The desert provides a captivating backdrop, boasting unique allure and mystique.

However, as the sun sets, the natural beauty fades to black, and the need for artificial lighting arises. Enter Bad Quail’s wireless uplighting and projected lighting systems. This equipment  illuminates cool, desert evenings and delivers an ambiance that leaves attendees mesmerized. Let’s explore creative options available utilizing our lighting solutions, highlighting their ability to enhance the allure of outdoor events in the desert. Here are just a few of the ways our lighting can help your event:

1. Embrace the Desert’s Nocturnal Beauty: The desert possesses an inherent beauty that unfolds under the moonlit sky. By incorporating wireless uplighting, event organizers can extend the enchantment of the desert into the nighttime hours. These lighting solutions illuminate the intricate details of the landscape, accentuating the texture of desert plants, revealing hidden rock formations, and creating a visual spectacle to captivate attendees.
2. Unlock the Power of Artificial Light: As the sun drifts below the horizon, darkness engulfs the desert. The importance of artificial light becomes immediately evident. Light enables event-goers to navigate the space safely and comfortably, Light fosters an environment conducive to socializing, networking, and immersing oneself in the event’s offerings. Bad Quail’s lighting systems ensure that no corner of the venue is left in obscurity, guiding guests effortlessly and creating a sense of security.
3. Craft an Atmosphere and Set the Mood: Lighting has a profound impact on human emotions and experiences. With wireless uplighting and projected lighting systems, event organizers can curate an atmosphere appropriate for the occasion’s. By varying color, intensity, and projection effects, these lighting solutions evoke specific moods, be it a serene and ethereal setting, a vibrant and energetic vibe, or a mysterious and enchanting aura. Attendees are drawn into the carefully crafted environment, enhancing their overall event experience.
4. Highlight Key Elements and Focal Points: Bad Quail’s lighting systems offer the unique ability to create and accentuate key elements and focal points within the desert landscape. By strategically illuminating art installations, architectural features, and natural formations, event organizers can create captivating visual focal points that grab attention and inspire awe. We can project gobos for branding opportunities or to convey any message or theme you require, creating an immersive storytelling tool, conveying the event’s theme or message.
5. Flexibility and Versatility: One of the key advantages of our wireless uplights is their flexibility and versatility in outdoor event setups. As these lighting solutions are not dependent on electrical outlets or extensive wiring, they can be easily positioned and rearranged to suit changing event dynamics or last-minute adjustments. This adaptability ensures that the lighting design aligns seamlessly with the event layout and helps event organizers overcome logistical challenges.
6. The Eco-Friendly Advantage: In an era where sustainability is at the forefront of event planning, Bad Quail’s wireless lighting systems offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional event lighting setups. By utilizing energy-efficient LED technology, our lighting solutions consume no additional power, reducing the event’s carbon footprint. Additionally, our projections can eliminate the need for extensive printed collateral such as signs and banners. This minimizes the ecological impact of your event on the fragile desert ecosystem, and preserves its natural beauty.

The desert, with so many awe-inspiring landscapes, holds immense potential for hosting memorable outdoor events. However, to fully embrace the desert’s beauty after sunset, the incorporation of effective event lighting is paramount. These lighting solutions not only illuminate the surroundings but also enable event organizers to create captivating atmospheres and set the perfect mood for attendees. The transformative power of light cannot be underestimated when it comes to enhancing the allure of outdoor events in the desert. By partnering with a live event production company like Bad Quail, event organizers can unlock the full potential of their desert gatherings, leaving a lasting impression on all who attend.

 

 

 

In the world of sound reinforcement, relying on one large speaker system with a high volume level is seldom the best approach. Deploying speaker systems for consistent audience coverage at a consistent level is much more critical in ensuring your performance is heard clearly. Strategically placing speakers around a room or venue, it’s possible to provide optimal audio coverage throughout the venue without resorting to excessive sound pressure levels that can cause hearing damage and nose complaints. 

By spreading out multiple smaller sound systems, it’s possible to reduce acoustic feedback issues and minimize distortion caused by overdriving a larger system amplifier. With more evenly-distributed audio sources around the room, sound engineers can also achieve an improved overall sound quality. Using a distributed audio system allows sound engineers to tailor the system to site specific acoustic characteristics, such as room size, shape, and reverberation time. Now, it’s possible to create an amazing listening experience by evenly distributing audio throughout the space while still being able to adjust volume levels in certain areas if necessary. This gives sound engineers greater control over how their audience hears the performance or event.

A wireless microphone is an invaluable tool for any wedding. It can be used to amplify the sound of a bride and groom’s vows, enable guests to hear speeches more clearly, or allow a DJ to liven up the dancefloor between great tunes.

Wireless microphones come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important you select one that suits your needs best. When selecting a wireless microphone for your wedding day, consider factors such as battery life and range. To ensure reliable sound quality throughout the ceremony or reception, choose one with long–lasting batteries that won’t die halfway through the event. Also, pay attention to how far away from the receiver (the device connected to speakers) you need to be for the microphone to work. This will ensure that your guests can hear you clearly no matter where they are seated. Once you’ve selected the perfect wireless microphone, it’s time to set up and test it out. 

