Installationen News
Installationen News Schlagzeilen
PA-Upgrade in der Rockschicht Viersen
25/04/2023
Music Gear Installations chooses Electro-Voice and Dynacord systems for Canal Turn in Nottingham
22/03/2023
Det Ny Teater invests in Robe
07/03/2023
Nuejazz at Z-Bau with Coda Audio
15/02/2023
PA-Upgrade in der Rockschicht Viersen
Im Zuge einer Renovierung des Musikclubs Rockschicht in Viersen anlässlich dessen zehnjährigen Bestehens wurde ein neues Beschallungssystem installiert, bestehend aus dem WLA-1-System und der GPL-Serie von Wharfedale Pro.
Der 350 Besucher fassende Club veranstaltet regelmäßig Disko- und Party-Nächte sowie Live-Shows aus den Bereichen Musik, Stand-up-Comedy und Kabarett. Das Wharfedale-Pro-Equipment für die festinstallierte Haus-PA wurde von Christian Boche, dem tontechnischen Leiter der Rockschicht, ausgewählt.
Das WLA-1-System in der Rockschicht besteht aus je zwei WLA-112-Topteilen pro Seite, geflogen mit je einem WLA-Common-Fly-Frame. Zwei WLA-121Subs dienen als Systembässe. Als In- und Outfills komplettieren die Punktschallquellen GPL-5 und GPL-8 die Installation.
Kontrolliert und limitiert wird das System über das Wharfedale-Versadrive-SC48FIR-Speaker-Management. „Wir betreiben die Anlange aus Budget-Gründen noch mit den alten Endstufen, werden diese aber nach und nach mit der Wharfedale-DP-Serie ersetzen“, so Boche.
(Fotos: Jasmin Bailer)
Ayrton Eurus Profile selected for “Le Maschere” in Livorno
The recent production of the opera “Le Maschere” (The Masks) at the Fondazione Teatro Goldoni in Livorno, Italy, was lit by lighting designer and chief electrician at the Goldoni, Michele Rombolini, who chose Ayrton’s TC version of the Eurus Profile for his design.
Rombolini rigged five Eurus Profiles on the front truss, three of which were mainly responsible for focusing precisely on the 10 m x 9 m rotating platform that occupied the main part of the stage. The other two Eurus sited at each end of the truss were used for both sharp shutter cuts and specials. During the proscenium scenes that took place in front of the curtain, the three central Eurus Profile TCs were used to shape a backlight on the proscenium.
Two further Eurus Profiles were positioned on the second truss and mainly used as specials and as a continuation of those covering the stage revolve. Three Eurus Profiles were used as backlighting and four more were rigged on the third and fourth upstage trusses in the “cut position”, working on the theatre’s large proscenium providing front light from acute side angles. Four Ayrton Diablo S profiles were also introduced, placed above a 3 m high truss, to highlight the chorus at certain moments, or to form corridors of light within which the singers performed.
The director’s choice was to use all available stage space without the use of black backdrops or wings in order to emphasise the scenic structures, the back wall and the stage walls. Some moments of the opera took place with the curtain closed, making full use of the wide proscenium.
(Photos: Andrea Trifiletti/Augusto Bizzi)
-sml.jpeg)
Veranstaltungstechniker-Schule mit Prodigy-P2-Seilwinde von ETC ausgestattet
In der Städtischen Berufsschule für Medienberufe in der Münchner Rießstraße können angehende Veranstaltungstechniker ihr Handwerk erlernen. Pro Jahr durchlaufen rund 400 Schülerinnen und Schüler aus ganz Bayern diese pädagogische Einrichtung, in der sie unter anderem im Licht- und Ton-Bereich fit gemacht werden sollen.
Nach einem Wasserschaden in der Aula der Schule waren umfangreiche Instandsetzungsmaßnahmen erforderlich. Diese Gelegenheit nutzte das Baureferat, der Träger der Einrichtung, für eine umfängliche Modernisierung der technischen Ausstattung. Ganz oben auf der Agenda stand, das Sicherheits-Level der Einrichtung zu optimieren.
Als Obermaschinerie-System wurde die motorisierte Seilwinde Prodigy P2 von ETC ausgewählt. Damit können die Schüler und Schülerinnen die Beleuchtungsstange nach unten fahren und Scheinwerfer, Vorhänge, Kulissen und dergleichen einhängen und wieder nach oben fahren. Sicherheitskritische Arbeiten auf Leitern oder Hubsteigern entfallen somit.
Aufgrund der kompakten Ausmaße der Prodigy habe die Seilwinde nah an der Decke angebracht und somit viel Hub generiert werden können, erklärt Stefan Held von der Berufsschule. Die Deckenhöhe der Aula beträgt fünfeinhalb Meter. Dem Wasserschaden fielen auch mehrere betagte Moving Lights zum Opfer, die unter anderem durch vier neue Lonestar-LED-Systeme von ETC ersetzt wurden.
Mit den überdies neu angeschafften Series-3-Profilscheinwerfern und Fos/4-Fresnel-Scheinwerfern, beide von ETC, könnten die zukünftigen Veranstaltungstechniker und -technikerinnen nun praxisnah unterschiedliche Einsätze trainieren: „Vom Theater bis zum Touring-Betrieb“, sagt Held, „und dazu können wir jetzt alle Möglichkeiten der Lastenbewegung abbilden und zeigen.“ Die Installation des ETC-Equipments übernahm die Scheinwurf GmbH aus München.
(Fotos: ETC/Snapshot)
Manchester Opera House invests in Robert Juliat Arthur LT followspots
Manchester Opera House has recently replaced its in-house followspots by purchasing two Robert Juliat Arthur LT 800W LED followspots from White Light in the UK. Arthur LT is a long-throw version of the original Arthur followspot with a narrower beam (4°-10° zoom range).
The Arthur LT units replaced Manchester Opera House’s aging Cyrano followspots which had given a good fifteen years of service at the venue. White Light’s business development manager, Jonathan Haynes, first introduced Arthur LT to Stuart Graham, head of technical operations at the Ambassador’s Theatre Group, owners of Manchester Opera House, at PLASA Leeds last year. Graham approved the purchase for Manchester, and the two followspots were delivered earlier this year.
