Asserting that Penn’s Peak is a popular 1800-capacity entertainment facility in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, only tells half the story. This mountain top venue is set in beautiful surroundings, boasts jaw-dropping views and contains a truly spectacular auditorium, complete with wooden balcony structures and vaulted ceiling. Penn’s Peak plays host to a wide range of national and international artists of all genres and prides itself on providing its patrons with exceptional facilities.
Most recently the production team at Penn’s Peak took the decision to install a new sound system in its auditorium. The team chose a system based around CODA Audio AiRAY, supplied by Pennsylvania based Saturn Systems.

The existing system at the venue was undersized and underpowered for what is a large, open, acoustically challenging space. Penn’s Peak is characterised by its predominantly wooden interior, the acoustics of which alter drastically when the hall is empty at soundchecks and full at showtime. The areas under the balconies on either side of the hall had also presented problems. The team was aware that the experience of patrons in these areas was nowhere near to delivering a satisfying audio experience and needed significant improvement.

As the venue’s audio lead (and highly experienced sound engineer) Chris Chalfin explains, the overhaul was long overdue: “As well as overcoming the inherent challenges presented by the acoustics, we also needed to take into account the very wide range of artists and genres that come through the venue.
We needed a system that was clean, clear and in your face – something that had incredible vocal intelligibility.

My experience as a touring engineer of using CODA Audio on the road led me to the conclusion that it would be the perfect fit for Penn’s Peak. I’ve been convinced for a while that CODA will be the next major player in the audio industry – so much so in fact, that I was the first owner of a CODA system in the USA!
When the team at Penn’s Peak had agreed that we needed to upgrade, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to put the venue ahead of the audio curve.”

CODA Audio USA arranged a series of on-site demonstrations which confirmed to all in attendance that Chris’s confidence in the system was well placed. It’s technical director, Michael Creason, then worked closely with Chris Chalfin and his crew to help design and optimise the system on-site, addressing their key concerns around improving clarity and headroom, low frequency definition and coverage.

The compact, lightweight (40kg) elements of the AiRAY system deliver an abundance of headroom for any application regardless of scale, effectively granting Penn’s Peak stadium levels of output with which to work. Where usually a system delivering this kind of power would be simply too big and expensive for the space, AiRAY makes it possible.
To control the low frequency reverberation and keep the stage area ‘clean’, Michael and the team decided on a splayed end-fire subwoofer configuration, that dramatically reduced interaction with the venue surfaces, while reducing the deep nulls normally caused by spaced left/right sub arrays.

Since all CODA elements share the same sonic signature and fidelity, the team was able to overcome the issue of uneven coverage by employing HOPS8 in the areas under the balconies, ensuring that audience members in these areas shared the exact same experience of those in unobstructed seats.

Once the system was installed, the first run of shows emphatically dispelled any doubts anyone might have had about just how effectively it met the Penn’s Peak challenge. Chris continues: “I was confident from the outset. The previous system was not only underpowered but it felt disembodied. The CODA systems bring the show right in front of you – as if you have a pair of studio monitors sitting three feet away.
The overall system works as a cohesive unit and provides extremely even coverage through the entire venue, something that had simply never been achieved before.”

Some of the HOPS8 across the front of the stage for lip fill.

The system at Penn’s Peak comprises 10 x AiRAY per side, 8 x SCP-F subs configured in (2) end- fire arrays under the stage, supplemented by 6 x HOPS8 across the front of the stage for lip fill, 8 x HOPS8 for under-balcony fills and 2 HOPS8 for VIP suite fills.
A monitor system comprising 10 x CUE TWO wedges, 2 x APS over 2 x APS SUBs as sidefills and an additional 2 x APS SUBs as drum fills, completes the picture. Everything is powered by a combination of CODA Audio LINUS14 and LINUS10C amplifiers.

Whilst the Penn’s Peak team is fully satisfied that its new CODA Audio system has completely revolutionised the venue’s audio offering, it is the reaction of visiting engineers and – perhaps even more importantly – the comments of its patrons, that sum up its impact. Chris Chalfin concludes:

“We’ve had nothing but stellar reviews from visiting engineers, as well as from audience members who are familiar with the venue. Many patrons go out of their way to comment on how radically the quality of the sound has improved since the system was installed. Most of the visiting crews and engineers have never heard of CODA before and by the end of the night they are just blown away by the system.
The most common reaction we’ve heard from visiting engineers has been – ‘I’d put this system up there with the best I’ve ever mixed on…’ From my point of view, it’s gratifying to see engineers having that same ‘wow!’ experience that I enjoyed when I first heard a CODA Audio system.”

Penn’s Peak Production Manager, Dustin Rehrig adds: “The recent install of the CODA AiRAY system in our venue has been a wonderful addition. The sound quality is like no other. Our venue is not the easiest room to cover but CODA stands tall with flying colors!
The clarity, warmth and thickness of the system is superb and loved by all the visiting engineers. Clearly the best investment we’ve made for our company.”

