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News Archive 2005December 2005 November 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
Febuary 2005
December 2005 CONTINUING A BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP In order to uphold the Festival's standards as a world leader in cinema presentation standards, the organization enlisted the services of an acoustic design team including industry veterans Neil Muncy, Andy Condon, and Peter Harper. Muncy, president of Neil Muncy Associates in Markham, Ontario, has been involved with the TIFF for the past fifteen years, during which time several of the films he was responsible for presenting went on to win an Academy Award. Harper is a mix and recording engineer who helped to oversee the installation and documented the venue's equipment and wiring. Andy Condon is a computer engineer and former IT manager for a post-production house. "The Ryerson was built in the 1950's, with an interior consisting of marble, granite, and other highly reflective surfaces," explains Muncy. "The acoustical treatment scheme included a modular THX wall made of conventional materials with the screen channel loudspeakers on a plane that focused the sound towards the audience." The original sound system, provided by Montreal-based SF Marketing, featured QSC Audio's Digital Cinema Speaker (DCS) Series and was QSC's first complete, end-to-end cinema installation in Canada. Thirty QSC SR-110 surround sound loudspeakers were each individually wired back to a total of four QSC DCA 1644 amplifiers located in the projection booth. This year, the original screen channel system was upgraded to include three of QSC's SC-443 Cinema Loudspeaker Systems, each comprising an MH-1075 mid-high system featuring a high output, horn loaded 10" midrange cone driver and a 3" titanium diaphragm compression driver, as well as two LF-4215s, each with dual 15" low-frequency enclosures specifically designed for the extended low-frequency requirements of cinema applications. The QSC screen channels loudspeakers are designed to address the requirements of digital motion picture soundtracks while conforming to current theater architecture, with auditoriums getting shorter and wider. For example, the high-frequency section of the SC Series tilts its coverage pattern 10º down, placing the front row seating within the coverage pattern of the horn. The horn also offers a wider-than-usual horizontal coverage pattern to ensure all patrons can enjoy the full impact of the soundtrack. The low-frequency cabinets are heavily braced and properly tuned to reduce distortion at the high drive levels required by modern releases. Each screen channel is tri-amplified using a QSC DCM-3 digital cinema processor for all three channels and the subwoofers. Screen channel power amplifiers - three QSC DCA 3022 and three QSC DCA 3422 - are located backstage to minimize the length of speaker level cabling. "We were happy that QSC was able to offer a complete package of products," said Muncy. "The QSC cinema boxes provide great coverage and sound fantastic." A number of other significant upgrades were performed over the summer as well, with noted architect Peter Smith adding new seating and additional sound treatment including baffling on the sidewalls. "The sound at last year's Festival was already excellent, but the improvements have made this year's event even more pronounced," remarked Technical Director Andrei Gravelle, a 14-year veteran of the Festival. "We've been receiving an overwhelming amount of unsolicited feedback, all of a positive nature." Gravelle points out that, with the Festival getting an increasing number of world premieres, many of the featured films are being shown for the first time in a large venue. "Many times, these films are literally going from a mixing stage to the Festival stage, so it's that much more important to be able to reproduce the sound as it was originally intended. "What's nice about the system is the choice of crossover points - it's very smooth and fluid. The Ryerson is a relatively large venue - over 1250 seats - and the system gives us even coverage and excellent clarity and intelligibility throughout the room." We've just completed our second year of what we hope will be a long and successful partnership between Ryerson University and the Toronto International Film Festival Group," states Natalie Lue, Director of Theatres Operations for TIFFG. "We look forward to continuing to work with the exceptional Ryerson Theatre team to address the ever-evolving technical standards and requirements for film and live presentation." The multi-use nature of the venue presents its own set of challenges for TIFFG as well. "We install a special screen that totally obliterates the stage, so we do a complete de-install after the Festival every year," Gravelle explains. " That's what's great about this system - it's robust enough to withstand multiple installations, and consistent enough that we don't have to worry about what we're going to hear when we set it back up again." True to its name, the Digital Cinema Speaker Series performed admirably on the digital debut of musician/artist Laurie Anderson's latest production, Hidden Inside Mountains, presented in High Definition HDCAM. Other debuts this year included Water, A History of Violence, Where the Truth Lies, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Tim Burton's CorpseBride and Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. "This year's Ryerson schedule was one of our busiest, with screenings starting as early as 9:00 AM and ending with a midnight