AUDIO-FOR-VIDEO BROADCAST INTERNET AUDIO LIVE SOUND MULTIMEDIA POST PRODUCTION RECORDING

THE INTERNATIONAL
AUDIO
MEDIA
BUYERS GUIDE

THE WORLDS LEADING PROFESSIONAL AUDIO TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL PUBLICATION FROM THE NEWBAY MEDIA GROUP

LIVE SOUND
APPLICATION
2011 2012

P RO D U C E D BY

AUDIO MEDIA
In association with:

MEETTHEBLACKBOX FAMILY

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BLACKBOX BBR64-MAdIRECoRdER
Designed for a range of applications requiring the capture of multiple channels of live audio material with minimum fuss,
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64 channels in one rack unit!
Audio recorded direct to external USB2 drive
in BWAV format
USB drive plugs straight into workstation for
instant editing, mixing and post production

BLACKBOX BBR-dANTERECoRdER
Designed for capturing multiple channels of live audio material via Dante network.
Applications in Live Music, Broadcast, Film & TV Sound.
32 channels in one rack unit!
Audio recorded direct to external USB2 drive
in BWAV format
USB drive plugs straight into workstation for
instant editing, mixing and post production

BLACKBOX RECoRdER
Unique technology lets you capture live multi-channel audio without taking a computer or DAW to the
performance. Robust, rugged, rack-mounted and ready to record.
24 channels in one rack unit!
Analogue and digital i/o options
Audio recorded direct to external USB2 drive
in BWAV format
USB drive plugs straight into workstation for
instant editing, mixing and post production

BLACKBOX PLAYER
Dedicated multi-channel playback device specifically designed to replay backing tracks and multiple
surround stems for live shows and themed entertainment.
24 channel playback in one rack unit!
Analogue and digital i/o options
Synchronous playback to timecode
Available as plug-in for BlackBox Recorder

tel: +44 (0) 1223 911 000

info@joeco.co.uk
www.joeco.co.uk

Multi-track technology for the 21st century

contents
4

Welcome

The Live Sector: Buoyant Or Bust? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Welcome to Live Sound Application 2011, a

collection of articles sampling the uses and abuses
6

Avid: Cirque de Soleil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Crown: Powerful Live Sound Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fohhn: Directional Focus For Fohhn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10

Lake: At The Heart of Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11

Midas: The Audio Gold Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12

Orbital: We Will Rock You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13

Prism Sound: The Wall, Live . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14

of specific technologies in the professional sound

Allen + Heath: iLive for Adeles Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

reinforcement arena.
From club to theatre and from local venue to stadium, the Audio
Media editorial team, plus selected industry partners, have put
together a wide selection of application profiles for you to enjoy.
There are interviews with some of the leading names in FOH and
monitor engineering, system design, and more.
Weve got contributions from some top-notch names,
inclluding: Brad Madix (Rush, Shakira), Dave McDonald (FOH
Adele), Joe Campbell (Monitors Adele), Jean-Michel Caron
(Assistant Sound Designer Cirque du Soleil), Eddie Gonzalez
(Audio Engineer/Systems Designer, Multi Image Group), Jerry
Wing (Technical Head, Britannia Row), Jon Monson (Systems
Co-ordinator, Rat Sound Systems), Tony Szabo (Senior System
Engineer, Adlib), Sherif el Barbari (Systems Engineer Radiohead,
Robbie Williams and more), Dan Bailey (Production Engineer,
We Will Rock You), Dave Swallow (Sound Engineer and tour
manager Amy Winehouse, Corinne Bailey Rae, and more), and
John Penn (SSE).
We hope this latest instalment in our series of International
Buyers Guide supplements will give you an insight into the
working methods, tricks, and technology choices of peers in the
sound reinforcement industry.
All of the supplements are available free from the Audio Media
website as PDFs. There are now quite a number to choose from,
including Microphones, Recorders, Consoles, and Monitors, as
well as Live Sound Technology, The Manual, and the Game Sound
Special. All of these include additional editorial content.
This promotional guide has been produced by Audio Media
magazine (audiomedia.com), in association with Pro Audio
Review and Pro Sound News US (prosoundnetwork.com). All
three publications concern themselves with the business of
audio production on tour, on location, and in the studio for
professional creatives, operators, technicians, and engineers
everywhere.
The NewBay Team

AUDIO MEDIA
www.audiomedia.com
(UK) Tel: +44 (0)1354 669960 - Fax: +44 (0)1354 669965

Sennheiser: A Passion For Sound. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Editor
Paul Mac

Editorial Manager (Europe)

Lanna Marshall

p.mac@audiomedia.com

l.marshall@audiomedia.com

Sales
Graham Kirk

Design & Production Manager

John-Paul Shirreffs

g.kirk@audiomedia.com

jp.shirreffs@audiomedia.com

AUDIO-FOR-VIDEO BROADCAST INTERNET AUDIO LIVE SOUND MULTIMEDIA POST PRODUCTION RECORDING

16

THE INTERNATIONAL
AUDIO
MEDIA
Waves: The Brad Madix Interview . . .BUYERS
. . . . . . . . . GUIDE
......
THE WORLDS LEADING PROFESSIONAL AUDIO TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL PUBLICATION FROM THE NEWBAY MEDIA GROUP

LIVE SOUND
APPLICATION
2010 2011
17

Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

www.nbmedia.com
The contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or in part, whether
mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Great care is taken to ensure
accuracy in the preparation of this publication but neither NewBay Media nor the Editor can be held responsible for its contents or
any omissions. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Publishers or Editor. The Publishers
accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or artwork.
2011 NewBay Media. All rights reserved.

P RO D U CE D BY

AUDIO MEDIA
I n a s s o c i a ti o n w i th :

01-live-sound-application-2010-cover.indd 1

CONTENTS | LIVE SOUND APPLICATION 2011

1/9/10 10:07:09

The Live Sector:

Buoyant Or Bust?
PAUL WATSON talks to John Penn, MD of SSE Audio Group, and experienced live
engineer, production manager, and tour manager Dave Swallow, about the real
state of the live market and where the moneys coming from.

ince the recession well and truly

dug its claws into the UKs live
music industry several years ago,
its current state still seems questionable. Many people believe its well
and truly on the up again, and if the
amount of festivals popping up
seemingly out of nowhere is anything
to go by, its a fair claim but theres
also an argument that its simply
treading water.
Dave Swallow, a sound engineer
by trade, says he has picked up
the tour management baton
as and when he has needed to.
He worked as FOH Engineer and
Production Manager for the late Amy
Winehouse, and did a stint as Tour
Manager for Corinne Bailey Rae, but
says work at the minute in the live
sector can be hard to come by.
I dont think the live industry
is in crisis, but I do feel we have
reached market saturation point,
says Swallow. At the beginning of
the year, after finishing a stint with Le
Roux, I made the usual calls to people
asking what was going on and the
responses were pretty much ah OK,
we might have something for you,
but there I was, still with nothing
going on in May; that to me is not a
buoyant live industry.
Swallow, who resides in
Amsterdam, says a string of European
festivals this year have had to cancel
due to a lack of international artists,
particularly British ones, hitting the
road; and from the point of view
of the bands, in terms of costs and
logistics, it could be argued that
touring might be more hassle than
its worth.
Acts from the US seem to come
over in droves, but the Brits have just
stopped touring thats actually
been a trend for two years now,
maybe more, he says. But look at
how big the festival scene is now we

used to end our summer season at

Reading and Leeds, but now it ends
at Bestival in September; and bands
can now play festivals all year round if
they want to.
Theres heaps of festivals in ski
resorts all across Europe, theres Big
Day Out in Australia, and plenty of
festivals in developing world countries
Brazil, places like that; so potentially
for UK bands, thats a brilliant source
of income. There are suddenly no
worries about putting bums on seats;
they have got their money more
than a promoter would give for a
show and without all the hassle, so
why tour at all?
Alive & Kicking
Swallow certainly has a point and
its one that SSEs John Penn goes
along with to a certain extent, though
from where hes standing, the live
market is still very much alive.
There is a lot of money in the
live industry its very buoyant, and
artists can make a good living playing
shows, Penn says. The festival
market particularly is enabling artists
to make money thats whats
bringing a lot of the older guys out of
the woodwork. In the past when this
happened, it was never commercially
viable if there wasnt an album
or a greatest hits compilation to
go with it, then there was no viable
commercial vehicle to enable them
to reform and play these shows, but
now theyre making a ton of money
from it.
Penn also believes that the
huge increase of vastly attended
summer shows has led to many event
organisers driving production values
down and down.
There are hundreds and
hundreds of festivals in the UK
now, and some of these provincial
festivals suffer because they try and

