UK - The annual DAMSTY sailing event will take place this year on the week-end of the 27-28 September at Port Solent in Portsmouth. The Dave Martin Memorial Sailing Trophy, which sees various crews from this industry competing for the trophy, is now in its eleventh year and looks set to be as much fun as previous years.

As before, proceeds from the event will be donated to charity: this year the recipient is The Elizabeth Foundation for Pre-School Deaf Children. Any prospective sailors should contact Brenda White at the e-mail address below.

(Ruth Rossington)

UK - Leading rental hose Aquarius Acoustics has recently acquired a contingent of Opus 87 drum mics from beyerdynamic. Since its inception in 1992, Aquarius Acoustics has gained a reputation as one of the primary sound hire companies in the north of England. The company caters for all sound reinforcement requirements and specializes in live performance applications from corporate events, festivals, and theatre.

Most recently handling the production sound for the recent UK tour for the legendary punk-rock band The Damned, Aquarius’s managing director Dave Pickering collaborated with the band’s FOH engineer Andy Hawkins. Together they decided to deploy Opus 87s on drums.

Dave Pickering explained: "This was the first time I’d ever used the Opus range. Thanks to Simon Druce from beyerdynamic, who recently introduced the line to me, I don’t think I&rsq

UK - Bosch Security Systems has re-located all its UK operations into a single integrated operation based at Bosch's corporate headquarters in Denham, Bucks. The move allows Bosch to fully integrate its well established Detection Systems previously based in Slough, with the former Philips CSI operation, located near Heathrow, into a single more complete business able to offer an even wider range of products and solutions from a single world class supplier.

"This will allow us to maximise the considerable potential present within the company, as well as giving our customers a single point of contact for all our product ranges covering Fire, Intrusion, CCTV, Access Control and Communications systems and complete integrated systems" said Joe McCann, managing director. "Our aim is to enhance our already strong reputation for pre and post sales support whilst offering

UK - Leading UK audio rental company SSE rocked the main stage at the new Clear Channel Entertainment ‘Download’ festival at Donington Park with a JBL VerTec line array system. SSE has worked with Clear Channel on many other high profile projects and were asked to supply PA for both Main and Scuzz stages at the event that pulled 40,000 enthusiastic rockers to hear the likes of Marilyn Manson and Iron Maiden.

Download demanded a lot from its sound systems, which had to be loud but also feature finely focusable directional control - to contain environmental spillage. SSE director Chris Beale designed the systems for both stages. He decided that VerTec was ideal for the main (open-air) stage, particularly as many top American acts roared their way across the 15 band-a-day line up and their engineers would be familiar with the system. Beale states: "The VerTec produ

USA - Cerwin-Vega and KRK have added Gustavo Afont to its team as international sales manager. Combining his experience as an international marketing manager with Sony Broadcast and international sales manager with Alesis, Afont brings over a decade of international sales experience to Cerwin-Vega and KRK.

"Gustavo's years of experience in MI International sales makes him a valuable addition to our team," said Cerwin-Vega/KRK president Dave Rice. "He will be an integral part of our International presence."

Based in Simi Valley, California, Cerwin-Vega Inc has been a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of loudspeakers for the home, mobile and professional audio markets since 1954. Also based in Simi Valley, KRK Systems is known for its design and manufacture of high-quality studio monitors.

(Ruth Rossington)

USA - Digigram, an innovator in digital audio network solutions, announced at the recent InfoComm exhibition a new licensing policy for its patent-pending EtherSound technology. The new licence makes it easier and more cost effective for pro audio manufacturers to integrate EtherSound technology in their products.

"We want to provide the licensees with more flexibility in implementing EtherSound," said Digigram managing director Philippe Delacroix. "Pro audio manufacturers can now optimize the dimensions and the components for their own specific needs. And at the same time, they have the possibility to integrate a proven design that has been extensively tested by Digigram, thus reducing their own design and testing costs."

Under the new licensing formula, access is given to reference design and manufacturing files for direct integration of EtherSound techno

UK - The Soundcraft Group has appointed Alex McDonald as its new quality manager. He brings with him the necessary pedigree, having previously worked as worldwide operations quality manager at Pace Micro Technology, where he served for more than 13 years. Prior to joining Pace, Alex held a similar position at Systime Computers, and also spent time with British Olivetti. His primary aim at Soundcraft will be to obtain ISO 9001:2000 certification, which he sees as essential to advance the company’s quality culture even further.

