music producers lined up to take a streaming spin in the warehouse – including Rakoto3000, Hony Zouka, MG, Jam Hill, Stéphane dos Santos, Livoo, Tony Vegas, DJ XLR, DJ Seif and Don Darrell to name just a few!
All of them were just as anxious to return to some form of normal-looking and sounding ‘live’ performance as possible, and their various sets have been broadcast on Facebook Live and Twitch … on average each getting around 5000 views.
“It’s been a fantastic experience getting back into some ‘almost live’ music and being able to operate a real lightshow,” enthused Lucas. “Right now, this is the closest we have been able to get to the real gigs and the incredible atmosphere and vibes of being live and being there that we all love and miss so much!” Lucas likes Robe products generally for their reliability and great features like colours and colour mixing and will always integrate ‘an amount’ of Robe into his show designs. Normally at this time of year, FL Group would be full-on supplying a whole range of events – from corporates to music – with lighting, video, and sound during their traditional peak season between April and October.
Now, like everyone, they are anxiously awaiting a post-Covid-19 world that will see a gradual return to people being able to gather, dance, move, groove and enjoy live music together again!
As the world waits for venues and productions to reopen, lighting students and professionals alike have turned to the virtual realm to hone their skills. Now, ETC has partnered with an award-winning Broadway lighting team to create a new educational challenge: The Hamilton Programming Project. Participants will use actual touring paperwork from the hit musical to finish prep on an Eos show file and recreate Howell Binkley’s Tony Award®‐winning lighting looks – all in Eos Augment3d.
The project stemmed from an idea Hamilton’s Programmer David Arch had when he sat down to explore Eos Augment3d, a programming environment (currently in open beta) that allows Eos Family console or ETCnomad users to control and design in a three-dimensional space. As a practice exercise, Arch decided to import the 3D model of the Hamilton set from the pre-vis of the first touring production and add in the lights. With Augment3d as his virtual venue he began to lay virtual focus tapes and cones, focus conventionals, touch up moving light presets, and insert virtual performers on the set and turntables. “By the end of the day I thought, ‘this is quite an interesting learning experience,’” says Arch. If he had found the project valuable, he reasoned, then maybe others would as well.
After getting buy-in from the Hamilton team, Arch set about collaborating with ETC to flesh out the project as a guided educational exercise. He pared down the show file to thirteen short cue sequences and put together a package of real paperwork – including a cone layout sheet, conventional and moving light focus charts, gobo images, preset charts, a magic sheet, and more – taken from the third Hamilton tour. Students of the project can use this paperwork to recreate the cue sequences in Augment3d, checking their work against a series of images from Arch’s own Augment3d file.
Participants also get a chance to work with a virtual replica of the Hamilton set. “It’s the full 3D Vectorworks version that came out of [Scenic Designer] David Korins’ office for the Angelica Tour, so it’s beautiful,” explains Arch. “It is a unit set, but you can move the stairs around and have fun with the turntables, and there is a lot of detail to explore.”
The HamiltonProgramming Projects contains both an introductory and an advanced track, each with its own show file. The introductory file provides a mostly-functional rig as a starting point while the advanced file gives students extra Augment3d practice as they work to get their rigs up and running. The project doesn’t provide step-by-step instructions, instead encouraging participants to use their own creativity and knowledge to create snapshots, macros, magic sheets and other programming solutions. “Hopefully, at the end of it,” says Arch, “your cue images will look similar, or better, than our cue photos.”
This installation has been deployed as every year in the Petit parc (“small park”) which faces the Versailles Castle. This park is small only by its name, since it covers an area of more than 50 hectares with its different themed groves. This set of groves and ponds extends from the Castle to the Apollo Basin. Open since June 6th during the day, The Musical Fountains are supplemented by the Night Fountains since June 27th.
A map of the Petit parc becoming musical during a few months. Look for the red dots. These are speakers, amplifiers nests or the control room!
Let’s turn it over to Benoit Soutenet, Dushow’s business manager and fine expert of this technical file.
Benoit Soutenet : Benoit Soutenet: We have been working for CVS (Château de Versailles Spectacles) for this recurring event for 7 years, and others have done it before us indeed, as this Fountains Show dates from 1666
The Neptune Basin with the dragon in the background, spitting water from its own pool.
There is therefore directly on site a team of fountain specialists, with their huge know-how, for all that relates to water because there is a lot of maintenance to keep running; almost without electric pumps, all the bodies of water work only with rainwater drained throughout the park and stored in the Grand Bassin and in huge tanks buried here and there or positioned on the roof of buildings surrounding the Castle itself.
Benoit Soutenet and Neptune. Phew, not even scared.
SLU : How do you know this whole case so well?…
Benoit Soutenet : When I started with Versailles, Dushow was still called Dispatch, in 2000!
SLU : What’s your job here exactly then?
Benoit Soutenet : We install the rather complex sound system that allows us to create an audio stroll between the different water bodies in the garden. There is a continuity of sound from the exit of the Castle and up to the Apollo Basin; the specifications of the sound designer are that the sound is as homogeneous as possible down below.
SLU : You have adapted to this historical site and play the card of discretion…
Benoit Soutenet : Absolutely. We are working in close proximity with small cabinets and when this is not possible, for example at the Parterre de Latone, we hang stacks in the surrounding groves.
The esplanade called Parterre de Latone with the 4 camouflaged technical huts marked B5, B7, B8 and B10 and right next to the hanging boxes, Kara in B5 and B8 and dV-Dosc in B10 and B7 with points 5 and 8 with arrangements of 8 SB28 per side in end fire mode.
Lines of 12 Kara covered by a waterproof hood except its acoustically transparent front face. Note the green “Versailles” RAL color, fabric like tubes respect that. Everything is in official colors! At the foot of each of Kara’s lines are the 8 SB28.
The subs lifted from the ground and wrapped in pairs in “end fire” mounting.
