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The S10, shown here coupled with the matching S119 subwoofer

Adamson Systems S-Series Line Array Family

Adamson Systems Engineering has been on a high technology roll over the past few years. The jump kicked off with its flagship E-Series E15 large-format line array system, with its twin 15-inch neodymium woofers flanking the innovative E-Capsule section housing the mid/high components: two 7-inch Kevlar cone mid drivers and two 1.5-inch exit compression drivers mounted on a Co-Linear Drive Module. This was later followed by the smaller, double-12 E12 system, which shared the E15’s voicing, but in a more compact enclosure.

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The FOH view from the front edge of the balcony

Boone United Methodist Church Takes Audio to a Higher Level

Located in the mountains near Howard’s Knob in the North Carolina High Country, Boone United Methodist Church has a variety of ministries that address a wide range of worshippers. To ensure their message is delivered clearly and that musical performances are reproduced naturally, the church recently completed a substantial AV upgrade that encompassed a significant sound reinforcement system.

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Fig. 1 Force factor BI (X)

Klippel Plots: Going Beyond the Thiele-Small Parameters

With the apparent ease of predicting vented loudspeaker response, it is tempting to blindly follow the software and assume that the curve on the screen is representative of what the loudspeaker will produce at any volume level. But the reality of loudspeaker performance is more complicated than is indicated from some piece of software found on the Internet.

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The mixer view in Waves Tracks Live

Waves Tracks Live

In the past ten years, the audio industry has witnessed an explosion of multi-track recording software that has become more affordable and accessible to the average audio practitioner. During this same time period, a number of companies have introduced recording software aimed directly at sound reinforcement engineers.

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The VENUE | S6L, shown here in the 32-fader version, with the outboard VENUE | E6L processing engine and the Stage 64 I/O rack

Avid VENUE | S6L Large Format Live Console

The rumors had been circulating for months, but on the cusp of last month’s NAB and Musikmesse / Prolight + Sound shows, Avid made the first public showing of its new flagship Avid VENUE | S6L, a large-format live consoles with a touch-based interface Ethernet AVB, Dante, MADI and Thunderbolt support, Pro Tools integration, industry-standard plug-ins, over 300 total processing channels and a new Stage 64 I/O rack with high performance preamps and versatile input/output options.

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The Eiffel Tower is a must for any Paris excursion (c) David Morgan

A Perfect Day Off

While the title of this column is “On the Digital Edge,” there are times when everyone needs to jump away from the edge and relax a bit. Days off while on tour provide this necessary refuge. This precious time is often reserved for sleeping, doing laundry, hitting the hotel gym or doing the little things that help one privately recharge during a 24-hour respite from show day pressures. However, while on tour in Europe, the opportunity to experience many beautiful places and art masterpieces on our days off is, by far, the more attractive choice.

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In this YouTube video, trucker Bryan Celestine outlines his routine for sating in shape while on the road.

Please Don’t Go – Not Just Yet

Years ago, when I was still getting on buses and planes to play music instead of write about it, I happened to mention to Allan Pepper (my manager at the time, and owner of the much-missed Bottom Line club in New York) that a lot of people I knew were getting married right around then. I remember myself saying something to the effect of, “Seems like this is the year for marriages.” To which Allan, after waiting the standard two-beat Jewish pre-punch line comedy interval, replied, “Wait ten years — it’ll seem like the year everyone’s getting divorced.”

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Starting out with some decent-quality generic (universal) fit earpieces -- such as these Shure SE215's, which ship with a variety of ear tip sizes -- can help encourage the band to accept IEMs.

Introducing Musicians to Personal Monitors: A Basic Guide

Converting a band from stage wedges to in-ear or “personal” monitors can be a beautiful thing, yielding better front-of-house and monitor mixes, more enjoyable performances and quite possibly, hearing conservation. Unfortunately, some musicians are so unwilling to change their habits that you might have an easier time converting them to a different religion! Here’s how to present the idea in a way that ensures a positive experience for everyone involved.

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The stealth approach: Two Renkus-Heinz IC24-R-II columns installed into the Old St. Louis Cathedral (St. Louis, MO) solved both intelligibility and aesthetic issues, with the speakers easily fading into the look of the sanctuary.

Column Arrays: Versatile and Sometimes Invisible

I’m a technology fanatic. I love checking out A/V technologies. Looking at pictures of huge line arrays and big lighting rigs is a favorite pastime. I’m sure many of you would agree. Some co-workers make fun of me for constantly reading equipment manuals, and I’m sure my wife also has a few opinions on the topic.

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Considering the expense of maintaining new and updated gear, it's also necessary for a provider to understand the marketplace for which they are providing equipment. (Illustration by Andy Au)

Console (and Gig) Whimsy

One of the more enjoyable aspects of my job is when manufacturers of audio gear come and demonstrate their products for me. In a business that is forever upgrading, it’s important for a rental house to be aware of the products that are viable and trending, and it is also imperative to the survival of a business such as this to maintain a roster of equipment that bands, engineers and promoters are requesting. Considering the expense of maintaining new and updated gear, it’s also necessary for a provider to understand the marketplace for which they are providing equipment.

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Musikmesse/Prolight+Sound 2015

Product Hits of Musikmesse/Prolight + Sound 2015

For anyone who’s never attended, the Musikmesse / Prolight + Sound exposition, held in Frankfurt, Germany from April 15 to 18, 2015, is a huge affair — sort of like a combined NAMM / AES / InfoComm / LDI, with ten exhibition halls of pro audio and music instruments spread out across the ginormous Messe Frankfurt expo complex and attracting 108,000 visitors. Product launches in pro audio tend run in cycles and right now, new sound reinforcement consoles and loudspeakers grabbed the headlines at the show, reflecting the overall health and continuing strength of the live market over studio products and other segments of the biz.

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George Petersen

Sorry, but…Einstein was Wrong!

Audio people tend to be a nerdy bunch. Last month on March 14, we all celebrated “Pi Day.” In case you missed the hoopla, it’s that rare occurrence on the third month on the 14th day of the 15th year of a century at 9:26 am, or 3/14/15 9:26. This was as all nerdy types (myself included) took a few seconds away from Facebook to celebrate stardate 3.1415926 — equating to a mathematical constant we all learned in calculating the circumference (2π r) or area (π r2) of a circle. Easy enough.

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