Outline s.r.l, the leading European manufacturers of loudspeaker systems and associated technologies for professional audio, are delighted to announce the appointment of The Audio Specialists b.v. as their exclusive distribution partners for Benelux and Germany, with immediate effect (www.theaudiospecialists.eu).
TAS is the brainchild and property of former E-Audio Benelux Managing Director Axel Nagtegaal, under whom the company achieved spectacular results for a number of leading pro-audio brands in Benelux, including Midas, Klark Teknik, Electrovoice and others. Mr. Nagtegaal and his team pioneered the concept of 'service hatch' distribution in pro-audio, where a territorial distributor effectively becomes the local office for the manufacturer(s) they represent. This unique model was instrumental in his prior successes in Benelux and will be re-applied to his new distribution venture.
Mr. Nagtegaal explains his choice of Outline as a distributed line for his company: ‘The Outline product portfolio contains a whole raft of innovative and relevant technologies that really make it so much more than just another ‘me too’ brand. The MiniCompass system, as just one example, is simply brilliant in its approach to dealing with challenging acoustic spaces. In fact the whole Outline product range is packed with clever and practical ideas for solving everyday sound reinforcement problems’. He continues, ‘Needless to say we will be providing a full pre-and-post-sales service for all categories of pro-audio customers, including extensive demonstration capabilities for the whole Outline range, as well as flexible finance packages for qualifying professional rental companies'.
Chris Hinds, Outline’s Sales Director for Europe said, ‘Outline has so much potential in so many markets, we just need first-class distribution partners to help us realise those possibilities. We are very lucky indeed to have secured the services of someone whom many consider to be the best pro-audio distributor in Europe, especially when that partnership covers such important territories. The future is bright, the future is TAS!’.
OUTLINE MINI-COM.P.A.S.S. LINE ARRAY TAKES CENTER STAGE FOR BROADWAY SMASH ‘RELATIVELY SPEAKING’
Double Parabolic Reflective Wave Guide (DPRWG) Ensures Even Coverage of Highs NEW YORK, October 21, 2011 ? Outline, the maker of high quality, industry leading speaker systems for touring, installation and studio applications, is proud to announce its Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. powered line array speakers were chosen as the center stage, primary front-of-house speakers for the Broadway hit Relatively Speaking, playing at the Brookes-Atkinson Theater in Manhattan. The play, directed by actor/director John Turturro and penned by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, consists of three one-act plays that deal with the topic of family relationships. As each play is essentially dialogue-driven, clarity is of great importance for the success of the production. Mini-COM.P.A.S.S., with its patented Double Parabolic Reflective Wave Guide (DPRWG) technology and integrated power amplifiers, allows for extremely directed high frequencies, ensuring intelligibility throughout the main audience areas.
“The challenge for designing the audio system was finding a speaker/amplifier system capable of capturing the articulation and emotions of the dialogue and delivering it to the audience,” says Carl Casella, the sound designer for Relatively Speaking. “Outline Mini-COM.P.A.S.S., which is comprised of four 5-inch loudspeakers for low/mid range and two 1.75-inch compression drivers on the proprietary DPRWG wave guide, lends itself perfectly to vocal articulation, whether sung or spoken. The loudspeaker is incredibly smooth in its frequency response and the sound is very consistent from cabinet to cabinet, so the quality control is there. Using Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. allows the audience to relax and get involved with the play, rather than straining to hear or understand the dialogue.”
Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. is capable of up to 150 degrees of coverage, but the ideal for the Brookes-Atkinson Theater is 120 degrees on all the different cabinets, according to Outline’s open-array 3D prediction software. A single array of seven cabinets does the job. The top of the array consists of four cabinets covering the balcony area with a spacer break at the bottom. Three more cabinets are hung below to cover the main seating area. The software accurately provided a map of the coverage that the loudspeakers should provide and the array was set accordingly.
“Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. is a self-powered, steerable loudspeaker that goes from 60 to 150 degrees of coverage in 15-degree increments, symmetrically or asymmetrically, so it can be used in a very wide range of applications,” continues Casella. “I’ve used the Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. in a number of different situations, from outdoor portable stage applications for music, to college commencements and other applications, where the ability to vary the high frequency pattern from loudspeaker to loudspeaker maximized the sound quality for each project. Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. is also lightweight, as it only weighs 52 pounds with its flying hardware. Each cabinet is able to deliver up to 1000 watts of clean sound from the integrated power amplifier without significant power draw on the theatre’s AC mains. This is remarkable for a cabinet of this size.”
