Adelaide’s Mega Adventure Aerial Park offers a ‘world’s first’ ride designed and built by sister company, Touch Cloud Global. Accompanying the ‘adventure experience’ is a Community loudspeaker system installed by Horder Communication Solutions.

Based in South Australia and with operations in Singapore, Mega Adventure was founded by explorer and adventurer Alex Blyth to pioneer adventure experiences in urban communities. Following the provision of sound systems for its other adventure parks, Mega Adventure recalled the services of John Horder provide high-quality, cost-effective sound to support the park.

Requiring the system to cover the 25m-high open structure control of spill, Horder looked to Hills Audio Visual for assistance in the design, using Community R Series loudspeakers. The brief was to deliver very high quality music and speech uniformly to all levels of the structure, with no spill to the north and south where a residential holiday park and leisure resort are located, and limited spill towards a golf course to the east. Facing sandhills and the ocean, only western border had no restrictions.

‘We decided to use Community R Series R.35-3896 loudspeakers for a number of reasons,’ Hills Audio Visual’s Blake Kirby explains. ‘They offered superb frequency response and SPL specifications, with a well-controlled dispersion pattern. Additionally, their all-weather capability suits the marine environment and their physical footprint suits flying from the structure – they look great and the colour is perfect. Their excellent value for money and being able to achieve perfect coverage from a small number of loudspeakers combined to meet the budget.

‘We chose to fly two loudspeakers pointing down and to the west where dispersion was not an issue and one speaker down and to the east to fill the pattern, but still reduce spill to the east,’ he continues. ‘Each is driven by separate 200W class-D amplifiers as a single zone. The controlled coverage and sound quality are awesome.’

‘The control of the spill exceeded expectations and the sound throughout the structure is uniform, meeting the specified high quality. Very limited EQ was required, with just a small lift at 300Hz and 10KHz for subjective preference. SPL from the top level is so uniform as to be indiscernible by participants.’

‘Now my structure has all the senses covered,’ says Mega Adventure Adelaide GM, Stephen Grundy. ‘It really makes it feel inclusive, especially when there are not a lot of people on the structure.’

Corona Sunsets returned to Tulum, Mexico in June for a day of electronic dance music in idyllic surroundings. The festival saw the country’s first outing for Funktion-One’s Vero vertically arrayable loudspeaker system.

Sound for the event was supplied and managed by Loto Audio – Funktion-One’s distributor for Mexico. Funktion-One founder, John Newsham, flew out to help with set-up for Corona Sunsets and to provide Vero training for the Loto Audio team. Loto Audio has placed an order for its own Vero system, which will be delivered in July. For Corona Sunsets, the Vero system was shipped from the US.

The event organiser was keen to keep the visual impact of the system to a minimum, which led to a stipulation that it should be stacked rather than flown, which offered the sound crew a challenge.

Newsham worked with Ramon Salazar, Joe Sandoval and the Loto Audio team to find a solution: ‘The critical factor was to get the ground stack platforms at just the right height’ he says. ‘If you go too high, you can’t get coverage in the close field. Too low and the close field is loud but the far field suffers. There’s also a limit to how many boxes you can safely stack. We built the system using our Projection software to optimise the heights and angles and once the platforms were re-arranged to the right height it worked out very well. When the system is flown it’s certainly easier but everyone was very happy with the result.’

The system comprised two elevated stacks of just two Vero V60, 60°, mid-high speakers on top of two Vero V90, 90°, mid-high speakers. Three Vero V315 mid-bass speakers were stacked on a dolly below and alongside the main stacks with six V221 bass enclosures per side on the ground between the mid-high stacks. Power for the system came from the recommended and supplied Lab.gruppen PLM20K44 amplifiers.

Loto Audio also provided two Resolution 4 loudspeakers and two BR221 bass reflex speakers for the far end of the VIP bar area.

Sets from Don Diablo, Thomas Jack, Tensnake, Goldroom, Tom & Collins, and RAC kept the 5,000 attendees moving well into the evening. FOH was pushed to the furthest away point, again because of a desire for the technical elements to remain as covert as possible.

‘My favourite comment of the day was that the sound was “huge”,’ Newsham says. ‘ We had a system that you could hardly see, yet the sound reached out to the back of the venue – where we were positioned at FOH. That in itself turned out to be a good move. The vibe was really nice and I think that was helped by the fact there wasn’t an FOH island in the middle of the audience.’

More: www.funktion-one.com

At the north end of the Las Vegas strip, deep inside the SLS Hotel & Casino (formerly the Sahara of Ocean’s Eleven and Rat Pack fame) is the new Foundry concert venue. Its odd but impressive layout – three stories tall, far wider than deep with two of the three main bars flanking the spacious stage at a considerable distance – presents a challenging sound reinforcement problem.

