France - Naostage, an engineering-led startup, has launched an automatic beaconless 3D tracking solution, making it easy for AVL rental-staging and fixed-install professionals to create immersive, interactive live experiences.
Designed and engineered at the company’s headquarters in Nantes, Naostage’s tracking solution seamlessly identifies and follows artists, performers and visitors wherever they are in a defined tracking area - allowing for the automation of an array of lighting, audio, video and media effects in real time.
“From outdoor festivals to touring shows, visitor attractions, immersive experiences and more, Naostage’s 100% automated solution streamlines and simplifies tracking workflow wherever it is deployed,” explains Paul Cales, Naostage founder and CEO, “helping artists, show designers and technical teams to improve productivity and reduce

USA - Neutrik has announced the launch of its new Halo product range, to be debuted on the company’s booth at the NAMM Show in the Anaheim next week.
Neutrik Halo products integrate a new patented light ring along with an asymmetrical, non-metallic push tab into the design of the company’s popular A series chassis connectors.
Halo product variants include the NC3FAH2-LR-DAE and NC5FAH-LR-DAE female XLR connectors, the NC3MAH-LR and NC5MAH-LR male XLR connectors, and the NE8FAH-LR-DAE etherCON connector. By placing one or two SMD LEDs on circuit boards, the connectors can be lit up for useful and attractive visual feedback such as input detection, transmission status, connection status, phantom power, operating mode indication, and other useful information.
The Neutrik Halo light ring delivers a forward-looking alternative to light pipes. With their standard

USA - Austrian Audio has announced the NAMM launch of the OC16, a large-diaphragm condenser microphone, designed to offer premium features at an affordable price. Just like the OC18 and the OC818 models, the new OC16 boasts a transparent and natural sound thanks to a combination of the hand-made in Vienna CKR capsule and Austrian Audio’s "Open Acoustics Technology" approach.
The OC16 is a robust microphone equipped with a patented CKR6 ceramic capsule. The design is inspired by the CK12 capsule which was made of brass. Austrian Audio opted for industrial ceramics instead as it is a highly insulating material that has the same mass and acoustic properties as brass, but is far less error-prone in production and can be manufactured much more consistently. Each capsule is made by hand in Vienna, tested and measured in-house before it leaves the factory.
Austrian Audio’

UK - At this year’s PLASA Focus Leeds, TechLED presented new products from Abstract Lighting, aimed at installers or rental companies who require affordable LED lighting solutions.
The showcase included Abstract’s IP20-rated, RBGW LED lighting system Candi Blox. Manufactured in the UK, the 200mm x 192mm unit features a five-by-five array of multi-chip LEDs configured as a central array of 25 LEDs, with an edge halo effect surround achieved through 20 additional LEDs. Lens options include 10°,15° and 40°, as well as an opal diffused option. The fixture can also be truss- or surface-mounted. Candi Blox is connected via four-pin XLR and operated via Duplicator 4, Duplicator 6, or even a proprietary smartphone or desktop app. The Blox draw just 5V for a 15W output.
Abstract’s Candi Bar packages up to six Candi Blox together as a standalone fixture taking the six-w

USA - 64 Audio has announced the launch of its new hi-res headphone extension cable. Now shipping, the cable will be featured during the 2022 NAMM Show in Anaheim next month.
“Designed as an ultra-efficient solution to the cable length problem, our new extension cable is made to effectively extend the IEM signal by an additional 10 feet without any audio degradation,” says Vitaliy Belonozhko, 64 Audio founder and chief sound designer. “It is built to match the quality and low-resistance nature of all 64 Audio cables for complete sonic transparency.”
The extension cable is suitable for use with personal monitor mixers, rather than using low-quality extension cables that severely degrade the quality of sound compared to a direct connection. It can also be used in a live audio setting as well as by studio professionals, gamers, and audiophiles.

UK - Evo by Audient has announced the launch of the latest product in its range, Evo 16. A 24 in/24 out audio interface, the release features eight Evo preamps, advanced converter technology as well as the Smartgain feature which can be used on all eight channels simultaneously, and continues to ‘make recording easy’.
“Building on the success of Evo 4 and Evo 8, we wanted to super-size the Evo concept,” says marketing director, Andy Allen, describing the new audio interface which is designed to fit either on the desktop or in a rack. “Evo 16 offers the intuitive user experience, professional sound and technical quality you’d expect from parent company Audient, with plenty more I/O than its smaller counterparts. And yet it still fits firmly into the ‘affordable’ audio interface category.”
Evo 16 features a high resolution, full colour screen built int

