Press Releases from World Wide Pro Audio Directory http://www.audiodirectory.nl/ Sat, 07 May 2011 07:57:21 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2835 Carl Tatz Design PhantomFocus™ System Causes Weight Gain in Aspen, Colorado — “It’s often hard to explain and most people don’t really get this PhantomFocus™ stuff until they sit down in front of one. Then they start explaining it to me. I love that moment!” – Carl Tatz — — Engineer/producer and Aspen, Colorado's Great Divide Studios owner Jamie Rosenberg notes, “I’ve been putting on some pounds since the PhantomFocus™ System implementation, because I no longer have the exercise of constantly rushing out to the car to check my mixes!” — Nashville, TN: Beyoncé, Burt Bacharach, Ryan Tedder and John Oates are a few of the high-profile clients that book Jamie Rosenberg’s Aspen-based Great Divide Studios in this famous bucolic ski resort setting. Designed by Pilchner-Schoustal of Toronto, Canada, the control room features a soffit-mounted 5.1 system with ATC SCM150ASL Pro monitors and a pair of Adam Audio S3X-H near fields (replacing Adam S3As), now configured in a Carl Tatz Design (CTD) 5.1 Dual PhantomFocus™ System. Although partially satisfied with the soffit-mount speakers, Rosenberg was struggling with his near field set up, not trusting his mixes in either system and having to check them in the car with the hope that that would tell him the truth. “Jamie gave us a call after studying the PFS brochure on the CTD website and reading various magazine articles,” notes Carl Tatz. “After listening to the issues he was having, I was able to make recommendations, assuring him that we bat a thousand with the PhantomFocus System, and while we were going to travel out to Aspen to implement his near field system, it wouldn’t cost that much more to go ahead and include the 5.1 mains in a Dual PFS. The ATC mains and the Adam near fields share the same subwoofer system, allowing both sets of monitors to now have the same very accurate frequency response and holographic center imaging down to 20Hz.” “Now I can relax and have absolute trust in what I hear. I’ve had visiting engineers tell me that this is the best monitoring they’ve ever heard - and they’re right!” boasts Rosenberg. About the PhantomFocus™ System Carl Tatz Design’s proprietary PhantomFocus™ System monitor tuning protocol offers clients a unique opportunity to have a truly world-class monitoring experience in their room, no matter how modest they may perceive it to be. The PhantomFocus System allows their monitors of choice toperform accurately at a full 20Hz-to-20KHz frequency response with pinpoint imaging in an almost holographic sweet spot — this enables their mixes to travel anywhere with a new level of sonic accuracy. There are approximately fifty steps in the proprietary PhantomFocus System implementation protocol, some of which may include phase and laser alignment, damping, isolation mounts, careful assessment of engineer/speaker placement relative to their room’s primary axial modes, proprietary speaker distance and angle and digital processing crossover points for pass filtering, and finally parametric equalization. Hardware can include monitor stands, concrete, Sorbothane and other isolation materials, custom floating plenum mounts, subwoofer system and digital processor. The evaluation and implementation is a full two-day process and can be applied to near-fields, mid-fields and large soffit mounted monitors, regardless of manufacturer. Carl Tatz Design installs the PhantomFocus System in existing control rooms and in all studios that are designed and built from the ground up by CTD. The result is like the aural equivalent of HD TV. Once you experience a PhantomFocus System, you can’t go back. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2834 6th Cycle Concert of philharmonic orchestra Dresden with K.M.E. systems On 12th and 13th March the Dresden philharmonic orchestra performed the 6th cycle concert in the sold out Kulturpalast. The debut was Igor Strawinskys Suite No. 2 for small orchestra with a series of 4 dances (march - waltz - polka - gallop) followed by „Lucernaris“ - a concert for trumpete, live electronic and orchestra of the young Swedish composer Tobias Broström. Finally the „Great“ symphony in C major by Franz Schubert sounded. „Lucernaris“ was the highlight of the concert. Tobias Broström wrote the work in 2009 for the trumpeter Håkan Hardenberg, soloist in this performance and Artist in Residence of the orchestra at present. The work shows very impressive the opposite of light and dark, warmth and cold, distress and hope. The sonification by a mixture of conventional orchestra music, synthesizer sounds, sampling and lighting effects catches the audience more directly than by traditional means of an orchestra. The reproduction of the live electronic was realized by a 5.1 reinforcement. The composer intends to cover the audience with sound and to generate directed sound effects. The reproduction of the sampled trumpete and the saxhorn coming out of the depth of the hall and the instruments playing on stage were the special challenge facing the reinforcement system. Hartmut Lissner, Technical Director of Konzert- & Kongressgesellschaft mbH decided for Versio active systems VL 750 and subs VSS 18, positioned also on the gallery achieving a balanced sound dispersion within the entire hall. The systems are characterized by a natural and, especially at very high volume levels, a very undistorted reproduction. Standing ovations from the audience and positive reviews were the results of this impressing concert. Mr. Lissner and the musicians of the philharmonic orchestra commended the first class sound of the system and the seamless coverage achieved by the surround set-up. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2833 Over the past year, Neon Trees has cemented its reputation as one of the top up-and-coming indie rock acts in the U.S. with a chart topping single, a featured performance at this year’s SXSW festival, and a tour with My Chemical Romance. With a number of one-off fly dates punctuating the tour, stage manager and monitor engineer Mike Bangs and FOH engineer Neal Duffy selected a pair of Allen & Heath iLive T112 consoles to meet the band’s needs. Neon Trees is a straightforward rock band, with two guitars, bass, keyboard and drums along with four vocals. “We are using 24 inputs,” Bangs notes. “We are sharing preamps between monitors and FOH and doing a digital split from the Monitor console’s iDR-32, so our FOH snake is just one CAT5 cable. The second iDR-32 MixRack is currently being used for the FOH console’s DSP. That will change when we start headlining on our next tour. We will go with more stereo instruments for Neon Trees, and we will use the second iDR-32 to handle support band inputs without having to unpatch anything.” Bangs, whose recent touring gigs include Kid Rock, Tom Petty, Aerosmith and Katy Perry, knew exactly what he was looking for in choosing his mixing desks. “We had limited trailer space and some fly dates, so I was looking for a compact mixing system with lots of power,” he notes. “I needed something I could get into a case at under 50 pounds and put in the belly of a plane as checked baggage. The iDR-32 MixRack, racked in a Pelican case, comes in at 48.9 pounds. That was something that no one else could offer.” “Since the iDR-32 is basically the brains of the console, it’s all I need for a fly date,” says Bangs. “Everything else goes in my carry-on bag. I did the first couple shows with just the laptop and iPad, using the Allen & Heath iPad App. Then I added the PL-6 so I could have some physical faders. That gives me hands-on control of the channels I’m constantly massaging – the crowd mics and vocal. The PL-6 is the perfect solution.” The Allen & Heath PL-6 fader panel puts eight faders and 16 programmable function switches in a compact panel measuring less than 7x9 inches. For remote control of the iDR-32, Mike Bangs uses a Belkin dual-band wireless router to provide Wi-Fi access for both his laptop and iPad. “I use the iPad app on every show, not just fly dates,” he