The installation of AiRAY at Penn’s Peak is a neat metaphor for the heights that CODA Audio is successfully scaling in the USA. The high praise of visiting engineers dovetails with reaction of music fans at this very special venue to make an irresistible case for the way in which CODA’s next generation technologies can deliver solutions of a higher standard for the very toughest acoustic challenges.

More information on Coda Audio AiRAY and Penn’s Peak.

When a multi-purpose venue has 17 different spaces where a wide range of events can be held, it is important that the sound mixing facilities are both very flexible and portable.
At De Meervaart in Amsterdam, choosing Yamaha has meant that both of these needs can be satisfied. In addition, long-term return on investment has been maximised by the new equipment being able to seamlessly work alongside reliable, older Yamaha equipment.

De Meervaart in Amsterdam: 17 spaces multi-purpose venue.

Located in Amsterdam’s Nieuw-West district, where a major programme of urban renewal has been carried out in recent years, De Meervaart is a multi-purpose venue which includes two theatres, three foyers, two studios and 10 further meeting rooms of different sizes. Between them they can host a diverse range events for between two and 2,000 people. These range from live music, theatre shows and major corporate events in the Red Hall (capacity 800) and Blue Hall (capacity 270), to a wide array of product launches, trade fairs, fashion shows, meetings, drinks receptions and more.

Rear, left to right: Menno van der Gaag (sound Meervaart), Martin Keereweer (head of technical dept, Meervaart),
Jasper de Vries (sound Meervaart), Per Duringshoff (freelance sound engineer), Jeroen Gorissen (sound Meervaart), Rob Verschoor (sound Meervaart).

With many international artists performing at the venue, alongside the needs of extreme flexibility and portability, De Meervaart technical head Martin Keereweer has relied on Yamaha digital mixing consoles.

“About 13 years ago we invested in Yamaha M7CL-32 and LS9-16 consoles, which still work flawlessly,” he says. ”But with the busy schedule of events here, there was a constant demand for more equipment. We will continue to use the M7CL and LS9, so it made sense to invest in Yamaha again.”
This opinion was reinforced by Gijs Kater of Kater Audio, a touring veteran of over 25 years who has mixed so many shows at De Meervaart that, as he says, he probably knows the venue and its staff ‘better than his own living room’.

“Gijs is recognized as a walking encyclopaedia, a true ‘audio professor’, so his view that we should continue with Yamaha, because of solid and reliable performance over the years, coincided totally with ours,” says Martin.
With 11 technicians and a group of freelance engineers working at the venue, as well as visiting engineers, it also made sense to add consoles that are widely known throughout the industry, as well as every mixer being portable and flexible enough to be used on any event in any of the venue’s many spaces.

Yamaha QL5, ready to go!

Supplied by Kater Audio, De Meervaart invested in Yamaha QL5 and QL1 digital consoles, plus two Rio3224-D2 I/O units. Proof of how Yamaha digital consoles provide an excellent long-term return on investment was provided by the purchase of Dante-MY16-AUD2 interface cards for the M7CL and LS9, allowing both the new and old consoles to work seamlessly alongside each other on a Dante network.

Jan Prins demonstrates the QL series consoles.

Yamaha’s Jan Prins visited the venue to train staff on the new QL consoles, which was a straightforward process. “It was not difficult to learn the QL mixers, because the workflow is very similar to the M7CL and LS9,” says Martin.

“With the similarity of user interface and the Dante interface cards for the older consoles, it is perfect for us that the new and old can work alongside each other, enhancing the flexibility of our audio systems at De Meervaart.”

More information on Yamaha Pro Audio.

Dutch Jazz Festival “Jazz in Duketown” in ‘s-Hertogenbosch is the largest event of its kind in the Netherlands using nine stages and attracting over 175,000 visitors. Once again this year the international stars playing on the Main-Stage on the city’s marketplace and attracting the largest crowds could rely on excellent sound conditions with dBTechnologies’ VIO L212 Line Array Systems.

New dBTechnologies Full-Size Line Array VIO L212 on the Main-Stage of Jazz in Duketown Festival.

Jazz in Duketown Festival used dBTechnologies systems already last year. Because of superb experiences back then, dBTechnologies was the system of choice for the 2019 edition and the festival deployed the new Full-Size Line Array VIO L212 on the Main-Stage. The VIO L212 system is the most powerful line array system in the product portfolio of Italian audio specialist dBTechnologies.
In total, 10x L212 modules each plus 2x L210 as downfill were used as the main array at the right and left of the stage. For front- and outfills 8x L208 modules, also from the VIO family, were in place. Event service provider in charge RPSoundtechniek, relied on 6x S218 and 12x S118R subs as subwoofers. Sidefills were 2x VIO X15 and 2x VIO S118R. During the festival, the VIO L212 Line Array System could prove its class in the sophisticated sound performance required at jazz concerts.

