The Advantage

launches

30 Years Young:Celebrating ananniversaryICONYX and ST Series maketheir mark on auditoriums

RHAON rolls out worldwide

An ear for architecture:Italy’s stunning Pio Church

Compact and powerful:SGX Series in New York City

launches

30 Years Young:Celebrating ananniversaryICONYX and ST Series maketheir mark on auditoriums

RHAON rolls out worldwide

An ear for architecture:Italy’s stunning Pio Church

Compact and powerful:SGX Series in New York City

premiere editionGIVE YOURSELF

The Advantage

Summer 2009 FOR A BET TER SOUNDING WORLD

IC Live

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2 Contents, News

4 IC Live débuts in Italy with Adeo Group

6 30 Years of Renkus-Heinz

HOUSES OF WORSHIP

10 An ear for architecture: St Pio

14 American Beauty

16 Classic ICONYX solution for Cranford

17 Vietnamese Martyrs Church

AUDITORIUMS

20 Oslo Opera: ST4/4s in action

24 Wexford Opera: Song by the Sea

26 New Jersey PAC: a Trailer

LIVE & LEISURE

28 Sturgis Rally, Alice Cooper & VLX3

30 National Harbor: RHAON by the river

32 Dubliner Pub, New York City

RETAIL & SPORT

34 Wukesong Olympic Arena

35 King Abdul Aziz International Airport

36 Sky High in Souzhou Mall

38 Pooling Talents in Wales

40 Czech Champions Roll Out RHAON

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IN BRIEF Stagetec integrates SysTune with AURUSIn a move that looks certain to set a trend,Stagetec announced at Pro Light+Sound2009 that it has become the first mixingconsole manufacturer to integrate AFMG’sSysTune live sound system measurementsoftware within a console work surface.SysTune will be available to AURUScustomers as a seamless solution inte-grated into the powerful mixing console’sdisplay screens. Any adjustments can bemade conveniently from the FOH positionusing the SysTune interface, acting on theintegrated NEXUS audio network DSPs.www.stagetec.com

Winspear Opera set to take Dallas digitalAs we closed for press the Winspear OperaHouse in Dallas, the nation’s premier new-build opera theatre, is scheduled to openits doors this summer. With audio design byMartin van Dijk at Engineering Harmonicsand installation by Clair Brothers, thiseagerly-anticipated auditorium will featureRenkus-Heinz STLA/9 line arrays, whichlower through the ceiling when required,and a permanent proscenium arch installof ICONYX IC16s and IC8s. Two STLAX/9line arrays will provide outdoor entertain-ment in the Courtyard.www.dallasopera.org

leader

To desribe this year as ‘challeng-ing’ would be a spectacularunderstatement, as so many of

our business partners and customersknow all too well.We hear daily tales of dedication

beyond the call of duty to close deals,solve seemingly impossible technicalchallenges and convince the world thatthe proof of honest value in a profes-sional audio soluition is best exempli-fied by products that not only deliveras promised from day one but continueto do so throughout the system’sdesign life, and way beyond even yourcustomers’ best expectations.In this magazine I hope we’ll raise

some eyebrows among those whothink they have Renkus-Heinz brandvalues (and value for money) nailed.ICONYX has already made intelligiblesermons possible in hundreds ofechoey stone churches and railwayterminii; RHAON networking is slash-ing install costs and VerSys brings anew concept to the traditional, over-weight large-format line array.But most of all we hope you can see

that behind every project, live orinstall, a responsive, highly creativeand technically astounding team willbe behind you every step of the way.

Renkus-Heinz celebrates 30thbirthday at PL+S and InfoComm

April 1 at Pro Light+Sound marked anexceptional anniversary for Renkus-Heinz – 30 years to the day since its

foundation. The family owned company willcontinue the celebrations at InfoComm.Renkus-Heinz was founded in California

on April 1 1979 with the stated intent to“contribute to a better sounding world…onesound system at a time”. Since then thecompany has gone on to pioneer a host ofnew technologies – many winning USpatents.“We set out with the principles of innova-

tive, quality-first audio design,” saysfounder and President Harro Heinz, “and

are proud to say that we have held firm tothose ideals, in aiming to create uniquesolutions to day-to-day acoustical chal-lenges.”Along with this year’s other newcomers,

the IC Live digitally steerable array portablesystems and VLX3 lightweight, high powerline array, it’s in a long line of engineering‘firsts’, including RHAON (Renkus-HeinzAudio Operations Network), Complex Conichorn topology, CoEntrant Topology, TRueArray Principle (TRAP) and the industry’sfirst loudspeakers to offer CobraNet® as abuilt-in option.SEE FEATURE, PAGES 6-9

THE ITALIAN JOB: IC LIVE LAUNCHED IN ROME(SEE STORY, PAGE 4)

MONIKA SMETONA, HARRO HEINZ AND RALPH HEINZ

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Renkus-Heinz addsonline project videotours to website

As you may have noticed, Renkus-Heinz is slowly but surely adding agrowing video webcast section to the

existing project case study and news pageson our website at www.renkus-heinz.com.First to star in this expanding project was

the beautiful church in Springfield, Mass,which we visited as part of an East Coasttour earlier this year.The same trip took in the Legends sports

bar in midtown Manhattan, New JerseyPerforming Arts Center, and the Dublinerpub in Manhattan’s Financial District.The results are now appearing in various

press articles, as well as in this magazine,but most excitingly of all in video form.Visit our website and you will now find

brief video presentations of the aforemen-tioned installations, which give a uniqueinsight into the locations, the equipmentand the people who made them happen.On occasion we will include practical

demonstrations, too, as you will see in theinterview at the Church of the Sacred Heartin Springfield with the integrator, RichardO’Connell of AV DesignBuild. “Why don’tyou walk up to the mic and keep talking,and let’s hear the ICONYX in action?” wesuggested. Check out the results!

Adeo hosts first European demoof IC Live and VerSys in Rome

Engineering Manager Tim Shuttleworthgraduated with honours with a degree inElectronics. His career began at Neve, leadingthe design of large scale mixing consoles forAbbey Road, DeLane Lea Music Center andA.I.R., among many more. He then becameEngineering Director at CADAC before spend-ing time in Australia designing custom elec-tronics for audio and video installations andrunning his own design-build systems inte-gration venture. A post as Neotek’s Directorof Engineering followed, before Tim joinedJBL Professional as Director of ElectronicsDevelopment. Most recently he was VP ofEngineering for the Stanton Group.

Tim Shuttleworth

Over 40 companies were present tohear Adeo Group give its Italiancustomers their first live hearing of

both IC Live and VerSys VLX3 in May in ahugely successful one-day presentationthat had attracted at least two confirmedorders by the time we went to press.Hosted by Adeo’s Sasha Defranchesi,

with guest presenters Ralph Heinz andKarl-Gustaf Khalau, the show was the firsttime European consultants, rental compa-nies and installers had got their hands andears on the two systems, and reactionswere enthusiastic.The demo was staged in the Rome’s

Cuba Garden, a salsa dance hall deliber-ately chosen for its tough acoustics. Around

120 guests heard both systems, with theVLX3 flown from scaffolding towers and theIC Live pair ground-stacked on its matchingsubwoofers. The Adeo team was on handafterwards to demonstrate the hardwareand the BeamWare and RHAON software.“The demo day was an oustanding

success,” comments Renkus-Heinz’s Karl-Gustaf Kahlau, “and confirmed that this is agreat formula to roll out at other locationsaround Europe. Adeo organised the daysuperbly, and we were delighted to supporttheir efforts, and will offer the samesupport to other distributors looking topromote these new products in their ownmarkets.” Defrancheshci added in anemail: “We were really delighted with it all.”

Scott PizzoEast Coast Regional SalesManager Scott Pizzo joinedin April 2008 to strengthenour support for dealers andtheir key customers in theeastern region of the US, aneasy choice as the firstpriority for an expansion ofour sales organization. Scotthad in-depth experience ofthe live sound market asEAW/EAW CommercialDirector of Sales, US andCanada and as SalesManager for Lexicon.

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US ICONYX Commissioning Training programscores first successes as consultants sign up

IC LIVE wows ProLight+Sound’s Concert SoundArena with first Digitally Steerable Live PA

Renkus-Heinz has named its firstfactory-authorized commissioningspecialists, appointed as part of a

program to extend the community ofspecialists qualified to commission ICONYXand RHAON equipped audio installations.Sam Berkow, Adam Shulman and Steve

Sockey of SIA Acoustics; Stephen Solbergand Robert Ledo of CFA Consulting; BruceCoffman of Touch Thirty Three Consultingand James Brawley of James Brawley andAssociates are the appointed specialists.The announcement follows an intensive

two-day training session at the firm’sFoothill Ranch, CA, factory, part of whichwas spent on-site at the nearby ICONYX-

equipped San Juan Capistrano MissionBasilica.David Rahn, US National Sales Manager,

explains: “Our in-house system commis-sioning program has become very popularwith ICONYX installers, and a lot of otherintegrators have been using it as well,perhaps to fine tune a RHAON network orto optimize system performance.“We’ve found this an excellent way of

reaching out to our customers and learningmore about their installations, and we havebeen increasingly supporting it with keyengineering and application resources fromthe factory.“Since more and more consultants are

writing specs for our equipment, and giventhat this year we will have more ICONYX, ICLIVE and RHAON projects than ever, weanticipate a strong growth in demand forthese services.“The answer was to make these tech-

niques available to our trusted regionalconsultants, empowering them to commis-sion these systems on our behalf, and theprogram has been rolled out very success-fully.”He adds: “We will, of course, continue to

provide factory commissioning for complexprojects, while these new resources willmake the services available to even morecustomers.”

The Renkus-Heinz IC LIVE digitallybeam steerable array made light workof Frankfurt Pro Light+Sound’s

Concert Sound Arena in three daily demon-strations at the show.Its live European début, with one pair per

side stacked on the outdoor stage,surrounded by other manufacturers’ linearray hangs, was part of the company’s30th anniversary celebrations.“We had large crowds out there to hear

the new system,” says Marketing ManagerMargie Ulm. “The universal reaction wasamazement at the quality and quantity ofoutput from such a compact system. IC

LIVE really showed that it can hold its ownagainst much larger systems – and deliverclearer, purer sound.”A pair of dual stacked IC LIVE arrays with

matching IC215S dual 15-inch bandpasssubwoofers were demonstrated on thestage, while the other new Renkus-Heinzproduct being launched at ProLight+Sound, the VERSYS VLX3 line array,was on show at the company’s booth withGerman distributor Atlantic Audio.IC LIVE brings Renkus-Heinz’s ICONYX

Digitally Steerable Array technology to liveevents for the first time, producing tightlyfocussable narrow vertical beams.

Jaye Waas Ethan BerrySenior Electronics EngineerJaye Waas, who joined us lastDecember, is a seasoned electronicsengineering design professionalwhose immediate past employmentwas with the advanced technologiesdevelopment group at the majorconsumer and pro audio manufac-turer Harman International. He hasalso worked with Miller and Kreiseland at Sierra Automation Systems asa Senior Electronics Engineer. He hasa strong background in class Damplification as well as in digitalaudio transmission and processing.

Junior ElectronicsEngineerEthan Berry joinedRenkus-Heinz in April thisyear. He has an EE degreefrom California StateUniversity, Fullerton. Hewas previously with PowerPhysics, a manufacturer ofclass D power amplifiersand power supplies foraudio. Ethan brings ayouthful energy andenquiry to the Renkus-Heinz Engineering team.

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Celebrating three decades of

1979, UN Secretary General Kurt Wald-heim declared, was the International Yearof the Child. Snow fell on the SaharaDesert. Pluto’s eccentric orbit brought itcloser to the Sun than Neptune. The BeeGees, ABBA, Donna Summer and RodStewart headlined the Music for UNICEFconcert in New York. In California, a corpo-ration called Renkus-Heinz registered forthe first time.

