Main
On Facebook today, our fan Jez Minter asked about maximum output specifications. He had read an article from our friends at Mackie about how some manufacturers generate this statistic, and, through no fault of his own, had come away with the basic message that calculated maximum output specifications are inherently flawed and intended to mislead. Given the context for which the article was intended, that's mostly true.
His question to us was, "Why does EAW publish a calculated maximum output specification?" It's a very good question, and we had quite the discussion in the engineering hallway. Naturally, we got to the bottom of the controversy and want to set the record straight.
What the Mackie article says is more-or-less correct - more so when dealing with Mackie's competitors in the guitar store PA market, but less so when dealing with higher end manufacturers like EAW.
When we review the basic assumptions of the article, and we'll quickly see where things have gone wrong. EAW does not - nor would we ever - follow the calculation process as described in the article. Nor would Mackie. But Mackie's competitors do use that process, and the article was written about their calculations, not ours.
The Context
The backstory is that EAW worked with Mackie to develop the HD range of powered loudspeaker systems. We fully support that product line and believe it delivers exceptional performance at that price point. The HD Series used the same rigorous measurement and documentation process that EAW loudspeaker go through, and its maximum output was calculated as are all of EAW's loudspeakers.
Mackie's competitors, however, used a different approach to come up with a higher maximum output statistic - one that overstates the system's capabilities. Thus, in the measurement comparison, the delta between calculated and measured performance is much smaller for the Mackie product.
But it raises the obvious question: why is there any delta at all between the published specification and measured performance? We'll deal with that question last.
First, let's look at what the article says and what it doesn't say. The article takes an unnuanced approach to the discussion of calculating a maximum output specification. Specifically, it gives the impression that this stat is calculated as opposed to measured in order to mislead. While that might be true of some companies, it's not what we do at EAW.
The Nitty Gritty
The article rightly points out the flaw in taking _peak_ axial sensitivity as the starting point for calculations. That is a worst practice and would only be used to produce a overblown specification. That much is accurate. But it also implies that that is the _only_ way to calculate this spec. That's not true.
In fact, EAW uses a very different approach to this calculation. We use the _broadband average_ sensitivity as our starting point. This means that our calculated maximum output will be significantly lower than if we used the other approach, but it will be more accurate. The graph above - hand drawn by EAW engineering director Nathan Butler and annotated by yours truly - shows how an unscrupulous company would use peak sensitivity as a starting point to calculate a bogus max output vs our approach of using the average sensitivity to calculate a solid max output. (Yes, bogus and solid are the technical terms.)
Axial sensitivity is the core statistic for a transducer. It measures output at a very close range (1m) and a very low current (1 Watt, nominal). We say nominal because given continuous voltage, Wattage varies with impedance, and a transducers impedance varies with frequency. Therefore, there is no such thing as a 1 Watt broadband measurement. At EAW, this test uses "voltage that would produce 1 Watt at the nominal impedance".
Splitting the hair four ways...? We want to be completely transparent about what we do to develop our specifications.
So, if you get a good sensitivity measurement _and_ use a rigorous approach to generate a broadband average, you should be able to add the SPL equivalent of a given power handling statistic (long term broadband measured with pink noise) to calculate a maximum output specification that can be verified in real world measurement.
Why Not Just Measure?
The answer to this question - and to the question of why the measured output of the loudspeakers in the article fall short of the published specification - is that measuring very high output levels is difficult to impossible. That is, there is an upper limit to the capabilities of measurement instruments. Very good testing microphones go into the 130s and a very small set reach 140 dB SPL. Beyond that, it's a guessing game.
For EAW, so few of our loudspeakers have maximum outputs below the mid-130s that it's functionally impossible for us to measure maximum output. Our stuff is just too loud! But even if measurement microphones went to infinity, you'd still need a very large space or an anechoic chamber. EAW has The Pit, but it's not big enough to measure very high outputs.
The reason is that as output levels increase, so does reflected sound. Lower volume tests let us "window" the data to eliminate reflections, but this is not possible in a maximum output measurement that averages output over a period of time. High levels of reflected sound that appear as "late arrivals" will cancel out direct output at relevant frequencies, so your measured output can actually decrease with increasing direct output. (Crazy, right? Welcome to our world.)
Long story short: for EAW loudspeaker systems, measured maximum output would be less useful and less accurate than our calculated output. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate, most useful data possible, and we believe we do so.
Then Why the Difference Between Calculated and Measured Output?
[Note: This is how you know you're dealing with a straight shooter - they say they don't know when they don't know.]
We don't know, nor can we ask the questions that would help us unravel the mystery. The responsible engineers are no longer with us. But several factors suggest themselves.
Obviously, "power compression" would account for some degradation of maximum output. Power compression is the phenomenon in which a transducer's voice coil heats up due to the high voltage passing through it. Heat increases impedance, so the more power you deliver, the more impedance increases above the nominal specification. More energy radiates as heat and less radiates as sound. That said, the 9 dB difference indicated in the article would be an extraordinary amount of power compression. Something else is awry.
First, we might want to go back and examine the original sensitivity data to be sure that the broadband average is an accurate one. Given the rigors of our process, we expect it to be, but you never know until you look.
More likely, though, is that the issues associated with measuring very high output in a closed space and/or the specifics of the measurement techniques used have produced unreliable data. Until we know more about exactly how these tests were conducted, we couldn't develop a meaningful response.
The Bottom Line
A 9 or 10 dB difference between published and measured maximum output is unacceptable. That competitors have an even bigger difference is irrelevant; our data must be accurate and useful. EAW intends to look into this issue and develop a more thorough response.
Again, we need to thank our Facebook fan Jez Minter for bringing this to our attention.
EAW's Shanghai demo day with distribution partner Sanecore attracted some 200 audio professionals from a wide range of application sectors to the Qing Qing Hotel in the SongJiang in southwest Shanghai. The full day of education and product demonstration comprised a series of modules each of which started, appropriately enough, with the basics of acoustical physics. Next, it showed how those principles affect loudspeaker design, and then demonstrated those loudspeakers with appropriate program material.
Below - Jerrold Stevens presenting EAW loudspeaker systems
"We're trying to connect the dots between physics, core technology and implementation in a product," said EAW president and general manager Jeff Rocha. "Sometimes people get worried that it's going to be a whole day of physics, but once they see that it quickly gets into the real world, they get it and like it. These folks sure did."
Below - Hands-on KF740 training with Joe Fustolo
Application Support Group Director Jerrold Stevens, who presented along with Rocha, has delivered educational seminars around the world, earning well-deserved praise for his innovative techniques. In Shanghai, placed simple loudspeakers on a turntable in doublet arrays at tuned distances, and then, while playing pink noise, rotated the turntable so the audience could hear the lobes and nulls while looking at a spectrogram. "Get the physics into their eyes and ears first, then into their brains," said Stevens. "It's an experience not soon forgotten."
Below - KF740 line arrays flank an NTL720 line array
Program material for the product demonstrations came from all corners. In particular, the QX594 demo showed that product's versatility, using a tenor and orchestra at some length followed immediately by Infected Mushroom's electronic dance music. "It solves so many problems," said Alan Ho, vice president of Sanecore and front-of-house engineer for the demos. "It has the refinement we need for the performing arts and it has the raw power we need for a dance club. Plus, it's so small. EAW at its best."
New EASE Data is now available for the JF Series, KF Series and QX Series.
http://www.eaw.com/Info/EASE_Data/
Please keep checking back to our site for more info and data.
If you need further information please contact us directly.
USAG Schinnen provides Army base operations services to joint, interagency and international communities in support of America. The base, which hosts various events throughout the year called upon XYMIO, a renowned Holland-based EAW sound company, to provide a mobile sound system for events taking place at the base.
"USAG Schinnen was looking for an easy-to-use system that offered a high-powered solution without sacrificing sound," stated Paul Pelen of XYMIO. "They needed a system that was extremely powerful yet versatile enough to accommodate multiple venues and applications."
XYMIO provided a JFL system that included six JFL210's and two JFL118's powered by Lab.gruppen amplification. The compact size combined with the easy rigging and great audio quality exceeded their expecations.
 "We utilzed our NEW audio system for our Native American Heritage celebration event, with about 100 participants. Everything worked perfect."
Sean Martin, EAW European Sales Manager and Andrew Rowan, founder of EAW's South African distributor, Surgesound, recently sat down to discuss the much-applauded KF740 3-way line array system and other products recently introduced to the market by EAW.
