
ORLANDO, Florida - August 2020 - The NBA's 2019-2020 season looked like it was going to be one of the most exciting yet. However, it was interrupted on March 11 by the COVID-19-induced sports shutdown, just before its Playoff series was to begin in April. Instead, the NBA reformatted its season, with teams playing the remaining regular-season games, Playoffs and Finals on three courts in the Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Florida from July 30 through October 13.
All of these games feature court sound done in a way as never before. Each venue has two sound systems: one aimed at the court, and the other at the audience. The court system is designed to immerse the NBA players in crowd and live venue sounds to emulate their traditional experience. This system is mixed through a DiGiCo Quantum7 console in each of the WWoS's three venues: the Arena, the main national-telecast court and site of Conference Finals and NBA Finals; the HP Field House court, used for the regular season to Second Round; and the Visa Athletic Center, used for games broadcast exclusively by regional sports networks.
It's a beast, says Firehouse Productions Vice President Mark Dittmar, referring to the Quantum7, and that's an understatement. The consoles-three DiGiCo SD7 desks each updated with new Quantum engines-are the hubs for all of the audio elements that are feeding these courts. Those elements include over 1,500 individual audio clips such as cheers, boos, and other reaction sounds. These are stored on media servers and collected from a variety of authentic sources, including originally produced content, foley, and content provided by the teams and the league. In addition, the Quantum7 creates a 5.1 version of the audience sounds that is sent to broadcast for on-air use.
Dittmar says the Quantum7 assigned to the Arena was the first to be programmed and became the template for the other two Quantum7 desks. Once we got all of our basic relative levels set there, the only mixing that's done is on the systems that the people controlling these crowd and other sound effects are using during the games, he explains. The DiGiCos then become these big, reliable routers that are used for the live sound for the entire season.
The identical configuration of each console means that any of Firehouse Productions' A1s can move between the venues and sit at a console where they know immediately where each I/O-and there are nearly 160 inputs in each venue feeding about 56 outputs-is assigned. Every mixer will have the exact same experience, he adds. And that's a huge advantage that that keeps the sound very consistent from game to game.
The Quantum7 consoles, and the three 32-bit I/O-equipped SD-Racks each of the three desks uses to manage that huge input array, feed L-Acoustics PA systems in each venue, whose sound is focused on the field of play. The Arena system comprises 60 L-Acoustics K2 loudspeakers configured as 10 hangs of six enclosures each, buttressed by a dozen L-Acoustics KS28 subs, with a slightly smaller PA deployed in the Visa and HP venues.
But the consoles are more than massive routers. Dittmar points out that the Quantum7 desks also provide monitor input to the mixers handling the crowd sounds and sound effects, and they additionally deliver a discrete 5.1-surround feed to the broadcast compound. The Quantum7s reliably handle a huge workflow, he says. And the consoles' features are also making their presence felt, providing the slots for the Dante cards that are taking in the audio from those submixers, 10 channels each from three laptop sources per venue.
No other console that I know of can handle that kind of huge input load, says Dittmar. It's an awesome tool for the scope of this. These are extremely high channel counts feeding a unique PA system for a major-league sports event that's never been done before. For its reliability under that kind of pressure, for its processing capability, and for its I/O capacity that's why DiGiCo's Quantum7 was the only choice for this.
For information on this season's NBA schedule, visit www.nba.com. Firehouse Productions can be found online at www.firehouseproductions.com.
About DiGiCo
DiGiCo is a UK-based manufacturer of some of the world's most popular, successful and groundbreaking digital mixing consoles for the live, theatre, broadcast and postproduction industries and is exclusively distributed in the US by Group One Ltd. of Farmingdale, New York. For more information, go to: www.DiGiCo.biz
# # #
DiGiCo Press Contacts
Maria Fiorellino at DiGiCo
Tel: +44 1372 845600
Email: maria@digiconsoles.com
Chris Shuler at Public Address
Tel: +1 574 514 7131
Email: christophershuler@comcast.net
Images:
1) DiGiCo_NBA_1.jpg - Michael Bov mixing NBA game audio at Orlando's Visa Athletic Center on Firehouse Productions' DiGiCo Quantum7 console
2) DiGiCo_NBA_2.jpg - A view of the Arena court looking over the DiGiCo Quantum7 console
3) DiGiCo_NBA_3.jpg - The DiGiCo Quantum7 in place at the HP Field House court
More from DiGiCo
01/06/2025
Known for its avant-garde productions, the Musical Theatre in Toru took on the ambitious task of presenting Jesus Christ Superstar in a format never before see...
