Amidst a procession of bagpipes, a 21-gun salute and the roar of the Blue Angels' screaming overhead, the 200 year old U.S.S. Constitution, the world's oldest warship afloat, returned to its berth in Boston Harbor in late July after wrapping up its first voyage in more than 116 years.
The majestic old warship also set sail with a spectacular, custom-designed audio system replacing the ship's antiquated bull horn style system. Spear heading the installation was Charlie Tappa, president, and Jeff Morley, sales manager of Pro Sound Service, a sound design and installation company based in nearby Braintree, Massachusetts.
The amplifiers Pro Sound Service selected were the new Crown K2 series amps. "This was a super high exposure installation", Tappa said. "We needed equipment that was guaranteed not to fail. Reliability was a huge factor, so we decided on the K2 series amplifiers because they have a sealed chasis, are totally convection-cooled and, in this salt water environment, the sealed chassis protects the elctronic components from contact with moist, corrosive air flow." Read more ->
NEWPORT, RI --Recently more than 400 athletes and tens of thousands of spectators gathered in Newport and Providence, RI for a second staging of the ESPN-produced Extreme Games--touted as "an Olympics for Generation X". The Extreme Games presented 23 events in nine categories, included wall climbing, bungee jumping, barefoot water skiing, a grueling 250-mile "extreme" endurance race and virtually every feat imaginable on in-line skates, skateboards and BMX bikes.
Competitions were held at four sites, with prize money given out to winners totaling more than $300,000. ESPN and ESPN-2 broadcast 35 1/2 hours of the games throughout the U.S., with reduced coverage to 150 countries worldwide. Not surprisingly, the aggressive music of "Generation X" (e.g. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Goo Goo Dolls, House of Pain and Lenny Kravitz) played an integral role in the production.
For many competitiors, music was essential to their performance. They wanted to hear all of it, with CD quality. Cutting highs, propulsive bass and a loud as possible. Read more ->
TWEETER CENTER IMPROVES COMMUNITY RELATIONS WITH NEW VERTEC® LINE ARRAYS FROM JBL PROFESSIONAL
JBL News from JBL Professional - September 25, 2006
Highlighting JBL Professional’s ability to deliver versatile and powerful loudspeaker technology for demanding fixed-venue challenges, Pro Sound Service has installed new VERTEC® line arrays and AE Series loudspeakers at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA for the 2006 summer concert and event season.
The Tweeter Center is a 19,900-seat outdoor venue with a covered, roofed section of about 7,500 seats with the balance in an open seating area. A wall at the back of the seating area separates it from the community. The new sound reinforcement system to serve the lawn area was designed and installed by Pro Sound Service, a 16-year-old firm that has been providing repair and maintenance on the venue’s existing system for 10 years. The previous system, like the open-air venue itself, was 20 years old and was fatigued from continuous, hard-driving use.
Until installation of the new system, there had been an ongoing noise-complaint issue from the neighborhood located behind the back wall of the facility. A 16-foot high wall barrier had been erected to alleviate noise complaints after the town established a maximum allowable sound pressure level of 95 dB SPL at the back wall. Sound levels are continuously monitored via a real-time calibrated measuring system with mics located at the top of the wall. Minute-by-minute SPL readings are printed for review by town officials and a high priority is placed on containment of sound within the venue.
“During the system installation and commissioning,” said Charles Tappa, Pro Sound Service president, “we found that we were able to measure a full 10 dB difference between the measurement mics at the top of the wall and the SPL at ground level. This, we absolutely attribute to the tight vertical pattern control of the JBL VERTEC line array system.”
Tappa and crew took detailed measurements of the facility, including the existing speaker mounting cluster locations in the fascia, as the budget constraints would require the use of existing speaker locations. It was determined that VERTEC line arrays would provide the required coverage and output power within the seating area while maintaining control of sound pressure levels at the boundaries of the audience coverage area.
The final design specified that each of four existing cluster locations would contain five VT4888 enclosures, with two additional locations each housing VRX932LA compact constant-curvature line arrays and a single AM6212/95 cabinet as “fringe fill.” The total system includes 20 JBL VERTEC VT4888 midsize line array elements, two AM6212/95’s, and six VRX932LA’s.
Additionally, the system included 11 Crown I-Tech 4000 amplifiers and 10 I-Tech 8000’s, with two dbx 2231 dual 31-band graphic equalizers. JBL’s VERTEC Line Array Calculator software allowed the team to accurately predict not only coverage patterns, but SPL at various locations in the lawn area along with rigging details. The advance predictions and as-installed results were very close, according to Tappa.
Pro Sound Service installed new JBL VERTEC line arrays in the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA.
“During system commissioning,” said Tappa, “with the system running at 95 dB SPL at the back wall, a handheld meter was taken into the neighborhood to check sound pressure levels. We made a phone call to verify that the sound system was still on because it could not even be heard in an area that was previously a problem spot in the neighborhood. This was truly a testament to the highly effective, as-advertised pattern control of the VERTEC system.”
The new system is one of the first lawn-delay systems in the nation to use Harman Professional’s HiQnet? networking protocol and System Architect Software, According to Tappa. “HiQnet gave us a level of system control and flexibility not previously available. The HiQnet-compatible Crown amplifiers allow for individual DSP on each amp channel. Along with the DSP we have load monitoring and error reporting so that we can get automatic system reports of any small problems before they become big ones. HiQnet allows for global changes of all 42 DSP processors in the various amplifier channels through easy-to-build control screens. The HiQnet remote control and monitor system was a major selling feature to the customer, who immediately realized the full potential of this advanced system.”
