Laser Magic Ltd has become part of LM Productions LLP. In recent years, Laser Magic has undertaken a much wider range of services such as event production utilizing lasers, lights, video, sound, fireworks and special effects and to this end has invested large sums of money in both infrastructure and equipment. In the light of this the company name has been changed to LM Productions LLP.

LM Productions LLP has also launched a new website dedicated to its StratoSphere product, which allows viewing of lasers, lighting and video from both inside and outside a giant translucent globe. The web site can be found at the web address below, and includes details on the company’s various StratoSphere venues, the different types of applications available and the equipment which can be used in

The Spanish manufacturer D.A.S. supplied a large number of systems for the 2002 Groove Parade held in the Monegros desert on July 20th. The striking backdrop of this arid wasteland provided a contrast to the oasis of music and light which offered 15 hours of non-stop music. A total of 40 international DJ´s and live bands performed simultaneously on five stages drawing over 18,000 fans of the modern music genre to this spectacular event.

D.A.S. was the exclusive supplier of the fives stages. The companies Güell Sound, La Rulot and Green & Music got together to supply over 200,000 watts of D.A.S. sound reinforcement systems for the stages of the Groove Parade. Technical coordination for both sound and light was handled by Güell Sound of Lerida, Spain. Güell Sound installed the main ‘Open Air’ stage with 32 D.A.S. R-215s mid-high units, 24 D.A.S. ST-218 bass units, four R-

Doughty Engineering is raising the curtain on a whole host of new products, including, appropriately enough, its new Six Track curtain rail system.

In addition, there is a host of other new products on show, including 63mm Mammoth Clamps, panel clamps and Quick Trigger clamps, new TV Quick receivers, Par can floor plates, Easy Lift wind-up stands and locking elbow assemblies. Then there are new RAT Music Stands, safety bonds and flyrail cleats.

If the additional products from Doughty aren’t what you’re looking for, then your needs may be fulfilled from the company’s new 60-page catalogue, packed with fittings and accessories from the ‘mind over metal’ specialist.

Doughty can be found on Stand D10

Robe, the prolific moving light manufacturer from the Czech Republic, is exhibiting at PLASA for the first time, taking the opportunity to launch a completely new line of products. Robe will be sharing Stand K19 with its new UK distributors Coe-tech.

Robe is already familiar to owners and users of several well known moving light brands - for which it’s been a long-term OEM manufacturer. These include Movitec, Futurelight, TAS, Elation, Sagitter and others. Robe is using the international forum of PLASA to launch itself as a direct sales operation, at the same time launching its new AT (Advanced Technology) Series - initially with four models, with more to follow later in the year.

ColorSpot 170 AT follows on from where the popular Color Spot 160 XT left off. The product is designed for multiple applications, and is ideal for architecturally lighting bars, restaurants, shops, p

Telford-base sound equipment hire company Soundsense has embarked on a major investment programme and has doubled its hire stocks in the past two months, and plans to double stocks again the next two months.

At the same time, the company has moved to improve the service it offers customers by extending the hire department's opening hours to 24 hours a day. Soundsense's Derek Tallent said: "After a sluggish start to the year, the past few months have seen our hire business grow at a rapid speed, and our advance bookings for August and September are the strongest we have ever seen. As fast as we can get equipment from suppliers, it's been out on hire to customers - we'll be glad to get some of the equipment back so that we can get it flightcased."

Recent purchases have included APT, CDQ Prima and Telos ISDN codecs, 360 Systems Short Cut Editors and Sadie digital audio worksta

The A.C. Lighting North Tradeshow 2002, held at the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds on 23-24 July, was deemed a great success by both sponsors and visitors alike, with more than 400 people attending over the two days of the show.

Being the first opportunity for the A.C Audio division and its suppliers to meet the industry face to face, the tradeshow was also something of a milestone in the history of the company. As most UK entertainment technology shows are held in London or the south of England, the A.C Lighting tradeshow provided a rare opportunity for professionals in the North of England to see the latest technology from specialist lighting and audio manufacturers represented by A.C Lighting. Specialists from each participating manufacturer were on hand to give technical advice on products and applications, and a large number of the visitors took advantage of the hands-on demonstr

Hayden Laboratories, the UK distributor for Denon and Rane pro audio products, will feature a dynamic range of outstanding quality audio products on their stand at PLASA this year, launching five audio products for the professional DJ and installation markets and also showing many other recently-released products. PLASA 2002 sees the World launch of four new audio products: the Empath DJ mixer from Rane, plus the DNT625 and DNT645 cassette/CD deck, the DN780R twin-cassette deck and the DNC615 budget single CD player from Denon. In addition to this, the new Rane RPM 22 and 44 DSP multiprocessors and the DN-D9000 twin-CD player from Denon will be on show.

Hayden is also showing equipment for the fixed installation market, including Rane’s renowned ECS conferencing system products and their various CobraNET interfaces, a selection of Denon twin-CD players and music source machines,

Earl’s Court Ltd was yesterday fined £70,000 for health and safety failings discovered after the death of a lighting technician at Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre in December 1999 (see L&SI January 2000).