8x TT+25-CXA from RCF as front wedges provided the stage-sound for Marcus Miller and his band.

The festival’s first highlight was Marcus Miller’s performance at the Main-Stage on Friday. Bassist/multi-instrumentalist Miller has collaborated with many greats in the international jazz world, adding his chops as a studio and session musician, producer or solo artist, for example with Miles Davis, David Sanborn or Aretha Franklin.
8x TT+25-CXA from RCF as front wedges provided the stage-sound for Marcus Miller and his band. Drummer Alex Bailey used 1x VIO S118R and 1x VIO X12 module as drum monitors.

“Jazz in Duketown is a typical festival situation where the schedule is very tight, and the time for a soundcheck is very limited. I could tune the FOH mix very quickly, and the sound quality impressed me very much.
The even balance of the whole spectrum in all positions, far away from the stage, close to the speakers and at the side was really excellent – well done dBTechnologies,” says Daniele Di Giovanni, FOH mixer for Marcus Miller during the concert at Jazz in Duketown. Di Giovanni is a renowned FOH pro and also works for such greats like Lee Ritenour or Dave Grusin.

One side of VIO L212, the dBTechnologies’ full-size line array.

The VIO L212 is dBTechnologies’ full-size line array for large sound reinforcement applications. Despite its fully active design, the VIO L212 is one of the most compact and lightweight 2×12″ line array systems in its class.

The VIO L212 is an active 3-way line array system designed for the largest live applications, providing 3200 W RMS and 142 dB maximum SPL.
The L212 offers optimised dispersion and impressive headroom, as well as fast and easily configurable rigging solutions.
All VIO modules are easy to combine and form a single cast line array system. RPSoundtechniek easily integrated the smaller VIO L210 as downfills into the Main Line Array, build with VIO L212 modules.

Rob Pigmans, Sales Manager at dBTechnologies, on the use of the VIO system: “The VIO system from dBTechnologies not only offers perfect sound, a basic requirement for such a jazz event. It also has many features that greatly simplify rigging and make the use of mixed systems child’s play.
All modules of the VIO family are perfectly matched to each other, which makes working with the VIO system so perfect.”

The VIO L212 also leaves nothing to be desired in terms of installation and calibration. The integrated RDNet interface allows the systems to be operated with dBTechnologies’ own Aurora Net software and adjusted according to the measurements – of course used by RPSoundtecchniek.

More information on dBTechnologies VIO L212 system and Jazz in Duketown.

The 2019 Arena tour of SAVEUS featured an impressive setup with brand new CLF Orion fixtures. SAVEUS is a Danish electronic pop/soul act with frontman Martin Hedegaard.
LD Theis Wermuth from Create This was asked to create a spectacular look for the 2019 Arena shows in Copenhagen and Aarhus. With the idea of creating big pods of light, needed for an electronic/digital look, he included ladders with 24 CLF Orion hybrid moving heads and 32 CLF Ares LEDwashes as main light.

Saveus with Aorun and Ares fixtures from CLF Lighting.

Lighting Designer Theis Wermuth.

Theis Wermuth explained, “I wanted a powerful hybrid fixture that could make beams and nice breakup looks. The CLF Orion was more than perfect for this. They were used for creating nice, subtle looks, but also for powerful highlights.

For strobe effects I searched for a powerful LED fixture. I was hugely impressed by the output of the CLF Ares when using them before, so I decided to use them as LED strobe.”
As well as this show comprising the ladders with 24 CLF Orion hybrid moving heads and 32 CLF Ares LEDwashes as main light, both fixtures will be deployed as well for the SAVEUS festival tour.

All equipment for the shows was supplied by Sound & Light. This medium-sized rental company is based in the northern part of Denmark and founded in the 80s. The main activities of Sound & Light are medium sized productions, tours and a significant amount of dryhire.

Frederik Lisborg, Sound & Light CEO, asserts: “We do our very best to make sure that all equipment looks and works like new. We have been using the CLF Ares for one year now and it hasn’t let us down. Based on the service level of distributor Atendi and CLF Lighting, the CLF Orion was the go-to fixture when looking for a hybrid replacement.”

Sound & Light provided the CLF fixtures.

“The CLF Orion fulfils our need for a powerful hybrid fixture, with CMY color mixing. It ticks all the boxes; fantastic output, large zoom ratio without the need to change modes, nice gobos and mid-air effects. Furthermore, the build quality is great and the fixtures are easy to service”, says Lisborg.

After the shows, the CLF Orions went on to their Danish TV-debut, doing the TV2-North “Årets Nordjyde 2019” television show. The fixtures are booked all summer, starting with Aalborg Carnival, the largest carnival in Northern Europe. After that, they head out for the summer for the SAVEUS summer tour, with Theis Wermuth as designer.