According to Casella, the expectations for the success for Relatively Speaking are very high, with tickets already selling out months in advance. “This is a very special play that demands the very best from everyone involved. Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. delivers a sound quality commensurate with the expectations.”
Across the weekend of July 16th and 17th, Leeds Castle near Maidstone in Kent (‘The Loveliest Castle In The World’) hosted a major two-day musical event, with large Outline GTO and Butterfly systems deployed by SRD Group for both concerts.
On Saturday the Heritage Events Leeds Castle Open Air Classical Concert 2011 featured the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by John Rigby, playing a wide selection of popular classics. Sunday saw a complete change of pace with ‘Live At The Castle 2011’, featuring Europe’s No.1 boy band The Wanted alongside performances from Alexandra Burke, new girl-band Fanfare, Stacey Solomon, Eliza Doolittle and Aggro Santos amongst others.
The main L&R system was Outline’s new flagship GTO line-source enclosure, flown twelve-deep each side of the stage. Dual delay towers, each comprising twelve Outline Butterfly elements, were also deployed and combined seamlessly with the main system to provide the necessary coverage of a very large and awkwardly-shaped audience area. A further six ground-stacked Outline Butterfly elements per side provided front of stage fill. All the systems were powered by Outline T11 amplifiers and controlled by Lake LM26 processors via Dante networks.
On Saturday the primary orchestra mix of 128 channels was handled by Ian Barfoot with ten digital stems sent to FOH, handled by Chris Beddall mixing on an Allen and Heath iLive digital console. A further iLive handled the complex on-stage monitor mix. Sunday headliners The Wanted were mixed at FOH by Andrew Thornton on a Digidesign Profile, with all other acts mixed used an iLive 112 surface.
Barfoot also designed the system using Outline’s proprietary 'OPEN ARRAY' prediction software, and commented that, ‘The software predicted exactly what we consequently achieved and was flawless in its execution’.
After the show Chris Beddall commented, ‘The GTO system can certainly handle the subtleties of orchestral music as well as rock with its huge dynamic range, and has long throw capabilties without compare. I am truly impressed!’
Stuart Roberts of SRD GROUP said, ‘The GTO system is amazing and throws an incredible distance with even coverage and excellent intelligibility - what we experienced at Leeds Castle totally substantiates Outlines’ claims of unparalleled far-field performance’.
After Germany, United States and Italy, Outline’s large-format line-source system will be on show in London, on stand G35 at the Plasa Show, from 11th to 14th September.
The result of a positive two-year cooperation between Outline and some of the world’s best-known rental companies, GTO - Grand Touring Outline - can boast a successful feature right from its origin: the first systems that left the factory (summer 2010) were already sold and earmarked for immediate use on high-profile concerts and tours, initially in the USA and then Europe. Those systems were not prototypes, but already standard production models, the same as those officially presented in Frankfurt just four months ago.
Currently, thanks also to the evolution of a market on which loudspeakers are increasingly sturdy and efficient, there is no doubt that almost all PAs effectively sound "loud". This has led to exaggerated use of sensational expressions such as "incredible output power" on behalf of more or less famous audio manufacturers - expressions that in many cases are backed up by facts.
One certain prerogative attributed in writing to GTO by authoritative trade members is its ability to ensure intelligible output over long distances: higher than any competitor in the market’s large-format PA sector. An advantage that can be ascribed to Outline’s D.P.R.W.G. waveguide.
However, the GTO family continues to grow. At Plasa 2011 the Italian company is unveiling its GTO-DF (Down-fill).This is an element that is mechanically compatible with GTO and conceived and designed with a sole aim: providing audio coverage for the first rows of the audience in every type of event at which GTO systems are used (an explicatory photo is attached).
From the point of view of design,the GTO-DF is definitely eye-catching, with its aperture (120°) gradually flaring out downwards. As opposed to the GTO, which has ten loudspeakers, this element uses six: four 8-inch mid-woofers and two 3-inch compression drivers.
Let’s take a look at the software sector. At Plasa 2011 Outline will present an APP for Apple iPads - written entirely in its in-house labs - with which it is possible to control the self-powered loudspeaker enclosures manufactured by the company (http://itunes.apple.com/uk/app/mini-com-p-a-s-s-linearray/id435900890?mt=8).
In fact, followingin-depth research carried out in collaboration with the University of Brescia, Outline believes that man/loudspeaker enclosureinteraction can be revolutionized with software interfaces on tablet computers.