The arrival of the Arthur LTs simultaneously marks a transition from traditional sources to LED as John Mace, Technical Manager at the Opera House explains: “As our Robert Juliat Cyrano followspots began to wear out, we wanted to replace them with something contemporary, with more modern technology that would last us for the next fifteen years. Additionally, Arthur LT’s onboard system allows the LED source to connect to the lighting desk, which is a feature we are looking forward to putting to good use.”
The 110-year old, Grade II listed touring venue hosts a broad programme of plays, musicals, ballet and concerts and a special Christmas pantomime each year. One of the largest theatres in Manchester with a 1930 seating capacity, MOH’s stage is 37 feet wide x 42 feet deep with an approximate 29 m throw distance from the followspot box where the Arthur LTs are sited.
(Photos: Robert Juliat/Manchester Opera House/Phil Tragen)
Ayrton Eurus S for “Disney’s Hercules” musical
“Disney’s Hercules”, a new musical inspired by the company’s 1997 animated feature, debuted at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, on February 16, 2023, with more than sixty Ayrton Eurus S fixtures obtained from 4Wall New Jersey taking centre stage.
The production marks the third time that lighting designer Jeff Croiter has chosen Eurus S for theatrical musicals, increasing the number of fixtures each time. Last year he selected eight for “Bruce”, a musical about the making of the movie “Jaws”, then he upped the count to more than forty for “The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation”.
With that experience behind him, he thought of Eurus again for “Disney’s Hercules”. According to Croiter, Eurus are “responsible for most of the light on stage: There’s not a cue that a Eurus somewhere is not turned on.” They provide backlight and high sidelights on overhead pipes and additional sidelights on ladders in the wings. Eurus are also mounted in FOH box booms (torms).
ACT Entertainment, the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America, helped 4Wall boost its already substantial Eurus complement for “Disney’s Hercules”, obtaining approximately thirty more fixtures from Ayrton on short notice at the end of 2022.
Croiter plans to continue using the fixtures when “Disney’s Hercules” moves to Europe this spring. “The show’s next stop is Germany where my great hope is that I can use Eurus again along with Ayrton Huracans and probably some Diablos. I’m aiming for an all-Ayrton rig”, he declares.
(Photos: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)
Robe LED moving light rig installed at new Gray club in Modiin
Contemporary multipurpose venue Gray in Modiin, Israel, is using a Robe LED moving light rig. Managed and run by the municipality, the 900-capacity entertainment space which opened in 2021 offers a wide range of live music and performance shows in a supper club format.
The lighting, LED screen, trussing - including two circles above the audience - and rigging was supplied and installed by Danor Theatre & Studio Systems working in conjunction with consultant Dror Herrenson, who assessed the requirements and compiled a tender. Several companies bid on the tender, which was won by Danor with their specification of 12 x Robe Viva CMYs and 12 x LEDWash 600 moving lights.
The LEDWashes are positioned on the front truss for stage wash, and the Vivas are the main over-stage fixture, rigged on three raked trusses. Both fixture types were also chosen for their small size and because they worked well with the 6 x 3 metre upstage LED screen. Once installed, the lighting rig was slightly redesigned by Ziv Limor to optimise the venue’s character and space, changing up the trussing angles and modifying the shape of the side trusses.
Gray Modiin’s lighting has been appreciated by many visiting artists and lighting people including Meir Hayon, operating lights for Israel’s own most famous puppet rockers, Red Band, who were additionally touring at this time with a floor package comprising four Robe MegaPointes from rental company Kilim.
(Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke)
Music Gear Installations chooses Electro-Voice and Dynacord systems for Canal Turn in Nottingham
The regeneration project at Nottingham’s Island Quarter is turning a 36-acre former industrial site into a mixed-use space with multi-functional public spaces as well as areas to live, work and relax. The Canal Turn performance space is one of the first examples of what the new district will bring to the city, with a stage that can handle everything from solo artists to full festivals.
Canal Turn is set to be the cultural centerpiece of the Island Quarter development, with plans in place for the venue to host everything from music and live theatre to locally created art and open-air public speaking. The job of creating the solution for this space fell to local AV installers Music Gear Installations, part of the MGD Group.
Music Gear Installations enlisted the help of Bosch consultant Neal Allen, who suggested a solution he knows well from his time as a touring FOH engineer, the X2 line array systems for live sound applications from Electro-Voice’s X-Line Advance line array family. The open-air stage at Canal Turn is now covered by six X2-212/90 line-array elements per side with two X12-128 subwoofers delivering the low frequencies. On stage, artists are supported by eight Electro-Voice MFX-15MC multi-functional coax monitors.
The system is powered by Dynacord amplifiers, with IPX units handling the MFX stage monitors and TGX models responsible for the main PA. An MXE5 Matrix Mix Engine delivers the routing and mixing capabilities while Sonicue Sound System Software provides control and configuration for the solution.
(Photos: Electro-Voice/Dynacord/Music Gear Installations/Jestico Whiles)
Procom Dubai inaugurates K-array group demo space
Procom, distributor of K-array group products in the Middle East, recently inaugurated an interactive multi-room demo space at its headquarters in Dubai. Situated in Dubai Investment Park, Procom wanted to create a space that would allow clients full access to a range of K-array, Kgear & Kscape equipment in a setup that mimics real-world environments.
A range of products from the K-array family was deployed across multiple environments including a demo room, meeting room, reception area, and training centre to showcase K-array solutions across applications as varied as live entertainment, corporate installations, and hospitality and retail.
Upon entering the showroom, visitors can explore a choice of K-array group solutions in a dedicated display area featuring both K-array and Kgear brands. Products here include K-array’s Vyper line array elements and point source Tornado speakers plus a range of subwoofers, as well as Kgear’s GCF wall-mounted and ceiling speakers, and GA Amplifiers.
Kscape’s signature Rail product is installed in various forms across the Procom facility, where visitors can experience real-world examples of Kscape Rail in action across the demo room, meeting room, reception area and training centre.