When playing live, Martin is accompanied by his live band consisting of Simon MacGregor on keys and synth, Kasper Krabbe on guitar and synth, and Mathias Miang on drums.

Martin Hedegaard with his live band: Simon MacGregor on keys and synth, Kasper Krabbe on guitar and synth, and Mathias Miang on drums.

Saveus lead singer and band leader Martin Hedegaard. Quite a performer!

Saveus in full action.

Orion in beam mode and Ares as blinders.

More information on CLF Lighting, Sound & Light, Create This, and Atendi.

Powersoft has hired Raymond Tee as application engineer for the APAC region.
He brings a wide range of experience in live sound and fixed install application to the role and will report to Powersoft’s global business development manager for fixed install and application engineering manager, rack amplifiers, Marc Kocks.

Tee’s primary duties will be to support Powersoft’s distribution networks and end users in the region, enabling them to get the most out of the company’s products, as well as providing training and support for control software platform, ArmoníaPlus.

Marc Kocks, Powersoft’s Business Development Manager.

Marc Kocks commented: “Raymond has proven to be a perfect fit thanks to his work as application engineer for other manufacturers, as well as his experience with local Malaysian companies. The APAC region is a very important one for Powersoft, with many established and emerging markets, and this appointment strengthens the team even further.”
After being chosen for the role, Tee undertook an intensive training period at the Powersoft headquarters in Scandicci, Italy and he has been conducting training sessions with end users and distributors in the APAC region since then.

“At Powersoft we invest heavily in enlarging our application engineering team,” continued Kocks. “We want to help customers getting back the value they paid for our products, and we put in place a global team available 24 hrs-a-day to assist end users, consultants, system integrators, rental companies and distributors with design support, training and integration of our products.”

Raymond Tee, new application engineer for the APAC region for Powersoft.

“It was the technology inside Powersoft amplifiers that have always impressed me,” said Raymond Tee. “I first came across them in early 2000s when I was working in Malaysia as a system engineer. Back then we were used to very chunky amplifiers, and to see a unit so compact able to deliver such power without compromising the audio quality was simply mindblowing for me. When I discovered that I was going to be able to work for such a company, I was ecstatic!”

He added: “All of the people I met during my time in Italy were very professional and proud to be part of the Powersoft family. Throughout my career working with various companies, I’ve realised it’s a very rare thing to rub shoulders with the founder of the company.
At Powersoft, I’ve been able to experience just that. To see the founders of a company that I’ve so admired still hard at work is a real privilege.”

More information on Powersoft.

For this 2019 edition, the Eurovision Song Contest was staged at the Tel Aviv Expo Centre, Israel, which featured a stunning lighting design created by Ronen Najar and Dakar Azulay. No less than 15 grandMA2 consoles graced the FOH technical area, controlling 71,061 parameters and a mix of over 2,500 light sources and LED fixtures.

Photos ©Ralph Larmann

Twenty-six countries battled out the final whittled down from 41 original entries, watched live by a worldwide audience of around 200 million enthusiastic fans plus 7,500 in the arena, Hall 2 at the Expo Centre. The 2,500+ light sources and LED fixtures were lighting the main stage – another elegant design by Florian Wieder – the auditorium and the green room. As any ESC fan will know, the green room is a vital area for the broadcast, capturing the emotional thrills and spills of the delegations as the points are awarded and they yoyo up and down the leader board.

MA was chosen by several on the creative and technical team co-ordinated by ESC’s head of production Ola Melzig, including Jack Collins, the event’s lighting systems and control specialist who has worked on several ESCs in recent years. The decision was based on it providing the most rock-solid reliable and flexible system option.

Photo : ©Ralph Larmann

“The multiuser functionality and ability to control every fixture from every console and to alter fixture types to suit your needs were two big advantages of the MA architecture”, commented Jack Collins, “plus the network’s overall stability and troubleshooting facilities”.

Once the installation and the production period were up and running, Collins watched all the grandMA2 system monitors from his console and could read out every command and, if necessary, search the history, track down errors and pass the information back to the programming team.
Macros – another area where MA is very strong – were also an essential part of the lighting process for a show with short changeover times and many complex sets to accommodate. This enabled timecode information, presets, views, starting and preparing cues to be changed in an instant.

Three grandMA2 full-size plus a backup were utilized as the main show desks, and 11 grandMA2 lights – six active and five backups – were also in the lighting network, created using 20 x MA NPU (Network Processing Unit), 25 x MA 8Port Nodes and two Swisson 8-port nodes, running on 10 UPS’s.

Photo : ©Ralph Larmann

The lighting fixtures were supplied by several leading manufacturers, a massive job which was co-ordinated via Danish rental company Litecom, including any extras packages requested by individual delegations.
The production also had to cope with a show-stopping interval performance by the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, whose creative lighting requirements were overseen by LD Al Gurdon.

