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www.psneurope.comMAY 2016
Noise annoys!
Hearing protection for professionals P48Noise limiters: a good or bad thing? P50
P26SHOULDER SUPPORTIN THE STUDIO WITH NOEL
GALLAGHER COLLABORATOR
PAUL STACEY
P36ROLLING AROUNDDAVE BRACEY AND THE TEAM
BEHIND THE PHENOMENAL
ADELE LIVE 2016 TOUR
P18MAKING A POINTLINEA RESEARCH PUTS ITS
NEW POWER AMPLIFIERS
ON THE LINE
01 PSNE May 2016 v2.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:06
In creating the X Series, we brought all of the experience gained in designing the K2 to bear on a new series of reference coaxials.
Optimized design, ergonomics, acoustical performance and weight make the X Series the most advanced coaxials on the market.
Four distinct enclosures with format, bandwidth, SPL and coverage angles perfectly adapted to short throw rental or install
applications, the X Series offers studio monitor sound quality, compact design, consistent tonal balance, no minimum listening
distance and exceptional feedback rejection. www.l-acoustics.com
X8, LIVE MONITOR - L-ACOUSTICS X SERIES
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www.psneurope.com
Zenon Schoepe died last month. In a year where we seem to be losing all
the greats, all the smart people, all the wise ones with all the knowledge:
we lost another. And to the professional audio industry, it’s a shock, it’s a
tragedy; but, more than that, it’s the departure of a vanguard of sanity.
Back in my early days on Pro Sound News Europe, Zenon was the obstinate, almost
belligerent editor of Studio Sound magazine, dealing with the serious world of studio
land: with the Neves and the SSLs and the APIs and the Plus Trentes and the MG
Sounds. He was the man who gave short shrift to the yappy-dog PR types who would
phone him up, only to be dismissed by a “Yes... yes... OK... goodbye!”, and a fatalistic
putting-down of the receiver. Brusque? Perhaps. Dealing with issues with the right
perspective? Defi nitely.
There’s an obvious reason why Resolution – the magazine born of the closing of
Studio Sound in late 2001 – didn’t wholly adopt Twitter or Facebook or other social
media tools as they emerged, because Zenon realised the value of serious, face-to-
face discussion; of sitting down with the relevant parties, and hammering out the
topics of the day. The clue’s in the title, you see: Resolution was not just about bits and
frequencies and sample rates, it was about the answer.
So, the other thing about Mr Schoepe (and I’m whispering this now): the other thing
was – and anyone who knew him knows this too – he was always bloody right. He was
always BLOODY right! He seemed to know how everything worked. About the deals,
and the deals behind the deals, and even the wheels that turned the deals behind
the deals. And despite going to press conferences or one-on-one meetings without
any visible means of recording the conversation, there would always be a full report
on the technology or of the event. How did he do it? Experience, skill, wisdom and a
propensity for warding off bullshit, I reckon.
Zen, we had some great times, at trade shows, in Japan, in Denmark, at press visits
and events... and I shall miss your counsel and your friendship. RIP sir.
PSNEUROPEP3
MAY2016WelcomeEditor
Dave Robinson
Group managing editorJo Ruddock
Content director James McKeown
Advertising manager Ryan O’Donnell
Account managerRian Zoll-Khan
Head of design Jat Garcha
Production executive Jason Dowie
Contributors: Kevin Hilton, Marc Maes, Dave Wiggins,
Mike Clark, Phil Ward, Erica Basnicki,
David Davies, Simon Duff
PSNEurope NewBay Media,
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DAVE ROBINSONEditor@PSNEurope
03 WelcomeLeader FIN.indd 1 25/04/2016 10:36
Business6 Prolight + Sound: what we saw, what you need to see!10 Vocal channel: Andy Huff er12 Movers and shakers: industry appointments16 The strategic position: Linea Research
Technology14 New products48 Noise annoys! Hearing protection advice for professionals50 Noise annoys! Noise limiters: good or bad?
Studio 18 Jon Krivit discusses the forthcoming AES Convention 22 Audiogaming: making the sound of the weather24 The Home of Jazz is back in action in Rome26 Paul Stacey and production
Broadcast30 NAB reviewed32 Unit 10 OB truck in Belgium
Live34 20 years of Optocore36 This lady is worth £85 million! Adele Live 201638 O.R.k on tour. Watch out, Gandalf...40 Turn to this page quick!42 The chief designer behind so many Yamaha winners... Dr. K!46 Another big day for AED
Installation54 Danley Labs and Pure Groove. Oh yeah....
Back pages57 Hither & dither: Frankfurt, we love you58 Dr Andreas Sennheiser on how he gets out of bed in a morning...
In this issue...
www.psneurope.com
P4MAY2016
Contents
P36EYE-EYE!THE CREW TO WATCH AT THE ADELE LIVE 2016 TOUR
P40EXPRESS DELIVERYDLIVE MIXES RADIOHEAD MAN PROJECT
P58SON OF MY FATHERDR ANDREAS SENNHEISER TALKS ABOUT THE CHANGES AT THE COMPANY
P42IT’S RIGHT AND IT’S DR. KHE’S THE TRAIN DRIVER IN THE YAMAHA ENGINE ROOM
04 Contents FIN.indd 1 25/04/2016 10:15
The LEO Family provides power and clarity for nearly every application, from intimate performance spaces to the world’s largest outdoor festivals. LEOPARD, the smallest in the family, is gaining a
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www.psneurope.com/business
P6MAY
2016
Show review
The much-vaunted ‘new concept’ paid
dividends for the 2016 Prolight + Sound
show. It set new exhibitor and visitor
records, with around 45,000 visitors from
121 countries making their way to Frankfurt. “This
year’s Prolight + Sound demonstrated the creative and
economic potential of event technology and was able
to exploit the positive business climate in the sector in
full. Thanks to the new concept, the fair has been able
to increase its signifi cance in many diff erent respects,
including a showroom and market place, as well as
an information and networking platform,” said Detlef
Braun, member of the board of management of Messe
Frankfurt GmbH.
Some highlights of this year show are listed below –
but beware, this is not exhaustive! (If we missed you out,
we probably have other plans for you…)
AKG debuted its C7 reference condenser vocal
microphone, featuring specially engineered circuitry
and custom-designed components. It provides a
clear, powerful sound, while preventing feedback,
handling noise and pop noise. The rugged enclosure
is engineered to withstand the most demanding
live performance environments. Additionally, the C7
eliminates handling noise through a built-in mechano-
pneumatic shock absorption system. Lastly, a multilayer
protection system prevents unwanted pop noises. The
protection system consists of three layers: the grill, a
foam layer behind the grill and a layer of mesh atop
the C7 capsule. This extensive system provides a clear,
plosive-free vocal performance.
Allen & Heath announced a new addition to its
Qu compact digital range, the Qu-SB ultra-compact
It was a newly invigorated show – and it set another record!
All change for PL+S
Mattia d’Antonio and Giacomo Previ of
18 Sound celebrate the Ciare rebranding
One of Audio Precision’s popular demonstrations was devoted to the production test of loudspeaker drivers. Sales engineer James Kelly highlighted several new features, including test parameters based on reference drivers (aka, “golden units”), input EQ, and a dedicated production test mode
6-9 Frankfurt FIN.indd 1 25/04/2016 10:05
www.psneurope.com/business
P7MAY
2016
FLEXUS is designed & manufactured by:ASL Intercom BV, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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48 kHz / 16 bit uncompressed audio
Connection of User Stationsvia LAN with PoE switches orvia powered daisy chain lines
DIGITAL INTERCOM - CUE LIGHT CONTROL - GPO TRIGGERChannels for Cue Light Control,
GPO Trigger or Listen OnlyFull color high-resolution displays
Full duplex intercom channels
2-ch BeltpackRemote Speaker Station4-ch Master Speaker Station
4 Master Stationsmay be linked
Program audio feedsover network
Master Station serves up to24 remote stations
intelligent mixer/interface. Designed as a Stage Box
solution with all the features offered in the Qu series
but purely designed for tablet control, it has 16 XLR mic
inputs, two line inputs and 14 outputs but thanks to the
Qu-32 core inside, it can be expanded up to 32 mic input
channels and 24 outputs, enabling the mixer to connect
over a single Cat5 digital snake to AB168, AR84 and
AR2412 remote audio racks. The built-in 18-channel
Qu-Drive can record and playback multitrack and stereo
audio .wav files to a USB key or drive. Qu-SB’s 32×32,
Windows and Mac compliant USB streaming interface
also makes it the perfect recording solution for tracking,
monitoring and overdubbing in the studio.
AMS Neve unveiled the DFC3D – the latest addition
to its DFC console series. The console features new
integrated DSP processes including a sub-harmonic
synthesizer, multi-band compressor, and the return of
the RMX-16 reverb. New high-resolution 3D-enabled
metering, with spatial panner optimised for Dolby
Atmos, provide the “most efficient Atmos mixing
experience and fastest transition from conventional
mixing techniques,” says the company.
Academy and BAFTA award-winning post-production
house, Goldcrest Films – home to two DFC Gemini desks
– has already chosen a large-format DFC3D digital
film console for its new Dolby Atmos mixing theatre
in the Soho-based studios, which opens in May. The
console is a dual-engine 1000-path USP engine, with a
72-fader dual operator control surface with designed-in
integration with the Avid S6 controller.
Audio-Technica announced the release of an
improved version of its ATM350 clip-on cardioid
condenser microphone. The new ATM350a is also
now supplied with a range of instrument mounting
accessories, making it an extremely flexible, versatile
proposition for sound engineers and musicians working
on stage or in the studio. Designed for use on snare
drums, toms, strings, piano, brass and woodwind
instruments, the ATM350a features an increased
SPL handling over its predecessor, increased by
10dB to 159dB.
B&C Speakers launched the 21DS115: a 3400 watt,
99dB efficient subwoofer that utilises a four layer
aluminum voice coil. The company also launched a
new woofer from the MBX series; the 10MBX64. This
high efficiency, high output, wide bandwidth woofer
Prolight+Sound 2016 was good news for Coda,
as Japanese giant, Hibino Sound Division, placed
a substantial order for its AiRAY system. This
increased the company’s holding of Coda boxes to
over 300 (including AiRAY, TiRAY, ViRAY and others).
This is a significant win for Coda as Hibino are also
big users of Martin Audio MLA systems.
AiRAY’s power and quality allied to its lightweight,
compact profile caught the attention of Hibino
Intersound, which took a close interest in the system
based on demonstrations and recommendations
of Hibino Sound Division’s head of sound, Hiroshi
Inoue. An AiRAY system was ordered last year for
use on a tour by top Japanese artist Shogo Hamada,
and made an immediate and lasting impression,
which lead to this year’s significant order.
“We see that AiRAY achieves very high sound
resolution with good separation of each instrument,”
said Inoue. “Sound shape is maintained over a long
distance meaning that the required SPL can be
obtained using fewer cabinets. AiRAY’s functionality
is also excellent for both flown and ground stack
applications - cabinet angles can be quickly and
easily adjusted for both. When the system is flown,
the light weight of the main frame and the light,
compact cabinets combine to significantly reduce
set up times and of course reduce trucking costs.
I think AiRAY is the only system that offers such
great sound quality in combination with so many
practical advantages.”
Coda big in Japan after Hibino buy
Coda’s Sveltly Alexandrov and Paul Ward with
Hibino’s Hiroshi Inoue and Ryoichi Hashimoto
Tony Andrews and Vero
Eve Audio’s Kristen and Roland celebrated the company’s fifth anniversary (see profile, next month!) with music and a lot of wine (all consumed at this point…)
6-9 Frankfurt FIN.indd 2 25/04/2016 10:05
www.psneurope.com/business
P8MAY
2016
Show review
offers an alternative that is not currently available in
the B&C Speakers range. The company also showed
the DE680TN 64mm diaphragm, 1.4” exit high
frequency driver, 12NDL88 88mm voice coil woofer,
18RBX100 subwoofer, 8NSM64 and 5NSM38 sealed
back midrange, and 3.5” and 4” broad-band woofers. In
other news, the company is now shipping the DE990TN
and DE1090TN, 1.4” exit, inside ring, super-compact
neodymium magnet compression drivers.
Cadac launched CDC Console Software V3.01 with a
range of new features and performance enhancements
for the Cadac CDC six and CDC eight production
consoles. The new version features Custom Fader
Layers, or CFL, which allows the engineer to create a
user definable layer, or group, of any mixture of inputs,
busses, VCAs and monitor faders, which can then be
accessed by faders on the right hand bank. Members of
the CFL are selected by dragging and dropping from the
relevant input, bus etc. page on the large 23.5” screen.
Access to the CFL is via the 6.5” system control screen,
and the CFL display can be viewed and edited on the
screen by assigning it to one of the user assignable
buttons. The set-up is intuitive and the Custom Fader
Layers provides a convenient and fast way to access the
users most important channels, aiding the overall work
flow. Other key features of V3.01 include the option to
create a personal library for EQ, Effects and Dynamics
settings which can be stored on the console, as well as
uploaded to a USB key.
DiGiCo revealed its new Quantum 7, which is
developed with seventh generation FPGA devices that
further expand audio processing power. To put this
advancement into perspective, the current Stealth
Digital Processing is heavily based around third
generation FPGA devices. Although not scheduled for
release until Spring 2017, visitors had the opportunity
to see an SD7 installed with Quantum 7, and experience
the enhancements it offers including Nodal Processing
Martin Audio’s new MD Dominic Harter and tech supremo Jason Baird (right) launched CDD Live, building on the phenomenal success of the Coaxial Differential Dispersion range
Nascent PA hire company RS Blu’s Luke (left) and Rob (right) flank EAW’s Rusty Waite at the demo of the new Anna system (behind) in the Festhalle
6-9 Frankfurt FIN.indd 3 25/04/2016 10:05
and True Solo. Quantum 7 also expands an SD7 to over 600 channels of processing
in 96kHz operation that can be connected in the outside world to approaching 3000
potential I/Os. New connectivity goes further, as the engine is also equipped with
eight newly assignable MADI connections and two DMI slots (DiGiCo Multi-Channel
Interface) for AoIP and other connectivity options from the complete family of DMI
card options. Perhaps most importantly to current DiGiCo users, Quantum 7 can also
be retro-fitted into any existing SD7.
Eighteen Sound announced the rebranding of Ciare, which it acquired late last
year and recently relaunched at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt. The company says
the new logo and slogan “To each their own sound” represents a commitment to
continue to take note of customer and market requirements when designing ‘new
and innovative products’ for the three market segments the brand serves. It also
debuted some of its new products in Frankfurt, including the NDA1, a new 1-inch
neodymium HF compression driver; the 6M38, a 6.5-inch ceramic midrange with a
flat suspension design; and lastly the 6NCX50 6.5-inch coaxial.
Equipson was at this year’s show to display its Work Pro and Work Lifter
series. Top lifters lifters like WT 150, WT 550 and WT 700 were on display. ON
the audio side, the new SL 210 A self amplified (1,000W Class D) speaker, with
built-in a DSP and a full control panel in the rear was on display. The range of
line array lifters was allowed to lift the ARION Series line arrays – including the
Arion 10, Arion 5 and the SL 210 A. The speaker can be connected via Ethernet
and managed by any device like a tablet or smartphone. The software is the new
WorkCAD 3 with intuitive workflow.
Funktion-One launched a new, large format touring sound system called Vero.
It is a complete system, which includes speakers, amplifiers, cabling, rigging,
transport dollies, weatherproof covers and software. The Vero speaker range
features six horn-loaded loudspeakers – the V60 mid-high, V90 mid-high and
V315 mid-bass with a choice of V221, V124 or V132 bass. The V60s, V90s and
V315s all have identical dimensions, enabling them to be flown in the same
vertical array. The ground stacked V221, V124 or V132 bass enclosures offer a
choice of size and low frequency extension. Vero also features its own patent
pending Lambda flying system, which allows arrays to be deployed accurately
and efficiently. All rigging settings can be calculated using Vero’s Projection
software. Unlike most other flown arrays, Vero’s inter-cabinet splay angles can be
adjusted with the system in suspension.
Harman unveiled the latest addition to its Vi range of digital live consoles, the
Vi2000. Aimed at the live touring, install and corporate AV, the Vi2000 combines
the Vistonics-based control surface of the Vi3000, Vi5000 and Vi7000 consoles
with Soundcraft SpiderCore, an integrated DSP and I/O engine based on Studer by
HARMAN technology. The console is configurable up to 48 mic line inputs and 16
line outputs, using combinations of 16-channel XLR modules in four rear-mounted
slots, and includes two 64-channel expansion slots, allowing up to two MADI-based
Stageboxes to be connected.
Out Board showed some major new enhancements to the TiMax2 SoundHub
software just about to be released. Out Board’s PAT test joint-venture associates
Data Strategy demonstrated the PAT4 Test Processors, CAB5 Cable Testers and RCD
Test modules with their QC-Check PAT automation and logging software. Also seeing
its European debut at Frankfurt, was Out Board’s new digital RCX Smart Remote for
LV and DV Motor Controllers which was demonstrated in 16, 32 and 64 versions. The
RCX can be retrofitted to all existing LV and DV controllers and features Ethercon
interconnect, non-volatile group memories and load cell system monitoring.
