The orchestra pit
(which consists of the majority of the system’s
audio signals) is the source of 64 inputs that feed
an equipment rack in the monitor room, located in
a special area underneath the choir loft. In addition
to the Euphonix mic preamps, DSP cores, converters,
network hubs, and related equipment, this area houses
a new Max Air console. Visual support from this
position is provided by a CCTV video monitor system.
Hall reports, “Lakewood Church is the first installation
with a Max Air console at the monitor position.
Because of this rather unique application for the
board, Euphonix placed an engineer onsite with us,
and worked with our monitor engineer on various
ways to optimize the console. From here, the Euphonix
team made modifications to the software. The level
of support the company provided has been extraordinary.”
Max Air Digital Audio
Mixing System
System 5-BP at Lakewood
Church with Pastor Joel Osteen (the head of Houston’s
Lakewood Church) on the screen. Left to right
- B.K. Beard: FOH / Post Technician, Reed Hall:
Director of Audio and Technical Production, Brian
Tankersley: Director of Audio Technologies, Ronn
Russ: Broadcast Technician
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Analog cables arrive at a patch bay, which then
feeds the Euphonix mic preamps. From here, signal
is converted to digital and sent via fiber to
the 5th floor control rooms in the adjacent building.
These signals are also split off and sent to the
monitor console to eliminate any possible latency
issues. Each System 5, in addition to its own
network hub, is connected to a master hub that
reformats the MADI streams to utilize all 56 channels
versus the 26 channels that would otherwise arrive
via the mic preamps.
Signals are then re-distributed to the two System
5-BPs in the adjacent control rooms, while the
System 5-B console at FOH has one to one access
to the mic preamps.
With a congregation of roughly 40,000 members,
Lakewood Church is a non-stop whirlwind of activity
that continues to grow and places heavy emphasis
on its cutting-edge production values. “We conduct
four services each weekend,” notes Hall, “three
in English and one in Spanish, and we rely heavily
on our Euphonix consoles. Throughout the equipment
selection process, installation, and testing,
the Euphonix team was right there?providing an
unparalleled level of support. Tech support personnel
were extremely responsive to our requests for
information and, similarly, the sales group was
equally helpful. We’re proud of our work here
at Lakewood Church, and we’re delighted to have
Euphonix as part of the mix.”
Lakewood Church Website:
[www.lakewood.cc]
Pro Sound News Website:
[www.prosoundnews.com]
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