JAPAN: Mount Fuji provided an idyllic backdrop for the 100,000-strong crowd in attendance for the recent mega concert by singer-songwriter Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi on the Shizuoka Prefecture side of the mountain. Required to provide sound coverage for an extremely wide 300m x 260m area, Two Mix supplied nearly 400 d&b audiotechnik enclosures and put the manufacturer’s new ArrayProcessing to use tying the system together.

As is typical in Japan, the audience was organised into quadrangles arrayed in a phalanx five wide and three deep facing towards the stage. ‘The overall coverage area was 300m deep from the front edge of the stage,’ explained Paul Ras from education and application support at d&b Japan, who provided support for Two Mix. ‘The area was wide too – 260m to be precise. Even so, we were able to provide a consistent tonal balance and level distribution over the whole listening area with a main PA and just two lines of delay – each system covered an area 100m deep. The huge width meant that the PA was three systems wide; a main stage left and right PA, outer L/R system, and far outer L/R system. These positions were repeated at the two delay points.’

The complete system deployed included over 230 top cabinets drawn from the manufacturer’s J- and V-Series, combined with over 100 subwoofers that included a mix of J-Sub and J-Infra, some of which were flown. This was joined by a 68 cabinet J-Sub array deployed at ground level.

‘That’s a complex sound field by any measure, and we were also tasked by the production team to eliminate any noise pollution to the neighbouring communities.’ continued Mr Ras. ‘We were helped by the regimented audience area. ArrayProcessing calculates datum points every 20cm. That level of physical precision across such a huge audience area enabled us to input the accurate data needed to realise the benefits of AP across the whole system. In terms of level and tonal balance we achieved that symmetry and minimised sound leakage absolutely.

‘It’s a measure of the commitment from Two Mix that Mr Yoshikawa (president of Two Mix) took the role of system engineer for the event,’ offered Mr Ras. ‘I inputted the field data to ArrayCalc and Mr Yoshikawa, with his knowledge and familiarity of the artists’ musical programme, defined the ArrayProcessing parameters. For a high-energy show we were able to select the full Glory processing emphasis across the entire system. For those who don’t know, ArrayProcessing presents a sliding scale between Power and Glory, Glory representing the maximum sonic benefits, whereas Power maximises level over all areas at the expense of some tonal sacrifice. In an open field environment it is generally possible to select the full Glory setting. A perfectly balanced outcome in every sense.’

www.dbaudio.com
www.twomix.co.jp

*Source from Pro Audio Asia magazine Issue 2015 Nov-Dec