The Digital/Analog Debate

In Web Articlesby tfwm

by Bryan Cole

Focusrite_Console_02-300x199I almost titled this “sparring with signal path…”  The sides of this debate are both pretty set in their views, and much like sports rivals, the viewpoints expressed by each side can be, shall we say, very impassioned!

In my world, I almost exclusively place digital consoles, due to the amount of processing and routing that is available at the digital price point. We are now seeing small format digital consoles selling at the cost of their analog brethren – and since I’m always searching for value, Digital often shows up as the value leader. Value takes so many things into account; Price, usability, durability, sonic quality, environment, etc. If you choose one of those things and make it the supreme goal, you may very well come out with an all analog signal chain as a requirement – it’s not always a “cut and dry” sonic decision.

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Vista Systems’ Spyder picked for Video Projection System in Faith Bible’s New Sanctuary

In Install News, Projection, Projection Install Newsby tfwm

Spyder X20 Front TransparentWhen Faith Bible Church, a Bible-centered church in The Woodlands, Texas, built a new 900-seat sanctuary, Houston-area AV contractor Hairel Enterprises selected a Vista Systems Spyder X20 0808 as a key component of the new video projection system.

Faith Bible marks the first use of a Vista Spyder by Hairel, which provided full AV and theatrical lighting for the sanctuary.  “I knew about Spyder and got in touch with Vista because I thought it would be a perfect fit for this installation,” says systems designer Bruce Simmons.  “My cold call to Vista turned into a four-hour conversation.  They arranged for a demo, and the church was elated by what they saw.”  The video projection system will be operational in late January 2015.

The new sanctuary has a raised platform area at its center.  A motorized 25×9-foot screen drops down from the ceiling for use in worship services and special events and productions.  Two additional 16×9-foot screens flank the center screen and are permanently affixed to the walls.  A two-projector center edge blend and the two outer single-projector images are accomplished with four Barco RLMW8 projectors and a Spyder X20 with 8 inputs and 8 outputs.

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Renkus-Heinz IC Live Solves Intelligibility  Issues in Dodge City Cathedral

In Install Newsby tfwm

Renkusheinz-dodgecity2-1Dodge City’s Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a stunning architectural achievement that embodies the classic disparity between traditional and contemporary worship. With its soaring ceilings and open, 270-degree seating, this 1400-seat sanctuary creates a wonderfully reverberant sense of musical majesty, but at the expense of the intelligibility needed to deliver the message.

To address these issues in the 12 year-old building, Amos Yost of Montezuma, KS-based Montezuma Sound was contracted to design and install a new sound system. His solution for creating clear intelligibility amid the room’s glorious reverb was centered on the IC Live digitally steerable array system by Renkus-Heinz.

As Yost explains, the room’s circular design and abundance of hard, reflective surfaces presented a number of challenges, and the existing distributed PA’s speakers were aimed almost straight down at the tile floor, creating uncontrolled reflections that exacerbated the room’s ringing 3.5-second reverberation time.

“The organ and choir music sounded pretty good, but voice intelligibility was sorely lacking,” notes Yost. It was clear that a steerable array system would directly address the room’s issues, but because the sanctuary is a circular space, effective deployment would be tricky.

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