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.
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.
Photo: Olivia BastonePhoto: Olivia BastonePhoto: Olivia Bastone(L-R) Josh Osmond, FOH Engineer; Ryan Cornelius, Systems Engineer/Crew Chief. Photo: Olivia BastonePhoto: Olivia BastonePhoto: Olivia Bastone(L-R) Ryan Cornelius, Systems Engineer/Crew Chief; Josh Osmond, FOH Engineer; Tyler Harris, PA Tech; Kevin Hu, Monitor Tech; Tucker Arbuthnot, PA Tech; Francois Pare, Monitor Engineer. Photo: Olivia BastonePhoto: Olivia BastonePhoto: Olivia BastonePhoto: Olivia Bastone
Cementing their status as one of this year’s premier concert draws, The Lumineers zigzagged across the continent this summer on the North American leg of their “Brightside World Tour.” Playing a mixture of sheds and arenas along with the occasional baseball stadium, the band delivered their trademark blend of alt-folk and Americana through a Meyer Sound LEO Family reinforcement system supplied by Escondido, California-based Sound Image.
Production Manager Sara Full, a pivotal player on The Lumineers’ team since 2013, emphasizes the key role of audio reinforcement in maintaining the band’s popularity. “The Lumineers’ music transitions between stripped-back moments and momentous builds, and capturing those dynamics in a way that translates uniformly — from the first fan in the pits to the last in the upper 300s — is essential to fulfilling expectations and making sure fans will come back for more. Our collective desire, band and crew, is to produce amplified sound in an arena that is comparable in quality and clarity to what the audience would hear acoustically. Simply put, the Meyer Sound system reproduces what the band is doing with purity but translates it to a large audience.”
Full also gave a tip of the hat to Sound Image for their role. “Jesse Adamson, our Sound Image representative, has been working with us since 2016 and has been diligent in making sure we have the best technicians with the proper training and skill. Sound Image also has done a great job of supporting us overseas, helping to ensure that we have access to the same Meyer Sound boxes worldwide.”
The Lumineers’ live mix benefits from the experience and practiced ears of veteran FOH Engineer Josh Osmond, who has also been with the band since 2013.
“The most important factor for me is consistency,” says Osmond. “The mix itself is subjective, and once the band and I are on the same page as to what the show should sound like, then it’s up to me to make that sound as consistent as possible, night in and night out. That’s where using the Meyer Sound systems has really paid off. With the linear phase response of the LEO Family and the flexibility available through Compass control software, Meyer has given me all the tools necessary to achieve this goal.”
Osmond is also a fan of Meyer Sound’s inherent self-powered architecture. “Self-powering has a number of benefits, including requiring less truck and floor space. It also eliminates long speaker cable runs from the amplifier on the ground to the speakers in the air. As a result, there is a transient response that other boxes don’t have.”
As configured for most shows, The Lumineers’ touring rig comprises left and right main hangs of, per side, 12 LEO line array loudspeakers over six LYON-M line array loudspeakers. Side arrays are 16 LYON each (eight LYON-M and eight LYON-W), the 270 hangs each deploy 14 LEOPARD compact line array loudspeakers, and six LEOPARD loudspeakers form the center array. Nine 1100‑LFC low-frequency control elements are flown per side as steerable cardioid arrays.
Locally sourced delays were added for most baseball stadium shows, though the final show at Chicago’s Wrigley Field posed a particular problem as venue management would not permit delay towers, only limited ground-stacked systems on roll-in carts.
“Those delay stacks had limited uptilt to reach the steep upper levels, so the main system had to do more work to cover those seats,” says Osmond. “I received several comments from band management and friends who listened from these areas, and they said it sounded as if they were down at front of house. The LEO Family is known for doing a fantastic job in long-throw situations, and it really proved itself on this show.”
For optimization and signal distribution, the system utilized eight Galileo GALAXY Network Platform processors, all linked on an AVB network running the Milan protocol. The fully redundant network, implemented on a quad-core fiber link, has a primary network with AVB only and a secondary network carrying AVB, RMS system monitoring, and Compass control. The quad-core link allows connection of both the stage right and stage left racks to the FOH master processor with no additional switch hops.
“The biggest advantage of AVB over analog or AES3 is having fewer connections,” says Ryan Cornelius, the tour’s systems engineer. “I can route our entire drive signal flow over two cables. It’s also more flexible, as I can reroute or add inputs to the GALAXY processors with a couple of mouse clicks, rather than digging through the back of the rack for tie lines.”