We make the system complete with Bose 802s which actually cover the Green Carpet which leads to the Apollo Basin and the Grand Canal. There is one on each side of this alley, every 10 meters or so. From what I can remember, there are 58 of these running, all powered by PM4500 amps. We also made the choice to drive the audio distribution with Galileo or Callisto Meyer in each technical hut.
One of the huts used for Kara via LA8 or 802 Bose, via a Powermatch 4500 amplifier that we can guess under the Galileo. At the top left is an essential air extractor.
SLU : Bose is not a brand you’d expect to find in Dushow inventory.
Benoit Soutenet : When we took over this case 7 years ago, as the design has completely changed, we invested to meet the specifications in 802, MA12 and 360 columns which are very practical for occasional close range reinforcement, and amplifiers to feed them.
SLU : We will see other places of sound diffusion below, but sometimes lines and complements overlap. Was a calibration done?
Benoit Soutenet : Of course, by Hervé Herrero who is the designer of all the audio part. The goal is to maintain the sound as much as possible into the gardens without level emergences and to keep an overall low pressure with the best coverage.
The musical program is the same on the long way down to the Apollo Basin, but each grove has its own program playing. The Mirror for example plays its own music in two 4 V-DOSC stacks in the middle of which we find the same cardioid end fire assembly of 4 x 2 SB28. The goal is therefore to allow this musical variety without pollution.
We can clearly see on this plan the technical cabin marked F to the left of which we can detect one of the two V-DOSC stacks and, more to the left, the 4 sets of SB28 and the other venerable V-DOSC stack.
One of the two V-DOSC stacks hidden by the vegetation being set up.
SLU : Don’t you swap programs, a bit like for the active places in festivals?
Benoit Soutenet : No, all of the fountains have stand-alone programs that start every 15 minutes and last ten minutes. The levels and the main choice of proximity or very directive speakers allow the vegetation to confine the sound to the targeted area.
SLU : You position L-Acoustics and Bose models as needed.
Benoit Soutenet : That’s it. For example at the Encelade grove we chose fairly long, and therefore directive columns from Bose, the MA12EX. In other places we will favor more full range and powerful products like the 802 or finally Freespace 360 which, as their name suggests, open 360° wide.
We wonder what model is hiding under its cover … Spoiler: it is American and has 8 transducers.
In L-Acoustics we have V-DOSC, dV-DOSC and Kara with SB18, dV-SUB and SB28 subwoofers. These are SB18 subs in cardioid set-up which extend the frequency response in the bass of the MA12EX columns of the Encelade.
SLU : Who made the choice of speakers?
Benoit Soutenet : Hervé Herrero who’s in charge of the Audio dept. at Château de Versailles Spectacles. He was the one who asked us for Bose Freespace 360, for example, a kind of little green mushroom that we see in all theme parks. There are plenty at the Bosquet des Trois Fontaines to make them play very softly and be as homogeneous as possible. When it is necessary to cover for example the water noise, we add 802s.
Good ol’ V-Doscs in almost “mint condition”. Speakers, which for nearly 30 years have written the history of the Live industry and continue to do so in Versailles.
SLU : How do you protect the different speakers?
Benoit Soutenet : By specific waterproof covers in RAL 6003 color which is the official Versailles green. These covers remain on the stacks all the time and have a “transonor” acoustic transparent part with a water repellent fabric. It would have been impossible to cover and discover them according to schedules and weather conditions. The use of these covers effectively prevents active models that could not cool down.
Kara speakers in full set-up.
Protection is essential, the speakers stay outside for seven months and endure all kind of weather changes and tough conditions. The cleaning process is essential at the end of each season and requires ten days for the whole kit. Amps especially carry a lot of dust internally and must be completely air-blown. Ants were also found in there…
SLU : Everything stays powered on all night long?
Benoit Soutenet : Absolutely yes. We never turn anything off to prevent moisture buildup. The cabins are in the thicket and in the morning there is a lot of dew.
SLU : The speakers you use here, especially the dV and V only come out on this operation?
Benoit Soutenet : Yes. This is a “Versailles Fountains Waters” kit that only does this very specific job and that we maintain especially for that. It suits the customer perfectly. It is however not impossible that over time we’ll renew this kit. We also have Kara which replaces dV which has been sold. This brought a real “plus” in the set-up.
Dust ? But what an idea, not at all. The problem is that the more you ventilate the technical cabins to expel the calories released by the electronics, the more dust you suck up.
SLU : Is humidity playing tricks on your speaker cones?
Benoit Soutenet : No, we had extremely little or almost no breakage. The systems are all tilted in positive angle so the water flows and does not reach the transducers. The amps suffer a little more from the heat, but year after year our extractors improve.
The advantage of fiber links is that you can network the LA8s and know how they are doing. The Bose amplifiers, on the other hand, being sometimes far from the Auvitrans, cannot be monitored, but since they only feed less strategic speakers and play very quietly, it is less penalizing.
Take a look at one of the racks in the Dauphin control room from where the fiber optic signals leave. The interfaces are Apollo16 Universal Audio and there is also a Galileo and a DX800 XTA to distribute the audio directly to the amplifier cabins for the Tapis Vert (“Green Carpet”) zone.
SLU : Where do the signals come from?
Benoit Soutenet : From a central control room in a cabin located along the Tapis Vert to the left of the Dauphin Grove. It contains MacMinis which are the property of CVS and are the responsibility of Hervé Herrero. They come equipped with Ableton Live and the configuration is redundant. Our task starts from the Apollo interfaces onward. They are connected to computers.
The total configuration is set in delay, EQ and level but it is possible to tweak it according to the weather or any special events that take place in addition to the Fountains. The level is also higher in the evening to play along the fireworks which are fired at the end of the Nocturnal Fountains Show.
SLU : Since when is the optical fiber installed?
