Claypaky just named its new CEO Marcus Graser, with immediate effect. Marcus takes over from Pio Nahum who will retire starting from 1 October 2019, after spending 30 years in the lighting industry.

Marcus Graser, a 42 experienced executive coming from OSRAM – mother company and sole shareholder of Claypaky – where he spent the last fifteen years at different positions. When Claypaky was acquired, he led the OSRAM side of the integration and, since that time, entertainment has been one of his main purpose.

“I am proud of having become the new CEO of Claypaky,” says Marcus, “and to oversee the exciting progress we anticipate in the years to come. I feel however that this is the right time to express, on behalf of an entire Claypaky community, our sincere gratitude to Pio Nahum for his excellent contributions as well as pragmatic, visionary and passionate leadership that allowed the company to achieve important results”.

Pio, who has spent the last 10 years at Claypaky, says: “I am glad to hand my responsibility over to Marcus; we have been working together since January and he has acquired a perfect understanding of our organization, our market and our business. I am confident that Marcus will carry out his new assignment with the utmost professionalism, enhanced by the enthusiasm and innovative attitude that are part of his personality”.

The Claypaky team is pleased to welcome Marcus in his new role, and assures him the maximum support and commitment.

Pyro and metal rock star German rock band Rammstein just completed its first ever stadium tour in Europe with Claypaky HY B-EYE K25, Scenius Unico, Mythos 2 and Sharpy lighting fixtures, all elected by Lighting Designers Ronald Greil and Patrick Woodroffe of Woodroffe Bassett Design, touring across the continent with the show.
Neg Earth Lights, London was the lighting vendor for all this inventory.

LD Ronald Greil says “Our brief was to keep the lighting in line with the Rammstein aesthetics built over 25 years of touring.” He’s having his first time working with the band. “It was no other standard pop or rock show; it was more like a rock opera, all perfectly staged. Featuring unique staging and architecture, a rig with over 1.000 lights and pyro, we kept the focus on the band creating the canvas for them to perform on.”

Comprising “Metropolis” and steampunk-inspired elements, the industrial-style set had a 9 x 5-meter video screen upstage attached to a 38-meter high tower, in order for it to track up and down.

Video content displayed the band’s logo in different variations and IMAG, which was treated and distorted. The tower also held parts of the moving light rig and housed pyro at its summit.
Additionally, two big scenic pieces were located upstage and two downstage and featured circular light fittings. In each one were fitted thirty-two K25s.

« As we were one of the first to use that many K25s, we were happily surprised by their light output and how they could be reliable on tour”, asserts Greil. The group loves their sheer light power, and the K25s were right on track with this demand.
Eighteen Scenius Unico were installed alongside the towers for main and lateral lighting for the band. « We also used with a Follow-Me automated follow-spot system », adds Greil.

The Mythos 2 fixtures were rigged on the front part of the towers, with 20 on each vertical line, so they wouldn’t be too visible. From this position, they created shadows and interesting forms of the set. Their ring-like beams also performed rays of sunshine look-alike at the rear of the tower.

«The Mythos 2 are reliable projectors», reports Greil. “They’re a versatile beam and spot units, that are not too heavy for a structure like the tower.” Eight Sharpys were also deployed for their signature beam lighting at the B-stage over lighting mix position.

“It was a pleasure to work on the tour and enjoy the trust that the band, creative team and management put in us,” Greil concludes.

Woodroffe Bassett Design also did the tour’s show design. Florian Wieder was the Production Designer, Cuno Hahn the Set Designer and Faren Matern and Marc Brunkhardt the Lighting Directors. Further credits include production director Nicolai Sabottka.

More information on the Claypaky Werbsite.

Full of sun and music! Bergheim’s city festival 11th edition of “Summer in the City” was once again spread all over the city. In front of six stages, thousands of music enthusiasts could enjoy the free music performed by bands of all conceivable styles.
RCF was present to sound out the complete festival on all stages spreading the whole city. Using the new TTL 4-A system for the first time, even a German premiere was part of the party, taking place all over the city.

On Center Stage, TSL Production used 16x HDL 30-A modules as main PA.

Following the festival’s motto “1 evening – 6 stages”, the whole city of Bergheim turns into the biggest stage in the area. New this year, the audience could vote for the bands, which can then perform on the audience stage.
Traditionnally, Summer in the city’s main attraction and largest stage was the Center Stage. TSL Production used 16x HDL 30-A modules as main PA, 12x SUB 9006-AS for the lower end, 2x TT 22-A as nearfield monitors, 6x TT 25 SMA & 1x TTS 15-A as sub-monitor.

Further stages

12x SUB 9006-AS for the lower end on the Canter Stage.

