Acoustic systems for audio control in TV production. Monitors from Event Electronics

By Olga Kravtsova

Review contents:

Audio accompaniment for TV programs The audio measuring equipment from LES Company Headphones and sets from Beyerdynamic Systems from D.A.S. Audio Monitor systems from Digilab Electronics Sound monitors ESI Acoustic systems for audio control in TV production. Monitors from Event Electronics Active sound monitors of the Fostex Company Devices for the audio control from Genelec Company Sound monitors from JBL Pro Equipment of Klark Teknik Company Loudspeakers KRK Audio equipment M-Audio Audio equipment Mackie Marshall Electronics monitors Monitors and headphones from Samson Snell and Wilcox equipment for the embedded audio control Tektronix instruments for audio signal measurements Production of Wharfedale Pro Yamaha monitor loudspeakers

Audio technologies of TV production are consisted of many aspects such as following: scoring — overlay (superimposing) of the announcer voice from one or several microphones in a talk-show mode on the video; news reports transmitted onto satellite channels; playback of musical or other audio information from various media; many other audio elements filling the air.

Therefore, speaking about audio control systems within margins of TV production, it is necessary to outline the certain circle of the requirements presented to this equipment.

Let’s begin with the most important, from “honesty” of a loudspeaker, in the large degree determined by frequency response of the monitor allowing to audio engineer to hear that is playbacked, without distortions. The speech legibility, the naturalness of the timbre transmission, the transparency of the musical texture are the parameters from which the sound that will be subsequently heard by millions of TV viewers is directly depended.

The second important aspect of monitor choice is their reliability. Operation on TV is the line production precisely distributed and scheduled by time. It is difficult to present itself, that in such severe conditions of operation any part of sound path suddenly “takes off”. Failure of such important subsystem as monitoring may result in catastrophic results.

One more moment frequently having the crucial importance is the weight and size of the loudspeakers, allowing to carry out the high-grade sound playback even in small rooms. Certainly, it concerns only to monitors of the near field. But about them there is a speech in this publication.

The name of American manufacturer Event Electronics has strongly become a history of modern audio and studio culture. Legendary Event 20/20bas became the original standard for many audio engineers, guaranteeing the checked up sound.

Tuned Reference is inexpensive series of monitors from Event Electronics which was designed specially for maintenance of the frequency range linearity and natural playback of audio material at mixing.

TR-5 Audio monitor

TR-5 is the near field loudspeaker included in Tuned Reference series and made according to modern technology of double gain. The main accent of these monitors designing by specialists from Event Electronics have made on reception of reference fair unpainted sounding. Monitors are equipped with the high-quality amplifiers providing a low level of distortions and the smooth frequency response.

Low-frequency 5.25" driver of the monitor is the mineralized cone on polypropylene base with rubberized damper system and 1" emitter coil. Woofer is provided by capability to reproduce the signals of low-frequency range from 53 Hz. High-frequency 1" twitter, cooled by special ferromagnetic liquid, is made from textiles and has the top border of frequency range equal to 19 kHz. Both speakers are protected by magnetic shielding.

Neodymium magnet used for twitter manufacturing promotes the clear sound radiation of uniform character. Under statement of Event Electronics experts, the neodymium provides extremely low distortion of the driver. Additionally the neodymium provides the high durability of speaker, its low weight and the increased power.

The built-in active crossover divides band on frequency 2.6 kHz. The maximal sound pressure upon output of the monitor is up to 105 dB. With full volume the signal-to-noise ratio is equal to 100 dB. The features of additional protection such as following: output limiter, protection against radio-frequency interference, overheating, accidental switching off/on. The infrasonic filter and the fuse are provided also.

Monitor TR-5 is equipped with an input with connectors by several types as follows: XLR symmetric, TRS symmetric/asymmetrical and RCA asymmetrical. Thus, universality of an input that allows connecting the monitor practically with any signal source is provided.

General impression from TR-5 is the following: there are budgetary loudspeakers which by their frequency response are well suited for monitoring of near field in TV and video production. The active version of this model allows not worrying about compatibility of gain and playback parts and raises the reliability of the path at whole. The protection system set looks like as quite complete for such class of the equipment. Abundance of input switching (including “tulips”, that rather seldom meets in professional audio amplifiers, but at the same time it is enough frequently — in real life of low-budget TV studios!) provide the application of columns in various sound path circuits.

Material provided by Proaudio.ru Company