Outline introduced its new Vegas loudspeaker series, designed for both
installation and sound reinforcement, and featuring an application-specific, super-
compact, wide dispersion under balcony loudspeaker and three compatible, custom
coaxial loaded loudspeakers. The range includes the Vegas 24, 8 CX, 12 CX and
15 CX. The ultra compact Vegas 24 is a high power, wide-dispersion, externally
powered loudspeaker, specifically designed for under balcony fill, front fill and delay
applications. The Vegas 8 CX, 12 CX and 15 CX full-range, 2-way bass reflex models
are described as versatile, with attractive pricing and first-class power handling.
VUE Audiotechnik unveiled new products in its al-Class and h-Class ranges.
The central focus will be on the addition to the al-Class line array systems.
This will extend the VUE al-Class to address large-scale applications while
showcasing VUE’s CST technology across the series. The al-12 exhibits new
component designs across the frequencies and is optimised for more demanding
applications. Also being introduced is the self-powered hs-221 with patented ACM
technology form the h-Class range. The hs-221 subwoofer is aimed at the touring
market, with the EDM market perhaps standing to benefit the most from its low-
end performance, says VUE.
Yamaha Pro Audio and Shure announced that customers using Yamaha CL and
QL series consoles will be able to control and monitor Shure ULX-D digital wireless
systems. Specifically, Dante-enabled ULXD4D dual channel digital wireless receivers
and ULXD4Q quad channel digital wireless receivers. The newly-available control
parameters will include monitoring of battery, RF reception strength, antenna
status, frequency and audio level, and full control of gain, mute, and channel name
assignment. The collaboration between the two companies began in June 2013,
when ULX-D receiver discovery patch support was introduced in the CL series
V1.6 update. More recently, the TF series consoles were introduced with optimized
QuickPro Presets for a number of microphones and instruments – including presets
for Shure microphones – in April 2015.
+ See also Linea Research, p16; Optocore, p34; Dr. K p42; AED, p46
www.psneurope.com/business
P9MAY
2016
6-9 Frankfurt FIN.indd 4 25/04/2016 10:05
www.psneurope.com/business
P10MAY
2016
Vocal channel
Some late reflections...W e’ve all been to (or
organised) a lot of
demonstrations of
loudspeaker systems over
the years, but my own personal experience is
that very few of them manage to convincingly
convey the sonic impression that the designers
and manufacturers had in mind. I’m not talking
about cosy hi-fi demos of small-scale systems,
where you can “break the sound barrier” in the
style of that Maxell tape TV ad from the 1980s.
What I’m referring to here are those events
where a theatre, arena, or production rehearsal
space has been hired, a couple of big ol’ hangs
of boxes strung up, and the phrase “game-
changer” deployed all too liberally.
Inevitably, what you end up with is a lot
more of the room coming back at you than the
loudspeakers, and any nuances that elevate
the product that you’re being shown above its
peers are drowned in a soup of late reflections.
So why not grab a plot of land where you
can make lots of noise and eliminate the room
from the equation? The great British climate
answers that one. It’s hard enough to get busy
engineers to attend an indoor session, let alone
one outdoors that has the potential to resemble
the Somme, whether it’s June or January.
Erring on the side of caution, you get yourself
a roof and some walls, and a nice hard floor,
and a potential recipe for sonic mush. A bit of
draping can help, and some venues are clearly a
lot nicer-sounding than others, but the other key
factor in gig acoustics is that huge absorbent
mass of fat, fluid, tissue and t-shirts known
as The Audience. Getting several thousand
people in off the street on a weekday morning
to accurately replicate the effect that a room full
of bodies will have on the acoustic properties
of the venue is a logistical headache that I’m
not quite ready for yet, so the next logical step
is to proudly display your game-changer on
an actual real-life gig with an actual real-life
audience. This also tackles the common request
of finding out what happens when you put a
live drum kit and vocal through it, rather than a
tasteful bit of lovingly mastered AOR.
Having got yourself one of the better-
sounding large venues, and a crowd, you’re then
presented with the final set of variables that
can consign the world’s best speaker systems
to the “where are they now?” file: musicians,
their instruments, sound engineers and mixing
consoles. If you can get a consistently good-
sounding band going through a quality console
with a decent engineer at the controls, you’re
pretty much there in terms of being able to best
demonstrate your electroacoustic masterpiece.
Now to go and find some nice big
loudspeakers to show off. Watch this space…
ANDY HUFFER is sales director of HD Pro Audio and “skateboarding is not a crime!”
10 Columniosts v1FIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 15:43
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www.psneurope.com/business
P12MAY
2016
Movers and shakers
Former Roland man Heath assumes MD role for trade organisation
Peter perfect for prime PLASA post
PLASA, the Professional Lighting and Sound
Association, has appointed Peter Heath as
managing director.
Heath brings with him a wealth
of industry knowledge and hands-on sales and
management experience. He joins PLASA from Roland
Corporation, where he worked in various senior roles
for nearly 20 years. He made a substantial contribution
to the sustained growth of its UK music division, and
became sales director in 2009.
Commenting on his new role, Heath says: “I am
delighted to be appointed managing director and
am looking forward to working closely with PLASA
members, carrying on the great work that has been
achieved recently, along with creating new and exciting
opportunities to grow our Association.”
The selection process for the new post, which
supersedes the position of CEO, was run independently
of the PLASA executive officers and managed on
PLASA’s behalf by John Simpson, with support from
PLASA board members Peter James and Mark
Surtees, PLASA finance director Shane McGreevy and
independent HR specialist Elaine Pennell.
www.plasa.org
Exhibo Communication Systems now represents QSC professional and systems divisions as its multichannel distribution partner in Italy.
Exhibo MD Luca Maragliano Caranza says: “We feel that Exhibo is a natural partner for QSC, as we are committed to bringing them our genuine passion, know-how, professionalism and expertise in distributing their products and solutions throughout the various professional channels and other vertical markets in the Italian region.”www.exhibo.it
www.qsc.com
AV SYS has taken over the sales and support functions for the Klotz Communications product range in the broadcasting market in Greece.
“We are very happy to announce our partnership with AV SYS for the Greece market. AV SYS has a strong reputation in the broadcasting market and their technical expertise suits our products perfectly,” says Thomas Klotz, CEO of Klotz Communications.www.klotzcommunications.com
www.avsys.gr
Outline has chosen Trius Vertrieb as its new distributor for its products in Germany and Austria.
Outline CEO Giorgio Biffi comments: “We are honoured to be working with Trius. Their fantastic reputation for sales and support really fits in with our distribution objective, which is to find the best companies in each country that truly care about quality sound and quality support.”www.outlinearray.com
www.trius-audio.de
DEALER NETWORK
Renkus-Heinz has appointed Michal
Poplawski as technical sales manager, Europe. He previously worked as product manager for distributor M. Ostrowski. www.renkus-heinz.com
Previously with nascent event production outfit Amber Creative, Joe Turner has joined Turbosound Flashlight revivalist Fromidable Audio as sales director. www.formidableaudio.com
Pete McCarthy has been named sales manager, TVBEurope at NewBay Media. Prior to this he was senior account manager on sister brand Installation. www.tvbeurope.com
Steph Steaton joins Audiologic from a background in chemical distribution. Seaton will be the first point of contact for Audiologic’s customers. www.audiologic.uk
L-Acoustics has appointed Scott Wakelin as regional manager responsible for the Balkans and Central European regions, as well as Israel, Turkey, Cyprus and Malta. www.l-acoustics.com
Loren Robinson has taken up the position of director of sales, independent accounts for the Mackie and Ampeg brands at LOUD Technologies.www.loudtechinc.com
12 Movers v1JRDR.indd 1 22/04/2016 14:17
T H E N E X T L E V E L O F T O U R S O U N D
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P14MAY
2016
New products
CEDARDNS 2
What is it?
A dialogue noise suppressor that is a smaller,
lighter and more portable 2-channel version of
the DNS 8 Live.
Details:
Off ers near-zero latency, and the latest DNS
algorithm with super-fast setup and control, plus
analogue (mic/mic 48V/line) and digital I/O.
And another thing…
Its 12V power input and mounting points mean
engineers can use the DNS 2 in the middle of a fi eld
as easily as in the studio or the edit suite.
www.cedaraudio.com
DYNAUDIOLYD SERIES
What is it?
Personal reference monitor series with handmade
drive units.
Details:
Includes an advanced DSP with two tuning modes,
sound balance fi lters and bass extension for
moving the bass cut-off to the preferred position.
And another thing…
Powered by biamped Class D amplifi ers featuring
96kHz/24-bit signal paths, the LYD Series has
plenty of power to reproduce sound faithfully.
www.dynaudio.com
RMEFIREFACE UFX+
What is it?
RME’s fi rst interface with Thunderbolt and USB
3 connectivity, which is able to handle up to 94
channels I/O.
Details:
Includes MADI I/O, taking it to 188 channels of I/O,
powerful DSP for latency-free routing, and extensive
processing of dynamics and eff ects for all channels.
And another thing…
RME launched three other products at Musikmesse
2016: MADIface PRO Compact audio interface; ADI-2
Pro High-end AD/DA converter, and ARC USB intuitive
control unit for TotalMix FX and Fireface UFX+.
www.rme-audio.de
DRAWMERMPA-90What is it?
A high-performance Class D stereo power amplifi er
delivering 90W per channel into 4 Ohms (50W per
channel into 8 Ohms).
Details:
Includes thermal protection, overload protection
and an output clipping indicator. Works in Stereo
and Bridge-Mono modes, and has Balanced XLR and
phono inputs.
And another thing…
Ideal for powering passive monitors in the studio, the
MPA-90 is equally at home as part of a hi-fi system
and is said to be the perfect pairing for a Drawmer
MC1.1 and your favourite turntable.
www.drawmer.com
14 New products 2016 v1JRDR.indd 1 22/04/2016 15:17
HK Audio is the German pro audio brand offering the easiest way to the best sound.From portable to professional live sound to install solutions for over 30 years, we build PA systems for those who are fascinated by the energy of sound. Giving them a stage. Giving them a home.
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THE SOUNDMAKERS >
VISIT US AT PROLIGHT+SOUND:HALL 3 LEVEL 1 BOOTH #A81
“After months of planning, testing and finding the perfect sound solution for a venue, for me it’s all about that moment when a project truly comes to life.”
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P16MAY
2016
The strategic position: Linea Research
Phil Ward visits power pioneer Linea Research to discover why now is the time for its own-brand launches
Power factor correction
The three directors and co-founders of
Hertfordshire-based amp manufacturer
Linea Research are perfect examples of a
rather wonderful industry paradigm: the
regeneration of ideas in a new business context. They all
cut their teeth at BSS Audio, under Harman, and made
their move when it became apparent that Harman had a
very different view of the future.
Paul Williams is responsible for software and DSP,
“designing the algorithms from first principles”, explains
colleague Ben Ver, “so we can do things people need
as opposed to things other people have already done”.
Ver himself focuses on electronics and mechanical
design, and is based at Linea’s R&D centre in Surrey,
while Davey Smalley spearheads sales, marketing and
administration, working alongside Williams and the
majority of the team at the company HQ in Baldock.
Williams was with Harman for over 10 years, and
was “instrumental in everything BSS did in the digital
domain, particularly Soundweb and Omnidrive”,
according to Smalley. “And not forgetting Varicurve: the
first product that allowed you to adjust an EQ curve
and see it change dynamically on a screen,” adds
Williams, who recruited Ver in the mid-’90s, handing
him responsibility for hardware and electronics design
before he moved on to look after R&D for C Audio and
Soundcraft. Smalley joined the BSS team in 1996, later
taking over as sales manager.
EARTH GROUND
It was the type of solid grounding that forments – all
big corporations please take note – a brew of talent and
confidence that always spills when the management
boat is rocked.
“Harman Pro’s senior management moved from
Potters Bar, where we were based, to California –
quite a dislocation,” recounts Smalley. “There was a
frustrating focus on the US brands – logical, but tough
on all the guys who had put their hearts and souls into
groundbreaking BSS products. Our OEM progress also
worked against us, seen as offering too much help to
the competition.”
Add in the typical encroachment of management
responsibilities that displace the original customer-
focused engineering that inspires talent like this to enter
pro audio, and you have all the motivation you need for
the registration of a new company.
“We’d been there quite a long time, and it felt like our
‘era’ was over,” says Ver. “We could see opportunities
elsewhere, particularly in using DSP technology as an
integral part of Class D amplifiers rather than just for
processing audio. This combination of signal processing
and power represented the future for us and, we hoped,
the industry.” “Late one night, I think during a trade
show, Ben, Paul and I agreed we should be doing this for
ourselves,” adds Smalley.
Linea Research duly opened for business in 2003,
with a clear initial focus on the kind of OEM business
that Harman had discouraged. “It’s predictable in a
way that building your own brand is not,” says Smalley.
“OEM was the best way of getting to good sales
volumes quite quickly. It’s a not a cottage industry.”
“You build a different kind of business, too,” adds Ver. “If
you’re immediately supplying in hundreds and, soon,
thousands, you make sure the infrastructure is right for
information systems, you use reputable suppliers and
you have the efficient manufacturing processes you
need to compete at this level.”
FULL CAPACITANCE
Moving beyond exclusively OEM territory to develop
Linea Research into a brand in its own right was always
part of the business plan, reveals Smalley. “We were
always clear with our OEM partners about that,” he
confirms. “You access different parts of the market.
Not everyone is looking for a brand new, packaged
PA system, although it is going that way for high-end
touring thanks to the likes of L-Acoustics and d&b,
mainly due to the utility of having consistency as you
travel. In other markets, particularly once you get into
installations, people want highly refined solutions for
Not everyone is looking for a brand new, packaged PA system, although it is going that way for high-end touring thanks to the likes of L-Acoustics and d&bDavey Smalley
Those 44M20s in detail!
Davey Smalley (left) with sales engineer Peter Collins and a rack of the new amps, at Prolight + Sound last month
16-17 Strat pos linea research v1JRDR.indd 1 22/04/2016 15:11
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P17MAY
2016
specific purposes. We can fit into a huge range of very
tailored environments.
“From a performance point of view I consider our
competition to be Lab.gruppen, Powersoft, Crown in the
States and maybe one or two others. There’s a huge
market out there and companies like Linea Research
who continually invest in the latest technology can be
very successful.”
Ver describes the advent of branded Linea Research
boxes as ‘natural’ rather than ‘strategic’. “We love the
long discussions about what this encoder does, where
to put that LED… that’s what our professional lives
are about,” he says. “But after a lot of work we knew
that our new generation of technology was a real step
forward in efficiency, and we could see that it would
give us a significant advantage in the branded amplifier
marketplace.” However, doing new things is not easy
and time must also be spent supporting existing
products and customers. As Ver says: “it did take us
rather longer to get here than we thought. I think we
ended up doing our three-year strategy over five years!”
OEM continues, meanwhile. “Working closely with
our partners is great,” Smalley explains. “We get to be
associated with fantastic brands and the brands get
to focus on what they do best in the knowledge that
Linea is working full time on keeping their electronics
state-of-the-art. It can also offer unique advantages –
one example being Brazil. It’s extremely difficult and
costly to import products into Brazil, so working with a
partner over there that has an established brand is very
effective. It’s a very good solution for both of us.”
POWER POINT
So what is this technology? The good offices of Ver and
Williams inside the semi-conductor community led to
major breakthroughs in the last few years – another
factor in the timing of this launch. “We have product
that is significantly different on the inside, and in
performance,” Ver points out, “not least because our
R&D has run in parallel with the very cutting edge of
the semi-conductor industry. We were designing with
engineering samples of the parts we wanted to use
on the promise that they would be available in volume
when we needed them some 18 months later. I have
to say that this made me very nervous, but luckily it all
came good…”
Class D and good sound quality don’t necessarily sit
together, especially if you also want very high power
and efficiency. “This is where we win,” states Ver. “We
already know how to make great-sounding Class D
amplifiers: we’ve sold many thousands of them in
the form of powered speaker modules to some of the
industry’s biggest names. Our new rackmount products
take this knowledge and combine it with an output stage
that’s about 5% to 7% more efficient than the best amps
currently out there. This might not sound like much, but
it means that our amps only need to dissipate about
half the heat of our competition. This is exactly why they
have such incredible long-term power delivery.”
But a great amplifier platform alone is not enough
for world-class product these days, points out Williams.
“You also need cutting-edge remote control and
monitoring,” he says, “to support things like AES3 and
Dante – and have all the software required to make it
easy for users to form cohesive systems. It also helps
if you can introduce some genuinely new DSP features
that solve real-world problems.”
M PEOPLE
With output powers of up to 5kW per channel
and the ability to drive that power on all channels
simultaneously, even with dense programme material,
the M Series is billed as “The New Industry Standard In
Amplification”.
The catalogue is divided so far into the 4-channel
44M series and 8-channel 48M series, each of which is
available at different power points to suit requirements.
Soon to follow are the installation-friendly 48C and
88C series that combine the same power amplifier
technology with a raft of features that make them well-
suited to the contractor market.
All the products feature extensive DSP processing,
optimised as perhaps only Linea Research could. “This
is due to all of the DSP code being hand-written in
assembler,” comments Williams. “It produces much
faster and more compact code than easier-to-use,
higher level languages such as C.”
