5 Sep, 2019 | Dynacord, Electro-Voice
The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be held in Beijing, Shanghai,
Wuhan, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan from August 31
to September 15, 2019. This is the first year in which China is hosting
the event, which features a record number of participating teams and
anticipates record attendance numbers. Accordingly, the demands on
infrastructure – including sound and security systems — are higher than
ever.
Thanks its rich experience in stadium system installations
and an extensive product portfolio, Bosch and its professional audio
brands Dynacord and Electro-Voice were chosen to provide integrated
sound and security solutions for four of the tournament’s major venues:
Beijing Cadillac Center, Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Wuhan Sports
Center and Foshan International Sports and Performing Arts Center.
According
to the different requirements of each site, Bosch PRAESIDEO public
address and voice alarm, Dynacord IPX and Electro-Voice TG multi-channel
amplifiers, Electro-Voice X1 line array loudspeakers and EVH
horn-loaded loudspeakers, and a range of other high-performance products
have been installed to help elevate the game-day audio experience for
fans and help share the excitement of the FIBA Basketball World Cup with
the world.
Cadillac Center
Beijing’s
18,000-seat Cadillac Center, formerly known as Wukesong Station, served
as a competition venue for basketball matches during the 2008 Beijing
Olympic Games. Since it is the venue for semi-finals and finals of this
year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup, its reconstruction project has
attracted a lot of attention. Thanks to its location and advanced
facilities, Cadillac Center is among the busiest stadiums in the world,
with a particularly high utilization rate in recent years. The
installation was successfully completed within a tight time frame,
significantly reducing the impact on daily activities at the venue.
The
placement of the X1 arrays was limited by having just four hoisting
points available on the stadium’s ceiling structure. The choice of
horizontal coverage patterns – 90 and 120 degrees – and rigging hardware
options meant that a total of 48 X1 full-range elements were installed
across the space with no compromises in coverage or sound quality. These
are supported by 12 X12-128 subwoofers distributed in four groups,
ensuring excellent low-frequency reproduction. Four EVH horn-loaded
loudspeakers cover the court area, ensuring the players and team members
hear announcements clearly. The system at Cadillac Center is powered by
21 Dynacord IPX series multi-channel power amplifiers, which offer
presets to optimize the performance of the Electro-Voice loudspeakers.
Foshan International Sports and Performing Arts Center
Compared
with Cadillac Center, which has been in use for over ten years, Foshan
International Sports and Performing Arts Center — built in 2018 – is an
up-and-coming star. Within just one year the stadium, designed to host
international NBA games and the FIBA Basketball World Cup, has become
one of the most important sports and cultural facilities in south China.
“In
order to meet the customer’s strict requirements for the sound
reinforcement system, together with Electro-Voice team we installed a
total of 54 X1 line-array loudspeakers in six groups with 12 Xsub
subwoofers to cover the spectator area, as well as 20 TG7 power
amplifiers to satisfy system drive needs for transient peaks and low
impedance,” explains Wang Yong, project manager at Bosch partner Nanjing
Hiwin. “To ensure that spectators throughout the venue hear games and
announcements clearly during every match, we selected 28 EVF
loudspeakers as auxiliary fills (powered by seven TG5 amplifiers), and
eight ZX3 loudspeakers as mobile sound fills (powered by two TG5
amplifiers), delivering the exciting competitive atmosphere to every
corner of the venue.”
In addition, an Electro-Voice N8000 digital
audio matrix controller provides comprehensive and extensive management
for the entire system. Wang Yong adds,“depending on the requirements for
places of various sizes, such as deluxe boxes, chairman lounges, VIP
lounges and club lounges, we have installed hundreds of EVID and ZX1i
loudspeakers together with Dynacord C-series power amplifiers, ensuring
that personnel in different areas can hear sound clearly and
synchronously. In addition, a Bosch CCS 1000 D digital conference system
also allows effective communication between stadium and FIBA staff for
meetings during the event.”
Wuhan Sports Center
1000
kilometers away from Foshan, the Wuhan Sports Center has also
transformed its sound reinforcement system for the upcoming Basketball
World Cup. The Electro-Voice and Dynacord team installed four EVH
loudspeakers to cover the court area, with 36 flown EVA compact
line-array elements in six groups to cover different zones of the
spectator area. Utilizing the powerful processing functionality of 24
DYNACORD C-series amplifiers, the system provides consistently excellent
performance for major events at the venue.