notes. “It lets me stand on stage with the artist and hear what they’re hearing. I was amazed with the lack of latency on the iPad App. When I touch the screen and push the fader, I hear the change in real time. A great tool.” On a tour that relies on house PA systems while carrying consoles, both the sonic performance and its operations are critical factors, and Mike Bangs and Neal Duffy have found the iLive-T112 equally impressive. “It’s an intelligently laid out console, really user friendly,” Bangs states. “In fact, the iLive is actually easier to operate than some of the bigger brand desks I’ve used on major tours. The sound quality is great, too. I’m very happy with the preamps. They have really nice warmth and plenty of headroom, so I can run them as hot as I like. Some digital desks don’t handle that very well, but the iLive does.” Mike Bangs finds that, the more he uses the iLive-T112, the more he likes it. “I have been very happy with the channel DSP and the EQ, both sound and operation” he says. “I really like how they’re laid out, especially the channel processing strip. The controls for the EQ are large and well spaced, which is much easier to use than a little 4 by 4 inch space that some other consoles have. Also, the effects look like rackmount units on the screen, showing the front and back panels. So if you’ve ever patched an analog rack before, you can do this. It just makes sense.” A couple other iLive features caught the engineers’ attention as well, like the onboard Real Time Analyzer (RTA), the sub-harmonic synthesizer, and subwoofer output control integrated into the channel strips on the iLive surface. “One of the coolest things on the iLive is having the sub knobs on the surface. You just hold down a button and the pan knob becomes a Sub Send. It’s really convenient, and no other desk I know of has it.” For their next tour, Neon Trees will be headlining the House of Blues circuit, and Mike Bangs plans to bring his iLive-T112 consoles along. “What sold me on the iLive originally was the modular design, but as I’ve used it every day, I have to say that it’s more than that,” he concludes. “It’s really intelligently laid out and user friendly, and has a nice, warm sound. This is my first time touring with the iLive and I’ve got to say, these consoles have really impressed me.” World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2832 The Sound of Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts Shines with EAW® Loudspeakers Whitinsville, MA, USA, May 2, 2011 – Inspired by Paris one century ago, the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) 2011 is a month-long cultural celebration that began April 7, bringing together the worlds of dance, music, visual arts, theater, film and literature. The PIFA 2011 events take place across several Center City locations. “Styling a Second Empire: A Light and Sound Experience,” located adjacent to Philadelphia’s historic City Hall, is an outdoor visual experience that included a soundtrack delivered by an EAW® line array speaker system. Saben Shawhan, senior A/V systems consultant with Philadelphia consulting firm Metropolitan Acoustics, LLC, designed the audio system, and Starlite Productions of Moorestown, New Jersey, provided technical and logistical support. The EAW system consists of two stacks, each comprising four EAW KF740 three-way line array modules plus two EAW SB1002 dual 18-inch subwoofers. EAW FB174 flybar/ground stack frames support each cluster. Six Lab.gruppen FP 14000 amplifiers power the two speaker stacks, which are managed by two EAW UX8800 four-channel digital signal processors. A Lab.gruppen NLB 60E NomadLink bridge and network controller, along with a Crestron CP2e and TPS-6x touch panel, handle automated power sequencing and scheduling of the three nightly show times. An EAW DX1208 DSP Matrix Mixer routes signals within the system. “They’re lighting up the first five blocks down South Broad Street from City Hall,” explains Shawhan, who was engaged by architectural lighting designer Alfred Borden, Principal at The Lighting Practice. “They contacted us to help with the sound design and also to help with synchronizing the audio with the lighting, which we’re doing with time code and a flash-based audio player.” The options for positioning the EAW speakers were restricted by the National Historical Landmark status of Philadelphia’s City Hall, which at one time was the tallest habitable building – and is still the second tallest masonry building – in the world. “There was no possibility of getting rigging points,” Shawhan reports. “They wouldn’t even let us put a steel cable around a column or open certain windows. The only location that all of the City Hall entities would approve was the 700 level roof, and it’s 127 feet about street level.” Starlite Productions, with the help of the students and project interns, had to push all of the equipment down three long hallways, up a freight elevator and then carry everything up three flights of stairs just to get to the approved location on the roof of City Hall. “Then they had to assemble the ground stacks, safety them off and get cable to each location,” Shawhan recalls. Students at University of Arts in Philadelphia, which is just down the street from City Hall, have generated the audio and lighting content for displays that are positioned on various buildings along south Broad Street. “It’s a one-hour block that runs three times nightly from sundown to about midnight each night for the six-week period,” says Shawhan. The stereo soundtrack of original music is being played from a Tascam HS-8 flash-based eight-track player that is also producing time code. The time code is then fed into a Strand Light Palette VL console, to provide synchronization between the audio and visual systems. The Crestron system provides basic on/off control, level and routing control for the show. It also automates the three nightly show times so that it can run daily without an operator. Shawhan utilized the EAW Resolution speaker prediction software program when designing the system. “The coverage is really good from about 300 feet back from City Hall out to about 1000 feet, then airborne absorption takes over,” he reveals. “At the 300-foot mark in the middle of South Broad St. we’re at about 86 dBA. Back at 1,200 feet it’s at 80 dBA – and that’s with the speaker clusters 127 feet off the ground and only four boxes a side.” For PIFA 2011, the City of Brotherly Love has taken its inspiration from the City of Light in 1911, when Paris was a hotbed of creativity in music, literature and the visual arts. Philadelphia, the birthplace of the United States, hopes to ignite a creative and cultural revolution through the spirit of collaboration, innovation and creativity in the PIFA program, which represents every arts discipline. The first-time arts extravaganza takes over stages, museums and public spaces in Philadelphia from April 7 through May 1, 2011 and features 31 commissions, 135 events and more than 140 arts partners. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2831 AUDIO-TECHNICA OFFERS BP893cW MicroEarset HEADWORN MICROPHONE WITH 2000 AND 3000 SERIES WIRELESS SYSTEMS STOW, OH, May 2, 2011 — Audio-Technica announces that its BP893cW MicroEarset Omnidirectional Condenser Headworn Microphone is now available packaged with Audio-Technica’s 2000 and 3000 Series wireless systems. The new product bundles, otherwise known as ATW-2193a 2000 Series and ATW-3193b 3000 Series wireless systems, come with BP893cW MicroEarset (choice of black or beige microphone), 2000 or 3000 Series receiver and UniPak® body-pack transmitter. The BP893cW is Audio-Technica’s wireless version of its successful BP893 MicroEarset. With its ergonomically molded earpiece and unobtrusive one-inch boom, the BP893cW offers inconspicuous placement along with clear, consistent voice pickup. Its extended frequency response provides natural sound reproduction, and its lightweight low-profile design and ease of use make the microphone ideal for use in theatrical performances, houses of worship and broadcast studios. The BP893cW is positioned unobtrusively over either ear. Its omnidirectional miniature condenser capsule offers outstanding pickup tailored for crystal-clear vocal reproduction, similar to that of a high-quality lavalier microphone. The BP893cW includes a 55-inch (1.4-meter) permanently attached miniature cable terminated with a locking four-pin connector for use with Audio-Technica UniPak transmitters. A-T’s 2000 Series frequency-agile True Diversity UHF wireless system delivers professional audio and RF performance unheard of in its class. Straightforward setup, automatic scanning, and other advanced wireless features bring the system’s performance to a standard that provides the audio quality and reliability necessary for sophisticated systems. Offering up to 1001 selectable UHF frequencies in 25 kHz spacing in three available frequency bands (including the new I Band 482 MHz–507 MHz), Audio-Technica's 3000 Series delivers outstanding professional performance. Nine pre-coordinated frequency scan groups simplify selection of usable frequencies in a multi-channel wireless system. The versatile UniPak features a backlit screen for easy reading in low-light situations and a locking battery door for added security. A three-position sliding cover on the transmitter's control panel prevents accidental shutoff or channel-switching. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2830 BLADE STUDIOS OUTFITS ITS STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY WITH THE HELP OF GUITAR CENTER PROFESSIONAL WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, May 2, 2011 — Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro), the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users, played a significant role in outfitting Blade Studios, a new world class, multi-room, multi-function production facility that recently opened in Shreveport, Louisiana. The complex, which offers a broad range of music, film and other media production services, features studio acoustics and architecture by Russ Berger Design Group and an equipment list that includes products from ADAM Acoustics, Apple, Avid, Ocean Way Audio and Solid State Logic, much of it supplied through GC Pro. The collaboration with GC Pro began even before the construction plans were finalized, according to Scott Crompton, executive producer and media developer at Blade Studios. Crompton is a partner in Blade Studios alongside GRAMMY®-nominated chief engineer, mixer and producer Chris Bell and renowned drummer and producer Brady Blade, Jr., who lends his name to the facility. “We were really interested in having the Ocean Way Audio monitors in the studio,” says Crompton. “GC Pro helped facilitate a visit for me during the 2010 GRAMMYs at Ocean Way Recording, where GC Pro Business Development Manager Derek Snyder introduced me to Allen Sides. We were fortunate enough to be able to audition the Ocean Way Monitors in the studio with a wide variety of source material that Allen had. One listen convinced me that they were the right monitors for our studios.” GC Pro is the exclusive U.S. dealer for Ocean Way monitors, which are designed by multi-GRAMMY Award-winning engineer/producer and studio owner Allen Sides in Hollywood, California. Later, when the studio put the final equipment list out to bid, Jeffrey McDaniel, GC Pro Account Manager in Dallas, Texas, submitted a competitive offer. Crompton relates, “It was just really clear that Jeffrey was the guy we wanted to work with, because he knows his business and he’s got a very good disposition. And he’s been great.” The Blade Studios complex, housed in a high-tech, secure building conveniently located just south of downtown Shreveport, features two identically sized control rooms. Studio A houses a 48-channel SSL Duality console while Studio B features an Avid ICON D-Control ES. Both rooms feature Avid Pro Tools|HD3 systems with a Studer A827 tape machine also available in Studio A. The monitor systems in both control rooms are identical: Ocean Way Audio HR2 main stereo mains plus ADAM Audio monitors in a 5.1 configuration. Both control rooms offer a selection of new and vintage outboard processing equipment and microphones, and new and vintage instruments are available in the 1,350-plus square foot tracking room, which also includes spacious isolation booths. Nearly all of the equipment was purchased through McDaniel, says Crompton: “We’ve bought a massive amount of gear from GC Pro.” Even though some of the equipment could have been purchased directly from the manufacturer, Crompton involved GC Pro in the deal, he says. For example, “We’ve been buying all of our Apple equipment through Jeffrey because for me it’s great to have one source that completely understands the scope of what we are trying to create in Blade Studios, and to have the power of GC Pro and Jeffrey McDaniel there in the middle of the transaction is wonderful.” It’s not every day that a world class production facility opens for business in the United States, much less one outside any of the cities more typically associated with music and film production. Blade Studios is offering a deep menu of services together with a well equipped kitchen, lounges and other creature comforts, combined with Louisiana’s generous tax incentives for film and music projects produced in the state, to attract clients to Shreveport. As Crompton relates, McDaniel also understood the wishes of the studio partners to keep as much business as possible in the state. Crompton recalls, “He said, ‘I know you guys want to use Louisiana vendors, so we can run the transaction through GC Pro in Baton Rouge. And I’m going to make sure that store is stocked with what you need.’” The original idea behind the studio dates back to when Crompton – a marketing executive who had previously performed with blues musicians such as Hubert Sumlin, Bob Margolin, Willy King and Johnny Shines – heard that Blade had returned to his hometown after living and working in Stockholm, Sweden, for some time, and he sought the drummer out. Blade, who is well known for his work with Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and the Dukes, Jewel, The Indigo Girls, Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews & Friends and a host of other artists, was interested in starting a business in Shreveport. “We said, the problem is there’s just not a really super-duper, high-end facility in Louisiana,” recalls Crompton. “So let’s make sure that we build the very best studio we can possibly imagine. And we’ve accomplished that. Every screw, every nail, every piece of equipment in this place is the very, very best we could get our hands on. It’s really as fine as any place on the planet. And we have GC Pro to thank in helping make our vision a reality.” Photo File: GCPro_BladeStudios.JPG Photo Caption: Pictured L-R: Blade Studios chief engineer, mixer and producer Chris Bell; engineer/producer and Ocean Way studio owner Allen Sides; renowned drummer and producer Brady Blade; and Blade Studios executive producer and media developer Scott Crompton, at Blade Studios after Sides helped the team tweak their Ocean Way Monitoring system. The system and a majority of the studio’s other gear was sourced through GC Pro. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2829 Located in New York’s Broadway Theater district, the New Victory Theater has installed a Midas PRO3 live audio system. New York’s oldest working theater, The New Victory was built in 1900 by Oscar Hammerstein and seats 499 patrons in a traditional proscenium style layout. Reopened in 1995 after a period of non-activity by the New 42nd Street Inc. non-profit, the New Victory Theater is the city’s first and only full-time performing arts theater for kids and their families. “After 15 years, it was time for us to update our systems and enter the 21st century,” states David Jensen, Director of Production for New 42nd Street Inc. “Part of our mission was to build an audience for the future, and we want New Victory Theater productions to be as technically advanced as any of the other shows – just aimed at a younger audience. The PRO3 console is a perfect fit.” Anthony Nittoli, design principal at Connecticut-based Akustiks LLC, was engaged to upgrade the sound system at the New Victory Theater, and one of the more difficult pieces of the puzzle was finding the right mixing console. “When I found out about the Midas PRO Series at the InfoComm show last June,” Nittoli recalls, “I knew right away it was a perfect match for the specification. Midas sound quality in a small package met our needs in terms of features and price.” The installation contract was awarded to Masque Sound, stalwarts of the New York theater scene for nearly 75 years. Project manager Matt Peskie was charged with the task of integrating the console, which meant learning to operate it. “This was my first experience with Midas digital,” he notes. “Our lead time on this project was pretty tight, since the New Victory is only dark for about eight weeks over the summer. To get familiar, I worked with the Midas offline editor, which was great, because it looks exactly the same as what you see on the actual console screen.” Since its installation, Peskie reports nothing but smooth sailing for the PRO3. “I went down and mixed the show for their gala opening and the sound was great, like an H3000 or an XL4. Having both the digital and analog gain structure is great. You can hit the analog gain hard, then back it off some digitally. Those preamps give you that warm Midas sound.” “Along with great sound, one thing that has always set Midas apart from other console manufacturers is factory support,” says Anthony Nittoli. “Midas was totally on top of it, and had people both on the phone and on site to help with configuration to make sure the installation was right. As a system designer, it’s all about getting it right for the client, especially on high tech gear like a digital console. That’s paramount for us. It really justified our faith in Midas.” Peskie sees the PRO3 as a perfect fit for the New Victory Theater. “The mixing is straightforward; you just use your normal workflow,” he explains. “You still go from gain to EQ, from there to the aux sends, to compression, gate etc. But the things that are great for theater are the scene changes, the snapshot automation and group assignments. The automation lets you go as deep as you want, with gain changes, effects changes, levels and mutes. A big key for the New Victory is that shows often come back, so they can build a library of every show and have everything stored for the next time. That’s a tremendous advantage.” Jensen seconds that notion. “About half of the shows staged here bring their own engineers,” he notes. “Some are very comfortable in the digital realm, but some need a little more support from our staff. One of the things that we love about this desk in particular is that it has a very analog feel, so people can get their heads around it pretty quickly, usually within 30 minutes. That’s certainly not true for every digital console. But it still has all the digital capabilities we could ask for, and of course the sound is simply gorgeous.” Nittoli points out that accommodating visiting engineers was another reason he felt confident in specifying the PRO3. “One of the biggest requirements was to find a console that was not only user-friendly, but also rider-friendly,” he states. “Midas has always been a console that’s well accepted. No matter what’s on a rider, when you tell them you have a Midas, you’re pretty much good to go.” For David Jensen and New Victory Theater, the Midas upgrade will be a huge contributor to the continuing growth of this unique venue and its mission. “When we opened in 1995, no one knew if a theater dedicated to kids programming could work,” he notes. “Since then, we’ve seen over a million patrons come through our doors, including over 300,000 school kids who see the show for two dollars a ticket – which is unheard of.” World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2828 “X-Desk has given the mixing process a whole new dimension. And in a competitive and somewhat saturated industry, it really does make all the difference.” OXFORD, ENGLAND – Solid State Logic, the world’s leading manufacturer of analogue and digital audio consoles, is pleased to announce that Richard Earnshaw has installed a Solid State Logic X-Desk at the heart of his studio. Earnshaw has been mixing and remixing House, Funk and Soul artists for well over a decade, racking up credits with the likes of Groove Armada, Dido, Roisin Murphy, Shakatak and Ce Ce Peniston, amongst others. More recently he’s been putting the finishing touches to his debut artist album, ‘In Time’, collaborating with such Soulful luminaries as Jocelyn Brown, Carleen Anderson, Roy Ayers, Ursula Rucker, Kenny Thomas… “For me, installing X-Desk was the perfect solution. There were really two main reasons for going for X-Desk: firstly, I wanted to break out my audio stems into a high-end summing mixer and combine ‘out-of-the-box’ processes with a super high-end signal path.” “And secondly, with X-Desk I can chose my own combination of EQ/dynamics to suit my needs. Every producer has their favourite EQ or compressor and X-Desk allows these preferences to be brought together so easily. And of course now I can tell all my mates I have an SSL in the studio!” “By itself, X-Desk pretty much rules the roost in the studio. And if I need to add more channels I can just add another X-Desk. I have limited space in the studio, so the seamless integration with SSL’s X-Rack system really suits my working environment. And I can easily achieve similar configurations usually found in much bigger studios with much bigger mixing boards.” “Having X-Desk installed has actually slowed down the mixing process for me, but in a good way. It’s always very busy in the studio and it’s easy for me to get carried away and have the whole producing and mixing thing going on at the same time, but with X-Desk in situ I’m more aware of the separation of the process. It goes without saying that the super-clean analogue signal path allows for better interpretation of sound so with X-Desk I find it easier to pin point and manipulate signals.” “In a nutshell, installing X-Desk has given me the high-end, super-smooth analogue signal path I’ve been looking for in my setup. As a result, it’s given the mixing process a whole new dimension. And in a competitive and somewhat saturated industry, it really does make all the difference.” World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2827 Community Sponsors HOW-TO Church Sound Workshops Chester PA, USA: Community Professional Loudspeakers has announced their sponsorship of a series of HOW-TO Church Sound workshops presented by Fits and Starts Productions, LLC. This successful workshop series has toured cities and churches across America for seven years, and kicks off another season in 2011, offering six new tour segments of six cities each, plus several private training sessions. The program features full 8+ hour hands-on Live Sound for Worship workshops with equipment fully integrated, as well as a Recording and Podcasting Seminar. Designed for the church audio volunteer, live sound personnel, media and praise band members, each workshop is produced by industry veteran Hector La Torre and presented by sound reinforcement engineer Mike Sokol (see bios at www.fitsandstarts.com). The program offers attendees a rare opportunity to learn about church sound systems in a professional manner. The HOW-TO Church Sound Workshops offer several training categories in each workshop, including: Micro-phones, Mixing Consoles, Speakers & Amplifiers, Signal Processors / Effects, Recording, Podcasting and more. "We're proud and pleased to have Community on board for our HOW-TO workshops," remarked Hector La Torre. "Our sponsors are invaluable to us as more than just business partners - they are chosen because of the quality and reliability of their products, which we are comfortable to use and recommend to houses of worship across the country." "Community loudspeakers have long been a part of helping to deliver the message in a great many houses of worship world-wide," says Julia Lee, Community's Director of Sales and Marketing. "We're really pleased to be involved in the HOW-TO workshops, and look forward