Germany - BSS Audio has provided advanced site-wide digital distribution at Movie Park Germany - a major amusement park in Bottrop-Kirchhellen, which is continuously evolving and expanding. The Park welcomes around 1.5 million visitors a year into its 40,000sq.ft facility, who have access to 40 different shows, 15 shops and 24 restaurants. Further facilities will be added prior to the park reopening on 31 March following the winter recess.

Having acquired the site in 2004 from Six Flags Inc, early last year the park's operators, Belgian-based StarParks recently embarked on a major technology upgrade and commissioned a new audio-visual infrastructure, based around a central BSS Audio Soundweb London DSP/distribution system.

Under the supervision of technology integrators, FACE, the installation began in the early summer and was completed by the end of the year. Using Soundweb L

Slovakia - Czech pro audio distributor Prodance combined a dealer launch of RCF's TT+ line array with some major music event in Bratislava. The 800 plus charity event featured a complete cross section of entertainment which included folk music, chamber music, rock and even tap dancing!

Daniel Smutný, Prodance's technical support was on hand to meet the dealers on the Friday morning. He says: "The TT+ system and rigging is very user-friendly and the whole array, comprising six TTL33-As per side, were flown with ease in no time at all with two TTS28-As ground-stacked below, this really impressed some of our customers who had turned up early to view the whole event. The set-up of the actual array was also quickly taken care of with the aid of the RCF TT+ Shaper software; this takes just a few minutes to enter details of the venue and then gives you all the array configuration

UK - Kylie Minogue has made a strong return to touring and performance after her courageous and public battle with breast cancer. Her Homecoming tour has been winning rave reviews, including a recent series of seven sold-out dates at London's Wembley Arena.

Front-of-house engineer Christopher Pyne specified a multiple line array system featuring Milo high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers. The main arrays of 16 cabinets per side were augmented by two side arrays of 16 Mica compact high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers each and front-fill from 12 M'elodie ultracompact high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers. The rig was driven by three LD-3 compensating line drivers.

"A lot of people aren't aware that Wembley Arena was built as the swimming venue for the Olympics and British Empire Games (now the Commonwealth Games), shortly after World War II," says P

France - InnovaSon has announced the appointment of Camco as its new German distributor with effect from 1 March 2007. Camco, based in Wenden-Gerlingen in western Germany, is best known as a manufacturer of high quality power amplifiers, but the company also has a thriving German distribution wing that handles Camco amplifiers, Nexo loudspeaker products, and now InnovaSon digital mixing consoles.

InnovaSon sales and marketing director Xavier Pion is confident that this new partnership with Camco will consolidate his company's presence in Germany. "Camco is ideally placed to achieve this," noted Pion. "They already have a very strong sales network in place that targets our market completely, and the products that they currently distribute are highly complementary to our own. This, in turn, benefits everybody, as it enables Camco to propose complete, high-quality so

UK - The John Madejski Academy in Reading is the latest of the DfES Academies Programme designed to raise the level of attainment in England's inner cities by introducing a distinctive approach to school leadership.

Specialising in sport, the John Madejski Academy will have capacity for approximately 1,100 students, but the infrastructure also includes a technically-equipped auditorium and separate dance/drama studio, provided by Leicester-based Hawthorn Theatrical.

Contracted to the main construction company, Costain, the company has turned to Martin Audio sound reinforcement components as part of its audio-visual design model - extending the company's relationship with the AQ series.

According to Hawthorn's installation manager Simon Ling, the versatility of the AQ series meets the many requirements of a general purpose assembly hall, while the textured light grey factory

Canada - In the few months since it opened with a lavish production of Wagner's complete Ring Cycle, Toronto's new CDN$181 million Four Seasons Centre has vaulted to the front rank of the world's fine arts performance venues. Inside the gleaming steel-and-glass complex, a stunning interweaving of space and structure by principal architect A.J. (Jack) Diamond, the focus of architectural acclaim is the 2,000-seat R. Fraser Elliott Hall. Home to the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada.

In addition to the beautiful architecture and construction, the Four Seasons Centre boasts the sonic virtues of more than 150 Meyer Sound loudspeakers, though their presence isn't apparent: all are concealed from sight, either around the proscenium or embedded in the hall's walls and ceilings. The system works hand-in-glove with the acoustical characteristics to provide fl

UK / USA - Loud Technologies has entered into an agreement to purchase the entire share capital of UK-based manufacturer, Martin Audio Limited. The move brings Martin Audio into the Loud stable alongside EAW, a direct competitor of Martin in the touring, install and commercial audio markets. However, Martin Audio will remain "an independent brand" within the Group, say Loud.

