UK - The Lighthouse Theatre is a new £2m venue which forms part of Kettering Conference Centre. The theatre, which opened earlier this summer, boasts a 562 tiered seat auditorium and balcony with armchair-style seating. The auditorium, along with its large stage is designed to be highly flexible and can accommodate conferences, presentations, award ceremonies and product launches as well as traditional theatre productions. In keeping with the versatile, high-tech nature of the venue, a sophisticated audio system based around Peavey Architectural Acoustic and Crest Audio products completes the installation.
According to theatre designer Phil Joyce who specified the equipment for the Lighthouse Theatre, the principal criteria were performance and value for money. "Architectural Acoustics from Peavey might not be amongst the best-known brands in theatre-land, but to my m
UK - The Novas Contemporary Urban Centre (CUC) North West is the flagship venue of a charity for which social inclusion is the key theme. And to ensure that people with hearing loss can derive as much benefit from its facilities as everybody else, Ampetronic induction loops have been installed in four key areas of the building.
Focusing on the key themes of arts, social enterprise, community support / development and pathways to employment, the organisation has moved from being predominately a provider of hostels for homeless people to be at the cutting edge of tackling social disadvantage through social enterprise and innovation.
Three of the Novas Scarman Group's four CUCs are located in London, but it is the 170,000sq.ft, Grade II listed converted warehouse in Liverpool, which grabbed the headlines on its opening in the summer of 2008.
UK - The Sage Gateshead, the landmark centre for musical education, performance and conferences on the south bank of the River Tyne, has begun to use Cirrus equipment to ensure that the hearing of its workers is protected.
The Sage has been using Cirrus doseBadge noise dosimeters to measure its workers' noise dose exposure during sound checks and performances for the last month, as part of a full programme designed to determine the level of noise protection required for both the staff and entertainers who are performing at the venue.
The updated Noise at Work regulations came into force this year, meaning that employers in the entertainment industry are required to manage the risk to their employees caused by excessive noise. The Sage Gateshead is keen to ensure that workers at the venue and groups who work for them outside the building are well protected, and will be taking t
UK - Audica Professional has awarded UK and Ireland distributor, CUK Audio, Distributor of the Year for the second year running. The award was presented to CUK Audio at PLASA 08 by Audica Professional director, Kieron Dunk.
The annual award is given for business development, service and support. "The UK was our leading market in 2007," commented Derek West, sales director of Audica Professional, "and has continued in this position with an exceptional growth rate of almost 250% this year. BGM and AV communication in retail premises have led the increase, with many major high street brand names joining our user list. Hotels, bars and restaurants have also been a rapidly growing market for us. For both Audica Professional and CUK Audio the key to this growth has been by putting relationships and service first; sales are a result, not an insular focus."
USA - The first annual Regeneration Tour has been filling amphitheatres and arenas across North America, as fans turned out in droves for a jam-packed evening of '80s artists including The Human League, A Flock of Seagulls, Naked Eyes, Belinda Carlisle and ABC. Delivering the musical variety is a Meyer Sound system featuring the Milo line array loudspeaker.
Engineer Wayne Pauley continued his run as the hardest-working FOH guy on the road, taking advantage of a short gap between separate world tours with Celtic Woman and The High Kings to man the faders for all five acts on the month-long extravaganza.
Pauley comments, "I've always loved how the Milo sounds on the Celtic Woman material, but I've got to say it's a lot of fun hearing what it does for that classic 1980s drum machine kick and snare. It's as powerful as it is nuanced, and the amount of headroom is amaz
UK - The PLASA08 exhibition (7-10 September, Earls Court, London) has bucked the general exhibition industry trend in spectacular style with an 11 per cent growth in visitor figures across the event's four days compared to 2007. The 13,000+ attendance figure (subject to ABC audit) reflects an exceptional level of visitor pre-registration as well as a growth in new and returning exhibitors to an expanded show floor, say organisers PLASA Events Ltd.
