PSNE March 2016 Digital

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www.psneurope.comMarch 2016

Another dimension!Is this a time warp? Rocky Horror is on tour once more with a point source system! P40

P28LADIES’ NIGHTFEMALE PRODUCERS

RECOGNISED AT MPG

AWARDS 2016

P52GETTING PISTE?SPECIFYING AUDIO FOR SKI

RESORTS, ON THE SLOPES

AND OFF

P18CONSOLE CONNOISSEURNIGEL BEAUMONT BRINGS

NEW BROOM TO CALREC HQ

01 PSNE March 2016 FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 14:32

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www.psneurope.com

Integrated Systems Europe. Oooh, it’s a big show, isn’t it? A very big show. A very,

very, VERY big show... I think you get my point. The reason I’m beginning with

this seemingly frivolous remark is because, there was a moment, on the second

afternoon of the event, when I stood in Hall 4 and thought, where am I? Which way is

left, which is right, which way is out? No, I wasn’t intoxicated (...don’t say it... ), I was simply

overwhelmed by the sprawl of this monster, extending in very direction like a Vegas

casino in a smart suit; and in that second I realised just how incredibly successful it has

been, in such a short space of time. I remember saying to ISE CEO Mike Blackman at a

dinner some years ago, Don’t you feel like the luckiest man in the world? And now just

look at him and his creation. As they say on the Rocky Horror tour (p40): it’s astounding!

“More fares than during IBC,” one taxi driver said to me. That speaks volumes.

Two thoughts post-show. One, it would be nice if Hall 7, the Audio hall, really was the

audio hall. Meaning, if some of the AV companies, who sport a much bigger V than they

do an A, were shuffl ed off into another zone, while the Shures and the Sennheisers and

the Iemke Rooses were brought into the 7-fold. But of course, that works two ways: it’s an

advantage for the visiting sound guys, who can fi nd everyone in one place; but a potential

disadvantage for the audio exhibitors, who don’t get the accidental traffi c from the AV

community, which, in other years, I’ve been told is one of the big plus points of ISE. There’s

no clear solution here: but, I have to say, calling 7 the Audio hall is a welcome start.

The other thought dwells upon our friends in Frankfurt. I had the pleasure of meeting

Chris Sparkes and Michael Biwer of Prolight+Sound at a NAMM reception in California

and, boy, do they know the pressure they are under to come up with the goods in

April. Still: everything I’ve heard about their plans reassures me it’s going to be a solid,

refreshed take on the usual Messe madness. What I didn’t like hearing, from several

exhibitors at ISE, was that some of their customers had already made the decision not to

attend Frankfurt this year. Which, frankly, is shocking. Just like I said when PLASA moved

to ExCeL: you have to go once to make an informed. You have to attend the ‘demo’...

PSNEUROPEP3

MARCH2016WelcomeEditor

Dave Robinson

[email protected]

Group managing editorJo Ruddock

[email protected]

Content director James McKeown

[email protected]

Advertising manager Ryan O’Donnell

[email protected]

Account managerRian Zoll-Khan

[email protected]

Head of design Jat Garcha

[email protected]

Production executive Jason Dowie

[email protected]

Contributors: Kevin Hilton, Marc Maes, Dave Wiggins,

Mike Clark, Phil Ward, Erica Basnicki,

David Davies, Simon Duff

PSNEurope NewBay Media,

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ISSN: 0269-4735 (print)

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Cover image: Rocky Horror UK tour by Sean Webb

DAVE ROBINSON

Editor@PSNEurope

03 Welcome/Leader FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 18:21

Business6 All the goodness from the NAMM Show in Anaheim California8 Register now for PSNPresents with Youth, Phill Brown and more10 Vocal channel: Dave Wiggins and Wes Maebe12 Movers and shakers: industry appointments14 PSNTraining: upskill now!16 New products18 The strategic position: Calrec Audio

Technology44 Feature: Current wireless and IEM systems52 Feature: Sound in ski resorts

Studio 22 DAFT studios, an ambitious project in Belgium – and a tram!26 Abbey Road opens a sister institute in Paris28 MPG Awards: with pix!

Broadcast30 Eloise Whitmore on The Turning Forest ‘experience’

Live32 In the round and in the Roundhouse!34 L-acoustics goes ‘ardcore in Arnhem36 Console choices: analogue or digital? A special!40 COVER FEATURE: Rocky Horror on tour with d&b

Installation48 ISE 2016 review

Back pages57 Hither & dither58 Backtalk: Tom Dalgety

In this issue...

www.psneurope.com

P4MARCH2016

Contents

P18THE STRATEGIC POSITION IN CONVERSATION WITH NIGEL BEAUMONT, THE NEW

MANAGING DIRECTOR AT CALREC AUDIO

P36 SHIFTING GEARDAVID WIGGINS TALKS TO FOH AND MONITOR

ENGINEERS ABOUT CONSOLE CHOICES

P58TOM DALGETYIT’S NO LAUGHING MATTER WHEN YOU’RE PRODUCING FOR KILLING JOKE

P52 SKI SUNDAYSKI ANY DAY YOU LIKE: THE SOUND SYSTEMS ARE READY FOR YOU

Photo credit: Carlos Escobar

04 Contents FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 18:23

“The LEO Family is the right choice for providing the best quality sound to our clients and their audiences.

The Meyer Sound brand is the perfect match for Wigwam Acoustics, in terms of its reputation for quality.”

Chris Hill, Co-founder and Spencer Beard, Managing Director, Wigwam Acoustics

Visit Us at Prolight + Sound, Hall 3.1 Stand A71

and read the full interview at meyersound.com/wigwam


www.psneurope.com/business

P6MARCH

2016

Show report: NAMM 2016

…as in, we took these stories and pictures. As opposed to stole anything. Or got anyone arrested. Dave Robinson explains himself

Nabbed at NAMM

W e were fortunate enough to cram the launch of the Shure KSM8

microphone and DiGiGrid Desktop series of interfaces into last month’s

issue. But – ouch! – that was all, as press deadline loomed large. Hence,

we kick off this month’s PSNEurope with a quick sweep of a few other

key items that caught our ever-watching eyes…

Beginning with German sound reinforcement firm HK Audio, announcing a complete

global overhaul of its visual and brand identity with the introduction of a new marketing

campaign: the Soundmakers.

Focusing on what HK as identified as the ‘Soundmaker’ – the person who is “fascinated

by the energy of sound from any perspective” – the campaign aims to bring “clean, fresh

visuals to the entire HK Audio output, from websites and social media channels through to

traditional print advertising and even products themselves”.

Nicolas Petit, HK Audio’s chief marketing officer, says: “We want to provide an emotional

home and a stage for everyone who is as fascinated with sound as we are at HK Audio. The

Soundmakers message touches all bases and target groups – from musicians, bands and

DJs through to sound engineers, installers and even HK Audio employees themselves. We’re

all Soundmakers, and we are going to share our passion for great sound together in a global

community. This is just the beginning…”

On the showfloor, HK shared a glimpse of its new LINEAR 5 LTS passive mid/high unit,

and a cut-away of the unique Multicell Transformer which creates the high output of the

‘Long Throw System’.

Mackie says it is “diving head first into the world of professional production and

installation” with the launch of the Dante-enabled DC16 control surface for its DL32R

32-channel digital mixer.

“It’s an incredibly forward-thinking, modular professional digital mixing solution with

more features per price than any other digital mixer available,” says Ben Olswang, Mackie

product manager.

“The workflow is amazingly fast, with tremendous visual feedback and customisation.

You’re going to love it,” promises Olswang.

American pro-audio distributor TransAudio Group used the show to launch its first two

products under the new Subwoofer Pros brand: Studio 12 and Studio 18.

“Because no other company was building subwoofers with the performance and feature

set needed in high-end music and film control rooms, we approached a leading expert in

subwoofer technology – Bag End Modular Sound – to see if we could fill that gap,” says Brad

Lunde, founder and president of TransAudio Group.

“Together, we specified performance targets, and Bag End engineers used their

proprietary INFRA technology to meet those very high targets while still keeping the units

small enough to work in tight control room environments. Subwoofer Pros provides an

accessible way for professionals to get honest, translatable, ultra-low bass monitoring for

their near-field or mid-field monitoring systems.”

Subwoofer Pros will soon release a line of subwoofer support electronics to facilitate

integration into high-end mixing systems.

Focusrite announced an addition to its RedNet range of Dante-based AoIP interfaces. The

A16R –featuring 16 channels of network-connected 24-bit, 192kHz A-D/D-A conversion, and

offering line level analogue audio in and out with full network and power supply redundancy

– will ship in Q3 this year.

More significantly, Pro Tools developer Avid and Focusrite revealed that they are “in deep

discussions” once more. Focusrite CEO Dave Froker says: “We want to make the experience

HK Audio’s Nicolas Petit launching the

Soundmakers campaign on the eve of the show

06-7 Namm selection DR FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 11:58


P7MARCH

2016

of using Focusrite hardware and Pro Tools

software together the best possible experience

for all our customers. Avid recognises

Focusrite as an ideal companion to Pro Tools

and Focusrite recognise Pro Tools as the

most mature professional recording platform

for new Focusrite customers to adopt.” The

companies previously collaborated on the

original Mbox interface and Control|24 console

over 15 years ago.

Unity Audio, appearing at the show

independently and not with its US distributor,

showcased The Super Rock in Anaheim. It was

one of two new products launched by Unity at

the California trade show, the other being the

cheekily-named Boulder Active Bass Extender

– or “B.A.B.E”.

This flagship near/midfield heads up The Rock range of reference two-way active

monitors. According to Unity, the Super Rock “starts out as Unity Audio’s The Rock MkII, but

goes deeper, hits harder and retrieves greater levels of resolution” through detailed analysis

of each component and parameter of The Rock MkII.

The Super Rock features a specially-designed bass driver matching the larger Boulder

monitor, an 8” SEAS custom aluminium woofer, and customised cone and rubber surround,

said to eliminate cone edge resonance and distortion typically associated with soft cones.

Unity’s Kevin Walker noted that after six years of production, The Rock line is now

available in 30 countries. An award-winning, bestselling songwriter has just acquired a pair,

said Walker, though he would not confirm the buyer’s identity.

Finally during the show, DJ Richie Hawtin and mixer designer Andy Rigby-Jones (who left

Allen & Heath in 2014) revealed they had been developing and testing an instrument for

electronic musicians “they felt was missing from the professional segment of the market”.

The duo’s PLAYdifferently brand, in partnership with the Audiotonix group, will unveil its

first product later this year, it is reported.

Glenn Rogers, MD of Allen & Heath, comments: “Richie and Andy have both played key

roles in making Xone the successful DJ brand it is today, so we’re excited to join forces with

them again on this different direction of play.”

Here’s hoping for a peek at whatever-it-is in Frankfurt…

www.namm.org

Be proud of your sound

WirelessMicrophones

Wireless IEM

RF overFibre

Wireless microphones and IEM with the widest tuning range in the industry

wireless sound solutions

visit: www.raycom.co.uk email: [email protected] call: 01789 777040

As usual at NAMM, Radial Engineering

showcased a raft of useful and

innovative tools and gadgets for

studios and performers. One in

particular stood out: a “world first”

Dante enabled direct boxes. The DiNET

DAN-RX includes a 24-bit/96kHz

digital-to-analogue endpoint that

enables the user to output audio from

a Dante network to stereo systems.

The DiNET DAN-TX allows the user

to connect instruments or line

level sources directly to networked

Dante audio systems using the

Dante protocol. Here’s Radial’s Ryan

Juchnowski with the RX version.

In recent times, a local bible group

has stationed its members outside the

Anaheim Convention Center during

the NAMM show, sporting placards

with slogans like ‘The wages of sin

are death’ and ‘Harmonica players are

going to hell’ or something. This year,

it was good to see the Clubcosplay.net

“nerds” bringing some levity to all the

pointless loitering...

Unity Audio’s Paul O’Farrell-Stevens with his hands around the

Super Rock, as Kevin Walker sidles up to B.A.B.E., the modular sub

Brad Lunde with the Subwoofer

Pro line, introduced at NAMM

06-7 Namm selection DR FIN.indd 2 24/02/2016 11:58

www.psnpresents.com

P8MARCH

2016

PSNPresents!

PSNPresents is here! UNITED KINGDOM

Once again, PSNEurope is hosting a super

soaraway night of no-holds-barred words

and wisdom from leading lights in the pro-

audio world at the Soho Hotel on Thursday

10 March. If you have any interest in the world of studios

and recording, or sound design for the West End, or if

you just want to meet a cross-section of talented types

from across the pro-audio spectrum, you need to be

there!

For the first session, award-winning producer Youth,

Tileyard supremo Nick Keynes and engineering legend

and author Phill Brown will each take to the stage for a

Q&A with writer and commentator Phil Ward.

After the break, a trio of leading sound designers –

Gareth Fry, Simon Baker and Ben Harrison – will join

PSNEurope editor Dave Robinson for a panel on working

in the theatre. Just what’s required to put on a show like

Matilda, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? These men

know!

Both sessions will conclude with an opportunity for

members of the audience to ask questions.

The third PSNPresents will be held once again at

the lavish Soho Hotel in central London on Thursday

10 March 2016, and is sponsored by Roland UK and

Focusrite. Get there early and claim your free drink!

Entry is FREE, as always (thanks to our generous

sponsors) but we do request that you register

beforehand. Students, educationalists, engineers, studio

owners, trainee sound designers, manufacturers...

everyone is welcome! It’s a great night for networking

with your peers in the industry too, of course...

Register now for a fantastic night!

www.psnpresents.com

7pm Doors open – come early for your welcome drink!

7.45pm Producers/Studio Q&A with Youth, Phill Brown

and Nick Keynes (hosted by Phil Ward)

9pm Sound designers panel with Simon Baker,

Ben Harrison and Gareth Fry

(hosted by Dave Robinson)

9.45pm Drinks and networking at the bar

11pm Close

Here’s the timetable for PSNPresents3!

Youth (Martin Glover): Alongside

his continuing role as bassist and

producer with art-rock legends

Killing Joke, Youth has quietly

amassed a formidable client list

that includes The Verve, Primal

Scream, Crowded House and

Depeche Mode. At the MPG Awards last month, he was

recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to UK Music.

Phill Brown: Phill has

engineered some of the world’s

most successful artists, including

David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and

Bob Marley & The Wailers, and

put his ongoing career in studio

magic into words with his 2010

biography: Are We Still Rolling?:

Studios, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll – One Man’s Journey

Recording Classic Albums.

Nick Keynes: Former

songwriter/producer Nick

Keynes has been part of the

team that has over the past two

years, successfully transformed

Tileyard into London’s leading

creative hub. Located right

next to the impressive new King’s Cross development,

Tileyard’s tenants include Basement Jaxx, Mark Ronson,

Chase & Status JHO Management, Sound Advice and

the MMF.

Ben Harrison: Between 2002

and 2007 Ben was head of sound

at Leicester’s Haymarket Theatre

where he designed West Side

Story, Macbeth and The Wizard of

Oz, among others. Recent sound

design projects in and around

London have included Starlight Express, Blood Brothers and

Whistle Down The Wind (UK & American tours).

