Centennial and booming: Robert Juliat tracking innovation with SpotMe

The Robert Juliat stand Robert Juliat at Prolight+Sound exhibition was a mix of smiles and technology.

As seen at PL+S 2019, the latest version of the SpotMe tracking system, allowing a manual follow-up from a followspot operator to manage other moving heads, uses the PosiStageNet protocol to send the X/Y/Z coordinates of any object or person somewhere in a 3D environnment.

SpotMe and Maestro

The SpotMe tracking system, designed to capture the manual operation of a followspot technician in order to “drive” other moving heads, uses the PosiStageNet protocol, which sends out the X/Y/Z data of any volume or physical person in pre-determined 3D space.

The Masters of followspot Tracking teamed up with ZacTrack to create a dedicated PSN server.

This protocol, at the moment is only included into the GrandMA2 lighting consoles. If the combination between SpotMe and GdMA2 allows you to make the most of the recognition and tracking management performance, in order to mix the commands from the console and the parameters recovered from the followspot, this is not the case at the moment with other light console manufacturers.

The idea of Robert Juliat is to secure the use of their SpotMe system with any control desk thanks to a dedicated server, the Maestro, developped in partnership with the specialists of Tracking and automatic followspot since ten years, ZacTrack.
The latter have acquired enough experience to offer optical calibration sensor bases capable of controlling moving fixtures and recalculating all position presets in the blink of an eye.

The lighting console, even the simplest DMX model, keeps the Pan-Tilt control and gets in return additional DMX channels to modulate the tracking parameters managed by the Maestro server. It’s then possible to create movements offsets for the moving heads, to limit lighting zones inside the stage boundaries, or to associate zoom channel values depending on the distance between the “target” and the followspot.

A nice demo is always worth much more than complicated diagrams.

For the third-part users, in particular for theatres or operas, the Maestro is a lighter solution working in parallel on the data network of another console to ensure the real-time positioning of the moving projectors and the 3D tracking.
The Maestro is a Hardware unit coming with an app for tablets, soon to be completed by an external screen for local set-up of parameters and a Web server to manage all possible options.

To go further into details, it will be necessary of course to patch the projectors in the Maestro as well, but their calibration in the 3D working space will be managed by the SpotMe system and its 4 reference points.
In order to be used with existing lighting desks, the Maestro boards an integrated progressive merger of DMX values, much more precise than standard HTP or LTP merger as we know them.

The Maestro server is exclusively dedicated to only one SpotMe system, but not able to drive an unlimited number of moving heads. Still under development to propose the more reliable and simpler possible interface for users, the Maestro will be available officially during this autumn by Robert Juliat.

Dalis 864S Footlight

The Dalis 864S is the 50 cm LED batten declination of the famous asymmetrical footlight designed by Robert Juliat to illuminate an artist from the ground up, without shadows or chromatic distorsions.
Always recognizable as a discreet fixture, its connectivity and its menu, to be still invisible to the public, it comprises as well its famous double row of 24 micro-asymmetrical lenses. The Dalis 684S is provided with 75 W of red, green, royal blue LEDs and white at 2200K.

Latest newbie in the Dalis range, the 864S Footlight is dedicated to theatres and various stages.

As for all Dalis, its cooling system with no fan generates no noise at all, it is also flicker-free and can be controlled in DMX, RDM, Art-Net and sACN.

P2FU

The P2FU, here in demo, indicates the value of the dimmer controlled by this remote device.

The P2FU is a modular command platform for the Alice and Oz followspots, connected to them in USB.
As indicated by its full name, the USB 2 functions module comprises 2 faders, parametrables at will. It comes with two switches and a multi-purpose and multi-information screen.

It can adapt depending on daylight or for night conditions, it can assign different functions, with low and high thresholds, and can interact on the intensity, fade times and other future features.
To fit a number of users, several profiles are available, with user profile creation at any time. The screen displays permanently the dimmer value and type of control, be it local, DMX or remote.

More info on the Robert Juliat Website.

No brainer decision: AVenger Electronics appointed RCF distributor for UAE / Oman

As we all know, Dubai is an essential place for our industry. Looking to establish a new AV distribution company, and apply their collective knowledge of the local market requirement to a well-known audio brand, Anil Kumar and his team at Dubai-based AVenger Electronics approached RCF.

Anil Kumar and Joseph Ninel Rebero from AVenger Electronics.

“Since RCF had the entire range of professional audio products in its portfolio, catering for the installation, touring, MI and Evacuation segments, we considered them as our preferred choice for servicing the markets in the UAE and Oman,” stated AVenger sales manager, Joseph Ninel Rebero. “This would range from small portable PA to large stadium installations.”

The company had also done its homework and recognised RCF’s existing high brand value in the region. “We knew it was well established in both the touring and MI market.”

Anil Kumar and Joseph Ninel Rebero from AVenger Electronics, with Luca Ombrati from RCF.

As brand manager, and with extensive knowledge of RCF (through his time with previous distributors) Mr. Rebero will lead a team that will be focused on brand promotion throughout the UAE and Oman.
“Our mission will be to focus more on the integration market to bring RCF up to the next level in this segment,” he says, forecasting that initial impact is likely to be created through the Live & Pro Series as well as the new business music solution products, due for release imminently.

AVenger Electronics have also set a vigorous marketing campaign, favouring roadshows and seminars over trade shows in the Middle East. “In this way we can give more interaction and product awareness with industry professionals.”
They will also exploit opportunities via direct marketing, social media, newsletters and displays through dealer networks, as well as onsite demos, training and consultant visits.

Added Luca Ombrati, RCF Sales Manager Europe & Middle East, “Having known Joseph Ninel Rebero for some time, when he informed me about the new company he was about to co-found with other experienced people in the industry—people who already had deep knowledge of RCF, its products and philosophy—their appointment was a no brainer.

“AVenger Electronics’ decision to keep RCF as the unique and exclusive audio brand in its portfolio, in view of its very broad product offering, further confirmed our impression that they were best suited to our needs.”

More information on RCF numerous ranges of products and AVenger Electronics.

 

Inventive mix of Astera AX1 and AX3 for Comedy of Errors at Basel Opera

For new ballet work The Comedy of Error(z) at Basel Opera House staged by director/choreographer Richard Wherlock, asked acclaimed lighting designer Yaron Abulafi used 40 Astera AX1s and 24 AX3s in a very creative set-up – no error made indeed!

It’s all about lighting lines and dots, here. Internationally acclaimed lighting designer Yaron Abulafia was asked by renowned director and choreographer Richard Wherlock to light his much hailed new ballet work, The Comedy of Error(z), staged at Basel Opera House (Theater Basel) in Switzerland … which explores the themes of confusion and misunderstanding directly connected to the realities of digital lives … that are also present in Shakespearean comedy.
The story also contrasted and contextualised the lives of rich and poor in countries that are financially stronger or weaker, throwing out some complex and intense messages for debate and expressing ironies of geo-fiscal imbalance via the captivating mediums of movement, music and light.

First time with Astera for Yaron Abulafia

The Astera AX1 PixelTube.