“It’s easier today to get good performance from the
DSP chips,” reflects Smalley, “but if you’ve learned
your trade – like Paul did – when resources were
very meagre, it brings insight and efficiency to the
designs that you won’t get from people who’ve learned
these techniques in the last 10 years. We’re at a point
now when our people, knowledge, componentry
and techniques have come together. Developing
these products was a real team effort and a huge
undertaking… but now is their time.”
www.linea-research.co.uk
Mute each of the four channels from the facia
The photography just keeps getting sexier…
16-17 Strat pos linea research v1JRDR.indd 2 22/04/2016 15:12
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P18MAY
2016
Studio
Mel Lambert catches up with current AES president John Krivit to learn more about his focus on audio education as the society prepares for its Paris Convention in early June
An educator at the helm
A life-long educator, John Krivit is an
associate professor of audio & media
technology at New England Institute of Art,
Brookline, MA, and a faculty member at Bay
State College, Boston, and at Emerson College, Boston. He
is the founder of the Boston Area Defi nitive Audio Student
Summit (…that’s BADASS, of course!), an annual AES event
for New England students, educators, practitioners and
professionals. “My goal as an educator has always been to
align the academic with the professional worlds in a way
that serves the greater interests of both,” he states. “I live
at the intersection of audio, education and industry.”
Since assuming offi ce as AES president last
November, what has been your primary focus?
I’ve had a lot on my plate in my fi rst six months as
president, but my big focus this year has been to do
everything I can to keep building an engaged community
of audio professionals, academics, researchers,
practitioners and students. For six years, I served the
Society as the Education Chair and feel proud of the
vibrant mix of students and educators that have found
their way to the AES. I understand how benefi cial this
AES connection is to one’s career development; I’ve
seen students and young professionals use their AES
experience to leverage great careers. As an educator,
I’ve learned so much about curriculum, facilities and
pedagogy from other professors at AES conventions,
conferences and local events.
What do you plan to achieve as president during the
coming six months?
I’ve been pushing the AES to take a hard look at how
we use our resources. We’ve got to make some hard
choices about the best ways to perform our functions.
Social media has changed the landscape of how we all
communicate, learn and market what we do. There is
no question that the AES needs to make better use of
21st century tools to reach our members in a more
timely manner.
A lot of people already know me from the Facebook
group that I’ve been moderating called “Hey Audio
Student”’; in a short time, it’s become a place where
students can connect to the narrative of what it is to
be a modern student of professional audio. Of course,
an essential part of that narrative is participation in
the AES. There are so many events and opportunities
to take advantage of, including local section meetings,
regional AES student summits, conferences and
conventions.
John Krivit in the anechoic chamber at Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza,
Krakow, Poland, the city’s main technical university
If student membership, participation and enthusiasm are a measure of how we are doing in Europe, then I am not worriedJohn Krivit
18-20 JonKrivit v1JRDR CHECK.indd 1 22/04/2016 15:20
For 70 years, Sennheiser has led a mission of acoustic perfection. Musicians, sound engineers, award juries and discerning listeners associate us with superior audio quality. The highest levels of excellence power not only our own groundbreaking achievements: in every studio, concert hall and blues bar where the Sennheiser logo is found, someone is shaping the future. The HE 1, successor to the legendary Orpheus, is one of our many milestones that redefi ne standards in sound performance. With ear pads made of leather and velour as well as its Carrara marble housing, the HE 1 is also a design gem. Insatiable curiosity, passion for the latest technology and a culture of innovation make Sennheiser a leader in a fast-changing world. That is one thing we will never change.
SHAPE THE FUTURE OF AUDIO
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P20MAY
2016
Studio
You are well respected as an educator and futurist.
What specific vision do you bring to the job of AES
president?
There are many places on the internet where one
can find information about technology and science,
but the AES is really the gold standard for that.
Our peer-reviewed journal and our E-Library are
essential to academic research and discovery. Why
not peer-reviewed video where academics can receive
institutional credit for such work? We have so many
great communicators coming from the academic and the
professional worlds and this is something I’d like to get
off the ground.
The European Community has gone through a
number of recent changes. How can the AES
assist that membership?
If student membership, participation and enthusiasm
are a measure of how we are doing in Europe, then I
am not worried. We have exciting student chapters in
each country and our commercial partners have taken
note that this is the next generation of industry leaders
and decision makers. We’re not just talking about
kids who want to make beats: we‘re talking about the
student scientists who are developing new technologies.
We’re talking about the next generation of top-level
broadcasters and studio engineers.
Were you involved in plans for the upcoming
Paris convention?
AES 140th Convention chair Mike Williams has been a
dynamic force in crafting a terrific programme; I really
have to give Mike and his committee all of the credit for
their tireless work. There have been so many proposals
for workshops and tutorials that we’ve had to take
on more space at the Palais des Congrès. I’m looking
forward to hearing all of the technical expertise that
drives our science and practical application. Author and
educator Alex Case, who is also the AES president-elect,
has been selected to give the keynote address. He is a
brilliant speaker with a great sense of humour.
How has exhibitor response been to the
Paris convention?
There are bigger shows out there but none have the
engagement or gravitas of an AES Convention. Size isn’t
really important; reaching the right audience is. Unlike
some bigger events, the AES Convention has soul. The
AES convention is about learning and friendship and a
true collective celebration of the science and practice of
audio. In a world where we must embrace the concept of
life-long learning, the workshops, tutorials, exhibitions,
etc. are all essential for the audiophile who needs to stay
well ahead of the curve.
During recent years the AES has increased the
number of specialist conferences. Is that a
development you favour?
Every subject and topic of audio brings with it its own
unique community of experts. Automotive Audio, Audio
Forensics, Audio for Games, Audio Education, Audio
Networking, Music-Induced Hearing Disorders… all
have their critical issues that change rapidly. My job as
AES president is to make sure that these communities
feel welcome and supported under the umbrella of
the AES. Each year, we’ll have about four conferences
on these diverse topics. I made a trip in January to
the US Library of Congress National Audio-Visual
Conservation Center, which hopefully will lead to a
2018 AES Conference on Audio Archiving
and Restoration.
What do conferences offer that a regular
AES Convention might not?
One new idea we are trying for the first time is to
co-locate an AES Conference on Audio for Virtual and
Augmented Reality at our 141st Convention in Los
Angeles this coming September. It’s an interesting plan
that we’ve never done before. Conference co-chairs
Andres Mayo and Linda Gedemer are in the process
of working out all of the logistical details of how the
two events can complement each other and will work
simultaneously.
What three achievements would you like
to be remembered for at the conclusion of
your term as president?
AES presidents get rotated through pretty quickly
so I’ll probably get some undeserved credit for the
great things that my predecessor Andres Mayo did as
president! Andres put in place a Financial Planning
Committee headed by AES vice president Bill Foster.
My first goal is to do everything I can as AES president
to enable Bill to find ways of optimising our financial
systems. I’m also working with our AES Standards
chair Bruce Olson and AES Standards manager Mark
Yonge to develop a new funding mechanism that gives
participating companies a bigger stake in the work
that we do to promote technical interoperability.
Finally, I’m a big fan of the late poet Maya Angelou,
who famously said: “I’ve learned that people will
forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them
feel.” I want to make sure that when people think of
the AES, they smile and feel smart and valued and
important and listened to, and they come back
every year.
+ The 140th International AES Convention will be held
at Palais des Congrès, Paris, from 4- 7 June 2016
Krivit with students and faculty from the University of Hartford, Connecticut
Student Delegate Assembly officers at the Berlin Wall
18-20 JonKrivit v1JRDR CHECK.indd 2 22/04/2016 15:21
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FRANCE
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P22MAY
2016
Studio
From car engines to wind and rain, French developer AudioGaming is making the sounds for the next generation of games. Mike Hillier listens in
And now: the weather
Just like the Marvel superhero, Storm,
Amaury La Burthe can control the weather.
Showers and squalls, gales and gusts: La Burth
brings them all. Except, where the character of
Storm can fl y, La Burthe has his feet on the ground. In fact,
he generates footsteps…
None of it’s real, of course. AudioGaming (AG) is a
Toulouse-based software developer specialising in sound
design tools for game audio. The company started in 2009
when La Burthe, one of AG’s founders alongside Guillaume Le
Nost and Damien Henry, was working at Sony. “I have a dual
profile. Before founding AudioGaming I worked first in audio
research (Ircam, Sony) and then in the video game industry
(Ubisoft). At some point I realised I needed some tools that did
not exist. So I decided to create the tools I felt were missing.”
The fi rst of these tools was AudioWeather, a plug-in
which synthesises wind and rain sounds. Sound design
for games presents a unique challenge, as the audio has
to respond to the players actions. Traditional sampling
techniques present a fi xed sound, which can be altered
in some ways with eff ects, such as fi lters and reverbs.
However, AG’s plug-ins use acoustic modelling to generate
sounds in realtime, presenting the sound designer with
complete control over the sound, and enabling them to
generate the sound procedurally in response to elements of
the gameplay. “As soon as you start modelling behaviours,
you end up with much more control over the generated
sound,” says La Burthe. “You are mixing and layering, you
are generating in a sound driven by physical properties that
can be completely controlled over time. It’s more than real-
time, it is ‘interactive time’. Everything can change according
to what’s happening in the game. It is also a great tool to
quickly create new soundscapes with believable, physically-
inspired behaviours.” As well as games, AudioWeather has
been utilised by fi lm sound designers, most notably Harry
Cohen on Django Unchained.
Modelling the audio properties of weather was only
the starting point for AudioGaming, the company now
has a portfolio of sound generation plug-ins dedicated
towards diff erent frequently used game audio sounds
– AudioSteps for instance, as alluded to earlier, for the
sound of characters walking or running. The most recent
is AudioMotors, which uses recordings of car engines as
the source, analysing them to automatically determine the
RPM of the recording. This recording is then processed
through the realtime synthesis engine to generate new
sounds which responds to the RPM of the car in the game in
real-time. As the user ‘revs’ the engine hotter, so the sound
changes in response. This tool has already been used on
Ubisoft’s driving title, Trackmania Turbo.
These plug-ins are available for the common host
formats (VST, AAX and AU) in addition to a dedicated
implementation inside the game audio middleware solution
FMOD Studio, which provides a procedural audio solution
inside many of the top game engines, including Unity, Unreal
and Valve Software’s Source engine.
While innovations in gaming hardware are often
seen as pushing the graphics side, the audio side too
gets to enjoy the benefi ts of additional memory and
processing bandwidth. La Burthe believes this provides
game developers with opportunities not only to use more
interesting and believable sounds, but also to create
better narratives in the games. “We have great tools, lots
of memory and bandwidth to do very interesting things.
We need to focus on how we use those tools to better tell
stories: things like interactive mixing depending on game
states, sound focus, give us a lot of control, so we need to be
creative on how we use them, not for the sake of technology,
but to help tell stories in a more powerful way.”
Probably the most exciting new area in gaming is the
emergence of virtual reality. Again, the technological shift
focuses on the graphic side, but La Burthe sees VR as an
important leap for game audio. “Sound designers don’t
need to be convinced about the impact of audio, but it is
defi nitely helping all the others realise this impact. VR is
interactive audio with pictures! It really helps to show how
much the audio can be used as a directing tool, much like a
camera. Interactive mixing (which is not specifi cally linked to
VR) for example is really the camera of the sound designer.
You can choose whatever you want to focus on depending
on multiple parameters in real-time.”
This freedom to tell stories using VR was put to use on
the film Notes On Blindness, which was created alongside a
VR immersive experience ‘Note On Blindness: Into Darkness’,
of which La Burthe was the executive producer. “We took
enormous care to produce immersive soundscapes,” he
says. “They have a very high dynamic, like in real-life. They
are composed of lots of different 3D placed individual sounds,
with lots of variety to avoid pre-rendered monotonous
looping background files. Doing this we obtain a very credible
environment, always evolving, and never really repeating. We
later added the visual, but this precise audio landscape really
helps to create an immersive and emotional experience.”
Watch out for the forthcoming AudioSpace. La Burthe’s
superpowers are not limited to this planet, puny mortals…
lesound.io
Amaury La Burthe at the AudioGaming offi ces in Toulouse, France
Plug-ins that tell you exactly what to expect: the wind, the rain, the shoe leather
22 AudioGaming v1JRDR.indd 1 22/04/2016 15:32
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ITALY
www.psneurope.com/studio
P24MAY
2016
Studio
Four top sound engineers have upgraded a Rome jazz venue’s recording set-up. Mike Clark went along for a chat
A House is a home
La Casa del Jazz (the House of Jazz), built in
the 1930s, is located in Villa Osio in Rome. Its
three constituent buildings stand in a beautiful
six-acre park which also hosts concerts
during the spring and summer months.
CdJ’s main building features a multifunctional
150-seat auditorium, an AV archive and a library of
rare publications, while its smaller premises reveal
rehearsal, recording and accommodation facilities, and
a restaurant.
Recently, before being restored by Zètema Progetto
Cultura, the villa was confiscated from the boss of one
of Rome’s most infamous criminal gangs. (In fact, there
is a commemorative plaque at the entrance with the
names of mafia victims.)
As well as concerts by top international artists, the
150-seat CdJ auditorium is a true home for cultural
activities in the Eternal City. Seminars and listening
sessions, press conferences and presentations
by record companies and publishers, educational
activity by top music schools, readings – all have been
undertaken in the auditorium.
Management and operation of the recording facilities’
were recently taken over by four top Italian sound
engineers – Ascanio Cusella, Simone Saccomandi,
Stefano Del Vecchio and Roberto Lioli – who upgraded
and overhauled the entire set-up.
Saccomandi explains: “Ascanio has been at CdJ
since it opened and I joined a couple of years later as
his assistant. We suggested to (CdJ technical manager)
Marcello Fagnani the idea of managing the studios
with two sound engineer friends and, since the initial
trial period, the four of us have recorded numerous top
Italian artists and international names there.”
Based in L’Aquila, Cusella has worked with a
comprehensive list of artists during his lengthy career
as a live and studio sound engineer, but he has also
found time to work as a recording studio designer and
production manager on live events. His CV includes top
jazz festivals such as Umbria and Lugano, and work
with international stars including Ornette Coleman, Pat
Metheny, Jan Garbarek and countless others in the jazz,
pop, classical, ballet and dance worlds.
He explains: “When we began work, the venue had
a single control room, with an Audient ASP8024 desk,
some outboard units, a Pro Tools 7 HD2 system and
three recording rooms. Thanks to Fagnani, the PT
system was upgraded to HDX and Simone redesigned
the set-up, which now features more recording rooms
and – alongside the existing Audient analogue suite – a
digital control room, which is also used for mastering
and, if necessary, as a further recording room.”
As well as his lengthy experience as FOH engineer,
system engineer and FOH manager on festivals and
with a multitude of national and international artists
mainly in jazz and classical music, Rome-based
Saccomandi also has considerable experience with
Rock and Electronic artists (see O.R.k story, p40).
He says: “Taking pride of place in the analogue
control room is the 36-fader/72-channel ASP8024
console. The audio team can follow every nuance of the
mainly acoustic recordings thanks to Quested 3208 and
sub, Yamaha NS10 and sub, Genelec 1030, Dynaudio
BM6, Tivoli Audio and Meyer Sound HD-1 monitors.”
Nominated in 2012 as Italy’s best jazz sound engineer
by Jazzit magazine, Roberto Lioli has served as a sound
engineer for years with pianist Stefano Bollani. In 2015,
he founded the Encore Jazz label, for which he also
works as producer.
Lioli says: “The CdJ venue is now able to count
on three control rooms – the third is used in the
auditorium for recordings – and up to seven recording
rooms, including the auditorium, all fully cabled and
interconnected via AV.” As well as the main 8 x 6m
room and 4 x 3m grand piano room (both with variable
reflection panels) there is a 4 x 3m absorbent drum
room, a 4 x 3m reflective room with variable reflection
panels and a 4 x 2m multipurpose room.
Del Vecchio has in-depth experience on live events
(including a considerable number of musicals), in studio
and on television broadcasts. His recording work has
included a Nino Rota tribute by the London Symphony
Orchestra and the Fabrizio Bosso quartet recorded at
London’s Air Studios. Del Vecchio is in charge of audio
at Icarus Music School in his home town of L’Aquila and
technical manager and personal sound engineer for
several top Italian artists.
He explains: “We fitted out the rooms, adding
personal mixers and CCTV and carrying out an in-depth
overhaul of the existing equipment. We now also
have two external Pro Tools systems and, pooling our
resources, put a really incredible range of microphones
as artists’ disposal. The digital control room hosts a
Digidesign Control 24 control surface and monitors are
Meyer Sound 833 plus subs, Genelec 1030, Dynaudio
BM6, Tivoli Audio and Meyer Sound HD-1.”
As well as an impressive array of outboards in
the control rooms, thanks to an agreement with
longstanding Rome MI retailer Ciampi, CdJ also has a
beautiful Yamaha C7 grand piano in the studio, a C6 in
the auditorium and, when necessary, a Steinway and a
Fazioli grand concert piano.