Benoit Soutenet : Since we took control of this site. When we arrived 7 years ago, the connections were analog and for some of them very, very long which is never good for an audio signal. We upgraded the whole set-up with CVS. They installed the fiber because they also wanted to go for architectural lighting. Now we have boxes on which we can connect at strategic points. On break-out points, depending on the number of channels we need, we have an Auvitran AVBx7 or AVDT-BOB rack in each technical cabin.
From the heart of the Dauphin control room, the fibers end up at the AVBx7 or at the BOB with Meyer processors to ensure calibration, full drive and final matrix of each zone.
SLU : Is Hervé Herrero staying in the control booth?
Benoit Soutenet : No, Hervé does the initial design, sets up the gear with us and achieves the calibration. Daily operation is the work of François Baillergeant. He is on site 4 days a week and takes care of all the shows. Every morning he makes his check-up tour, spits out his test sounds, goes around and in case of problems he has two possibilities. Either he can reset a circuit breaker or reprogram any possible cut-off alone, or, in the event of a real equipment failure, he contacts us and we take over what’s to be done or changed. It also has a number of spare amps on site.
The Chateau de Versailles has real know-how and personnel and as it is an installation that returns from one year to the next, everything has been done to have in all the right places mains and fiber feeds. It is not a temporary installation per se, even if it is dismantled and reinstalled every year.
A fairly primitive yet already coaxial waveguide model!
SLU : The garden becomes musical with a certain amount of level every summer, so I assume that a few neighbors might show up…
Benoit Soutenet : It can happen but it is the responsibility of CVS which receives any comments and of Hervé Herrero who can adjust various settings according to these. There is very little intervention on these issues and everything is done to aim the speakers accordingly and control the levels at best.
German studio specialist Neumann introduces the V 402, a state-of-the-art microphone preamplifier with integrated headphone monitoring. The V 402 is Neumann’s first-ever stand-alone microphone preamp, although the company has created several generations of top-quality preamp modules for its mixing consoles, such as the now legendary V 476 B of the 1980s.
Like its predecessors, the V 402 preamplifier is conceived as the perfect complement to all Neumann and other high-class studio microphones. “All Neumann microphones, classics as well as current models, have highly unique sound characteristics”, explains Ralf Oehl, the Berlin company’s new CEO. “Finding a preamplifier with the matching uncompromised sound fidelity wasn’t always easy until now! The V 402 provides the ideal signal path for all Neumann microphones because it is free from any coloration whatsoever. No artificial additives could make the sound of a Neumann U 47 or U 87 more desirable than it already is. Perfection cannot be perfected!”
The V 402 is a dual channel microphone preamplifier carefully designed to maintain the sonic integrity of the original signal. Its unique transformerless circuitry amplifies the microphone signal without unwanted coloration or sonic artifacts, such as noise and distortion. While this is also often claimed for simple preamps such as those in audio interfaces, the V 402 is built to much higher standards.
“It took an elaborate development process with extensive series of measurements and critical listening tests to create a preamplifier worthy of the Neumann name,” comments Portfolio Manager Sebastian Schmitz. “And we’ve included the monitoring side, too. The V 402 establishes a fully transparent signal chain extending from the microphone all the way to the engineer’s ear. Finding the best microphone position has never been easier.”
The V 402 is equipped with a studio grade headphone amplifier ensuring uncompromised monitoring quality at the recording stage. Independent volume controls for each channel allow to dial in a latency-free monitoring mix without affecting the recorded signal.
Handmade in Germany with Meticulous Attention to Detail
As a true Neumann product, the V 402 is characterized by exacting attention to every detail. For example, the DI input is also designed for sonic purity. Its novel high-impedance input stage captures the sound of electric guitars and basses as well as other instruments with no loss of detail and free from audible noise.
Its switchable high pass removes rumble and pops very effectively without signal degradation. A 20-dB pad allows the V 402 to be used with high-level sources up to 28 dBu without distortion. The V 402 comes in a 2U 19” rack enclosure measuring 89 mm x 483 mm x 242 mm.
Delivery starts in July 2020; the MSRP is € 2.749,00.
“Illuminate Delaware” was a Memorial Day weekend lighting action – the brainchild of John DiEleuterio, Wilmington DE resident and sales / project manager for dry hire company Main Light industries – hatched to deliver some special visual magic for local communities whilst saluting essential workers as well as fallen US military personnel.
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After months of Covid-19 lockdown, economic uncertainty and general anxiety, John proposed the lighting of several landmark buildings in Wilmington and state capital Dover to bring positive energy and fun into the environment that could be enjoyed by all citizens. He took his idea to Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and his team who fully embraced the initiative, so John started his action plan.
The event entailed the illumination of six prominent buildings, three of which – The Old State House and the Governor’s official residence ‘Woodburn Mansion’, both in Dover and the distinctive spire of St. Anthony’s of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington – were all lit using Astera AX5 TriplePAR wireless LED fixtures.
Photos Wake Media
Kit for lighting all buildings was supplied by Main Light Industries working closely with Electro Sound Systems (ESS), and John energized a volunteer crew of dedicate technicians and others equally passionate about lighting to deliver this visual treat! The illuminations encouraged people to come out of their houses and drive around the observation areas, some for the first time in months, to see areas of their cities in a different light. Social media lit up and it brought the cities of Dover and Wilmington a much needed feelgood factor. The buildings were lit in blue for frontline / essential workers for three nights and then on the Monday Memorial Day evening, the color scheme shifted to red, white and blue to honor all the soldiers who have died in the line of duty. The six pop-up lighting schemes installed just for the weekend were joined in the action by other buildings around the cities of Wilmington and Dover which already have permanent architectural lighting.
John loves the idea of lighting buildings and had long dreamed about illuminating some of these structures. When the project was green-lighted to go ahead, he also enjoyed the 6-week planning / execution period together with everyone else involved on the ground. “It made everyone feel alive with camaraderie, creativity and a real sense of purpose recapturing some of the spirit of this amazing industry in which we live and work!” he stated.
