Taperssection.com
Gear / Technical Help => Ask The Tapers => Topic started by: boomfizzle on July 26, 2022, 02:51:56 PM
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https://news.pollstar.com/2022/07/26/trey-anastasio-to-debut-sphere-immersive-sound-audio-technology-at-beacon-theatre-gigs-%ef%bf%bc/
"An announcement from Madison Square Garden Entertainment explains, “Sphere Immersive Sound uses 3D audio beamforming technology to deliver targeted, crystal-clear and uniform audio to every seat in the house – setting a new standard for sound quality in performance venues.”
The technology is said to improve the audience experience while also providing artists and engineers with greater programming control and flexibility. The announcement goes on to say that while traditional speakers “can deliver an inconsistent and uneven sound experience,” Sphere Immersive Sound is tailored to The Beacon Theatre, directing sound to its orchestra, loge, lower balcony and upper balcony. Future events at The Beacon will continue utilizing Sphere Immersive Sound."
I'm curious if anyone here has any insight into what (eventually) taping a show with beamformed audio might entail? Wonder if mic stands will need to be run lower? I feel like if a stand is up 12', it's probably going to 'catch' audio that's meant for people at a higher elevation, behind me. Sorry I don't know enough about the tech to even know how dumb this question is, but I bet someone here might have thoughts.
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I don't think we know enough about it, as of now, to really be able to say. From the press releases over the last few days it just sounds like a slightly more directional/highly tuned array
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was wondering if they are gonna let tapers in for this
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Beamforming is a technique of sound shaping which has been around for a couple of decades in the large PA reinforcement field. The basic idea is loudspeakers which have been developed with a digital interface which can be configured to send the varying frequencies at certain, specific, angles. I first ran into a variety of this technology in 1996 while doing a two week SIM certification course at Meyer Sound labs. The sound engjneers for Cirque du Soleil had designed a 16 discrete channel program using the Meyer speakers and their speaker-sense technology alongside SIM to do what we now call Beamforming.
https://www.prosoundweb.com/meyer-sound-loudspeakers-for-shining-a-light-in-indianapolis-driven-by-avb-networked-audio/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfffrzq2aUM titled: Meyer Sound (U.S.) Shows Cal, a Beam-Forming Column Array Loudspeaker (52 seconds)
https://meyersound.com/news/lmbc/
Meyer uses the term Beam Steering, creating toolsets to do what they term "Beam Control". Such as LMBC (Low Mid Beam Control)
I have yet to even look at the science literature behind the Sphere Immersive Audio but I would bet it starts with using Meyer CAL speaker technology. If not, they have developed software and hardware similar.
I would love to hear this firsthand.
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How well it is delivered is TBD. Given the MSG Corp is the Dolans who are the ultimate snake oil salesmen of the 21st century, I will wait to see if it more than just an excuse to raise prices (look at the NY Knicks). Same for their "dome" in Vegas here they promise the worst seat will sound as good as the best seat. Now, if Meyer Sound doing it I would be more intrigued.
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How well it is delivered is TBD. Given the MSG Corp is the Dolans who are the ultimate snake oil salesmen of the 21st century, I will wait to see if it more than just an excuse to raise prices (look at the NY Knicks). Same for their "dome" in Vegas here they promise the worst seat will sound as good as the best seat. Now, if Meyer Sound doing it I would be more intrigued.
You got me thinking.
https://duchetridao.com/msg-spheres-immersive-sound-technology-will-debut-in-new-york/
So, a Dutch audio company, Holoplot is the sound designers. No mention of their speaker/amplifier choices.