Close collaboration with backline rental firms,
through the foursome’s live contacts, and with CD
duplication companies, now enables CdJ to follow the
entire creative process, from start to finish. It’s not just a
house for jazz – it’s a home.
www.casajazz.it
(L-R): Stefano Del Vecchio, Roberto Lioli, Ascanio Cusella and Simone Saccomandi
24 Italy casa del jazz v1FIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 16:11
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2016
Studio
Producer and musician Paul Stacey, found a free moment in his schedule to chat with Mike Hillier about production, psychology and art
Flying high
Paul Stacey is best known for his work with
Oasis. With producer Mark ‘Spike’ Stent, Paul
engineered Standing On The Shoulder Of
Giants, eventually recording various parts on
the album. This led to a long career working with the band
and, after their demise, with Noel Gallagher on his solo
albums.
This relationship also led to Stacey working with Chris
Robinson, and later The Black Crowes themselves. His
twin-brother, Jeremy Stacey, is also a successful session
musician, having performed with Sheryl Crow, Ryan
Adams and – of course – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying
Birds.
How did you get into producing?
I got a guitar and my brother got drums and we just
made a racket at school when we were 11 or 12. We
slowly found a friend who played bass. Punk was just
starting to break, so we started a punk band, listening
to the Damned and The Sex Pistols. I went from that
to a ’70s-style hard-rock band, and then got into jazz,
rehearsing with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. I was
never a jazz snob though, I always liked pop and rock.
When I was about 16, my brother did a job that meant
we were able to afford a Portastudio, and that was the
start of the recording lark. It was amazing to be able
to record at home and make demos. I started getting
bands down and recording them too.
I’ve been working with Noel on and off for about 17
years and through that, I ended up doing a few solo
albums with Chris Robinson when The Black Crowes
were on hiatus, and when they got back together it was
natural for me to get back involved. I mixed a couple of
records, and then produced three for them. I don’t know
how I ended up producing, but that’s how it is.
What does production mean to you?
For me a producer is your trusted friend. Everybody
needs a sounding board, if you don’t have one you
can easily become too caught up in the details. It’s a
psychological job, sometimes it has little to do with the
music.
Like the director of a film, you have to know about all
the stages involved. A director knows about cameras,
angles, the storyboard, actors, how the actors are
feeling, egos. And a producer has to do the same,
understanding all the aspects of the music and the artist.
A producer should be a musician, should understand
music theory, engineering, microphones, mic positioning,
mixing and how the whole thing comes together.
What console are you using?
When I came back from touring with Oasis
in ’97, I bought a Neotek desk and an MCI
24-track tape machine. I was working on
that for a while, and eventually I started
working in studios in America, on Neves
and APIs, and I realised there was a
reason why people want to work on these.
So I got a Trident A-Range. It’s a very rare
desk, there were only 14 or 15 made. Mine
was the desk from Chipping Norton and
it’s in a video with Gerry Rafferty, it was used on Baker
Street. It went from there to America, to Henry Hirsch,
Lenny Kravitz’s producer, then from there it went to
Japan before coming back here.
And monitors?
For speakers, I was using a mixture of ProAcs with a
Bryston amp, and NS10s. The ProAcs are a little soft,
and the Brystons a little hard so they’re a good combo.
I pondered the idea of getting a sub, but I never got
on with one. When I was doing Warpaint for the Black
Crowes, I tried ATC 150s in a studio in Woodstock, New
York, and I was a little worried about using them too
much, because they have such a big sound. But when
I came home I felt I could hear into the recordings, so I
started to realise I needed some big speakers.
I was thinking about getting 150s but I couldn’t work
out how to fit them in my room. I went to Belgium to
do a record and a mastering engineer friend of mine,
Stefan, introduced me to the Guzauski-Swist, which has
the ATC dome. I felt this was important for me, because
it sits in the middle and stops you from having to listen
to guitars on tweeters. I spent two weeks tracking on the
Guzauski-Swist monitors and they sounded a lot like the
ATC 150s, and they fit on my desk. So I now use those
and the ProAcs.
Do you use any plug-ins, or are you all
outboard?
I mainly use outboard, but I do use the UAD plug-ins, that
was the first stuff to really surprise me. I have quite a lot
of the originals, like the 33609, and there’s something it
does with the gain, which the UAD plug-in also does. I’ve
got a few different 1176s, and they all sound different.
And the UAD models all have similar qualities. If you
don’t own the originals they’re great. If I went all in the
box, I’d get two octo UAD cards. I just wish they did a few
more bits that I use all the time like the Inovonics 201
and the Spectra Sonics 610.
Do you heavily edit performances, and tune
vocals?
I don’t really care for AutoTune. I have used it though, as
anyone other than maybe Glyn Johns has…
If you tune a vocal, and listen to the original a few
years later, when you’ve come out of the process, you
realise you’ve lost something, the very thing you get
on the old recordings. The imperfections are what you
remember. The more you flatten it out and perfect
it the more dull it becomes. It’s a strange thing. As
an artist you want it to be in tune, to feel good. At the
time it feels amazing that everything is in tune and
in time. It instantly make you go “wow”, but actually
it’s the emotion and the vibe that’s important. Some
people can make pictures when they sing and you get
completely invested in the vocal, the words, the melody
and the rhythm. So when you start flattening it with
compression and tuning. If you keep everything fixed
and set and you edit the timing and make it all perfect, it
becomes mind-numbingly boring.
If you listen to Frank Sinatra, one of my favourite
singers of all time, it’s not about the tuning, he’s not in
tune all the time, but his phrasing is remarkable. What
you get when he sings those words is his depth, his
knowledge comes through, it’s like poetry.
You’ve heard Paul Stacey play on many of Noel Gallagher’s songs
Stacey owns a rare Trident A-Range desk – it was used to record Baker Street
26 Paul stacey FIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 17:20
INTRODUCING THE NEWAKG K52, K72 & K92
FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.AKG.COM
CLOSED-BACK HEADPHONES
K72K52 K92
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SD7 SD10SD5
S21
Digital Mixing Consoles for Live Sound, Theatre and Broadcast
DiGiCo’s digital evolution really began with the release of the D5 Live – a breakthrough console that turned the pro-audio world on its head, and raised eyebrows across the industry. A super-powerful and slick piece of kit, with a massive feature set, which would set the standard for years to come.
Fast-forward 5 years, and the first of the SD Series was born – another real trend setter, combining a quick and intuitive user interface, and
sonic capabilities that are still yet to be beaten. Each console in the range retains that classic analogue feel, with the ultimate in digital
processing.
The SD Series raised the bar in many ways: not only in terms of power and flexibility, but
creativity; never before had engineers
DPS Template.indd 1 4/22/2016 10:13:53 AM
SD8 SD9 SD11
www.digico.biz
DiGiCo UK Ltd. Unit 10 Silverglade Business Park, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2QL. Tel: +44 (0) 1372 845600
experienced Super FPGA technology, which allowed for massive I/O capabilities, and the ultimate dynamic toolbox, easily accessible at the press of a button or via the touch screen.
From the rackmount SD11, all the way up to the flagship SD7, and everything in between, there is an SD console suited to every possible audio application - and they all pack a similar punch. Be it a bar or club gig, a stadium world tour, or a massive broadcast event such as The Grammys or The Oscars, the SD Series is so often the go-to.
But it doesn’t end there.
DiGiCo has made quite a statement with its latest console, the S21. It’s a baby SD7, at first glance – and the two actually have a lot in common: the same core engine, the same dynamic processing, and even multiple touch screens. S21 packs all the power of its big brothers into a super-compact shell, and and keeps DiGiCo right on the cutting edge of the pro-audio industry.
Also, the release of Stealth Core 2™ processing takes the SD series to yet another unsurpassed level of channels, busses and processing power.
Stand Number: C11510
DPS Template.indd 2 4/22/2016 10:18:14 AM
www.psneurope.com/broadcast
P30MAY
2016
Broadcast: Show report
A round-up of releases and more from the broadcast show in the Nevada desert...
Dabbling at NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB) Show returned to the Las Vegas
Convention Center on the 16-21 of April for
its annual showcase of the latest media
technologies, which this year included virtual reality,
cloud media and – you guessed it – drones.
Here’s some of what happened on the audio side…
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) made its
industry debut in Vegas. The trade alliance prepared a
full schedule of events throughout the show as it looks
to promote open standards and interoperability-based
transition to media production over IP.
Interoperability demonstrations featured on a variety
of members’ booths; AIMS now spans 22 manufacturers,
consultants, service providers, media content producers
and distributors, and is growing all the time.
At the show, AIMS showcased its Roadmap for the
adoption and standardisation of open protocols in the
transition to a fully IP-based workflow, as well as the
alliance’s alignment with the multiple associations and
standards bodies, whose work and proposals the AIMS
Roadmap endorses.
Product-wise, the pro-audio highlight of the show
seemed to be Calrec Audio’s compact desk, the Brio.
At less than a metre wide, Brio’s 36 dual-layer fader
surface provides more faders in a given footprint than
any other audio console, claims Calrec. It takes up the
position of being, the smallest in Calrec’s FPGA-driven
Bluefin2 family of devices.
Calrec’s VP of sales Dave Letson, said: “Brio provides
something unique at this price-point – a mixing console
completely focused on the needs of broadcasters and
broadcast infrastructures. This amount of scalable and
managed I/O, comprehensive monitoring, surround
sound, and high bus quantities provides a degree of
dedicated broadcast functionality that has never been
available at this level.
“As the market calls for more and more audio
mixes to support online content, smaller consoles that
possess pure live-broadcast features are increasingly
desirable,” continued Letson. “Products in this sector
have traditionally had basic capabilities and are not
ideally suited to broadcast environments. Brio is the
first application-specific alternative for broadcasters
who operate in this environment and provides dedicated
broadcast features at a very aggressive price point.
Brio is entirely self-contained, with analogue and digital
I/O and GPIO built into the surface. Additional expansion
I/O slots allow for further I/O integration, while fitting an
available Hydra2 module makes it possible to connect to
and share audio over Calrec’s Hydra2 network.
Calrec also unveiled a number of networking
interfaces, including a 1U Ravenna/AES67 interface
that can transport 256 channels of audio on a single
connection, and the RP1 remote production engine, a 2U
core that contains integrated, FPGA-based DSP, enabling
a console surface at another facility to control all mixing
functionality.
Also showcasing Ravenna and AES67 standard was
Digigram, presented its IP codecs, primarily highlighting
the IQOYA call remote-broadcasting AoIP.
Digigram provided a live demonstration of
audio networking interoperability that featured 27
networked-audio products employing audio networking
technologies such as Dante, Livewire, and Ravenna
audio-over-IP protocols.
Digigram also presented its LX-IP PCIe sound card,
which, according to the company, facilitates a smooth
migration to IP while ensuring secure content delivery
with the same latency as digital audio, as well as
interoperability with other audio protocols.
ENCO demonstrated its ‘Visual Radio’ solution for
broadcasters. The platform uses ENCO’s DAD radio
automation and presenter management interface to
deliver a ‘complete multimedia experience’ to web and
mobile audiences.
A Visual Radio exhibit at the ENCO booth showcased
how operators can create a manual or automated
workflow to deliver professional video feeds. The
demonstration emphasised the speed of the learning
curve for live camera switching, and the display of
graphical elements including lower-thirds, network
bugs, social media feeds and breaking news crawls.
Aaton-Digital presented its CantarX3 digital sound
recorder package, including the new Cantarem2 and
recorder accessories.
According to Aaton, the CantarX3 recorder has
already made a ‘huge impact’ on the sound recording
sector for cinematography, broadcast, drama, and
orchestral work.
Complimenting this was the launch of the new
Cantaress advanced mixing surface. Aaton-Digital
claims the Cantaress presents an ‘extraordinary feel’
even when using gloves, and offers high durability for
the intensive user.
Jünger Audio focused on Smart Audio – a new
concept aimed at helping broadcasters embrace
automated audio production, particularly in live
environments.
Jünger’s D*AP range is designed to deliver a Smart
Audio experience, and has been equipped with the
industry standard Ember+ remote protocol, allowing
integration of audio processing equipment with both
playout automation systems and logging and monitoring
processes.
The crowds poured into Las Vegas, like the rain generally doesn’t in that part of the world
Here’s the full X3 package from Aaton-Digital
30-31 NAB v1JRFIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 16:28
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P31MAY
2016
The range includes natural sounding products
for loudness control, audio monitoring, metadata
management and Dolby decoding, encoding and
transcoding.
Showcased were the D*AP8 MAP Edition surround
monitoring audio processor; the D*AP8 Codec Edition
processor that provides a replacement for any
discontinued legacy Dolby hardware processor; the
D*AP4 VAP Edition two-channel voice audio processor,
and the flagship D*AP8 TAP edition television audio
processor, which is designed to ensure consistency
of loudness and sonic ‘character’ across multiple
programme sources.
Nugen Audio demonstrated the latest updates to its
family of post-production and broadcast audio tools,
include significant changes to the company’s upmixing,
batch processing and offline loudness tools.
It unveiled an all-new option for Halo Upmix, the
company’s solution for upmixing stereo audio to
surround. The 9.1 option allows the introduction of
vertical positioning into the upmix, generating a 7.1.2
bed track-compatible upmix.
Several updates are immediately available for the
Loudness Management Batch (LMB) Processor’s
extensions, designed to help clients stay ahead of
industry requirements for automated loudness analysis
and correction. These updates include improved LRA
correction speed for the DynApt extension and wider
file format support for the ProRes extension, which now
supports .MOV files using version 2 descriptors and
those with the LPCM format flag.
Sound Devices released its firmware version 3.00
update for its 688 mixer/recorder in Vegas, which will
include Dan Dugan Sound Design automatic mic mixing.
The addition of the Dugan Speech System is in
keeping with Sound Devices’ ongoing commitment to
providing sound mixers with the tools they need to mix
in an increasingly complex production environment.
According to Sound Devices, the addition makes the
688 the ‘go-to’ automixing tool for field production
applications, says the company.
Sonnet Technologies showcased its Fusion
Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Flash Drive, a pocket-sized
SSD storage device with Thunderbolt 3 interface. It
possesses 512GB of flash storage, leveraging the
40Gbps bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 to deliver data
transfer speeds up to 2,100Mbps.
“With its blazing-fast Thunderbolt 3 interface, the
Fusion Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Flash Drive can sustain the
ultra-high file transfer speeds required for just about
any 4K workflow – whether users need an ultra-fast
shuttle drive or a take-anywhere scratch drive for
editing high frame rate 4K video at offsite shoots,” said
Robert Farnsworth, CEO of Sonnet Technologies.
Solid State Logic (SSL) gave the US debut to System
T at NAB: this is a fully networked broadcast audio
production environment designed to provide the users
with the power to handle large-scale production in a
‘multi-platform delivery driven future’.
The Tempest processor engine is the heart of System
T and uses SSL’s patented Optimal Core Processing
for real-time, 64-bit CPU-based, floating point mixing
and processing. Each processor engine can handle
up to 3,072 inputs and outputs and provides 800 fully
configurable processing paths.
According to SSL, System T can fit anywhere,
including in existing traditional TDM-based routing
infrastructures, allowing broadcasters to manage their
migration to network-based audio transport and routing
without dismantling existing provision and without
compromising on audio quality.
Netia demonstrated the Media Assist digital audio
software suite, which includes radio automation,
media asset management and workflow management
solutions.
The company is highlighting new product features
designed to enhance the flexibility and reliability of
multichannel FM radio and Web radio.
It is also presented the AirPlayList 2.0 module,
which is fully integrated into the Media Assist software
suite to facilitate automated playout of multiple radio
channels simultaneously. The new module is designed
to streamline and simplify the playout workflow to make
it easier to launch and maintain new Web radio services.
Finally in our inexhaustive round-up, RTW debuted
its new audio processor hardware, APRO-CLC01, for
Continuous Loudness Control (CLC).
The hardware is designed to enable engineers to use
the company’s processing algorithm for continuous
loudness and dynamic control of a live signal in their
professional audio equipment.
“We have created the APRO-CLC01 as a platform that
will enable integrators or processor manufacturers to
use RTW’s OEM-PCB within their hardware, as well as
console manufacturers and others,” explained Michael
Kahsnitz, head of product management at RTW.
“With this new introduction, it will be up to the
integrator to define the way a user can control and read
back information from our processor.”
Over to the integrators for more, then…
Calrec Audio’s Brio is the “most powerful and compact
digital broadcast audio console in its class”
Netia showed off its AirPlayList 2.0 module
30-31 NAB v1JRFIN.indd 2 22/04/2016 16:28
Belgium
www.psneurope.com/broadcast
P32MAY
2016
Broadcast
With its brand new Unit 10 OB vehicle, Belgian audiovisual company DB Video is setting a new standard, combining state of the art technology with working space comfort, notes Marc Maes
DB Video counts
DB Broadcast is a steady player on the local
and international market when it comes
to providing broadcast, post-production or
events facilities, and has been for 20 years.
Located between Brussels and Antwerp, DB now owns
the newly commissioned Unit 10 OB vehicle, which
enables the company to expand its current mobile
capacity from 10 to 16 cameras. In the same move, DB
Video has concluded a partnership with Riedel while
building on its commitment to Lawo consoles and
routers.
“The key issue with this new van is the space inside,”
says Yves Bunneghem, head of sound with DB Video.
