Constellation® by Meyer Sound, widely recognized as the premier system for active acoustics, will be featured in one of the most extensive live demonstrations of the technology implemented at InfoComm 2023. Occupying the lion’s share of a large exhibit room (W231ABC), a Constellation system will create natural-sounding acoustical environments for the live vocal and instrumental music performed in the demo sessions.
Constellation® by Meyer Sound, widely recognized as the premier system for active acoustics, will be featured in one of the most extensive live demonstrations of the technology implemented at a trade show. Occupying the lion’s share of a large exhibit room (W231ABC), a Constellation system will create natural-sounding acoustical environments for the live vocal and instrumental music performed in the demo sessions.
InfoComm 2023 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, with exhibits open June 14–16. The Meyer Sound demo room sessions, which also will highlight the new 2100-LFC™ low-frequency control element and the Spacemap® Go spatial sound design and mixing tool, will be held June 13–16.
“We set exceptionally high standards for our demo room presentations. This year, we’re setting the bar even higher with a comprehensive Constellation listening experience.”
Meyer Sound Senior Vice President John McMahon.
Constellation Director for Meyer Sound Pierre Germain says it’s been a few years since a large Constellation demo system has been implemented at a trade show. “We think it’s vital that consultants and integrators experience why Constellation is still regarded as the ‘gold standard’ in active acoustic systems. While some other systems — particularly those offering only in-line reverberators — may come in at a lower bid, it’s still money not well spent if the client is disappointed with the results.”
Unique in the industry since 2006, Constellation is a dedicated system for active acoustics with all components and services supplied by Meyer Sound, including a dedicated acoustics team leading the design and commissioning. Constellation has transformed hundreds of venues worldwide through temporary installs and touring systems.
“Constellation is respected and trusted by the most demanding and discerning clientele worldwide,” adds John McMahon. “We have a rigorous set of standards that must be met for every project, and the difference is appreciated by everybody who — knowingly or unknowingly — has experienced Constellation acoustical environments.”
The demo room system also will offer the first trade show opportunity to experience in person the power and clarity of the 2100-LFC™ low-frequency control element. Incorporating technologies introduced in the phenomenally successful PANTHER™ large-format linear line array loudspeaker, including direct connection to Milan AVB networks, the 2100-LFC employs a single 21-inch driver and a new Class D power amplifier to produce prodigious acoustic output from 30 Hz to 125 Hz from a relatively compact and lightweight enclosure.
Adjoining the demo space will be the popular Sonic Lounge, offering an opportunity for attendees to relax and enjoy light refreshments while engaging with Meyer Sound sales and engineering staff. Meyer Sound also will have a floor booth, #5143, with the Tech Bar open for hands-on interaction with Meyer Sound’s suite of digital tools, including the award-winning Nebra™ software platform.
Across the demo space, Sonic Lounge, and booth presence, attendees at this year’s InfoComm will be able to experience adaptive acoustics, loudspeakers from Meyer Sound’s ULTRA-X, Intelligent DC, and LFC ranges, spatial audio products, Milan connectivity, and have the opportunity to meet members of the worldwide teams supporting and developing these class-leading solutions.
“This year’s InfoComm will reveal a vision of Meyer Sound’s future, a vision that is rooted in the DNA of the company,” continues McMahon. “We put exceptional effort into the design and craftsmanship of all our products. We are constantly striving to apply the latest science to further the art of sound reproduction. This has been a lifetime quest of John Meyer, and the result is a product line that sets industry benchmarks across nearly all market verticals. The latest developments can be auditioned this year in Orlando.”
After renting for nearly eight years, Meyer Sound LEOPARD® compact line array loudspeakers have taken up permanent residence in the Silva Concert Hall.
The rental system was provided by locally based George Relles Sound, Inc., with Relles returning earlier this year as the integrator for the permanent installation. The new resident system made its debut in the 2,447-seat venue with a performance of Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) by the Eugene Concert Choir with composer Paul Winter as the featured soloist. One week later, the system supplied sound for a showing of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, with a live performance of the John Williams score by the Eugene Symphony.
“Everything is going great with our new system,” says Hult Center General Manager Jeff Weinkauf, “but of course, that is hardly a surprise. I’ve heard it many times over the years, and I’m always blown away by the clarity, depth, and consistency. George [Relles] said several times — somewhat jokingly — that we might as well buy one of our own. Finally, we were able to make that happen.”
