Winter X Games Chooses Soundcraft Vi As Part Of A New Integrated Fiber Optics Network

(18/04/2014) Ed Johnson Audio, designer and contractor of audio systems, is a private company specializing in large events such as the NAB Conventions, Red Bull Events, and the Summer and Winter X Games. Having provided reliable technical expertise for these events for 14 years, owner Ed Johnson always relies on the most suitable gear for each event, opting this year for HARMAN's Soundcraft Vi1 digital console to mix the sound at the 2014 Winter X Games.

Held in Aspen, Colorado, the Winter X Games presented a different challenge for the audio engineers, as they were required to mix the live aspect of the show and share feeds with television broadcast on ESPN. To achieve this, for the first time as one big system at the Winter X Games, fiber optics were used to create an integrated connection between the TV network and the control tower, essentially allowing them to share all feeds and signals.

The X Games is unique, because from an audio standpoint, there are two shows streaming simultaneously, said Johnson. We needed detachment and integration on the fly, and so we chose the Soundcraft Vi1 console to make the marriage between the two shows possible. We have used Soundcraft for the past couple of years, but by adding a single-mode fiber card, we were able to integrate and share all the signals on the MADI stream.

The Soundcraft Vi1 allows for splitting of the feeds, which in the case of this show was not only appreciated but also necessary. The Winter X games are split between: venue A, the area for Super Pipe, Big Air and Slope Style, and Venue B, which catered to Motorsports (three events), Snowboarder X and Slope Style. Both the program feeds and music feeds are assigned to 28 loudspeaker zones.

With the Soundcraft Vi1 and a fiber optic cable that routes everything to both venues, I was able to interchange feeds without interruption, said Johnson. The console is self-explanatory and intuitively designed, as everything I did, from sharing content on the MADI stream to interfacing with the TV segment, was easy and smooth. Thanks to Soundcraft I was able to cover this huge area within my budget.

With the Vi1, I'm always able to not only keep operations within a small footprint, but also control two different areas on the Vistonics touchscreen, said Johnson. This console is superior in a lot of ways, as it only took me 20 to 30 minutes to familiarize myself with everything. Due to the successes of integrated HARMAN products, I've also requested Soundcraft consoles and JBL loudspeakers for upcoming large events such as the Summer X Games.

HARMAN designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG , Harman Kardon , Infinity , JBL , Lexicon , and Mark Levinson and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,800 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.7 billion for the last twelve months ended December 31, 2013.

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