The Seebühne open-air stage in Magdeburg, ready for Night Fever with its RCF set-up.
Composed of the three professional musicians from Germany bringing the music of the legendary Bee Gees to the stage, Night Fever is one of the most successful and authentic Bee Gees tribute shows worldwide. As part of their extensive tour, the band made a stop on the Seebühne. To stage the show acoustically perfect, event professional Dalterio Eventtechnik trusted in the HDL 30-A system from RCF.
The HDL 30-A of Italian traditional manufacturer RCF, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, is the compact active 2-way line array system for medium to large events – a perfect choice for the Seebühne in Magdeburg.
2 arrays of 8 HDL 30 each side. The 12 x Sub 9004 subwoofers are placed on both sides of the stage in a row (endfire).
Joachim D’Alterio, owner of Dalterio Eventtechnik, on the use of the HDL 30-A: “We have been using RCF for almost 10 years and are very satisfied over all these years. Rigging the new HDL series is very simple and intuitive. I love the sound of the RCF system very much because they sound audiophile and are assertive at the same time. A perfect mix, especially for such jobs.” The Seebühne open-air stage, located in a park in Magdeburg (Germany), is an openly designed venue offering an atmospheric ambience, but because of this design, it holds some challenges for event techs and sound engineers.
The auditorium and the stands are divided, and many different directions and heights demand sound exposure. To meet these challenges, Dalterio used 2x 8 HDL 30 modules as the main array. Because the stage is located at the same height as the pit, the 12x Sub 9004 subwoofers were placed on the right and left side of the stage in a row (endfire) to save space.
2 RCF TT22 outfills.
4x HDL 30 modules, stacked on the right side of the stage and radiating especially into this area, covered an outer stand to the right of the stage. 2x TT22 as nearfills flew in the stage traverse. A further 2x TT22 outfill to the right and left of the stage provided additional sound exposure.
For the control and monitoring of the entire system, the Dalterio event technology team used RCF’s own RDNet platform. It enables the control and monitoring of every single device or object in the RCF audio system. Using digital signal processing for each device, with RDNet presets or parameter adjustments can be sent to individual objects or groups of objects. RDNet users can change levels, delay, EQ (also phase-linear FiR) and additional settings. This also includes advanced subwoofer configuration.
KNV is not only the initials for Kremlin, Neva and Vodka, comrades. This winter a festive event took place in Moscow that stood out prominently against the background of other similar projects. This was due to its conceptual approach, and its stylish, thoroughly thought-out stage design, where each KNV element from innovative German brand GLP played its role in bringing the core concept to life.
KNVs were included in the equipment list even before this idea had been discussed; the show itself included introduction and solemn entry of the key figures with elements of a theatrical performance, concluding with a small concert featuring such famous singers as Ivan Dorn and Dima Bilan.
“When in December we learned that KNVs had become available in Russia, we immediately chose to use them in the set-up, and build a concept based around these fixtures,” reveals the project’s creative director, Daniil Maneshin.
« If one looks at the circle created by KNV Arcs, an image of a pupil comes to mind. So we grabbed hold of the idea and started to develop it until we had a dominating image of an eye.” This ‘eye’, consisting of various lighting fixtures, became the key design element. The concept was extended further, as tables for the guests were arranged in the form of an eye, as was the ceiling construction, where the fixtures were placed. Even the decorative photo area, where visitors took pictures as a memento, was decorated in the same way.
The creative power of the KNV-based ‘pupil’ was so impressive that Daniil Maneshin, Roman Kasaev and Alexander Polkhov went even further in their experiments and started to add layers to the installation to make the image more realistic. And so the ‘eye’ had coloured flecks and specks – all implemented using various GLP fixtures.
The LED KNV Block and Arc modules. You can notice the very peculiar pixels of this new fixture. You can also see the electronics’PCB between the LED sources.
In the centre was a circle consisting of eight inter-connected KNV Arc modules. A second layer, made of 12 KNV Arc modules, was placed at some distance, while the third layer was formed with beams. The spectacular ‘flecks’ were drawn in space by LED tubes, while a fifth layer was based upon LED light boxes set up in RGBW mode, surrounded by another layer consisting of static fixtures. A sliding screen rounded off the overall picture.
“These many layers made of various type fixtures – combined in a single pupil – allowed us to change images on stage completely,” LD Roman Kasaev explains. “We had both a ‘standard pupil’, and a ‘fractal’: we could turn off part of the layers, as well as combine various effects, to turn the fixtures simultaneously and to get completely different images.” In addition, Roman and Alexander suggested spreading KNV’s bright effects beyond the ‘pupil’s’ borders and thus the KNV Cube modules were used on the stage skirt and truss.
But the creative team still needed a logical – the ‘eyelashes’. This task was performed by the linear GLP impression X4 Bar 10 moving lights. “The fixtures were perfect to round off the overall picture”, explains Daniil. “Using the zoom function we had a flat lighting field that could go up and down, imitating moving lashes.”
“I think that GLP designers have brilliantly thought out the fixture connection aspect. Anyone who worked with impression X4 Bars understands what I’m talking about,” Roman adds. “We had an ideal ‘eyelid’ line without any pixel gaps, which gave a cool finishing touch to the multilayer image developed by us.” During certain acts, the lighting designers reverted from broad and blade-sharp beams generated by the X4 Bars and switched to pixel control. Since all fixtures were run in maximum mode, it provided the lighting designers with an opportunity to experiment with a large-scale image consisting of endless bright points.
Installation programming was in four hands, with Roman Kasaev and fellow LD Mikhail Novgorodov making various scenarios to offer individuality to every act. “GLP has invented a great fixture with many effects,” Roman enthuses about the KNVs. “These fixtures can be combined into various constructions to make large-scale stage installations and then run different scenarios: to invent, experiment, brightly strobe or run glamour flickering, depending on the imagination.”
“The versatility of these fixtures always allows us to surprise the audience,” concludes Daniil. “A lot of programming options provide a lighting designer with the possibility to display any idea or any style. And the fact that now the Cube and Arc modules have been joined by Line and Dot fixtures provides further inspiration. It’s great that Russian rental companies are slowly starting to invest in such solutions, making them available to work with.”
Do you love to travel light? Great news here! Ohio-based hardcore act Beartooth, are currently travelling around the world, taking on festival season, with two dLive Wings set-ups. dLive Wings is becoming the go-to mixing system for many touring engineers due to its flexibility and compact format. Danny Harvey (FOH engineer) explains, “The size of the C1500 is ideal for travelling, being able to fly with it is amazing and having that much power in two fly cases is perfect for international acts, making their sound consistent all over the world.”
Beartooth Live with Dlive Wings, Danny Harvey at FOH.
“I love the way dLive sounds and how easy it is to customise everything. At the bigger festivals I always manage to get positioned front middle on the FOH tent due to the C1500’s small footprint.”
