Thank you to all who joined us for the return of our in-person Digital Console Expo, which was held on December 7th at Moody Church in Chicago. The event featured 5 manufacturers of digital consoles and console peripherals, including:
Allen & Heath AVID Yamaha LAWO Tascam
The event hosted around 100 attendees, including technicians from houses of worship, broadcasters, sound/AV companies, and performing arts facilities, as well as touring engineers, students, integrators, and consultants. People traveled from across Chicagoland and the Midwest to attend this year’s event, allowing for unique networking opportunities that are typically only available at larger tech expos.
In addition to the opportunity to learn about the latest product offerings directly from manufacturer representatives, this free event featured ample amounts of swag giveaways and food; attendees also had the opportunity to see many items from our extensive rental inventory on display, including our most popular microphones, compact loudspeakers, wireless systems and accessories.
TC Furlong Inc. is proud to be an authorized dealer for all of the manufacturers featured at this year’s expo. If you’d like more information on any of the featured products, or need to request a quote, please contact our Sales Team at sales@tcfurlong.com or call 847-367-9588.
We also carry many of the brands featured at DCE 2023 in our rental inventory. For more information about renting a digital console, or anything else from our vast rental inventory, get in touch with our Rental Team at rentals@tcfurlong.com or call 847-367-9588.
The DPA 4288 Directional Headset Microphone is the latest addition to our extensive headset and earset microphone rental options. Known for their superior sound quality, flexibility, and durability, DPA microphones are an industry leader in many pro audio applications.
Combining the legendary sound of the 4088 capsule with DPA’s lightweight flexible headset system, the 4288 excels at both spoken word and vocal performance reinforcement applications. Equipped with CORE by DPA technology, the 4288 delivers accurate voice intelligibility with very high-SPL capabilities, all in a small format headset with minimal visual impact.
Alongside its impressive high dynamic range capabilities (up to 144db SPL), the 4288 also provides excellent off-axis rejection for use in loud stage environments. With its directional cardioid condenser diaphragm design, the 4288 helps suppress unwanted noise and sound sources, making it perfect for challenging live performances where stage volume, bleed, and microphone feedback are concerns. A lightweight, dual ear loop design gives the performer a secure and comfortable fit, ensuring the best possible signal to noise ratio by getting the mic as close as possible to the sound source– and most importantly: keeping it there. You can be confident that the 4288 will stay in place during the performance, allowing for a hands free, close-mic vocal reinforcement solution without using a lavalier microphone. Unlike lavaliers, headset microphones are not as susceptible to changes in tone due to head movement, or things like excessive handling noise when hidden within a garment or costume.
DPA’s lightweight dual ear loop headset system offers a secure and comfortable fit for most users.
In addition to their superb sound quality, all CORE microphones are IP58 certified, making them ideal for performance applications where moisture from sweat and humidity are likely. Each microphone features a water repellent nano-coating on the cover and housing, hermetic sealing of the sensitive amplifier components at the core of the mic, and dual gold plating of the diaphragm for additional corrosion resistance. In opposition to other alternative, more affordable options for headsets (most of which are often considered as “consumables”), you can be confident that the 4288 will continue stand up to the most rigorous performance applications and deliver the same detailed clarity and reliability that engineers have come to expect from DPA Microphones, show after show.
DPA’s miniature lavalier, headset, and earset microphones work with all leading wireless mic pack solutions, such as Lectrosonics, Sennheiser, Shure, Wisycom, and many, many more. The ingenious Microdot adapter system allows for flexibility to suit your wireless system’s needs, without the need for retermination – Be sure to specify your connector type when renting or purchasing a DPA wired headset, earset, or lavalier microphone!
Looking for more info on DPA Microphones? DPA offers a wide range of lavalier, earset and headset microphones that can be used in a wide range of settings and professional audio applications. You can find more information about all they have to offer here on the DPA website.
Interested in renting a DPA 4288 for your next event? Send a message to rentals@tcfurlong.com or call our office at 847-367-9588 and our experienced team of audio technicians will help you build the perfect headset system based on your needs.
Interested in purchasing your own headset microphone? We are authorized DPA dealers as well as dealers for over 100 other manufacturers. Our sales team is ready to help and can be reached at sales@tcfurlong.com or by phone 847-367-9588. Contact us today for a quote!
The newest additions to our extensive rental microphone options are the DPA 4055 Kick Drum Microphone, the DPA 2015 Wide Cardioid Condenser Microphone, and some new 4099 drum mic mounts to round out an excellent sounding drum microphone rental package. Known for their exceptional clarity and transparency, unparalleled specifications, and supreme reliability, DPA is one of our flagship microphone manufacturers here at TC Furlong Inc.
4055
The 4055 kick drum microphone was introduced by DPA in 2022 and is not your typical off the shelf mid-scooped kick mic. Sporting a flat frequency response, the 4055 gives you all the control and delivers a natural sounding, well-defined signal from any high SPL source you put it in front of. Not tailored to any specific genre, the 4055 is a solid choice for engineers who want a clean slate to shape their kick drum sound.