The first four events may have madebigger headlines at the time, but that smallpebble dropped into the nascent pro audioindustry continues to generate an expand-ing ripple effect, powered by successivewaves of new technologies that deliverbetter sound.For Harro Heinz, founding a company

was in his blood. “I come from a family ofentrepreneurs,” he said recently, “so theitch was always there. Not being a gambler,I wanted to get solid experience in runninga company before striking out on my own.That process took me a long time.” Begin-ning as an engineer at Grundig, a Germanradio manufacturer, Harro eventuallybecame President of Rauland Borg, theposition he left to found Renkus-Heinz.At a stage of life where many successful

executives start planning for retirement,Harro was just beginning a new venture, ina new field. “Because I didn’t start as ayoungster and already had a family to takecare of,” he reflects, “conservative financialdecisions came naturally. This was notalways the most prudent approach: thecompany grew slowly. But in this economy,our timing is excellent. We have cashinstead of debt, along with several years’worth of solid investment in networking andsteerable loudspeaker technology.” Takingcare of the Heinz family has also proven tobe a good investment: Harro’s son Ralph isnow Senior Vice President, with majorresponsibilities in R&D and product devel-opment, while Monika (Heinz) Smetona isVice President, Administration.Both the company’s strong cash position

and its systems-oriented product linereflect Harro’s experienced guidance. “Mybackground is in electronics,” he points out.“I have always looked for ways to leverageloudspeaker technology with electronics,

first with analog processors and amplifiersand more recently with digital technology.Today, electronics are an important compo-nent of our overall business.”“Digital technology is re-shaping the pro

audio landscape, just as in many otherindustries,” Ralph Heinz points out. “We areleading the way with RHAON, the Renkus-Heinz Audio Operations Network, whichconnects all of our powered loudspeakers,including Iconyx Digitally Steerable ArraySystems and the new IC Live.”

SONIC CONCEPTSRalph, who trained as a mechanical engi-

neer, “has a natural talent for understand-ing acoustics,” says Harro. Patents forinnovations such as TRAP (True Array Prin-ciple) and CoEntrant technologies reflectthe truth of that statement. These andother unique concepts like Complex Conichorns and Reference Point Arrays are thefoundation of Renkus-Heinz’ well-estab-lished reputation for sonic excellence.Reference Point Arrays proved that

acoustical performance could be madesignificantly better with loudspeaker-specific signal processing. Iconyx takes anadditional step, using multi-channel ampli-fiers with individual DSPs (Digital SignalProcessors) to steer the output of lineararrays. It takes more than “digital magic” tomake this concept work in the real world,though.Proper acoustical design is essential as

well. “The first Iconx arrays wereconstructed of 4-inch co-axial transduc-ers,” Ralph explains. “They balance reason-ably full-range output, high power handlingwith tight intra-driver spacing that allowsus to effectively steer high frequencies. Oursecond generation Iconyx transducer usesa dual-tweeter array to control highfrequency beamwidth. That reduces “grat-ing” lobes in the highest octaves, a problemthat DSP alone cannot solve.”“The design target for Iconyx was perma-

nent installations in large, reverberantspaces,” Ralph recalls. “But some of ourcustomers saw the advantages of the smallprofile, wide horizontal coverage and verti-cally steerable beams in other applications,such as corporate events and acousticmusic concerts. It was clear that manymore people could use Iconyx technology

FROM TOP:• THE ORIGINAL FACTORY AT AIRPORT CIRCLE• THE BACK AREA – ASSEMBLY AND TESTING• OUR FIRST DELIVERY TRUCK• THE ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT

BY CHRIS DOERING

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f innovations

for live events if they could cover largeraudiences.”Renkus-Heinz engineers did not stop

with boosting SPL. They looked at the liveevent production cycle, from transport tosetup, stage and projection sightlines, tear-down and load-out. “IC Live reflects ourunderstanding of the live event businessmodel,” Ralph explains. “For instance,we’ve developed two components — a full-range array module and a subwoofer —that combine in six different configurations.That allows a rental company to handle awide range of events with just two inventoryitems. We’ve designed the electronics to beoperated in a very simple, fast, preset-select mode, or with full customization forthose who have the time, the computerskills and the audio expertise to take fulladvantage of digital steering and beam-shaping.”

AN EAR TO THE MARKETIt’s no accident that IC Live came about

as a result of customer input. Strong work-ing relationships have been a pillar ofRenkus-Heinz since the beginning. “It’s atwo-way street,” says Vice President, Inter-national Sales Karl Brunvoll. “By workingclosely with each other on both the techni-cal and commercial levels, we get better atwhat we are doing. Our shared investmentstretches beyond simply selling loud-speaker products. We build business rela-tionships that strengthen the overall valuefor the client.”Brunvoll, who started working for a

Norwegian distributor of Renkus-Heinzloudspeakers, joined the organizationdecades ago. But he is by no means thelongest-serving employee. “We have nineemployees who have been part of thecompany for more than 20 years,” MonikaSmetona points out. “Over a third of ourstaff has more than 10 years of experiencewith Renkus-Heinz products andcustomers. The rest of our employees havean average tenure of over five years.”Depth of experience is a key ingredient in

the Foothill Ranch factory’s unique abilityto deliver customized built-to-order prod-ucts on an off-the-shelf time schedule. Butas Vice President, Operations Rik Kirbypoints out, the build-to-order model dedi-cated to meeting customer needs is truly a

core competency.“We do have anextremely skilledand experiencedproduction staff,”he emphasizes.“BecauseRenkus-Heinzhas always built toorder, they areused to working thisway. From the onlineordering system and theweb product Configurator,to the way we manage workorders and QC, our informationsystems and production lines haveevolved to meet customer requirements forspecific, often unique applications.”“We design, prototype, and manufacture

in house,” Rik points out,” so our build-to-order methodology begins with the designprocess. We aim to cut complete cabinets,or multiples thereof, every time a sheet ofwood is laid on the CNC machine, ratherthan doing a run of tops, another ofbottoms and so on. This allows us tocustomize each order to the customer’srequirements during the normal production

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process rather than having to wait untilwe’re doing another run of that SKU beforewe can satisfy the customers’ order.”Plant investments are also focused on

the build-to-order model. “With our newSurface Mount Technology (SMT) pick andplace machine,” says Rik, “we can manu-facture our electronics quickly inhouse rather

than relying on outside vendors.” Theskilled production team and flexible facili-ties also accelerate the design cycle byrapidly delivering prototypes to the engi-neering test lab. Even many internationalshipments are built to order, going straightto the job site instead of sitting on shelvesin an overseas warehouse.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND TOOLSCorrect application is particularly

important with new technologies and toolsthat solve previously intractable problems,but demand new ways of thinking andworking. “Because of this,” Karl says,“we are always looking for local repre-sentatives or distributors who share ourenthusiasm for the forefront of audiodevelopment, and who have acousticsand system design expertise.They are local extensions of the

knowledge, expertise and experiencewe have developed over 30 years. With-out local expertise and know-how toproperly apply this technology, Iconyxwould still be sitting on the shelf.Instead, our representatives aretaking it to new levels, and becomingtrue ‘beam steering experts.’”One of the newest additions to the

Renkus-Heinz family is Vichai Trad-ing (1983) in Thailand. “We haverecently added many new brands inresponse to a distribution consoli-dation by one of our previousmanufacturing partners,” saysThaweesak Thamsirisup of VichaiTrading (1983). “Renkus-Heinz iswell ahead of many other manu-facturers we work with in terms ofboth product development andsupport. Business partnership ismore than a nice turn of phrasewith these people.”National Sales Manager David

Rahn maintains the same kind ofnetwork with US manufacturers’representatives, says RockyGianetta. His company, Fault Line,has been part of the Renkus-Heinzfamily for well over a decade. “Weaccept and embrace the challenge ofa changing role that requires us toprovide services and help educate themarketplace,” Rocky says. “Therewards are greater than just sellingboxes. When you go into a room thathas had maybe four different soundsystems in its lifespan, and theowners tell you that they can hear forthe first time — that’s quite a payoff forthe integrator, the specifier, andourselves.”As part of its focus on better sound,

Renkus-Heinz has consistently champi-

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oned the use of objective data in systemdesign and commissioning. Generations ofaudio professionals, including many fromother loudspeaker manufacturers, haveattended EASE classes at Renkus-Heinz.Renkus-Heinz also supports other softwareprograms developed by AFMG (Ahnert Feis-tel Media Group) such as EASERA andSysTune. Test and measurement tools suchas these have become increasingly impor-tant as products have evolved and technol-ogy has advanced.“It is extremely important to us, to our

sales partners, and of course to the endclient, that sound systems using our prod-ucts are well designed and installed bycompetent technicians,” Rik Kirby empha-sizes. “We require that our dealers becomecertified on Iconyx products before they cangain access to the line, and as we are oftencalled upon in the final commissioningstage of RHAON and Iconyx projects, itmade sense to enhance existing relation-ships with our consulting colleagues.Factory Authorized CommissioningSpecialists are invited to the factory for anextensive training program. We educatethem in the theory as well as the practice ofour products, and show them the trou-bleshooting techniques we have developedin the past few years of supporting Iconyxand RHAON. As the market’s adoption of RHAON has

gained momentum we have included this inour consultant commissioning training sowe can continue to offer quick, effective,support as required.”

For Harro Heinz, education, productdevelopment and manufacturing processeswork hand in hand to solve sound reinforce-ment problems. And the task is far fromcomplete.“There’s a lot to be done with the integra-

tion of DSP and acoustical engineering,”says Ralph Heinz. “The growth of RHAONhas created an opportunity to integrate testand measurement software like EASERAand SysTune with loudspeaker-specific andeven location-specific DSP. I believe we arejust touching the surface in terms of inte-grating large, facility-wide sound systemsto deliver a consistently high quality audioexperience.”It’s clear that for Renkus-Heinz, the next

30 years will be much more exciting thanthe last. Of course, if you want to build thefuture, you have to build a company to do it.“Fortunately, we can continue to invest inour business, even in the current economicclimate,” says Rik Kirby. “We are hiring newengineering staff, developing new technolo-gies, and adopting the latest in manufac-turing techniques to keep ourselves andour partners at the forefront of the loud-speaker business. We are the only manu-facturer who can offer networked controland audio delivery via Ethernet across ourentire product range. We view this as a verystrong platform for a future in which AV andIT continue to move closer together.”Even non-gamblers like Harro Heinz will

bet on Renkus-Heinz meeting that chal-lenge, and whatever else the next 30 yearsmay bring.

