2 Aug, 2019 | ETC
The world famous Opéra de Lyon in France has added ETC’s Sensor3 Power Control system to its extensive range
of lighting equipment which includes Source Four LEDs, Eos consoles and High End Systems’ SolaFrame fixtures.
Opéra
de Lyon, home to 700 automated fixtures, is recognized for its high
quality technical equipment. Head of
lighting, Philippe Rebboah commented positively on the design of ETC’s
power control system: “The ETC interface has several impressive
advantages such as the detection of faults in direct connection with the
dimmers, the possibility of switching between
direct line and dimmed line from the software and the backup of various
configurations on which we can work offline.”
In
total, nearly 800 modules will now equip the Opera with 3, 5 and 10kW
circuit variations in fixed
and mobile cabinets on 3 sites: the grid, the stalls and the
auditorium. As ETC’s modules are more compact than the previous ones,
the cabinets fit an even higher quantity in a smaller footprint which
greatly benefits the opera.
“The
technical team agreed that Sensor3 was the right choice for the Opéra
de Lyon. The established
ETC brand is also an important criterion. We feel confident that we
will always have the company’s support and that the business will
continue on a successful path for a long time,” adds Phillippe.
The
Opéra de Lyon is equipped with four Eos family consoles and an
ETCnomad. This includes the leading
Eos Ti which is used in the creation phase of the opera shows, an Ion
Xe 20 in the amphitheater, a Gio for the Opera ballet tour and one more
Gio to control the main show. The Eos family consoles were installed
in-between two productions. “It was risky with
the short time-frame but the technical team made it a successful and
smooth transition,” adds Philippe.
The
newest additions to the fixtures at the Opera are two SolaFrame 3000s
which were selected for
their versatility, power and silence. The powerful LED fixture produces
37,000 lumen output without being noisy – an essential factor in such
an environment. The fixtures, which were provided by High End Systems
dealer Eclalux, join six SolaFrame 2000s, two
SolaFrame 1500s and thirty-four ETC Source Four LEDs at the Opéra de
Lyon.
Integrating
high-power LED stage lighting was an obvious choice for Philippe, who
recognizes the
advantage of saving time with LED as opposed to traditional tungsten
lighting when changing colors on the entire rig. “We selected the Source
Four LED fixtures 3 years ago and are very pleased with this and the
other ETC and High End Systems products that
we have chosen for the Opéra de Lyon.”
1 Aug, 2019 | ETC, High End Systems
While the founding of Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre dates back to 1776, its production team is looking to the future with the newest LED technology from High End Systems.
The world-renowned theatre
– a cultural landmark and home to the Bolshoi Ballet, Opera and Orchestra –
opened a second venue, the New Stage, in 2002 to host performances while the
Historic Stage underwent refurbishment. By 2011, both neighbouring performance
venues were offering a full schedule of events in the heart of Moscow.
In 2018, it was time to
make some changes over at the New Stage. Lighting Designer Anatoly Samosadny
was seeking an alternative to the older lamp-based fixtures. Preferring to work
with a modern, LED-based automated luminaire in his productions, he turned to
High End Systems’ Moscow-based distributor SiM, which recommended High End
Systems’ SolaFrame Theatre fixture. Engineered without fans, it is the
industry’s first LED automated luminaire to deliver a completely silent
operation.
Before being awarded the
starring role, the SolaFrame Theatre had to pass the audition. The “chorus
line,” so to speak, was set up onstage at the Bolshoi with various contenders
under consideration. The LD gave the SolaFrame Theatre high marks and his
approval as the lighting fixture to solve their needs.
Eight SolaFrame Theatre units were supported, tested and delivered by SiM to the Bolshoi in September and made their premiere in productions shortly after that. The main tasks of the fixtures are to serve as back truss lighting and front support light.
“The absolute silent
operation allowed me to install the SolaFrame Theatre units directly above the
orchestra or in the auditorium,” says Samosadny. “These positions are very
important when working with certain productions, such as The Orchestra Survey
and Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals.”
He adds, “The framing
shutters are also extremely beneficial to my designs. The colour mixing, CTO,
prism, zoom, gobo wheels, frost and iris add even more effects and solutions to
a multitude of live situations. I like that the colours remain consistent with
the LED source so that all my fixture colours match and don’t degrade as older
lamp sources do. And the fixture has a bright white beam. I enjoy using the
SolaFrame Theatre in my work.”
The LD has deployed the
SolaFrame Theatres in other recent shows including the Bolshoi Ballet’s Etudes,
Romeo & Juliet, Heroes Of Our Times, Russia Seasons, Golden Century,
Petrushka, Paris, Joy, Undina, Lost Illusions, The Taming of the Shrew and
Anuta. He’s also used it for the Bolshoi Opera’s Bogema, TPVG, Figaro’s
Marriage, Idiot, Iolanta, The Stone Guest, Barber of Seville, Don Pasquale, and
Rusalka.