screening," Gravelle concludes. "With 57 screenings in ten days and very little turnaround time between shows, we're especially grateful for the system's reliability." November 2005 The University of Saskatchewan Embraces Shure’s ConferenceOne! Through the years, situations have demanded the classic SM57 and SM58 microphones, Shure’s feedback reducers and wireless technology to come to the rescue. This time around, it’s the ConferenceOne discussion system that saves the day. “Still, there were a number of requirements. First of all, it was important to have individual participant control while retaining an amplifier and 6 speaker enclosures in the room for ambience. Then, we were asked to add wireless microphones to the system, to have the possibility of adding outside participants and have the option to add or remove table mics without affecting the system’s performance. Another area of sensitivity was security. To reduce chances of having signals broadcast and picked up left and right, the system that was to be installed needed to be wired. This made sense, as there are a number of sizeable windows in the hall and wave Bruce admits having looked at other systems on the market but at the end of the day, Shure’s ConferenceOne ended up being tailor-made for this project. A number of Pippin technicians, including Sean Craig and Gord Irvin, set up a C1-CI chairman console and a number of C1-DI delegate consoles in a matter of hours. Bruce adds, “In less than 60 seconds after having pressed “ON”, everything worked beautifully. In fact, assembling the cables was the longest part. The neutral, physical design of the components also received approval by all.” “By the way, this ConferenceONE was programmed in automatic mode at the outset but the system was so easy to operate that we were asked to change it to manual mode, which was done in a second. After a while, some features were fine-tuned and now that everything’s set, it’s back in automatic mode to everyone’s satisfaction.” When S.F. Marketing acquired its present building in Ville St. Laurent in 1991, the management believed that they would not need to move for at least 25 years. But lo and behold, due to a sizeable and continued growth in business, a change in plans was in order! As of November 2005, S.F Marketing will be moving into its new headquarters near Pierre Trudeau airport in Dorval, nearly tripling its current space. According to Jean-Louis Blanchard, Vice-President of Sales at SF, “Our new facility will obviously improve our operations such that our current level of excellent customer service will reach new heights. A much bigger warehouse with improved processes and logistics will enable us to move more product, faster and more efficiently.” With regards to customer service, SF management will be implementing a detailed and extensive plan to ensure a smooth continuity for customers during the move. As underlined by Sol Fleising, SF’s President, “Small quirks are to be expected here and there for a couple of days but we know our clients will understand the situation. At the end of the day, all of this will be to their benefit for years to come.”
September 2005 St-Jean Happening on the Plains of Abraham: Strategy at Play Axion Sonorisation S É A is a sound reinforcement organisation based in Québec City, Québec. The company provides complete sales and rental services in professional sound, lighting and audiovisual equipment. Axion has been in business for 6 years now and was formed by the merger of Transition and Focus, companies involved in the music business since 1984 and 1992, respectively. Today, 30 professionals form the nucleus of the firm while over 60 freelance technicians are added depending on the day’s challenge. Axion installs and operates their stage designs which can be found across a variety of venues such as the St-Félicien Zoo, the Québec Winter Carnival, hockey arenas, Festivals such as those at Caraquet in New-Brunswick and Carleton in Gaspésie, as well as tours of well-known Quebec performers such as Wilfred le Bouthiller, Richard Séguin, Daniel Lavoie, Lynda Lemay, Daniel Boucher and Jorane. Each year, the concert that culminates Les fêtes de la St-Jean festivities is the most anticipated show of the season in Québec City. It always features the best artists, the audience numbers in tens of thousands and the show is broadcast live on the TQS network. It is not surprising to learn that the event’s producer, La Société des fêtes de la St-Jean, calls upon Axion each time to design and supply sound and lighting equipment for the event. François Corbin, Axion’s president, does not hesitate to say: “For us, this is probably our biggest challenge of the year. When this steamroller starts in April, we’re running flat out until mid-summer!” He adds: “And to have a chance to make it, we need the best equipment available”. So, what is actually found in Axion’s toolbox? Primarily, SGM projectors for lighting and Shure, Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) and Lake Technology equipment for sound. “When it comes to TV, lighting is of prime importance. We start with a classic base of 120 projectors but the real difference comes from the addition of 24 Giotto 400 and 12 Palcos. We don’t know of any other more reliable projectors than the Giottos and these always seem to add a professional touch to the whole of the show. As for the LED Palco projectors, we were amazed by their power, and their colour palette is practically infinite. The lenses are quite versatile, heavy AC is not a requirement, maintenance cost is minimal, and they’re very efficient and relatively small. Demand