Simon Baker: Simon has served

time in the sound departments

of the Royal Court, RSC and the

National where he held the post

of sound supervisor. His recent

work includes Matilda A Musical

(Worldwide Productions – for

which he won the 2012 Olivier for Best Sound), The Light

Princess (NT – Olivier 2014 Best Sound Nomination),

Batman Live (World Arena Tour), and The Lord Of The

Rings (London and Toronto – Olivier 2008 Best Sound

Nomination).

Gareth Fry: In 2011, Gareth was

voted chair of the newly formed

Association of Sound Designers.

In 2012 he was asked by Danny

Boyle to design the sound effects

for the Opening Ceremony of the

2012 Olympic Games. He will be

working on the forthcoming Harry Potter musical, opening

in June 2016.

08 PSNPresents FIN DR.indd 1 24/02/2016 12:13

HK Audio is the German pro audio brand offering the easiest way to the best sound.From portable to professional live sound to install solutions for over 30 years, we build PA systems for those who are fascinated by the energy of sound. Giving them a stage. Giving them a home.

www.hkaudio.com

THE SOUNDMAKERS >

VISIT US AT PROLIGHT+SOUND:HALL 3 LEVEL 1 BOOTH #A81

“After months of planning, testing and finding the perfect sound solution for a venue, for me it’s all about that moment when a project truly comes to life.”



P10MARCH

2016

Vocal channel

Girls allowed

During the preparation of an

item elsewhere in this issue

(p38 in fact) I was lucky enough

to acquire a contribution from

Jac Nott, one of the very few female

sound engineers it has ever been my

pleasure to meet. Not for the first time

this set me thinking about why it is still so

uncommon to see females behind mixing

desks in concert touring. [Something we

touched on at the last PSNPresents with

Becky Pell – Ed]

I suspect that part of the answer is

that, in general, women suffer far less

from the inner geek that we chaps do. As

someone who has manned trade show

stands all over the world for years, I can

state categorically that there is nothing

that gets blokes onto a booth faster than

a lovely big mixing console covered in

knobs, faders, screens and flashing lights.

In all those years I can barely recall one

instance when a female visitor appeared

to suffer from the same nerd-magnetism.

For the real lowdown however, let’s

see what Jac thinks: “The obvious

negatives are mostly about the fact that

the less glamorous aspects of touring

probably affect women more than men

– long working days and nights, living

together in a tour bus full of people,

usually predominantly male. It’s a job

that requires physical stamina, that can

mean extended periods away from home

and needs a willingness to occasionally

forego comforts like hot showers and

clean hair! The lifestyle also obviously

places serious restrictions on the

prospects of having a family – it takes a

special person to be a mum and a touring

sound engineer at the same time.’

Perhaps more tellingly, Jac continues:

“Unfortunately, as a female you, often

you have to prove yourself to be better

at your job rather than just as good as a

bloke – that puts some off very early on.

As a woman, you have to really want the

lifestyle and keep banging on those doors.

“I also think some ladies move on

and out despite their abilities. I know

at least one perfectly competent tech/

engineer who left the industry because

she just didn’t get the breaks that some

of the lads did: those who placed techs

didn’t want to be seen to be giving her

preferential treatment, almost a reverse

bias! I know from personal experience,

way back before I grew tougher skin, that

you will also meet people on the road

who treat you as a lesser mortal because

you are female, so you have to toughen

up and be sure of what you are trying to

achieve.’

She concludes: “Sound engineering

is a technical discipline and is perhaps

regarded as less of a woman’s job

than, say, catering or wardrobe.

It takes a certain kind of female who

is even interested enough in the

technical side.’

Looks like we still have some way to go

to achieve full emancipation…

Can I hear me?

My heart always sinks when

faced with a situation where

I have to provide monitors

from FOH.

It distracts from the FOH engineer

focusing on what the audience hears

(trying to make the band sound the

best they can, of course). And logically,

it makes communication between the

performers and the person in charge of

making sure they can hear themselves

properly, quite tricky.

The FOH/monitor combo generally

arises because of budgetary constraints.

However, these compromise

environments have a significant

impact on the band’s performance, the

audience’s response and the venue’s

revenue.

Let’s take a closer look. The band

has gone on-stage, there’s been a line-

check, but no sound-check because the

promoter has decided to put on seven

different acts. Each act has a different

set-up, so the monitor settings, mixed

from front of house, are meaningless for

the next act. There’s no way for the band

to discreetly inform the engineer to put

the lead vocals up, turn the keyboards

down, give the drummer more bass

and some extra kick across the wedges

so everyone can lock in with each

other. The only way to do this, is for the

band to holler these instructions over

the PA which looks and sounds pretty

unprofessional. A lot of bands, if they

don’t have their own engineer, just don’t

bother shouting back and forth to get

their personal mixes right. This results

in a lacklustre performance, leading to

a less than happy crowd. The audience

feels cheated since they paid to see a

band give it their all and this in turn

will lead to the band losing fans and

the venue losing punters. Some venue

goers will leave early, less drinks will be

consumed. Before you know it, word will

get around that the sound sucks in that

particular venue and thus bands will start

to avoid it on their touring schedules. So,

the flipside of the economising coin is

that the venue loses out on all counts.

Do not get me wrong, this is not a

personal attack on venue owners. On the

contrary, I see this as little push toward

better business sense. If the venue

wisely invests in a great FOH console,

a fantastic sounding rig complete with

decent microphones, stands, cabling and

D.I. boxes and a monitor system that can

be controlled from the side of the stage,

with clear line of sight to the band, then

things have the potential of being pretty

awesome.

Your bands can hear themselves

thanks to your expert monitor engineer,

the venue’s reputation rises, the crowds

love coming out to the place. More

drinks drunk, more merch sold. Very

soon, promotors will be queuing around

the block to book bands into the place.

Everybody wins!

DAVE WIGGINS is a freelance marketeer and pro-audio pundit

WES MAEBE is a freelance recording, mixing and mastering engineer and a board director of the APRS

10 Columniosts FIN DR.indd 1 23/02/2016 16:52

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P12MARCH

2016

Movers and shakers

A raft of appointments for the group dedicated to promoting open protocols over IP

AIMS all a-board…

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has

appointed its board and the chairs and deputy

chairs for its newly formed marketing and

technical working groups.

Michael Cronk senior vice president of strategic

marketing at Grass Valley, has been named chairman. He

is joined by vice chairman Steve Reynolds, CTO of Imagine

Communications, as well as financial officer Andreas

Hilmer, director of marketing and communications at Lawo.

The board as, in turn, appointed Kerry Wheeles, CTO of

networking at Imagine Communications, as chair of the

AIMS Technical Working Group, and Scott Barella, CTO of

5280 Broadcast, as deputy chair.

In inaugurating the AIMS Marketing Working Group, the

board has appointed Andy Warman (director, production

and playout strategy and market development, Harmonic)

to the position of chair and Roger Sherwood (digital content

and media solutions business development, Cisco) as

deputy chair.

www.aimsalliance.com

Sennheiser has acquired the business of Vienna-based distributor, Grothusen Audio Video Vertriebs, and has founded a new sales subsidiary, Sennheiser Austria. Sennheiser co-CEOs Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser announced the signing of the contract on 8 February. The new company will commence operations on 1 April.

“We would like to thank Grothusen CEO Alexander Kränkl for his excellent work, which was instrumental for Sennheiser’s success in the region,” said Daniel Sennheiser. www.grothusen.prowww.sennheiser.com

Professional Audio NI Limited is now responsible for the distribution of the Belgium-based brand Apart Audio for the whole of Ireland, including sales, sales support, warehousing and after-sales service.www.apart-audio.comwww.proaudioni.co.uk

Chromasound has been appointed ADAM Audio’s exclusive distribution partner in Hungary. “We have been hoping to represent ADAM Audio since we started our company and we are really excited that the time has come to officially launch our partnership”, says Peter Hajma, sales representative at Chromasound. www.adam-audio.de

DEALER NETWORK

QSC has promoted Mark Mayfield to director, global cinema marketing, where he will “apply his years of experience to expanding the visibility of the brand”, says QSC. www.qsc.com

Josh Graham has joined LMC Birmingham in the position of technical sales. He looks forward “to applying the skills that he has gained over the years” to the role. www.lmcaudio.co.uk

Ian Thomas joins Allen & Heath as install sector specialist. For the past eight years, Thomas has been working for UK-based international system integrator, LSI Projects. www.allen-heath.com

Time+Space has added Neil Varacliotis to its UK sales team. Varacliotis brings with him over 15 years’ experience in the MI industry from Digital Village and SX Pro. www.timespace.com

Tom Bodfish has joined Audio Distribution Group as area sales director, serving UK and ROI dealers for Dynaudio Pro monitors, plus key accounts in Europe. audiodistributiongroup.com

Scott Mason is joining Allen & Heath as pro-digital sector specialist. Mason has over 30 years of experience in sound engineering, system design and more. www.allen-heath.com

FLEXUS is designed & manufactured by:ASL Intercom BV, Utrecht, The Netherlands

www.asl-inter.com

48 kHz / 16 bit uncompressed audio

Connection of User Stationsvia LAN with PoE switches orvia powered daisy chain lines

DIGITAL INTERCOM - CUE LIGHT CONTROL - GPO TRIGGERChannels for Cue Light Control,

GPO Trigger or Listen OnlyFull color high-resolution displays

Full duplex intercom channels

2-ch BeltpackRemote Speaker Station4-ch Master Speaker Station

4 Master Stationsmay be linked

Program audio feedsover network

Master Station serves up to24 remote stations

Michael Cronk Andy Warman

12 Movers and shakers FIN DR.indd 1 23/02/2016 16:58


P14MARCH

2016

Nexo training schedule springs up

French loudspeaker maker Nexo has posted new

spring dates for its ETC training seminar programme,

including some sessions dedicated to the company’s

flagship modular line array design, the STM Series.

Nexo seminars are free of charge to students

and, “unlike the training schedules of many other

manufacturers”, says Nexo, the scope of the ETC

programme ranges further than just the Yamaha-

owned company’s products.

Dates have been set for three different seminars in

France and in the UK, taught in French or English. The

generalist ETC courses take place over two days, while

the STM course is for a single day only.

ETC1: Designed for sound technicians and

engineers, this progresses from theoretical classes

in acoustic fundamentals, point source and line array

theory, to practical hands-on training with Nexo line

arrays.

March 15th/16th at Nexo HQ in Paris (in French)

May 10th/11th at Nexo HQ in Paris (in English)

ETC2: Designed for system techs and engineers, this

course starts with theoretical classes on acoustics and

Nexo technologies, and progresses to practical hands-

on sessions covering system management and tuning

loudspeaker systems.

April 19th/20th at Paris HQ (French)

May 24th/25th at Paris HQ (English)

“Get to Know STM”: A special 1-day course running

in the UK, to introduce users to the general concepts

of the STM modular line array, followed by practical

hands-on sessions covering configurations and system

management with STM M28/B112/S118 modules.

March 8th at Sound of Music Ltd in Derby, UK

August 10th at Sound of Music Ltd in Derby, UK

More details of the events, and booking instructions,

interface can be found on the website. nexo-sa.com/en/training

BY ERICA BASNICKI

BY DAVE ROBINSON

9 MarchYamaha Iberica: Digital mixing seminarTenerife, ESwww.yamahacommercialaudio.com

10 MarchPSNPresents 3London, UKwww.psnpresents.com

6 AprilShure Distribution UK: Wireless Mastered LiveWaltham Abbey, UKwww.shuredistribution.co.uk

24-26 MayAFMG: EASE Training Level 1Letchworth Garden City, UKwww.afmg.eu

www.psneurope.com/training

Brit Row takes live training higher

Britannia Row Productions Training (BRPT) has

launched a three-year BSc Hons degree in live

sound production, developed in conjunction with

South Thames College.

The degree is said to give students an intense

and comprehensive guide to everything they need

to prepare themselves for a career in live sound

production.

The course will be run by South Thames College

with BRPT industry professionals delivering the

master class lectures throughout the course.

Currently, the degree course is being validated by

the University of Northampton with a scheduled

validation date by the end of March 2016.

Student loans of up to £9,000 (approximately €

11,800) per year are available to meet course fees.

Students can apply now for places on the course,

which will commence in September 2016 through

UCAS or directly to South Thames College.

By combining main stream higher education with

industry, the course offers students the opportunity

to obtain a BSc Hons degree while establishing a

network of industry contacts.

“South Thames College and the University of

Northampton both really got behind our belief

that this degree in live sound is needed and long

overdue, and would be at its best and most relevant

by partnering with Britannia Row Productions

Training. I believe that this BSc Hons Degree Course

in Live Sound Production will be the most relevant

and focused training for anyone wanting to have

the best of starts in the live sound industry,” says

BRPT’s managing director, Mike Lowe. www.britanniarow.com/training/

Get Smart with Intellivox

Underscoring a commitment to training and education

in advanced acoustics and digital technologies, Harman

Professional Solutions is hosting comprehensive

training on its JBL Intellivox Digitally Controlled Beam

Steering Technology on 2–3 March, 2016.

The free training will take place at the Theater De

Poorterij and will include a detailed overview of JBL

Intellivox, including use in PA/VA systems; physics of

loudspeaker arrays; JBL Intellivox directivity concepts;

room acoustics; JBLIntellivox design guidelines;

introduction to JBL Intellivox software; and practical

exercises. The training will conclude with a factory tour

at the JBL innovation hub and factory in Zaltbommel.

Interested contractors and consultants should

register with [email protected].

“Harman Professional Solutions is committed to

equipping consultants and contractors with not only the

best technologies, but also the best training programs,”

says Harman Professional Solutions’ Nick Screen.

“This comprehensive approach aligns with our

delivery of complete system solutions and addresses

our customers’ and partners’ requirements for

extensive details on technologies and applications.” www.harman.com

BY ERICA BASNICKI

14 PSNTraining FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 14:52

Untitled-1 1 23/09/2015 09:45

www.psneurope.com/technology

P16MARCH

2016

New products

D&B AUDIOTECHNIKB22 OMNIDIRECTIONAL SUBWOOFER

What is it?

The B22 is a new take on the d&b audiotechnik B2-

SUB, promising increased performance, a modern

appearance and improved internal cabinet bracing.

Details:

When used as an infrabass system, the B22-SUB

performs down to 32Hz, with an upper operating

range of 68Hz, compared to the standard mode,

which operates from 37Hz to 90Hz.

And another thing…

The B22-SUB exploits the high output power of

the d&b D80 amplifier to the full. It has familiar B2

characteristics, but with higher performance and a

modern twist.

www.dbaudio.com

YAMAHAVXS3 SURFACE MOUNT SPEAKERS

What is it?

VXS3 surface mount loudspeakers are specifically

designed for small to mid-sized installations with a

focus on background music applications.

Details:

The VXS3 offers additional flexibility for a wide

range of environments, with a range that has been

tuned specifically to deliver consistent coverage

even at low volume levels.


Two variations are available: the VXS3F are low

impedance models, ideal for smaller spaces that

can be serviced by a small number of speakers. The

VXS3FT are high impedance models, for big rooms.

www.yamahacommercialaudio.com

B&C DE990TN AND DE1090TN

What is it?

Compact format high frequency drivers.

Details:

The DE990TN features a 3.4 inch (86mm) CCAW

voice coil with optimised phase plug, and full

titanium diaphragm. The DE1090TN features a 4.0

inch (100mm) CCAW voice coil mounted on a full

titanium diaphragm, and features a unique inside

ring neodymium magnet.