Yaron had the venue’s house lighting rig at his disposal which included 40 x Astera AX1 Pixel Tubes. Known for his work in theatre, dance and experimental performance, it was the first time Yaron had encountered Astera as a brand.
Ahead of the production, he started researching the available kit and thinking about how to incorporate the AX1s into his design, which led to him also specify 24 x Astera AX3 ‘Lightdrops’ which were purchased by the Opera House specifically for The Comedy of Error(z).
Yaron immediately liked the versatility of the fixtures and the fact they could be run completely wirelessly and fully reliably – via battery power and radio DMX control.

The Astera AX3 LightDrop.

Additionally, the way-cool Astera magnetic undersides meant they could be simply and easily clamped directly to a huge metal cage, forming part of an industrial looking scenic piece that was incorporated into designer Bruce French’s set.
This structure also served some of the other productions that were playing concurrently in rep at the Opera through the same period. The magnetic fixing enabled these “Comedy of Error(z)” specials to be quickly and easily deployed in the available pre-show tech period each day the performance was running.

Creatively, Yaron identified two distinctive contrasting scenes where the mood and ambience could be set utilising the lights as metaphors to reinforce the narrative, using the Astera tubes as the key light in two scenes with which to characterize the location.

Adding depth and distance with tubes’ intensities

The first depicted the menacing world of a refugee detention centre, where the AX1 tubes replicated dingy, flickering fluorescents and amplified the stark nature of the environment, where different colour temperature whites interplayed to raise the threat factor.
By varying the intensities of the tubes, Yaron could add depth and distance to the scene, enlarging the stage space with the optical illusion of some lighting being further away and in the distance.

Later in the show, the same tubes were used in bright red to highlight the underground world giving rise to scenes of brothels, prostitution and enforced slavery … a nasty place in which some of the refugees find themselves having to fight to survive. The intoxicating full reds achievable with the tubes – thanks to Astera’s seamless light engine and smooth colour mixing – was perfect as a mood setting for these jarring moments.

Thirty-two AX1s were installed – magnetically – around the inside of the cages, which enabled Yaron to get them into some interesting positions that would simply not have been possible utilising conventional rigging methods.
The 24 little AX3s were also run completely wirelessly, fixed to the upper stairs of the set, next to a wall / fence encircling the performance space, washing directly downwards creating vertical lines around the back wall of the stage. “They enhanced the shape and architecture of the space really well” explained Yaron, who was again suitably impressed with the rich colours.

AX3 bringing golden glow to the set metalwork

He used the lighting generally to emphasise fences, cages and barriers in the poor world – cold, eerie, fragmented and unpleasantly restricting. In the rich world, the AX3s brought a golden glow to the set metalwork which exuded an impression of being strong, structural, controlling and selectively liberating.

“Lighting the set in such a specific and flexible way was paramount to the whole production as we needed to create so many different scenes and locations” stated Yaron Abulafia, and the essence was to create illusions and trigger images so the audience could switch places and perspectives in their own heads … rather than looking at a series of literal set elements.

“The Astera’s proved to be stable, powerful and very bright – I didn’t run them at anything like full capacity” he reveals, adding that he will be using them in future designs. The Comedy of Error(z) was a demanding work to light in general. The tempo was fast-paced, relentless and very lively, so Yaron engaged in rigorous prep work to ensure that his lighting treatments would flow and work smoothly once on site.
The AX1s and AX3s were programmed into the house EOS lighting console with all the other lights utilised, resulting in over 200 cues for the 90-minute performance, many of them slow, fluid and ever-changing … supporting the idea of constant movement and subtle but profound ambience transitions.

Talented team

“It was extremely creatively and technically challenging, but we all achieved our goals in terms of creating an expressive work for audiences to enjoy and interpret” says Yaron, and the critics also loved the work as much as the public!
Yaron worked with a talented team including set designer Bruce French, costume designer Catherine Brickhill, dramaturg Gregor Acuna-Pohl, and composers Antony Genn and Martin Slattery who produced the powerful, pulsating music score that underlined the piece. The Basel Symphony Orchestra plays with the composers, under the musical direction of Maestro Thomas Herzog.

Basel Opera House technical director Joachim Scholz and lighting director Roland Edrich and Guido Hoelzer were also a great source of “technical support and inspiration” and they were the people who had great confidence in purchasing the new AX3s.
Yaron’s relationship with light as a powerful tool and a dramatic mechanism is imaginative, theoretical and practical.

“It can help us see what we already know and constitutes a beautiful manipulation of the spectator, a lens through which to look at the performance. It recomposes the visual perception of reality and affects how we prioritize our attention. A true ‘eye opener’… Light can convince us to perceive and think in a certain way. Therefore, light is an argument – it is rhetoric!”, concludes Yaron Abulafi.

More information on Astera AX1 and AX3, and more.

 

Jason Mraz Picks Up Good Vibes In Malaysia with Powersoft and JBL

Powering line arrays of JBL VT-4889 and VT-4888, Powersoft X8 and X4L amplifier platforms were integral to the impressive audio system deployed at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
Singesen Technical Production and Chan Lee Sound & Light selected this powerful combination for American singer-songwriter, Jason Mraz, as he stopped off in Kuala Lumpur for the third Asian date of his Good Vibes World Tour.

The JBL VTX system hung up on each side of the Jason Mraz stage in the 16,000 capacity Axiata Arena.

As an artist that favours the fidelity of the songs themselves over the usual bells and whistles associated with a modern-day pop show, the quality of the sound at the Axiata Arena had to be the technical crew’s main concern.

Main hangs of JBL VT Series

Main hangs: 12 x JBL VT-4889-1 per side, efficient ol’ timers, with 8 x JBL VT4888 flown per side as side fill. Center (off picture) 6 x JBL VT4888.

The main hangs at the arena were made up of 12 x JBL VT-4889-1 per side, with 8 x JBL VT4888 flown per side as side fill and 6 x JBL VT4888 in the centre. The 20 x JBL VT 4880 subwoofers were ground stacked at the side of the stage, while a series of Nexo PS15 wedge monitors were placed along the downstage edge. A total of 6 x JBL VTX A8 were used as front fill.

The main system was driven by 11 of Powersoft’s road-proven X8 amplifier platforms, while a pair of the company’s latest touring product – the X4L – were also used to power 8 of the VT4880’s, with each channel driving just 2 of the subs.

As Jackie Ng, owner of Singesen, explained: “The gig was used as something of a field test for the X4L amps, before loading it with VT4880A long excursion subwoofers in the future.” You can therefore notice that the 6 other subs per side were driven (each time) by two X8 channels under 2,7 ohms.

One part of the amps, top is a X4L, bottom are three X8.

The Powersoft gear used to drive the Good Vibes in Kuala Lumpur were made available thanks to Singesen Technical Production’s recent investment in the Italian manufacturer’s industry leading technology – a testament to their confidence in the brand.

Ng said: “We have used Outline systems for some time, so we were familiar with the reliability and high-performance levels of Powersoft amplifiers.
When the opportunity to invest in Powersoft amplifiers presented itself, it really was a no brainer for us. Since Powersoft works with all our speakers in our inventory, being an open platform, we couldn’t be happier with our decision.”

Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software at the helm

As well as the high praise Singesen had from the products themselves, he also highlighted the effectiveness of Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software during this particular application. “We are big fans of the software’s Smaart v8 integration,” he commented.

Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software at FOH.

Detail of the Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus screen for the Kuala Lumpur gig.


