A few years ago, a single Christmas tree deployed in downtown Guatemala City proved so popular that it inspired a nationwide effort, with 25 more cities in the Central American nation of Guatemala outfitted this year with trees of their own.
Now, at 150 feet tall, the original wasn’t your average Christmas tree, and neither are its descendants, both in terms of their scale as well as a unique ability to provide audio programming that is synchronized with millions of LED lights.
Specifically, every half hour from 5 pm to midnight during Christmas season, an 11-minute recorded program was played to entertain thousands of spectators.
The tree structures are fabricated locally from steel and then literally blanketed with the lighting elements, as well as greenery and decorations.
For the sound design, however, the program organizers put in a call to Orange, CA-based professional audio and production company Ultra Industries, headed by Ryan Herrera.
For the original tree, Herrera formulated a design to provide 360-degree coverage from loudspeakers flown within the tree structure, seeking 95 dB output in all directions at 75 feet in distance.
Developed with an assist from EASE modeling to help verify and optimize coverage, the design was headed by eight Spectr Audio SPX1538 (2-way/15-inch) loudspeakers flown from one of the tree’s circular steel frame elements at a height of about 20 feet.
The loudspeakers, all weatherized, are attached with standard chain shackles. Low frequencies were supported by eight Spectr Audio SPX218 double-18-inch subwoofers, distributed around the floor but still inside the structure.
QSC Audio RMX Series power amplifiers drove the mains, with QSC PLX Series powering the subs. Digital processing was supplied by a dbx DriveRack, with level control via a dbx ZonePro. All of these components were rack-mounted and also reside within the tree.
Digital audio programming was supplied by the Monster Brain system from Animated Lighting that controls the entire production.
The following year’s expansion to 25 more trees, most a bit smaller in scale in comparison to the original, followed the same sound design path in terms of form and components. Herrera worked with local crews to train them on putting the systems together, so components could be shipped directly to each site and assembled within its respective tree.
The expansion of the program, sponsored by Cervezeria Centroamericana, a Central American brewing company, did present some logistical challenges to Garden Grove, CA-based Spectr Audio, which got the order for 200 loudspeakers and subwoofers that needed to be delivered within a tight three-week window.
“This was an unusual project, but we pride ourselves on doing the unusual,” Herrera notes. “The specified audio performance parameters are actually exceeded with this design, so it makes for a very dynamic program.
“Spectr Audio really came through,” he adds. “All 200 loudspeakers arrived in time to meet our scheduling demands. It was a pleasure to work with them last year for the single tree, and this year for all 25 trees. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the audio quality of their products.”
On the opening day, additional sound systems were brought in at the site of the original tree, and various rock and pop performers performed to celebrate the beginning of the season.
All 26 trees were lit, and sound was activated, at precisely the same moment throughout the country.