Further stages in the city area include the World Music Stage with 2x TTL 6-A and 2x SUB 8006-AS as well as 4x NX12 SMA. The New Vibes Stage was equipped with 2x TTL4-A, 4x SUB 9004-AS and 6x NX12 SMA.

On the Your Voice BM Stage 6x HDL 26-A, 4x SUB 9004-AS and 2x TT 22-A were used as monitor wedges.
The unplugged stage was equipped with 2x TT 10-A, 2x TTS 15-A and 2x TT 22-A as monitor wedges.

RCF modules all across the city

A smaller stage, all equipped in RCF as well.

TSL Production, as technical service provider, was once again responsible for the event. They take care of “Summer in the City” right from the start, with this year’s event being the eleventh edition.

Frank Schmitz, CEO of TSL Production, raves about the versatility the RCF-systems offer: “With over 75 modules in use all over the city, the RCF systems once again proved their versatility when handling all the stages with different sizes and many music styles.
We did manage the entire event and all six stages only with sound equipment from RCF. Not only was this point beneficial in terms of logistics, but also it offered enormous advantages during live operation.”

All kinds of music for all kinds of RCF set-ups.

The date for the 2020 Summer in the City festival has already been set. On June 6, 2020, it is “1 evening – 6 stages” again, and the whole city of Bergheim celebrates the biggest music party of the year.

More information about the RCF system HDL 30-A and the city festival in Bergheim.

‘Sinus – Systems Integration Award’ puts the spotlight on AV media installation. Now, the sector’s companies and professionals are called on to enter their showcase projects for the competition. The awards will be presented during Prolight + Sound (31 March to 3 April 2020) at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre.

The Sinus is one of the most coveted awards in the field of audio-visual communication. It is given for successful business and entertainment concepts distinguished by the future-oriented use of fixed media technology ranging in, for example, conference centres, meeting rooms, television and radio studios, brand and experiential worlds and leisure attractions. The winning projects will be chosen by an expert jury comprising members of the associations, experts from the sector, representatives of the media and Messe Frankfurt.

The notional sponsors of this honorary awards are the German Media and Event Technology Association (VPLT), the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) and Messe Frankfurt. The Sinus has been presented annually in different categories at Prolight + Sound since 2004. Last year, it was given for the Inspiration Wall at the Merck Innovation Centre in Darmstadt. Also chosen for an award was the new IP-based media technology in the GEO Mission Control Centre of EUMETSAT.

At Prolight-Sound.com, candidates have the opportunity to submit an outline of their projects with a brief description and images. The deadline for receipt of entries is 8 November 2019.

Sunshine, good music and dual stage, this event represents the Italian excellence in the contemporary music festivals scenario. dBTechnologies VIO L212 powered the 2019 edition of TOdays Festival held in Turin, Italy, on August 23-25.
The international lineup included Johnny Marr, Spiritualized, Ride, Jarvis Cocker, Hozier and Cinematic Orchestra, among others.

The open air sPAZIO 211 stage.

The festival of the summer 2019 in Turin has filled the city once again, extended its charm throughout the country and gone beyond international borders, finally becoming popular and attractive also abroad, reasons that place it closer to the Olympus of the great European Festivals. A real flagship for Turin, which year after year confirms itself as one of the most important poles of attraction for music and events in Italy.

The PAs were designed by Microfase Music Service, professional reality with a solid experience with the VIO Series; the system configuration in use consisted of:

– sPAZIO 211 stage: 16 VIO L212 + 12 VIO S218 + 4 VIO L208 used as front fill
– EX-FABBRICA INCET stage: 16 VIO L212 + 12 VIO S218

The open air sPAZIO 211 stage, with Hozier in full action. You can guess behind the advertising tulle the 8 L212 cabinets.

Dario Colombo, supervisor sound engineer for sPAZIO 211, a large stage located in the outdoor venue of the TOdays Festival, enthused about the performance of dbTechnologies’ line array system:
“VIO L212 reacted splendidly! There were very few equalization interventions on the master output of the mixer and they were more about mixing needs rather than real corrections of the sound of the system.
None of the eleven sound engineers at the front of house needed to correct the sound of the PA. We only got positive comments. We also have to consider that almost all of them came with the show prepared elsewhere and loaded by usb on the mixer-console, so in that case it is even easier to make comparisons”.

The EX-FABBRICA INCET stage. You can guess how the acoustics will react, just looking at the glazed frame supported by concrete beams…

Nicolò Amedeo, Supervising sound engineer of the venue, says:
“TOdays Festival takes place in very suggestive venues, aiming to involve the audience. But when it comes to acoustics, a beautiful spot can be tricky.

In this case, for example, the inner courtyard of the EX-FABBRICA INCET has some issues, since it looks like a long corridor between two wings of the old factory, it is half-covered along the entire lengt, with large windows on the sides. The positioning of the PA allowed us to better control the frequencies and limit the phase problems.