Shanghai Oriental Sports Center
Bosch
and Electro-Voice solutions are also providing a combination of sound
and security at the 18,000-seat Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. This
large indoor sports facility installed Bosch and Electro-Voice products
soon after its completion. 10 years later, their excellent performance
continues to extend the value of the initial investment.
Key
products include EVH horn-loaded loudspeakers and N8000 digital matrix
systems to coverage and intelligibility across multiple audio zones. The
PRAESIDEO Digital Public Address and Voice Alarm System from Bosch,
combined with a range of ceiling and surface-mounted speakers in zones,
enhances the venue’s overall operating efficiency, safety and security.
More than 1000 high-performance Bosch cameras are installed on site to
ensure personnel safety and to conduct real-time surveillance inside and
outside the stadium.
Bosch, Dynacord and Electro-Voice are proud
to play such an integral role in hosting the 2019 FIBA Basketball World
Cup. Like every player on court, each brand strives for excellence in
every project.
4 Sep, 2019 | Electro-Voice
Each June the city of Omaha is invaded by roughly 300,000 college
baseball fans over the two weeks when the city hosts the NCAA’s college
baseball championship tournament. Just outside the stadium is the Omaha
Baseball Village, located at the parking lot of The Old Mattress Factory
Bar & Grill, a local-favorite sports bar. With family-friendly
activities by day and DJ-driven parties by night, “The Matt” is the
go-to place for hanging out near the stadium.
Event producer
Pinnacle Productions (Sioux Falls, SD) decided the time had come for a
better sound system, so Pinnacle founder Chris Hintz brought in NLFX
Professional of Bemidji, MN to complement their lighting, video and
staging. NLFX Pro President Ben Stowe chose an Electro-Voice X-Line
Advance system for the job. “They needed full-volume coverage for DJ
parties that draw 8000 on a good night,” he says. “We knew the EV X2
system would be perfect for that.”
Stowe’s system design consisted
of twin eight-box X2-212 line arrays, with six 90-degree boxes flying
above two 120-degree models. Beneath the stage, eight X12-128 subwoofers
kicked out plenty of low-frequency energy to keep the party moving. The
entire system was powered by 12 Electro-Voice TG7 amplifiers, each
equipped with RCM-28 OMNEO network and DSP modules.
The system
created smooth, even coverage across The Matt, while its networking
ability allowed Stowe to customize the volume levels. “We wanted full
volume the first 100 feet or so, then there’s a giant beer tent and all
the food vendors,” he explains. “So I engineered a 10 dB drop out there
so that the vendors could work effectively. For the people up front,
there was still plenty of volume. In fact, I had 20 dB of headroom to
spare, so everyone was happy.”
To ensure sufficient volume on
stage, NLFX Pro installed an Electro-Voice ETX-35P three-way loudspeaker
coupled with an ETX-18P subwoofer at both ends of the booth on stage.
“Lots of DJs like it extremely loud, so we made sure they had what they
wanted,” says Stowe. Performers included national artists like DJ
Skribble, Kryoman, James Kennedy, and DJ Spryte, along with top local
talent like DJ JAB.
Entertainment producer and talent booker Leah
Johnson reports that that the X-Line Advance system was a clear upgrade.
“The EV system was an incredible step up for us, and Ben from NLFX Pro
was fantastic to work with,” she says. “It really improved the entire
experience for concert-goers at The Matt. We were very impressed.”
The
X2 system handled 13 nights of Omaha weather, from blazing sun to
torrential rains. “The stage was covered, but the main arrays were
exposed,” Stowe notes. “Those boxes got plenty wet, but we never had a
failure. When we get home, we’ll take them apart and drain them, and
they’ll be as good as new. That’s why I love using the X2 outdoors: It
delivers the reliability and control we need with the sound the customer
wants.”
23 Aug, 2019 | Electro-Voice
A newly built restaurant and cocktail lounge in Mozambique called El
Patron has reinforced its sound solution. Prosound’s Durban and
Johannesburg team was appointed to deliver the audio system. With
the venue being divided into sections, comprising a dining area, bar,
VIP/performance area and a private room, the audio needed to be
distributed evenly throughout and allow for a divisable source, as well
as volume controls for each section.
The first thought was to go
with a wall-mount loudspeaker solution, however being on the ground
floor of a residential building, audio level control was an overriding
factor in the choice of the EVID ceiling-mount loudspeakers. Acoustic
consultant Bruce Gessner was called in to advise on how to
contain/dampen the sound so as not to disturb the residents above.
