The Netherlands - Audio-Technica has announced that its Netherlands-based distributor, Iemke Roos Audio, will rebrand to Audio-Technica Benelux from 6 February 2018. While the name changes, all customers will continue to receive the same exceptional levels of service with an unchanged Iemke Roos team headed up by long-serving managing director, Gineke van Urk, says the company. One of the longest established professional audio importers in the Netherlands, Iemke Roos has worked with broadcasters, musicians and audio-visual and hi-fi specialist retailers since 1969. The company has been an affiliate of Audio-Technica Group since July 2014 and the naming transition to Audio-Technica Benelux will further increase the Japanese company’s presence in Europe, adding to its offices in France, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Dubai and UK. Robert Morgan-Males, marketing director, Aud
The Netherlands - Biamp Systems has announced that effective 19 February, Jands will be the company’s distributor in Australia and New Zealand, distributing the Tesira, Devio, Audia, Nexia and Vocia product lines. Midwich, Biamp’s current distributor in the region, will remain so through 18 April. “We’re excited for the opportunities this new partnership brings,” said Jim Seretis, consultant liaison and business development manager for Australia and New Zealand at Biamp Systems. “Not only will this benefit our current customers, but it will enable Biamp to add to the AV growth throughout the region.” “We are immensely proud to have been chosen to represent Biamp in Australia and New Zealand,” said Paul Mulholland, managing director for Jands. “Having competed against Biamp for many years I am all too familiar with the company’s superior AV perform
The Netherlands - Effective 1 June, 2018, Shure will open its own office in Switzerland and take over direct distribution of its products throughout the country with the newly founded Shure Distribution Switzerland GmbH. The company has also announced that, from June this year, it will cease distribution of QSC products in Germany and the UK The launch of a local team, responsible for all product distribution and customer technical support in the Swiss market, is designed to bring the Shure brand closer to its customers and give them regionally based Shure contacts. Long-standing Swiss distributor, Dr. W.A. Günther AG, will continue to offer customers the benefits of its considerable experience and expertise in microphone and wireless communication technology. "We would like to thank our long-standing distribution partner, Dr. W.A. Günther AG, for all its hard work
USA - Located on the banks of the Black Warrior River, the Tuscaloosa River Market is an open-air farmers’ market and multi-use public facility which hosts weddings, rehearsal dinners, civic gatherings and more. Originally opened in 2012, the market has continued to grow in popularity with multiple events typically scheduled each week throughout the year Now needing a more high-powered digital display to better inform visitors of the upcoming events, the Tuscaloosa River Market called upon the design team at The ESB Group who created a bright and colourful digital display using FLEXLite NXG LED video from PixelFLEX. “The market has been open for approximately five years now, and they had been relying a projector and screen system that was really only effective during the twilight hours,” began Patrick Sobers, The ESB Group design engineer. “As a multi-use publi
USA - The celebrated home of the champion Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks now features a 190,000 sq.ft addition with power distribution and trussing installed by Upstaging. Opened to the public last fall, the new atrium features the stadium’s box office as well as an expansive team store, dining options, business offices, and the eternally popular Michael Jordan statue, now indoors and artfully lit. Six-circuit power for the addition’s creative lighting includes nearly 3,000ft of white ProMolded 12/14 multicable assemblies. “For this job, the ProMolded overmold assemblies were perfect for several reasons,” says Upstaging’s Steve Wojda. “First, everything had to be white and ProMolded 12/14 cable assemblies are available in a variety of custom colours. Second, in order to pass municipal codes, the 19-pin connectors must be tamper-proof and the entire assemblies must
UK - HD Pro Audio is holding a technology showcase at Daytime TPi for visitors to experience the integration of the Avid VENUE|S6L console with Waves plug-ins. The VENUE 5.7 software update and WSG-HD Option Card for the Avid VENUE|S6L delivers the most comprehensive integration of Waves SoundGrid plug-ins found in any audio console. From show file compatibility, mapped encoders, multi-touch control, and automatic delay compensation, to auto-failover redundancy and safety features, the Avid and Waves teams didn’t stop working until all of the requirements were achieved. These features are released as part of the VENUE 5.7 software for VENUE|S6L, to greatly expand the creative toolset for all live sound engineers. The presentation and demonstrations will take place on 26 February 2018 at Daytime TPi, an event held at the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel & Spa for atte