“It is extremely important to us, to our

sales partners, and of course to the

end client, that sound systems using

our products are well designed and

installed by competent technicians”

TOP LEFT, PAGE 8: JONAS RENKUS

FAR LEFT, THIS PAGE: DRIVER ASSEMBLY

LEFT, THIS PAGE: WORKSHOP SCENE

BELOW: HARRO HEINZ

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The shrine of St Pio in San GiovanniRotondo, a small town in southernItaly, is the second-most visited

Catholic shrine in the world after that of theVirgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City, and iscentred on the tomb of Padre Pio ofPietrelcina, a Capuchin friar, priest andmystic known for his devotion to God, carefor the sick and supernatural gifts. Thetomb of St. Pio, who died in 1968 and wasdeclared a Saint in 2002, is in the Church ofour Lady of Grace, in the friary on theoutskirts of the town, behind which the newSt Pio Church stands: designed by world-famous Genoan architect Renzo Piano andcompleted in 2004, it can seat 6,500, with30,000 more pilgrims able to be hosted inthe olive tree-lined outdoor precinct.The church’s congregation and pilgrims

alike are now able to hear the ceremonies

perfectly thanks to just three Renkus-HeinzIconyx digitally controlled line arraysinstalled by a partner contractor of AdeoGroup, the manufacturer’s Italian distribu-tor. No mean task, considering that it isreportedly among Christendom’s largestchurches: in fact, the main indoor portionof the church’s main hall requires a 65meter (200 ft) throw.Engineer Giuseppe Muciaccia, the friary’s

works manager for the construction of thenew church, inaugurated with a Massconcelebrated by 10 Cardinals, 120 bishopsand 500 priests, explains: “Thanks to thework by specialist German acoustic firmMüller-BBM for the Renzo Piano BuildingWorkshop, including special acousticpanels installed in the suspended ceiling,the church has wonderful acoustics as faras events not requiring amplification are

How threeIconyx arrays

solve theacoustics

of thisextraordinary

6,500 seatchurch – the

world’ssecond most

visited Catholicshrine

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FACT FILELocationThe Shrine of St. Pio,San Giovanni Rotondo, ItalyChallengesHuge space, many reflectivesurfaces, low roof relative tovolumeCapacitySanctuary 6,500; precinct 30,000LoudspeakersRenkus-Heinz IC32 x 2; IC8 x 1ConsultantNicola PalazzoSystem supplied byAdeo GroupArchitectRenzo Piano Building Workshop

AN EAR FOR

Standing just 16 metres high, the

structure of the 6,500-capacity Padre Pio

Pilgrimage Church has a spiral-shape

movement, with the dome sweeping down

from the centre towards the precinct in a

gesture of welcoming invitation.

Architects the Renzo Piano Building

Workship explain that the technical

challenge lay in the use of local stone as a

structural material: the church includes

some twenty stone arches arranged in

radial fashion to support the giant roof

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concerned, but problems arose with thesound reinforcement system originallyinstalled.”Nicola Palazzo, the technical consultant

called in by the friars who run the sanctu-ary, the shrine, TV and radio channels,continues: “We chose the Renkus-Heinzunits supplied by Adeo for the new install,not only for their excellent performance,but also because Adeo enabled us torecover some of the previous components,as ‘fill’ speakers when the perimeter doorsare opened round the shell-shapedchurch’s hall.”Palazzo, whose company is also a key

player in the broadcast sector and workswith almost all the most important TVnetworks in southern Italy, particularlyMediaset, continues: “We opted for theIconyx as opposed to the other two brands

initially considered, as they’re wide-rangespeakers (120Hz to 18khz), so they alsoenable excellent music reinforcement,whereas the others focused mainly onspeech frequencies.”Living up to the aim of being “architec-

turally transparent – designed to be heardbut not seen”, the two main enclosures arealmost invisible to worshippers enteringthe church. One is installed behind thecelebrant’s seat on one of the supports ofthe huge window with motorized fabricpanels depicting the Apocalypse alongsidethe altar, whereas the other blends in withthe horizontal wooden elements of thesuperstructure of the majestic organ on theother side, hand-built by Pinchi of Folignoand reportedly the largest ever constructedin Italy, with no less than 5,814 pipes.Behind its perforated steel grille, each

“The faithful andpilgrims, whopreviously haddifficultyunderstandingsermons in the newchurch, have alsoexpressed theirappreciation of thetangible difference”

OR ARCHITECTURE

PHOTO: ARCHIVIO VOCE DI PADRE PIO

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tall, slim IC32 (377 x 15.3 x 17.8cm)aluminium enclosure houses 32 coaxialtransducers with a 4” woofer and dual 1”tweeters, divided into four sections, eachpowered by an eight-channel class Damplifier/DSP processor with a powerrating of 50W RMS per channel. Despitetheir slender lines, the IC32 units produce100dB peak SPL at 100ft and ensureconsistent pattern control down to 200Hz.The eight-channel module format simpli-fies shipping and transport and multiplescan be quickly joined together on-site: theIC8 at the far side of the organ is a singlemodule, identical to each of the foursections forming the two main IC32 arrays,installed at the altar.The enclosures’ vertical alignment main-

tains consistently broad horizontal disper-sion, allowing each array to cover a widersection of the worshippers.

In the church’s control room, the deskhosts six 8x8 DSP units, forming the matrixcontrolling the audio set-up, whichcurrently has a total of forty incomingsignals, as Palazzo explains: “as well as thegooseneck mics on the pulpit, altar and atthe celebrant’s chair, and wireless modelsused by the officiants, I had also installed a‘tree’ of quality shotgun mics to ensure thebest possible sound for the organ and thechoir. Two are for the organ, the others forthe choir - with three for the treble voices,sopranos and contraltos and three for themale voices.Two more microphones are available for

events requiring a smaller choir or forinstruments, such as flute and violin.”Other incoming channels consist in mediaplayers and feeds from a series of multi-media rooms in another area of the church.Recording facilities are also implemented

and, although the facility has not yet beenintegrated, the system was designed toenable it to be controlled remotely in thefuture.Audio automation is based on a profes-

sional media controller and two maintouch-panels giving access to various levelsof control feature a Graphic User Interface,also developed by Adeo.In the event of a hitch with the main

control network, a small control panel ismounted on the main desk and another in asmall room adjacent to the main hall,enabling the system to be switched on andoff or muted.

EXCEPTIONAL STIKarl-Gustaf Kahlau, Renkus-Heinz

export sales manager for Europe and theMiddle East, accompanied Adeo Group’sMD Sasha Defranceschi to the demo in the

AN EAR FOR ARCHITECTURE

THE ADEO-DESIGNED TOUCHSCREEN CONTROL

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prestige location and said: “Adeo did asplendid job on this project and took advan-tage of the consultant support we offer,hiring Karen Irmscher from ADA AcousticDesign in Berlin to do the simulation.”Defrancheschi measured STI in near field

(approx 15m) to 0.66 and in far field (approx35m) to 0.59 - quite astonishing results,considering the dimensions of the hallwhich, when empty, has a reverberationtime of around 5.5 seconds. The setupchosen for the demo performed loud andclear and made an immediate impact.The members of the friars’ technical

commission were visibly impressed withthe demo’s results and, now the systemhas been installed and successfully operat-ing for several months, Muciaccia says: “aswell as merging very well with the décor -at a distance they’re almost unnoticeable –compared to the previous setup, the results

achieved are like the difference betweenday and night.” Since the two days’ initial fine tuning and

start-up work, the new system has nowbeen in place for some time and StefanoCampanella, head of the friary’s pressoffice and director of Tele Radio Padre Pio’sprogram content, enthused: “I wish toexpress the friars’ satisfaction. Followingthe good results achieved, they intendasking the supplier to provide a similarsystem for the Sanctuary of Santa MariaDelle Grazie, where the mortal remains ofSaint Pio are kept. I must say that the faith-ful and pilgrims, who previously had diffi-culty understanding sermons in the newchurch, have also expressed their apprecia-tion of the tangible difference.”

A VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEAREDIN LIGHTING & SOUND INTERNATIONAL

The enclosures’

vertical alignment

maintains broad

horizontal

dispersion, allowing

each array to cover

a wider section of

the worshippers

The BeamWare plot (above, left) dramatically shows the broad sweep of coverage of the fan-shaped sanctuary by the two principal ICONYX IC32 digitally

steerable arrays. Karen Irmscher from ADA Acoustic Design in Berlin provided EASE simulations and Adeo Group’s Sascha Defranchesci measured STI

in near field (approximately 15 metres) to 0.66, and in far field (35 metres) at 0.59 – exceptional figures in a hall whose RT when empty is 5.5 seconds

PHOTO: ARCHIVIO VOCE DI PADRE PIO

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A 1,000-seat Catholic church in Springfield, Massachussetts, hasfound an acoustical and architectural solution in Renkus-HeinzICONYX. A pair of digitally steerable, architecturaly color-matched IC24 arrays is discretely located either side of thecentral arch.

Americanbeauty

The 125-year-old Sacred Heart Church,in Springfield, Massachusetts, has avisually breathtaking, yet intensely

acoustically reverberant, sanctuary.Richard G. O’Connell of AV DesignBuild

asked to resolve a fundamental problem:parishioners were unable to hear eulogies

and sermons, and there was occasionalradio breakthrough. His solution comprisednew control equipment – and a pair ofICONYX digitally steerable arrays. “Wereplaced the ten old speakers with twoIC24s and replaced the control system.Now everyone can hear every word.”

CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART: SPRINGFIELD: MASSACCHUSSETTS

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READ THE FULL STORY IN LIGHTING & SOUND AMERICA, JUNE 2009

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FACT FILELocationAll Saints Church, Springfield, MAChallengesClassical architecture with RT tomatch, RF interferenceLoudspeakersRenkus-Heinz IC24 x 2Control system and sourcesBiamp Audia Solo premixer; Aphex1788 microphone preamp; APBDynasonics mixer; Audix M2155microphonesSystem integratorsAV DesignBuild

PHOTOS: MIKE LETHBY

Interview at wwww.renkus-heinz.com

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1STPRESBYTERIAN

CHURCH,CRANFORD, NJ

ICONYX

Built in 1894 by Irish carpenters,the elegant 1st PresbyterianChurch in Cranford, NJ, is deliver-

ing clearer services to its congregationscourtesy of a new audio system featuringRenkus-Heinz ICONYX IC8 digitally steer-able array loudspeakers.The historic Shingle Style sanctuary

building on Springfield Avenue featuresRomanesque rounded arches and beau-tiful examples of American Opalescentstained glass windows, carefully restoredin 2000 by members of the 600-strongchurch community. Inside, a cathedral-style ceiling meets white walls, softcarpet and wooden pews.Mike Sinclair of New Jersey-based

system integrators Audio Incorporatedexplained that a combination of desires –for both better acoustics and betteraesthetics – on the ministry’s part led tothe choice of audio systems.“It was partly an architectural and

partly an intelligibility issue,” he says.“They used to have a large speaker thathung in the middle between the lecternand the pulpit which didn’t belong therevisually and didn’t really do a very goodjob. So we suggested using two ICONYX,

and we found the perfect location exactly inthe corners of the room, from where we’recross-firing them over the room. The stageleft one is firing to the right audience andvice versa which gives everybody a very evensound field.”Each self-powered ICONYX is configured

with two nodes apiece, the lower node digi-tally beam-steered down to the near mostseating, while the majority of the cabinetsteers a node to the larger rear part of thecongregation.“Acoustically,” adds Mike, “it’s a very nice

space and the reflections sound warm innature. But the real challenge was gettingsound to the front half, more than it was tothe rear, because of the need to reach thatarea with sound without obstructing the

architecture. By placing the ICONYX, finishedin white, in the corners against the whiteplasterwork, they ‘disappear’ and becausewe’re able to steer lobes to the front of thecongregation it resolves both problems.“The cross-firing also means that anyone

sitting in the front rows looking at somebodytalking in the pulpit gets the impression thatthe speech is coming from their mouth andnot from above their head – so it works wellin terms of a psycho-acoustic location.”Two small areas at the back to the left and

right of the mix position, slightly shadowedfrom the main beams by pillars, are filled inwith a pair of miniature QSC-poweredRenkus-Heinz SGX41 loudspeakers, while afurther pair of SGX41s serve as fills for thefar end seats of the front row.The system is mixed on a Midas Venice

console and controlled by an Allen & HeathIDR128 system, which provides simple userpresets: one for the normal Sunday servicemode and an auto mix setting to cater forweddings, funerals and other acousticallysimple events that involve just one or twomicrophones in the altar area.It also works well enough that the in

Sunday services the church is able have chil-dren participate at the altar, almost directlyin front of the ICONYX, on lavalier micro-phones. “For the first time ever,” commentsMike, “the congregation can hear the chil-dren’s choir properly, so they’re very happywith that.”As a final aside, he notes that the small

church also needed to know their newsystem “would use very well-made devicesthroughout, that have a longevity to themand are well-supported. That really is a partof the budgeting because it makes spendingthat kind of money a little easier when theyknow it’s going to last a long time.”