The operation currently has three other trucks in service
(Units 9, 8 and 6, in fact). “Unit 10 is different to anything
on the market. Many trucks have the technical capacity
but no room for clients. With productions becoming
more complex, OB vans should offer room for the
production team, the editors and supervisors, alongside
the technical crew. That’s why we decided to invest in a
space-saving yet spacious, big expandable truck, with
plenty of seating and working space.”
Bunneghem says this decision also required maximal
efficiency during the technical integration and cabling of
the van. “The people at Moeyersons, experts in OB vans
and customised coaches, were prepared to go that extra
mile towards innovation and have succeeded. Flying
working desks and the critical decision to separate
the audio from the video department resulted in a
very spacious inside. It takes away the feeling of being
crammed together in a dark room,” he enthuses.
At the heart of the audio capability is a Lawo mc² 56
desk, together with a Lawo Nova Compact router with
16 MADI ports and 192 channels of DSP. “We installed
an mc² 56 in our Unit 8 van two years ago. Many of
our engineers have been working with Lawo in earlier
projects and know the advantages of the system,”
explains Arno Dens, project manager with DB Video.
“Today, many projects simply require Lawo, because
it’s the standard. The step towards Lawo is a double
investment: for our technical staff and as a door-opener
for new projects.”
“We went all the way with Lawo, we had good
working experience with them before, the equipment is
100% reliable and we enjoy excellent service from local
distributor LDM,” continues Bunneghem. “In addition
to the console and router, we included two external
Lawo Dallis stage boxes with cabling for direct input/
Yves Bunneghem, head of sound, and the Lawo mc² 56
32 33 DB VIdeo v1DR FIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:19
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P33MAY
2016
s to 10output. It’s one huge system, controlled by Lawo VSM
software.”
Also a first with this vehicle is the partnership
with Riedel Communications, allowing DB Video to
implement the most advanced functionalities in a
Mediornet environment. “We’re looking at a long time
collaboration with Riedel: their Artist platform is in
all our cars and mobile broadcast units. The new car
is equipped with a Riedel Artist 64 frame with MADI
connection and 1100-series panels. A new feature,
premiered at the April NAB, is a decentralised video
routing system with an integrated audio router with
multiviewer option.
The Lawo is connected through multiple MADI ports
with the video router allowing us to connect all of the
audio, video and intercom and control it via the Lawo
VSM. The Riedel application will be fully IP-ready for
remote production. And when necessary, the truck is
upgradable to 4K.”
Bunneghem adds that the unique partnership with
Riedel, initially as a beta-test for the Unit 10 build,
includes weekly communication with Riedel’s HQ in
Wuppertal. “Today we have the full Mediornet router
operation with 18 Micron frames, 2 Metron fibre
network router frames and 4 Mediornet frames for in/
out,” Bunneghem says. “Dirk Sykora, of Belgian Lawo
distributor LDM followed our viewpoint in channelling
all of the intercom communication through the Lawo
router and effected the programming and processing of
the intercom signals. This makes the Lawo router, with
four separate submixers, the actual core of the Unit 10.”
Unit 10 is further equipped with a Waves SoundGrid
Server One for outboard effects, mastering and 128
channels of multitrack recording capacity.
“Because of the glass walls in the car we had to
be very careful with acoustics in the audio room,”
says Bunneghem. “That’s why we opted for Genelec
SAM series digital monitors. With the Genelec GLM
software we have been able to optimise the set up of
a 5.1 monitoring system, and fully adapt it to the audio
control room’s acoustic specifications.”
Bunneghem adds that, as a result of the Unit 10
implementation, DB has upgraded to Genelec SAM-
ready monitors throughout its facilities (22 speakers
in total).
The new OB van will be first used at sports
events and during the upcoming European Football
Championships in France, where the Belgian team’s
games will be covered for (public broadcaster) VRT
and RTBF. Next are summer events and festivals, like
the popular Tomorrowland. “The big difference this
year will be that instead of having to build a complete
container village housing the central control rooms
we will now be able to channel the signal from our TV
cars next to the stages directly to the Unit 10 car, which
will then also serve as central hub for TV, streams
and radio,” says Bunneghem. “The car will be parked
backstage with no building time required…”
www.dbvideo.tv
www.ldm-systems.eu
One Key to Unit 10 is ample interior space
DB Broadcast has extended its fleet with this shiny new truck
32 33 DB VIdeo v1DR FIN.indd 2 22/04/2016 18:20
www.psneurope.com/business
P34MAY
2016
Technology feature
Twenty years ago the first Optocore products were released and a networking technology odyssey began in earnest. David Davies invited key personnel Marc Brunke and Tine Helmle to take a trip down memory lane
Rings around the world
W e are where we hoped we would
be… it just took a little longer than I
expected,” laughs Optocore founder
Marc Brunke. “But when you are
young you think that everything can happen quickly…
I thought maybe I could do this in three years then go
back to studying music again. It’s the folly of youth!”
But while Brunke still performs “every once in a
while”, it is clear that music’s loss has been pro-audio’s
gain – although it was his former life that provided the
impetus for the entire Optocore project. Observing the
challenges that a mixing engineer encountered with
copper snakes when he was playing saxophone with
his then-band led Brunke to wonder whether fibre optic
might provide an effective replacement.
The initial 1993 patent was “really quite basic – just
establishing the basics of the technology”, but a mere
three years later the first Optocore products were ready
to be brought to the market. The 8-channel A-D and
D-A converter modules dubbed the ‘Brunke Modules’
were the first audio network systems to feature multiple
nodes, with the first sales made to Polish Broadcast in
advance of a Papal visit.
The decision to base Optocore products on
established open standards (AES3 and AES10 AKA
MADI) undoubtedly contributed to the technology’s
growth over the ensuing seven years as the Germany-
based team began to spread the word about its ability
to provide transport, routing and format conversion, as
well as distribution of audio, video and control data with
management and diagnostic capabilities.
The LX4A stage unit was “among the first products
to really put Optocore on the map,” suggests Brunke,
although the next few years played host to a series of
notable launches. These included the X6P 16-channel
converters and – “entering the digital world” as the new
millennium got underway – the DD32 I/O device.
The first “digital-only device in the range”, the DD32
could be used in conjunction with Optocore’s analogue
X6 modules, as well as any other connector, console
or third-party equipment. The 1U unit – which was
equipped with a dual 1Gbps full-bandwidth optical
interface – quickly became a bestselling item in the
Optocore range and ensured that the technology
developer was well-placed to make a significant
contribution to the then-nascent digital audio revolution.
INCORPORATION & IMPLEMENTATION
By this time, the scope of the Optocore technology
to “help with touring and remove the need to move
masses of copper cabling around in trucks” meant that
it had begun to establish a particularly notable niche in
live sound. But two key developments in the 2002/03
period would serve to ramp up the entire Optocore
project significantly. Firstly, mixing console giant DiGiCo
decided to implement the native Optocore protocol for
audio and control in their consoles and racks, making it
possible to offer combined console and network in their
systems. Secondly, the incorporation of Optocore GmbH
Marc Brunke at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt explaining fibre technology in 1996
The deal with Fohhn, sealed at this year’s PL+S. (L-R) Rüdiger Bormann, Optocore senior developer;
Ulli Haug, Fohhn VP sales & marketing; Marc Brunke; Oliver Mack, Fohhn planning engineer
I thought maybe I could [complete the Optocore project in] three years then go back to studying music again. It’s the folly of youth! Marc Brunke
34-35 Optocore v1JRDR One check.indd 1 22/04/2016 16:23
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took place, ushering in a more regimented approach to
organisation and growth.
“The production aspect did not change much as that
had always taken place in and around Munich, and
continues to do so today,” says Tine Helmle, who was
Optocore GmbH VP of sales and marketing from 2001
to 2012 and is now managing director of broadcast-
oriented sister company BroaMan. “But we did secure
some new investors as a result and were able to start
building proper departments for marketing and sales,
and overall the whole organisation of the company
moved up to the next level.”
Subsequent years saw further refi nement of the
Optocore philosophy with introductions such as the
R-Series hardware platform in 2009, which – among
other improvements – led to a doubling of Optocore
network capacity to 2GB. The company also continued
to add new OEM clients, not least Clear-Com, with whom
Optocore commenced a fruitful relationship when the
US-based manufacturer elected to integrate Optocore
technology into its ProGrid fi bre-based infrastructure
system.
With the technology now fi rmly established
throughout live entertainment sectors, the team
also acknowledged its appeal to a broadcast market
evermore in thrall to the rock-solid nature of MADI
connectivity with the creation of an entirely separate
company, BroaMan.
“Our [existing] distributors were geared towards
theatre and live sound, and the broadcast world is
quite diff erent, so it made sense to establish a separate
company to cater to the demands of that network –
something that we fi nally did in 2012,” says Brunke.
GET YOUR KICKS
While the 20th anniversary has occasioned some
well-earned refl ection upon
two decades of sustained
growth, it is destined to be
a very brief interlude given
that the pace of R&D work
continues to accelerate.
Accordingly, Optocore/
BroaMan’s presence at
Prolight + Sound 2016
played host to several major
product launches.
The upgraded Route66
video router from BroaMan
– which now features Auto Routing and an intelligent
fi bre patchbay – has already found an inaugural
customer in UK-based live sound provider Wigwam
Acoustics, with Coldplay set to become the fi rst user of
the system when the European leg of its current world
tour begins in Nice on 24 May. Underlining the diversity
of the Optocore remit, Route66 is suitable for broadcast
and installation as well as live events.
A new module, SANE-FX, was also highlighted with
regard to its incorporation into speaker manufacturer
Fohhn’s Linea Focus series. A SANE-FX module is
mounted directly inside the Linea Focus housing,
enabling direct fi bre connection to the speaker.
The number of high-profi le OEM clients to be
announced has increased noticeably in recent years,
and Brunke confi rms that “adding more OEMs – really
expanding our relationships in that area” remains an
integral part of Optocore strategy. But he also draws
attention to the organisation’s continued educational
eff orts and its ability to support clients on a 24/7 basis.
While Brunke takes a light-hearted approach to
PSNEurope’s question about whether the reality of today
matches the expectations of 20 years ago, he concurs
eagerly with Helmle’s more measured response. “I
think we are in a great position now,” she says. “We have
great partners, clients and projects worldwide. On the
broadcast side, we have so many strong relationships
– NBC and BBC to name just two – while our business
in live sound remains strong and we continue to see
installations in all manner of settings, from theatres to
cruise ships.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we owe a lot
of the success to the fact that the technology is so
rock-solid and user-friendly. The products we make are
also long-lasting and green thanks to their low power
consumption; that’s a very important consideration.
And whilst I feel that we do give something important
to the industry, it is clear that the industry gives back to
us too.”
www.optocore.com
www.broadcastmanufactur.com
Brunke and Helmle: 20 years at PL+S this year
LX4AP: the ‘Brunke Module’ with Optocore GmbH muscle! It’s a stage unit with 48 channels and network compatibility
The ‘Brunke Module’, the fi rst product ever with Optocore Technology inside
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Live
Adele has embarked on her third tour: 100 dates until November. She’s rolling with the best gear and the best team around, says Dave Robinson
There’s a fire…
Don’t underestimate the things that I will do”,
sang Adele Adkins on her gospel-tinged pop
stormer Rolling in the Deep in 2010. Six years
later, those words more than ring true. At press
time, she was reported as being worth £85 million, the most
successful British female ever. She’s conquered the world,
practically.
Her bank balance has been topped up by sell-out show
after sell-out show on her current tour, which will run till
November and encompasses over 100 performances in
Europe and North America.
But, as the lady says, don’t underestimate the things that
she, and her team, will do. For instance, Adele Live 2016
has taken the unusual step (in the UK, at least) of engaging
Berlin’s Black Box Music for PA supply. What’s more, the
singer has been won over by Sennheiser’s D9000 wireless
system for the first time.
At FOH for the next few months is the familiar, smiling
face of Dave Bracey and his trusty SD7. PSNEurope first
encounted the Australian native working a D5Live for
Robbie Williams in 2003. Since those early days, he’s
become a dyed-in-the-wool DiGiCo fan. “It’s the only
properly engineer-friendly console that you can really mix
on,” he says. “I just don’t consider the facilities on any of their
competitors sufficient to do what I like to do. It’s the best
sounding console as well, so why would you even consider
using anything else?”There is no greater endorsement!
Recently, Bracey has been mixing for Pink and Cher;
PSNEurope last bumped into him mixing Björk at the
Wilderness Festival last summer – on his own SD7 on that
occasion. We point out that he seems to have an affiliation
with single-named female artists. He says he hadn’t
noticed...
Bracey, and his monitor engineer Joe Campbell, are both
using SD7 desks, sharing a rack at 96kHz resolution. (It’s the
first time DiGiCo technology has been used by Adele, a fact
the console company is rather proud of.)
The crew are also using the Sennheiser Digital 9000
system for the first time on this tour. Adele used a SKM
2000-XP wireless handheld transmitter with MMK 965-1
capsule last time she toured four years ago, reports Bracey.
“We listened to the old mic she used, we compared [it] to the
9000, and it sounded twice as good,” says Bracey, speaking
in the 02 ahead of tonight’s final soundcheck. “We were
moving from something that she and I liked – an analogue
mic with a dynamic capsule – to such a leap forward,
straight away, that we thought it was obvious [to use it].
Its whole sonic character is amazing. Just listening to her
speaking through it in rehearsals…”
There’s none of that messing about with companding
at the transmission stage, suggests Bracey. “It was always
the case that the cable system sounded better than the
radio anyway,” he opines. “Now there’s a radio system that
sounds as good as or better than any cable system I’ve
heard. That was a pretty cool thing to lay your ears across.”
The 9000 wasn’t around when Bracey finished his Pink
tenure and started working with Cher: “It would have been a
contender for either of those,” he suggests.
The admiration continues: “We started off using it
analogue out. Then we did a quick A/B AES out, and that
Adele Adkins personal fortune has been estimated at £85 million
The 02 Arena ahead of the show: this image of Adele’s closed eyes moves ever so slightly. It’s quite eerie…
36-37 85 AdeleFIn.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:58
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was a superior sound again. Now it runs from the mic
capsule all the way to the amps flown in the roof, via AES. It
doesn’t hit anything analogue between the capsule and the
amp, which is everything, so it’s a pretty clean path.”
When it came to Adele’s audition of the new system,
the star was hesitant. “Joe, me and all the band thought
9000 Series was the best. She was unsure,” reveals Bracey.
“It’s a strange thing with singers, because their voice is so
personal to them: the better the resolution of the mic, the
more they can hear [themselves]. So whereas we’re always
after quality, the singer will often be a little taken aback by
an extra level of quality.” Fortunately: “There was an element
of that, but she hasn’t looked back.”
HELLO! IT’S THE D9000!
“She’s singing incredibly. Her voice sounds beautiful,”
gushes Bracey. “I’ve never heard anything like it.”
When it comes to the mix, he says: “There’s a Wave
MaxxBCL across the mix that I quite often use and it’s very
useful on this show. It holds the mix at a really nice level
as the louder songs start to build.” He almost can’t help
himself with praise: “The tour has been fantastic. It’s one
of the best sounding shows I’ve ever mixed, if not the best,
probably by a long way, and I started in 1978.”
Joe Campbell – the some-time Prodigy monitor
engineer, who works from a technical base constructed
under the Adele stage, because there is no ‘stage left’ in
this arrangement – doesn’t mince words either: “9000
series sounds great. It’s the best sounding radio mic we’ve
ever used and, moreover, Adele likes it. She’s got a very
good ear and she really likes it.”
System tech for the tour is freelance Ulf Oeckel, who has
worked with Bracey on the Pink and Cher tours.
“I was asked to design the system, which was a
challenge because of some unusual requirements in the
set-up, including the position of FOH (positioned stage
right, side on at the edge of the auditorium). There is a very
clean and organised look for the main stage for sight lines.”
That’s no subs on the floors, nothing blocking the stage for
the projectors, nothing out of place.
What’s more, Adele moves from a standard arena stage
(A), at one end, to a central ‘in the round’ stage (B). She
moves back and forth between these three times during
the show: and the challenge for Oeckel was to achieve a
design that transitioned between the stages, seamlessly
and naturally, as does the artist. The engineers among you
will realise, this sets up sticky issues with delay times.
“She starts on the B stage, but the musicians play on the
A stage. After a while, she walks to the main stage and we
fade audio all the way. It’s not hear-able everywhere, it’s not
possible to make that happen, but all the audience between
the systems clearly hear a fade. We have to consider the
delay times as well. It’s easy to add delay in one direction,
but not in the other because we’re fighting against the time
– the audio trigger is already in, so we’re going against the
time, which creates some little artefacts, but we can hide it
pretty nicely in some fades and movements with the help
of a Timax Soundhub which was the only thing that had
enough capability to make this smooth…”
L-Acoustics K2 was a real asset in the transition factor
and the aesthetic requirement. “Usually we would see large
scale systems covering much bigger areas, but we can’t
do this here,” says Oeckel. The powerful but lightweight
L-Acoustics box does the job. “That was the main criteria
for choosing K2,” he says.
The tour is travelling with 150 of Black Box Music’s K2.