The Procom demo room features some of K-array’s most powerful loudspeaker series alongside a full Kgear installation range. K-array’s touring system Firenze-KH7 demonstrates the live performance sound, whilst the Mugello-KH3 represents another offering from the Concert Series. Column line-array solutions on show at Procom include K-array’s Python, Kobra and Kayman series.
Sub-bass demonstrations are covered by the passive and active Thunder series, with monitoring for live music performances provided by the Turtle-KRM33, a low-profile wedge loudspeaker. K-array’s multi-form solution Anakonda is also part of the equipment featured in the demo room.
Kgear products, including GC and GW series in-ceiling and in-wall speakers and GF82 column speakers, matched with GA series amplifiers, highlight the capabilities of the Kgear brand for commercial applications.
A dedicated event in celebration of the K-array product family will be taking place at the Procom headquarters in Dubai in June.
(Photos: K-array/Procom)
Robe T11 Profiles join T1s and T2s at the Opéra National de Paris
As part of an inventory renewal of static profile luminaires, the Paris Opera has ordered nearly three hundred Robe T11 Profile and T11 PCs, which will join the two hundred T1 and T2 Profiles already in place at the primary opera and ballet company of France.
All the fixtures are supplied via Alterlite, and like the T1 and T2 moving heads, the T11s will be distributed between the Opera’s two landmark venues in the French capital, Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille.
“We chose to replace the existing fixtures (halogen profiles and PCs), equipping our side booms with Robe T11s as part of the modernisation plan that involves switching to LEDs for the Opéra Bastille’s lighting equipment”, explains Nicolas Beaud, head of the lighting department at Opéra Bastille. “The T11 allows us to use the same projector body and replace the front lens to obtain a profile or a PC.”
(Photos: Robe France)
DAS Audio systems installed at Legacy Fitness facilities
The Legacy chain of fitness centers has expanded to include facilities in Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Coral Gables and Wynwood in Florida. Music is an integral part of the Legacy programs, and each facility uses loudspeakers and related equipment drawn from the DAS Audio catalog. The selected sound reinforcement systems include models from the company’s Action-500 Series, Artec Series, and E11even Sound by DAS Audio product line.
The Wynwood facility also serves as Legacy’s headquarters. In addition to housing Legacy Fitness founder/CEO Manning Sumner’s office, there are staff administration offices, a conference room, a podcast room, a cold plunge facility, sauna, IV Suite and Smoothie Bar, as well as the open gym. In this location, the DAS Audio system includes eight Artec-310.96 compact 2-way wide array enclosures, eight Artec-308 wide-range 2-way passive systems, plus four ESBR18 passive direct radiation subwoofers from the E11even Sound catalog. E11even Sound EP-6K4 amplifiers power the system, with signal processing from BSS Audio completing the setup.
At Legacy’s Fort Lauderdale location, the DAS Audio equipment deployed includes six E11even Sound ES-10 2-way point source loudspeaker enclosures mated with two Action-S18 passive direct radiation subwoofers. Like the Wynwood location, E11even Sound EP-6K4 amplifiers power the system, with signal processing from BSS Audio.
Similar to the equipment setup deployed in Fort Lauderdale, the Legacy Pembroke Pines facility includes 8 x E11even Sound ES-10 mated with two Action-S18A active subwoofers. E11even Sound EP-6K4 amplifiers power the ES-10 enclosures while signal processing from BSS Audio completes the setup.
At the Coral Gables Legacy facility, the DAS Audio setup includes 6 x Artec-310.96 along with 2 x Action-S18. E11even Sound EP-6K4 amplifiers power the system, with signal processing from BSS Audio completing the setup.
In charge of the installation was Guillermo “Willy” Rodriguez, owner/operator of Willy-Tech Services of Miami, FL, an A/V system integration services firm and E11even Sound certified installer. He was supported by DAS Audio’s John Fiorito, who designed, managed, and commissioned all Legacy Fit installations, and Geovanni Ortiz, DAS Audio’s Applications Engineer and certified Rational Acoustic Smaart engineer, who handled loudspeaker optimization in each location, as well as Santiago Ruiz, certified BSS Audio programmer.
(Photos: Adi Adinayev - adinayev.com)
ELC Lighting’s Green-Go system installed at Brisbane’s Nexus Church
A series of Green-Go digital intercom products from ELC Lighting have congregated at Nexus Church in Brisbane, Australia, to aid clear and directed communication between the team of AV operators. The church offers its 1,500-strong-congregation music and Bible-based training services across three sites and online, with an on-stage set up that features large LED and IMAG screens, a professional sound system and concert venue-like lighting. The technology is manned by a team of volunteers.
“The existing analogue, party line system was stretched to its limit and was no longer suitable - we needed more customisation and expandability”, says Andy Rogers from Brisbane Sound Group, which specified and supplied the Green-Go system. Rogers designed a system based on Green-Go Beltpack X and Wireless Beltpack X units, Green-Go Multi-Channel Rack Stations, a Green-Go Dante interface, Green-Go Headsets along with Wireless Antenna and battery charging units.
The team now has communication options from the in-room Production Booth, Video Control Room, Broadcast Audio Studio and the on-stage worship team. With the configured group and priority channels, it allows all the relevant team members - and only the relevant team members - to hear queues and quickly communicate technical issues.
“With 16-20 production team members rostered across three Sunday Services, as well as mid-week ministry events and large-scale conference events, the system is used regularly”, says Rogers. “Digital signal transmission means you can hear clearly in all production environments. We previously had a very high noise floor from analogue systems piggybacked across each other. That went away overnight using Green-Go.”
Rogers says that being network based and POE, deployment of the Green-Go products was straight forward with only a minor expansion to the church’s existing network infrastructure: “The Green-Go Dante Interface opened communication to the on-stage worship team, suddenly allowing for more accurate start queues and faster emergency communication, all resulting in less running around and stress at those key moments.”
“One unexpected benefit of adding Dante capability was the ability to improve our sound check process”, he continues. “With better and clearer communication, our soundcheck times became very consistent and predictable, allowing refinement of the process and we began hitting our service start times on time, every time. These small improvements go a long way to making the pastoral and eldership teams happy.”