USA - RCF will exhibit many new products at NAMM 2022 at the Anaheim Convention Centre in southern California.
Arturo Vicari, CEO of RCF states: “After so much time with limited personal contact and conversation, we are delighted to collaborate in the reopening of the industry with our presence at NAMM.”
Products on display will range from the new XPS 16K power amplifier with DSP to the versatile ART 9 AX Series, TRK PRO audio interfaces, new TT and NXL speakers, subwoofers, new products for installed sound and more. Live demos will take place in Demo Room 201 D.
Tarik Solangi, VP of RCF USA says: “It’s been a rough time for all in our industry, and we’re grateful to be here and to have the opportunity to meet with friends and customers. We have many new products and some disruptive technologies to show and we look forward to receiving feedback. We’re

USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) will be showcasing its AC6 2-Way Full Range ADAPTive column loudspeaker at the 2022 InfoComm Show in Las Vegas. The latest addition to the brand’s ADAPTive line, the AC6 has a bandwidth of 65Hz-20KHz and max SPL of 143dB.
Although slightly smaller than its predecessors, the AC6 includes just as many features. Managed via EAW’s Resolution 2 software, the AC6 can compensate for coverage and directivity with its Adaptive Performance technology. By integrating all factors and aspects of the loudspeaker, the AC6 can produce three-dimensional coverage at any site, making it perfect for even the most acoustically challenged spaces.
“Showcasing the new AC6 at InfoComm is an exciting opportunity for EAW to continue connecting with and supporting the AV market,” says TJ Smith, president of EAW. “The AC6 features the same powerful DSP

UK - Void Acoustics enjoyed a busy ISE trade show and reports a positive response to the new Cyclone 4 – the latest compact, versatile addition to the Cyclone speaker series.
“Our expectations for ISE have most definitely been exceeded,” says Josh Pearce, EMEA sales manager for Void Acoustics. “We had designed an open and welcoming stand for us to re-connect with many of our existing customers – both from Europe and from further afield. And there was a constant stream of global customers and potential new customers coming onto the stand from as far afield as Mongolia, Israel, India, Central America and Africa. As well as the UK and all the main European countries. It was fantastic to be able to greet our global family and to see so many people face-to-face for the first time in a long while.”
The Void team reported constantly high footfall onto the stand

The Netherlands - The firmware for Infinity Chimp DMX consoles has reached version number 2.1. In this release, several new features have been added and some bugs have been fixed.
The latest software for the Infinity Chimp DMX consoles adds a number of new features, like the Virtual Strobe, which lets you create a virtual strobe function for fixtures that only have a dimmer channel and no shutter channel. It adds synchronised strobing as well as random strobe effects. Another new feature is the cue-only record option, which allows you to mark changes in a cue to be used for a certain cue only.
It is now also possible to import Reaper csv files, the MIDI and DMX inputs are freely configurable, new options have been added to the cue commands, and the Magic Sheets have been enhanced with more sheets, renaming, cue renumbering, and much more. A full list of improvements an

USA - Lectrosonics has announced the introduction of the DSR and DSR5P dual-channel and DSR4 quad-channel digital slot receivers. The new receivers are compatible with all the current Lectrosonics mono and stereo digital transmitters and are backward compatible with any of the Digital Hybrid Wireless transmitters made in the past 20 years.
The DSR and DSR5P receivers provide two independent receiver channels and the DSR4 provides four independent receiver channels at the highest level of RF and audio performance available, with versatile feature sets and next-generation capabilities in the Unislot/Superslot form factor for ENG (Electronic News Gathering), field, and location production.
Both receivers are offered in several tuning ranges including A1B1 (470-614 MHz), B1C1 (537-692 MHz), 941 (941-960 MHz for use in North America) and 961 (961-1,015 MHz for use in the UK

UK - Celestion has announced the introduction of the CF1025BMB 10-inch (254mm) diameter ferrite magnet, cast aluminium chassis professional audio driver. Well-suited to both bass and mid-bass applications, the new CF1025BMB excels as a bass unit in compact subwoofer applications, says the manufacturer.
The Celestion CF1025BMB features a 2.5”/64mm multi-layer voice coil providing 300W (AES standard) power handling and 92.5 dB sensitivity with an output frequency range of 45Hz to 5000Hz. The elastomer surround enables a longer Xmax compared to a conventional 10” mid-bass speaker, allowing the CF1025BMB to better reproduce lower frequencies. This makes the driver ‘a natural solution for discreet, compact subwoofer applications’. However, it also performs very smoothly up to 2kHz, making the CF1025BMB an option for two-way designs with the added advantage of exceptional

