Having lost a number of gigs on account of its choice of loudspeaker systems, Pennsylvania rental company Bauder Audio Systems consolidated its entire inventory around L-Acoustics. And after using K2 and Kara systems for three years, the company has recently purchased 92 Kiva II enclosures.

‘We use them in so many ways,’ says Production Manager, Brian Naab. ‘We have a couple of 1,400-to-1,800-seat theatres we work with for which Kiva is perfect. We hang arrays from Genie towers for outdoor events. The fact that Kiva II weigh 31lb each means we can hang between eight and 12 elements and still be well under the limit for even a Genie tower. It’s so fast and efficient, plus the coverage is exceptional and it sounds great.

‘We have plenty of applications for ground stacks and, using the Kiet II bracket, we’re looking forward to mounting up to three of them in a vertical array on a standard speaker stand. So, for that smaller gig where we need more SPL and fairly wide horizontal coverage but there is physically nowhere to hang boxes, this is a great looking and much better-sounding alternative to just a speaker on a stick. We are all actually pretty excited about that application.’

A few months ago Bauder was prepping for an acoustic set with The Band Perry at the intimate, 300-seat Prospector Bar and Grill, which had no room for a line array system and nowhere to hide. The combination of the stature of the artist and the size of the venue made for a situation where audio had to be perfect. ‘The Kiva/Kiet II/SB15m ground stack configuration let us use L-Acoustics in a setting where we would have had to compromise before. We foresee a lot of potential applications for that combination.’

Corporate clients also welcome the system’s small size. ‘With these corporate event designers, audio is often kind of an afterthought,’ he says. ‘They often put in these giant video walls, and then hanging speakers becomes a sightline issue. So being able to tuck these small five- or six-box arrays tight against the ceiling and above the scenery opens up some possibilities that were just simply not there before now.

‘We see this as a straight up improvement in every way possible,’ Naab adds. ‘Packaging, SPL, coverage, sound quality, ease of use. And combined with the Kara and K2 we had already invested in, we get a single, seamless platform that we can use for literally any gig we get called for.’

Bauder does ‘quite a bit of rock and roll, some corporate, and a good deal of theatre and one-offs – the country concert after the Phillies game or the 76ers game where you get three minutes to roll in a PA and have a show, plus a handful of special events,’ Naab says. ‘Previous to this, we were split between a couple of other brands that make quality products but are rarely seen on tour riders. Now, instead of having to explain how what we had was equivalent to what they asked for on the rider, clients hear ‘L-Acoustics’ and we can immediately move on to the next thing on their list. There is never even a question about it.

‘We started with a K2 rig and some Kara enclosures three years ago and it began paying off right away. As soon as we started making these changes, I knew I wanted everything in the building to say L-Acoustics on it. Rick [Bauder, company owner] was completely behind the idea of us getting on one platform – one software package, one rigging system, one amplification system and, crucially, one learning curve.’

In addition to its recent Kiva II purchase, Bauder Audio has also added 16 KS28 and 20 SB15m subs and a quantity of LA12X amplified controllers.

Jamaican reggae innovator and lovers rocker Beres Hammond took the stage at Clayton County International Park in Atlanta, Georgia, recently in front of a capacity crowd of 6,200. Behind the scenes, Collin Rigg’s Showmax sound production company fielded a Danley Sound Labs sound reinforcement rig that Rigg had commissioned for the show.

Several years prior, Rigg had abandoned the business, frustrated by the industry’s uptake of line array systems that delivered high SPL but little else: ‘For me, music means something personal,’ he says. ‘I like clean, hi-fi sound that lets you hear and feel the music. The competition was just loud and obnoxious, and line arrays were eating up my share of the market. So, I liquidated my business and bowed out.’

At a subsequent InfoComm show he came across ‘the strangest’ loudspeaker cabinets. ‘They were Danley boxes, and we got a demo and an explanation of how Danley technology works,’ he recounts. ‘That lit a fire under me, and after sitting on it for a month, I decided to pull the money together to buy a Danley rig and to get back into the game.’

Rigg purchased eight Danley SH-46 full-range boxes and four Danley BC-415 subwoofers, along with several Danley DNA multichannel, DSP-enabled amplifiers.

