HARMAN International: May 2012

HARMAN Prepares For Next Stage In Evolution of HiQnet™ Configuration and Control Software

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – At InfoComm 2012, HARMAN will introduce the single-most comprehensive audio networking solution for professional sound applications. The announcement will mark the next stage in the continuing evolution of HARMAN’s HiQnet™ configuration and control software.

HiQnet was designed with the active participation of leaders in the professional systems integration community and has been deployed successfully on some of the largest and most ambitious audio integration projects including the Olympic, NFL, MLB, EPL and World Cup stadia; cutting edge, demanding performing arts venues; high-capacity houses of worship and prestigious parliamentary chambers where reliability and intelligibility are especially critical.

“This announcement marks the culmination of our long-term strategy to provide a powerful singular platform that will be the standard for audio networking going forward. Our latest introduction will underscore the power and potential of HARMAN’s system-level approach to professional audio system design and development,” stated Adam Holladay, market manager, HARMAN System Development and Integration Group.

HARMAN HiQnet™ is the world's first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. HARMAN HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across HARMAN’s Professional Division and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

Factor TC Revives Popular Tequila Club With HARMAN’s JBL VRX Constant Curvature Loudspeakers

The new Tequila Club at the Radisson Blu Hotel
in Sofia, Bulgaria features JBL VRX Constant
Curvature loudspeakers and Crown amplification.

NORTHRIDGE, California – The new Tequila Club at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Sofia has become one of the new flagship destination venues in the Bulgarian capital. Situated beneath ground level in two separate areas, the bar / nightclub has independent lounges, and is aimed at the city’s affluent and VIP clientele, serving a variety of drinks and cocktails.

Owners, T.Q. Partners Ltd. Investment Group, wanted the quality of the sound system to reflect the opulence of the environment, and HARMAN’s JBL was one of their preferred brands. Having worked previously with Factor TC, who have been distributing HARMAN Professional’s brand portfolio in the country for nearly two decades, they were quickly in contact.

After a series of meetings and live product demonstrations with the owners and architects, a JBL VRX Constant Curvature line array loudspeaker system was adopted. “The owners were already well aware of the advantages of VRX and we were also convinced that this was the best solution,” said Vesselin Todorov, president of Factor TC.

The integrators were also conscious that they needed to preserve the cachet of the new-look Tequila Club, since the original venue bearing that name—formerly situated two blocks away — was a huge favorite in the 1990s with local cutting-edge DJ’s and clubbers.

Factor TC specified 12 JBL VRX932LA and eight VRX918S subwoofers as the main PA, powered by five Crown XTi6002 amplifiers. Four Control® Contractor 24C ceiling speakers and four black Control 25 enclosures were deployed for the peripheral sound in the bar and ancillary areas, aided by a Crown 180MA mixer/amplifier. The dance system is under the control of a dbx DriveRack 260, which ensures that the performance is fully optimized.

The architects from design studio Idea of Sofia, in particular expressed their delight with the 100-degree horizontal x 15-degree vertical coverage achieved by placing the VRX enclosures above the bar areas.

“Given a choice of several leading brands, it was the long-term relationship we have with the client, their goodwill towards HARMAN products and the quality of JBL sound they experienced at the live demo that proved conclusive,” Todorov explained.

“We are very happy to be working with Factor TC again,” responded Boris Stefanov, manager of Tequila Club. “They always offer us the best possible products, and for our luxury club I personally chose JBL VRX as the best sounding compact system. Although we have installed industry standard DJ equipment, there are no separate reference monitors for the DJ because with the VRX system he doesn't need it.”

With the club open seven nights a week the new sound system will certainly be put through its paces in the coming months.

Eight HARMAN Soundcraft Vi6™ Consoles on Duty at Eurovision Song Contest

Photo Caption: (Back Row, Left to Right): Ralf Wolters,
Antonius Kern, Achim Huber, Guido Preuß, Matthias Reusch,
Michael Neumahr, Lambert Kreimer; (Front Row,
Left to Right): Tim Dahlem-Jockenhöfer, Pit Lenz, Christian Kreinberg

Baku, AZERBAIJAN - This year's Eurovision Song Contest in Azerbaijan saw no fewer than eight Soundcraft Vi6 digital audio consoles, provided by Cologne-based rental company Toneheads, mixing the sound for the 42 contestants who took part.

