Category: Martin Audio

Focusrite plc has announced the acquisition of UK based Sheriff Technology Limited, trading as OutBoard, the company behind both TiMax immersive audio solutions and OutBoard stage rigging motor control products and PAT4 enterprise electrical safety testing.

They will join the Audio Reproduction division of the Focusrite Group alongside Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, and Linea Research.

Founded in 2001 by Robin Whittaker and David Haydon, OutBoard is a UK-based company specialising in innovative entertainment technologies, which it sells globally. Operating under two sub-brands—TiMax and OutBoard—their products are vital for professionals in the audiovisual industry, particularly in live performances, event management, and the rapidly expanding sector of immersive sound experiences.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO INTEGRATING OUTBOARD’S TECHNOLOGIES AND EXPLORING NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS SEGMENT OF THE RAPIDLY EVOLVING AUDIO INDUSTRY.

TiMax are pioneers in immersive sound, specialising in innovative audio and show control technologies through their Soundhub and Tracker D4 products, catering for a wide range of applications including entertainment, events, branding, themed environments, and exhibition spaces. Their solutions are frequently used for Broadway and West End shows, and together with sister Focusrite brand Martin Audio in particular there will be many opportunities for future collaboration.

Under the OutBoard brand, the business designs, manufactures and sells industry standard rigging control products for live events, together with enterprise-level safety test, preparation and quality management for global rental companies and venues. Their solutions are commonly used across European markets and feature at BST Hyde Park concerts, again alongside Martin Audio.

By extending the Group’s business into new products and markets, which complement its existing offerings within the Audio Reproduction business, the acquisition is strategically aligned with the Group’s previously communicated aims of growing the core customer base, expanding into new markets, and increasing lifetime value for customers.

Tim Carroll, CEO of Focusrite commented:

“The acquisition of OutBoard represents another strategic expansion within our Audio Reproduction business, enhancing our product range and market reach. OutBoard’s innovative products, such as TiMax spatial audio and show control, align perfectly with our mission to deliver exceptional audio experiences within live environments. We are looking forward to integrating OutBoard’s technologies and exploring new opportunities in this segment of the rapidly evolving audio industry.”

Robin Whittaker and Dave Haydon, Founders and Directors of OutBoard added:

“Joining forces with Focusrite marks an exciting new chapter in OutBoard’s story.We are thrilled to see our products reach new markets and benefit from Focusrite’s global presence and brand recognition. Our commitment to innovation and quality remains steadfast, and we look forward to contributing to the Group’s continued success.”

ICICI Foundation Day Triumphs with Salman Ali Hosted by Global Production Services!

INDIA: We’re thrilled to share the success of the ICICI Foundation Day, held at the prestigious Westin, Powai. This event was not just a celebration but a sonic experience, thanks to the powerful Martin Audio WPC system and the mesmerizing performance by artist Salman Ali.

Featuring fourteen of Martin Audio Ltd’s WPC Bi-amp Three-way Line Arrays, and ten SXH218 Passive Hybrid®️ Horn/Reflex Subwoofers, the audio quality perfectly complemented Salman’s dynamic vocals.

At the heart of the system, the iK 42 Four-channel Power Amplifier, ensured flawless sound throughout the event. Our appreciation goes out to Saurabh Ayare, Director of Global Production Service, and System Engineer Gautam Sarkar for their expertise in creating an unforgettable auditory experience and for using Martin Audio WPC.

Vietnam : In 2023, Mùa Craft Sake in Ho Chi Minh City curated a stellar auditory experience with a combination of Martin Audio and Optimal Audio thanks to Duc Pro Audio. The installation featured 8 A55T speakers and 1 Zone4P, ensuring optimal amplification and a high-quality audio backdrop. Specifically designed to enhance the ambiance for background music, the audio experience at Mùa Craft Sake has made it a standout favorite.

Vietnam : In 2018, 88 Beer Garden in Vung Tau City underwent an audio upgrade with Martin Audio thanks to Duc Pro Audio. The system comprised 20 CDD15 speakers and 8 SX218 subwoofers, further enhanced with a 2023 system upgrade featuring IK42 and VIA amplifier series. Chosen for their strong and crisp sound, the CDD series and SX subwoofers leaves a lasting impact.

Vietnam : In 2017, New Ha Long Club Super Universe in Ha Long City embraced audio excellence with a Martin Audio setup thanks to Duc Pro Audio. The setup includes 20 W8LCI Line Array speakers and 16 WS218X subwoofers, paired with IK42 and VIA amplifiers for a recent upgrade in December 2023. Chosen for their high-quality sound, the W8LCI and WS218X speakers have solidified the club’s reputation as one of the biggest in Quang Ngai Province.

