USA - Peavey has updated the PR Series powered loudspeakers with its new class D amplifier topology for lighter weight on the new PR 15D and PR 12D models, which are available now.

The Peavey PR 15D and PR 12D are two-way powered loudspeaker systems engineered with a bi-amplified class D power section that drives a 12" woofer with a robust 150 watts continuous and a 1.4" titanium-diaphragm RX 14 compression driver with another 50 watts continuous.

The PR 15D and PR 12D are capable of up to 120dB peak SPL and feature Peavey's exclusive DDT speaker protection, which virtually eliminates audible power amplifier clipping. A built-in, heavy-duty crossover increases reliability at high power levels, says the company.

A Woofer Servo monitors the woofer for back-EMF that is

USA - Clay Paky Alpha Beam 1500 fixtures dazzled a complete sell-out crowd at the recent Ultra Music Festival - billed as 'The World's Premier Electronic Music Festival' held 26 and 27 March in Miami, Florida. The event won Best Music Event 2010 at the 25th Annual International Dance Music Awards, which celebrates the best dance records, CDs, DJs, website, producers, promoters and more.

AG Light & Sound supplied 24 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 1500 fixtures used by lighting designer Stephen Lieberman. The fixtures were spread over a 60m stage span. The fixtures that weren't under the protection of the main roof were covered with custom inflatable bubble domes. The rest of the stage was a towering back wall of high resolution video screens accompanied by lasers, fog machines and special effects to pulse with the high energy music. AG provided lighting and video for the mai

UK - Claire Sodergren (formally Bromhead) has joined Edinburgh-based Black Light to front its customer relations work. She brings with her experience working as a freelance lighting and sound engineer for companies such as the National Theatre of Scotland and with the Edinburgh International Festival. She is already working with old and new clients to review and improve Black Light's services and product offering.

"I knew about Black light 'from the other side' as a customer, so I'm perfectly placed to understand our clients' challenges and requirements and so help Black Light respond," says Sodergren who joined the company to provide maternity cover in a sales capacity, but who has only recently taken up her new permanent job.

Her duties involve meeting and talking with existing clients to review how Black Light is performing and to meet new clients to discuss how B

USA - Audio-Technica has expanded its contractor-exclusive Engineered Sound line with the introduction of the ES963 Three-Element Multidirectional Boundary Microphone. The ES963 is designed for surface-mount applications such as high-quality sound reinforcement, conferencing, professional recording, television and other demanding sound pickup applications in the installed sound and sound contracting markets, says the company.

Three cardioid condenser elements mounted in the microphone housing are factory set with an angle of 120 degrees between them to provide complete 360-degree coverage (in the hemisphere above mounting surface).

Two positioning levers on the microphone base allow two of the three elements to be reoriented (with no tools or disassembly required) to offer angles of 90/90/180 degrees between elements - ideal for positioning at the end of long conference tables

USA - John Taylor ,speaking at this year's Broadway Sound Master classes said, "This is clearly an award by the people who use the kit, rather than by those who buy advertising space, so it's an award we really value." Taylor was accepting the award for Best Loudspeaker on behalf of d&b audiotechnik. "The panel, kept secret from all of us who submit products, is made up of sound designers and sound operators. We might not know who they are, but we do see some of their comments which is great."

The loudspeaker in question is the new d&b B4-SUB, ostensibly a cardioid sub and the new addition to d&b's extensive subwoofer collection. "But this one is very different," said Taylor. "Matthias Christner from the R&D acoustics department refers to it as PSP (as opposed to DSP) which stands for Plywood Signal Processing!

"DSP is normally needed to

China/Switzerland - Chinese radio company Chongqing Broadcasting Group has placed an order for more than 20 Pyramix digital audio workstations with Merging Asia, the Chinese distributor for Pyramix's Swiss manufacturer, Merging Technologies.

The order is part of the broadcasting group's plan to move its eight radio stations to a new headquarters. In addition to the 16 DAWs required for live use on air (two for each station: one for live use, and one for back-up), a further six systems have been purchased to make recordings from the new headquarters' performance hall, and for use in the broadcaster's recording and post-production studios.

Weishen Xu, president of Merging Asia, comments, "The Chinese radio broadcast industry is entering a period of rapid change, and the new systems at Chongqing Broadcasting Group form a milestone installation, one offering a level of qualit

USA - When Jimmy Kimmel's production team needed a high-quality LED display for the set of their Lostseries' finale show, they turned to LG CNS for a solution. "We wanted a large indoor display system that would really standout and pop in the studio during then broadcast and our friends at LG CNS had just the right technology.

"In fact, the standing room-only studio audience watched the entire evening's Lost episodes on the display and were completely in awe of its brightness and high-resolution," said Doug Deluca, the co-executive producer for Jimmy Kimmel Live. "On short notice, they really came through for us and helped us put together a state-ofthe art stage production."

"As the commercial display and digital signage industry adopt more energy-efficient and brighter LED display technology, LG CNS is poised to usher in a ne

China - Country and regional pavilions from Korea and Taiwan will be part of Prolight + Sound Shanghai to be held 12 - 15 October 2010 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China.

