Sound Image Deploys Crown I-Tech HD and Studer Vista 5SR For Taylor Swift’s North American Tour

Taking advantage of the power of Crown’s I-Tech HD series amplifiers and flexibility of the Studer Vista 5SR console, California-based Sound Image deployed 80 I-Tech HD amplifiers and a Studer Vista 5SR for use on country music star Taylor Swift’s tour throughout North America.

The 2009 tour, which included 52 concerts, sold out within minutes, prompting a second leg of the tour to be added for 2010.  Sound Image’s FOH engineer on the Taylor Swift tour, Russell Fischer, stated, “The goal was to bring Taylor Swift’s brand of country pop music to life, and to get the show’s energy and feeling across to an already excited crowd.” 

According to Fischer, Sound Image chose the Vista 5SR for its audio quality and versatile control surface. “The audio quality is the most obvious advantage over other digital consoles,” stated Fischer. “Being able to do six different things on different channels and input data all at once is a huge advantage when you are mixing live. The main challenge throughout the tour was covering the audience evenly around to 240 degrees, along with keeping track of close to 70 inputs.

“I’ve worked with the Studer Vista 5 before. We had it since the summer and I loved it from the first sound check.  It’s been the most reliable digital console I’ve used and I’ve found it to be a very easy platform overall,” Fischer adds

For Fischer, this was his first experience with Crown’s I-Tech HD amplifiers. “I’ve been using Crown since the DC series. Lately, I’ve been using the original I-Tech amplifiers, but for this tour we went with the HD series. They have been reliable and improved the sonic quality of the speaker system; overall they’ve performed great.

Additionally, Fischer also felt they benefited from being able to deploy Harman HiQnet System Architect™. “In the end we benefited by deciding to go with the I-Tech HD amplifiers because we ended up with better audio and we had more control of the amps using System Architect.”

TDA Rental Receives Power Boost With 376,000 Watts Of Crown I-Tech HD Amplifiers From Audio Pro

Immediately upgrading its sound reinforcement capacity, Harman Professional distributor Audio Pro Heilbronn has confirmed a major sale of Crown’s new I-Tech HD amplifiers to German touring company, TDA Rental GmbH. The company has acquired a total of 56 amplifiers, divided between 32 I-Tech 5000HD’s and 24 I-Tech 9000-HD’s. This will add a further 376,000 watts of amplification power to the company’s inventory.

TDA owner Stefan Todeskino had been delighted with the purchase. ”These are great amps, delivering a powerful sound, with a superb sounding DSP,” stated Todeskino.

Another feature that impressed Todeskino was the flexibility of the I-Tech HD’s, enabling them to be used with all speaker types and in various applications. He notes that control is made easy due to Harman HiQnet System Architect™ software.
Todeskino, who has a strong relationship with Audio Pro for sales and service, explained the decision to purchase Crown.  “We started off with a bunch of Micro-Tech 1200’s which are still used in some rare applications, and later bought Macro-Techs and I-Techs,” stated Todeskino.

Founded by Todeskino back in 1986 to offer a wide spectrum of sound reinforcement services, TDA has been using Crown amplifiers since the company’s inception.

At the same time, the company has invested elsewhere in the Harman Professional portfolio, purchasing Soundcraft Vi6 consoles to service regular accounts including Joe Cocker, Scorpions, Willy de Ville, well-known German band Wir sind Helden, Deep Purple, Guano Apes, Sisters of Mercy, Nickelback and The Cure. They also have a roster of industrial and corporate clients, including Panasonic, Daimler Chrysler, Sony and Coca Cola.

Commented Audio Pro product manager, Carsten Peter, “We are delighted that TDA has chosen to continue its long relationship with Crown amplifiers. TDA is an important partner for us, as the company is regarded as one of the best touring and rental companies in Germany. Many international artists and global players in the industry have come to rely on the technical service of the company for their tours, concerts and events,” stated Peter.