Vietnam : In December 2023, Bamboo Beer Club in Quang Ngai City improved its sound system with Martin Audio, thanks to Duc Pro Audio. They installed 24 X15B full-range speakers and 12 X218 subwoofers, perfect for DJ sets. The installation went smoothly, creating a great atmosphere for patrons.

HONG KONG: 

Hong Kong’s Clockenflap festival returned to Central from 1-3 December with six stages of entertainment, including the main Harbourflap stage backed by the Hong Kong Peak and overlooking over the harbour to Kowloon.

Once again, MSI Japan was appointed as the production partner for the Harbourflap stage, with Bunshiro “Bun” Hote, Yasuhiko “Yasu” Watanbe, and Yukio “Eddie” Tanada handling sound design, with a particular emphasis on noise control. With the rear of the stage backed by government and residential properties, and complaints from residents in the past, the challenge was to limit audio heading in that direction. Accordingly, the team designed a Martin Audio MLA system with a cardioid subwoofer array of 30 MLX subwoofers, achieving close to 30dB rejection at the stage rear.

Two hangs of 15 Martin Audio MLA line array cabinets with one MLD downfill were plugged into the Display prediction software, enabling MSI to control audience coverage using the “hard avoid” feature at the rear to eliminate audio from onstage and from residents behind the stage. Limits were placed at the edges of the audience areas to ensure maximum focus on the crowd and prevent audio travelling across the water to Kowloon.

Clockenflap’s sound director Sem Cigna, who has worked with several different main stage systems on Clockenflap since 2016, had deployed a similar MLA configuration for a 2019 Gwen Stefani concert in Hong Kong. “I was able to experience how MLA could reduce the audio outside of the audience area without losing any impact for the audience,” Cigna explained.

When it comes to noise control for all six stages, the buck stops with Clockenflap’s production manager, Peter Gorton. “When the venue moved from Kowloon to Central several years ago, one of the biggest requests from the government was to manage the noise for the residents,” he says. There followed years of testing possible solutions, from hiring cranes to fly and test different line arrays at the site to situating large sandbags behind the subwoofers, blocking sound from the rear of the stage. MLA’s ability to eliminate noise from the back of the stage has meant that sandbags are a thing of the past. However, noise reduction is a crucial component of the festival, with three monitor stations around the site in Central and one across the water in Kowloon. Gorton is at pains to point out that while residents have adjusted to the annual festival in the city, he and his team don’t take this for granted, constantly striving to put on a great event without disturbing the neighbourhood.

“The MLA system has the punch and impact we were looking for, especially for bands like Japanese pop duo Yoasobi who were playing for the first time in Hong Kong,” said Gorton. “They sold out the Friday night and blew away the excited audience with their energy. Amazing to hear everyone in the crowd singing every word.” Yoasobi FOH engineer Fujita Kengi described the resolution of MLA as “standout”, allowing him to focus on the mix and create an impact for the audience.

Gorton also revealed plans for a Singapore festival in 2024 along with plans for more Hong Kong events.

Other acts to appear on the Harbourflap stage over the weekend included Britpop legends Pulp, hip hop stars De La Soul, Chinese alt rock band Omnipotent Youth Society, Taiwanese indie rockers No Party For Cao Dong, UK’s Idles and Chinese singer-songwriter Leah Dou.

The Christmas season traditionally brings with it magical and immersive eco-trails, with lighting and imaginative soundtracks replacing the more natural effects.

Principal among these is Eden Project’s Music & Lights after dark experience, which runs during the month of December.

Based nearby in Cornwall, technology specialists (and Martin Audio partners) TruCru were brought in to provide a seamless audio experience, According to Project Manager, Toby Bodman, after much deliberation this was achieved by deploying Martin Audio’s weatherised CDD6-WR in a flown configuration to create seamless transitions and ensure maximum intelligibility of both the narrative and a soundtrack that varied from orchestral to ambient music.

This year, the sales and rental company turned its attention to the Rainforest Biome after having also helped stage events previously in different areas across the site.

They have also undertaken a series of audio-visual installations at Eden Project—often drawing on Martin Audio’s CDD (coaxial differential dispersion) technology—while at the same time systematically being engaged to spice up the client’s live events.

“CDD IS HANDLING THIS EXTREMELY WELL WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE THE SYSTEM HARD”.

To keep the trail experience fresh, this year the emphasis moved more from the Med Biome to the Rainforest, and with it came a brief to avoid some of the hotspotting apparent in previous years. “Rather than a rapid drop off in sound from zone to zone, they wanted a nice even coverage across the whole Biome, so we started to approach things quite differently.

“We weighed up options at the design stage, including [Martin Audio] ADORN and Blackline, and quickly found that for a number of reasons the CDD range would be best with its IP rating and dispersion pattern. And because we knew Eden Project actually owned CDD6-WR’s, it would also save them on the hire costs.”