Oeckel describes the boxes as “comfortable”, among other
things. “Just with the size of the arrays, we can create a
tremendous amount of low end and good body impact
which means we can work without any floor subs.”
Spoiler alert! There are subs under the stage: eight
stacks of three cardioid SB28, with the middle one reversed
for appropriate cancellation.
“It was a bit of a hassle to get them in,” says Oeckel.
“[But] there’s nothing to see apart from six little X8 white
cabinets on the edge of the stage. Thank god we’ve got
them!” he begins… “We looked for the smallest speaker with
the highest output and we ended up with X Series, which is
fantastic, a really impressive speaker. It’s the first time it’s
been used on a tour.”
Oeckel has worked with Black Box Music for some time.
The rental outfit is well-known within Germany, but has
rarely reached the pages of PSNEurope, despite being in
business since 1992 and taking on major international tours
for the likes of Mark Knoplfer. Oeckel resists being drawn
on saying too much about the supplier, but he can’t help
but be a little praiseworthy: “They try to deliver German
engineering,” he says. “The rig is customised by Black Box
with a flyable frame and specific cable lengths, so that it all
plugs together really quickly and easily and is a very neat
and tidy solution.
“The prep work in Berlin is fantastic. What I appreciate
is that they really try to make it happen and they do it in
house. Black Box Music was the only company that could
fulfill exactly what I had specified.”
D9000, K2, SD7, Bracey, Campbell and Oeckel – and
Black Box Music. “We could have had it all,” sings Adele in
Rolling in the Deep. Lady, you’ve got it all on this tour.
Long-time DiGiCo fan Dave Bracey is mixing the tour Monitor engineer uses CCTV and other tricks to see the
musicians, as he’s hidden under the triangular stage
System tech is Ulf Oeckel – he’s very
impressed with PA hire outfit Black Box Music
P37MAY
2016
It’s one of the best sounding shows I’ve ever mixed, if not the best, probably by a long way, and I started in 1978Dave Bracey
The star accepts a Brit Award… using the Sennheiser D9000 system
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Live
The Junun journey
When Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood
and Israeli composer Shye Ben Tzur
got together for their new project
Junun, they concocted a powerful
blend of Eastern and Western musical traditions. The
album released late last year, produced by Radiohead
producer Nigel Godrich received wide critical acclaim. In
March, the duo were reunited with the Rajasthan Express
– the group of Indian musicians they recorded the album
with – for a one-off show at London’s Barbican. The job
of mixing this wild and exotic array of instruments fell
to Gavin McComb (Simple Minds, Love and Money, Gaz
Coombes) and the A&H dLive – and it wasn’t without its
challenges…
What do you prefer – a good solid rock tour
or these kind of one-off special events – and
why?
That’s not an easy question. I suppose my answer
would be tour. It doesn’t need to be a ‘solid rock’ tour,
though, I’m just as happy on a good solid folk tour…
With touring you get to learn all the subtleties of an
artist’s/band’s performances and improve your mix
with every show. Obviously, these days, with the power
of digital, any subtle improvements can be stored
electronically, not just cerebrally. However, it can be a
lot of fun tackling a one-off show as it keeps you on
your toes.
You started off in studios (CaVa in particular)
and then became a live engineer – was that
out of choice or necessity?
Ah, the halcyon days of analogue recording with REAL
TAPE! My apprenticeship at CaVa studios began in
1986, at the tender age of 17. I learned so much so
quickly and moved up the ranks to one of four or fi ve
in-house engineers. I worked with a wide range of
music and musicians and that has, most defi nitely,
helped my career.
Becoming a live engineer was both a choice and a
necessity. Having left the safety of the recording studio
to experience the world of stage performance and then
touring as a backline tech and tour manager, I let it be
known that I was a sound engineer, but had not actually
mixed a live gig before. The fi rst band I mixed was The
Daisies, back in 1996. I quickly learned that there is a
massive diff erence between studio and live. That show
was bloody awful. Luckily, they forgave me and let me
have another go the next night. I haven’t looked back.
When did you come to Allen & Heath for the
fi rst time – and why?
I had been working with Supergrass on and off for a
while. During the last days of the band, Gaz and Danny
formed a duo called the Hot Rats. They had recorded
an album of covers with producer Nigel Godrich and
wanted to take this on tour.
It was just Gaz (vocals, guitar) and Danny (vocals,
drums) with a backing track, and it quickly became clear
that this was not a tour we could do without our own
digital mixing system – one with a small footprint. We
approached several digital manufacturers and the only
ones interested in helping out were Allen & Heath.
The iLive system was fairly new at the time. A&H’s
Leon Philips brought one along to give us a tutorial, and I
was blown away by the quality of sound and ease of use.
They let us take an iLive80 and an iDR10 for the tour. I
really got to play with the system and fell in love with it.
I’ve been using iLive since.
What was the FOH set up at
the Junun gig?
This was my fi rst opportunity to use the new
A&H dLive system. I had the surface and brain for
the two days of rehearsals prior to the Barbican
show. Unfortunately, there wasn’t the space in the
rehearsal room to rig up any kind of PA so I was using
headphones. It was more a programming and ‘getting
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McComb has “complete confi dence in Allen & Heath systems”
Dave Robinson discusses blending genres and traditions with FOH engineer Gavin McComb and his new dLive desk A
ll Ph
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dit: J
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Cu
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sty
38-39 Junun FIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:18
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P39MAY
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familiar with’ time for me.
For the show we used the Barbican’s system, with its
Meyer Galileo processor. Left and right each consisted of
1 x M3D sub, 1 x Meyer Milo 60, 4 X Meyer Milo 90s and 2
x Meyer Milo 120s.
There was a separate mono floor-stacked sub control,
consisting of 2 x HP700 subs a side with 2 x UPJs
stacked on top for side fills and 4 x Meyer M1D front ills
along the down stage edge. A centre cluster made up of
8 x Meyer M’Elodies competed the PA. I had separate mix
control for each sets of boxes.
The main left and right hang was a bit far apart for
my liking, but that is the nature of the Barbican, so I
felt I had to use the centre cluster more than I would
have preferred to fill the space. Unfortunately, this
compromises any stereo imaging.
There were a lot of exotic instruments on
the stage. Were there any issues with mic
placement?
The Junun act is a big sound with Indian drums, brass,
guitars, harmonium, percussion and lots of vocals. For
this gig there were fewer performers than in previous
shows, but we still had 11 musicians on stage with a
lot of open mics.
We used more or less the same mics during
rehearsals as the show, so any placement issues were
sorted prior to show day. On saying that, we were using a
lot of old industry standards that I am well versed in from
my old studio days in the 80s. There is still no reason not
to use Shure SM57s/58s and Sennheiser 421s.
What about controlling that extraordinary
bottom end on the larger drums?
I had some issue during sound check with the bottom
end of the dholak drum. This is a double-ended
drum with both ends being played. At first sight and
hearing you wouldn’t think it could produce much low
frequency; but it does.
The main trouble I had was that the frequencies
that it sounded best at were the frequencies that
the Barbican theatre resonates at. With an empty
auditorium, I struggled to make it work. Thankfully, the
old saying “it’ll sound better when the punters are in”
was a truism.
How do you approach combining these Indian
instruments with traditional rock ‘n’ roll
guitar?
To be honest, I didn’t have any special approach to this.
If an instrument is played well and the musicians work
as an ensemble then that is where the magic happens
and everything gels together at source. Also, I have
complete confidence in the audio capabilities of the
A&H digital systems. Very little EQ was required for the
instruments.
What’s next on the agenda – and will you be
taking an A&H system with you?
As a jobbing tour chap, I don’t always do FOH .
My next gig will be guitar and drum tech for Air.
Interestingly, Dave Macdonald, who has been Air’s
engineer for donkey’s years, is also an A&H champion.
When I do get my next FOH gig, I will most certainly
be wanting to use the A&H dLive system. It has all the
best of the iLive and GLD systems and sounds even
better. I’ll let you know where and when.
www.allen-heath.com
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Gavin McComb says becoming a live engineer was a “choice and a necessity”
38-39 Junun FIN.indd 2 22/04/2016 18:18
ITALY
www.psneurope.com/live
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2016
Live
Prog rock supergroup O.R.k use innovative microphone set-up on club promo tour. Well, as long as you’ve got your elf, says Mike Clark
From a whisper to a scream
O .R.k. is a prog rock band comprised of
drummer Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson),
bass player Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree)
and two Italian artists: Lorenzo Esposito
Fornasari aka LEF (vocals, keyboards and electronics)
and guitarist Carmelo Pipitone.
While embarking on a European club tour promoting
the new Infl amed Rides album, O.R.k’s LEF and sound
engineer Simone “Zeta” Saccomandi gave an insight
on the gear taken on the road, particularly the mic
set-up chosen for vocals, a key element of the band’s
distinctive sound, as well as for drums and bass.
For the tour which, as well as Italy, visited Holland,
Belgium, Germany, UK and Switzerland, the band to
travelled light, using in-house PAs and monitors, and
the rest was supplied by Michele Pitoscia’s West Service
rental fi rm from Bojano in the southern central Italy.
Saccomandi explains: “I was involved in the tour by
LEF, with whom I’ve worked for some time on other
projects, such as Berserk!, another band he fronts.
“Although he more or less gives me carte blanche,
he’s very proactive as far as selecting the sound gear
is concerned, and it’s great to have a very competent
person on board (he produced the album) to help make
the fi nal choices for the mix. We met at my studio and
tested various models of top microphone brands on the
record’s mix minus vocals.
“In the studio, I make regular use of various DPA
mics, such are the 4021 and 4099, as well as the d:facto
II, which we chose for LEF. With the DIV4S (a quartet
of Italian sopranos who perform regularly with tenor
Andrea Bocelli), I use four d:facto and fi eld 4099 on the
cellos and double basses, and I’m very happy with the
results. The choice was also based on the particular
timbre that LEF wanted and with the DPA d:facto, I’ve
always got the vocals ‘nailed in the mix!’
“I defy anyone to use a supercardioid condenser
mic on a club stage without feedback or sound spill
problems... and above all obtain great up-front vocals
into the bargain,” challenges Saccomandi. “Another
peculiarity that no other mic has is the fact that you
obtain exactly the same identical sound if the mic is
used off -axis as when it’s on-axis.”
After choosing the d:facto with an MMC4018VL
supercardioid capsule, Saccomandi concentrated on the
type of compressor to use (valve units or not), then tried
out some preamps to obtain a slightly ‘fresher’ sound,
as LEF requested. After more tests, the choice fell on a
Telefunken V672 .
“On insert, a Focusrite ISA430 was used for EQ and
Ph
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Ba
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Infl amed Rides at the Bronson in Ravenna
Saccomandi at FOH desk at the Bronson
40-41 ORK v1JRDR ONE thing.indd 1 22/04/2016 15:37
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P41MAY
2016
compression, and I then added my trusty BSS DPR901
multiband EQ (which allows frequency-selective
compression and expansion) to the chain.”
LEF continues: “Although Simone and I tested
something like ten microphones among the best brands
before making our fi nal decision.
“To be honest, it was an easy choice, as the d:facto
II outshone the others during the testing sessions and,
during the whole tour, it was basically my best ‘friend’,
helping my voice sound naturally deep and brilliant.
“My vocals range from low-tuned intimate parts to
very loud shouted phrases, but the d:facto II respects
the dynamics and works incredibly well with any kind
of vocals. One of the major issues with this type of
microphone, when the stage is packed, the guitar amp
roaring from behind and the drummers hitting the
crashes as hard as he can – is that it’s really diffi cult
for the sound engineer to mix the vocals. Nevertheless,
we handled diff erent kinds of situations and stages and
Simone sorted out a perfect mix every time, receiving
many compliments, in particular for the sound of my
voice. It’s defi nitely my current and future choice for live
performances.”
Saccomandi mixed a total of 32 channels on an Allen
& Heath live T112 surface with iDR48. Outboard units
were SPL Transient Designer (drums), Yamaha SPX990
(reverb on vocals), TL Audio C1 in insert on the master,
Apogee Rosetta200 master A-D/D-A conversion and
Novacoustic HD8000 digital matrix speaker controller
for optimising the clubs’ house PAs.
The engineer also took painstaking care with
drummer Mastelotto’s sound, and the kit’s mic set-up
featured a Shure B52 and AKG D112 on the kick drum,
AKG C414 ULS, Sennheiser MD 421 and Schertler A-Dyn
on the snare, a Beyerdynamic Opus 53 on the high-hat,
four Sennheiser e604 on the toms, three Joemeek JM37
on cymbals and an overhead Sennheiser MD 421.
Other sonic “tricks” included a radio ham mic used by
LEF with a passive DI box for eff ects and a Shure SM 58
in the refl ex duct of the bass cabinet (off -stage).
In keeping with its interactive, spontaneous nature,
the band decided to release a limited edition of the CD
that included the winning version of a remix contest held
for one of the tracks (Jellyfi sh) for its fans, who received
a set of audio stems for the track to use as elements for
their own remix.
Enthusiastic with the results obtained, Saccomandi
concluded: “I’ll be on the road again this summer
with O.R.k., for a series of Italian dates and a South
American tour.”
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processes. And, of course, you still get the clear, articulate
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LEF on vocals leads the call to arms...
40-41 ORK v1JRDR ONE thing.indd 2 22/04/2016 15:43
www.psneurope.com/live
P42MAY
2016
Live
From the VL1 modelling synthesiser to the RIVAGE PM10 console, Toshifumi Kunimoto – affectionately known as Dr. K – has been a pivotal participant in many of Yamaha’s most important audio innovations. In a PSNEurope exclusive, he spoke to David Davies about nearly four decades of groundbreaking R&D
Dreams and designs from the life of Dr. K
The word ‘legend’ is much overused, and not
just in the world of audio (and let’s not even
get started on ‘genius’). But in the case of
Toshifumi Kunimoto – known to his many
friends and colleagues as Dr. K – it seems genuinely
appropriate, such is his sustained track-record of
involvement in historic product development projects at
Yamaha’s labs in Japan.
Amid the hustle and bustle of an edition of Prolight
+ Sound that saw Yamaha highlight its “one stop
shop” pro-audio capabilities with developments
including the compact RPio222 I/O rack, software
upgrades for multiple current mixing console ranges
and the new EMX2 portable mixer, PSNEurope was
given a rare audience with the great innovator – and
thus an opportunity to hear about his 35-year-and-
counting odyssey “to understand and provide what
the audio professional needs both now and in the
future”.
As with so many of the leading lights in pro-audio
R&D, Kunimoto’s first full engagement with sound
technology arrived through formative experiences
as an amateur musician. “In high school I would
play keyboards, and in conjunction with my brother
I began to experiment
with audio technology –
putting together simple
mixers and so on,” he
recalls of his youth
in Sapporo, capital of
the beautiful northern
Japanese island of
Hokkaido.
Determining that
his future lay in audio
engineering rather than
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Same with TouchMix. It’s one of the most advanced digital mixers ever made, with features that rival consoles costing thousands more. But its real genius is how the Presets, Wizards and Simple Modes put all that power to work easily and seamlessly to deliver you an amazing mix that will have everyone convinced that you are a professional sound engineer. How? Just like the DSLR, our own team of pony-tailed professionals* put everything they learned over decades of mixing live sound into TouchMix so that whether you’re a pro or not, you’ll get
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42-45 Dr K FIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:26
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P43MONTH
2016
performance, Kunimoto attended Hokkaido University before
joining Yamaha in the early 1980s. The initial phase of his time
with the company saw him working in LSI design for some
seminal electronic and music synthesiser products, including
the VL1, AN1x, EX5 and Motif series.
“Developing ways to recreate analogue processes
in a digital format”, as Kunimoto concisely describes it,
soon became the underlying theme of his life’s work. Not
surprisingly, it’s clear that he has fond memories of a period
that saw synth technologies become increasingly refined and
accessible to a broader base of end-users.
“There was so much exciting work going on to perfect
the recreation of traditional sounds,” he recalls. “The top
management were giving directions to provide high-quality
products for our sales side, and [the result was a very
effective] collaboration between both sides of the business.”
VCM AND BEYOND
By 1987 Kunimoto’s technological foresight had been
recognised to the extent that he was heading up his own R&D
team, dubbed ‘K’s Lab’. During the ensuing 15 years he and his
team would work to perfect their ideas about the recreation of
analogue sounds in the digital domain, culminating in the VCM
(Virtual Circuit Modelling) project. The VCM software made it
possible not just to replicate hardware effects, but also provide
software solutions at the component level.
“VCM was really a big breakthrough for us,” confirms
Kunimoto, noting that VCM has been incorporated into
numerous flagship digital mixing desks, ranging from the
DM1000 to the more recent likes of the CL and QL series.
The evolution of the VCM technology continues to bear fruit
today, not least in the form of the RIVAGE PM10. In this large-
format desk – which provided another talking point for Yamaha
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Toshifumi Kunimoto – AKA Dr. K – in his ‘lab’, holding
the revolutionary Yamaha VL-1 modelling synth
Dr. K pilots the RIVAGE PM10 large-format desk at a recent trade event
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P45MAY
2016
at PL+S 2016 – the latest iteration of VCM is used to recreate the characteristics of
Rupert Neve Designs transformer circuitry and SILK processing.
