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L-Acoustics K2 High Performance Line Array Element

L-Acoustics K2 High Performance Line Array

Founded in 1984 by Dr. Christian Heil, L-Acoustics has long been recognized as the inventor of modern line source arrays, with its V-DOSC technology accepted as a world standard of sorts for large-scale sound systems. Now L-Acoustics previews its next generation — the K2 medium-large line array, matching the V-DOSC in performance, but at about half the weight. The company’s director of application/touring Florent Bernard and director of marketing Stéphane Ecalle, offered these insights.

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Fig. 1: Schematic representation of a center-tapped transformer with grounded center tap. Secondary voltages for this configuration are commonly 120V RMS between either leg and the center tap, or 240V RMS between the two legs. The EGC is not shown.

Portable AC Power Distribution, Part 2

In last month’s column, we covered the concepts behind common methods of AC power distribution, and a number of power specific terms that have specific definitions in the context of the National Electrical Code (NEC). That article was to lay the groundwork for this month’s discussion of portable power distribution in the language of the code. Readers are encouraged to reference that article, and generally re-familiarize themselves with the definitions within.

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PreSonus StudioLive 32.4.2 AI Digital Mixer

PreSonus StudioLive 32.4.2 AI Digital Mixer

The much-anticipated next generation of StudioLive consoles has finally arrived. The new StudioLive AI line is offered in 16-, 24- and 32-channel versions. And the numbers refer to full channels with mic preamps — there’s none of that “24 input board with 16 mic inputs and four stereo line inputs” business. All are four-bus designs.

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Telefunken M82 Kick Drum Microphone. For a video, go to fohonline.com/foh-tv.

Telefunken M82 Kick Drum Microphone

Maybe it’s because I’m also a drummer, but whenever a company introduces a new microphone designed for kick drum, I’m all ears. So earlier this year, when Telefunken Eletroakustik announced its new M82, I was definitely interested and even more so because the M82 also has onboard tone shaping switches to tailor the response to the job at hand.

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Seal at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City

When There’s No Familiar Ground, Start Digging

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of mixing a performance by Seal for a large corporate event held at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. This event was my first time working for this particular artist, and I must admit it was a completely enjoyable experience. Although I was familiar with his hits, I had no previous experience of any kind with Seal’s live shows. When taking on a fresh project, I believe two things to be of paramount importance: preparation and networking.

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EDM: Out of the Rave Caves and onto Wall Street’s Big Board

When wind or rain imperil lives and property at an outdoor concert, the authorities take notice. When recreational drugs do the same thing, it’s Wall Street that’s reacting. That’s what can be inferred by the cancellation of the last day of the Electric Zoo Festival on New York’s Randall’s Island Sept. 1 after a pair of concertgoers died of alleged drug overdoses. The cancellation was ordered by the city’s outgoing mayor Michael Bloomberg, who’s name is synonymous with the financial markets. He build a fortune worth over $20 billion by leasing specialized computer terminals for his market-data business before he was elected to (or purchased outright, depending on who you talk to) the office of Mayor of New York City.

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Pushing the limit? Make sure your metrics match those used by the sound cops.

I Can’t Drive 85

Officer: Excuse me sir, do you have any idea how fast you were driving?

Me: Officer, I swear I didn’t know I was speeding.

Officer: The neighbors can hear you seven miles away, and that’s across two rivers, a Christmas tree farm, a football stadium and an asylum for unstable musicians. I’ll have to take you in.

Me: Please officer, don’t take me in. I need this gig. So… exactly how fast was I going?

Officer: 118

Me: 118??!!! That’s impossible. This thing can’t even squawk out a hundred.

Officer: Sir, you’ll have to come with me…

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The original lapel mics were two inches in diameter, but today’s lavalier designs (such as this CR-8L from Point Source Audio) offer excellent performance in a miniature package.

Using Lavalier Microphones

Do you know when the lavalier microphone was invented? Well, lapel mics date back to 1932. Back then, any small microphone that could be hooked in the buttonhole of a lapel of a coat would qualify as a lav mic. Various models included condenser, ribbon, moving coil and carbon button mics.

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llustration by Andy Au

Politics, Negotiations and Audio

According to Wikipedia,  the word “Politics” is derived from Greek, politicos, meaning ‘of, for, or relating to citizens’). “It is the practice and theory of influencing other people on a civic or individual level. More narrowly, it refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance — organized control over a human community, particularly a state. A variety of methods is employed in politics, which include promoting its own political views among people, negotiations with other political subjects, making laws, and exercising force, including warfare against adversaries.”

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2013 AES NYC

Show Report: Product Hits of 2013 AES New York

NEW YORK CITY — Bucking the trend of past shows, the 135th convention of the Audio Engineering Society, held from October 17 to 20, 2013 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, was an overwhelming success on every level. After a disappointing turnout at last year’s show — that unfortunately coincided with Hurricane Sandy, which devastated parts of the East Coast and played havoc with air travelers throughout much of the country — AES rebounded this time with its highest attendance in five years, drawing some 18,453 registrants.

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