Therefore, no more hardware interfaces with displays, pots and buttons, but a channel to communicate with the dynamic outside world of IT. This APP is not intended to be a "marketing accessory", but an enjoyable, efficient and precise tool for the rapid easy control of Outline’s self-powered systems.In short, the systems’ all-round remote controller.
It must be remembered that this is a native iOS APP, not a mere Web link. For example, the APP gives all-round control of Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. systems - including the complex group management that a line-array with adjustable horizontal dispersion implies - and the brand-new iSM series of stage monitors.
By means of just an APP and relative tablet computer, Outline offers end users (FOH and system engineers, etc.) real all-round man/loudspeaker enclosure interaction.
Shaping sound with an iPad? Outline is already on the Apple store…
Tablet computers have been with us, in one form or another, for some years. The launch of the original Apple iPad in April 2010, (followed by the sale of three million iPads within 80 days and almost 15 million by the end of that year), marked the point where tablet computing morphed into a mature technology suitable for professional use. The launch of iPad 2, with a range of upgraded features and an ever-growing selection of available applications for every conceivable purpose, takes tablet computing even further.
Here at Outline, we believe that we are witnessing a ground-breaking moment in technology history, comparable to the arrival of CDs or mobile phones on the consumer market.
The combination of a uniquely intuitive user interface, long battery life, wireless and 3G connectivity, light weight and compact size, plus a robust and stable operating system, means that the iPad can be almost anything you want it to be, from a gaming platform to a serious tool for commercial use.
“On the one hand, iPad might seem to be simply a toy for ‘geeks’. Then, when you use it, you stay up late at night and discover that, as well for playing games, it makes even serious work enjoyable. You can also leaf through books, navigate, keep the house under control from a distance, check the weather forecast, make video calls, record videos, take photographs, enjoy a film or a nice cartoon (ideal for the kids on the back seat of the car during long journeys), watch the TV news and do thousands - literally thousands - of other things…they all have an app available on the Apple Store”, comments Outline’s Michele Noselli.
Remote access to system control devices is a crucial part of the modern system technician's toolbox, and the massive global success of iPad as the user interface of choice for so many applications makes it the obvious choice as a remote control platform for Outline products.
Consequently, Outline’s development team have written a dedicated app to control its Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. iMode line array and, shortly, also the new iSM series of stage monitors (112, 212 and 115) ? which will facilitate full wireless control. The app is available on the Apple Store by following this link: http://itunes.apple.com/it/app/mini-com-p-a-s-s-linearray/id435900890?mt=8
“A direct connection between consoles and enclosures is the facility that enabled us to win an Award for Product Innovation at PLASA in London last year. Climbing aboard the ‘magic tablet’ was inevitable and relatively simple for our R&D team, thanks mainly to the iMode technology we launched in 2009 and which is gradually being incorporated in all our self-powered loudspeaker systems”, comments Noselli.
“iMode means having a computer in every enclosure, complete with web server and specific IP address. Users don’t access an enclosure, but a web page. And from that page they can control whatever they want, even from the other side of the globe, since the web knows no frontiers. Thanks to the eclectic iMode platform ? which is genuinely avant-garde ? it is now possible to do all this from an iPad, with a touch of the screen. This is what I’d call maximum digital interaction”, concludes Noselli.
At Frankfurt’s Prolight+Sound and Bergamo’s Show-Way, Outline showed clients and visitors what can be done with an iPad.
“In Frankfurt, we wanted to see the reactions of the public to this unique possibility. We didn’t expect to arouse so much interest and even a sort of physical pleasure ? even for ‘laymen’ ? regarding the control of an enclosure in real time by means of a tablet computer that can be carried around as easily as a diary”, comments Outline engineer Daniele Pagani, responsible for the project.
“Even using sophisticated FIR filters and carrying out complex operations really is child’s play…but the most enjoyable spectacle was seeing the look on people’s faces as they watched the ‘wings’ of our Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. move on the screen of the iPad a moment after having moved them by hand… this definitely enabled the concept of sensor technology to be instantly understood…”, concludes Pagani.
To discover more about the Outline app’s performance, write to info@outline.it
Dowlen Sound fields winning combination of Outline products at John Denver Tribute event
A very special tribute to the life and work of legendary American singer, songwriter, activist, poet and photographer John Denver recently took place at the 1STBankCenter in Broomfield, Colorado. To mark his commitments to humanitarian, sustainability and conservation causes the event was held on Earth Day, April 21st.
