26 Jul, 2017 | Bosch, Electro-Voice
Burnsville, MN, May 2017: Located in Palm Desert, California in the Coachella Valley, Indian Wells Tennis Garden boasts 29 regulation tennis courts. At 16,100 seats its largest, Stadium 1, is the second-largest tennis-dedicated stadium in the world. Indian Wells is the host to the annual BNP Paribas Open, a major two-week pro tournament. Constantly evolving under the ownership of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, the facility recently rebuilt and refurbished Stadium 1, including a complete audio makeover that features premium products from two Bosch brands: RTS and Electro-Voice. Technicomm Industries, an area firm that has handled previous Indian Wells expansions and upgrades, was contracted to handle the upgrade.
“We had a loudspeaker demo shootout; six companies, no loyalties, and the EV products flat-out won on sound quality and aesthetics.”
“They decided to totally refurbish the main stadium last year. One goal of that change was to modernize the intercom system,” says Steve Burgess, project manager for Technicomm. “We wanted a system that could become part of our site-wide Dante audio network, and RTS was one of the few brands with that capability.”
Burgess contacted his regional RTS rep, Jeff Shorsher, to arrange a demo. Upon experiencing the system’s capabilities, Indian Wells and Technicomm agreed it was the smart choice. Operating as part of Indian Wells’ existing Dante matrix system would create great flexibility, enabling both in-house and external communications. In addition, it would enable Technicomm to address another need by eliminating equipment clutter in the broadcast booths.
“Over the years, the booths, which are quite small, had built up a variety of equipment to meet communication needs, including multiple radios, cell phones, and a computer,” notes Burgess. “By integrating everything together in a Dante network, the RTS system met every need and eliminated a ton of gear from that booth. That made a lot of people happy.”
The intercom system is based on an RTS ADAM-M digital matrix and utilizes OMNEO IP technology as its networking backbone. A total of 15 RTS DKP-4016 desktop keypanels and one rack-mount RTS KP-5032 keypanel are spread throughout the sprawling Indian Wells facility, each fitted with a gooseneck microphone.
“The programmability of the RTS intercom system put us miles ahead of our previous capabilities,” says Burgess. “We were able to route several Dante audio streams into the system and tailored each keypanel to what that operator needs on it. We were even able to incorporate the audio stream for the Hawk-Eye line judging system, which was a huge advantage for the broadcast team.”
The Hawk-Eye visually tracks ball trajectory and is used to adjudicate disputed out-of-bounds calls in professional tennis events, including the PNB Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The system requires audio input from the court effects and umpire microphones, which previously was achieved with the help of an outboard mixer.
“Having a Dante network with RTS keypanels changed all that,” says Burgess. “Now we use the speaker on the keypanel as the playback device. All we had to do was go into our Dante controller, drag the source channels over to the destination and boom, it was done. Very simple, easy to use, and sounded great. It’s a good example of the flexibility of a Dante-based system. It also eliminated a whole bunch of gear out of the broadcast booth, which was another goal of ours.”
Another major aspect of the Indian Wells upgrade was the public address system. When Technicomm learned that the Bosch family of brands included Electro-Voice, they were invited to be part of a multi-brand comparison. Quantum’s EV rep, Dave Brown, came in to consult on product selection and provide evaluation samples.
“We had a loudspeaker demo shootout; six companies, no loyalties, and the EV products flat-out won on sound quality and aesthetics,” explains Burgess. “The EVID ceiling speakers were the clear choice based on superior sound quality.”
A total of 60 EVID PC 6.2 premium ceiling speakers were installed in the facility’s premium areas, including the owner Larry Ellison’s private suite, along with other viewing suites, the champions’ lobby, and fitness center. For wall-mount indoor/outdoor applications, the facility chose the EVID 4.2, a weather-resistant design that combines attractive styling and flexible mounting with high fidelity and exceptional intelligibility.
The installation itself was a major challenge for Technicomm due to delays in the physical construction process of refurbishing Stadium 1. “We were joking that we needed more Bosch power tools, because we were basically working through February 5th, and the tournament started the next day,” says Burgess. “We ended up connecting and testing everything outside the audio cage before we deployed it. Jeff Shorsher and Calvin Ogawa from RTS really had my back, programming the system on site and interfacing it with the broadcast system. They made sure that when we put the gear out in the field, it worked right the first time. I want to thank them for their incredible support.”
While the audio and intercom upgrades were focused on Stadium 1 and broadcast logistics for the annual BNP Paribas Open, the facility is in year-round use for other events as well, including music and arts festivals, major concerts, and as a graduation venue for area high schools.
“By adding RTS intercoms and EV loudspeakers to the Dante-based system they had in place, Indian Wells now has the flexibility to provide the audio and communications for any type of event, with scalability that will make future expansion easy,” adds Burgess. “And history tells us that there will be ongoing enhancements at Indian Wells Tennis Garden for years to come.”