Photo Wake Media
Main Light Industries has a large rental inventory of Astera fixtures including AX5 TriplePARs, AX1 tubes and Titan Tubes, and the AX5s with their practicality, power and rich colors were perfect for the job. The trickiest of the three Astera-lit buildings to light was the steeple of St Anthony’s – an attractive Romanesque revival-style building in the Little Italy area of Wilmington. The church is also well known for its annual week-long Italian Festival in June, which was cancelled this year due to the pandemic.
Twenty-four AX5s were ensconced within the steeple’s bell tower – all manually carried up the tiny, winding internal staircase – and another 21 x AX5s were rigged on pipes-and-bases positioned on the roof of a school opposite. All of these were run wired from local power supplies … and some imagination had to be applied in the deployment process to get them into precise and correct positions to light the tower evenly and effectively. During the first three nights of being lit blue, every hour the St Anthony’s lights went into a red, green, and white scene in recognition of the Italian flag. Lighting for this site was run by Dale Mahoney and Chris Gentile – Dale designed, and Chris programmed on a grandMA Command Wing.
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Ryan Morris coordinated everything for the other two locations in Dover – the State House and Governor’s Mansion. He utilized 16 x AX5s for the State House, twelve on the ground and four in the pagoda-style roof feature. Eight AX5s on the ground in front of the building grazing up the front façade did a great job of highlighting Woodburn, the Governor’s Mansion. These were all run wirelessly and programmed using the Astera IR remote. Each day they were taken indoors and recharged before being re-positioned to run from dusk to dawn. John has long been an Astera fan, and actually owns some AX3 Litedrops which he rents out to his friends for parties and functions. “They are highly effective, robust and practical products … and were perfect for this type of lighting event.”
Illuminate Delaware – the first time anything like this has been done at local or state level – was a massive success. It delighted local residents and businesses to see some of the buildings with which they are so familiar in a different context.
Photo Wake Media
It was also an emotional moment. “It was a fantastic opportunity for our community to unite and celebrate our environment differently, in addition to appreciating the incredible efforts of those who have battled on the frontlines during the coronavirus pandemic plus all those who have died in military conflicts and whilst on duty serving the country,” stated John. “I was extremely proud of what myself and the crew achieved as a team. There are so many incredible people in our fantastic industry making it rock, and we all stand together as we try to come through this challenging time!”
Mayor Purzycki commented, “We are all trying to cope with troubling news these days, and I’m especially pleased that John and his fellow lighting and event industry professionals have taken the initiative to brighten everyone’s mood. This is just the kind of positive event that we all need right now.” Other partner companies involved in Illuminate Delaware included Wake Media, Spaceboy Clothing and BEW Productions, and John’s dedicated and “wonderful” crew – in addition to the three mentioned above – included Jaimie Watts, Tom Manchester, Gene Proud, Kris Axelsson, Scott Nye, Mile O’Neal, Mike Yarabinee, Pat Fahy, Rachel Suga, Aidas Gimbutas, Joe Naylor and Robe Hendry.
At 75m tall, Hallgrimskirkja Church in the centre of Reykjavik is the largest church in Iceland and one of the tallest buildings in the country. Its sweeping frontage and steeple dominate the skyline of the city both with its height and its dramatic architecture. The design is the work of state architect, Guðjón Samúelsson, who was inspired by the crystalline structures of the basalt rock that is so prevalent in this volcanic country.
First commissioned in 1937, the edifice took 41 years to build with the iconic spire completed in 1974. On 16 January 2020, Hallgrimskirkja formed the stunning backdrop for the celebrations marking the centenary of the Icelandic Midwives Community. Icelandic full-service sales and rental company, Exton, was called upon to illuminate the huge façade of the church for the evening with a brilliant white light that would symbolise the bringing of new life into the world.
To achieve the required drama and brightness, Exton’s lighting designer, Erling Þorgrímson, chose 12 Wildsun K25-TC LED fixtures as the sole lighting fixtures for the project: “The WildSun units were the only ones capable of covering such a large expanse at the required intensity,” he said. The Wildsun K25-TC were placed at ground level approximately 20m from the front of the church, from where they were able to wash the full length and breadth of the tower and wings with a brilliance that could be seen across the city.
Ayrton WildSun K25-TC
“The power of the Wildsun K25-TC is unprecedented compared to other brands,” confirms Exton’s technical Sales manager, Vignir Hreinsson. “We were able to supply our clients with a fixture that delivers a massive amount of light with a zoom that no other brand can match. WildSun K25-TCs are very specific fixtures with a defined kelvin colour temperature and we have also used them successfully in productions at our City Theater. On all occasions they have been extremely reliable and without any issues what so ever.
“Ayrton is the only brand that could supply us with this kind of luminaire. Today, with Ayrton’s fabulous line-up of fixtures, we feel very lucky to have them in our inventory and they definitely help us win projects in Iceland.”
For more information on Ayrton and its full range of LED lighting fixtures, visit the Ayrton website
Three lighting brands from Cooper Lighting Solutions have worked closely together to enlighten the new Coca-Cola Arena based in Dubaï : Zero 88 for entertainment-style control, iLight for architectural-style control and Ephesus LED sports lights. The interior lighting and control systems together with all associated infrastructure produced a turnkey solution during last year by Eaton Lighting Systems – now known as Cooper Lighting Solutions (CLS).
These aspects of this flagship project were handled by Peter Coles (Business Manager), followed by Martin Piper (iLight International Training & Support Manager), Jon Hole (Zero 88 Product Manager) and Cooper Lighting Solution’s two EMEA Project Teams – one based in the UK, the other in Dubai, who together have checked the process from design to final delivery in close collaboration with UAE-based lighting installation contractor, BMTC.
