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LightViper™ Illuminates The Corporate World At Primerica’s Atlanta 2007 Convention
Annapolis Junction, MD, August 15, 2007 — FiberPlex, Inc., the leading professional audio fiber optic supplier to the sound production and systems contracting industry, has announced that their LightViper™ audio transport system was recently deployed for the live stage production of Primerica’s 2007 Convention in Atlanta, GA. The corporate event drew 60,000 participants and was held August 3rd and 4th in Atlanta’s largest venue, the Georgia Dome, home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. The “plug n’ play” LightViper fiber optic audio system was deployed by Syntonic Design Group, Inc., a Milan, NY-based production equipment and services company that provides audio and communications systems to corporate clients.
Tom Clark, Syntonic’s Managing Director and Project Manager for the Primerica show, commented on his firm’s first experience using the LightViper:
“We used the LightViper for the first time. I wanted to specifically replace the unwieldy copper snakes we usually take to big shows like this one. Not only did the system save us significant labor costs, set-up time and shipping expense — it performed perfectly. It really is a ‘plug n’ play’ copper snake replacement solution. For the Primerica show we used it as a “drive snake” to handle the audio outputs from the FOH mixing console to the amp stacks located behind the large stage. We used most of the LightViper’s 32 inputs for a critical house audio run of about 750 feet. Normally, a copper snake run this long would have taken 4 men and about an hour to get just this part of the system hooked up. With the fiber optic LightViper, two of our crew had the main console-to-house audio ready in less than a half hour!”
For the two-day production, Syntonic teamed with Florida-based, Gerber Acoustic Systems who provided the show’s audio production personnel as well as wireless mics, monitor consoles, stage effects racks and a Soundcraft Series 5 FOH console. Chas Gerber was also the client’s Sound Designer and main mixer.
In addition to the LightViper drive snake, sub-contractor Syntonic Design Group provided the ‘racks n’ stacks’ — Crown iTech 6000 amps and a formidable, 86 cabinet JBL 4889 Vertec flying monitor arrays.
Chas Gerber offered other details about his use of fiber optics on the large job:
“In addition to the LightViper, we used another company’s fiber optic system for the stage-to-FOH audio, the video and a smaller copper snake for intercom. Unfortunately, the audio fiber system didn’t have the headroom we needed; we had to keep devising clunky analog pads to keep the signals under control. This was certainly disappointing and needless-to-say, a hassle.
Gerber continued:
“However, everything worked perfectly with the LightViper drive snake. There were no headroom issues whatsoever. When I was designing for this gig, I knew that I wanted a fiber optic link from the FOH console to the stacks that was as reliable as copper, didn’t require a dedicated guy with a computer to operate and would sound great. At no time whatsoever did we have any hum or buzzes, signal losses or distortion with the LightViper.”
Syntonic’s Clark added the last word:
“The entire LightViper system went up very quickly and this was a great ‘road test’ for us. Fiber optic audio really is the way to go - whether as a drive system or an all-digital stage to FOH system. We were all very impressed with the performance and ease of set-up with the LightViper. Chas and I will be recommending it to all our live production clients without any reservation.”
Editor’s Technical Notes:
Fiberplex manufactures the LightViper fiber optic audio cable transport systems. The LightViper systems offer total signal path isolation between both stage and mixer as well as between the mixer and power amplification; the cable is totally immune to ground loops, RFI, EMI and electromechanical noise, and runs of up to 1 1/4 miles (6,600 feet) can be easily accomplished without signal loss or degradation. FiberPlex includes a limited lifetime warranty with all of its LightViper system components.
Links:
http://www.gerberacoustics.com
NOTE: LightViper™ is a registered trademark of FiberPlex, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
10840-412 Guilford Rd, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701• Phone: 301-604-0100 • Fax: 301-604-0773