01/06/2025
Known for its avant-garde productions, the Musical Theatre in Toru took on the ambitious task of presenting Jesus Christ Superstar in a format never before see...
01/06/2025
NEW YORK CITY - June 2025 - To honor the legacy of the Allman Brothers Band, godfathers of Southern Rock, the musical supergroup known as The Brothers recently ...
01/06/2025
The theatre's nightly performances are not limited to a single genre and span a full spectrum of theatrical, dance and musical performance. Sound engineer, ...
01/06/2025
LOS ANGELES, California - June 2025 - In just a few short years, Benson Boone has gone from a brief stint on American Idol and his first chart-topping single to...
01/05/2025
The brand-new Danish translation of We Will Rock You opened in the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen ahead of a nationwide tour, and is produced by Lion Enterta...
01/05/2025
CLINTON, Mississippi - May 2025 - Morrison Heights Baptist Church is everything you'd expect from its name: theologically conventional and traditionally ori...
01/05/2025
The venue's size ensures that every audience member has a perfect view of the stage, but it also means that every piece of equipment must earn its place and...
01/05/2025
The tour is all about letting every audience member really enjoy the music, Li Wenhao, Senior Product Manager of RAC, Technical support for the FUN! ONLY tour ...
01/05/2025
ESCONDIDO, California - May 2025 - Multi-Grammy-winner Lenny Kravitz is currently on the US leg of his Blue Electric Light tour, which kicked off in Europe in J...
01/05/2025
Prochazka knows the power of relationships, so it has always been important to him that ATEC Pro be renowned for more than just supplying great equipment. Becom...
01/05/2025
With my previous console, Freeman recalls, I always had to run a Waves server for EQ and compression, but when I switched to DiGiCo, I found it was such an op...
01/04/2025
Organized by the Association of Audio-Video Producers and the Phonographic Academy, this huge celebration of Polish music took place in three different cities. ...
01/04/2025
Organized by the Association of Audio-Video Producers and the Phonographic Academy, this huge celebration of Polish music took place in three different cities. ...
01/04/2025
Nina is an incredible artist, and I'm truly grateful to be part of her journey, Plaschke explains. I used the Quantum 338 throughout the year, for both th...
01/04/2025
COSTA MESA, California - April 2025 - The 2004 comedy-drama The Terminal had Tom Hanks' character trapped in New York's JFK airport due to a diplomatic ...
01/04/2025
Wilkinson has worked with Craig David since 2013. For him, choosing DiGiCo is all about flexibility. Working with an artist who is performing across a wide rang...
01/04/2025
Luna Park is a historic venue and occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of Argentinians. It was built in 1932 on the site of the Luna Park open-air s...
01/04/2025
Ampli, the primary AV supplier for the Clouseau tour, delivered an extensive ran...
01/04/2025
LOS ANGELES - April 2025 - After a seven-year hiatus, two-time Grammy Award winners Linkin Park are back on the road. Their 50-plus-show From Zero World Tour wi...
01/04/2025
The Quantum 338's ease of use and bright screens are a welcome upgrade and perfect over the summer for outdoor concerts, Collis says. When we are travelin...
01/04/2025
Polesi ski made a name for himself early in his career. Renowned for his attention to detail and ability to mix his creative and technical skills, Polesi ski st...
01/03/2025
CHESSINGTON, UK - March 31, 2025 - DiGiCo's mixing consoles have long been praised for many reasons, including their pristine sound, intuitive operation, an...
01/03/2025
The Mazowsze Auditorium is housed in the Karolin complex, which offers a full cultural experience. There is everything from hotels to education on site, with th...
01/03/2025
NEW YORK CITY - March 2025 - A 50th anniversary is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, but in the fleeting world of television, even a decade on air is a rare achie...