The larger diaphragms support a wider frequency

response, lower crossover frequency and

higher power handling than smaller diaphragm

alternatives with a similar overall diameter

www.bcspeakers.com

SYMETRIXPRISMWhat is it?

Symetrix Prism DSP platform has been developed to deliver

cost-efficient, high-powered networked audio processing for a

wide range of installed sound applications.

Details:

Symetrix Prism is comprised of four products: Prism 4x4

features four inputs and four outputs, power over Ethernet, and

a compact 1/2 rack format. Prism 8x8, 12x12 and 16x16 utilise

an external power supply along with a 1U form factor.


Prism features the same DSP power, mic preamps and A-D/D-A

converters as Symetrix’ Radius and Edge products.

www.symetrix.co

16-17 New Products FIN after you check the boxes!! DR.indd 1 24/02/2016 12:15

www.psneurope.com/technology

P17MARCH

2016

T H E N E X T L E V E L O F T O U R S O U N D

NEXT PRO-AUDIOKUBIX

What is it?

The single point source line is intended to provide

high performance, fidelity and coverage consistency.

Details:

The family consists of six models of coaxial

loudspeakers: K5 (5”, extended LF, passive), K5+ (5”,

high sensitivity, passive), K8 (8”, passive), K8A (8”,

active 2-way with DSP), K12 and K12A.


Models are complemented by high-performance

subwoofers: K10s (10”, active) and K12s (12”, active).

www.next-proaudio.com

KLOTZXLR CONNECTORS

What is it?

The millions of metres of bulk cable Klotz produces

will now be made up with its own connectors!

Details:

The new connectors will be used on Klotz’s

Greyhound, M1, M2, M5 and Titanium series as well

as AES3K AES/EBU cables and DMX5K DMX cable.


The connectors feature novel features including

a ribbed connector housing, space for laser-cut

numbering or an engraved logo for OEM customers.

www.klotz-ais.com

LAB.GRUPPENDOUBLE CHANNEL DENSITY E SERIES

What is it?

An expansion of the E Series range of compact 1U

installation amps including the fi rst four-channel

models, the E 10:4 (pictured) and E 5:4.

Details:

The range off ers eight channels confi gurable as

any of 21 diff erent power output and channel

combinations.


Options include one-to-one alternatives for the C

20:8X (with two E10:4 in a 2 U space).

www.labgruppen.com

16-17 New Products FIN after you check the boxes!! DR.indd 2 24/02/2016 12:15


P18MARCH

2016

Now part of the Audiotonix group, broadcast console specialist Calrec seems emboldened by a new factory extension and an even newer managing director. Dave Robinson went to meet Nigel Beaumont

Happier valley

Just as the River Calder has carved out the

landscape in the hills of West Yorkshire, so

the former Calder Recordings Ltd company

has carved a niche in the world of broadcast

console manufacture. Selling to media giants in

the likes of the USA, Japan and Russia, as well as

maintaining a healthy UK market, Calrec has stayed

ahead of the curve, integrating pioneering digital and

FPGA-based technologies into its large format, world-

class mixer designs. And all from a former textile mill

in the little town of Hebden Bridge, tucked away in a

steep-sided river valley.

Now change has come to the Nutclough Mill HQ.

(And no, we’re not referring to sheep-rustling, murder

and kidnapping, as depicted in ongoing BBC drama

Happy Valley, also set in Hebden.)

Two years ago, Calrec Audio, alongside sister

company Allen & Heath, was introduced to new sibling

DiGiCo, under the Electra Partners umbrella. While

former Calrec boss Roger Henderson went on to take

a leading role with TSL Systems, the way was clear

for a new perspective and a fresh outlook.

And so, welcome Nigel Beaumont, general manager

at DiGiCo, who took his position in the Calder Valley

offi cially following IBC 2015, unoffi cially just after that

June 2014 merger (readers may recall, the Audiotonix

mantle was not confi rmed until April of 2015).

“I love the DiGiCo environment,” he says, “its fun and

they are fun people, but no one realises how hard they

work internally – they love what they do. Most people

at DiGiCo come and stay and I can understand why,

because they feel ‘part of the gang’.”

His arrival in Hebden has ushered in a new way of

working.

“We’ve opened it up,” he affi rms, “by giving people

more freedom to realise their ideas, and by supporting

them more directly.

“Our driving focus is still to design and produce

the best engineered product in the world for our

customers. We’ve added to that by strengthening our

sales, marketing and product management teams,

giving them a less controlled environment to work in.

The result is that we are getting those ‘creative juices’

fl owing into some very exciting ideas.”

Beaumont has over 16 years’ experience working

in and around big brands and big projects. Starting

out with BSS Audio in 1999, he was soon working

with Soundcraft as Harman began a period of

reorganisation, fi rstly by absorbing the Amek console

brand, then cosying up to Switzerland’s Studer.

Beaumont left Harman in 2011 to join Uli Behringer’s

Music Group, leaving there “of my own accord” around

18 months later, and joining DiGiCo.

While with Harman, Beaumont oversaw the

transition of manufacturing of the Spirit by Soundcraft

brand from the UK to China, managed the transfer of

the building of Studer consoles from Zurich to Potter’s

Bar, and spent two years in Vienna as AKG was

integrated into what became the Mixing, Microphones

& Headphones business unit.

In his role as global operations director with Music

Group, he spent 16 months at the massive Behringer

City factory in China, later spending time in the UK to

head up the company’s pro-audio division.

To say this 54-year-old Yorkshireman knows his

mixers, his manufacturing and his methodologies

would be something of an understatement, therefore.

“I quite like the directness I learned at Harman,

from conversations with Blake [Augsburger, head of

pro audio] and Dinesh [Patel, CEO]; I use that at Calrec.

I don’t like faffi ng about!

”Harman gave me a lot of multi-cultural experience,

with the USA, Studer in Switzerland, AKG in Vienna;

and with the [off -shoring], about working with Chinese

sub-contractors.”

Music Group, conversely, gave him his fi rst

opportunity to “try to run a division and create a

strategic plan. Also working on a far bigger scale of

manufacturing than at Harman, and how to manage

a wider, vertically integrated business which Harman

didn’t have at the time.”

That’s a lifetime of experience in just 16 years, and

a wealth of skills to bring to the Audiotonix/Calrec

table. But, one particular question jumps out from that

CV: after being so very pro-Chinese manufacturing

in the past, how does that manifest itself at the

140-strong Calrec plant, where everything is UK-

made?

“It’s horses for courses,” he says. In Hebden, orders

are more “lumpy”, he says: “A very high mix, lower

No one’s fallen out with each other, we’re all still here and we’re still learning from what we’re all best at – which tells you a lotNigel Beaumont

The strategic position: Calrec Audio

18 19 20 Strategic position FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 18:29


P19MARCH

2016

T H E N E X T L E V E L O F T O U R S O U N D

L A U N C H I N G 5 T H A P R I L 2 0 1 6

volume sales profile of a highly engineered, high value

product range. That does not lend itself to a China

model. We have people with a wide span of skills, who

can move to different roles in the factory to satisfy the

business demands. Again, that’s not how it works in

China.

“One thing Dave Carr, our head of operations, does

is constantly look at how to develop his staff, to satisfy

their interests and our needs.”

Bringing the trio of mixer-makers together was a

“very cute” move, says Beaumont.

“The three brands stand alone – but you have this

greater experience,” he says. “So, if I have a problem

with something, or Patrick [Warrington] our technical

director has a problem, he can pick up the phone and

talk to DiGiCo or Allen & Heath about it – and vice

versa.”

All customer facing functions – sales, marketing

and support - are brand specific, he reports. No one is

treading on anyone else’s toes within the Audiotonix

group because there is very little overlap between the

product ranges. “But in the back office, we help each

other. You think it might have been hard to get this

big group of people to work together, but it’s been like

finding your long lost twin. No one’s fallen out with

each other, we’re all still here and we’re still learning

from what we’re all individually best at – which tells

you a lot.” A pause. Then, emphatically: “The biggest

opportunity we have in terms of synergies in the

group is in R&D, because we all have bright people.

Put them together and it’s just phenomenal! It’s

definitely a case of the whole being greater than the

sum of the parts.”

How much does the ‘money’ – Electra Partners –

get involved with the brands?

“I think the Electra guys have struck the right

balance of involvement,” he considers. “As long as

we deliver, we’re left to get on with it. They want the

growth, but they are very interested in products and

Nutclough Mill, a former textile factory, with the new extension to the left/rear



P20MARCH

2016

The strategic position: Calrec Audio

markets andd where we’re going next.”

While the knowledge of, say, DiGiCo’s James Gordon

or John Stadius supports the Audiotonix group from

within, the Electra executives have investments in a

range of businesses outside of pro audio, and often

bring insight from those disciplines to monthly board

meetings. To this observer, it seems a far cry from the

days when D&M Holdings owned Calrec and Allen &

Heath, yet seemed to do little to leverage the brands,

or encourage them to collaborate.

”Yes it’s a very different culture now,” reflects

Beaumont

Let’s review for a moment. Calrec manufactures

large format broadcast consoles in its new expanded

factory (see box). The company works with some of

the world’s biggest broadcasters such as Sky, the BBC,

NBC, NTV Plus, CBS and NHK, and has a significant

presence in outside broadcast trucks. With the Apollo,

Artemis and Summa consoles, it has all your big desk

needs covered, thank you very much. Hydra2 fulfills

digital networking and matrixing needs. The core

technology, Calrec’s pioneering FPGA-based Bluefin2,

is firmly established too.

So, an obvious market to aim at is compact

consoles – just as A&H and DiGiCo have done – right?

When pressed on your correspondent’s speculation,

Beaumont thinks for a moment, then says, “I’m not

sure I can answer that question directly. So let me

answer it like this.

“If you look back at recent trade shows in Calrec’s

history – the two before the merger – we launched

the Summa 180 and the Summa 128. But that’s all it

launched.

“Since the merger, at NAB 2015 we launched new

software, faster processors, the Fieldbox, the H2Hub,

and the Hydra2 daughter card for connecting to DiGiCo

desks. That’s a lot.

“Then at IBC, there were more launches. There’s no

doubt that our pace of product portfolio expansion has

increased since the merger. That’s Calrec having more

ideas, being more dynamic, making decisions quicker.

So if you extrapolate back from what we’ve done… we

might have something interesting at NAB 2016.”

calrec.com

The planning, building and running of the Calrec

factory extension is a textbook example of how to

work with, rather than against, the local community.

Based in an old textile mill with four floors and

no decent goods lift, it was becoming increasingly

impractical for Calrec to build and deliver large

format consoles. But the only way to expand, without

moving to a new site, was to build into the car park at

the rear. Perfect in terms of area, maybe, but flawed

by the semi-circle of residential houses surrounding

it. While locals didn’t mind looking out of their

windows at parked cars, they drew the line at large,

ugly industrial unit.

“There was a lot of resistance to the plans,” recalls

marketing manager Kevin Emmott (pictured top with

a guitar he built out of a Fieldbox). “Referrals and

postponements, complaints on local web groups,

until permissions finally came through.”

When the extension was almost complete, the

really smart thinking came into play.

First, the factory was finished with a ‘green’ roof

(right), whereby a matting material, loaded with

seeds and other flora, was applied. “It changes

colours with the seasons, you don’t need to tend it,”

says Emmott. “And it’s good for insulation.”

Second, Emmott engineered an open day for the

locals at the Calrec premises. It was the summer of

2014, and the Tour de France had just completed a

leg around Yorkshire. So, schoolkids were invited

to write haikus about the race – bike-us, no less –

which would then be triggered to play back as each

wannabe Bradley Wiggins pedalled a racing bike.

“People in the area don’t know what we do –

certainly not for broadcast – so we said, if you

watch any Premiership football match on the TV, or

X Factor, it’s through our desks. We set up a mixing

console here and let people mix on it. We made films

about the mill, how it started in the days of the textile

industry. I ran a workshop where around 50 kids and

their families built basic audio amps.

“The event sold out.”

The day not only raised Calrec’s profile in Hebden

Bridge, it led to the company being involved in other

events, such as a recent software ‘hackathon’, wittly-

titled “Wuthering Bites”.

And – although he’s too humble to brag about

it – Emmott says a few people apologised about

complaining in the first place. “They came in and

said, ‘We had no idea!’”

Selling the extension: the perfect plan

Building the chassis of a console module in the factory



Belgium

www.psneurope.com/studio

P22MARCH

2016

Studio

Work has begun on what will be one of Belgium’s biggest recording facilities when it opens the next 10 months, notes Marc Maes

DAFT but not stupid

Stijn Verdonckt, who took on the

management of the La Chapelle and

GAM studios in 2008, has started the

construction of a completely new facility in

Géromont, near Malmedy, in the east of the Belgium.

Backed by a regional investment fund, a bank

and a private investor, Verdonckt is looking at an

ambitious project: the recording complex, named

‘DAFT’, will have a huge (185sqm in area and 9m high)

main recording ‘wood’ room and two smaller live

studios. The site also offers room and lodging for 32

musicians, offices, and an in-house mastering studio.

The investment is rated at some €2.5million.

“In addition to the ‘regular’ recording studios,

we also have three modular rooms, to be used as

rehearsal room, studio for pre-mix overdubs or vocal

takes,” explains Verdonckt. “Three hybrid rooms for

multifunctional use – comparable to what we had in

our previous location.”

Until 1 December 2015, the expiry date of his

rental contract, Verdonckt continued his recording

assignments at La Chapelle and GAM.

With the new facility in full construction, Stijn

Verdonckt decided not just to sit around. “Just before

the year end, we installed an ‘insta-vinyl studio’ in an

empty tram. The vehicle was parked in the Kouter

Square in the city of Ghent. Situated in the heart of

the city, the location attracted alo t of attention from

the public,” he explains. “The idea is that, after we

have left La Chapelle, we pay a visit to the bands that

have worked in the studio. Each month, we will record

a single directly on vinyl – promoting the new DAFT

studio.”

Nine bands from Belgium, the Netherlands and

The new huge studio is under construction!

Pink Oculus recording in the Insta-Vinyl tram, set up while Stijn

Verdonckt awaits the completion of his DAFT recording studio

22-24 Daft FIN DR.indd 1 23/02/2016 17:01


Norway came to play live showcases and record

sessions in the tram. “

The facility is actually a 16-track analogue mobile

recording studio that records straight to vinyl,”

Verdonckt continues. “Each recording was cut onto 12-

inch maxi singles, in strictly limited edition releases of

30 copies per band. These vinyl discs were sold in a

‘pop-up’ store section in the same tram.”

The tram studio was equipped with a 16-channel

Cadac console with a direct out to a Cadac side-car –

Verdonckt further used a John Oram stereo passive

EQ, an original Joemeek stereo compressor and a

Tube Tech stereo compressor.

Popular bands like Oscar & The Wolf, Balthazar and

Bazart came to record and cut in the DAFT insta-vinyl

studio. Oscar & The Wolf recorded two brand new

tracks for a special 50-copy vinyl disc.

Also Hilko Nackaerts, luthier and guitar-tech to

the likes of Simple Minds’ Charlie Burchill and Nile

Rodgers, installed a temporary workshop in the tram.