"Having had positive meetings all week with EAW clients in and around Johannesburg, it was good to enjoy an informal lunch with these guys to wrap up the week," stated Martin. "The legacy of the World Cup was a positive for their business and they are optimistic about what the future holds." Rowan agreed. "If not financial, we received a technical gain in that the bar was raised on equipment specification. This will surely create opportunities for us in the future."
From left to right:
Etienne Swart - E-Acoustics, Alvin Bruinders - Sound Headquarters,Tony E'Silva - LeisureTech Lighting, Mark de klerk - The Sound Corporation, Niklas Fairclough - Northwind Recording, Andrew Rowan - Surgesound, Guy Baranyay - The VDP Nightclub Group, Ruan Joubert - Surgesound
 EAW's Japanese distributor, Onkyo Tokki Ltd. exhibited at Inter BEE 2010 November 17th and 18th. Inter BEE has established itself as an international exhibition showcasing top-level domestic and overseas broadcast, video, audio and lighting equipment as well as peripheral applications and solutions all under one roof.
Onkyo Tokki had their usual impressive booth, with an entire section devoted to new EAW products.
There was a hang of seven KF740's playing throughout the show, with a technical support representative with them at all times to demonstrate the system capabilities to interested attendees. Also playing were the new KF and JF Series loudspeakers.
Kenton Forsythe, who attended the show, said that it was well attended and the feedback on the EAW gear was positive. "Everyone loved hearing the KF740 and the JF and KF products. They were taken aback by the power of the QX Series."
EAW launches Resolution®, a powerful and easy-to-use simulation software. Driven by EAW's proprietary FChart acoustics modeling software, Resolution offers significant enhancements by utilizing measured 3D acoustic data to accurately predict performance within a specified venue.
Nathan Butler, EAW Principal Engineer, stated, "EAW Resolution is extremely powerful and user-friendly, uses accurately measured acoustic data, performs real-time load analysis on each mechanical junction, and most importantly, displays the results in an easy-to-interpret manner."
Resolution allows users the ability to calculate the mechanical load of the array along with the acoustic interactions that occur with a multiple array setup. Environmental conditions, such as user-defined temperature and humidity, can also be factored into the calculations. Further, real-time mechanical analysis is done on each loudspeaker enclosure and flybar to precisely display force limitations based upon the user-entered mechanical design factor. Arrays of EAW loudspeakers can be entered manually or created with embedded auto designer.
Easy-to-read venue views include side and top-down orientations, complete with zoom capability, allowing the user to easily comprehend the results. Output levels are displayed by varying color using a variety of methods, including 1/3-octave and broadband SPL, A and C weighted. The direct SPL level and actual frequency response at any point in a venue can also be viewed. Users can print reports, as well as store and recall venue and array settings with just a click of a mouse.
Currently, EAW Resolution supports a multitude of EAW line array products, including the KF740, KF730, KF737, KF760, KF761, NTL720, JFL118 and JFL210. Further enhancements will be made to the software in the coming months, with new products being added on a regular basis. Once installed, EAW Resolution is easily and automatically updated by using the data files available from the EAW website.
Click here to download now
 Join VP, Jeffrey Cox, Engineers Kenton Forsythe, Jeff Rocha, Nathan Butler and Dan Boothe and Technical Training Manager, Bernie Broderick as EAW introduces 20 new loudspeakers to the market at InfoComm 2010.
Swing by Demo Room N114 and be one of the first to check out the latest additions to EAW's critically-acclaimed product line. New products include the JF8, JF10, JF26, JF29, JF56, JF59, JF26NT, JF29NT, JF56NT and JF59NT, KF200NT, KF364, KF396, KF364NT, KF394NT, QX544, QX564, QX566, QX594 and QX596.
Location:
Las Vegas Convention Center / Demo Room N114
Dates:
Wednesday, June 9 - Friday, June 11
Demo Times:
9:00AM - 10:00AM
11:00AM - 12:00PM
1:00PM - 2:00PM
3:00 - 4:00 PM
We look forward to seeing you here!
 Come stop by Booth RA-B4 on Tuesday April 27 and Wednesday April 28 at The Royal Armouries, in Leeds, London to check out the latest offerings from EAW. Kevin McNally and Moray McMillin will be on-site to walk you through the KF740, SB Series and much more.
Hope to see you there!
Register Here
On February 3, EAW's Holland distributor, Holland P.A. Service held the first official launch of the KF740 in the Amstelborg Borchland Event Hall. There were two demos and approximately 100 visitors attended the morning demo and the afternoon demo attracted 60 visitors.
The demo consisted of two (9) box KF740 hangs with 16 SB1000zR's all powered by Lab Gruppen FP 10.000 Q amplifiers and EAW UX8800's. Holland P.A. technicians, Piet Goedhart and Freek Fokker ran FOH using an APB Spectra T series mixing console. The system was set up and tuned by Nathan Butler, EAW Principal Engineer, and Bernie Broderick, EAW Technical Training manager.
 Jeffrey Cox, EAW VP attended the first demo and was extremely pleased with what he saw. "Holland PA's committment to EAW was clearly evidenced by the spectacular event that they put on showcasing the KF740." Martien Verdonk, owner of Holland PA was pleased with the outcome of the events, "general reactions of the KF740 PA were very positive."
EAW will be onsite at ISCEx on March 2, 2010 at The Park Inn Hotel in Watford, UK. The exhibition will take place in the Hertfordshire Suite, the Cassiobury Park and Leavesden Park Suite on the first floor and the seminars will be held in the adjacent Aldenham Park Suite.
Stop by and meet UK Sales Manager, Kevin McNally and learn about the latest offerings from EAW including the KF740, MicroSub, SB Series subwoofers and more!
We look forward to seeing you there!
 The MicroSub was designed to accommodate a wide variety of stage applications and features integrative design features like bumper padding and side recesses, allowing the MicroSub to interlock with the MW12, MW15 and, of course, other MicroSub units.
The cabinet height is exactly half of the cabinet width when the MicroSub is laid flat and the driver is mounted at 45-degrees. These design features facilitate a wide variety of configurations including the Bass Player's Dream, Piggyback 12 and Clamshell.
Click Here to watch Dave Rat show you some examples of the MicroSub's versatility.
Dave Rat spent many years designing the MicroWedge monitors. Here he does some 'gain before feedback' testing on D&B Audiotechnik M2, L-Acoustics 115XT HiQ, EAW MicroWedge 12 and EAW MicroWedge 15.
 Rational Acoustics have confirmed 2 new Smaart Training Classes. One in Southern California and one in Indianapolis.
The Southern California class will be held on August 17th - 19th at the San Manuel Indian Casino in Highland, California (about 45 miles east of Los Angeles). The Indianapolis Class will be held on September 29st - October 1st at Mid-America Sound in Greenfield, IN (about 15 miles east of Indianapolis). Both classes will be 3-day formats and will be taught by Harry Brill Jr. Days 1 and 2 will be the Fundamentals and Applications class and Day 3 will be the working practicum/Advanced Class. Registration for both classes is now open on the training registration page, or by calling Barb Mattson at 860-928-7828. Click here for a full training schedule.
 Spanish firm FOCUS, S.A. continued to show their support for EAW products by recently holding an in-depth seminar and workshop for freelance sound technicians. FOCUS serves as a rental company for many high-profile touring companies in the area, so it is very common for third party and freelance technicians to be setting up and operating FOCUS-supplied EAW units. This seminar was intended to prepare those individuals to properly handle EAW equipment and make educated decisions on the setup and configuration of such products, along with some basic discussions of the technology involved. Pepe Ferrer and Ferran Diez of FOCUS acted as the event's primary lecturers.
Part 1 of the seminar focused on the basics of acoustics, including signal coherence, phase issues, crossovers and LP/HP filters, acoustic and electric delays, sub-bass characteristics and pointers, and vertical and horizontal speaker arrangements. Part 2 was a more pointed dissection of Line Arrays technology and tips, with emphasis placed on EAW KF730 Series/KF730 Compact Line Array Modules, KF760 Series/KF760 Long-Throw Line Array Modules, SB730 Compact Line Array Subwoofers and SB1000z Large Format Subwoofers and UX8800 Digital Signal Processors, along with EAW's proprietary KF730/KF750 "Wizard" and "Pilot" software. Also discussed were Lab.gruppen FP 10000Q and FP 13000 Touring Amplifiers and pointers for configuration using Device Power Control. Part 3 of the seminar discussed more EAW-proprietary and EAW-related technology, including Gunness FocusingTM and SMAART Live, along with more helpful tips for engineers. "FOCUS has great enthusiasm for EAW, so it's no surprise that the event was a huge success," noted Xavi Oliver of Pro3 & Co., EAW's Spanish rep. "Pepe and Ferran did a great job. The audio professionals in attendance all seemed very satisfied with what they learned. Specifically, everyone was impressed with the great number of benefits that the KF730 and KF760 offer: how easy they are to set up, the amazing sound quality, etc. Several attendees remarked on the UX8800 processor too, and the noticeable difference in sound when it's in use. People were blown away." "We are big supporters of EAW's products and technological innovations," stated Pepe Ferrer of FOCUS, S.A. "It is important that when we are charged with providing equipment for a large project, especially if EAW is involved, that every person dealing with the system knows and appreciates the technology, and that's what this event set out to accomplish. This clinic was hugely successful, and we look forward to hosting more events like this in the future."
