Awakening Productions of Davis, CA, is quite literally, well, awakening. And BAG END Loudspeaker Systems is very pleased, indeed, that it is. The fledgling sound company recently celebrated its fifth anniversary by boosting its inventory of BAG END loudspeaker systems to nearly 40 cabinets. Earlier this year, Awakening Productions added four high-output, quad-18 Quartz subwoofer systems and four high output mid-ranger Crystals to its inventory.

“I consider those acquisitions as our real move into major outdoor festival work in the northern California region,” said Joey Wisgirda, owner of Awakening Productions. “Up to this point, we had an outstanding system for clubs and midsize venues, but this past spring we made a deliberate decision – and the financial commitment - to move into heavy-duty outdoor festival work.”

The Quartz is a high output subwoofer cabinet loaded with four 18-inch woofers that - when controlled by an INFRA signal processor - has the ability to produce a flat response down to 8 Hz. It also boasts a power-handling capacity of 1600 watts continuous sine wave.

The Crystal is a full range, long-throw loudspeaker system that offers high fidelity and high power handling capacity. It is loaded with a high compression driver, with a 3-inch copper voice coil driving a custom-designed oval, high-frequency wave guide and a pair of 12-inch, high-efficiency, low-frequency cone drivers.

Wisgirda’s love affair with BAG END speaker systems actually dates back many years. “I was first turned on to BAG END by a fellow musician, Sy Madden, the keyboardist for a band called the Epenema Black Cats,” who uses a BAG END TA2000 12-inch monitor,” Wisgirda said. “I was amazed at how great that thing sounded: the clarity, the response, everything. I had never heard anything like it.”

In fact, he was so taken with the BAG END speakers, Wisgirda promptly went out and purchased his first two BAG END speakers: a pair of S18-E single 18-inch subwoofers and the INFRA-1 signal processor that extends low frequency down to 8 Hz. Not long after that initial purchase, he added a pair of TA5000, Time-Aligned mid- and high-range speaker systems – and he was on his way.

“We just test-fired our new high-output system incorporating the Quartz and Crystals systems this past Mother's Day at the Whole Earth Festival in Davis,” Wisgirda said. “I have to say I saw some very unusual effects in the audience that I am pretty sure were caused by the BAG END system.

“I saw out-and-out spontaneous crying and I saw people who were mortal enemies kiss and make up. I have a strong feeling that we were emitting frequencies in the 8 to 20 Hz range that caused subtle psychological effects. I'm certain that the BAG END system caused an emotional change in the audience,” he said. “I hope that's not sounding two esoteric or hippyish, but it was definitely an observed effect.”

Awakening Productions most recent major gig was supplying sound in June for the “Village Stage” at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival Angels Camp, Calif., one of the largest reggae festivals on the West Coast. Featured performers at the Festival were Bob Marley's old backup band, the Whalers.

Wanting to make a real impact in the midrange area, Wisgirda beefed up his system even more by adding a pair of high efficiency, wide dispersion BAG END AF1A speaker systems. The AF1A, so named because it was first developed for the United States Air Force Band, is a Time-Aligned? system that features an 18-inch woofer, a 12-inch midrange cone and a 1-inch exit compression driver with a horn.

“The real landmark thing that happened is when we were featuring two up-and-coming young reggae artists, one from Jamaica called Warrior King and a new band called Midnight from St. Coral in the Virgin Islands.” Wisgirda recalled. “We literally stole the crowd away from the main stage. The sound system at the main stage was a giant line array drawing over a 100,000 watts. But our BAG END stack system still sounded better than the big system.”

Needless to say, Wisgirda is sold on BAG END speakers. “They are better because of the Time Alignment,? which gives them the ability to reproduce frequencies with such great clarity and musicality.” Also a trumpet player, Wisgirda performs regularly with a California-based original funk band called, “The West Coast Rhythm Section,” which first made him acutely aware of how many poor sound systems there are in the world. “Originally I got into sound because I was forced into it,” he said. “While performing I realized most of the clubs we were playing didn't have decent sound. No one else in the band wanted to tackle the sound problems, so guess what: by default, I also became the band’s sandman.”

Awakening Productions is located at 627 Lesley Place, Davis, CA 95616. More information can be obtained by calling 530-756-1019 or embalming Wisgirda at: eleven@dcndavis.ca.us