Tag Archive: EMS-51

1. UKSV Calls Upon WL to Expand EM Acoustics Inventory

   3 July 2017 11:05 Comments Off on UKSV Calls Upon WL to Expand EM Acoustics Inventory

   

   UKSV’s Senior Operations Manager Nick Dean.

   Hampshire-based UKSV has been in business for more than 30 years and originally specialised in general AV support of local hotels and businesses. Over the last 15 years or so the business emphasis has evolved from more of a production company into a creative communications agency solution. UKSV now has separate departments covering many different activities, such as communications, and digital media, while still majoring on live events. To offer clients the best technical support possible, the company recently decided to expand its audio inventory by investing in a range of EM Acoustic speakers. As an approved supplier of EM Acoustic products, they approached White Light to make the purchase.

   UKSV’s Senior Operations Manager Nick Dean comments: “We have some major blue chip clients for whom we provide bespoke production services, and we take a lot of pride in using only the best equipment. However, as the company grew over the last few years, I began to feel that, from an operations point of view, our sound solution was probably our weakest link.” UKSV had been hiring speaker systems from WL in order to meet demand. However, due to their volume of work, this was far from the ideal situation.

   Nick states: “We searched the market very thoroughly for 18 months or so looking specifically for loudspeaker systems that we could purchase. One of our freelance sound engineers and strategic partners, Gary Dixon, suggested that we look at EM Acoustics as he had been particularly impressed with the clarity of the HALO-C system.”

   The company approached WL in order to initially demo the equipment. Leo Humphrey, WL’s Hire and Sales Co-Ordinator, comments: “Nick contacted us saying he wanted to hire an EMS system on a particular job in order to test the equipment and see how well it adapted within an events space. He immediately came back and told us how successful it went and that he wanted to use it on another show to ensure it could be utilised in a range of environments. After it performed above and beyond their expectations once again, they put together a specification list and asked us to quote on it.”

   

   The equipment arrives at UKSV’s headquarters.

   As a result, just before Christmas last year, UKSV took delivery of an EMS system from White Light which was designed to cater for their customers’ needs in a very flexible way, both now and with a view to the future. The speaker system is made up of six EMS-121X 12-inch two-way full range models and four EMS-115 single 15-inch quasi-bandpass subwoofers for the majority of front of house duties, plus six EMS-81X compact 8-inch two-way full range and six EMS-51 ultra-compact two-way speakers which are used mainly as fills depending on the event requirements. Everything is powered by three DQ10 switchmode four-channel advanced system amplifiers with full DSP onboard. WL even supplied custom panels complete with the UKSV logo.

   Nick comments: “We knew we had a big event coming up in Dublin in January, so we opted for a system that would do everything we needed straight away, as opposed to a smaller system that we would need to add to on a dry hire basis. We wanted it to be as flexible as possible, and to work in different environments from venues such as the Heathrow Sofitel Terminal 5 to much smaller rooms, but with the same level of quality throughout”.

   

   The equipment has already been used on a range of events.

   The system supplied by WL would ensure that all of the company’s various events would receive the coverage they required. Nick states: “For some large shows, like Grosvenor House which is around 1,100 seats, we may be supplementing a house rig or doing the whole thing ourselves without needing to sub-hire anything in. Another job where we’ll use the whole system is at the Hilton in Park Lane, where we usually work on a conference during the day, followed by a turn-around for an awards show and gala dinner in the evening. At the other end of the scale we may be doing intimate events for as few as 50 people. For these, we’ve found that a pair of EMS-81 or EMS-121X plus some fills are more than enough for good coverage and clarity of speech, and if there is music playback we’ll also put some EMS-115 subs in. The speaker system we have now gives us a lot of flexibility to be able to do break-out workshop environments as well”.

   Leo adds: “With UKSV, we have been able to provide a solution for their various requirements over the past year or so. From initialling hiring out the EM Speakers to helping oversee their eventual purchase of an EM System, we have been able to work closely with them and EM Acoustics to offer the exact equipment UKSV need to fulfil their varying client’s needs”.