The company appeared before a Judge at Blackfriars Crown Court yesterday morning to plead guilty to two offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. In addition to the record breaking fine, Earl’s Court Ltd was also ordered to pay £70,000 to the Royal Borough in respect of its legal costs.

26-year-old Kevin O’Bryan fell 60 feet from the roof of the Exhibition Centre as he attempted to de-rig lighting equipment following a pop concert at the Centre. O’Bryan, who was employed as a lighting technician, had gained access without authorization to the highly dangerous roof void area that was under the control of Earl’s Court Ltd staff. He was

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The Many Looks of Zeo

Delivering ultimate brightness and unique looks, Zeo’s distinct face design is defined by a central LED monolith and four reflectors, backed by four RGBW engines. As a blinder or strobe, Zeo promises powerful impact with 30,000+ lumens. With its sheer brilliance and playful effects, Zeo is ready to amplify the energy on any stage.

From the 9th to the 12th July, Vsevoloszhask, a suburb of St Petersburg, was the focal point of the political economy of Russia, this being the scene of the opening by US automobile giant Ford of its first production facility on Russian soil - a historic event of global political significance - celebrated with a three-day gala including live music and other performance events.

The three-day gala attracted a multitude of major figures from the worlds of business and politics including the US ambassador, Alexander Vershbow, the Minister for Trade and Economic Affairs, Herman Gref, the Governor of the Region of Leningrad, Valery Serduvkov, and a delegation from Ford led by the President of Ford Russia, Henrick Nensen.

The magnitude of interest in this economic milestone is also indicated by the fact that, in addition to the 1,500 invited guests, it attracted 150 media representatives to

The World of ResidenSea, the first resort community at sea continuously circumnavigating the globe, set sail on its maiden voyage from Oslo in March - equipped with a huge inventory of TOA PA/VA components, supplied by Norwegian-based distributors, Scandec Systemer AS. The luxury 43,500-ton craft comprises 88 guest suites available for the high-end vacation market and 110 luxury apartments (costing $2 million each), many of which are available for rental. It even includes a sea-faring golf course.

FMV sub-contracted the electrical installation work to the Norwegian firm Elpro, who in turn contacted Scandec Systemer to help with the onboard PA/VA, video and show lighting systems. Working side-by-side with the Elpro consultant responsible for the job, Jan Arve Monsen, was Scandec project manager Håkon Bjartveit.

For the public address/voice alarm requirements, the designers dipped dee

Avolites, manufacturers of cutting edge lighting control systems, is showing three exciting new products at PLASA 2002 - the ART2000i installation dimmer, the Pearl 2004 console and the Avolites Pearl simulator. In addition to these, Avolites will be showing its full range of lighting consoles - Azure, Sapphire, Pearl and Diamond 4 - which will all be demonstrated on the stand, along with the whole family of Avolites ART digital dimmers.

The latest release in Avolites' innovative ART 2000 digital series, the ART 2000i is aimed at theatrical, architectural, leisure and retail applications. The ART 2000i Installation dimmer is available in modules of 24 x 16 Amp units, 12 x 32 Amp, or a combination of these two modules. Main features include: quick and simple installation, proven design reliability, operation in all environments or climates, Hot Patch option, 100% duty cycle on all chann

AVW will be showing an upgraded version of its award winning Impressario - the system voted Engineering Product of the Year at the recent ABTT trade show. In addition to a larger computer, improved software and the facility to run off Windows XP, Impressario II will be housed in a smooth silver finish metal casing, as opposed to the original textured black.

AVW Controls can be found on Stand N9

Skan PA Hire, the Reading based rental company, has provided a system for one of the summer's most prestigious charity events, the Cantor Fitzgerald Silverstone Ball 2002. Held at the palatial Stowe School and headlined by the Stereophonics, the Silverstone Ball kicked off the 2002 British Grand Prix weekend, with all proceeds from a charity auction going to CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) and the Princess Royal Trust for Carers.

The sit-down dinner was attended by 1,500 guests who were entertained by a host of performers on the main stage as well as the London Community Gospel Choir which played on a separate stage. Skan provided two Midas Heritage desks for the main stage to facilitate changeover between bands, and sound reinforcement was delivered by a Turbosound Floodlight system. Other main stage performers, including racing driver Eddie Jordan's band V10 who entertained

From its humble beginnings in 1947, Crown International has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most respected manufacturers of power amplifiers, systems control products and microphones for professional audio markets.

Crown’s history traces back to an Elkhart, Indiana minister named Clarence C. Moore (1904-1979). A longtime radio enthusiast, he founded International Radio and Electronics Corporation (IREC) in 1947 and converted a former chicken coop into the budding manufacturer’s first production facility. The company’s early reputation was built on a family of open-reel tape recorders designed to operate reliably when used by missionaries in remote, often-primitive regions of the world. After modifying and distributing several existing models (Magnecord, Recordio, Pentron and Crestwood) for the first couple of years, Moore obtained a patent in 194

Sense-Sonic Limited, the Cheshire-based dveeloper of a unique assisted listening device (ALD) called the Conversor, which dramatically improves and focuses sound, has acquired Leaf Technologies Limited, a leading UK electronics manufacturing services company, from its administrators for £1.09 million in cash.

Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, Leaf Technologies produces a wide range of products for the telecommunications, business equipment, health care, security, consumer electronics and audio sectors. During the last year, Leaf has endured the general market downturn, especially in the telecoms sector and as a result of these difficult market conditions, the company went into administration in June 2002.

Leaf Technologies manufactures Sense-Sonic’s core product, the Conversor, which is a unique assisted listening device (ALD) sold throughout

Back for the fourth year running - Music Live returns to the NEC Birmingham (8-10 November 2002 - Hall 12). Music Live 2002 has expanded and encompasses many new features this year to bring you a brand new show and the largest music-making event in the UK. All major brands will be represented together with some fine vintage and hand-built instruments, with many of the exhibitors displaying product to be seen for the first time at the UK. The show will also include three days of workshops, pro clinics and specialist seminars.

If your’e looking to buy something new, Music Live 2002 has all the latest equipment at special show prices with retail support from Academy of Sound and Sound Control. Many of the exhibiting companies have donated generously, offering thousands of pounds worth of prizes in various competitions leading up to the Music Live show. Keep a keen eye on the Music L

The second wave of PLASA’s industry research is now complete, and reveals some interesting findings, particularly in terms of the overall growth of the market and the individual sectors which are performing best.

The research (conducted as before by Business Diagnostics) draws on a number of sources, principally PLASA members, but is also supported by a broader market analysis. The findings indicate that the UK market in 2001, in terms of user expenditure (and excluding any cross-selling among suppliers) is worth £1,139m. That figure has been broken down into five main product categories: professional lighting is valued at £229m, pro audio for presentation and performance purposes at £332m, pro audio for architectural or commercial purposes (e.g. voice alarm, public address systems) at £49m, staging at £44m and professional AV at £485m.

It’s clear from the research

The four new additions to the XTA family will make their PLASA debut in September. The C2 dual/stereo compressor, D2 stereo dynamic EQ, E2 stereo parametric EQ and G2 dual/stereo gate will be on show - along with the DP Series digital loudspeaker processors, DP324 SiDD Seriously Intelligent Digital Dynamics processor, GQ600 graphics equalizer and DS800 mic/line distribution system.

As with the XTA DP226 speaker management system and more recently the DP324/SiDD, the working practices and ideas of engineers have been transformed by XTA into powerful, innovative processing solutions which provide fresh audio possibilities to engineers, sound companies, broadcasters, installers and the like.

The C2 digital dual compressor provides two channels of the best compression and limiting, with comprehensive sidechain equalization and look-ahead attack times, coupled with a De-EQ mode for dynami

Innova Son, a Digigram company, will unveil at PLASA 2002 the Compact Sy40, its new ‘live’ digital mixing console, which boasts 40 input channels and 27 mix buses. Housed in the same chassis as the Compact Live and Actor, the Compact Sy 40 offers far greater mixing capabilities and enhanced functionalities for the same number of faders: 32 (including eight stereo) for the 40 input channels, 12 for the mix buses, three for the LRM/C masters and one fader for automation control.

The Compact Sy40 has all the advantages of the modular architecture, which have been a cornerstone to the success of the Sensory range. The modular nature of the system allows the user to insert any of the electronic I/O modules, which are compatible with any console of the Innova SON range, and to choose, depending on the needs of each specific event, the precise physical I/O configuration.

Having

When testing a newly-installed sound system, most people’s first choice of bands probably wouldn’t be ear-splitting heavy metal act Slayer. But this was the case recently for a new Mach SlingShot system at one of southern California’s premiere live venues, The Grove of Anaheim, a 2,000+ capacity multi-use venue which hosts some 100 acts a year, including some of the industry’s top bands such as INXS, Simple Minds, The Doobie Brothers and more.

Slayer played two sold-out shows on 1-2 May and easy sounding they are not. As Slayer proclaimed that God Hates Us All in support of their latest CD, all ears were tuned to the Mach SlingShot system.

The system is comprised of eight Mach MS1262 SlingShot top-boxes and four MS15X2 SlingShot fly-bass units with additional power coming from 12 Ballister subwoofers. Six Mach M12T full-range speakers are used for front

GAM has released the latest in its family of special effects products - the SX4. Designed to simply snap-on to existing ETC Source Four housings, the SX4 converts it into a high performance scenic projector capable of creating many special effects.

Built with the rugged demands of the theme park, retail and architectural markets in mind, the GAM SX4 gets an amazing 4,000 hours of loop life. The GAM SX4 allows you to slide the effects drawer in and out for quick changes of the more than 14 available FX/Reels (loops) effects with more on the way. Use the GAM SX4 with any Source IV 575W or 750W incandescent. You can also use 575 HMI for high output projections or the HID Series for long life architectural installations.

Control the speed of the GAM SX4 from any light board using a dimmer channel or just plug it into a wall and vary the speed with the built in controller. Also included i

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