Rates for a live recording, including mixing and

a limited number of vinyl cuts start from €500 per

session.

www.daftrecordingstudios.com


P24MARCH

2016

Studio

The idea is that we pay a visit to the bands that have worked in the studioStijn Verdonckt, DAFT Studio

Outside of the Insta-Vinyl recording studio tram, parked up in the middle of Ghent

Pierre Piront founded the GAM recording studio in

Waimes in 1979. After buying the Brussels Katy

studio, he relocated it to Waimes and launched La

Chapelle in 1995. Both GAM and La Chapelle became

part of the Media Waimes Centre. Stijn Verdonckt

hired both studios from 2008. La Chapelle’s

exceptional acoustics attracted recording artists

from both Belgium and abroad. The facility’s TV

production studios became the home for both public

and commercial TV stations.

Pierre Piront, original owner/founder of the GAM

and La Chapelle studios, took on the management

of four strands at the Waimes site as of December

last year: La Chapelle and GAM Studios, the Media TV

Studio (MTVS) and a property business. “MTVS and

GAM take over all activities at La Chapelle,” confirms

Piront. “The GAM studio is managed by my son

Simon Piront, an SAE engineering graduate.”

Both Piront and Verdonckt underline that the

change of management at La Chapelle was effected

“in the best conditions”, leaving both partners the

best opportunities for the future.

www.lachapellestudios.com

www.gamstudios.com

Meanwhile, back at La Chapelle...

22-24 Daft FIN DR.indd 2 23/02/2016 17:02

Join us June 4th – 7th, 2016 at the Palais des Congrès, Paris

Experience the world’s leading audio products. Network with industry experts. Meet the designers,

engineers and producers of the future. Learn what it takes to make it in the industry at our Project

Studio Expo and Audio Education Area. Don’t miss THE industry standard setting technical

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If it’s about Audio, it’s at AES!

• Music Recording • Broadcast

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• Student Events & Competitions& Much More

THE WORLD-RENOWNED AES CONVENTION RETURNS TO PARIS

140AUDIO ENGINEERING SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

TH PARIS, FRANCE PALAIS DE CONGRÈSCONFERENCE: JUNE 4 – JUNE 7, 2016EXHIBITS: JUNE 5 – JUNE 7, 2016

For AES sponsorship opportunities contact Graham Kirk: [email protected]

PRO AUDIO SHINES in the City of Light this June

For more information visit our website at: w w w.aeseurope.org

Facebook.com/AESorg#AESorg

41 AES_140th_RadioWorldFrance-FP-PRINT.indd 1 23/02/2016 15:58

FRANCE


P26MARCH

2016

Studio

London studios open training centre in Paris, reports Guillaume Schouker

Bien venue à Abbey Road!

Following successful launches in London, UK,

and Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, the

Abbey Road Institute (ARI) has now opened

its French branch. Training began last 26

October 26 a two-day Master Class session headed

up by recording engineer and music producer Steve

Lillywhite.

Jean-Philippe Boisson, ARI Paris managing director,

explains, “We are a professional training centre in

music production and audio engineering and not a

higher education institution. We are first and foremost

aiming at working people who do not want to follow a

traditional education course.”

Boisson says courses tackle sound recording

and mixing, plus “music business and lots of music

production”, but eschews broader disciplines such

as broadcast and post. The training is available in a

standard cycle of two-years, or a one-year intensive

version if required.

Located in the Studio Omega facility in Suresnes on

the western outskirts of Paris, the Institute can receive

a maximum of 25 students every year. This top-range

facility features a 96-track Solid State Logic 9000XL

console with 12 and a 5.1 surround monitoring system

equipped with custom TAD speakers.

Theory classes are given in a well-equipped

classroom featuring a powerful workstation for each

student: these based around an Apple iMac 27’’, with

UAD Twin Duo, 32Gb RAM, SSD HD, full UAD plug-ins,

Waves plug-ins, iZotope, McDSP and more.

Teachers are “professionals from the sound

and music industry,” says Boisson. “Each profile is

accepted or not by the parent company [Abbey Road

Institute London] according to her or his experience

and her or his credibility in the trade.”

Jean-Philippe Boisson has a solid background

audio engineering as well as in training: after starting

out as a studio musician in the ‘90s, he turned to

assistant engineering before becoming a recording

engineer. “I began teaching in the year 2000 as an

in-house trainer,” he recalls, “and I was given the

position of assistant manager at SAE Paris in 2006.”

He became general manager of SAE France in 2009

until mid-2015. “During the years 2014 and 2015, I

also managed SAE Brussels in order to put [that] back

on track.”

Within the framework of the course, certain classes

will take place in other French recording facilities, plus

students will be invited to attend workshops at Abbey

Road Studios in London.

In late January, a Master Class with UK record

producer and engineer Ken Scott was due to be held

at the new French institute.

Further ARIs are reported to be planned for the

German cities of Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt.

www.abbeyroadinstitute.fr

A range of microphones are available to students

A 96-track SSL 9000XL is the centerpiece of the main control room

ARI Paris’ Jean-Philippe Boisson has a solid

background in engineering and teaching

26 Abbey road FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 13:44


UNITED KINGDOM


P28MARCH

2016

Studio

FKA Twigs’ production work bags her two gongs at top industry bash, writes Dave Robinson

Winning women at MPG Awards

F emale recording and production talent was

recognised and rewarded more than ever before

at the Music Producers Guild Awards in London

on Wednesday 4 February.

Olga Fitzroy won the award for Recording Engineer of

the Year (sponsored by AMS Neve) while Catherine Marks

carried off the Breakthrough Producer of the Year trophy,

sponsored by Focusrite. FKA Twigs won the gongs for UK

Single (Pendulum) and UK Album (LP1) of the Year, both of

which she co-produced.

The MPG Inspiration Award (sponsored by Universal

Audio) went to US producer, engineer and artist Sylvia

Massy, who has over 20 gold and platinum albums to her

name and has worked with Tool, Johnny Cash, Prince, REM

and many others.

“The diversity of talent winning MPG Awards this year

is truly outstanding and we are proud to be reflecting the

ever rising number of women in the top tier of music-

making,” said MPG Awards director Tony Platt. “It was yet

another all-round great night for the UK music business.”

Over 350 guests saw Charlie Andrew take the night’s top

award – MPG Producer of the Year – automatically making

him the winner of the BRIT Award for Best Producer.

Mercury Prize winners Alt-J stepped up to present Andrew

with his trophies. A winner of the Breakthrough Producer

gong in 2013, Andrew noted how he had been heavily

influenced by the production of Clive Langer (Madness,

Elvis Costello). Langer himself was on hand to present this

year’s Breakthrough Engineer Award to Brett Cox.

The MPG honoured producer and artist Youth (Martin

Glover) with the Outstanding Contribution to UK Music

Award, sponsored by PPL. The producer said he was

“totally humbled” by the award. In a specially recorded

video tribute, Paul McCartney, Youth’s collaborator in the

Fireman project, told him fondly to “stick it up yer jumper”.

Youth later took to the stage to entertain guests with a

live performance featuring a number of the artists he has

produced over the years including Killing Joke (the punk

band he co-founded) and The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft,

with further appearances by Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour,

PiL’s Jah Wobble and Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook.

Introduced in 2009 to recognise the enormous

contribution made by recording professionals to the

success of the UK’s music industry, the MPG Awards

regularly attracts a high turnout of music industry VIPs and

celebrities. The 2016 event saw the dishing out of a total of

16 trophies.

Other highlights of the evening included Jimmy Page

presenting the Mastering Engineer of the Year Award to

John Davis; and Air Studios, currently fighting to prevent

a neighbouring resident from extending a basement to

within feet its premises, bagging the Studio of the Year

Award (Air’s Loz Anslow quipped, “I thought it would be a

swimming pool by now”.)

On receiving his Mix Engineer of the Year Award for his

work on the FKA Twigs album, David Wrench commented:

“I always remember what Julian Cope said to me: ‘Look

in the mirror, no one outside the music industry would

employ you!’”

The MPG Award for Innovation (sponsored by Audio

Note) went to Geoff Emerick who engineered all but a few

of the Beatles’ recordings between 1966 and 1968.

www.mpgawards.com

UK Producer of the Year,

sponsored by The BRITS 2016:

Charlie Andrew

Outstanding Contribution to UK Music,

sponsored by PPL:

Youth (Martin Glover)

Recording Engineer of the Year,

sponsored by AMS Neve:

Olga Fitzroy

Mix Engineer of the Year, sponsored by

Solid State Logic:

David Wrench

Mastering Engineer of the Year,

sponsored by SADiE and Transco Blanx:

John Davis

UK Album of the Year, sponsored by

G-tech and Jigsaw24:

FKA Twigs – LP1

UK Single Song Release of the Year,

sponsored by Shure:

FKA Twigs – Pendulum

Re-mixer of the Year, sponsored by

Prism Sound:

UNKLE

Breakthrough Producer of the Year,

sponsored by Focusrite:

Catherine Marks

Breakthrough Engineer of the Year,

sponsored by Musicguard Insurance:

Brett Cox

International Producer of the Year,

sponsored by Pro Tools Expert:

Max Martin

Studio of the Year, sponsored by Avid:

Air Studios

The A&R Award:

Chris Briggs

The MPG Award for Innovation

sponsored by Audio Note:

Geoff Emerick

The MPG Award for Inspiration

sponsored by Universal Audio:

Sylvia Massy

Special Recognition Award:

Fran Nevrkla

full list of 2016 MPG Award winners and sponsors

Best Single and Best Album for FKA TwigsOustanding Contribution winner Youth played bass with an all-

star line-up at the climax of the event Photo credit: Marc Sethi

The Producer of the Year (and BRIT) Award went to Charlie Andrew Producer Sylvia Massy clinched the Inspiration Award

28 MPG awardsFIN DR.indd 1 23/02/2016 17:49

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UNITED KINGDOM

www.psneurope.com/broadcast

P30MARCH

2016

Broadcast

A t a time when there are no fully agreed

standards for immersive audio, broadcasters

and researchers are producing work

that is giving a sense of what they could

be. Amongst this is a CGI animation with a 3D binaural

soundtrack that is due to get a world premiere at the

Tribeca Film Festival Storyscapes Exhibition during April.

The Turning Forest is described as a virtual reality (VR)

fairytale, with sound used to establish character and a

sense of place. It was produced both under the auspices

of the S3A Future Spatial Audio for an Immersive Listener

Experience at Home project and by the BBC as part of its

Audio Research Partnership. S3A is a grouping of three

British universities – Salford, Southampton and Surrey – all

sporting exceptional reputations for acoustics research.

It is funded by EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Science

Research Council) and is a partner of BBC R&D.

Dr James Woodcock, a research fellow at the University

of Salford, explains that The Turning Forest was originally

conceived as an audio-only piece that could be used to test

object-based technologies. “This was a research exercise

because, while it was obvious what an object workfl ow

looked like, we still need material for listening tests to

test diff erent systems,” he says. “So The Turning Forest is

almost like a tool for use in our research but it’s great it’s

been picked up for the Tribeca festival as well.”

The Turning Forest was written by playwright Shelley

Silas, with the animation directed by VR artist Oscar Raby.

While the focus of production was primarily on what the

technology could do, it also has a strong creative element.

The 3D sound picture and the characters inhabiting it, which

include a boy and a fantastical creature, were created by

sound designer and producer Eloise Whitmore, who says

the listener had to be encompassed by the environment:

“Our creature moved became important. The boy running

needed to be realistic [and] the creature needed to leap over

our heads. The audience needed to hear the heaviness of

the body [and its] vast size.”

Dialogue was recorded over two days in the multi-

purpose audio studio (MPAS) at dock10, the studios centre

of MediaCityUK (MCUK) in Salford Quays. The fi rst took place

in the studio’s semi-anechoic chamber; Whitmore recorded

using Neumann RMS 191s, with the actors standing still

and not overlapping their lines, as is common in radio

drama. Woodcock explains that this was necessary to get

A new CGI animated fi lm debuting at the Tribeca Festival is also exploiting object-based immersive audio. Kevin Hilton reports on its production and what it could mean for future technologies

3D audio fantasy is wild about spatial sound

Microphone array set up in woods for atmospheres and eff ects recording

The creature needed to leap over our heads. The audience needed to hear the heaviness of the body and its vast sizeEloise Whitmore

Sound designer Eloise Whitmore recording on location for The Turning Forest

30-31 Truning forest FIN DR.indd 1 23/02/2016 17:50

www.psneurope.com/broadcast

P31MARCH

2016

separate, dry tracks to create individual objects. The scenes

were then re-recorded in the main live room at MPAS

with the actors wearing Sanken COS-11 omni-directional

lavalier mics, allowing them to move about. Narration was

also recorded with a 191.

“The plan was we could test which was the best

recording in the edit,” comments Whitmore. “The actors

liked being able to wear the lapel mics and move across

a large area. However, technically the best audio captured

was on the 191s. They have a lovely warm sound but

the dialogue was also crisp and clear. It was easier to

manipulate in the [IOSONO] Spatial Audio Workstation

plug-in.”

A day was spent on location to capture atmospheres and

specific effects. A mic array was set up in a wood, using

16 Sennheiser MKH 8050 super-cardioids and four MKH

20 omni-directional mics for low frequencies. Whitmore

recorded wild track, including the boy character running

through leaves, using a Neumann 191 on a boom.

The spatial mix was put together in the listening room of

BBC R&D’s laboratories in Dock House, also on the MCUK

campus. This involved a 32-channel set-up with 32 Genelec

monitor loudspeakers: 30 8030Bs and two subwoofers. This

went through a Nuendo recording system fitted with the

Spatial Audio Workstation plug-in for panning. The sound

sources appeared as objects, with accompanying metadata

containing level and positioning information. Everything was

rendered using an algorithm developed by S3A.

During the mix Whitmore used “layers and layers of

stereo sound effects” to create the additional sounds of

the forest and the ice world not captured on the mic array.

“Each sound became an object that was placed within

the 3D space – birds, ice dripping, water lapping, creature

footsteps and vocals,” she says. Original music by Jon

Nicholls was delivered to Whitmore as stems, allowing

her to manipulate the depth and height of the music in the

spatial panner plug-in.

The Turning Forest will be presented with dynamic

binaural sound for headphones as part of a VR headset that

will also show the images. But the S3A research has wider

implications for future home entertainment systems, using

loudspeakers as well as headphones. “One of the things

we are doing is a listening experiment to understand how

listeners perceive spatial sound,” says James Woodcock.

“There is content through different loudspeaker layouts and

we are looking at what improves the listening experience,

going from high counts of loudspeakers to lower counts as

might be found in the living room.”

The Tribeca Film Festival runs from 14-17 April 2016.

https://tribecafilm.com/festival/storyscapes

www.s3a-spatialaudio.org

http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/blog/2016-02-a-

virtual-reality-fairy-tale

http://naked-productions.appspot.com (Eloise Whitmore)

Binaural head in the MPAS live room at dock10, MediaCityUK

Neumann RMS 191 set up for dialogue recording in the semi-anechoic chamber

The MPAS live room being set up for recording sessions, with the semi-anechoic chamber to the left of the picture

30-31 Truning forest FIN DR.indd 2 23/02/2016 17:50

www.psneurope.com/live

P32MARCH

2016

Live

Iconic North London venue the Roundhouse lived up to its name – very literally – last month with a run of intimate concerts performed ‘in the round’. David Davies went around for a chat

Round and (in the) round

North London arts and concert venue the

Roundhouse’s innovative credentials have

never really been in any doubt since the former

railway shed and warehouse was converted

into a performance space in the mid-’60s. During its initial

heyday, playwright Arnold Wesker and groundbreaking

director Peter Brook were among those to position the

venue at the vanguard of contemporary theatre, while the

Syd Barrett-led Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, The

Rolling Stones and many others gave era-defining concert

performances.

