Veteran sound engineer Bruce Burns of Innovative Audio Technologies, Inc of Sun Valley, California, has selected Apogee loudspeakers for the Golden Globes since Apogee technology was available in 1985. In 2000, The Beverly Hilton, impressed by the quality and reliability of Apogee's performance, purchased from Thomas Gregor Audio Associates a permanent Apogee system for the International Ballroom, which also hosts other entertainment industry awards shows and high profile fund-raising events.
The International Ballroom presents a challenging environment for a televised award show. The loudspeakers must be placed outside of the view of the television cameras, the room has a low ceiling, and a new set configuration was implemented this year. "We had to re-hang some of the speakers," said Burns, who is also known for his work on the Grammies, Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and other major awards shows, "but getting the result we wanted wasn't a problem because Apogee loudspeakers make it easy to achieve uniform coverage. We received compliments on the clarity of the centre stage Schoeps pop-up microphone from the director, the on-air mixer and the crew members outside in the truck."
The Beverly Hilton's inventory of Apogee loudspeakers includes four AE-9s, six AE-2s, five SSMs, four AE-11s, and four FS-2 stage monitors, with 11 Apogee SA-700 amplifiers supplying the power. Burns augmented this system with four Apogee AE-5s. FOH engineer Randy Faustino, who has handled this task for five years, has often mixed on Apogee equipment before, including work with the Jerry Lewis Telethon, the Spirit Awards and many other prestigious events. "Apogee Speakers were an excellent tool in providing crystal clear sound throughout the International Ballroom," said Faustino. "They allowed me to push dialog levels above the loud ambience of the crowd, without hurting the integrity of the on-air mix."
Burns praised Apogee's Barry Grzebik for his participation in the deployment of the Apogee system. "Barry is a gold mine," Burns said. "He assisted with the decision making processes in re-hanging the speakers, tuning the room, and in making sure everything in the Apogee domain was being done correctly."
(Lee Baldock)
