In this video for ISE Digital, Product Manager Bob Rieder showcases the PREVIEW tools used for designing a venue set up that can quickly predict loudspeaker coverage for sound systems. PREVIEW Loudspeaker Software is a full-color 3D interface that helps specifiers, designers and audio engineers find the optimum configuration and best overall loudspeaker positioning to deliver the ultimate performance in any venue.
Electro-Voice X-Line Advance line arrays delivered perfect coverage across fan-shaped 3Arena for Celtic Woman homecoming show
Compact size of Electro-Voice X2 system provides ideal sightlines for filming
Front of house engineer praises X2 line array system as “sounding great”
As one of Ireland’s most successful musical exports, Celtic Woman received a rapturous welcome upon returning to Dublin for a sell-out homecoming show. As expectations ran high amongst the four piece vocal ensemble’s legion of fans, the challenge for front of house engineer Michael Manning was to achieve the best possible audio coverage within the 3Arena,. Helping him to do so was leading regional rental and events specialist Murt Whelan Sound, and the sonic superiority of X2 line-array loudspeakers from the X-Line Advance family by Electro-Voice.
“X2 is so versatile that it can be used for any kind of show”
Combining traditional Irish music with orchestral backing, Celtic Woman is currently touring the world in support of the group’s recent Billboard number one album, Voices of Angels. But with tickets sold-out for concerts across six continents, it was the special one-night only return to Dublin’s 3Arena that added a sense of pressure for the group and crew alike.
“We did a couple of days of pre-production rehearsals in the venue and then the event was recorded for DVD, so the pressure was on,” recalls Murt Whelan, founder and MD of Murt Whelan Sound. Adding more pressure was the fan-shaped configuration of the arena itself. “It’s a very wide venue which can be challenging in terms of achieving even dispersion,” explains Whelan. “We had to ensure that every seat had the same quality of sound.”
Intelligibility is vital for the Celtic Woman sound, adds Michael Manning, describing it as “big and warm, almost comforting, and there are a lot of orchestral tracks so it’s important that the vocals aren’t harsh. It’s not a rock and roll gig, in fact it probably edges more towards theatre in terms of sonic quality and precision.”
With a company ethos that emphasizes quality of service above all else, Murt Whelan is no stranger to solving the challenges of the 3Arena. Accordingly, he immediately recommended the Electro-Voice X2 line-array system.
“Using Electro-Voice X2 212/90 and 212/120 cabinets meant that we benefited from a choice of 90-degree or 120-degree dispersion angles,” he explains. “With a mixture of both we were able to get perfect coverage.”
“In total, we flew four hangs of X2. The two main hangs comprised 12 X2-212/90 loudspeaker elements plus three X2-212/120 elements per side. Then there were two out-hangs of nine X2-212/90 elements plus three X2-212/120 elements per side, acting as side-fills.” Front fills and out-fills were served by a further 12 X2 212/90, while 18 X12-128 subwoofers provided low-end extension. The system was powered by 40 Electro-Voice TG7 amplifiers fitted with RCM-28 Remote Control Modules.
“X2 is so versatile that it can be used for any kind of show,” continues Whelan. “It’s all about the compact size of the cabinets, the ease of rigging and the quality of the sound. For a concert like Celtic Woman, where the show was being filmed, it’s a huge advantage that the hangs are so unobtrusive, yet the quality and power on offer suggests a much bigger system. That combination is phenomenal.”
The Celtic Woman concert was Manning’s first experience of using X2, but he’s equally enthusiastic: “It works perfectly. It sounded great during the concert and I didn’t hear a single complaint. I found it very easy to use and to achieve the coverage we needed. I just enjoyed using it.”
With the 3Arena homecoming declared a success, Celtic Woman is now back on the road, taking 12 Electro-Voice X-Line Advance X2 enclosures with it, as well as a number of Electro-Voice XLE compact line array enclosures. “I have to say that it is still sounding great,” Manning concludes.
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.
For the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Aerial Enterprises was the PA system provider for the main Atrium Stage in the Cobo Center. To provide both the musicality required for artists like the Beach Boys and easy intelligibility for keynote addresses, black tie events, and awards presentations, Aerial selected the X-Line Advance line-array loudspeaker system from Electro-Voice, with EV power and processing.
The main system consisted of two nine-box line arrays of X2-212/90 mains, supported by twin six-box clusters of X2-128 subwoofers, deployed in a cardioid arrangement for bass control within the cavernous space. The system was powered by TG7 amplifiers and networked via the NetMax N8000 digital matrix.
To augment the mains, Xi-1122 full-range loudspeakers were used, with four for front fill, six for deck fill, and six more as a delay system for the first balcony of the large three-story hall. These were powered by CP3000S amplifiers with Dx46 processors.
“The key to choosing X-Line Advance for the Detroit Auto Show was its ability to sound good for a wide array of event types, from voice only to major entertainers,” notes Jim Lillie, President and Operating Partner for Aerial Enterprises. “It was a great example of how versatile the X2 system is. Everybody was extremely pleased.”
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This article is originally from electrovoice.com
Photos by Jamie Hurschman
New series includes two powered full-range cabinets and two subwoofer options.
P.Audio has introduced the VIA line array, made up of the VIA-8 and VIA-12 full-range cabinets joined by the VIA-SUB cardioid subwoofer and the SB-218 subwoofer. The new system was on display at the NAMM show in Anaheim.
All VIA models are self-powered. VIA-8 and VIA-12 enclosures both are specified with 15-degree vertical dispersion, differing only in terms of horizontal dispersion (80 and 120 degrees). Both models are rated to provide a maximum continuous SPL of 126 dB (and maximum peak SPL of 132 dB).
They’re loaded with dual 8-inch woofers and a 3-inch large-format compression driver. The woofers have a neodymium motor structure with aluminum shorting rings for reduced distortion, and the cone pulp is optimized to provide accurate mid-bass reproduction while remaining linear, even at high drive levels. The compression driver has a Mylar surround for more linear performance around 1 kHz, where diaphragm displacement is higher.
The VIA-SUB cardioid subwoofer utilizes a rear-facing 12-inch woofer to effectively cancel the sound radiation behind the cabinet and to control low frequency feedback issues. The newly designed, forward-facing 18-inch woofer uses double neodymium magnets for high flux density to provide more impact from a relatively small cabinet.
The SB-218 is recommended for applications that require high levels of low frequency reproduction, loaded with two 18-inch neodymium woofers utilizing two neodymium magnets that allow a long winding length to be used without sacrificing BL product.
Onboard amplification in each enclosure provides 1,500 watts of RSM power (3,000 watts peak) and is matched to the remote controllable DSP with AD-DA converters operating at 96 kHz. The DSP makes use of the latest FIR technology to help ensure linear system phase.
An onboard RS-485 connector in each component facilitates remote control with the included software, designed to allow easy editing of single cabinet parameters. The software allows adjustment of graphic EQ, delay times and gain, along with real-time monitoring of amplifier health.
The rigging for the VIA series is designed to support up to 16 VIA-8 or VIA-12 cabinets or 8 VIA-SUB cabinets. The 3-point rigging design allows for simple setup with minimal effort. The side and rear rigging is made from 6061 T6 extruded aluminum with pins made from hardened steel and stainless steel. The rigging design allows inter cabinet array angles of up to 14 degrees.
Subwoofer rigging is fixed at 0 degrees splay angle, as the delay in each cabinet is available to create different radiation patterns as needed.