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“The real challengewas getting sound tothe front half, morethan it was to therear, because of theneed to reach thatarea with soundwithout obstructingthe architecture”

PHOTOS: MIKE LETHBY

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The Vietnamese Martyr’s CatholicChurch (VMCC), built in Sacramento,California to serve a growing popula-

tion of Catholic Vietnamese-Americans,has installed a Renkus-Heinz ICONYX digi-tally steerable audio system to bring a newclarity to its 900 seat sanctuary, with aCFX121 system covering the Great Hallthat’s used as an overflow area for largermeetings and performances.VMCC turned to full-spectrum AV

systems integrator Quality Sound of Stock-ton, California for the audio systems.“ICONYX was my go-to choice from the firstlook at the project plans,” says Gary Roda,Quality Sound’s house of worship expert.“Its balance of performance and aestheticappeal is unique.”ICONYX’s ability to focus sound precisely

was Roda’s answer to the complex shapeand reflective materials at VMCC. Thelarge, nearly square nave with a slopedT-bar ceiling has a large open clerestoryabove the presbytery. Materials include amassive solid granite altar, ambo fixturesimported from Vietnam, an all-glass side-wall, polished marble floors and hardwoodpews.Behind the rear wall, also largely glass,

is the Great Hall, 25% larger than thechurch proper, used as overflow seating orseparately for meetings or performances.

Clarity is keySpeech intelligibility was Roda’s number

one concern, given the language character-istics and room conditions. The system alsohad to handle the wishes of the church’smore traditional elements alongside thoseof a strong younger contingent that expectsrock music performance levels.To combine high output with precise

directional control, Quality Sound mountedtwo ICONYX IC24 arrays on the walls flank-ing the altar. Their wide (140° horizontal)output provides even coverage of the nave,and the tight vertical pattern control steersthe sound over and past the multiple choirmics located close by.Two ceiling-mounted PN212-SUB

subwoofers supply the low-end impact thatthe younger members of the congregationenjoy. “The subs are configured as a centralcardioid array,” Roda says, “to focus the

sub-bass reinforcement into the nave andavoid exciting the clerestory space. Wecontinue to be impressed by the very ‘musi-cal’ full-range punch of theICONYX/PNX212-SUB combination.”Two CFX121M floor monitors powered by

a QSC CX503 amplifier supply foldback tothe choir and other performers. One chan-nel of a QSC ISA 500ti amp drives a pair ofwall-mounted CFX121 trapezoidal cabinetsthat cover the overflow area in the GreatHall, while the other drives a distributedceiling speaker system in the church’s SideChapel.Other equipment includes a Biamp

D60EQ foldback amplifier, Listen Technolo-gies assisted listening, and a Midas Venice320 mixing Shure ULXP wireless with

Countryman E6 earset mics, live instru-ments through Countryman Type 85 DI’s,and Ace Backstage Choir Stick micro-phones with Shure MX elements and a TC

Electronics processor.With so many possible room configura-

tions and events, easily recalled presetswere a must. Roda programmed these intoBiamp Nexia digital processors. “We canconfigure the system for various usesincluding unattended automixing of oft-used microphones at the touch of abutton,” he explains.A multitude of highly reflective hard

surfaces, a giant standing-wave generatorabove the altar, a multi-generationalcongregation and a choir that likes to standin front of the speakers – on paper, VCMCsounds like a recipe for sonic disaster. Thatthis project turned out so well is testamentto the design skills of Gary Roda and Qual-ity Sound, and ICONYX technology.

VIETNAMESE MARTYR’S CHURCHA NEW CLARITY FOR YOUNG & OLDICONYX AND CFX121M IN SACRAMENTO, CA INSTALL

TWO ICONYX IC24 DIGITALLY STEERABLE ARRAY LOUDSPEAKERS COVER THE 900 SEATSANCTUARY, WITH A CFX121 SYSTEM FOR AN OVERFLOW AREA (PHOTO: QUALITY SOUND)

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The 30-years-young Catholic Church ofSt. Ann in Marietta, Georgia recentlycompleted a $5 million renovation,

adding a new 4400-square-foot Narthex orgathering space and completely renovatingthe Nave or worship area, which was dedi-cated in 1981. The new surfaces posed newacoustical challenges, which were met withRenkus-Heinz ICONYX IC32 digitally steer-able array loudspeakers, custom colored toblend in seamlessly with the architecture.The original carpeted floors and padded

pews were replaced with a marble sanctu-ary, tile floors, and new radius-designedwooden pews - which presented a chal-lenge when it came to the church’s goal ofunderstanding the spoken word clearlywithout sacrificing the quality of the musicthey had grown accustomed to hearing. Thechurch has been at the forefront of contem-porary Christian music since its establish-ment, with a full band as the core of itsmusic ministry.The structure combines traditional

elements such as Gothic arches with moremodern architectural features. The octago-nal main floor seats around 850 congre-gants, and a wraparound balcony seatsanother 200.The visual impact of the new interior is

undeniable, but the acoustics were drasti-cally altered by the new design. “Prior tothe renovation, we measured unoccupiedreverberation times of 1.4 to 1.5 secondsmid-band,” reports D. Wayne Lee, P. E..The Church of St. Ann hired Lee Sound

Design, a full service consulting engineer-ing firm specializing in audiovisual tech-nologies, in July 2007 to advise the parishon acoustical issues and to design new

InSear Clarity

PHOTOS: RIK KIRBY

The Catholic Church of St A has a beautiful new face a But new architecture and n added up to an acoustical c

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audio and video systems. “We modeled therenovated Sanctuary in EASE 4.1 and 4.2with AURA,” Lee says. “Predictions showeda mid-band reverberation time of 2.4 to 2.5seconds. We spent considerable timeeducating the client about the subjectiveimpact of the planned acoustical changeson both sound system performance and theenvironmental noise levels that wouldaccompany normal activity.”Lee Sound Design’s first step was to

design acoustical treatment to replaceabsorption lost in the transition to marble,tile and wood. Some 1000 square feet offabric acoustical wall systems, a compro-mise between the existing acoustical envi-ronment and the full proposal, yielded atwo-second reverb time.Wayne Lee’s challenge was then to

design a sound system capable of deliver-ing both contemporary worship music andintelligible speech, in a very reverberantspace. Opting for ICONYX, he explains: “Ourfirm has significant experience with steer-able-beam line arrays in acoustically diffi-cult spaces. We were hired several times tocorrect problems where everyone else hadgiven up. That helped us build a reputationin these types of rooms.”He used BeamWare and EASE AURA to

model two IC32 arrays in the “marble-ized”sanctuary. “The ability to move the beamsup and down the array helped us at St.Ann’s,” he reports. “We can cover the mainfloor and the balcony with the same array,by using an upper beam. I was impressedby the system’s ability to cover the wrap-around balcony with little level variation.”“We were pleased with the music quality

of the ICONYX array,” Lee says. “We’re

using it down to 100 Hz, with subwooferscoming in below that frequency.” The subsare Renkus-Heinz PNX212s, driven byCrown CT amplifiers.The ‘brains’ of this system are a Roland

V-Mix console and Biamp Nexia processors.Creston control panels allow the operatorsto interface with both audio and videosystems: yes, Virginia (or should we sayGeorgia?) this Catholic church uses a videosystem — a Vaddio pan/tilt camera withExtron switching distributing signals to Eikiprojectors and Sharp flat screen monitors.In the Nave, where 750 square feet of 1-

inch-thick acoustic panels reduced the RTto about two seconds, speech is the focus,and the consultant specified four ICONYXICX7 fixed-beam arrays to provide highspeech intelligibility for this social gather-ing area. Two dummy enclosures providevisual symmetry.Messenger Media Systems, Inc. of

Covington Georgia, an InfoComm Interna-tional Gold Certified AudioVisual SolutionsProvider, was awarded the installationcontract, totaling around $235,000. Techni-cal Supervisor Christopher Bragg saystheir biggest challenge during the installa-tion was simply pulling the wire. “The newconduit was a struggle because it had tosnake through the much older existingstructure,” he says. “That slowed us downsome. On the plus side, the ICONYX enclo-sures were very easy to install, aim, andprogram.” Messenger Media also imple-mented a Hear Technologies HearBacksystem for the band.The man most responsible for making

sure that the Church of St. Ann realized thegoals of this ambitious capital project was

Parish Administrator Jim Herrel. “The newsystem has helped us reach our goalscompletely”, he said. ”The music is aspowerful as it ever was, and the spokenword is crystal clear anywhere in thechurch. We have clearly seen an improve-ment in participation in our liturgies withthe use of this completely coordinatedsystem.” Herrel also commented that thekey to the success of this project was thededication of both Lee Sound and Messen-ger Media. “It is not just about design andinstallation,” he said. “It is about a partner-ship where everyone comes together tomake it happen. Both Lee and Messengerhave that ’can-do’ attitude.”

19

arch ofy

FOUR ICX7 ARRAY LOUDSPEAKERS WERE COLOR MATCHED TO THE CHURCH’S DECOR, BLENDINGALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLY WITH THE WOODEN BEAMS

ICONYXIC32 & ICX7

t Ann in Marietta, Georgia e after a recent renovation. d new materials also l challenge

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No expense was spared in creatingthe new state-of-the-art operahouse that dominates Oslo’s

Bjorvika waterfront, an amazing architec-tural feat of eye-catching La Facciata (whiteItalian Carrara marble) and Norwegian ‘IceGreen’ granite (from Sor-Trondelag) thatrises out of the fjord like a giant ice floe, ata cost of NOK 4.4 billion (approximately£430 million).

Outside InNorwegian architects Snøhetta’s design

IS certainly beautiful, yet it’s what’s on theinside that really counts. Here its vitalstatistics make for impressive isolatedreading; 38,500m2 gross floor area, ofwhich 11,200m2 is dedicated to three audi-ence areas – the 1,364-seat self-explana-tory Main Hall (Store Sal), 440-seatso-called Scene 2 or Little Hall (Lllte Sal),plus a 200 audience capacity RehearsalStage; stage areas totalling 300m2 – includ-ing one of the most advanced opera stagesin the world; with 19,100m2 for rehearsal,administration, and workshop duties.Remaining inside, Snøhetta turned to the

combined talents of london-based TheatreProjects Consultants and acoustic design-ers BrekkeStrandArup, a joint venturebetween local consultants Brekke & StrandAkustikk and global consultants ArupAcoustics, also responsible for the Copen-hagen Opera House. According to RobHarris, director of Arup’s global performingarts business, “Many old opera houseshave short reverberation times, making thewords sound dear, but the orchestra

sounds dry, while modern opera housestend to have a longer reverberation time toproduce a more concert-like orchestralsound. The design brief in Oslo followedthis trend, so our challenge was to providethe right balance between the two. It was apleasure to experience the acoustic firsthand at the opening event, and to witnessthe audience’s appreciation for what wehave achieved.”Yet construction and acoustics working

together in harmony are not the wholestory. The Benum Group – more specificallyits Oslo-based Norwegian division, Benumsiv. ing. AS – were invited to compete for asound tender for the Oslo Opera House.The latter’s Peder Krohn (Project

Manager), Ronald Hernes (Sales Manager),Egil Eide (Product Manager Audio), andSverre Jøssund (Product Manager Audio)spent three months – and many sleeplessnights – at the tail end of 2005 writing anddelivering the winning tender.

