First ETC Sine Wave Application Used in American Theatre

ETC Sensor®+ SineWave dimming has now received official UL and cUL Listing. The UL/cUL distinctions also coincide with the first American theatrical-venue use of sine wave technology at the Overture Center for the Arts, in Madison, WI.

Overture Center’s spring shows are the first to be running on ETC’s Sensor+ SineWave dimming in the United States (ETC’s IES™ sine wave dimming already has a five-year history in TV studios, theatres, and opera houses throughout Europe).

The ETC Sensor+ SineWave system at the Overture Hall comprises 96 circuits of dimming that augment the core dimming system of 852 circuits of Sensor+ SCR dimming. Sensor+ SineWave is controlling a wide variety of loads in the theatre’s lighting rig–2K fresnels, Source Four® ellipsoidals and PARs, and 12-cell Source Four MultiPAR® striplights. The recent Natalie McMaster concert was the first Overture production to enjoy the silence of ETC Sensor+ SineWave. Overture Hall has also used ETC Sensor+ SineWave during the ballet Cinderella, the opera production The End of the Affair, the 2nd City Tour show, and the latest Nylons concert, all in April.

Maestros, like Overture’s John DeMain, are keenly aware of any acoustical disturbances in their facility. Overture Hall, which opened in 2004, was designed and built with superior acoustical quality in mind. "Overture’s employment of ETC Sensor+ SineWave dimming has allowed them to bring up lighting in their orchestra without having any filament noise to intermingle with that of the music or setting," says David North, ETC technical service manager.

"Sine wave dimming supplements sound purity by eliminating any propagation of filament noise throughout the facility. With any performance where music is provided by the orchestra, sine wave dimming helps solve problems of ambient noise. During the quiet passages of any show you have all kinds of ambient-sound interference–the jostling of people in their seats, the ruffling of programs, and the insidious white noise of filament buzz in the background. But not with ETC Sensor+ SineWave–acoustical integrity is never compromised by the humming of lamps," explains North.

Sine wave dimming has advantages other than noise reduction–it can extend filament life, reduce power usage, and eliminate power-line harmonics.

ETC Sensor+ SineWave was a technical success at Overture Hall from the first moments of set up. "Sensor+ SineWave is able to handle a wide variety of load types from tungsten lamps to ballasted HMI fixtures to electronic transformers. Basically, if the load can be dimmed with an old-fashioned autotransformer, it can be dimmed with Sensor+ SineWave," says North.