For the Hammond show, Rigg –with support from Danley Sound Labs and head engineer Ivan Beaver – deployed a pair of Danley J3-94 Jericho Horns, which are now commonly used for sports arenas and other huge venues where line arrays would be the accepted approach. The full show system comprised two Danley J3-94 Jericho Horns, six Danley BC-415 subwoofers, two Danley SM-80s for front fill, and four Danley SH-46s for side fills. All the boxes were split symmetrically to deliver solid stereo imaging. Danley DNA and EDA amplifiers with onboard DSP powered and conditioned the system.

Rigg ran into trouble just hours before the show was supposed to start – the stagebox that was supposed to come along with the package was missing. Several hours that were planned for system tuning instead were burned tracking down a replacement. ‘Thankfully, we were able to put the Danley system up quickly,’ he reports. ‘And that’s all we really had to do. The Danley boxes sound great even without any processing, so the small amount of system tuning we did brought it from great to perfect.

‘I’ve done hundreds, maybe thousands of shows, and I’m always aiming to give the audience a beautiful musical experience,’ he adds. ‘At the Clayton County International Park, I walked through the crowd and saw that people were fully immersed in the show. A bunch of people, without prompting, talked about how great it sounded. These are non-technical people who just love music. If they can detect that difference, I know it’s not just me. Danley really gives me the kind of clean, loud, hi-fi sound that I was always looking for.’

More: www.danleysoundlabs.com

Opened as amovie theatre in 1926, the Bergen Performing Arts Center (BergenPAC) underwent four reinventions to reach the 1,367-seat auditorium it became in 2004. Now hosting 200 shows a year from performers typified by Tony Bennett, Diana Ross and Willie Nelson, the facility also offers performance and music classes as The Performing Arts School at BergenPAC.

The New Jersey non-profit theatre had rented PA systems for major shows, but has become self-sufficient with an L-Acoustics Kara sound system designed and installed by audio systems and backline provider Boulevard Pro.

From an understated debut tour of theatre-sized venues in 2011, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have built climbed to the heights of a world tour in 2016. Unsurprisingly, the size of the venues has increased. The current tour includes six UK arena dates, concluding at the Brixton O2 Academy – all using an L-Acoustics audio system provided by Britannia Row Productions.

Front-of-house engineer Dan Lewis has worked with Gallagher since 2002: ‘My relationship with Noel started as system tech for Oasis, after which I became their front-of-house engineer,’ he says. ‘Since then I’ve been FOH engineer for both Noel’s High Flying Birds and Beady Eye. I started using L-Acoustics with Beady Eye in 2011 and have used it ever since.’

Delivering its eccentric, percussive ruminations on the human condition, the Blue Man Group has productions running in New York, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Berlin and Orlando – with one of the most highly attended holding court at the Blue Man Group Theatre at CityWalk at the Universal Orlando Resort since 2007.

The venue has upgraded its sound system to an L-Acoustics Kara system, provided by Clearwing Productions, following the L-Acoustics K2 rig installed at the troup’s new home at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Bose Professional has released the MB210 compact subwoofer, designed for background/foreground music and small sound-reinforcement systems that require low-frequency extension down to 37Hz.

The MB210 subwoofer features two 10-inch high-excursion woofers, derived from the Bose Professional F1 portable powered subwoofer, in a compact Baltic-birch plywood enclosure optimised for fixed-installations. With an efficient performance-to-size ratio, the MB210 is designed to complement Bose Professional FreeSpace, Panaray and RoomMatch Utility loudspeaker models with additional bass impact. 

More: http://pro.bose.com

Taking place for the fourth time in California’s Napa Valley, the BottleRock festival combines live music on multiple stages with the region’s tradition of wine, brewing and food.

Additional attractions for the discerning music fan were the live debut Alcons LR18 pro-ribbon loudspeaker system on the Lagunitas Stage and the inaugural use of Vue Audiotechnik’s al-12 on the Miner Family Winery Stage.

VME and sister company Creation Live joined forces with We Are The Fair recently, to provide full production for the opening launch of the BoxPark Croydon retail event venue at East Croydon railway station.

The new retail space, filled with eateries and drinking establishments, provided a backdrop to the 2,000 people who were entertained by Headline Hosts for Saturday’s Eskimo Dance, while for the Sunday NME hosted its latest Future Sounds of London event. Both events were broadcast through VME’s premium Martin Audio MLA Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array.

VME and Creation Live had previously worked with We Are The Fair at Gottwood Festival, where MLA was also used in 2015, and this was the centrepiece of a fully integrated production provided by the Manchester based specialists for this high-profile opening launch. MLA was chosen for its ability to control audio – not only to contend with propagation issues but to optimise sound in tricky venues such as this.

VME rigged two hangs of MLA left and right of the stage trimmed at 5m, then arranged eight Martin Audio MLX subwoofers in a broadside array across the front of the stage.

‘Considering this event space is surrounded by metal containers and glass, the ability to control the audio within the audience area was key,’ says VME Head of Sound, Mark Cleator. ‘With the arrays already flown we were able to really fine tune this area, while controlling off axis rejection. With the new Display software release in our arsenal we were able to keep reflections away from a large section of glass at the rear of the venue without sacrificing level for the crowd.’

Setting MLX up in the broadside array also boosted the low frequencies: ‘Considering it is a relatively narrow space we did not have to compromise on width and were able to focus all the energy straight down the middle.’

Eskimo Dance provided the entertainment for the Saturday and did not disappoint. The latest and upcoming DJs and Grime MCs were on show while Mistajam kick-started the whirlwind of sets that followed. And MLA never stuttered, despite the frenzy. The Sunday Event was more laid back with Jay Prince headlining an eclectic mix of new and upcomers such as Barney Artist, Alfa Mist and the wild Nova Twins.

‘Even with the varied music that was on offer over the weekend, the Martin Audio system never faltered and was capable of handling anything that was thrown at it,’ says Live Events Director, Tom Whittle. ‘It still amazes me to this day how it does it. It gives me the confidence to provide our services in any venue knowing that VME has a system capable of performing in any environment and location.’

VME also provided the stage set-up including Pioneer DJ equipment, mics, a monitor rig and lighting.

More: www.martin-audio.com

Now a multi-space community, performance and arts venue with a key role in Bristol’s contemporary cultural scene, the Trinity Centre is located in the Grade II-listed former Holy Trinity Church, where an ongoing conservation and renovation programme has seen an L-Acoustics Kara audio system installed in its main space.

The centre is one of Bristol’s main live music venues but, when funding was made available for a new sound reinforcement system for the 600-capacity main hall, there was a lot to consider for Paul King – proprietor of King Sound Reinforcement, one of the main professional audio installation and rental companies in the UK’s south-west.

‘We have worked as the venue’s audio contractor for over a decade,’ he says. ‘There was an existing house system but, to be honest, it was so unsatisfactory that for every live show we were bringing in our own rental equipment. The main hall is a really busy space – as well as live music it hosts plays, meetings, corporate and community events. Trinity Centre is heavily reliant on funding, so while the audio quality was of utmost importance, management also needed a system that would fit within a reasonable budget.

King considered various options, with A/B testing making L-Acoustics’ Kara the clear choice for power, versatility and budget-friendliness: ‘When Paul came to us to purchase the system, we knew that Kara was the right choice,’ says Andy Huffer from HD Pro Audio, who supplied the L-Acoustics system to King Sound. ‘Paul had used Kara on various productions before and really liked its versatility and sound quality.’

‘The Kara installation version is also very competitively priced,’ adds King. ‘It handily came in within the budget, making it a win for the event programming and a win for the finances of the venue.’

The system was designed by Paul with assistance from L-Acoustics’ Dan Orton and comprises six Kara per side, with eight SB18i subs under the stage, all powered by three LA8 amplified controllers.

‘Trinity has always been a favourite for many national promoters putting on shows in Bristol and they are really excited by the prospect of having a premium, rider-friendly system in such a relatively small venue,’ King  says. ‘It’s a fantastic-sounding system, really easy to use and perfectly fits Trinity’s varied needs – be it live music, DJ nights, plays, comedy, presentations or meetings. During the BBC 6 Music festival, which took place across a number of venues, the Trinity Centre was the only one which didn’t need a rented PA. The Kara system handled everything with ease.