The space’s brief existence as LiFE Nightclub tested a distributed speaker solution, and the results were not good. To better it, SLS hired the JR Sound Company to design a system that would place the Foundry demonstrably above Las Vegas’ contemporary concert scene. Ignoring repeated appeals from promoters and industry insiders to go with a line-array solution (‘too uneven; too much comb filtering’), the chosen solution uses Danley SH-96HO mains, SH-95HO and SH-95 fills, SM-80 stage monitors, and TH-118 subwoofers.

‘We’re both from Chicago originally – we moved to Las Vegas a decade ago – and we’ve been longtime fans of Tom Danley and Doug Jones,’ says JR Sound Company co-owner James Rush, on behalf of himself and business partner Mark Dudzik. ‘I think it’s great that they’re now on the same team in Danley Sound Labs. Anyway, we were working as SLS’s sole audio provider for over a year when they approached us about converting LiFE Nightclub into an awesome modern concert venue. Although we mainly do design and consulting these days, Mark and I are both live sound engineers by training and passion, and so we were excited to take on the project and to do it right.’

‘There was a lot of pressure to go with a line array system, if for no other reason than that everyone knows what they’re getting,’ Dudzik says. ‘That, and the fact that riders will be satisfied if they can check off ‘line array. But we had already had a lot of experience with Danley’s point source systems, and we knew they sound way better than even the best, most-expensive line arrays. We took the stance that, as engineers, we would much rather mix on a Danley system. To prove our point, we arranged a shootout between our company’s Danley SH-96s and the leading line array choices. Hearing is believing, and SLS had the confidence to move forward with the obviously better sound of a Danley system. As for riders, the venue says, in effect, ‘if all you need is a line array, we’ve got you more than covered with our point source system.’

The system Rush and Dudzik designed consists of two Danley SH-96HOs for main stereo coverage. They have 90° dispersion with complete phase coherence within that band and thus deliver even coverage and spatial imaging to the majority of listeners. Two smaller Danley SH-95HOs provide fill for the flanking bars on either side of the stage. Four Danley SH-95s provide front fill. The HO variants deliver greater high-frequency headroom where it’s needed.

‘With line array systems, the resultant sound, like a house of cards, depends on all of the components and their DSP. If you take out components, the whole thing becomes unbalanced,’ Dudzik says. ‘In contrast, when we take out any of the fill speakers in the Foundry’s Danley system, the system still sounds great. And when we put them back in, it’s almost like they reinforce the stereo image. There’s no comb filtering and all of the patterns work together. It’s really stable.’

Three Danley TH-118 subwoofers hang under each main cluster (six total). ‘We’ve done shootouts with Danley tapped-horn [TH] subwoofers against all the other leading designs,’ Rush says. ‘A single Danley 18 puts out way more energy and bass than any conventional double 18, and the Danley boxes couple together perfectly. Unlike conventional designs, which I can always get to fart out at some point, the Danley boxes have no floor. In fact, we drove a TH-118 with 5kW wide open, and the only noticeable effect was the smell of burning varnish from the coils. But no distortion.’ By way of comparison, the previous system used 12 double 21s, and the six Danley single 18s sound way more musical and just as loud.

The stage at the Foundry is served by 12 bi-amped Danley SM-80 monitors. ‘I got into this business as a monitor engineer, and I can say that the SM-80s sound great,’ Rush says. ‘And, amazingly, no one ever asks for more volume when they’re using Danley monitors. The clarity and fidelity cuts through, and their coaxial design does good things for the on- and off-axis response. In fact – and I know no monitor engineer will believe this until they experience it for themselves – a few musicians have actually asked me to turn a Danley monitor down.’

Two new Midas M32 consoles (FOH and monitors) with a Midas DL32 stagebox serve a new Shure live microphone package, with the Midas feeding a Danley DNA SC48 DSP unit via a 96kHz Dante network with backup analogue outputs for the mains, fills and subs. A rack of Danley DNA 20k4 Pro and DNA 10k4 Pro amplifiers power the complete system, providing four channels per unit. Onboard DSP on a subset of the amps provides loudspeaker conditioning for the monitor system.

‘The Danley loudspeakers and subs have a vastly smaller footprint that a comparable-output line array, and that’s a little off-putting to engineers who haven’t worked with a Danley point-source system before,’ Dudzik. Says. ‘But then we fire it up and push it to 120dB easily with no distortion. You just don’t know that high volume live sound can sound so fantastic until you’ve experienced it. That said, we still have tons of headroom beyond. No one will come close to hitting the limits of this system.’

