Sound designer Bobby Aitken uses TiMax to create a “source-oriented reinforcement” system employing Haas precedence delay psychoacoustics to ensure all audience members perceive the vocals to be coming from the opera singers and not from the multichannel sound system distributed on a grid above the stage and behind grilles in the stage. Aitken and sound engineer Richard Sharat's goal was to ensure that every audience member received an acoustic wavefront from each performer about 10 to 20 ms before the reinforcing energy from the speakers.

TiMax sets up multiple image definitions, which are unique delay relationships between every source and each loudspeaker reinforcing it. These relationships are changed every time a performer moves to a different location onstage. The TTA system tracked each actor's movement while TiMax responded automatically to move their radio mics onto the corresponding image definitions.

Audio In the Round
Raymond Gubbay's opera-in-the-round offering, La Boheme, at London's Royal Albert Hall this spring featured a sound automation technique that combined Out Board's TiMax Audio Imaging delay matrix with a new automated tracking system developed by Norwegian technologists Track the Actors (TTA). Autograph Sound provided the Meyer, XTA and DiGiCo D5T sound system, which was supervised by Andy Brown. MORE

Screenshot from La Boheme XXXX XXXXX XXXXX	Screenshot from Les Miserables
Another screenshot from Les Miserables	Front view of stage area; initial actor positions.
Defining MIDI zones	Creating a new show
TTA tags and Sennheiser transmitters	TTA computer running TiMax and TTA software

Computer and TiMax linked up

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

• Mix Books
• Newsletters

Modern Recording and Mixing

This 2-DVD set will show you how the best in the music industry set up a studio to make world-class records. Regardless of what gear you are using, the information you'll find here will allow you to take advantage of decades of expert knowledge. Order now $39.95

Mastering Cubase 4

Electronic Musician magazine and Thomson Course Technology PTR have joined forces again to create the second volume in their Personal Studio Series, Mastering Steinberg's Cubase(tm). Edited and produced by the staff of Electronic Musician, this special issue is not only a must-read for users of Cubase(tm) software, but it also delivers essential information for anyone recording/producing music in a personal-studio. Order now $12.95

MixLine

Delivered straight to your inbox every other week, MixLine takes you straight into the studio, with new product announcements, industry news, upcoming events, recent recording/post projects and much more. Click here to read the latest edition; sign up here.

MixLine Live

Delivered straight to your inbox every other week, MixLine Live takes you on the road with today's hottest tours, new sound reinforcement professional products, recent installs, industry news and much more. Click here to read the latest edition; sign up here.