The 57th edition of the Contest, held in the capital city of Baku, ran entirely with sound equipment provided from Germany-and Soundcraft digital mixing desks were used exclusively. Cologne-based Brainpool was responsible for the production and sub-contractor Toneheads executed the audio element of the show.

Toneheads already had a large inventory of Soundcraft Vi digital desks, and having provided successful solutions for shows like Schlag den Raab, TV-Total, and more recently Unser Star für Baku (the event seeking the German song entry for this year's ESC) the decision was made to invest in several more Vi6s. This was based on the sound quality, reliability, user interface and flexible MADI routing capabilities of the Vi6, and enabled Toneheads to present a uniform line-up of the consoles at the newly-developed, 23,000 capacity Crystal Hall.

Rehearsals began at the beginning of May, culminating in two semi-finals followed by the Grand Final at the venue on May 26, which was won by Sweden's Loreen Talhaoui. The show was estimated to have been seen by around 100 million TV viewers across Europe.

A top team of sound engineers was kept busy working on five of the Vi6s (with the other three on standby). Piloting the FOH mix for the main contest were Toni Kern and Guido Preuss, while the opening and interval acts (along with the moderation) were mixed on a separate desk operated by Matthias Reusch, Pit Lenz and Michael Neumahr.

Down in Monitor World three Vi6 consoles were in constant use. The contestants' reference sound (and opening and interval acts) were assigned to separate Vi6s, with a further desk used in the In Ear Rehearsal Room. These were respectively under the command of Achim Lanzendorf, Lars Studer and Harald Jäger.

With so many acts taking part the sound crew had needed a superb sounding, resilient and - equally important - quick and easy to operate console. Having had so much experience with Soundcraft platforms in German TV shows, all responsible sound engineers were pleased to report that, once again, the Vi6's delivered in Baku.

Sound Associates Deploys HARMAN Studer Vista 5™ for Donny and Marie Osmond Tour

(Left to Right) Joe Webster, Monitor Engineer;
David Bullard, System Designer; and
Lucas Rico Corrubia, FOH Engineer

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Donny and Marie Osmond continue to bring their popular stage show to audiences of all ages while on tour with a HARMAN Studer Vista 5 serving as the front-of-house mixing console.

Donny and Marie's performances include a 90-minute variety show, highlighted by many of their original hits with a mix of special effects and dancing. New York-based Sound Associates provided the Vista 5 console as it is "the most sophisticated board and perfect for theatrical performances," according to Lucas Rico Corrubia, FOH Engineer, PlanetRoadie Sound Design. "After trying an assortment of digital consoles, we went with the Vista 5 because it still has the analog feel that I love so much."

David Bullard, System Designer for Sound Associates, mentioned, "On the road there isn't much time for setup and tuning. We have to be ready to go feeling confident that the show will go smoothly and most importantly, sound beautiful."

The transition from analog to digital was daunting for Lucas, but after trying the Vista, everything felt right. "It's amazing, for someone who has been mixing for over 30 years, I was able to make the easy switch and noticed right away the value of the digital console," Lucas said. "The layout is user-friendly and provides me with anything I could ever want in a board."

"I love the programming and the snapshots," Lucas said. "Being able to save cues and settings makes my job even easier. With 12 people on stage with a variety of roles, it helps greatly to have a whole section of the board dedicated to making changes on the fly. I don't need to scroll through pages or settings to change a fader or EQ, it's all there when I need it." Lucas explained how this allows him to make very few changes during sound check and he can be confident that everything is set up correctly.

Lucas says there has never been an issue with the console; in fact, the board is able to detect potential problems. "If for some reason something isn't hooked up correctly, the Vista 5 lets you know and it's easy to trace the problem," he added. "Everything about the console is easy to work with and just makes my job easier."

"When artists recognize the sound quality, you know you are doing something right," Lucas continued. "They think it's me, but it's really the console! Studer is definitely moving in the right direction and I appreciate everything they have done to allow me to get everything I need out of the console."