Supplied by V2 Productions for their US dates and Captured Live for shows in Europe, the band’s set up consists of two dLive C1500 surfaces, paired with two DM48 MixRacks, covering both FOH and monitors. Additionally, the FOH console is equipped with a Waves card, used for multi-track recording and virtual soundcheck.
Danny Harvey, FOH Engineer for Beartooth.
Harvey also makes full use of the consoles internal features, including the onboard DEEP plug-ins, commenting “I use the 16T on my drums and groups, 16VU compressor on my vocals and the Dyn8’s multiband compressor on various groups and my main LR – they sound great and help keep the size of our set up down to a minimum as there’s less need for outboard rack FX. I can put all these processors on every channel without needed any extra gear.”
The band themselves have also noticed a consistency in sound across each show and the difference dLive has made, Danny Harvey concludes, “When we changed to dLive the band noticed such a change in their IEMs, everything was a lot clearer and having the DEEP plugins and the multi-bands on their LR mixes was game changing.” “All in all, dLive is small, powerful, consistent, user friendly and it sounds great!”
“Balance” is the key word to describe this unit offered by the American High-End Systems, represented in France by its parent company, ETC.
A large moving-head profile equipped with a 1000 W LED source, the SolaFrame 3000 is the flagship of the 3000 range, which has just been joined by its spot version a month ago.
It offers features in line with the high standards we have always seen from High End and has already been adopted in France (to give you a few local examples, but the worldwide orders number is quite impressive) at the Opéra Bastille, Opéra de Lyon, Théâtre du Chatelet and into some prestigious rental stocks. Let’s take a closer look…
The fixture.
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The fixture itself is quite impressive. Weighing in at 48 kg and standing at a total of 80 cm in height, this is a large and feature-rich unit. The construction doesn’t stray from the standards of its class, with an aluminum and steel frame, and a body made of molded black plastic covers.
The handles on the arms.
A narrow, very compact base accommodates a wide, square yoke that supports the contoured head, whose large exit lens allows a considerable amount of light to flow through it. Large retractable handles on each arm of the yoke, along with two other fixed handles moulded into the base, provide easy handling of the unit. Pan and tilt locks facilitate fixing the head for transport or maintenance purposes.
Inside the head.
Okay, let’s block the head and see what’s in it.
The source housing partly unveiled.
You can access the inside of the head by removing the two halves of the cowling, which are held by four captive screws. Each cover is held by a small cable, the carabiner of which is covered by a small, flexible rubber cover that slides.
The entire rear of the head is occupied by the massive source housing, which is surrounded by massive heat sinks, has heat pipes that pass through it, and is ventilated by two fans.
The CMY+CTO module.
At the heart of it is the array of LEDs coupled with their output lenses that shape the beam. The source module is followed by three extractable modules, on which the effects and colors are mounted. The first one contains the color mixing system. It consists of four layers of filters: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and a progressive CTO. Next comes the module that houses the gobos, the animation wheel, and a color wheel. The remaining of the three modules contains the framing shutters – which are mounted on a large rotating support – and the iris.
The framing module.
The effects/gobos module.
The forward section: zoom, focus, prism and the famous “defogger” on the front lens.
At the end of the course, a fixed space houses the zoom/focus unit, around which the frost and prism are arranged. Finally, an ingenious device called a “lens defogger” is attached to the output lens to heat it and remove internal condensation. This system, which is activated by default when the fixture is switched on, can be deactivated from the menu. It can also be configured to activate as soon as you send a dimmer value. It is an ingenious device that could well establish a standard…
The screws that hold the modules in place through small sliding pins.
Disassembly must be carried out in a precise order. To remove the gobo module, it is necessary to remove the framing module. The modules are held in place by small screws, each of which slides a small pin that locks the module into its slot. To remove the module, it is also necessary to open small metal tabs covered with rubber insulation that hold the cable harnesses in place, so that they don’t move around anywhere.
The connections of the modules. You can see one of the small metal tabs that need to be bent and unbent to hold the cable harness.
This system may seem a little “roots”, but it is effective, and we can imagine that it is easy to get these screw-in parts as spare parts from the after-sales service if we were to break the small metal legs by bending and unbending them. Finally, the module is completely released by unplugging a connector. Admittedly, we have seen simpler systems for making a fixture modular inside, but we can’t say that this one is very complicated either. You just have to be careful what you do.
Inside the arms and the base.
The covers of the yoke arms can be easily removed by means of a few screws. On one side we find, as on most fixtures of this kind, the tilt drive with its motor, belt, and power cables. On the other side is the pan drive with its belt leading to the axis, the cable harness passing to the head, as well as a PCB where the pan-tilt motor controls are located.
Inside the yoke arms.
As for the yoke arms, the large handles, which are similar to the ones used on flight cases, are fixed to the “mother” frame of the fixture, and are therefore positioned in front of the covers. This means that some manipulation will be necessary to get around them when changing the drive belt.
The menu display.
The base, which is filled with the power supplies and the electronics that decode DMX, has large handles on both sides to maneuver and transport the unit.
On the other two sides are the menu display, with its large color screen and six access keys, and also the connector panel on the opposite side.
The menu display.
As far as connectors are concerned, there is a True1 socket for the mains supply (and the general protection fuse next to it), XLR5 connectors for DMX In and Out and RJ45 jacks for the Art-Net In and Out. A USB port is provided to update the software of the unit.
Underneath the fixture are the brackets for the two omega clamps to hang the SolaFrame in any position, and an attachment point for the safety cable.
On the menu of our SolaFrame 3000…
The menu is full of clever features, which is quite normal for High-End. You can, of course, choose the DMX address of the SolaFrame, but you can also choose from much more advanced configurations.
The open fixture.
Lot of information is available. You can access data on the operating time of the LED engine, the fixture, the operating time since the last start-up, the DMX values being received, information on the position sensors… You can, of course, configure the unit according to many available options and, if you are a nerd, you will be pleased because there is a lot of fun to be had…
And (phew! we saved it!) there is also a “reset fixture to factory default settings” option, which will allow you to return to factory default settings in a single operation. This might happen when you have customized your fixtures so much that you are tearing your hair out to get your entire stock to react exactly the same way…
Here, choosing your DMX mode is a simple matter, as there is only one 49-channel mode. Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen at High End! This is great!
The SolaFrame 3000 can also be controlled in Art-Net or sACN via its RJ45 ports. High End has developed two dimming curves, one “Standard” (the one we used for our tests) and the other “Theatrical”. It seems that these curves are quite similar to one other. The “Theatrical” mode exhibits just a little more dryness in the lower percentages.
The dimming curve from 0 to 100% in standard mode.
The dimming curve from 0 to 10% in standard mode.
The dimming curve from 0 to 100% in Theatrical mode…
… and from 0 to 10%.
The LED source and the beam.
