Springfield, MO – January 2012... Carrington Hall was the first building to open its doors on the Missouri State University campus in 1908, and has lived through many incarnations since then. Today Carrington Hall serves as the university’s administration building, and its previously unused, antiquated auditorium has been renovated and modernized.

To better serve the university’s needs, the auditorium has been converted into large multi-purpose classroom, to be used primarily for lectures but also to accommodate feature concerts, films and other special events.

MSU brought in Lenexa, KS-based acoustic and audio visual consultants Coffeen Fricke and Associates to design an audio system for the new multi-purpose classroom. As CFA’s Bob Ledo explains, the building’s stone and concrete architecture created an extremely reverberant environment, albeit a visually interesting one.

“The main seating area is a futuristic looking space designed with linear, angled florescent lighting on the underside of a gigantic cube that makes the large volume space more controllable, but also cuts off the view to the top of proscenium,” says Ledo. The room also features very low under-balcony seating space completely surrounded by concrete.

It proved quite challenging for Coffeen Fricke and Associates to find loudspeakers that would provide proper coverage in the hall’s main seating area as well as to the lower under-balcony seating.

“There was nowhere to put loudspeakers in the main seating area,” says Ledo. “We couldn’t use source clusters because the cube was in the way. Using surface mounted distributed loudspeakers would have been our least costly solution but definitely the least aesthetically appealing.”

The solution was found in the low profile Iconyx system from Renkus-Heinz. “We only needed two loudspeakers, which we shelf-mounted,” Ledo says. “They blend into the environment so well, they’re not recognizable as loudspeakers.”

The new audio system utilizes two self-powered Iconyx IC16-R line arrays located on either side of the stage. The room also utilizes a simple presenter podium with a gooseneck microphone and a wireless lapel mic, all driven by Biamp Audia DSP.

CFA associate John Hodgson used Renkus-Heinz RHAON DSP software to equalize the IC16-Rs. A Biamp Audia also provided very narrow parametric filters for room equalization and narrow banding, a technique CFA has used for many years.

“We were very successful in tuning the Iconyx,” explains Hodgson. “Feedback is a non-issue. We’re able to walk right in front of the Iconyx with a lapel mic, without any feedback.”

Ledo stressed that Carrington Hall’s new audio system is a fairly simplistic one. “Iconyx gave us the pattern control and directionality we needed, as well as satisfying the aesthetic requirements of the space. Everyone is extremely pleased with the results.”

Wilmington, DE – December 2011…Founded in 1973 by Marie Swajeski, the Delaware Children’s Theatre has made a long-standing tradition of providing live family entertainment for people throughout the tri-state area, including seasonal holiday shows like the current production of “Scrooge.”

Supported solely through ticket sales and a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, the all-volunteer group makes its home in the historic 100-year-old New Century Club building in Wilmington.

The building’s rich history includes stints as a hospital during World War I, an ice cream parlor and pharmacy, a college, and a dinner theater, as well as many years as a nexus of the women’s rights movement. Recognized on the list of U.S. National Historic Places, its stage has played host to speakers as varied as Margaret Sanger and Woodrow Wilson.

In support of the DCT’s efforts, Community Professional Loudspeakers recently provided the Theatre with four of their ENTASYS high-performance column line array loudspeaker systems. Two ENTASYS columns mounted on either side of the proscenium and two more on the side walls have made a marked difference for the Theatre’s audiences, says Production Manager Barry Polish.

“The ENTASYS loudspeakers have dramatically improved spoken word intelligibility in the auditorium,” says Polish. “The sound is very natural, not like most large loudspeakers, and the ENTASYS columns blend in visually so well that most people don’t even notice them. It’s the perfect solution for our theatre.”

For more information on DCT, visit their website at www.dechildrenstheatre.org.

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On Easter Sunday 1980, Saddleback Valley Community Church in Lake Forest, California held its first public service, with just over 200 people in attendance. Twenty-eight years later, Saddleback is touted as one of the nation’s largest congregations, with a weekly attendance of over 22,000 and more than 200 ministries serving the church and community.

Saddleback now encompasses four campuses, each equipped with state-of-the-art audio and video systems, and the church maintains an active presence on the web, thanks to the efforts of a media-savvy technology department. Saddleback’s Lake Forest sanctuary was recently treated to a major audio upgrade, with the help of Case Sound Solutions and the church’s former senior audio engineer, Wally Grant. Grant and Case Sound installed two 96-input VENUE Profile systems into the church – one at FOH and one at the monitor position – along with a Pro Tools|HD system at FOH. They also installed a 96-input Pro Tools|HD system and Avid ICON D-Command console in the church’s recording room, which also features a dozen Avid PRE microphone preamp units that feed six Avid 96 I/O audio interfaces.