“As with all of the developments [relating to the VCM technology] the aim has
been to achieve the general reality of the sound, as well as its ‘behaviour’,” says
Kunimoto.
Indication that Dr. K’s A-to-D mission has reached a new level is offered by one
of the first users of the PM10, FOH engineer Kirk ‘Eek’ Schreiner. Having recently
taken the desk on tour with Carrie Underwood through the auspices of Clair Bros –
who purchased the first two PM10s in the US – Schreiner describes the console as
“the first digital desk that sounds analogue to me”.
Kunimoto agrees that the PM10 is an important milestone for Yamaha,
describing it as a “flagship product for us… The technology has reached a new point
of refinement.” Despite his long track-record of achievement, though, it is clear that
the spark of inspiration that prompted his initial creations in the 1980s remains
undimmed. “The desire to do even better by the engineer and end-user remains
strong,” he confirms, suggesting that there will be plenty more innovations to
emerge from Dr. K’s lab in the years to come.
www.yamahaproaudio.com
DM2000, launched 2001 – another design from Dr. K’s team
The 02R96V was another bar-setting digital mixer
42-45 Dr K FIN.indd 3 22/04/2016 18:26
GERMANY/BELGIUM
www.psneurope.com/live
P46MAY
2016
Live
AED looks forward, looks back
In the slipstream of L-Acoustics’ launch of the new
KS28 subwoofer and LA12X amplified controller,
Glenn Roggemann’s AED group has become the
the first outfit to place a substantial order for both
products.
Over the years, AED group has constantly grown its
L-Acoustics gear inventory – currently, the company
has a total stock, across its various European bases, of
some 4,000 L-Acoustics speakers.
The announcement, at this year’s Prolight + Sound,
of an additional commitment to L-Acoustics latest kit
follows the investment, earlier this year, in some 700
L-Acoustics X-series (X8, X12 and X15) monitors and
100 K2.
“All this is part of our role as a certified L-Acoustics
provider,” explains Koen Conaerts, sound engineer/
account manager with AED Rent. “At AED, the
equipment is handled and used according to
L-Acoustics’ quality standards, which is a guarantee for
AV professionals who pick up L-Acoustics equipment
with us when they need additional kit.”
AED group’s recent purchase includes 300 KS28
subwoofer cabinets and 150 LA12X amplifiers. “The
big advantage is the amplifier’s compatibility with all
of L-Acoustics’ systems like K1 and K2,” Conaerts says.
“Both the LA12X, with an output capacity of 4x 3,300
watts, and the KS28 speakers are for use on bigger
events and festivals. We expect a first shipment before
the end of May, just in time for the festival season.” Of
the 150 amps in the order, 120 will be integrated into
L-Acoustics LA-RAK II racks for practical applications.
Conaerts adds that L-Acoustics is highly in demand
with Benelux AV companies, but that the brand is
rapidly growing as part of AED group’s pan-European
rental operations. “From the very moment L-Acoustics
launches a new product, the story is ready to go – both
on the technical side with presets and amplifiers
worked out in every detail as well as in marketing and
communication, so the end-users are aware of the
specifications of the new products.”
“AED has a long history of investing in and providing
the latest and yet most proven technology,” concludes
Jochen Frohn, director of business development for
L-Acoustics. “Their rapid investment in a substantial
purchase of KS28 and LA12X shows their trust in the
L-Acoustics brand and commitment to continuing
their strategy of offering the highest quality and most
efficient audio products on the market.”
L-Acoustics equipment makes out the bulk of AED
group’s audio rental inventory, with JBL/ Harman
accounting for some 10% of stock. With its range of
QSC systems, AED targets smaller and budget-related
requirements.
In a separate development, last month saw the
preview of the long-awaited ‘AED Museum’. Located
in the spacious AED Studios, AED group CEO (and
inveterate showman)
Glenn Roggeman marked the occasion of the
third anniversary of the purchase of the Lint-
based multiplex (and his own birthday) to invite AV
professionals and friends for a first glimpse behind the
glass walls of the museum.
The visitors were welcomed in the huge ‘foyer’ bar.
The foyer has two walls decorated with audio and
lighting consoles. One of the most remarkable vintage
pieces was the original Midas console used during the
1990 live rendition of Pink Floyd’s The Wall in Berlin.
The sound system in the foyers consists of two of
Roggeman’s first self-assembled PA speakers… But
the best had yet to come.
Inside the museum, to be officially opened in
December, the AED team has put together an
impressive collection of legendary audio and lighting
equipment. “The oldest speaker in the museum
is an original 1944 manufactured Altec ‘Voice of
the Theatre’ enclosure,” enthuses Roggeman, “The
most recent speaker model is a JBL VTX series S.28
subwoofer cabinet. It would be impossible to display
all the speakers in the AV business, what we did was
compile a selection of groundbreaking live sound
speakers. Visitors can click the computer displays on
the windows to learn more about the history of the
speakers.”
Roggeman says AED are setting up a similar display
system for the numerous other items in the exhibition
such as mixing consoles, processors and DJ gear, and
a vast collection of lighting gear and controllers.
www.aedgroup.eu
www.l-acoustics.com
Roggeman and L-Acoustics’ Jochen Frohn in playful
mood after the agreed sale of subs and amps at PL+S
Always making the news, Roggeman’s AED outfit tops up with 300 subs and 150 amps at PL+S, ahead of opening its own museum of rental equipment
Roggeman welcomes guests to AED’s foyer bar
Picture: Aadhoc Media Thomas Rohwedder
Inside the AED Museum
46 AED DR.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:22
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P48MAY
2016
Technology feature: Noise annoys!
Dr Annie Jamieson talks to Dave Wiggins about hearing damage, loss, protection and best practice for those who work in live sound - and that doesn’t just mean audio engineers…
Don’t lose the music
Dr Annie Jamieson is a postdoctoral
researcher at the School of Philosophy,
Religion and History of Science at the
University of Leeds, whose research into
hearing risk and its history focuses specifically on the
live music industry.
She also conducts regular seminars on the subject,
the next of which is part of the educational programme
at PLASA Focus in Leeds on May 11th at 2pm.
Do you feel that the level of awareness of
potential for hearing damage is better in pro-
audio now than, say, ten years ago?
Going by my experience, and on reports from those
working in the industry, awareness is improving.
Certainly, in terms of press and social media coverage
it seems to have increased in the last year or two
following some highly-publicised concerns about MIHD
(Music-Induced Hearing Damage) in young people
through sustained headphone use. In late 2014 I
carried out an online survey of 230 audio professionals;
the vast majority (some 98%) are aware of the risk,
though almost 20% still never use hearing protection.
Somewhat worryingly, the group least likely to use
hearing protection are the under 21-year-olds, where
only 65% use protection compared with 80+% in all
other age groups.
What early signs of hearing damage should
those working in live sound look out for?
You won’t know until it happens – temporary threshold
shift or TTS (that muffled effect you sometimes get
after a loud show) and short-term tinnitus are warnings
that you are being overexposed. If you experience either
of these problems on even a semi-regular basis, then
you are definitely at risk and should consider taking
precautions. You might also notice high frequency loss,
specifically frequencies from around 8kHz upwards.
This will not show up on most standard hearing tests,
which only go up to 6-8kHz, but it’s not uncommon
in people regularly exposed to high levels of sound.
Hearing loss at such high frequencies doesn’t make
a difference to perception of speech and everyday
activities but can be problematic for sound engineers. I
would also advise anyone to take an honest look at their
exposure levels – both SPL (sound pressure level) and
duration – and assume that if you are regularly exposed
above safe levels you need to take precautions whether
you notice any effect on your hearing or not.
What should their first action be if they do
suspect hearing loss or damage?
If you have any reason at all to suspect hearing damage
then take professional advice immediately, preferably
from an audiologist who specialises in working with
sound professionals. It might be something that’s
relatively easily dealt with, such as wax build-up, but if it
is something more serious then the sooner you identify
the problem, the better. For example, ear infections can
have permanent effects on your hearing if not treated
early and effectively. It’s important, though, not to leave
it until you have problems – I’d recommend annual
hearing tests for anyone who works in live sound, then
be sure to ask the audiologist for a copy of your results
and keep them safe. This will allow you to compare
results year-on-year and see how your hearing is
holding up over time and to identify whether your
protection strategies are working. I’d also emphasise
that it’s never too late to preserve what’s left. It’s not
unusual for people in the industry to think, ‘The damage
is already done, so there’s no point in worrying about it
now’, but MIHD is progressive so it’s important to save
as much as you can, even if you’ve already sustained
some damage.
Can music-induced hearing loss be treated or
repaired?
No, not at present. There is a great deal of research into
new treatments but nothing proven as yet, so for now
if your hearing is damaged you’ll just have to live with
it. Hearing aids are advancing all the time and can be
incredibly effective in improving speech perception but
remember that even the best hearing aids are not like
spectacles – they will not restore your hearing to exactly
what it was before the damage and especially not for
critical listening. If you do suffer MIHD, though, there are
Audio professionals need to protect themselves when things get loud, too
Dr Annie Jameson: “Awareness is improving”
48 49 AKJ FIN v2.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:46
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P49MAYWW
2016
solutions and strategies that can help you to continue to
work successfully, with specialist advice.
Can you recommend any specific types or
designs of hearing protection that would be
particularly applicable to audio engineers?
It’s important to be aware of the full range of available
hearing protection and to consider what works best for
an individual’s applications. I would stress that people
shouldn’t be put off using hearing protection just
because the first type they try doesn’t work for them –
you have to be prepared to experiment to find what’s
right for you and your situation. The best type to use
depends on the kind of work and environment:
* Anything that involves critical listening really
requires custom moulded earplugs, with attenuating
filters to suit the noise levels encountered. Remember
too that, if you’ve never used earplugs, they take a little
while to get used to so don’t write them off after one
night!
* Also consider protecting yourself when not mixing:
engineers I’ve interviewed use a wide variety, for
example noise-cancelling headphones when travelling,
industrial ear-defenders during load-ins etc. And
remember that you can be exposed to risky levels
outside of work too: DIY, sports events, even mundane
things like dropping glass in the recycling bin can all
be really loud…
What information or education is available to
engineers concerning hearing protection and
maintenance?
This is a bit of a problem because of the largely
freelance nature of the industry which makes it hard
to target information – it is out there but you have to
find it for yourself. Also a lot of the (generally very
good) information available on the internet [such as
the Action on Hearing Loss website, formerly the RNID
– Ed] is aimed at audiences and doesn’t always take
into account the specialist needs of professionals in
audio. There are some good resources though: some
of the hearing protection makers have good advice
on their websites and specialist audiologists can give
top quality advice on an individual basis. One of the
most comprehensive, specialist sources is the HSE’s
Sound Advice guide which can be found at http://www.
soundadvice.info
If you had to summarise the most practical and
relevant part(s) of your research with regard
to mixing live sound, what would it / they be?
Several key issues really stand out, firstly the issue of
critical listening: the ability to hear fine detail in the mix
is essential for an audio engineer and, understandably,
some feel that they can’t work to their best ability
whilst using hearing protection (others, of course,
can and do mix successfully with earplugs). This is
a professional judgment that only the individual can
make. The most thoughtful and practical engineers
I’ve talked to have made themselves fully aware of
the risks and of what solutions are available and even
if they don’t feel they can actually mix with hearing
protection, they protect themselves the rest of the time
and only expose themselves to full volume when they
think it’s absolutely necessary.
Secondly, ’keeping it safe’ for the audience: it’s quite
commonly argued that you shouldn’t need hearing
protection if you mix at safe levels for the audience,
and this came up in my survey too. It’s great that
engineers are aware and caring for their audiences in
this way, and we shouldn’t mix louder than we need to,
but I think there are two important points to consider.
Firstly, it’s not always possible to keep levels ‘safe’
(e.g. 94dB for one hour or 91dB for two) for a number
of reasons: for example, it’s not always entirely the
FOH engineer’s call as there might well be strong
pressure from the band or management to mix much
louder; crowd noise alone can easily exceed 90dB, and
there are also audience expectations. High volume is
an essential part of the live experience for many gig-
goers, and part of what they are paying for. Secondly,
whilst a typical gig-goer might only be exposed to
high levels on a relatively infrequent basis, audio
professionals might be exposed to the same levels far
more often so the risk is generally greater for them.
A final word of advice for all of us?
Just be aware of your specific risks and of the
solutions available and protect yourself as much as
you can, as often as you can. It might be that, as an
industry, we need to accept that completely safe levels
in live music are not always practical – and that’s why
awareness and hearing protection are so important.
www.audibleconcerns.leeds.ac.uk
+44 (0)208 238 7800
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P50MAY
2016
Technology feature: Noise annoys!
Gig goers do not want their enjoyment of live music spoiled but the people living next door to venues do not want to hear it thumping through their walls. Kevin Hilton looks at both sides of a tricky issue, in which technology is both a good and a bad thing
Know your limits
A petition is usually a good indicator of the
strength of people’s feelings. And live
music is something a great many people
have strong feelings about. Right now
in the UK, two petitions are active online highlighting
the problem of sound levels and the impact on both
the people in the venues and those living nearby. Both
situations have potential solutions in acoustic and audio
technology but it is these that are causing concern
among musicians, fans, venue operators, residents and
property developers.
The initial inspiration for this feature was the petition
Ban Installation of Sound Limiters in all Wedding
Venues (or increase the limit). This contends that “more
and more venues are fitting (or are being forced to fit)
sound limiters in a bid to appease local council noise
restrictions”. The petitioner, identified on the form as a
Shaun Cumming, although there is no contact for him
or details of his affiliations, explains that “whilst this can
be good news for local residents living near the venue, it
can wreak havoc on a live band’s performance”.
While ‘wreaking havoc’ seems a little hyperbolic, a
supporter of the petition does highlight the problems
bands can face playing live. Alex Wayt, lead vocalist,
bass player and songwriter of Glasgow-based party/
wedding band The Lockhearts, has created a Facebook
page laying out some of the issues. He says he has
seen “a gradual increase” in the use of sound limiters
at wedding venues in Scotland over the last four to five
years. This technology, he states, can force musicians
to play too quietly, which makes creating a party
atmosphere difficult because the group is not playing to
its full potential.
If the band does exceed the set level for even a
few seconds, he continues, the power to the stage
equipment is cut “causing the speakers and amps
to suddenly switch off and potentially damaging the
equipment”. Wayt acknowledges that some venues are
close to residential areas, meaning sound levels are
a concern. “But it is a problem,” he comments. “There
are bands like us that are rockier and trying to create a
party vibe and people pay a lot of money for that. Don’t
Don’t get me wrong, we do work with some limiters that are set to a reasonable level but there are others that are too lowAlex Wayt, The Lockhearts
Is music at weddings too loud? Really? REALLY?!
The Lockhearts report there has been a gradual
increase in the use of sound limiters at party venues
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get me wrong, we do work with some limiters that are
set to a reasonable level but there are others that are
too low.”
WIRED FOR SILENCE
Essentially there are two types of limiter used to control
sound levels in live situations. One is the type described
by Wayt; a basic device that is wired into the electrical
system powering the stage. A sensor microphone picks
up the general noise level, which is measured by the
limiter and displayed in real time. If a pre-set decibel
figure is exceeded the electricity powering the band’s
equipment is switched off. The other kind of limiter
is more sophisticated and is otherwise known as an
automatic volume controller (AVC). It also works with
a mic in the room and is configured to a specific level.
If the output goes over that the device automatically
reduces the volume until it is within predetermined
parameters.
Lime Technologies produces both a power cut noise
limiter, the NLX, and an AVC, the VCX. The company’s
technical manager, Morgan Crockett, observes that
many new venues are now installing some form of
limiting technology as part of the licensing process laid
down by the local authority. Regulations and legislation
covering noise emissions fall into two categories:
nuisance, which is when sound levels annoy the nearby
residents; and health and safety rules, which are
intended to protect the people working in a venue from
hearing damage.
Crockett says Lime Technologies’ main area is
nuisance noise: “Our equipment is used by people who
are forced to install noise controllers by the council
to keep the neighbours happy. But a limiter should
always be used with some form of soundproofing. If a
controller is set lower, making the output of a band too
quiet, the only way they can be louder is to increase
the insulation.”
The factory setting on Lime Technologies’ branded
equipment is 90dB. Crockett describes the NLX
as being for situations where DJs or performers
bring in their own equipment into a venue. “It has a
segmented LED, with green, amber and red lights,” he
explains. “If the level goes into the red then the band
has 10-seconds to reduce the volume before power
is switched off to the sound equipment.” Crockett
calls the VCX an “elegant solution” for permanent
sound installations: “It monitors the sound system
and if the output goes above the maximum it almost
imperceptivity reduces the level. But you can’t really
use it for live bands because you’d need one for each
instrument.”
SENTRY ON DUTY
Formula Sound also produces a cut-off limiter,
the Sentry, and a volume controller, the AVC 2. Ian
McDonald, the company’s technical manager, says the
benefit of the Sentry is that it switches off the mains
rather than the signal. In terms of bands’ fears that such
equipment affects sound quality, he comments that
there is no denigration of the output. As for damaging
the gear when the power goes, he adds, “It’s not like a
power cut. The only problem comes when putting the
mains back on because there could be a power surge or
problems with automatic re-sets.”