01/03/2025
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania - March 2025 - Delaware County Christian School in southeastern Pennsylvania has undergone the initial phase of a major refresh of ...
01/03/2025
LONG BEACH, California - March 2025 - Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center's Terrace Theater is said to hold a special place in the hearts of comedi...
01/03/2025
I love the Quantum 225 and 338, Clements explains. Their size is just right, the frames are easy to manoeuvre into any venue, and the small FOH footprint and ...
01/03/2025
It was the start of a new cycle and a new era in terms of venue sizes, Pike recalls. Solotech were able to help us out in terms of budget, so for our first gi...
01/02/2025
Radzimir D bski, professionally known as JIMEK, is a composer and conductor, well known for blending classical sounds with modern music genres. His Subclassics ...
01/02/2025
WEST POINT, New York - February 2025 - The Eisenhower Hall Theatre on the grounds of the United States Military Academy at West Point is celebrating its 50th an...
01/02/2025
OAKLAND, California - February 2025 - Oakland, California-born Kehlani recently embarked on the third and final leg of their Crash World Tour, which, since Sept...
01/02/2025
2024 was Afrikaans is Groot's biggest year yet, boasting nine shows over two weekends, with over 70,000 people enjoying the spectacular cultural experience....
01/02/2025
As a child, Daniela knew she wanted to be involved in the live music industry. She loved music but was not keen on performing. Watching a gig at 13, she caught...
01/02/2025
The show is very heavy on Snapshots and MIDI recalls. Dilijit is very active on social media, so we use a lot of busses, too, Narayan explains. The console re...
01/02/2025
Touring arena sized venues is a massive logistical undertaking and juggling a mixture of full production shows and fly-ins means that finding the path to consis...
01/02/2025
BARCELONA, Spain - ISE stand #7F300 - February 2025 - It's no secret that many of Broadway's and West End's largest theatrical houses steadfastly ch...
01/01/2025
North joins DiGiCo following an extensive career in the audio industry. He trained at the University of Salford, gaining a BA in Popular Music and Recording wit...
01/01/2025
The DiGiCo S31 is favoured by engineers from all over the world because of the power and flexibility housed within the compact frame that offers three 10-inch t...
01/01/2025
ANAHEIM, California - January 2025 - NAMM Stand #17901, ACC North Level 2 - When Fourier Audio's transform.engine began shipping to sound reinforcement comp...
01/01/2025
FARMINGDALE, New York - January 2025 - Long Island, New York-based Group One Limited, the US distributor for DiGiCo, Solid State Logic, Calrec, KLANG, Fourier A...
01/01/2025
Ben Evans has been Audio Operations Manager since 2021. He was part of the team who instigated the Hall's first in-house audio team and is well placed to un...
01/12/2024
CERRITOS, California - December 2024 - Who says local governments can't get big projects done and done right? The City of Cerritos, California is the owner ...
01/12/2024
Cantonese Opera is one of the traditional Chinese opera genres, with a history spanning more than 300 years. The art-form is popular in the area of Zhujiang Riv...
01/12/2024
BERGEN, Norway - December 2024 - From the 2013 release of his remix of Ed Sheeran's track, I See Fire, chased by his own hit, Firestone featuring Conrad...
01/12/2024
Like all houses of worship, The Crossing, a 1,400-seat Christian church in Columbia, Missouri, seeks to craft a clear and consistent message for its visitors an...
01/11/2024
We introduced our SD8 back in 2012, updating the SD with a 32-bit card in 2019, so when the time came to upgrade our system, we asked various people about the Q...
01/11/2024
We introduced our SD8 back in 2012, updating the SD with a 32-bit card in 2019, so when the time came to upgrade our system, we asked various people about the Q...
01/11/2024
SOUTH KOREA - November 2024 - The words Sold Out appear next to every single date on the schedule of The first HOWL tour for Japanese-born/South Korea-based g...
01/11/2024
The DiGiCo Quantum 338 is a powerful digital mixing console with 128 input channels, 64 aux/subgroups and a 24 x 24 full processing matrix. Based on seventh gen...