Italy - Prolights has released the Astra Hybrid420, an all-in-one hybrid moving head that serves as a bright beam fixture, a flat field spotlight or a wide wash projection.
The Astra Hybrid420 comes with a 420W long-life discharge lamp, enabling an immensely bright light output, aided by the Italian-designed optical system that boasts a zoom range from 2.4º to 40º. The internal homogenizer removes any hotspot in spot mode, turning the beam into an even, flat field projection.
The extensive feature set of the Astra Hybrid420 includes a linear CMY colour mixing system and three colour wheels with 15 dichroic filters. The new fixture produces sharp and high-contrast in-air effects, using a set of 18 static gobos plus nine interchangeable rotating gobos.
The Hybrid420 is also packed with an animation wheel, two overlapping prisms and a frost filter, allowing desig

Germany - The GLP stand proved to be one of the main attractions in Hall 12.1 at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt. The generous hospitality area provided ample space for personal discussions with customers, colleagues and friends. GLP reports that the quality of visitors was high, which more than made up for the reduced numbers. The general mood was remarkably relaxed, which seemed fitting for both exhibitors and visitors.
"We were able to spend several productive days in Frankfurt," says GLP managing director Udo Künzler. "We enjoyed many good discussions with customers with plenty of passion and emotion which rekindled the spirit of the growing GLP family."
On the product side, Prolight + Sound 2022 also proved to be a major success for GLP. The impression X5 Compact, which was presented for the first time, proved equally popular as its already launched sibling, the im

Germany - MA Lighting has released the grandMA3 software version 1.7. This release offers MAtricks in presets, reworked preset editor, easier creation of recipes, faster programming of phasers and more intuitive timing and speed.
In addition, there are new features as well as ‘lots of improvements’. XYZ programming, preview functionality and a DMX tester have been implemented. Important menus like Backup and Patch have been reworked for a faster and easier workflow.
Importantly, the grandMA3 software release version 1.7 takes the next step towards a future-proof lighting control system. It reacts to the rising complexity of shows and the increasing requirements in the different market segments.
The software delivers ‘a massive parameter upgrade for most grandMA3 devices’. The parameter upgrade just comes with the software update to grandMA3 v1.7.

USA - Litepanels has announced a further expansion of its Gemini RGBWW LED panel range. Litepanels’ Gemini 2x1 Hard RGBWW LED Panel delivers up to 23,000 lux @10ft/3m of output from a lightweight, compact fixture.
Just like the Gemini 1x1 Hard released a year ago, the double-size Gemini 2x1 Hard produces highly accurate full spectrum white light as well as RGB output and a range of creative cinematic effects. It weighs just 25.3 lbs (11.5kg), including yoke and integrated power supply, and has a maximum power draw of just 500W. Twice the size of its smaller sibling, Gemini 2x1 Hard produces an output that is seven times brighter than the Gemini 1x1 Hard, creating a large volume of punchy light that can be easily softened with a range of diffusers.
“Gemini 2x1 Hard produces a greater volume of light than any other RGBWW LED panel available to gaffers and lighting de

UK - At PLASA Focus Leeds, Prolight Concepts Group unveiled a new distribution partnership with Lucenti. On show from the Belgian lighting manufacturer were the Blackwave pixel bar series and Vinci DMX-addressable festoon lamps.
Blackwave is a IP66-rated series of pixel-mappable bars controllable by Art-Net or sACN. The fixtures have a 120° viewing angle and a black front cover, with clear, frosted, rounded or square covers also available.
The system is configured by using one controller for up to 64 bars arranged in groups of eight (1m bar) or 16 (0.5m bar). The strips are easy to link via the Blackwave combined power and data cables, and benefit from automatic patching, configuration and a bi-directional feedback and monitoring using the www.klstr.tech technology.
The 1m and 0.5m bars are designed to be used in demanding environments like stages, clubs and on

Europe - Ayrton has introduced Cobra, its first phosphor laser source, IP65-rated luminaire, based on the concept of Dreamspot 18K which it first presented at Prolight+Sound 2016.
Several years of development have gone into designing and finalising this luminaire, which offers a next generation speckle-free laser source, designed for rendering a D65 white point that allows perfect colour reproduction.
Cobra pushes all the limits when it comes to beam definition, with native contrast never before achieved by a digital light source, an incredible beam angle of 0.6°, and an extreme range of focus, XT-Focus, which permits the beam shape to be adjusted according to the operating distance.
Cobra is the only luminaire on the market capable of illuminating an object several kilometres away, with an output of 386,000 lux at 20m and an unprecedented 38x zoom ratio and a