Thus they were able to deploy multiples of CDD6-WR held in general resource (while others are permanently installed elsewhere across the complex). TruCru provided all the rigging infrastructure, system design and installation, as well as six of the Martin Audio ADORN A40 and eight ADORN A55 from their own rental stock. Toby Bodman stressed the importance of IP-rated speakers and weatherproof covers in view of the high humidity, the use of sprinklers and the fact that the Rainforest Biome is exactly as it says on the tin.

Installation itself required a creative approach. “Previously we’d not considered flying [a sound system] in the Rainforest Biome because of its size but last year in the Med we hung a small line array which was quite effective. One of the site team asked if we could repeat that with a couple of hangs, but our issue was practicalities in the Rainforest, and we struggled to see how that would be achievable with one big line array in the roof.”

Instead they suspended the CDD6-WRs strategically, in several small clusters. “This enabled us to create a 360° sound source from the ceiling, and by being able to fly it quite high from the hexagonal frame—50ft at its high point—with the speakers angled down, we could overcome any hotspots.” The other advantage of flying, he says, “is because on the floor the tropical ants like to infest electrical equipment!”

A further advantage was that TruCru were able to model the installation in Martin Audio’s proprietary DISPLAY 3 3D software “and it came out exactly as we had modelled it.”

The entire cohesive trail lasts around two hours, while the Rainforest Biome experience is timed at 40 minutes (with a soundtrack provided by lighting company GLX Productions to match). GLX provided the playback rig and all track source in a continuous mix, that is appropriate to the environment.

In summary, Toby Bodman says the versatility of the CDD6-WR is what will make the visitor experience so special. “I’ve been blown away by how well it’s been performing, particularly since a lot of sections are speech heavy.

“The brief was to achieve an SPL level which on the one hand would create an immersive environment but at the same time allow people to converse comfortably. CDD is handling this extremely well without having to drive the system hard. In fact we couldn’t be happier, and we know the client is delighted with the quality of audio.”

Located in Lujiang, within China’s Anhui Province, the Shishi Zen Temple serves as a place of worship and to enhance both the vocal and musical experience, the Zen Temple made the decision to embrace cutting-edge audio technology. After conducting thorough research, they opted for the Martin Audio active MLA Mini array, complemented by Martin Audio’s renowned CDD series, as the basis for their new PA system.

The choice of the MLA Mini was based on its exceptional sound quality and its ability to optimise coverage, consistency and control of sound for a room’s own acoustics, dynamics and the position of the listeners. This was particularly crucial as it ensured that both those near the Buddha statue at the heart of the Zen Temple and those worshiping at a distance could enjoy the same high-quality music and Dharma teachings.

The CDD series serves as an auxiliary system, guaranteeing consistent sound coverage throughout the venue and delivering an enhanced listening experience to the audience. This ensures that every nuance of the music is conveyed with crystal clarity. Additionally, the CDD’s versatility in installation allows it to seamlessly adapt to different settings, maintaining audio quality and reliability.

The Zen Temple demonstrated a deep respect for the unique characteristics of their environment during the sound system installation. Despite the temple’s spacious layout and towering architecture, the Martin Audio system was meticulously modelled and tuned to deliver outstanding audio performance for various events, be it a grand Buddhist ceremony or an intimate concert. This enables the temple’s devotees to focus on their meditation and practice, while also providing visiting guests with the gift of beautiful music.

This unparalleled auditory experience has elevated the quality of Buddhist music and temple rituals to a new level. The Zen Temple remains committed to continually enhancing religious rituals and musical performances, fostering a more tranquil and spiritually enriching environment for all believers in the future.

Since investing in Martin Audio’s small-format WPM line array, shortly followed by the larger WPS PA last year, New Jersey-based Audio Incorporated has rarely looked back, taking full advantage of the optimised series’ breakthrough scalable resolution. While the award-winning two-way WPM houses 2 x 6.5” drivers, the slightly larger WPS is a 2 x 8” 3-way array.

The two 16-element rigs, complemented respectively by eight SX118 and eight SXCF118 subwoofers, provided them with the perfect capacity to handle a myriad of different events across the tri-state area, but specifically some very challenging art gallery spaces. By this time, they had already boosted their rental fleet after investing in 16 of Martin Audio’s powerful XE500 floor monitors, and some auxiliary XE300s.

Head of Audio Systems, Stephan Wojtecki, recalls the day the WPMs arrived. “They came off the delivery pallet and were immediately loaded onto our truck to go out next day.” And they’ve barely been in the warehouse since.