Refurbished and reopened in 2006 after more than

two decades in the dark, the Roundhouse’s second phase

of existence has been equally distinguished. While its

theatrical tradition has been maintained by a number of

landmark productions, including a cycle of Shakespeare’s

history plays performed by the RSC, festivals such as

Reverb and Apple Music (formerly iTunes) have underlined

its commitment to musical diversity.

In this continuing spirit of experimentation, February

saw the venue embark upon a series of shows undertaken

‘in the round’. These concerts – including performances by

John Cale, Edwyn Collins, Scritti Politti and many others

– played to a maximum audience of 1,500, equating to

approximately half of the usual capacity.

The rarely seen fully seated set-up provided “an amazing

opportunity for fans to see some of the world’s leading

artists to perform up-close in our iconic venue,” says

Roundhouse head of music Jane Beese. “The Roundhouse

is really made for this series – not only are the building’s

acoustics being used to their full potential to provide an

all-encompassing sound, but every seat gives a unique

experience for the ticket buyer… it looks and sounds

incredible in there. The artists have responded really well

to the unique setting, too, giving ticket buyers a once-in-a-

lifetime music experience.”

Overseeing audio for the series was long-term

Roundhouse supplier Britannia Row. Ahead of the ‘In the

Round’ shows, client liaison and business development

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Supergrass’ Gaz Coombes performing songs from his new solo album, Matador

The Roundhouse is really made for this series… it looks and sounds incredible in thereJane Beese, head of music, Roundhouse

32-33 Roundhouse FIN dr.indd 1 23/02/2016 17:57


P33MARCH

2016

representative Dave Compton told PSNEurope that an

additional central hang of nine L-Acoustics K2s was

provided to augment existing permanent L/R hangs of

nine K2s, along with the rest of the regular L-Acoustics

infrastructure, comprising: one hang of eight K1SBs

(positioned behind the central K2s), two hangs of six KARAs,

eight 108Ps for front-fill, and four SB28 subs on the ground.

“The greatest single challenge with these shows was the

need to maintain unobstructed sightlines, so the PA was

intentionally flown higher than normal,” confirms Compton,

who subsequently revealed that “out of the three shows

I saw I witnessed three standing ovations. They sounded

great; in particular, there was a very smooth transition

between the hangs and the low-end.”

Compton is himself a huge fan of the venue – “I’ve seen

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some of the best shows of my life there!” – and confirms

that with a throw of only 27 metres to the furthest point,

it is not an especially large space to accommodate.

Nonetheless, the permanent PA spec has been the subject

of gradual refinement over the last ten years, with an

Outline Butterfly system giving way to an L-Acoustics

V-DOSC and, more recently, a K2-centric rig.

“When the K2 came out we thought that its weight and

ease-of-rigging – along with the fact that it is a 12” box and

not a 15” one – lent themselves very well to the layout of

the Roundhouse,” says Compton, adding that the rig is run

off a total of 22 L-Acoustics LA8 amplified controllers.

L-Acoustics’ regional sales manager for the UK, Stuart

Down, emphasises the versatility of the K2 system as

being another important element of its suitability for this

site. “The Roundhouse is an iconic venue, well-known for

its unique architecture,” he says. “The beauty of it – and the

challenge sound-wise – is that it is used for a wide variety

of events and shows [including] corporate events, awards

ceremonies, product launches and, of course, live music.

The beauty of the L-Acoustics K2 sound system that Brit

Row installed there is that it can handle all of that.”

Visiting artists also had the opportunity to use the

resident consoles – a Midas PRO 9 at FOH and a Yamaha

PM5D at monitors – with only a couple of performers opting

to bring in their own desks. As ever, processing and control

were managed by two Lake processors running Dante,

positioned at FOH, with a further seven Lakes situated near

the stage for zoning purposes.

“Our work with the Roundhouse is a very important part

of our business at Brit Row – and a growing one, too, as we

are up to about 120 events per year there now,” concludes

Compton. “The ‘In the Round’ shows can be regarded as

another successful chapter in the story.”

http://www.roundhouse.org.uk

Brit Row supplied a flying L-Acoustics K2 system for the event

Marianne Faithfull still wows the crowds. Edwyn

Collins and Scritti Politti also played a night

32-33 Roundhouse FIN dr.indd 2 23/02/2016 17:57

Netherlands


P34MARCH

2016

Live

For the past 13 years, Arnhem’s GelreDome

Stadium has been the home of Qlimax, an all-

night hard dance music event staged by Dutch

entertainment enterprise Q-dance. In recent

years, the high noise levels have generated numerous

complaints – despite the stadium’s retractable roof

being closed – to the point where a public debate was

held as to whether the shows could continue.

Offi cial measurements were taken, with the noise

levels revealed to be well above the legal limits,

particularly in the bass frequencies. As a result, the

Municipality of Arnhem stopped issuing overnight

permits for such events.

Q-dance, audio rental company Rent-All and

specialists Focus Advanced Facilities worked together to

fi nd a solution which could signifi cantly reduce the noise

nuisance or, even better, remove it altogether.

“The audio system comprised four large arrays

at the stage and four delay arrays in line abreast,

halfway down the stadium. They had to cover large

distances and, therefore, put out a lot of energy,” says

Ben Brouwers, sound consultant at Rent-All. “The roof

was a big problem because it’s made of 3mm steel

plates and resonates at around 50Hz. The exterior noise

measurements showed that most of the spill, especially

the low frequencies, came from there and behind the

stage.

“After considerable research and testing, the results

showed that it would be possible to continue with

overnight dance events if we redesigned the system.

We presented a plan to the Municipality of Arnhem

and were given two chances, which would be closely

monitored.”

The test results suggested a solution whereby,

instead of fl ying one large line array at the stage, the

sound system was broken down into a set of smaller,

distributed line arrays.

“The most important part was removing all the low

energy from the roof, so we needed to achieve as little

low-end frequency behind the speakers as possible,”

says Brouwers. “When we hung the line arrays with

a cardioid sub array behind it and applied delay and

fi ltering, we achieved between -12 and -18dB to the

rear, but with really good coupling at the front.

“The combination of these arrays were fl own with a

very sharp downward angle, meaning that the back of

each array was pointing towards the roof rather than

the back of the stadium. This had the twin benefi ts of

reducing the sound projected to the rear of the stadium

and also that the roof was subject to much less energy,

between -12 and -18dB in the 40-60Hz range.”

He continues: “Positioning more arrays closer to

the audience also meant that each one could push out

less energy, because the entire audience was always

in the nearfi eld of one of the arrays. So, while we were

still achieving around 103/104dBA and around 122dBC

(LAeq three minutes) on the dancefl oor, the overall

energy levels outside the intended coverage area were

much lower.”

The two ‘test’ events with the redesigned system

permitted by the Municipality of Arnhem passed all the

sound pressure tests and so Qlimax and other all-night

dance music events at GelreDome Stadium were given

permission to continue. This last Qlimax, held in late

2015, proved the success of the concept.

“Eight years ago we had 200 complaints from local

residents, this year complaints were down to virtually

zero,” says Brouwers. “It has also had signifi cant

benefi ts for the Qlimax audience, because the sound

quality has substantially improved.”

This year, the system was redesigned using four

lines of delay system (a combination of six L-Acoustics

K2 and with three K1-SB at the rear. An additional,

and major, advantage of this is that the total weight of

the PA system was brought down by 6000Kg and the

installation of the system was much simpler.

Indeed, so successful has the design been that Focus

has implemented it at other events and been working to

improve it further.

“Other major customers and venues have also heard

about the solution and are interested in its potential,”

says Brouwers. “Every year we are improving the

system, and we have recently started new tests to make

the low end more directional, so that you can hang some

subs that will beam down, not above or behind.”

www.l-acoustics.com

By breaking up the K1 arrays and rethinking the traditional fl ying arrangement, Focus Advanced Facilities were able to contain the bass energy and pull off another spectacular evening in the Gelredome – without upsetting the neighbours

A better Qlimax for everyone

Inside the Gelredome: the smaller, split and distributed K1 hangs

were the key to sound management. Credit: Q-dance

‘Hands in the air for line array technology, yay!’ Photo credit: Q-dance

34 Qlimax FIN DR.indd 1 23/02/2016 17:33



P36MARCH

2016

Live feature: Console concerns

In the first part of a two-part special, industry commentator and freelance marketeer Dave Wiggins talks to leading sound engineers about their preferences when it comes to console choice

Shifting gear

We are in the midst of a (presumably)

finite period in which sound engineers

still have a choice between analogue

and digital mixing systems, a choice

which consequently has still to be accommodated by the PA

providers. This is because the analogue tail has continued to

wag for far longer than many people expected, at the same

time as numerous manufacturers continue to develop and

refine their digital console offerings.

The fact is though, production of top-level analogue

consoles ceased some time ago and, although the global

population is reasonably healthy, one has to assume

that every year it dwindles somewhat especially as the

resources to maintain these products in a roadworthy state

also diminish. One also assumes that, one day, there will be

no more large-format analogue consoles in regular touring

use, though when that day might be is debatable. So we find

ourselves, for a while at least, simultaneously at the end of

one technology and still quite near the beginning of another.

For many the pinnacle of live analogue mixing meant,

and still means, Midas: the XL4 and its predecessor the XL3

(still much loved by The Prodigy’s Jon Burton and others),

plus their best-selling Heritage range, especially the multi-

purpose 3000-series.

There are still Yamaha PM4000s out there (Rolling

Stones FOH Dave Natale is a devotee) and no doubt some

other makes too but the fact is that no further investment or

development is presently being made in those technologies.

By contrast, digital mixing, as Metallica FOH engineer Big

Mick Hughes pointed out to me recently, is now in its second

generation, still forging ahead and now offering facilities

far beyond the relatively simple ‘total recall’ of the original

digital desks.

The 2G consoles now, for example, offer network

functionality moving lossless audio almost instantly

around large areas and multiple nodes; simple and

reliable recording interfaces that archive a large number

of channels onto media that is ideal for later use in studios;

access to plug-ins and/or well-developed onboard FX and

dynamics; enormously powerful processing that allows

levels of mix and system control that would have been

impossible or impractical with analogue desks; reliable

interfaces with various outboard equipment; and for many

people the best thing of all which is lightweight, small

footprint, ‘gig-in-a-box’ convenience which still includes all

the good things described above.

Looking back, the biggest digital hill that everyone (users

and manufacturers alike) had to get over was that of mixing

more inputs and outputs than the console had physical

controls for. This again is a situation that has matured, partly

because mix engineers have learned to deal with it and

(usually) consider it a reasonable trade-off against the many

conveniences of digital, but also because the manufacturers

have come up with intuitive and practical ways of navigating

around huge I/O counts.

So, what do the users think of the situation as it stands?

For those that are still exercising choice, what are the

deciding factors? Obviously there are as many opinions as

there are engineers but here follows a small cross-section…

THE VIEW FROM FOH

Paul ‘Pab’ Boothroyd spent much of 2015 managing the

Herculean task of mixing two of the year’s biggest-grossing

tours simultaneously, yet he took very different approaches

Big Mick Hughes mixes Metallica through a Meyer Sound PA with a Midas

XL8 at the AT&T Park, San Francisco Photo credit: Meyer Sound

My preference now would always be digital, flip-to-fad-ers is the only way to really actually mix monitorsDave Guerin

36-39 Shifting gear FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 13:31


P37MARCH

2016

to mixing them: “It’s all about the job at hand and what is

required to fulfil the artists desires,” he says. “Sound and the

quality and reproduction of a performance are still top of the

list and it is perceived (including by AC/DC) that analogue is

still the greater achiever for this. So that’s why I use a Midas

XL4 for them.’

On AC/DC’s previous tour, Pab famously used a Midas

Pro 40 from the early 80s: “This came about from a chat

with Malcolm and Angus [Young], and whilst recording

in the studio with them during the writing of Black Ice,

Malcolm said it would be great if we could use a Neve for

that tour like in the studio. I got what I considered the next

best thing, a reconditioned vintage Midas Pro 40, just a great

sounding desk which would survive the demands of a two

year world tour. She was retired afterwards.’

The challenges for Sir Paul McCartney were, perhaps

surprisingly, somewhat different: “I need a small footprint

console as we actually play some tiny places, but still need

quality, functionality and Pro Tools for archiving. The Avid

Profile does all that in a single package.’”

Pab is perhaps representative of the most modern and

forward-thinking freelance engineers in his approach to

using whatever is deemed best for the job: “I’m reasonably

comfortable moving between analogue and digital, and with

today’s digital consoles it’s amazing how they can stand up

to a quality analogue sound.”

Jerry Eade’s CV makes him ideal as an interviewee for

this piece – as a classical specialist he has manned FOH for

Placido Domingo for many years and for a period Andrea

Bocelli, but also works at the top of pop world occasionally

with Sir Elton John and Sting.

He says, “I moved to digital mixing principally because it

offered more busses, groups and matrix inputs for complex

signal paths – I had to jump on or get left behind! It hasn’t

really changed the way I mix so much, it’s just made it

easier to achieve things that were not possible before.”

Does Eade think that classical audiences have higher

expectations of the audio in a live environment, and whether

digital has helped him improve that quality? “Absolutely!” he

says. “By the use of many signal paths and infinite delays I

can now make speakers disappear, especially in the near

field.’ Would he go back to analogue? ‘Not really, now I’ve got

so used to not needing tape and sharpies! I’d find it difficult

to go back - previously the only reason would have been

audio quality but now the grown up digital companies have

nailed that as well’.

Genial Brummie FOH legend Big Mick Hughes is now

in his fourth decade of mixing Metallica, but his hard-

rock credentials also include Def Leppard, Slipknot, Ozzy

Osbourne and Led Zeppelin. A Midas XL4 was his weapon

of choice for years but he now looks very comfortable

behind the same company’s former flagship digital console,

the XL8 – what prompted the move? “I moved to the XL8

because the reliability of the XL4s around the world was

becoming a liability. The extra flexibility the complete XL8

system offered was also a fantastic plus and the splitter

system gave us the opportunity to do everything we ever

needed. All the recording splits we have to do became a

[email protected]

+44 (0)208 238 7800

Unit 12 Capital Business Park, Manor Way, Borehamwood, Herts WD6 1QJ

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Paul ‘Pab’ Boothroyd mixing Alien Ant Farm on Digidesign(!)

Profile (for strings) and XL8 Photo credit: Zoe Mutter



P38MARCH

2016

Live feature

SUMMA. THE WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL. Inspired by the simplicity and intuitiveness of tablet technology, Summa is designed for a broad range of operator levels, with an easy-to-use touchscreen interface which uses established finger gestures to navigate the system.

Designed for live broadcast applications, with a focus on instinctive operation, Summa simplifies even complex workflow tasks with common procedures that are just a touch away.

Leading-edge Bluefin2 DSP and the same high-performance Hydra2 router technology featured on the Apollo and Artemis consoles means Summa is fully integrated with the wider broadcast community. Lean, refined and simple – more reasons why the world’s most successful broadcasters rely on Calrec.