Australia - J&C Joel has announced the appointment of Yeo Creative Solutions as its new dealer in Australia. J&C Joel have been exporting show textiles and event flooring to Australia since 1990 and this, says the manufacturer, is an exciting development for the business as it strengthens the company’s presence in the region and helps better support the market. Yeo Creative Solutions specialises in events and entertainment production with the business comprising YeoProjects, YeoSupplies and YeoDesign. They have more than 20 years’ experience in the industry creating photorealistic visualisations, design drawings and turning them into reality managing every step of the process, from commissioning, through to construction and installation. Yeo Creative Solutions will hold stock of J&C Joel’s primary range of event and production flame retardant fa
South Africa - DWR Distribution has announced a training course presented by Joshua Cutts and Christopher Bolton of Collective Works. Production Design - The Responsibility of a modern-day designer will be held from 20-22 February from 9am to 5pm. The three-day course will cover topics such as an Introduction to Design, Hands-on Design Workshop, Console and Layout Planning, Programming for Music, Colour Theory, Networking and Protocols, Media Servers and Show Integration, Pixel Mapping and Timecode Programming. As leaders in their field, Josh and Chris will also share programming tips and tricks. Hosted at DWR Distribution in Laserpark, Honeydew, the cost is R2 880.00 per delegate and includes light refreshments and lunch.Bookings can be made on line. (Jim Evans)
Italy/USA - Marani Pro Audio's recently-launched US office has partnered with Peavey Electronics Corporation to market and distribute Marani USA’s line of digital audio processing products. The complete range of Marani Pro Audio loudspeaker management and audio processors will be available through Peavey Commercial Audio sales representatives and distributors worldwide. A selection of Marani products will also be featured on the Peavey Commercial Audio stand 7-M210 at ISE 2018. “This is a very strong match for us,” explained Michele Marani, founder and managing director of Marani USA and Marani Proaudio. “Peavey has long enjoyed a reputation for pioneering excellence in sound reinforcement and pro audio products. Marani USA will augment Peavey’s considerable portfolio of brands with our unique high-performance digital audio processing products.” “
Spain - Madrid-based AV distributor Video Cine Import S.A. (VCI) has been announced as Avolites' new distributor for Spain. VCI was founded in 1999 and was originally dedicated to the film and TV markets before expanding into TV studio lighting installation in 2011 and the events sector. The company is now a major provider of lighting consoles and media servers, with offices in Madrid and Barcelona, and a subsidiary in Portugal. "We're thrilled to be able to offer all products from a respected brand such as Avolites for the Spanish market," says Pilu Baselga, marketing assistant at VCI. "We feel that it is hugely beneficial for us as a company to carry Avolites' full range of lighting controllers, from the Titan One to the Arena console, and from dimmers to their Ai line of industry-leading media servers, to cover all market needs. We're sure they will perfectly comp
Germany/Russia - GLP has recently established an operation in Russia - GLP Russia. At the helm of the new offices will be Mikhail Kuznetsov, Anton Anufriev and Elena Zhulidova, who were responsible for GLP at Russian distributor A&T Trade since 2008. From 2010 the trio was employed at another lighting manufacturer, which shut its Moscow subsidiary in 2016, forcing the team to consider building a new distribution company - and they recently reunited with GLP. Kuznetsov explains: “The opportunity to partner again with GLP was too good to miss. We are an ambitious team, and working alongside GLP will enable us increase market share right across the field of professional lighting.” GLP MD Udo Künzler adds: “This experienced team has much to offer. They have a professional structure, with an established system of sales channels in different market segments
Farewell Yellow Brick Road - Sir Elton John has declared he wants to "go out with a bang" as he revealed plans for a final world tour. The 70-year-old British musician - who has been touring for nearly 50 years - said he will no longer perform live following his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which is due to start in September. Announcing his retirement plans, the singer said his "priorities have changed" as he and husband David Furnish care for their two sons Sir Elton said the mammoth 300-date tour was a chance "to say thank you to all my fans around the world and then to say goodbye." He added, "I have had a good run and I want to go out with a bang." Grammy Awards - Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar stole the show, and most of the awards, at the 2018 Grammys. Mars provided the night's big upset, taking the album of the year trophy that most critics assu