The University of New Mexico football team, the Lobos, plays all of its home games at University Stadium on the school’s south campus in Albuquerque. Erected in 1960, University Stadium underwent several expansions that brought its current seating capacity to just shy of 40,000. Recently, the school replaced its former south end zone scoreboard with a new Daktronics LED scoreboard in the north end zone, opting to include loudspeaker enclosures in anticipation of a new sound reinforcement system. That system has now arrived in the form of two Danley Jericho Horn J3 point source loudspeakers supported by two Danley BC-218 subwoofers, with power from Danley’s new DNA-Series of DSP-enabled amplifiers.

‘These days, a great sound reinforcement system is the twelfth man on the field for the home team,’ says Larry Lucas, Director of Audio & Broadcast Engineering at Anthony James Partners and the designer of University Stadium’s new sound reinforcement system.

‘A great sound reinforcement system energizes the crowd and gives the home team an even bigger home field advantage. We’ve had great success installing Danley Jericho Horns at bigger stadiums, such as Louisiana State University’s 102,000-seat stadium, but they’re also great at smaller stadiums like University Stadium at the University of New Mexico. The lead times were extremely short, but Danley had all of the equipment in New Mexico on schedule.’

The system design is straightforward. A, point-source Jericho Horn J3 flanks either side of the north end zone scoreboard to cover the east and west sides of the stadium, as well as the stands beyond the south end zone. Four Danley SH-46 full-range loudspeakers hang from the bottom of the scoreboard for front fill, and a single SH-96HO loudspeaker fires from a low angle across the field for on-field coverage.

‘The team is really happy about the great on-field sound,’ Lucas reports. ‘It’s good for the players and great for team morale.’ Because Lucas purposely kept the Jericho Horns’ tight beams from including an athletics facility adjacent to the south end zone, he also included a handful of fully-weatherised Danley OS-80 loudspeakers to cover seats near that facility.

Rather than split the two Danley BC-218 subwoofers to parallel the Jericho Horn placement, Lucas placed both subwoofers on the west side of the scoreboard: ‘We’ve been coupling Danley subwoofers together since we installed a Danley system at the University of Iowa’s 70,000-seat Kinnick Stadium. By keeping the subs together, we get much better low-frequency response and minimal low-frequency comb filtering. Two BC-218s still deliver plenty of SPL for the entire stadium.’

Inputs to the system include a new Denon DN-300Z combination media player with CD, USB, and SD card inputs, an AM/FM tuner, Bluetooth connectivity and jack, along with a collection of Lectrosonics wireless handheld microphones and a Click Effects ProAudio audio clip player. A Yamaha 01v96 digital console collects all the inputs and serves as user control for the system. From there, signal flows to a QSC Q-Sys DSP system, which primarily handles input conditioning and routing logic. Three Danley DNA 20K4 Pro amplifiers and three Danley DNA 10K4 Pro amplifiers provide a total of twenty-four amplifier channels, each supported by integrated loudspeaker conditioning DSP.

‘The new system has such a great sound. It’s loud, exciting, and intelligible and without the harshness and uneven response that most folks have come to expect from large outdoor sound reinforcement,’ Lucas says. ‘And it’s catching on in the Intermountain West: we just won a project with the University of Wyoming to design a Danley system for their 30,000-seat War Memorial Stadium. They had contacted the University of New Mexico as a reference and got rave reviews.’

Joining the SBH-10 and SBH-20, the Danley Labs SBH-20LF promises high loudspeaker performance in an ultra-compact, column-shaped cabinet, adding extended low-frequency reproduction compared to the existing SBH-20.

Claiming the proprietary SBH technologies used in the loudspeaker to be ‘completely different’ from any of the multi-cone designs presently available, Danley regards the SBH-20LF to effectively be a large horn, offering a high degree of pattern control without lobes, and requiring no electronic signal processing for optimisation.

The SBH-20LF has a 120° horizontal by 20° vertical dispersion pattern with a 68Hz-14.3kHz ±3dB (54Hz-16kHz -10dB) frequency response, and delivers 127dB SPL continuous output (133dB peak) at 4Ω impedance.

More: www.danleysoundlabs.com

Danley Sound Labs’ new Go-2 is an ‘extremely affordable’ loudspeaker aimed at the opposite end of the spectrum to the massive Jericho Horn employed in some of the world’s largest arenas and stadia.

The Go-2 uses injection-moulded cabinets and is home both indoors and out, with its aesthetics and rigging points. The Go-2 is also impervious to weather and promises speech intelligibility, musicality and transparency. Currently, the Go-2 is available with an 8-inch coaxial driver (Go-2-8CX). The company plans to expand the line in the future.

‘For a long time, we’ve been hearing designers and integrators say, “man, we love the sound and performance of Danley, but we need a go-to box that competes with the Asian made products’ price”, says Danley Sound Labs President, Mike Hedden. ‘Sure, we could have followed the others and have products made off-shore or south of the border, but that’s not who we are.