For more information on Sound Associates, please visit: http://www.soundassociates.com/

Thunder Audio Bolsters World-Class Inventory With HARMAN'S JBL Professional VTX Line Array Series

NORTHRIDGE, California - Michigan's Thunder Audio is celebrating its 33rd year in business in 2012, having grown from its beginnings as a regional sound company in 1979 to its current status as a premier international live production and systems integration company. Thunder Audio has provided sound for Steely Dan, Metallica, The White Stripes, Linkin Park, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, John Legend, Travis Tritt and many other artists along with more than 60 corporate clients. The company continues to grow, as evidenced by its purchase of 56 HARMAN JBL VTX Line Array Series V25 loudspeakers and 24 VTX S28 subwoofers, along with 72 Crown Audio I-Tech IT 12000HD amplifiers and six dbx DriveRack 4800 loudspeaker management systems.

Any major sound contractor needs to keep a large inventory-and to keep up with the times. "We're a company that's client-driven, of course, and more and more, clients are asking for lighter and more powerful loudspeaker systems," noted Thunder Audio Vice President Paul Owen. "We have to deliver."

Shortly after the VTX Series was announced, Owen heard a demo in San Diego and was impressed, particularly by the quality of the new JBL D2 Dual Driver included in the V25. The D2 is a dual-diaphragm, dual-voice-coil compression driver that overcomes the limitations of conventional compression driver technology: limited high-frequency extension due to the mass/inertia of the diaphragm and voice coil, and distortion characteristics that result from dome breakup modes. The D2 overcomes these drawbacks by merging two compression drivers into a single transducer that utilizes two annular diaphragms with two voice coils instead of the larger and heavier single voice-coil dome diaphragm found in conventional drivers.

Owen was "blown away" by the quality of the D2 driver and the increased clarity and power-handling capability it provides in the V25. "I've been in this business a long time and have done live sound in every type of venue imaginable," Owen said. "There's no disputing the improved sound quality and the sheer amount of horsepower the V25 has. You can believe we will test it to its max with some of the acts we'll be using it with."

The lighter weight of the JBL V25 and S28 make them a more versatile option for the variety of projects Thunder Audio handles. In addition, the weight difference from other systems makes these speakers easier to rig and transport and saves fuel and transportation costs.

The S28 subwoofer is designed to complement the V25 with its dual 18-inch Differential Drive(r) high-power-handling woofers and built-in Crown VRack amplifiers and DSP. "We like the S28 because it can be either suspended at the top, in the middle of, beside or behind flown V25 arrays or ground-stacked," Owen noted. "Again, this gives us more options to accommodate different-sized venues and the requirements of a wide variety of artists and musical styles."

When deciding which amplifiers to go with the VTX line arrays, Owen didn't spend a lot of time hand wringing. "We made this decision not only because of the performance of the products but also because of the ways in which the loudspeakers, amplifiers and other components are designed to work together optimally," he said. "We purchased the Crown IT 12000HD amplifiers because we wanted to get maximum power and efficiency from our system."

The Crown IT 12000HD amps are designed to work hand-in-glove with JBL VTX Series line arrays and include pre-set tunings and other features to precisely match their performance to the loudspeakers. The VTX speakers and I-Tech HD amps interface with HARMAN's HiQnet Performance Manager(tm) system setup software, which Owen finds to be the best system management program on the market. HiQnet enables Thunder Audio to configure, set up and tune an audio system "in less time and with better results," stated Owen.

Owen and Thunder Audio President Tony Villarreal give credit to Thunder Audio Business Development Manager Greg Snyder for configuring the control system and racks for the company's VTX touring systems. '"Greg was instrumental in assembling racks that are smartly designed and optimized for touring day in and day out." Snyder and Owen find that the synergistic operation of the JBL, Crown and dbx components, and the flexibility of HiQnet Performance Manager, enable the production crew to achieve more consistent and more effective sonic results on a daily basis from venue to venue.

The addition of JBL VTX Series line arrays marks another major step for Thunder Audio and its clients. "It's important to have a variety of solutions for our clients to choose from," Owen said. "This business is not one that stands still, and neither do we."

For more information on Thunder Audio, please visit www.thunderaudioinc.com

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets - supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

HARMAN’s New DigiTech Whammy™ Pedal Is Pivotal for Guitarist Jason Roberts On Norah Jones’ Little Broken Hearts Tour

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Jason Roberts, lead guitarist for Norah Jones, will be relying on HARMAN's new DigiTech Whammy for Jones' upcoming tour in support of her new album, Little Broken Hearts. Roberts describes the album as "beautiful and 'heartbreaking" with some surprisingly different sounds and textures on it, which make the Whammy a great tool for recreating some of the unusual elements of the album when playing live. The new Whammy features several upgrades including a Chords mode for pitch-shifting entire chords, true bypass operation and other enhancements, while retaining all of its signature multi-octave pitch-bending and harmony effects - from subtle to extreme.