The SolaFrame Theatres
join other HES/ETC family products at the venue. In the New Stage, a Hog 3
console controls video while the ETC Titanium and Gio control lighting. Also in
the house are ETC Sensor Dimmers, ETC Source 4 Fix Zoom 25-50 degrees and 15-30
degrees, and some Source 4 Lustr+ fixtures. The Historic Stage uses two Hog 4
consoles with DMX Processor 8000s to control video, while an ETC Titanium
console controls lighting.
SiM’s Ivan Rumyantsev
says, “With the SolaFrame Theatre, we solve typical and specific tasks for the
creators. We are happy to supply high-quality solutions from High End Systems.
We are thankful to the theatre; they trust our team and we are privileged to
support the fixtures and consoles for the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre stages.”
31 Jul, 2019 | Attero Tech
Attero Tech has introduced the Axon A4FLEX networked AVC interface. Combining four studio-grade microphone preamps, logic I/O, a USB audio interface, and a two-channel power amplifier in a 1/3U form factor, the A4FLEX is suitable for huddle rooms. When paired with an enterprise DSP, the A4FLEX can be the only in-room interface needed for larger conference spaces.
The Axon A4FLEX can be powered over the network by PoE+ or locally using an optional +24 VDC power supply. The A4FLEX’s two Ethernet ports can be used to daisy-chain multiple units. Alternatively, the second Ethernet port can be set up to provide a control system interface in which the control system has complete access to the audio network but all non-control-related traffic is suppressed on the control port.
The unit’s audio signal processing includes input and output EQ, matrix mixing, and dynamics control. The AES67 network audio interface supports 8-in by 8-out, so when multiple A4FLEX’s are used in a room, much of the signal processing and routing usually done in the main DSP can be handled locally, freeing up DSP resources.
Included mounting ears enable under-table use, and a 1U rack shelf is optionally available for cleanly rack-mounting up to three A4FLEXs.
30 Jul, 2019 | ApexPro News, ETC
Earlier this year, High End Systems launched a new addition to its family of automated framing fixtures – the SolaFrame 1000. ApexPro, the South African distributor of ETC lighting solutions, demonstrated the unit just weeks later in Johannesburg. Now, Cape Town has also had a chance to view the units in action, at a demonstration held at the Studio of the Fugard Theatre.
High End Systems was acquired by ETC two years
ago, and we are seeing the early fruits of that union. Mathew Lewis, ETC
product manager at ApexPro, tells us that “the first fixture that was
conceptualised, developed, produced and released with those two
research-and-development teams together is the SolaFrame 1000.”
“It’s the first fixture to mix the DNA of the
two companies: the theatrical DNA of ETC and the rock n’ roll DNA of High End.
The result is a really beautiful light that can do almost anything.”
Indeed the SolaFrame 1000 is an impressive
beast. Boasting a 20’000 lumen output, a 470 Watt LED chip, full framing
shutters, rotating and fixed gobo wheels, multiple colour systems, 12° – 40° zoom, animation effects “plus all
the bells and whistles required by the modern LD,” the SolaFrame lives up to
the rep. Lighting students and professionals alike gazed in wonder at what the
fixture is capable of, particularly the strong, beautiful colours.
Available in Ultra-Bright and High CRI versions, the SolaFrame 1000 ships with a TM30 Filter that boosts the Ultra-Bright engine to 85+ CRI. Other features include Iris and Light Frost, Rotating Prism and High End Systems’ patented Lens Defogger System.
Also on display was the SolaFrame 750, the
most compact framing fixture in the Sola Series family of automated tools. Featuring
a compact footprint but a huge feature set, SolaFrame 750 is a perfect fit for
smaller to medium-sized venues, and its 11’300 lumens can easily cut through
the competition. With 6°
– 50°
degree zoom, a 270 Watt LED chip, rotating gobo wheel plus fully continuous
animation and much, much more, SolaFrame 750 offers the widest array of effects
currently available in a fixture of its size.
With all
of this on offer, the SolaFrame series is ideal for the rental market.
“From a rental company’s perspective, they need something that can go and be an effect light in a corporate day, and then they need something that can do a theatrical show the next day. The problem has always been that you’ve then had to buy a beam light, a spotlight and a wash light… The idea behind the SolaFrame family is that it can be all of those in one. It can be a true, workhorse light.”
Also at the demonstration was the Source Four
LED Series 2 Lustr, as well as the ColorSource fixtures. Using ETC’s x7 Color
System, the Lustr combines a balance of up to seven colours to create evocative
colour mixes that can use the full spectrum. A theatre was the perfect setting
to view its capabilities, as, in Lewis’ words: “ETC’s heritage is theatre, so
everything they do is really dedicated to being practical for a theatre
environment.”