In addition to “pops” style concerts and movie soundtracks with the Eugene Symphony, a cross-section of past performances supported by the essentially identical LEOPARD system includes Patti Labelle, the Chick Corea Elektric Band, Pink Martini, Bob Weir & the Wolf Bros., B.B. King, and Buddy Guy.
Weinkauf, who previously served as operations director and technical director at the Hult Center, had ample opportunity to evaluate alternatives for a permanent “A+” solution. “Many touring pop and Broadway shows carry their own production, so I’d heard solutions from most of the major manufacturers in our space,” he says. “Consistently, the Meyer Sound systems outperform the others in here. We always seemed to get more positive comments when the show was carrying Meyer Sound.”
The installed system comprises main left and right hangs of 14-each LEOPARD compact line array loudspeakers, one more than with the typical rental system. Three ULTRA-X40™ compact loudspeakers are installed as balcony delays. “For most shows, the delays aren’t critical because the LEOPARDs cover the balcony very well,” notes Relles. “But if there’s a lot of level coming off the stage from a loud band, and it’s exciting the room, the delays will help boost the clarity up there.”
The top twelve LEOPARD loudspeakers are the M80 variant, with the narrower 80-degree horizontal pattern limiting reflections off the side walls. The bottom two loudspeakers employ the standard 110-degree waveguide. Front fills are six ULTRA-X20™ compact wide-coverage loudspeakers, and deep bass is propelled by three-per-side gradient cardioid arrays of 1100-LFC™ low-frequency control elements.
“Sometimes we would get questions about having only six subs,” admits Weinkauf. “People will walk in, take a look, and say, ‘Is that really going to be enough?’” Then we fire it up, and they say, ‘That will be fine.’ Of course, we can always have George bring in a few more, if only for the visual effect.”
Relles’ long experience with LEOPARD arrays in the room made system tuning a snap. “One TruShaping filter and a couple of parametrics with just a few dB was all it took,” he recalls. “Since I already had the Compass files from previous visits I basically had the system ready in less than fifteen minutes.”
Relles and Weinkauf had discussed an option for the new PANTHER™ large format linear line array loudspeaker but soon concluded it would be more than the room needed. The first trials proved the point. “After I tuned the LEOPARDs we played tracks from all genres, ending up with some heavy metal,” recalls Relles. “We still had six to eight dB of headroom but everybody was screaming ‘Enough!’ at the top of their lungs.”
The system upgrade also included MJF-208™ and MJF-210™ stage monitors, with more of each model on order. “We still have our old monitors, but after hearing the MJF wedges, the techs in both of our rooms are specifying them for their shows. Artists love the way they sound. They’re lightweight, powerful, and so easy to dial in with very little — if any — corrective EQ needed.”
Having their own premier system available at all times allows the Hult Center more certainty and flexibility in programming, continues Weinkauf. “This gives our programming manager, Vicki Infinito, a new tool for attracting and booking top-rank artists. George is a sought-after provider for our region, so he was not always available to bring in his LEOPARD system. Also, we are seeing more acts touring only with desks, making this upgrade a high priority. We are already booking top-tier acts for the fall that might have passed us by if we didn’t have this system available in-house.”
Operated by the City of Eugene Cultural Services Division and opened in 1982, the Hult Center for the Performing Arts is renowned for its striking exterior and the novel basketweave interior of the Silva Concert Hall. The Hult Center also houses the intimate, 495-seat Soreng Theater.
Meyer Sound Bluehorn System Delivers World-Class Immersive Audio Post to LA Residential Studio
When choosing the monitoring system for his new Atmos dub stage in Los Angeles, Fred Paragano set forth two main criteria. First, since the home-based studio would be for his exclusive use as a Supervising Sound Editor & Re‑Recording Mixer, the loudspeakers had to satisfy his preferences for accuracy and musicality. Because many of his projects — feature films in particular — would be completed at various commercial dubbing stages, it was also critical that his pre-mixes translate seamlessly to different systems in larger rooms. On both counts, says Paragano, the Meyer Sound Bluehorn® System full bandwidth studio monitors have proven to be the ideal solution.
“The intent of building the studio was to do most of the heavy lifting on my part here, so it was critical that my mixes translate accurately when finishing elsewhere. And I’ve found that, with Bluehorn, when I go to a larger stage my mixes translate exactly as expected. I don’t have to spend any time fixing or compensating. We’re up and running right away, and we can start being creative.”