After researching all the live sound options, Wally Grant and FOH/monitor engineer John Wilson, both long-time Pro Tools users, found VENUE to be the best overall choice for the church’s varied audio needs. “I believe the VENUE system is as good, or better, than any console on the market today, digital or analog,� Grant offers. “The D-Show software allowed us to have the system configured even before we received our consoles. Since the systems have been in place, their performance has been 100% reliable.�

John Wilson adds that the dual VENUE systems are ideally suited to the church’s wide-ranging needs. “Any given week here can include sermons, services, concerts, conferences – you name it. VENUE’s snapshot automation enables us to save and recall settings for individual songs and speakers. We have a number of engineers using the system, and the ability for them to store their shows on their own flash drive is very helpful.�

Wilson says the church’s pastor of worship, Rick Muchow, prefers the monitor console to be at FOH position during weekend services, so the room was designed with that flexibility in mind. “The system is configured so we can relocate the monitor desk at the traditional stageside position when needed, and the Profile console is light enough to easily move it.�

The church’s recording engineer Mike Mierau, another Pro Tools veteran, says the move to VENUE and ICON systems was a logical choice. “We’ve recorded on Pro Tools for some time now, and being able to take a feed directly from the (VENUE) FOH system into the ICON in the studio is a huge advantage.� Mierau then edits the sessions on the recording room’s Pro Tools|HD system using a D-Command console, streaming the services live and archiving them for future downloads. The Pro Tools|HD system at FOH also records the services for use with VENUE’s Virtual Sound Check.

The system at front of house features a VENUE Profile console that handles 96 inputs and 16 outputs, plus two HDx Option Cards installed in the system’s FOH Rack that allow for up to 128 tracks of audio recording or playback through the connected Pro Tools|HD system. The monitor system features a Profile console configured for 96 inputs and 24 outputs, plus two ANO A-Net Output Cards installed in the system’s Stage Rack that provide a direct interface between the VENUE system and Aviom remote mixers for personal monitoring. A Pro Co Sound Momentum digital snake provides line and mic signals to both the front of house and monitor Profile systems, as well as to the Avid PREs in the recording room.

Feedback from Saddleback’s technical crew has been overwhelmingly positive, though no one is surprised. “We knew in advance this was the right way to go,� says John Wilson. “The only surprise at this point is discovering that we can do even more than we’d anticipated with the systems.�

Vienna, Austria – November 2011…..  ToolsOnAir, creators of innovative QuickTime-based applications for broadcast video production professionals, has announced the release of version 1.6 of their play out products just:play and just:live.

Part of ToolsOnAir’s acclaimed Broadcast Suite of video production tools, just:play and just:live v1.6 offers a host of new features and enhancements that take the concept of TV Station in a Mac even further.

Included in the version 1.6 update is full support for Mac OS 10.7 (Lion), as well as support for Apple’s Mac Mini. As ToolsOnAir Director of Marketing Gilbert Leb explains, “With Apple’s recent integration of Thunderbolt technology and the increased processing power of all Mac models, the concept of ‘TV Station in a Mac Mini’ is now fully viable. Using video hardware such as AJA’s IO XT Box or Black Magic Designs’ Ultrastudio 3D, it is now possible to implement a truly professional grade broadcast facility, delivering playout automation, real-time graphics and router control in a single Mac Mini with a mere 85 Watts of power consumption. Our customers are now looking at implementing literally dozens of channels – with redundant backups – using minimal space and resources.�

ToolsOnAir’s just:play and just:live v1.6 now offer real time aspect ratio conversion, automatically detecting different aspect ratios and converting the files to match playout format. In addition, the user can override the preset selection for each clip individually. For frame accurate play out, the internal time used for scheduling and playing out can now be synchronized to an LTC signal.

Also supported is playlist within playlist functionality, where saved playlists can be dragged and dropped into a previously scheduled playlist.

Advanced native router control for external interfacing and control including routers from AJA, BM, Harris, Kramer and other manufacturers, GPI control of external devices and control of just:live as a server application over the VDCP standard.

“This latest update is yet another step in ToolsOnAir’s ongoing pursuit of offering a complete, powerful, end-to-end solution for multi-camera ingest, editing and automated playout, integrating live graphics feed and more,� says Leb.

For more information, visit www.toolsonair.com

New York, NY – December 2011… The Pig ‘n’ Whistle in midtown Manhattan is typical of many of the area’s taverns. What the narrow storefront space lacks in width, it more than makes up for in depth and height, spanning two floors and extending far to the back of the building it occupies.

“It’s only about 25 feet wide, but it’s more than 75 feet deep, and there’s an open veranda and dining area upstairs, with a high open ceiling,� says Rich Trombitas of Cornwall-based Cardone Solomon & Associates Inc.

“It’s a beautiful place,� says Trombitas. “The architecture is just stunning, the finish and detail looks wonderful. But sonically it’s very challenging. The stage is located on the second level, and particularly on Friday and Saturday nights when they have Irish bands and DJs in there, the noise level can be a real challenge.�

The main floor is served by three wall-mounted TRX82 two-way cabinets per side, with low frequency coverage augmented by a PNX212 subwoofer mounted in a closet, as well as an SGX-12S sub concealed at the end of a banquet seating area. The second level veranda and dining area is covered by six SGX61 compact two-way boxes, with a second SGX12S sub. The system was installed by Rego Park, NY-based Starview Satellite.