Since the church invested in the new system, the Green-Go rack units have been in constant “on” usage. The team of AV volunteers were given basic training to configure and use the Green-Go system.
(Photos: ELC Lighting)
Jahnstadion Regensburg erhält Gantom-Beleuchtungsanlage
.jpg)
Das 2015 eröffnete, 15.210 Zuschauer fassende Jahnstadion in Regensburg ist ein modernes Fußballstadion und Heimstätte des Zweitligisten SSV Jahn Regensburg. Abseits der Spieltage wird das Stadion auch als Veranstaltungszentrum genutzt. So stehen zwei Business Clubs mit 1000 qm und 300 qm für verschiedene Anlässe zur Verfügung. Um konkurrenzfähig zu bleiben, investiert der Betreiber des Jahnstadions, die Stadtwerk Regensburg Bäder und Arenen GmbH, regelmäßig in die bestehende Infrastruktur.
Um die Ambientebeleuchtung in den Hospitality-Bereichen zu optimieren, wurden kürzlich 14 Gantom GP292 DMX V2 RGBW installiert. Konkret ging es darum, einzelne Säulen und Durchgänge mit schrägen Wandelementen dezent farbig zu beleuchten. Zuvor wurden diese Aufgaben von portablen Floorlights übernommen, die jedoch das Erscheinungsbild der Räume störten und in den Durchgangsbereichen zudem als Hindernis in Erscheinung traten. Daher wünschte man sich eine festinstallierte Lösung.
Sebastian Graf (Foto), Betriebsleiter des Jahnstadions, entdeckte auf einem Messebesuch am Stand von Cast die Gantom-typisch sehr kleinen 4-Watt-LED-Scheinwerfer. Nach anschließender Bemusterung fiel die Wahl auf die Gantom GP292 DMX V2 RGBW. Die Installation von insgesamt 14 Gantom GP292 DMX V2 RGBW erfolgte im August/September 2022. Die Leuchten wurden per Pr oCable System verkabelt und installiert. Über zwei zentrale Gantom GP002 G8 Distribution Boxes werden sternförmig je sieben Gantom Spots über ein gemeinsames Hybridkabel mit Spannung und DMX-Steuersignal versorgt. Dieses wird zuvor von CASAMBI zu DMX gewandelt, sodass die Scheinwerfer mit der CASAMBI-App mobil über Tablet oder Smartphone gesteuert werden können. Durch den internen RGBW LED-Chip der Gantom kann so die jeweils benötige Farbe frei nach Wunsch und passend zum CI des Endkunden eingestellt werden. Die Installation konnte letztlich mit Hilfe des telefonischen Supports von Cast selbst vorgenommen werden.
Fotos: Stadtwerk Regensburg Bäder und Arenen GmbH
.jpg)
Meyer Sound installiert weltweit größtes Panther System im Xcel Energy Center
Die US-amerikanische Eishockey-Mannschaft Minnesota Wild der National Hockey League (NHL) hat ein neues Beschallungssystem mit 96 Panther Line-Array-Lautsprechern in ihrer Heimspielstätte, dem Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, installiert. Die Premiere der derzeit weltweit größten Panther Installation fand am 1. November 2022 beim Spiel der Minnesota Wild gegen die Montreal Canadiens statt. Geliefert wurde das System von Sound Associates aus Yonkers, New York.
Die neuen Meyer Sound Lautsprecher ersetzen ein altes Point-Source-System, das bei der Eröffnung der rund 18.000 Plätze fassenden Arena im Jahr 2000 installiert wurde. "Wir hatten ein günstiges System mit veralteter Technologie", sagt Jim Pfitzinger, der Ingenieur der IATSE Local 13, der seit der Eröffnung der Arena die Spiele der Wilds abgemischt hat und ein wichtiger Berater für das Upgrade-Projekt war. "Das Managementteam hatte die Systeme in neueren Arenen gehört und den Unterschied bemerkt. Unser altes System war zwar immer noch verständlich und brauchbar, aber es fehlte ihm an echter Power."
Als im Frühjahr 2022 die nötigen finanziellen Mittel zur Verfügung standen, beauftragte das Management Jim Pfitzinger, ein neues System zu beschaffen. Pfitzinger beriet sich hierfür mit Domonic Sack von Sound Associates über die möglichen Optionen. Trotz bekannter weltweiter Produktionsengpässe konnte Meyer Sound das gewünschte System rechtzeitig liefern. In nur elf Tagen war das gesamte System verkabelt, aufgehängt und eingemessen, gerade rechtzeitig zum Start der Saison.
"Dom hatte die Panther Demo von Meyer Sound in Las Vegas gehört und war überzeugt, dass dieses System die geeignete Lösung für die Arena sei", sagt Pfitzinger. "Wir wollten Line Arrays mit geringem Platzbedarf, wenig Stromverbrauch und geringem Gewicht. Self-powered Lautsprecher standen ganz oben auf der Liste, da wir buchstäblich Tonnen von Verstärkern und Kupferkabeln in der Decke hatten, die wir nicht herausnehmen konnten, bis das neue System betriebsbereit war. Außerdem mussten wir alles mit Motoren auf- und abbewegen. Panther passte also in jeder Hinsicht ins Konzept." Domonic Sack ergänzt: "Das Ziel war, Reflexionen zu minimieren, die Verständlichkeit zu erhöhen und den effektiven Frequenzgang von 40 Hz bis zu 16 kHz zu erweitern. Wir wollten ein System, das auch bei maximalen Pegeln noch genügend Headroom hat."
Unter Verwendung des MAPP 3D System Design & Prediction Tools wurden die Details von Domonic Sack in Absprache mit Bob McCarthy, Director of System Optimization bei Meyer Sound, und Design Services Supervisor Alex Harbaugh ausgearbeitet. Das installierte System besteht aus acht Hangs mit je 12 Panther Lautsprechern, die alle mit dem 80°-L-Horn ausgestattet sind. Die Bässe werden gleichmäßig in der ganzen Arena von zwei Hangs mit je neun 1100 LFC Low-Frequency Control Elements in Cardioid-Konfiguration wiedergegeben. Das gesamte System ist für die Steuerung, Überwachung und das Audiosignal über das Milan-AVB-Protokoll vernetzt und verfügt über ein redundantes analoges Backup.