The venue itself is a 17,000 capacity (bowl format) multi-purpose indoor arena based in the City Walk neighbourhood of Dubai, United Arab Emirates and operated by ASM Global. The tender requirement specified the sports lighting criteria needed to maintain the correct lighting levels to be TV / broadcast friendly. The whole arena had to be properly lit in white as well as having the capability of being turned into an array of vibrant colours and textures, so in all, some 369 high output LED fixtures were specified.
Three different types of LED fixtures are employed in combination – 74 x Ephesus Arena Pro Variable White, 191 x Ephesus Prism RGBA fixtures and 104 x LED profiles. These are carefully positioned around the venue to enlight the floor, seating stands and surrounding areas for both sporting and non-sporting events like concerts. The Ephesus Prism RGBA fixtures are perfect for lighting the seating areas and for providing high level practical ‘states’ for cleaning and working. Being RGBA, they also offer a fantastic range of colour effects.
The Arena itself is separated into four key areas – each of which can then be divided into different sections allowing for multiple types of music shows and sporting events to be staged, but also allowing for weddings, corporate events, dinners and awards shows, etc. Each light is individually controllable and can be employed in several different setups. In any situation, venue managers can switch colour in the upper, middle and lower tiers of seating and across the arena floor, so the space can be illuminated and managed according to the specific event lighting requirements.
The primary control system provides architectural-style lighting control for day-to-day running. It’s based around an iLight touch screen controlling the powerful Zero 88 ZerOS Server which drives all the lighting scenes, cues and DMX setups and merges with the FLX lighting desk in the control room. Other touch screens are located in the security room and the VOC room. The whole system can also be controlled from the BMS system or via an App.
For aisle and step lighting this custom-configured CLS control system is designed to be as flexible and straightforward as possible; combining the architectural and show lighting systems so that they can work independently or seamlessly together. This approach highlights the synergies of the CLS brands and the flexibility of the solution, where Zero 88 FLX, ZerOS Server and iLight Touch Screens can all work together. All the different settings – cleaner, load-in, working, special events, sports lighting, etc. – can be called up and tweaked, activated, etc via the Touch Screens.
The main roof catwalk features an IP-based Art-Net 4 system running on a dedicated IP fibre network that is controlling of all the sports and arena lighting either via the architectural control system … or via the in house FLX lighting console. Zero 88’s FLX console was selected for its power, simplicity and intuitive hands-on control of lighting and LED fixtures. It includes a touch monitor for quick access to palettes / show overviews and is ultimately portable with a small footprint.
Free apps are available from Zero 88 to enable wireless monitoring of the lighting rig and there’s support for a range of networking accessories. Inbuilt tools include the award-winning “RigSync” and “Auto Palettes” to assist with prep work. Colours can be quickly and accurately selected and applied via the multi-touch Colour & Image Picker or the encoder wheels or by selecting colours contained within “Mood Boards” by LEE Filters.
In a concert scenario, visiting productions can bring in their own touring consoles and hook into the house system – in addition to their own production rigs – and take control of the Arena lighting for the duration of their show, using their touring desk accessing the in-house lights via Art-Net. The two systems (iLight Touch Screens with ZerOS Server and the Zero 88 FLX console) work on an HTP hierarchy with the architectural controller as the primary controller for the whole Arena – so in the event of a fire or other emergency, it has precedence. Another advantage of Zero 88 and iLight being “sister brands” is that many of the team resources – sales, production, R&D, customer service etc. – are shared, so on projects like this, there is constant dialogue, coordination and interactive creative thinking to bring the project to delivery.
The Cooper Lighting Solutions team was very proud to be involved in this large and high-profile project. “The project encapsulates an array of firsts,” commented Peter Coles. “It’s the first fully air-conditioned indoor multi-purpose arena in the Middle East, the first arena to be operating year-round in the region, the first EMEA project for Ephesus LED fixtures, and the first project worldwide to unite Zero 88, iLight and Ephesus all together under Cooper Lighting Solutions.” A great example of a 100% LED lit venue with 100% teamwork.
L-Acoustics Creations, a division of L-Acoustics, is dedicated to making L-Acoustics market-leading professional audio products and technologies available for specification in state-of-the-art private, residential, cultural, and marine AV environments.
As consumer demand for in-home audio and entertainment experiences rises, L-Acoustics Creations addresses that demand with the release of Archipel Sound Systems for the home, offering the impact and dynamics of the live concert experience.
Five L-Acoustics Creations packages are available for pre-order on the newly launched L-Acoustics eStore.
Fiji 2.1 – Work & Play like a Pro. Compact X4i based package for home office or salon.
L-Acoustics FIJI
Hawaii 2.1 – The Superprime Sound Lounge with Powerful X8 based package
L-Acoustics HAWAII
Tahiti 2.1 – Indoor-Outdoor Elegance. Sleek Syva based package for high end home audio listening
L-Acoustics TAHITI
Tonga 2.1 – Music First, Forever and Always. High performance Syva based package with reinforced sub for high performance, high fidelity music or cinema listening
L-Acoustics TONGA
Ibiza 2.0 – Mighty Kara II based package for best DJ audio systems
L-Acoustics IBIZA
Other custom systems are available via a network of residential A/V Integrators currently being developed.
“Consumer focus has shifted to the home, and to high end home audio as artists create an abundance of live streaming content,” explains Nick Fichte, Business Manager at L-Acoustics Creations.
Nick Fichte
“Consequently, interest in the best home sound systems is surging and L-Acoustics Creations is uniquely placed to fulfil the desire to bring the concert home. We’ve put three decades of professional audio experience into creating turnkey packages that transform musical content into an experience that satisfies the most demanding audiophile.”
L-Acoustics Creations home audio packages can be reserved online now. Visit L-Acoustics creation to learn more.
Also available to the public for the first time, L-Acoustics custom branded merchandise will be available for purchase in the eStore.
Online sales will benefit L-Acoustics Certified Providers and industry partners via a voluntary referral program enabling special discounts for customers.
A new exhibition by renowned sound artist Bill Fontana entitled Primal Energies opened July 1 at Kunsthaus Graz in Austria. Occupying the museum’s vast ovoid-dome Space 01 Gallery, Primal Energies pays homage to the future of renewable energy through a mesmerizing mix of video imagery and evocative soundscapes that portray our planet’s expanding wind, solar, hydroelectric and geothermal resources.
While viewing images on the eight large screens, visitors are immersed in an evocative blend of energy-related sounds reproduced by 64 Meyer Sound self-powered loudspeakers. The impact of the installation is further enhanced by dynamic spatial sound movements created and automated using a beta version of Meyer Sound’s soon-to-be-released Spacemap® Go technology.
Sounds and images for the work were recorded on location by Fontana with assistance from Scott George of London-based Autograph Sound. During this preparatory period, Fontana and George — both of whom have long association with Meyer Sound — were recruited to serve as beta testers of Spacemap Go.
A spatial sound design and mixing tool that leverages the processing power of the GALAXY Network Platform, Spacemap Go provides an easy-to-use interface for multi-channel panning using one or more iPads connected to systems comprising multiple GALAXY processors. “We used Spacemap Go extensively on Primal Energies,” says Fontana. “It’s the ‘digital brain’ behind all that is happening with dynamic spatialization of sound. In that realm, it lets me do everything I did before using the D-Mitri® system, but working directly with GALAXY makes it far more cost effective, particularly if you are planning something as a permanent installation in a museum or architectural setting.”
The UPM-1P are visible attached to the canopy.
Fontana also was impressed by the creative freedom afforded by Spacemap Go’s intuitive iPad app. “We used the iPad to set up everything on site. We wanted to create a kind of sonic choreography through the space, and the flexibility of Spacemap Go made it the ideal tool for making that happen.”
Scott George has collaborated with Fontana on more than a dozen projects over the years, and with Primal Energies he was again charged with overall AV system design, as well as design specifics for the audio system within the 900 m2 space. Fontana’s “sonic canvas” was a matrixed grid of 56 Meyer Sound
UPM-1P full-range loudspeakers augmented by eight 900-LFC low-frequency control elements. For the front end of the audio system, George specified a Mac Mini computer loaded with QLab software for the 24 channel playback and central show control, connecting to the four distributed GALAXY processors over an AVB network. All the spatial trajectories were created on site with Spacemap Go then saved as a file for automated panning in synchronization with the playback program.
“The iPad interface for Spacemap Go makes it much simpler and more intuitive for the sound artist to grab a sound and move it around wherever desired, rather than using a mouse or a keyboard,” observes George. “This also allows Bill to bring in multiple cues at the same time, so he can try out various trajectories before we save them. And the fact that you can use multiple iPads simultaneously allows sound artists to work collaboratively in the same space.”
His affiliation with a major rental company makes George keenly aware of both the widespread availability and cost efficiencies offered by Spacemap Go. “Spacemap Go leverages the power of existing hardware, using boxes that are already in the inventory of rental companies worldwide. All they will need is the new firmware upgrade and they will be ready to implement Spacemap Go for their clients.”
He is also impressed by the way Spacemap Go communicates readily with widely adopted playback and show control programs such as QLab, with audio and data carried over the AVB network. “We just took four ports out of the AVB switch and ran them to each of the GALAXYs, carrying multi-channel audio and data. We also set up an intuitive user interface in QLab where the museum operator simply presses a button to start and stop.”
For George, Spacemap Go together with the inherent advantages of self-powered loudspeakers offers the ultimate in elegant simplicity for large multi-channel sound installations. “When you are running multiple programs from discrete outputs to individual loudspeakers, that necessarily involves a lot of amplifiers — it’s hard to find space in a cramped museum setting. The self-powered approach is far more efficient.”
For Bill Fontana, Spacemap Go was an extraordinarily useful tool in what he describes as “deconstructing” the typical video soundtrack. “Here, the sounds are not localized to a specific video,” he says. “They are all related to the common theme, but sounds are shifting around throughout the space, more like a dream space. So you have this incredible enveloping sound experience as you move from screen to screen. For my purposes, Spacemap Go is fantastic. It was a privilege to be among the first to use this technology, and to continue my long relationship with Meyer Sound.”
Another key member of the Primal Energies project team was Martin Beck of the Austrian firm Technik für Kunst and Kuturprojekte. Beck supervised the on-site installation and his company also provided all AV equipment, except for the Meyer Sound loudspeakers which were provided by PRG Hamburg.
Primal Energies was curated by Katrin Bucher Trantow and is presented in cooperation with the University of Art Graz, Ö1 Kunstradio (ORF), Radio Helsinki, mur.at, FunkFeuer Graz and the ‘Kultur inklusiv’ Project, with further support from the AVL Cultural Foundation.
The end of June saw Brompton Technology take part in one of Europe’s first face-to-face industry events since lockdown, the AV Innovation Days (AVID), organised and hosted by LANG AG at its LANG Academy in Lindlar, Germany.
Designed as an accompanying event for InfoComm Connected, LANG hosted the three-day fair with both new and familiar AV technologies on display, whilst adhering to strict hygiene and safety rules. Leading LED panel manufacturers showcased their innovative solutions, with Brompton partnering with INFiLED to demonstrate how its panels have benefitted from Brompton’s highly acclaimed HDR solution.
“The event offered a perfect platform to discuss some of the key developments in the AV industry, such as the increased use of curved, or faceted, applications which are based on a variety of corresponding products. Also, the emerging trend of virtual LED studios instead of green screen studios is an interesting niche marked right now, as protagonists can interact with their environment. That makes recording much more efficient and saves post-production costs,” shares Benjamin Valbert, Director LED & Displays at LANG AG.
Valbert notes that choosing the right LED processor is an important requirement in supporting these trends. Whilst most LED processors provide the basic functions necessary for video display, they can have limited to no adjustment capabilities compared to more full-featured processors, which have numerous options for colour adjustments and image scaling, and are designed with LED-on-camera applications in mind.