This article is originally from www.electrovoice.com
Please contact us or your nearest Electro-Voice dealer for more information on Electro-Voice products.
23 May, 2017 | Attero Tech
Stokes Technologies was brought in to design the A/V infrastructure for the meeting and entertainment spaces at Aloft Perth, the latest addition to Aloft Hotels’ global portfolio. Although the hotel’s specification called for patch panels to be incorporated into the system, the A/V systems integrator elected to offer an alternative using Attero Tech wall plates.
‘A patch bay only lets you send one point to another point,’ explained Aaron Mitchell, system engineer at Stokes Technologies. ‘While patch panels are fine for a recording studio, the production guys here don’t like them. Going with Dante and Attero Tech allowed us to bring all the channels to the DSP, route them wherever we want and make control easy.
‘We initially priced the job with point-to-point XLR cables but when we changed to Attero Tech wall plates and a network, we found that running one Cat-6 instead of six XLR cables can cover the cost of the wall plate. In addition, we can get electrical trades and IP trades to run and terminate our Cat cables so our brain trust can work on the programming instead of soldering cables.’
The installation covered the hotel’s W XYZ bar, Re:Mix Lounge and outdoor pool on the ground floor with seven meeting rooms on the mezzanine and a rooftop area comprising the Springs Ballroom and an outdoor terrace. ‘This is a new hotel, so it’s ground-up construction,’ noted Mr Mitchell. ‘We built a ground-level system that is networked to the mezzanine system and a rooftop system that’s connected by network switches and fibre. We have 12 spaces of background music across the ground level and mezzanine. We’re using two Attero Tech unD6IO 4-in, 2-out Dante wall plate interfaces in each mezzanine room, with balanced, switchable mic/line inputs and phantom power.’
The rooftop is equipped with seven Attero Tech wall plate locations, each comprising an unD6IO and an unDX2IO 2-in, 2-out Dante wall plate to provide additional channels. These solutions are managed from the mezzanine, 13 floors below. ‘We also used unDIO2x2 2-in, 2-out flange-mount Dante interfaces,’ said Mr Mitchell. ‘There are 170 channels of Dante going across the system, including 70 from the rooftop level. IP TV runs down the same fibre using HDMI transmission over IP.’
In the W XYZ Bar is a BGM system and a wall-mounted television that receives IP TV signals. ‘We’re taking audio from the IP TV box to a unDIO2x2 interface,’ explained Mr Mitchell. ‘This deploys it back onto the audio network, from which it can come back through the BGM speakers.’
Achieving even coverage throughout the bar was a challenge due to the narrow space, high ceilings and several obstructions. To combat this, Stokes Technologies installed a combination of pendant and flush ceiling speakers. ‘We have speakers at 6m high and at 2.5m all within one zone,’ Mr Mitchell reported. ‘We’ve got Crestron pendants in that area because of the ceiling height.’
A range of sources are set up at the start of the signal chain in the bar. Mood Music Players located on the roof level and an Essential CD player provide four BGM audio channels. There’s also a local Attero Tech unD6IO input with XLR microphones and the television. Source selection is via a Crestron touch panels. The Stoke Technologies team simplified control further by programming default states, ensuring the system functions without the touch panel.
This article is originally from www.proaudio-central.com
Please contact us for more information on Attero Tech products.
12 May, 2017 | Bosch, Electro-Voice
- Electro-Voice EVID Compact Sound systems hidden amid ceiling elements create calm, welcoming ambience throughout art gallery
- Southwest Building Systems designed the system to meet gallery requirements for high fidelity and intelligibility with minimal visual impact
- Bosch PLENA matrix mixer provides wireless control of all audio in gallery, controlling zoned loudspeakers via iOS app
For their Art of the World Gallery in Houston’s River Oaks area, co-owners Liliana Molina and Mauricio Vallejo wanted to augment their guests’ appreciation of the outstanding contemporary artists they display. Southwest Building Systems of nearby Silsbee was engaged to realize this vision, and an audio visual system was installed to support artist presentations and provide background music. There is also a sound system in the VIP room, where patrons can privately view art they are considering for purchase.
“The idea was to create a warm, comfortable ambience throughout the gallery, while keeping the visual focus on the art itself,” says Brent Thornhill of Southwest Building Systems. “We knew that a combination of Bosch signal processing and the new EVID Compact Sound loudspeakers by Electro-Voice could produce the audio impact they wanted while being, essentially, invisible.”
To meet the gallery’s requirement of consistent, high-fidelity sound throughout their two-story space, Southwest Building Systems used a zoned distribution system, the Bosch PLENA matrix mixer (model PLM-8M8). Easily implemented, the mixer allows independent control of source material and volume, either directly through wall-mounted Bosch control panels and volume controls, or wirelessly through the Bosch PLENA app for iOS devices.