 The updated EAW Commercial Coverage Calculator (v1.02) has been updated to include the CIS9 91, CIS961, and CIS120 high-output, ceiling-mounted loudspeakers. Also included are updated 70.7V/100V tap settings for the CIS300 (40W, 20W, 10W, and 5W at 70.7V and 40W, 20W, 10W at 100V).
The EAW Commercial Coverage Calculator (“CoverageCalc”) uses high resolution, complex data, (magnitude and phase responses) to accurately determine multiple source interactions in magnitude, frequency, and SPL. This data is then used to map the selected loudspeakers’ energy distribution onto a user-defined listening plane. Not only does “CoverageCalc” provide an SPL map of the listening plane with adjustable resolution and frequency, it also offers user-adjustable layout density, rectangular or hexagonal layout patterns, manual or automatic cabling estimation, and the required total amplifier power for the design. As in the previous release, “CoverageCalc” is a Windows-based program that uses standard Windows operational conventions.  You can view the Coverage Calculator on the website http://eaw.com/downloads/ under Software / Coverage Calculator.
 The Vera Project (Vera) is a Seattle music-arts center run by and for youth. By engaging participants at all levels of music production and community organizing, Vera strives to fulfill its mission to foster a participatory creative culture through popular music concerts, arts programs, experiential learning and volunteer opportunities for all ages, especially young people. This year’s concert calendar boasts performances from singer-songwriter Maria Taylor, electronic musician Dan Deacon and neo-folk act Iron & Wine, among others. EAW, a world leader in sound system technology, is a proud sponsor of the program and recently donated some products to this worthwhile cause.
In 2008, EAW assisted the Vera Project by providing a selection of LA460 Full-Range Loudspeakers, subwoofers and power amplifiers. Following that, the Vera staff saw an opportunity to upgrade their stage monitors. “EAW was kind enough to donate some SM12’s and an SM15,” notes Jeffery McNulty, Tech-Facilities Manager for the Vera Project. “I had contacted Jon [Bosaw, EAW Director of Sales] to see about us purchasing some monitors, and he instead got really excited about helping us out in a very kind and generous way with a great donation.” McNulty is thrilled with the EAW products and what it has meant for the Vera Project. He stated, “We have a great Live Sound program here, and we are so happy to be able to teach people how to use this excellent EAW gear. We continuously place engineers into other clubs around Seattle, and they are usually well seasoned by the time they make it through our system. We like to foster a new attitude here at the Vera where the artist comes first, with the audience a close second, so that touring acts have an enjoyable experience, and that of course starts with great gear and well trained volunteers. The Danielson Family was here recently, and the drummer wrote on his blog that the Vera Project was his favorite venue of the whole tour, in large part because of the great P.A. sound and monitor mix.”
Rational Acoustics, providers of consulting services and professional training in sound system optimization will be conducting various Smaart classes in the upcoming months. Miami, FL
10/13 & 14 "Smaart Fundamentals & Applications"
10/15 "Smaart Advanced User" Atlanta, GA
11/18 & 19 "Smaart Fundamentals & Applications"
11/20 "Smaart Advanced User" Smaart Fundamentals & Applications:
This course covers the fundamentals of setting up a Smaart measurement rig and using Smaart to make basic RTA, Spectrograph, Transfer Function and Impulse Response measurements. Special attention is paid throughout the course to the subject of how to make valid and useful measurements, as opposed to simply making cool squiggly lines appear on the screen. Smaart Advanced User
This course covers advanced topics in the application of Smaart, AcousticTools and other measurement tools and platforms (as appropriate) for system alignment and response optimization. These sessions seek to advance the synergy between an engineer and their measurement tools, concentrating heavily on measurement choices, data interpretation and alignment decisions/compromises. Advanced sessions are held in actual performance venues to ensure appropriate “real world” data acquisition and interpretation practice. Classes fill up fast so register now!
 The full owner's manual for the EAW UMX.96 digital mixing console is now available on EAW.com. Specifically, it's located in the UMX.96 training and resources section of the site along with a growing stable of reference materials.
The manual is presented in pdf form, allowing users to easily navigate and locate the specific information they want, and to print out select pages they need, or the entire document. More than 200 pages in length, it can safely be said that the manual provides "everything you wanted to know" about the UMX.96.
Of course, any further questions can always be posted in the UMX.96 forum also here on EAW.com, with Product Manager Martyn "Ferrit" Rowe, members of the EAW ASG team, and the community on hand to provide answers.
To directly access the new UMX.96 owner's manual, click here.
 Production Audio Services, EAW's distributor serving Australia and New Zealand, will be hosting EAW Smaart School sessions in four locations throughout Australia in May, June and July 2008.
Smaart School provides introductory as well as continued/advanced training in the use of Smaart software for sound system engineering, optimization and acoustical analysis.
Sessions & Dates:
May 28-29, Melbourne
June 4-5, Brisbane
June 25-26, Sydney
July 8-9, Perth
For more information and to register, contact Production Audio Services by calling (03) 9264 8000 or via e-mail at info@productionaudio.com.au.
 A new, extensive series of instructional videos has just launched here at EAW.com, detailing the EAW NTL720 small self-powered line array with Gunness Focusing. The series of 16 videos is hosted by EAW engineers and product specialists, covering virtually anything a user might want or need to know about the NTL720, as well as getting the absolute most out of it.
Topics covered in the series include every aspect of the line array modules (amplifier, acoustic package, Wizard array software), rigging (flying, groundstacking, modeling), and service (amp, driver and module removal). The videos, developed and produced by EAW in-house staff, are available in Flash format.
Click here to go directly to the NTL720 instructional videos page.
It was a full and very active two days last week (April 8-9) for the more than 20 attendees of the most recent Smaart School at the Holiday Inn Northshore in Skokie, Illinois, just north of Chicago. (The class and instructors are pictured above during a break.)
The educational sessions were led by Doug Fowler and Harry Brill, Jr., working with Audioseminars.com. Both of these veteran audio professionals are Smaart experts lauded for their teaching abilities. More Smaart School sessions are scheduled soon - click here to find out more. And thanks to Harry for the photo!
 Bormann Marketing, EAW's fine sales rep firm serving several Midwestern states, is once again holding its "Bormannia" Really Big Show, coming up May 5 - 8. Contractors, pro and MI dealers and consulting firms are invited to see, hear, and touch all of the latest gear from the manufacturers represented by Bormann, including new developments from EAW.
In addition, EAW Application Support Group Team Members Joe Fustolo and Adam Howarth (both pictured below) will be on hand to answer questions and talk about products/systems throughout each day of the show. This year marks the 10th annual Bormannia show, which last year drew more than 300 attendees.
 The event kicks off Monday, May 5 at Bormann's offices in Hopkins, MN, outside of Minneapolis, then moves on to Country Inn/Suites in Brookfield, WI, outside of Milwaukee (May 7), and concludes at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago (May 8). Hours each day are
9 am - 4 pm, and lunch will be served.
 But wait... there's more! Smaart School sessions are also being held during the Minneapolis and Chicago dates as well. Advanced two-day Smaart classes will be conducted May 5-6 at the Bormann offices and May 8-9 at the Irish American Heritage Center. (Cost to attend the Smaart School sessions is $300.)
To register for Bormannia and Smaart School, print out the appropriate form below, fill it out, and fax it to Glenn at Bormann at 952-835-9268. Or, e-mail Glenn at glenn@bormann.com.
Click here for Minneapolis form (pdf)
Click here for Milwaukee/Chicago form (pdf)
 Free passes are available for the upcoming (June 18-20) Infocomm '08 Exhibition at the Las Vegas Convention Center. EAW will be exhibiting at Infocomm, which this year for the first time also incorporates the NSCA Expo under the same roof.
The passes also allow admission to several free Infocomm events, including the Opening Reception and NSCA ExpoJam. Click here to view the pdf form providing more information and free pass registration instruction.
You’re invited to participate in upcoming EAW Smaart School sessions in Minneapolis and Chicago this coming May!