The currrent number of exhibitors is more than 350, including pavilions exhibitors, and the total exhibition area has been increased to 23,000sq.m, reflecting exhibitor confidence in having their products exposed to domestic and international markets.

Evan Sha, deputy general manager, Messe Frankfurt Shanghai said, "The demand for exhibitors to join a pavilion is increasing as exhibitors recognise the value of having a prime location with prominent signage which easily attracts visitors to the pavilion. There are also other benefits for pavilion exhibitors such as access to a VIP lounge."

Making its debut at Prolight + Sound Shanghai will be the Korean pavilion with exh

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Australia - Gold Coast Arts Centre (GCAC) recently upgraded the dimming systems within its venues to LSC Lighting Systems' EKO Dimmers.

GCAC, located on the banks of the Nerang River in Australia's iconic Surfers Paradise, is the region's premier cultural facility, bringing visual and performing arts to residents of South East Queensland. The complex houses the Arts Theatre, Gold Coast City Gallery, two cinemas and the Arts Cafe as well as several function rooms, a chapel and two smaller performance spaces.

A total of 588 channels of LSC's EKO Installation dimmers have been installed throughout the various venues with 516 channels of EKO TruPower dimmers for the Arts Theatre alone. Chris D'Bais, venue operations manager for the Arts Centre commented, "We selected the EKO TruPower dimmer as it gave us seamless selection of true 240 volt output and dimmable power per channe

USA - North Carolina-based system designer Strategic Connections recently upgraded the sound system for the newly expanded Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The new sound reinforcement system features JBL loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, and BSS processing.

Already the largest church in the region, the 12,000-member church chose to remodel its existing main sanctuary by adding an additional 700 seats.

At the heart of the new sound reinforcement system are 38 JBL VerTec VT4888 midsize line array elements flown in four arrays with 16 JBL ASB6128V subwoofers, 10 flown and six located under the stage. For front-fills, seven JBL AC28/95 loudspeakers are housed behind the perimeter of the stage. "The goal was to provide rock and roll style PA without filling the space with tons of speakers," stated Brant Doell, system designer for Strategic Connections.

The system is

South Africa - Cape Town- based C&S Audio is a busy rental operation run by Donald Clark who has recently invested in over 80 new Robe fixtures - a mix of ColorSpot and ColorWash 700E AT moving lights - and the first of the new LEDForce 18s - in the country.

Delivered by Robe's South African distributor DWR, the new Robe moving lights - have replaced all C&S's previous mid range units from another manufacturer.

The first major gig for the new kit is Cool Britannia, a month-long music & football festival staged at Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), celebrating the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

The venue - a concept by Global Icons - provides a space for football fans and music lovers to enjoy the matches live on big screens, followed by performances onstage throughout the day, culminating in a headline act after the last match of the evening. The line up inclu

South Africa - Gearhouse South Africa supplied full technical production for the FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert, staged at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg.

The show was broadcast to tens of millions of music and football fans worldwide on 10 June, the night before the first match.

The eclectic mix of African and international artists was executive-produced by Los Angeles-based Control Room whose technical director, Jim Baggott, and Gearhouse's project manager Bill Lawford oversaw all technical disciplines offered by the Gearhouse Group.

Gearhouse Audio supplied all audio equipment along with Britannia Row with whom Gearhouse has a long-standing relationship. These elements included racks-and-stacks for the main stage and B stage, with Britannia Row supplying front-of-house and monitor consoles, all the RF equipment - mics and IEMs - plus a crew of

Sweden - The wedding between H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel on June 19 in Storkyrkan in Stockholm used LumenRadio's CRMX wireless lighting controls to make the fairytale wedding come true. The marriage between the couple was an historic unique event in the Swedish monarchy, with 1200 guests attending the wedding in the church and tens of thousands of people waiting outside the church to congratulate the royal couple.

Originally built in the 13th century and rebuilt in the 16th century, Storkyrkan has been the scene of countless royal coronations, weddings, baptisms and funerals. The lighting in Storkyrkan was upgraded for the televised wedding by Hofmann Teknik and Ljusdesign Sverige. Due to the location and the historic, fragile interior, Ljusdesign and Peder Lindbom decided to avoid cables and go wireless with CRMX Nova.

"Choosing LumenRadio's CRMX Nov

USA - Two acts broke big this year, each after having spent time building a solid base and both chose Bandit Lites to serve as their lighting vendor.

Skillet, a 13-year-old act from Memphis Tennessee has long been very successful. In 2008, the hit single Comatose won the Dove Award for Rock Song of the Year. Skillet has built on their loyal fan base and is now a major headline attraction drawing fans in both the Christian and secular markets. The twice Grammy nominated act is currently touring on their latest album, Awake.

Tour manager/ lighting designer Scottyrock and lighting director Cale Wetstein work with Bandit's Brent Barrett. The system incorporates MAC 2000 Profiles and HES Studio Beams, controlled by a Jands Vista S 3.