to doing our part to help educate church sound personnel." World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2826 Turbosound, Allen & Heath breathe new life into First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa Images: iLive-176 at FOH Images: FlexArray and TCS-1561 Located in the heart of downtown, First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa is nearly 200 years old and still going strong. Recently, the church decided to upgrade its sound system and engaged Music Alley of Birmingham, Alabama to perform the design and build. Not your typical system integrator, Music Alley was founded as a retail music instrument store in 1974, and founder and CEO Steve Garrett has expanded his business into other areas. “It’s really about following industry trends,” he explains. “Today, our business is 40 percent installation.” “The job was to redo the entire audio system in the sanctuary,” says Garrett. “The old sound system was well past its prime, and the church wanted something first-class. It was an interesting design, because the church’s music presentation blends contemporary and orchestral music with pipe organ and choir. They knew they wanted a digital mixing console, and it being a rectangular sanctuary, we went with a single line array as part of an LCR cluster.” The key Music Alley proposed a design based around two key products: an Allen & Heath iLive 176 digital mixing console and a Turbosound TCS line array, the contracting version of the company’s FlexArray speaker system. “They wanted a first-class system,” Garrett explains, “so we choose the best products available.” The sanctuary is a long rectangle, with an arched, 25-foot ceiling and a balcony in the rear. Primary coverage is provided by a single Turbosound line array comprised of four TFA-600HDP speakers with four standard 75-degree dispersion on top, and a single TFA-600HWDP providing 100-degree wide dispersion at the bottom. Both models are three-way designs with twin 10-inch drivers, a 6.5-inch high-mid driver and a 1-inch neodymium tweeter. Hanging on either side of the center line array, are Turbosound TCS-1561 speakers, which provide the stereo information. The TCS-1561 is a 3-way speaker with 15-inch bass driver and rotatable mid driver along with a one-inch tweeter. Beneath these are two TCS-61 downfill speakers to provide coverage for the front rows. The final piece of the system is a pair of TFA-600LDP 18-inch subwoofers, ceiling mounted behind the main cluster to provide the punch. The entire cluster, including subwoofers, utilizes Turbosound’s digitally powered architecture, with on-board amplification and DSP capabilities. The mixing console is an Allen & Heath iLive-176. The mixing surface, which feeds both the house and monitor sound systems, resides in the balcony, while the modular iDR10 MixRack is stationed in the pit area behind the stage. This was a major upgrade from the church’s previous capabilities, both in terms of connectivity and processing power. The lead engineer at First Baptist Tuscaloosa is Jack McCown, who has been mixing there for twelve years. “The one thing I told myself coming into this was, whether it’s digital or analog, it’s still a mixer,” he says. “Once you understand some basics of where things are and how they operate, it’s really the same. It didn’t take long to learn the board itself, not a hard transition at all. And, I’m not a soundman by trade; I’m in financial services!” Primary training was handled by Steve Garrett. “We knew that, once we got the speakers in the air, we would be dropping in the console on a Monday and taking the new system live the next Sunday,” he relates. “Fortunately, the iLive has one of the more easy learning curves out there. I did most of the console configuration in advance, so they could concentrate on the operational side of things. Jack learned the desk very quickly, although I did go down there the first few Sundays to make sure everything would go smoothly for them.” In addition to covering the main speaker cluster and subwoofers, the iLive also sends outputs to the church’s Aviom stage monitoring system, which feeds both personal mixers for the band along with several floor wedge monitors. Another feed goes to the legacy under-balcony speaker system, with a 55 millisecond delay to ensure cohesion with the mains. Garrett also chose to use the vast DSP resources of the iDR10 MixRack to tune the house system. “The Turbosound speakers have onboard processing, and we did some tweaking there,” he says. “But it was pretty minimal because of the way they’ve matched the amps and speakers. For tuning the room, and analyzing/suppressing feedback from resonant frequencies, we used the iLive. It was amazing how little we needed to do. There were really only a few problem frequencies, and we just set up some real tight notch filters on the iLive and we were done.” With the room under control, Jack McCown quickly adjusted to his new mix environment, setting up his inputs in groups. He’s especially happy with the iLive’s extensive EQ and DSP capabilities, and uses the system’s ability to store and recall settings to ensure faster setup and optimal sound quality. “We have different praise teams that sing each week, so we’re building an EQ library,” he says. “When I come in Sunday morning and see which team is singing, I just call up the EQ settings for each singers and assign them a microphone. It’s so much easier. And I do the same thing with the preamps. If you’ve got a singer with a really powerful or really soft voice, you can save their preamp setting in a separate library. There’s so much flexibility in the system, it’s actually way easier than using an analog console.” The improvement in the sound provided by the new system was immediately apparent. When Steve Garrett of Music Alley installed a Wi-Fi router to augment the system, Jack McCown was able to confirm that first-hand by taking advantage of the iLive’s remote access capabilities. “It allows me to go anywhere within the sanctuary and still have full control of the board, which is fantastic” he explains. “I call it a road trip. It lets you walk from place to place and tweak speakers to make sure the levels are optimized, so you can walk from one zone into another and not hear any difference. Since we mix from the balcony, it’s really an amazing capability to have.” “Mixing here for 12 years, of course I got used to doing things a certain way,” says McCowen. “But I believe in doing whatever is easiest and makes it sound best. When I saw what this iLive console could do and heard how the whole system could enhance the worship experience, I was sold. For me, going to a digital system was like going from a ’57 Chevy with a stick shift to a brand new luxury automobile. Why would you want to go back?” World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2825 You’d Have to Be Crazy Not to Get a PhantomFocus™ System…” — “On second thought, be crazy – that way I'll have the competitive edge,” joked highly respected multi-platinum and GRAMMY®-nominated engineer/producer John Merchant, when invited to comment on his dual Carl Tatz Design PhantomFocus™ System — Nashville, TN: “What really pushed me over the edge in making my decision to implement PhantomFocus™ technology for the monitors I chose for my new room,” recalls Merchant, “was a visit to The Grip, belonging to Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts. After being very impressed with the system in the A room, Carl led me to a small editing suite within the personal studio complex called The Cockpit that measured seven feet by nine feet with a slanted ceiling and four foot-high front wall. I thought to myself that there was no way that this was going to sound anything like what I just heard in the main room. However, when I sat down in the engineer’s chair I was not prepared for what I heard – the same tight low end down to 20 Hz, pinpoint imaging and reliable frequency response in this essentially ridiculous space – I was sold!” Prestigious Middle Tennessee State University recording school professor John Merchant has worked with an amazing array of artists, musicians, producers