Delta covers audio for DWC and Kylie
Published: MEA
UAE: Contracted by Meydan City Corporation, Delta Sound once again distributed audio for this year’s Dubai World Cup horserace. Over 100 L-Acoustics speakers were deployed throughout the venue to cover the day’s action. Following the race, Delta Sound supplied Live Nation Middle East, in collaboration with Meydan, a full production audio package for the Kylie Minogue Dubai World Cup Finale Concert.
Covering the main day’s events, L-Acoustics V-Dosc cabinets and SB218 subwoofers comprised the infield flown system. The grandstand PA was formed from L-Acoustics Kudo and DV-Dosc enclosures, while the VIP box system deployed featured L-Acoustics 5xt speakers. BSS Soundweb London blu160 units were used for all audio transfer between the infield control area, the media control room, Apron and various floors of the Grandstand. The units also carried SMPTE time-code to all departments, as well as FSK time-code for the firework finale.
Outlying audio links and audio feeds to the hotel were then provided using AEQ Phoenix Venus audio codec units, while a Clear-Com matrix running the new EHX software was reportedly central to event communication. Radio interfacing with the matrix was carried out using Tait 7100 units and DM4400 bases for simplex links. A pair of DM4400s in constant transmit were utilised to send FSK time code to all of the Pyro sites around the venue.
‘The ability to send matrix panels over IP is critical when you have crew teams requiring communication throughout the whole building and remote sites,’ commented Robert Turner, Delta’s senior engineer specialising in communication systems. ‘Delta also provided comms belt-packs on the roof of the grandstand. These were linked to the show communications behind the central screen. We used Clearcom Helixnet units fitted with Ethernet cards, which gave them the ability to link the bases via fibre.’
For the post-race Kylie Minogue concert, Delta provided a main PA system comprising L-Acoustics K1 and K2 cabinets with SB28 subwoofers. The whole system was powered by LA-RAKs. A DiGiCo SD5 with Waves 9 package was specified for FOH by Kylie’s FOH engineer Kevin Pruce. The monitor package also supplied by Delta Sound comprised an SD7 as specified by monitor engineer by Rod Matheson, along with TC6000, Sennheiser 2050 IEM and Sennheiser 3732 and 5000 series mics.
‘I have done three tours as crew chief with Kylie in my dim and distant past – I knew it was a high spec console and RF show,’ recalled Delta’s director of engineering, Al Woods. ‘Delta knows and understands the international touring market technical needs and has invested in the right equipment. It was great to see all the guys again. It sounded great, and they all left very happy with the usual high level Delta service!’