‘To do it right required a lot of thinking, planning and hard work. Today we’re introducing the Go-2-8CX, which I’m happy to call a Danley product. I challenge anyone to A/B it against their favourite entry-level loudspeaker; a Go-2 will beat it. Moreover, I’m proud to say that, unlike almost every other entry-level loudspeaker on the market, the Danley Go-2-8CX is built right here in the USA.’

More: www.danleysoundlabs.com

Following the release its recent GH-60 Genesis Horn – which claims the benefits of the a array without line array shortcomings – Danley Sound Labs is introducing the higher output/full-range J3-64 Jericho Horn.

The J3-64 is built upon the same three patent-pending technologies  – Synergy Horn, Paraline, and Shaded Amplitude Lens – and uses six 18-inch low-frequency drivers, six 6-inch mid-frequency drivers, and two 4-inch two-way, high-frequency drivers. These can be driven by a 20kW amplifier module and/or user-adjustable DSP.

The use of the three technologies allow a single Genesis or Jericho Horn to claim coverage out to multiple hundreds of feet. This is accomplished as Shaded Amplitude Lens Technology allows as much as 20dB of gain out of a single cabinet, to be evenly distributed over a very large listening plane. Company founder Tom Danley developed the Synergy Horn technology employed in the company’s flagship SH-50 full-range loudspeaker, along with the Paraline and Shaded Amplitude Lens technology that makes the new horns conform to three critical requirements: high output, appropriate SPL by angle so that everyone from the front row to the back row receives the same impact, and fidelity that impresses even audiophiles.

‘In every respect, the Jericho Horn is a vastly better alternative to the problematic line array solution that the industry has settled for,says Mike Hedden, president of Danley Sound Labs. ‘Its output is monstrous, yet so pleasant to listen to. I challenge any line array solution, at any price, to even approach the Jericho Horn’s performance.’

More: www.danleysoundlabs.com

Tom Danley and the Danley Sound Labs team have announced the newest member of its Jericho Horn Series – the J3-94.

Designed for the requirements of stadiums and concert venues where high impact, high fidelity, and high SPLs are needed, the J3-94 delivers 142dB of continuous output using 18 drivers that are combined using proprietary technologies to produce a single phase-coherent signal with ‘home hi-fi quality intelligibility and musical impact’. Like the original J1-94, the J3-94 produces a 90° horizontal by 40° vertical beam width, with Danley’s characteristic steep drop-off outside of the beam. However, the J3-94 is half the J1-94’s weight, with slightly less bass output as the compromise.

The J3-94 is a tri-amped cabinet that uses four amplifier channels – two for LF, one for mids, and one for HF. The drivers in the horn comprise six 15-inch woofers, eight 6.5-inch mids, and four 1.4-inch highs with built-in overload protection. It can be flown by many different standard lifts or towers, and comes as standard with fly points on top and bottom and L track on the sides.

‘The new J3-94 Jericho Horn can be used in every circumstance where line arrays could be used, but with vastly better fidelity and pattern control and at a vastly lower cost,’ says Danley Sound Labs President, Mike Hedden. ‘We recently fired up a single J3-94 at an Atlanta Falcons Friday Night Lights event, where the team plays a scrimmage at a high school venue, and it produced crystal clear intelligibility 600ft away. We paired it with two Danley BC-218 subwoofers. Check out the video on our Facebook page – it’s astounding.’

More: www.danleysoundlabs.com

The Danley TH-Mini15 is an ultra-compact subwoofer loaded with a single 15-inch driver, delivering 132dB continuous (135dB programme) SPL down to 50Hz with 105dB sensitivity.

An alternative to the Danley TH-Mini with its 12-inch driver, the TH-Mini15 weighs 100lbs and measurs 30-inch x 18-inch x 24-inch, and is intended for pack-and-go live situations as well as for fixed installations where space is a premium.

‘The Danley TH-Mini15 is a great-sounding little subwoofer that can be moved with relative ease,’ says Danley President, Mike Hedden. ‘It’ll fit under a pick-up truck bed cover or in the tight space under the stairs at a restaurant. It’s got a pole cup to make it easy to mount atop boxes and the handles are all well placed for ergonomic transport.

‘If you need something even smaller, look to the Danley TH-Mini, but if you can afford a few extra pounds and a few extra inches, the TH-Mini15 has lower and louder output. Both boxes are great ambassadors of the Danley sound when small size and light weight are required.’

More: www.danleysoundlabs.com

Disco Ícaro in Conil de la Frontera has provided the stage for DAS Audio’s Sound Force systems recent Spanish debut. The much-anticipated relaunch of the Cadiz coast hotspot includes revamped décor, lighting, video and sound – providing an unmissable showcase for the Sound Force range.

