US shoe manufacturer VANS recently held a two-day pop-up event in the South Korean capital of Seoul, with sound provided by LD Systems.
The event featured a shopping market, skate shows, and DJ sets in an unused underground train station.
The LD Systems set up was specified by Korean audio specialists from Sonic Value and featured MAILA, CURV 500, MAUI P900 units and more to provide optimum audio for the challenging acoustic environment.
"The location was a real challenge," said Ethan Yoon, head of the technical team at Sonic Value. "Stone surfaces almost everywhere, lots of pillars, a tubular shape and low ceilings. Due to the almost unhindered reflections from the hard surfaces, it was clear from the start that we couldn't play the room at high levels, but had to rely on a clever multi-zone system to avoid blind spots or a drop in level or sound quality."
Sonic Value used a double LD Systems MAILA ground stack setup as the main PA for the DJ concerts: MAILA L with two 2x15'' MAILA SUB subwoofers each for the external stereo sound reinforcement and a MAILA M with 2x2 MAILA SUBs as the internal stereo system.
"Our aim was to create a natural sound image throughout the room that surrounds the audience," explained Yoon.
For this reason, Sonic Value added surround systems to the sides and rear of the main PA. In addition to another MAILA S stereo system at the rear, a total of 10 CURV 500 array systems, each consisting of a D SAT duplex satellite and an SLA SmartLink adapter, were positioned on stands at the sides and rear. Two further identical CURV 500 units were used as front fills in front of the DJ stage to provide sound for the front rows of the audience, which were not fully covered by the MAILA main systems.
"With MAILA, we primarily covered the low frequency range evenly for the entire location," added Inho Cheon, associate brand manager at Sonic Value.
The CURV 500s provided support in the mid and high frequencies and, with their precise dispersion behaviour, also ensured an immersive sound image.
"We had to adjust the angles of the MAILA satellites several times until we achieved the desired room coverage,” Cheon continued. “The EasySplay mechanism made this easy. With a conventional loudspeaker system, we would probably not have been able to meet the tight time frame."
In addition to the elaborate main sound system, other LD Systems speaker series were used at the VANS pop-up event. A combination of MON 15 A G3 coaxial stage monitors and STINGER SUB 15 A G3 15'' bass reflex subwoofers provided monitoring for the DJ stage. The neighbouring market area was a little quieter. The VANS store, whose entrance was flanked by three MAUI P900 column PAs by Porsche Design Studio, was the busiest.
In front of the DJ booth in the market area, Sonic Value placed two DAVE 18 G4X 2.1 PA systems in a DSP-supported interference-free cluster setup, each with two closely neighbouring satellites on a T-stand above the 18'' subwoofers. Two MAUI 11 G3 column PAs served as the monitoring system for the reception-style DJ booth - one in black, one in white, based on the iconic chequerboard design of the famous VANS shoes.