audio - lighting - video

RESOURCESTAGE news03HORIZON SOLUTIONS’ AUDIO, VIDEO & LIGHTING JOURNAL

in this issue

SEPT 2010

Resource Stage News is aservice publication of HorizonSolutions. This newsletter exists to assist schools, churches, theatresand amateur technicians to learnand keep connected to industry leading technologies and techniques.

An extension of our Resource Stageseminars, this newsletter aims tokeep you informed of new trends,pricing, specials and the latestindustry news.

Have an idea for our newsletter?Contact us at 519-453-3368 orinfo@resourcestage.ca. We wouldenjoy to hear your feedback!

Installation Systems

Acoustic Treatment

Rental Solutions

Tech Tips

Resource Stage Info

Canadian Institute for Theatre TechnologyCanadian Institute for Theatre Technology

Horizon Solutions is a member ofHorizon Solutions is a member of

Technologyresources foryour shows &events.

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Resource StageSeminars are Back!

Since January 2004 Horizon Solutions has been presenting the Resource Stage seminars for our clients.

As the story goes, back in 2003 we were trying to figure out how to help educate our clients so they would have a better understanding of the products they were purchasing. Simple things like, "what's the real difference between these two different microphones?"

Too often customers are looking to the internet and then making a decision just based on price, without having the right information.

We found that we were telling the same stories and the same information to clients across Southern Ontario. When it comes down to it we determined that what many of our clients needed was a good base understanding of the technology they were using. ResourceStage starts with the basics and takes the attendees a step (or two) further.

Absolutely everyone is welcome to attend Resource Stage seminars. The cost is only $5 per person and there is no need to register. If you're not sure whether the content of a seminar is right for you or your people you can always call for more information or check out our seminar website at www.resourcestage.ca.

We're looking forward to this year's season of seminars and we hope that you will find them as beneficial to your events, services and shows as we hope they are.

for everything Resource Stagewww.resourcestage.ca

Installation Projectsour solutions are foundin all types of places

For a number of years many clientsthought that Horizon only did onetype of work. It was pretty simple,Horizon did professional audioinstallations into churches. Well, alot has changed over the years.

Today Horizon Solutions designs,sells, installs, and services professionalaudio systems, theatrical andarchitectural lighting systems andpresentation video systems in avariety of venues including schools,theatres, corporate board rooms,retail stores and restaurants. Andof course, in churches across Ontario.

Listed below are a few of the projectswe’ve done recently.

from bath towels to glass wool

Old Navy Stores - London

Westminster SS

St Justin’s Catholic Church

audio system upgrades

audio system upgrades

audio system upgrades

Summer Leitch has a strong danceprogram at Westminster SecondarySchool in London. The very oldspeaker system just wasn’t cutting itany longer. A new pair of EV mainspeakers, a pair of side fill monitors,a powered sub and new mixer helpsto put Westminster in a much better position to feel the music on stage (and in the adjacent hallways).

We work in churches all the time, butevery once in a while we find ourselveson a hot summer day installing speakers on the outside of a parishhall. That’s exactly what we did thisAugust for St. Justin’s. Now those whofind themselves in the church parking lot and surrounding block are able to enjoy hymns and choruses on Sunday Morning.

Both Old Navy stores in London went through a face lift over the lastfew months. Horizon Solutionswas there to help get the new audio systems installed and operational.

Our technicians will tell you that it’sinteresting working with a nationwide chain when all the work has tobe done after hours. But the endresult is something we can be proud of.

ACOUSTIC TREATMENT

As a kid, our family moved around a lot. My parents liked the change and my father was often looking for a new challenge with his work in IT. One of the things I have always remembered whenever we moved into a new home was how the house felt so hollow with no furniture, just blank walls and floors. It was even more noticeable in an empty bathroom. I remember my brothers and I standing in an empty bathroom hollering at the top of our lungs, listening to the echo. Although I had very little interest in sound or audio at 12 years old, I understood something about acoustics. When the shower curtain and bath towels were hung, the bathroom quickly went from being a cavern to a small room.

The principals haven't really changed much over the years. The fact is, some rooms, for numerous reasons, have acoustic characteristics that make them much more reverberant than others. Sometimes it's the hard uncovered surfaces. Or it could be a tin-pan ceiling. More often than not it's the physical dimensions of the room, allowing for some frequencies to reflect for a long period of time before diminishing.

One way to determine and quantify the "issue frequencies" is to play a frequency sweep within the space and then record the playback with a microphone in the room. What this does is provide us the ability to "hear" and analyse how the different frequencies are responding in the space. Using a measurement referred to as the RT60 we are able to determine which frequencies and to what extent each frequency is a problem. From there, we're able to take that information and determine how much acoustic treatment is required to bring the RT60 reverberation time down to a reasonable level.

This is where I should make it clear that not every classroom, theatre, church or office should sound like a dead recording studio space. In fact, very few of them should. Like with any of the design work we do at Horizon Solutions, we take the time to look at and consider the application of the space when determining the final recommendation. The differences in construction materials, thickness, spacing from the hard surfaces, quantity of the treatment and of course cost, all play into how the treatments are selected.

This month we've made recommendations for acoustic treatment in three very different spaces; a brand new church facility just outside of London, a livestock arena close to Chatham, and a church basement in London. Each room is completely different and each one has acoustic issues, and of course each treatment has it's differences based upon the findings and facility use.

Whether you have a gymnasium, classroom, auditorium, home studio, home theatre or church sanctuary, we can help you determine what acoustic treatments will best help you to "take control of your room". For more information, contact Don Klassen at Horizon Solutions.

Acoustic treatments are available in various sizes, shapes and colours to match your application and decor.