reduce their costs down, from the

PA, the staging, toilets and facilities
everything, he explains. I am a
little down on these events, because
in theory that same festival, with a
higher production value, could be
spectacular. Its a shame that were
seeing this happen because it ruins
the punters experience too, so the
festival loses out in the long run.
Will that kind of event bring back the
crowds next year? Of course it wont.
If you look at the other end
of the spectrum, like V Festival, for
example, the production values
are very high and no-one is short
changed; and the crowd has the
best time. But some of the little
ones well, they focus too much on
the talent rather than ensuring that
the paying public have a memorable
experience which in turn ensures
they want to come back. I also think
everyone is trying to get in on the act,
but there are only so many events for
the audience to attend to. In the end
the punters will vote with their wallets
and there are clear indications that
its already happening.
Festival Overload?
A large proportion of UK festivals
didnt sell out this year; and Reading
is perhaps an extreme example:
rather than the few hours that its
taken to sell all its tickets in recent
years, this years festival hadnt sold
out in months. So why was that?
From a promoters point of view
in the UK, there are so many festivals
and not enough people going, insists
Swallow. Over the last few years,
more and more festivals have come
into their own. Lots of these inner-city
festivals like Dot to Dot are popular
because theyre one-day events, on
a weekend, and you can go home
with no need to camp. Theyre more
popular, and are often set within self-

contained venues, so production costs

are immediately lower for festival
organisers, which in turn means
more bands on the bill or a bigger
headline act, perhaps which means
more punters.
On top of that, of course, these
inner city events dont have to worry
about rain, or that their stages will
fall down due to high winds or the
freak weather conditions that the
world has seen far too much of in
recent months.
Dot to Dot, which in previous
years was a one-day event in
Manchester, now focuses on Bristol
and Nottingham too, over three days,
which shows how far these events
have come. Swallow believes its the
route many promoters now seem to
be going down.
Another interesting point is the
price of musical instruments; in the
70s and 80s they were extremely
expensive, and now more people
want to be involved in creative arts
because theyve reduced in price,
Swallow adds. So more people pick
up a guitar or a computer and try
and make a career out of it. In a
way thats led to a decline in record
sales, people going down the live
route they have flooded the market
and are now not earning what they
could have done. Lots of bands are so
similar, theyre making it worthless.
Swallow hails the latest buzzword
as sync, as many bands in his
opinion are writing songs purely to
get them placed in day-to-day TV
programmes.
Five years ago this kind of thing
didnt happen very much at all, but
I was watching Top Gear the other
day, and it was pretty much a Daft
Punk Soundtrack! Its back to this
oversaturation of everything
people are constantly getting on the
creative arts bandwagon.

THE LIVE SECTOR: BUOYANT OR BUST? | LIVE SOUND APPLICATION 2011

Penn says for a long time,

promoters thought the way to make
money in live was in the headline
acts, but that recent events in
particular have well and truly quashed
that theory.
All this thing about Reading not
selling out it did in the end, and it
has a strong reputation as a fantastic
event; and it certainly looked no less
busy than in previous years.
V sold out as soon as the tickets
went on sale, as did T in the Park.
All these stats are telling you is that
for the key events, the brand value of
the gig and the experience associated
with it is what sells the event.
Key artists will sell a few more tickets,
yes, but they wont necessarily
guarantee you to sell out.

the events of June, July, and August

alone and they are our three manic
months. The rest of the year we
are looking to the touring market,
but of course the prevalence of the
festivals, combined with the logical
proliferation of installed venues
means that the available amount of
work has considerably reduced.
We now have competitors
in smaller firms with very limited
overheads, who can deliver a more
limited service, but at a much lower
price. These firms arent going to
go away. The balancing act for us is
ensuring that at the top end of the
market our customers Production
Managers and Promoters
appreciate the difference and dont
just think our pricing is a mickey-take.

Losing The Flow

According to Penn, arenas arent
selling out like they used to, and there
isnt enough constant work throughout the year to keep the live rental
companies from struggling.
We cant support our business on

A Big Fat Question Mark?

Its interesting how similar some
of Penn and Swallows views are,
considering they play such different
roles in the live sector. Clearly there
are parts of the live industry that are
truly buoyant, but on the other hand,

there are still a lot of worrying question marks over the natural direction
it seems to be taking.
Its a little ironic too, isnt it,
that on one hand there is a massive
oversaturation of music festivals in
the UK that not enough people are
attending, yet on the other, there are
a plethora of live bands old and
new that are making shedloads of
money by playing them? That in turn
is clearly affecting the touring market,
which has a detrimental effect on the
likes of major rental companies such
as SSE.
Quite a palaver, indeed.
I wonder what would happen if
virtual Japanese artists such as Aimi
Eguchi ever made it to the UKs
shores or should I say computer
screens? Whos Aimi Eguchi? Oh, just
some computer generated pop singer
with a synthesised voice with a
growing international following
who actually sells out live shows with
the help of a bit of 3D trickery and
Yamahas Vocaloid application.
I know interesting times

Image credit:
Marcus sterberg.

THE LIVE SECTOR: BUOYANT OR BUST? | LIVE SOUND APPLICATION 2011

Allen + Heath

iLive Selected For Adeles Global Tour

IMAGE CREDIT ROB SINCLAIR

Allen & Heaths iLive digital mixing system has been requested by the sound
engineers of British singing phenomenon, Adele, for her global tour.

Adele is the first living artist to

achieve the feat of two top five hits
in both the Official Singles Chart and
the Official Albums Chart simultaneously since The Beatles. Her new
album, 21, has spent eleven consecutive weeks at number one in the UK,
the longest ever by a female solo
artist on the UK Albums Chart, and

the album has also broken the record

for the most UK digital downloads.
FOH Sound
iLive stands apart from other
consoles because of its ease of use.
Like painting, you want to be creating
when you mix, not reading a manual.
You can do that with this desk you

Company Pedigree
For over 40 years, Allen & Heath has been at the forefront of professional
sound. Renowned internationally for its British-designed, high quality
products, the company has set many benchmarks in sound technology,
developing industry standard products for the DJ, PA, and House of Worship
markets, and becoming an early pioneer of distributed digital mixing
systems.
Allen & Heath started out providing mixing consoles for the bands
Genesis, The Who, and Pink Floyd. Its current portfolio covers a broad
spectrum of the industry, with recent users including AIR, President Obamas
Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, ESPN Sports, Sasha, and Deadmau5.
Products include the iLive digital mixing family, iDR digital installation
series, Xone DJ range, ZED USB compact mixers, XB-14 dedicated broadcast
console, GS-R24 and ZED-R16 recording mixers, GL multi-purpose series,
MixWizard compact series, and PA portable series.

stand in front of it and its logical.

prehensive having to learn about a
Its also reliable, you know that you
new console straight away with a
can get up in the morning, turn it on,
new artist but it took me 10 minutes
and it does exactly what its meant
to learn how to use it. The way its set
to do every day, comments FOH
out is so simple, with a compressor
Engineer, Dave McDonald.
and limiter/gate on every channel,
McDonald has previously used
its so obvious, no mystery at all.
iLive on tour with Florence and The
Another great thing is its really small
Machine and AIR.
and light but there are loads of inputs
Im using iLive differently on this and outputs, so we have everything
tour as there are a lot more channel
we need. We dont carry any outinputs and additional instruments like board gear because the EQ, compresbanjos. However, the
sion, gates, and FX are
biggest challenge
all within the console.
is keeping Adeles
I have six FX engines,
Tech Spec
voice under control
mostly reverbs, and
Managing FOH and
because it is so big
thats it.
monitor audio, the iLive
and so powerful.
Campbell mixes a
system comprises two
iLives compressors
combination of in-ears
iLive-112 Control Surfaces
are of a quality that
and wedges. The two
with an iDR10 modular
holds things down
guitarists and the bass
MixRack and iDR0
and keeps the sound miniRack, connected via
player only use wedges,
together... theyre
while Adele, the
ACE and input sharing over
10 out of 10! he
drummer and backing
MADI.
adds.
vocalists are on IEMs.
McDonald has
Adele uses wedges
produced a 64-channel live recording for a couple of songs where she is
from iLive via the MADI connection.
accompanied only by a piano.
For broadcast duties, an additional
I like the way you can configure
iDR10 MixRack, daisy-chained to the
the control surface in any way to
MADI split, provides up to 64 XLR
suit your own way of working. I can
mic-pre outputs, or any mix signals as change things on the fader and select
needed on the day without affecting
easily with the touch screen but more
front end gain.
importantly for me, I can switch
between wedge and in-ear mixes
Monitor World
really quickly and access any part of
Monitor Engineer, Joe Campbell,
the desk fast, Campbell concludes.
had no previous experience of iLive.
He commented: I was a little ap-

Allen & Heath Ltd.

t +44 (0) 1326 372 070
e sales@allen-heath.com
FOH Engineer, Dave McDonald, during sound check.

Monitor Engineer, Joe Campbell.