Hosted by Olivia Newton-John, a close friend of Denver and his family, the evening featured performances from a large roster of artists including Lee Ann Womack, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Oates, Trace Bundy and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. The show opened with Denver’s induction into the Colorado Music Hall Of Fame, the first artist to be so honoured, and also included performances from his first wife and his widow. The conclusion was a stirring finale where all the artists gathered onstage for a massed rendition of Denver’s most iconic song, ‘Rocky Mountain High’.
Sound production for the event was handled by Colorado natives Dowlen Sound who deployed a combination of Outline GTO, Butterfly and Mantas loudspeaker modules in the 6500-capacity venue. The main L&R system comprised 12 GTO plus four underhung Mantas modules per side while 16 Dowlen Sound subwoofers provided low frequency reinforcement. Eight Butterfly modules were deployed each side as ‘wraps’ to provide the necessary coverage width for seats near the stage sides.
Eric Satre of Dowlen Sound said, ‘For us and many sound providers like us, shows like this are an important part of our work but as one-offs they can be hard to do profitably. The fact that our Outline systems are quick to rig and de-rig with minimal crew, plus the ability to combine them seamlessly as required, really contributes to our operational efficiency in this type of event’.
Company owner Bret Dowlen mixed FOH for the entire show and commented afterwards, ‘Gigs like this are always a challenge because of the number of artists, the sheer quantity of instruments and the fact that there is always an element of the unknown! The only way to do it well is to use a flexible and accurate PA that can handle anything we throw at it, and that describes our Outline GTO, Butterfly and Mantas systems perfectly. With 105 inputs from the stage and the PA flown 8 feet upstage of the downstage edge the rear rejection and coherence of GTO has proven to be unrivalled, in fact this show may not have been possible with any other system. On a personal note it was very nice to hear John’s music again after a long absence. I was his system engineer for his dates in this region for about 10 years. Making it sound like it was supposed to was much easier with GTO and the amazing engineering that has gone into this box’.
Britannia Row and Robert Lawrence keep American football fans partying with Italian audio systems
London, Wembley Stadium (Oct. 25th 2010) – The event was the USA coming to London in the shape of total American indulgence and razzmatazz - yes - American football.
A sport that’s not just tough, but combines a good day out with a full day’s entertainment. October 25th 2010 saw the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Denver Broncos. To make this extravaganza work, two production companies were engaged to provide sound for the 83,000 revellers.
Britannia Row Productions covered pitch-side entertainment with 14 individual stacks of Outline’s Butterfly Line Array consisting of 4 x CDH 483 hi-packs and 1 x Subtech sub bass powered by T9 amplifiers strategically placed on the pitch’s perimeter.
A further two arrays were deployed for the tailgate stage placed at one end of the pitch for pre-match entertainment. This system consisted of two arrays of 8 CDH 483s and 4 x Subtechs either side.
Pre-match entertainment was provided by New Jersey rockers My Chemical Romance, closely followed by Blues legend Jeff Beck, who played the UK’s national anthem in his own inimitable style.
Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child then took to the stage and performed the US national anthem “The Star-Spangled banner”.
After the match, the party for VIPs moved up to the fifth level of Wembley Stadium, where Robert Lawrence Creative Solutions built a stage and backdrop for the NFL/Virgin Atlantic event.
Audio supplied by Robert Lawrence Creative Solutions - a long-time fan and deployer of Outline systems - consisted of Doppia 9075 point source cabinets and Subtechs powered by T7 amplifiers.
Robert Lawrence Creative Solutions also covered all the outside entertainment, with many marquees and outside stages covered by Outline’s DVS series, LAB15s and Kangaroo systems. All in all, Outline had it covered!
The match ended with the San Francisco 49ers beating the Denver Broncos 24-16.
Outline announces the launch of training courses for audio technicians and system engineers
Outline has announced that at the end of November (29th and 30th) near Rome, Mods Art – which was recently appointed exclusive distributor for the Italian market – will hold the first training course addressing rental firms, system engineers, sound designers, audio technicians and others working in the professional Sound reinforcement world.
The courses, called O.C.S.E. (Outline Certified System Engineer), foresee two levels. The first is intended for professionals wishing to update their current knowledge, as well as aspiring engineers and technicians at the start of their career.
The second level (O.C.S.E. 2) is for those who already have a first-level certificate, as well as recognized professional technicians already working in the sector.
“In our opinion, the work of a system engineer, the person responsible for the fine-tuning of sound reinforcement systems, has undergone a rapid evolution in recent years, a change due to the spread of often revolutionary audio technology and the need for a more professional approach to the job, now considered as vital for events' success. This is why training is an indispensable aspect,” – comments Mods Art product specialist Davide Lombardi.