Four dimmer city areas were connected via fibre and fed data and power to the whole rig. Three were located on a balcony running down one of the long sides of the venue – with cable runs added in via holes made in the wall.
Dimmer City 2 was positioned behind the enormous upstage LED wall to provide power for the Matrix, which was built along the rear and sides of the stage area using Litecom’s MX Ladder system, holding a total of around 650 lighting fixtures.

The fully redundant ethernet network infrastructure comprised 22 x Luminex 16xt and 12r switches, all monitored closely by Collins from his PRTG software.

Operating the main show lighting console was Angelo Di Nella (on a grandMA2 full-size). Joshua Cutts ran the audience lighting – also a major element of the broadcast – on a grandMA2 light. The key lighting was looked after by Ivan Eftimov on another grandMA2 light, all running with backup consoles.
Playback video was operated via another light run by Yahav Tenne complete with backup, while Moti Aroshas took care of the green room lighting, again utilizing a grandMA2 light with full backup. Dakar had a grandMA full-size on which he ensured that all the crucial key lighting levels and master intensities were spot on for the cameras … and Collins’ system desk was also grandMA2 light.

Photo : ©Ralph Larmann

Najar didn’t operate a desk on this occasion; however, he creatively directed the overall show lighting and each delegation’s lighting in conjunction with all the operators. Integral to the programming team were lead programmer Matti Murray, who ensured the night-time sessions ran productively and efficiently assisted by Chris Bolton.
The dazzling array of glitz, glamour and superlative pop music was delivered with characteristic style, multiple WOW factors and much vibrance by Melzig and his highly talented team. The 2019 ESC was memorable for many reasons including being won by Netherlands singer Duncan Lawrence and his co-written ballad “Arcade” – the first time NL has won since 1975!

More information on the MA Lighting Website.

With the new A Series unveiled at Infocomm 2019, d&b audiotechnik introduces the augmented array: an advanced loudspeaker concept born from the d&b applied evolution system development philosophy.
Combining variable splay angles, two approaches to acoustic optimization, and advanced waveguide design, the A-Series addresses applications where coverage flexibility in both the horizontal and the vertical is paramount. Wilkommen!

Unveiled at Infocomm 2019, this new A Series brings a quick and simple answer for both Touring and Installation markets, with 2 loudspeakers, or 4 if we count up the installation versions. The main point here os more about a new philosophy, the variable angle array with point source speakers.
This yet unseen speaker coupling versatility open the doors of a variety of markets which single point source or fixed curve arrays can’t address properly.

A two speakers coupling cover vertically 30°, this coupling is lowered 10°…

… and here is the same, augmented 10°.

Realizing all the adaptability of a point source cluster with the extensive control options of a d&b line array, the system comprises the AL60 and AL90 loudspeakers, with ALi60 and ALi90 offering cabinets designed specifically for permanent installation.

A “classic” T-Frame with 4 enclosures, the simplest way to get between 120 and 150° vertical coverage.

Horizontal hanging set-up, where the angling offset between each enclosure is preserved. Vertically, you just have the 60° or 90° choice.

Using the appropriate frame, up to four AL60/AL90 and ALi60/ALi90 loudspeakers can be flown either in vertical or horizontal arrays. Variable splay angles between adjacent cabinets can be set in five degree increments from -10° to +10° allowing the finest of adjustments and ensuring sound is directed precisely where it is wanted.

The coupling of 4 speakers can achieve a 120° total coverage, but triggers some accidents in the low mids…

… and this is where the amplifiers’ DSP can correct this with the Midrange Directivity Control (MDC) and flatten the overall coverage.

With the corresponding frame, it is possible to hang up to four AL60/AL90 in vertical or horizontal mode to perfectly cover the zone you need to control. To achieve this, it is possible to vary the angles by steps of 5° between -10° and +10°. The “sum” of two enclosures with a native vertical coverage of 30° can provide a result of 60°, but can also vary between 50° and 70°.

The good wiring way to know which boxes are “internal” or “external”.

To flatten perfectly the coupling in the very sensitive area where you have at the same time 10-inch speakers and drivers, and whatever the chosen angle is, the 200 Hz – 2 kHz band can be granted on request by an algorithm embedded into the amplifiers, called Midrange Directivity Control (MDC). Just specify which are the “internal” and the “external” enclosures, let’s call this a “mini-Array Processing”.

The Array Processing of the same 4 speakers array, this time perfectly optimized with a 20 cm resolution.

If you ever feel like it, the “real” Array Processing can be helpful to give a perfectly linear frequency response and the close field coupling, or for longer throw.
In both cases, MDC or AP, you won’t be able to couple two speakers per amp output. Midrange Directivity Control (MDC) ensures frequencies between 200Hz and 2kHz are evenly distributed, regardless of the splay angle.
With 60° horizontal dispersion and directivity control down to approximately 550 Hz, the AL60/ALi60 can cover a distance of up to 30 meters.

