Optocore specified for Sochi ceremonies

Just as he had done at the Opening extravaganza 16 days earlier for the Sochi Winter Olympic’s opening ceremonies, Audio Director Scott Willsallen (of Auditoria) designed the technological infrastructure for the production marking the end of the games, placing all the transmission on a 24-node Optocore dual redundant ring and working with two different creative teams to fulfil different objectives.

The closing ceremonies featured 800 performers and a production representing hundreds of years of Russian history.

L’Aquila-based concert touring specialists Agora responded successfully to the tender prepared by Willsallen and to design the routing topography, including separate networks for broadcast and live, they purchased large quantities of energy efficient Optocore ‘R’ Series AES-EBU and MADI interfaces from Italian distributors, Audiosales, to add to existing inventory.

These devices included DD32R-FX, DD4MR-FX, X6R-FX and TP, and X6P/X6 AD/DA converters – part of an inventory comprising nearly 50 interfaces. This sophisticated connectivity formed the hub of an audio infrastructure which in addition to the fibre signal transport, involved custom RF solutions and LAN networking across a coverage area measuring up to 4200 metres.

The control room during the closing ceremonies. Credit: Scott Willsallen

Besides the live sound aspect, which involved DiGiCo consoles and the new L-Acoustics K2 system, the Optocore system specified in the stadium was also used to tie the main system to the OB truck of Delta Media, another Optocore partner, for all necessary I/O. The system delivered downstream mixes of playback, live, and atmos mics for broadcast of the Ceremonies to Olympic Broadcast Services, with Andy Rose mixing the broadcast sound.

Summing up, Scott Willsallen said that both events technically had more than met expectations. “We delivered the Ceremonies as a complete package. It was a good experience all round and support from all the manufacturers has been great. The network is one of those things that if you don’t notice it, then it’s spectacular! The Optocore network did exactly what it was supposed to do.”

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