“In this case, it did a good job of distributing equal SPL to cover all of the major sound locations. The Interactive Tuning plug-in is also a great tool, helping us to keep the system quiet while we do system calibration. This way we see the system response simulation without blasting pink noise at every change. We then only need to verify in the end with the predicted curve.”

A nice line of 4880, 2 x 18″ subs, 8 of them are drivent by the latest very high power Powersoft amp, the X4L, delivering 300 V and 140 A peak, pretty impressive, ain’t it?

Ng was also keen to point out the assistance that came from Powersoft’s staff as well as its software. Jackie Ng concluded: “The technical representative from Powersoft was there when we received our amplifiers, so they were able to make sure that everything was in working order. We then did some testing and, using the Live Impedance data in ArmoníaPlus, we managed to detect an issue with our speakers. Thanks to the software, these problems were rectified quickly and we got on putting on a great show.”

Good Vibes between techies, too! Jason Mraz’ engineers and local crew.

More information on Powersoft X8 and X4L amplifier platforms, on Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software and on JBL VerTec speakers Series and of course Singesen.

You can also read the more recent SoundLightUp articles about Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software here, and on Powersoft X8 and X4L amplifier platforms here.

 

by Yvan Péard

Multi Twenty-one by Ayrton, a three year industrial vision

Yvan Peard

It has been two years since Golden Sea, the world’s leading manufacturer of moving-head fixtures for professional lighting, acquired Ayrton who had earned its international reputation for designing and producing LED lighting-effect luminaires. The French brand is shoring up its market leadership with classic, ultra high-end products.

Ayrton CTO Yvan Péard reveals a three-year product development plan as part of his Multi Twenty-one concept.

The wind of change

Sporting the names of different winds — Merak, Mistral, Ghibli, Khamsin, Bora, — Ayrton luminaires are often one step beyond the competition in terms of output, performance, compactness and innovation. Ayrton has rigorously kept to a steady launch schedule that is being accelerated over the next three years.

Since Ghibli was launched in December 2017, in a space of merely 15 months six new luminaires have joined the product range of spot, profile and wash lights that produce output from 15,000 to 50,000 lumens. Each model has been released in an “S” version, specially designed for stage applications, and a “TC” version for applications requiring perfect, true colour reproduction.

Multi Twenty-one vision

In an ever-changing market that is now dominated by trading companies that market, rebranded, soulless OEM products, Ayrton decided since its creation in 2001 to design and develop only 100% original products.

The name “Multi Twenty-one” — a knowing wink at Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel and the win-at-any-cost concept — sums up Ayrton’s vision for the three-year span from January 2019 to December 2021.
Twenty-one is both a reference to the number of luminaires slated for launch during this period and to the project’s deadline of December 2021.

We say “Multi” because the twenty-one luminaires will belong to different categories and none of them will replace an existing product in the current range. For AYRTON, the sustainability of products is an essential value.

Always #pushtheenvelope

The first objective of the Multi Twenty-one programme is to create a consistent product range, adding sleek design and rigourously respecting the brand DNA, whereby each luminaire belongs to a family and is identifiable at first glance.

The second objective of the Multi Twenty-one program is to stick to the tight time frame between project launch and the product’s time to market. For each luminaire, Ayrton dedicates a team of development engineers who follow a given project all the way through the creation of prototypes; and a structured process-planning department that ensures the transition to the production phase under optimal conditions, guaranteeing product reliability from the time it is brought to market.


Smaller please…

The first two achievements of our three-year vision are Diablo, a 300 W ultra-compact profile luminaire and Levante, a 300 W new-generation wash luminaire, launched in January and February 2019, respectively.


21 good reasons to be surprised

At Prolight+Sound 2019, held in early April, Ayrton introduced two new additions to the product range: Huracán-X and Perseo-S. Huracán-X, the ultimate 1,000 W profile-type luminaire, is a marvel of technology that brings exceptional light output to a standard-equipment fixture in a class by itself — a formidable graphical tool for enhancing creativity. This luminaire deserves all the superlatives.


Ayrton’s diversified range includes Perseo-S, the first compact multi-function luminaire in a new family of products with an IP65 enclosure rating designed for intensive outdoor use.
Perseo-S, specifically developed entirely by Ayrton, is today’s most compact waterproof product on the market, weighing scarcely more than Ghibli. Our Multi Twenty-one programme will be proposing other waterproof luminaires designed to meet specific needs in terms of power and function.

What’s new?

At Plasa 2019 in early September, Ayrton will launch Karif-LT. This new type of beam/spot LED fixture is designed for long-range applications, hence the suffix “LT” (for “long throw”). The proprietary optical system, equipped with a 168 mm frontal lens, produces an 15:1 zoom ratio and a zoom range of 3° to 45°, which is unprecedented for a LED luminaire.

LED’s go longues distances

At LDI, in November 2019, a new LT luminaire will be presented, adding to the Ayrton product offering for long-distance applications. Named Shamal-LT, this new type of beam/wash LED fixture will be equiped with a 225 mm frontal lens, offering a zoom ratio of 12:1 and a zoom range of 3° to 36°. This entirely new, exclusive ultra-powerful luminaire will generate output of 50,000 lumens.


Celebrate colour

Also to be introduced at LDI 2019: Huayra-CS, a new type of moving-head profile luminaire based on high-output additive colour synthesis. It will offer a whirlwind of colours and generate record output unique for this type of technology.
Indeed, for more than 15 years Ayrton has consistently had success with additive colour synthesis since it first presented EasyColor in 2003. Other profile and wash luminaires using additive colour synthesis are on the Multi Twenty-one programme agenda.


The new multi-rotational effects will spin more than one head

Ayrton recently created a number of innovative multi-rotational effects luminaires designed for live entertainment — tremendously successful, award-winning products such as MagicPanel, MagicBlade, MagicDot and DreamPanel. In 2020, the Multi Twenty-one programme will present a new innovative luminaire concept for this market segment.

Nor will Ayrton neglect the market for multi-lens beam and wash effect luminaires. The company will announce the replacement next year of its NandoBeam line, first launched in 2013.

Laser sources make a perfect beams

At Prolight+Sound 2016, AYRTON introduced the concept of DREAMSPOT — the first fixture equipped with an 18,000-lumen laser source that served as a lab prototype for the development of a revolutionary new luminaire that will be launched in 2020.

The adventure continues

The Multi Twenty-one programme is also targeting other market segments, and AYRTON will offer luminaires specially designed for theatre and applications requiring absolute silence.


Expect more surprises with new technology from our Multi Twenty-one programme.

 

High End to unveil Solawash 1000 at Plasa London

The SolaWash 1000 automated luminaire is the newest member of the Sola Series from High End Systems. SolaWash 1000 is available in two versions; either with an Ultra-Bright engine producing 20,000 field lumens or a High CRI Engine featuring incredibly accurate color rendering.

High End SolaWash 1000.

The fixture includes a full framing shutter system, CMY/CTO linear color mixing system, a seven plus open position replaceable color wheel, iris and dual Linear Frost systems for medium and heavy frost. Sharp edge focus performs throughout the entire 12° – 55° zoom range. A TM-30 Filter boosts the Ultra-Bright engine to 85+ CRI.

Automated Lighting Product Manager Matt Stoner commented, “The SolaWash 1000 offers an elegant feature set for our users. Whether you are using the fixture as an Ultra-Bright wash light with framing, a High CRI key light for face lighting or even a wide and soft edge wash fixture, the SolaWash 1000 is designed to give designers a great light, a wide gamut of pure and even colors, and a beautifully simple feature set.”

