Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Delivers a Feast for the Eyes and Ears with Meyer Sound MILO
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With hostess Heidi Klum leading a glittering parade of supermodels down the runway inside New York's Lexington Avenue Armory, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show certainly revealed a sumptuous feast for the eyes. The mid-November videotaping for CBS was also a party for the ears, with a pulsating soundtrack mixed by renowned DJ Jeremy Healy and live performances by the Black Eyed Peas all potently reproduced by a camera-friendly phalanx of 128 Meyer Sound loudspeakers. For sound designer Erich Bechtel of ADI:Audible Difference Inc., now in his tenth year working the annual spectacle, the assignment was clear-cut. "The production company wanted the system to steer clear of all camera sightlines and yet still sound good and loud," says Bechtel. It was a task more easily stated than accomplished. To stay out of camera shots, minimum array trim height was set at 47 feet. Subwoofers could not be hung due to weight restrictions, and the deep-thrust V-shaped stage split the audience into opposing sections. Finally, the armory's vast size (about 180 by 190 feet) with high ceilings generated distressingly long reverberation times. To overcome multiple obstacles, Bechtel devised a distributed system of 15 short arrays: seven arrays of six-each MILO line array loudspeakers firing from the stage, plus eight arrays of five-each MICA line array loudspeakers spaced around the periphery. Twenty-four 700-HP subwoofers were placed underneath the seating area. Signals were timed, equalized, and distributed via a Galileo loudspeaker management system with four Galileo 616 processors. System tuning was accomplished using a SIM 3 audio analyzer. "Bass was tricky as we had to fire in three different directions," notes David Kotch, FOH engineer. "We overcame the abnormalities by flipping one side out of polarity and adjusting the timing in Galileo, and the results were highly successful." Additional Meyer Sound loudspeakers—six each UPQ-1P and CQ-1—were deployed as monitors for the runway stage and dance pit, while ten UPA-1P loudspeakers were distributed in backstage areas. All Meyer Sound equipment, along with video projection equipment and rigging, was provided by Solotech with logistical coordination by David Shapiro. For sound designer Erich Bechtel, Meyer Sound was integral to creating the right audio ambience. "Consistency and control were the key factors," he says. "Even coverage throughout the audience was our primary goal, and the Meyer Sound system delivered within 1 dB at all seats." While the visuals clearly played a vital role in the glamorous runway show, the vibrant, powerful sound effectively pushed the boundaries of a fashion show experience. "Overall, the production company was extremely happy with Solotech, ADI, and Meyer Sound," he concludes. "As this show progresses and the sound evolves, Meyer Sound continues to be the right choice." Other members of the audio team included Randy Hansen, who assisted Erich Bechtel in sound design, and Tom Holmes, who mixed broadcast audio behind the Studer Vista console in the All Mobile Video truck. Lighting equipment was supplied by PRG. January, 2010 |
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