for these fixtures has been quite high in our shop since their arrival last spring. We never hesitate to use SGM equipment; what they do, they do better than others and furthermore, in absolute silence” comments François Corbin. In regards to sound, he adds: “Shure microphones have always been the starting point here. For this project, wireless PSM600 and PSM700 are required, 24 to start. This means a lot of antennas in the area and more often than not, only at the last minute do we have an idea of the total picture as more wireless mics and devices are added each day. It’s almost military strategy when it comes to eliminating technical conflicts and Shure products are flexible enough to offer worthwhile solutions. As for sound quality, I guess we can agree that Shure sets the standard.” “Then comes 16 EAW KF730 speaker enclosures and 8 SB730 subwoofer cabinets setup to project sound on a 110 degree angle. Surprisingly, this is more than enough to cover the grounds and the sound is just beautiful. Once sound delays were taken into account and the networking fine-tuned, the executive sound engineer Sylvain Guay was in heaven. Also, I would like to say that the Plains of Abraham is an ideal site to benefit from the usage of the Lake Contour. With our wireless Tablet PC, we could walk around and make numerous adjustments and even revise these once the spectators arrived. The nice thing about Lake devices is that they are the perfect fit to any sound reinforcement system and in a strange way, help you “rediscover” your equipment.” At the end of the day, François believes that “Axion delivered the goods, as we like to say here. Mother Nature was nice to us, the show was fantastic, the sound was great and everybody was happy. This means I can go back to sleep now, but don’t forget to wake me up in April!” The Sky is Blue for Lake Technology and P.A. Plus Based in Toronto, there isn’t much happening on English-Canadian stages that escapes P.A. Plus Productions Inc., an organization specialized in audio system design and installation. For the last 9 years, Mark Radu, head systems engineer at P.A. Plus, leads the R&D team that sees system designing as a somewhat religious experience. “In fact, no P.A. Plus system goes out the door without my personal blessing,” adds Mark. The firm’s creations have been seen and heard at events like the NHL Awards , the Gemini Awards and TV blockbusters like Canadian Idol, for example. P.A. Plus is also involved in setups found at the Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto and Ontario’s Casino Rama where international celebrities such as Faith Hill, Jay Leno, Diana Ross, Michael Bolton, Chicago, Styx, Olivia Newton-John, Ringo Starr, Bill Cosby, Tony Bennett and Vince Gill have performed. Recently, things have changed at P.A. Plus since the addition and implementation of the Lake Technology line and philosophy. “To start with, Lake has always had the kind of reputation we want to associate with where excellence is the main focus,” says mark Radu. “In addition, we had seen their equipment in action outside of Canada and were quite impressed.” These devices included the « Lake Contour », the « Lake Mesa Quad EQ » and the « Lake SmaartLive Controller ». This digital package provides ultimate control of loudspeaker system processing in any environment. The Lake Contour has a wealth of innovative features including new methods of equalization, linear phase brick wall crossovers and true RMS and Soft Clamp limiting on all outputs. Adding Mesa EQs, each system component can offer ultimate performance through wireless network control. Seamless integration is completed by the Lake Controller software that uses a touch screen interface making a sound technicians’ life much simpler. Mark adds: « The software is great, easy to understand and quite simple to use. The Mesa EQ Parametric Overlay is particularly impressive enabling independent control of the slopes of a filter, for particular mention. Networking and remote control are more sensitive areas but we are always able to sort it out, sometimes with the kind collaboration of the Lake team and their Canadian representative SF Marketing. At the end of the day, everything works fine and we are able give our clients systems they can rely on; we’ve never had any bad surprises. And let’s not underestimate the impressive sound quality. Transparency and warmth come automatically to mind. Everybody’s happy with a Lake setup.” One of the foremost stage sensations in Toronto nowadays is the Blue Man Group performance at the Panasonic Theatre and once again, P.A. Plus is in the mix. “We supplied a Lake system including a Lake Contour and 2 Lake Mesa EQs – SF Marketing helped us design cables to fit. One of the Lake Mesa Quad EQs is handling the main left and right d&b audiotechnik line arrays plus the subwoofers. The other Lake Mesa is controlling all the front fill, under-balcony and under-balcony subs. A Lake Contour is being used to process three levels of stereo rear speakers, which are used for surround effects. Everything works fine to the point where there’s not much more to say. Blue Man Group and their sound designer/supervisor Ross Humphrey responded well to our suggestions and now embrace the Lake philosophy. Great show, great sound, big hit!” While writing this text, Mark Radu and his assistant John Lacina are busy putting together a design for the next Canadian Country Music Awards which will take place at Calgary’s Saddledome this year. Mark says: “This time around, we’re talking 6 stages, 360-degree concept, and an arena. It’s a good thing Lake is on our side!”