Sounds Like A Million NOKThe Oslo Opera House’s extensive (and

expensive) audio system was designed andspecified by Swedish Gothenburg basedconsultants Artifon AS in collaboration withNorway’s own Oslo-based COWl AS – theformer’s Alf Bernston being responsible forboth halls, plus their complex, customdesigned Stage Management System, whilethe latter’s Frode Bye was closely involvedin signal distribution. For their not incon-siderable part in the (initially) dustyproceedings, those hardworking Benumboys provided over 200 SMRT audio distri-

bution boxes, multiple Renkus-Heinz loud-speakers, Stage Tec consoles, Clear Comwireless and wired comms, Medialon-distributed paging for the orchestra, andmuch more besides.Eide: “Reading the specification it was

very clear that it was very close to StageTec because they needed two consoles inthe Main Hall that should be able to work Inparallel, plus another console in the SmallHall, and a fourth console In the recordingstudio – all working on the same network,That was one part of it – making someeffects in the studio, which could then betaken up to here, mixer to mixer, or what-ever. So Stage Tec’s reputation aroundEurope for opera houses and theatres wasquite important.“Of course, it’s expensive, but it’s very

reliable. and it has very few critical cards.”Here Eide is referring to the AURUS, StageTec’s Direct-Access Console, a 40 channelstrip version of which resides in the sepa-rate control room located at the back of thelarge Hall, working in parallel with asmaller one (24 channel strip) sited aroundthe Main Hall Itself. Nothing unusual aboutthat, one might well assume, except thatthe smaller AURUS sits on a platform thatcleverly lowers below the floor level, JamesBond-style, allowing more seats to take Itsplace.

SpeakeasyOf course, those flexible, reliable, and

expensive consoles and their attendantNEXUS-STAR audio-router systems wouldbe of little use If the resultant resplendent

Oslo’s new Operaen opera house, a stunning icon thatslopes into the waters of Oslo’s Bjorvika, has a digitallyreconfigurable ST4/4 audio system of many abilitiesAU

DITO

RIUM

S

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OSLOOPERAmulti

purposeaudio

made tomeasure

OPERAEN’S MAIN AUDITORIUM (LEFT) SEATS1,364. ITS MAIN RENKUS-HEINZ ST4/4 SOUNDREINFORCEMENT SYSTEM IS HIDDEN WITHINTHE LEFT AND RIGHT PROSCENIUM ARCHTOWERS (STAGE LEFT TOWER SHOWN ABOVE).THE PA CAN BE RECONFIGURED INSTANTLYFOR DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS VIA THEHOUSE’S STAGETEC DIGITAL MIXING SYSTEMPHOTOS: MIKE LETHBY

Text by Jonathan Miller.

Reproduced with kind

permission of Audio Media,

whose full version of this

article appeared in

September 2008

www.audiomedia.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:SELF-POWERED, PORTABLESTAGE MONITOR SYSTEM INTHE SECOND HALL; THE MAINAUDITORIUM; PN61 FILL /SURROUND LOUDSPEAKER ONTHE LIGHTING BRIDGE;OPERAEN SOUND ENGINEERNIKOLAI EKEBERG; RONALDHERNES OF BENUM;STAGETEC CONSOLE ANDENGINEER’S VIEW OF THEMAIN AUDITORIUM

AUDI

TORI

UMS audio could not be heard – and for that

the Oslo Opera House largely relies onRenkus-Heinz, thanks, in part to Jøssund’stenacity. “The consultants thought long andhard about what they wanted,” hecomments. “They had the specifications forevery speaker, which we had to match, andwe matched them with Renkus-Heinz.”Suitably hooked, electro-acoustic evalua-

tion for loudspeaker system designpurposes was carried out by Jøssund –together with Renkus-Heinz’s Vice Presi-dent of R&D, Ralph Heinz; Robert Nilsson,Project leader of Swedish design andinstallation company OAT AB; and ArtifonAB’s aforementioned Alf Bernston – usingAhnert Feistel Media Group’s EASE(Enhanced Acoustic Simulator for Engi-neers and EASERA (Electronic and AcousticSystem Evaluation and Response Analysis)tools alongside Norsonic’s Nor118 soundlevel meter. Yet, amazingly, according toEide, “The only time we’ve actually heardthe speakers was during the tests!”

ST4/4Reference Point ArraysThe Main Hall’s expansive (and expen-

sive) stage is the locationfor two Renkus-Heinz ST4/4-2T self-powered PowerNetReference Point Arrays, positioned inmoveable loudspeaker towers hiddenbehind acoustically transparent clothseither side of the stage, together withanother pair of centrally-flown ST4/4-21s toform the main Left/Centre/Right system,augmented by four DR18-2 self powereddual l8-inch subwoofers, plus four PN61PowerNet self-powered loudspeakersproviding front fill.All are controlled by Renkus-Heinz’s

proprietary R-Control network, interfacedwith a Yamaha DME64 Digital Mix Engine,In turn connected to the above-mentionednetworked Stage Tec NEXUS-STAR audio-router systems via AES/EBU.Krohn: “The ST Series cabinets were

selected for their very low distortion andcolouration, combined with compactdimensions relative to their maximumoutput level. The latter was important,because of the need for the completesystem to be aesthetically unobtrusive, yetable to deliver very high SPLs, whenrequired, for jazz and rock, as well as verypure vocals and solo instrumentalists.”To that end, the Main Hall’s loudspeaker

system is specified to handle anything up toand including full rock concerts, providingfour individually selectable modes, config-urable via the Yamaha DME64 Digital MixEngine’s 64-way output matrix, allowinginstrumental and vocal signals to be routedto different loudspeaker combinations tosuit the performance in question.

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Mode 1 (‘Song System’) configures themain proscenium system as L-C-R, plusfill; Mode 2 (‘Instrument System’) is config-ured as Left-Right, plus fill; Mode 3 isdesigned as Source-Oriented Reinforce-ment ('SOR’); and Mode 4 provides 5.1surround sound.Meanwhile, under-balcony fills are

handled by passive Renkus-Heinz PNX81/9and PNX61 loudspeakers powered by QSCCX5O1 and CX1102 2-channel amplifiers.The latter are housed within dedicatedtemperature-controlled machine rooms(alongside an array of other rack-mountedequipment, including a 48-channelDigidesign Pro Tools recording system, andassociated Studio Network Solutionsserver, multiple TC Electronic System6000s, and much more besides), while nofewer than 52 additional QSC-drivenPNX61s handle surround and delay fillduties when called upon to do so.Finally, four more PNX81/9s and PNX61s

are flown from the circular Iighting bridge –known as ‘The Doughnut’ – suspendedsome 30m above the stalls. For the sake ofcontinuity, Renkus-Heinz is also out inforce in the adjacent Little Hall, where amobile, fully self-powered stage monitorsystem comprises nine PN81/9s, 10PN121Ms, eight PN16s, plus DR18-2 subs(elsewhere, the venue also boasts anothermobile sound reinforcement systemcomprising four Renkus-Heinz PN82/9sand two PN112-SUBs, controlled by aYamaha LS9-16 digital mixing console).

Curtain Call“Both halls sound beautiful,” concludes a

justifiably satisfied Eide. “They have verygood acoustics, and the response fromvarious critics has been fantastic.”Hernes concurs: “For us, it was fantastic

when they opened Scene 2, and at itspremiere journalists wrote that it was‘heavenly’! The sound engineer did a very

good job, also; it almost sounded acousticwhen coming from the speakers, so itsounded right.”And on that uplifting note, who better to

bring our enjoyable evening visit to Oslo’slatest landmark building project to a fittingclose than the tolerant man charged withoverseeing the long-winded installation ofall that wonderful sounding audio equp-ment? Peder Krohn kindly offers up thefollowing summation on behalf of his hard-working colleagues from Benum: “We areextremely proud; we are also humbled bythe task and the consultdnts that we havebeen working together with, as well as theusers. It’s been a hard but fantastic journey.We’d like to do it again.”Anyone visiting the memorable Oslo

Opera House will want to do so again. Inthe opening words of King Harald himself,“Here we may experience ourselves and theworld we live in. Our challenge will be tomake this available to all.”

OSLO OPERA

“It was fantastic when they opened Scene 2, and at its premiere journalists wrote

that it was heavenly! The sound engineer did a very good job, also; it almost

sounded acoustic when coming from the speakers, so it sounded right.”

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WEXFORD OPERASONG BY THE SEA

The new Wexford Opera House inIreland marks a European first forauditorium sound with system inte-

grator Northern Light installing a Renkus-Heinz ICONYX digitally steerable auditoriumloudspeaker system, with Biamp andCrestron control, as part of a completeentertainment technology and supportinginfrastructure project.Designed by the Office of Public Works,

Keith Williams Architects and Carr andAngier Theatre Consultants, the £27m,7,500sqm Wexford Opera House is built onthe site of the old Theatre Royal and eightadjacent properties. It houses a 780-seatauditorium and a 175-seat multi-config-urable performance and rehearsal space.The design team was completed by ArupConsulting Engineers, Nolan Ryan QS andKeith Williams Architects. Acoustic consultant Peter Mapp and

Northern Light specified six Renkus-HeinzICONYX digitally steerable array loudspeak-ers for the main auditorium, supplied bythe manufacturer’s UK and Ireland distrib-utor, Polar Audio, as the heart of the soundreinforcement system. Its digital steeringcapability, via the integrated Class D ampli-fier and DSP dedicated to each of the 16drive units in the Iconyx IC16 array, wasused to direct each driver’s lobe at aspecific area of seating.Three pairs of ICONYX IC16 loudspeakers

are installed in the auditorium, with onecolumn of three concealed either sidewithin the stage’s proscenium arch. Eachleft and right pair covers, respectively, thestalls and first and second balconies. TheIconyx arrays were focused on each allo-cated seating area during setup via thededicated BeamWare software.Originally specified purely for voice and

‘gentle’ music reinforcement, the briefgrew to encompass a considerably moreversatile system that, in conjunction withRenkus-Heinz self-powered PN212subwoofers, delivers what Mapp describesas “genuine music reinforcement - with the

AUDI

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PHOTOS: WEXFORD OPERA HOUSE

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subs I wouldn’t class it as merely ‘gentle’but extremely good sound.” Although theopera house is designed primarily aroundthe annual Wexford Opera festival, the newIconyx system’s ability to handle speechand full-range music broadens thecommercial possibilities significantly.Mapp adds: “The system was primarily

designed for speech, which enabled somedifferent approaches to be taken. Thespeakers had to be integrated to look neat,and had to work with the fairly high prosce-nium arch. We looked at a couple of optionsand after computer modeling I went for theIconyx, which made a very neat installationand worked very well in that space.”The loudspeaker system, in conjunction

with a Biamp Audia processor that providesdelays (augmenetd by a number of smallQSC-powered loudspeakers as in-fills forthe side galleries) and routing underCrestron touch screen control, allows theaudio system to be reconfigured to suit theway the auditorium is being used. Using thepit lift the forestage can be split into twoand can either be held at stalls level to addextra seating, or raised to have a full stage.In ‘full stage’ mode, the lower pair of IC16s

is turned off and a pair of portable eight-driver Iconyx IC8s can be rigged furtherdownstage, using hidden bracketry withinwooden panelling. The same one-touchBiamp and Crestron control system allowsthe pair of IC16s covering the upper tier tobe turned off if required.A GL Series 24-channel Allen & Heath

console was installed as the house mixer,and Northern Light provided the venue withhouse racks that include a SabineGRQ3122-K graphic equaliser, YamahaSPX200, Tascam MD350 mini disc playerand a Denon DN-C635 CD player.Simon Cooper, head of projects for

Northern Light, comments: ‘The ICONYXloudspeakers were specified by Peter Mappfor several reasons, including the fact thatthe size of the unit allows them to fit ideallyinto the space either side of the pros arch.During the design process Peter alsowanted to have more control over directivityfrom the main loudspeakers, rather than fitdelay loudspeakers. When we turned on thesystem we were very impressed with theextremely good audio coverage and quality,and our engineers were able to set up theICONYX without any EQ being required.”

