UK - Allen & Heath has introduced the ICE-16D, an alternative version of the ICE-16 multi-track recorder launched last year. Both units are 16 In/16 Out audio interfaces, allowing performers and audio engineers to easily capture high quality multi-track recordings direct to a USB drive or interface to a computer. Additionally, the ICE-16D has balanced I/O, designed for those customers using the unit in a studio environment or requiring fully balanced inputs and outputs on AES59 standard D Sub connectors.
Fitted into a compact 1U rack design, ICE-16 and ICE-16D are capable of studio quality interfacing, converting and bi-directional streaming of 16 channels over high-speed USB or FireWire at 24 bit, 96kHz resolution. Alternatively, 16 channels can be simultaneously recorded straigh
USA - The bold stage and presentation aesthetics for 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York, took inspiration from the MTV Moon Man Award statue that received a special 30th anniversary makeover this year by New Jersey street-artist KAWS.
Lighting designer Tom Kenny worked the same style - blurring the lines between fine art and pop art - into multiple areas of the onstage lighting treatment, with 80 of Robe's new Pointe multi-purpose moving light fixtures, a vital element of his rig of over 1000 moving heads. These were supplied to the event along with 32 x Robe Robin LEDWash 600s and 20 x LEDWash 1200s by rental specialist, VER.
Robe's powerful, super-bright Pointes were positioned left and right of the stage and behind the VIP stage / seating area.
"I needed a big beam look and a wash light in the same position," explaine
UK / Sweden - BlackBox Recorder manufacturer JoeCo has developed and supplied a quantity of new BlackBox industrial data recorders for Siemens Industrial Turbo Machinery AB in Sweden. Siemens are using the BlackBox Industrial Recorder (BBR-IND) units as part of a test campaign to assist in the measurement of their gas turbines.
The bespoke 24-channel, 3U rack-mountable systems are based on BlackBox Recorder technology. The units feature highly accurate and dc stable input and output circuitry, with additional software and hardware functionality specifically geared towards industrial data recording and measurement applications.
Greger Svanström, senior engineer in measurement technique/product development, who led the team specifying Siemens' requirement, said, "The BBR Industrial has proved a valuable tool for gathering large scale measurement data. The use of a standard
UK - Shure radio microphones and in-ear monitoring systems were used extensively at the recent 2013 Aldeburgh Festival in Suffolk. The festival celebrated local composer Benjamin Britten's Centenary this year with a spectacular production of the opera Peter Grimes set quite literally at the sea side - on a 50m wide set placed at the very edge of the Suffolk shingle, where the North Sea begins.
Richard Nowell Sound Services Ltd (RNSS) designed the audio systems this year at Aldeburgh, and were faced with a number of challenges for the Peter Grimes staging, of which coordinating an orchestra and a festival chorus live on a windy beach were just the start. The chorus and orchestra could see each other, but whether they would be able to hear each other was always going to be at the mercy of the elements to some extent, particularly the wind blowing in off the North Sea
Brazil - Lollapalooza's return to São Paulo, Brazil earlier this year was made all the more successful by Electralight, in partnership with LPL Lighting Productions, and their use of Lightconverse visualization software. By employing an onsite custom 3D visualization studio at the iconic Jockey Club horse track, located in the heart of the city, valuable design and programming time was saved for a host of designers and operators whose top-talent bands took the stages of the three-day event.
With all three main stages virtually replicated in Lightconverse software running on individual workstations, show elements, including lighting, LED, video, moving truss and effects were made available for the particular stylization of each act much to the satisfaction of all concerned.
The main proponent for the onsite studio was designer Nilson Barros (Xuxa), known for his work on The Vo
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ETC Halcyon Silent
High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features.
UK - West London based lighting and visual rental specialist Colour Sound Experiment (CSE) supplied lighting kit, two Kinesys automation systems and Vector control plus crew to the North and South open air stages at the 2013 Creamfields Festival, staged at Daresbury Estate Near Warrington over the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
Colour Sound's team led by crew chief Jon Rickets worked closely with creative and technical production specialists LarMac LIVE on the event, the UK's highest profile EDM festival. This year's line-up included open air stage headliners Avicii and The Prodigy (Saturday) plus David Guetta and Tiesto on the Sunday.