‘King Sound still looks after production at the venue and the L-Acoustics system has brought other benefits. The main hall is in constant demand and so now it can be used for other things in the morning, rather than us loading loudspeakers in, as was happening before. It has increased rental revenue for the venue and made our lives a lot easier, because we can now arrive there a lot later on show days.’

King was sufficiently impressed with the Kara that he has invested in a further system for King Sound Reinforcements’ rental stock, setting a new benchmark for its customers: ‘We have been looking to invest in high end line array for a while,’ he says. ‘We have been using another manufacturer’s products, but really need a system that delivers excellent sound, is rider-friendly and – crucially for a company like us – has ongoing residual value.’

An initial order has been placed for an 18-unit Kara system, including eight SB18 and six SB28 subs, six LA8 amplified controllers and a pair of LA-Rak modular touring racks.

‘Similar to the situation at Trinity Centre, it was vital that the system could handle a range of productions equally well,’ King explains. ‘L-Acoustics is also the No.1 rider-friendly product and our research shows that it keeps its residual value significantly better than lesser-known brands.

‘We have seen the positive reaction that Kara generates from both audiences and engineers at the Trinity Centre,’ he adds. ‘I’m expecting it to disappear out of the warehouse and not to see it again for three months.’

Hosting a series of jazz concerts that is popular throughout Southwest Germany, Bürgerhaus Backnang is a 1,100-capacity multi-purpose venue in the town of Backnang, 30km northeast of Stuttgart. Building on its ability to host larger visiting productions, the hall has recently completed the installation of a new Yamaha mixing system.

The Bürgerhaus is a regional focal point for both culture and business in the in the 40,000 Backnang community, featuring performance spaces, conference rooms and restaurant. At its heart is the 700m² Walter-Baumgaertner-Saal ballroom, which includes a 150m² stage, hydraulic orchestra pit and seating for up to 740 people. The ballroom hosts concerts, musicals, theatre, dance, corporate events, exhibitions and trade fairs. This year, its ageing analogue mixing system was replaced with a Yamaha QL5 and Dante-equipped Tio1608-D I/O unit, with the recent addition of a Rio3224-D I/O unit completing the upgrade.

‘We needed a high-quality, flexible digital system that would be suitable for all of the diverse events that we stage,’ says Bürgerhaus Backnang sound engineer, David Morcher. ‘Most of the technical riders for jazz performers request a Yamaha mixing console and, when we looked into it, we found a QL system would give us everything we needed.’

The QL5 and Tio1608-D were supplied and installed by local Yamaha dealer, PA-Shop Donald Auchter. Used to mix both front of house and monitors, the addition of the Rio3224-D has expanded the system’s capabilities to handle all the inputs and outputs needed for full jazz and other orchestras.

‘The Rio3224-D can be moved anywhere on the stage, meaning we have complete flexibility for larger shows,’ Morcher says. ‘Another advantage of the system is that the StageMix iPad app allows us to operate the console from anywhere in the auditorium and on stage. The system is easy to use, very stable and means we can deliver consistently high quality, professional productions for all performers and audiences.’

More: www.yamahaproaudio.com

China distributor BVCAM Ltd has recently opened two new APG showrooms in Beijing. Headed by General Manager Danny Huen, The first showroom, situated in the Fangzhuang district of Beijing, is dedicated to APG while a second in the Yizhuang Economic-Technological Development Area has an audio area and a broadcast studio.

With 80-sq-m of space, the first showroom focuses on APG’s flagship Uniline. Visitors can hear the UL210 long-throw main speakers coupled with the UL118 infra-bass subwoofer. Stage monitoring and multipurpose applications are covered SMX/DX line, while fixed installations are offered the MX micro axial range. The full-range loudspeakers are supported by SB and TB subwoofers, APG DMS48 digital processors and SA30:2 class-D amplifiers.

The second showroom occupies more than 360-sq-m shared between audio and a fully equipped broadcast studio, showcasing lighting, and 3D and 4K cameras. The sound in the room is entirely managed by APG gear, including four UL210, two TB2018, a DMS48 and a further two SA30:2s.

‘We have been building APG’s reputation and reference installations in China since 2007,’ says Huen. ‘We are very confident about APG’s potential in the years to come, so both showrooms really are the logical evolution of where we want to get the brand to. The fact that APG created a joint venture last year in Asia is also a great testimony of the brand’s commitment to the region and will certainly reinforce our position as their Chinese distributor.’

‘Thanks to BVCAM, the APG brand has gone from humble beginnings in China to being a recognised brand providing the highest level of professional speaker systems in the industry,’ says APG Executive VP of R&D, Innovation & Marketing, Gregory Dapsanse.

BVCAM opted for Beijing not only for its influence as a capital city, but also ‘because it’s the natural centre for international exchanges and technological innovation,’ Huen says. ‘We wanted the showrooms to be a window to APG brand and expertise, so that customers are able to listen and feel the technological advance that APG brings to the audio market. It also is a great relay way to follow up with prospects after trade shows.’

A key component of Capital Sound’s summer music festival schedule is the Sziget Organisation’s three major gatherings in Hungary. For several years, the company has serviced the back-to-back four-day Volt rock festival in Sopron, before trucking the equipment southeast from the Austrian border to Balaton Sound, which takes place on the beach of Zamárdi over five days.

Having established Martin Audio’s MLA system at these two festivals, in 2014 the organisers adopted the system for their flagship event – the Sziget Festival itself.

The difficulty of creating a typical club atmosphere is the main reason why most world-class DJs avoid playing arenas. Specifically, it is the rear of a long rectangular space that defies the ability of the PA system to deliver. With this in mind, Capital Sound Hire’s Technical Manager, Robin Conway, designed an audio system for an in-the-round presentation of Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook) at the O2 Arena in 2016.

The solution involved the use of the company’s Martin Audio MLA sound rig and a unique stage design to bring the DJ closer to the audience. ‘With the DJ booth in the middle, you forget you’re in a big arena,’ he says. ‘We worked out that’s a way of turning an arena into a huge nightclub.’

Leading UK sound rental company Capital Sound Hire has made a new investment in Meyer Sound’s Leopard compact linear line array, the newest and smallest member of the Leo Family.

Recently delivered to Capital Sound’s London HQ, the purchase includes 24 Leopard loudspeakers, eight companion 900-LFC low frequency control elements and eight UPJ-1P loudspeakers. ‘We’ve had a long and successful relationship with Meyer Sound,’ says Capital GM, Paul Timmins. ‘Now we expect Leopard will open us to an even wider range of clients and venues. It’s a perfect solution for theatre-size touring, for supplemental side hangs in arenas or for ground-stacked applications for entertainment or corporate events.’

Timmins notes that the new system was put to work immediately and has spurred interest on events well into the future. ‘Leopard was booked for the IAS Scientology event, replacing other Meyer Sound systems we’ve used in the past. We’ve had the full system requested for the year-end Katie Melua tour, and a tentative commitment from another major global act that we can’t name quite yet.’

Timmins emphasises the advantages of joining the expanding worldwide network of cooperating Leo Family rental companies: ‘We’ve always had great respect for Meyer’s global partner network, and we’ve forged strong relationships over the years, particularly with key partners in Europe. The Leopard purchase is the beginning of a new era that will bring more opportunities for joint ventures on events and tours of all sizes.’

Appearing at Barclaycard Presents British Summer Time Hyde Park Festival (BST) for the fourth consecutive year, Martin Audio’s MLA PA delivered its best performance ever – thanks to new system optimisation software.

From the opening blast of Massive Attack to the closing weekend with Mumford & Sons, Take That and Stevie Wonder, the event showed that it continues to evolve in terms of technical development.

Hull began its year as the 2017 UK City of Culture with Made in Hull, a week of mixed media sound, lighting and visual installations depicting the city and its people over almost a century. Audio specialist tube uk became part of the story by specifying, rigging and tuning audio systems for six interactive works.

tube worked closely with BAFTA and Ivor Novello Award-winning sound designer and composer Jones who created content and curated each of the installations.

Among the oldest houses of worship in Europe, Sweden’s Uppsala Cathedral is renowned for its architecture and history, and has been a protected structure since 2010. Accordingly, Viktor Wadelius has worked to update the building’s technical infrastructure without harming its stonework.

When it came to sound reinforcement, Renkus-Heinz Iconyx offered the combination of control and quality required by the challenging acoustic.

