129th AES Convention | Live Sound Conference

Thursday, November 4, 2010

9:30 am — 11:15 am
LS1 – The Greening of Live Audio for Medium and Small Operators
How can smaller live audio providers embrace practices that are environmentally sound? What are the latest Earth-friendly methods and the most conscientious equipment choices? What options exist for lessened environmental impact through reduced power draw, decreased transportation, and labor costs?
Chair:  Tony Tissot, 4dB Sound
Panelists: Bill Gelow, VP Engineering, Bosch/Electrovoice ;
Pat Quilter, Senior Amplifier Designer, QSC Audio Products ;
David Scheirman, Tour Sound Director, JBL Professional;
Jeff Touzeau, Author of The Green Musician’s Guide, President of Hummingbird Media, Inc. ;
Noah Waldron, Capsicum Pro Audio & Visual

11:30 am — 1:00 pm
LS2 – Economics-Driven Change of Touring
The economics of touring have changed greatly over the last decade. So has the equipment technology. Both factors are a catalyst for change. The session will start with the viewpoint of a tour accountant with commentary from industry executives. Are ego and fear holding back change or are other factors involved? Find out.
Chair:  Ken Lopez, University of Southern California – CA, USA
Panelists:  Sam Berkow, SIA Acoustics
David Morgan ;
Robert Scovill, AVID, Tom Petty ;
Dave Shadoan, Sound Image

Friday, November 5, 2010

9:00 am — 10:45 am
LS3 – Measurement Microphones
What makes measurement microphones different from regular mics? How do you choose, use, and store one? Type 1 or type 2? Free field or pressure response? Wired or wireless? Learn what the experts have to say.
Chair:  Ray Rayburn
Panelists: David Josephson, Josephson Engineering ;
Noland Lewis, ACO Pacific ;
Karl Winkler, Lectrosonics

11:00 am — 1:00 pm
LS4 – Measurement Systems and Applications
An investigation of the most popular measurement systems used to align sound systems in the field. Methods and results will be discussed.
Chair:  John Murray
Panelists:  Jamie Anderson, Rational Acoustics ;
Ralph Heinz ;
Bruce C. Olson;

2:30 pm — 4:15 pm
LS5 – Wireless Microphones for the Future
The FCC keeps changing the wireless spectrum available for microphones. The 700 MHz band is already off limits and now there is Super-WiFi and the National Broadband Plan to consider below 700 MHz. Is any part of the spectrum safe? Learn the latest developments from the FCC and how the experts are insuring reliable RF operation now and preparing for the future.
Chair:  James Stoffo
Panelists: Don Boomer, Line 6 ;
Mark Brunner, Shure;
Joe Ciaudelli, Sennheiser;
Karl Winkler, Lectrosonics;

Saturday, November 6, 2010

9:00 am — 10:45 am
LS6 – Subwoofer Directionality
Chair: Charlie Hughes, Excelsior Audio Panelists: Ales Dravinec, ADRaudio Bill Gelow, Bosch/Electrovoice Dave Rat, Rat Sound,
Directional subwoofers and subwoofer arrays can help to keep low frequency energy on the audience, where it’s desired, and away from areas where it’s not. This can be a great help in reducing rumble on stage and increasing gain before feedback. Single enclosure subwoofers with directivity control will be discussed along with arrays of multiple enclosures and their directional properties. Join us to find out how the spacing, loading, and signal processing of individual loudspeaker  elements help to yield subwoofer directionality.

11:00 am — 1:00 pm
LS7 – Live Sound for Corporate Events: Why It’s Not “Just” Talking Heads!
Corporate sound events require a high degree of perfection in sound delivery, but “the look” often takes precedence over loudspeaker placement. Signal flow and mixing can be very complex. Strategies and solutions will be discussed using example cases.
Chair:  Ken Newman
Panelists:  Rich Halvorson ;
Michael Jackson ;
Kevin McKereghan, Black Boxes, Inc.

2:30 pm — 4:30 pm
LS8 – Fill Speakers in Live Sound Reinforcement Systems
Sometimes required due to a last minute whim or poor planning and at other times budgeted, selected, configured, and optimized with as much care as the primary loudspeakers, fill speakers are a commonplace fixture in our work in live sound. Aside from the obvious need, fill speakers are also employed very effectively for imaging/localization in some types of productions. Additional care/coordination must sometimes be provided in some applications to reduce the visibility of these (as well as the primary) loudspeakers and without unintended compromises in the electroacoustic performance of the system.
Chair:  Tom Young
Panelists:  Jamie Anderson, Rational Acoustics
Ales Dravinec, ADRaudio ;
Ted Leamy;
Dave Rat

4:30 pm — 6:30 pm
LS9 – San Francisco Live Sound in the ’70s
What was it like to run sound gigs in the 1970s, with home-grown loudspeakers, amplifiers pushed to the breaking point, and escalating SPL expectations? Veterans from the San Francisco Bay Area relate their victories and war stories.
Chair:  Lee Brenkman
Panelists: Radley Hirsch
John Meyer

Sunday, November 7, 2010

9:00 am — 10:45 am
LS10 – Electroacoustic Enhancement Systems: LARES, VRAS, AFC, SIAP
Interest in electroacoustic enhancement systems has been increasing steadily for two decades. A comparison of the major systems will be made with example cases introduced.
Chair:  Roger Schwenke, Meyer Sound
Panelists:  Steve Barbar, LARES ;
Lon Brannies, Yamaha Corporation;
Bruce C. Olson

11:00 am — 1:00 pm
LS11 – Networked Audio for Live Sound
Are audio networks the panacea we all hoped for or is it the peril we all fear? When it comes to live sound networks offer plenty of advantages. However, there are also tradeoffs. No two networks are alike and each offers unique benefits. Should you jump in now or wait for more standardization? FIgure out if networking makes sense for your live business.
Chair:  Jonathan Novick, Audio Precision
Panelists:  Carl Bader, Aviom
Kevin Gross, AVA Networks
Lee Minich, Lab X Technologies

2:30 pm — 4:30 pm
LS12 – Off the Grid: Generator Power
Got power? Generators bring a whole new dimension into show planning. Industry veterans and generator experts will share their lessons learned from years of operating off the grid.
Chair:  Kenneth Fause, Auerbach Pollock Friedlander
Panelists:  Bruce C. Olson