Hosted by EAW rep firm Bormann Marketing, the two-day Smaart School sessions will present advanced, hands-on, in-depth training with EAW Smaart, as well as overall insight into system optimization, measurement and analysis.
Details:
May 5 - May 6, 2008
(Monday & Tuesday)
Bormann Marketing
1212 5th St. S
Hopkins, MN 55343
May 8 - May 9, 2008
(Thursday & Friday)
Irish American Heritage Center
4626 N. Knox Ave
Chicago, IL 60630
It is strongly preferable that participants bring a laptop computer to the course with Smaart already installed. Also verify that the laptop has a stereo line-level input either built in or via an external audio interface device with Windows wave audio drivers. We will provide the measurement signals for participants' computers via a stereo signal distribution system.
Cost to attend either two-day session is $300. Space is limited, and sign up is first come-first serve. To register, contact Glenn Manske at Bormann Marketing - (952) 835-9161 or glenn@bormann.com.
 Adam Howarth is the most recent addition to the Application Support Group (ASG), our multifaceted team offering a wide range of specialized technical services to EAW customers worldwide. The appointment was announced by Joe Fustolo, manager of ASG.
As an Application Support Specialist based at our Whitinsville, MA facilities, Howarth provides in-depth support for all EAW professional audio products, including the Smaart tuning and analysis platform. He joins the ASG team with a background in live event system design and engineering, and has served as a live and recording engineer, an audio instructor, and as a design consultant for theaters, production companies, and educational institutions.
Continue reading "Adam Howarth Joins EAW As ASG Support Specialist" »
You’re invited to participate in upcoming EAW Smaart School sessions in Montreal, March 5-7, 2008.
The intensive three-day training package will be presented at EAW Canadian market distributor SF Marketing’s Dorval, Quebec facilities as well as at Salle Claude-Champagne (l’Université de Montréal). (SF Marketing is the organizer of this educational event.)
Smaart Fundamentals and Applications will be covered the first two days, with the third day devoted to an Advanced User Seminar. Click here to find out more and to get cost/registration details.
Continue reading "Smaart School Slated For March 5-7 In Montreal" »
You’re invited to participate in upcoming EAW Smaart School sessions in Vancouver, February 6-8, 2008.
The intensive three-day training package, presented by veteran Smaart School instructor Arthur Skudra, will be conducted at the beautiful Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (CCPA), located at the University of British-Columbia (UBC).
Smaart Fundamentals and Applications will be covered the first two days, with the third day devoted to an Advanced User Seminar. Click here to find out more and to get cost/registration details.
Continue reading "Smaart School: February 6-8 At Chan Centre, Vancouver" »
 The online version of Harry Brill Jr's excellent article regarding tips and tricks for EAW Smaart v.6, written exclusively for Mix magazine, has now been posted in the publication's online edition.
In the article, Harry (shown at right handling Smaart duties at the recent ET Live) shares valuable information gained from his experiences with Smaart, including use of certain features that might not be readily apparent to some users. It's a must-read for anyone seeking to get the most from Smaart v.6. Click here to go directly to the article.
 At ET Live, held in conjunction with LDI 2007 in Orlando next month (November), EAW will be unveiling a wide range of exciting new and pending product developments – all working together as a full-scale live concert reinforcement system!
The fun starts with the newest loudspeaker design from EAW (more about this soon), which will be joined by flown KF730 Series line arrays as well as prototypes of another new loudspeaker, with Gunness Focusing and all other DSP courtesy of UX8800 dual-mode digital processors.
 Low-end will be provided with new, soon-to-be-released EAW SB Series subwoofers. Filling out the loudspeaker complement will be KF650z sidefills and SM12 stage monitoring. The entire system will be driven by Lab.gruppen amplification and tuned with new Smaart v.6; in fact, Smaart has been designated as the official measurement system for the entire event. (The scene at ET Live in Las Vegas last year is shown in the photo at left.)
Continue reading "Dynamic New EAW Developments At Upcoming ET Live!" »
 The following instructional article was graciously provided by Jeff Lange, who heads up Sonic Art LLC, based in Oshkosh, WI, a firm specializing in the development of audio, video and lighting systems for houses of worship. Our thanks to Jeff (pictured at left) for the article and photos.
The design of a new sound system for the sanctuary of The Pentecostals of the Fox Cities in Menasha, WI, was particularly challenging. This 500-seat auditorium has a 12-foot ceiling, dictating loudspeakers that are very compact in order to not detract from the room’s aesthetics.
To meet this requirement, we chose EAW MK8100 Series loudspeakers, with six of these cabinets flown in their horizontal cabinet position (with horns rotated), carefully placed in a distributed, decentralized arrangement. (Shown in the photo at right.)
 Largely due to compact design of these loudspeakers, frequency response doesn't extend much below 90 Hz. Therefore, we also needed subwoofers to reinforce frequencies beneath the 90 Hz point to meet a stated design goal of providing a system offering true full-range capabilities.
Continue reading "Inside Scoop: Subwoofer Isolation For Church Project" »
 We're very pleased to welcome Andy Jordan as the newest member of the EAW Application Support Group (ASG) team, headed by ASG Manager Joe Fustolo.
Andy brings 10-plus years of working with EAW Engineering in hands-on loudspeaker design to his new role with ASG. Specifically, he flourished as the Technical Services Coordinator, responsible for leading a group of technicians in carrying out a variety of tasks in building and facilitating the overall documentation and testing of BTO and standard EAW products.
"We're confident that Andy's vast working knowledge of the engineering process and the internal workings of virtually all EAW loudspeakers is going to make him a highly valuable asset of ASG, allowing us to take another important step in further being able to assist and troubleshoot customer issues with even greater accuracy and efficiency," Joe explains.
The addition of Andy now means the ASG team includes four sound system designers, three phone technical support specialists, and a special projects coordinator.
 Jeffrey Cox, Vice President of the EAW Brand Group, is the subject of an exclusive interview in the current issue of Production Partner, the noted German professional audio publication. (Jeffrey is shown at left with Jürgen Bachthaler, who heads up EAW's offices in Germany.)
The discussion covers a wide range of topics, and is also tied into the recent EAW B4 Roadshow and educational training sessions that appeared across Europe.
Our thanks to Peter Brüning for arranging and coordinating this interview, conducted by Detlef Hoepfner.
There's only one catch - readers fluent in the German language will really enjoy the interview, while those of us who are not must be content with the nice photos. Click on the pdf links below to access the full interview.
Jeffrey Cox-Production Partner Interview, Page 1
Jeffery Cox-Production Partner Interview, Page 2
Jeffrey Cox-Production Partner Interview, Page 3
 Joe Fustolo, Manager of the EAW Application Support Group, notes that Michael Perry (left) and Justin Walker have joined the ASG team as Application Support Specialists, a move that further enhances the pro audio industry's top customer technical support effort.
Michael comes to us from LOUD Technologies technical support and service, and based in Woodinville, he adds additional hours to our U.S. support basis. Also an active musician and sound system operator, he brings a great deal of relevant real-world experience to the table, not to mention also being very fluent in Spanish. Michael's primary focus is providing full technical support for all EAW Commercial products, in addition to assisting with the entire EAW line.
Justin, a previous employee with the EAW Service Department (not to mention an active musician), offers a good deal of experience and enthusiasm in pro audio customer support. He is based in Whitinsville, handling the bulk of service requests and product RMA's as well as providing basic technical support for all EAW loudspeakers.
Welcome aboard, Michael and Justin!
 We just received the following note from FOH Engineer Don Dodge, who's been utilizing the EAW UMX.96 digital console on its maiden touring voyage with Foreigner this summer. Don and Ferrit are pictured at left.
"The console is working out like a dream - I’m totally loving it! We’re blowing everyone’s mind with this board. It just sings. So many people coming up after shows to tell me how good it sounded.
"Ferrit has been incredible - what a fantastic guy. It’s really easy to learn from him, and he’s so smart it blows your mind. He’s been such a great help.
"Thanks very much to EAW and Jeffrey for trusting in me enough to run with your new 'baby'."
- Don Dodge
 A new UX8800 and EAWPilot user forum has just launched on the forums section of EAW.com. The new forum, moderated by Joe Fustolo and Dave Gunness, was created because both UX and Pilot are evolving and maturing at a rapid rate, making it vital that users be well informed, and as completely and quickly as possible. Click here to go to the EAW forums.
 A completely reorganized Downloads section has just launched on EAW.com. Not only does the new section consolidate all EAW software, documents and other files for download to one location, but it also provides a very clear, easy-to-read navigation structure so you can access exactly what you're looking for - fast.
Click here to check it out or access it via the "Downloads" tab in the main site navigation.