ALLEN&HEATH | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

w www.allen-heath.com

Avid

Cirque du Soleils TOTEM Brings

VENUE Under the Grand Chapiteau
From humble beginnings as a street theatre troupe in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has
evolved to become one of the worlds most recognised names in performance,
a ubiquitous presence with more than 19 different productions in Las Vegas and
around the world, across multiple continents.
TOTEM is the latest Cirque du Soleil
big top production a spectacular
visual and musical show that has
been performing in Europe and now
throughout North America. Like all
Cirque shows, TOTEM features stunning imagery, breathtaking acrobatics, and powerful, multi-dimensional
music and sound.
Its also the first Cirque production
to incorporate Avids VENUE live
sound environment, with VENUE
Profile Systems at both front of house
and monitor positions. As Assistant
Sound Designer Jean-Michel Caron
explains, the VENUE systems have
more than met the rigorous demands
of Sound Designer Jacques Bouchers
intricate design.
Cirque productions present very
complex sound design challenges,
says Caron. For some of the shows,
large and complex matrix systems
are used. For TOTEM, we wanted
to find a new approach that would
support Jacques design with a less
expensive system, and the VENUE
system turned out to be the solution
we were after.
TOTEM is taking place under
a traditional big top tent, with inthe-round seating and sound. For
Boucher, the arrangement offers
opportunities to design massive sonic
landscapes that make the most of
the vast space. At the same time, it
creates its own unique challenges in

adapting technology to meet those

artistic visions.
Jacques is a brilliant sound
designer and hes incredibly creative,
says Caron. Hes really into multidimensional sound, and he wanted
to create something that was
really multi-faceted, rather than a
traditional left-right type of design.
He was tying together elements
from quadrophonic and 6.1 surround
concepts, and it was quite a complex
technical challenge, but a lot of fun.
I had to approach the design from
the perspective of multiple systems,
and the VENUE system, with its
flexibility and matrixing capabilities,
turned out to be perfect for this.
My plan for the sound design
was very clear in my head, says
Boucher. Typically, this type of
design would call for a system with
very sophisticated matrix routing.
But once I began to look at the
configuration of the VENUE, I
discovered it would be possible to do
everything I needed to do with it
much more than we had expected.
The VENUEs ability to configure
so many output busses enabled us to
do a lot more than we could do with
any other digital console, says Caron.
We got very creative with cue and
aux busses, and ended up doing a lot
of things the console was probably
never designed for. But the console
performed really well.

This was the first time wed ever

worked on the VENUE, and we found
it very easy to get used to, adds
Boucher. Even though there are a
lot of possibilities, its easy to reach
whatever function you want to reach,
very quickly.
Caron agrees: It only
took a day or two for us
to get up to speed, even
on some of the really
complex functionality.
Its very user-friendly.
Its also very compact
and light, which is great
for a traveling show.
And the support from
Avid has been just
great any time we have a question,
it seems like its already been
addressed in a software update.
Boucher gives VENUE high marks
for sound quality as well, To be
honest, I never imagined the sound
would be so nice, he says. I was very
pleased. Music is a very important
element of this show, and the music
sounds really good. And I guess
people really like the music, because
at the end of each show were selling
a lot of CDs.
Weve been really happy with the
VENUEs sound quality and also with
the onboard processing, says Caron.
All the effects were using whether
its the EQ III suite, compressors like
Smack! or the Classic Compressors,

Reverb One, or anything like that

are the plug-ins that are included
with the console. We didnt have to
buy anything special or exotic.
The VENUE systems flexibility
was further tested with a series of
recent dates at Londons famed Royal
Albert Hall, which called for
completely reconfiguring
the entire system design.
Cirques Assistant Head
of Sound, Sebastian
Hammond, observes that
the hall is challenging even
for a traditional production.
The Royal Albert is a
beautiful hall and a very
large space, and we had
to adapt the system quite a bit to
make it work there, he says, including
a complete redesign of the shows
360-degree speaker configuration.
But in terms of the console, there
was not much we had to change,
Hammond concludes. Jacques
was able to take the Pro Tools|HD
recordings from the most recent show
in Amsterdam and, using Virtual
Soundcheck [in VENUE], modify the
design and start programming the
show before we got there without
having to wait for the band to be
called in. It saved a lot of time.
Black TM:
Usethe
on white
backgrounds
And
after
London
dates, we were
able to load in those same show files
and everything was back the way it
was for the rest of the dates.

Avid
t +44 (0) 175 365 5999
f +44 (0) 175 365 4999
w www.avid.com/venue

AVID | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Crown Audio

Powerful Live Sound Solutions

Crown Audio VRACK and JBL HiQnet Performance Manager take the guesswork
out of live sound amplification.
Crown Audio doesnt just manufacture industry-leading power amplifiers
they make the job of live sound
engineers easier with products like the
VRACK complete pre-packaged amplification system that works in conjunction with JBL HiQnet Performance
Manager audio system configuration
and control software. For more than
50 years, Crown has been the backbone of touring and installed sound
companies like Multi Image Group of
Boca Raton, Florida.
Eddie Gonzalez
Audio Engineer/Systems Designer,
Multi Image Group
Why do you use Crown amplifiers?
I use Crown amplifiers because of
their sound which is the best out

there because of the reliability

factor, and because Crown stands
behind its product. Weve been
working with Crown products for
more than 14 years, and Ive never
had any concerns Crown has
stepped up more than any other
manufacturer.
What makes Performance
Manager different?
The level of control and finetuning that Performance Manager
provides is remarkable. It is fully
integrated with the JBL Line Array
Calculator II speaker configuration
and acoustic modelling software,
so you can have Performance Manager and the Line Array Calculator II
software talk directly to the DSP in

Under the Hood: Crown VRACK &

JBL HiQnet Performance Manager
The Crown VRACK is a turnkey, out-of-the-box
amplifier rack system comprising three I-Tech HD
I-T12000 power amplifiers, a versatile input panel
with analogue and digital connections, and a globally
universal power distribution system that can be
set to meet US and international power standards,
all housed in a rack that can be flown in the same
manner as a line array system.
The amplifiers incorporate exclusive Crown
features to deliver unequalled sound quality, including
OmniDriveHD digital signal processing, LevelMax
limiters, and Linear Phase FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filters that provide
significantly improved midrange clarity. The amplifiers can be configured in a
number of ways to accommodate a wide variety of loudspeaker setups.
The VRACK interfaces with JBL HiQnet Performance Manager, which
facilitates the design and configuration of live sound reinforcement systems.
Designed especially for tour sound, Performance Manager is an applicationspecific iteration of Harman HiQnet System Architect system configuration
and control software. Performance Manager dramatically streamlines touring
system design, set-up, and tuning, to achieve a higher level of performance
with more consistent results on a daily basis from venue to venue.

the VRACK amps. You can hang the

loudspeakers, calculate the equalisation youll need, and load the EQ right
into the amplifiers! No other system
can do that.
Performance Manager
goes way beyond that it will
automatically calculate the
number of amplifiers you need,
associate the amplifier outputs
with the bandpass crossover
inputs for each line array,
program the amplifiers with
the correct preset gain as well
as EQ and other parameters,
and optimize the whole setup
for frequency response, sound
pressure level and audience
coverage. The graphical, dragand-drop interface really speeds
things up you can just drop the
amplifiers into the appropriate menu
screen, for example, and Performance
Manager will automatically set up
and configure them.
What about when youre in the
middle of a live concert?
Performance Managers Run Show
mode is perfect for live performance.
It offers easy to see, real-time monitoring and adjustment for EQ and
dedicated monitoring interfaces for
levels, speaker loads, thermal conditions and other important factors.

CROWN AUDIO | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Does Performance Manager work

for you in every situation?
Were a staging company and we do
all kinds of events with Performance
Manager. We can even configure
someone elses rental system into
our own system and tie everything
together using Performance
Manager. It really makes everything
a lot simpler.

Crown International
1718 W. Mishawaka Road
Elkhart, IN 46517
t +1 574 294 8000
w www.crownaudio.com
UK Distributor:
Sound Technology
Cranborne House
Cranborne Road, Potters Bar
Herts, EN6 3JN, UK

Fohhn Audio AG

Directional Focus for Fohhn

Fohhn Audios Linea Focus electronically steerable line array systems bring
directional audio technology and a discreet look to a range of acoustically
challenging projects.

Flown Linea Focus systems in Berlin

Requests for alternatives to conventional line array systems are on the

increase for live sound applications.
Difficult acoustics, the need to target
specific audience
areas, as well as a requirement for visually
unobtrusive systems
that dont spoil architectural settings, are
all factors that have
contributed to the
growing popularity of
Fohhns Linea Focus
series, in particular the
portable LF-120 and
LF-220 systems.

former Tempelhof Airport. The venue

presented numerous challenges a
high ceiling, long reverberation times,
a roaming Spidercam and potential
feedback from 30 microphones.
Eight LF-220 systems, facing all four
directions of the arena, were flown
from a height of 12 metres, networked together and controlled via
laptop, enabling their vertical sound
inclination angles and vertical beam
widths to be precisely directed onto
audience areas.