August 2005 SF Marketing Partners with PRAM Technologies to offer WiFi Data and Control Product Solutions SF Marketing Inc. has announced an agreement to distribute PRAM Technologies wireless data and control products for Canada. PRAM Technologies' flagship product, the WSL-2E Wireless Serial Link, provides wireless control of Serial and Ethernet based devices such as digital audio processing equipment, video control systems or any other serially-controlled device, from remote computers. Pre-configured for easy plug-and-play installation or custom configurable setup using the included WiNET Manager software, the system-independent and almost universally compatible WSL-2E allows operators to freely roam about and access the complete range of software functions of the production system using a single laptop or tablet computer via a wireless connection. Compatible with any standard 802.11b WiLAN PCMCIA or PCI computer card, the one rack-space WSL-2E transceiver supports Ethernet and both RS-232 and RS-485 at baud rates up to 230kbps. SF Marketing Inc. is Proud to Welcome Mark MacLellan as Associate Product Manager Mark was born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick. He attended the University of Western Ontario in London and graduated in 1994 with a degree in Administrative and Commercial Studies. During his university years he became interested in cinema and projection and obtained his Ontario Projectionist License. Right after he graduated from Western he landed the job of managing the movie theatre on campus. He spent 5 years doing that and building his experience in the motion picture exhibition business. At the same time he was also doing plenty of outside consulting with local movie theatres, primarily training and technical service. In 1999, he was promoted to manager of Programming & Production, making him the entertainment buyer and promoter for Canada’s largest student union organization. He left Western and London in November 2001 for Montreal to become Operations Manager for a cinema equipment company. Until April 2005 he traveled extensively to sell, install, service and provide technical support for film projectors and sound systems. As an Associate Product Manager, Mark feels he is especially well suited to the QSC line, having had cinema, live sound and permanent install experience, and we agree with him! Mark will be handling the following audio lines: Genelec Pro, QSC, Symetrix and Furman.