Roberts immediately knew the Whammy pedal would be of use to him when he was hired for the current tour. "Norah was really, really specific in her desire to find a guitarist and keyboard player for this tour who knew how to work with pedals and get some interesting sounds, so she definitely welcomes new toys like the new Whammy whenever we get them," stated Roberts.

"I love the Classic/Chord switch on the new Whammy that lets you go between bending individual notes and entire chords," Roberts continued. "That definitely lets me play cleaner when I'm holding out multiple notes. There are also a couple of songs on Little Broken Hearts, for example the second verse of 'Take It Back,' where there are some higher-octave guitars doing some spacey chord arpeggios. The Whammy with the Chord switch on will really make these parts stick out in a live setting. I'm also going to experiment with starting a phrase on a lower note and using the Whammy to bend the note up to pitch - I think that'll give my phrases a lot of added emotional expression."

Roberts has a long history with the Whammy and appreciates the improvements that the latest version offers. "The old Whammy was great, but the new one is much more sturdy and the pedal travel and ability to fine-tune the settings is more precise," he said. "I used to notice the old pedal would slip and I would end up having to keep my foot on it all the time. That's not an issue with the new one."

"I generally like pedals that have great sound, looks and durability," Roberts concluded. "You don't want a pedal to break when you're in the middle of a big show. For me, a pedal has to have the right vibe, so I'm glad the new Whammy looks so classic! I don't want to look down and feel like I have a space station under my feet - I want to see retro-looking pedals. I also love the fact that I can step on it pretty hard and know the pedal is going to be reliable."

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets - supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

HARMAN’s AKG Microphones Surround Guns N’ Roses’ Matt Sorum’s Legendary Drum Set, Leading The Rock N Roll Allstars’ Global Tour

VIENNA, Austria - Eleven of the most famed rock and roll musicians of recent history have teamed up for a world tour of epic proportions in 2012. Led by former Guns N' Roses drummer Matt Sorum, The Rock N Roll Allstars recently concluded a successful run in South America. Behind his massive drum set, mic'd with a strategic array of HARMAN's AKG technology, Sorum conducts the Allstars through a 2.5-hour show, performing a collection of hits from each member's respective band.

The Rock N Roll Allstars include Gene Simmons of Kiss, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses, Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, Gilby Clarke of Guns-N-Roses, Billy Duffy of The Cult, Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Ed Roland of Collective Soul, Steve Stevens of the Billy Idol band and Mike Inez of Alice in Chains, in addition to Sorum.

Sorum's drum kit boasts double kick drums, five toms and a very large collection of cymbals. With such an elaborate drum set, Sorum wanted to ensure it was enjoyed visually as much as it would be for its sound. The pure epicness of the tour itself, combined with the enthusiasm of the fans, made sound a number-one factor for Sorum and the Allstars. When looking for a set of mics to capture the drums, Sorum required three factors: ease of use, durability and visual appeal for the perfect set up. AKG's collection of microphones proved to be the perfect match.

AKG's C518 M micro mics were Sorum's first choice on his toms - the instrument for which he is widely known. The C518's easily clipped on to his toms and held tight during his passionate beats. AKG D12 capsules were placed in the kickdrums, suspended in the drums themselves for a rich sound with no adverse noise. C414XLS mics were mounted for overhead cymbal pickup, while one C214 was mounted in the front of the kit for the splash cymbals and ride. Two sets of C451 stereo condensers were clipped on the set to mic the main hats as well as an x-hat set up. Sorum utilized one additional AKG P4 for backup vocals during the shows.

"I've had real issues with tom mics in the past, falling off or needing adjustments, but the 518's give me a great sound and are reliable during the shows," stated Sorum. "AKG gives my drum set a huge sound and a clean look, without the worry of fixing an ill-fitting clip. Once the D12's are in place and the 414's are set, we get this amazing, thick, warm, fat resonance and it couldn't sound more natural."

The Rock N Roll Allstars will continue their world tour in Australia and Japan in fall, 2012. The South American shows were host to more than 20,000 fans each night in the outdoor venues.

