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| A Primedia Property | |
| July 19, 2004 | |
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Table of Contents Houses of Worship Top Story Wireless mics ever more popular, but bring pitfalls Installation News Ford Audio Video installs JBL system in Kentucky church Sound Advice and WorxAudio install system at Oakmont Baptist Church Product News Yamaha introduces Active Field Control to U.S. market Community introduces M12 loudspeaker system Toshiba introduces new large-venue projector ADVERTISEMENT Since 1980, FSR has been providing ultra high quality audio and video control and switching solutions to the a/v industry. Located in West Paterson, New Jersey, all FSR products are "Made in the USA" and carry the warranty and support that you require. At FSR, "We have what you need". www.fsrinc.com Houses of Worship Top Story Wireless mics ever more popular, but bring pitfalls Wireless microphones are becoming more popular in churches, and this enthusiasm often means that church media specialists need the help of a professional systems integrator more than they realize. "Churches are a great market, and a growing market," says Rick Waller, applications engineer at Shure, Inc. ADVERTISEMENT  TV One produces over fifty products for the professional video market worldwide, including Seamless Switchers, Scan Converters, Video Scalers, HDTV Converters, Standards Converters, SDI Converters, Matrix Routing Switchers, Digital Video Recorders, Video Servers, LCD Monitors, Frame Synchronizers, Distribution Systems and other Video Terminal Equipment. www.tvone.com The pitfall is that wireless mics are so easily available, and installing them looks so easy, that many are tempted to "do-it-yourself." Plenty of trouble lurks along that road, experts say. Among the factors driving the surge in wireless audio is "a growing move toward the worship team concept," involving more people leading worship in more locations within a church than previously, says Jim LaRue of LaRue Electrical Specialties in Glendale, Arizona, which specializes in church AV systems. "They also want to clean up the 'look,'" he adds, noting that many churches see wireless audio as a way to eliminate cables, microphone stands, and other "clutter" around the sanctuary. But going wireless isn't necessarily the right choice, LaRue says. "The absolutely best, most expensive wireless mic is almost as good as a cabled mic," he explains. "If you don't need the flexibility of a wireless mic, put a wired mic there instead." Waller says that when Shure gets direct inquiries from churches about buying its products, "We always try to route them back to someone who has experience and knowledge in the area." That's largely because the seemingly small matter of choosing wireless microphones can have big consequences for the entire facility design. Feedback is one common issue, Waller says. Mobility is all very well for pastor and musicians, he explains, but "when people can walk around, it's easy to get in front of loudspeakers." It may be more effective, then, to change the placement of the speakers than to train everyone who uses a wireless mic and count on them to remember their training. The choice of lavaliere or headset microphones also has feedback implications, because lavs are more prone to the problem. Churches also face potentially serious consequences from a decision they might not even be aware they're making when they go the DIY route - namely, the frequencies they'll use for their wireless connections. Wireless communications are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission and share spectrum with broadcast television. FCC rules say that no wireless system can operate within 70 miles of a TV station on the same frequency. "It's important to know what stations are broadcasting in your area," says Waller. It's important, too, either to buy a tunable system or a fixed-frequency system that won't conflict with local TV signals. Conflicts can also arise with other local users, even another church down the street. "A good contractor who is doing his homework will notice the other church and go in and ask what frequencies they're using," says LaRue. He even cites an example of a church wireless system that interfered with a local McDonald's drive-through window. Avoiding these conflicts isn't just a matter or neighborliness, LaRue adds. The FCC has enforcement powers that can put a church wireless operation out of business in an extreme case. "Technically, by the letter of the law every wireless microphone system in the United States requires a license," LaRue says. "But how many churches do you think have licenses?" In practice, FCC is not actively seeking out violators, so the problem isn't likely to arise unless someone complains, LaRue says. Avoiding such potentially costly mistakes is yet another reason for church leaders to involve a knowledgeable integrator from the beginning in planning and implementing a wireless audio system. Installation News Ford Audio Video installs JBL system in Kentucky church The newly constructed First Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky, recently opened its doors to the public. Because of the 1,200-seat church's variety of needs, Oklahoma City-based integrator Ford Audio Video installed a system featuring JBL speakers from both the AE and Control Contractor Series. The project exemplifies the flexibility of JBL Professional loudspeakers as well as the compatibility between the company's product lines. The First Baptist Church held its first service on June 6, 2004, which included an appearance by contemporary Christian artist Lionel Harris. According to Mark LeBouff, senior church division account manager of Ford Audio Video, the church offers two distinct types of services, creating a unique set of demands. "The church does blended worship, so it needed a system that could handle both types," he said. "One is traditional