“From a feature perspective, the SolaWash 1000 is a wash light with the best of the basics: fantastic color mixing possibilities, great output and near-silent operation,” adds High End Systems Brand Manager Tania Lesage. “The fixture is designed with fast serviceability in mind, and is of course equipped with High End Systems’ patented lens defogger. SolaWash 1000 will be a great complement to our SolaFrame 1000.”

The SolaWash 1000 will be launched at Plasa London on the ETC/High End stand, September 15th-17th.

More information on the High End Website.

 

Open air and open sound: Nexo line arrays for Europe’s greenest concert hall

In Nuremberg, Germany, a large PA system comprising elements of 4 different NEXO line arrays entertained audiences of 60-75,000 per night at the Klassik Open-Air Music Festival .
In Phase Event, one of the primary rental suppliers of NEXO systems in Germany, designed and supplied the system for this biggest classical music open air event in Europe.

This unrivalled success story started in 2000, on the occasion of the City of Nuremberg’s 950th anniversary. Three free open air concerts performed by the city’s two major orchestras were intended to be a great party in the Luitpoldhain park. The event was modelled on similar concerts in New York’s Central Park and particularly on the “Proms in the Park” in London’s Hyde Park.

The idea was that even people who normally do not listen to classical music could get together in a relaxed atmosphere, free of charge, to get to know “their” orchestras. Due to the musical quality of the Nuremberg State Philharmonic Orchestra and the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, the ambience of Luitpoldhain and the relaxed atmosphere, these concerts have evolved a culture of an evening picnic culture by candlelight, culminating in a firework display.

The 2019 Klassik Open-Air programme is now in its third consecutive year with NEXO systems, and also included the Big Band Jazz concerts, which take place every other season in the Luitpoldhain park. This open-air auditorium, often called Europe’s greenest concert hall, is 400 metres wide, asking the main PA to throw 300m to the back of the audience area.

In Phase Event CEO Ernst Sieber and his team rely on their NEXO STM Series modular line array to provide the main PA for this large-format outdoor show, making only minor alterations to the system design that has seen them successfully through three annual festivals. For example, the 2019 edition increased the number of delay towers for the growing audience area, as well as the addition of a small number of STM B112 bass modules and STM S118 subs into the main PA to enhance the bass response for the Big Band jazz performances.

Main PA hangs each side use 16x STM M28 compact ‘omni’ modules, flown underneath 3x STM M46 main modules. The 4x B112 bass modules are flown in a separate array behind the main hang. In front of the stage, a combination of 16x STM S118 and 8x RS18 subs are groundstacked, running in cardioid mode.
Additional M28 cabinets, plus some PS15s, were used for outfill, and PS15-R2s provided four small sidefills.

Around the huge natural auditorium, there are fourteen delay towers deploying a range of NEXO line array systems: some with GEO S8, some with GEO M10, and some with GEO M6. As Ernst Sieber points out, “the absolute phase linearity of all the NEXO systems makes it possible to achieve this set up, and do so in a relatively short time. They all achieve a high range with superb audio performance at the highest level.”

All PA was running on optical fibre over a Dante network, controlled by NEXO/Yamaha amps and consoles. At front-of-house, mix engineer Florian Denzler was using a Lawo MC236 console with Yamaha CL1 as a Matrix and 4x Lake LM44 drives.

More information on Nexo lines of products and on In Phase Event GmbH.

 

Newbies’ galore for Elation in 2019! And more to come…

Elation stand, Prolight+Sound 2019.

One, two, three, four, fiv… in total, seven new products were introduced on the US manufacturer’s stand at last Prolight+Sound exhibition, plus three new models (at least!) to be unveiled during next Plasa show in London, all this for 2019! For a start, let’s begin with the models already available with Frederik Afif, one of the Commercial Managers of this never stoppin’ brand.

Let’s start with the headliner named Proteus Maximus, a hybrid Wash/Beam projector, but also a Profile (with 4 motorized blades), with a waterproof protection index (IP) of 65. The LED source of this beautiful baby, close to 80 cm high (head pointing up) is close to a kilowatt (950 W to be exact), and promises up to 50,000 lumens at the output of its magnificent 180 mm diameter lens.

An imposing heat exchanger is fitted in the Proteus Maximus to dissipate the heat generated by the 950 W of the LED source.

Frederik Afif beside the new Proteus Maximus.

The optical system has been designed to generate a slight hotspot that increases the efficiency of the projector in Beam mode, says Frederik Afif. The zoom range is wide, 5.5 – 55°. With a linear CMY + CTO color mixing system, a 6-color wheel, a High CRI filter and a UV filter, an animation wheel, two glass gobos wheels, two prisms (circular and linear), iris, 2 progressive Frosts, it is particularly well equipped and necessarily a bit heavy, as IP65 rated: 52 kg!

Some steps away, let’s have a look at the newcomers: Da Vinci, Monet et Van Gogh from the « Artiste » series.

The Da Vinci, which corresponds to the smallest power of the series with its LED engine of 270 W, however announces a luminous output of 12,000 lm. This spot has all the functions expected on a Pro moving head: CMY + CTO, linear wheel of 7 colors including a CTB filter and a UV, two gobo wheels, one animation wheel, two prisms (circular and linear), Frost, iris and 6-48° zoom.

In addition to its CMY color mixing system, Monet comprises 3 RGB filters and a linear CTO.

The Monet uses the same 950 W LED source as the Proteus Maximus, and almost all its functions, but its Spot/Profile optical system delivers a light output slightly less than the announced 45,000 lumens. It is also more lightweight: 42 kg.

The Monet embeds two significant innovations. The first is all about the colors generation with the “SpectraColor Flag System”. Here are some explanations: the colors are generally obtained via a subtractive trichromatic system, using 3 primary colors, cyan, magenta and yellow (which we obviously find here too).
To have red, for example, we have to push the parameters of yellow and magenta to 100 %. This configuration requires the use of at least two filters that the light must pass through, causing additional loss of power.

The SpectraColor system has 3 additional filters (+ a CTO) dedicated to red, green and blue, all variable in saturation. Thus light passes through a filter to generate a color with a consequent gain in brightness. Another noticeable point is that framing system’s blades are mounted on a rotating cassette that can rotate continuously!

The Van Gogh is equipped here with a clear PC-type lens.

The last fixture in the “Artist” range, Wash Van Gogh, is compact (669 mm high) and integrates a white 380 W LED source @ 6200K, with a CRI of 92, generating a luminous output of 16,000 lumens.
This model which also has motorized blades, a linear CMY + CTO, a wheel of 7 colors including a UV, a Frost, and is delivered with two different lenses, a PC, and a Fresnel.
The Zoom has an range of 7-55° with PC lens and 11-66° with Fresnel lens. Its weight is 28.5 kg

The second part of this hunt for novelties is devoted to the “Fuze” series, a very complete range of fixtures designed for smaller budgets.
The Fuze Profile CW is the most “simplistic” version of the range, giving up the CMY color mixing system in favor of two colored wheels. It uses a 380 W white LED source and has a module of motorized blades, for a weight of 23 kg.

Coming from a series aimed to smaller budgets, the new Fuze Profile has a sober look that is no less professional.

Second variation in this range, the Fuze Profile is fitted with a RGB + Mint (light green) + Amber LED source.
Its parameters have a virtual corrector to raise the color rendering index up to 92. Also equipped with motorized blades, its luminous output reaches 9,000 lumens.

Finally, to end this review, the Fuze Spot retains the characteristics of the Profile very closely, by skipping the framing system, resulting in a loss of 4 kg on the scale (21 kg for this moving head).

More information on the Elation Website.

 

Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala in open-air with L-Acoustics K Series at Piazza Duomo

Open-air concerts always bring in extra magic, especially in a prestigious place like Piazza Duomo in Milano (Italy). Each summer since 2013, Milan’s world-famous Teatro alla Scala has transformed Piazza Duomo, the Italian city’s central square, into an open-air concert hall where the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala give a free classical performance for residents and tourists.
An L-Acoustics K Series system was supplied by Italy’s premier rental company, Agorà, which has provided audio and lighting to this stunning event since it first started.

25,000 people flock to Milan’s world-famous Teatro alla Scala for the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala free open air concert.

Under the baton of maestro Riccardo Chailly, this year’s set list included Dvořák’s Symphony from the New World No. 9 and works from Italian composer, pianist and conductor Nino Rota, best known for his Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti film scores.
With 25,000 concert goers packing the 17,000m2 piazza and the evening broadcast live on RAI 5 in HD, Front of House Engineer Fabio Venturi was tasked with designing a system that would deliver even coverage across the entire space and provide an audio experience on par with the beauty of the music and the setting.

Concert plan one year ahead

“I am generally aware of the plan for the concert around a year in advance, as the orchestra has a very long-term planned schedule,” says Fabio Venturi. “I work together with Agorà’s System Engineer, Daniele Tramontani, an authority in Italy in this field with huge amount of experience with orchestras projects. We usually start planning the system in March and the Filarmonica gives me full discretionary power on the audio setup.”

While the Filhamonica grants Venturi full freedom, it was vital that the maestro’s vision for the performance was fulfilled, so his ultimate goal was to achieve a satisfying sound level for every moment of the program, from the softest pianissimo to the most bombastic fortissimo.

The piazza’s monuments and ancient street lights, imposed architectural limitations: L-Acoustics Soundvision was used to achieve an accurate prediction of audience coverage.

Venturi and Tramontani had a number of obstacles to overcome to achieve this. The piazza itself, with its monuments and ancient street lights, imposes architectural limitations, whilst tram traffic at its edges, which was not stopped for the concert, along with the substantial size of the audience would create a significant level of ambient noise.

“To reach our goal of perfect coverage and to preserve the quality of the sound throughout the performance, we focussed a lot of attention on the PA design well in advance of the concert,” Venturi explains. “L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D acoustical simulation software allowed us to achieve an accurate prediction of audience coverage in terms of SPL and frequency response, which saved us a substantial amount of time further down the line.”

Hundred condenser mikes and dozens streetlights

The position of the main PA in relation to the stage, where more than 100 condenser microphones were placed for the orchestra, was also very important as it was vital to ensure there was sufficient headroom for the concert whilst mitigating bleed into the microphones.
“The presence of the ancient streetlights was limiting both in terms of finding the perfect position for the PA towers and to reach an optimal height,” Venturi adds. “We used different solutions to smooth out this problem, including hanging curtains at the side of the main PA to protect the orchestral microphones from picking up unwanted sound from the speakers.”

Venturi and Tramontani’s final design placed the main hangs of 10 K1 atop five K2 stage left and right, along with side hangs of 12 K2 positioned at the outer edge of each of the two screens that flanked the stage, and a centre fill of six Kara. Kara was also the choice for front fill – eight cabinets being placed at even intervals behind the scrim at the front of the stage – and delays.
The latter were positioned towards the rear of the piazza and comprised two hangs of 10 Kara, one left, one right, covering the rear of the square, further hangs of 12 Kara either side to cover the rear sides and a hang of eight as a central delay.

Riccardo Chailly listening session

Venturi reports that the results achieved were exactly as predicted in Soundvision and, most importantly, that Riccardo Chailly was delighted with the results he, Tramontani and the Agorà team had achieved.

“The maestro was able to listen to the concert’s rehearsal, which was directed by his assistant,” concludes Venturi. “He was standing in the square, moving to different positions to make sure the coverage was the same across the entire piazza. He told me his overall impression of the audio was excellent. We had achieved our aim and the Agorà team and I were very satisfied!”

K1 and K2 were used for main and side hangs with Kara deployed for centre and front fills.

More information on L-Acoustics K Series and Soundvision software.

 

City Theatrical Multiverse: Made in Broadway, and ready for Europe

City Theatrical is an old respectful Broadway company with more than 30 years of innovation in US stage lighting, in particular musicals, but, a bit like the star of Hello Dolly, she knows how to make a come-back now and then with new ideas, then return to the game sometimes unexpectedly.
On the occasion of the compatibility update of the DMXcat software with the Multiverse, let’s go back in detail on this powerful multi-universe transmitter, launched in Europe in its latest version during the last Prolight + Sound show in Frankfurt.

The Prolight+Sound City Theatrical stand in Frankfurt, Gary Vilardi (left) and his Blitzkrieg team of two, aiming to take the European market by storm, whatever the Swedish competition…

They made a very smart move only a few years ago with the DMXcat, a nifty battery operated bi-directional compact box with wireless BlueTooth control from any smartphone, and were very much involved with the development of pixel-per-pixel controlled Ledstrips for musicals, theatre or music shows with their QolorPIX and QolorSTRIP ranges.

So, I was keen to find their booth at latest Prolight+Sound and ask straight to Gary Vilardi my ritual “Wazzup Gary!”

SoundLightUp: Hi Gary, I’m still waiting for the actual definitive launch of the Pathway in its full-blown version (ol’ private joke between us, ED.), so anything else really new? (smiles)

Gary Vilardi, City Theatrical Marketing Director: You’re damn right Bruno, it should be finished anytime now, it will definitely help create next generation lighting networks with open system products that harness the power and convenience of Ethernet.
In the meantime, we’re presenting here, for the first time in Europe, a brand new concept that will create a true Wireless DMX transmission revolution! Here is the Multiverse, with 10 complete DMX512 universes sent simultaneously from the same box.

SLU: I think I remember your ShoW Baby model already could transmit 4 different universes at the same time, is this one a bigger brother on steroids?

Gary Vilardi introducing proudly the two sides of the Multiverse environment, hardware with a Multiverse, and software with the already famous DMXcat app, now directly connecting your smartphone to the latter.

Gary Vilardi: Yes… and no, as it is a much bigger box anyway, with four antennas. Of course, we kept the compatibility with the ShoW Baby. By the way, in its latest version the ShoW Baby can handle 6 universes in total!
The Multiverse patent derives from the fifth generation of our wireless DMX developments, so we do know what we’re talking about here… (smiles)

SLU: How does it work, then?

Gary Vilardi: First of all, it relies on an intelligent real-time management of all the DMX data sent at the same time : we deliver more data, but using less radio energy. To do this, we reimagined wireless DMX globally, and discovered that we could reduce the amount of radio energy used for wireless DMX by more than 90%, using an innovative new radio system and by improving how we broadcast and merge all the DMX/RDM data.

As most wireless DMX systems broadcast all 512 DMX slots per universe whether there is anything patched into them or not, Multiverse automatically designates only the DMX slots it needs to broadcast, thereby saving unneeded radio energy. We call this Auto Dynamic Limited Burst. At the same time, Multiverse uses what we call MDMX to reduce, in many cases by over 90%, the data transmission requirements for a show.
For instance, on a Broadway show, there are a lot of DMX universes where not much is happening at certain moments: set-up static color for a while, LED strips embedded into stage costumes, even generic lighting for a whole song or drama act. Of course, we still make sure we keep perfect fidelity in this kind of mission critical show environment.

SLU: This all makes sense, Gary, but then you’re not compatible at all with the very popular (in Europe, that is) Swedish « standards » Lumen Radio CRMX® and Wireless Solutions W-DMX®?

An example of a DMXcat app aplication, now directly online with the Multiverse via your iOs or Android smartphone. You can notice here a total and bi-directional control of a Multiverse, and a Multiverse Node.

Gary Vilardi: By all means, not at all ! (laughs) But we don’t care, for projectors’ manufacturers we can supply the Multiverse Module, tiny ultra-compact TRX PCB they can fit in any fixture.
For those who just to use our own standard with other wired fixtures, we can provide the Multiverse Node, you can see some units here and there fixed to our stand’s truss, it’s very flexible with several ways to hang it or hook it up.

To complement these informations, I have to add that all our system is RDM compatible, we even added an extra “reliability” layer called MRDM, allowing both DMX and RDM to operate at the same time. This opens up new benefits for lighting users, not available from a wired system. (or you would have to add an “intelligent” Node somewhere to filter out the unwanted or messy data, Ed.)

SLU: Some people might remember that you were given a « Best Debuting Product » Award during latest LDI show in November 2018, what’s really new in this updated version of Multiverse?

Gary Vilardi: We improved it a lot for European users, for instance, the 900 MHz is not used over here. We also added a very handy and useful feature, the direct control by the DMXcat app. This is where the 4th antenna comes in… You don’t have to get a DMXcat to control and manage a Multiverse box, just download the DMXcat into your smartphone, and there you go, both in DMX512 and in RDM.

SLU: Isn’t it a bit risky to open up this remote control by Bluetooth, then? There are more and more DMXcat users out there in our industry, and now if you say you can even use just your smartphone, would that be too many control attempts on the same set? And I’m not even referring to jokers, dummies or malicious people?

Gary Vilardi: No, there’s no danger here, as several Multiverses can operate at the same time. Then, we also have equipped the Multiverse with the SHoW Key Security feature, locking any system and password protecting it from any other Multiverse systems operating in the area, accidentally or not.
On Broadway you don’t mess around with the unexpected, « The Show must go on! » (laughs)

More information on the City Theatrical Website.

 

Less sound outside, better sound inside: Changwon NC Park Harman installation

To deliver premium sound across every seat while minimizing sound leakage to neighboring residential and commercial areas while delivering powerful, arena-filling sound as efficiently as possible, TechData Co., Ltd. recently installed an end-to-end JBL Professional networked audio system at the Changwon NC Park baseball stadium.

Changwon NC Park is a 22,000-seat baseball stadium which opened in 2019, replacing Masan Stadium as the home of the NC Dinos professional baseball team. The stadium features four tiers of seating that curve around home plate, leaving the outfield side open to the air. To deliver premium sound across every seat while minimizing sound leakage to neighboring residential and commercial areas, Changwon NC Park required an ultra-focused, efficient and highly scalable sound system.
To achieve the client’s goals, TechData designed and installed an extensive HARMAN networked audio system featuring JBL loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, Soundcraft mixing consoles and BSS signal processors.

“Since the stadium hosts highly competitive baseball matches, the client needed a sound system that could not only ensure even distribution of sound throughout the stadium, but also contain the sound within the stadium—a critical requirement due to the proximity of residential areas,” said Seung Duk Seo, Technical Manager at TechData Co., Ltd.
“The stadium also needed something slim and inconspicuous to install, so JBL Intellivox series speakers fit the bill. As a result, perfectly horizontal coverage control provides sound to where it is needed, but also reduces leakage of noise outside of the stadium.”

The HP-DS370 columns, technology concentrates capable of delivering 105 dB peak SPL at 30 m distance between 140 Hz and 18 kHz, thanks to their 16 amplifiers driven by the same number of DSPs to vary the vertical directivity, while the horizontal directivity is fixed 100°. Two of these 6.5” are coaxial to bring precision and definition for the high frequencies.

To ensure even sound coverage throughout the seating areas with minimal spill and wasted energy, TechData selected JBL Intellivox HP-DS370 active beam shaping column loudspeakers.
The HP-DS370 uses 14 6.5-inch coaxial drivers to project consistently over a targeted area, delivering powerful yet extremely focused sound. A slim, unobtrusive profile and IP55-rated enclosure make the Intellivox arrays an ideal fit for the outdoor environment.
TechData also deployed JBL AWC82 compact two-way loudspeakers with 8-inch coaxial drivers to supplement the main speaker arrays, as well as ASB6125-WRX dual 15-inch subwoofers to provide full low-end energy.

Crown DriveCore Install and I-Tech Series amplifiers provide ample power for the extensive loudspeaker system, with network connectivity via BlueLink and HiQNet. Crown DCi 2|1250N, 2|600N and 4|1250N models form the bulk of the system, featuring proprietary DriveCore technology for extreme efficiency.
TechData also deployed Crown I-Tech 4x3500HD amplifiers, which feature advanced OMNIDRIVEHD processing and flexible I/O options including analog, AES3 and CobraNet.

Soundcraft Si Impact and Vi2000 mixing consoles provide enough inputs and powerful DSP for the complex mixes required for games and events. Intuitive features like Faderglow technology and the Vi2000’s hands-on Vistonics interface streamline complex mixing tasks, increasing efficiency.

The sound room with (right) a Soundcraft Vi2000.

The entire audio system is seamlessly connected via a state-of-the-art digital network of BSS signal processors. TechData selected the BSS BLU-806 for its highly configurable I/O and high-bandwidth, fault-tolerant digital audio bus. BSS BLU-326DA I/O Expanders and BLU-BIB Break-In Boxes add additional branches to the network, creating a highly scalable and expandable system.

“The dual requirements of sound coverage and containment within the stadium required a prudent solution, which is exactly what we found in the cutting-edge HARMAN audio systems,” said an audio engineer spokesperson at Changwon NC Park. “The issue of noise complaints was a major concern when the project was in the design stage, but since the completion of the project, the NC DINOS and city officials have been very satisfied with the overall result.”

Ramesh Jayaraman

“Elevating Experiences for our audiences has been the hallmark of HARMAN Professional Solutions iconic brands. Combining Innovation with advanced technological solutions, our partner TechData worked closely with the customer to facilitate a successful installation and presented the best possible solutions to suit the customer requirements,” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC.
“It is always a pleasure to partner with TechData, and we thank them for their strong customer focus, innovation and technical ability in providing world class solutions and enhancing customer satisfaction”

More information on the Harman Website.

 

Wireless Solutions ProBox F-2500 in G5

The ProBox F2500 at Prolight+Sound exhibition, after two years of development.