For more information about AKG, please visit http://www.akg.com and http://www.youtube.com/AKGacoustics. For more information about the tour, please visit http://www.rnrallstars.com.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets - supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

HARMAN’s Studer Hosts Product Seminar in Jakarta

JARKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesian distributor for HARMAN’s Studer, PT. Kinarya Swarna Indonesia, recently organized a Studer product seminar for the radio broadcast industry. Held in the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel Jakarta on April 25, 2012 the seminar was attended by over 70 Indonesian broadcast professionals.

The Seminar showcased the Studer OnAir console range with a focus on the new Studer OnAir 1500 mixing console. The Studer OnAir 2500 mixing console was also displayed.

Studer Regional Sales Director, Keith Prestidge and Sales Engineer, Yee Tat Nam presented a technical overview of all Studer products. Digital radio system design was also covered with discussions covering audio networking and studio workflow and control connectivity.

“Modern radio control surfaces [mixing consoles] need to be highly ergonomic in design,” said Yee Tat Nam. “They also need the control connectivity to talk to other equipment in a way that ultimately makes it easier for the on air talent to perform without errors. Control surfaces, however, still must have access to all the sophisticated features should they be required. Studer has invested a lot of effort into the surface design to get both these aspects right.”

Studer, in conjunction with PT. Kinarya, has successfully supplied both standalone mixing consoles and integrated Studio–MCR systems in to several Indonesian radio stations including the RRI network, Woman Radio, Elshinta Radio and others. “We are very excited by the future prospects in Indonesia and look forward to designing innovate solutions for the Indonesian market,” Prestidge commented.

GRAMMY®-Nominated Engineer Ben Chang Relies On HARMAN’s AKG Microphones In The Studio

VIENNA, Austria – Working up to 100 hours a week, 2-time GRAMMY nominated engineer, arranger and programmer Ben Chang stands behind his microphones, knowing the perfect sound starts with the perfect mic. Working alongside singer/songwriter Claude Kelly in New York City’s KMA studio in the historic Brill Building, Chang uses HARMAN’s AKG D12 dynamic and C451 condenser microphones as his go-to solutions for tracking hits.

With a client list ranging in artists such as David Cook, Steve Jordan, Jessie J, Lil Jon, Mya, Ne-Yo, Trey Songs, Tiësto and his GRAMMY-nominated work with Fantasia and Ledisi, Chang takes great pride in his projects, focusing on an “organic” sound with live drums and acoustic guitars.

AKG is a staple in the recording booth when Chang is on the boards, as he wants nothing less than the best sound for his work. The D12 dynamic instrument mic is on every drum record Chang produces. The mic is clipped inside the bass drum for a rich, intense beat. Chang also drops a D12 into pianos right above the strings for a soulful sound. C451 condensers are utilized as room mics and are workhorses in Chang’s studio. “We use the C451 and crush the hell out of it through a distressor,” he said. “The C451’s on vocals and drums also adds more flavor to a track.”

Chang also keeps multiple C414 studio mics, a C12 VR and C1000 microphones in his collection for artists.

“Some engineers and producers think hits are made in the mixing sessions after recording. For me, choosing the perfect mic is the most important part in the process of recording a hit,” stated Chang. “My clients crave perfection to their production, whether on guitars, drums, strings or vocals. I've even tracked a harmonica using the AKG D12 that was played by K'naan on one of a soon-to-be-released track. AKG mics are an important tool that helps capture that great tone, translating their vision into a complete project.“

As GRAMMY-nominated songwriter Claude Kelly's personal engineer, Chang feels blessed to play such a vital part in working with brilliant artists/producers that record in the studio. Ben is also managed by Make Moves Management, working as a team to provide award-winning opportunities to artists in the industry.

“I love the brightness AKG adds to the flow of my work – the flow that many other mics just can’t help but miss,” continued Chang.

For more information about AKG, please visit http://www.akg.com and http://www.youtube.com/AKGacoustics.

Pick Of The Hits - DigiTech on Wired.com, May 2012

Pick Of The Hits - JBL in Scholastic Administrator, Summer 2012

HARMAN’s JBL VERTEC® Line Arrays Highlight Audio System at the Paramount, Long Island’s Stunning New Concert Venue

Maryland Sound recently installed a JBL VERTEC
line array system at the new Paramount
music venue in Long Island, New York.