The AL90/ALi90 – with its 90° horizontal pattern control down to 370 Hz – is sonically and mechanically compatible, ensuring the same optimal acoustic result is achieved consistently anywhere, at any angle – whatever the configuration.

No kiddin’, these ARE d&b models ;0) AL60 on top, AL90 below.

The AL60/AL90 loudspeakers share a passive 2-way design featuring one 1.4” exit HF compression driver with a 3” diaphragm mounted to a wave shaping device, and two 10” neodymium LF drivers.
The combination of sophisticated waveguide design and the symmetrical bipolar arrangement of the LF drivers allows a smooth overlap of the adjacent frequency bands in the crossover design.

The wave segments of each cabinet couple without gaps and sum up coherently. The weight of the two models is the same, 23 kg, and the frequency response is 60 Hz to 18 kHz @ -5 dB.

The frequency response of the AL60 in CUT mode or standard mode. It could be less perfect, but it would be more expensive!

The A-Series is compatible with a range of d&b amplifiers and subwoofers so that the system in its entirety can be tailored to meet specific application needs.
The companionable four channel 30D, D20 and D80 amplifiers provide extensive user-definable equalization containing two 16-band equalizers with parametric, notch, shelving and asymmetric filters as well as delay capabilities of up to 10 seconds.

The V-GSUB and Vi-GSUB are recommended for low frequency extension using the A-Series, with many more options available for mobile and install, large or small.

Wolfgang Schulz, Product Manager d&b

Wolfgang Schulz, Product Manager d&b says: “The A-Series, augmented array provides our customers with a new set of scalable solutions that work as a standalone system or in combination with the full range of d&b systems.
The flexibility of the splay angles, the Midrange Directivity Control function and the ArrayProcessing capabilities enable the A-Series to address a huge range of applications with coverage consistency that is unparalleled.”

The first deliveries of this new system should occur Q4, 2019. Our Pro Audio team will try and get a listening test of a whole set up as soon as some demo units are available for this, we’ll keep you posted!

A rear view of the AL60 with its very « line-array style » hanging points, the only limitation is that you only have three choices, on one side 30°, 25° and 20° on the other one 30°, 35° and 40°.

More information on the new d&b A Series.

Perfect timing and ideal location for this kind of launch, indeed. Italian audio innovator Powersoft unveiled its newest amplifier platform at InfoComm 2019. Mezzo, a new line expressly designed for the AV/IT market, consists of eight amplifier models, each offering different power and connectivity options.
Mezzo, perfectly suited for corporate, hospitality and educational environments, is a self-configuring amplifier system that delivers unprecedented power and flexibility in a highly compact, Class-D technology design that is easy to install and operate.

A grand mezze of Mezzo amplifiers…

Mezzo is a highly reliable and flexible system is designed for a range of fixed application scenarios. Further, Mezzo is simple to set up and can be monitored remotely, making it attractive to integrators seeking reduced installation times and more efficient deployment of A/V staff in the field.

Klas Dalbjörn, product manager, Powersoft.

“Until now, AV/IT integrators and end-users might have experienced limited flexibility in existing low power solutions to drive audio in corporate, hospitality and education environments,” commented Klas Dalbjörn, product manager, Powersoft.
“Our new Mezzo platform delivers the quality and reliability Powersoft is already known for, but with smaller power configurations that are highly adaptable for a range of different fixed installation environments.
We recognise there are many system designers and integrators that seldom need more than 250W and can often make do on as little 15W on a channel — Mezzo covers these needs.”

Power to fit many needs

Rear view of the back of a single Mezzo.

The eight available models in the new Mezzo line consist of four power sizes, each offering an option with “A” (Analog) or “AD” (Analog-Digital), which adds Dante/AES67. The power sizes include smaller option of 320W in 4 x 80W and 2 x 160W variants, and a larger option of 600W in 4 x 150 or 2 x 300W. All of the eight models are networkable and feature automatic setup for audio parameters, significantly reducing deployment time during installation.

Further, all of the units offer load monitoring, so users can monitor system parameters such as temperature, power usage and performance over time. These parameters can be monitored and controlled via Powersoft’s own Armonía system manager, or through an external control system or a plug-in in a DSP matrix platform.

Tiny but powerful.

The AD models include Dante and AES67 integration, and also add an internal Gigabit Ethernet switch and a second port, meaning that multiple products can share the same network cable. This feature can convenient in a retrofit, or if the user needs to share a network connection between a projector and an amplifier for instance.

Maximum flexibility where it counts

Perhaps most impressive is Mezzo’s overall flexibility and power sharing capabilities. The smaller 320W power sized models are able to deliver 80/160W per channel into 2, 4, 8 or 16 ohms as well as 100, 70 or 25V. Meantime, the larger 600W power sized models can deliver 4 x 150W or 2 x 300W, and can drive two 16 ohm as well as 25, 70 or 100V.