Similarly voiced, the two complementary systems often work in tandem for the production house, with the smaller WPM taking on delay and fill duties from the main WPS FOH PA.

The vast roster of shows they have reinforced during the summer alone has ranged from a classical spectacular by the Riverside Symphonia, to Carnegie Hall’s Musical Connections programme at Sing Correctional Facility, run in partnership with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Here they presented Metropolitan Opera’sDead Man Walking,with some of the inmates in the chorus. “With Met Opera singers we barely had to turn the WPMs on.”

But if both of these diverse events proved major triumphs for the Martin Audio line arrays, Wojtecki believes the biggest accomplishment has been in the more challenging gallery venues, deployed for other purposes. “We work with a number of arts organisations, and they are in tough environments—buildings that are not built for amplified sound.”

 “IT SOUNDED ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHEN I WAS STANDING NEXT TO THE STACK. YOU COULD HEAR THE WHISPERING VOICE CLEARLY ACROSS THE FIELD”.

Key among these is the Beaux-Arts Court at Brooklyn Museum. Dating back to the late 19thcentury, measuring three storeys high, and clad in glass tile, terrazzo, andmarble, the potential for sound to bounce off these unforgiving surfaces like a pinball in this vast 105ft x 105ft space, would be immense—were it not for the expertise of the techs and the advanced control parameters of Martin Audio’s proprietary DISPLAY optimisation software. “When they want to do a big rave in there it would sound awful had we not been able to use Hard Avoid, and unique features of the Martin Audio system design to make it sound really good.” For speech in the Gallery, he says, they typically deploy 16 WPM in a line, four boxes per stack, in single box resolution thanks to Martin’s iKON iK81’s “and with the sound coming from one side of the room it really works.”

Both Stephan Wojtecki and Operations Manager, Edward Tolve, were already familiar with the Martin Audio pedigree by the time they took over day-to-day operations for Audio Inc, who are currently celebrating their 30thanniversary. “It was once we started doing installations on a larger scale, outside the corporate boardrooms, that we started looking around for smaller format line arrays, that would appeal to our clients.”

And their biggest takeaway is that while both Martin Audio systems were, to some degree, replacements for older, similarly footprinted systems, they agree the Wavefront Precision paradigm takes the previous technology a massive leap further.

“It is way more finessed and more musical sounding [than our previous small to mid-format systems]. With the rear rejection on it you can put it in tough rooms and get way more gain before feedback. It also turned out to be the perfect size as you can deploy these systems with two people rather than a whole crew, even when you have larger events.”

Aside from their own rental requirements, Audio Inc also took on Martin Audio dealership status—stimulated by the need to support the vast all-Martin Audio Glasshouse project—a multi-function, interconnectable event space in New York City on a 75,000 sq. ft footprint. This is equipped exclusively with Martin Audio MLA Compact and CDD-LIVE systems.

Edward Tolve emphasises another reason why this acquisition has been such an attractive proposition. “NYC is a very unique market in that there aren’t many big fields for major events, so we were never going to be walking around with an MLA or WPL. Instead we wanted something more versatile, and we found the WPM/WPS systems to be just the right size rigs for what we need, and sounding fantastic. We also love the subs, and I am in love with those SXCF118 cardioids in particular—they are awesome.”

Another recent show highlight was when they provided SR for the Riverside Symphonia—a classical spectacular incorporating a full firework display, in a 500ft long x 250ft wide field with a stage in the corner. “Firstly you need a PA that can cover that field,” says Stephan Wojtecki. “So we actually deployed the full WPS rig and WPM for delays. It sounded absolutely gorgeous once the orchestra started playing, and then to be able to get the volume of the PA above the fireworks once they started up was a tremendous thing to be able to do.”

Clients have universally reacted positively to being introduced to Martin Audio’s new tech … with one or two humorous quirks, as Edward Tolve points out. “For instance Spoon’s monitor engineer nearly had his head taken off by an XE500 when he walked up to the mic, as he had loadedsettings from a previous show in. Also the best thing I love about these Martin Audio rigs are when we put a DJ through it you can sometimes hear just how bad the DJ tracks and their sound file is … and that’s because the PA system is so good. And I love that!”

He also highlights an event at New York’s Storm King Art Center Gala. “We had a quiet band from Brooklyn whispering into a microphone and I was 200ft away. It sounded almost exactly the same as when I was standing next to the stack. You could hear the whispering voice clearly across the field.”

Finally, believes Edward Tolve, from a financial perspective the Martin Audio investment makes perfect sense. “We’re more likely to get a better ROI on these boxes than a lot of kit that was previously bought at Audio Incorporated,” he acknowledges. “As the company has grown, so our inventory with Martin Audio has as well.”

Photo Personnel: Edward Tolve (Left) Stephan Wojtecki (Right)