The North and South Stages were similar in size, supplied by Star Events, with the South stage PA / video wings being slightly wider. Colour Sound's production lighting design for both areas was created with reference to all the requirements of th
USA - Thunderbolt Systems of Cincinnati, OH, a firm that specialises in sound reinforcement, lighting, video, radio communications, TV, concert touring, and special events, recently made a substantial investment in their business and to ensure the best audio performance for their clients, they selected loudspeaker systems from Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio.
Mike Stuckey is the president of Thunderbolt Systems. Being actively involved in everything from the daily operation of the business to sales and system design, Stuckey knows that without quality sound, there won't be much business. He also recognizes how critical efficient truck pack, system setup, and tear down are to the success of any event. This is why his firm purchased 24 Aero 50 three-way large-format line array enclosures, 24 LX-218 high performance subwoofer systems, 12 Aero 12A powered, two-way, mid-high line
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Create new traditions – Cameo P6 - High Output Full-Spectrum Ellipsoidal
Cameo's P6 is a future-proof LED profiler with a powerful 600 W RGBACL engine and 16,000 lumens. It’s an energy-efficient replacement for 2.5 kW halogen profile lights in theatres and venues. With excellent light quality and natural colour rendering, it fits perfectly in theatres, musicals, TV studios, congresses, and live events.
With an LED life of 50,000 hours and low power use, the P6 cuts energy costs and supports the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ goals for climate neutrality by 2050. It also meets updated eco-design rules for lighting.
Australia - Simonds Stadium, home of the Geelong Cats, has become the biggest and most successful multi-purpose venue in regional Victoria. The third stage of the Simonds Stadium's redevelopment was recently completed with the addition of a new Southern Grandstand, increasing capacity to over 35,000.
Total Events Co were called in to design, supply and install the PA system for the new grandstand choosing JBL AWC all weather speakers for the Grandstand, JBL Control 25AVspeakers for the walkways and JBL ceiling speakers into the functions spaces.
"We installed 14 vJBL AWC129 speakers and sixteen JBL AWC82 speakers for the seating bowl and under balcony-fills," remarked Bill Busbridge, managing director of Total Events Co. "We chose them as they are robust, high powered and totally suitable for the application. They also fitted in well with the architects aestheti
UK - Props people, lighting designers, and electricians will be interested to discover that RC4Wireless is now offering specially priced RC4Magic Wireless DMX and Dimming Starter Kits for a limited time. Every new kit comes with three secure digital IDs. Since every RC4Magic user has their own IDs, no RC4 user can ever interfere with another RC4 user's show.
RC4Wireless is also offering a low-cost Wireless LED Dimming Kit for Educators. This affordably-priced kit is ready to use right out of the box. It demonstrates smooth wireless dimming, and includes a bright red-green-blue LED, 6V rechargeable battery, and charger. All you need is a DMX controller to start experimenting with beautiful, affordable, safe, cool-running LEDs.
James David Smith, president and chief product designer at RC4 reports: "Every time we demonstrate smooth wireless dimming with red-green-blue LED d
Sweden / Argentina - LumenRadio has announced a new partnership with TSD Group for distribution of the CRMX brand in Argentina. Run by Daniel Lema, the Buenos Aires based TSD Group has since 1994 been one of the leading suppliers for concert touring, theatres, permanent installations as well as television in Argentina. With an already impressive product portfolio including well-known brands such as Robe, SGM, Chamsys, Chromateq, the most important factor in TSD Group's choice for LumenRadio's CRMX wireless technology was the outstanding reliability. Another important factor was the possibility to offer customers an all-in-one package with products from manufacturers with the state-of-the-art technology.