with a choir, organ, and piano. The other is contemporary, with a praise band and eight vocalists out front." Several speakers from JBL's AE line are dispersed throughout the space, including six AM4315 models, arranged in three clusters of two, mounted horizontally on the ceiling along with accompanying ASB6118 subwoofers. Complementing this arrangement is an AM4212 above the sound booth, located in the balcony. The AE Series was developed with the goal of meeting the specifications of any environment, large or small. "We've been using the AE Series on a lot of different projects, and love the way it sounds," LaBouff said. "From an appearance standpoint, we were able to order them in white, which blends in well since they're flush against the ceiling." Because the First Baptist Church required sound levels only at a medium power level, Ford Audio Video was able to take advantage of the multiple levels available from the AE Series. "Because of the range of options the AE Series offers, venues can select just the right speaker with enough SPL for their needs, but not overpay for something with more SPL than they would ever use," said Rick Kamlet, senior director of commercial installed sound for JBL Professional. "This is particularly advantageous with budget-conscious clients, including those in the house of worship market, where a system can now be more affordable without a drop-off in performance." Additionally, 14 C25 speakers are distributed under the balcony for full coverage. Because of the interoperability between different JBL speaker lines, the integration of the AE Series speakers with the Control Contractor models was seamless. "JBL Professional has voiced its lines to not only be similar to each other within a line, but to have similar voicing between lines," Kamlet said. "Consequently, the only concerns that come into play are reduced to the basics: how loud the system needs to be, how much pattern control is needed, and what size it needs to be." Headquartered in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of professional loudspeakers for recording and broadcast, musician, cinema, touring sound, commercial sound, and contracting applications. JBL Professional is part of the Harman International network of professional and consumer audio companies. For complete product and company information, go to the JBL Professional website at www.jblpro.com. Sound Advice and WorxAudio install system at Oakmont Baptist Church Oakmont Baptist Church of Greenville, North Carolina, has recently moved into its new sanctuary. WorxAudio was contracted to begin working with Oakmont's design team in January 2002, starting a long-term project. This design team was comprised of a committee including several staff members working in conjuction with Carol Evans of Sound Advice of Eastern North Carolina. The Oakmont congregation knew they wanted the latest technology for their new building, and WorxAudio worked with them to facilitate their goals. WorxAudio to watch the building process and make sure everything needed was in place. During construction, WorxAudio was onsite to install blocking and supports for its hardware before the sheet rock went up. Due to the height of the ceiling, it was imperative that WorxAudio hang the speaker cluster before the large construction lifts were taken out of the building. WorxAudio worked all night hanging the speaker clusters to avoid holding up the project. Residing at Oakmont is 11,400W of audio power, driving nine WorxAudio Technologies 2AX speakers. A 40-channel audio board handles FOH/monitor mixing in the main sanctuary, and a 32-channel audio board is used for the churhc's television control room. Oakmont also enjoys the flexibility allowed by pre-configured mixes, allowing fewer people to control more hardware and automating the system for simplified use. Product News Yamaha introduces Active Field Control to U.S. market Yamaha's Commercial Audio Systems Division has announced the first U.S. installation of Active Field Control (AFC), a proprietary acoustic enhancement system that naturally enhances the acoustic characteristics of a room and secures an ideal sound field for any environment that requires room acoustic optimization. Intended venues include arenas, symphony halls, performance and rehearsal spaces, houses of worship, theatrical venues, and hotel ballrooms used for corporate presentations and events. Yamaha Artist Services on Fifth Avenue in New York City is the first venue in the U.S. to install the AFC system. The state-of-the art 15,000-square-foot facility is located in the Elizabeth Arden Building (formerly the historic Aeolian Building). It offers classical, jazz, pop, and Broadway artists who use Yamaha instruments the latest in high-end services and technology. The center's third floor Piano Salon has been outfitted with the proprietary Yamaha AFC system, which "tunes" the room's acoustics in order to virtually alter the room shape and interior surface materials, and transforms it into a reverberant space for music. The Yamaha AFC system differs from similar systems in that it is based on A-SF (Assistance of Sound Field) technology, which utilizes a feedback loop to modify a room's existing acoustic properties without physical modification. AFC not only changes auditory impressions of architectural sound - such as reverberation, loudness, and the perception of spaciousness - but also enhances early reflections to improve the sound quality in undesirable acoustic conditions, such as under-balcony or stage areas. AFC can add reflected sounds by extending reverb time through time-variant FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filters and increasing the gain of the FIR filters - uniformly distributing enhanced reflected sounds. It also can intensify the feeling of spaciousness by adding lateral reflected sounds. "For performers, the AFC system will enable the room to sound as they want it to sound," says Larry Italia, general