“When we turnedon the system wewere veryimpressed withthe extremelygood audiocoverage andquality, and ourengineers wereable to set up theIconyx without anyEQ required.”

ICONYX ARRAYS, CONCEALED FROMN THE AUDIENCE’S VIEW WITHIN SLENDER PROSCENIUM ARCH TOWERS, FOCUS SOUND INDEPENDENTLY ONEACH OF WEXFORD OPERA HOUSE’S SEATING LEVELS. STAFF HAVE TOUCHSCREEN CONTROL OVER THE PORTABLE FORESTAGE SYSTEM

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AUDI

TORI

UMS

NEW JERSEY PERFORMING

PHOTOS: MIKE LETHBY

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G ARTS CENTERThree ICONYX IC16 Digitally Steerable Arrays a side flank theproscenium arch of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center,delivering clear speech to the furthest seats in the house.

READ THE FULL STORY IN LIGHTING & SOUND AMERICA, JULY 2009

Interview at wwww.renkus-heinz.com

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The Buffalo Chip Music Festival heldannually at South Dakota’s SturgisMotorcycle Rally poses unique chal-lenges to any sound company. “As wellas thunderous applause,” says SteveCross, Kid Rock’s FOH mixer, “thebikers will rev their engines in appre-ciation.” Sure Sound & Lighting, oldhands with the festival, showcasedthe all-new Renkus-Heinz VerSysVLX3 line arrays for the main stagearea, powered by Lab.gruppen PLM10000Q amplifiers with built-inDolby Lake processing.“The VLX3 arrays fly very easily

and, with external amps, the load-inwas a lot easier,” says GrantStramel, Sure Sound’s lead systemengineer. “Last year we used theself-powered Renkus-HeinzSTLA/9 line array. But, with thetype of weather we get here inSturgis, when it rains it’s a majoradvantage to simply throw atarpaulin over a rack of amps

than climb the array and cover the [inte-grated] amplifiers.”Comments from visiting sound engineers

during the Buffalo Chip’s Sturgis Rally wereenthusiastic. “The high-end from the VLX3line array was very accurate,” says GregPrice, who mixed FOH for ZZ Top. “And Inever ran out of headroom.””I was extremely happy with the new

Renkus-Heinz VLX3 systems, which offeredoutstanding vocal clarity,” commentsRandy Meullier, who handled FOH for AliceCooper. “Our audience know Alice’s lyricsvery well; we had no trouble putting thevocals where we wanted them!”“Being an old-school guitar band, Foghat

needs a lot of mid-range presence to relaythat sound of wide-open Marshalls,” saysCarl Devino, was mixed FOH for the band.“I've always been a big fan of Renkus-Heinz’ horns; they are accurate and verysmooth sounding. We had a hectic day [atSturgis] with little time to set up thesystem. The PA rig was real smooth evenwith no adjustments. We were very happy

ZZ Top were among the headliners at last summer’s

Buffalo Chip Music Festival

Buffalo Chip Music Festival at Sturgis Moto

Alice Cooper Parties at WinterNAMM showcase

Renkus-Heinz used its first appear-ance at the Winter NAMM Conven-tion in many years as a showcase of

IC Live steerable arrays and the VerSysVLX3 large format line array.As well as being the public’s first chance

to hear the new IC Live in action on themain live performance stage in theAnaheim Convention Centre lobby, all eyeswere on the hottest party of the show – onSaturday 17 January, when the Hilton Cali-fornia Ballroom was filled with the inim-itable sound of Alice Cooper, thanks toCoffin Case and Renkus-Heinz.This party marked the live debut of the

new VerSys VLX3 line array, launched atAES 2008.VerSys VLX3 had already premiered at

the Sturgis Rally in July (see above) whereToby Francis, FOH Engineer for Mars Volta,Velvet Revolver, ZZ Top and many moresaid: “The VerSys VLX3 is by far myfavourite PA. I've used them all and this onesounds better, travels better, rigs betterand does all this while still taking up lessspace than any other large format linearray I have ever used.”

BIKES, BANDS

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with the experience.”A total of 24 VLX3 cabinets were

arrayed 12 left and 12 right of thestage, with four self-powered STLA/9cabinets per side for left and leftoutfills, three PN102 cabinets forfront-fills and two PN102s to cover aspecial VIP Area. “The new VLX3 is alogical evolution of the STXLA/9,designed specifically for the touringmarket,” offers David Rahn,Renkus-Heinz’ National SalesManager.“VLX3 is acoustically the same as

the STXLA/9, but now features anupdated compression driver with atitanium-nitrite diaphragm; thepair of 12-inch drivers now featureneodymium rather than ceramicmagnets for lighter weight andeasier transport.” The three-wayVLX3 cabinets also featureRenkus-Heinz’ co-entranttechnology for the mid/highcomponents.

torcycle Rally

Toby Keith's FOH engineer, DirkDurham added: “The Renkus-Heinz linearray is very compact yet provides all theoutput necessary for large venues. It isalso a very ‘hi-fi’ system. I enjoyed work-ing with it a great deal.”Renkus-Heinz marketing manager

Margie Ulm affirmed the company’sintent to broadening its outreach byreturning to Winter NAMM.“Because Winter NAMM is traditionally

an MI show,” she commented, “it drawsa great number of the people we workwith all year long, including many audiorental firms, distributors, reps and, ofcourse, musicians who are using ourportable systems such as the CF/CFXline.“It was a great opportunity to give

them a chance to hear our high-endproducts, especially the new IC LIVE andVerSys VLX3 - when it comes to loud-speaker technology, hearing really isbelieving.”Pictured: Alice Cooper and band

performing with the new VLX3 line arrayat the Winter NAMM party.

“I was extremely

happy with the

new VLX3

systems, which

offered

outstanding vocal

clarity”

– Randy Meullier,

FOH engineer for

Alice Cooper

S & BEER…AND VLX3

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In the environs of Washington DC, a citywhose climate embraces near-arcticwinters and sub-tropical summers, the

elements were top of the list for considera-tion when the sparkling new NationalHarbor – one of the largest developmentsin Maryland’s history – was mapped out.7.3 million sq ft of commercial space,

hundreds of condos, four piers and twomarinas make up the project, south of theCapital Beltway, and besides its long-termoccupants its potential as an entertainmentdestination figured high on the agenda ofthe developer, The Peterson Companies.The plans for the 300-acre, residential

and commercial Potomac River waterfrontscheme called for a large distributed audiosystem, branching out from a central plazathat occupies the riverside end of AmericanWay, a broad avenue of shops and officesinspired by Las Ramblas, the throbbingCatalan heart of Barcelona, Spain.

Electrosonic was brought in to designand install an audio, video and lightingsystem that is both fully integrated and forthe most part weatherized. The extensive,all-self-powered Renkus-Heinz system,with two PN102/LA-R-WR line arrays and121 SG61-2R-WR distributed loudspeakers,is controlled by RHAON over Cobranet,while DMX lighting control and video dataruns in parallel over the same network, thelatter from a Green Hippo videoserver/player. A Medialon Show Controlsystem with AMX touchscreens allowssimple day-to-day operation for NationalHabor staff, while for full stage productionson the plaza a digital mixing board can beplugged into the system in seconds.A Peavey MediaMatrix Nion system

provides head-end DSP while RHAON isused to deliver precision digital audio toeach individual loudspeaaker, with eachcabinet’s amplifier assigned its own IPaddress during off-site pre-programmingby Electrosonic. As well as the obviousbenefits of simplified cable runs andsmaller conduit around the 1.5 miles ofwaterfront, the choice of self-poweredloudspeakers eliminated the need forscarce rack space and extra ventilation inthe facility’s small control room.The SG61-2R-WR self-powered loud-

speakers, which are mounted on polesalong the waterfront boardwalks and piers,are weatherized versions of the standardSG61. Gary Barnes, Electrosonic projectmanager commented: “They’ve got a nice,full sound to them for a small speaker.”Weatherizing is an option for most

Renkus-Heinz products and the companyhas long experience of the technique; italso has the advantage of operating a fastand efficient ‘build to order’ system for allbut the simplest products.

ALL WEATHER AUDIO

NATIONALHARBOR

RHAON networked and weatherized against theextremes of Maryland’s climate, PN012/LA-R-WRand SG61-2R-WR shine on this Potomac waterfront

PR102/LA-R-WR cabinets

raised to operational height

on hydraulic ladders. When

not in use, they can be

retracted underground

PHOTOS: EDDIE ARROSSI

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SG61-R-WR: 121 fully weatherized, self-powered

cabinets line the waterfront under RHAON control

Thus the adaptation of the SG61 to copewith the extremes of Maryland’s climatewas a familiar procedure for the FoothillRanch factory’s production department. Itincluded standard moisture protectionmeasures, plus a weatherproof, ventilatedhousing for each loudspeaker’s rear-mounted amplifier/DSP module. This keepsthe rain out, while allowing cooling air toflow in and out of the unit.“Weatherizing is one of the most popular

‘standard’ customization options we offer,”comments Rik Kirby, Renkus-Heinz VP ofOperations. “Our production system is setup specifically to easily accommodatespecial customer requirements – typicallyarchitecturally matched paint colors ortextures, or specific mounting hardware.Adding weather resistance involves acombination of well proven techniques andmaterials, so extra costs are minimized, asis delivery time to the customer.”Electrosonic system designer Yannis

Cabolis also notes the cost benefits ofdesigning and pre-programming an IP-based system; particularly when that samenetwork carries lighting and video data.“You can do the most painful part thatcomes from commissioning systems likethat – walking around, things not beingconnected, things not working, amplifiersbeing off,” he said in an interview for S&VC.The plaza is laid out to accommodate

staged shows and movie showings using aretractable screen and a Christie digitalprojector, along with a weatherized Altman,Wybron and ETC lighting rig. ThePN102/LA-R-WR line arrays here aremounted on hydraulic ladders, which, withpart of the lighting rig, can disappear intounderground storage.

THIS PROJECT FEATURED IN SOUND & VIDEO CONTRACTOR MAGAZINE (OCTOBER 2008)

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Deep in the heart of New York City’sFinancial District, two blocks fromWall Street, the newly refurbished

Dubliner Irish pub opened its doors inMarch, equipped with a compact Renkus-Heinz SYGMA SG Series distributed soundsystem, installed by Starview SatelliteCorporation of New York.The pub, housed in a Victorian era build-

ing and surrounded by cobbled streets,features three dining areas and one largebar area.Quiet chatter and fine dining during

weekday working lunches is accompaniedby low level background music from thesound system; evenings see the place

abuzz with city gossip and higher levelmusic.Four SGX41 cabinets, tucked away under

the wooden ceiling beams, serve each ofthe two small dining areas. A further eightSGX41s cover the larger dining area, whilethe bar area has six SGX41s, with each areaaugmented by a number of in-ceilingsubwoofers.The SGX41 features the same audiophile-

quality coaxial driver as the hugelysuccessful ICONYX line of digitally steer-able loudspeakers, combining a 4” wooferwith a 1” soft dome tweeter. Mounted in avented wooden 6x7x6” (17.8x15.2x15.2cm)cabinet with metal grille, it’s designed for

DUBLINER PUBSGX41: THEPERFECT FIT

FOR NYCInterview at wwww.renkus-heinz.com

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Richard Trombitas of Cardone Solomon Associates

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applications requiring unobtrusive but highquality sound.All amplification is via QSC ISA 800TI, ISA

500TI and ISA280 power amplifiers, with thebar system bi-amped. Sound sourcescomprise an iPod, three video receivers andan external jukebox.Richard Trombitas, of Renkus-Heinz New

York area representatives Cardone,Solomon & Associates, comments: “Theowner was very specific about wanting asystem with a low physical profile, gooddispersion and able to effectively provideboth low level background and higher levelforeground music. It’s not a nightclub envi-ronment and never becomes loud, because

the pub is all about fine dining, but it islocated in the Wall Street area and post-work there’s a slightly different ambiencethan during the fine dining lunchtime peri-ods. So the SGs’ versatility and range, aswell as their very small size, makes themperfect for the job.”