The LED engine of the SolaFrame is a 1000 watt module delivering 6880 K white light with a CRI of 72. The CRI drops to 70 when using the unit with its CTO (3000 K). It should be noted that a CRI filter located on the color wheel enables a color rendering index of about 90 at the cost of a few lux.
The LED matrix can be animated by a series of macros that create linear flickering effects that can be interesting for creating particular atmospheres, such as emulating old projectors, or organic effects. The animated segments are vertical and can therefore scroll from left to right in different effect configurations. Without going so far as to say that it is extraordinary and indispensable, we can say that, for the creation of certain complex and animated textures, if you have a tormented mind and time to look for some “ZEU EFFECT” that you like, you can find some nice things to do here. It’s one more possibility. The beam generated by the source module has a variable angle thanks to the 7.32°-53.22° zoom range (measured with a sharp beam). The beam is pure, sharp and very homogeneous.
Measurements.
SolaFrame derating.
The derating measurements are outstanding. With the unit fully powered, the illuminance stabilizes in 10 minutes with an attenuation of only 1.93%, which is negligible. This fixture is particularly well managed.
Tightest in-focus beam angle.
At its tightest zoom setting with a sharp beam, the illuminance reaches 57,000 lux when cold (56,000 lx after derating), yielding a flux of 17,780 lumens when cold (17,450 lm after derating). The very slight luminous intensity curve at the center indicates the nice uniformity of the beam.
20° beam.
At a beam angle of 20°, the SolaFrame reveals all its luminous potential. The flux rises to 33,640 lumens when cold (33,020 lm after derating) and the illuminance is maintained at 15,100 lux when cold (14,800 lux after derating). The intensity curve elicits the same comment as above.
Widest in-focus beam angle.
The flux reaches its peak at 34,000 lm when cold and the illuminance reaches 2500 lux. The curve is remarkable for its uniformity. This fixture is at the level of the most efficient lamp-based moving heads.
It should be noted that, over short distances, it is difficult to obtain a sharp beam at less than a 20° beam divergence (I am talking about the beam and its contour, not the sharpness of a gobo or a projection). A certain height or space will be required to fully appreciate the absolute sharpness of a tight beam, or else you will have to use the iris.
Opening the iris at the maximum zoom angle.
The iris is very effective, by the way. Coupled with the zoom of the SolaFrame, which has a particularly wide range, we even manage to obtain a convergent beam over several meters, that is, a beam with a diameter smaller than that of the projector’s output lens!
CMY, color wheel, and CTO.
In terms of colors, very sincerely, this SolaFrame 3000 is very, very good (I love it!). All the colors come through admirably with a remarkable balance. As far as the CMY is concerned, there’s not much to say. The reds are intense and powerful, the greens are effective and bright and the blends produced are really beautiful and limpid.
The basic colors.
The color wheel offers some bold hues and will allow you to gain a few lux on some solid colors, but you can almost do without it, except to use the CRI filter (TM30 “CRI correction filter”) which allows demanding directors of photography to increase the beam’s CRI. As a supplement to CMY system, the progressive CTO is very nice, with an ideal tint. I love it!
The gobos and effects.
So, this is a fixture with gobos that are particularly well chosen and, for the time being, really versatile. The selection of gobos is really interesting and, although it is based on high standards, I had a blast. The mixes are fun to make and allow you to give the beam a multitude of different looks.
The rotating gobos.
The static gobos.
The inclusion of the bar on the wheel of rotating gobos and of the “tunnel” on the fixed gobo wheel is not by chance… And then, (“a small detail”, you may say, but not really!) the remarkable balance in the “density” of the gobos (by which I mean their ability to let more or less light through) makes them all usable under almost the same light conditions. That’s absolutely excellent!
The transmission coefficient is quite similar between them and they draw the luminosity upwards (because it’s all very well to have magnificent gobos, but if the lines are infinitely thin and the design only lets 5% of the light flow through, then you can’t use them except in white and in darkness… much less, of course, use prisms or mixed effects…). So on this point, too, it’s a very nice asset because the gobos are very attractive, they let light through, and this light can be used to create illumination. Now, that I like!
Some gobo effects, mixed gobos, prism…
There are seven fixed gobos, and seven rotating ones. Some nice morphing effects are certainly possible. The wheels are close together, but they do allow you to focus precisely on one or the other. Whether they are interested in simple projection or expressive mid-air effects, all users will be satisfied. The SolaFrame 3000 also has an animation wheel that inserts a rotating set of curved streaks into the beam. It is unfortunate, as on most existing fixtures, that they are only arranged horizontally (scanning vertically, therefore) without any possibility to orient them, because it is with a vertical positioning, facing the public, that this effect really makes sense to me (having used it extensively on fixtures that allowed unlimited positioning over 15 years ago) … The 3-facet prism can be used with gobo effects (or without gobos, for that matter). Here again, the light that the gobos allow to pass through lets you exploit them to the fullest even under conditions of mixing effects that would be detrimental to the flux. But here, it’s really usable. Iris, gobo mixes, etc… with the prism, they work! And we’re having fun!
Frost, indeed! Real Frost!
The remarkable Frost of the SolaFrame 3000.
The Frost of the High End SolaFrame 3000 is one of its strong points and seems to be particularly in line with what theater people expect from it.
Its type and its placement in the optical path make it an ideal diffusion tool, neither too strong nor too weak, to blur the edges of beams and blend them smoothly together.
Another advantage is that it can be inserted at any zoom aperture, without internal mechanical conflict, and without undermining all of the other beam settings. It is this kind of detail that makes us understand why this machine was adopted by major theaters as soon as it was introduced.
Framing.
The framing system in this fixture is very effective. Precise and sharp, their focus is obviously not totally perfect on all four blades with complete closure, but this is nothing catastrophic. In any case, it is in the average of what is commonly practiced on this type of top-of-the-line unit.
The framing shutters in use.
The rotation of the complete frame is, in total, 90° (±45° from its central position). This could be a little more in order to work in “effect” mode or to make it easier to align the shutters in all positions. It is necessary to adjust the correct angle when choosing the shutters.
The yoke and movements.
The movements of the yoke are fluid, wide-ranging and quite quick, both in pan and tilt, despite the size of the fixture. The movement ranges are in the average of what is currently being done: 540° of pan and 265° of tilt. Despite all this machinery in motion, the fixture remains particularly silent, both in its movements and in the operation of all its other motors. Not a single noisy function was detected.
Here we have a large and attractive unit that stands out in the panorama of LED spot/profile fixtures, and that will seduce users – including theater people – with its high luminous flux and the excellence of most of its functions. This fixture achieves a perfect balance in its color, gobo and effect options. It has all the qualities to be at ease in rock’n’roll, musicals, theater and opera. A real success.