Other key members of the audio crew are Monitor Engineer Francois Pare, Monitor Tech Kevin Hu, and PA Techs Tyler Harris and Tucker Arbuthnot.
Though with early roots in New Jersey, founding band members Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites relocated to Denver before breaking through with their chart-topping single “Ho Hey” in 2012. The 2022 tour, supporting the band’s fourth studio album, Brightside, launched with a European leg in late winter. The North American leg, spanning a total of 52 shows in 49 cities, kicked off in Jacksonville on May 17 and wrapped at Wrigley Field in Chicago on September 3. “Brightside World Tour” placed consistently among Pollstar’s top 10 tours throughout the summer.
With the opening late last year of its new Sound Arts room, Semillero Estudios in Guadalajara became the first post-production facility in the state of Jalisco to offer Dolby-certified mixing in the Atmos HE (Home Entertainment) immersive sound format. In addition, the new mixing room is distinguished as the first in Mexico outside Mexico City to offer the Atmos HE capabilities using a full 9.1.6 Meyer Sound spatial sound monitoring system.
“Producers and music artists have been very impressed with what we can offer here in Guadalajara,” says Álvaro Arce, founder and director of Semillero Estudios. “A big part of that is the Meyer Sound monitoring system. You can take it to very high SPLs yet it never distorts. It sounds beautiful and it translates well into headphones, where much of the music content in spatial audio is heard lately. You can mix quickly and trust the system without a doubt.”
Arce established Semillero Estudios in Mexico City in 2013 principally for music recording, but the availability of top-notch musicians along with a fast-growing film and video business in his home city of Guadalajara convinced him to make the move back home in 2019. The first studio in the new location also was focused on music recording, but when the music was destined for integration into surround soundtracks the mixes had to be done in Mexico City.
“At first we were thinking of doing a smaller room with only 5.1 capability,” Arce recalls, “and then expanding to an Atmos room later. But our architect Gabriel Beas, acoustic designer Alejandro Lepe, and Carlos Cuevas from Dolby convinced us it would be more cost-effective to go to a larger Atmos room in one phase. I’m glad we did. With the surging demand for immersive music mixes, thanks largely to Apple, we’ve been very busy.”
The Sound Arts mixing room is equipped with three Meyer Sound Acheron Designer screen channel loudspeakers, with six HMS‑5 surround loudspeakers for the laterals (wide, surround, and rear) and six more for the overhead front, mid, and rear. A single X‑800C cinema subwoofer supplies low-frequency effects.
“I’ve always liked Meyer Sound speakers for their amazing headroom and precise imaging,” says Arce. “I recall when we were using the Dolby tool for measuring sound pressure levels, to make sure we could reach the levels we needed in the subsonic frequencies. That’s when I realized a big difference with Meyer Sound, because with the other systems we considered we would have needed two – or even four – subwoofers instead of one.”
Arce also cited the worldwide acceptance of Meyer Sound monitoring systems in major film and video post-production studios, as well as the high level of customer support available in Mexico. “I received a lot of help on design and speaker selection from Antonio Manzo, head of sales for Mexico, as well as from Magu [Mauricio Ramirez] and Oscar Barrientos, who have been friends for years. The Meyer team was incredibly supportive through the whole process, and that can be a real game-changer.”
The mixing platform in the room is an Avid S6, with separate computers for Pro Tools and the Dolby Atmos rendering unit. A Focusrite ISA preamplifier and Neumann U87 microphone allow for the insertion of vocal or synth tracks during the mixing sessions.
The new room opened during the Guadalajara Film Festival in October of 2021, and as part of the festivities, Oscar-winning sound designer Carlos Cortés and re-recording mixer Jamie Baksht (both for The Sound of Metal) came to the studio to teach a master class.
Since opening, the room has been constantly busy with film projects, in-house productions, and immersive music remixes, with Arce and chief engineer Caleb Sevilla taking on the lion’s share of mixing duties. The studio quickly attracted the attention of several notables in the Latin music business, including guitarist/composer/producer Kiko Cibrian, known for his work with Luis Miguel and Christian Castro, among many others. “Kiko lives in San Diego, but he loves the sound of the room here,” says Arce.
Most mixing in the Atmos format has been for music, again driven by the demand for immersive products on the Apple Music platform. The Sound Arts Room has hosted mixes of feature films and documentaries as well, though most are rendered in the 5.1 format. One exemplary project mixed by Oscar winner Carlos Cortés was a “cinema minute” advertising clip for IWC watches featuring American football legend Tom Brady.
