Held over the New Year period, Epizode festival is a paradise for 10,000 travellers and party-goers. A beautiful beachside location on Vietnam’s idyllic Phu Quoc island, a star-studded line-up packed with international DJ talent, hypnotising art installations and immersive daytime activities make for a unique and enthralling experience. But it’s hard work for a sound system. In preparation for the 2018 event, Epizode’s organisers were looking for a new system for their Egg Stage that could run 24 hours a day for 11 days straight and stand up to unpredictable tropical weather. They turned to Pioneer Professional Audio. “We needed powerful, clear sound,” explains Maxim Baturin, the festival’s Stage Production Manager, adding; “and we needed it to be waterproof.”
When it came to selecting a pro audio partner for the Egg Stage – named for the illuminated, egg-like orb sculptures held in the air by bamboo cradles in various positions around the dancefloor – Baturin knew who he wanted to work with. “I’d heard about Pioneer Pro Audio many times and I’d wanted to test their equipment for a long time. Plus, Epizode has a great relationship with Pioneer DJ – they’ve always supplied our DJ gear – so it was a natural partnership.”
With the help of Pioneer Pro Audio, Baturin chose a configuration with three XY-3B three-way full range speakers either side of the stage, six XY-218HS dual 18-inch horn-loaded subwoofers supplying powerful low-end and two XY-2 midhigh speakers. It was the ideal system, explains Alex Barrand, Manager at Pioneer Pro Audio: “The XY-3B and XY-2 are both designed to deliver natural audio at the high sound pressure level needed for large venues and outdoor events. The LF drivers of the XY-3B are coated with a waterresistant finish on both sides too, so they were perfect for Epizode, where rain was expected.”