July 2005 SF Marketing Inc., Proud Sponsor of the Montreal MIAC ExpressA free bus from Montreal to Toronto for dealers and PAL representatives will be available on Saturday, August 20th and returning Monday, August 22nd. Sponsors for the bus include Roland Canada, D'Addario Canada and SF Marketing Inc., with JAM Industries providing the departure parking lot and cafeteria services for dealers. Approximate times are as follows: Bus departure at 4:00 pm, Saturday, August 20th, at JAM Industries ( 21000 TransCanada Highway, Baie D'Urfe) and arrival at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel by 10:00 pm. Departure will be at 4:00 pm, Monday, August 22nd, from the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel returning to JAM Industries by 10:00 pm. Please fill out this online form to sign up for the 2005 Montreal MIAC Express: ConferenceONE: Head of the Class! Since its inception, The University of Québec has often written letters of recommendation underlining their students’ excellent work. This time around, things are a bit different as recent letters were actually full of praise for the ConferenceONE Discussion Systems designed by Shure. The recent addition of a ConferenceONE at The University of Québec was the solution to a complex problem. For starters, installing speakers in the meeting room so that everybody could hear properly was not an option. Then, the fact that several worktables were not fixed but rather displaced at will during meetings was something else to take into account. On top of that, users did not want to see cables lying on the floor and there were no available conduits in the floor to hide them. Also, a telephone interface was needed to communicate with distant participants, as well as options to record meetings on audio media. Michel Fortin, sales manager at CEV Québec, adds: “Obviously, this client wanted maximum flexibility along with top sound quality.” The problem may have been a complex one but the solution was actually quite simple. The University did not hesitate to select Shure’s ConferenceONE with IntelliMix. Shure’s excellent reputation in the sound business helped. The discussion system itself brought a total solution in a single package featuring consistent intelligibility and total freedom from feedback in any configuration. Each delegate console conveniently combines Microflex gooseneck microphone, mixer, amp and a high-quality loudspeaker. It’s also possible to connect headphones if needed. At the heart of the ConferenceONE design, we find a central unit (PS 60i) where audio players, recorders and telephone system (AEC/Telco interface) are all connected. It’s also where the first delegate console is attached; the others are daisy-chained from there using reliable Neutrik connectors. A dedicated console labelled Chairman, which controls system volume, priority and cancel functions then completes ConferenceONE. Some well-appreciated features at The University of Québec include quality of the manufacturing materials insuring the system always looks clean, the equipment’s ruggedness, remarkable sound-quality and the fact that the consoles’ red light rings are positioned in a way that do not hinder photographs and videos. Also, availability of connectors on the central unit’s front and back panels was also mentioned. Another ConferenceONE was recently installed at Fisheries and Oceans Canada where another system was already in place. The major problem there resided in incorporating out-of-town participants, which became the norm rather than the exception. All users were quite uncomfortable as the sound was pretty bad making meetings overall unbearable. This dated system was totally replaced by a ConferenceONE discussion system and there again, it made quite a difference. Like most users, Fisheries and Oceans Canada representatives quickly realized that using ConferenceONE is an easy thing: simply connect, put it on and use it. Not surprisingly, they called their Shure representative to say: “Stay home, this is not complicated – we’ll do it ourselves!” ^^ UP ^^Canada’s York University Continues a QSC Tradition: A Venerable Institution Sticks with What Works Toronto, Canada… Founded in 1959, York University has evolved to become Canada’s third largest university, setting international standards in the fields of engineering, law, business, liberal and professional studies. With over 175,000 alumni, York boasts a current roster of nearly 50,000 students and 7,000 staff members spread over two campuses and 21 research centers. The university takes justifiable pride in its high-tech learning facilities, with over 140 state-of-the-art lecture halls, seminar rooms, and classrooms designed to handle a wide range of multimedia demands. And in every room, audio is provided by CX-series amplifiers from Costa Mesa, CA-based QSC Audio. “We typically install a small technology rack at the front of the classroom by the professor’s desk, and every room uses QSC amps,” remarks John Briggs, the University’s Manager of Instructional Technology. “In our Instructional Technology Centre, we’ve got QSC amps that have been running non-stop since the building was opened in 1990, and they’ve never had a problem. That’s why we keep using them.” While most of the systems are single-room setups, Briggs reports that a few of the larger rooms are also employing QSC’s DSP-3 and DSP-4 digital signal processors for delays and room combining. Briggs cites QSC’s legendary reliability as the main reason the University continues to specify QSC amps in all new installations, including over 50 new rooms this summer. “The length of service of QSC amps is really what keeps us using them — they just keep working away in the background. In fact, we really don’t know what the length of service is, since we haven’t hit it yet.” ^^ UP ^^Symetrix Rocks the Dock