Europe - German fibre network giants Optocore reported substantial investments by consolidated resellers in further Optocore devices from all over the world. Leading the way were global rental giants CLAIR Global, who have substantially increased their Optocore inventory as they gear up for a major, as yet unannounced 2018 tour. Having used Optocore DD series solutions for some time, mainly with their vast inventory of DiGiCo SD series mixing consoles, the Lititz-based company has added a further six DD32R-FX network converters and pair of DD2FR-FX AES/EBU. CLAIR Global console dept manager, Jonathan Shober, stated that previously the company had enjoyed a brief experience with an LX4 system prior to utilising Optocore with a DiGiCo D5. “Our clients continually ask us to push the envelope,” he said. “With regard to the new tour, it was suggested that an au
Poland - A new automatic rental platform for the video, audio, lighting and rigging sectors has just been launched. This fully integrated system has just been established by ARAM, a member of PRG Alliance. Using the platform, companies who provide event production services can select the equipment they want to rent with a single click and send a request that will be automatically decoded by the A-RENTAL warehouse system. Then, after checking if the items are available and awarding the discount, the ARAM employee responsible for the rental process can quickly and easily send the relevant quote. Apart from making the quoting process faster, this solution is designed to show the event industry the tremendous amount of equipment ARAM has at its disposal. “Many of our customers are unaware of the number of items we have in stock, and they frequently happen to nee
USA - The inaugural AES@NAMM Pro Sound Symposium: Live & Studio opened on Wednesday, 24 January, to offer a full slate of unique educational programming and training sessions covering a varied array of live sound- and studio production topics. The event, produced by the Audio Engineering Society in partnership with NAMM, runs through 28 January, concurrent with the 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. The AES has gathered its leading industry experts to train attendees on practical applications of audio science and technology. Attendees also have the opportunity to explore the Main Stage area events and training room listening environments revealing some of the latest pro audio gear and technologies, while networking with industry peers and pros alike. "On behalf of all our members, we are grateful to the AES leadership team who has created the energy and excitement of A
Germany - Multi Media Marketing & Event GmbH of Münster has expanded its inventory of Elation Professional lighting through the purchase of 16 IP65-rated Proteus Hybrid spot/beam/wash lights and 12 Paladin strobe/blinder/wash lights, both weatherproof hybrid models. Multi Media is an event company that has been active in the fields of lighting, sound, video, LED and stage technology for more than 20 years. For more than five years, the company has relied on products from Elation Professional. "In the lighting sector, we only invest in IP65 fixtures,” explains Multi Media managing director Georg Reuber. “Of course, the price/performance ratio plays a major role as well. In this respect, too, we feel comfortable with the Elation products.” The award-winning Proteus Hybrid is an IP65-certified 3-in-1 lighting fixture designed as a beam. "For us the Proteus Hy
UK - S+H Technical, specialists for LED visual effects, drapes and starcloths, supplied an array of high profile television shows including Strictly Come Dancing, Children in Need and the final of X Factor UK 2017. S+H’s Terry Murtha comments: “It was great to be working again with many of our regular clients like Strictly and Children In Need, and also with some exciting new ones – it was the first time we have supplied anything to X-Factor, so we were delighted to be offered the opportunity”. S+H again supplied starcloth for the main hub of the BBC’s 2017 Children in Need live telethon at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. The broadcast was directed by John L Spencer and was the culmination of an action-packed year of fundraising activities. Production designer Alex Craig utilised 350sq.m of S+H animati
Australia - Audio Brands Australia has been named exclusive distributor for Meyer Sound in Australia, with the appointment also extending to New Zealand through a partnership with Pacific AV. Effective immediately, Audio Brands Australia will be responsible for sales, technical support and service of Meyer Sound products across all markets, including touring and AV rental, performing arts venues, houses of worship, hospitality, cinema and studio. “In Audio Brands Australia we have found an ideal partnership for strengthening and extending the Meyer Sound presence ‘down under’,” says Antonio Zacarias, Meyer Sound vice president of global customer engagement. “Audio Brands Australia has a solid, strategic approach in the product lines they represent, as well as a proven track record of responsive service and support. The company principals have a close collabor
