As Production Manager
for 4-stages Tom Wilson
has his hands full. Put
those 4-stages on a cruise ship in the Caribbean and keep all 25 artists happy - that’s the real challenge.

Christian Radio Network,
“K-Love” sponsored their
annual “Friends & Family”
cruise, a 4-day event
featuring a “who’s who” in Christian Music.

CTS supplied matching
systems in three of the
rooms including Funktion-
One speakers and Yamaha Digital consoles for FOH and Monitors.

With a tight time schedule and a full docket, there was no time for sound checks.

This setup allowed the engineers to save their mixes on memory cards and then move to the next venue and have their settings pop.

The CTS crew included Casey Johnson, Weston Smith, Ed Crippen, Mike Taylor and Dave McMullin. Pete Healey and Sully
rounded out the audio crew
for the cruise.

“This is really quite complex,
between meeting the artist’s
needs, dealing with small
spaces on the ship, clearing gear through customs and having the audience never
see you sweat. Our team really rose to the challenge”,

said a tired but proud Tom Wilson CTS supplied a smaller club system for the 4th venue.

Mike Taylor oversaw the prep for CTS. “We have to get it right in the shop before it leaves. Out on the ocean, there’s no Fed- Ex if we missed something.”

This was the fourth cruise that Tom has contracted with CTS. “CTS has the
depth of inventory and the right crew to make this work. I really wouldn’t
want to do it without them.
They really get it!”

Look for more cruise action from Tom Wilson and the team at CTS
Audio.

CTS AUDIO Deploys New JBL Professional VERTEC® VT4887A Line Arrays for “WOMEN OF FAITH” Tour

Demonstrating the versatility of JBL Professional VERTEC® line arrays and marking one of the world’s first deployments of VT4887A compact line array loudspeakers, CTS Audio of Nashville is providing the live sound reinforcement system for the “Women of Faith – Amazing Freedom 2007” tour.

During its 10-year existence, the “Women of Faith” tour has drawn more than 2.5 million attendees, featuring numerous guest speakers from around the world. Each year, more than 20 cities throughout the United States and Canada host this event, which draws sell-out crowds in arenas including the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the United Center in Chicago and the Honda Center in Anaheim.

CTS Audio has been handling this project for the past eight years and wanted to provide a new speaker solution to ensure that each attendee hears every nuance of these in-the-round presentations.  This new speaker system is comprised of eight line arrays containing a total of 120 VT4887A line array elements and 32 VT4881ADP-AN line array subwoofers. “We deployed eight hangs in four quadrants in the center of the room, with an upper truss and lower truss and video screens situated between the trusses,” said Ed Crippen, Senior Consultant, CTS Audio. “We have three one ton motors that support the overall PA system fly grid including the amp racks and we are deploying the bass in a forward steered array.

The VERTEC VT4887A full range high directivity line array element provides audio professionals with a broad, flexible range of sound reinforcement solutions. The VT4887A has extended low frequency response to 55 Hz through use of JBL’s new 2268J-1 8-inch woofer. An additional 2 dB of output and one-third octave of low-frequency extension is available when compared to its predecessor, the VT4887. A unique new integrated port/handle assembly aids in low frequency extension. The model also incorporates a newly-optimized mid/high frequency network and new high frequency elements, JBL’s 2408H component transducer. Frequency range is 55 Hz-22 kHz (-10 dB).