News
Powersoft helps drop the ball at Times Square NYE celebration
Andrew Low Feb 5 2010, 11:00am
K Series amps used for performance stages at the event
Amongst the cold and drunken punters eagerly awaiting the ball to drop during NYE festivities in NYC’s Times Square were Powersoft’s amplifiers, which powered multiple speaker arrays and stage monitor systems on two performances spaces at the event.
Maryland Sound International (MSI) employed the power soft amps to deliver sound from the two performance stages to the over one million people attending the event. According to the release, MSI chose the Powersoft amplifiers for their compact size, on board DSP and low AC power draw while delivering the wattage and high audio quality necessary for the event.
“New Year’s Eve in Times Square is a demanding event with special needs and very limited space,” said Bob Goldstein, owner of MSI. “Traditional systems simply could not be used within the space confines allowed. As we continually strive to find the best, most reliable technologies available, Powersoft amps, with their single rack space design, high efficiency and output power vs. low power consumption, were the perfect choice for this application.”
MSI deployed its custom-designed loudspeaker towers featuring JBL Vertec series line array speakers throughout the Times Square area to deliver the sound from the Duffy Square and Nivea performance stages, featured acts including Jennifer Lopez and Daughtry.
The base of each tower housed an amplifier rack containing the Powersoft K Series amps. The VIP/sponsor area adjacent to the command center production compound heard the evening’s festivities through two arrays of Outline Butterfly speakers driven by Powersoft.
The entire area was networked via a dual redundant Optocore fiber optic loop, which interconnected the loudspeaker towers, the stages and FOH position with each other. In addition to powering the distributed arrays, MSI also relied on Powersoft for its monitor systems at each stage.
“Space is always a premium at Times Square,” said Ryan Beck, lead audio technician and FOH engineer for the event. “Our monitor consoles and amp racks were beneath each stage, so it’s always cramped quarters. We used Powersoft K and Q series amps in our monitor systems. They are low profile and give us the added space we need to operate comfortably and safely.”
“The New Year’s Eve presentation was the most widely watched New Year’s celebration in history and Powersoft was there,” says Tom Bensen, vice president and general manager of Powersoft Advanced Technology, LLC. “From the most demanding touring applications and high-profile installations to presidential inaugurations and huge special events such as Times Square New Year’s Eve, Powersoft has established itself as an industry leader offering reliable, standard-setting technology. We experienced a record year in 2009 and we are looking forward to continuing that trend in 2010.”
www.powersoftaudio.com