All sound engineers and acousticians know how difficult the intelligibility of public and political speeches can be in town houses, parliament, “all glass and concrete” (or marble!) congress rooms, and many more. Well, Pan Acoustics from Germany has recently proved he might bring interesting and innovative solutions for the Jordan Parliament in the capital Amman, read it all down below.
Totally integrated and (very) discreet Pan Acoustics system.
In the Parliament the Pan Acoustics integration partner Girhoma combined the Televic conference system with the Pan Beam PB 24’s, due to the requirement of a more speech intelligible slim speakers system. The big challenge for the engineers of Girhoma was the amphitheatre lay out of the area where a conventional system had proven not be able to cover all seats within a height difference of over 4 meters between the lowest and highest positioned seats.
Pan Acoustics PB24. Any RAL color on demand.
The Pan Beam systems offering the multi beam technology introduced the solution by using 3 beams directed to the different levels. Another challenge were the very reflective walls creating a confusing sound distribution with high reverberation times. For this situation, the 2.40 meter long PB 24’s were able to get much more control of the these bad acoustics. After completing the integration with the Televic conference system and fully setting up the Pan Beam systems, the members of the parliament were very happy with the high speech intelligibility all over the conference area, tested during a parliament meeting on December 12, 2018.
Mr. Hanna E. Zannaniri, General Manager of Girohma commented: “we were so happy to finally having found the best solution with the Pan Acoustics, Pan Beam PB 24, making our lives much easier to solve all the difficult acoustical problems we have faced in the Parliament”.
NMK Electronics, founded in 1987 to focus on the professional audio, video and lighting industry, has been chosen by German wireless LED lighting specialist Astera as distributor for its products in the GCC region for its vast experience and exposure in the GCC events market.
Darren Caithness, NMK’s lighting business manager.
From modest beginnings in Sharjah, UEA, NMK Electronics has grown into a leading distributor of professional AV products and musical instruments throughout the Middle East and is now headquartered in Dubai. With a portfolio of premium brands, a dynamic, knowledgeable team and a strong financial foundation, NMK is a market leader in the world of entertainment technology.
Alex Kemanes, NMK’s chief operating officer concludes: “We are delighted to become Astera’s distribution partner due to their focus on invention and commitment to quality which make them a perfect fit for the GCC stage and events market. Astera has a well-established reputation in the market and we plan to further develop this”.
Astera’s Sales & Marketing Director, Sebastian Bückle, playing with a Helios Tube on Prolight+Sound Astera stand this spring.
True to its roots in mid-2000s, Astera manufactures innovative, cool, high-quality battery-powered lights and wireless controlled LED fixtures together with a range of extremely practical and useful accessories.
Over the years, the brand has kept enhancing technology and adding unique features to its range of lights – a trend that caught the eye of the team at NMK, who serve a wide range of clients in live events and other markets who will use products like Astera Titan Tubes for a diversity of applications, from straightforward up-lighting to funky pixel mapping.
NMK also sees potential for Astera in some install projects, based on the high volume and quality of the light output and the fact they can also be mains powered. Facade lighting is an obvious one, and throughout the region, there is a big push on being carbon conscious, so LED is clearly the direction of the future.
Astera’s Sales & Marketing Director, Sebastian Bückle, commented: “I am delighted to be working with NMK and confident that we have a highly motivated, innovative, progressive-thinking and well-connected partner who will really be pushing and making it happen for us in the region.”
Following an expo in Dubai earlier this year, Sebastian was impressed with the enthusiasm, drive and knowledge of the players, people and companies. “There is a lot of activity in the GCC, with a vibrant market with huge potential for Astera, so we look forward to a busy and productive long-term working relationship with NMK.”
Astera’s range of entertainment and architainment LED lighting has been used to illuminate numerous high profile and world-class events. The dynamic range of eco-friendly portable lights can be used on stages, at live events and product launches, for TV productions, video and movie shoots as well as for illuminating buildings and public spaces, thanks to award-winning products like the Titan Tube, the Helios Tube, the AX3 and AX5.
Alex Kemanes, NMK’s chief operating officer
Adding to this, the AsteraApp is a key feature of the brand, offering intuitive, advanced and straightforward control over multiple fixtures. “Having simple and powerful control of complex lighting programs and effects coupled with the portability of Astera means that lighting designers can focus on being creative without worrying about potential limitations like cables and rigging,” stated Darren Caithness, Lighting Business Manager – NMK Electronics. This agreement with Astera will further complement NMK’s growing lighting division.
You’ve all heard of Hungary’s mighty Sziget Festival, but did you know the same elder brother had two (slightly) smaller brothers. One of the biggest music festivals, attracting over 100,000 music-lovers over its five days, VOLT Festival has been taking place annually in Sopron (near the Austrian border) since 1993. It is one of three festivals, including Balaton Sound, falling under the banner of the mighty Sziget Festival, promoted by Sziget Cultural Management. All have for many years been serviced successfully by Capital Sound, with their Martin Audio MLA loudspeaker array.
VOLT: electrifying audiences
VOLT presents a multi-genre line-up featuring artists for electronic, rock, pop, jazz, and urban genres as well as theatre performances, visual art exhibitions, film screenings, sporting events and more. Capital Sound again received local support from Hungarian MLA partner, BG Event Kft in the form of Balázs Szentiványi, and were further assisted by the expertise of the ever-present Marci Mezei. This enabled them to service both VOLT and Balaton Sound with a single truck of equipment, sourcing the remaining kit locally from BG Event.
On the Telekom Main Stage this year were globally renowned acts such as Slipknot, Black Eyed Peas, Slash, Papa Roach, Martin Solveig and Cypress Hill.
According to Capital Sound account manager, Robin Conway, although production now has the sound design down to a fine art they closely review the Sopron event each year, and in 2019 changes to the site layout necessitated them installing field delays.
The main PA comprised 17 MLA elements and an MLD Downfill enclosure flown on each PA wing, with nine further MLA each side as outfills and 18 MLA Compact as front-fills. Some 36 MLX subs were designed in 12 x 3 high cardioid stacks with 70cm spacing between, while out in the field two hangs of six MLA Compact provided the FOH shadow coverage on the back of the FOH structures. 12 MLA Compact were deployed as the two field delays each side.
Technical support from the UK was provided by the experienced Joseph Pearce at FOH and Kevan Snuggs (monitor tech).
Balaton Sound: EDM on the beach
A week later and Capital were on site at the idyllic Lake Balaton, and the roots of the festival named after it are steeped in EDM culture. Now in its second decade, it has put Hungary on the map in terms of being a key destination for the premium beach festival experience.
With impressive lineups featuring the world’s best in EDM, house, and hip-hop artists over nine stages, this year was no exception, with Tiësto, Marshmello, The Chainsmokers, Armin van Buuren, DJ Snake, J Balvin, FUTURE and Timmy Trumpet among the headliners.