“Equally, with rental applications, for example, where setup time is limited, operator knowledge is not always the same and failures need to be eliminated as quickly as possible,” Valbert adds. “This means that processing needs to be intuitive and provide several options for trouble shooting, with features that are able to get the very last bit out of your hardware, or simply overdrive the system for a reasonable period of time.”
After using Brompton Technology’s Hydra advanced measurement system to perform Dynamic Calibration, the enabling technology for Brompton HDR, on its DB 2.6 series LED panels manufactured with Brompton’s R2 receiver cards, the INFiLED team were in complete agreement. “One of the major, and most noticeable, differences for us was the extended colour gamut and enhanced luminance of the panels,” says Marco Bruines, Sr. Vice President of INFiLED EMEA.
The immediate effect was visible both with SDR and HDR video content, with the improvements added to the plethora of fine-tuning tools already offered by Brompton’s Tessera SX40 4K LED processor.
“This gives us a significant advantage when dealing with busy clients like INFiLED, who have a lot of projects going on at the same time and need a highly reliable and versatile LED processing solution,” states Dries Vermeulen, Business Development Manager – Europe at Brompton, who was on hand throughout AVID. “When our Tessera LED processor encounters an issue, its intelligent algorithm takes care of it, so it’s not necessary to even think about how to solve the problem.” Whilst the LANG team is looking forward to visiting InfoComm next year, based on the positive feedback received from this event, they will have no hesitation in repeating AVID in the future.
“AVID was a great success for our customers, suppliers and LANG,” says LANG CEO, Tobias Lang. “For a lot of visitors, this was their first trip after more than 13 weeks of working from home during lockdown; they told us it was like balm to the soul. It is also incredibly useful to understand what kind of business has a strong development curve at the moment. With this knowledge, the industry now has a much better focus.”
The INFiLED team concur, stating they were very happy to be able to meet their key contacts and customers again in person and experience a new form of tradeshow participation. “The AV industry is well known for its passion for new technology,” Bruines concludes. “Our customers were excited to see the latest products and market trends, including Brompton’s incredible HDR technology.
“Successful business relationships are achieved through a combination of high-quality products, solid pre-sales quality control and a high service level. The nature of this type of technology means it’s essential to have close relationships with customers and able to solve problems at any time. Offering global 24/7 customer support on top of a tested and reliable processing technology is just one of the values that makes Brompton stand out.”
In its new Esprite Spot Profile, Robe incorporates a proprietary white LED engine manufactured in-house in Czech Republic. To ensure the sustainability of the moving light, the light source called “Transferable Engine” can be swapped as quickly as a generic lamp and keeps everything in memory.
We interviewed Vincent Bouquet, Robe Product Manager, to go over the question.
SLU : Vincent, can you tell us who has ESPRITE fixture in its fleet today?
Vincent Bouquet : Il y a Mvision (Longjumeau-91), Eurosono (Irigny-69), Match Event (Elancourt-78), Alive (Tourcoing-59), Avéo (Auxerre-89), Audio Pro (33-Mérignac), CEC Sonorisation (Limas-69), Loct’Ambule (Mundolsheim-67), Dimension Events (Elne-66), Mag Scène (Saint-Etienne-42), Music Plus (Grenoble-38), Pan Pot (Brignoles-83), Regietek (Gonesse-95), STS (Beaumont-63), Cynergie Sonorisation (Amiens-80) et BLive (Bussy-st-Georges-77) … Plus de 300 machines dans toutes les régions de France.
Esprite, first fixture of a range of moving light equipped with a transferable white LED engine.
SLU : While manufacturers are announcing a lifespan of 40,000 to 50,000 hours for 30% of intensity loss, which corresponds to the lifetime of a moving light, what is the thinking that prompted Robe to develop a transferable engine?
Vincent Bouquet : The idea is that if within 4, 5 or six years the colorimetry changes and the intensity decreases by the aging of the LEDs, it will be possible to replace the LED engine, but this is not the primary goal of this development. The engine embeds an intelligence, a memory. Once out of the fixture, which takes less than 4 minutes, it retains all of its information. Via a blog, the user can get the serial number of the (or more) fixture (s) where it has been installed, which temperatures and temperature variations it has undergone. We know the intensity delta compared to its factory output, and especially the number of operating hours. These informations are stored within the engine and not in the fixture.
SLU : How do you retrieve these info?
Vincent Bouquet : Via the ROBE COM application available for iPhone and Android, through a NFC (Near Field Communication) antenna. This application was originally developed for the iPointe – which does not include a touch screen as it’s a IP65 rated unit – to navigate the menu more quickly than with capacitive buttons.
At the opening, the ROBE COM app offers you to approach your smartphone to the source engine.
The engine is immediately identified.
The application displays the date the engine was first activated, the intensity reading and the number of operating hours.
SLU : When you say 5-6 years, how many hours does it represent?
Vincent Bouquet : It is difficult to make an accurate estimate. Robe reports less than 30% of intensity loss over 20,000h and applies a 4-year warranty on the source. Mastery of use allows you to be more flexible and to replace an engine under the warranty. And the replacement does not require a return of the lighting fixture to Robe, it is still much simpler.
SLU : For example, I am a service provider and after 4 years of use, I realize the intensity of the engine has dropped by 15%. Can I return this engine to Robe to benefit from a new LED card?
Vincent Bouquet : Outside the warranty, you just need to order a complete engine, as if you would change the lamp. The price is roughly the same as of two BMFL lamps, the list price is 800€ ex. V.A.T. And Robe can collect the old engine for free for recycling. But this is not compulsory.
SLU : What are all the reasons that could lead service providers to change their out-of-warranty engine?