I-Tech HD features a new user-inspired DSP engine co-developed with BSS called OMNIDRIVEHD. The new processing engine features Linear Phase FIR filters that offer unrivaled crossover performance for sonically pure tunings. The OMNIDRIVEHD processing engine also features an innovative new suite of limiters called LevelMAX™. Harman HiQnet System Architect™ mirrors the typical browser navigation interface to provide contracting professionals with a familiar interface to access a host of power configuration and control functions.

Firehouse Deploys Crown I-Tech HD Amplifiers and JBL VerTec® Line Arrays For Legendary Performance at Historic 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Concert

In a historic two day concert event featuring some of the biggest names in the history of rock and roll, Red Hook, New York-based Fire House Productions provided a JBL VERTEC® line array system with Crown I-Tech HD power amplification for live sound reinforcement at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts on Thursday, October 29th and Friday, October 30th.

The event took place at New York City’s Madison Square Garden with proceeds from the show going to benefit the Rock and Roll Foundation.  Over the course of the two nights performers included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon, U2, Aretha Franklin, Jeff Beck, and Metallica.  

For the two concerts, Firehouse deployed a PA system that consisted of 18 VERTEC VT4889 large-format line array elements and 12 VT4880A ultra long excursion arrayable subwoofers per side. An additional 14 VT4889’s per side and 14 VT4887’s for front fills rounded out the system, which was powered by 96 Crown I-Tech 12000HD amplifiers.

Firehouse Productions system engineer Mark Dittmar explained that VERTEC was the perfect solution for an event of this magnitude.  “With VERTEC you get a light weight system that sounds excellent and it can be aimed at angles that other PAs wouldn’t be able to achieve” he noted. “Additionally, since this concert was being recorded for TV we needed the system to cover the entire arena, yet not be visible in the camera shots. With VERTEC we can easily achieve that goal.”

Firehouse, one of the earliest users of the Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers, has continued using them consistently for large-scale events. “With Crown I-Tech HD you get more power and clarity than any other amplifier,” stated Dittmar.  “Also, the limiters on the I-Tech HD amps are extremely efficient.  We have also been using JBL’s V4 DSP presets for the I-Tech HD amplifiers, and in terms of sonic accuracy and the increased power we’ve gained with the system, that has been extremely useful.”

I-Tech HD features a new user-inspired DSP engine co-developed with BSS called OmniDriveHD. The new processing engine features Linear Phase FIR filters that offer unrivaled crossover performance for sonically pure tunings. The OMNIDRIVEHD processing engine also features an innovative new suite of limiters (Peak, Thermal and RMS), called LevelMAX™. As a remote control and monitoring application, Harman HiQnet System Architect™ software mirrors the typical browser navigation interface to provide tour sound and contracting professionals with a familiar interface to access a host of power configuration and control functions.

For more information on Firehouse Productions, please visit www.firehouseproductions.com or call 845-758-9898.

Crown I-Tech HD Hits the Big Screen To Power Marcus Theatres® UltraScreen® At North Shore Cinemas

In a unique fixed installation where high performing sound systems are critical, North Shore Cinemas, a Marcus Theatres® Cinema in Mequon, Wisconsin has chosen Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers to power its UltraScreen® theaters. The theater is the first to deploy I-Tech HD to power its audio systems.

Mark Collins, Director of Projection Technology for Marcus Theatres, explained the decision to go with I-Tech HD’s for this environment was a logical choice. “I know that a lot of the technology in the amplifier was built with the tour sound market in mind. However, I think this type of application is even more demanding than having the equipment on the road because the amplifiers are constantly running. For cinemas you need power and reliability. These amps give us a ton of headroom and with Crown you know you are getting a great product,” said Collins.

The move to I-Tech HD also proved to be cost-effective because the additional power means each theater needs fewer amplifiers to power the system. “For one theater it doesn’t work out to be a huge savings but when you are outfitting multiple venues, it can really add up over time. The plan is since we have seen how well this works, we will continue installing I-Tech HD’s in other venues as well,” added Collins.

From an installation perspective Collins felt the process was seamless. “We set the amps up with no assistance at all. We basically hooked everything up and turned them on, it was that simple in terms of set-up,” said Collins.

Collins believes the results of this project speak for themselves. “From a sound perspective, there is a noticeable performance difference even to the average person who walks in the theater. I think that speaks to the quality of this system,” said Collins.