NeedToBreathe, managed by industry veteran Kip Krones, has skyrocketed to prominence in 2010. This year, the band has won three Dove A

USA - Verona, Wisconsin-based Intellasound Productions provided the sound system for the multi-headliner tour featuring Drowning Pool, Five Finger Death Punch, Hellyeah, Lacuna Coil, and Seether show at the 6,000-capacity La Crosse Centre in La Crosse last month.

Intellasound deployed its Electro-Voice XLC sound system for the event, bringing in (32) XLC127-DVX mains and (24) Xsubs, all powered and processed via (30) Tour Grade TG-7 amplifiers equipped with RCM26 IRIS-Net control / DSP modules.

This high-SPL proving ground was also an opportunity for Electro-Voice to test some new technology: George Georgallis (senior applications specialist) and Matt Donarski (EV engineering) were in attendance to run some real-world engineering tests for the new TEMP (Thermal Energy Management and Protection) limiter about to be released for the RCM26 DSP card for the TG amp series.

"

UK - Operations expert Trevor Payton has joined specialist AV rental and distribution company PSCo, to head up the company's operations, logistics and warehouses.

Payton facilitated the company's move to a new HQ and will be taking on leadership of all three of the company's depots. In addition he is implementing new operational processes, training and development plans for the whole operations team.

Prior to PSCo, Payton's experience spanned both operations and financial management, including most recently five years as the financial controller for French ski company Favre Sports Group based in the French Alps.

PSCo's managing director Stuart Holmes comments, "Trevor is a great addition to the PSCo. His skills lie in both processes and planning, as well as a focus on ensuring PSCo continues to deliver and improve its services as we grow. He will be working with each of

USA - Nashville-based Endless Analog, the developers and manufacturers of the CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) system, has announced the appointment of Vintage King Audio as its exclusive US retailer for its CLASP system.

"The appointment of Vintage King Audio is part of a comprehensive business plan that positions the next stage of growth for Endless Analog," stated president Chris Estes. "Vintage King is the acknowledged leader in boutique and classic audio products, which makes them a perfect fit to carry CLASP. Their staff is exceptionally well-trained and uniquely qualified to offer Endless Analog's product line, and their contacts and reputation in the industry are second to none. We look forward to working with Vintage King to spread the word about CLASP and analogue/digital hybrid recording."

"Vintage King is reaffirming its place as

UK - DB Systems, the global AV and IT rental company, has won the Equipment Supplier of the Year accolade at the prestigious AEO Excellence Awards 2010.

The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) is the trade body representing the companies that conceive of, as well as create, develop and manage trade exhibitions and consumer events.

The judges praised DB for 'its fantastic product innovation and enviable efforts in bringing exciting new products to market.'

David Bulley, managing director of DB Systems, said: "I'm thoroughly delighted to have won the Equipment Supplier of the Year award. The event and exhibition industry is experiencing some difficult trading times, but DB has always been able to invest in new equipment and technologies.

"Since January we've invested £250,000 in things like seamless LCD panels, 3D Pyramoid units, which are a form of 3D holo

UK - The Forestry Commission's 2010 Live Music Tour kicked off earlier this month with power, lighting and audio specialists Pearce Hire making a concerted effort to reduce its carbon footprint.

The tour consists of 22 shows running for six consecutive weekends in June & July, bringing live music to seven forest locations for an evening of entertainment for all the family. This year's broad spectrum of acts includes Keane, Simply Red, Blondie, JLS and The Saturdays.

Pearce Hire works across the whole tour, coordinating two teams and sets of equipment to provide all the site power and both site & stage lighting. This year has seen a significant change in the lighting design for the stage with the company utilising i-Pix BB4 LED Washlights instead of the PARcans previously used, halving the power consumption of the lighting rig from previous years. The rig also includes MAC 700

USA - When the Oklahoma City Thunder made the 2010 NBA playoffs, drawing Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers as their first round opponent, they knew they would need to maximize their game. That thought was applied to every aspect of the team's operation, on the court and off - including the audio mix.

"The Thunder organization contacted me and they were concerned that Ford Center's sound system wasn't adequate to handle the playoffs," says Jerry Hooper, owner of Hooper Sound Production Services in Norman, Oklahoma. "The Thunder fans are among the loudest in the NBA, and a playoff scenario against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers was sure to test the limits of the current system.

"They asked what should be done to give them the best results, and we determined that the analogue FOH console was the weakest link in their situation." Hooper con

USA - StockerYale, Inc., the designer and manufacturer of LED systems and diode-based laser modules for OEMs, has announced its change of name to ProPhotonix Limited, with immediate effect. The name change is "to reflect the company's track record for innovations in optics technology for both LED systems and diode-based lasers".

"Following last year's sale of the company's North American operations combined with our increased focus on leveraging our LED technology into new, much larger markets not previously addressed by the company, we believe adopting a new name and brand identity is a logical next step in our growth strategy," said Mark W. Blodgett, chairman and CEO of ProPhotonix.

"The new name gives customers, suppliers, and investors a clearer definition of what we do and the direction we intend to pursue. While the StockerYale brand is well know

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