Because the gallery hosts presentations by the artists it exhibits, a separate sound system was needed for the front foyer and reception area. For this open space, Thornhill installed an Electro-Voice R300 wireless microphone system with both handheld and bodypack transmitters. A single Electro-Voice EVU-1082 loudspeaker, mounted above the reception desk, provides full-range, highly intelligible audio at modest volume levels from both spoken and musical sources.
The primary background audio for the main gallery spaces is provided by the EVID S44W Compact Sound system from Electro-Voice, which consists of four small satellite speakers and a single subwoofer, finished in white. Four such systems are spread throughout the gallery, with the tiny yet robust satellite speakers mounted to the ceiling beams and the compact subwoofers installed atop floating ceiling structures, making them completely invisible to the patrons. In addition, 16 Bosch LB2 speakers at ceiling level along the periphery ensure that every corner of the gallery is covered uniformly.
The final touch is the Art of the World Gallery VIP room, where clients can arrange private viewings of a piece they are considering for purchase. This private room is set up as a separate audio zone, with music provided by a single Electro-Voice EVID FM 4.2, a two-way, flush-mounted speaker set into the wall along with a Bosch rotary volume control. Co-owner Mauricio Vallejo liked the sound quality so much, he had one installed in his own office as well.
Vallejo is extremely pleased with both the sound quality and control that the system delivers for Art of the World Gallery. “Southwest Building Systems gave us everything we asked for, with clear, beautiful sound everywhere,” he says. “To have total control of the sound system, anywhere in the building, from my iPad or iPhone, is something we all love. It makes everything easy and professional, enhancing the viewing experience without interfering with it. We are very pleased.”
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This article is originally from www.electrovoice.com
Please contact us or a dealer near you for more information.
28 Mar, 2017 | Electro-Voice
- Installation was part of a three-year renovation to transform the facility into a destination for world-class sports and entertainment events
- Over 3,000 loudspeakers provides seamless coverage to all seating areas, concourses, offices, and public areas
- Comprehensive system was designed and installed by Diversified Systems in collaboration with the Bosch/Electro-Voice team
Hard Rock Stadium is owned by, and home to, the NFL Miami Dolphins. It also hosts University of Miami football and major entertainment events throughout the year. As part of a three-year, facility-wide renovation, the re-named facility now boasts a massively upgraded sound system by Electro-Voice.
With the stadium’s addition of a roof and massive video displays, crowd noise levels are substantially higher than the original open-air design, making even coverage critical, both in terms of SPL and frequency response. In addition to the primary task of improving the fan experience through better audio, the sound system is also used for mass notification of life safety information. The Dolphins selected Diversified Systems to design and integrate the system, charging them with the task of overcoming increased levels due to roof reflections while delivering both vocal intelligibility and musical fidelity.
Drawing from all parts of the diverse yet sonically matched Electro-Voice loudspeaker portfolio, the installation delivers concert-quality sound via 186 XLCi-127DVX line array elements, weatherized and integrated into custom-engineered frames to withstand extreme storm and wind conditions. These are augmented by EVF-1122S front-loaded loudspeakers and EVH-1152D long-throw loudspeakers to cover hard-to-reach zones like corner seating areas. In addition, 48 dual 18-inch subwoofers, custom designed for the project, add an exciting bass element that was absent in the stadium’s previous system.
An ongoing installation challenge was the management of the installation across the renovation’s phased construction timeline, requiring ongoing support of the legacy sound system while the new Electro-Voice system was being installed, tuned, tested, and deployed. To ensure even coverage throughout all seating areas, EASE modeling and intelligibility plots were critical tools in selecting the appropriate loudspeakers and their placement. Two Electro-Voice NetMax N8000 digital matrix controllers allowed the integration team to apply FIR filtering to optimize loudspeakers as needed and appropriate.
In addition to the primary task of improving the fan experience through better audio, the sound system is also used for mass notification of life safety information. Electro-Voice ceiling and surface-mount loudspeakers ensure smooth, continuous coverage in luxury suites, concourses, restrooms, offices, and all public areas throughout the stadium. This task required approximately 1800 ZX1i indoor/outdoor loudspeakers and over 1000 EVID ceiling-mounted designs selected from EV’s wide range of options.
The Dolphins team are pleased to report that the system has exceeded their performance expectations while meeting budget and timing requirements. The system is at its best when the stadium is full, enhancing the fan experience with clear, effortless coverage, and rising to the occasion to amplify crowd energy in big moments.
Whether deployed for sporting events or major concert events, Hard Rock Stadium offers a winning combination of full-range fidelity, comprehensive coverage, and high intelligibility that plays a key role in transforming the venue into global entertainment destination for large-scale events.