manager, Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Division. "For sound-reinforcement contractors, acousticians, and consultants, this system will provide a more flexible, cost-effective solution than the traditional architectural refurbishment." A complete Yamaha turnkey system, AFC's components include the Yamaha AD8HR A/D Converter, AFC1 AFC Processor, DA824 D/A Converter, Yamaha XM and PC Series amplifiers, new proprietary AFC speakers, and a controller. "With the assistance of AFC, a venue may be 'tuned' to exhibit ideal acoustic properties, regardless of the application," explains Marc Lopez, product manager, Yamaha CASD. "By introducing this solution, an acoustic environment can be created that is suitable for everything from drama to chamber music to pipe organ in any space, of any scale." Active Field Control technology has been in use in Japan since 1985, and is found in many high-profile projects, including The Tokyo International Forum, the Hamamatsu Arena, and Fukuoka Symphony Hall. "The AFC System offers a variety of uses for performance venues," states Yasushi Shimizu, manager, Commercial Audio Technology Group, Advanced System Development Center, Yamaha Corporation Japan. "From conference venues seating 5,000 and sports facilities with 8,000 seats, to cathedrals and arenas with less reverberation, AFC can tune the venue enhancing it for a reverberant space hosting music performances." For more information on the Active Field Control system, visit www.yamaha.com/proaudio and www.yamaha-afc.com. Yamaha Corporation of America offers a complete line of professional audio products for the commercial recording, production, broadcast, project studio, live sound, and sound reinforcement markets. Community introduces M12 loudspeaker system With Community's introduction of the new M12 loudspeaker system, sex appeal and stage monitors will no longer be regarded as mutually exclusive entities. At 10 1/2 inches high and 21 1/2 inches wide, the sleek, low-profile device is an alluring and curvaceous replacement for traditional wedge-shaped floor monitors, providing knockout looks as well as high-octane audio suitable for touring sound, houses of worship, broadcast, stage productions, and a variety of other applications. The beauty of the M12 goes more than skin-deep, too. Operable between 55Hz and 18kHz, the two-way, bass-ported system houses a 12-inch ferrofluid-cooled woofer and 2-inch, wide-band compression driver coupled with an asymmetrical horn - providing full-range output up close or at a distance. Offered in biamp or switchable biamp/passive configurations, the fetching performer additionally sports dual NL4 connectors, which are safely tucked out of harm's way in a pocket found at the bottom of the enclosure. Cables arriving at the input panel travel hidden routes within specially molded channels, offering the option of both side and rear access to facilitate easy positioning. With a maximum output of 124dB SPL/131dB SPL (peak), the M12 is available with either a flat black or flat white abrasion-resistant, non-reflective Tuf-Coat finish. As further complement to the design, innovative hidden handles disappear within the stylish, all-fiberglass enclosure, while a "Texas boot-proof" heavy-gauge steel grille offers protection from accidental/deliberate kicks and stompings dished out by performers. For more information, please visit Community's website. Toshiba introduces new large-venue projector Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD) today announced the high-performance TLP-X4500U projector. Designed for the unique demands of large-scale presentation venues, Toshiba's new projector provides an advanced feature set and input flexibility that allows the user to configure the TLP-X4500U to suit the specific venue size or projection need, and management capabilities - including a convenient top panel, providing easy access to the lamp. "Toshiba designed the TLP-X4500U to provide our customers with a high-performance projection option that they can use for large venues or permanent installations," said Alex Ijuin, assistant general manager of the Projector Business Unit of Toshiba DPD, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "This projector complements our current line up of quality portable projectors by offering the same rich multimedia and connectivity features in a larger format." The TLP-X4500U boasts an impressive 4500 ANSI lumens coupled with native XGA resolution and 750:1 contrast ratio. In addition, the TLP-X4500U includes multimedia capabilities including integrated data, video, and auto features to enhance any high-end multimedia presentations. Packaged in a sleek, high-tech casing, the TLP-X4500U includes two 1W stereo speakers and DVI, S-video component, and composite video inputs to provide users with a range of connectivity options for a complete multimedia experience. Other features unique to the TLP-X4500U include picture-in-picture mode, allowing users to view another display source within their presentations, and a convenient top panel that provides easy access to the lamp when it needs to be replaced. The unit's lens shift and progressive-scan capabilities allow users to adjust the projected image vertically on the screen. Also included with the TLP-X4500U are horizontal and vertical digital keystone correction, ensuring distortion-free images in a wide range of room sizes, and quiet "whisper-mode" performance, which keeps the unit's audible noise to a minimum to help ensure that the focus of the presentation is where it should be - on what's being projected. The Toshiba TLP-X4500U is currently available for $6,499 ESP, and comes standard with a two-year warranty for parts and labor. All Toshiba projectors are available through Toshiba's enterprise sales team and authorized distributors, dealers, VARs, retailers, or mail-order outlets and at www.toshibadirect.com. |
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