Nashville,Tenn.—Over 475 audio professionals braved the high heat and humidity in Nashville to attend the first Audioversity two-day event held by Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. (YCAS). End user customers, A/V integrators and consultants, students, house of worship audio staff, Yamaha dealers and NEXO reps, all agreed Yamaha Audioversity was an event not to be missed with many wishing it lasted a third day. Day one ended with a southern “back lot� barbeque and concert by rising Nashville star, Erika Jo.
“This was a once in a lifetime event, more focused than a trade show,� states David DeVincentis, systems integrator/installer, Technical Services Corporation. “You knew ahead of time from the marketing materials what you were getting into so that you could make a clear decision on what panels, sessions, and demos you wanted to attend. The schedule was so packed that I wish Audioversity was a three-day event. I’m
a knowledge junky, and the NEXO demos and networking sessions were invaluable for me to be able to better advise my clients as to what is available.�
There were plenty of events to choose from with most people attending them all. Standing room only M7CL and LS9 Digital Mixer Overviews, Mixing Techniques, Tips and Tricks, the Art and Science of Mixing Contemporary Worship, Simple Audio Solutions, EtherSound Networking for Live Sound, the NEXO GEO Family – Listen and Learn, and Point-n-Shoot Systems featuring the new Yamaha DSR active speakers, were just some of the classes on the schedule.
“The YCAS staff worked very hard in its planning and execution making Audioversity the success it was,” states Larry Italia, Vice President/General Manager. “We especially want to thank the staff at SoundCheck for their hospitality in accommodating our event and third-party manufacturers who participated. It was very gratifying to see the enthusiasm with which some of our competitors quickly embraced Audioversity and the type of marketing opportunities that present themselves for the industry when this type of event is produced effectively.â€?
A major highlight of the event was the NEXO GEO Stage where attendees were treated to GEO D, GEO T and GEO S demonstrations that featured Erika Jo and her band. “Many of our customers attending were from as far east as the Outer Banks of North Carolina,� states Herman Civils, Millar Electronics. “The networking sessions were invaluable.� Civils, who said NEXO is the most unique line array on the market, noted that the real buzz of Audioversity was a soon to be released new NEXO product.
For many, PM Consoles on the Road with guest panelists and Yamaha fans Stan Miller (Neil Diamond), Les Banks (Ryman Auditorium), independent engineers Monty Lee Wilkes (most recently, Scissor Sisters), Jeff Priepot (Shania Twain, Faith Hill), and monitor engineer Robert Bull (Grand Ole Opry and Martina McBride) delighted the audience with their favorite Yamaha console features, war stories from the road, and tips for young road warriors just starting out. “The panel with seasoned engineers was very enlightening, educating the younger engineers to ‘listen’ before they begin their set up,� states Rick Earl of Elon University. Miller took a historical look back at all the Yamaha consoles he has used in his 43 years as Diamond’s front of house engineer, while Wilkes told the crowd his weapon of choice is a Yamaha PM5D, and that he won’t mix on anything else.
Earl also said he attended to get a better understanding of how he can integrate a lot of the existing technology on his campus maximizing its use in order to get audio across the campus, and to provide students with the tools to learn how to mix remotely, “It was also a great time to pick the brains of the Yamaha product managers.�
An exclusive gathering of third party manufacturers Audinate, Auvitran, Aviom, Optocore, and Riedel were invited to demonstrate how their digital audio networks integrate with Yamaha digital consoles and culminated in a practical panel discussion about the current state and future of their respective digital audio network technologies. “I learned a great deal about audio networking,� states Jim Hoyle, A/V integrator. “The training sessions and Dante demonstration was invaluable.�
Audio and acoustic consultant Dieter Giese of Giesekustiks, Dearborn, MI, said Audioversity provided him with hands-on time on newer digital equipment so as to better inform his customers of their options.
“It was great to meet with third party manufacturers especially the Dante experts as well as the NEXO staff, particularly for several jobs I’m working on right now,� notes Reid Henion, Stage Sound, Virginia Beach. “The EtherSound networking presentation was extremely valuable as was the NEXO new product sneak peak presentation. It was also great to network with other end users and designers who attended. I found the Point -n-Shoot section particularly of interest since we were able to personally listen to Yamaha and NEXO speakers and settings carefully, whereas at a trade show, you don’t get the opportunity to kick the tires of every product. The Road Warrior panel was a great way for young people to see the pedigree of the Yamaha console brand by listening to the seasoned, die hard engineers who have consistently used Yamaha consoles for many years.�
For William Mingari, front of house engineer, Northeast Christian Church, Audioversity reinforced the real technology behind Yamaha and NEXO systems.
Pascal Danon, from Yamaha dealer Tight AV who, with his staff drove 13 hours from Sarasota, Florida summed it all up. “It was great to see so many end user customers attending Audioversity and to witness their excitement,� says Danon. “They were like sponges, taking in all they could learn in the classes. We walked away with many new potential customers so it was a win-win for everyone.�
For more information on the next Yamaha Audioversity, visit www.yamahca.com or http://www.audioversityexpo.com/.
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About Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc.:
Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. (YCAS) provides a full line of integrated professional audio products offering complete systems solutions for the broadcast, sound reinforcement/installed sound, touring, commercial recording, and post production markets. With the addition of NEXO to the product line, the company remains the official U.S. and Canadian distributor for all NEXO speaker models. YCAS offers comprehensive in-house and field product training for its customers, a dedicated dealer network, and 24/7 technical support.