(Ruth Rossington)

UK - Liverpool-based Adlib Audio has supplied and installed a complete sound, lighting rigging and grid system at Parklands City Learning Centre in Speke, Merseyside. City Learning Centres are a government funded initiative set up in run down, deprived inner city areas, to provide learning opportunities for young people using new technologies. The Centres are specifically designed to offer facilities not available in conventional school environments. "The main focus is to lift achievement rates by exposing young people to new technology and ideas based on using it," explains Denise Barrett-Baxendale, director of Parklands.

A performance space was planned for Parklands from the outset, but it wasn’t until Barrett-Baxendale actually accepted her post that serious thought was given to the development of the technical infrastructure. Adlib’s Andy Dockerty speci

UK - Wharfedale loudspeakers took pride of place when the latest - and largest - Academy of Sound opened its doors to the public in Leeds last month. The 8,000sq.ft single-floor operation has allowed the company to set up several dedicated zoned areas, including a PA Theatre, according to sales and development manager, Jon Gold, who oversees all ten Academy stores (plus the direct sales operation). The company closed its smaller Leeds branch in favour of the large retail center, in order to provide a full service in a vibrant environment, and move way from the "trend towards box shifting."

The PA is fully-rigged, allowing customers to test, among other brands, a range of high-specification Wharfedale enclosures - reflecting the strong relationship the company enjoys with the Academy of Sound. Systems include the EVP-S range (EVP-S15SB, EVP-S15 and EVP-S12), as well as

UK - Top American band Wheatus have completed a low-key tour of the UK, playing smaller club and university venues to try out material from their forthcoming album. The London-based front-of-house engineer and programmer Geoff Kakoschke had to deal with some challenging acoustic environments, but none more so than the venue in Hull, in the north of England.

"The PA was just awful," recounts Kakoschke. "It was ancient - I've never seen any of the components before. It looked as though it had been built in someone's garage about 30 years ago! There was a 16-channel console that was so old that there were no markings left on it." Kakoschke called to Soundcraft for help, and a new MH3 console was despatched to Hull. "It was an absolute life-saver, it actually enabled me to get a decent sound out of that dreadful PA system, and it's confirmed me as a Soundcra

UK - One of the UK’s most established PA hire companies, Canegreen, has unveiled a new corporate identity across the group of companies as it reached the age of 21 this May. Canegreen Limited has built an international reputation supplying pa systems for festivals, tours and one off concerts. Co-founders Peter Edmonds and Yan Stile have co-ordinated new logo’s and websites with a common theme to all of the Canegreen family companies.

Yan said: "Canegreen’s ethos is all about offering clients innovative and fresh solutions regarding sound systems, our new logo’s and websites reflect our contemporary approach." In addition to new logo’s, Canegreen Commercial Limited is the new name adopted by the sister company, which serves the corporate events industry (replacing the name Canegreen Commercial Presentations Limited). Director Andrew Frengle

UK - The Sound-Effects-Library.com has created a new on-line sound design service which provides high quality sound solutions for the design community. Available for the first time via the Internet, it offers designers from all industry sectors such as games, exhibitions, conference, events and website creation a way to give their clients a competitive edge, by adding individually tailored soundscapes.

The Sound-Effects-Library.com has provided an on-line resource of sound effects, music samples and music tracks since 1999, where sounds can be uniquely searched, auditioned and downloaded within a few minutes. It now houses over 200,000 sound files on-line and a back catalogue of over four million sounds spanning decades of motion picture history. Demand from organizations such as Electronic Arts and the Millennium Dome, events companies and museums have fuelled the collaboration

Germany - Equipment rental company Ultraschall, based in Kassel, near Hanover, has become the first in Germany to invest in a new Nexo GEO T tangent array system, with Camco amplification. Ultraschall has taken delivery of 24 GEO T4805 cabinets and 8 CD18 sub-bass units, and has expanded its inventory of Nexo NX241 controllers and Camco Vortex 6 digital amplifiers. A long-time Nexo user, the company was the first in Germany to buy an Alpha system, and last year led the way with a GEO S system.