 Attention audio professionals in Australia! (And anyone else who wants to travel in the quest of test and measurement enlightenment...) Production Audio Services will be hosting the first in a series of Smaart School sessions, starting in Melbourne next month (July '07).
Specifically, the two-day Smaart School session will be held July 10-11 at the Production Audio Services facility, 4-621 Whitehorse Road, Mitcham, VIC. Cost is $275 (including GST), and participants are required to have Smaart v.6 installed on their Mac or PC, and to bring along their own measurement kits.
For more information, talk to Tim, Graeme or Ben at Production Audio Services: (03) 92648000. (For more contact info, click here.) By the way, further announcements will be coming soon regarding more Australia Smaart School dates. Learn more here about Smaart School.
 New Coverage Calculator (“CoverageCalc”) software configures EAW Commercial loudspeakers in a distributed layout using SPL (sound pressure level) mapping as the primary criteria.
CoverageCalc is a Windows-based program that uses standard Windows operational conventions, and not only does it provide SPL map of listening area with adjustable resolution and frequency, it also offers user-adjustable layout density, rectangular or hexagonal layout patterns, and much more.
Click here to access the download of this program.
 Joe Fustolo is definitely someone at EAW you should know. This professional audio industry veteran was recently tapped to head up the EAW Application Support Group (ASG), our multifaceted team offering a wide range of specialized technical services to the EAW customer base.
What does your work with EAW entail?
Joe: As the manager of ASG, I handle loudspeaker designs for a lot of medium- and large-scale venues, worldwide. I also aid in teaching of our customers about how to best utilize our products to suit their needs. Another important part of the job is insuring that ASG maintains its very high standards in working with our clients to provide the best technical support in the industry.
What's your favorite aspect of working with EAW?
Joe: The people of EAW, and the best engineering team in professional audio, bar none.
Tell us about your previous audio-related experiences.
Joe: Well, let's see. Here's the list: recording engineer, monitor and FOH engineer, stage hand, technical director for the Lowell Auditorium in Lowell, MA, rigger, theatrical rigging installer, sound system sales/designer/installer...
What's your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Joe: Spend time with my family and kids.
Any hobbies?
Joe: Archery, hunting, target shooting, riding my motorcycle.
Best rock n' roll band ever?
Joe: Hmm.... that's a tough one, there are so many to choose from. How about this, or this, or this? Uh... just kidding! But "The Hoff" is something else, no? Just exactly what that something is, we can't be sure...
What's the best live show you've heard/seen, and why?
Joe: The most recent was Iron Maiden. It was truly amazing to see what the KF760/761 Series can do for a show of that nature.
What's your favorite EAW product?
Joe: The MQH1344e, due its sonic clarity, horsepower, and low-frequency pattern control. Truly one of the best loudspeakers ever, ahead of its time.
What's the most common audio/system question asked of you?
Joe: How does it sound? How can I make it sound better?
What's the most overlooked yet beneficial aspect of EAW?
Joe: We have the widest range of application specific loudspeakers in the industry, and the capabilities of designing any loudspeaker to fit any need required.
Last question. Why did the audio engineer cross the road?
Joe: Because the lighting guys wanted him to count to 3...
 EAW products and systems are utilized in thousands of demanding professional applications around the world, equally adept at exceeding expectations in both live and installed realms.
Now, the new EAW Application Reference Lists provide you with the opportunity to check out the venues and sound companies that utilize EAW products and systems. Not only are these lists updated and fresh and new, but they’re also available in handy printable pdf format by simply clicking a link at the top of each page. Click here to access the lists.
 From EAW Europe Sales Manager Sean Martin
The B4 Roadshow tour bus pulled up in the outskirts of Paris at the premises of Axente, France, close to Orly airport. The weather was cool and windy, which did not bode well for the next day's Bootcamp and Tradeshow.
Paris was the only destination on the tour that gave us the opportunity to actually hold the roadshow at the distributor's premises. In this case the Bootcamp was held in the massive car park of Axente and parent company Impact Evenement.
 This gave us for the first time, the opportunity of setting up the systems the day before we opened to the public, although the speed with which the scaffold towers went up did make us think that spare day could easily get
used up!
Continue reading "B4 In Paris: Concluding On A (Very!) High Note" »
 Leading up to the B4 Roadshow stop in Barcelona, we'd been hearing that attendance would be especially strong. But we were totally blown away with just how many audio professionals came - and stayed - for both full days.
System Bootcamp and Tradeshow was held in a venue plenty big to accommodate everyone and then some. The site, Velòdrom D'Horta, a bicycle racetrack built for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, was ideal to provide full-fledged demos of KF760 Series line arrays, the new SB1002 flying subwoofers, the coming-soon UMX.96 live digital mixing console and more. (The rig and venue are shown above.)
 And in what must be at least close to a record, Smaart School attracted more than 60 attendees! With so many audio professionals wishing to learn about recently released Smaart v.6 as well as solid test and measurement principles, we definitely could accommodate the crowd. A bit of reconfiguring, some great work by EAW distributor Pro 3 & Co., and everything worked out just fine.
A lot of people, a lot of learning, and even more fun. Now it's on to Paris for the final stop of the European leg of B4! (Click on the link below for more images from Barcelona.)
Continue reading "B4 In Barcelona: Great Facilities, Huge Attendance" »
 Day Two of the B4 Roadshow stop in Milan featured well-attended System Bootcamp and Tradeshow sessions. The range of current and coming-soon EAW products drew crowds, and in particular, the UMX.96 live digital mixing console. (Moray is shown at left providing a console demo.)
Exhibo, S.P.A., the EAW distributor for Italy, did a fantastic job in handling the numerous (numerous!) details it takes to pull off a successful B4 presentation. Our sincerest thanks to them for their hard work. The B4 site - Alcatraz Music Island - is a noted live music venue in downtown Milan, and it worked out great. As expected, the acoustics were conducive to effective audio presentations. Now, on to Barcelona! (Click on the link below for more Milan images.)
Continue reading "B4 In Milan: A Busy Day Of Bootcamp & Tradeshow" »
 The B4 Roadshow team arrived in Milan, Italy around
1 pm, and upon figuring out that our hotel was near the famous Monza Motor Raceway, we set out on what we thought would be a quick stroll over to see it.
I should mention here that Bernie is a huge racing fan (shown here with Ferrit at a statue at the track), so for him this was more like a pilgrimage. After about and hour and a half of walking, it started to feel like Gilligan's Island to the rest of us: "A three-hour tour, a three-hour tour..."
 Actually, we ended up walking though the Monza city park and it was absolutely gorgeous. We saw the Royal Palace at Monza, built by the Hapsburgs in 1777, and then, the location where the last king of Italy, Umberto I, was assasinated in 1900. We also saw some interesting art in the park that the boys promptly named "The Wicker Bundt Cake." (Pretty accurate description, according to the photo at left.)
Continue reading "B4 In Milan: Setting Up, Smaart School & Racing Fun" »
 The ongoing B4 Roadshow, currently appearing at several locations across Europe before moving on to North America, has drawn the attention of the Live Audio Board (LAB) community on ProSoundWeb.
Click here to check out the LAB discussion, including comments from attendees.
 Professional audio industry veteran Joe Fustolo has been named Manager of the EAW Application Support Group (ASG), the multifaceted team offering a wide range of specialized technical services to the EAW customer base. The appointment was announced by Jeffrey Cox, Vice President of the EAW Brand Group.
Fustolo brings more 15 years of hands-on pro audio experience in leading the ASG team, which serves to provide in-depth technical and system information, including product and application guidance, loudspeaker system design and review, as well as hands-on training and educational tools such as white papers and CD-ROMs. ASG also provides answers and input via EAW’s popular on-line technical forum.
Continue reading "Joe Fustolo Named To Lead EAW ASG Team" »
From EAW Marketing Director Karen Anderson
The B4 Roadshow team set off from Wolfach in the morning and drove south through the Black Forest and into the Swiss Alps. Absolutely gorgeous.
We didn't have an actual destination or any hotel reservations, but thanks to Bluetooth technology,we were able to hook into the Internet from the bus. Wiith Moray translating into Italian, we were able to find a hotel with six rooms available at the last minute. (May 1 is a national holiday in Italy so most everything was booked.)
The hotel is in a little town called Ispra, on Lake Maggiore in the Lombardy region of Italy. It took about eight hours to get there, as well as some expert driving from Werner as he navigated our 48-foot tour bus through mountain passes and narrow Italian hillside streets.