Zwei weitere wichtige Mitglieder des Projektteams waren Metropolitan Interactive, die unter der Leitung von Jeff Mele für das Rigging-Design verantwortlich waren, und Geiger Engineering, die die strukturelle Integrität aller Rigging-Punkte sicherstellten. Mitglieder der IATSE Local 13 waren mit dem Einbau des Systems beauftragt.
Fotos: Luke Schmidt
www.meyersound.de
World premiere: Sydney' Abercrombie hotel installs Mezzo A+
Powersoft's new AES67-enabled amplifier platforms, including the enhanced A+ versions of its half-size Mezzo range, have made their global debut at the recently reopened Abercrombie hotel in Sydney, Australia.
The Abercrombie, located in the inner-Sydney suburb of Chippendale, traces its roots back to 1843, when it opened as the Australian Inn. The current, art-deco building, on the old Carlton United Brewery site, was completed in 1938 and served as a much-loved watering hole and live entertainment venue until its closure in 2014. It was acquired by hospitality group Solotel in 2016 and reopened - two years late, as a result of Sydney's on-off corona virus lockdowns _ with a 36-hour launch party in December 2022. The new-look Abercrombie comprises three venues: A ground-floor club space, public bar and beer garden; late-night cocktail lounge and rooftop terrace Casa Rosa; and Lil Sis, a aperitivo wine bar inspired by the caves à vin of Paris.
Tasked with delivering a state-of-the-art AV system worthy of the Abercrombie's multimillion-dollar redevelopment were Production Audio Video Technology (PAVT), Australian distributor for Powersoft, EAW, Atlas IED, Symetrix and Radio Design Labs, and local system integrator Beyond AV, who inherited "a very difficult acoustic environment" complicated both by the age of the property and the presence of new residential buildings around it, explains PAVT's business development manager, Dave Coxon. "Additionally", he adds, "The Abercrombie's original hotel rooms remain in the upper two levels, creating many small spaces requiring multiple amp channels."
Amplification is Powersoft throughout, comprising 16 Mezzo 604 A+ and 13 Quattrocanali 1204 DSP+ amplifiers, all AES67 compatible, as well as two high-performance X8s. The Powersoft amplifiers, explains Coxon, are installed in two rack rooms, with all equipment (plus Netgear AV switches) fitting into a single rack at each location. Needing a "truly waterproof" loudspeaker for the two large outdoor areas, PAVT specified a combination Atlas IED’s SM82 range with EAW subwoofers (SB120/150 WP), while a Function One EVO X system was installed in the main room. The new A+ models are the latest additions to the Mezzo range, which offers the the same reliability, build quality and acoustic character of larger Powersoft amplifier platforms but in a half-size form factor.
photos: Steven Woodburn, Maria Boyadgis
www.powersoft.com
Det Ny Teater invests in Robe
Copenhagen's Det Ny Teater (The New Theatre) has recently invested substantially in new Robe moving lights with the purchase of 16 Robe T1 Profiles that have joined the house rig together with an additional 20 Spiiders (bringing the total to 30). Also new are two Robo Spot systems with two T1 Profile Follow Spots, plus 11 Tetra 2 moving LED battens and 18 LED Beam 350s.
This was possible thanks to financing via the AP Møller Foundation which was started in 1953 by ship owner AP Møller and his wife Chastine McKinney Møller to support areas of importance to them, including buildings of historical and cultural value and a number of other cultural criteria. The fixtures were delivered by Robe's Danish distributor Light Partner. All these fixtures are in daily use to facilitate Ny Teater's busy repertory schedule.
Located centrally in the vibrant Danish capital, the cosy 1000-capacity venue actually dates to 1908 explained Kasper Blicher Beknes (photo), deputy CEO and as the venue's former technical manager who is still integrally involved in every aspect of its operation. Since starting there in 1996 Kasper has taken on many technical and administrative roles and is passionate about all aspects of Det Ny Teater and its impressive heritage.
Like many theatres, the shift to LED has been measured. "Until now, we always had an issue with the last 50 % of the LED dimming curve," Kasper admits, in the same breath saying T1 is the first fixture they've seen where "you genuinely can't tell the difference," adding that the brightness and volume of LED light sources has "advanced massively" even just in the last five years. Apart from the desire - and increased requirement - to be as sustainable as possible, the power saving of LEDs was a big advantage in the quest of getting the fixtures into Det Ny Teater. The old conventional HMI follow spots on the second balcony were well overdue for replacement. The noise they made was a constant issue with audiences as well as the associated intercom and operator chatter.
Kasper and his team, including current head of lighting John PG Jónsson, also saw the value of being able to use different Robe lights on the same Robo Spot system, and Robo Spot has been a great hit with all the incoming lighting designers so far who have been keen to use it.
photos: Louise Stickland
www.robe.cz
Red South Beach Thrives with Sound by DAS Audio
Favored by locals and tourists alike, Red South Beach in Miami, Florida, is the place to celebrate life's greatest occasions or to enjoy the simple pleasure of great food and drink. To help set the ideal mood, the venue recently had a new sound system by DAS Audio installed.
Event Concierge Group, an AV integration firm and special events production house based out of Miami, was contracted to install the new sound system at Red South Beach. After consulting with Chef Peter Vauthy to ascertain how the new system would be used, the decision was made to deploy DAS Audio OVI-12 pendant speakers and Q-10 subwoofers from the Quantum Installation Series. Joshua Rose, owner and creative director for Event Concierge Group, discussed the project and his reasons for selecting DAS Audio.
"Our biggest concern was ensuring the restaurant has a rich and consistent sound throughout the entire space - but at a background level," Rose explained. "It was critically important that the new system deliver excellent speech intelligibility and full, rich music reproduction. In addition to their sound quality, the OVI-12 speakers were the right choice because of their ability to be wall mounted, placed in ceiling structures, or be suspended as a pendant speaker. The Q-10 subwoofer is an equally versatile and compact design that afforded us flexibility as we determined where and how to deploy the various speakers."