NORTHRIDGE, California – Long Island, New York has always been a hotbed of musical talent and now, Long Island boasts a new music venue—the Paramount, a striking 1,600-seat facility equipped with all the amenities to host major artists—including a HARMAN JBL VerTec® powered line array system. The system was designed and installed by Maryland Sound International, led by project manager Ryan Beck.

Formerly the site of the IMAC (Inter-Media Arts Center) Theater, the Paramount bears little resemblance to the old facility. Beginning in 2009, the interior space was completely gutted and underwent a total renovation. An entirely new audio system was installed including 20 JBL VerTec VT4888DPDA powered midsize line array elements on each side of the stage and 14 JBL MS28 compact loudspeakers located throughout the venue as lip, under-balcony, VIP box and rear bar fills. Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers power the MS28 speakers. An additional two hangs of six VT4887A compact line array elements each were installed for use with the VT4888DPDA line arrays as part of a 360-degree dance floor system. Crown I-Tech HD9000 amplifiers power the VT4887A loudspeakers.

“The construction of the Paramount was one of the most dramatic ‘before’ and ‘after’ transformations I’ve ever encountered,” said Beck. “Previously, the IMAC Theater was a plain-looking 600-seat room that occupied the top floor of the building, with a basement underneath. The entire floor of the IMAC was demolished, along with almost all the existing interior to create a huge space with floor, mezzanine and balcony seating, a VIP box on each side of the main floor and a large lobby.”

Once the initial demolition was complete, the Paramount owners realized they had a jewel in the making, with beautiful brick walls along all the sides going all the way to the top of a gracefully arched ceiling. “The owners wanted to preserve as much of its character as possible,” Beck said, “including architectural detailing like a patterned metal ceiling and stone ornamentation that dated back more than a century.”

However, that meant Maryland Sound would have to work with some very challenging acoustics. “Those brick walls and hard ceiling made for an extremely reflective acoustic environment—and we couldn’t ruin the look of the venue with acoustic treatment everywhere,” Beck added. “We went with the VerTec VT4888DPDA line arrays for the main system because aside from sounding great, we knew their controlled dispersion would direct almost all of their sound to the main floor, without bouncing off the sidewalls and ceiling and exciting the space with excessive reverberation.”

“The layout of the Paramount isn’t typical—in addition to the floor, mezzanine and balcony, there is a VIP box on each side of the main floor, and there are bars underneath the VIP boxes with a ‘sky bar’ section at the very back of the hall under the balcony,” Beck noted. “We had to install fill speakers in all of these spaces. The JBL MS28 speakers were ideal—they’re compact, full-range, play loud and mount easily on a wall or ceiling.”

“When it was time to fly the VerTec VT4888’s, we realized we didn’t like where the plans indicated we had to hang them,” Beck continued. “In most situations you’d just have to live with it, but since we were installing the system at the same time as the main construction, we were able to ask the contractors to install new steel girders at six different points other than originally planned, and we re-did the rigging points right on the spot. That’s something I’ve never encountered before in a club environment.”

Maryland Sound used HARMAN HiQnet™ System Architect™ 3.0 software to tune the system and the interface between the speakers and the amplifiers. “It works so well that we don’t have to use any outboard EQ,” Beck noted.

“We are really happy with the way everything turned out,” Beck concluded. “We were able to deal with a challenging situation and install a system that sounds excellent, and does not intrude upon the beautiful interior of the Paramount.”

For more information on Maryland Sound, please visit www.marylandsound.com

Elite Sound and Lighting Expands With HARMAN's Soundcraft

Darren Russell, managing director of Elite Sound and Lighting

CANBERRA, Australia - Elite Sound and Lighting of Canberra and the Australian capital's premier audiovisual production and installation supplier, has a wide variety of clients from dry-hire to rock'n'roll to corporate and conferencing. Consequently whenever the company purchases new equipment, the key element is versatility.

"We always spend a lot of time researching products, which is exactly what we did when we recently decided to invest in some compact digital audio consoles," commented Darren Russell, Elite's managing director. "We looked at what all the manufacturers in the market had to offer but in terms of versatility and features, we felt that HARMAN's Soundcraft consoles had the edge over the competition."

