PHOTO: AMY FOSTER COONS FOSTER AMY PHOTO:

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

The Expansive Audio System Behind ’s Man of the Woods Tour

By Andrew King

30 PROFESSIONAL SOUND it was an SD-Rack or other into the FOH and monitor Digico product. There’s a systems. That signal is split second separate Optocore/ to another DD2FR that lives Justin Timberlake’s Digico network for moni- on the separate monitor Man of the Woods Tour tors overseen by monitor ring. engineer Paul Klimson, and Of course, for a spec- finally, a third Optocore tacle of this calibre, the fibre network drives the performance has to match entire Clair PA system. the production, and Tim- The FOH ring consists berlake has a reputation for of Meyer’s SD7 console delivering the goods. onsidering the mon- on that I was going to create a and two SD-Racks with 112 On the Man of the iker, it’s ironic that hybrid analog/digital environment,” inputs featuring Digico’s Woods Tour, Timberlake’s Justin Timberlake’s begins Andy Meyer, a veteran FOH new Stadius 32-bit preamp live band, The extensive Man of the engineer who’s been a part of team cards. Meyer is using Opto- Kids, is comprised of four Woods Tour is carry- Timberlake since 2005. “I realized core X6R DA converters to backing vocalists, a four- ing one of the most that to do this, it had to be a clean, break out 64 channels from piece horn section, two Ccomplex and cutting-edge audio no-nonsense integration, and after the optical network into keyboard players, two systems to hit major arenas this much trial and error, I ended up three Apogee Symphony guitarists, a bassist, a drum- calendar year. settling on Optocore devices for the I/O units and then into two mer, and a percussionist. Supporting Timberlake’s fifth DA conversion and a mix of Apogee racks loaded with various “As far as audio paths, full-length of the same and Dangerous Music units for AD.” analog outboard units. there are 200 total inputs, name, the tour began in March Meyer already had a basic de- This is achieved via two including returns, and 168 2018 and hits major markets sign in place when it came time Optocore X6R-TP-16LO outputs including the PA throughout North America and to explore networking platforms, (16-line out) network con- drive,” Meyer explains. In Europe on four distinct legs before and so he and some colleagues verters, each daisychained fact, they’re running so wrapping up in early 2019. Between from ESI Audio & Lighting in Tampa, off of a corresponding many channels on the FOH the in-the-round stage configu- FL – specifically system tech Justin X6R-FX-16LO for 32 output network that his main SD7 ration and the multiple line array Lenards and fellow engineer Ozzy channels per pair relayed is pretty much maxed out hangs overhead, even non-techni- Giron – wasted little time doing in- via Cat-5 using Optocore’s in terms of available chan- cal types entering the arena on any dependent research on how to best proprietary SANE proto- nels to mix on. Needless to given date would recognize that bring that vision to life from both a col. SANE is essentially an say, that’s a lot of content something truly out of the ordinary practical and performance perspec- extension of AES’s MADI to juggle night in and was in store. tive. Once they had their solution in protocol but utilizes the night out. The house system is actually a place, largely built around Optocore entire Cat-5 cable to offer As mentioned, the hybrid of analog and digital com- fibre networking products, they bidirectional MADI, 100 stage configuration is ponents, and in fact, hybridity is a tapped the engineering team at Mbit Ethernet, and word largely in the round, utiliz- unifying theme of both the album Clair Brothers’ Nashville location to clock transport. ing the available seating and tour. help bring everything together. After processing, the throughout the entire bowl Musically, Man of the Woods Meyer was the one that first audio is converted to in most arenas. finds Timberlake striking a balance suggested an Optocore fibre net- digital via the Apogee The main stage fea- between the slick, innovative dance work for signal transport based Symphonys and Danger- tures a long walkway that pop that defines his previous re- on previous experience with the ous Music’s Convert AD+s. snakes out through the leases and a more organic classic platform. “It was obvious from the These feed the network floor to the centre of the country influence. And so despite beginning,” he says simply. “We did AES via an Optocore arena to a small round B its title and associated range of rus- shootouts at ESI and quickly deter- DD32R-FX AES3 network stage in a VIP area with its tic imagery, the album remains as mined that, for the environment I’m I/O device. own bar and a dedicated sonically ambitious and boundary working in, Optocore was the best Alongside the SD-Racks PA. Then, another catwalk pushing as anything Timberlake has solution, hands down.” under the stage is another reaches a third smaller released since 2006’s smash Future- Ultimately, they decided to uti- DD32R-FX, which feeds the stage at the other end of Sex/LoveSounds. lize multiple networks to meet their PA drive network and the the arena floor where one That overall ambition, coupled transport needs. amplifiers for the front fill of the show’s truly special with the fact that it’s the first full As Brandon Coons of Optocore speakers and subs. Also at moments takes place. album of new music in five years North America explains, first, the that position is a DD2FR-FX Partway through the from one of the world’s biggest tour is using Optocore devices with MADI I/O device, which set, Timberlake, his backing pop stars, inspired a spectacular Digico consoles and racks for the gives 2 x 32 optical MADI singers, and some Tennes- live experience for fans and an FOH system. Optocore’s R-Series I/O at 96 kHz for playback see Kids wielding acoustic almost entirely new audio system units can be connected to and con- design from a longtime collabo- trolled by any SD Series console and rator. “For this tour, I decided early live on the same network as though

PROFESSIONAL SOUND 31 PHOTO: OKWA ANDREW OKWA PHOTO:

Man of the Woods Tour technical crew: (L-R) Rachel Rozzi, Audio Tech; Kevin Leas, WiFi; Nate Sonnenberg, Audio Tech; Hugo Gudino, Audio Stage Tech; Andy Meyer, FOH Engineer, Paul “Boyo” Manuel, Monitor Tech; Paul Klimson, Monitor Engineer; Justin Lenards, FOH Tech; Phil Kriz, Crew Chief; Carlos Lopez-Olavarria, Audio Tech; Dustin Chrysler, Audio Tech; Elliott Wiley, RF Tech

instruments find themselves on the third still getting full coverage. We’re thrilled any other device on the network. stage as a real fire pit –complete with a with the response of the system overall.” It was the ease of using the DD32Rs to surrounding patch of grass – emerges One of the challenges inherent with transport signal anywhere it was desired from the deck. Sitting around it, they this production design is that for much of without the degradation that can occur perform acoustic renditions of “Flannel” the show, Timberlake and The Tennessee with longer AES runs that had Meyer and and “Until the End of Time” before each Kids are performing directly beneath the company opting for Optocore. As well, the of the backing vocalists tears into their PA – and they’re pretty active while doing platform offers 100 Mbit fast ether trans- own cover song, ranging from Fleetwood so. “Overall, it’s a bigger production than port built into the network, so each device Mac’s “Dreams” to Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” usual, and there’s a lot more movement can function like a virtual unmanaged to John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Coun- and more dynamics,” Meyer asserts. “The switch, allowing Meyer to run control up try Boy.” CO-10s are blowing right down on the to the amplifiers via a single cable. The house PA system is comprised of stage, and you’ve got Justin along with “The entire drive stays 100 per cent Clair’s Cohesion CO-12 large-scale refer- the horn players, guitar players, backup digital,” Meyer says in summary. “The ence loudspeakers and more compact singers, all moving around. That can be advantage [of the Optocore system] is CO-10 flexible reference loudspeakers a bit challenging at times; it takes a bit that it simplifies everything and sounds and divided up into quadrants – upstage more finesse and care to consider every- absolutely fantastic. I have a doublewide and downstage left and right – each thing onstage.” 40-space and singlewide 20-space [rack] comprised of two arrays to cover the The complements of amps feeding at FOH connected by one NC14 [cable] bowl seating. Additional smaller arrays each quadrant are actually flown, and and two pieces of fibre. That’s it. If you’re cover the VIP section around the middle each amp rack is loaded with one of going to carry a lot of analog, it has to of the arena and the rest of the floor level. Clair’s recently acquired Optocore DD32R- be smart and has to be simple. This solu- Clair CP-Series subs handle the low end FX units that offer more than enough AES tion provided the absolute best way to throughout the venue. I/O to feed the system. achieve this, taking audio quality, stability, Meyer says his choice of the Clair sys- “I originally just wanted one fibre and ease of use into consideration.” tem was based as much on its wide dis- loop, but the engineering team at Clair In addition to his complement of an- persion as it was pure audio performance. explained the benefit of keeping my FOH alog outboard gear, Meyer also takes ad- “It has the best pattern control, and a and stage drive on a Digico protocol fibre vantage of the SD7’s seamless integration true 120-degree dispersion, which was loop while having the amp rack loop on with Waves plug-ins, which he says is full key with the in-the-round configuration,” its own Optocore ring,” Meyer explains. of “excellent tools.” the engineer explains. “That helped us to This offers the ability to monitor all five As for how the desk itself earned its minimize the total number of arrays while DD32R-FXs in real time, as he can with spot on the tour, Meyer admits it was an

32 PROFESSIONAL SOUND PHOTO: OKWA ANDREW OKWA PHOTO: FOH position with Digico SD7 console easy choice. “It’s my favourite console to “The whole mandate for this tour was the networking components of the system mix on, and it’s the only one available that to make the experience like a movie, so throughout the design and implementation would handle our channel count, with all you have big moments, you have quiet process. “Brandon was really helpful from these ins and outs,” he says. moments – it’s just increased dynamics the beginning and I’m happy with what we One new component from Digico on and impact,” shares Meyer, and the band came up with,” the engineer offers. the tour is the complement of the com- plays a big part in delivering that result. Finally, he shares some credit with pany’s 32-bit John Stadius mic pres, and As for his own role in achieving a cine- his counterpart in the lighting realm, de- they’ve quickly earned Meyer’s favour. matic live music experience, Meyer says he signer and programmer Nick Whitehouse “With an A rig and a B rig, we have eight has his client’s blessing and trust to mix as from creative design studio Fireplay. “Nick stage racks of the 32-bit mic pres, and he sees fit. “He’s very concerned with the really worked with our audio team to they’ve been really well received; they’ve quality of sound and what his audience make this possible,” he offers. “The [video] presented a new life and vibrancy that I gets, but how it gets there? He trusts me screens he chose are the least intrusive, really appreciate,” he says. to take care of that. He knows I’ve got his in terms of shooting through them. We That vibrancy goes a long way with back and will make it right. That’s really the talked in the early stages and gave him reinforcing this particular group of mu- bottom line.” an idea of what we wanted to accomplish sicians. With a nightly setlist comprised of from a sound perspective, and he looked songs spanning Timberlake’s five studio Working hand-in-hand with Meyer on out for that while doing what he needed and 15-plus-year solo career, the to do and it all worked out quite nicely.” the road is Clair Brothers’ Scott “Scooter” band is tasked with faithfully reproducing Now amidst the European leg of its Hernbeck. Asked about any other collab- the energy and impact of the original lengthy run – the second of four total orators at Clair who were instrumental to material while creating a live and dynamic – the Man of the Woods Tour has been the development of the tour, he mentions sonic synergy. remarkably successful from all sides. The Console Department dates are selling out, the reviews are Manager Jonathan mostly outstanding, and it seems that Shober, and then adds: those on and around the stage with a role “Technically, the entire in delivering the overall experience are

PHOTO: OKWA ANDREW OKWA PHOTO: staff from ownership enjoying themselves. on down. There is no The audio system supporting the tour way to put into words may be complex, but its purpose is quite how much I appreciate the opposite: a memorable night of live the support and love music with one of the world’s most ac- they have shown me. complished entertainers. We’re family.” Meyer also heaps praise onto Optocore’s Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Amp Rack Coons for his input on Professional Sound.

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