Want to get connected? Spend some time at the Docks (www.thedocks.com), the Toronto entertainment complex that understands how people - and sound - should network. The 12,000-capacity indoor/outdoor facility recently started a new chapter in its successful ten-year history with an extreme expansion to its attractions and audio networking capabilities. The buildout at the Docks presented an intriguing opportunity to push the envelope of digital signal processing, as system designer PA Plus (www.pa-plus.com) and contractor Sound Dymax paired new rooms with a facility-wide audio system retrofit. "The Docks is the poster child for audio transport and external control for DSPs," says Peter Lima, senior systems integrator, install division for PA Plus. "This is a facility where size really does matter. Because of its size and technical demands, the limits of external control and distance of audio transport truly test the CAT5's infrastructure." With 12 external and 16 internal zones, the Docks project was a web of audio connectivity. It was made even more complex for PA Plus by the fact that six of the audio zones were brand new, owing to a stylish new second floor with clubs like the glass-encased Solarium and the Vibe Lounge, and capped off by the dance-music-paradise Main Room, featuring one of the largest EV Alpha systems in North America. Ease of control, flexibility and future expandability were the priorities for Lima, who also executed the original DSP programming and system design. "The number of remotes that were required for installation in the facility was a tremendous challenge," Lima reports. "During the course of a day, the individual rooms will change over, so a place could host a corporate function and then after 9:00pm it changes into a nightclub, and the music is changed accordingly. The vastness of the facility allows each room to have up to seven different sources, including satellite, microphone, band/DJ, and PowerPoint." The Symetrix SymNet DSP was a key component in helping Lima meet his goals, as he set up a system with three separate SymNet head ends in different locations that efficiently transported audio throughout the Docks. "The SymNet units are in the main rack, collecting all analog audio throughout the facility in the first level and via CobraNet from anything outside of the main floor. I knew this was going to grow, so I had to choose a very large matrix system to handle the routing. Everything is routed in stereo-balanced inputs and outputs. "External - or in other words web-enabled - control was a priority, allowing the manager to dial in and see what any room in the facility was playing. All of the SymNet ARC (Adaptive Remote Controls) have LCD displays that actually display what zones they are affecting. That's very important, because it's a confirmation for the operator. The volume is displayed and acknowledged back from the unit, so they know what preset to put it at. Because every room has one, it allows for consistency, and the managers can override the DJs if they deem it too loud, for example." System expandability was a must for the Docks, made infinitely easier by the SymNet DSP engine. "SymNet was chosen not only for the network considerations, but also the centralization of audio. Because the system has a proprietary audio network in it, it could do 32 x 32 alone, in addition to CobraNet. That meant that if they said, 'I want to be able to connect to the golf range and select any audio source,' I could implement a growth design where I simply connect another CAT5 cable into the SymNet. "The SymNet also has external controls with unique I/O capability, and is going to be utilized to perform all the mutes for the amplifiers, so that one interface can handle the entire facility. As a result, SymNet is the single user interface for public announcements, entertainment, and life safety." Naturally, extremely high audio fidelity at all times was a must. "The network has very good signal-to-noise ratios," says Lima. "The Docks has one of the largest EV Alpha systems in North America, and the fidelity is quite extraordinary. They have 16 twin 18-inch Planar Wave Guide subwoofers in there. That pounds!" EV SmartAmps receive their feed from EV DX38 speaker managers, while Midas XL88 preamps sweeten the DJ system's front end. "The Midas is one of the finest analog matrixers," Lima states. "Sometimes, there will be three DJs collectively in one evening that get matrixed down to the two stereo lines of the system. The facility technicians do the seamless routing themselves, bouncing back and forth like dueling DJs." Lima 's deep planning and programming skills went even deeper for the Docks, thanks to the larger-than-life scope of one of Toronto's trademark destinations. "I really do enjoy the challenges and complexities of a design like this, and I think that's how everybody learns," he concludes. "The Docks was a very good example of foresight, and a good sign of where we are going to be five years from now."