The ProBox F-2500 represents the fifth generation of Wireless DMX transceivers created by the Swedish guys at Wireless Solution, who sign here their most accomplished device and concept.

ProBox F-2500, Generation 5

Looking like a 19-inch rackable processing unit in 1U format, it can be used as a transmitter, as a receiver or as a repeater, depending of its mode. Being the only product in this range able to manage four individual and distinct DMX universes in “Double-Up” mode, it has two spatial diversity antennas, offering a long throw of up to 700 m.

The ProBox F-2500 can be used at the same time as a receiver and a transmitter, thanks to its « One-Button » menu, using the same routines of the previous versions.

With this new technology, the famous G5, you use several frequencies in 3 bands: 2.4 GHz, 5.2 GHz and 5.8 GHz, to transmit DMX512 data signals, including a complete support of RDM.
Another innovation is the native recognition of Art-Net II and III protocols, of the sACN and, as an option, a Wi-Fi card can be inserted to communicate directly with light remote control apps on tablets or smartphones.

The use of the AFHSS (stands for Adaptive Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum), seeking busy channels to further reduce interference, is coupled with the Data-Safe system to protect the data from interferences, and eventually correct transmission loss.

Equipped with an universal 90/260 V 50-60 Hz supply thru PowerCon input and an ancillary 12 V DC supply, the ProBox can be used anywhere in the world.

This true wireless DMX highway is used directly by using the 5-pin DMX connectors on the front or rear panel, or by sending an ArtNet or sACN signal in the RJ45 EtherCon socket.

Compatible with the former G3 and G4S technologies, it can be used with the majority of Wireless Solution’s partner brands, such as ADB, Claypaky, Portman, Chauvet, Elation, Robert Juliat, Cameo, Starway, etc. Supplied with two tri-band antennas with a gain of 3dBi, the ProBox F-2500 is equipped with N-type antenna connectors, allowing the use of any type of antenna picked in the Wireless Solution accessories range, for coverage of up to several kilometers .

Its list price should be less than 1,700 € HT, depending on countries, just ask your local distributor

More information on the Wireless Solution Website.

 

Immersive record: 152 Optocore preamps for French National Day Celebration at Eiffel Tower

A powerful networking solution has been designed and installed by Radio France (French National Radio Broadcasting Consortium) & Importer Gilles Bouvard using Optocore and BroaMan products for the National Day Grand Concert on the 14 juillet at the Champ de Mars, just in front of the Eiffel Tower.

The Grand Concert de Paris takes place every year at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, in the Champ de Mars. This year, a crowd of 300,000 people assembled to listen to the concert and see the impressive firework display, while a record audience of 3 million viewers tuned in to watch the spectacle on television.

Specialising in the delivery of large-scale shows around the world, Gilles Bouvard Events and Shows (GB4D) regularly uses Optocore and BroaMan fiber optic converters for the construction of networks over long distances, particularly in the Champ de Mars, where they have been hired by Radio France since 2015.

But as requirements evolve in line with the technological advancement, a highly innovative approach was adopted this year to build on the site wide Optocore redundant optical loop backbone that has been deployed for the previous four years. To capture the audio this year, no fewer than 152 Optocore X6R preamps (FX and TP) were in use.

This was the result of earlier successful trials: “We had conducted several experiments with Radio France before the event, including the recording and capture of a jazz concert in 2018, with immersive sound, using a 22/2 multi-channel mix, Gilles Bouvard explained.”

Two Route 66s, then two X6R preamps and two V3Rs.

The idea itself emanated from Pascal Besnard and Bruno Lompech from Radio France, resulting in the BroaMan / Optocore equipment for this extraordinary concert being installed at La Maison de la Radio.

Bruno Lompech takes up the story. “Before thinking about mixing 22:2 specifically, I thought of the huge possibilities of audio network coverage that Optocore offered, and I proposed it to our engineering department as an alternative to other more audio-oriented IP systems. From a standard concert we could imagine something way more innovative than a simple stereo mix to our FM transmitters.”

The audio recording was made using 48 Optocore preamps wired to a LAWO console for the antenna sound (directed by Stéphane Desmons). The concert was mixed by a Yamaha Nuage post-production console for the immersive sound.

“It was crazy!” exclaims Gilles Bouvard. “Everything was connected via a [BroaMan] MUX22-IVT/MADI, for audio and video.”

Gilles Bouvard

The effect on listeners was devastating. Tuning in to the live concert in Studio 105, they were immediately immersed in a 16:2 sound. The distribution of audio stems to the 18 inputs of the immersive sound converter was handled uniquely by the MUX22 IVT / MADI.
Meanwhile, a BroaMan Route 66 16/24 video router retrieved HD SDI camera signals, distributing the video to the sound engineers in all studios, and broadcasting the concert to the Dailymotion video-sharing platform, with images and sound immersively mixed in 22:2.

As Lompech explained, “We arranged to distribute to other studios because ultimately we wanted to be able to operate any mix from any of our studios to any or all of the mixing booths.”
Gilles pays tribute to Hervé Déjardin of Radio France and Pierric Charles for their work on this project, while François Lund (of GB4D) accompanied Gilles Bouvard in the implementation, alongside Diane Hivert, who is responsible for BroaMan / Optocore distribution in France.

Bruno Lompech also credits Hervé, whom he describes as “one of the world’s leading specialists in this technology.” He explained, “He saw the opportunity to mix live for our networks on the net, at the same time as mixing for our Radio Frequency Modulation (FM Radio) antennas, a mix more elaborate than the simple stereo mixing tradition. This was made possible not only by the quality of the Optocore preamps, but also the speed of distribution of audio channels from one studio to another, with almost zero latency.”

One of the secret studios in the heart of Radio France where Hervé Desjardins plays around with sound, his mind in the clouds and his hands on a Nuage… (bilingual pun, Ed.)

Once proof of concept was established, the BroaMan / Optocore topography was immediately earmarked for the Grand Concert in Paris. The relationship between Radio France, the expertise of the GB4D team and deployment of Optocore technology is based on mutual trust. “The process becomes easy; however, that said, nothing is left to chance in the preparation of equipment in our premises,” says Gilles. “Having the confidence of Radio France has the effect of putting more pressure on our shoulders. In that regard, credit goes to Titou Victor, who worked with me on this great concert, and Greg Poirier and François Lund in our workshops.”

In addition to Bruno Lompech, who is retiring this year, Gilles also singles out Laurent Fracchia, one of the sound directors of Radio France, who was stationed in the OB truck for the Grand Concert de Paris.
This 5.1 truck has already been equipped with 120 LAWO preamps. “But we are often asked to provide somewhere between 48 and 96 Optocore preamps for events, depending on the recordings to be made. This can take the mix total up to 216 preamps.

Optocore preamps quality is very high, and so it does not make any difference to Radio France’s sound engineers whether they use LAWO or Optocore preamps, especially when Optocore gain and phantom can be controlled directly from the LAWO console,” continues Gilles.

GB4D detailed 144 preamps for the stage—120 for FOH and 24 Dual Mic preamplifiers for solo monitors.
In addition, eight FOH preamps were used for the on-site public ambient sound, in addition to the live radio and television sound recording.

At the same time a multitrack recording was performed on a 128-channel Pyramix from the FOH console, facilitated by the additional MADI ports (3 and 4) on BroaMan’s bidirectional Video and Data MUX22-IVT/MADI converters, and M12—an Optocore MADI router with eight MADI ports.

