UK - Pro Audio retailer KMR Audio has announced its exclusive dealership of American boutique manufacturer Stager Microphones starting with the SR-2N ribbon microphone.

Handcrafted in Nashville, the Stager Microphones SR-2N is designed to capture a larger than life sound that belies its diminutive size. With its 0.6 microns large ribbon, powered by neodymium motor and a toroidal output transformer, the SR-2N is capable of delivering incredible performance in a surprisingly small housing.

The top end exhibits the typical roll off of ribbon microphones, yet the SR-2N manages to retain transient detail that flatters percussive sounds as well as bright sources, says the company.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Since its launch on 12 July, DiGiCo's Stealth Core 2 software has seen a serious uptake, with over 1500 upgrades purchased in the first few weeks alone.

Stealth Core 2 is a major upgrade to the Stealth Digital Processing for its SD series digital mixers that delivers significantly enhanced processing from the audio core of DiGiCo SD series consoles, taking the range to a new level in terms of both processing channels and functionality.

Available as an upgrade option for existing users and shipping as standard on new consoles, Stealth Core 2 includes an application code upgraded that delivers significantly enhanced facilities, future-proofing SD series consoles and continuing to keep DiGiCo a step ahead.

Customers have already seen the many benefits Stealth Core 2 delivers, including an updated user experience, which includes a brand new graphic interface on consol

Germany - Shure has announced that its ULX-D Digital Wireless System and related accessories in the VHF frequency band are available now, with the QLX-D Digital Wireless System following early next year. These VHF options provide users with 42 MHz of tuning bandwidth in spectrum that is as predictable and as usable as today's UHF TV band.

As the spectrum landscape evolves, Shure continues to serve as an industry advocate and information resource, and aims to provide users with new options that offer the reliability and top-notch sound quality for which Shure wireless systems are known. These VHF band ULX-D and QLX-D systems build on an existing portfolio of Shure wireless products designed to offer alternatives for the increasingly crowded UHF TV Band.

The ULX-D and QLX-D VHF systems and accessories offer the same features and benefits that the UHF systems offer, including

Poland - GMB Pro Sound, one of Poland's largest rental companies, has invested in a total of three dLive mixing systems from Allen & Heath.

The firm's client list includes Poland's major music festivals, concerts and TV shows, such as Open'er festival, Krakow Live festival and the huge World Youth Days worship festival.

GMB's three new dLive systems comprise the flagship S7000 Surfaces and DM64 MixRacks, plus DX32 expansion racks and Dante networking cards. In addition, the company bought a ME personal monitoring system comprising a ME-U hub and 13 ME-1 mini mixers.

Remigiusz Kasztelik, production manager at GMB Pro Sound, says, "We decided to invest in dLive because of its intuitiveness, and compatibility with other solutions as the Dante networking option makes dLive a fully universal device. The systems will be put to work at many of the music and TV events that we

UK - Event specialist Adlib, has upgraded its stock of Midas mixing systems to the brand's flagship, powerhouse PRO X console. Two MIDAS XL8 desks have made way for two brand new PRO X systems, which provide 168 input channels, 99 buses and a 96 kHz sample rate.

Adlib, with headquarters in Liverpool, has just recently completed a major £1m expansion of their UK operations with the opening of a Scottish warehouse and office space on the outskirts of Glasgow.

Hires manager Dave Jones comments, "We upgraded our inventory so that we can continue to deliver the best mixing experience for our customers UK-wide. We've had work with major touring acts who would mix only on Midas consoles, such as Foals, who required an A and B monitor rig. Both the new PRO X desks have had a good introductory run with them along with four of our Midas PRO2 consoles."

As well as high inpu

UK - Elliot Patterson has carried out several sound system installations at Galvin Brothers' high-class restaurants over the years using JBL solutions - but the first with his new company, Evolve Install, will have been among the most challenging.

Set in the Spitalfields development area of East London, Galvin La Chapelle occupies the landmark Grade II-listed, late Victorian St. Botolph Hall - a former chapel and school.