The 4055s low profile asymmetrical design provides more space for adjustment around the porthole. Image courtesy of DPA Microphones.
With its asymmetrical design, the profile of the 4055 is slimmer than other kick drum mics when mounted on a stand, and gives you a little extra room when inside the porthole to make precision adjustments to your mic placement. This unique design makes it easy to achieve an articulate “beater” or “click” sound, often what you’re looking for from the “kick in” microphone on a drum kit. If a more low-end focused sound is desired, the 4055 also works well further back near the porthole, with its flat frequency response offering clear, full bodied low end with no compromise in the lower midrange.
The 4055 can also work well outside the kick drum on sources like electric guitar cabinets, bass guitar cabinets, baritone saxophone and other large horn instruments, as well as other high SPL sources where a flat, full spectrum sound is needed.
2015
The DPA 2015 wide cardioid condenser microphone is a great choice for situations where you need to cover a broad area or large instrument, while also minimizing excess unwanted bleed. Most often used as a drum overhead, the 2015 works well when placed near cymbals due to its wide cardioid design. Even when placed relatively aggressively, the 2015’s unique polar pattern captures the entire width of the kit and allows you to maximize your signal to noise ratio, while maintaining nuance and balance without sacrifice or need for additional overheads or cymbal spot mics. When deployed as a spaced pair, a couple of 2015s is all you’ll need for even the largest of drum kit setups.
The 2015 wide cardioid excels as a drum kit overhead. Image courtesy of DPA Microphones.
Other key applications for the 2015 wide cardioid condenser microphone include sources such as grand pianos, large mallet percussion like marimbas, vibraphones, and xylophones, as well as large horn and string ensembles. It’s also common to see them hanging above the choir in houses of worship for balanced and natural sounding vocal ensemble reinforcement. Designed as the in-between for cardioid and omnidirectional microphones, the 2015 delivers the same articulate and open sound you’d expect from a small diaphragm condenser, but with a flat off-axis response that captures a uniform, wider breath of the area it’s placed in front of, when compared to a standard cardioid condenser.
4099 Drum Clips
Heralded as one of the most accurate and transparent solutions for micing just about any acoustic instrument, the DPA 4099 is our most popular low profile supercardioid condenser microphone option available in our extensive rental inventory. We’ve recently added quite a few new DPA drum mic clips for our 4099s, making them even more versatile than they were before. The 4099 is at home on sources like rack toms, floor toms, and hand percussion, but also other non-percussive acoustic instruments like violin, cello, piano, acoustic guitar, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, and accordion.
The 4099 can easily be mounted to any hoop style drum. Image courtesy of DPA Microphones.
Looking for more info on DPA Microphones? Visit their website here to see their full range of high quality microphones and accessories.
Ready to take your rental to the next level with DPA? Bundle all of the DPA options mentioned above in one awesome drum mic package for your next rental at TC Furlong Inc.! Send a message to rentals@tcfurlong.com or call our office at 847-367-9588 and our experienced team of audio technicians will help you choose the right pieces for your kit.
Interested in purchasing your own DPA drum mic kit? We are an authorized DPA dealer and have dealerships for over 100 other pro audio manufacturers. Our sales team is ready to help and can be reached at sales@tcfurlong.com or by phone 847-367-9588. Contact us today to get started on a quote!
Our latest addition to our list of extensive digital console rental options is the brand new Yamaha DM7 digital mixing console! With 120 mixing input channels, dual bays containing a total of 24 + 4 motorized faders, as well as having a 144×144 Dante I/O built right in, this console is ready for the most rigorous of audio production tasks. Unparalleled Yamaha sound quality, ease of operation, and high reliability are making this console perfect for a wide range of audio applications. Sporting a multitude of features built for theater, house of worship, corporate events, broadcast, and live sound reinforcement, the DM7 is a flexible tool at the forefront of digital console technology.
Featuring two 12 inch multi touch screens and a sleek new TF-inspired UI design, the DM7 is Yamaha’s most intuitive digital console yet. The dual 12 fader bays on the DM7 can be used in conjunction with one another, or in split mode to assist a single engineer performing more than one task, like sending a separate, tailored mix to a live stream. A third 7 inch touchscreen gives the user easy access to all the output channels and busses. With familiar tactile interfaces like the touch and turn knob (one for each bay, by the way!), achieving great results quickly on the Yamaha DM7 has never felt easier. Excellent built-in DSP effects, alongside 64 assignable premium processing slots, 16 assignable Yamaha FX slots, and 4 assignable inserts per channel, The DM7 gives you more control over your mix than ever before. With Dugan automixing, and a new AI gain assist feature, you can focus on being creative with your mix while the DM7 does the rest.