Ultimately, the ECG installation crew installed a total of 24 OVI-12 loudspeakers and 16 Q-10 Quantum subs throughout the venue - all hanging from the ceiling. "In total there are seven zones: the wine room, a private glass enclosed space with an 80-inch television, two smaller glass enclosed private dining rooms, the outside seating area, the restrooms, as well as the kitchen, for staff to enjoy."
"In addition to the need for solid music reproduction capability," Rose said, "the space routinely gets rented to corporate clientele for talks, meetings, and similar business functions. For this type of application, if the person leading the meeting and other personnel can't clearly be heard and understood, nothing gets accomplished. Another reason was aesthetics, these speakers disappear into the black ceiling and make the entire place feel warm and inviting."
The DAS Audio installation at Red South Beach took place in July 2022 and since that time the system's performance has received rave reviews from all who experience it. "This system is all networked through Dante and is capable of handling more than will likely ever be required of it. When it comes time for the client to need or want more, this system is ready."
photos: The Louis Collection Photography
www.eventconciergegroup.com
www.redsobe.com
www.dasaudio.com/en/
Genelec supports exhibition at Siida Museum, Lapland
The Sámi Museum and Nature Centre (Siida) is one of Northern Lapland's most popular destinations. Dedicated to the culture of Lapland's indigenous Sámi people, Siida has recently undergone significant renovation and expansion to accommodate increased visitor numbers and to bring the establishment into line with modern standards. As part of the process, Oulu-based technical systems specialists Caverion Suomi Oy supplied and installed a comprehensive Genelec Smart IP loudspeaker solution on a Dante AoIP backbone. Sound designer Aki Päivärinne from Oioi Collective (experts in interactive experience design) was responsible for the sound design for the new exhibits.
The Sámi people live in harmony with the lands they inhabit. Their traditional livelihoods include coastal fishing, fur trapping, sheep herding, and of course, semi-nomadic reindeer herding. The newly renovated museum building houses an all-new exhibition where culture fuses with nature, using the latest in museum technology to showcase and celebrate Sámi heritage. Principal architect of the new exhibition is industrial designer Harri Koskinen, who has collaborated closely with Genelec for many years.
"My brief was to recreate a soundscape reflecting the multifaceted sounds of nature in Lapland, and design a technical solution for it,” explains Päivärinne. “I knew that the open museum hall environment would be an interesting acoustic and thematic challenge since all of the seasons are presented in the very same room." Indeed, Sámi culture celebrates not four but eight distinct seasons which dictate the rhythm of life for Sámi people.
"I wanted to create a soundscape that would render a natural and authentic backdrop for the exhibition which puts the Sámi culture into context," he continues. "Considering that the Sámi still live in close connection with nature, an interplay between nature and culture seemed like an appropriate starting point."
When it came to implementing the sound design, Päivärinne chose Genelec: "It's a Finnish brand, and in a museum that is celebrating indigenous culture in an exhibition designed by Harri Koskinen, it would be sacrilegious to use anything else. It was also a foregone conclusion that we would be using Smart IP technology because the newly renovated technical infrastructure of Siida is based entirely on Ethernet cabling - making it very easy for us to plug into the same network."
Lauri Riihiaho led the team from Caverion responsible for the Dante network and loudspeaker installation throughout the building. He was impressed by the ease and speed of installation of the Smart IP loudspeakers. "Our brief was to install the loudspeakers and configure the network switches for Dante. We installed a total of thirty 4430s plus a pair of 8010s for one of the Sámi cultural displays and a 7040 subwoofer that plays out Sámi shamanic drum sounds. Genelec's Smart IP Manager software was used to configure the loudspeakers. A Picturall Mark II media server equipped with a 32 x 32 Dante card acts as the main hub to run all of the museum's media content. We connected the loudspeakers to the Dante outputs of the media server and that was it - our job was done."
"Smart IP is impressive technology," continues Riihiaho. "You only need one CAT cable to connect the speaker to the network. You don’t even need to worry about power outlets as that same cable delivers power via PoE along with the audio and control signals. Consequently, a Smart IP solution is actually a cost-effective option compared to a traditional analogue audio system, as you save money on cabling as well as installation time."
photos: Teemu Oksanen
www.genelec.com
Ontario's CHCH television unveils new studio with Elation lighting system
CHCH, a television station located in Ontario, Canada, produces unique local news content every week, positioning itself as a prominent news source for Hamilton and the surrounding areas. To enhance its broadcasting capabilities, the station recently inaugurated a versatile studio space and equipped it with broadcast-optimized lighting from Elation Professional. The lighting solution delivers white light suitable for broadcasting purposes and also enables full-color functionality as required.
Aaron McCormack, the lighting designer for CHCH's newly constructed studio, has prior experience working with Elation fixtures from his time at a production company in St. Catharines, Ontario. The team at CHCH demoed several fixtures from a variety of companies. According to McCormack, they were seeking basic yet high-quality lights to illuminate the television set and were confident the Elation fixtures would adequately fulfill their requirements.
After finalizing their camera selection (4K resolution), it was determined that approximately 60-80 foot candles of light on the talent was required. "The KL Panel soft light provided the output that we were looking for and the quality of light", the designer states. “Most of the set is lit with these and we use the Elation KL Fresnel 6 CW as key lights to provide depth and also as backlights."
In addition, the team utilized Six Bar 1000 battens to furnish accent lighting around the primary area of the set located behind the two anchors. McCormack emphasized the significance of these battens as they have the flexibility to change color and are incredibly versatile. Also included in the install and used for data distribution are Netron RDM 6XL DMX/RDM splitters from Obsidian Control Systems.
CHCH's Kitchen Studio, which serves as a platform for local chefs and advertising partners to prepare and demonstrate their products, is yet another newly built studio that incorporates Elation lighting fixtures. The kitchen set features a combination of TVL Softlight DW and KL Fresnel 4 CW fixtures suspended on a straight bar at the front of the set and used for focused key and back lights.