"Our experience with the GEO S system has been incredibly positive, we have had so many jobs because of this system," says Jesko Purmann of Ultraschall. "GEO T is a system for big applications. Essentially, it uses the same technology, scaled up, so we were confident that we would once again get great results. We've always had such good experiences with NEXO."

(Lee Ba

USA - Mackie Designs Inc has announced the release of UAD-1 version 3.1 software, and the availability of a new powered plug-in, Cambridge EQ. Version 3.1 enables multi-card support on the Macintosh platform as well as compatibility for the Cambridge EQ on both Mac and Windows-based systems. Cambridge is a new a five-band, fully parametric EQ featuring high and low cuts with a wide variety of filter types and curves.

Version 3.1 software is a free download for registered UAD-1 owners available via the Universal Audio website at: www.uaudio.com/PPI/home.html or the Mackie website at: www.mackie.com/record/uad1/index.html. Cambridge EQ is available for sale online at www.mackie.com.

New features include

UK - West London Electric of Acton, London - one of the UK’s oldest commercial audio distribution companies - recently launched itself onto the internet with a full-blown, multi-discount website. The site allows existing and new customers alike to search the company’s virtual warehouse for any one of thousands of products from manufacturers including TOA, Denon, Shure, DNH, Australian Monitor, AKG and Audio-Technica, to name but a few. Each product entry is supported by a full description, making this site a source for knowledge as well as competitive pricing.

What’s more, users can produce their own quotation on the site - complete with sales literature if required - which they can choose to convert to an order at a later date. Marc Ryan, managing director of WLE and descendent of founder Charles Ryan (once known as the 'Gramophone King of Acton'), remarked: &

Lebanon - MC2 Audio's official supplier for the territories of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, Triangle Sound & Image, has recently installed the sound system for the newly opened Moorea Beach Resort. This beachfront resort opened last Saturday and more than two thousand guests partyed all day long around the circular swimming pool with its in-pool bar.

A tented bar is equipped with MC2 T2000 amplifiers driving Renkus-Heinz Qube 15 speakers and double 18" subwoofer enclosures. The system runs daily for about 12 hours, increasing to 16 hours at the weekend. Zahid Elian of Triangle Sound & Image says: 'The resort attracts a young crowd creating an even more enjoyable mood than St. Tropez, Mykonos or Ibiza' and Elian also reports that local critics described what they heard as "the best outdoor sound ever heard."

(Lee Baldock)

UK - Pro audio distributor, beyerdynamic (GB) Ltd, has recently supplied Elstree-based Everything Audio with a complement of Klein + Hummel O 400 active loudspeakers and O 800 studio sub-woofers for use in Universal Sound’s new purpose-built Foley editing suite in Amersham. Everything Audio’s Roger Patel collaborated with Universal’s Phill Barrett and acoustic consultant Noel Hill to design and supply a state-of-the-art digital system which featured the K+H monitors, specified for their sonic clarity, robust design and aesthetics - they offered the perfect solution for Universal’s stylish editing facility.

Acknowledged as one of the finest Foley recording/editing facilities in the UK, Universal Sound has worked with major TV broadcast stations and production companies including Yorkshire Television, Granada, Martyr TV the BBC and 4 MC for over 10 years. P

UK - The football world has seen some huge games recently and Hand Held Audio has been called in to supply some unusual radio systems. Kevin Bannerman of K2B Audio specializes in sound services for large sporting events, and is involved in soccer, rugby and cricket, but lately the beautiful game has taken his attention, with Internationals, European Cup ties and the FA Cup requiring wireless systems.

Bannerman uses a high power link - one of Hand Held's 1W transmitters coupled with UHF radio mic receivers as a problem solver at these large events. His service provides sound for pre-match and half-time announcements and entertainments - for example, he used the link to send signal to a sound system in the Old Trafford car park at the recent European Champions League Final, so that people entering the ground were able to hear the pre-match entertainment, which included a live perf

UK - Peter Gabriel’s brief foray through the arenas of the UK has been turning heads, raising eyebrows, and generally creating much excitement with its impressive blend of theatre and concert touring technology. Praise is due to the eclectic imagination of Canadian film director Robert Lepage who conceived and designed the show, but it’s the multi-textured nature of Gabriel’s music that has put most pressure on the audio technology, as house sound engineer Ben Findlay described.