For Russell, one of the main selling points with the Soundcraft consoles is their ability to either take analogue inputs and outputs on the back of the console or use a CAT5 digital multicore system, or a combination of the two.

"That was a large part of the equation for us," Russell said. "Plus we've had some larger, older Soundcraft consoles in our hire department for many years and they've always sounded great and their reliability is always good. The fact that the digital consoles have that HARMAN pedigree in them is assuring; the effects are Lexicon and the processing is BSS or dbx models. It's all industry standard gear that sounds great."

The result of Elite's research led the company to purchase a Soundcraft Si Compact 16 console, a Soundcraft Si Compact 32 console and two Soundcraft Compact Stagebox digital multicore systems.

"For what they are and at the price point they are at, the Soundcraft Si Compact consoles sound amazing," Russell stated. "Versatility and features for their price were the main reason for their purchase. Soundcraft added a heap of new functionality in their most recent software upgrade, which was great. We had ordered them based on a demo of the previous version so we were delighted to have all these new features."

Russell remarked that his staff often comments that the Soundcraft consoles are obviously designed by people who have actually done live audio and mixed live sound.

"We have found that digital audio consoles come from either one of two places," he said. "They are either designed by a propeller-head, computer-programming boffin who has never mixed a band or show in their life or, as is evident with the Soundcraft consoles, they come from someone who actually has done live sound. It's nice to get a live sound console out of the box to find it's immediately evident that it has been designed by a sound guy!"

This was proven when Soundcraft's Australian distributor Jands sent Elite a Soundcraft Si Compact to demo and Darren and his crew had it up and running passing audio without even opening the manual.

"To be honest, since getting our Soundcraft Compact Si consoles we've probably only had to look at the manual twice to find out how to do some complex routing," added Russell. "Anyone who has mixed live sound before could get one of these consoles out of its box in its factory state and do a gig on it. That's how intuitive and user-friendly it is. We have operators with a vast level of experience and they can all use the Compact Si consoles straightaway. In fact I reckon my two and a half year old daughter could almost use one!"

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets - supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

Pick Of The Hits - DigiTech in Sound On Sound, June 2012

Philippines Audio Contractor Soundcheck on HARMAN's JBL VERTEC(r) V5 DSP Preset Tunings: "My Clients Are Noticing The Difference"

MUNTINLUPA, The Philippines - Soundcheck is one of the Philippines' top audio contractors and has handled the live sound for artists including Rihanna, Chris Brown, Incubus, Beyoncé, Linkin Park, Christina Aguilera and many others. The company has used HARMAN's JBL VERTEC(r) line arrays since their introduction, in situations from indoor corporate events to outdoor shows for major international touring acts. Soundcheck just upgraded to JBL's new V5 VERTEC preset tunings and its clients are hearing the improvement.

"We installed the V5 DSP presets in all of the VERTEC VT4888 and VT4888DP line arrays in our inventory, in the speakers' DrivePack DPDA input modules," said Jaime Godinez, owner and chief engineer of Soundcheck. "After installing the V5 upgrade and testing the speakers by running pre-recorded music for them for hours, we sent them out for a major local show right away. We went through the show without a hitch-and have since done more than 60 shows with them including a few large open-air concerts."

"When JBL introduced the V4 presets a few years ago I felt that they had given new life to the VERTEC system. But the improvement offered by the V5 is even more significant," Godinez continued. "The improvement in clarity, balance and coverage have made me fall in love with our audio systems all over again. But most importantly, my clients are noticing the difference between our sound and that of the competition."

"No comments I can give can adequately convey the experience of actually hearing the sonic improvements that V5 provides, especially in an open-air environment," Godinez noted. "I'll try by giving one example. Last March I was mixing the Coca-Cola Concert ng Bayan at the SM Mall of Asia, which celebrated 100 years of Coca-Cola in the Philippines. The concert featured around 20 performers and I brought 32 VERTEC VT4888's for the main front of house."

"The sound was so transparent and 'in your face' that many times during the night I had to double-check to see whether my near-field monitors were off or on, as the sound from the VERTEC arrays seemed to be coming from that close."

Godinez pointed out that he has to add more gain to the VT4888's using V5 to keep some mixing consoles from being driven too hot. "It's just something you have to pay attention to," he said. "With V5 you might have to make an adjustment to the gain of the DriveRack modules compared to the settings you'd use with the V4, to make sure the gain between the board, speakers and the rest of the system is optimized."

"Another big benefit we found is that using the V5 presets enables us to set the systems up faster," Godinez concluded.

In addition to their compatibility with JBL VERTEC DrivePack(r) DPDA input modules, V5 preset tunings are available for Crown VRACK amplifier packages, JBL HiQnet Performance Manager(tm) and HARMAN HiQnet System Architect(tm) V3.0 software and the Powered by Crown system control app.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets - supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

Ford AV and WJHW Collaborate on Powerful HARMAN Audio System for BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston

Ford AV installed a HARMAN audio system at the new BBVA Compass Stadium, home to the Houston Dynamos of the MLS.

NORTHRIDGE, California - Founded in 2005, the Houston Dynamo is a professional soccer team that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). After playing its first few seasons at the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium, the team needed a home of its own and will be moving to the newly completed BBVA Compass Stadium on May 12, 2012. The 30,000-seat stadium will offer the latest in facilities and amenities-including a HARMAN sound system that boasts more than 200 JBL loudspeakers, 50 Crown amplifiers and an extensive BSS Audio distribution and control system.

Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon and Williams, Inc. of Dallas, TX handled the audio system design, led by Senior Associate Gary White. Ford AV of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was the audio/video contractor for the project.

The loudspeaker complement for BBVA Compass Stadium main bowl includes a combination of 90 JBL AE Series and PD Series speakers. Models include JBL's AM7215/95-WRX and AM7215/26-WRX full-range 2-way 15-inch speakers, and PD5212/95-WRX and PD5212/64-WRX 2-way 12-inch high-output speakers. All of the speakers have JBL's WRX extreme weather protection treatment and are used in the main seating bowl of the stadium. In addition, 113 JBL Control(r) Contractor speakers are installed throughout the facility, including the Control 26CT and 24CT in-ceiling speakers and Control 25T and 28T-60 indoor/outdoor speakers, along with a pair of JRX112M monitors. The speakers are powered by 45 Crown CTs Series CTs-3000-LITE and seven CTs-2000-LITE amplifiers.

The audio system is networked together by an extensive complement of BSS Audio Soundweb London components, including 16 BLU-800 devices with CobraNet(tm), three BLU-160 devices, three BLU-120 I/O expansion devices, a BLU-80 device with CobraNet, seven 9015US Wall Panels, 12 BLUCARD-IN input cards and 29 BLUCARD-OUT output cards.

"BBVA Compass Stadium required a multi-purpose sound system that could handle public address and music throughout the facility," noted Gary White. "We've had great success with HARMAN products in the past and AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), one of the major promoters of Major League Soccer, has a partnership with HARMAN so it was a good fit all around."

The stadium's audio system has numerous zones including the main bowl area, the entrances, 34 private suites, the restrooms and other locations. In addition, separate dedicated sound systems are installed in the stadium's Premium Club, the press room and the post-game interview room. "The BSS Soundweb London components were absolutely essential in getting all of the different audio signals properly routed to all these diverse areas," White pointed out. "They make what could have been an overly complex system extremely manageable."

"The JBL AM7215 and PD5212 models are ideal for the main stadium area," said White. "They deliver high SPL and their rotatable waveguides enable optimum positioning and the ability to orient the speakers either horizontally or vertically. They are also weatherproofed and durable, which is almost as important a consideration as their sound quality and coverage pattern in a city like Houston with its extremes of weather and temperature."

Jason Werle, Project Manager for Ford AV's Dallas Division explained some of the challenges behind this installation. "In order to meet a deadline of when the lifts were no longer [allowed] on the field, our first task was to install all of the bowl speakers. At the time, the field was highly populated and made it challenging to navigate around the bowl. We installed all these speakers from the field level using an articulating boom and chain hoists. Any project of this size will have difficult cable pulls and Dynamo was no exception."

"We went with the JBL Control in-ceiling and outdoor speakers in the other areas of BBVA Compass Stadium because they are compact and can be installed inconspicuously, yet deliver powerful sound," noted White.

For more information about Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon and Williams, please visit www.wjhw.com

For more about Ford AV, please contact www.fordav.com

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets - supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG(r), Harman Kardon(r), Infinity(r), JBL(r), Lexicon(r) and Mark Levinson(r). The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.3 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2012.

HARMAN International