   Nick adds: “We are delighted with the guidance and professionalism from WL regarding our recent purchase. They were extremely helpful during every stage and made the entire process run very smooth. What’s also great is, while we now have our own system, we know that if we need to sub-hire in extra EM Acoustics equipment then we can always approach WL to do so”.

   Photos courtesy of UKSV.

2. White Light Supports Rose Bruford Graduate Exhibition

   20 June 2017 15:32 Comments Off on White Light Supports Rose Bruford Graduate Exhibition

   

   One of the performances during the Graduate Exhibition.

   Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance is London’s International Drama School. Students from over 40 different countries study on the 15 different vocational and professional degree courses, with notable alumni including Gary Oldman, Hayley Squires and Tom Baker. Every year, the College hosts a Graduate Exhibition in order to give its graduating students a launchpad into the industry. Having worked with the College for over ten years now, White Light was called upon to provide the complete technical solutions.

   This year’s Graduate Exhibition was named Beginner’s Call and took place at the Ugly Duck in central London. The Head of Production was Anthony Sammut, the Production Manager was Toscane Luckett whilst Sam Jackson was the Technical Manager. Sam states: “My role on the exhibition was to work closely with Ollie Brennan (Technical Supervisor) and oversee the technical elements. This was one of most ambitious showcases we’ve ever held, with the upper two floors showcasing our technical students’ work and the ground floor being used for four performances in rep. We chose the Ugly Duck as it’s quite an open venue and would allow us to showcase all of the students’ work”.

   

   Sam had to create a technical infrastructure including a power and network system design that would not only work practically within that space but highlight the work on display. Sam comments: “We made several site visits down to the space to see how we could use it. It took us around six weeks of planning to finalise a design along with a kit list which we knew would be ideal for the exhibition. It was at this point we approached White Light”.

   Working closely with WL’s Senior Hire Co-Ordinator Dan Last, Sam drew on an extensive range of WL’s technical equipment. Sam states: “We approached WL as we knew they were an organisation who could offer the complete technical solutions. As the showcase is attended by industry professionals whom our students are hoping to impress, we need the standards to be as high as possible”.

   

   The students speak to industry professionals.

   
   For the lighting, WL supplied Chroma Q Color Force 72 LED Battens, Rainbow Scrollers, Selecon Fresnels, Minuette Fresnels, ETC Source Four Juniors and Coemar Silver Parlites. These were all programmed on an ETC Ion 1K Console. Sam adds: “It was important that we had enough lighting for the actual exhibition itself and that we could highlight the work on display. However, we also had to ensure that the lighting designers working on the performances on the ground floor had enough options to achieve their vision”.

   Sam also worked closely with Oscar Cotran, who was Head of Sound for the performances and drew on WL’s extensive audio inventory. Sam states: “We employed a Dante system which drew on EMS 51, 61 and 81 Loudspeakers, EMS 115 Sub Bass along with Shure Wireless Mics. This had a particular importance for the musical performances and it ensured that there was even audio coverage throughout the space”.

   WL also supplied the entire rigging system, which included Prolyte X30D and H30X trusses, along with Doughty Clamps, scaffold clamps and even sand bags!

   

   From left: Bryan Raven (WL), Sam Jackson (Technical Manager), Andy George (VAULT Festival) and Nick Hunt (Rose Bruford).

   Beginner’s Call ran from 14^th-17^th June and the work on display came from seventy-nine students graduating from seven courses. With the Ugly Duck being in constant use, this meant that Sam and the team had a limited time to prepare for the event – despite the vast amount of equipment involved. He states: “We literally had two days in which to build the infrastructure, set up the equipment, drape off the dressing rooms, install the emergency lights along with a thousand and one other things! That’s why it was so vital to plan beforehand and assure that we had drawn on the most reliable technology”.

   This marks another student showcase that WL has supported, having worked with Rose Bruford since 2004. Sam adds: “What was so great about WL is that they supplied all of the technical equipment. From the largest lighting fixtures to the cables to the speaker stands, they had absolutely everything we required. The service they provided was fantastic, the staff were extremely friendly and their equipment allowed our graduates to get the most out of their work”.

   Photos courtesy of Alec Brand, Ben Wilkin, Michael O’Reilly and Sam Jackson.