New Orleans jazz venue equipped with Outline iMode technology

New Orleans’ latest traditional jazz venue, the Little Gem Saloon, recently celebrated its grand opening with help from Italian audio giant Outline.

The Little Gem Saloon has installed Outline loudspeaker and iMode networking and control technology at its two-floor facility, providing the venue with a clear, transparent sonic foundation for delivering authentic live jazz.

“When I was approached to provide a sound design for the Little Gem Saloon, I immediately thought of Outline,” said Michael Paz, a New Orleans-based sound designer and music industry veteran. “Knowing that we would have two separate performance spaces one floor apart, Outline’s iMode technology was the clear and obvious choice. The ability to monitor, control and, if need be, run the same program material through both systems simultaneously, was really appealing. Plus having all that control at the engineer’s fingertips via Outline’s iMode app for iPad and iPhone really gave Outline an advantage over other systems.”

The upper and lower performance spaces of the Saloon have almost identical front-of-house systems based on three Outline DVS12P-iSP self-powered, 12-inch, two-way trapezoidal cabinets arrayed in a left-center-right configuration. A total of five Outline iSM112-iSP cabinets – two on the ground floor and three in the upper level space – act as floor monitors in the venue. One Outline DVS118SW-iSP single 18-inch subwoofer completes the new set-up. All iSP designated speakers are iMode-capable.

The iMode technology embeds a Linux-based CPU with an integrated DSP chip, parameter control software and Web server right into its powered speaker systems, thereby eliminating outboard gear between the console and power amplifier. Audio conversion is done at 24-bit/192 kHz resolution, giving users real-time control over levels, delay, EQ and shelving filters per speaker. iMode also allows the user to monitor performance parameters across the system, including VU-metering, selected preset parameters, clip and limiter status, amplifier overheating and protection. These parameters can be accessed using an iPad equipped with the dedicated Outline software app or via any standard Web browser on any Internet-ready device.

“In a historic venue like the Little Gem Saloon, the sound system should be pleasing to the eye, but invisible to the ear,” stated Tom Bensen, Outline North America’s senior vice president and managing director. “When it comes to sound reinforcement needs, traditional jazz music is akin to classical music. The transparent, crisp and natural sound that the DVS12P-iSP delivers is perfectly suited to reproducing and reinforcing each instrument and performance nuance note for note, without colouration. I was very pleased with the way the systems blended in each of the performance spaces both visually and sonically.”

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