2009 AES Convention Preview

Sep 3, 2009 12:00 PM, By George Petersen

The changing face of the Audio Engineering Society.

Wireless issues

The national DTV conversion is behind us, yet issues for dealing with wireless spectrum reallocation remain. In White Spaces and TVBD Update, Sennheiser’s Joe Ciaudelli and Shure’s Chris Lyons and Edger Reihl will discuss the status of the 700MHz spectrum and equipment. Other topics include dealing with interference from Television Band Devices (TVBD) and examining recent FCC decisions on the subject. In another session, wireless authority James Stoffo presents Practical Advice for Wireless System Users. Designed for small-to-medium venues—such as houses of worship and community events that rarely have the benefit of dedicated technicians or sophisticated frequency coordination—the panel will address elements of component selection and system design/setup to minimize interference and maximize performance.

Building the foundation

AES is also offering a variety of programs intended specifically for contractors and SR pros. Sound System Design and Installation Considerations for Churches and HOWs focuses on issues from initial budgeting through the design/install phase on to training/system operation from the perspectives of the client, consultant, contractor, and operator. Automixing for Live Sound examines the pros and cons of automixer topologies and algorithms (both analog and digital) with an emphasis on real-world applications. Other live-sound-specific workshops include State of the Art Loudspeaker Design for Live Sound, Microphone Selection and Techniques for Live Sound, Networking Digital Audio in Live Sound, 10 Things to Get Right with Sound Reinforcement Systems, Measuring and Aligning Subwoofers, and the always popular AC Power and Grounding, with the latter hosted by experts Bruce Olson and Bill Whitlock. Whitlock will also present The Design Of High-performance Balanced Audio Interfaces, an intensive master class delving into transformer and IC-based circuits; tradeoffs in I/O system designs; cabling issues; and avoiding problems from ground voltage differences, magnetic fields, and electric fields.

Going green

With technology comes responsibility that goes well beyond the venue itself. Today, many top artists—such as the Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Barenaked Ladies, and Sheryl Crow—are incorporating practices to reduce the environmental impact of touring. In The Greening of the Band: Green Touring Solutions for the Live Engineer, hosted by AES education committee vice-chair John Krivit, a panel of experts, advocates, and artists will discuss ways to reduce a tour’s carbon footprint.

“We are extremely pleased with this year’s live-sound events schedule,” says AES Executive Director Roger Furness. “It is comprehensive, authoritative, and boasts a particularly strong lineup of high-level presenters. The recommendations made by co-chairs Henry Cohen and Mac Kerr echo the invaluable insights they have acquired during their own years on the road. The program reflects an enormous amount of labor-intensive work for which we are most appreciative.”

The 127th AES Convention will be held Oct. 9 to 12 in New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. For more information, visit the AES website.

When he’s not contributing to SVC, Senior Consulting Editor George Petersen is the executive editor of Mix and operates a small record label at www.jenpet.com.