"The show's success was due to a combination of factors," said Director of Events Nicola Rowland, "in particular a targeted marketing campaign combined with special online registration offers; a growth in exhibitor numbers; even more new product launches than in 2007; a greatly expanded educational programme; and improved visitor and exhibitor facilities.
"Combined with the effort that so many exhibitors made to p
UK - EAW, currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, has announced that March, April, May and June were each record sales months for EAW and EAW Commercial in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA).
Sean Martin, director of EAW European Operations, attributes the growth to several key factors. First of all, the EAW Europe headquarters in Wickford, England, has altered its setup and operations, improving efficiency in regards to customer service as well as the sales and shipping of new product and spares/replacement parts. The division has also made a point of keeping a greater inventory holding, resulting in order fulfillment being more direct. Additionally, EAW Europe has placed special attention on increasing its market profile and building brand loyalty by comprehensively training customers and reps.
Martin also notes the particular commitment of EAW distributors
USA - Shure UHF-R wireless made its mark on the national political convention scene this year, serving as the wireless microphone system of choice for handheld and lavalier microphones as well as in-ear personal monitors at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Used by performing artists, including Trace Adkins, Stevie Wonder and John Legend, UHF-R wireless also gained prime-time exposure in the hands of Cindy McCain, who delivered a speech introducing her husband John McCain with the aid of a Shure UHF-R/KSM9 microphone.
Separated by slightly more than 72 hours in their scheduling, the Republican National Convention kicked off at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on 1 September, following the close of the Democratic National Convention in Denver on 28 August. This presented a formidable logistical challenge for ATK Audiotek, the Valencia, California-based sound c
USA - PRG Audio has provided the live sound reinforcement for NBC's Toyota Concert Series On Today, airing throughout the summer on the network's Today Show. This year, the concert series has featured performances by Alicia Keys, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus and many more.
The performances have been staged outdoors at Rockefeller Centre in New York City, drawing thousands of fans in the early mornings. Two stages facing each other, separated approximately 200ft apart, allow for consecutive performances by different artists. The south stage features a sound reinforcement system consisting of two ground-stacked line arrays, one per side, each containing seven JBL Vertec VT4887ADP-AN powered compact line array loudspeakers. The north stage features two arrays of five VT4887ADP-AN loudspeakers per side. Each array is accompanied by a VT4881ADP-AN powered compact arrayable subwoof
USA - Audio professionals from across the US flew in to Minneapolis, Minnesota on 10 September to attend the two-day US launch of the Midas PRO6 digital console. This was the latest in a world-wide programme of global launch events for the console.
The introduction of the PRO6 brings Midas digital technology to a more compact size and price point. The PRO6 has been introduced as "digital, with Heritage", invoking the legacy of its analogue predecessor the Heritage 3000 while taking Midas deeper into the digital realm.
The launch took place at the MYTH concert venue, where three PRO6 consoles were demo'd through the club's Electro-Voice X-Line sound system in a 5.1 listening environment. Guests had plenty of hands-on time with the PRO6 and the response to the system's feature set, work surface, and sound quality was uniformly enthusiastic, say the organisers.
UK - The AES convention in San Francisco will see TL Audio launching a new version of the M1 Tube tracker console. The new M1-F features the same tube preamps EQ as the original but has some additions too.
The master section has been improved and now features a mono button for use when mixing and also balanced insert points for mixdown, summing and mastering.
It has the ability to be fitted with TL Audio's latest, newly designed, digital interface - the DO-F card. The addition of the DO-F card will enable all channel inputs and outputs and main outs to be accessed via a single Firewire cable connected to a computer without the need for an additional interface or soundcard.
Germany - axxent has introduced a new call light for wired party line intercommunication systems, featuring four jumbo size LEDs for call alert.
The large LEDs indicate incoming calls even from great distances, the company says. The call light may be inserted in the intercom signal chain via standard three-pin XLR connectors, and is therefore compatible with most so-called party line intercom systems. A recessed potentiometer allows variable reduction of the LEDs' brightness.
