A total of 14 TA-890H three-way mid/high enclosures, 18 TA-890L bass enclosures, eight TSW-218 18" horn-loaded bass cabinets and two TA-500HM controlled by XTA DP226 processors fulfilled the XFM Stage's sound requirements, along with two of the new TA-500 'Aspect Wide' wide dispersion three-way full range enclosures and four TSW-721s for side-fills. Additionally, TFM-450 and TFM-350 wedges performed stage monitoring duties.
"We've tailored the system for the XFM Stage so that the sound is concentrated in the middle of the tent as we're aware that there's another stage less than 100m away - which is an acoustic band stand - and we're also right near the edge of the Park," explains Britannia Row's sound crew chief for the Hyde Park events, John Gibbon. "With a point-source array such as Turbosound's Aspect, you have the ability to accurately control zones, so the system has been angled and trimmed to keep the energy just where it needs to be.
"This means that the people from Vanguard [in charge of noise control in the Park] and Westminster Council are very happy with the way we're controlling things. The limit we've set here of 103dB at the desk, where John Dunlop is performing FOH duties, is the highest limit we have on site but they're still happy with the propagation outside the tent. The engineers haven't pushed it to its top level, but they can if they want to."
Turbosound's Dominic Harter was in charge of system setup and was also on site each day. "One of the things about doing this job, and I've been doing it here for the last five years," continues Gibbon, "is having the right people to do the right jobs. Dom has been fantastic in working with us to get the very best out of this system in sometimes testing circumstances."
The main stage is quite close to the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane and Britannia Row were concerned about noise limits. "We need more control on that side and the council needs to see a small box so we're using Flashlight for the outhang. It's a visual thing as well as an audio thing," says Gibbon. "We have to be seen to be very conscious about noise limits. So we put up a smaller system - and they can see that it's smaller.
"We can attenuate the top row if it's carrying too far, and we can also attenuate the bottom four boxes. It's covering a small, very direct area and the Turbosound enclosures are ideal for that. It keeps everyone happy and means we can come back and do shows year after year."
The main stage also features Turbosound TFM-450 wedges together with TQ-425 subs for drum fill and TFM-350s for drum fill top boxes, and the Fender tent has TFM-420 monitor wedges.Roly Oliver from Britannia Row concludes: "We always endeavour to get great results inside the venue without causing issues outside. We have more than achieved that with the Turbosound Aspect, as anyone who saw the blistering sets by the Fun Lovin' Criminals or Super Furry Animals will testify."
(Chris Henry)