Designed specifically for high-end venues where powerful sound and a striking visual design are required, the system’s supply and installation was handled by local company Cotelson.

With some of the biggest names in rap and hip-hop on the bill, the Rolling Loud Festival in Mana Wynwood looked to LPS Production Services and DAS Audio to deliver high SPLs.

Handling lighting, sound, video and staging, LPS managed the audio logistics for this year’s festival, with company president Jose Laria specifying the DAS Audio systems.

‘This was a big, outdoor concert event, so we needed to ensure that the system we assembled had excellent music reproduction and speech intelligibility, and even coverage across the area,’ he says. ‘Our setup included 16 DAS Aero 50 large-format line array elements – with eight enclosures each for the left and right main hangs. These were augmented by four Aero 12A mid-high line array modules – two enclosures per side that served as down fills. For low frequency, we arranged 12 DAS UX-221A subwoofers stacked two-high across the front of stage.’

‘For side fills, we used six Aero 20A compact line array elements – three enclosures each for left and right – and coupled these with four LX-218A subwoofers, which were positioned two enclosures per side. We also used another four DAS Aero 20A enclosures for front fill. The stage monitor set-up consisted of four Road 15A stage monitors while, for the DJ monitor setup, we used two Vantec 215A enclosures with two Vantec 18A subwoofers. These loudspeakers were arranged one stack per side.

‘With a lot of hip-hop shows, it’s difficult to get a consistent level of vocal intelligibility while maintaining the amount of bass the audience expects,’ he continues. ‘I was pleasantly surprised by the performance both these loudspeakers delivered – all without any drawbacks. Further, the amount of air moved by the UX-221 is very impressive. My techs were actually taking videos of how the air was making our tent flap in the wind like a kite, and this was all the way out from the stage at the front of house position. The UX-221 is very impressive in its ability to reproduce frequencies you can’t get with a double 18-inch subwoofer and they’re very fast and clean for such a large driver.’

For large productions of this nature, modelling the system to ensure optimum performance and other aspects of system design are crucial to the success of the event: ‘I was very pleased to see the level of support we received from the U.S. office in Miami,’ Laria reports. ‘The DAS staff actually came on-site to help set up, tune, and even strike the system. We couldn’t have asked for better support.’

‘If the audience enjoys the sound and lights, and the promoter is pleased with the results, then I’ve done my job,’ he adds. ‘This year’s show delivered phenomenal sound and the energy of the event could literally be felt throughout the entire audience area. Those UX-221 subs really helped make the difference.’

Home to the NBA’s Miami Heat basketball team, the AmericanAirlines Arena also serves as a leading venue for concerts and other attractions. The facility recently upgraded its sound reinforcement throughout and, with DAS Audio systems already in use inside the arena, an Aero Series 2 and Road loudspeakers have been added.

Director of Broadcast Services, Dave Vickery, and Manager of Sound, Jorge Arronte, were tasked with designing, installing and overseeing the use of the various audio and video systems at AmericanAirlines Arena. After evaluating the requirements of the Xfinity East Plaza project, they chose DAS Audio’s flagship Aero 50 three-way line array elements, LX-218CR high powered subwoofers, Road Series 12A and 15A stage monitors, and WR-6415 point source loudspeakers.

‘We use the space for a wide variety of events, including corporate meetings, live concerts, DJ performances, and Miami Heat Road Rallies (away game LED viewer events to keep fans engaged), Arronte says. ‘In years past, we rented sound systems to accommodate large events, but with the addition of the new roofing structure over the East Plaza, we felt it was the right time to invest in a quality concert size loudspeaker setup. The sound system is located outdoors under a large solar canopy. Distributed throughout the space are multiple delay speakers mounted to the surrounding columns – adding a full body sound that complements the main cluster loudspeaker array.

‘For our main system, we flew four Aero 50s coupled with a single LX-218CR sub for the left and right sides,’ he continues. ‘Our delay system loudspeakers – 34 WR-6415 enclosures – are mounted with custom stainless steel compression bands to the columns that DAS engineers in Spain developed for us to ensure the proper loudspeaker angle given the elevation of the structural columns. Completing the setup, we have two Road 15A and eight Road 12A powered stage monitors. Lab.gruppen PLM 12K44 power amps with Lake DSP and Dante audio networking drive the system.

‘For our location, which includes low ceiling, long throw, and a limited ability to incorporate multiple subs due to the height limits, the Aero 50 and LX-218CR combination was the right choice. The quality, even at low levels, is impeccable and transparent, enabling even the softest sound to be heard clearly.’