Spain - Kramer revealed a number of new products and technologies at ISE in Barcelona.
In the main zone of Kramer’s ISE booth, visitors experienced the company’s full eco-system of AVoIP solutions. This includes the new KDS-7 family of encoders and decoders, which provide low-latency, high-quality 4K60 4.2.0 video presentations and easy scalability to suit any size network AV installation. With fast deployment capabilities, a simple user experience, enterprise IT-grade security, and advanced, intuitive management, KDS-7 is designed for any enterprise, education, military, or government site.
Also on show was Kramer’s latest line of speakers. When paired with KDS-7, these advancements form Kramer’s AVoIP eco-system, enabling ‘instantaneous, secure engagement across organisations worldwide’.
In the booth’s secondary zone, visitors could explore the n

Germany - At this year’s Prolight+Sound, the MAILA modular line array system occupied the entire LD Systems booth.
MAILA is a scalable sound reinforcement system formed by four basic elements: the MAILA SAT satellite module, the MAILA COL column module, the MAILA SPA amplifier module, and the MAILA SUB subwoofer. With these elements, MAILA enables scalable, flexible system configurations for a wide range of sound reinforcement applications.
This extends from precise stereo speech reinforcement without subwoofers, to larger conferences and club gigs, to flown line array systems for professional live sound reinforcement at festivals with variable subwoofer arrangements on the ground.
In addition to the system flexibility, MAILA offers features and technologies that aim to simplify the life of every sound engineer. SmartLink+, for example, enables wireless connect

USA - ADJ has announced the immediate availability of the new Jolt Panel FX and Jolt Bar FX. Both of these flexible fixtures combine intensely bright while strobe LEDs and zone-controlled vibrant colour mixing LEDs. Designed for concert productions, festival stages and rental houses, as well as for permanent installation in large nightclubs and performance venues, these fixtures can be used to generate a wide variety of effects.
The Jolt Bar FX is a professional linear LED lighting fixture featuring a central strip of 112 x 5-Watt cool white SMD LEDs, surrounded on both sides by a total of 672 x 0.3W RGB color mixing SMD LEDs. Both types of LED are grouped into independently controllable zones (16 white and 32 color), which means the unit can also be used to generate strobe chases and colored ‘eye candy’ animated pattern effects.
The Jolt Panel FX is a complementa

Europe - Sixty82 has launched Arena Frame, a new stage concept designed for venues which value the benefits of a quick and easy-to-build stage system.
The straightforward design allows big stages to be built ‘in the blink of an eye’ - a 200m2 stage, for example, can be built in just 90 minutes with a crew of four and a forklift.
The system has a very small storage footprint due to its foldable frames, while it also offers the ability to build the stage and rig at the same time, greatly reducing the time needed to build any stage set.
The Arena Frame system allows every second frame to be omitted, allowing the creation of corridors underneath the stage in both directions without any loss of its load bearing capacity. For standard decking 2x1m elements are used.
The system is equipped with robust swivel castors and an internal lever system which allows

Europe - Prolights has updated its Jet family with two wash moving lights, the Jet Wash 7 and the Jet Wash 19. These are compact and fast LED fixtures, with 20W Osram RGBW sources - the smaller fixture, the Wash7, has 7 emitters while the Wash19 has 19 LED emitters. Their wide zoom range goes from a narrow 4º beam to a wide to 56º wash.
The Jet Wash range has many similarities to the Astra family, with fewer features that make it more affordable whilst keeping reliability and performance to a maximum.
Their advanced colour mixing system has precise and advanced control with outstanding white temperatures and saturated tones. The white CCT pre-sets go from 2,800K - 10,000K, and the internal colour system provides +/- green correction, tungsten emulation and a virtual colour wheel with macros.
Just like the Astra range, there is also a linear crossfade channel

Spain - APG is showcasing a new series of loudspeakers, subwoofers and amplifiers at ISE this week. The manufacturer is also presenting its new visual signature. Inspired by the blue border dear to the brand since its creation in 1978, the new logo will now act as an integrated visual element on all products.
The SPOT2.6 is a passive full-range compact loudspeaker equipped with 2x 6.5'' speakers and a compression driver loaded by a 70° x 50° constant directivity horn. SPOT 2.6 offers perfect directivity control over a wide frequency range (70° x 50°) thanks to the two low-mid d'Appolito mounting transducers coupled with a rotating horn for high frequencies. SPOT2.6 comes with a wide range of optional accessories.
APG is also introducing the DA amplifier series. Developed in partnership with Powersoft, the DA8 and DA12 are four-channel amplifiers with signal proces

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