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This article is originally from electro-voice.com
Please contact us or Find an EV Dealer for more information on Electro-Voice products.
28 Mar, 2017 | ETC
ETC is kicking off a new era in upper stage machinery with the introduction of the P2 hoist. Offering quick installation, easy operation, revolutionary features and affordable system expansion, P2 – the newest hoist in ETC’s Prodigy® family – can go where other rigging systems can’t.
The compact, 130-kilogram* P2 fixed-speed hoist has a 300-kilogram load capacity and can be used as a complete system by itself, or it can be combined with larger hoists in a hybrid system. Using five millimetre lift wire rope, it offers 15 metres of travel with up to eight lift lines. ETC’s QuickTouch® and Foundation® families of rigging controllers are feature rich, yet intuitive and uncomplicated, and work seamlessly with P2, and all of the hoist solutions from ETC Rigging.
The revolutionary features and capabilities that set ETC’s rigging products apart from others are at work in P2. The P2 hoist can be installed with or without ETC’s unique compression tube, is engineered to fit into the smallest spaces without adding lateral loads to buildings, so venues that aren’t able to use other larger hoists will finally be able to access automated rigging. Additionally, loft blocks can be positioned independent of the building’s structural mounting points, and allows users to support the attached load in a manner best fitting the load, instead of the building.
Safety is at the heart of P2, which includes load cell, and slack line detection. It also has a self-locking worm-gear system to prevent accidents. P2’s control electronics are built into the hoist, and incorporate hard-wired deadman and E-stop circuits.
Thanks to its advanced features and design, P2 is easier to install and commission than most other hoists on the market. “It takes very little time to get P2 in place,” says ETC Rigging Product Manager Nils Becker. “A pair of technicians could install six fully-commissioned hoists in a single day. That saves venues on installation costs, and results in less disruption to a production or event schedule.”
Adding additional hoists to a P2 system or upgrading existing hoists is also a simple process. “Rigging systems from other manufacturers often require significant control and wiring changes to add hoists, but ETC systems don’t,” explains European Rigging Sales Manager Enrico Nobile. “The faster installation and compatibility of our system components results in cost savings for our customers.”
For more information about P2 and all ETC Rigging systems, visit www.etcconnect.com.
Find an ETC Dealer or contact us for more information on ETC products.
21 Mar, 2017 | ETC
The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama: The Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall
Situated at the heart of The University of Manchester’s campus, the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama recently underwent a significant refit, including the installation of a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient production lighting package, featuring a control desk, LED luminaires and power controls from ETC, and auditorium lighting from GDS, all supplied and installed by Stage Electrics.
An important arts venue for north-west England, the Martin Harris Centre offers students a fantastic space in which to study and perform, as well as hosting many professional musicians, performers and prize-winning authors. It provides an excellent space for contemporary and classic theatre, music and comedy events, and holds a reading series that has in the past featured such literary luminaries as Martin Amis, Will Self, John Banville and Clive James.
The project, which was made possible due to significant funding from the Faculty of Humanities, is part of a campus-wide initiative that supports the University’s commitment to environmental sustainability and saw a complete overhaul of the lighting in the venue’s Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall and John Thaw Studio Theatre.
Longstanding supplier to the University, Stage Electrics was appointed to design, specify and install a complete lighting system for the two multipurpose facilities. Karl Spencer, the venue’s technical services manager, worked closely with Stage Electrics’ Rob Beamer and Karl Formstone to ensure the right solution was selected and installed.
“Energy efficiency was a driving factor in this project, but there were other points to consider too, like flexibility,” says Rob Beamer.
“The venue hosts a lot of classical concerts where maximum light levels are critical, whereas colour rendering and colour mixing capability is important for lighting dramatic performances, for example. For power controls, space was at a premium, so we had to bear that in mind too.”
The comprehensive solution, specified following extensive demonstrations between Stage Electrics and the University, includes an Ion® console with two fader wings; a Unison Paradigm® power control system; Sensor® dimmers with ThruPower modules; and an array of ColorSource® PAR, Source Four® LED Series 2 Lustr® and Daylight HD fixtures and a comprehensive state-of-the-art house lighting system from GDS.
Rob Beamer adds: “We put a lot of time into getting it right. The challenge was to deliver a versatile, energy-efficient lighting solution to maximise the experience for both performer and audience, without compromising on quality. And I think we have succeeded.”
Karl Spencer, the Martin Harris Centre’s technical services manager said, “As part of this extensive lighting project, our spaces have been converted to energy-efficient LED, for both lighting performances and house lighting. The end result is excellent and our performers and audiences alike are already enjoying the improved lighting. The installation offers us a flexible, efficient and sustainable lighting solution which underpins the University’s environmental sustainability strategy.”
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