Continue reading "B4 In Europe: Through The Alps And On To Italy" »
 April 29, 07
On the bus
One of those memorable moments: 12:45 pm and everyone is upstairs in the rear lounge watching the Bourne Identity. Moray is sleeping in his bunk. I came down to watch the drive for a bit, and as I came down the stairs I could hear a bit of whistling coming from the forward cabin. It’s a bright balmy, lovely afternoon and we’ve just passed immigrations into Switzerland. We’re motoring down the Bahn, passing through the entrance into the Alps. It’s gorgeous, a storybook day.
I sat down in the forward/lower lounge and could hear Werner, our intrepid and wonderful driver (every bit Austrian) whistling along with something. Delightful, delicate, precise, joyful whistling. Not like passive, mumbling, meandering whistling, but flutelike, percussive, trilling Alpine whistling.
Suddenly he turns up his stereo in the driver’s compartment and I realize he’s whistling along with a classical concert on the stereo. Not just some soft, sweet, beautiful concert piece, but one of those Austrian masterpieces, loaded with flourish, undoubtedly written on just such a spring afternoon, where the sun bathes the countryside in clear light and the new leaves on the trees radiate a green that we only get to see in April in the mountains. The panorama is actually postcard.
So I sit quietly, slide down in a lounge recliner and watch with wonderment as the Swiss countryside glides by in a rolling slideshow of hills and church spires, cows and fences, chalets and Swiss flags, yellow mustard fields erupting in full voice, punctuating the rise and fall of Werner’s whistling concerto. He’s hitting every note. He knows this piece. As the concert rises to crescendo, Werner pushes his participation, steadfastly remaining part of the orchestra. Big Finish! Wow!! That was cool…
People can be so happy, so positive.
Life is good. Really good.
From EAW Marketing Director Karen Anderson
On our way via the tour bus to Milan for the next stop of the B4 Roadshow, we stopped for the evening in Wolfach, Germany. All I can say is WOW - this place unbelievably gorgeous! It's a 1,000-year-old walled city on the Kinsig river. I can't really describe how lovely it is, so check out the pictures.
Besides that, it's Jurgen's hometown, and he and his wife Christiane hosted us for a great day of sightseeing and dinner.
Continue reading "B4 In Europe: The Journey To Milan" »
From EAW Marketing Director Karen Anderson
Day two of the B4 Roadshow stop in Cologne was Smaart School day, and Jamie and Ferrit had a full class of 17 people at the Gahrens and Batterman training academy.
A huge thanks to G&B for letting us use their facility! (It's pictured below.)
 While Jamie and Ferrit busily made the world a little "Smaarter" (sorry!), Bernie and Moray headed over to the Cologne Arena to visit Marcus from Gahrens and Batterman as they loaded in a huge corporate event for DHL, utilizing a KF730-based system.
Continue reading "B4 In Germany: Smaart School & Wireless Cafe Search!" »
From EAW Marketing Director Karen Anderson
The DJP facility in Cologne (shown at left), site of this stop of the B4 Roadshow, was a great old factory which used to make boilers for steam engines. And, although cool to look at… it also came with about 7 seconds of reverb at 125 hz. That was cause for incredulous gasps from the group gathered around Jamie’s Smaart rig.
Bad for sound, but it sure makes a pretty Smaart screen. True to form, Jamie and the guys managed to make the best of the venue and get the rig sounding good.
So what do a bunch of audio guys do when they have a giant old factory, some empty roadcases and time on their hands? Invent the sport of case-luging, of course! Jamie also tried a little case surfing. We were working hard… honest!
Continue reading "B4 In Germany: Fun With Set-Up & Day One" »
 From EAW Marketing Director Karen Anderson
After a much needed change of clothes and some well-earned beers, the B4 Roadshow crew hopped on our tour bus, and with our trusty driver Werner at the wheel, took off for Cologne, Germany. Much merriment was had that first night on the bus… Most of which I can’t post on the web.
But suffice to say it included Moray, Ferrit and Steve practicing their moose mating calls (see picture above) learned the night before from a pair of comely, and drunk, Swedish gals.
 We crossed from Dover to Calais on the ferry sometime around midnight, and after a meal of ship-food and a really bad nap on hard plastic ferry chairs, we landed on the continent about 2 AM. At left we see Ferrit passing his new remote controlled Dalek to Bernie. (Doctor Who fans know what we're talking about.)
Then everyone hit their bunks, and tried to learn how to sleep on a moving, swaying bus. Someone’s Blackberry alarm went off around 6:30 AM and beeped incessantly for the next 90 minutes. Thus instigating the “cell phones off in the bunk area” rule.
 We pulled into the DJP facility in Cologne at about 9:00 in the morning, and met Jurgen, our German Sales Manager. The venue was a great old factory, which used to make the boilers for steam engines. More about this venue in my next post...
As we were all a little sleepy and bus-ruffled, Jurgen met us there with a car full of coffee and Marcus, Uli who helped us load in. Big thanks guys! (Jurgen's "coffee car" is shown below.)
The EAW team had a great time this week presenting the first B4 Roadshow at Bray Studios outside of London. After a full day of Smaart School followed by another full day of System Bootcamp and the EAW Tradeshow, it was time to go. In road-dog fashion, the team broke it all down, loaded it all on the truck, and then boarded the bus to move along to the next B4 Roadshow stop: Cologne, Germany.
Some final notes on the England stop from Karen Anderson: Bray Studios is a great film studio out in the English countryside near Windsor Castle. The facilities were wonderful and the staff could not have been nicer. Big thanks to Nathan Hendricks and everyone at Bray. Highly recommended for anyone looking to do a large format demo in England.
Load-in was relatively painless with the help of four of our pals from Concert Sound, and big high fives to them for all of their help.. not only during load in, but on the Roadshow in general. Couldn’t have done it without them!
With the help of more fine folks from Peak Sound and Concert Sound, who stuck around after the Tradeshow to help us load out, we were torn down and had the truck loaded in less than two hours! Everyone pitched in…. as evidenced by the pictures of Jeffrey and Sean (Martin) humping crates up into the truck. Who says execs don’t get their hands dirty?
 Day two of the B4 Roadshow in England featured System Bootcamp, led by EAW Technical Training Manager Bernie Broderick, as well as the EAW Tradeshow, where everyone got a look at current and coming-soon products and technologies. The Bray Studios facility (shown here) proved exceptional for hosting both of these facets.
 Interesting notes from EAW Marketing Director Karen Anderson: "Andrew Rowan owns SurgeSound, the EAW distributor for South Africa, and he came all the way up from there for the event. And Terje Engedahl is from Lyd-Systemer, our distributor for Norway. He brought two of his customers all the way from Norway (his customers are Eivind Boganes and Oyvind Aasen).
 Attendees also had plenty of opportunities to network and get the most up-close looks at all products, including SB Series subwoofers and KF Series line arrays shown here.
Next Up:
Cologne, April 26-27
Full schedule
 OK, we admit it: this post is largely an excuse to post the crazy photo of Ferrit (below).
|
 After an intense full day of Smaart School, and with System Bootcamp and the EAW Tradeshow all set for tomorrow at Bray Studios, there proved to be a bit of time for the gang to visit a local establishment and blow off some steam. Well, that is, after Bernie got done spooling his cables.
|
 Just one question: Does Ferrit's expression have anything to do with the empty glass in front of him? (Actually, thanks to him for being such a good sport.)
|
Below is Jamie Anderson with EAW's Moray McMillin and Steve Badham.
|
 April 23, 07
London
1:30pm
Peas and Chips! From mighty ‘ol England!!
First day of B4 European Roadshow and it’s actually working out beautifully. Wow!!
We all made it in on time, luggage arrived, hotel is “reasonable”, had a pint, Fish and Chips, drove on the wrong side of the road, got into the wrong side of the car, sitting by The River Thames, all the stations of the cross…
Today is the Smaart v.6 class, with Jamie Anderson conducting. Well attended and we’re at Bray Film Studios, out near Windsor Castle (Mum’s not in, the flags not waving). This studio is where a bunch of 50’s and 60’s British horror movies were filmed, including Dracula with Christopher Lee. Perfect location to assemble the tour and conduct the first presentations. This is where a lot of tours do pre-production rehearsals. Clapton usually sets up here.
8:00pm: Completed the set up, tested, checked and done for the night. Really good day. This is a wonderful bunch of people to work with.
G’night!!
-Jeffrey
 The Europe leg of the B4 Roadshow has begun! Jamie Anderson and Martyn "Ferrit" Rowe led a very well-attended full day of Smaart School at Bray Studios, outside of London.
The focus, of course, is new EAW Smaart v.6, as well as loads of useful tips and techniques for large-scale system alignment and response optimization.