The amplifiers power a JBL sound system consisting of three ScreenArray® 4732 loudspeakers, six 4642A subwoofers, eight AC2212 loudspeakers on the side walls and two AM4215 loudspeakers for the back wall.

I-Tech HD features a new user-inspired DSP engine co-developed with BSS called OMNIDRIVEHD. The new processing engine features Linear Phase FIR filters that offer unrivaled crossover performance for sonically pure tunings. The OMNIDRIVEHD processing engine also features an innovative new suite of limiters called LevelMAX™. Harman HiQnet™ System Architect ™ mirrors the typical browser navigation interface to provide contracting professionals with a familiar interface to access a host of power configuration and control functions.

Multi Image Group Upgrades Audio Capabilities By Purchasing Over 100 Crown I-Tech HD Amplifiers

In a move that immediately extends its sound reinforcement capabilities, Florida-based systems integration firm Multi Image Group has purchased 110 Crown I-Tech HD amplifiers. MIG, which specializes in corporate A/V projects for clients such as CitiGroup, Deutsche Bank, and Proctor and Gamble, upgraded its entire amplifier inventory from the original I-Tech amplifiers.

“MIG was not using Crown amplifiers when I joined the company. I didn’t agree with this because I had been using Crown since I started in the professional sound industry back in 1981 and they are bulletproof,” stated Andy Kakas, audio department manager for technical services at Multi Image Group.

MIG purchased its first Crown amplifiers in 2002 with Macro-Tech and soon purchased I-Tech series amps as well. “We started by building a few JBL VerTec line array systems with the Macro-Tech amps and about six months later we got the I-Techs. The sonic quality and built-in DSP of the I-Techs were major advantages when comparing Crown to other amplifiers,” added Kakas.

After purchasing the new I-Tech HD amps, Kakas immediately noticed the improvements. “The most important aspect of these new amps is the sonic detail. It has a transparent top end, which has an open and natural sound. It maintains the Crown dampening that gives you that punch in your chest. Also, the Cobranet™ integration is quite useful since we have had a need for multiple channels of AES from front of house to the stage and the amp racks,” said Kakas.

I-Tech HD features a new user-inspired DSP engine co-developed with BSS called OMNIDRIVEHD. The new processing engine features Linear Phase FIR filters that offer unrivaled crossover performance for sonically pure tunings. The OMNIDRIVEHD processing engine also features an innovative new suite of limiters called LevelMAX™. Harman HiQnet™ System Architect ™ mirrors the typical browser navigation interface to provide tour sound and contracting professionals with a familiar interface to access a host of power configuration and control functions.

Crown is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com). Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”

Harman HiQnet™ is the world's first connectivity and control protocol that integrates all product categories in the signal chain for professional audio systems of all types, size, and applications. Harman HiQnet no longer requires the user to manage multiple disparate operating systems or be responsible for programming individual signal processors, speaker controllers, wireless microphone systems, and mixing consoles. HiQnet was developed by engineers from across the Harman Pro Group and is coordinated by the System Development and Integration Group (SDIG), a team of dedicated systems specialists based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Firehouse Productions Puts Tour Sound Into High Gear With Crown I-Tech HD

ELKHART, Indiana – Firehouse Productions, a leader in the sound reinforcement industry has taken notice of the new Crown I-Tech HD amplifier, announcing they will purchase 100 I-Tech 12000HD amplifiers for its tour sound projects. Firehouse has gained a reputation of excellence providing sound for some of the music’s biggest acts including Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, and Hannah Montana. They have also handled major television and live events including Live Earth, the MTV VMAs, and VH-1 Story Tellers.

“Firehouse is a clear leader in the live sound industry. They have been a long time user of Crown and we have confidence I-Tech HD will be a major asset to their business for years to come. We value long-term relationships with industry leaders such as Firehouse and seeing them choose I-Tech HD is a validation of the efforts of our team to produce the best amplifier in the world,” stated Brian Divine, marketing director for tour sound at Crown. “We are proud to be a long time user of Crown because of the consistent support we have received from them over the years. Knowing they are 100 percent behind us was a key reason for us to make the move to I-Tech HD,” stated Mark Dittmar, lead sound and integration engineer for Firehouse Productions. “So far, working with this amplifier for just a short period of time, I must say the sound is stunning. The sound quality and power have really shocked us,” added Dittmar.