Scorpio Sound Takes Lake Contour to Boston's KISS Concert 2005
West Bridgewater, MA (June 7, 2005) -- Massachusetts-based Scorpio Sound recently purchased seven Lake Contour(tm) digital speaker processors, configured as two complete systems, to provide multi-zone speaker optimization of its touring audio systems. Lake Contour's high-resolution DSP-based speaker processing features, which include equalization, crossovers, and limiting, are controlled by Scorpio Sound's engineers using wireless touch screen tablets supplied with each of the two systems. Scorpio Sound senior engineer George Wehrlin used the Lake Contour system at Boston's Tweeter Center in late May during the KISS Concert 2005, which featured Will Smith, Rob Thomas, Gwen Stefani, Black Eyed Peas, Backstreet Boys, Good Charlotte, and many others. "I used one Contour to control my main front hang, another to handle the subs, which I zone differently, one for my outer hangs, and a fourth unit for my various zones of fill speakers," he says. Regarded as the "granddaddy" of the many radio station summer concerts in the US, this year's KISS Concert was the 26th annual celebration of WXKS 108 FM's birthday. "I've been doing this show for 10 years," Wehrlincomments. "But this year, the Lake Contours saved me so much time. I was able to walk around the side of my array, shut off what I didn't want to hear, look at SmaartLive(tm) right on my tablet, and tune my side arrays with no guessing, standing right in front of them. At most of these events you're not given a lot of time to begin with, so Lake Contour made our job that much more efficient." Lake 's SmaartLive Controller provides an interface between the Lake Controller(r) software and SmaartLive, the professional audio industry standard for real-time sound system measurement, optimization, and control. SmaartLive spectrum, spectrograph, and transfer functions are displayed directly within the Controller graphical interface, giving engineers the power to listen to, measure, and adjust the entire sound system from anywhere within the venue on a single wireless tablet. According to Wehrlin, Scorpio Sound has used various high-end processing solutions in the past. "But once we started using the Lake Contour we really noticed the difference. The sound is without question better. This is definitely our processor of choice." Compared to previous processors that Scorpio has used, he says, the power of Contour's DSP is also noticeable. With other systems, he observes, "They're limited in how much EQ you can use and how many filters are available. But with the Lake, we can do anything we want to. Plus, the router works great and there are no dropouts. It's just been super." Wehrlin, who has long been the front of house mixer for Meat Loaf, is looking forward to using the Lake Contours again, when the singer hits the road later this year. "We're going to be taking them on tour in August and September in the States, with Scorpio Sound and the JBL VerTecs." One of the premier regional touring companies in the northeast, Scorpio Sound was co-founded in 1979 by owner Gary King. In addition to the yearly KISS Concert and KISS Jingle Ball events, Scorpio also provides audio for the massive Boston Pops Fourth of July concert and their national tours, as well as providing systems for the Bank of America Pavilion (Harborlights) series in Boston and for acts such as Belle & Sebastian, Meat Loaf, and many others. ^^ UP ^^
June 2005
Lake Technology and Audi-C: An Intelligent Upgrade! Based in Trois-Rivières, the Audi-C organization has been part of Québec’s cultural fabric for more than fifteen years now. Since the start, they have built an enviable reputation when it comes to professional sound support and services. Nowadays, they also offer lighting support to their ever-growing clientele base. Their progression is closely linked to the success of their first and foremost client, stand-up comedian André-Philippe Gagnon, which started in small Québec venues to end up a few years later at the heart of the show-business capital, Las Vegas, and competing with the best that this city can offer. Audi-C’s president Daniel Hardy is the principal achiever here and Daniel Savoie, the company’s chief of operations and designer, assists him. It is important to know that Audi-C now offers technical tour support to successful Québec artists like Claudine Mercier, Mario Jean, Patrick Huard, Yves Lambert (Bottine Souriante) and Lynda Lemay as well as cultural events like the Festival international de musique actuelle de Victoriaville, the Festival d’été de Québec et the International de l’art vocal de Trois-Rivières along with symphonic concerts (Richard Desjardins) and other renowned showcases. Recently, Audi-C has been active in Ontario following a reciprocal agreement with Tower Sound. Audi-C puts together sound systems that are avant-garde, reliable and state-of-the art. Attesting to this is Audi-C’s decision to have all levels CSA approved. It’s with this in mind that Audi-C’s leader Daniel Hardy noticed Lake’s potential when the « Lake Contour Pro 26 Digital Loudspeaker Processor » and the « Lake SmaartLive Controller » were installed at Las Vegas’ Continental for André-Philippe Gagnon’s recent performances there. Daniel Savoie was equally impressed with the Lake devices and doesn’t hesitate to add: « This wireless network concept at the heart of the Contour is amazing. I can fine-tune every detail of my system at a distance without bugging the rest of the team that caters to a million other things to put a show together. Furthermore, this intelligent approach that includes the “Smaart Live” controller enables me to measure, optimize, control and set useful data in a very interactive way during installation.” Audi-C’s team is equally impressed with the asymmetric filters included in the system: “We find them quite intelligent and with clarity never found in classic analog equipment.” Daniel adds: « It may take a little while to get your act together at the beginning but once you’re there, you’ll find your systems are much more reliable and robust. It’s a new way of doing things for us but already, I couldn’t do without the Lake system. In the long run, you do save half the time.”Even tough the Lake Contour/Smaart Live environment features microprocessor-based technology, Mr. Savoie mentions that he found the environment user-friendly and was able to find his way quite easily. Still, he underlines the support of Canadian distributor SF Marketing’s Hugo Larin. “SF Marketing’s team is always there for us and in the end, this makes all the difference in the world for us.”