David Bissett-Powell, managing director of Martin Audio, commented: "We are excited about becoming part of the Loud Group of Companies. Over the last few years we have built an incredibly strong and dedicated team of professionals and their knowledge of our industry is second to none. Our worldwide distribution partners have also become a strong part of this team and in order to utilise these talents and benefits to their maximum potential we need to have access to a wider base of technologies

UK - Danny Clarke has been appointed sales and Purchasing Director of UK distributor Proel (International). Clarke, who joined the company at the age of 19, began making special order cables and custom order audio systems in Proel's South Norwood technical workshop and later underwent an intensive course at Proel's Italian HQ, studying audio wiring and multiway connections.

Moving on to handle technical and sales queries and quotations, as well as running the workshop, he also became involved in organising Proel's exhibition activities.

In his new role, Clarke will be responsible for overseeing the sales department and keeping in close contact with Proel's on-the-road sales team. He will also oversee the company's purchasing and supplier liaison.

(Jim Evans)

UK - BBC Studios, part of BBC Resources, has chosen FreeSpeak from Clear-Com as the single intercom solution used across the massive Elstree studio complex and outside lot. The FreeSpeak system is made up of 60 advanced antennae and 80 belt packs and is able to serve BBC Studios' operations on the site. This covers six studios and an outside lot stretching to several acres, all operating from four control room suites.

The flexibility of the FreeSpeak system enables on-site locations to be covered by using easy to site antenna. "This is a particularly large installation, even for BBC Studios," said Tim Deane, resource manager at BBC Studios. "Using the FreeSpeak system allows a user to be anywhere on site, in or between the studios and to remain in clear contact with their Production Team."

FreeSpeak operates through a cellular network of active antenna, whi

Italy - Although world famous for its Parmesan cheese, Reggio Emilia is alsothe home of Mordente Music Service, a rental firm run by Beppe Pelliciari which has built a reputation in specific sectors of the sound reinforcement market, such as classical, operatic and spoken word.

Some of the more recent events on which the company has used its QSC ISIS WideLine arrays have included open-air concerts by the orchestra and chorus of Genoa's Carlo Felice theatre, with music ranging from opera, through the classics to the Beatles. For these events, the subwoofers used were a pair of QSC WL218S-sw and the powerhouse comprised QSC PL 236 and 230 amplifiers.

Another interesting event was Cividale del Friuli's MittelFest, a festival of the performing arts under the artistic direction of Moni Ovadia, which offers a showcase spanning the artistry of Central Europe, as well as shows involvi

UK - Hand Held Audio's growing involvement in Outside Broadcasts has kept them "very busy" in the first part of 2007, the company reports. Apart from the now regular contribution of all things wireless at the BAFTAs and the BRITs, the North London wireless specialist has a large system of Sennheiser 1046 radio mics on this year's Comic Relief fund-raiser, Celebrity Fame Academy.

A complex system spread across the facilities of BBC1, BBC3 and CBBC has a total of 44 channels of radio microphones and nine channels of in-ear monitoring. A combination of personal mics for the reality section and chromed hand-held mics for presenters Patrick Kielty and Claudia Winkleman uses five of Sennheiser's 8-way 1046 receiver racks and two of their 3-way 203 racks. Transmitters are SK50/SK3063 body packs with MKE2 Gold for the personals and the new SKM5200 hand-held transmitters

China - After the official launch of the Audi Olympic Games Programme, the FAW-VW Audi factory in Changchun, China, hosted an unusual afternoon of classical music for its 1,000 employees and members of the media to announce its sponsorship for the 6th Asian Winter Games. To celebrate the event, the Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra brought their graceful music to the factory on January 25.

The orchestra gathered at the special "concert hall", set up in the middle of the high-tech car factory complete with a stage. They performed an hour of classical music in tribute to Passion for Movement, with the direction of famous conductor Yu Long. Passion for Movement is the central theme of the FAW-VW Audi's Sponsorship & Olympic programme campaigns.

