ABU DHABI: When one of the Middle East’s most ambitious technology showcases set out to explore the future of artificial intelligence, the underlying event infrastructure needed to demonstrate a similarly uncompromising commitment to innovation, resilience and performance. For Creative Technology Middle East (CTME), the sole technical supplier for G42 Supercharged in Abu Dhabi, that meant placing DirectOut’s PRODIGY.MP at the centre of a highly complex audio network designed to deliver flawless operation throughout the flagship event.

Hosted at the ADNEC ICC Halls in Abu Dhabi, G42 Supercharged brought together more than 2,400 guests for a day of discussions, demonstrations and debate focused on the transformative potential of AI. The event featured over 150 metres of LED screens alongside what was described as the largest d&b Audiotechnik Soundscape deployment ever undertaken in the region, creating an immersive environment that demanded exceptional levels of audio precision and reliability.

Ahead of the event, CTME constructed a scaled version of the entire installation in its warehouse and conducted four days of rehearsals involving all stakeholders. With a substantial channel count, tightly synchronised audio and visual elements, and seamless audio transitions designed to envelop the audience, the team relied on PRODIGY.MP to power the audio network. The extensive pre-production process not only validated the system design but also enabled the complete on-site installation to be completed within just 48 hours.

System Engineer Tim Cook worked alongside spatial and playback engineer George Abi Aad to programme and manage two PRODIGY.MP units. Given the high-profile nature of the event, the team implemented three layers of redundancy. One PRODIGY.MP handled full playback redundancy using EARS and console feeds via Input Manager, while the second unit provided complete redundancy for the d&b DS100 amplifier feeds.

As Cook explains, this architecture delivered the confidence required for a production of this scale and visibility. “Input Managers handled both DS100 processor feeds, so that if one channel dropped, it would automatically and seamlessly fail-over to the backup,” he says. “To go one step further, we implemented another fail-over layer, using the Summing Busses within the PRODIGY.MP to feed a standard stereo system as a final backup. That gave us total peace of mind and a solid safety net. The PRODIGY.MP tied everything together beautifully and made the entire workflow smoother and more efficient.”

CTME first invested in PRODIGY.MP in 2022, acquiring a range of interface cards including Dante, Ravenna, MILAN and MADI to complement its existing inventory. According to Cook, the platform’s modular architecture has enabled the company to continually adapt the same hardware for a wide variety of system designs and production requirements.

“The flexibility is on another level,” Cook expands. “No other device gives us this kind of adaptability. The interchangeable I/O cards let us build for any workflow, while the routing matrix and onboard DSP cut down on the need for multiple outboard units. It’s quickly become the backbone of our shows and, if I had one tip, it would be to stop thinking of PRODIGY as just a processor. Think of it as a flexible audio hub that can sit at the heart of any system design.”

Dante remains CTME’s preferred networking protocol, making the Dante SRC card one of the most frequently utilised components within its DirectOut ecosystem. At the same time, growing adoption of MILAN-enabled technologies is driving increased demand for MILAN SRC cards, particularly as manufacturers continue to expand their offerings of networked amplifiers and audio solutions.

“The Dante SRC card gets a lot of use,” he continues. “The MADI cards are also essential, integrating seamlessly with our DiGiCo consoles and legacy systems. We’re also embracing MILAN, so the MILAN SRC card is being used more and more, especially with our new d&b amplifiers and DiGiCo MILAN DMI cards now in play. It’s great to see everything tying together across protocols.”

For day-to-day control and management, CTME relies on DirectOut’s globcon software, which allows the team to streamline setup, monitoring and integration with third-party systems. “We use globcon for remote management and control. It’s intuitive, responsive, and makes setup and monitoring quick and painless. We also integrate the PRODIGY with third-party controllers and consoles for more streamlined workflows. Everything fits neatly within our eco-system, the compatibility is excellent” explains Cook.

As productions continue to evolve in complexity, flexibility and resilience have become as critical as raw performance. For CTME, PRODIGY.MP has developed into a core component of its operational toolkit, supporting applications ranging from playback redundancy and matrix routing to system tuning and large-scale network management. Equally important, says Cook, has been the support received from DirectOut and its Middle East distributor, 7Hertz.

“7Hertz have supported us in integrating our DirectOut solutions into our workflow and ensuring that we maximize the capabilities of the PRODIGY.MP,” he concludes. “Because it’s such a powerful and versatile unit, we tend to use the PRODIGY.MP in almost every situation, from system tuning and playback redundancy to matrix routing. As a rental company, we work across a huge variety of productions with different requirements and the PRODIGY.MP provides a consistent, reliable backbone our engineers can confidently depend on for every show.”