The main PA hang comprised 17 MLA and an MLD Downfill on each flank with nine MLA on each side providing side fills, with the same subwoofer complement as Volt and 18 MLA Compact providing near fills. There was also a single 6-box hang of MLA Compact elements on each of the split FOH towers.
“Everything went extremely well at both events and the promoters were happy,” confirmed Conway. “Once again we are indebted to BG, who helped us out a lot with the extras.”
Capital will be back in Hungary for the week-long Sziget Festival between August 7-13, when more than 250,000 people are expected to attend.
The German brand declines its powerful P18 as a Wash model here and completes its range of LED fixtures with the P12 Spot and P12 Profile proudly installed on their respective pods that punctuate its booth at Prolight + Sound.
The new P18 Wash comprises CMY+CTO color mixing and a nice collection of color temperature correctors.
Let’s start by the P18 Wash. Globally speaking, it shares a lot of features with its Spot buddy, with a 1,000 W LED module in two versions: 7000K with CRI of 70 or 6000K with CRI exceeding 90. It also keeps the total closure framing system, the Frost filters and the dimensions are also exactly the same. Notable differences include the replacement of the gobo wheels by an additional color wheel with 3 CTOs, 3 CTBs and a UV filter. The zoom range, also different, has its ranges between 13 and 65 °.
Let’s have a look now at the P12 Spot and P12 Profile. These projectors designed for maximum versatility offer us a beautiful panel of functions. At the back of the head comprises a 640 W LED source expected to deliver, at the output of the optical path, 25,000 lumens for the High Power version and 19,000 lumens for the High CRI model.
Heige Hoffmann, Product Development Manger at JB Lighting posing for the picture near the P12 for us.
On the side of the internal modules we find two indexable rotary gobo wheels, a CMY color mixing system complemented by an additional color wheel, a filter to raise the IRC and a linear CTO, and two progressive Frost filters as well, an iris and two rotating prisms. The built-in zoom boasts minimum and maximum values of 5.7 and 60 ° aperture.
Opening the lid, we discover the impressive cooling system of the 640 W LED engine fitted into the 2 versions of the P12.
The Profile version of the P12 is equipped with a set of 4 totally closing blades for its framing system, mounted on a module with a rotation of over a wide angle of 110°. The Spot sells its knives for a spinning animation wheel. For their control, JB Lighting has made these projectors compatible with a multitude of protocols (DMX, Art-Net, sACN and even Kling Net …), the machine can also be connected in Wifi or even in Bluetooth!
Details of the motorized framing system of the P12 Profile, here we find German quality, almost watchmaking!
Last important points, the dimensions of the two versions of the P12 are identical, with the head tilted up these projectors reach 68 cm in height. Good performance in terms of weight since it does not exceed 23 kg.
Let’s end this up with the icing of the cake: aware of proposing two machines with almost identical properties with the exception of the framing system module against animation wheel, JB Lighting tells us that the cassettes housing the blades or the animation wheel are interchangeable, to swap easily from Spot to Profile and vice-versa, a strong argument in favour of the integration of these references in the inventory of service/rental companies.
Here is the JB Lighting show at PL + S which involves the new Sparx 18, Sparx 30, P18 as well as the already known Sparx 7, Sparx 10 and P7
This is not a Sound Engineer Midsummer’s Nightmare: plenty of cues, a ton of I/O, masses of RF, and lots of bodies on stage, and everyone wandering about a place not originally not designed for this show! From an audio perspective, quite challenge that is. But here is the thing: 40-45is not showing in a theatre. Equally, there is no stage or PA system. Instead, this unique production is set in a bespoke, expansive pop-up just outside Brussels with a 70m-wide blank canvas area, where the 1,600-strong audience, like the show’s 50 cast members, is constantly moving – and listening entirely on headphones. At the core of its audio system is a DiGiCo SD7T with expander, running Quantum 7.
This is NOT a DiGiCo corporate demo room, this is the 40-45 Audio Room.
40-45is a story of love and loss, centring around a family torn by religion and war during the German invasion of Antwerp in 1940. The ever-changing set (there are about 15 main scenes) is brought to life – and, at times, death, sadly – by a series of stunning LED screens, which act as glorious, harrowing, and exciting backdrops: there are RAF Spitfires, German motorbikes, resistance shoot-outs, and celebratory drinks in a Belgian bar. It is the height of interactivity.
Rolling tribunes of 200 with moving audio
This is an immersive experience from start to finish, where the audio quite literally moves around your head, and the audience quite literally rolls about, 200 at a time, on tribunes, each of which moves individually, with the occasional low-end rumble coming from down below courtesy of a subwoofer or two.
“No other console on the market could handle this show; the automation system, and the functionality of the DiGiCo Theatre software is worlds apart from the competition,” says sound operator, Igor Dockx, from the technical area, which houses a DiGiCo SD7T with an expander. “It is so much more capable, way easier to program, and more forgiving; and it allows you to make changes in real-time over multiple cues, which is a necessity here.”
There are always 20 to 25 actors ‘on stage’ at any one point – sometimes more – and many of these are singing, too. As a result, the SD7T expander is wholly dedicated to the 25-piece choir, with the main SD7T controlling the rest of the show.
Pieter Doms, 40-45’s main sound operator, at the helm. “Look – no hands!”
“The idea is that the audience listens to the show through headphones, and the cast uses IEMs; the principles have a stereo mix each, and the choir members share a number of mixes, all of which are mono,” reveals Pieter Doms, 40-45’s main sound operator. “We are using all of the busses on the SD7T, so we’re running 140 channels total, and utilising 190 snapshots, as each show needs to be pretty much identical to the last. We then have 32 stereo mixes, and 33 mono auxes.”
OEM 800 bespoke headphone boxes with a built-in preamp, 100% wireless
The audio distribution system – designed by Amptec – was manufactured as OEM by Glensound: 800 bespoke headphone boxes, each with a built-in preamp, and 100% wireless; a stereo-mix is sent to the receivers located on each audience tribune, and from there, audio is distributed to the Amptec dual-boxes, located between the audience seats.
Igor Dockx is a big fan of the DiGiCo Dynamic EQ: “We use at least one band of EQ on all of the principle cast members as a dynamic band to duck down [around the 3k mark] when they get really aggressive. We then use the DiGiCo channel compressor heavily – on the channel, and the group, and at the end of the chain on the summing buss. It works great.”
Chewing up Hi-Resolution Audio Data and many RF channels.
What has been a lifesaver for 40-45is DiGiCo’s Quantum 7 engine. Thomas van Hoepen, who designed the show alongside Marc Luyckx, says efficiency was of paramount importance, and without Quantum, it simply would not have been doable.