Fred Paragano
Paragano’s residential studio was completed late in 2022, a decade after relocating from the Nashville area, where he had owned and operated the highly successful Paragon Studios, a multi-room facility for music recording, mixing, and post-production. “Over the years my work had shifted predominantly to film and TV post, so it only made sense to relocate to Southern California since that’s where most of my business was coming from,” he says.
In the early months of the pandemic, Paragano decided to “bring it all back home” and invest in a world-class studio for his own use – a room that would work for anything from stereo music to full commercial cinema Atmos immersive mixes. Two spare bedrooms were gutted to open space for a main mixing room 21 feet long by 15 feet wide. The studio design was entrusted to the esteemed Russ Berger (rbdg.com), who had designed Paragano’s widely heralded Nashville facility.
“Being in Los Angeles, I have worked on many dub stages with different monitoring systems,” Paragano recalls. “Whenever I have worked on a Meyer Sound system, there was always a clear difference. So I decided that, for my own room, Meyer Sound would be the only option to consider.”
In his early discussions with Berger, Paragano had assumed loudspeakers for the main screen channels would be Meyer Sound’s Acheron® series. “But when I said I was going with Meyer Sound, Russ insisted I check out Bluehorn,” he says. “He thought that if I were going to build a facility of this caliber, I needed to complement it with monitors at the same level.”
Unique in the industry, Bluehorn System full-bandwidth monitors incorporate dedicated processing with a patented phase-correction algorithm that results in flat response from 20 Hz to 22 kHz.
Paragano had not previously heard of Bluehorn, but he made a point to audition systems at LA area facilities, including at the renowned Newman Scoring Stage at Fox Studios. What he heard cemented his decision to go follow Berger’s recommendation.
“It was a leap of faith since there are still relatively few systems out there,” Paragano admits. “However, everyone who comes in here is immediately blown away by what they hear, just as I was. The whole system just breathes. It never feels like it is working hard.’”
Currently, the room is a 7.1.4 configuration with prewiring for 9.1.6 expansion if required. The three full-range Bluehorn Systems anchor the front channels mounted over three additional X-400C™ cinema subwoofers dedicated to the LFE channel. The lateral and overhead surround channels each employ four ULTRA‑X23™ compact loudspeakers, with two USW-210P™ compact narrow subwoofers in the ceiling for surround bass management. All loudspeakers are concealed behind the acoustic fabric. The Bluehorn System has its own dedicated GALAXY processor, with a secondary Galileo® GALAXY 816 Network Platform handling all the surround processing.
“The cool thing about GALAXY is that I can have multiple setups,” notes Paragano. “I can have one for theatrical Atmos, one for home Atmos and one for music mixing. I can easily call up what I need with the touch of a button.”
The studio is reserved exclusively for Paragano’s own projects, though clients and colleagues often come in to listen to his work — and to experience the Bluehorn System monitors. “It’s fascinating to see the expressions on their faces,” Paragano says. “They immediately get excited about what they are hearing. Many times, they will sit back, close their eyes, and just listen. I feel fortunate to have worked with Russ and the team at Meyer Sound. We brought the best together and created something that I believe is truly extraordinary.”
Other equipment in the studio is also top-notch in every respect. Five computers are online, with three dedicated to Pro Tools | HD, a fourth for Atmos rendering, and a Mac Mini solely dedicated to I/O routing for the entire system. Also included are three Avid MTRX interfaces, three Avid Sync Xs synced to an Antelope OCX clock, and a Brainstorm DXD-8 multi-format reference generator.
A sampling of Paragano’s Film/TV credits includes Amsterdam, The Addams Family, Westworld, and Patsy & Loretta. His music credits include albums by Livingston Taylor, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, and Kenny Loggins.
ApexPro is the sole distributor of Meyer Sound solutions in sub-Saharan Africa. Contact us to find out how to access Meyer Sound solutions in the region.
New Product Introductions and Interactive Tech Bars Highlight ISE Presence
At this year’s Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show in Barcelona, Meyer Sound will introduce a new product expected to have a significant impact on portable touring and installed sound industries. Only a year ago, the company debuted the phenomenally successful PANTHER™ large-format linear line array loudspeaker, setting a new standard for the industry and a new direction for Meyer Sound technologies.
“At ISE, we will introduce a powerful new Milan-equipped loudspeaker that extends and complements the clear benefits that already have earned global acceptance in PANTHER.”
