Optical transmission system for Yamaha professional audio equipment and Cirrus Logic’s CobraNet™ adopted for the 2005 World Exposition Aichi
Yamaha Corporation (10-1 Nakazawa-cho, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka-ken; Ito Shuji, president) and Cirrus Logic (2901 Via Fortuna, Austin, Texas, 78746; David French, president and chief executive officer) have announced details of the system solutions implemented using Yamaha pro-audio equipment for the sound systems of the Expo Dome and Expo Hall which has been opened at the World Exposition on March 25, 2005.
[ Expo Dome main system ]
The Expo Dome is a semi-outdoor event hall measuring approximately 35 meters high at its highest point, 104 meters across the dome, 93 meters vertical width, and a stage front width of 35 meters. For audience seating, it provides 2,000 fixed seats and 1,000 movable seats. The sound system within the Expo Dome uses numerous pieces of cutting-edge Yamaha pro-audio equipment including a fiber optic transmission system, providing an extremely clear and high-quality acoustical environment.
Two PM1D Digital Mixing Systems are used as the mixing desks at the center of the sound system; one system handles the FOH (Front Of House), and another system is located at stage right to handle the stage monitoring.
The PM1D mixing system consists of a control section (CS1D), input/output equipment (AI8, AO8, DIO8), and a DSP engine section (DSP1D) that handles all audio processing. All of these units can be placed at a distance from each other, delivering extremely clear sound while eliminating undesirable factors such as electrical losses or crosstalk that can occur with analog transmission.
In the Expo Dome system, the DSP engine at stage right and the control room console with each input and output unit for inserts are linked via two optical cables using Riedel's dedicated "ARTiST1D" optical interface for the PM1D, creating the first PM1D-based optical transmission system in the world.
Optical cables and analog multi-cables are also placed so that PA booths can be configured at three other locations in addition to the control room. Since eight effect units and 24 GEQ units are built into the PM1D, the area around the mixing desk can be kept very clean, making it easy to move the CS1D and ARTiST1D from the control room to outdoor mixing locations.
The system output is handled by the DME64N Digital Mixing Engine, a programmable DSP box that performs all routing and processing beyond the mixer up to the power amps, including speaker processing. Where systems of the past would have required multiple processors, the DME can handle the entire job with only one or two units. By using the DME as the output processor, we can avoid unnecessary AD/DA conversion and eliminate most problems that arise from hardware failure, contributing to the high audio quality and reliability of the entire system.
Even if a single unit is used to perform speaker processing and field EQ, some specific parameters can be locked so that they are accessible only by the system administrator, enhancing both safety and convenience.
The power amps are the PC-N series (now discontinued; replaced by the PC-1N series) which can be controlled over a network, and deliver crystal-clear sound. The ACU16-C amp control unit is used to monitor and remotely control the operating state of the power amps, and in conjunction with the DME-N, bring the benefits of a network to the field of sound.
Although speaker units for this particular system were provided by another manufacturer, a series of speakers suitable for installed systems were shown by Yamaha at the recent NSCA (National Systems Contractors Association) Expo in the United States, and are planned to go on sale this Autumn.
[ Expo Dome sound performance system ]
In addition to the main SR system, the Expo Dome provides a system for "sound performance." This system allows the reproduction of 5.1 surround content, or the "Octaphonic" three-dimensional sound for which Yamaha has received a patent. Speaker clusters placed at ten locations reproduce signals that have been optimized by DME64N and DME24N Digital Mixing Engines that perform output processing such as crossovers, EQ, and delay. The PC-N series of power amps is used to deliver clear and powerful sound.
[ Expo Hall ]
The Expo Hall is an interior hall accommodating 440 people, and is expected to be in almost daily use for national day events of participating countries and pavilion day events of participating corporations.
In contrast to the Expo Dome, where the revolutionary PM1D Digital Mixing System was used so that all processing could be performed at the stage wing, the Expo Hall was designed for a conventional all-in-one mixer at the center of a cutting-edge sound system that networks the audio signals and control signals via CobraNet technology, the world standard for digital audio networking.
Two PM5D Digital Mixing Consoles are the heart of the sound system: one in the control room handling FOH (Front Of House) duties, and a second unit at stage right to handle monitoring. Output processing is performed by two DME64Ns and a DME24N Digital Mixing Engines.
The audio mixed by the PM5D and DME64N, which performs PM5D’s matrix extension in the control room, is transmitted (without passing through AD/DA conversion) via CobraNet technology to another DME64N placed beside the amp racks in the stage right. In cases where there is no one operating the monitor system, audio signals can be sent via the CobraNet-enabled network to the other DME64N that is provided as a processor for the monitor speakers. This type of installation system, which in the past would have required an enormous amount of cabling can now be implemented via optical transmission using CobraNet technology, with the additional benefit of control and monitoring of the PC-N power amps mentioned earlier and the DME-N Digital Mixing Engines. The result is a dramatically reduced need for conduit and cabling.
The PM5D located in the wing is connected by two D-sub cables to the DME64N that acts as the monitor speaker processor. This not only allows audio signals to be cascaded, but also allows the DME64N to be remotely controlled directly from the PM5D mixing surface so that it can be used as an extension unit for output processing.
A wireless LAN is also installed in the Expo Hall, allowing the DME64N to be operated from a Tablet PC so that adjustments can be made while standing in front of the monitor speakers.
The PC-N series power amps are placed in the wings, and can be controlled and monitored at all times from the control room, using the ACU-16C amp control unit via CobraNet technology.
[ Yamaha pro audio equipment used at the 2005 World exposition ]
 PM1D Digital Mixing System |
 ARTiST1D Riedel Optical Interface (for the PM1D) |
 PM5D Digital Mixing Console |
 PM5D-RH Digital Mixing Console |
 DME24N (above) and DME64N (below) Digital Mixing Engines |
 PC-1N series Power Amplifiers |
 ACU16-C Amp Control Unit  NHB32-C Network Hub/Bridge |
 MY16-C CobraNet™ Interface Card *Supports the PM5D(-RH), DME64N, DME24N, etc. |
[ For questions related to this content ]
Shigeki Takahashi
shigeki_takahashi@gmx.yamaha.com
Marketing group, CA business unit, PA DMI Division
Yamaha Corporation
10-1 Nakazawa-cho, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka-ken 430-8650 JAPAN
[ For questions related to CobraNet technology ]
Bill Schnell
bill.schnell@cirrus.com
Corporate Marketing Communications
Cirrus Logic
2901 Via Fortuna, Austin, Texas, 78746