EAD, Adamson's Chinese distributor, provided the Spektrix line array system for the occasion. Five Spektrix, and a S

USA - The Spokane Opera House has been rechristened INB Performing Arts Center to reflect its diverse calendar of arts presentations and new corporate sponsorship from Inland Northwest Bank. Along with the name change, the venue has been treated to extensive interior renovations, including a new system of 18 self-powered Meyer Sound loudspeakers.

Mike Tucker, the venue's technical director, felt the recent audio refit was long overdue. Although the system had been upgraded piecemeal since the building's 1974 opening for the World Fair, it still fell far short of what most touring acts now require - and what discriminating patrons had come to expect. "It was a mostly second-generation, mix-and-match system," Tucker says. "It couldn't supply the clarity and 'oomph' we wanted for most shows, so more often than not we had to bring rental systems in."

The rental

USA / Germany - Since its introduction two years ago, the Digidesign Venue live sound environment continues to gain momentum with 350 flagship D-Show systems sold worldwide. Venue has been used by engineers on major tours with artists such as Beck, The Good, The Bad And The Queen, The Cure, Snow Patrol, Paul McCartney, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Barbara Streisand, Manic Street Preachers, U2, and many more.

Inline with market demand, Digidesign introduced a second Venue System last September and in just five months the Venue D-Show Profile has sold more than 100 units worldwide. With its more compact footprint, the D-Show Profile extends the benefits of Digidesign's unique solution into new live sound applications such as theatre installations and corporate AV.

Digidesign's European Live Sound sales manager, Mike Case, attributes Venue's rapid adoption to its unique feature

UK - In a move that has been seen as succession planning by its two founding directors, Cloud Electronics has appointed the experienced Simon Curtis as its new sales and marketing director with immediate effect.

A delighted Curtis has left a similar post at Sennheiser UK to take up the position, and says: "Although I was perfectly happy at Sennheiser this was too good an opportunity to miss. Given the heritage of the company and strength of the brand, it presents a unique and exciting opportunity to grow the business as a shareholder."

Sheffield-based Cloud Electronics was formed more than 30 years ago by Roy Millington and Andrew Colley, just as disco was exploding in the UK and across the world. After capturing volume business in the twin-deck market the company slowly began to exploit niches in the professional audio industry, producing a series of industry-refere

UK - The latest revival of the Puccini opera Madam Butterfly staged in the round at the Royal Albert Hall sees the introduction of ground breaking new audio technology. As in previous years, sound designer Bobby Aitken specified a TiMax Audio Imaging delay matrix to dynamically control time delays from each performer's radio microphone to the vocal reinforcement loudspeaker system, to make all audience members localise to the actors on-stage and not the PA.

Out Board director Robin Whittaker comments, "We only have four or five rehearsals in the RAH and it can be very difficult to know what you are listening to, for example, if an actor is not where they were blocked, or Sharry misses a couple of movement cues because he is focused on getting the orchestra mix right or EQing a mic, then the delay scenario from that actor's mic could be way off."

This year sees

USA - The Midas XL8 digital live performance system is attracting rave reviews for its first live production run on the stage debut of Sister Act, a new musical by Alan Menken that, critics concur, is a Broadway-bound hit. Having completed a sold-out run at the Pasadena Playhouse, the show has transferred to the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta accompanied by FOH Engineer Pierre Dupree and an XL8 deployed by Sound Associates, Inc, whose Carl Casella and Domonic Sack completed sound design for the show.

Casella comments, "From a hands-on perspective, the XL8 is really well thought out. It's a highly sophisticated piece of equipment, with a vast range of practical features missing on other digital offerings. "All digital desks 'work' in a controlled environment, but we, as engineers, do not. The XL8 was designed with that in mind. Around 175 cues are written into the X

USA - Clive Davis pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton, was the traditional glittering affair this year, where nominees, presenters, record industry executives and celebrities rubbed shoulders as a string of A-list music performers took to the stage. Delicate Productions of Camarillo, California once again provided the sound equipment for the annual event, outfitting the stage with Sennheiser wired and wireless microphones for performances by Smokey Robinson, Black Eyed Peas, Akon, and the night's highlight, Jennifer Hudson.

"We used 16 channels of the Sennheiser EM550G2 wireless microphone receivers, with SKM935G2 handhelds," says monitor engineer Scott Scherban. "There were eight channels of EW300IEMG2 in-ear systems." The setup also included two Sennheiser NET1 wireless management systems, providing control, monitoring and management of the microphone and

Finland - The Himos Arena, a new multi purpose hall situated in the ski resort of Jämsä, has installed a TT+ - based sound system from RCF.