"LumenRadio's commitment to manufacturing inventive, high quality wireless products is a perfect match for our aim to deliver superior products and support. The CRMX product
Belgium - Audioprof is a strongly growing company which continuously invests in reinforcing its organisation and structures to support its customers and enhance innovation in our product portfolio. Due to the strong growth of Apart and the rapidly changing markets, it became necessary to free up time for Tom Gheysens, the company's founder, to focus more on the strategic development and the vision of the company independently of the company's day-to-day management.
Therefore, from 1 September 2013 onwards, Koen Claerbout (current COO) will take over the role of CEO from Tom to further expand and grow the company together with its dynamic and motivated team.
Tom Gheysens will, with all his experience and passion for the audio industry, take up the role of chief strategy officer and focus on strategic challenges, opportunities and partnerships. He will execute these tasks within
Brazil - Brazilian singer Luan Santana had his breakthrough in 2010 with a best-seller album, before continuing to climb the Billboard charts with his second album. Already known for presenting some of the most expansive concerts, there was little doubt that the recordings of his recent show for the Luan Santana DVD would be over the top.
Consequently, lighting designer, Marcos Olivio, was presented with one of the challenges of the year. With the intention of doing a live concert and subsequently an electronic Rave ballad with Santana's band for recording, Arena Maeda in São Paulo was selected as the ideal location. "We believed that an audience of 10,000 people would be a great number for a 'comfortable' party," he says.
Spectrum Design e Iluminação supplies complete technology solutions for large-scale projects such as this, and the company excelled with an unp
UK - Celebrated LD Vince Foster recently employed a battalion of Clay Paky fixtures to honour Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the throne. Foster used the Clay Paky fixtures to deliver a striking, yet flexible lighting design for the Coronation Festival Gala.
Held in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace, the event took place over four days from 11-14 July and was the Palace's first commercial, ticketed public event. Technical production company Hawthorn provided the full production services supplying over 150 Clay Paky fixtures including: Alpha Wash 1200, Alpha Spot HPE 1200, Alpha Profile 1500, Sharpys, Sharpy Washes 330, and Alpha Profile 700s for the main stage, while a further 16 Clay Paky Alpha Wash 700 were used to light the Palace itself.
The Gala featured an array of artists including The National Youth Orchestra, The Feeling, The English National Ballet, Katherine Jenkin
India - The Guru Tegh Bahadur Memorial structure in New Delhi has been brought to life with a stunning light show - featuring fixtures from PR Lighting. The newly programmed show is the result of a design from the attraction's lighting director in conjunction with Modern Stage Service's Varinder Wadhwa.
This architectural marvel, situated on the main highway, gives an insight into the life and teachings of the ninth Guru of the Sikhs and the illumination has been described as "world class".
Modern Stage Service (MSS) - PR Lighting's Indian distributor - was brought in as a result of the company's long association with the show director, and Wadhwa specified 16 XR300 Beam and 12 PR-8802's. Mounted on both the ground and the structure itself, they are triggered into action daily after dark from an Avolites Titan Mobile in conjunction with a Dataton Watchout system.
USA - Sensaphonics reports the completion another Gold Circle seminar for audiologists. The two-day course includes in-depth teaching sessions at Sensaphonics headquarters, plus a hands-on lab session with a live band, held at Mystery Street Recording Company, both in Chicago, all designed to teach audiologists to work effectively with musicians and sound engineers.
Audiologists gaining Gold Circle certification at the seminar, held 16-17 August, 2013, included: Ike Iheagwara of Manhattan Audiology in New York City; Paula Rivers of RK Audiology, Austin TX; and Noel Thayer of Bronxville Hearing Center, Bronxville NY.
The Gold Circle seminar teaches audiologists the specific skills required to serve musicians and those who work around them, including but going far beyond the taking of ear impressions.
"When a musician wants custom earphones, all they want are ear impressi
USA - The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, located in Charleston, South Carolina, recently upgraded their sound reinforcement system with Tannoy VLS passive column loudspeakers.
The church has experienced many upgrades and renovations since the first cornerstone was placed in 1850. Unfortunately, none of the sound reinforcement systems seemed to solve the intelligibility issues caused by the highly reverberant space.