According to Dave Vickery, the project had its share of challenges: ‘This installation was not easy as anticipated,’ he reports. ‘We encountered major construction delays that set back the deployment of the entire A/V system by three months. After construction, our department had only two weeks to install the entire system, including programming of the Dante network that delivers the audio signal from the Arena Broadcast Control room.’

DAS Audio support services also played an integral role in the project, as Arronte reveals: ‘The DAS engineering group in Spain helped develop the correct sound pressure and placement of the entire Xfinity East plaza speaker system. Equally noteworthy, they were available to us for any changes or concerns we encountered during the plaza construction. We’ve always had a great relationship with DAS and this project was no exception. From the sales and technical folks in Miami, all the way to the engineers in Spain, we shared a vision and recognized the obstacles involved in this project and, together, achieved an amazing sounding space.’

Following its installation, the DAS equipment has been well received: ‘We’ve used it for everything from kids track acts and rock bands to Flo Rida concerts,’ says Arronte. ‘Every time, I’m impressed with the clear, smooth sound I hear. I can’t imagine another choice for this job.’

‘We’ve only begun to experience the ability of our new loudspeaker set-up,’ Vickery says. ‘Our future plans continue with DAS, as we look to upgrade the main American Airlines Arena Bowl Speaker Arrays and the new Heat Café that will be under construction this summer, 2016.’

More: www.dasaudio.com

DAS Audio has added the UX-218A a new powered subwoofer to its UX Series range of LF speaker systems.

The UX-218A makes use of two of the company’s newly developed 18UXN4 transducers, with a 4-inch sandwich split winding voice coil, 52mm peak-to-peak excursion, and a powerful FEA optimised neodymium magnet assembly. Thanks to the double silicon spider, the 18UXN4 controls the moving mass with high linearity. An aluminium demodulating ring benefits lower distortion and the effective ventilation of the voice coil gap provides for a high thermal rating, and reduced power compression. The speaker has an AES power handling capacity of 1.1kW.

The amplifier driving the UX-218A has an output of 2 x 1.7kW, and incorporates current class-D technology. A high-efficiency, low-consumption universal power supply with Power Factor Correction (PFC) allows for fail-safe use worldwide. Other features include a fixed frequency switch mode output stage, providing the highest audio accuracy. A comprehensive set of ‘smart’ protections include thermal, over-current, short circuit and overload on the output, clip limiter and high frequency protection keeping the amplifier and acoustic components safe. Remote monitoring is provided by way of the DASnet monitoring system and software, an audio management application for DAS powered cabinets and processors.

The enclosure is manufactured using birch plywood to DAS’ standards for strength and durability. It is finished with the tough ISO-flex exterior coating and a punched steel grille protects the speaker components. The UX-218 variant designed use with for external amplification.

More: www.dasaudio.com

Emerging among the fastest-growing and most popular events in the Caribbean, the 2016 Barbarella Festival by Presidente Black drew thousands of music fans to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic for an orgy of electropop fans from the world’s biggest DJs – from David Guetta and Steve Aoki to Afrojack and Jack Ü. The sound was provided by a DAS Audio system.

Emmanuel Martínez and Gustavo Montilia at the helm, Dominican sound company Enlab managed the event’s sound for the festival with DAS Audio Systems Engineer Joel Damiano on-hand for set-up and adjustment of the systems used in the Quisqueya Stadium.

The spectacular Barbarella by Presidente Black stage – compete with laser effects, screens and a massive width at over 50m – required an equally hard-hitting sound system. After studying the stage’s requirements, the sound technicians designed a main PA solution based on 36 DAS Audio Aero 40A powered line array systems. Rigged in two linear hangs of 18 boxes, these were paired with 12 Aero 20A for out fill. A combination of 12 DAS UX-221A and 32 LX-218CA systems provided low-frequency support. These systems were stacked in front of the stage in an arc designed using Ease Focus 3 software, and set up and controlled via DASnet software.

Eight DAS Convert 12As were provided even sound coverage for the closest ranks of fans, while six Aero 40As stacked on two LX-118A subwoofers handled DJ monitor duties. The Enlab sound team also rolled out DAS Road 12A wedges for the front of the stage.

To ensure uniform coverage for the 18,000 fans packed in front of the wide stage, the team also set up two delay towers behind the mixing console rigged with eight Aero 12A powered line array systems each. An additional two delay towers ensured flawless sound for the VIP area. The package of main PA and delay towers delivered high SPLs and reliability, and has earned Enlab and DAS Audio an invitation for next year’s event.

More: www.dasaudio.com

The fourth annual Adelfia Fireworks Fair in Bari drew 30,000 spectators turning out to see a series of firework displays designed by the top Italian companies. Accompanying them were DAS professional sound systems…

The festivities fall on the day that marks the festival of San Trifone, and culminate in a fireworks display that is set to music. Pyrotechnic Emotions of the Past and Present was a joint presentation from Nanna Fireworks and Pirotécnica San Severo, with Omnia Service handling the technical side of the show.