The system design was further complicated by architectural changes during the construction phase that limited the number of viable locations for speaker mounting. “We were originally going to go with six TRX81 cabinets per side, but we replaced them with three of the TRX82s,� says Trombitas. “It’s a longer cabinet, with two 8-inch woofers. They turned out to be perfect for the application, because you’ve got 120 degree coverage that’s uniform throughout the entire listening area. You can walk all the way from the front to the back and the coverage is nice and even.�

Despite the architectural challenges, Trombitas says the end result was a great success. “The owners love the system,� he says. “They’re getting good quality background music during the day, and high-impact performance with great vocal sound at night for DJs and live shows. It sounds great on both floors, with no feedback issues.�

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Omaha, NE – December 2011… The restoration of Omaha’s Greater Beth-El Temple is complete after a June 2008 arson fire set by mischievous neighborhood youths that nearly destroyed the Apostolic Christian church, popular among Omaha’s African-American community. The congregation was forced to relocate while the temple underwent a complete renovation. Left virtually an empty shell after the fire, the building required new floors, a ceiling, a stage, seating, and numerous other necessities including a sound system.

Greater Beth-El services include a full musical ensemble playing contemporary Christian and gospel music. Theatrical performances and concerts are also regular events at the temple. According to John Manhart of Direct Pro Audio LLC, the contractor who designed and installed Greater Beth-El’s new audio system, low profile looks combined with large sound capability were paramount in selecting the new system.

“Greater Beth-El needs a sound system that blends well aesthetically with the temple’s décor but still provides enough output to handle their sound requirements,� explains Manhart. “They want to avoid big hanging speaker boxes that might block the view of their stage backdrop and projection screen.�

Direct Pro Audio opted to install an Iconyx IC Live Digitally Steerable Array System by Renkus-Heinz. IC Live’s slim profile and customized color make it virtually disappear into the wall, a major factor in its selection.

The installed system includes two ICL-FR-DUAL loudspeakers, each with 16 drivers per side. The loudspeakers have been custom-painted to blend almost seamlessly into the temple’s stage area and are mounted permanently on both walls flanking the stage. Two IC Live sub-woofers are tucked into a nook just below the speakers.

Other system components include a Roland M-300 digital mixing console and a variety of Audix wired and wireless mics.

The renovated temple has seating for approximately 600, but a moveable air wall located in the rear of the temple allows them to accommodate up to 800 people when necessary.

Reports Manhart, “The IC Llive system is low profile, custom painted to match the décor, and has great quality sound output. Nothing else on the market can really do that.�

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Steve Goodwin

Steve Goodwin has been promoted to the position of Latin America Sales Manager. In addition to his current responsibilities as Marketing Services Manager, Goodwin will now handle all sales for Central and South America and the Caribbean, investigating new distributors and driving increased sales in those territories.

Julie Henn

Julie Henn has been appointed to the post of Senior Sales Associate. Henn’s new duties will include overseeing both inside sales operations and customer service within the company’s Inside Sales Department.

And LizAnne McConlogue has been promoted to the position of Inside Sales Administrator. In her new post, McConlogue will be responsible for order processing and customer service for domestic and international export accounts.

LizAnne McConlogue

“We are very happy to congratulate Julie, Steve and LizAnne on their new positions,” said Community’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Julia Lee. “Community has always been fortunate to have an exceptional degree of loyalty and longevity amongst our employees, with the majority of our people having been with us for many years. It’s a true pleasure to watch people ascend within the company, and to reward their hard work and dedication.”

Henn, McConlogue and Goodwin will all continue to be located at the company’s headquarters in Chester, PA.

Chester, PA – December 2011….Community Professional Loudspeakers  has introduced the newest addition to their highly acclaimed Distributed Design Series of ceiling and surface mount loudspeakers.

Featuring identical componentry to the D6 ceiling model, the DP6 pendant loudspeaker offers the superior sound quality, exceptional intelligibility and unparalleled performance that has quickly established the Distributed Design Series as a favorite among installed sound professionals.

A true coaxial loudspeaker with an HF compression driver, the DP6 offers Community’s patented Carbon Ring Cone Technologyâ„¢ and Tru-Phaseâ„¢ high-frequency waveguide for consistent, wide dispersion up to 16 kHz. Uniform voicing allows the entire range of Distributed Design ceiling, surface and pendant mount loudspeakers to be combined in a single installation with no compromise of consistency from zone to zone.

The DP6 is equipped with a built-in autoformer, allowing the loudspeaker’s full output and performance to be realized with 70V or 100V distribution lines. An easily accessible selector switch on the face of the loudspeaker makes it simple to choose between 8 ohm or 70V/100V operation, while the integrated rear cover conceals wiring and hanging hardware for a clean, aesthetically pleasing installation. Two 15-foot high tensile galvanized steel wire rope suspension cables with integrated spring clips are included.

Available in standard black and white finishes, the Distributed Design DP6′s contoured, contemporary pendant form factor is ideal for restaurants, bars, hotels, ballrooms, casinos, retail and commercial establishments, meeting rooms, convention centers and any other open architecture environments.

For more information, visit www.communitypro.com