Avoiding the Limelight

LF-220 systems, mounted on Fohhns
Free Stand designer stands, also
played a supporting
role in the live discussion programme The
Rebellious Republic,
filmed in the former
Bundestag parliament room in Bonn.
With limited set-up
time and systems
required to be placed
out of camera shot,
the sound team were
nevertheless able to
adjust the beams in
Linea Focus with
Flying High in
real time, specifically
Fohhn Free Stand
Hangar 2
targeting the audiA live TV pilot of the celebrity compe- ence for optimum speech intelligibiltition Das Duell, Germany v. Holland,
ity, without interfering with the TV
was filmed in Hangar 2 at Berlins
sound, or the live discussion.

Fohhns Linea Focus active,

electronically steerable line
array series currently includes
four models: the compact LF/I120 and LF/I-220 systems, the
larger LFI-350 and the flagship
4.5-metre LFI-450. Each model
contains between eight and 32
integrated speakers, Class D
amplifiers, and DSP channels,
enabling individual components
to be electronically controlled
in order to achieve the highest
quality of speech and music
reproduction.
The vertical inclination angle
and vertical beam width can be
adjusted in real time, in precise
0.1-degree steps, using Fohhns
unique Audio Soft software. This
is one of the few currently available applications that can control the full
range of functions via a single user interface.
Fohhns Two Beam Technology allows the loudspeakers to generate two
separate beams in their vertical dispersion range for simultaneous coverage
of different audience areas. A special algorithm creates a more directional
sound and improves speech intelligibility. Multiple systems can be networked
together enabling remote control from a central location.

Venetian Elegance
Linea Focuss discrete design proved
a major factor in the choice of sound
systems for the Audi Urban Future
architectural award ceremony in
Venice. A central system was specified, but no conventional speakers
or stands permitted. LF-220 systems
in a white finish framed the stage,
their slender columns integrating into
the overall design, while providing
powerful reproduction of both speech
and music.
Two-Beam Technology at Porsche
In a highly reflective glass and steel
building, with 400 guests occupying
floor and balcony areas, Linea Focus
systems were also installed at Porsche
HQ in Stuttgart for the launch of the
new Panamera. Using Fohhns TwoFOHHN | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Beam Technology, dual sound beams

generated from each loudspeaker
were able to separately target the
floor and balcony areas, with just two
systems required to cover the entire
showroom.

Fohhn Audio AG,

Hohes Gestade 3-7
72622 Nrtingen, Germany
t +49 7022 93323 0
e info@fohhn.com
w www.fohhn.com

Lake

Lake: At The Heart

Of The Digital Audio Process
Some of the finest companies in the world use Lake Processing on their tours,
simply because they know it will provide them with the hallmarks of superior
sound quality, reliability and total control of the audio process.
The History
In the late 1990s, Australians Bruce
Jackson and David McGrath partnered to create a unique new way of
processing sound for live concerts. The
new venture received backing from
Clair Brothers, one of the worlds leading touring sound providers.
The late Jackson was a veteran
live sound mixer (for artists ranging
from Elvis to Bruce Springsteen) and
the founder of the pioneering digital
audio company Apogee Electronics.
McGrath, who co-founded Lake
Technology with Brian Connolly
in 1991, is known for his career as
a mathematician and scientist as
well as an innovative creator of DSP
algorithms.
In 2001, the live sound project
was transferred from Clair Brothers to
Lake Technology, and the launch of
the Lake Contour speaker controller
occurred shortly thereafter. In
2004 Lake became part of Dolby
Laboratories. The Dolby Lake
Processor, introduced in 2006, added
powerful audio networking to the
distributed processing architecture.
In 2009, Lake was revitalised
again when renowned Swedish
manufacturer Lab.gruppen
announced its acquisition of the Lake
trademarks, and the exclusive rights
for use of Dolby Lake Processor
(DLP) technology for both touring
and permanent sound reinforcement

markets, from Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

This agreement allowed Lab.gruppen
to further develop the Lake Controller
software and firmware and to utilise
the Lake brand name and allied
technologies in Lab.gruppen-branded
and stand-alone products for use in
the touring and permanent sound
reinforcement markets as demands
dictate.
Lake LM 26 Digital Audio
Loudspeaker Processor went into
full production in March 2010, and
has quickly become an industry
favourite across the world. All the
popular features found in the prior
generation of Lake processors
remained accessible in the LM 26,
including Mesa EQ filters, Linear
Phase crossovers, AES3 connectivity,
analogue I/O with Iso-Float, and
Dante networked digital audio.
In addition, the LM 26 offered
features never before available:
dual redundant Dante networking,
GPIO connectivity, and new routing
capabilities with dedicated pass-thru
input routers to provide true Dante
break-in and fail-over functionality.
The User Experience
Heres what some of those that have
used Lake in the field have to say
Jerry Wing, Technical Head,
Britannia Row: The LM 26 ranks
amongst the very best sounding
processors. Its now become our

default speaker management

system thats how much
we like it.
Jon Monson, Systems
Co-ordinator, Rat Sound
Systems: We chose the LM
26 as its the successor to the
ever-popular Lake products.
Theyre the easiest product
to network and Ive never
had a single problem.
Tony Szabo, Senior
System Engineer, Adlib:
The user interface of the
Lake Controller software is the best
on the market. These days, Lake is
on all of the best tour specs, so its
no coincidence that Adlib owns all
models of Lake-enabled devices.
Sherif el Barbari, Systems Engineer
(Radiohead, Robbie Williams et al):
Once Id experienced the luxury of
total control over a PA system using
the Lake Controller software interface,
there was simply no other option.
The Future
Lake Processing has reinforced its
credentials as a recognised industry
leader in digital audio processing
with the introduction of its brand
new standalone system processor,
the LM 44.
The LM 44 is a powerful, fullfeatured digital audio processor
based on the highly acclaimed Lake
Processing technology. Identical in

many respects to the LM 26 Digital

Audio Loudspeaker Processor, the
LM 44 is distinguished primarily by a
different input/output configuration.
The LM 44 provides four analogue
input and four analogue outputs,
in contrast to the LM 26s two-in/
six-out. In addition, the LM 44
accommodates eight-in/eightout AES3 and four-in/eight-out
Dante digital audio transport.
The LM 44 benefits from the latest
implementation of Lakes iconic
Mesa EQ configuration, utilising
four Mesa modules, each with an
independent input mixer and output
signal processing chain.

EMEA & Asia Sales

TC Group International HQ:
t +45 8742 7000
f +45 8742 7010
e info@tcgroup-international.com
North America Sales
t +1 425 242-1340
e joshe@tcg-americas.com
Lake (Technical & Support)
t +46 (300) 56 28 00
e info@lakeprocessing.com

10

LAKE | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Midas

Midas The Audio Gold Standard

An audio console is, first and foremost, about audio. Midas has always set the
gold standard for live sound, and continues to ensure that the adoption of new
technologies does not compromise this in any way.
can be upgraded at
a later date to full
PRO9 spec, offering
up to 88 inputs and
35 busses. The PR02
and PR02C offer
the same Midas
audio quality and
performance at
easily accessible
price points. Both
have 56 primary
inputs with an
expanded network
of up to 156 inputs
Midas PRO2C and PRO2.
and 166 outputs.
Midas Digital Systems Overview
The XL8 is the
The Midas XL8 and the expanded
perfect solution for high-capacity
range of PRO series digital mixing
and high-profile touring and install
systems consist of a control centre
applications. It has a network
and a number of fixed or configurable capacity of up to 432 inputs and 432
19-inch rack modules, which are inter- outputs in 18 different locations, up
connected by a networked audio and to 144 simultaneous channels and 51
data system. The network carries both mix busses, plus built-in tolerance to
proprietary control data and open
any failure scenario.
architecture AES50 digital audio via
CAT-5e/CAT-6 and fibre optic cabling. Midas Sound Quality
This system approach means Midas Midas digital systems are the only
provides not only a mixing console,
live sound systems in the world to
but a complete analogue and digital
have a comprehensive and automatic
audio control and distribution system. latency management system.
The PRO series comprises of five
Which, in addition to managing all
control surfaces, three of which have
internal routing and processing
modular remote processing engines
latency, also includes compensation
and all have a choice of five different for external analogue inserts.
models of I/O hardware. The PRO3,
This means that all audio samples
6 and 9 consoles are expandable up
are synchronised before summing,
to 288 inputs and 288 outputs at the resulting in absolute phase coherency
network level and the PRO3 and PRO6 at all outputs.
Mix engineers working
on analogue consoles
routinely combine signals
with different signal paths
and processing and expect
to do the same with
digital. On many current
digital consoles, combining
signals in this way leads
Midas PRO2 Advanced Navigation.
to the summing of signals

that are in effect partly out of phase.