About Pro Sound Service Inc.: Pro Sound Service is the one of the Boston area’s leading Audio Visual design, installation and service firms. Located south of Boston in Braintree, MA., the company provides services to all types of venues in the New England Area. Pro Sound Service can be reached at www.prosoundservice.com
About JBL Professional: Headquartered in Northridge, California, JBL Professional is the world’s leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of professional loudspeakers for recording and broadcast, musician, cinema, touring sound, commercial sound and contracting applications. Celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2006, JBL Professional is the proud recipient of the 2005 Technical GRAMMY® award. JBL Professional is part of the Harman International network of professional and consumer audio companies. For complete product and company information, go to the JBL Professional website at www.jblpro.com.
About The Harman Pro Group: Headquartered in Northridge, California, the Harman Pro Group is part of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com), a leading manufacturer of high-quality, high fidelity audio products and infotainment systems for the automotive, home and professional markets. The Company's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: HAR. Harman Pro Group companies include AKG Acoustics, BSS Audio, dbx, Crown International, JBL Professional, Lexicon, Soundcraft, and Studer.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL HEAR Sound Design For Lawn Delay Systems by Richard Montrose
With the proliferation of outdoor amphitheatres in recent years, the onus increasingly falls on sound designers to integrate audio systems that are capable of performing in less-than-ideal conditions. In turn, it’s up to manufacturers to provide these designers with state-of-the-art technology through the develop-ment of powerful, controllable and versatile audio components. These advances in technology, combined with the creativity of designers, have led to dramatic improvements in lawn delay systems for amphitheatres, or “sheds.”
Recently, Pro Sound Service Inc, a Massachusetts-based Pro Sound Service, installed a new lawn delay system at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Mass., for the 2006 summer concert and event season. The Tweeter Center is a 19,900-seat outdoor venue with a covered, roofed section of about 7,500 seats, with the balance in an open seating area. A wall at the back of the seating area separates the venue from the community. The previous audio system, like the open-air venue itself, was 20 years old and was fatigued from continuous, hard-driving use.
Until the installation of the new system, there had been an ongoing noise complaint issue from the neighborhood located behind the back wall of the facility. A 16-foot-high wall barrier had been erected to alleviate noise complaints after the town established a maximum allowable sound pressure level of 95 dB SPL at the back wall. Sound levels are continuously monitored via a real-time calibrated measuring system with mics located at the top of the wall. Minute-by-minute SPL readings are printed for review by town officials, and a high priority is placed on containment of sound within the venue.
The final design for the system specified that each of four existing cluster locations would contain five VerTec VT4888 enclosures, with two additional locations, each housing VRX932LA compact constant-curvature line arrays and a single AM6212/95 cabinet as “fringe fill.” The total system includes 20 VT4888 midsize line array elements, two AM6212/ 95s, and six VRX932LA’s. Additionally, the system includes 11 Crown I-Tech 4000 amplifiers and 10 I-Tech 8000s, with two dbx 2231 dual 31-band graphic equalizers. JBL’s VerTec Line Array Calculator software allowed the team to accurately predict not only coverage patterns, but SPL at various locations in the lawn area, along with rigging details. The new system is one of the first lawn-delay systems in the nation to use Harman Professional’s HiQnet networking protocol and System Architect Software.
“During system commissioning,” said Charles Tappa, president of Pro Sound Service, “with the system running at 95 dB SPL at the back wall, a handheld meter was taken into the neighborhood to check sound pressure levels. We made a phone call to verify that the sound system was still on because it could not even be heard in an area that was previously a problem spot in the neighborhood.”
ROLLING RALLY OF CHAMPIONS HEARD ACROSS NEW ENGLAND Boston Fans Join the Parade With Their Beloved Red Sox
October 30, 2007
On October 30, 2007, Boston held a rolling rally to celebrate the Red Sox World Series victory. Crowds gathered by the thousands along the streets of Boston to watch the three-mile procession. Duck boats carried the team from Fenway Park through the streets of the Back Bay and past the Boston Common and City Hall Plaza. Each Duck Boat had it's own sound system, including JBL speakers and Crown Amplifiers which were supplied by Pro Sound Service Inc. of Braintree and installed by John Ryan Production Services. Fans could see and hear their favorite Sox players on the Duck Boats, as well as watch the action on three jumbo television screens. There was also a flatbed truck carrying the Dropkick Murphys, the Irish-style punk band whose music has become the soundtrack for the spirited Sox closer -- and step-dancer - Jonathan Papelbon.
Planning for the festivities began late last week, but city officials said nothing was finalized so as not to jinx the World Series. That left a flurry of planning for the morning when the sound systems were installed on each of the Duck Boats parked along Yawkey Way in the wee hours of the morning since the Red Sox clinched the Series at 12:05 a.m.
At the close of the parade at City Hall, Mayor Menino said. "It will be a day to remember in the city of Boston."
Boston Red Sox players pictured above, Julio Lugo and Mike Lowell with their kids, as well as veteran pitcher Curt Schilling and his son riding atop of the Duck Boats during the Rolling Rally on October 30th, 2007.
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