Omni Service paired with Antonio Armillotta to design the sound for this much-anticipated event, using a selection of DAS line array systems and Powersoft amplifiers. Two linear hangs of DAS Event 210A powered line array systems were brought in for the main PA and were paired with six DAS Event 218A, powered subwoofers explosive enough to provide lows that were the equal of the fireworks. Two relay towers equipped with a combination of DAS Aero 28 and DAS 218 subwoofer systems were also set up to contend with the large audience area.

‘The sound work was delicate in terms of the size of the space – we had to cover an area nearly 300m long in front but with a barely 30m depth. The objective was to ensure uniform sound along the entire front of the audience, which we achieved by setting up an extremely robust PA combined with lighter delay towers’, says Head of Omnia Service’s Audio Department, Alessandro Mazzetti. ‘The sharpness of the Event 210A systems and the high sound pressure they provided deserves a special mention. We were also impressed with the powerful punch of the Event 218A subwoofers, which performed flawlessly. The entire system performed with the solvency and reliability characteristic of DAS Audio products.’

A festival of electronica and DJ-based music, Stereo Live Dallas hosts the likes of Ferry Corsten, Bear Grillz, Dash Berlin and Tommy Trash for capacity crowds. Recently, a new sound reinforcement system was installed at the club, making extensive use of DAS Audio Aero Series 2 and Event loudspeaker systems.

A/V integration and event production house Colorwave handled installation, with sales, system design and technical operations specialist Erik Johnson selecting DAS Audio Aero 40A and Aero 20A line array systems, LX-118A and UX-221A subs, as well as Event 208A line arrays.

Billed as Hoboken’s premiere ultra venue, the Hudson Ultra Bar is a music, dance, and entertainment venue with VIP booths surround its dancefloor for table guests wanting a ringside seat to the action. For music reproduction, the club chose Sound Force Series loudspeakers from DAS Audio.

Global Audio Systems was contracted to handle the system design and implementation: ‘The Hudson Ultra Bar is an open-format, multi-level dance club with elaborate VIP accommodations and a large, raised catwalk-style DJ booth,’ says company owner, Jason Ojeda. ‘With two levels, there is approximately 6,000-sq-ft of space. Music is a driving factor of the activity in this club, so having the ability to produce the necessary sound pressure levels while keeping the music’s sound true to form was crucial to this installation.’

To provide coverage throughout the venue, Ojeda and his crew flew two DAS Audio Sound Force SF-20A powered enclosures – one each for the left and right sides of the main dancefloor and bar area. Low frequency support is provided by two SF-30A powered subwoofers, which incorporate Powersoft’s 30-inch M-Force Moving Magnet Transducer, with one enclosure each ground stacked for the left and right sides and positioned under the VIP and stairwell areas.

The Hudson Ultra Bar has both first and second floor delay systems. The ground floor incorporates seven DAS Audio SF-10A powered enclosures plus four SF-26 two-way passive enclosures, along with two DAS Artec 322 bass reflex sub bass enclosures. On the second level, this set-up is repeated, but with ten DAS SF-10A powered enclosures instead of seven, as on the lower level.

Rounding out the SR system are two weatherised DAS Audio WR-8826 enclosures. For the DJ booth Ojeda used two Sound Force S-10A enclosures and a single Artec 322S bass reflex subwoofer. For the passive loudspeaker systems, power is provided by a combination of four DAS Audio D-100 power amplifiers, two PA-1500 stereo, and two PA-900 stereo power amplifiers.

‘We chose the SF-20 as the mains because of its amazing intelligibility in the vocal range,’ Ojeda says. ‘The Hudson Ultra Bar is now the second install with the SF-20 and it truly sounds like a pair of B&W 802¹s and you are sitting in your living room.’

Installation at the Hudson Ultra Bar took place during May 2017 prior to opening on 1 April. Since that time, Ojeda says he’s received numerous compliments from his client: ‘I couldn’t be happier with this install, it went flawlessly. The design of the rig enables the customer to walk to any area of the venue and have the same experience sonically. Time alignment was a key aspect to the success of this install and the system sounding the way it does. The DAS Audio loudspeakers sound amazing and do so with very little EQ. They produce a very natural and smooth sound.’

Hudson Ultra Bar owner Mike Citarella concurs: ‘This DAS sound system is amazing. The sound is crystal clear, our customers love it, and best of all, the delivery of the sound fills the club without being so loud that you have to scream at one another – people can carry on conversations without yelling. DAS has delivered big-time for us.’