Hiring a professional AV technician to come in and help with the setup process is very important, especially if you don’t feel comfortable doing so yourself. They can also provide helpful tips on how best to use the microphone throughout your event. When using a wireless mic at a wedding, be mindful of where people are standing or sitting as this could affect its performance. For example, if someone is blocking the signal between the transmitter (the device connected to the mic) and receiver (the device connected to speakers), then the sound could be distorted or muffled.

Additionally, take precautions to avoid feedback loops when using the microphone. This occurs when the mic is too close to a speaker, causing a loud and unpleasant screeching noise that can ruin an event. To prevent this from happening, keep the microphone away from speakers at all times and make sure you’re not pointing it directly at them either. Finally, consider investing in some extra accessories such as lapel mics or headset mics for speeches or readings throughout your wedding day. These can help ensure everyone hears what’s being said clearly while also providing more freedom of movement for those speaking on stage.

Wireless microphones are an incredibly useful tool for any wedding

Ahh, Joshua Tree, home of wide open spaces. While we have gorgeous views year round, some of the more scenic places are less than friendly to amplified sound and it gets dark quick when the sun goes down. At Bad Quail, we have solutions for providing entertainment out in the great wide open.

Let’s say you’re looking to get married in Joshua Tree National Park. The amphitheaters in the park are in primitive areas with no electrical power. Fortunately, Bad Quail keeps inventory of the JBL EON ONE Pro speaker. It’s a battery powered column array that has impressive output with a minimal profile. You don’t want a bunch of loudspeakers despoiling your wedding photos, after all. We pair these speakers with Sennheiser AVX wireless, with battery powered receivers. The Sennheiser units provide professional quality sound and we can conceal a lavaliere microphone and body pack in the officiant’s holy book. This assures that your guests can hear the ceremony without having the rumble of a generator and a bunch of big, black speaker boxes ruining the glorious setting.

The JBL EON ONE Pro can handle many situations effortlessly. In addition to pairing with wireless microphones, the speaker has a 4 channel mixer on the back that can accept instruments and wired microphones, as well as bluetooth audio from your favorite device. All in all, it’s a really moment maker and one of our most popular rentals. We can do intimate weddings, small performances and background music for cocktail functions all with minimal impact to the environment and setting.

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Digital platform provides unmatched audio quality, flexibility, rack density and low latency

Rio Rancho, NM (June 4, 2019) – Lectrosonics is pleased to announce the introduction of the revolutionary D Squared digital wireless microphone system, utilizing the Lectrosonics 4th-generation digital architecture for excellent flexibility, ultra-fast setup, studio quality audio, and ultra-low latency. The system includes the DSQD 4-channel digital receiver, DBu digital belt pack transmitter, and DHu digital handheld transmitter. System features include 24 bit, 48 kHz digital audio, 2-way IR sync, three levels of encryption, and a tuning range from 470-608 MHz (470-614 MHz for export versions). The new D Squared system sets a new standard for enhanced audio quality, flexibility, low latency and compact size.

“The D Squared digital wireless microphone system represents a new era for Lectrosonics and for our customers,” says Karl Winkler, VP of sales & service for Lectrosonics. “Valuable user input coupled with intense innovation by our engineering team have made it possible for the D Squared to offer a new level of performance, convenience and sound quality in a wireless mic system. Eight channels in 1RU is the highest rack density of any wireless system. And, backward compatibility with Digital Hybrid transmitters means that all the Lectrosonics SM, SSM, HM and HH units we made during the past 17 years can still be used with the new DSQD receiver.”

The DSQD digital receiver is a four-channel, half-rack design with high-resolution color display, analog or Dante® digital outputs, and rear BNC antenna ports with “loop-thru” buffered BNC outputs to another receiver. The DSQD is compatible with the latest Lectrosonics all-digital transmitters including the DB Series and DHu, the stereo DCHT, and the half-rack M2T. The DSQD is also backward compatible with any Digital Hybrid Wireless® transmitters including the SM Series, LT, HM Series, SSM, HH Series, UM400, UM400a, LM Series, MM Series, and WM. Three different receiver diversity schemes can be employed depending on the needs of the application, including switched (during packet headers for seamless audio), Digital Ratio Diversity, or Digital Frequency Diversity. Continuously tunable tracking filters ensure excellent RF performance even in difficult environments. The DSQD includes digital talkback capability when used with any talkback-enabled transmitter, such as the two new digital transmitters DBu and DHu, and the LMb, LT and HHa Digital Hybrid Wireless transmitters.

A headphone jack is included on the DSQD for audio monitoring per channel. Ethernet and USB ports allow the receiver to connect to Wireless Designer® software for programming and monitoring, and a serial port enables connection between receivers for data sharing and frequency coordination. Antenna bias power can be engaged in the menu, and front panel LEDs show the status. Each DSQD ships with half the rack hardware needed to mount two units together, yielding 8 channels in 1RU.