John McMahon, Meyer Sound Senior Vice President
Also featured at the Meyer Sound stand (Hall 5, 5F100) will be a single PANTHER cabinet, unattached and available for team lifting to demonstrate its light weight of 150 lb (68 kg) and compact size. The class-leading acoustical performance of PANTHER is already proven in the real world and backed up with the latest technology, including a Milan AVB endpoint as standard.
The always-popular Tech Bar has been doubled for ISE 2023. One tech bar will feature the Spacemap® Go spatial sound design and mixing tool using a range of compact IntelligentDC™ loudspeakers. The other Tech Bar will focus on the networked power and flexibility of new ULTRA-X20™ loudspeakers and USW-112P™ subwoofers, also with integrated Milan endpoints.
Both Tech Bars will demonstrate Meyer Sound’s new Nebra™ software platform, which provides fast and intuitive connection of Milan-based audio networks along with comprehensive system monitoring over the same network or, for backward compatibility with existing systems, via the RMServer™.
Meyer Sound also will introduce another new Nebra-compatible product that is optimized for installation applications.
“Meyer Sound experienced a record year in 2022 and we will build on that momentum in 2023 starting at ISE,” says McMahon. “Our team looks forward to meeting in person in Barcelona with customers from around the world.”
ISE 2023 will take place in Barcelona, Spain at Fira Barcelona from January 31 to February 3, 2023.
ApexPro, the sole distributor of Meyer Sound solutions and products in Southern Africa, will be represented by Brendan Venter at ISE 2023.
Meyer Sound launches new initiatives focus on partnerships with leading learning institutions
Meyer Sound has announced an aggressive rebooting of its industry-leading education program, with a full program of workshops and training sessions scheduled at the Berkeley headquarters as well as at other locations in the US and overseas, and the formation of partnerships with leading educational institutions. Many of the sessions will be led by two long-time fixtures in the company’s education program, Director of System Optimization Bob McCarthy, and Senior Technical Seminar Instructor Mauricio ‘Magu’ Ramirez, with this duo now joined by another of the pro sound industry’s leading educators, Senior Technical Support and Education Specialist Merlijn Van Veen.
Extended renewal partnerships with leading universities
Meyer Sound also has announced new and extended renewal partnerships, most notably with Full Sail University in Florida, The University of California, Irvine (UCI) in California, and the University of Derby in England.
“We were forced to shift most of our focus to online platforms during the peak Covid months, but in 2023 we will be back with a greatly expanded program of in-person training sessions, with most organized and presented by Meyer Sound but with others presented in collaboration with our partner schools or through industry and professional associations.”
Meyer Sound Training and Education Manager Robyn Bykofsky,
Meyer Sound Education Program schedule
The in-person program for 2023 kicks off January 17–19 with System Design and Optimization training in Berkeley, with ‘Magu’ presiding and continues February 14–16 with Bob McCarthy leading the same training in Florida at Full Sail University (registration not restricted to Full Sail students). Also in February, ‘Magu’ heads across the Atlantic with trainings to date planned for Spain, Lithuania, Germany, and Switzerland.
The schedule continues with CueSchool in Berkeley in the spring, and with more tentative events scheduled for New York City and Toronto. Also planned is a series of Spanish language trainings in Latin America led by Oscar Barrientos.
Bykofsky stresses the importance of forming institutional partnerships to extend both the reach and the depth of the program’s offerings.
“The exact structure of the partnerships will differ from school to school, but in all cases, the goal is to ensure that the coming generation of sound professionals, as well as those already working in the industry, have the skills and knowledge they need to give audiences the best possible sonic experience, regardless of the products used.”
University of California, Irvine (UCI) Meyer Sound Design Studio
The University of California at Irvine’s UCI Sound program has extended its partnership with Meyer Sound under the leadership of Michael Hooker and Vincent Olivieri, noted sound designers and composers as well as professors in the Drama Department.
“Meyer Sound has been an extraordinary partner with UCI Sound in fulfilling our education mission. The relationship is attractive for prospective students considering graduate programs and once enrolled, the access to our Meyer Sound inventory – including our Meyer Sound-equipped recording and immersive sound design suite – become pillars of their education. In addition, the workshops and trainings by Meyer Sound’s world-class designers and engineers enhance what our faculty teach on a regular basis. At UCI Sound we look forward to continuing this relationship well into the future.”
Vincent Olivieri, UCI
In England, a new partnership is underway at the University of Derby under the direction of Adam Hill and Jon Burton, who help supervise the undergraduate and graduate Entertainment Engineering programs.