More: www.dasaudio.com

Italian manufacturer dB Technologies has unveiled the BH Powered Speaker Series.

The new loudspeaker line aims to provide ‘a professional yet efficient sonic performance to every user’, combining an extremely efficient class-D amplifier with aggressive sound pressure levels (up to 126.5 dB for the 15-inch cabinet.

The family includes four two-way cabinets, all of which are equipped with premium 1-inch compression drivers and respectively 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch and 15-inch woofers.

The design features a asymmetrical horn ensuring a wide and uniform throw pattern. The dB Technologies team has crafted accurate digital sound processing, allowing users to choose between two EQ presets: Flat or Boost. The lightweight cabinets (14-38lbs) are fitted with a clean and full grille, offering portability with three handles (one per side and one on top). Each cabinet can be used horizontally as a stage monitor (with two angles) and features a pole mount cup for a tripod stand or stacked on dB Technologies Subwoofers.

More: www.dBTechnologies.com

Hitting the road for The Puff Puff Pass Tour Part 2, Snoop Dogg toured the US Midwest and West Coast in the company of hip-hop artists such Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The Diamond Lake Elsinore was the venue for the Southern California show – an 8,000-capacity stadium that can be transformed into a concert venue with a seating capacity of 14,000.

Having recently added dB Technologies’ VIO L210, VIO S318 line arrays and DVX DM15 TH stage monitors to its inventory, Advantage Event Solutions (AES) provided the PA system for the event. ‘We were looking for a system that provided excellent sound quality with full networking and DSP at an outstanding price point,’ says company owner, Jesse Cochran. ‘To meet the requirements of the sound crew and the venue, a complete dB Technologies’ VIO line array and sub system was chosen, debuting the system’s first activation in California.

The installation comprised 18 VIO L210 elements (nine per side), and ten VIO S318 in a centre array. dB Technologies Control8 interface was used to network the boxes together over Cat6, providing full system control, individual adjustment, monitoring, and system tuning.

‘Hip-hop shows are very sub intensive,’ Cochran notes. ‘Having the networking built in to every dB Technologies box enabled us to digitally array the subwoofers for even SPL and quick set-up.

‘The dB Technologies’ VIO series is efficient,’ he adds. ‘We covered the entire venue easily. It also performed well, the FIR filters ensured perfectly coherent coverage even at a long distance. The networking and DSP in every box ensured it sounded great anywhere in the venue,’ Cochran adds. ‘The audio crew was surprised at how easy it was to fly the system, without a drop of sweat, just using the DT VIO L210 trolleys.’

More: www.dBTechnologies.com

dBTechnologies’ VIO is a large-format, active line array platform, claiming ‘revolutionary new technology and exceptional performance’.

With an integrated three-point rigging system offers precise adjustments and fast, one-person set-up while specially designed transport carts speed system load-in/load-out at all types of event including outdoor festivals and concerts. VIO’s L210 full-range line array module features two high-power 10-inch woofers with 2.5-inch voice coils and a 1.4-inch compression driver with a 3-inch voice coil. The L210 boasts a unique acoustic design with aluminium LF phase plugs and a newly-designed HF waveguide to achieve precise coverage control, high efficiency and very high SPL while maintaining voice intelligibility and musical sound quality.

VIO’s S318 subwoofer is a powerful low-frequency module with three 18-inch woofers in a compact enclosure. Two of the S318’s woofers are half horn-loaded and one is front loaded, and they feature mechanically-aligned voice coils for controlled LF phase response. A simple software adjustment converts three S318s (one facing rearward) into a high-output, cardioid-pattern subwoofer system for greater LF control and throw distance. Equipped with polyurea-coated 18mm multiplex wood enclosures and amplifier rain covers, VIO’s line array modules are sturdy and lightweight.

A 900W Digipro class-D amplifier with advanced 56-bit FIR filters powers the L210 to135dB SPL. Three of these amplifiers allow the S318 to reach 143dB SPL. Optically-isolated digital inputs are optimised for a clean, noise free system, and integrated RDNet software provides real-time networked system control and monitoring. Exclusive dBTechnologies Composer software adds simple and accurate system coverage and SPL prediction along with centralised system voicing while available GLL and Ease Focus files enable consultants and system designers to use industry-standard system design software.

 ‘VIO embodies the best of dBTechnologies’ expertise,’ says Sales & Marketing Director Giovanni Barbieri. ‘Our R&D group combined advanced DSP features with specially designed transducers to create a high-performance line array that can be quickly adapted to the most challenging acoustic environments. VIO is attractive, rugged and lightweight with smart, three-point rigging, user-friendly software and dedicated transport carts making it an attractive business solution for growing pro audio companies and rental providers.’

More: www.dbtechnologies.com