and engineers over the course of his storied career, including Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, R. Kelly, Toni Braxton, Barry Gibb, Lenny Kravitz, Arif Mardin, David Foster, Russ Titelman, Phil Ramone and Raphael Saadiq, to name a few. Merchant’s RedDoor studio, designed by Studio Bau:ton with build and finish by Carl Tatz Design, has swung open, and there, along with ongoing personal projects, he will be providing advanced master recording classes later this year. The new studio features a Carl Tatz Design Dual PhantomFocus System (PFS) implementing a pair of custom TEC:ton Engineering large mains with double 15-inch TAD woofers and Sony compression drivers, all driven with multiple Bryston 7B SST amplifiers, and a pair of Event Opal near fields (that Merchant had a hand in designing). “You just want a system that tells you the truth,” says Merchant in reference to studio monitoring. “However,” Tatz explains, “if you think you can just place a pair of great monitors in an acoustically treated room, no matter how well done, and get that, you’ll be disappointed after you find out how great they can really perform with the PhantomFocus System.” “The main monitors’ low end is full, clear and strikingly true, and they fill RedDoor’s large control room nicely.” The Opals, which share the same pair of custom 15-inch TAD subwoofers as the mains in this Dual PFS, remarkably have the same frequency response curve as the mains but are more intimate and detailed as only near fields and dome tweeters can provide. “It’s really the best of both worlds, and both systems have the same now famous PFS frequency response and incredibly accurate imaging,” adds Merchant. About the PhantomFocus™ System Carl Tatz Design’s proprietary PhantomFocus™ System monitor tuning protocol offers clients a unique opportunity to have a truly world-class monitoring experience in their room, no matter how modest they may perceive it to be. The PhantomFocus System allows their monitors of choice to perform accurately at a full 20Hz-to-20KHz frequency response with pinpoint imaging in an almost holographic sweet spot — this enables their mixes to travel anywhere with a new level of sonic accuracy. There are approximately fifty steps in the proprietary PhantomFocus System implementation protocol, some of which may include phase and laser alignment, damping, isolation mounts, careful assessment of engineer/speaker placement relative to their room’s primary axial modes, proprietary speaker distance and angle and digital processing crossover points for pass filtering, and finally parametric equalization. Hardware can include monitor stands, concrete, sorbothane and other isolation materials, custom floating plenum mounts, subwoofer system and digital processor. The evaluation and implementation is a full two-day process and can be applied to near-fields, mid-fields and large soffit mounted monitors, regardless of manufacturer. Carl Tatz Design installs the PhantomFocus System in existing control rooms and in all studios that are designed and built from the ground up by CTD. The result is like the aural equivalent of HD TV. Once you experience a PhantomFocus System, you can’t go back. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2824 LOUISIANA’S BLADE STUDIOS REACHES HIGH SONIC STANDARDS WITH ENDLESS ANALOG’S CLASP® — New state-of-the-art studio facility puts artists in the zone with rich, nuanced sound thanks to CLASP®— NASHVILLE, TN, April 21, 2011 — Shreveport, Louisiana’s new world-class sound recording studio complex Blade Studios, opened by leading Drummer/Producer Brady Blade (Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews) and Executive Producer/Media Developer Scott Crompton, along with Chief Engineer/Producer/Mixer Chris Bell (Erykah Badu, Destiny’s Child, The Eagles), is the latest high-profile facility to employ Endless Analog’s CLASP® (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) system, which uniquely integrates analog tape machines into the digital audio production workflow. The studio features a wide range of classic and modern recording gear, and CLASP has made it possible for the Blade team to operate an analog tape machine while still running it through a digital audio workstation, combining the warm, classic sound of analog compression with the convenience of the digital world. Chris Bell was in the process of picking out equipment for the new facility, and he came across CLASP online. He states, “I read a couple of articles on it, and I thought it sounded very interesting. I grew up using analog tape, and in recent years it’s just been disappearing, which is a shame. Last year I think I only did one record on tape. But CLASP opens up that possibility again in a very real, modern way. So I contacted my sales rep to track down a CLASP, and got in touch with Chris Estes, who invented the CLASP box and runs Endless Analog, and he was immensely helpful, and he helped me get the unit up and running. That was just a few months ago, and we’ve already been using it on sessions here at the studio.” Scott Crompton is likewise vocal in his appreciation for CLASP: “The most important thing we do for our clients is create an atmosphere where they are inspired, breathe easy and feel great about the room and the sessions that are taking place. We want them to perform confidently and enjoy the sound of their own voice and playing, and CLASP is an important piece of that puzzle – a tool to make that happen. A lot of people want to use vintage gear, but they don’t necessarily want the hassles associated with it – high costs for tape reels, time for rewinding or transferring things to Pro Tools, etc. CLASP solves those problems; you only need a small amount of tape, and no time is needed for transferring things. The artist can always be in the moment, and no inspiration gets lost. That is a tremendous gift. Artists are generally more at ease when they don’t sense the pressure and ticking clock of burning through expensive tape. Now, they can walk in and see CLASP and think, ‘I can do a thousand takes; I can do a million takes, and it’s all going to tape and it all sounds sweet.’ The CLASP separates itself from all other gear – it’s like riding around in a beautiful old Gullwing Mercedes and not having to worry about it breaking down or anybody backing into it.” The studio is running a Studer A827 with the CLASP and an SSL Duality console, and recent sessions involved Rolling Stones touring bassist Daryl Jones, along with Brady Blade on drums. Bell states, “It’s so nice to see reels of tape rolling again – everybody is so curious about the tape machine. They say, ‘Man this is cool. We haven’t done this in a while.’ It really makes an enormous difference in sound, and since it’s not slowing down the session, you don’t really think about the fact that it’s there and working. You just know that feeling when everything sounds rich and nuanced, coming right from the moment of performance. The tape adds that smooth, full compression on the front end, so I don’t have to add as much compression later on – it’s changed the way I mix to more how I used to mix once upon a time, pre-digital. You can just let the tape machine do so much.” World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2823 SSL ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF NEW ‘X-PANDA’ 24 CHANNEL SUPERANALOGUE™ MIXER AT MESSE 2011 Highly versatile compact SuperAnalogue™ mixer provides expansion for X-Desk, X-Rack or works as standalone mixer. FRANKFURT — Solid State Logic, the world’s leading manufacturer of professional digital and analogue consoles, announce the release of X-Panda, a versatile new 24 channel compact SuperAnalogue™ mixer at Music Messe 2011. SSL are located in Hall 8, Stand B.75. Building on the success of the highly acclaimed X-Desk, ‘X-Panda’ is a new small format analogue mixer aimed at project studio owners and it packs a versatile feature set into its compact frame. As a standalone product it serves as a high quality 24 input mixer that can be used for tracking (in conjunction with external mic pres) or master mix summing. In conjunction with an SSL