2

calr

ec.c

om

really easy thing after the arrival of the XL8 system.”

Has the move to digital changed the way he mixes? “Not

really changed the way I work but given me more tools to

utilise, which makes mixing more challenging but definitely

way more exciting as to what can be achieved.”

Can he imagine going back to an analogue board now?

“Hmmmm…! I don’t think just an all-analogue console

would cut it now. If it was a digitally controlled surface with

all the recall and reliable moving fader package, but with

a totally analogue signal path including fantastic mic pres,

then maybe – though it would have to sound stunning!”

…AND FROM THE STAGE

It’s always good to seek an opinion from the other end of

the multicore and Dave Guerin (whose CV as a monitor

engineer is a magazine article in itself but includes Damon

Albarn, The Pogues, Blur, Morrissey and many many others)

offered some fascinating insight from the stage…

“My preference now would always be digital, flip-to-

faders is the only way to really actually mix monitors. When

was the last time a FOH engineer mixed on a load of knobs

and not faders? The odd time I’m now back on analogue I

have to tell myself, ‘It’s the knobs not the faders’, every single

time I hit the output PFL. Now if they could just fix the DCA

(Digitally Controlled Amplifier) function to work the way I’ve

been asking for over 10 years now, then it’d be great…!”

Guerin does a lot of festival work: what console does he

see most often? “The Yamaha PM5D seems to be the house

desk of choice, along with the Avid/Digidesign. I don’t think

I’ve seen an analogue monitor desk at a festival in a long,

long time.

“More and more bands are also turning up with their

own desks these day: if there’re eight bands on the bill of a

large festival main stage, it’s not unusual to see seven band

Sound checking with Andrea Bocelli in the Sagrada Familia Photo credit: Louis Austin



P39MARCH

2016

« Scan here to learn more.

lectrosonics.com or 1-800-821-1121

In Canada, call 877-753-2876

In Europe, call +33 (0) 78558 3735

Welcome to the Family The award-winning Digital Hybrid Wireless® family just got a new member:

the Venue 2 Receiver.

iQ™ tracking fi lters for high performance in dense RF environmentsDigital Hybrid Wireless® for compandor-free audioModules tune across 3 standard blocks (75 Mhz)

Ethernet for control and monitor over IPWideband frame (220 MHz)

Up to 6 channels in 1RUIR Sync for quick setup

monitor desks on stage and just the local opening act using the eighth

house desk with the house engineer.”

For the FOH engineers their choice of console is often driven by

audio quality. Is that a lesser consideration for monitors? “All current

digital desks sound pretty good these days,” says Guerin, “although

saying that, the whole band noticed the improvement when I went

from a PM5D to an SD10 on Damon [Albarn]’s solo tour the other year.

“The number of inputs and outputs available is the first

consideration, can I fit the band on the desk? After that, it’s about how

quick the desk is to get around. If the guitarist wants the snare up he

wants it up now, not in two bars time when he’s gone out of time. I use

the DCA a lot, and if the DCAs share faders with the outputs, then that’s

a big NO from me.”

Staying on stage, Jac Nott has mixed monitors for The Levellers

for over a decade, has also worked with The Pogues, Gary Numan

and Squeeze as well as being the house monitor engineer post at the

End of the Road Festival for the last six years. She is also that rarest of

things in this industry – female! – and thus at least partly addresses

the gender imbalance in this piece…

Do you have a preference between analogue and digital and are

you comfortable moving between the two?

“To be honest, it depends on the artist being mixed. For the

most part I prefer the sound of good quality analogue boards over

the majority of digitals any day.

“For ‘on-the-fly’ mixing, workflow on analogue is mostly faster,

and fault finding simpler as it’s all in front of you. Digital provides

convenience only if you have a show file already, ergo time to set

one up. Moving to digital has definitely force-changed the way I

work.

“I do specify certain digital consoles for The Levellers as they

have so much going on now, and I am happy enough with the

sound of the consoles I use. There is also, unfortunately, the

issue that most analogue boards are no longer kept well enough

serviced to actually work 100%, so now I specify digital consoles.”

And audio quality?

“The advent of IEMs means every monitor engineer mixing

on them is under closer scrutiny from their artist as clarity of

sound is far more apparent at point blank range. The same cannot

necessarily be said for FOH engineers that find themselves

mixing for punters who are used to listening daily to their

favourite tunes at MP3 quality on a mobile phone, then singing

along with their mates and a few thousand other people after a

few beers (as is common at most of the gigs I do!). Not saying FOH

quality of sound isn’t important, it is essential of course, but the

‘audience’ on both sides of the string (crash barrier) are equally

important.”

The rise of digital consoles has roughly coincided with the

widespread acceptance of in-ear monitoring systems. Does Nott find

it easier to mix ears on digital or analogue, and why? “For a band on

lots of IEMs the convenience that digital can provide (not having to dial

in umpteen stereo mixes and reverbs each time, etc) is undeniably a

godsend – load show file, press go – if you have a file for that console,

that is! I think it really depends on your artist and how much on the fly

mixing you have to perform. If you don’t have a showfile though, it’s a

potential nightmare…”

+ In part two next month, Dave Wiggins finds out what some of the

biggest PA providers in the country think of the whole debate

(L-R) Big Mick Hughes, Roy Williams and Robert Plant before the

Led Zeppelin reunion at the O2, 2007 Photo credit: David Wiggins



P40MARCH

2016

Live

The musical’s back on this planet, Janet. Orbital’s audio ran it, Janet. With Gareth on duty to plan it, Janet. So dammit, Janet, let’s go view…

It’s astounding: d&b for new Rocky Horror tour

No shortage of pelvic thrusts in this production... Photo credit: Sean Webb

40 41 42 Rocky horror FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 12:18


P41MARCH

2016

R ichard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show returned

to the UK stage in December 2015, at the

beginning of a major tour scheduled to run

through until late 2016. The iconic musical

has been given a major refresh, under the direction of

Christopher Luscombe. Sound design is by Gareth Owen,

continuing his 15-year association with the musical, with

the sound system supplied by Orbital Sound. Gareth’s

design includes d&b audiotechnik’s new V7P point

source array loudspeaker system, making its UK stage

debut.

Rocky Horror, for the unitiated, has become a show

with an enormous amount of audience participation

– including the throwing of rice and toast, and much

shouting at the cast at appropriate points (“Slut!”

“Asshole!” “Where’s your neck?” etc) – and Luscombe

has focused on balancing this with the demands of one-

day touring and the tight schedules that go with it. The

result is a tight, dynamic production that loses nothing

from the original concept, maintaining the cult status and

the audience fun.

For Owen, the new tour represented an opportunity to

try a diff erent dimension with the V7P system, and put

the latest developments in point source technology to the

test. He explains:

“Point source has tended to fall by the wayside in

recent years, partly due to the impact of line array in

terms of improved power and coverage. For some

shows, however, it’s not always the ideal solution, and

when we heard about d&b audiotechnik’s new V7Ps, it

was an obvious decision to give it a try.

“Rocky Horror is one of the loudest shows around,

and we were able to achieve the same result with just a

quarter of the speaker numbers. I can’t remember the

last time I was so impressed with a speaker.

Owen specifi ed one V7P aside for the circle, upper

levels and the gallery, with a ground stack line array (four

V8s per side) for the stalls.

“It sounded just as good in the circle as in the stalls,”

he says. “Set-up was straightforward, and we were able

to confi gure the system to deliver the power and clarity

required without any distortion. For a show like this

where the load-in and performance are on the same day,

point source is a great solution. We just don’t have time

to do the amount of rigging and calculation necessary

to get the best out of a big line array system. The V7P

system fulfi lls the requirement for fast load-in and set-

up, without any compromise in terms of quality.”

The V7Ps are powered by D20 4-channel amplifi ers,

and the all-d&b PA system includes E6s and E8s for fi lls

and delays, with a complement of ten V-Subs. Stage

monitoring and SFX duties are performed by Q7s and

E6s. On the radio mic front, Owen used Shure UR4D and

UR1M receivers and transmitters.

A relatively new addition to the equipment line-up

is the Nemesis CCS-2 computer control switch, which

is designed to allow two computer systems to share a

keyboard, mouse, monitor and distribution of GPI data

When Eddie said he didn’t love his daddy... Photo credit: Sean Webb



P42MARCH

2016

Live

and MIDI messages. Over the last two years, Owen and

his associate sound designer Russell Godwin worked

closely with the Nemesis development team at Orbital

inputting into the evolution of the system design and

putting the CCS-2 through some rigorous real-world

pre-release testing. Owen’s verdict on the production

Nemesis CCS-2 is that “it does exactly what we want,

and has proved to be very reliable”.

Equipment supply and support is provided throughout

the tour by Orbital Sound, with production engineer

(and Pro Sound Award winner) Chris Mace at the helm,

managing the challenges of the daily touring schedule.

Owen adds: “This is what the Orbital Sound team is so

good at. Chris pays meticulous attention to detail when

putting the system together at the start of a tour, making

extensive use of Orbital Sound’s custom-designed

RacPac modular racking and GUFF cabling system. It’s a

very slick operation as a result.”

In addition to Owen, the full sound team on the tour

comprises Olly Steel as associate sound designer, Matt

Peploe as head of sound, and Wes McCann as sound

number two. The production manager is Simon Gooding.

Rocky Horror takes in Torquay, Bradford and Edinburgh

through March and wraps in Aberdeen at His Majesty’s

Theatre in mid-September. Catch it while you can: after

all, time is fleeting…

www.orbitalsound.com

rockyhorror.co.uk

If in doubt, pull the lever Photo credit: David Freeman

LIfe can be such a drag... Photo credit: Sean Webb

With TouchMix you don’t need to be an experienced sound engineer to sound like one.In the hands of an experienced photographer, a modern DSLR camera can create stunning images in any number of shooting conditions. But see the presets for portraits, landscapes, close-ups and more? The camera is pre-programmed by experienced professionals so that anyone can get a quality image in just about any condition. Just point and shoot. The camera knows what it needs to do to give you a great shot.

Same with TouchMix. It’s one of the most advanced digital mixers ever made, with features that rival consoles costing thousands more. But its real genius is how the Presets, Wizards and Simple Modes put all that power to work easily and seamlessly to deliver you an amazing mix that will have everyone convinced that you are a professional sound engineer. How? Just like the DSLR, our own team of pony-tailed professionals* put everything they learned over decades of mixing live sound into TouchMix so that whether you’re a pro or not, you’ll get

that’s why we say that TouchMix is Simply Genius.

POINT-AND-SHOOT MIXINGTouchMix

™

SeriesCompact Digital MixersTouchMix™ 8 I TouchMix™ 16

*Our research indicates that professional sound engineers have, per capita, more ponytails than any other profession. We’re still investigating the cause of this phenomenon.© 2015 QSC, LLC all rights reserved. QSC, and the QSC logo are registered


The Café D’Anvers installation comprises the GS-WAVE series

3-metre dance fl oor stack with GSA technology, and the XY Series

in-fi ll speakers. All powered by Powersoft’s high performance

K Series amps with built-in DSP. This comprehensive line-up

guarantees versatile installations that deliver superb sound and

complete coverage throughout venues of every shape and size.

visit www.pioneerproaudio.com to learn more about our GLOBAL installations,

venues include Sound Nightclub LA, Sankeys Ibiza, UshuaÏa, Pikes and Bierfabriek

Pioneerproaudiocafe d’anvers | antwerp | belgium



P44MARCH

2016

Technology feature: Wireless and IEM

Phil Ward provides a timely reminder that there’s more to wireless than shrinking bandwidth

Radio ga-ga

Y es, of course: spectrum. Pro audio has all the

good guys and the bad guys are in Whitehall,

Brussels and Nokia’s secret Cloudbase above

Scandinavia. Several planeloads of rock and

roll PA have gone missing over Finland. As we’ll find out

later, pro audio’s agents are at large in the corridors of

power and battling for freedom and justice as we speak.

But the everyday business of wireless in concert

production goes on, and still demands the highest

standards of operation on the reasonable assumption

that there’s a wafer thin crisp of frequency still available to

crunch on. The manufacturing sector, as ever, is responding

with gusto, and in this field more than any other training is

symbiotic with sales.

Set pieces

Shure Distribution UK’s Tuomo Tolonen has been running

the company’s ‘Wireless Mastered’ training sessions at

regular intervals for about two years now, plugging a

perceived gap in understanding about RF and its elusive

nature that persists to this day. Despite years of great

success and penetration into every aspect of live sound

with its wireless technology, Shure remains on a mission

to establish better basic knowledge – even as the wireless

environment grows in complexity and controversy.

Troubleshooting its many challenges can only be

encouraged by a thorough grounding, goes the theory.

“I think we take for granted how widespread the use of

radio is,” he says. “We’re keen to communicate just how

mission-critical it is: if it fails somewhere along the line,

from TV events to concerts to West End stage shows, it has

the kind of repercussions where somebody loses their job.”

Common gaps in engineering knowledge, according to

Tolonen, concern system design.

“Most engineers come into the industry to push faders

and fly loudspeakers,” he says. “Not many will have said,

Hey, I want to be an RF co-ordinator! It’s just something

that’s been dropped in our laps and we have to be good

at it.

“One thing that becomes apparent at the seminars

is that, when you have interference or dropout, and

that classic sound of hisses and pops as your carrier

disappears, it’s easy to think that someone is responsible

by, say, turning on a radio mic that’s on or near your

frequency. However, I would say the majority of the time

that’s not what causes it. It could be, obviously; but mostly

it’s down to bad system set-up and too high a noise floor.

“What this means is a failure to understand the

relationship of antennae to cables, and to the entire system.

Say you were hooking up a couple of wired microphones

that will feed into a mixing console: whether that mic cable

is 10m or 50m long has no bearing whatsoever. On the

other hand, in a radio system, if the cable between the

antennas and the receivers is 40ft, not 10ft, that will make

or break your system. The loss through the cable is too

much. RF attenuates very quickly through a cable and of

course, the poorer the cable, the faster the attenuation.”

In analogue systems, the companding used to maintain

dynamic range only exacerbates this loss as the signal

Wireless mics put to work by Shlomo’s Vocal

Orchestra. If you can’t beat ‘em, beatbox ‘em!

I think we take for granted how widespread the use of radio isTuomo Tolonen, Shure

44-46 Wireless IEMs FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 13:04


P45MARCH

2016

is converted into the noisy domain of RF. The quality and

technique of companding also plays its part, with cheaper

systems off ering even less return on quality. “The high-end

systems,” continues Tolonen, “typically use companding

schemes that are incredibly clever and, to be honest, there

should be no perceivable diff erence between using cable or

wireless. But it’s also dependent on the audio material and

how that behaves in the RF environment.”

The ironically troublesome behaviour of the wires

in a ‘wireless’ system pertains to the eff ects of RF

signal passing through coaxial cable, a much weaker

transportation than a wired mic signal whether analogue or

digital. What arrives at the receiving antenna, for distribution

via cable, is much more brittle and much at the mercy of the

length, quality and impedance of the wiring that then takes

it to the PA.