A sneak peak to the components inside the L212, with two 12”, four 6,5” and two 3” drivers with 1,4” throat. Classic and efficient.

The PA management software Aurora Net, has been helpful, as it’s simple to set up and very complete, and gives you the possibility to intervene in a very precise way.

I’ve been working with Microfase Music Service for years and since they bought the new VIO I used it in many different situations with many different kind of audience and the feedback has always been really positive”.

More information on :

• • The dbTechnologies Website
  • The Todays Festival Website
  • The Microfase Website

French people refer to her as the Iron Lady, but with tenderness and pride. French leading production company Magnum chose 60 Elation Proteus Hybrids to give life to an extraordinary light-show with double helix design to celebrate the Eiffel Tower 130th Anniversary.

The Eiffel Tower celebrated its 130th Anniversary on May 15th and marked the occasion with a spectacular son et lumière atop the Iron Lady with 60 Elation Proteus Hybrid™ luminaires used in an extraordinary double helix design. The weatherproof Proteus moving heads played an integral part in the sound and light show.

These fixtures were supplied for the event by technical solutions provider Magnum, who has been involved in over 95% of Eiffel Tower events since 2004. Magnum’s role on the 130th Anniversary project was to interact between the artistic ideas of renowned set designer Bruno Seillier and the Eiffel Tower’s technical director.
Designed by Bruno Seillier and programmed by Magnum’s Clément Lelevé, the custom light show portrayed a series of moments in history including Gustave Eiffel’s design and construction of the tower, special broadcasts France got to experience due to the tower’s height, the two World Wars, and other notable events in history including the recent fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral.

“For this great and historical event Bruno Seillier wanted to feature the tower as the ‘DNA of Paris’ so the 60 Proteus Hybrids were positioned accordingly on the top section of the tower,” stated Magnum head Jérôme Chupin.
A double helix design of Proteus fixtures, mounted above the second platform, lent itself to a beautiful symmetry of design, sending powerful beams of light thousands of feet into the Parisian night sky and allowing for unprecedented visual effects. The Proteus fixtures worked with other beam effects (in domes) located at the platform positions.

Climbing technicians akin to mountaineers spent three nights on the Eiffel Tower installing the multi-functional IP65 arc-source lights, an experience other technicians around the world have become familiar with as the award-winning Proteus has been used on several high-profile light spectaculars including New Year’s Eve light shows on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Space Needle in Seattle.

Read more about this latter installation in this SoundLightUp article.

“To this day the Proteus Hybrid is the only fixture gathering exceptional lighting qualities with the possibility to execute them in all environments,” Jérôme said of the powerful hybrid moving head. “Elation’s previous experience at the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai was instrumental in the decision to give the Eiffel Tower’s Technical Services Department peace of mind and give the okay to hang the Proteus Hybrid fixtures.”

The 12-minute Anniversary light show debuted on May 15th following a free concert by popular French singer Jeanne Added and played again the nights of May 16th and 17th, three times each night.
The symbol of Paris and a world treasure, the Eiffel Tower is a rare attraction in its own right but is especially magnificent when dressed in a custom light show as Jérôme exclaims.

“The show’s impact was ‘extraordinaire’! For three days, three shows per day, it gathered a sea of people from Place de Trocadéro all the way to the Pont d’Iéna (famous bridge across the Seine river nearby, Ed.) and was simply amazing to see.”

More information on the Elation Website.

Winning duet Electro-Voice and Dynacord deliver the audio backbone to historic brewery venue in a system design by Romanian partner HSA Audio.
Electro-Voice EVA line-array loudspeakers form the main system, with EVID-S for background music and Dynacord L Series amplifiers for power and processing. Dynacord’s MARC software is used to configure the sound system.

The latest renovation at the historic Becker Brau – HB in Bucharest has seen the installation of a new audio system that exploits the synergies of Electro-Voice loudspeakers and Dynacord electronics. The venue is the site of the first German brewery in the city and is a popular location for a variety of events, from live music and theatrical shows to weddings and corporate events.

Architectural and acoustic challenge

It was this wide range of applications that provided the main challenge for HSA Audio, the Romanian Electro-Voice and Dynacord partner in charge of the system design.

“We were challenged by both the architecture and meeting the needs of multiple people, from the owners and interior designers to the orchestra and the event planner,” recalls Adrian Colita, General Manager at HSA Audio. “Our main architectural challenge was to choose an audio system that could seamlessly blend into the design of the location while also meeting the technical and acoustic requirements.”