“We tried making a show setup on a standard SD7, and ran out of channels quickly, especially due to all the Waves plugins we run via the SoundGrid server,” Sound Designer Thomas van Hoepen explains. “Productions are getting bigger and bigger, and people want more and more; and shows like 40-45are just the beginning of what productions are going to be in the future. You want people to have a musical experience, and that’s what we have been able to achieve. Suddenly, we’re not restricted anymore; our creative minds can go wider, as the desk now allows you to go wherever you want with the mix thanks to Quantum.”
Gone are the days of limitations in terms of how an operator can use compression and EQ from the SD7, adds Amptec’s Igor Dockx: “If you wanted one actor to benefit from compression, then they all had to use the same compression – it was a general thing. Now with Quantum you can really choose per aux send, individually, who is listening to what; this is nodal processing, which is extremely powerful, so much more convenient, and totally versatile.”
There are a number of challenges for this production, but the biggest is undoubtedly the fact everyone is experiencing the show on Sennheiser headphones, which means there is no sensation of acoustics – unless you have a Klang system, of course.
Klang system for the audience
Detailed view of some screens: space positioning at its best with Klang Technology.
“We use the Klang system for the audience instead of the actors. It was important to create a listening experience to give the audience a feeling of normality while wearing headphones,” van Hoepen explains. “Listening to headphones is one thing but experiencing the feel of a musical is something totally different, so we had to somehow create a space for the listener. Klang allows you to have a distinction between front and back, and around your head.”
40-45 is putting on 10 or more sell-out shows each week – a great result for any new musical. But according to Thomas Van Hoepen, keeping the whole cast happy is an even greater achievement.
“Because of the nodal processing, we can give each cast member exactly what they want, and keep in mind we have 140 player settings in the desk for all the cast roles, which changes every show,” he says. “Furthermore, you have to keep those people satisfied with the mix you give them every time – and some people do an ensemble role first, then on the next show they’re a principle role. Seeing them content the whole time is quite something.”
The main DiGiCo SD7T console.
Amptec’s David Liebens says: “As a DiGiCo distributor, Amptec has been in contact with van Hoepen and Luyckx for some time about the possibility of using an SD7 Quantum for 40-45; and as the configuration of the show started to become clear, the possible use of the SD7 Quantum became more and more concrete.”
“The ability to run the show on one surface during production, and at the same time having the ability to programme the show with two engineers was one of the most important criteria for choosing Quantum,” Liebens concludes. “Because the technology is very new, DiGiCo, Amptec, and Studio Haifax worked closely together to ensure that the sound engineers were able to programme and configure the show smoothly.”
Driven by a happy dynamic for two years now, the neo-retro projectors Portman enjoy a beautiful love rating bathed in the warmth of their halogen fixtures.
The reception of Dominik Zimakowski, the CEO of Portman, on his PL+S booth is as warm as his products’color temperature.
Sensitive to the energy impact, the young Polish creators of this brand were eager to eco-empower their products without distorting their concept nor design. After long months of research, they went for a LED “filament lookalike” lamp for their first projector refurbishing, to create the P1 Mini Led.
P1 Mini Led
The “vintage” design of the Portman projectors is embellished with the discreet touches of color provided by the RGBW LED modules reflected in the mirrors.
Despite a diminished size of twenty percent to fit harmoniously with this new LED source, they managed to keep a real tungsten/halogen feeling with all the benefit of a realization based LED.
The seven lamps arranged in a circle, within this typical housing, are three-watt “R7S lookalike” LED linear bulbs, at the very warm color temperature of 1800K, to give the impression of a traditional low-intensity dimmed lamp. Behind each of these linear sources is, as always with Portman, a hammered mirror reflector, a precious element to give this unique honeycomb look, now embellished with RGBW LED strips to illuminate each color hexagon. Power consumption is therefore ridiculously low, with less than 95 watts for the 8 kg P1 Mini Led. Black finish, equipped with choice of silver or gold reflectors, the latest offering of Portman will not confuse its faithful users. The display on the back allows you to choose from the five DMX modes of the internal library, DMX In & amp; Out compatible RDM, optional Wireless DMX, the P1 Mini Led additionally offers several channels of macros to simplify programming.
First real deliveries have started this month, after a succesful launch at Prolight+Sound Frankfurt.
This is the age of Data Convergence for our Industry indeed. So many data flows of all kinds, Digital Audio (Dante, AES67, and more), Art-Net or sACN, Intercomms, HD Video, every kind of information with flowing Gigabytes of 0 and 1 flowing down the line all have to rely of some tiny Ethernet sockets and plugs here and there and everywhere. The age of P.O.E. has come as well, from nifty small Dante converting boxes to bigger digitalized and self-powered bells and whistles, so better be on the safe side and go for the best for your connections, guys.
Considering all this, the German manufacturer Sommer Cable has designed something really strong for installers with the new, high-quality CAT.6a RJ45 module (10 Gbit) in the Keystone SnapIn format with its very short design depth. It is suitable for tool-free assembly and full support of Power over Ethernet (POE+) applications.
To ensure the highest possible quality standard, Sommer cable had the module included in the GHMT Verification Program. Hence it’s also the ideal solution for installation environments requiring certified products.
This can be further enhanced by choosing the CPR certified SC-Mercator CAT.7/Cat.7a network cable recommended by Sommer cable. But owing to its large cross-sectional area (up to AWG 22/7), the module can be used with almost all CAT cables. It is available both as a practical set of 8 or individual units – incl. dust cap and cable binder.
Domaine des Étangs is the biggest 5-star ‘hotel resort’ in France. Located in Massignac, it spans a thousand acres of unspoiled natural land including forests, pastures, and ponds. The Domaine des Étangs (‘Pond Domain’) offers outstanding hospitality experiences. The audio installation had to be up to this highest possible standard, while being carefully hidden for the visual comfort of the top notch customers. Amadeus acheived this goal so well that we had to add arrows in the photos to point out where the speakers are!
General view of the main building of Domaine des Etangs.
This unique site hosts an eleventh-century castle, fully renovated and decorated with contemporary works of art, detailed landscaping, six tenant farms, a former dairy (La Laiterie), a vegetable garden, a wellness center, Gallo-Roman baths, two swimming pools, a floating tennis court, and a top-rated gastronomic Michelin-starred restaurant.
Built of stone and wood, La Laiterie is a new Art gallery space.
Built of stone and wood, La Laiterie is a new gallery space within the Domaine des Étangs complex that is dedicated to exhibitions about the ‘Meeting of Art and Nature’. “Actually, we collaborated in advance of the sound system installation with Amadeus experts. We were able to get rid of the speakers’ common aesthetic nuisances and at the same time ensure a sound quality at a level rivaling the most famous concert halls,” says Manuel Gomez, architect and music lover, who was in charge of the renovation work for La Laiterie at the Domaine des Étangs.
Another part of the Art exhibition at Domaine des Etangs.
Designed in a circular layout to get the best envelopment for visitors and to adapt to the geometric, technical, and aesthetic constraints in the Laiterie galley, the sound system comprises 44 speakers made by Amadeus and the HOLOPHONIX spatial sound processor.
