Serbia?s Concert of the Year boosted by Harman Professional audio system

Serbia’s Concert of the Year (NS Koncert Godine 2011) recently saw local Harman Professional distributor Studio Berar supply the event with a number of products from the Group brand portfolios.

A crowd of around 9,500 people gathered in the Great Hall of the Sport & Business Centre Vojvodina (aka SPENS) in Novi Sad for the nine-hour show. Working with production managers Momcilo Berar and Emil Berar, the company took responsibility for the entire technical production, including stage, rigging and lighting, as well as the sound.

For the main PA system, Studio Berar rigged 20 JBL Vertec VT4889 full-size line array elements (ten per side), with eight VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers on each flank covering the main auditorium and giant balconies. Twelve additional VT4889’s provided outfill coverage, with two VT4888 midsize line array elements deployed for infill duties.

The entire system was set up using Harman Professional’s HiQnet System Architect 3.0, with system management under dbx DriveRack 4800 control.

Other processing was also chosen from the Harman catalogue and included dbx IEQ 31 graphic EQ, Lexicon PCM 91 and PCM 96 reverbs, BSS DPR-402 and DPR-404 compressor/de-essers and DPR-504 gate. This was all reinforced with JBL powered VP7212 loudspeakers.

Two Soundcraft Vi6 digital consoles were also selected to mix FOH and monitors, both configured with stage box and local racks. A Soundcraft MH2 analogue desk was also deployed for the second stage.

According to Studio Berar’s marketing manager Lazar Josanov, the highlight of the event was the continuous music – due to the deployment of the second ‘No Break’ stage. “Both stages were situated in the north-west corner of the hall, and close to each other, so that fans didn’t need to turn round to follow performers on the adjacent stages,” he said. “An advantage of this was that some of the same equipment could be utilised for both stages.”

Josanov was also very impressed with the Soundcraft desks, adding: The Soundcraft desks were fantastic. We have two Vi6s and take every opportunity to put them out on our shows. Ergonomically they are laid out with everything in front of the operator, and there is no need to look around when running the show. Using Soundcraft Vi6s, technicians have the mix right in the palm of their hand.”