To complement this, EVID-S series commercial sound loudspeakers were also installed, providing superior sound quality with controlled coverage for keeping background music focused and paging intelligible.
Sixteen EVID-S8.2W loudspeakers form the venue’s background music system, while also serving as delays for the main system and providing a seamless, linear sound that matches the elegant design.

Achieving a perfect mix

To achieve the perfect mix between the design of the location and the technical and acoustic requirements, HSA Audio chose the Expandable Vertical Array (EVA) from Electro-Voice for fixed installations, which allows users to drive up to eight boxes (the equivalent of 16 line array elements) from a single amp channel.

The main hangs consist of three EVA-2082S 920 per side, with low-frequency extension via two EVA-2151D subwoofer elements each side, all sporting a white finish.
Power and processing for the installed solution is via Dynacord L Series amplifiers with four L1300FD and a further pair of L3600FD units deployed. Dynacord’s Multi Amplifier Remote Control (MARC) software allows users to configure, operate and supervise up to eight amplifiers.

“The L Series amplifiers have helped us a lot on the processing side for both the main audio system and the background music, all the more so as we can easily set the delay groups”. A Dynacord CMS 1000-3 mixing console provides additional hands-on control.

“Our customer and their guests are very pleased with the audio quality and system performance, as well as the elegant design.” concludes Adrian Colita.

More information on Dynacord and on Electro-Voice.

Ten week Milan Latin Festival, quite a duration indeed, but nothing scary for Suono e Luci and their Coda Audio ViRAY system.
The Milan Latin Festival is a 66 days celebration of the best Latin American artists on the planet. They converge on the external area of the Assago Forum in Milan from mid-June to mid-August, to deliver a rich and varied programme of concerts to enthusiastic crowds.
High Profile and hugely influential artists such as the king of Reggaeton, Daddy Yankee and fellow Puerto Rican, Ozuna, lit up the stage for sold-out shows that featured all their million-selling international hits.

General front view of the Latin Festival stage, all equipped with Coda Audio.

At outdoor events such as this, where the hazards of dispersion are more pronounced, the true qualities of an audio system are laid bare and event technology provider Suono e Luci, chose Coda Audio to ensure that every artist performing during the two-month duration of the festival was heard loud and clear.
Claudio Saoncella, Head of Audio at Suono e Luci, valued customers of Coda Audio’s Italian distributor Decima 1948, opted for a ViRAY solution configured in Bi-Amp. The system was installed into the Festival’s 1500sqm outdoor area, which contained seating for more than 6,500. Reliability and precision were key to the task, given the duration of the event and the huge variety of acts to be presented.

Daddy Yankee in full Latin action.

For the main PA Suono e Luci installed 15 x ViRAY (Bi-Amp) per side with 3 x ViRAY per side for delay. Frontfill was delivered by 4 x HOPS8 and sidefill by 6 x TiRAY, 2 x TiLOW and 2 x SCV-F subs. 8 x SCP-F subs arrayed across the front of the stage completed the set-up. The system was a great success, delivering all the necessary power and coverage with great definition and extremely low distortion, allowing audiences to fully experience the detail and depth of Latin American music.

William Geroli, the official Front of House Engineer for the festival seemed delighted with the system: “It has a very good response across all the frequencies and the Dual Diaphragm coaxial wave driver and coupler technology are great!
They are extremely efficient and always guarantee great results with high output and increased power handling. The reliability, ultra low distortion, fast optimised transient response and coherent wave guide are great too.”

8 x SCP-F subs arrayed across the front of the stage;

The engineers for major stars Ozuna and Daddy Yankee used the system as it was, with only minor EQ tweaks to satisfy personal taste. Whilst many of the visiting engineers were unfamiliar with CODA Audio, all declared that they were totally satisfied with the system.

Maurizio Mura, General Manager of Suono e Luci – the first company in Italy to place its faith in CODA Audio – gave this ViRAY system enthusiastic appraisal: “I’ve always thought that the audio quality of CODA systems is huge. I’ve used it in various situations and contexts in the last three years – we provide light and audio to the biggest Italian musical productions – and the results are always incredible. The ViRAY is a compact system, very easy to handle – including the speed of rigging.

For the main PA Suono e Luci installed 15 x ViRAY (Bi-Amp) per side with 3 x ViRAY per side for delay.

The coherent wave front is great and solves many problems in challenging settings. At the Milan Latin Festival we are once again obtaining outstanding results.
The concerts by Daddy Yankee and Ozuna were incredible, with exceptional power and sound quality from what is considered to be Coda’s medium-sized line array range!”

The power and flexibility of Coda Audio systems was perfectly demonstrated by Suono e Luci at the Milan Latin Festival. ViRAY was used to great effect in conjunction with speakers from across the CODA range to provide the sonic backbone of this hugely popular event.

Ozuna in full action and “mucha guapa” company.

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.

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.

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.

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.