The
final installation included EVID 4-inch and 8-inch ceiling-mount 2-way
coaxial loudspeakers and EVID 10-inch ceiling subwoofers, along with EV
CPS 8 and 4-channel Class-D amplifiers. A Symetrix Prism was used for
DSP and control. In the performance area, an Electro-Voice Evolve 50
column array was supplied and installed for performances, while the DJ
booth was kitted out with Pioneer CDJ2000 Nexus2 Media Players with a
DJM900 Nexus2 DJ Mixer.
21 Aug, 2019 | Dynacord, Electro-Voice
- Flexible system blends permanent ZX3 loudspeakers with time-aligned dual EVOLVE 50 portable column speaker systems
- Truth Seeker Productions designed selectable-zone system for full coverage of both sporting and musical events
- EVOLVE 50 systems are employed for a wide range of applications, both on and off campus
Burnsville,
MN, July 2019 – With a gymnasium that is used for music and theater
events as well as athletics, Langford Area High School in rural
Langford, SD was searching for an economical – but high performance –
sound system that would provide clear, high-fidelity audio in multiple
seating configurations. The solution they found combines permanent and
portable systems from Electro-Voice for unique flexibility and ease of
operation.
The system design came from Ohio-based Truth Seeker
Productions, where President Dave Horn is well aware of the sonic issues
involved in a multipurpose gymnasium. “For games, you’ve got to cover
the bleachers on both sides of the court, but that creates both coverage
and localization issues for auditorium activities like a play or
concert,” he explains. “Fortunately, Electro-Voice makes a portable
system, the EVOLVE 50, which offers quick set up and great sound quality
with a very low profile, so there’s no visual distraction. With two of
them, we can create a full-range stereo concert system that can combine
with the bleacher speakers, plenty loud and very clear. Both we and the
school are thrilled.”
The main PA system consists of six
fixed-installed Electro-Voice ZX3 loudspeakers; Truth Seeker used EASE
modeling to place three per side for full coverage of the bleachers. All
are powered by a single Dynacord C1800FDi two-channel DSP power
amplifiers for installed applications. For auditorium set-ups, two
self-powered EVOLVE 50 column systems provide full-range audio with full
stereo capability in a very compact footprint, and are time-aligned
with the ZX3 speakers to ensure clear, cohesive audio for stage
productions.
From there, Dave Horn created a series of coverage
zones, making it easy to select home and away bleachers, with or without
the EVOLVE 50 systems. Having two portable systems also allows the high
school to deploy them anywhere on campus and for outreach events in the
community.
“That’s why we chose the EVOLVE 50,” says Horn. “They
sound great and they’re easy to implement. Plus, the narrow speaker
columns give wide horizontal coverage and a strong stereo image without
creating a visual obstacle. When they’re combined with the ZX3s for the
bleachers, you’ve got a true multipurpose solution for a fraction of the
cost of two systems.”
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
14 Jun, 2019 | Dynacord, Electro-Voice
Electro-Voice has unveiled the MFX Multi-Function Monitors range at InfoComm 2019, engineered to complement the Bosch brand’s X-Line Advance X1, X2, X12-128 and X12-125F line array models and corresponding installation versions.
This MFX catalogue comprises the 12-inch MFX-12MC and 15-inch MFX-15MC. They are two-way coaxial monitors that use high-output, coaxially aligned HF and LF transducers paired with a new Constant-Directivity waveguide and crossover design. Coverage in monitor orientation is 40° x 60°. The dimensions and location of the waveguide are said to interact with the woofer to create a bipole output that enhances coverage control through the midrange frequencies.
As well as providing a stable sound image when the performer moves off-axis, the compact coaxial design of the cabinets reportedly results in a low-profile footprint onstage in comparison to other high-end monitors. The cabinets also employ a brand-new concept with dual monitor angles of 35° and 55° that allows the output to be focused directly towards the performer.
The MFX Multi-Function Monitors have also been optimised for use with TGX10 or IPX10:4 amplifiers from EV’s Bosch sibling Dynacord. Both the MFX-12MC and MFX-15MC can be deployed in passive or biamp configuration, and can be put to use for different applications via DSP settings in the amps. Power handling for the MFX-12MC is 400W (continuous) and 4,000W (peak); the MFX-15MC delivers 500W (continuous) and 4,000W (peak). Both models have maximum SPL ratings of 135dB and 136dB, respectively.
In addition, the MFX monitors feature an integrated pole cup, allowing use as short-throw main/full-range loudspeakers for sound reinforcement when needed.
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