Tongbo Illustrates the Art of Audio with CODA

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Created by China Central Radio and Television, ‘Illustrating China with Poetry and Painting’ was an ambitious TV Programme created in conjunction with a number of artistic and cultural agencies in the country. The programme used classic Chinese paintings, presented in combination with poetry, music, drama, dance and other art forms, as a medium to illustrate the beauty of China and its rich history and culture.

The programme selected and screened sixty paintings and three hundred poems against a backdrop of music, dance, drama, martial arts and other forms of artistic expression, employing XR, CG, naked eye 3D, hologram, and other technological means to bring the content to life for recording in a 3500 square-metre TV studio. Audio reinforcement for the project was carried out by the team from CODA Audio China Operations Centre under Zhejiang Tongbo Vision Technology Co.

This complex undertaking required a fully coordinated approach between teams from every section of the project. In order to achieve the maximum visual impact, the production used a substantial amount of 3D level scenery that could be moved and rotated, used in conjunction with a large amount of projection and lighting equipment spread throughout the studio. With the video system itself taking up almost all the screen space, a flown audio system was out of the question. In order to ensure that the studio audience’s perspective was not compromised, the team installed a ground-stacked main system positioned at the outer limit of the moving LED a scenic film at the stage entrance. Using data obtained from CODA Audio’s System Optimizer software, the team was able to design a configuration that evenly covered the host discussion area, the audience and the main control area on the first floor, achieving seamless integration of the imagery and audio.

For the main stage area where there was a requirement for what the team described as ‘majestic’ sound, they deployed CODA Audio’s flagship compact AiRAY 12-inch, three-way line array loudspeakers. 6 x units per side were stacked on top of a single SC2-F sensor controlled bass extension, with an additional 2 x SCP 18-inch subwoofer placed either side of each SC2-F to provide a wide frontal frequency response. For sections of the programme where the main stage was not in use, this array was supplemented by a secondary ViRAY system (3 per side with SC2-F) which provided predominantly voice reinforcement for host/guest interactions.

To ensure that the host and guests could enjoy precise near-field audio in their stage area, the team installed 4 x concealed CODA Audio D5-Cube point source loudspeakers. A further 4 x HOPS8 8-inch point source acted as front-fills to enhance clarity for the audience. The audio picture was completed by 4 x HOPS5 in a gallery at the side of the upper stage entrance, with a combination of 2 x HOPS8 and 2 x HOPS5 providing monitoring for actors performing in the side stage area. The overall system was driven by 11 x CODA Audio LINUS14 DSP amplifiers with two CODA LiNET Master units for AES signal network transmission distribution.

The recording of the show proved to be an overwhelming success, with the audio reinforcement praised by everyone present, including guests, experts and executives from China Central Radio and Television.

David Webster, Global Director for Sales and Marketing for CODA Audio comments:

“This was an impressive undertaking which required incredible attention to detail. Tongbo designed a system which combined a wide range of CODA loudspeakers, from our most powerful line array units to the smallest point sources, to achieve stunning results. We’re proud of the fact that CODA systems are now a regular choice for such prestigious projects in China, and of the great work carried out by Tongbo and the team at their CODA Audio Beijing Operations Centre.”