“When
the LED revolution hit, the colours wouldn’t always match, or there would be
the dreaded flickering when you took it down to ten percent. ETC took their
time coming out with their own LED offering, but when they did, what we have is
a very high quality fixture.”
If you would like to know more about any of the
above fixtures or book a demo, please contact Mathew Lewis at mathew@apexpro.co.za
23 Jul, 2019 | ApexPro News, ETC
Award-winning color tools. Advanced, granular control. From large-scale theatre to television, opera and dance, to academic, experimental and multipurpose venues, the Eos Family provides a sophisticated environment that feels like home.
Join us on 30 & 31 July for a 2 day course presented by SA ETC brand manager, Mathew Lewis. Please RSVP to rsvp@apexpro.co.za
23 Jul, 2019 | Dynacord, Electro-Voice
While a new Chinese sports centre is providing a platform to take Olympic events to a new level, its Electro-Voice sound systems are doing the same for audio. Caroline Moss reports from Suzhou:
The
Chinese city of Suzhou is known more for its traditional gardens, nine
of which have UNESCO world heritage status, than for its sporting
facilities. However, the new Olympic Sports Centre could be set to
change that. The sports centre, designed as a new city landmark, is
based in a zone built to consolidate all of Suzhou’s sporting facilities
in one new area, including the existing stadium which will be relocated
from downtown. Sound systems for the sports centre’s three main venues,
some of which will also stage music events, have been provided by Bosch
China.
Built to a design by German architectural practice, Gerkan, Marg and Partners, the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre takes its cue from the Chinese landscape gardens that populate the city. A 47-hectare, publicly accessible landscaped park accommodates extensive sporting facilities as well as offices and a shopping mall. The three main sporting facilities – a 45,000-capacity stadium, indoor arena and aquatic centre – have been equipped by Bosch in a tender that was won by Hangzhou Tianlong Audio. According to the brief, all three venues had to meet the most stringent of standards to ensure the project got top ranking among Chinese sports facilities and is able to host international sporting competitions and other events.
Xianghua Zhou is one of the proprietors of the systems integration
company, which is based in the nearby city of Hangzhou. Sporting
facilities are becoming a bit of a speciality for the company, which
recently completed work on the Shanghai International Circuit, the venue
for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix. Hangzhou Tianlong Audio
was employed on the Suzhou project as a subcontractor, working for the
main contractor to provide and install the audio systems.
The main
structures of the buildings were already in place when Zhou and his
team started work in the summer of 2017. This included the stadium,
which has the distinction of being constructed with the first
single-skin steel cable network roof in China. While the visual aspect
of this roof gives the stadium a distinctive and striking look, the
practicalities of flying a powerful sound system from it presented some
specific challenges. There wasn’t much that could be done about movement
in the roof caused by heavy winds, which can add a swing range of up to
1.5m, but the effects of other extreme weather conditions have been
mitigated by the installation of Electro-Voice EVH weather-resistant
speakers which have been mounted on the lip of the roof. The speakers
have been supplied in white, so the aesthetic qualities of the stadium
roof have not been spoiled in any way.
However, the main challenge thrown up by the special roof was that it wasn’t capable of bearing very heavy loads. This caused problems, as the tender specified that all speakers should be capable of being derigged for maintenance at any time. Hangzhou Tianlong Audio worked closely with the Bosch team to come up with a solution for this. Their first design included lifting mechanisms to be flown at each point, but this would have added too much weight to the structure. The company played around with the design, changing it many times before finally hitting on an ingenious solution: they would design their own piece of lifting equipment that operates from the ground. Two such systems have been built and supplied, allowing the loudspeakers to be lowered to the ground by means of a motorised winding engine and raised back up on wire cables wound around a winch. This method of installation was inspired by the London 2012 Olympic Stadium which, like Suzhou, has a cable-supported fabric membrane roof, covering approximately two thirds of the audience area. The London stadium is installed with Electro-Voice EVH speakers, which have also been used in Suzhou.
A total of 80 EVH-1152S full-range, horn-loaded speakers have been
installed on 40 rigging points around the perimeter of the roof, in
alternate groups of three and one; the trio of speakers covering the
spectators in the stadium seats, and the single ones – 20 in total –
projecting sound outwards onto the playing field. The system was
designed using EASE prediction software. ‘The general acoustics of the
stadium were very good, and there were no major problems,’ says Zhou,
explaining that coverage is even throughout the entire audience area.
The
entire system is being driven by Electro-Voice TG7 3500 w/ch
amplifiers, with audio transmission throughout the stadium via Dante.
Cables to each speaker have been run through the roof of the stadium
from amp rooms on either side, and Zhou estimates that at least 20km of
Cat-6 cabling has been used for the installation.
