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To set the mood this past Halloween season , Live Sound Engineer Troy Choiwas called upon to run monitors for the Danny Elfman shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles . To achieve prime audio for the performance , Choi relied on DPA Microphones ’ new 4055 Kick Drum and 4099 Instrument microphones for the orchestra and drum kit , and the brand ’ s 2028 Vocal Capsule for Elfman himself .
“ Every time I mix a show , I always try to use DPAs ,” says Choi . “ No matter the genre — rock , pop or classical , it always turns out great . The 4055 provided fantastic sound ; the drummer and crew were so happy and awestruck by the quality . I always encourage people to use DPAs for drum sets , even complex rock drumming . If you ’ re looking to go to the next level , DPA is it !”
Lightroom is a brand new , artists-led immersive venue that opened in London in January 2023 . The space is packed with the latest in AV technology , and includes a HOLOPLOT X1 Matrix Array sound system , the first fixed installation in the UK .
“ X1 has been deployed on some exceptional projects , all harnessing the power of our technology to create extraordinary experiences ,” says CEO HOLOPLOT Roman Sick . “ Lightroom fits this calibre of enterprise , providing a limitless environment for artists to play within .”
Installed by HOLOPLOT partner Creative Technology , the HOLOPLOT sound system consists of two X1 arrays at either end of the room . Each array consists of four X1 Modul 96s and four X1 Modul 80-S , embedded and entirely hidden within wall cavities , making for an unspoilt 360-degree projection surface .
“ We ’ re very excited to work with HOLOPLOT and 59 Productions on Lightroom , the UK ’ s first installation of a HOLOPLOT system using their X1 modules ,” adds Jack Strong , Business Development ( Integrations ), Creative Technology . “ This is a venue set to be a fantastic addition to London ’ s permanent immersive experience landscape .”
Slipknot has spent much of the past two years on their ongoing Knotfest Roadshow , which recently wrapped up its third post-pandemic tour sweep of North America . Sound reinforcement provider Eighth Day Sound , a Clair Global company , has been supplying the tour legs with a K Series loudspeaker package from L-Acoustics .
Manning the PA for the group are FOH engineer Bob Strakele and system engineer Brian Sankus , who have been deploying ever-evolving loudspeaker setups as the band has moved from sheds to arenas and then back to sheds . “ At the beginning of 2022 , we were going from amphitheaters into arenas , so on each side , we flew 14 K1 over four K2 for mains , 12 K1-SB subs , and 12 K2 for out-fills ,” Sankus describes . “ In order to adapt and be quick for the rolling stage , we did six carts of three KS28 subs , in cardioid , with an A10 Focus on the top of each for front-fill . This was able to stay strapped together , use the least amount of cable , and be struck at ease . We also had six A15 Wide for auxiliary fills .”
For the most recent leg , which returned to sheds , Strakele and Sankus opted to rely solely on K2 for mains instead of the more traditional K1 . “ On this latest run , we carried a total of 56 K2 and 20 K1-SB , plus our normal 18 KS28 , six A10 Focus , and four A15 Wide ,” Sankus continues . “ To save truck space , we circuited out hangs as three and stuck to 18 LA12X amplified controllers per side , which kept us very flexible in the sheds and two arenas that we did .”
62 PROFESSIONAL SOUND
Shore School ’ s The Smith Auditorium is a 600-seat theatre at the North Sydney campus . With the theatre established in the mid-90s and several generations of PA technology behind it , the Auditorium ’ s FOH loudspeaker system was nearing end-of-life , and Shore turned to integrator Forefront Productions for a new PA solution to serve the both the school and the community ’ s needs .
Forefront Productions supplied an Adamson CS7 line array system augmented by CS118 subwoofers , enabling the school to evaluate the PA during a demanding real-world application . The Adamson CS7 system ticked all the boxes for Shore School and the system was permanently installed .
“ We had the opportunity to trial the complete system in our theatre for a period of about a month ,” says Nicholas Wright of Shore ’ s Technology Services . “ That included the rehearsal and performance periods of our senior school musical . It was so beneficial to hear the system being used as it is intended rather than just demoing with recorded music . Having our musical mixed by an external contractor also gave us another professional opinion when deciding if CS7 was the right product for us .”