This causes undesirable comb
filtering effects, where specific
frequencies are cancelled out
completely. Midas are the only
live digital consoles to have
comprehensive automatic time
alignment to correct any path related
delays, including latency introduced
by additional A to D conversion on
external analogue inserts.
Midas digital feels, as well as
sounds, superb. All the variable
controls on the console are
genuine analogue high precision
potentiometers, not mechanical
encoders. These access the FPGADSP engine through precision
instrumentation A-D converters
and Midas custom interpolation
algorithms. This means that as well
as all audio, all the operator input is
fully interpolated to ensure a linear,
analogue-style, silky smooth feel
to your mix.
The Midas microphone preamp is the one by which all others
are judged. Still built from discrete
components the current expressions
in the XL8 and PRO Series sound
better than ever. Whether you want
pristine, transparent reproduction, or
that renowned Midas warmth and
colouration, Midas dual (analogue
and digital) gain stages enable you
to shape the mic amps character
according to your own preference.
The remote processing engines
for both XL8 and PRO3, 6 and 9
systems are of modular design,
which provides N+1 redundancy of
hardware in the form of a redundant
module which removes the cost of
an entire backup DSP engine.
Midas also offers modular I/O units
that can be freely distributed into
multiple locations with a digital audio
network, which is easily configurable
to route signals from where and by
MIDAS | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

when they are needed with patching

done a scene-by-scene basis.
Digi-log Goes Midas
The VeniceF is Midas first digi-log
console, and offers the simplicity and
ease-of-use of a compact analogue
mixer, combined with the power and
flexibility of digital processing.
Four models of this powerful, low-cost
Midas are available; offering 16, 24,
and 32 inputs respectively including
a rack mounted 16-channel version.
All are fitted with a FireWire interface, which, when connected to a
laptop computer with appropriate
software can facilitate multi-track
recording, playback, live FX, and the
ability to run third party plug-ins as
inserts on an analogue mixer.
Innovation
Equally important to Midas is the
design and implementation of many
new areas of technology, specifically
in the area of digital audio networking and advanced console navigation
methods including the latest concept
of MCAs.
Midas continues to anticipate
and accommodate the rapidly
changing and expanding needs
of audio professionals who specify
Midas consoles for their major
tours, festivals, international events,
broadcast projects, and high-profile
fixed installations.

Midas Consoles
Klark Industrial Park, Walter Nash
Road, Kidderminster, Worcestershire,
DY11 7HJ, UK
t +44 (0) 1562 741515
f +44 (0) 1562 745371
w www.midasconsoles.com
e james.godbehear@music-group.com

11

Orbital

Orbital
HME Digital Radio Comms Rescues
European We Will Rock You Tour
Orbital Sound, as a leading international sound and communication systems
specialist for the theatre, event, and
broadcast markets, is obviously a heavy
user of wireless systems, and its rental
arm benefits from some two decades
experience of RF spectrum allocation
and licensing. Ever since the digital-TV
threat to radio microphones using
Channel 69 became apparent, Orbitals
team has been vigorously encouraging
venues and productions companies to
be aware of the spectrum changes and
to plan accordingly.
While Channel 38 is seen as the
UKs saviour slot by many, it is by no
means the whole story, as a theatre
musical may well use over 24 radio
microphone channels, 12 channels of
In-Ear Monitoring (IEM), plus eight
channels or more of analogue radio
comms and that will certainly NOT all
fit into Channel 38! Additional capacity can be found by sharing Channels
39 through 60 with digital television,
but complex regional variations make
this unpredictable at best, and nigh on
impossible in locations where the availability of interleaved (shared) spectrum
We Will Rock You

will be too scarce. Orbitals RF experts

predict that analogue radio comms will
be the main channel-capacity victim,
due to the likely conflicts that will affect
Channels 32, 33, 41, 42, and 43 the
traditional comms frequencies. Channels 32 and 33 are due to be sold, and
Channels 41-43 are the likely areas
that radio mics and IEM will move to
when Channel 38 is full. Radio comms
will therefore struggle to find room, and
this situation needs facing and addressing now.
The problem is not confined to
the UK and, in some areas, is likely to
cause practical issues well ahead of
the 2012 switchover deadlines, as Orbital recently discovered in Belgium.
The companys fit-out for the massive
international production of We Will
Rock You, at the Stadsschouwburg
in Antwerp, encountered an escalating RF situation. It was only rescued
by fast deployment of HMEs twochannel DX210 digital wireless communication system. The show had
used the same RF format for over a
decade, with some twelve traditional
analogue radio-comms beltpacks, but

PHOTOGRAPH: ROY BUESKER

the reducing RF
spectrum availability across Europe due to the
growth of digital
TV meant that
there was simply
insufficient clear
radio space available in Antwerp.
We Will
Rock You is a
co-production
between Stage
Entertainment,
Queen Theatrical
Productions, and
Michael Brenner, with sound design
by Bobby Aitken, with Richard Sherratt as Associate Designer. Production Engineer Dan Bailey picks up
the RF story: We hit the spectrum
roadblock during the show fit-out
in Antwerp, and realised that the
only solution was to move the radio
comms frequencies up into the GHz
area. The recently-introduced HME
DX210 two-channel digital system
really did look like being the ideal tool

Future-proofed
digital comms
performance with
HME.

for the job operating in the 2.4GHz

band, the fully-duplex DX210 is in a
safe spectral zone. Orbital shipped
the system straight out, we took it out
of the box and switched it on problem sorted, very much to the technical teams relief! Comprising a base
station and twelve belt-packs, the
new 12-way HME digital system has
replaced the shows previous technology, which was some ten years old
and, due to the growing spectrum
restrictions, had quite simply run out
of road. The stage management is
delighted with the result and we have
effectively future-proofed the shows
system in a single stroke.
This kind of problem is likely to become increasingly commonplace for
larger productions in the future, given
that the available spectrum particularly for analogue radio comms is
a diminishing resource. The moral of
the We Will Rock You example is quite
simple the spectrum scarcity problem wont solve itself, but requires
intelligent planning and the deployment of digital technology to provide
the roadblock-avoiding flexibility!

Orbital
t +44 (0) 207 501 6868
e info@orbitalsound.com
w www.orbitalsound.com

12

ORBITAL | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Prism Sound/SADiE

Prism Sound Helps James Guthrie

Record The Wall Live In Athens
Prism Sound/SADiE has long been renowned for its high-end recording, editing,
and mastering equipment, which features in many of the worlds top studios.
However, the SADiE range is also making an impact on the live sound business,
having been used on some extremely high profile international live events.
Following the introduction of
SADiE 6 software, the company has
developed specific SADiE products
for capturing live productions.
These include the SADiE 6 LiVE
branded systems, which are essentially hardware multi-track recorders
consisting of a SADiE hardware unit
and dedicated multi-track recorder
software. The full SADiE software and
modules can be added, turning these
into full editing systems.
One major live event in which
SADiE played a vital part was the
recording of the new Roger Waters
spectacular The Wall, 30 years after
it was first performed. Roger Waters
has been touring the 90-minute
show, complete with extravagant
3D animations, pyrotechnics, and
inflatable puppets.
While the original production was
so big that it could only take in three
cities, its 21st century counterpart has
been performed a total of 120 times
at venues all around North America
and Europe.
This spectacular tour culminated
in Athens in July, where Waters
performed three shows at the
2004 Olympic Stadium. The sound
recording and mixing was captured
by long-time friend and Producer
James Guthrie. Guthrie asked
Prism Sound to help build a mighty
96-track, 96kHz fully mirrored SADiE
recording set-up modelled on that of
his private studio in California.
Prism Sounds Sales Director

Graham Bowell explains: James is

a perfectionist who has a passion
for clean and transparent recording.
For this project James used the Le
Voyageur II mobile. James wanted
to record with the 48-channel Neve
V-Series analogue recording console
onboard the truck, but this time
recordings were captured using the
SADiE digital multi-track recorders
interfaced through Prism Sound
ADA-8XR AD-DA converters.
For monitoring, he used Le
Voyageurs ATC units, another
brand that he favours.
In Athens, Waters spread his
performance across two stages
the main stage and the front stage
outside the wall with audio lines
switching between the two at various
points during the concert to reduce
channel count. A total of 96 tracks
were recorded, distributed between
the main 64-track SADiE system and
a smaller SADiE LRX2 system running
32 tracks. All of the tracks were
recorded at 96kHz sampling,
24-bit resolution.
To complement the Neve console,
16 channels of outboard Neve preamplifiers were used, a mixture of
1073 and 1081 units, which were
provided by London-based FX Rentals.
These were boosted by the addition
of 16 channels of Prism Sounds
Maselec Master Series MMA-4XR mic
preamps. Two separate Neve 16:2
mixers, also courtesy of FX Rentals,
were used ahead of the V-series

console to help contain the total

number of recording tracks.
Audience reaction and the
ambience of the venue were captured
using a SoundField MK V microphone
system, kindly loaned
for the project by
Ken Giles, CEO of the
SoundField company.
The microphones
output was recorded in four-channel
B-format for later decoding to stereo
or surround formats during postproduction. The top 32 tracks on the
SADiE LRX2 unit captured, among
other things, playback of SFX and
pre-recorded orchestral mixes, these
sources feeding the quad speaker
setup. In addition, the LRX2 recorded
a number of audience mics plus click
tracks and show timecode.
The main 64-track system
comprised two identical SADiE H128
dual MADI units each running RAID
mirrored drive pairs, making four
identical clones of all takes.
The SADiE units were connected
to the Prism Sound ADA-8XR units
through two RME ADI6432 MADIAES interfaces.
Although the video was shot in
high definition, the entire digital
audio recording system was locked
to video using a black & burst
video reference at 25 frames/sec
generating a locked 96kHz wordclock
reference that was distributed to
all units. Time of day timecode was
generated using a Lock-it unit after
jamming it to the main reference.
Main vocal channels, including
Roger Waters main mics and his
radio mic, were controlled using a
number of Prism Sound Maselec
MLA-2 dual-channel compressors
configured on console insertion
points. Extra UA 1176 compressors