33

Low profile, high quality,versatile: almost hidden in theplasterwork, SGX41 fits the billperfectly for upscale Financial

District pub/restaurant

PHOTOS: MIKE LETHBY

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in Jeddah the gateway to Saudi Arabia forthe two million pilgrims who descend eachyear from across the Muslim world for theannual pilgrimage or Hajj.The six-weekperiod rigorously tests all of the airport’sannouncement and safety facilities.At 465,000 sq m in size, the Hajj Terminal

is the world’s second largest air terminalafter Hong Kong International Airport’sterminal. Made distinctive by its tent-shaped white Teflon membrane roof, itaccommodates up to 80,000 travellers at atime and serves 21 million passengers ayear. Geiger Berger Associates, Schlaich,Bergermann und Partner, and Skidmore,Owings & Merrill were appointed as struc-tural engineers for the project, withHochtief AG the general contractor. Complicating matters is the fact that the

terminal acts as a single incoming terminalfor the first three weeks of the Hajj, and asa departure terminal for the latter threeweeks, in contrast to its two-way operationat other times. Consequently, all gates,routes, signage and logistics are reversedat the halfway-point of the festival. Pre-recorded announcements are made in

Arabic in addition to Urdu, Bahasa Indone-sia, French and English by an automaticannouncement system from Sittig Indus-trial Electronics/Germany.The high ambient noise levels generated

by so many passengers demanded a soundsystem capable of clearly and reliably deliv-ering messages and announcements. Theairport authorities were introduced to theRenkus-Heinz Iconyx column speakers onthe Citytec Mediatronics-ME booth at anAirport Trade Show in Dubai.Norbert Bau, general manager for the

Dubai-based distribution company, recallsmeeting the airport delegation for the firsttime: ‘We were demonstrating Klotznetworking products and decided at thelast minute to showcase a Renkus-HeinzIconyx IC24 so that we could conduct voiceannouncements in Arabic on our booth.”He adds: “It was a ‘eureka’ moment – the

contingent from BT Applied Technologiesrealised it had found the solution to itspaging network problem.’ Citytec Media-tronics-ME won the contract to design,supply and commission the voiceannouncement system, one third of whichwas completed before the 2007 Hajj, withPhase Two to follow shortly afterwards.Audio distribution is via a Klotz Digital

The Hajj Terminal serves up to 80,000 passengers at a

time, and its complete signage system is reversed

halfway through the Hajj festival itself, as the vast

building switches from an arrival to a departure role

Wukesong Olympic Indoor Arena, Beijing

Wukesong Indoor Arena, one of thethree major landmark buildingsspecially created for the 2008

Beijing Olympics, delivers top quality audioto its 24,500 spectators with a Renkus-Heinz PN102/LA self-powered, digitallynetworked four-cornered centre clusterand distributed delay system.Post-Games, its world-class facilities

were pre-planned to provide Beijing with anew, all-purpose live music and sportsvenue, capable of seating up to 18,000 fans.With a brief to deliver excellent speech

and music to every seat, Taiwan-basedLinfair Engineering – which has offices inboth Hong Kong and Beijing, as well asTaiwan – won the contract to design, supplyand install the complete audio and videosystems into Wukesong Arena. The dealincluded substantial audio and videosystems.The tall, deep Wukesong Arena required

careful audio design to ensure both verticaland horizontal front to back dispersionwould deliver high intelligibility to each seatin a reverberant environment. Digital signaldelivery and remote loudspeaker control

“We decided toshowcase aRenkus-HeinzIC24…it was a‘eureka’ moment”

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Vadis triple eight framework, a real-timesystem that can simultaneously play eightdifferent announcements to an unlimitednumber of zones.A combination of nine ICONYX IC16 and

IC24 arrays is installed in the main terminalhall, where long reverberation timespredominate, achieving a remarkable STI(speech transmission index) of 0.7 – uniqueamong Middle East airports. The on-sitemosque also employs two ICONYX ICl6/8arrays to deliver clear speech to worship-pers.And as the terminal was designed from

the outset to accommodate the AirbusA380, the audio system can be directlyconnection to the airport’s ADS (flightinformation display system) with the abilityto recognize the layout of each aircraft byflight number, playing the relevant boardingmessage for both levels of the aircraftsimultaneously.

EXTRACTED WITH KIND PERMISSION FROM AN

ORIGINAL ARTICLE IN PRO AUDIO MIDDLE EAST, 2008

King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah

and monitoring were also essential, usingCobraNet and Renkus-Heinz R-Controlrespectively.Linfair opted for a midsize self-powered

PN102/LA line array, configured as a four-cornered centrally flown system. Each 12-cabinet array is mounted slightly above andoutside of the scoreboard screen cluster,exploiting the system’s 150 degree horizon-tal dispersion and up to 129dB SPL(program) output to maximum effect. Theseare supplemented by six self-poweredRenkus-Heinz DR18-2 subwoofers.The only seating locations not reached by

the PN102/LA arrays, the upper ten rows,are specifically targeted by a ring of 20Renkus-Heinz ST7/94 self-powered three-way loudspeakers. The loudspeaker line-upis completed by four more self-poweredcabinets, two ST7M/64 and two ST7M/94versions, which provide playing court audiocoverage.Renkus-Heinz technical engineers were

closely involved in designing and commis-sioning the system’s R-Control andCobraNet infrastructure and fibre opticbackbone. Rack room space, cabling and

installation time alike were minimisedthrough the use of an entirely self-poweredsystem, each cabinet having internal ClassD bi- or tri-amplification.Linfair Engineering’s Beijing office coor-

dinated the installation and provided proj-ect personnel. Jim Mobley, SeniorApplications Engineer at Renkus-Heinz,provided loudspeaker system design andsystem commissioning, modeling the roomin EASE, while the Linfair Engineeringteam used Renkus-Heinz’s Aimware soft-ware program to pre-determine optimumrigging point locations and coverage anglesettings.Jim Mobley comments: “We worked in

great detail on the R-Control setup andwere able to use it to apply a small butsignificant degree of the beam steeringtechniques we’ve developed for the Iconyxproduct line. This gave us an extra ‘edge’ interms of dispersion controllability, which isa clear advantage in a reverberant space.”Audio distribution is via three MediaMa-

trix NION N3 processors, while sourcescomprise a Yamaha M7CL console andShure ULXS4 wireless microphones.

“We worked ingreat detail on theR-Control setupand were able touse it to apply asmall butsignificant degreeof the beamsteeringtechniques we’vedeveloped forIconyx”

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SKY IN SRE

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The world’s largest LED

Skydome, at Harmony Times

Square in Suzhou Industrial

Park, China, features a

unique combination of

Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers

and CAMCO amplifiers,

showcasing a three-

dimensional audio-visual

effect with sound effects

tracking the video action

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Until late 2008, Beijing’s World TradeCenter held the title for China’slargest LED Skydome (250 meters

long and 30 meters wide), while Las Vegas’Fremont Street held the title for the world’slargest LED Skydome, 400 meters long and25 meters wide. This year, with the intro-duction of the LED Skydome at HarmonyTimes Square (measuring a massive 500 by32 meters), the Suzhou Industrial Park willreplace Las Vegas for the world’s largestLED Skydome.With China’s biggest department store of

170,000 square meters and the world’slongest LED Skydome of 500 meters, thelegendary Harmony Times Square had itspublic debut on January 16, becominganother leading business and shoppingdestination in this city. The LED Skydomeemploys over 20 million ultra-bright LEDsin a display surface area of over 6000square meters – and it presented a world-class system design challenge. The designers utilized a three dimen-

sional audio-visual system that achievesperfect synchronization between pictureand sound. The 500 meter LED Skydome ispaired up with an unprecedented 106-chan-nel surround sound system, featuring 106Renkus-Heinz STX-7/44AS-WR high powerweather resistant loudspeakers and 38DRS18-2BW dual 18” weather resistantsubwoofers. The STX7 loudspeakers metthe project’s dual demands for a highsound level and directional sound control.The STX7 employs a medium format

Complex Conic horn, offering consistentdirectional control down to 350Hz and dual

12-inch woofers which extend LF responsedown to 40 Hz with added horizontal direc-tivity. The STX7 models feather the CDT-2CoEntrant driver with 2” HF and 10” MFdrivers in a 3” throat. John Ho, of CAHProfessional Sound, commented: “The LEDSkydome’s three-dimensional audio-visualsound system at the Harmony TimesSquare is made possible by the Renkus-Heinz system’s ability to vividly reproducethe stunning sound effects.”The system was powered by CAMCO

amplifiers and supervised by CAI, anextremely powerful audio managementsystem. German-made CAMCO amplifiersallows for a wide variation ofspeaker/amplifier set up, including a large-capacity power reserve that helps toachieve stability even at 1-ohm load. Theamplifiers achieve ultra-low distortion

levels and an excellent signal to noise ratio.The signal channels of the amplifiers aredigitally controlled, allowing for precisegain setting control with minimal signalpath interference, resulting in crisp andtranslucent sound.The LED Skydome at Suzhou’s Harmony

Times Square covers the main boardwalk ofthe plaza, creating an aerial canopy overfood, beverage, shopping and entertain-ment businesses. In order to attract alarger audience in Suzhou, the LEDSkydome regularly broadcasts videocontent from various sources to demon-strate the beauty of Suzhou.The sound system was supplied by

Foshan Tian Chuang Zhongdian TradingCo., Ltd and the installation was done byBeijing Zhongguang Radio &TV EngineeringLimited Company.

KY HIGHSOUZHOU

At 6000 square meters Souzhouboasts the world’s largest LEDSkydome – with a synchronizedsurround sound system of 106STX7 loudspeakers

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Renkus-Heinz and Biamp Four years in the planning and with a

£6 million investment, including£1.5m from the Sports Council Wales

Sportlot Capital fund, the elegant Victoriannorth Wales resort town of Llandudno has abrand new swimming centre and a high-tech Renkus-Heinz and Biamp audiosystem to match.Llandudno Swimming Centre, designed

as a fully equipped regional facility and fullycompliant with the Disability DiscriminationAct, has a 25 metre, 8 lane internationalshort course main competition pool, with amoveable floor that allows its depth to bevaried, a 20 metre, 4 lane pool for teachingand training, and seating for 427 spectatorsand 250 competitors. The bright, spaciousinterior features an unusual wave roofprofile that looks spectacular after darkwhen the roof appears to float above the

internal illumination.Both pools, seating areas and changing

rooms, are covered by a six-zone, digitallybased audio paging and background musicsystem.Compact, waterproofed Renkus-Heinz

PNX61 dual 6-inch/1inch HF loudspeakersprovide high-directivity coverage of the pooland seating areas.It was also the largest UK application to

date of Biamp’s NPS1 Network PagingStation, which integrates seamlessly withAudiaflex DSP audio distribution overCobraNet.That mix has given the facility’s managers

what Swimming Centre manager PeterAldous calls “a dream of flexibility andsound quality: this combination of technolo-gies gives a centre like ours an audio facilitythat’s stunning, flexible and affordable.”