Semillero Estudios and associated staff have an extensive list of credits for original music composition, music production, sound design, and post-production mixing, with projects including feature films, television series, and immersive music mixes. The majority of projects are for distribution in Mexico, but about a third are distributed throughout Latin America with some also appearing on Spanish language outlets in the United States.
George Relles Sound Brings Six Generations of Meyer Sound Technology to Exquisite Hillside Pavilion
Photo: Matt Honnies
George Relles first brought Meyer Sound MSL-3 loudspeakers to the Britt Pavilion in 1986, and in 2022 he flew his new PANTHER large-format linear line array loudspeakers in the wooden shell on the verdant Southern Oregon hillside. In the years between, George Relles Sound introduced four other generations of Meyer Sound technology in the same venue, adding up to 36 unbroken years of Meyer Sound systems at the summer-long Britt Music and Arts Festival.
“I’ve always wanted to have a gold-standard PA system at the Britt,” says Relles, “because it’s a wonderful venue to show off a PA. For decades I’ve been in on the ground floor of the newest Meyer Sound loudspeaker systems, and this is where I bring them first.”
Although a smaller pavilion — 2,200 total capacity with 949 reserved seats — in a secondary market, the idyllic location, mild summer weather, and top-notch sound have made “the Britt” a favorite among touring artists. In addition to a three-week classical series, the 2022 schedule of 28 pop concerts includes, among the others, ZZ Top, Norah Jones, Bonnie Raitt, and Chicago.
The new PANTHER line array system arrived in early July, with the transition from the prior LEO Family system taking place only a couple of days later, just ahead of the Jason Mraz show.
“It was a tight schedule for bringing online a system I had never heard before anywhere,” says Relles, who serves as systems tech for nearly all shows. “But I was confident in the results, and it tuned up very easily. I used maybe one U-shaped filter and a couple parametrics, and that was it. One FOH engineer told me it really sounded great, and that I must have spent a lot of time tuning it. ‘No,’ I said, ‘only about an hour, with just fifteen minutes for EQ and the rest for timing front fills with the arrays.’”
Though the LEO Family system had earned kudos for years, Relles says PANTHER has moved the sound up a notch. “It definitely penetrates more consistently up the hill. It is also a much bigger sound, with a really tight low end filling out the sub area.”
The venue’s production director, Derek Cole, agrees. “There’s nothing I don’t love about the new PANTHER rig. I like the look of it, and from walking around I know there’s not a bad seat anywhere, all the way back to the picnic tables 120 yards from the stage. Also, word is out to the bands, and some like Dark Star Orchestra have told me they are excited about using it.”
Mike Sturgill has been with the Britt Festival of Music and Arts for more than 30 years, overseeing production and booking the venue since 1995. “Over the last few years, I’ve had engineers tell me our LEO Family system was the best rig they had mixed on all summer, and I fully expect that will continue with PANTHER. It’s a PA that will carry us a long way into the future.
“There’s no question that George and his Meyer Sound systems have been integral to our success,” Sturgill continues. “George cares about everything, he pays attention to details, he helps mixers get the most out of the systems, and he anticipates problems before they happen. We don’t have to worry about the sound here at Britt, ever.”
Relles has been the exclusive sound provider for the Britt Music and Arts Festival since 1981 and later acquired six Meyer Sound MSL-3 loudspeaker systems in 1986. Relles immediately bought two more systems, bringing all eight to the Britt later that year — then doubling the count to 16 the following year.
Over the decades, Relles continually upgraded to the newest Meyer Sound systems in the first year of introduction: the self-powered MSL-4 in 1995, M2D line array in 2002, MICA line array in 2005, and a LEO Family system (LYON and LEOPARD) in 2015.
“Because I’m a hands-on owner-operator, I really care about the products I use,” he says. “I design the system and tune it myself, and I want to make sure it’s an easy day for the visiting engineers. I’ve worked with some touring engineers who have a reputation for chewing up system techs, and they’ve told me that every time they come here it sounds great.”
In addition to the unbroken string of Meyer Sound systems, Relles’ longevity at the Britt Pavilion also is attributable to his selection of front-end gear, including an SSL L500 mixing console and a collection of microphones for classical and acoustic music encompassing 40 Schoeps models and 50 DPA miniature clip-on condensers. Relles mixes the classical concert series himself, and he also mixes most opening acts of the pop series.