CHCH collaborated with Jason Rose and his team from AV Shop Canada, a company that provides commercial audiovisual products to end-users and integrators nationwide. AV Shop served as a sourcing partner on the CHCH studio project, assisting with product recommendations, sourcing demo units, and ultimately fulfilling the order. The installation was handled internally by CHCH.
In April 2022, the CHCH TV team began broadcasting from their new state-of-the-art studio. The Elation lights are utilized for various programs, including Morning Live, Evening News at 6 & 11, and Trending Now, as well as the Kitchen Studio. Dave Mydlo, CHCH Special Projects Supervisor on the new build, reports that the installation has been highly effective, with the fixtures operating consistently over almost a year of daily use for around 8 hours each day.
photos: Carole + Roy Timm
www.elationlighting.com
Zagorje Cultural Hall invests in Robe T1s and LEDBeam 350s
The "Delavski dom Zagorje" Cultural Centre venue was opened in 1960 in the Slovenian town of Zagorje tucked away in the Central Sava Valley, once one of the country's principal mining regions. Originally built as an entertainment space for the mining community living in this and surrounding towns, it now thrives as a municipal hub for performing arts, staging a multitude of shows and events including cinema, theatre, dance, music and visual arts.
The New Robe moving lights - Robe T1 Profiles and LEDBeam 350s - were part of a major technical refurbishment also involving all the stage machinery for their 460-seat main hall. These are the first moving lights in the house and replace a lot of older lighting technology, some dating back to the 1960s. The installation took place in 2021, whilst the Cultural Hall was closed due to the pandemic, so they re-opened this year with a brand new fully contemporary setup, which is proving invaluable and has upped the production value for everyone from the artists to the audience.
The stage machinery upgrade included new lighting hoists to automate selected lighting bars, so six out of the venue's 22 lighting bars can now be brought to the stage level meaning less working at heights, speeding up changeovers and dramatically increasing the overall flexibility for productions, explained manager Karmen Cestnik (right). They were not previously aware of this specific Robe fixture, but were very interested in offering a range of Robe solutions by Slovenian distributor MK Light Sound, from which Cestnik and the venue's chief technician Gregor Troha (left) picked the T1 Profile and LEDBeam 350.
The first shows in the re-opened venue were a mix of rock and pop bands plus some more subtle singer/songwriters and unplugged shows. Before Covid, The Zagorje Cultural Hall would have up to 80 artists per month to perform, mostly in their main hall with some in the smaller one, amounting to approximately 800-900 events per year. They gradually ramped back over this year and expect to be doing that number and more in the future to make up for the lost time, as there is no shortage of demand for live entertainment in Slovenia.
The Cultural Hall is partly self-funded and partly funded by the Ministry of Culture. The resulting stage and lighting installation have dramatically increased the production values offered by this busy regional hotspot for live talent.
photos: Paul Clarke
www.robe.cz
Altes Kurhaus Aachen modernisiert Traversensystem und Lichttechnik in der Klangbrücke
Im modernen Teil des Alten Kurhauses an der Komphausbadstraße in Aachen, der sich im Brückenbau über die Kurhausstraße spannt, befindet sich die Klangbrücke. Die vom Kulturbetrieb der Stadt Aachen vermietete Location hat kürzlich ein neues Traversensystem und neue Lichttechnik mit Scheinwerfern und Lichtpult erhalten.
Die neue Lichtanlage umfasst sechs farblich verstellbare Scheinwerfer mit LED-Technik. Die sechzig Meter lange Traverse wiegt rund 420 Kilogramm. Der Veranstaltungsraum ist für Theater, Kleinkunst und Konzerte konzipiert. Durch einen Barbereich lassen sich die Events bewirten.
Die Klangbrücke besitzt auf 54 Quadratmetern eine feste Bühne und eine Theaterbestuhlung für 199 Personen. Die Geschichte des Hauses, in dem auch die Gesellschaft für Zeitgenössische Musik ihren Sitz hat, reicht bis zum Anfang des 18. Jahrhunderts zurück, als Aachen eines der bevorzugten Bäder Europas war.
(Foto: Altes Kurhaus Aachen)
Pro Performance installiert Pro-Ribbon-Systeme von Alcons im KiK Ried
Das Beschallungssystem des Kulturzentrums KiK (Kunst im Keller) in der oberösterreichischen Stadt Ried hat im Rahmen von Renovierungs- und Modernisierungarbeiten ein Upgrade mit Alcons Audio erhalten. Das auf Beschallungslösungen im Installationsbereich spezialisierte Wiener Unternehmen Pro Performance installierte je zwei Alcons VR12 und VR5, mit einem Sentinel10-Amplified-Loudspeaker-Controller als Steuer- und Antriebseinheit.
„Das KiK brauchte ein Beschallungssystem, das einer Vielzahl von Anwendungen gerecht werden kann“, erläutert Pro-Performance-Inhaber Wolfgang Sauter. „Das Spektrum reicht von Sprechtheater und Kleinkunst hin zu musikalischen Live-Performances von Hard Rock über EDM bis Volksmusik. Da der Raum nicht besonders groß ist, stand außerdem der Wunsch nach einem kompakten System im Raum.“ Sauter erweiterte die Alcons-VR-Systeme im KiK um ein maßgeschneidertes 8-x-18’’-Bass-Array.
(Fotos: Lothar Prokop)
Esprit Digital’s Lumos technology illuminates Puma Singapore’s retail flagship
Puma has chosen the Lumos LED display system, designed and developed by UK based Esprit Digital, for its first flagship store in Singapore. Together with Singaporean integration specialist Pave, Esprit Digital installed Lumos throughout the store. Puma are the latest in a list of globally retail brands to choose the Lumos system, amongst them Adidas, Armani, Harvey Nichols, Virgin and Westfield for their stores and screen networks.
“The Singapore Flagship project was a really important one for Puma, as it is our largest and highest profile location in Southeast Asia”, says Colette Hilton, Head of Retail at Puma UK/IE. “As part of the overall project, we decided to make digital signage an integral part of our marketing strategy, not only to communicate with customers and enhance their in-store experience, but also to attract passers-by into the store.