While much of the grandeur of the building has been preserved in the fine dining restaurant at the rear, a major upgrade of the former Café a Vin (converting it into Galvin HOP) created fresh challenges for the sound team. This area combines a lounge with 'Pub-de-luxe', outdoor summer dining venue and a 'food to go' section specialising in hot dogs.

After six years of trading here Chris and Jeff Galvin had decided a potent sound system would giv

UAE - One of the most anticipated shows to grace the Middle East this year, Les Misérables lived up to the hype and enthralled audiences through its three-week-long run at the equally impressive Dubai Opera. While no detail was spared by the costume, lighting and effects departments, as a musical extravaganza, it was the audio that held the spotlight with a host of Sennheiser systems ensuring the success of the show.

Commenting on the production's decision to tour with an extensive kit of Sennheiser microphones, headsets, transmitters, and antennas instead of using the incumbent audio solution at Dubai Opera, Shelly Lee, associate sound designer for Les Miserables said, "Musicals of this calibre would tour with the majority of the equipment required for the show. This includes the Sennheiser radio mics which have for many years been an industry standard in

UK - Newark-on-Trent is a thriving market town in the heart of the East Midlands with a strong cultural heritage. Part of that heritage is the 600-seat Palace Theatre built in the 1920s as a picture house but now laid out as a traditional proscenium arch theatre with front stall, rear stall, circle and boxes.

The venue recently invested in a significant EM Acoustics HALO-C system to bring the venue's audio specifications into line with the demands of modern productions.

"We were well overdue for an upgrade," admitted the Palace's technical manager, Mark Noutch. "By modern standards our old system was seriously underpowered and we continually failed to deliver quality sound with any energy to the furthest parts of the theatre. My goal was therefore to design a system that would deliver sufficient power to cover every seat in the house with the same clarity and energy.

"

Singapore - A special Nexo ETC1 seminar has been hosted by Yamaha Music (Asia) Ptd Ltd in Singapore, part of an educational collaboration between Yamaha and the Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Yamaha's programme is aimed at enhancing technical expertise in the audio industry, and organised the two-day seminar to help address understanding of key concepts in the design and implementation of professional systems.

Nexo's engineering support manager Nicolas Poitrenaud flew in from France to supervise the seminar, bringing the successful ETC training itinerary that covers a range of topics, including sound reinforcement principles, system design and digital audio networking.

With a large number of attendees, ranging from students from four different Singapore educational institutions, to experienced industry practitioners, the Yamaha/Nexo tutorial team focussed on real-life applicati

The Netherlands - Opened in first quarter 2016, the Vue cinema in the Dutch city of Alkmaar has been voted the best new-built cinema in Europe by the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA). The quality of its three Alcons Audio-based Dolby Atmos systems has played an important role in the accolade.

Taken over by Vue Nederland in August 2015, the Dutch JT Bioscopen cinema chain was one of the first global adopters of Dolby Atmos immersive surround sound and already had several existing Alcons-equipped cinemas. Vue Nederland worked with cinema services specialists CinemaNext on the new installation, who have worked on projects with Alcons since the introduction of the company's C-series cinema systems. CinemaNext's first Atmos installation using Alcons products was completed in early 2013.

"Alcons products are very well suited to Atmos installations," says Cinema

Estonia - One of Tallinn's most progressive performing arts centres, Kanuti Gildi SAAL, recently installed a new sound reinforcement infrastructure, with Powersoft's X series amplification at its core.

Situated in the Estonian capital's historic Old Town, the 150-seat theatre is the first privately-run venue in the country devoted to the genre of contemporary performing arts.

However, according to Priit Kivim

Luxembourg - A popular addition to the rider of live classical concerts in 2016, Yamaha's flagship RIVAGE PM10 digital mixing console has recently seen its first permanent European installation at a classical concert venue, in Luxembourg.

Opened 11 years ago in Luxembourg City, Philharmonie Luxembourg is a thoroughly modern concert complex. Home to the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, on average it is visited by around 180,000 people every year.