While this is impressive in terms of flexibility, each channel has sufficient headroom for power sharing according to the specific installation needs. This means one model can drive zones of varying sizes, and design changes can be accommodated ‘on the fly’ without having to alter equipment choice.

Marc Kocks, Powersoft’s Business Development Manager.

“The power sharing capabilities of Mezzo offer the maximum flexibility in allocating power to different channels,” explains Marc Kocks, Powersoft’s Business Development Manager. “Many times, users can be faced with a system that has a couple very hungry loudspeakers, and then one or two in adjacent areas that don’t require as much power. Mezzo will automatically recognise high impedance and low impedance loads and configure the system to accommodate these variances. This means greater power efficiency and significantly less set up time.”

Mezzo also features equally impressive installation options. Each unit comes with rack mount accessories to fit two units into a standard 19” rack, or 1 unit in a 11” compact rack. Alternatively, the unit can stand alone on rubber feet in a credenza or be mounted on the wall — for instance behind a video screen.

The unit is ultra-quiet and requires no ventilation and can therefore be used in dusty environments, under a desk or in locations where an audio closet may not available. Further, in terms of performance, Mezzo also delivers enough power to drive many subwoofers. This potentially means a significant space savings in locations that will no longer require 19” racks.

A single Mezzo in rack mount…

… or a dual Mezzo rack mount, your choice!

“Many fixed installation environments these days consist of both analogue and digital,” Kocks concludes. “Mezzo is perfect for these environments, since it can accommodate inputs on both analogue and digital. Further, each Mezzo can be set up as a decentralised unit, enabling each unit to be part of a larger system with local feeds from Dante network. This can lead to massive cost savings in cabling expenses as well as significantly increased monitoring and control functionality. A user can retain full control over features as if it was a centralised rig.”

Mezzo is priced starting from $915 (USD MSRP)

More information and full specifications on Powersoft Website.

Rat Sound installed another massive count of DiGiCo desks for this year’s Coachella festival. Eight DiGiCo SD10 desks for FOH and eight SD12 desks for monitors were deployed on the seven largest venues of this world known event.

Adam “Roundy” Round mixing Tame Impala on the SD7 Quantum.

Although currently ranked as the globe’s fifth largest music festival, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival—or simply Coachella—remains unparalleled in terms of its prestige and status among Gen Y and Z social media influencers worldwide.

Kevin Brown mixing H.E.R. on an SD10 at the Outdoor Theatre.

This year marked Coachella’s milestone 20th festival and hosted headlining performances by Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande who, at 25 years old, made history as the event’s youngest headliner.

With its characteristically diverse lineup—including Janelle Monáe, The 1975, DJ Snake, H.E.R., Weezer, Lizzo, Khalid, Zedd, CHVRCHES, Kid Cudi, Kacey Musgraves, and many more—one thing that remained unchanged was Rat Sound Systems’ continued reliance on DiGiCo SD-Range mixing consoles at nearly all of Coachella’s stages across the festival grounds.

Chainey Harpe mixing monitors for H.E.R. on a DiGiCo SD12.

Hired by festival promoter Goldenvoice, as it has been for many years, Rat Sound was in charge of supplying sound reinforcement systems for most of the event, including the seven largest venues—the Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Gobi, Sahara, Mojave, Yuma, and Sonora—as well as the Guava Theatre, which was a separate activation in the campground area.
With additional console inventory and support from Hayward-based Hi-Tech Audio, Rat Sound deployed a total of eight DiGiCo SD10 desks for FOH and eight SD12 desks for monitors.

Two pair of SD10 and SD12 for fast set switchovers were utilized on the two main stages—Coachella and Outdoor—plus a single SD10/SD12 combo on Gobi, Sahara and Mojave. All of the SD10 consoles were paired with a Waves package, and a total of 14 SD-Racks were deployed throughout. Furthermore, the smaller Yuma stage was supplied with a compact SD11 console.

A pair of DiGiCo SD12 monitor desks at Coachella’s Sahara Stage.

Like last year, Rat also set up an identical FOH and monitor system comprised of a FOH SD10 with Waves, monitor SD12, and pair of SD-Racks in the Rat Sound production office for audio engineers to create, modify or just confirm their show files prior to their artists’ actual stage times.

“We had 38 engineers visit the office, 17 of which programmed on the consoles,” says Rat Sound’s Melody Marie DePree.
“The SD10 was in particularly high demand, and several of the engineers spent more than two hours on it. These desks were a big hit and everyone working the festival was appreciative of Matt Larson and Taidus Vallandi from DiGiCo/Group One, as well as Louis Adamo from Hi-Tech; they were all extremely helpful to take the time with everyone.”

Rafi Lazaro mixing monitors for Tame Impala on a DiGiCo SD10.