John Lamb, commercial manager at Drawmer,
comments that the issue of high sound levels in venues
can be trivialised, saying that they can have a “trickle
impact” over a long time. He adds that bands and DJs in
clubs and gig pubs are the groups most noise limiting is
aimed at, while wedding parties tend to be self-policing.
“If there are older relatives at a party they want to talk
and don’t want the music banging out,” he says.
Drawmer has been producing a loudspeaker
Nuisance is not just bass thudding through a wall
at two in the morning. It can also be the higher
frequencies of vocals from a festival or concert in a
field some way away. Mapping programs to predict
the propagation of sound, so it can be controlled, are
not new but d&b audiotechnik recently introduced
a package designed specifically for line array
loudspeaker systems.
NoizCalc was developed in conjunction with
German noise consultancy and software developer
SoundPLAN. It is a modelling program for open air
events using line and subwoofer arrays, plus delay
systems. While d&b’s established ArrayCalc system
predicts sound dispersion to the audience, NoizCalc
is concerned with emissions going further afield, into
unwanted zones – what d&b calls ‘immission’.
Hendrik Ahrens, market segment manager for
rental and touring at d&b, says the new software was
developed because existing packages only work on
point source models. “Those don’t show line array
systems,” he explains, “so they are not really reliable.
SoundPLAN has been producing noise calculation
software for about 25 years. We worked with them,
putting our data into their software to make a
crossover point.”
While NoizCalc is designed for planning outdoor
gigs, 10EaZy is intended as a mixing and limiting tool
for live sound engineers to ensure that the levels
keep everyone happy.
System developer Jacob Navne van Vliet explains
that it works with the dynamics of the music while
staying within set sound level limits. “Once you have
a clear meter at the mixing console, the audience
will notice and, if they thought the show was too
loud or not sounding to their liking, will accept that
it is under control. The same applies to neighbour
complaints. If the venue communicates that the
events are being monitored to a certain limit to
reduce the nuisance, neighbours accept that it is
under control even if they would prefer the event to
not be there at all.”
Predicting the levels for outdoor gigs
10EaZy in action at a particularly boisterous gig
Detail of the NoizCalc software map in action.
The grey squares are buildings
50-52 NOISE v1FIN.indd 2 22/04/2016 16:25
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2016
Technology feature:
protector, the SP2120, since 2003. This can be used for
sound limiting but the company’s specific product for
the job is the SL22. Originally designed as a headphone
limiter for radio presenters, this unit has been revised
and aimed at the live sound market for approximately
the last 12 months. Lamb says it is used for a variety
of situations, including by aerobics instructors who, he
explains, might otherwise get carried away with their
voice mic and backing music. The SL22 has also been
sold into the Netherlands and Belgium; Lamb claims
that “just about every venue in Brussels” is equipped
with the box.
Stage Gear is a UK distributor and specialist in sound
limiters but has also sold units in mainland Europe.
General manager Peter Humber says the last two years
have seen the firm busy with sales of limiting systems
into either new venues, where having the technology
is part of the licensing process, or those renewing
an existing licence. “We’re not seeing so many being
bought right now, so that petition is a little late because
installations have already happened or are happening,”
he comments. “But the rest of Europe is stricter on the
rules and limits than here. We handle the Spanish MRC
system, which has data logging facilities and can send
alerts to the venue manager about any problems.”
TEMERITY IN TENERIFE?
Three MRC units were supplied by Stage Gear for
installations in Paris, while another is being used in
Canterbury. Manuel Rubio of MRC Audio comments that
“regulation of sound pressure control using limiters
began “timidly” in Spain around 1990-92, which is when
the company built its first products. “At this time many
European countries did not have the requirements
in their laws but since 2000 we started to have a
great demand from France, where there are specific
regulations on the characteristics of these devices.”
Rubio continues that the UK implemented similar
rules in 2007, followed by Germany in 2010, Portugal
from 2011 and Croatia in 2013, with Italy now bringing in
measures. Spain is now moving ahead again, with MRC
developing a new control system called SICREL. This is
designed to be run over the internet, giving access to
visualised sound levels plus email alerts and reports as
downloadable PDFs.
An earlier noise limiter was the Electronic Orange, a
version of which is still produced today. It was originally
developed in the 1970s by Peter Bull of the Castle Group
for installation at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square.
The company is now run by Bull’s son, managing
director Simon Bull, and primarily develops noise
measuring equipment and offers consultancy services.
Bull says nuisance noise continues
to be a contentious issue, which
has as much a detrimental effect
on the live music sector as it does
for people who live near venues.
“Where we are in Scarborough
[a seaside town in North Yorkshire,
England] there are no nightclubs
any more because they’ve all
moved out of the town centre,”
Bull comments. While this drastic
action gets most loud music
away from residential areas, Bull
observes that it does not deal with
the fundamental problem; that the
majority of venues are not designed
with the right acoustic insulation to
stop noise escaping.
This issue ties in with the second
petition currently in circulation. It
calls for adoption of the Agent of
Change principle, which states that
if a developer wants to build a new residential building
– or convert an existing premises – that is next to a
music venue, they should be responsible for installing
and paying for sound insulation. As Dani Fiumicelli,
technical director for acoustics with the Temple Group
consultancy, points out, this gets into tricky areas of the
law relating to nuisance. He explains that there is the
established principle of someone moving to a nuisance,
which states that they are still entitled to a reasonable
standard of living despite the activities already going on
in the vicinity.
Fiumicelli also sees comprehensive acoustic
treatments as the best way to deal with noise levels.
“Having a noise limiter doesn’t necessarily solve the
problem,” he says. “I know of a case that went to the
High Court in which a venue operator was arguing
at they were complying with regulations because
there was a limiting unit on the premises. They hadn’t
installed it but it was there.”
As Fiumicelli concludes, there are also the more
serious issues of agreeing thresholds and having
units properly calibrated, which means they are not
necessarily a panacea. Despite that, and the objections
of musicians and fans, the situation looks unlikely to be
resolved, especially as the petition calling for a ban on
limiters has attracted only 820 signatures.
www.castlegroup.co.uk
www.dbaudio.com
www.drawmer.com
formula-sound.co.uk
www.limetechnologies.co.uk
www.thelockheartsband.com
www.mrcaudio.com
www.stage-gear.co.uk
www.templegroup.co.uk
www.10eazy.com
MRC’s LD500
Drawmer’s SL22 tamper plate
50-52 NOISE v1FIN.indd 3 22/04/2016 16:25
Connecting Ideas, Transforming Business
#IBCShow
addition to the RAI, Hall 9 and discover our reimagined conference streams in the best IBC yet!
Meet 1,600+ potential business partnersLearn from 300+ thought-leading speakersNetwork with our 55,000+ strong communityDiscover emerging technologies with our themed feature areasCelebrate the future of collaboration with our innovation awards
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Conference 8 – 12 September : Exhibition 9 – 13 SeptemberRAI, Amsterdam
Full Page Template.indd 1 4/18/2016 9:43:59 AM
www.psneurope.com/installation
P54MAY
2016
Installation
Pure Groove Systems and Tom Danley create new high-power dance music loudspeaker systems. Rob Speight grooves along
Orange is the new stack
In the world of club systems, one would think that
brightly-coloured boxes are a pre-requisite. Think
purple from Funktion-One, crimson from Void
Acoustics… and now to add to the palette, Pure
Groove’s orange offering.
However, it’s not just the paintjob that’s unique when it
comes to the new PG range. The systems, designed by Tom
Danley of Danley Sound Labs – arguably best known for
equipping sports arenas and the like in the US – have a high
power-to-size ratio and therefore are also ‘green’, according
to Pure Groove, requiring less amplification and processing.
But what makes these boxes any better for dance music
than some of the more established and loved brands?
“Our boxes feature 3-way Synergy Horn technology,”
explains Damian Murphy, founder of Los Angeles-based
Pure Groove Systems. “They are full-range, point-source
designs that utilise multiple drivers of different bandwidths
in a single horn that is phase accurate, and consistent in
response over the entire coverage area.
“Our systems deliver superior clarity, power and
definition, with warm analogue bass that immerses and
energises the crowd. As a veteran promoter, I have used
many sound systems over the last 27 years and I can
honestly say that I’ve never heard anything that comes
close to their hi-fi quality.” He would say that, of course:
but DJs including John Digweed and Jody Wisternoff
(Way Out West) have supplied glowing testimonials
regarding the sound, too.
Tom Danley himself enthuses about the collaboration:
“The project with Pure Groove has been particularly
exciting due in large part to their foresight and imagination.
Taking our patented systems designed for the country’s
largest sports arenas and fine-tuning them for the musical
complexity of EDM is an exciting new direction.”
Is so-called ‘Electronic Dance Music’ really that
musically complex to reproduce? “EDM is made up of
many layers and sonic elements blended together, so as
you rightly point out, on most systems, it can sound very
loud and bass heavy with screaming hi-frequencies,”
says Murphy. “However, with our Synergy Horn
technology, you can actually hear every detail and texture
in the music, particularly in the mid-range frequencies
that get lost on most systems.”
The PG range, which currently consists of the PGJ-94
– a 90º x 40º dispersion mid-high box loaded with 18
drivers (6 x 12” and 8 x 6.5” drivers coupled with 4 x 1.4”
compression drivers) can deliver an output
of 142dB SPL continuous (band dependent)
and weighs in at 420lbs (190kg) – as well
as the BC218 sub-bass which is loaded
with 4 x 18” drivers onto two horns, sharing
a single exit port, and capable of providing 148dB SPL and
a frequency response of 26-150Hz.
One challenge to any loudspeaker manufacturer,
especially one based in the United States, is how to be
competitive in the European marketplace with the added
costs of shipping and fluctuating exchange rates. Murphy
confidently tackles this concern head on: “Although
international shipping does add to the cost, there are
many customers who don’t mind spending the additional
money because they want to have, in their opinion, the
best sound system in their country. We are also currently
in discussions about manufacturing outside of the USA.”
As if to prove a point, the new system was demo’d in
Salisbury, UK in March by Danley UK.
The boxes can be combined into either a ground-stacked
or flown system and are suitable for install or touring –
though weight may become an issue. “In a permanent
install, there are 3/8” fly points all over the cabinet,” details
Murphy. “For portable applications there is L track on the
sides which can be used in a couple of different ways-
depending on how the user wants to do it. You can attach
directly to the L track with fly points or the L-track can
attach to a bumper bar and hung from a single motor.”
The eye-catching boxes have already found a home in
venues including the Opera Nightclub (Atlanta, US), Clash
Club (São Paolo) and De Marktkantine (Amsterdam).
To power the system, Pure Groove recommends its
Danley DNA amplifiers (a Linea Research OEM), released
last year and incorporating all the DSP (crossover and
limiting etc) to get the best from the PG system.
Ultimately, how can Pure Groove really make
headway into this already busy market place? “There
are many choices when it comes to sound systems,
and even though there are some with impressive looks
and cleverly packaged features, it’s basically the same
technology that’s been used for decades,” says Murphy.
“When it comes to pure audio quality, our Synergy Horn
technology is in a league of its own and we would gladly
go side by side with any other system to prove it because
the difference is clear.”
Like any other orange, you’re just going to have to
suck it and see.
puregroovesystems.com
www.danleysoundlabs.com
It’s too orangey for crows: Pure Groove Systems, ready to go
There are already several systems installed around the world
54 DanLey PGS FIN.indd 1 25/04/2016 10:08
A joint venture partnership of
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41 AES_140th_RadioWorldFrance-FP-PRINT.indd 1 23/02/2016 15:58
www.psneurope.com
P57MAY
2016
It’s not everyday you see a woman dressed as a giant yellow fruit. Thanks, Pop-Up People of Leeds!
Hither & banana
The new standard in live mixing,now available for rent from DEE Digital.
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Please send all contributions for possible publication to [email protected]
AED does like to throw a party… this
time at PL+S. Hats off to them!
That’s right, it’s a woman playing a toy
xylophone, dressed as a large Fyffe
Spotted this chap in a pub near
the O2 the night PSNEurope
interviewed the Adele team. Did
he work for Black Box Music
too? No, he’s Gary the truck
driver, working on the Mariah
Carey tour, which started the
following night!
Riedel founder
Thomas Riedel
turned heads at
NAB 2016 as he
announced the
death of traditional
networking... by
taking a chainsaw to
a wooden model of a
router. (Martin Traut:
did he get this idea
from you?)
Meanwhile, in Hall 9.0, this
man was still tuning his
piano as the show was in full
swing. Ahem…
57 Hither v1.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:57
www.psneurope.com
P58MAY
2016
Backtalk
The co-CEO talks to Dave Robinson about 3D sound, THOSE expensive headphones and how he gets out of bed in a morningDr Andreas Sennheiser
D r Andreas Sennheiser took over the
running of his family business with his
brother in May of 2013. In the two years
since, the company has released some
notable technology – but there have been some serious
changes at the company along the way…
Let’s begin with AMBEO, your 3D, immersive
audio concept.
What we showed with the AMBEO brand at CES [and PL+S] is
just the starting point of something we will develop with our
customers. We are positioning ourselves to take advantage of
whatever 3D format emerges, [but we’re seeking] something
with a higher emotional impact. Many artists have said to
us, the only way to really connect with the audience the way
they want to is to play live – but if they had a format that
captured that, so that users at home could listen to it in a way
similar to actually being there, then they would have a higher
engagement with the listeners. That’s when we got serious
about bringing something to the market.
What about Orpheus, the HE -1, the ‘world’s most
expensive headphone’?
Orpheus for us is a product, a statement, and an indication of
our innovation culture, to a certain extent. We could have said,
we still have the Orpheus from 1992, it’s still considered the
best headphone in the world, why do something better? But
part of our culture is to not be happy with anything that exists
[now], regardless of whether we invented it or not. About 10
years ago, we decided it was time for the world to experience
the next level. On one hand, it’s beyond commercial reason.
But, on the other, by being so intensively on the limits of
physics, we learn so much for other applications..
You make it sound like the space programme…
Yes, exactly, and this pushes the entire Sennheiser culture
into new ways. Think about the [eff ect] this has at the
company when a group of people bring out a fl agship that
will be there for another couple of decades: that has a
huge motivational impact on the other employees.
I’ve heard them. They make sound ‘visceral’, I
would suggest.
People have ‘seen’ things, heard things which they haven’t
heard before, or been able to describe.
Do you think they are worth $50,000?
[Immediately]. Absolutely. No doubt.
The original Orpheus had a run of some 300.
When HE -1 ships later this year, will that be
limited to 300 too?
We are not planning any limitation this time: but it is
limited by the price and the capacity – making one per
day – and the level of customisation. We have signifi cant
requests for customised versions.
How successful has the D9000 digital wireless
system been?
It’s a huge success, especially in the last year where the
‘Digital Dividend’ [spectrum sell-off ] in Japan gave us extra
demand and business.
D9000 is successful beyond our initial imagination for a
simple reason: we positioned and developed it as a device
to be used on stage for singers and touring, because it
was so fl exible. But the corporate world has discovered it,
because of its high encryption [parameters] and fl exibility
in use. There’s a huge market there.
Since you and your brother Daniel became joint
CEOs you’ve restructured the company. I get the
impression, some of that has been easy, and
some of it has been hard. Is that correct?
We went from a territorial approach to a sales channel
approach. In Europe, sales channels don’t really matter.
There’s no borders for commerce. Consumer is one part,
professional is another, and so on.
In a reorganisation like that, you always have a working
assumption. Sometimes you assume, sometimes you just
hope for [the best]. The reorganisation was a great success,
especially with the feedback we got from our customers.
Did everything work out like we planned? No, defi nitely not.
With a change of that magnitude, we discovered things we
had to fi ne-tune. That was a learning experience.
Do you ever feel the burden of the family legacy,
though? When you wake up, do you ever think, [in
panicked voice] ‘Oh god, I’m running Sennheiser!’…?
[Smiling broadly] With great responsibility comes a
certain weight. You have to think about what is good
for the company, the customer, the employees. There
are moments of doubt and pressure, but all-in-all, what
makes me so confi dent of getting up in the morning is
that I’m not alone here, there are 2,700 people who are
highly committed and enjoy what they do. It’s not on my
shoulders, it’s on 2,700 pairs of shoulders making their
own destiny.
Sennheiser seems to think about what it’s going to
do, thinks some more, and then makes its move.
That approach can be positive – but negative too.
If 80% of our decisions are well-thought through and
strategically directed, that’s exactly what we need. In
hindsight, some of the decisions, we could have taken
earlier. On the other – and I refer to it as ‘German
engineering and thinking’ – that takes time. What our next
challenge will be, is to preserve the thoroughness of where
we want to go, but add an element of ‘start-up’ activity.
Finally, the factory is on fi re – you run in and grab
something – what?
The D9000.
Not a classic microphone or headphone?
D9000 is a statement of innovation, and is ‘classic’ at the
same time. It’s one of a kind. It’s an icon. It shows all the
competency that’s in this company.
www.sennheiser.com
+ The full version of this interview can be found at www.
psneurope.com
58 Backpage FIN.indd 1 22/04/2016 18:48
Full Page Template.indd 1 4/18/2016 9:50:41 AM
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