At the recent Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, Lawo and zactrack hosted their joint “Theater Future Tech Reception,” giving the audience an exclusive glimpse into the future of automated, object-based audio mixing workflows.
Lawo showcased its integration of zactrack’s innovative stage tracking system with its acclaimed mc² audio production consoles, providing automated stereo, surround and immersive audio mixing workflows based on the performers tracking data.
Zactrack’s Radio Tracking is a fully automated follow system tailored for diverse environments such as open-air events, theatre stages, and TV studios. Using Ultra-Wide-Band realtime location technology, the system works in aerial (2D) and spacial (3D) configurations. zactrack precisely tracks any number of performers or objects in real time, facilitating seamless alignment of moving lights, video projections, cameras, and immersive sound to the position of a performer or object.
The zactrack system controls the Lawo mc² audio mixers for automated panning and even elevation in 3D audio systems. The Y positioning parameter can be translated into depth, meaning delay adjustment for replicating the depth of the stage. This seamless delay adjustment is only possible due to Lawo’s unique click-less delay functionality, which ensures a natural audience listening experience. Leveraging the mc² consoles’ delay functionality, users can seamlessly add seamless delays of up to 1.8 seconds without any audible artifacts, even during live productions.
“The integration of zactrack’s stage tracking system with Lawo’s mc² platform represents a significant step forward in the evolution of automated audio mixing workflows,” says Lucas Zwicker, senior director, workflow and integration, CTO Office at Lawo. “Thanks to automated audio positioning of the actors we allow users to concentrate on all the other challenges of a live production, while still delivering a real-time immersive, spatially accurate audio experience across any multichannel P.A. system supported by Lawo consoles.”
“Running a zactrack mini system on the Lawo booth at this year’s Prolight+Sound allowed to showcase in a practical application how live positional data provided by zactrack can not only improve and automate workflows in audio mixing, but also help to enhance the acoustic experience for the audience whilst giving performers on stage full freedom to move. It was great to experience how seamless Lawo’s mc² platform integrates with our fully automated tracking system and we are looking forward to seeing our users benefit from this synergy,” adds Manuel Ewers, global sales manager at zactrack.
The integration of zactrack’s stage tracking system with Lawo’s mc² audio production consoles marks a significant milestone in the field of dynamic, automated, immersive audio applications for live performances, the company says, and is the foundation for providing audiences with the immersive live audio experiences made possible by today’s multichannel audio systems.