UK - Welsh theatre sound rental company Stage Sound Services recently added Duran Audio's AXYS U12 self powered loudspeakers to its hire stock, enabling them to supply the Sherman Cymru's hit play Deep Cut at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Deep Cut is new play based around the events surrounding the infamous Deepcut Army Barracks which made its world premiere at The Traverse Theatre as part of the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and it won a Fringe First and a Herald Angel.
The AXYS U12s consist of a single 6.5" driver and a 1.1" soft dome tweeter which gives them a sound more often found in a studio monitor rather than a small sound reinforcement product and they are surprisingly full range for an enclosure of this size, says the company.
Its built-in electronics allow the unit to be actively crossed over and make it suitable for front-fill, under balcony-fill
UK - The RCCG Victory House in Bermondsey, London, is one of the parishes of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (otherwise known as RCCG), a worldwide church organisation established in 1952. For installation company Creative Digital Solutions, the large auditorium with a relatively low ceiling offered an exciting challenge to ensure all areas of the congregation had clear intelligible sound and images to support the vibrant worship.
Digital control hardware was used throughout much of this installation to allow full control of each individual piece of equipment, not only to maximise sound and visual performance, but also to make the system as user-friendly as possible.
The audio system comprises of ceiling-mounted Electro-Voice Rx speakers, including the Rx212H which is designed for horizontal mounting with a rotatable 3" central compression driver. There are three row
UK - The Sennheiser MKE 1 professional clip-on microphone is now available following comprehensive field tests, the company reports. Particular care was taken to ensure the microphone capsule was fully protected from moisture, enabling the MKE 1 to operate in harsh live conditions longer than many other clip-on microphones, says the company.
"Despite its tiny size, the microphone measures just 3.3mm across, the MKE 1 offers outstanding sound quality; plenty of lower midrange and excellent presence with good speech intelligibility," says Astrid Vettin, product manager for Sennheiser Professional Systems. "It has a user-friendly omni-directional pick-up pattern and the microphone picks up predominantly direct sound with relatively little ambient noise; which is a real advantage for many applications, from broadcasting to theatre and musicals."
UK - Sound Technology is now offering free BSS Soundweb training at its Letchworth Garden City head office. The courses are designed for installers interested in integrating Soundweb audio networking solutions into their projects.
Two courses are available, one for each of the two BSS Soundweb series - Soundweb Original and Soundweb London. Both are one-day courses and each runs once a month. Full details are available at www.soundtech.co.uk.
Sound Technology plc announced the acquisition of Harman Professional Group's distribution business in the UK and Ireland from Harman International Industries Inc in May this year.
Singapore - The Singapore Zoological Gardens, recently installed an Adamson Metrix line array system in the zoo's Shaw Foundation Amphitheatre. The newly renovated 1,400-seat Amphitheatre is home to a variety of animal presentations and information shows.
Since its opening, the Singapore Zoo has become a home for over 315 different animals, and hosts up to 1.4 million visitors per year. The Zoo, which is set in an open-concept, rainforest environment, encompasses approximately 28 hectares of land that is designed to simulate the natural habitats of the animals in which it houses.
During the renovation of the open-air Shaw Amphitheatre, many additions were made including the construction of a new impressive fabric membrane roof, further rows of seating at the top, and a wide corridor for additional standing room. Purchasing criteria for the new sound system was primarily based
Qatar - La Cigale Hotel in Doha satisfies all the criteria of a modern five-star hotel. Whilst in La Cigale's rooms and suites the international clientele is pampered with luxuries of every description, the Madison piano bar offers entertainment all year round.
To satisfy the many and varied demands placed on the bar's sound reinforcement system, EV's partner in the Lebanon, Hi Fi Services, designed a solution comprising components including Electro-Voice ZX5, ZX1, RX115/75 and SbA760 systems. CP3000S amplifiers, also from Electro-Voice, and a selection of EV microphones round off the installation in the 300-seater piano bar.
"The stipulation was that the sound should match the state-of-the-art ambience of the hotel. With this system, it does just that," says Hi Fi System MD Oussama Mansour.
UK - At London's Notting Hill Carnival Turbosound Aspect loudspeakers and XTA processing saw action on a street corner of London W11 throughout the event.
Jeff Woodford of NBS Audio provided his NineBar Sound System to Pineapple Tribe, whose eclectic mixture of DJ styles - including dub reggae, breakbeat, Techno and drum & bass - makes them a favourite at a wide range of dance-orientated events.
Located on the corner of Ledbury Road and Lonsdale Road, the NineBar Sound System was arrayed as a mono stack comprising eight Turbosound Aspect TA-880H mid-highs on 12 thumping custom-built subs. This delivered the balance of heavy sub-bass and crystal clear mid-highs or, as Woodford says, "A seriously upfront sound."
With an XTA DP448 processor managing the system, it not only delivered quality sound, it was also straightforward to set up.
UK - In response to a customer's brief to provide a waterproof cover for his EX12s at a marathon running event, KV2 Audio has launched a new range of weatherproof covers for its entire range of EX Series of active, powered speakers. The covers include the use of Saatfil Acoustex fabric for the front covering of the cabinet.
SaatiFil Acoustex fabrics are designed for acoustical applications requiring consistent performance and excellent sound pressure levels. They are precisely woven with polyester monofilament fibres to create uniform mesh openings and are used in applications such as microphone pop filters, speakers and headphones, and also combine a Hyphobe treatment that provides moisture-repelling characteristics.
Initially the covers have been made for the most popular EX12 cabinets as shown in the photograph and include rain hoods for the two cable inlets. All stitching
Spain - D.A.S. reports that Argentina continues to host a large number of live events using D.A.S. Audio Aero systems.
For the 455th anniversary of the founding of the city of Santiago del Estero, an open-air stage was set up for the event at the Aguirre Park in Santiago del Estero, attracting crowds of over 100,000 people. It featured performances by El Chaqueño Palavecino, Néstor Garnica, Peteco Carabajal, Maximiliano Guerra and Juan Saavedra, Dúo Coplanacu, Los Carabajal, Marcelo Toledo and Soledad Pastorutti.
The sound system supplied by Ariel Marti of Marti Audio, comprised 24 Aero 48 systems. 12 were flown on each side of the stage together with 16 of the new LX-218 subwoofer units. Two powered Aero 28A units for front-fill were placed at the foot of the stage, ensuring optimum front-row coverage.
Marti also flew three Variant 112 systems to handle out-fill an
UK - Cirrus Research will be holding a three-day Noise Measurement Workshop at Leamington Spa in November. The workshop is designed for Health & Safety professionals in the entertainment industry and anyone who needs to meet the legal requirements and HSE expectations of the new Control of Noise at Work regulations, which came into force in April this year.
The Noise Measurement Workshop is a practical course that will cover the skills and knowledge required to manage these regulations and provide a pragmatic guide to the current best practice. This will include analysis of case studies from across the entertainment and music sectors, as well as practical work measurement and assessment using both classic and contemporary examples.
James Tingay of Cirrus Research says, "Applying the Control of Noise at Work regulations within the entertainment and music industry can be a
Unexpected News - The Spice Girls have beaten Led Zeppelin to an award for the best music reunion of the last 12 months. The girl group won best live return at the Vodafone Live Music Awards after getting back together for a world tour. It was judged to have been better than the one-off comeback by rock legends Led Zeppelin, with The Verve and James also nominated.
Emma Bunton was the only Spice Girl present, and said she was "a bit shocked" to beat such venerable rock acts as Led Zeppelin. The pop group's victory will raise eyebrows among rock fans, but Bunton told the BBC News website: "The thing is, when you go to a gig, you go for fun and entertainment and a night out. And that's exactly what we did and I think that's why people enjoyed it so much."
Theatre News - Up to 95 publicly-funded theatres across England are to offer free tickets to young adults as par