Live Demonstrations Planned at the Stage|Set|Scenery SoundLab

Be it for listening to classical music, a cappella singing or a musical, the SoundLab at Stage|Set|Scenery is the perfect venue to experience every type of music. This is where exhibitors such as audio specialists Sennheiser will be presenting their new products. The singer Helena Goldt, for example, will be showing the sound quality of Sennheiser's new wireless Digital 6000 series. Her many-faceted voice will be recorded by various microphone capsules, headsets, and clipped microphones, and via handheld and pocket-sized transmitters will be relayed to the Digital 6000 System and the PA in the SoundLab. "Inside the SoundLab we can demonstrate the entire bandwidth of our new wireless system", says Wolfgang Guse, sales director of system solutions at Sennheiser. Bearing in mind increasingly crowded radio bands due to rapid growth in digital data traffic this technology has a decisive advantage, says Guse: "The efficient Digital 6000 System is intermodulation-free, so that more frequencies are able to occupy a single TV channel than conventional wireless systems."

The chance to experience what electro-acoustics can offer -- that is what the Stage|Set|Scenery SoundLab is all about, according to Dieter Klein of KS Beschallungstechnik. "In contrast to other areas of theatre technology sound cannot be portrayed visually or in words."

"That is why the slogan is 'Experience the Sound.' Acoustics are an increasingly important aspect," says Jonas Schira of Gerriets. "Besides variable room acoustics, that is adjusting a room's acoustics to suit a purpose, spatial sound, so-called 3D sound, is now a big topic." Everyone has experienced "surround sound" in movie theatres. Theatres, concert houses, and exhibitions are now working with sound that comes from every direction. This was pioneered by the Zürich Opera House. "3D sound opens up entirely new possibilities for artistic expression. Sound can be made to float across a room," says Schira.

However, the general rule is that "a PA system must fit the performance and not vice-versa," says Marco Kraft of Salzbrenner. "We are designing versatile mixing consoles for a flexible, rapid set-up, that let you focus on your work," he says.

The SoundLab will be equipped with 28 loudspeaker channels to ensure a perfect audio experience. The SoundLab was designed in cooperation with Deutsche Theatertechnische Gesellschaft (DTHG), Gerriets, KS Beschallungstechnik, Müller-BBM, Salzbrenner media, and Sennheiser. In addition to double-layered, sound-absorbent walls, air-conditioning, seating for 63 people and a fixed ceiling, for the first time the SoundLab will be hosted by a presenter. "Inside the 110sqm SoundLab there are few visual distractions, so that audiences can concentrate fully on what they hear," says Hubert Eckart of DTHG.

The SoundLab is in Hall 22, where from June 20 - 22, 2017 the focus will be entirely on acoustics, audio, and sound systems. Next to the SoundLab other audio firms will also be represented, among them Audio-Technica, Neutrik, Shure, and Stagetec. Many are newcomers to the show, including beyerdynamic, eartec, DSpecialists, Lawo, Mipro, Riedel, and Sony Europe. Also in Hall 22, under the heading of sound, visitors can look forward to product demonstrations at the round table on all three days of the show and, among other events, a meeting of German stage managers on Wednesday, June 21, from 11:30am - 2:15pm.

On June 23, one day after the show ends, there will be a program of excursions. These will include a visit to the recently opened Barenboim Said Academy in Berlin featuring the Pierre Boulez Room designed by Frank Gehry, as well as to the rbb Haus des Rundfunks and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg.