Ian Hunt, director of event management for Clair Chicago, says, "Not only did we need to combine full coverage and vocal intelligibility on a massive scale in this deep, wide venue, we also needed to ensure signal feeds for the vast assemblage of press from around the world, and all with impeccable audio quality."
After mapping Grant Park using LAPS (Line Array Prediction Software), both Hunt and Mark Kishbaugh, account executive for Clair Chicago, determined that Electro-Voice's X-Line line-array system was the ideal choice to deliver the long-range, highly intelligible sound the rally would require.
Two main hangs of 12 X-Line line-array loudspeakers provided the main output (11x Xvls & 1x Xvlt), augmented with one delay hang of eight Xvls. Two more arrays of four Xvls were used as screen hangs, 12 ground-stacked Xsubs provided low-end support, and eight X-Array boxes were used as stage-fills and delays. EV's Xw12 floor monitors were seen on TV screens around the world, delivering the mix to the man himself. EV P3000 amplifiers provided power for the system.
Clair used a Midas Heritage 3000 at Front of House, and a Midas Venice 320 to monitor each of the 700-plus returning press feeds. Two Midas XL42 preamps beneath the podium split feeds to Front of House, the press system, and to ABC-TV.
"We used four consoles to send signals to the press," says Hunt, "but on a stage as critical as this we needed to be able to monitor all incoming signals quickly and easily, so we sent everything to a Venice 320. We really needed the speed and reliability of Midas' analogue desks, as this was such a hands-on production. We needed to be ready for everything."
(Jim Evans)