PRISM SOUND/SADIE | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

were loaned by Dinos Ioanides

from Sierra Studios in Athens to cover
extra channels.
Prism Sound provided SADiE
expert Mark Overall as an additional
resource to work
alongside James
Guthries long-time
collaborator, Joel
Plante, Boswell
explains. Mark has experience of
field-based recording and film work
gained with SADiE and the former
business Spaceward Graphics on
a variety of projects spanning
television, film, and music projects.
Recording in Athens took place
over six days, with three live shows
and three days of filming for closeups. The 1TB mirrored drives in the
main SADiE systems were changed
every two days, and the main and
backup disk sets were dispatched
separately to reduce risk in transit.
The 21st century version of
The Wall is being hailed as an
unforgettable event. Musically and
technically it was superb, complete
with dynamic sound effects such
as roaring helicopters and laughing
children as well as new orchestral
music mixes, making full use of the
quadraphonic sound system. Gerald
Scarfes animations, rejuvenated with
digital technology, once again made
an appearance while the Wall itself
was built brick by cardboard brick,
using a total of nearly 400.

Prism Sound / SADiE

w www.prismsound.com
w www.sadie.com

13

Sennheiser

Sennheiser A Passion for Sound

From big live shows to intimate club gigs, Sennheiser microphones
and monitoring systems ensure optimum live sound for every type of
venue and event.
Passion for sound and music is the
common denominator in the audio
business, from the manufacturers of
audio equipment to the bands and artists that rely on their tools. This passion
is almost palpable at Sennheiser, and is
reflected by the products the company
offers for the live sound business.

(the e 901, e 902, and e 904) to the

e 906 guitar amp mic and smalldiaphragm condenser models such
as the e 914 and the clip-on e 908.
Vocal microphones are the cardioid
e 935, super-cardioid e 945 (both
dynamic mics), and the e 965, a true
condenser, large-diaphragm stage
microphone with switchable pick-up
pattern (cardioid/super-cardioid).
The evolution series microphones
are joined on stage by such all-time
classics as the MD 421 a firm favourite on guitar amps, toms, and wind
instruments and new microphones
such as the MK 4 large-diaphragm
side address mic, which excels at
vocals, acoustic instruments, drums,
and guitar amps.

a wide variety of evolution

way in becoming the standard
wireless G3 systems for
rather than the exception.
instruments and vocals,
The advantages are obvious:
the mic heads of the latter
no stage clutter, less transport
coming from their famed
costs, and every artist (and
wired counterparts. Senengineer) gets just the mix
nheisers 2000 Series is the
he or she needs, at a sensible
bridge between evolution
volume level. For monitoring,
wireless systems and the
Sennheiser offers its industry
Wired evolution Series
companys top-of-the-range
standard evolution wireless G3
Stage Microphones
RF wireless equipment, and is
IEM systems, as well as the new
Designed with the aim of providing
equally at home on the stage
2000 Series IEM systems.
a complete range of microphones for
and in broadcasting. Large
vocals and backline, evolution microtouring productions, TV shows,
Wireless Systems Manager
phones were launched in 1998.
broadcasts, and globally active
All the above Sennheiser wireless
Since then, they have become a stanbands rely on Sennheisers
microphone systems and monitordard on stages around the world, and
3000 and 5000 Series systems,
ing systems can be monitored
are known as rugged, reliable tools for
SKM 5200-II handheld transand remotely controlled via the
the live sound engineer. The evolution
mitters, SK 5212-II bodypack
Wireless Systems Manager, a free
600 line offers instrument microphones
transmitters, and EM
software programme for
for the complete backline, while the
Wireless Microphone Systems
3732-II dual-channel
Sennheiser customers.
evolution e 965: the
top evolution model is
800 line are vocal microphones that
The name Sennheiser has become
receivers, which are setThis allows the engineer
a large-diaphragm true
cater for any stage situation.
synonymous with reliable RF wireless
ting standards in multito pre-programme devices
condenser, switchable
The most recent line, the awardtransmission, whether its a small gig
channel capability
prior to an event, scan
between cardioid and
super-cardioid patterns the radio environment on
winning evolution e 900 series, is the
with just a few wireless mics on stage
and reliability.
also available as a
pinnacle of evolution live microphones, or a large TV event involving multisite, and get frequency
wireless version.
including both vocal and instrument
channel systems and complex
Wireless Monitoring
recommendations for
microphones. The range encompasses
RF environments.
From the first systems in the 1990s,
mics, IEMs, and spares, check the RF
everything from dynamic drum mics
The Sennheiser portfolio includes
wireless monitoring has come a long
field strength of transmitters, create
control networks, and monitor the
various mixes for a band via his or her
Large TV broadcasts and live shows rely on Sennheiser wireless equipment. (Photo: Ralph Larmann)
own beltpack.

INFORMATION

Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG

Am Labor 1, 30900 Wedemark, Germany
t +49 (5130) 600 0
f +49 (5130) 600 300
w www.sennheiser.com
Sennheiser UK Ltd
3 Century Point, Halifax Road
High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 3SL
t +44 (0) 1494 551551
f +44 (0) 1494 551550
w www.sennheiser.co.uk

14

SENNHEISER | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The heart of a great show.

From small clubs to major festivals, we provide powerful and intuitive digital mixing solutions that
help to create the memorable events in live performance.

More Info
Scan with your smartphone
for full details of our digital
mixing consoles

www.soundcraft.com

Waves

Where Theres Sound,

Theres Waves
With over 70 live sound plug-ins, integrated solutions for DiGiCo, Yamaha, Avid
Venue, and Allen & Heath consoles, and MultiRack plug-in host for virtually any
mixer, GRAMMY award-winning Waves Audio is now at the forefront of the live
digital revolution.
In every corner of the industry, the
worlds top front-of-house and monitor engineers including Ken Pooch
Van Druten (Linkin Park, System of
a Down), Greg Price (Ozzy Osbourne
Van Halen), and Dave Aron (Snoop
Dog, Prince), to name but a few
currently use Waves MultiRack and
SoundGrid-powered systems in live
performances. Now, another highprofile Waves user, FOH Engineer Brad
Madix (Rush, Shakira), talks about his
own transition to the digital realm.
When did you move from
analogue to digital consoles?
Ive used digital consoles since Def
Leppards X tour in 2002.
Which consoles do you prefer?
Lately, Ive gravitated towards Avid
VENUE systems. I really like the
seamless integration of plug-ins on
the platform.

16

What are some of the advantages

of digital over analogue?
For one, anything you need to
work on can be brought right up in
front of you. Its possible to tweak
any aspect of any input or output
without taking your head out of the
mix. The first time I mixed a Rush
show, there were two Midas XL4s
strapped together. It was a hike
just to put a little high end on the
hat! There were also about 60 rack
spaces worth of outboard gear, all
of which will fit on a USB thumb
drive now.
Another advantage of digital
mixing in the live environment is
the ability to quickly reconfigure the
desk to facilitate a better workflow:
no more fussy patch bays and replugging the snake.
When did you discover Waves
tools?
I first used the VENUE
on a Shakira tour some
years back. We were
recording a show, and
she flew her studio
engineer Gustavo
Celis in to sit in the
truck and oversee the
digital recording to
Pro Tools. Gustavo was
accustomed to working
on an SSL, I guess,
because he asked the
guys to put an SSL
channel on every track.
Voila! They had configured a 72-input SSL,
complete with buss
compressor. I suddenly
realised how powerful
this could be live, and
that it could actually
be done.
WAVES | PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

C6 Multiband Compressor.