"The music is quite dense and layered," he said, "so I spend a fair amount of time adjusting fader levels." Findlay is using a Yamaha PM1D for mixing, and this is his first time back at live engineering for a decade. "These new consoles are amazing to me, truth is it’s a novel experience for me to move a fader just slightly and be able to hear a difference

UK - MC2 Audio directors Ian McCarthy and Terry Clarke have announced their acquisition of Quested Monitoring Systems. MC2 Audio and Quested Monitoring Systems have been in discussion for some months about some form of co-operation, as both companies have felt that there is a natural synergy between them. The two companies already share a working relationship, and for many years Quested have been using MC2 amps as the power source for their active systems.

Roger Quested will continue in his role as the designer of Quested loudspeakers, and says he is looking forward to the reinvigoration of the company under the new ownership. Steve Revill will be acting as consultant to Quested, on a full-time basis for at least three months, in order to ensure continuity of service to customers and to oversee a smooth handover to the new management. Wes Atkinson, with his detailed knowledge of

Taiwan - Cadac Electronics Plc has made its first major fixed installation sale in Taiwan, announcing the supply of a 52-input J-Type Live Production Console for the Taipei Metropolitan Hall (formerly known as the Taipei Municipal Social Education Hall). The venue has recently been the subject of an extensive six-month refurbishment, with the city's Cultural Affairs Bureau investing £4million to transform the hall into a high spec modern performance space.

Cadac's local Hong Kong distributor, Hiroshi Systems, was responsible for commissioning the J-Type, with director Joseph C Lee commenting: "We are delighted to be able to introduce the first-ever Cadac in Taiwan into Taipei's principal performing arts venue. The new sound system is currently being commissioned ready for the first performances later this year. Hiroshi has been working closely with the Hall's sound team to

UK - London-based FX Music, rental specialists in the corporate environment, have just invested in a Helix DN9340 digital EQ master unit and a DN9344 slave device, with the specific intent of using the system for system EQ on their corporate events.

According to FX Music’s Dave Beck, the six channels offered by the combination of the Helix master and slave together is a good template for most of their corporate work. "Generally, we require a channel each for Left and Right on the main system, and then four further channels for the bars of delays going down the room. The average capacity of the rooms we are dealing with tends to be around 1000, so we’re not talking small systems here, and it can go up to arena size. However, in corporate work, what we are always short of is space for our control equipment, and this is where the Helix system really comes into its

UK - Plimsoll's latest 2003 analysis on the Top 45 companies in the sound equipment industry has revealed a mixed performance on the year so far. As part of Plimsoll's analysis of the major players, each of the top 45 companies is ranked on sales turnover. With an average sales growth amongst the group of 1.8%, only six companies have kept their same sales position from last year. 10 companies have improved their sales performance whilst 21 have seen it fall. Showing the biggest improvement in position is Cadac Electronics Plc, moving up two places in the league and now the 20th biggest company in this part of the industry.

But it is the profitability rankings that have seen the biggest changes with average margins in the group a steady 3.2%. Only 10 companies have kept their same profit ranking, with 10 moving up and 20 falling. The number of loss makers has increased to 12 com

Australia - The QLight loudspeaker range from Turbosound forms the centrepiece of a new audio-visual installation at St Paul's Tavern - one of Brisbane's major entertainment venues which was recently re-opened after lying dormant for several years. The design and installation of the venue's new AV system was undertaken by local contractor, Technical Response Group (TRG), with the project's equipment supplied by Audio Telex - Turbosound's Australian distributor - via the company's Queensland office.

One of Brisbane's oldest taverns, St Paul's was recently rescued from being nothing but a dust trap, and has been refurbished into an outstanding venue for live jazz and blues, as well as for private functions. Each area of the venue features a Turbosound-based audio system, from the venue's small function room - equipped with four Impact 50 loudspeakers and two Impact 110 sub-bass un

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