High fi bre diet

There is another option. Andy Clements, Raycom’s

commercial director, agrees that the RF landscape created

by the user ¬– the system set-up, as distinct from the

untamed RF wilderness all around – is the real key to

performance. “Aside from the very wide tuning range, which

is a real USP of Wisycom, it’s really down to the design of

the RF architecture,” he says. “Wisycom’s technology allows

much better rejection of spurious signals, and if you want

a reference consider that the product is used without fault

in Formula One broadcasting: in that situation you have 25

teams with data travelling over RF, plus every broadcaster

on the planet working in the same area and fi ghting for

frequency.”

That robustness can be transported to festival and

concert production with alacrity, but if you factor in

Wisycom’s fi bre-optic dimension there are further benefi ts

for large-scale events. “Our units will cover around 1,000m

at fairly low power,” Clements says, “but we can now

transfer RF over fi bre and combine antennas for coverage

over any area however large. We recently designed and

commissioned a large system for I’m A Celebrity in the

Australian jungle to cover over fi ve million square feet,

coming back to a single RF point. It’s a lot more reliable

than shark-fi n antennas close by and then miles of coax:

you never know where the mixing console could end up

nowadays.”

Wisycom is about to release the MPR50-IEM solution,

designed specifi cally for enhanced stereo imaging and as

a general sonic upgrade from the MPR30. “Once again, it’s

down to RF structure,” adds Clements. “Yes, you can have

great buds in your ears but the audio is travelling via RF. If

that RF design uses the best possible audio processing and

bullet-proof RF transfer, you get more information through

and that equates to cleaner, better quality sound. One of our

experienced live sound customers told me it was only by

experiencing the Wisycom IEM RF that he fi nally understood

why it was worth spending £1,200 on a pair of ear buds!”

Founded over 20 years ago, Taiwanese manufacturer

MIPRO now off ers a comprehensive and innovative range

of wireless microphones using digital and analogue UHF

technologies. The recently released ACT 2400 system

introduces new technology to the portfolio operating on the

licence-free 2.4GHz ISM band.

Transmitters are available in handheld and beltpack

confi gurations, but a series of solutions for instruments

including guitars, violins, brass and woodwind makes the

range notable. The new ACT-22T miniature transmitter,

for example, is designed for mounting on a headworn

mic; smaller than a matchbox and weighing in at just

40g, it solves the common problem of how to conceal a

transmitter on a performer.

“An often overlooked part of a wireless microphone

system is the antenna,” comments Stuart Cunningham,

general manager, technical services & marketing at

distributor CUK Audio. “MIPRO has a very complete range

of antennas and accessories. In addition to the standard

coaxial antennas that ship as standard with ACT receivers,

optional omnidirectional ‘paddle’, directional log, circularly

polarized and ground plane antennas are available.

Combine these with antenna dividers and boosters with

There is now a huge range of options when it

comes to in-ear monitoring, but there is one British

company trying to break the mould, as it were.

Focusing on service and innovation, rather than

go-faster stripes and celebrity endorsements, Read

Audio off ers professional monitoring, made – or

repaired – in London within 48 hours.

With pioneering business gambits including half-

price replacements, 0% fi nance and two-year’s

warranty on pro earpieces, the London-based start-

up’s latest model now includes individual acoustic

tuning on a per-ear basis: the monitors themselves

claim to sound identical in any size or shape of ear

without custom moulding.

“The unique way that Read Audio monitors are

built allows us to control the acoustic mass of the

sound outlet for the fi rst time,” explains company

founder and MD Mat Jones. “This means that the

variation in the distance between the speaker and

the ear-tip, that would aff ect the acoustic response of

the speaker, can be accounted for and controlled. It’s

like having a speaker cabinet designed specifi cally

for your size of ear…”

www.read-audio.com

READ ALOUD

There’s a notable shift to digital in the marketTom Harrold, Audio-Technica

The new

Wisycom

MPR50-IEM

beltpack



P46MARCH

2016

Technology feature: Wireless and IEM

automatic gain control and you can be guaranteed perfect

reception in any environment.” Premium condenser

capsules are fitted as standard to MIPRO’s handheld

transmitters.

Discriminating

“There’s a notable shift to digital in the market and

some interesting technology being developed,” says Tom

Harrold, Audio-Technica’s European marketing manager.

“However, many touring acts still seem to place value

in sonic performance and trust analogue systems for

large-scale productions. Rudimental, for example, use an

Audio-Technica 5000 Series system for international tours

– running many, many channels for multiple lead vocals

– specifically for its sonic qualities. Monitor engineer Stu

MacAulay is a big fan of the way the 5000 Series maintains

tone on-stage and continues to rely on the setup for that

reason.

“We’re also seeing a promising uptake in digital for

different markets and the recently introduced System 10

PRO system is offering something different for touring

acts requiring a more affordable package. Performers at

all levels are now not only switched on to the benefits of

going wireless, but are also demanding much more stable,

good-sounding and flexible systems. They’re much better

informed and discriminating these days, and that’s driving

some great innovation even at the more affordable end of

the market.”

Indeed. When US studio mic mainstay Earthworks

decided to delve into wireless for live use, a partnership

with Line 6 emerged. According to Steve Beeston, sales

representative for Line 6 at Yamaha Music Europe, it

was the robustness of Line 6’s established wireless

technology that made a platform attractive enough for

Earthworks’ WL40V hyper-cardioid capsule. “Our V75-40V

handheld was the only transmitter that Earthworks

chose,” he points out, “because it didn’t change any of the

frequencies whatsoever, it didn’t colour anything at all. Our

own mic, the V75-SC, has 10 mic models itself: modelling

is another way of optimising performance for different

vocals styles, male and female artists and many other

variables. I did a ‘Stork-or-butter’ test with Stage Electrics

[Blimey, that dates you Steve! – Ed] and only one of the

originals was preferred to our modelling.”

Line 6’s compression-free Relay digital wireless solution

has attracted many imitators, once Line 6 had shown how

to exploit licence-free, 2.4GHz bandwidth for, first, guitar

signals and latterly vocals. The only constraint is that, since

2.4GHz is the range of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity

in a mobile world, RF systems for gigs need to beware of

local servers to avoid interference. “You’ll always get some

trouble with 2.4 potentially,” admits Beeston, “but our top

of the range XD-V75 system scans from the main unit and

shows you, of the 14 channels available, which ones to

avoid. It shows you where the local router is or, in some

cases, multiple routers if it’s a busy wireless location.

“Antenna distribution is key. We sell a lot of 8-channel

systems, many into smaller theatres using Channel 38,

where there is a limit. They can either buy expensive

spot frequencies, or get another eight channels from us

completely licence-free. You can also switch it to the original

RF1 mode, where there are four carrier frequencies per

channel.”

Escape capsule

Capsule choice could be a significant development. Even

if the coveted capsules of Shure and Sennheiser remain

top of most riders, new systems offer the flexibility of

being able to bolt them on – almost literally – to lower cost

wireless packages. Mark Parkhouse is MD of FBT Audio

UK, distributor of the Taiwanese wireless mic system brand

JTS. Last September, JTS launched the ‘affordable’ UF-20

wideband UHF system, admittedly aimed at corporate and

installation applications and, oh yes it was, road-tested in

pantomime: water and slapstick put components through

unique paces. It claims 200m operating distance, and is

pitched against Shure’s UHF-R and Sennheiser’s EM 2000

at “less than half the price,” according to Parkhouse.

Although it does not feature remote monitoring, what

could lift the UF-20 into medium scale rock’n’roll touring is

the removable capsule of its JSS-20 handheld transmitter.

“You can unscrew our capsule and put, say, a Shure Beta

57 or 58 capsule modules straight onto it,” Parkhouse

continues, “or, if you use the specially modified MA-935

adaptor ring, a Sennheiser 835, 845, 935 or 945 capsule.

These are the names still most popular in touring, and this

feature makes our product a realistic choice for that market.

Of course, a lot of users are perfectly happy with our

SAM-8W capsule, but even if the rock’n’roll market needs

to stick to its habitual preferences there is a way of doing

that while bringing the overall cost down. We also have in

development a new-style condenser capsule that’s similar

in performance to a Neumann.”

Today, of course, the basics taught by SDUK also include

the use of ‘white space’ bandwidth in between television

transmitters. Let’s allow Tolonen’s colleague on the BEIRG

committee, Sennheiser’s Alan March, a sliver of frequency

on this vexed issue before we close.

The “long game”, according to March, is a process of

three-monthly meetings at which the FM51 Frequency

Management Group provides reports ultimately collated by

the European Commission: the Commission then decides

whether or not to adopt specific recommendations and, if it

does, spectrum mandates are issued.

“Vaughan John of Ofcom is the Secretary of FM51, which

is mainly made up of regulators from different countries,”

March states. “The Chairman is Lindsay Cornell from the

BBC. The documents produced contain recommendations

for users of both audio and video for PMSE, to help navigate

spectrum. Basically, the battle continues…”

We’ll be coming back to spectrum later on in the

programme, but for now, Alan thank you.

The JTS UF-20 wideband UHF system has been roadtested in pantomime. Oh yes it has

Rudimental play Brixton: engineer Stu MacAulay is a big fan of the way Audio-Technica 5000 Series


new tvbe template remade.indd 1 01/02/2016 17:31:19

www.psneurope.com/installation

P48MARCH

2016

Installation

If there weren’t other trade shows coming up, we might even have to take a third look, for as it turns out, ISE has become a very big deal indeed, writes Erica Basnicki...

A second look at ISE...

I Integrated Systems Europe 2016 promised it would

be bigger and better... and the organisers were bang

on. The first four-day show saw a record final count

of 65, 686 registered attendees, more than a 10%

increase over last year and which places ISE as the world’s

largest AV and systems integration trade show.

“The volume of attendee traffic and its spread over

the four days confirms our belief that the extra day was

necessary and that it adds value for visitors and exhibitors,”

says Integrated Systems Events managing director, Mike

Blackman. “I’m delighted to say that the feedback has been

overwhelmingly positive and I would like to thank everyone

who attended and contributed.”

PSNEurope covered as many of the new products

expected to launch as possible in last month’s issue, but

inevitably embargoed releases and the hurry of trade show

business meetings meant not everyone got full mention.

So here then a quick recap on some significant product

announcements coming from Hall 7...

From the world’s biggest AV show came the world’s first

commercially-ready AoIP (Audio over Internet Protocol)

studio monitor from Genelec.

The latest addition to its Smart Active Monitor (SAM)

range, the 8430 shares identical electro-acoustic

features as the rest of the range, including MDE and

DCW technologies, a flow optimised reflex port, very low

distortion, high SPL and wide uncoloured response in a

very compact enclosure. Connectivity can be achieved

in a variety of ways, including an AES67 signal via the

XLR-housed RJ45 connector, and second, using a standard

analogue signal via a balanced XLR connector.

“At Genelec, we believe that Audio over IP networking,

using systems fully compatible with open and global

standards, is the right, reliable and robust way to address

the future needs of the audio market. By launching 8430

we are a significant step closer to this reality,” says Siamäk

Naghian, managing director at Genelec.

Martin Audio showcased its extended CDD install series

with the introduction of weatherised variants, the CDD-WR,

which will start to ship from early April.

The CDD Series features patent pending Coaxial

Differential Dispersion technology that is said to deliver

improved coverage and consistency, often with the need for

fewer speakers than those with traditional fixed dispersion

X° x Y° horns.

Following the announcement, Martin Audio product

manager, David Morbey, commented: “CDD is quickly

becoming the ‘go to’ install range around the world

Netherlands

The new ID Series of super-compact, powerful

and flexible boxes were launched by the French

loudspeaker manufacturer. Nexo’s Gareth Collyer

told us: “Rather than fitting live speakers into

installation environments, [ID] is the first time Nexo

has thought the other way around.” The box is

capable of a whopping 126dB SPL output and comes

in a range of colours!

Nexo goes super-compact

Audio-Technica debuted

the ATUC-50 digital

conference system

Martin Audio’s Luke Ireland launches the new

‘weatherised’ versions of the CDD range

48 50 ISE FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 17:09

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for nightclubs, restaurants, bars, hotels, retail stores,

conference spaces and houses of worship. Now with the

introduction of CDD Weatherised we can extend those same

benefits to outdoor environments.”

Also new at ISE was Audio-Technica’s ATUC-50 digital

conference system. Described as a ‘new-generation’

conference solution, the ATUC-50 is designed for simple

operation and plug-and-play functionality, with no sacrifice

in terms of sound quality or speech intelligibility.

Audio-Technica says the ATUC-50’s cost-effective nature

belies the system’s power and flexibility, with multimode

operation, 12-band feedback suppressor, on-board four-

channel recorder and translation channel all featuring in the

ATUC-50’s specification. A choice of two gooseneck lengths

with the ATUC-M43H (430mm) and ATUC-M58H (580mm)

microphones also allows for additional flexibility in terms of

positioning. Employing standard Cat-5 (and above) cables,

up to 150 ATUC-50DU discussion units can be connected in

either daisy chain or ring topology (for added redundancy).

and controlled from any web browser.

www.iseurope.org

www.psneurope.com/installation

P50MARCH

2016

Installation

In line with the number of new products to see

in Amsterdam, in the weeks ahead if ISE 2016,

PSNEurope received an outstanding quantity of

entrants for a Best of Show Award. In the end, five

products stood out.

In no particular order, PSNEurope presented

awards to...

Sennheiser, for their TeamConnect Wireless audio

conference system: an all-in-one system with each

component designed to work seamlessly with one

another, letting users get away from the technology

and get on with work. And all in a stylish attaché

case!

The LD Systems CURV 500 by Adam Hall received

an award, for punchy, potent sound in a portable

package, with a clever SmartLink adapter system for

easy setup.

Also receiving a nod for making speaker set-up

simple was the new F1 by Bose – a passive extension

of its F1 range of speakers that features users easily

target sound where they want via the company’s

FLEX array technology.

Proving that many small, and deceptively simple

improvements can add up to a big improvement for

its users was AKG’s MicroLite microphone system.

Finally, taking the mystery out of audio network

setup is Dante’s Controller, which also doubles as a

robust monitoring system.

Congratulations to all of our Best of Show

Award winners!

A better show, and the Best of Show!

Kathrin Schmitz for Sennheiser TeamConnect Wireless

Ervin Grinberg for Audinate Dante Controller

48 50 ISE FIN.indd 2 24/02/2016 17:09

A joint venture partnership of


www.psneurope.com

P52MARCH

2016

Technology feature: Skiing installations

Far from being a niche corner of the pro-audio installation landscape, ski resorts and related facilities continue to generate a steady stream of often innovative projects, as David Davies reports

On an upward slope

A s an individual who is inclined towards

being accident-prone, your correspondent

has always fought shy of a skiing holiday

– being of the opinion that even a solitary

morning on the slopes would be likely to result in a

substantial injury at best, or violent death at worst.

So it came as something of a surprise to discover

that European resorts, in particular, are now home to

increasingly sophisticated audio-visual infrastructures.

For those venues that habitually host major winter

sports championships, the impetus to maintain a

regular pattern of upgrades is fairly self-explanatory.

But even at smaller resorts, systems both on-slope

and in bars and entertainment venues are frequently

of a high-end nature – even if the après-ski selection of

music can still leave quite a lot to be desired [see Box,

page XX].

In this overview, PSNEurope examines a handful of

recent landmark projects – and considers the extent

to which extensive networking and other emerging

technologies are likely to impact the sector over the next

few years.