The 1328-capacity Grand Auditorium combines the acoustics of classic 'shoe-box' concert halls with the atmosphere of a Shakespearean theatre. The auditorium features raked stalls and four 'towers' on each side, with a stage area that can be adjusted between 256 and 305m². The smaller Salle de Musique de Chambre features curved walls and can host 313 people, while the venue's four foyers can also be used for performances. Th

Diplomatic Spat - South Korean pop stars appear to have become pawns in an escalating diplomatic spat between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of an American missile defence system.

Entertainers from the colourful Korean music scene, K-pop, have been mysteriously barred from entering China to perform, Korean TV shows and films have been blocked, and actors replaced by Chinese stars in advertising campaigns, say local press reports.

Wembley Bound - Adele has added two further dates at Wembley Stadium next year, after the initial concerts sold out. Dubbed The Finale, the four shows will see her play to more than 300,000 fans as she wraps up her world tour. The new shows will be on 28 June and 2 July, 2017, with tickets on sale from 7 December to members of her fan club.

Take That hold the record for playing the most dates at Wembley, having staged eight night

USA - EAW has announced the availability of the Radius RSX12M stage monitor. The RSX12M adds to the Radius line of loudspeakers, which was introduced mid-2016.

"The RSX12M brings even more value to the Radius family," explains Adam Shulman, director of marketing and application engineering. "The addition of a dedicated floor monitor model takes the family even further in terms of delivering an integrated, complete solution. Now customers can deploy a comprehensive system comprised entirely of Radius components, including mains, fills, subwoofers and monitors."

The RSX12M is equipped with onboard bi-amplified electronics (500W per channel) featuring technologies such as Focusing and DynO for a pristine impulse response at any output level. A 12-inch vented cone with 2.5-inch voice coil drives the low end while a 1 x 1-inch exit, 1.77-inch voice coil compression driver handl

South Africa - Aardklop National Arts Festival 2016, held at Potchefestroom, saw freelancer Jaco Beukes from SJ Audio trying out the DiGiCo S21 on a show for the first time. Jaco was based in the Sanlam Auditorium where he was the main sound engineer for the venue and helped guest engineers for artists like Karen Zoid and Elvis Blue. The S21 was based in this venue for the entire festival.

"This was my first gig on the S21 but I'm a big DiGiCo fan so it was awesome," said Jaco. "Other than the label, it's great that the console fires up in 96khz by default but for my show I kept it in 48khz. I really enjoyed the audio enhancer effects and for Charl du Plessis' Boogie Woogie Big Band used them on kick drum and base. I used them on toms as well. The graphic EQ's are awesome and easy to use - I inserted them on input channels and output channels which was useful. I had them on vo

UK - When newly opened Design Museum in Kensington, London played host to the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award on Wednesday 30 November, technical production expert OneBigStar was on-hand to deliver lighting and sound for the prestigious event.

Interesting elements of the project included a tight window for loading in equipment and it being the first commercial event for the brand-new venue. With just one hour to install all the equipment required [the venue closed to the public at 6pm and the award guests began arriving at 7.15pm] stringent pre-planning was essential to the effective delivery of the event. Several site visits, careful kit selection and a well briefed and experienced team of technicians ensured the awards began on time.

The OneBigStar kit list for the project included a wide range of lighting and audio equipment, cabling and

China - A spectacular concert, directed by famed Chinese director Zhang Yimou, was performed for world leaders on 4 September in China for the G20 Summit. Enduring Memories of Hangzhou later made its public debut in October, attracting huge audiences to the West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The upgraded show maintains 80% of the original programme content and benefits from a new audio system which has been installed to delight audiences from all over the world.

This cultural fusion performance of East and West, featuring a symphony orchestra and gala on water, is a unique outdoor concert in a natural setting. Through a significant feat of engineering, the stage platform lies centimeters below the West Lake's surface.

To the audience, the actors appear to be performing on the surface of the water, which also creates a stunning reflection of the performance an

South Africa - DWR is setting up a charity organization aimed at freelancers. When freelancers fall ill, injure themselves or sometimes even pass away, it puts their family under immense pressure.