What are your favorite Waves

to the mic at any given moment.
plug-ins?
There are four things that happen
I have four go-to plugcommonly: something
ins: SSL E-Channel,
nasal-y or honky in the
SSL G-Master Buss
800Hz range, something
Compressor, API 550A
biting in the 2kHz range,
EQ, and C6 Multi-band
plosive pops down low,
Compressor.
and tweeter-popping essSSL E-Channel is
es way up high. C6 can
just a great all-around,
take care of all of them
multi-purpose plugat once, and the two very
in with great EQ,
surgical parametric bands
compression, and nice,
are a huge help.
soft gating. I use it on
From clubs, theatres,
all sorts of things, but I
and concert halls to megareally like the edge I can
churches, stadiums, and
SSL E-Channel.
put on a guitar with it:
arenas, Waves plug-ins are
cutting, without being grating.
everywhere.
SSL G-Master Buss Compressor is
Join the ranks of the industrys
great across drums. I pop it in on the
leading live engineers and make
drum buss at the start of every tour.
Waves a part of your sound today.
The API EQ is great for tonal
shaping, and you dont have to be
shy about cranking the knobs around.
Even with crazy boosts and cuts, it still
sounds natural. I love it on bass, but I Waves Inc.
use it on all sorts of things.
2800 Merchants Drive
C6 is a great problem solver,
Knoxville, TN 37912
especially on vocals, since the tone
t +1 865 9099 200
can change radically depending on
t +1 865 909 9245
how the singer is positioned relative
w www.waves.com

Directory

This directory lists a selection of manufacturers who are directly relevant to or in some way applicable to the live sound technology market. Apologies if
weve missed you out. If this is the case, please contact us on +44 (0)1480 461555 or at mail@audiomedia.com and we will correct the ommission in the
downloadable pdf version of this supplement (available from www.audiomedia.com).
A&G Soluzioni Digitali
www.aegweb.com
Ableton
www.ableton.com
+49 30 288 763 231
A-Designs Audio
www.adesignsaudio.com
+1 818 716 4153
Adam Hall Group
www.adamhall.com
+44 (0) 1702 613 922
Adamson Systems Engineering
www.adamsonsystems.com
+1 905 982 0520
AEQ International
www.aeqbroadcast.com
+1 800 728 05 36
Aevox Audio
www.aevox.be
+32 473 34 38 80
Alto Professional Audio
Products
www.altoproaudio.com
+886 4 2233 5858
AKG Acoustics
www.akg.com
+43 1 86654 0
Alcons Audio
www.alconsaudio.com
+ 31 0 229 28 30 90
Alesis
www.alesis.com
+1 401 658 5760
Allen & Heath
www.allen-heath.com
+44 (0) 1326 372 070
AMG Electronics
www.c-ducer.com
+44 (0) 1428 658775
AMT
www.appliedmic.com
+1 908 665 2727
APB DynaSonics
www.apb-dynasonics.com
+1 973 785 1101
Apex
www.apex-audio.be
+32 (0) 11 28 61 91
Aphex Systems
www.aphex.com
+1 818 767 2929
API (Automated Processes Inc.)
www.apiaudio.com
+ 1 301 776 7879
Applied Research & Technology (ART)
www.artproaudio.com
+1 716 436 2720
ASL Intercom
www.asl-inter.com
+31 30 241 1901
ATC
www.atc.gb.net
+44 (0) 1285 760 561
Ateis
www.ateis-international.com
+31 (0)10 2088690
atlantic audio
www.atlanticaudio.de
+49 211 99 88 88 8

Audio Toys, Inc. (ATI)

www.audiotoys.com
+1 301 776 7879

CAD Professional Microphones

www.cadmics.com
+1 440 349 4900

DPA Microphones
www.dpamicrophones.com
+45 4814 2828

Gefen
www.gefen.com
+1 818 772 9100

Audioco Systems Oy
www.audico.fi
+358 2 415 5400

Cadac Electronics
www.cadac-sound.com
+44 (0) 1582 404 202

Drawmer
www.drawmer.com
+44 (0) 1924 378 669

George Massenburg Labs

www.gmlinc.com
+1 615 790 1016

Audio Limited
www.audioltd.com
+44 (0) 1494 511 711

Celestion International
www.celestion.com
+44 (0) 797 349 3471

Duran Audio
www.duran-audio.com
+31 418 515 583

Grace Design
www.gracedesign.com
+1 303 443 7454

Audio-Technica (UK)
www.audio-technica.com
+44 (0) 113 277 1441

Cerwin-Vega!
www.cerwin-vega.com
+1 954 316 1501

Dynacord
www.dynacord.com
+49 (0) 9421 706 0

Groove Tubes
www.groovetubes.com
+44 (0) 1795 538877

Audio Video Technologies

(AVT)
www.avt-nbg.de
+49 (0) 911 5271 160

Chameleon Labs
www.chameleonlabs.com
+1 206 264 7602

Earthworks
www.earthworksaudio.com
+1 603 654 6427

Hear Technologies
www.heartechnologies.com
+1 256 922 1200

Chandler Limited
www.chandlerlimited.com
+1 319 885 4200

Eastern Acoustic Works

www.eaw.com
+1 508 234 6158

Heil Sound
www.heilsound.com
+1 618 257 3000

CharterOak Acoustic Devices

www.charteroakacoustics.com
+1 860 698 9794

Ecler Laboratorio de ElectroAcustica

www.ecler.es
+34 902 22 14 00

HK Audio
www.hkaudio.com
+49 (0) 68 51 905 0

Audix
www.audixusa.com
+1 503 682 6933
Avalon Design
www.avalondesign.com
+1 949 492 2000
Avid Technology
www.avid.com
+44 (0) 1753 655 999
Aviom
www.aviom.com
+1 610 738 9005
Avlex
www.avlex.com
+1 816 581 9103
B-52 Professional
www.B-52PRO.com
+1 323 277 4100
Barth Acoustic Systems
www.barth-acoustic.com
49 (0) 7022 50 35 07
BBE Sound
www.bbesound.com
+1 714 897 6766
Behringer
www.behringer.com
+49 2154 9206 0
Beijing 797 Audio
www.797audio.com
+86 10 5978 9246
beyerdynamic
www.beyerdynamic.com
+49 7131 617 0
Blue Microphones
www.bluemic.com
+1 818 879 5200
Bosch Communications
Systems
www.boschcommunications.com
+49 (0) 9421 706 307
Bose
www.bose.co.uk
+44 (0) 1634 224 258
Bricasti Design
www.bricasti.com
+1 781 306 0420
BSS Audio
www.bssaudio.com
+1 801 566 8800
Buzz Audio Ltd
www.buzzaudio.com
+64 (0)4 472 3084
BXB Electronics
www.bxb.tw
+886 (7) 9703838

ClearCom
www.clearcom.com
+44 (0) 1223 815 000
Clockaudio Ltd
www.clockaudio.com
+44 (0) 23 9225 1193
Coda Audio
www.codaaudio.com
+49 (0) 511 866 55 888
Coles Electroacoustics
www.coleselectroacoustics.com
+44 (0) 1992 466 685

Electro-Voice
www.electrovoice.com
+1 866 782 8346
Elysia
www.elysia.com
+49 (0) 2157 12 60 40
EM Acoustics
www.emacoustics.co.uk
+44 (0) 1483 266 520
Empirical Labs
www.empiricallabs.com

Countryman Associates
www.countryman.com
+1 650 364 9988

EOWave
www.eowave.com
+33 145 154 195

Crane Song
www.cranesong.com
+1 715 398 3627

ESI Audiotechnik
www.esi-pro.com
+49 (0) 7152 398 880

Crest Audio
www.crestaudio.com
+1 866 812 7378

Eventide
www.eventide.com
+1 201 641 1200

Crowley & Tripp

www.soundwaveresearch.com
+1 508 231 4515

EVI Audio
www.boschcommunications.com
+49 (0) 89 6290 0

Crown Audio
www.crownaudio.com
+1 574 294 8000

Extron Electronics Europe

www.extron.com
+31 33 453 4040

d&b audiotechnik
www.dbaudio.com

Faital S.p.A
www.faital.it
+39 02 5277031

DAS Audio
www.dasaudio.com
+34 96 134 0206
DAV Electronics
www.davelectronics.com
+44 (0) 20 8892 9334
dB Technologies
www.dbtechnologies.com
+49 2203 9253723