Up in the control room, the mixing console is a Stage Tec Auratus Platinum. During most sporting events held in the stadium, the console usually receives audio signals from TASCAM and Pioneer CD and DVD players in the control room rack playing recorded music, and announcements via Shure wireless mic systems consisting of UA844+SWB antenna distribution systems, UA874 active directional antenna, SLX24 and SM58 handheld mics and MX418 goosenecks. The stadium is mainly being used for football matches, and has become home to a local team. Additionally, and befitting its name, the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre can also accommodate all the different Olympic sporting activities, with a track circling the stadium pitch for sports such as running, hurdling, jumping and throwing events. The stadium’s PA system, therefore, will find most of its use in providing background music and speech for sporting applications, with its secondary purpose being for emergency evacuation and other announcements.
When the stadium hosts rock concerts, however, as well as the
protective covering that is applied to the pitch and the stage erected
in the centre, the audio system is expanded with the addition of a
portable Dynacord Cobra-2 compact line array system, which can cover the
entire venue, working together with the installed system. This portable
system has been used for a popular TV show, Running Man China. Large touring productions may often choose to bring in their own systems, however.
In
one of the distinctive, curved buildings that makes up the sports
centre is a gymnasium, or indoor arena, with 8,000 fixed seats that can
be expanded with portable seats stored underneath them to accommodate a
total of 13,000. This venue is approved for CBA (Chinese Basketball
Association) league games, the first-tier professional basketball league
in China, of which Suzhou boasts a local team, the Jiangsu Kentier
Dragons. The gymnasium can also be used for other sports, such as
badminton and curling.
According to CBA requirements, a cuboid LED
screen has been installed in the centre of the gymnasium which can be
raised and lowered. So, this presented the main challenge when it came
to installing the Electro-Voice X2-212/90 high-performance compact
vertical line array system. ‘We needed to avoid hitting the LED screen
but, by using EASE to predict the system design, this was a
straightforward job,’ says Zhou.
A total of 70 X2-212/90 speakers in black have been installed here, divided into six hangs of eight, and two of 11, both flown in the centre of each of the long sides of the gymnasium, where they can focus more energy on the VIP seating areas.
This venue can also be used for musical events – a recent Jacky
Cheung concert was held here – with a stage erected at one of the
shorter sides of the gymnasium, above which a lighting rig has been
fixed. Again, the sports centre’s portable system can be deployed here
if necessary, but, quite often, supplementary equipment will be brought
in by the production itself. However, Zhou is impressed with the
capabilities of the installed Electro-Voice system. ‘For concerts, you
definitely need to add subs in here of course, but this model is compact
and powerful and has a very good performance at the low end,’ he says.
Amp
rooms on each of the long sides of the venue are installed with
Electro-Voice TG7 3500 w/ch amplifiers, and again the signal is
transmitted via Dante. Up in the control room is a further Stage Tec
Auratus console, while a Shure radio mic system is in use here as well.
Over
in the 3,000-seat aquatic centre, which houses two swimming pools, two
separate speaker systems have been installed, one for spectators and the
other for the swimmers competing in the main pool. ‘They put on water
ballet in this pool, so they needed to have an underwater system,’
explains Zhou.
Six Electro-Voice UW30 underwater speakers in white have been installed along each of the long sides of the competition pool, 1.2m below the surface. Hangzhou Tianlong Audio constructed special boxes with a grid to contain these 12 speakers, which have been hardwired into the pool via conduits that run below the poolside and up into the amp rooms, and are networked via AES digital cabling. Electro-Voice claims that these speakers are able to offer a fast transmission speed underwater courtesy of the patented structural enclosure which acts as a sound transducer. This waterproof enclosure also ensures that no metal parts are exposed, increasing the longevity of the speaker and allowing it to operate in deep water.
The audience system for the competition pool consists of 20
Electro-Voice EVH-1152S weather-resistant speakers, which have again
been supplied in white to meet the high standards required for the
installation. A cluster of three of these has been flown in the centre
of each of the long sides of the pool, facing downwards to cover the
audience. To the right and left of these central clusters are two
further clusters targeting the audience, each consisting of two EVH
speakers, while single speakers at either side of these focus on the
pool itself.
Up in the control room, all sound sources – mainly
prerecorded music for swimming competitions and water ballet, plus
announcements – are run from a DiGiCo S21 compact digital console, with a
Yamaha MGP24X installed for backup. Again, a Shure radio mic system has
been provided here.
Outside in the commercial plaza, an ice rink
in the shopping mall is covered by a sound system of Dynacord VL Series
loudspeakers, which plays music for the skaters.
With the addition of its new Olympic facilities, Suzhou’s ambition to develop a new sporting zone is well and truly off the starting blocks.
Article from: www.proavl-asia.com