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Toronto , ON, Canada ... The Toronto International Film Festival® (TIFF), now in its 30 tth year, is widely regarded as one of the world's most important film festivals, and has garnered a well-deserved reputation as the most successful public film festival in the world. The Festival has earned respect not only due to its stellar roster of content, but for its attention to detail in the presentation of its films, both visually and sonically. Hosted by several venues over its three decades, the Festival recently adopted a more permanent home at the city's landmark Ryerson Theatre, a grand historical structure built over half a century ago. In 2004, the Ryerson underwent an extensive makeover, transforming from a live performance space into a world-class cinema hall.
In a field where longevity is not at all common, Pippin Technical Service Ltd. has remained in business since 1980. Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Pippin has built a solid reputation for itself by supplying turnkey audio systems in the sound reinforcement, broadcasting and telecommunications industries across Western Canada. From the very beginning, there’s always been a very close relationship between this organization and Shure.
Bruce Wilkinson, Pippin’s vice-president, explains the context. “Recently, a 40 million dollar budget was set aside to renovate the main building at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. The exterior of this heritage building was renovated with the utmost integrity. As for the interior, the design was much broader, leaving room for a more modern approach. The Board of Governors usually meets in a large room where a big table is set to accommodate about 25 individuals. There, we find motorized projectors and a network feeding the participants’ laptops. In fact, paper documentation is not distributed during meetings. Wanting to communicate efficiently and chair meetings in a professional and flexible way, management called Pippin to make it happen.”
propagation is a factor.”
Based in northern Québec, L.S.M. son et lumière inc. (LSM) is a full service organization selling, renting and setting up sound, lighting and multimedia rigs. The Chicoutimi-based firm has been building a solid reputation for the last 15 years to the point where they are now part of Montreal and Québec city’s cultural landscape. LSM’s president Serge Lachance sees his organisation as an original, educated and progressive entity that deals with partners rather than clients. He basically feels LSM’s expertise is the key to any project’s technical success. To this end, Ricky Ricken, chief of operations, heads the team. 
Upgrades With Lake Technology
Like so many churches, Knox Presbyterian was in need of a new audio system. The previous audio system installation was in 1989 and, although it was technologically savvy at the time, it could no longer handle the church’s requirements. The church, built in 1909, is 800-seat cruciform Gothic cathedral that is not an acoustically-friendly environment. Coupled with a move towards both traditional and contemporary worship, it meant that it was time for an audio upgrade
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RP Dynamics specified and installed the very first EAW Digitally Steerable Array (DSA) series installation in Canada. The installation includes two EAW DSA loudspeakers - one DSA providing coverage for the main floor and one DSA covering the balcony. The DSA Series simplifies the KF900 technology that permits digital steering and aiming of an array’s output. Like a KF900 array, each driver in a DSA Series loudspeaker employs its own individual amplification and digital signal processing (DSP).
Guerrieri notes that the permanently installed 5.1 array is the first of its kind anywhere in Canada. This combination of Genelec monitors, he adds, “is capable of producing the full range of musical audio to the threshold of feeling at both the frequency extreme — 19 Hz at the bottom end — and at the amplitude extreme — over 125 dB SPL per unit. It’s quite remarkable.” The Genelec monitors are part of an incredibly solid acoustical infrastructure for Control Room A. Massive 6-ton glass walls on both sides of the corridor separate the control room from the 900-square-foot studio and augment already heavy-duty architecture: Cherry Beach Sound is located in a former munitions factory built in 1911 in the heart of Toronto’s port area. Since it was originally constructed as a bomb factory, its outer walls are 18 inches thick, providing a high degree of acoustical isolation. “We went overboard with the monitors, we got the very best that Genelec offers,” says Guerrieri, “and the results are fabulous.”
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