Germany - For the first time at Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound, A3E (Advanced Audio + Application Exchange) is organising a professional-development programme within the framework of the trade-fairs. The Future of Audio + Music Technology conference will be held in Room ‘Entende’ on Level 4c of Hall 4 on Friday, 13 April 2018 and cover a range of topics relevant to the global music industry. A3E is a leading industry resource dedicated to the future of advanced audio applications and new music technologies. The conference will be conducted in English and admission is free of charge for all Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound visitors. The key topics to be covered by the conference include: The global musician – next generation cloud DAWs for worldwide collaboration; Wearable technology for musicians; Designing products for the wireless musician; Virtual &
Germany - Chauvet has established Chauvet Germany GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary to serve the German market. Based in Bremen, the new subsidiary will distribute and service Chauvet Professional, Chauvet DJ and Iluminarc products. The opening of the new facility represents the company’s first direct presence in the German market. Thomas Fischer, formerly owner and managing director of Fischer GmbH, has been named managing director of Chauvet’s German operation, which will focus on lighting. He is joined by Henning Oeker, a well-known lighting industry expert, who will serve as regional sales manager. “We’re extremely pleased to have Thomas and Henning on-board with us in Germany,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “Thomas and Henning have put together a team of experienced lighting professionals who are well positioned to provide sales and service supp
Keeping Music Live - The music industry is hailing a major victory after ministers vowed to change planning rules in England to protect venues from complaints about noise. Stars including Sir Paul McCartney warned venues forced to pay for soundproofing neighbouring properties could be driven out of business. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said the rule, which applies to new housing schemes, was an "unfair burden". And he said the government would "right this wrong". Developers will now have to address noise issues if they opt to build homes near a long-established venue. Industry bodies have said that under current laws, venues are facing "an avalanche of cases" in which residents of new developments were complaining about noise pollution after moving in. The Music Venue Trust said some venues, as well as other community and cultural organisations, were at risk of c
UK - Owing to popular demand, Martin Audio has extended its series of monthly educational webinars to include additional products, software platforms and guest presenters on application deployment. The live sessions, which started in October 2017 and were initially conducted by members of the product support group, are available free-of-charge and also provide the opportunity for an interactive Q&A. Martin Audio's director of marketing, James King, commented, “We’ve been delighted with the take-up so far, with over 100 people participating in each of the modules around the world. Such has been the success that we’ve extended the modules to cover more products and software, and I’m delighted to announce we are also introducing guest speakers.” The first of these will be eminent FOH engineer, Simon Honywill. “Simon has been a long term advocate of
USA/Italy - Marani USA has partnered with US-based Peavey Electronic Corporation to market and distribute Marani USA’s line of digital audio processing products. The complete range of Marani Proaudio loudspeaker management and audio processors will be available through Peavey Commercial Audio sales representatives and distributors worldwide. “This is a very strong match for us,” explained Michele Marani, founder and managing director of Marani USA and Marani Proaudio. “Peavey has long enjoyed a reputation for pioneering excellence in sound reinforcement and pro audio products. Marani USA will augment Peavey’s considerable portfolio of brands with our unique high-performance digital audio processing products.” With expanding requirements in today’s sound reinforcement market for more efficient and higher-performing digital audio processors, Peavey Electro
USA - 4Wall Entertainment has added Chauvet’s Maverick MK Pyxis to the company’s rental inventory. Featuring a ring of nine 15-watt RGBW LEDs with a zoom range of 7° to 45°, a high output 60-watt RGBW LED centre pixel and continuous 360° pan/tilt movement, the Maverick MK Pyxis is capable of creating “an endless variety of looks”. This versatility, along with the fixture’s bright output and reliable performance, played a key role in 4Wall Entertainment’s purchase decision. “We supply gear to numerous market segments, and we see the Maverick MK Pyxis being a very valuable fixture for many applications,” said Wes Bailey, VP of M&A and product strategy at 4Wall Entertainment. “The endless eye candy looks you get with the Pyxis played a big role in our decision.” In addition to the Maverick MK Pyxis, 4Wall Entertainment added the Maveric
