| Entec
debuts d&b J-Series at Teenage
Cancer Trust Shows
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Entec
Sound became the first
UK rental company to use
d&b audiotechnik’s
new J8 (80 degree) and
J12 (120 degree) line
array cabinets along with
the new J-SUBs on a major
gig – six nights
at the Royal Albert Hall
in London for the high
profile Teenage Cancer
Trust shows.
A dynamic range of
international bands
and artists included
Goldfrapp, Anthony &
The Johnsons, Bloc Party,
Razorlight, Judas Priest,
The Scorpions, The Cure
and comedian Ricky Gervais
who opened the week
long event.
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Entec
Sound has serviced the event
for the last 6 years and seen
it grow from a single night
to the six gig event it is today.
Over the years they have sussed
out the nuances of the venue
and fine tuned the art of creating
a successful sound design. However,
the major sonic challenge still
remains – ensuring the
system sounds equally as good
for the megamix of different
performance genres - from the
spoken word to heavy metal mayhem
– and everything in between!
Entec’s TCT 2006 system
was designed by their own
Stefano Serpagli in conjunction
with Ralf Zuleeg and Jonas
Wagner from d&b.
Serpagli says “The
system sounds phenomenal –
it’s far exceeded my
expectations in delivering
power and clarity in an idiosyncratic
venue. I have been really
impressed with the vocal intelligibility
that is achievable –
whether it’s an acoustic
number, the spoken word or
full-on blistering rock ‘n’
roll”.
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The
main left and right arrays
comprising twelve J8s
and two J12’s a
side complete with six
flown J-SUBs and eight
Q1 elements for the outfill
hangs. The J-SUBS are
a 3 x 18” true cardioid
sub, two drivers facing
the front and one to the
rear, with either cardioid
or hypercardioid settings
available on the D12 amp.
For this application they
were used in hypercardioid.
Under the forestage
were four d&b B2
subs, running in ‘infra’
mode, adding low end
atmospherics into the
equation. Serpagli comments
“Running the two
different types of subs
together is a perfect
combination”.
They also flew a single
Q7 each side high up
on the PA pick up truss
to take care of the
far upstage corners
of the balcony &
gallery. The choir stalls
were covered with two
Q7s and one Q10 per
side.
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For
ground fills they used a single
Q1 (frontfill) & Q7 (outfill)
each side, sitting on top of
a Q sub – with Q7 repeated
at the top of the side-stage
stairs position each side. There
were also four E3’s across
the front of the stage.
The whole system was powered
& processed by d&b
D12 amplifiers using the latest
version of d&b’s
ROPE C software. New features
include a simple graphical
layout, even more user friendly
operation than previous versions
and diagnostic tools including
checking impedance across
the system and problem monitoring.
It also allows elements like
additional HF to be added
with the click of a mouse,
and individual engineers’
settings to be saved and recalled
as and when needed. ROPE C
was run from a laptop with
a tablet on radio link, which
allows perfect monitoring
and system adjustment anywhere
in the room.
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“Using the cabinets,
the amps and the ROPE
C software as an integrated
system is unbeatable”
says Serpagli, adding
that by the end of the
week he’d received
unprecedented positive
response from visiting
engineers, artists,
management, technicians
and crew – even
lighting and video crew
at times – commenting
on how smooth and rich
the system sounded.
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Another
great bonus of the new d&b
cabinets is the very easy rigging
- the correct angles can even
be preset whilst they’re
still on the floor on their
wheels - via a locking arm on
the back.
Entec supplied a Midas XL4
& H3000 console at FOH,
each with a standard rack
of outboard effects and inserts
containing all the hits and
more – Drawmer DS201
gates, DBX 160 & 1066
compressors, Lexicon PCM91,
Yamaha SPX 990s and KT DN370
as a ‘grabber’
EQ for visiting engineers.
The two desks shared a ‘posh’
rack of valve equipment including
Avalon 737’s, DP2044
and Summit TLA100’s,
plus an Eventide H3000 harmoniser
and a TC D2 delay. Front of
House was babysat by the unflappable
Rob Coles for the week, and
the vast majority of bands
performing brought their own
engineers.
Monitor world was overseen
by Simon Higgs, with Midas
H3000 & XL3 consoles onstage,
used in conjunction with Entec’s
APW wedges, driven by the
new Labgruppen 1200 and 2400
amps with KT DN9848 processors.
System EQ was programmable
KT DN3600s with SPX990 reverbs,
DBX 166XL comps & Drawmer
DS201 gates for ‘engineer’s
toys’.
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Entec supplied a wide
selection of top brand
microphones including
a Shure radio system
and a Countryman E6
headset, which was used
by Ricky Gervais.
Crew boss this year
was Steve Phillips,
a long standing ‘Entecian’,
who was assisted onstage
by Entec’s Owen
McAuley of Entec &
Neil Osborne from The
Warehouse in Scotland
– who supplied
some of the J-Series.
and valuable back-up
to Entec.
The project was managed
for Entec by Head of
Sound Dick Hayes, who
comments, “Last
year we used the Q-Series
system which went very
well - having used C4
for all the previous
years. With the advent
of the J-Series, I knew
that this would be the
ideal opportunity to
show off the new system.
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“From
the comments received it was
a wise choice. There’s
been a completely positive response
from sound engineers, musicians,
managers, promoters…..
and even from the sound friendly,
adaptable Tom Kenny….lighting
designer to the stars!!! Also
the RAH staff, who hear all
types of systems in their venue,
commented on the superb sound
quality & coverage.
“Personally, I have
never heard it sound so good
in the challenging space that
is the RAH, especially the
tightness of the lower frequencies.
Even ‘infamous stage
manager’ Steve Jones
commented that it had the
clarity of his exceedingly
expensive hi-fi (his one OTT
addiction & passion!).
“I look forward to
many future events with the
J-Series and am totally confident
that it will put lots of smiles
on lots of faces!! it’s
MEATY, BEATY, BIG & BOUNCY!!”.
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