When the $1.8 billion MSG Sphere in Las Vegas opens its doors, one of the venue’s calling cards will be its state-of-the-art concert sound system, dubbed Sphere Immersive Sound . Although the venue won’t open until the second half of 2023, audiences will be able to experience Sphere Immersive Sound much sooner, thanks to a new permanent installation of the technology inside New York’s Beacon Theatre...snip
Sphere Immersive Sound, created in partnership with German audio company Holoplot, uses audio beamforming technology to create planar waves that provide uniform sound in a room. The Beacon installation will be based on five tableaux inside the hall, arranged to direct sound into four sections: orchestra, box, lower balcony and upper balcony.
https://holoplot.com/technology/
Limited control over sound propagation proves to be the biggest challenge for conventional loudspeaker technologies - leading to unwanted reflections, audible echoes, and an often inconsistent sound experience across the audience area.
HOLOPLOT 3D Audio-Beamforming technology overcomes this limitation. It enables precise steering of sound by providing directivity control in both the vertical and horizontal axis. This allows for the creation of sound fields that optimally cover audience areas of any shape and size.
The HOLOPLOT Beam Optimization Algorithms ensure uniform coverage and spectral consistency across the whole audience area, making every seat the best seat.
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Anyone able to score Tapers ? I see the presale has them listed but when I went to add they said no more left
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Acoustic beam-forming is essentially the use of managed constructive/destructive interference from an array of speaker drivers. Can be rather common, may be fancier.. Modern DSP controlled line-array PAs often employ beam-forming techniques in the vertical plane. Subwoofer arrays too. Think submarine sonar tech from the 70's.. which informed Don Keele's CBT (constant bandwidth transducer) loudspeaker designs used by JBL and others (Keele a top acoustic horn-design engineer). Interesting introduction to a simplified version of the tech on his website- https://www.xlrtechs.com/dbkeele.com/CBT.php (https://www.xlrtechs.com/dbkeele.com/CBT.php)
Sphere Immersive Sound, created in partnership with German audio company Holoplot, uses audio beamforming technology to create planar waves that provide uniform sound in a room. The Beacon installation will be based on five tableaux inside the hall, arranged to direct sound into four sections: orchestra, box, lower balcony and upper balcony.
https://holoplot.com/technology/
^Attempts to.. how well depends. Funny that the technical goal is plane-waves and they call it Sphere Immersive. A true plane wave would require speakers filling the entire wall behind the band spaced less than a quarter-wave apart. Think the ultimate Wall Of Sound, with the speaker columns condensed to a single one that is as wide as the room.
The HOLOPLOT Beam Optimization Algorithms ensure uniform coverage and spectral consistency across the whole audience area, making every seat the best seat.
^Marketing BS.
My take? Real but hyped. The best seats will remain the best seats. The crappy seats will remain crappy. The sweet-spot should become larger. The halfway decent seats are where the benefits are most likely to be found. Best sound for recording may well be not overly high above head-height, but only experience will tell.
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My take? Real but hyped. The best seats will remain the best seats. The crappy seats will remain crappy. The sweet-spot should become larger. The halfway decent seats are where the benefits are most likely to be found. Best sound for recording may well be not overly high above head-height, but only experience will tell.
I think the biggest test, particularly in a room like the Beacon, will be how it sounds under and at the very top of the balcony. I'm curious what it will look like. Have to imagine it'll be bigger than your standard pair of hung arrays, but who knows... Not expecting anything magical, but would love to be proven wrong.
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^ Yeah, those will be the most challenging regions. There may be some benefit in those spots if its really done well, but they are likely to benefit more from localized delay fill speakers. Been a long time since I was at the Beacon, so not sure if they already employ anything like that or not. If not I wouldn't be surprised if something like that is part of this PA upgrade, even though its not beam-forming.
Upgrade may also include ambiance speakers hidden around the sides/back of those areas which can potentially help it sound more like the open room in those more acoustically cramped areas well back under the overhangs.
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Anyone able to score Tapers ? I see the presale has them listed but when I went to add they said no more left
I saw on another board some one got row A. I'm assuming that's front row loge?
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Anyone able to score Tapers ? I see the presale has them listed but when I went to add they said no more left
I saw on another board some one got row A. I'm assuming that's front row loge?
anyone confirm ? decent amount in row b
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So, how'd it sound? What'd it look like?