X-Desk, X-Panda introduces 24 additional channels, which via the ‘X-Desk Link’ connection, feed directly into the X-Desk Master Buss, Cue and Aux Send/Return system. In conjunction with an X-Rack summing system fitted with a Master Module, X-Panda adds faders and additional inputs to create a versatile mixer. X-Panda can also be used with any other mixer to expand available channel count. X-Panda provides 8 mono channels (each with Main and Alt inputs giving 16 mono inputs) and 4 stereo channels, giving a total of 24 channels at mix down. All channels feature an input Level Trim with a centre détente at Unity Gain, tri-colour signal indicator LEDs, Phase Invert, an Insert and a Direct Channel Output (which can be switched post fader). Each channel has a Stereo Cue section with dedicated Level and Pan controls. When tracking this is traditionally used to create a monitor feed to the Stereo Cue Buss Output but on mono channels Alt buttons flip the Stereo Cue section controls to adjusting the Alt input Level & Pan for mix down. Each channel features independent FX1 and FX2 send level controls (globally switched Pre/Post fader). Self illuminated heavy duty Solo and Cut buttons, Pan/Balance controls and precision 100mm faders complete the channel strip. X-Panda features a stereo Mix Buss, Stereo Cue Buss and Solo Buss. When linked to an X-Desk using the ‘X-Desk Link’ connection, the X-Panda Mix Buss and Stereo Cue Buss feed into the respective Busses on the X-Desk. The Solo systems are also linked so that Soloing any channel mutes all other channels on all Linked units. Similarly when an X-Panda is Linked to an X-Desk with a Master Module fitted the Mix, Cue and Solo Busses are also Linked. It is possible to cascade up to 8 X-Desk and X-Panda units using the ‘X-Desk Link’ system, enabling very high channel count systems to be configured. When used as a standalone product the X-Panda main Mix Buss and FX Busses are set to sum at unity gain enabling it to act as a summing mixer without the need for Master Level controls. Key Features · Highly versatile compact analogue mixer with SSL SuperAnalogue™ benchmark audio quality · 24 Ch expander for X-Desk or any other analogue mixer · Adds long throw 100mm faders and 24 Ch Inputs to an X-Rack summing system · Stand alone 24 input summing mixer · 8 mono fader channels with main and Alt inputs giving 16 mono inputs Inserts & Direct Channel Outputs · 4 stereo fader channels with Stereo Inserts and Stereo Direct Outputs · Stereo Cue, and FX1 & FX2 mono Aux send controls · Heavy duty self illuminated Solo/cut Switches · Compact desktop design with removable 19” rack ears · Rear panel connections via DB25 D-Sub World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2822 Schaan, Liechtenstein. The Test & Measurement solution provider NTi Audio AG, unveils its new FLEXUS Audio Analyzer. It features a convincing modular concept and flexible configurations. Outstanding specifications paired with the latest technologies such as fast sweeps make the FX100 Analyzer equally attractive for R&D as well as high speed production testing applications. The FLEXUS Audio Analyzer offers a modular hardware concept, which allows customization for two or four parallel channel operation. The impedance module supports speaker measurements for obtaining impedance plots and Thiele-Small-parameters. Individual input switcher and output switcher modules extend the audio analyzer to 14 input channels or 14 output channels connected simultaneously. The FX-Control suite operates several FX100 in parallel thus offering cascaded system measurements. Scalable Architecture “The modular concept was an essential design criteria for optimally meeting the customers needs”, says Philipp Schwizer, CEO of NTi Audio, “This feature ensures the best possible match of the equipment to the application and guarantees lowest cost of ownership.” For measurement speed optimization, the FLEXUS Audio Analyzer acquires all measurement functions in parallel. State-of-the art measurement technologies comprising of fast glide sweeps (Farina sweep), detailed stepped sweeps and a continuous meter mode further support fast and accurate measurements. Superior Specifications The wide level range from 1 μV - 200 Vp paired with a typical THD+N of -104 dB enables the FX100 to cope with comprehensive audio and acoustic analysis for research and design labs. The FX100 Audio Analyzer offers a wide frequency range from 5 Hz up to 80 kHz and simultaneous measurement of the DC voltage. Thus the FX100 provides detailed DC and audio frequency analysis within the same configuration. The high-resolution FFT with 192 kHz sampling rate presents a detailed analysis of the audio frequency spectrum. FFT graph panels may be customized showing one or more traces in the same panel simultaneously. Detailed R&D measurements are supported with Frequency, Amplitude, Time and Table Sweeps, which may trigger with internal or external signals. FX-Control Suite The FX100 Audio Analyzer includes the FX-Control Suite software, which provides straight-forward access to all audio analyzer features. The flexible architecture supports all demands for intuitive setup of single, parallel or sequential measurement. Individual configuration and result panels may be displayed on various work sheets. Individual measurements may be combined to test sequences, including tolerance handling and Pass/Fail result, creating an easy operator test flow. The software utilizes the advantages of state-of-the-art ribbon architecture for today‘s and future measurement applications. The FX-Control Suite software supports all .NET programming languages, such as C#.NET and Visual Basic.NET. This implies fast and easy integration into customized production solutions. Furthermore FX-Control can be configured to illustrate the external hardware wiring. This ensures fast setup by sending the project configuration to the production lines around the globe. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2821 As part of a full rebuild of its sanctuary, Redlands Seventh Day Adventist Church in Southern California wanted to upgrade and modernize its sound system. Senior pastor Zach Thorp engaged independent system designer/installer Brad McCoy to lead the project. “With the entire church being remodeled, it was important to do the audio upgrade in a fiscally responsible way,” says Thorp. “Brad helped us find a solution that stayed within the budget while providing all the sound quality and functionality we needed.” The sanctuary of this 550-seat church is roughly 120 feet long, with 20-foot ceilings and a balcony. The musical presentation is rooted in traditional pipe organ and grand piano, incorporates orchestral elements like string and horn sections, and also uses contemporary elements like acoustic and electric guitars. The church’s use of drama meant that speech intelligibility was another key requirement. That solution was based around Turbosound loudspeakers and an Allen & Heath iLive-T112 digital mixing console. “Looking at the church’s needs and budget, this was easily the best choice,” says Brad McCoy. “The Turbosound speakers are very musical, and the iLive console has the ability to handle complex programs, but can also be operated successfully by the volunteer mixers – the best of both worlds." The console specified for Redlands 7th Day Adventist was an iLive-T112 mixing surface paired with the iDR-48 MixRack, outfitted with 32 inputs and 16 outputs, plus an Aviom card for the personal monitoring system. McCoy points to the convenience of the iLive’s remote MixRack and Cat5 digital snake system as key elements in the mixer’s design that set it apart from competing units. “First, everything you need is included. All the mic preamps, DSP and I/O are located in a single MixRack up by the stage, which is incredibly convenient,” he points out. “There’s no need to run big copper snakes, so infrastructure becomes very easy to deal with. In terms of sound quality, flexibility, and ease of use, the iLive gives incredible bang for the buck. Compared to other consoles on the market today, no other mixing desk comes close.” The Turbosound speakers