Fatman
www.fat-man.co.uk
+44 (0) 1462 492 090
FBT Electronic
www.fbt.it
+39 071 750591
Focusrite Audio Engineering
www.focusrite.com
+44 (0) 1494 462 246

dbx Professional Products

www.dbxpro.com
+1 801 568 7660

Fohhn
www.fohhn.com
+49 7022 93323 0

Delec Audio und Videotechnik

www.delec.de
+49 6351 13170

Fostex International
www.fostexinternational.com
+81 42 546 4974

DiGiCo UK
www.digiconsoles.com
+44 (0) 1372 845 600

Funktion-One
www.funktion-one.com
+44 (0) 1306 712 820

Digigram
www.digigram.com
+33 (0)4 76 52 47 47

Furman Sound
www.furmansound.com
+1 707 763 1010

DIRECTORY | LIVE SOUND APPLICATION 2011

HM Electronics (HME)
www.hme.com
+1 858 535 6060
InnovaSON
www.innovason.com
+33 (0) 297 24 34 34
Inter-M Corp.
www.inter-m.com
+82 2 2289 8141 8
JBL Professional
www.jblpro.com
+1 818 894 8850
JoeCo
www.joeco.co.uk
+44 (0) 1223 911 000
Joemeek
www.joemeek.com
+1 877 563 6335
Josephson Engineering
www.josephson.com
+1 831 420 0888
JTS
www.jts.com.tw
+886 4 24938803
Klark Teknik
www.klarkteknik.com
+44 (0) 1562 741515
Kling & Freitag
www.kling-freitag.de
+49 (0) 511 96 99 70
KV2 Audio Europe
www.kv2audio.com
+44 (0) 1423 816 868
L-Acoustics
www.l-acoustics.com
+33 (0) 1 69 63 69 63
LA Audio
www.laaudio.co.uk
+44 (0) 1256 381 944
Lab.gruppen
www.labgruppen.com
+46 300 56 28 00
Lauten Audio
www.lautenaudio.com
+1 877 721 7018
Lavry Engineering
www.lavryengineering.com
+1 360 598 9757
Lawo
www.lawo.de
+49 7222 1002 0

17

LD Systems
www.ld-systems.com
Lectrosonics
www.lectrosonics.com
+1 505 892 4501
Legendary Audio
www.legendaryaudio.com
+1 512 289 3428
Lexicon Pro
www.lexiconpro.com
+1 801 568 7567
Line 6 Mics
www.line6.com
+44 (0) 1327 302 700
Listen Technologies
www.listentech.com
+49 911 955 159 0
Little Labs
www.littlelabs.com
LOUD Technologies
www.loudtechinc.com
+1 425 892 6500
M-Audio USA
www.m-audio.com
+1 626 633 9055
Mackie
www.mackie.com
+1 425 892 6500
Manley Laboratories
www.manleylabs.com
+1 909 627 4256
Martin Audio
www.martin-audio.com
+44 (0) 1494 535 312
MC2 Audio
www.mc2-audio.co.uk
+44 (0) 1404 44633
McDSP
www.mcdsp.com
+1 650 318 0005
Mercenary Audio
www.mercenary.com
+1 508 543 0069
Merging Technologies
www.merging.com
+41 (0) 21 946 0444
Meyer Sound Laboratories
www.meyersound.com
+1 510 486 1166
Micron (Audio Technology)
www.micronwireless.co.uk
+44 (0) 208 341 3500
Midas
www.midasconsoles.com
+44 (0) 1562 741 515
Millennia Music & Media Systems
www.mil-media.com
+1 530 647 0750
MindPrint
www.mindprint.com
+44 20 8148 0778
Mipro Electronics
www.mipro.com.tw
+886 5 238 0809
Nady Systems
www.nady.com
+1 510 652 2411
NetCIRA
www.netcira.com
+81 (0)42 546 4974

18

Neumann
www.neumann.com
+49 30 41 77 24 0

SADiE
www.sadie.com
+44 (0) 1353 648 888

Studio Projects
www.studioprojectsusa.com
+1 310 323 9050

Neutrik
www.neutrik.com
+423 237 2424

Salzbrenner Stagetec Media Group

www.stagetec.com
+49 30 639 902 0

Studio Technologies
www.studio-tech.com
+1 847 676 9177

Nexo
www.nexo-sa.com
+33 (0) 1 4863 1914

Samson Group Technologies

www.samsontech.com
+1 631 784 2200

Summit Audio
www.summitaudio.com
+1 775 782 8838

Novation Digital Music Systems

www.novationmusic.com
+44 (0) 1494 462 246

Schoeps Mikrofone
www.schoeps.de
+49 (0)721 943 20 0

Synthax Audio
www.synthax.com
+1 330 259 0308

Out Board
www.outboard.co.uk
+44 (0) 1223 208183

SD Systems
www.sdsystems.com
+ 31 20 692 641

Tannoy
www.tannoy.com
+44 (0) 1236 420 199

Outline s.n.c.
www.outline.it
+39 030 35 81 341

sE Electronics
www.seelectronics.com
+44 (0) 1582 470 260

TAPCO
www.tapcoworld.com
+1 425 892 6511

Peavey Electronics
www.peavey-eu.com
+44 (0) 1536 461 234

Sennheiser
www.sennheiser.com
+49 (5130) 600 0

TC Electronic
www.tcelectronic.com
+45 8742 7000

Petes Place Audio

www.petesplaceaudio.com
+1 818 704 0989

Shure
www.shure.com
+1 847 600 2000

TC Helicon
www.tc-helicon.tc
+45 8742 7000

Phonic
www.phonic.com

SLS Loudspeakers
www.slsloudspeakers.com
+1 417 883 4549

Telex Communications
www.telex.com
+1 877 863 4166

Smart AV
www.smartav.net
+ 61 2 8060 9223

Thermionic Culture
www.thermionicculture.com
+44 (0) 1440 785843

Solid State Logic

www.solid-state-logic.com
+44 (0) 1865 842 300

TL Audio
www.tlaudio.co.uk
+44 (0) 1462 492 090

Sommer Cable
www.sommercable.com
+49 (0)7082 491 330

TOA Electronics Europe

www.toa.de
+49 (0)40 25 17 190

Sonifex
www.sonifex.co.uk
+44 (0) 1933 650 700

Toft Audio Designs

www.toftaudio.com
+44 (0) 1803 612 700

Sonnox
www.sonyplugins.com
+44 (0) 1865 887505

Tram Lavaliers
www.tram-usa.com

PMI Audio
www.pmiaudio.com
+1 310 323 9050
Presonus Audio Electronics
www.presonus.com
+1 225 216 7887
Prism Media Products
www.prismsound.com
+44 (0) 1223 424 988
QSC Audio
www.qscaudio.com
+1 (714) 754-6175
Radial Engineering
www.radialeng.com
+1 604 942 1001
Rane Corporation
www.rane.com
+1 425 355 6000
RCF
www.rcfaudio.com
+39 0522 274 411
RDL Europe
www.radiodesignlabs.com
(31) 20-6238 983
Renkus-Heinz
www.renkus-heinz.com
+1 949 558 9997
RIEDEL Communications
www.riedel.net
+49 (0) 202 292 90
RME
www.rme-audio.com
+49 08133 91 810
Rde Microphones
www.rode.com.au
+61 2 9648 5855
Roland Systems Group
www.rolandsystemsgroup.co.uk
+44 (0) 1792 702 701
RTS
www.telex.com
+1 800 392 3497
Rupert Neve Designs
www.rupertneve.com
+1 512 847 3013

Soundcraft
www.soundcraft.com
+44 (0) 1707 665 000
SoundField
www.soundfield.com
+44 (0) 1924 201 089
Soundking
www.soundking.com
+86 574 8823 5195
Sound Projects
www.soundprojects.com
+31 (0) 36 539 45 70
Speck Electronics
www.speck.com
+1 760 723 4281
SPL Electronics
www.soundperformancelab.com
+49 2163 98340
Stage Accompany
www.stageaccompany.com
+31 229 28 29 30
Stagetec
www.stagetec.com
+49 30 639 9020
Studer Professional Audio
www.studer.ch
+41 44 870 75 11

DIRECTORY | LIVE SOUND APPLICATION 2011

Trantec
www.trantec.co.uk
+44 (0) 20 8330 3111
TubeTech
www.tube-tech.com
+45 3871 0021
Turbosound
www.turbosound.com
+44 (0) 1403 711 447
Ultrasone
www.ultrasone.com
+49 (0) 8158 9078 0
Universal Audio
www.uaudio.com
+1 831 440 1176
Violet Design
www.violet-design.ee
+372 645 5007
Waves Audio
www.waves.com
+1 865 909 9200
XTA Electronics
www.xta.co.uk
+44 (0) 1299 879 977
Yamaha Commerical Audio
www.yamahacommercialaudio.com
+44 (0) 1908 366 700
Zaxcom
www.zaxcom.com
+1 973 835 5000

COMPLETE AMPLIFICATION SYSTEM

CUSTOM-ENGINEERED CONVENIENCE.

ONLY FROM CROWN.

The checklist for each performance

setup is a demanding one. Building
amplifier racks. Configuring systems.
Safety approvals. Keeping technicians
working efficiently.
The new VRack from Crown now
makes the job much easier for
you and your team. Designed for
optimum performance and setup
simplicity, the VRack gives you a
customized, turnkey amplification
package, complete with full safety
approvals.
CrownAudio.com

2011 Crown Audio, Inc.

Keep updated at www.dpamicrophones.com

Introducing
DPA :

Headset Microphone

DPAs tried and tested condenser miniature capsule in

a sleek housing with a newly designed single-ear mount.
Designed for high performance with a small footprint,
the DPA d:fine features superior transparency and reduced sensitivity to wind and pop noise.