This charity will hopefully help a few people, on a merit basis, with basic assistance. This can either be in the form of helping to pay for school fees for a few months, maybe cover the rent, or providing grocery hampers. Each case will be submitted to the charity where a board will decide who we can assist and how.

Says DWR, "At the end of each year, DWR Distribution usually take pleasure in giving our clients gifts. This year, instead, we will use the money we would have used to buy presents to kick start the charity. It's something we believe will make a difference to someone who may find themselves in trouble when times are low. DWR will initiate the charity by donating R150

Singapore - Midas partner, Consolidated Audio Networks Pte (CAN), recently hosted its first introductory Midas M32 training course at its headquarters' training facility, and has been deemed a remarkable success.

The Fundamentals of Mixing training course has been designed and delivered by CAN audio engineers, Chad Batchelor and Colin Oliveiro. The first course of its kind for CAN, was attended by 10 audio professionals, providing them with practical information and knowledge on applications of the Midas M32 console, with discussions and Q&A embedded into the session.

Hands-on training is also part of the course and allows trainees the opportunity to record their own mixes, which for some attendees, is their first time mixing on the Midas M32 desk. During this module of the course, users are familiarized with all M32 board functions i.e. buses, VCA, matrixing and multitrac

Brazil - Rock band, Raimundos, recently recorded their first acoustic DVD using Allen & Heath's dLive digital mixing system, supplied by Sao Paulo PA company, WR Sonoriza

Germany - Founded and headed by Rolf Feldmann, APG distributor aha-audio is shaking the professional audio landscape in Germany. A few months only after its creation, aha-audio has already been trusted by stagers for major concerts and festivals across the country.

When distribution of APG came to an end in 2015 in Germany, Rolf was adamant to keep the APG brand in the German market. Taking a leap of faith, he created aha-audio in January 2016 and became the exclusive distributor of the French manufacturer in Germany. "This can be seen by some as a big risk to take, but when you hear the sound that comes out of these boxes, you know that the brand is bound to success in this highly demanding market.

"Plus, APG was already a recognised brand in Germany", he recalls. Several rental companies including Tonwerk and Sound Light & Design Wesel (SLD) were already using APG at the

USA - SanFrancisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) is not your average festival. In fact, there is nothing "hardly" or "strictly" about the event in any way, be it the artists booked, the location, or the mix of tech that Bay-Area-based Sound On Stage (SOS) uses to make it all happen.

This year, SOS - which has supplied sound for each iteration of the festival since its debut in 2001 - extended its run of leaning on L-Acoustics to provide the PA for all seven of the festival's stages.

HSB is a free, non-commercial festival staged in an area of Golden Gate Park once called Speedway Meadow and renamed Hellman Hollow to honour the late Warren Hellman, the investment magnate that conceived, founded and funded the three-day event, and whose family has continued to financially support it since his death in 2011. "Golden Gate Park is an amazing location," said SOS general manag

UK - The Church of St Anne in Aigburth, Liverpool, dates back to 1837 and is a National Heritage Grade II Listed building. Still a growing church, St Anne's sits at the heart of its community offering not only a contemporary place of worship but also a space for a wide range of activities and musical performances.

Modern day churches are often multi-purpose venues that require the best in AV provision - where new-builds can take this into account during the design process, listed Victorian buildings regularly present all manner of interesting challenges.

POLARaudio customer, Dan Orange of integrators Electric Orange, was invited by this forward-looking church to modernise its AV facilities. St Anne's wanted a system that could be used to present slides for notes, hymn lyrics and visual content to accompany sermons but that could also offer video facilities to be used in se

USA - Based on its recent analysis of the professional and commercial microphone market, Frost & Sullivan has recognized Shure Incorporated with the 2016 North America Company of the Year Award.

"Shure has launched numerous innovative wired and wireless microphone products, conferencing systems, audio processors, earphones, headphones, and software systems, expanding its footprint both nationally and globally over the decades," said Frost & Sullivan industry principal Alaa Saayed. "Significantly, it is the most purchased brand among institutions, enterprises, houses of worship, live events' sound contractors, as well as theatres, broadcast, and studios."

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologie

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