Rt60 is the time required for reflections of a direct sound to decay by 60 dB below the level of the direct sound.

wikipedia.org

Technology Tips... Did you know?

RENTAL solutions

GEAR THAT’SGOT OURATTENTION

The fall is upon us once again and it’s time to clean out the cobwebsand dust from gear. Whether you need to have your amplifiers ordimmers blown out, or you need your audio mixer cleaned there’sno time like the fall to get things tuned up.

rent a GPP Followspotcomplete with stand

$35 /day or $70 /week

The Audio/Video/Lighting Fall Tune-up!

Altman LED CYCColour mixing Cyc Light

The first LED cyc light we’ve seenwith a reflector, this is a great piecefrom Altman Lighting.

Nice even light, exactly what youwould expect from a cyc light andeverything you expect from a LEDfixture. Colour mixing, on boarddimming and full DMX control.

If you’d like to see a demo, contactHorizon Solutions and we will helpyou see how you could change theway you light your cyclorama.

myMixPersonal Monitor Mix System

There are many different personalmonitor mixer systems on the market. They all have different features which make them unique. The myMix system is one of the newest and most interesting. One of the most interesting features is how the system is built on a basic network, powered and connected by a standard POE network switch.

This system is a powerful, costeffective package featuring anonboard recording system. Forfurther information contactHorizon.

$565.00package pricing for multiple

units is available

$1995

NEW

- check every channel on your mixer- check every mic and speaker line- check all amplifier channels (blow out amplifiers)- test all wireless microphones- test all speakers (mains and monitors)

- check every circuit in your lighting system- check each lighting fixture- check and blow out all dimmers- test lighting control functions

fall audio system tune up

fall lighting system tune up

$450based on 2 techs for 6 hrs

either tune-up from

rent a ETC SmartFade Lighting Console$30 /day or $60 /week

rent a SennheiserEw300 in-ear monitor system

$30 /day or $60 /week

Here we go!

September is here and theengines are starting to buildup steam. Fall programmingfor schools, community theatres and churches are going to kick into gear any day now.

As you work on your programmingfor the fall and make plansfor the winter, keep in mind that rentals are often a great way to supplement your existing system for those special events.

It’s also a great way to test outdifferent technology before youpurchase it. Testing somethinglike a Countryman E6 or a LED lighting fixture is a great way to decide if they’re right for your space. And if you decide to buy within a month of the rental we’ll give you half the rental cost back towards the purchase! A great deal no matter how you look at it.

For more information, call or emailPaul Vroom. 1-519-453-3368paul@horizonsolutions.org

audio - lighting - video

1069 Clarke Rd

London, Ontario

N5V 3B3

519.453.3368 ph

519.453.0407 fx

info@horizonsolutions.org

www.horizonsolutions.org

resource stage seminar - september 2010Audio Mixers 101 - Allen & Heath

Claus Frostell

this seminar will cover all the aspects of professional analog audio mixers

we will show you, your staff, your students and everyone

who comes how mixers work

this seminar will touch brieflyon the benefits and architecture ofprofessional digital audio consoles

RESOURCESTAGE

Get connected to industry leadingtechnology and techniques.

Audio, Lighting & Video Seminars for AmateurTechnicians

Resource Stage seminars are anopportunity for the part time technician, teacher or theatre enthusiast who wants to learn more about the technical aspects of shows and events.

We encourage all participants to come with thier questions and real life experiences to add to the discussion forum.

Each month we discuss and explore the latest technology and techniques as presented by industry professionals.

Allen & Heath GL2400 - 24 Channel Audio MixerAn industry standard this mixer features:- 22 mic/line inputs- 2 stereo mic/line inputs- 4 groups- 4 matrix- 6 aux sends- mutes, meters and PFL on all channels- 4 band, 2 sweep EQ- available in other sizes from 16-40 channel frames

Allen & Heath ZED24 20 Channel Audio MixerAn industry standard this mixer features:- 16 mic/line inputs- 4 stereo line inputs- 4 aux sends- USB in/out- mutes and PFL on all channels- 3 band, 1 sweep EQ- available in 10 & 20 channel sizes

Allen & Heath TSeries Digital Audio- 32 or 48 mic inputs- 20 or 28 fader control surfaces (4 layers)- TCP/IP Network control between consoles and racks- 3 Dynamics, PEQ, HPF & Delay on all channels- 2 Dynamics, PEQ, Delay and GEQ on all mix outputs- user definable channel names, layer layout and colours- input, output and insert soft patch bay- quick copy, paste and reset of mixes and parameters- scene recall and saving- editor for offline and online PC control- and more...

$1995.00

at least 10%off all

Allen & Heath

$850.00

CALL FOR PRICING

2010/11 SeminarsOct 12th - LONDON - Lighting Design

Nov 9th - LONDON- Mics & Microphone Placement

Jan 11th - LONDON - Effects, Processing & Basic Recording

Feb 8th - LONDON - Running a successful rehearsal / sound check

Mar 8th - LONDON - Video Projectors 101

Apr 12th - LONDON - Monitors / In-Ear Monitors

Oct 13th - PETROLIA - Special Effects

Nov 10th - SARNIA - Mics & Microphone Placement

Jan 12th - SARNIA - LED Technology for the stage

Feb 9th - SARNIA - Effects, Processing & Basic Recording

Mar 9th - SARNIA - Video Projection Systems

Apr 13th - SARNIA - Monitors / In-Ear Monitors

sign up at www.resourcestage.ca to receive emails about the next Resource Stage seminar - $5 @ the door - no registration required

NEXT SEMINARSEPT 14th 2010 - LONDONSEPT 15th 2010 - SARNIA

AUDIO MIXERS 101

$2512.37

$981.05