GEARING UP IN GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

AV service provider TC Showtechnik has had a long

history of working on alpine projects, including the

Garmisch-Partenkirchen resort that has played host to

events such as the FIS World Cup. Managing director

Martin Schulze confi rms the impression of a market

that is increasingly characterised by highly-specifi ed

systems.

“We equipped the ski-jumping tournament in

Garmisch-Partenkirchen for the fi rst time in 1995/6.

Before that we had already occasionally been in charge

of the snowboard world cup in Austria and France,” he

recalls. “In recent years our experiences have paid off

more and more. One defi nite highlight was the entire

conception of the ski world championships in Garmisch-

Partenkirchen, and ever since this [event] has been part

of our regular commissions.”

As with many of its other ski-related projects, the

tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen fi nds TC

Showtechnik leaning on a number of tried-and-trusted

product ranges. “For almost every event we rely on

N8000-1500 NetMax controllers from Electro-Voice,”

says Schulze. “The linkage to the Dante network [which

has lately been deployed at Garmisch-Partenkirchen]

and absolute fl exibility of the in- and output

confi guration via NetMax interface cards makes our job

easier.”

Sound reinforcement-wise, ski projects also tend to

fi nd the company deploying Electro-Voice equipment.

“For us XLC, XLD and XLE line arrays from Electro-Voice

are the ideal sound systems. It’s always impressive how

weatherproof and resistant the EV gear is when used in

snow and ice.”

For us XLC, XLD and XLE line arrays from Electro-Voice are the ideal sound systems. It’s always impressive how weatherproof and resistant the EV gear is when used in snow and ice.”Martin Schulze, TC Showtechnik

52 53 54 SKI feature FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 12:34

www.psneurope.com

P53MARCH

2016

The passive nature of such systems is “quite an

advantage” in that it means “our amp racks and

controllers are always in a warm and dry place located

in our trailers. We hope there will also be new passive

systems launched by EV in future.”

Networking is one obvious area in which Schulze

expects to see continued evolution. “The aforementioned

Dante network [constitutes a major benefi t] on bigger

sports events like the ski world cup. Having every

signal available everywhere via fi bre optic or Cat-5 is

a real pleasure,” he says. “But I would also highlight

recent products developments such as the Dynacord

TS400 vertical array speaker system, which is doing

an outstanding job at press conferences [in such

locations.]”

HIGH-END AUDIO IN HAJFELL

Indeed, the combination of a top-grade speaker system

and a comprehensive networking infrastructure is now

extremely prevalent in ski resort audio. For another

recent example, consider Hafjell, which is located

north of Lillehammer and is one of Norway’s largest

ski areas with a starting point 1030 metres above sea

level and a vertical drop of 835 metres. It enjoyed global

prominence as the venue for the slalom and giant

slalom events at the 1994 Winter Olympics, but it was

its engagement as host of the FIS Alpine Junior World

Ski Championships in 2015 that inspired the latest

audio upgrade – part of a major overhaul of the national

slalom slope.

Design of the new system was handled by Bjørn

Fjeld of Norsk Lydteknikk AS and the installation was

completed by Lillehammer-based Østbye og Sletmoen.

The system was devised with an onus on high quality

speech and music, with the possibility of hassle-free

future expansion. To this end, Symetrix Radius DSP was

selected as the bedrock of the installation for its sound

quality and Dante network compatibility.

In terms of loudspeakers, “we chose Community R

Series systems based on many years of experience

using them on ski slopes across Norway,” said Fjeld

in 2015. “They provide outstanding audio quality and

unequalled reliability in this type of environment. The

coverage patterns and throw are also excellent, and

critical for accurately covering large outdoor areas.”

Community’s digital FIR fi lters are programmed into

the loudspeaker management module of the Symetrix

Radius 12x8 for optimal system performance, while the

system is powered by Ecler DPA 2000 and DPA 1400

amplifi ers. Clockaudio mics are used for commentary

and announcement.

MIKE LOVE ON A MOUNTAIN TOP

While many resorts play host to sophisticated

The skiing experience in certain European resorts

(particularly German-speaking ones) might be a

(sliding) catwalk for the latest fashions in clothing,

equipment and eyewear, but when it comes to

après-ski entertainment, it’s all about cheese. After

an afternoon on the slopes, the seasoned skier

is practically obliged to stumble into a bar, shed

their outer layers, grab a stein of lager and refl ect

with enthusiasm on the day’s adventures… at high

volume. And shout you must, you see, because all of

this will be conducted above a pounding soundtrack

of the corniest of party tunes from DJ Otzi, Jive

Bunny, Ross Antony and other purveyors of fi nest

emmental. Take a familiar tune, add a dance beat,

maybe an accordion if you’re really unlucky, and off

we go, into beer-swilling, sing-along oblivion. On a

recent skiing break to the Alta Badia region of north-

east Italy, PSNEurope was spoilt for choice at day’s

end, visiting bars where loudspeaker installations by

FBT, RCF, Apart, Martin Audio, JBL and Electro-Voice

were all very visible. The music might be god-awful,

but the quality of delivery has to be high, in order to

keep punters drinking and singing. Altogether now:

“Oh oh oh ah-oh!” (Dave Robinson)

HEEey BabY! (Ooh! AAH!)Electro-Voice speakers relay the message at Garmisch-Partenkirchen


www.psneurope.com

P54MARCH

2016

Technology feature: Skiing installations

permanent systems, there is also an increasing tendency

to use some sites for special, one-off musical events or

festivals. The Top of the Mountain concerts – which take

place every May and November at the resort of Ischgl

in the southern Tyrol, Austria – are a case in point. The

Beach Boys, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Robbie Williams and

James Blunt are just a few of the acts to have graced this

more unusual of venues during recent years.

Austrian sound rental company Fantasy Event

Engineering has worked on the concert series for many

years, consistently deploying Nexo line array systems.

The Robbie Williams show in 2014 occasioned the

biggest-ever audience at the resort’s Silvretta Arena

– some 30,000 people in total – and a system based

around Nexo STM and featuring 15 sets of STM’s M46

Main, B112 Bass and S112 Sub units per side, covering

up to 80 metres. The S112s were supplemented with two

stacks per side of four CD18 cardioid sub bass units. Two

delay towers of 10+2 GEO T cabinets covered from 85 up

to 135 metres, while eight GEO S12s were used for the

VIP area and four PS15s deployed for front-fill.

The ability for the STM system to break down into

smaller elements – thereby enabling ease of transport

to the arena – has been among its key advantages for

these shows, according to Nexo concert sound technical

advisor Val Gilbert.

“The logistics and the whole ease of transport is a big

advantage,” Gilbert tells PSNEurope, “as is the fact that

the system is extremely easy to rig. It means the system

can be put together very quickly, which is always good

when one is working in these kind of slightly hostile

conditions! But then there is also the very high level of

output that can be achieved from the small boxes.”

With the launch of the smaller STM M28 module,

the set-up was modified in advance of last November’s

Beach Boys show in favour of a main PA based around

18 M28s. In addition, M46s, S118s and CD18s all

featured as part of a configuration that used 14 NUAR

(NEXO Universal Amp Racks) and four half NUARs for

amplification, along with one AuviTran ToolBox and four

Lake LM44s for system processing.

“The Beach Boys was an act where it was clear

that there didn’t need to be a huge amount of low-end

headroom, so the M28 would be the right box for the

gig,” says Gilbert, adding that the STM’s plastic-moulded

cabinets are lending themselves to a wide variety of

projects in adverse environments: “They are very well-

suited to these sorts of conditions – they are not sensitive

to extreme cold or humidity. In fact, I have pictures of

these cabinets with ice hanging off the back of them and

it hasn’t been an issue at all!”

POWERING UP AT THE ICE ARENA

Although the focus of this piece is on ski resorts, it is

worth pointing out that winter sports activities are also

generating plenty of projects in more conventional,

‘down mountain’ surroundings. A recent project at

the Willett Ice Arena in Steven’s Point, Wisconsin, US,

is a case-in-point, with local integrator Soundworks

Systems Inc being enlisted last year to help make the

audio more intelligible and enjoyable for the thousands

participating in ice-hockey, figure-skating and more

each year.

Troublesome acoustic issues – including reflections

and obstructions from the plexiglass surrounding the

rink, as well as reflections from the ice itself – were

among the challenges confronting Soundworks’ Brian

Baumann. “The system was wholly inadequate and

there were many intelligibility issues,” he recalls.

After careful consideration, Soundworks pressed

ahead with a nine-zone system consisting of 14

speakers (One Systems’ 112IM 12” two-ways), driven

by Powersoft Ottocanali and Duecanali amplifiers. “The

first thing we had to do was figure out how to get the

audio over that glass and down into the seats where

he people are,” says Baumann. “Once we see the 3D

coverage patterns in our computer models, we choose

the appropriate speakers to fit, then decide how to

power them. We chose the Ottocanali and Duecanali

because of their sonic quality, reliability, small form

factor and the perfect output power ratings for our

application.”

The new deployment is said to have made a dramatic

difference to the venue. “The system is very responsive

and super-clear. Before, university students [using the

rink] couldn’t hear what was going on. Now everybody

knows the score, which player is coming in and coming

off the ice, and what the penalties are. They are clearly

more engaged in the events,” says Baumann.

So from high-spec, high-directivity loudspeaker

systems to powerful amplifiers and sophisticated

networks, it is clear that ski resorts and related

facilities often possess audio infrastructures to rival

those in stadiums and theatres. Whilst the sport itself

obvious remains the central attraction, the technology

surrounding it now has the potential to be every bit as

eye and ear-catching.

Powersoft speakers find a home, off-piste but equally chilly

Community speakers at Hafjell in Norway



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www.psneurope.com

P57MARCH

2016

So much for going teetotal for 2016, eh, readers? Yes: more pictures of booze

Hither & mixer

Please send all contributions for possible publication to [email protected]

Here’s Bosch’s Helmut Seidl with a can of

branded energy drink. We want to see a

branded hipflask next!

Is this the Sennheiser ISE booth, perhaps?

Our favourite booth at ISE: basically, a table of

cables. Well done to Techflex for the simple,

‘car boot sale’, ‘we don’t care’ approach!

On the night we were all welcomed to the MPG

Awards 2016, a Welcome 2016 GPM meeting

was going on in the next hotel ballroom. You

couldn’t make it up...

Well done ISE, for making it totally clear

to visitors how to get to the RAI from the

Schipol! Long overdue!

…fortunately, after slugging a few glasses of

producer Tommy D’s excellent 808 single malt,

we didn’t care which room we were in...

57 Hither FIN.indd 1 24/02/2016 15:26

www.psneurope.com

P58MARCH

2016

Backtalk

Tom Dalgety, engineer and producer of the new Killing Joke album, talks to Simon Duff about Royal Blood and rock royalty

Tom Dalgety

T om Dalgety began his career in Bath

recording studios NAM and Riverside,

engineering for the likes of John Leckie,

Steve Osborne and Mark ‘Spike’ Stent before

his move to producer and setting up his own studio

called The Lair. His credits include The Maccabees,

Simple Minds and Siouxsie, and last year he received

industry recognition for his work on Royal Blood’s

eponymous debut album, leading to him bagging the

the 2015 MPG Award for “Breakthrough Producer of

the Year”. (He was shortlisted for Producer of the Year

at this year’s event: see page 28)

Dalgety went on to work on a host of innovative

projects last year including Killing Joke’s latest album

Pylon, a fusion of post-apocalyptic dub, disco and

cinematic heavy-metal guitar.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m just about to start a record with another one

of my all-time favourite bands, can’t wait for that.

Also, I’ve just been producing and mixing a new

band called Inheaven, an alternative indie band from

London, who are awesome! Uplifting, epic and highly

individual.

How did you approach recording the Royal

Blood album, and what do you rate about it?

We made the album at three diff erent studios: NAM,

Rockfi eld and RAK. We were at NAM before the band

were signed. It has a great sounding live room, very

dark and thick sounding.. Then we moved over to the

Coach House at Rockfi eld, which is actually where I

fi rst met the band a few years before. I love the Neve

8128 there. Then after that we did the last two tracks

at RAK. The duo have a unique rock dynamic.

What is your current set up at The Lair?

It’s just a unit on an industrial estate in Bath. It used

to be two rehearsal rooms, but I’ve turned one into

my control room and the other into a live room. It’s

certainly not posh, but I trust how it sounds in there,

and that’s all that matters really! I’m actually just

about to move into a bigger space. I mix mainly in-

the-box, with a few bits of gear as hardware inserts,

on a Pro Tools HDX system – there’s no console there.

Monitoring wise, its mainly Unity Rocks and

Neumann KH310s. I also have lots of weird little

things – radios and iPod docks – that I like to check

things on. I have a load of outboard pres. Chandlers,

UA, some Calrecs and amazing Rosser mic amp/EQs

from Rockfi eld. Dynamics wise, I have a Smart C2,

which sees a lot of use, and a bunch of dbx 160s.

You have done two albums for Killing Joke.

What is it that you admire about their music

and approach?

They’re one of my all-time favourite bands, so

working with them the fi rst time round was quite

daunting! I think they’re one of the only bands who

can deliver white-hot aggression and emotive beauty

in equal measures.

Given that Killing Joke are such a strong team of

individuals with so much experience, opinions and

insight my main role as producer was just a case of

getting the best out of each element of the band. They

have such a broad eclectic range of infl uences, punk,

dub, disco, classical, industrial. I just made sure it

hang together well.

What was the work fl ow for Pylon?

It was quite a crazy collaborative period, because

everyone is dotted around the globe. Me and Geordie

(guitarist) did a bunch of demos in England, Big

Paul (drums) lives in New York, so he would record

grooves and ideas and send them to the rest of the

band. Then they all got together for a few writing

sessions in Prague too. All the main recording and

mixing was done in Pro Tools, 44.1 and 24-bits.

We did some extra bits of recording at Youth’s

place in Logic.

How were guitars and drums recorded?

When it comes to recording Geordie, a lot of the

hard work is already: his guitar (Gibson ES295) is

insane and his ‘top secret’ chorus/modulation unit

is fantastic. The main sound of the record was his

Framus live rig, recorded with Cascade Fathead

ribbon mics. I always take a clean DI when tracking

guitar, so later on down the line we re-amped some

of the parts through a smaller Egnater rig. The stereo

width is crucial to his sound, so when re-amping you

have to be very careful with the phase.

We did all the drums in a great studio in the

Midlands called Vada. The live room is an old chapel,

an amazing sounding room. It has an SSL G series

console too, which I love. The gated reverb on

tracks like Euphoria is actually the room mics being

compressed and gated to tape.

Jaz Coleman (vocals) has an incredibly

dynamic range. How were vocals recorded?

I always use a Shure SM7 on Jaz. I tried a few

diff erent things at Youth’s place in Spain [El Mirador]

when we were doing MMXII, the previous album, and

the Shure seemed to be the most versatile, and also

it was the only one that could handle the SPL that

comes out of his mouth! I usually use the UA 1176A

over his vocals, and also the sound toys Microshift

plug-in sounds amazing on him!

How do Killing Joke know an album is fi nished?

When they stop calling me at 2am! But no, seriously,

when it gives me goosebumps!

www.tomdalgety.com

www.killingjoke.com

58 Tom Dalgety FIN DR.indd 1 23/02/2016 17:58


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PSNE March 2016 Digital