The DM7’s expandability is a key component of the next evolution in Yamaha’s new digital console line. Equipped with the optional DM7 Control expansion controller, you’ll have access to additional physical control devices that can be used to quickly and conveniently tweak parameters for a number of functions, such as 12 additional user defined keys, scene memory keys, monitor control keys and knobs, and a panner joystick. The Broadcast / Theatre Upgrade Package is also included with the DM7 Control expansion controller, offering more capabilities like mix minus, actor libraries, and surround sound support (to be released in a future update). While not in stock yet in our rental pool, we plan to have an expansion controller option available for our future DM7 rentals– be sure to keep an eye out for our announcement coming soon, once it’s available!
While we wait for the DM7’s custom made road-case to arrive, we are scheduling in-shop demos… Can’t wait to see the DM7? Very limited rental opportunities may still be available, please reach out to our rental team for more information! You can contact us at rentals@tcfurlong.com or call our offices at 847-367-9588.
Interested in your own DM7? Contact our sales reps today at sales@tcfurlong.com or call our offices at 847-367-9588.
As we continue to commemorate our 50th year in business, we are excited to share our journey– with a special focus on the advancements and improvements we’ve made in the last 5 years. We’ve come a long way since our last milestone on our 45th anniversary! From expanding our facilities and upping our inventory, to embracing hybrid event formats during the challenging COVID-19 era, we’ve come a long way in ensuring that our clients receive the best possible professional audio services. Join us as we take a trip down memory lane showcasing our commitment to excellence and innovation and highlighting our last 5 years here at TC Furlong Inc.
Expansion
One of the most significant transformations to our business in the last 5 years has been our expansion into the neighboring units in our building, suites 102 and 103. Previously, we were crammed into just suite 101, which made it necessary to utilize quite a bit of off-site storage space… but now with everything within reach here in our newly expanded facilities, we are able to move quickly to deliver the fast response service you’ve come to expect from TC Furlong Inc. This expansion has not only provided us with more room to keep everything physically here on-site, but also allowed us to enhance our overall services and offerings for AV equipment rentals. Our 103 warehouse is even sometimes used to host events!
Our new 102 warehouse space hosts storage for the majority of our loudspeakers, consoles, and larger itemsOur 103 warehouse space being used for a Meyer Sound loudspeaker demo in 2022The 103 space again, being used for our Garage Sale in 2023
As part of our facility expansion project, we recently introduced “The Bluehorn Room” in suite 103. This is a space like no other, where we can take our clients on an auditory journey like they’ve never experienced before. Equipped with the highly accurate Bluehorn speakers developed by Meyer Sound, this listening room is a haven for music enthusiasts and audio connoisseurs. Immerse yourself in a world of sound quality that transcends expectations, with the most accurate reproduction of audio that you’ll ever hear. Bluehorn listening sessions are by appointment only.
Our newly treated Bluehorn Listening Suite in 2023
Evolution
To meet the ever-evolving needs of our clients, we’ve expanded our extensive audio-focused rental pool with state-of-the-art lighting, staging, and video conference tools and accessories. We understand that every event is unique, and these additions have allowed us to offer comprehensive solutions for a wide range of occasions, not just for professional audio but for the many other types of AV services our clients have come to expect. Whether it’s a corporate conference or an intimate wedding reception, our enhanced AV inventory ensures that your event is nothing short of spectacular.
Our new fixtures being tested upon arrivalBrand new Yamaha PM3 set up for a demo in our lobby area
Here’s some highlights of the new audio and visual rental gear we’ve added in the last 5 years:
The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the event industry. We embraced these challenges and transformed them into opportunities. During this period, we pivoted to services that helped our customers host hybrid events seamlessly – combining in-person, video conference, and online streaming components and services. This adaptation allowed our clients to continue to engage with their audiences while adhering to safety protocols– It was a true testament to our resilience and commitment to delivering exceptional AV solutions, no matter the circumstances. The show must go on!
In 2020, we pivoted to hosting our Digital Console Expo virtuallyBehind the scenes streaming setup for Virtual DCE in 2020We were also able to help our customers pivot to virtual events during the pandemicBehind the scenes streaming setup for one of our customers in 2020
New Leadership
In 2022, we began transitioning our leadership role of General Manager from Jeff Cech to Steve Whittenhall. As of August 2023, Steve has fully assumed his new role here at TC Furlong Inc. Steve was the perfect fit considering his 17 year tenure here in the shop, starting out as a driver and quickly moving up the ranks to his most recent position Lead Project Manager. We are excited to have him at the helm for this next chapter in the story of TC Furlong Inc. as General Manager!
From left to right: Jeff Cech, Brian Grahn, and Steve Whittenhall
Conclusion
As we continue to celebrate our 50 years in business in 2023, we are reminded and immensely proud of the progress we’ve made, particularly in the last 5 years. Our commitment to growth, innovation, and adaptability has allowed us to remain at the forefront of the AV event industry in the greater Chicago area. We look forward to the future with excitement, knowing that we will continue to evolve and provide top-notch AV services to our valued clients. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and here’s to the next 50 years of excellence!