 At right, we see the group in "classroom" mode, and below, a class photo. In the back row, left to right: George Breacker, John Kingham, Lionel Miller, Andrew Rowan, Tom Williams, Jamie Anderson, Simon Ryder, Patrick Hocken, Sam Brandon, Steve Paefrement, Eivind Boganes. And in the front row: Terje Engedahl and Oyvind Aasen.
Coming up tonight: A bit of fun
Tomorrow: System Bootcamp & Tradeshow
A new Smaart Forum has launched at the EAW.com Forums section, and in fact, it's already logged 200-plus posts from the Smaart community!
The new Smaart Forum replaces the previous online effort that served very well but had become outdated. Particularly with the recent launch of new EAW Smaart v.6, the new forum is proving invaluable as an efficient way to get questions answered as well as for the sharing of information among the user base.
The forum is expertly moderated by EAW's Calvert Dayton, Martin "Ferrit" Rowe, Joe Fustolo and Scott Jordan. In addition, great input is also provided by Smaart and test/measurement/analysis veterans. Click here to check it out.
 Bormann Marketing, a sales representative firm for EAW, will be hosting Smaart School training sessions later this month (April '07) in the Minneapolis area (Bloomington, MN) as well as in Chicago, both in conjuction with its 2007 "Bormannia" Roadshows.
Specifically, noted sound designer and veteran Smaart instructor Arthur Skudra (pictured below) of Sightsound Consulting will be presenting the Smaart School sessions, which will focus on the fundamentals of EAW Smaart and the new Smaart v.6 measurement and analysis software. Tips and techniques for large-scale system alignment and response optimization will also be presented.
 The Minneapolis area roadshow and Smaart School session will be held on Monday, April 23, at the Holiday Inn Select Airport in Bloomington, just south of Minneapolis International Airport. Both will run from 9 am to 4 pm. Cost to attend this Smaart School session is $200; the roadshow is free.
The Chicago roadshow will be held Thursday, April 26 and Friday, April 27, at the Irish American Heritage Center. Roadshow hours are 10 am to 4 pm. NOTE: the Smaart School session will be held BOTH days from 8 am to 4 pm. Cost to attend this two-day Smaart School session is $300; the roadshow is free.
Bormann Marketing will also be hosting a roadshow - without Smaart School session - in Milwaukee on Wednesday, April 25 at the Radisson Hotel Milwaukee Airport. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm. Cost is free.
Smaart School attendees are asked to bring their laptop computers and stereo I/O to get full, hands-on benefit of instruction.
For the ninth consecutive year, the Bormannia Roadshows will provide a great opportunity to check out all of the product lines handled by Bormann Marketing, including EAW. To register for Smaart School, contact Marcy of Bormann Marketing via e-mail at marcy@bormann.com or by calling 952-835-9161. Payment can be made with check or credit card.
For more information as well as to also register via e-mail, click here.
 At the upcoming PALME Middle East Exhibition in Dubai, Josh Evans of PMK International Consultants will be presenting "Smaart v.6 Overview: Additions and benefits of Smaart v.6 over SmaartLive 5." The class will be presented on Sunday, May 20, from 2 pm - 4 pm, in the Sharjah A room of the Dubai International Exhibition Centre.
The discussion will focus on:
- Fundamentals and benefits of dual-channel FFT measurements
- Differences between using a Real Time Analyzer (RTA), and a dual FFT complex magnitude response for the optimization of sound systems
- Determination of loudspeaker polarity
- Optimization of subwoofers using a complex measurement
- Interfacing measurement tools with mixing consoles
- Useful measurements for a live sound engineer
To register, go to the PALME website at http://www.palmeonline.com, click on the "Middle East" option, and then click on "Seminar Info" in the left column of the home page.
Kicking off EAW’s 2007 education initiative, the B4 Roadshow will be making its way through Europe starting April 23. This is an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in two full days of EAW product training, demonstrations, education and more! Each two-day B4 event will consist of a Smaart School, “System Bootcamp” and mini-tradeshow.
Smaart School:
The specially designed Smaart School is focusing on the fundamentals of Smaart and the new Smaart v.6, as well as tips and techniques for large-scale system alignment and response optimization. Taught by Smaart gurus Jamie Anderson and Martyn Rowe, cost for the Smaart School course is $300 (USD) and includes breakfast, lunch and all course-related materials.
Pre-registration is required - click here to register for the class of your choice. Online pre-payment via credit card is accepted, as is payment on-site at the time of the class (check or cash only). Attendees are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.
Continue reading "B4 Roadshow, Smaart School Coming To Europe!" »
At NSCA Expo '07 in Orlando this week, EAW is unveiling the latest phase of its education initiative: B4 - "BEYOND Brains, Boxes & Beyond".
Based upon the highly successful B3 education sessions presented to hundreds of audio professionals in 2006, the B4 Roadshow indeed goes well beyond that landmark effort. EAW’s renowned training and educational staff – offering decades of collective real-world pro audio experience – is traveling the world in 2007, conducting more than 20 in-depth (and hands-on) training sessions.
 Throughout NSCA Expo, the education team will be in the EAW demo room providing a preview of what will be offered at every B4 stop. Note that these presentations will be done on the "even" hours - 10 am, noon, 2 pm and
4 pm.
Each actual two- and three-day B4 event will feature a full day of Smaart training followed by “System Bootcamp” where attendees are to be provided with diverse live and installed audio coursework as well as a step-by-step overview of configuring, rigging, powering, processing and tuning a full-scale EAW sound reinforcement system.
 And, where applicable, training is also being provided on exciting new EAW products such as the UX8800 digital processor providing Gunness Focusing for an ever-growing list of current EAW loudspeakers. Attendees are introduced to other new EAW developments including the UMX.96 digital live console, SB1002 flyable subwoofers, EAW Commercial CAM Series mixer-amplifiers and CXA Series power amplifiers, and more. It’s all topped off with a demonstration of EAW’s latest technologies and products in action, including a “traveling tradeshow” of the latest EAW and EAW Commercial installation products.
More information, including a schedule of B4 Roadshow events, will be posted here and on EAW.com soon.
Veteran concert sound professional Martyn “Ferrit” Rowe has joined EAW as Product Specialist, where he will apply more than 25 years of professional audio experience to EAW’s rapidly expanding training and educational initiatives.
 Ferrit’s first focus will be providing hands-on training for operation of the new EAW UMX.96 large-format digital mixing console. He will also play a key role in developing relevant, real-world-based curriculum and presentations for other company educational programs such as the highly successful “Brains, Boxes & Beyond” (B3) sessions and the coming, expanded B4 program.
Continue reading "Martyn "Ferrit" Rowe Bolsters EAW Educational Initiative" »
 A new ELAN (EAW Line Array Network) section is now posted at eaw.com - check it our here. The section offers a streamlined look and feel, more services, and all information has been updated to better serve the ELAN membership. But the coolest part is a new database with listings for more than 200 member companies.
ELAN is a convenient one-stop online shop for members to promote the availability of their EAW inventory - and - to secure additional EAW inventory from other members when needed. Want your EAW products to stay busier? Got a big show coming up where you need to temporarily bolster your EAW inventory? Utilize ELAN to take advantage of the power of working with more than 200 member sound companies around the globe! All company with EAW line array inventory are eligible for membership. If you're not a member, click here to access the easy-to-use sign-up page.
EAW Online Forums are a great resource for specific information about "everything EAW" as well as a valuable place to get tips, guidance and "how to" advice.
This time out, an EAW user checks in to inquire about upgrading the power amplifiers driving his EAW KF850 and SB850 rig. The world offers a lot of power amplifier options, so what's the best way to go? What delivers enough power, what might be optimum for this particular system's primary applications, and so on? Several others in the EAW community check in to offer their views and experiences. Click here to join the discussion.
 Four years have gone by pretty quickly since Scott Pizzo joined EAW to provide invaluable sales services in the U.S., and much more. He's definitely an EAW person you should know, and we recently got him to sit down for this Q & A. (Scott is pictured at left just "a few years ago" in full musician mode.)
What does your work with EAW entail?
Scott: Sales (go figure); traveling with our independent sales reps (best in the land); product demonstrations; working with dealers on designs; interfacing with consultants and end users; and solving problems.
What's your favorite aspect of working with EAW?
Scott: I have the privilege of working with cutting-edge products and the brightest, most passionate people in the pro audio industry. Another thing I really like is that I get to meet and talk with inspiring (and sometimes insane, in a good way!) folks from all over the country, and learn from them. My position has afforded me the opportunity to make some close friends across the U.S. and mix a great band or two as well.