Vincent Bouquet : I’m thinking about those who will need to keep the lighting fixtures even if they invest in new moving lights to stay up to date. I even think that they can keep a “lamp” budget and consider changing the engines every two years if they wish. Afterwards, everyone can have to change the engine if in the next 5 years Robe comes with more efficient LEDs than today, in the same form factor and a significantly higher power consumption. Robe has planned a power reserve of 100 W. Today, of course, the LEDs (73 Osram) in use are the most powerful available in this format.
The built-in engine of the ESPRITE, called Performance, promotes flow at the expense of a CRI of 70 which can increase thanks to an integrated filter. Robe is working on the development of a Studio engine, with a similar color temperature, but with a CRI of 94 to precisely avoid the use of filters. Service providers will be able to juggle with two types of CRI depending on the application of their moving lights.
The ESPRITE menu…
…delivers info about the embedded engine as well.
SLU : Does Osram undertake to keep in their catalog this precise reference of LEDs which equip the lighting fixture with the same color temperature?
Vincent Bouquet : Osram offers a warranty greater than 2 years for the longevity of this LED reference. However, we expect much more, and we have a large stock of this reference. Having measured it on several fixtures, the color temperature is precise, Robe announces 6700K on the output and I have never measured more than 6790K and the UV delta is close to zero.
SLU : Is there a way to calibrate a new zealous module in intensity that would return to the fleet?
Vincent Bouquet : Yes, there is a dedicated DMX channel for this purpose in the ESPRITE. The fixture is aware of its percentage of intensity decrease and indicates it by a color code:
– White : From 0% to 5% – Red : From 6% to 10% – Green : From 11% to 15% – Blue : From 16% to 20% – Cyan : From 21% to 25% – Magenta : From 26% to 30% – Yellow : From 31% to 35% – Orange : From 36% to 40%
If, in a fleet of 24 moving lights that have already lived, I have a fixture equipped with a new LED engine, we can limit its intensity via the console.
– Via a DMX channel, the group of fixtures is selected. – We send a specific value dedicated to the indication of losses by colors. As an example, I get 21 moving light in red which have lost between 6 to 10%, 2 fixtures in green which have lost between 11 to 15% and one fixture in white, the new one, which has lost nothing. – Within the kit, we thus detect which one has had no loss. – We select again all the fixtures and tell them, via this DMX channel, that the fixture with the biggest loss is green. The other fixture take knowledge of this, so the fixture in white will drop its intensity by 15% and the fixture which were in red will lose 5% only. – We quickly calibrate all fixture’s intensity, without the need to search and adjust the intenisty fixture by fixture.
This is an important advantage and a time saver for the operator. It can be useful in case of sub-renting if I have a homogeneity problem between my fleet and the sub-rented fleet. There is always a time when I will have to match new and old machines.
SLU : Is this a parameter that interests service providers in the foreground?
Vincent Bouquet : Not all of them, but it is a plus that proves that the system has been designed to the fullest of its possibilities. It’s not just 4 screws to remove the engine and put a new one in place. There is a real reflection behind the concept.
SLU : Today, what particularly appeals to them?
Vincent Bouquet : They like the light output, the clean color mixing, the blades which are quite sharp and precise. They like the fact the blades do not influence too much when there is a color or a gobo. The optics have been well designed. These three points, plus the weight of the machine, less than 28 kg, and bonuses like the transferable LED engine, and a well-priced fixture. The brand also builds loyalty, they mostly are Robe customers.
SLU : Will we find the principle of transferable engine in future fixtures?
Vincent Bouquet : For fixtures with white LEDs, yes. The Esprite is the starting point, the middle of a range that will extend up and down in terms of light output.
Ayrton is excited to launch the Domino latest in its series of IP65-rated fixtures ! Building on the success of Perseo, Ayrton’s first IP65-rated fixture, Domino delights in being comfortable in the most extreme environments while delivering stunning effects. Delivering a massive 51,000 lumens from its 1000W LED source, Domino is a versatile fixture that combines the output and exceptional optics of Huracán-X with the feature set of Khamsin, in an IP65-rated body.
Designed to operate in extreme situations, Domino can resist hot or cold temperatures, wind, rain, hail, salt fog, sand and dust. It can withstand arid environments, heavy rainfall, and sudden climatic variations. Ayrton has included all the weatherproofing features of Perseo and given it the same minimalist design, reduced visual footprint and, for maximum effectiveness, a liquid cooling system with six IP68-rated submersible fans outside its weatherproof enclosure.
Fitted with a 178 mm frontal lens, Domino’s proprietary optical system uses 13 lenses, producing a 10:1 zoom ratio and a zoom range of 6° to 60°. The optics deliver an extremely uniform flat beam with no hot spot and reproduce impeccable high-definition images over the entire zoom range. Feature-rich from the factory, Domino has a sophisticated subtractive CMY colour mixing system combined with a variable CTO and a wheel with six complementary colours for infinite pastel and saturated colours. The framing section allows accurate positioning of each of its 4 shutter blades across a 100% surface area. The image section includes 14 interchangeable HD glass gobos on two wheels.
The effects section contains two dynamic effect-wheels with continuous movement in both directions, a CMY multi-layered wheel for creating multi-coloured effects, a standard monochromatic effect-wheel, a 15-blade iris diaphragm, two frost filters (for light and heavy diffusion), CRI and TM30 optimising filters, two rotating prisms (one circular with 5 facets and one linear with 4 facets), a dynamic sparkle effect with speed and fade adjustment, and an electronic dimmer.
Domino is available in S and TC versions: Domino-S delivers metallic white light with a record-breaking output of 51,000 lumens at a colour temperature of 7000K for incredible brightness; Domino-TC is calibrated at a colour temperature of 6000K with a CRI greater than 90 and very high TM30 readings for perfect colour rendition. Weighing in at 52kg, Domino is designed for stadium-sized settings and intensive outdoor use. This Master of the Elements is ready to take on the most extreme conditions and is shipping with immediate effect.