Established in 1963 exclusively for classical concerts, the non-profit Britt Festival of Music and Arts expanded with a pop series in the 1980s. A sampling of acts heard through Meyer Sound systems over the years would include Diana Ross, Ziggy Marley, Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, Joan Baez, Steve Miller, Bob Weir and Ratdog, and Wynton Marsalis. The Britt Pavilion is located in the historic former mining town of Jacksonville, Oregon.
Stadium/Shed System from UltraSound Anchored by 72 PANTHER Loudspeakers
Dead & Company is back on the road for their 2022 Summer Tour which kicked off in mid-June at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. As they carry on the Grateful Dead tradition of using the latest innovations in sound reinforcement, the tour is powered by a system featuring Meyer Sound’s new PANTHER large-format linear line array loudspeaker. The band further augmented its seemingly limitless repertoire of tunes while UltraSound — decades-long audio provider for the Grateful Dead and successor ensembles — assembled the largest system of PANTHER loudspeakers in North America, and the first to roll out on a USA tour.
To cover expansive audience areas in a mix of sports stadiums and larger sheds, UltraSound is carrying a PANTHER inventory that allows reconfiguration for venue size. For stadiums, a typical deployment is four identical arrays — two main front and two side — each comprising fourteen PANTHER loudspeakers, with four PANTHER-W wide coverage versions flown under 12 PANTHER-L long-throw versions.
Mixing the band for PANTHER’s North American touring debut is FOH Engineer Derek Featherstone, who also serves as tour director and UltraSound CEO.
PANTHER is a very responsive system and reacts quickly to change. The vocals tend to lead nicely, staying up front in the mix better than with last year’s system. I’ve altered some vocal compression to take advantage of this.”
Derek Featherstone UltraSound CEO and Dead & Company Tour Director/FOH Engineer
Weighing in at 150 lb (68 kg), the PANTHER loudspeaker nevertheless produces greater than 150 dB peak SPL. The compact size and reduced weight save on transportation costs while the new Class D amplifier dramatically reduces power consumption. PANTHER is the first line array system to offer AVB Milan™ protocol network connection directly to the loudspeaker cabinet.
As tour director, Featherstone appreciates the added flexibility afforded by PANTHER’s power-to-size/weight ratio.
“We’re using the same count of PANTHER as we had for LEO last year, but the reduced size and weight allowed us to carry more subs and deploy them more effectively. Recovered truck space allowed us to bring the VLFCs, while PANTHER’s reduced weight makes it easier to do more end-fire sub-arrays in stadiums within the same total weight limits.”
For larger venue deployments, PANTHER arrays are bolstered in the bass registers by 18 flown 1100‑LFC low-frequency control elements plus 12 700-HP high-power subwoofers on the ground. Ten VLFC very-low-frequency control elements extend response down to a subsonic 13 Hz.
A dozen LEOPARD compact line array loudspeakers are deployed singly for front fill, and a total of eight GALAXY Network Platforms provide system drive and optimization. The stage foldback system comprises 10 MJF‑210 and two MJF-212A stage monitors along with two JM‑1P loudspeakers for side fill and two 1100-LFC elements as drum subs.
“We invested in PANTHER for three reasons,” says Featherstone. “We needed additional inventory, we were confident that the fidelity would be as expected from Meyer Sound, and we would benefit from the added versatility. We are already getting a good deal of interest from other tours and events after Dead & Company wrap up next month.”
In addition to Featherstone, the Dead & Company tour is supported by Michał Kacunel (system engineer), Ross Harris (recording engineer and ground PA tech), Lonnie Quinn, and Ian Dubois (monitor engineers), along with crew members Sean McAdam, Aaron Lauzier, and Reilly Williamson.
The band’s 2022 tour proceeds eastward with 20 shows scheduled in 16 cities, wrapping up at Citi Field in New York on July 16. Of the tour venues, four are Major League Baseball stadiums, one an NFL stadium, and one college football stadium, with the balance at larger sheds.
Dead & Company was formed in 2015 when the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir joined forces with artist and musician John Mayer, Allman Brothers’ bassist Oteil Burbridge, and Fare Thee Well and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, and has quickly become one of the most successful touring bands year over year. Since its formation, the band has completed six tours playing to millions of fans and became a record-breaking stadium act when it broke Wrigley Field’s all-time concert attendance record, which still holds to this day. Having toured consistently since its 2015 debut, the band has grossed $300 million and has sold more than three million tickets across 172 reported shows.