Continue reading "Someone You Should Know: Scott Pizzo" »
 Kicking off 2007 in nice warm-weather style, Dave and Bernie's latest B3 (Brains, Boxes & Beyond) Tech Tour sessions are slated for Florida in the coming days. Specifically, the next two sessions will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at Full Sail Live in Winter Park, and Friday, Jan. 12 at the Kendall Campus of Miami Dade College.
For the uninitiated - each B3 seminar session runs for a full day and offers diverse audio coursework in a live lab setting. Two subjects covered in-depth include point-source theory and line-array theory, as well as various mechanical, acoustic and operational topics. Attendees utilize EAW systems to evaluate and refine the points being presented.
 A big thanks to Quest Marketing for their help in organizing these Florida sessions! Almost 20 B3 sessions were conducted around the U.S. in the last quarter of 2006 in the highly successful kickoff to this invaluable real-world educational program.
Keep an eye on the B3 Schedule page for news about upcoming sessions.
 The EAW “Brains, Boxes & Beyond” (B3) Technology Tour just wrapped up a wildly succesful slate of 2006 sessions with a stop in Nashville, where more than 30 current and aspiring audio professionals (as well as Pro Sound News Editor Frank Wells) took in Bernie and Dave's heavy-duty education seminar.
The session was held at the Curb Event Center on the campus of Belmont University, an institution offering one of the leading audio course schedules in the nation. Both the meeting room in this facility as well as the adjacent basketball arena afforded ideal learning environments.
 A highlight was the live demonstration of line array principles covered by Bernie via an EAW KF730 compact line array flown in one corner of the arena. Todd Foster and team at Quest Marketing, EAW's fine rep firm handling the southeastern U.S., did a great job in tackling the considerable details and logisitical issues that must go right to make these endeavors a true success. Nice job Quest! And, an itinerary for the 2007 slate of B3 sessions will be posted soon.
Continue reading "B3 Tech Tour Delivers In Music City USA" »
EAW Online Forums are a great resource for specific information about "everything EAW" as well as a valuable place to get tips, guidance and "how to" advice.
This time out we reference a very good question from a user regarding the proper EAW KF Series line array elements to best handle a specific system installation. What does the community recommend for optimium coverage? What about subwoofers? And is there an obvious answer that everyone seems to have overlooked? Click here to find out!
 Power - one of the most nagging issues with loudspeakers. Ask any two people about proper loudspeaker powering and you're likely to get two different (and perhaps wrong) answers. EAW has stepped up to provide the important essentials with a technical guide entitled "How Much Amplifier Power Do I Need?"
The guide, available in handy pdf format, addresses the key issues, including an explanation of loudspeaker power handling ratings, selecting an appropriate amplifier "size," preventing loudspeaker damage and much more. Click here to download your copy now. (Again, it's a pdf.)
 EAW Online Forums are a great resource for specific information about "everything EAW" as well as a valuable place to get tips, guidance and "how to" advice.
This week, we highlight a user question regarding tools that are useful in helping to properly set up line arrays. Lasers, inclometers... Laser inclometers? Several good ideas are presented by the community, including a suggestion to take advantage of EAW Wizard software for setting up KF760 Series and KF730 Series line arrays.
 One of EAW's many treasures is the EAW Commercial line, a deep and versatile selection of high-caliber products that are up to meeting (and exceeding) challenges presented by even the toughest commercial sound system projects. And one of the "hidden treasures" of EAW Commercial is a series of Application Guides available for free download in handy pdf format.
Applications include House Of Worship, Boardroom, Restaurant, Courtoom, Small Hotel and Mini-Mall. All guides are throughly detailed and offer helpful illustrations, with each discussion covering the best of both worlds: a focus on specific problems and challenges and then recommendations of the right EAW Commercial products (and their uses) to best solve those problems. Click here to check out the full roster of Application Guides.
 The ongoing EAW “Brains, Boxes & Beyond” (B3) Technology Tour recently appeared in Chicago at the auditorium of the Irish American Heritage Center, with numerous Chicagoland audio professionals on hand for the education-intensive seminar.
Subjects covered in-depth include point-source theory and line-array theory, as well as various mechanical, acoustic and operational topics, and there's also plenty of opportunity for discussions and Q & A with instructors and fellow attendees. Click here for more information about B3, including the most current tour schedule. (Next up: New York, New Jersey and then a swing through the Southeast U.S.)
A big hat tip to Bormann Marketing, EAW's rep firm in the region, for their considerable support in guaranteeing a highly successful event. Check out more of the "Chicago B3 Scene" on the next page, kicked off by an image of Bormann Marketing's Jon Bormann and Hugh Daley flanking EAW audio professors Dave Raneses and Bernie Broderick.
Continue reading "B3 Tech Tour: Taking Audio Education To The Windy City" »
EAW Online Forums are a great resource for specific information about "everything EAW" as well as a valuable place to get tips, guidance and "how to" advice.
This week, we highlight a user question regarding development of a system for a wide performance space that accommodates up to 1,000 people. Will KF760 line arrays do the trick? How about a KF760 and KF761 combo? And what about subwoofers? Several interesting and useful replies are provided by several members of the community. Click here to go directly to this thread.
EAW Online Forums are a great resource for specific information about "everything EAW" as well as a valuable place to get tips, guidance and "how to" advice.
A user recently logged in to ask advice on reconing a pair of used EAW FR153 loudspeakers he's considering for purchase. Joe Fustolo of the EAW Application Support Group (ASG) replied with salient points regarding reconing, and he also cleared up an additional question regarding properly powering these loudspeakers. Click here to go directly to this forum thread.
 New dates for the EAW "Brains, Boxes & Beyond" (B3) Technical Tour have just been announced. Each seminar session runs for a full day and offers diverse audio coursework in a live lab setting. Two subjects covered in-depth include point-source theory and line-array theory, as well as various mechanical, acoustic and operational topics. Attendees utilize full-scale EAW systems to evaluate and further refine the points being presented.
Just released upcoming 2006 dates for B3 sessions:
Oct. 30 - Chicago
Oct. 31 - Milwaukee
Nov. 3 - Minneapolis
Nov. 13 - Long Island City
Nov. 14 - Mount Vernon, NY
Nov. 16 - Atlantic City
Dec. 4 - Raleigh
Dec. 6 - Charlotte
Dec. 8 - Atlanta
Dec. 11 - Nashville
Get in touch with your EAW rep if you're interested in attending a session. And, click here for more info on the B3 Tour.
 EAW Online Forums are a great resource for specific information about "everything EAW" as well as a valuable place to get tips, guidance and "how to" advice.
A user recently logged in to ask for assistance and opinions about a new mobile system he’s putting together for crowds of 500-600. He’s thinking about LA215 full-range loudspeakers and LA118z subwoofers, but will this best meet his needs? What about optimizing power for the rig, and at the right price point? Click here to check out the helpful advice offered by the EAW community!
 EAW has just launched “Brains, Boxes & Beyond (B3),” a series of technology seminars appearing throughout North America to provide in-depth education to audio professionals. (A recent session at Boston Light & Sound is pictured here - left to right are Bill King, Jay Vigneau and Jhonald Miranda.)
The seminar series, which kicked off with a packed session in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will be presented in larger metropolitan areas around the U.S. at regular intervals in the coming months. The curriculum for the one-day intensive seminars was developed by EAW Technical Training Manager Bernie Broderick and EAW Commercial Product Manager Dave Raneses, who collectively offer more than 40 years of audio training and product development experience. (To attend an upcoming B3 session near you, check out the B3 web site and contact your local EAW sales rep firm.)
Continue reading "Kickoff: “Brains, Boxes & Beyond” Technology Tour" »
 "Poor speech intelligibility in our daily lives. The absolute need to comprehend instructions in life-threatening situations occurs more frequently than one might expect. Whenever we walk into a place of public meeting, the presumption is that in the event of emergency, we will receive clear instructions. Our ability to understand these instructions directly impacts our ability to survive."
So notes EAW Vice President of Engineering Jeff Rocha in an in-depth article entitiled "Native Language and Speech Intelligibility Problems" published on ProSoundWeb. Jeff thoroughly examines this vital issue and provides a detailed analysis that's a must-read for every audio professional working with critical applications involving life-safety criteria. Click here to read the full article.
 LOUD Technologies is pleased to announce the appointment of Bernie Broderick to the position of Technical Training Manager for the EAW brand.
In this new position, Broderick will head internal as well as in-field training and education initiatives for all high-end sound reinforcement products in the LOUD family with a focus on the EAW brand. Bernie will report directly to LOUD Vice President of Marketing and Product Development Ken Berger.
Continue reading "Broderick Joins EAW As Technical Training Manager" »
|