Clair Brothers has announced the C10-TrueFit, the company’s latest double 10-inch format midsize line array and claiming an ‘industry first in integration optimisation’. Clair TrueFit waveguides are singularly configured, continuously variable waveguides designed-to-order for venues seeking custom audio system design.

The TrueFit system aims to reduce misdirected sound energy and effectively extend the stereo image over a greater audience area. Fewer lateral reflections create greater focus and better intelligibility. System tuning is faster and easier since the acoustical problem of geometric divergence shading is already solved with the TrueFit 3D acoustical solution.

The C10, like the C12 and C8 (the 8-inch speaker in the C-Series), also features a new transducer technology that offers benefits weight reduction and amplifier channel requirements. These benefits come without technical trade-offs, and enhance the line array’s beam-steering in the vertical plane through FIR processing. The C10, a double 10-inch format line array, offers the benefit that it can be ordered with a variety of horizontal waveguide patterns (as can C8 and C12). Standard C10 factory waveguide is 100° H x 15° V, but a range of horizontal waveguides between 70° and 120° (in 10° increments) are also available.

More: www.clairbrothers.com

In response to the call to provide sound reinforcement for David Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock tour of North American, Clearwing Productions produced its A-Game and its best gear – a full L-Acoustics K1/K2 rig complemented by the company’s new KS28 subwoofer.  

This tour represented the official US debut of the KS28, which was introduced at the 2016ProLight & Sound, show and used by Clearwing on a North American pilot programme. With its extended frequency response (down to 25Hz), reduced weight (174lbs) and 3dB greater output than its predecessor, the KS28 reckons to handle everything from classical to EDM, with all rigging integrated into the box.

Having recently completed a refurbishment of its PA system, the Sonoma Raceway motorsports complex is ready to welcome visitors to its year-round schedule of events – including the Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series, NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and Verizon IndyCar Series.

Located 30 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the 1,600-acre site also incorporates a motorsports industrial park of more than 70 businesses and 104 shops and serves as the gateway to the Sonoma Wine Country. In addition to its major events, the raceway is open an average 340 days per year. While the its old PA system served for most events, it lacked quality and intelligibility and could not provide the levels required for the largest events, which necessitated hiring large, obtrusive PA stacks.

The racetrack owners turned to Pacific Satellite Inc for a refit, the company that has provided its sound design/build and A/V event management services for more than two decades. The racetrack chose Pacific Satellite not only for its familiarity and knowledge of the facility, but because of the company’s acumen in designing sound systems in motorsport racing environments – it has designed sound systems for many motorsport racetracks, including Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway, as well as for many private commercial enterprises. Additionally, Pacific Satellite is often the operator of the systems it builds.

‘To deliver high quality and intelligibility over the incredible roar of the engines and the cheers of an audience several thousand strong takes a very special loudspeaker,’ says Jerry Coté of Pacific Satellite. ‘Community’s R.5 and R.35 loudspeakers are in a league of their own in just how well they achieve this, but they also have other major advantages. Their compact size and attractive style means we can position them closer to the audience, improving audio quality and sound level without spoiling sightlines. Having models with a variety of dispersion patterns really helps system design for optimum coverage and their legendary reliability in all types of weather completes the package.’

The refit of the PA system covered 14 major seating and paddock areas, along with 18 additional public and competitor audio zones. One-hundred sixty Community R.5HPT, R.5HPT-R and R.35-3896 loudspeakers provide the coverage, with the system comprising a 32-channel Yamaha mixer and BSS London Blu-100 control system with additional Blu-BOB and Blu-BIB units. Power is delivered by a mix of QSC ISA 800TI and CXD4.5 amplifiers. System software design for the BBS London was handled by Jeremy Yamaguchi of Eagle Multi-Media Productions and Pacific Satellite used the services of Community’s TAG (Technical Applications Group) Team to assist with sound field assessment and verification of final designs.

‘Sonoma Raceway now has an attractive year-round, high-performance system that provides quality sound and high intelligibility and eliminates the need for expensive temporary rentals,’ Coté concludes. ‘It not only gives fans on site a better experience but also delivers a better product to the worldwide television audience with improved sight lines and accessibility.’