“The system is adream of flexibilityand sound quality:this combination oftechnologies gives acentre like ours anaudio facility that’sstunning, flexibleand affordable.”

THE MAIN COMPETITION POOL PHOTOS: MIKE LETHBY

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p pool resources in WalesSystem integration was by Martin Dawes,

with the backup of Polar Audio projectmanager Simon Druce. Martin Dawes hadtendered for the project at its birth in 2004.Martin Dawes’ Paul Berry comments:

“The brief was to provide PA facilities forvarious zones within the complex, includingthe main and learner pools, changingrooms and various staff areas.“Our proposal was accepted three years

later so we re-appraised the specificationto accommodate newer technology. SimonDruce had already proposed Renkus-HeinzPNX61 loudspeakers for the main poolareas, with a Biamp Audiaflex for signalrouting and processing, and thoseremained at the core of it.The biggest change was incorporating

the new Biamp NPS1 network pagingstation, which we saw on its launch at ISE

2008 and felt it was ideal.”The system comprises DAB radio, CD

player, wireless microphones and iPoddock sources, with routing of any inputpossible to any specified zone.A gooseneck microphone and dedicated

routing switcher originally specified for thereception desk were replaced by the BiampNPS1, as Berry explains: “The NPS1 linksdirectly via CobraNet into the Audiaflex unitand since the output zoning was alreadyspecified in the Audiaflex, the NPS simplyslotted in as an integrated product from theoutset, saving a lot of time and cost.”Biamp’s Da Vinci software, running on

PCs, was specified as the system’s frontend, allowing routing and level control fromseparate PCs from multiple offices, a highlyflexible solution.The choice of Renkus-Heinz loudspeak-

ers was dictated, he affirms, by the demandfor high intelligibility and volume fromcompact cabinets, with predictable directiv-ity that would help minimise reverberationfrom the multiplicity of hard roof and wallsurfaces in the pool areas.The Complex Conic horn of the Renkus-

Heinz PNX61 – powered by Biamp 8 chan-nel 200W amplifiers – met thoserequirements, and was available in aweatherised version. “Along with the inher-ent quality of the product, the PNX61samounted to the best solution at the rightprice,” comments Berry.Peter Aldous concludes: “It’s clear that

that we chose the right products for thisdifficult environment, and the clarity of boththe Renkus-Heinz speakers and the NPS1 isvery impressive, while the interface providesvery fast access to the system.”

INTEGRATED CONTROL: SWIMMING CENTRE MANAGER PETER ALDOUS

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CZECHCHAMPIONS

ROLL OUTRHAON

SK Slavia, one of Europe’s oldestfootball clubs, has tasted both

domestic and internationalsuccess in recent years – and

last year unveiled the continent’sfirst RHAON-empowered

PA system

If Hollywood were to turn this 116-yearsaga into a movie, Steven Spielberg wouldsurely be first choice for director. Not

because of the presence of cuddly aliens, butbecause the story boasts an implausibletotal of three upbeat endings, the last ofwhich involves the first digital audio systemof its kind in continental Europe.The SK Slavia Prague football team,

whose foundation in the Letná district ofPrague in 1892 makes it one of Europe’soldest, has enjoyed mixed fortunes over theyears. While its red-and-white clad teamlifted the domestic league title and cupthroughout the 1990s, and made the quar-ter- and semi-finals of the EUFA cup several

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FACT FILE

LocationStadion Eden, Prague, CzechRepublicChallengesSystem required to deliver highlyintelligible sound to every seatdespite high ambient noise levelsduring matches; need to keepsightlines clear and minimiseinstallation costsCapacity21,000LoudspeakersRenkus-Heinz CF151R x 128Audio control and distributionRenkus-Heinz RHAON;MediaMatrix NionSystem designed & supplied bySoning and Audiopro

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AUDIOPRO

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times, the team has effectively been home-less for years.Expansion of its original 22,000-capacity

Letná stadium was thwarted by WWII andGerman troops torched its wooden standsduring the 1945 Prague riots. A replacementstadium was built in 1948 alongside that ofrivals Sparta – only to be requisitioned by thenew Communist régime three years later asa military parade ground.SK Slavia’s next and last home, in the

city’s Vršovice district – known locally asEden – held 40,000 and witnessed manysuccesses, but after years of underinvest-ment the stadium closed in 2000, and theclub became tenants of the vast 1930s-built

Strahov Stadium.In May 2008, the new Stadion Eden opened

in Vršovice after two years of construction bya team headed by designer Martin Kotík,Arcadis Project Management and generalconstructor Hochtief.Blessed with excellent architecture and

superlative facilities for both sportsmen andspectators, the stadium also boasts an inno-vative roof suspension using tension cablesallowing a perfect view from the stands. Withno columns to obstruct sightlines, there’s anexcellent view of the whole pitch from eachseat.To top it all, SK Slavia Praha marked its

move to Eden in spectacular style by topping

1 Liga, the Czech Republic’s premier divi-sion, for the first time in 15 years. There wasa great deal for the Slavia fans to noisilycelebrate.

Digital EdenStadion Eden is equipped with a pioneer-

ing audio system, with the first Europeaninstallation of a Renkus-Heinz distributedloudspeaker system based on its recently-introduced RHAON (Renkus-Heinz AudioOperations Network) audio control andnetworking technology, employing a Media-Matrix Nion distribution hub.Lucie Antonsonova of the company’s

Czech distributor, Audiopro, observes:

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“Sound distribution in sport stadiums isusually a big issue – and there are only fewwhich can be proud of their solution. The lastgenerations of sports stadiums often havean echo reminding us of railway stationannouncements.“Often, a project for a new sporting facility

is considered from many different viewpoints– sport, safety, audience, aesthetic as wellas promotional use – but nobody pays muchattention to sound distribution. Then a famil-iar last-minute solution follows: put some-thing up that’s not too expensive, as thebudget has already been spent. We all knowwhat the result is.”This year’s third happy ending for Slavia,

according to Antonsonova, was that thisscenario wasn’t repeated in Eden. Systemintegrators Soning, working in cooperationwith Audiopro, implemented a sound designaimed at providing high quality, localisedsound distribution to all 21,000 seats. Thephysical constraints amounted to a partiallyroofed stadium where the football pitch isfive meters below the surrounding terrain,creating a crucible of intense noise duringmatches.The physical layout of the grandstand

seating and the combination of a highlyreverberant environment and high ambientnoise during matches meant the Soningdesign team’s first step was to create a 3Dmodel which was used to determine thepositioning and testing of potential loud-speaker locations.

Their conclusion pointed to a largenumber of small speaker clusters, config-ured as distributed short-throw loudspeakerlocations. The choice of active, poweredloudspeakers running on a fully digital back-bone was, says the company, a logical routeto follow given the latter’s generic benefits ofsimplified installation, lighter cabling andoperational manageability.The second step the team proposed went

further by specifying – for the first time inEurope – a RHAON-networked Renkus-Heinz system. This adds CobraNet digitalaudio distribution, user configurable DSP formaximum control, remote systems manage-ment from any Windows computer, and lifesafety functions, using standard Ethernethardware and cable.The analogue domain was omitted entirely

in favour of a redundant CobraNet distrib-uted system fully supervised by RHAON andusing managed switches connected togetherin an optical network.RHAON’s raison d’etre is, says the

company, “to save on materials and labourwhile providing the most powerful loud-speaker specific DSP processing aimed atdelivering the best in fidelity and reliability.”The first is achieved by deployment over Cat5 Ethernet cable, eliminating bulky conduitand heavy gauge wire pulls to minimiseinstallation costs.For the rest, DSP integral to each loud-

speaker, under the command of theWindows-based RHAON GUI, provides

A large number of smallloudspeaker clusters areconfigured as distributed short-throw locations. Active, selfpowered loudspeakers runningon a fully digital backbonesimplified installation, reducedcabling weight and offerenhanced operationalmanageability

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system tuning and overall protection andstability for up to 64 channels of 24-bit48kHz digital audio plus real time monitoringand control functions. System verificationand performance optimisation can all beperformed from a single computer at asingle location.In hardware terms it takes the form of a

RHAON-equipped version of the PF1-500Class D 500W digital amplifier built in to theteam’s chosen loudspeaker model, the full-range two-way CF 151-5R. Each loudspeakerinterfaces over a single Cat 5 cable with thesystem’s digital hub, a Peavey MediaMatrixNion distribution processor. And that, soundsources aside, is that, insofar as thesystem’s major electronic components areconcerned.The CF151 itself met the requirements for

compactness for roof mounting, andprovides full-range ± 3 dB, 60 Hz to 18 kHzperformance with the company’s 90° by 40°dispersion Complex Conic horn design forconstant beamwidth and directivity.

Location, location, locationThe location of the loudspeakers was

determined during extensive consultationswith the company and a detailed search forthe optimal positioning of the speakersystems in the stadium. This was accompa-nied by minor technical modifications to thestandard loudspeaker mounting hardware,which was originally designed for verticalpositioning. To meet the requirements ofStadion Eden, horizontal installation wasspecified and suitably adapted hardwaresupplied by the California factory.The Soning technicians designed special

mounting brackets for each pair of loud-speakers, allowing precise positioning anddirection. The small distance separating theroof edges from the audience seats – theonly location suitable for loudspeaker place-

ment – as well as the height of the audiencebowl, added to a requirement for extremelyaccurate placement.Antonsonova comments: “The system

created one invaluable advantage: becausethere is an integrated operational module ineach loudspeaker, the transfer of audio aswell as the operational signal is achievedthrough a single cable. A new generation ofstructural cabling was used and Renkus-Heinz themselves assisted with softwareconfiguration for the operational system inEden.“The software takes into account all the

requirements of the sporting arena but alsoa number of others – for example security,including any evacuation announcements. Todescribe the individual functions and theoperational options – in a setup where eachof the 64 loudspeaker locations around thestadium has a small computer positionednear the sound distribution cabins, as wellas to describe all of the available optionsthat the system has to offer – would take upmany volumes.”Karl-Gustaf Kahlau, Renkus-Heinz export

sales manager, comments: “This installationis proof that loudspeakers can be treated inintegration terms as IP addresses in anetwork, and that this installation could passas any computer network installation.“As a result, the need for Ethernet knowl-

edge on the part of the designer as well asinstaller is imperative. It’s obvious that theuse of RHAON and CobraNet does bringnumerous advantages over an analoguesystem when it comes to manageability aswell as sheer installation aspects, but it’salso obvious that it introduces the need forabstract system thinking that differs in manyways to the conventional approach.”“Not only is a minimum of gear used in

this installation, this is one of the most cost-effective stadium systems out there, yet still

exceeds all the required international stan-dards. A combination of excellent systemperformance and a well thought-throughsound treatment by the designer for the roofaudio installation makes not just announce-ments but a live music experience reallyenjoyable. After fine-tuning by Robert Nils-son of Swedish design and installationcompany DAT AB, we could listen to wellrecorded jazz/soul without getting annoyingreflections hitting us from everywhere – andthat was in an empty stadium, the worstpossible situation.”During Nilsson’s system commissioning

he measured achieved STI values of a “veryrespectable” 0.61 – “exceptional for a venueof this proportion and size”.Antonsonova has the final word: “The

team, which has not even had its ownstadium to play in over the last few years andhad to hold their games at Strahov stadiuminstead, has become the league championsafter a long fifteen years, which is a historicachievement - every fan is able to describethe individual, uneasy millstones of the jour-ney on the way to the title. That’s why threehappy endings is some achievement.”

REPRINTED BY KIND PERMISSION OFINSTALLATION EUROPE

System integrators Soning,

working in cooperation with

Audiopro, implemented a sound

design aimed at providing high

quality, localised sound

distribution to all 21,000 seats

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