July 15, 2020 COLOMBO, Sri Lanka-To deliver excellent sound and provide fans with an unforgettable experience, Universal Sound Productions equippped the BNS Drive-in Concerts with a world-class HARMAN Professional audio solution that includes an array of JBL Professional VerTec Series loudspeakers.
Treating fans to their first live music experiences since the COVID-19 outbreak, the BNS Drive-in Concerts were the first ever drive-in concerts in Sri Lanka and the first in South Asia since the lockdown. The large-scale events, which were put together by the Sri Lankan entertainment television station, TV Derana, in addition to Bathiya and Santhush, were recently held at the Colombo International Airport. Affiliated with the Restart Sri Lanka intiative, the concerts were designed to motivate the community and serve as symbols that the Sri Lankan entertainment industry is recovering from the effects of COVID-19. The concerts enforced strict health and security guidelines, while the proceeds from ticket sales were donated to the Itukama Healthcare and Social Security Fund.
Since these were held at an airport, the venue had many challenges to overcome, said Malinda Lowe of Universal Sound Productions. The stage was directly facing massive aircraft hangers and many of them were made of metal structures, so we had to work with JBL Line Array Calculator (LAC) to get rid of all the slap back with accurate measurement. We were also not in a position to deploy towers, as they would obstruct the view, so we managed to deliver the required vertical coverage despite the heavy surrounding wind. One thing I love about the JBL loudspeakers is their HF/MF waveguides and power handling.
With a talent lineup that featured popular artists such as Umaria, Wasthi, Yohani De Silva as well as Infinity, the concerts drew more than 6,000 fans in more than 1,200 vehicles each night. To ensure safety for everybody in attendance, guests were not allowed to leave their cars, so the audio was broadcased on a special FM high-definition radio station in addition to the venue's loudspeakers. Instead of clapping or cheering, fans honked and flashed their headlights to show their appreciation during the performances.
The other challenge was to match the PA feed with the broadcast feed, as BNS wanted the audio to be synchronized perfectly, Lowe said. The JBL Performance Manger software and Soundcraft ViSi Remote app played major roles in accomplishing this task. By measuring a few vehicles running pinknosie through the radio feed at different locations, we managed to match the radio broadcast with the PA and outer fills.
Delivering excellent, consistent audio across the venue, Universal Sound Productions deployed 40 JBL VT4888 3-way high-directivity loudspeakers. Both the left and right arrays comprised of 12 speakers, while the remaining 16 were equally divded and positioned in four ground stacks. For powerful, accurate low-frequency repsonse, Universal Sound Productions positioned 24 VTX G28 dual 18 subwoofers across the front stage and eight VT4882 midsize subwoofers on the sides. The system also featured eight SRX712M 12 two-way stage monitors and one PRX618S 18 self-powered subwoofer.
To power the complex solution, Universal Sound Productions relied on 9 Crown VRack 4X3500 HD amplifer racks as well as 20 Macro-Tech i Series and six XTi 6002 power amplifiers. JBL LAC was essential in designing and configuring the system to achieve ideal coverage and SPL, while Performance Manger helped Universal Sound Productions tune the system. The show was mixed through a Soundcraft Vi3000 digital console, while a Soundcraft Realtime Rack and two dbx DriveRack 4800 loudspeaker managerment systems ensured peak sound quality throughout the concerts.
As usual, the sound system delivered pristine audio with the clarity and punch we desired, said Bathiya Jayakody of BNS. We have been using HARMAN products via our audio and venue sound partner Universal Sounds Productions for over 10 years now. We've had 100% satisfaction from our clients, who rave about the sound quality at our events.
I have a long history of working with HARMAN Products, using them for almost every event we have done, Lowe said. We have used JBL for all the international acts that have happend in Sri Lanka during the last 10 years, including many top artists such as Jason Derulo, Enrique Iglesious, Shaggy and many more. When you deploy a JBL system with proper configuration for the application, you get a great sound with consistent coverage.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
08/05/2026
For the second straight year, Miri Technologies Inc. has been honored with a pair of coveted awards at the broadcast, media and entertainment industry's pre...
08/05/2026
Nine Alumni Nominated for Tony Awards More than 20 alumni contributed to this year's Tony-nominated productions.
May 7, 2026
By
Tori Donahue
Boston Co...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
July 15, 2020 COLOMBO, Sri Lanka-To deliver excellent sound and provide fans with an unforgettable experience, Universal Sound Productions equippped the BNS Drive-in Concerts with a world-class HARMAN Professional audio solution that includes an array of JBL Professional VerTec Series loudspeakers.