McCoy selected for the main array were the TCS-1061 series, the installation version of the Flex Array line. “We designed a mono four-speaker array, which was the only way to go in a long, narrow room like this,” McCoy reports. The line array’s top three boxes are the TCS-1061/75, with 75-degree horizontal dispersion model, topping a single TCS-1061/100 for wider dispersion across the front rows. Flying immediately behind the array is a Turbosound TFA-600L subwoofer, which fills the room with a single 18-inch driver. Small side transepts on either side of the stage are each covered by a single ceiling-mounted TCS-611 sidefill speaker. The sound system is powered and controlled by three Turbosound RACKDP-50 DSP amplifiers, each providing 1250 Watts into four channels. According to Brad McCoy, the secret to the installation’s success. “The DP-50s give us total system control – power, delay, parametric EQ, the works – and are optimized to work with the Flex Array. Everything is networked together, so the speakers and amps really work together as a system.” To assure even coverage, the line array is split into three zones and biamped. The top speaker handles the long throw to the balcony, the middle two blanket the main seating area, and the bottom speaker covers the front. Two of the RACKDP-50s are bridged to provide four channels of 2500 Watts, which handles the low frequency drivers in the array in three zones, plus the subwoofer. The last DSP amp powers the high-frequency array drivers, with the last channel dedicated to the sidefill speakers. On stage, a set of four Turbosound NuQ-8DP self-powered speakers were added to augment the church’s pre-existing Aviom personal monitor system. “It’s interesting; the musicians like the sound of the NuQ wedges so much, they don’t actually use our Aviom system as much anymore,” reports Brad McCoy “They’re very musical, and with no drums on stage, stage volume is not really an issue. Now they only use the Aviom when they have a large number of musicians on stage.” “This new system works for us on every level,” senior pastor Zach Thorp concludes. “I judge things on how they sound, and the Turbosound array sounds fantastic all the way to the last pew. We’re also very happy with the clean look of the integration, which was important to us. For our sound techs, the iLive has much better ease of use than our previous digital desk. They picked it up really quickly after some training from Brad. And I love the fact that everything we wanted was already included. Allen & Heath was really the best choice in terms of capability, convenience and cost. We couldn’t be happier with this system.” World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2820 AmpliTube Custom Shop Now Shipping From IK Multimedia A new tone shopping experience for software plug-ins April 2011, Modena, Italy - IK Multimedia is proud to announce the release of AmpliTube 3 Custom Shop, the updated 3.5 version of IK's leading amp and effects modelling software. The Custom Shop is an entirely new tone shopping experience that is like visiting a real guitar store, but one that is open 24/7 right in the comfort of your own studio. The AmpliTube Custom Shop has the widest offering of legendary, officially certified brands and a price model affordable to anyone for building your truly custom tone. Every new user can start by downloading a FREE, fully functional version of AmpliTube 3 - both a standalone application and plug-in - with a collection of 24 gear models (9 stomp boxes, 4 amplifiers, 5 cabinets, 3 microphones, 2 rack effects and digital tuner) for recording and mixing in their favourite Mac/Win DAW, for playing on stage or practising at home. Then with the new Custom Shop feature - directly accessible within AmpliTube using an online connection - over 200 gear models of stomp boxes, amplifiers, cabinets, microphones and rack effects can be browsed, auditioned and purchased à la carte. These include officially certified models from legendary guitar and bass brands such as Fender™, Ampeg®, Orange®, Soldano™, Seymour Duncan™, Groove Tubes®, Gallien-Krueger®, Jet City Amplification™, THD®, T-Rex® and many others, with more models and brands coming in the future. Each model can be tested for free (for a period of 2 days every 2 months) before purchase, just like trying out an amp in a physical guitar shop. Gear models are sold in the Custom Shop using Gear Credits and are priced between 5 and 20 credits each. Gear Credits are sold in packs from a minimum of 20 credits to a maximum of 500 credits, with individual gear models starting as low as $3 each! With the AmpliTube 3 Custom Shop, now everybody can build their own personal gear collection with a level of customization never seen before and at prices never so affordable. Current AmpliTube 3 users will be able to download the new 3.5 version for free and have full access to the new Custom Shop as well as many new features: 64-bit plug-in compatibility, an improved preset browser with full graphical display of the rig, 4,000 new "patch" slots that store controller information with the presets, improved integration with IK's range of controllers (like the StealthPedal and StompIO) with full programmability directly from AmpliTube, improved MIDI control, "sequences" for organizing live playing presets and much more. 24 brand new, previously unreleased amp and effects models from Fender™, Orange®, Soldano™, T-Rex® and more are available at the opening of the Custom Shop for previous AmpliTube 3 users to expand their collections using the new à la carte purchase model. Users of AmpliTube Fender™, Ampeg® SVX, AmpliTube Metal, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ and AmpliTube 2 Live will be able to use all of their existing gear models in the new AmpliTube 3 FREE version which includes the Custom Shop. All the user's gear is available inside the new AmpliTube 3 "shell" which allows users to take advantage of the full features of AmpliTube 3 that were not available in their packages - similar to what was previously done with AmpliTube X-GEAR - as well as access the new Custom Shop to expand their model collections. All other registered IK users will also find AmpliTube 3 FREE in their user area for immediate download. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009 http://www.audiodirectory.nl/html/php/press.php?id=2819 Nord Electro goes Hammer Action Introducing the world’s first Nord Electro with Hammer Action, sporting a classic 73-key E-E range keybed – without sacrificing portability (only 24.25lbs). Naturally, the new Nord Electro 3 HP includes all of the award-winning features of the original Nord Electro 3, like the compatibility with our acclaimed Nord Piano and Nord Sample Libraries including the exclusively licensed Mellotron and Chamberlin sounds, the tonewheel and transistor modeling of the Nord C1 organ and Rotary speaker simulation. With 4 Dynamic Curves there’s a keyboard response for every personal style, and the new selectable Long Release adds a nice touch when playing legato parts. Due to popular demand, we’ve added a flexible new Delay Effect with tap-tempo, rate, amount and a stereo Ping-Pong mode. The number of Live Locations has been increased from 1 to 4, giving you greater freedom to experiment with new sounds and settings on the go that are automatically saved. Program access is now much easier, requiring fewer buttons to push to find specific programs. Where the original Electro 3 perhaps can be seen as a great organ with additional piano sounds, the new Electro 3 HP gives acoustic and electric piano lovers a brilliant new keyboard that even works great for organ playing styles. The Nord Electro 3 HP weighs only 11 kg (24.25lbs) and includes mounts for the height-adjustable Keyboard Stand EX (optional accessory) and the Music Stand EX (optional accessory). Dimensions: 1078x121x344 mm (42.4x4.8x13.5"). Control Pedal compatibility includes: Yamaha FC7, Roland EV-5/7, Korg EXP2/XVP10 and Fatar VP-25. The Nord Electro 3 HP is handmade in Stockholm, Sweden by Clavia DMI and is scheduled to ship in late April 2011. World Wide Pro Audio / Broadcast Directory 1997 - 2009