A traditional Catholic cathedral, the sanctuary is a long rectangular room with wooden pews that seat up to 1,200 parishioners. The room features beautiful stained glass, plaster walls, columns separating the main and side seating areas, and a small rear balcony, while the services are of a more traditional format, with a full choir and organ.
Joe Bennett, owner of Spectrum Sound located in nearby Summerville, South Carolina, was tasked with providing a sound
Poland - Tommex Zebrowscy Sp. J. has completed the design and installation of a Community loudspeaker-based audio system for the new multi-use Mielec Stadium, in south east Poland.
Home to the Stal Mielec football team, the new stadium replaces the original which was built in 1953 and hosted numerous high-profile events like the European Champions Cup, UEFA Cup, and Polish national team matches, including FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship qualifiers. Whilst providing a completely modern venue, the new stadium replicates the old venue's seating capacity of 30,000 and its format of an athletics track around the playing field to provide multi-sport facilities.
Two tiered stands flank the length of the stadium, with the main West stand also providing for 100m athletic events. The system designed by Tommex comprises 12 Community R.5HPT three-way, horn-loaded coaxial lou
Greece - Leading Greek nightclub brand, W, has transformed its club in Nafplio with a complete redesign and refurbishment, including a new sound system designed and installed by DN'A Systems.
Nafplio is a small port city, located in the eastern Peloponnese region of Greece. The W club is a major draw in the area for those looking for a summer club experience, with top DJs and organised parties.
The new sound system was designed by Aris Issaris of DN'A Systems, following discussions with club's owners and a full site survey. The owner's specification was for a very high-powered dance floor sound system with excellent sound quality, with additional good quality coverage throughout the venue
For the main PA Issaris used six t&mSystems 2-way, 12-inch Unity 12 loudspeakers, arranged in two clusters of three, with four dual 18-inch Unity218 subs handling 16,000W to produce the mas
Denmark - During those cold winter months, the people from Denmark and wider Scandinavia can escape to the warmer climes of the Western Caribbean at The Reef Hotel & Resort.
The attraction located just meters away from the ferry terminal in Fredrikshavn, Denmark uses the latest audiovisual technology to immerse visitors, thanks to Swedish systems integration company Mediatec Solutions Sweden AB. Mediatec provided all audio, video, lighting and control including Watchout multi-image display and presentation software. Content was designed and created by award-winning hospitality and exhibition designers, Stylt Trampoli AB.
Erik Nissen Johansen, creative director and founder at Stylt Trampoli AB created The Reef concept said,"The Reef is the former Stena Line 'Badehotellet'. We have created a unique adventure for the whole family who are treated to sound, scents, lapping wav
UK - Stage Electrics has completed the supply and installation of the lighting and audio infrastructure and stage engineering within the newly-built Caryl Churchill Theatre at London's Royal Holloway University.
Affiliated to the University of London, Royal Holloway University prides itself on its reputation for having one of the UK's leading drama and theatre departments with an international reputation for the quality of its research in many different aspects of drama, theatre and performance studies.
The innovatively-designed Caryl Churchill Theatre, which is due to open in September 2013, replaces the University's pre-existing 30-year old black box 'Studio Theatre' with a new, flexible, future-proof facility that also incorporates two large rehearsal studios, dressing rooms, a workshop and a new foyer.
Its new auditorium offers an increased seating capacity of 178 seats
USA - "Some of most exciting new technology ever displayed together in one show booth," is how Elation Professional's director of sales Eric Loader summed up the company's upcoming exhibit at this year's WFX Show, held in Dallas, 2-4 October, 2013.
Leading the way is Elation's new Cuepix Series of blinders and strip lights powered by advanced COB (Chip On Board) LED technology. Hailed by the industry as the next step in LED technology, COB LEDs provide greater output from a smaller illumination source, more even light distribution, better color homogenization and better heat dissipation, compared to surface mount (SMD) LEDs, says the company.
Elation will also be introducing its first LED ellipsoidal fixture, a new LED Fresnel fixture, and powerful new 100-watt Cool and Warm White LED broadcast lights. These innovative debuts join the company's wide-ranging line of l