The main sound contractor, Artco Music Co, worked jointly with Jolly Pro Audio's Andy Leung to specify a system comprised of PAS speakers, Yamaha console and a TiMax ImageMaker16 audio imaging system. The console feeds multiple microphone groups and sound effects components to the eight inputs of the TiMax delay matrix processor, which then routes them via its sixteen outputs to the multi-channel proscenium sound system and distributed surround sound elements.
The venue's principal sound engineers He Rui, Li JianDan and Kinson Tang then use the TiMax PC-based software to assign voices and instruments to pre-programmed delay-based "Image Definitions" which provide precise localisations focussed to various positions on stage. This ensures that the sound reinforcement accurately represents the performers' stage locations and movements to enhance realism and intelligibility for all audience members.
The TiMax software also allows the engineers to create immersive and enveloping surround sound effect mixes and dynamic pans over a wide sweet-spot covering the whole audience area. The TiMax show control resources allow these effects to be either triggered manually or from MIDI, RS232 and SMPTE timecode, say the company.
(Lee Baldock)
