L-Acoustics K1 Roars at Hong Kong’s First-Ever Drive-In Concert L-Acoustics K1 Roars at Hong Kong’s First-Ever Drive-In Concert...

Engineering Impact uses LA Network Manager to design a finely tuned system for singer, songwriter, and actor Ronald Cheng

Hong Kong, China – May 2021 – Concert goers were treated to Hong Kong’s first-ever outdoor drive-in concert, Drive In Ultra, hosted by vocalist, songwriter, producer, and actor Ronald Cheng. Over three evenings in April, the show lit up the 36,000 square-meter Central Harbourfront, receiving rave reviews from news outlets and fans, most of whom came driving.

To ensure optimum sound across the vast area and to fans both in and out of their cars, the Drive In Ultra production team turned to L-Acoustics rental partner Engineering Impact. With over three decades of experience executing large-scale concerts in Hong Kong and tours across the Greater China mainland, Engineering Impact proposed a system with the power and finesse the show needed.

L-Acoustics application engineer Frieda Lee worked with Engineering Impact from the pre-production stage of this show. “Engineering Impact’s stellar track record of various outdoor shows had prompted Ronald Cheng’s production team to get them on board this project,” Lee explains.

Mr. Chan Wai Fung, the head of audio for Engineering Impact, illustrates the affinity between sound engineers and L-Acoustics systems. “Front of house engineers working on previous shows had always felt confident with L-Acoustics systems. They knew that the long throw capability of K1 would be able to deliver unrivaled performance in providing a homogeneous frequency response across a large audience area,” says Mr. Chan.

With Lee’s help, Engineering Impact leaned on L-Acoustics Soundvision to design a system that would provide consistent SPL coverage over the large Harbourfront area. The mechanical data provided by Soundvision helped the team optimize load-in.

“Hong Kong is a bustling city, and it doesn’t afford us the luxury of long setup times. Preparation needs to be precise,” says Mr. Chan. “Once the system was loaded in, we used the signal routing and alignment capabilities of LA Network Managers to rapidly tune the system and be ready for the show.”

The main rig designed by Engineering Impact consisted of 12 K1 per side, flanked by an additional 12 K1 on either side as side fill for the wide outdoor drive-in concert area. 12 SB28 subwoofers, stacked in four columns of three enclosures on each side of the middle audience area, and two stacks of six SB28 on each side area provided low-end rumble. Twenty-four L-Acoustics LA8 amplified controllers drove the line arrays, while ten LA12X powered all subs.

LA Network Manager proved crucial during the show too. “Array Morphing allowed the engineer to adjust the contour EQ of the system during the performance to maintain a perfect balance, despite the varied types of music performed during the concert,” remarks Mr. Chan of Engineering Impact

The concert was well-received by fans, with a favorable review from local online news outlet HK01, specifically mentioning the great sound. “The L-Acoustics ecosystem, which includes design and show control software, along with the loudspeakers themselves, result in concert sound that’s enjoyed by both the audience, and the sound crew, who have a great time mixing on it.” 

Find out more about Engineering Impact in Hong Kong & China at www.impacthk.com.