RICHMOND, VA – Lite-Tek Entertainment, production contractor for a series of cheerleading-related dance events sponsored by Cheersport, is working with longtime Turbosound audio supplier Soundworks to give the performers something more effective than just a hand-held megaphone: an Aspect TA-500 loudspeaker system.
Cheersport was founded in 1993 by sports coaches who wanted to support competitive cheerleading and dance. Cheersport has grown substantially since its first National Championships in 1997, and is currently hosting a series of dance events all over the U.S. that kicked off in Atlanta in late September 2009 and go through to April 2010, including the National Cheerleading and Dance Championship to be held in Atlanta in February.
Formed in 2000 as a local lighting company, meanwhile, Richmond, Va.-based Lite-Tek has benefited from a synergistic collaboration with Soundworks.
So why Turbosound? Darren Lewis, Lite-Tek's president, explains: "While I am primarily a lighting guy I started out in sound, so I trust my audio vendor Soundworks to have the best equipment for the job. I always like what I hear with Turbosound when it's on my jobs."
The Cheersport events are staged in venues ranging from convention centers to basketball arenas, and as a result spectator numbers can vary from 1,000 to over 5,000 depending on how many teams compete in each event.
Soundworks' PA system is configured for fast setup and predictably results. A pair of Aspect TA-500 wide dispersion trapezoidal three-way mid-highs are ground stacked atop four TSW-721 single 21" horn-loaded subs. Turbosound LMS-D6 loudspeaker management systems provide system control, and the rig is powered by Lab.gruppen FP series amplifiers.
"Under these widely differing conditions, the most important factor is volume and intelligibility," said Lewis. "We tend to get variable music quality from the competitors, and I think the Aspects handle it all really well. The music is full of dynamics, with lots of peaks and sound effects such as the bells and explosions that are part of the music. The speaker system can also get a lot of abuse – we can go for as much as 12 hours a day – and they've never let me down."
According to Grant Howard, vice-president and senior engineer at Soundworks, there is not much time for a leisurely and meticulous setup, and this is where the Aspect TA-500s are particularly useful.
"Throw and go is the name of the game," said Howard. "There is no time to be tweaking a finicky PA. The Aspect Wides always provide clear, consistent sound with minimal system set up and EQ. The side angles on the cabinets really are the coverage angles. Just bang ‘em together and the coverage pattern is perfect – quick and easy. The system never becomes fatiguing, even after 10 or more hours of constant high level remixes. It's really a great little rig."
For more information, please visit www.turbosound.com .