It was Laurent Fracchia who realised the final sound mix for radio and television. He had prepared a rescue mix of four stereo groups that was distributed in MADI in the Yamaha DM1000 as a back-up if necessary. The console was implemented on the Optocore network to manage TV commercials and wireless microphones for pre-show presentations, and was also used to broadcast the soundtrack of the fireworks. In addition to X6R-FX-16MI and X6R-TP-16MI preamps for stage capture, a V3R-TP-8MI was used for ambience microphones.

The Optocore network also distributed audio stems for the Adamson broadcast systems.
Devices used for Stage Left, comprised an X6R-FX-8AES/8LO, and for Stage Right broadcasting, a V3R-TP with eight AES port and eight analog outputs (these were wired in backup on the amplifiers).
The French National TV channel was connected by an Optocore DD32R-FX, equipped with two older X6P-8MI/8LO for the sharing of resources, as well as by an X6R-FX-16AES-SRC and DD32R-FX.

“The FOH broadcast processor was interfaced in the network via a DD32R-FX for AES streams, and an X6R-FX for analog backup on which was wired a V3R-TP-8MI to capture the atmosphere,” says Gilles. The four mixing consoles were connected to the MADI network, with two interfaces: BroaMan MUX22-IVT/MADI and Optocore M12.

As to the dual redundant fiber network, GB4D again conceived the transmission in two optical rings which he described as a “false star” (thus described because the ring was created in the Optocore Stagebox).

The first loop connected the FOH controller, the stage left broadcast and the stage left preamp rack. A second loop, deployed from the Optocore stage right preamp rack, connected the Radio France 5.1 and France TV OB vans.
Elsewhere, GB4D used a new Optocore AutoRouter simultaneously at another big French National Day concert in Toulouse, where they were responsible for the audio and video network, deploying the signal distribution on 14 points of sound and eight SDI points, requiring the installation of 6 km of fiber.

In conclusion, Bruno Lompech described the Paris experiment as “a complete success.” He said, “We were able to prove that from a dedicated event to a media source, thanks to Optocore’s intelligent and transparent distribution we could create a multitude of events simultaneously.
“All this was made possible thanks to the commitment on the ground of our teams, those of Radio France, but also the control of the technology by the teams of GB4D, who fully believed in our project. In parallel, the possibility of passing the video via the network between the different mixing and listening points has brought us enormous satisfaction, with a sufficiently straightforward implementation to fully convince us of the quality of the Optocore and BroaMan devices.”

More information on the Optocore Website and on the Broaman Website.

 

The prodigious graphical possibilities of the Ayrton Huracan-X in video

Young French Light DesignerAlexis David designed this show to demonstrate all the graphical possibilities of the Profile Spot Huracan-X, enjoy this video just below. Gobos yet unseen, double CMY, effects wheel with multiple positionings, CMY effects wheel, and, last but not least, its impressive 50,000 lumens light output.

AYRTON – Huracán-X from Ayrton on Vimeo.

More information on the Ayrton Website, and read more about this fixture in the most recent SoundLightUp article “Huracan-X, a storm named Ayrton”.

 

794 GLP fixtures for Indochine last Stadiums Shows designed Jean-Christophe Aubrée

The French production designer Jean-Christophe Aubrée has taken over the lighting for two major stadium shows, featuring legendary French band Indochine (enjoying a remarkable almost 40 years career), with aver 1,000 fixtures, including 794 GLP impression X4.
All were supplied via PRG France from their bases across Europe.

It was a comfortable position for Aubrée, to find himself in. Having previously worked with other well-known artists, and formerly operated in an assistant design capacity with Indochine, he stepped up for the last two shows of the long-running 13TOUR, which had hit the road back in February 2018. The LD then was Thomas Dechandon.
Nicola Sirkis, Indochine’s leader, decided to create a whole new show for these two last stadium dates as a big surprise and experience for the fans. And helping provide a fitting finale were well over 1,000 lighting fixtures, including 794 GLP impression X4. All were supplied via PRG France from their bases across Europe.

Lighting roof

The vast majority of the X4’s were consigned to the lighting roof with another 36 populating the cross-shaped stage and proscenium edge, creating volume and depth, and 36 of the smaller impression X4 S positioned around the band on stage.
Jean-Christophe Aubrée has regularly turned to GLP’s LED solutions on festival rigs across Europe. “Most recently, I have been using the impression X4 Bar 20 and the awesome JDC1 hybrid strobe to create very interesting looks,” Jean-Christophe Aubrée says.

At the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, where the shows took place to sell out audiences of 30,000, the lights were hung 30 meters high, and therefore needed to deliver full power.
“I was looking for a reliable product that would achieve consistency over 758 units without any variation in terms of colour or dimming curve. Accuracy was my major concern as they would be responding all together, as one huge piece of light.” This synchronicity and choreography was an essential element.

Shapes, abstract, graphic

“The X4’s zoom helped me a lot, even at this height, turning this big lighting piece into many different shapes, sometimes abstract or at some point graphic.”
Another concern, he said, had been the mounting system – but again GLP was equal to the challenge. “When you have 722 fixtures following a precise layout it is so nice to have an easy and space saving clamp system, as with the X4, making the setup highly efficient.”

As Nicola Sirkis was looking for this stadium experience to be as immersive as possible, Aubrée was tasked with “making the audience forget about the place, land lose the feeling of dimension and distance.” Aside from the 50 x 15 m video screen, onto which live video images of the band (and other effects) were projected, it was the 72 x 34 m lighting roof, containing the 722 impression X4, that held the key.

“This roof sometimes washed all the audience in a static way, as a big architectural piece, and sometimes more dynamically to involve the audience in the band’s energy. It was a cross between modern architecture and a sci-fi vision, helping the audience to feel they were somewhere other than a regular stadium venue.”
“At some points in the show I got the feeling the lighting roof was way closer than it actually was, and it was a nice feeling to lose my bearings in this way. But the most exciting part was lighting the band themselves, he said. “This is what created the biggest onscreen impact from the live broadcast cameras – the energy pulsing 20 times bigger and brighter.”

Discreet and bright, side and back lights

“It was nice to have such a tiny fixture as the X4S, so discreet on stage but also very bright. I used them as side and back lights to light the band and create depth of field for all the cameras shooting the stage and broadcasting the images onto the screen.”

“These GLP fixtures were reliable, particularly considering the high temperatures we experienced in the stadium. They are powerful, flexible and most of all very smart in terms of mounting solutions, menu setup, and programming mindset. When working with that many fixtures it is nice to have something so easy and efficient to set up.”

“When we turned all the roof fixtures on together for the first time we were so happy to have every response tight and smooth. Sometimes the roof was lit with regular cues and sometimes through pixel-mapping; both methods were super fluent and all in sync.”
Jean-Christophe Aubrée credits the close relationship built up with production and Nicola Sirkis in particular for the success of these shows. “This helped to push the project and ideas further than we had ever imagined.”

He was also fortunate to have such an accomplished crew. This comprised Laurent Boillot and Antoine d’Halluin as project managers, and Matthieu Bruni and Patrice Giono (lighting crew chiefs), surrounded by a team of 20 top technicians. “They all helped to make my work so fluent,” concludes LD Jean-Christophe Aubrée.

More information on GLP fixtures.