More than 30,000 beauty professionals were in attendance for education, workshops and entertainment. The show culminated with the televised, legendary hair battle on the main stage.
Locally based AEE Productions provided an Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) KF line array sound reinforcement system that was the driving force behind the show's entertainment and fashion events, including the televised competition.
"We were on site for full production except for the broadcast trucks," explains Tracy Towne, production manager for AEE. "We designed and set up the EAW system to ensure the audience received the full impact of the event and handled all of the live audio support."
The room, which seats 4,500, featured a stage that was 48ft wide with a 24ft runway that ended in a full-size boxing ring in the middle of the audience.
Towne and his team utilized EAW KF740 and KF730 line arrays to cover the venue, which was wider than it was deep. Towne notes that the venue required a 180ft throw to the back with 270ft throws to the sides.
"The main arrays were made up of six KF740 boxes per side. Outfill was handled by left-right KF730 arrays - both systems utilized EAW's UX8800 processor. The system provided excellent horizontal control, keeping the energy off the neighboring wall in the Convention Center," Towne adds.
"The KF740 offered a longer, punchier throw which really added to the tonality of the system. Six ground stacked SB1000Z subwoofers - 12 total - placed to the left and right of the stage provided the bass support the program music required."
Towne notes that EAW's updated voicings made the KF740, KF730 and SB1000Z combination extremely cohesive. The recent voicing update incorporates improved equalization, crossover, Focusing and limiting parameters for enhanced clarity and tonal balance. It also brought DynO dynamic optimization to the KF740 for increased system protection and 4 dB additional low-frequency headroom.
Throughout the event, the main arena was used for a variety of fashion shows, entertainment and educational presentations. A DJ was on site for the events that required music, while emcees were in the spotlight for the rest of the production.
"Because this was half music and half vocal presentation, the client needed a large, hi-fidelity system that could reproduce music in a big way," concludes Towne. "At the same time, there is a need for vocal intelligibility and clarity. The EAW KF740 and KF730 rigs really delivered on both sides of the equation."
(Jim Evans)