University of Derby – Beth Walsh
“My first ‘educational experience’ as a live sound engineer was 25 years ago with the legendary ‘Magu’, and now it’s a great feeling to be introducing my students to the educational team at Meyer Sound,” says Burton. “From our students’ perspective, having experts in the field coming to us – either online or in-person – to enthuse about the subject is always inspiring. Merlijn Van Veen’s recent presentation, delivered across groups from foundation to postgraduate, held everybody rapt with his breadth of knowledge and clarity of explanation. We are looking forward to building this relationship over the coming years for the benefit of all students who pass through our doors.”
Dave Dean, Department Chair of the Show Production degree program at Full Sail University, comments: “At Full Sail, we take pride in our innovative approach to educating and cultivating the next generation of audio industry professionals. We can look back at a multi-decade relationship with Meyer Sound in pursuing this goal, and we look forward to continuing our educational collaboration into the future.”
Meyer Sound also will continue to sponsor educational offerings in partnership with professional and industry associations, including USITT and AVIXA.
In-person and Online Educational Programs
The expanded in-person offerings and institutional partnerships are supplemented by a wealth of online educational resources, including both short tutorials on specific products and applications as well as archived full-length seminars, many in Spanish, on acoustics, loudspeakers, audio networking, spatial sound, audio fundamentals and more. All are available in the Education section of the Meyer Sound website.
Initial Toolset Provides Connectivity and Monitoring
Meyer Sound has announced the introduction of Nebra™, a new software platform that brings together multiple tools for specific tasks into a single integrated solution. The initial release is focused on fast and intuitive connectivity for endpoints in Milan™ AVB networks, including Meyer Sound’s PANTHER large-format linear line array loudspeaker, three ULTRA-X series point source loudspeakers, and the USW-112P™ compact subwoofer. Nebra also provides comprehensive system monitoring directly via the AVB network or, for other Meyer Sound products, through the existing RMS network via the RMServer™. Nebra also will provide connectivity for Meyer Sound’s Galileo® GALAXY Network Platform and for third-party network devices using the Milan protocol.
Nebra’s connectivity tools are designed for fast, trouble-free configuration and connection of complex Milan-based audio systems. “Many current audio-over-IP solutions are heavily text-based,” notes Andy Davies, Meyer Sound’s senior product manager. “Here, by displaying connections and monitoring in a clear visual layout, the system overview is much easier to understand. Connections are shown as graphical wires offering a clear picture of the system, while device icons change color to quickly identify any potential points of failure.”
Nebra leverages the latest in sensor fusion technology to simplify the task of monitoring large and highly complex networked audio systems. Disparate system health information is collected from all connected devices, with sensor data combined from multiple sources and displayed in one simple summary.
“A ‘traffic light’ indicator in the corner of the screen constantly displays overall system status,” Davies continues, “so all the user needs to see is that one green box to know everything is fine. In addition, critical system messages are brought to the user’s attention via banner alerts, so there is no need to constantly review the status of every device. If there is a warning, Nebra directs the user swiftly to the source of the problem.”
Nebra is a stand-alone solution for all Milan-based devices. For Meyer Sound loudspeakers using RMS technology, Nebra functions in parallel with Compass control software.
Nebra is now available as a free download from the Meyer Sound website. Versions will be available for both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Nebra will immediately enable comprehensive connectivity and monitoring functions for Meyer Sound Milan equipped loudspeakers, the GALAXY Network Platform, Milan-certified AVB switches, and other Milan-certified devices. Nebra is conceived as a comprehensive software platform, and other functions will be incorporated into future releases.
In addition to the PANTHER linear line array loudspeaker, Nebra is compatible with the newly introduced Milan endpoint versions of the ULTRA-X20™, ULTRA‑X22™, and ULTRA-X23™ loudspeakers and the USW-112P subwoofer.
“Nebra is unique in the way it applies software tools to groups and identifies large numbers of Milan endpoint devices, presenting an intuitive workflow when making a large number of connections, such as with PANTHER deployments. Touring sound users will benefit from the ability to quickly reconfigure systems for different venues, while installed sound users will benefit from a clear, easy-to-understand monitoring screen that operators can grasp with minimal training.”
The first use of the Nebra software platform was by rental company Major Tom, Ltd. on the massive, in-the-round Ed Sheeran +-= ÷x (“Mathematics”) Tour, underway since early 2022.
Milan is a standards-based deterministic network protocol for real-time audio and video media. Certification by the Avnu Alliance assures that devices will work together for maximum convenience, reliability, and functionality.