“The whole Puma experience starts before the consumer even enters the store, with a massive 19 m x 2 m 5,500 nit ‘See-Thru’ Lumos LED facing the street”, adds James Wilder, Sales Director at Esprit Digital. “This display blends seamlessly into the architecture of the building and grabs the customer’s attention from across the street.”
On entering the store, customers are transported into the latest digital era with a double-sided 4 m x 4 m indoor LED mesh, brought to life by the main attraction on the back wall - a 4 m x 1.9 m display, situated directly behind the customer service counters and a 3-sided 2 m x 1 m LED display pillar located just in front.
Esprit Digital, with Pave System, walked away winners at the Inavation Awards - the awards programme of Integrated Systems Europe - for the Puma Singapore installations, beating off competition from four other finalists.
(Photo: Esprit Digital/Puma)
George and Geoff Hazelrigg choose DPA for immersive audio recordings
Having grown up as musicians, George and Geoff Hazelrigg immersed themselves in the industry and every new opportunity it provides. Between being two-thirds of the Hazelrigg Brothers jazz trio, manufacturing the D.W. Fearn line of circuits and co-founding Hazelrigg Industries, the duo is familiar with every step of the musical process: from creation to production to performance.
With thirty years of production experience and fifteen years of high-definition recording knowledge under their belts, the Hazelrigg brothers are now focussing on immersive audio recording. For these recording projects, the duo uses DPA Microphones’ 4006A Omnidirectional Condenser Microphones and accompanying nose cones.
“The entire industry is thinking about how to remix tracks to fit an immersive format, but we start from the ground up and build tracks specifically for immersive”, George Hazelrigg explains. The duo has implemented this concept for their recent co-production of LA-artist Tyler Smith’s new record. Produced in collaboration with Sweetwater Studios, George and Geoff Hazelrigg worked alongside Mixing Engineer Mike Miller and Sweetwater Engineer Shawn Dealey.
“We hung six 4006s in the room - corresponding with the right and left fronts, sides and rears - to create a very realistic image”, George Hazelrigg continues. “We even took the mics into different acoustic spaces and put single tracks through a speaker to capture the room reverb. This way, we weren’t relying on DSP reverb, but rather real acoustic spaces picked up by the DPAs.”
He also notes on the importance of audio quality in spatial audio as compared to in stereo: “In stereo, you can jigsaw puzzle things together if you’re working on a dense pop mix, but there’s no place to hide with spatial audio. The DPAs allowed us to record without phasing or sorting. They also complement the close-source ribbon and tube mics that we use.”
The duo plans to continue implementing the 4006s into future immersive projects, including the Hazelrigg Brothers’ newest album set to release this spring.
(Photos: DPA Microphones)
Nuejazz at Z-Bau with Coda Audio
The 2022 edition of the Nuejazz festival in Nuremberg, Germany, which took place towards the end of last year, broke its previous attendance record and featured audio systems from Coda Audio. Z-Bau, the festival’s main venue, is home to three stages, all of which are equipped with Coda systems.
The Red Salon and Gallery stages at the venue first used Coda in 2015. Installed by Andy Zeh and Tobias Förster of Munich-based company Into>Noise, the systems comprised RX40, G712 and HOPS8, complemented by U4 and G18 subs. Two years later Zeh and Förster returned to install a Coda system for the 1000-capacity Great Hall. This time they installed 2 x 9 ViRay, 8 x SCP Sensor-Controlled subs, 4 x HOPS8 as nearfills, 3 x TiRay as centre delay lines, as well as 10 x Cue-Two stage monitors and G18 subs for drum and sidefill.
Within days of the conclusion of Nuejazz 2022, Z-Bau received the Applaus award, a federal cultural prize, for “Best Live Music Venue” from Minister of Culture, Claudia Roth. “The sound performance is spot on and the systems are enormously flexible. We cover a wide range at the Z-Bau - from rock, jazz and hip-hop to classical music and conferences, where the best possible speech intelligibility is essential. Our Coda Audio systems always deliver a consistent audio experience”, says Christopher König, Technical Manager of Z-Bau.
Front of House engineer Dominik “Domi” Back was at the console in Z-Bau’s Great Hall for performances by Seed and Melanie Charles at Nuejazz’s latest edition.
(Photos: Leon Greiner/Lérot/Coda Audio)
Astera NYX Bulbs for Indigo Teatro production in Malaga
Spanish lighting designer Antonio Arrabal (AAI, Lighting Designers Association of Spain) used Astera NYX Bulbs to illuminate a series of scenic spheres that were an integral narrative element of the Indigo Teatro company’s latest production, “Viaje al Planeta de Todo es Posible”, which premiered at the Cánovas Theatre in Malaga. The Spanish distributor is Earpro&EES.
The production, aimed at children aged between 5 and 12, was created by Indigo Teatro’s artistic director Celia Almohalla with whom Arrabal collaborated closely on evolving the show aesthetic, together with set designer Isabel Soto.
Lighting plays a fundamental and strategic role in the storytelling, dramaturgy and impact of the work which is set on a different planet. The performance space is transformed into a magical and mysterious environment, with lighting creating different moods and textures.
One of the narrative threads requires the characters to interact with fifteen magical spheres which needed lighting for their leading role in the drama. The spheres are a variety of different sizes, some are larger at around 25 cm and are part of the set pieces, while others are slightly smaller, about 15 cm in diameter, and these are carried and moved around by the cast.
The spheres are used constantly throughout the show and interact with the action by changing colour or intensity or blinking as if talking and communicating with each other. They are controlled via the lighting console receiving the CRMX signal from the AsteraBox.
It was the first time that Arrabal had used NYX Bulbs, and he says programming them to be part of the show magic was some challenge. “We are talking more than 200 main cues that interact with about twenty cue lists with between five and twenty-five cues each, plus effects that bring the spheres to life”, he explains. The NYX Bulbs are present throughout the entire hour-long show, together with several conventional luminaires and twelve moving heads.
Part drama, part musical, “Viaje al Planeta de Todo es Posible” was nominated and a finalist entry at the Lorca Awards 2022 for Best Lighting and Set Design.
(Photos: Salvador Blanco/Alex Martin)
![Hamburg Open 2023 [Header]](/images/general/sponsors/)