I-Tech HD features a new user-inspired DSP engine co-developed with BSS called OMNIDRIVEHD. The new processing engine features Linear Phase FIR filters that offer unrivaled crossover performance for sonically pure tunings. The OMNIDRIVEHD processing engine also features an innovative new suite of limiters called LevelMAX™. Harman HiQnet™ System Architect ™ mirrors the typical browser navigation interface to provide tour sound and contracting professionals with a familiar interface to access a host of power configuration and control functions.

Harman International Audio Components Provided by Maryland Sound (MSI) For U.S. Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies

Harman International Industries (NYSE: HAR), a leading provider of branded audio and infotainment electronics for the home, the car, and sound professionals, today announced that components from its JBL Professional and Crown Audio divisions were deployed by sound company Maryland Sound (MSI) for the highly anticipated United States Presidential Inauguration Ceremony that took place in Washington D.C. yesterday. The event drew the largest civic-event audience ever served by an outdoor sound reinforcement system in the United States, with a crowd of as many as two million people jamming the National Mall and surrounding areas. The sound reinforcement system featured JBL Professional VERTEC® line array loudspeakers powered by Crown Audio I-Tech amplifiers and managed using Harman HiQnet™ System Architect™ software. The company’s VP7315DP, VRX932 and Control 25AV speakers projected the swearing-in ceremony, the new president’s speech and performances by a host of leading artists.

The sound system was designed by Pat Baltzell of Baltzell Audio Design and was supplied by Maryland Sound (MSI), led by Bob Goldstein, President. “JBL VERTEC simply has more total power output than the competitors. Additionally, this is the first inauguration we’ve been able to utilize Crown I-Tech amplifiers, and therefore run System Architect. Utilizing a Harman system has certainly provided us with the increased flexibility we’ve needed for this unprecedented event,” stated Baltzell.

“We are extremely pleased with the assortment of tools that Harman provides us. From the superb JBL VERTEC line arrays to Crown amplifiers and Studer and Soundcraft consoles and other products. We are able to achieve the highest fidelity sound possible and vastly superior to that which was available only a few years ago. Given the harsh environmental conditions we were working in, which has brought sub zero temperatures and lots of precipitation, the equipment worked flawlessly with no failures,” stated Bob Goldstein, President of MSI.

“The inauguration of a president is a historic watershed moment with the potential to change the world,” said Dinesh C. Paliwal, Harman International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “President Obama’s speech and swearing-in ceremony were watched and heard around the globe, and at Harman we are very proud to have helped bring that experience to the millions attending the event in Washington D.C. This inauguration marks the continuation of a proud tradition of our company’s support of other historic moments in politics, sports and entertainment across the world.”

Following the Swearing in Ceremonies, Maryland Sound (MSI) also provided Vertec Line Arrays for the Inaugural Parade route from the Capitol to the White House. On several nights leading up to the Inauguration MSI provided a host of JBL and Crown systems for myriad events including the Finance Dinner. In addition to the inauguration, Harman Professional audio components were central at the numerous celebration concerts that took place around Washington D.C. the week preceding the swearing-in ceremony and the night of. On the eve of the inauguration, MSI provided JBL loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, Soundcraft Vi4 and Vi6 and Studer Vista5SR consoles for several Inaugural Balls including the “Commander in Chief Ball” at the National Building Museum and the Biden Home States Ball at the Washington Convention Center. MSI provided JBL VERTEC systems for various other concerts around Washington featuring Carol King, Faith Hill, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban, Ludacris and Beyonce. Firehouse Productions supplied sound for a concert to honor military families, featuring Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers at the Verizon Center. This was followed by a concert on the evening of January 20 in which audio system provider ATK/Audiotek utilized JBL VERTEC line arrays to provide sound for an all-star line-up charity concert featuring Sting and Elvis Costello at Washington's Harman Center of the Arts.


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