“The specification was very complex. Mrs. Garance Primat, the owner of the Domaine des Étangs, is a great music lover and a contemporary art collector; she wished to turn this former 18th-century barn into a place where past, present, and future art would meet to serve culture and presentation,” asserts Gaëtan Byk, Marketing Manager for the Amadeus brand.
Gaëtan Byk, Amadeus’ Marketing Manager.
“This space had to be able to host art exhibitions, events, acoustic or amplified music, electroacoustic music creations, etc., without having to modify, reconfigure or move speakers according to the application. The sound system had to be as versatile, scalable and integrated as possible. It appeared obvious to develop our project around the HOLOPHONIX processor,” revealed Byk.
Mezzanines excluded, the hall is 23-meter long and 9-meter high (75×30 ft). Thirty-two (32) Amadeus PMX 5 coaxial speakers are integrated at inferior purlins at mezzanine height: ten evenly-spaced speakers lengthwise and six speakers across the width. Eight low-frequency Amadeus ML 12 SLIM bespoke subwoofer speakers are integrated into the low section of the walls, spread out with four speakers on each side lengthwise along the walls. In addition, a new purpose-designed ‘slim bass’ speaker, named UFD 215, is integrated under each mezzanine.
Here’s what Amadeus call “total integration”, this is why they had to send us some photos with arrows showing WHERE the speakers are (pretty much, indeed) recessed and integrated.
The audio system is built around the spatial sound processor HOLOPHONIX. The integrated hardware and software product was designed by Amadeus in collaboration with the STMS (Sciences et Technologies de la Musique et du Son), a laboratory founded in 1995 and hosted in the IRCAM premises, in association with CNRS, the Sorbonne Université, the Ministère de la Culture, and the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique.
The basic audio configuration uses three virtual sources, and synthesizes the signal on all loudspeakers, according to the WFS (Wave Field Synthesis) principles. The first source is stereophonic, it processes the output signal of the Lumin U1 player/streamer, used to play high-resolution music tracks.
Michel Deluc, Amadeus’ R&D Manager.
“Most audio signals come from sources like TIDAL or Qobuz. They are played in native PCM format, with sample frequencies of 44.1 to 192kHz, with 16-bit or 24-bit resolution. The AES/EBU digital audio signal is then ‘transcoded’ in Dante, to preserve the digital chain and processed at 192kHz – the HOLOPHONIX processor is set up to work with this sampling frequency, within a 64 I/O limit,” explains Michel Deluc, Amadeus’ R&D Manager.
The two other sources for HOLOPHONIX are monophonic, they synthesize the audio signal coming from Shure ULXD4D digital wireless microphone receivers. They can easily be moved in real time, to follow the actual position of the persons using the microphones.
The HOLOPHONIX processor ensures a specified coherency between all speakers, each one receiving a dedicated audio signal. Several standard presets for HOLOPHONIX were designed on location according to the rooms’ specifications to enhance the system versatility and adaptability according to the needs of the installation or event.
The Amadeus Holophonix processor.
The HOLOPHONIX processor creates an extremely advanced platform which is able to mix, reverberate, and spatialize sound contents played from various devices using several different spatialization techniques in two or three dimensions.
The hardware offers a quasi-unlimited number of spatialization buses, each one able to run one of the different sound algorithms available, including: Higher-Order Ambisonics (2D, 3D) Vector-Base Intensity Panning (2D, 3D), Vector-Base Amplitude Panning (2D, 3D), Wave Field Synthesis, Angular 2D, k-Nearest Neighbor, Stereo Panning, Stereo AB, Stereo XY, and Binaural.
List of Amadeus products installed in the “Laiterie” gallery space:
2 x Amadeus PMX 15 (1 x 15” LF; 1 x 3” HF)
2 x Amadeus UDF 215 (2 x 15” LF)
32 x Amadeus PMX 5 MK4 (1 x 5.25” LF; 1 x 1.75” HF)
8 x Amadeus ML 12 SLIM (1 x 12” LF)
List of Powersoft items installed in the “Laiterie” gallery space:
Around the imposing LED-based decor, futuristic looking indeed, proudly standing in the center of the SGM stand, several projectors shake and dance. One of them instantly draws our attention as its enormous parabolic reflector does not go unnoticed. It is a moving head comprising an optical system totally new for this brand.
Overview of the future SGM product and its very narrow beam.
We could grab very little information about this brand new device, at least for a good reason, as the model exhibited was a prototype and will apparently be subject to significant modifications before being put on the market, and whose G7 Beam reference could well be changed.
First and invariable element, the type of device, related to the category of effects projectors (a SGM first since 2012), combining two light sources.
Close-up view of the optics combining a large stick of light with a powerful effect of strobe and blinder.
One generates a thick beam with sharp outline and around 2.5° angle, the other is in the center of the light output and is dedicated to the creation of overpowered strobe or blinder effects. “The latter system is patented,” says Ben Díaz, Sales Manager at SGM . ”
This source blinder / strobe source, coupled with its cooling system, allows an impressive 50 000 lumens light output. We also learned that the LED sources dedicated to the Beam part, as well as the other effects part, will all be matrix controllable.
A neat design with many handles for easy handling.
In continuity with the other products of the range developed since three years, this fixture will be available in two versions: the “classic” in the Entertainment category for current applications (touring, rental), and the “POI” (stands for « Permanent Outdoor Installation ») aimed at architectural lighting proudly boasting its IP66 feature.
The development of this unprecedented effects moving head should be completed anytime, we’ll then give you a complete report, with definitive name and reference.
Covering 81 hectares of Spanish countryside, Palmeral Resort is a stunning location for weddings and other family celebrations. Aiming to create memorable experiences and lasting memories, a zoned Yamaha audio system ensures that guests enjoy the perfect soundtrack to their event.
Situated at Talavera de la Reina in the province of Toledo, 140km south west of Madrid, Palmeral Resort is set amongst palm trees, fountains, attractive gardens and a lake. Featuring a chill-out terrace, festival tent, outdoor lounge, swimming pool, disco, children’s area and indoor facilities comprising a main lounge, spacious restaurant, attractive bridal suite, reception areas and highly attentive staff, all guests are assured of an enjoyable and memorable experience. The resort’s management needed to deploy great sound in all areas, but with the versatility to manage each area independently or as groups, depending on the needs of each event. El Palmeral owner Esteban Robledo is a young entrepreneur who is very tuned in to new technologies and knew that the solution was a network-based system.
“In a resort covering such a large area and with so many different zones, the use of analogue technology would obviously have been a mistake. Digital audio networking gave us the opportunity to centralise the control and the possibility to manage the entire system by one person,” El Palmeral owner Esteban Robledo says. “It also reduced the complexity of the installation and would make considerable economic savings, not to mention the opportunity of expanding the installation using the same design philosophy.”
With the variety of areas that needed to be covered, and the distances between them, Talavera de la Reina-based A/V specialist Telsokit chose a Yamaha solution, with an MRX7-D matrix processor as the core of a system covering 12 different zones and with 50 audio inputs.
Chosen for the versatility of its open-architecture DSP and being more than capable of meeting all the client’s needs, the MRX7-D is supported by two MTX3 matrix processors, with two Tio1608-D I/O Rack units for additional inputs and outputs. The entire system is powered by five XMV8280 amplifiers. “One of the main installation requirements was to route audio from one area to another in a simple and fast way, allowing us to join or separate the zones, according to the needs of each event,” says Telsokit CEO Miguel Angel Aguado.
Throughout the resort, a total of 72 VXS8 surface mount and six VXC5F ceiling loudspeakers distribute ambient music from three MusicCast WXC50DS wireless streaming amplifiers, with a separate WXC50DS providing content for the children’s area. In addition, three laptops connected via Dante Virtual Soundcard supply high quality audio, with none of the background noise typical of analogue audio connections to computers. Three wireless Line6 XD-V55 microphones are included in the system, which can be used for a wide variety of uses. The MRX7-D’s Dan Dugan automixing ensures that more than one microphone can be used without any need for manual mixing. To deliver the powerful sound needed for the disco, DXR12 full-range, powered loudspeakers and DXS15 compact powered subwoofers were installed.
Bespoke control panels were created in the ProVisionaire Touch app, for iPad-based system-wide control of input sources and volume levels, and ProVisionaire Control Kiosk on a Windows PC with a higher level of access, zone switching and paging.
Five DCP4S1V surface mount controllers have also been installed throughout the resort, allowing staff to locally choose the audio source and adjust the volume for each main zone. “One of the most important features of the system is the ability to control everything from a tablet or PC, meaning the vast majority of expansion work is at software level. This allows the customer’s needs to be easily adapted, without having to add additional hardware,” says Miguel Angel.
But this is just the beginning for Palmeral Resort, as Esteban Robledo explains: “This is a medium term project and our facilities are going to grow year by year. The decision to install a Yamaha audio solution helps to ensure that the results from now through to our maximum development will be a success,” Esteban Robledo concludes. “We are very grateful for the dedication, understanding and paxtience that the staff from Yamaha and Telsokit have shown. It is a pleasure to work with such professional people.”
First ever Ayrton projector equipped with a 1,000 W LED module, the Huracán-X is a monster of brightness, loaded with new technologies in the sheer management of colors and effects. Stuck on his Prolight + Sound display pod, he kept his talents secret in the public eye. Yvan Péard, director of development, took the time to unveil most of them to us.
The Huracán-X colossus, unveiled at Prolight + Sound in sneak preview.
Yvan Péard asserts : «The Huracán is like modern watchmaking. It is slightly bigger, thicker and larger than the Khamsin and it uses the base of the Ghibli with a 1,400 W PSU.»
With its 44 kg weight, a more spacious center distance to fit the new effects discs, a 178 mm lens and a size that exceeds 80 cm high (with head pointed upwards), the Huracán is indeed an Ayrton giant, but remains comparable to large discharge projectors already known to the Pro lighting market.
Just as its power, its native 1000 W of white LEDs and its top notch cooling need a lot of energy to express themselves. And its 1,400 W of power consumption is not too much to deliver the announced record light output of 50,000 lumens.
But far from being only a light cannon, this record projector boards a yet unseen total control on color and animations.
Yvan Péard : «We have patented its system of complex substractive color mixing based on the classic CMY one, plus a complementary Color Temperature one, combining 3 correctors CTO (O=Orange), CTB (B=Blue) and CTP (P=Pink) or Minus Green».
Clearly, the three classic CMY color mixing flags are doubled with their complementary linear correctors CTO, CTB and CTP (minus green). To understand this new system of 6-color mix (!), the following video compares the three primary discs and three pastel correctors.
The three CMY primary flag are in fact replaced by azure blue, violet and mustard, to obtain very deep red, green and blue color mixes in addition to very soft new blushes. Each color component is shot in this video in progressive crossfades over 20 seconds.
A wheel of 6 very specific colors completes this complex process, as well as two DMX channels of pre-programmed colors in E-Color code, a common European standard for gels. The first E-Color channel is visually calibrated using as a reference a halogen profile equipped with the requested gel, the second in HMI 5600K. Each time the DMX value will be identical to the reference color code.
Yvan Péard : “We will develop the algorithms that should allow people who have color triangles on their console, GrandMA, ETC … to fully exploit the possibilities of this machine. It is an ambitious system, one of the keys of the Huracán, which is reserved for high-end machines. To do this we use E-Color references in 3200K and 5600K daylight. A titanic job indeed!”
High-end is the perfect term for the gobos and effects management. On the two wheels of 7 rotating HD glass gobos, 2 slots are reserved for interchangeable cassettes. Each cassette is composed of a reverse gobo double gobo, to create 3D projections by playing on the focus.
The picture you get is hypnotic, with its geometric petals winding endlessly in arpeggios of multiple hues.
In addition, two prisms, a linear 4-facet and a circular 5-facet, are added before getting to two new patented effects discs. The first is reserved for complex graphic animations, the second launches a real carousel of colors.
Yvan Péard : “The multi-positioning effect wheel simulates water, fire, the sun in the center and all the perspectives… where you want it. The aim of this invention is to precisely position this effects wheel in the beam in order to obtain a multitude of graphic effects such as horizontal, vertical or axial scrolling, with the possibility of navigating between all these positions.”
If these continuous animations are largely known, with a marked vertical passage, it is more rare to be able to use it horizontally, and to our knowledge never yet in a circular way.
Yvan Péard : “We also have a glass effects wheel, a combination of Cyan Magenta Yellow that mix together… We will be able to scroll thru the colors in a non-focused way. These can be mixed with the six colors of the mixing system to make colors appear and disappear. A real floral explosion.”
Very Pop Art, the possible combinations happily collide the typical oil bath effects from the sixties and the geometric deconstructivism of the chosen gobos.
To perfect this almost idyllic picture, an iris, two frosts and a framing system of four fully closing blades are integrated before the last centerpiece of the Huracán: an impressive zoom that increases the beam from 6.2° to 62°.
Here, in wide beam!
Scheduled for Q3 release, this Profile represents the quintessence of Ayrton, or to let Ayrton’s teams say things more frankly:
Yvan Péard : “In the spirit it’s a Bad Boy*… tough delivering. We’ve never made such a ballsy fixture before!» *Bad Boy: cult, non-compromising projector manufactured by PRG, exclusively used on their own big operations such as Olympic Games Opening Ceremony or Eurovision Song Contest.
What we like:
What we don’t like:
