The third annual Audio Engineering Society (AES) Conference on Sound Reinforcement will take place in Struer, Denmark from August 30 – September 2, 2017, AES announced. 

Whether a seasoned professional, a student, or somewhere in between, this year’s Sound Reinforcement Conference offers abundant opportunities for attendees across five days of workshops, demonstrations, paper presentations, engineering briefs, tutorials, and social events. Live performances will demonstrate the most advanced and up-to-date sound systems operated by renowned sound engineers on an outdoor stage. The roster of leading live-sound experts presenting include keynote speakers Niels Werner Adelman-Larsen and Bob McCarthy.

This conference on sound reinforcement is a follow-up to the 2015 conference in Montreal and will focus on sound reinforcement in the open air. It will bring together experienced practitioners, scientific experts, self-taught gurus, young technicians, and students in a creative environment. There will be workshops, demonstrations, and live experiments combined with paper presentations, engineering briefs, and tutorials. Live performances will demonstrate the most advanced and up-to-date sound systems operated by renowned sound engineers on an outdoor stage. Technical papers and tutorials will be presented by recognized sound system designers and acoustics specialists. A one-track scheduling format is planned. However, it is expected that parallel tracks for various hands-on sessions and demonstrations as well as theoretical sessions can be organized to suit individual preferences.

PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Wednesday, August 30th, 2017

5-8 p.m.: Registration open at Apollon.

5-8 p.m.: Informal meet & greet, restaurant and bar open.

8-10 p.m.: Social event – ATMOS film.

10-11 p.m.: Informal meet and greet continues in the bar.

11 p.m.: Shuttle buses to hotels.

Thursday, August 31st, 2017

8 a.m.: Shuttle buses from hotels to Apollon.

8-9 a.m.: Registration open, refreshments.

9:00-9:15 a.m.: Welcome.

9:15-9:45 a.m.: Keynote K1.

Niels Werner Adelman-Larsen of Flex Acoustics will introduce the conference by reflecting on the signal chain from source to ear of an amplified music event and how room acoustics form part of our usual listening environment but not for outdoor events.

9:45-11:00 a.m.: Paper Session P1.

9:45 – P1.1 Perception of Low Frequency Content of Amplified Music in Arenas and Open-air Music Festivals, Jonathan Burton, et al.

10:10 – P1.2 Practical Considerations for Subwoofer Arrays and Clusters in Live Sound Reinforcement, Adam J. Hill.

10:35 – P1.3 Engineering Brief: 360 Degree Sound System Design & Adjustment at Teleton Theater, Santiago de Chile, Cristian Becerra.

11:00-11:15 a.m.: Refreshments.

11:15 a.m.-12:30: Panel Discussion D1: Are Advances in Sound Systems Improving Concert Experience Levels?

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Walk to Folkets Hus & lunch.

1:30-1:40 p.m.: Find your tutorial – 3 tracks – info on how to mix and match.

1:40-2:40 p.m.: Tutorial Session T1

T1.1 Noise Prediction & Monitoring at Open-Air Events – Introduction, d&b audiotechnik.

T1.2 Measurement: Then, Now, … and Then?, Jakup Knudsen, MAVT.

T1.3 Audience Coverage & Spill in Urban Spaces (outdoors).

2:40-2:50 p.m.: Change Session, refreshments.

2:50-3:50 p.m.: Tutorial Session T2

T2.1 Noise Prediction & Monitoring at Open-Air Events – Case Study & Validation, d&b audiotechnik.

T2.2 Understanding Acoustical Simulations, Mads Jensen, COMSOL.

T2.3 Left-Right versus L-C-R FOH solutions (outdoors).

3:50-4:00 p.m.: Change Session, refreshments.

4-5 p.m.: Tutorial Session T3

T3.1 Noise Prediction & Monitoring at Open-Air Events – Measurement & Control, Event Acoustics.

T3.2 TBD.

T3.3 Source-Orientated Sound Reinforcement (outdoors).

5 p.m.: Shuttle buses to hotels.

6:30 p.m.: Shuttle buses to Struer Museum.

7-11 p.m.: Mayor’s Reception with dinner & drinks, live jazz with The Martin Fabricius Trio.

11 p.m.: Shuttle buses to hotels.

Friday, September 1st, 2017

8 a.m.: Shuttle buses from hotels to Bang & Olufsen headquarters.

8-9 a.m.: Refreshments.

9:00-9:15 a.m.: Welcome and information.

9:15-9:45 a.m.: Keynote K2.

9:45-10:00 a.m.: Find your workshop – 3 tracks – info on how to mix and match.

10:00-10:15 a.m.: Walk to first workshop.

10:15-11:25 a.m.: Workshop Session W1.

W1.1 State-of-the Art Consumer Sound – BeoLab 90, Geoff Martin.

W1.2 Microphone Techniques, Rune Slot, DPA.

W1.3 Low Frequency Solutions: L-R towers, horizontal line, cardioid and flown.

11:25-11:35 a.m.: Change Session, refreshments.

11:35 a.m.-12:45 p.m.: Workshop Session W2.

W2.1 State-of-the Art Consumer Sound – BeoLab 90, Geoff Martin.

W2.2 Microphone Techniques, Rune Slot, DPA.

W2.3 FOH Mix Position – Considerations and Resulting Quality.

12:45-1:30 p.m.: Lunch.

1:30-2:40 p.m.: Workshop Session W3.

W3.1 State-of-the-Art Consumer Sound – BeoLab 90, Geoff Martin.

W3.2 Microphone Techniques, Rune Slot, DPA.

W3.3 FOH Sound System Optimization.

2:40-2:50 p.m.: Change Session, refreshments.

2:50-4:00 p.m.: Workshop Session W4.

W4.1 Big Bang Monitor Sound.

W4.2 Big Bang FOH Mix.

W4.3 Signal Conditioning for Live Broadcast and/or Streaming.

4-5 p.m.: Katrine Windfeld Big Bang concert

5 p.m.: Shuttle buses to hotels.

6:30 p.m.: Shuttle buses to The Hayloft.

7-11 p.m.: Social Event with tapas buffet & drinks, live music with The Nice Little Penguins.

11 p.m.: Shuttle buses to hotels.

Saturday, September 2nd, 2017

8 a.m.: Shuttle buses from hotels to Apollon.

8-9 a.m.: Refreshments.

9:00-9:15 a.m.: Welcome.

9:15-10:30 a.m.: Paper Session P2.

9:15  – P2.1 An Adaptive, Data-Driven Sound Field Control Strategy for Outdoor Concerts, Franz Heuchel, et al.

9:40  – P2.2 Adjoint-Based Time Domian Sound Reinforcement, Mathias Lempke, et al.

10:05 – P2.3 Engineering Brief: Large Scale Open Air Sound Reinforcement in Extreme Atmospheric Conditions, Etienne Corteel.

10:30-10:45 a.m.: Refreshments.

10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.: Panel Discussion D2: Environmental Considerations & Neighbour Annoyance – Creating a Win-Win Situation.

Introduction by Lars Frederiksen of Alfa Audio, Denmark, on reducing neighbour annoyance around Hermans Theatre in Aarhus.

12:00-12:45 p.m.: Keynote K3.

Bob McCarthy, with over 30 years industry experience, will close the conference by talking about modern sound system optimization.

12:45-1:00 p.m.: Closing Remarks.

1-2 p.m.: Lunch.

2 p.m.: Shuttle buses to hotels.

Afternoon – optional “Run To The Beat” marathon event.

Evening – optional “Run To The Beat” after-party outdoor concert event at Main Stage.

11:00 p.m.: Shuttle buses to hotels.

Sunday, September 3rd, 2017

Morning – departure.

Information can be found here about the conference venues and hotels and also the conference program, committee information, and registration. We encourage everybody who works in the live sound industry to join us.

Source: AES