DiGiCo took its well-known service and support one step further this year by hosting a pre-festival console training at Rat Sound’s headquarters in Camarillo that was attended by the Rat crewmembers that would be on site in preparation for 2019’s festival.
“Our engineers love these trainings,” notes Rat Sound’s Jon Monson.
“By the time you add in all of the other various desks that acts carried into Coachella with them—including some new Quantum SD7s and other DiGiCos—we estimate that nearly 75 percent of the festival’s audio this year was mixed on a DiGiCo. So it was great for our guys to have a pre-festival refresher on the SD-Range in order to really be up to speed.”

Ladies’Night – Loreen Bohannon mixing monitors for Lizzo on an SD12 at Mojave.

Bjarne Hemmingson, Rat Sound’s Crew Chief for Coachella’s main stages, echoes his gratitude. “I definitely appreciated the on-site support from DiGiCo,” he says. “And I like the flexibility of incorporating an engineer’s file to work with the festival patching ins and outs, and teaching inexperienced DiGiCo users how to operate the consoles was very easy.”

When asked why Rat Sound has come to regularly standardize on DiGiCo now, DePree sums it up by adding that there are many reasons: “The fact that it’s the first choice on most riders; the sound; the reliability; the manufacturer’s support… basically, all of the above!”

For two consecutive three-day weekends in April—both of which sell out in mere hours—125,000 fashion- and culture-conscious music lovers per day flock to Indio, California’s Empire Polo Club for a huge desert party with more than 160 artists and bands performing on multiple stages throughout the site.

A view of Tame Impala’s performance from the DiGiCo SD7 Quantum FOH desk at the Coachella Stage during the band’s Saturday night headlining set.

More information on DiGiCo Digital Consoles, Rat Sound, Hi-Tech Audio, and of course Coachella.

Belgian pro audio manufacturer, AUDAC, is delighted to announce Sebastian Chong as sales representative for the APAC region. By working with AUDAC’s partners at all levels, Sebastian will be responsible for expanding AUDAC’s market share and increasing the company’s sales network in the Asia Pacific region.

From left to right: Mark Asselberghs – International Sales Director, Sebastian Chong – Sales representative APAC, Tom Van de Sande – CEO.

With the appointment of a dedicated sales representative, AUDAC will be in the position to better serve their users locally and thus also guarantee their growth for the coming years. Sebastian will also be an answer for the growing requests for the brand in this region so AUDAC can continue to deliver the right solutions for projects where top notch sound quality is needed.

Mark Asselberghs, international sales director at AUDAC, states: “We are excited to welcome Sebastian to the AUDAC team. Sebastian will be a valuable addition to the team because of his extensive amount of technical and commercial experience in the professional AV industry.
The appointment of Sebastian shows the commitment and increased focus in the APAC region. At AUDAC we see the APAC region as an important growth field in the coming years for the further global expansion of the AUDAC brand”.

Sebastian Chong ads: “This is an exciting time to be part of AUDAC, it is exactly what I was looking for in a team: smart, innovative and creative.
AUDAC has a rich history of audio solutions of the highest quality, and an excellent team for support.
I am delighted to be part of the AUDAC family and look forward to utilising all aspects of my skills to assist in the continues APAC growth.”

More information on Audac.

Ayrton announces the appointment of Matrix as its new exclusive distributor for Denmark. Matrix is a young, dynamic company that has quickly established itself as one of the leading sales and distribution companies for the entertainment industry in Denmark.

Left – Right – Urs Friis Alstrup, Matrix Sales Manager; Thomas Christensen, Matrix CEO; Jakob Hansen, Matrix Sales Manager; Linnea Ljungmark, Ayrton International Sales.

With a wealth of hands-on industry experience, the Matrix team brings comprehensive knowledge of the products it sells and the industry needs they address, and enjoys strong relationships with their customers and suppliers.

Jakob Hansen, sales manager for lighting and staging at Matrix.

The company prides itself on being constantly on the lookout for new products, new business partners, new customers and new ways to do business and strives to be at the top of the market by supplying the most relevant products.
“Ayrton was the obvious choice for us, as we needed a high profile moving light brand to complete our lighting program,” says Jakob Hansen, sales manager for lighting and staging at Matrix. “The arrival of Ayrton’s new line of profiles, spots and wash fixtures was the deciding factor for us – they fit perfectly into our range of professional sound, light, stage equipment and audio-visual products.”

Matrix will focus on bringing the full Ayrton range of LED lighting products to the Danish market and the sales team are already out on the road with the new range of fixtures.

“The Ayrton product range is strong and we are obviously excited about our role as Ayrton distributor,” continues Hansen. “Our expectations for the brand development are high – and very interesting when we look at everything that is currently on the international moving light market.”

“We are very proud to be represented by Matrix in Denmark,” says Linnea Ljungmark, international sales for Ayrton. “The company is known for its ability to find high quality brands and present them to the market with skill and dedication. We are extremely excited to be working with them.”

More information on Matrix Sales, Denmark and Ayrton Digital Lighting.