craig john's theater - Page 3

Originally Posted by craig john

Packer fans could never be called "soft." If anything, they're the hardiest fans in the NFL. EVERY game is a sellout, no matter the weather at the "frozen tundra of Lambeau Field." In fact, if there is snow in the days leading up to a game, the Packers organization can count on volunteer fans to help clear the stands and the parking lots:



Craig

FOH, thanks for your insights. I wasn't aware of your experience at this level. It certainly adds credence to your always-helpful contributions to the forum.

In fact, if there is snow in the days leading up to a game, the Packers organization can count on volunteer fans to help clear the stands and the parking lots:

Originally Posted by craig john

Yeah, I probably wasn't going to get around to installing them until the weekend anyway. Still, I ordered them at the end of July and it's now early October. What ever happened to "instant gratification?"

Craig

Originally Posted by craig john

The chairs arrived today! They look awesome! I'll be installing them this weekend. First, I need to add an extension to my riser, then re-carpet the whole riser, then re-install my Crowson transducer... and THEN install the new chairs. I'll take pics along the way.

FOH, I got your PM. WOW! You hit on a lot of topics and there is lot's to respond to. I'll get to it after I get the chairs done. There are a lot of thoughts I want to share.

Craig

Originally Posted by craig john

The chairs arrived today! They look awesome! I'll be installing them this weekend. First, I need to add an extension to my riser, then re-carpet the whole riser, then re-install my Crowson transducer... and THEN install the new chairs. I'll take pics along the way.

FOH, I got your PM. WOW! You hit on a lot of topics and there is lot's to respond to. I'll get to it after I get the chairs done. There are a lot of thoughts I want to share.

Craig

Originally Posted by craig john

I never mind "slumming" at your place.

Craig

Originally Posted by Roger That

Originally Posted by craig john

Hi Scott,

Good pickup on the "sweet spot" issue. However, I specifically chose those seats because I could configure them such that the second seat from the left could be placed *exactly* in the sweet spot. This will place the console off center and the other primary seat to the right of the console a little further off axis of the sweet spot. But *my* seat will be perfectly centered on the screen and the CC, and equidistant from the L/R's. I wouldn't have it any other way. The 4th seat, all the way right, will be outside the right speaker plane, but that's kind of a "throw away" seat anyway. I'll sit in it when I have guests over, and will (temporarily) give up the sweet spot. In fact, the next time you're over, I'll sit there and make sure YOU get the sweet spot.


I haven't been to Lambeau in a few years. I did follow the AV upgrade they did. From what I understand, it's a HUGE improvement. The old system was pretty antiquated.

Here's a video:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2051257375139

Here's what they're planning to do next:



I'm gonna hafta schedule a trip to Lambeau.

Craig

Originally Posted by benclement11

Hopefully my company will win this job. I'm pretty certain that their current video displays are ours. Also, the Lucas Oil stadium video stuff is ours. I walked by it being built about everyday. Not trying to be a braggart, it's just fun seeing people talk about it. It's funny though...the one I always get asked about we didn't do. The Cowboys display is Mitsubishi.

Originally Posted by FOH

When you say you walked by as they were being built,...as in,.. in the shop? Or, in Indianapolis?

You must work for DAK. Nice stuff, we (LOS)bought 2 primary displays, and about a thousand feet of ribbon board, then several other items as well. I worked on Mitsubishi screens at the RCA Dome, as they died a slow death it was really difficult keeping them going. I spent perhaps 4 hours a day rebuilding individual CRT modules,...just to keep it decent for each event. I drove a big rental truck to old Bush Stadium/St. Louis, inspected and subsequently bought all of their modules from them that I could, as they were literally tearing the place down. I bought them from the salvage company, like a big drug deal as we negotiated a price. Too funny They didn't make them any longer, we searched all over the country for them.

As they would fail, I would oftentimes be inside the screen, repairing things, at some point during Colt's games.
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Back to Lambeau, I'd love to hear the Danley Genesis/etc. system at Green Bay or anywhere for that matter. Tom Danley is brilliant, and bringing his craft to applications such as that is a perfect marriage. Can anyone here attest to the quality/intelligibility of the Lambeau system? Craig, have you heard it? Know anyone that has?

What I find so refreshing, is the trend toward higher, and higher quality PA systems for fixed installations such as these. The systems are geared more for wide-bandwidth music playback than ever before. For Colt's games, the team hires a DJ to come and sit next to our house engineer, he plays specific tracks as per a Colt's executive's direction, who also sits right there.

The house guy has to get announcements, referee mic, and advertising copy thru the system. Then the Colts exec cues the DJ when to play what track,....and it's highly choreographed and typically identical each game. Very specific tracks are played during the pre-game warm up period. The energy builds and builds, culminating with a raise in level and Phil Collins'/In the Air Tonight,... as the team captains gather everyone for synchronized calisthenics. At that time, team GM Bill Polian, walks amoung the players, and shakes each team member's hand wishing them well. Same thing, same ritual,...every home game.

They do make changes at times, however not much, merely little tweeks here and there. A few years ago they changed from running out the tunnel/taking the field with Hell's Bells, to Won't Get Fooled Again. Often, they'd run behind this very elaborately tricked out Lucas Oil/Colt's chopper,...and the house sound guys would mic the exhaust, and mix it into the PA, and this is during the big cresendo of Won't Get Fooled Again.

Anyway, the house system is quite capable, and I'm sure the Danley system at Lambeau is too,...I'd love to hear it. There's one track they play between downs, that's got some real strong LF,...you can feel the bass during particular notes. I'm curious as to the LF at Green Bay,...any subs?

Now being able to have somewhat of a tactile element to the LF in essentially as large a cubic environment imaginable, is quite a task. But this is a wonderful trend amoung stadiums/arenas; moving away from merely public address, and toward high quality, wide bandwidth, large scale sound systems. Even the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as big a venue as it is, installed subwoofers for music playback, for their largest pit grandstand. Several years ago, they switched from nasty compression horns, to these great QSC 10" two ways, with 3" compression tweeters everywhere. I mean they bought several hundred, augmented the LF w/double 15" subs down the main straight. The FOH engineer is a friend of mine, and they've really stepped up their game quality wise. Here is a nice pic(click to enlarge), showing subs/mains on the front straight. I think they clearly needed tighter coverage MF/HF, but they opted for minimal visual impact to sightlines. Oh well, still decent.

So, whether it's Danley @ Lambeau, QSC @ Indianapolis Motor Speedway, or even your local arena, systems are getting better and better.

Speaking of systems getting better and better; Craig, with those Triad Platinums/Submersives, and tactile transducers,... it's most likely just like being there,...but much better

Also, I've been inquiring with every enthusiast I can, do you run your subs flat, hot, or with an eq curve emphasizing an area? I've seen your response graphs(superb), just curious in operation if you change things. Music, movies, any differences? I just bought a brand new Velo/SMS-1, to help facilitate some experiments. I really like the multiple EQ curve, high pass, etc., via remote @ the LP.

Have fun, and good luck with the chairs. You've got me considering a tactile transducer rig of some type. So I hope that all works out.

Thanks