Miami, FL – February 2010… Since its first San Antonio, TX show in 1985, LaserSpectacular continues to be a multimedia extravaganza that combines multi-screen video projection and state-of-the-art laser technology— all choreographed to some of the greatest music of all time, including hits from Michael Jackson and Pink Floyd. As the longest continuous touring production in history, LaserSpectacular has a massive reach that extends worldwide. After recent stops in the Northeastern United States, the show moved on to the Seattle-Tacoma, WA area and is scheduled to complete calendar 2009 with stops in Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, CA. Recently, the show has been travelling with a new sound system from D.A.S. Audio and everyone from audiences to the production personnel are raving about its performance.
LaserSpectacular’s new D.A.S. Audio sound system consists of twenty Aero 12A 2-way, self-powered, mid-high line array elements augmented by six D.A.S. LX-218A self-powered subwoofers. With the Aero 12A’s compact form factor, self-contained rigging hardware, and efficient truck pack characteristics, the new system is turning out to be everything the show’s crew had hoped for, as ‘Laser’ Dave McConkey, Production and Tour manager for Paramount Productions—the show’s parent company—explained.
“When the time came to replace our aging sound system,� said McConkey, “we determined that size was a key consideration. This show travels constantly, so in addition to quality sound, the ability to easily set up, break down, and transport the equipment were very important factors. Steve Monistere, the show’s producer, heard an older D.A.S. Audio system while he was in Los Angeles a while back and thought the equipment sounded very good. His encounter with D.A.S. prompted us to take a closer look at the company’s product offerings, and the new Aero Series 2 caught our attention. The closer we looked, the more impressed we became.�
“Ultimately, we purchased the Aero 12A line array elements and the LX-218A subwoofers,� McConkey continued. “We needed a system with a compact footprint and a big voice—and the Aero Series 2 delivers just what we wanted. Ultimately, it all came down to size versus performance, and this D.A.S. system offers the best of both. Thus far, we’ve always ground stacked the system and it has performed really well for us. We typically stack six Aero 12A’s per side and use the other enclosures for front fill and, occasionally, side fill. These loudspeakers throw far and have a very impressive horizontal dispersion. We’ve been very impressed with the uniform coverage they provide.�
McConkey is equally enthusiastic about the D.A.S. LX-218A self-powered subwoofers as well as the ease of using the entire setup. “These subs move a lot of air,� McConkey said. “We’ve actually only used all six subs one time. As for the smaller venues, four of these boxes are plenty. The fact that the entire system is self-powered is a huge benefit, since we don’t have to concern ourselves with matching power amps to the system. This really streamlines set up and break down. Also, the fact that these loudspeakers have fully captive rigging hardware is another very cool feature. By having the rigging pin storage slots on the back of the cabinets, there’s no more searching through road cases for a lost bag of rigging pins.�
Customer support is critical to the touring sound professional and here, too, McConkey finds D.A.S. Audio a great choice. “D.A.S. customer service has been really responsive,� says McConkey. “Whenever we’ve had questions, the company has been very supportive. I was impressed with the fact that Carlos Henao, D.A.S. Audio USA’s Sales and Technical Support Manager, came to our opening show to ensure that everything went according to plan. He was very helpful.�
With several shows under their belt, McConkey reports the new D.A.S. Audio sound system is delivering up to and beyond everyone’s expectations. “We’ve been extremely pleased,� McConkey said. “Even without tweaking, this system sounds very good. On a recent night, I had no time to do anything but roll the left and right stacks into place, eyeball the angles, send power and signal, and roll the show. We were all really impressed. Even more significant is the fact that Ryan Waters, an engineer who works with us regularly, likes the new system. He wasn’t familiar with the DAS product line and at the first show; he tortured the system—looking for a big failure. That failure never came, and Ryan now sings the praises of this amazingly potent system. Our new D.A.S. Audio loudspeakers provide the perfect blend of performance and value, and that translates to excellent return on investment.�
For additional information about LaserSpectacular and Paramount Productions, visit the company online at www.laserspectacular.com.
About D.A.S. Audio
Headquartered in Valencia, Spain, D.A.S. Audio is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of loudspeaker systems, power amplification, signal processing, and related components. For better than thirty years, D.A.S. Audio products have been found on tour with the world’s greatest performing artists and installed in many of the most prestigious facilities. For additional information about the company, visit them online at www.dasaudio.com.
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