Timo Kunnas of Noretron, RCF's distributor in Finland explains, "We had carried out several demonstrations of the new line array system here in Finland, so when this project came up we put the TT+ forward for it".

The design and installation of the system was carried out by Jämsän Discofix, where Ville Rantanen takes up the story, "The arena is very large and is used for a variety of different events including live bands and discos. We needed a system that would cover the entire area. By side flying the TT 33's together with the TTS 28A subs under the stage it gave us the coverage we wanted"

Also specified were Acustica C3110's compact units for the front fill delay speakers, and a pair for the DJ monitors. For th

USA - Super Bowl XLI may have suffered through a downpour, but it was Prince who reigned, with an electrifying performance that was hailed by some as one of the most thrilling halftime shows in the history of the game. Conditions were far from ideal for any electronic equipment, but the most critical item, Prince's chrome-plated Sennheiser wireless vocal microphone with a Neumann capsule, took the rough weather and the singer's rough handling in stride.

"My big worry was that Prince's mic was going to get soaked and quit working," admits James Stoffo, who has been in charge of wireless systems for the musical entertainment segments of the Super Bowl for many years. "But it never did die. It was soaking wet when we got it back, but it never quit on me.

"Although there was a spare standing by, the vocal microphone, which pairs a chrome-plated handheld Sennhei

UK / Germany - KV2 Audio will be exhibiting its full range of products at this year's Frankfurt Pro Light & Sound, including new arrivals in all its product ranges. There will also be a live outdoor demonstration of the VHD System.

The new EX6 will be launched at the show, complimenting the EX Series and completing this active driven range of high end powered enclosures. The EX6 is a compact speaker system producing a 2-way full-range solution which defies its size, says the company. It is promoted as being "perfect for discreet installations or audio visual presentations where sound quality is paramount but size still matters".

The EX 6 features state of the art components including the KV2 1" NVPD compression driver, Trans Coil 6" woofer and complete on board control with electronic crossovers, phase alignment, equalisation and speaker protection integrat

Germany - Danish manufacturer DPA Microphones will be co-exhibiting with its German distributor, Mega-Audio at ProLight&Sound 2007, Frankfurt.

Among the wide selection of DPA products on display will be the SMK4061 Stereo Microphone Kit, billed as a cost-effective and flexible stereo recording solution aimed at project studios and for discreet mic setup on stage. The kit packages two DPA 4061 high quality omnidirectional miniature microphones with a variety of mounting accessories.

Another recently introduced product is the BLM4060 Boundary Layer Microphone for use in boardrooms, conference facilities, courtrooms, teleconferencing and any application "requiring excellent vocal pickup". The BLM4060 is a transducer designed to work under optimum conditions when placed on a tabletop, and also performs well on any hard, flat surface that reflects sound.

Also on show at

UK - Dimension Audio, the specialist PA company within the publicly-listed Avesco Group, has purchased a new Electro-Voice XLC compact line-array system. Dimension will also become one of the first customers in the UK to take delivery of the new XLC127DVX cabinets, featuring all-new drive units. Dimension's order includes EV 215 and X-subs, and a number of the new Tour Grade Series amplifiers, launched a few months ago.

Dimension's head of audio Mark Boden comments: "As a PA provider, we wanted to expand our services to cater for larger events, particularly targeting the live music sector. The XLC system, whilst suiting our needs now, is easy to expand. XLC is priced competitively which allows us to be competitive as we build up our business in new areas as well as consolidating in the corporate events market."

Shuttlesound, the UK distributor of Electro-Voice produc

Croatia - Prism Sound's recently appointed distributor Intercom is putting the finishing touches to its new audio facility in Zagreb, which will be officially opened at the end of April 2007. Housed in the centre of the Croatian capital, Intercom's Piece Of Cake Studios will incorporate two control rooms, a critical listening room and studio offices.

Intercom managing director Damir Begovic says: "The primary purpose of Piece Of Cake Studios is to serve as a regional demonstration facility for the pro audio equipment brands that we distribute in South-East Europe. We believe that hearing is believing and with fantastic pro audio brands on our roster it made sense to have a properly equipped facility where prospective clients could literally get their hands on this equipment and try it for themselves."

Piece Of Cake Studios will also be available for commercial projec

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