Passing the second level exam enables candidates to enter the O.T.N. (Outline Technicians Network), a group of qualified technicians at the disposal of all the rental companies in the Outline network.
Being part of the O.T.N. means having acquired specific preparation as far as Outline sound reinforcement systems are concerned. The certificate obtained after passing the exam will be an official guarantee of the level of professionalism achieved.
Mods Art sales manager Luigi Lombardi explains: “For audio technicians, certification and being a member of the network will have two main consequences - on one hand, an increase in their professional skills and, on the other, greater opportunities of work in the live sector.”
The tutors will include Outline engineer Giulio Gandini.
Level 1 O.C.S.E. courses (each open to a limited number of participants) will be held throughout Italy. The first will be on November 29th and 30th 2010 in a suggestive location near Rome.
Full details of the program and other important information can be found on the Web site: www.modsart.it.
SEOUL, South Korea - Home to the well-known Kimpo International Youth Orchestra and recognized for its award-winning architectural design, GoChon Church is also getting to be more widely known for its sound system. The design and install team with Hebsiba Multimedia chose Outlinearrays and H.A.R.D. monitors for the job.
The church, built in 2009, was designed to function as a performing arts center as well. Hebsiba Multimedia, Outline's distributor, was tasked with providing for some natural reverberation - but not too much.
"It was really difficult to satisfy the pastor's expectations, because he wanted truly high-end sound reproduction," noted Sung Hwan Oh, Hebsiba Multimedia CEO. The customer knew about Outline's Butterfly speaker system through exhibitions in Korea and, after hearing the Butterfly sound, wanted it for GoChon church, he added.
"I'm very satisfied with the system," said GoChon church's head pastor, crediting it for "ultra-clean clarity."
The main left and right hangs have 12 Line arrays elements in two sections which were 12 Butterfly C.D.H. 483 Hi-Pack and four C.D.L 1815 Lo-Pack cabinets. The rig is powered by Outline T7 amplifiers and processed by Outline Genius 26 DSP.
Front-fill enclosures are Outline DVS 10 and under-balcony speakers Outline IC6T. Stage monitors are Outline H.A.R.D. 45 SP, H.A.R.D. 115 SP and more Outline DVS 10 are used as choir monitors.
Massive installation of Outline point source enclosures in Poland’s major stadiums
Poznan’s City Stadium is currently the largest sports arena in Poland and home to the country’s national soccer champions, Lech Poznan. In 2012, the stadium will be one of the venues hosting the Euro championship.
The official reopening of the venue after its modernization work was held on September 20th 2010. The event featured a concert by Sting (a date on his celebrated Symphonicity world tour).
The stadium has a seating capacity of 43,741 and the venue’s architecture comprises three new stands and a small historical stand that has been integrated into the new building.
Lech played its first international match at the stadium on September 30th against Red Bull Salzburg (in the UEFA Europa League), which the club won 2-0 with goals by Arboleda and Peszko.
All tickets for the match were sold out and the venue was full. The next international matches will be on November 4th (against Manchester City FC) and December 1st (versus Juventus).
Poznan’s City Stadium was supposed to be the first Euro 2012 object opened in Poland. Because of this, investors demanded the highest standards from all the contractors working on technical installations.
The audio team had the task of ensuring even coverage in the wide seating areas and high speech intelligibility. This was achieved using a quantity of high performance loudspeakers.
The system’s designers - with experience from the Legia Warsaw project - were Ambient System’s Krzysztof Mludzik and Kamil Slowikowski, who chose Outline to provide the loudspeaker system not only because of the products’ high quality, but also for the company’s professional support on the project.
For example, together with Outline’s engineers, the designers specified a list of modifications of the basic products, made to ensure the speakers high reliability and resistance to harsh weather conditions.
To reproduce speech and music in the stadium, Outline’s sole distributor for Poland, Ambient System, used a sound reinforcement system based on 52Tripla II 9075 loudspeakers and 64Micra II loudspeakers (covering the stands), as well as 6Doppia II 9075 P loudspeaker systems (for the pitch). Power was courtesy of 34 T Five and 8 T Seven amplifiers, also Outline.
The speaker setup used in this project was also tested by the means of acoustic simulations (i.e. EASE software packages). The simulations confirmed that for this large venue, only a fully professional set-up based on speakers such as Outline’s could have met the necessary standards.