The DBu belt pack and DHu handheld transmitters include specially developed, high efficiency digital circuitry for extended operating time on two AA batteries and offer RF power selections at 25 and 50 mW. The pure digital architecture enables AES 256-CTR encryption for high level security applications. Studio quality audio performance is assured by high quality components in the preamp, wide range input gain adjustment and DSP-controlled analog limiting. Input gain is adjustable over a 45 dB range in 1 dB steps to allow an exact match to the input signal level, maximizing the dynamic range and signal to noise ratio. USB ports on the transmitters allow for firmware updates in the field as features are added in the future. Two-way IR ports ensure quick setup and allow for encryption key transfer and other data sharing between units.

The DBu beltpack unit features a removable antenna with SMA connector, and incorporates the standard Lectrosonics TA5 connector with servo-bias input for compatibility with a wide range of lavaliere mics, dynamic mics, and line level sources. The unit ships with a tough wire belt clip but is also compatible with an accessory clamp style belt clip if required. A multi-function switch on top of the transmitter can be configured as power on/off, mute, talkback, or bypassed altogether. The DBu’s housing is constructed of solid machined aluminum, finished with an ultra-hard electroless nickel finish, for lasting ruggedness.

The DHu handheld transmitter is compatible with the Lectrosonics HHC cardioid condenser capsule and can also be used with a wide range of microphone capsule heads incorporating the standard 1.25” opening and 28 thread pitch. A programmable button on the outside of the housing can be configured as a push-to-talk, cough, or mute switch, a power switch, or be bypassed altogether. The DHu housing is milled out of aluminum alloy and powder coated for lasting ruggedness.

System performance: audio frequency response is 20 – 20 kHz +- 1 dB, with dynamic range of 108 dB and THD+N of 0.05% at 1 kHz, -10 dBFS. Latency is 1.4 ms, transmitter input to analog output, using a digital transmitter, and <2.9 ms with any Digital Hybrid Wireless transmitter.

Last year we provided full production for a small wedding at Casa Cody in Palm Springs. The venue is a mid-century boutique hotel that has been lovingly maintained and updated, but still captures a nice old-school Palm Springs vibe. The staff at the hotel was supportive and easy to work with, which made for an enjoyable and hassle-free event.

For this event, we were requested to provide sound for three physically separate areas, a garden ceremony, a cocktail hour area, and the dinner and reception area. We selected a variety of gear from our inventory to get the job done in three separate settings with an eye toward minimal visual impact.

For the ceremony we elected to use a pair of RCF TT52a loudspeakers with a Midas MR12 digital mixer and a Lectrosonics Venue2 wireless microphone system with a variety of transmitters. The RCF TT52 speakers were mounted on low stands out at the corners of the front row and covered the audience nicely without being visible in photos. This is a prime concern when working in a setting this beautiful. We really can’t say enough good things about the RCF TT+ lineup, and these tiny speakers are a real powerhouse of sound. An arched tree behind the ceremony was perfect for concealing the condenser mics with Lectrosonics HMa transmitters and the officiant/best man wore an LT belt pack with a Countryman earset. Additional HHa handheld wireless transmitters provided input for other speakers in the non-traditional ceremony.

Immediately following the ceremony, the couple hosted a cocktail hour in a separate area. In this location, we did not have easy access to electrical power, so we elected to provide a JBL EON ONE Pro loudspeaker system for background music. We provided a tablet with a mix of Jazz and R&B to entertain guests while the wedding party took photos and dinner was set up in the reception area. The JBL system provided great coverage. Visibility wasn’t an issue, as the frontal profile of the speaker is only 4 inches wide at the top. This ensures everyone can enjoy the natural surroundings while being entertained.

Eventually, everyone moved over to the dinner and reception area for the remainder of the evening. The couple elected to have their friend provide DJ services, so we provided a DJ equipment package and sound system. On the DJ rig we used Pioneer CDJ900NXS media players and an Allen & Heath Xone:96 mixer. We added two chanels of Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid wireless microphones for toasts and announcements.

To cover the reception and dinner area, we chose to use a Turbosound Siena system, with two 12″ tops and two 18″ subwoofers, along with Turbosound Milan M12’s for outfills and DJ monitors. This provided smooth, even coverage to all the guests without having blast the closer audience members. The florist for the wedding came along and dressed up our mains with a really nice spray of dried flowers that kept people from putting their drinks on our gear and really made the system blend in with the rest of the decor.

After all was said and done, the bride and groom were very pleased with the audio at their event. The guests had a great time dancing and drinking until close to midnight. It was a perfect fall wedding in Palm Springs.

If you’re not already up to speed on Dante, the IP based audio networking protocol, we suggest you pursue some training. Check out the Audinate web site for loads of information and a free certification program that will get you started. Dante is available on all professional mixing consoles now, and is becoming the de facto standard in commercial audio because of its ease of use and reliability.